Spiffy The Retarded: No. Good guess though. :D
Chapter Eighteen
Nathyrra trudged through the streets of the city. The sleeves of her jacket had been pushed up so that she could strap on a pair of leather gauntlets, and her knives were even bloodier than before. There was one apparent survivor to Nackor's small army, and Nathyrra had disposed of him with ease. She had collected his gauntlets and several healing potions off his body, using one of the potions to heal the wound on her shoulder. The drow needed to be completely uninjured if she was to face her former mistress.
Finally, she reached the gates of the red sister training academy. The building had been bewitched to look like a small house, though it was actually as large as a military fortress. Nathyrra plunged her dagger into the keyhole. The door clicked open and she walked into the building.
The corridors were deserted as Nathyrra walked through them. She made her way towards Ilivarra's rooms, determined to face her. Nathyrra smiled as she reached her destination.
Ilivarra did not look remotely surprised as her former student entered the room. "So, Nathyrra, did you receive your vengeance?" She asked in a casual tone, stroking her unsheathed blades.
"I did." The assassin replied.
Ilivarra stood up and began to circle around Nathyrra. Nathyrra stood tense, like prey waiting for the predator to reveal itself.
Ilivarra spoke again. "And did you find peace at last?"
"No, but I think I know how to receive it."
The teacher smiled. "As do I." With lightning speed, she attempted a stab at Nathyrra's spine. Nathyrra immediately spun around and blocked Ili's knife with her own weapon.
The older drow smiled once more. "Your speed has improved."
"I had an excellent teacher…or so I thought." Nathyrra aimed a cut at Ilivarra's side. Ili had predicted this move and dodged Nat's blade.
Nathyrra sliced at Ilivarra. Ilivarra avoided it and opened up a new wound on Nathyrra's shoulder. The cut was shallow and small and did not hinder Nathyrra at all as she placed a light wound on Ilivarra's bicep. The younger assassin smiled with sadistic pleasure as several drops of crimson blood spilled from the wound.
Ilivarra continued her assault. "You enjoy the sight of blood. Don't you, child-killer?"
"Hypocrite! How many children have you killed in your rise to power?" Nathyrra shouted as she threw a magic missile at Ilivarra.
Ilivarra quickly dodged the spell. "Far more than you." She thrust at her student's abdomen. "The Silvapanthoron assassination was a test, to see how consumed you were by your thirst for vengeance. You failed." She successfully landed a blow on Nathyrra's thigh.
Nathyrra gritted her teeth and continued to attack. "How did I fail? You taught me that an assassin must steel herself. She must not allow her emotions to get in the way of her mission. She must be as cold as ice!"
"Even a heart of ice can break, Nathyrra!" Ilivarra shot back as she avoided another blow.
Nathyrra swung at Ilivarra's torso. "Are you telling me that I should have been compassionate?"
Ilivarra pivoted backwards and stabbed at Nathyrra's stomach. "I'm saying that you will find no peace through killing. You would be far less uneasy had you passed my test."
The young assassin parried the attack. "If I hadn't killed them, it would go against everything I learned as a red sister. Everything YOU taught me, Ilivarra!" She kicked at Ilivarra's shins.
Ilivarra jumped and caused Nathyrra to miss. "I was wrong. Everything I taught you was wrong. I was like you, Nathyrra. I believed that killing Korve would bring me peace. It brought me nothing but more blood on my hands! Corran and my child are still dead, and that's the truth of the matter. Did killing Nackor bring Seelamin back to life? No! He's still as deceased as he was twelve years ago!"
Nathyrra let out a cry of rage and swung at Ilivarra's neck. Ilivarra turned in a desperate attempt to dodge the attack, but Nathyrra's dagger still became buried in her forearm. Ilivarra grimaced and continued to fight despite the deep injury.
"You're wrong." Nathyrra spat as she avoided a stab at her chest. "Your words have twisted me. I WILL find peace, starting with your death!"
"Peace never comes with vengeance! I know, Nathyrra! I've walked down the same path! I won't let you repeat my mistakes, even if it means ending your existence to prevent them." Ilivarra exclaimed as she began a deadly knife attack.
Nathyrra knew this attack and managed to dodge all the blows, save for one which opened up a cut on her hip. She ignored the stinging feeling emitting from the injury and attacked Ili with an equally powerful range of attacks. "Rothe shit! You're just angry that I'm more skilled than you! You think that I'll take your place as an instructor, so you're trying to twist and kill me before I become too powerful!"
"Foolish al'vur! I don't care about my position anymore! You're like the daughter I was deprived of. I care about YOU. And I will murder you if necessary to stop from becoming a ruthless, blood shedding bitch like me! That's how much I care!" She swung at Nathyrra's head.
Nathyrra ducked. "You are weak! These emotions take away your strength!"
Ilivarra threw a melf's acid arrow at Nathyrra. "You cared about Seelamin! Were you weak then?"
For a moment, Nathyrra believed her. She shook her head. "NO! I won't let you toy with me like this! I will kill you, and nothing you can say will stop me!"
"So be it!" Ilivarra yelled. Nathyrra once again attempted to kick Ilivarra in the shins. This time Ilivarra grabbed Nathyrra's leg and twisted it, making her fall.
As Nathyrra started to stand up Ilivarra cast an invisibility spell. The room went deadly quiet. Nathyrra surveyed the room, looking for something to give away Ilivarra's location. My eyes are useless in this situation. Nathyrra closed her eyes. Though Ilivarra made no noise when she walked, Nathyrra could feel her approaching. The young assassin snapped her eyes open and lashed out. Ilivarra's thigh received a large wound and forced her to drop her spell. Nathyrra attacked before her mentor could cast another spell.
The sound of knives clashing and battle cries filled the air. Blood and sweat covered the floor, making it slippery. The two drow females continued to fight, neither gaining an advantage. It was barely noticeable, but Ilivarra was starting to tire. Her younger student was far from tired and noticed this change in her mentor. Nathyrra faked a blow to Ilivarra's knees and attempted to stab her head while distracted. Ilivarra had predicted the false move, and blocked Nathyrra's stab. She then successfully cut Nathyrra's face.
Nathyrra ignored the cut that stretched from her right eyebrow to the corner of her mouth. The two females continued to attack. Nathyrra let out a grunt as Ilivarra punched her in the face, followed by a scream as Ilivarra opened a wound stretching from the base of her neck to her navel. Nathyrra's shirt and breast band split in two, and she fell to her knees, clutching at her armor with hands that were crimson with her own blood.
Ilivarra smiled, thinking Nathyrra defeated. Her expression changed to one of pure shock when a searing pain entered her foot. She looked down to see that Nathyrra had stabbed her in the foot. The young drow quickly stood up and plunged her other dagger deep into Ilivarra's stomach, twisting it until a fatal wound formed.
Ilivarra sank to her knees. Nathyrra looked into her eyes. Unlike all of her other victim's, Ilivarra's violet eyes held no hate, only disappointment. The older drow managed a weak chuckle. "It seems I've failed as well, just as you have. Both of us are failures, each in different ways."
"I've failed nothing." Nathyrra said icily.
"So you say. Poison courses through your veins, Nathyrra. And my death is no cure for it. This will haunt you. Eventually, your heart of ice will shatter. Not from any physical wounds, but from your own feelings. Mark my words, Nathyrra."
"I don't believe you. You're a liar."
Ilivarra let out a barky laugh. "Stubborn al'vur." The tears that streamed down her face were bloodstained and scarlet.
"Cranky old bitch." Nathyrra replied softly.
Ilivarra smiled. "I'm coming, Corran." she whispered. Her eyes closed and slumped to the ground. Still, unmoving, and dead.
A lump formed in Nathyrra's throat. She tried to swallow it. I will not shed tears for this lying hypocrite.
Remembering something important, Nathyrra took out a small needle and two earrings. She made two new holes, one for Ilivarra and one for Nackor.
When she finished the process of piercing, she zipped up her jacket so as to preserve some of her modesty and drank a healing potion. When finished, she started to leave. Though she had just killed one of the most powerful people she had ever met, Nathyrra felt more defeated than ever.