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.I've seen them look at me with pity.I know they think I'm slow-thinkingsometimes and I am-compared to Raistlin.I am the ox, lumbering along, bearing the burdenwithout complaint.That's what they think of me.They don't understand.They don't need me.Even Tika doesn't need me-not like Raist neededme.They never heard him wake screaming in the night when he was little.We were left alone somuch, he and I.There was no one there in the darkness to hear him and comfort him but me.Hecould never remember those dreams, but they were awful.His thin body shook with fear.Hiseyes were wild with the sight of terrors only he could see.He clutched at me, sobbing.And I'd tell him stories or make funny shadow-pictures on the wall to drive away the horror."Look, Raist," I'd say, "bunnies." and I'd hold up two fingers and wiggle them like a rabbit's ears.After awhile, he'd stop trembling.He wouldn't smile or laugh.He never did either, much, evenwhen he was little.But he would relax."I must sleep.I am so tired," he'd whisper, holding my hand fast."But you stay awake, Caramon.Guard my sleep.Keep them away.Don't let them get me.""I'll stay awake.I won't let anything hurt you, Raist!" I'd promise.Then he would smile-almost-and, exhausted, his eyes would close.I kept my promise.I wouldstay awake while he slept.And it was funny.Maybe I did keep them away, because as long as Iwas awake and watching, the nightmares never came to him.Even when he was older, sometimes he'd still cry out in the night and reach out to me.And I'd bethere.But what will he do now? What will he do without me when he's alone, lost, and frightenedin the darkness?What will I do without him?Caramon shut his eyes and, softly, fearful of waking Tika, he began to cry.17Unexpected help."And that's our story," said Tanis simply.Apoletta had listened attentively to him, her green eyes intent upon his face.She had notinterrupted.When he was finished, she remained silent.Resting her arms on the side of the stepsleading into the still water, she seemed lost in thought.Tanis did not disturb her.The feeling ofpeace and serenity present beneath the sea soothed and comforted him.The thought of returningto the harsh, glaring world of sunlight and blaring noise seemed suddenly frightening.How easy itwould be to ignore everything and stay here, beneath the sea, hidden forever in this silent world."What about him?" she asked finally, nodding her head at Berem.Tanis came back to reality with a sigh."I don't know," he said, shrugging, glancing at Berem.The man was staring into the darkness of the cavern.His lips were moving, as if repeating a chant over and over."He is the key, according to the Queen of Darkness.Find him, she said, and victory is hers.""Well," Apoletta said abruptly, "you've got him.Does that make victory yours?"Tanis blinked.The question caught him by surprise.Scratching his beard, he pondered.It wassomething that had not occurred to him."True.we have got him," he murmured, "but what do we do with him? What is there about him that grants victory-to either side?""Doesn't he know?""He claims he doesn't."Apoletta regarded Berem, frowning."I would say he was lying," she said after a moment, "but then he is human, and I know little of the strange workings of the human mind.There is a wayyou can find out, however.Journey to the Temple of the Dark Queen at Neraka.""Neraka!" repeated Tanis, startled."But that's-" He was interrupted by a cry of such wild fear and terror that he nearly leaped into the water.His hand went to his empty scabbard.With a curse, hewhirled around expecting nothing less than a horde of dragons.There was only Berem, staring at him with wide eyes."What is it, Berem?" Tanis asked irritably."Did you see something?""He didn't see anything, Half-Elf," Apoletta said, studying Berem with interest."He reacted that way when I said Neraka-""Neraka!" Berem repeated, shaking his head wildly."Evil! Great evil! No.no.""That's where you came from," Tanis told him, stepping nearer.Berem shook his head firmly."But you told me-""A mistake!" Berem muttered."I didn't mean Neraka.I m-meant.Takar.Takar! That's what I meant.""You meant Neraka.You know the Dark Queen has her great Temple there, in Neraka!" Apoletta said sternly."Does she?" Berem looked directly at her, his blue eyes wide and innocent."The Dark Queen, a Temple in Neraka? No, there's nothing there but a small village.My village." Suddenly hegrasped his stomach and doubled over, as if in pain."I don't feel good.Leave me alone-" he mumbled like a child and slumped to the marble floor near the edge of the water.Sitting there,clutching his stomach, he stared into the darkness."Berem!" said Tanis in exasperation."Don't feel good." Berem muttered sullenly."How old did you say he was?" Apoletta asked."Over three hundred years, or so he claims" Tanis said in disgust."If you believe only half of what he says, that cuts it down to one hundred and fifty, which doesn't seem too plausible either, notfor a human.""You know," replied Apoletta thoughtfully, "the Queen's Temple at Neraka is a mystery to us.It appeared suddenly, after the Cataclysm, so far as we have been able to determine.Now we findthis man who would trace his own history to that same time and place.""It is strange." said Tanis, glancing again at Berem."Yes.It may be nothing more than coincidence, but follow coincidence far enough and you'll find it tied to fate, so my husband says." Apoletta smiled."Coincidence or not, I don't see myself walking into the Temple of the Queen of Darkness andasking why she's searching the world for a man with a green gemstone buried in his chest," Tanis said wryly, sitting down near the water's edge again."I suppose not," Apoletta admitted."It's hard to believe though, from what you say, that she has grown so powerful.What have the good dragons been doing all this time?""Good dragons!" Tanis repeated, astounded."What good dragons?"Now it was Apoletta's turn to look amazed."Why, the good dragons.The silver dragons and golddragons.Bronze dragons.And the dragonlances.Surely the silver dragons gave you those thatwere in their keeping.""I never heard of silver dragons," Tanis replied, "except in some old song about Huma.The same with dragonlances.We've been searching for them so long without a trace, I was beginning tobelieve they didn't exist except in children's stories.""I don't like this." Apoletta rested her chin on her hands, her face drawn and pale."Something's wrong
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