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[Tempest]

Sorry for the delay. Even after exams, real life stuff has been problematic.

Chapter LXI: The Bell?s Cry


Alexandria advanced carefully up the stairs, flintlock pistol drawn. Flanking her were Moira, also with ready pistol, Yoshimo, who trusted in his sword, and Xan, hands raised and ready to begin an incantation at once. Jaheira, however, remained below, with Nalia, who was still unconscious from the force of Umar?s spell.

The tiefling kicked several pieces of stone out of her way as she advanced-Xan?s spell had thoroughly destroyed Umar?s statue, leaving fragments scattered across the stairs and, as Alexandria reached the top, she saw that the statue?s main body was still recognizable, even shattered into several large pieces on the stone floor. Shadow still clung to the stone, but it was fading as the adventurers watched, slowly returning the fragments to some bright color-Alexandria?s darkvision could not discern color in such conditions, but even she could tell that whatever energies had suffused the statue were bound into it no longer. While Alexandria was examining the statue, a soft moan suddenly emanated from nearby, and the adventurers turned as one to the source.

Yoshimo, whose eyes were that of a trained thief, saw it first. It came from beneath one of the larger pieces of the statue, and was only dimly discernable through the mass of writhing shadows that still clung to it-the upper torso of a humanoid and one arm, the rest of the body invisible beneath the mass of stone.

A moment later, two streaks of light, one resembling the sun?s own rays, the other resembling a bolt of moonlight, burned away the mass of oozing, almost living, shadow, revealing a human woman beneath. It was difficult to tell what the woman had originally looked like-her skin was pallid, almost translucent, her hair thin and scraggly, and many of the woman?s veins were clearly visible through her skin.

?Am? am I free?? The woman coughed, her voice hoarse and unsteady.

?Yes, good woman.? Moira answered, kneeling down beside her. ?Umar is destroyed. Are you Merella??

?I? I am.? The woman answered, coughing up blood as she did so. ?Please? is Tanek??

?Tanek is fine.? Moira nodded. ?Your suffering, to put it mildly, had been great, as has your husband?s. Please don?t talk, save your strength. This should only take a few moments. Xan, stone shape. Alex, a healing spell.?

Though unaccustomed to taking orders from someone her own age, Alexandria nodded and invoked the strongest healing spell she could, touching Merella as soon as Xan?s magic reshaped the fallen statue, revealing Merella?s horribly mangled lower body. The energy of the spell flowed into Merella, binding the worst of the woman?s wounds, but the spell didn?t have as much effect as it should have.

?A desecration spell?? Alexandria wondered aloud.

?Could be.? Moira nodded. ?This place was turned into a temple for your goddess?s archenemy, so would you like to do the honors??

?I would, but I neglected to bring silver dust with me.?

?Good thing I did remember.? Moira replied. ?I thought we might need such a spell-here.?

The favored soul reached into her backpack and withdrew a small sack, which she tossed to Alexandria, before returning her attentions to Merella.

Alexandria took a deep breath as she opened the sack and carefully began arranging the dust in a familiar insignia around the top of the temple and the recently destroyed altar. Two feminine eyes, surrounded by a circle of seven stars. The spell in and of itself wasn?t very complex, and could easily be performed in the field, but consecrating an area, however temporarily, to a deity required a certain amount of ritual. Alexandria personally did not really understand the importance of ritual as long as one believed, but her instructors in the church of Selûne, during Alexandria?s initiation, had impressed on her how vital it was for matters such as this.

Still, the tiefling worked as quickly as she could, hoping the Moonmaiden would forgive a little messiness if it meant saving time, and possibly Merella?s life in the process. As soon as the symbol of Selûne was complete on the stone, Alexandria began her prayer, invoking the Moonmaiden?s light and grace in the place that was so recently a site of terrible evil.

The adventurers received Selûne?s answer immediately-the silver dust drawn on the floor glowed brightly, and Alexandria?s entire body tingled as positive energy filled the area, which included Merella?s body. Alexandria then joined Moira, and began making efforts to heal the fallen woman. Jaheira came up the steps before Alexandria had even finished her invocation, and gently set Nalia down within the area of consecration before joining the others at Merella.

?I?m not sure what to do, Jaheira.? Moira admitted as the druid approached. ?I?ve completely mended her wounds, I think, but it?s like there?s a disease making her wither away. But I learned how to recognize a great many diseases, illnesses, and injuries at the temple of Ilmater, and I don?t recognize what?s happened to her.?

?She needs more help than any of us can give.? Jaheira explained. ?While I have no doubt that you and Alexandria can both muster spells of restoration, intense exposure to negative energy such as this? is not so easily mended. You have done very well to stabilize her, even not knowing what the root of her problem was.?

The druid gave Moira a rare smile before continuing. ?I believe she will remain stable until we can deliver her to someone more qualified to heal her. It is not a question of simple magical strength, but healing someone in Merella?s condition requires a great deal of time and patience, and I do not believe we have the time required to nurse her back to health ourselves. If we can fashion a stretcher to carry her back to Imnesvale, I believe she should make a full recovery.?

?What about Nalia?? Alexandria asked. ?Was she injured that badly, too??

?No. She, too, was struck by intense negative energy, but only very briefly. I am frankly amazed Nalia survived the attack at all, but it seems she is stronger than she appears to be, and if you have any remaining restoration spells, she should be fine. Yoshimo, Xan, do you have anything to report??

Alexandria had completely lost track of the two men while she attended to Merella-the thief and mage were examining the sword, rod, and a number of other items that Umar had carried, and had either fallen under the piece of statue or scattered elsewhere.

?A most interesting sword.? Yoshimo summarized. ?The shugenja informs me that it is a type of blade called a khopesh, which I must say I have never seen before-quite a find! It is magical, bearing unholy and spell storing properties. Alas, as such, it is quite unusable for our purposes, but that is only to be expected from its owner.?

Xan nodded. ?The rod is especially interesting, and I believe it is why our spells were so ineffective against Umar. It is known as a rod of absorption, and is an exceptionally peculiar item. Without going into great detail, it functions by drawing magical energy, such as that of spells being cast against its owner, into itself and storing that raw magical energy for later use by its owner, who can then use the rod?s energy to cast spells of their own without expending their own spells. There is not much absorption capacity left in the rod after our attack, but it remains potent. I do not believe we should part with this item under any circumstances.?

?Sounds useful.? Alexandria agreed. ?Anything else??

?A few miscellaneous protective items-a cloak, two rings, and other incidental items.?

Alexandria was about to respond when she noticed a change in the area. Something?

The tiefling collapsed as the sudden, total transformation of the area from pitch darkness to bright autumn daylight overwhelmed her eyes and senses.



Judging by the groans of the others an indeterminate amount of time later, Alexandria hadn?t been the only one caught unawares by the abrupt and total shift in light.

?That? was unexpected.? Xan observed as he struggled to his feet. ?I would have? expected? the death of Umar? to trigger a gradual change? This? is interesting.?

?The concept of inertia does seem arbitrary at times, with regards to magic.? Alexandria agreed as she rose. ?Sometimes magical effects fade over times, other times, the world cuts to black for an instance, then suddenly everything is back to normal.?

Yoshimo chuckled. ?Indeed. I must say, however, my sleep cycles are most disrupted now. We thought it was late at night, but by the sun?s position, I would say it is in fact early morning.?

?You surprise me, thief.? Jaheira observed. ?I did not think you knew enough about nature to recognize what the sun?s position in the sky means.?

?Oh, I have had many occasions to, shall we say, leave civilization with haste, and it is a useful thing to know when guards are liable to change shifts when one does not have a water clock on hand.?

?Why does this fail to surprise me?? Xan asked dryly.

?I am ashamed at your implications, good shugenja! I had thought myself skilled at avoidance and deception, but your keen senses defeat me yet!?

?You would do better at avoiding suspicion if you did not flagrantly advertise your chosen path at all times.?

?Ah, but we all have our callings, do we not? Yours is far more interesting than mine, I think. To command the elements as you do surely takes far more skill and mind than my humble talents!?

?Yes, it does.? Xan replied without humor. ?Now, on to the subject at hand. Jaheira, are you certain it is safe to move Merella??

?Not absolutely certain, no, but based on what I have seen of such things in the past, I believe it to be the best course of action. Alexandria, Moira, I leave you to fashion a stretcher and carry her with us to Imnesvale. If her condition worsens, she may require immediate aid, and my own druidic spells are less effective in this instance than the skills you muster.?

?Jaheira? did you just trust me with responsibility?? Alexandria asked with a grin.

?Yes, child, but if you are not capable of bearing such, I will ask Yoshimo to take your task.?

Alexandria deflated immediately. ?Yes, Jaheira.?

?Good. I will take care of Nalia, but first-Yoshimo and Xan, you will help me recover what we can from the dragon corpse. Alexandria and Moira, join us after you see to Merella.?


Fortunately, a stretcher wasn?t hard to improvise. Two tend poles, the traveling cloaks of both women, some rope, a few drops of an odd adhesive potion Yoshimo had carried and lent them, and several minutes of work later, and Merella was resting on a sturdy stretcher. Umar?s armor had disintegrated into dust as soon as Moira touched it, dead along with its owner, and beneath the armor, Merella had been wearing sturdy leather clothes that now looked far too large on the ranger?s emaciated frame. Alexandria found herself staring at the woman, studying how pallid and withered she was-but she was not dead. Not quite. And gods willing, she would return to health.

?What?s wrong?? Moira asked, following Alexandria?s gaze. ?Did she worsen in some way??

?No, it?s not her. Not really.? Alexandria replied slowly. ?It?s just now occurred to me, to be honest, how helpless Merella must have felt. To have some other intelligence seize control of you, and use your body like its own. I wonder if she was still awake, in her head, while Umar controlled her. Or if she was just? sleeping, and will wake up in a brutalized body with no memory of how she got there.?

Moira reached over and gave Alexandria?s arm a friendly squeeze. ?Don?t worry, Alex. I?m sure you?ll maintain control over yourself. Willpower is not a rare commodity for you.?

?Was I that obvious?? Alexandria admitted sheepishly, blushing slightly.

?No offense, Alex, but you really are very self-centered when you take the time to think about things.? Moira grinned. ?By impulse, you?re selfless and even rather sweet and caring, like when you met me for the first time. But whenever you take the time to think about things, all your thoughts turn inwards towards yourself. If Merella?s condition itself had hit you hard, you would have shown it while we were healing her.?

?I?m sorry. I didn?t mean to come off as that arrogant.?

?You don?t need to apologize. You may not be a people person, but I can be, and in Ilmater?s church, I was taught about how to minister and help those whose suffering is in the soul, not the body. Even noble people are selfless when badly stressed, and I knew from the day we met that you?ve lived with intense stress for so long, you don?t know what it?s like to live without it.?

Alexandria arched an eyebrow. ?You sound like Jaheira.?

?She?s a wise woman.? Moira agreed. ?But I?m not her. I can say what she wouldn?t, in this situation.?

?And what wouldn?t she say??

?That Ajantis was your anchor, and you don?t even know you?re mourning his death, let alone that his death is taking such a severe toll on you.?

Alexandria?s mind blade was halfway to Moira before the tiefling realized she had manifested it, and caught herself with alacrity, immediately clamping down on her sudden surge of anger even as she glared at the blonde woman.

?There?s no shame in anger.? Moira continued after recovering from her instinctive flinch. ?That wound in your heart is still there, and you?re still suffering, Alex, whether you acknowledge it or not.?

?What makes you think you know me so well?? Alexandria replied through her teeth.

?Because I?m your friend.? Moira replied simply. ?And I do care about how you feel, much as you cared about how Ajantis and Imoen felt. Jaheira told me it takes force to get you to listen, and I happen to agree, given how bullheaded and willingly ignorant, especially of yourself, you tend to be.?

?You really think I need you to tell me how I feel??

?Yes.?

Alexandria wanted to retaliate further, but she realized her impulse of anger had ebbed. Damn Moira. Damn Jaheira. Damn Ajantis.

?Don?t tell me you?re sorry, because you?re not.? Moira stated, as though reading the tiefling?s mind.

?No, I?m not. I?m mad as hell at you, but can?t figure out anything I can do about it.?

?That was the idea.? Moira laughed. ?Your greatest sin, Alex, is pride. Let me just say I?m pretty familiar with people overwhelmed by pride, and I don?t want you to go down the path either one of them did. Though for you, I think wrath runs a close second.?

?If pride is my greatest sin, then what is yours??


Moira didn?t respond for a long time to that question, until a single word escaped her.

?Envy.?

[Tempest]

Chapter LXII: Discontinuity


Eventually, Jaheira waved the adventurers to a halt. Despite their best efforts, it seemed they wouldn?t make it back to Imnesvale today, though admittedly their progress was slowed by two of them bearing a woman on a makeshift stretcher, and by one of their number having trouble keeping up. Merella was still unconscious-she had fainted completely while Moira had attended to her, and a potion administered to her by Jaheira had kept her that way for travel.

Nalia was awake and active, but Umar?s blast of negative energy, which Xan now identified in hindsight as a spell called the finger of death, had left the young woman weak and unsteady while her body recovered. Xan had recommended she be careful, and she seemed to be obeying the wizard?s orders. What she didn?t know was what Xan had quietly informed Alexandria and Jaheira of-Nalia had been extremely fortunate to survive the spell at all. The spell was intended to instantly snuff out a person?s life force, and Nalia had never possessed a very strong constitution.

Another friend, avoiding death at my side only by a momentary smile of Tymora. Which one of us is next? Will we be so lucky? Sigh. Damn it. Alex, you know this is a bad line of stuff to be thinking, at least without a supply of alcohol on hand?

Alexandria forced the thoughts to the back of her mind as the adventurers made camp. Xan quickly conjured a fire, letting Moira and Alexandria set down Merella near the warmth while they proceeded to pitch their own tent. Nalia, to Alexandria?s admitted surprise, managed to hold her own in pitching the tent she shared with Jaheira, despite the obvious shaking in her arms.

Jaheira noticed it, too. ?Child, you are tired and still recovering from your ordeal. You need a good night?s rest, not to collapse here of fatigue.?

?I know.? Nalia replied weakly as she drew her hammer to pound in the tent pegs. ?But I promised I would carry my own weight, and not slow you down.?

?Not at the expense of your own health, child.?

?I can?t stop.? Nalia answered, a note of resolve in her voice. ?I got hurt, but I?m pressing on. That?s what you and Alex have done, isn?t it??

?She?s got a point, Jaheira.? Alexandria observed with a chuckle. ?Granted, I never brushed so closely with death at the hands of an abomination like Umar and was on my feet an hour later.?

?No, child, you only brushed closely with death at the hands of an abomination like Sarevok and was on your feet an hour later.?

?Yeah, but I also passed out about ten minutes after that.?

?Point taken. Nalia, you should consider heeding Alexandria?s advice.?

For a brief moment, Alexandria could have sworn a look of pain was on Nalia?s face, but if there was, it passed so quickly that she couldn?t be certain.

?Yes, Jaheira.? The young mage replied, setting her tent hammer down and taking off her backpack.

?Good, child.? Jaheira answered, the sarcasm in Nalia?s force apparently lost on her. ?I do not believe we will have much chance of looking for food here, until the land recovers from Umar?s influence, so trail rations it will apparently be.?

?I do not suppose you thought to save any of the dragon?s flesh while we were skinning it, did you?? Yoshimo asked.

?Of course not. I would not dare eat the flesh of anything killed in so corrupt a manner.?

?I was joking. Consuming dragon flesh is forbidden in Kara-Tur.?

?Then perhaps you wish to cook dinner for the evening??

?Ah, I must respectfully decline. Let each man do what he is best at, as they say.?

?Good.?


It was perhaps two hours later, after dinner and the usual nightly routine of cleaning the worst of the filth and stink from their armor and clothing, that Alexandria and Moira found themselves the last two awake, facing the dying campfire.

?Moira, may I ask what you meant the other day? That your greatest sin is envy??

The favored soul chuckled. ?You may, but I can?t guarantee you it will make much sense. I?ve been getting ready for this conversation for the entire day?s hike, and it still doesn?t make perfect sense, even to me.?

Alexandria laughed in spite of herself. ?I know how that one goes, believe me.?

?Oh, I do. After you disappeared in Baldur?s Gate, a lot of people went looking for you, and a lot of people were talking about you and what you did. I tried to learn everything I could about you and what you did, and more importantly, to my way of thinking, why you did what you did. That Flaming Fist officer, Nathaniel Donos, helped a lot. He seemed to know you pretty well.?

?Now isn?t that the truth.? Alexandria muttered. ?I knew Donos, sort of. Still don?t know what he is, or why he was so interested in me.?

?I think there?s a story there, but you asked me for my story, so I?ll continue. You know what happened to my father and brother in Baldur?s Gate.?

Alexandria was about to respond when Moira cut her off. ?No, I don?t blame you or your friends at all. Anomen would have gotten himself killed fighting our brother, and I don?t know what would have happened to my father. Nothing good, probably.?

?So Angelo was related to you. Well, I guess you should know that Khalid, Jaheira?s husband, killed Angelo below Baldur?s Gate.?

Moira sighed. ?Yes, he was related to us. Some tawdry little tart caught my father?s eye after my mother died, and Angelo was the result. If you don?t mind, though, I?d rather not talk about that. I knew my mother better than Anomen did. Didn?t know her all that well, beyond a daughter knowing her loving mother, but everyone always said I looked and acted just like her. As I think I told you at the Friendly Arm Inn, after my mother died, our family was destroyed. My father withdrew into drink, my brother into his dreams of honor and righteousness-into proving he could be a man.?

?He seemed to be a good guy, when I met him. If a little awkward.?

Moira nodded. ?My mother?s death hit us all pretty hard, Anomen probably more so than my father. I think he could have grown into a good man, given time, but that?s just wishful thinking now. I was sort of promoted to mother in my family. I was the one taking care of everyone, making sure we didn?t completely destroy ourselves. Pretty thankless job, to be honest. My father was sliding into his abyss no matter what I did, and Anomen? well, he seemed to idealize me as time went on. He sort of thought he was my knight in shining armor.?

?Sounds? a little scandalous, to be honest.?

Again, Moira nodded slowly. ?My brother needed someone to fight for. Much as he tried to be a paladin?s squire, and a priest of Helm, Anomen never quite bought into ideals or a god. He needed *someone* to depend on, someone who depended on him. What I?m getting at, with all of this, is my original point of all this-my sin of envy.?

?When we first met, you said pride ran in your family.?

?That it did, and does. Pride?s a funny thing, though. To truly be proud, you need something you can be proud of. I was never very proud of the family name, and I just couldn?t take pride in my role keeping my family together.?

?Why not? Keeping your family sane sounds like something to be proud of, to me.?

?You?re not getting my point. I was still just a girl when my mother died. I was forced into my role in the family, and it wasn?t until Baldur?s Gate that I was ever free of my obligations, even for a moment. I was finally free? to choose my course. You, Jaheira, Xan? you all chose your paths. Nathaniel Donos told me about your life at Candlekeep-you discovering your psionic gift, but also that your father let you pursue any path he wished. Xan chose to become a wizard. Jaheira chose to become an adventurer.?

?You chose to become one, too.? Alexandria pointed out. ?I did warn you, in Athkatla.?

Moira grinned. ?Yes, but I never claimed my envy was very rational. You wanted my story, and I warned you it might not make much sense.?

?The world isn?t required to. I?d like to think it is, but my experience says otherwise.?

?I could have told you that.? The older woman smiled. ?But, no offense, you like working towards your own conclusions, even when someone could simply tell you the answer before you ever start. Bad idea to rush you, bad idea to make you think I know better than you, even when I do.?

?You make me sound very ignorant.?

?You?re not. As I said, you just like establishing things for yourself, finding results of your own. No shame or harm in that. That?s one of the reasons I told you my story, rather than give a short answer.?

?And the other reasons??

?One?s much less practical. The truth is, I also want you to understand me because? Alex, when we met in the Friendly Arm Inn, you struck me as one of the most attractive women I?ve ever seen.?

An extremely awkward moment lingered between the women, until Alexandria finally worked up the nerve to answer.

?Well? thank you. I? I?m not sure why a woman would find me beautiful, though.?

The tiefling indicated her own body-the tall, muscled build of a disciplined and active adventurer relying on physical strength, and the numerous scars visible even on her clothed form, as well as her inhuman eyes.

Moira, truthfully, wasn?t much better. She was slightly shorter than Alexandria, though still taller than average, possessed of a more lithe build, and lacked the number of scars and calluses that had accumulated on Alexandria, but she still was proof that the myth of beautiful, gorgeously feminine women warrior/adventurers was only that-a myth.

And, to be honest, both were covered in filth and stank to high heaven after the past few days of hard adventuring.

?I said attractive, not beautiful.? Moira smiled nervously. ?But if you find this too awkward of a subject to discuss with another woman, I understand.?

?No, it?s not that.? Alexandria admitted. ?It?s Ajantis. It?s been? two, maybe three weeks since I escaped Irenicus? lab? I know I spent two months down there, and Ajantis was handed to someone or something called Bodhi, if I remember everything that happened down there right, near the beginning.?

Moira?s voice was quiet. ?Do you think he?s dead??

?I don?t know. I just don?t know. Irenicus was doing some horrible things to me, and he killed Khalid and some other person to get to Imoen. I don?t even know where to begin looking for Ajantis, haven?t known since the start of this, but??

?You?re afraid he is dead.?

Alexandria nodded. ?I don?t *know*, but at this point, I don?t think there?s much point in being optimistic. Moira, I know you really do mean well, but? as you said, I have to handle some things at my own pace.?

?So? you don?t mind that I?m a woman??

?No.? The tiefling managed a slight, nervous smile. ?But just so you know, you?re not the first to flirt with me. Nalia very heavily alluded to it in Baldur?s Gate. But she never came out and asked if I minded.?

?Yes, I know. There have been rumors, in Athkatlan noble circles, for a rather long time about Nalia De?Arnise.?

?You don?t sound like you like Nalia very much.?

?I think she?s naïve.? Moira admitted. ?It is the philosophy of Ilmater to hope for the best and do all you can to bring it about, but also to realistically prepare for the worst, for cruelty and suffering are parts of this world. It is the task of the Ilmateri to alleviate that cruelty, tend to the suffering, and ensure that while they are part of the world, they will never rule it. Nalia believes she can truly change the world, simply by relying on the better nature of human beings.?

?You don?t believe that?s possible??

?No. There will always be people who take to hatred and cruelty like fish to water, and there will always be ambition, fear, and distress. You can?t change human nature, especially not with simple money like Nalia thinks you can.?

?I don?t disagree that you can?t change human nature, but I think Nalia does have a point. If you dismiss a change in human nature as impossible, you go a long way towards ensuring that such a change never does happen. I used to be a lot like Nalia, Moira. I think you used to be like her, too.?

?And what do you think happened to us??

?We saw the world, we grew cynical, we lost our innocence. Admittedly, we both changed a lot more traumatically than most.?

?It takes an intense flame indeed to forge the strongest steel, or so said Nalia?s father. They?re both Gondar, I think.?

?I hope that truism is right. Nice job sidestepping my point, though.?

?Which was??

Alexandria laughed softly. ?I think I?ll let you figure this one out? at your own pace.?

?Bastard.?

?Well, yes, as a matter of fact I am.?

?I?m tempted to stomp off and say good night, but it?s occurred to me that we have been sharing the same bedrooms and tents since I joined up.?


Another extremely awkward moment later, and both women returned to their tent. Very carefully moving their bedrolls as far away from one another as they could. And stacking their backpacks, armor, and other gear in between them.



Author's note: Those squeamish about the possibility of a female/female relationship in this story, this is your stop in the story. However, I do guarantee there will be no explicit sexual content of any sort, at any point, in the tale.

[Tempest]

Author's forward: My theory that most stories are in fact self-aware and have a mind of their own continues to accrue evidence. I have no idea what happened with this chapter, save that it had very little input from me. Forgive me if it seems a little... off.


Chapter LXIII: Event Horizon


?Alexandria.?

Jaheira?s voice was curt-the druidess had drawn Alexandria away from camp while the others began breaking down camp to resume travel, and she had quietly made sure that no one was in a position to overhear them.

?Yes?? Alexandria asked hesitantly.

?Moira.?

Alexandria?s double-take was momentary, but more than noticeable for Jaheira.

?You did not think I would know.? The older woman stated.

?Well? no. I thought you were asleep.?

?I was about to genuinely fall asleep when I heard the two of you begin talking. I made no movements nor made any sound, but I listened closely. Would you like to begin explaining yourself, or should I begin asking questions??

Alexandria began to feel very small, even though she was taller and more heavily built than the druid. Jaheira always had been good at doing that? still, the tiefling swallowed her pride.

?I don?t know what needs explaining.?

?Be serious, child. You have opened the door to a potentially romantic involvement with Moira, a decision that is? questionable? at best.?

Alexandria blushed as she mustered her response. ?Are you upset that she?s a woman, Jaheira??

?Your sexual identity is not the issue at hand. Emotional attachments at times like this are dangerous, and I am not certain you understand the dangers you have opened yourself to-and the dangers you have now involved Moira in.?

?You never objected to my relationship with Ajantis. And it?s not like Moira and I started kissing last night or something.?

Jaheira?s voice was grave. ?No, child, it is significantly more dangerous than your relationship with Ajantis ever was. Before you try to defend yourself by saying you loved Ajantis and do not love Moira, neither is the case, and I believe you know it.?

?So now you?re second-guessing how I feel?? Alexandria?s anger began to simmer beneath the surface. ?You, of all people? You yourself told me to continue my relationship with Ajantis, back in the Friendly Arm Inn.?

?Yes, I am, and yes, I did.? Jaheira continued evenly. ?I second-guessed you then, and I am second-guessing you now. I do not know if your present interest in Moira Delryn is anything but a passing infatuation, or an attempt to salve injured emotions, but an emotional attachment has formed, and that is what concerns me.?

Alexandria?s hands clenched into fists as she struggled to stay in control. ?Jaheira, I respect you, and value your opinion, a great deal, but? stay out of my personal life.?

Jaheira met Alex?s gaze without a step backward. ?Child, you are deeply reckless when it comes to your personal feelings. Since Imoen?s capture, you have been devoting all of your efforts towards rescuing her. Not hunting this Irenicus who tortured the both of you, not preparing yourself for the inevitable attentions of other children of Bhaal. You have devoted all of your efforts and resources to rescuing the individual you love as a sister. Imagine, Alex, what you would do if you were to genuinely fall in love with Moira, and she were hurt or captured. How far would you go??

?As far as I had to!? Alexandria shouted, then immediately caught herself as she realized Jaheira?s point.

The druid nodded. ?Precisely. You are passionate, Alexandria Eversor, and while it can be a strength, it can also be an exploitable weakness. I would not dare order you in your personal life?-

-?But if you could, you sure as hell would.?

?That may be true, child.? Jaheira smiled. ?As it is, however, you are most incorrigible. Do you understand my meaning in all of this??

?Yes, Jaheira.? Alexandria sighed. ?When you started this, though, I thought you were going to call me out on the fact that I?m a woman, and so is Moira.?

?That is your concern, child. I know when my thoughts are needed, even if they are not welcome, but this matter concerns you alone. How I feel about such relationships need not concern you.?

?Fair enough. I guess we should get back to the others before I come to my senses and hit you.?

?That would be wise. Most remarkable of you.?

Alexandria muttered several very colorful nicknames for the druid under her breath as she turned to head back to camp. With luck, they?d reach Imnesvale before mid-day.

Tanek was waiting for them just north of the village, his stance and manner betraying a great deal of anxiety as the adventurers came forward. Alexandria and Moira moved to the front of the group, still carrying Merella on her stretcher. To his credit, the druid managed to keep his overall composure quite well.

?What happened?? He asked simply.

?Long story.? Alexandria replied. ?The short version-Merella was possessed for some time by a being I?m not sure I can describe. Apparently a ghost or some such, but it possessed powerful command over shadows and negative energy. We got Merella stable, but there wasn?t a lot we could do.?

?Let me see her.?

The adventurers gently set the cot down on the ground, and the druid went to his wife at once, moving Umar?s archaic clothing out of the way. Beneath the clothing, Merella was nude, but the sight was not remotely titillating-the woman was gaunt and pale, thin enough that her ribs were clearly visible, and her veins, thick and dark, wove an ugly pattern beneath her nearly translucent skin. Tanek ran his hand across Merella?s skin, gently whispering words Alexandria didn?t recognize.

The druid looked up. ?Negative energy, you said??

?I think so. None of us have much experience with it.?

?Not many people do.? Tanek nodded. ?Fortunately, I am one of the exceptions. There aren?t many druids who turn to Lathander in their service, but I am one of those few, and it has always been my experience that the best answer to a gripping darkness is a blazing, and persistent, light. I have already requested the aid of other members of my circle, hoping you would return successfully, and I hope? believe? that Merella will be fine, given time.?

Tanek looked past Alexandria, directly at Jaheira. The human druid chuckled.

?You did well, telling them how to get Merella stable, and for that, you have my eternal thanks. For destroying the shadow of Umar, you have the immense gratitude of the Circle of Amn, and I believe the mayor here would also like to repay you, though I?m sure you understand that I never truly can repay you for bringing my wife back to me.?

Jaheira looked at Tanek with a curious expression, then spoke several words of the same language Tanek had used when whispering to Merella. The other druid responded in the same language, and Jaheira nodded sadly.

?Thank you, Tanek.? The half-elf spoke, returning to Common. ?It is good to know that Khalid?s death will be remembered.?

?Whatever the High Harpers may think of the mess you?re accompanying, Jaheira, the fall of a good man is always something to be mourned. Galvarey passed word that you?d been seen in Athkatla without Khalid, so we were wondering what had happened. Thank you for informing me-did Khalid have any other kin who should be told??

?No.? Jaheira answered softly. ?Khalid?s father would not care, and he had no one else whom he might have called family.?

?Well, good luck to you, then. Should you ever require aid or shelter, or for your companions, Jaheira, I can never repay the debt I owe you. Farewell, my friend.?

Tanek extended his hand, which Jaheira shook firmly.

?Farewell.?


Apparently, the trees had ears-seemingly the entire population of Imnesvale had turned out in the village square, the mayor and his wife at the head of the group.

?It is done.? Alexandria announced without preamble. ?Umar had been destroyed, her spells broken, and all that other heroic business. We also managed to save Merella, and we found a rather large dragon up in the ruins, dead when we arrived. I still wouldn?t consider those ruins safe to visit, though. Umar?s spirit and rituals ensnared the local werewolves, and eventually many other people as well. We banished her spirit, destroyed the source of her power, but it?s possible she was prepared for that, too. I intend to make a full report to the temple of Selûne when I return to Athkatla, including a recommendation that the ruins be more thoroughly investigated to ensure that Umar is destroyed, not simply defeated, but I do not think the ruins will trouble you again.?

The square was silent for a moment, leaving Alexandria uncertain of what to expect, but the next moment, the tiefling was deafened by the cheering of the townsfolk. What little she could sift out from the mass of applause and general yelling seemed to pronounce the adventurers ?The Heroes of Imnesvale?, among a few other, similar, titles. Yoshimo, Moira, and Nalia, the last of whom seemed to have fully recovered from her injuries, all seemed to enjoy the cheering-Yoshimo in particular grinned broadly like a well-fed cat at the praise, while Nalia simply seemed to bask in it. Jaheira, too, affected a broad smile, blissfully serene amidst the chaos, while Xan seemed as distant as ever.

If she were to be perfectly honest with herself, Alexandria would have had to admit that her reaction was one of anxiety and discomfort, though she smiled politely to the others. Genuine praise? was a new experience for her. Certainly, the mayor of Nashkel had been grateful for the purge of the mines, Lieutenant Nathaniel Donos (or whatever he was) had treated her to a drink after her victory in the Wood of Sharp Teeth, and then there had been the grand, formal recognition by Duchess Liia Jannath in Baldur?s Gate for the death of Sarevok, but even that last one, Alexandria had fainted just after the Duchess had bestowed upon Alexandria the noble title of Dame, and the surname of Eversor? which the newly anointed noblewoman had later found out was a cruel joke on Liia Jannath?s part-?Eversor? was a word in the ancient Netherese tongue, meaning ?Destroyer?.

The praise of these people-it was not official recognition or a shared drink of friendly respect, nor even simple gratitude, or Tanek?s relief, which had been so strong the druid could barely speak straight. These people owed their lives to Alexandria, Jaheira, Xan, Moira, Nalia, and Yoshimo? it was a strange feeling to be the object of such gratitude. It was almost? well? Alexandria decided she would never be able to adequately describe how it felt, that first time in Imnesvale. Like any other sensation, she would be able to better describe it in time, as she later felt it again, but that terrifying, intoxicating first brush with it? Alexandria could understand then, the appeal of her path, which she had undertaken first out of necessity, later out of devotion to her friend.

Success, she truly understood for the first time, that morning in the village of Imnesvale, was not a thing measured in gold coin or pile of magical equipment. It was not measured in trophies taken, nor blood spilled, nor title granted. The thunderous cheering was the denomination by which the real reward was measured, but in truth the true reward was difficult to place a label on. It was the gratitude of the townsfolk, yes, but it was also Alexandria?s knowledge that she had made a difference in the lives of these people-so many people whose names she would never know, whose faces she would never recall. So, too, was it Nalia?s impulsive hug, the light in Xan?s gray eyes, Moira?s rich laughter, Yoshimo?s broad grin, and Jaheira?s warm smile. It was the little girl, whose bright gold hair barely reached Alexandria?s waist, trying to give the tiefling a flower from the nearby fields. It was the traveling bard, already spinning verses for his new ballad, and the young lad from the farms, no longer afraid to go out at night.

There were some, she knew, who derided the concept of heroism, thought of all the risks and difficulties and inconveniences of the adventurer?s life to be too great-that any who pursued that life to be unbalanced at best, insane at worst. There were some who scoffed at the idea of placing one?s life on the line in the name of protecting those unable to protect themselves. Some protested the resources such people demanded to do shoulder their burden, willingly taken, or thought such people useless when no immediate need for them presented itself. Alexandria did not, and could not, know why those people would think such things, but hers was not to question-hers was to act.

And that realization, that acknowledgement of her role, Alexandria realized, marked her place. Whatever that rare, special group of people called themselves-adventurers, knights, crusaders, watchmen, guards, police, soldiers? the name could change a thousand times, but the thought, and the people, remained the same. Now? Alexandria realized that she was amongst them. Her reasons, and her path, that had lead to this? they didn?t matter. They never did, for anyone. What mattered was what she did.

All today had done was make her conscious of those facts-things she had known and accepted, but never consciously known. Perhaps this was what had distinguished her from her brother? and her father? Had they simply never known what it felt like, to be called a hero?

Questions. As Alexandria dimly became aware that the polite smile on her face had turned into an eager grin, that she was laughing with her friends? she understood. This was not a time for questions.

It was a time to live.

[Tempest]

Chapter LXIX: Behind The Veil


It was impossible to tell how late it was when Alexandria staggered off to bed-a room granted to her in the Imnesvale Inn, free of charge.

Being drunk almost to the point of passing out had a noted and well-documented tendency to distort one?s sense of time.


Below, in the commons room, the only three adventurers who had had the sense to abstain from heavy drinking remained sitting around a table. Nalia, Jaheira, and Xan were, perhaps, the wisest of the adventurers, at least in regards to drink.

?Jaheira, can I ask you something?? Nalia asked, consciously working to keep a slur out of her voice. The noblewoman had had a few drinks herself, but knew her own limits.

?Certainly, child.?

?Well, it?s about Alex. I know she?s your close friend and all, so if you don?t want to answer, I understand.?

Jaheira frowned, but indicated that Nalia continued.

?It has to do with something I?ve noticed about her. Back in Baldur?s Gate? she seemed much more eager to help people, more approachable and down to earth. She seems more, well, hard now. More aloof. I understand something happened while you all were missing for two months, but she doesn?t really seem to be the person I met on the Sword Coast.?

?Did you ever consider asking Alexandria herself??

?I did consider it.? Nalia admitted sheepishly. ?Amongst the nobility, however, it is considered impolite to ask about such things to another noble?s face. You saw the expression on her face earlier-I know she?s still out to help people, which is why I asked to join her on her adventures, but it?s that change in how she?s acted??

?A curious question.? Jaheira nodded. ?Very well, but first I must ask you something. When was the first time you ever killed a man??

?Killed a man??

?Or any other intelligent, living person.?

?In Baldur?s Gate, I guess. The battle there.?

?Have you ever killed a man up close, with a sword or close-range pistol shot??

?Well, no.?

Jaheira sighed. ?Then this may take some trouble for you to understand, but let me try another method. Have you ever done something that you found extremely distasteful at first-something that, in another light, may even have horrified you??

?Well? when I was a little girl, one of our family dog?s died. My father told me it was my job to bury it, in the family plot. It was hard for me, that first time, burying Piper. I loved her, as much as any child loves a family pet. I later buried other pets. I guess you know dogs don?t live as long as people.?

?Did it get easier for you??

?Well, yes. I don?t want to think what it would have been like if it hadn?t, feeling that pain every time a pet died.?

?Then you understand Alexandria more than you think, child.?

?How so??

?After your dog died when you were a little girl, did you ever love another dog quite as much as that dog of yours-Piper? Can you truly say you didn?t hold back, if just a little, ever since??

Nalia didn?t respond for several long moments, and her voice was quiet when she finally did.

?No. I did hold back, just a little. It hurt a lot when Piper died, and I didn?t want to be hurt like that again.?

?It happens to everyone, child, in a most unfortunate aspect of psychology. When a person suffers a cut or injury, scar tissue forms. Scar tissue is more durable than normal skin, more resistant to injury. Scars also have lessened ability to feel contact than normal skin-a side effect of the change.?

?And you?re saying? the spirit is no different.? Nalia guessed.

Jaheira smiled. ?Correct, child. For many people, Alexandria included, their natural reaction to many parts of an adventurer?s life is shock, even disgust. It was her reaction to killing, to having close friends go missing. She willingly took the burden of her path upon herself, but Nalia, you must know that simply choosing a good and righteous course of action, and following it to its end, does not mean you are guaranteed happiness. I truly doubt Alexandria?s path will leave her happy, in the end, and I believe she thinks the same. As for her coldness here and now? Alexandria loved Imoen dearly, a sister in many ways. She also loved Ajantis.?
?She loved him?? Nalia asked with surprise. ?I thought??

?Alexandria herself did not know how she felt, and I am uncertain whether she does now or not. True, it was not a mature love, and if they had remained together, I strongly doubt they would have lasted. Nevertheless, it was as close to true love, outside a family relationship, that she has known. Ajantis is missing, very probably dead. Imoen is missing, and you yourself told us of Spellhold. Child, you are not the only one in this group who is? infatuated? with her.?

?Moira.?

?Correct. I do not blame you, or Moira, for that attraction, but this does lead back to your original question-the question of what happened. You already know the answer, though not the whole truth. Alexandria herself likely is unaware of the change, but the simplest answer I can give you is that she has grown callous. There have been very few times since I first encountered her on the Sword Coast that she has not been suffering terrible stresses and burdens-have you not noticed how much she drinks??

?Well, I thought she just liked drinking.? Nalia blushed slightly. ?It?s unseemly for a noblewoman to do so.?

Jaheira remained somber. ?She may enjoy drinking, child, but not that much. She drinks for the same reason many do: to forget. Nalia, you have felt only the most remote traces of the burdens she bears, though I doubt that will last. That, perhaps, is what has truly changed. On the Sword Coast, Alexandria was motivated primarily by her desire for vengeance and justice, for the harm dealt to her and the deaths of so many dear to her. I do not think she was truly aware of the place in life she was taking up at that point. Here and now, she is far more aware of herself, and her place. Self-awareness, child, can be both a blessing and a curse.?

?But? why do you doubt my own circumstances won?t last? I made the arrangement with Alex, so the Roenalls can?t seize the keep.?

?If you think that will stop them, then you have my pity.?

?What do you mean??

?I have dealt with nobles such as them before, in my capacity as a Harper. Believe me when I say that they do not yield easily.?

?Wait? you?re a Harper??

?Yes, child. You did not know??

?Of course I didn?t!? Nalia immediately lowered her voice again. ?Um, you might not want to say much about that, Jaheira. The Harpers aren?t very popular in Athkatla. It?s pretty common knowledge they have a base somewhere in the city, but no one knows where.?

?I am aware of this. I am also aware that avoiding contact with that particular group of Harpers is in our best interest??

?Why??

?Allow me to say that there have been? disagreements? between my particular branch of the Harpers, and the branch that exists in Amn. Now, off to bed with you, child.?

Nalia sighed, but obeyed the druid?s order.


In a room on the floor above, Alexandria was not sleeping peacefully. Moira winced as Alex twisted and groaned, but Jaheira?s quiet, carefully worded warning from shortly after she?d joined the party came immediately to mind-do not be unduly alarmed, and do not wake her.

The favored soul frowned as Alex continued to writhe in the grasp of her dream. Despite her own quiet inquiries, neither Jaheira nor Xan had told her what happened when the tiefling had what were obviously terrible nightmares. Moira could understand simple nightmares-what she knew of the tiefling?s experience was likely fuel for dreams that the favored soul did not care to imagine. But Jaheira?s warning seemed to imply something worse than mundane bad dreams.

There was still much she didn?t know. Moira had been taken with Alexandria from the first evening they had met, by chance in the Friendly Arm Inn. The tiefling had been tall, strong, proud? and vulnerable, visibly uncomfortable in the dress she had bought for that evening. Later, in Baldur?s Gate, Alex had remained far more subdued than the others at the Ducal Inauguration and subsequent battle, more intent and focused on her mission. She had apparently been shaken by personal events and revelations, as Nathaniel Donos had informed her and the two De?Arnise family members afterwards, yet she had remained focused on her goal.

Moira was proud to consider Alex her friend, and was more than a little attracted to her, but there remained so much she didn?t know. Jaheira, Xan, Alex-they were the real inner circle of the adventuring group. Moira hadn?t shared the experiences they had, good and bad alike. It was strange, how little she knew. Could she even claim to really know the heroine of Baldur?s Gate at all? Travel alongside a woman for almost a month, don?t even learn simple things, like her favorite color, what hobbies she enjoyed when not adventuring, or what she had wanted to be when she grew up.

Alexandria continued to rebel against her nightmare, and Moira quietly began to pray for the tiefling?s soul? and sanity.


It was not a dream like the others, Alex knew that much as soon as the dreamscape resolved around her. It was Candlekeep again, but outside the main keep, by the fountains. Alex had been here often with Gorion, the old mage finding it a perfect environment to teach the young tiefling lessons that weren?t simple book knowledge. Also unlike the previous dream, Candlekeep appeared just as it did in reality-the sun was bright, birdsong could be heard, and the familiar smell of salt air poured in from the sea Candlekeep was perched over.

In fact, the only thing that was out of place? also ruined what otherwise would have been almost idyllic. A figure was walking along the inner circle, through the gardens and into the fountain area. He was tall, slender, and fair of skin, wearing a formal suit of highest fashion from Baldur?s Gate, and the entire suit was black-not a shiny black like polished iron, but a black that seemed to drink in all light that dared touch it. The man smiled as he saw Alexandria.

The man?s voice was richly accented, though Alexandria couldn?t identify the source. ?It?s been far too long.?

?Do I know you?? Alexandria asked warily.

?Of course you do.? The man laughed. ?Though, granted, I don?t think you?ve ever seen me in this form. Really, my dear, who else would interrupt your beauty sleep like this, and give you free rein to talk??

A number of answers came to mind, but only one made sense. Alexandria?s wariness increased a hundredfold.

?Bhaal. What do you want now??

?Now, now. Is that any way to treat your father??

?We had this discussion before.? Alex replied coldly. ?Say whatever you?re going to say, and let me get back to sleep.?

?You would begrudge your own father so?? Bhaal scolded. ?I could have sworn Gorion taught you better manners than that, but considering that you barely avoided passing out on the tavern floor, I think lessons on etiquette will wait for later. You?re a disgrace to my good name.?

?I think I?ll take that as a compliment.?

?How droll. Would you care to spout any other stock lines that everyone in history with a sense of sarcasm has uttered, or shall we get down to business??

Alex sighed. ?What business??

The warmth in Bhaal?s voice vanished. ?This whole little mess with Irenicus and his experiments. You may or may not believe me, but I have an inkling of what he was trying to do, and in this form, I can do little about it. Hence my visit this evening.?

?Not sure if you?ve noticed, but I remember next to nothing about what went on in those cells.?

?True, but I do remember.? Bhaal?s smile was entirely without warmth. ?He was wrong about one thing-it wasn?t your little psionic ability, limited as it is, that was inflicting that amnesia on you. It was me.?

?Why?? Alex asked flatly.

?Two reasons, one practical and one not. The first is that you almost certainly would have suffered major psychological damage were you fully aware of what happened, and you?re far more useful to me with your mind intact. Your sister most certainly suffered that damage, and she?s not as useful anymore. The other reason is the one I rather doubt you will believe, but it?s really quite simple: the experiments would have been intensely painful, and I?d rather not let my own daughter suffer that pain. At least, not unless it served my purposes, which it didn?t.?

?Thank you.? Alexandria replied cautiously. ?You said you have some idea of what Irenicus was doing. Start talking.?

?Patience, my child. Now, I will qualify what I am about to say: I am not certain of my own conclusions here. Irenicus was performing extraordinarily advanced and specialized arcane research, of a sort I have only heard rumors of, courtesy of my former colleague and partner Myrkul. Obviously I could not simply look him up and ask him, but when you?re a god of death and murder, you do learn a thing or two about the process of dying and what it entails.?

?Then what was he trying to do??

?That is, unfortunately, the question I know the least about. I?m fairly certain I know what he was doing, but what his goal was, I can?t say. Irenicus was not some fictional villain who tells his plan to everyone he thinks he has helpless.?

?Then what do you know??

?That he was trying to quantify your soul-isolate it, measure it, determine its limits and characteristics. Yours is rather different, courtesy of me and my little part of your soul, so Irenicus was forced to resort to rather exotic methods, most of which you should be very glad you do not remember. You would consider them mortally humiliating and shameful in addition to painful, but even when I overrode your consciousness, your soul is stubborn beyond belief, hence the extreme lengths to which Irenicus went in order to leave your soul bare, stripped of reason and thought.?

Alex?s blood chilled, even as she forced herself to remain level. ?So it wasn?t you, specifically, he was after??

Bhaal chuckled. ?No, not me, just you, my dear. You, and how I change you. I was almost insulted when I understood that fact, as I am much more qualified to deal with such beings as Irenicus than you are.?

An idea occurred to Alex. ?Why are you so interested in helping me against him? This isn?t like you were before, on the Sword Coast. You?re being? helpful.?

?You think I do not have standards?? Bhaal was incredulous. ?Understand, my dear, that I am quite aware I am evil, and rather enjoy that fact. It?s rather difficult to be a god of something like murder and not enjoy what you are. Talos, Bane, Myrkul, Umberlee, Shar, Beshaba? you won?t find a single unhappy god among those labeled ?evil?. However, we each have our tastes, and many of us also retain an ability to feel shame. I was an assassin as a mortal, daughter, and I sometimes killed in truly spectacular fashions, or in deeply unsettling ways.?

?However,? Bhaal held up a hand to forestall a response, ?I?ve never been one to enjoy inflicting simple pain, or humiliation, or degradation. There?s no thrill in it, no adrenaline and no spark of excitement that makes you realize why you became an assassin. Now, granted, things such as poison and disease certainly have their place in an assassin?s tool box, but only as means to an end. Oh, certainly, I was friendly with the likes of Loviatar and Talona, but that?s a lecture for another time. And, come to think of it, there is in fact a very good reason why I?m being such a loving and helpful father in this matter.?

?Which would be??

?The only reason I can think of for Irenicus? efforts to isolate and scour your soul is because he intends to do something with or to it. Completely aside from my own desire for self-preservation, Irenicus? intentions could very easily destroy something I would really rather not have interfered with.?

?You?re being cryptic again, father.? Alex answered, wincing internally at her last word.

?Yes, I am. Such is the privilege of being a parent. Do be careful, daughter??


Bhaal?s words faded away as Candlekeep began to dissolve into blessed unconsciousness.

[Tempest]

Chapter LXX: Harlequin?s Dance


The next morning found the adventurers gathered around the Imnesvale Inn, both eating breakfast and discussing their next moves. Alexandria had not mentioned her conversation with Bhaal, and Moira decided to not mention the nightmare she had observed.

?I think our course of action is pretty clear.? Alexandria concluded. ?We should return to Athkatla, and inform the temple of Selûne of our success. Even with all the gold the villagers gave us, we?re still far short of the amount Gaelan Bayle requires. If the temple doesn?t have another job for us, there are probably other places in the temple district where we can make inquiries about jobs. Nalia, you said the Order of the Radiant Heart has a bastion in the district, didn?t you??

?Yes, and I think you have the right idea.? The thief-mage nodded. ?If you want to avoid dealing with corrupt nobles and politics, staying in the temple district is your best choice, though obviously there is corruption even there. Another choice would be to go to the government district. Chief Inspector Brega is known, and feared in certain circles, for his integrity and honesty. Supposedly, there have been two assassination attempts against him, but he seems to have friends in high places.?

?Chief Inspector?? Yoshimo asked. ?I have, ah, certain proclivities which would not fare well under the eyes of someone with that title.?

?I wouldn?t worry.? Moira smiled. ?Nalia?s right about Brega, though I only ever heard about the one assassination attempt. Chief Inspector is a very vaguely-defined position in Athkatla, nominally in charge of the Amnish Guard?s law enforcement duties, but with a great deal of other baggage. Still, Brega is known to turn a blind eye towards petty thieves and ordinary corrupt merchants. He reserves his ire for crimes worthy of his anger. Sorry, Yoshimo, but I don?t think your reputation is that good.?

?You may have a point, graceful wu jen. Some do say that the best reputation is no reputation at all.?

?I?m worried.? Nalia interrupted. ?We?ve been away from my family?s keep for more than a week, and it will be two weeks before we can get back, but I?ve heard nothing from Captain Vaenys or Mister Oree, the majordomo. I can?t believe the Roenalls wouldn?t try something immediately.?

?She does have a point.? Xan observed. ?Given the position you undertook, Alexandria, the keep is your responsibility. I cannot fathom what may or may not await us, but I consider Nalia?s concerns valid and reasonable.?

?I thought you were in favor of not helping Nalia.? Alex replied.

Nalia?s eyes went wide at that remark, but Xan proceeded calmly. ?I was. You overruled my objections and committed us to that course of action. Now that you have committed to it, I do expect you to live up to that commitment.?

?Well, the keep would make a convenient stop on our way back to Athkatla, assuming nothing blows up in our collective face.? Alex nodded. ?Anyone object??

?I would be rather surprised of matters did not explode.? Yoshimo chuckled. ?I have only been in your company for two weeks, yet I can already claim to have slain an ancient evil, saved a wilderness village, earned a debt from a druidic circle, claimed a noble estate by proxy, begun what is almost certainly to be a vicious cycle of politics and intrigue, and set forth to confront the Cowled Wizards themselves. You are a most interesting companion.?

?Thank you for that succinct evaluation of our activities.? Jaheira replied dryly. ?I am not looking forward to this return to Athkatla, but it is a reasonable course of action.?

Moira shrugged. ?You?ll get no argument from me.?

?Then it?s agreed.? Alex concluded. ?Finish eating breakfast and get ready to move out.?


The trip back to the De?Arnise Keep went smoothly and uneventfully, minus Alexandria still managing to fall off her horse at one point-gifted with a sense of balance, the tiefling was not. Nevertheless, the three days of travel went by quickly, and by the time the adventurers reached the Keep, Nalia had fully recovered from her brush with death in the Umar Hills.

What was out of the ordinary, however, was the group of three individuals waiting for the adventurers the moment they stabled their horses at the keep and entered the main hall. Captain Vaenys, Majordomo Kael Oree, and a woman Alexandria didn?t recognize-a young, and remarkably shapely, blonde elf woman in white silk, whose face split into a broad smile as she set her eyes on Nalia. The red-haired noblewoman, by contrast, scowled at the elf, and her posture immediately shifted to the defensive.

?Really, Nalia, is that any way to react to an old friend of your father?s?? The elf asked pleasantly. ?You don?t need to stiffen up around me anymore, now that Ciaphas is dead and you are the Baroness De?Arnise. Though the surprise I got when I arrived here last week and heard that you?d gone off with some adventurers to the Umar Hills was quite unexpected.?

?Selya, what are you doing here, and what do you want with me?? Nalia asked warily.

?Just to help Ciaphas? daughter, of course. I had heard from an acquaintance that you?ve been having problems with the Roenalls lately, especially now that you?ve named the notorious Lady Eversor the warden of the keep. Your decision to place a fiendling in command has not gone unnoticed, you know, especially what with her involvement in that mess in Baldur?s Gate. Some of the peasants have been wondering what?s gotten into your pretty little head.?

?The peasants trusted my father, and they will trust me.?

?What a silly notion. Oh well. As it turns out, Nalia, you aren?t even the one I really wanted to talk to.? The elf turned to Alexandria. ?The messenger we sent to Imnesvale said you?d gone hunting some apocalyptic evil or some such nonsense, so when a decision had come up while you were absent, I was forced to make the call in your stead, which you should know about.?

?What decision??

?You missed some attackers when you got blood all over the furnishings two weeks ago, oh Lady Eversor, and they?ve been marauding about the Baroness?s little villages and towns. Something had to be done, and with the mistresses of the keep off playing heroine, I stepped in.?

Alexandria?s wariness rose. ?So what exactly did you do??

?I found out what they wanted, of course. I spent some of the keep?s funds to hire a mercenary detachment to hunt the marauders down, and they managed to capture one of the leaders. When interrogated, the yuan-ti confirmed what you probably already knew. It seems the Roenall family is up to no good, as usual.?

?Yes, we already knew that, and good job taking care of that problem. There is one other problem, however.? Alexandria?s eyes narrowed. ?Who are you, and why are you here??

?As I said before,? The elf bowed ostentatiously, ?My name is Selya, and I?m an old friend of the late Baron De?Arnise.?

?An old courtesan, actually.? Nalia spat. ?I thought I?d seen the last of her two years ago, when Auntie finally forced her out. One of the few good decisions Auntie?s made recently.?

?Really, Nalia, if you think it was just about sex, you?re even less ready for your job than I thought.? Selya replied with a raised eyebrow. ?Granted, your father was very, very good at making accommodations pleasurable, but that wasn?t the half of it. I?ll do you a favor and make myself plain: whatever you think of me, I don?t care, because I don?t want to help you because of *you*. I want to help you because of Ciaphas, and this tiefling you?ve latched on to looks like she?s going to be dragging you across Faerun in the name of heroism. If you don?t step up to the duty of your title, then I will.?

?I?m perfectly capable of carrying out my duties!? Nalia snapped. ?I just have more important things to concentrate on, like keeping hundreds of innocent people safe!?

?As opposed to letting this place sink into a quagmire, losing everything your father fought tooth and nail to keep intact?? Selya stood her ground. ?Heroism is fine, but you have responsibilities, Baroness De?Arnise. I personally don?t care about you, but I do care about your father and what he was trying to do. If you don?t care about that, either, then what will I do with this letter for you from Duke Farthington Roenall??

?What letter??

?Oh, just a very politely worded note from your father-in-law-to-be, noting that your decision to place a most notorious demon-spawn with a highly suspicious claim to noble title who has had repeated clashes with Amnish law as steward of the De?Arnise Keep has not gone unnoticed, both by your fellow nobles, and by the peasantry.?

?Wait.? Alexandria cut in before Nalia could respond. ?Most notorious demon-spawn? Suspicious claim to nobility? I?m a tiefling, I?ll give you that, but notorious??

Selya laughed. ?Oh, I know about you, Alexandria Eversor, heroine of Baldur?s Gate and of the Sword Coast. But understand that this is not Baldur?s Gate. Fact of the matter is, it?s a very rare story about you and your exploits that mentions that you?re a tiefling, you caused the death of a great many Amnish agents, and while the folk of Baldur?s Gate almost revere you, most nobles here in Amn consider you a well-intentioned meddler at best.?

?The meddler part is unfortunately accurate.? Xan interjected, to a seductive smile from Selya.

?Quite right, Xan Rilavin of Evereska. I?m sure the peasants of Imnesvale will be singing her praises, too, but let?s be honest-word doesn?t travel very quickly between peasant villages, and different people have different ideas. I?m sure the church of Selûne is happy to have one of their agents in charge here, but Selûne is far from the only goddess to have influence here in Amn. The churches of Mask and Shar, mainly by their associations with the Shadow Thieves, are common, and there is already quite a lot of propaganda about your dear tiefling leader. A fair amount of it, or even most of it, is blatant lies, of course, but there aren?t all that many people around who know better.?

?That is unfortunately what I was afraid of.? Xan agreed. ?I respect Alexandria for her integrity and courage, but one of the reasons I was so stridently against Nalia naming Alexandria the mistress of this keep was her marked tendency to destabilize any situation she finds herself in.?

Alexandria sighed loudly. ?Xan, you didn?t think I knew I?d probably make matters for this place go from bad to worse? I told Nalia to her face about it. Death, chaos, destruction-I know by now what tends to follow in my wake.?

?If you?re all done talking about me as if I wasn?t here,? Nalia cut in hotly. ?I?m confident in my choice. I?m the Baroness De?Arnise here, and my decisions are the only ones that ultimately matter! Selya, I approve of your decision with the mercenaries, but if you ever make a decision like acceding to the Roenalls? demands, you will answer to me!?

Selya smiled again, and motioned the adventurers to follow her into the keep?s dining room, speaking as she lead.

?Now that?s the kind of spirit I expected of Ciaphas? daughter.? The elf commented amidst a burst of her own laughter. ?He was a very vigorous man, and I was wondering when you?d get around to acting like him.?

?I?m serious, Selya.? Nalia replied, her anger cooler, but harder. ?Alexandria, I can trust not to bow to the Roenalls, but I know you?re more pragmatic than that.?

?Indeed I am.? Selya confirmed. ?However, if you really want to learn the harlequin?s dance, you have to learn when certain steps are simply necessary. Call the harlequin a clown or fool if you must, but in the dance, everyone wears their mask, be it the swan, the destroyer, or the prince. Or, in simpler terms, the Roenalls are very good at playing these sorts of games, you are not, and you?ll have to know when to fold.?

?I will never fold to the Roenalls. You know that.?

?I don?t know that, because I know your weakness, and more importantly, so do the Roenalls.?

Nalia raised an eyebrow as the adventurers reached the dining table and sat down. ?And what weakness would that be??

?That you?re a good woman.? Selya replied bluntly. ?Nalia, dear, I know I?m a courtesan and worse. I?ve bedded men and women alike if it?s served my goals, and I regard my body as a tool and a weapon. You see your weapons as your sense of justice and your courage. Every weapon has their weakness, dear, and while I?m quite certain that targeting you would be a completely ineffective tactic for your husband-to-be, I rather doubt he?s stupid enough to go after you directly.?

?What would he go after, then??

?I think he?d go after your pretty friend here?-Selya indicated Moira-?Or your bold tiefling comrade, someone to cause you pain, but I think you?re all much too dangerous in combat, and probably more loyal to each other than is sensible, for that to work, lest he succeed in, say, imprisoning one of you while the others go through all sorts of scavenger hunts to find little irregularities to get you released while Isea and his father lose face. I think he?d go after the people you, in your own way, care about most. The peasants.?

?He wouldn?t.? Nalia replied evenly. ?The peasants work the farms and the craftshops-killing them makes no sense if he and his father want to add the De?Arnise lands to their own.?

?Unfortunately, Nalia, it does make sense. You?re the weak link in the defense of your family?s wealth and lands, not the tiefling priestess here. By all accounts, you did choose a suitable mistress for the keep-a skilled fighter and ferociously determined inquisitor, but you also made a bad call in making the stewardess a significantly harder nut to crack than you are. You?re much easier to put pressure on, and answer me this-do you really think Isea or Farthington would balk at having a village or two massacred if it meant putting tremendous pressure on you??

?No.? Nalia admitted.

?Now we?re getting somewhere.? Selya gave the red-haired thief/mage another smile, rather like that of a teacher to a bright pupil. ?But I think that?s enough of a lesson for today. How long do you think you?ll be remaining here for??

?A few days, probably.? Alexandria answered for the other noblewoman. ?We need to get in touch with the Lantanna merchants, to get more powder and ammunition for our firearms, get our armor and weapons repaired, start looking for an armorer skilled in working with? unusual materials.?

?What sort of materials? I know a few people who might prove useful.?

?Dragonscales.?

?Now isn?t that interesting,? Selya chuckled, sipping from one of the goblets of wine that a servant had arrayed on the table. ?There?s someone in the Athkatla docks you may want to talk to-a dwarf named Cromwell. His name has come up a lot in noble circles lately, after he apparently forged some ridiculously elaborate suit of armor for one of the Order of the Radiant Heart out of some bizarre material I?d never heard of before. Word has it that his services aren?t cheap, but if you present him with something to work with, he?ll work with you on it.?

?Aren?t you just a font of useful information?? Moira asked dryly.

?I try to be.?-At a glare from Nalia, Selya gave the adventurers an almost-but not quite-embarassed smile, ?Really, I openly admit I?m here purely because I liked Ciaphas De?Arnise, and I think there?s opportunity here for me to advance my own interests, which are mostly related to money and pleasure, but that doesn?t mean I can?t be helpful.?

?At least you are honest about your self-interest.? Jaheira observed. ?So long as you stay on that basis of honesty, I think your assistance, as you wish to provide it, will be welcome.?

Even Nalia was forced to nod at that.

[Tempest]

Chapter LXXI: Recursion


Athkatla hadn?t changed at all from the time the adventurers had departed-it was still crowded, busy, and dirty. By mutual agreement, the adventurers split into teams to quickly accomplish their business-Alexandria and Moira went to the temple district to deal with the temples, Jaheira and Nalia went to the docks to meet with the Cromwell whom Selya had recommended and to meet with Nalia?s Lantanna contacts to purchase more gunpowder and shot, while Yoshimo and Xan went to Waukeen?s Promenade to purchase more mundane supplies and sell the trove of equipment, magical and mundane, that the adventurers had looted in the Umar Hills.

The mood in the temple district had changed, however. In the large plaza in the center of the district, a strange man had gathered a large crowd around him as he preached-the noise of the crowd, and the ambient noise of the district, stole most of the man?s words before they could reach the adventurers, but enough got through to make the gist of his preaching simple enough-he was talking about sight and the need to see, as well as the repeated phrase ?Unseeing Eye?.

?That doesn?t sound like any god I?ve heard of.? Alex observed to Moira. ?Any of the man?s preaching make sense to you??

?The only god I know of who?s concerned much with vision is Helm, but the man doesn?t look like a Helmite at all. They like to look militant, of the straightlaced variety.?

Alexandria took a closer look at the preacher, and had to agree with Moira-the preacher looked as far from militant and uptight as it was possible to get. His robes were threadbare and dirty, the man?s skin was covered in an amount of filth that more resembled an adventurer after several hard days of adventuring rather than a proper priest, and, most disturbingly, the man was blind-a cloth band was wrapped around his head, but it couldn?t hide the empty eye sockets on his face.

?A blind man preaching about sight?? Alexandria mused. ?Ironic, to say the least.?

?I don?t think I?ve ever heard the name Unseeing Eye, either.? Moira agreed. ?I can?t see the local high priests being happy about a cult like this cropping up on their front doorstep. Speaking of which, if you want a Helmite, there?s one right there.?

The favored soul indicated a man standing on the edge of the plaza, wearing polished plate armor emblazoned with the seal of Helm. Strangely, the grey-haired old man seemed to be struggling to contain a fit of laughter, quite at odds with the usually restrained demeanor of that deity?s priests.

?Something amusing, Watcher?? Alexandria asked as she approached.

The man straightened up immediately. ?High Watcher Oisig, commander of Helm?s temple in this city, and greetings, Silverstar and Painbearer. In response to your question, I would call it more ironic than amusing. This madman, who calls himself Gall, high priest of the Unseeing Eye, always emerges from the sewers at the same time every day to preach. In this case, I hired a group of adventurers, lead by halfling knight of some repute named Mazzy Fentan, to enter the sewers and destroy the cult. Fentan reported success just a few minutes ago-it appears that the Unseeing Eye was actually a powerful beholder. I?ve sent a team of men below to greet this heretic preacher and his ?faithful? when they arrive, only to see the corpse of their god.?

Oisig shook his head sadly. ?If only I could be there to see the look on Gall?s face. I?m not as young as I used to be, unfortunately, and I can barely wear the armor of my station as it is.?

A thought occurred to Alexandria, and she took a deep breath before replying. ?High Watcher, I believe a young man, Anomen Delryn, reported to you. I do not know what you?ve been told about the circumstances of his death.?

Moira looked sharply at her tiefling companion, but after a moment?s pause, nodded.

?Only that he died in battle in Baldur?s Gate.? Oisig replied. ?Helm is not popular in Baldur?s Gate, and our last emissary to the region, paladin Ajantis Istvarr, has gone missing.?

? I completely forgot that Ajantis was a paladin of Helm. I forgot about *Ajantis*. This? this isn?t good. I think? I can?t worry about this right now. Later. Grief can wait. Self-beating can wait.

?With respect, High Watcher, I am Alexandria Eversor, and was at the battle in the ducal hall in Baldur?s Gate. An assassination attempt was launched against the Grand Dukes, and Anomen Delryn was killed in the ensuing battle. Sir Ajantis Istvarr was one of my companions during the battles and adventures on the Sword Coast, and when we were all captured after the incidents in Baldur?s Gate, Ajantis was taken away from the rest of us. All we know about what happened to him was that someone or something named Bodhi took him.?

?Bodhi, eh?? Oising thought aloud, and stroked his chin in thought for a moment. ?I?ve heard that name before. Doomguide Riysler spoke of the name at the last conclave.?

?Doomguide? Conclave??

?Riysler is a priest of Kelemvor.? Oisig explained. ?The conclave is a periodic meeting of the temples here in Athkatla, to discuss matters of import to the city as a whole. The faithful of Kelemvor have only just finished converting the old temple of Myrkul to their tastes, and they?re deeply concerned about the guild war in the city, especially the heavy activity in the necropolis district. Caring for the necropolis is one of the duties the Doomguides have, and they?re concerned about undead in the catacombs.?

?There are undead in Athkatla?? Moira asked in alarm. ?I?ve never heard of it.?

?You wouldn?t have.? The Watcher agreed. ?It?s something the Doomguides are trying to keep quiet until they deal with the problem. While there have always been occasional ghouls and skeletons in the necropolis, when there are numbers like the Doomguides have seen, it?s usually indicative of a powerful necromancer. They?ve been trying to appeal to the Council of Six for manpower to conduct a purge of the catacombs, but they?ve been stonewalled, in no small part due to the church of Kelemvor being young, and nowhere near as wealthy as most here. Riysler, the leader of the temple here, would be the one to talk to about that. He only mentioned Bodhi in passing at the last conclave-a name that?s cropped up a lot in their investigations, probably the leader of the undead, or their summoner.?

?Thank you, High Watcher.? Alexandria inclined her head in respect. ?Good day.?

?Good day.?


Lady Althea Shadowhawke was waiting for Alexandria when the tiefling arrived in the temple of Selûne, dismissing the acolyte to whom she had been talking when the adventurer approached.

?You?ve returned. I assume the matter in the Umar Hills is resolved??

Alexandria nodded. ?Yes, but I regret to report that Dora Ilos was slain before I arrived. The story of what happened in the hills will take a while to explain, but Imnesvale is safe now.?

?I have time now to receive a full report.? Althea replied. ?Our divinations indicated possible involvement by a powerful extraplanar entity only a few days after you departed, and it seemed certain that Shar, or one of her agents, was involved. I would like to know what exactly happened.?

?Would have been nice to know about those divination results when we got there.? Alexandria sighed, as Althea lead them both towards the high priestess?s office. ?Both indications were correct. If you?ve heard of the legend of Umar? well, it turned out that the legend was more-or-less accurate.?

?Alarming.? Althea agreed as they reached the office and both women sat down. ?Please, elaborate.?

?I don?t know how or why, but Umar had turned to the worship of Shar, and survived the ages by somehow linking herself to shadows-she corrupted the altar of Amaunator in the hills to serve as the source of her power, and from that corrupted altar, she was able to possess living beings. Her power was escalating rapidly, though I don?t know how or why.?

?It only makes sense, priestess Eversor.? Althea explained. ?Symbols are powerful things, and the temple of Amaunator was a temple to the sun-to light and the day. Shar represents darkness and shadows. The powerful irony present in corrupting artifacts of Amaunator into artifacts of Shar carries a powerful energy, on certain levels, and that energy was fuelling Umar?s power. I?m curious: how exactly did you defeat Umar? From the reports I received, it seems likely that Umar would have been extraordinarily powerful.?

?We took the direct approach-the altar seemed to be the source of Umar?s power, so we simply destroyed it.?

?Simply?? Althea asked with a raised eyebrow.

?Alright, with difficulty. Umar had a defensive measure like nothing I?ve seen. Xan called it a rod of absorption. She also had a powerfully enchanted sword and armor-had we tried to stand and fight, we would have died, and Nalia almost did-hit by a powerful stroke of negative energy that she took a few days to recover from. When Xan brought the altar down, it also struck and crushed Umar?s stolen body.?

?Clever solution, but I will need to make arrangements to send another expedition, with a more powerful cleric, to fully examine the fallen temple and ensure that Umar?s taint is fully expunged. You did a very good job with the resources you had-crippling a being like Umar is no small feat, Alexandria, a feat beyond the vast majority of people in this city. I would offer you a promotion within the church in recognition of your efforts, and your success in destroying such a powerful pawn of Shar, but I think you are a more practical sort than that.?

?What do you mean??

?The temple came into possession of an interesting item some years ago. You are one of the remarkably few psionics among the faithful, so I think you would have more appreciation for this artifact than most.?

Althea opened a small case that had been resting on her desk-inside was a curious object. A mask, apparently made of some crystalline substance, with slits for the eyes and nostrils. Aside from the unusual material, the mask seemed unremarkable-it was transparent, and so clearly wasn?t intended to conceal the wearer?s identity.

?May I ask what it is?? Alexandria inquired.

?It is called a mask of mindarmor.? Althea replied. ?Your comrade, Xan, would have difficulty identifying the purpose of this object, as it is not magical at all-rather, it is psionic in nature.?

?So only a psionic could make use of it??

?I do not know, in all honesty, though I think anyone could use it. The mask grants a degree of protection against attempts to harm or influence the mind, and given your unique qualifications, I thought you would appreciate it more than most. The church came into possession of this artifact several years ago, when a strange man who called himself a synad donated several artifacts of a psionic nature to the temple. People gifted with psionic ability are very rare among the faithful.?

?Thank you, Lady Althea.? Alexandria bowed her head, then took the crystal mask.

The mask itself fit easily over Alexandria?s face, and simple leather straps held it in place. She felt the effects of the mask?s psionic? enchantment?... at once, though it was difficult to describe how it felt to a non-psionic, and Alexandria decided she wouldn?t bother trying. As it was, the mask?s material was surprisingly flexible, rather than the rigid crystal the tiefling had expected.

?Interesting.? Althea observed with a smile. ?When I attempted to don the mask, it remained inflexible, like any wooden mask, and fit me poorly. Perhaps it does have something to do with your psionic gift. It?s a rare talent you have, Enstarred.?

It took a moment for Alexandria to recall that Enstarred Priestess was the rank formally bestowed upon her when she last visited.

?Thank you again, Lady Althea, though I can?t say I?ve really thought about my talents in a long time. I use spells and pistol as my primary weapons these days, not my mind blade. It really does seem like a long time ago, when I was using it as my main weapon.?

Althea chuckled. ?I wasn?t criticizing you or trying to inflate your ego. The Moonmaiden accepts all who come before her honestly, regardless of what they are, but remember always that you are what you choose to be, not what you are born as, and if you think that sounds trite, try saying it again after Selûne knows how many sermons. As it is, I think we?re done here, and I have business to attend to. Dismissed, Enstarred.?

Alexandria rose, bowed to her superior, and turned to leave.



Author's note: Short chapter of filler, I know, but necessary to set things up for later on, and this was a natural break point.

[Tempest]

Chapter LXXII: Balance Of Power


The temple of Kelemvor was not hard to find. Standing in sharp contrast to all the richly decorated temples to older deities in the Realms, Kelemvor?s temple was built of plain grey stone, mixed with a darkly colored wood in a few visible places. The only part of the temple that even resembled color was a large, silver weighing scale hanging over the entrance to the temple, supported by a skeletal arm. Each plate of the scale bore three silver bars, hanging in perfect balance.

?I?ve heard a lot about Myrkul,? Alexandria observed to Moira, ?But do you know much about Kelemvor??

?Not much.? The favored soul shrugged. ?Still a new deity, but they say that Kelemvor tries to hold himself above notions of good or evil-he is the lord of death, which should not be feared but accepted as the inevitable next step in a soul?s journey. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine.?

?If there is an undead problem, talking to these people can?t hurt. High Watcher Oisig made it sound like the high priest here doesn?t like the undead. Odd for a priesthood of death.?

?Odd for a human god, maybe. The elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings all must have their own gods of death, and you never hear about any of them creating lots of undead.?

?True. Let?s see if we can find this Doomguide Riysler.?


Moving past the guards at the temple entrance, Alexandria was surprised at the interior of the temple-certainly nothing she?d have expected from a death god-there wasn?t a single bone or skull in evidence, in the structure or décor of the temple. Instead, the dominant motif was of books and pens-an intricate mural along the left wall of the temple?s antechamber showed the progression of a child to an adult, to a powerful hero, to an old man, and finally into death, his accomplishments passing into the books of history and legend, then those books being used to teach new children in the way of heroism and valor.

Also almost entirely absent from the temple was color. Everything in the temple was in shades of grey, black, or silver, with only a few patches of gold and dark green in evidence, lending a very somber air to the temple. The atmosphere was matched by the people within the temple, priests and lay worshippers alike. The priests universally wore robes of grey, while many of the worshippers wore the black clothes of mourning

It was only natural, Alexandria supposed, that those who had recently lost friends or loved ones would come to a temple like this. Kelemvor?s temple was unlike the dark places Candlekeep had described as temples of Myrkul-this temple was grey, true, but not a seat of horror and necromancy. It was quiet and orderly, melancholy but not in a way that would crush the spirit. Death as an orderly and inevitable process, letting the dead pass on to their reward or punishment as their lives dictated, weighed upon the scales of justice.

A curious notion, that. Death, for Alexandria, was a violent thing, full of rage and hatred and bitter rebellion against defeat. There was little order to be had in violent death-a kind of death which, it seemed, Alexandria and all those close to her were bound. This temple promised an alternative. An alternative that would never happen to a tiefling adventurer and her friends, of course, but such seemed to be the fate of heroes, deprived of some of the basic comforts mere people might hope for.

You certainly are morbid today. Alexandria reminded herself as Moira approached one of the priests to gain an audience with the high priest. Morbid, or terminally absent-minded. First, Ajantis never crossed your mind when talking to that Helmite priest, now this. You?re here because you?re looking into the undead problem, not out of curiosity.

It was just as well-a few minutes of Moira talking with one of the priests later, the two adventurers were ushered into the high priest?s office to meet with Doomguide Riysler. The Kelemvorite was seated behind a large, but plain, desk of featureless black wood, and a tapestry depicting the scales, which seemed to be a symbol of Kelemvor, hung behind the priest.

Doomguide Riysler had the look of a powerfully built man who had begun to succumb to the ravages of age-he was only of average height, but broad across the shoulders, and even in his grey robes of office, it was easy to tell that the priest retained a formidable amount of muscle. However, his thick black hair and beard were shot with streaks of grey, and several old, mostly faded scars were visible on his face.

?I granted this audience only because I am aware of your reputation, Silverstar Eversor.? Riysler?s voice was deep and rumbling, and Alexandria began to wonder if the man had dwarven blood. ?Your faith has little to do with Kelemvor?s, and Lady Althea has never displayed any interest in aiding our church. However, you have a reputation for, shall we say, eccentricity, and I am aware of your activities in Baldur?s Gate. Your friend, Painbearer Delryn, informed my aide that you seek knowledge of the undead infestation in the necropolis district. Elaborate.?

?We?ve heard only hearsay.? Alexandria replied, cautiously but honestly. ?My friends and I are looking for work, and investigating, hopefully destroying, an undead infestation in the necropolis sounded like a good thing for us to do.?

?You know only hearsay?? Riysler asked in disbelief. ?You mean to tell me that your ?friends? among the Shadow Thieves have not told you more??

?Shadow Thieves?? Moira asked with some alarm. ?We aren?t in contact with the Shadow Thieves! Much less they would tell us anything about the undead!?

?Please.? Riysler replied coldly. ?The Shadow Thieves have been in contact with us, and I know you were contracted by one of their agents, who goes by the name Gaelan Bayle, to accumulate a substantial sum of gold in return for promise of aid. The Shadow Thieves have also made it well known in certain channels that any organizations that try to interfere with your tentative loyalty will meet with retribution.?

?Gaelan Bayle is with the Shadow Thieves?? Moira wondered aloud. ?Well? that actually makes quite a lot of sense. Sense that fills me with dread and makes me wonder what in the Realms we?ve stumbled into, but sense nevertheless.?

?Who are the Shadow Thieves?? Alexandria interrupted. ?I?ve heard the name before, but know nothing about them.?

Riysler sighed. ?They would more than likely prefer that you retain that ignorance. As it is, I must assume that your contacts have not informed you of what is going on, nor have those idiot light-botherers from the temple of Lathander tried to rope you in. Allow me to explain: it is inevitable that a city the size and age of Athkatla will have problems with undead in its necropolis. Rogue necromancers, priests of Myrkul and Velsharoon, the occasional vampire, lich, or other intelligent undead? necropoles the world over attract those who practice necromancy, as they provide a large supply of bodies in varying states of decay, numerous hiding places, and are seldom patrolled well. The attitude of the late Myrkul did not help matters.

?What is happening here is different. From the moment I was promoted to high priest here, I knew something unusual was going on. By day, the necropolis is safe on the surface. By night is another matter. Intelligent undead have been infiltrating the city. We know vampires are involved, and quite possibly a lich. The Shadow Thieves are concerned because a new organization, comprised primarily of vampires, is basing itself in the necropolis, apparently trying to set itself up as the new thieves? guild here in Athkatla.?

?You can?t be serious.? Moira scoffed. ?The Shadow Thieves, threatened on their home turf??

?I am deadly serious, Painbearer. It is extremely unusual for vampires to act with anything like the organized behavior we and the Shadow Thieves have seen. The records and musings on the undead passed into Kelemvor?s care from the priesthoods of Myrkul and Jergal have been of little help. This is such an infrequent phenomenon that no overall patterns can be identified. As such, we began our own investigation, in cooperation with the Shadow Thieves. To date, we have lost eight good men and women, including Sir Kalthorine, who bore a mace of disruption. That weapon, bane of undead, was apparently of little help, and neither paladin nor mace have been seen. Disheartening, to say the least. However, our investigation has borne some fruit-we have a name for the being the vampires appear to report to, by the name of Bodhi.?

?If you?ve been in contact with the Shadow Thieves,? Alexandria allowed, ?You might have heard of a man called Irenicus. I was imprisoned by him, and there?s definitely a connection between Irenicus and Bodhi. Don?t know if they?re allies or partners or what, but they were cooperating to some extent.?

?Interesting, and yes, we know of Irenicus, though only in the vaguest of terms. We do not know if this Bodhi is a necromancer, extraordinarily powerful vampire, or something else entirely. I do know, however, that if you intend to aid the Shadow Thieves with their contract, then you will be on a collision course with this undead menace.?

?You aren?t going to help us?? Moira asked.

?How could I?? Riysler shook his head. ?You?re Amnish, Painbearer. You know how this city works. Kelemvor?s church does not yet have any wealth of note, meaning our influence here borders on nonexistent. The Council has stonewalled our efforts to procure the assistance of the Amnish Guard or the Cowled Wizards in hunting down the undead. I told you I granted this audience only because I know of your leader?s reputation: a reputation that is beginning to spread to you as well, Lady Delryn. Eccentric, dangerous, prone to bringing disaster to anyone you come into contact with. This reputation does not endear you to authorities here in Amn. Speaking as the high priest of Kelemvor here in Amn, I want nothing more than for you to leave this city. Speaking as a man who does appreciate what you?ve done to earn your reputation, fulfilling your contract to the Shadow Thieves is your best option if you want the aid you apparently want so much. I do not know what you want their aid for, nor do I care, but the Shadow Thieves are the only organization I am aware of with the capability and inclination to assist you.?

?I can?t believe this.? Moira demurred. ?What I know of Kelemvor is that he?s a god of order. And you?re telling us to side with the Shadow Thieves.?

?I am not telling you to do anything. I was providing advice, strictly off the record. Also off the record, this is Amn, Lady Delryn. The cancer of the Shadow Thieves and similar organizations is too deeply ingrained in this nation to be removed with a scalpel-a flamebrand sword would serve you better. If you truly want assistance, there is a man who approached us some days ago, seeking assistance in removing a large group of monsters from his land. Lord Jierdan Firkgraag, as I recall. Even more peculiar, he specifically requested a detachment of paladins. I refused, as we lack both the resources and the inclination to comply. We have more important things on our plate, as it were.?

?Do you have any idea where he might be?? Alexandria asked.

?No. And now we have spoken long enough, Silverstar. I would wish you good luck, but knowing your reputation, good luck for you could be catastrophic for a great many innocent people.?

Alexandria knew a dismissal when she heard one. ?Thanks for hearing us out, at least.?

?You are welcome as far as that goes. I have work to do.?

Both female adventurers nodded. They had work to do, too.

[Tempest]

Chapter LXXIII: Hairline Fractures


?So who exactly are the Shadow Thieves?? Alexandria asked as she and Moira left the temple of Kelemvor. ?I keep hearing the name, but who are they, exactly??

Moira?s reply was soft. ?One of the most powerful groups in Amn-a very large, well organized, thieves? guild that operates across the length of the Sword Coast and beyond. They are well equipped, have intelligent and capable leaders, are ruthless in the extreme, and it?s said that they have eyes everywhere. No one here in Amn really likes the Shadow Thieves, but there are small mercies-they do not tolerate competition, and generally hold themselves above the more violent sorts of crime. This is just as well, because the Shadow Thieves are very deeply ingrained in Amn, especially here in Athkatla. Almost every politician and merchant lord owes a few debts to the Shadow Thieves, and it?s a very persistent rumor that one of the Council of Six is in fact an operative.?

?So it?s a bad sign that they?re facing stiff resistance from this vampire-led organization??

?Very bad.? The noblewoman shook her head. ?I?ve never heard of the Shadow Thieves having serious trouble on their home turf. They don?t openly move in on the turf of other guilds, like Telflamm?s Shadowmasters, and it?s a rare group bold enough to directly challenge them. You?d think a vampire would just as soon work for them.?

Alexandria sighed. ?And if it?s true that Gaelan Bayle is an agent of the Shadow Thieves, when we need his help??

?As few groups as there are willing to incur the wrath of the Shadow Thieves, even fewer are willing to challenge the Cowled Wizards.? Moira admitted. ?Magic is feared in Amn, and the Cowled Wizards both enjoy and support that fear. You?re the leader here, Alexandria. All I can do is follow in your wake.?

Alexandria raised an eyebrow. ?Did I just hear sarcasm? From you??

?Perhaps. You?re not who I thought you would be, Alexandria Eversor.?

?What do you mean by that??

The favored soul shrugged. ?I meant exactly what I said. I?ve always been good at figuring other people out, but it?s emotions that provide most of a person?s tells. The night we first met, for example-love, or at least major attraction, also quite a lot of hope and anxiety. Perfectly normal behavior for a young woman who?s met a knight in shining armor. You?re different now. I seldom see you display anything but regret, sadness, despair, and anger. You?re very good at keeping it shrouded behind claims of duty and necessity, and your own jaded attitude as an adventurer, but I can still see it.?

?And this is the part where you ?fix? me, Ilmateri??

Moira smiled sadly. ?No. I don?t think I can fix you, Alex. You?re too introspective, too self-aware for that. You?d know what I might try to do, not just on an external level, but inside as well. I?ve seen those gears working in your head. You felt guilt, and powerfully so, when we talked with High Watcher Oisig and the subject of Ajantis came up. You probably told yourself you would deal with it later or some such. You?re probably going to drink yourself to the brink of unconsciousness again, tonight. I know it. You know it.?

?So? no lecture on morality? Jaheira would be ashamed of you, trying to act as the group?s emotional center and passing up a chance to lecture.?

?You?ve changed.? The favored soul shrugged. ?I have my own theory on how and why that happened, but if I?m right, trying to ?fix? you would both be extremely difficult, and if I were successful it would also doom us all.?

Alexandria?s eyebrow rose even further. ?Care to explain that one??

Moira?s expression finally shifted to amusement. ?No.?

If Moira was warming, Alexandria cooled. ?I was only asking out of courtesy. You seem to think you know me better than I do. Explain.?

?Did you read tales of heroism and valor, grand struggles of good and evil, when you were a child?? Moira asked.

?Of course.? The tiefling replied warily. ?One of my favorites was the account of the historian Kientol, of the conflict between the halfling realm of Lurien, the human states in what is now Dambrath and the Shaar, and the evil lord from the Lake of Steam.?

?That was a good one.? Moira agreed. ?Ridiculously long, and Kientol?s attention to detail could really drag on, of course, but a good story. There was a theme to the heroes of that story that I wonder if you noticed. The theme of transformation and sacrifice.?

?My foster father did make note of that, yes, especially with the two wizards from Halruaa, shifting between the grey and the white. You think I?m being transformed as a result of my journeys??

This time, it was Moira?s turn to raise an eyebrow. ?I can?t believe you think you haven?t. No one in Kientol?s story was, at the end, the same person they were at the beginning. True, your tale will probably be written by amateur bards with no talent for writing as they try, and to no small extent fail, to portray the emotional complexities of everyone in this band, even ignoring those of us the bard can?t write very well, but that?s beside the point. The question I pose to you is this: why did the heroes change and transform in the story you yourself said you admire??

?They became what they need to be in order to survive.? Alexandria replied immediately.

?Exactly.? Moira smiled. ?You understand quite a bit much better than you think you do, Alexandria Eversor.?

?You?ve been talking with Jaheira.? The tiefling replied flatly.

?Not as much as you?d think. You aren?t that hard to read, once you get past the images that surround you.?

Then, with only an enigmatic wink, Moira turned and headed into the crowd, going in the general direction of the docks, leaving a confused tiefling standing amidst the bustle and heedless passers-by.


?Jierdan Firkraag?? Yoshimo asked, looking up from his plate of food. ?I?ve heard of him. He?s said to be reliable and true to his word, for a noble.?

Moira nodded as she picked her own seat around the table. The Copper Coronet was busy at supper hour, and the dull roar of conversation in the main hall provided suitable cover for the adventurers? plotting.

?It does beg the question of why he would initially request a detachment of paladins, however.? Xan demurred. ?Paladins have a highly specialized range of talents and capabilities, and seldom appear in force.?

?It might be for show.? Nalia offered. ?There aren?t many better ways to give an appearance of genuine nobility than hiring a detachment from the Order of the Radiant Heart to dispatch a problem on your lands. I?ve heard of Firkraag, too, and by all accounts he is an extremely vain man. As such, he pays a lot of attention to how he?s seen by others.?

Yoshimo disagreed. ?Would such a detachment not be expensive? Paladins do not work for cheap coin, in my experience.?

?Not if you point them in the general direction of evil and shout ?villainy!?.? Nalia chuckled.

?She?s got a point.? Moira nodded. ?Hiring paladins is also a pretty good way of showing you aren?t evil.?

?Paladins are not foolproof there, child.? Jaheira chided gently. ?I have seen paladins deceived before.?

?This is Amn, remember?? Nalia pointed out.

?I have not forgotten, child. Merely remember that this city is home to the Shadow Thieves as well as the Order. That they coexist has certain? implications.?

?You aren?t suggesting the Order is corrupt, are you?? Alexandria asked.

?It?s pragmatic, maybe.? Moira observed. ?I can?t say I know too much about the Order-only what I heard from my brother-but the Doomguide we talked to had a point about needing a flamebrand sword rather than a scalpel to deal with the Shadow Thieves here. Speaking of which? we are sort of working for them now.?

?I am not certain it is wise.? Yoshimo replied immediately. ?There is little honor among thieves here, but they do have particular codes, and they are known to enforce those codes in a most strict manner.?

?Do you speak from firsthand knowledge?? Xan asked pointedly.

?Everyone of skill does, to some degree, in Athkatla.? Yoshimo reminded the elf. ?I have no doubt of our fair leader?s ability to navigate the deadly currents of the shadows, but I am a man of simple tastes, and one such taste is preferring to avoid unnecessary complications.?

?You have any better ideas for how to get to Imoen?? Alexandria asked.

?Merely thinking aloud. It is, however, peculiar that we have not been approached by anyone else. One familiar with this city knows that no turf encroachment goes without interference.?

?He?s got a point.? Moira agreed uneasily. ?If Doomguide Riysler knew who Gaelan Bayle was, it?s a safe bet that anyone involved in whatever we?re involved in knows who we?re possibly working for. Strange that we haven?t gotten a counter-offer from someone else.?

?The Doomguide said the Shadow Thieves threatened anyone who attempted to hire us, right?? Nalia asked. ?Crossing the Shadow Thieves is never a wise move.?

?Under normal circumstances, fair shugenja, you would be most right.? Yoshimo shook his head. ?These circumstances are anything but normal in the shadows, however. The Shadow Thieves are being challenged openly. No one knows why or how. Suddenly the Shadow Thieves are appearing weak, and the other thieves already lurk in the night, ready to take advantage.?

?Be that as it may,? Alexandria observed, ?We still don?t know much about what?s going on with the Shadow Thieves at all. I can only assume they intend to use us somehow, and I intend to step very lightly, but in the absence of any alternative, we by definition have no alternative. Don?t even start, Xan, on how we can just walk away.?

Surprisingly, the elf smiled weakly. ?I was not about to suggest that we might. Difficult as you might find it to believe, I have? noticed? Imoen?s absence, and regard our current state of affairs as both undesirable and untenable. I do not like the notion of working with the Shadow Thieves, but as you put it, we have no alternative.?

?And here I was thinking I could always rely on you to offer a contrarian opinion.? Alexandria grinned.

?You can, under normal circumstances.? Xan replied, reverting to his characteristic deadpan tone. ?I consider Imoen, by her presence or absence, to be a key parameter in the definition of what are not normal circumstances.?

?I think that?s the most dry way of saying that love makes you crazy I?ve ever heard.? Moira laughed. ?I never knew you felt that way about Imoen, but now the two of you at the Friendly Arm Inn and ducal inauguration in Baldur?s Gate make a whole lot more sense.?

?An interesting perspective. I do not consider Imoen and the responses she provokes to be in any fashion rational, let alone logical.?

?Are you certain you did not come from the stars, good elf?? Yoshimo asked. ?I have heard of such a race of beings to whom you bear great resemblance, as opposed to other elves. However, you appear to lack green blood, so I suppose it is merely a dream.?

?What sort of beings from the stars do you speak of?? Xan asked, a note of genuine curiosity in his voice.

?Ah, nothing, just a mere trek of fancy.? The thief smiled. ?A star trek, if you would.?

Alexandria smiled to herself as she got up to get another tankard of ale. Sometimes, some very rare times, she could swear there was a genuine human being under Xan?s skin.

But then, what did she know.

[Tempest]

Chapter LXXIV: Passage At Arms


?How is she?? Jaheira asked over her plate of breakfast. ?Beyond the hangover she is sure to feel once she wakes up, that is.?

?Another nightmare.? Moira reported. ?She kept mumbling something about life and strength, but I gave her a sleeping draught before she really woke up. Assuming our glorious leader keeps to her usual pace, she?ll want to talk to Firkraag today, then head out.?

?You routinely keep sleeping draughts on your person?? Jaheira asked with a raised eyebrow.

?I?ve never gotten used to sleeping in an inn?s bed.? The favored soul replied sheepishly. ?Don?t have any problems with camping, but inns are noisy, even at night, and they?re none too clean. I have to take a draught more often than not.?

?Peculiar. I never knew you had a talent for alchemy.?

?I don?t, but simple sleeping draughts are easy enough to purchase. Speaking of which, Nalia, have Xan and Yoshimo come back from Firkraag?s estate yet??

?No.? The other figure seated at the table replied. ?I told them to be careful, though. Firkraag is a known member of the Athkatla nobility, but no one knows much about him, and he likes to keep a low profile. I believe he holds the title of margrave, and he has holdings far to the east, but beyond that, the Firkraag line is a mystery.?

?Must be.? Moira agreed. ?I had never heard of them before this.?

Nalia shrugged. ?I can?t imagine why you would have. Not even my father mentioned them more than once or twice.?

?Then we will continue this course of action, for now.? Jaheira nodded. ?However, I am growing concerned about this group?s course of action. Xan is growing increasingly erratic, and I would never have called Alexandria an especially stable young woman. I believe rescuing Imoen remains our highest priority, but I am beginning to wonder if it will even be possible.?

?Xan? Erratic?? Moira asked dryly. ?Jaheira, I?ve been trying to figure you, Alex, and Xan out, but I don?t think I ever would have called Xan erratic. I know I wasn?t with you on the Sword Coast, but?-

?Then you do not understand, child.? Jaheira cut Moira off. ?I am sorry to say this, child, but there is a great deal you do not understand.?

?How can we understand what?s going on, then?? Nalia asked pointedly, her eyes colder than normal. ?I was ecstatic you and Alexandria and Xan were here, because you could help me, but as time?s gone on, it?s been looking more and more like I?m only a supporting character in your, or more properly, Alexandria?s story.?

Jaheira frowned, and Moira?s face was unreadable, but they both remained silent as Nalia continued to speak.

?I heard the conversation you, Alex, and Xan had, that night we buried my father-I know how to sneak around my own home without being seen or heard by Captain Vaenys and her guards, much less strangers. You were discussing what to do with me, with my home, with my future, as though I was simply some girl you met on the road. I almost died in the Umar Hills, and I?ve stood by and helped you every step of your journey here in Amn, but you still treat me like a little girl, deciding what to do with my life and my future. And yet the three of you hide behind what happened on the Sword Coast.?

?We are not hiding.? Jaheira replied softly but firmly. ?Alexandria warned you from the very beginning what awaited you, what our agenda was and that our plans take precedence over yours. You accepted our terms.?

?No, I didn?t. You didn?t tell me you?d abandon me to the Roenalls if I didn?t cooperate.?

?We never said that.?

?Please.? Nalia answered dryly. ?If I only listened to what people said, I would be in trouble with much more than you. In a case like this, there?s only two logical outcomes. Either you help me and the people on my land against the Roenalls, or you don?t. I?ve given you all money, horses, firearms and smokepowder, and a place to stay, in addition to risking my life. As my father would have put it, I invested deeply in you, but it?s looking to me like we both see our contract very differently.?

?I agree, albeit for different reasons.? Moira added. ?Alex is not an emotionally healthy woman, and we all know that. She?s still calling the shots. I accept that because I want to help her, and because I know she is, or can be, a force for good. I?d be hesitant to call her entirely sane. She doesn?t really listen to Nalia or I. She listens to you, Jaheira. And to Xan, I suppose. Talk to us.?

Jaheira sighed. ?What do you want me to say, children? I acknowledge that Alexandria is emotionally unstable, but you both know the relevant parts of the prophecies of Alaundo. I have a greater duty here, greater than my duty to Gorion or to the problems you both face. It is this duty that compels me to remain here, rather than take the private time to mourn Khalid and Gorion. Make no mistake, children. I am still a druid, and still reserve myself from the problems that ultimately are irrelevant to nature.?

?Irrelevant to nature?? Nalia?s temper began to boil. ?These are people you?re talking about, Jaheira! People who will be crushed beneath the Roenalls? heel and futures they will never have!?

?I am speaking of people.? The half-elf replied sternly. ?I am speaking of rivers of blood, Nalia, and the endless fields of the dead Alaundo foresaw. Were I here only to see to Alexandria, I would argue firmly against her taking action in favor of taking time to mend. However, I do not know if we have that time, and perhaps more importantly, I do not know if a sane Alexandria is what Faerun needs. She was not entirely sane when we confronted Sarevok beneath Baldur?s Gate, and when the Prophecy comes, Nalia, Alexandria may prove a crucial factor.?

?That?s remarkably cold-blooded of you.? Moira evaluated.

?Perhaps.? The druid shrugged. ?There is every reason to believe that, to use a colloquial expression, all hell is about to break loose. It might be a year from now, it might be tomorrow, but at least one clash between Bhaal?s children has already occurred, and there will be more to come. Nalia, this is what I concern myself with, and why I do not regard your concerns as more than secondary problems.

There was a long pause, then Nalia sighed deeply.

?I see.? The noblewoman answered.

?You see what?? Jaheira inquired.

Nalia shook her head. ?You have your priorities, Jaheira, and I can respect them, but I have my priorities as well.?

?So is this where you leave us, child??

?No. Not yet, anyway. I said I respect your priorities, and I want to believe helping you will make a difference, but if things come down to it? no hard feelings??

?None.? Jaheira agreed. ?We each do what we can. Speaking of which, do you have anything to contribute, Moira??

?What could I?? The favored soul rolled her eyes. ?This joust has been enlightening, but I have no piece in it. I knew full well what I was potentially getting into when I approached Alex in the tavern a few weeks ago. Ilmater asks his faithful not to go into the houses of the healthy and safe, but the houses of the sick and the endangered. Alex, in addition to being, well, herself, has a remarkable talent for stumbling into places and events where Ilmater?s guidance ? or just as often, Tyr?s fury ? are needed. Really not her fault, I know, but her side is a useful place to be.?

?And of Alaundo?s prophecy??
?What do you want me to say?? Moira shrugged. ?I just explained why I?m still here, despite the fact that, like Nalia, I?ve become a secondary character in Alex?s story. When the time of the prophecy comes, Ilmater will be needed in the Realms more than ever.?

Jaheira finally smiled, if faintly. ?Good. Then I know where both of you stand.?

?Where would that be?? Alexandria asked, approaching the table with a plate full of breakfast. ?Did I miss something??

?No, child.? Jaheira lied. ?We were merely discussing our plans for the day, depending on when Xan and Yoshimo return.?

?Good.? Alex smiled. ?I?ve taken a look at our stockpile, and I think this job will give us enough to talk to Gaelan Bayle again, and get moving towards Imoen.?

Jaheira, Nalia, and Moira shared a knowing look around the table. Alexandria, preoccupied with breakfast and a mild hangover, failed to notice the unspoken exchange


Author's note: Yes, short chapter for my return, but I feel it's complete as it is, and declined to add more filler.