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[Thrax]

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Dharzhal walked slowly up the beige marble stairway to the door of Whitehall, the home of his former landlord, Thraxanduril. Before he even knocked, Poppy, the housemaid, opened the door to admit him. "Welcome!" she chirped, smiling. "The Baro... Thraxanduril," she corrected herself, "is in his study. He is expecting you."

"Thank you," Dharzhal replied, stepping inside. He had been to that study many times, so he did not need her to show him the way. He knocked and was bade to enter.

As usual, Thrax was seated at his desk. He rose to greet his guest. "Welcome old friend. Have a seat."

They seated themselves almost simultaneously.

"Good to see you. How is your family?" Thrax began the conversation with polite pleasantries.

"I would prefer not to discuss that at the moment. Forgive me," Dhar replied cooly.

Thrax looked a bit surprised. "All right. Well then, let's get down to business, shall we? My brother as well as the priest at the Academy have both reported a very strong, peculiar, odor emanating from your home since yesterday. It is something new and is quite repulsive. I have since smelled it myself and find it quite obnoxious. It burned our eyes as well. Now, I know you routinely conduct chemical experiments, but what in the nine hells is this new thing?"

The drow shuffled uneasily in his seat, and Thrax took note of it. "I am working on something that requires the utmost secrecy. If the wrong people knew what I was doing, creating, they would try to stop me, or even kill me."

Thrax scowled. "And who might the "wrong people" be?"

"What if told you I am working on an elixir of life; one that would grant virtual immortality to those who imbibed---giving humans a life span that would more than match that of elves?"

"So 'elves' would be the wrong people?" Thrax suggested, sticking to his original question.

Dhar nodded. "And some humans---those who might no longer be able to use the threat of death or execution to keep their fellow men in line."

"You mean it keeps people from dying?"

"Yes. It gives humans more than a parity with elves. Wounds, even horrendous ones, would self-heal; organs regenerate; disease and poison no longer damage and kill."

"Your goal is admirable... humane... if you will excuse the term. But why for humans alone? You are a drow, an elf yourself."

"This is a first step. Human physiology and natural immunities are quite different than that of elves. The elven elixir would come later. It would take a lot more time and work. I merely wish to see if I can do this or not, and so start with the simplest test subjects, humans, if you will excuse the description."

"I see. Well, is there any way you can keep down that rancid odor?"

"I will do what I can. I will need some time."

"Is there any way I can help you with this?"

"Yes, you can guarantee and guard my privacy."

Thrax leaned over his desk. "The house you live in, and the land it stands on, I granted to you, of course, but the land around it is mine. So long as you do nothing criminal, subversive, or immoral, such as offering human, or elvish, sacrifice, for example, then you will have no trouble from me. But I will be monitoring this closely. What you do will invariably effect me and mine---if for good, no problem, but if your work in any way endangers anything mine, we shall have an outstanding issue to resolve. Fair enough?"

Dharzhal nodded. "Quite. I assure you that what I am doing will make humanity rejoice... even euphoric... when I am done."

"Good, then continue your research and work with my blessing."

Dhar rose and took his leave. A part of him, that dark drow heart of his, reveled in the successful deception. But another, larger, part, that which the goddess Concordia had fostered and nurtured in him through her teachings, groaned and ached.

He would just have to live with the pain.