Rose twisted and turned in her bunk which had been given to her when she had been taken back aboard the Swiftwind. It was not her own, since her own bedroom on board had been almost completely destroyed in the attack. In fact, all the living quarters on the Starboard side of the ship had been damaged and made uninhabitable.

Despite everything, the Swiftwind was headed back to Athkatla at half speed. The magical force-field which kept water from entering the side of the hull worked near perfectly, at least.

Rose rolled on her back again, but found herself unable to sleep. She had remembered that helping to repair and clean the ship kept her mind off worries. And there was plenty of work to be done. First of all, repairs to the mast and the main-sails had to be done. After some tries, the four of them had managed to patch together the ripped sails with creative sewing and small patches made from bedlinen. Second was to check for supplies. During the attack, a number of Sahuagin had boarded the Swiftwind and raided the armory where Laska's party had stored their weapons and armors. Most of which had been taken, but luckily the shark-people had not touched the food and water supplies. Another thing to do was to rid the decks of all the shattered pieces of wood... Sadly, the Swiftwind was left with a gigantic hole in its side, and because the main controls had been destroyed, the four of them had to pump what water had come into the ship with hand pumps...

Now, at night, Limryu and Irylarr were keeping an eye on the helm, while she and Mook slept... and so on. Four people wasn't nearly enough keep an eye on a damaged ship of this size, but they would have to make do.

Rose couldn't deny her own feelings, though. She was worried... Worried for Laska and her friends. Deep in her heart, she knew that Laska was alive... She couldn't be dead. She was too tough to be killed by a bunch of overgrown fish.

The half-elf moved to lie on her side to stare outside through the porthole, to the stars outside, but sadly they gave her very little comfort. What was more comforting to her, however, was the soft blue glow of Ipsiya, Laska's moonblade. After the raid, Mook had found it stuck deep inside a large beam near a large pile of ashes. Apparently, one of the fish had tried to take the moonblade without its permission and paid a dear price. For Rose, it was very comforting to have something of Laska near her. The sword had been put into an empty scabbard and Rose had it lying next to her as she slept, or tried to sleep, at least. Strangely, the sword had not spoken a word since Laska had been... taken. Maybe it was because it and Laska were too far apart from each other. Rose sighed heavily... she knew the feeling.

Laska groaned in pain and confusion. For some reason, she felt an incredible pressure on her chest. It hurt to breathe even a little, though it felt better after the first few draughts of breath. The cold beneath her back let her know that she was lying on the floor.

"She's awake... I think," she heard Imoen say.

Her eyes fluttered and Laska found herself in a dark, damp room. She quickly found Imoen and Viconia hovering over her. The elf tried to sit up, but quickly found herself so light-headed that she fell back to the floor.

"Dammit," Laska hissed as she hit her head against the marble tiles.

"Careful," Viconia said. "I've healed your wounds, but you lost a lot of blood. I think you hit an artery when you pierced your own leg."

"Huh?" Laska said and looked at her leg. "Oh, crap," Laska said as she saw a huge slash across her upper left pant-leg. "I've ruined my favorite pair of pants." Never mind the completely healed skin, flesh and bone below the gash in her pants.

"Here, let me help," Imoen smiled as she helped Laska sit up and leaned her back against a strange statue in the middle of the room. The statue was a lime-colored man-shark with an unusually huge mouth with sharp teeth. From the dirty looks Viconia kept giving it, Laska supposed it was quite tacky.

"Feeling better?" Viconia asked. "I suppose your leg will be a bit stiff for a day or two yet."

"No worse than my head," Imoen rubbed the back of her scalp. "What happened?"

"Aye," Keldorn spoke as he picked up his armor and lovingly held Carsomyr. "Strangely enough, our captors seem to have supplied us with our own weapons and armor. Why would they capture us and then give us weapons?"

"Maybe whoever captured us want to use us for Gladiatorial fights?" Dynaheir offered as she examined the round room. It had slick walls and only one exit.

"Good!" Minsc roared. "I can prove I not nice Minsc! I want to bash brains, hahah! Oh, Boo, don't look at me like that."

"Cute," Laska said and looked at the pile. Her elven chainmail was there, but a rather important part of her equipment wasn't there. "Crap, Ipsiya isn't here," she said, and settled for choosing The Blade of the Roses as a suitable companion for her other longsword Namarra. She slowly rose to her feet and stepped towards the pile, making sure to keep her weight off her formerly injured leg a little. Sifting through the pile of armor and weapons, she retrieved the two swords and twirled them in her hands a little to get used to their balance. Normally, she fought with Namarra in her left hand and Ipsiya in her right, but now she had to fight with Namarra in her right and a strange sword in her left. She adjusted quickly, but it would still take a while to get used to.

"Wait a minute, where's Rose?" Laska spoke. "Did any of you see her? Did you get her on board before I got knocked out."

"It's been so confusing I have no idea what happened," Imoen said.

"Aye," Korgan snorted. "Before I be gettin' me beard wet, I nay be rememberin' any."

"THINK dammit," Laska pressed. "Where is she? Did our captors take her elsewhere? Did you hear or see anything?"

"I don't remember seeing her at all," Dynaheir muttered.

"Nope, sorry," Jan said. "Maybe she's still back at the ship?"

"She fell overboard!" Laska snapped. "I..."

Suddenly, a light entered the room as the ceiling parted. As soon as all the eyes in the room adjusted to the light, they saw two large green-skinned and finned creatures. They stood about 6 foot tall, had huge maws with sharp teeth and round bead like eyes.

"Ta'risslysa, ss'uri. Ssivilis y russyla!" the slightly shortest of the two spoke.

"Vass, ss'uri! Vass! Illuryssallya mer temas vur pasynar ssaraii!" the other one snapped.

"Shur'e," the shorter one responded and moved its hands in an arcane gesture. A rain of particled lights descended upon those in the room.

"I know of these creatures from the Underdark," Viconia spoke of, not wanting to keep her eyes of the creatures as if they would try something. "They are the Sahuagin. Shark-men. My home city did not have much contact with them, however, so I do not know their language."

"So can it understand me now, High Priestess?" the taller shark-man spoke. "It must be able to understand! The King awaits and you know how he is when he's kept waiting!"

"I heard you the first time, Feerlattiys," the priestess replied. "And, yes, I have called on Sekolah to grant these beings the ability to understand our tongue."

"You can understand me?" Laska spoke up and raised her voice. "What have you done with Rose?!"

"Ermm, Rose?" the warrior asked. "What's a Rose?"

"You know, a beautiful woman, one head shorter than me, lovely reddish hair, shorter ears than mine but pointed, luscious and inviting green eyes, smile that could melt the polar icecaps?" Laska tried.

"Och, allow me ta be barfin' in that corner over there." Korgan snorted.

"No, no," the captain said. "There were only eight we were supposed to get... This pink does not match any description of the priestess' vision..."

"But..."

"This one seems hostile," the captain spoke. " Shall we be forced to collar it?"

"For gods' sakes, Laska, be quiet!" Viconia hissed. "I do not want to submitted to these foul inferior beings."

"No! No collar! I will not be collared by the smelly fishmen who stink of wet laundry! My warrior spirit will not bear such a thing!" Minsc roared and took up his sword.

"Silence, fool!" Viconia hissed.

"My apologies," the priestess spoke in a much kinder voice. "Captain Feerlattiys performs well as protector of our Shark-Father's Temple, but has little experience with your kind. I am sure this must come as a shock to you, after your recent harrowing experience. You must brace yourselves, soft ones, for your journey gets no easier."

"Godsdammit, you rat-bastards!" Laska shouted. "Where is ROSE?!"

"High Priestess, we must take the surface beings before the King! He commands it!" the captain said.

"I'm not going anywhere until I see Rose!" Laska snarled. "And if you don't like it, you can go shag a scate!"

The high-priestess blinked as she regarded Laska with an icy stare ."Your bargaining position is highly dubious. Still, Sekolah has spoken of you to us, so let us treat you not as prisoners for the banquet table. Let us instead make you welcome. I know not of the one called 'Rose'. She was not part of my vision. I shall introduce myself to you. I am Senityili, Royal High Priestess of Sekolah. And you are in the City-of-Caverns, one of our most ancient places."

"Sekolah. I read of this 'god', once," Keldorn spoke, his voice full of distrust. "The Shark Father, ruthless and devoid of compassion. So are all of his race. We are tools, perhaps, and after that... a meal. I, for one, have no intention to end up as..."

"A steaming pile of shark-poop?" Jan offered.

"Something like that, but not quite as... colorful as that," Keldorn sighed.

"Indeed," the priestess spoke. "In the normal course of things, creatures captured from the sun lands would be dinner for our plate. This once, however, is different. Sekolah has told of your coming in an ancient prophecy, and I have scryed that you are whom the Shark-Father speaks of."

"Everywhere we go, it seems, this 'appens ta ye, Laska," Korgan chuckled. "Well, that be just fine. But if we be 'erded near one pot or kitchen, I'll start flingin' me axe, just so ye be warned."

"The most exalted King Ixilthetocal calls for the presence of the prophesized ones, now, but there is time for you to ask questions if you have the desire," the priestess offered.

"Yes, I got a question for you, you sheep-shagging, whale-ass licking fin-face!" Laska shouted.

"If it is about this 'Rose' again, we have no answer for you," the priestess replied.

"Oh, yeah? Well, bollocks to you, then!"

"What about that prophecy-thingy?" Jan asked. "Is there a turnip involved?"

"Ah, yes, the prophecy. Sekolah visited the City-of-Caverns long ago... all raised their arms in rejoicing as the Great Shark's song filled our hearts," the priestess spoke with fire in her eyes.

"Oh, brother." Keldorn sighed.

"Sekolah told of a time when the City-of-Caverns would be no more. He also told of signs that would precede the arrival of surface dwellers in the depths. Sekolah said these surface dwellers would be all that stood between the City-of-Caverns and destruction, and we would do well to watch for them. We... Sahuagin, as you call us... have watched and waited from our temples here in the City. The signs have come. I had a vision and felt you travel over the great waters above us. I ordered the captain to bring you here. Instead of a raid, I asked the captain to use the magical device we had conquered from..."

"The gnome ship Lollipop?" Jan broke in.

"How did you know?"

"Oh, just a hunch." Jan gulped.

"Anyway, this machine was good to open the vessel and make you pour out so we could capture you and bring you here. You see, this is the time of prophecy... Our king, our king has gone mad with age. It is our way that whenever a king is too weak to rule, he is disposed by a stronger. However, our king has gained a fanatical following and has managed to force every youth able to challenge him to leave the city in exile," the priestess spoke. "He is the result of... poor breeding. Like his father he has executed or exiled far too many of our kind. Our numbers are too few, our blood too thin. We must regain what we have lost by allowing the exiles to return."

"Oh, I get it," Imoen spoke up. "So they've been exiling all the strong Sahuagin outside of the city. Eventually everyone left inside will be weak. I don't see what we have to do with it, though."

"We have nothing to do with it, young Imoen," Keldorn interrupted. "What do we care about the fate of these creatures? They are all evil. I say let them perish from their own foolishness, if that is what fate decrees."

"Geez, Keldorn," Imoen added. "Why are you acting all Paladunce-like? This isn't like you."

"Your words do not sway me, Imoen. I am not misjudging these creatures. I know that better than anyone. And it is no less a fate than they would plan for us, were circumstances different. And that is all that I will say on the matter," Keldorn spoke harshly.

"With the Prince on the throne, we would be strong again... to fight the illithid and the drow. I have been in contact with the rebels and now is the time to strike!" the priestess spoke. "There is only one problem. The King knows of your arrival and wants to see you too. He believes, however, that you have come to save the city by destroying the rebels that threaten him. Please do not convince him that you are dangerous to him."

"Now, how would we do that?" Imoen smirked while looked at an increasingly angry Laska standing in the corner.

Soon enough, the Sahuagin let the now heavily armed party out of the small cell. Laska was the only one who stubbornly refused to wear her armor. After carefully putting the rest of the weapons and armor into her bag of holding, she and the others followed the large escort of shark-men through the great city. Despite the crude appearances of their captors, the city was an impressive sight. Underneath a huge crystal bubble, the city was comprised of several shell-shaped spires connected by numerous marble gangways. In the middle of the city, a huge set of jaws was ominously displayed in an upward position as if to scare off potential invaders from the sea.

The party was led before a gathering of Sahuagin on top of high plateau overlooking the city. There, near the throne, stood an exceptionally tall and lean shark-man, flanked by several muscular body-guards. The large and apparently very old creature slowly turned its head towards the party. The creature wheezed and coughed.

"We are here, most honorable Ixilthetocal, at your command," the priestess announced.

"And... and these...these are the strange creatures from the surface? These are the ones you... claim... the mighty Sekolah has promised us?" the king wheezed.

"Geez," Imoen whispered to Viconia. "This guy has been smoking too much pipeweed or something."

"Quiet," Viconia whispered back.

"They are, most honorable one," the priestess spoke with barely concealed contempt. "The leader amongst them, here, is what I believe they refer to as an elf."

"It seems most... most strange! They have no scales! Look how small and puny their teeth are! Do you think they could do a little dance for me?"

"Ermmm, yes... Maybe," the priestess sighed.

"Well, that's not very nice. You don't see us going on and on about the rather funky smell in this place, do you? Or the way your eyes seem to be bugged out, like someone just kicked you in the stomach? NooOOoo, I would never be so rude," Jan snickered.

"Well, then stranger," the king turned to Laska. The shark bowed down and breathed a whiff straight into Laska's face. The elf was undaunted, though. "What do you say? You will help us to rid us of these damned usurpers that threaten our royal might?"

Laska, in the meantime, was hardly swayed by the question. "Before I do anything of the kind, I demand that you and your people look for my... my mate. She is a female, and these fools did not bring her to this city but left her on sea," Laska spat, giving the priestess a very ugly look.

"What? You expect us to find you... a pink-airbreather after a day in the deep?" The king spoke. "That is, how do you say on the surface, a fat chance?"

Imoen, in the meantime, stood at the side-line and watched Laska's trembling hand on the hilt of one of her blades. "Umm, guys?" Imoen said. "I think we'd better stand back."

"I will not ask twice!" Laska screamed in the king's face. "Get all your foul-smelling, fungus fondling, anchor-humping dolphin shaggers out there to look for my Rose! NOW!"

"HAH!" the king chuckled. "If we go now, all they will bring back is a cold, half-eaten corpse. Hmmm, that sounds good. Perhaps I shall have them look for her so that I may feast on her delicious rotten flesh. Quite delectabaaaaaAAAHHHH!" the king shouted as he suddenly found that his arm now lay detached from his body on the floor. The king regarded the twitching limb for a moment as he felt blood trickle from a gaping wound. The shark-men gasped in horror and backed away from the raging elf, who still held a bloodied blade pointed at the king.

Immediately, the elf jumped into the air and slashed both blades forward, then outward in midair, tearing out the king's throat in less than a second. The king gurgled and slowly sank to his knees. With a single kick, Laska forced the king's head back, setting him up for decapitation with a short swipe.

The shark-men backed away in shock as the king's head rolled over the marble floor and towards the edge of the platform, only to fall into the depths below.

Quickly four bodyguards recovered from the shock, and charged the tattooed elf. Unfortunately for them, Laska saw them coming a mile away. Laska twirled her blades and sliced right into the mob of storming fish-men. One fish found himself flopping on the floor with just one leg, another found himself without a head. A third one was struggling to keep his entrails inside his sliced open abdomen... he failed. The forth fish was more or less unharmed, but fled from the elf in panic, accidentally falling over the edge to meet his screaming death in the depths below.

Laska ran up and onto the wall to propel herself into the air. She twisted her body into a back flip and flew right over the heads of the remaining guards. As soon as she landed, she slashed both blades outward again, cutting down the Sahuagin like they were trees.

"Okay," Imoen told the horrified priestess, "you might want to get everyone you know is good and on your side indoors and keep them there."

"Laska!" Viconia shouted at the enraged elf as she cut down yet another shark-man. "Calm down and..."

"She's beyond that!" Imoen said. "Come on, Laska's freakin'! I've only seen this happen once, but you don't want to come near her when she gets this way."

"We cannot simply leave her like this, facing these foul creatures alone!" Keldorn tried as he watched Laska jumped blades-first into another cropse of guards.

"She just cut down a dozen of them without breaking a sweat," Imoen shouted back. "She'll do fine without us, come on! Let's help Seny-whatshername get the other priests inside!"

About quarter of an hour later, Imoen, Viconia and Keldorn stepped out of the temple where most of the neutral Sahuagin were hidden. What they found was a slaughter. In the main square, where the jaws were located, lay bodies of the dead and dying. Most of the corpses were mutilated beyond recognition, others were merely killed with clean cuts. The moans of the near dead were drowning out the sounds of the decorative waterfall underneath the jaws.

"Let's split up," Keldorn suggested. "Let's see if we can find her."

Imoen gulped and nodded. All she had to do was to follow the trail of bodyparts.

The three went their separate ways and soon Imoen was confronted with the first clues... an arm, then a head... then a leg... then the first corpse... the second... the third. The trail led to a small cul-de-sac, and there Imoen found her sister. Laska stood with her back turned to Imoen over the corpse of a soldier, one that had apparently ran in terror, found himself in a dead-end and ended the victim of Laska's deadly swordcraft. Imoen was about to shout out that she had found her when Laska spoke.

"She's dead, Imoen," Laska said, the sadness being apparent in her voice. "My Rose is dead. My sweet Rose... One moment, we were cuddling in each others arms, the next..."

Imoen hugged Laska tightly from behind, pressing her face against her back and clasping her arms around her sister's waist. Imoen felt Laska clutch her hands and squeeze them tightly, then, Imoen felt her sister's body starting to spasm slightly. Hot tears fell on Imoen's hands.

"I loved her so much, Imoen," Laska choked. "Godsdammit, I loved her so much..."

Laska turned around in the embrace and huddled against Imoen, looking for every bit of comfort her sister could offer her. "I'm... I'm so sorry, Las," Imoen felt tears running over her cheeks too. "Rose was special."

"She was..." Laska cried. "Dammit, I should have told her to stay in Athkatla. I should have..."

"Don't ask yourself 'what if', Laska," Imoen replied. "It'll drive you insane."

"Let's... let's find a way out of here," Laska said, wiping the tears away after breaking the embrace. "Let's go before I burn the city to the ground."

"Kinda humid for that," Imoen said. "What are we going to do now?"

"What does it matter? My Rose is dead," Laska turned around, and Imoen started to get frightened by that cold hard look in her eyes.

"Nothing matters anymore..." Laska said with tears in her eyes as she turned around and walked away.