Moira let her eyes open to mere slits. Three drow stood around her, their ebon skin gleaming from the sheen of perspiration that covered them all in their nakedness. The male Drax’l stood at the foot of the altar. He seemed to sense her eyes upon him, because he smiled lewdly at that moment, and she felt his deep violet-red eyes settle disconcertingly upon her. Moira shifted slightly, looking away, and immediately regretted the action. Every joint and muscle screamed in protest. She was exhausted, having been taken again and again to the heights of passion and pleasure, and driven likewise to the very depths of pain and agony. Blood oozed from a myriad of whip marks, cuts, and lacerations. Her loins and breasts ached terribly and her head pounded from the many slaps and punches she had received at the hands of her Drow captors. She had not slept at all really, but was given only a few moments of respite as they had taken turns questioning and ravaging her, sometimes together, other times separately. But always was there one of them at least upon her.

The drowess she had come to know as Vaerlyr’ra smiled, reaching down to caress her cheek. Moira shrank fearfully from her touch, but at the same time, strangely desired to feel the gentleness she now knew that hand could offer.

“Dos have been very cooperative Moira…” Vaerlyr’ra’s voice was soft and smooth as silk, “Xas. Very cooperative indeed… dos deserve a reward for dossta efforts…”

“Y..yes.. mistress.. if you deem it so…” Moira said with an effort.

“Dos wish release from dossta pain xas?” The hand continued to gently explore her body, pleasure mingling with pain as the drowess’ fingers trailed over open wounds.

Moira nodded weakly, “Yes.. yes! Please mistress… release me…let me go home..!”

A cruel smile played over Vaerlyr’ra’s lips as she spoke, “Oh my dear Moira… release dos udos zhal, but home…. Perhaps naut… there is someone dos have yet to meet.” She then pulled the Dagger of Sacrifice from a niche in the altar, under and behind Moira’s head, and raised her arms and face to the image of Lolth on the ceiling. The other drowess Makhila joined her at that moment, and they both began to chant in a tongue strange to Moira’s ears. A feeling of dread swept over Moira as she only now realized that the release she sought was very different from the one she would receive. She began to scream and writhe, heedless of the pain, trying unsuccessfully to break her bonds and escape her fate.

The chanting rose and fell as the drowesses swayed erotically in time to the rhythmic verses. Drax’l knelt at the foot of the altar, watching in rapt attention to all that was taking place. Moira’s screams seemed not out of place, but instead provided a fitting counterpoint to the chant. The voices reached a crescendo and the dagger plunged down just below Moira’s left breast, the resulting piercing scream the final note in the dreadful symphony…

…The image of Lolth wavered and came alive. Long black arms reached from the ceiling and plucked the still-beating heart of the elfmaiden from the hands of Vaerlyr’ra and disappeared once again from whence they had come. The sacrifice had been accepted, and Lolth was pleased…

They had learned a great deal from the elf maiden. Legendary swords of power were loose once again upon the world. They knew who had them. They knew where to find the possessors, and they knew much more now of what the darthiir knew. In the Underdark, the tales of the two swords were not unknown to them. The one sword, a sentient black scimitar named Wrath, was to be both feared and desired, bringing to its wielder fabulous abilities in combat, but at a price that one must be willing to pay. The singing sword of Light, Nim’Alkar, was somewhat of a mystery. But it was also feared by the Drow, for it held the power to defeat Wrath, if in the proper hands.

There was in addition, a matter of the lich named Khellenduras linked to all of this, and the death of a Bladesinger named Q’wellen Althori at his hands. Of Mord’Sythe the maiden hadn’t much to say, but his presence had been seen in the Glade, and as they already knew, he was linked to the Drow Outcasts. That at least was something…

Their plans must be laid quickly…