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The Mother of Dreams - Episode 5 (updated February 1st, 2005)
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<blockquote data-quote="RangerWickett" data-source="post: 1614335" data-attributes="member: 63"><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Episode Two: The Song of the Deep, Pt. II, Section II</strong></span></p><p></p><p>“There are creatures, called Trillith, that live in the deepest chasms, at the end of all rivers, at the edges of the Sunless Sea.”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni chuckled, nervously. “We actually call it that, even though none of us have ever seen the sun. The name is ancient. I wouldn’t have believed the sun existed if I hadn’t already met people from the Great Above. Dentalles, Cloin, Entras, and Javin. They were a little like you.”</p><p></p><p>The four surface dwellers followed Tri’ni as she guided them through the flooded cavern. The water stretched for miles, through dozens of chambers, all as quiet and lifeless as the first.</p><p></p><p>“Why is there nothing alive here?” Allar asked, cautiously.</p><p></p><p>“The Il’ishar – the water creatures that were trying to catch me – people say they guard the tunnels to the Great Above. More of them have been showing up downriver, though. Many more. That’s part of the reason why I was running. Don’t worry, I’ll explain it all if you let me.”</p><p></p><p>Allar looked out into the near darkness of the latest chamber. He found he could not look at the young woman for long.</p><p></p><p>Babb eagerly said, “Go ahead.”</p><p></p><p>“Well, I was saying, Dentalles and the others, they had come from the surface. There is a market city, Melasurej, far to the south, where occasionally human merchants will come to sell things from the surface. I’ve never been there, at least not since I can remember, but my father used to go often, and that’s how he met them.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know all the details, but, . . . at the time, my father was working for a Trillith. They never work in the open. Actually, I think most anyone who had the chance would try to kill a Trillith. They’re unnatural. They control you.”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni shivered.</p><p></p><p>David asked, “What do you mean? What are these Trillith?”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni considered for a moment, then said, “When I was seven, my father moved us to a new village. We were the only two Taranesti there. The rest were Goblins, and then there was the Trillith. I know my father had only met the thing once before, but he treated it like it was his best friend. Everyone did. It wasn’t there most of the time, not with a body. They’re like, I suppose, like ghosts, but they were never alive in the first place. They have no body, unless they animate something. The one at our village usually simply animated robes and tendrils – eels, and other dead lake creatures. It always smelled of death, but we didn’t mind. It was our closest friend.</p><p></p><p>“I’ve actually only ever seen the one, but my father talked about others. Ours would send him on trips, to collect things for it. I was just a girl then, so I still don’t know what it was doing, but on one of those trips, my father met Dentalles and the others from the surface. I think they were trying to stop a man who was selling surface people as slaves. Mostly sexual playthings that nobles could buy, since there are more than enough native slaves already.</p><p></p><p>“I was a slave, actually, when I was too young to remember.” Tri’ni looked down and grinned slightly. “I never was used for work. They kept me around the market to make the rest of their ‘merchandise’ look better. My father accidentally stole me, and got himself run out of Melasurej for twelve years. He’s not actually my father, but he took care of me. He always tried to teach me magic, but I never got the feel for it. And then once the Trillith started controlling him, he stopped being himself as much.”</p><p></p><p>She sighed, then shook her head slightly.</p><p></p><p>“Anyway, my father became friends with Cloin. He was a human sorcerer. My father was always pretty strange, but I guess that made him more endearing than the rest of the Taranesti or Guenhavesti.”</p><p></p><p>“Guenhavesti?” Babb asked.</p><p></p><p>Allar answered. “They’re another group of dark elves. A different nation, but practically the same race.”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni looked dubiously at Allar. “I’ll just say that I’m not surprised you don’t know the truth, since you’re not from around here. Dentalles used to tell me you have stories about Taranesti coming up to the surface and terrorizing everybody, but I was always sure it had to be Guenhavesti. They’re violent and cruel.”</p><p></p><p>“Hey,” Babb said, “get back to the story. Don’t let Al bother you.”</p><p></p><p>David sighed. “You keep talking about your father in the past. I take it this story has a bad ending?”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni nodded. “About ten years ago, yes, my father did die. Dentalles and the others, they managed to find out about the Trillith, and they tried to kill it.”</p><p></p><p>“What happened?” Babb asked. “You escaped, right?”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni shrugged, looking uncomfortable with the question. “The Trillith made my father fight to defend it. I- . . . I don’t think he could have resisted, really. For nine years, the thing had been twisting his mind to make him think it was his closest friend in the world. My father was a fairly strong sorcerer, and he wasn’t himself at the end. He killed Javin. I saw him just turn to dust before my eyes. Cloin ended up killing my father.”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni paused, and Lacy said, “You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to.”</p><p></p><p>Allar noticed Lacy turn a short stare toward him.</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni again shook her head. “It’s not that. It was ten years ago, so I’m fine telling the story. It’s just that I haven’t really had that many people to talk to in a long time.</p><p></p><p>“My father died, and Dentalles used some kind of spell they had prepared that made the Trillith vulnerable. Normally, they say you can’t hurt a Trillith. Magic can affect them a little, maybe hurt them some, but they don’t have normal bodies. If you destroy whatever they’re in, they just get a new body. But somehow the spell they had forced the thing into a real, solid body. Something you could make bleed.</p><p></p><p>“It was hideous. Somehow, when it lost its . . . its ghost form, it lost its hold on us. I had already been becoming able to resist it occasionally, since it had never really used its powers on me. But I couldn’t do much by myself. I managed to. . . .” </p><p></p><p>She chuckled, embarrassed. “Well, I was furious with it, and I remember, as soon as I saw it was solid, that it had a real body, I threw a rock at it, hitting one of those rotting, wriggling eel tentacles. After I hit it, all the goblins seemed to realize how offensive it was. Its body really wasn’t that strong. They tore it to pieces. When it died, something happened, like I could feel it again in my mind for a moment, and then one of the goblins just screamed and died. The others said he was the last one to hit it, like somehow it dying killed him.”</p><p></p><p>The others had expressions of disgust or mild distaste. Allar was impassive, though he seethed within. He was looking for something in the girl’s expression or tone of voice to reveal that she was lying, but this whole land below was so strange, he didn’t know where to begin to doubt her. Seeing the others listening with concern for the girl, Allar felt a pained relief that they were here to keep him from being rash.</p><p></p><p>“Afterward,” Tri’ni continued, “it was just Dentalles, Cloin, Entras, and me. We found a new cave far away, since we didn’t know if other Trillith might come after us. We ended up not far from here, and they told me they would follow a river back up to the surface, then come back for me in a year. I guess they didn’t know how far they were from any cities up there. I came back the next three years, but they never showed up, and I never risked going past these caves here before. That was seven years ago.”</p><p></p><p>“You’re twenty-six now?” David asked. She nodded, and David said, “Why did they think this way would lead out?”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni stopped, and pointed to a crack in the side of the passage. Water was spraying from it in a thin waterfall.</p><p></p><p>“They had to do a lot of investigating, but they learned about this place from some explorers. Up here in the mountains, water flows into these tunnels from time to time, and when the place fills up, it flows into the river. I’m guessing you came in the same passage?”</p><p></p><p>Lacy nodded, but Babb said, “Wait, we’re in the mountains?”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni frowned. “Ah, sorry. This language magic confuses me a little. I don’t know exactly what a mountain is for you, but for us it’s a part of the tunnels that are near the surface. Very little lives in these parts, and if you go up high enough the air gets warm or cold depending on the time of year.”</p><p></p><p>David said, “Sounds like we’d be near the surface then, yes.”</p><p></p><p>“For us, Tri’ni,” Babb said, “mountains are really big rocks that go high up into the sky. Most land on the surface is flat, but mountains are jagged, rough, and, y’know, hard to walk on.”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni seemed puzzled by this. After a moment she shrugged. “Well, Cloin said he had a reason to think he’d be able to get to the surface through these tunnels, but if he explained why, it didn’t make any sense to me. I hope they did make it, but if they couldn’t find their way back to me, I want to find them now.”</p><p></p><p>“You said you were running,” Allar stated. He tried to sound accusatory. Tri’ni grinned, though, and he found he couldn’t keep his angry stare at her.</p><p></p><p>“Yeah. The Il’ishar that live in these mountain lakes have been showing up a lot, close to actual cities, like they’re being called by something. I . . . I don’t know much you believe in this sort of thing, but I’ve been having nightmares a lot lately, dreaming about times that I couldn’t remember clearly before, back when the Trillith was controlling my father and me. I was getting nervous, and I left one of the furthest out villages about ten days ago, and left the last goblin village three days ago.</p><p></p><p>“People were getting nervous, saying that people had been vanishing in their sleep. Sometimes I heard rumors of people describing feeling like they were sleeping, like they were thinking someone else’s thoughts, and it reminded me of the Trillith. The last day before I left, there were rumors that, at a Taranesti village on another river, twelve young women were drowned and slashed. So I fled.”</p><p></p><p>“I think one of them might have been following me.” She stopped walking, then glanced around nervously. “I was hoping there wouldn’t be any Il’ishar here, but they were just waiting for me, the moment I got here.”</p><p></p><p>Lacy nodded. “We did feel some strange things in the air as we came up the tunnel. We almost considered turning back.”</p><p></p><p>“I’m glad you didn’t,” Tri’ni sighed. “I don’t think they were going to kill me. It’s just a guess, mind you, but I think they were going to take me away somewhere. Again, and I really can’t say this enough, thank you so much for being there to save me.”</p><p></p><p>Babb chuckled. “We lead a charmed life. Well, except for Lacy. Monsters always go after her first.”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni smiled. “Thanks. And I don’t want to bring bad news, but when we stop to rest, you should probably check for ticks. The river down there is right on the edge of a swamp.”</p><p></p><p>“So this whole place isn’t that fungus-y?” Babb asked. “Well, at least its ticks and not mold.”</p><p></p><p>David twitched. “I hate this place. So, Allar, do we follow her?”</p><p></p><p>Babb smiled at Allar and laughed. “I just hope you won’t get any broodier than you are now. She’s a sweet girl, might even know how to get us the hell out of here. You could show some appreciation and stop glowering at her.”</p><p></p><p>Allar glowered at Babb for a moment, then turned to the dark Elf. “You sound like you want to go to the surface. I don’t want any dark Elves on the surface.”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni stepped back, her emerald eyes flashing with anger. “You don’t see me complaining about you coming down here, do you? Why does everything you say sound like you’re accusing me?”</p><p></p><p>“Allar,” Lacy said plaintively, “don’t punish her. Those things are trying to kill her, or worse.”</p><p></p><p>“And her people are killers.” He grabbed Tri’ni’s arm pulled her close, glaring at her. “Those ‘stories’ you heard about dark Elves attacking the surface weren’t just stories. Your kind have snuck into our villages and towns in the night and murdered families. Your kind burned down my home and left a three-year old child to die, buried in ice. I won’t let you lie to yourself and say it was someone else who did it. It doesn’t matter if they think you’re nice, or safe. You’re just as bad as the ones that burned down my village, that have been killing for centuries.”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni tried to pull free, her lip quivering in shock. “What?”</p><p></p><p>“Why are these creatures following you? You said it yourself. You killed one of them. They want you for some reason. If you come with us, you’ll get us killed too. No. You owe us for saving your life, and you’re going to tell us how to get home. But that doesn’t give you the right to come with us.”</p><p></p><p>He let her go and she shoved him away. “I’m trying to help you!” she said. “The Il’ishar would have attacked you whether I’d been here or not. What, did you think I <em>staged</em> getting nearly killed? I’m sorry I tricked you into saving my life.”</p><p></p><p>She bit her lip and turned away. “I’m sorry. I understand why you don’t trust me. I . . . I just need your help. The only people who cared about me are on the surface. I just want to find them, find some place safe to live.”</p><p></p><p>“Allar,” David said, “what is wrong with you?”</p><p></p><p>“Don’t try to tell me what to do,” Allar said. “We’re leaving her behind.”</p><p></p><p>“You’d know something about leaving people behind, wouldn’t you?” David pointed at him accusingly.</p><p></p><p>“The both of you,” Babb said, “shut the hell up. She can come with us if she wants. She fits all the requirements. Her parents were killed. She has a great desire to see the world. She’s fought monsters and survived. She can be an adventurer.”</p><p></p><p>Lacy moved to the middle of them, holding out her hands. Everyone stepped away, not wanting to touch her and disrupt her magic. She stood there silently for a moment, looking at them all with an expression that showed she clearly thought they were all behaving ridiculously.</p><p></p><p>“If anyone wants to go on without this girl, she’ll be going on without me as well. Babb, you feel the same way?”</p><p></p><p>Babb crossed his arms, grumbling. “Yeah, sure, sis.”</p><p></p><p>“David?” Lacy asked.</p><p></p><p>David looked up at Allar, then stepped away. “She’s right, Allar. Look, once we get back up and see some sun, we’ll send her on her own way. But she needs our help now, and we need hers. It wouldn’t be right to leave her.”</p><p></p><p>Lacy relaxed, then smiled and nodded. “Good. Let’s keep walking, then. Anyone is welcome to come with us. And remember that we have the guy with the light.”</p><p></p><p>Lacy and Babb began to walk away. Tri’ni hesitated, glancing back at Allar. She smiled apologetically, then followed after them.</p><p></p><p>David looked up at Allar. “You know you’re wrong on this one. Don’t throw away friends over this twice.”</p><p></p><p>“David,” Allar whispered. “I don’t want to feel this way.”</p><p></p><p>The Jispin man grinned. “That’s a good enough start, then. Prayer is admitting you’re not strong enough on your own. Now come on. It’s a long walk, so you’ll have a lot of time for praying.”</p><p></p><p>“I’m sorry,” he whispered.</p><p></p><p>David sighed. “Don’t tell <em>me</em> that. Tell <em>her</em> that. But I can already see you won’t.”</p><p></p><p>“David!” Babb shouted from ahead. “Get us some light!”</p><p></p><p>Allar smiled weakly, and waved David to go. “It’s alright. I’ll deal with this on my own. You’re right. We need to get going.”</p><p></p><p>The caves wound on, flooded and dripping, for many more miles. The others talked with Tri’ni, hearing stories of the Great Below. Allar listened, but he kept hearing his own inner anger.</p><p></p><p>They rested, and traveled again the next day, slowly uphill. Several times he thought he saw or heard someone following them, or he felt a vague unease in the air. But, toward the end of the next day, after a week or more underground, the air grew suddenly chill, and the tunnels rumbled, and they heard a song in the deep.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RangerWickett, post: 1614335, member: 63"] [size=3][b]Episode Two: The Song of the Deep, Pt. II, Section II[/b][/size] “There are creatures, called Trillith, that live in the deepest chasms, at the end of all rivers, at the edges of the Sunless Sea.” Tri’ni chuckled, nervously. “We actually call it that, even though none of us have ever seen the sun. The name is ancient. I wouldn’t have believed the sun existed if I hadn’t already met people from the Great Above. Dentalles, Cloin, Entras, and Javin. They were a little like you.” The four surface dwellers followed Tri’ni as she guided them through the flooded cavern. The water stretched for miles, through dozens of chambers, all as quiet and lifeless as the first. “Why is there nothing alive here?” Allar asked, cautiously. “The Il’ishar – the water creatures that were trying to catch me – people say they guard the tunnels to the Great Above. More of them have been showing up downriver, though. Many more. That’s part of the reason why I was running. Don’t worry, I’ll explain it all if you let me.” Allar looked out into the near darkness of the latest chamber. He found he could not look at the young woman for long. Babb eagerly said, “Go ahead.” “Well, I was saying, Dentalles and the others, they had come from the surface. There is a market city, Melasurej, far to the south, where occasionally human merchants will come to sell things from the surface. I’ve never been there, at least not since I can remember, but my father used to go often, and that’s how he met them. “I don’t know all the details, but, . . . at the time, my father was working for a Trillith. They never work in the open. Actually, I think most anyone who had the chance would try to kill a Trillith. They’re unnatural. They control you.” Tri’ni shivered. David asked, “What do you mean? What are these Trillith?” Tri’ni considered for a moment, then said, “When I was seven, my father moved us to a new village. We were the only two Taranesti there. The rest were Goblins, and then there was the Trillith. I know my father had only met the thing once before, but he treated it like it was his best friend. Everyone did. It wasn’t there most of the time, not with a body. They’re like, I suppose, like ghosts, but they were never alive in the first place. They have no body, unless they animate something. The one at our village usually simply animated robes and tendrils – eels, and other dead lake creatures. It always smelled of death, but we didn’t mind. It was our closest friend. “I’ve actually only ever seen the one, but my father talked about others. Ours would send him on trips, to collect things for it. I was just a girl then, so I still don’t know what it was doing, but on one of those trips, my father met Dentalles and the others from the surface. I think they were trying to stop a man who was selling surface people as slaves. Mostly sexual playthings that nobles could buy, since there are more than enough native slaves already. “I was a slave, actually, when I was too young to remember.” Tri’ni looked down and grinned slightly. “I never was used for work. They kept me around the market to make the rest of their ‘merchandise’ look better. My father accidentally stole me, and got himself run out of Melasurej for twelve years. He’s not actually my father, but he took care of me. He always tried to teach me magic, but I never got the feel for it. And then once the Trillith started controlling him, he stopped being himself as much.” She sighed, then shook her head slightly. “Anyway, my father became friends with Cloin. He was a human sorcerer. My father was always pretty strange, but I guess that made him more endearing than the rest of the Taranesti or Guenhavesti.” “Guenhavesti?” Babb asked. Allar answered. “They’re another group of dark elves. A different nation, but practically the same race.” Tri’ni looked dubiously at Allar. “I’ll just say that I’m not surprised you don’t know the truth, since you’re not from around here. Dentalles used to tell me you have stories about Taranesti coming up to the surface and terrorizing everybody, but I was always sure it had to be Guenhavesti. They’re violent and cruel.” “Hey,” Babb said, “get back to the story. Don’t let Al bother you.” David sighed. “You keep talking about your father in the past. I take it this story has a bad ending?” Tri’ni nodded. “About ten years ago, yes, my father did die. Dentalles and the others, they managed to find out about the Trillith, and they tried to kill it.” “What happened?” Babb asked. “You escaped, right?” Tri’ni shrugged, looking uncomfortable with the question. “The Trillith made my father fight to defend it. I- . . . I don’t think he could have resisted, really. For nine years, the thing had been twisting his mind to make him think it was his closest friend in the world. My father was a fairly strong sorcerer, and he wasn’t himself at the end. He killed Javin. I saw him just turn to dust before my eyes. Cloin ended up killing my father.” Tri’ni paused, and Lacy said, “You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to.” Allar noticed Lacy turn a short stare toward him. Tri’ni again shook her head. “It’s not that. It was ten years ago, so I’m fine telling the story. It’s just that I haven’t really had that many people to talk to in a long time. “My father died, and Dentalles used some kind of spell they had prepared that made the Trillith vulnerable. Normally, they say you can’t hurt a Trillith. Magic can affect them a little, maybe hurt them some, but they don’t have normal bodies. If you destroy whatever they’re in, they just get a new body. But somehow the spell they had forced the thing into a real, solid body. Something you could make bleed. “It was hideous. Somehow, when it lost its . . . its ghost form, it lost its hold on us. I had already been becoming able to resist it occasionally, since it had never really used its powers on me. But I couldn’t do much by myself. I managed to. . . .” She chuckled, embarrassed. “Well, I was furious with it, and I remember, as soon as I saw it was solid, that it had a real body, I threw a rock at it, hitting one of those rotting, wriggling eel tentacles. After I hit it, all the goblins seemed to realize how offensive it was. Its body really wasn’t that strong. They tore it to pieces. When it died, something happened, like I could feel it again in my mind for a moment, and then one of the goblins just screamed and died. The others said he was the last one to hit it, like somehow it dying killed him.” The others had expressions of disgust or mild distaste. Allar was impassive, though he seethed within. He was looking for something in the girl’s expression or tone of voice to reveal that she was lying, but this whole land below was so strange, he didn’t know where to begin to doubt her. Seeing the others listening with concern for the girl, Allar felt a pained relief that they were here to keep him from being rash. “Afterward,” Tri’ni continued, “it was just Dentalles, Cloin, Entras, and me. We found a new cave far away, since we didn’t know if other Trillith might come after us. We ended up not far from here, and they told me they would follow a river back up to the surface, then come back for me in a year. I guess they didn’t know how far they were from any cities up there. I came back the next three years, but they never showed up, and I never risked going past these caves here before. That was seven years ago.” “You’re twenty-six now?” David asked. She nodded, and David said, “Why did they think this way would lead out?” Tri’ni stopped, and pointed to a crack in the side of the passage. Water was spraying from it in a thin waterfall. “They had to do a lot of investigating, but they learned about this place from some explorers. Up here in the mountains, water flows into these tunnels from time to time, and when the place fills up, it flows into the river. I’m guessing you came in the same passage?” Lacy nodded, but Babb said, “Wait, we’re in the mountains?” Tri’ni frowned. “Ah, sorry. This language magic confuses me a little. I don’t know exactly what a mountain is for you, but for us it’s a part of the tunnels that are near the surface. Very little lives in these parts, and if you go up high enough the air gets warm or cold depending on the time of year.” David said, “Sounds like we’d be near the surface then, yes.” “For us, Tri’ni,” Babb said, “mountains are really big rocks that go high up into the sky. Most land on the surface is flat, but mountains are jagged, rough, and, y’know, hard to walk on.” Tri’ni seemed puzzled by this. After a moment she shrugged. “Well, Cloin said he had a reason to think he’d be able to get to the surface through these tunnels, but if he explained why, it didn’t make any sense to me. I hope they did make it, but if they couldn’t find their way back to me, I want to find them now.” “You said you were running,” Allar stated. He tried to sound accusatory. Tri’ni grinned, though, and he found he couldn’t keep his angry stare at her. “Yeah. The Il’ishar that live in these mountain lakes have been showing up a lot, close to actual cities, like they’re being called by something. I . . . I don’t know much you believe in this sort of thing, but I’ve been having nightmares a lot lately, dreaming about times that I couldn’t remember clearly before, back when the Trillith was controlling my father and me. I was getting nervous, and I left one of the furthest out villages about ten days ago, and left the last goblin village three days ago. “People were getting nervous, saying that people had been vanishing in their sleep. Sometimes I heard rumors of people describing feeling like they were sleeping, like they were thinking someone else’s thoughts, and it reminded me of the Trillith. The last day before I left, there were rumors that, at a Taranesti village on another river, twelve young women were drowned and slashed. So I fled.” “I think one of them might have been following me.” She stopped walking, then glanced around nervously. “I was hoping there wouldn’t be any Il’ishar here, but they were just waiting for me, the moment I got here.” Lacy nodded. “We did feel some strange things in the air as we came up the tunnel. We almost considered turning back.” “I’m glad you didn’t,” Tri’ni sighed. “I don’t think they were going to kill me. It’s just a guess, mind you, but I think they were going to take me away somewhere. Again, and I really can’t say this enough, thank you so much for being there to save me.” Babb chuckled. “We lead a charmed life. Well, except for Lacy. Monsters always go after her first.” Tri’ni smiled. “Thanks. And I don’t want to bring bad news, but when we stop to rest, you should probably check for ticks. The river down there is right on the edge of a swamp.” “So this whole place isn’t that fungus-y?” Babb asked. “Well, at least its ticks and not mold.” David twitched. “I hate this place. So, Allar, do we follow her?” Babb smiled at Allar and laughed. “I just hope you won’t get any broodier than you are now. She’s a sweet girl, might even know how to get us the hell out of here. You could show some appreciation and stop glowering at her.” Allar glowered at Babb for a moment, then turned to the dark Elf. “You sound like you want to go to the surface. I don’t want any dark Elves on the surface.” Tri’ni stepped back, her emerald eyes flashing with anger. “You don’t see me complaining about you coming down here, do you? Why does everything you say sound like you’re accusing me?” “Allar,” Lacy said plaintively, “don’t punish her. Those things are trying to kill her, or worse.” “And her people are killers.” He grabbed Tri’ni’s arm pulled her close, glaring at her. “Those ‘stories’ you heard about dark Elves attacking the surface weren’t just stories. Your kind have snuck into our villages and towns in the night and murdered families. Your kind burned down my home and left a three-year old child to die, buried in ice. I won’t let you lie to yourself and say it was someone else who did it. It doesn’t matter if they think you’re nice, or safe. You’re just as bad as the ones that burned down my village, that have been killing for centuries.” Tri’ni tried to pull free, her lip quivering in shock. “What?” “Why are these creatures following you? You said it yourself. You killed one of them. They want you for some reason. If you come with us, you’ll get us killed too. No. You owe us for saving your life, and you’re going to tell us how to get home. But that doesn’t give you the right to come with us.” He let her go and she shoved him away. “I’m trying to help you!” she said. “The Il’ishar would have attacked you whether I’d been here or not. What, did you think I [i]staged[/i] getting nearly killed? I’m sorry I tricked you into saving my life.” She bit her lip and turned away. “I’m sorry. I understand why you don’t trust me. I . . . I just need your help. The only people who cared about me are on the surface. I just want to find them, find some place safe to live.” “Allar,” David said, “what is wrong with you?” “Don’t try to tell me what to do,” Allar said. “We’re leaving her behind.” “You’d know something about leaving people behind, wouldn’t you?” David pointed at him accusingly. “The both of you,” Babb said, “shut the hell up. She can come with us if she wants. She fits all the requirements. Her parents were killed. She has a great desire to see the world. She’s fought monsters and survived. She can be an adventurer.” Lacy moved to the middle of them, holding out her hands. Everyone stepped away, not wanting to touch her and disrupt her magic. She stood there silently for a moment, looking at them all with an expression that showed she clearly thought they were all behaving ridiculously. “If anyone wants to go on without this girl, she’ll be going on without me as well. Babb, you feel the same way?” Babb crossed his arms, grumbling. “Yeah, sure, sis.” “David?” Lacy asked. David looked up at Allar, then stepped away. “She’s right, Allar. Look, once we get back up and see some sun, we’ll send her on her own way. But she needs our help now, and we need hers. It wouldn’t be right to leave her.” Lacy relaxed, then smiled and nodded. “Good. Let’s keep walking, then. Anyone is welcome to come with us. And remember that we have the guy with the light.” Lacy and Babb began to walk away. Tri’ni hesitated, glancing back at Allar. She smiled apologetically, then followed after them. David looked up at Allar. “You know you’re wrong on this one. Don’t throw away friends over this twice.” “David,” Allar whispered. “I don’t want to feel this way.” The Jispin man grinned. “That’s a good enough start, then. Prayer is admitting you’re not strong enough on your own. Now come on. It’s a long walk, so you’ll have a lot of time for praying.” “I’m sorry,” he whispered. David sighed. “Don’t tell [i]me[/i] that. Tell [i]her[/i] that. But I can already see you won’t.” “David!” Babb shouted from ahead. “Get us some light!” Allar smiled weakly, and waved David to go. “It’s alright. I’ll deal with this on my own. You’re right. We need to get going.” The caves wound on, flooded and dripping, for many more miles. The others talked with Tri’ni, hearing stories of the Great Below. Allar listened, but he kept hearing his own inner anger. They rested, and traveled again the next day, slowly uphill. Several times he thought he saw or heard someone following them, or he felt a vague unease in the air. But, toward the end of the next day, after a week or more underground, the air grew suddenly chill, and the tunnels rumbled, and they heard a song in the deep. [/QUOTE]
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Story Hour
The Mother of Dreams - Episode 5 (updated February 1st, 2005)
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