Open Chronicles Shallow Grave

[Nasir]

"There is beauty in my home, such that I see it even now." There were a few things that had changed in his time away, but so little that he could spot them almost instantly.

The sensation of once again being here was one that he could not put into words.

His heart sung with joy, every muscle in his body strained not to have him jump and cry with mirth. It was difficult not to simply break into tears and scream of his return. Yet somehow Nasir managed to keep himself contained.

He knew that if any of the nobility discovered him it would not only bring his own death, but that of Myrra's and almost certainly Kassa just for good measure.

"Come." He said quickly. "This way."

Pulling his cloak over his head Nasir motioned for them to follow. A nearby street was their destination, one decorated with lamps glowing a beautiful purple blue.

 

[Githron]

The Undercity and its cave complex was a sight to behold, but one not easily captured by the untrained eye.

As the natural inhabitants of this cavern, the Elves have adapted a sensitive sight to catch even the faintest glimmer of light. An untrained traveller would, on the other hand, be met with a permanent enveloping shade that would pose an obstacle to overcome. As different races of surface dwellers would make their way into the complex, so too would the domain of light expand, but, still not enough to uncover many of the mysteries that lie inside it. For example, even a Dark Elf that would look upon the ceiling from somewhere in the Undercity would find himself unable to pierce the darkness that lies at certain heights, heights so high that it would make no sense to carve buildings into them since that would be like living in a village off the city. If one would kidnap a surface dweller though and wake him in some certain areas, he would most surely believe that the darkness he would see is the night sky and not stone. Those large vertical caves would still be home to a myriad of beings, while their eyes and luminescent body parts would shine like stars through the dark.

The Undercity itself was true to its surroundings. There were many different lights, but there were also many dark corners. In a city such as this, the contrast would allow lights to shine subjectively brighter than in any other city, but also make the dark alleyways seem even darker. A newcomer would notice that although the streets would be full of life, there would still be a feeling of dread as the knowledge of no sky above would feel almost dreamlike. It would be this feeling that would most likely shape Dark Elven culture as it is today, for the better or for the worse.

Githron was one inhabitant of this city that knew to appreciate the shade sometimes more than the light, preferring to move about inconspicuous. He would be making his way towards his home, after a meeting with his deadbeat friends at a tavern where the pacing of three knocks decides what you drink. He would always play a game of quickly passing people in the streets like targets and cutting corners just for fun, and just while doing that would he reach a street illuminated by purple-blue light.

It was at this point that he would catch something in his near peripheral vision which would bring him to a stop and make his eyes widen as a certain figure would pass by him. A single subconscious thought would strike him: "Saros." He would think to himself, "Did I just see him? That can't be.". The Dark Elf knew him as a distant acquaintance, which does not matter since his actions brought him close enough anyways. With many second thoughts would Githron turn around and start following the figure, keeping a good distance so he would not be spotted.

 

[Kassa Lia]

As they ventured further into the depths of the Undercity, Kassa became more and more impressed. The architecture here was astounding, crafted by masters. Everything here had a sort of careful artistic flair, and indeed, there were even paintings hung on walls, depicting picturesque scenery of bright colors. There were statues that stood regal and proud, and there were fountains, too, that spurted glowing waters reflecting the purple and crimson lights scattered all over.

They passed through a sort of marketplace, selling all manner of curious things. Gold and silverwork items glittered in certain stalls, and hawkers sold food that smelled even better than they had in the small village before. There was clothing sold, weapons both functional and purely decorative, small knickknacks and more, and Kassa wished she had time to browse as her eye caught more than one thing that tempted her curiosity and beckoned her attention.

But even with all this to distract her, she felt something odd as they continued onward. It came from instinct, perhaps, or from similar experiences from the past. The hair rose on her neck, and her walk stiffened just barely.

She looked to Myrra and Nasir, wondering if they felt the same. She dared not speak too loudly or draw unneeded attention, so she sidled closely to Myrra, tilting her head as she spoke in a whisper to the young noble.

“Do you hear that? Feel it?”

Was someone following? Was it just her nerves? She could not be sure.

 

[Myrra]

Myrra followed behind Nasir's brisk pace, keeping in line with Kassa most of the way. As the older drow covered his head with a hood the younger dark elf mimicked his action. Not that anyone would've recognized her but after the first few saw her crimson eyes and behaved as if she were... regal she decided that not having her face memorized by passersby would probably be advantageous for her too.

The lamps decorating the street they were headed towards continued to shine in the familiar hues of the rest of the city. A bright violet with a deeper blue undertone. It was breathtaking. The flames alone were simply breathtaking, nevermind the elaborate architecture which jutted and criss-crossed in ways that made her head feel inside out.

Kassa's words cut through the elven woman's daydreaming though. She could hear the caution in her voice and it made the hairs raise on the back of her neck. Her white bangs swayed as she spun around to look at the human though she did not see anything behind them. The look on Kassa Lia's face though, well, there was no mistaking it. The woman was either paranoid or was aware of some danger that Myrra hadn't sensed.

"No, but if you're worried I am," she whispered while looking over at Nasir. "Karev, should we find someplace to go inside?"

She wasn't certain how far the place Nasir wanted to take them was but she always felt safer in crowded pubs or cafes. Very public, very crowded. Easy to slip in, slip out, and usually they were flanked by backalleys in case things needed to get ugly.

 

[Nasir]

"Yes." Nasir said in agreement.

Their people were cunning, far more so than many humans. Most Drow would skulk and hide, get a full picture of things before acting upon anything. Nasir had no doubt in his mind that if they were discovered, someone would follow them first.

The Nobility would not want to make a public scene of his return, particularly given the current state of politics in the city.

With a swift motion Nasir turned into a nearby alleyway. The dark purple lights that hung over the entirety of the city could be found here as well, and softly glowing vines seemed to creep up the walls and even circle roof-tops.

Nasir fell stepped into the alley, motioning for the other two to get ahead of him. "Go there, that building."

It was a decrepit thing, what appeared to be little more than a rundown shop selling surface artifacts.

 

[Githron]

As Githron was following the man who appeared to look like Saros, he noticed that he didn't come alone. Githron didn't manage to catch a glimpse of the other hooded traveller that was walking by him, but he did notice the human. The streets were busy as always, and the human was sticking out. "Three... one human, one of our own and a third unknown. This is very odd. I've got to follow them further.", he would think while following them at an angle from which he could see the whole group.

They would all soon reach the street illuminated by a bright violet light with a deeper blue undertone. Suddenly, he would notice the third figure spinning, revealing her hair. "And that's another lady.", he'd grin, "Why come back to the city with a harem?", the thoughts would race his mind. It would be clear from the head movements that they were talking between themselves. "Where are they going?".

Suddenly, the whole group would dash into an alleyway to the side, Githron would follow their movements with his eyes. "Well, that just makes it more likely it's him.", he'd conclude as he would slowly walk over to the first corner where the street crosses the alley. If it really is him, it would be stupid to run after them as it would attract unnecessary attention, also, chasing them down would most likely scare them away or make them aggressive.

He would slowly approach the corner and look around it with his pale yellow eyes.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Instead of growing less, the sensation of being watched and pursued increased. Kassa’s teeth clenched as she struggled not to look around. It would do no good to alert the unknown follower any more than it would do to cause the probable scene. So with some amount of effort, she kept her eyes ahead and focused on Nasir.

He led them to a ramshackle building, short and squat compared to the much grander towers and flowing buildings of the area. Displayed beyond a cracked window were trinkets and odd artifacts Kassa recognized must be from the upper world, dusty and quite obviously ages-old. At Nasir’s instruction, Kassa opened the rickety wooden door and entered.

She breathed in the dust of the building, coughing a bit as it entered her lungs. There was an old man behind the counter, a Drow with a sour expression. His business, apparently, had not been doing well, and being in this location, out of the way and in such a dilapidated place, had not helped. Even so, he attempted a welcoming smile and gave a mundane greeting.

Kassa turned to Nasir as soon as he entered, speaking in a low voice. “What do we do now, Karev? We’re being followed, I’m sure of it.”

 

[Myrra]

Myrra moved quickly, prodded on by Nasir’s direction ahead. She followed Kassa into the minuscule storefront and gave the elderly shopkeep a nod. Her fingers danced around one of the trinkets on his dusty shelf. It seemed the trio had been his first customers in some time and pretending to shop would hopefully drive away any suspicions.

That was when Kassa Lia whispered of them being followed.

A thin white eyebrow raised across the drow’s head. She had no reason to doubt this information, Kassa wasn’t the panicky type and she figured Nasir agreed with her assessment or else he wouldn’t have had them enter this little shop.

If they had ill intentions then they’d be in for a surprise. Myrra wasn’t exactly in the most hospitable mood. “Why would anyone be following us this soon?” She whispered back. They’d only just arrived, hard to imagine they’d garnered the attention of the church or a noble house.

 

[Nasir]

"Our people do not age like others." She reminded Myrra. "There are hundreds of people in this city who were alive in my time."

Probably more.

Three hundred years was not a long time for the Drow. For a human it was three generations, but for them? For them it was less than a third of their lifespan. "It is likely someone recognized me, or at least thought they did."

Slowly he stepped up and moved away from the other two, heading towards the counter with the old man behind it.

The other Drow wrinkled his brow, an odd confusion hanging on his features.

"Have you seen the spider, brother?" Nasir spoke in the tongue of their people, the man's eyes opening wide. "Or did you hide from her web?"

Shock filled the old man's gaze.

"P-please, I don't want anything to do with that. Not then, not now. Never did."​

The man spoke in broken common, clearly attempting to appeal to the other two.

 

[Githron]

And he'd see nothing but a shop at the end of the alleyway. "They're hiding over there, huh? I could just waltz in. Gah, this is getting ridiculous.", he'd think although he knew he still had to be careful. He'd decide to move through the alleyway with a quick step passing the vines and lights surrounding. The shop seemed to be in pretty good condition for his standards - away from the public eye, the place one visits who knows exactly what is sold there. He never fancied fancy merchants on the main streets, he doesn't like buying based on glim and glamour so some moneybag can pay his manor. Anyways,

he'd reach the store quietly and squint his eyes surveying the situation. Audible noises could be heard from inside - people talking, although he couldn't recognize any of the voices through the wooden door. "If I just go in they might jump...", he'd decide to do it another way.

Githron would knock on the door and start talking, the alley was quiet anyway: "Excuse me, I was walking down the street and saw two beautiful ladies and a hooded man run into this shop, and was thinking, are the prices that good? I don't like entering such luxurious stores by myself, I feel unworthy, does somebody want to come outside and talk to make me feel better?", he'd say with a slight sarcastic undertone, it might have been the drinks that were still holding mildly, nonetheless, now he'd just wait outside ready to sprint at any moment if things got ugly.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Like Myrra, Kassa pretended to shop. Her eyes wandered over a display of various pottery – small dishes and bowls, a few porcelain figures, and a painted stoneware vase with no cracks or stains. She picked up a tiny bowl, suitable for holding a bit of paint or water, turning it over in her hands as if in deep contemplation even as she listened all the more closely to Nasir.

If they were recognized this soon, and surrounded all the more by people who had been alive in his time, their chances of survival were slim. Of course, their pursuer had not yet drawn attention to his quarry, but that meant little.

The knock came, clear and sharp in the quiet alleyway. Leaving Nasir, her eyes shot towards the doorway in a glare at the man who stood just outside with the poorest excuse she’d heard in all her life. Unworthy? Oh, she would show him unworthy. She bit her lip so hard a bead of blood emerged from the split skin as her eyes shifted over her two companions, thinking.

All of them handled magic – strong magic, if she was any judge – so likely they could deal easily with this intrusion. But how to do without drawing unneeded attention? How to do so without causing a disturbance of noise and clamor? How, without getting killed? She drew in a slow breath, exhaling softly, calming her heartbeat, slowing her vitals to a soothing pace. She hadn’t panicked in a long time and wasn’t about to start now.

She spoke in a singsong voice, flattering and consoling. “Don’t feel so unworthy, darling,” she said. “To be honest, there really isn’t much here.”

 

[Myrra]

Quite a lot was happening all at once. Nasir had said something to the shopkeep and the owner's tone shifted. He sounded almost fearful as he spoke in commeon, though his accent was cacophonous. What could Nasir have said to the man to illicit such a response? Had the seasoned drow mistaken him for an ally?

There wasn't much time to think on that as the entire shop went silent at the knock on the door and the voice from outside. After he had finished speaking Myrra opened a palm and a tiny amount of water began to form in the center of her hand. It would be impossible to see unless someone was directly near her, or could sense magic, but she wanted to be prepared. If whoever this was outside wasn't friendly she'd be prepared.

Or, just as likely, if the shopkeep decided he'd run she figured she could use her magic to impede that attempt. Kassa responded and the elven woman held her breath and waited to see what happened next.

 

[Nasir]

An odd purple glow began to surround Nasir's hand as he prepared to simply lash out an eviscerate the man behind the door.

Before he could act however Kassa stepped forward and answered, her voice sultry. Fingers tightened for a brief moment, and then the glow quickly disappeared. Perhaps lashing out with his magic in the middle of all of this would not be the best idea.

The Elder Gods would take note, and then it would only be a short while before the Priests found them.

"Kassa." Nasir spoke in a low whisper. "Get him inside."

He then quickly motioned to Myrra to move to the other side of the door as he took the right. The Old man in the back meanwhile began to shake, opening his mouth slightly before Nasir motioned for him to be silent.

 

[Githron]

Githron would decipher the comment coming back from inside, and to his dismay, it wouldn't be a greeting on Elvish but rather a reply in the same language he spoke in earlier. At the same moment, his face would turn from a normal relaxed, half smuggish to a more serious one. If he was standing earlier slightly bored in front of the door, not expecting anything exceptionally special to unfold, now he would be excited but also starting to doubt if he had followed the right people after all. Although the image of the face was clear, it may still have been a product of his imagination and this just an odd bunch of travellers or bandits. This was more so supported by the fact that this kind of reply would usually more likely come from bandits not wanting anything more comedic in their funny business than from a mixed group that Saros would lead and that would have to be paranoid. Still, the comment struck him as odd and nonsensical. He'd move closer to the door and start talking quieter in return, while unbeknownst to him they were moving inside the room.

"Listen. Don't you think I would break the door down if I was a guard, or call some friends while you would wait to get caught? Oh, wouldn't I stay outside or around the building waiting for you to come outside so I could see you and not reveal myself if I was a spy? Listen, I'm searching for an acquaintance inside of there. Look through the cracked window if you think somebody is with me.", he'd say while cupping his hands around of his mouth and talking towards the door to keep as quiet as possible.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Giving a curt nod to Nasir, Kassa touched the tip of finger to her lip, wetting it with the bead of blood that had formed there. Then, lifting the little bowl close, she smeared the blood over the bottom. As she did so, she whispered words, in a language neither elvish nor human, orc nor goblin. A language unrecognizable by most on this world, but more than familiar to those who gave themselves to the darkest of arts. It was a harsh tongue, almost guttural, yet there was undertone of elegance as well. It was sophisticated, rich with nuances that to her, outshone any common words spoken by the mortal beings.. and even some of the immortal ones.

This time the drop in temperature was gradual, growing almost refreshingly chilly as the stranger outside talked and talked and talked. Kassa rolled her eyes. If there was anything she couldn’t stand, it was those who wouldn’t. Stop. Talking!

Get him inside, Nasir said. Well, he didn’t specify how, and Kassa was already out of patience. She strode forward, silent as a cat, and seized the doorhandle. She forced it open so hard, so fast that it smacked against the other side and bruised one of the hinges.

Her free hand shot out and gripped the stranger by the collar.

“Come inside, sweetie,” she snarled as she yanked him forward. The door slammed behind him, and as as it did so the temperature crashed. Frost formed along the floor as the bit of blood in the bowl steamed.

 

[Githron]

Heartbeat. He would hear something muffled behind the door as the woman would yank it open in front of him. He was on guard from such an attack from the beginning, but he couldn't avoid her abnormal speed. Adrenaline would rush through him and muscle memory would kick in for the three hundred and seventy-two year old elf. A single act of aggression is met with deadly force on the streets, he didn't like this logic but once he would be reduced to the same level his abilities would shine.

As she would pull him inside he would instinctively pull his knife and help her launch him, accepting the invitation. The human was overextending and leaving herself wide open by attempting such a manoeuvre, and as such he would grab and stab her in the back by "hugging", wounding her in an instant and quick movement. This would be a cold iron welcome to the Undercity. He would have already noticed the other two figures to his sides so he'd immediately, without pause, use the moment of shock and attempt to lunge at the head of the stronger looking one beside him, pulling the knife out of Kassa's body in a painful angle.

 

[Myrra]

Myrra followed Nasir's order and stood on the left side of the door. Waiting patiently for Kassa to tear the entry open and allow whoever their unwanted guest was. She was prepared to launch a geyser of water at the intruder in case he was aggressive but what happened instead...

It all happened far too quickly. A door flung open, a stranger rushing into the shop, and a knife.

Frost coated the floor from Kassa's magic and the drow could feel the moisture of the frost. She attempted to cause the icy particles on the ground to coagulate and form a thicker sheet but her concentration was interrupted as the intruding dark elf plunge his knife towards Kassa Lia. Normally she would have ducked out of the way or summoned a torrent of water to blast the knife out of the attacker's hand.

But it was all happening so fast. Too fast.

Instead, she reacted the only way she thought how. She threw her less dominant hand, her right, forward to defend the human she had traveled with. Githron's knife tore into the palm of her hand causing her to wince before he jerked the knife back out in a harsh angle to inflict maximum damage. He likely felt the tear of flesh and assumed it had struck the back of the woman who propelled him forward.

The drow fell to her knees and gripped at her hand as it gushed with blood. The frost on the floor grew rapidly as it hardened and formed into a singularity that rose up quickly encasing the drow in an orb of ice. She wouldn't be able to stay in the icy cocoon for long, it was far too cold, but she had used this technique before when she was in danger.

She just hoped that Nasir and Kassa could deal with whoever had assaulted them quickly.

 

[Nasir]

Nasir luckily did not need to stop to the pedestrian usage of a knife, at least not here.

The shop was small, and there was hardly room to maneuver anywhere at all. The purple glow erupted around his hands, and as all hell broke loose within the small confines of the shop the elder Drow suddenly and quickly lashed out.

Cords of black and purple lashed out from his hand. Three of them jumped from his fingertips like viper, splitting the air and filling the inside of the shop with the stench of ozone as they cut through the space between himself and the assailant they had lured inside.

As Myrra and Kassa took the brunt of the man's attack, the cooling magic sought to catch him in his tracks

Two of the lashes would go for his foreaems, the last for his throat.

None were meant to kill, though the touch of them on flesh would not be without it's pain. Nasir thought to immobilize the man, hold him in place long enough to at least question him about all of this.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Things rarely go as planned, and that fact held true even then. She’d merely meant to pull the stranger inside and leave him open for Nasir to deal with. Unfortunately, that plan shattered, falling apart like so many pieces of fragile glass. The stranger launched himself forward, and Kassa realized, far too late, that she was open to a close physical assault. She cursed herself even as she caught the glint of a knife, and her eyes followed its arc.

It ended with Myrra’s hand. The knife plunged straight through it, and was ripped violently away. The young drow dropped to her knees as a dome formed over her and blood pooled beneath her. Kassa breathed in harshly as she came to another sudden realization; much as she’d love to never admit it, she had come to actually like the young noble enough to feel rage at the stranger who’d nearly taken her life.

She spun around as the stranger plunged past, and saw cords of magic whip from Nasir’s hand toward their attacker.

She raised a hand, and sent it forward and around in a short, abrupt wave. There was a flash of violet light, deep and dark, that crashed forward to the ground at the stranger’s feet, meant to disturb his footing as well as propel him forward into the cords. She wasn’t sure that either would work in stopping this stranger...

But she intended to make him pay for his transgression.

 

[Githron]

Githron, in the heat of combat he would not notice that the steel knife with a leather grip and small guards had pierced the protecting hand of Myrra that so quickly rushed to protect Kassa Lia instead of his initial target. In the first few seconds of his attempt at assaulting his next target, he would not even notice that she had encased herself in a protective icy orb, as he was focused on the man that was at a distance of approximately a meter to the other side, but still, just as he would turn away from Kassa Lia and start dashing he would feel his feet lose touch with the ground, he was slipping... Falling headfirst he would not see more than the lower half of Nasir's body, but he would definitely feel the black and purple lashes that would suddenly bring his fall to a halt and wrap around his forearms and neck, like snakes that murder by constriction would they tighten and cause hot searing pain at their points of contact. Blood flow to his arms and through his neck would be slowed as he would hardly be able to move a centimeter against the controlling force, clenching his teeth in pain.

...​

Somewhere far off the continent of Arethil there would be a city called Cerak At'Thul, a hotbed of criminals, enslavement was the norm. Many a slaver would trace their home back to the Undercity as the restrictive magic developed to subdue enemies of the city was easily misused for personal gain. The lashes that now bound Githron would only be one of those tools developed by no one other than the soldier caste of dark elven society.

...
​

As the spell ground his movements to a halt he knew exactly what was in front of him. Soldiers were not the usual guards, it was a name designation for a whole caste of dark elves that came with their own set of affinities and natural talents. This birth heritage was not restrictive as much as it would give a good indicator for the probable future of an average member of a certain caste. All that mattered right now was that the man in front of him was born for battle and maintaining order. It was not the first soldier he would deal with and it would also not be his first time to be bound by this specific spell, that is why he exactly knew that he really has no way to break it at the given moment. He had to rely on other methods, so for now, he would struggle against it trying to weaken the man controlling him while his heartbeat would slow down. His eyes would only see the floor and he would return his legs into a kneeling position trying to push himself forward.

 

[Myrra]

The drow continued to clutch at her gashed hand as blood trickled between her fingertips. She had learned from a past traveling companion that applying pressure to wounds was supposed to help stem the flow of blood. She was beginning to think that had to be a fool's tale as all the squeezing did was cause more pain.

Muffled sounds outside of the ice followed by a brief bit of silence led her to believe that, perhaps, they had subdued the attacker. Using her left arm she wiped her sleeve against her eyes to rid her vision of the welling tears from the pain. Wouldn't do to let Kassa, Nasir, or this strange third party see that. Then the ice at the top thinned until the thinning spread down the cocoon. After another half second the entire iceblock evaporated and Myrra rose to her feet.

"Who is he?" she questioned in annoyance while glaring at the other dark elf ensnared by Nasir's magic.

She continued to hold her right hand taut, though it failed to stop the crimson liquid from staining the shopkeep's carpeting. She glance for only a second to see the horror on the owner's face at the events that had just transpired but he was at least intelligent enough to not attempt to flee. At least not yet.

Myrra's scarlet eyes bore into the elf who had knifed her, who had attempted to knife Kassa Lia, and waited patiently for Nasir to question this individual. Perhaps he was familiar with whoever this rogue was.

 

[Nasir]

Nasir tightened the reigns of his spell as the man tried to push himself forward.

He had never quite enjoyed the use of this spell. Trapping someone was not within his path. Most of his magic was used to kill. Nasir was no slaver, only a soldier. "I do not know."

The elder Drow said.

"But I suspect that he knows me." Lips thinned, and slowly Nasir looked down at Githron with a slight scowl. He did not blame the man for his response, their society was a violent one. Everyone guarded themselves closely, and if one did not...it was often their end.

He scowled for a moment, then slowly looked down at the man.

"I do not wish to kill you." Nasir stated plainly. "Not now."

Slowly he continued. "But if you wish me or my companions harm, I will not hesitate."

 

[Kassa Lia]

Trusting Nasir to securely hold their assailant, Kassa twisted her satchel to her front, rummaging through it as she stepped toward Myrra. The wound was bad; the knife had gone straight through and would most assuredly leave a nasty scar. Possibly nerve damage too, even phantom pain if not treated properly then and there.

Kassa was no skilled healer. She studied the offensive dark arts for most of her life, focusing on harm and killing, shedding blood and giving sacrifices - all that was necessary to achieve her goal of vengeance. But she had not entirely scorned the highly respected art of treating wounds either, for that meant certain death down the road, usually from fever from infection.

She didn’t even bother to ask Myrra for permission. She didn’t have time for such trivialities. The witch drew Myrra’s hand to her and, telling her to hold it still, bathed the injury in a liquid that stung even as it washed away excess blood that continued to sluice forth. Quickly, Kassa packed the wound with a poultice of leaves and infection-killing poultice. That hurt even worse than the washing, but Myrra would soon find her mouth stuffed with a bitter tasting herb, and the pain would begin to soon ebb when she swallowed it. At last, Kassa wrapped the wound tightly with a good roll of bandages. Her movements were quick, talented, skillful, and more importantly, competent.

“It appears I owe you my life,” Kassa finally said as she tightened the bandage in a complicated knot. Her voice was taut, through whether it was from the stress of battle, having her life threatened, or the realization that she owed a great debt, it was uncertain. “Well, my dear, promise not to do that again and I’ll stay by your side.”

She turned toward Nasir then, looking down at the stranger who even then struggled against Nasir’s formidable coils. Now her voice was heavy with scorn. “Well? Say who you are, bitch, before I return the favor you tried to give me.”

 

[Githron]

The familiar voice would ring through his head for a second as he would suddenly, although in pain, feel younger as his memories would return him to a time when the city used to shine brighter, just like the flame of a candle with more than half of its wax remaining. Such flames sometimes burn with a blue colour near the base that is not unlike the dark flame that fuels the city to this day and in the eyes of some makes it evil at its core. One of those that belonged to those "some" was the man standing in front of him, he knew it! He had heard the man talk long ago in one of those obscure and dark taverns which are covered by spells to make them real for some and others the stuff of tales. Only those that heard the whispers and believed them to be right had been allowed to join the fun and spread the good word afterwards, waiting for the moment to strike. Githron had always liked tales and danger.

He would let his heart beat faster again as the man would reveal himself by voice and let his knife drop out of his hand to give the false sense of security that did not exist anywhere and at any time in this city. He'd hear the young woman lashing out at him from behind but would not give in to provocations and address his captor instinctively on their own language:

"<I do not intend to harm! I know you, for I killed for men knowing that they killed for you. I saw you once at the tavern which used to go by the Boiling Mind and did not believe my eyes that it would happen that I would see you twice. Had your subordinates not attacked and instead debated my jesterly gestures, I would have come inside unarmed.>". He would wait for a reply.

 

[Myrra]

The elven girl winced as the medicinal liquid washed over her injured hand. Her grimace intensified as the poultices were applied and her wound felt as if it were ablaze. The pain killer Kassa provided helped to dull the stinging but the constant pain remained.

Myrra forced a half-smile in her makeshift healer’s direction and replied, “you owe me nothing. And don’t worry I don’t intend on making it a habit to be stabbed.”

Her red eyes scanned the shop back towards the captive drow. Her fury only subsided slightly as he spoke in their native tongue. Though Myrra had picked up a few phrases on their journey to the Undercity much of what the captive said was incomprehensible to her.

“Did he explain why he was following us?” she questioned in common, though she did not anticipate an answer from Nasir.

She waited for the veteran to finish questioning the captive as she rose to her feet. It would likely be a few days until her right hand would be capable of gripping anything but she did not intend to complain. After all, her magic would work just fine and if they encountered the priest from her vision she wouldn’t need more than that to deal with him.