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[Nimrana]

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Shadow Walkers. They go unseen, slipping from shadow to shadow. Finding ways to infiltrate the chambers of kings, lovers, bankers, murderers, generals, kitchens, even dungeons. They overhear conversations the speakers would not want repeated. They see things the doers would not want known. They learn secrets and keep them until it suits them to make them known. Usually for a price.

The drow Nimrana had stalked and spied on some very interesting people. More than once, he had even stealthed his way into the Dark Order's Headquarters and out. Tonight he visited Hanse's Hostel. It had been long since he'd caroused with his companions Bae'vin and Veszzt and he looked for entertainment.

Dressed as usual in gold bracelets, rings, necklace, circlet on his head, and the gold buckled scarlet loincloth, his ebony skin glistened in the lights of the tavern. He watched quietly as people came and went, sipping his wine, waiting for he knew not what or who, as long as it provided interest.

Then Arahim came in and sat at the table with Nimrana. They exchanged greetings. Nimrana racked his brain for something to tease the human with. Peter then came in and joined them. He remarked Nimrana should put on some clothes but the drow ignored him and the matter passed.

Suddenly the drow remembered something he'd overheard in the Den of Sin in Umbra. Then he connected the name he'd heard there with the Sanctan knight before him, Arahim.

Arahim, contrary to his king's advice and good sense, had been riding into Umbra to visit Reva. This young woman had a reputation as a wicked necromancer, yet she remained very attractive to the male sex. She delighted most in tempting men and women to leave Sanctus for Umbra by showing them the joys of the darkness. She had succeeded twice in the past six months.

Apparently she infatuated Arahim. For her own feelings, Nimrana overheard a song she sang, but whether it applied to Arahim or virtuous men in general, he did not know.

His soul like pure light
Her soul dark as night.
He drawn to her flame
She burned for his shame.
He sworn to virtues
She had none to lose.
Why did he want her?
Was it carnal lust?
Or save her soul just?
His soul she desired
To feed Umbra's pyre.
Who this subtle dance
Would win favor's glance?

(used by author's permission)

He smiled thinly at the knight and said, "I hear the Umbrans plan a human sacrifice very soon."

Arahim scoffed, "They often sacrifice prisoners and strangers."

"Ah! But this time the sacrifice must be willing and must be one of their own Umbrans."

Arahim felt a cold stab of fear. "Who!"

"Reva," the drow said, savoring the man's desperate reaction.

Arahim asked why he should believe him.

Nimrana said, "Peter can vouch that I have done good service for Sanctus in the past."

Peter acknowledged this was true.

The knight demanded to know when and where the sacrifice would be made. Nimrana said he did not know. The man wanted to know why Umbra must make such an offering. Nimrana said he did not know, but he could find out for a price.

The man asked his price and Nimrana said one hundred thousand gold.

Without a blink of an eye, the man left to fetch a check and Nimrana knew he's asked for far too little gold. Arahim soon returned with the check and slapped it on the table. Nimrana picked it up and put it in his pack.

"I'll get back to you, " he promised. Nimrana always found it amusing when humans accepted the word of a drow, even when he was the drow.

He went to the door and paused, "Did I mention there is no coming back from this death for the sacrifice?

"Have a nice day, " and he left.

[Arahim]

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Arahim hung limply in his saddle, his rain soaked hair hiding his face like some many tendriled thing.

He had not slept. He had not eaten. He was filthy, and cold, and miserable.

"The drow lied to me..."

It was barely a whisper.

Arahim was unable to decipher what part was lies, and what part was truth. It could all be one large lie, and yet he knew there was a truth in it somewhere.

It tore at him, and brought his mind to very dark places. There would be no returning from such places.

He now knew what his gold had bought him.

The drow would have found profound amusement in it.

[Ceinwyn ab'Arawn]

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They stood staring at her lying in the cell. She was sprawled on the stone floor, amidst the hay and other debris. Soon, something would have to be done about Reva.

[Nimrana]

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The rat sniffed at the refuse on the floor and daintily scurried around dried and fresh blood that dotted the stone floors of the castle. Umbrans loved spilled blood and many of their buildings had generous amounts on the walls and floors.

The rat paused at a book on the floor and seemed to actually read the title, sitting on its hind legs and using its front paws to steady itself on the cover, whiskers flicking back and forth.

Somewhere in its little rat body was the mind and soul of the Drow Nimrana. He assumed this form because it made hiding in shadows easier and, if someone did see him, hopefully they'd not think much about a rat. Especially in a place like this.

He continued his search for answers for Arahim, but so far had not heard anything of substance, except that Reva was kept here in a cell. Why a willing sacrifice should be kept in a cell puzzled him. It occurred to him she may not be willing.

The rat scurried across long hallways, in and out of tiny holes, along deep shadows, until at last it poked its long nose out of a crack in the wall of a cell and peered with tiny beady eyes at the dark haired young woman sitting on the floor in the corner, long legs pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around them, rocking a little.

Dressed in long black skirts and a black doublet, a human might not have seen her at all in the shadows, but the Drow saw her plain as day.

He had seen Reva many times in the Den of Sin so he knew this was her. He shifted those beady eyes left, right, up and down. This really was a cell and not a clean one either. He looked again at the supposedly "willing sacrifice".

And froze. Her midnight blue eyes fastened on his tiny dark ones. He noticed how calm and sane her eyes were. She smiled slowly, the effect mesmerizing and erotic. Maybe because Nimrana was very susceptible to female charms. Maybe because she deserved her reputation as desirable. Maybe because her powers remained intact and she had enspelled him.

In a voice low and musical, she sang out to him, "Come, my pretty! I haven't eaten yet today."

Horrified, Nimrana tried to run, but he was rooted to the spot!

[Nimrana]

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Frustrated by the Drow Nimrana's long absence and the lack of news, Arahim sent the Umbran Arch Matriarch Ceinwyn a letter asking for a meeting. Ceinwyn granted him an audience in the Main Hall of the Sepulcher. Upon his arrival, she summoned Reva to the Main Hall.

Arahim's presence deeply annoyed Reva. He was glad to see she was well. He told them he heard Umbra planned a human sacrifice and that Reva was the victim.

Ceinwyn told him it was none of his business. Reva told him she asked for this honor. She studied death magic, studied death, dealt death, and now desired to see Death for herself. And what better way than to give herself on the Altar of Umbra?

Ceinwyn pointed out to Arahim that those who followed Virtues sought the destruction of entire worlds. He scoffed at that. She pointed out that every shard of the shattered Gem of Immortality contained a universe. If the Gem were ever made whole, all those different worlds would be lost.

Together they tried to persuade Arahim to join Umbra, but he remained steadfast in his commitment to Sanctus.

In short, the meeting changed nothing. Ceinwyn gave the two time to talk privately, but Reva gave Arahim a parting smile and walked away.

Arahim left the meeting with the realization that Nimrana had not lied to him after all. But then, what happened to him?