hunting owl. The mage's body followed suit, shift shy;ing from one form to another in a spate of uncontrolled magic. Not all the transformations were uniform. The evershifting result was horrific, turning the wizard into a mirror reflecting the creatures that inhabited a thousand nightmares.
Arilyn finally made her way to the moonblade and stooped to pick it up. Her fingers closed around the hilt- and went through it. Her head fell forward in a gesture of resignation. The battle was over for her. There was nothing to do but wait and watch the spectacular spell battle rage between her love and the crazed wizard. It was the hardest moment of her life. Fitting, she thought fleetingly, that it should be her last.
She raised one ghostly hand to shield her still-sensitive eyes from the brilliant barrage of light. Danilo was throwing every fireball and lightning bolt spell in his memory at the mage.
No, not at the mage, she realized-at the Mhaorkiira.
Panic swept through her, and she tried to shout at him to stop, to flee. Such magic was dangerous at the best of times. In the presence of the dark gem, it could turn deadly.
The Mhaorkiira absorbed each of his magical attacks, growing brighter with each one. Suddenly it exploded, sending shards and sparkles of light into every corner of the cavern. There was no sound, there was no rumble or shudder or tremor. But the forces of the explosion tore through Arilyn's insubstantial form, sending her to her knees.
Never had she faced a foe to equal this one. A sound shy;less, psychic maelstrom whirled through the cavern, made up of memories, magical spells, dreams, and night shy;mares. A lifetime of them-a hundred lifetimes! The force of it threatened to tear her away.
Amid the soundless howl, she heard a familiar voice and felt a familiar, golden presence. Danilo was equally adrift, equally buffeted. A moment's touch, and he, too, would be gone.
She felt the familiar clasp of his hand, as surely in her mind as she had ever felt it in life. With all her fading will she clung to that, lending to it her own stub shy;born courage. The storm raged about them, but together they found they could stand.
When at last the crimson storm faded, Arilyn slowly eased her grip on Danilo's hand. She rose to her feet and jolted with surprise when she noted that he was at least twenty paces away from her.
'Look,' he said, nodding toward her elven sword.
The moonblade glowed with faint blue light. The elf-shadows were gone, but each of the eight runes glowed with serene power.
Danilo crossed over to Elaith and motioned Arilyn to his side. She heard the reassuring click of her boots on the stone, knew that her time as elfshadow was not yet come. A quick glance, however, told her that Elaith might not be so fortunate. His injuries were severe.
Oth Eltorchul was in considerably worse shape. The mage huddled at the base of the wall, his eyes as blank as a newborn babe's. At his feet lay the Mhaorkiira Hadryad. The light of life and memory was gone from it, leaving it a common gem. Arilyn picked it up and felt no trace of its malevolent magic. The kiira was as empty as the mage whose mind it had destroyed.
Epilogue
Two days passed before Danilo went to the Thann villa for what he suspected would be the last time.
There was much to do before he said his farewells to the life he had known. He had handed the Lord's Helm to Piergeiron and exacted from the First Lord a pledge to find a replacement who would champion the needs of Waterdeep's elven People. He had paid the keepers of Mystra's Arms for the care of Oth Eltorchul, whose mind seemed irrevocably destroyed with the Mhaorkiira. The dream spheres were also dead, their stored magic released by the final maelstrom of the spell battle. For years to come, small boys and girls would no doubt be shooting marbles with the crystal spheres, all the while dreaming the harmless, healthy dreams of childhood- dreams that would be earned not through magic, but through tears and time.
The tren's tunnels had been sealed, and Regnet and his Deep Delvers would be kept busy for some time to come hunting the last of the monsters down. Errya Eltorchul had disappeared. No dainty hand or foot had been found in the Eltorchul estate, but Danilo had his suspicions. Errya had all but admitted paying for the attack upon Elaith. Despite everything that had hap shy;pened, it would be very like the elf to repay her in kind.
Best of all, Arilyn was at his side, as she would be from this point on. The spectre of renewed warfare threatened Tethyr, and they had both pledged them shy;selves to Haedrak's cause-with one stipulation. They would fight with the forest elves and for them. Anyone in Tethyr who took arms against any of the People, even if that person were Haedrak himself, might face the small army of northern elves gathering under Elaith's command. Or-and Arilyn had been very clear on this-such a person might face one of the many assassins who still plagued the land and whose names were known to her. This 'offer' had gained generous concessions from the would-be king. He had promised Elaith lands and title in the south, and Foxfire a place in the new order as advisor and ambassador.
'What of the forest elves?' Danilo asked.
'They're on their way back home. We have an invita shy;tion to stop at Tangletrees on our way north.'
'North?' he inquired. 'Last time I consulted a map, the forest of Tethyr was south of Waterdeep.'
'True, but it's north of Zazesspur. From all I can gather, that's where Isabeau is headed.'
'Ah.' Danilo did not pursue this. The grim, deter shy;mined set of Arilyn's face told all. She had fallen back into her assassin's role, this time of her own volition. Oth Eltorchul had been punished for his part in Lilly's death, but Arilyn still held Isabeau responsible for hers. She would pursue the woman into the glittering cities of Tethyr-or into the Abyss if need be. Danilo did not disapprove.
'Elaith is coming with us,' she announced. 'He asked to be released of his promise not to harm Isabeau. I told him yes-I hope you don't mind me speaking for both of us.'
This time, Danilo was surprised. 'I thought he would have his hands full with his new command.'
'Will Elaith ever be too busy for vengeance?'
'Everyone needs a hobby,' Dan agreed, 'and as you pointed out, the difference between a rogue and a hero often comes down to who tells the tale. It seems to me that you have taken upon yourself the task of rewriting Elaith's path.'
She shifted one shoulder in an impatient shrug. 'He is what he always was. Nothing I did changed that.'
'I disagree,' Danilo said softly. 'Do you know what he told me when he first regained consciousness? He asked about Amnestria. Apparently he found her in the storm and found strength in her as we did in each other. He did not understand what had happened and asked only if I thought he would see her again. I assured him that he would. I believe it,' he said firmly. 'An elf who is thinking about the afterlife to come is likely to treat this life with greater care. Indeed, any elf who would risk the Mhaorkiira's power to test his true mettle is worth as much in courage and heart as any three pal shy;adins you could name.'
'He's out to kill Isabeau,' Arilyn said, then shrugged again. 'So am I. Who's to say that he is wrong and I'm right, just because I've got the moonblade to add its voice and judgment to my actions.'
'Speaking of that,' he said, 'do you plan to tell Elaith that the moonblade's magic was running amok?'
She considered that, and shook her head. 'No. I don't think so. I believe that Elaith is the same as he ever was, but what
'Perhaps the moonblade spoke true. Perhaps he was not equipped to wield the Craulnober blade but is amply suited for another task that will serve the elven people as well.'
Arilyn looked surprised, but she considered that. 'Perhaps.'
'The fact remains that Elaith is still a rogue,' he pointed out, 'a killer with great skill and little mercy.'
'True enough,' she agreed, 'but let's see what else he can do.'
Danilo found he was content to leave it so. They walked in silence to the Thann villa. He sought out the Lady Cassandra and faithfully recounted all, sparing her nothing of the battle and its outcome.
'You have bridges to mend, but I believe an all-out battle will be averted,' he concluded. 'Like all successes, though, this one comes with a price.'
'I was expecting this,' Cassandra said with resig shy;nation. Her ice-blue eyes flicked to the half-elf. 'Very
