War of the Races

Chapter 15- A walk amid the lights of Idavollr

It always amazed Sinaan when he walked the streets of his city, and Sulabha openly gasped in wonder. Looking over at her he saw her face tilted upward, her mouth hanging open in amazement even though her eyelids were sewn shut. Long, thick, fiery red eyelashes hid the stitching well, and he was thankful for that. Shaking his head mirthfully he wondered at how she was able to perceive the world around her. He knew it was with some sort of extra sense she had developed, but he didn't really understand how it worked. What he did grasp was that she was able to see magic power emanating from people and objects, and if that were the case then he wondered how she must see the city all around her since it was literally drenched in magic.

"I could only ever dream in my previous life of what a drow city might look like," She gasped as she twirled and looked up and around at all the colors.

"Drow?" Forelain signed with a questioning look.

"Oh yeah," Sinaan chuckled as he watched her take in Idavollr, "Even though I know you've been locked in a room your entire life, I guess it didn't register that you've never seen your own people's culture."

Looking up, he tried to follow where she was looking. He often wondered if all their cities were as wonderful and beautiful as this one.

"Idavollr was originally carved out of the rock by the jarndvergr," Sinaan said while pointing at the buildings all along the ground, "It used to be an ice cave near Big Four Mountain as you may remember it from our earth. However, Idavollr is much deeper and the jarndvergr are masters of geothermal manipulation. They relieved the pressure of the magma by diverting it with side vents that melted the ice in the mantle, and then built Idavollr within the cavern once the ice was gone."

"Amazing," Sulabha sighed as she followed along as if on a tour.

The city was built by two different peoples. In the center of the city was a massive limestone column hundreds of feet thick and hundreds of feet high connecting the floor to the ceiling. It was painstakingly carved into a perfectly cylindrical column with a base and a cap. The base was the capital of Idavollr, and carved all through its interior was all of the governmental departments and the residence of the Governess. Branching out from the column like the spokes of a wheel, perfectly straight, heading north, south, east, and west were four boulevards cutting the limited real estate of the large cavern into four blocks called the Boroughs. Within the Boroughs thinner urban streets further subdivided the living space into neighborhoods towards the outskirts of the cavern with the inner corners reserved for tall highrises and commercial buildings.

"House Faline resides in the Third Borough, the south-west Borough, also known as the 'Promr or in Jord', the 'Edge' or 'Rim of the Earth'," Sinaan said as they walked down the street straight for the cavern wall. As they approached Sulabha's mouth fell open again, and Sinaan explained, "Jarndvergr still live here though not in as great numbers. Most are slaves to one House or another, and then there are the captive Villralfar, Dokkalfar, and Nottalfar," Sinaan's brow furrowed as a thought occurred to him before continuing, "Strangely, not many Ljosalfar are ever captured. I guess it's because they very rarely ever leave their cities. Lastly, there are the Animals. To evenly distribute the slaves among the populous the jarndvergr are housed in the First Borough to the northeast. The Villralfar, Dokkalfar, and Nottalfar are split between the Second Borough to the northwest of the pillar and the Fourth Borough to the southeast. The Animals are assigned to the Third Borough. The constant influx of slaves caused a population explosion," Pointing at the walls and ceiling he continued, "So they set their most ingenious scientists and mages to discovering gravitation teknology."

As he finished Forelain put her foot against the wall and took a step and was standing horizontally to Sinaan and Sulabha.

"This completely defies all logic and physics," Sulabha gasped as she shook her head in disbelief.

"No," Forelain signed as she smiled at her daughter's astonishment, "This is the pure expression of logic and physics."

Sinaan was the next to step onto the wall and stand horizontal to Sulabha as he pointed to the pillar and explained, "In the center of the pillar is a machine, the most advanced piece of teknology ever devised by jarndvergr science and svartalf magic..."

"So they created gravity," Sulabha asked as she turned to look at the pillar.

"No," Sinaan corrected, "That is impossible. They would have to have a spinning ball of solid iron nearly the size of the moon in order to over power the earth's natural gravity, and then there would be untold, unforeseen consequences. Can you imagine it? Two planetary cores battling for gravitational dominance. It would be cataclysmic. It would rip the earth in two and either send the moon hurtling into outer space or bring it crashing down on top of us. No, thank goodness, the scientists that discovered this teknology figured that out at least before they built the machine."

"Then how does it do this," Sulabha asked as she took her first step up the wall.

"Simply put, in layman's terms," Sinaan chuckled as he turned and walked up the wall as it curved up to the ceiling and they walked through streets carved around houses built from colossal stalactites. He pointed to Svartalf walking down the boulevards, children running through the streets, and callers announcing their wares from open air markets. When balls were thrown, or dropped children's toys, coins, cloth, or food, it fell upward to the ceiling just as if it were the ground, "The machine uses the planet's own gravity and redirects it, and wallah, the city of Idavollr more than doubled its living space and real estate."

"Amazing," Sulabha laughed as she looked up, which was down, to see the ground floor above her as if it were the ceiling now. Toward the city center square highrise buildings reached down to nearly touch tall fluted towers and highrises built by the svartalf and carved out of stalactites covering the entire ceiling. To add their own cultural flare for design, every stalactite was carved with spiders and webs, while others had the appearance of twisted cones. Above, away from the city center there were neighborhoods of homes or single standing castles and villas that were decorated with carvings of jarndvergr basket weave knots.

"Yeah," Sinaan agreed, then pointing to the street lamps above them he asked, "Do you see the lights?"

Sulabha nodded her head of course she could see the lamps.

Smiling he continued, "Even though most of the population has infrared vision or some form of enhanced night vision the lamps light up the city during the daylight hours and dim at night."

"Why are the lights in the old jarndvergr part of the city yellow or red in color while the lights here on the walls and ceiling are green, blue, and purple," She asked.

"It's just another way to establish class differentiation," Forelain signed, "There are no slaves allowed to live up here. It is only for the Noble Houses and the most wealthy guilds."

"So why is House Faline relegated to Boroughs then," Sulabha asked, "Shouldn't it be up here with the other Houses?"

"What you say is true," Forelain agreed with a nod, "But we, House Faline, are the managers of the 'Promr or in Jord'. We govern the third Borough under the authority of the Governess and the Queen-Matron."

Sinaan looked around and realized they were close to the Abendroth compound. Point to a large stalactite carved with spiders and webs he announced, "Look, we are almost to my home. Once we're inside, is there any way that you can detect the assassin?"

"Of course," Sulabha chuckled as if it should be expected, "Once I am within a hundred yards of the assassin I will feel the pull of my magic and the soul pearls I put inside the doll the soul is operating."

"Living bodies are not dolls," Sinaan corrected.

"It's just what I call them," Sulabha retorted snarkily.

Sinaan chuckled, but then pointed at the gated portal entrance of House Abendroth, "The only reason I say that is because those are Dolls." His pointing finger moved from the gate to the guards standing on each side. Both Dolls appeared to be female. At first Sulabha thought they were naked, but as they drew closer she realized that some of their clothing was just paint on their bodies. Sidling up closer to her, Sinaan whispered excitedly, "This place, wherever we are, is a smash-up of a cyberpunk and fantasy world!"

"What are they," Sulabha gasped as she stared, "Robots? Artificial Intelligence? Cyborgs?"

"No no," Sinaan answered with a shake of his head, "Robotic yes, but not programmed and not AI, and there is absolutely nothing humanoid inside. They are manufactured by the Fjalldvergr. They are the only ones with the resources to make them from scratch. However, the Jarndvergr kept in the first Borough are excellent at repairs and modifications."

Walking up to the nearest Doll, Sulabha reached out and caressed her face. The Doll cocked her head at the caress and looked down at her with gray mechanical eyes with camera lense pupils and irises. It was soft to the touch. Not quite like skin, but not hard rubber or metal either. It's skin was a soft transparent dermis layer only a quarter to a one inch thick in places, and beneath she could see the seams of it's external plating.

Running her fingers through it's hair it didn't quite feel natural, but it was very close. Apparently it's plating color and hair could be modified because the Doll she was caressing had plating that made the transparent skin appear a dark charcoal gray while her hair was purple, but the other Doll had porcelain plating and pink hair.

"Hey Devon," The other Doll laughed in an almost human, slightly metallic resonant voice, from her post, "It seems she thinks you really are a doll!"

"Devon?" Sulabha gasped, "They have names?"

"Her name is D-eleven," Sinaan answered, "But like all sentient things, they give each other nicknames," Pointing to the other Doll he continued, "Her name is D-forty, but everyone calls her Dorothy. It helps humanize them."

Devon cut her eyes to glare at Dorothy dangerously then returned to Sulabha who's hands had strafed down to the robot's chest and squeezed her breasts. They weren't big, only a little larger than Sulabha's hands, but they were soft! Very...very...soft! Devon's eyes opened wide in shock but she didn't move from standing at attention, but she did look back up from the hands on her breasts before whispering, "It seems you haven't ever seen one of my kind before. I assure you they are pure silicate, and completely mod-able. I am also completely anatomically correct, and capable of giving and receiving a great deal of pleasure. However, I don't know you, and I usually like to at least know my lover's name before I let him, or her, grope me..."

"You're anatomically correct, and your skin is capable of feeling my touch," Sulabha gasped.

"Yes," She answered.

"Amazing," Sulabha chuckled before stepping back and curtseying, "Hello, my name is Sulabha Fjolkyngi-Bol. It's a pleasure to meet you, Devon."

"Same Sulabha," Devon answered with a reserved smile.

"Come along Sulabha," Forelain signed.

"Just a moment my Lady Forelain," Sinaan interrupted as he walked up to Devon and asked, "Report Devon, has the gate been raised for any reason since our departure a week ago?"

Devon turned her head and answered, "Lord Sinaan Abendroth, identity confirmed. The gate has been opened three times with the changing of the guard only. There have been no departures, and no visitors."

"That doesn't mean anything," Sulabha whispered, "Those cloaks were enchanted to make the assassin invisible to everything, even technology."

"Lord Sinaan," Devon interrupted, "By my calculations you should have returned no earlier than within another fifteen days, accompanied by your sisters. Why are you here now, ahead of schedule?"

"We stumbled into a plot to kill my sisters and Matron Hela Abendroth. I used a magic item capable of teleportation to come back quickly," Sinaan explained.

"Well there has been no one admitted entry to the compound," Devon answered, "So the Matron is safe."

"We shall see," He returned with a nod, then drew the hood of his cloak over his head and commanded, "Hverfa!"

As Sulabha and Forelain watched, he disappeared in front of them as Devon's eyes opened wide and a slot in the center of her forehead opened up revealing a red and green laser. Almost instantaneously the Doll scanned the area in every light spectrum she was built to perceive.

"So, can you see me," Sinaan asked.

"Negative," Devon answered as she shook her head, "If you hadn't spoken I wouldn't have been able to lock on to your location at all."

"That does seem to be a fault in this cloak," He chuckled, "It has no noise cancelation spells. The only reason Aalyn is alive is because she heard her attacker at the last moment."

"Noted, Lord Sinaan," Devon agreed, "We will make sure our sonic receivers' sensitivity is turned up. In the meantime, you should go to your mother and check on her since we can't leave our posts."

"Agreed," Sinaan answered with a nod and introduced his guests, "Take note, this is Matron Forelain Faline and her daughter Sulabha Fjolkyngi-Bol Faline, they are my guests."

"Duly noted," Devon answered as she looked at each woman and recorded their appearances and heat signatures. Once she was finished the gate started moving upward into a hidden seam in the rock above. Taking Sinaan's hand, her first movement breaking her guard stance, she growled, "Hurry to your mother's chamber. Make sure she is unharmed, and then please let us know. The Guard cares deeply for the Matron, even us Dolls!"

He nodded that he would, and then ran across the courtyard and into the citadel proper. The anti chamber was directly in front of him, but he knew it was not where his mother would be. She would be in the Temple, praying to her goddess. Running down labyrinthine hallways, much like House Faline's, with the same strategies in mind, but different, servants and guards stared at him as he ran past. He had no time to give a word or lend an ear, he had to make it to his mother before the assassin did. He passed by and left many-a-friend and even a few lovers standing in the hallway, in his wake, with their hands in the air and mouths hanging open as they asked questions like, "Who are these women? Is that the Matron of House Faline? Who is the redhead? Where are you going in such a rush? What has happened? Weren't you out on a raid? Where is Aalyn? Thurdain? Illglan?"

His friends, his family, all became a blur as he ran as fast as he could.

When the large Temple door finally loomed in front of him he slammed his palms into the thick wood and pushed with all his strength to crack the door open just a few inches so that he could squeeze through.

Screams cried out somewhere in the distance, deep inside the bowels of the Temple, and he rushed in pursuit of them as Forelain gasped and pushed on the door in vain while Sulabha called out, "Hey!"

"I can't get through the door like this!"

"Hey!"

He wasn't listening. He ran as Sulabha's cursing grew faint behind him, "Dammit, my breasts are too big!"

"Mother, help! Pull on the door while I push..."

Sinaan slowed down as he came to the entry of the main auditorium and in the middle of the floor was a dead priestess. Her throat was cut, fresh red arterial spray was everywhere as a pool of blood grew around and beneath her. Kneeling down, he caressed her cheek and swept a lock of long straight white hair out of her face. Dead eyes as pink as his own stared up at him and he groaned, "Oh Aunt Ra'Shaal."

Another scream cut though the silence of the Temple, and looking up, he lurched ahead.

——(!)——

When Forelain and Sulabha finally came upon Ra'Shaal they stared down at the priestess for a few seconds before Forelain signed, "There was a time not too long ago when my heart would have leapt with glee and anticipation at the mere possibility of this fate for any of the Abendroth priestesses. But now, all I taste is ash in my mouth and all I feel is dread and pity in my heart."

Turning to look at Sulabha she asked, "Do you have any shadow priestesses that you can summon to resurrect her?"

Sulabha shook her head, "Every priest I have is struggling to resurrect and heal those in our...I mean, in your House."

"Then there is nothing we can do for her," Forelain signed as she heaved a great sigh and turned to follow Sinaan deeper inside the Temple.

Sulabha didn't move, instead she began summoning her dark necromancy until it wafted about her like crimson smoke, and then she looked up at her mother and said, "I didn't say there was nothing I could do for her. I simply said I had no priestesses to resurrect her in this body." Looking back down at the priestess she commanded , "Arise and live once more as my shadow!"

Magic swept over the body and penetrated it to its deepest depths. There it found a shadow within, a shadow of her spirit, her power, and her soul, and her crimson magic cut it out and consumed it.

Shadowy hands and arms thrust up out of the body, up and out of the crimson necromancy that swirled about as Ra'Shaal clawed her way back into existence. Out of the nether she climbed until she stood naked over her once living body and stared at her master.

Sulabha smiled wickedly at her. She was beautiful and frightening, a thing of dreams and nightmares as Ra'Shaal returned her smile to reach once pink eyes that glinted a menacing crimson as Sulabha commanded, "Run ahead and save whomever you can." Nodding, she turned and ran!

——(!)——

Sinaan slowed to a jog, then stopped and knelt beside his fifth dead priestess, and with everyone he had found it felt like his heart was on the verge of pounding its way out of his chest and about to stop all at the same time. With tears of grief mixed with joy he had found that the second priestess was his cousin J'nae. She was only sixteen and was turning into quite the beauty.

The third had been his great aunt Pr'sifonae. She looked like she was in her fifties if she had been human, but in fact she was nearly eight hundred years old, and her favorite pastime was to sneak into the kitchens and bake pastries until the Pantler kicked her out.

The fourth priestess was Fjallindae. Another aunt, but this time she was only thirty-four and had been his first lover one night in the baths when they were bathing together and his erection wouldn't subside. Now, with shaking hands he rolled another family member over and he ached for who it could be while praying that it wasn't his mother!

Turning her over he immediately noticed that she was pregnant, just barely, maybe four or five months. Looking up, pushing her hair from her face with his fingers, violet eyes stared up at him from his grandmum's gaunt face. She was so beautiful. Her black skin flawless and smooth, she looked like she was in her mid-thirties when she was actually only in her mid-four-hundreds.

His crying broke through and kneeling down he clutched her to his chest and hugged her as he moaned, "Oh Granny!" and wept until Forelain and Sulabha caught up to him.

"Come on Sinaan," Sulabha said from behind him, "You must get up or more of your family will die before this ends!"

Looking up at her and Forelain, he saw Ra'Shaal standing to the side and his breath caught, "No! Don't raise my family like you did yours!"

"I...haven't," Sulabha retorted, her tone hurt and taken aback, "I only raised Ra'Shaal because I had no priestesses to resurrect her with. No, I have had Ra'Shaal bring back your family and healing them, so go run on, stop this travesty and let me and Ra'Shaal tend to your dead!"