Note from the author: I know this has taken me a long time, but my research needed all my attention. It's over now. I only have to do a presentation in front of a jury next week, so now I can write more! I'll be writing for my other stories as well, but I'll try to write a next chapter for this story soon! Thanks for the patience and enjoy!


There are nights when you close your eyes and fall asleep, without dreams to disturb your mind. Yet, this night wasn't one of them. Nera tossed and turned, but couldn't sleep. Doubts about who she was, about her mission and about her new friends, kept her awake. After a while she got up and walked towards the window. How could she find out what was really going on with Casavir and Mordren? If Mordren had indeed betrayed Casavir, then they were all in grave danger. Yet, they couldn't be in any more danger than they were now, with assassins searching for them.

Perhaps she should let Casavir stay here… No, she could never do that. Casavir was needed as much as the rest of her friends. Nera sighed and wished she could make all her troubles go away.

"Please Tyr," she prayed, "Guide me through all this. Guide my blade to hit only those who deserve justice and guide my mind and thoughts, so I will make the right decisions."

She went back to her bed and tried once again to fall asleep, yet when sleep finally claimed her Casavir and Mordren haunted her dreams.

The next morning, everyone was ready to attack the assassins. Everyone, except Nera. Her arm still hurt and she was so tired, that the weight of her armor was almost too much for her. She hid this from the others and went towards the merchant's quarter. When she entered the house where the assassins were hiding, they were immediately attacked. Every room had Githyanki in it and each one of them was determined to kill Nera. She fought hard, but the fatigue she felt was a more dangerous enemy than the Githyanki. When she was fighting a mage, she didn't see the other Githyanki coming towards her. Casavir shouted a warning and Nera automatically lifted her sword, but she was too slow. The sword of the enemy sliced through her armor and then deep within her skin. She cried out in pain, falling limply to the floor. Casavir hurried towards her and killed the Githyanki before he could hurt her even more.

Concerned he bent down and looked at Nera. She was unconscious and looked pale. The wound was deep and blood was gushing out of it. With the others making a protective circle around him, he concentrated on healing without the worry of being attacked. He banned his fear and doubts to a dark corner in his mind and focused all his will upon Nera.

"Tyr, let Nera be saved, so that the people of Neverwinter will be saved against further evil…," he prayed silently.

A blue light appeared under his hand and slowly, the wound healed. Nera suddenly took a deep breath and opened her eyes. When her green eyes met his, he thanked the god. He helped her rise to her feet, holding her close to him. He could feel her gather her strength and when she was ready he let her slowly go.

"Thank you, Casavir," she mumbled, "I … I thought that was the end of me."

"If I have any say in that, milady, your end will not be here for many years," Casavir answered, while he tenderly touched her face.

Nera, taken aback by the look in his beautiful eyes, swallowed. She moistened her lips not noticing the others staring at them. Khelgar suddenly coughed interrupting there moment with an amused expression, Casavir and Nera jumped looking away from the other. The moment was gone and when she gathered her thoughts, she could not understand what had just happened. Was this the effect of the healing magic? It could be, there was no other reason for it that she could think of.

"Lass, we should be moving on. Can you fight again?" Khelgar asked hiding his amusement.

Nera nodded.

"No problem, Khelgar. I was tired, but not only Casavir healed my wounds, but the fatigue I was feeling is also gone," she explained with a nod of her head to her friend.

"Next time, just tell us when you're not feeling well, alright?" Neeskha muttered looking a bit shaken. That is when it struck Nera suddenly how much they cared for her. She laid her hand upon Neeskha's arm and smiled gently.

"I'll sure will," she whispered to the tiefling.


"Finally, we can go into Blacklake!" Neeskha exclaimed enthusiastically..

She danced around making Nera dizzy until the paladin made her stop her antics.

"I'm as glad as you are, Neeskha," Nera laughed, "But if you'll keep turning me around like this, I'll never make it to Blacklake."

Finally, Captain Brelania had given permission to enter Blacklake. Not to all of Blacklake, only to the house of Aldanon, but that didn't matter. She only needed the mage, the rest of the nobles didn't interest her.

Together with Khelgar, Neeskha and Casavir she went to Aldanon's house, escorted by a guard. When she entered the mansion and saw Aldanon, she had to smile. When her father and her friends told her stories about adventured, there had always been old, wise men in them, with grey hair and beards. Aldanon fitted that description perfectly. He was old, wise, a bit confused and wanted to help her. For some reason, it reassured her that the stories of her father held some truth. After all, in the end, the good people always won.

Aldanon helped her a great deal, but at the end of the talk, she realized that her mission had grown more serious and that she was now stuck into a web, filled with history, mysteries and dark creatures. Aldanon advised her to look for information about Ammon Jerro, a warlock who had done research about the shard and who was thought to be dead.

When she left the home, Neeskha sighed.

"You know, every time we think we're gonna know everything about that peace of shining metal," she started, "We just get another tip. 'Go to the Neverwinter' Archives, find Ammon Jerro'. Aren't you tired of all of this?"

"Sometimes," Nera answered truthfully, "But then I look at it like this: if I hadn't got the shard from my uncle, I wouldn't have bumped into all of you and then I would have never found such true and loyal friends. I would have been stuck in my hometown, not aware of the misery in the world. I would never have been a true paladin."

She looked at Casavir and smiled.

"No, I will never really tire of it. Because deep down inside me, I know that this path was meant for all of us. And that's comforting."

"How so, milady?" Casavir asked, surprised.

"Well, if something or someone meant us to do all this, that could only mean that we are meant to end it as well. And that's what I believe in."

Neeskha smiled and shook her head.

"You can be so naïve, Nera, but you know what?... I wouldn't have wanted you any different!"

"Can you make anything of it, Nera?" Khelgar asked, while he and Nera went through the papers that were partially burned by the Githyanki.

"From what I can piece together Ammon Jerro has one living relative, Shandra Jerro, who has a farm near Highcliff," Nera frowned. That name seemed familiar.

"Shandra?" Neeskha repeated, "The Highcliff girl with the flammable barn?"

Now Nera remembered. Shandra had been the only farmer who had stayed at her farm when the lizards had attacked Highcliff. And now it seemed that she would once more have the answers for them.

"We have to get going!" Nera said," The Githyanki cannot catch her!"


Shandra wasn't pleased to see them again. Nera could understand her. Last time, the harvest had gone up in flames when she had talked to them and now Githyanki were trying to catch her. Shandra refused her help and ran away, but after another attack, she reluctantly accepted her help and agreed to travel with them to Neverwinter.

"So why did those creatures attacked me? And how did you know I was going to be attacked?" Shandra asked, clearly annoyed.

"It has to do with your grandfather," Nera answered, "You're the last living relative of Ammon Jerro are you not?"

"Yes…"

"Perhaps it is best if we talk this through in the Inn, milady," Casavir suddenly intervened, "We will be safe there and we can talk more privately."

"You're right, Casavir. We'll been in Neverwinter soon enough, Shandra, and then you will get all your answers," Nera smiled.

Shandra did not seem to like it, but there was no other choice and silently they walked to Neverwinter. When they entered her uncle's inn, Shandra was welcomed warmly. Both Neeskha and Nera were slightly annoyed by the way Duncan invited Shandra to his inn. When Nera had entered with her friends, her uncle had not been so kind. Not until he had known she was kin.

"All right," Shandra started, while she turned around to face Nera and the others, "I agreed to let you bring me here, now I want some answers. What happened at my farm? Who are those creatures? And why are they after me?"

Nera frowned. She felt attacked and irritated, so she answered with a harsh voice than she should have.

"Calm down. Your questions will be answered in due time."

"Calm down? Calm down? You try being calm when your farm is attacked by monsters and burnt to the ground!"

Nera stepped forward and wanted to put Shandra in her place, when suddenly Casavir intervened:

"Shandra, we realize this is difficult, but your life may be in danger – and I swear to you, we are trying to protect you, not make more trouble for you."

"Oh, all right," Shandra calmed down and even smiled at the paladin, "Sorry, guess the whole thing's hard to take all at once."

Nera looked from Shandra to Casavir and back. What was it with this woman that made all the men comfort her? She had almost lost her home town, she had been attacked by creatures that no one had seen in years and no one had comforted her in that way. Neeskha apparently thought the same.

"A little paladin charm sure calmed her quick," she muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Well, Shandra, if you want answers, you can have them," Nera said, a little harsher than intended, "You're a relative of Ammon Jerro, like I have said before. Apparently the Githyanki think that you know where his haven might be. They believe, just like we do, that Jerro's haven contains important information about certain shards. Shards, which have been in my possession for quite some time now. We were hoping you could actually tell us more."

"I only heard of the Haven from my mother's stories. She told me that his haven was like a hundred twisting corridors jumbled together into an inescapable labyrinth, filled with the deadliest traps and evil beasts conjured from the Abyss."

"That sounds great," Neeskha replied, sarcastic.

"Stories do not always ring true," Nera said, "Since Ammon Jerro is known to be eccentric but humble, I doubt his haven is a place to fear."

"I never thought of it that way," Shandra replied and gave Nera surprised look, "You may be right. Look, I can barely think, let alone stand. I really need rest…we can talk about this tomorrow."

"Perhaps we should retire," Casavir said, "We all could use the rest. Shandra, I believe Duncan has room upstairs."

"Oh… uh, thanks for the hospitality," Shandra said, with a blush upon her face, "uh, Casavir, right? I appreciate it."

"I don't," Nera thought bitterly.

"Of course, you have been through a great deal, it is the least we can offer," Casavir answered, as the true paladin he was.

Nera had to bit her lip to not say anything sarcastic and took a seat. While her uncle brought Shandra to her room, Nera stared at Casavir. The paladin still stood near the fire, and after a moment, he turned to face her.

"Is something troubling you, milady?" he asked, his tone warm and soothing. It came over like a warm fire.

"I… I just … I am surprised how you handled Shandra," Nera reluctantly replied.

"Do you think I said something wrong?" Casavir asked, while a frown appeared. He walked towards her and took a seat.

"No… It's just… You… you and my uncle comforted her very easily, which is different from how you both met me," Nera said, while she looked away from the look in his eyes.

"Milady, you are a trained paladin. You can defend yourselves and others. You do not fear the evil that is surrounding us. I and your uncle have faith in you." Casavir told her.

"Yes, but sometimes this is all hard for me too. I left my home without the chance to say goodbye. I still don't know what happened to them. During my travels, I was attacked by so many creatures, that it is a miracle that I survived all of that. I deserve to be comforted as well," Nera replied, bitter.

"Do you want me to sooth you, as if you were a mere child that is afraid of the monsters that might crawl under their bed? Because that is how I handled Shandra, milady. She does not seem to know much of the world outside her farm and now she has lost her farm and has traveled to a city where she has only heard of in tales," Casavir's tone stayed the same, but she could feel that he was slightly disappointed.

Quickly she said, "Of course I do not want you to sooth me like that, Casavir. But… I think you were doing more than that!"

"I am confused, milady. All I meant to do was calm her down, so you would be able to get the information for your mission."

"Damn, I made a fool out of myself!" she grumbled in her mind.

Nera's face reddened.

"I… I… I thought…"

Casavir held his head a bit oblique and stared at her intensely.

"I assure you, milady. I am devoted to your mission and to you. There is nothing else on my mind."

"Of course… I don't doubt you, Casavir," Nera said, while she avoided his look, "I am sorry I misunderstood."

A thick silence fell between then as Nera stared at her boots not able to look at Casavir. What did he think of her know? That she was a foolish girl, who was dying for attention from him? Of course she wasn't!

"Perhaps tomorrow, you can teach me more about healing people, Casavir," Nera said, trying to change subjects.

"I think it is too early, milady. If you cannot understand what I was trying to do with Shandra, then perhaps I …"

"No, no ,no!" Nera said immediately. She grabbed his hand and said: "I am sorry, I was wrong… I just… Perhaps, I am uncomfortable with the attention you are given her because you have always pointed your attention towards me."

When she realized what she just had said, she reddened even more.

"I mean…" She fell silent and deeply ashamed, she took her seat back.

But Casavir just smiled. The first smile she had ever seen and it made her blush even more.

"Milady," he answered tenderly, "The attention I have given Shandra is only a fraction of the attention I would give to you."

Nera didn't dare to look at him and after a moment, Casavir rose:

"It is time to go to bed, milady. Tomorrow we will know more. Good night, milady. Do not let your sleep be troubled."

He touched her hand tenderly and then walked away. When he was gone, Nera covered her face. What a fool she had been? Now she knew what had been going on the whole time. She had fallen in love with Casavir. Bevil was nothing more than a memory now and all she could think of, is what it would feel if Casavir would ever kiss her! But that would never happen…. Not after tonight, when she had made such a fool of herself…

With a sigh, she walked to her room. She did not saw the ranger, who had heard every single word of her conversation with the paladin…