attempting to think of a way to repair Ghaji's elemental axe.
Tresslar worked through the problem by whispering to himself, speaking more for his benefit than any of theirs. 'If the fire elemental is merely injured, it might be possible to restore it to full strength. But if it's dead, then there's nothing else that can be done but bind a new elemental to the axe. Provided I can find the time and energy to summon one, that is. Perhaps I could make use of the enhancer to…'
The companions blocked out Tresslar's monologue as they marched and soon, almost without realizing it, they found themselves leaving the forest. The night sky spread about above them, stars and moons bright and sharp as new-cut crystal. The ground was devoid of vegetation, barren and rocky, and in the nearby distance black hills rose up, forbidding shadows that blocked the horizon.
'These are the hills where Paganus' cave is located,' Tresslar said. 'I'm sure of it!'
They all were, for their path had been implanted in each of their minds by Solus. They had reached the dragon's lair at last.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The companions climbed the sloping hillside and entered the tunnel leading to Paganus's lair. The tunnel was wide enough for the group to walk in rows of three: Ghaji, Diran, and Tresslar in front; Yvka, Onu, and Asenka in the middle; Hinto, Solus, and Leontis in the rear. From Tresslar's memory of the place-a memory Ghaji now shared- the half-orc knew they had almost reached the cavern where Erdis Cai, Tresslar, and a handful of sailors from the Sea Star had once battled the dragon. The glowing mold clinging to the walls here was a dead giveaway. All they had to do was go around the bend just ahead.
The cavern was huge, lit by luminescent substance covering both the stalactites and stalagmites. The dim greenish glow given off by the mold revealed no sign of life. However, that didn't mean the cavern was free of danger.
Ghaji detected the stink of poison gas before any of the others, and the half-orc quickly called the party to a halt.
'I thought you told us the dragon died forty years ago,' he said to Tresslar. 'From the smell, I'd say he's still very much alive and breathing.'
The artificer looked at Ghaji with concern. 'Are your eyes burning? Are you having trouble breathing?'
'I can't say it's the most pleasant smell I've ever encountered, but it's tolerable enough.'
Tresslar's relief was clear in his voice. 'Good. Let us know if you begin experiencing any discomfort. The fumes emitted by a green dragon are highly toxic, and breathing them is a quick way to an agonizing death.'
Onu's eyes widened. 'Do you really think the dragon might still be alive?' He peered into the cavern's gloom, as if he were hoping to see a green dragon come charging at them any instant.
Ghaji grimaced in irritation. Of the two personae the changeling had revealed to them so far, he much preferred Onu's natural one. It was the quieter of the pair-not to mention the less obnoxious one.
'I don't see how,' Tresslar said. 'Paganus was clearly dead when we departed his lair. I suppose it's possible he was restored to life somehow, but someone or something else would've had to do perform the deed, especially as the dragon no longer had possession of the Amahau.'
'Before the shadowclaws attacked, Tresslar's revealer indicated his dragonwand lay somewhere ahead of us,' Yvka said. 'That could mean Nathifa reached the lair before we did.'
'Traces of the lich's foul presence linger here,' Diran said. He looked to Leontis for confirmation, and his fellow priest nodded. 'I am certain Nathifa was in the cavern, but as yet I cannot tell if she remains nearby.'
'But if she was here-' Yvka began.
'The lich might have resurrected Paganus,' Ghaji finished. He turned to Diran. 'Is it possible?'
'Liches are powerful sorcerers, so Nathifa undoubtedly has a great deal of mystical knowledge to draw upon,' Diran said. 'But to resurrect a being forty years after its death would require magic of an extremely high order. I'm not certain she's capable of that.'
'She does have Tresslar's wand,' Hinto pointed out.
'The Amahau could easily provide the lich with enough mystic energy to fuel such a spell,' Tresslar said.
'Before we go further into the cavern, Solus should scout ahead using his psionic abilities,' Diran said.
The psiforged nodded and stepped for the forefront of the group. The crystals covering the construct's surface began to pulse with a soft inner light as he mentally surveyed the cavern.
Several moments passed, and then Solus said, 'I detect something, but I'm uncertain what it is. It's not precisely intelligent in and of itself, but it does possess a rudimentary-'
That's as far as the psiforged got before an ebon serpent dropped from the ceiling and wrapped itself around the construct's neck. It bit down on the top of Solus's head, its curved black fangs penetrating as easily as if the psiforged were made of butter instead of stone and starsilver. The serpent's eyes were a burning crimson, and they flared bright at the creature clamped its jaws tight onto Solus's skull. The psiforged stiffened, and his eyes changed from a glowing green to a baleful vermillion, just like the serpent's fiery orbs.
Diran drew a silver dagger from his inner cloak and lunged forward to strike at the serpent coiled around his companion's neck. At the same instant, Ghaji swung his axe at the giant black snake, not worrying about what might happen if he accidentally struck the psiforged a glancing blow. Solus might lose a chunk of rock from his shoulder, but he wouldn't suffer an injury the same way a being made of flesh and blood would.
But before either the priest or the half-orc could hit the serpent with their weapons, the psionic crystals on Solus's body began to emit crimson light, and the two companions found themselves thrown backward, as if both had been struck by a pair of invisible fists.
Yvka caught Ghaji beneath the arms, her elvish strength belying her petite frame, and Leontis caught Diran.
'Whatever that serpent is, it's taken control of Solus's psionic powers!' Tresslar said. 'We must put as much distance between us and the psiforged as we can before-'
'Something like that happens,' Hinto said, pointing behind them.
The others turned to see a dragon coming toward them. No, not a dragon, but rather the skeleton of a dragon, moving with an eerie liquid grace.
'Diran!' Leontis shouted. 'I cannot turn it!'
Ghaji assumed Leontis had lost his silver arrowhead during the fireblast in the forest when his clothing had burned. Perhaps the intense heat had even melted the token.
'I don't think that thing's a normal animated skeleton,' Asenka said. 'If there is such a thing. Look at it. There are spaces between the bones. They're not connected.'
It was true. The conglomeration of bones that approached them was configured in the shape of a dragon, but the separate pieces hung floating in the air, moving in concert as if they were a single unified creature.
'It's Solus's doing,' Tresslar said. 'Or rather, the serpent's. The creature is using Solus's telekinetic power to manipulate Paganus's skeleton!'
Now that Ghaji looked more closely, he could see what Asenka and the artificer were talking about. The skeletal dragon glided toward them with sinuous reptilian grace, but there were clearly gaps between the separate bones. And though they did move in unison, the motion wasn't perfect. Some gaps would widen for a second or two before closing up again. Ghaji was put in mind of the way a marionette sometimes wobbled and drifted even when under the control of a skilled puppeteer.
Hinto moved toward his friend. 'Solus, whatever that serpent is, you have to fight it! You can't-'
The halfling reached out for the psiforged's hands, and just as with Diran and Ghaji before him, the little man was flung backwards by an unseen force. Ghaji caught Hinto before the halfling could fly too far, and the pirate's breath whooshed out of his lungs as he collided with the half-orc's sturdy arm.
Ghaji set Hinto down, and the halfling nodded to indicate that he was unhurt as he struggled to catch his breath.
The skeleton of Paganus stopped less than a dozen feet before the companions and reared back on its hind legs, front feet clawing the air, wing bones spreading out behind it, head lifted high, jaws stretching open in a
