Chapter 9
(A/N: Wow I was impressed with the emails and reviews I got for the last two chapters, seems people really like my story well its good to know I got some fans out there, and to the two people who asked I probably will be doing shadows of undertide and hordes of the underdark. I'm still not sure how to go about this romance thing with Linu, some people say I should take till chapter 3 of the game like its done, but I'm probably going to go for a end of chap 1 game or chap 2 game for the serious romance to start. Thanks again for all the support. Now here's Chapter 9.
Aribeth
I was thankfully relieved by the castle mage after a ten minutes of holding open the portal. Holding such a powerful portal open was the job of a mage not a paladin. I was exhausted and extremely worried for Linu she hadn't been heard from in two days. Surely wherever the portal took her, she couldn't have been far behind Desther... or Fenthick. Worry crossed my thoughts when I thought of Fenthick. He had went after Desther shortly after he went through the portal with the cure crying out "Desther wait let me help you wait." I only hoped he went after him to stop him. If he actually was helping Desther people would want him dead for his involvement in spreading the plague. My hope was that Fenthick went after Desther due to misunderstanding his motives and was simply confused. I shook myself from my thoughts as I approached Ryltar's room. The temple clerics were just about ready to pronounce Ryltar permanently dead. I walked into his room to check on him. I saw no change in his body as he still was not breathing and Mayra was in even worse shape. She looked like she had gone ten rounds with a Balor and lost. Her once bright shiny coat was dulled, and her seemingly boundless energy was gone. She hadn't eaten in over four days and hadn't drank in three. Nytar was about ready to force her to eat and drink if she had done nothing by the end of the day. You could feel the sadness just melting off of her. I had never seen a wolf cry in all my younger years from hunting orcs. Of course I wasn't a Ranger as look as Ryltar had been. I still practiced my two weapon fighting style every now and then but it was not as accurate in my heavier amour. I looked once more at Ryltar and said to him "Ryltar if you don't wake up soon I fear that the cure you worked so hard to find will be lost to us." I turned towards Mayra and started to rub her head a little. It seemed to comfort her but she barely even glanced my way as I headed for the door. Suddenly she seemed to have her energy back she leaped up onto the bed and seemed to be trying to shake Ryltar's body.
"Mayra don't do that! Listen I know your sad but you can't do that." I said trying to pull Mayra off Ryltar's body. She turned and looked deeply into my eyes I got the sense that she wanted me to look closer at his body now.
"BY TYR! HE'S ALIVE!" I screamed in joy as I saw Ryltar's chest slowly rise. Mayra again seeing my reaction tried to shake Ryltar. I checked his pulse and found a faint but steadily rising heart beat. I saw his eyes flutter open and a look of intense pain crossed his face. He let out a string of words in drow which I didn't fully understand, however, he seemed to be very displeased with the pain.
"Mayra please at least lay next to him and get off his stomach." I said looking at Mayra.
She seemed to understand me as she laid down next to him. Ryltar started coughing and breathing heavy. I cast a restoration spell on him followed by a healing spell. He groaned and than finnaly opend his eyes completely he tried focusing them in my direction.
"L... Li... Lin... Linu?" He asked slowly evidently his time out of his body at slowed his speech.
"No, it's Aribeth. Ryltar please lay still, you just had one of the most traumatic experiences a person can have." I said holding him down as he tried to sit up.
"Where is... Linu?" He asked.
"We haven't heard from her since she went to get the cure back from Desther. He took it from us seconds after it was created. He fled through a portal with... Fenthick, I sent Linu after them but she hasn't returned yet. Rest now a detachment of militia soldiers is being sent thorough in a few hours." I said bringing Rytlar up to speed on recent events.
"LINU!" he yelled he pushed my hand out of the way pushing me back he grabbed his belt and scimitars and ran out the door with Mayra howling in happy glee after him.
"Why did I open my mouth?" I said out loud as he took off for the castle. I ran after him following the dimming echoes of Mayra's howls.
End Aribeth
Ryltar
I didn't care that Desther had taken the cure. I didn't care that Fenthick was missing. Hell I didn't care that my entire body was on fire and in pain from coming back from the dead so suddenly. All I knew was that Linu, the woman I loved was in trouble, and if I ddint' reach her soon... I let that line hang. As I reached Castle Never. "Where is the cure ceremony room?" I shouted entering. People just started at me surprised to see me alive. "WHERE IS IT!" I again shouted.
A tall older looking man approached me. "Ryltar if your looking for Linu she went..." I interrupted him. "Listen I don't care right now who you are or what you have to say, just tell me where in the N INE HELLS IS THE PORTAL THAT VITHER DESTHER WENT THROUGH!" I again screamed.
"Down the hall to your right Ryltar, when you get back though we have a lot to discuss." the older man said.
"Fine whatever thank you for your help." I said taking off with Mayra in tow.
END RYLTAR
LORD NASHER
Watching Ryltar run down the hall and enter the ceremony room I thought. "He's got the heart of a hero in his veins. I only pray he reaches her in time, and more important retrieves the cure once more."
"Lord Nasher do you not think his obvious disrespect of your Lordly rights deserves punishment? His kind is an unknown element in these dark times." A guard said walking up to me.
"You would say that even after everything that man has done for us. Not once has he asked for gold or reward. He has died helping us and barely came back to life. You saw the way he ran it was not for greed or rewards. He must have came back only a short time ago. His strength and willpower is fueled by his love for the elven cleric Linu. Finally do not ever speak I'll of Ryltar Kost'Dora again. This goes for everyone in this castle as well." I said turning away form the guards I returned to my throne room.
End LORD NASHER
Aribeth
"By Tyr that man is fast." I said out loud running into Castle Never. "Where did Ryltar go?"
"Into the ceremony room Lady Aribeth. He seemed in quite the hurry." a door guard told me. Thanking him I rushed off to the room. Running inside I saw that Ryltar was having an argument with the two mages in charge of holding open the portal. His eyes were aflame with anger. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T GO THROUGH! AFTER EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE YOU PREVENT ME FROM SAVING THE WOMAN I LOVE!" Ryltar screamed
"Mages let him pass!" I said rushing up to Ryltar's side standing next to Mayra.
"But Lady Aribeth, you said to allow no one access through this portal!" one mage said to me
"Well I'm now telling you to allow him through." I said glaring at them.
"Yes Lady Aribeth." the mages said together.
"Thank you Aribeth I will return shortly with the cure, Linu, Desther, and Fenthick." Rytlar said waving to me as both he and Mayra went thorough the portal.
"Return soon Hero of Neverwinter. Much still must been done." I said.
END ARIBETH
RYLTAR
I came through the portal and took a quick look around. I saw a large temple in the distance and after scanning the ground found Linu's, Desther's, and Fenthick's, footprints in the dirt. Taking off at a fast run Mayra said. "Ryltar what are you going to do with Desther?"
"Two things. One beat the living stuffing out of him till he gives me the cure back. Two if he has harmed Linu. Beat the stuffing out of him, stuff it back in, then treat him to a few lessons in drow punishment techniques. Than find the cure... and Linu." The last part I said sadly.
"She's alive Ryltar, believe that and she will be." Mayra said trying to comfort me.
"I know Mayra and I'm going as fast as I can." I said. Slamming my way through the temples gates.
END RYLTAR
LINU
I awoke in a daze, bloodied, and wounded. Memories of what happened to me the day before came back. I had just finished sending an evil demon back to the Abyss, when Desther had attacked me. I had lost being knocked out.
"So your awake finely I was worried I hurt you to much for your sacrifice." Desther said to me
"Wha... what do you mean?" I said trying to not sound scared.
"You will be sacrificed to the Old Ones elf. Your body will feed Morag's lust for power, and with your death she will redeem me with more power." Desther said crazily.
"Your crazy! You've been used all this time. You killed thousands of innocent people why? Just so you can call forth a demon?" I said trying to stall Desther from his act.
"Demon! HA you are stupid elf. Morag is no demon she is a powerful creature born of the Creator Race, and as for why I did what I did. Why is anything attacked elf? Tell me that why? I'll tell you why for the same reason everything is always attacked. POWER plain and simple POWER!" Desther cried. "Now if you'll excuse me I must prepare for your sacrifice. But don't worry you won't feel a thing... well if you mean not feeling anything but deathly pain.. HAHAHAHA" He turned and left laughing evily. He stopped at the door way saying. "Oh and I guess I should say I'm sorry that welp of a drow died. He truly would have made Morag's power swell to new heights with his sacrifice. I had hoped he would survive but as you saw he didn't. HAHAHAHA"
Despair overtook me as he left. "Ryltar please if you can hear me come back to life and save me. I don't want to die, not now. I have too much to live for." tears welled up in my eyes as those words crossed my mind. Desther's evil laugh echoed through my mind. "Save me please"
End Linu
RYLTAR
I fought my way into the temple killing several stone guardians, followed by hordes of zombies, and skeletons. "None of these better be like that smart zombie in the cemetery." I thought. I found a flight of stairs leading up and took them. I cried out. "LINU, FENTHICK CAN YOU HEAR ME!"
"I can hear you Rytlar, it is I Fenthick, doomed to death for helping the traitor Desther." Fenthick told me in a soft voice.
"Fenthick what have you done? Tell me you didn't' have anything to do with this." I said catching my breath.
"No, but people will think I did. They'll say, how could you not have known after all the time you spent with him! They'll want me head with his. I'm doomed!" Fenthick said curling up into a ball.
"That man has got to be the biggest weakling in all the land!" Mayra said.
"He maybe Mayra but Aribeth loves him. Stay here and protect him while I find Linu and Desther." I thought to Mayra pulling back out my scimitars. And heading up another flight of steps.
"LET ME GO YOU NUT! SOMEONE WILL SAVE ME! HELP! UMPH" I heard Linu scream before she was abruptly cut off. Anger filled my veins, but I kept a cool head knowing that Desther was a dangerous opponent as well and knowing that Linu was in the same room. "Are you sure you don't want me to help Ryltar?" Mayra asked me.
"No stay here for now I'll call for you if I need you." I said hastily through our link.
I continued running up the steps as I came to three doors I ran for the second one as that was the one that had the chanting coming from it. Bursting into the room I saw Desther surrounded by several undead creatures pouring some type of energy into him. I also saw that Linu was strapped to a bloodied table. She had several marks on her face and shoulders that I could see her once fine amour was gone replaced by a robe which had several archaic symbols on them. Sensing the energy coming from the creatures I pulled out my longbow and shot at one of them. My aim was true and the creature easily shattered causing Desther to interrupt his chanting. He looked at me with unbridled surprise. He said. "YOU... y.. your dead! How did you get here!"
"Do you mean my journey from the academy to now or my journey to come here and personally kick your butt?" I said aiming for another creature it too shattered as easily as the first one, the third and fourth one followed next.
"Ah so I see the drow has guessed my source of power. Your sense of humor while amusing will not save you from my wrath. I am more than a match for you." Desther said charging me. I quickly got off a shot at Desther with my bow but it missed. Dropping my bow I pulled out my scimitars just in time to block his attack from his mace. His shield pushed back my other scimitar.
"Surrender now Desther and I will show you mercy." I said resisting the urge to cut his head off.
"I will not surrender to you drow, you are weak compared to me I am invincible!" Desther said again swinging my blows back.
"For all the death and suffering you have caused I will show you the true might of the drow talents." I said backing up. I summoned a globe of darkness over the room. I than moved along the wall silently moving my eyes to the infrared spectrum . "I give you one last chance Desther, I have no desair to kill you. Surrender and you will come out of this alive."
"Forget it drow you will have to kill me before I surrender to the likes of you." Desther shot back.
"Then your life is forfeit fool!" I said now moving completely without sound I came up behind Desther. He surprisingly parried my first attack but the second got through and cut deeply into his chest he fell to the ground in pain.
"I... I... surren..." Was all Desther got out. Checking his pulse to make sure he was still alive, which he was. The globe of darkness I summoned expired. I called Mayra in to watch Desther as I checked on Linu as the exhaustion of my injuries with fighting to her rescue sank in.
End Ryltar
Linu
I awoke with a pounding headache. My vision was blurry and I could make out a dark shape that was oddly familiar. As my vision cleared I saw that it was Ryltar. He had a ghost like appearance to him and he appeared severally wounded. "I'm dead, Desther killed me, I'm with Ryltar in the afterlife now, but why does he looked so injured?"
"Linu are you ok? What did Desther do to you?" Ryltar asked cradling my head in his arm.
"Even in death I must look horrible. Well I guess I should tell him." I thought. "Ry...Ryltar dear after you died Desther stole the cure. I pursued him to Helm's Hold. I was fighting for so many hours. After banishing a demon he came in, we fought but he knocked me out. I'm afraid he sacrificed me to a thing called Morag and the Old Ones. He said it gave her power." Despair overtook "Now with Neverwinter doomed from the plague and these Old Ones returning I fear Fae'ren is doomed." I said
Ryltar started laughing. At first I thought he would turn into Desther, a sort of pre-death hallucination, but he didn't. After a few seconds of him laughing I said. "Ryltar dear, what is so funny?"
"Linu look around your not dead and neither am I." Ryltar said. "We're in the Temple of Tyr back in Neverwinter. Desther is in custody and the cure is safe and sound being distributed to the city." He step back pulling my up. I looked around seeing that I was indeed in the Temple of Tyr. My room to be exact.
"I'm... We're... You.. not dead?" was all I could get out stammering.
"Yes I came back to life two days after you left. When Aribeth told me what happened I went nuts and fought my way through waves of undead to save you." Ryltar pulled me close to him as he too sat on the bed. "Linu I... was afraid I had lost you. You have been out for a day now in a coma." He put his hands in mind squeezing them.
"Such strength yet so gentle. He actually does love me... he really does." Turning to look him in the eyes I said. "Ryltar, there's something I've got to tell you." I saw concern cross his face.
"Wha... what is it?" He asked.
"Do... do you love me? Truly love me?" I asked looking deep into his dark gray eyes.
"Linu I would have forced a mage to send me to wherever you were in the afterlife to bring you back. Not even the demons and devils of the Nine Hells could have stopped me from getting to you. To answer your question yes I do love you." Ryltar said. "Do you love me?"
"I..." Doubt crossed my mind for a second before I pushed it away realizing the truth finally. "Yes Ryltar I do love you. When the Yuan-ti struck you down and the clerics said there was a chance you may not be coming back. I realized than just how much you meant to me. You are the only other person in this world that has ever cared for me the way..." I stopped feeling the memories surface.
"Linu..." Ryltar looked at me holding me close.
Tears streamed down my face as he held me. Finally after several minutes of me crying on his shoulder he said. "Linu realize that we are both... elves we have hundreds of years to..." I stopped him in mid-sentence.
"Will you just shut up and kiss me?" I said.
"Your wish is my command mistress." Ryltar said with a grin.
"Be careful I could get used to that." I said leaning in the kissing him. Our kiss was truly wonderful. No longer did I care that he was a drow, and I a High Elf, for this one moment we were not in a slowly recovering plague ridden city, but alone in some majestic forest where everything was perfect. I pulled Ryltar down on to the bed with me. He looked in to my eyes and said. "We can just lay here for awhile if you want Linu?"
"Get up, lock that door, turn out that light, then get back in this bed, male and shut up." I said in my best drow female voice.
"Yes mistress as you command." Ryltar said.
We spent the rest of the evening in that room.
End Linu
Mayra
I had just come inside the Temple of Tyr after getting a quick look over by Nytar, he wanted to make sure I was in good health. It was about four hours after noon time and I approached the door to Linu's room where I had left Ryltar. Finding it closed I listened in. From inside I heard what had to be Linu giggling and trying to sound like a drow female. Every now and than I hear Ryltar say "As you command mistress." or something to that effect. I guessed what was going on and proceeded to lay down outside the door next to it. A few people approached the door area but with a simple growl I warned them away. Aribeth came by later on in the evening and after giving her a slight nudge and growl she left, but I was sure she knew what was going on inside the room.
It was early in the morning when the door finally opened a quite tired looking Ryltar came out he looked at me with a barely hidden smile on his face. His hair, normally well arranged was a mess. "Well did you have fun last night?"
"All I'm saying is that woman has worn me out more then when I fought those twenty drow warriors we found two years ago." Ryltar said to me.
"So I'll take that as a yes?" I said grinning.
"No comment." Ryltar replied. He went over to to sanitarium which now free of the plague infested was being used to serve the temple's breakfast. "You may want to straighten your hair up before you go in there." I said as Ryltar approached the door. Feeling his hair he nodded going into his room next door. A few minutes later Linu came out of her room. She looked at me and said. "Not. One. Word." Not being able to speak with her I just shook my head. She nodded as if satisfied. She walked into Ryltar's room evidently guessing that was where he was. I heard Ryltar laugh and say "Later, Linu for now I think we both need food."
"Yes, dear Ryltar I guess you are right. Later though, you are mine once more male." She said with mischievous intent.
"Get a room!" I shouted to Ryltar. I didn't expect him to say back out loud. "We got one, two actually." Linu just laughed I hoped getting his meaning.
They both walked out of the room more decent and wearing there normal adventuring gear. They headed towards the sanitarium, to get breakfast.
"I'll never understand the greater races no matter how long I live.
End Mayra
Aribeth
I walked into the sanitarium in the Temple of Tyr to get the morning meal. Fenthick was walking next to me. He was still nervous about the city wanting him dead for saying that Desther could be trusted. However I believed that when Desther was burned at the stake later on today, all blame would die with him. At least that is what I honestly hoped. I saw Linu and Ryltar already there both looked a bit tired, and I suspected I knew why, but after everything they had been through, and knowing both their feelings for each other I hoped that they both knew what they were doing. There pairing was not the most... common pairing, in fact I was sure that they were the only none forced drow and elf pairing in all the land. Approaching Ryltar he seemed a bit... edgy as I came up to him. "You ok? You seem on edge?" I asked knowing full well why he was but not letting on that I knew.
"What? Do I seem that way? I'm sorry." He tried to calm himself and make himself not so nervous looking, but he failed miserably.
I barely contained a laugh whispering. "Don't worry your secrets safe with me." I gave him a wink. His eyes swelled to the size of dinner plates and I just let out a small laugh. Linu came up to us about than and hearing my laugh said "What's so funny?" she stood close to Ryltar. Leaning in so only they could here I said. "Oh nothing I was just telling Ryltar here that his secret was safe with me." Linu's eyes lit up in realization. "Don't worry he didn't tell me, I came by your room later in the evening to see how you were coming along, but Mayra kept me away, however not before I heard a few... interesting comments from both of you."
"Your not going to say anything?" Linu asked.
"No Linu you needn't worry. Like I said your secret is safe with me. Not even Fenthick knows." I said patting both Ryltar and Linu on the shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me I need to get breakfast." I turned and left grabbing a plate full of vegetables, and fruit.
"There going to make an interesting couple... and even more interesting kids." I thought wickedly.
End Aribeth
Ryltar
It was several hours later and Linu and I were taking a walk along the Neverwinter gardens. Now that it reopened from being closed to prevent escape through the water ways. I pulled Linu close to me she followed along contently as we reached a rose filled area. Bending down I picked a healthy looking one and after picking off the thorns handed it to Linu. "For you my love." I said
"Oh Ryltar dear its wonderful..." she trailed off as she looked at it. I sensed she had something on her mind.
Tilting her head up to mine I said. "Is something wrong Linu? You seem distant."
"I'm sorry dear, I guess I'm just... uncomfortable with our situation." Linu said trying to find the proper words. "I mean ours is not the most common pairing... I guess I am concerned what other's will think. After all I am pretty sure that our love is the only pairing in all of Fae'run. A High Elf from Evermeet, a land renowned for its... hatred of anything not of our kind, and I leave the land to find a chalice stolen from the temple and I fall madly in love with a drow elf. One of my race's most hated enemies."
"Linu let us worry about what people think about us as it comes. Let's not allow what others think is right and what is wrong in racial pairing. Why should it be wrong if we both love each other? Isn't that after all what matters most?" I said trying to comfort Linu.
"Yes I suppose you are right. Why should I let what other's think bother me? Who cares right? Let them think what they want. It shouldn't stop me from loving the person I love." Linu said letting her thoughts drop. I heard some cheering in the distance. I looked at the sky I said. "Must be Desther being burned at the stake."
"Shh... forget about that. For now just let the fact that we are here alive, and in love be the only thing on your mind." Linu said sitting down I followed pulling her into my lap she laid her head across my chest as I laid back we looked at the sky with not a care in the world. After several minutes of this I heard Linu lightly snoring on my chest. Stroking her dark hair I too fell asleep soon after.
Several hours later, I awoke to a soft crying, Linu was still on my chest and as I sat up she woke up. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she said. "What? What is wrong?"
"Nothing listen can't you hear someone crying? Come let's see who it is." I said. Getting up we both set off down the path. After several minutes of following the crying we came upon Aribeth, at a tree. She was the source of the crying and she looked like she had just lost something.
"Aribeth?" I said softly. Evidently she hadn't heard us approach, and was startled. "Is everything ok dear?" Linu asked.
"They killed him." she said softly.
"Desther? Well wasn't he supposed to be killed?" I said.
"No! After Desther was killed the crowd cried out for more blood. They cried out for Fenthick's blaming him for allowing Desther to get as far as he did. Lord Nasher and I tried reasoning with the crows but they were on the verge of rioting. Their anger at loosing so many of their loved ones drove them forward and Lord Nasher gave in. An hour later Fenthick was hung..." Aribeth said. Both Linu and I came over and comforted her.
"I'm so sorry dear we didn't know." Linu said holding Aribeth's hands.
"Aribeth I too am sorry, if there's anything we can do please don't hesitate to ask." I said looking at Linu she nodded.
"Just walk me home for now. Later I will bury Fenthick..." Aribeth said trailed off.
Helping her up Linu and I led Aribeth back through the gardens, and to her home which was nearby. "Thank you both. It's good to know I still have friends that care. Lord Nasher and his guards don't... and it seems the city doesn't either." She said the last part angrily.
"Aribeth dear if you wish we can help you bury him now, I'm sure Ryltar and I can convince the crowd to leave." Linu said.
"If you wish than let's go." Aribeth said dragging her body along.
A few minutes later we came into the City Core, Fenthick's body hung from a tree. Surrounded by a small group of people who cursed and yelled at him. Someone in the back of the group saw me and pointed me out. The crows grew quiet as Linu, Aribeth, and I approached. They stepped back when I approached the tree I pulled out a dagger and cut Fenthick's no lifeless body down. I caught him in my arms. An angry group member pushed a finger into my left shoulder and said. "Hey drow, just because you saved the city doesn't mean you can do what you want. That man's a traitor! He allowed all of this to happen." I handed Fenthick's body to Aribeth and glared at the guy. "Listen human, this man has devoted his life to serving Tyr, he had done nothing wrong in his life. He was tricked into trusting Desther. Desther is the evil man here. Fenthick... Fenthick was an innocent person. How you could demand his blood after the person responsible was dead is beyond me. But I do know this. Fenthick did not deserve to die." I made my point my poking the man back in his shoulder. Taking Fenthick's body back form Aribeth who barely had the strength to carry him. I left the City Core and entered the garden once more. Finding the tree Aribeth was at I saw that their initials were carved on a tree in a heart. Finding a shovel I started to dig a hole.
"You can't bury him here it's not the cemetery." Aribeth said quietly.
"Do you wish for him buried there? Or would you rather have him where it means something to you?" I asked stopping my work "Also, I'll buy this area of the garden if anyone has a problem with it." Aribeth looked surprised at this remark. She said, "You'd do that?"
"Yes, Aribeth I would, your a friend of both Linu and I. As is Fenthick." I said
"Than continue you are right he should be buried in a place that means something." Aribeth said agreeing
Linu came up and placed a hand on Aribeth's shoulder as I finished digging. "Dear always remember you have us, we won't leave you. What happened here today shouldn't have happened. We both very sorry."
"I know. Thank you both of your help. Please let me finish. Go get something to eat and rest." Aribeth said taking the shovel from me.
"Come dear let's go." Linu said pulling me along. "Let's leave her to grieve."
End Ryltar
(A/N: Well there's chapter 9. I know it's only been a day since chapter 8 has been posted but I don't think Chapter 10 will be ready till probably late Tuesday or Wednesday. I tried to capture both the pain Aribeth felt for losing Fenthick at the end of this Chapter and the love that both Ryltar and Linu have for each other hope I did that. Please R/R I put a lot of time into this and I'd love feedback. Over the next few weeks as I continue working on further chapters I'm going to eventually be revising the first Chapters (1-5 or so) so keep an eye open for those updates.)