The Temple of Elemental Evil

19

Hedrack paced back and forth, his steps hammering on the stone floor of the meeting chamber. The high priest was angry, truly angry. And, he had to admit, more than a little afraid. Every careful plan he had made of late had gone awry. Underlings had failed in their duties, and those damned meddlers had caused him untold amounts of trouble.

He was seething, ready to have Falrinth cast into one of the elemental nodes for this latest disappointment. To have lost the key—the very golden key that would free Zuggtmoy!—was unforgivable. And to those interlopers … !

Hedrack wondered just how much longer Iuz would be willing to put up with such blunders. The high priest knew that, regardless of whose fault it was that these mishaps continued to occur, Hedrack himself would be held responsible.

Lord Iuz will not tolerate such incompetence, he thought, just as I do not. It is the way of the world.

Falrinth shifted in his uncomfortable position, kneeling as he was with his hands and feet manacled behind his back. He remained silent, however, dutifully waiting for his superior to speak again.

Good, thought Hedrack. He must fear for his very life, now, for I will not be a patient man any longer.

“So, you are certain this will free her? Even without the key?” He hotly emphasized the last word, making it clear that Falrinth’s new proposal for freeing the demoness would not alleviate his extreme displeasure at the wizard’s foolishness.

“Yes, my lord. I had been studying this for a while, even before we knew of the existence of the key. The wards on the doors will be of no consequence to my servants. They can place the items and ignite them at the proper moment while we watch from a safe distance. I am certain it will work.”

“Never mind that. What I want to know is, are you certain this will free her? There is no danger to her well being?”

Falrinth attempted to shrug, but having very little mobility due to his bindings, it was barely more than a flinch. “I cannot say without any doubt at all, my—”

“That is not the answer I want!” screamed Hedrack, crossing the distance between them in a single step and slapping the wizard across the mouth.

Falrinth grunted in pain as his head whipped to the side, the fierceness of the blow causing him to lose his balance and topple over onto his side.

The two attendants—tall, mangy bugbears with matted fur and sour-smelling leather armor—immediately reached down and righted Falrinth once more. The wizard stared at the floor, a trickle of blood running down his chin. He worked his jaw slowly before speaking.

“I am convinced that it will free her unharmed, my lord,” the wizard said at last, forcing the words through clenched teeth.

Hedrack smiled, bending slightly at the waist to stare straight into Falrinth’s eyes. “That’s much more satisfying to hear.” His visage sobered again. “For your sake, you had better be right. If even the slightest harm comes to her as a result of this, I will not be tossing you into one of our private little sanctuaries below. Instead, I will offer you directly to Iuz, as a toy, a plaything, and I will make mention that you have been secretly consorting with the spider bitch behind my back.”

Falrinth’s eyes bulged at this revelation.

“Oh, yes,” Hedrack continued, his voice dripping with honeyed acid. “You did not think I knew, did you? I am aware of much. You and Lareth both have been inviting trouble, playing lackey to others besides he who will trample the Flanaess beneath his feet. Perhaps, if I mention that fact, he will not be so quick to blame me for all the trouble your incompetence has caused.”

Falrinth was shivering slightly, as evidenced by the faint clinking of the chains that bound him.

Excellent, Hedrack thought, smiling. Now, I have his attention.

With a nod from the high priest, the bugbears moved to flank the prisoner, lifting him between them and bearing him away to his cell once more.

Once alone, Hedrack let out a deep and mournful sigh, for he did not relish his next task. Making his way down to the central temple, he passed beyond the writhing purple curtain and prepared to contact his lord and master. Dropping to his knees, he prayed.

Almost immediately, he felt the presence of his god in his mind. “My lord Iuz,” he intoned, “I am your Mouth, I pronounce—”

What news? the presence demanded, its evil washing over him, mingling with impatient anger.

Hedrack flinched, knowing this was going to be most unpleasant. “My lord,” he began, looking for the right words, the best way to honey-coat the news. “We have encountered more setbacks, and I am afraid I have unfortunate news.”

I grow tired of your excuses, priest. Perhaps it is time I find another, someone more capable of carrying out my wishes.

“This humble servant begs your indulgence for a moment longer, master,” Hedrack pleaded, truly groveling now. “I also have encouraging news that I pray will offset the unpleasantness of the other.”

Iuz’s malevolent displeasure washed over Hedrack, sickening the high priest in the core of his stomach and making his limbs weak and numb. But after a moment, the sensations of ill ease subsided. Very well, speak.

Sighing in relief, Hedrack began. “My lord, the golden key has been lost. To the meddlers, unfortunately.”

You incompetent idiot! Iuz cried, his gravelly voice grinding into Hedrack’s brain and driving him hard to the floor. The one thing that would free her, you have lost!

His head pounding from the pain of Iuz’s wrath, Hedrack struggled to speak. “N-No, my L-Lord,” he managed to utter through clenched teeth. “There is another way.”

The waves of hatred crashing over the high priest subsided once more. Go on, Iuz insisted.

Catching his breath, Hedrack continued. “Falrinth believes he knows where she is, and he thinks he has a way to free her without the golden orb. He thinks we can free her from her bindings.”

Iuz was silent, as though considering for a moment. Interesting. Tell me more.

“If you recall, my lord, he was a part of the company that planned to destroy her ten years ago, before his capture and conversion to the beliefs of the temple. He believes he knows how the bindings work. He thinks he knows a way to circumvent and destroy them. I have but to give the order, and he will try.”

Is there a danger to her?

“He has assured me there is not,” Hedrack said, hoping beyond hope the wizard was right.

He has failed you before, Iuz grumbled, blackness roiling with the words. Why should you trust him, now?

“Because he bargains with his life, my lord. Because he now knows that I am aware of his other allegiance, his servitude to the spider bitch, and he believes that it is only through my machinations that you do not yet know. I hold that over his head.”

Hmm, well played. Very well, proceed with this new plan.

Hedrack smiled despite the pounding in his chest. “Yes, my lord,” he answered, but the god was already gone from his mind.

Hedrack returned to the cell and loomed over Falrinth, who was kneeling in one corner, still bound in his chains, and glaring back sullenly. He knew better than to open his mouth in open disdain to Hedrack. The high priest understood all too well the wizards resentment, though. After all, Falrinth had attempted to save his own pitiful life with the plan, and in return, Hedrack had thrown him back in his cell.

If only he understood, thought the high priest, how much anguish he truly did save himself. His stay in this prison is a welcome alternative to what might have been.

The high priest signaled for the guards to release the wizard. As Falrinth stood, stretching too-long-bound muscles, Hedrack clapped the wizard on one shoulder.

“Iuz likes your plan, my friend. We are going to put it in motion at once. You should go and prepare.”

Falrinth blinked, hesitating. Then, seeing the earnest look on Hedrack’s face, the wizard nodded and, with a last sidelong glance at his jailers, hurried from the room.