The Thane fixed Doc with a look that made him go cold inside.
‘By Elves. Elves whose curiosity led them to look in places not meant to be explored.’ He laughed bitterly. ‘Of course, who could have known this, until it was too late? Who could have foreseen that a thirst for knowledge would lead to answers which might destroy us?’
Doc considered this in silence for several moments, all the while aware that the Thane was watching him closely. Finally, Doc said, ‘That’s it, isn’t it? To explore such magic, to tap into this . . . the Netherworld . . . your Loremasters had to use the Lore, and have opened some sort of gateway, a portal or something . . . and now they can’t close it again.’
‘I will say only this,’ the Thane told him. ‘If those Loremasters possessed of scruple cannot seal off the Netherworld, then we are all doomed. We have not a tithe of the strength necessary to contest such evil.’
‘But you have the Elf Lore,’ Doc said.
‘Ah-h, the Elf Lore,’ the Thane said, reseating himself, pouring the last of the ale into his flagon, taking a sip and leaning back in his chair. ‘Since your arrival in this world, how often have you witnessed the power of the Lore being invoked?’