Chapter 13
Gromph's Mansion
"Do
you really have to do that?" Jarlaxle asked again, "I mean, it's not much
effort making a portal to your room and dumping them there."
The
package of books floated behind Zaknafein like a tame dog. Abeit flying. He grinned at Jarlaxle. "Believe me, this takes less effort to attach it to me and make it
levitate than tearing a hole in the fabric of reality..."
Jarlaxle
raised his hands. "I get it, I get it."
"So
long as you do," Zaknafein said urbanely. The hubbub of the bazaar faded behind them, and they came to the gates
of Gromph's ex-residence. Or was it the
residence of ex-Gromph?
"No
wardings," Zaknafein commented, probing carefully.
"Good,"
Jarlaxle said, "I hate lightning bolts and all those other horrible things you
mages use to kill others."
"It's
more fun than sticking swords through people," Zaknafein said dryly, "I mean,
do you know what kind of damage sticking something in someone does?"
"Intimately,"
Jarlaxle grinned.
Zaknafein
sighed, but Zaire made a sound suspiciously like a chuckle. They picked their way through the courtyard
to the large stalactite, and stopped a few yards away, looking at it
curiously. "I suppose I could open it
forcefully or open it like Gromph would."
"I
don't know about you," Jarlaxle said, fingering his new swords, "But I'd like
some more centuries of life to use these weapons."
"Very
well," Zaknafein smiled, his eyes growing distant as he probed the door, his
mind sifting instantly through the many complex layers of wardings on the
door. "Step back, Jarlaxle," he said
calmly. Hastily, the weapon master did
so.
Zaknafein
looked pointedly at the stone ground and pointed his staff at it, channeling a
burst of raw magic through the tip. The
ground surged upwards to form into an elf-sized, crude shape, vaguely humanoid,
mouth a thin craggy line, eyes burning with blue light.
"Lloth,
Zaknafein," Jarlaxle swallowed, "What are you doing?"
"You
did say you wanted me to open it like Gromph would," Zaknafein grinned. "It's slightly different from Gromph's, of
course. It's not like I really need
this one, or I'd make it more...refined. It is close enough for the spell's sake." He nodded at the stone golem, and it lurched over to the door and
touched a rune. A door opened, and
Zaknafein shot Jarlaxle a triumphant look.
"I
give up," Jarlaxle announced to the air, and followed the mage in, Zaire
padding after him.
The
mansion was predictably empty. Jarlaxle
jumped when the golem walked in after them. "Make it go away," he said.
"Why?"
Zaknafein grinned, "Do you think we can carry everything ourselves outside to
where I can safely portal?"
Jarlaxle
sighed, but still eyed the golem nervously. "Keep it far enough away from me," he said. Zaknafein winked.
The
golem suddenly lurched forward in Jarlaxle's direction, and the Weapon master
retreated backwards and drew his swords before he knew it. Then he lowered his swords. "Very, very funny, Zaknafein."
The
ArchMage chuckled, and led the way, probing for areas with the most stored
magic. Tentatively he opened a door, to
show a large library.
"Well,
this is more like it," Zaknafein grinned, walking in and looking around.
**
Sosdrielle
Vandree blinked from where she was standing in the bazaar. The mansion was far away, but she could make
out the shape of the door. Was Gromph
alive? Ignoring the indignant stare of
the stall keeper, she put down the perfume bottle hastily and walked as fast as
dignity accorded towards the mansion.
She
was a member of one of the lesser houses, but without magical talent or
ambition. She did possess a rare
beauty, however, and had been Gromph's mistress for some time. Sometimes she prided herself that Gromph seemed
to show affection other than the bed accorded, but she could never be sure.
"Where
are we going, mother?" Liriel Vandree, her daughter, asked tentatively from her
arms.
"To
see your father's mansion, beloved," Sosdrielle said. Abruptly, she stopped. What if whoever was looking in the mansion was a looter? But that was
impossible – no other mage could open the doors. Shaking her head at her suspicions, she half-ran to the mansion.
Her
heart rose when she saw that the door had not been forced open, and quickly
darted inside, clutching her daughter tightly.
**
"Are
you bloody finished?" Jarlaxle demanded, "I want to see his famous treasure
chamber."
Zaknafein
looked reluctantly at the books he had picked out. "Oh, what the hell," he muttered, and opened a portal
effortlessly, clearing to show his room. He started dumping books inside before remembering himself and pointing
his staff at them. The books levitated
off the shelves and dived into the portal, reappearing in his room. Satisfied, he began to walk outside.
Zaire
growled menacingly, and rose into a crouch. Immediately, Jarlaxle drew his swords, and Zaknafein gripped his staff
more tightly.
A
drow female stepped into the room, holding a female child. Her beautiful face paled and crinkled in
fear when she saw them, and she backed out, but Zak immediately froze her
muscles in place.
"ArchMage!"
she squeaked, seeing the chain around his neck, then recovered her composure
somewhat, raising her chin proudly. "I
am a noble of House Vandree, and..."
"You
demand nothing," Zak said smoothly, "The ArchMage and Master of Sorcere defers
to only those above Mistress of Arach-Tinilith rank." He was lying behind his
teeth, as the status of ArchMage and Master together was still relatively
shaky.
"Gromph's
sweet, I should think," Jarlaxle commented. He did not lower his swords.
"The
girl does have his amber eyes," Zak agreed rather calmly. "And...some wizard talent." He did not
bother to hide his contempt and distaste of a female wizard.
The
girl's eyes opened wider in fright.
"Where
is Gromph?" Sosdrielle asked timidly.
"Didn't
you hear?" Jarlaxle grinned nastily, "He decided to pick a fight with Zak
here. Worst decision of his life."
"And
the last one he ever made," Zak agreed, "May Lloth burn his soul forever. Whatever. Now, what shall we do with her?"
"Let
Zaire eat her?" Jarlaxle suggested.
Zak
shook his head sadly. "She's still
priestess, though not a high one."
Jarlaxle
considered this. "Let Zaire eat her,
then bury her under the rubbish?"
Zaknafein
rolled his eyes. "Zaire, would you like
to eat her?"
Zaire
made a sound like someone vomiting noisily. Sosdrielle turned even paler, if that were possible.
"In
that case, I'd let her go," Zak said calmly. Jarlaxle raised his eyebrow. "On
a few conditions. One, that you forget
you saw us here. Two, you get out
immediately. Three, don't ever, ever
let that daughter of yours enroll in Sorcere. I have ways of finding out if you disobey." Zak smiled, and in that
smile was a hint of maliciousness, suppressed rage, sheer destructive power and
above all a serpent's cold, precise manner that he wouldn't regret her dying in
the most painful way possible.
"Yes,
sir," Sosdrielle whispered, thoroughly cowed.
"Well,
what are you waiting for?" Jarlaxle took a menacing step forward, and the
female quickly turned and ran off.
"I
think I enjoy bullying people," Zak mused.
"You
nearly frightened me," Jarlaxle shrugged. "Just try not to make it a habit. Can we trust her?"
"I
don't think they'd make much of us going through Gromph's room," Zak said
innocently, "Looking for several official Sorcere documents that had been in
his possession."
"And
why am I here?" Jarlaxle asked.
"You
are merely accompanying me," Zak said firmly.
"Oh. Right," Jarlaxle said. "Now, about that treasure room..."
"You
might want to be careful," Zak commented, "Or you might end up with a face
worse than the Faceless One."
"I've
wondered about him," Jarlaxle muttered, "He's not a Master, is he?"
"No,"
Zak said, "One reason why he dislikes me was that the former Master of Invoking
chose me over him for successor. He is
a mage whose experiments occasionally have interesting benefits, so Sorcere
allows him to stay, and besides, his family secretly pays Sorcere to give him
rooms. On account of the explosions,
you know."
Jarlaxle
chuckled.
**
When
they had finished taking whatever was of interest and dumping it randomly into
Jarlaxle's room when Zak's room was full, they strolled out of the
mansion. The golem closed the entrance
behind them, then sank back into the ground.
Jarlaxle
sighed with relief.
"What's
this about you and golems?" Zak inquired.
"I
just dislike them," Jarlaxle said flatly, "They're horribly strong, the good
ones look too much like us for my liking, and weapons don't usually work on
them. And if they do, it gives a hell
lot of nicks to smooth out later. And
you do remember the patrol where we stumbled on a water elemental, don't you?"
Zak
chortled. "Well enough. I do remember you attacking it first, and
the priestess wailing she didn't have any spells to counter 'rare' monsters
like it."
"That
was possibly the most stupid thing I had ever done," Jarlaxle said sourly, "I
remember being very thankful you intervened somewhat, but I would have
appreciated it if you had intervened before it decided to try and crack all my
ribs."
"It
succeeded too," Zak grinned. "Partly. I think I see your
point."
"Good,"
Jarlaxle said, "Any longer and I would have to have your eyes examined."