Second Chances

The Underdark group reunites and prepares to leave the underground world.

33.

  Second Chances

 

 

They didn’t speak much on the way back to the Ar’Rilla compound in Hor’olorbb, due to the thickening smoke as they neared the Drow city.   Instead, Carn and the Dullerms just struggled with breathing through their make-shift masks.   

Carn suspected the worsening smoke was because the fires that the dragon had set were slowly burning down and, as the limited fresh air in the Underdark was consumed, the fires turned more and more smoky.

Whatever the reason, it was growing more and more dangerous as they neared the city.   All four of them were coughing violently and gasping for air by the time they reached Hor’olorbb.    The air in the city was somewhat better, but still they felt as if they were slowly being suffocated.   

Fighting continued throughout the city, and the remaining Drow that could function in the thick smoke, were slowly hunting down the remnant of the Goblinoid army.

 

But it was also noticeable that those battling each other seemed to be spending as much time struggling to breathe as they were fighting.    As they made their way through the streets, they encountered numerous bodies of Drow and Goblinoids in distorted positions where they apparently succumbed to the lack of air.

“Dangerous.”   Eleazar at last managed to say in between gasps of air, “We’ve got… to get… everyone… out of… here.”

He had to stop as he coughed and gasped for air, but they all knew what he meant.    After several moments, he recovered enough and gestured for them to hurry behind him.

A minute later they reached the Ar’Rilla compound.    Carn was alarmed to find the gate open and no-one guarding the walls.    They hurried inside and found a piece of parchment nailed to the main door of the house.

AIR TOO FOUL, WE EVACUATED TO TELEPORTATION RELAY POINT.   IF POSSIBLE WE WILL WAIT FOR YOU THERE, BUT IF WE CAN’T, WE WILL MEET AT ENTRANCE TO CAVE.

- ZEATT

 

There was nothing left for any of them to say, instead, Carn and the Dullerms quickly washed out their sooty masks in a basin of water, then, securing them over their faces, rushed off to join the others.

 

As they again cut through the city, Carn felt his mind wander, perhaps due to the limited oxygen. Yet as he walked, he found himself pondering his best course of action when he reached the surface.    They’d sooner or later wonder about who he was, and about his ties to the demon.   

Then he’d have to tell them about everything.    Even if the geis that remained upon him would allow him to tell it all, Carn felt a great fear of telling the tale.    He couldn’t understand why he was so terrified of revealing who he was and what had happened to him.

Perhaps it was because it really didn’t matter.   He’d thought that if the demon ever was forced from Synomenia, his time as a Bugbear would end.   He had figured that this would mean his death, but instead, the demon was gone and yet only part of the curse was lifted.

If he told them his story, what good would it do?    He’d still have the same form - a big, hairy oaf with no chance of the curse being lifted.    Yet if he was to slip away after they returned to the surface, then maybe he could find somewhere peaceful where he could collect his thoughts and decide how to proceed.

Oh, they’d have pity on him - he knew this without a doubt.   But it shamed him to be the object of pity, for it just reinforced his own failures.   

Yes, he must find the chance to slip away from them - they’d wonder about him a while, but in time they’d forget him.   He wouldn’t forget them though.   Especially not Amala.   Carn shook his head to clear the daydream from his mind.    He couldn’t afford to allow himself the treat of thinking of the lovely girl.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize they had reached the Teleportation Relay until he nearly ran over Duke Eleazar as the Drow Paladin stopped.

“Sorry.”   He mumbled through his mask, before erupting into a coughing fit.

“We have a problem.”   Eleazar told them, “They aren’t here, so apparently they had to go on.   As foul as this air is, I think they made the right choice.    But we don’t know the activation spell to send us back.”

“Oh no!”  Aurei groaned, “We’ll never make it on foot!   What do we do?”

Amala was kneeling close to Carn, “Carn?   Are you alright?”

He finished his coughing fit and wiped his burning eyes, nodding to the girl.   As his gaze fell across her, he was mesmerized momentarily by her wonderfully red eyes.    They glowed in the way that all dark elves’ eyes did when they were emotional.    It only enhanced the girl’s beauty.    For a long moment he completely threw out his plan to leave and instead decided he would happily be a slave to those eyes for the rest of his life.

“Carn?”   She asked softly, touching his cheek in concern at his dazed expression.

“Uh…sorry…I’m alright.”  He gently touched her hand in appreciation of her concern, but only for an instant.   Standing back up, he turned to Eleazar, “Duke, you and your family get on the platform.   I’ll chant the spell.”

“You know the spell?”   Eleazar asked.

“Yes, I heard it cast, I remember the words, and I can cast it.”

“Are you sure?    A mistake could prove fatal.”

“Yes sir.   It is a variant of an old spell called ‘Traveler’ in olden times.    It is actually an easy spell to cast after you hear it first.”

“Well, alright.   Come on Amala, join us on the platform.”

Amala nodded, but took Carn’s hand, “You cast it while you are on the platform with us.”

She had seen through his idea to see them off while he remained behind.

“Of course.”   He replied, as if he had planned to join them the whole time.    The Drow girl wouldn’t let go of his hand until he stood with them on the platform.   Sneaking away might not be so easy, he thought to himself.    After a deep sigh, which made him cough for several seconds, and then sneeze twice, he rather self-consciously cleared his throat and as softly as he could, began chanting the spell.

 

There was the sensation of being frozen in the middle of a massive leap forward, but it actually was rather exciting to experience.     The sensation seemed to go on forever, but abruptly it ended and they appeared on the relay platform which they had first used upon entering the Underdark.    As soon as they appeared, there was a chorus of surprised screams and then, once they were recognized, shouts of delight.

Around the platform were not only those who had evacuated the Ar’Rilla compound, but also Alleania and all of Aedric’s team.

 

***

The reunion was very joyous as family members and friends were reunited after several days of danger and anxiety.    Alleania explained to her daughter and son-in-law that they too had found Zeatt’s note and had used the teleportation relay about half an hour earlier.   

The air this far north was much fresher, but still strongly smelled of burning and destruction.    At least they could breathe here without coughing.

“Alleania”, Eleazar told the Matron Mother, “We’ve got to go back to the surface.    You need to take your people and come with us.”

“Alright.” She agreed with a bright smile and this was so unexpected to Eleazar that he just stared at her confused.

“Alleania?”   Aurei asked, sensing something different about her mother.    The Matron turned to her daughter.

“Aurei, I think Eleazar is right.   Ar’Rilla will join with the other members of our family.   On the surface.”

The way the lady so proudly said this; Aurei knew there was something new and exciting that made this possible.

“What has happened?”   She asked her mother, and Alleania grinned to show Aurei her teeth.

“Notice anything missing?”

“Your fangs… YOUR FANGS!   Do you mean-?”

“Aurei, I am alive!    As alive as you are!   I am no longer a vampire!”

“B-But how is this possible?   You died!”

“Ask Drake; it was his idea.”

“Drake?    You mean Devin?”   Aurei glanced at the Drow male who stood next to the Drow Matron.   He smiled a bit shyly.

“No, Aurei, she means Drake.    To answer your next question; Yes, THAT Drake.    Hello, Aurei, it is good to see you again.”

Aurei just stared at him for a moment, then at Alleania for as long.    Finally she just gave a little cry of joy and embraced them both.    Alleania and her daughter wept for a while and Drake explained to the Dullerms and to Carn what he had already explained to Aedric’s group.

He gave them as much information as Yesh would allow him to share about his mission from Yesh.

“I had one condition from Him. I promised to tell someone who didn’t follow Yesh about the Lord.    It became very clear to me that Alleania needed more than just words, and thankfully I was able to find a branch of the great tree with the red fruit.   We’ve already given a piece to each of the other vampire members of Alleania’s house as we were waiting for you.   The others had already boarded the airships that wait for us outside, but the vampires were unable to, as it is now daylight.     So they were faithfully waiting by the relay station along with Gallus.    The fruit removed their vampirism as well and they happily joined the others above.”

Aurei took her mother’s hands in her own, “I am so happy, Alleania!    I’ve dreamed about something like this.    Forgive me for not allowing it while you were a vampire.    I had to think of my children and my duchy.”

Alleania nodded, “I understand child.    I’ve longed for this as well.     I’ve wanted to rejoin my daughter and her family, as well as my dear sister.”   She looked over to Zeatt, who was smiling, but at the same time furiously wiping away tears.    Zeatt came forward and embraced her sister and both women again began crying.  

“Alleania?”   Amala asked from where she stood beside her father and Carn, “After all of this - what is your answer?   Did Drake convince you to worship Yesh?”

Alleania looked at her granddaughter, then at her sister and Aurei.   Her lips quivered as if the effort to speak was amazingly difficult, but after swallowing down a lump, she nodded and with a trembling voice answered, “At first, child,  I was skeptical of Drake’s words.   But I had time to think on our trip back to the compound.   When we found it abandoned and saw the note, I realized how important my family was to me.   It dawned on me then that Drake was right - I had a second chance.”

“When we rejoined them here, and I saw the faces of two of my grandchildren, my sister and my niece, I hungered deep inside me to have a life with them.   Yes, child, how can I not worship God when he gives me my family again?    I believe!”

To Carn’s amazement, the usually stoic tomboy ran forward with tears in her eyes and joined in the embrace.

“Welcome to the family… grandmother.”   She said to Alleania.

 

This led to an impromptu family moment as Alleania’s family gathered around her in a massive group hug.

 

As he looked at the joyous family, Carn again felt the deep ache of loneliness.    As everyone was focused on the reunion, he slowly slipped away from them and walked up the passageway leading to the cave on the surface.   He wasn’t going to try to give them the slip, he just needed time alone, so his heart wouldn’t ache.

 

He was about to open the secret door that opened up into the back of the cave when he heard the voice of Devin/Drake call out from behind him.   

“We’ve not been formally introduced.”  The wizard explained before extending his hand to him, “I don’t know how much longer I will be here, so I thought I’d better catch you before I disappear.   I’m Archmage Drake - in the body of the former Drow wizard Devin.”

Carn shook his hand, “I’m most honored, sir.   You are a legend and it is extraordinary that I am speaking to you in the flesh at all.”

Drake laughed, “I am rather amazed by that as well.   The Lord let me come back - though even now he is restricting what knowledge I can access while I am here in person.    I do know who you are, though and I wanted to say that it is an honor to meet you.”

“Me?   Really?”

“Indeed!   The great Carnithum Lealomyhll, first bard of the Elven people.    You too are a legend, though everyone thinks you are dead.  You brought the art of song and sagas to the Elven people, in particular, the Faesidhe Elves.”

Carn shrugged, “Actually it was my teacher, Eleazar Korbin that did that.”

“On the contrary, Carn - Eleazar was quite proud of your accomplishments.   You were his star pupil.”

Carn smiled, remembering the kindly old man who had been the first human Watcher to actually die.    He had died attempting to rescue a group of Elven children from a band of hungry Trolls.   The memory only amplified the pain he was feeling.

“Master Korbin was a good man.”   Carn finally said, “I assume that you knew him well, as he too was a Watcher?”

“Oh yes, and he would come to Flux at night while you and his other disciples were asleep and report on his work.    He was only the second Watcher, and first human Watcher, that died.     He’s with Yesh now, in Heaven, and I can tell you that he is greatly concerned about you, Carn.”

“He is?” The knowledge that Drake had seen him in Heaven unnerved him slightly.

“Quite concerned.    As is Sialia.”

Her name made the blood drain from his face.    Of course!   Drake had returned from Heaven, not from Flux!

“How… how is she?”   He asked, hesitantly.

“In perfect peace and joy.    She and Eleazar Korbin sing daily the praises of Yesh and both are very happy.”

“I hope to join them soon.”  Carn mumbled, his eyes seeing a memory of both of them, long ago.

“Well, they don’t want you to!”

“What?   They don’t want me to join them in Heaven?”

“Well, not yet, no.    In fact, they both greatly desire for you to live on this planet and not to just exist.    They share that desire for you, Carn.    Oh, they know of your curse and they know of the guilt you bear for Sialia’s fate.    But they both love you and want you to finally live.    Your old master told me to tell you that you should not hesitate to enjoy life and to pick up your lyre and resume your songs.”

“Sialia told me to tell you this:   'Dear master, I hold you to no blame and have only thoughts of love for you.   Follow your heart, my teacher, as you long taught me.’ “

Carn found tears welling up in his eyes, but he nodded to the Archmage, “Thank you, sir.   I could hear both of their voices in your words.   I haven’t heard them except in my memories and these same memories constantly torment me.”

Drake patted him on the back, “Carn, as I said, I don’t know how long I will remain here, but can I give you a word of advice?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t run away from those people back there.   They are good people and I know they care for you - as much as they can when you don’t reveal your true self to them.   I think I understand the root of your conflict, and I will just say this - Yesh also sees it and he rewards those who are faithful and true to him.   You have been hesitant to strongly follow the Lord since your curse, but at the same time you have never completely abandoned him.    Soon you will get a chance to restore yourself and renew your strength.   Do it, Carn and see what happens.   You may be surprised.”

Carn looked down at his huge Bugbear sized hands, “Alright, sir, I’ll give it a try.”

“Wonderful.    Now I think I hear someone else looking for you, so I’d better slip away and give you a chance to talk to him.”

Without another word, Drake seemed to almost melt away into the shadows of the passageway and disappear.   Perhaps half a minute passed and then Carn could hear someone else walking toward him.

“Carn?   Hey big guy, is that you?”   It was Mutt.

“Yeah, Mutt, how are you my friend?   Let’s go out of this cave and get some fresh air - I’m sick of caves.   I want to tell you a few things about me that you never knew.”

“Um… okay.”  The Goblin responded, noticing something different about his old friend.   It was almost as if he was someone else.    Mutt instantly grew very wary, but followed Carn as they hurried through the secret door and out of the shallow cave.  

 

When they exited the cave, they found that it was late afternoon and the early winter sun was already setting in the west.    The airships could be seen in the sky, traveling to the south with the last of the refugees of House Ar’Rilla.  

“They’ll be back in a few hours.”   Carn told him as they watched the ships disappear in the twilight.   

“Carn, what’s going on?”   Mutt asked him after a moment, “Are you alright?”

“I think so, Mutt - maybe for the first time in a long, long time.   I don’t know really, but a lot has happened since our group split.    Is everyone alright?  I didn’t have time to count heads back there.”

“We lost Sintore to some terrible bird monsters.”    He quickly recounted the attack in the old Faesidhe Watchtower, and then added an abbreviated summary of their adventures in the Valley of Helios.

“So the mysterious woman was an Inion Sidhe lady, like Queen Mathlyn?”   Carn asked as Mutt finished the tale.

“Apparently so.   We knew she wasn’t Amala.    I guess you got to know her better, huh?”

Carn looked suddenly uncomfortable and didn’t respond.   Instead he sat down on a log beside a still burning campfire that some of the refugees had kindled while they were waiting for the airships to pick them up.

“Hey big guy, are you sure you’re alright?”   Mutt asked, sitting down across from him, “Did you and Amala have a misunderstanding?   She can be somewhat tough to get to know.”

Carn sighed, “Well, let’s just say that we both see each other somewhat differently now.”

“Really?   Well, you’ve got to tell me about that!”  

Carn shook his head, “Later.   First, I want to tell you something.   When we first became friends, I wasn’t truthful with you about my history.    That’s what I want to tell you about.”

Mutt held up his hands, “Hey, you don’t have to tell me anything, Carn.    If it’s private, it’s none of my business.    We all have dark things in our past.    I mean, look at me -- I was a buffoon for a wicked nobleman’s entertainment from the time I could walk until he choked on a chicken bone and I escaped.    I’m still not sure if his sons think I killed him and I don’t dare set foot in Watcher’s Heights or I may find out!”

Carn smiled, having of course heard his friend’s stories of being a duke’s court jester many times.  

“Well, mine will amaze you, my friend.   I really need to tell someone, and I feel the most comfortable telling you as we both know what it is like to be outcasts.”

“Well, alright, I’m honored that you’d confide in me.   I’m all ears, tell on!”

Carn took a deep, nervous breath, leaned back and started his tale.

Unseen by both of them, a silent moving figure had crept to the edge of the cave where their voices would carry loud enough to be heard.    A pair of glowing red eyes cautiously watched them and listened to the Bugbear’s story.

 

Reviews

[Elina]

"...and the Drow left in the city that could manage to function in the thick smoke, were slowly hunting down..." The wording on this little bit is odd, and I had to read it a couple times to realize what you were saying.
"As they again cut through the city, Carn felt his mind wander, perhaps due to the limited oxygen, but as he walked, he found himself pondering his best course of action when he reached the surface." This is a run-on sentence.

Ahh...! I am completely loving this book. I look forward to reading more...

[Eddie Davis]

Thanks, Elina, I am pleased that you are enjoying reading it.