| Ksheyna and Delko Steal the Book of Chaos |
| K’Sheyna Nighthawk I lead Delko to the tent, to the tent that had been mine since I had become a woman. I blush a bit at the collection of Robes and headdresses that litter the makeshift cupboard. A different K'shey had lived here. They were the typical Robes of a mage and ones that the Clans wore when at leisure. "Make your self at home. But please do not touch anything on my worktable. Any thing else I guess is ok for you to pinch." I move to walk away then I stop and turn back. "Delko were you in an immediate hurry to go back to the others? I had an idea that I would definitely need your help on." His gaze becomes sharp. " It depends on what it is you have planned." "Well I figured that we should go after the Book. I can trace the book. That won’t be a problem. And I know the book itself said that it no longer needed the physical book but I’m not so sure we should even leave the shell of it in their corrupted hands. Besides the Ashanti will be after me anyway. I figured a first strike." He sits himself on my bed and looks at me steadily. "And what do you need me for?" "Well my fellow procurement specialist. I figured that we might steal both the books. Why not do to them what they tried to do to us." I look at my fellow thief wondering what he might answer. Delko Forden We enter the tent. Out of the heat of the sun I begin to relax a little. "Make your self at home. But please do not touch anything on my worktable. Any thing else I guess is ok for you to pinch." Kshey says to me. Great now my cover was blown by the arrogance of that damn book. She starts moving away then turns to face me again. "Delko were you in an immediate hurry to go back to the others? I had an idea that I would definitely need your help on." I steady my gaze at her, " It depends on what it is you have planned." "Well I figured that we should go after the Book. I can trace the book. That won’t be a problem. And I know the book itself said that it no longer needed the physical book but I’m not so sure we should even leave the shell of it in their corrupted hands. Besides, the Ashanti will be after me anyway. I figured a first strike." I take a seat on the bed, hmm rather comfy. "And what do you need me for?" "Well my fellow procurement specialist. I figured that we might steal both the books. Why not do to them what they tried to do to us?" " Yeah sure I'll be in on that, but just how do you plan on getting it back from blind Alex, if he even still has the book? Plus once we have the book back what will stop those that hold it now from advancing their plans and take the two of us from the quest? If the powers are half as strong as that Maggie is they will be a hard lot to attempt a defeat against." If the book was truly was in the hands of the dark side now, there was little chance of regaining it to our side. Even if it was now empty of its prophecy. We would need to be extra careful and as slippery as eels to acquire it, then be gone before the alarm would be raised. I start thinking of the necessary equipment needed to accomplish such a feat. "When do we strike?" Ksheyna grins at me. I continue, "We don't have to wait for you to get your strength back Kshey. I have a few tricks up my sleeves too, you think us Drow get to those battles all fresh and energetic from walking all day and night through the tunnels to our foes? Heck no, we have ways of creating gates much vaster than the one you empowered into existence." She watches me with a look that says "You’re full of yourself" in a way I suppose I am, but that doesn't change the fact that we have a way of retrieving the book, or better yet the OTHER book, seeing how they stole ours let us steal theirs. "How about we swipe their book instead of getting ours back, y'know keep the balance and all that jazz? Although you would never pass as something that could achieve vast amounts of evil, I think..." I rummage around within the bag I carry, “Ahh yes here it is, start applying this, by the time you finish I should have a gateway to the dark book organised and open." I hand her a tin of black boot polish so she can effectively look like a member of the Drow in the offhand chance we are seen by anyone. Kshyena Nighthawk I ponder his idea and grin. Stealing their book was probably a better idea. Deva had said that the Book Of One was basically useless to them since He the Prophecy was physically with us. I am about to tell Delko this when he starts rummaging around and then holds something out at me. "Ahh yes here it is, start applying this, by the time you finish I should have a gateway to the dark book organised and open." " You've got to be kidding me." I say in a flat voice. Holding the tin of boot polish out to hand back to him. "The Demons of Kareash will be skating to work before I do this." Delko sits up and glares, in one swift movement he is applying the goop to my face neck and hands. After it is all over I give him a hard punch to the jaw which sends him reeling. "Don't ever touch me like that again Drow." I spit out in anger. I wanted to kill him on the spot but I knew I needed his help to get the books. I also knew that Deva would be more furious then he is now if I killed him. Calming a bit I quickly send Delko a picture of a tiny village. "There that is where we need to Gate to.. It's about 30 miles away from the Ashanti temple. Any closer and they will detect the Gate" Delko Forden " You've got to be kidding me." she says passing the tin back to me. "The Demons of Kareash will be skating to work before I do this." I quickly take the lid off and run my fingers through the black polish, speedily running my fingers over her face, running it over her neck and hands in quick liberal movements, it will smooth out as it wears in. When I have completed my work turning her from a light elf into a Drow look-a-like she punches me squarely on the jaw which knocks me back on the bed. " Don't ever touch me like that again Drow" She sounds serious. I should make a mental note to touch her face and hands even more in the future. I watch her gain her composure again. I receive a picture in my mind of a citadel from Kshey’s memory. "There that is where we need to Gate to. .It's about 30 miles away from the Ashanti temple. any closer and they will detect the Gate" "Ok." I start forming the gate, unlike K’Shey’s gate previously. this one will not require an anchor as we will not be returning to our point of origin. "You have everything you need to take with you? We won't be coming back here after stepping through the gate." I wait for her to gather her things as the gate forms like a black liquid pool standing upright. K'Sheyna Nighthawk I watch as Delko creates his gate. He tells me the obvious about not coming back here. As I am about to step through I hear "Nighthawk Wait !!" I turn around and there is my sister Firesong standing with two BattleMares. My eyes open wide. They were going to allow Delko a Mare. I wonder if he knew the Honour or the trust being given him. " Ironheart and HellsBane (eheheh), from our stock." I swiftly hug my sister promising her I would bring them back. I turn and swiftly run through the Gate, dragging the Horse behind me. Going home had made me not want to leave. I feel the particular dropping of the stomach when a gate closes behind you. I blink the starfield away from the front of my vision and look around. Delko had nailed the location. We were exactly in front of the fountain in the deserted town as I had shown him. I motion to him. 'This used to be an Eleven Village before the Clan's split. It was one of the Drow Villages.. One of the few they had before they embraced Lloth the Demon queen." He looks around almost emotionlessly and shrugs. I hand him the reins to Hellsbane and motion for him to mount up. "When I originally took the Book I rode here. I stuck a knife in one of the acolytes when I got there and took his robes. Because I have a magic no one asked any questions. I think it would be best if we bluffed this one out. A Drow Lord visiting wouldn’t be that uncommon. I've heard that your nobles visit this place all the time." He nods and grins. I shake my head. I still hadn’t forgiven him for touching me like that. I decided to keep my mouth shut till we got to the Ashanti Temple. He was altogether too perverse. It was going to be a long ride and I didn’t want to kill him before we got either book. It is almost dusk when I feel something peculiar happen. o O ( Deva? Are you well?) His response to me is short, something was wrong. A distance had come between Deva and us. And when I found out who or what had caused it I was going to kick it or them to hell and back, in time for more pummelling. Deva was too important to this to go all weird on us. "How long till we get there?" Delko's voice almost makes me jump out of Ironheart's saddle. He is right behind me. So much so I can feel the warmth of him. I turn in my saddle and look back at him. " We came about 20 miles. Do you want to continue or stop?" " Continue. I'm afraid that the Sun is responsible for our slow pace. I will be able to travel better in the night" I nod ,all knew how the sun affected Drow, plus he would be feeling tired from constructing the gate. it seems like no time and we are at the front Gates. We slip down from the Horse and tie them up in a hidden alcove near the gates. "Well Delko its up to you to get us into the Temple. I know where the book is and I know how to get it. But you need to bluster and act all cruel DrowLord like." Delko Forden We are about to step through the gate when Kshey’s sister stops us and gives us both horses to ride upon. We step through and arrive exactly where she had indicated we should start from. 'This used to be an Eleven Village before the Clan's split. It was one of the Drow Villages. .One of the few they had before they embraced Lloth the Demon queen." I look around unimpressed by the decor of the place and shrug. I mount the horse provided to me by Kshey’s sister. " When I originally took the Book I rode here. I stuck a knife in one of the acolytes when I got there and took his robes. Because I have a magic no one asked any questions. I think it would be best if we bluffed this one out. A Drow Lord visiting wouldn’t be that uncommon. I've heard that your nobles visit this place all the time." I nod my acceptance that she had killed for a cause and smile slightly as I look at her now darkened features approvingly. "How long till we get there?" I ask her as it seems we have traveled for ages. " We came about 20 miles. Do you want to continue or stop?" " Continue. I'm afraid that the Sun is responsible for our slow pace. I will be able to travel better in the night" By this stage I was running on reserve powers that I had learnt to build in case of emergencies. We finally get to the gates and dismount from our horses, tying them in a cove away from the sight of the main gate. " Well Delko its up to you to get us into the Temple. I know where the book and I know how to get it.. But you need to bluster and act all cruel DrowLord like" "You bet your britches I will, if we stuff up in here we will most likely never exit again." I steel myself for the next bit and walk composed and in control, like I owned the place straight up to the guard at the gate. "Halt, who wishes entry into her highnesses castle?" the guard questions us. "We have been summoned by the lady, let us through and you may keep your head upon your shoulders." I state bluntly to him in a high almighty voice, the type used by the highest of overlords. "Where is your proof of summoning?" ohh this guy was good, not even flinching as I go eyeball to eyeball with him. "We have been summoned by the lady and that’s all the proof you need know." he places his hand to the hilt of his weapon, I slice his hand off with one quick move of my wrist blade. "NOW as I was saying do you wish to keep your head?" Doubled over in pain the guard is in no shape to argue with us, we walk with purpose up to the open doors of the castle. As we enter the next room I hear the sound of a bolt sliding into the lock of a door. I look around and see four other doors. A painting hung on the wall, looking up I see a glint in the eyes of one of the figures. I approach the picture slowly as if examining the landmark beauty of it. A foot away and then with lightning speed I drive my right wrist blade into the body of the creature in the picture. A grunt, thud and black blood seeps over the sword I am satisfied that this problem has been sorted out. "Ok, where do we find the book now?" K'Sheyna Nighthawk "To the temple proper, which is the door on the right." I had been impressed with Delko's handling of this. In a way it was scary, Delko had been replaced by a real life Drow Lord. It made me wonder just which one was the mask. Was I trusting myself to a Exile or a real Drow Lord who was after the book? I grasp Delko’s arm and lead him through to the temple. Even with its dark images it is splendid. The tall shadowed figure of Ashanti. I wonder how Gailla the current Leader had managed to catch Ashanti's eye. He never had had much time for women according to my sources. And one of them had been an ex temple guard. People think I never planned but I had researched the Ashanti all I could before sneaking in to steal the book. Silently I point to what looks like a smallish statue in the corner. Pulling Delko into that alcove I reach out and push in the eyes of the statue. A small door springs open silently. "Money and a death threats can get you the best information.” I whisper into Delko’s ear. He grins. "Of course it’s always better when you have stolen that money off a rich, corrupt politician" I add. "There is a long winding corridor then we come to an antechamber it’s in there. The antechamber is trapped, don’t step too hard. The floor is rigged so that if there is too much pressure then the roof drops and some ugly spikes crash down. Magical spikes." We proceed cautiously Delko Forden "To the temple proper, which is the door on the right." We enter the right door and I am lead by K’Shey through the passageways until she points to a statue and presses the unlocking mechanism for a secret door. "Money and a death threats can get you the best information.” She whispers to me. I can’t help but smile, I had done similar things in the past as well. "Of course it’s always better when you have stolen that money of a rich, corrupt politician. There is a long winding corridor then we come to an antechamber its in there. The antechamber is trapped, don’t step too hard. The floor is rigged so that if there is too much pressure then the roof drops and some ugly spikes crash down. Magical spikes" "Then we had best be light for this trip." I rummage through the bag concealed under the robes I wear and find four feathers, specially created by the vys hangorald. The thieves guild of Myanta Ridge. I hand two to Kshey and tell her to place them into the top of her boots like I do, she does and we both feel weightless even though our feet still touch the ground. "These feathers were made by professionals, they speed the wearer up as they move so be ready for a hard stop at the end." With that I grab her arm and we are off down the winding at high speed barely touching the ground as we burst through the door at the end I see the book upon a pedestal in the centre of the room. I slide the right wrist blade out to a foot and as I pass the pedestal, spear it through the middle of the pages. I am at the far wall by the time the spikes even begin to descend. At the speed we are both travelling we hit the wall and continue running horizontally along and around till we face the door again, running at maximum speed we run back out the door just as the spikes crash into the floor of the room. The book smoulders on the blade as we continue running back down the corridor back to our starting position. "We need to get out of here now, it won't take them long to know their book has been taken. They may already know." *********************************************************************************** Continue to: Escape from the Ashanti Temple with the Book of Chaos. Or you may return to the Library |
| "....and two shall journey to retrieve the gift of pain, and keep a balance till wrongs are righted..." |