Chapter Ten
Raistlin Majere floated effortlessly up the stairs in The Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas. He floated through the door, past the surprised Guardian, and in to the laboratory. It was his laboratory once again. All the familiar smells once again came back to him, a jumble of different memories. He just floated there for a moment, remembering all the things he had done, his experiments with life, and his experiments with death. The bat guano in the pouch smelled wonderful to him. But first, he needed to become mortal once again, and get out of this shade form.
He looked over to the far corner of the laboratory where Kitiara's blood still stained the floor. Hanging on a rack above it, were his robes. He floated over to them and put them on. He let the warmth of the soft, black velvet caress his black skin. Once he had finished falling in love with magic all over again, he pulled a velvet bag out of pocket hidden deep in his robe. It was the last remaining dragon orb that could be found. Yes, this is what he needed to become mortal again.
He walked over to a table in the middle of the room, and set the orb ever so carefully on the stand that was also in the bag. He put his thin fingers on the orb and was immediately plunged into a world of many colors, and yet at the same time, there were none. This time the hands did not try to pull him in, in fact, they weren't even there at all.
"What do you ask of me master." Said the orb in a very bland voice. "Turn me back into a mortal." Hissed the mage. The orb's colors swirled for a moment, then stopped. A light of many colors, yet none shot out of the orb, and into Raistlin. Then it stopped as quick as it had begun. And Raistlin stood up as a mortal. His skin was not gold, but pale like Palin's. He turned towards a mirror in the far corner of his lab. His eyes weren't hourglasses, but blue, like they had used to be. Raistlin sobbed in happiness.
Dalamar and Palin saw Lady Crysania and a kender near the where the portal should have been.
"Quick." Said Dalamar, "There they are, let's get them. They appeared in front of Lady Crysania and the kender in an instant. Both jumped back in surprise "Who are you?" demanded Dalamar, "Speak quickly." Kenderling bowed low, and replied, "I am Kenderling, and this is Lady Crysania. Dalamar already knew who Lady Crysania was, they had met before in unfriendly circumstances. With a snap from Dalamar's fingers, they were transported back to the old laboratory.
Raistlin knew who was coming even before they were through. He looked up and smiled cynically. Palin went even paler when he saw the skin. "I know everything, so enough has been said." Said Raistlin, looking at everybody. His apprentice had become smarter and wiser than the last time they met. Dalamar was a bit paler than usual. He had seen his trials.
"Palin Majere, my nephew. Palin looked up at his uncle admiringly. Life was good now that his uncle was home. His uncle looked at him and pitied him. He knew. "I can't come home yet Palin, we need to finish some business about getting this portal back. Already the Gray Knights are messing with the Portal. We need to get it back so we can seal it for ever." Palin's head drooped. He really wanted to go home and have his uncle tutor him. Such was the price of having a wizard as an uncle. They all turned and headed down the stairs into the eternal darkness.
Raistlin Majere floated effortlessly up the stairs in The Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas. He floated through the door, past the surprised Guardian, and in to the laboratory. It was his laboratory once again. All the familiar smells once again came back to him, a jumble of different memories. He just floated there for a moment, remembering all the things he had done, his experiments with life, and his experiments with death. The bat guano in the pouch smelled wonderful to him. But first, he needed to become mortal once again, and get out of this shade form.
He looked over to the far corner of the laboratory where Kitiara's blood still stained the floor. Hanging on a rack above it, were his robes. He floated over to them and put them on. He let the warmth of the soft, black velvet caress his black skin. Once he had finished falling in love with magic all over again, he pulled a velvet bag out of pocket hidden deep in his robe. It was the last remaining dragon orb that could be found. Yes, this is what he needed to become mortal again.
He walked over to a table in the middle of the room, and set the orb ever so carefully on the stand that was also in the bag. He put his thin fingers on the orb and was immediately plunged into a world of many colors, and yet at the same time, there were none. This time the hands did not try to pull him in, in fact, they weren't even there at all.
"What do you ask of me master." Said the orb in a very bland voice. "Turn me back into a mortal." Hissed the mage. The orb's colors swirled for a moment, then stopped. A light of many colors, yet none shot out of the orb, and into Raistlin. Then it stopped as quick as it had begun. And Raistlin stood up as a mortal. His skin was not gold, but pale like Palin's. He turned towards a mirror in the far corner of his lab. His eyes weren't hourglasses, but blue, like they had used to be. Raistlin sobbed in happiness.
Dalamar and Palin saw Lady Crysania and a kender near the where the portal should have been.
"Quick." Said Dalamar, "There they are, let's get them. They appeared in front of Lady Crysania and the kender in an instant. Both jumped back in surprise "Who are you?" demanded Dalamar, "Speak quickly." Kenderling bowed low, and replied, "I am Kenderling, and this is Lady Crysania. Dalamar already knew who Lady Crysania was, they had met before in unfriendly circumstances. With a snap from Dalamar's fingers, they were transported back to the old laboratory.
Raistlin knew who was coming even before they were through. He looked up and smiled cynically. Palin went even paler when he saw the skin. "I know everything, so enough has been said." Said Raistlin, looking at everybody. His apprentice had become smarter and wiser than the last time they met. Dalamar was a bit paler than usual. He had seen his trials.
"Palin Majere, my nephew. Palin looked up at his uncle admiringly. Life was good now that his uncle was home. His uncle looked at him and pitied him. He knew. "I can't come home yet Palin, we need to finish some business about getting this portal back. Already the Gray Knights are messing with the Portal. We need to get it back so we can seal it for ever." Palin's head drooped. He really wanted to go home and have his uncle tutor him. Such was the price of having a wizard as an uncle. They all turned and headed down the stairs into the eternal darkness.