The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Vaelle Lurval: XLVI

*Bshhaink*

The knife extended in her feeble right arm. Vaelle wearily opened her right eye hoping to see Holvier's brilliant smile, the one she had grown to love, the one that filled her day after hours of work, the same one that hopped about the next Yeek match. Instead Vaelle found judgement and criticism, his smile was gone.

"Ah!" Vaelle clutched her eyes shut and slashed the knife against her palm. "F-" She stuttered out a groan in pain, her hand exploding like a little hot iron had slammed into it. She had never experienced much pain in her life but right then slashing from edge to edge and drawing blood Vaelle felt like keeling over, tears formed in her vision. It felt horribly painful. She clenched the dagger harder than she expected Donna dropped her arm letting her wrist strike the stone altar with blood dripping in like a trickle of rain.

"Oh Lord Asmodeus.. Great king of the nine-hells." Holiver started chanting again. Donna opened her eyes glancing around with her lover and friend joining one another in prayer.

"Holiver.." She croaked, finally closing her fist and pulling it away, she tried to get his attention but he only continued to chant now switching to a deep wispy language. She stood still trembling with Damiens grasp around her. It took time, a long time, but eventually Donna and Holiver stopped their praying. Their cultish activities finally ceased. "I want.. I want to go.." Vaelle found her voice unable to work, random facts about flowers spun in her head like a cheap distraction to a very real problem.

"Good job Vaelle." She weakly looked up when Holiver tackled her, pulling her into a warm strong embrace. This was right.. This was how it was supposed to be. She thought feebly. "My Nessus you did so good.." She felt her tears stain Holiver's cloak, his fingers running through her hair warmly. Did.. did she do the right thing? 'We're ok.. We.. are ok.' She smiled a little, everything was alright in fact the wound.. It didn't even hurt that much! "I'm so proud of you.. Just two more.. And you will be a part of the faith. We can get married Vaelle." he said her name over and over again like a little prayer making butterflies dance in her stomach. It had been weeks since he had been this affectionate. Maybe.. Maybe it made sense? 'He just wants me to join his life, so if I keep doing it he'll be just like he always was.' She considered the possibility. She just had to do what he wanted.

"The priestess will be proud." Damien finally released her shoulders and he was smiling, as was Donna, everyone happy with her choice. Vaelle felt mixed, an odd turmoil of disgust, hope and glee filled her senses. "The first task is simple, a show of devotion for the true god, bleeding for his grace."

"R-right.." Vaelle stuttered, she wondered had they all done this? She never noticed any scars or marks on Holiver, speaking of which her boyfriend gently wrapped a dark black cloth around her hand while Donna took it in her own grasp.

"Myid zmuw aly hafr vyjud." Donna whispered in an awful alien tongue. "Your healing should be accelerated now. See Vae? It wasn't so bad."

Vaelle tried to weakly smile as if everything were alright, she. She had Donna, Holiver, and Damien all supporting her this.. Couldn't be that bad. "Y-yeah.. It wasn't.."

"Damien." her attention was pulled to the right, a young girl with dark skin and bright silvery eyes had approached them giving Vaelle no time to settle into her position. The woman had to be in her mid thirties, maybe older.

"Jeski." Damien spouted happily. "Apologies. I was simply helping the initiation of our new follower here." Vaelle weakly raised a hand saying hi while she clipped her knife back into her hair.

"I see.. Well, The priestess would like to see you, best not keep her waiting." Jeski smiled cruelly, one of those little smirks that you couldn't tell from hostility to flirting. The women turned stiffly, clicking heels against the grey stone floor, waving a hand for Damien to follow.

"Well? Care to join?" his dark eyes glittered happily nudging his head towards the followers direction. Vaelle weighed her options.

"Sure." Holiver chipped. Vaelle looked around suddenly realizing she didn't exactly have any options, instead her friends were already dead set on seeing the Priestess. She sighed thinking maybe that little ritual was all she would have to do that day. Apparently not. Vaelle followed along wrapping around the left corridor to a smaller room. Unlike the rest of the chambers the entrance to this one seemed far cleaner, no bits of blood, or dirt litterted around it, it was positioned right next to the stage only behind a corridor wall.

"Oh and Damien." Jeski spun around placing a hand on Damien's shoulder. "She uh.. Is in a mood."

*CREAAADKK*

Damien swung the door open.

"I told them. They would get the stone soon! What more do they need to hear?! AGH!" Vaelle leapt into Holiver's arms moving closer to him while they entered the alien environment. She saw rows of plants hanging from the ceiling, all of them mismanaged, on the walls were designs of swords and spears. Rows of weapons litterted the studio walls while a masked woman paced behind a large stone desk. Screaming at a rather small looking man in front of her.

"Brar." Holiver whispered pointing at the guy. Brar was a short human male who looked to be in his fifties, he had a sword strapped to his back and a large mace on his belt. He had a bald head that looked like a hardboiled egg. Vaelle winced feeling the cut on her hand act up in pain .

"Those Damned Cassalanter's.. They expect me to deliver it immediately!" The priestess Vaelle had grown to associate with calm and rational thinking was hurling knives and daggers around the room all the while her tall bodyguard stood in the corner silently. He was a large goliath of a giant dressed in fine clothing. "And now the Zhentarim want a piece.. They will fall in line!" She barked angrily.

"My.. Lady.." Damien cleared his throat drawing the priestess's attention. Her head snapped over.

"Damien. Good. we have an issue." The priestess strolled over in a frenzy. "The Cassalanters. They want it. The stone. They demand I deliver it to their crypt.." she said the word crypt like it brought her disdain, Vaelle glanced around the room wanting to look anywhere but at the currently upset woman.

"I.. see.." Damien sounded unsure, like his presence wasn't needed.

"The guard is all over the little thing. And now the Zhentarim are demanding the stone as well.. Urstul.. I was a fool to trust him. If the guard get their hands on our little pet.. The stone will be lost. I've paid off a great deal of them but annoyingly Jalester still insists on search parties."

Jeski stepped forward "My lady what would you have us do-"

"Did I ask you to speak Jeski? No." The priestess sat down on her desk crossing her arms. "Damien. You and your.. Friends here, saved us during an unprompted attack. I need the six of you to watch over my Nimblewright." nimblewright? What on Toril was a Nimblewright? Vaelle wondered if she didn't want to say much, feeling so claustrophobic in the room. Wait. Did she say six?

"Looks painful.." her ears perked up with Jeski holding out her hand, the scolded woman looking rather sheepish in the face of the priestess. "May I?" Vaelle pondered it for a moment before extending her grip. "Ouch.." she pulled Vaelle's bandaged back and began rubbing in a soothing salve into the wound. "Sorry.."

"I'm sick of it!" The priestess screamed, slamming a fist into Brar's stomach. "Those dirty Cassalanters thinking they can order me about.. If I were like those stupid Ever'reyins I could dispose of them! Just like that!" she waved her hand in the air like she was writing on paper. Who were the.. Ever.. oh it didn't matter, Vaelle finally decided. Behind her Arn cleared his throat.

"My lady can I help-"

"Shut up. Get out." She barked angrily.

"Get out Arn no one asked for you." Donna groaned. The pony tailed man frowned and hopped away. The priestess took deep breaths, her hands resting against her mask.

"Damien.. Can you do this?" The Lady's voice was stern but hesitant.

"Yes." Damien vowed. Vaelle cringed seriously? Now even though she was not part of the cult yet.. She was going to help with something like this? She glanced around the room, at Donna, and Holiver, at Jeski, Damien, and Brar. What was she getting herself into?