Chapter 29: Reflections and Ashes
Honorus watched the people in the room as he sat on the table in Tarka's living room.
Drizzt and Kyorlyn felt it would not be a good idea to have him in the grand hall once all of the drinking started, and the gargoyle god agreed. Having the mirror forcefully taken away from his taloned wings by a drunk dwarf would be a disaster.
Circa danced to try and to attract Zharlin's notice. Although it seemed odd, Circa was able to dance seductively to the innocent tune of Zharlin's lullaby.
Unfortunately, the follower of Eilliastrae was more interested in gazing on the sleeping form of his infant daughter.
Both Laitam and Siriel lay on a nearby pallet, sleeping soundly.
Evangeline got bored after a few minutes of sitting still. "I wanna go see my papa and grandpapa." she whined.
"Your papa said it was not good for you to drink Stumpet's holy water. The dwarves are drinking to their victory. Lucinda droned out as she helped mend a tunic for Laitam. "Shh, you'll wake your cousins. You should get some sleep too. Your papa is going to take you on the ship to go back home as soon as the King lets him and Kyorlyn leave."
"Don't wanna." Evangeline whined louder.
Siriel came half awake and pulled Laitam protectively to him. He sat up and blinked but kept his eyes to the floor.
"It's alright, Siriel." Lucinda said softly as she dropped her sewing, rushed over and touched Siriel's shoulder.
Siriel flinched and took a deep breath.
"Siriel, go on back to sleep. You aren't with the spider kissers anymore. You're safe."
"I wanna go see my papa!" Evangeline yelled at the top of her lungs. She flailed around in her tantrum, knocking over whatever was in arms reach.
Irae startled awake and started crying.
Laitam screamed out in fright and clung to Siriel.
"Circa, take Evangeline for a walk." Lucinda ordered.
Circa made a rude noise, but obeyed her sister. "C'mon Evangeline, I'm sure there's something more fun than staying here."
"Take me with you." Honorus said. "I'm of no use here."
"Where should I take them?" Circa looked over to Lucinda for guidance.
"Anywhere but the great hall. I know, I believe Sunshine Harkle is still in the weapons practice room. She could use a distraction from her tomes."
Circa turned to Evangeline, "So, would you like to go meet Sunshine? She's a sweet girl. I think she likes pink too."
"Oh, okay." Evangeline whined out as she grabbed Honorus from the table. "If she likes pink, she might be okay. I just want my papa."
"I know." Circa said softly. "But making friends is good too, right."
Evangeline stuck out her lip and nodded.
Sunshine blew a stray hair away from her face. Despite her young age, she rarely got itrritated.
"What be te matter?" One of the dwarven healers who was still tending the four badly wounded warriors still lying in the room.
"This tome makes less sense than my grandfather's journals." Sunshine huffed out. "It seemed like I had the answer to destroying the sword, then the thing went into this lengthy dissertation about a goddess of chaos and the two children who betrayed a dragon king."
"That doona be soundin like a good thing te me."
"It's not. Aparently, the dragon king agreed to help the two destroy all of the gods as long as he got to rule the world."
The cleric tightened a bandage around a dwarf's chest as she said a soothing chant. As soon as she was done, she turned to Sunshine and sat down beside her. "Ye should be a gettin some rest. Readin too many o them there tomes at once isna good fer ye. Make ye blind, it will."
"But I have to find the way to destroy Khazid'hea. Now that Drizzt is back in the Hall, I need to double my efforts. I can't fail. I want to have it done before he leaves."
"Don't ye be pushin' yerself like that! Drizzt wouldna ever be expectin ye to do that! He doesna care how or when, just that there sword gets gone fer good. Take yer time. He willna make ye rush."
"You think so?"
"I be knowin so, girl. Ye kin ask him yerself. He'll be wantin to escape the feast before too long. He's been known to come in here te hide."
"What about his wife?"
"She'll be wantin te be spendin time with her brothers and da. Drizzt will be a lettin her, too."
"He's an awfuly understanding husband, then?"
"Yea, and nay. Kyorlyn will be a givin him a world of grief if he doona bend a little te her requests."
Sunshine wrinkled her nose. "Males are strange. I never want to get married, if that's what it's like."
The dwarven lady laughed. "Ye still be a mite. When ye get a little older, ye may be a changin yer mind."
"I wish me axe 'd been a near that yeti that got yer face." Bruneor shouted. Droplets of Stumpet's brew burst from his lips as he slurred his words. "We'd be havin yeti stew."
He sat on his throne and took another large gulp of holy water.
Kyorlyn wrinkled her nose. "I don't think they'd taste very good, father."
Drizzt stood off to the side and listened while Donnar and Halaur recounted the tale of the glorious battle. He couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"How do you do that with a straight face?" Thelan leaned over and whispered to Drizzt.
"Years of practice." Drizzt crossed his arms. "It would do you good to learn the technique. You would win at games of chance more often." Drizzt said to remind Thelan why Thelan didn't have a seat in the crowded festhall.
Thelan rolled his eyes.
The freed elven spelljammer sailors straightened the ill fitting clothes the dwarves had given them, drank and sang.
"I suppose I should get the sailors together and get them to the ship." Thelan sighed. "I don't doubt the celebration Mord is holding to be any less active, and I don't need sick crew. Especially, if Her Majesty calls upon us. She will be wanting a report on the re-capture of our ships and a tally on how many were lost."
"I do not doubt Queen Amnestria wants a report on exactly what Vierna was trying to accomplish as well."
Thelan nodded. "Speaking of Mord and his great benefactor goddess, how long is his celebration supposed to last? He said he wanted you to attend the festivities, if they are still going on."
Drizzt shrugged. "I would imagine a few days, if not longer. I'm not sure. I know very little about Mord's traditions."
Thelan nodded and started signaling for the elves to start making their goodbyes so they could leave.
Collin Pennwyth chose that moment to saunter into the hall in his new custom made armor. It had taken a little time for the dwarven armor smiths to fix and adjust the armor to fit Collin. Luckily, Colin was somewhat short for a human, which made the dwarves' job easier.
"Ye look a fine specimen. Ye're new bride willna be refusin ye in that!" The armorer had his head held high and his chest puffed out to let everyone know the accomplishment was his.
"Captain Thelan, we are not leaving now, are we?" Colin thrust his head high. "I haven't had a chance to test the stability of my new armor by challenging one or two of my new friends yet."
"Just my crew, Lord Pennwyth. I need them right as rain if we are going to have a safe trip."
Collin frowned. "Such fuss for a five minute jaunt?"
"The ship responds to the moods of the crew. If they are too intoxicated, she tends to be as well. We could end up somewhere other than our intended destination."
"I see, carry on then." Collin dismissed Thelan with a wave of his hand.
Drizzt chuckled. "He's like that with everyone. Pay him no mind. The only way his attitude could really cause a problem here is if he acts that way towards King Bruenor, and I know he won't."
"Are you certain?" Thelan raised an eyebrow.
Drizzt patted his swords, "Quite."
Kyorlyn walked slowly over to Drizzt. "Father seems to be getting tired and I want to go check on Evangeline."
Drizzt smiled softly, "And you want to get home to our baby.."
Kyorlyn smiled back, "Yes. I know Montolio is safe, but I still miss him."
"Of course you do. You are a good mother."
Drizzt and Kyorlyn said their farewells as they promised to meet Halaur and Thelan at the ship a little later.
Circa sighed several times as she wished Evangeline would be more quiet as the walked.
"I made this really pretty plate, but the kiln cracked it up. I was so mad, but that's okay. I knew how to make another one and my new mama said she wanted to help the next time. She likes me a lot. She says she's making me something special. I hope it's pink 'cause I like pink."
Honorus shifted slightly in Evangeline's grip and moaned in pain.
"Mr. On-neer-us, do you have ouches?" Evangeline asked.
"My wings and head hurt. The mirror is reacting to something."
"Most likely Evangeline's chatter." Circa said under her breath.
Evangeline narrowed her brows. "Are you being mean, Circa, 'cause I don't like mean people."
"No, Evangeline is no trouble." Honorus said quickly to diffuse a possible fight between the simple girl and her niece. "It is this mirror."
"Do you want me to take the mirror off and put it in my kiln?" Evangeline said sympathetically. "I could make it melt real good."
"No, little one, I doubt the hottest flame could ever melt this mirror."
"Well I could throw it in the lake and let it freeze real good. Make it crack like the plate I made did. That's why it cracked cause I forgot to put more fuel for the fire and it got cold too fast."
Honorus carefully waved the tips of his wings and stretched his wings. He was bored with the conversation, but it was better than nothing to distract him from the growing pain.
"I'm not sure Honorus wants to hear all about your pottery making, Evangeline." Circa sighed as she nudged Evangeline along to keep the girl from going in the wrong direction.
As they rounded a bend in the hall, Honorus winced as the pain became more intense.
"Are you sure I can't take that mean old mirror away so you don't hurt no more?"
Honorus took several breaths and blinked. "No, she's too dangerous to be out of my care when she's stuck in this form."
"She?" Circa asked, "So that isn't just another mirror?"
"No." Honorus said in a strained voice. "She's my cousin and she's dangerous. She can convince others to do her bidding through use of her beauty, but those she manipulates can't act against their nature. But like this, she can compel others to do her bidding whether they like it or not. Even binding her to me has not completely diminished her power. She was able to convince a group of sun elves, then fay'ri, then drow to create and use portal mirrors to siphon her powers. The ones who held us prisoner believed that the mirrors were theirs to control, but this lady mirror was the one who truly held the power. All who used her mirrors regularly fell under this goddess' spell and destroyed themselves."
"I don't like ruin." Evangeline said. "Ruin is no good. I don't like it when my plates and jars get ruined. I almost got ruined when I tried to chase my papa and fell in the lake. It was froze and I thought I could walk across. It hurt bad until the tall man came. He was really strange, and a stranger, but I liked him. Papa would have been mad if he knew my friend let the stranger in the house. I never saw someone so tall." Evangeline continued to chatter.
"What did the tall man look like?" Honorus said to steer the conversation in a direction he could understand.
"He was really tall and had hair that was kinda black but kinda not. Had white lines on the sides of his head."
"He sounds like a very wise man."
"He was real smart and he knew how to make me not be real sick anymore. I promised him I wouldn't walk on the ice no more, unless somebody said it was okay to walk on the ice. Or when it's really hard and people go skating with the skates."
Honorus groaned and blinked hard as he held on tightly to the mirror.
Circa made a concerned face. "Are you sure we should go on, Honorus? Do you think it is the wizard or the wounded in the practice room making the mirror restless and you ill?"
"No. One lone wizard would not make her act up like this, and wounded don't concern her."
"Sunshine Harkle is powerful, she's a seventh child of a seventh child of a seventh child."
Honorus concentrated and took firmer control of the mirror. "It is possible, perhaps, but still no reason to go back. I will see once we get there."
Kyorlyn was glad that Siriel and Laitam were sleeping so well and was afraid to wake them up to move them to the ship.
Drizzt was glad Lucinda had sense enough to send Circa off with Evangeline to make sure those who needed the rest got it.
"Where did you send them off to?" Drizzt asked.
"To go visit Sunshine Harkle in the practice room. I believed perhaps the girl could use some company."
"The wizard sent here to find a way to destroy that cursed sword?"
"Yes. Stumpet herself has expressed concern over the girl's health because Sunshine works too hard for a mere twelve year old girl."
"The Harkles sent a child to deal with Khazid'hea!" Drizzt said in alarm.
"She's the one they felt most suited."
"I disagree. She may have the magical skills to destroy the sword, but she hasn't had time to develop a strong enough mind to resist its temptation." Drizzt replied firmly. "Kyorlyn, we need to get to the practice room right away. I will need your help."
"A moment, Drizzt." Kyorlyn replied as she spoke soothingly to Siriel and Laitam to wake them up.
"Let me get these two to the ship." Lucinda replied. "Go on and help my grandfather. I didn't think when I sent Evangeline there. There are a few wounded there that might not appreciate her pestering."
"I meant for Kyorlyn to help me with the sword, Lucinda."
"Oh, that." Lucinda shook her head, "Stumpet won't let Sunshine near the small vault with the sword. The girl is simply pouring through a collection of tomes."
Siriel stretched and yawned, "I agree with Drizzt, something like that, even warded, can provide a hefty temptation, especially to one so young."
"I have talked with the girl several times, Drizzt." Zharlin said softly so not to wake his daughter. "She is a mere child, but her mind is very focused and strong. Plus, because of her family, she has been raised around similar temptations. I doubt the sword would easily take her mind."
"I'm not willing to accept that as readily as the rest do." Drizzt clenched his fists and fought to keep his voice at an even tone. "I can't see why you, Lucinda, of all people, would not protest. Your mother had a strong mind for a young child, yet Khazid'hea took her easily. It's not her skill, but her youth that makes the sword dangerous to Sunshine Harkle."
Lucinda stood and nodded. "You are right, grandfather. Mother was not much older when she took possession of the sword, was she?"
"Young minds can be shaped easily, no matter how strong they are."
Kyorlyn handed Siriel the pack of clothing Lucinda had made for him and Laitam. She shook her head as she turned to Drizzt. "And you were a rare exception? I have heard your stories of life in the underdark."
"It's not the same when that sword is concerned and you know it. It seduced and killed Wulfgar's Delly then found another drow wielder to take it back to the underdark. I wish Catti had never insisted we go after the drow who took the cursed thing."
Kyorlyn walked over and stood toe to toe with Drizzt. "Alright, but if the sword is under a warded lock, I don't see how such temptation can get through." Kyorlyn said firmly. "I trust Stumpet. If the wards are made well there is no danger."
"I will not argue with you over this. The one daughter of mine that is in the most need of care has been put in enough danger."
Kyorlyn leaned closer into Drizzt's face. "And you blame me for putting her there?"
"She did follow you."
"She would have followed either of us if she felt she could get away with it. I'm simply glad I got her here safely."
"We are wasting time." Drizzt growled. " I refuse to argue about this. We need to get to Evangeline."
"You are worrying too much."
"You don't worry enough."
"I worry plenty. I just don't wish to brood." Kyorlyn leaned even closer so their noses touched. She let out a pleasing sigh as she rubbed her nose with his.
"Please, don't tempt me." Drizzt breathed out.
"Now children, don't make me separate you two." Siriel sang out. He placed Laitam sleeping form in Lucinda's arms.
"It looks more like they need some privacy to me." Lucinda replied.
"Shut up." Drizzt and Kyorlyn's heads moved in perfect sync as they both reprimanded Siriel and Lucinda.
"Enough of this." Drizzt turned on his heel. He headed out of the chamber and in the direction of the weapons practice room.
Kyorlyn walked after him at a steady pace.
"What do we have here?" Sunshine squeaked as she saw Evangeline walk into the practice room holding Honorus and the mirror. "Incredible simply incredible." She tossed her tomes aside haphazardly and leaped up to examine Honorus.
"This is Evangeline, Drizzt's daughter. She wanted to meet you."
Sunshine was so engrossed in studying Honorus that she ignored Evangeline, and everything else in the room.
Honorus bit his stone lip as the pain got nearly unbearable. "Hello." he said in a strained voice.
"He hurts really bad." Evangeline spouted out.
"I can see he does." Sunshine said thoughtfully. "His aura is bright with the colors of pain. The mirror seems to be the cause. Would you like me to take that mirror from you, gargoyle?"
"Honorus, my name is Honorus."
"Oh, so you're the one Stumpet spoke about." Sunshine leaned on her staff. "I thought you'd be bigger."
"I normally am, or was before I was put in charge of the mirror."
"interesting." Sunshine suddenly frowned. "Why is the mirror trying to leap away from you?"
"I'm not sure. She's usually content to stay put. Only after we came here, to Mithril Hall, did she start acting strangely."
"If she goes gone, will you quit having hurts, Honorus?" Evangeline asked innocently.
"Sorry, little one. I can't let her get away from me until her curse is lifted. Only Wayah, one of the older gods of the Anthealdan pantheon, knows the one who can lift the curse."
"I know Wayah!" Evangeline bounced up and down.
Circa quickly took Honorus from Evangeline's hands so she wouldn't drop him.
Honorus gasped. "The very tall man with grayish black hair you told me about before? Did he give you a gift? Something very special? Something made out of ice?"
"Uh huh. He said that it was mine and I left it there. When he gave me it, I quit shaking like it was cold all the time when I got mad."
Sunshine moved aside a pile of books and scrolls from one of the tables so Circa could set Honorus down.
"Evangeline, Little one," Honorus shifted and renewed a tighter grip on the mirror with his wings. "Where do you hail from?"
"Hail? What's that?" Evangeline plopped down on a rough stool next to the table and scratched her head.
"I think he wants to know where you live, Evangeline." Circa replied.
"Oh. I live in Lonelywood. I got a little house all to myself next to the place where I make the dishes. Papa was sad because I didn't want to live with him anymore, but I wanted my own little house. Papa was grumpy all the time when I lived with him."
"And where is this Lonelywood?" Honorus asked slowly.
"One of the Ten Towns near the Spine of the World."
"Forgive my ignorance." Honorus said, "I've been stuck in an alcove of a cave for at least a hundred years. Before that I was in Nyärith. Where is this Spine of the World?"
"Far to the North." Sunshine answered as she carefully ran her hand near the edge of Honorus' wings, not quite touching him.
"Do the mountains touch the sky?"
"I believe so." Circa replied. "Why?"
"He tipped Saas' hourglass unevenly" Honorus recited the first line of a poem.
"What?" Evangeline asked. "Why would a sauce tip over?"
Honorus chuckled despite the pain. "Not a sauce, Saas, the clear. A goddess dragon so pure that she almost seems transparent. She's Anthealda's keeper of time and fate. I spoke of the beginning of a prophecy."
Circa groaned. She'd had enough of prophecies since her mother was murdered by Khazed' hea. She sat on the floor and tried to ignore Honorus.
"I would like to hear the prophecy. I am always interested in prophecies." Sunshine said as she pulled over another rough stool so she could sit next to Evangeline.
Honorus nodded, "As is wise for any budding wizard. Listen well, for it is in verse, as most oracles use."
The Dragon tipped Saas' hourglass unevenly
Two Airise spawned by childish prank.
The dragon king took Nyärith.
Not knowing the pact was a trick.
Saas saved the hourglass of all fate
The damage had been done.
The wing'd king became poison mist
His palaces scattered anon
Airise's insane conniving twins
Cloaked Nyärith in strife and chaos
Until the Riever's Son caught them
Imprisoned by him, and apart toss'd
The Riever's Son was not unaffected
By the power surrounding he'd entombed
Locked himself away from all
Until the chaos in him consumed
Anthealda hid, fearing her mortality
The Riever's son disquiet in his place
He tore Nyärith asunder in anger
Other gods took the vacant space.
From high the earth into the air
To fall steeply down into the ice,
Through watery ice comes the fire,
Salvation, by one device.
One held whose essence was stolen
The other held keyed by the stone
The twins to their original form
Bound together, evil undone
With that the born of Human and Elf,
The addled by greedy hypocrisy
A wizard, and one of stone itself
Reflected the greed to vanity
The two find their lacking in the other
The two into one, as true intended
The hourglass is righted
The mischief finally ended.
Sunshine stood and went over to one of the books on the floor next to her bed pallet. "That sounds similar to what I read here. Of course, mine could be a mistranslation. But why would a poem like that be inserted as a possible way to destroy Khazed'hea?"
The mirror on Honorus back seemed to jump, pulling him up off the table.
Honorus compensated by throwing his arms up to help keep the mirror secure. He wobbled as he landed on his feet back on the table.
"I have no idea but it seems that the mirror goddess does.I do know this, all of the prophecy has come to pass save for the last part.
"The Dragon King, Garshawg, took over Nyärith after he tried to steal the sacred hourglass. He was turned to poison mist and his kingdom destroyed. Two beings created by the goddess of chaos were transmuted by the archmage, Gurden Sunriever. Later, Gurden Sunriever put in motion the destruction of Nyärith, along with the death of several of the gods he himself once held in high regard."
"The time of troubles." Sunshine said with a nod. "The gods of this place called Nyärith were not alone in in being mortal. Here in Fae'run on the plane of Toril, our gods once had the same problem." Sunshine said.
Honorus frowned, "But Nyärith is on the plane of Toril. It's a small continent surrounded by several large islands in the far southeast corner of the world, or it was. I'm not sure if the continent still exists."
"My father's often sung ballads about a lost continent. The prince of elves went there to avoid scrutiny from his family, and to avoid the numerous assassins after his life." Circa said.
"If he did go to Nyärith, he would be welcomed, for the most part." Honorus cooed more to calm the mirror than to flirt with Circa.
"So he could have walked into a trap?" Circa cooed back. Her sudden interest in the direction of the conversation was better than having her whine and complain.
"Elves are not uncommon. The innate skills your people have are highly prized. Unless you are from Rull Tr'Vaal, or one of the nations conquered by that fanatic, Emperor Xel'Sia and his issue.
"Xel'Sian humans see elves as demon abominations dammed by their one god, Ya'al and his angels. It's disgusting how intolerant that rabble are. Adults with no human blood are often forced into labor. They refuse to call it slavery because they feed, clothe and house them well.
"The Xel'Sians pay their slaves, but most of that payment is always collected in tax to the emperor and tithe to Ya'al, the six armed warrior god. Captured children are locked away in remote monasteries, trained to worship Ya'al and no other god. The children are not released until old enough for labor or needed for sacrifice."
Circa's eyes grew wide in horror.
"Be at ease." Honorus said. "The chance your prince met with a Xel'Sian fanatic is slim. They fear magic, unless it comes from their god. They destroy portals whenever they find them. Those who keep to the faith of Anthealda maintain their portals. I'm certain he was welcomed."
Sunshine sighed, "That is all well and good, but what..."
"But can you be sure the prince met a good end?" Circa asked quickly.
"Unless you are a Ya'al fanatic, beings, such as elves, with specialized magical power are often placed in high esteem. Often, they were given some honorary title. Gurden Sunriever himself was part elf, and a honorary high priest of Naragok, before Sunriever went mad. I believe, from the whispers of the slaves I heard while imprisoned in the cave of mirrors, Naragok is most likely the god called Lathander here."
Sunshine cleared her throat and frowned at Circa. "That is all well and good, but what does it have to do with the prophecy? And, what does the prophecy have to do with destroying the sword, Khazed'hea?"
Honorus blinked. "A sword? You are seeking to destroy a sword? Why didn't you say?"
The mirror bounced on his shoulders a couple more times. Honorus growled deep within his lungs and the mirror quieted.
"Khazed'hea? What does that word mean in the common language?" Honorus asked.
"Cutter." Circa snapped, upset because the conversation had gone back in a direction that didn't interest her.
"H'mm strange. In the Drow dialect of Nyärith, there is no word for, cutter. The closest word I can think of actually means slicer, and it's not pronounced close to the same."
"What do you mean?" Sunshine asked as she picked up a book and skimmed through the spot she had marked.
"I mean, good wizard child, that there is a word in the old tongue of Nyärith that sounds similar to this Khazed'hea. The word is pronounced Kats-eyed-aide-dah. Khatzeid'Aedda."
"Hmm, sounds like a dialect of Draconian." Sunshine said, "What does it mean?"
"There's not a clear common translation. Basically it means, 'He who desires more and is never satisfied with the gain.' "
"That is very interesting, Honorus." Sunshine sighed, "But I do not see what it has to do with destroying a cursed sword."
"You will." Honorus turned and stared at Evangeline, who sat still and attentive with her hands in her lap. He glanced over at Circa and made a half-smile. "Circa, does it not seem strange that your simple relative has sat still for so long?"
Circa wrinkled her nose. "Come to think of it, even though she rarely visits, I've never seen aunt Evangeline sit still for this long, unless she's been working on some pottery."
Honorus smiled wider, showing the pointed teeth within his stony fanged mouth. "She's mesmerized, by the mirror. Something that should not be possible while the mirror is in my possession."
"If you aren't going to be helpful, Honorus, would you be quiet. I think I found another clue in this tome." Sunshine growled.
"The only thing you need to to know is how to make a protection circle of the highest order, wizard child." Honorus barked back at Sunshine. "Are you capable of such?"
Sunshine made an indignant snort and stomped her foot. "Of course I can! I can make one of those in my sleep if I need to. I don't see, however what that has to do with my work."
"Everything." Honorus said. "I believe I've solved the last of the prophecy."
"Drizzt, be reasonable." Kyorlyn growled as she pushed past two dwarves carrying a sleeping third dwarf on a pallet down the hallway. "Put some trust in your friends. They know what they are doing."
Drizzt stopped and turned. "They may believe they know, but I seriously doubt it. Khazed'hea is too unpredictable." He grabbed Kyorlyn's hand as she caught up with him. "I can not trust the random uncertainties concerning that sword. Please understand. It's a parasite that learns from each host. I don't know what it learned from Wulvia or the drow host who stole it away and took it back to the underdark. However, I know exactly what it learned from Catti-Brie. It knows how to find a way around any restriction given to it."
A scream echoed down the hallway followed by Circa running quickly towards Drizzt and Kyorlyn.
"Grandfather! You have to stop them! They gave Evangeline the sword!"
Drizzt reached into his pocket, pulled out the figurine and summoned Guenhwyvar. "Help me get that sword away from my daughter." He pulled his swords and rushed down the hall after Guen.
Guenhwyvar bounded down the hallway towards the weapons practice room. In the doorway, Guenhwyvar came to a dead halt. She made a huffy snort as both Drizzt and Kyorlyn nearly fell over her.
"What are you doing, silly cat? You are supposed to..." His words silenced as he saw what was happening in the room.
Kyorlyn grabbed Drizzt tightly by the arm and clutched tightly. "We can't do anything." Her voice was shaky. "If we interrupt that spell, it will kill the wizard child, Evangeline, and possibly Honorus as well."
"You know this spell?" Drizzt put his hand over Kyorlyn's in an effort to carefully remove her strong grip from his arm.
Kyorlyn snaked her other hand around Drizzt's waist and pulled him protectively close. "Yes. I have seen it before. In Nyärith."
Drizzt wiggled loose and moved to look more closely at the markings on the floor of the room.
Guen huffed, and moved in front of Drizzt to keep him back.
"So you think you know what this is as well, girl?"
Guen made a snort and a slight whine. She butted and rubbed her head against Drizzt's side.
Drizzt reluctantly sheathed his swords and patted Guen on the head.
A large circle surrounded a group of runes followed by a second circle. A triangle was drawn within the inner circle, it's points nearly, but not touching the ring of protection.
Just inside each of the points of the triangle, three smaller protection rings were drawn.
Honorus, whom had increased to the size of a human, and Evangeline sat within two of the smaller circles.
Sunshine stood in the third circle. Her staff was poised carefully in front of her as she held her eyes closed and chanted.
In the center of the magic circle was another rune ringed circle. Both Honorus' mirror and Khazed'hea were place in the central circle.
"You will need repeat after me, little one when I tell you to. Don't worry, Sunshine has done exceedingly well with her protections. Nothing can hurt you." Honorus said softly.
Drizzt clenched his fists, growled than shouted. "How dare you do this, gargoyle!"
Guen whined and rose up on her back legs. She used her front paws to knock Drizzt to the floor then promptly sat on his legs.
"Damn cat, get off of me." Drizzt shoved. "Gargoyle! You will pay for this!"
"They can't hear you, Drizzt." Kyorlyn sat next to her husband and reached for his hand. "We can hear them, but they can not hear us."
"You said you knew this spell. What does it do?" Drizzt sighed as he allowed Kyorlyn to clutch his hand.
"The outer ring is a strong protection spell. The inner ring is a separate spell, for destruction, I think. I've only seen this type of spell a few times. The nuns in the monastery used it to destroy magically protected books and artifacts."
Drizzt turned his face slowly to Kyorlyn. "This spell has jogged some of your early memories."
Kyorlyn nodded, her eyes never leaving the circle. "The books and artifacts belonged to gods other than six armed Ya'al. The chaste of Ya'al, the sorceress nuns, did not know I had been slipping into the storeroom of heresies and looking at the books with pictures.
"If you were not human, you were kept ignorant of what race you were, You were only a savage, or a demon. Non-human children were not permitted to learn to read." Kyorlyn sighed and wiped a tear from her eye before it could fall. "Six armed Ya'al forbade it. I was always frightened of the statue in the temple, but seeing him fight Naragok was more frightening. I'm glad Naragok won, but sad that he let Ya'al live."
Drizzt looked to the circle, frustrated because he could do nothing, then looked back at Kyorlyn. He sighed and put an arm around her shoulders. "You feel helpless as well."
Kyorlyn nodded. "During a spell like this, I jumped into the circle and rescued the book of Anthealda. I ran out of the walls and didn't look back. The spell slowly turned in upon itself then burst out of the circle. I was unaware of how much destruction was caused by the backlash until I'd returned to the monastery."
Drizzt took a deep breath. Closed his eyes and nodded. "The safety of Mithril Hall rests on not interrupting that spell."
Kyorlyn nodded.
Sunshine slowly opened her eyes and nodded to Honorus and Evangeline.
Drizzt let out another exasperated sigh. "She's definitely a Harkle. Only a Harkle would dare risk a spell this powerful and dangerous."
Khazed'hea shook and seemed to writhe.
"Now, Evangeline, repeat my words, and keep saying them." Honorus said calmly.
"Your sentence is over, Khatzeid'Aedda. Return to your true form, Khatzeid'Aedda. That which you stole can not serve you anymore, Khatzeid'Aedda. Remember yourself, Khatzeid'Aedda..." Evangeline struggled through the chant the first time, but gained more confidence and clarity as she continued.
The cursed sword shook. The decoration on the grip slowly changed to form a male head.
Khazed'hea audibly screamed in pain as the cross guard of the sword lengthened to form two human-like arms.
The blade split halfway down the center. It formed a torso and two thin legs.
"Mother! Please mother! Help me!" Khazed'hea screamed. "Lady Airise! Your son needs you!"
As Khazed'hea shouted, small pinpoints of light escaped from his mouth and swirled around him like fireflies.
Kazed'hea transformed into a thin pale human boy barely on the verge of manhood.
The lights rose, slowly filtered their way out of the central circle and floated to the floor within the confines of the outer protection circle.
Evangeline continued to chant as more small lights spewed from the mouth of the human form of Khazed'hea. Her chanting stopped when the lights ceased escaping the boy's mouth and the boy passed out from exhaustion.
Honorus started chanting. "Your sentence is over, Glorvai'Aedda. Return to your true form Glorvai'Aedda. The one you call brother must know the truth, Glorvai'Aedda. Remember yourself, Glorvai'Aedda..."
Kyorlyn frowned. "If the name Evangeline was chanting is Khazed'hea, the name Honorus is chanting must be..."
"The mirror. Look." Drizzt pointed to the mirror as it teetered itself along it's edge.
A beautiful female elven head rose from the mirror and screamed.
"My mirror!" The female shouted. "Not my mirror!"
Slowly the blond female elf rose completely out of the mirror. As her feet emerged, the mirror shattered.
Glorvai'Aedda's eyes turned to the gargoyle. "Honorus, you whelp. Use your magic to fix my mirror, or I will convince Hellming to chip at you with his pick and axe."
"I can not fix what I did not create. Look at the boy beside you, Glorvai'Aedda. Do you know who he is?"
"I... I'm not sure, but I think he is my twin brother."
"Look more closely, goddess." Honorus said calmly. "Is he your brother?"
Glorvai'Aedda knelt down beside the naked sleeping form of Khazed'hea and brushed the blood red curls from his damp face. She frowned. "How can this be? He is my twin brother, but he's not. I'm confused, but should never be confused. I am a goddess."
"Who are you, goddess? What is your name?" Honorus said.
"Glorvai'Aedda of course, daughter of Airise."
Honorus shook his head. He turned to Evangeline and gave her a phrase to ask.
"Who is the boy beside you goddess? What is his name?"
"He is my brother, Khatzeid'Aedda, son of Airise."
Evangeline shook her head.
"You are mistaken." Honorus said.
"You are mistaken." Evangeline repeated.
"You believe the lie." Both Honorus and Evangeline said at once.
Drizzt frowned. "I don't understand this. I have never seen my Evangeline so coherent before. She's acting as if the simpleness of her is no longer there."
Kyorlyn shook her head. "I don't understand it either. I also don't understand who the two gods in the center are. Honorus treats them as Anthealdan, but those two names were not in the book."
"No, they wern't" Drizzt confirmed, "And I know of no Fae'run gods with those names."
Honorus and Evangeline continued to ask Glorvai'Aedda the same four questions as before and repeat to her that her answers were wrong.
"Amazing," said a voice from behind Drizzt and Kyorlyn.
The two were so engrossed in watching the magic ritual, that neither noticed a crowd of elves, and a few dwarves, lead by Thelan and Halaur, had gathered to watch.
"My mother was not that talented, and she was an archmage of Perinath." Thelan said. "Glad you didn't interrupt. That sort of spell can get out of hand easily if the mage doesn't keep control of the runes."
"Thanks for the advice, Thelan." Kyorlyn said sarcastically.
"Air ye sure Evangeline 'll be alright?" Haluar said. "Da 'll be havin yer head if she's hurt."
"The sword is gone." Drizzt said. "I'm not sure what Honorus is doing now, but no harm is coming to my daughter. In fact, she looks better than she ever has."
"Whatter all them there lights?" Halaur said.
Drizzt shrugged. "Whatever they are, they aren't hurting Evangeline or Sunshine."
"Yea." Stumpet said as she pushed past her son to take a closer look. "Them there lights seem te be a healin em."
Guen let out a short growl.
"Not too close, Stumpet." Drizzt grabbed her.
"If the circles and or runes are touched or crossed by any on the outside, it could cause the circle to explode." Kyorlyn said.
Stumpet grunted. "That there wizard girl'll be gettin a stern talkin to."
Kyorlyn gasped as Glorvai'Aedda went to her knees and kissed the forehead of Khazed'hea. Both of the demigods were reduced to a pile of ash within the central circle.
Drizzt sighed in relief. He tried to rise to go retrieve Evangeline from the circle, but Guen grunted, whined and refused to let him up.
"Go home Guen." Drizzt said, but the panther refused to return to her home plane.
"It's not over." Kyorlyn said. "Sunshine hasn't lowered the magic yet."
Honorus and Evangeline raised their hands. The motes of light swirled around their small protection circles.
"Accept the truth!" Honorus shouted at the top of his lungs, "Be who you truly are!"
Evangeline repeated Honorus' words with the same intensity and vigor as he had spoken them.
Slowly the pile of ash in the center reformed itself into one extremely beautiful being.
The god was neither male nor female, neither human nor elf, but possessed a childlike, innocent beauty of both genders and races.
It's skin was golden and sparkled as if dusted with copper dust.
It's long slightly curled hair looked as if it were made of the finest strands of spun silver.
"Who are you? What is your name?" Honorus and Evangeline said in unison.
The god sighed. The beauty of the noise was so profound that some of the observers wept with joy.
"I am Ganiforae, Anthealdan god of true love, beauty and artistic expression. My father is Vaxxari, god of revelry, son of Anthealda. My mother is the elven goddess Hanali Celanil."
Ganiforae looked down at his feet at the broken mirror. "Garshawg prayed at my temple and gave me the mirror as tribute. It was a trap. My sister, Airise, goddess of primal chaos used the mirror to divide me into two, to imprison my soul in the astral plane. Divided, my body could only embrace the negative aspects that sometimes my worship causes."
"It is done." Evangeline and Honorus said in unison as they stood.
Sunshine let out a tired breath and dispelled the magic within the circles.
The motes of light rose into the air, swirled around the onlookers and slowly dissipated.
"I heard voices within the lights." One of the elves said as he broke into tears.
Drizzt's eyes were not dry. "I heard the laughter of infants." he said.
"The innocent souls Khazed'hea took have been released." Kyorlyn wrapped her arms around Drizzt and hugged him tightly.
Guenhwyvar rose from Drizzt's lap, padded over to Ganiforae and rubbed his side.
"Ah friend, who often kept my soul company during the endless lonely days in that place on the astral plane. Thank you." He bent down and kissed the panther on the forehead.
Ganiforae went to Sunshine, who had crumpled to the floor. "Do not strain yourself so." He said, "You have many years to perfect your art. All will come to you in time. You are of the chosen of Mystra, yet you will not gain your title until you mature, physically, a little."
Ganiforae held out his hand and lifted Sunshine from the floor. "Be refreshed."
Sunshine stood and sighed. "I understand now, of human and of elf had to do with what you are, not with the one who freed you."
"I needed to be freed by one who was addled by one of my halves, and by the one who guarded my other half with his true heart."
Ganiforae walked over to Evangeline. "A true artist who creates with her heart, with no concern over the simplicity or how commonplace that art is." He kissed Evangeline on the forehead. "I thank you, and give you back what is yours. Be warned, however, not to abuse what you have regained."
Evangeline nodded and gave Ganiforae a hug.
Ganiforae moved over to Honorus. "Thank you, cousin, for guarding the mirror so diligently, despite the concerns for your own safety."
A tear ran down Honorus' stone face. "How could I do anything else? How could I abandon the only one who truly thinks me beautiful?"
Ganiforae hugged Honorus tightly and whispered something in his ear before he released him.
Honorus made a small smile that revealed nothing of what the hermaphrodite god whispered.
Ganiforae turned to the rest of the observers in the room. "Thank you for not interrupting the spell. it would pain me greater if you were hurt than if my body was completely lost."
"Come, cousin," Honorus wrapped Ganiforae in a tattered cloak he found in the corner of the room. "It is time for us to join with the rest of our kin. I'm certain those here with us know the way."
Ganiforae nodded, and smoothed the cloak. The cloak transformed itself into a beautiful hooded pale violet set of robes.
Guenhwyvar padded over to Drizzt, snorted then disappeared.
Drizzt stood and helped Kyorlyn to her feet as Evangeline made her way towards them.
"Kyorlyn." Evangeline said in a clear cognitive voice. "I'm sorry for following you when I was supposed to stay where I was. Papa, I'm sorry I've been such a burden to you for so many years."
Drizzt blinked, "Evangeline?"
"I'm whole now, Papa." she smirked, "But I still like pink."
"Come! Everyone boarding the Golden Doom get to the ship!" Thelan shouted before he puled a whistle from his pocket and blew a signal.
"Argh!" Stumpet covered her ears.
"I hope we haven't missed Mord's celebration for Renshyyda." Kyorlyn said.
"Don't worry." Ganiforae said as he walked to the two. "It hasn't. The protective Lady of Lightening will not leave until after her beloved arrives. He's been detained by an urgent battle."
Kyorlyn frowned, "How do you know this?"
Ganiforae shrugged. "I am the god of true love. Where it exists, I have an insight." His face beamed as he looked at Kyorlyn and Drizzt. "Expect four more confirmations of your love to arrive within the next eight hundred years." He patted Drizzt on the shoulder then followed Honorus.
Kyorlyn turned red and giggled like a young girl.
Drizzt sighed and shook his head.
Please Review.
Also; Anyone who would like to have information on the (Unofficial) Forgotten Realms: Lost Continent of Nyärith for use in a DND campaign, just let me know.
