Chapter 14: Embracing the Unexpected

Somewhere in the darkness…

"My lord." Arix enters the massive, darkly lit chamber.

The sounds of his footfalls echoing. At the farthest wall of the room sits Arix's master, a skeletal shadow of his former mortal self. His eyes blood red and glowing. Two ghoul dire wolves flank him as he sits on his throne. The undead hounds lift their heads snarling faintly as Arix approaches. Only patches of skin, bloodied and tattered, remain on their exposed bone. Undead walkers stalk the interior around him, moaning and crying.

Though Arix reveled in despair and agony, the tyrant was on a whole other level. Arix kneels before his infernal master.

"I was able to find the location of one of the lost dark tomes." Arix states.

The tyrant's eyes glow brighter. "Good." The candles about the room flicker and grow brighter, the temperature dropping to the point that Arix sees his breath. Bring it to me now…"

Eris

Eris is startled awake as Kith jumps to his feet. Kosh at the ready. The wind picks up, Crackle...snap...

Eris rises to her feet. "Wait!" she shouts. She recognized this.

Crack... A woman appears instantaneously.

"Saerana." she says breathlessly."

"You know her?" Ren asks.

"She's my grandmother."

Saerana chuckles, as the others giving her confusing looks.

Saerana was the first person to bother with her when she found Eris collapsed on the forest floor, after being removed from her village. She was a powerful sorceress of extreme import to Queen Anastacia. She had taken it upon herself to train and care for Eris. Others call her elven kind cold and aloof. But never once did she feel that way when she was with Saerana.

"Hello child," she says sobering up. "We don't have much time now. It's about the runelord rumors. There aren't two of them." Eris offers her a drink which she gulps quickly. "The lich wants the Gluttonous Tomes. He has one of them already." She says looking at Ren.

"Do we know where the other two are?" Ren asks.

"Why? What would you plan to do with them?" She asks him suspiciously.

"Do you know where they are?" Eris asks breaking the stare down Ren and Saerana are giving each other.

"Celwynvian."

Ren gasps. "The," he pauses, "Library of Reenai."

Eris had only heard of the lost elven city in Saerana's ancient texts. The ones she wasn't supposed to read.

"Still this is only rumored. The other researchers heavily suggest the other is in the Ruins of el-Amara." You are to head there post haste.

"And Urgir? We are to meet with the others." Kosh says roughly.

"The other group has been made aware of the changes. They will continue forward with the plan. Elion and Stonebottom's people will provide them with support."

"Celwynvian is in the opposite direction," Ren mentions.

Saerana nods.

"When we find the tome-" Eris begins.

"You are to destroy it immediately." Saerana states.

"I must go," Saerana says putting her hand on Eris' shoulder. She leans down to kiss her granddaughter on the cheek. "Be careful. His pupil that you encountered in Narrlin Hamlet will most likely be sent to one of the locations."

"Arix." They all say in unison.

Ren

The group decided to make their way south and stop at Thisome Keep.

Grymlop Stonebottom greets them at the gate doors. "Welcome! Welcome!" He says enthusiastically. "I've taken care of accommodations for you. I'm sure you've been longing for a more comfortable living situation." He says stoking his pipe. "Ones that don't include sleeping on the ground." Stonebottom doesn't wait for them to respond. "Mendo, please show these fine adventurers to there quarters." He says to a smaller dwarf nearby. "Please join me and my family for breakfast in the morn."

Ren had to admit a real bed sounded spectacular. After finding out their mission was changed, it disheartened the group a bit. What spurs them on is a potential confrontation with Arix. They all want payback. Bastard!

The room was pretty nice for a small mining village. The headboard is ornate stone and bedded with colorful linens. The fireplace is small, opposite the bed, but provides enough warmth that is comfortable for Renimil. The walls are draped with dwarven tapestries. Ren opens the window to air out the room. He leans out and watches as people walk about doing their business.

The Tomes of Gluttony. Ren understood Saerana's wariness about the tome and him. It was most necromancer's dream to make that kind of find. To have that kind of power. Ren just wants the power to eliminate the great lich and restore the souls of his lost family and now those of Narrlin. Ren sighs and lays down. He thinks of Kylinndra and all her friends and family. He remembers waking up to her crying in her sleep.

He remembered when he woke up startled from the memories of losing his family, his clan. He understood her pain and anger. He is lucky though. He is getting the chance at revenge. A chance to free the souls the tyrant holds as slaves for his whims. Renimil shakes the thoughts from his head, rolls over and closes his eyes. His last thoughts are of Kylinndra and the warmth of her body.

Eris

Eris wakes to the sound of soft knocking at her door. She had requested hot water for a bath and didn't mean to fall asleep. The room was equipped with a large black marble tub. Ornate flowers etched into its sides. She couldn't resist the appeal of a steamy bath. She opens the door and two lady dwarves bring in pails of water and another carries in a small tray with toiletries.

"Thank you so much!" They nod and leave her. Eris would get up early to make her famous tarts. The people at Thisome are treating them like royalty. She knew the tarts wouldn't be enough payment but it was a start.

Eris disrobes and dips her foot in the bath testing the water. Just right.

It is a few minutes of soaking before a knock interrupts her moments of bliss.

"Eris?" Kith calls for her on the other side of the door.

Eris jerks up, covering herself frantically with her hands. Wait, this is what I want. Eris puts her hands down at her sides, her heart beating so hard she can hear it. The air and water getting hotter by the second. "Yes?"

The door opens slowly and Kith walks in to look around for Eris. Kith sharply inhales. The tips of her breast are peaking out of the water and Eris feels victorious at Kith's reaction. She rises to her feet and Kith can get a full view of her. Kith walks over, picks her up, and brings her to the bed.

Kosh

Kosh woke early and headed to the library to do research on their next location. Noises from the workers in the mine could be heard getting louder as he got closer. The village was quite large and too rocky for Kosh's taste. He loves open lands, wild beasts, and epic vistas. The people are scurrying about as some begin their day, setting up shops or heading to the mine. Children are playing in the street and the school bell chimes indicating they will be starting soon.

The library is quite large and surprising to Kosh as he enters the massive doors to The Tempered Library. Kosh finds the tomes and maps he is looking for and takes a seat in the back next to the fireplace. Kosh examines the map to find an easy and quite route for them to travel.

It would take weeks to get there and time was of the essence.