I still have not gained ownership of Neverwinter, Baldur's Gate or Forgotten Realms at the time of this publication. I do own Ashmorlenna and any reproduction, rebroadcast…

Things start to get exciting as Ashmorlenna expedition in Neverwinter begins, but what does it have to do with Avarivase...

CHAPTER FOUR- This Is Not Home

I awakened in what had to be the center of Hell itself. There were scores of wingless people with pointless ears covering the terrain painting the pavement scarlet with their blood and many lolled about screaming awful chorus and wailing to gods of which I had never heard before to relieve them from the agony that beset them. I stood up and looked around, this was definitely not my home, the house assembled themselves right next to one another, and the ground was callous and cold as the night. The night there looked much different than mine in Avarivase, the moon gave off little light and the stars seemed to hide behind the cloak of darkness. This people looked quite similar to me on close inspection, they contained hair on their heads and men had some of there face as well, two legs and arms, basically they looked like homely elves. As I started to walk around eavesdropping on the mournful exclamations of the scar covered people and thought of how they must have made Uere so upset that they were tormented with whatever they were stricken with and then I circled around and looked down at a engaging voice that was flowing from the roadway and my heart stopped.

"Are you an angel," the sweet little creature that I had ever seen looked up at me with her huge brown eyesas she twiddled with a pair of large dark colored braids that trickled down the top of her head.

"No, I'm not an angel. I'm an Avariel, my name is Ashmorlenna."

"Oh," she clutched her stomach and rolled toward me and started to cough up blood on my feet, "you're a winged elf, my mommy told my stories about them. She said that they ain't real, but you're real, right."

"Right. Where is your mommy?"

"She's dead," she said bluntly and struggled to her feet. The three-foot tall little one rose and stood upright and continued, "she was one of this first to die from the plague."

"Plague, so is that what all this people are dying from."

"Yeah. Where did ya come from the sky," looked at me as if this were common knowledge then continued, "everyone's gonna die but my mommy said an angel was gonna come and get me and take me to her when I died, too. So I've been trying to die, but I can't," I gasped at this last statement. The poor flaccid child buckled over, I grabbed her under her arms and scooped her up and cradled her in my long arms.

All of a sudden a thunderous voice came from behind me, "you, winged one, what are you doing."

"This child needs a priests aid. What kind of creatures let their young lie anguished and let them perish away."

"We be humans," the obviously flummoxed and well overweight male said slowly, "I be guessing that you're Avariel. I have her tale of your kind. Never thought you'll were so… endearing. In simpler times, I would heal the child myself along with my wife but this is no normal ailment. You are not afflicted, are you?"

"With what I might ask."

"The Wailing Death that encircles us."

"No, I believe that I am not. How do I assist this child?"

He turned and walked back toward his post and said, "you don't."

I sprinted over toward him, with the child and I said, "You are going to leave this child here to die and waste away."

"Look it is obvious that you are not from around here, but our priest have blessed us with every blessing, our sorcerers have conjures nothing and our Lord has vanished into his castle. But if you wish to support us, you should go to the Academy. You have the look of a brave soul I'm sure that you could be the answer to our prays," he said.

"I'll go after I see this girl has proper final rights."

"Suit yourself, the Academy is located over there. Keep your personals close to your side, many adventurers rest there hoping to make a fortune."

I had ignored the statement and searched the eyes of the little girl who deserved none of this. "What is your name, little one?" I said as I ran my fingers along her bruised face.

"I'm De…" my mind paused as she coughed up more blood, "Delphena."

"I have a friend named Delphena."

"You're telling stories, no one but me's named Delphena."

I smiled at the child and said, "Is there anything that you would wish to do be…"

"I wanna fly, pleeeeeease." With that, I jolted up into the night's sky kicking up a great deal of dusk below me. We wandered in the sky, surfing beneath the stars and surveyed the land below us.

"Wow, this is amazing. I hope I can fly when I'm dead."

"You aren't going to die."

"Yes, I will. Everyone dies."

"Yes… but…"

"Just cause I'm a kid don't mean I ain't gonna die."

"Do you think I can cure the plague?"

"If anyone can do it I know it is you. You're the nicest, most bestest person I'd ever met, you even nicer than mommy."

"Thank you. I'm not nicer than your mother."

"Uh huh. You ain't told me to behave once since…" then she started to fidget and her star filled eyes rolled back into the head. I landed near a huge waterfall as her body separated herself from her body and I tearfully buried her under a large tree odd-looking tree. I decided at that moment that she wasn't going to die in vain, whomever or whatever was the cause of her death would be uncovered and they had better pray that I would not be to one to discover them for I will pour out all my anger, rage and torture upon their head. More words came to me…

I never let you down; I was true in the end

I don't know why you let me go

My heart was torn in half by you

Only through my eyes you'll see the only love you'll ever know

The Academy was filled with diversity; I met other elves, wingless, and gnomes, short stalky dwarves and the ever-lovable humans. The majority of humans I met were so passionate and emotion filled, I became obsessed with them especially with Herban who drilled me with my rapier until I mastered it in a mere three days. I became known for my work ethic, something that I really lack in Avarivase, staying up for days on end practicing and learn skills that would be needed to accomplish what I need. I gained a basic knowledge of spell casting using scrolls as well, though, I am not anywhere near proficient as of yet. Seven days came and went and I was told that I was scheduled to graduate when Lady Aribeth return from Waterdeep. I was flaming with excitement after I heard this new, I had longed to meet Lady Aribeth from the tales I had heard of the Paladin of Tyr, and she's an elf also.

That evening I sat up and for the first time since I came to the Academy I thought about my old life and I longed to tell Delphie all about this. I wondered about little Delphena, what would become of her, could they be connected somehow.

Brim, a young trainee from just outside of Neverwinter enter my room rather quickly and spoke to me, "You should be getting ready, Ashmorlenna. You don't want to miss Lady Aribeth."

"I will I was just thinking about my home."

"It sounded beautiful from what you told me of it."

"It is but I wonder why I never treasured it this much before."

"Pavel, my brother, always says that you can't tell what you got until it's gone. So, what are you doing after your commencement?"

"Nothing, I'll probably just come back here or …"

"Why don't you come with me to the Trade of Blades and you could kick back before you start doing whatever you are assigned to do."

"I'll think about it, thank you for the invitation. I'm going to get dress and head to meet Lady Aribeth," I said nearly with a squeal. After I was ready with my bow, blade and new leather armor I thought of some more words…

I wanted to be with you until the end of time

I guess I gave my belief to much trust

Someday when I am on my own, looking back at you

I'll remember all about you, and me, and us

"Here she is," spoke the fair Lady Aribeth, "I have been told much about you, Ashmorlenna. How was your time here?"

"It was better than I anticipated. I had so much fun even Herban couldn't get upset at me," I laughed and continued on, "but I can't wait to get out and search for those that are responsible for what they did to De… the people here."

"I see the fire in you that I heard about is honest as well as your grace and demeanor as encouraging as those around here have made mention of," there was a sudden, sharp sound and I turned quickly reaching for my rapier as the wizards materialized. I ran my sword quickly into them making their deaths swift and painless as not to give them the opportunity to attack Aribeth. After it appeared that I was victorious, I notice that all my comrades had fallen with only Aribeth now standing.

"Quickly, Ashmorlenna, take my key and get to the stable as quickly as possible. The Waterdevian creatures are stored there and that is definitely the objective of the intruders," she tossed me the key as I nodded my head and sprinted out of the door slaying anything that lie in my path. I was steaming with anger and could feel the sweat evaporating off my skin as I ran through the hallways killing anything that approached me. Pavel sat on the ground weeping over the body of his brother; I saw this and filled with rage. With my fists clenched, my left one around my rapier I arrived at the stables and interrupted a robed wizard trying to pry into the locks of the animals enclosures. I made fast work of the animals he conjured up and then I nimbly flipped over a fireball he fired at me and thrusted my rapier right into his mid section.

My rapier bowed as if I stabbed a huge stone and he smiled. I started slashes at him in rapid succession that also landed ineffective. I started singing a great ballad about an unnamed warrior battling a fire giant during the Time of Darkness. He seemed to be distracted by song and had problems casting more magic, miscasting consecutive spells in a row. I took this chance to aimlessly take out a scroll and recited its contents, a great hailstorm pummeling everything in the room and causing me to once again lose consciousness and fell to the ground. I just prayed that I would awaken it the same place this time.

"Our half-baked hero awakens, I see," I heard the most awful voice in the world.

I opened my eyes and saw mangled destruction surrounding me, "oww, where are the creatures?"

"They run through the city thanks to you and your poor magic casting," said the horrid voice again.

"Desther, she protected us all, there is no need for you to place blame on just her," said a young male elf with bright blonde hair.

"Look at her, I guess the stories of her kind are true, that must only be good as eye-candy and trophy wives."

I sprang to my feet and pointed my rapier in toward his face and said, "You want to see what this trophy can do."

"You see, Fenthick, she is completely uncontrollable," Desther said.

Fenthick then leaped in front of Desther and placed his hands up, "We do not need to attack one another, and we are allies."

"I meant no harm, I was just stating that she was given a simple task to protect the creatures and she allows them to run rampant. I do not know what Aribeth…" spoke Desther.

Fenthick looked back at him and said, "If you say one more foul thing about my love, I will let her at you."

"I…I merely meant she did not make the wisest of decisions that is all."

"I did what was necessary, mageling," I said.

"I am no mage, I am the High Priest of Helm," Desther said.

"I have never met a priest with a mouth as foul as yours," I said.

"I have never met an elf as absent-minded or irresponsibleas you," with this I started in on him; Fenthick or not I was going to kill him that night. Then Aribeth walked in and I paused and looked at her.

"Dear Ashmorlenna, I know your emotions are high but Desther means no harm, we all have to realize that we solve this calamity without one another. Ashmorlenna, why don't you go rest and I'll meet with you in a few days after I get a recognizance report of the creatures." With that I sheathed my rapier into my side and headed to room where I wrote down some more words before I went to sleep…

And I cry

As I think of my joyous adventures of long ago

And I cry

I think of sadness will never go

And I cry

In time I'll be begged to be imbrued

But I cry

Someday you'll see all I went through