Paul Kidd - Descent into the Depths of the Earth

The guards opened the way to the pyramid and idol. There seemed to be no way to avoid it. Mincing past a collection of human remains, Escalla slowly flew out over a moat filled with giant leeches that were kept at bay only by a narrow little wire mesh fence. Jus glanced at the leeches, dragged a protesting Polk into the water with him, and waded toward the pyramid with Private Henry splashing clumsily at his heels. Revolting leeches fully three feet long reared from the water outside the fence, their sucker mouths probing and puckering, sending Escalla whizzing high above Jus with her legs tucked up out of harm’s way. She flew backward, her eyes on the leeches, and so managed tobump her backside into something sticky, hot and wet.

She had reached the pyramid. Escalla stared rigidly ahead of herself, reaching behind her rear. Something wet, congealing and hot clung to her bottom-and a big, dripping, solid something was right at her back.

“Jus, it’s a corpse, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” The sound of his voice revealed that his fury wasbarely in check.

“I think I just shoved my bum into its chest cavity.”

“Yup.” Jus climbed slowly and steadily up the pyramid. “Lookslike it.”

“I’m gonna puke!”

“Don’t.” His face savage and his black hell hound skinbristling, Jus clambered heavily up to join his friend. “Do nothing suspicious,not until it’s time to fight.”

The pyramid steps were awash with blood. A foul cascade had poured down from the base of the huge idol above, dripping over the steps and oozing slowly into the moat below.

At the upper platform of the pyramid, the lobster-headed idol loomed. Blood had been smeared over its claws and breasts, and a heart had been placed in each open claw. A clamshell at the monstrous image’s feet held votiveofferings. There were shells and basalt figurines, images carved from bone or chunks of brilliant coral. Hanging upside down on the edge of the platform was a sprawling corpse, a figure whose whole chest had been torn open to feed the monstrous goddess above.

The last group of kuo-toa pilgrims had already departed, heading down the far side of the pyramid. Jus swiftly knelt beside the corpse, wiped blood from its still-warm face, and stared at it in thought.

Escalla had painfully levered herself free, fighting an urge to scream.

“You, ah, you found… found something?”

“It’s one of the half-orcs from Sour Patch.” Jus turned thedead creature’s face. “Still bruised from where I hit him.”

“Oh.” Escalla had worries of her own but felt somehow vaguelyresponsible for Sour Patch. “Do you think the slaves all ended up here?”

“Doubtful. The drow are in charge of them.” Jus let thehalf-orc’s head slump back onto the cold stone steps. “They may have given someof the captives as a bribe to the kuo-toa.”

“So some might still be alive here?”

“Perhaps.” The Justicar could hardly hold out much hope.“Cinders?”

Smell kuo-toa. The hell hound’s eyes seemed more cunning,more feral when he hunted prey. Smell drow. Human smell a bit. Little bit smell.

Standing to look out across the cavern below, Escalla watched the guards at the northwest tunnel exit. The girl turned, flicked her glance across the votive bowl before the idol, then reluctantly edged closer and peered inside.

Quick as a weasel, she darted her hand in and snatched a trinket from the edge of the seashell.

“Hey!” The girl held a treasure in her hands. “Look. Avotive!” The other adventurers surrounded her as she showed them her prize.“It’s hair, faerie hair.”

The lock of hair shone like pale gold. The strands were long and fine, and tied about an elven finger bone. Escalla held the hair up against her own. They were almost a match, shade for shade. The girl’s humor left herface as she stared at the hair strands in thought.

“Now we’re getting warm.”

The Justicar squatted down beside Escalla, his hand resting on her back. Grave, intelligent eyes watched Escalla with her find. “Could youlink it to a specific person?”

“No.” The faerie carefully stored the evidence away. “Not ina court of law. Who’s to believe me when I say I found it down here? But it’sgiving me some crystal clear ideas.”

Polk and Henry were waiting. With a glance over her shoulder, Escalla leaned in to whisper in Jus’ ear. “Keep Cinders watching out for anysign of a faerie.” The girl flicked a glance at Henry. “And, ah, let’s keep ithappy. The kid’s been looking a little pale.”

Escalla seemed white as a ghost herself. Jus let her feel a warm squeeze of his hand. Cinders teeth gleamed in manic goodwill as the ranger rose. He turned to talk quietly with Private Henry. Escalla drew in a breath and turned around to survey the cave. She felt her antennae freeze.

Two titanic kuo-toan priests stood at the edge of the platform, staring wordlessly at the party through their huge fishy eyes. Sheathed in blood, the monsters stood in silence. Escalla waved to them, received no response, then cleared her throat to attract the attention of the menfolk just behind her. “Ah, guys? Guys, we may have a problem.”

Apparently suspicious of why the party was loitering, the twohuge kuo-toa had come to escort them off the altar. Still, they ignored all of the travelers save Escalla. To the faerie, they spoke in their snapping, vicious tongue, crouching like mad carnivorous nightmares over the dainty faerie. The kuo-toa bid Escalla a farewell, then turned and left their guests standing alone and unguarded in the room.

The northern side of the huge temple had been carefully sculpted into palatial apartments. The rooms were perfectly squared with high ceilings rippled by an eerie underwater light. Walking slowly up sand-scattered steps, the Justicar and his companions might have been in a palace under the sea. Jus walked over shells and dried seaweed, past the gnawed remains of grizzly cannibalistic meals, and halted at the edges of the hall.

Escape lay only thirty yards away. The northwest tunnel opened into the underdark but was guarded by a team of kuo-toan warriors. On the sands just outside the palatial apartments, a group of them sparred carefully with weapons while a gnarled instructor taught the arts of the backstab and the garotte. The creatures paid no attention to the visitors behind them. Escalla looked about uncertainly, shrugged, then pointed to an entrance just beyond.

The new room had definite possibilities. At the far wall, two tall statues of the lobster-headed goddess flanked an ugly throne that had been studded with pearls. The throne depicted fish skulls and drowning humans being torn apart by crabs. The walls were carved into horrible bas-reliefs, the rippling lighting had taken on a darker, more sinister hue.

Sitting on a platform smothered with blood, the throne faced the massive temple cave. It clearly gave a wonderful view of sacrifices, executions, and the occasional leech attack. Escalla edged forward to the threshold. There were kuo-toa soldiers crouching in the corners of the room. One thin, misshapen creature crouching at the foot of the throne held a conch shell trumpet. Pillars carved to look like columns of fish-infested skulls held aloft the ceiling. Six taller, grimmer guards lurked by the columns-all watchingEscalla and her companions in silence as the girl crept timidly into the room.

Escalla rapped her knuckles against the doorframe, clearing her throat and giving a smile as she caught the attention of the guards.

“Um, hello.” Escalla advanced a little farther into the room.The fish simply stared, their fangs gleaming and their faces devoid of emotion.

At the foot of the throne, a huge clamshell pool glinted in the light. Within it, tiny fishes swam, and brilliant sea shells gleamed. The shells caught Escalla’s eye. The girl edged a tad closer, gave a nervous,placatory wave to the guards, and peered into the pool.