"What is it, my love?"
Jarlaxle looked up from brooding on his bed to face Jori. She approached him and sat beside him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Jarlaxle pushed her away.
"What is bothering you?" she asked worriedly.
"I don't want to marry," Jarlaxle said grumpily. He thought about adding "you" but figured she'd then misunderstand and take it as just being her.
"Why not?"
Jarlaxle looked at her, looked into those eyes that demanded an answer.
"I just don't want to be tied down by such a thing."
Jori nuzzled up to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "You know I wouldn't tie you down."
"No actually, I didn't know."
"Jarlaxle, I would travel with you when I could, and if children should happen I would gladly take care of them, wherever you decided to settle. I promise to hold you down as little as possible, you know I do."
Jarlaxle smiled. "Now I do."
Callahan pulled out his longsword. When would the fighting end? These undead were so constant! They had the boy completely surrounded, and he didn't know what to do. Callahan swung madly, but every time he got one down another one came in its place.
A flash of silver and the one behind him fell. "Come," an eleven voice rang out.
Callahan was quick to comply as the silver-glowing longsword led the way.
When they made it inside the Citadel, Callahan turned to see who had saved him. It was a moon elf like himself.
"Are you Callahan?"
Callahan just nodded dumbly.
"I thought so. I'm Zavian."
Callahan's widened. "I thought I knew you!"
Zavian shrugged. "Yes, well, I've managed to keep myself out of trouble in the Moonwood."
"But you've come before."
"Yes," Zavian said casually.
"I've been wanting to meet you again."
"I'm sure you have, but now is not the time for idle chatter. You should go and get your wounds healed."
Callahan just nodded and raced off.
"How did it go?" Sokale asked his wife.
Murue just glared.
"That wonderfully?"
"She refuses to help! We could obliterate Vhaeraun's allies!" Murue roared suddenly. Sokale just sat through it; he was used to her being mostly quiet with the occasional outburst.
"When they are weakened," the vampire said calmly as he stood. Murue glared at him with her lavender eyes.
Zavian sat beside Artemis and looked at the battle below. "It's gone on over a tenday now."
Entreri looked at him. "Is it really so surprising?"
Zavian shook his head and examined the battle below more. "We are losing."
Entreri nodded. "We have destroyed one of their primary warriors, but they have more."
"Shar is more powerful, especially with Isra's mask removed."
"You say that as though it were my fault," Entreri snapped accusingly.
"It is, and you know it is."
Entreri sighed. "Is it my fault we are losing?"
"No," Zavian said comfortingly. "It is our fault for not teaching those we trained to deal with undead."
"Thank you, Zavian."
"I am always here to help, but I shall help some more in the primary fighting." Zavian turned to go, then turned back. "Callahan's a nice boy by the way." With that he left the bewildered Entreri behind.
Marilak looked at the portal before him; he was sick and tired of this war! If he just left through this portal he could continue his life.
Cursing himself, Marilak put his brain back on track. He could not return to Bregan D'aerthe, for he had betrayed the leader. If he left now he would have nowhere to go, it was as simple as that.
"Were you planning on going somewhere?" Ali's voice rang out. Marilak froze.
How he hated the cleric! He had been an independent assassin until Ali had become the High Priest of Shar. Hadn't he made himself clear? He had no problems with helping in the rituals, or much else. He just didn't like being thrown into a war.
He felt Ali's hand on his shoulder. The man always put protective magic up, so he didn't bother striking out.
"Yes, I want to leave," he said perfectly calmly.
"Why?" Ali asked.
Marilak smiled slightly. That was one of the good things about this Entreri: he listened to what you had to say, then he flayed you.
"I just don't want to be involved in this war."
"But you are," Ali whispered into his ear.
With but a word, Ali closed the portal and left, leaving Marilak alone in the dark, just the way he liked it.
Wondering what to say, Entreri looked at Avariel, Cletran, Jori, Jarlaxle, Zavian, Callahan, and Sahide.
"We need to think of a plan of action," Avariel stated. Entreri silently thanked her for starting this.
Suddenly Avariel looked at him, bewildered. "You spoke in my mind, and you are welcome." Everyone's eyes widened at this statement.
Clearing his throat Entreri decided it was best to get back on the topic at hand. "How do we deal with Houchie?"
"How do you kill a vampire?" Callahan asked. It occurred to Entreri that the boy probably really didn't know.
"Stake through the heart and sunlight are pretty much the only permanent ways of dealing with them," Jarlaxle said.
Zavian nodded, "Running water is also a decent way."
Callahan looked to the elf and drow then turned to Entreri, "Have you ever fought a vampire, Master Entreri?"
"Yes, in fact it was Sokale," he looked to Callahan. "Stop calling me Master Entreri."
The young elf blushed.
"Cletran, do you think you can turn Sokale?" Avariel asked, turning to the priest.
"Maybe, but most likely I'll just cause him discomfort."
There was a pause in the conversation as everyone digested this information.
"It doesn't matter if we can't get him separated. We need to get him alone," Entreri said clearly. Everybody nodded in agreement, realizing how challenging that would be.
Sokale's eyes narrowed as he watched the Lords of Mask sneak out of the Citadel. Silently, he got his spells up, reminding himself that the worse thing that could happen was a short banishment.
Entreri entered a clearing in the forest as planned and waited for Sokale to reveal himself.Artemis Entrerisupposed he should be used to being bait, but he wasn't. Being bait for a powerful undead lord was just not a good way to end a day…or your life, he thought bitterly.
Sokale vaulted out of the tree he was hiding in and grabbed Entreri's throat. Immediately Cletran, with his holy symbol in hand, jumped out from behind a tree trunk. Sokale backed off to clear his head.
A crossbow bolt whizzed across the clearing and entered the vampire's shoulder, and he reacted by screaming out a spell.
"Slytha!" the mighty vampire yelled. With a thud, Avariel—the crossbow's wielder—fell into a deep sleep.
Sokale turned toward Cletran, only to feel Charon's Claw bite into his side.
"Ethgri' draumr k'opa!" Sokale called out another spell even though Entreri continued to puncture him with holes. Nothing broke Sokale's concentration, and the spell succeeded—Cletran was held.
"How long do you think you can hold a powerful priest?" Entreri asked, slashing Charon's Claw across the vampire's arm.
"Long enough to destroy you!" Sokale batted away Entreri's blade and rushed forward, but Entreri immediately retracted his sword and thrust forward, puncturing the vampire's lung.
Sokale jumped backward. "Not sufficient enough to kill me," he taunted, pouncing Entreri and toppling the small man to the ground.
"I have waited too long to drain you of your blood," he said, grabbing his hair.
"Do you have any idea of how cliché that sounds?" Entreri asked, gritting his teeth.
Sokale just threw back his head and laughed.
"Life and undeath are opposites, they will destroy one another if given the chance," a voice said in Entreri's mind.
Sokale bit Entreri and began to drink. He knew where the resistance lay and bit Entreri in the right shoulder to drain away his resistance and give it to him.
"How?" Entreri asked. It was the same voice that had allowed him to save Callahan.
"Are you not life?" it asked. "Can you not see the life all around? Can you not bring it towards you?"
Looking, Entreri saw it and brought it towards Sokale.
With a scream Sokale backed away. Entreri took the opportunity to move to his feet. Looking quickly at his arm, he was glad to see that the symbol was still there; without it he would burn from the inside out.
Entreri continued the assault, gathering up the life energy and pushing it towards the vampire. Cursing, Sokale cried out to the Dreadlands and was rewarded with mist.
"You have to get out of here!" the voice screamed. Entreri didn't need to be told twice as he picked up the sleeping Avariel and ran. At that moment Cletran came to, but seeing the mist, he decided it was best to follow Entreri's lead and run.
Author's Note: Just a quick reminder on Jori, for those who thought her comments towards Jarlaxle were out of place.