Chapter Sixteen
The Chaos War
Raistlin, Tika, and Tanin knelt just outside a ring of evergreens that had somehow survived the destruction wreaked by Chaos upon awakening. In the midst of the tree ring, on a raised dias, sat the two halves of the Greygem. Raistlin turned to Tika, "We will keep the guardians occupied while you grab the Greygem and head straight back to the dragons. Take the silver and head to the rent. Remember, all we need is one drop of Chao's blood. As soon as you have that in the Greygem, close it and he will again be sealed away. Maybe, just maybe, we may not need my sacrifice if you succeed. Lunitari grant you speed."
Tika moved off to the side and he nodded to Tanin. Raistlin stood first and began to walk to the ring of trees. The shadows that darted in between was instantly upon him, then Tanin also darted out, and a few of the shadows went after him. Raistlin and Tanin moved away, but kept their attention on them.
Waiting for just the right moment, Tika stepped out and ran directly to the dias.
Raistlin spotted the shadow turn back and head toward Tika...
He swore and turned the stone of the Blue Star out so that it was seen. The shadows yowled, and one, the strongest, "Turn back, Guardian, lest we destroy you."
"You know I cannot," stated Raistlin.
That shadow headed to Raistlin, who had to call on every ounce of self control not to look into the depths of their eyes, "Do you really think you can make a difference? Do you really think that you would be missed if you simply ceased to exist on this day?"
"I know I would be," Raistlin gritted his teeth, then saw Tika running full out, both halves of the Greygem in her hands, to the silver dragon. "And this day, we are the victors."
Holding his hand up, palm out, he called out, "Wes Il Norta!"
The Blue Star came alive in his hand and the light washed down on the shadows. The weaker ones were instantly banished back to where they had come from. The stronger were merely blinded, "Curse you, Miiro!"
He turned back to Tanin, "Go! Our job is done here!"
Tanin sheathed his sword and began to run back to the dragons. Raistlin ran as fast as he could, and then he felt the ground tremble. For a moment, he lost his footing, and turned back to look. Where the Greygem had rested the ground was rending apart and a massive dragon made entirely of fire and living magma was emerging. "Shit!" he swore, then saw that Tanin had drawn his sword. "No! Run! I can handle this!"
Tanin, for a moment appeared that he would not do as asked, and Raistlin said, "When have I ever led you wrong on this? Go on. Aid your mother. Please, just run!"
With a Solamnic salute of his sword, Tanin turned and began to run to the dragons. Tika had waited for her son, and he climbed on the silver dragon and they flew off towards the Great Rent. Raistlin turned to face the Chaos Dragon. He pulled out the Staff of Magius and fell into a defensive posture stone out. "Lunitari protect us...." he breathed as the dragon fully pulled itself from the ground.
It was huge, bigger than three of his green head to tail tip, and the wing span was enough to blot out the glaring sun that refused to set. It spread its wings and roared, the threes blown down by the force of the roar, finally bursting into flame. It crouched down and glared at Raistlin in malevolent rage and hatred. Raistlin said clearly, "I won't let you pass."
The dragon roared again, and Raistlin closed his eyes as the familiar swelling sensation began. This time he would remember every detail in painful clarity, as his form changed. The six wings that glowed with an inner blue light and made the feathers shimmer as if lit with blue fire, while Raistlin himself changed into a luminous being dressed in gold and the luminous sapphire that was his symbol. A crown of sapphire rested on his head and he wore a simple blue kilt with a tabard of gold and starmetal fringing that, even though he hovered just about three feet above the ground, was still long enough to brush the ground.
He could hear an awe filled murmur of, "Beautiful..." from behind him as the green dragon caught sight of the god form.
The Chaos Dragon even paused for a second as it recognized the God before it, then it snarled and attacked him. Raistlin's wings lifted him safely out of the way quickly enough that there was more than enough distance between the dragon and he. He settled just behind the dragon, and speaking with a voice far more presence filled than his normal form, "That was a foolish thing to do, spawn of Chaos."
Raistlin lifted one hand over his head as the dragon turned on him again and lunged. This time he didn't move as he brought his hand down and the light engulfed the Chaos Dragon. For a moment, the green held his breath as the light became so bright that he couldn't see either of them. When the light dissipated, Raistlin knelt on the ground, in his black robes, auburn hair in his eyes, leaning heavily on the Staff of Magius.
The green dragon flew over to him and protectively covered him with one wing as he coughed so hard, blood staining his lips. The coughing fit was easily the worst he had ever had in his life, and Raistlin struggled to draw in breath as stars flickered in his vision. He struggled to pull out the pouch that by inhaling the herbs within would quickly help him gain control. His shaking hands made him drop it three times before he succeeded in getting it to his nose and mouth. Just as the blackness caused by lack of air was about to overwhelm him, he felt his chest loosen and the coughing subside. He sucked in one breath, then another and leaned back against the shoulder of the green dragon. "Better?" asked the green in concern.
"Yeah, I think so," rasped Raistlin.
"Did you kill it?"
"Yes."
"When you said you were a God, I didn't quite believe you," said the green. "But after seeing that..."
"I take it you do now?"
"Oh yes," the green whispered. "I believe now..."
Neither of them noticed, as the sun had not set, that the blue star in the sky was more firm and set in the sky...
The silver flew as fast as his wings would carry him. Tika and Tanin held on, hiding behind the wind shielding of the dragonsaddle. Finally Tika looked out to see where the other dragons circled. Steel flew up beside them as the silver, named Mirror, slowed down and joined the lazy circling above the rent. "Where's Raistlin?" called Steel.
Tika pointed to where a sudden bright flash of blue was seen, "Back there!"
Steel compressed his lips into a thin line, then a slight hopeful smile lit his face when Tika brought out the Greygem. A cheer was heard from the other knights. The lead Knight on the gold dragon said, "Will he catch up?"
Tika shook her head, "I don't know."
The Knight of the Rose and Steel looked at each other in concern, then a young Knight of the Crown pointed, "Look! There he is!"
Tika and Tanin turned in the saddle, and Mirror said, "Oh thank Paladine..."
The green dragon that carried a very pale looking Raistlin joined the circling dragons. "What happened back there?" asked Steel.
"A very, very close call," answered Raistlin. "But it is about to get much, much worse."
The dragons then began to drop into the Abyss one by one until the last was the two dragons carrying Raistlin, Tika, and Tanin. Raistlin turned to Tanin, "Whatever happens there, remember who you are, where you came from, and remember that you have the love and the support of your family behind you. That if you never came back, there would be people who miss you. Lunitari watch over you! Now go!"
The silver dragon descended into the Abyss.
Cyan Bloodbane, the green dragon rumbled deep in his throat, "You know they could defeat him without you. The chances are slim, but they could do it..."
Raistlin shook his head and touched the green hide beneath him. "No. I owe them this, and if they defeat him that way what will be is very different than what it should be. The Gods would have to leave and Krynn would end up almost in destruction anyway. No, I must fix this, I am the only who can."
Dalamar walked to the Death Walk and stepped outside to look across the city of Palanthas, then out past the gates. He then looked down at his feet, his eyes closing for a moment in sorrow for everyone that stood on the wall to defend the city against the hordes of shadow wights that were marching towards the city, if you could call it marching.
There was a few wizards of all orders on the walls, as well as anyone could wield a weapon.
He didn't think it would matter.
Turning from the sight, not wanting to see the carnage that would result as the battle joined he walked into the Tower to step into his Shalafi's lab. He had heard about the plan, being there for the session as his Shalafi told the Knights of both orders what they truly fought. The plan formed had been sketchy at best.
When he had held his Shalafi's arm and asked, "What kind of plan is that?"
"Distraction at best," Raistlin had answered with a sigh. "It could work, but it is a very long shot at best."
"And at worst?"
"It won't work at all."
That had been the last time he had seen Raistlin before seeing him mount Cyan and take off into the sky with one last wave to Crysania, who was crying freely as she stood and watched him fly away.
Crysania was on the wall, standing with Tandar and the rest of Palanthas in the last gambit of hope that may or may not even work while an even shakier plan went into action in the Abyss. While Dalamar felt he had made the best decision to at least enjoy what little of life he likely had left, he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps he was making the wrong decision. He looked out the window again as Jenna walked onto the wall and began to cast her magic.
A part of Dalamar felt as if his heart had been ripped out and handed to him.
Suddenly, he wasn't so sure anymore. With a determined set to his lips, he left the Tower, taking some of the more powerful magical artifacts he could lay his hands on, and ran to the wall just as the ground shook as if in rage.
Dalamar lost his footing, and he rolled over to see the massive head emerge out of the ground. "By our Dark Queen!" he swore as the Chaos Dragon broke through the ground.
He was aware of running as Knights of Solamnia and Takhisis joined him, swords drawn, just as the battle broke out on the wall.
Caramon and Tanis ran through the bridge walks, swords and bow out. Tanis picked off the climbing wights as Caramon engaged any in a fury that surprised the residents of Solace. A circle of defenders was around the last intact building, the Inn of the Last Home. It seemed that the defenders were outnumbered two to one, but Tanis turned with a smile to Caramon, "We've faced worse..."
"And barely survived," stated Caramon as his sword sliced off a wight's arm, sending it howling down to the ground below to land with a sickening thud as it stopped moving and faded into dust. A hopeful tone entered his voice. "They're getting easier to kill. I hope that's a good sign."
"It had better be," Tanis said as he fired two arrows, at once, into two different throats, killing two more wights.
"Nice shot."
"Thank you."
Tasslehoff landed in the dust of the Abyss beside a Knight of the Sword. Turning to the Knight, he said, "Paladine be with you!"
The dragon bearing the Knight took off, leaving Tas where he was. Tas ran to wear he saw Tika and, tugging on her sleeve, "Is this it?"
"Tas!" she cried. "How did you get here?"
"Well, I didn't want to be left out, so I leapt on a copper dragon as it flew by the wall..." answered Tas. "Was that a good thing to do?"
Tika didn't answer as she swung her sword as a wight attacked them. Tas' hoopak sang as he used the slingshot to strike a stone between the wight's eyes as Tika ran it through. Finally, all of the Abyss seemed to fall into a hush as the green dragon, Cyan Bloodbane, carrying Raistlin entered the Abyss. Landing on the opposite side of Chaos, Cyan allowed Raistlin to climb off and land softly on the ground.
For a moment, all was silent as Chaos and Raistlin simply stared at each other.
"SO, YOU COME BACK," boomed Chaos.
"Return to your sleep, brother," shouted Raistlin, the loudest Tika had ever heard anyway considering she could hear him from where she stood. "Return, and allow the Greater Balance to return to its even keel."
Chaos laughed, "OR WHAT? YOU'LL STOP ME IN THAT PUNY MORTAL BODY? OR PERHAPS THESE SILLY MORTALS WILL AID YOU? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH, MIIRO."
Raistlin smiled grimly, "Very well, we'll have to do this the hard way..."
Spreading his arms in a manner that eerily reminded Tika of how they had found him in the High Clerist Tower, she watched as he began to levitate a few inches from the ground. Then the change happened.
First, his skin turned its familiar gold color, his hair white, and his eyes gold. Then, the wings formed seemingly out of thin air as they slowly came into ghostlike existence. His black robes disappeared to be replaced with a robe of shimmering white and a tabard of glimmering sapphire blue. The wings came into sharper definition as the pinions and very tips of each feather seemed to be a gossamer blue and the feathers a stainless white. The six huge feathered wings spread open and slowly moved to take him higher into the air until he was at least six feet off the ground. The tabard, with a single eight pointed blue star its standard, was longer than his legs, obviously meant to be worn while in the air, moved gracefully with each wing beat. While he was still recognizable as Raistlin, his gold skin was less tarnished, the silver hair more luminous.
Then he opened his eyes and the change was evident and the gold depths fairly burned as the nearly full power of Miiro moved through him.
As if on a pre-arranged signal, the Knights then attacked the distracted Chaos.
Chaos called his dragons and they emerged from the very soil, wights falling from their back as the battle fully joined. Tika and Tas stood back to back as they defended themselves.
Raistlin knew that his time was short. He had never been able to hold this form for very long before tiring and collapsing. He was a little surprised but recognized the signs as the Blue Star on his finger seemed to melt into his hand.
Opening his eyes wide he saw many worlds in battle, and many Fragments called to it. Suddenly, in all the worlds of creation, and he watched as they did, these Fragments held a hand to their hearts as their respective fragment was called. Raistlin could feel each one as he began the final channeling.
His skin began to emit the shimmering rays as each soul lent to him, each soul that he absorbed into himself, added to the power of the form he had taken. He was not aware of a battle anymore in the Abyss. He was everywhere and nowhere.
In one last rally, spurred on by the sudden appearance of another God in the Abyss, the Knights recouped and Steel led the charge as they lowered their lances. Chaos, blinded by the sudden brightness, as well as feeling himself weaken slightly as the tipped scale began to re-balance, flailed his arms about blindly hoping to take out anyone who ventured too close.
Finally he opened his palm and, calling on all the power within him and calling on all the power of the others, "CHAOS, THE BALANCE CALLS!"
Steel and Blayze flew directly under Chaos's left arm and Steel barely missed having himself knocked from the blue dragon as the arm flailed a bit to close. But Blayze quickly ducked and recovered to bring Steel up to the right height for his strike.
Chaos turned as at the last second Steel Brightblade's dragonlance cut deeply into His arm, and the drops of blood fell.
Tika stood at the bottom and holding the Greygem up she positioned herself under the blood as it fell. When it washed the inside and outside of the gem, burning her as if with acid, she closed the gem.
A scream of rage and terror was heard, then silence. The fire giant was gone and Chaos was imprisoned.
The scream was heard throughout all of Krynn and beyond. In Palanthas, the defenders suddenly realized that their weapons and magic were effective against the invaders, and began to fight back with renewed fervor.
Jenna and Crysania watched in relief, their spells both respectively spent, as the wights and dragons were pushed back, then finally routed. A resounding cheer went up and Jenna said quietly, "They did it!"
Crysania smiled, but tears ran down her face, "Yes... yes, he did..."
In Solace, the wights fell by the dozens as the residents fought in a near frenzy led by Caramon Majere and Tanis Half-Elven. As Caramon slew the last one, Tanis began to see to the wounded. "It's over?" asked Tanis.
Caramon felt a part within, a part he always associated with Raistlin, fade and he smiled sadly, "It's over."
And, where it could be seen, the sun set.
The Gods who had stood in the Dome of Creation heard the shout of denial from Chaos as it shook the dome to the foundations. Lunitari lowered her eyes in sorrow, as did a few of the other Gods. Paladine, in the form of Fizban looked at the floor and shook his head. "And so it comes to pass..."
Tika ran to Raistlin as the wings faded and he slowly changed back to his normal self, his pale blue eyes staring sightlessly as he slowing floated down, arms spread wide, to rest on the sand that comprised the Abyss. "Raistlin!" Tika called, taking his hand.
His pale blue grey eyes moved slowly to look into her sparkling green ones, now on the verge of tears, the life in his quickly dimming. "Tika... take the... will to Caramon..."
"I swear I'll give it to him..." she promised, holding his hand to his chest.
"My staff..."
Tas laid the Staff of the Magius in Raistlin's hands and Raistlin curled his hands around it, then took one last faltering breath, exhaled, and failed to draw another as the light of life in his eyes faded and was gone forever. Tanin, who had been riding Mirror, ran over, "Oh no... Uncle..." he cried as he knelt down.
Standing beside Blayze, Steel leaned on his shoulder just under the dragon's wings and bowed his head in sorrow as Raistlin Majere died a hero.
The other dragons, those who had survived, and the knights on them landed softly on the ground. Cyan flew from where he had been and landed beside Raistlin. Sniffing him once as if to confirm what the others suspected as Tanin moved out of the way, he lifted his head and began to keen the loss of his rider.
The other dragons raised to their haunches and joined him as the Abyss was filled with the terrible and heart wrenching sound of the keening dragons. Finally, gently, Cyan took Raistlin by one massive claw and lifted himself into the sky, ascending out of the Abyss and into Krynn. Tika mounted Mirror behind her son and watched as, shaken, the other knights all mounted their dragons.
When they ascended out of the Abyss, the rent sealed as the sea water, hissing as the heat of the place boiled it, rushed in. Finally, the only thing to say that the rent had been there was a patch of red. "Another sea of blood," murmured Tika, with tears in her eyes.
The other dragons also carried any fallen riders while some dragons lifted and carried those of their own brethren that had been killed, or too wounded to fly. Slowly they made their way back to Palanthas, taking many breaks as they did so. When Palanthas was in sight, and the Tower of High Sorcery, Cyan began keening again as the other dragons took up the same sound.
Dalamar turned at the sound of the hundreds of keening dragons, as did the rest of Palanthas. There was no mistaking a mourning dragon as the sound of the keens seemed pulled from the depths of the massive creatures. It was a haunting sound that told those who heard it that someone had passed, and their passing had been noted.
Finally the dragons landed, and Dalamar saw that Cyan Bloodbane, well known by Dalamar as the dragon that Raistlin always rode, laid a black robe gently in the square. Considering the form didn't move and Cyan lifted his head and continued to keen told Dalamar what he needed to know. Something, even in Dalamar's ambitious heart, broke at the sight and he knew he wasn't the only one that day with tears in his eyes. He knew what that meant as did everyone else, especially when Crysania walked to the black robed formed and began to cry over the body.
Raistlin Majere was dead.
Many others had died that day. When the final tally was taken, the battle in the Abyss took one hundred men and women, Knights of Solamnia as well as Knights of Takhisis. On the wall of Palanthas, the damage was no less severe as the count there had been nearly five hundred.
But the first battle took the most as when the bodies were tallied, and then buried, it amounted to well over ten thousand dead of both orders.
Never before had so many perished in one war, nor would it happen again.
Astinus dipped the quill into the inkwell as the page was taken by acolytes. Bertrem walked in and said, "What happens now?"
Astinus shrugged, "I would imagine that is up to the Gods. But his sacrifice changed history, let that not be mistaken. He has a habit of doing that..."
Bertrem looked down at the floor, "I am going to the Temple of Paladine where his body lays in state. I... I think they are building a tomb in Solace and after it is complete he will be laid to rest there."
"He will be," stated Astinus, then after Bertrem left he murmured. "Good bye, old friend."
Crysania sat on a bench in the room where he lay. A part of her felt she could not leave. She walked over and said, "In the end I was right about you, you know. You could change... and you did. Oh, but sometimes now that I look back I wish I could walk back in time and see you once more."
"He wouldn't want that," came a quiet voice.
Crysania turned to see a woman she didn't know. The woman wore heavy armor and strapped to her back was a two bladed sword. A crossbow hung off her pack, and a scimitar hung at her hip. Her hair was in braids, tiny braids that hung down her back like thin black snakes. Her skin was the dark olive of the desert dwelling people, but not so dark as Dunbar's. She walked over and paid her respects to Raistlin, "Ah, my successor. You did well."
Crysania's eyes widened, "Successor? You are a Miiro?"
The woman nodded, "I am. Does that surprise you, Crysania of Tarinieas?"
Shaking her head, "I thought they all died with him..."
"...No," the woman shook her head. "He served as the focus, and his mortal body died. There are still many others, including his own Successor. He was given the Choice, and he lived up to his duty. Were we as strong as he..."
The two women stood there in silence and the sun set on another day.