Silver had expected the trip to Moria would be a waste of time. Ever since Yarassi had mentioned the group that sought to reclaim the place, she had felt less than enthused about it. Dwarves, whilst they could be quite welcoming, were hardly known for their love of sharing or their willingness to part with artifacts that they believed were rightfully theirs. He had, however, sought to keep her spirits up about it and, for her part, she had seen no harm in at least checking it out. After all, if they were only few in number then she could find a way to get what she wanted without too much issue and if not then no harm done.
She had expected it to be a waste of time. She had not expected it to end so badly.
They had made it to the large rock doors without incident, but no further than that. A quick chat with the lone guard revealed that there were rather more dwarves rattling around in the caverns now than Yarassi had estimated. The three shared an amicable chat, a drink or two and general news before the rogue scholar and the treasure hunter had turned back the way they came.
"Are you sure?" he had asked once they were out of earshot. "We could still try."
"It's pointless, darling," she dismissed the notion in her usual nonchalant fashion. "The little buggers would let us in and perhaps even reward any help we gave. But they'd not let us leave with anything we found."
He nodded, pressing on without further comment. Silver suspected some unspoken relief from him. He had been supportive of her notion to seek riches within the ancient mines, even going so far as to promise that he would remain by her side until the sun once again touched her skin, but he had never once sounded particularly happy with the course she had set. She found herself wondering for the umpteenth time why he had decided to travel with her. He had no love for the places she went, or even for her purpose in going there. Certainly, the road could get lonely and she knew herself to be physically attractive, but no one would put themselves through such a high degree of discomfort just to ensure another night alongside a warm and willing body, surely?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the inability to pick up her left foot. She looked down to find her boot sunk ankle-deep in thick black mud. With a curse for soggy lake banks everywhere, she pulled again but to no avail. Yarassi, who had stopped a few steps ahead and turned back to see why she was no longer at his side, grinned.
"It seems the terrain has done the impossible," he declared, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "It's pinned you down!"
"Jealous?" she retorted, trying yet again to free herself without losing her footwear.
"Grateful," he corrected her, stepping closer to slip his strong arms around her waist. "It makes it easier for me to catch you."
She rolled her eyes, her initial annoyance at her predicament instantly swept aside by his playful nature.
"And caught me you have," she smiled, her face on a level with his. "For the moment. What now, my dear?"
His grin faded, but only from his lips as he pressed them firmly against hers. His arms tightened about her as their kiss deepened. She fancied she could feel the pull of his muscles even beneath their respective layers of clothes as he heaved her up and out of the mud. The resultant squelch was enough to put paid to any amorous thoughts, turning desire into helpless laughter.
"I think it's safe to say that I've lost my boot," she remarked with good humour as he placed her down upon firmer ground.
Whatever response he had planned died along with the singing of the birds. An eerie silence fell upon the lake making the hairs on the back of Silver's neck rise. A quick glance to Yarassi revealed that he had felt something similar. His sudden frown spoke volumes.
"We should move," he told her quietly but firmly. "Now."
She did not argue. Her own experience of wandering the wilds notwithstanding, Yarassi had proven time and again in their association that he knew them far better than even she. She might not yet have brought herself to trust the man, but she had nothing but faith in his skills.
As one, they turned. He kept one arm around her shoulders, ushering her on as she limped awkwardly along with only one boot to protect her soles from the hard and uneven rock beneath. The crash of falling water sounded behind them, alike someone had levitated the entire lake and callously dropped it back into place. Neither one looked back. They only increased their speed.
Something caught around Silver's bare ankle, pitching her forward onto the floor. She had no time to cushion her landing with her arms or even cry out as she was rudely dragged backwards and then up. Suspended upside down above the black water, she spared only a glance for Yarassi's horrified expression staring up at her from what seemed a mile below. It was then that she saw what had her caught; a nightmare monstrosity of flailing black-green tentacles rising up from the lake. She had been in worse situations, or so she told herself, as she curled her body upward, hands reaching for the blades at her belt. This was no time to panic.
An arrow whizzed by her and then another. Her fingers gripped the hilts of her daggers as she pulled herself along her own length. She was snapped to the side, jerked unmercifully by the creature, for a moment dazed as the arrows continued to fly. Gritting her teeth, she tried again to reach the ensnaring limb.
Success! Her blade, small though it was in comparison to the creature that held her, was nevertheless wickedly sharp. It bit deeply into the tough hide. If she had expected to be dropped into the frigid waters below, she was mistaken. Rather than do the decent thing, the vindictive entity curled its tentacle back, then launched her through the empty air. She barely had time to brace herself before her lithe body struck the rock wall opposite and the world went black.
"Damn you," hissed Yarassi. He turned, quickly running to the fallen form of his companion. She lay still, red hair shining against the grey of the stone. A quick visual check revealed that she still breathed but was very much unconscious. He thought to simply pick her up and run as fast as he could manage but before he could try, the creature of the lake sent out another tentacle.
He turned back toward it, standing between the insensate woman and their attacker. He could not, would not, leave her like this! He simply had to drive the beast away long enough for her to wake, or to drag her away. Grim determination writ large upon his handsome features, Yarassi brought his bow to bear once more. Arrow after arrow flew, each one hitting its intended target but none managing much more than a scratch against his foe. Still, black blood oozed from each wound he managed to inflict which was, on the surface, a little heartening. It sought to test him, seeking him first with one grasping limb and then in quick succession with another. He was no elf but nor was he a slouch, quickly firing two shots in the required directions. For a moment, the beast of the lake fell back. Yarassi reached up and over his shoulder once again but his searching fingers found nothing but empty air. His quiver was spent.
As if sensing it, a tentacle flew forward. Yarassi reached for a dagger, meaning to slash at the thing when it came too close, but it was too fast. His arm pinned to his side by the crushing musculature, he was pulled from his feet and high into the air. With one hand still free, he reached for another weapon, only to find his wrist snared by yet another whip-like feeler. For a long moment, he hung there, bound and helpless. Then, it began to pull. He closed his eyes, grit his teeth, but try as he might he could not prevent a scream as he felt his tendons, muscle and sinew wrench and ultimately snap. What seemed an age took only a few heartbeats and where once he had a strong arm attached to a wide shoulder, he now had a bloody hole.
There was no time to think or lament his loss. There was no time for anything. The creature pulled his severed limb down into the depths but it had no such plans for him. As the pain continued to wash over him, he vaguely felt his body rise and then fall. Had he been aware enough, he might have appreciated the creature's fine aim as his body was smashed into the exact same spot of wall that Silver had been thrown into. The tentacle about his waist tightened, taking the scant remnants of his breath as he was pulled limply back, then forced into the wall again. And again. And again.
By the time he was unceremoniously dumped beside the inert figure of his traveling companion, the spirit of the man known to the world as Yarassi had long since passed beyond the veil.
