The heart I betrayed lines the altar in front of my kneeling form with a comforting shade of invisible red. The hard cavern floor of the upperdark under the surface city they call Silverymoon does its worst to ruin my knees, but I will gladly trade temporary pain for the lasting bliss that I know is to come. Then the unknown and most frightening emotion shoots through my body again. It is almost like a pain, like a bolt had pierced my heart. With great elation the feeling fades away as the air around me and the altar changes and takes on a more electric quality. It seems my call has not gone unnoticed as a satisfied smile strikes my countenance and I reach a startling epiphany. Lolth plants the seeds of uncertainty in us all.
“I have passed your test, my queen.”
Before perdition.
“Hatchling, I have a special assignment for you this cycle”
In the past a cold voice forces my eyes from Dslevia’s rather delicious and revealing outfit, a sort of strap natured black and white outfit hugging the contours of her neck, running down her chest barely covering her bosom and proceeding further down ever thinning. “Are you paying attention Hatchling? ”Her words echo through my mind as I stand in the cold chambers of the noble common room in my Qu’ellar.“ Xas jabbress” is all that escapes my lips as cold chills run down my spine when my eyes shoot to the whip coiled in her hand. “Good.. Now listen carefully to my words hatchling.."
I can almost hear her words in my mind now; almost feel the malignant caress of her touch upon my body. Feelings of complete elation remove all thoughts of the present and surrounding, leaving my fragile mind in a state of complete surrender.
“Noble claddath, they are ready for us now, come along”
The noble Vedo’s words rip asunder my state of ecstasy abruptly and without warning, so I shake off the remnants of it and stand upright while staving off murderous inclinations. Just before arriving here through the portal, I had stood beside my Yathallar in front of it. The feelings running through my heart had warned me not to come here, and now I know why.
“The lady Sheyreiza is ready to see us”
The familiar sight of the Queens Touch massage parlor looms before me as I stride between the jagged stalagmites and bottomless chasms of the eight layer.
“Hatchling, have you heard of the dagger of Menzoberra? It is a dagger once in the possession of Menzoberra the kinless, which I am confident, you have heard of. This fabled blade has come into the possession of the trading guild Xavthar. There will be a meeting, where a female from this guild will trade the item away for money. We have with the aid of our most capable spies intercepted the male who was meant to make the trade with the female. You are to go to the Queens Touch massage and make this trade yourself. Here, he was wearing this ring for identification. Now go, and make the deal. Return with the dagger of Menzoberra or do not return at all.”
With these words in mind I enter the rather impending structure to find the ugly female that greeted me when I had just arrived in Ched Nasad and was in need of physical attention. Not only her, but a most interesting male garbed in a large black cloak like outfit of which no details are readily apparent. He seems to be eyeing my face, and then my outfit. Instinctively I flash the ring which is now laid to rest on my middle finger and he nods for me to proceed. I flash a glance at the numerous blades littering his form and cannot stave of feelings of intimidation. The hideous female leads me through several rooms before we enter a larger room with a shallow pool in the centre. A female is waiting for me there.
The caverns of the war outpost seem dismally pale compared to the splendor that is Ched Nassad’s vastness of variety, but I suppose necessity supercedes anything else in such times. I am following the commoner Pharaun, the noble Auvryndar Vedo and Faerylene and a curious female by the name of Jhana. The lithe priestess in training had shown up just after I and my Yathallar had arrived in these caves via the magical portal leading from Ched Nasas. She is wearing a tight fitting red and black two piece dress made exclusively by Rahn’ee De’jehr, red gloves and a pair of red and black shoes from Fhare De’onaz. I would say she looked rather striking if it was not for her apparent inexperience and my mind tells me I should exploit this obvious weakness by cooking and feeding her her own severed right leg, but I somehow distract myself from this compulsion by running my eyes down Faerylene’s backside. The curious Ilythiiri female is tall for one of our race, full breasted and slim hipped, something I find particularly alluring and unusual. Her curly hair falls to the center of her back in loose waves and is kept from her dark features by two braids and a topknot. An armor shaped as much to protect as to emphasize her figure allows her to move with a grace reminiscent of a huntress and serves only to further peak my interest.
I wonder if she would reject an offer of intimacies with me, Jhanna and my twin daggers..
”Wait here, while I summon the Yathallar” some random male dressed in rather mediocre armor plating tells us, loitering in the meeting chambers of the Matron Auvryndar as we are. We wait, then wait some more until a cry of seemingly purest ecstasy reverberate with interest through the ordinarily dull chambers. After a while, the curtains to the chamber of the matron glide apart and a figure steps into view.
“Azral!”
The female who until recently I stood before in the steamy massage parlor is now running towards me. My mind is screaming at me to draw my blades and gut her before she has a chance to kill me, but something tells me there is nothing to fear. Then something altogether amazing happens. The female runs into me, wrapping her arms around me. A laugh almost escapes my lips from the sheer absurdity of this action, but it is stopped by a strange sensation I have only felt in my entire life once before. ”I can see it is you even for your disguise love”.
Love?
The figure standing before us is as something out of legend. The suit of armor fashioned from Mithril plates is thoroughly provocative, and imprinted on the breast plate is a strand of spider web wrapped around a thorny rose embossed over a spider. Other small spiders decorate the profoundly striking armor's plates and joints as well. Along the edges of the plates, prayers and litanies to the spider queen are etched in the Illythiiri rune language. Fingerless gauntlets allow her long delicate fingers sporting perfectly lethal manicures to shine through. Upon two fingers of her left hand and one on her right she wears fine, intricately carved finger-claws. Peeking out from under her gauntlets are silk full length gloves that seem to serve to protect her soft skin from the rough armor complimenting her features. Similar silk stockings peek out of her thigh-high armored leggings and attach to her armored corset like breastplate by garters. Around her perfectly shaped neck is fastened a platinum choker from which dangles the house symbol of Auvryndar. She also wears a longer necklace with a platinum spider dangling between her strikingly full breasts. Her immaculately long, slender legs end inside high heeled armored leggings. Her ears are long and pointed; unbelievably delicate they are pierced with several platinum and silver hoops on both sides. Half of her long snow white hair is pulled back from her face and pinned up by two long, wicked looking jeweled pins. An adamantine belly chain is visible as the entirety of her divine body is not covered, as is her matching navel-ring. She keeps an ancient looking Morningstar on the right side of her belt and is inscribed with barely legible Ilythiiri runes.
Her physical appearance is no short of perfection. A beauty matched only by the profoundly malignant nature she exudes, and I let out a gasp of as much surprise as paralyzing arousal.
The perfect one draws her icy cold stare across our group, now formed up before her and smiles minutely.
“So, you are to be my new murder squad?”
Her eyes search mine. The moment extends much like it had just before the brass knuckles on my fist had ruined the panic stricken face beckoning me to deliver some sort of release. Her eyes are the same, a deep shade of blue which stabs my heart, ushering forth a pain most confusing. “I knew you would come my love. I knew it in my heart.. My senses return again and my lips reply in an uncharacteristically soft voice “Yes, it is I my love.. I am here now.” My arms return the gesture of the female and squeeze her tight, wetness spilling forth from her deep blue lakes of compassion. My hand wipes moist eyes and I kiss her quivering lips so tenderly it nearly makes me regurgitate the rather expensive meal I had consumed before torturing that commoner I found loitering on the first level.
“Here, take it.. Take the infernal thing!”
Something is shoved into my hands and I realize it is a scabbard. Foolish whore! How can you be this way?!
”Now let us sell this thing and be can be free, saved.. Forever.”
The goddess smiles, now having inspected us all to her content. She seems to know the commoner and the two Auvryndar from before but I do not begin to ponder how. ”Well then, I shall inform you of your first duty. As you know we are at war with the surfacers called the Shadovar, this is a war of necessity and most of all.. Survival. We are allied with many whom we before considered fierce enemies but make no mistake, we will only honor this alliance until its usefulness is at an end. Right now, we are to scout out the surface above this war camp for any traces of the enemy. Their supply lines are spread thin currently, and many of their caravans have been cut off from the rest. They are scattered through the forest above, just waiting for us to come and lay death to them."
The goddess smiles again, seeming like one who has awaited a banquet of violence after suffering the thirst for blood for far too long.
“We go now to pay homeage to our goddess before leaving for a sea of blood and great honour” the divine one speaks and turns on her heels, strutting out the door leading whence we first came.
The pale blue eyes of the commoner Pharaun are on me as we walk and I wonder if he knows I see this or if his mannerism is simply from lack of care. He is dressed in orange and black leathers which seem to hold a more practical than aesthetical use, covered in filth and various seemingly useful tools. He is a peculiar one, always maintaining a certain anonymity to all he engages in. Holding respect, but only just enough for the occation Yes, I will watch that one closely indeed..
”I will sell it my love, and return with our means of escape”
My smile is false, my words are poison. I deceive this one who so desperately needs the aid of someone with a care for her plight. How easily we spurn the ones surrounding us, how easily we hurt them with malevolent intent. This is simply the way of the world, the way our world thrives on the suffering of those unfortunate enough to be caught in the wake of chance. How can something this pure have survived here? I keep telling myself this whore is weak. That she is unworthy of life, an afterlife even. She tells me they will await my return at the lizards kiss, which lies on the first layer. I spew yet more lies of hope and safety in her face, she embraces them all. She is so beautiful, so pure. Her eyes beckon to me with a blue sea of hope and I throw it all away. “I will wait for you, my love” I comfort her with.
How you will suffer.
My eyes burn and run with moisture, nothing could have prepared me for this evil inferno of blinding white. “What.. What is this?" I say, fingers gripping at my stricken sight. “This is the surface, Claddath.” the goddess purrs in response. I struggle with my eyesight before coming to my senses and rip off a piece of silk from my leathers, wrapping it around my eyes. It helps a little, but not enough to keep the stinging pain from soaking the silk with tears.
As I am about to leave the massage parlor, the cloaked male hails me to stop.
“Azral, hold a moment”
I hold and direct my full attention to the cloaked one. “Azral… I, want you to know how much I and Serentha appreciate this. And I know, how dear you are to my sister.." I regard him evenly and reply: “We have come a long way.. I have not lead us to the steps of salvation only to falter at the last moment.” The male places a palm on my shoulder and I struggle not to draw my daggers to sever it. “I know, Azral.. We shall be waiting at the Lizards kiss, as you know” he nods and releases me again. I merely nod and make my way out and towards my Qu’ellar.
The place they call the surface is vast and terrifying. The ceiling seems to extend for eternity, into a blue glow high above. There hangs a round burning ball which hurts my eyes to the point of exhaustion. “Relax noble Claddath, the sun will set soon. Then you will not have to endure the pain” Vedo says to me. The goddess appointed him sergeant for this mission and he has direct influence over myself and the commoner.
“Marching order.. Pharaun will be lead scout, Xerthral you follow him closely. Vedo, you are on me and Faerylene, you are on rear guard.” The goddess barks her orders and we all comply. As we march, darkness creeps over the vastness and I thank my goddess for the much welcomed relief.
D’slevia regards me with an expression filled with surprise. “You retrieved the dagger and uncovered heretics? My, my hatchling.. You really are proving a most useful plaything.” I hand my Yathallar the scabbard and she draws it slowly, almost sensually and inspects the blade with a nod. I bite my lip and speak: “Mistress? May I have a request?” Piercing red eyes lock on me again and bid me to continue. “May I be the one who disposes of these two heretics, mistress?”
Her expression is that of malicious amusement and surprise: “Yes, of course you will have the chance to, my lovely. Dispose of the male and bring the female to the temple..” I nod and spin on my heels. “Valen shall assist you in this, he will meet you on the way.” The thought of Valen giving me aid is comforting as I have seen him spar with some of the other warriors of our Qu’ellar. He is a worthy warrior and possesses a keen mind for both combat and guile. However his freedom has been severely limited recently when D’slevia seized him for herself as her personal pleasure slave.
Ifind him leaning on a rock face on the seventh layer. “The time for your requested honor has come.. Are you ready lord Xerthral?” Nodding my affirmative he continues: ”I am to offer you assistance should you require it.. If so I shall be waiting in the fore chamber of the lizards kiss”. Valen regards me with his cool stare for some moments as I weigh the honor of doing this alone with the risk and I decide it is best if Valen lends his blade. “Yes, I wish for your assistance Valen. Meet me down there as soon as possible.” The sleek figure of Valen the sword spider disappears into the darkness without further word, and I am left to contemplate the impending violence staining my fate red with the blood of the straying.
There it is, the lizards kiss. Standing before the ramshackle tavern located on the first level I hesitate. I do not know why but something is keeping me from entering the locale. Is it fear? No, not that. What can it be. Before I have time to think the door bursts open as two figures are thrown clear. Bah.. Two duergar iblith Having been relieved of my thoughts I enter the locale to find a pit of filth unlike any I have seen in Ched Nasad. Only Duergar as far as the eye perceives. No, there is Valen.. He nods minutely to me as I enter, and I head for the bar. There is a filthy vermin serving various alcoholic beverages behind it and I almost gag at the stench emanating from this wretch.
After a moment I notice there is a door and a duergar guard behind the counter. I step over to where Valen is seated and we exchange whispers. “All is preared... they are waiting for you below, lord.” I nod and lay my hastily crafted plan on him: “I will lure the guard outside.. You trail us from a distance as I lead him into a dead end. The female will be blissfully oblivious to this naturally. I can see Valen’s full lips curve with excitement from the darkness of his hood. “Then I shall return and tell her he was killed in the struggle to kill whoever I say was following me and have her follow me to our temple.. I shall lead her right to her doom!” In my exhilarated rush to pour my plan over Valen I nearly speak aloud, fortunately none seem to have taken notice. I feel the strange pain again but I do not heed it at all this time, the bloodlust has taken hold now.
As I approach the fat cretin standing guard before the backdoor I flash the ring on my finger and it merely nods, letting me pass. Beyond the door is a very dark passageway leading downwards. I warily move down the steps leading from the door and scan the new surroundings. I hear voices from further down the corridor, a male and a female. Darting deftly from wall to wall I round a corner and stand poised at the point where the wall ends into a smaller cavern.
“Jathan... he will come.. I know him.. Please keep your faith”
“Serentha... You have known him but for a few ten-cycles.”
“Jathan….”
“All I am saying, sister.. Is that trust… Absolute trust of this kind can lead to our death.. Or worse…Damnation.”
Jathan places his palm on her shoulder, but Serentha, taken aback by this proclamation quickly swipes it off with a swift hand movement.
“I know what I feel Jathan! I thought you could see this!”
Serentha’s voice returns to normal again as she seems to calm somewhat.
“I have never felt anything like this. It is… it is true love, I know it in my heart. Jathan.. Have you ever felt like you wanted nothing more than happiness and good things to befall someone? Have you ever felt a connection with someone deeper than a mere friendship? This is love Jathan, when you cannot stand being apart from that person.. Have you felt it? Have you Felt it Jathan?”
Jathan resigns to a shake of the head.
“You see? This is why I know my beloved will return to us”
Her nervous smile sends more waves of the inexplicable pain shooting through me.
Keeping this in mind I stride forth from my hiding place just behind the wall.
“You know me well love” I say as the hood which covers my head falls and reveals my countenance painted with a confident yet pleasant smile.
“Azral!”
Serentha runs into my arms which by now have learned the strange gesture she bestowed upon me before in the massage parlour.
Her eyes search mine again as reality fades.
I manage to blurt out that I have the coin, but that there Is a problem.
Serentha frowns:“A problem my love? What is amiss?”
I regain some confidence when I hear her nervous words.
“I am being followed”
Serentha frowns and looks to her brother whose smile now fades into uncertainty.
“There are two of them, they have been following me ever since I made the exchange for the coin. They followed me here, but do not yet know my true intentions”
I run a hand through her hair: “I need help, we need to dispose of them”
“But surely we can escape them” Serentha says, “perhaps one of your illusions.. or...” She looks to Jathan.
I swiftly make up a counter argument: “They have been fitted with items to enhance their vision love.. I quaffed an invisibility potion, but still they followed. I am at a loss... I cannot shake them.. without.. "
Before I can speak further, Jathan slaps his hand on my shoulder “Then we shall have to see to it ourselves, my brother...”
I look him in the eyes and nod slowly.
“Jathan.. no... Serentha eyes us both frantically. “if i loose either of you.."
Her deep, radiant pools fix on me again.
“I will die….”
A single tear strays from her eyes, which is wiped away by my tender caress.
“Do not speak of such my love… I watched t heir techniques.. They are but amateurs.. But two of them against merely me.. They might get the upper hand”
I intentionally look to jathan.
Serentha notices. “Xas.. Jathan is a clever fighter.. And you.. You are strong in the use of magic”
I look into her eyes, then to Jathan and back again: “You are safe here, my love. They do not know I am with either of you.”
Jathan nods. “Then we will go quickly... end this now and be free of this pit of hell!”
His words cut me as we decide to leave, but Serentha holds onto me.
“My beloved.. You are the moon to me in this darkness.. May Eilistraee watch over you and keep you safe.”
I had until now thought that my love and her brother were worshipping the goddess of the underdark, shar. I had never even conceived of the possibility that they could worship someone so foul and evil as the dark maiden.
After a few precious moments I manage to wrest the shock from my mind and reply.
“Dearest of all.. We shall return swiftly.. and then we shall be rid of this city once and for all!
My words seem to strike a hidden chord in Serentha, as she now seems more certain of our success as we leave, my eyes lingering upon her just long enough. Up again in the tavern I whisper to my brother. “Conceal your weapons Jathan.. We do not wish them to make rash decisions” He complies unflinchingly.
As we leave, I flash Valen a smile concealed from Jathan by the hood now lingering atop my head. Outside, I immediately continue spinning the web of lies I had began upon; “I see them... They are moving in the street directly opposite to this one… Follow me and we shall catch them in a dead end”
As we make our way down the stree, I see a corner of the layer with only two exits just beyond the exit to a lower leve. “They moved just to the northeast, they think we are heading down a level” I tell Jathan, and we move in for the supposed kill. There is a small house separating the two exits, so I tell Jathan to enter at the western entrance, an I shall take the southern. As Jathan heads in, obscured by the house I gesture to valen to enter the same way.
As I enter the south entrance I draw my blades.
“There, I see light” Pharaun signals back to me in the ilythiiri hand signal language, I reply for him to elaborate. “Orcs, five of them, I dare not go further” Nodding my answer, I turn back to the others lingering further behind. “Report.” the divine one sings to me. “There are five orcs ahead, there might be more even further. I believe we have found our camp”[/i]. Earlier, the Yathallar Sheyreiza informed us that the Shadovar were occupied with converting many of the different tribes of orc opposing both sides in the war. This seems to me like a desperate tactic reserved for the losing party in any given conflict. I do however not take any comfort in the sentiment. “Very well, tell Pharaun to come back”. I do as the divine one commands and soon Pharaun plants his feet besides me. The goddess regards us both with a look of determination: “Here is what we will do… Pharaun, you and Vedo are on blades. Faerylene, you are with me on support and blades. We shall cast Lolth’s blessings on Pharaun and Vedo before engaging the enemy. Xerthral, you are on ranged support.. Ensure that the enemy does not flank us”
Shortly enough, we are all crouched deep into what they call the snow, poised to pounce on the unsuspecting cretins lumbering around in front. I find the temperature in this place unbearably hostile and I feel strange, my nose is running with fluid. I quickly wipe away the moisture and focus on the task ahead before anyone takes note.
The calm before a battle is like the silence before the kill.
My brother’s surprised expression cuts through the dominating silence like a dagger punched through the eye of an unsuspecting victim, and I grin like a child.
“A…. Azral?”
Jathan’s confounded face does not belie his impaired judgement, this is made evident by his failure to react to Valen’s dagger as it digs its way into his back.
My brother stares at me as his whole world is falling apart. He falters, landing on his back still staring, still accusing.
“I am not your brother, heretic…Die knowing your whore sister will forever be hanging in the demonweb pits, filth!!”
Screaming, I raise the long serrated rapier lingering in my right hand. But Jathan’s tear stained face compels me to relent and for a moment I hesitate. But now I feel the accursed pain again, and in sheer anger I let the rapier come down upon my brother’s face in full force. His dumbfounded, accusing stare splits in twain like a ripe piece of fruit.
“Good.. “ Valen utters as he hefts the ruined remains of Jathan’s body.
“Now get the female back to D'selvia ...To the altar of Lolth..”
I stalk the perimeter of their lair like a beast out of the abyss. The others are closing in through the main entrance beyond what are called trees, almost too brashly. Vedo and Pharaun, bestowed with the blessings of the spider queen, stride confidently towards the lair of the orcs. I crouch behind a particularly sturdy looking tree and watch in amusement. At first the orc’s seem too surprised to react, it is not before Vedo has lain his immense sword upon one of them that they summon the compulsion to act.
“Selvetarm!” Pharaun screams in the face of another stunned orc, his gracefulness in combat seems to confuse the large brute as his blades lay skilled devastation upon its body.
At this point both Faerylene and the goddess have reached a contingency of orcs scrambling into the melee, blades raised high. The divine one, now wearing a full set of adamantine armor springs forward against them and drives the ancient Morningstar in her hand into an orc’s head, cracking it open with a beautiful sound. She does not fight as much as she dances around the orcs, deftly and most effortlessly dodging their every blow with the uncanny skill reminiscent of a high guardian, no, a demon. She uses her razor gauntlet to disarm one of them, then crushes its arm with the Morningstar. Faerylene sees it fit to join her yathallar in the fray and sprints forth, kicking one of them to the ground where she relieves it of its ugly head. I loosen bolt after bolt into the orcs nearest the tents, centermost in the camp. Fortunately none of the beasts take the opportunity to flank the priestesses; either because they are too scared to act or are simply too stupid to realize it, and I do not feel like engaging either of them in melee.
Suddenly I see a black figure creep from the camp, moving slowly towards the melee. I loosen several bolts at it, which merely ricochet off as if the individual was fashioned from solid rock.
Without warning, the black robed one summons forth a large ball of fire which shoots at the goddess. It hits her body with much force, but still she stands. Clearly aggravated, she dismembers yet another of the orcs and rushes past the others, dodging their feeble blows and sets upon the black mage. He loosens yet another heat blast upon her but the goddess does not relent. The black mage wails as a horrible, bloodied Morningstar threatens with its rain of death, a blow would have struck his head were it not for the blade he drew and now parried the goddess' blow with. The melee lasts for several minutes, the two opposing combatants regard each other silently. The black one strikes, but his attack is rushed and the goddess takes the opportunity to strike him to the ground in a bloody flurry. Alone now remains the goddess,severely wounded while her servants scurry to provide aid after dispatching the black ones minions. I stand on the outside of a most bloody skirmish, thanking my goddess that none of the stupid beasts came my way.
Unfortunately it appears as the black mage had been killed in the divine ones onslaught, so no information can be extracted from that one.
“Gather the dead’s belongings, Vedo and Pharaun.. Xerthral, you patrol the perimeter.”
There is something strange about the goddess. At the same time she retains all the virtues and qualities a Yathallar d’Lolth should possess, there seems to be a different side to her. Something illusory, something she hides yet does not. It is said that she turned from Lolth and returned, a chosen of our goddess. As far as rumors go, that is one I will not discount with undue prejudice for now.
We round up what useful equipment pilfering the dead produces and set upon the long way home through an ever brightening forest of this so called surface. Nothing of event happens on the entire trip besides me coming face to face with a so called deer. The thing had a pair of positively huge horns which screamed death at me, yet it was so afraid of me it ran off before gauging its surroundings, consequently slipping off a tall cliff into its death. It amused me to no end back then and still does as we stand in the war camp, ready for debriefing.
The goddess speaks again “We go now to present our victory to our queen”
I stare at the blood staining my rapier and smile, yet I for some reason cannot seem to shake this annoying pain. Thick and profoundly red it stains nearly the entirety of my immensely sharp blade making it appear dull, much like the sea of blood slowly drowning my soul into blissful beastly oblivion. I cast a glance on my appearance following the short bout of aggression. Not a scratch, not even a stain and consequently not believable. Drawing a dagger, I run it across my chest, left arm and right leg. The pain keeps me focused for what is to come. It is curious how blood thirst can consume one, and yet letting ones own blood will keep the mind sharp and coherent.
I hide my blades in the tavern and head for the backdoor.
“Azral!” she calls out to me as I stagger in on her.
“beloved! what happened?”
“My love... we must go... now! I hold my injured left arm In quite authentic pain.
” Where is...No…
I see her eyes wander and grab her by the shoulders.
“Oh goddess… No…” tears of despair flood her blue pools and spill down her cheeks.
I fake grief as best I can.
” We.... we got them but....Jathan, he..”
“Jathan… Oh gods!” she cries openly now, pressing into my shoulder.
The pain grows and I resist the urge to punch myself in the stomach out of sheer aggravation. However I compose myself as I keep spinning my web of deceit.
“They got.. They killed the caravan merchant as well... We found his insignia on my pursuers.”
“how will we now escape?!”
“I... I know how... My love. I am not... without connections still”
She blinks and contrasts my calm gaze with uncertain distress.
“I have not yet paid the merchant my love.. We still have the money. I know... It is risky... but, I know a powerful wizard. He is a faithful of the one they call Vhaeraun… I know he will do anything to disrupt the will of the Yathrin.”
”Then let us try... I can not remain here" she speaks, calmer now that I have planted the seed of hope, confident of reaping the delicious harvest of doom from its sprouts.
I wipe a few stray hairs from her face and kiss her forehead. Yet this gesture is completely unknown to me, it feels natural in some way.
“It will be risky”
“I care not… You are all I have Azral.”
I nod.
“We must go to the eight layer… He resides there.. He will be able to portal us out of the city, to safety. But we must be swift” I say and kiss her before she is able to respond.
Her desperation serves as a useful distraction from the absurdity of this quest, as I have learned from experience. I offer my hand, she takes it and we make our way.
We stand now before the altar of Lolth, the goddess Sheyreiza before us all, bidding us to kneel.
I and Serentha finally make our way to the imposing warren that is Qu’ellar Claddath and I speak comforting words to my love that I am a well known associate of the great fabricated wizard.
We each, before the great altar speak our praises to the spider queen, Faerylene first, then Vedo, Pharaun after. And finally..
I keep telling my love the wizard does not serve the spider queen, but a better force as we make our way through the corridors of my home.
One quick portal later and we stand before the sacrificial chambers where D’slevia awaits, doom lingering in her hands. I reassure my love that the wizard finds it easier to maintain the illusion of serving Lolth by spending a lot of time in mock prayer and ceremony. She enters.
“Well, Xerthral? Are you not going to give homage to our queen?” the divine one is staring at me now, before the altar which consumed my love.
“Azral? What is this?” my love utters, seeing D’slevia turn to her as I shut the gates of perdition firmly behind us.
“Divine mother, I renew today to you my eternal pledge of servitude…”
I bow courtly to my yathallar as my love’s dread mounts.
“Honored yathallar... the heretic... delivered on a platter” I proudly proclaim, yet the pain will strangely not cease.
“…I have forever served you, queen of our people, and I shall continue to serve until the day my life is forfeit and yours to claim….”
“A….Azral?”
My grip tightens around her throat. “ Do not mock me by calling me by that heretic filth's name!" D’slevia grabs her hair and pulls, towards the altar. As my grip slips from her, the pain mounts to a point I have great difficulty standing.
“…My queen. All I ask for an eternity in your employ, is the strength to carry out your bidding…”
She lies now, atop the horrible spider altar of her doom. “Holy Mother...Goddess of all chaos and mistress of the eternal Demonweb. I, D'selvia Claddath second daughter of Qu'ellar Claddath, offer this heretic to you. To consume for ever, and ever, and ever.”
“…And the strength to lay waste to all my enemies, in your name.”
She screams now, the pain of a thousand deaths upon her soul like some ungodly beast of prey. Her screams cease only when my Yathallar removes her heart, and holds it aloft for my queen to devour.
The goddess Sheyreiza smiles, satisfaction evident in her divine features.
Her heart is gone from this place now, as is her spirit. I should feel the sweet embrace of relief by now, but I do not.
D’slevia leaves the chambers, the hole in her empty shell staring back at me accusingly. Suddenly I am stricken by the unexplainable urge to pull forth the dagger that still lingers in my sleeve. I crawl over to her broken likeness and raise the blade aloft above it. With an unnerving intensity I plunge the dagger into nothingness. Carving a hole from emptiness I pull out her heart.
I squeeze her heart in the emptiness of my palm as I and D’slevia make our way many cycles later to the grand portal chamber leading to a warcamp far from here. The portal stands as a column before me, a shaft of light spewing forth yellow warnings of impending pain. I do not heed them and proceed into the all consuming glow before I find myself, elsewhere. I shake off blood stained memories lingering from the cycle preceding this as my eyes search the unknown surroundings.
I soon find myself in front of a provisionary altar to Lolth and present my sacrifice. I can see her eyes even now, deep radiant pools of purity.
The eyes of Serentha.
She who loved me.
