. 03

Atop a strange looking stalagmite slept a very unusual woman. Here head tossed back and forth as she dreamed. She saw a man, while this was nothing new for her dreams the odd thing was that he was a surfacer and not an elf like her hated cousins, he was a human. He was wearing strange clothes his helm didn't protect his face and his armor looked very thin and flimsy, what truly got her attention was his blue eyes, blond almost white hair, and pale skin. She saw him kneeling over a man who was bleeding from wounds in his stomach it looked like it was from 3 arrows, she saw him cut his thumb and begin chanting as she thought, 'a priest, he is praying to save him. Her eyes widened when she started to understand some of the words, he was a death guide, and a chill ran up her spine at the thought of one such as him still alive. She watched in horror as she saw others dressed like him holding strange looking staffs, her mind running wild as she thought, 'So many death mages, whatever is going on in that place is no good.' As a child she was told of a group of humans that traveled from place to place stealing souls to do their bidding and if the soul had served them well it would be guided to rest, these death guides showed up after battles and lead good souls to rest and bad souls to serve them as penance.

She woke from her reverie and looked out into the darkness and thought, 'today I begin my trip to the surface.' She thought of the words in the surface tongue and said, "6 months" thinking of how long she would be away from her house and matron. She placed her hand on her door and said the command word to turn off her wards that protected her room, as a Drow such wards would mean the difference between life and death, as she walked out of her room she closed the door put her hand on the door and reset the wards. She went to let her matron know that she was off to the surface the thought of being away from her matron and family put a rare smile on her face evaporated as she entered the room her mother slash matron was in.

She said, "Matron, I am off to the surface to aide Alak."

Her matron replied, "Zilvra, remember if you give them an inch they will take 10 miles. I still think you should take Belarbreena with you, your skills might be great but they are many and you will need to rest."

Zilvra glared at her eldest sister and next in line to run their house Shyntaunlin who glared back at her with a seething hate dating back to the scar of her otherwise flawless features this was a gift from Zilvra. In true Drow fashion the elder daughters cowed their younger sisters to secure their place, this meant physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Not more than 20 years ago which is nothing to a Drow, Zilvra had caught her older sister with a dart coated with sleeping poison and took her sister to a cave just outside of their ranch and heated her throwing dagger and branded several tears on her sisters face, she told that if she ever touched her again she would not wake up from the poison.

Shyntaunlin said, "Mother why send Belarbreena if this fool wants to die we should let her."

Zilvra looked Shyntaunlin in the smiled as she saw the discomfort in her eldest sisters eyes and said, "Matron, we have spent 6 months preparing for this trip and I have been studying the surface language, it would be a waste if we didn't go and wasting more time will just cost us more Alak said something about contacts, he as always brought good coin back from the surface. Do you really want to risk that?"

The matron knew Zilvra was right Alak always came back with goods and coin that would be about 1/4th of the houses profit every time he went to the surface and now that Zilvra was ready to go with they wouldn't have to hire guards on the surface and that profit would be even higher, which meant that future trips could be done more often.

While the merchant houses weren't even close to the power of the religious or arcane houses in the Foreverdark they do provide not only goods needed for everyday life but luxury goods, this gave them a freedom many didn't and respect from the more powerful houses. The Hla'ath house dealt in the more exotic good that the very powerful wanted, everything from surface poisons to human artists and even in information on the surface and its power struggles.

She agreed with her youngest that delaying 6 more months would risk the relationships they had worked so hard to build and that requested item that the third family wanted a surface deafening stick that Alak had heard when he witnessed two human groups fighting, he had seen one of the humans pull out a wand and saw smoke and a deafening bang come from it. With that settled she headed off to meet with Alak.

Meeting with Alak who was considered by many to be her sire was also her teacher on all things surface. When the Intress had wondered about building a post near the surface to keep an eye on the humans who were moving closer to the caves that lead to their home. It was Alak who she talked with and had him fill in her counsel and intelligence branches who had no idea that one human called an emperor was in charge of the land above them. Zilvra found her sire to be a very cautious male, and when he talked of the humans he spoke of them like one would think you would a dragon especially the human warriors, or at least that was how she saw it. She knew when they got to the surface, his word was law only a fool would ignore his experience and she was no fool.

As they left the manor she took point like she had so many times before in the past 40 years while in training as a scout. She rode her lizard out 300 meters in front of the lead wagon and started looking for trouble, she had seen many of the Foreverdark's creatures while keeping the path clear and even saw 3 Mind Flayers with about 50 thralls heading towards the city during one of her patrols. This time like the 150 or so times was uneventful most denizens knew better than to come into Drow territory, as it was yesterday, so to today would be uneventful or at least until the mid-point of tomorrow when they crossed over to what was Deep Dwarf lands and eventually to Valley Dwarf lands, this was the most dangerous part of the trip according to Alek at least, Valley Dwarves were very unfriendly to anyone within a day of their stronghold, that went double if they saw any Drow that were that close. The stopped for the day and set up a warm camp ate, since Zilvra had third watch and wasn't going to reverie as a matter of fact she was going to wait until they got to the surface where her skills would be diminished because of the bright light, or so Alak had taught her.

Eilistraee had other plans for Zilvra, as Zilvra started to relax and get comfortable Eilistraee pulled her into reverie and showed her a vision. Zilvra saw that same human with his blue eyes and blond almost white hair, she saw him holding two very strange looking swords one shorter than the other and a dagger as well. The next thing she saw was a blinding white light and when her vision cleared, she saw him lying in the Foreverdark she knew it, he was close very close to where she was now. Zilvra saw from above like she was part of the stalactites on the ceiling, he was wearing some strange glasses and looking down a hill. She looked in that direction and saw Valley Dwarves on patrol, she could hear them loud as could be, she was surprised that this human could see them with those glasses, as he walked off quietly she was impressed by how a large man could be so silent as he evaded them. She saw him walk around and he settled into a small cave he could barely fit into she exactly where it was maybe 100 meters up the hill behind the caravans camp.

Unbeknownst to Zilvra her future was going to get a further push from Eilistraee in more ways than in her dreams. Eilistraee was leading a group of Deep Dwarves in the direction of Zilvra's caravan, as the Deep Dwarves neared the caravan she disappeared with a smile on her face. The fates had unwound the fabric of the chosen ones and Zilvra was going to be her chosen one, the only problem was that Zilvra just didn't know it yet, but the Deep Dwarves would fix that or kill her in the process. When the Deep Dwarves saw the caravan they smiled a predatory grin and prepared to ambush the unsuspecting Drow, who fwere lasy because they were still in their terratory. They prepared to take out the sentries and had the two priests' traveling with them cast silence on their bolts and made ready to attack. This attack would take timing and a lot of luck because Drow were the most unbelievably paranoid race in all of Alirota.

With everything ready the crossbowmen opened up with bolts that had a silence spell on them so that no one would hear them if they didn't die from the bolt or the poison that coated the bolts. Two of the sentries watching the camp dropped to the ground without making a sound, the Deep Dwarves moved in closer and got ready as the last two sentries were hit with bolts poisoned but they didn't have the silence spells on them and dropped from the poison, their plan was working so far. The Deep Dwarves charged in looking to slaughter the remaining Drow and pillage the caravan, they stopped when they felt the magic of a spell the Drow had a watch spell cast and like all denizens of the Foreverdark they could sense magic. They prepared to break the barrier and set off the watch spell, as they crossed the barrier and saw a shadow form attack the first dwarf and then disappear with making enough noise to wake the Drow who were meditating and not in reverie. The battle erupted as several male Drow began to fighting with the invaders as spells and the clash of steel could be heard clearly.

Zilvra

I was shaken out of my reverie by the first clash of steel, I grabbed my mythiral short sword and found my first target, as I ducked the swing of his axe and thrust my short sword into the gap in his armor just above his stomach, thrusting upward and twisted the blade as his face contorted in pain. I rolled to my left and slid under the wagon as I saw a bolt hit the wagon just above my head as I popped up on the other side, I thrust my sword into the jaw and into the skull of another dwarf that was fighting another. I looked for my mount to ride off before things got out of hand and saw my sire ridding off on my lizard, now I understood why he slept on a mount so he could run at the first sign of trouble. My attention was drawn back to the Drow in front of me because he had taken two bolts to the chest and one had gone through his heart, I looked around and saw my fellow Drow dropping, I had to get away now or I would join them. I headed up the hill and charged a dwarf trying to reload his crossbow, I knew he wouldn't have time to unsheathe his sword to fight me, I feinted to my left and as he raised his crossbow to block I thrust into his left groin and locked his arms behind me as I tackled him, I fished my dagger from my boot as I thrust it into his jugular and then pulled out severing the carotid on the way out as blood poured from the dying male.

I looked up and saw the cave from my dreams and decided to make a run for it or more like the crown of the hill so I could evade and get reinforcements. As I got to my feet I felt a searing pain in my left shoulder and nearly feel to the ground, but I ignored the pain and kept going up the hill. I began to feel weak from trying to block out the intense pain, I made it maybe 20 meters more when I fell to the ground face first, I was starting to black out, but I swear I saw something moving at the edge of my dark vision. I howled in pain as a dwarf grabbed the back of the bolt in my shoulder and yanked my head back, he turned me back towards the caravan and saw I two more dwarves walking towards me, I smiled internally only three of them had survived the fight as many as I had killed. They taunted me and relished their victory as one dwarf pulled out a dagger, killing a drowess was proud moment for any dwarf, I knew I would die here and felt bad that I didn't get to see the surface, when suddenly I felt the dwarf at my back go limp. Next I felt myself falling forward as I looked down I saw the head of the dwarf that held the dagger bouncing on the ground and starting to roll down the hill, I hit the ground and saw strange looking boots before me and the last dwarf holding his stomach as he doubled over I saw his head leave his body.

I felt severe pain as I was rolled onto my back and saw a male with strange glasses looking at her, I noticed that he had blond almost white hair just like my dream.

As shock finally took her, Henri slid her into his arms. Alak raced backed to the manor and gathered his daughters and more warriors as he went after his youngest and his merchandise. Losing a daughter in his culture would cost him a lowly male his life and his matron sent her daughters to retrieve Zilvra.

Henri

I awoke and it was pitch black outside, I popped my night vision goggles in place and looked around, what I saw shocked me, I wasn't outside but inside I was in a cave. I thought my men had taken me there. I do an equipment check; Ka-bar check, 6 M9A1 with 3 15 round clips each check, Katana check, Wakizashi check, Tanto check.

As I wandered around the cave looking for daylight with my night vision I picked up movement off in the distance.

I clicked on my mic and said, "This is Casper to all units I have possible unfriendly forces sit rep A.S.A.P."

I heard nothing I repeated and knew that only my platoon knew I went by the nickname of Casper because I was never seen or heard and being whiter than white didn't hurt either, but I heard nothing over the com. This worried me, I was underground with possible hostiles and my platoon weren't anywhere to be found.

I thought 'did they die in that blast and I survived, if so then how did I get down here?'

I decided I would go to higher ground and engage this threat if needed, I found a small hill and dropped off my backpack and hunkered down to observe, I was in evade mode not wishing to make contact with either combatants or non for that matter. As they got closer, my night vision gave me a clear view and a range I waited and watched. I saw my possible unfriendly unit at first I thought they were children until I saw the beards.

'Dwarves, underground what the fuck is going on here, if they start whistling I will know I have lost it, I just wish I knew where I am.'

Sure enough they were dwarves and wearing armor and carrying axes and hammers one had a crossbow.

I laughed to myself and thought 'if they were trying to be quiet they failed big time and what is with the strange clothing and weapons.'

The dwarf's commander was pointing to the hill that I was lying on top of and was talking to another dwarf as the dwarf set off up the hill. I knew I had no place to hide.

'I can risk a fight down here. One shot would echo for kilometers, maybe that is why they have such strange weapons' I thought.

I grabbed my pack and slinked off, I just couldn't risk being seen while I needed to get out I also needed to know who was friend and who was foe. The idea of me being underground after what looked like a nuke strike, we were told that if a nuke went off we would see a blinding light and be incinerated in an instant, but here I was alive and I could still see. I walked over several hills and probably covered 50 klicks or kilometers when my body could go no further, my day battery was dying on my night vision and that wasn't good, I had however noticed a light on the horizon and I hoped that by tomorrow I could be wherever that light is. I noticed a small cave so small that I would have to crawl to enter it, this would be home for tonight. I pulled out all 6 glow sticks I had and took off my night vision goggles at this rate they will be gone in a few hours and I had no way to recharge the batteries. I put my combat lights on my pistols, tied a lanyard with a glow stick around my neck, and settled in for the night. I was awoken by the sounds of combat, but not the gunfire I was used, I looked out and saw nothing, remembered where I was finally.

I thought, 'damn it I'm going to be blind down here if this keeps up.'

I dropped down my night vision goggles I saw a huge fight in the valley below, I could clearly see a fight around three wagons.

I thought, 'If I help those people maybe they can tell me how to get the hell out of here, maybe the will even take me to the exit.'

I popped out of the small cave, cursing my size as I did and headed down the hill with all my equipment as I came down I saw a small girl maybe 16 years old at best running, maybe staggering would be better, with something in her shoulder. I dropped behind a boulder not more than 20 meters from them when I saw her fall to the ground and a dwarf behind her grabbing her by the hair and shoulder. I seethed with anger this dwarf was going to kill an innocent girl for no reason, I couldn't just watch this I had to act and who knows maybe her people will get me back to the surface as a reward. I heard him talking to somebody as I looked down and saw two more dwarves walking towards her, they taunted her I could tell from the happy looks on their faces.

I used the distraction to my advantage and unsheathed my ka-bar and stalked down using the girl and the dwarf to my advantage as I got into range to strike, I had one problem well really two the other dwarves, how would I deal with them ran through my mind, the answer was simple the katana it would be quiet and I could get the second guy as I unsheathed it and held my ka-bar in my left hand and the katana in my right, I held it so the curve of the blade would be hidden by my arm as much as possible, I felt a burning sensation go up my right arm as I unsheathed it. I was tucked so low trying to use this dwarf's bulk to hide me, not an easy task trying to be smaller than a man half my size and nearly as wide. He wasn't wearing a helmet which meant I wouldn't need to grab him and look for the soft spot at the base of the skull, instead I would go in and through has neck taking out both the jugular and carotid in the same move as I came around with the katana.

I thrust with my left hand blade facing toward his shoulder as it entered the blade exited the other side of his Adam's Apple, I cut out severing the arteries easily. I rose up, moved around the dying dwarf dropped my knife and slid my hands to grab the katana for more power spinning it so the pommel was up and my right hand on top, my left grabbed the bottom like you would a baseball bat but with the a little further apart, my target was the neck because I had caught this dwarf by surprise, as the blade made contact with his neck and entered his neck with little effort it nearly stopped as I made contact with the spine then continued through his neck. I took two steps towards the last dwarf holding a short sword, I brought the katana behind my back with my elbows at shoulder high, I was going to use my body to hide the blade as much as possible, I brought the katana just past my right ear and used my head to hide my swing. As he saw the blade he tried to thrust at me with his short sword I had the advantage of reach and brought all my power to bear on the katana as it made contact at his left shoulder and was moving at about a 30 degree angle through his body, I looked and saw his sword getting close to entering me around my pancreas, as the katana exited his body I spun and brought the katana around to block his blade and was on his shoulder and I saw him stagger forward with his neck exposed, I wasn't going to take the risk of him playing possum and brought the katana down on the back of his neck severing his head from his body, watching his body twitch and then stop moving.