In The Cards 23 – Friend, Foe, Fiancée?

Prophecies are funny things. They seldom, if ever, mean exactly what you think they do. Sometimes I think they're made that way so the gods can have a good laugh over the poor mortals who try to interpret the prophecies and get themselves killed over a typo or a double meaning.

Excerpt from 'Ruminations Of A Master Bard'

"Uh…guys? I think you should take a look at this." Imoen looked uncharacteristically serious as she pointed at the thing that was standing some distance into the trees. At first Zaerini thought it was just a large boulder, like so many of the others in this part of the forest. Then she squinted her eyes a little and saw that it was a bear. Or rather, that it had been a bear. It stood motionless; one paw raised as if to swipe at an invisible enemy. The jaws were half-open, prepared to bite, but they never would. The bear had been turned to stone, and it had been stone for a good while. Its features were uneven, eroded by rain and wind, and there was moss growing on it.

Jaheira raised her head, looking about. For a moment she almost seemed to be sniffing the air like a hunting wolf. "Something is close by", she said. "Something…unnatural."

"Korax not unnatural", the shuffling ghoul protested. "Him part of Nature, him cleanssss foressst by eating dead thingssss."

"No, no", Jaheira hastily said. "I did not mean you, Korax. There is something else in the air."

"Though how you are able to tell is quite beyond me", Edwin muttered. "Not that I mind the undead as such, but can't the ghoul at least stay downwind of the rest of us?"

"Look", Zaerini said in a quiet voice, forestalling the impending argument. "There are more of them." And so there were. The party had now entered into a clearing, a clearing filled with statues. They were everywhere. Humans, dwarves, and elves. Warriors wielding swords or axes or bows. Robed wizards, their hands raised to cast spells they never had a chance to utter. Creatures of many races and ways of living, but with one thing in common. All of their faces were frozen into fear and dread, captured forever in that instant when they realized they were doomed. Some of the statues seemed new. Others were older, with limbs broken off, with faces worn away or with lichen growing on them.

"Strange", Edwin said in an almost casual voice. "For some reason I find myself hoping that this clearing is haunted by a fanatical sculptor, rather than…"

"Sssstrangerssss? Here?" A small shape waddled out between a statue of an armored knight and one of a man on his knees, begging for mercy. It was a gnome, a rotund little fellow wearing blue mage robes decorated with silver stars. He had a bald head and a short brown beard, and at first his face seemed friendly. But if you took a closer look at him you could see that the cheerful glint in his eyes was hollow, like light reflected from a cracked mirror. Behind him three large basilisks came shuffling out of the underbrush. "Nasssty ssstrangersss…I don't like them."

"…a madman with a fondness for dangerous pets", the Red Wizard continued. "So much for luck. (Isn't it possibly to go for five minutes without tripping over a lunatic in this part of the world?)"

"Oh d-d-dear", Khalid moaned. "N-not again…"

"Greetingssss...", the gnome hissed. "I am Mutamin. I hope you enjoy the artwork my pretty lizards have sculpted. They sculpt with their eyessss. They sculpt when nasty travelers come by, yesssss. I don't like nassssty travelers. They should keep to the roads."

Zaerini sighed. This really wasn't shaping up to be a great day. Oh well, she thought. Might as well get it over with. "Well, these 'nassssty travelers' don't like you much either, wacko", she said. "Listen, Mr. psycho gnome, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but we're really not interested in your rock garden."

Excellent kitten, Softpaws said with a sarcastic sound to her mental voice. If that doesn't appease him I don't know what will.

Ah, he's spoiling for a fight anyway. There's no way to get around it.

Korax rubbed his flaking scalp and gave the gnome a puzzled look. "Korax talkssss like thisss becaussse of shape of lipssss", he said. "What's your excusssse?"

"He's a complete and utter loony, that's what", Zaerini explained, raising her bow. "Some of them think it makes them sound impressive, particularly the ones who fancy themselves Scary Evil Wizards. What they never seem to realize is that they just sound like they have a bad speech impediment. Also, it makes them spit a lot, which is disgusting but not really very scary."

"Yeah!" Imoen agreed, tossing her head.

"P-perhaps we should l-leave now?" Khalid asked. "B-before he…"

"Impudence!" Mutamin screamed.

"W-works that out…"

"You will go nowhere!" the mad gnome hollered. "You will join the beautiful work of art that standssss before you. You will become a piece of the art...forever." He raised his hands to cast a spell, then yelped with sudden pain as one of Rini's poison arrows struck him in the shoulder and was followed up by a few flaming ones, courtesy of Imoen. He was still screaming when Jaheira's scimitar neatly cut through his neck.

The basilisks charged towards the party, green eyes blazing. But Korax was in the way, and the ghoul was not affected by their petrifying gaze. Bravely the undead creature met their attacks with his own claws and was able to hold the basilisks off long enough for the adventurers to finish them off. That task was made much easier since the basilisks vainly tried using their gaze attacks on the ghoul, thus leaving themselves vulnerable.

"Here Korax, you have this", Rini said once it was all over. She poured the healing potions she'd found on Mutamin's body down the wounded ghoul's throat, hoping they'd work on the undead. Fortunately, they did.

"Korax feelssss much better", the ghoul declared. "Nice Mistressss sooo good to poor Korax. You sure you won't change your mind about that ring?"

"Yes Korax", Zaerini sighed and pushed her red hair out of her eyes. "Quite sure." Satisfied that the ghoul was feeling better she examined the scroll she'd found on the dead wizard's body. "Here Eddie, you can have this", she said. "Stinking Cloud sounds rather similar to that Web spell I already got. Better if we split them up."

Edwin nodded and took the scroll. He was busy examining the statues of Mutamin's poor victims, moving from one to the other. Eventually he seemed to find what he was looking for. "Aha!" he said. "This has to be the one." The statue he had settled on was one of a halfling girl. Unlike all the other ones, it didn't look scared to death. Instead it had an open and friendly smile on its round face. "I believe I've located the missing halfling", Edwin said with a triumphant smile. "Looks like she didn't get very far from home. Do we have any more of those Stone to Flesh scrolls?"

"One", Jaheira said and handed it to him. "The cleric at the temple was almost out of them. Let us hope we will not need any more."

Edwin read the scroll without answering. Once he was done Zaerini was fascinated to see what happened. A small purple dot showed up in the uniform gray surface of the statue. The color spread quickly, cold stone melting away to reveal living flesh instead. So that's what it looked like when I was uncursed, she thought. How very interesting.

The halfling was dressed in bright purple leathers, exactly matching the broad purple streaks that had been dyed into her short brown hair. She had a very wide smile on her face, and her brown eyes sparkled merrily as she saw her rescuers. "You saved me!" she squealed in a piping voice, throwing herself at Edwin and hugging his legs tightly. "Leaping lizards, you SAVED me! Oh, you're so NICE!"

"Yes, yes", the Red Wizard said as he vainly tried to pry the chirruping halfling off his legs. "You're welcome. Now get off me. (This is so undignified.)"

"I'm so HAPPY! Happy, happy, joy, joy! Happy, happy, joy, joy!"

"Will you stop it?! (Somebody please turn her back right now. She's so sweet she could get eaten by a dragon and wind up giving it a toothache. Where's a basilisk when you need one?)"

"Would you be Alora by any chance?" Zaerini asked the halfling who promptly let go of Edwin and bounced over to greet the others. "Your Mother was worried about you, she asked us to go look for you."

"Oh yes", Alora said. "I'm Alora, and I'm going to be a Great Adventurer. My Auntie is one, though Mother doesn't like that. She says Auntie's keeping bad company, but I think she's really nice. Not that I hardly ever get to see her, but she writes me all these exciting letters… Mother's worried? Gee, I'd better go back to see her then before I go on to Baldur's Gate. Are you going to Baldur's Gate? Can I go with you? I'm a thief, and I'm really good. You don't mind thieves, do you?"

"Er…" Zaerini said, feeling more than a little stunned. "No, we don't mind. But we're not going to Baldur's Gate, at least not right now."

Alora's face fell a little. "Oh", she said. "That's too bad. Hey, maybe we'll meet up later though! Wouldn't that be great? I love making new friends! Auntie does too, you should see some of hers…"

Zaerini, hoping to keep the halfling from launching into some endless story, now briefly introduced herself and her friends, and suggested they head back towards Gullykin as it was already starting to get dark. Alora cheerfully went along with this. She seemed to have taken a particular liking to Edwin. The wizard steadfastly refused to hold her hand as she wanted him to, but she kept close by his side, watching him with adoring eyes and chattering ceaselessly.

"So, you're a mage?" she said. "I knew a mage once, but he was pretty stuffy. You're not like that."

Edwin sighed. "What makes you say that? (What is it about her anyway? She's extremely annoying but at the same time also somehow…comforting. Her company is refreshing but I am surprised I find it so.)"

Alora giggled. "If you were stuffy you wouldn't be talking to me in the first place", she said. "Stuffy people think halflings don't know anything, but I know lots of things. Auntie's been sending me these letters since I was little, telling me how to open locks and sneak about and stuff, and she's come to visit a couple of times as well to see how I was doing. She tells me all about her adventures and she says I'm very clever, and Auntie's very clever herself, so she should know, don't you think? I think so."

"Well…", Edwin said, his eyes a little glazed over.

"Anyway", Alora continued and nudged him in the side, "Everyone is basically decent once you get them to unwrinkle their faces. And I think you're really nice. Nice, nice, nice. Nice as pies. Mmmm, pies…"

"I'm not nice", Edwin protested, but the corner of his mouth quirked slightly upwards. Alora missed nothing.

"You should smile more often, Edwin", she said. "It looks good on you. Don't the rest of you think so too?"

Jaheira snorted. "If you say so. Though I think he looks more terrified than happy." Khalid chuckled wordlessly.

"Korax agresssss."

"Well, I sure think he looks good", Imoen said with a wide and mischievous grin. "How about you, Rini? What do you think?"

"Ah…" the bard said. "I…Oh look. Isn't that another basilisk over there?"

"No it's not", Alora said. "It's just a fallen log." She turned to Edwin again. "So", she said, "I have a great idea. You can be my new Best Friend! Everybody needs one, especially the people who think they don't. Auntie always says that."

"But I…" Edwin feebly protested.

"Auntie says she had to follow her Best Friend around for days singing happy songs before he'd agree to be her friend. Would you like me to sing to you?"

"NO!" the wizard hastily said. "Don't. Just don't. I'll be your friend. (Anything to shut her up. Come to think of it, that's probably what that other unfortunate fellow said as well.)"

"Oh goody!" The halfling gave Edwin another fierce hug and then started running around him in circles. "I've got a Best Friend, I've got a Best Friend! Wait till Auntie Poppy hears this!"

Zaerini thought Edwin looked about ready to faint. He'd gone as white as a sheet and his mouth was working soundlessly as if he was trying to say something but couldn't quite manage to form the words. She was just about to ask him what was wrong when a strange voice rang out, proud and challenging.

"Hold travelers", it said. "I challenge your best warrior to a duel." A tall woman dressed in heavy platemail and wielding a large sword stepped out of the forest with a nasty smile on her face.

Great, Zaerini thought. Yet another nutcase. And this one looks like she might be a bit difficult to crack.

"I am Shar-Teel", the strange woman said, "and I am a powerful warrior, far more so than any pathetic wimp of a man. Phaugh! Sometimes even the smell of a man makes me sick to my stomach. There's nothing I love better than beating one of those sniveling curs into submission. That, and bloodshed. I really love bloodshed. So, which one of you male worms is going to taste my steel?"

Edwin and Khalid looked at each other. "I'm sorry", Edwin said, "but I'm excused from fighting any woman who froths at the mouth as she speaks. I'm told insanity may be contagious, and I have no wish to contract it. (I'm pretty sure I have a note from my mother somewhere)."

Khalid gave Shar-Teel a doubtful look. "I r-really don't l-l-like this", he said. "Can't we j-just t-t-try to get along?"

"I bet you'd love that", the swordswoman said with a bitter sneer. "Typical male response, they never think with their minds. Forget it! The only thing you'll get is the blade of my sword!"

"Look lady", Zaerini said. "We really have no wish to fight you, but if you keep up with that attitude there's no telling what might happen." She pointed at Jaheira who was snarling silently and had drawn her scimitar.

"You don't frighten me", Shar-Teel said with a cold sneer. "I have never been defeated yet. There is a charm on my life, a prophecy uttered when I was born. Anything that bleeds, I can kill, so the diviner said. Come at me, all at once or one at a time. You will all die. Or give me the challenger I want, and I shall spare the rest of you."

"Wait!" a gravelly voice called out. "Korax will fight pretty lady." The ghoul shuffled forward, flexing his fingers with their sharp nails and baring his yellow teeth in a grin.

"Korax?" Rini asked. "Are you sure about this? She looks pretty dangerous."

"Korax isssss sure. Him fight pretty lady, make her happy."

"WHAT?!" Shar-Teel roared. "You…you expect me to fight that…that thing?!"

Zaerini smiled a slow, lazy smile. She'd suddenly thought of something. "You said you wanted to fight a male", she said. "And Korax is male, at least I have no reason to believe otherwise." She pointed at the rotting loincloth the ghoul wore. "Though I'm sure you could ask him to let you check before the match if you really want to."

"Korax issss male! Want to see?"

"NO!" Shar-Teel hurriedly said. "That won't be necessary. I accept his challenge."

"Excellent", Rini said. "Then, I suppose it's time to share this interesting little tidbit of knowledge with you. Ghouls don't bleed." She felt a heady thrill of exhilaration at the sudden fear in the other woman's eyes as Korax lurched towards her, arms outstretched.

"Ah, what a fine day for a bloodbath", Edwin commented as Shar-Teel drew her sword. "The sun is shining; the birds are singing. The crowd goes wild at this rare opportunity to see the Ravening Psycho Hag face off with our own proud champion, the Mighty Demonic Corpse."

"Korax isssn't corpse! Korax isss ghoul!"

"My apologies", Edwin went on. "The Mighty Demonic Ghoul, I meant to say. (Picky. Never thought the undead would be that sensitive.)" He jumped backwards as Korax' sharp claws raked Shar-Teel across the cheek. "Show some consideration here, would you? I may like red, but that doesn't mean I want my clothes sticky."

Shar-Teel swung her sword, hitting Korax in the side. A deep gash opened, but the ghoul kept coming, not even seeming to feel any pain. No blood came forth. "Oooh!" Alora squeaked. "Poor Korax!" The ghoul grinned and winked at her before managing to get his arms around Shar-Teel's waist, pinning her arms to her sides.

"Ouch", Edwin said. "That has to hurt. Yes, the Mighty Demonic Ghoul is certainly showing his challenger the benefits of undeath this day, including greater strength, stamina and a breath that can stun enemies into insensibility from a great distance." There was a loud retching sound. "As was just proven when the lady (if such she may be called) threw up all over our champion. (I suppose she was right about the smell of a man making her sick.) But that doesn't seem to bother him, he's keeping hold of her and…was that a rib?"

Shar-Teel was on her knees by now, slowly but steadily having the life squeezed out of her by the ghoul's powerful arms, her movements slow and sluggish due to the poison of his claws. "No…", she breathed. "It…can't be…" And then she spoke no more.

"Wheee!" Korax shouted, dancing clumsily around Shar-Teel's lifeless corpse. "She'ssss dead! The pretty lady is dead! Dead, dead, dead!"

"Korax!" Imoen said in a shocked voice. "That's nothing to laugh about!"

"But it issss! Korax hasss been alone for so long, and now he will finally have a good friend, and more, a bride!"

"B-b-bride?!" Khalid stuttered. "But…"

"Oh dear", Jaheira said. "I remember now."

"R-remember what?"

"That if a ghoul doesn't start eating his victims soon after death, they will…"

"RARRRRRGGGGH!" Shar-Teel was sitting up on the ground, arms stretched out stiffly in front of her. Her face was still bloated and distorted, her eyes protruding madly from her face. Sometime during the fight, she had lost her helmet and her hair was sticking wildly out in all directions.

"EEEEK!" Alora screamed. "She's alive! She's alive!"

"No, she's a ghoul", Edwin explained. "How very fascinating. I should very much like to study this process closer." He took a step towards the undead woman and then hastily retreated as Shar-Teel snapped after him. "On second thought, maybe later. (What have we done? Well, nothing a Fireball or two won't fix.)"

"No!" Korax screamed, throwing himself at Shar-Teel and hugging her tightly despite her furious protests. "Mussstn't hurt the Bride of Korax!"

"I'm not your bride, you disgusting piece of filth!" Shar-Teel raged.

"Awwww!" the ghoul said, looking immensely flattered. "You sssso ssssweet to ssssay sssuch thingsss to Korax. Him will be nice to you too, you'll ssssee. Korax will make nice dinner, plenty of juicy eyeballssssesss and marrow-soup for sssstarterssss, roasssst leg of man to follow, and Garlic and Knuckle Pie for desssert."

"Forget it, creep! I hate garlic!" Shar-Teel jerked unsteadily to her feet and started lurching away from the adventurers.

Korax waved at Zaerini and her companions. "Bye-bye, nice friendssss!" he said cheerfully. "Korax going now, him needssss to go court hissss bride!"

"Ah, Korax", Jaheira said. "I do not think she wants to be your bride."

"She will come around. Korax issss patient, he'll court her nicely, he'll bring her pretty rotting flowersssss and sssshow her how gentle a ghoul can be. Korax issss very patient, and he hasssss all the time in the world. Besidessss, the dating-pool issss pretty shallow when you're undead." The ghoul waved again and then hurriedly shuffled off after his bride-to-be.

"Um, that was very…sweet", Imoen said. "I think."

From some distance into the trees an enraged scream could be heard. "Will you stop following me? And I don't want your ring! And stop smiling at me!"

"Korax can't help it, pretty lady far too preciousssss. Here, Korax write ssssome poetry. 'Eyeballsssss so blue, bloodstainssss sssso red, jussst like me you're utterly dead.'"

"I'm warning you…"

"Hassss Korax told you about how he became a ghoul? Issss very interesssting ssstory."

"AAARRRRGH! Make it stop! Somebody, anybody, please make it stop!" The screams faded away in the distance.

"Yes", Zaerini said. "Very…sweet."

"I almost feel sorry for Shar-Teel, even if she was horrible", Imoen said. "Imagine what it would be like to live in a world where there was only one possible man available for dating?"

Rini shuddered. "What an awful, awful thought", she said. "Korax has his good points, but any girl likes to have a certain freedom of choice. Tastes differ, and all that."

Feeling pretty much tired and beat up the adventurers made their way back towards Gullykin, where they intended to drop Alora off at her mother's house and then spend the night. However, as they approached the halfling village they were intercepted. A group of strangers, all of them heavily armed, approached.

"You know", Alora said, "those people don't look very friendly."

The leader of the strangers was a large warrior in deep black armor. He raised the visor of his helmet to give Zaerini a cold look. "So...", he said. "We finally meet. Poor little Zaerini, I assume you're completely clueless as to why you must die. I'm sure you've already had problems with an assortment of incompetent bounty hunters. Well those days are done, today...you will die."

Zaerini stared at the four mercenaries facing her. Not again! She felt almost ready to scream with frustration. We were almost in Gullykin too. Two of the men in front of her were human. The warrior who had addressed her was wearing dark platemail, an ebony black that almost melted into the darkness. He drew a wicked-looking sword and smiled slightly as if in anticipation. Next to him stood a man who wielded a glowing hammer, a weapon that seemed formed from pure energy. Probably some sort of priest. Yes, there it was. The Dark Sun emblem of Cyric stood out on the front of his platemail.

Next to the dark warrior stood a dwarf, a grim warrior who wielded an axe almost taller than himself. It should have made him look it ridiculous. It did not, possibly because of the collection of human scalps dangling from his waist. The final bounty hunter was a gnome, a skinny fellow whose beautiful chainmail was far too long for him and reached below his knees. It gave off faint green and purple sparks whenever he moved, obviously it was magical.

I guess they weren't lying, Rini reluctantly admitted to herself. These people do seem to be more skilled than the assassins we've faced so far. Looks like dear brother Sarevok has upped the stakes again. Well, I'm not ready to leave the table just yet.

"Time to die, you say?" she said, filling her voice with cold contempt. "You certainly talk big. I'm sure you'll be about as much trouble as the rest of the rabble we've killed. They were pretty talkative as well, up until the point where they bit the dust. Tell me something. Doesn't Sarevok have a single assassin in his employ who's able to kill somebody before introducing himself and making a long and tedious speech about it first?"

The black-armored man looked a little taken aback at the mention of Sarevok. Clearly, he hadn't expected her to know that name. He soon recovered, however. "You'll be a feisty kill, little one. When you die, know that it was Molkar who killed you."

Oh good. I always like to be on a first name basis with my would-be killers. Then there was no more time to think, only to react. Zaerini rapidly cast a spell and was pleased to see sticky strands of spider web wrap themselves around the legs and lower bodies of the gnome and the cleric, keeping them immobile. Jaheira had apparently had a similar idea as roots and vines shot up out of the rocky ground and further entangled the two bounty hunters. A pair of Fireballs cast in rapid succession by Edwin blasted them full in the face and the sharp smell of burning flesh filled the air along with the screams of the dying men.

Molkar and his dwarven companion had escaped the ensnaring spells, and now they charged, further enraged by the fate of their companions. Zaerini ducked a terrible blow from Molkar's sword and tried to get away. Her strength was no match for this one, that she knew. Vaguely she was aware of Khalid rushing up to face the human bounty hunter while Jaheira tackled the dwarf. Imoen was shooting arrows from a safe distance, but most of them simply bounced against that black armor. Edwin's Magic Missiles and Acid Arrows were more successful, but they wouldn't be enough to finish off the bounty hunter in time. Khalid was hard pressed, already bleeding from several wounds.

And then Molkar screamed, screamed with sudden pain and fury. The scream turned into a strangled groan and he stumbled, clutching at his leg as a small purple shape rapidly darted away into the lengthening shadows. The distraction proved enough. Khalid was exhausted, but with the power of sheer willpower he managed to drive his blade into a chink in the other man's armor. Molkar screamed again, and this time it was more of a cry of desperation. Then he was finally still.

Jaheira was being hard pressed by the dwarf, but she had managed to avoid serious injury, and once her friends were able to come to her assistance it wasn't long before the fourth and final bounty hunter joined his comrades in death.

The adventurers were silent for a few moments, grateful simply to be alive. Then Zaerini remembered something. "Alora?" she asked. "What exactly was it you did back there?"

The halfling grinned widely and flourished a small dagger. "Wyvern poison", she said. "Very deadly, enough to take care of that nasty old meanie. Doesn't matter how big and bad you are once you get a little poison in you; Auntie Poppy always says so in her letters. You wouldn't believe the kind of interesting things she always writes about!"

"Oh. All right. Er…remind me never to make your Auntie mad."

"Sure! But you needn't worry, she's ever so nice! And besides, she lives far away, all the way over in…"

"Would you look at the sun!" Edwin hurriedly exclaimed. "We'd better finish up here if we want to get back to Gullykin before it gets too dark to see properly. (There, hope that does the trick. And I really hope those letters weren't too detailed…)"

Rini frowned a little at the Red Wizard's sudden rush, but she was really too tired to ponder it further. While Jaheira tended to Khalid's and her own wounds the bard went to search the dead bodies. All of them carried expensive magical weapons and armor. The black armor in particular was beautiful and seemed heavily enchanted. Zaerini figured it would probably fit Khalid, and it was even more powerful than the one she'd 'borrowed' off of Drizzt. But the real treasure was the armor the gnome was wearing. Chainmail armor that glittered as she picked it up, glittered with the power of spells deeply interwoven with the very metal. She knew it for what it was at once. Elven mail, armor that would allow the wielder to cast spells while wearing it. It had been far too large for the gnome, but it should fit herself perfectly.

Go on, Softpaws urged from her vantage point on top of the dead cleric's chest. Try it on.

Zaerini eagerly pulled the armor on. The green and purple sparks had died with the gnome, but as her fingers touched the metal it glowed faintly, red and gold like dancing flames. As she put it on, she willed the light to dim, so as not to be so conspicuous, and it obeyed her wish. Within seconds the armor looked like normal chainmail, but it was so light that she could barely feel that she was wearing it.

Very nice, kitten, Softpaws said.

Yes. I…guess my elven blood is strong enough for me to wear it properly after all. That gnome could put it on, but I doubt he could make it work as it should.

Elf, human…what does it matter?

It's just…with the way so many humans treat me I've always been curious about full elves. That's why I was able to put up with Xan for so long. Half of me is elven, but I've hardly met any. I just want to know what they're like, you know. To see if they accept me any better than humans tend to do.

I see, the cat said, and thoughtfully licked her paw. But you have to remember something.

What?

No matter where you came from, and what blood flows in your veins, you are first of all yourself. And nobody can take that away from you. A cat doesn't need acceptance. She just is, and she will allow nobody to try to change her or deny her own self. Remember that.

All right. I promise.

Good. Now let's go. Your friends are waiting for you, and I want to find a warm place to sleep soon.

The sight of Gullykin was an extremely welcome one. The light streaming out of the windows of the round burrows, the ever-present smell of cooking food, the soft clucking of chickens and mooing of cows all made Rini nearly cry with relief. Finally, finally a good night's sleep without anybody showing up to kill her. Before that, some dinner. And before that, a nice hot bath.

Alora led the way to her Mother's house and cheerfully barged inside. "My baby!" Rosie cried out and embraced her daughter. "My Alora! You're alive!" Then she held the younger halfling at arm's length. "And what's your excuse for failing to write me those letters you promised?"

"I was turned to stone, Mother. There were these nasty big old basilisks, with huge eyes that made everything go gray. But these people saved me. Wasn't that nice of them? I think so."

Rosie gave the adventurers a considering look. "I suppose it was", she said. "Yes, thank you very much, all of you. I'm truly grateful. Alora dear, you will be staying a while, won't you?"

"Just a little while, Mother, before I go to Baldur's Gate." The young halfling waved at Zaerini and her friends as they prepared to leave. "I'll see you guys later!" Then she ran over to give the surprised Edwin a fierce hug. "Don't forget", she said, "you're my new Best Friend now. You'll have to stop by to see me before you leave. Promise!"

"But I…"

"Promisepromisepromisepromise…"

"All right! I promise. Now will you please let go? (This is bad. Must…resist…powerful sweetness…)"

"Oh goodie! I'll make you some cookies then, and you can lick the bowl if you want!"

"Wonderful", the Red Wizard muttered. "I can barely contain myself." Zaerini thought his grouchiness was at least partly a facade though. She could swear she saw him smile when he thought nobody was watching.

The party decided to spend a day in Gullykin to rest and regain their strength. Zaerini had been thinking about her latest foretelling. Obviously, the Serpent card was a reference to the basilisks. The next card had been the Hermit, and she had an idea about that as well. The abandoned Mage School of Ulcaster lay close by, and rumor said that Ulcaster himself haunted its ruins. The cards had hinted that the Hermit might have valuable information for her, and she wanted to find out if that was true. Then she judged that it would be time to go after the bandits. She just needed to come up with a plan that was slightly sneakier than simply charging into their hidden camp, assuming she could find it. Well, she still had some time to think about that. Beregost first, to sell what Jaheira called 'spoils of victory' and Rini called 'loot'. Then Ulcaster. Right now, she was simply pleased to be back in Gullykin once more.

The halflings had insisted on arranging yet another party for their Heroes. Rini couldn't quite relax this evening though. She had retreated into the bedroom she had been assigned by Alora's mother. Try as she might, she couldn't quite forget about those other three cards of her foretelling. The Beast. That would be the mysterious Tazok she suspected, assuredly a dangerous enemy. The Knight of Swords. Sarevok. He had told her it wasn't time for their meeting yet. Had he been lying? Could those represented in the cards lie to her during a reading? She didn't know. Suppose Sarevok was waiting to ambush her in the bandit camp? And finally, the Rogue. That card was worrying her almost as much as Sarevok. At least she knew what Sarevok looked like, more or less. But this hidden danger, this invisible enemy watching her… how could she defend herself against that? Well, he had hinted that he wasn't exactlyher enemy. Yet. She hoped that would last. She certainly didn't need another enemy, what with Sarevok and his army of hired killers after her already.

Should she do another reading? Zaerini took out her deck of cards and looked at it. No. Something told her it wasn't the right time. She was seriously tempted though. Maybe just a small one? Biting her lower lip in anticipation the half-elf hurriedly flipped up a card. A dark figure cloaked in black glared coldly back up at her out of swirling shadows. Well, at least she thought it glared. There was only the barest hint of a face visible, but she got the distinct impression of glaring. The Rogue. For some strange reason she was reminded of Gorion, when he'd caught her doing something she really shouldn't. "All right, all right", the bard muttered. "Sorry to bother you if you were busy. I'll be back later then." As she stuck the card back in the deck, she could almost have sworn the dark figure nodded to her. Tempted as she was to draw the card back out of the deck again, she didn't. Something told her it wouldn't be pleased.

A knock on the door startled Rini out of her thoughts. "Come in", she said. As the door swung open, she could see a tall shape outlined in black against the doorway, a shadowy form watching her intently. Then her eyes adjusted themselves. "Oh, Edwin. For a moment I thought you were somebody else. Silly, really. What can I do for you?"

"I came to fetch you", the Red Wizard said. "You recall how I promised to show you some fireworks? I thought this would be a good time, seeing that we leave again tomorrow."

"Sounds great", the bard said, her golden eyes alight with anticipation. "I'll be right with you." She put the deck of cards back in her pocket and followed the wizard out the door. In her pocket, the cards stirred slightly before they settled down once more.

The annoying feeling of being watched had passed. Dekaras shook his head and frowned slightly. The room he had taken at the Red Sheaf was quite empty of intruders, of that he was certain. There was nobody outside either the window or the door, he had checked that at once. But he knew there had been someone spying, all his instincts screamed loud warnings. Some sort of scrying spell, perhaps. It had felt as if it came from close by and yet it had felt somehow…vague. Almost as if the watcher hadn't known whom to search for. Possibly it could have been a coincidence. Except I don't trust in coincidences, the assassin thought, his black eyes cold. Well, there was nothing to do about it at the moment other than being extra careful. He could only spend a limited amount of time away from the bandit camp and there were many things that needed to be done. The plan was coming nicely into shape but there were still some details to settle. And then, the assassin thought to himself with a faint smile, we will see what kind of game young Sarevok and his wizard friend play when they lose one of their more important game pieces.