Before I continue on with my story, first, let me do two things: Nothing in this story is mine save for some of the names. Everything else belongs to Black Isle and Bioware. Sorry about the last chapter. I know it happened really fast, but I was tired last night and wanted to finish it off. From now on, my chapters should be like the ones prior to Chapter 11.

Thanks for reading.

The following day, Arek woke up quietly and walked downstairs as he always did to meet with Tavion and Minsc. They both looked well rested considering Tavion had been seriously injured by that arrow in Koval, and Minsc had been seriously drunk the night before. Arek sat down and looked to see who would speak up first. Minsc looked at Arek, "Minsc would guess that you want to know what happened, and what I saw?"

"That would be a nice place to start," Arek replied.

"I was asleep when it all started. Victoria had gone outside and Valerine sat by me in case I needed something. I heard two screams that woke me up. I ran outside to see what had happened to Victoria and Valerine. Boo noticed the skeletons and Minsc charged in with his sword raised. We dispatched the remaining skeletons and I hunted down the necromancer. Arek, I must tell you, he wore the symbol of Bhaal."

"Are you certain?"

"Boo says there was no mistaking it."

"What does that mean, Arek?" Tavion spoke up.

"I don't know, and we won't find out sitting here. We'll figure it out after we get back to Athkatla. Minsc, go get Keara and Abigail and tell them to get ready to leave. Tavion, go to the prison and get Octavion, he has a meeting with the Order in two days time. We'll leave in an hour."

An hour later, the group was assembled. They went south from Nashkel and headed for Athkatla. They met no bandit bands, which surprised Arek. Surely there would be some gang waiting to rob some wayfarers. "It's too quite here, we should have heard something other then the wildlife."

"Minsc and Boo agree. It seems like this place is empty of everything but us and animals."

"That's a good thing though isn't it?" Keara asked.

Instead of Arek or Minsc answering, it was Octavion that spoke up. "The bandits are getting smarter, more organized. They only attack the caravans that they know they can profit from. Attacking a group of five armed fighters and their prisoner probably won't get them a big reward. And with Ranger boy over there talking to his hamster, they'd probably prefer to leave you to the animals."

"Octavion does bring up a good point. We don't look like we offer much, and even if we did, we are too heavily armed for most bandits to attack." It seemed like everyone had spoken too soon when an arrow flew right by Arek's ear and slammed into a nearby tree. The group immediately circled up around Octavion, since he was unarmed. Fifty bandits stepped out from the tree line and surrounded the group.

"Listen, Arek, untie me and give me a weapon, I can help you, I won't run," Octavion suggested. With great reluctance, and great protest from Tavion, Arek undid Octavion's bindings and handed him Azuredge and a shield.

"You run, the next thing you'll see is the tip of the Avenger pointing out from your chest, you get me?"

"I won't run," Octavion replied, strapping the shield onto his arm. He gripped the throwing axe in the other hand and looked for a target. He threw the axe with all his might and watched it fly through the chest of a bandit and then return to his hand. The bandits all took a step backward, obviously surprised that their victims fought back, out numbered as they were. Their leader, a large, shaggy headed man, stepped forward and roared a challenge. The bandits stepped forward again and rushed in to attack the group.

Arek parried the attack from another bandit. He'd cut down two already and two more had taken their place. As he finished off his current opponent, he looked around at the group. They were all holding their own, but surprisingly enough, Octavion appeared to have killed more bandits then even Minsc. Minsc was performing to his usual standard, and Tavion along side Keara were fighting in their usual way. Abigail had yet to kill anyone, and she was still fighting her original opponent. His attention was brought back to the fight when the leader of the bandits charged at him with a flail and a morning star swinging in from both left and right. Arek parried the morning star and ducked under the flail causing the flail head and chain to wrap around the morning star. Arek took advantage to swing the Avenger over his head and down. The bandit, smarter then he looked, used his tangled weapons together to block Arek's swing. The swing untangled the weapons, but cause the flail head to crash into the bandits other hand, making him drop the morning star. Arek went to swing at the bandit leader, but as he stepped forward the bandit swung is leg out and connected with Arek's knee, causing Arek to fall to the ground. The bandit swung the flail over his head and brought it down, attempting the crush Arek's head. Arek caught the flail on his sword, which wrapped itself around the blade, coming with in centimeters of Arek's face. Arek then reached out with his free hand and grabbed hold of the morning star and swung it up at the bandit, caving in the left half of the bandit leaders face. The bandit's lifeless body fell backwards with a loud thump on the ground. The other bandits stopped fighting to look at the body of their leader before turning around and fleeing into the woods. Arek looked around to see disappointment on Octavion's face, as well as the face of Minsc. As much as Arek hated him, he had to give a lot of credit to Octavion, he fought extraordinarily well. "Is everyone ok?" Arek asked.

"We're fine here," Tavion answered standing next to Keara.

"Minsc and Boo stand ready."

"I'm fine," answered Abigail.

Octavion said nothing, but just nodded. Tavion moved to put the bindings back on the fallen Paladin but Arek put up a hand to stop him. "Leave the bindings off. Those bandits may regroup and be back, we'll need all the help we can get." Tavion looked extremely pissed, but conceded, where as Octavion looked shocked, but said nothing. "Just know Octavion, once we get to Athkatla, they will be back on."

"I'd figured as much," he said with little or no emotion.

"Alright then, lets move out." They continued heading south towards Athkatla.

Two days later, without further incident, Arek once again found himself standing in front of the large wooden doors outside the Hall of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart. Arek opened the doors and walked into the hall followed by Abigail and Minsc who led Octavion in followed by Tavion and Keara. Arek walked up to the High Paladins and kneeled before them. "I have returned from my mission. The Fallen Paladins are defeated and I have brought their leader Octavion to be judged."

"Very good Arek, very good indeed," Lord Hrothgar said. "I noticed that you are short two mages. What happened to them?"

Arek felt his voice get caught before he said, "The village of Nashkel was attacked one night and they were killed. Their deaths were to terrible for and Healer to bring them back."

"I'm sorry for the loss of your companions, though I noticed that you have found a young Cleric of ours. Welcome back, Abigail."

"Its good to be back, my Lord," Abigail replied.

"Now, as to the matter of Octavion. Arek, what would you recommend his punishment be?"

"Sir, I'm afraid I would not be able to give him a punishment. For all he has done since he Fell, he somewhat redeemed himself on our way here. We were ambushed by a horde of bandits and he fought and killed more then anyone else in my group."

"So since you can't give a punishment, what would you recommend that we do with him?"

"I'd request that he be able to travel with us, once again, as my squire. I feel he can be redeemed even further and be able to once again join the ranks of our Order."

"That's absurd!" Tavion roared.

"You will hold your tongue, Paladin Tavion. Paladin Arek brings up an interesting scenario, and one that I am in favor of. If he can truly be redeemed, it would be a great asset to our order. Very well, Arek, Octavion will be allowed to follow you as your squire. When you feel he is ready, bring him once again to the Council to be tested. Helm requires nothing more from you at the moment."

"Sir, if you will allow me one more moment, I would also ask that Abigail be allowed to travel with us as well. She could become a better Cleric for the Order if she were to follow me."

"Very well, she may travel with you. Now go, should your services be needed, you will be contacted."

"Thank you, Lord Hrothgar." Arek rose, bowed slightly, and turned around to release Octavion. When they had left the Hall, Tavion rushed up to Arek.

"Can I have a word with you Arek?"

"I figured you'd want that."

"What in the Hells are you thinking? Bringing Octavion, a known traitor, along with us is bordering suicide. He'll surely turn again."

"I don't believe he will. I saw it in his eyes, he had accepted his fate. Why would someone get so close to power, fail at it, and not try to get back to it? Besides, you heard the High Paladin, he didn't want to punish Octavion either. I won't let him Fall again."

"You better watch him, Arek, because if he starts turning, I'll do what the Order would never do."

"You'd be wise, brother, to be careful to not let your emotions get the better of you. You could just as easily Fall like he did." Tavion turned on his heels and hurried off the Copper Coronet. That night, when everyone had gone to bed, Arek sat at a table down in tavern part of the Copper Coronet. He pulled out a medallion he had taken off of his brother Sarevok when he had killed him so many years ago. On the medallion was a skull surround by teardrops, the symbol of Bhaal. Why, after everything that happened during the Bhaalspawn Crisis all those years ago, did the symbol of Bhaal reappear? True enough, Arek used the same symbol today, but he didn't have any temples dedicated to him, or any acolytes. His thoughts were interrupted when Octavion sat down in the chair opposite of him. "I thought everyone had gone to bed," Arek said.

"I had, but I had a question I wanted to ask you."

"Ask away."

"Why did you stand up for me at the Order today?"

"I know you can be redeemed. I saw it in your eyes two days ago when we were attacked by those bandits. I saw it in your eyes the moment I said we were taking you back to the Order. You thought you were dead when I stabbed you on top of that tower. When you found out that I had saved you, you knew right then and there that you had something else going for you. I also wanted to right the past. You were my squire once, and when you Fell, I felt responsible even though I was half a world away. I know you'll make a great Paladin, hell, you made a formidable Fallen Paladin. But I leave you with a choice, you can walk away right now, and do what you will, or you can join with me and once again be a Paladin. What say you?"

"You've saved my life, not once, but twice since I tried to take yours. I owe you more then I can ever give. I will serve you until the Gods deem it my time to leave this earth. I have yet to swear a vow to the Order, but this is my vow to you. As long as I live and breathe, my sword is yours." With that, Octavion stood up, bowed to Arek, and walked up to his room. As Arek watched him walk away, his thoughts immediately went back to the symbol he held in his palm. Where would he start looking? He supposed he could start at the Council of Six in Athkatla. If anyone had heard anything about the reemergence of a Bhaal cult, it would be him. If the Council hadn't heard anything, there was always Solar, his guide during the Bhaalspawn Crisis. Tomorrow he would head to the Council of Six building.