Meeting Naketh

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nightcancerwolf
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Meeting Naketh

Post by nightcancerwolf »

Introduction

Night fell on the forest. The last sliver of moon was fading in the night sky. The stars above were blocked out by the thick tree branches. In the midst of the woods four figures sat around a small campfire that put out dull glow against the night. Two of them were gnolls, upright canines with clawed hands, large in comparison to their drow elf companions. The drow were on the other side of the fire. One of them was sitting on a log; the other used the same log as a rest for his head as he peered into the flames. Their white hair sharply contrasted their black skin. They were the size of an average human. The largest gnoll looked into the darkness. The light from the campfire reflected off his green eyes. His crest ruffled while he stared, as if he were expecting something to leap out of the darkness. His companion barked at him in their harsh language.
“What is it Garnrot?” She cocked her head to the side jangling her earrings. The female was slightly smaller than Garnrot, and her mottled fur was shorter than her partner’s. Garnrot shook his head and looked deep into the campfire’s crackling flame. The light played across his face revealing several scars across his muzzle. His shadow danced on the tree behind him. He turned to face his partner. The rusty armor he wore screeched as he turned to face the other gnoll. The skull of a dire tiger that formed his left spaulder shifted with the weight of his other armor.
“Something wrong Karnthre,” Garnrot said. “Even during full moon, Naketh never out long time hunting. It been three hours since he left.” He picked up his crude iron axe and tested the edge with his claws. The head had a dull gleam to it, and the blade had many chips in it as if the ferocious gnoll had tried to hack though a stone with it. The handle was roughly hewn from an oak branch. “I worry much.”
One of the drow nodded. She spoke in the Gnoll tongue, “The last time I remember him out this long it was because he ran into a hook horror.” She turned her head to look into the darkness. Her hair fell across to her back revealing a thin, beautiful face. Her eyes glowed red as she searched the darkness with her infravision. As with most drow she was accustomed to seeing through heat.
“Do you see anything Mistress Lesdra?” Karnthre asked nervously. She played nervously with the piercings that ran along her left ear and marked her as being a slave. Lesdra shook her head. She bit her lip and continued staring at the encroaching darkness.
The other drow pulled his hood over his eyes. “He probably just ran into a local vampire lord.” The other three snapped their heads to glare at him. Garnrot bared his teeth and released a guttural growl, making it clear he didn’t find the comment even remotely funny. Lesdra placed a hand on her whip.
“My mate isn’t here to protect you rogue,” she spat at him in Drow. “And I might just drive a dagger into you heart to gain some favor from Lolth.” She glared at the male contemptuously. She could never find out why her mate tolerated him. He was arrogant, self-centered, and insult to her goddess.
“You and I both know how idle that threat is,” he said calmly in Drow. He sighed. A bored expression was on his face. He looked at Lesdra from under his hood. “And for the hundredth time my name isn’t ‘rogue’, or ‘male’, its Drissnil.”
“You’re nothing more than a filthy rogue, and probably a third son as well.” Lesdra turned around and crossed her arms scanning the darkness again for her mate. Her jaw was clenched tight. The male was absolutely galling.
“I am not one of those thieving, unkempt little wretches.” He said with absolute disgust in his voice. “I am a druid. And were I the latter, I wouldn’t be here now would I? “ With that Drissnil yawned and closed his eyes. Lesdra turned around snorting at him. When she saw him with his eyes closed she walked to his side silently and raised her foot as if she were about to stomp on him.
“Don’t even think about it.” Drissnil said with out opening his eyes. Infuriated Lesdra stormed off to the other side of the fire. “Its funny,” Drissnil said suddenly, “The lot of you follow the most brutal deities in Faerûn, yet when it comes to Naketh, you cry if he even gets scratched.”
Garnrot barked at him. “Naketh our friend, something you not understand.”
Drissnil opened one eye. “I understand friendship, both from my view point and his.” He propped himself on a log. “Garnrot why did you pull him onto the deck of that pirate ship anyway? Being that you follow Erythnul I wouldn’t think you’d care if he lived or died. After all I’m sure that was the first time you met.”
“We met long time before that, Drissnil. It was night like this.”


Garnrot’s Tale

“I still a youngling when Naketh and I first met. It just before new moon, and my clan was preparing me to find sacrifice for Erythnul.” Garnrot looked up into the night sky. His usually tense body relaxed if only for a moment.
Karnthre nodded and placed her clawed hand on its shoulder. Lesdra looked confused. “Why did they send you to find the sacrifice? Why didn’t they send the matron, or one of her daughters?” Garnrot looked down and shook his head.
“Unlike drow, our packs are male run. I just reached fourteenth year, and it was time for me to make sacrifice as warrior in pack.” Garnrot looked at Lesdra waiting for another question. When she remained silent, though obviously disgusted, he continued.
“In ritual it customary for candidate to track first being found and kill. It didn’t matter if, beast, man, elf, dwarf, or other gnoll, as long as it slaughtered most brutal way possible. By fortune it dire tiger for me.”
Drissnil raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure you were elated to discover such a massive and dangerous beast.” While Drissnil’s voice remained calm, his tone clearly evidenced sarcasm. As did his gesture of propping his arm on the log to support himself and yawning.
Garnrot nodded slowly. Drissnil’s furrowed his eyebrows into a confused expression. Garnrot continued. “The more dangerous hunt is, the more glory in kill, and more power that given for succeeding. We tracked the beast for three days. By this time new moon had risen, and the beast had taken hold in its lair. Since this was to be my sacrifice, I had to kill creature with own strength. The other’s left.”
Lesdra tilted her head to the side. “Am I correct in assuming this is where Naketh came in?” When Garnrot nodded she leaned forward in anticipation of hearing her mate’s deeds.
“When the beast fell asleep,” he continued, “I stalked up and raised my axe to strike. As I held axe in overhead, I heard someone saying, ‘Nice kitty, nice kitty…’ I turned my head and saw Naketh. He was slowly backing from dire tiger cub with hands raised in front of him, his palms facing cub. His efforts failed to calm the beast . It roared and charged. Naketh ran screaming loud, right past den entrance.”
Lesdra raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “My mate was running from something?” She left the question hanging in mid-air, and the group was silent for a moment, until Drissnil spoke up.
“Lesdra, do you remember how large a hook horror is?” He involuntarily shuddered at the thought of the nine-foot monstrosities, although his face and voice remained calm. Lesdra nodded solemnly. Drissnil fixed his gaze on her. “That cub was probably about the same height as those ungodly aberrations if not a little bigger. In addition it was at least ten feet long, and weighed at least four or five thousand pounds. The mother was probably at least eleven feet high, twelve feet long, and around six thousand pounds.”
Garnrot growled lightly indicating he was getting tired of the constant interruptions. Everyone understood and became silent. “I distracted by sight of him running by, followed by cub, never noticed mother getting up, until she roared and swiped me with her paw. I sent flying, and slammed into a tree. I got up quickly and charged her with my axe. When she’d attack me, I would evade as best I could and attack with my axe. The battle seemed to have been waged on for hours when I heard a howl behind me. I turned around to see Naketh plunging his sword into the cub’s heart and letting it fall to the ground dead. The mother bounded over me, her tail catching me as it whipped by and knocking me to the ground. I was not going to let him steal my sacrifice from me, so I leaped onto her haunches and climbed my way up her back to her neck with my axe between my teeth. Naketh was tired and was struggling just to evade her ferocious attacks. When I reached her neck, I repeatedly smashed the blade of my axe into her neck. The first time I landed it she reared up, but I held on and continued until at last she fell.”
Everyone sat silently as Garnrot told the end of his tale. Karnthre was awestruck that her mate had taken down so powerful a beast. Lesdra found new respect for the gnoll sitting across from her, and Drissnil remained as enigmatic as ever. Garnrot tapped the skull spaulder. “This was her skull. I separated it from her body, after offering her heart to Erythnul, as the proof that I had made my sacrifice. Naketh came up to me after I performed the ritual. I remember his words, though it was in Goblin.
“‘You’ll make a strong fighter one of these days,’ he said. A damn strong fighter.’ I turned around and saw him smiling. ‘Best of luck to you,’ was all he said more before he walked off.
“I cried out after him, ‘Wait, please come back with me. I’m sure the leaders will accept a warrior strong as you.’
“He stopped with that. ‘What’s your name?’
“‘Garnrot’ I said.
“He nodded, and came back and extended his hand. ‘Call me Naketh,” and from that day forward we were friends.”

Drissnil’s Tale

Drissnil shook his head. “So even then Naketh had a knack for getting into trouble.” His eyes were bright, like he was laughing at some private joke. A rare smile played across his lips for a moment.
Lesdra and Karnthre looked at him confused. Garnrot nodded his head silently. Lesdra voice was tense. “Are you implying something, rogue?”
Drissnil sighed. “My name is-“
“I don’t care,” Lesdra snapped cutting him off, “you’re still nothing more than a-“
“Filthy rogue as far you’re concerned.” Lesdra glared at him. Drissnil continued. “And as I’m sure Garnrot will tell you, I wasn’t implying anything; I was merely stating a fact. He has never planned anything out before he began, but rather has done everything on the spur-of-the-moment.” Lesdra looked down and to the side, grumbling quietly, as though she were forced to concede that point.
Karnthre was more curious than irritated with Drissnil. “So, how did you meet him Drissnil?” She said quietly.
Drissnil stood up and stretched. “Oh,” he said drawing it out, while he loosened the kinks in his back, “Where to begin? I suppose it would be-“
Lesdra rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, at the beginning”
Drissnil raised an eyebrow. “Actually, no. I was going to say with the fort. To start at the beginning would take far too long.” He sat down on the log he was previously using as a headrest. “My tiger, Tári, and I were traveling along, when I detected a strong magical aura emanating from the mountains. Naturally, I was interested in what was causing it, so she and I followed the emanations to their source, a fortress.”
Lesdra looked at Drissnil skeptically, “I suppose this ‘fortress’ was the size of a large house, and twice as fortified, no.” Sarcasm dripped off her words, and her mouth formed a sneer.
Drissnil looked at Lesdra. “Only if you’re referring to the tenth house of whatever city it is you come from as being large.” Drissnil braced himself against his knees and continued. “The sun was just setting when we first arrived. At first I figured the fort belonged to a mage of some variety, perhaps even another druid, and knocked on the doors. They opened, so I stepped inside. ‘Hello.’ I said. Suddenly the room lit up one torch on the wall after another setting itself ablaze. It was a minor parlor trick, but the scale on which it was done was quite impressive.”
Lesdra glared at him. “I thought you said it wasn’t a large place.”
Drissnil was quick with his response. “It may have been small, but it had plenty of sconces lining the wall. The light was so bright my eyes were hurting, despite having mostly adjusted them to the surface. A figure stepped into the light his skin was pale, and his eyes were red. He was a vampire.
“‘Welcome to my keep,’ he said. ‘What brings you here? Have you perhaps come to join the ranks of the undead?’
“I was piqued by the offer, but alas, it was not for me. “No I’m afraid not,’ I said. ‘I was drawn here by the aura radiating from this place. I thought perchance another mage dwelled here.’
“The vampire waved his clawed hands at the doors and they slammed shut. A number of other vampires appeared from hidden alcoves in the walls. They were armored and carried a variety of weapons. All of them had the same red eyes, and their skin was as pale as his, although a few bore a slight bluish tinge. They bared their fangs and hissed, every one waiting for the order to attack.
“The one who had initially addressed me spoke again. His command over the other’s decreed him a lord ‘Tis a pity, for none living can know of our existence here. I offer you the chance once more to join us.’
“I looked left and right, while secretly sliding my hand into one of my many pouches. I was completely surrounded by the beings, more than enough to pose a substantial threat. I pulled my hand out of the pouch holding a small sunstone. ‘The pity is that you are a great enough fool as to threaten a druid.’
“With that the lord walked off and made a gesture with his hand. The amassed vampires became a swarm and charged me. I tossed the sunstone into the air sending a fire spell after it. I balled up and yanked my hood down over my eyes as the two magics met. The ensuing burst of radiance burned into my back. The pain was almost unbearable, but it was a better fate that that suffered by the vampires that lived in the place. When I opened my eyes a few minutes later, there was nothing surrounding me but ash. I used my magic to heal my wounds, and forced the door open to allow Tári in. I knew I hadn’t slain the vampire lord, since they are immune to the effects of sunlight, unlike common vampires are, but he was about to get his just deserts.
“Together we tracked him through the fortress into his chamber. A look of shock was on his face when we found him. I was so enraged I didn’t even offer him any chance to speak before conjuring a flame strike spell on him. He evaded the spell and charged me with his claws. I snapped my scimitar out of its scabbard as he closed, and decapitated him in one swift movement. His body fell to the ground. I wiped my blade clean on his cloak and returned it to its scabbard.
“I noticed the aura I had detected earlier wasn’t quite as powerful where I was, so I returned to the entrance where it was stronger and followed it to its source. What I found most people would consider an overwhelming fortune of magical items. I began sorting through them literally tossing the ones I didn’t care for, which was most of them, aside. That’s when I heard my tiger growling. I turned to see Naketh drawing his blade while preparing to spin. I moved aided by one my spells and caught his arm in the air as he was preparing to bring it down. The next thing I registered was the pain that accompanied his dagger plunging into my leg.”
Lesdra smiled. “So he didn’t warm up to you right away!” She snickered wholeheartedly as a wicked smile found it way across her lips. Drissnil raised one eyebrow. As irritating as she found him, he doubted she understood how grating she could be as well.
“There were reasons for what he did,” Drissnil continued, “If you would let me finish you’d learn them. When I didn’t die for whatever reason, he pulled the dagger out.
“‘You’re no lich,” were his first words to me. I released my grip on him and he sheathed his weapons. ‘Where’s the vampire lord?’
“‘ Separated from his head,’ I said, and I lead him there to prove it.
“When we arrived he collected the head and placed it into a bag on his belt. He gestured at the body. I gave him a puzzled look. ‘Burn it,’ was all he said. I complied and he swept up the ashes, placing them into another sack. As we left, I asked him why he was out here. His reply was a simple slap of the bag with the head in it.
“He left the fort, and I followed, for no other reason than he interested me. A few hours later we arrived at a stream and he deposited the ashes into it. We watched them drift downstream. I looked at him and asked. ‘Might I perhaps have the pleasure of knowing you’re name?’
“He looked at me warily. ‘It’s Naketh,’ he said. ‘And now you can answer my question as to what a drow is doing out here, alone, so far from any known entrance to the Underdark.’ I smiled.
“I understood the confusion he had. ‘I left the ways of my people behind. I am a humble druid, and a servant of Sheela Peryroyl.’ With that he promptly fell over in a fit of hysterics.”
Garnrot rolled his eyes, knowing full and well what the joke was. Karnthre and Lesdra shot puzzled looks at each other. Lesdra opened her mouth to ask a question, but Garnrot answered be fore she could begin speaking. “Sheela,” he said, “is a Halfling god.” Karnthre and Lesdra still had confused looks.
Drissnil continued his tale after a brief nod. “I was as lost on the joke as you are. So I asked him. ‘What may I inquire is so funny?’
“He regained his composure long enough to make one statement. ‘You,’ he said between spurts of laughter, ‘are the only person I’ve met who has to look down at your deity.’ I’ve never been able to get him to stop harassing me about it since.”


Karnthre’s Tale

Karnthre burst out laughing now that she understood the joke. A rare smile even crossed Lesdra’s lips. Karnthre regained her composure after a minute, and spoke. “When Mistress Lesdra and I met Naketh for the first time it was under considerably more dire circumstances, but no less eventful.”
Lesdra nodded. “If anything it was more eventful considering we were in the middle of a full scale house war.”
Karnthre nodded. “I remember, we almost lost, until he arrived.” Karnthre leaned forward peering into the fire. “It began five cycles of Narbondel before the house war that ascended us to the rank of eighth house,” she began, using the drow time reference for a day. “Naketh had been living in the tunnels outside of Ched Nasad for the past couple of months, and had caused nothing but trouble. He would constantly ambush the city’s patrols, engaging the leader, and then disappearing after slaughtering him. “
Lesdra laughed. “Even the strongest leaders he hardly considered a challenge.” She threw her hair over her shoulder. “I’m the only one who considered him a threat, until he slaughtered the weapons master of the first house.”
Karnthre nodded eagerly. Drissnil looked at Lesdra with his usual blank expression. “Would you mind letting Karnthre tell her story, without interjections?” Lesdra rolled her eyes and gestured for Karnthre to continue
“ Finally, after the death of the First house’s weapons master,” Karnthre continued, “the matrons agreed to send a patrol out for the sole purpose of killing Naketh. Leading the patrol was Khazdrae, the weapons master of House Hartangrel, the eighth house of Ched Nasad. They returned successful, or so we thought. Khazdrae even made it a point to carry his bloodied sword over his head when he entered the city. Mistress Lesdra was in doubt that it had happened, but said nothing.
“With the deed of slaughtering Naketh, House Hartangrel figured they had enough favor with Lolth to attack and remove us from the city, raising their own status. To further their belief that hey would succeed, the matron was pregnant with her third son, whom she planned to sacrifice on the day they attacked.
“When that day came, we were caught completely off guard. Khazdrae led the assault, and we were barely able to fend for ourselves. As the battle wore on they pushed their way in to our house. I fought hard and took down soldier after soldier with my heavy broadsword as the swarm progressed. One finally disarmed me, and was preparing to land the killing blow when he suddenly found a sword growing out of his chest. He slumped over and I saw Naketh standing there, as a werewolf. His fur was matted in blood, and his breath stank of drow flesh. He didn’t say anything but rather just walked past, shoving me aside with bloody, clawed hand. I picked up my weapon and followed him.
“Naketh slaughtered any one who resisted his passage. He went along as though he was mad with bloodlust. He finally stopped when he arrived at the house temple. He was sniffing the air like he had found the scent he had been hunting. He turned to look inside, and saw Khazdrae standing there with his sword drawn. Mistress Lesdra had crawled her way on top of the stone altar to Lolth and was clinging to it for her life.”
Lesdra snapped her head, and opened her mouth to say something. She remained silent however when Drissnil and Garnrot both gave her similar looks, as if to say, not to even start.
Karnthre continued. “ Khazdrae raised his sword to deliver a killing blow. Naketh charged, screaming some feral oath. Khazdrae was shocked at the sight of him and dropped his sword. When Naketh swung his sword, Khazdrae barely dodged the incoming blade. Naketh had swung his sword so hard that when he missed, he buried half of it into the altar. Khazdrae was wide-eyed with terror, and he got up and ran down the corridors of the house screaming, forcing his way past me. Naketh wrenched his blade free with one arm and followed him. Mistress Lesdra was similarly terrified and pointed her finger after them indicating that should follow.
“Naturally, I did as I was commanded. Khazdrae kept screaming for his men to retreat. They did as they were commanded; those who were hesitant complied when they saw Naketh. I guess they assumed him to be a demon, or a Zin-Carla, one of the wraiths called upon by the matron’s in times of dire need. The drow soldier’s all made it back to their house, except for Khazdrae. He found a dagger in his knee halfway there. The weapons master collapsed and tried to crawl the rest of the way, but Naketh’s shadow soon over took him. He rolled over and made the most horrendous efforts to plead for his life, sobbing the entire time.
“Naketh didn’t seem to hear. He just growled, raised his blade, and began hacking away at Khazdrae, who was screaming all the while. When he finally stopped the former weapons master was beyond recognition, and a pool of blood surrounded his corpse. Naketh bent over and ripped Khazdrae’s chest open with his bare hands and removed his heart and let go a howl to his god, before he devoured the heart. By that time several high priestesses had arrived alerted by Khazdrae’s screams. They each drew snake whips to bring him down with, before killing him. Naketh turned to face them and tossed his blade back and forth, and snapping his teeth at them, as if he were daring them to attack him. The next thing I remember seeing, were the seven heads from a whip lash out at him from behind. He let out a howl and spun around. He was breathing heavily as he collapsed. I looked in the direction the heads had come from and saw Mistress Lesdra standing there. She pointed at our house. I quickly scurried off, not wanting to feel the strike of the whip. When I next saw him, his right hand was bandaged, and he was bearing the slave’s mark.”
Lesdra’s Tale

Lesdra was sitting with her arms crossed and a disgusted look on her face. She glared at Karnthre. “I was not,” she said, “clinging to the altar for my life. I was reaching for the sacrificial dagger, so that I could plunge it into the chest of my enemy, before he killed me, or worst.” Lesdra shuddered at the thought, as she clutched her belly protectively.
Karnthre quickly dropped her head. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Drissnil raised his hand to silence her and spoke instead. “Then perhaps you would care to tell us your account of what happened?”
Lesdra narrowed her eyes at him. “Gladly rogue, so that you may understand the glory that comes to those who remain loyal to the mighty Queen of Spiders,” she said with obvious contempt in her voice. Drissnil rolled his eyes. Even Garnrot growled irritably.
Lesdra began her telling of the house war, the war in which she and Karnthre had met Naketh. “I remember the day our first patrol that encountered him returned. They had been ambushed, and the leader was dead, his body mutilated beyond recognition. Several of the patrols were badly injured. Our first thought was that they had run into a band of durro, the insane humanoids that inhabit many of the tunnels o the Underdark.
“There was only one who had actually seen their assailant. He wouldn’t speak at first, however the lowly soldier eventually did, when brought before the high priestesses. He whimpered one phrase at the insistence of our whips, ‘Fairie Demon.’ We questioned him as to why he drew this conclusion. He told us that the being was a pale skinned devil, who could change his form at will to that of some monstrosity he could not describe.
“My sister’s were unconcerned, and threw the male into the prison’s of Arach-Tinilith. I on the other hand was intrigued, I doubted he was a demon, but he was obviously a strong warrior. I demanded to Mistress Matron, the highest of all our priestesses, that we send out a patrol to capture him. I was struck squarely for insolence. I looked upon her darkly, but said nothing. She was of the First House, and I of the Ninth House, it would be many years before I could retaliate in safety.
“As the days wore on, Naketh continued to slaughter our patrols as he encountered them. They were like massacred like kobold by his blades. Matron Mistress finally designed a patrol to kill Naketh if possible, otherwise to lure him into the city where they would deal with him. This was in response to his latest act. Naketh had not only slaughtered the patrol, which was led by the weapons master of the First House, but had dumped their bodies in front of the temple.
“Khazdrae, weapon’s master of the Ninth house, led the assault, and had made a wager with me. He had desired me for many years, but I had always refused him, even when he begged me. I’d even had him beaten on one occasion for having such audacity, he believed he could kill Naketh and had bet my bed for his life on it. I doubted he could do it, so I agreed, glad to finally be rid of him.
“When he came back rearing his bloody sword, he marched to the gate of my house. I noticed that one of his men was missing when he arrived. I smiled; I could twist that to my advantage. I went to go meet him at the gate
“’Lesdra,’ he said smiling, ‘I have won our wager.’ He was I imagine already thinking what I’d be like. I tossed my hair to the side.
“‘No,’ I said, ‘you haven’t.’ I was well pleased with myself, when I saw the confused look on his face. He proffered the sword to me. I refused to even touch it. ‘For all I know the blood on that blade, is the blood of your missing soldier, and I’ll not waste my time on a male to check it.’ With that I turned and reentered my house laughing. Three days later he led the house war against us.
“I was walking along the gates when I noticed them coming, armed for war. At first I thought they might be engaging another house, but when I saw the globes of darkness descend I knew otherwise. I fled into the temple, closing the doors behind me, to prepare for the invaders. An hour later the doors to the temple burst open, and Khazdrae stood there smiling.
“’Ah sweet Lesdra,’ he said. He held his sword in his hand. ‘It is a pity that you have to die.’ A wicked smile crossed over his face.
“’No.’ I said. ‘It will not be, for it is you who are to die this day.’ I began backing towards the altar. Our dagger lay on it as always, ever ready to kill the sacrifices to Lolth. Khazdrae advanced on me. I continued to retreat till I felt the altar at my back. I then turned and made a lunge for the dagger. Khazdrae grabbed me and spun me around. As I was spun I saw Naketh, and my face drew out in terror. The roar he released induced Khazdrae to drop his weapon and move to evade the assault. The blade bit into the altar, and sank within an inch of my neck. I was so terrified I couldn’t even move. Khazdrae ran off screaming. Naketh wrenched his blade free and pursued the coward. It was then that I noticed Karnthre standing there. I jabbed my finger in the direction of the chase, and she pursued.
“I regained my wits after a moment and followed them. My whip was drawn now, and I ran after Naketh. I was familiar with lycanthropy, having studied monsters in my spare time, but Naketh was the first one I had actually seen. He was indeed terrifying, and I understood why the soldier had called him a demon. I found him right as he was ripping out Khazdrae’s heart, and preparing to consume it. I watched him from behind as the high priestesses from the First House arrived. By this point I imagined that the Eighth House was holing itself up to prepare for justice. I watched as Naketh challenged them. I realized that if the First house captured him, he would die instantly, so I attacked him with my own whip. He howled as the snakeheads bit into his flesh. He spun around and fell to his knees as the poison began to take effect. I walked up and knelt next to him as fell unconscious. I looked over my shoulder and saw Karnthre standing there, her broadsword in hand, and I gestured for her to return to our house. The high priestesses walked over to him.
“I glared at them. ‘This one is mine,’ I said. They picked him up anyway.
“As they carried him off one shouted. ‘Do not worry, we will not kill him yet, he will be publicly sacrificed.’ I breathed a sigh of relief. If he was going to be sacrifice publicly, then I would have a chance yet to claim him. I returned to the house shortly thereafter. My mother and sisters still lived, but our slave count had taken a beating, and we had lost more than three hundred soldiers in the assault. Hopefully, the First House would take us under wing until we rebuilt ourselves, but there were no guarantees. I smiled though, for soon we would be Eight House.
“It was almost a week later when Naketh was dragged out from the dungeons of his captors. We were now the Eighth House, and were allowed to be present. The former Eighth house no longer existed, and was considered to have never even been. I looked at Naketh, as he lay strapped across the altar of Arach-Tinilith. His weapons were laid across the altar above him; they would of course be distributed among the other spoils of the First House. Naketh lay there silent. I arose.
“’Mistress Matron,’ I began, ‘I would like to see the fairie released.’ With that statement, the eyes of every drow in the place suddenly shifted to stare at me. The fairies, as we called surface elves, were our mortal enemies, and yet I was requesting that his one be allowed to live.
“Mistress Matron walked up to me. ‘Why,’ she asked me matronizing me, ‘do you wish for me to spare this male, and more so our enemy.’ I could not look her in the face and instead cast my gaze to the ground.
“’He saved my life.’ I said grudgingly. Mistress Matron then made a gesture with her hands and Naketh was cut loose. He was still silent as the grave as he was forced to his knees in front of me. Mistress Matron had cast a spell upon him so that he could understand everything.
“’She begs for your life,’ she said to Naketh, ‘yet you remain silent. Have you nothing to say?’ Naketh looked at me. He gritted his teeth.
“’I have not saved your life.’ Every one in the room gasped at his statement. I just about dropped my jaw. He looked at me with eyes cold as stone. ‘That you’re life was spared through my actions was fortunate on your part.’
“’I offer to save your life,’ I said ‘and this is how you thank me.’ I was livid. ‘You humiliate me in front of my sisters, by refusing to accept what I offer you.’
“He then stood. ‘If you wish to spare my life,’ he said, ‘you will be binding my life to yours for as long as we are alive.’ He was breathing quite. ‘Knowing this do you still desire to save my life, or will you allow me to die?’
“’You,’ I said utterly enraged, ‘will live.’ All he did was nod.
“Everyone was shocked by what happened next. Naketh suddenly grabbed my left hand with his right. Between them was his dagger. I cried out as he yanked the blade free of hands cutting both of us. Naketh then plunged both of our hands into a nearby brazier. ‘Bonded by blood,’ he said jamming the dagger into the brazier as well, ‘and sealed by fire; my life is yours until we die.’ He then released my hand. I ripped it free of the fire crying. Naketh calmly retracted his hand and pulled the dagger free as well. He then walked over to his gear and pulled white strip of cloth from it and bandaged his hand tightly. He then armed himself and stood behind me.
“I looked at him coldly and pulled a knife from my belt. ‘Take your other form,’ I commanded him, ‘and kneel placing you head against the altar.’ He did so immediately, and I spread his ear open and pierced it three times with the dagger. ‘Rise slave.’ He did so, and we left the temple.”
Conclusion

The fire began to die as Lesdra finished telling her story. It suddenly sprang to life again as log land on it from out of the darkness. Everyone snapped their attention to the place where the log had come from. They heard something grunting like it was trying to lift some burden. A wild elf stepped into the ring with a stag across his shoulders. He smiled as he dropped it. His light skin stood out from everybody else, and his left ear had three scars in it, like someone had stabbed him there with a knife. Lesdra suddenly leaped up and ran over to him throwing her arms about his neck.
“Thank the spider queen your safe,” she said. She looked at him. Everyone could see she was relieved, since he was unharmed.
Naketh just smiled wryly. “Relax,” he said, “its not like I… ran into a local vampire lord.” Lesdra suddenly began clouting him over the head with her hand. Naketh dropped covering his head trying to escape the maelstrom blows. Everyone else just laughed. They were all glad he was safe.
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