Chapter Thirteen: Hole
The southern de'Arnise lands, 7 Hammer, 1370 DR
They rode through the snow, scattering ice as they pounded along the road.
Nalia led, followed by Cernick, and then Andrew, who moaned continuously about his back and his stomach. The priest of Chauntea was good-natured, but prone to moaning about things again and again, which was a habit that Nalia found annoying.
Although Cernick and Andrew were competent, she would have felt better with Keldorn by her side. Although she could not begrudge the paladin for returning to Athkatla to deal with a sickness his children had contracted, she felt the lack of his indomitable will beside her.
And he would have been a great help in dealing with the undead that were supposed to have taken root in the southernmost reaches of her land. The farmer that had brought the tidings had been half-dead, clawed and bitten by ghouls, eager for tender, living flesh. But it was good that his news had been delivered, so that Nalia could drive the evil from her lands.
She sighed.
Throughout Amn, the reports of evil beasts and creatures were increasing. Amnwater had been raided several times by hobgoblins, but had been saved through the efforts of the local militia, who were experienced in dealing with such creature, although not in such great numbers.
Athkatla remained safe, though rumours stated that it was dangerous to walk the streets at night, for vampires and ghosts preyed upon the foolish and weak, draining them of blood and life, leaving them as empty husks discarded on the cold stone slabs of the City of Coin.
Dark times.
Nalia looked up at the sun. As usual in winter, it was bright, but lacked heat. The day itself was splendid, with not falling snow, and with the sun making the whiteness gleam like a fresh blanket. Nalia remembered her early winters here, learning magic at the foot of Elmar, the old keep wizard.
He had left three years ago, for Waterdeep, proudly announcing that his pupil had far surpassed his skills. Nalia missed his patient teaching methods and his kind-hearted ways that had taught her how to see commoners as people, rather than as walking investments in money.
They rode past a tiny farmhouse, and slowed as an elderly woman called out, "Bless you, ma'am! Bless you for all ye've done for us!"
Nalia waved in thanks- she was riding too quickly to do much else, and she would not have wanted to speak with the woman anyway. All too often, they were full of nothing but praise, which made Nalia feel uncomfortable.
They rode on, increasing speed as they did so.
* * *
"We are too late," Nalia whispered her voice defeated and quiet. "The poor farmer's family… his home and livelihood… by the gods, I will have revenge on the creatures that have done this."
Cernick dismounted, and unsheathed his two-handed sword, and cautiously started to examine the remnants of the farmhouse.
The farmhouse that was supposed to have been under threat was now a charred, smoking ruin. Blood had been spattered all across the ruin. With a pale face, Nalia saw the body of the wife, torn apart by claws. There was no sign of the children.
"Where are they?" Andrew's voice was horrified. "Where are the children?"
Nalia sighed, "They must have been taken… the bastards, why take children, they are innocent and weak… what is the point in harming them?"
Cernick shouted suddenly, "Wait! They are here! They are safe, they are well!"
Father Andrew dismounted immediately, moving as quickly as his bulk allowed towards where Cernick stood, above a small bed. Nalia breathed in relief. At least they had come in time to rescue the children.
Her captain pulled out first one child, and then the next. They seemed slightly pale, though Nalia supposed that was only natural because they had seen their mother torn apart before their very eyes. She dismounted, and walked over to the children.
One was a young girl, the other a young boy. Both had dark black hair, and pale grey eyes that seemed mature for their tender age. Nalia knelt beside them, and whispered, "It's okay now, children. I am here, nothing will harm you while I am with you…"
Andrew muttered something under his breath, it sounded like a prayer. Nalia stood, and walked over to him quietly before murmuring in his ear. "What is it, Andrew? What can you sense?"
The priest of Chauntea turned to face her, his eyes fearful and distant. "Great evil, Nalia… its reek suffuses the earth around us. I can feel my Goddess rebelling against such disorder present in her domain. I know not what evil has seized this place, but it is close… and it is powerful."
Nalia nodded. She too could feel the overpowering sense of wrongness about this place, a feeling of malice that pressed around them, plaguing their minds and senses, threatening to wash over them like a great ocean.
Cernick and Nalia started to examine the ruins, and Andrew stayed with the children, making sure that they were well. Neither of the children had spoken a single word… they were obviously in deep shock.
With distaste, Nalia approached the butchered corpse of the mother, a broad, big-boned woman whose shock of red hair and a plethora of freckles spoke of great fiery strength. To see a life ended so brutally… it was something Nalia hated about her life as an adventurer, and now as a ruler of lands and peoples.
Saying a silent prayer for the woman's departing soul, Nalia made to turn away, but a gleam made her stop. Gently, she moved the woman's body, revealing a trapdoor of solid oak. Father Andrew walked over to her, and looked at the trapdoor, his face pale. "The evil gets stronger here…"
Cernick joined them. "Lady, perhaps we should save this for another time. Let us take the children to the keep, and get them healed and rested. We can return with Keldorn and the wizard when they return from Athkatla."
Andrew shook his head. "No. We cannot leave such evil here unchallenged. It will move on if we leave now, to plague other people and to murder and terrorise other children. We have to stop it here."
Nalia was silent for a while, before she said, "I agree with Andrew, we have to fight this thing, whatever it is. Cernick, if you want, you can take the children back to the keep. They cannot come with us."
Her captain said, "No. I will go with you, Nalia."
The priest of Chauntea asked, "What of the children, then? They cannot stay out here, anyone may attack them. Nalia, they must come down here with us. Your power is enough to defeat this thing, I think. The children will be safer with us, than without us."
Nalia looked at the two, both wide-eyed and scared, and then nodded. "Very well, they will come down with us. Cernick, open the trapdoor. Let's try and get this over before nightfall."
Her captain walked over to the slab of wood, and pulled it up using its handle. A cloud of dust and grime flew over them. Nalia coughed. It smelt of rotting flesh, of decay and neglect… of dried blood… of ancient bones…
She had smelt it before…
Athkatla… the Graveyard District…
Saradush… the prisons…
Vampires!
Shivering, Nalia took the first step into the icy, inky blackness of the hole. The daylight was lost to them in just a few minutes of walking. They were entering the realms of death…
* * *