“Duergar….” Nilan grumbled to himself, slowly rising to his feet. “Artikerus, you grow reckless.”
The drow narrowed his gaze attempting to distinguish in what direction both parties proceeded. A broken branch and dirt covered leaves quickly told the assassin that his prey headed in the direction of Skeldrach Lake. Snickering to himself, Nilan thought back to a time when he took human form and often traveled with the large barbarian on many such mercenary missions within these shadowed swamplands. If his friend held to his routine he would take the path closest to the river’s edge. Nilan grinned knowing the dark dwarf would be forced to remain within the shadowed forest in order to stay hidden from his quarry. Nilan pulled up the hood of his cloak and darted off in the direction of what was now…his prey.
Nilan thought back on the words Turji had shared with him. “I sense someone or something follows me,” the mighty warrior had stated. “My strides are long. So far I have been able to out distance whatever it is.”
The drow only hoped the barbarian remembered the last words they had spoken. “Shorten your stride then,” the assassin had replied. “If he wants to track you, then let us by all means allow him to do so.”
The chill of the wind brought the assassin from his reverie. Snickering to himself, the drow quickened his pace. “Artikerus…you have gone too far this time,” he muttered silently. “Pray it is not you that follows the barbarian. Would be a pity indeed if Gloomhaven found itself without it’s king.”
Hours passed and twice the drow felt a prickling in the back of his neck, as if he too was being watched. The assassin doubled back along his path hoping to come upon something…anything to show to him that his intuition had been right. However, the drow found nothing to indicate another was close behind him. Nilan shivered suddenly, the chill air bringing with it an almost eerie feeling. Shaking his head, clearing his thoughts, the assassin once again headed off in the direction of Turji and his duergar tail.
Nilan kept to the path within the darkened forest but close enough to allow his keen elven eyes to scan the area bordering the path along the lake. The lithe drow was able to move quickly and silently, and soon Nilan was able to make out a stocky figure up ahead. The duergar moved with as much stealth as his larger body would allow within the dense forest. Nilan snickered to himself, knowing the dwarf had to tread slowly and carefully or risk giving away his position. An advantage the assassin quickly capitalized on. Like a cat, the drow stalked ever closer to his prey. Sunlight filtered through the trees up ahead. Nilan tried to glance into the lighted area hoping to get a glimpse of Turji, but the bright light burned his eyes and he was forced to look away.
“L'puul shinduago ssussun,” the drow cursed as tears welled in his eyes. Wincing, he wiped his eyes and after several seconds he dared open them again. The drow focused upon the duergar, who crouched along side a dense brush. The dwarf held his position, unmoving, simply waiting… Nilan deduced that Turji too was nearby, perhaps along the river’s edge. Placing a hand upon his amulet of the crescent moon, the drow whispered a word and slowly disappeared from sight.
Closing the distance took minutes, the stealthy assassin making no sound, overturning no rock nor breaking the smallest of branches. Drawing a special blade, the drow marveled at how comfortable it felt in his hands. He took a small vial from his pouch and coated the blade with its consents. Removing another blade, he did the same, before secreting the pouch back within the folds of his cloak. Nilan turned both blades over in his hands, his gaze focusing upon the length of the blade.
Engraved within the steel of each blade was the name … “ShadowStalker”.
The drow moved in directly behind the stocky duergar mercenary, so close that he could hear the dwarf breathe.
“Vhaeraun kus dosst char'riss nindol tangi,” Nilan coldly spoke each word aloud. “Mrigg ussta velve lueth drital vlos wun dosst bel'la!”
The duergar whirled suddenly, his stubby hands reaching for the axe at his waist. Nilan whispered a word allowing the cloak of invisibility to fall.
“Looking for someone?” the drow growled coldly.
Before the surprised mercenary could pull the axe from his sheathe, the assassin struck. One dagger plunged deep with the dwarf’s burly chest, piercing his heart, while the other slashed brutally across his unprotected throat. The duergar staggered backwards, clutching his torn neck before collapsing. He was dead before he hit the ground.
A crack of tree branches caused the drow to turn abruptly. One dagger remained in his hand, the other was imbedded within the chest of the dead dwarf. A huge man wielding a blade almost the size of the drow crashed into the clearing. His balance and movement while sporting a shield and hefting a blade that size only spoke of the man’s honed battle prowess. Nilan clenched the bloody dagger tightly, only relaxing his grip when the barbarian smiled. He watched as Turji’s smile quickly faded as it took in the corpse of the dead duergar and his own blood stained hands.
“I thought the plan was to trap him and get information, drow?,” Turji quickly added, sheathing his huge bastardsword.
Nilan said nothing, cleaning the bloody blade and placing it within the sheath of his boot. The assassin scanned the area before heading in the direction that Turji was already traveling in.
“Nilan, what about yer other blade? The one stuck in the dark dwarf’s chest?” Turji replied, moving toward the corpse.
“Leave it. A message, I send to a … a friend.” Nilan spat the word, again suddenly peering around, nervously, his thoughts on Artikerus, and whatever it was that loomed in the darkness behind him.
“What is it?” the barbarian asked, his hand tightening uneasily around the hilt of his fine blade.
Nilan stood unmoving his gaze covering the surrounding area. “Come, old friend. Let us distance ourselves from this place. Something comes…I feel it.” The drow pulled his cloak tightly about his body, nodding at the barbarian.
“I sense it too,” was all the mighty warrior said as the two quickened their pace along the forest’s edge.
Turji could not help noticing the two deadly blades that had found themselves within the assassin’s ebon hands.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Special Thanks to good ol' Artikerus for giving me the inspiration *grin* Dont forget, my friend, i still owe ya for that headbutt. Im sure, your best tracker, is still out there, watching waiting and delivering that message to you as we speak.
More fun rplay awaits, of that im sure of. Course, I'm ready for that headbutt this time *wink*
Another Thanks goes out to Turji. Just like ol times eh, bro?
Look forward to developing our rplay togther as well. Fight on my old friend. *bow*Enjoy guys,
Was fun to write. More to come , Im sure.
Nilan
ShadowStalker - Drow Assassin
Husband to Elisten High Priestess of Evermeet
[This message has been edited by Nilan (edited 01-07-2003).]
[This message has been edited by Nilan (edited 01-07-2003).]
Though, I'd like to point out, Nilan couldn't kill a wet paper bag if it was Elven made! -poke-!