Prelude
She drifted... No place held her, no place felt like home. She'd tried to stay still, but she never could linger for long. She would slip away as if she never existed, like a dream or a snow fall that melts before it reaches the ground. All that would remain of her visits would be the memory of the odd woman dressed in blue with a dragon around her neck, and eye's the color of moonlight. She would come by night, she would leave by night. It seemed to become her trademark. She felt more at home amidst the silver glow of the stars and the shadow of night than the glaring, harsh light of day. The night gave her a glimpse of the silence and peace she so craved. The dark held her in its warm embrace and protected her from her own fears and insecurities; the light of day only exposed them. The Shadow Realm had changed her, this was true. She held herself with sureness now that hadn't been there before, and her quiet presence commanded a certain amount of attention. She spoke rarely, but gave the impression that she was always watching and listening to the people around her. Some things never changed, though. She felt separate from the world, like she didn't belong anywhere. She felt like a trespasser. Someone stuck on the outside, looking in, who was trying to grab hold of something she had no right to have. It had been three years since she first left Master Drogan's school, and some things just never changed. They called her a hero, even if she wasn't sure she was one. She certainly didn't feel like a hero; most of the time she was just making things up as she went along, and hoping for the best. If news reached her of danger, or of someone who needed help, she would try to find a way to solve the problem, but then she would be gone. She didn't want thanks, she didn't want compensation. She wanted to help people, keep them safe, but she wanted to be forgotten when she was gone. Things were simpler that way, though she wasn't sure why. Then she heard the cry for help from Waterdeep, and she could not refuse. She hadn't even noticed the monetary reward that was being offered, all she heard was that Waterdeep was burning and help was needed. How could she say 'no' when asked for help? Of course, some idea's don't seem like such good ones in retrospect, and a situation that in the beginning merely seemed daunting quickly turned into one that seemed impossible. Sometimes she wished she wasn't such a do-gooder...