Chapter 12 – The Battle is Won
When Donnia awoke she decided there was no time left to persuade the illithid to stop in their support of the Valsharess. "We should head back. We've been gone longer than I had initially planned. I do not want anyone to worry. I need an update on the movements of her army. If there's time we can come back."
Neither Valen nor Nathyrra could argue with her. The three of them packed up and started back for Lith My'athar.
The city gates were crowded with soldiers on their lookout. When they saw Donnia, Nathyrra, and Valen approaching they quickly ordered the gates opened and the three of them walked inside.
One of the gate guards ran over to them. "Donnia, thank goodness you have returned. The Valsharess's forces are moving against us as we speak. The Seer had hoped you would return soon. Were you able to stop the support of those who had said they would fight along the Valsharess?"
Donnia replied, "Some. We were unable to reach the illithid. All others were defeated."
"That will be more than helpful. Some of the golems have arrived and are with the Seer as well as here between the gates should they be breached. Do you have any other instructions?"
Donnia sighed. This was not her first war, and somehow she knew it would not be her last. "Put as many people as you can between the gates so that if the outer ones are breached, they can be stopped before gaining access into the city. Do be sure that the Seer is protected."
The guard quickly ran to tell the others of her orders. Before Donnia had the chance to speak with her companions a Balor Lord suddenly appeared between the gates. Within an instant he was surrounded by the city's soldiers. Despite his large size, he was quickly defeated. Just as he fell, another appeared.
"So it begins," Valen said as he charged the lord.
It seemed that for every one they killed, another quickly took its place. Before long, over seven Balor Lords had been defeated. Donnia had no more than consumed a healing potion and sought out to find her companions before the outer gate burst open with charging duergar.
Donnia rushed into battle knowing that she would not be alone in this fight as she had with so many others.
She fought her way through the duergar, forcing her way out of the gates. She knew that if she could find and defeat the one in head of each of the groups of duergar, they would be quickly defeated without them.
A Drow sorcerer stood in a protective circle of duergar. Donnia could hear other soldiers from the city coming to her aid. Without pausing she forced her way through the circle and immediately started battle with the Drow.
Nathyrra saw Donnia heading for the sorcerer and quickly rushed to help by dispelling any magic the sorcerer would cast.
Just as she struck him a fatal blow someone shouted that some Drow had found a way to cross the river and were headed straight for the Seer.
Looking about the battlefield before her, Donnia found Valen and Nathyrra quickly rushing to the gates. She ran for them, hoping they would not be too late.
Donnia ran to the Seer. The duergar had quickly surrendered when their leaders had fallen. The Drow crossing the river had met an opposing force they had not been expecting. Despite their planned advantage, they were quickly pushed into the river and drowned in its raging currents. Those that had strayed from the riverside were killed before getting near the Seer.
The golems, with their promise of help, were able to stop the illithid before gaining entry into the courtyard. There were fatalities but there was also a much needed victory. However, this was not the end of the war.
The Seer greeted Donnia, Nathyrra, and Valen with grateful appreciation. "I knew that you would help us to victory, but it is not over yet. Though her minions have been defeated, the Valsharess still lives. We must kill her before she finds help elsewhere."
The Seer quickly healed them all before they left for the Valsharess's strong hold
The dark stone walls seemed to reach up endlessly above them. Hundreds of soldiers from Lith My'athar stood ready for battle.
Donnia stood with Valen and Nathyrra. They had faced great evils before, and they were about to face another.
The Seer turned to Donnia to speak to her of what must be done, but was thrown back by a powerful magic force. Donnia was quickly engulfed in a magical portal, disappearing before everyone's eyes.
"No! She cannot be gone! Without her all hope is gone!" the Seer cried.
Nathyrra looked at Valen and knew what he was planning to do.
Donnia was once again inside the Valsharess's ceremony room. Mephistopheles stood in much the same way he had before. The Red Sisters still formed their magical circle of power.
The Valsharess turned to Donnia, "You think you are victorious, surfacer?"
Donnia had to pull back her want to charge this woman before her, knowing she would only injure herself, "No. There is not victory until your blood falls from my sword."
The Valsharess seemed only disgusted by this. "No matter. Mephistopheles, I command you to kill her in a slow, painful death that she will suffer from for all eternity."
Mephistopheles spoke for the first time, "I cannot do that, great Valsharess, but I will kill your Red Sisters as you please."
Just as he finished speaking each Red Sister fell to the ground, writhing, screaming out in pain.
The Valsharess screamed at him, "What are you doing?!? I have bound you to do my bidding!"
"That you have not done. I cannot kill someone to whom I am so strongly connected."
Donnia stood still, shock prevented her from moving.
"Your end is here Valsharess. If I were you, I would welcome it." Donnia could feel the instant the binding circle around her was dropped. She quickly charged the Valsharess. In her shock, she failed to defend herself.
Donnia stabbed her once in the chest and whispered in the Valsharess's ear, "Enjoy your death, for it will be the last merciful thing I grant you." She pulled her sword from her chest and cut off the Valsharess's head.
Mephistopheles grinned down at her. "I knew you would come eventually, but I do not wish to have my fate sealed at this time." Donnia once again felt the boundaries of her binding circle in place.
"I saw the look that passed across your face when I mentioned a connection to you. The Relic of the Reaper that you have carried since leaving that strange plane is what binds us together. It is formed from my own skin. I cannot harm you while you posses it, so let's take care of that piece of business now." He reached down and removed the relic from Donnia's belt, where it had hung since she found it all that time ago.
"I figure I can tell you my plans for this world since shortly you will be powerless to stop them. I will rule all of the hells. I have been planning this for some time. However, the ninth hell is currently the most powerful. The only way to be granted full power is to either defeat the one in charge of the most powerful hell, or to make another. This world will be my tenth hell, and I will rule everything in this multiverse while you freeze in Cania.
"The only way to get you there, however, is for you to die."
Fear welled up inside Donnia as Mephistopheles walked from his once place of captivity.
"Do travel warmly, Donnia, for Cania is quite cold." With that, he took the sword from Donnia's hand and plunged it into her chest.
Mephistopheles grinned down at her corpse and walked to the front gates of the once-Valsharess's fortress.
Valen and Nathyrra had been able to breach the door and were now vainly looking for Donnia. Valen's heart was shrouded in grief at the endless possibilities that had occurred while he had been unable to reach Donnia. He did not want to think of what had happened while he had been unable to protect her as he had vowed to do with his life.
Nathyrra could not even begin imagining how Valen must have felt. True, she had grown close to Donnia while they had traveled together, but she did not have the feelings for her as Valen did.
They turned one last corner before meeting Mephistopheles. Valen knew then that Donnia was dead. Before he was able to move to attack him, Mephistopheles killed him and Nathyrra with only a look.
Outside, the Seer felt the passing of the three who had tried to save them all. She wept openly for them and quickly ordered her people back to Lith My'athar. If they were lucky, they would die quickly and painlessly. She feared for the world, for no one was left that could stop the power that had killed them inside that fortress.
The Seer said a silent prayer to Elistraee that her friends would be kept safe in their deaths.