Deep in the Underdark, beneath a lonely, chaos-ridden island, a woman with bronzed skin arranged a handful of large feathers in front of her on the cold, stone ground. There were six of them: one blue, one yellow, two red, and two green. Their colors were vibrant and beautiful, even in this deep dark, where she could only see by the light of a small lantern. Ines gently stroked her fingers over the feathers and allowed a faint smile to touch her lips.

With great care, she began to arrange the feathers together, weaving them in a way that only a plumaweaver could. She hummed softly as she did, her eyes half-lidded. She could see in her mind the land of her home, where simple people lived amidst simple pleasures and modest desires. She missed her village dearly, and she knew that a part of her could never forgive these devils for what they had done. She could work with them, though, for as long as it was necessary. While she lacked the bloodlust of some of her kin, she held no love for the pirates who had scorned and abused them in every manner. Wherever they ended up, she wanted to be free of their taint, and to live in peace.

Whatever peace she could find...

After some time, most of which was spent pondering the past, present, and the unknown future, Ines paused to look at her weaving. It was a small object, but she had done a fine enough job without her weaving tools. It would work for what she had in mind. She hoped she wouldn't need to use it. But if she did, she was ready.

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A feather fell from the world above, daylight shining down in the Underdark. He wiped the tears away from his dirty, bloodied and charred face. The thick streams of lava were now running freely and the ground, walls and ceiling shook violently. Then he heard her voice. "Ed-Edward?!" It was far away, but he heard it.

In the flames a humanoid figure moved towards them, crackling madly as she wailed. "Hearts of Zaltec Copil, I have come for you" Copil turned to him. "Go find your woman. Only death awaits you this way." The man gestured towards the woman wandering through the flames. Then he smacked Edward with his club. "Move you fat fool!."

He rushed towards the voice, the flames that barred his way before parting before him. Then he saw her, she was holding her face, covered in gashes and bleeding. "Chastity?!" "Edward!" As they met, the caverns around them began to crash down. "We got to get out of here!" "I d- dont think we're getting out of here, Edward." They embraced and kissed.

He looked around at the crashing walls, then turned and smiled to her. "Let' enjoy the moment, we can be together when the world comes tumbling down." He extended his chubby hands out to her, giving her the feather he had held locked in his fingers. "I love you" "I love you too, Piggy." Taking the feather she stared at it, it glowed a faint blue. The the glow faded as the walls inevitably came crashing down on them; Burying them under the rock.

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Endless hours of wandering through darkness deeper than night. Ines knew no comfort as she and a few of the others who had survived followed their svirfneblin guides through the Underdark. When they reached L'Obsul, they were able to take a ferry to Underport and from there they found a way to the Surface. Jack left them and Darrius went ahead. Alone, Metzli and Ines climbed the rope that would take them to freedom at long last...

The sun was bright. It was like a welcome weight to her shoulders. Ines spread her arms and accepted its embrace for only a moment before her surroundings registered with her. She was in a swamp of some kind. Waiting for Metzli, the only other native to survive the entire journey from Maztica, the two Payit women crept through the swamps until they found a dry climate. In the distance, though, strange creatures stood next to a road. It looked like an ambush party.

But a road meant there was civilization nearby. Perhaps a town or a trade outpost. She was briefly excited, but Metzli's obvious fear and panic calmed her. She gripped Metzli's arm and spoke quietly in their native tongue.

"We have to run, Metzli. It's our only chance."

And they ran. They ran like never before, as if reaching for the fingers of freedom that stretched out before them. Wind raced through their hair and their bare feet padded through the moist grass. It was the closest they had come in months to tasting the freedom they sought. Perhaps here they would finally have a chance to live again...

Pain seared through Ines like fire as a sharp arrow struck her in the back. She stumbled and very nearly fell but she pressed on. She panted, tears falling from her eyes as she cried out. One hand reached forward. They had made it to the road! They were so close!

And then claws tore through her body, knocking her to the ground. The fierce growling of the beastmen did not drown out the sound of Metzli's frightened scream as Ines' mind went black.

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She didn't know how long she had been there, soaked in her own blood in the middle of the road. All she knew when she awoke was that she should not have been awake. As she lay on the ground, vaguely catching the sounds of unfamiliar voices, she could not understand how she had come around. She was sure the wounds she had received from the monsters would have killed her. She was a healer. It was what she knew best.

But there was no point in disbelieving it. The next thing she knew, an armored man lifted her in his arms and carried her north. She was in a daze, but she heard Metzli's voice. As the armored man carried her into the nearby city, two words stood out from their conversation.

Kohlingen. Amia.

They were words she did not recognize.

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