Disclaimer: Forgotten Realms belongs to RAS, WotC, and all the wonderful writers who have contributed to the world of Faerûn. We seek not to steal the ideas, only to embrace them and create a story of our own. The characters and the world may belong to RAS, but the plot is our own.

Jarlaxle grinned and glanced to Kristi, then to Alex. "Are we ready for today's lessons?"

Alex backed up a little farther when she saw Jarlaxle looking at her.

Kristi glared at Jarlaxle, noticing Alex back up. "Sure," pausing, "but what do these lessons entail?"

"Today we will be training together," Jarlaxle said with an air of anticipation.

Alex let out a soft sigh of relief, but Kristi looked between Pharaun and Jarlaxle suspiciously. "I would hope that we would be training together. What exactly is our training today?"

Alex nodded along with Kristi's question.

Pharaun walked over to the girls. "We're going to find your weaknesses. . ."

Alex blinked, "What?! How so?"

Kristi held her ground as Jarlaxle advanced and could almost feel Alex tense as he said, "We have our ways."

Alex turned to Kristi and said quietly, "I soooo do not like the sound of that."

Kristi couldn't help but agree, "I have a bad feeling about this. . ."

Pharaun motioned them to follow. "Follow us to your next. . .test."

"I'm beginning to really dislike these 'tests,'" Kristi grumbled.

"Come," Jarlaxle said. "We do not have time for delay."

Kristi sighed, "fine. Come on Alex." She followed making sure there was a good distance between Alex and Jarlaxle. She was a protective friend who was not going to let a drow, a drow especially like Jarlaxle, get too close to Alex. Not on her watch.

Alex shifted nervously. "So, umm where exactly are we going?"

"I don't think you want to know Alex," Kristi said, fearing the worse.

Pharaun couldn't help but fiendishly grin. As the girls were distracted by their own worries, he quietly chanted a spell. Extending his hand upward he transported the group to a lavishly decorated room, filled with small spider relics. Jarlaxle dusted off his vest of the magical energy from the spell and looked to Pharaun expectantly.

Kristi and Alex were preoccupied with the room's appearance.

Alex shuddered then whispered to Kristi, "well at least they are not real."

"Yeah. . .for now."

Alex gave her a look, "don't say that!"

Kristi mumbled to herself trying to figure out why the drow had brought them here of all places. "Weakness. . . weaknesses. . .what could that mean?" Her eyes widened as she considered Alex, "oh no. . .our fears. . ."

Alex blinked, overhearing Kristi. "What?"

Pharaun chanted quickly and a faint light moved from him over to the spiders. When the light faded, the spiders started to move. Kristi and Alex stared at the once prone, now moving spiders.

Alex looked around frightfully, noticing there were spiders all around the room. "Umm, Kristi. . ."

Kristi was about to answer, but yelped as her arms were twisted behind her back to prevent her from struggling. She whipped her head around. "Jarlaxle, what the hell are you doing?!"

Pharaun made a complex movement with his fingers, causing spider webs to prevent Alex from making an escape. He then chanted a command to the spiders to surround Alex.

"Kristi!" Alex started to swat at the spiders. "Get them away!"

Kristi struggled with Jarlaxle, but her efforts were futile as he proceeded to chain to her a pillar.

Jarlaxle pulled on the chain to lash Kristi to the pillar. "Watch as your friend

suffers!"

Kristi winced at the chain's tightness, but more so at his words. "No!" She proceeded to utter several expletives at Jarlaxle.

Alex started to back away from the spiders, but a wall stopped her efforts. "No, no, no, no, no. . .get them away! I hate spiders!"

Pharaun smirked, "you see my dears; we have ascertained your greatest fears."

Jarlaxle leaned behind Kristi and whispered, "You can't help her."

Kristi tried her best to ignore him. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the magic that she had felt ever since she entered this world.

The chains started to tremble with her effort, but Pharaun prevented her use of magic. "Now now my dear you wouldn't want to ruin our fun."

Alex looked up to see what was happening to Kristi. She almost seemed to sense her use of magic. "No!" She ran up to the spider web that prevented her from getting to her friend.

Jarlaxle brushed back some of Kristi's hair and whispered, "You are powerless to help your friend."

Kristi looked on in horror as several spiders advanced toward Alex and increased her struggling.

Alex screamed, "No! Please make them go away!"

Kristi paused in her struggling at Alex's words. "I. . .can't. . ." She fell speechless.

Alex screamed as a spider crawled on her leg and she frantically brushed it off, only to have more crawl onto her.

Pharaun yelled, "You both are weak!"

Kristi gave Pharaun an icy glare and her greens eyes seemed to flash silver. She concentrated her efforts on building up power within her, not only for her sake, but for her friend's.

Alex looked up with tears in her eyes. But at Pharaun's words she growled out, "No! I will not be weak in front of you!"

Kristi smiled. "That's it Alex! Fight-"

The hilt of Jarlaxle's sword connected with the back of Kristi's head, silencing her encouragement.

Alex happened to look at her friend at that precise moment. "No! No! Kristi!"

Kristi felt like something exploded in the back of her head. She blinked and felt disoriented and mumbled, "it's what they want." Her head dropped forward and she fell unconscious.

Alex turned to Pharaun and Jarlaxle. "You bastards!! Why are you doing this?!"

Jarlaxle sheathed his sword. "Now that your. . .friend is subdued we can work on your weakness."

Pharaun stroked the spider shaped pendant in his hand, which acted as the controller for the spiders in the room. Chanting a spell, he summoned a very large spider.

Alex looked on, horrified at the sight of the spider. "Please tell me, why are you doing this?"

Pharaun tossed his hair back in superiority. "Do we even need a reason? Besides you should already know the answer, the dark haired one figured it out."

Jarlaxle touched the cheek of a helpless Kristi, but restrained himself. "Yes, you should know the answer."

Kristi slowly started to stir.

Alex looked to Kristi, then back to Pharaun, and then the giant spider. "What are you talking about?!"

Kristi slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze fell on Alex, even though her heavy head wanted her gaze to fall on the floor. She felt weak and lights that looked like spiders appeared on the inside her eyelids whenever she blinked. "You bastards!"

Jarlaxle looked to Kristi. "Oh you're awake. . .good."

Alex fearfully looked to her. "Kristi what are they talking about?"

"Yes Kristi," Pharaun said mocking Alex, "what are we talking about?"

Alex backed into the wall as the giant spider advanced toward her.

"I don't know," Kristi murmured.

That response earned her a slap across the face from Jarlaxle.

Alex quickly looked up at the sound of the slap. "Kristi!" She tried to step forward but the spider seemed to hiss at her, so she pressed herself against the wall again.

"They seek to bend our wills, control us. . ." Kristi then talked quickly, "Alex you need to-"

Jarlaxle clamped a hand over her mouth.

Kristi continued her train of thought to Alex's mind. (You need to stand up to your fear. . .use what they've taught you, they're not expecting it!)

Pharaun grinned as he heard the connection. "We got it!"

Kristi looked down guiltily and hoped that her words would reach Alex as the spider continued its advance to her. She felt numb and if it weren't for the chain, holding her to the pillar, her knees would have gone out. She mumbled, "What have I done?"

Pharaun and Jarlaxle looked extremely pleased with themselves.

Alex slid down the wall and sat on the ground trembling in fear. "I can't! I can't do it Kristi!"

Kristi still felt numb, but she had to stay strong. She covered her sad eyes with determination. "Yes you can! You can! Believe that you can."

Alex looked up with tear filled eyes and a few rolled down her cheek. She whispered, "I can't."

The spider approached Alex and was now inches from her. Alex began to panic madly. This was her worst fears. . .times ten. . .times one hundred. . .times. . .perhaps there was no number.

Kristi banished her own feelings and gritted her teeth. "You may not believe in

yourself. . .but I do!"

She directed her last bit of strength at the spider to have it go after Pharaun. Though her efforts were noble, the results were not. Pharaun growled in anger and extended his hand at Kristi to shoot her with a bolt of lightning. Kristi screamed and the chains seemed to grow superheated and alive. They twisted around her as she came free of the pillar and remained on her as she fell painfully to the ground.

Jarlaxle couldn't help but wince and said to both of the girls. "Give in it will be less painless."

Kristi rasped out, "never." She struggled to get to her knees.

Alex huddled on the ground, shaking madly. "Please just make this all stop! Please?!"

"No Alex no!" Jarlaxle kicked Kristi and she leaned against the wall in pain. Ignoring the chains that bit into her skin, she vainly yelled, "Leave her alone!"

Pharaun laughed cruelly, "You're not in a position to negotiate."

Jarlaxle looked to Kristi, then grinned and slowly advanced toward Alex.

Kristi's eyes widened, "you bastard!"

Pharaun shook his head and hit Kristi with another bolt of lightning.

Kristi yelped and writhed in pain.

"Stop this!" Alex slowly sat up, "Stop this now!"

Kristi muttered deliriously. "Pain is a sign of life, there is no fear derived from pain."

Pharaun paused to give Kristi what looked like a sign of respect, but whether it was or not he decided to change his mind and hit her with another bolt of lightning.

Alex looked beyond the spider. "Kristi! No!" Standing up, "I

said stop this madness!"

Pharaun stopped for a moment. "Why?"

"There is no point in it, we will never give in! Not as long as we have each other."

Pharaun chuckled, "exactly."

Alex's eyes widened as she finally noticed how close Jarlaxle was to her. Slowly backing away from him she addressed Pharaun, "What do you mean 'exactly'?"

"If we sever your bond of friendship," Pharaun seemed to spit out the last word, "then you will both fall to our will. The bonds are weakening under our will."

She backed into the wall. "No, never! "Never will you break our friendship, never!" She looked to Kristi.

Kristi smiled softly, until Pharaun walked over to her. He dragged her by the chains over to the giant spider, dismissing the spider web. He turned her head so that it faced the spider. Kristi's eyes fell on Alex instead.

Jarlaxle walked up to Alex until his face was only inches from hers. "Now now my sweet. You can try to resist all you want but it will be of no use."

Alex shuddered at his closeness and tears filled her eyes. "No!" She whispered and shook her head, "no. . ." She slid down to the floor again. "Stop, please don't hurt her!"

Kristi gritted her teeth and lied. "Alex, their ways of pain cannot reach

me, they do this only to torture!"

Alex ignored Kristi's statement and looked Jarlaxle in the eye. "What about a deal?"

"No! Don't make a deal!"

Pharaun squeezed the back of Kristi's neck to silence her. He pulled her to her feet so that she could only look on helplessly. Leaning over he whispered, "This will be most interesting."

Alex lowered her eyes to the ground and stole a sad glance Kristi's way, meeting her eyes for a brief second. "Let her go and I will stay here and do your bidding." Tears started to trickle down her face. "I can't stand to see my friend suffer for my weakness."

"No Alex! That's what they wanted!" She fell to the ground as Pharaun let go of his grip. She whispered, "no." Holding her head in her hands she said very quietly, "they've made my worst fear come true."

(I'm sorry) She began to cry uncontrollably.

Kristi knelt on the ground, holding back the tears that wanted to come.

Jarlaxle knelt down next to Alex and lifted her head, so he could look into her eyes. He said gently, "are you true to this deal?" He looked purposefully to Kristi, then back to her.

Kristi's eyes glistened as she stared at Alex. (Listen to me Alex, if you truly want to do this. . .I don't agree with it. . .but I will come back to you. I will not allow this to happen, I will fight it everyday of my life. if you ask it of me. . .I will go, just ask me.)

(Kristi... I cannot allow you to be hurt because of me. I just can't)

(You do know this is what they wanted. . .to truly separate us. Do not trust them

Alex. . .do you hear me?)

Jarlaxle started to get impatient. "Answer me!"

Pharaun listened intently to their mental conversation and chuckled quietly to himself.

(They won't let me go Alex. You may as well give them your answer, it's your decision.)

(I. . .I. . .)

"Answer me!"

(You know I don't want you to Alex, but I can't bear you to have this guilt) Kristi turned to Pharaun angrily. (Do you mind?)

Pharaun just smiled evilly to her.

(I'm sorry)

Kristi rose to a knee and sighed heavily.

Alex looked Jarlaxle in the eye. "The deal is off!"

Kristi leapt at Pharaun and took the spider pendant. She tossed it toward Alex. "It's payback time!"

Alex pushed Jarlaxle away who growled toward Kristi, "damn you!" He intercepted Kristi's toss.

"Shit!" Kristi closed her eyes and used the magic that had slowly come back to her to break the chains. She tossed them toward Jarlaxle and he dropped the pendant as the chains hit him.

Alex scurried on the floor and tried to grab the pendant, but Pharaun pushed her out of the way and picked it up. He summoned the spider and had it advance toward Alex, fangs bared. He turned to Kristi. " Stop the rebellion or she dies!"

Kristi stopped abruptly looking between the two of them and the spider. "What makes you think I'm responsible for this?"

Jarlaxle walked up behind Alex and put a dagger to her neck to strengthen the point.

Kristi breathed in sharply at Jarlaxle's action.

"Kristi." She was silenced as Jarlaxle pressed the dagger a little harder and she flinched in pain.

Kristi weighed her options and said quietly, "Fine. I'll stop." She stared in hatred at the two drow.

"Kristi! No!" She yelped in pain as the dagger cut a small mark on her neck.

(The rebellion never dies) She held her hands out to her sides to show that she had to weapons. Approaching Pharaun, "I know you heard that. . .remember it"

Jarlaxle pressed the dagger harder, causing a small trickle of blood to flow down Alex's neck.

Kristi yelled to Jarlaxle, "I said I'd stop all right!"

Jarlaxle lowered the dagger and let Alex fall to the ground, gasping and holding onto her neck. He looked to Pharaun. "Take them to their 'chamber' and make sure they cannot escape. We will deal with this more tomorrow."

Pharaun nodded and chanted a spell, which transported the two girls to their chamber.

Alex was still on her knees and she looked up to Kristi. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you run? You had a chance to escape, and yet you stayed. I gave you a change to escape." She flinched as she touched the cut on her neck.

"I would have fallen into their trap. . .their twisted game. . .I would have become like them, one of my worst fears realized."

Alex looked down to the ground. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You did exactly what I planned all along. You never cease to amaze me. Heck! I can't believe we're both alive!"

Alex looked up and smiled slightly. "Always the optimistic one." She touched her cut and mumbled, "ouch".

Kristi knelt beside her and examined the cut. "It's not bad." She paused for a moment. "Please, you think I'm optimistic? Personally I don't believe the glass is half full or half empty. . .I want to know who in the nine hells hell made that up! Did someone drink out of it? Or did someone fill it up? We really need to know these things!" She paused again and smiled slightly realizing her rant. "We really should try and get some sleep."

"Don't you think that will be kind of hard in here?"

"Yeah I know, I don't think I'll be able to sleep."

Alex nodded slightly. "But, you did have a point. We should try. We'll need all the rest we can have to be prepared for tomorrow."

"Yeah," she crawled into bed, wincing slightly in pain.

Alex got into the bed beside her. "Good night Kristi, and thanks again."

"No problem," she replied staring at the ceiling.

Jarlaxle sat at his desk, casually twirling his hat in his hands. He looked into a mirror on his desk that was connected to a similar mirror in Pharaun's study. "We were so close today."

"I agree, very close. They were both ready to give in," he growled, "but that one!"

Jarlaxle placed his hat to the side and folded his hands under his chin. "What do you suggest as our next move?"

"They are strong together, that much we have ascertained and their spirits are breaking to our wills." He looked up in enlightenment. "We must sever their psychic link." Smiling, "I felt much guilt when it was revealed. . .that could work to our advantage."

Jarlaxle nodded. "Yes, they did not want to reveal their link to us, but the dark haired one surrendered that to us."

"Inadvertent though it was," Pharaun said. He then smiled darkly as he sifted through a tome. "I believe I may have found a spell which can sever that. All we have to do is to get them to link telepathically once more."

"But there lies the problem."

"True, the dark haired one seems like she will not make the same mistake twice."

"They seem to know that we are planning something and the light-haired one will follow her friend's lead."

"That is true," Pharaun paused to stroke his chin thoughtfully. "But what if the dark haired one makes a grave mistake or does a deed that lessens her image in her friend's eyes." He regarded the mercenary with a grin, "do you have anything in mind?"

"It will be tough with her. . .her bond is the light-haired one."

"Precisely," Pharaun said with a glint in his eyes. "But what if she just happened to accidentally hurt her friend?"

Jarlaxle looked to the mirror in enjoyment. "Go on."

"I possess a spell of the oldest magic, where every time the dark haired one resists. . .the light haired one will be hurt. She will not be hurt on the verge of death, but she will suffer much pain." He absently twirled a wand in his hand. "They will be in our clutches and they will have no choice but to follow our commands."

Jarlaxle smiled then gave Pharaun a look. "That is fine, just as long as there are no physical marks left on the light-haired one. . . I have grown fond of her."

"Of course," Pharaun responded, without a hint of surprise. "There will be no physical marks, just the sight of anguish on her face." He set the wand aside. "I shall meet you in the morning before the girls wake. It will take the two of us."

Jarlaxle nodded and placed a cloth over the mirror to end the communication. "Soon my dears, all will be ours for the taking." He placed his hat with his countless others and went to retire for the evening, a smile not once leaving his face.

Authors' Notes:

K: Well, it seems Jarlaxle and Pharaun are up to their usual tricks. . .and this latest one does not bode well for Alex and Kristi. In the next chapter, seeing is not necessarily believing and friendship is tested by the drow. Thank you one and all for your continuing reviews. Snaps her fingers and spiders spell out the words 'please review'. She grins as she tosses a spider pendant up in the air. . .until Pharaun snatches it. "Erm. . .anyway, reviews are encouraged." Dashes away