Lord Soth

Chapter 20

The night sky was clear of clouds and the stars twinkled against their black backdrop like diamonds under a midday sun.

The Kingpriest of Istar stood alone on the balcony of the highest tower of the temple. He was dressed in one of his finest silken robes. It was yellow and white, and bejeweled with all manner of rare gemstones, including diamonds.

He had come to address the gods.

His brethren.

He stepped up onto a platform so that he was standing above the balcony's rail and unencumbered by such mundane man-made concerns as walls and rails and floors. He stood, almost on the air, with nothing before him but the cool night air, and nothing above him but the black star studded night sky.

"My fellows," he began, raising his arms over his shoulders.

"I have labored for many years to bring peace to the races and tribes of

Krynn; indeed it had been my life's work. Once peace was achieved I made sure that it would last for hundreds of years, something even you as gods could not do for the people consigned to your ever watchful care.

Further to that, I made the Proclamation of Manifest Virtue, declaring that Evil in the world was an affront to both mortals as well as we gods."

Clouds slowly began to move in from the north and west'.

"I single-handedly vanquished Evil from the face of Krynn, and further enabled Good to spread across the land by leading the Siege on Sorcery, exiling the evil mages and ensuring their wicked brand of magic would never again be used for the purposes of evil." The clouds continued to roll in. Many of the stars including the brighter ones, began to wink out.

"And now, with the Edict of Thought Control, I have acquired the power to read the thoughts of the people of Istar, stopping evil deeds before they can be enacted, and thereby defeating Evil before it has a chance to make its presence known. I have put an end to Evil as we know it!"

The cloud cover was complete now.

Thunder rolled within.

"So friends and colleagues, I implore you, since I have proven that I have powers comparable to yours, I ask that you allow me to ascend to the heavens and take my rightful place between Paladine and Mishakal as one of the greater gods of Krynn. Together, you will help me rule over

Krynn so that Evil will never again dare to make its presence felt."

The thunder grew louder.

"Take me now!" cried the Kingpriest. "Elevate me to my rightful place in the heavens and I will show you how to-"

A bone-jarring clap of thunder seemed to explode inside the clouds over the temple. The shock waves of the blast shook the temple to its foundations.

The Kingpriest struggled to keep his balance on the platform, managing to remain upright until the rumbling sound of the thunderclap had finally run its course.

"I demand that you make me one of you!" cried the Kingpriest.

The clouds began to roil angrily and the wind picked up, making his robes billow like flags in a storm.

"I command you!"

A bolt of lightning shot out from the clouds, hitting the Kingpriest's platform and shattering it into a thousand splinters.

The Kingpriest toppled from his lofty perch, landing on his back and falling unconscious.

It began to rain, hard and cold.

The drops falling on the Kingpriest's face stung his flesh like bitterly cold needles. He blinked his eyes open, saw the storm overhead and raised a clenched fist toward the heavens.

"You will come to regret this," he cried.

Thunder boomed.

Jagged lightning pierced the blackness of the night.

"You might control the heavens, but I"-he placed a hand over his chest-"control the world."

Another bolt of lightning shot out from the clouds, this time slamming into the slim standard-bearing tower above and behind him.

The tower began to topple.

The Kingpriest scrambled to get out of the way, and just managed to get inside before the tower crashed down onto the balcony, causing it to break away from the temple.