Tanis had no idea where he was or haw long he had been here. He remembered he had begun walking toward the Tower of the Stars that he could see rising above the branches of the aspens. He had walked and walked, and nothing had stopped him. Then he'd heard the kender shriek in terror, like the scream of some small animal being tortured. Turning" he sate Tasslehoff pointing at the trees, Tanis, staring horrified at the trees, only eventually comprehended that Tasslehoff wasn't supposed to be here. And there was Sturm, ashen with fear, and Laurana, weeping in despair, and Flint, his eyes wide and staring.
Tanis embraced Laurana, and his arms encompassed flesh and blood, but still he knew she was not there-even as he held her, and the knowledge was terrifying.
Then, as he stood there in the grove that was like a prison of the damned" the horror increased. Animals mounded out from among the tormented trees and fell upon the companions.
Tanis drew his sword to strike back, but the weapon shook. in his trembling hand, and he was forced to avert his eyes for the living animals had themselves been twisted and misshapen unto hideous aspects of undying death.
Riding among the misshapen beasts were legions of elven warriors, their skull-like features hideous to behold. No- eyes glittered in the hollow sockets of their faces, no flesh covered
THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT
the delicate bones of their hands. They rode among the companions with brightly burning swords that drew living blood. But when any weapon struck them, they disappeared into nothing.
The wounds they inflicted, however, were real. Caramon, battling a wolf with snakes growing out of its body, looked up to see one of the elven warriors bearing down on him, a shining spear in his fleshless hand. He screamed to his brother for help.
Raistlin spoke" "Ast kiranann kair Soth-aran/Suh kali Jalaran:" A ball of flame flashed from the mage's hands to burst directly upon the elf-without effect. Its spear, driven by incredible force, pierced Caramon's armor, entering his body, nailing him to the tree behind.
The elven warrior yanked his weapon free from the big man's shoulder. Caramon slumped to the ground, his life's bland mingling with the tree's blood. Raistlin, with a fury that suprised him, drew the silver dagger from the leather thong he wore hidden on his arm and flung it at the elf. The blade pricked its undead spirit and the elven warrior, horse and all, vanished into air. 'fret Caramon lay capon the ground, his arm hanging from his body by only a thin strip of flesh.
Goldmoon knelt to heal him, but she stumbled over her prayers, her faith failing her amid the horror.
"Help me, Mishakal,"' Goldmoon prayed. "Help me to help my friend.'"
The dreadful wound closed. Though blood still seeped from it, trickling down Caramon's arm, death loosed its grip on the warrior Raistlin knelt beside his brother and started to speak to him. Then suddenly the wage fell silent. He stared past Caramon into the trees, his strange eyes widening with disbelief.
"You!" Raistlin whispered.
' "Who is it?" Caramon asked weakly, hearing a thrill of horror and fear in Raistlin's voice. The big man peered into the green light but could see nothing. "Who do you mean?"
But Raistlin, intent upon another conversation, did not answer.
'7 need your aid," the mage said sternly. "Now, as before."
Caramon sawn his brother stretch out his )hand, as though reaching .across a great gap, and was consumed with fear without knowing why.
"No, Raist!" he cried, clutching at his brother in panic. Raistlin's hand dropped.
"Our bargain remains. What? You ask for more?" Raistlin was silent a moment, then he sighed. "Name it!"
For long moments, the mage listened, absorbing. Caramon, watching him with loving anxiety, saw his brother"s thin metallic-tinged face grow deathly pale. Raistlin closed his eyes, swallowing as though drinking his bitter herbal brew. Finally he bowed his head.
"I accept:"
Caramon cried out in horror as he saw Raistlin's robes, the red robes that marked his neutrality in the world, begin to deepen to crimson, then darken to a blood red, and then darken more-to black.
"I accept this;' Raistlin repeated more calmly, "with the understanding that the future can be changed. What must we do?"
He listened. Caramon clutched his arm, moaning in agony.
"How do we get through to the Tower alive?" Raistlin asked his unseen instructor. Once mare he attended carefully, then nodded. "And I will be given what I need? Very well. Farewell then, if such a thing is possible for yaw on your dark journey.'
Raistlin rose to his feet, his black robes rustling around him. Ignoring Caramon's sobs and Goldmoon's terrified gasp as she saw him, the mage went in search of Tanis. He found the halfelf, back against a tree, battling a host of elven warriors.
Calmly, Raistlin reached into his pouch and drew forth a bit of rabbit fur and a small amber rod. Rubbing these together in his left palm, he held forth his right hand and spoke, "Ast kiranann kair Gadurm Soth-arn,: Sub kala'alaran:'
Bolts of lightning shot from his fingertips, streaking through the green-tinted air, striking the elven warriors. As before, they vanished. Tanis stumbled backwards, exhausted.
Raistlin stood in the center of a clearing, of the distorted, tormented trees.
"Came around me!" the mage commanded his companions.
Tanis hesitated. Elven warriors hovered on the fringe of the clearing. They surged forward to attack, but Raistlin raised his hand, and they stopped as though crashing against an unseen wall.
"Come to stand near me:' The companions were astonished to hear Raistlin speak-for the first time since his Tests-in a normal voice. "Hurry;" he added, "they will not attack now. They fear me. But I cannot hold them back long:'
Tanis came forward, his face pale beneath the red beard, blood dribbling from a wound on his head. Goldmoon helped Caramon stagger forward. He clutched his bleeding arm as his face was twisted in pain. Slowly, one by one, the other companions crept forward. Finally, only Sturm stood outside the circle.
"I always knew it would come to this;" the knight said slowly. "I will die before I place myself under your protection, Raistlin:'
And with that, the knight turned and walked deeper into the forest. Tanis saw the leader of the elven undead make a gesture, detailing same of his ghastly band to follow. The half-elf started after, then stopped as he felt a surprisingly strong hand grip his arm.
"Let him go;' the mage said sternly, "or we are all lost. I have information to impart and my time is limited. We must make our way through this forest to the Tower of the Stars. We mast walk the way of death, for every hideous creature ever conceived in the twisted, tortured dreams of mortals will arose to stop us. But know this-we walk in a dream, Lorac`s nightmare. And our own nightmares as well. Visions of the future can arise to help us-or hinder. Remember, that though our bodies are awake, our minds sleep. Death exists only in our minds-unless we believe otherwise:'
"Then why can't we wake up?" Tanis demanded angrily.
"Because Lorac's belief in tine dream is too strong and your belief too Weak. When you are firmly convinced, beyond doubt, that this is a dream; you will return to reality:"
"Ii this is true;' Tanis said, "and you're convinced it is a dream, why don't you awaken?"
"Perhaps;" Raistlin said, smiling, "I choose not to:'
"I don't understand!" Tanis cried in bitter frustration.
"You will," Raistlin predicted grimly, "or you will die. In which case, it won't matter:'
Chapter I0
Waking dreams. Future visions.
Ignoring the horrified stares. of his companions, Raistlin walked to his brother, who stand clutching his bleeding arm.
"I will take rare of him," Raistlin said to Goldmoon, putting his own black-robed arm around his twin.
"No," Caramon gasped, "you're not strong en-"His voice died as he felt his brothers arm support him..
"I am strong enough now, -Caramon:' Raistlin said gently, his very gentleness sending a shiver through the warrior's body. "Lean on me, my brother:'