"What do you mean, captured?" Lance had the first look of fear on his face since he'd been brought back from death.

"I mean, I see her in chains. If anyone else claims to have served Lolth like a good little dog for centuries, you're more than welcome to speak up." Shavvir paused for several seconds to wait for the inevitable lack of response before continuing. "In that case, we need to get her back. We voted, and the Underdark won...which means we need our drow."

"Then how do you suppose we exit? We all jumped in here, but we can't exactly get out."

"Analysis misinformed. Observe." Maul slammed into the towering barricades as hard as he could, the metal and wood plating bowing under the warforged's powerful assault. He tried again, this time with his namesake weapon, snapping one of the core struts along the wall. The magic-dampening barrier flickered momentarily, clear pockets of space within its grasp now free from its effects.

"How kind of you. Now, since we're known for leaving a mess behind…might want to take a step back." The others stepped back as Zaelynir began preparing a spell, fire roaring to life in his hands. Three blasts of fire barraged the damaged plate, dampened by the field they were within rather than simply being snuffed out. The three rapid assaults burst it completely off, the smoldering metal being sent ten feet into the out as the field was thoroughly dissipated. The incubus took a step back, holding his arms forward and making a mock bow. "Voila. After you."

The five quickly filed out, all fully able to see what Shavvir had seen just prior. It wasn't the second coalition that had found Phyrra, but some other force...one that they hadn't managed to spot. The second force wasn't far off, wrapping around to join up. It wasn't hard to spot Phyrra amongst their ranks, the drow's hood having been ripped from her head, a shock of short white hair something you'd only see on a drow.

"I know she won't break easily, but they're no doubt trying to get information from her. The faster we get there, the less time she has to hold out. If you can go quickly, do so. Just don't put yourself at risk. The rest of us will catch up when we get the chance." Wake started running, nearly all of the others managing to pass him up quickly save for Maul. In the blink of an eye, Shavvir was gone, the raven on her shoulder now looking around with the heightened intelligence of the Shadar-kai inhabiting it. Zaelynir as well took to the air, the two easily outpacing the rest. Lance was faster but only slightly, trying to keep up with the two ahead of them but rapidly falling behind.

Zaelynir was the first to reach the coalition, spotting the drow from overhead, trapped within the center of the pack. To her left, the second legion was rapidly approaching, likely to convene in less than a minute. The incubus needed a way to cause mass panic...in a way that didn't risk his own life. Such a task was trivial for one trained in the art of manipulating the mind.

He flew in low, far enough away to avoid the powerful crossbows the rear guard carried...crossbows that would do well to target their own kind. He performed a spell, mass hysteria sweeping the rear ranks as a small pocket of them erupted into utter chaos. Some simply ran off, the ranks of the entire division being ransacked within seconds. Others actually took their crossbows and fired on their allies, the high-powered bolts piercing through several at a time.

Perfect...he was safe to move in closer. Two guards had their hands on Phyrra's shoulders, walking the handcuffed drow along silently, ignoring the hysteria that had broken out behind them while their allies tried to calm them down. The incubus reached out to them telepathically...among members of the Syndicate, he hadn't even revealed that he possessed such a capability. These two guards, however...they likely wouldn't live to be able to spread the word.

"Release." The command was simple, and abruptly followed. Each pulled out a key, moving to undo the handcuffs on each side. Phyrra looked up, Zaelynir giving a smile and wave.

Shavvir finally caught up, the Shadar-kai releasing herself from the body of the raven, hovering next to the beating wings of Zaelynir. "What is needed?"

"Relax dear...everything's under control." The statement was punctuated by a crossbow bolt flying past them, cries of pain coming from below as similar bolts pierced their allies.

"All I see is utter chaos. Is Phyrra…?"

Zaelynir hushed the Shadar-kai. "As I said...under control. I convinced them to let Phyrra go...I think she's going to be just fine." When he looked down, however, he couldn't spot the drow anywhere. Zaelynir dove in lower as Lance, Wake, and Maul were quickly approaching, due to arrive at roughly the same time the second legion was about to come in. They had sped up their pace upon seeing the commotion, saying nothing for the incubus floating in the sky. They had arrived to try to take out the Syndicate...and it was clear that such a task was too small for the dozens of them.

One of the guards pushed through the group, snagging a crossbow off of one of the deranged soldiers that Zaelynir had thrown into panic earlier. It was clear that she didn't know the first thing about how to use it, struggling with the mechanisms for several seconds before finally releasing a high-powered shot aimlessly into the air. She ran backwards, the disguise sloughing away as she did so...it was Phyrra.

"Well...I suppose I can't be too disappointed. She learns well." Shavvir began following after Zaelynir, stopping after only a couple seconds...while they may be able to fight this off, it was also clear that Empyria was still trying to gather information on them. Throwing a decoy may actually play into their favor. The Shadar-kai merged with her raven only momentarily in order to stealthily make it to the ground as she returned to her normal form, hands clasped together as she began readying a spell.

"Raven Queen...may they fear you for months to come." The spell unleashed, an illusory form of the Shadar-kai advancing forwards, the sounds and sights enough to convince even a trained observer. As the illusion walked, however, it grew more monstrous, slowly growing from five to ten, finally towering over the grasslands at twenty feet tall. As it grew more monstrous, it began to shift more and more into the image of the Raven Queen that Shavvir had in her head...the image that she'd served for so long. Her head became a wicked and horrific face fitted with a dangerously sharp beak, eyes growing bloodshot and vile. The arms and legs took to the form of a raven as well, wicked talons jutting out as a second pair of arms sprouted from its sides, this one complete with large feathered wings capable of lifting the creature off of the ground...if it were real. Rather than the caw of a bird, it let out a deafening roar, bellowing loud enough to shake the grass beneath it.

Shavvir chased after the illusion as she had it charge forwards, the illusion dancing on the edge of the range in which she could control it. She couldn't grow it any larger without causing too much strain, instead simply having it grow more fearsome. The robes it wore began sprouting feathers as well, each etched with glowing arcane sigils, the symbols she'd seen throughout her life that proved the Raven Queen's existence to her. By the time it had finished being developed, it was the very embodiment of the creature she had followed for so long...at least, the image she carried in her head.

Even though it was an illusion, it was a very convincing one. Scores of Empyrean soldiers started fleeing the scene, some even dropping their weapons in terror. Ahead of her, Zaelynir called out. "When I'm in position, lift its hands. You don't fool me...but I want to leave little room for doubt in their minds."

She nodded. "Hurry...it's getting harder to maintain." While most of the soldiers had run, some fought back...a task that was terrifyingly challenging to keep track of. Phyrra tried to mimic the effects of bolts lodging itself in the Raven Queen's flesh, having them appear on the surface while the real ones passed harmlessly through. She watched as Zaelynir took to the air as Phyrra rejoined the companions on the ground. They'd rescued her...now it was about sending a message.

Shavvir watched as Zaelynir flew into the image, hands starting to glow red with fire. The Shadar-kai mimicked this, watching and waiting as duel fireballs were launched from the incubus' hands. The fire faded as the real ones passed through, erupting on the ground in two orbs of fire. That was enough to convince any soldiers that stood their ground. They all began running back towards Empyria as the horror let out another bellowing roar, eventually stopping to stand and watch them flee in terror.

Shavvir strode back to the group. Phyrra was the first to respond. "Good work...and from what Wake told me, it seems I've misjudged you. I feared you would simply wait and defend our current position."

She shook her head. "The Raven Queen watches over all...even those that do not follow her light. We do not see eye-to-eye on much, but I shall not watch an ally be captured. If they obtain one of us, we have no hope of survival."

"I...thank you. However, I do have troubling news. The group that found me...they were all invisible. I could not tell if it was something they performed themselves, or if they possess equipment to grant such effects. If it is the latter, however, I fear that we may not be safe wherever we are." It was clear that Phyrra struggled to come to that realization, especially knowing that Empyria was likely in the Underdark that they immediately intended to explore.

Zaelynir stayed silent. Telepathy was certainly a way to avoid this altogether. The spell they'd used at Alvesari had been cast on them, something they certainly couldn't use again now that that resource was long since gone. Telepathy was a slow way to communicate, but effective nonetheless. However, he remained silent...it was never good to reveal all of one's abilities to anyone, regardless of how much you may believe to trust them.

"Well, we'll just have to be careful. Speak quietly, and always listen for unexpected movements. Now, unless there are other objections, let's return to the cavern entrance." The group was silent, but tense...despite being clear that nobody was around, not a single weapon remained holstered.

Phyrra walked to Wake, the crossbow she'd snagged from the guards weighing heavy in her hands. "I feel like if anyone has a use for it, it's you. It seems engineered, but I don't know how."

Wake took the bow, studying it intently as he walked...it certainly was. "I've always feared the day gnomes and dwarves work together. This is what they're capable of producing. I can't make sense of the details, but it propels the bolt much faster than a standard crossbow. The bow only had one more shot left with it which he fired at the cave wall from several hundred feet away. The bolt soared through the air, hitting a piece of the cavern wall exactly where he'd aimed it. He didn't even have aim that good with the bow he'd carried for years...at that distance it was far too unreliable. "We'll have to be careful. In practiced hands, these can reach quite far." Wake tossed the weapon to the side...though it was powerful, the years he'd spent with his longbow meant far more than the weapons of war Empyria had produced.

Soon, they had reached the cavern once again...this time, uninterrupted. Phyrra looked around the group as they began to enter, the sunlight from above already starting to get filtered out by the rocky walls. "The biggest danger here are purple worms, but they are not to be trifled with. Don't travel down any paths I tell you to, and if you feel rumbling beneath your feet, move out of the way."

"Why's that?" Lance walked along as the light continued to dim, rolling Blink around in his hands.

"They burrow faster than you can run, and they're large enough to accidentally swallow someone. They're hostile, and won't hesitate to devour you if it perceives you as a threat. I've watched travelers get consumed whole...you don't make it out alive when that happens." She paused for a few seconds before continuing. "We likely won't encounter one unless until we're well into the Upperdark, which shouldn't be for a day and a half at best. Until then, the only things you'd likely need to worry about are bandits, though I'm sure they won't be much of an issue."

"So just avoid getting eaten alive and you'll be fine? Oh, I do remember why I like it down here." Zaelynir easily adjusted to the lack of light, abyssal eyes shifting to accommodate the new environment. Occasionally they would pass the rare patch of phosphorescent fungi that would illuminate their path, but other than that the caverns were pitch black. The Abyss had no shortage of its own terrors...while the purple worm had a unique advantage of being able to remain hidden despite being so massive, it was nowhere near as terrifying as some of the monstrosities he'd seen in his past The incubus had been down here ago, far in the past...the demon lords had interest in the Underdark for a short period of time, during which he'd been sent to gather information, a task the incubus was always happy to accept...and often quite successful.

"Optics unsuited to current environment. Assistance necessary." Maul was the only one in the group not suited to the low light around him, his homeland never suffering from such levels of darkness. Very few among the warforged army had been provided the means to see in such conditions, often the scouts given such abilities. Maul was a commander, a leader...he had been provided many abilities, but low-light vision was not one of them. As they took their second turn down the caverns, any remnants of sunlight was thoroughly eliminated, leaving him in utter darkness. It was an odd sensation, knowing that your hand was directly in front of you but being unable to see it. His movements slowed, carefully taking footsteps to avoid further problems.

"Here...just don't stray too far away." Shavvir cast a simple magic, Maul's shield changing to glow a faint red light. It was just enough for the warforged to be able to see his immediate surroundings, but dim enough that it wouldn't be a beacon to anything and everything nearby. The Underdark was alien to Shavvir as well, but not nearly as much as she had thought. She thought mainly about what this place might be like in the Shadowfell - as part of the Material plane, it had to have followed the same rules. Local wildlife was never the same - there may be no transposition of a purple worm, but Shavvir knew full well that there would be something far more terrifying. There always was.

"Are there usually travellers in this stretch of caverns?" It had been nearly an hour of uninhibited travel, the Syndicate not seeing a single person travelling in the opposite direction of them. He'd been to the Underdark before, but not since Empyria had sprung into existence. Whereas before there had been a light but constant stream of travel, now...nothing.

Phyrra shook her head. "Usually, no. The Underdark didn't take well to Empyria...we've always been distrusting of the overworld, but Empyria turned that into something greater. Many here fear what could come from such a creation. It's twofold...we know most overworlders don't trust us, and now those suspicions have been consolidated into one location. That, and very few here, even in the Upperdark, have seen Empyria. That which you cannot see is the greatest terror."

"Is that true...down here as well?" Lance moved fine, the tight tunnels they had been in before finally starting to widen as they made a distinctive shift from the overworld to the Underdark. The fungi that had occasionally illuminated their way were far more consistent now, to the point that Shavvir's light was almost redundant save for a few unfortunate areas. However, Lance couldn't help but notice all of the areas they had been walking past - the creatures that might be hiding within them, more specifically. During his time with Molag he hadn't once set foot in the Underdark, the riches and power of the upper races greater than anything below the surface. However, he'd heard stories...enough to know that purple worms and bandits hadn't been the only things to cause terror.

Lance heard a laugh from further ahead. "Oh. Most certainly."

The journey continued in silence, eventually stopping as Phyrra heard the barest traces of footsteps ahead of them. She signaled for everyone to seek cover, the group rotating around to hide amongst the wall. The language the other travellers were speaking was harsh dialect, but Lance and Wake recognized it enough to understand it as a branch of Elven. In use, however, it sounded completely different from its parent language...as if a mix of dwarvish pronunciation with elven words.

Zaelynir and Phyrra recognized it, however...Undercommon, the predominant language for all creatures below the surface. Two Duergar passed them by, thankfully too caught in their own conversations to recognize the six figures masked in the darkness upon the wall.

"-we've told them how many times now? They never leave. We're giving them stone as fast as we can mine it. What more do they even want?"

"I don't know. We'll send 'em the next shipment in a couple days...that usually gets 'em off our back for a week or two before they come haggling for more."

"But - eh, blast them all. No use fighting. I've seen the pyre, Brith. They'll just come with twice the soldiers as last time."

"No use trying to fight 'em. We'll be there in a week...see if we can come to a better arrangement."

The two dwarves continued on their way, winding around a corner until they were out of sight. Phyrra remained still for several minutes thereafter, pausing until she couldn't hear the sounds of the Duergar's footsteps anymore.

"Sounds like we may have allies down here." Phyrra got back to the path, the road to Iltkazar a journey she'd done many times before. She relayed the conversation back to the rest of the group, making sure that the necessary information was disseminated. Only rarely had she come from the overworld, but the path was followed nonetheless. The denizens here rarely put signs to make the way - many travelers made it to their destinations, and it made being a guide a very profitable business.

"Explains how they're getting their supplies so fast. If they're pressuring multiple Upperdark cities to give them resources at once...what else are they doing?" Wake followed along behind Phyrra as they began moving again, slowly making it towards their destination. Any semblance of night and day meant little down here...for all he knew, they'd walked through the night and were now pushing into the second day. He didn't approve of single points of failure, but Phyrra was the only one with experience in this realm.

"We'll have to wait and see once we get to Iltkazar. There are mines there, but not for stone. Depending on how many soldiers they have garrisoned there, I doubt the Duergar are even able to mine what they settled Iltkazar for. It's exploitation...and they brand us as villains."

"Because they are misguided. We know the truth - we are the only ones that do. We shall purge the wrong from this world and onto the next. I will not make them pay for the crimes they have wrought...they will pay for them in time." Shavvir was no stranger to the slavery that seemed to be occuring here...though not quite from this side. In the Shadowfell, Shadar-kai often reveled in detaining the interplanar travellers that got lost in the bleak world, putting them to use as servants...or worse. Shavvir was no exception, but had long since given up on maintaining such luxuries while in the Material plane. However, the Shadar-kai hadn't gone searching for slaves, only finding those that stumbled into their hands. Empyria was far worse, seeking out entire settlements and declaring rule over them, flexing their strength in numbers. It wasn't peace...it was oppression.

"Maul?" Lance was processing this in his own way, still struggling to come to grips with this new world he'd found himself in. The warforged always had a unique perspective on things, almost indifferent to his place in the picture.

"Empyreans possess numbers. Numbers construct power. Empyria operating using expected routine." The warforged couldn't find fault in what they were doing - it was exactly what he would do in this situation. The only challenge he saw was removing them as an obstacle in the future, though such a task may well be quite manageable. Empyria had not seen the Syndicate move in months, and could not possibly have mobilized a strike force to exist in every expected location of travel. Whatever was in Iltkazar was designed to hold control over Iltkazar. The warforged could only presume that such a force was not powerful enough to stop him. From their previous encounter, Maul saw that Empyria feared the Syndicate's magic, of which he possessed none. It would be their fatal flaw, their lapse in judgement that would be their undoing. Lance, as well, suffered little to no ill effects from such limitations. The two of them would be Empyria's undoing if they followed on their current trajectory.

"Let's stop here for the night...we're less than a day's journey out. Sleep is meaningless here...exhaustion is a common fatality for new travelers." Phyrra took a stop, the path they had been following spreading out in front of them. The other members were keen to accept her expertise - she knew the lay of the land, and had warned them of plenty during the many hours they'd been travelling. The only way she'd led them astray had been the time...if they were at the surface, the sun would have been hidden for several hours at this point. She knew that they could take it, and the extra distance today would give them time to arrive in Iltkazar earlier tomorrow. After hearing from the Duergar about the situation, arriving after having finished a day's travel seemed inadmissible...there would be conflict.

Setting up camp was swift as always, little more than bedrolls splayed out on the smoother portions of the stone around them. Before they had settled in, Phyrra gave one final warning. "If you hear a voice in your head...don't respond. Aboleths...I'd be worried if we saw one this close to the surface, but it has happened before. Just be on your guard." She settled in for the night, Wake and Zaelynir taking first watch.

The Incubus thought about toying with the archer...being a telepath himself, it would certainly put him off kilter. However, it was clear that the rest of the lot was uneasy from the days' journeys, silent as they had been. Zaelynir let Wake keep watch, keeping one eye open in case problems did arise...none did.

The next two watches followed similar levels of safety. Lance and Shavvir remained quiet and on-guard throughout the night, Maul's early rise signalling them to end their watch. Shavvir at least did the service of illuminating the warforged's shield before leaving, the glow lasting for long enough for Phyrra to join him. The two sat in silence, watching and waiting for trouble to come by...none did.

After the third watch ended, they all set out once more. As they drew closer to Iltkazar far more activity seemed to find them, having to hide numerous times in the shadows as travelers made their way by, mostly Duergar, all of them having disgruntled conversations with one another. Rather than one or two at a time, however, it was dozens...practically entire families travling together. They were hushed enough that Phyrra and Zaelynir couldn't make out their words...but something had clearly happened, enough to make a fair number of residents leave the settlement.

As they drew even closer, they started to see Empyreans moving about. It seemed they their own camp about a mile away from the city, sickeningly bright lights fighting back the encroaching darkness around them. Phyrra signalled a halt as soon as she saw guards posted out front...monitoring traffic to and from the city. Passage wouldn't be as easy as she'd hoped...while some of them may have been able to slip by, Maul had no hope of passing himself off as anyone but himself. The group shuffled backwards, enough to safely remain out of earshot of anyone nearby.

"They've got a watch set up. Sneaking past isn't an option...not with those lights in the way."

"Is there another way in? Some cave they might not know about?" Lance hung back, waiting for the answer. He couldn't disguise himself either, and he didn't trust using Blink as a means of getting by. Whatever the solution was, he needed to be accounted for as well."

Phyrra thought for a moment, tracing the map in her head. "We could get there in four days. It's an option...but I'd rather find an immediate approach."

Wake shook his head. "No. We can't risk getting spotted...if it's four days, then we accept that. And if they're surveying that route, we find another. Phyrra, what are the odds they'd set up a camp there?"

"Little to none. We'd be pushing through some Cloaker dens to get there - no chance they'd try to fight those monstrosities. However, we're time constrained. If that path doesn't work, we're looking at weeks in order to find a third way around, guaranteed to put us back in the overworld. We can't afford that...we need a solution now."

"We have a solution - it's four day's away. We get in undetected, and we see what's happening. There's too much risk in trying to slip by that...we don't know what they have in that camp. If they're holding Sending Stones like we are, they're going to flood these caves with soldiers. We won't be making it out alive. I say we take the loss, and reroute."

Phyrra shook her head adamantly. "No...we press forward. Who here, unassisted, thinks they can make it by that watch undetected?"

Four raised their hand, Lance and Maul remaining silent. Three of them had the same answer - disguises. They'd seen enough Duergar to be able to create a disguise convincing enough. With Phyrra's help, they even had names they could use. Wake's solution was the one he had used back in Alvesari, temporarily stepping into the Ethereal plane. There was no chance for detection, and he had enough view of the Underdark to be able to track the others.

For Lance and Maul, however...nothing. Eventually, Maul spoke up, gathering the attention of the rest of the group on the rare occasions when he did have something to say. "Transport through spellcasting as potential solution. Operationally similar to previous encounter." He focused on Phyrra...almost all but the most basic details of magic were lost to the Warforged, but he remembered Phyrra sending him through some sort of portal in order to get into the barricades. He didn't know the limitations on such a tool, but its capabilities seemed apt to solve the problem at hand.

"You...explain?" Phyrra had always struggled to understand Maul, the words far too basic to piece together, and often his reasoning so far removed from her own. She relied on sensory information, emotions, things that his crafted mind failed to even consider...they were often at odds with one another over rather petty details of plans.

"Dimension Door, honey. He's talking about Dimension Door. I know you and Shavvir can both use it, but that leaves little ol' me walking all alone." Zaelynir had done that math quickly - Phyrra takes Lance, Shavvir takes Maul, and Wake goes his own way. He had no worries of being caught out - he'd spent so much time impersonating those he desired to get close with, and he'd been in the Underdark before. Duergar were a simple lot - be grumpy, and unafraid to show it.

"Right...Dimension Door." Phyrra looked at the archer, gesturing in the way of Iltkazar. "Are you willing to take the risk? It's not your skin that'll be caught."

Wake grimaced...he didn't like it. Too risky for his taste, but most of Phyrra's ideas were. "I'm still worried something's going to go wrong, but I'm not the expert here. If you want to go, I won't stop you."

"They won't catch us. Zaelynir, I trust you to make up a good reason if you need it, and lie through your teeth if they don't buy it."

"Oh...no worries. I'll have them eating out of my hand if need be."

Phyrra nodded...of that, she was sure. "Let's go."

Lance followed behind Phyrra, the group erring closer and closer to the lights of the camp, advancing up until they feared being spotted. Zaelynir shed his current appearance, wings crumbling away as his crimson skin turned the bluish-white of the Duergar, the visage of an old Duergar housewife looking back at them. As he spoke, the powerful incubus voice slowly turned into what one would have expected from such a stout but elderly creature. "They wouldn't dare question old Dorthis. You young ones go on ahead, I'll see you soon."

Wake nodded, instantly vanishing into the Ethereal plane. His task was the easiest of all - without the aid of extremely powerful magicks, his presence here was impossible to detect. As he walked unnoticed through the misty world, however, he detoured, walking into the camp. It was impossible to spot the details from here, but he estimated several hundred garrisoned in the camp...and in all likelihood, even more elsewhere. His concern grew even more as he realized just how many there were...whatever they wanted in Iltkazar, they wanted it bad.

Phyrra took Lance's hand as Shavvir took Maul's, both silently casting their spells. Twin doors opened up in front of them as they each pulled their respective companion through, appearing well on the other side of the camp. The lights were even further away now than they were previously...any chance of being spotted was slim to none.

Finally, Zaelynir, currently disguised as the old Duergar Dorthis. She walked by, forcing herself to hobble so as to simulate her old age, the strange movements coming across as practiced and highly believable. Zaelynir had been everything under the stars during his life - children, adults, youth, elderly, each of different races and different builds. There was nothing he didn't know how to imitate...so long as he knew the native languages, he could be anyone he wanted. The old Duergar hobbled into the lights, shielding her eyes from the piercing brightness while continuing to walk.

"Papers!"

A human marched out from the camp, stopping Dorthis where she stood. The man continued. "No entering or exiting the city without the proper credentials."

Zaelynir's panic did not translate into the disguised shell he wore - such problems were easily solvable. She forced herself to speak very broken common - most older Duergar did. "Oh, yes, I do believe...oh, where did it go." The Duergar shuffled around in pockets that she knew contained nothing, simply buying time while the rest of the plan came to fruition. While she searched, the guard called out another, the two men standing expectantly in front of her.

"You'll be returning from where you came, wretch."

Dorthis frowned. "I do believe some bandits off me a ways back. I'm only returning for one small thing...I'm not looking to stay for long."

The first man frowned, pulling out a list. "Name."

They had a list of everyone in the city...this was a problem. Zaelynir wracked his mind for a last name, one that was almost assuredly going to be within the city. There was a benefit to picking generic names, bland as they were. "Dorthis Hammerhand. I'll be back as fast as these old bones can move."

The man flipped through the list quickly, Zaelynir preparing for the next level of deception should it be needed. Soon, his answer came. "I don't see a Dorthis Hammerhand. You'll be following me."

The man reached for her, but Dorthis countered. "I know I'm there...perhaps on the next page?" He'd already prepared a simple illusion, simply masking the words on the following page to present the name Zaelynir had chosen. He reached out to the man's mind, a simple suggestion. "Acquiesce." A flair of red illuminated the Duergar's eyes, subtle enough neither could have noticed it.

The man nodded, flipping the next page dutifully, his hand coming to point at the page. "Yes, I see you there. My apologies." The man next to him leaned over with a scowl, noting the words written on the page.

"I expect to see you return. No remaining in the city while final preparations are underway."

Inside, Zaelynir smiled...that was a good piece of information. Out, Dorthis simply smiled and gave a polite bow. "Oh, of course. My apologies for the trouble I've put you both through."

"On your way." The first guard snapped out of the spell, Dorthis already moving on...she'd made it. The old Duergar hobbled towards the edge of the light, giving it plenty of birth before letting abyssal wings fly once again as Zaelynir. On the other side, the other five were waiting, several of them clearly panicked from the interruption that had occurred...oh how he reveled seeing Wake in such a disheveled state.

"As I said...no issues. Now, let's carry on and save your worry for when you might need it."

Wake was hesitant to respond. "...good work, Zaelynir. You might have been the only one to make it through that without blowing cover."

The Incubus flashed a flawless smile. "Oh, of course my dear. I've spent enough time with all these adorable earthly races to know just what makes them tick."

That made the archer fall silent, simply turning back to Phyrra. "You said we're an hour out? Let's not waste any time."

The group continued, the hour going by rather quietly...it was clear that this was enemy territory. Zaelynir mentioned to the rest that Empyria was making final plans for something...but didn't know what. That seemed to put Wake on edge even more, though he tried his best not to show it.

Lance had stayed unusually quiet through most of the journey, often the one trying to strike conversations with the rest whenever he could. Right now, he was still unsettled by what had happened during the fight at the barricade, the strange necrotic energy leaping from his body. He could only assume that it was a side-effect of being resurrected, nonetheless by some devil that split his brother's soul up to do so. What bothered him more, however, was not knowing what other side effects he might possess...and when they might unexpectedly decide to show up. He wasn't even in control of his own body, saying nothing about the situation he'd been thrown into when he'd been woken up. There was nothing he was confident in...that concern dominated anything that might be waiting for them in Iltkazar.

"So, we managed to past the guards there. Any idea how we're going to get through an entire town unnoticed?" Shavvir was quick to raise the question as they drew ever-nearer.

Wake though back to what he'd seen just prior. "It's relatively unmanned. I had a chance to scope the camp...the numbers there roughly matched the beds they have. Unless there's another camp nearby, they're keeping most of their resources out of the immediate area."

Phyrra nodded. "Good...then we don't bother. Don't let them escape. We'll find out what they're planning, and we'll figure out how to stop it. If anyone tries to fight us, we kill them. If they try to run, we don't let them. I will not stand by and watch as they try to dominate my homeworld." Phyrra gripped her javelin, lightning crackling along its surface.

They approached the city...no guards. None of them had expected Duergar to be standing watch over the narrow canyon that led to the city, but certainly someone of Empyria should have been on watch. They entered the city uneventfully, the open central street of the city far quieter than Phyrra had ever seen it.

"The mines are to the left. If Empyria's here for the mines, that might be where we start. Save someone for questioning. I intend to get answers." Phyrra walked confidently towards the mines, the sounds of forced labor growing as she grew nearer. Soon, she saw the entrance...and plenty going on outside.

The mines were at the base of the cavern, horrifyingly bright lights likely making any Duergar working within them miserable. The drow could hear the sounds of picks from inside, several mine carts just outside the mines filled to the brim with large chunks of rock. As far as guards went, surprisingly few...though Phyrra had no doubt that plenty more were inside. They were all positioned outwards, guarding something that was currently under massive tarp in the center. It looked easily twenty feet across and equally tall, but it was impossible to tell just what it was...at least, not with twelve guards around. Most were armed with the crossbows that they'd seen earlier, though she could see some spellcasters amongst the bunch.

Phyrra remained quiet, pointing at one of the guards on the edge. "Leave me that one...the rest will die." She turned around, her eyes alight with the fires of rage...this town, a proud town of Duergar, was being usurped by the overworld. "Are there any objections?" When the other five remained silent, she knew exactly what was to come.

Lance was the first to act, sending Blink flying through the air towards one of the further away guards, phasing to be right on top of her as the dagger plunged into her forehead. As he appeared, a bolt of energy lanced out of him and struck the adjacent guard.

Wake hadn't caught that earlier, being too caught up in the thick of the battle...but as he readied his bow, there was no mistaking it. He made the same assumption as his brother - something had gone wrong in the resurrection, but such problems couldn't be dealt with now. He fired an arrow at one guard, another one coming in quick succession. Prey like this was so...mundane. He'd spent his life learning to fight for demons, earning favors for the devils he served. The dwarf he'd just put down paled in comparison to the horrors he'd fought.

Phyrra moved with lightning swiftness, a bolt of divine scorn raining down on the guard adjacent to the one she wanted to be kept alive, her javelin lancing the guard into submission. She raced forward, hitting the surprised guard with the butt of the javelin, enough to knock the halfling out...she kept watch over the rest of the fight, watching the Syndicate operate with deadly precision. Lance flew from guard to guard while Maul simply pulverized one and slammed it into another. Shavvir was quick to act as well, her blade always thirsting for as much blood as it could feed on. Zaelynir was the only one to remain put, simply watching with amusement...his strengths weren't in the thick of combat, but Phyrra was perturbed that he failed to act nonetheless. The group didn't make any hint as to try and hide their intentions...if guards in the mine wanted to come and find them, they would die alongside their companions.

Once the strike had ended, Phyrra lifted up the halfling, maneuvering him towards a wall. She was no stranger to interrogation...but the methods she usually used were coercion, not torture. Today, she intended to change that...as punishment for the atrocities Empyria had wrought. She threw the halfling up against the wall, looking to Lance. "Bind him. He won't be needing to leave anytime soon."

Lance walked up, taking the Immovable Rod he carried and held it against the halfling's neck before activating it. The rod hung in midair...if he wanted to leave, he'd have to struggle.

No...that wasn't enough. She told Lance to disable the Rod and he did so, the drow moving towards the halfling and lifting him into the air. He was still knocked out, but coming to...she didn't have long before he was back to his senses.

"Now. Keep him from touching the ground."

"You mean...hang him?"

Phyrra pressed the issue. "He will talk. His life depends on it. If he's willing to die to withhold information, I will find another that cracks faster. Now do it, boy." Lance obeyed, the Immovable Rod just under the halfling's chin, keeping him suspended in the air. Phyrra smacked the guard across the face, quickly waking him up.

As soon as the halfling saw the drow before him, he panicked. Arms flailed and feet kicked, but Phyrra quickly silenced any hope of rescue, jamming her javelin into his throat roughly. "Listen, filth. Answer the questions I have, and you'll be able to walk free. Don't, and I'll kill you. Blink twice if you understand."

The halfling could barely talk, his chin pressed against the Rod making any hope of moving his mouth slim. He blinked once and then again, eyes watering as he kept them open for as long as he could.

Phyrra smiled. "Good. Question one. Why does Empyria want Underdark stone?" The drow roughly gripped the halfling's neck, raising the limp body off of the Rod enough that he could talk if so desired.

"The...the structure. It holds together well at extreme heights. Yeah."

Phyrra glared him down, the blatant look of fear and terror making his story believable...he was too scared to lie. She continued. "What are you planning here. What are 'final preparations'?"

At this, he stayed quiet. Phyrra lifted him up several inches, letting gravity slam the halfling's jaw into the Rod as he winced in pain, mouth clenched too tight to even scream out. She lifted him back up, his breathing and heartbeat running wild. "A...a tool. One to make the Duergar obsolete."

"And when they are obsolete, what happens then? Are you to kill them?"

He was quick to answer. "I don't have those orders."

Phyrra's eyes narrowed...he was terrified of her, and rightfully so. She'd involuntarily positioned her javelin at the base of his throat, her outrage at the situation around her too potent to ignore. "What are you building in that damned tower?"

Once again, he fell silent. Rather than let gravity do the work, Phyrra slammed him into the Rod. "I can conjure a poison that causes nightmares for weeks. I can turn you into a gnat and crush you over and over again. I can heal any wounds you may obtain...you won't die, but I can keep you on the brink of death for as long as I wish. I will ask you again...what is in that tower?"

The halfling squirmed...but didn't break. Phyrra crushed his throat while the other five simply stood back...none of them had issues with what was happening, and some of them likely would have partaken...but this was Phyrra's quarry. As the halfling gasped for air, Phyrra restored his wounds, giving him new life while simultaneously crushing it. The process repeated several times, nearly killing the halfling only to drag him back into reality. By the end, he was doing everything he could to fight against the restraints that were impossible to break.

"I will ask you one last time. What is in the tower. Tell me, and I'll let you run free."

"I...they're making magic. I don't know what...I don't know magic. Please, just let me go. Let me go." His struggling ceased, fighting against the vice-like grip Phyrra had on his throat.

"Sounds like you don't know...and I don't think that's very helpful." She plunged the javelin under his chin, feeling it slide through his skull. He hung limp on the Rod, the lifeless body simply dangling there. As Lance retrieved it, the body slumped to the ground.

"What next?"

Phyrra walked towards the object the guards had been guarding, pulling at the tarp over it. What she revealed was some sort of machine...though she didn't have the slightest clue what it did. A large cone was on the front with several sets of wheels on the bottom. Near the back, she saw what appeared to be handles...but at the moment, the machine was lifeless. She could only guess it was related to mining due to it making the Duergar 'obsolete'...but she'd never seen anything like it.

"We liberate this place. Leave no Empyreans alive."

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Total Word Count: 21618