19 Nightal
"Welcome to Darthiir Wood," the ancient elven name, "or Khalahmjiri," the Calishite title meaning 'place of deadly teeth,' the elven cleric informed as they passed the tree line. Entering the trees, the air was warmer among the underbrush. The daylight dimmed from the thick canopy of trees, a relief for the drowess. Many trails passed through the forest, they had learned, so getting lost was not as great a risk as being ambushed by deadly creatures. Everyone was on alert for a threat to appear as their movement was slowed considerably on their mounts. A small stream was spotted trickling through the woods, the burbling of the running water greeted keen ears. Then another and another stream was found. Finding the one they wanted wasn't easy. They decided to stop in a small glade and investigate the different streams' directions. A few hours later they still hadn't found the correct path. They decided a break was needed, for soon it would be nightfall and to many dangerous beings were known to wander the dark. The four agreed to make camp and start again their search in the morning.
When the campfire was going strong, Jinx decided a fresh meal of meat would set the night; bow in hand she headed into the forest. Claw scratches on the bark marked her trail as she disappeared into the trees. Zyne was adding more twigs to the fire as Tahlethar was unrolling his sleeping bag. Zarae preparing a makeshift alarm system around their camp, trip wires to alert them if anyone should attempt to sneak upon them. A snap of a branch caught Zarae's attention first then Tahlethar's. Zyne noticed the elves' reaction, mouthed a 'what?' as he paused and a hand readying a spell. Everyone was scanning the clearing waiting for the threat. It went silent apart from the crackling of the fire. Another crunch of branches closer and more rapidly. Heavy steps coming their way.
From the bush a sleek black furred wolf stepped out, teeth bared and preparing to spring. It slinked forward, the dwarf's hand up to an attempt of a calming gesture. the wolf launched herself, the dwarf rolled to avoid the attack. However, she actually missed Zyne and landed on a spotted-furry seven-foot hyena headed creature in mid draw of his bow. They thudded into the soft leaves. Teeth bore into the exposed throat. The gnoll rolled with the weight of the wolf, hands around its shoulders tossing the canine from him. The wolf skidded to the side preparing to laugh herself again. The gnoll rose to his feet to run when two daggers made their mark, one in his shoulder another in his ribs.
Then from the treeline, a second gnoll rushed from the underbrush, ax raised to chop down on the cleric. So distracted from the wolf's attack they nearly missed the rushing second enemy bearing down on them. Morningstar caught the head of the ax in the nick of time; the gnoll's powerful swing sent energy up the elf's arm, but the arch turned the ax from cleaving a skull. Purple bolts of magical force struck the gnoll knocking it to the side and freeing the intertwined weapons. Tahlethar recovered quickly and lashed at the gnolls throat with an upturned swing of his weapon.
A third gnoll on the other side joined the fray to be greeted with two rapidly thrown daggers striking true; the last blade slashed open its face above the eyes as it stumbled, blinded from its flowing blood. It swung and nearly struck the drowess, but she managed to nimbly duck the clumsy slice. Raising her arm with the magical bracer, two more daggers flew out, one just missing. Zyne was in the midst of another spell, the purple force flying from his fingers. The bolts that never miss struck, causing it to trip. Zarae took the opportunity and slipped behind it to drive a blade into its back. She spun again, seeing from her peripheral the gnoll tangled with the cleric. The second gnoll, nearly down, spun to the right, a back swing of his ax made contact with the elf's shoulder. His pauldron took the brunt of the attack. Tahlethar ignored the pain shooting down his arm. A shield came up to bash into the gnoll's maw; his spikey ball weapon quickly followed, knocking it to the ground while a dagger to the eye made the kill.
The wolf pounced again making quick work of the first gnoll, his throat was separated from his body. When the last of them was dead, the wolf turned to face the three, blood dripping from bared canine teeth. She stepped in closer. The dwarf was in the midst of his next spell. Then suddenly the ferociousness fell away from the black wolf. Tahlethar held a hand up to Zyne to hold. The magical energy building up dissipated. Sitting on her haunches, the wolf stared at each of the people still armed. There was an intelligence in her golden eyes, something he had seen before. The companions looked at each other questioningly then to the the elf then back to the now friendly looking lupine before them. No more gnolls were about, Tahlethar stepped forward, securing his weapon on his belt. As he did, black fur began to fade, paws became hands, and a body stretched and popped as an uncannily beautiful elven girl, of olive tanned skin and burgundy hair was now in place of the wolf. Her golden eyes showed a hint of fear as she was kneeling before the three. She was barely clothed, wrapped mostly in rags and a thick collar around her neck.
"Great, a tree-hugger," Zyne commented while the elf continued forward tword her.
Tahlethar knelt down, stretched out a hand for her to grab, "no, not a druid. You are Ly'Tel'Quessir."
The girl flinched slightly at his movement twords her, before she nodded in agreement. Unsure, and looking around as if expecting someone. After being assured again, she then took Tahlethar's outstretched hand.
"what…?" Zyne asked confused. Then focused on the former wolf, "what are ye about lass?" expecting this was a trick. His staff tilted down twords her. The elf held a hand up to stop Zyne's aggressive move as the elven girl rose to her feet.
"lythari?" Zarae asked. They were not completely unheard of in the service of Eilistraee, though extremely rare.
"Still doesn't answer me question," the dwarf staring at the lythari. Trying to act tougher than he was really feeling looking at the pitiful elven girl before him.
Tahlethar led her to sit on the log near Zarae. She was hesitant to sit so near to one of her dark-skinned cousins but did as she was bid. "Zarae is not one of our evil kin."
The drowess pulled out a moon pendent necklace to show the lythari, which put her a little at ease. She was aware of the drow Moon Maiden. A relief to both elf and drow.
"How about a name?" Zyne asked. His tough exterior slowly melting away.
A long pause as she looked at each person, then in accented common, "Ariali Tyrneamitore of the Moonwhisper pack. I served as a hunter for my clan."
"ight, that answers one…"
"I…" hesitant to speak, unsure what to say, or rather what she was allowed to say. The collar sending subtle reminders of who she belonged to and her real purpose here.
Zarae sat down next to her on the log, "you're either a runaway or into some fowai stuff," noting the slave collar on her neck. When the others gave her a look to explain more, "I have seen these before. Or a type of them. My house used these for our rothen, um, slaves to keep them obedient. But this is much bigger probably to accommodate her shape shift ability."
Her hands went to inspect it, causing Ariali to flinch then panic.
"You can't," the lythari stood up, arms wrapped around herself.
"Should we be expecting more company then?" the dwarf looking and listening for potential captors hunting her.
Ariali shook her head; her arms tightened about her as she began to shiver.
Tahlethar took his cloak and wrapped it around her.
"They can track you with this," Zarae guessing based on her experience of the slave collars.
"Removal will kill," remembering her companion who died at the Promenade.
The dwarf crossed his arm but unable to keep up any tough act. His compassion for her plight still showed. "How should we help ye lass?"
"I…don't know. Just do not make me go back," the elven girl pleaded.
"What about the dog-man," kicking a dead gnoll for emphasis, "he hunting you?"
"The gnoll was... they wanted a new hunt," she improvised convincingly. "They were set on me when my master got bored."
That got the dwarf to drop his arms and sigh. "We should expect the rest of the pack soon?"
Another shiver got their attention, "m'lady," the elf directed to the drowess, "You are the similar frame and same size. Chance you have a spare set of clothing?"
Zarae rifled through her pack, an oversized deep purple shirt and pair of trousers came out and handed over. The lythari had slightly more curves than the drowess, but not much, and the clothing was more fit on Ariali; she deeply appreciated the change of clothes.
Deep in the lythari's mind came an unwanted message, 'good.'
Just then, a tabaxi carrying three rabbits entered the clearing, noticing a fourth at the fire, "what did I miss?"
Dawn came stealing in, surprisingly with no hungry prowlers making it to their camp. For much of the chilly night the only sound was sleeping companions, one louder than the other. Zarae, wrapped tightly in her piwafwi next to the fire, and Tahlethar had been up the last of the guard watch keeping the fire going. Once he got up to cover the newest ally who thrashed the winter blanket off in a fit of restlessness. A few creatures wandered near the heat, creatures Zarae had never seen before, a fox, and owl. With time before having to awaken the rest, the cleric spoke more about the surface for Zarae, giving names for things in elvish and the common language to the foreign concepts. Zarae would ask how things might be similar to compare to her former homeworld of the Underdark.
Still speaking in his elven tongue, "what surprises you the most about the Lands of Light?"
Zarae thought as she glanced twords the trees around her, to moonlight peeking through branches. Trees were not so different from zurkhwood, both looks and uses. As she thought about it, the weather changes were top of the list. Tahlethar explained the basics of weather and climate, the changes of the surface world over time. these changes had been something she had to get used to the last tenday. Her city had a magically attuned time keeping piece that corresponded to the sun with various colors representing hours, but it was nothing like the surface world and the shifting of the light.
"Wait till you experience rain, blistering heat," Tahlethar commented with a chuckle, "or a snowstorm."
"I also find the amount of color a wonderful surprise." There was color, each noble house had their set of representative colors. Her own was maroon and black. Orange, yellow, and green, were on the rare side, but not unseen. The fifth house was known for its use of the color green, influenced no doubt by their connections to the surface. "Oh! And the relief of not being concerned with stepping on a spider," as a small jumping spider crawled across the pile of twigs.
The elf gave a puzzled look, guessing it had to do with rites of Lloth. The capricious goddess was called the spider queen after all. But he couldn't know the extent the arachnid theme went in the cities below.
"Our cities," she answered, "everywhere crawling with the sacred beings. To kill one is instant death sentence."
The elven cleric shook his head with exaggerated full body shudder at the idea of spiders everywhere. He wasn't terrified, but he didn't like the little beast. He tried to imagine getting anything done or just the practical day-to-day things. To the drowess, it was just the way of life since birth and one doesn't know any different.
Ariali slept very little, tossing and turning as nightmares showed up when she closed her eyes. Awakened to the soft conversation of the other two elves, she kept pretending to be asleep. A deep sadness hung in her heart as she thought over what she must do now she was in the group. Deep in her thoughts, she almost missed when the conversation had turned to discuss her. She strained to hear as the whispers dropped lower.
"How much danger do you think she will pose?" Tahlethar asked as he stirred the fire again, sending ambers into the dark.
The drowess glanced to the resting lythari whose back was to them, "it is the slave collar I am concerned about. And how much the enslavers might want her back." Zarae fiddled with the leather strap of her bracer, adjusting her hidden thieves tools, trying to decide if she should express concern, considering they took a chance in trusting her. "Do you find her story…" another hesitating pause, "credible?" then took another glance at the girl's direction as she expected her to suddenly stir being spoken about.
Tahlethar wasn't sure how to answer. "You know, I been calculating the days. Tomorrow is the solstice," the elf changing the subject.
The dark elf thought about it, "I think I know this term. It is the day of the High Hunt for the Dark Maiden."
The High Hunt was a ritual led by clerics which the faithful hunted a dangerous monster that was a threat to local people as an offering to the goddess.
"Many religions use it as a special holy day."
"At this rate we'll find plenty of dangerous monsters to remove. But I do not think I will be running around unclad though." Traditionally participants wore as little as possible during these ceremonial hunts.
The elf swallowed as he gave her a look. He hadn't been aware of that ritual and was left speechless for a second. Then he blushed at picturing the image, a subtle shake of his head to clear the thought.
"jora!" Zarae called. A small rodent bounced on the edge of the light, "though these are much more…"
"Common? Smaller?" at the relief of the creature interrupting the thoughts.
"Adorable."
"Technically it is a mouse," Jinx mumbled in the common language, rolled over to her other side, then in seconds was back asleep.
When the sun broke above the horizon, everyone had been awakened, the tabaxi more difficult than the hard sleeping dwarf to get stirring. Ariali watched quietly as Tahlethar reheated the leftover rabbit stew from supper. Bowls were passed around as everyone ate in silence. Jinx broke the silence asking about who Ariali would be riding with as they only had four horses. Finally speaking since last night, she offered to travel in her lupine form.
"These trees are getting denser so we will be walking the horses, me thinks," the dwarf piped in after a bite of his breakfast, "doubt there will much riding going forth," and pointed down the trails.
"I won't complain," the tabaxi squirming, sore from the previous days ride.
"How up is the wood?" Zarae pointing twords the top of the trees, "maybe we can get someone up there to look around?"
"It would be one of ye pointed ears if there is any hope of spotting the magical energies of the…whatcha call it, myths?"
"The mythal," the elf corrected, thinking about getting someone up the height of the very tall trees.
"a tree hugger would be useful about now," the dwarf also looking up to the treetops.
"What might I be looking for," the tabaxi called down, already starting up the nearest tree to her.
"Look for an outline of a city?" the dwarf offered.
"So helpful," the tabaxi grumbled to herself as she continued to pull herself up into the heights of the tree. Glancing down she estimated herself to be at least 50 feet above the ground. With grace of cat, she was able to spring and catch ahold of another tree that was taller and sturdier. The branches more fragile and potential to fall didn't seam to faze her when her head cleared the treeline. The cool breeze bit and silent greenery stretched out all around her. The countryside rose and fell into forested slopes. Eastward the sun was peaking above the horizon in brilliant pinks, oranges, and blues. Northwest of her, she spotted it. As if in moonlight, the hazy outline of energy rose well above the trees, spreading out in an oblong globe shape. They had several miles to reach it, with the path taking them through even more thickly tangled bushes deeper in the trees. From her advantage point she noted the trees were different from the others, darker, more twisted, and possibly magically affected.
"Well?" the call far below her, "what do ye see?"
Thick branches and foliage prevented the folks on the ground from seeing Jinx point the direction. She scratched a carving in the tree to mark her direction they needed, then dropped a head sized pinecone, with little warning.
"Hey!" from below, nearly knocked on the head by falling debris.
"Mark what side it fell from," she responded, "very important!"
As she started down, her claws nearly missed their footing and she quickly had to scramble to cling to the branch. A couple breaths to calm herself before she continued climbing down. Down was slower and riskier but she managed to reach the ground without falling.
"So?" the dwarf asked first.
Picking up the pinecone she dropped, "that way," indicating the direction, "but I think we are going to have to cross a dangerous part of the wood."
Tahlethar was holding up the map and compass as he was marking the path suggested from Jinx. Nothing indicated what the area of the trees might be. A path around it, as Jinx estimated the size of the section for him, would take an extra couple days to circumvent. A cautious direct passage would be best they decided.
Zarae pulled out the spare set of leather armor, which wasn't much, and offered it to the lythari. Ariali graciously accepted it. As she redressed, the borrowed shirt lifted enough to expose a crisscross of scars covering her sides and back. The most prevalent was a branding, which had they recognized, indicated she belonged to someone from the Cult. The dwarf took notice, discreetly nudged the cleric to take a peek. Tahlethar nodded in understanding, they would need to be careful around the female elf if she had escaped from the Cult. Unspoken but crossing their minds, that maybe this lythari would bring the Cult chasing their heels. They thought it hard to believe this girl could be in willful cahoots with the Cult considering how bad she was clearly treated. It was disconcerting that of probability of running into anyone in this wood, they happen to find a runaway associated with the Coming Chaos. The Cult had wider influence than originally thought. Or maybe it was connected to the slave ship back in Skullport.
Within the hour, they were heading in a northwestern direction, alongside a muddy stream. There were no wide paths and eventually they were leading the horses, the branches and underbrush too thick to ride; the lythari in her wolf form took lead. The first horse stumbled as the path gave way to deep mud. The woodland way they followed cut around a towering stand of duskwoods then down a narrow, winding path that went up the side of a rocky ravine. As they passed the threshold into the darker knotted wood, all sounds of forest life ceased. The trees curved and twisted unnaturally; twisted branches reached out like skeletal fingers. Detached branches littered the floor to add to the prickly underbrush. Sharp vines swayed and moved twords the trespassers. Other plants seamed to reach out and grab what crossed their path. They continued in silence, eyes and ears on alert for the threat they knew was coming.
There was something unusual about the shadowed space from the trees canopy. What seemed to be a hill proved to be a vine-covered and fern-topped wall in the middle of a clearing. The stone structure was ten feet across at least. The gap on the other side was where a door one stood, reclaimed long ago by the ancient vegetation.
"Wizard? Elvish? Hermit?" Zyne asked of what must have been a tower at some point.
"Are there usually these in deep forest?" the drowess whispered to the dwarf.
Tahlethar handed his reigns to the dwarf to hold as he edged closer to the structure. He scanned for markings, studying the building construction. It wasn't native to Calimshan, that much was clear. And it didn't look elvish either. Probably an old hermit wizard at some time in the far past. Jinx handed her reigns to the dwarf, and began searching the grounds for potential evidence of a battle, or other means of explaining the ruin. She pointed to a clearing in the ferns to what appeared to look like recent scorch marks. The markings didn't match the time age of the ruins, having been more recently.
"If they take runaway slaves and freeing slaves seriously," Zarae thinking aloud, "maybe someone tried fleeing and was attacked here?" she offered, handing her reigns to Zyne also, to his consternation, then joined the tabaxi and elf searching the grounds.
Ariali padded up beside Zyne, looking into the annoyed dwarf's eyes.
"At least you aint gunna have me hold ye horse too," to the lythari. Then he called to the three, "anything more than a ruin?" not hiding his impatience.
Jinx stepped through the doorway into the first-floor chamber. Weather had claimed any treasures or goodies long ago, if not adventures and treasure seekers. Her foot clinked into an empty potion vial, further evidence of having long ago been looted. A broken wood beam had a piece of torn fabric, probably as recent as the scorch marks. Exiting the ruined tower, the scout noticed, partially covered, large, clawed footprint. She waved the others over after moving the branch out of the way then pointed it out.
"That…is gigantic," the elf stiffened with fear as he could guess what made it.
"is that...?" Zarae started to ask.
"It looks… reptilian. No, its…" realization hitting the tabaxi.
"Draconic!" the cleric spoke on all their behalf.
Everyone was suddenly scanning the woods for evidence of what made the print if they were still around. The horses then got antsy, whinnying and snorting, clear warning of something dangerous near. Zyne was having difficulty handing all four sets of reigns as they were rearing up trying to pull away. He struggled to keep the horses under his control and the first one slipped out of his hands. The last horse that reared up caused the dwarf to fall back to his rump, the other three horse's reigns too ripped out of his hands. All four were then scattering in different directions. Zyne cursed as he got to his feet.
The sense of strong overwhelming magic fell over the area suddenly and over each of the companions. The tingling sensation ended abruptly, but the effects were already working. A set of milky white eyes watched the five, a toothy grin appeared to be floating. The body luminesced and sparkled in the bits of light that passed through the canopy. The translucent body came into appearance.
"Who enters my land?" a booming voice, heard in each mind. It was friendly enough but strong and powerful.
Charmed, each of the companions turned to head twords the source, kneeling before the majestic creature.
"Aye, your majesty," the dwarf attempted, "we mean no harm to you. Just journeying through."
The gem dragon cocked his head to study the five, staring the longest at the wolf. A magical command and the lythari was taking her elven form.
"That's better," taking a deep breath, and laying down, crossing his arms. "Who are you? Why are you here?"
Each of the party gave their names to the ancient dragon. The drowess additionally explained herself as a follower of Eilistraee, giving the dragon a silent sigh of relief.
Tahlethar stepped forward, unable to lie, and compelled to speak, "we seek the Phantom City of Drollus, Myth Dyraalis, mighty dragon."
"My name is Klaruuotur," the crystal dragon introduced himself, "and yall do not look like runaway slaves," eyes narrowing at that, wandering if they were slave hunters. When his eyes fell on the lythari, "I take it back. She does," noticing the slave collar.
Tahlethar bowed again, motioning for everyone to do likewise. "No, we are seeking to protect the Realms from a potentially great threat."
"The Realms are always in danger of something?" Klaruuotur probing further.
The companions explained their quest, telling as much as they knew. A cult was trying to destroy the world and they needed to get to the legendary location first. The dragon listened intently, judging the five as best he could and evaluating the truth of their words. He could not sense deception, and the fact that at least three of them were elves helped to convince them of their lack of ill intention for the hidden mythal city.
"Why try to find this Waymeet? Would not it be best to prevent them by stopping them from getting to it?"
"If only just taking them out was possible?" the tabaxi responded before anyone else. "They are already trying to find a way to re-establish the portal system. Destroying it won't stop them. but getting to the Vale, we might could get the knowledge to stop them," a surprisingly wise thought-out answer.
"I see. So, why this city specifically?" Klaruuotur asked. He had taken the role of protecting the city from slavers and evil intentioned peoples since freed from his previous duties as guardian of Calim family.
"It is the nearest intact mythal to us. It should help in understanding how to rebuild the Nexus as we study Arselu'Tel'Quess, the high magic."
"And you youngling," for the elf was like a child compared to the age of the dragon, "have the ability to do such magic?" looking the elf up and down, then looked to the lythari who was even younger looking than the cleric. Lastly, he looked to the young dark elf, as skeptical as an elf of her ability to work high magic.
"No. I have not reached an age of being allowed to learn the ancient way. We hope to find allies to help in the quest."
"I see," again in thought. He judged the five to be of good intent, but he was still concerned about them being at the mythal city, or the effect of borrowing magic from it.
"You will help us?" the tabaxi inquired, unsure how to read the dragon, "mighty Klaruuotur." She was asking what everyone was hoping.
"No," to the disappointment of the five, "and yes." Causing puzzled looks. "I will not take you there, but I will not hinder yall or prevent yall."
He looked up to the sky, it was nearing dusk. Since they had been exploring the woods all day, Klaruuotur could sense the companions were exhausted and needing rest. Being the solstice tonight, the forest might become more dangerous. Priest of Malar would also be on a High Hunt of their own, a tribe of evil lycanthropes specifically. The crystal dragon was up on all fours, speaking arcane words. In thin air, a magical energy took shape in the outline of a diamond encrusted door. Another word from the dragon, and the door opened. In the portal passage was a luxurious extradimensional space resembling the interior of an exuberant mansion. White marble floor stretched out. walls shimmered with multi-colored gemstones embedded within, gleaming like the star speckled sky. Two elegant stone golems adorned with sapphire eyes stood guard, flanked by towering statues of legendary wizards, their stone eyes seemingly following every move. The ceiling was clear like glass showing an open sky at twilight. A brisk breeze of chill air hit the companions.
The companions were dumbstruck at the dazzling array of lights and beauty of the mansion. Klaruuotur started twords the door, then stopped and looked at the companions, "coming you 'motley misfits'?"
Everyone looked at each other, bewildered, unsure of what was happening or if this was a trap. The dragon chuckled at their reaction, before explaining he was providing a secure place to rest for the night.
"You haven't long once I walk through," Klaruuotur warning them the gate would close any moment.
Not hesitating any longer, the five were in the doorway just before it disappeared.
The view from the other side of the door did not give them the whole picture of the magnificence of the place. The ceiling soared to over 50 feet high. It was a large open floor, only one vaulted door was visible. The walls were decorated with various art works, paintings, tapestries, and carvings. A faint, musical humming emanated from the structure, filling the air with a soothing melody. The melody mingled with the aroma of fresh cooked foods of all varieties spread on a ten-foot-long table. Their mouths began to water and empty stomachs growled.
Klaruuotur invited the companions to eat and enjoy the hero's feast. Skeptical, they looked at each other before Jinx took the first step in grabbing a plate and piling meats atop it. As they sat there eating, a warm magical feeling tingled through their fingers. They felt more than nourished, but invigorated in a way they hadn't felt in so long. It was as if the dragon's food magically enhanced them somehow, a sense of wellbeing and inner strength.
Later, everyone was filled with a delicious meal, they were sitting around a fireplace on the most luxurious recliner styled chairs, each wrapped in a thick furred blanket. Klaruuotur had spared no expense in his lair and allowed these five to enjoy his company. It wasn't long before most of the companions drifted into rest. When she was sure the other four had stilled for the night, Ariali walked over to speak with the dragon, explaining her situation. Or at least she tried. She realized it wasn't just the collar preventing her freedom when the psychic energy ran through her body. A powerful geas spell had been cast on her. But if the dragon could remove the collar, she'd be one step closer to being free of him. So, she took the chance, asking if Klaruuotur had the magical abilities to overcome the magic. He thought a moment about it; he spoke a few magical words. The magical mist surrounded the crystal dragon and a tall winged otherworldly elven male stood in his place.
"This will make it easier to work," Klaruuotur spoke after the shape change. He motioned for Ariali to come closer so he could look better at the collar. Studying it, he could feel the magic radiating from it, sensing the type of power contained within.
"I think I can remove it," the dragon started, "but I sense something more?" prompting her to explain.
Ariali looked back to the other four, then to the dragon turned winged elf, "there is. But I cannot speak of it," her voice cracked with fear and tears threatened to fall, "You can see it in my mind?" The lythari wanted to spill everything, even tried to allow images in her mind so the dragon could read them, but any revelation of Brom's plans, and thus the Cult's caused too much pain. A mocking laughter filled her mind with an explicit reminder of the consequences; not to just her, but her tribe, her family.
"There is something preventing me from seeing the full truth of it. Powerful magic. Almost… god level?"
She nodded; it was as far as she could guess. She knew something powerful was backing the Cult and patron to the warlocks. The elf sighed in defeat, a tear falling.
He extended a hand to her frail shoulders to comfort her, "you walk a dangerous road," a look of understanding of her situation, able to guess enough. It was also a gentle warning. "Well, let us see," his fingers grasping the collar as he went deep into an incantation. It took a few tries, the collar fighting back against the dragon's magic. Klaruuotur could feel the power on the other end attempting to prevent his work. After a while, the slave collar fell inert. The magic dispelled. The clasp released and it slipped from her neck to clunk to the floor.
Ariali felt overwhelming relief, her hand rubbing the raw skin of her neck. Klaruuotur picked up the collar to study it. No designs, no indications of the owner, just archaic runes and a small gem. Deceptively delicate fingers grasped the stone and with a firm tug, freed it from the leather. The collar went into the fire.
He held the gem up, realizing its purpose, then handed it to the elven girl.
"I suggest you keep that…" referring to the sending stone.
She interrupted him with a tight and unexpected hug.
He was unsure how to respond, patting her back until she released him. "You will not want to have your slavers preventing your progress in your quest. With that perhaps you can send false information and keep up appearances?"
She wrapped herself tightly in the fur blanket. For the first time in years, the lythari had a restful reverie, thinking she gotten freedom from the aasimir warlock. She'd pretend to still be loyal, playing the role of a double agent, to protect her family. Maybe she'd be able to explain the situation to her allies? In the morning, the lythari decided she would try again to tell the truth of her role and hope they would be understanding.
It was early, Zarae was up and about while the others were still resting. The fire had burned low. Klaruuotur wasn't anywhere to be seen. The young rogue thought maybe she'd explore the lair. That sealed door piqued her interest for the moment. Swaddled tightly in her piwafwi, and the warm blanket, she slipped across to the other end of the room. The vault door was 30 foot tall and 15 foot wide. Crystals of every color were embedded in patterns. No visible keyhole could be seen, nor how the door should open. Another scan of the room for eyes watching, Zarae reached up to touch a random crystal. It lit up then darkened again. A second one did likewise. Everyone she touched light up. Soon she found that hitting the right pattern in the correct order kept the crystals on. She'd just have to figure out the pattern she was sure would open the door. Too fascinated by the puzzle, she missed the presence who showed up behind her until it fully shadowed the door. The drowess paused, eyes closed, 'busted'. The soft growl behind, her hands went to her side, and she slowly turned to face Klaruuotur'a toothy maw at her level.
"So, you are a thief?" eyes blazing, hot breath on her face.
The drowess stuttered out an excuse, trying to explain she was just interested in exploring. He growled again eyes narrowed dangerously at her. Slowly her hands were up showing she hadn't taken anything (yet). The magic fell over her, she sensed he was detecting all the magical items on her to see if she had stolen anything. The magical probing of her mind followed suit. Thankfully to her, she hadn't stolen anything, her focus had been on the puzzle itself. He nodded for her to rejoin her friends, another low growl as a warning.
The commotion had awakened the others, who watched as the drowess hurried to her friends; the dwarf had a 'serves you right' scolding look, Jinx trying to suppress a laugh, Tahlethar rolling his eyes, and Ariali afraid for her. Zarae just straightened her clothing, acting like nothing had happened, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Ye are going to get us in deep," the dwarf whispered to her in a reproving tone, "did the whole 'dragon' not figure in ye calculations?"
"It is dawn out," Klaruuotur murmured to them, "best yall continue on your way."