Chapter Twenty One: Questions

Mithrest Inn, 9 Hammer, 1370 DR

 "Why, Keldorn? How can she have this power over souls and minds? Who can block the power of the gods themselves?"

 The paladin stared into the crackling flames in the heart for a long time, before saying, "She is no ordinary enemy, Nalia…"
 Nalia said, "You know things about her that you are not telling me. Speak, Keldorn! I allowed you your silence two days ago, but now I require your speech! I need to know who and what she is."

 Keldorn looked at her, his eyes sorrowful. "She is the first vampire of Amn, servant of the ancient lich who ruled this nation when it was the Great Shoon Empire. She has served Loviatar for almost as long. Just as Tomas has an exclusive relationship with Kathryn, so too does Velissa. She has been practising her depraved faith for centuries, until her power is… incredible."

 "You have told me this before, Keldorn. Tell me something new."

 The paladin sighed. "Her full name is Velissa…" He paused. "Do not make me say it, my lady, please!"

 Nalia growled, "Speak, Keldorn!"
 Keldorn nodded. "I suppose you have to know eventually. Her name is Velissa daen'Arvisa… she was first of your line, Nalia… and it is her blood that flows in your veins today…"

 "What?"

 The paladin sighed. "Nalia, Velissa, who was born about one thousand two hundred years ago, in her mortal years, married the mercenary Martyn daen'Arvisa, and had a son named Garald. Over the years, the family name has mutated, but it is written within the Order that Velissa was the first of the daen'Arvisa, and was certainly the one who was responsible for gaining your family their land…"

 Nalia swallowed heavily. "How… how favoured was she of this… lich?"

 Keldorn said, "Very. She was his concubine during her mortal years, and when she was turned to vampirism, he only respected her more, making her his lieutenant. It was she who dealt with any priests of good faiths, and she did this firstly with her arts at seduction- it was said she could turn anyone away from their god, given enough time… and that was when priest's wills were much stronger. It was also said that she bore within her blood the power to block the power of the gods, should she wish it. An extremely rare gift, possibly rarer than spellfire… it makes her a potent enemy… potent indeed. I shudder to think that we are now up against her might as well as all the other evils in Amn. I suppose we must be thankful that the lich has not risen again to plague us, or we would really be in for terrifying times."

 She swallowed. She was related to that… that thing?

 "Keldorn… if she could block the power of the gods so easily, why did she not stop Anomen's prayers in her temple?"

 The paladin shrugged. "My guess is that it requires a ritual of great length, and one that exhausts her power quite spectacularly. That is why, I think, she did not come to us with her physical form, for she was drained by the ritual."

 Nalia swallowed again. "And… the children?"

 Keldorn said simply. "Vampires turned by Velissa are no ordinary vampires… they are possessed of a strong cunning and great power that charm… but I still do not understand how they tore the Order apart so easily… even if they were caught by surprise. The veterans, although old, outnumbered them about fifty-to-one."

 Anomen, who had remained silent- staring into the fire, asked, "And corrupting the Prelate? Why did she do that?"

 Keldorn said, "To prove that she could? To show us that we are weak and she is strong? Out of spite? To completely demoralise the Order? Who knows why evil acts as evil does…? What is important is that we find a way to gather the survivors of the Order together, under your leadership Anomen. Perhaps then we can undo the horrors this vampire has unleashed upon us."

 Nalia sighed. "I am still intrigued as to how these two vampires; however powerful they were could kill so many knights… Keldorn, could there have been other evils within the hall?"

 The paladin shrugged. "Possibly. I am not a diviner, and I do not think there are any within Amn… if there are, they have probably been killed. Velissa is not known to be sympathetic towards diviners. Something about a childhood trauma…"

 Anomen said. "There is always a reason why evil takes root. Helm only knows what terrors she must have experienced to turn so depraved. It almost makes me pity her… almost…"

 Keldorn nodded. "Aye. Almost… it is her fault we have suffered so much hurt today… but, as they say, there will be a dawn tomorrow, and perhaps everything will work itself out for the best."

 Nalia said, "Nothing works itself out. Everything requires me to sort it out. The Council waits for me to save them, The Cowled Wizards wait for me to defeat the main body of enemies… Velissa waits for me to commit myself before moving against the Order… all this… all this rests on my shoulders. If I step but once wrongly, then all of this nation will crumble into ash and ruin."

 The sturdy arm of Anomen hugged her shoulder tightly. "Not you alone, Nalia. I am here, as is Keldorn. Imoen too… the companions will aid you in your task. We will not allow evil to conquer us easily. We will fight."

 Whereas once, Anomen's words might have conjured a feeling of hope, Nalia only felt depression. She doubted that even the dawn tomorrow would stay this feeling of hopelessness and fear…

 While they talked, the fire crackled on.

* * *

  The Council of Six, 10 Hammer, 1370 DR

 "I wish to know why. Why did you leave it too late? Why did you allow the Order to be crushed? Why did you not use your power to help the city? Why did you not order the Cowled Wizards against the evil?"

 Her voice cut through the words of the Council member, who was greeting the people for the new day. The council member, in his golden mask, turned to face Nalia, and said, "Such disrespect… I have warned you about this, de'Arnise. Guards! I command you to arrest this woman!"
 Nalia rolled her eyes. Fire flashed in both hands, flickering blue. She turned to face the legionaries. "Who amongst you will be the first to die?" The guards backed off, weapons lowered. Nalia smiled, "I thought not."

 Her voice rose louder. "I warned you also, Council Member. Try to arrest me, and I will not go quietly! Indeed, I will not go at all. And we will see who has the greater power, the cowled bastards, or the archmage de'Arnise… and my money is on de'Arnise… who happens to be me. Now, all I want, honoured Council Member, is an explanation! Why did you not act?"

 There were whispers of awe. Never before had anyone come close to challenging the Council, yet here was one woman standing alone before the Council and its wizards, who waited with their own fires crackling at their fingertips.

 Tension was thick, until the Council Member made an annoyed gesture. "I will forgive you your impudence, de'Arnise, and shrug it off… obviously you are upset about the events in the Hall of the Most Radiant Heart yesterday… it touched all of our souls… such evil should not exist in the world."

 Nalia took a step forward. She did not command the fires to die out. "Such evil would not have come to pass had you acted sooner!"

 A Cowled Wizard stated calmly, "What has happened is fate! The Order has been destroyed, and it is a sign of the gods' displeasure?"

 Lady de'Arnise turned. "The day the gods that matter frown with displeasure upon the Order will be the day after the same gods smile upon you bastards. Stow your talk; I did not come here to exchange word with apprentices. I came to talk to the Council…"

 The wizard took a step forward, until he stood directly in front of Nalia. "I am the leader of the Cowled Wizards, de'Arnise, and you will afford me more respect!"

 Nalia raised an eyebrow. "You are the leader of the Cowled Wizards?" She laughed, loud and long. "Forgive me, but I did not think idiots rose to such ranks of power within such an 'esteemed' order. Bah! I did not come here to exchange words with the likes of you! I came to inform the Council that they must act to preserve Amn, and if they do not, then I will!"

 The Council Member nodded. "I see your point, Nalia. Well… it appears we must act, for the good of Amn. I thank you on behalf of the Council of Six, de'Arnise. Here," he said, using a heavy golden quill to write on a piece of parchment. "Here is a signed order, giving you sole command over the garrisons of Eshpurta, Esmeltaran and Murann. You are ordered, Nalia de'Arnise to march against the forces of the Sythissilian Empire, who are even now marching on the town of Imnescar. May the gods go with you, lady."

 Nalia bowed.

 Within a matter of seconds, she had been firmly defeated.

 This order was a polite way of sending her to die.