Out of Darkness

Eleazar's team returns to the Underdark to find a secret passage into the Temple of the One True God.

47.

Out of Darkness

 

Nobody spoke as they entered the thick smoke that was now the atmosphere in the Underdark.   Without the practical magic breathing masks, none of them would have made it far, but a new problem presented itself - sight.    Their eyes burned and watered and even the Drow  found that seeing was nearly impossible.

They kept hold of each other as they stumbled around the main highway passage, searching for the teleportation grid platform more by feel than sight.

None could possibly live in this environment and they encountered a few dead Drow or Goblins several times as they groped around the cavern.     It was a horrible place and all of them were sickened by the death and destruction that had been wrought there.

After what felt like hours, Alleania finally found the platform and they all clustered onto it, while she cast the teleportation spell.

The jump this time was much longer than before, for they were now going the entire distance of the underground highway.    The final Drow city they were heading for was named ‘Thel Eleonsin’ and it had been the first city to be destroyed by the Goblinoid army and the Dragon.    Alleania told them that she was unsure if she would be able to find the passages if the city guard house where they had been located was in complete ruins.

Yet they felt they had to try.

 

When the teleportation jump ended, everyone expected the smoke to be worse, but to their surprise, it was actually better.   The fires had burned out here and had taken most of the oxygen with it.

Yet since Thel Eleonsin had been the major ‘black market’ trading center between the surface world and the Underdark, it was located near a major exit to the surface world, about 20 miles northwest of Aeropolis and that meant there were occasional currents of fresh air that would flow unexpectedly into the cavern.   

The path was a narrow, dangerous, winding track through the mountains around Aeropolis, but they were hoping to take the underground route into the very church building or at least into one of the cemetery vaults just outside the church.

 

They spent several hours in the rubble of the destroyed city, looking for access to the secret passages.    Fortune finally smiled on them when Sam Mellis located a low spot in the rubble that revealed a stairwell leading down into a stone wall.

“We’ve found it.”  Zeatt told her sister and everyone looked on as Alleania went down into the entrance.

“It is still intact and sealed.”   She told everyone.   Immediately she opened the door and foul air escaped past them, revealing a passage that seemed not to have seen anyone in many years.

“Well, that is good to see.” Aurei finally commented, “Maybe the air will be fresher in the secret passage.”

“Don’t count on it, child.”   Alleania answered, “There is little fresh air in the Underdark, even in the best of times.”

“We need to find a place in the passage, near the other exit, and make camp there.”   Sam told them. “The Festival of Final Reaping begins tomorrow evening, and it would be most likely that Torrin and the Emperor will be visiting the Temple of the One True God during that time.”

“So we wait a full day?”   Aurei asked her husband.

“I’m afraid so, sweetheart.” Eleazar said sympathetically, “We have to make this attempt count.”

“I know.”   Of course she was thinking of her daughters, and, for some strange reason, Aeric and Alis.   She tried to shake it off as they crept down the dark secret passages for many miles, but instead of growing fainter, it became overwhelming that something was going to happen to them.    Aurei found herself gasping and blinking back tears.   

She felt an arm around her and looked up, expecting it to be Eleazar.   To her surprise, it was Archmage Drake, “Are you alright, Duchess?”

“I… I don’t know, Archmage.   I have an overwhelming feeling that something is going to happen to my friend Alis and her husband.   I can’t seem to shake it.”

He nodded, “These premonitions are sometimes given to the faithful by Yesh.   My memories of Heaven remain extremely foggy, Duchess, so I can’t help you, but if they are going to die in battle, you do know where they will go.”

Aurei began to leak tears, “Yes, I know - to Flux to serve with our family and friends there.”

“And after serving there, on to the presence of Yesh.   Aurei, I can tell you that this is something indescribably wonderful.”

She looked at him in wonderment, “I know you can’t tell me how it feels there, but can you tell me about some of the people I know that are there?”

Drake smiled under his mask, his eyes getting a far-away look in them, “Aurei, I spoke to many of your family members.    Your adopted parents are there.   Your mother waits for you to play in the snow with her.”

Aurei’s eyes sparkled, “She loved snow!    Is there snow there?”

“Yes, or whatever climate a person finds pleasing.”

“Who else is there that you’ve met?”

“The Dwarf Thorm had just arrived not too long before I came here.    He was reunited with not only some of his relatives, but a certain Half-Ogre named Lute and an Orc lady, Siris.”

Aurei was unabashedly weeping now, “Oh, how I miss them!”

“Your barmaids Krys and Brandi are there, and Brother Darv, the priest of Yesh.”

“Yesh, have mercy!”   Aurei cried, lost in the memories of them.

“They’re all there, Aurei.    Even the child you miscarried during the Faesidhe Raid.”

Aurei looked up in surprise, “I wasn’t sure that I was actually pregnant… I wasn’t sure!    Was it a girl or…”

“She was a daughter and though she was never born, she lives in Yesh’s heaven.    She took your name, Aurei.”

“Oh… oh, I wish…”   She just shook her head and swallowed hard.

“Aurei, she will be there to meet you one day.    There is no time in Heaven and no pain or longing.   You have people there that long to see you that you have never met.    Duke Gamel’s parents wait to see you.    Your daughter knows them, Aurei!   She has family there!    That is what it is most like, Aurei.   Heaven is like a gathering of your dearest family and friends, filled with joy and love, and the feeling does not dwindle or grow old.   But everyone there is your closest family and friends - the unity there makes it like that.”

“It’s been so hard… watching them all die.”   She said in a whisper to the Archmage.

“You’ve gone through great pain, Duchess.    Both you and your husband.    But you also have much to be proud of.   Your children are all extraordinary.”

“I miss my daughters.”   She admitted, thinking now not only of the three that had died, but also the one she had never known.

Drake smiled, “You’ll see them all one day.    Those in Flux as well.”

“It’s hard to be part of this world and feel yourself pulled toward those in a different place.”

“But you are handling it very well, Aurei.    There will be more joys coming your way - soon by the reckoning of Elves.”

“What do you mean?   Do you know of them?”

Drake laughed, “Well it doesn’t take a wizard for that, Aurei!   You have one daughter that is married and another one who will soon marry.   One day you will hear your children’s babies utter their first cries.”

Aurei smiled, “Oh, how wonderful that will be!”

“Until then, I’d suggest that you and Eleazar enjoy your eternal youthfulness and - after all this conflict- have more of your own.”

“I have Aidan; she is still a baby.   Yesh has blessed us already, Archmage.”

“He shall bless you both in new ways, very soon, Duchess.”   Drake told her, but before she could ask what he meant, they reached their destination.

 

***

 

The Secret passage had finally ended in a cavern carved out of solid rock.    There were four iron doors covering four separate passages.    Alleania told them that three of the four led to the crypts outside of the former High Church of Yesh.   But the fourth went into the labyrinth-like basement of the church.

“This is the one we should take.”   She told them, and they all agreed.   But they knew that they had to wait a day before they could move again, so they all agreed that they should set up camp.   The air here was slightly tainted, but breathable, so they all took their masks off.

 

It was several hours later, when they all had decided that it should be the time for sleeping (though in the Underdark there was no time evident to mark the passing of each day), and Gamel had volunteered to stand the first watch.    He stood staring down the passage that they had just walked the length of earlier that day.

 

For a long time he just stared into the empty air, but abruptly he realized someone was standing directly in front of him, though he had not sensed anyone approach.    He jumped back and opened his mouth to call out an alarm, his hand on his hilt.

But a warm female arm wrapped tightly around his waist and neck and pulled him into a kiss.   Then he knew who it was.

“Valmiai!”   He said in a whisper as he broke the kiss.

“Hello, Melda Vermo.”  She pulled his face to hers and kissed him hungrily again.   Although her sudden appearance had unnerved him, her warmth, the press of her body against him and the sweetness of her lips made him linger far too long for a Paladin.   

Using all his willpower, he again pulled away - slightly- from her and looked down at her face, inches away.

She wore the form of a Dark Elf again, but thankfully she had selected one other than the appearance of his sister.    Even as a Drow she was seductively gorgeous.    His heart raced just looking at her and a powerful urge came over him to do something with her that she would gladly consent to do.   

She seemed to sense his hunger for her, and smiled knowingly.

“This is not the time for this game, Valmiai.” He chided, gently.

“There is no-one in any of the secret passages, Gamel.”   She purred, “There is nothing to stop you from completing our union.”

“No”, he shook his head, “You cloud my judgment.”

“Apparently, not enough… yet.”   She kissed his chin, “No matter, I can wait.    I am just glad I found you before your family attempted the assassination.”    She told him about her return to Westmark with the horses, refugees from Helios’ valley and her sister.

“So your sister, Elina, went with the Orc Pass group?”

“Yes, my love, and Mathlyn is with your sisters and brother-in-law’s group.   I,of course, came to be with you.”

“You are Inion Sidhe?”

“Yes, love.”

“So Queen Mathlyn is your sister?”

“Yes, but of course she has been around the Sylvan Elves so long that she is now civilized and all proper.”

“And you, Mathlyn and Elina were three of those created by the Sidhe, Mórálach?”

“Yes, we are the last of them.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“It was not the time.   But enough of this, tell me what plans have been made?”

He told her about their time of waiting to strike, “Are you here to help us?”

“Of course!”  She laughed, holding up one of the air masks that the practical magician, Muld, had made, “I was fortunate to have found this before I left Westmark, or I would have had considerable difficulty breathing.”

“You shouldn’t have travelled alone, it’s too dangerous.”

She grinned and touched his cheek, “Do you really think I would be in danger?”

“Well… perhaps not.    I’m glad you are here.”   He told her, somewhat awkwardly.

“And I’m glad that you want me here.”

“So, what now, Valmiai?   Will you show yourself to the others?”

“Yes, since you know now who I am.   But there is no need to wake them now.    I will sit with you and keep watch.”

She ended their embrace, then took his hand and led him to a flat rock against one side of the passage, “Sit and relax.   I will cast a warning spell down the passage.   If anything enters, it will sound and will put Faerie Fire around the intruder.”

“Wow, that would certainly be handy.”

She softly chanted the spell and cast it ahead, down the passage.   The passage flashed a green color and then faded, “There, it is cast.   Now we can talk.”

“Valmiai, you mentioned once that I was destined to be your… ah…”

“My mate.”  She finished, “Yes, that is so.   I have known for several thousand years, and I also knew how long I would have to wait for you.”

“But why?    You are a beautiful woman - why would Yesh want a majestic lady to be… united… with a Drow knight?”

“Yesh has the reasons, my love.    Believe me; it was very troubling for me at first.   From what my sisters and I knew of the Faesidhe males, I did not desire to find a mate with any Elven male.”

“That’s understandable.”

“But years of loneliness made me reconsider.    When I met your father and saw how fine of a man he truly was - once the demon was exorcised from him-  I became very anxious to meet you.”

“I still can’t see why.”

“Sometimes qualities are best seen from afar over a long period of time.”

“I must seem like a silly child to you, then.”

“No, you are young, but you are almost too serious for one your age.”

“Valmiai… do you really want to be my wife?   I honestly hadn’t ever imagined of such a relationship.”

“Gamel, you must understand - you speak as if it is something yet to happen.   I AM your wife.”

“But-“

“It is different for the fae races, my love.    Unlike most humans, we feel our souls joined and this trumps any ceremony.    Our souls are joined, Gamel.    I feel it strongly and I know you are just now beginning to feel it.    This is the true union.   It is not a religious ceremony or even a physical coming together.    The union of souls is the true marriage.”

“I’m trying to understand it, Valmiai.    I’m sorry it is so difficult for me.”

“It’s alright, we have time, you will understand.   You have lived among so many humans that you, like most Elves, think like they think.    But you will understand.”

“Yes, but will my parents?”

“Are they not soul-joined?    They will understand.”

“Promise me something, alright?”

“What, my love?”

“I don’t want you to leave again.   Stay here with us… since you are my wife, you need to also be part of my family, right?    Mathlyn is also part of my family now, and she is your sister, so it should not be difficult.”

“My love, I had no intention of leaving.    I changed my form to more easily fit in with your group, but I assure you I will not leave your side again.”

Gamel sighed deeply, “Good… wow, this all makes me feel so nervous.”

“You’ll get used to me and learn to love me.”

“I already do, Valmiai.”   He admitted to her, though it terrified him to speak it, “I have for a while, I guess.   I couldn’t get you out of my thoughts.   I was very worried that I wouldn’t be accepted as a Paladin by Yesh because of my thoughts of you.”

“Yet he accepted you.   Do you see?    Yesh ordained this, my love.”

“Yes, I guess he did.   But we still need to marry properly, in accordance with Yesh’s instructions.”

“Certainly, but we will have time for that after this unpleasantness is completed.”

Their talk turned to the upcoming raid and he found himself growing more and more comfortable in her presence.    Time passed quickly, and it was a very surprised Eleazar that came to relieve his son and take his turn at keeping watch.

Gamel just stood and took Valmiai’s hand, “Father, this is Valmiai… my wife.”

Eleazar smiled at her, “Hello, Valmiai, good to see you again.    I really don’t know what else to say but welcome to the family.”

He opened his arms and hugged her and his son.   Gamel looked at his father in amazement how he could so easily accept their odd relationship.  

Eleazar took each of their hands, “I approve of your union, not that you need it, of course, but I have learned to sense when Yesh is working, and He is working here.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”   Valmiai bowed slightly.

“Not yet,” He responded, “Do me one favor, if you will.    Aurei is not sleeping right now, for she is overwhelmed with thoughts of Alis and Aeric, whom she feels will die soon.   She sometimes gets these feelings and they are usually right.    Lighten her mood by speaking to her.   She will sense your soul bond and it will thrill her as well.    Perhaps that will bring her hope and joy.”

They agreed and hurried off as quietly as they could to do as he asked.

Reviews

[Elina]

I loved the part where Archmage Drake is speaking with Aurie...you did an incredible job. Perhaps it doesn't help that I was listening to some very "emotional" score while I was reading it, but I kept tearing up. Anyway, I really related to Aurie in that moment and you wrote it wonderfully.

"They kept hold onto each other as they stumbled..." It may sound better as either "They kept hold of each other..." or "They held onto each other..."
"...cemetery vaults just outside of the church." You can probably omit "of."
"She of course was thinking of her daughters, and for some strange reason, Aeric and Alis." It might work better as "Of course, she was thinking of her daughters and, for some strange reason, Aeric and Alis."
"...thinking now not only of the three that she had bore that had died, but also the one she had never known." This might need a bit of re-working.
"I of course came to be with you." You'll want to add commas around "of course."
"

[Eddie Davis]

Thank you, Elina, you are most kind. Aurei has remained one of my favorite characters in all of my books.