Heya peoples again! Yeah, I rushed the last chapter a bit… the thing is, I work on this stuff while in class, so, yeah, you get the drift (I think). So, here I am, sitting at my comp, listening to the teacher drone on about databases. And im typing this too:) I think my teacher is getting annoyed at me lol… yes, Deekin rox! Im failing English right now…I cant do essays :P. Currently working on a Blackguard with kick-arse armor (I love the item wizard in the toolset thing…). So far, so good. and no, Jachal isn't very intelligent… I purposely made him that way :D ( - 4 eyed smiley face…)
The morning sun broke through the trees, lighting up the forest in a peaceful luminance. Jachal was packing and loading up on supplies. "Where are you going?" Tomia asked. He looked up at her calmly and simply stated, "I'm going home." Tomia looked a bit surprised, then asked why. "Simple." Jachal said. "I have to report my findings about the so called 'miracle herb.'" Tomia nodded in agreement, and then went back to her previous activities. Lots of things were running through Jachal's head as he packed up, like What will the clergy's reaction be if I return empty handed? and more unnecessary things like When's breakfast? Other than that, he was worried about how the clergy would treat his return. He looked up at Tomia, who was examining an old oak tree, and an idea popped into his head. What if I invite Tomia along so I can show her I have control over my demonic side? He then noticed that Tomia was looking at him strangely, then he jerked his head back to his pack. "You want me to come with you, correct?" Jachal was surprised by the question Tomia asked. It was as if she was reading his mind!
"You can read minds!" He sputtered.
"No… call it 'animal sense.'" Tomia smiled.
Tomia walked over and laid her hand on Jachal's shoulder, very much startling him.
"Jachal… I know you have some control over your demonic heritage, but not enough control. It shows when you're fighting and when you get irritated. To tell the truth, I must constantly keep check over my 'good' side. As of now, I really have this strong urge to remove you from the face of Toril, but since you are on the path of a paladin, I really can't do that."
Jachal sighed. She was speaking the truth. The demonic blood inside his veins was screaming for bloodshed, and it took all of his willpower to drown it out. It was also getting worse. He would have hellish nightmares where he was completely destroying the forest, mercilessly killing any who got in his way. He would wake up in a cold sweat, and Tomia just told him to go back to sleep.
"However…you do have SOME control." Tomia said reassuringly. "After all, during the battle on the cliff-side, you managed to stop yourself from attacking me. Plus, you're not attacking me now."
Jachal looked up at Tomia and smiled a bit, then tied his pack up and hoisted it on his back. "You ready?" he asked Tomia. She nodded, and the pair began to walk out through the woods.
The road to Targos is a long and harsh one. It cuts through the Spine of the World, a long mountain range famous for its harsh winters and hard times in the past. A week after the pair left Port Llast, the arrived in the humble fishing village of Easthaven. Half-frozen, they stumbled into the Winter's Cradle Tavern and took a seat at a table closest to the fireplace. The few people in the tavern looked at the pair with awe. It HAD been at least 10 years since anyone clad in armor walked into that tavern. A large half-orc, who was sitting at the bar, glared at the outsiders. Grisella, the tavern owner, walked up to the weary travelers. "Bit o' bad weather you ran into, dearies? You southerners are all the same. You don't know how to survive the cold," she chuckled. Jachal smiled wearily, and Tomia was fast asleep. "There be no sleeping in here, dearies, this is a tavern. Your girlfriend will need to go to Quimby's if she wants to sleep. If she drools on my table, then I'm making the both of ya clean this place up!" Grisella scowled. Jachal elbowed Tomia and she sat upright quite abruptly.
"She's not my girlfriend, she's a companion of mine." Jachal told the plump woman.
"Aye, that's what they all say. Then they fall in love." Grisella laughed.
"It wouldn't work out, anyways. I'm half-diva and he's half… " Tomia paused, knowing that if she said that Jachal was half-demon, the town would be after him with torches and pitchforks, not that they would do any good. Grisella nodded solemly, then walked back to the half-drunk half-orc and scolded him for spitting on her floors. "Smart thinking," Jachal told Tomia. "I wouldn't want to…lose control." Tomia nodded and looked over the strange beverages on the wall of the tavern, unsure of what to drink, even more unsure of how much to drink. Jachal went up to the bar, where Grisella was now chasing off the drunken half-orc with a broom, and took a seat. "What do ya want, dearie?" Grisella sighed. "Has a small group been through here a while ago? Six people? An elven male bard, a male dwarven warrior, a female half-elven druid, a male halfling rogue, a female human priest, and a…female human paladin?" Jachal paused at the mention of the last group member. Grisella's face went blank, like she was thinking. "Aye, they did, dearie. Ten years ago, just about. They came here looking for glory and fortune. The old mayor of Easthaven, Hrothgar, recruited them on a mission to save Kuldahar from some evil. They got caught in an avalanche, from what I've heard. Apparently, the six survived and cleansed the place of evil." Grisella said. Jachal sighed in relief, then noticed the figure sitting beside him and jumped up in surprise. "HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" he yelled. Tomia smiled and replied, "You underestimate the sneakiness. So, you seemed worried about the female human paladin." Jachal stared at her. "You're good." Tomia laughed and ordered a drink. Grisella, on the other hand, was busy trying to keep the still-drunk half-orc from hurling on her floors. Jachal took the opportunity to tell Tomia the truth why he was so worried about the human paladin. "Tomia… the paladin… was my mother. She left twenty years ago to help Kuldahar with her band of friends, who were all good-hearted. She disappeared shortly after I was born, so I naturally got curious as to where she ran off to. Maybe it was the fact that the forces of darkness had defiled her. Maybe it was the thought of having a son who would constantly fight with his inner demon. I really couldn't tell you the truth." Tomia stared at him, unsure of what to say. Finally she spoke up. "Let's get moving. A local druid told me there was a fierce snowstorm on the way. I doubt we would want to get caught in that." Jachal nodded and started to get up. "Dearies, wait just a moment. Was the dwarf in yer mum's party named Deral Axeswinger?" Grisella piped up.
"Yes, he was… why do you ask?" Jachal replied.
"Then you're in luck, dearie. He is the current mayor of Easthaven, returned but a year ago to lead this town. Go and see him, he's just a couple doors west of here. Good luck findin' yer mum, dearie!" Grisella smiled.
With hope in his heart, Jachal burst out the door, with Grisella yelling at him for letting the cold in, and bolted down the snowy pathway. He clambered up the steps of a decently built wooden house and pounded on the door. "Just a moment, you. Have patience when it comes to an old dwarf like me," A muffled voice came from inside. The door opened and a rugged dwarf with brownish-gray hair stared up at Jachal. "Well now, what can I do for ye, lad?" Deral asked.
"You…did you know someone by the name of Sianna Sane? Please, she was my mother." Jachal said frantically. The dwarf's features hardened, then relaxed. "Aye, I traveled with her twenty-odd years ago. What do ye want to know, lad. I've business to attend to."
"Please, where did she disappear to?"
The dwarf looked around, then back at Jachal. "Come on in, lad. I don't know much about what happened to her, other than she was sucked into a strange vortex-type thing while we were in Dorn's Deep, but I'll tell ye all I can."
And so Delan Axeswinger, second-in-command of the adventuring group by the name of Evil's Bane, told Jachal the chilling story of what happened to his mother. Searching for the source behind the attacks at Kuldahar, the group helped a king's spirit lay at rest in the Vale, battling many powerful undead in the process. Then they headed for Dragon's Eye, a cavern known to harbor may reptilian-like creatures. After recovering the Heartstone Gem, they took it to the Archdruid to help them discover the source of the evil. Unfortunately, the real Archdruid was upstairs, slowly dying. In his last breath, he told them to take it to the ancient elven fortress that was known as the Severed Hand, in hopes that a mage there could help them. Battling their way through the ghosts of hundreds of orcs and goblins, they eventually made it to the mage. Repairing his astrolabe, the mage finally was able to divine the source of the evil. And so they headed to Dorn's Deep, and old dwarven dwelling. Battling through countless Orogs and even a few Drow, Sianna stumbled upon ancient runes etched into the ground. Unfortunately for her, as soon as she deciphered them, a portal was flung open and sucked Sianna right into it. They never saw her again.
As Jachal and Tomia went to the inn for the night until the storm had passed, Tomia left Jachal alone to dwell upon his thoughts. She thought it was for the best. Later that night, someone knocked on Tomia's door. "Tomia… I want to talk to you." Jachal's muffled voice said. Tomia opened the door and invited him in. He sat on her bed and asked," Did you ever know any of your parents?"
"No. No I didn't. Apparently they died trying to protect me from some fiendish creature, but I really can't recall what they looked like or anything. Are you okay?" Tomia replied.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just wondering whether I'll meet my mother or…father first, that's all." Jachal replied with a sigh. Tomia came and sat next to him. "Jachal… I know how hard it is to be in your position. If you want, I do have access to the Hells, if you want to look for your mother." Jachal looked up at her. "Thanks, but not yet. I have things to do first," he smiled.
Short chappies do me good lol… well, hope you like this one, so new one coming soon!