Chapter 8

Sacrifice: Chapter 8

We had picked up Aerie from the circus in Atkatla. She and most of the people in the circus tent had been taken prisioner by a illusionist gnome named Kalah, who had placed the entire tent under an illusion. We had gone in and killed Kalah, freeing the people trapped in the illusion, including Aerie. Her "uncle" Quayle had asked that we take her with us so she could learn to live on her own. She had complained and whined the entire journey to Nalia's home, and I almost regretted bringing her along. I soon changed my mind about that.

I watched in amazement as she conjured powerful fire spells and hurled them at the trolls in front of us. The trolls screamed in agony before they fell to the ground. Had it not been for Aerie's spells and Nalia's fire arrows, the trolls would have surely regenerated and we would have had to fight the battle for who knows how long.

"Good job, Aerie," I said.

"Oh..." she looked embarrassed, "thank you."

"We need to find my aunt's bedroom. There's a secret passageway to the cellar. Down there is probably where they are holding my father hostage," Nalia said.

"It is done," we heard a voice behind us say. I turned. Yoshimo had returned from going to open the drawbridge that had been pulled up by the trolls when they took over the keep.

"Thanks Yoshimo," I thought, extrememly grateful that I had a thief in my group, despite the face that everytime the word "thief" crossed my mind I remembered Imoen, and how much I missed her.

We walked along the corridor after defeating some more trolls and even a Yuan-ti, a freaky looking snake creature, and finally we came to a large bedroom. I saw a woman that Nalia did not really resemble, but she had the look and air of nobility, and I knew this had to be Nalia's aunt.

She muttered something about what a nightmare it was to have more "hooligans" (us) "tracking their filth" in the home.

"Auntie please! We're here to rescue you!" Nalia exclaimed.

"Nalia? Oh, dearie, what are you doing with these people? Have you been slumming again? Honestly dear, you are so much like your father. His stubborness resulted in his own kidnapping. I believe they took him down to the cellars." Nalia's aunt looked at me in disgust and said, "I...see your taste for companions still hasn't changed; Nalia I do wish you would come to your senses and stop associating with these mongrels."

"My lady, I can assure you we are not mongrels, however you are not safe here and I think it would be best for you to leave this place until we can get rid of the rest of these trolls," I said, trying extremely hard not to spit at her for being so ungrateful.

After Nalia's aunt finally left with her bodyguard, Nalia said nervously, "I appreciate the amount of restraint you showed, Auren. She's a good sort, but very set in her ways."

"Think nothing of it. I deal with people like her all the time," I said.

She smiled. "Come, we must rescue my father."