Child's Play
"I think we all heard it." Masoj said calmly; his nervous glancing got worse after the telepathic incident concerning Izzy. Beside him, Meeks grasped the mage's slender hand and nodded at her team, "It woke me up. And it was Izzy alright! I could never forget that little voice of hers." She commented thoughtfully, omitting the word annoying' for Will's sake. The team had gathered outside their borrowed chambers and now stood in the hallway, conversing as quietly as possible about the previous night's odd occurrence.
Nightshade and Pryzma's expressions were rock solid and unbelievably uninviting, "I say it's a trap." Nightshade said shortly. Pryzma clutched the thief's thick cloak as she stepped up to stand beside her, "She's right. I don't want us doing anything stupid at this point in our mission; Izzy, if that was indeed Izzy, is hopeless -- and not to mention useless." The drowess said, adding in her two cents in an effort to discourage the team from setting up a rescue mission for Izzy. The two friends had a point, but morality did not let lose its clenching grip on the rest of the team. Will was first and foremost in the save Izzy' campaign, "That's an atrocious thing to say, you two! Izzy is here and alive, obviously, and I can feel her presence here! If there's a way to take her home with us, than it has to be done!" He cried, letting his voice grow passionate at the subject.
"Okay, say we save Izzy; what if we walk into our deaths by going off and facing Dran? What if she dies with us? Wouldn't it be our fault then?" San-Raal proposed, playing on the cleric's feelings; he wasn't sure going after Izzy was such a good idea, Dran was too playful' when it came to mind games. Since the morning, San-Raal and Elyxya had not let go of one-another; they held hands and clutched each-other constantly. Even though the couple thought they had indeed shared a moment of privacy, the entire team knew what had happened the night before. Will shook his head violently and made chopping gestures with his hands, "No! Would it be any smarter of us to just leave her wherever she is to die?! I'd rather her fight with us than decay in some dank dungeon!" He rambled on. The team begun to get the idea that they would be Izzy-chasing' by the end of the day; they considered mutiny against Will, but that was very stupid and unthinkable.
"Since when can Izzy use telepathy?" Elyxya asked rather smartly, the little thief had never done it before. Will was quick to answer, making the valid question sound like something an idiot might ask, "It's probably a talent she developed but didn't find the proper time to use." He explained hastily.
Nightshade and Pryzma were still not pleased, and their stubbornness grew with every moment, "I still say it's a trap. A great, big trap that we're all running head-on into!" Nightshade exclaimed and folded her arms over her chest. Pryzma grinded her teeth at Will when the cleric made a face at Nightshade, "Why won't you listen to your brain for once instead of your heart! Don't you see the mistake we're all making?" She cried, her voice cracking with strain and desperation; she gave every member of the team a pleading look and received a bunch of blank stares in return, "Damn you!" She fumed, her small fists clenching at her side and around Nightshade's cloak.
The team grew silent for quite some time as everyone thought the same impossible thing: why not split up? The option was a no-no; the team needed a cleric for healing and nourishment and a thief for tricky situations -- those two couldn't be split up fairly. And anyway, weren't they all working to reach the same goal? So saving Izzy was a sidetrack, who cares!? If it kept the team together until they reached the end of their mission, that was all that mattered; and everyone knew that very well. The crew looked at each-other and realized that they didn't want to be split up, not at all; they were a team and they would remain one until death do them part. They had grown to appreciate each-other since the beginning of their mission and the didn't care to lose another of their small number for something as stupid as a disagreement. They would do what they would have to, whatever the consequences, for they were one now.
"Let's go get the little wench." Nightshade and Pryzma sighed simultaneously, bringing a big smile onto Will's lips and causing the rest of the team to get ready for one of the final legs of their mission.
***
Rain paced around the hypnotized Izzy and watched' through the girl's mind as her old crew fought about taking the bait. He scolded himself for not having chosen Pryzma or Nightshade as his targets for mind manipulation; he stood impressed at the two's persuasively pragmatic arguments. If the team decided to forget about the orange-haired girl that was now in his power, Rain would have the girl perform another telepathic message that would surely bring guilt to at least one of the team mates' minds.
Suddenly, the two persuasive women gave out and the team shifted into gear. Rain wiggled his four fingers with glee and sent another psychic suggestion to the orange-haired thief who sat immobile in front of him; it was time to start reeling it in.
***
"Follow the hallway and turn to your right." Izzy's voice piped happily in the team's mind. The team stalked forward, feeling as though they were playing some sort of childish game. "How do you know where to go?" Elyxya asked Izzy out loud; she had a sick feeling that Izzy could watch them from wherever she was being held captive. The little thief's perky voice answered Elyxya's question in the entire team's minds, "I saw where they took me when they brought me to this place." She responded, "The clerics weren't very nice to me." She added seconds after. The words oh shut up' came in a hushed whisper from somewhere in the back of the team. The group ended the hallway and turned to their right; there was a set of inter-joining rooms just beyond and another turn immediately after that.
"Where now?" Meeks asked, enjoying the little hunt like a child might a game of hide-and-seek. "Keep walking past two of the side chambers and enter the third one to your left." Izzy's voice instructed curtly. Cautiously, the group walked past the two side chambers and turned into the third one to the left. The room was small, and there was a door off to the far left corner. When the team stepped inside the chamber, the exit behind them became magically blocked off by a clear forcefield. "Argh!" Meeks and Elyxya both yelped, drawing their weapons and turning away from the wall to face a bunch of red-skinned creatures that resembled large worms with humanoid torsos. The creatures had just appeared out of nowhere and now there was about ten of them altogether, armed with spears and hissing annoyingly.
"Izzy!" Elyxya called out loud but received no answer; she raised her sword and prepared to fight the ugly creatures that moved in around the crew. "They're salamanders!" Pryzma declared with a shout as one of them poked its spear at her, "Hit em with anything but fire! They're from the elemental plane of Fire, it won't affect them!" She drew her sword and backhanded its blade across one of the salamanders' chests, it screeched a screech resembling that of the mantises'. The ten salamanders gathered around the crew and picked their targets, then they began to slash with the spiny tip of their spears. Fortunately for the team, the beings were not very quick; many of them were dispatched with spells such as lightning bolt and cone of cold, and the others were simply outsmarted by the team fighters' quick maneouvres. Like the mantises from the Test of Faith, the salamanders' corpses dissipated into nothingness. As far as wounds went, the team suffered few; Pryzma's arm was slashed and quickly bandaged, Will's hip was cut but not deeply enough to call it serious, and San-Raal's hand was bruised after a run-in with a salamander's face.
"What was that?" Meeks asked, watching the salamanders disappear around her. No one answered the warrior's question. "No, now that wasn't sent to destroy us!" Masoj spat sarcastically, wiping blood off his dirty spellbook; he sighed impatiently and, realizing it would be stained forever, smeared the blood on the cover in a symbol of exasperation. Meeks saw the mage whining again and patted his backside lightly, "Quit your whinin', Masoj. I'm a mess too." She said soothingly and pointed to her blood-stained clothes and chainmail; Masoj looked down at her and wondered how it was that she could be happy living such a simple life...it was because she was a simple person, he told himself, and bent to kiss her lips quickly.
"Go through the door at the back." Came Izzy's voice again, as though nothing had happened. Elyxya, who had decided to do the communicating with the trapped thief, spoke up loud and clear, "We were just attacked by a ton of salamanders, Izzy." She declared in a not-so-happy tone. Izzy said nothing for a moment, then she gasped, "I -- I didn't know! There was awful contortion in the telepathy link and I lost you guys for a moment." She explained. Elyxya looked over at everyone and they mainly shrugged; all except Nightshade and Pryzma, "She's setting us up." Nightshade said darkly, Pryzma wiped the blood from her blade, "What help would she have been anyway?" The drowess grumbled. Izzy's voice pretended not to hear. The team began to feel a little uncomfortable.
"Hey!" Will called from the other end of the room; the cleric was pointing at the exit, "The magical barrier is gone! Maybe that's what was killing Izzy's link." He opted and came over to the others of his gang. The group looked and considered the idea; nothing was certain anymore. Without further dialogue, the group opened the door at the back of the room and stepped in, closing the thing behind them. The stood before a long, spiraling staircase; "Another staircase." Elyxya groaned, figuring the clerics of Darkmoon must get great exercise around the building. They ascended the stairs despite Elyxya's protesting legs and Izzy's voice met them at the top, "You're almost there!" She cheered, "Go straight and you'll arrive inside this really big room; instead of going in it though, turn left and go straight...you'll see a great big gold door with odd symbols on it," Her high voice wavered, "That's where I am!" She finished and her voice took its leave.
The crew did exactly what they were told and headed down the hall towards a golden-hued door that shone like there was no tomorrow. Their pace slowed to a cautious step, and they observed all the gorgeous tapestry and things that hung on the walls. Inside a small niche off to the left side, Nightshade's eyes fell on a red-gemstone statue of a dragon, "Oooooh my...it's so pretty..." She cooed, her dark eyes going round; he reached out to touch it but Will's hand shot back and held her where she was. "Stealing is not a good thing, Nightshade; especially stealing from a temple...no matter how awful the ruler of the building is." He scolded the older woman. Nightshade glared at him for a moment and then returned her eyes to the statuette, "I bet that thing is worth a lot in a market." She went on, dying to touch the emerald eyes that shone beautifully. Will shook his head.
***
"Thank you very much, miss Elizabeth." Rain's watery voice said shortly in Izzy's mind. The little thief jerked out of her hypnosis with start; she remembered nothing since she had fought with Rain, "W--what's happening?" She asked drowsily. In the corner of her eye, she could see the illithids busying about the room; they seemed hastier than before and she wondered what was going on.
"The time of our battle for Darkmoon is at hand, Elizabeth, and you have served us well." Rain continued calmly, stepping behind the trapped thief's chair, "But of course, you realize, we do not need more enemies. So, I am forced to make sure that you don't act up." He finished. Izzy wasn't sure she understood, "But---" She began but her words became screams as Rain sent an excruciatingly painful psychic blast her way.
***
"This is a trap, trap, trap, trap, trap!" Nightshade sang to herself as the crew gathered before the golden door. Odd, carved symbols covered its surface; not a sound could be heard from inside. Masoj and San-Raal both leaned forward and examined the carvings, trying to decipher the language and meaning. Elyxya and Meeks poised their weapons nervously, "What are they doing?" Elyxya asked impatiently, desperate to get Izzy and run away from the creepy spires of Darkmoon. Meeks shrugged non-comitally, "Reading..but they seem to be having some trouble." She giggled at the thought of a mage who couldn't read and Masoj looked back at her and shot her an evil glare. "Oh my god!" Meeks declared after taking a quick glance at the gold door. The two wizards looked back and frowned. The little warrior stepped forward and planted herself between the mages, "No way!" She gasped and touched the door lightly.
The team began to get worried and Will began to lose his confidence, "What is it?" The cleric asked; he didn't like seeing Meeks worried...that meant something really bad was going to happen. Elyxya put her hand on Meeks' shoulder, "Well?" She urged her friend. Meeks whipped back to look at her team, her eyes watered and her lower lip quivered, "We're so dead!" She cried and immediately began to cry great big tears that fell to the plush carpet. Masoj came to her side and hugged her tightly, "What are you talking about?" He asked, stroking her thick black hair soothingly. The little warrior sniffled against the mage's robes, "T-the writing...I know it...I-it's illithid!" She cried and began to sob again, drenching poor Masoj's shoulder. A gulp sounded over the team and Masoj spoke once more, "What does the scripture say?" He asked softly. Meeks looked up at him and frowned, "The w-what?" She asked dumbly; Masoj held back a sigh and rephrased his question, "The writing, love, what does the writing say?" He watched as the water came to the fighter's eyes once more but he held her gaze to stop her from bursting out again. Meeks swallowed thickly before responding, "It s-says that beyond that door is where the illithids are!" She said and buried her face in Masoj's chest.
The team saw what was the problem with illithids; they were highly intelligent, highly powerful creatures. What they didn't see though, was why they bothered Meeks so much. The group figured it was because Meeks was weak-minded and would not be able to suppress any of the mind-flayers' attacks -- she would be utterly useless if she wasn't protected! "So...does that mean Izzy's not in there?" Will asked guiltily, trying his best to ignore the looks he was getting from Pryzma and Nightshade. Elyxya gave Masoj and Meeks a sympathetic glance, "If she's in there, she's well protected! Although I can't see why she would be." She said, apprehensive now. Nightshade and Pryzma's voices rang out in a singing tone, "Trap! Trap! Trap, trap, trap, trap!".