"The Paths of Darkness 3 - Servant of the Shard" - читать интересную книгу автора (Paths of Darkness)

threat, no grabbing or beating.
There was only quick death.
The uncharacteristic reaction surely intrigued
Sha'lazzi. How he wanted to know what had so rattled Artemis
Entreri as to facilitate such behavior-but at the same time,
the assassin's demeanor also served as a clear and
frightening warning. Sha'lazzi knew well that anything that
could so unnerve Artemis Entreri could easily, so easily,
destroy Sha'lazzi Ozoule.
It was an interesting situation, and one that scared
Sha'lazzi profoundly.




Part 1

STICKING TO THE WEB

I live in a world where there truly exists the
embodiment of evil. I speak not of wicked men, nor of
goblins-often of evil weal-nor even of my own people, the
dark elves, wickeder still than the goblins. These are
creatures-all of them-capable of great cruelty, but they are
not, even in the very worst of cases, the true embodiment of
evil. No, that title belongs to others, to the demons and
devils often summoned by priests and mages. These creatures
of the lower planes are the purest of evil, untainted
vileness running unchecked. They are without possibility of
redemption, without hope of accomplishing anything in their
unfortunately nearly eternal existence that even borders on
goodness.
I have wondered if these creatures could exist without
the darkness that lies within the hearts of the reasoning
races. Are they a source of evil, as are many wicked men or
drow, or are they the result, a physical manifestation of
the rot that permeates the hearts of far too many?
The latter, I believe. It is not coincidental that
demons and devils cannot walk the material plane of
existence without being brought here by the actions of one
of the reasoning beings. They are no more than a tool, I
know, an instrument to carry out the wicked deeds in service
to the truer source of that evil.
What then of Crenshinibon? It is an item, an artifact-
albeit a sentient one-but it does not exist in the same
state of intelligence as does a reasoning being. For the
Crystal Shard cannot grow, cannot change, cannot mend its
ways. The only errors it can learn to correct are those of
errant attempts at manipulation, as it seeks to better grab
at the hearts of those around it. It cannot even consider,