Hi everyone! At this point, the story switches focus to the SoU campaign. However, don't expect everything to happen just like it did in-game. For the most part, I have avoided taking dialogue word-for-word from the game, because it is more fun for me, and also because I think it can get boring for the reader. It also increases the flexibility of the storyline, useful once I start inserting non-canonical events into the story. Bwaha.
Chapter 1: Something Finally Happens in Hilltop
It really wasn't fair.
Mischa chastened herself, aware that such huffy thoughts were hardly befitting of a girl her age, let alone a paladin of Mystra. But knowing that she was being foolish did nothing to alleviate the hurt she was feeling, or the confusion. How could master Drogan have expected her to pass her test? There was no possible way that she could offer aid to an evil creature without compromising her morals. Her teacher was a good and wise man, but in her heart of hearts Mischa sometimes suspected that he did not understand the ways of paladins.
No, it wasn't fair at all.
Mischa's feet felt like they were made out of lead as she climbed the stairs. An itchy, urgent pressure behind her eyes betokened tears in the near future. She blinked them back, promising herself that she would have a good long cry as soon as she was able to let down her guard.
Good fortune had not completely abandoned her, it seemed, for none of the other students were lounging about in the apprentice's quarters this early in the morning. She breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, there was the door to her room. Her own private sanctuary, where she would be free to act as silly and weepy as she wished, without fear of–
"Good morning, Mischa. How was your test?" Dorna asked just behind her.
Mischa squeaked in surprise. She had yet to grow accustomed to Dorna's roguish abilities, particularly her habit of sneaking about and startling innocent people.
"Good morning, Dorna," she answered, forcing a smile. "I trust you slept well?"
Dorna gave Mischa a measured stare, letting her know that she was not going give up on her question just because of a half-hearted attempt to change the subject.
"You know, it's all right if you didn't do as well as you'd hoped on master Drogan's test," the dwarf said. "It's happened to all of us."
Mischa began to protest, but could not think of any way to dispute her words.
"I suppose it is obvious that I failed," she said, feeling her face grow hot. "But in all honesty, I don't think that the test Master Drogan gave me was a fair measure of my abilities. He wanted me to save the life of an evil creature!"
"What sort of evil creature?"
"A- a goblin child. I could not bring myself to do what Master Drogan asked of me." Mischa swallowed hard and found it difficult to look Dorna in the eye, even though she was sure she had done what was right. Thankfully, her fellow apprentice did not reprimand her. Indeed, Dorna did not answer at all, instead raising her hand in a motion warning Mischa to wait.
She watched curiously as Dorna slowly placed her foot against the door to Xanos' room, then gave it a sharp kick. There was a thump and an outraged yelp, and then Xanos yanked open his door, rubbing at a spot on his temple.
"Which thick-skulled savage dared to kick the door of Xanos? Tell me!" he demanded.
"Think of it as instant retribution for eavesdropping," Dorna answered, unconcerned.
"How did you–" Xanos began, then caught himself. "I have no idea what you are speaking of, dwarf." He crossed his arms sulkily. Mischa smiled, managing to restrain a giggle by hiding her mouth with her hand. The half orc saw the movement and gave her an angry glare. Then he smirked in a self-satisfied way that made her dread his next words.
"In any case, one does not need to spy to know that little Mischa could not pass a simple test." He snickered. Mischa wondered if he could keep laughing that way with her boot lodged in his throat.
Paladins are patient, she reminded herself.
"Don't worry," Xanos said condescendingly. "At least you have proven to be repeatedly successful at failing." Dorna's reprimand was lost in another round of his abrasive laughter.
"Would you mind speaking a little louder?" Aurora poked her head into the hall, pale hair uncombed and wild. Apparently the last of the apprentices to awaken this morning, she was still clad in the ratty tunic and trousers that served as her nightclothes. "If you're not careful, I might actually be able to go back to sleep."
"Xanos only has one volume," Dorna replied.
"Ah, Aurora! You are just in time to congratulate Mischa." Xanos crossed his arms and grinned at Mischa. "Go on, dear child, tell Drogan's prize pupil how you fared on your test."
"Believe me, I've heard." Aurora rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand. "The strange thing is, I am quite sure I can recall several times when you were unable to complete a task master Drogan assigned you, Xanos."
"Hmmph. Only when they were unworthy of my efforts." His smile faltered just long enough for Mischa to see it. "Xanos would not foul up something so simple as the rescue of a child."
"A goblin child, Xanos! Goblins are evil creatures! A paladin cannot give quarter to something with an evil nature."
"Everything is black or white, isn't it?" Aurora snapped. "Thank the gods your moral dilemmas are less complicated than selecting your hair ribbon in the morning."
Mischa, rarely on the receiving end of Aurora's criticisms, was stung. She had always looked up to Aurora, but the older girl had grown increasingly distant as Mischa had advanced in her studies as a paladin. Still, she had never before said anything so openly contemptuous. The prickling returned to Mischa's eyes with increased vigor.
"There's no need to speak to Mischa that way, Aurora," Dorna said at last. "Nobody cares what Xanos thinks of them, but as master Drogan's eldest student your words carry more weight."
"You lie! The opinion of Xanos is worth six– no, ten of Aurora's!"
"I... You're right, Dorna. I shouldn't have spoken so quickly." Aurora put her hand on Mischa's shoulder. "I'm sorry. My mouth was running while my brain was still half asleep."
"It's– it's all right, Aurora. Maybe master Drogan intended for me to contemplate the moral responsibilities of a paladin." Mischa tried to smile, but couldn't help staring at Aurora's hand there on her shoulder. This close, the scars and the ragged places where the other two fingers used to be were impossible to ignore.
Aurora quickly dropped her hand and hid it behind her back.
"I'm sure you'll learn what he meant you to learn, Mischa. We learn as much from our failures as our successes, right?" she said.
"That is the stupidest bit of claptrap Xanos has ever heard."
"Obviously you don't listen to the idiocy pouring out of your own mouth, Xanos." Dorna chuckled. "Anyway, Aurora, we all know your final test is going to be soon. Do you think you're prepared for it?"
"I hope so." The thin girl shrugged, and even in that small movement her wiry strength was clear. Then again, she was also the only one of the apprentices with absolutely no talent with magic. Mischa, swordarm of the goddess of magic, considered that a terrible loss indeed.
"I think you'll do very well, Aurora," Mischa said brightly, eager to smooth over the earlier unpleasantness. "I have no doubt you will overcome whatever challenge master Drogan sets in your path."
"Or perhaps she will be eaten by a bear," Xanos contributed hopefully.
Aurora stretched and leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes.
"Despite the best efforts of certain people, I'm not all that eager to leave Hilltop just yet. Still, it's exciting to think of roaming the world on my own."
"Xanos must agree. I am eager to forge my path to power, not wile away my precious time in this dull little town."
"Indeed. I wish something exciting would happen here." Dorna sighed.
As if in response, there was a sudden flurry of shouts and crashes from the floor below.
"Master Drogan!" Mischa cried, and willed her ring to transport her to her mentor's side.
She appeared in the front hall to a battle already half over. A dozen kobolds, snarling and armed with swords and crossbows, had somehow broken into Drogan's home. Without hesitation, Mischa launched herself into battle, barely noticing as the other students appeared around her.
She was still wearing her armor and sword from her test. She drove her blade deep into the chest of the nearest kobold. Before she could pull it free, another kobold lunged for her, only to be felled at the last moment by a flurry of magic missiles from Xanos. Mischa slew two more of the creatures and kept another busy until Dorna crushed its skull with her mace. Aurora was facing two kobolds, wielding a broken table leg as a makeshift club. She slammed it into the skull of one of the kobolds with a sickening crack, barely managing to avoid being skewered by the blade of the other. With a swift kick she knocked it backwards into the wall, where Xanos finished it off with a swipe of his dagger.
Mischa whirled about, sword at the ready, but all of the kobolds lay unmoving on the floor. To her horror, master Drogan lay prone as well. There was a strange elven woman at his side. Still somewhat dazed by the unexpected battle, it took Mischa time to realize that the elf was attempting to heal him through magic. Powerful energies swirled through the room, but Drogan did not stir.
"The toxin resists?" the woman cried. "What have they done to you, Drogan?"
Aurora took a step towards the stranger, eyes blazing. Her tunic was spattered with blood.
"Who are you?" she growled. The woman seemed a bit taken aback at the look in Aurora's eyes– or perhaps it was the splintered, gore-smeared piece of wood still gripped tightly in the girl's hands.
"My name is Ayala Windspear. Please be calm, I am here to help you." The woman spread her fingers in a peacemaking gesture. "I have been following this group of kobolds for days. If only I had known they were coming to Hilltop, I might have been able to do something to prevent all of this." She sighed. "But as you can see, I was too late."
"So, you managed to appear just in time for the attack?" Xanos asked incredulously. Mischa could not believe her ears.
"She has tried to heal master Drogan! How could you accuse her this way?"
"Master Drogan isn't any better, Mischa," Dorna said solemnly. "I'd like to know what you're doing here as well, my lady."
"It's understandable that you would be suspicious. Drogan has trained you well." Ayala touched Drogan's face and bowed her head. "There is naught I can do for him at the moment, so I shall take the time to explain myself more thoroughly. I am a Harper, as is your master. We fight to maintain good and prevent the rise of evil, though some label our actions as meddlesome."
"And some people label a duck a duck," Xanos muttered.
"But who would want to hurt master Drogan?" Mischa asked tentatively, unable to keep a vulnerable quaver from her voice.
"I... believe... I can shed some light on that," Drogan said haltingly. The table leg clattered to the floor as Aurora knelt at his side and took his hand.
"Master Drogan! You're awake!" Mischa cried.
"It takes more than a little poison... to slow me down, my girl." The pain in his voice tore at Mischa's heart. He looked up at Ayala with glazed eyes. "They're gone... Every one of the artifacts was stolen..."
"I had feared that to be the case." Ayala turned her gaze to the apprentices. "The Harpers entrusted the care of four potently magical artifacts to Drogan, for they believed Hilltop a safe hiding place. Any one of them carries too much power to be risked to the care of an enemy. But all four at once..." The grave seriousness in her eyes said the rest.
"Aurora... my eldest student. You must find those items and... bring them back." Drogan seemed to be holding onto consciousness by sheer will alone. "It will be... your final test. I know... I know that you will not fail me in this..." His eyes rolled up and closed, and his hand slipped from Aurora's grasp.
"Oh no! Is he...?" Mischa feared the worst.
"He's unconscious," Ayala answered, and Mischa sighed in relief. "I'll have to stay here and do the best I can to keep him alive."
"Where should I start?" Aurora said in a strange, flat voice, her eyes still fixed upon Drogan.
"I would advise you to begin your search in Hilltop and try to pick up the trail of those kobolds. Surely the townspeople can point you in the right direction."
"Yes... Yes, of course." Aurora rolled to her feet and went to the front door. She was halfway through it before Ayala stopped her.
"Wait! I would suggest you stock up on supplies first, and..." Ayala's perfect composure faltered for the first time. "And please, Aurora, get dressed."
Aurora looked down and seemed to notice for the first time that she was still wearing her night clothes. She blinked a few times as if awakening from a stupor.
"Are you all right, Aurora?" Mischa asked gently.
"I'm- I'm fine, now." She shook her head and blinked a final time, and when her eyes opened they were bright and clear.
"I think it would be a good idea to take Dorna or Xanos along to help, although one of them should remain here to guard the school," Ayala said. Mischa felt a twinge of shame at being excluded, but this was not the time to complain. It made sense that master Drogan's more accomplished students should be entrusted with a quest this important.
The sound of Xanos' loud, thickly accented voice startled her. He had been silent for a remarkably long time.
"I will go with you, of course."
"Really? I rather think Aurora would prefer someone competent." Dorna's voice sounded strong and calm despite everything that had happened. Mischa envied her that.
"I assume you mean yourself?" Xanos snorted. "Oh, what an adventure that would be! Two thieves tip-toeing from shadow to shadow and picking one another's pockets! Bah!"
"I really don't think this is the time for bickering," Mischa said quietly. Xanos and Dorna immediately turned on her and glared. Mischa had the momentary image of a pork chop with legs wandering into the lair of two starving wolves.
"It's really none of my concern, but Xanos does have a point," Ayala said, and their attention shifted back to the elf. "Since we're unsure what you're up against, it would be better to have a variety of talents at your disposal."
Mischa waited for Aurora to answer.
"I guess that settles it, then," the rogue said with obvious reluctance. "Do you have any remedies for skull-splitting headaches with you, Ayala?"
"I don't, I'm afraid," the elf answered. "Why, are you feeling unwell?"
"Not yet," Aurora said, and sighed. "Before we charge off into the snow in search of these artifacts, would you mind telling us what we're looking for?"
"Certainly, Aurora. And while we have a moment, let me tell you of a combination of herbs that might relieve Drogan's suffering."
As everyone else discussed the herbs, the artifacts and their importance to the Harpers, Mischa began the long task of cleaning up the mess left from the earlier battle. The blood was already setting into the floorboards, and she knew it would be a trial to remove the stains. She sighed and took the cleaning supplies from the chest in the kitchen.
Eventually, Aurora and Xanos left the house and set off on their grand adventure. Dorna went upstairs to prepare her things in case Aurora had need of her. Ayala kept careful watch over Master Drogan, leaving Mischa with the onerous task of disposing of the dead bodies of a dozen kobolds.
Paladins are patient... She repeated it to herself again and again.
It really wasn't fair.
Next Chapter: Xanos, the Great and Powerful Zucchini! Piper tries to save the souls of the unbelievers, and Haniah and Xanos have a Very Special Moment(tm).
Author's Note: Oooh, a whole chapter from Mischa's perspective! See, I don't hate her. And Aurora seems to have a bit of an anger problem– I'm sure she and Xanos will get along just peachy. The chapter that comes after this is actually pretty much finished, so I could probably have it up in a few days with a little encouragement (hint hint, any potential reviewers lurking out there.)