Lirayne cursed, trying to look around in the magical darkness. The first assault out of the shadows had turned her patrol into a few stragglers, including herself. This whole temple was wrong and twisted. She could feel the aura of demonic pollution in the stone. She gripped her mace more tightly and pushed away the urge to shudder. She was a priestess of Lloth. Fear was incompatible with that status as far as she was concerned.
"We need Keldzar and the others," their wizard said as he patiently bore his wound and waited for their exhausted healer to mend his shoulder. "We have to turn back."
She wanted to gnash her teeth and curse him, but it would be stupid to vent her rage at him for telling her the truth that she knew full well. "The bulk of the enemy is behind us. We can't fight our way out. Keldzar and his men know where we went. We have to find a defensible position and wait for them to come get us," the noble said sternly instead. As much as she hated the male in question, she knew the Weapons Master wouldn't just abandon them. Not when the Matron would hold him accountable, anyway.
Kiaran grabbed her elbow. "I can't keep healing, Lirayne," she said quietly. The younger priestess was barely still on her feet. "We need rest. Let's go further ahead, get a few more doors sealed between us and the enemy."
Lirayne nodded. Even though the commoner was her younger sister's age, they had become good friends over the course of the past six years. She felt responsible for what happened to Kiaran and even somewhat protective. It made a giant difference to have at least one person in her life who would tell her when she was being unreasonable. "Only a little ways," she said cautiously, taking the lead. With her heavier armor and better combat training, she was the natural meat shield for the two more vulnerable spell-casters.
"We'll be alright. You've gotten us through worse," Kiaran said. She even flashed a tired smile in an attempt to reassure their leader, bumping her shoulder against Lirayne's. "I have your back."
Even with hands on the wall they were fumbling and stumbling over the cracks and splits in the ancient stone of the neglected temple. At least, until they came out into the remains of the main hall of the complex, which was lit by glowing braziers that cast light across the surface of strange, twisted statues. The abyssal taint had become so strong it was almost overwhelming. The scents of rot and corruption were thick enough to make even Lirayne gag a little.
The priestess had a sudden, chilling sense of premonition. Something was waiting for them. Something far more dangerous than anything they'd run across yet. "Kiaran, Pharaun, go back!" she barked at her companions, immediately readying a powerful spell of warding. But it was too late. The doors had slammed closed behind them as a hulking, bat-winged figure approached.
Ah, Duskryn. My new pet, the creature purred, flexing its claws. Glittering yellow eyes focused on the noble with a malicious pleasure reflected in them. Demons were not to be trifled with, particularly one so powerful. It had clearly turned this place into its own little demesne in the Material Plane, complete with a twisted altar to itself that thralls and lesser demons made blood offerings at.
Lirayne barked out an invocation only to have her spell fizzle and fail completely for the first time in her life. She felt her knees go weak even though she managed to stay on her feet. When she reached out for divine power, she felt nothing. It was as though her connection had been perfectly severed. The Goddess had abandoned her. "No! No no no!"
I do so love to play with my pets. Even better when they struggle. I think I'll keep you. Her hands started to tremble as she felt an overwhelming presence surge into her, completely dominating her every action. Kill them.
She was trapped in her own head, unable to do anything with her body but obey. Her grace was gone when she turned on her companions and yet the power to wield her deadly mace remained. Kiaran looked so horrified...
The priestess awoke with a start. To think that was her most pleasant experience in that accursed place.
Was it still a nightmare if it had really happened? Lirayne shuddered and kicked the sheets away from herself, getting up. It was almost five hours before habit compelled her to start her day, Narbondel's light not high enough in the city to even touch her window. She used a cantrip to clean herself off, feeling her hair untangle itself as all the sweat and dirt from sleep was stripped from her body. But it was never enough. Nor were the baths, though she'd studiously avoided them since her return to Menzoberranzan like so many other things that had once been habits.
She still hadn't set foot in the Fane. For her whole life, her faith had been a part of her identity, her shield against everything the world had thrown at her. And the one moment she'd needed it the most, it had utterly failed her at the whim of her own goddess. Her usual sparring with the Patron had also been abandoned by the wayside.
To think a yochlol had once told her that the Abyss's affinity for her family was a blessing. After watching her body eagerly obey a demon's every whim while her mind remained painfully clear and aware, she felt more cursed than anything else. Her only solace was that no one knew the extent of the damage. Even Keldzar, who had helped wound the creature until it withdrew deeper and sealed the path, only bore witness to the fact that she'd tried to defend it with all the grace of a jerky marionette puppet. The demon's concentration had been waning then and she'd broken free only a moment or two later. An eternity too late, as far as she was concerned.
She hadn't said a word to the Weapons Master despite all of his taunts. She'd just healed herself of all the bruises and scrapes hidden beneath her armor, then walked away. Her caustic edge had come back by the time everyone was rested and ready to travel again, but her heart wasn't in it. Being powerless to defend herself, to defend her friend, had shattered her confidence. Oh, a good priestess could fake it like an expert, but she felt more vulnerable now than she had even at Arach-Tinilith. Lirayne dressed in her cleric's robes since she wasn't expecting to wade into combat just yet.
The truth would come out sooner or later. She knew that. It hadn't been very long now and so nothing showed, but her magic was already changing along with her body. Every day she was exhausted and frequently nauseous. She'd been terrified after the first week of waking up only to vomit. The detection spell only confirmed her suspicions.
No one in the House could know. Not when conception was supposed to be a priestess's choice.
A soft knock on the door snapped Lirayne out of her own thoughts. She immediately answered it even though the last thing she felt like was visitors at the moment. "Nalfein," she greeted the soldier with all the politeness she could muster. She had made it a point to remember the names of her father's veteran comrades, since she'd spent so much time training alongside them. "Did Zekatar send you?"
"Yes, Mistress. Though he expected you to be sleeping, so you are under no obligation to answer the summons. He and Mistress Zesstra are with the Matron and the Weapons Master now," Nalfein said. He could tell that something was off kilter with Lirayne even though this was the first time he'd spoken to her since her return. She looked tired, like she hadn't been sleeping well for some time.
Zesstra. Her sister's name made her jaw clench involuntarily with such a ferocity that she was probably risking broken teeth if she kept it up. The bitch had to have known-she was the one who had handled the scouting parties that had uncovered evidence of strange activity in the settlement. But of course Lirayne had been left to walk into the demon completely blind. "Did they tell you what they wanted from me?"
"Your tactical skills, I believe," Nalfein said softly. "You know your way around the battlefield as well as the Patron."
Normally, Lirayne would have glowed at that kind of compliment and indulged her vanity. This time, the soldier didn't even see a hint that she recognized the statement for the commendation that it was. "Tell them I'll be there in a moment." The veteran's brow creased in puzzlement, but he made no comment. It was always better not to give a priestess reason to think her orders were being questioned.
Lirayne watched him depart and waited until he was out of earshot to take a deep breath. She had to be calm and in control. With her magic at less than its full strength, a confrontation could be suicide. It was hard enough already to hide how reduced her power was, particularly from her mother and her sister who were so attuned to these things.
By the time she arrived to the small meeting room, she could hear Zekatar and Keldzar having a spirited argument about where to position troops. Apparently the Matron had decided it was for the best just to let them fight it out, because she hadn't cut them off as soon as they started into it. Lirayne slipped in quietly and was immediately spotted by the room's occupants.
Zekatar frowned. "So nice of you to join us," the grizzled older male said brusquely. He was still irritated with her for avoiding him since her return. And how on earth could she explain? Her father's respect and approval were two of the most important things in her life and there was not a power in the world that could compel her to wittingly throw them away.
"Matron, do we really need Lirayne's tactical knowledge? The last assignment she was on ended with a patrol dead," Zesstra sniped. These days she never waited long to bring out the claws since the fight for succession was down to the two of them. "Although, if we need demon bait, she does come well recommended..."
Lirayne looked over at Keldzar, who had suddenly found the far wall to be absolutely fascinating. "You told her?" she hissed out. Oh, she knew he hated her, but it was still a low blow. Lower than he probably realized. The shame was like a choking knot in her throat that stopped her breath almost completely.
"The Matron asked for a complete briefing and Mistress Zesstra was present," the male drow said bluntly. He had to admit that he wasn't too broken up about the fact that Lirayne came out looking less than stellar. It was strange to see something flicker behind her glare that looked like...pain, however.
Zekatar's look was heavy with disapproval, so she pointedly focused her attention on her mother. "I made a mistake," she said steadily. It was not the kind of admission she would normally ever make, but she could still feel the blood of the people who had been relying on her all over her hands. Besides, excuses would only irritate the Matron. "I didn't do a more thorough check to make certain I understood what kind of enemy I was facing. There were...holes in the reports that Zesstra passed onto me. I should have paid more attention."
"Did the demon find your incompetence as charming?" Zesstra goaded.
Something in the younger priestess snapped like a reed. Lirayne wasn't entirely certain what happened next. By the time she came back to her senses, her hand felt like it was on fire and Zekatar was dragging her backwards by one arm and her hair while Keldzar caught Zesstra, who had staggered back clutching her face. It was the first time since they were both children that Lirayne had ever dared lay a finger on her older sister in anger. She was almost positive that she'd broken a bone in her hand as well as Zesstra's nose. Now if she could just rip out that damn tongue, she'd be satisfied.
"Enough!" Siniira barked, rising from her seat at the table littered with maps. "The two of you can bicker all you want, but I will not tolerate nobles assaulting each other. Zekatar, Keldzar, Zesstra, out!"
Lirayne felt a shallow sort of satisfaction when Zesstra glared at her as she left with the males, still cupping her nose with one hand to vainly stem the flow of blood. Unfortunately, it also meant she was being left alone with her mother for at the very least an unpleasant argument.
Siniira waited until the door had closed before rounding on her second daughter. "What in the Demonweb is wrong with you, Lirayne?" she said coolly, effortlessly reigning in her own temper. She was not the kind of woman to raise her voice unduly when simple inflection could express her displeasure with equal authority.
I killed my best friend under the effects of a domination spell. Also, Lloth abandoned me in battle and I'm pregnant with demon-spawn. Happy now that I've laid it out there? Lirayne snapped in her head. "Nothing that concerns the House," she said aloud. It sounded bitter now that it was spoken, but she didn't know how else to make her mother drop the line of inquiry.
"But it does concern me," Siniira said, softening slightly. Lirayne drove her completely insane most of the time, but at the end of the day they were still mother and child. Some days she wanted to curse the Goddess for giving her daughters too much like herself: always committed to handling all of their problems on their own without telling anyone there was an issue. "Mourndar came by earlier with your letter. Why do you want permission to travel freely outside of Menzoberranzan?"
"I want to find Valyne," Lirayne admitted. She knew it made almost no sense, but if anyone knew anything about demons and what to do in her situation, it would be Val. She didn't care about becoming Matron any more. She just wanted out. Maybe it was a fool's errand and the mage was already dead. Better than staying in Menzoberranzan all the same, where her family would quickly realize just how weak she had been.
Siniira cocked her head slightly despite herself, raising an eyebrow. "You're making a poor case for your mental health, Lirayne."
"It wasn't just some demon we fought, Matron. It was powerful, at least a balor. It was there for a purpose," the younger cleric said, telling as much of the truth as she could bear. One didn't lie directly to Siniira if they had any sense. Omission, however, could sometimes pass undetected. "Val knew more about the Abyss than anyone else in Menzoberranzan. We're not prepared to fight it without her. I...I couldn't cast when it was near me. Can you imagine what kind of damage it could do unchecked?"
"Keldzar told me that it had been defeated," Siniira said cautiously. She crossed her arms and frowned slightly as she considered this new information. Lirayne had a point. Something like that wouldn't be in the Material Plane by coincidence, certainly not as the work of a lone summoner.
Lirayne laughed without humor. "It withdrew. Oh, his men wounded it. Maybe even gave it pause. But we escaped because it wanted us to. They don't like to kill their victims when life prolongs the suffering."
"And Zesstra neglected to mention the presence of the creature to you when she explained the situation." It wasn't a question.
"Well, think of how convenient it would be for her if I was killed in battle with a demon," Lirayne said. She could feel her nails biting into her palms, but she couldn't quite force herself to relax. Goddess, how good it would feel to just inflict a fraction of the suffering she'd endured on her sister.
Siniira's look was carefully expressionless. This was exactly the kind of behavior that she'd come to expect from her eldest: anything and everything for the sake of power. Yet another reason to never allow Zesstra close to the position of Matron. "You're right. We can't walk into any enemy this powerful while blind. I'll send a patrol-"
"No!" Lirayne blurted out just a little bit too quickly. She stepped back a little when she felt her mother's attention focus on her, turning away like she was shielding herself from that intrusive gaze. "She was exiled, Matron. If we send a patrol, she'll probably think it's to finish the job. I'll go."
The Matron's eyes narrowed slightly. "Alone in the wilds? Reckless even for you."
"You let her go," the younger priestess said, her lip curling. Anger was her refuge, her unassailable bastion of safety. As long as she was furious at someone for something, she didn't feel weak. It also pushed Siniira back away from her vulnerable thoughts. "Let's not pretend you think I'm anywhere near as valuable as Valyne, Mother."
Siniira leveled a finger at her child warningly. "You are still my daughter. Whom I would rather not see as a corpse."
"And the beauty of it is that you'll never see me if I do become a corpse. That's what scavengers are for," Lirayne sneered as she drew her burning armor tighter around her damaged heart. "I can handle the wilds and anything that might cross my path. I assume you know where to look for her?"
It wasn't an argument that the Matron of House Duskryn felt like pushing. After all, if she forbid it, her daughter would probably leave the city anyway with no direction whatsoever and promptly get herself killed. "I have an inkling," Siniira said with a sigh. She didn't look at all convinced that this scheme was particularly intelligent. "Let me show you on the map. Just promise me you won't do anything foolish. This is not a death or glory situation, Lirayne. I'd much prefer you remain alive."
"I promise to do my best." For both of us. She rested a hand on her flat abdomen when her mother turned away and bit her lower lip. Maybe she wasn't ready and she didn't know how she felt about this situation, but what choice did she have?
