No Longer a Game

Chapter 18 - A night's stroll to the cemetary

Both Natalie and Christie awoke with a start as the blankets and sheets that covered them were jerked away.

"Wake up! You're late!" A female voice shouted at them.

Both girls relaxed when they saw Tlueindra standing over them smiling as her eyes moved up and down as she looked at the two other girl's naked bodies.

Natalie quickly pulled the sheets over her to cover her naked form, "Stop that. Looking at us." The elf chastised the young drow girl. "What are you doing here anyway?"

Tlueindra laughed, "It's not like I haven't seen what you have before although I admit never such a lovely moon elf body before." She winked at Natalie, "As for what I am doing here is waking the two of you up. Everyone else is already downstairs waiting."

Natalie and Christie suddenly noticed how Tlueindra was dressed. She was wearing the same type of black metal armor that Christie had but hers had the symbol of a Sword Dancer of Eilistraee on the chest and hanging from her belt were two swords; a long sword on her left and a shorter blade on her right. Most drow favored dual handed weapon style of combat and with their agility they were experts of it.

"Why are you wearing armor and weapons?" Christie asked.

The young drow gave her a curious look, "Well I am not going into battle naked."

"You are going with us?" Natalie asked.

Tlueindra nodded, "Of course...Matron Sinafey said she is sending a priestess with you and that's me."

"The hell it is!" Natalie shouted. "You are just a child. You are not going."

"Natalie is right. You are a novice and not a priestess and to young." Christie added.

"I am going. Mother sent me to help." The young drow protested like a child, "I have passed every test. The Dark Maiden grants me her blessing and answers my prayers of healing and other spells, I completed the test of the hunt last week by killing a wild boar with just my spear while naked, and now all I have left to be granted the mantle priestess is to prove myself to Eilistraee in battle."

"Well you can prove yourself in battle another time." Natalie told her, "You are not going with us and that is final."

Tlueindra laughed, "Yes I am. Do you require assistance in getting dressed?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"No...just...no...argh...we can handle it." Natalie told her.

The young drow shrugged, "Meet you down stairs then." She told them and left the room.

Natalie got out of bed, "She is not going, Christie. You need to make her not go."

The drow got out of bed also, "I can't make her not go, Natalie. If Sinafey sent her then she must have confidence in the girl's abilities."

Natalie put on her shirt, "She is just a child! She is not going!"

Christie shrugged as she got dressed, "She is young I agree but this is a different world, baby. Drow start training their young for combat and killing at an early age. Plus in human years she is over seventy and that's years training."

Natalie sighed, "Just...watch her okay. Make sure she does not get hurt." The elf put her enchanted mage robe over her body and cinched it around her waist. "God I don't understand you silly drow at all."

Christie laughed, "You would not want to understand some things about the drow. Now help me with my armor."

The two finished getting dressed and Natalie grabbed her staff and Christie attached her sword belt around her waist and they went downstairs to join their companions.

The two later comers met their companions in the lobby area of the inn and everyone as armed for battle. Jason looked gallant in is paladin armor, Ahira looked very imposing with his beard braided for combat and his silvery chain mail under a brown leather jerkin, Rain seemed deadly with her long knives at her side and the throwing knives across her chest and she was wearing her black leather armor, Lou seemed powerful dressed in his red mage robe and holding his staff, but the most impressive were the two drow males Sinafey sent to accompany the group.

Tlueindra introduced them to Christie and Natalie; Nalfal and Myrnethva. They both gave a bow to Christie as they were introduced.

"It's an honor to fight alongside a Darksong Knight." Nalfal told her.

Christie summoned up false confident and nodded to the drow, "The honor is mine." She replied trying to act brave and sure of herself.

Nalfal and Myrnethva were bothers, Nalfal being the oldest Tlueindra told them. Nalfal's long white hair was brushed back and braided into a single pony tail down his back while Myrnethva's hair was cropped short and styled to form short spikes of white hair on top of his head. Both drow males wore black leathers and black leather armor. The oldest brother had two long, curved swords at his side with wide blades, the younger was armed with a long sword and a long dagger, and both had a drow favored weapon attached to their belts; a small onehanded crossbows about the size of a large pistol.

"Is there such a thing as an ugly drow?" Natalie asked Christie in English.

Both males were very handsome in an elfish way but there was nothing effeminate about them with their lean but muscular builds.

Christie laughed, "I think there is but like elves of the surface they are a beautiful race."

Natalie looked at the drow male Nalfal, "Can you make her go home?" She pointed to the young drow priestess.

The drow male gave Natalie a curious look and then made hand motions to his younger brother. The drow lived in the Underdark were even the slightest sound could get one killed so they long ago developed a universal intricate sign language much more complicated than the sign language the friends knew of in their world; Christie was slightly amazed she could understand the unspoken "words". The young drow male nodded as he shook his head and Nalfal smiled.

"Why do you want her to leave?" He asked Natalie in common tongue but with a strange accent.

"She is just a child and too young and she may get hurt."

The drow laughed, "Young yes I agree but Tlueindra is one of the best novices in the temple and very skilled in swordplay. I trained her myself."

Natalie sighed knowing she was fighting a losing battle and dropped the subject. She did not understand this world that allowed children to do battle and even less about the strange drow.

The party made their way to the graveyard district on foot. They knew they had no fear of being accosted by any of the street gangs or thugs; none would dare attack a party that large and heavily armed and armored. As they walked, Natalie dropped back a little to talk to the drow and try to understand them.

"What made you decide to leave the Underdark?" She asked Nalfal.

The drow pointed to his younger brother, "I left when my brother was born and took him with me. I was already a servant of the Dark Maiden and working in our city of Ust Natha in secret to try and convince like-minded kin to turn away from Lolth. Then Myrnethva was born and he was the third son of our mother Matron Ardulace of House Despana First House of Ust Natha." The drow told her as if that explained everything.

Natalie gave Tlueindra a confused look and the young drow priestess giggled, "She does not understand, Nalfal. She knows nothing of the way of our dark kin who still serve Lolth."

The drow male nodded, "When a third son is born he is sacrificed to Lolth. He is just a male after all." Nalfal told her with a tone of disgust. "As a follower of Eilistraee I could not let that happen so I took my brother and with help of other agents of the Dark Maiden in the city we escaped to the surface."

"That's horrid...the sacrifice." Natalie replied, "And your father was just going to let that happen?"

Nalfal chuckled, "I have four sisters, three older and one younger, and an older brother and my younger brother Myrnethva and as far as we know none of us share the same father. To the drow who live in the Underdark their father is unimportant. Drow females, especially ones from noble families, choose lovers from their household guards or whatever male they prefer."

"But...but what if ummm...like your mother really loved you father...I mean well...maybe they were in love secretly."

Nalfal laughed and signed to his brother and Tlueindra who were also amused by Natalie's words.

"There is no word for love in the drow language." Tlueindra told her.

"Oh...do you miss it. Home?" Natalie asked Nalfal.

"Sometimes yes. I don't miss the way our kin live in the Underdark but I miss things about the city. Ust Natha is not a large drow city but it is beautiful."

"Do you ever want to go back?"

Nalfal shook his head, "No. There is nothing for me to go back to and I doubt my family lives anyway. I cared nothing for my brothers or sisters besides Myrnethva. They were devout followers of the Spider Queen and believe in the ways of the drow. "

"Why? That's a terrible thing to believe...that you family is dead."

The drow male shook his head, "My family was the first house and when I left and it became known I served Eilistraee and left and took my brother with me, they lost the favor of Lolth. I was weapon master of House Despana, one of the few respected positions for a drow male, and my betrayal to my house weakened it's standing in the city and without Lolth's favor a lesser house would have destroyed my family to gain favor with Lolth and to move up in their position in the city."

"You...well you talk as if Lolth and Eilistraee and other gods are real...that they exist and even care for their followers and having their favor or not...do you really believe that?" Natalie asked.

"Of course they exist and take notice of us and even help us when we need it. As far as caring for us...depends on the god or goddess. Lolth cares nothing for her followers. She uses them and grants them power for her own glory and gain and once out of her favor she has you destroyed." Tlueindra answered, "You wear the head jewelry that is a symbol of Mystra, do you not believe in her?"

Natalie shrugged, "I don't believe in gods anymore." She muttered.

Tlueindra put her arm around the elf, "Mystra is real and so is Eilistraee and sadly Lolth as well as the other gods and goddesses. They speak to us, they help us or hurt us, and they even appear to us in times of dire need. Your magic would not exist or you would not be able to control it without Mystra guarding and managing the Weave. I would not be able to heal without Eilistraee's blessing and my kin below the surface would not be cruel and evil as they are without Lolth."

Natalie shook her head, still doubting the existence of gods and goddesses in this world and doubted the God in her world cared for anyone. She was also more confused about the drow than before. She knew evil people, she had met evil people in her life back in her world and while she did not consider herself as evil she knew she was cruel and heartless at times, but an entire race that was evil was something she could not understand. The drow she met; these two males, Tlueindra, Sinafey and the other drow at the Temple of Eilistraee were so kind.

Natalie continued to ask questions to the drow as the group walked to the graveyard. As they got closer the young drow male Myrnethva made motions with his hand that caused Nalfal, Tlueindra, and Christie to laugh.

"What? What did he say?" Natalie asked.

"He wanted to know if all surface elves talk as much as you do." Christie told her grinning.

"I don't talk that much." Natalie pouted.

"I like hearing her voice." Tlueindra said and gave Natalie a seductive wink.

"Ok everyone quite now." Ahira told the group and everyone stopped the various conversations they were having. "We are here and we don't want to alert any of the guards."

They were standing at the entrance of the large cemetery which was enclosed by a stone wall and the entrance blocked by a large ornate iron gate.

"Rain, can you pick the lock?"

Rain smiled, "Of course."

The half elf pulled a lock pick set from her belt pouch and went to work. She grinned and was surprised how easy it was to pick the lock with her thief skills. She opened the gate, which creaked, and gave an elaborate motion with her hands to the group to enter.

"Show off." Natalie told her as she walked past Rain.

Rain was about to give a cruel retort but saw the elf was smiling so she just gave Natalie a mock bow and a grin.

The cemetery reminded Natalie of a mixture of the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah and the cemeteries in New Orleans. There were decorative head stones, grand statures, and ornate crypts throughout the burial ground. Rain and Ahira had scouted out the cemetery the previous day to locate the crypt on the De'Nise family so the party knew exactly where it was located and found it easily in the darkness.

The De'Nise family crypt was one of the largest and oldest in the Graveyard District. The De'Nise family was one of the oldest and wealthiest and respected families in Athkatla and owned lands throughout the kingdom of Amn; but hundreds of years ago they were not so respected. Before Athkatla became one of the major cities on the sword coast it was just a small port city used by pirates and smugglers until Valygar De'Nise, a well-known smuggler and sometime pirate, became the mayor of the small town. Through his trade skills, intimidation, and even having those who opposed him murdered, Athkatla started to prosper and grow and soon became a major trading city and the capitol of the new Empire of Amn. Having ties to various unseemly organizations the De'Nise family built tunnels leading to the sea and chambers under their family crypt to store their ill-gotten gains. Soon it became a secret hideout for the Shadow Thieves who worked in alliance with the De'Nise family. Over the years as the Shadow Thieves grew and became a major power in the City of Coin they no longer needed the small safe haven and the chambers below the crypt so they collapsed the tunnels leading to the sea and abandoned the hideout and it remained vacant for many years; until recently when this vampire group made it their lair.

Using the instruction Linvall gave them, the party easily found the secret door into the crypt and once inside they easily found the door that lead to the chamber below. The stairs leading down to the chambers below was unlit and pitch black. Lou used his staff to give the group some light.

"Well I guess this is where I come in." Rain commented as she peered into the darkness below them.

"We will go with you." Nalfal stated and Rain nodded. She was glad to have the company of the drow and his brother.

"Just scout the area, Rain. No heroics." Ahira told her.

Rain nodded and the three set off down the stairs. Being a half elf she did not need light to make her way into the darkness and Nalfal and Myrnethva were drow; a race who belonged in the darkness of the Underdark made their eye sight in the dark tunnels were even better than Rain's.

Going slowly and checking for traps the party of three made their way down the stairs and into a long hallway about six feet wide and ten feet tall. The hallway was not as Rain expected. She assumed it would be dank tunnel surrounded by support beams and dirt but the walls of the corridor were made of smooth stone and the floor they walked made of well-placed cobble stones. Rain thought it must have taken time and skill to carve out such a tunnel under the crypt.

The half elf and drow made it about sixty feet and Rain held her hand up in a fist and all three stopped. She smiled and pointed to a pattern of the stones on the floor.

"Pressure plates." She whispered. "Trap." She was pleased with herself for noticing the trap.

Rain looked around and noticed small holes in the wall and knew the pressure plates would trigger a trap that would release darts to kill any unwanted visitors. She carefully triggered the trap and just as she thought a series of darts shot from the right side of the wall harmlessly hitting against the other side and falling to the floor. Nalfal picked up one of the darts and smelled the tip.

"Poison." He commented.

The three again started to move slowly and cautiously down the hallway. They walked another hundred feet or so when once again Rain detected another pressure plate on the floor right where the corridor made a ninety degree right turn. Rain looked at the walls for the small holes but could not spot any and flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head and saw Myrnethva pointing up at the ceiling. She noticed black cords pulled tight against the area where the wall met the ceiling and saw they extended down the corridor.

"Alarm." The younger drow told her.

Rain nodded, pulled out her boot knife, and cut a portion of her cloth shirt; she then placed it on the floor to mark the warning system. Being careful to avoid the pressure plates the three turned the corner and stopped. Ahead of them they could see light flickering against the walls about seventy feet in front of them where the hallway ended and opened into a large room. They could see the flicking of light from torches coming from the room ahead of them. Standing at the entrance of the room were two men, both in leather armor, holding crossbows, and swords at their sides. They waited for several minutes and noticed another man walk by; he was wearing mail armor and armed only with a sword. He stopped and spoke to the other two guards for a moment and then walked away. Rain and her companions stepped back around the corner.

"Humans?" Rain asked.

Nalfal nodded, "Yes, must be servants or thralls of the vampires."

"We can't get close enough without being seen." Rain added.

Nalfal grinned, "Leave them to us. The third guard is yours."

Rain nodded. They once again peered around the corner and waited. After several seconds the third guard appeared again, this time not stopping to talk, and walked out of sight. Rain then started counting. She counted to sixty one before the third man appeared once more and she nodded to the two drow. They would wait until the third guard got close before they struck. The three quietly snuck down the corridor, keeping hidden in the shadows, and when they were about twenty feet away they stopped. Nalfal held his hand up and flashed Rain his fingers to alert her they had fifteen seconds before the third guard would appear again. Rain nodded and pulled one of her kukri from her belt.

Nalfal used the drow sign language to his brother, who nodded, and both pulled out their small crossbows, loaded them, and waited. When the count was right Rain heard two clicking sounds and saw the two guards grab their throats and fall to the ground. The half elf assumed the bolts were coated with some type of poison since the guards died quickly. Rain then struck. Running quietly she got to the entrance into the room just as the third guard appeared, drew his sword, and knelt down to examine his now dead companions.

Rain used her leverage and grabbed the off balance man's head, covered his mouth, pulled him back into the semi dark corridor; the music from the room masked the sound of the man's struggles and clinking of his mail armor. With a quick and expert motion Rain used her knife to slice open his throat. His blood covered the wall like spay from a paint can as Rain gently eased his body to the floor. Rain could feel the power of her knife as it took the man's life; the half elf felt a surge of adrenaline coarse through her body as the magic knife drained the life away from her victim. She smiled as she looked down at the body, her evil blade's happiness of its kill flowed into Rain and she felt giddy about the murder she committed. The feeling of pleasure lasted for a few seconds and she jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.