Fallen (Part 1)

Brief view of emotion thoughts. Drow, elves without homes, Artaiya, a teen girl who lost everything, saw her mother die, and assassin siblings.

Chapter 3 Fallen

The pillars were blackened with fire, burning corpses everywhere. The only light was the black fire, giving its odd light through the room, it was only because he was now drow that he was able to see. Gergo was on his hands and knees, next to his wife who was breathing heavily in a now raspy voice. If Anastrianna pulled through, she would not be the same.

Gergo pulled himself towards the epicenter of the fires, and there was a boot, unburned, untouched by the fire that was making things disappear, even the bodies disappeared into the void. There was no banging at the door, despite the sound of roaring fires, and the blasts of pain and agony that followed it. Surely they would have reached the guards outside...did they?

“There will be no hope coming for you Gergo.” said the drow women. Gergo vaguely remembered her, and his vision wasn't that great. The fire burned his eyes, like the hot pokers used to maintain the fires in the pits. “The outside, drow...they belong to me.”

“Who are you?!” he cried out. “What have you done!?”

“You weak pathetic fool!” she said. “I am Vircona, the first of the drow. You submit to me now!” she put her hand to his head and a bolt of lightning struck him, and he fell asleep.

He was asleep for mere minutes though he got a full nights rest in that short time. He stared at his wife, who stopped breathing. His sight got better, where he could actually tell how far the light shone, and the physical characteristics of the drow sitting on the throne. “V...Vircona.”

“Silence!” she demanded. “Come, kneel to me! Bow at my feet. You peasant of an elf!”

He didn't answer, only crawled on all fours like a beast. She placed her hand on his head, like a master to their dog. “There are things you will not understand...things you cannot understand. Though you are older than me in years, I am older than you in life. You have not seen the things I have seen, beast. You will obey me, like a dog his master.” he began to whimper like a cowering dog, his master about to beat him. “Yes, the world is changing. The remaining...abomination will be destroyed! You Gergo, will be the one to do it! Take your armies to Zinasa. There be no point in waiting...dog! They know, because you let this elf...Golradir escape.” she shook her head in disappointment. “In your pride of your new...powers you failed to see your flaws. You are not perfect Gergo, neither am I. The difference is I know it, and I know as you now know, I am a very powerful being.”

“B...but what of the elves? The wood elves? The r...ranger's Guild? T...they cannot be allowed go on living...they are our own danger!” he stammered.

Vircona left out a chuckle. “I will allow them to have their fun. It is after all the least you can give them, for taking their home...and destroying it. The light is with them now, and the light is fading. They are of no concern to us. They will dare not oppose me. After all...” she snarled. “Some have seen what I could do. The only one who has not witnessed me...was Kac Xaizan. As brave as he is, I do believe that his fellow comrades will...persuade him to stand away.”

“If I am leading the armies to Zinasa, to destroy the high elves...what is it you will be doing?” he asked, he looked at his wife, still lifeless on the floor. He wept.

“I will be destroying the disciples of Decrepantaur. Yes, the seven who say no one can kill.” she began. “They will be sent back into their prison. All seven!”

“But Captain Xaizan already proved that he could. How can you beat him?”

“Know that I am drow! The first of them all. The strongest of them all. Stronger than the seven disciples! And once the  looked away from his wife's corpse. He could barely bare to see her in pain, but not bare to see her in this shape. Charred. Lifeless. Dead.

“Do you wish to see her rise once again?” Vircona asked. “She could still be yours.” she let out a maniacal laughter. “Do you wish to see your...dead wife rise?”

He turned, eyes wet with tears, and waterfalls on his cheeks. “Y...yes.” he pleaded.

Vircona rose her hand and a bolt of lightning shot from her hand. It struck the body of Anastrianna. She did rise, but not to the form Gergo would have wanted. Her body was still charred, and she u this gift, you will take it! I will not be challenged this way! Gergo, you will take her. You will make it public, that this is your wife, or face the consequences. Trust me, I am not as forgiving as those who are merciful. You will embrace it! You will sleep with it! You will dance with it! Do I make myself clear?!”

He refused to answer. He rubbed his face where she hit him. Anastrianna did nothing. It was a lifeless zombie she has become. Vircona rushed over to him and put her hands around his neck. His punishment for not answering. He could feel the strength of the drow. Nothing like he ever remembered feeling. His vocal chords crushing, he hit the floor with his fist, and she let go. “It will be as you say.”

“Good.” Vircona smiled, turning to Anastrianna. “Anastrianna!” the dead wife walked to her. “Take your husband upstairs.”

Anastrianna took Gergo's hand and began to escort him to the room. He looked at her in disgust, aware of the blasphemy he was about to take part in. He could hear Vircona's chuckling down the hall as he lay on his bed, embracing the corpse that was his wife no more. So this is what I get for betraying Unverdus! Please forgive me!

As he tried to sleep, he thought about how he would invade Zinasa. It was hard for the relentless scent of the corpse of his wife kept him up. There would be no sleeping tonight. His foolish wish reminded him how weak he became. He never should have given into the temptation of power, nor should he have healed Kac when he did. Curse him for bringing this vice to him! Curse Kac Xaizan!

Lerien survived the fiery death with Gergo, just barely. She rasped for breath as Vircona walked to her. Her face was darkened with soot. “What...who are you?” she asked the drow, the strongest person to walk the earth during this age. “Who are you that you put even the king of the humble elves on his knees?”

“Years ago daughter...I was taken by the dark forces.” she answered grimly. “I was an elf too, like you once. Years ago when Unverdus abandoned me to the nightmares of Decrepantaur. It was HE WHO TURNED ME INTO WHAT I AM! DAMN YOU DECREPANTAUR! DAMN YOU! Years later...Lolth took me for her protection, and she protects me from danger. She follows me everywhere I go, offers protection Unverdus could not give. She is my God, as well as the God of all the drow. She will lead us to victory, and will destroy Decrepantaur with me. The Lord of the Dark will fall, and we...his creation will rule the earth.” she said, pausing to take a deep breath from her rage. She looked over to Lerien, passing her hand over her, and she was cleaned. “You will be my servant. The longer I allow you to live...the more and more I hate you. You will see the world in its Godless state! If I grow to like you...I will kill you. My name is Vircona, your new master. What be yours?”

Lerien took one deep breath...as if it would be her last. Her entire body quivered with fear of the new tasks she would need to do, she knew not what dark deeds would be requested of her...and now she had no will to say yay or nay. “I...I am called Lerien.” she paused. “Mother of the dead.”

“You had children?” she asked. “By the drow when they took you here I take it?”

“Yes... Lady Vircona.”

“Get up now.” the drow took Lerien's hands and pulled her up and kissed her hand, which left a stinging burning sensation. “We have work to do.”

“What work? So soon that it could not wait till morn?” Lerien asked.

“Ha! Drow do not work during the day foolish elf.” she answered. “With wars raging all around we need the cover anyways. However, one of the disciples spirits I feel has begun work on someone of interest. A boy by the name of Galad, caught in a web. We will take the boy, and turn him into a weapon. Be warned...like me he hates the elves.” she left the remark in a sinister laughter as she lead her out of the castle of Kerina.

Author's Note

Criticism is appreciated