Vierna

*All around I see nothing but blackness*

I came round.

How long I had been out I have no idea. My last thoughts were the pain, the Melee-Magthere training and the touch?.that touch??.

I must have passed out again. I awoke once more. I kept my eyes closed, trying to focus my mind, trying to make sense of this nightmare, planning my next move. The pain had gone. I felt revived. My training had kicked in and my sub-consciousness worked its inner healing process??. Unless this had all been some hideous nightmare, some horrible bombardment to my mind. Ah yes. Let me feel the soft and warm comfort of my bed, my beautiful partner cradled in my arms. But no. Once again I felt under me the cold hard feel of flagstones. Then something else??..the touch??

My right arm was fully outstretched above my head. In that hand I should have held my sword, but the palm lay flat on the surface. And the fingertips touched something?.something warm! I slowly moved my head in the direction of my arm and opened my eyes. I saw what touched my fingertips?.it was the fingertips of my beloved SD!

I stirred immediately. Waves of relief were replaced by those of concern. I sat down beside her, cradling her head in my lap. Like me she showed no signs of physical harm. Had she suffered the same mental torture? I gently stroked her cheek and whispered her name. After a long pause she opened her eyes. She gave me the faintest of smiles. I became overwhelmed by a barrage of emotions that I could not comprehend, leaving me confused. I whispered to her. "We?re here". What an absolutely stupid thing to say! We then both stood up, checking that we were both physically sound and take in our immediate surroundings. We also retrieved our weapons and belongings, scattered all around us. We then looked ahead, to the great forbidding doors, the entrance to Lloth?s abode. Just as we began to take the short walk towards the doors, out of nowhere came this maniacal laughing roar??.

"Vierna Hun?ett! You have come to me at last!"

There before us, stood this monstrous demon. Four times as tall as me, its ape like head crowned by many horns. Its long arms hung down to below its knees with gigantic claws for hands. Saliva dripped from its canine maw and its eyes burned red. "Vierna Hun?ett" it said. "Now you are mine"! It started to lope towards us??..

For all its undoubted strength, a demon is still essential a spellcaster and as such needs time, however briefly, to concentrate and intone. With this knowledge we had to act fast, match our agility against its lumbering movements. SD ran straight towards it, dived and rolled under its great legs as I attacked from the side. As I swung my sword towards it clawed hand, SD quickly stood up and slashed her sword at the tendons behind its knee. With this blow the demon let out a mighty roar of pain and went down on its injured leg. Now its ability to move was further restricted, but its long reaching arms were dangerous tools. We slashed at the arms, trying to remain out of reach, trying to prevent it from unleashing a deadly spell. Apart from that first tremendous blow administered by SD, our strikes were having little effect. I made an attempt to replicate what SD had achieved, but just as I was about to roll under its legs, a vicious talon caught me on my right shoulder, passing through my armour and searing into my flesh. Flashes of bright colour blinded me for a split second as the excruciating pain of the blow overcame me. My sword went spinning from me as I lost all sensation in my arm. From the corner of my eye, I saw SD take a tremendous backhand which sent her flying backwards across the courtyard. As I lay on my back, gripping my right shoulder with my left hand, the demon looked down at me with red glowing eyes and began to cast???.

Suddenly there was a sound of great doors flying open, a flash of bright light and the sound of a scream of agonising pain. I looked. The demon was no longer above me but was a short distance beyond me. A smouldering mass of burning flesh! I got onto my knees, still gripping my right shoulder and turned. There before me, framed in the great doors stood a gigantic spider. Where its head should have been was the naked body and head of the most beautiful Drow ever created. I knelt before Lloth?..my goddess!

She spoke.

"Vierna Hun?ett. Once again you come before me. Once again you have come, when I have not called"

Oh dear Lloth! Was she angry? Despite being saved was I now going to be destroyed. By now, SD had crawled her way towards me. She too knelt before Lloth, trembling uncontrollably. I tried to speak, I tried to explain to the Divine Mother why I was here, why I came, but all that was forthcoming was wordless splutters.

"Don?t try to speak, your worthless words are of no interest to me. I can read your thoughts. I know why you are here. You! Arrogant bitch! What made you think you could take on all that the Abyss would throw at you and survive!"

Again I tried to speak. Tried to explain, tried plead forgiveness, tried to beg for mercy?..not just for me but especially for SD whom I allowed to accompany me in a moment of weakness. Lloth looked at me, not with a face of pity or forgiveness, but with a look of sheer contempt. I knew then, both of us were doomed. Then her faced softened. It no longer showed hatred or contempt, but a look of benevolence, even the hint of a smile.

"Despite your arrogance?.or may be because of it, you have proved worthy. You have achieved much of what I asked you to do. You found my temple on that accursed surface. You have subdued those heretic worshipping Drow. And you have established my presence there also. For that I praise you. Since therefore you have proved most capable in the tasks I set you. You remain in my favour"

I tried not to show my relief in case my goddess had a change of heart. Did this mean I will live on, or was she just pulling a cruel joke. Before I could think any further, she spoke again.

"On that surface, the first Drow of my following built a stronghold. When they left, they left behind a number of my minions. I had forgotten about it until recently, when I began to feel strange vibrations. My minions in that stronghold have rebelled against me. Now I have many more important things to occupy me, which is why I have done nothing about it so far. You, Vierna Hun?ett, are therefore tasked to find that stronghold, subdue its rebel occupants and restore it to what it once was. Begone Vierna Hun?ett and take your mate with you. Do not fail me or lose my favour?.or your mate will be first to suffer!"

Then with a motion at the still smouldering demon she said "Oh, as for Eertu, it will not bother you again". With that she went into her abode, the doors closing softly behind her. I turned to SD, I embraced her. "We have work to do" I said. "But how do we get back" she replied. Suddenly all went black and once again I felt myself spinning and tumbling in an empty void. After how long or how short a time, I could not measure. Then I landed with a soft bump, looked around and saw I was in familiar surroundings??.

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

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