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[Thrax]

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The vial smashed to pieces as it hit the damp stone wall. Its glistening shards fell to the floor and mingled themselves with those of five other vials that had preceeded it. Dharzhal growled in disgust. "He asks the impossible," he muttered, placing both hands on the stone table, head bowed low. He raised his head and looked at the table. Potions and elixirs, some bubbling with or without fire beneath, multi-colored liquids in a hundred glass containers: beakers, flasks and vials, lay sprawled out amidst a confused profusion of piled books, skull-candles, clumps of reagents, and alchemical paraphenalia. The drow wanted to take both hands and rake it all onto the floor. He had begun to despise the bargain he had made with his worst enemy...

"We know where you live now," Alicia had told him. "And though we do not trust your word, nor you ours, we do know where to find you should you renege on the deal. You may freely leave at nightfall, but you must return during the day to work on the new formula. Once it has been successfully tested, and you have correctly recorded the formula and its antidote for us to duplicate... then you will be free of us, and we of you."

He had been working on it for days, and was no closer to achieving his goal than when he had begun.

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"All the guildmasters in Papua have agreed to our terms, priestess. They fear us," Skurj reported.

"Excellent. Now if that drow would hurry with the formula, we can begin step two of the plan. I made sure we have suitable quarters at the Inn, and a spare alchemical lab should we need to produce the formula in larger quantities," Alicia explained. They walked together atop one of the twin towers of the Citadel. "Have you any information of importance concerning our allies, or enemies?"

"Aye. Bailos is to be crowned ruler of Sanctus. Duke Kotare is safe at home now."

Alicia smiled. "Good for Bailos. Be sure we make our presence known there in support of him. The Skull must remain in power in Sanctus; they are a powerful foil against Luna," she remarked. "But Kotare... he should be feeling the effects of the poison again. It is time to let them know that we alone can keep him alive. I will send word to let them know we can help him 'recover.'"

They entered a meeting room within one of the towers and sat down. She began drafting a letter. After some time she had completed it to her satisfaction. She read it out loud:

"Duchess Noir,

As you can now see, your husband is very ill and is dying. We let him go so that he may spend his remaining years with you, however difficult they may be. You are aware of what happened to him; I need not repeat that story. I am convinced this ailment of his will never fully heal. I wish to put old grievances to rest. To that end I am willing to give what medicines we have to keep him alive and well. If you agree, then once a week I will send someone to administer a dose of medicine I know will lessen his symptoms dramatically. If you do not agree, know that he will die, and know that the poison does not evaporate from the body upon death. Should he be resurrected, he will remain ill and die again quickly, in yet worse pain. I know you would not want that to happen. Therefore consider my offer carefully before you respond. I will only make it this once.

I await your reply,
Alicia,
Priestess of Oggaroth"

"Deliver it personally, if you will," she asked. After folding and sealing it, she handed it to him. He saluted and went to fulfill her request.

She decided to pay a visit to the dark elf to check on his progress. He was working in the laboratory far below. Entering the room, she noticed the mess he had made. "What is wrong?" she inquired, walking over to him.

He sighed, looking up at her from his stool at the table. "My patience wears thin. I am having much difficulty in making the poison hard to dilute. I think I have the potency correct, but this other is too much."

She stood beside him, folding her arms. "Well, hold off that for a while. I need you to make more of the antidote."

He had lifted a vial of blue liquid, preparing to pour it into a beaker of fine black powder, but stopped, turning his head to look at her. "What for?"

"For Duke Kotare, of course. He was poisoned. He will need a weekly dose of the antidote to keep him alive. We must therefore have ample stocks, and we are running low," she explained.

Very rarely did the drow laugh, but this one he could not suppress. He enjoyed the sound of it.

Alicia frowned. "What is so funny?" She glared at him, lowering her hands to her side.

Dharzhal shook his head. "No need. He is cured already," he explained as he finished pouring the liquid into the beaker. White smoke swirled upward as the two materials made contact.

"Cured?!! How?!!" Alicia's anger was rising. Her face became livid.

Unconcerned, the drow continued his work. He shrugged. "I gave the Duchess what I had left of the antidote, and it was quite enough to cure him should he imbibe it all at once. You let him go, so I am certain she has, or will, give it to him."

"You what?!!!" she shrieked, drawing her kryss. "I should kill you for that!!!" she cried, pointing it at him.

Dharzhal ignored her threatening gestures. "It isn't my fault you let him go, now is it?" he asked turning once more to face her. "Besides, what do you care? As I hear it, Yew is of no concern to you anymore, or did I not hear things awright?"

She lowered her blade, but the scowl remained. "Curse your elvish ears! And curse you as well! Be thankful that I will not tell Lord Thrax what you have done. He would not be so... generous."

The drow nodded respectfully. "I appreciate your generosity, but what is done is done. Now, do you ever want me to finish this? If so, I require my privacy," he said, most kindly.

In a huff, Alicia stormed out of the room.

He permitted himself a slight grin. "Revenge..." he whispered, "... so very sweet indeed."