m: My apologies if this chapter seems a bit short, but I just wrote 48 pages for ootr, so don't be surprised if this isn't as long as usual.

Ruxy: Yeah, 'Beautiful' is a great song. I love the irony too. :D

Chapter Seventeen

When Nathyrra returned to her apartment, Ilivarra was waiting for her.

"Took you long enough." Ilivarra said flatly.

Nathyrra ignored her and checked her wisp. The coordinates of Nackor's location were waiting on the magical device. Nathyrra took a moment to memorize them before walking towards her closet.

Ilivarra sighed. "Nathyrra, this will bring you no peace."

"I don't believe you." Nathyrra declared as she walked out of her closet. Though she appeared to be wearing a simple red shirt, black pants and jacket, they were actually made to be more powerful and protective than a suit of red dragon armor.

"I've walked down this path, Nathyrra. It is better to let go. It took me a long time to learn that lesson. It is my hope that you will learn it sooner. Peace never comes with vengeance."

"I will kill Nackor. Your words cannot stop me." Nathyrra said with determination.

Ilivarra scowled. "Very well then. Go, you stubborn al'vur. I won't stop you. I didn't stop you last time, nor will I stop you this time. However, if you think that I will waiting for you to come crawling back and receive healing, you are sadly mistaken."

Nathyrra didn't respond to this as she walked out of the door.

XXXXX

Nathyrra approached a large house. He must have made a hefty sum betraying houses, she thought bitterly. The assassin unsheathed her daggers and kicked the door open.

She made her way through the rooms, finally stopping when a familiar face came into view. A dwarf was in the kitchen, sitting on a stool. Nackor grinned at Nathyrra. "Six years since I've seen you. You're still as pretty as ever, lass."

"You and I have a score to settle." Nathyrra spat.

"Ah, you're still angry I see."

"Angry? I get angry when Ili calls me a cow. I get angry when I don't get a good night's sleep. I'm far past angry. If you have a word for what I'm feeling right now I'd love to hear it. I certainly don't know what the hell it's called."

"Pure, unbridled, furious hate and rage." Nackor replied calmly. The duerger stood up and started to pace the room. "I'm sure ye wish to get to killing me, but before you do I have some questions for you."

Nathyrra raised her dagger to throw at him. Nackor was quicker, and threw a dagger that pinned her sleeve to the wall and forced her to drop her knife. "Now, now, lass." He began, "It's only a few questions. I won't hurt you just yet."

Nathyrra scowled and sheathed her daggers. Nackor gestured to the stool. "Have a seat."

Nathyrra cautiously sat down.

Nackor began to circle around her. "You see, Nat, I've always been a curious dwarf so naturally I have quite few things I wish to ask you." He smiled. "However, you are an excellent liar, which compels me to not believe a word you say."

"You're a liar as well, dwarf."

"That I am. But I still wish to have my questions answered truthfully."

"What do you suppose we should do about that?"

Before Nathyrra could blink, Nackor pulled out a dart. The force of his throw made the dart become embedded in Nathyrra's thigh.

"What the hell did you just put in me?" Nathyrra screeched.

"Truth serum. Very powerful. I suggest you not move for several minutes. If you try and pull it out, I'll have to put another one in your eye."

Nathyrra gritted her teeth and glared at him.

"You hate me, Nathyrra. You've wanted to kill me for twelve years. I've sent plenty of my own assassins after you, but each time you've eluded them. That takes true skill. I respect that. It has also led to some interesting realizations about your character, though of course there are still things that are an enigma to me."

"How long does this shit take to work?" Nathyrra growled.

"A few more minutes. Just enough time for me to finish. I find myself fascinated by ye, lass."

"Get a girlfriend, duerger."

Nackor laughed. "Not like that. I ain't intrigued by you the same way Seelamin was. Ah Seel." He smirked. "The barbarian truly did impact you. His love turned you into a warm and caring person, his death into a cold ruthless assassin. You can take that dart out now."

Nathyrra pulled the object out of her thigh.

"Here's question number one; did you really think that your life on the surface would work?"

Nathyrra took a deep breath. "No…I didn't. But I would have had Seelamin!"

"Even your barbarian wouldn't have been able to protect you from your society, Nat. Your family would have sent hordes of assassins after you. You know this."

"It would have been worth it."

"Ah. Your devotion is incredible, though misguided at times."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm asking the questions, lass. You'll have your turn when I'm finished. Next question; you killed a ton of people to get to me. You enjoyed every single death, didn't you?"

"Yes, all but two."

"Oh?"

"Tialla and Seelomar."

"I see. In those two you saw the chance for a new life. A life filled with compassion and kindness, of unity and justice. However, you still killed them. Do you know why you killed them?"

"Why?"

"You are a truly driven woman. You refused to let anything get in the way of your original goal, even a better solution. Your lust for revenge is so strong, that you even allowed the possibility to love again be destroyed by your own rage. You are nearly consumed by hate. Not completely, or you wouldn't feel anything for their deaths. The reason you feel only numb, is that you are a natural-born killer."

Nathyrra stared at him, amazed by his insight.

"Last question. Do you really think that killing me will bring you peace?"

"Yes."

"Have you thought about what happens afterwards?"

"You said that was the last question."

"You're right. I'll suppose that answer will have to play itself out. Now then, if you have any questions of your own, I'm ready to answer."

"There's only one that I truly wish to know." Nathyrra stared at Nackor. "Why? Why did you kill him?"

"There are two reasons to that question. Three actually. The first is money. The Valsharess paid me well to assist in overthrowing your family, and he was practically a Kant'tar himself. The second is revenge. Your family nearly destroyed my clan years ago and took me into slavery. During that time, I became well acquainted with a certain future Valsharess, and received training as an assassin. With the death of your family, I received my personal revenge. The third is the simplest of all. Like you, I am a killer. I enjoyed every moment of Seelamin's death. It made me feel wonderful."

Nathyrra's blue eyes smoldered with loathing. "Let's finish this."

"If you insist. Though I have one last surprise for you." Nackor pulled out a scroll.

"NO!" Nathyrra cried and ran towards him. It was too late. Nackor laughed as he teleported away. "Did you really think it would be that easy?"

Several dwarves started materializing out of thin air. Nathyrra snarled and attacked, slaughtering all of them. Dozens more appeared, but Nathyrra killed them all. Finally, only one was left.

He tired to run, but Nathyrra was much faster. She grabbed him by the shirt and pressed a dagger to his throat. "Where is Nackor?" She roared.

"His bedroom. Upstairs at the end of the hall." He looked at her with desperate eyes. "Mercy…" The dwarf begged.

Nathyrra plunged her dagger into his chest, her eyes hard as stone.

Several minutes later, Nathyrra reached Nackor's room. She pushed it open.

Nackor stood in the center of the room. "And so the final battle commences. I'll miss ye, lass."

Nathyrra let out a cry of rage and ran towards Nackor. He blocked her first attack, swinging at her torso with his other dagger. Nathyrra dodged and pivoted on her foot before attempting to stab him in the ribs. Nackor ducked, throwing a kick at her legs. The drow jumped to avoid it, aiming a kick of her own in-between Nackor's legs. Nackor's thighs clamped down on her foot. He rapidly spun around, still holding onto the assassin's foot.

Nathyrra fell to the ground, quickly raising her dagger to block the dwarf's next attack. She attempted to standup, but Nackor refused to allow her. He saw an opening and stabbed at her stomach. Nathyrra rolled out of the way just at the last moment, and Nackor stabbed the wooden floor. Before she rolled away, Nathyrra had seen a green substance drip from the dagger. Poison, the drow realized. She narrowed her eyes. You bastard.

Nackor abandoned his attempts to retrieve his other dagger and turned to face Nathyrra. She attacked him with a flurry of blows, twice as furious at that point. Nackor took advantage of her fury, knocking away one of her daggers when he saw an opening.

Nathyrra growled and continued her assault. Nackor backed her against a wall. Nathyrra tried to block his moves, but he was extremely quick. Nackor saw another opening, and plunged his dagger into her shoulder.

The assassin howled as dagger bit into her flesh. She sank to her knees in pain. Nackor grinned. "Feel the poison, eh lass? You're going to die. Just like Seel. And in the same way in fact."

To Nackor's utter shock, Nathyrra chuckled. "Fool." She took advantage of his distraction and stabbed the dwarf in the foot. He screamed and collapsed onto his knees. Nathyrra stood up and showed him the amulet that hung around her neck. "This makes me immune to poison." She slammed her fist into Nackor's stomach.

Nackor went flying across the room, stopping when he crashed into a wall. The assassin walked over to him and slapped him across the face. "That was for Seelamin." She blackened his right eye. "That was for the twelve years of hell you put me through." The assassin knocked out several teeth. "That was for getting blood on my armor." She broke his nose. "That was for myself."

The dazed Nackor could barely stand up. Nathyrra smiled cruelly. "I've been waiting twelve years for this." she grabbed the front of his shirt and pressed her dagger to his chest. "I'm going to carve my initials in your flesh." She hissed. The drow slowly began to carve the letters 'N.S.' into Nackor's chest.

Nackor stared at her. "I thought your initials were 'N.K.'." He said faintly.

Nathyrra's smile increased in sadism. "N.S. is what my initials would have been, had Seelamin lived." With an amazing burst of strength, Nathyrra cut out Nackor's heart and crushed the organ with her bare hands.

Nackor fell to the ground, finally dead.

Nathyrra spat on his body and walked out of the room. As she walked down the stairs, she searched her feelings. Malignant joy filled her veins, a throbbing pain was in her shoulder, but not an ounce of true peace was in her soul.

Peace never comes with vengeance, Ilivarra's words rang in Nathyrra's head. She abruptly stopped. Of course. Ilivarra…that hypocrite! Her words have twisted me, made me weak. The drow looked at her dagger, scarlet with Nackor's blood. There is one more thing I must do to find peace. I must kill Ilivarra. Then I will be free. I'm certain of it. Nathyrra clung desperately to that small ounce of hope as she left the building.

XXXXX

Ilivarra sighed. I cannot let her live this way. She has become what I feared. She pulled out a dagger and gazed at the weapon. It will be more merciful to her. I must kill Nathyrra, before she destroys herself…