As he continued on, following the light of the broken finder’s stone, Finder passed several of Moander’s minions. Although most of the minions looked like humans or elves, some appeared to be beasts—elephants, horses, cats, rats, hounds, deer, hawks, sparrows—or magical creatures like dragons and treants. A few must have once been creatures from other worlds, for Finder didn’t recognize their kind. Yet every minion had in common the tendril vines growing from its body, controlling its actions and making it subject to the Darkbringer. Finder realized that if it hadn’t been for his possession by the vines, he wouldn’t be passing through this realm without being challenged.
The light of the finder’s stone led the bard to a great hill, as large as the mound on which the city of Yulash stood. At first Finder thought the hill might be Moander’s stronghold. As he drew closer, however, Finder realized that the hill was in fact Moander’s true body, the one that held the very essence of the god’s being. Unlike all the other shells it possessed in all the worlds of the prime material plane, if this body were destroyed, the Darkbringer would cease to exist completely and forever.
Moander’s Abyssal form was another pile of rotting vegetation, but it was easily five times the size of the body the god had possessed in the Realms. Thousands of tendrils ending in eyes and mouths waved from the pile, and orange rivers of poisoned water flowed down its slopes. Yet for all its vast size, the true body of Moander seemed to tremble from the cold coming from the dagger Finder carried.
At the foot of the hill that was Moander stood Akabar Bel Akash. He was tethered about his ankles with slimy tendrils, and his wrists were likewise bound. His eyes were closed, and he did not speak.
“Hold, Nameless Bard!” a chorus of voices cried from the mouths of Moander.
Finder halted.
“You were a fool to come here,” the mouths of Moander declared. “For destroying my body in the Realms, you have earned my everlasting enmity. Yet despite your crimes against me, I must admire your resourcefulness. I think that I will let you live on as my servant. Now, hand over the seed of power that you stole from my Realmsian body.”
Finder slipped the broken half of the finder’s stone into his boot and drew out the tiny blood-red gem he’d discovered lying before the magical gate inside Moander’s Realmsian body. Apparently, by stepping through the gate and separating the gem from the Realms, he had indeed robbed the god of its power to exist in that world. The gem, Finder suspected, held not just power but some attribute that made it possible for Moander to return to the Realms.
If he smashed the gem, Moander might never regain that power, and the Realms would be safe from the Darkbringer forever. Yet if he gave the gem to Moander, it might take years for the god to find a way to build yet another body in the Realms, and the people of the Realms would have all that time to prepare some other defense against the Darkbringer.
“I’ll give you the seed, Moander,” Finder said, “in exchange for Akabar Bel Akash and safe passage from your realm. I’ll even let you keep your everlasting enmity.” He grinned maliciously.
“Arrogant fool! I could slay you where you stand,” Moander’s mouths snarled.
“I suspect not,” the bard said. “If you could, you would have killed me the moment I stepped into your realm, but you can’t, can you? You’ve been using too much of your power these past few months, possessing saurials and forcing them to do your bidding. You must be feeling a little weak. Your true body is also susceptible to cold, isn’t it? I can see your tendrils shivering from the icy air that surrounds my dagger. I, on the other hand, could crush your precious seed in a moment. Release Akabar now, and I will return the seed,” Finder ordered.
“No,” a voice said, a voice that sounded like Akabar but couldn’t have been, for the mage’s lips never moved. Finder watched with surprise as a white mist slid from Akabar’s body and drifted over toward him.
“No!” Moander’s mouths shouted.
The mist coalesced into a translucent form shaped like Akabar.
“Akabar, is that you?” Finder asked the misty figure.
“This is my spirit and soul,” a voice from the mist said. “Moander holds my body and mind in thrall, but it cannot tether this part of my being. Finder, I cannot allow you to bargain for my life. I will soon be finished with living. I am prepared to dwell now in another plane.”
“But Alias wants me to bring you back,” Finder objected.
“Yes,” the mage’s spirit form replied with a smile. “Alias was always very demanding. Finder, I have abided by this monster’s side only long enough for your arrival. In my dreams, the gods of light told me that I was to instruct you. Now, at last, I know what it is I must teach you. First, understand this,” the spirit form said, using the formal tone of a Southern scholar. “This body behind me is Moander’s true body. If it is destroyed, Moander’s essence will be destroyed forever, completely, in every incarnation in every world.”
“Akabar,” Finder said, “I know that already. I don’t care about it. I only came here to get you.”
“Now know this,” Akabar’s spirit continued. “You have the power to destroy Moander’s true body. You were right—its true body is weak now. Cling fast to the seed of power, Finder Wyvernspur, for with it in your possession and your dagger of cold, you can destroy this god.”
“Destroy me! Destroy the mage! Destroy yourself.” the voices of Moander sang, but their tone held a hint of panic.
“You may indeed die in the attempt,” the spirit said to Finder.
“I didn’t come here to kill Moander,” Finder protested. “I came to bring you back. Moander, release Akabar’s body and mind, and I will leave here without injuring you.”
“Promise?” the mouths of Moander asked eagerly.
“No!” Akabar’s spirit cried angrily. “Finder,” he said hastily, “I realize this is not the fate you had in mind for yourself, but if you do not destroy Moander now, you will be throwing away the only opportunity creation has ever had to rid itself of this monster. Finally learn this,” the mage’s spirit said, concluding his instruction, “This is how an unselfish man dies.”
Akabar’s spirit form raised his arms as high as he could and called out in Turmish to the gods of light he venerated. Finder recognized many of the gods’ names, though most of what Akabar’s spirit said was not clear to him. The spirit’s last words were a Turmish prayer that the bard did recognize.
“Gods of my heart, claim your faithful servant,” Akabar’s spirit cried, and a white light, as bright as the desert sun, encased the mage’s spirit form. The light glowed so brightly that Finder had to turn his back and close his eyes.
Moander’s mouths shrieked with fear and rage as the god’s eyes were blinded and it sensed it was being robbed of its hostage.
The light vanished, and with it took Akabar’s spirit and soul. Akabar’s body crumbled to dust.
Finder shook with awe. There was no way he could ignore Akabar’s sacrifice and turn around and go home. Only a fool would accept all the luck that Tymora had thrown in his path these past two days and give nothing in return. In one hand, the bard clenched the seed, created from Akabar’s blood and Moander’s power, and in the other, his dagger, tipped with para-elemental ice. He flew up above the body of the god.
“Destroy me! Destroy yourself!” Moander’s mouths shrieked hysterically.