While you deliberate about your next course of action, Urbasano house soldiers push past you, fanning out across the front of House Macjyata. They secure the front of the house itself and the main doorway before heading inside. You’re struck by the sheer silence of their movements. Where Nymeria was a tornado of violence, these soldiers are flickering shadows. They move with a spare grace that is elegant and more than a little hard to follow by the light of mere flickering torches. On your left, the remaining Macjyata defenders move frantically to reposition forces to meet the strength of this new penetration, but that leaves their right—your left—vulnerable, creating an opening that is quickly exploited. Soon, you note Urbasano spider cavalry striding over a breach in the Macjyata lines from that direction. Mere minutes pass before the left dissolves into chaos.
By the time you’ve caught your wind and bound the worst of your wounds, Adius and Tailen are passing your position. Both have blades drawn, but with the battle in hand, neither seems unduly concerned. Indeed, as you hear the Weapons Master speak, it seems he has turned the battle into something of a teachable moment.
“Observe,” Adius says, “with the breach your sister made—“
“Nymeria is not my sister,” Tailen replies. The stubborn set of her jaw is unmistakable.
”She is your sister, and you are foolish not to make more willing use of her.”
Tailen’s reply is sharp. “We could have taken the House without that disgusting half-breed’s help. With a mere handful of House soldiers, I could have—“
“What?” Adius asks. “Risked your life? Taken a wound?”
“I have not even fought today!” Tailen protests.
Adius sighs and shakes his head, though somewhat fondly. “Foolishness. Do you think my blades are my only weapons? What matter if it is my sword that drew the enemy’s blood or Nymeria’s? In the end, the victory is mine because the will that animated it was mine. This sword, these slaves, your very sister’s life… they are all weapons. My weapons. You will never be a truly noble drow until you accept this facet of our culture.”
Before you can hear more, Adius and his daughter disappear into House Macjyata. By that time, the overt sounds of battle have faded from within. All that is left is the quiet rush of quickened feet and the faint echo of plunder. However, with Urbasano spider cavalry approaching, you would do well to either head inside in search of plunder yourselves or head back to the relative safety of your initial assault position.
Fortune
