Surfacing Ch. 35

"May we ask who is missing in Mourn's squad?" another in the squad asked, a definite fighter with much stronger armor. "That it is the first thing to jump out of Jael's mouth even before her own name?"

"Good point, Eallo," Vian said, scratching her chin. "Elder females, I'm guessing. Well?"

Mourn nodded. "Sirana Thallunsareci and Gaelan Polyni'dara. Equally as strange as my Daratrix and myself. We are well suited working together."

"Strange, how?"

Rausery chuckled again at this point. "Well, first, you should know that Sirana's the reason the Illithids are coming. You'll know her the moment you see her. Nine months pregnant and blue eyes. Can't miss her in a crowd."

More than one set of eyes widened.

"How do you know...wait," Vian stopped herself, "why would an Elder Mind launch a fighting force because of one Drow?"

D'Shea answered that one. "Because she is the first psionic within our race. She is a threat to them."

"And you're sure that's the motive," Vian pressed.

"Yes." D'Shea's tone was unshakeable as stone, but she offered more. "Your 'Mourn's' sire told me himself."

"You've met the black Dragon?" the squad leader asked.

"Yes. Lethrix. Have you?"

"Only in a few dreams while I was in his territory, never in person. He also never gave me a name, although I hear the overlap in Mourn's birth name, Morixxyleth." Vian smirked. "His sire is a lusty one, and a voyeur."

D'Shea was convinced, nodding to an equally satisfied Rausery. Then it hit most of Vian's squad at once.

"Wait," Eallo said, "your sire is awake, Mourn?"

A nod. "He is. For the first time since I came to you."

A lot of exchanged glances. "He's going to be watching this, isn't he?"

"I believe he will be, yes."

"Huh." Vian narrowed her eyes, looking inward like she tried to remember something from long ago before focusing on Mourn again. "The first time we ran into Illithids...you remember that, Mourn?"

He nodded.

"You told us your sire carried you on his back when he went to go meet the new Elder Mind in the area. That it had just 'set up' and was 'exploring.'"

"I believe I said that, yes."

"You were about to fall asleep, so it wouldn't surprise me if it was fuzzy now." Vian smirked. "But you did say he and the Elder Mind came to an agreement, though you couldn't tell us what it was."

Mourn lowered his chin some as he thought back. "I do not remember any more than what you have said."

"Fall asleep," Rausery cut in, arms folded. "Morix just told us that he could fall asleep at the drop of a cloak if his magic runs dry. You've seen it?"

Vian nodded. "His reverie was always irregular, but the abrupt collapses almost always indicated a growth spurt."

"Wow, that makes sense," Jael muttered, and more than one of Mourn's old squad snickered.

"Wish we could know what the deal was with the Elder Mind," Jaunda said, more to D'Shea but loud enough for all to hear. "Lethrix has made a lot of deals with us." She indicated Mourn. "Not the smallest of which is standing right there."

"He sees it as balanced, whatever it is," the sorceress answered.

"But also something unexpected," Jaunda answered. "They've got at least one surprise we aren't planning for, Elder, even with the half-blood's help."

"That was over four hundred years ago," Vian said. "It could have been a deal about territory. 'Stay out of this area,' that kind of thing."

"There's something more recent," Mourn answered. "Again, the reason the Elder Mind is willing to attack this City to get at Sirana."

"Do tell," the former Sergeant invited.

"We kept one of their mindflayers captive for two years," D'Shea answered, looking stern. "Sirana was taken captive by a Draegloth under its influence and was forced to release it, and their minds came into contact with each other. She told me its name was Ullipmious. Jaunda confirmed it made it back to the nest, and that they call our psionic Drow 'the corrupter.' I believe Jaunda is trying to say that if we have one of ours changed so much from that encounter, then they have one of theirs also changed. Assuming it survived to heal what we'd done to it, beyond what the Elder Mind learned from it."

"It most certainly survived," Mourn said. "Sirana has seen this altered Ullipmious in reverie. It possessed a female shape and some of the colors of her aura."

"Great," Jaunda grumbled.

"Illithids don't have a gender," Vian said.

"One does now," Mourn answered.

"The rest of them couldn't abide by that," she insisted. "Why haven't they killed it...her? She'd be an abomination to the collective!"

"Because they want Sirana first," he answered, the tip of his tail flicking. "I do not think anyone knows why they want her, but they have kept the female Ullipmious alive so far. The Elder Mind has a purpose for her, we just don't know what it is."

Vian's mind worked furiously on that; she still looked stunned at the news. "Then they're right to call Sirana the Corruptor. An individual perception like that would disrupt the entire nest if they allowed it in. This is the entire basis for our own skills being effective against them, that we can link many perceptions together and overwhelm the One Will of the Elder Mind with complex emotion and experience."

Vian looked around, and her squad nodded sincere agreement. "I'd have to think they are keeping her in isolation from the rest of them. She's still a prisoner even after escaping the Valsharess, and by now, she's probably insane if she wasn't before. I can't imagine anything happening after her return to the nest other than rejection and experimentation. They'd treat her like another thrall, but this one is a psionic thrall with a single viewpoint."

Jael exchanged a worried look with Mourn. "Maybe how they see Sirana?"

"Or something close to it," he murmured.

"If this Ullipmious is on the Elder Mind's side," Vian said to Rausery and D'Shea especially, letting them see she was not happy with this possibility, "then our methods won't work on her. We should assume that now so as not to get leveled by a surprise Jaunda was saying had to be there."

"Fuck," the Lead commented, more as an agreement.

"Do we have anything that works against something like this?" Rausery asked.

"Sirana," Mourn said. "A balance, as my sire said. They were made together."

"I thought you were the balancing factor," she replied. "Then again I sure as fuck hope the Illithids don't have a half-Dragon of their own."

Vian blinked, looking suddenly amused. "Well. I admit I have trouble imagining that."

"They don't," D'Shea said with certainty. "Lethrix said the only edge we had with him was our way of procreating. Mourn is a Guardian, he was always meant to help take down the Valsharess and exile Lolth from this world. The Illithids are a different matter altogether."

"Doesn't mean he and Jael aren't going to come in handy during the next fight," Rausery commented, winking at them.

"I'm not arguing that," the sorceress agreed.

"Exile Lolth?" Qivni asked, sounding quiet and bewildered, and Jaunda grinned broadly at her.

"You should have seen it, Qiv," the Lead said. "First the Draegloth, then Priestesses, then the Valsharess, and finally, Auranka. She tried to take another puppet—Shyntre—but we all piled on her and forced her to let him go. There's no Spider Queen here anymore." She spit on the floor. "And good riddance."

A lot of jaws were slack listening to the two Leads.

"Yeah, on that," Rausery growled with equal measures irritation and affection, "first, you're cleaning that up right now, Jaunda. And second, I'd appreciate it if that little jewel doesn't leave this room for the time being. I don't need my army or the Nobles being cut adrift like that until *after* we beat the Illithids, does everyone understand?"

An equal number of nods as Jaunda chuckled and pulled out a cloth to clean up her own spit, and Vian's squad looked uniformly impressed.

"All the Priestesses, their sons, and the Valsharess," Jahn said in a soft voice, looking in admiration and Mourn. "I didn't see that coming when we trained him."

"Now if we could only get all our Matron-Priestesses and their demon-sons gone," Saida agreed.

"There will be more changes coming," Mourn said. "Soon."

A few more smiles, but Jael recognized the look pretty well; it wasn't excited, and it shouldn't be. Suddenly making one's home unrecognizable was enough to worry any sane Drow, even if they did want something to change.

One in Vian's squad cleared his throat. "Mm. The fourth squad member? How is she 'strange' like a psion and a To'vah mage?"

Jael gasped softly. "Oh! Yeah. She's a shadow-jumper and elemental mage."

Saida perked up. "What is her element?"

"Air." Jael smiled at the other female mage, feeling proud of Gaelan at the same time. "She's been really useful keeping us able to breathe, among other things. I don't think she's even tested her limits yet."

D'Shea and Jaunda exchanged a glance.

"And...shadow-jumper?" the bonded mage asked.

"Something the shadow drakes can do," Mourn said soberly. "Magical space shifting. An easy way to escape a hunter or to ambush prey."

"Casting jump spells, then?" Saida pressed.

Mourn shook his head. "No. A natural ability that resembles a spell."

"I have never heard of a Drow born with that 'natural' ability."

"We told you she was strange like us," Jael reminded her.

Saida exchanged another look with Jahn. "No jesting. When will we meet Gaelan and Sirana?"

"Um," Jael looked up at Mourn again. "Probably when Sirana wakes up. Gaelan said she'd let us know."

Rausery checked the mark. "In that case, there's more I have to go over before we meet the Nobles this eve. If the introductions are sufficient for now, let's talk strategy while we can."

********

"You grow tired as well, Gaelan," Auslan murmured, sounding concerned.

She sighed, in the process of finger-combing her hair to re-braid it, unable to deny the healer's observation. "I sort of hoped they'd be back by now, but they're in a huge group planning, with lots of surprises so far...and they need to plan. We all do."

The Consort nodded, looking down at Sirana and Shyntre bundled on top of the same rough pile of tapestries they'd torn off the walls to rest, reaching to brush a wayward strand of hair off Shyntre's forehead. He didn't stir, and neither did she. Once Sirana had eaten and Shyntre managed to chew and swallow something—though he had far less appetite—they had both fallen asleep quickly. Auslan had dozed a bit but had been the first to wake up.

"How are you awake and looking refreshed?" Gaelan asked with mild suspicion.

The lovely face smiled, a little on the shy side. "Magic. Healers have an edge over sleep when we need it."

"Oh? How many healers like you do you know?" she asked bluntly.

He shrugged. "None, really."

"Me, either," Gaelan said, propping her tired head in her hand. "Not exactly. You're different from what we usually do for healing down here."

"How do you mean, Gaelan?" The Consort looked like he already had an idea, but wanted to hear another's thoughts on it anyway.

"We use a lot of potions and gems," she said. "We imbue separate items that are consumed, and the supply is...was controlled in various ways. Healing is available but the wealthy and powerful can access it more easily. Outside of one of those fucked-up rituals by a Priestess, no one down here can just...lay hands on someone like you can to help. Or if there are others who do that, they're claimed pretty fucking fast by someone. They disappear."

Auslan nodded; that was what he had expected to hear.

"How does it work for you?" Gaelan asked. "You're still a mage, right?"

"Of a sort, yes. I must...hm, give of myself to mend. It...it begins with mending their aura, but yes, it can flow into physical healing. It used to require sex to focus but...that is not true anymore." He looked down at Shyntre and Sirana again, thoughtful. "I hope to meet some others like me. Sirana has met a few on the Surface who can use their hands and will to heal, has she not? The Godblood, the Noldor..."

*The Tilabil,* Gaelan thought to herself. She nodded. "She has. I figure all of them would like to meet you."

Auslan's smile was bright and hopeful, far too much for what most would consider wise down here, but Gaelan couldn't bring herself to squelch it. She had the same kind of hope for herself and Natia. The Wilder would take her in, help raiser he daughter to be like them....

If only Ruk and Matron Thalluen wouldn't get in the way. Why should they? They already had an infant daughter of their own to raise!

Thinking of that strange pairing—really, a Matron and a shadow posing as a commoner?—brought to mind their first son, and Gaelan's chest tightened up as she thought again of Treyl in a completely different light.

Her chosen sire had been the First Son without knowing it...Matron Thalluen's first boy, and Sirana's half-brother. Still strange to think about Natia, her own daughter, being her closest Sister's niece, and a ruling Matron's granddaughter...

Had Elder D'Shea known all along? What about Elder Rausery?

"What is wrong, Gaelan?" Auslan asked. "You look so worried."

She swallowed. "I want to survive this. I want to get my daughter back, and I want to go back to the Surface."

The Consort nodded in comprehension. "I see. Where is your daughter?"

"With the shadows and House Thalluen, wherever they ran off to ahead of the Palace falling. They aren't on their plantation anymore."

"Oh."

Gaelan perked up with a thought. "Did you overhear anything? Do you know where they went?"

Auslan shook his head. "No. I did not spy and the shadows were careful what they said or signed around me. They knew I could make contact with others outside by magic, so they treated me like an open door where others could peek in. It was the right thing to do."

*Damn it.*

Although, if Rausery's shadows had been too careless, they'd have been found out long before revealing themselves now.

The two awake sat in silence for a time listening only to each other's breath. Eventually Gaelan found something that maybe needed to be said, and it would distract her and keep her awake. Nothing had set off the Wards yet, and it was strangely quiet in this lower part of the Palace. No activity, everyone had gone from this area for now and servant duties were no longer required.

"So, if Sirana doesn't make it...if the Illithids kill her," Gaelan said, "you and Shyntre still need to get to the Surface."

Auslan looked down uncomfortably. "Ah. Um, yes."

"I am to help you with that, you know," she said to him. "If Mourn and Jael don't make it, either...I will be ready to run. I can move the both of you out of here fast enough to break a pursuit. I want you to know that. It's a back-up plan we already discussed." She sobered further at his expression. "It's desperate and not ideal, I'll admit, but..."

"No, I...I understand, Gaelan. Thank you." He lifted his head again. "Are you to guard us through the battle, then?"

"I'm not sure exactly how it's going to work," she said. "We'll wait and see what the others are planning. I need to rest before then, obviously."

Auslan smiled and nodded in clear agreement. She sighed; she must look like excrement.

*Status, Gaelan?*

She jumped when she heard Mourn through his pearl and swallowed another mental curse. *Quiet. Auslan's awake; we're talking. Sirana and Shyntre are still out. You?*

*We will finish soon and return to relieve you. Another half hour.*

*Sounds good.*

She yawned shortly after the magic went silent again and heard her jaw crack. She grumbled to herself and wondered if eating something would help...?

*Oh, yeah. I gave all mine to Sirana.*

By the look of things, she had already eaten it all. Gaelan sighed. She'd been in worse situations; she could handle this.

It was after several quiet minutes that she felt something weird creep up her spine and she looked at the Consort. Gooseflesh rose on her skin and she propped herself up to sign in his line of sight.

*What is it, Auslan? You look weird.*

He blinked and became aware of her, barely reading her hands. She heard his heartbeat increase. *I sense something.*

*What?*

*Danger.*

Gaelan looked around them. The room was secure, locked, the Wards still in place. Few even knew they were here and no one but Mourn and Jael or D'Shea were expected to come to this particular room in all of the Palace. *What kind of danger?*

*Dread.*

Dread?

*That doesn't help, Auslan. Be specific.*

*I cannot. Something is nearby.*

His breathing became shorter and faster, and the feeling of dread was even starting to spread to Gaelan as she imagined something huge and dark and something from all her worst reveries about to crash through the door...

She tried to shake the feeling out of her head. What the fuck?

*Mourn!* she called through the pearl. *Something's up. Auslan senses something he fears but I haven't sensed—*

She gasped. Abruptly, something pushed against the Wards. Pushed hard...they were about to break.

*MOURN! Ward's compromised!*

*Coming now, Gaelan. Wake Sirana and Shyntre. Tell us what you can but more important, do what you can.*

How he could sound so calm when she was starting to shake...?!

"Wake them!" she cried to the Consort, dropping by her Sister and shaking her. "Sirana! Wake up!"

Her blue eyes opened quickly enough, but she was still coming around when the Ward came down, and in a way that was very familiar to any Red Sister.

*Shit. Mourn. Could be one of the Sisterhood.*

*All were accounted for by Elder Rausery.*

*I don't know, but they're using our method to break a Ward! Maybe one slipped away?!*

But who? Who was attempting to betray them? The double-edged quality here was that there was only one way in or out of this room without blowing a hole in the wall. It was a risk they'd been willing to take not to have to worry about two entrances. And they hadn't thought the risk was so high...

Sirana's heart sped up quickly as she likely sensed both Auslan and Gaelan's fear and she rolled onto hands and knees to push herself up. Shyntre was waking too slowly and Auslan partially shielded him with his body as he stared at the door, his eyes wide.

"I-It is Lolth," he whispered.

What? It couldn't be...

"OPEN THAT DOOR AND YOU'RE DEAD!" Gaelan bellowed. "WE KNOW YOU'RE THERE!"

The door clicked and neither the mechanical nor the magical lock longer protected them as the door slid to one side. Gaelan was ready with an air blast, and though whoever just broke in wasn't standing in the doorframe like an easy target, she released the spell anyway, hoping to make them stumble or fall off their feet even standing off to the side. Anything to tell her which side, how many, to hear them grunt or say anything...!

The gout of force swept through the narrow doorway out into the hall and Gaelan did hear a body stumble and thump down. Then she heard a feminine chuckle, disturbing as all the Abyss.

"Ohhh, little whore..." she teased in gleeful threat. "You sshouldn't have sstolen what wasn't yourss..."

Gaelan's chest seemed to fill with ice as she looked at Sirana in disbelief. Her companion was equally shocked.

*No, we killed her,* Sirana thought, her mind's voice leaking out among them.

So it wasn't just Gaelan's ears playing tricks or someone throwing her voice. But for the odd, slurring hiss, they both knew this voice.

Gaelan pitched an emergency message: *It's Thena! We killed her, but she's back! It's Lolth—!*

The newest Red Sisters just barely anticipated standard procedure. Thena used that split-moment of shock to pitch in a light-pellet followed by a web-pellet. Sirana flung up a psionic shield that saved them from the web pellet but they were still blinded. They all cried out in pain.