They left at dawn the next morning. They packed supplies to last two days. The adventure would be completed within that time, Deallyona had said, or they would be dead. Coraven wielded a large bastard sword which could easily chop an elf in half. Deallyona, a rather multitalented elf, carried a short sword and a beautiful longbow with a quiver of various enspelled arrows.

The rising sun turned the white stone avenues bright orange; another day of death had arrived. Trash floated over the street, blown by the wind. Shops of all sizes and specialties passed by them. A few heads swiftly peeked out of dark windows to see the adventurers. After they examined the three elves, they would duck their heads back in the safety of their homes.

The elves strode by large parks of brown trees and dirt. The gardeners had long since locked themselves in their homes with their kin. They saw a crystal statue standing in a dry pool. Water trickled out of a spout in the statue-what remained of a once spectacular fountain.

While walking down the street, the flies' buzzing filled their ears. The occasional call of a crow or squeak of a rat echoed between the buildings. Breaking the silence, Brisid spoke.

"Do ye know what manner of beast we're going to fight?"

Coraven responded, "Rumors say it resembles a dracolich, except it has no paralyzing gaze."

"Oh, not so bad it would be then," said Brisid, slightly relieved, "Dracs have fallen to my blade before in Neverwinter."

"Instead," Coraven continued, "it has an ice-storm breath and casts many deadly spells."

"Oh...," the Bladesinger paused. "And neither of your mouths can speak destructive spells?"

"I can make it invisible," volunteered Deallyona, with a slight smile. The other two forced chuckles. All could tell every one was very nervous

Eventually the three adventurers arrived at a dark fog at the side of the street.

"Behind the curtain of fog lies the house of the Hithwesta," said Coraven, needlessly.

They heard the flip-flapping of sandals hitting the ground behind them. "Hey!" yelled Dhenn, "You didn't wait for me! I can at least cast some defensive spells on you." He murmured words to his goddess and spoke to the elves. "You now go with the blessings of Mystra."

"Thanks, Dhenn," said Brisid. "Too bad ye can't come with us."

"Well, I wish I could say I envy you. But good luck nonetheless."

After taking a few deep breaths, Brisid asked his companions, "Ready?"

"Yeah, right," muttered Deallyona. Brisid took one last glance at the sunlit city and stepped into the cloud with the other elves. Then he saw nothing. He heard Coraven curse.

"How are we supposed to get anywhere in here?" Deallyona asked.

Brisid took another step forward and was temporarily blinded as lightning blasted a crater in front of his feet. Thunder followed a second later, pounding his ears. Rain pounded on his head, falling from dark clouds they had not seen outside of the black fog. In front of him loomed the Hithwesta mansion. The large clock tower rose many stories above the ground on one side of the building. Looking behind him, he saw the same black fog forming a wall from which Coraven and Deallyona stepped.

"Gods," Deallyona mumbled, "I hate rain." The rain turned into pebbles of hail, stinging their heads.

"Let's get to the house!" Brisid yelled over the storm. He ran to the almost inviting doorway, with the other elves following. Deallyona screamed. Brisid turned around and saw a hole in the ground where the elf-maiden had been. The two remaining elves looked over the edge but saw only black.

"We have to follow her!" shouted Coraven. Suddenly the hole widened and swallowed the two elves. Things were not going well, Brisid thought as he slid into darkness.