A torch thrown down illuminated the caverns below as the first of the party who had descended from the long climb down put his feet on the ground and held his sword up as if threatened by the darkness. Keldorn was ready to face the darkness in all its forms.

"Put that damn thing out, you fool!" Viconia hissed under her voice as she jumped down from the rope while being almost 15 feet in the air. Being the Drow she was, she landed gracefully and slammed her foot down on top of the burning flame. Immediately, the cavern bathed in pure darkness.

However, the ones still on the rope quite loudly protested against Viconia's move.

"Hey, Vic," Imoen said. "C'mon, we need to see the bottom here. We're not as good at seeing in the dark as you are!"

Viconia was the only one who was visible in the dark, even for the humans. Because of her powerful elven sight, her eyes seemed to glow red in the dark.

"OW!" sounded from Keldorn. "I banged me knee into a bleedin' rock!"

"Silence, fool!" Viconia hissed. "And stop clanging about! And that goes for Minsc and Korgan too! Be as quiet as possible! Sound carries for miles in these caves... And you don't know who or what might be listening in!"

Keldorn grumbled for a moment, but felt his way across the cavern back to the rope in the vain hope to help his friends. Unfortunately, he bumped into Korgan, who swore loudly, flailed and caused the two of them to crash backward into the rocky floor.

"QUIET!!!" Viconia shouted in anger, but then caught herself.

"Och!" Korgan roared back. "Who be dyin' an' made ye gorilla emperor of Toril?"

"Hey," Jan said. "Ogg retired centuries ago. What, have you been living in a cave?"

"Look," Viconia hissed. "This is MY terrain. I know the Underdark better than any of you. I've survived it for two-hundred years! Can any of you say the same?!"

"Yes," Laska said. "Let the elves lead you. Our superior eyesight will lead you to the appropriate slaughter."

"Cute," Dynaheir sighed as she surveyed her surroundings... or at least tried to.

Viconia rummaged in her pack and lit a magical torch which bathed the cavern in a dim violet light. "Here," the Drow spoke in a hushed voice. "This violet light won't attract the predators as much as the normal torches will," she told Imoen as soon as she let go of the rope. "Hold the torch and let me..."

"Let you do what?" Imoen asked as she held up the torch. The purple light was dim, but still produced enough to bathe the party in ample light. Imoen almost giggled when she saw the purple hue in the faces of her friends, but she caught herself. She didn't want to make Viconia mad by making a lot of noise.

Strangely enough, she noticed Viconia gently lay her hands on the rocky walls of the cavern. A few moments later, she pressed her cheek against the rock as well. "Hmm, the rock is warm and vibrating softly. We must be near a lava-river or a magma pool."

"How dost thou know?" Dynaheir asked.

"I know the language of the rocks," Viconia answered, "for lack of a better word. We live underground with rock all around us all our lives. I've been away for a long time, but despite my rustiness, I can still read the signs."

"Wow," Imoen said. "Pretty nifty."

"Yes," Laska smirked. "Do the rocks know where the nearest thing to kill is?"

"Laska, curb your newfound psychopathic urges for but a few moments and let me do my thing," Viconia said and closed her eyes. For a moment, the party gaped at her while Viconia continued pressing her body against the stone. "We are at a crossroads... a crossroads between three cities. There's, there's," Viconia grimaced. "Dammit, work with me here... Ah, yes... There's a large group of Drow in a cavern to the west, possibly hundreds. We can't go that way. There's... there's... Oh, sweet Tymora, we're in trouble," Viconia spoke silently and released the rock.

"What else is new?" Jan chuckled. "I bet there's just a convention of Griffins waiting for us in the next cavern... reminds me of the time my uncle Harriman stumbled across a sleeping Tarrasque after he fell down his own well! And, of course, seeing he always had lousy luck, the thing was just waking up."

"Let me guess," Dynaheir sighed. "It ate him."

"No, no, no," Jan grinned. "He just climbed on top of his head, took out a fishing pole he had stacked in his pocket earlier and tied a turnip to it. Tarrasques just LOVE turnips (come on, everybody knows that!!), so instead of chasing uncle Harri, he started to run after the turnip. So this giant monster just rises from the ground and starts running and running and running after the turnip while Harri held on for dear life. Apparently, the Tarrasque was tired of running when he finally stopped at the Kara-turan town of Tokiyoh, where he started stomping and trashing in frustration because he couldn't reach the turnip, all the while slamming and crashing into buildings, people and the like. And all the time, the frightened Kara-turans were shouting 'GOJIRA! GOJIRA!!'. Eventually, the Tarrasque got tired and went back to sleep... Sadly, the locals didn't much care for Harriman after that. Poor fellow... Sushi isn't always made of fish, you know? Hey? HEY," Jan looked around. "Where'd everybody go?!"

"Stories aside," Viconia dismissed Jan from the other side of the cavern, "we are near Ust Natha. It used to be an open society, but I don't know what might have changed since Ardulace Despana has become First Matron. When I was on the run, clear information was hard to come by. I was planning to go to Ust Natha in hopes of finding work or some means of existance after I left Menzoberranzon, but the rumors about Ardulace and her 'reforms' made me think twice."

"So, why are we in trouble?" Laska asked.

"The elf dares to ask?" Viconia smirked. "They'd kill you in a heartbeat, carve out your heart to present to Ardulace and cut off your head to display outside the temple. And I'll be your neighbor there because a Drow who has rejected Lolth has no right to live... not in Ardulace's Ust Natha, in any case."

Laska nodded and smirked. "At least it'll be a good fight to go out on! HAH!"

"Boo wants to know," Minsc asked, "why you are behaving so oddly lately?"

"You could say I saw the light," Laska said dryly.

"Aye," Korgan grinned. "Let us be carvin' our way through them Drows and let the bloody spider-bitch sort them out when they be gettin' ta 'er."

"Is there anywhere we can go, then?" Imoen asked.

"Hmm," Viconia said. "I never led a trademission here, but I do know something of the surroundings. If I remember correctly, there's a mind-flayer city south of Ust Natha, and a deep gnome settlement somewhere between Ust Natha and the caverns to the west."

"Ah, there you go!" Jan grinned. "Wherever you go, there are always gnomes present... Well, either gnomes or Kara-turan tourists with magical picture-taking boxes. I say we go to the gnome-city. They should be able to help us find a way back to the surface... plus, they might have some turnips there!"

"We still have to find the city," Laska said.

"Khittix," Viconia nodded and called the spider from the statue. Immediately, the happy spider appeared and saluted his mistress. Viconia nodded and Khittix started sniffing. A few moments later, the spider disappeared into the darkness.

"What's Khittix doing?" Imoen asked.

"Scouting ahead," Viconia said. "Don't worry. Khittix is intelligent and knows how to avoid trouble. Besides, even if he dies, he'll return safely to the statue. But I hope he doesn't die, of course. Come, let's follow him," she motioned to the others as she held up the torch. "Follow me... silently!"

The trek through the Underdark went slowly, very slowly, and they were headed towards uncertain and dangerous territory. The humans of the party were having the most difficult time, even with the added light of the violet torch, it neigh impossible to see more than a few foot ahead of them. The travels took place in utter silence, though a few words were exchanged in hushed whispers.

"Keldorn?" Dynaheir asked. "I have been wondering..."

"Ask your question," Keldorn replied while waving his sword against another harmless shadow. "I could use the distraction."

"I have been wondering," Dynaheir continued. "Why wert thou so fierce in thy hatred for the Sahaugin back in the city? Thou seemed to be quite content with slaughtering them all."

Keldorn looked away from Dynaheir and started speeding up his walking pace. "I do not wish to discuss that."

"Come on, Keldorn," Dynaheir said. "Thou didst say thou could use a distraction, and Tymora knows I could in this dark festering hell-hole."

"I said I didn't want to discuss it!" Keldorn said, being barely able to contain his anger. "Let us just focus on the task at hand, shall we?"

"As thou wishest," Dynaheir nodded and continued trailing behind Keldorn in silence.

Imoen was having the hardest time in the Underdark. The poor mage jittered like a scared squirrel at every noise or every shadow she passed. The caverns were narrow and damp... And ever so often, a scary noise in the distance would startle her. Not to mention the fact that Viconia's torch was creating ever scarier shadows on the wall. Looking around her, she noticed that everyone was on edge at least a little. Even Korgan twitched and grasped his axe whenever a strange sound from a nearby unidentified source.

"Ah, Boo," Minsc said, "But how can I kick butts that I can't see?! It's not right, I say! Not right!"

She giggled for a moment, but in in the end, Imoen wondered what scared her more : the Underdark, or that cold distant stare in Laska's eyes as her sister regarded the depths of darkness in front of her.

A sudden shriek next to her caused poor Imoen to jump and run towards Viconia. Immediately, the little mage snaked her arm around Viconia's and pressed into her Drow friend.

"Must you behave like such a child?" Viconia sighed. "That was only a bat, quite harmless."

"Yeah, right, but I have sweet blood, so that bat'll drain me dry! You have nothing to worry about with all that lemon juice streaming through your veins!"

"Lemon juice?!" Viconia protested. "I'll have you know that lemon juice can hardly accommodate the kind of passions have experienced in my lifetime."

"Yeah, I've heard you say you've lived for at least two hundred years. Wow, that's long... But then again, you elves don't notice that, do you? Wow, imagine that," Imoen said.

"Imoen," Viconia smiled in spite of herself. "You're babbling again."

"But, you know, two hundred years, wow. I wonder how much candy you can eat in two hundred years... Hmm, good thing you elves don't get fat, because all that candy can build up in two hundred years. Wow, two hundred years, but it's okay, I like older women..."

Viconia's head turned sharply at Imoen, and then away again. Imoen gulped a moment when she saw the Drow was somewhat flushed.

"Ummm," Imoen added, "did I say that out loud?"

"Hold!" Viconia suddenly hissed and told the party to stop in their tracks.

"Was it something I said?" Imoen pouted.

"Quickly!" Viconia snarled. "Into that cul-de-sac. Hurry!"

The party complied. Immediatly, Viconia instructed Dynaheir to cast her camouflage spell, which would shield the party with an illusion which kept sound out too. Still, Viconia instructed everyone to be as quiet as possible.

"OY!" Korgan roared despite of this warning. "What be going on?!"

The reason would announce itself soon. A purple violet light loomed from the cavern in the distance.

"That's... not our torch, is it?" Imoen said.

And sure enough, a group of dark elves stopped just next to the cul-de-sac. They were armed to the teeth and looked ready for a fight. They wore dark elven chain and ornate adamantine weapons. The symbol of Lolth was prominently displayed on their chest-plates.

"Standard patrol," Viconia whispered. "One female priestess, four male warriors."

"Why are they so on edge?" Laska asked. "They look just itching for a good fight."

"They know the language of rock too," Viconia said. "They know we're here, but they can't find us."

"Wow," Imoen whispered back. "The males are so... short."

"I am of average height for Drow females," Viconia said, and Imoen could see her friend was only a few inches taller than the priestess. "But the females are usually somewhat taller and stronger than the males. But do not underestimate their prowess in battle."

"I won't," Laska said, and against all protest from Viconia and her friends, stepped through the illusionary wall with both swords drawn.

"LASKA!" Viconia hissed and tried to catch her, but the Drow had already spotted her. The fully armored elf took a defensive posture while the startled Drow started shouting obscenities. Two grinning males broke off from the group and circled the elf with weapons drawn. Four serrated-edged swords were eagerly wielded, their target Laska's flesh.

"We have to help her!" Imoen said, but before she could jump outside of the illusion, Viconia grabbed her and roughly pulled her back.

"No," Viconia hissed. "They think Laska's the only enemy, but if they see all of us, we're done for!"

"Och!" Korgan chuckled. "Ye be underestimatin' us! We can take them down easily."

"Look at the priestess' neck!" Viconia said and pointed to the priestess who kept well back in the battle. "She can use that spider idol to call in reinforcements. Right now, they're arrogant and are eager to get the glory of presenting Laska's head to Ardulace. But if we reveal ourselves, we'll get half the army of Ust Natha down on our heads! No, I'm afraid Laska's on her own."

In the meantime, Laska was holding her own against the Drow soldiers. A flurry of six blades meeting, metal grinding and sparks flying. And Laska loved every moment of it. Seeing an opening, Laska took it with both hands. One of the males found Laska's boot connecting with his jaw. He was sent flying and crashed into the rock-wall. With a thud, the male lay prone on the ground but Laska was upon him. Letting out a cry of pure pleasure, she pressed her boot down upon his neck, crushing the delicate bones instantly. The second was startled by this turn of events, startled enough to suddenly find himself skewered on one of Laska's blades. The poor male gurgled one last time before sliding onto the ground only to end up in a pool of his own blood.

The other two males now saw their chance to shine and sped towards the eager elf. But Laska sidestepped one of them, and snaked her arm around the neck of the other one. The male struggled but could not escape. Laska dropped the blade and used her now free hand to push down on the back of the male's head. A sickening crunch resounded through the cavern and another dead male slipped to the ground. While the body slipped from her grasp, she flipped her blade back in her hand with her foot

The female was getting exceedingly nervous as Laska approached her. She was apparently weighing her options as she held her flail, but ultimately decided to hang her weapon from her belt and call for reinforcements. But before her hands could even reach the amulet, she suddenly felt warm blood running down her face... looking up, she could see the tail-feathers of an arrow which was now sticking in her forehead before everything slowly faded to black.

Laska turned around to see Imoen holding her bow. "Hey," Imoen smiled. "Gotta protect my big sis, ey?"

It only left one male standing. Unfortunately, he stepped a little too close to the illusionary wall. After being almost slashed in half by a powerful dwarven axe, the last words he would ever hear were 'OY! That'll bloody teach ye not ta stand on me foot!!'

"Well," Keldorn said when he saw the bodies. "It seems this party can't move five meters without bloodshed."

"We shouldn't worry about the bodies," Viconia said. "The scavengers will take care of them all. But take their equipment and insignia. We might need them later."

"Har!" Korgan praised as he walked to Laska. "That be a fine carnage, lass. Ye sure there ain't be a bit of dwarven blood in ye?"

Laska chuckled briefly... but for especially Imoen, the malicious undertones in that chuckle sent chills down the spine.