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The confusion was over, "Quezan just tried to get himself killed in an effort to kill me." He was explaining to the elf Turen Stormwind.

Turen was rubbing his neck a little, "I don’t know what was said or what happened, but I remember what happened last time Zoltando." The elf and the drow exchanged knowing glances.

"So I failed to help you?" Quezan asked, "do I really need to woo your woman more?"

"In your own way Quezan I suppose you did help." Zoltando admitted, "I now know that Jhorikos has betrayed me." He fell silent.

Understanding crossed Quezan’s face, "so… you have two babes? So is one of your babes like a good one, and one evil? Did the evil one smooch me? You know, the sweet, fruity tasting one?"

"If there was a split as you say, perhaps there is a way for the ladies to be made whole." Turen remarked.

"Should they be made whole again?" Zoltando asked, "or would that destroy two new people?"

Quezan spoke, getting an idea, "if things between you and your second babe are still bad, maybe I could help by wooing her? Eh? Would that help Zol buddy?" Zoltando either did not hear the elf or chose not to answer. Quezan nodded as if the matter were all settled, "right, no more talk! Just do. Got it!"

Quezan did not have to go far to find Jhorikos.

Jhorikos smiled weakly at Quezan. She recognized him as the strange elf she had kissed on a dare after too much wine.

Quezan looked intently at Jhorikos, "Are you the sweet, fruity tasting one?" He asked. There was a clamor of activity and voices coming from the loft above. Ericnox had walked briskly passed her carrying what looked like a severed head!

"What’s going on up there?" Jhorikos asked looking towards the loft.

Quezan smiled, "oh, I just fixed things up with Zol Buddy and his number one babe. So now I am here with you eh?"

"Oh… wait.. what?" Jhori was confused.

Quezan was looking at her longingly, "when you kissed me it was as if time stood still." He said. "A moment in time I shall never forget it, it was quite enchanting."

"Really?" Jhori blushed, "well, thank you."

Something strange happened then. Quezan backed up with an annoyed look. "Why does this always happen to me?" He began tugging and pulling at the front of his pants to create slack, "every time I try to woo a really beautiful babe, THIS happens!"

He made an awkward face and continued making adjustments. "I just knew I should have worn my baggy pants for this… awe Poop! Now it is getting worse. I guess I will just have to grin and bear it." Quezan capitulated to the obvious bulge.

Jhorikos’ face was a mixture of shock and bewilderment, ‘is he really doing what I think he’s doing?’ She asked herself in horror.

Quezan looked dismayed, "Now I have blown it! No babe would ever want a man that this happens to when he see her… poop!"

Jhori turned scarlet, she held her breath and tried not to vomit. "Um, I have to go… and speak with Zoltando! Yes… that’s it. Definitely, um.. bye." She hurried up the ramp to the loft muttering, "oh my gods!" Flustered she came to the top of the ramp and stopped.. frozen.

"Zolt." She said under her breath. She stood transfixed, like a deer in a very bright light.

He stared at her a long moment, barely able to restrain his anger. "You." He said after a long moment. Zoltando’s voice was filled with venom. "You betrayed me."

Jhorikos turned scarlet, "I... no… no…" her voice faltered as his eyes bored into her.

"Who!?" He demanded.

Her legs became wobbly beneath her and she felt the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. "Please," she stammered. "I came here to talk with you about…"

"Who!?" He repeated himself more forcefully.

Jhorikos stood wringing her hands in front of her, afraid to speak. She was sure Zoltando would strike her where she stood. ‘No,’ she thought, ‘he would never.’ She spoke quickly, as though her blow needed to be struck quickly before she lost hope, "I don’t love you." She blurted out the words fast as if they would not come out otherwise. "I asked Ginafay if I could be free. I wanted to leave you both. She locked me in the house after that." Jhorikos looked at the ground.

Zoltando’s gaze turned icy. "I name you o’gelend. I will not harm you because when I swear an oath I do not break it. But, whoever he is, I will kill him and destroy his soul."

"Gods, please no!" Jhori pleaded with him, though it was hard to tell what she was lobbying for; herself or her unknown lover.

"Never speak to me again," Zoltando snapped at her, "I will find the information on my own. You are dead to me." Just quickly, he turned away and looked into the space next to him.

Jhorikos was speechless. She had been cast away! She had no money and all her armor and weapons were at the villa. Or… were they Ginafay’s armor and weapons? Jhori didn’t know. She sat, for a long time, outside of the Phoenix Tavern, in the dirty alleyway, not knowing what to do.

Ginafay sat on the end of the large, neatly made bed in the bedroom that she was used to sharing with Zoltando. Several of her drawers of clothing stood open. The drow stared at them with unblinking eyes and a blank expression. Jhorikos was gone, and with her, the hope of ever recovering herself as a whole person. She stared out the window. ‘What if…. ‘ she thought.

Zoltando entered the room and sat on the bed after spying her there. She looked down at her weathered hands, "hi." She said without looking up at him.

Zolt smiled at her, "I'm glad to see you."

"I'm glad to see you too," she said quietly. "Are you... ok?"

Zoltando sighed deeply and tossed his head back to stare at the ceiling, "I suppose you can say that I'm alright. In truth I suspected this before I knew. She left me in her watch in the middle of the night, about then I realized that she didn't care anymore. Since then I suppose you could say I was deluding myself."

Ginfay's smile of consolation was weak at best. She had always viewed Jhorikos as competition for her. After all, it was Jhorikos who had slept next to her husband for the last year. Part of Ginafay worried that Zoltando might have chosen Jhorikos over her. The other part worried that Zoltando might not want to see Jhorikos’ mirror image right now. Not after what happened in the tavern.

"I am so sorry..." Gianfay said, "I think we are the only ones who appreciate how... strange this is."

Zoltando grinned a bit, "Perhaps that’s true, but I do have one joy now. I finally have you back, the woman that I married and who knows how much I love her."

Relief etched its way onto Ginafay’s face. She shrugged, "still... it is nice to know that you loved...all of... " she struggles between the word 'me' and 'her'. "The entire woman." Ginafay winced at her own words. That had come out poorly. "I need to ask you something important Zolt." She turned to face him.

He turned to her, "ask away."

She hesitated with her words, but already she could feel herself reaching out for his hand, "if we remain as we are for the rest of our lives... if I never recover the part of me that was always ..." she stopped herself from saying 'unsure,' "troubled." She paused searching his face, "Can you love me... do you love me now... as I am now?"

His tone was very serious, "I believe I will love you even more."

Her lips parted into a smile. She tried to find her words and seemed lost for moment, "Oh fuck all the gods...I thought... you might not be happy… with just me."

He laughed at her reference, "seems like you're starting to echo my sentiments about the gods."

"I remember I always used to try and control my more aggressive impulses," her head shook, "I don't really feel that way any more." Her face took on a dreamy expression, "It's an odd feeling, like there is something in me that is missing, yet… I feel at ease."

"Sometimes it's good to ignore control." He moved to kiss her and she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Slowly she began reigning herself in, prying herself away from him. The couple had been fighting themselves to exhaustion in the practice room every night. Tonight the practice room remained untouched. The weapons along the walls, had not been taken down. "It has been so long... for me." She breathed... "I was starting to forget what your scars look like."

He smiled ruefully, "the one scar you love hasn't changed at all."

Her cheeks flushed a little, but she did not look away. "I love you for your strength, I always have. You seemed to have grown a bit calmer over the last year." She winked, teasing him, "is it age?"

"Feh," he said, "I wouldn't call me calmer, just more cautious since the devils came. Since that I realized just what the extents of my skills are. Until I get better I have to be calmer. Once I am powerful enough, I will have no need of that."

Her head fell back with laughter and she hugged him tightly, resting her head on the cold armor plating of his chest, "I like that you can somehow manage to win a fight even if you really lose...Zoltando Sevenmoons." She smiled, "you are diabolical that way."

Zolt stroked her hair softly, "I win because I refuse to lose."

"Hmmmmmm," she smiled, turning her face upward to him, "one day... I will trip you. You will hit the ground in astonishment! You will lie on your back because of me... not for me." She grinned at him.

"Not if I have anything to say about that," he moved to flip her on her back.

She squealed in surprise as she flew through the air. When she settled into the white sheets, she looked up at him and smiled. "Kiss me." Ginafay said, allowing her facial expression to soften.

He grinned," as you wish," he said, kissing her passionately.

**********

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Jhori’s head was still aching. She wore her new armor and carried a sword and shield, though she had no intention of telling anyone how she acquired those items. Deriaz had set Jhori up with a room in the Fellowship Hall. It was a great relief to Jhori. Now that she had armor and a weapon, she could earn her way respectfully and begin repaying everyone for their kindness.

The previous night’s antics were still somewhat fuzzy to Jhori. She had a vague recollection of drinking far too much peach brandy and playing yet another game of, "Never Have I Ever," with Ericnox and a few others.

She remembered she had agreed to meet Ericnox in a tavern on the far side of House Jorasco, but her evening became cloudy somewhere in the middle of the game. She walked slowly, picking a path that cut behind the shops of house Jorasco, lest she run into that blasted Ginafay and her awful husband Zoltando. She smiled, she was glad to be rid of them both… even if part of that statement were a bold lie. It made her feel good to say it.

At last she made her way through the nearly empty tavern. Ericnox waved at her froma table in a nearby alcove. Jhori approached him and smiled excitedly, "Hi!"

He smiled at her and nodded. "Hey! Please join me!"

She sheathed her new weapon and propped a large tower-style shield against the wall. "I got some of my things back!" Jhorikos explained before questions could be asked about where anything came from. Nevermind that her armor was a pink and black form-fitting metal that she had never worn around anyone before. "Apparently, Ginfay is not as heartless as I thought."

"Well that is good. I'm happy you got some of your things back." He said looking her over, "that armor is really pretty by the way."

She grinned, "thanks! It works very well... damages my attackers while they try to kill me. It's fitting punishment for hitting a lady really." She glanced at him quickly, "That reminds me. I was told in passing that Zolt has hired a mercenary to find out who you are." Her smile faded, "I am sorry."

Eric only nodded, "I know who he hired, Jeatra warned me, and I meet him in a spa, talking to him and he swore to keep it between him and I. No one else will know." Ericnox smiled a bit and nodded, "I have too much dirt on him so he won't spill."

Jhorikos sighed. She was still a bit worried though, "that is good to hear."

A strange silence fell between them. He bit his lip a moment and then looked at her, "You told me something last night... I want to account it to you being drunk…"



She rubbed her head, "gods that peach brandy went straight to my head!"

"That’s what I figured... "He lowered his voice and looked at her, "You said... You loved me..."

Another long, uncomfortable silence fell between them. Jhorikos tried desperately to remember what had happened the previous night. It was no use. She had been far too drunk. She sat stunned into silence. Finally she opened her mouth to speak; "did I really say this? To you?" Jhorikos pointed at him as if there might have someone else to mistake.

"You did," Ericnox nodded slowly studying her. "It was in your room when I laid you down. After you started to rub your fingers across my scars."

Jhori’s face turned pale and she looked away. How humiliating! She had declared herself to him! She was not even sure if she were ready for this! Had she really made such bold advances on him when she was drunk?! "Oh Ericnox, I ...am so sorry! How can I…" she looked down and pretended to try to buff a scratch from her armor and then looked at him. The drow’s head tilted to the side curiously, "well... what did you say?"

Eric: You fell asleep before I could respond. So I kissed you on the cheek…" he looks down and smiled a bit, "I don't want to rush you though... That is why... I think it was more of the drink talking then anything."

The sting of his words hit her gut as if he has brought a large wooden planking against it. He was a paladin! A man of the Silver Flame no less, and she was pulling him into her terribly complicated situation. Jhorikos stayed silent another long moment, "oh gods Ericnox I am so sorry to have obligated you this way." Her voice was low, "I cannot deny... I care for you... I will not say that to you again if I can help it. You are... far too deeply involved already!"

He shook his head a bit and smiled at her, "don't worry about it. Alright? I care about you, deeply. I always will. But I wanted to learn if you really meant it or if it was your drunken state. And I know I am deeply involved... Very deeply involved. But with you, I don’t mind."

She looked down and then shrugged a soft shrug, "It's true, I do not remember saying it. I expect nothing from you." She spoke quickly, as if her words would make the awkwardness between them disappear. "You owe me nothing Ericnox."

Outside the alcove, Jeatra waved an annoying dwarf away. "Shhh..." she hissed. The little halfling continued to listen from the other side of the wall.

Ericnox did not even glance in the direction of the wide entrance, he continued looking at Jhorikos. "I know that. And you owe me nothing as well."

In spite of herself, Jhorikos felt a little sting at his words. Did that mean he did not desire her? Was she really a friend and nothing more? He had invited her here… had he not? She seemed confused and it took a moment for her to compose her facial expression to a more amicable one. "Eric...," she said at last, "I think it's ... unwise for us to be seen together at the Phoenix. Not alone anyway."

He nodded his agreement, "I know... It is risky for us to be in the same room together there. If Zolt sees us together... If the connection is made, he might not hold back and stab me. I don't like being cut."

"I could not bear it." She whispered.

"I couldn't bear the thought of you seeing me hurting. And I don't know if I could raise my hand to him." Ericnox admitted with a soft sigh.

"We will have to be careful.. for a little while then. After he has let it all go, we can behave as if our relationship is new." Jhorikos winced at her own words. She said relationship! It was too late to take back. She studied him for a reaction, blushing. "I just... I am sorry… I am getting carried away... you don't have to... I don't .... expect you to be... loyal to me." She stammered through her words. Jhorikos replays the lie in her head to hear it again before speaking further, "In fact, it might be best if you... allowed the general populous to think you have someone else."

He smiled and leaned over, nodding, "I wouldn't mind. You can be carried away. I can carry you away if you wish. And I... will be loyal to you. I care about you. As for public idea. They think of me as a paladin, remember? The one who has a vow that keeps him from sleeping with people."

Jhorikos could not help but laugh. She would change that if he allowed her. She bit her lip hard, "Oh gods Ericnox," her voice was low, "you are saying everything I have longed to hear. Do you really want me... exclusively? Like a sweetheart or a girlfriend?" She blushed.

He squeezed her hand softly and nodded his head, "I would. Very much like that. To call you my own and you do the same with me." 

Jhorikos sighed, whatever happened tomorrow no longer mattered, she was happy in this one moment.

The trio had set out on a trek through ruins of Gianthold where Ginafay claimed to have first encountered the Mind Flayer who attacked her.

Rolling hills gave way to statuesque giants, frozen in fantastic battle poses with dragons. The wind whipped through the valley in tight, unforgiving circles.

Ginafay grew more and more apprehensive the closer they go to the crest of the hill. "Zoltando," she said looking at him nervously.

"Yes?" Zolt responded, loosening his rapier in his sheathe and taking his tower shield off his back.

"Whatever happens today... I don’t want you to die trying to defend me. If you have to save yourself…do it." Ginafay did not think the drow would listen to this, but she felt it needed to be said. Someone would have to go back to raise their children.

Teraa, a halfling priestess, followed as quietly as possible holding her Octogram and praying to all the gods of the host at once.

"I don't plan to have any of us die here, I plan for this flayer to taste agony and to have its organs decorate this place." Zoltando responded confidently.

Ginafay nodded her head, resolved that her husband would do what he felt he must to preserve his honor. "Alright then," She whispered.

They walked, mostly in silence until they came very near a ruined dwarven encampments dotted the road, and the presuppose of a large hill loomed before them, surrounded by rocky outcroppings.

Teraa smiled at the two elves and begins chanting with less of a wobble to her voice for Dol Dorn to guide their way.

"I like that we have a cleric along," Ginafay said over her shoulder loud enough for Terra to hear. "I thank you." The reply was never realized…

As they reached the deeper encampments of the hill, an elaborately cloaked...thing, showed itself. Surrounded by entourage of dwarves, ogres, and even several humans…all working near mindlessly at some secret tasks. When they approach, they round to the small band. The cloaked figure speaks in a strange tongue, but it's a speech in the mind that makes any sense. "I have…been waiting for you...my sweet drow."

Ginafay froze in her tracks; she was unable to move, to think.

Zoltando drew his weapon, "Ah, so you're the one we've been looking for. I hope that when I do finally kill you the pain will have taught you the lesson of never crossing me or my loved ones." He pointed his rapier threateningly in the direction of the flayer.

The Mindflayer spoke in a menacing tone, "MMmm...and you've brought friends this time. I wonder if they will taste as good as you. " The mindflayer reached back, revealing his tentacle like mouth, "Oohh..you're a violent one. I will enjoy feasting upon your mind."

Large beads of sweat had begun to break out on Ginafay’s forehead, it was as if she lacked the ability to attack the creature. She began shaking, wanting desperately to run, yet there she remained… frozen in place.

Zoltando began to slowly walking towards the flayer. "Bold words for a squid."

With shaking hands, Teraa released the symbol from around her neck reaching for the morniningstar at her side still chanting focussing only on the chant.

The group of mindless followers began converging on the trio. Not taking efforts to attack, but form a wall between the Minfdflayer and them. "My sweet drow. Come to me. Let me taste you again." He made a becoming call to the quivering drow.

Ginafay remained transfixed. She moved slowly toward the flayer, she was shaking, as if not of her own accord. Clearly she had her faculties, she had her anger, her fear, her mind were intact yet… she could not stop.

Seeing Ginafay moving towards the flayer, Zoltando he addressed her in a commanding tone, "Stand firm!"

Teraa changed the chant slightly asking for the gods to help Ginafay.

"Ahhhh!!!" Ginafay growled, and continued moving forward.

The thralls parted way, giving her room to pass into his clutches, and then made to circle around her..to separate Gina from her companions. "Yes. Let me feel that anger. Taste your fear." A scream could be heard from behind the thralls then…. It was Gianfay.

Zoltando slipped his rapier into the heart of the thrall standing in front of him and moved to cross the boundary of flesh separating him from the flayer.

The Mindflayer spoke into Zolt's mind, "You kill one of my pets. You shall take its place."

Teraa raised her shield and moved toward the Thralls swinging the morning star the chant raising in volume.

The Flayer’s mind rounded over to Teraa, speaking coldly, confident, "would you like join your friend? I could use another female." His thoughts hissed in a seductive manner, caressing her mind with visions. "You will enjoy it."

Zolt roared in rage and pushed through the line of thralls, "You dare try to enslave me!"

Teraa slowed as she has to concentrated more on her chant asking the gods to grant them strength and help her overcome her fears.

The Mindflayer quietly he whispered to the female drow beside him. "Protect me, my sweet. Make him submit." In a louder booming voice in Zolt's mind, it said, "you will become my thrall."

Ginafay drew her weapon with near vacant eyes and turned to protect the Mindflayer.

Zoltando saw Ginafay standing to protect the Mindflayer, "You...honorless thing. I don't care if you put a lord of the Daelkyr themselves in my way, you will still die."

Ginafay advanced, her shied had dropped to the ground some time before but and her chaotic blade was held high in front or her. She was visibly shaking. Fighting inwardly. There was nothing she could do, however, this was a place she had been to before.

Several thralls began to swarm Teraa, taking advantage of the distraction of her fear, and tried to pin and grapple her to the ground.

"Ginafay, stand aside." Zoltando said to her.

"I care not for your honor." The Mindflayer was saying, "this one is mine. Strike him down, my sweet anger. " He hissed to Gianfay, shaking the long mandibles of his mouth in eager anticipation of a feast.

Ginafay continued forward, challenging him with her blade.

Zoltando shook his head saying, "It's a very good thing she never learned to stop this." He moved swiftly to trip her with his blade.

It was true, for all the fighting and sparring they had done in the last days, Ginafay had never been able to stay on her feet if she was tripped. Moreover, she had never found the strength to trip Zoltando. Ginafay fell backwards, hitting her head hard on the ground as she did.

Zolt swiftly moved past Ginafay and stood before the Mindflayer, "Any final words?"

The Mindflayer screamed to Ginafay in a near rage at her incompetence. "Stand up you foolish creature!" He swung around, hissing at the arrogant adventurer, "SIT, and submit mortal!" His voice reached to the back of Zolt's mind, infusing him with another spell of command.

Zoltando immediately fell backwards onto his rump.

Blood poured from her scalp and into her silvery hair. Ginafay rolled over and picked up her blade, turning back toward Zolt and the flayer.

Seeing Ginafay, Teraa asked the gods to keep her where she was! (hold person)

Ginafay froze where she stood, halfway between the ground and a full standing position. All she could do was look at the ground.

The Mindflayer looked to the female drow, and would be smiling if any of them were an illithid to tell. He cursed to the Daelkyr, and rounded back on the persistent Clergy. "You dare...I will devour you!" He sent a mind shock into Teraa."

Teraa fell to her knees crying out!

The illithid was positively seething with excitement. The thralls began to work on Teraa, holding her and binding her...for later. The real threat was this angry Drow! He will be better off dead! His tentacles started dripping around the man's hair and head…and he began to feast. A most delicious feast. "Ahhhh…yes. Hate me. Bring that taste to me. You will be a fine appetizer."

Ginafay was still held in suspense between the ground and standing at an odd angle, she screamed, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!"

Delrin emerges from behind a rocky outcropping, bow in hand aimed steady at the Mind Flayer!!! "I would remove those if I were you…" He said giving an ease to his voice that his body language did not mimic.

The Mindflayer raised his head up from the most spectacular rage of the drow to look at the screaming woman, "Why...I have do nothing...mmm…my sweet fury." He payed the man with the bow no mind, a thrall stepping between him and the offending arrow. The flayer spoke to Ginafay in what could be considered sultry tones, "You are my creation."

The hairs on the back of Gianfay’s neck stood up, if she could move, it would have been to cry. What was the flayer saying?? That she wasn’t real? She was HIS CREATION?!

Delrin maneuvered for clear shot at the Flayer, sidestepping to avoid the thrall.

The mindflayer begans to move to Gianfay, ...thralls positioning themselves about as a protective circle. He touched her, almost lovingly…."You are my own. Do you not remember? Those memories..." A shrill laugh pierced the minds of everyone around, "Are merely a lie. "

Ginafay’s teeth gritted in frustration, "NO!"

The creature continued to speak to her, caressing her mind, "Mmm..yes. Be angry with me. You have been here before. I have tasted your thoughts many times. Mmmm...Delicious frustration...to inevitable compliance…and you have brought so many new thralls for me...Thank you." A thin tentacle ran almost lovingly across her face.

Several of the Thralls nearest Delrin sprout arrows from their chests and fall to the ground absent mindedly, as the pain begins to register they began to break from their master's embrace, dying as free minds.

Zolt slowly stood, "Truth is irrelevant. How she is Ginafay is not a problem. You seem to fail to see that she is not your creation, she is my wife, and for harming her you are going to die a painful death." He punctuated his sentence with a thrust at the mindflayer's stomach.

The hold spell broke and Gianfay followed her own momentum, falling the rest of the way to the ground, her face hit the ground with a loud THUD.

The rapier slipped into the Flayer’s belly, hitting nothing vital but still spreading blood and a shrill cry into the air.

As Ginafay fell, several more of Delrin’s arrows zipped through the air ending the lives of a few more thralls with deadly accuracy.

The Mindflayer screamed at Zolt, "She is not your wife! She is my sweet darkness! Stand up and kill this drow!" He screamed to the fallen woman, and drags himself from the rapier, rounding behind Gina. "Let me warn you, vile dark elf. You slay me, and I will take her mind with me. "

Ginafay knew she had no choice but to comply. In her mind, she knew the truth… that he had been her master for more than a year. She relinquished herself to his tight control. Blood and dirt were caked onto her face, she looked over her shoulder at the flayer before turning toward Zoltando. Even as she is leveling her weapon at Zoltando, she spoke in her own plain words to him, "Kill it." She said to him, knowing she would never be free until one of them was dead.

With that, Ginafay swung her chaotic blade at her own husband. They had sparred for countless hours together, never taking savage blows. This time… she let out a scream as she brought the weapon downward towards him. This blow was meant to kill. A loud SNAP of two weapons slamming together reverberated off the rocky hillside. Gianfay’s weapon had been blocked.

The Mindflayer was shrieking, "you foolish man! She is a doppelganger of my creation! Her memories are mere figments by my creation! I created her from another, and she is mine!" He hissed violently, sending another burst of mental power into Zoltando.

In clearing a path, Delrin began to walk forward, He pulled three arrows from his quiver and let them loose at the Mindflayer.

"Which part of you do you want sliced off first?" Zoltando asked the Flayer.

The Mindflayer shrieked as arrows struck his side, more of the bluish purple blood spilled to the ground. The illithid stumbled backward, away from Zolt, and to his two remaining thralls. "Protect me! Kill them!!"

Teraa’s head began to clear as the pain eased up.

"Zolt!" Delrin screamed, "Take him now, I'll handle the rest!"

"Too late." Zoltando said and moved to stab the flayer through its head.

A torrent of arrows finished the remaining thralls as Delrin approached Teraa.

The Minflayer shrieks out in pain...sending his last final thoughts to Ginafay. "My...sweet…anger…my lovely...bitterness…" The creature slide further down the rapier, lifeless. Zolt proceeded to mutilate the corpse in rage.

Ginafay dropped her weapon and is slumped to the ground. She was free. Tears began to stream down her face. She cried for the lifeless master that somehow she was missing now. And for the truth of her existence. It was a strange, terrible feeling.

Delrin dropped to knee and checked Teraa's condition "Are you alright?"

Tears were streaming down Terra’s face. She smiled up to Delrin. "Yes I am now thank you."

Zoltando turned slowly to Ginafay, "I meant what I said, whatever he may have called you, all I see you as is my wife and my love."

Ginafay blinked at Zoltando; dumfounded, afraid to really speak too much, her head was pounding. She grips his arm to steady herself.

Teraa stood retrieving her shield and morningstar, she looked to see if she needed to heal any one.

"Teraa, lets get you up and out of the dirt." Delrin said looking over to the others, "You two gonna be okay?"

"I'll be fine, I always am." Zoltando answered.

Ginafay leaned on him; "you don't care?" She whispered to him, not quite understanding.

"I didn't care about your past when I married you," He answered, "why should I start now?"

Ginafay blinked, "according to the Illithad, I had no past before he gave me one." She looked down, wondering if it was true. She had all of Ginafae’s memories in her head, she treasured them as if they were her own.

"I say your memories are your past." Zoltando said looking at her.

Ginafay nodded slightly in return. "Let’s go home then."

Delrin stepped forward up to the remains, what was left of the remains of the Mindflayer and spoke in the tongue of the Daelkyr as he ripped his arrows from its side.

Teraa’s smile broadened as she saw the two drow and she looked to Delrin speaking quietly, "isn't it just wonderful?"

"Wonderful?" Delrin asked incredulously. "They were nearly at each other’s throats. Damn Mind flayers."

Teraa laughed, "but they are together now, may the light bless them."

Delrin nodded, "lets get out of here before he," pointing to the dead flayer, "starts to stink." Delrin extended a hand to Teraa and gestured for Ginafay and Zoltando, "Let's go home." He said taking a strangely marked scroll from his bag. The next thing they knew, they were back, safe in the Fellowship Hall.

((Special Thanks to Everyone who participated!

Terra/ Delrin/ Zoltando/ & MOST Especially MINDFLAYER JEATRA!

WOW! You did a great job! The end was FUN FUN FUN!!!  We should kill something once a month!!!! 

*Shakes a stick at Points* ))