A/N:We should warn you that this story is going to end up in canon character death. We would have warned you earlier but, that would have ruined the ending for you. But as it has become very plain to see that story will end in death, we warn you now.

Don't worry, he goes out a hero in the end!

Chapter Fourteen
Homeward Bound

Steel Brightblade was surprised when Lord Ariakan called him from his punishment and into his office. For the longest time, Ariakan looked at Steel sadly, then he said, "Your Uncle Raistlin gave himself up in Palanthas two days ago. You are redeemed and are to return to your former duties."

For a moment Steel could only stare in shock. "May I see him?" he blurted out.

Ariakan blinked in surprise then asked, "Why?"

"He is my Uncle... and he was honorable to surrender to us after escaping from us," said Steel. "This is not his way, I would know what brought him back."

Ariakan nodded, "I would as well. Very well, you have one hour. Make use of it, Sir Brightblade."

Steel saluted then left the office. The first thing he did was reclaim his belongings and dress himself in his armor. Once his armor was properly donned, he slid his sword into the sheath on the sword belt he strapped around himself. The Star Jewel he put around his neck on its chain and slid it beneath his shirt under his armor. After he looked himself in the mirror and was satisfied with what he saw, he left his room and walked down into the great chamber that once housed the dragon orb.

The guards allowed him through and he stepped into the room. Now the central feature was the large alter to Takhisis, and on that alter was his Uncle. Steel could only stare at the frail form, hardly able to believe that the same proud man lay upon it. For a long moment, he even thought his uncle was already dead he was so still.

But Raistlin's eyes opened and he looked over at Steel, and he smiled weakly, "I was wondering when they would send the executioner."

"I am not your executioner," stated Steel coldly as he walked over to the alter and took in what he saw.

Raistlin was tied to the alter, arms pulled straight out from his body, legs tied together and straight down the center. The leather thongs that held him had been tied dry then soaked wet so that when they had dried they had tightened to almost cut off his circulation and stretch him further into the position that they had tied him into. Raistlin had also been stripped to his waist and his boots and socks taken so that when sacrificed he would go to the Dark Queen in shame. He did not have any sort of padding or pillow to ease the cold stone of the alter either. His auburn hair fell loosely around his head. Steel took a ladle from the water bucket, and asked, "Are you thirsty, Uncle? At least allow me to ease that discomfort from you..."

"I am not," whispered Raistlin. "So, why have they sent you?"

"They didn't send me," answered Steel. "I asked to be able to see you. I would know why you came back."

"Because I had intention on escape," he answered. "And the mission was complete. I went to the Dome of Creation, I met with the Gods. I know the truth of the situation and I returned to tell your Lord Ariakan the truth."

Steel frowned, "Tell me, so that I may tell him."

And Raistlin did. With each word, Steel grew paler and paler until he finished and after he did Steel said as the guard came in, "My hour is up. If they allow it I shall return. Uncle... I was wrong to call you dishonorable."

"Apology accepted," whispered Raistlin as the younger man left, closing his eyes against the ceiling as he did so.

Jenna came down the stairs as the door opened to reveal Steel Brightblade. She blinked in surprise and asked, "I did not expect to see you here. And no, I have not seen your Uncle."

He brushed that off, "I know that you did, he himself told me that he was here just over a week ago. I came to tell you so that you could tell Dalamar, and Caramon if Dalamar does not, that they intend to execute him in two days time at high noon in the High Clerist Tower. He handed himself in three days ago."

For a moment she simply stared. "He did what?"

Steel compressed his lips into a thin line, "For a man I thought of as having little to no honor, he truly surprised me. While he did enter the Abyss he did not release the Dark Queen as promised, and for that he will face his execution. That he returned shows that his own honor did allow him to run from his fate."

"A rather silly sense of honor," she pointed out. "When he did try to do as asked."

"Failure is met with death," stated the Grey Robe. "We all know this, and as the prisoner of the Dark Knights, he knew as well. Enemy he may be, but we will mourn his passing as a man of honor unless the Gods themselves intervene."

Steel nodded, "Submit, and be part of the Vision, or die. That is the decision and our test for us to become Knights. It is severe, but only the strong will survive and only progress improves."

He saluted, then left as he walked back to Blayze to return to the High Clerist Tower. Jenna stood there in shock then looked over to the Grey Robe who looked at the scroll with Raistlin's seal upon it. He closed his eyes then looked up, "He said I would know when, and in two days I shall notify the Nightlord of my word of honor and leave for Solace."

Jenna turned and ran back up into her apartments, throwing open the door that hid the mirror of communication, "Dalamar!"

The mirror clouded, then cleared to show him in the main study, "What is it?"

"Sir Brightblade came by to tell me that your Shalafi will be executed at high noon in two days," she said. "You have got your wish, only I wish I was never a part of it!"

Dalamar thought for a moment, then said, "Perhaps it is for the best."

Not to mention that the Tower will finally be truly mine, he added mentally, but did not say it aloud. He smiled and said, "Leave him be, Jenna. No matter what we could do, their honor would demand his return. And Takhisis has a long memory. If his death appeases her then so be it."

"Dalamar, he's your Shalafi," she stated, surprised at his coldness as he simply shrugged. "Don't you feel any loyalty after all he's taught you?"

"Oh yes, of course I do," he said nonchalantly, his hand flipped in indifference. "He taught me much, but in the end he had nothing else to teach me. He outlived his purpose. Let him die with some dignity, Jenna."

"Oh, and when I have outlived my purpose, what then? Will you throw me aside as well?" her tone dripped icily. "If you won't do anything, then I shall have to!"

With one angry gesture she closed off the communication with Dalamar. Again the mirror turned cloudy. "Caramon Majere."

Caramon was shaving when the mirror turned cloudy. Setting down the razor and wiping the shaving foam off his face, he waited, recognizing the magic when he saw it. Finally the mists cleared and he saw Mistress Jenna as she stood before her own mirror in her apartment in Palanthas above her shop. "Master Majere, I hope I have not caught you at an inopportune time?"

"Not really," he said.

"I am afraid that I don't know who else to turn to, and Dalamar is being his insufferable self," she began. "Steel Brightblade came to my shop not ten minutes ago with a message: Your brother Raistlin surrendered himself back to the Dark Knights and they are holding him in the High Clerist Tower."

For a moment, Caramon did not quite know what to say, so he said nothing as she continued. But the heavy weight in his stomach grew as she finished, "They plan to execute him at high noon in two days time. I think he expected it as he managed to receive an oath of honor from another Dark Knight to bring you his will."

Caramon leaned on the dresser heavily and he closed his eyes, "Madam, there is no way for me to make it there in time, surely you know that. You have only added to my grief in telling me this..."

She sniffed, "And surely you know that you speak to one who can scry your position and teleport you here? Gather your sons, armored and ready to go within the hour. Then stand in the room you call 'Raistlin's room', the one that you named as such before Palin died, and I shall scry you and teleport you and your sons here. If you are quick, you can arrive in the High Clerist Tower before he is executed."

Caramon stood up, "Thank you, milady."

With that the mirror returned to normal and Caramon ran to his sons' room and knocked on it. Tanin answered sleepily, and he said, "Wake your brother and be ready to leave within the hour. Meet me in the supply room that everyone calls 'Raistlin's room'."

Tanin and Sturm blinked but with speed trained into them, they instantly were fully awake and packing. Caramon himself pulled his armor out of the closet as Tika came into the room, "Where are you going?"

"To save my brother before he does something stupid?" stated Caramon a bit harshly, then he took a breath and said the next apologetically. "I'm sorry, I just found out that Raistlin will be executed in two days in the High Clerist Tower. Mistress Jenna is going to do a scry and teleport within the hour, which, I only have forty minutes left of."

Tika took a short moment and said, "Then let me go. The Dark Knights here will suspect sedition if you suddenly disappear."

She didn't give him time to argue as she began to pull on her armor and strap on her swords and her knife. Caramon left off his own rearmament to help his wife expediate the process. With ten minutes to spare, Tika joined her sons in the room as Caramon went to the bar to cover for any noise being made.

When he heard the unmistakable sound of magic being woven he clumsily knocked a few pans flying and they clanged to the floor. In the effort to pick those up, he knocked over the steel cooking utensils. Dezra, Tika's old-time friend stared at him in confusion and helped him pick up everything. Once it was picked up, Caramon peeked into the room and saw that it was empty of people. "Paladine go with you," he murmured as he returned to his work.

Jenna sat down heavily as she finished casting and the three people materialized in her study. She lifted a brow as she saw the armored woman next to Caramon's sons, but said only, "I was expecting someone else."

"Caramon could not make it," stated the woman. "The Dark Knights would suspect sedition if he suddenly disappeared. I am his wife, Tika Waylan Majere."

Jenna lifted her eyebrows. Not Caramon but close enough. "Did he tell you of the situation?" she noted the sons shaking their heads 'no' while Tika made a 'sort of' gesture with her hand, and Jenna sighed. "Raistlin handed himself over to the Dark Knights three days ago. Steel Brightblade tells me that he did it because he was told that to be released himself that he had to enter his Tower and open the Portal to release the Dark Queen. He entered his Tower and, unfortunately I don't have the details to what happened in there but he somehow escaped. Steel went back in shame and to be executed for his failure. So, he turned himself in upon returning to Palanthas and they will be executing him at high noon two days hence in the High Clerist Tower. If you leave now you can save him."

The three simply stared at Jenna who said, "Don't just look at me! Go on!"

Tika motioned her sons to follow her down into the main area of the shop where a grey robe looked at her, then Tanin and Sturm. "Well, I certainly didn't expect that..." he said. "Where did you two come from?"

"Solace," answered Tanin as he put a hand on his sword. "Tanin Majere."

The Grey Robe looked over at Sturm who answered, "Sturm Majere."

Then finally to Tika, "Tika Waylan Majere, I'm their mother."

His eyebrows lifted, "Are you related to Caramon?"

Tika nodded, "My husband, their father."

The Grey Robe handed her the scroll, "He asked that this be delivered to Caramon. It is... his will."

Tika took the scroll and the Grey Robe said, "Now I am afraid I must report your presence to my superior officers and place you under arrest."

The resounding clang as the flat end of a silver platter resounded in the shop, then the Grey Robe closed his eyes and collapsed unconscious on the floor. Tika stared in stunned surprise as Jenna stood there holding a silver platter in her hands, "Go on."

The three left as quickly as they came.

In his fevered mind he dreamed of Palin sitting at the edge of the alter he lay on. Palin looked down at him in sorrow, "I was hoping I would see you again. I... I... have failed you, nephew. I was hoping that I could live on as you so that your name would be celebrated, but the merciful deception fell to pieces."

Raistlin sighed, not really knowing how long he had been there as, since no outside light ever penetrated this far, he had slipped in and out of his semi fevered state for what seemed like days. Finally he slipped into a fevered sleep. It was far from a peaceful sleep, full of visions of the future that his Sight induced, but they were millions of possibilities of what could happen. After what seemed like years, a light touch on his brow brought him out of it. He looked up to see his nephew Palin again, only this time they stood in a garden that to his eyes appeared partially washed out as if the sunlight was far too bright. "Where... where is this?" he asked in confusion.

"Where I ended up, Uncle," answered Palin. "Where I wait for everyone. But, somehow you found yourself here, but you cannot stay."

Raistlin crinkled his brow, "What are you talking about? Is this your afterlife?"

Palin shook his head sadly, "No, not yet. I was allowed to wait for the others, that way we can all pass at the same time."

"Then why can I not stay?"

"Because you have been given a choice," stated Palin. "You can continue, and pass on, or you can go back and fulfill your destiny, or even live. Either way you must decide."

Two gates appeared. One was back to the High Clerist Tower where he could see himself laying on the alter, growing deathly paler by the minute. The other, as he turned his head to look in that direction, revealed his mother on the other side of the bars, tears in her eyes. He straightened and took a half a step towards the other gate as Palin bowed his head, "If that is your choice, I shall see you when the others join me."

Raistlin stopped, "Chaos... I can't."

Palin shrugged, "There is another that you have passed the Blue Star to, you can. But it is your choice. Do you go back, or die here?"

Either way wasn't the best of choices, but Raistlin turned back and walked to the gate that held his life, "I know what I must do. Usha is too inexperienced to finish the course that I have been given."

"Then, in this, you have awakened?" asked Palin with interest.

Raistlin, who took a breath and nodded, "Oh yes, I have. I am a God, the God of the Greater Balance, but I am not whole. I am only a small portion of my own consciousness, and my entire essence rests here."

He held up the Blue Star, which was also his symbol, and said, "I know what I must do as well."

With that he pushed the gate leading back to what remained of his life open and walked through.

Raistlin opened his eyes to look up into Tanin's eyes. He could see plainly the relief on them, and he looked around to see Sturm on one side, and then Tika. Standing behind them was Steel. He croaked out, "I didn't expect this."

Tika cut the ties holding his wrists while Sturm cut those binding his ankles together and to the alter. Tanin supported him as they helped him sit and then to stand. Raistlin had to rely completely on Tanin's support but was able to stand. It was then that he noticed that the Blue Star had an inner glow. "Are you all right, Raistlin?" asked Tika.

He nodded slowly, barely keeping the dizziness at bay. "I think so," he whispered. "I... didn't expect a rescue party."

"And it's too bad it failed, Archmage," came Ariakan's voice as the room lit completely, revealing the Grey Robes and Knights of the Lily. "Steel, I expected more from you."

"His honor brought him here," stated Steel. "My honor demands a duty be done for my family."

Ariakan nodded, "I understood that much. Raistlin, it is clear that you have been through the Portal."

"I have," said Raistlin. "And it is as I told you. Chaos has returned, and intends on destroying all the Gods after he destroys their 'plaything', their creation. Krynn, and other worlds, are all in mortal danger unless we band together to fight the coming darkness."

There was a collective intake of shocked breath and Ariakan's expression darkened. Just as he was about to speak the alarms of an attack went off. A messenger came running in, "Lord Ariakan, we are under attack!"

"By the Solamnics?" asked the Nightlord.

"No, by creatures of shadow and flame," stated the wide eyed messenger. "Our weapons have no effect on them."

Raistlin murmured, "It begins already..."

Tika grimly set her lips, "I would suggest that it is time to listen to my brother in law, Lord Ariakan, since it appears that the minions of Chaos are at your very doorstep!"

"Return the archmagus' equipment to him," ordered Ariakan. "Accept my apologies, Raistlin. It appears that we should have believed you."

"Accepted," stated Raistlin, his voice raspy from abuse.

The Knights of the Lily, including Steel, all left as a Knight of the Thorn quickly guided them to where they had taken Raistlin's gear. Tanin and Sturm helped Raistlin into his robes and the armor he favored over his black robes. Tika unwrapped the Staff of the Magius and handed it to him. As Raistlin took the staff it lit up as if in greeting and he leaned on the staff as he pushed himself into a standing position as he breathed through a pouch off his belt.

With a small nod, after he had recovered more, they walked up to the wall where they saw the shadow creatures. The Blue Star flared and the creatures recoiled, but then kept coming although slightly slower. He called out, "Their defenses against your weapons are now gone. Do not let one survive!"

Tika drew her sword as did Tanin and Sturm. A cloud of darkness descended on one outer wall where a Solamnic Knight, also armored and ready for battle stood with ten Knights of the Lily. The could dispersed and all that was left was their armor and equipment, except all that was left of was scrap metal unless it was enchanted. The brutes ran into battle and they watched as for every one shadow warrior that fell, two brutes fell with them.

Although they were dealing damage the shadow creatures kept coming to the point that the outer wall was overrun, then the inner wall. Finally, Steel Brightblade, as the others looked up to him as the pinnacle of honor within the ranks, called, "Fall back to Palanthas!"

Raistlin grabbed a fallen bastard sword and defended himself both with magic and the sword, the Blue Star flaring whenever one of the creatures got to close. Finally, once out of the High Clerist Tower he turned and cast a spell that sealed the doors so that it bought them time to retreat. Screams of defiance could be heard as the creatures tried to force the door.

Tika, as she rode by, reached out a hand and pulled Raistlin up behind her on the war horse as the company retreated at full speed back to Palanthas. Blue Dragons flew overhead, their riders carrying the warning of the coming battle to the other Knights in Palanthas.

It took a day of hard riding to reach Palanthas, and on the walls he could plainly see the war machines that were manned by both Solamnic Knights and by Knights of Takhisis. He smiled grimly, "It's about time they listened to reason!"

Tika said back, "In all of your experience, you know that they will only listen when tangible proof is given. Now that they have it, it is almost too late. It was the same in the War of the Lance, if you remember."

He grimaced, "Oh yes, I remember."

They rode through the gate and Raistlin's small company was escorted to the central plaza where there was a senior meeting of both types of Knights. On one side was the leaders of the Knights of Takhisis, and on the other was the leaders of the Knights of Solamnia. Raistlin slid off the horse and they walked into the meeting room.

Tika waited with her two sons outside until Raistlin came back out tiredly, "This is their plan, and I have to admit it is a good one. We are taking the battle to Chaos where Reorx tells us that if we manage to nick Chaos and capture a bit of his blood and trap it in the Greygem, he will leave."

"If he is so powerful, how are we to do that?" asked Tanin.

"Leave that to me," said Raistlin. "As the Miiro, it rest on me to Balance the situation. He is... in a sense... my brother. It will take a long time to explain now that I myself understand, so on our way there, I shall explain."

He turned to North where dragons could be seen flying towards them all, and a small voice spoke up, "Gee, Raistlin, you sure know how to make an entrance..."

Tika, Tanin, and Sturm turned to face the speaker, as did Raistlin. They then looked down at the older kender leaning on the rock. "Tasslehoff!" cried Sturm gladly.

"All the Gods of Krynn," Raistlin ran a hand down his face. "I was hoping this time to escape your notice..."

"That's not a very nice thing to say after not seeing each other for so long!" Tasslehoff Burrfoot opened arms and ran forward to hug Raistlin, but was stopped by Raistlin's hand on his forehead. "Hey, you're normal! Not that you weren't before, but you don't have your hourglass eyes anymore. How did you break your curse?"

Raistlin lifted a brow, "Sometimes I have to wonder as things change how little actually changes."