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The Worlds Within Choose a chapter: Chapter 9 Hypatia stood frozen in the divine light that
enveloped her. She was awed
by what was happening. Few
indeed were those who could claim to have been visited.
In the brightness of the light she began to be able to make out two
shapes. At first they appeared as mere shadows, dark forms in the light.
But soon they became clear. To
her left suspended in the brilliance was a heavy ring and to her right a
divine sword. In her mind there was a formless question.
She translated this to mean that she was being given a choice.
Which path she would henceforth follow.
The sword was quite obviously a Holy Avenger, a weapon of truth and
justice. On its pommel were
set gems, a large ruby carved into the shape of a flame surrounded by
amethyst and sapphires representing the stars.
It was beautiful and Hypatia looked at it with a certain amount of
longing. But she knew in her heart that she would never be a
fighter worthy of wielding such a magnificent weapon.
So she turned her attention to the ring. It was a gold band and it too was set with precious gems.
The central flame shaped ruby surrounded by amethyst and sapphires.
It was the old symbol and she felt the weight of ages within it. Slowly Hypatia reached for the ring.
The moment she touched the ring the light faded and the feeling of
holiness seeped out of the air around her.
With reverent awe she examined the heavy jewel set golden band.
On the inside of the rings band she noticed the word S O N F I N A
engraved in an elegant script. Upon reading the word her mind was filled with
knowledge of the magic of the ring. It
gave the wearer a certain amount of spell resistance as well as improving
her chance to identify a spell being cast by another.
Her eyes flew wide though as the final and arguably most potent
magic of the ring made itself known to her.
It would allow the wearer to cast one Anyspell per day. Delighted she turned toward Valen. “Did you see it?” “See what, my lady?”
Valen’s expression betrayed his surprise at her question. With a joyful laugh she skipped over to him, took
both his hands in hers and danced around him.
The startled and somewhat bemused expression on his face made her
laugh again. Stopping she showed him the ring that now adorned her
hand. “Isn’t it amazing? It will allow me to cast any spell, be it divine or arcane
once per day. She gave it to
me. Just now, she…well not
herself, mind you. I’m not
important enough for that, but her presence, or a part of it appeared to
me just now as a bright light. In
it was this ring.” Hypatia stopped and cradled the hand that bore the
ring close to her bosom as if it were infinitely precious to her. “Mystra gave you that ring?” Valen was clearly surprised.
“I saw no bright light, my lady.” Hypatia winked at him, her joy undimmed by his
skepticism. “I did not have
anything so wondrous before. There
was this ring or a sword, a Holy Avenger set with the flame shaped ruby
and gems for stars. It is the
old symbol. My holy symbol is
the circle of stars, you have seen it before when I’ve used it.
See?” Hypatia
reached into her tunic and pulled the holy symbol out. “That is not exactly the same holy symbol I have
seen you with, my lady.” Valen’s
expression was startled and his voice was hushed. Distracted from admiring the ring, Hypatia looked at
her holy symbol and a shocked squeal escaped her lips. For, as Valen had noted, it was not a plain gold circle of
stars any longer. Now a flame
shaped ruby hung by magic within the circle of the gold stars. Further, the stars themselves had been altered, each one now
set with a single amethyst. Unable to contain her delight, Hypatia threw herself
at Valen and wrapping her arms around his neck, gave him a big hug.
Almost as soon as she touched him though, she became aware that he
had not yet had time to retrieve his pack and get dressed. She practically leapt away from him as a delicate
blush stained her cheeks. Looking
at him from beneath lowered eyelashes she saw that he had been quite
surprised by her actions. In
fact, he was just standing there staring at her.
“Um…forgive me, Valen. I
should remove those bandages and then get the rest of our things from the
bebilith cavern so that you can…um…get dressed.” She was somewhat surprised to see Valen blush at
those words. Distracted she
reached out and ran her fingertips along his collarbone.
“Is it normal for your skin to feel so warm?” At Valen’s shocked expression she continued.
“I feared you were feverish when you were injured and barely
conscious.” She allowed her
fingers to travel up his neck and along the planes of his face before
realizing that she’d allowed her curiosity to once again run away with
her. She snatched her hand
away, mortified by her action. Valen cleared his throat before finding his voice.
“Yes, my lady, this is normal for me.
I’m sure you find me…warm because I am a tiefling.” Though he was unhappy about it, she made him wait
while she cautiously went out to the bebilith cavern and collected the
rest of their things. Hypatia circled the obelisk once more while Valen put
his armor on. Then she got
her own armor and stepping behind an outcropping of rock that conveniently
hid her from his view, put it on.
Her braids were coming loose so she quickly took them down and
rebraided them. Looking at her new holy symbol and the remarkable ring she
sighed somewhat wistfully. “Is there something, my lady?” Valen asked. “I just wish,” the smile was evident in her
voice, “that Cimmera were here so that I could share this with her.” Valen frowned as Hypatia stepped out from behind the
outcropping still tucking her braids up into the pins that held them.
“You were barely able to keep yourself awake a very short time
ago, my lady. Do you need to
rest?” Hypatia smiled.
“I was exhausted, but now…since she visited me.
I feel wonderful.” Valen nodded, though he didn’t look quite
convinced. “We must eat before we break camp and continue
on.” Hypatia set about
making a breakfast for the two of them, humming a hymn of thanks giving as
she worked. “Might we speak?”
Valen asked as she handed him a steaming plate of food. “Certainly, Valen.
What would you like?” Hypatia
asked as she took a generous portion for herself and found a place to sit. Valen sighed and looked askance at her, a bit of
reluctance evident in his expression.
“I have been wrong about something. I owe you an apology.” Hypatia paused in her eating to look at him.
“An apology? Whatever for?” Valen pondered for a moment, seeming to go over what
he wanted to say in his head. “Ever
since the Seer foretold your coming, I have resented you. A little. I
think…I think it was more because I wanted to be the one who kept the
Seer safe.” Hypatia’s eyes got wide and a bit teary.
You dear man, no wonder you didn’t want to trust me. “I had been working so long to save the rebels.”
Valen continued. “ I did not want someone bursting in and taking all the
credit.” And who could blame you? Hypatia watched him with deep compassion. “So,” he went on, not glossing anything over,
“I convinced myself you could not be trusted, that perhaps the Seer’s
vision was wrong. And yet you
have proven yourself time and again.
I…am very sorry.” “Thank you, Valen.”
Hypatia spoke with a gentleness in her voice. “I appreciate your candor.” “I am glad.”
He smiled at her. Oh, do that more often.
Merciful heavens, but you are handsome. Hypatia found herself smiling in response. “It has been good to fight at your side so far on
this journey.” He paused
for a moment. “I begin to
believe that perhaps we really will win against the Valsharess.
I feel I must warn you, however…she may not even be our true
opponent. If she holds an
archdevil captive, he may indeed be far more powerful than she.” Hypatia frowned as she took another bite of her food.
“What do you know about him?” “Little.” Valen
also ate as he spoke. “My
old master, however, was a dread balor known as Grimash’t, one of the
most powerful of all tanar’ri. Yet
an archdevil such as the one the Valsharess holds would laugh at his
abilities. I say this because he may be the primary reason that
the Valsharess possesses the power she does.
If we could find out how she controls him, and perhaps break that
control…then we might have a chance.” Hypatia thought about Valen’s words while she
finished her meal. Once done
they packed up the little camp and began to wind their way out of the
caverns beneath the beholders tunnels. As they were walking Hypatia’s thoughts turned to
the man who traveled with her and her curiosity prompted her to speak.
“Valen?” “I am yours to command.” “Let’s talk while we travel.” “Talk?” He
seemed mildly taken aback and regarded her with curious interest.
“What do you wish to discuss?” “Would you tell me how you escaped,” Hypatia
paused and when she finally spoke the name it was with such loathing that
Valen gave her a surprised look, “Grimash’t?” “It was…not easy,” he began. “After so many months of torture I was hardly in the shape
to battle anyone.” Hypatia frowned, simultaneously aching for him and
wondering what had happened to set him free.
Before she could voice a question he spoke again. “Grimash’t held me in one of his towers on a more
remote Abyssal plane. He kept
many of his…valuables there. Things
he wanted to visit and marvel over from time to time.
I was but one possession on display.” Oh, Valen. How
terrible that must have been for you.
Hypatia found that the more he told her of his past, the deeper her
empathy for him ran. For all
she still could not see more than a ghostly reddish haze around him
when she looked at him. Valen seemed quite unaware of her reactions to his
tale. “I suppose I should
be thankful that he put me in such a place.
It made a very inviting target for attack…which it eventually
was.” Yet again the goodness of your heart shows itself.
A lesser man would be consumed with anger, yet you find reason to
be thankful. “The tower
was attacked?” Hypatia asked. “Wouldn’t
that put you more in danger?” “If it had been attacked by baatezu, perhaps.”
Valen answered. “This was
an outlaw force of Tanar’ri, led by another balor, however.
They wanted nothing to do with me.
No they came for other, more material, valuables.
They drew off the guards and tore the building asunder.
This opened my cage allowing me to escape.” “So it was by luck that you found your freedom?”
Hypatia had stopped walking and turned to face him, she was so
captivated by his tale. Valen smirked gently.
“At first. I still
had to carve a path for myself out of the Abyss.
Grimash’t was not about to let me go easily once he found out.” “Did he come after you?” “Did I not already say that he did?
Yes, of course, many times. I
was no longer the young child that he could scoop up and capture, however.
Each of his minions I dealt death to…and when the day came for
Grimash’t to come to me personally, it was his turn to perish. A glorious day indeed.” Hypatia studied the ground at her feet for a few
moments. “I am sure he
deserved it.” She looked
back up into Valen’s eyes in time to catch a brief flicker of
astonishment caused by her statement.
With a shrug she asked her next question.
“But how could you defeat a demon you yourself said was so
powerful?” Valen gave her a quizzical look before answering her.
“A balor can be defeated like any other demon…or archdevil for
that matter. If you possess a
weapon that is enchanted well enough, you can strike through their
defenses. Just strike
hard.” “How did you get out of the abyss then?”
Hypatia’s curiosity drove her on. “There are ways out of any plane, if you know where
to look.” He stated. “Some portals are natural, some placed long ago
and forgotten, some new…I was determined to find one and I did. A marilith who was something of a competitor for
Grimash’t agreed to allow me to use her portal to Sigil in exchange,”
here Valen stopped short and blushed, “…err…in exchange for a
favor.” Hypatia frowned in confusion, “a favor?
What kind of favor?” Valen’s blush increased and he looked away.
“I’d really rather not say.” Hypatia’s eyes flew wide and an answering blush
crept up her face. “And
so,” she changed the subject a bit, “you went straight to the Seer?” “Not initially.”
Valen indicated that they should continue on as they talked.
“I had to find a way from Sigil to this world, first…and then I
had to find the Seer. No easy
task when you don’t know your way around.
It took me years.” “And you never gave up,” it was a statement not a
question. “Do you have any
idea how remarkable you are?” Valen’s eyes widened in surprise and a slight blush
crept up his neck. “You
make too much of nothing, my lady. Although
it took me many months of searching, I found the Seer at last. And it was as if she had expected me all along.” His eyes grew calm as he stared off into space.
“She coaxed my humanity out of me.
I will always have her to thank for that.” “Don’t you find the demonic part of you
useful?” The question was
out before she could stop it and it was only by force of will that she
didn’t clap her hands over her mouth in a belated attempt to stop it. Valen frowned thoughtfully.
“I fear too often that my humanity will be swallowed up again and
I will become as I was in the Abyss.
That is a cold and lonely place, my lady.
I wish to be a good man. And
I want to die that way.” Unable to stop herself, Hypatia reached out and ran
her fingertips over his cheek and up the edge of his pointed ear.
“I think you are a good man, Valen.” Valen closed his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them they brimmed with emotion.
Slowly he nodded his thanks. “You
are too kind, my lady. I do
not think I am a good man, but I strive to be.
Maybe one day I will be worthy----“
He stopped himself short blushing slightly and avoided her gaze. “Forgive me my boldness, my lady.” He said quietly thus ending their conversation. They traveled through the beholder tunnels, now empty
save for the newly liberated kobold slaves, in silence. As they approached the bridge that led back into the
wilds of the Underdark and Lith My’athar, Valen broke the silence.
“Might we speak?” “Certainly, Valen.
What would you like?” Hypatia
smiled softly. “I have answered many questions about myself, my
lady. Might I ask you a few
questions?” Hypatia looked at him, a pleasantly surprised smile
on her face. “Certainly,
Valen. I would be happy to
answer your questions.” Her response seemed to throw him off balance a bit.
“Have you ever been in love, my lady?” Hypatia’s expression went from open to closed in
the space of seconds and when she answered it was in a slightly wistful,
somewhat hurt voice. “No,
Valen, I have never been in love.” Valen stopped and stared hard at her.
“How is that possible?” Hypatia laughed softly.
“Thank you for that. But
you have never met my sister. She
is…so beautiful. I have
never met the man who had a thought for me once he’d seen her.”
Hypatia shook her head sadly.
“She has no idea, you must realize.
And over the years I’ve come to accept this.” Valen opened his mouth, but apparently could think of
nothing to say. So they
continued on as quickly as they could. They returned to Lith My’athar to report the defeat
of the Eye Tyrant and the Beholders to the Seer.
After a brief nights rest they left again, anxious to deprive the
Valsharess of more of her allies before she rallied her troops against the
rebel drow. As they left Lith My’athar Hypatia felt drawn to a cavern to the west of the beholder tunnels. Outside the cave opening a sign read Drearing’s Deep. |
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