Chapter 3: The Truth Unfolds

Daeghun stood silently observing Nevalle as the knight talked with Khelbar, the master engineer and head of the excavation party. In the week since he had come to the camp, Daeghun had seen Nevalle's overall condition improve considerably. It had not been easy getting the knight back from the brink of despair, but he had perservered and had even managed to keep him from the brink ever since.

The first thing he had done was sit Nevalle down and speak frankly to him about the wine he had been consuming each night. He had flatly told the man that all the wine did was mask the pain that he was feeling and that if he continued along that course then he would eventually be of no use to anyone, especially Ashara. Nevalle had responded by claiming he needed it to keep him from dreaming about Ashara and that it was the only way he could sleep. This was a typical human reaction to emotional problems and one that Daeghun had seen many times over the years of his adventures. Most humans were not aware that there were other, better ways to accomplish the same thing and he had told Nevalle this. He informed the knight of the various herbs that were available to brew into a tea that would give him the rest he needed without the harmful side effects of alcohol. With the help of the herbs, Nevalle would be able to sleep without dreaming and would feel more refreshed when he awoke. Even though he remained skeptical, Nevalle had agreed to try the tea and thus it had begun.

After only a couple of nights drinking the tea, Nevalle had noticed the difference, both mentally and physically. The knight had regained his appetite and energy and was slowly beginning to put on weight. Now, at the end of the week, Nevalle was almost as fit as he had been before Ashara had disappeared and was once again filled with the determination and drive to discover his lover's fate. However, despite everything, the knight still needed constant encouragement to keep him from slipping backwards. Daeghun sighed to himself as he realized that if they did not find the answers they were seeking, then all the tea and encouragement in the world would not keep Nevalle from falling down into despair once again.

Thus it had been with quiet relief that he had received the news that the engineers had finally succeeded in removing the debris covering the ruins. They had discovered an open chamber beneath the rubble that was accessible and had begun the process of shoring it up so that it could be explored thoroughly. The engineers were being extra careful in doing so, for the whole place was unstable and liable to collapse with a single wrong move. If it collapsed, then anyone who might still be alive beneath it would be crushed to death. Only once they were certain that they had done everything possible to support the structure would they allow anyone to enter.

"Master Khelbar feels that we'll be able to enter the chamber sometime this afternoon," Nevalle said as he approached the elf.

"That is good," Daeghun nodded. "We will have our answers soon and then we will be able to make further plans."

"I feel I should tell you that Khelbar isn't too optimistic about finding survivors down there," Nevalle said, unable to keep the doubt from creeping into his voice. "Based on what he has seen so far he claims it would be nothing short of a miracle if we do."

"My daughter is not dead Nevalle," Daeghun said firmly.

"Well we'll know the truth soon enough, won't we?" Nevalle asked softly and saw the elf nod in response.

The two men stood silently together for a while, watching the workers moving in and out of the ruins. Looking at Daeghun, Nevalle marvelled at the elf's unwavering belief that Ashara was alive. It made him wish that he could be as certain as that. The idea that Ashara being alive was just wishful thinking on his part wasn't easy to push away. It stubbornly remained, tickling at the corners of his mind and taunting him silently as he fell asleep each night.

"By the way, I want to thank you for what you've done for me," Nevalle said softly, not looking at Daeghun. "If you hadn't come here then I might very well have given up by now and lost myself to madness and grief."

"Your gratitude is welcome but not necessary," Daeghun replied. "My daughter loves you and she would want me to help you. Not only that, but I too was once like you, but unlike you I had no one to turn to or rely upon for help. Perhaps if I had, then my relationship with my daughter would not have been so strained."

"Ashara told me of how others in her village had said you closed yourself off due to the pain of losing your wife," Nevalle said. "I can understand why you did that, for many times I have felt the same way, wishing I could just stop feeling the pain of Ashara's absence in my life."

"The only way to stop feeling that pain is to close yourself off to every emotion as I did," Daeghun replied with a wry smile. "Just look at what the result was and tell me again if you feel it was worth it."

Nevalle mulled over that last statement for a while. He knew, from what Ashara had told him, that Daeghun had been perceived as cold and uncaring. Ashara herself had been convinced that she had been an unwanted and painful burden to her foster father. In his mind he picture a little red-headed girl, so desperate for any sign of emotion from her father, that she had deliberately gotten into fights and suffered her father's displeasure for it. He shivered a little at the thought of visiting such upon his family and friends and realized the elf was right.

"I guess learning to live with the pain is the better choice in the end," he mused aloud.

"That is something I have learned late, but hopefully not too late to heal the harm done," Daeghun nodded in agreement.

Knowing it would be a couple of hours yet before they could enter the ruins, the two men decided to have lunch while they waited. As they ate they talked about the weather, the various creatures that made their home in the swamp, avoiding all mention of Ashara and her companions. Nevalle felt his respect for Daeghun building as he listened to the elf speaking about things he had never before considered. The wood elf certainly knew his territory and was willing to share his knowledge with those who asked. Nevalle had been around wizards and scholars most of his life and had gotten used to the way one had to practically pry any information out of them. They always seemed to be jealously guarding their knowledge, holding firm to the belief that to spread it around was to invite disaster. It was not so with Daeghun and Nevalle found himself taking advantage of the opportunity to learn, a fact which seemed to please the elf. If Ashara and him were to have a future together, then that future would include Daeghun. Nevalle had a feeling that the way to impress Daeghun was to never stop listening and learning. Around mid-afternoon their talk was interrupted by the sight of Master Khelbar coming towards them. Both men got to their feet and silently awaited the dwarf and the news he brought.

"Well we've done our best and the ruins are as safe as we can make them," Khelbar boomed out as he approached. "You can enter the ruins any time you are ready," he finished as he came to a stop in front of them. Seeing them start to eagerly head off, he held up a hand to stop them. "Hold on a moment, there's a couple things you must know first before you go in there," Khelbar cautioned them.

"Such as?" Nevalle asked, not bothering to hide his impatience.

"Even though we've shored it up pretty good, the place is still unstable," the dwarf warned them. "I will be monitoring the situation while you're down there searching for clues. If at any point I see a potential problem and tell you to leave, you will do so immediately. You'll be of no use to Ashara or anyone else if you go getting yourselves crushed under a pile of rubble."

"Understood," Daeghun nodded firmly and proceeded to move off. However, Khelbar's raised hand stopped him before he had even taken two steps.

"I haven't told you everything yet," Khelbar said and then hesitated as both men stared intently at him. He knew how much the Knight-Captain meant to both men and wasn't sure how to give them the rest of the information. Deciding it was best to just spit it out he continued quickly. "We found a couple bodies buried under the rubble as we were moving around down there."

"Whose bodies?" Nevalle asked sharply and then held his breath for the answer.

"Well, the first one we saw was that of an older man with funny markings on his face," Khelbar answered and saw Nevalle's face crease in a scowl.

"That would be the warlock, Ammon Jerro," Nevalle spat, unable to keep his satisfaction of knowing the man was dead out of his voice. "Looks like the bastard got just what he deserved for all the pain and suffering he caused others."

"Do not be so uncharitable towards the man Nevalle," Daeghun said softly and saw the knight start in surprise. "Despite the evils he had done in the past, he did willingly sacrifice his life in order to save us all. I am positive that in his blind pursuit of his objective he angered many denizens of the Abyss. He has gone to a fate much worse than any of us can possibly imagine or expect for ourselves."

Nevalle merely stared at the elf, unwilling to be as forgiving as the other man. "Maybe, but it is a well deserved fate. You can forgive him, or make excuses for him if you wish, but don't expect me to do the same."

"You misunderstand me," Daeghan said tersely. "I am not excusing his past deeds, nor am I inclined to forgive him either. However, I can respect him for what he has done. He knew full well that he could die in that final battle and he certainly knew what fate held in store for him if he did. Yet, he did not let that deter him from following Ashara and doing what needed to be done. Many in his shoes would have turned away, would have chosen to save their own skins and thumbed their noses at those who did not."

"Like Bishop," Nevalle said flatly.

"Yes, like the ranger," Daeghun nodded. "Bishop could have chosen a different path, lived a better life, for Ashara had showed him how and given him every opporunity to do so. Instead the ranger let his fear, or anger, or jealousy have free rein and he closed his eyes to the possibility. Such a man is worthy of your contempt, but Ammon Jerro is not."

Nevalle merely shrugged and decided to let the subject drop, knowing that they would not be able to come to an agreement in this matter, at least not yet. "You said you found another body in the ruins?" he asked as he turned back to face Khelbar.

Khelbar cleared his throat and looked at his feet, not willing to meet their eyes as he told them the rest of what he knew. "There was another body buried under a massive pile of debris. All we could see of it was part of the head. The body had red hair," he finished and saw both men stiffen as their faces paled.

"There were three in the party who had red hair Nevalle," Daeghun warned quickly, masking his own sudden doubt. "The body they found is either that of Qara or Neeshka, count on it."

Nevalle merely looked at the elf, a bleakness coming to his eyes as his hope began to wither and die inside him. "Then let us go see for ourselves," he answered and then began to walk hurriedly towards the ruins. He kept telling himself over and over that it wasn't Ashara, that it couldn't be her. He kept telling himself that Daeghun would know if she was dead. Upon reaching the chamber, he saw a sloping path had been crafted that led down into it. Carefully traversing the path, he moved as quickly as possible down and inside the chamber. Once there, he quickly looked around for the pile of rubble Khelbar mentioned and finally spied it surrrounded by a handful of dwarves who were moving pieces of debris away. Moving quickly, he began to help them in their efforts, a quiet desperation evident in every move he made.

Daeghun had hurried behind Nevalle, knowing that if he was wrong and it was Ashara under the pile, then Nevalle might very well react in a most dangerous manner. The knight would need someone to calm him down and it was doubtful anyone else would be able to. He reached the place the dwarves and Nevalle were working, but saw that his help was not needed at the moment. So he stood to the side silently wathcing their efforts. Thus he was the first to see a pointed tail sticking out from the bottom of the pile and he quickly informed the others of his discovery. "The body is that of the tiefling Neeshka, I see the tip of her tail," he told them sadly. He wondered if the girl had died before or during the collapse of the ruins and if Ashara knew of her fate. His daughter had bonded very closely with the tiefling and they had been more like sisters to each other than leader and follower.

Nevalle released the breath he didn't know he was holding and felt his body go almost weak with relief at Daeghun's announcement. Then he rembered how close Ashara had been to Neeshka and his relief was replaced with sorrow. He remembered thinking it strange that anyone would trust such a creature, but Neeshka had proven her loyalty time and again. He had even come to be rather fond of the tiefling's antics and practical jokes. Even when times were darkest, Neeshka had managed to find a way to cheer everyone up, making her presence invaluable and her loss that much more painful. "We will bury her with every honor that her sacrifice entitles her too," Nevalle said quietly. "She was one of the truest friends and companions one could ask for and she will be sorely missed. Please see to the removal and care of her body for me," he told the dwarf next to him. Then everyone paused and held their breath as a clatter was heard and a small chunk of masonry fell from one of the cracked walls. When nothing more happened, Nevalle stirred and began his search of the area, looking for any clues as to what happened to the rest of the party.

In the meantime, Daeghun had seen something strange a little further in and gone to invesitagate. Now he was crouched over the remains of a body trying to determine whose it was. The figure appeared to have been wearing robes, and as far as he knew that meant the remains could only be that of Qara or Sand. The robes had been charred by some spell and were almost unidentifiable so he had to resort to making a determination based on the remaining bones. He was so engrossed in contemplation that he did not hear Nevalle approach until the man came to a stop beside him and squanted down.

"Who do you think this is?" Nevalle asked quietly.

"I am not positive for there is not much left of the body, but I think that this is all that is left of Qara," Daeghun answered. "She appears to have been killed by a powerful spell, meaning that Sand attacked her for some reason."

"How can you be sure it is the sorceress?" Nevalle asked. He couldn't help but wonder how Daeghun could make anything of the remains.

"I said I am not sure, however the remains seem to be too great to be those of an elf," Daeghun reiterated patiently. "This long bone here appears to be a femur, and if it is, then it is too big to belong to an elf. As there were only two members of the party that wore robes, and since the bone cannot belong to an elf, then logic dictates that it belongs to the human sorceress Qara."

"You said it appears that she was killed by a powerful spell, which would mean that Sand killed her," Nevalle said. "The question then would be why? Why would Sand attack a member of his own party when they needed to stand as one against the King of Shadows?"

"It is possible that it was Jerro and not Sand who killed Qara," Daeghun pointed out. "He would be the only other member of the party that would have that kind of power. However, the smell lingering on the body does not indicate to me that she was killed by Eldritch power, which is what Jerro uses. Of course the warlock had a great deal of knowledge and knew how to use scrolls and wands, so he could have used something like that. Still, the one most likely responsible for Qara's demise would be Sand."

"Why would Sand kill Qara though?" Nevalle mused aloud.

"I suspect that one of them turned traitor, just as Bishop did, and sided with our enemy," Daeghun replied. "Sand has a shady past and Qara was a foolish child. Either one of them could have been seduced to the other side by the enemy, if he could have made it worth their while."

"No way would Sand do such a thing," Nevalle said harshly. "Lord Nasher may have coerced him into helping Ashara in the beginning yes, but he stayed of his own free will. He even came to admire and like your daughter and tended to fret after her like she was his child. Ashara held him in high esteem and relied upon him completely, and she never failed to show her appreciation for his efforts. There is nothing the enemy could have offered Sand that would make him betray her, nothing," he finished emphatically.

Daeghun knew that Nevalle was a good friend of Sand and thus was not completely objective in his view of the moon elf. However, until they had more information, it was pointless to argue about it so he merely nodded at the the knight. "Let us continue our search for answers," he said aloud and stood up.

Nevalle was about to say something further when one of the men that had accompanied him from Neverwinter suddenly called out to them to come see what he had found. Moving quickly to the man's location, he saw that there appeared to be a passageway at the back of the chamber that had been blocked by more debris. Standing on tiptoe, he tried to see what was behind the rubble, but was unsuccessful. Then he turned his attention to the pile in front of him and saw a glint of metal peaking through. "There's another body under here," he stated and began to carefully move the pieces out of the way.

Judging by how big the pile they were clearing was, Daeghun figured it would be some time before they could get a better look and moved off to continue searching the chamber. Looking at the walls and seeing various scorch marks, charring, scrapes and holes, he came to the conclusion that this indeed had been the site of the final battle. He saw no other remains, but given the fact that Garius and the King of Shadows were undead creatures, it was not surprising that they had just disappeared upon dying. Still, he had to make sure that there was nothing else in the chamber to see before they went further in. So it was that he came across a small pile of debris under which he could see a sandal sticking out. The only one in the party with such footwear had been Zhjaeve, the githzerai cleric. The fact that she was dead was disappointing, but the woman had not been the easiest to deal with and thus he felt nothing one way or the other over her loss. However, he called to one of the dwarves to come and remove the body for buriel. She too deserved to be buried with all due honors for her sacrifice, regardless of everything else. After making sure that he had missed nothing, he headed back over to where Nevalle and the rest were working. He stood silently waiting to see what they would uncover.

"Sir, whatever's under here is big," one of the men spoke up, pointing at a long stretch of metal he had uncovered.

"Let me see," Daeghun said and moved forward to get a better look. "I believe that we have found the blade golem Ashara's party had with them. Grobnar controlled him and was never far from the thing's side when it travelled with them." He silently studied the wall and the archway, trying to determine the golem's position. "If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that Grobnar ordered the golem into this spot to act as a support for the archway. He would only do that if it was necessary for the rest to get through safely."

"Oh no!" Nevalle suddenly exclaimed as he removed a large chunk of debris. Underneath it he could see a small blond head covered by a silver arm. "It looks like Grobnar couldn't make it through and sought shelter underneath his golem," he said sadly. The little guy had been a nuisance most of the time, but he had been a favorite of Ashara's and she would be heartbroken over his loss. He stood and waited while the workers removed the remaining debris and then bent down to study the bodies.

"It does not appear as if Grobnar was hit by any of the debris," Daeghun said as he reached a hand in to touch the gnome. "His face is thin and his skin is very dry and cracked." Pulling one eyelid out of the way, the elf studied the gnome's eyes for a minute. "All the evidence indicates that Grobnar was buried alive under the rubble and the golem. He died due to lack of water," Daeghun continued his observations. "A body can go for many days without food and survive, but not without water."

"It doesn't seem fair for him to have survived the final battle only to die in such a manner," Nevalle shook his head. "I think it would be best that Ashara is never told how he died for she cared for the gnome a great deal and it would break her heart."

"Yes the way he died is not fair, but then few things in life or death are fair," Daeghun said. Another cracking noise alerted them once again to the fact that the place was very unstable. "We may not have much time left and we still have not found what we seek. We will find our answers down this passage," the elf pointed down the dark tunnel.

Nevalle got to his feet and, after giving instructions to the workers regarding Grobnar, climbed carefully over the remaining rubble and moved slowly down the passage, paying close attention to where he stepped. There was a great deal of debris scattered on the floor and he didn't want to risk injuring himself by proceeding with too much haste. As he walked he tried not to get his hopes too high, for even though it now appeared that Ashara and the other survivors fled this way, it did not mean that they all escaped.

Daeghun walked quietly behind Nevalle, studying the ground closely. Even though Nevalle had a torch to light thier way, the passage was still quite dim. However, as an elf he saw almost as clearly in the dim light as others saw in bright sunlight. He could see several different tracks in the dust indicating that a large group came running this way from the chamber behind them. Unfortunately, he was unable to determine exactly whose prints were whose, but given that no other remains had been found, then it meant that Ashara, Khelgar, Elanee, Casavir and Sand had all fled this way. It remained to be seen where exactly they had gone. He had to wonder about one thing though, and that was what had happened to Bishop. Supposedly the ranger had betrayed them so he could join the so called winning side. Ashara had defeated Garius and the King of Shadows so Bishop had ended up on the losing side in the end. That meant they should have found his body somewhere down here. So either the ranger had been completely obliterated by some spell, or he had not been present in the end. If the latter was the case then perhaps they would meet again someday and then the ranger would learn the error of his ways.

Nevalle suddenly came to a halt as the passage ended at a huge stone door. He could see no evidence of damage and the wall around the door seemed to be intact. However, he hesitated to open the door, for he was afraid of what he might find on the other side. Could Ashara's desperate flight to escape the ruins have ended here? Would he find her body and those of her companions just the other side of the doorway? He raised a hand and placed it on the handle of the door and then paused to gather his courage.

"Waiting will not change what is behind this door," Daeghun said softly as he placed a hand on Nevalle's shoulder. "Our answers are here and we have both waited long enough. Open the door," he ordered firmly.

Nevalle nodded and after taking a couple of deep breaths, pushed down on the handle and then pushed the door so it swung inward on silent hinges. Slowly he stepped inside, moving the torch higher and around in an attempt to see what was there. He smelled nothing other than dust and mold and the light showed no bodies piled nearby which he took as a good sign. The door had opened into what looked to be a small workroom. He could see a couple of tables with old alchemical equipment on them, convered in dust and cobwebs. There was a heavy layer of dust on the floor and the air was stale. The room had obviously not been used for decades or perhaps even centuries. He moved further into the room feeling his confusion growing. This was the only place the passage had led to unless there was a secret wall or door somewhere further back. So if Ashara had come here, then where was she now? As he neared the center he stopped and began to turn in a circle, looking for another door or opening in the room but finding none. He was about to tell Daeghun it was a dead end when he saw a gleam of silver near the back wall and moved towards it.

Daeghun had been peering intently around the room, same as Nevalle, and was just as puzzled as the knight. He could see no evidence of another door or opening into another passage, yet the prints on the floor clearly indicated that Ashara and the others had come here. It was almost as if they had all disappeared into thin air. He was about to say something to Nevalle when he saw the man suddenly stop and then stride purposefully towards the back of the room. Following after the man, he soon saw what Nevalle had: a gleaming silver, inverted horseshoe. It was a Song Portal, the old method of travelling used by the ancient people of the Illefarn Empire, and he saw that the tracks led right to it. He quickly deduced that Ashara and her surviving companions must have been able to go through it before it failed.

"It is a portal, but it appears to be just as dead as the one in Crossroad Keep," Nevalle said thoughtfully as he stared intently at it.

"It may not be working now, but it must have been in operation for a while at least," Daeghun replied. "Ashara's tracks lead right up to it, which means she and those with her were able to use it to escape. That means they made it out of here alive at least."

"Yes, but how long did it stay in operation?" Nevalled asked. "Did they all make it through or did they get caught inside of it as it collapsed? If they did make it through then where are they now? If they are alive somewhere why haven't we heard anything about it?"

Daeghun shook his head, "I cannot answer those questions for you Nevalle. I know much about the Illefarn Empire and their portals, but I have no knowledge of how they work or where they go to. Ashara and the others could have found themselves in a distant land or perhaps even on another plane entirely. Most likely they all jumped through without thinking of where they might end up. It is even possible, given the conditions, that some of them were injured or perhaps killed going through. Even though using it would have been extremely dangerous, they had no other means of escape available to them."

"Then what we need is to get a couple of wizards down here, preferably ones who specialize in divination," Nevalle said. "At least we know they did not die down here, that they are possibly alive and well even if they can't tell us or get a message to us. The mages of the Cloaktower will help us find where they went and then we can begin our search."

"So you intend to seek out Ashara yourself?" Daeghun queried and saw Nevalle's face harden.

"I promised Ashara that I would find her, that not even all the devils of the Abyss would keep us apart," Nevalle nodded. "I will not break my oath to her."

"What about your sworn oath to Neverwinter and Lord Nasher?" Daeghun asked sharply. "Surely you know how important your position is and you must also know that getting leave for such a personal reason would be difficult."

"I don't care about my position or whether or not Lord Nasher and others would approve," Nevalle said heatedly. "I waited my whole life for someone special like Ashara to come along and nothing else matters to me anymore. I will go and find her and if that means breaking my oaths to the city and Nasher then so be it."

"I would caution you to be careful in this matter Nevalle," Daeghun said quietly. "I have lived for over three hundred years and I have seen rulers come and rulers go. One thing they all seemed to have in common is reacting badly towards those who defy them. I would not see you jeapordize your position or your life over my daughter, and Ashara would not want that either."

"Whether or not Nasher gives me leave doesn't matter," Nevalle shook his head. "If he dares to call me traitor for it, after everything I have sacrificed over the years, then I will just not bother to return after I have found Ashara. I would find contentment living in a cave and wearing furs if Ashara was with me. I need nothing else."

Daeghun could find nothing to answer the man with and so kept his peace. He would make sure that Nevalle didn't suffer for his devotion to Ashara, even if he had to call in some old debts owed to him. He had saved them for when it mattered most, and there was no better time than now to use them. His daughter deserved nothing less from him. "We have learned all we can here and now we should see to those who have fallen. Then together we will travel back to Neverwinter to speak with these mages you mentioned. While there, both of us will have a meeting with Lord Nasher and hopefully we will be able to convince him to give you leave. Then, once we know where to begin our search, we will provision ourselves and set out. We will not return until we have found all of those who fled through this portal. After everything they have sacrificed for us, it is the least we owe them."

"I can think of no one that I would rather have by my side on my quest to find Ashara," Nevalle smiled at the elf. "Ashara told me that your skills as a hunter and a tracker were unmatched and I have a feeling that I will need such skills in the coming days. At the very least, I welcome someone to talk to who understands my reasons and doesn't think me a fool."

"Those who would think of you as a fool are ones not worth bothering with," Daeghun replied as he turned back towards the door. "I too will be glad of the company. For too long I have been alone and had forgotten the value of relationships. Together we will find Ashara and the others and see that they are returned home safe and sound."

Nevalle followed the elf back down the passage towards the chamber to see to the remains of those who died. All doubts about what course he must take and where his path was headed were now gone. He was filled once again with purpose and had not felt this alive in a long time. Ashara was alive and he would find her and then they would have the rest of their lives together, to live and love and perhaps start a family. A smile curved his lips as he pictured a son with his features and his mother's red hair and green eyes. Yes, that is what he would have, and to hells with everyone and everything else.

Upon reaching the chamber they quickly informed Master Khelbar and the others of what they had discovered. Their faces showed their relief that all their hard work had not been in vain. Many of them had begun to have doubts about finding any survivors and now they knew that somewhere, some of them had survived. Daeghun and Nevalle eagerly joined in the efforts to remove the bodies of Ammon, Zhjaeve, Neeshka and Grobnar to the surface. There was some discussion about removing the blade golem, but Master Khelbar determined that any attempt to do so would bring down the shaky walls of the chamber. As for Qara, Daeghun gathered what few remains there were of the sorceress and carried them out. Nevalle had said that he shouldn't bother with the traitor and had turned away. Daeghun had reminded the knight that they did not know the truth of what happened and would not know until such time as they found one of the survivors. He also reminded Nevalle that one of Neverwinter's most important rules governing the behavior of it's knights was to show respect for a fallen enemy and to bury them properly. Nevalle had merely scowled at the reminder and then grudgingly agreed to burying Qara. The knight was convinced that it was Qara who had turned, not Sand, and mere words would not change his mind.

So it was that two days later Daeghun and Nevalle were headed back to Crossroad Keep with the bodies. They would stay there only for as long as it took to perform burial rites and bring everyone up to speed on what they had discovered and what they had planned. Then they would ride with all due haste to Neverwinter to speak with the mages. Whether the mages could help them or not remained to be seen, but both agreed that they would begin the hunt with or without their help. It just would take them a little longer to find everyone. Daeghan knew that Ashara and the others were not in Neverwinter territory, for he had already searched the length and breadth of it and found no trace of them. That still left all the lands of Faerun and even the upper and lower planes to search. It sounded like a daunting task, but there were others who might be able to help narrow the places to search. So whether the Cloaktower mages proved helpful or not really did not matter. Daeghun had tracked many elusive creatures over the decades and knew how to find even the faintest of trails. Soon enough, he and Nevalle would find Ashara and make things right. It was merely a matter of time now.

"You know that when I left no one really believed that Ashara had survived?" Nevalle asked as he looked at the elf driving the wagon. Seeing a puzzled expression cross Daeghun's face made Nevalle realize that the elf was not aware of the scouts' reports. "I had dispatched scouts to the Mere to find out what had happened. One went to Neverwinter and the second came to Crossroad Keep. Both carried the same message: that the final battle had caused the earth above the ruins to cave in and bury all that was beneath it. It was their opinion that there could be no survivors and everyone agreed with them, including Kana and the Neverwinter Council. They gave up on Ashara. They just accepted the fact of her death and basically told me I was chasing a dream with my plan to excavate the area."

Daeghun heard the hint of bitterness and the outright contempt in Nevalle's voice and felt compelled to say something in Kana's defense. "Kana has not yet seen enough of battle, or life even, to know that strange things can and do happen all the time. You and I have both witnessed impossible, some would even say miraculous events, and as such are more willing to believe in the impossible than most others. All too often people accept the easy choices, or the quickest path and refuse to consider anything else. It is just how they choose to cope with things that are difficult to deal with. Do not be too hard on Kana for her beliefs, it is just her way of dealing with a painful situation."

Nevalle shook his head, "No, this is something I can't forgive, yet. Maybe in time, when I once again hold Ashara in my arms and know that she is truly safe, I might be able to forgive them their short sightedness."

Daeghun said nothing, merely stared ahead at the road, wondering why humans were so stubborn so much of the time. He supposed that in a way their stubborness was of benefit, especially with a situation such as the one involving Ashara. Yet at times like this, when he tried to reason with them, their stubborness was more of a hindrance than anything else. Perhaps as he came to know Nevalle and Ashara better he would come to some understanding of human ways. One thing he was positive of was that humans were never boring. "For the time being let us focus on what needs to be done to find Ashara and the others. That is all that is important now," he said aloud and saw Nevalle nod his agreement.

"As we don't know where they might be, we won't know how long it will take us to find them," Nevalle said after a while. "I know that you will be able to find game for us and that you most likely know where to find water, but we will have to provision ourselves well."

"That is true, but we may find ourselves travelling in desolate areas," Daeghun replied. "As such, we should buy extra canteens and food rations and a horse to carry them."

"We don't need to buy anything," Nevalle countered. "Crossroad Keep has everything we need, for Ashara planned well and made sure we could survive a siege by the enemy, if it came to that. There are extra horses, canteens, dried rations, and anything else you think we'll need. Ashara is still the Knight-Captain and master of the keep and she left me in charge. Even if she hadn't, I am still the Captain of the Nine and Nasher's right hand, which gives me authority over all within the keep. I can requisition from the keep stores, stables, and armory anything you feel we will need for our journey."

"Very good, that will save us time," Daeghun nodded.

The two men fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts about what the future now held for them. It would be a long, arduous journey of discovery, but they knew that they would find what they were looking for in the end. Each made a silent vow that they would not return to Neverwinter until they did.