Okay, here's Chapter 4! I've pretty much written this story's plot out already, so I can't really change anything. But thanks for the suggestions and reviews! Please keep reading and reviewing, I really appreciate it and I welcome any constructive criticism you might have to offer :)
Nym recoiled instinctively as he read the blasphemous words, but he could not deny the morbid curiousity that prompted him to continue reading;
"Please meet outside the east gate to the city in the black death of Narbondel. Bring any who you see fit to join our path with you. When you have received and read this message, burn it."
The two boys looked at each other and then, as if they had reached some unspoken agreement, Nalfein lowered the letter into the candle's flame.
That night, the two boys silently stayed awake untilMelee Magthere was quiet.It was strictly against the rules to leave Tier Breche until they had formally graduated, but they figured it didn't matter now anyway. If they were caught, it wouldn't be that rule that would get them in trouble.
It wasn't actually hard to leave the Academy. Nym had imaginedthere would be guards or something of the like, but it was surprisingly easy to escape. Too easy, to Nym's way of thinking, and he kept an eye out for any strange happenings.
Menzoberranzan was quiet at night, and the two students quickly made their way for the east gate. As they approached the gate, two guards stepped forward out of the shadows.
"Why are you leaving the city?" the first guard asked, admirably getting right to the point.
"We have to meet someone." Nalfein said honestly. Nym tried to keep his mouth shut and his fear under control.
"Who?" the guard queried suspiciously. "You two don't even look old enough to be graduated from the Academy."
"We're on an errand." snapped Nalfein, with the assurance of someone who has powerful backing. "Do you wish to answer to my Matron Mother about why we were late?"
Faced with the threat of an angry and powerful female, the guard stood down. It couldn't be that serious anyway, he thought.
"Go ahead." he said. The other guard opened the gate and they were through.
"Nice job." Nym signed to Nalfein when they were a safe distance from the guards. His heart was beating incredibly fast and he wasn't sure how much longer it would be before he ran back to Menzoberranzan, barged in on the Master of Melee Magthere and confessed every one of his sins. The whole journey seemed too simple; it could not be this effortless to commit a crime of such magnitude.
Nalfein looked at him. Despite his earlier skillful bluffing, he was breathing hard and now looked every bit as terrified as Nym felt.
The two boys stood there for a few minutes, waiting and getting increasingly frightened by the minute.
"Do you think it's a trap?" Nalfein signed, his fingers trembling so badly Nym could hardly make out the words.
Nym stared at his comrade. He was imagining all the times he had been punished for things which weren't even really crimes...such as not being able to run from one end of the house to the other in the time it took his amused sister to teleport. He was remembering how the whip felt when it bit into his skin, sending waves of shock and pain to every muscle in his body. How it would go numb for a while and then the terrible hurt would wake up and burn through his body like a wildfire. He knew that what they were doing now was the worst of all possible crimes, blasphemy, treason against Lolth. But...that little voice kept telling him that it would be worth all this fear, if only he could get free.
Just when Nym was considering running back to the Academy, climbing into his bunk and living out the rest of his days as a good little boy, a figure stepped out of the shadows. The figure beckoned once and then walked briskly off.
Nym and Nalfein exchanged looks, half excited, half terrified. Then they followed what was supposedly a Vhaerunite.
After several minutes of walking, the figure turned around and pulled off his hood, revealing the features of a handsome drow male.
"Come closer and join hands," he said, without any preamble. The two boys obeyed. The Vhaerunite bowed his head and murmured something under his breath. There was a disorienting 'shimmer' and when the world reassembled itself around them, they were standing in a small room.
Nalfein was regarding the stranger, as if sizing him up. Nym just openly gaped at him. Neither of them had ever seen a male work clerical magic before.
He responded to their amazed looks with a grin. He wasn't mocking them, it was more like he understood exactly how they felt.
"Come on and sit down." he said, gesturing to a table. He seemed much more at ease away from Menzoberranzan.
"So, er..." said Nym. "Where are we? Who are you all, exactly? What do we do now?" Nalfein merely continued watching the stranger in his unnerving way.
"We," said the Vhaerunite. "Are in a secret stronghold, several miles from Menzoberranzan. The Order of Vhaerun, as you know, is a group of renegade males who follow Lord Vhaerun, the son of Lolth. Lord Vhaerun gives us power, gives us the strength and courage we need to escape the priestesses of Lolth and their twisted ideals and make a real life for ourselves. You and your friend will shortly be oriented into the Order, when we decide a mission for you to undertake. We are glad that you have decided to join our ranks." He paused, looking at his new recruits for a few moments. "Alright, we do not want to keep a lot of Vhaerunites at our stronghold, for fear of attracting unwanted attention. Right now, you have no clerical powers and nothing really hard to hide. It is best if you return to the Academy and remain there. Explain your absence as business for Master Fithros."
"Er..." said Nym, "What's Master Fithros going to say about that?"
The Vhaerunite grinned again, more broadly this time. "He'll agree. He's a member of the Order as well."
Nym blinked and then laughed. Nalfein grinned almost as widely as the Vhaerunite.
As the two friends approached the gates of Tier Breche, mentally preparing their excuse in their heads, they realized there seemed to be some chaos around Melee Magthere. A master ran out to meet them, looking angry.
"Where in the Nine Hells were you?" he exploded. Despite apparently being angry, his face was drained and looked rather haggard. He seemed to be under a lot of stress.
"We were on business for Master Fithros." Nym lied glibly. His perfectly rehearsed lie did not, however, have the desired effect. The master's eyes flickered with...fear? He bit his lip.
"Er, you'd better follow me." he said. "They'll want to hear about this"
He looked worriedly at the two boys, as if afraid they wouldn't obey him.
They did, of course.
"Who's 'they'?" signed Nym to Nalfein as they walked.
Nalfein shrugged,"The Masters of Melee Magthere? I dunno, some figure of authority." (this was, of course, signed)
Nym privately wondered if the excuse of Master Fithros' business would be sufficient. He knew leaving the school before graduation was to put yourself in serious trouble, but he hadn't figured it to be this serious.
Up ahead (they were in a hallway of the school now), there were several priestesses and high priestesses. Nym and Nalfein exchanged looks. It was at least unusual to have such a great number of high-ranking females in Melee Magthere.
The master approached them, slowing his brisk pace and lowering his eyes as he got nearer. They stopped in front of the priestesses and all three males bowed.
The foremost high priestess gave the master a mildly angry look.
"What now?" she asked, sounding annoyed.
"Er," he said, he was understandably nervous, "These two left the school, um, they said when they got back that they were on business for Master Fithros."
Upon hearing Fithros's name, practically every high priestess smirked.
"Great." said the apparent leader. "Good job, boy. Now get out of here." The master bowed, thanked her and left hurriedly.
Nym and Nalfein remained looking at the ground, slightly worried about what was going on, slightly nervous that the high priestess would somehow discover their betrayal, slightly jubilant that they didn't really have to be that afraid of her anymore.
Then they heard her chanting something quietly, under her breath. Suddenly, the world shimmered around them for the second time that night, and to their shock, they were sitting in a dungeon cell.
"What?" said Nalfein. He had dropped his calm demeanor now. "What the hell's going on? What did we do? How'd they find out?"
I'm trying to make this interesting and I hope it's working! Thank you for reading, please review, and like I said before, any criticism is welcome!