Dragonlance 16 - Dragons Of A Lost Star Read Online Free PDF

“What would Caramon say if he found out I left you here to die all by yourself? They’re moving awfully fast, Palin,” he added. “If we’re going to try to make it to the Hedge Maze, I think we better go now.”
    Palin brought out the faceplate. With the Device of Time Journeying, his father had traveled back to the time of the First Cataclysm to try to save Lady Crysania and prevent his twin brother Raistlin from entering the Abyss. With this device, Tasslehoff had traveled here, bringing with him a mystery and a hope. With this device, Palin had gone back in time to find that time before the Second Cataclysm did not exist. The device was one of the most powerful and wondrous ever created by the wizards of Krynn. He was about to destroy it, and by destroying it, perhaps he was destroying them all. Yet, it was the only way.
    He grasped the faceplate in his hand, gripped it so hard that the metal edges cut into his flesh. Crying out words of magic that he had not spoken since the gods had departed with the end of the Fourth Age, Palin hurled the faceplate at the advancing draconians. He had no idea what he hoped to accomplish. His was an act of despair.
    Seeing the mage throwing something at them, the draconians skidded warily to a halt.
    The faceplate struck the ground at their feet.
    The draconians scrambled back, arms raised to protect their faces, expecting the device to explode.
    The faceplate rolled on the ground, wobbled, and fell over. Some of the draconians started to laugh.
    The faceplate began to glow. A jet of brilliant, blinding blue light streaked out, struck Palin in the chest.
    The jolt shocked him, nearly stopping his heart. He feared for a horrible moment that the device was punishing him, exacting revenge upon him. Then he felt his body suffused with power. Magic, the old magic, burned inside him. The magic bubbled in his blood, intoxicating, exhilarating. The magic sang in his soul and thrilled his flesh. He cried out words to a spell, the first spell that came to mind, and marveled that he still remembered the words.
    Not such a marvel, after all. Hadn’t he recited them in a litany of grief, over and over to himself for all these many years?
    Balls of fire flashed from his fingertips and struck the advancing draconians. The magic fire burned with such ferocity that the lizard-men burst into flame, became living torches. The blazing flames almost immediately consumed them, leaving them a mass of charred flesh, melted armor, piles of smoldering bones and teeth.
    “You did it!” Tasslehoff shouted gleefully. “It worked.”
    Daunted by the horrific fate of their comrades, the other draconians were regarding Palin with hatred but also new and wary respect.
    “Now will you run?” Palin shouted in exasperation.
    “Are you coming?” Tas asked, balancing on his toes.
    “Yes, damn it! Yes!” Palin assured him, and Tas dashed off.
    Palin ran after him. He was a gray-headed, middle-aged man, who had once been in shape, but had not performed strenuous physical exertion like this in a long time. Casting the magic spell had drained him. He could already feel himself starting to weaken. He could not keep up this pace for long.
    Behind him, an officer shouted furious orders. Palin glanced back to see the draconians once more in pursuit, their clawed feet tearing up the grassy lawns, sending divots of mud into the air. Draconians use their wings to help them run, and they were taking to the air, skimming over the ground at a rate that neither the middle-aged Palin nor the short-legged kender could ever hope to match.
    The Hedge Maze was still some distance away. Palin’s breath was coming in painful gasps. He had a sharp pain in his side, and his leg muscles burned. Tas ran gamely, but he was no longer a young kender. He stumbled and panted for air. The draconians were steadily gaining on them.
    Halting, Palin turned to once again face his enemy. He sought the magic, felt it as a cold trickle in his