"Well then...follow me." Zaelynir gave a wink and a smile, looking at the rest of the group. For all but Shavvir, it'd been several long hours of utter silence, and any change of pace was a welcome one. The incubus leaped at the prospect of moving once again, wings beating as he took to the air.
Up the cliffs they went...slowly. Zaelynir hadn't given an idle thought to how the others would make it to their mirror-selves' base of operations. The terrain grew more hazardous the further up they went, sheer cliffs even taller, chasms even wider, and spires even more jagged. Progress slowed to a literal crawl at points as they had to worm past narrow passages, ascending higher and higher.
Soon, visibility began to dwindle...they'd hit the thick layer of clouds that blanketed the entire Shadowfell, dark grey soon filling their vision as they continued their climb. "Almost there dearies, I do promise. I'll give them credit...they did a good job at hiding their entrance." Zaelynir continued out front, flying lower to stay closer to the rest of the group.
By the time Zaelynir called for a stop, they couldn't see more than a few feet out in front of them, the thick layer of clouds hiding almost every feature of the craggy mountainside. The incubus fluttered down to ground level, pointing towards a potion of the mountainside...to the others, it looked no different than the rest. However, as he walked forwards and put his hand towards the mountain, it passed harmlessly through, sinking in up to the wrist. "Crafty, yes? Now...let's say we give them a welcoming present?"
"And how do we do that...correctly? We don't have the element of surprise. In all likelihood, they know we've been coming this entire time. We have darkness on our side, but they have the environment. We need to create some sort of advantage, or there's a chance this doesn't go our way." Wake pointed to Shavvir before continuing. "You know this place better than the rest of us. If these people are enough to truly pose a nuisance to Strahd, what should we expect?"
"I would not be surprised to find Shadar-kai among their ranks. Shadow tends to consume and corrupt many things that linger too long here...but that corruption also brings strength. I would be rather surprised if they possess a shadow-tainted dragon, but it is not without question."
"On top of that, are we not expecting...ourselves?" Phyrra seemed to linger on that, continuing after a brief pause. "I still don't quite fathom exactly how the parallels occur, but what if these people are truly...us? As in, a cleric, an archer, an assassin, and so on? Should we not consider strategizing how we would defeat ourselves? Or am I missing the mark?"
Wake let out a sigh. "It's...well, anything is possible. If you look at our mother versus Strahd, there aren't a lot of strong similarities. I think the individuals that make up a movement are less important than the movement itself. There's no guarantee that the individuals that make this up are, in fact, similar to us. However, the planes play tricks on you. I wouldn't leave it outside the realm of possibility. Shavvir...what's your plan?"
"The people of the Shadowfell do not do well against full-frontal attacks. We are a group of thieves, murderers, and sneaks. It is...rare that you find someone that holds their ground in a conflict. If they are like us, they do their work in the shadows. They will not be prepared for a fight."
"So our preparation is...no preparation? This seems ill-advised. If we circle back to Phyrra's comment - "
Maul cut off Wake, the warforged's usual droning voice piercing the conversation. "Zaelynir defeats Maul. Maul defeats Lance. Lance defeats Shavvir. Shavvir defeats Wake. Wake defeats Phyrra. Phyrra defeats Zaelynir." Each sentence was rattled off one-by-one, wary glances immediately circulating amongst the various pairs that had been called out as he progressed.
"That...I'm not sure I agree with all of that." Wake folded his arms, but didn't continue further.
"Persistent restorative properties granted by Everlife sustain through persistent arrowfire, while highly mobile adversaries are countered by diversification of melee assault and ranged spell fire."
"I...suppose I can agree with that. I think hypothetical examples don't quite - "
"Stop complaining. Maul's right...we have our strengths and our weaknesses...it's best to know about them and work around them, rather than deny them. However, it does help point out what we do need to accomplish...what sorts of adversaries we're most adept to handle. No matter how much we do prepare, there will be an element of surprise to this. We're storming their base, after all."
Phyrra nodded. "Correct. Without knowing exactly who, or what, we're up against, I don't know how much more we can prepare. To Wake's point, hypothetical examples don't equate to the real thing. I say we dive in, and adapt from there."
"I would prefer more preparation...but this is not my operation. If everyone else is comfortable, then I will not protest." Wake gestured towards Lance, who simply held his hands up, shaking his head - he wanted no part in this debate. Next, the archer looked at Zaelynir.
"Is it dangerous? Risky. Perhaps ill-advised? I think we'll do just fine...might be picking up a body or two when we're done, but that's never been an issue, has it?"
"I...I said I would not protest, likely much to my regret. Well then...let's make our way inside."
Shavvir nodded, following Zaelynir through the illusory doorway, and into the darkness beyond. Surprisingly, the door seemed to have some functional purpose - the obscuring clouds seemed repelled by the barrier, now the dim light being the only element that hindered vision. The rest of the group poured in behind Shavvir, entering into a small entryway with a spiral staircase descending into the mountainside.
"After you, darling." Zaelynir took a step to the side, gesturing for Shavvir to take the helm. The shadar-kai did so willingly, one hand resting on Everlife's hilt as she began walking down the stairs, footfalls quiet, and yet still gently reverberating across the stone. Infiltration was not her specialty...but she was about to get rather familiar with how it worked.
The staircase continued around several times, eventually coming to a fork - a doorway opened out in front of them while the staircase continued downwards. Shavvir turned around, silently gesturing for a suggestion on which way to go, both Zaelynir and Lance pointing towards the doorway. She nodded, stepping inside. Everything was dead quiet, the only sounds being the ones that the Syndicate made themselves.
The doorway opened up into what appeared to be a common room - rugs were thrown about on the stone floor in patches, a light layer of use on the entire room making it clear that people actively lived here. An opened book was left on an end table in the far corner of the room, a set of barstools at odd angles along the back wall, bottles of various liquors lined up behind them...and yet, nobody was here. Something was...wrong.
"Behind us!" It was the only thing Shavvir heard before there was an explosion, a blast of heat grazing the back of her neck as she was thrown down to the floor by some explosion. Lance had made the call-out...but both him and Wake seemed to gasp in pain as they were hit simultaneously by the detonation. How that interplayed with their linked souls, she didn't know...but it wasn't good.
From out in front of her, an invisible image appeared from behind the barroom, a shadar-kai wielding a very oversized crossbow. He knelt down, resting it on his knee as he loaded a bolt that looked more in line with a spear, drawing the heavy mechanism back before angling it right towards Shavvir.
"Gotcha."
The bolt fired - but didn't connect. Shavvir opened up a Dimension Door, grabbing Zaelynir by the collar and dragging them both through the portal. They reappeared on the far side of the room, hidden behind the bar...or rather, appearing alongside one of the other members that had been stationed there. Zaelynir held out his hand, grabbing the other shadar-kai on the forehead, forcibly exerting his will onto the unsuspecting member. "You'll be doing as I say, correct? Wouldn't want any misunderstanding between friends, would we?"
To Zaelynir's surprise, his target grabbed his hand, throwing it off to the side. "Nice tricks, freak. Try mine." With blinding speed, a dagger was grabbed, unsheathed, and thrust into his side, fresh blood coating the blade on its equally swift departure. Zaelynir let out a grunt, doubling over as one knee hit the floor.
Shavvir shook her head, peeking out from behind the barroom. She heard footsteps from the lower staircase, but that paled in comparison to the racket that was happening in the current room. An invisible figure appeared from the side of the room wielding scepter, a ray of necrotic energy leaped from the scepter towards Maul, lacerating the warforged with the eldritch magic. His shield caught the brunt of it, but that didn't stop the rest of the magic from blasting into him, dropping him to his knees.
"Brothers, to arms!" From the entrance of the room, a lumbering figure came up from the bottom of the stairs, a towering figure that filled the entire room. It wasn't a shadow dragon...but it was just as bad. A dragonborn with scales as black as night, flecks of purple adoring its scales. An oversized suit of plate armor sat on his chest, fluted pauldrons sprouting from the chestplate. The rest of his body was equally covered, save from his right arm - there, the metal from the armor fused with his flesh, creating an arm fully mechanical rather than biological. In it, an axe sprouted from his arm, starting from the wrist and rising up into a full-sized greataxe. It was nearly the size of his entire body, and yet it seemed like the dragonborn was more than capable of waiting.
As soon as the dragonborn uttered his warcry, two more figures, both Shadar-kai, emerged from behind him. One seemed to be in light robes, a stark contrast to the dark colors of everyone around her. In her hand seemed to be a relatively simple mace in design, but Shavvir could tell just from looking at it that it was anything but - the black obsidian of the handle, the small etchings on the blade, the wicked curve on the flanges...this was either carefully crafted, or it was forged...by the Raven Queen herself. The other figure was wielding a dagger, the emerging behind the larger dragonborn in a hunched, hooded position. The light-robed one extended a hand, twin bolts of energy leaping from her hand, lancing out to strike Wake and Phyrra. The cloaked one simply stayed back, seemingly waiting for an opportunity.
Shavvir immediately recognized what was going on - Phyrra's guess had been correct, these were aspects of themselves... The dragonborn gave it away...large, hulking, and clearly directing the battlefield. Shavvir glanced at the others, trying to guess who they all corresponded to. The crossbowman was clearly Wake, the hooded figure Lance, the figure with the macce perhaps Phyrra? That left the invisible figure and the figure right next to her between Zaelynir and herself...she hadn't seen enough of their capabilities yet to tell between the two. Based on Maul's calculations, however, that didn't matter...her target was Wake's Shadowfell representation. The two had different styles, of course...the "persistent attacks" Maul pointed out certainly didn't lend themselves to the hulking crossbow that this figure was lugging around, but she trusted the judgement nonetheless.
"As we practiced!" Shavvir hoped that that single rallying cry would be enough...either to get the rest of the Syndicate to follow her lead, or to strike some measure of fear into their opposition. The shadar-kai leaped over the barroom wall and lunged towards the crossbowman, still vulnerable from setting up in his firing position. She gripped Everlife in both hands and reversed her grip on the newly-revived blade, thrusting it forward as she crashed down upon her target. Despite the crossbowman's unwieldy weapon, he carried it with finesse, dodging out of the way such that the blade only grazed his side. Still, even that slight touch was enough for Shavvir to feel the blade's effects, to feel it sap its life from her victim and send it into herself. It wasn't a magical barrier or anything like that...no, it was simply sturdiness, raw constitution...the feeling that you could take more than you were meant to. Shavvir further pushed this feeling, flipping her blade back forward as she channeled Lolth's power into her very armor. The leather seemed to thrum with life, growing harder in front of her as arachnid symbols danced across the surface in strands of ice, the lower four legs coiling around her like reinforcing iron bands, while the upper four sprouted like spiked pauldrons from her shoulders. This was familiar to her...the exact symbology of this infused armor was new, but its effects were a welcome return. She stared down the crossbowman as he hurriedly reloaded his weapon, readying for her next strike.
However, the rest of the battlefield was far from as controlled as Shavvir's narrow viewpoint made it seem. To her side, Phyrra desperately tried to push her way out of the squad that had ambushed them from behind. She slinked out of the way, glaring at the dragonborn as she held out her hand, an imperceptible streak of magic flying across the air towards him. Shavvir could see the words muttered under her breath. "Please work...please work...please work...please - "
"You think we'd let our leader get mind controlled? Just who do you think we are?" The figure that had just dropped invisibility snapped her hand, dismissing the spell without a second though. A bolt of fire leaped from the tip of her sceptre, streaking towards Lance as he narrowly dodged out of the way, forming his own necrotic bolt in the process. He steered it back at his assailant, catching her unawares as the bolt struck her in the shoulder, pushing her a half-step back.
"Stick to the plan!" Shavvir continued focusing on the bowman, seeing that she was the only one following Maul's advice...potentially because she was the only one able to. The bowman teleported backwards as soon as the bolt was loaded, buying himself some space as he aimed down the length of the weapon, letting the ammunition fly. Shavvir simply smirked as the spear-like weapon slammed point-blank into her side, only to be deflected away by her augmented armor. The magic protecting her faded, one of the ice-like iron bands fading as it absorbed the shot, but otherwise unharmed.
"My turn." Shavvir dashed forward, gripping Everlife again as she brought it in towards her target for two debilitating strikes. This time, he couldn't dodge out of the way - she'd jumped on him too quickly to have that opportunity. The first strike raked from shoulder to opposite rib, a gash of blood pouring from the wound immediately. The seconds trike ran opposite across his body, forming an 'X' on his chest as she sliced at him.
However, something curious happened on that second strike, as soon as she re-dipped the blade in his blood. The onyx legs of the stylized spider on her became blood-red at their tips, the shift on color sliding along the limbs until it fully coated the upper four, the lower four further down the weapon staying as they had been. Shavvir had no clue what to expect...this was new, and she'd been given no instruction on how this new ability worked. All she knew was that her victim's blood seemed to trigger it...and that she'd need to plunge the blade in deep enough in order to soak all eight limbs and see just what she was dealing with.
Shavvir's focus wavered as a blast of magic erupted from behind her, the rest of the fight devolving into near-chaos. Zaelynir backed up from the target he'd tried to dominate, holding out his hand as lightning leaped towards his adversaries. The lightning leaped towards the one that had resisted the domination, then jumped towards the sceptre-wielder, and finally towards the dragonborn, each one suffused with the raw magical energy that shook them to the core. Maul followed up on the disruption, pushing himself free from the clump as he charged headlong forwards towards the dragonborn, activating his shield as soon as it made contact. The blast of energy repelled everything around him, even others in the Syndicate, sending the three adversaries by the door stumbling backwards while everyone inside the room was pushed even further inside.
From there, the madness only continued. Lance whipped Blink towards Zaelynir's target, the dagger flying into his skull before the assassin appeared on top of him, ripping the dagger out and taking a few steps back, ready to dodge whatever came next. Wake fired several shots across the room, each one giving him the chance to reposition as he rotated back towards the barroom to stay closer to his brother. Phyrra was left on her own to the side, forced to rush towards Zaelynir, closing the incubi's wounds in a spare moment.
However, the reprieve didn't last. A blade flew across the room seemingly conjured from thin air, and when Zaelynir looked down his target had disappeared out from underneath him. Behind the incubus, the caster began preparing a spell, arcs of lightning beginning to crackle between her hands as it grew closer and closer to completion. There was nothing he could do to stop it, save for try to duck out of the way...but even that wasn't going to be enough. A bolt of lightning leaped from her hands that stuck everyone in the Syndicate except Shavvir, sending them to their knees. When she spoke, only Shavvir and Maul could understand the words. "You were wrong to come here outsiders. Trespassing against the Resistance will be your death."
Shavvir didn't bother to respond...she didn't have the time. The crossbowman was still fighting for his life, and she needed to figure out what this blade did...if Lolth had given her enough power to turn the tides of a seemingly lost cause. She ignored her teammates, striking two more times in quick succession. With the first she plunged the blade deep, the head of the blade gouging deep into a crack between his ribs, Shavvir hilting the blade in the bowman's side. When she pulled it out, blood positively coated the otherwise pure and white blade, slowly absorbing into the onyx spiderlegs as it travelled further up the blade, eventually coming to the crossguard. Once it did, the red gem embedded there seemed to glimmer with light...and yet still, Shavvir was given no clue. There was no overt power, nothing that she felt she could do with this...it just felt like the blade...glowed. Shavvir shook her head, slightly frustrated but even more curious, hoping that the answer would come to her soon. With one quick slash she severed the bowman's head from his shoulders, the body slumping to the floor as the oversized bow fell to the ground.
When Shavvir turned around, she saw Maul somehow being pushed back, the dragonborn, against all logic, strong enough to push and shove against the seemingly-unmovable barrier that Maul erected with Aegis and Bastion. The bubble that surrounded him was pushed back, eventually granting enough space for the other two to slip in through the opening in the doorway. The hooded rogue lunged straight towards Shavvir while the lightly-robed caster seemed to remain in the back, watching everything play out...planning something. Maul dispelled the barrier as the dragonborn plowed into him, the two unstoppable forces colliding head on as Maul ducked low and lifted his shield up, getting the better end of the engagement as chest met shield. Maul carried the momentum onwards, lifting the shield up and over his head whilst managing to carry the dragonborn with it. Maul spun around deftly, slamming his namesake weapon into the dragonborn's back as he fell to the ground with a thud.
Shavvir had to swerve to the right as the rogue lunged towards her, blade grazing her side as she did so...a blade she very quickly realized was poisoned. Pain flared from the small cut as it coarse through her blood, her head spinning and vision blurry within seconds of the cut. "Maul...help." She stumbled to the side, trying to keep herself upright, only to see not Maul, but Lance appear right next to her. Blink had missed its target, clinking into the stone wall behind her but getting Lance to his desired location nonetheless.
"Careful Lance...it's poisoned." Shavvir wavered, stumbling on her feet as she felt a dagger plunge into her back, a howl of pain fleeing her lips as red danced across her vision and her entire spine seized up. Her armor dispelled, the second band around her waist fading at the solid blow, leaving her in nothing more than her usual armor.
She heard the sounds of war around her...steel against steel, bolts of fire, ice, and lightning all erupting around her, but Shavvir wasn't there for any of it...she'd fallen on the ground, too incapacitated by the poison.
"Pathetic." The voice resonated in her mind, all consuming. She knew exactly whom it was.
"I have failed you, Lolth...carelessly."
If the voice could smirk, it would have...the tone that returned certainly gave Shavvir that feeling. "No, you have not failed yet. Why do you not use my gift? After fawning over it, I expected better from you. I had my doubts Shavvir...am I nothing more than a tool to you?"
"My Queen...no, you are not. I simply don't know how to activate this blade that you have blessed me with. Its secrets...elude me."
"That is because you do not believe, Shavvir. When you believe it will open to you...but until then, know that there is always doubt within you. Doubt that you made the right choice. Doubt that you made the wrong choice. Doubt that any of this matters...that you truly wish for the path that you follow. You can speak any and all that you wish...but your heart, your soul...that shows the true answer."
Shavvir paused, ephemeral space hanging between them. She knew Lolth was right...there was no reason even trying to deny it. There was always doubt...she thought she'd made the correct decision, but there was no way to know for certain. The fact that she was called out like this, however, especially by the one she'd put her trust and faith in...it wounded her pride in a way that couldn't be measured.
"I...I do believe, Lolth. I believe in you, what you stand for, what Phyrra has taught me, everything. I swear on this...I believe. I just...so much has happened in such a short time, it's difficult to know if anything is correct. I know that my decision to abandon the Raven Queen was right, and I know that my decision to follow you was - is right. But...I'm still learning, and there's so much I don't feel I know quite yet. I believe in what you say now...I know that there is doubt in my mind, and I've been pushing it away, little by little...but I'm not there yet."
"Why do you admit your failures to me, Shavvir? Do you not fear the retribution that might come upon you, admitting you doubt the Goddess you have sworn servitude to?"
"I do...I fear it now. But I know you are all-powerful, and some lies are not with the risk. You have already shown that you know far more of me than even I know of myself. What gain is there to feign total loyalty when I know that you are aware of my true state of being?"
Again, another haughty laugh resonated in the space between them. "You are very different from my drow, Shavvir. Even Phyrra would lie to my face if it were to cover her failures. But you...you bare it all. I will admit, I find it amusing. You are correct, however...and thus, know that you cannot hide. I will grant you the powers I have invested in your blade this once, Shavvir...but it is the rarest of exceptions, and only because I find humor in your behavior. You are loyal and honest, and it is rare that I find a drow with one, let alone both, of those traits. May they serve you well."
"Thank you, my - "
Shavvir was ripped back into reality, her sword pulsing in her hand. The poison was still thrumming through her body, her entire chest feeling puffy and bloated, her mind lethargic as if walking through mud. The one piece of information she could take in was Everlife...her eyes glanced over, seeing the unmistakable pulse of blood-red light from the gem in the center of it, her blurry vision able to make out little else. She looked around, dancing figures of all shapes moving across her vision, muffled sounds...it was too much information to process at once, her mind too fuzzy to perform even simple tasks.
She felt movement on her sword arm, squinting her eyes to try and make out something, anything, within the madness. What she saw was perplexing...the red pulse had risen, the gem moving from its socket and towards her. The red seemed to bleed out and onto the ground...but she couldn't make out -
Searing pain. It was blinding, all that Shavvir could even register for several seconds. It was like being tossed into an inferno, her skin crawling as pinpricks of heat pressed against every inch of her flesh. Her vision went blinding white, an unwelcome change from even the blurry view that she had before...whatever was happening, she had no control over it...and it felt nothing like a gift.
As soon as the pain found her, it left...and with it, came a rush of energy. Her eyesight was clear...no, not clear...it was better than usual. Her eyes were glancing absentmindedly around her, noticing the tiniest distortions of the stone floor, the glinting of Everlife's blade in the dim room, the blood-red spider that had -
Shavvir shook her head, snapping back to reality. Everlife's blade was barren, the spider that had previously decorated it now gone...but not far. It had...come to life? Shavvir missed that part, only seeing the results and not the methods. It was attached to her arm, its abdomen bearing the glowing red gem that previously sat in the crossguard of the weapon. Its fangs were embedded in her skin, a small pinprick of nagging pain that was insignificant, and yet impossible to ignore.
Shavvir heard a voice in her head. "I'll give you one final push, my servant. This does not last long...if you wish to remain in my good graces, you'd be wise to not waste any more time than you already have gawking."
Shavvir didn't respond, instead scrambling to her feet...an action that she performed faster than she expected. She felt more nimble, more agile...and yet, her muscles were brimming with power. Without a second thought she lunged forward, feet carrying her towards the dragonborn. In the chaos while she was down Maul had been knocked to the floor, the rest of the Syndicate still trying to use the barroom as some modicum of cover, only resulting in keeping them pinned down in the back of the room. She needed to be a distraction...no, she needed to be a turning point.
Before her adversary had even moved, Shavvir knew what he was going to do. How? She could only assume the onyx spider in her arm fueled her mind, giving her a battle sense she'd have to figure out later. The weapon embedded in its arm swung out, Shavvir easily sidestepping and thrusting Everlife forward, The sword cut deep, the dragonborn's heavy armor doing no better than parchment at stopping her blow. Once the sword was firmly embedded in him she twisted it, shoving it deeper into his side. Organs likely burst...if she slowed down she could probably figure out which ones, the flood of information spinning about in her head coming in faster than she could process it. Shavvir pulled the sword out just as his counterattack came at her, leaving her mere milliseconds to avoid the swing...but that was all she needed.
Next up, the mace-wielder. Shavvir hadn't seen her do anything yet...potentially by choice. She rushed at her, weapon out and ready to strike. Her blade swung true, but a magical shield was erected at the last second, deflecting Everlife just before it would have sliced her thigh. Shavvir repositioned, trying to make every second count. She could already feel the effects starting to wear off...she didn't know how long she had, but she needed to make it count. She lashed out violently, a flurry of blindingly fast swipes attempting to break through the barrier. The first cracked it, but deflected. The second furthered the crack, splinters running all across it as she continued going. The third shattered it, the weapon plunging straight into the mace-wielder's chest as Shavvir thrust it forward as hard as she could, ripping the blade out only to thrust it back in again for the deathblow.
When Shavvir spoke, it felt like Lolth's voice itself was underneath hers, the two voices speaking at once. "You serve a worthless, pathetic deity. And you will die for that mistake." Shavvir made one final blow to the side of her head, the blade ripping clean through to the other side...and that was her end.
Or so she thought. The headless form stayed upright for several seconds, blood dribbling down and staining the white cloth. A harsh, screeching cacophony of voices filled Shavvir's mind. "No, you will!" The headless figure lunged at her, mace extended high overhead. As it came down, the flanges on the side spread out to even further resemble a raven's wings, the bird now engraved on its side cawing as the mace slammed into Shavvir with the force of an explosion. She was sent hurtling back into the center of the room, bumping into the dragonborn. When she looked up, he too was headless, blood cascading down his black armor, spilling down onto Shavvir as she tried to shield herself from the gore.
"You cannot run, Shavvir. We will find you. There is no escape!" The words screeched and echoed in her mind as the dragonborn lifted his arm up, infused weapon slamming down towards her. Shavvir skittered out of the way, the last vestiges of her augmented abilities narrowly saving her from losing her legs as the sword slammed into the floor. Once free she scrambled to her feet, trying to escape this horrifying onslaught.
However, she only managed to bump into yet another of the opposing forces. She couldn't see her allies around her...she wasn't sure what had happened or where she was, only that she was alone...and, if she was willing to admit it to herself, terrified. The third member was also headless, staff held outright as a crackling of electricity began arcing at the tip of the rod. "The Raven Queen does not forget. The Raven Queen does not forgive." Shavvir clutched her head as the words dug into her like a knife, dodging out of the way as the arc of lightning leaped from the staff, blasting against the far wall. When Shavvir looked down, the spider on her arm was gone...not only that, it had not returned to her sword as well. Lolth...had left her. A second bolt of lightning forced Shavvir to jump towards the floor as it arced right overhead, the shadar-kai quickly rolling over and scrambling backwards, only to be stopped in mere seconds by the far wall of the room.
The three unholy figures loomed over her, seeming to swell in size as they did. Mace, sword, and scepter all prepared to come down on her as once, a fourth union of screeching voices invading her mind. "The Raven Queen will be your end!"
Shavvir tucked into fetal position, legs tight and arms hiding her head as she waited for the inevitable...but it never came. Seconds passed in silence, and yet Shavvir still didn't know what had happened to her. Was this...death? Had she been -
"Shavvir?"
It was Phyrra, unmistakably. Shavvir immediately pried herself open, legs falling limp and arms revealing her hidden features. They were the only ones in the room, but out of the corner of her eye she could see a member of their opposition falling down, an arrow lodged through his temple.
"It's okay Shavvir...it wasn't real." This time it was Wake that spoke, stowing his bow in the process. All around them were the bodies of those they had slain...somehow, they all had managed to survive the ordeal...somehow.
"What do you mean?"
Zaelynir quickly responded. "Illusion magic, and powerful at that. I don't think any of us could know what you saw...but given what we saw you doing, I don't think we'd want to anyways. Just know that it's not a problem anymore, dear. It's dealt with."
An illusion...if it was an illusion, it didn't feel like one. The bodies seemed real. The blades seemed real...the scars, they seemed -
Shavvir looked down at herself...there were no scars. The blade, the mace...there were no traces of where they'd struck her. To her side, her sword even looked exactly as it should be, the onyx spider surrounding the blade once more. Just when did the illusion start? Was it all -
"Yes...that part did happen." Phyrra finished the thought for her, the drow seeing where her companion's eyes were wandering. "I've never seen anything quite like it before. What did it feel like?"
"Raw power. Like I could take on anything. It didn't last long...at least, I don't think it did."
"No, it didn't. However, you used it well...I know Lolth will be pleased with that."
Right, Lolth...in the rush of events, she'd nearly forgotten how she'd disappointed Lolth...how she needed to be careful. However, the illusion only cemented that doubt in her mind...doubt that this was the right choice. That leaving the Raven Queen and seeking refuge elsewhere was what she was meant to do. Again, illusion or not, it felt real...and the words that were imprinted in her mind during it felt even more real than the rest.
Shavvir stood back up, still shaky from everything that had happened. From the moment that they'd been ambushed everything had become a blur of split-second reactions...and now, everything slowed down once more. "So...we've done what we came here to do, or at least so we believe. Do we risk staying here any further, or report back?"
"We should leave. These people...they didn't need to die. They died because we choose not to. Let's not also ransack their home." Lance seemed steadfast in his position...and Shavvir couldn't blame him. She didn't know quite when he'd grown the conscience he now had, but she always valued his input. The shadar-kai could rely on him to do the right thing, not the best thing...it was a fine line, but it was times like this when Lance was clearly on his side of it.
"It would not hurt to investigate the rest of this compound. See who they were in contact with...where we might be able to find easy allies." Of course, the other side of the line was Wake...and he was equally steadfast.
Shavvir shook her head. "No, I'm with Lance here...we've no reason to stay any longer. Time is of the essence, and given how prepared they were for us I'm confident there are traps in here should we search too deep. It's been an eventful couple of days...let's just get what we came here for and move on."
Wake let out a sigh. "I...will not argue."
Phyrra agreed. "I have no qualms with leaving. Like you said, we've done what we came here for."
"Mobilizing."
"We've had our fun, made a bit of a mess...I'd hate to leave without cleaning up, but I don't want to keep our dear Strahd waiting."
"Good, sounds like we're in agreement then...or at least, not objecting. Let us leave this place." Shavvir turned around, starting back towards the top of the stairs. From this side, the illusory doorway was completely transparent...given that they had invisible people among their group, it was entirely likely that the opposition was tracking them from the moment they entered. It was built to be a trap, and they'd walked right into it...the mere fact that they were alive was either sheer luck, honed skill, or both.
As soon as they were outside, the thick fog of the clouds consumed them once more. Shavvir stepped aside for Zaelynir to lead them down once again. It was treacherous, clearly, and some of them were badly injured which only complicated the journey. However, after a while the cloud cover began to lighten up and eventually recede entirely as they continued their descent.
From this viewpoint, the one thing that dominated the landscape was Castle Ravenloft. It stretched high into the sky and far across the land, Strahd's power exemplified by the behemoth of a castle that he lived in. They'd done what was necessary for themselves...but Shavvir couldn't help but think in silence if there was another way beyond aiding despots like Strahd fulfill their own plans and machinations.
Further down they went, eventually reaching the foothills surrounding the mountainous peaks they'd come from. Over that time, Castle Ravenloft went from sprawling out below them to towering above, from this angle now dominating the horizon similarly to the view they had when they first arrived. All they had left to do now was return...it was the dead of night, and the journey ahead of them would put them arriving in the early hours of morning...but if that was what it took, then they'd do it.
There wasn't much in the way of conversation on their way back...they'd gotten through the various barriers blocking the way to Strahd's castle once, and a second time required little communication to get through. It was only until they made it to the minefield of sigils that they had to stop, Phyrra taking the lead once again. The ordeal went faster than before, the practices employed previously making a return. They managed to make it through, this time even avoiding a rogue detonation in the process.
Finally, they were back...the bags under their eyes were very much present, each member of the Syndicate mentally and physically exhausted from nearly two days of nonstop exploration. Shavvir only hoped that the negotiations with Strahd were short, and that they could get much-needed rest soon.
The group made their way around to the front doors of the central building, Shavvir raising her hand to knock only for the doors to open of their own volition once more. Inside, Strahd sat at one end of the elongated table, extending an open hand towards the far end. "Madam Blackfire, I see you've returned. Please, take a seat...I'm quite interested in your report."
Shavvir circled around, taking the high-backed chair at the far end of the room, the others sitting on either side of her. "The obstacle has been dealt with. We found their base, entered it, and eliminated every creature we saw inside." Shavvir worded that carefully - the statement was true, but it didn't quite portray the entire picture. There was more to their base that they didn't see...and while there could have been enemies deeper down, they never saw them to eliminate the threat."
"Excellent. And just how many did you 'deal with'? You've brought me no evidence, you see...I expected to see heads, if nothing else. I'd like some proof that you've done what I've commissioned you to do, after all...that's how business is done, yes?"
Shavvir wasn't sure if Strahd had noticed her absent words, or if the question was worded to draw them out...but it didn't put her in a strong position. If she was wrong here...well, she wasn't quite ready to consider that. "I apologize for the lapse in preparation, Count Zarovich. There were six of them, each resembling one of us in some fashion."
Strahd tapped his fingers together, seeming to nod approvingly. "Good, good. That matches my intel as well. And tell me, Madam Blackfire, why do I have any reason to trust that you actually dispatched these insubordinates? One can easily reason that your goals align, and that it would be advantageous to work together, no? Once again, I see no evidence of your claims before me...I know that you and your group are thorough, which makes this lapse even more troublesome."
Wake took the lead on the conversation, making sure to have Shavvir's grace before speaking out of turn. "Count Zarovich, we in fact believe that allying ourselves with these insubordinates is detrimental to our own goals. Suppose they were exploring the same options that we have been, seeking aid from extraordinarily powerful beings on other planes of existence, such as yourself. It is in our best interest to eliminate them before they can forge such bonds, allowing us more freedom in our pursuits. As such, we saw fit to eliminate them."
Strahd stood up from the table, palms flat against its surface as his fingers curled in anger. "And yet we come back to the simplistic issue of evidence, don't we. Thus far, you've only proven that you've met with these criminals, not slain them. Now, I do not fancy repeating myself, so I will say this once. Miss Blackfire. Show me proof of your claims, or I will have you escorted out immediately."
Shavvir let out a frustrated sigh...they had none. Lance had pushed them all to leave quickly, a decision she fully backed at the time...and in truth still did. However, they should have brought something back with them...anything. "I once again apologize, Count Zarovich. In our efforts to return to you as promptly as possible, we failed to acquire anything that could be used as evidence for our claims. I understand the look that this must - "
To her surprise, Strahd actually cut her off. "No, you do not, Blackfire. What you look like is a traitor to the Shadowfell. You have aligned yourself with my sworn enemy, the precise opposite of what you were tasked to accomplish. You are a danger and a threat to this world, and I will have you in my presence no longer. Will you see yourselves out, or will it come to force?" The vampire's eyes burned with hatred, fangs bared in a snarl as he glared across the table.
To her dismay, Lance spoke out before Shavvir had a chance to respond. "My Lord, this is my responsibility, and I - "
"I said get out!" Strahd threw his hand forward, a pulse of magic emanating out from it. Everything on the table was pushed towards them, and in fact the Syndicate themselves were pushed back as well, chairs toppling over as they were thrown to the floor. Before any of them could get up, Strahd snapped his fingers, a blur of arcane gestures following. "You will not interfere with my plans any longer. You will be leaving."
A portal opened up beneath the half of the group as Wake, Phyrra, and Zaelynir were immediately sucked in. The other three managed to scramble out of the way, but Strahd simply shook his head, seemingly growing in size as he drew closer to them.
"No, there is no escape. There is no running. Only imprisonment awaits you...and it awaits you forever." Another quick flurry of arcane gestures happened as a similar portal opened up beneath the other three. This time, there was no escape...Shavvir, Maul, and Lance found themselves falling through the portal for mere seconds, until stopping.
When they arrived, it was pitch black, not even Lance's half-elven eyes giving him any hint of sight. "Where...are we?'
"Here, let me…" It was Shavvir's voice, the shadar-kai reaching out blindly, eventually finding Lance's shoulder...or at least, she hoped it was Lance's. "Damnit...my magic seems to be stifled. Do we have a torch?"
"Affirmative." Both heard Maul's movement not far away, shuffling towards him until Shavvir could lay her hand on the cool metal of the warforged. Maul rifled through his belongings, pulling out a torch that he set fire to.
Miraculously, it burned, revealing the room. Inside, they found what appeared to be a very simple room, a singular piece of smooth rock coating every surface, like it was carved, not built. There were no doors, windows, or exits of any kind...just the three of them, trapped inside.
"So, I ask again...where are we?' There was a hint of fear in Lance's tone, betraying the fear that he currently felt...this was not part of the plan. They needed to make it to the Abyss, to seek out Zaelynir's past and find aid with Orcus. Or, at the very least, they needed to make it to…
Carceri.
