Chapter 33: The second running

The sound of screams were filling his ears, the laughter of his people that enjoyed the massacre. He could see the theater of shadows playing on the trees, created by the large fires, creating scenes where his brethren were cutting down on what they called surface faeries. This Tribe was easily five times bigger than their previous target, but they had come prepared. For two years, they had waited before coming to the surface again.
Matron Nazira’s throw for power had not gone unnoticed. Not everyone was so pleased that this Matron, coming from another city, was taking power in Dro’Naqar. It had led to months of discussion and an occasional assassination attempt, but they had all failed. In the end, the ruling council of the city had to bow and acknowledge Nazira’s power. Only then Nazira had given her approval to go back to the surface.

A scout had laid their path before them, so that they wouldn’t lose any time on their trip. It was a journey that had taken more than a few tendays to arrive, yet alone, they still had to return. But for the young Drow, that was a problem to think about after the siege. His mind was focused on one thing only.

Finding his half sister.
He had hoped he would be able to do the search by himself, yet as usual, he was flanked by his older sister Irae’Lin. After this little move to leave the House two years ago, she hadn’t left him out of her sight, eager to catch him on any misstep he would take. Ready to enjoy the punishment he would receive. Yet Breghen had been careful, planning every step he would take to not give his sister that pleasure.  

“There!” he said, while he pointed to one of the huts that was built at the side of a large tree. It was the source of where his blood tracking led him. He could feel his mind pulling him to that side. The strength was not as powerful as when he had to track his own father. Back then, it was blood he knew, blood he had tasted … This was a person unknown to him, unfamiliar. And he could feel it was much more difficult to track her down. 

“Finally …” 

Breghen looked aside to the source of the exited voice. His sister, Irae’Lin was eager to go up and drag their wanted prey down to the Underdark. Nazira had promised the girl to her, to use as she pleased. He could remember Elendar whimpering when he revealed that fact to him. Even he knew that the girl would not survive with a sane mind.

“Lead the way, brother …” She purred, ready to claim what was promised to her.

Blocking out the sounds of devastating screams, Breghen walked over the bridges that would lead him to his destination. He could feel a nervous feeling grow in his body. This was his sister, halfsister. One that shared the same blood as his father, but one that was raised in a different way, in a different world. Would she indeed be so different as he had said? Or would she share that same vicious streak that his Underdark sisters had?

Breghen moved the hide that functioned as a door to the side with his scimitar. He had expected to see a young girl, shivering away because of the scene that was happening down below. But instead he saw an old looking female elf sitting down on the ground, her legs folded, softly chanting a spell. 

Like on cue, she opened her silver eyes, who looked as tired as her old wrinkled skin, yet a soft smile formed on her lips when her eyes crossed those of the young Drow boy.

“The one you are looking for is not here.” She said calmly, offering the boy her smile.

“What …?” Breghen started, but before he could finish his sentence, he was pushed aside by his sister, who’s face went from excitement to angry disappointment and anger.

“What is the meaning of this?” She barked, the snake heads on her whip hissing dangerously, eager to plant their fangs in their victims skin. But the old female was not impressed by the powerplay and offered the Drowess the same smile.

“The one you seek has left this Tribe months ago. You are too late.” The woman said, still not showing any sign of fear. 

“How?” Breghen said with a tremble in his voice. How could this blood tracking led him here, to this point.

“You are not the only one who can use magic, boy. The one you seek is protected and you will not find her until the time is right.”

With his eyes dazed, Breghen stared at the woman, the information twirling in his mind. His sister was gone, she was not here! And that meant that they would not be able to drag her back to the Underdark. The corner of his lip softly raised, showing a small smirk, knowing that his half sister had escaped again. He wanted to laugh when he saw his sister's disheveled look in her eyes, knowing that her prey had escaped. But he wisely kept that emotion for himself, knowing that he would be the target of her building rage. 

“I don’t have time for this bullshit!” Irae’Lin barked, anger flowing with her words and so did her snakes, hissing loudly to show the current emotion of their mistress. 

“You will die, just like your foul kin!” The priestess said while raising her whip, ready to strike. The vipers raised their heads, protruding their long poisonous fangs, ready to claim what their mistress promised. 

“Mistress Irae’Lin.” A voice said before she could lower her hand. With a grunt, the priestess looked over her shoulder, her vipers hissing in annoyance, to see one of the female soldiers standing in the doorway.

“There is something you need to see.” The female said, dipping her head in respect for the higher ranked female. 

“Something that will spark your interest.” 

Irae’Lin scoffed, her red eyes drifting towards Breghen.

“Kill her and return at my side immediately!” She commanded, piercing her gaze in the eyes of her brother. He could only nod to her command.

“And do it quickly.” Irae’Lin turned on her heels and left the hut, leaving Breghen alone with the Night elf woman.

“She is a vicious one …” The old female said, her silver eyes straying to the exit of her hut.

“Tell me something I don’t know …” Breghen started, raising the tip of his scimitar towards the Night Elf. 

“Like how you tricked me.”  

The woman chuckled and released a sigh. 

“You don’t need to raise your sword to me, boy. I will tell you what I know. Just like I know who you are looking for.”

With a flick of her hand, she canceled the spell she had been performing and Breghen noticed that also the pull in mind faltered. He lost his blood tracking, now feeling that his sister was indeed no longer around. He was impressed by the old female’s tricks. He had never expected to track someone who would be able to mislead his own magic, which was rare to the world. 

 “Unknowing to the one you are looking for, I placed a small spell on her, so that you would not be able to track her down through your blood connection.” The woman started, folding her hand in her lap.

“Until the time is right, you will not be able to find her.”

Breghen grunted, giving a disapproving scoff. He could not deny he was impressed. She was right after all. 

“And who decided that!? How did you even know?” 

Again the woman gave him a smile that lacked any sign of fear. To him, it was like she already found peace in what was happening and what was gonna happen. Just like that High Priestess from the other Tribe, Elendar’s lover, the idea of running or fighting back wasn’t even sprouting.   

Her silver eyes drifted to one of the windows and when Breghen followed her line of sight, he saw the glowing light of a crescent moon in the sky, almost forming a sad face with the stars around it.

“The moon?” He whispered, raising his eyebrow in question.

“My patroness.” The woman replied with a nod. “Yet she is not unknown to you. You have met her before. She is afterall the daughter of your kin’s goddess.”

“What!?” The Drow boy spat in disbelief, raising the tip of his sword towards her neck.

“Do not lie to me!” 

“I do not lie.”

The elder looked straight at the boy and from her confident look, he could only conclude that she was speaking the truth. Afterall, what would she gain from lying now? Her faith was already sealed and she knew it as well.

“Did you really think that the voice you heard was coming from that Spider Queen of yours? I hope you are smarter than that.” 

Breghen wanted to reply, tell her she was wrong, but deep inside, he knew she was right. While he had first thought that that voice was Lolth, his subconsciousness had always knew that it wasn’t her. Why would a goddess of Chaos and Treachery help him to survive after all? He, a mere male with a treacherous father. To his kin, he was born as nothing. And hadn’t his sacrifice been disrupted, he would have died that day.
While he never acknowledged it, for then it would be real, he knew that that voice was not Lolth, but another deity that was walking at his side. 

“Then who is she?” The boy asked, his voice a bit calmer, lowering his sword.

“I wish I could teach you, dear boy, but there is no time. Your … mistress expects you.” The woman said with a sigh. 

“But believe me when the Underdark is not the right place for you. Do not close your heart for her voice, for she will guide you through your ordeal. And when the time is right, you will break the seal.”

Seal? Would he ever break free from the world beneath? Breaking the bonds that were forcing him to stay underground and serve the dark power that was rising? Serving his mother and Nazira in their dark plans? 

Like she knew what he was thinking about, the Elven female rose her hand, pointing at him.

“But be careful, boy. My patroness had graced you, but her mother is having her eyes on you as well. And both are determined to keep you and it’s up to you to decide who you will follow.”

Breghen nodded shortly.

“Now, strike, boy. Your sister demanded my blood. You should not deny it to her.”

Breghen clasped his hand around the grip of his sword, taking a deep breath.

“You are not scared?” He asked, kind of curious why she was still sitting there so calm, with death standing before her feet.

“Why should I? Death is not so unkind as we think and my patroness will walk me to my next destination. Death is not the end, dear boy, it is only a portal to the next chapter.”

The boy nodded, releasing his breath.

“May I know your name?”

“Ella’Rian.” She answered, having some sort of content flickering in her eyes. 

“Now fulfill the command your Mistress has given you!”

“Then so be it …”

Stepping out of the hut, blood still dripping from his scimitar, Breghen focused himself on finding Irae’Lin. He had already lost enough time. Time he had wished to extend, but he knew he had already overstayed his welcome when it came to his sister's measurement of time. 

He noticed how the screams had died, only leaving the crackling noise of the fire, the stench of blood filling his nostrils. He closed his eyes for a second, trying to block everything for just a moment of peace. In the past, he had enjoyed all of this. The hunting, the killing, …

But now … He was not able to put a real feeling on it, maybe because his kind didn’t have a word for it. 

When he opened his eyes again, he looked up, feeling the magical spark from his House insignia that his sister was carrying. It was easy to track another family member by those amulets. They served more than being a spell focus only. Calling to his own magic, he levitated himself in the air, raising several levels up in the air, landing on one of the platforms. Casually he walked up to one of the huts, where he could feel the magical pull coming from. When he entered, he saw Irae’Lin, arms folded, but standing with her back to the entrance. She was flanked by two soldiers, who had their weapons ready.

“Ah, there you are. You took your time, dear brother.” Irae’Lin hissed, looking half over her shoulder, showing the grin on her face. A satisfied grin and the Drow boy wondered what was making his sister so eager.

“Look what I found. Doesn’t she remind you of someone?” 

What she found? Breghen raised a brow, shaking his head mentally. What another soldier found was probably more correct, but as a Drow male, never dare to tell a priestess she was wrong. Wisely, he decided to not correct her and focus his attention on what she was referring to. When she took a step aside, revealing her ‘treasure’, Breghen’s eyes shot wide open. 

It was almost like he was catapulted two years back in time. If someone would have ever said this was possible, he would have called them mad, lunatics. But it seemed that the impossible had become possible.

Before them was an Elven female, sitting, hand bound, down on her knees on the ground. The small cuts and bruises made clear that his fellow comrades had not handled her softly.  

The comparison with that woman, the lover of his father was breathtaking and somewhat mindblowing at the same time. She was the mirror image of that woman!

Yet when his eyes crossed hers, he did not see the compassionate eyes that she had when they had met. This woman's eyes were filled with anger and fear. Anger and fear towards his kind, to what they had done and what they were gonna do.

“How is this possible?” Breghen asked, breaking contact with the elven woman.

“Her sister. Isn’t this a perfect coincidence? We come here to find that halfbred sister of yours and we find this beautiful treasure. It's like Lolth herself is given us a present.”

Breghen could swear when his sister pointed out their goal, that he saw the woman flinch, but she corrected herself even before the rest had noticed. Irae’lin took a step forward, dropping herself to one knee with a glint in her eyes that only betrayed a sliver of what she was thinking. And in Drow terms, that was not good!

“Imaging his face when he sees her again. Imaging the torture … and the pleasure we can draw from this.” 

Irae’Lin picked up the chin from the female, forcing her to look up. Their faces were the opposite of each other. While the Night Elf was looking in anger and fear, slightly trembling even, Irae’Lin could only look with insatiable hunger towards her new prey. Breghen knew that his sister was already imagining the pain and desperation she could apply.

“Take her!” The priestess said when she stood up. “If I don’t get my promised prey, then I will make my own claim. This one shall be mine to … handle in the dungeons.”

With a minor flick from her hand, the soldiers picked up the Elven woman from the ground, binding an extra rope around her hands before they led her out of the hut. But before she was dragged out, Breghen could see her eyes strayed to a small wooden box, placed on one of the shelves.

Curiously why that item had drawn her last glance before being forced from her home, Breghen walked up to the box, picked it up and opened it. It contained a piece of paper that looked like a very old letter. The box dropped on the ground when he opened the letter, letting his eyes dance over the words. He sucked up the words like it was wine, being drawn to the piece of parchment. And while he read the letter, he could feel his insides twist and turn, his heart beating faster. Nerves ran through his body before he looked over his shoulder, making sure that no one had seen that he had found that letter. It would be something he would deal with later, but he had to make sure that it wouldn’t fall in the wrong hands. Not until he had figured it out himself what he had just read. Carefully he folded the paper, putting it in one of his pockets, making sure that it couldn’t fall out before he turned around and left the hut. 

When he came down to the ground, everyone had gathered, listening towards the praise of Irae’Lin, about how they had pleased Lolth, their Spider Goddess. How they were gonna be rewarded when they returned home, being welcomed like enforcers of Lolth’s word and how they had conquered the surface faeries. Breghen barely heard anything from it. His eyes drifted to the woman, who they had gagged and blinded for their trip. Not that she would be able to ever get out of her future prison. He knew this would be her last journey. 

With a shout, the group left the fallen Tribe behind. The scene was even more horrendous than the last time. And this time … he wasn’t proud of it.