A/N:
Hope everyone is still enjoying the story!
I've gone back and corrected a couple spelling/grammar mistakes that slipped through in Chapter 7. That's what I get for editing in a rush.
Twisted Fate
Chapter 8
The next day began like most others for Nariel – early. She dressed and collected her gear the same as always except for one notable difference. Thought she was not quite ready to pack it away for good, she kept her mask off this time, hanging loosely from her belt. It was a symbolic change, the meaning lost to anyone but her and perhaps Solarius, but to be able to do it was a comforting reassurance that the events of the previous night had been real, and not just a wild emotional swing.
When they found the dwarven scout later that morning, his information was limited – he knew how to approach the Spire, what areas to avoid on the way to the mountain, and what they might expect to find, but overall it was nothing that they could not have discovered themselves, which left Molikor rather grumpy at their lost time. Traveling to the mountain itself would be quick – it was in sight from the tower, and a mere hour or so by foot.
The Thorium Brotherhood maintained patrols within a reasonable distance from the tower, ensuring that the risk of danger en route to the underground pass was very limited, so Nariel had passed the time quietly by letting her mind drift. Though she didn't want to, inevitably her thoughts began to shift to Sath'rovok. The night prior had been emotionally draining, and she didn't have the strength to hold down the thoughts of the Paladin that slowly began to bubble up. As images of his searching gaze slipped into her mind, her eyes glossed over and she began to simply trail behind the others, her mount automatically following them.
Solarius caught a brief glimpse of her and immediately knew what she was replaying in her head. He felt sad for her. It was a painful story to begin with, but she had been forced to relive it yesterday, and then speak to him about it. He knew it had taken tremendous courage for her to open up to him, and even more for her to endure and get up the next day. He hoped he had done some good, and he would do his best to catch her if she slipped up while she healed, but it was still up to her. And right now, it looked like she was having trouble with it.
"Nariel" Solarius said loudly.
"Wha-?" She asked, jolting back to reality.
"Have I told you about the time I saved Molikor's life?" He asked, his voice completely serious.
"Oh good grief." Said Molikor, exasperated.
"N…No." Nariel said slowly, shaking her previous thoughts from her mind. "I don't suppose you have." She confirmed.
"It was glorious." Solarius said.
"That's one word for it." Molikor mumbled.
"Quiet you." Said Solarius as he jabbed a finger at the Hunter before continuing. "He was trapped, chased into a cave by a wild beast."
"I was picking an herb." Said the Orc flatly.
"The creature stalked him relentlessly. It had distracted Frostbite before she knew what was happening." Solarius continued his story. "Suddenly it lurched for him. Molikor instinctively shouted for the one person in the world he could count on."
"I of course came swiftly." The Paladin said matter-of-factly. "Naturally, I dispatched the beast with ease, rescued dear Molikor, and saved the day." He added with a casual wave.
"It was a Mouse." Molikor said. "The damn thing shifted a rock that fell from a ledge and startled me."
"This fearsome killer" he said, pointing to Frostbite "was off chasing another mouse."
"You still screamed like a girl." Solarius said pointedly.
"Why you- I did not scream like a girl!" Molikor cried, shifting angrily in the seat of his wolf mount and trying to make his voice sound as gruff as possible.
"Sure you didn't" Solarius said, turning to Nariel and mouthing yes he did.
The rogue had broken out into a small grin at the story, thoughts of Sath'rovok instantly banished from her mind. It was no secret to either of them what Solarius was trying to do, and she appreciated it. She gave him a thankful smile, her mood instantly lightening up and the remainder of the journey she occupied herself with prying more stories from the pair, each more ridiculous than the last until finally she decided that at that point they were simply making things up. As they approached the base of the mountain, a giant iron gate stood before them cracked just enough to allow passage.
"No welcome mat?" Solarius asked sarcastically.
"They must not like rogues." Molikor said, giving Nariel a look of mock disapproval.
"I'll admit I've...ahem…made myself at home a few times in other people's houses uninvited." Nariel joked. "Still, to be judged unworthy…" she said with a dramatic sigh.
Molikor gave an amused grunt as the group slipped one by one through the gate. The dark cavern was illuminated by lava deep below, an imposing sight that matched with the heat wave that Nariel felt as they entered. Slowly their eyes came into focus, and they found they were on a large stone pathway that circled the cavern. As the scout had promised, the chains that held it in place had one spot where a brighter light than normal flickered, a dead giveaway as to their destination.
"There." Nariel said, pointing to it.
"Aye, that will be the entrance to the spire." Confirmed Molikor.
"Perfect, we'll just pop on up and ask if they've got any spare totems lying around." Solarius said, his voice friendly.
"With your good looks who could refuse?" Nariel mused. She was only half joking; now that she was beginning to ease up a little, she couldn't help but notice that her friend was actually quite attractive.
"Him?" Molikor laughed as the trio began their trek towards the chain. "Please, if there are any ladies up there, they'll want a real Orc." He said, thumping his chest.
"I wonder where we could find one of those." Solarius said to Nariel, who grinned in reply.
"Bah!" grumbled Molikor with a wave.
In short time they reached the chain, which Frostbite promptly scaled in no time, followed by Nariel who nimbly jumped from link to link until finally reaching the top.
"After you." Said Molikor, who had joined Solarius in amazement as they watched the two make their way up.
"Let me show you how it's done." Solarius said, grabbing hold of the giant chain and leaping up the first few giant links. A few moments later Molikor was bent over laughing as the Paladin fell crashing to the ground.
"Ow- Like you can do any better." Solarius said, getting to his feet.
With a chuckle, Molikor took the chain and bounded up, a few steps farther than his friend before joining him on the ground once again in an unceremonious heap. This time it was Solarius' turn to take pleasure in the orc's failure.
"Get comfortable." Nariel said to the giant cat at her side, plopping down on the nearby ledge with her feet hanging over, where the tiger promptly lay down beside her with a bored yawn.
By the time the pair had gotten up, Nariel had grown bored of laughing at their failures and turned to sharpening her daggers once again. As Solarius and Molikor caught their collective breaths, she peered up at them with a smirk.
"Are we finally ready then?" she asked, prodding Frostbite before rising to her feet as Solarius gave a nod.
"Good, just one more thing I need to do." She said, as she searched through her pack. Grasping what she needed, she pulled out the tiny bottle of brown liquid and trickled a few drops of it onto her blades.
"That's what you put in the hangover cure isn't it?" Solarius asked, eyeing it carefully. "Wait, is that poison?"
"You poisoned me?!" Molikor cried.
Nariel waved her hand dismissively without looking up from her task "Only a little." She said casually.
"What's wrong with you?!" the Orc yelled.
"It worked didn't it?" Nariel replied. "You had to get the rest of the alcohol out."
She grinned as he turned, throwing his hands up in the air and muttering something about rogues that she assumed she didn't want to hear. To her side, Solarius watched in amusement as the whole scene unfolded before turning to follow the Orc down the tunnel. By the time they reached the actual entrance to the spire however, her offense was forgotten and the mood turned more serious. Light hazy smoke wafted out of the stone doorway, which told them that someone had a fire going on the other side.
"Stay here, I'll go check it out." Nariel said, motioning to her companions, who nodded.
Quietly she slipped up to the door, which was cracked just enough for her to inch through without disturbing it. Inside she slipped into the shadows, hugging the wall until she reached a large open room. Peering into it she saw a large bonfire going, the source of the smoke. Around it was a collection of red skinned orcs, two of whom were sleeping with one posted to keep watch.
Silently she moved around behind him, careful to ensure that she stayed in the shadows the whole time. When she finally took a few careful steps out, it was only to inch towards him before bringing the hilt of her dagger down hard on the back of his neck, incapacitating him instantly. A quick check confirmed the other two orcs to be drunk, and thus unlikely to wake up, while her victim was indeed out – for quite some time it appeared. Satisfied, she quickly retreated out the door and motioned for her friends to follow.
"Damn." Solarius whispered, upon seeing the passed out orcs.
"Remind me not to piss her off." Molikor added.
Nariel said nothing but moved up a nearby set of steps, into the next hallway. They rounded a corner and came to a large overhang looking down upon an empty room scattered with debris. A small group of orcs conversed in the corner, one of them brandishing an axe while another cheered. Nariel put a finger to her lips and motioned again for her friends to stay while she slipped along the edge of the wall, nearly invisible.
"-Rok'thor will change that." Said one of the orcs.
"You believe that fool of a shaman can lead our clan Grol'ok?" asked the one with the axe.
"Can he do any worse than our current spineless 'warchief', Krol'dor?" replied Grol'ok.
"Aye, there are things much worse than having free roam of a mountain." Said Krol'dor.
"There are also things much better." Came the reply.
"Why would he do any better?" asked Krol'dor.
"He controls the elements." replied Grol'ok.
"Bah! He waves his arms around and then dodges their fury well enough while they ransack everything around him, his target included!" yelled Krol'dor
"No, he's finally unlocked the power of the totem." Said Grol'ok
"That old thing?" said Krol'dor. "I'm surprised he still plays with toys like that. Any sensible Orc would have burned it for firewood by now." He said. "At least then we may have gotten some use from it." He added, motioning to the dwindling fire.
"You are blind Krol'dor" said Grol'ok. "He will not forget it when he takes power."
"If he takes power…" added Krol'dor. "He has to come out of his little dungeon first."
Nariel turned and slid back along the pathway to her friends. Motioning them back away from the orcs, she revealed herself from the shadows before saying with a grin:
"I know where it is."
