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.His heart pounded and every breath burned like fire down the length of his lungs, but he didn't slow down.He was almost there when he saw a shadow growing on the ground all around him, and he felt the sting of air against his shredded back.He refused to turn, though.With a tunnel opening in the mountain wall within sight and the escape it offered tantalizingly close, Justikar's view was suddenly blocked as a huge pair of feathered wings surrounded him.They enfolded his body completely and as the golden limbs blotted out all sight, Justikar knew there was no escape.0"To business then," Naglatha told Tazi as she sat down with her, "since you've made such a wise decision."Tazi nodded but said nothing."As you've already noticed," Naglatha explained, acknowledging she was aware of Tazi's gaze, "I am nearly ready to leave after traveling so long and so quickly.And I am not the only one," she added."Really?" Tazi asked only because she felt Naglathawanted her to, not because they were having any sort of an actual dialogue."There are many Red Wizards who are, even as we speak, making their way to the Thaymount.Do you know the area?" she asked Tazi."Aren't they the chain of volcanic ridges that lie in the middle of High Thay, above the Second Escarpment? I understand that some of the smoldering peaks reach heights of seventeen thousand feet or more and sooty glaciers dot the tops of these," she responded easily."You know of it then," Naglatha replied, pleased with Tazi's working knowledge of Thay's geography."I obviously didn't pay enough attention to your social mores, but I know where most of the main sites are," Tazi explained."I thought the area was strictly off-limits and trespassers were executed immediately?""You are correct about the security of the region," Naglatha agreed, "but the area is accessible to certain invited Red Wizards and their guests, such as us.Right now, a nearly unprecedented event is under way." Tazi regarded her with feigned interest, sensing that Naglatha needed the audience."Our Zulkir of Necromancy, Szass Tam, has invited nearly every tharchion and zulkir to the Citadel.These Red Wizards are the power behind Thay," she explained.It was obvious to Tazi that Naglatha was growing excited."Do you know about the Citadel?" Naglatha questioned.Tazi shook her head from side to side."Well, I'll get to that in a moment.This is only thesecond time I have ever been to this fortress.Zulkir Szass Tam controls it, and it is he who has called all of us to discuss the course of the country there." Naglatha paused for a moment, and Tazi could see something dark cross her features."Szass Tam has directed the path of Thay from one of conquest to that of trade over the years.I'm sure this council is to reiterate that plan to all of us," Naglatha said.She stood up, and Tazi watched as she paced the room."We were once a proud country and were feared by our neighbors.We wrested control of this land through force from those who sought to subjugate us centuries ago.Now Szass Tam has us buying and selling goods like the greedy, grubby merchants one could find in any city anywhere.Even in a common one like yours," she shot at Tazi."I take it you're against this policy," Tazi stated the obvious."'Make trade instead of war,' " she laughed."How preposterous! We are the laughing stock of Faerûn when we should be the most feared.I hate this game- playing," Naglatha said as she continued to march animatedly around the room."We should embrace our past and the honest ways.killing, war, and occupation.Instead we hawk magical wares like street vendors.""What can you do alone?" Tazi asked her.Naglatha whirled to face Tazi."Ah," she replied with a slow smile, "but I'm not alone.There are several of us in positions of authority who want to change history and have Thay assume its rightful position inFaerûn.We have hesitated because Szass Tam is so very powerful.And, as Zulkir of Necromancy, many of us realize that if we should fail in our efforts, not even death would keep us from his wrath," she answered ominously, and Tazi could see the woman was, despite all her plans and bravado, afraid of the zulkir."How can I be of any assistance to you?" Tazi asked.For the first time since Naglatha started her speech, Tazi was genuinely curious."If he is this powerful, I can't see what use I would be?"Naglatha sat back down at the small table with Tazi."What I want from you is really quite simple," she told her."As I mentioned before, we are all making our way to the Citadel.The Citadel is a unique structure, older than Thay and was here before the first humans came to this land," she clarified.Tazi hated to admit it to herself, but Naglatha had intrigued her."It was carved into one of the higher peaks of the Thaymount.Because of certain drawings that have been discovered inside, our best guess is that the structure was probably constructed by ancient lizardfolk who once inhabited the land but have since vanished
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