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#1 Weyoun

Posted 03 November 2002 - 09:21 AM

Writer's comment : Ah, this is a dark tale. At the time I was still probing to find the genre I figure I'd fit in the most. This story is a lot more serious than my later work, but I am quite satisfied about this one. It's a bit of a cliché, though, but I hope you like it.

 
Mindshadow
by Weyoun

She was surrounded by a dark fog. Though she couldn't see, she recognized the smells, the sounds and the screams. She was in Menzoberranzan. Viconia was home. The fog slowly disapated, and even though she still couldn't see to well in the dark, she recognized her surroundings. She was in her old room, inside the DeVir compound. At first she was paralyzed with fear, until she realized she knew this place was destroyed long ago. Another dream...It had to be yet another dream. She walked onto the small balcony looking over the city. She loved the view of the cavern the balcony offered her. When she was younger she would spent most of her little free time here, simply staring at the splendors of Drow architecture. She always marveled at the sight of Narbondel, Menzoberranzan's timekeeper.

"Well, It's about time you got here."

The voice behind her was one she hadn't heared for long, yet ached for every day. She was almost afraid to face him and hesitantly turned around.

"V..Valas?" She was stunned. Other than in his Drider form, he had never appeared to her as he was before.

"The one and only."

She was overcome with joy, but as she approached him, she sensed something odd about him. This was not the Valas she knew and cared for. The air around him was filled with a quiet malevolence.

"Well, dear sister, I'd say I'm happy to see you again, but if I did, it would be a lie."

She knew Valas' sarcasm well, but Valas wasn't joking this time. He meant every word he said.

"Valas, why are..."

"Seems someone has been a naughty girl. Put some clothes on, lest you drive the poor males of house DeVir mad with desire."

She hadn't noticed she was still naked. She looked around for something to wear, when Valas handed her some filthy pieces of cloth. "Here. These rags are good enough for the likes of you."

She was overcome with both anger and fear. She snarled as she put on the rags. "Alright. Just what are you up to, male?"

"Oh, NO. Don't YOU DARE use that female supriority crap with ME ! One such as you does not deserve answers." Valas sighed "And to think I gave my life to save you... Such a fool I have been. You don't deserve life. Look at you, such a pitiful mewing weakling. Perhaps giving you to Lolth would have been move merciful."

Valas' words had hurt her profoundly. For a moment she couldn't speak at all. "Still can't see to well in the dark can you? Need a light?"

The room instantly brightened and for the first time she was able to take a good look at what the thought was her brother. This wasn't Valas. Valas never sneered. Valas never had hate in his eyes. This...thing posing as her dear brother was a thing of pure hatred. Hatred for her. Viconia faced the Valas-thing defiantly. "YOU ARE NOT MY BROTHER!"

"Really? Well, it certainly took you long enough to figure it out, genius."

"WHO ARE YOU?"

"Oh calm down. You're not impressing anyone, least of all me." The Valas-thing leered dangerously at her. "I know who I am. Why don't you tell me who you are. A question more to the point I think." The Valas-thing noticed her confusion and sighed again. "You're really not that bright are you? Oh, have I made you angry? Well, it's about time. Might the fangless spider have some bite left after all?".

The Valas-thing suddenly grabbed her neck with incredible speed and lifted her off the ground. She tried to struggle, but he was too strong for her. "YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO I AM! Well, I'm going to tell you. I am YOU, or a least part of you. I am your lust, your greed, your hate, your viciousness. I am everything what can give you strength. How ironic that I appear as the one that is the very core of your weakness!" He roughly threw her on the floor and walked to the door. "Well. As to why I am here...No...That can wait. Come on. Collect yourself. We have a short trip to make."

She rubbed her sore neck and slowly got on her feet. She defianty turned to face her tormentor.
"I'm NOT going anywhere with YOU, MALE."

The Valas-thing sighed once again. "It's not like you have a choice. You are coming with me, even if I have to drag you by your hair. Now get going."

Desperately wanting to wake up from this nightmare, she realized she really didn't have a choice and followed the Valas-Thing into the corridors of the DeVir compound. The long, winding tunnels seemed a lot colder than they used to be. The Valas-Thing suddenly stopped and pointed towards a corridor leading to the private room of her eldest sister Devora. Suddenly two young children, a boy and a girl belted giggling from the corridor, closely followed suit by a raging Devora, completely covered with fresh Rothe-dung. This was her fondest childhood memory, and she smiled in spite of her predicament. It had taken Devora months to get the smell out of her hair. The pain of their punishment was almost worth it. The Valas-thing turned to her. "Tsk tsk, pulling such a prank on your own sister. Bucket above the door, oldest trick in the book. Too bad you got caught."

The Valas-Thing walked on. They entered a large room. It was one of the chambers of Arach-Tilith. A small girl held a knife as large as her arm, hovering above a begging human. The girl wavered, looking back and forth between the matrons and her victim. Eventually the girl caved and plunged the knife into the man's chest. "How old are you here? Ten? Twelve? Even as young as this, any female child wouldn't have hesitated. The relationship with your brother had already poisoned your mind. Yet in the future, you would become less receptive your victim's pleas." A slightly younger version of herself entered the chamber in full ceremonial robes. "Ah, your graduation ceremony. A victory of sorts. You've already killed two husbands, yet your love for your brother remained." He sneered. She looked upon her younger self as a priestess of Lolth and couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

She suddenly found herself on the decks of a ship. This was the undersea of Latarak! How she had missed it! She gazed awestruck upon the stretch of water, until the Valas-thing grabbed her shoulders and twisted her around. "HEY, wake up you ! We're here on business, not to stare at the sea." The Valas-thing lounged on the rail. "Well, the view didn't stop you from killing the first of your rival sisters. Poor Devora..." He mocked. "Decks can be so slippery. Watch your step, or you might end up as fish chow." He chuckled. "Well, at least she'll never complain about the smell of Rothe-dung again. But rivalry isn't really why you killed her, is it. Don't deny it. You killed her because she almost tortured Valas to death. In yet another spell of pathetic WEAKNESS, you nursed him back to health in secret." The Valas-thing spat out the words as if it pained him to speak of it.

"But this was the real turning point." She saw herself standing over the altar in the DeVir chapel, holding a knife over the baby. Her other self hesitated and her younger sister Dipree pushed her aside and sacrificed the child instead. "This is where your weakness cost you everything." Suddenly, she saw herself laying on the altar, matron Ginafae getting ready for the sacrifice. She felt herself choking up. 'Please, please let me wake up.' Suddenly. Valas stormed into the room. 'Please, please don't do this to me.' The real Valas shouted into the room. "Matron, the soldiers of House Do'Urden have entered the compound." The soldiers of the tenth house had indeed broken through the DeVir lines and Ginafae was desperately trying to regain Lolth's favor. Valas made use of the Matron's distraction to free her other self from the slab. Valas then wrestled the sacrificial knife from the matron and punched it deeply into her own heart. Valas smiled at her other self and embraced her.

She couldn't stand it any longer. She felt the tears run down her cheeks. "No...no...not again, please not again." She whispered and looked in sad horror as the real Valas suddenly contorted in pain, and slowly became a drider. The mist engulved her again, and suddenly she was back in her old room again, quietly sobbing on the floor.

"Look at you. You are nothing. Nothing but a weak mewing child crying for her lost brother. Is...Aaah, that was why were so happy to see me at first! You wanted to say how sorry you are, how much you wanted me to live, maybe even to say a last goodbye, I venture?" She faced the Valas-thing again, filled with murderous rage. "Now, now. I can show you something that might make you feel a little better. Something that should have been."

She found herself in a richly-adorned throne room. Upon an obsidian throne, sat an older version of herself. Her older self was a regal Drow, almost ninehundred years of age. "May I introduce to you, Matron Viconia DeVir."

She tried to dry her tears, to appear a least a bit defiant. "M..matron...?" She had never considered to live long enough to become Matron."

The Valas-thing laughed. "Better yet, FIRST matron mother of Menzoberranzan. This is you without your weaknesses. For hundreds of years, you've crushed all that dared to defy your power. In this life, there never was a Valas to stray you from your true path. You've never let foolish weaknesses guide your judgment. This was to be your destiny. First Matron Viconia DeVir...Look upon her works and despair."

She looked upon her older self, and wondered. She remembered her own loneliness, even when she had Valas as a companion...as a friend. Her older self, for all her power, seemed so empty, her loneliness must be overpowering. She mouthed her love Karis' words he had spoken earlier that night. "Such an empty, lonely life".

The Valas-thing let out a cry of pure rage. He grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her across the throne room. "Do you still not understand, FOOL. I am only here because YOU want ME to be here. You are not sure how to come to terms with the recent changes in your life and YOU have summoned me to knock some sense into you! Just look at yourself for a moment. Look at the Matron on the throne and then at yourself again. She is a true Drow. You, on the other hand, are an insult to the everything that is Drow. You don't know a thing about Drow nature. All love is foolish...In trust lies death. You said those things, but do you really believe in them?"

The Valas-thing changed the room again. Suddenly, she was clothed in black and red robes of Lolth's Clergy. A two-headed tentacle-rod was bound on her hip. "It's not too late, you know. I can give you all strength you desire. Never again shall a darthiir dare to fire an arrow at you. Never again shall the rivven attack you. I'll show you the way to power and strength. You will dominate the lesser races. They will lay gold and riches at your feet. Your will shall move mountains. You shall be a living GODDESS!"

Viconia was both intrigued and frightened by the Valas-thing's mad offer. She knew he was after something. She didn't believe in free hand-outs. She decided to play along for now and took the sacrifical knife from the slab. The Valas-thing looked pleased. "Well, let's get started. In order to begin life anew, you must first do away with all the distractions your old life. Let us focus on some of the people closest to you." The Valas-thing smiled to himself. "Let us begin easy, with someone you hate."

The frightened form of the gnome Jan Jansen appeared on the slab. The gnome was apparently at a loss for words, when faced with certain death. Viconia rose the knife with determination, but after a few moments, which must have been the longest in Jan's life, the lowered the knife again to set it down harmlesly on the altar. The Valas-Thing wasn't surprised. "So, it was harder than you thought, eh ? Why is that. Could it be that you actually like this buffoon. That you enjoy the verbal sparring with him? Look forward to it? Whether you know it or not?!" He sighed. "Well, better luck with the next one."

Minsc appeared on the slab a moment later. He didn't utter a word, ready for death, befitting a warrior of Rashemen. Viconia once again wavered and dropped the knife. "He has never harmed or judged me like all the other rivven. He's an addled fool, but I don't want him dead. We shared to many adventures and...good times together." She spoke softly, yet determined. "At least kill the Hamster?" The Valas-Thing tried. "Oh, well. NEXT"

"Let's try someone, who has travelled with you for a shorter time then. One you claim to despize." The hunched form of Nalia d'Arnese appeared on the slab, though not as stoically as Minsc. Nalia's tears flowed richly. She pleaded for her life. Once again Viconia put the knife back on the slab. "Oh, no! Not even this one?" Viconia whispered a reply "She has never harmed me." The Valas-Thing fumed. "She is no more than a bug to be crushed under your foot and this is your excuse to spare her!"

Imoen appeared on the slab next, and Viconia once again, didn't perform the sacrifice. "Well. I'm not impressed. Why didn't you kill this one...wait let me guess." He snickered. "HAH! You actually envy this girl's ability to find joy in everything. How amusing. No matter. All this was just optional. The true test begins now."

Karis appeared on the slab this time. "Consider this half-elf. He seems to have stolen your heart. He is the one who saved your worthless life three times. Too bad about that last time. I think you looked rather cute with fangs." The Valas-thing circled the slab. "You...You" He spat out the words "...actually 'LOVE' him. Is there no depth to which you will sink?" He stared in her face. "This is the demon you must slay for you to gain power. This is the one who holds the most influence over you. He HAS to be REMOVED." For the first time, the Valas-thing seemed desperate.

Viconia hands around the knife had started to shake. Karis lay there calm as ever. He smiled at her and whispered softly. "Do what you have to do, Viconia."

"I know what I have to do."

"YES," The Valas-thing shrieked, "STRIKE, KILL HIM NOW"

Viconia plunged the knife down, but turned the knife in mid-air. She took the Valas-thing completely by surpise and plunged the knife deeply into the his heart. Surprised, the Valas-thing, fell to the floor gasping for air. She had him.

"You see, you who wear the face of my dear brother, I've come to realize some things." She walked over to the Valas-thing and kicked him in the chest. "I haven't brought you here, you brought me here. But now I'm in control. You are only the part, while I am the whole. All this time you made me think I was worthless, while in fact you are." She knelt down and grabbed the Valas-thing's face. "You are afraid. I know I've been changing ever since I left the underdark, and so do you. You are my viciousness...my absolute darkness. And you are afraid that I'm not going need you anymore. For the first time in my life, my other feelings are starting to develop...starting to matter. For the first time I'm allowing myself to feel more and those feelings are pushing you out of the way." She pushed the Valas-thing away. Viconia, in the meantime, was flanked by her companions.

Jan, her Sense of Humor.
Minsc, her Courage.
Nalia, her Sadness.
Imoen, her Joy.
Karis, her Tenderness

They all stood by Viconia, giving her strength.

"I am Drow. I know I have a black soul. I know I am greedy and selfish. But you seek to strip from me everything that makes my excistance bearable. My brother, my worship of Shar, my...companions, my....love for Karis. I don't seek to change my ways, but I want my life to be worth living."

"You cannot live without me!! A house without a foundation cannot stand for long!" the Valas-thing screamed.

"Maybe not. But if there's one thing I've learned from Karis' struggles, it's that everybody has a dark side. I'll master you again, as I always have. I may be weak in your eyes, but I'm strong enough to dominate you. It is I who shall use YOU, not the other way around." She chuckled a final retort. "Look at you, how pitiful you are. Our roles are quite reversed. Cower on the floor, LOWLY MALE, and never again insult my dear brother by assuming his form!"

"Fool...."The Valas-thing tried to croak a final insult but it was filled with a cold fear.

It was over.

She had won.

---

Viconia woke with a start, drenched in cold sweat. It was morning. She was in Suldenessellar again. Her sudden movements woke Karis. "Hey," He murmered tiredly. "Bad dream?"

Viconia jumped out of bed and grabbed her clothes. "Karis, can we just leave this damnable city?" She looked at him with pleading eyes. It always won him over. He put on his clothes, collected their gear and accompanied her downstairs.

Imoen, always the early bird, was quietly eating a scone when she noticed the pair comming down the stairs. "Hey, you two. Enjoyed your 'quiet' time together?" She mused merrily with a sly wink. Then she noticed the determination on Viconia's face.

"Little brother, what's going on?"

"Imoen, please wake the others. We're leaving."

---

Two hours later the group was walking along a ridge overlooking the Tethyrian forest. Minsc and Nalia were chattering about birds, Imoen was happily humming a song, while Jan was telling a tale which fell on deaf ears. Karis and Viconia walked along the forest path side by side.

"Copper for your thoughts?" Karis asked his love.

"Hm? Nothing, just thinking to myself."
'Wonderful, now I've become a daydreamer myself.' she mused

"So...must have been some nightmare."

"It was just a dream Karis, nothing more." She stopped Karis for a moment.

"Karis. I...I want you to know, that I..love you."

"Are you feeling alright?" He smirked.

"I tell you I love you and you ask me if I'm ill?" She asked with mock indignity.

"I'm sorry. It's just that you normally only express such feelings in private."

"Hm. Well, then it seems that you have poisoned my mind with your vile surface ways."

"Do I detect a tone of irony in your voice?"

"Could be."

He smiled. "Anyway, how do you feel about a good old dungeon rump. One of the Elves told me about something called the 'Watcher's Keep' near here. Adventure and danger looms at the horizon." She noticed there was a familiar glint in his eyes.

"Why not. But let us just stay here for a while. The view on this ridge is wonderful. Adventure can wait for a while." She smiled and sat down on a large stone near the edge of the ridge.

"Hey you two." Imoen had skipped over. "Are we gonna stay here for a while? Gosh this place is beautiful. Is there something to eat?"
'Shar, do I really envy her!? Her of all people?', Viconia thought wryly.

"Minsc has all the food, sis. Go on ahead, we'll join you later."

Karis sat down beside her and put his arm around her. "I love you too, Viconia."

 




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