Alisbyre sat at the table in her small room she rented in the Inn and tried to write a letter to the Ilharess, explaining the events of the past months. Finally she finished it up to her satisfaction. She folded it up and dribbled some wax from the candle onto the flap, sealing it with her ring. She put on her cloak and went to the main room of the inn and looked for one of the servants who seemed to always be around.

"Take this to the Ilharess Zelghinnia, dos know where to find her. Dos do naut have to wait for a reply.. if il wishes, il will send an answer," she ordered. She passed the boy several coins and watched as he ran off. Alisbyre then ordered a tray to be sent to her room, along with a platter of meat and milk for her tiger cub Imbre. She sighed, watching the figure disappear in the darkness and turned returning to her small room to await a response from her Ilhar.

Tohrm sat in his mighty stone chair, a large stone mug filled with dark fungus ale at his side. He tugged at his beard..... He and Gruften had made the transformation from the realms of NeverWinter. And Tohrm CrakSkul was waiting for the rest of the Bloodline Family to arrive. There was Slaykin who had grown steadily in the hierachy of the bloodline. As each member of the family fell, so rose Slaykin, until now, only one stood between him and leading the clan. Tohrm CrakSkul !!

Tohrm gulped in nearly half the dark fungus ale, a little spewing forth unto his beard and down his tunic. He had not heard from Slaykin in some time, and he knew this did not bode well. He also knew that each time Slaykin went a lenghty time being unheard from...He tended to dispense with a family member, and then rose in rank. Tohrm tugged once more upon his beard and drained the tankard. He lept instantly from the mighty stone chair and landed solidly on his feet, and headed for the door. He threw it open quickly and grabbed his mighty warhammer "BoneCrusher". Even though he went to see a matron and the weapon would be in poor taste, he felt he needed its support and effect to impress upon the matron the fact that this business was not truly a social call.

The Domme and the Mordin Suld ov CrakSkul had had many dealings. Wether at the time Gimkur or Tohrm had been Mordin Suld... The fact remained that Ragana, had seen the intelligence in helping the CrakSkul's...as long of course...it furthured her cause. And None truly knew what that was, Tohrm tugged his beard and wondered if the Domme herself knew what she truly wanted. And yet, as the leader of T.H.R.O.B. she had vast resources at her disposal that the CrakSkul's could ill afford to be without at the present time. And if the rumor that she had once again decided to lead House Lylyl of the Temple once more, her power would have increased tenfold. Such resources would have to be at CrakSkul's disposal, and Tohrm didnt care what he had to do or deal to make to get them, but with such a deal, none would dare oust him from the throne of CrakSkul. And of course there was Kasryen. The devilsish little confidant of Ragana. He liked to keep himself somewhat in the shadows, until of course, it was time for someone to die, and then when this one struck , one did not know it till ones life ebbed from ones corpse. Tohrm grinned, These drow indeed were not all that different from CrakSkul.

As Alisbyre waited for a response to her message, she thought back to all that had happened in the past months. Sitting back on her bed with Imbre lying limply on her lap as only sleeping cats can lay, she closed her eyes and remembered...

The last thing Alisbyre remembered was his laugh as he locked the door to her room. Alisbyre remained where she was, curled up on the bed clutching her stomach. She felt so horribly sick and the terrible things he told her only made her feel worse. She just wanted to return to Rilauven, to her house and Ilhar. She knew that Zelghinnia would know what to do, she always did. She sensed something terrible was about to happen. Something more than her impending demise, if he was correct in what he told her was wrong with her. "Usstan swear if Usstan get out of this mess intact, Usstan will naut ever sneak off alone again," she whispered to herself.

It was several nights before he again returned to her room and he was a different person. He was very distracted and barely paid any attention to her. Inwardly, Alisbyre was relieved. But she was also wary, wondering what mind games he was playing now. He only stayed a few minutes, then he stood and apologized for all that he did and left the room without another word. Alisbyre sat back on the pillows and thought of all that had just happened. "What is uk up to?" she wondered to herself. She never realized that in his own way, his apology was his way of telling her she was free to leave. Alisbyre continued to stay in the manor in the woods, never realizing her captivity was over. She also never knew about the fast approaching demise of her world. After a month passed, Alisbyre began to suspect he may have been correct. Now her felt her life was over. "How can Usstan ever return home," she whispered to herself one night.

Time passed, though Alisbyre hardly knew how long. She barely paid any attention to her surroundings. Mainly she sat and thought about her predicament. One night, the door to her room slammed open and there stood Eldrin. Without a word he grabbed Alisbyre and pulled her out of the room with him. Struggling, she tried to break free but to no avail. "Stop it this instant. If you want to live you will come with me," he quickly ordered as he drug her along. "What are dos doing, where are dos taking ussa?" Alisbyre asked as she tried to pull free of him. Eldrin ignored her protests and pulled her down the stairs and to a door which before had been kept locked. Now, the door stood open and inside was a portal waiting for them. Without another word he walked into the portal, pulling Alisbyre along with him.

-to be continued-

The male scowled slightly in the darkness of his carefully chosen vantage point. So many came and went though the tunnels and hastily carved chambers in this place. The Quarval-sharess's laughter rung still in his ears, her glee at the raw turmoil and hysteria the shifting had caused had sent shivers of dread through him even as he was torn from the side of his Queen.

He and so many others from Rilauven had been spit up here like some shebali's leavings, within this strange Underdark, so different from their own home. Nedylene, the Valsharess yet lived, that he knew for a certainty as he could yet feel her steady heartbeat within the palm of his hand. Where she yet lived, he could not say.

Eyes glittering with crimson fury, he berated himself for failing to remain at her side. The Ul'faerz'unn had explained it to the scattered drow, how she had seen Lloth's pleasure in scattering her wicked children far and wide. She described vividly the task before them in this place and confidently set about preparing the way for those that would follow. Still, it rankled to have been separated from his charge, his Queen.

"Lloth tlu malla", he whispered silently and fervrently and then silently moved toward the chambers of the Ul'faerz'unn. He had tasks to complete and only a wael would rile against a fate they could never control. He was many things, but rarely a wael.

IT BEGINS AT THE END AND ENDS AT THE BEGINNING.......

"RIKLAUNIM! Have you told Malla Ilharess Shyntlara about our progress yet?" Chal said. "Yes Yathrin. I have told the Great Matron what you told me to report, no more and no less," Riklaunim replied without looking into her burning eyes. "That's good at lest I know you know how to follow orders like a good male. Now go see to the elf, for I think he may be hungry and thirsty. Remember do not kill him, for we need information from him." Riklaunim bowed and went to check on the elf." The elf said that he belonged to a royal house, and that his name was Elroundious of Starym. Riklaunim guessed that Starym was his house's name, but that was all that Chalithra was able to get before the elf passed out from fatigue and his wounds. Now it was time to learn more about this elf and his history. Riklaunim casted a minor illusion that made him look like a human. The captive looked up and croaked, "Water..." "First tell me what I want to know then I will give you all the food and water you desire," grinned Riklaunim. "I gave you all the information I know. What more can you want..." Riklaunim bent down and looked at the elf in the eyes and said, "I am a picky man, and you will answer all my questions. If I do not like your answer... Well let's just say you'll know." "Don't make threats to me human. I will let you know I belong to a powerful house, and that my father Legous will do everything in his power to see my safe return." Riklaunim shrugged, "If you do not want to talk I can understand, but I wonder would that nice female elf be willing to share herself with me..." "You keep you hands off of Neeva you human pig," Elroundious demanded. "Ok, I'll keep my hands off on one condition. You answer all my questions, or I will have to scare her pretty little face." Riklaunim pulled out a dagger from his boot. "Tell me what is the easiest way to clean a knife once it is covered in elven blood?" Elroundious lowered his head in defeat and said, "Ok, human I'll answer any of your questions. Just that you have to give me your word of honor as a human not to harm her." Riklaunim grinned, "Ok, I'll give my word as a human not to harm Neeva. Now eat this and drink, for I'll be back." Riklaunim replaced the gag on the elf, and told the elf, "Eat your food before it gets cold." Riklaunim departed to tell Chalithra about the elf's "willingness" to speak to them. The elf sat there in the darkness smelling the food he knew he would never get to eat.

Rik`Launim Lylyl