No Longer a Game

Chapter 20 - Told you so and a funeral

Rain ran as fast as she could to the main room where the battle had taken place. When she made it to the room she discovered a mistake the party had made; a fire was beginning to burn in the room caused by the fireball spell Lou used to burn the vampire corpses. It was a small fire at the moment but was spreading to the support beams against the wall. Rain scanned the room, saw the back pack containing the healing potions, grabbed them, and headed back to the others hoping she would make it in time to save Natalie.

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Christie's hands kept pressure on Natalie's wound, a wound so unlike what movies and novels and stories about vampires they knew from their world. There were no two neat small puncture marks but instead the elf's throat had been ripped open in a gruesome manner. The drow did her best to slow the loss of blood but she and her companions knew it was only a matter of time...very little time before Natalie bled out; the blood coming from her neck was slowing as the girl was losing more of the life giving fluid and her blood pressure was dropping. Natalie's eyes closed and fluttered and Christie knew she did not have much time and Rain would not make it back before her lover died. Christie closed her own eyes and prayed; she prayed not to the God of her world but to Eilistraee.

"Eilistraee please...please don't let her die." Christie pleaded as tears ran down her face. "Please heal her...I beg you...please don't let her die. I know I didn't believe in you and I am sorry. I...please don't let her die."

"Hush my child." The drow heard the voice in her head. It was a kind, female voice. "It was not me you doubted but yourself. Heal her."

Christie prayed the words of her most powerful healing spell and her hands glowed with a bright white light. The light spread from her hands to Natalie's throat and then the elf's entire body. Christie and her friends looked on as the terrible wound started to close and the flow of blood stopped. Natalie's eyes fluttered and then opened slowly and when the spell was finished there was not even a scar on her blood covered neck. She looked up at Christie and smiled, her mouth still bloody. Christie hugged her tight and continued to cry but this time in happiness.

"See..." Natalie started to whisper in the drow's ear but coughed up blood that remained from her injury. "I...I told you didn't I?" She finally managed to speak clearly.

Christie pulled back and ran her hands through the elf's blood matted hair, "Told me what?"

"You would get you powers back when you really needed them." Natalie smiled.

Christie laughed and wiped the tears from her eyes, "Yes you told me."

Jason, Ahira, and the two drow fighters suddenly drew their weapons and turned when they heard someone enter the dungeon and relaxed when they saw it was Rain.

"I got them." The half elf shouted excitedly as she ran to the group. "Is she still..." She stopped when she saw Natalie sitting up and Christie holding her.

"She...She's ok!" Rain shouted out.

"Christie healed her." Jason said.

Natalie looked at the rogue and smiled, "Sorry to disappoint you, Rain, but yes I am alive."

Rain grinned back, "I am glad cause I wanted to be the one to cut your throat not some child vampire." She then dropped to her knees and hugged Natalie tight, "Don't you ever do anything that fucking stupid again."

Natalie smiled and kissed Rain's cheek. "I won't...I promise."

Rain stood back up, "We better leave cause this place is soon going to come down and I would rather not be here when it does."

"Yes we are done here." Ahira agreed.

Christie helped Natalie to her feet, the elf was still weak from the loss of blood, and Rain and the drow supported her between them as the party made their way to the exit. When they got to the main room they saw what Rain meant as the fire was still spreading but not enough to block their escape. Jason walked over to Tlueindra's body, gentle and easily picked her up, and carried her out of the room. They made it to the exit and out of the crypt and were surprised to see it was dawn and the sun was starting to rise. When they got to the gate of the graveyard Natalie stumbled.

"Sorry, but can we rest for a moment? I feel like I am going to pass out." She asked.

The group stopped and Natalie sat down and put her back against the wall of the entrance to the cemetery. Nalfal made hand gestures to his bother and Myrnethva nodded and walked away quickly.

"I sent my brother ahead to inform Matron Sinafey about her daughter." He explained.

Natalie looked at Tlueindra's body.

"Can't...can't you like make her come back?" She asked Christie. "You have your powers now and you talk about bringing people back to life in the game."

Christie shook her head, "No, baby, I am not powerful enough for that and neither is Sinafey. When we resurrected someone from our group...took them to a temple and had a priest do it...well...it was kind of a cheat players are allowed. In truth it takes a very powerful cleric to do that and help from their deity and resurrection is not always granted."

"Oh." Natalie said sadly. She opened her mouth to speak more when they heard voices and saw two city guards walking their way.

The guards walked to them, both of them gripping their spears tight. One was older and the other looked to be about eighteen or even younger.

"You there." The younger one said. "What are you doing here? Why are you..." he was interrupted by the older guard who nodded at the group and pushed his partner along.

When the guards got some distance away from the bloody and heavily armed companions the older guard patted the younger one on the shoulder, "Sometimes it's best not to ask questions."

After a few more minutes Natalie said she was ready and the group continued to the Temple District. The walk was not far as the Temple District bordered the Graveyard District; as the party walked they were unmolested as men and women and children opened their stores, filled carts with goods to take to market, and prepared for a new day. The group drew curious stares and mother's grabbed and pulled their children away at the sight of the party; it was not every day one saw a heavily armed group of adventurers covered in blood walking the streets carrying a dead companion but in the City of Coin it was best to ignore such things.

When the party walked through the gates of the Temple of Eilistraee the two male drow guards kneeled with their heads down to show honor and respect for their fallen priestess and outside the sanctuary the other guard has gathered and they too kneeled with heads down. Jason entered the sanctuary first carrying Tlueindra's body. Inside the priestess and novices were lined up on the sides of the aisle, dressed in their priestess and novice garbs, singing in the drow language, and holding lit candles.

"What are they singing?" Natalie whispered to Christie.

"They are singing a prayer to Eilistraee."

As Jason carried the lifeless body of the young drow girl and passed each priestess they stopped singing, blew out their candles, turned, and walked away until Sinafey was the only priestess left. She stood in the center of the sanctuary also holding a candle and singing. The drow priestess motioned for Jason to lay the body of her daughter on the alter and after Jason stepped away she stopped singing and blew out her candle.

Sinafey walked to the body and crossed Tlueindra arms over her chest and whispered a prayer to the Dark Maiden, and kissed the lips of her dead daughter. When finished she looked up at the companions; she had tears in her eyes. Sinafey took a deep breath and smiled weakly at the companions as she walked to them.

"You all need a bath, clean clothes, and a rest." She told them. "You may rest here and under the moon tonight I would be honored if all of you would join us for the Last Dance for Tlueindra."

Christie nodded, "Of course Matron." She answered for the group.

"A bath would be most welcome but after Rain and I have some business to take care of." Ahira said solemnly. "But we will be back to honor your daughter."

Sinafey nodded, "Of course. Zilana will show you to the rooms we prepared and then to the baths."

The turned to leave but Christie stayed and seeing her lover stay, Natalie also did not leave the room.

"We...we are sorry, Matron." Christie told Sinafey.

The older drow smiled, "It was not your fault, sister."

"Damn right it was not our fault." Natalie said harshly. "It was yours. You should never have sent her. She was just a child and should not have been there."

"Natalie!" Christie shouted.

Sinafey held up her hand, "It's alright, sister."

"It's not alright. She's...she's dead and...and...argh!" Natalie turned and walked quickly from the sanctuary. Natalie almost fell a few times still weak from the loss of blood but shook her head when Christie tried to help her. Once outside the sanctuary Rain was there waiting and helped Natalie as they followed young drow to the rooms.

"I am sorry for her outburst, Sinafey. She quickly grew fond of Tlueindra."

Sinafey nodded and motioned for Christie to sit down and the older drow sat next to her.

"It's alright. She does not understand our way or the way of the drow...the ones who follow Lolth or the ones who escaped the Spider Queen's darkness and came into the light." She smiled at the younger drow. "Tlueindra was like that...quick to make friends and people quickly became endeared to her. She was always a precocious child and very outgoing. She was the reason I left the Underdark."

"Oh...do...do you have any other children?"

"No...not that lived. My first born was a son and since I was only the first born daughter and not matron of our house, my mother and matron of House Oblodra gave my son to Lolth in sacrifice...I sacrificed the child...I drove the knife into his heart on the altar of Lolth. I didn't even name the boy...after all he was just a male. I had another child, a daughter, but she died soon after she became a priestess of Lolth. She accompanied a raiding party to butcher and plunder a high elf village. I was told that after she died but gave such glory to the Spider Queen before she died." The older drow took a deep breath, "She personally killed three of the surface elves, one a child and all three fmeales. I did not love her or her me and while I did not morn her death I was proud she gave our house favor from Lolth."

"I am sorry." Christie said and was surprised she was not horrified. Her memories of her character background made her understand. At one time she was a cleric of Loth and in the Spider Queens favor and had not only committed such acts but relished in the blessing Lolth bestowed on her for it. When her true self thought about it she felt sick and wished she had created a less dark background for her drow self.

Sinafey shrugged, "It was our way and the way of the drow still under Lolth's control; you know that. I have four younger sisters and two younger brothers...or did if they still live and if House Oblodra still exists; but my mother gave birth to three other sons all of whom were given to Lolth."

Sinafey paused and Christie remained silent; she knew the older drow needed to talk and to grieve.

"I was very devout to Lolth." The priestess continued. "I held her favor and knew it was only a matter of time before I was to kill my mother and take my place as Matron of House Oblodra. I would strike at any sign of weakness from my mother no matter how small, but then I became pregnant with Tlueindra and something happened to me. I did not understand then nor did I know if my child would be a male or female, but what I did know was I could not bring myself to sacrifice another child to the Spider Queen nor could I watch a daughter of mine grow and as I and my sisters and my first born daughter had and serve Lolth so I left Menzoberranzan and the Underdark. I knew my action would displease Lolth and she would turn her back on my house and they would no longer have her favor and some other lower house would see that and strike against them or First House Beanre would destroy them for my betrayal; but I no longer cared. I had to escape."

"I knew there were agents of Eilistraee in the city and I sought them out for many weeks and eventually one came to me and after a series of tests to make sure I was sincere and not a spy they helped me escape and I began my service to the Dark Maiden and my daughter was born on the surface and would never be under the influence of Lolth. It was not until Tlueindra was born that I knew what turned me against Lolth and made me leave my home. It was love. After hundreds years of living, my daughter was the first person I ever loved."

Sinafey finished her tale and they sat in silent for a while before the high priestess smiled at the younger drow. "Forgive an old woman's ramblings; you must be exhausted and need a bath and clean clothes. I will take my daughter's body and wash her and prepare her for tonight."

Christie nodded and stood up and a novice priestess came to escort her to her room. Christie turned to Sinafey before she left, "I...I know it does not help but Tlueindra was very brave and she saved Natalie's life."

The older drow smiled, "It does not help but it is good to know." She paused, "You love the girl...the moon elf." It was a statement not a question.

"Yes, very much."

Sinafey nodded, "She has a darkness to her. I could feel it."

Christie looked at the older drow, "She is a good person and not evil." She said harshly in defense of her lover.

Sinafey smiled again, "I did not say she was evil. Not all darkness is evil. Do we not worship Eilistraee under the moon and stars? Do we not call her our Dark Maiden? No not all darkness is evil but some darkness can be corrupted and turned by dark powers. Just be careful, sister, I have grown very fond of you."

Christie swallowed hard at a loss of words so just nodded to the older drow and followed the novice from the sanctuary.

Rain and Ahira entered the Sea's Bounty tavern and made their way to the bar, both the half elf and dwarf had taken the time to wash themselves of blood before they came to settle their bargain with the Shadow Thieves. Gaelan Bayle, the fat barkeep, nodded to the companions and once again led them to the back rooms where Aran Linvall waited behind his desk and with a guard in the room standing in the corner.

"Well you certainly made a mess of things." The leader of the thieves' guild chuckled. "The De'Nise family is at this moment still complaining to the Council of Six that their family crypt was vandalized and ruined. Seems someone started a fire in the chambers below and the entire crypt collapsed. Made quite the mess."

Ahira shrugged, "Not our problem. You set us up. You knew damn well they were agents of the Zhentarim and you were on their hit list." He said angrily.

Linvall smiled, "Of course I did. Now you see why we could not handle the problem by ourselves. While we are strong in Amn in other cities we do not have the strength for an all-out war with the Zhentarim so we needed a group of patsies. Nice work getting help from the followers of Eilistraee. I knew we selected the right group." The thief sounded amused.

Linvall nodded to the guard in the room who bent down and produced two satchels containing coins and placed them on the desk in front of the dwarf.

"There is your payment; twenty thousand gold coins." Linval said.

"Twenty! The bargain was for thirty!" Rain shouted.

Linval smiled and leaned back, "Yes it was but that was before you and your friends destroyed the crypt and caused a cave in at the cemetery. Ruined not only the De'Nise family crypt but others as well."

"You owe us thirty." Ahira said with restraint. He was trying to remain calm. "One of our companions died."

"Oh yes I heard about that, but she was just a drow after all."

The last comment was all the dwarf could take. Shouting a curse in dwarfish, he jumped to his feet, grabbed Linvall by the collar of his shirt and pulled the man close to his face. The guard drew his short sword and ran to the dwarf but Ran was faster. A soon as Ahira stood up she leapt to her feet and moved quickly behind the other man, put an arm around his neck, and a knife to his throat.

"Don't even try it." She whispered in the man's ear.

The man's eyes grew wide in fear as Rain's evil blade pulsed with a red glow and the thief could feel knife's desire to drink his blood. He dropped his sword.

"She had more guts than you will ever have, your son of a bitch." Ahira screamed in Linvall's face.

Linvall was not coward; one did not come into his position with the Shadow Thieves by being a coward or without bloodshed and murder. He sneered at the dwarf and his hand reached for the long dagger at his side; but before his hand came in contact with the hilt of the dagger he screamed in pain when Ahira grabbed his hand and with great strength crushed the bones in the man's wrists.

The door to the room burst open and Rain positioned herself so her captive would be between her and the door and the dwarf, still holding Linvall's wrist in a bone crushing grip pulled the man off his feet and over the desk so he also between the door and his captor. Standing in the door was the barkeep Gayle and three other men holding crossbows, one his young son.

"What's all this then?" Gayle asked.

"You will be dead before you leave this room and then I will send men to kill your friends while they sleep." Linvall sneered at the dwarf. "But if you let me go now you can just leave...without your payment...and we will call it even."

"Your boss is trying to cheat us." Ahira told the barkeep. "We struck a deal for thirty thousand gold and he is trying to short us."

Gayle looked at Linvall and then raised his hand and commanded his men to lower their weapons.

"Pay the dwarf, Linvall." He said. "We struck a bargain with them. Let him and Maharis go."

"But...but boss!" Linvall shouted, "He broke my hand."

Gayle shook his head, "You don't run this guild yet, Linvall, just count it as a lesson learned not to try and cheat the wrong people." He chuckled. "Let them go and we will settle the bargain struck. Linvall you and Maharis leave us. "

Ahira and Rain let go of their captives and Linvall holding his broken wrist turned to the dwarf. "This is not over." He told the two as he left the room.

Gayle waited until the two men were out of the room, "I will have your gold sent to you. It would be a bad idea to carry around a large chest of gold in this city."

"How can I know we can trust you?" Rain asked.

Gayle laughed, "You can't but you don't have any other choice now do you. Linvall was right about one thing, with just a word I can have the two of you killed before you leave this room and your friends murdered. But I will have the gold sent."

Ahira and Rain nodded. They knew the real leader of the Shadow Thieves was right. The two companions started to leave the room.

"Oh and be wary of Linvall. You not only hurt him physically but you hurt his pride and he is a dangerous man. I will send the word out you and your friends will not be harmed while in Athkatla but Linvall has many friends within the guild who may take it upon themselves to get revenge. I suggest you finish whatever business you have here quickly and move on."

The funeral of Tlueindra took place at midnight in the courtyard. The moon was full and bright in the clear sky. The followers of the Dark Maiden burned their dead that died in battle on a funeral pyre. The companions stood around the unlit pyre with the other members of the temple, they were all given white garbs to wear. Music played a dire tone as the priestess of Eilistraee and her novices walked into the courtyard single file led by Sinafey, each priestess carried a lit candle. They formed a circle around the pyre and as one threw their candles and the pyre burst into flames. Then they started to dance and sing.