Burn

Chapter 2

The creature smelled the burnout, its nostrils flared across its ugly face. Smoke meant humans.

Humans meant food.

It had learned this over the years as it roamed never staying in one place too long, picking off a child here or there. It was a creature that subsisted at a lower level of learning. A human here or there, too many and they come after you.

In a rare moment of introspection the creature, who did not know its own name, nor did it care gave pause. A human this far out and alone was not likely to be an easy kill. The creature's own parent had met its demise at the hands of a sorcerer burned alive. The creature did not understand the concept of love or revenge, but it understood a lone human could also be death.

But it was hungry and would approach with caution. It slipped through the trees and to its surprise came across a forest fire, heading in the opposite direction. Not the kind of fire a human would necessarily start after all.

Its stomach rumbled, the sensation unpleasant to its mind.

There was a rustling to the left and the creature acted on instinct snatching the young newly hatched spiderling up in its strong grip. Ignoring the mewling it sank its fangs into the soft abdomen of the young creature, the exoskeleton hadn't quite hardened to the full almost stone shell it would have in a few days. The flesh in the abdomen was quite good the creature recalled. Not as good as the flesh of a human but it would due in a pinch. Chomping on the creature whose legs were flailing wildly with each bite as it was consumed alive. It would crack open a few more if it found them. The hard exoskeleton meant little.

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From twenty feet away a lone half-drow observed the Wendigo with thinly veiled anger but also with curiousness. The Wendigo finished its grisly meal and dropped the remains, no longer quivering on the ground. The tall shaggy creature, sprouted antlers from its head, walked upright, its large snout protruded from its face and the fangs were long and formidable. The hands ended in large claws that would make it an interesting adversary. But from his perch, he could tell it was more beast than intelligent.

It was his religion to worship a spider, the sometimes emissaries of his goddess Lloth. And yet in the span of a day he'd witnessed their destruction by their enemies at the surface. He should have intervened and yet curiosity stayed his hand. Lloth as powerful as she was had no dominion on the surface world it seemed. Perhaps the questioning of her power was what really drove him to the surface, a chance to show their people that she was all-powerful and that none would remain below to question her authority. There was no escape for his sister whatever she thought.

Not even for a creature as great as the spider he'd watched his sister destroy. The fireball had burned white and he'd had to turn away, his eyes not able to take the brightness. It would seem she had forsaken all of her drow heritage. It was no wonder the goddess had ordered her death. He would have all the evidence he needed to present. But he also knew none would really be needed. Sabriel was to be taken to the Underdark and sacrificed to the goddess. He was to bring her in.

He ignored the fact that their mother had not been included in the summons. The odds of her still being alive were slim to none. He told himself it did not matter in the least and pushed it out of his mind. But on a subconscious level, curiosity burned in him as it always did. He would know of her fate before returning with his sister below.

He watched the creature shambled away. And then he leaped down to hide from the dawn. He'd spent months tracking his sister's location. He would wait a little longer to bring her home.

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G'eldriia squirmed in her seat. She was matron of the 8th house, on the very edge of power. She understood the power could be won or lost in the capriciousness of her goddess. For the moment she believed they were still their goddess's favor. The half-drow offspring Val'rend Jaryrd Faen Naïlo was on the hunt for his treacherous sister.

But through their scrying, they'd observed his actions and were not pleased. The half-drow seemed a favorite of Lloth though, a prize for their house. Many female drow sought his company, much had been offered for him. He was a competent fighter, and his human side had given him an enormous height towering over the tallest female warrior. Against the advice of her daughters, she'd sent him to wizarding school as well. Forty cycles wasted on one drow they'd complained and yet Naïlo was still here waiting when he returned competent in both and ready to push their house into greater heights.

She'd named him a hunter of their house. It would not have been wise to name him weapons master. Not yet anyway. His first task was to bring back slaves for sacrifice. As the eighth house and the lowest on the ruling council with several of her daughters as priestesses G'eldriia did not take the sacrifices lightly. 

Val'rend was good at it.

Until now.

"He did not intervene at all," her eldest Bridia fumed. She crossed her tattooed arms across her chest. "I will pay back, stripe for--"

"Silence, Bridia," G'eldriia snapped. "We've only watched a few moments. He has been sent for his sister nothing more."

"But Llo--" Narcelia, her second daughter started.

G'eldriia raise her hand and both daughters went silent. She had no illusions that Narcelia would stab her in the back the moment the plan went south but Bridia was loyal to a sickening fault. It was why they were both here. Narcelia with her brilliant mind could see the possibilities and Bridia would step in should Narcelia decide to act on those possibilities. Right now with it being just the three of them Narcelia could act on a whim if she so chose. Part of G'eldriia swelled with pride over Narcelia's ambitions. If only she'd been born when she, G'eldriia was older. Betrayal was their way and Narcelia had learned well. But it didn't mean G'eldriia was ready to give up her power. She'd sacrifice Narcelia on the altar next to maintain it if she had to.

"Va'rend sacrificed his own father," she said looking up from the scry. "He's smart--"

"For a male," Bridia scoffed.

"Yes, for a male," G'eldriia snapped fixing her daughter with an angry stare until Bridia bowed her head in apology. "Lloth sent him because he will do what is required. And then house Naïlo will make the ultimate sacrifice and the stain will be wiped away."

Narcelia's lips thinned on her face but she nodded her assent. Bridia smiled. G'eldriia sat back on her throne as she dismissed her daughters to their duties.

She had four daughters that served as full-time priestesses to Lloth and three in training. It was a sign that their house was in favor to have so many. And yet, Lloth was displeased because of the actions of one male. Their loyalty to the goddess had to be absolute and Nadvyr's had been to a slave. A human slave of all creatures. The slave had been a gift because of his actions in destroying the previous eighth house and his mother's ascent to the ruling council. And yet that gift had been Nadvyr's undoing. G'eldriia took great pleasure in purchasing many human slaves for the single purpose of putting them on the sacrificial altar. Ceremonies she carried out personally, deliberately, and slowly, selfish revenge she took for those she blamed for robbing her of her weapon's master. It was a lesson she learned well, not even her own children would be spared from Lloth's demands no matter how high they ascended.

If Lloth ever required a sacrifice she would not hesitate to put one of her now eldest two on the altar to appease her goddess. It would pain her to do so, as Lloth demanded it must. But G'eldriia was still in the middle of her life, not quite old for a drow. She could make more children if she needed them. Speaking of... She summoned her patron to her quarters. There were some duties to her goddess she quite enjoyed. As her goddess required sacrifices of high station and importance on occasion, she should be ready for the next one.