They had lost track of wether it was day or night, as they awoke, but Adrian felt it was sometime around noon, though he could not be sure. Withe Davaeorn, Shadrach, and his nameless fool of an apprentice dead, the lair was again preternaturally silent.
They clambered into the lift. Yeslick worked it, pulling at the ropes, rolling them over the pulley, and slowly they went up.
They arrived again at the top level. It was silent up here too, no more groaning slaves. Rill and the hollow-eyed man must've led them out. No matter. They had retrieved the key from Davaeorn's corpse.
"We don't know how fast this water will flow..." said Adrian.
"Fast," Yeslick interrupted. "Believe me, I know." There was pain in the old Dwarf's eyes, and Kagain patted him on the shoulder.
"Right. So everyone save the opener will get up that ladder ahead of time. Do you want the honor, Yeslick?"
"Nay, I've had my vengeance."
"Faldorn?"
"Aye," she nodded, unclean teeth showing in her grin. "With pleasure, letting the elements refill--"
"Yes would do," said Adrian, irritably. He handed over the key. The rest of the party climbed up, as Faldorn sprinted down the corridor.
----
The old slave they'd talked to before was still there, Rill. "All the others are out," he said gleefully. "Do ye have it?"
Faldorn held it up, wordlessly.
"Good!"
"Go, old one," Faldorn said.
"I go, I go..." he scurried down the corridor, muttering the word "Free" and chuckling.
Taking a deep breath, Faldorn inserted the key in the middle of the plug. There was a Clunk, then a Gurgle. Faldorn took a deep breath, and turned the key.
A second later, the key shot out as water spurted through in a thick stream.
Faldorn turned and ran.
By the time she reached the ladder, it was up to her ankles. The old man was three rungs up, moving slowly and shakily.
"Move!" she slapped his rump, hard. He tried to go faster. Adrian's muscled arm reached down, his hand clamped the old man's shoulder, and hauled him up as Rill gasped in surprise.
The water was chasing Faldorn up the ladder as she scrambled. Up to her knees, her thighs....she was up.
They scrambled out of the entrance loft, down the ladder, knowing the water would follow them. Coran had old Rill slung over his shoulder.
They reached the bottom and kept running, Safana in the lead.
After a little wile, Viconia turned back and stared, red eyes wide. She spat a curse in Drow, mostly from amazement, as she watched the loft shudder and creak, finally smashed open by the water within, which spurted hi in a muddy fountain, well above the level of the trees.
Faldorn began a strange dance, speaking in an unnknown tounge, occassionally calling out to the "Oak Father" in Common.
Yeslick was bent over his knees, breathing hard, but there was a look of satisfaction in his eyes.
------
Shortly after, Faldorn and Yeslick departed, each going their separate ways.
Faldorn left first. "You have served nature...this time. But watch yourselves in future," she warned them.
Adrian grimaced, unimpressed. "Whatever."
Faldorn summoned her undead wolf, which snarled. "Watch yourselves, I said," she repeated. Clambering atop it as a mount, she rode it back into the forest.
"Idiot," spat Viconia.
"Good riddance," agreed Edwin.
"I liked her not," said Yeslick, "But I found her less troublesome than the rest of ye, save--and I can't beleve I'm saying this--that fool Elf,"
"Love you too, old-timer," Kagain retorted.
Yeslick said something in Dwarven that made Kagain grit his teeth, but he said nothing.
Adrian cleared his throat. "Didn't you say you were a Blacksmith by trade?"
Yeslick eyed him. "Aye, what of it?"
"I daresay the Amnian garrison of Nashkel could use one," Adrian pointed out.
Yeslick looked at Adrian, as if seeing him for the first time. "Aye...aye. I shall remember that, and thank ye." He reached out a hand, and Adrian shook it. "Ye be lackin in the morals department, but ye be a good leader."
Adrian smiled without humor, and nodded.
Yeslick turned and hobbled off eastwards, towards civilzation.
"He's headed for the Friendly Arm," said Kagain. "I suppose we're goin that way ourselves."
"Not yet," said Adrian. "Beregost first, for the bounty on those Wyvern heads."
Coran grinned.
"Ach, of course, how remiss of me," Kagain agreed. "Money is money."
Coran's grin faded.
-----
They reached the edge of the woods that night, and camped in the twilight.
Safana sat down by Adrian, but he did not respond to her presence.
"You appreciate honesty," she said.
"Aye."
"When we reach the city...I will have some tasks we can perform. Well, not really in the city, but my contacts are there. They will prove lucrative."
Adrian nodded. "So long as we don't stay away from the city overlong. I don't want the trail to get cold."
"I doubt the Throne is going anywhere."
He grunted. "I'm mostly worried about that golden eyed lieutenant."
"The killer of your father, yes."
Adrian curled up and said no more.
Safana stared at his back for a moment, tne curled up next to him, and he did not object.
One by one the party dropped off, save Viconia, who had the watch. The stars were reflected in her crimson eyes, and she still wondered at the glory of the Cosmos.
