The revenge Chapter 17, a baldur's gate fanfic

Disclaimer:

I don't own Baldur's Gate, the great masterpiece of role-playing.

The story on hand, ‚The revenge' is fan-fiction. I wrote it, because I love to write, but I will not use ‚The revenge' in any commercial way.

Rating: 'M'. Some scenes may be a 'T', but I had the feeling that a few scenes should be rated as 'MA'. I think, in general it's OK, to give 'M'. If you don't like that or if you are too young, don't read!

Chapter17 – 1

Hammer21th, 1370

Svirfneblin village, Underdark

Three armed dwarfs stood at the gates at the svirfneblin village and guarded the entrance. Shelara knew that those guards were necessary. Many evil creatures bustled in the Underdark and the dwarfs had to protect their settlement.

The priestess left the shadows and headed towards them. A few steps later, one of them lowered his spear, pointed it to her and shouted, "You there! Who you are and what do you want? Come in the light, so we can see you!"

Shelara did what they asked her.

A svirfneblin looked at her, and then he grumbled, "Hey, I know you. You helped us a few months ago to defeat that creepy demon! Tell me what do you still want here?"

"We came here to ask for your help."

"We? Are there more? I see just you."

" Eh, I'm accompanied by a party…"
"Where are they?"

Shelara winked with her hand and the seven other women came in sight.

The svirfneblin guards stared at them, and then he nodded, "All right, follow me to the chief… But the drow must stay here."

"No. She will go with us," Shelara said.

"Drow aren't welcome in our settlement."

Viconia sighed, "Damn! What dare you? If I weren't together with Shelara, I would tear every one of you into pieces! Drow don't ask if they are welcome. They enter a svirfneblin village every moment they want."

"That's the reason why drow aren't welcome here."

"Be damned, pathetic… smurf and open the way!" Viconia hissed and took herself in a fighting stance.

"Hey guys, calm down!" Keto shouted out, "We haven't come for a fight. We just wanna talk."
The guards eyed her, "I don't know you. You weren't with the priestess a few months earlier."

"Yes… So you can say. I'm a new companion."

"All right. But we will not allow the drow to enter!"

"What the hell…!" Viconia shouted.

In this moment they saw persons in the passage behind the guards and suddenly more svirfneblin appeared. Shelara's gaze brightened when she saw the chief of the settlement, "My greetings! I hope you still know who I am."

He distorted his face to anything that could be a smile, "Yes, of course. You and your party are welcome. What do you want in the Underdark again?"

Shelara wanted to answer, but immediately a strange creature appeared behind them.

Chloe was the first one who reacted.

She drew her two swords, "Die, beholder!"

Keto jumped behind a rock for cover and Viconia made herself ready to attack.

All Shelara could do after a short moment was to laugh out amusingly and Imoen hold her lover back, "Don't attack, hummingbird."

Chloe stared at the mage in confusion, "Imoen! It's a beholder!"

Jaheira smirked, "Eh, no… of course it's a beholder, but a very special beholder."

"Eh…"

Shelara bowed before the beholder, "I'm greeting you, dear Spectator. I hope you had a good time since we met in Sendai's keep a few months ago."

The Spectator rolled his big eye – as far as it was possible, "Don't talk about that stupid woman. You weren't wrong, when you killed her."

"Sendai? Who's Sendai?" Keto asked.

"One of our enemies in Tethyr," the priestess said and turned to the Spectator again, "So she treated you badly?"

"Not exactly. Drow in general seem to think that I'm a powerful and great creature, full of evil. That surprises me every time again. Sendai also did so. No, her treatment was nice, but she was quite humorless. After the long years with those awesome devils I thought I would enjoy people who are anyhow… serious. But I'm afraid that the time in the city of the Sahuagin has damaged my mind in any way."

"Whatever. What do you do here?"

"I'm the mascot of the house that rules Ust Natha now."

"Eh, the mascot?"

The beholder sighed, "The woman who gave me the job explained it to me. It seems I should assist in questions of invoking ghosts and those boring things. And sometimes I have to go to neighbors of the drow and look for tribute… In my eye, I'm a mascot. It's a dull job and it doesn't give fulfillment, but the payment is good and the contract sounded acceptable when I took it, but I hate it."

Viconia grinned from one ear to the other, "Damn, stupid beholder, you're NO mascot, you're the first seer of the Matron Mother."

"Sounds important… I don't care."

"Hm… perhaps you can help us."

The Spectator nodded solemnly, "Yes, I can."

"You can? How can you know if you don't know what we want to do?"

"Listen, it's pretty easy: I don't know your problem, but…"

"But?"

"If you have a problem you have to go to the mountain and throw the ring in the fire."

"Eh… What?"

"Quite easy to understand, mighty priestess."

Keto grinned, "We don't have a mountain, a ring or a fire… but the idea sounds nice. I should write an epos about it."

Shelara rolled her eyes, and the Spectator sighed, "Whatever… So what do you want here?"

"We have to enter Ust Natha and rescue a friend."

"Oh, no problem."

"No problem?"

"Why it should be a problem?"

"Eh, because of all the drow in the city? Because just drow can enter the city?"

"I can. And you can use one of your mighty invisibility-spells to hide, while I lead us through the gate."

"Good idea, but how we come out?"

"I can lead you out, again… But I want a thing for that."

"A deal?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, what do you want?"

He turned to Nalia, "I've heard that you're a noble with a keep."
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"I want to life there."

"Eh…" Nalia stared to him in confusion.

"I think that I need a change. And to work with drow all time is so… unexciting. It's nice that we have met right now. As I said before, I want to change the job and… hey, I think, it can be thrilling to work in a keep at the surface."

"Eh…"

"Come on! Say yes! Please…"

Nalia shook her head, "Sorry, but I don't believe that it can work. Nobody there will accept you as a … 'colleague'. Beholders frighten the people on the surface."

"I'm no beholder, I'm THE Spectator and I promise you, I will behave well."
"But… what do you want to do there?"

"Hm… I don't know. But don't forget, I'm still a magical creature."
"No."

"No?"

"No!"

"Then I won't help you."

"That's extortion!"

"Yes, it is."

Imoen bowed to her, "Oh, Nali, please don't be a frog. Give him a chance."

"But…"

"Nalia, he could help us here."
"But it's my keep!"

Immy's face beamed, "It could be fun to have someone like him among our friends."

"Eh…"

"And he can chase away all the nobles you hate. Or he could blab them to death."

Nalia hesitated and after a moment she grumbled, "Eh, well, we'll try it. But that doesn't mean you can do anything you want. If you'll make a mistake, you'll have to go."

The Spectator grinned, "That's all right… Well, listen… I have a magical aura around myself and I can hide two or three invisible members of your party in it. Nobody will realize that they're there. I will lead them to the tavern and there you can do whatever you want to do… It will be easy, because the most drow in the tavern are such drunk, they wouldn't realize an enemy if she's next to him. When you want to leave we'll do it in my aura again."

"Hm, aren't you interested in our plans why we enter Ust Natha?"

He stared at her in deepest confusion, "Eh… no."

Shelara grinned, but suddenly Chloe told skeptically, "A fine plan… especially because you had just a second to make it."

"I had much time to think about many things in the last weeks."

"I see. But if they find out that we're in the city, they will close the gates immediately."

"Not necessarily," Viconia interjected.

Shelara looked at her, "What do you mean with that?"

"Below the most buildings of a drow settlement there are tunnels."

"I've never heard about that before."

"It's a very popular method for important drow to enter the tavern or the houses of lust."

"But I thought that the drow have a… very laid-back attitude to those things."

Viconia smiled, "Sure, but even a Matron Mother becomes unpopular if her underlings think that she drinks more than works."

Shelara nodded, "I understand. You think that they will check the tunnels first."

"Yes. And they will intensify the guards at the gate, but I think you can make it in the aura of this beholder."

"You?"

"Yes… why… eh, no! I will not help you in the city. I told you before that it's suicide."

"If you take four of our best items and Nalia's gold, you have to work more to earn it."

The priestess of Shar grumbled, "Be damned, weak female!"

Shelara sighed and looked around, "Whatever… Who will accompany her?"

Silence.

Imoen cleared her throat, "I should do it."

"Nightingale, no! I will never allow this!" Chloe shouted immediately.

"Viconia needs me. We need a mage to maintain the invisibility spell and to cast it on Yasi. And in comparison to Nalia, I'm the better thief and burglar. Perhaps we need these abilities to free her."
Shelara nodded, "Yes, she's right."

"No!" Chloe stared at Imoen's sister. "That's madness…"

Imoen smiled, "Cool down, hummingbird. I promise you to come back."

The kensai fell into silence, but after a short moment she looked to Viconia and hissed, "If you don't bring her back, I swear to you, you regret it!"

Imoen grinned, "Well, after that's clear… can we go now?"

Chapter17 – 2

Hammer21th, 1370

Ust Natha, Underdark

The guard at the gate received the Spectator with an evil grin, "And did you like it to be with those ridiculous dwarfs? I've made a bet with one of the other guards you would liked it."

The Spectator nodded, "Yes, they were quite funny. But the talks to them are boring."

"Boring?"

"Yes. I've tried all the time to talk about things like the forthcoming apocalypse and something like that, but they're too simple-minded."

The guard grumbled, "Damn! Now you'll bore us again with your twaddle."

"Don't you like it?"

"No!"

"Why?"

The drow sighed, "Lloth, please help us! One day he will kill us with his blathers!"

The Spectator ignored him and left for the temple of the Matron Mother.

In this moment the guard turned to another one, "Hey, loser, do you feel that, too?"

"Feel what, jerk?"

"I've thought I sensed any magical aura around here."
"I didn't do. Perhaps the beholder had done anything obscene out there."

"Hm?"

"He might be the seer of the Matron Mother, but he's a quite strange creature. Who knows what he did out of the city."

Imoen and Viconia left the Spectator when they passed the tavern. The archmage hoped that the Spectator would survive. She liked him: It was a special creature and to know that there were crackpots like him out there made Faerûn to a very lovely place.

She looked to Viconia. The drow also was hidden by Imoen's spell of improved invisibility by the eyes of their enemies... The archmage had to be true: If they were seen, it was their end. And then a fast death was the best, they could hope for.

Imoen ignored her thoughts and followed Viconia to the tavern.

When they had been in Ust Natha the first time, the archmage had decided to hate this place. The inn was… yeah, full of awesome drow who tried to please themselves with watching fights in the pits and enjoying the night in the 'Houses of the lust'.

She looked to Viconia for a moment. The drow didn't show any reaction to her surroundings. What did Viconia feel when she saw her sisters and brothers? When she thought at her past, at her youth?

Homesickness? Revulsion? Or nothing?

She sighed toneless. It was meaningless. Viconia would leave the party after rescuing Yasraena and Imoen would never see her again. And why should she care about the feelings of that cruel drow?

She shook her head. Viconia looked to her, "What's up, rivvil?" [1]
Imoen whispered tonelessly, "Nothing. I just was in thoughts. Just give me a moment. I cast a farsight-spell, so we can see if we're free to open the door."

Viconia sighed, and then she opened it with her hands. The passage behind the door was empty.

Imoen stared at her and hissed, "Are you crazy??"
"What's the matter? Can't you take a risk?"

"I can! But that's no risk, that's madness. What if a drow sees that the door is self-opening."

Viconia grinned, "Rivvin [2] are so frightened all times. Fortune is always with the courageous ones."

The archmage rolled her eyes, "I have survived so long, because I minimized the risks in all dangerous situations."

"So you're afraid of death?"
Imoen sighed and turned away. Viconia grinned maliciously. It seemed that the drow had fun to tease her.

She concentrated again on the scene, prospected for Yasraena. Imoen was a much better mage like a few months ago when they fought Amelyssan and she was able to sustain her spells much longer and cast more spells, but in a tavern – full of drow – even she had to watch that she wasn't detected. To cast a finding spell in the tavern had alerted all the drunken drow in there and she wasn't willing to do so.

She heard Viconia's breathing directly after her and sneaked in the tavern. Of course, they were invisible, but Imoen saw the necessity to sneak as much as it was possible.

When she left the passage between the door and the main room, Imoen saw what she had expected: The most of the drow were drunk and the other ones looked for the fights in the pits.

Imoen made her way through the tavern, when she froze abruptly.

Viconia stopped behind her and looked at the face of the archmage which got paler with every moment. The drow looked at Imoen and the mage pointed at one of the pits. Yasraena stood there in her torn clothing and with two or three serious wounds… and at the other side of the fighting place they could see two angry ravenous wolves.

Yasraena focused on the two animals and made a step to the right. Imoen closed her eyes and cursed this city. They hadn't given her weapons; Yasraena just had her bare hands.

Lots of drow stood around the pit and rooted for the wolves, what didn't surprise Imoen.

Yasraena stared at the left wolf, made a step forward, but in the same moment the wolf swerved and attacked simultaneously with the second wolf.

It happened fast.

Yasraena wasn't as agile as Chloe, but the drow was hard and pertinacious enough to reach her goals: The first wolf missed her, but the second one bit her in an arm. Yasraena ignored the pain and lashed to his head. The animal ululated and unclasped her arm. Yasraena smiled evilly, took the head with both hands and broke its neck without hesitation. A moment later she jumped back, escaped the attack of the other wolf. Suddenly Yasraena got in a fighting stance and attacked. Imoen didn't know if it was stupidity or ingenuity to strike out, but she was successful. She kicked the astounded wolf into his teeth, fell to the ground and used the only sharp weapons that she still possessed: She bit the wolf in its carotid. The wolf screamed in pain and tried to jump away, but Yasraena had him…

Imoen stared at her. This was the reason why drow were so redoubtably in Faerûn: They were able to stand cruelest pain and kept on fighting until all of their enemies were dead.

Imoen hated the drow.

Suddenly a female voice began to rise, "Make your bets: Is she able to survive the next fight? In the next fight she will face a heavy armed Duergar… Double or nothing! Make your bets and see the traitor fall!"

Viconia pulled the archmage back, when one of the drow made a step back and saved her from touching the drow… Suddenly Imoen froze, smiled evilly and dug one of the drow.

He started, turned around immediately and shouted against another drow who stood next to him, "Hey, jackass! What dare you?! Don't touch me or you'll regret it."

His opponent gave him a dangerous glance, "I didn't touch you, drunkard."

Imoen and Viconia withdrew to a secure place and looked as the situation exploded in a second: One drow pushed the other away, a third had to make a step back and pushed a fourth drow back… and a short moment later all the drow who stood there around the pit mobbed over the other and fought themselves, even with real weapons.

The archmage grinned, took Viconia and avoided their enemies. The two sneaked towards the fighting pit along the wal and then Imoen bowed over the edge where Yasraena stood and whispered, "Yasi, do you hear me?"
Yasraena started and looked up, "Imoen?" But in the same moment her face grew pale.

Imoen needed a second to realize what had happened: The invisibility spell didn't work anymore.

The room got silent immediately and the drow stopped to fight, still in their fighting positions.

One of them grinned, "No invisibility spell is forever. All you need is a mage who can cast a blessing spell if he hears too loud breathing… or steps."

Imoen froze… swallowed down her panic, while Viconia hissed, "This is the perfect moment to show that you're a real archmage!"

Imoen nodded and turned to Yasraena, "Try to hide behind the corpses of the wolves and don't do anything. We have to… manage this first."

Imoen tightened herself. This was bad… really bad.

Then she turned to Viconia, "Don't ya think we can talk this out?"

Viconia rolled her eyes and some drow grinned maliciously. One of them laughed, "You will talk, I promise you! After hours of torture you will scream out everything we want to know!"

Imoen sighed and grumbled, "It's borin' to fight all time. Why don't we find a compromise?"

"I show you what compromise we will find!" With these words they attacked.

Imoen closed her eyes and whispered a spell…

Viconia jumped out the line when a fireball shot out of Imoen's hands and hit the first drow hard.

Imoen was thrown back by the blast, and after a moment she shouted to Viconia, "Defend me!"

The priestess of Shar nodded and began to fight them with her staff of ram, which pushed the attackers away… One, two, three seconds…

The last of the drow who was hit by the fireball was on his feet again. Viconia grumbled. Two against thirty… All right, at least they would show them how to die!

Then she saw anything in the corner of her eyes… Imoen stood again and she had that mad expression in her eyes.

The mage smiled and shouted one single word: A web of climbing plants shot out of the ground and hold all of the attackers. She sighed deeply, and looked how Viconia attacked their defenseless enemies. She made a step back, and minded that the climbing plants didn't hold her.

Then she raised her finger, used another spell and three energetic flashes engulfed Imoen, Viconia and Yasraena.

Imoen smiled… and cast another spell: Five or six lightning bolts shot out of her hands and filled the room.

The drow screamed in pain and… died.

Imoen heaved a sigh of relief and sat down. Viconia stared to her, "What was that?"

"Lightning bolts. First, I cast a protection spell on you, me and Yasi, and then I killed these bastards."

Viconia grumbled, "Nice work."

"Damn ya, Vici, shut up!" the archmage shouted in anger and stood up to reach the pit.

She bent over the edge of the pit, passed Yasraena her hands and pulled her out.

"Im… oen…" the almost dead drow croaked.

The archmage placed one finger on her lips, "Be still, Yasi. You're too weak to speak. You need your strength when we leave."

Yasraena laughed in despair, "You want to leave?? Stupid woman, we're in Ust Natha! We can't come and go. We… we're dead… Why did you do this? Why didn't you let me die here?"

Imoen didn't answer, but turned to Viconia, "Do you think, they heard us?"

"Do you think you can unleash fireballs and lighting bolts in the middle of a city and no one notices?"

"Hm… so they will come to kill us?"

Viconia nodded, "That's sure… Do you have any good fighting spells left?"

"Fighting spells? I'm sorry. I could cast energy blades or could call a deva, but it won't stop them for long. Apart from that I have a few fireballs, lightning bolts, acid arrows and cloudkills left."

Viconia stared at her in disbelief, "You're joking!"

"No."

"But… I thought you and Nalia defeated so many enemies months ago."

"Sure, but Nali and I work as a team. She has all the mighty fighting spells and I have the good spells for illusion, abjuration and such stuff."

Viconia stared at one the walls and then she whispered "Shit!"

"Bel'la melee." [3] Yasraena whispered suddenly.

Viconia looked at her, and then she shook her head, "No. We don't know if the Matron Mother accepts a bel'la melee."

"The Matron Mother is cruel, but fair. We should try it."

"Sorry… But what's a bel'la melee?" Imoen asked.

"An old traditional fight of the drow, but we can't be sure if this rule of fight is accepted here."

"A fight?"

"Yes. If a female drow is sentenced to death by other drow, she can call a bel'la melee. That means that the drow can fight with another drow to death to recover her honor. If she wins, she's allowed to leave, but after one hour the drow begin to hunt her down."

Imoen nodded, "We should try it."

"It's not sure if the drow of Ust Natha accept that old tradition."

"We should try it anyway."

Viconia nodded, "But even if it works, they will just allow me and Yasraena to leave. You aren't a drow."

Imoen still smiled, "It surprises me that you're worried about me."

The drow sighed, "I despise you, but we're in the same party… But you're right, let's try it. That's the last chance."

Viconia took a deep breath and left the tavern. Imoen helped Yasraena on the feet and followed her.

Imoen froze.

The place before the tavern was full of drow.

Fighters, priestesses and mages. And the Matron Mother.

Right in the moment Imoen and Yasraena placed themselves next to Viconia, the priestess of Shar shouted, "Bel'la melee! I insist on the right to fight in a bel'la melee!"

One of the fighters near them rolled his eyes and looked to the Matron Mother. Imoen looked to her: As far as Imoen could remember, the family sign of the last Matron Mother was another one.

"Damn you!" the Matron Mother barked. "But I don't ignore the old tradition. Choose your weapon!"

Viconia hesitated, "I want a bel'la melee for me, Yasraena and this rivvil here."

The Matron Mother grinned, "The traditions don't work for Yasraena. She has lost her right for drow traditions when she chose her life among the DARTHIIR [4] of Suldanessalar. And the rivvil stands outside, too. She will die in the house of pain, but…" the Matron Mother grinned, "…it was a brave move that she entered Ust Natha with nothing more than a filthy traitor as a companion. We will tell her story after her death."

"No!" Viconia hissed and placed herself in a fighting stance, "I will fight for them! I will fight against three of your fighter simultaneously with nothing more than my hands."

Imoen stared at her in disbelief and Viconia still looked at the Matron Mother, gave the staff of ram, her new armor and the gauntlets to Imoen.

The Matron Mother seemed to think a moment and suddenly shouted, "Seer!"

They saw as the Spectator glided to the Matron Mother and she turned to him, "What do you think about that?"

"About what?"

"The situation here!"

"Ah, sorry… I see… yes, I see that great evil will come over Ust Natha, if you don't accept her supposal."

"Curse on you, beholder! But it doesn't matter. She won't survive it anyway… Belaern! Honglath! Luth'ol!"

Three drow fighter came forward, everyone one of them heavy armed. The Matron Mother grinned evilly, "Cut her into pieces!"

Viconia almost didn't have time to swerve. She pushed back Imoen and Yasraena and saved them from being hit by the swords of the attackers. They didn't want to waste time. Like Viconia. She jumped between them and kicked Belaern's head. In the corner of her eyes she saw as Honglath and Luth'ol striked out… she ducked herself and heard as the two attackers hit… each other with their swords.

Viconia grinned maliciously and rose slowly. Her two opponents lay next her… dead and with their own swords in their hearts. The weapons had broken through the armor easily. Viconia made a step forward, got into Belaerns's rear.

The priestess of Shar clasped the head of her enemy and… wrenched it hard to the side. Imoen stared at her, heard the neck of Belaern break and saw the corpse falling on the ground.

Viconia yawned provokingly, while she took her staff and put on her armor. Then she turned to the Matron Mother, "Don't tell me, these pathetic losers were all you had??"

Silence.

Imoen could feel the tension in the air. It wouldn't take long until it would explode over them. The archmage managed a smile and told the Matron Mother, "So… eh, it was a nice time here, but we still have business to do out there and I think, we should leave now."

"You would be a perfect slave, rivvil!" the Matron Mother hissed.

Yasraena stared at her, "You promised! Damn, you gave your word of honor!"

The Matron Mother hesitated a moment, and then she hissed, "Give them a free passage!"

One of the next drow shouted at the Matron Mother, "We can't let them go!" He lifted his sword and striked out.

The Matron Mother was faster and her own sword flashed in the light.

The male drow died with a shout of pain.

"I gave them my word and I will not allow that any of you breaks my word!"

Another female drow came forward, "Curse on you, he was my favorite male!"

"Take another one. The gossips say that you aren't fastidious about your lovers!"

"You dare to…?!"

"Yes, I dare to insult you, underling! I will NOT break my word."

"That's all just because of your brother! Solaufein had this stupid idea that the drow should take a new way, a way of honor… After Arduculae and Phaere died, it was easy to destroy their family and took control of Ust Natha. Then he made you to the new Matron Mother, but you're weak! You needed the sword of a male to become Matron Mother! But the Arduculae's house still has many supporters."
"Try it, pig!"

"Oh yes… I will kill you on the same way I killed Solaufein."

"YOU killed my brother!?"

"Yes, I killed that pathetic male!"

The Matron Mother didn't waste time and stormed against to other woman. The moment when their swords met was the moment the other drow had waited for. With deafening battle cries the two sides crushed into each other… and ignored Imoen, Yasraena and Viconia completely.

Imoen stared at them, "Eh, what's that??"

Yasraena smiled, "We have more luck than judgment. The gods smile to us. But we should leave now! Immediately!"

Viconia nodded and took Yasraena on her back, while Imoen cast one more invisibility spell on the three. Then they ran.

At the gate they stopped. Nobody was here… if there was a fight in the middle of their city, no drow was able to look for a gate…

Suddenly the Spectator appeared in a flash of magical energy next to them and looked at them with an expression of madness and happiness, "So, let's go?"

Imoen nodded, "Yeah, let's go."

Chapter17 – 3

Hammer21th, 1370

Before the gates of Ust Natha, Underdark

Shelara looked at the gate. To sneak into a settlement of the drow and free a captive was… suicide, like Viconia had told. But they hadn't a choice. Shelara would do everything to save a friend.

The priestess sighed. She trusted her sister and Viconia. Imoen was one of the best mages she had ever known and she was too smart to get into serious trouble. And Viconia… yes, Viconia was a special drow and until she thought that her life was indebted for Shelara she would keep her word.

The rest of them had talked about their next steps and they would go to Nalia's keep directly. The noble didn't like this idea, but it was their only possibility. Trademeet was lost, Imnesvale was too far from Athkatla and Suldanessalar was… too elfish for a party with two drow.

Whatever.

They would see.

But first they would set magical and non-magical traps on the way up to the top. It was sure that the drow would follow them to get Yasraena back and punish them. If they put traps on the way, perhaps they could slow them. Nalia, Jaheira and Keto were there at the passage and did it, while she was there with Saerileth and Chloe.

The godly cavalier was still too silent, but Shelara was sure that it was because of the closeness of the evil. Saerileth had hated the idea to go into the Underdark again. The knight had just followed Shelara the first time because of her wish to rescue Imoen. It was similar this time. Yasraena was a drow and the cavalier despised the drow, but Yasraena had fought with her and had proven her loyalty. Saerlileth would die for her, as for all good friends and companions, but Shelara knew that the young knight would be happy when she was far away from this place… And… even when they were sisters in combat, Yasraena was a drow.

A flash.

The gate opened.

Shelara blinked and tried to see anything. The flash made it hard to recognize a thing.

When it disappeared, Shelara's face brightened: Imoen, Viconia, Yasraena and the Spectator.

The priestess of Sune relaxed and waved to the four, "We're here!"

Imoen waved back, "Hey, sis'! Hey hummingbird!"

Chloe ran to her and embraced her immediately. Imoen smiled and tried to escape from the arms of her lover.

"I told you, I would come back, so don't be surprised."

"Im… Immy…"

The archmage smirked, "Come on! Did you really think that a band of drow-jerks can stop me?"

Chloe looked in her face and it shocked Imoen that the kensai had tears in her eyes, "Oh nightingale, you're incurably!"

Imoen smiled and whispered in her ear, "That's because I know you love that."

"Eh…" Viconia cleared her throat, "You'll have time for… such things later… We have to go NOW!"

Imoen got serious and turned to Shelara, "We had trouble in there. They can follow us every second."

Shelara nodded, made a step to Yasraena, placed one hand on her chest and whispered a spell… After two or three moments she shone in a warm soft light and they all could see as Yasraena's injuries disappeared by the heal spell. Shelara turned around, "Anybody else who needs healing? … No? Then let's leave."

-tbc-

[1]rivvil: humans

[2]rivvin: humans

[3]bel'la melee: 'bel'la' means 'honor' and 'melee' means 'fighting'. I thought that even the drow need a tradition for honor fights… And it was the only way to get Immy and Vici out of Ust Natha… alive ;-)

[4]DARTHIIR: surface elf/elves

Author's note: Hm, I know what you're thinking now: This chapter is unrealistic and overacted. But… the hell, it rocks to write such chapies ;-)