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raise the ship and sail it again。
And what of the demon？ Pharaun asked。
〃It； too； was immobilized by the storm。〃
The mage thought for a moment； then nodded； seemingly satisfied with Oothoon's replies。
Very well； he signed。 Tell me where the ship lies； and I will arrange for Quenthel to e to you。
〃No；〃 Oothoon answered； glowering…and for a frightening moment； Danifae thought that the bargain was off； that the aboleth had decided to eat them； instead。 〃You will give me the priestess…and after I have consumed her； I will tell you the location of the ship。〃
Danifae snorted。 Impasse。 But to her astonishment； Pharaun nodded。
I accept； he told the aboleth。
As Oothoon gurgled in delight； the two guards nudged Pharaun and Danifae from the room。 The audience was at an end。
Chapter Eighteen
Gromph was surprised by the contents of the thought bottle。 He could hear the gurgle of fluid； but what slid over his tongue felt like fine sand。 As he swallowed it； a curious taste filled his mouth…a strange blend of ancient； desiccated insect and the sharp tang of ground amber。
Memories burst into his mind with the suddenness or spores exploding from an overripe fungus。 Included among them was a spell…one that needed no verbal ponent； merely a somatic one： the act of swallowing the last of the bottle's contents。
The illithid； sensing that something was wrong； leaped forward； one misshapen hand lashing out； but it was already too late。 The last of the bottle's contents slid across Gromph's tongue and was swallowed； triggering the spell。 A ripple of magical energy passed through the room quicker than thought； leaving Sluuguth frozen； eyes bulging in fury； tentacles halted in mid…lash a finger's breadth from Gromph's face。 The thought bottle hung in mid…air where it had been knocked； and the duergar axe the illithid had been carrying was frozen between Sluuguth's outstretched hand and the ground。 He'd dropped it in surprise the instant Gromph's thoughts told him what was about to happen。
Gromph stood up； steadying himself with one hand on his desk as the room blurred slightly。 Unsticking oneself in time was always disorienting。 He felt dizzy； slightly off balance； as if the world was solid but he was not。
With his memories restored； all was clear to him。
So that was why I erased everything but a single memory； the archmage thought； that I should offer these bottles to any creature who could dominate my mind。
It wasn't because he hoped to trick the creature into drinking their contents but because he expected it to read that thought and make him drink from one of the bottles first； as a safety precaution。
Just as Sluuguth had done。
Gromph wasted no time basking in his foresight； however。 He had to move quickly。 The time…stopping spell was a powerful one； but it was brief。 It would hold for no more than a few heartbeats。 Bending swiftly； he picked up the battle…axe。
After a slight tug…inertia made the weapon feel as though it was stuck in mud…Gromph grasped the axe firmly in both hands and swung。 Its blade bit cleanly through the illithid's neck； severing it with a single stroke。 Pulled by the blade； blood bulged at the exit wound； but the head itself remained on the shoulders。
As Gromph laid the weapon on his desk； the spell ended and time lurched forward again。 Blood sprayed against the wall； Sluuguth's head flew from his body； and the illithid crumpled in a heap。 An instant later； the thought bottle thumped against the wall and clattered to the floor。
Looking down into the blade of the axe； Gromph saw a frenzied swirling as the enchanted blade added Sluuguth's soul to those it had already stolen。 The illithid's face stared out in horror from the flat of the blade； tentacles lashing。 Eventually it turned transparent and was gone。
〃What a useful weapon；〃 Gromph said； setting the duergar battle…axe down again。 He chuckled。 〃Perhaps I should hang it on the wall as a souvenir。〃
Kneeling； he chanted the words to a spell and passed his hands over the corpse of the illithid。 His palms tingled when they passed over the illithid's out…flung hand。 The gold signet ring on Sluuguth's middle finger was magical； imbued with protective enchantments。 He slipped it off the illithid's finger and laid it on his desk。
His hands tingled a second time as they passed over an elongated leather carrying case that hung at Sluuguth's belt。 Opening it； Gromph saw a tube inside。 He eased out the tube…a length of hollow bone with a plug of wood at either end…and shook it。 He heard the rustle of paper。 Scrolls； perhaps？ He would study them later； after taking the appropriate precautions。
Laying the tube down beside the ring； he pleted his pass over the illithid's body。 One of the pockets in Sluuguth's robe made his palms tingle a third time。 Reaching inside it； Gromph pulled out a finger…length piece of quartz that had been cut into a prism。 Tiny yellow sparks danced in its depths。
Gromph had seen similar devices before。 They were magical constructs of the surface elves； who needed light to find their way through the Underdark。 He spoke a word in their tongue…the surface elves were so predictable and almost always used the same mand words…and the prism reacted as he expected it to； shedding a pale cone of candle…bright light。 A second mand word shaped the light into an eye…hurting； wand…thin beam of intensely white light。 Had it not struck the wall of Gromph's office； it would have shone for some distance。
Squeezing his eyes shut against the glare； Gromph spoke a third mand word； and the harsh light disappeared。 The prism was as it had been before； still cool as stone against Gromph's palm。
〃A useful trinket；〃 he said； slipping it into a pocket of his piwafwi。 〃Handy to read scrolls by； if nothing else。〃
He almost ended his search there； but when he passed his hands a final time over the illithid's corpse he felt the tingle once more。
Something was tucked deep into the pocket he'd just pulled the prism from。 Digging into it； he pulled out a silver chain with a flat oval of green jade hanging from it。 He recognized it at once。
〃So that's where the jade spiders disappeared to；〃 he muttered； slipping it into his own pocket。
Standing again； Gromph used magic to levitate the illithid's head…no sense touching those limp； foul…smelling tentacles if he didn't have to…and positioned it on the chest of the corpse。 Then he pulled a pinch of dust from a pocket of his piwafwi and sprinkled it over Sluuguth's body。 He chanted a brief spell and pointed a finger。 A harsh sizzling filled the air as a beam of green energy sprang from its tip。 It washed over the corpse； illuminating it in a blaze of crackling light。 An instant later； all that was left of Sluuguth was a thin smudge of dust on the floor。
Crossing the room； Gromph picked up the empty thought bottle。 One of its sides was dented slightly； but the sigil…shaped pane of glass was still intact。 It could be reused。 He removed the dent with a mending spell； then set it on the table beside the second bottle and cast a minor spell that caused the spray of blood that had landed on the desk to dry to dark brown dust； which he blew away。 He placed the unopened bottle carefully in the drawer； then picked up the one that had been uncorked。
He turned to the wall； and； with a wave of his fingers； released the fire elemental that Sluuguth's spell had frozen in place。 The elemental rushed out with an angry roar； filling the room with heat。
〃Wherrre is he？〃 it said； flaring as it twisted this way and that； looking for the vanished illithid。 〃He must burrrn。〃
〃The illithid is gone；〃 Gromph answered。
The elemental flared white…hot with anger。
〃You said I had only to burrrn an intruder to be free；〃 it growled。 It pointed at the soot…smudged spot on the wall where the magical sigil had been。 〃Am I then to be put back in bondage？〃
Shielding his face from the heat； Gromph said； 〃No。 Your task has been altered； that's all。 After you perform it； you are free to go。〃 He showed the elemental the thought bottle。 〃In a moment； I will use this magical device。 When I am done； you will relay the following information to me 。 。 。〃
A few moments later； Gromph found himself seated behind his desk； holding a corked bottle in his hand。 A drawer containing a bottle identical to it was open； and a fire elemental hovered on the other side of the desk。 Glancing at the wall； Gromph saw that the sigil that had held it had been activated。 An intruder must have entered the office…Gromph cast a quick detection spell； but his magic revealed no trace of any creature； living or undead。 Whoever the intruder was； he or she had left a gold ring and what looked like a spell tube on Gromph's desk…and an impressive battle…axe； leaning against the side of the desk。
Suddenly worried； Gromph realized that the last thing he could remember was being trapped inside the sphere； floating on the lake。 He had obviously made it back to Sorcere somehow； found his way into his study； and escaped the imprisonment spell。 But how？
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