Dalengor, Dotan, and Tantu pursued Ank-tu to the Drow sector of the camp. Tantu managed to get the two Shadow Dragons inside and they searched the camp. They heard snippets of conversation as they searched. \u201cToka natar trakata,\u201d scoffed a Drow woman to her friends. \u201cOyet ita kraktayer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOyet etret akal,\u201d replied the other woman. \u201cKotan era trukan!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTruka? Shak. Estrash en urka!\u201d The two women then laughed at the pun. Tantu rolled her eyes at how awful it was. The group then passed a trio of Drow men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFentur ratun malko,\u201d grunted one. \u201cTantu rak fekantu!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTantu trentak Talenkor,\u201d argued another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTalenkor eyantrek Realmfleet ikanto!\u201d protested the first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUkanyek!\u201d called the third. \u201cTalenkor trak yakal. Emorkaket yatun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTalenkor utinka rantik!\u201d called a woman\u2019s voice. Tanta then arrived. \u201cTalenkor fekto natyun! Tantu, ratkil!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTantu, ratkil?\u201d repeated the first man. \u201cMolkatra?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnk-tu fikun tarye yantrekta,\u201d revealed Tanta. \u201cTalenkor, Totan, un Tantu kafkantrak.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUh oh,\u201d gulped Dalengor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnk-tu already spoke to her,\u201d growled Dotan. \u201cTypical coward!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKokan thato!\u201d ordered Tanta. \u201cEklarnak tenant fatunko!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is bad!\u201d signed Tantu. \u201cMy sister\u2019s going to eviscerate you lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf she tries, Mordek will bring her to account,\u201d assured Dalengor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBrink me to account?\u201d called Tanta\u2019s voice. \u201cMortek treatans all Trows!\u201d Dalengor and her allies turned to see Tanta pointing out their position. Dalengor approached Tanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPriestess Tanta, I beg your ear,\u201d she pleaded. \u201cNo Drows need be hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMortek woult hurt all Trows! He mate his intentions plain to me! In te Final Aesh of Unity, Oyet will rule!\u201d Tanta turned towards her soldiers. \u201cKANAKET!\u201d The Drows then leapt onto the Shadow Dragons. They were knocked away as Dalengor singled Tanta out before shifting to her humanoid form. She stayed on the defensive as Tanta attacked with her knives. Tanta threw a few at Dalengor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMOKATET!\u201d shouted Dalengor as she held her hand up. A runic circle made of purple light then appeared around each knife and halted them in their tracks. Tanta goggled at the whole thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019f learnt Trow Spells?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStudied them directly from your teacher.\u201d Dalengor then swung her arms and the knives turned around and buried themselves in the ground around Tanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You lack confiction! You ton\u2019t kill when you haf te shans!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKilling\u2019s way too easy for me. I won\u2019t damage my soul like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTamashe?! Killink HEALS te soul!\u201d Tanta charge wildly her fist pulled back for a punch. Dalengor then swung her fist into Tanta\u2019s face, bloodying the nose and knocking her to the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHear me, Priestess Tanta. I speak truth.\u201d Dalengor then turned to her allies. \u201cTantu! Dotan! Stand down!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith the Drow race trying to kill us?!\u201d argued Dotan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, it won\u2019t,\u201d called Tanta. She turned to her soldier. \u201cTrowma! Mi zel na kanto!\u201d The Drows stopped and arched an eyebrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKolak manu reymak?!\u201d protested a soldier. \u201cTantu lak\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMI ZEL NA KANTO!\u201d Tanta would have her way, one way or another. The Drows lowered their weapons but didn\u2019t put them away just yet. Tanta turned to Dalengor. \u201cSpeak, Talenkor. You\u2019f earnt te shans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOyed made plain his intentions to pit all races of all Realms against one another forever,\u201d said Dalengor. \u201cFor what, the honor of amusing him? I woke up before anyone else and have learned that it\u2019s best to work WITH other races, not against them. Imagine how great the Drows would be if they help Falnimam and her family!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFalnimam callt us museum pieces. She sait as mush to my face!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJoin me and my people. We can get a place at the table for both of our races if we talk to Orbak Emboramii!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEmboramii?! Tat blootline still lifes?!\u201d The Drows growled at that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019re not the tyrants Intrag was. Orbak is actually one of the friendliest of people when you know him personally! He cares about the Under-realm! He\u2019s settled all sorts of disputes between races! Your grudge against Falnimam weighs you down, doesn\u2019t it?!\u201d Tanta growled softly before she moved her gaze downwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI haf no choice but to keep my grutsh alive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOrbak can offer a better way. We can both become as great as anyone!\u201d Dalengor paused for effect. \u201cWhich would you rather be, Oyed\u2019s vassal or Orbak and Falnimam\u2019s trusted ally?\u201d Tanta considered Dalengor\u2019s words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026No one has efer mate te Trows sush an offer. But tese are YOUR worts, not te worts of tis Orbak you speak highly of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJoin my cause and we can ask him together.\u201d Tanta considered her words again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026He offers less, I slit his troat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe offers less, Priestess Tanta, I\u2019ll give you the knife.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDROWS HAVE NO LOYALTY!\u201d roared a voice. Ank-tu slithered up to the group. \u201cYou dare side with those who enacted a coup against me?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHer worts haf weight,\u201d answered Tanta. \u201cWe cannot affort to fight against oter races!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA bastard child DOES use conflict to hide the truth,\u201d muttered Dotan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Bastart shild?\u201d asked Tanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI told you, it doesn\u2019t matter!\u201d roared Ank-tu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe midwife that helped his mother give birth revealed that the wedding to Lak-tu was two years after he was born,\u201d revealed Dotan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIs tis true?!\u201d growled Tanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWho cares if it\u2019s true! I\u2019m still the rightful leader!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI ally wit no bastarts!\u201d Tanta threw a knife at Ank-tu, but Ank-tu ducked and it buried itself into one of his soldier\u2019s heads. The soldier fell to the ground, dead, and Ank-tu roared in rage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShadow Dragon blood has been shed! Our alliance is over! You will atone, you semi-sapient dirt eater!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWere you not warnt against lyink to me?! It\u2019s as I\u2019f sait my entire life, bastarts are all mout ant no ears!\u201d The two then leapt onto each other, claws and knives flashing in the afternoon sun. It became obvious that Ank-tu did not have much combat experience when it came to smaller foes, nor did he wish to shrink to humanoid form, giving Tanta the upper hand\u2026until a knife pierced her shoulder. Ank-tu threw her off and followed the knife\u2019s trajectory to see Ektar draw another knife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTe Priestess tares to betray Oyet?!\u201d he shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTis comink from te one who stabbt me?!\u201d retorted Tanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe\u2019s got a point, there,\u201d remarked Eltum\u2019s voice as he approached the assassin. \u201cWhat say we skip the preliminaries, and you Ank-tu supporters come with me? We\u2019ll have a nice, friendly chat with Tanta once she\u2019s healed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTere will be no chat, broter!\u201d snarled Ektar. \u201cYou will join us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou want a crossbow-slinger, get someone else! I\u2019ll stay with Tanta!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour heart beats wit loyalty?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy ass wants to get paid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnt I wish to fight forefer!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t affort tat!\u201d argued Tanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTen farewell, my former master!\u201d Ektar then surrounded himself, Ank-tu, and their followers in a cloud of mist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026It woult seem tat we haf a shans to talk to Mortek,\u201d mused Tanta. \u201cTantu, you are to accompany Talenkor and help her confins Realmfleet tat we shall join tem.\u201d Tantu nodded her obedience and Dalengor grinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPriestess Tanta, you won\u2019t regret this, I promise,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI hat better not,\u201d warned Tanta. Dalengor grew to her bestial form and allowed Tantu to mount her before they took to the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDalengor, I hope you know what you\u2019re doing,\u201d sighed Dotan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dalengor, Dotan, and Tantu pursued Ank-tu to the Drow sector of the camp. Tantu managed to get the two Shadow Dragons inside and they searched the camp. They heard snippets of conversation as they searched. \u201cToka natar trakata,\u201d scoffed a Drow woman to her friends. \u201cOyet ita kraktayer.\u201d \u201cOyet etret akal,\u201d replied the other woman. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,237],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-3276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-4-trials-of-light-and-dark","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3276"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3277,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3276\/revisions\/3277"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}