Merchants of Death

Chapter 22





Chrissy Lera had spent most of the past 24 hours in her guest room at the High Palace. Looking through spell books as she planned for her next confrontation with Imperious Industries, assembling an ever larger pile of bones on the floor of her room, and generally unnerving the servants who periodically came by to clean (and collect gossip on the High Mage's unusual guest).



“Why do you want these things anyway?” Mystique asked as she carried another load of animal bones to Lera's room. Then carefully placed the bones by the necromancer's feet.



“To protect Mary” Chrissy said automatically as she began to sort through the new arrivals.



“How?”



Chrissy turned her head to stare at the blue skinned mutant, grinning as she said “watch and learn my dear.”



The dark elf moved from a sitting to a kneeling position on the floor. Humming a spell as she gently put her hand in the middle of the pile of bones. Mystique watched as the bones all started to gleam with a dim red light, wondering what it signified.



Before the shapeshifter could ask the bones began to rapidly move. Flowing like liquid in a way that reminded Mystique of the times that she had seen Magneto use his power on metal. Transforming all the bone into a unified whole.



Within moments the bones had taken on a vaguely humanoid shape. Looking like some sort of protective garment. At that point it was easy for Mystique to figure out what she was staring at.



“You made armor for her?” the yellow eyed woman said curiously.



“Yes...Mary is coming with us and I need to be certain that she is protected” Chrissy explained. Gazing at the armor to search it for flaws.



The armor was still white but that was the only hint of its skeletal origins. It now looked like a beautifully crafted suit of plate mail. Gleaming like metal and created to perfectly fit its intended wearer. As Mystique watched what appeared to be beautiful calligraphy began to appear on the surface of the armor, written in lines of glowing silver and in a language that the blue woman was unfamiliar with.



“What are those?” Mystique asked as she pointed at the silver lines.



“Spells to protect and strengthen the person wearing the armor” Chrissy said distractedly. Too preoccupied by her spell casting to pay much attention to the mutant shapeshifter.



Soon new lines of text stopped appearing on the armor and Chrissy seemed to relax. Breathing heavily now that this part was done.



“Thank you for collecting all the bones...I am sure that it was difficult in a place like Silverymoon” Chrissy told Mystique.



“You're welcome” replied Mystique, who had simply disguised herself as a maid and taken the animal bones from the vast kitchen in the High Palace.



“Is it finished?” the blue woman asked as she stared at the white rune covered armor.



“No...its still missing the most important spell component” Chrissy said grimly as she glared down at the armor she had just created.



*****



The High Mage was not an impatient or impetuous leader. She usually consulted her advisers (assuming that there was time) before coming to any important decisions regarding her realm. This time was no different.



“What do you think of the drow sorceress's plan Taern?” Alustriel asked the leader of the Spellguard.



The tall and gray-bearded Taern Hornblade was a thoughtful mage. So he paused to consider the matter before answering his monarch. A few of Lady Alustriel's other advisers fidgeted while waiting for the old man to speak, but no one in the throne room was rude enough to interrupt the leader of the Spellguard.



“It is ambitious my Lady...perhaps insanely so...but it is theoretically possible” Hornblade replied carefully.



The Chosen of Mystra thought over what Lera had proposed. Considering the matter logically as well as appealing to her divine intuition for answers.



Images of technological terrors like the Epsilon units and the missiles that had killed Sage (and so many of Alustriel's people) went through the High Mage's mind as she evaluated the threat posed by Imperious Industries. Chief among among them was a weapon that Lady Alustriel had never seen (and never wanted to), devices known as nuclear bombs.



The thought of what a nuclear bomb could do to her city, and the awareness that Imperious Industries could unleash such a device on Silverymoon if they ever came back, made up Alustriel Silverhand's mind. The threat posed by Imperious Industries had to be dealt with.



“Assemble your best mages Hornblade...risky it may be but the drow's plan will go forward” the High Mage commanded.



*****



She-Hulk, the Frost family, Storm, and Mystique needed to discuss recent events, and they wanted to get away from the prying eyes of Lady Alustriel and her servants. So they were all meeting in a tavern near the High Palace, of course someone from the palace had followed them (a roguish member of the Knights in Silver who had been told to keep an eye on them). But with so many powerful telepaths in the group he was easily detected and sent on a wild goose chase.



Now the universal travelers were sitting at a large table and sipping at their drinks, ignoring the curious looks from the other bar patrons as they said what was on their minds. Making sure to speak in English (a foreign language to practically everyone on this world) so that it wouldn't matter if they were overheard.



“I think that our primary concern needs to be Selene...Imperious Dakar sounds like just another corporate executive with some advanced technology, meta-humans, and delusions of grandeur” Emma Frost said dismissively.



“Much like you were during your time with the Hellfire Club Frost” Storm replied bitingly.



“Selene...you were saying something about Selene Emma” Mystique said pointedly, trying to keep the meeting from getting mired in old feuds.



“Yes...Selene is the true threat...one that we can no longer tolerate” the leader of the universal travelers said decisively.



“You want to kill her” She-Hulk said tonelessly.



“We need to kill her Jennifer...if that witch can murder Logan then none of us are safe...and its only a matter of time until that old parasite comes after us” Emma said firmly as she stared intently into She-Hulk's eyes.



“Emma is right...Selene is not just another killer or would-be conqueror...she is a greedy predator that steals the souls of her victims...if we do not stop that ancient monster ourselves she could threaten the lives and spirits of our children and grandchildren” Storm declared, speaking more passionately than she had about anything since Cyclops and Sage had died.



“But how...” Mindee Frost began.

“Is that...” Celeste continued.

“...even possible” Phoebe finished.



“Your girls have a point Emma...I agree that killing Selene would be a good thing to do...but a lot of people have tried and failed to kill that ageless bitch...why do you think that we would be any different?” Mystique objected.



Emma Frost reacted by smiling in a way that reminded Storm and Mystique that this woman had once been one of the X-Men's most cunning and dangerous foes. Looking over the whole group carefully before she answered.



Considering the stealthy and adaptable Mystique, the incredibly strong and virtually indestructible She-Hulk, the environmentally dominating Storm, and of course her own awesomely powerful daughters. Keeping these formidable resources in mind as she replied “Raven I have been thinking about that ever since we found out that she killed Wolverine...and I figured out how we can pull it off girls.”



*****



Marian Casta had wandered into the High Palace kitchens. Now she was picking at various pieces of food in an absentminded way, exploring her recently altered taste buds and appetites. Of course the servants glared at the woman who was interfering with their work, but Marian's upbringing in the French aristocracy had given her a talent for ignoring those she considered beneath her.



Besides, now that Marian no longer mentally put most people into the category of 'tempting and delicious food' she found them less interesting on the whole.



The head chef was just working up the nerve to tell her off when Chrissy Lera walked into the kitchen.



The kitchen staff were in some ways the most isolated of the palace servants, so not all of the them had heard that there was a drow woman at the palace as a guest. Even those that had heard about Chrissy had not actually seen the necromancer yet. So a lot of the servants openly stared at the dark elf, taking in her ebony skin, deep crimson eyes, and shapely form with their gaze.



Of course the servants also had enough experience with the nobility and their hanger-ons to recognize Chrissy's almost tangible aura of arrogance. Correctly guessing that this would be a woman easy to offend.



“Chrissy?” Marian said, surprised at her friend's appearance.



The elf woman was unusually filthy, her fine white dress was covered in little fragments of bone, her hair was a mess, and her hands appeared to be covered in grease. A far cry from the image of perfection Lera normally tried to project.



“Yes Mary...I need to show you something” Chrissy replied in an intense tone of voice.



Then the necromancer looked around at all the cooks, some of whom were not doing a very good job of hiding the irritation they felt at having their workspace invaded, and said archly “come...let's go before Alustriel's fine servants lose control and try to serve us to the other guests.”



The head chef resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Thinking ~damn blue bloods~ as the human and elf women left the kitchen.



*****



Chrissy Lera took Marian Casta to see the enchanted armor that she had made for her friend. Marian liked the look of the beautiful armor, but her thoughts were more focused on practical matters.



“Will it protect me from gunfire?” Marian asked as she ran fingers over the torso plates.



“Yes...it should repel anything short of a tank shell and will offer you some protection even from something like that” Chrissy replied.



“What about energy attacks?...plasma bursts, lightning bolts, that sort of thing.” Marian inquired as she picked up the helmet that came with the armor. Impressed by the lightness and beauty of the war helm.



“It should repel those things too...as well as making you almost as strong and fast as when you were a vampire” Chrissy answered.



Marian put down the helmet, looking at her friend curiously.



Chrissy was not speaking with the confidence and self-assurance that Marian was used to. The elf woman seemed almost...embarrassed to present the armor to her lover.



“Chrissy is something wrong?”



Chrissy sighed and replied unhappily “the armor is not complete...it needs...a piece of you.”



“A piece of me” Marian repeated, not liking where this seemed to be going.



“If I had proper materials...OR MORE TIME...I could do something different...but...but they don't like necromancer's here...and we have to leave now...Dakar will only get stronger and less vulnerable the longer we wait... and...” Chrissy angrily muttered, her agitation making her uncharacteristically babble.



Marian put a comforting hand on the smaller woman's shoulder and said “its okay...now tell me what part.”



“One of your fingers” Chrissy replied softly.



Marian was silent for a moment, then she squeezed Chrissy's shoulder and asked “can you use your magic to grow it back?”



“Yes Mary...but I can't use my magic to dull the pain or put you to sleep because it would interfere with the spell” Chrissy replied morosely.



Marian usually avoided pain, but she cared about this far more than her own comfort. Besides, she was touched by Chrissy's obvious concern, her friend really didn't want to cause Marian pain.



For once, this child of the aristocracy would delegate the worst job to herself.



“Do you have a sharp knife?” the blonde woman asked gently.



“Yes...there's one on the table” the dark elf answered without thinking.



Then Chrissy looked up to see that Marian was standing near the table, with her left hand on the table and a butcher knife (that Mystique had also stolen from the kitchen) in her right hand. Marian was making a fist with her left hand, except for her extended index finger.



The human woman's intent was obvious and Chrissy found herself crying out instinctively “MARY NO.”



“Do you want to do it?” Marian asked.



“No but...”Chrissy started to say.



At that point Marian tuned out her friend, focusing on the task at hand. She didn't want to hurt herself, but she knew that waiting would only make it worse. So she thought about Susan Zweller's grinning face, imagining that she was striking out at the werewolf as she lifted the blade.



~You will never hurt me again wolf bitch~ Marian thought as she brought the knife down against her finger. The powerful strike cutting through flesh, bone, and several inches into the wooden table.



Marian stared at the bleeding stump of her index finger. The pain reaching her mind as the adrenaline wore off.



“Is that enough?” Marian gasped.



“Yes...yes...I actually only needed a little finger bone” Chrissy said, shocked by the actions of her normally comfort loving and pain avoiding friend.



“Oh good...now could you heal me before I bleed to death?” Marian asked. The former vampire finding the sight of her own blood anything but attractive at this point.



*****



Throughout Silverymoon soldiers and mages prepared for battle. Curious citizens watched as infantry assumed troop formations, cavalry units mounted their horses, wizards and sorcerers hurriedly gathered spell components, and siege equipment was brought out of storage. Gossiping and speculating about what the increase in military activity could mean.



But the members of the Spellguard and Knights in Silver did not suffer from the common citizenry's ignorance. Word of the disaster that had occurred when a joint force had been sent to capture the Imperious Industries weapons depot had spread quickly throughout both organizations.



The sorcerers, soldiers, and wizards who acted as Silverymoon's protectors and enforcers were angered by the losses that they had suffered, and keenly aware that the battle at the weapons depot was a hit to their prestige. Now their sovereign was asking them to fight Imperious Industries again.



Six hundred infantry, four hundred cavalry, two hundred archers, and over three hundred battle mages were assembling in the Palace District. These people were the heart of the Knights in Silver and Spellguard, assembling into a grand army to fight Imperious Industries.



Though these soldiers and mages knew they would soon be in deadly danger, they looked on the coming battle not with dread, but anticipation. Because even though they served a civilized nation (by the standards of Toril at least) the defenders of Silverymoon wanted payback.



*****



Once formed, the mighty force the High Mage had assembled marched out of the city through the Hunter's Gate. Then they simply stood in formation, content to wait for their Lady's signal.



But not everyone involved was so serene.



“It won't work I tell you” the pudgy wizard angrily told his colleagues, who were the most skilled and powerful sorcerers and wizards in Lady Alustriel's service. Gathered together to assist their Lady in the casting of an epic spell.



“Do you have faith in me Frederick?” Alustriel calmly asked the dissenting magic user.



“Of course but...” Frederick nervously began.



“Then have faith when I tell you that we CAN do this...and if it does not work for whatever reason I shall shield you and the good folk here from any harmful side effects” the ruler assured her subject.



Frederick simply shook his head helplessly. He didn't feel like he could argue with anything the High Mage had said, but he was still all too aware of that fact that none of them had ever done anything like this before.



Marian Casta and Chrissy Lera were standing a little off to the side of the gathered mages. Marian was wearing her gleaming white armor and Chrissy was dressed in simple white robes. The human kept touching her recently regrown finger in agitation, Lera's healing magic making the digit feel funny.



“How can I tell if it works?” Marian asked.



The necromancer responded by bending down and picking a rock off the ground. Handing it to Marian as she said “try to crush this.”



Marian clenched down on the stone with her fingers, watching happily as the rock crumbled in her hand, it's rough surface no match for the strength of her armored grip.



Chrissy nodded in satisfaction, happy that the enchanted armor seemed to be working perfectly now that she had incorporated her friend's body (e.g. finger) into it. Thus forging a mystical link between Marian and the magical artifact.



Marian looked around as something important occurred to her, saying in puzzlement “where's the Legionnaires?...aren't you bringing them?”



“No their staying here...I don't want to take them into battle again unless I can be sure that they won't be massacred...my Legionnaires have been through enough” Chrissy replied. Which was true, but the fact that the few remaining members of the Crimson Legion had been less than enthusiast when Chrissy had talked about going into battle again was also a consideration. Moreover, now that they were no longer undead, Chrissy wasn't sure how much control she had over the Legionnaires.



~It's best to just leave them behind for now~ Chrissy thought, though her train of thought was derailed by Marian's next words.



“So now what then?”



Chrissy found herself staring at Lady Alustriel's mages, the universal travelers, and of course the ranks of Knights in Silver and Spellguard, all standing just beyond the gates of Silverymoon. Replying automatically “now comes the hard part.”



As Chrissy walked over to Lady Alustriel's side the necromancer felt a spark of unfamiliar doubt. She had little experience crossing between dimensions, and this was apparently a difficult task even for those experienced at such things.



~No...I cannot fail~ Chrissy assured herself as she got to Alustriel.



The human, elfin, and Halfling mages all stared at the drow sorceress suspiciously as she reached the group. Only their leader gazed at Chrissy with anything like warmth as the necromancer began to speak.



“Now that we are all here we can begin the spell...did you bring the item I asked for?”



A male elf pulled something out of his voluminous wizard's robes, holding it out for all his companions to see. Then Chrissy snatched it out of his hands as she said sharply “don't hold a gun like that it might accidentally go off.”



~I might not be an expert on firearms but even I know enough not to grab a rifle by its trigger~ Chrissy thought as she stared down at the AK-47.



The elf wizard opened his mouth to rebuke the rude female, but before he could the upset mage caught a warning glance from his Lady and held his tongue.



“The task before us is simple...open a dimensional gateway between this world and madam Lera's home dimension...the difficulty lies in the unique nature of that dimension” the Chosen of Mystra told the gathered spell-casters.



“The problem is that for some reason the barrier separating my home dimension from others is particularly dense...at least for things attempting to leave the plane...so if you want any of your comrades to come back from Earth we need to create a stable dimensional doorway between here and there” Chrissy added, assuming (as always) that her input was needed.



Alustriel's elite spell-casters silently mulled over the powerful women's words. This was not new information, but it was still hard for the somewhat conservative mages to accept. Eventually one of them asked “but my Lady...why not simply make a gateway to Imperious Industries base of operations in the area known as the Hellmouth?...it would be much easier and present much less risk to us and our troops.”



Lady Alustriel started to say something, only to be interrupted by the former ruler of Iberia.



“That has already been tried...it failed and Imperious Industries has certainly massively upgraded that facility's defenses since then...but they think they are safe from us on their home ground and the scum that serve Imperious Dakar will never expect us to attack there directly.”



Alustriel Silverhand glanced at the necromancer in annoyance, she was not used to being interrupted (especially by people dependent on her help). However, the High Mage was too disciplined and mature to let such a petty insult ruffle her metaphorical feathers.



“President Lera is correct...we have already tried a frontal assault on one of Imperious Industries fortresses and suffered terrible losses as a result...only by striking at the soft underbelly of this beast can we avoid a similar disaster and make the Silver Marches safe for goodly folk once more” Lady Alustriel declared, actively using her divine charisma for once to make everyone present accept her words.



Such was the force of this personal magnetism that even the incredibly stubborn Chrissy found herself nodding at Alustriel's every word. Then the necromancer angrily shook her head when she realized what she was doing.



“Let us begin” Lady Alustriel said formally.



Their fears quieted (or at least decreased) by the High Mage's words, the other spell-casters assumed their assigned positions. Standing in a perfect circle with Alustriel in the middle.



The basic plan was simple, Chrissy Lera would reach out to her home dimension in an effort to mystically grasp magical artifacts that the necromancer had forged out of her own flesh and bone. Once that connection was established all the other mages present but Lady Alustriel would use it to focus on Lera's world and create a dimensional gateway between here and Earth. Lady Alustriel would contribute by channeling mystical power into all the other magic users involved, making them all more powerful than normal.



The High Mage would have preferred to have created the gateway herself, which would have been simpler and less risky. But the Chosen had already tried and failed that morning to penetrate the barrier separating Chrissy's world from the rest of the multiverse. It had been a humbling experience for Alustriel Silverhand, she was one of the most powerful sorceresses on Toril, yet her spells seemed to have no effect on whatever isolated Lera's dimension.



The High Mage could only hope that their combined efforts would be more productive, and that she wasn't being foolish by trusting the arrogant and domineering Lera.



The necromancer began to speak, perfectly pronouncing the words and gestures of the unfamiliar spell, her cybernetically enhanced brain giving her an edge in situations like this. Focusing the building mystical energies on the weapon from her world as she attempted to reach out to Earth.



Chrissy could just barely sense a magic dagger she had built out of one of her own bones, its familiar mystical presence grabbing her attention like a beacon. But the necromancer could do little more than sense it.



“Too far...its too far away” Lera muttered.



In response Lady Alustriel reached out and put a hand on the shorter woman's shoulder, drawing on her own vast reserves of magic to slowly pump raw power into the drow sorceress.



Chrissy's dark skin suddenly gleamed with an inner radiance as her eyes shone with golden light. These minor manifestations the only sign of the tremendous power the Chosen was giving her.



The necromancer had never felt so strong before, it was easy to firmly grasp the magical artifact with her power, thus creating a connection between Lera's Earth and Toril.



“Now” Lady Alustriel crisply commanded.



At the signal from their leader the mages started spell casting. Uttering the words and replicating the gestures of a spell to create a dimensional portal. Focusing on the world they could sense through Chrissy's efforts. As they did so, the High Mage stepped back from Lera and channeled her energy into the other magic users present.



Their every word and movement was in sync, achieving a level of communion thanks to the divine energy coursing through all of them. Bringing to bear talents and skills that had been developed over decades, their sharp minds and strong wills utterly focused on the task at hand.



But it wasn't enough.



Something resisted their efforts, a power or force that could block even power like Lady Alustriel's. As long minutes passed exhaustion began to set in, the strain of channeling such great magic wearing on even the experienced mages serving Alustriel. An old human wizard repressed the urge to clutch his chest, feeling as though his heart were about to burst.



~Lady Mystra...mother...help me please...I need your strength~ Alustriel Silverhand mentally called out to her goddess, praying to Lady of Mysteries.



The goddess heard her Chosen's cry of distress, understanding the monumental task Alustriel had set for herself. The goddess of magic also had a much better idea of the dangerous forces that Silverhand was interfering with, and under most circumstances would not have become directly involved in such a thing. But Alustriel was one of her favored children, and Mystra could not ignore her pleas.



Alustriel stood straighter as the Greater Deity shared her strength with the sorceress. Then the High Mage channeled this energy into her companions, confident that would give them the strength they needed.



The next pulse of power almost overwhelmed them, not even the arrogant and powerful Chrissy had ever handled such great magic. However, the experienced spell-casters adapted quickly, and were ready for the next burst of power, funneling it all into their group effort.



Something began to take shape near the assembled ranks of Knights in Silver and Spellguard, the thing was small and barely visible at first, as dimensional forces resisted its creation. But the efforts of the mages and the power of the goddess could not be denied; and it soon gained shape and size, appearing as a vast vortex of violently shifting colors, roughly circular in shape and big enough for Silverymoon's army to march through.



~Thank you mother~ Alustriel told her goddess as the dimensional gateway finished forming, providing a direct route to Earth. Shutting down her link to the other mages with a grateful sigh.



The gathered spell-casters visibly sagged as their access to divine power was shut off, feeling uncomfortably mortal. Chrissy in particular missed the brief feeling of omnipotence, for it matched the tyrant's view of how the universe should be. But Lera was too proud to show her distress, and Lady Alustriel's followers were too loyal.



“May I my Lady?” one of the wizards asked as he gestured to his raven familiar.



“Of course Harold” the High Mage said graciously.



The familiar took flight, heading towards the portal, it soon reached the vortex of energies and disappeared from view. Moments later the raven reappeared and flew back to its master.



The bird landed on the wizard's shoulder, adjusting its feathers before speaking. Saying in perfect Common “its safe master.”



The mages all nodded to one another, that was good enough for them.



The High Mage's magic carried her next words to the commander of the Silverymoon army, telling him “its safe General order our troops through.”



Then the mass of armored soldiers and robed spell-casters began to march, staying in formation as they entered the portal. Their faith in their leader great enough that they were willing to enter this strange gateway at her command without hesitation.



The universal travelers watched as hundreds of people entered the portal, deciding that it was probably safe if Alustriel Silverhand was sending her whole army through. Then they walked over to the dimensional gateway too, entering it after the briefest moment of hesitation.



Chrissy Lera and her blonde lover immediately followed, for Lera was eager to return to her homeland and reclaim power, while Marian Casta had a score to settle. Lady Alustriel's elite spell-casters walked into the magical gateway at roughly the same time, as much to watch the dangerous pair as anything else. The High Mage herself was among the last to leave, standing before the portal as she contemplated what she was about to do.



Someone coughed politely and Alustriel turned to regard Drizzt Do'Urden. As usual the ranger's approach had been so silent that no one had noticed until he called attention to himself.



“Are you coming Drizzt?” the leader of Silverymoon asked curiously.



“Of course...even though Silverymoon is not my home it is a city that I have always admired...I cannot simply stand back and do nothing when it is threatened” the warrior replied seriously.



“Your help is always welcome my friend” Alustriel said sincerely.



She was about to continue when the Chosen of Mystra heard the voice of her goddess, speaking directly to her child as she usually did not.



ALUSTRIEL IF YOU GO TO THAT PLANE YOU WILL BE VULNERABLE...ITS SO FAR AWAY AND ISOLATED FROM MY REALM THAT YOUR POWERS WILL BE DIMINISHED AND I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU DIRECTLY THERE.



`The words shook Alustriel Silverhand in a way that few things in the last hundred years had. It took a lot to worry the Mother of All Magic, and the Chosen was frankly used to being far more powerful than virtually all mortals around her. But she replied in her mind ~thank you mother...but I cannot leave my people to face such monsters alone.~



Alustriel looked at Drizzt, her beautiful face wearing a gracious smile as she said “we should not keep them waiting.” Then she stepped forward and left Toril behind.