"Is that the one?" The Simbul asked
"That's it" Yenir replied with a sly grin, showing gleaming polished teeth.
"Good. I'm looking forward to spilling some Thayan blood today." The women smiled with dark delight. The Simbul is a beautiful woman, with long tresses of silver hair that seem to flow from her scalp like wind. She was trained by Elminster himself and is counted among his "children". Out of the Seven Sisters, The Simbul is the most deadly; carrying with her a barrage of sorcerous spells for her "hobby" of hunting and killing the powerful Red Wizards of Thay. "I've been searching for this Kahn for some time now. He's eluded me thus far. I'm getting a kick out of the fact that your little Halfling friend brought him out of hiding. I do so look forward to meeting him in person for all the atrocities he's caused to the realms."
“Yes, and I for what he's done to my friends. Sizrit, how fares your wing?" Yenir looked to the silver raven upon his shoulder.
"If you had gotten there any later I would have been of more use as a carrion appetizer than a familiar." He joked and ruffled his wings appreciatively, "My wing feels good enough to fly on again. Now let’s go save Quinn." They looked down upon the fortress they were hovering above. Quinn was being held captive there and was being subjected to tortures no man should ever endure. The Simbul began casting a spell of her own design and three copies of herself blinked into existence.
"No need to make a physical appearance just yet. Let’s see how the poor excuse for wizards fare against three versions of their most feared nightmare." A sadistic smile crossed her beautiful features that seemed out of place for someone of such beauty. With a silent command the projections whizzed towards opposite ends of the fortress. Concentrating on any one of the illusions would allow her to cast her spells through them as though she were actually there. She closed her eyes and began concentrating.
"Ah I think you've got them my dear. They're running around like scared rats." Silver spell fire erupted all over the walls and retaliatory spells hit nothing but air as they passed harmlessly through the Simbul's projections.
"I've come for your leader, Kahn!" She roared and all of her projections passed the message to the scrambling wizards. She waved her hands and her first projection transformed into a huge silver dragon that began ravaging the wizards on the wall. "That is but a taste of my power! My wrath is limitless and your deaths will be swift if my demands are not met promptly!"
"Quite the woman isn’t she?" Yenir smiled. He couldn't help but feel strongly attracted to The Simbul's power.
"Keep it in your pants Yenir." The Simbul looked up briefly and smiled back "We have work to do. Or were you planning on standing there while I did the bulk of it?" Her words were cutting but warm. She waved her hands again and one of her projections exploded in thunderous fire, engulfing no less than thirty wizards attempting to combat her form. They now lay in smoking husks of what they once were. “I am not a patient woman!" She bellowed through her last illusion.
"Yenir!" Sizrit perked up “I see something. There on the highest tower." Yenir looked to where Sizrit was referring and spotted a tall bald wizard dragging what looked to be something small with him. Yenir cast a simple spell that allowed him to see great distances and zoomed in to the spot, looking upon it as if he were no more than five feet away. It was Kahn alright and he was dragging Quinn forcefully alongside him. Quinn wasn't putting up a fight and it seemed most of his usual fire was broken. Yenir gritted his teeth in fury when he saw the state of his good friend.
"No one should be tortured like that, especially one so small." Rage boiled in him like The Simbul's legendary silver fire. "Sim, I see him there. He has Quinn."
"Don't call me that," She spat respectfully “and, yes, I've seen him. He's attempting to parlay with my projection."
"Good. Keep him occupied while Sizrit and I sneak up on him. Ready Sizrit? Sizrit?" Yenir hadn't noticed Sizrit take off towards Kahn. Yenir reached out with his mind but Sizrit was blocking his thoughts. “Oh I do hate it when he does that." Yenir began casting a spell and both he and Sizrit vanished from sight.
"So you're the notorious Kahn. I would have imagined you taller." The Simbul mocked as she commanded her projection to float up to the tower Kahn was standing on. She put a hand on her hip provocatively.
"The Simbul I presume." Gaugane bowed without taking his eyes off of the black garbed woman floating close to him. “What do I owe the pleasure of your visit this day?" Meanwhile, The Simbul readied another spell.
“You seem to have something of mine, rather, an acquaintance of mine, and I've come to get him back." The Simbul began to glow with gold sparks.
“You surely didn't come all this way for this slug." He held Quinn effortlessly before him like a shield. Quinn hung limp in his grasp and looked nearly dead. “There must be something of more value to you here than this." He snarled.
“Why Kahn, you know me all too well" Her voice seduced” Your little wizards are making great sport and it seems I've lost none of my luster. I've come for bigger fish, as you well know, and to extend an invitation to you, lord." It was her turn to bow but she let her eyes fall away from Kahn. Kahn saw his chance and blasted The Simbul with his most powerful slaying spell. Her form burst to dust.
"Hahahahaha! That, my dear Quinn, was your ticket out of here and enemy to all of my people. One simple slaying spell turned her and all her glory into dust." Kahn laughed again and turned to leave. There standing behind him was The Simbul. A blast of energy rang from the tower before he could react and Kahn was struck sending him sailing off the tower. He frantically cast and stopped his descent, floating in the air above the fortress. Quinn, however, was plunging through the air.
“That was just a projection silly." Her eyes were afire with silver wisps of flame. "It would have been prudent to cast a true seeing spell or something." she threw up her hands exasperated, “Really? Do I have to teach you everything?" Blue lightning sprang from her fingertips. Kahn tapped his brooch and a globe sprang up around him. The lightning struck the orb and rebounded back at the Simbul. "Impressive" She said as her own bolt struck her in the chest. She was sent reeling through the air.
“This should teach him." Yenir said and cast a dispelling curse upon the shield. The spell struck true and the orb blinked away. Kahn looked frantically for his assailant and spotted the flying sorcerer. He began casting another spell and seven shining blades blinked into existence around him.
"GO!" He spat and the blades rushed at Yenir. Yenir ducked and dodged as the blades flew at him, one striking him in the shoulder caused him to howl in pain. Kahn laughed smugly until something tapped him on the shoulder. He turned just in time to see a silver flame wreathed fist bury itself into his nose. It was his turn to howl in pain. His face burned and his eyes watered from the blow but he could still see the Simbul floating in front of him, nearly naked. The pieces of what was left of her clothes hung loosely around her.
"Never turn your back on an enemy. Geeze! I thought you would have learned the first time!" She scolded him like a mother would scold a small child. "Now then. Shall we make a wager?" She held up her fingers that were crackling with white lightning.
“I don't make deals with Witches!" Kahn whirled around with a wand in his hand that wasn't there before and blasted the Simbul again. The Simbul screamed in agony.
"It may have been in your favor to gamble this night”, spoke a voice in his left ear. Kahn recognized those words as his own and the woman's voice was agonizingly familiar. Something touched down on his shoulder and he turned his head just in time to see the silver bird appear at his shoulder. "Remember me?" The bird asked and dawning realization passed over Kahn's features. Sizrit let off one of his most powerful spells and electricity coursed through Kahn's body. Sizrit clutched his shoulder until it was only his wings keeping them aloft as the last of Kahn’s life drained from his sizzling insides. Sizrit let his corpse fall to its fate.
"Nice work my friend." Yenir said as he flew over to Sizrit. The Simbul came over as well with a fake pout on her face.
"You couldn't have left any for me? Oh well good riddance I say." She looked around as if she'd forgotten something. "Um, I don't suppose anyone saw where he stashed your Halfling?" Sizrit and Yenir exchanged shocked glances and then the trio sharply turned their gaze down to the small form coming dangerously close to the ground.
Quinn regained consciousness as the mind numbing spell began to fade. He could feel the pain of the last few days in his limbs and everything was a whirring blur. He seemed to be free falling through the air. He thought of his mother, her warm smile and the hearty food that would be waiting for him at home. He thought of the tricks he and Yenir would play on the watch when he was younger and the trouble they would get into. He thought of Mt. Waterdeep and how beautiful the towers looked at sunset. Then his eyes focused on the world around him and he could see the jagged ground rushing up to meet him.
“So this is what it feels like to fly, Sizrit." He said to no one...
To be continued...
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