The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Vaelle Lurval: XXXVI

"Thank you." She stuttered, she gazed around the small cramped room, her body shrinking up while she tried to sit on a nearby chair the walls were.. Dirty covered in Warnstorf's Peat Moss, it was a lovely blood orange color that litterted the walls, but all the same it was unsettling to have it growing so close. The floors were stained with a red like substance and the stone tables fused into the ground looked about two hundred years old. Vaelle wondered how Holiver could have ever joined a place like this, much less Donna. After a few minutes the four figures sat down at her table eating similar meals. She kept her head down; she was always quite timid around new people, especially now outside her own element.

"Praise The Lord of Nessus." The new voice declared, he was bright and chirpy with an upbeat tone and odd black rimmed glasses, he had long dark hair which was braided into a ponytail behind him, with dark olive skin and green eyes. His face was shaped like that of a pinecone really long and somehow really fat at the same time his arms were lanky and by his side was a wrapped book and a dagger.

"Praise." The table replied, barring Vaelle she sat there staring at the new man like a fool before realizing what was going on.

"O-oh yeah praise Asmodeus." She nipped. The new figure sat up with a sharp breath.

Donna cleared her throat "Vaelle we.. don't traditionally.." the new figure held out a hand as if it were all ok. 'Have I done something wrong?' She felt like panic was creeping in her again. Oh gods she wanted to leave, why couldn't she just.. Go.. she glanced around the room wondering how many others were like her, in desire to leave the place. "It's alright.. Don't worry." Her friend's words were comforting and soothing. She took several deep breaths to calm herself.

"Vaelle is it?" The new figure inquired. "Arn Xalrondar." He extended a hand she wanted to giggle at his last name.. Xalrondar? As in Sal-ron-dur? It felt ridiculous. "You were part of the group who saved us from the vicious attack-." Donna moved in to stop him but it was too late. Vaelle felt her sense clamp up and she remembered the vicious fighting in the prayer room, the hurl of insults and blood that came from the adventurers.. The way they were cut down but the forces of the cult.. Faith. She'd never actually seen that much blood in her life. Everyone gets told that humans and other animals have lots of blood. But it wasn't until you saw it spraying on the walls or leaking onto the floor like a crest on the beach did it really click. She tried to answer but felt the words choke up in her throat.

"Yes she was." Donna quickly intervened. Vaelle wasn't sure why her friend was so insistent on saying she was part of the protection she hadn't done anything at all.

"Impressive.. Especially for someone not yet a member of our faith.." Arn exclaimed happily. "I believe you have a promising future Vaelle.. One filled with prospect and dutiful service to our.." She tuned him out, more people were in the room now, more humans, a few elvish and what she thought was a dwarf, her mind raced about. This.. faith was disturbing she questioned how on Toril she could have been friends with Donna for so long.. Dating Holiver for so long without ever noticing this kind of life.

"Vaelle? Vaelle?" She snapped back to consciousness realizing she was being talked to, Donna was snapping her fingers in encouragement to wake her friend up. She got a dose of full concerned green eyes. "Do you want to move?" she glanced around the room with the filling prospectors and nodded fiercely. Holiver and Donna stood up at once followed by Damien who seemed to pay Arn no attention at all as they filed out. Ignoring his calls as they left. "Sorry Arn can be a bit.. Much but he is a tremendously powerful mage great for the faith and all-"

"What is this?!" Vaelle felt tears swell up in her eyes as she turned the corner from the room wrapping about a hallway near the center prayer study her mind beginning to go into overdrive she recalled when her mother used to joke whether or not she would jump off a bridge if her friends did. Well where was she now! Her voice was shaky and she leaned against a pillar for support. "How.. I've known you two for years!" She smacked a hand against Donna feeling fear rise in her chest. "How on Toril did you keep this secret? Why?? Why are you a part of this-" She tried to breath but felt like her chest was seizing up. Donna met her with a sorry expression. For a moment nothing happened, but slowly for the first time, Vaelle caught a glimpse of anger on Donna's face.