"Ye gods, cultist! I swear if you don't keep this thing away from me, I'll tie all eight of its legs around your neck!" bellowed Gameth as he scrambled to get up.
Yellow Sky wrapped a protective arm around the giant spider as it backed away from the fuming warrior. "Look what you did," he said reproachfully. "You've hurt Chompalot's feelings. He really looks up to you, you know."
"I don't care!" raged the warrior. "I'm sick of waking up in the mornings to the smell of spider breath all over my face!"
"That's how he shows his affection," began the cultist, just as Lydith stepped into the clearing where they had spent the night.
Gameth turned to regard the girl. "And where have you been? You shouldn't be wandering off by yourself – it's too dangerous! And you!" he fumed again at the cultist, "How can you let her go off on her own!?"
"I didn't go far, Gameth," replied Lydith before the cultist could answer. "I just went to get some water." She held up a filled canteen. "And Yellow Sky could see me all the while."
Gameth took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I'm sorry, Lydith," he said. "I didn't mean to go off on you like that. It's just that we're getting closer to the caverns every day and we're entering regions where creatures worse than goblins can be found. And I'm not really a morning person as you might have noticed."
"Gameth always in bad mood in the mornings," observed Yellow Sky.
"Shut up, cultist."
"There is something else, Gameth," said Lydith uneasily. "I feel like something's been here before. I don't know what it is, but it reeks of death and passed here a few days ago." She gave a worried look to Gameth. "I've been feeling traces like this the closer we get to the caverns. I fear that this more than just the three of us can handle."
"The seven of us!" corrected Yellow Sky, arm still around the spider.
Gameth frowned, ignoring the cultist. "More undead roaming around this area is bad news. And if Daedra is in trouble in a place like this, then we're going to have to get her out. Hopefully, we'll be able to find her before anything else finds us."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Getting out of the city of Necroselluem in the middle of the night proved easier than Lydith had anticipated. The city guards at the gate were acquainted with Gameth and hardly asked any questions regarding the warrior's sudden departure from the city. After a brief friendly chat, a guard at the gate opened a small door built into the gate itself and let them through.
Once outside, Lydith proceeded to tell Gameth about everything she had experienced while in the convent. Gameth listened intently while Yellow Sky followed along in an uncaringly gleeful attitude, distracted by anything he found curious. The full moon provided enough light for the three of them to walk without need of a lantern.
Gameth was silent until Lydith told him about her ability to 'hear' the undead speak. He hesitated before he spoke. "I've.. heard about this ability of yours, Lydith."
"You have?" said Lydith in surprise. "My friend Karyn and I have scoured over every book in the temple library and we didn't find any reference to it at all."
"I don't think you would have. The priestesses keep records of it in a much more secure place. But even they do not have much on it, save that it is an ability bestowed by Krypta herself." He looked at Lydith. "Your mother had this same ability."
Lydith stared at him unbelievingly. "You never told me," she managed after a while.
"I was sworn to secrecy," replied Gameth. "By your own mother. She told me that she found it more a curse than a blessing. Anyone who knew of her powers, especially other priestesses, tended to keep their distance, too fearful of her abilities, yet too astute to let her be. She never wanted a different life from anyone else, but this ability forever kept her apart from others."
"But Aunt Daedra was not distant from her," Lydith pointed out. "And neither were you."
"Ah, girl," sighed Gameth. "I don't think it was the distance of other people that affected your mother; it was more the discomfort of being treated differently."
They walked for a while in silence, Lydith deep in thought. What her mother had faced before was potentially what she would have to face in her own future and the prospect troubled her. After a while, she firmly pushed those worries aside - she would cross that bridge when she came to it. Meanwhile, she had to turn her attention to more urgent matters. "Gameth?" she queried. "Do you think that this ability is somehow linked to why I feel that Aunt Daedra is in danger?"
Gameth shrugged. "It is possible, I suppose. As I said, even the priestesses do not know much about it," he replied. "But just knowing that she is in danger is not enough. What more can you tell me about this place you see Daedra in?"
The details of her dreams were etched in Lydith's mind, so she described them as best as she could. "She seemed to be in a cave or cavern, some place under the ground. The walls and ground were reddish-yellow, but it could have been because of the red light from the web she was trapped in."
"Reddish-Yellowish Caves!" The cultist bounded up excitedly. "Yellow Sky has seen such caves! Yellow Sky can take you!"
"Not so fast, cultist," growled Gameth. "We can't go running after every cave you've been to just because you think they looked red or yellow or purple."
"Reddish-Yellowish rocks!" insisted the cultist. "From sacred priestess caverns up north!"
Gameth and Lydith exchanged glances. "Well," admitted the warrior. "The cultist is probably referring to the Caverns of Shovah-Ukran north from here. Massive limestone caves which have some red clay impurities that streak the yellow walls with reddish lines. But anyway, the priestesses consider it a holy place and dislike people from going there. Not that many would want to – the area around those caverns are not particularly safe for anyone."
"Except Yellow Sky!" declared the cultist. "Yellow Sky can lead you there, past all dangers and bad creatures!"
"I suppose that's all we have now, Gameth," said Lydith. "At least until I remember more details from the dreams."
"Very well," said Gameth. He scowled at the grinning cultist. "Meanwhile, I'll be watching you. I don't trust you, or your folk and if this turns out to be one of your pranks, I'll make sure you'll regret it more than I will for taking directions from a cultist."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A deep resounding bell began to toll as Tomas landed on the pavement outside the temple walls. He looked around for any pursuers just as Kievan landed beside him.
"The temple bell!" gasped the thief. "By Krypta's blood, every priestess and undead in the city is going to come stalking now!"
Tomas scanned the area once again. "Can't stay in the city then," he remarked.
"There are many ways out," said Kievan. "You can try the Hungry Varg tavern on the south wall – they've got a tunnel to the outside which they'll let you use for a reasonable price as long as you don't sound too desperate. I'll find some place to lay low for a while until the commotion dies down."
Tomas leveled his crossbow at the thief. "And you're coming with me."
Kievan swore to himself. "Listen, sir," said Kievan. "I've already told you that I'm not going to tell anyone at the Guild about you."
"The only way you're staying behind is dead and hidden in an alleyway," replied Tomas. "Once we're both some distance from the city, you can go."
Kievan threw his hands up in frustration. "Okay, fine, I'll come with you," he snapped. "But at least tell me what your name is."
Tomas paused for a while before he replied. "Tomas. My name is Tomas."
"Tomas, eh?" said Kievan in a sarcastic tone. "Named yourself after the Taker, did you?"
Tomas smiled in amusement. "Something like that."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tomas's comment of a few who did not sleep in the Temple of Krypta might have been based on a number of rumours that circulated even amongst the Temple servants themselves. It was said that no one had ever seen the Convent Mother Darkfriend sleep. The servants whispered that although the official sleeping quarters of the Convent Mother were located next to her study, and that it was cleaned out every morning, the bed itself remained unslept in.
Of course, the more sceptical would state that the Convent Mother either made it a point to make her own bed every morning, or kept very bad sleeping habits on her study room chair. Nevertheless, Sister ShadowLife was slightly taken-aback when her tentative knock on the Convent Mother's door in the middle of the night was immediately answered by a curt response to enter.
The priestess entered the dark wood study room, her head bowed respectfully as she moved towards the polished desk where the Convent Mother is busily writing into a large tome with a goose feather quill by the light of a desk oil lamp. The Convent Mother did not look up from her writing as she spoke. "Good evening, Sister ShadowLife. Here to report on tonight's occurances?"
"Yes, Mother Darkfriend," nodded the priestess. "There were intruders this night in the servant's wing. Thieves, most likely, and they were pursued to the gardens where they escaped over the wall."
"Thieves, you say," sniffed Mother Darkfriend. "Even when the city's rogue's guildmaster is too afraid to even relieve himself against the Temple's outer wall? Something is not quite right, Sister ShadowLife."
"Yes, Mother Darkfriend," admitted the priestess.
"Send word to the guildmaster. I will have words with him about these.. thieves."
"At once, Mother Darkfriend." Sister ShadowLife hesitated as she ventured to speak again. "There is.. another thing, dread Mother. The initiate Lydith has disappeared from her chambers. No one knows where she is."
The quill stopped as Mother Darkfriend peered up sharply at the priestess. "In Sister Daedra's absence, I thought I made it clear that the girl was under your supervision, Sister ShadowLife."
Sister ShadowLife did not look up to meet the Convent Mother's piercing gaze. "I apologize, Mother. I was-"
"What you were doing is inconsequential," said the Convent Mother sharply. "You will form a search party and find the girl. She is too valuable to be lost at this time."
"Yes, Mother Darkfriend," replied Sister ShadowLife.
The Convent Mother frowned as she leaned back on her study chair. "Two things happening on the same night.. almost seemingly by chance. I do not believe in co-incidences, Sister ShadowLife." She focused on the priestess before her. "I want those thieves apprehended and brought to me."
"Do you wish me to inform the Guildmaster and the City Watch?" asked Sister ShadowLife.
"No," said Mother Darkfriend thoughtfully. "We will deal with this ourselves."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Eighteen gold sovereigns, and not a copper less," stated the elven tavern keeper while examining his carefully manicured finger-nails.
"What!?" exclaimed Kievan. "Last time, you charged me six when I used the tunnel!"
"Last time, me and my household weren't woken up in the middle of the night, and you didn't have a suspicious-looking character with you," sniffed the elf disdainfully as he observed Tomas who was standing behind Kievan.
"If you think that I'm going to pay three times the price-"
"Pay him," uttered Tomas over Kievan's shoulder as he looked around the empty tavern. It was a modest establishment and like most elven businesses, it offered one or two highly illegal services, in this case access to a tunnel through the city walls which also conveniently doubled as the tavern's backroom wall. There was a saying that elves could make gold from selling air.
"Pay him!? Are you deaf? He's charging us eighteen gold for a stroll through a hole in a wall!"
"You could keep your gold and stroll through the city-gates," suggested the elf smoothly.
Tomas placed a pouch on the bar counter and slid it to the elf. "Here's twenty. A little extra to ensure that it is a quiet stroll, if you take my meaning."
The elf quickly poured out the contents of the pouch on the bar counter and proceeded to count the gold right in front of them. After collecting the gold back into the pouch, the elf smiled oily. "Pleasure doing business with you gentlemen. If you could please follow me."
They both followed the elf down a short corridoor which ended at a wooden door. Entering through it, they found themselves in a storage room for large casks of wine and ale. Several of these have been pushed back to reveal a solid-looking trap door next to the back wall, with metal bolts sealing it shut. Two other elves were here as well, standing next to the trap door.
Kievan caught a glance from Tomas and quickly asked, "What are they doing here?" refering to the two elves.
"Oh, we are expecting some visitors to our fair city tonight," replied the elven tavern keeper off-handedly. "We always station someone here to welcome visitors, as well as to collect their gold of course."
"Didn't you just tell me that you and your household were all sleeping when we came here?"
"He's such a charming boy, is he not?" smiled the elf to Tomas.
Kievan angrily held up a warning finger. "Don't call me 'boy', you pasty-faced p-"
A sudden knocking from beneath the trap door interrupted the young thief. The two elves waited until a sequence of knocks had completed before unbolting the trap door.
Tomas's instincts began to knaw at him. "Stand back," he said to Kievan who was already backing away.
The two elves lifted the trap door. "Welcome to Necroselluem," called the elven tavern keeper as the opening revealed the very surprised face of Sylas, Krut and three other rogues from Centuria.
Yellow Sky wrapped a protective arm around the giant spider as it backed away from the fuming warrior. "Look what you did," he said reproachfully. "You've hurt Chompalot's feelings. He really looks up to you, you know."
"I don't care!" raged the warrior. "I'm sick of waking up in the mornings to the smell of spider breath all over my face!"
"That's how he shows his affection," began the cultist, just as Lydith stepped into the clearing where they had spent the night.
Gameth turned to regard the girl. "And where have you been? You shouldn't be wandering off by yourself – it's too dangerous! And you!" he fumed again at the cultist, "How can you let her go off on her own!?"
"I didn't go far, Gameth," replied Lydith before the cultist could answer. "I just went to get some water." She held up a filled canteen. "And Yellow Sky could see me all the while."
Gameth took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I'm sorry, Lydith," he said. "I didn't mean to go off on you like that. It's just that we're getting closer to the caverns every day and we're entering regions where creatures worse than goblins can be found. And I'm not really a morning person as you might have noticed."
"Gameth always in bad mood in the mornings," observed Yellow Sky.
"Shut up, cultist."
"There is something else, Gameth," said Lydith uneasily. "I feel like something's been here before. I don't know what it is, but it reeks of death and passed here a few days ago." She gave a worried look to Gameth. "I've been feeling traces like this the closer we get to the caverns. I fear that this more than just the three of us can handle."
"The seven of us!" corrected Yellow Sky, arm still around the spider.
Gameth frowned, ignoring the cultist. "More undead roaming around this area is bad news. And if Daedra is in trouble in a place like this, then we're going to have to get her out. Hopefully, we'll be able to find her before anything else finds us."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Getting out of the city of Necroselluem in the middle of the night proved easier than Lydith had anticipated. The city guards at the gate were acquainted with Gameth and hardly asked any questions regarding the warrior's sudden departure from the city. After a brief friendly chat, a guard at the gate opened a small door built into the gate itself and let them through.
Once outside, Lydith proceeded to tell Gameth about everything she had experienced while in the convent. Gameth listened intently while Yellow Sky followed along in an uncaringly gleeful attitude, distracted by anything he found curious. The full moon provided enough light for the three of them to walk without need of a lantern.
Gameth was silent until Lydith told him about her ability to 'hear' the undead speak. He hesitated before he spoke. "I've.. heard about this ability of yours, Lydith."
"You have?" said Lydith in surprise. "My friend Karyn and I have scoured over every book in the temple library and we didn't find any reference to it at all."
"I don't think you would have. The priestesses keep records of it in a much more secure place. But even they do not have much on it, save that it is an ability bestowed by Krypta herself." He looked at Lydith. "Your mother had this same ability."
Lydith stared at him unbelievingly. "You never told me," she managed after a while.
"I was sworn to secrecy," replied Gameth. "By your own mother. She told me that she found it more a curse than a blessing. Anyone who knew of her powers, especially other priestesses, tended to keep their distance, too fearful of her abilities, yet too astute to let her be. She never wanted a different life from anyone else, but this ability forever kept her apart from others."
"But Aunt Daedra was not distant from her," Lydith pointed out. "And neither were you."
"Ah, girl," sighed Gameth. "I don't think it was the distance of other people that affected your mother; it was more the discomfort of being treated differently."
They walked for a while in silence, Lydith deep in thought. What her mother had faced before was potentially what she would have to face in her own future and the prospect troubled her. After a while, she firmly pushed those worries aside - she would cross that bridge when she came to it. Meanwhile, she had to turn her attention to more urgent matters. "Gameth?" she queried. "Do you think that this ability is somehow linked to why I feel that Aunt Daedra is in danger?"
Gameth shrugged. "It is possible, I suppose. As I said, even the priestesses do not know much about it," he replied. "But just knowing that she is in danger is not enough. What more can you tell me about this place you see Daedra in?"
The details of her dreams were etched in Lydith's mind, so she described them as best as she could. "She seemed to be in a cave or cavern, some place under the ground. The walls and ground were reddish-yellow, but it could have been because of the red light from the web she was trapped in."
"Reddish-Yellowish Caves!" The cultist bounded up excitedly. "Yellow Sky has seen such caves! Yellow Sky can take you!"
"Not so fast, cultist," growled Gameth. "We can't go running after every cave you've been to just because you think they looked red or yellow or purple."
"Reddish-Yellowish rocks!" insisted the cultist. "From sacred priestess caverns up north!"
Gameth and Lydith exchanged glances. "Well," admitted the warrior. "The cultist is probably referring to the Caverns of Shovah-Ukran north from here. Massive limestone caves which have some red clay impurities that streak the yellow walls with reddish lines. But anyway, the priestesses consider it a holy place and dislike people from going there. Not that many would want to – the area around those caverns are not particularly safe for anyone."
"Except Yellow Sky!" declared the cultist. "Yellow Sky can lead you there, past all dangers and bad creatures!"
"I suppose that's all we have now, Gameth," said Lydith. "At least until I remember more details from the dreams."
"Very well," said Gameth. He scowled at the grinning cultist. "Meanwhile, I'll be watching you. I don't trust you, or your folk and if this turns out to be one of your pranks, I'll make sure you'll regret it more than I will for taking directions from a cultist."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A deep resounding bell began to toll as Tomas landed on the pavement outside the temple walls. He looked around for any pursuers just as Kievan landed beside him.
"The temple bell!" gasped the thief. "By Krypta's blood, every priestess and undead in the city is going to come stalking now!"
Tomas scanned the area once again. "Can't stay in the city then," he remarked.
"There are many ways out," said Kievan. "You can try the Hungry Varg tavern on the south wall – they've got a tunnel to the outside which they'll let you use for a reasonable price as long as you don't sound too desperate. I'll find some place to lay low for a while until the commotion dies down."
Tomas leveled his crossbow at the thief. "And you're coming with me."
Kievan swore to himself. "Listen, sir," said Kievan. "I've already told you that I'm not going to tell anyone at the Guild about you."
"The only way you're staying behind is dead and hidden in an alleyway," replied Tomas. "Once we're both some distance from the city, you can go."
Kievan threw his hands up in frustration. "Okay, fine, I'll come with you," he snapped. "But at least tell me what your name is."
Tomas paused for a while before he replied. "Tomas. My name is Tomas."
"Tomas, eh?" said Kievan in a sarcastic tone. "Named yourself after the Taker, did you?"
Tomas smiled in amusement. "Something like that."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tomas's comment of a few who did not sleep in the Temple of Krypta might have been based on a number of rumours that circulated even amongst the Temple servants themselves. It was said that no one had ever seen the Convent Mother Darkfriend sleep. The servants whispered that although the official sleeping quarters of the Convent Mother were located next to her study, and that it was cleaned out every morning, the bed itself remained unslept in.
Of course, the more sceptical would state that the Convent Mother either made it a point to make her own bed every morning, or kept very bad sleeping habits on her study room chair. Nevertheless, Sister ShadowLife was slightly taken-aback when her tentative knock on the Convent Mother's door in the middle of the night was immediately answered by a curt response to enter.
The priestess entered the dark wood study room, her head bowed respectfully as she moved towards the polished desk where the Convent Mother is busily writing into a large tome with a goose feather quill by the light of a desk oil lamp. The Convent Mother did not look up from her writing as she spoke. "Good evening, Sister ShadowLife. Here to report on tonight's occurances?"
"Yes, Mother Darkfriend," nodded the priestess. "There were intruders this night in the servant's wing. Thieves, most likely, and they were pursued to the gardens where they escaped over the wall."
"Thieves, you say," sniffed Mother Darkfriend. "Even when the city's rogue's guildmaster is too afraid to even relieve himself against the Temple's outer wall? Something is not quite right, Sister ShadowLife."
"Yes, Mother Darkfriend," admitted the priestess.
"Send word to the guildmaster. I will have words with him about these.. thieves."
"At once, Mother Darkfriend." Sister ShadowLife hesitated as she ventured to speak again. "There is.. another thing, dread Mother. The initiate Lydith has disappeared from her chambers. No one knows where she is."
The quill stopped as Mother Darkfriend peered up sharply at the priestess. "In Sister Daedra's absence, I thought I made it clear that the girl was under your supervision, Sister ShadowLife."
Sister ShadowLife did not look up to meet the Convent Mother's piercing gaze. "I apologize, Mother. I was-"
"What you were doing is inconsequential," said the Convent Mother sharply. "You will form a search party and find the girl. She is too valuable to be lost at this time."
"Yes, Mother Darkfriend," replied Sister ShadowLife.
The Convent Mother frowned as she leaned back on her study chair. "Two things happening on the same night.. almost seemingly by chance. I do not believe in co-incidences, Sister ShadowLife." She focused on the priestess before her. "I want those thieves apprehended and brought to me."
"Do you wish me to inform the Guildmaster and the City Watch?" asked Sister ShadowLife.
"No," said Mother Darkfriend thoughtfully. "We will deal with this ourselves."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Eighteen gold sovereigns, and not a copper less," stated the elven tavern keeper while examining his carefully manicured finger-nails.
"What!?" exclaimed Kievan. "Last time, you charged me six when I used the tunnel!"
"Last time, me and my household weren't woken up in the middle of the night, and you didn't have a suspicious-looking character with you," sniffed the elf disdainfully as he observed Tomas who was standing behind Kievan.
"If you think that I'm going to pay three times the price-"
"Pay him," uttered Tomas over Kievan's shoulder as he looked around the empty tavern. It was a modest establishment and like most elven businesses, it offered one or two highly illegal services, in this case access to a tunnel through the city walls which also conveniently doubled as the tavern's backroom wall. There was a saying that elves could make gold from selling air.
"Pay him!? Are you deaf? He's charging us eighteen gold for a stroll through a hole in a wall!"
"You could keep your gold and stroll through the city-gates," suggested the elf smoothly.
Tomas placed a pouch on the bar counter and slid it to the elf. "Here's twenty. A little extra to ensure that it is a quiet stroll, if you take my meaning."
The elf quickly poured out the contents of the pouch on the bar counter and proceeded to count the gold right in front of them. After collecting the gold back into the pouch, the elf smiled oily. "Pleasure doing business with you gentlemen. If you could please follow me."
They both followed the elf down a short corridoor which ended at a wooden door. Entering through it, they found themselves in a storage room for large casks of wine and ale. Several of these have been pushed back to reveal a solid-looking trap door next to the back wall, with metal bolts sealing it shut. Two other elves were here as well, standing next to the trap door.
Kievan caught a glance from Tomas and quickly asked, "What are they doing here?" refering to the two elves.
"Oh, we are expecting some visitors to our fair city tonight," replied the elven tavern keeper off-handedly. "We always station someone here to welcome visitors, as well as to collect their gold of course."
"Didn't you just tell me that you and your household were all sleeping when we came here?"
"He's such a charming boy, is he not?" smiled the elf to Tomas.
Kievan angrily held up a warning finger. "Don't call me 'boy', you pasty-faced p-"
A sudden knocking from beneath the trap door interrupted the young thief. The two elves waited until a sequence of knocks had completed before unbolting the trap door.
Tomas's instincts began to knaw at him. "Stand back," he said to Kievan who was already backing away.
The two elves lifted the trap door. "Welcome to Necroselluem," called the elven tavern keeper as the opening revealed the very surprised face of Sylas, Krut and three other rogues from Centuria.