Chapter 20: The Masterpiece
"That must be the mine," Ajantis said.
From their vantage point on the top of a hill, they had a clear view of a large, circular pit in the distance, surrounded by small wooden buildings. It was hard to imagine the place as anything but a mine, Ember thought as she regarded the piles of lumber and rubble. A large area of forestland around the mine had been clear cut, and the muddy ground was crisscrossed by cartwheel tracks.
Looking at the pit, Ember was surprised to find she felt more excitement than fear. They were all aware that a problem of this magnitude would be dangerous - Edwin had argued strongly against accepting until the reward was mentioned - and they had prepared carefully. Their magical items had been identified at the Temple of Helm, and been distributed between them. Imoen's studded leathers had turned out to be a suit of doubly enchanted armor that had once belonged to a great thief. The bracers they had taken from the half-ogre near the gnoll fortress would bolster the wearer's dexterity; these were given to Edwin, who could wear no armor and, as Imoen put it, was as graceful as a duck. The bracers of the greatest dart-thrower in the west were revealed to be Bracers of Archery, and were given to Kivan. High Watcher Nalin had further boosted their chances by loading them with potions and protection scrolls. Ember had looked into the High Watcher's eyes as he'd handed them some stone to flesh scrolls, and had realized that she was not the only one that suspected they might find Tranzig involved with the mines.
"What's making that sound?" Imoen asked, startling Ember out of her reverie. A faint, erratic tapping came from somewhere ahead of them. The sound had a bright, brittle quality, like someone was tapping a large glass jug with a metal rod.
"I think its source is near that outcropping," Ajantis said, pointing towards a jumble of tall rocks halfway between them and the mining pit.
"You are correct," Kivan said.
"Boo thinks it is rocks, singing to each other!" Minsc said as they walked towards the outcropping.
Ember smiled. "What are they singing?"
"About heroes and hamsters and rangers and the swords that stomp evil like the evil it is, of course!"
"That... is ridiculous. (Stomping swords indeed.)" Edwin said.
"What's wrong with a stomping sword?" Imoen asked. "Why, I'm sure that if you could Identify Minsc's sword, you'd know it's a sword of stomping."
"Of course you cannot be expected to understand, but a wizard as great as myself would never dream of wasting a spell on such an obviously simple sword. (Not even if I could cast it.)" Edwin said in a huffy tone.
"Oh, but the evil wizard is wrong, for Minsc's sword is far from ordinary! It is a sword of justice, and bards will sing about it!"
Imoen laughed. "I'll sing about your sword if you like, Minsc," she said, and began dancing around and singing the words 'stomping sword of justice' to the beaming giant. Edwin grumbled and muttered something about simians, and Ajantis soon asked Imoen to quiet down lest they disturb the source of the noise, but Ember couldn't help noticing there was a distinct smile on the paladin's face as he did so.
A simple scaffolding had been erected beneath the outcropping for no apparent reason. Beyond it, a pale man in blue clothes that must have once been very elegant was working on a block of the whitest marble, chipping away a sliver here, carving a slight groove there. The shape of a woman, pale and perfect, was taking form out of the block. As they approached the man, he gently positioned his chisel in the flowing locks of marble hair and tapped it with exquisite gentleness.
"Ahh, beauteous creature! You are my masterpiece!" they heard him exclaim between taps. He moved to the woman's eyes next; pulling a small pouch from his pocket, he selected two piercingly bright emeralds and placed one in one of the statue's eyesockets with a sigh. "Never should I have stolen these emeralds," he said in a wistful voice, "but there was nothing else that would capture the majesty of thine eyes!"
The man placed the second emerald, nodding to himself. "I did what must be done, for I have left my shop, forgotten all my commissions, and spent all that I had. I must complete thee!" He took a step back, one hand resting on his chin as he contemplated his work, and flinched with surprise at the sound of a twig snapping under Ajantis's plate boot.
"Wait, there is someone here! Who are you?" the man cried nervously, turning to face the party. "'Twas that relentless Greywolf who sent you, wasn't it?"
"Minsc does not know any grey wolves, and neither does Boo," Minsc said.
The man sighed with relief. "Thank Deneir, I thought I was done in. I am not cut out for a life on the run." He looked at Minsc with red-rimmed eyes. "Mayhaps you could help a foolish sculptor finish this epiphany? Please, guard this place, for surely Greywolf will come seeking the bounty on the gems."
"Might you be Prism? (How fortunate that I spoke with Oublek!)" Edwin asked, then yelped with pain as Imoen stepped heavily on his foot.
"Prism I am," the man said, "and I admit I stole the gems, but better they are the eyes of a work of love than a fat woman's tawdry trinket! Please, I will pay with my last possessions if you would do this one service for me."
"Minsc and Boo will protect you from all wolves, be they grey or brown or white!" Minsc exclaimed.
"If it is so important, then I shall guard you as best I can. Yes. (That pouch had better hold what I think it does.)" Edwin said.
"I thank you, for I cannot run from this place until my task is done. I have been using potions of speed to aid my work, and have not slept for days. She is beautiful, is she not?" Prism said, gesturing towards the statue. "'Tis a monument to my foolishness. I saw her but once, on the outskirts of Evereska, and said nothing. I let thee pass from mine eyes, and mine heart hath cursed me for it!" He thrust the bag into Minsc's hands and darted to the scaffolding, climbing to the top of it and peering intently at the statue. So that's what it's for, Ember thought.
"I do not like this," Ajantis said. "This man appears possessed."
"He has seen an elf maiden," Kivan said, looking away towards the mountains to the south.
"It's so sad," Imoen said. "She must be really special."
"Minsc, can I have the pouch?" Ember asked. Minsc, whom Edwin was trying to alternatively threaten, insult, and flatter for possession of the pouch, was only too happy to give it to her. Ember opened it and poured the contents into her hand.
"I knew it!" Edwin exclaimed as several emeralds, each as bright as the statue's eyes, spilled out of the pouch.
"What did you know?" Ember asked.
"I knew that your moonstruck friend here stole emeralds from the wife of the tavern owner in Nashkel. There is a bounty for the return of the gems. (I am certain the bounty will not be worth as much as the stones, though.)"
"And what about Prism himself?" Ember asked.
"Who cares? (I do not.)"
"Someone is coming," Kivan said.
A man with a deeply tanned face and grey hair that perfectly matched his grey wolfskin cloak strode towards them. Prism yelped and crouched on the upper part of the scaffolding, seemingly trying to hide.
"I have come for you, Prism," the man said in a deep voice.
"No! Not yet!" Prism whimpered. "My work is nearly done! Please, I implore you!"
"Your sentiment is wasted on me, fool. You are but gold in my purse. Do you make your situation worse by hiring help to protect you?" The man laughed and turned towards Ember and her friends. "Who are you fools?"
"He only wants to finish his masterpiece," Imoen said. "Why not let him? What harm can it do?"
"Hah! You should be more worried 'bout the harm I can do! Never have I taken a bounty and not delivered! Now stand aside, that I might dispense with this fool and claim my prize. Or would you rather I go through you to get him? Consider well if he be worth your lives!"
Ember drew her sword. "Do you talk like that to everyone?" she asked. "Insult them, brag about your prowess, and threaten to kill them if they disagree with you? You do not frighten me, Greywolf. I suggest you leave."
Greywolf looked puzzled for a moment, then grinned ferally. "So you know my name. do you? Tell it to Kelemvor, for it is the name of he who will send you there!" The grin turned into a snarl as the bounty hunter drew his sword and lunged. Ember blocked him once, twice; her sword snapped the third time she blocked him. His sword grazed her leg, cutting through her armor and drawing a line of icy pain across her flesh. Ember stumbled. The next blow would come any moment; she let herself fall to the ground and roll out of his immediate reach. A blast of magic missiles struck Greywolf's face, closely followed by three arrows. Greywolf screamed and flailed wildly, allowing Ajantis time to charge him.
Ember got to her feet. Greywolf lay face down in the mud, which was turning darker and redder around his body.
"Why did you provoke him like that, Em?" Imoen asked. "He could have killed you!"
Ember shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea at the time?" she suggested. It did, though; it really did. Imoen sighed and handed Ember a healing potion. Ember sipped it and smiled as a soothing warmth spread through her injured leg. A glance towards the scaffolding told her that Prism had already returned to his work, chipping the marble at the statue's hips with an impossible speed; flakes of stone fell around him like snow.
"Ajantis, what do you make of this sword?" Kivan asked.
"It is most definitely enchanted," Ajantis replied. "Unfortunately, I cannot guess how."
"It felt icy when it cut me," Ember said, walking towards the sword. Its blade was almost black, she noticed, with a pale edge to it. The hilt was richly decorated in red and gold. It was the most beautiful sword she had ever seen; truly a masterpiece. Provided it is not cursed, of course.
Minsc walked past her and picked up the sword. "Boo says this little sword is very sharp," he said, examining the blade and slicing experimentally through air, "and that the angry wolf man must have poked many backsides with it. Does little Ember want it?"
"It did not harm him, so why not? (Then again, it may leave her feebleminded; none can tell the difference with him.)" Edwin said.
Ember nodded. "You'll take me to the town if something should happen, right?" she asked.
"Of course!" Imoen said.
"In the hands of little Ember it will truly be a sword of justice!" Minsc exclaimed. The large ranger handed the sword to Ember with a slight bow.
Ember took the weapon by the hilt and was immediately surprised by how right it felt in her hand. She went through some practice movements with it; if the balance was not perfect for her, it was not far off. "A sword of justice it shall be!" she told Minsc with a delighted smile.
"At last! My work is complete!" Prism cried. The artist backed away from his work and gazed at it in wonderment. His hands trembled, and he dropped his hammer and chisel moments before his knees buckled under him.
"Prism! What's wrong?" Imoen asked, running to his side. His face was grey, and his sunken eyes fixed upon the statue.
"He is exhausted," Ajantis said. The paladin placed his hands on Prism's chest and whispered the words that released his healing powers, but the spell appeared to have little effect on the worn out sculptor.
"It is done," Prism whispered. "Take what you will from my possessions, but leave the sparkle in her eyes. O sweet creature, my effigy to thee is done. Perhaps our paths shall cross in distant Realms, and I shall find the courage to call thy name." A single tear trickled down his cheek. "Ellesime!" he shouted, and died.
"Prism? Prism!" Imoen called, shaking him by the shoulder.
"Leave him be, child," Kivan said. "He is gone."
"Why did he do that? He could have worked slower, he didn't have to work himself to death!" Imoen said. Tears ran down her face as she closed Prism's eyes.
Ember looked at the statue. It was clearly not true to life, yet it perfectly conveyed the idea that Prism's Ellesime was an exquisitely beautiful woman with a proud stance and a coldness about her eyes. It might just be the emeralds, but... Ember shuddered. "I don't think I like her," she said out loud.
Ajantis put an arm around Ember's shoulder. "Come, miss. The mine is not far off; we shall inform the guards there of what has occured."
"Boo is wondering; could we not carry Prism there?" Minsc asked.
Imoen shook her head. "Let's just let him stay here with her till they come. I think he's earned that."
Sunlight glinted off the statue's emerald eyes, creating the illusion that it was watching them, as they left Prism's camp.
