'You're not thinking of riding that thing down the whirlpool!' Tessali gasped.
Theseus nodded. 'I am.' He backed away from Karfhud, who was struggling to pull the gate free and shaking the entire vestibule with his rumbling grunts. 'In the past, I've found it easier than swimming.'
'Don't you think we'll drown?' Silverwind's question was more of an inquiry than an objection.
Theseus glanced toward the center of the pond, where Sheba was disappearing into the heart of the whirlpool. 'Only if the monster drowns first.'
Karfhud gave a final sonorous groan, and, amidst a great crackling of wood, the gate came free. The fiend staggered under its weight, barely managing to face the pond before his heavy toad began to tip away. He let go and stepped back, allowing the gate to splash down with a loud, cracking slap. Their new raft instantly started to drift away, so Theseus sheathed his sword and clambered down the submerged stairs to grab hold.
So heavy was the gate that it began to pull the Thrasson away from the shore. He managed to slow the raft by digging his fingernails into its ancient wood and jamming the fingers of his improvised foot into a silty crack in the step. Even then, he found himself inexorably drawn toward the center of the pond, until he was half-floating in the water, his pain pods bobbing around him like a swarm of spiny black sponges.
Theseus heard a sharp crackling behind him, then craned his neck around to see Karfhud ripping a long plank from the edge of the other gate. Silverwind and Tessali were standing a short distance up the passage, their eyes gaping at this demonstration of the fiend's strength.
'Perhaps a little help would not be too much to ask for?' the Thrasson called.
All three of Theseus's companions swung their heads around. Tessali' stepped to the edge of the stairs, but seemed at a loss as to what he could do, while Silverwind galloped forward and jumped onto the gate – nearly dislodging the Thrasson as he landed. Karfhud simply jerked his plank the rest of the way off the gate, then tossed it onto the raft and waded into the water.
'Perhaps we should change places.' The fiend reached past Theseus and sank his talons into the gate, then pulled it back toward shore. 'You help the elf.'
Tessali backed away. 'You can't be serious. Riding a raft down a whirlpool is madness!'
'It's a small whirlpool.' Theseus climbed out of the water, but did not reach for the elf's arm. 'Still, you can wait here if you like.'
'Of course!' Karfhud's voice contained only a hint of mockery. 'We'll fetch you when we come back to burn the tiefling.'
Tessali shot the fiend a look as sharp as an arrow, but shrugged and reluctantly stepped to the edge of the stairs. Theseus helped the elf leap onto the raft, then picked up the long plank Karfhud had tossed aboard and thrust the end into the water, holding the vessel in place while the fiend boarded. They arranged themselves to distribute tile weight evenly – the massive tanar'ri had the front of the gate all to himself – and Theseus shoved off.
Karfhud pulled off his back satchel and busied himself cinching it tightly dosed. The others simply waited, listening to the slurp of the whirlpool grow increasingly louder. Their wait was not a long one. The current caught the cumbersome raft and whisked it toward the center of the pond. When it became apparent that he would not need to do much pushing, Theseus laid the plank down on the back edge of the raft – where he could kick it away if need be – and drew his sword. Though he had no idea where the whirlpool would come out, he felt certain Sheba would be Waiting for them on the other side. She wanted them to follow, or she would not have waited before going down the whirlpool.
The raft slid past the spandrel where the monster had been lurking, then picked up speed. It began to curve toward the whirlpool, and that was when, barely audible above the slurping din ahead, Theseus heard a faint, familiar cry from behind.
'Theseus, my love!' As muted as it was, he recognized the voice as that of his beloved wine woman. 'Have you forgotten me?'
The Thrasson spun and looked toward the great entry arch. There, standing upon the submerged stairs, hip- deep in water, was the white-cloaked figure of his wine woman. Her dark hair hung loose about her shoulders, and, beneath her emerald eyes, he could just make out the tear-trails glistening down her cheeks.
Theseus sheathed his sword. 'We must go back!'
'Good thought,' gasped Tessali. 'Blessed be the Great Meaninglessness!'
Theseus stooped down to reach for the plank, then felt the raft pitching as Karfhud started toward him.
'No – you made your decision,' the fiend rumbled. 'You cannot take it back now.'
On the steps, the wine woman stretched out her arms. 'My love, what have I done to offend you? Why do you abandon me?'
Theseus snatched the plank up and shoved the end into the water, leaning into it with all Iris weight 'We're going back.'
The raft pivoted around the plank, then curved along the whirlpool's edge facing backward. Without the fiend's weight to hold down the front, the surface was pitching toward the Thrasson at a dangerously steep angle.
'The current has us.' Karfhud eased back toward his end of the gate. 'There is nothing you can do.'
Theseus looked back to the stairs. The wine woman was growing smaller by the instant, but he could see her well enough to tell she was tearing her clothes and hair in grief.
'I must try.'
Theseus plunged the plank into the water, pushing against the current with all his strength. This time, the raft pivoted away from him, swinging toward the heart of the whirlpool. The swirling Waters fell away, curling downward in a wild, rushing spiral. The nose of the raft hung above the slope for a moment, then suddenly dipped and caught.
The deck bucked under Theseus's feet. He dropped the plank and threw himself down, trying to grab hold of the high side of the raft. The surface rose up to meet him, slamming into his face and flipping him onto his back. He
