Hi guys! Sorry this took so loooooong to update, but I was silly and kinda
lost the disk I had saved this story onto. But I've finally found it again!
^_^ YAY! I still need reviews, though, otherwise I might lose the will to
live. well, the will to write, anyway.
Here is, finally,
Chapter 7
Raistlin stood in front of the Portal, Dalamar behind him, breathing slightly heavier than normal with excitement. The sand, tulip petals and bat guano were placed on the huge dark oak table of Raistlin's laboratory, within reaching distance of the Black Mage, who was holding the Staff of Magius in his left hand. He turned to face his apprentice, stroking his soft cheeks with thin fingers, kissing him once more on the full lips. Dalamar returned the caress, trying hard not to let his tears fall. He looked away, not trusting himself to keep his regret and fear hidden from his seemingly brave Shalafi.
They both faced the dark Portal, the dragons still screaming silently into the empty void that would open to become the dread Portal. Taking a deep breath from the stale air in the laboratory, Raistlin busied himself with checking over the spell components once again, hoping to put off his casting as long as he could. But the Dark Queen would not wait forever.
Trying to ignore Dalamar's presence behind him so he could concentrate on the magic and nothing else, the Archmage lifted the leather drawstring bag that held the multi coloured sands. Dipping his fingers in, he felt the reassuring coolness of a million tiny particles of sand. Lifting some out between his thumb and forefinger and glancing once behind him to let Dalamar know he was going to cast, he sprinkled the sand in front of the portal and chanted in the language of Magic.
The void within the Portal began to glow with a dim light, and Dalamar thought he could hear the dragon heads screech softly. His eyes, however, were fixed on his Shalafi, his lover, chanting an unfamiliar spell as he sprinkled sand and tulip petals at the threshold of the Portal. He then rolled some bat guano into a ball and threw it into the cold emptiness.
There was an explosion of light and sound. The heads all screamed loudly at once, causing the Dark Elf to cover his ears, and a fiery red light burst from within the Portal. Raistlin leaned heavily on his staff as he looked deep within the terrible entryway.
"My Queen," he spoke into the Portal. "The way is cleared for you." He bowed with the last sentence.
"No, foolish one," she replied, her voice resonating around the small room. "Step through and I shall be free."
Raistlin turned to Dalamar for the last time to say farewell. He put his arms around his lithe lover and held him close.
"Now can be our chance, Shalafi," Dalamar whispered urgently into his Master's ear. "The spell weakened her, you know it did. If we strike now." Dalamar stopped to see if Raistlin would say anything. He didn't. He seemed to be contemplating it. "Shalafi, you planned this once before, to destroy Takhisis like this, when she was weak. But we don't need to destroy her this time, we just need to make her retreat. Shalafi."
Raistlin nuzzled into the Dark Elf's thick black hair. "You promised me you would not retaliate," Raistlin whispered back. "She will kill you. I want you to leave now, lest you be harmed in anyway." Or in case you feel like defying my order, Raistlin thought to himself. Dalamar shook his head, the ecstasy of the magic in the air singing in his blood.
"I will not leave this room until you do, Shalafi. Forgive me for disobeying your orders, but there is no way I will leave you here," Dalamar replied, defiance written on his face and in his stance.
Raistlin nodded once, knowing that there would be no way of changing the stubborn Elf's mind. He prayed o Nuitari that Takhisis would leave Dalamar alone. "I love you, remember that."
And then Raistlin was gone. Dalamar missed the warmth of his mysterious lover immediately. He watched Raistlin approach the Portal and as he did so, Dalamar saw five terrifying dragon heads emerge from it. However, they seemed to be unable to go any further, five snapping serpent heads anchored to the Portal.
"Hurry, little one," they snapped at once. "I grow weary of this realm." They drew back scaly lips to bear their rows of dragon fangs.
Raistlin's heart almost stopped beating as he saw lightning begin to crackle in the jowls of the blue head. He urgently turned to warn Dalamar, but the Dark Elf had already reacted and was standing at Raistlin's side when the lightning bolt hit the spot he would have been standing in.
"Make haste, pawn," the Dark Queen ordered. "My next shot will not miss."
Raistlin shivered as his spine tingled. He could not do this, could not let Takhisis into the world, his world. Dalamar's world. He stood straight, leant on the Staff of Magius in his hand and looked ahead, at the Five- Headed Dragon.
"I will not," He said, his voice not quivering at all. He was proud of himself.
There was silence then, as if Takhisis herself was wondering if she had heard correctly. Dalamar drew closer to Raistlin and placed a slender hand on his arm, asking wordlessly what his Shalafi would have him do. As the Archmage looked into the Dark Elf's eyes to reply, Takhisis laughed.
Her laugh resounded in the laboratory, making the Mages shiver and the floor to quake faintly. It was the most terrifying noise either Mage had ever heard.
"You defy me, servant?" She asked, mockingly. "You, who begged me to return you to Krynn, you who cried over the temptations I showed you, you, worm, defy me?"
"Yes," Raistlin shot back simply.
He was suddenly thrown to the ground, a flash of red light momentarily blinding him. When his vision cleared, Raistlin saw Dalamar, floating a few meters above the ground, struggling against a crimson tendril of what appeared to be solid smoke that had wrapped around him. The Dark Queen laughed again.
"Do you still defy, maggot?" she taunted. "Come through the Portal and I will let him live. If you do not."
The tendril tightened around Dalamar's body, and Raistlin winced as he heard bones crack and his lover gasp for air. The Elf was struggling to breathe and turning slightly purple.
"Hurry," the Goddess' menacing voice rang out. "Step through the Portal. Now!" she hissed.
Raistlin looked down to the floor and closed his eyes. This is where he had gone wrong in the dream. To save Dalamar, he had chosen to go with Takhisis and, true to her word, she had let Dalamar live, as a slave. He tried to block out the sounds of Dalamar moaning and gasping as the Dark Queen tightened her grip on his body. Hot tears fell down his nose as his entire being cried out for him to go through the Portal, to save Dalamar's life. But he knew he couldn't bear his lover hating him and knew the Dalamar would rather die than be treated as he was in Raistlin's dream.
His eyes still watering and his face stained with already-spilt tears, Raistlin made eye contact with the red head of Takhisis.
"No."
A/N: Sorry if that wasn't as good as it could have been. After finding my disc, I suffered serious writers block. The next chapter will be much better, I promise. I think it could well be the last one. Remember to read and review! (Blows a kiss to all readers)
Here is, finally,
Chapter 7
Raistlin stood in front of the Portal, Dalamar behind him, breathing slightly heavier than normal with excitement. The sand, tulip petals and bat guano were placed on the huge dark oak table of Raistlin's laboratory, within reaching distance of the Black Mage, who was holding the Staff of Magius in his left hand. He turned to face his apprentice, stroking his soft cheeks with thin fingers, kissing him once more on the full lips. Dalamar returned the caress, trying hard not to let his tears fall. He looked away, not trusting himself to keep his regret and fear hidden from his seemingly brave Shalafi.
They both faced the dark Portal, the dragons still screaming silently into the empty void that would open to become the dread Portal. Taking a deep breath from the stale air in the laboratory, Raistlin busied himself with checking over the spell components once again, hoping to put off his casting as long as he could. But the Dark Queen would not wait forever.
Trying to ignore Dalamar's presence behind him so he could concentrate on the magic and nothing else, the Archmage lifted the leather drawstring bag that held the multi coloured sands. Dipping his fingers in, he felt the reassuring coolness of a million tiny particles of sand. Lifting some out between his thumb and forefinger and glancing once behind him to let Dalamar know he was going to cast, he sprinkled the sand in front of the portal and chanted in the language of Magic.
The void within the Portal began to glow with a dim light, and Dalamar thought he could hear the dragon heads screech softly. His eyes, however, were fixed on his Shalafi, his lover, chanting an unfamiliar spell as he sprinkled sand and tulip petals at the threshold of the Portal. He then rolled some bat guano into a ball and threw it into the cold emptiness.
There was an explosion of light and sound. The heads all screamed loudly at once, causing the Dark Elf to cover his ears, and a fiery red light burst from within the Portal. Raistlin leaned heavily on his staff as he looked deep within the terrible entryway.
"My Queen," he spoke into the Portal. "The way is cleared for you." He bowed with the last sentence.
"No, foolish one," she replied, her voice resonating around the small room. "Step through and I shall be free."
Raistlin turned to Dalamar for the last time to say farewell. He put his arms around his lithe lover and held him close.
"Now can be our chance, Shalafi," Dalamar whispered urgently into his Master's ear. "The spell weakened her, you know it did. If we strike now." Dalamar stopped to see if Raistlin would say anything. He didn't. He seemed to be contemplating it. "Shalafi, you planned this once before, to destroy Takhisis like this, when she was weak. But we don't need to destroy her this time, we just need to make her retreat. Shalafi."
Raistlin nuzzled into the Dark Elf's thick black hair. "You promised me you would not retaliate," Raistlin whispered back. "She will kill you. I want you to leave now, lest you be harmed in anyway." Or in case you feel like defying my order, Raistlin thought to himself. Dalamar shook his head, the ecstasy of the magic in the air singing in his blood.
"I will not leave this room until you do, Shalafi. Forgive me for disobeying your orders, but there is no way I will leave you here," Dalamar replied, defiance written on his face and in his stance.
Raistlin nodded once, knowing that there would be no way of changing the stubborn Elf's mind. He prayed o Nuitari that Takhisis would leave Dalamar alone. "I love you, remember that."
And then Raistlin was gone. Dalamar missed the warmth of his mysterious lover immediately. He watched Raistlin approach the Portal and as he did so, Dalamar saw five terrifying dragon heads emerge from it. However, they seemed to be unable to go any further, five snapping serpent heads anchored to the Portal.
"Hurry, little one," they snapped at once. "I grow weary of this realm." They drew back scaly lips to bear their rows of dragon fangs.
Raistlin's heart almost stopped beating as he saw lightning begin to crackle in the jowls of the blue head. He urgently turned to warn Dalamar, but the Dark Elf had already reacted and was standing at Raistlin's side when the lightning bolt hit the spot he would have been standing in.
"Make haste, pawn," the Dark Queen ordered. "My next shot will not miss."
Raistlin shivered as his spine tingled. He could not do this, could not let Takhisis into the world, his world. Dalamar's world. He stood straight, leant on the Staff of Magius in his hand and looked ahead, at the Five- Headed Dragon.
"I will not," He said, his voice not quivering at all. He was proud of himself.
There was silence then, as if Takhisis herself was wondering if she had heard correctly. Dalamar drew closer to Raistlin and placed a slender hand on his arm, asking wordlessly what his Shalafi would have him do. As the Archmage looked into the Dark Elf's eyes to reply, Takhisis laughed.
Her laugh resounded in the laboratory, making the Mages shiver and the floor to quake faintly. It was the most terrifying noise either Mage had ever heard.
"You defy me, servant?" She asked, mockingly. "You, who begged me to return you to Krynn, you who cried over the temptations I showed you, you, worm, defy me?"
"Yes," Raistlin shot back simply.
He was suddenly thrown to the ground, a flash of red light momentarily blinding him. When his vision cleared, Raistlin saw Dalamar, floating a few meters above the ground, struggling against a crimson tendril of what appeared to be solid smoke that had wrapped around him. The Dark Queen laughed again.
"Do you still defy, maggot?" she taunted. "Come through the Portal and I will let him live. If you do not."
The tendril tightened around Dalamar's body, and Raistlin winced as he heard bones crack and his lover gasp for air. The Elf was struggling to breathe and turning slightly purple.
"Hurry," the Goddess' menacing voice rang out. "Step through the Portal. Now!" she hissed.
Raistlin looked down to the floor and closed his eyes. This is where he had gone wrong in the dream. To save Dalamar, he had chosen to go with Takhisis and, true to her word, she had let Dalamar live, as a slave. He tried to block out the sounds of Dalamar moaning and gasping as the Dark Queen tightened her grip on his body. Hot tears fell down his nose as his entire being cried out for him to go through the Portal, to save Dalamar's life. But he knew he couldn't bear his lover hating him and knew the Dalamar would rather die than be treated as he was in Raistlin's dream.
His eyes still watering and his face stained with already-spilt tears, Raistlin made eye contact with the red head of Takhisis.
"No."
A/N: Sorry if that wasn't as good as it could have been. After finding my disc, I suffered serious writers block. The next chapter will be much better, I promise. I think it could well be the last one. Remember to read and review! (Blows a kiss to all readers)