Chapter 1

'Ow! My eyes hurt!' I complained the moment I stepped into the broad daylight. I blinked several times, to make them adapt more easily without blinding myself in the process. I should have guessed that, really, since my friends and I spent so much time inside a cave complex, infested with a clan of orcs, which we were assigned to wipe out and find the missing Waterdeep Emisary while we're at it.

Sometimes I just hated my job. Being a dutiful and loyal Watchman isn't as easy as many imagine it to be. I've lost count of the thugs I've brought in, or kill when they refused to come quietly. I've sure come a long way from being just a miliaman in West Harbor, almost carefree - compared to the current situation I found myself in at the present.

And, damn, it was cold in the mountains. I almost wished I've taken Qara, the pyromaniac sorceress Duncan indebted to either be a waitress at the Flagon or travel with me. Suits her fine for scorching the rafters of the Inn.

I clutched my cloak tighter to me, trying to shield myself from the cold. Trying, but failing. I looked up at my companions. All of them were tired and affected by the frostbite.

'Hey, 'Ania, what do we do now?' Neeshka asked, trying to summon whatever strength was left in her. Just beneath her crimson eyes were dark circles. Even her tail - usually playfully swirling around - now was almost still. 'Elanee?' I turned to my aloof elven companion 'Yes?' she inquired. 'Would it be a good spot to rest for a few hours?' I asked, knowing that the druidess would ask the animals circling the area. 'A moment' said the druidess, offering a weak smile to me.

Then it strucked me that Grobnar had been silent for a long time - well, by his standards it was a long time. 'Grobnar, are you hurt? Do you feel alright?' I inquired, running to his side, full of worry. 'No and yes, lady Titania' he replied cryptically. 'Wh-what do you mean?' I asked ready to panic. I didn't check on him after the fight with Olov, the man we found inside the cave and pretended to be the missing Emisary. He could be injured, for all I know.

'Why, I replied to both of your questions! No, I am not hurt and yes, I am alright' he said cheerfully. Oh. I should have known better than to take literally whatever Grobnar says. I mean, he has a good heart - a pure one, indeed - but he wouldn't stop rambling all the way from the moment we crossed our paths. Comes with the job, being a bard and all that, I suppose.

'What about you, lass? How d'yeh feel?' Khelgar put a hand on my shoulder, something he could never do, if I was standing. 'Cold. Exhausted. Confused...the list goes on. You?' I shrugged my shoulders. "Huh, nothing that cannot be fixed by a few sips of whiskey!' he laughed loudly, reaching for something in his backbag. A moment later he held a glass bottle half-empty with a golden-ochre liquid. He silently offered it to me.

I took the bottle with some hesitation, studied it a little in my hands, then I opened it and reluctantly brought it to my lips. Bracing myself for the unknown experience I would soon taste, I counted from three to one.

The whiskey burnt my throat as I swallowed a big gulp. It wasn't pleasant at first, but when warmth started taking over me from the inside, I took another sip. 'Easy there, lass!' I heard Khelgar saying, gently taking the bottle from my hands. 'That was...nice. You were right!' I said with enthusiasm. Khelgar let out a heartfelt laughter on my naiveness account. 'Always am, lass. Always am!' and he roared to laughter once again.

'Oh, my. I hope he doesn't turn you into a drunkard like himself' chipped Neeshka, trying to bait the dwarf into another pointless bickering they both would enjoy. 'Huh! Look who's talkin', I say! You were the one who had to be carried to bed the other night when you had one tankard too many!' Khelgar retorted, obviously trying to hide his smile.

'What? How did you know-' Neeshka practically shouted at Khelgar, pointing him with her delicate finger almost accusingly.

'I'm sorry to interrupt, but I've made my inquiries' Elanee showed herself from the spot she's been, while trying to communicate with animals. 'And?' we all asked in unison - a rare occurance, to be sure. 'They will inform us ahead of time if they spot hostile creatures' she finished with a smile.

I've always wondered how do we look like through Elanee's eyes. She was two centuries old she once told me. We all should look like children to her. And our sometimes impulsive, even crazy, behavior was at contrast with her seriousness and motherly tone.

'Good, then. Preparations for camping everybody!' I said with more cheer now that the whiskey had warmed me. 'Oh, yes! Can I carry wood?' Grobnar litterally jumped on me. 'Oh' I said, holding the gnome in my hands, like an overgrown child. He looked me with those honest icy blue eyes of his and I just couldn't refuse him a thing.

'Yep, Grobnar. You're at it.' I said while putting him down, steady on the ground. 'Oh, yes. Thank you! I love being useful, you know that...' he kept muttering even after we couldn't hear him. 'Ha! That gnome's mad, I'm telling you!' Khelgar murmured while rolling his bedroll. 'No, not mad. He's like a child, that's all' I corrected him with a smile.

'Titania here seems to have a gift with children. She would make an excellent mother. I told you before, near the Highcliff Castle Ruins. Remember?' Elanee commented with smile and running her fingers through my dark brune hair.

'Like I told you then, I will only start thinking about it when I find the right man' I replied, also smiling. Then Neeshka thought it was time to make a remark. 'Until then, you should have fun...with the wrong men' she cooed mischievously.

'Neeshka!' I hissed, trying to find something to throw at her direction. 'Uh-ha...touched a sore spot I see. Interesting' she continued in the same tone, not at all affected by my threat. So, I picked a tiny stone from the ground and flung it straight to her forehead.

'Ow!' she cried. 'That was mean' she accused me, but I saw the twinkle of humor in her eyes. That was Neeshka, my best friend. The kind Tiefling, the good-humored Rogue. The sister I never had.

'Ah...children' sighed Elanee. Neeshka and I hugged each other and laughed. 'Come, let's lie down for a little while. I am desperate to rest' I said and she nodded. We laid our bedrolls side by side. The other side of my bedroll claimed Grobnar, who by the time had returned, bringing a load of wood. Next to Grobnar slept Elanee, and next to Neeshka it was Khelgar.

I smiled inwardly. Those two keep bickering all of the time for nonesense, yet they are close. If someone would try to harm one of them, then the other would make him pay dearly. And that was Khelgar. My big brother.

'Attaaack!'

Roaring fire consuming all in its path. Houses are being burnt to the ground. Barns and warehouses, too.

'Aaargh. Pain!'

The slashing of coliding metals echoes through the village. Someone screams, calling for help. I try to get to him, but a barrier blocks my way.

'Titaniaaa'

Someone's calling my name. The voice full of agony catches my attention. I run. I try to reach him. Releave him of his pain. Even though I don't know who he is.

'I shall waste no more time on this pitiful village. It is not here!' a cold voices silences everything. For a few moments, everything paused.

I know that voice. I've heard those words before. Something terrible happened. Those words he said them just after...

'Aaaargh! Aaargh! Titania come to me! Save me!'

Tears well-up in my eyes. I cannot let them flow now. I need to reach the man who's calling me.

'At last. You're here! Save me!'

It took me some moments to register what I've been witnessing. It was Amie who was calling me all along. But not the Amie I knew. A twisted shaodow of what my friend had been.

'Don't just stand there! Give me your hand!' the Shadow-Amie demanded. I was frozen, I couldn't make my limbs move even if I wanted to.

'Moron, half-breed! Incapable, useless tool of others! Your father knew what you'd turn out, that's why he left your mother as soon as he found out! Worthless! Even your foster father wouldn't show you love. You ever wondered about that?'

The tears I restrained before now were running freely on my cheeks. 'What if the things she say are true?' a part inside me asked.

'No! No! No!' I yelled.

Everything dissolved.

'Hey, 'Ania, wake up!' it was a familiar high-pitched voice. Neeshka. I opened my eyes and sighed. We were still in the area around Old Owl Well. 'That nightmare again. One day, you'll have to explain to us, just what the hell this nightmare is about!' Neeshka scowled at me, but instantly changed her expression to a warm smile. 'Maybe we could help with getting over it' she suggested.

'Thanks, Neeshka. But that specific nightmare doesn't make any special sense. It's more about the emotional damage that it does to me while in the dream. Nobody hurts me, not physically, at least' I explained.

'Violence has more aspects than the physical one' Elanee chipped in to back Neeshka up. 'Maybe another time girls' I said, letting out a sigh. I looked around and saw no dwarf nor gnome. 'Where are the boys?' I asked.

'Argh, you know, Khelgar's answering nature's call and the Grobnar is taking a walk around. If you concetrate then you'll hear him humming that 'whitewhistle' tune again' Neeshka filled me in much like a scout would. Too bad she had no idea of tracking. It would prove a useful attribute. Especially if we have another mission outside the city's walls.

'What's the time? How long have I been sleeping?' I inquired confused. I've lost all track of time while inside the caves.

'The sun will set in an hour or so' Elanee replied, examining the sky. By now a rosy pink color in the west was spread. 'Oh' I said rather sheepishly. 'Why did you let me sleep that long? It's about a half day's journey to the Greycloak encampent. Now we have to leave by dawn, so we won't stumble in the dark' I murmured, giving words to my thoughts.

'So, we'll stay here? And have fun?' Neeshka squeeled hugging me tight. 'Um...yes' I managed to let out, even though my lungs were pressed by Neeshka's bear hug. She let go of me and I took a long breath. 'But, hey, keep it down. We don't want orcs to join our party' I said, half-serious, half-humorous.

'Oh, of course!' she said rubbing her hands together with a mischievous grin on her face.

Oh no. 'Tis no good.

But Neeshka didn't have the time to do anything, really. A yell echoed from somewhere. Then came more yells. 'Elanee?' I called as I reached for my ever faithful mithral longsword. The druidess knew what I wanted, even though I didn't say it aloud. After a heartbeat's silence...

'Orcs. The are coming this way' she declared.

'Gods, will they ever leave us alone? Ever?' Neeshka whined but unseathed her rapier. 'Let's teach those orcs a lesson!' boomed Khelgar swirling his dwarven waraxe in the air with such mastery, that I felt envy.

'Oh, I just have the right song...' Grobnar said, humming a different tune from the whitewhistle one. Instantly, my flesh became scaled and dark grey, the color of iron. 'Alright, guys...we'll smash them' I encouraged them, well, all except from Khelgar who didn't need encouragement went it came to fighting or brawling...

And the orcs attacked, appearing out of nowhere, from what it seemed like some hidden defensive small caverns on the hill.

They were an easy kill. Orcs weren't particularly smart, nor had any sense of strategy. They were like leaves caught in the wind. A wind we directed.

And just when we thought the threat over, more of them came running down towards us, like the berserkers they are.

'Huh, just like orcs, they don't know when to quit...' Khelgar chuckled before he went into the fray of the battle. These band though was consisted by a dozen of the apprehensive creatures. They were more than enough to match us...

Something reflected the remnants of the sunlight, almost blinding me. I paused for a moment, only to see a group of warriors in shiny armors and weapons in hand attacking the orcs. 'What?,' I heard Khelgar shouting from somewhere I couldn't quite place. 'hey, those were our orcs!' he shouted chopping a monster's head off its shoulders.

With the aid of the strangers, we won far too easily than we would have done on our own. But apparently, my oldest travelling companion didn't think likewise. He cursed under his breath, glaring daggers at the newcomers.

One of them - obviously the leader - made rounds to make sure his men were uninjured. He spoke in a low tone, giving orders probably and then turned to face us. His eyebrow raised as he took us in; a dwarf, a tiefling, an elf, a gnome and a half-elf. 'Characters from a joke' as the drunken sailor inside the Highcliff tavern had called us.

Nonetheless, the man dressed in full battle gear - armor, bracers, helmet, shield and hammer - walked towards us.