„A Surface Night and a New Day"
The illusions peeled off their skins effortlessly enough, Xan made sure that no trace of drow features would remain on any of them. They set a camp halfway to Adalon's cave, crossing the distance in a steady and practiced desperate run, meaning to set as much space from the cursed city of drow as possible. Just when they were too exhausted to run anymore they stumbled on an empty cave, one looking safe enough for a camp. There they unloaded their packs, the one containing Adalon's eggs put delicately on the ground, and fell on the ground, completely exhausted, both physically and mentally. Removing their disguises so soon probably wasn't the wisest of what they could do, but Daria's companions seemed to have dreamed of this moment for such a long time, that waiting even one more day was more than they could take.
Daria summoned a silver fire to swirl on the stone floor, a fireplace of a sort, bringing them light, warmth and most importantly comfort. It had to do for their camp for now.
"Now that we're all in our rightful forms, I say it's time to make a proper introduction to Solaufein" the leader of the worn-out group began, turning to the drow sitting by her right. A group moan consisting mainly of "I don't care", "It's hopeless" and "Let me rest" answered her.
"This is Xan" she began from her left, ignoring all protests as if they were on a mixed company party, rather than escaping in the middle of the Underdark. "He will hate you at the beginning because you're a drow, but eventually he'll get used to you and he will manifest it by prophesying your early death."
"Do you really think we'll live long enough for anyone to get used to us?" The elf asked rhetorically.
"This is Valygar" Daria continued, ignoring ranger's scowl. "He will hate you because you are a mage, but he's already slowly realizing that magic can be used to much more than just killing infants and kicking puppies, so you'll just have to give him some time."
Valygar muttered an incoherent curse.
"This is Jaheira" she went on. "She will hate you because I like you and most likely will try to threaten you to do what she wants. This party would be long since gone if it weren't for her."
"Child, what do you mean, you like him?" the druidess demanded an answer, but Daria already turned to her sister. There was a strange smile on her face and that was even more terrifying than plain anger.
"This is Imoen. She will not hate you, but instead she'll play a lot of humiliating and occasionally dangerous pranks on you. It's an usual sign of affection from her."
Imoen sent Solaufein a joking kiss. Valygar's glare only deepened.
"Viconia, on the other hand, will hate you only because you exist. She will try to seduce you, manipulate you, or kill you, depending on the mood."
"I don't like this description, my acolyte." Viconia furrowed her narrow brows. She'd have to work some on Daria for her to show he proper respect. Ust Natha seemed to spoil her too much.
"And at last, Minsc, the safe mainstay of this team, the only person you can always unconditionally trust. He's also the most mentally stable of us all."
Minsc grinned cheerfully at the drow warrior, letting Boo take a sniff at him.
"What do you think, Boo?" he asked aloud. "He seems trustworthy enough."
"I…" Solaufein glanced suspiciously at the hamster.
"They all look battered and tired so much because… the drow city didn't fall to their taste. It's not a pleasant place for a surfacer to be, you know?" Daria glanced at her party again. They all looked as if they were about to fall asleep on the spot.
"But you don't look tired at all…" Solaufein noticed. That was true. Daria looked normal, or even better than normal, considering her previous state. There was a healthy flush on her cheeks, her eyes were looking vigilantly and sharply, with silver of the fireplace reflected in them, in one sentence – she looked as if she just woke up in her bed, ate a rich breakfast, took a refreshing bath and was ready to face whatever came her way. And this time she didn't need an illusion to create that effect.
"Yes, but that's because…"
"Tell us what happened." Xan interrupted her. He really didn't want to hear that again. Not this careless 'I have no spirit'. "How come your illusion faded?"
"I… had a run in with a demon…" the sun elf began carefully, already expecting her companion's reaction.
"By Silvanus' Horns, child, you should have told me you need healing!" Jaheira jumped up from her sit, but elf's slim brown hand pushed her gently back to sit.
"I'm not hurt. It killed Ardulace and Phaere" Daria felt Solaufein exhale loudly. "…but only dispelled my cover. I didn't have any illusions prepared so I just used a confusing enchantment on myself, took a dark cloak and tried to make it to the gates."
"You must have been terrified to walk the city like that…" Solaufein looked impressed by what he took for courage.
"I wasn't" she said simply. She didn't feel fear anymore, and should things go wrong there was always the Slayer.
"So what do we do now?" Xan asked. From his face she could see he was already enjoying keeping this night's watch, with all of his usual enthusiasm.
"Rest, all of you" she decided. "I'll keep watch. Once you're in better shape, we'll go visit Adalon. We need to cross the gates she's guarding if we're supposed to find Irenicus on the surface."
They all were shivering now, from excitement, even Viconia, though she was able to conceal it the best. Just few more steps, a door… and they'd see the sun again. Through the eyes of imagination they already saw the vivid green of the forest, felt the fresh gust of wind… Ten more steps… Maybe nine…
Minsc grabbed the handle of ancient door leading to the last straight tunnel that was to lead them back on the surface of Faerun. He pulled the door from its hinges, putting too much strength in opening it, but he didn't earn even one word of reproof. They almost run through the passage and…
A dark sky of night unwrapped over their heads, littered with uncountable number of stars. And it was good enough.
"This is… the sky?" Solaufein asked. His new allies' awed expressions had to make up for an answer. Imoen began to cry and Jaheira took her into arms.
"Don't cry Imoen" Daria said softly, without lowering her gaze to the ground. "You won't be able to see the stars with tears in your eyes."
"You! Who are you? Identify yourselves!" A group of elves approached them unnoticed, with Daria's entire group watching the sky. They aimed their bows and spears at them, only waiting for a signal to shoot. Those weren't adventurers or a random group. It was an organized squadron.
"There are drow among them, commander! And a Moonblade wielder!" one of the younger elves noticed with surprise. Xan's presence was probably the only reason why they weren't shot on the spot.
"Put down your weapons, newcomers. You're going with us." Another of the elves addressed them, probably the commanding officer. Daria felt her anger rising. They didn't even draw their swords, they did nothing to disturb the elves! For the first time since long she could watch the sky and they were interrupting her!
"Who are you to address us like that and what is this place?" she barked, the manner she trained as a drow female sneaking into her voice. She walked just in front of a loaded bow of the commander, the tip of the arrow touching her chest.
"These are the forests of Suldanessellar, the sacred city of the wood elves and I'm general Sovalidaas." The elf didn't back off, looking at her with anger. "Either you come with me to the main commander Elhan, or you will be shot in place."
Daria felt her companions tense when her dark aura rose, forewarning of Slayer's awaking, but then she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Solaufein, she realized turning back. All of her anger evaporated instantly.
"We'll go" she agreed.
The drow priestess made a scene in the middle of their camp, purposefully, of course. It didn't matter that it was their first night under the sky since gods knew when, that they were all exhausted and weary, or even that there was a small army of battle ready elves close enough to hear them sneeze. She just walked up to her and hit her across the face with her open palm. Daria was caught completely by surprise, she didn't even found time to react.
"Have I taught you nothing?" Viconia asked, her beautiful face lined by violent fury. "What will helping those foolish darthiir earn you? They are reliant to you in every aspect now, they can't even enter Athkatla without your help, they can't enter their own wretched city! They should be begging on their knees for your help and instead they suspect our motives at every step and deny us any information with an arrogance that would put the drow they despise so much to shame! And you agree to their terms, letting them manipulate you however they wish! Two hours of interrogation, mages verifying your every word, not being let inside the camp for protection – and you still want to help them?" Viconia hit her again, but this time Daria didn't evade deliberately, staggering backward slightly. Imoen rose to stop the dark elf priestess, but her sister gestured her to wait. It was time for her to deal with it on her own.
"We need to kill Bodhi and get inside Suldanessellar just as badly as they do, Viconia. And even if we didn't I'd still feel obliged to help my kin." She didn't back off facing her teacher's anger and the drow priestess noticed it instantly. She changed tactic.
"You think they'd help you, if you were in need?" the drow snickered.
"No, they wouldn't. I'm a Child of Bhaal, something they despise. They'd feel abhorred by my taint." Daria said the obvious truth. Solaufein flinched. He still wasn't used to her speaking so openly about her heritage, he only learned about it a day ago.
"So you finally see?" Viconia asked rhetorically. "You will never be accepted among the elves, you're an outcast, just like me. You are no 'kin'! We should keep the Rhynn Lanthorn for ourselves. Without the unnecessary commotion it would be easier for us to reach Irenicus!"
"No, Viconia." The sun elf stated flatly. Among her companions no one joined the discussion, all of them watching the argument in silence. Solaufein slipped away unwilling to interrupt matters he didn't understand, but she would look for him later.
"Don't you realize what you're saying? Has nothing from Shar's lessons taught you anything?" Viconia asked and she almost sounded desperate.
"It taught me a lot Viconia, and I thank you for your them. It taught me to depend on myself first and foremost, it taught me the strength of hate and vengeance, and the art of manipulating others to achieve my goals. But it also taught me that other's choices are irrelevant to my own. The fact that Suldanessellar elves would not help me has no connection to my decision should I help them or not. I want to help them and I will, Viconia, even though they don't trust me now and maybe never will. I want to do what I decide, not reflect other's decisions. That's what I choose for myself."
"I... saw a lot of potential in you Daria, potential to greatness. But now I see I was wrong. Go crawl with the rest of the vermin you love so much, wael." The drow marched off without anger, but with much of bitter disappointment.
"You told her, sis..." Imoen half-heartedly jested, hugging her smaller sister.
"I'm glad that... it doesn't matter." Jaheira tried to smile at her, but it would be an overstatement to say she succeeded. Daria sat back on her spot by the fireplace. She knew that when she'd go check for Viconia in the morning the drow would be long since gone.
Solaufein was sitting on his bedroll in a silent corner of a glade the elven warriors under Elhan's command made their outpost. He was looking at the clear night sky with myriads of stars like little diamonds imbued into it and moon half-way covered by the shadow of Toril. His neck must have hurt already after craning it for so long, but he did nothing to change this position. For the first time his alertness failed him and Daria managed to come close enough to sit by him before he even realized she was there.
The drow lowered his head to find the source of the movement and gaped seeing her so near. But then the serene expression returned to his face and he smiled at her, for the first time without irony hidden in the corners of his mouth.
"I always imagined that the surface had a ceiling, just like Underdark, only placed higher, too high for even the most sharp-eyed drow to perceive" he said with a smile, turning back to the sky. "Eilistraee would be the moon, dancing between the Surface and the ceiling and the stars would be gems, incrusted very far away into the firmament. But now I see I was wrong. The sky is truly infinite. Thank you for showing it to me Daria."
She didn't come here on purpose. She just felt a fleeting curiosity, guessing how close to him could she get before being noticed. But she decided to stay on purpose.
"You're welcome" she gave him a phrase often used on the surface. "Lie down."
He raised an eyebrow at her quizzically.
"Lie down" she repeated. "This way you won't need to crane your neck like that. It'll hurt, trust me."
He looked down at his bedroll suspiciously and then back at her, trying to win against his long practiced suspiciousness. Lying on the ground he'd be in no position to defend himself and in this new strange world he didn't know where the attack could come from.
Daria didn't bother with his hesitance, spreading her own cloak on the grass and stretching her limbs on it. She on the other hand felt much more comfortable here. Everything was so familiar… The smell of the forest and grass, the touch of the wind she longed for even though she didn't realize it, even though she didn't suspect she could feel such a thing as longing anymore.
"My knowledge of the surface is very limited, I only found few books of poetry. Is it a day or a night?" The drow asked her from the level of the grass. His wariness didn't appear long-lived.
"It's a night" she answered. "And don't worry, you'll learn everything quickly. Two years ago I couldn't kill a goblin and one Magic Missile was the most I could cast."
She turned her head and saw Solaufein looking at her quizzically, resting on his side.
"You jest" he stated. He saw her in a battle, and the reputation she gained on the arena reached his ears. There was no way she could learn to fight like that just in two years.
"I don't. It all happened quickly." She turned away from him, suddenly feeling tired of this conversation, all of this. Should she have her spirit she'd say she felt homesick…
"Many are things about this me
I'd never like for you to see,
And there are things I'd rather die
Than ever let them catch your eye.
But then among the lies and sins
A true believing never links
And any feeling will not dwell
Where tears are none for shared pain…" the drow recited quietly, like whisper, even though they were alone in the hidden nook of the clearing.
Daria turned back and for the first time since Irenicus took her spirit she wished she could feel sad.
"I don't know where I was born…" she began some strange shaking of her voice she couldn't quite control. But she liked this lack of control. She missed it. "I think I was an orphan for as long as I remember, but Gorion, my foster father took care of me well in Candlekeep, and there was Imoen, so I never felt lonely…"
Her voice stopped shaking after a while, when she told him all of her tale, her peaceful, sheltered childhood, how she was thrown into her adventure, how she fell in love and how she became a hero, trying to grow up in the meantime. She told him why they were pursuing Irenicus and what has he done to her. She talked and watched, mimicking his emotions, hearing out his responses. And then she stopped abruptly, realizing she has nothing more to say.
The drow warrior looked at her uneasy and she waited patiently for him to say something.
"I… I don't know what I should say" he admitted honestly. "Drow never confess to each other like that, it would be too dangerous."
Daria smiled lightly, feeling weightless like a feather all of sudden. On impulse she took his hand and put it on her shoulder. It was warm and smelling with grass. Solaufein watched her questioningly, waiting for her explanation.
"It's what friends do for each other, it's about feeling close to another person, showing care, support. I… I think I need support right now. Even though I don't really feel."
Solaufein shifted and moved his second hand to place I her shoulder as well and held her like that, awkwardly, with a lot of inexperienced kindness.
She woke up in warmth, on Solaufein's bedroll, covered with her own cloak. She didn't even remember when she fell asleep, so unused to this state already. Next to her, in a comfortable distance on the wide bedroll, slept Solaufein. The drow must have tried to keep watch over her when she fell asleep, but in the end sleep claimed him as well. No wonder. He had the longest journey of his life behind him.
The sun was rising on the east, so far hidden among the green leaves of the forest. Soon drow's adamantine armor would turn to dust, as well as some of small magical items she brought from Ust Natha. Her old equipment was waiting for her in their camp.
She touched her friend's hand and whispered his name, trying to wake him gently.
A new day was rising.