As soon as the dragon shifted to it's dragon form, the battle took a swing for the worse. Karesck, realizing that he was overwhelmed, tried vainly to melt back into the shadows and escape, but the enraged dragon would not allow that to happen.

The dragon had waited too long for this moment, and it had grown tired of playing with it's prospective meal. Rearing back its great head, it lunged for Karesck, meaning to end the drows' life right there. Karesck saw the huge teeth come bearing down on his head and made futile gestures with his swords to try to dissuade the dragon from making a meal out of him. This death match was suddenly halted when a burst of light came from the direction of the unconscious halfling, piercing the air and aiming straight for the head of the dragon. Roaring in confusion, the dragon tried to get away, but this cavern was too small for it to fully extend its' wings or to turn around in. The light hit the dragon right between the eyes and a voice boomed out menacingly as the dragon screamed in anguish.

"You have broken my control one too many times, this was your last warning." The voice said as the dragons' flesh began to smoke. The screaming was almost unbearable to the sharp ears of the drow, and they both had to shield their eyes from the intensity of the light. Finally, Karsh was able to look at where the voice was coming from. It was a grizzled human wizard that stood there, smiling grimly.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the light had completely surrounded the dragons' form and reduced it to a pile of ashes.

"Troublesome dragon." the wizard muttered to himself. "Shoulda taken care of that long ago." The wizard dusted off his hands and looked around, holding up a sphere which emitted a soft yellow light as he did so. He eventually eyed the unconscious halfling and the two drow.

"Two drow and a halfling, eh? " he spoke, standing there looking directly at Karsh, who stuttered and was unable to speak. Karesck, however, did not have that problem, as was seen by the adamantite dagger that suddenly headed right for the wizards' heart. Chuckling softly, the wizard waved his hand, deflecting the dagger to the side harmlessly.

"That was foolish. I now have the option of disposing of you both." he said, "Especially since I know that the only reason drow head for the surface is to make raids on innocent surface dwellers for fun and sport." he explained, now losing the smile and staring at them both coldly.

"What if we told you that we were not planning on raiding the surface folk?" Karesck said suddenly, thinking quickly of a way out of this situation. The wizard only shook his head.

"I cannot trust two male drow who are clearly holding this halfling hostage." he said, "No, I fear I will have to dispose of you both. Now which one of you is first?" he asked, saying an arcane word that caused a globe of blue fire to form in the air.

"What if we were to make you a deal that we would not harm anyone on the surface?" Karsh spoke up timidly, getting a glare from his brother. The young drow, however, did not wish to die by the hand of a wizard. No matter how he had been raised, he did not believe that he was beyond making a deal for his life. "We are simply trying to escape a tyrannous rule by our Matron." the wizard thought for a moment and then narrowed his eyes, looking directly at the small drow.

"You possess the violet eyes, do you not?" he asked thoughtfully, giving Karsh a scrutinizing glare. The drow nodded and swallowed hard. He had been punished many times for simply having eyes that were different from the other drow, and he assumed that this surface wizard would be no different.

"Yes, he is different from the rest of our kin, that is why we are trying to escape." Karesck added in quickly, catching on that he may get out of this yet. "My brother and I wish to go in peace and find other drow that wish to do so as well." he finished smoothly, earning a raised eyebrow from the wizard.

"I do not believe you, drow. I know your thoughts and have determined that you wish to start a society of drow where the males reign predominant over the females." he told Karesck, giving him a cold eye before turning back to Karsh. "But your brother here, his mind is undecided. On one hand, he wishes to join you in the reign over the female drow race, and on the other, he is an explorer and would like nothing more than to simply escape from the confines of this Underdark, no matter what deals he has to make." Karsh nodded slightly and shot a glance at Karesck. The older drows' eyes spoke volumes for how much punishment that the younger deserved for his blasphemy against his ruling ideas.

The wizard was silent for a long moment, rubbing the salt and pepper hair that grew from his chin in thought. Karsh remained silent, thinking over the wizards' words. He was adventurous, and it was true that he wished to escape the Underdark. From his brothers' stories and those of the other drow that spoke of the raids on the surface, there was much up there for a drow to explore. Sights that could not be seen in the Underdark. Such things as tales of the sunlight intrigued him and made him want to leave this eternal darkness for better things. Finally, the wizard stopped thinking and looked directly at Karsh.

"I will not dispose of you, but here is what I am going to do." he said, motioning for them both to make themselves comfortable while he spoke. Karesck glared at Karsh and silently stood beside his younger brother, angrily clutching his sword hilts as the wizard spoke.

******

The Quacksir leader stood before Matron Te'kari. Her daughter had already left the room in as much haste as possible when the illithid glided in with it's two companions. Matron Te'kari stood silently and allowed the illithid to invade her mind and seek out what it wanted.

*You have much to lose if these two renegades are not found* he spoke within her mind, a voice as loud as a stalagmite falling. The Matron nodded, trying to keep her composure under the crushing grip of the mind meld.

*If you wish us to help you in finding these two, you must sacrifice something most precious* he said, placing a mental picture of Tezza, her only daughter into her mind. Matron Te'kari screamed mentally and shook her head in denial.

Surely there is something else you can take she replied in anguish She is the only one I have left The illithid thought for a moment and then mentally gave her another picture. This was of a young drow female with violet eyes.

*She is also your daughter, is she not?* the illithid asked. She nodded, her eyes watering with pain. *We will accept her life as payment, it is not an issue which drow's soul we feed upon, so long as it is one of your blood in payment for those renegades.* Matron Te'kari nodded fervently and the contact was suddenly broken off, causing her to fall to her knees. The illithid nodded once, and left the room. The Matron shivered uncontrollably for a moment and then rose to call her daughter. It was time that she knew of her lost sister.

*****

The sylvan elves had taken the small drow child into their community, and finally the elder council met to decide what to do with her. Seeing as how she had calmed down, realizing that the elves meant no harm, the council heard Qualinos's pleas to let him keep her and raise her in a good fashion, perhaps to allow him to prove that not all drow were evil. Qualinos was an idealist and believed that drow were not always slated to be evil and wicked. The council grudgingly agreed, after one of their number, a priestess, agreed to teach the young drow in the ways of the forest, as a cleric.

The drow, Kirita, was given a small hut that was to be guarded day and night by archers and cooshee. The first night, Kirita sat in the darkness, pondering her fate. She did not fully understand their language, but she did realize that the sylvan elves meant her no harm. To this end, she could not figure out why, for they were supposed to be sworn enemies. With this thought, she fell asleep, questioning her hatred for the surface species.

*****
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