Deathblade: Well time for the second installment of Search for thy Family.

Carina: And what will happen now?

Deathblade: Well you just have to read for yourself.

Carina: Dang it, idiotic jaluk!

Deathblade: Calling me names in Drow won't speed up the process and I understood that. Thanks to this trustee English to Drow dictionary! (holds up said book)


Chapter 2: The Dwarven Harper and his apprentices

It has been weeks the massacre of their temple, the two elves found themselves near the slopes of the Nether Mountain, near the Spine of the World. The cold winds from the north chill them to the bones; they could do nothing to block the bone chilling wind from their bodies and to make matters worse, their food supply was depleted and they didn't know how far Hilltop was. They fought off many Orcs, Goblins, bandits and slavers, but this time they somehow knew that they were finished. Zaharia looked behind to see Serenity struggling to keep up. She went back to help her lover, she quickly wrapped her arms around the other acolyte to share body heat as they both trudged through the snow as the winds brought some more. Serenity was very tired of walking and the weather wasn't helping, but Zaharia tried to keep her awake knowing that fall asleep in this climate will lead to death. 'This is the end for me…' Thought Serenity as she passed out in her lover's arms.

"Ren! Don't go to sleep on me! Wake up!" Yelled Zaharia as she shook the younger elf. She looked around to see if there was anyone in the vicinity. "Is anybody out there? We need help!" She yelled out to anybody nearby. But before long she too passed in the snow.


By the time Serenity's eyes fluttered open, it took a few minutes for her sights to adjust to the low lighting. She noticed that she was in a rather comfortable bed, she was nearly completely naked save for the leather pants and the cotton bed sheet and she felt a warm rag on her forehead. Her sensitive ears picked up a conversation in a nearby room. 'Thanks for your help, Fiona.' Said one of the voices.

'No problem, Mischa. I'm just glad to help.' Replied the other voice. 'Boy Master Drogan was pretty angry that you failed his test.'

'I know, but a Goblin is an evil creature! How can he expect me to lend it aid!' Yelled the first one.

'Hmmm, maybe he was trying to teach you that Paladins are both righteous and merciful.' Replied the second.

'Perhaps your right, Fiona. No wonder, Master Drogan holds you with high regards.' Said the first in a defeated tone. 'Well we might as well check on the two elves I found. Just don't make one of your healing potions.'

'What the…? Hey, my potions are that bad!' "Screamed the second.

'Well the last time you tried mixing something, you nearly destroyed the whole school.' Said the first.

'Smart alec paladin thinks she knows everything.' Whispered the second quite low.

'You said something?' Asked the first as she opened the door to the room that Serenity occupied.

'Nope.' Replied the Second. As the door opened to the room occupied the young acolyte of Selune, Serenity saw the young woman with shoulder length pale blond hair enter the room, she was dress in a blue and silver armor with a long sword at her waist and a tower shield strapped to her back.

"You're awake! Praise be to Mystra! I feared that you didn't make it, m'lady." Said the paladin.

"I guess I owe you my thanks, but where's my companion?" Asked Serenity.

"She's across the hall. Being taken cared of by a friend mine." Replied the paladin. "What's your name?"

"I am Serenity Moonlight, Acolyte of the Moonmaiden." Said Serenity.

"My name is Mischa Waymeet, Paladin of the goddess of magic." Replied Mischa.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mischa! And the other one you talking to?" Asked Serenity.

"That was Fiona, she's a little accident-prone." Replied Mischa as she checked the young elf for a fever. "What were you doing out there?"

"We were looking for Hilltop." Said Serenity as she tried getting up while holding the bed sheet to hide her breasts.

"Well it's a good thing I brought you two here then, for this is Hilltop." Replied the paladin.

"Thank you again, Mischa. But where's my gear?" Asked the young acolyte. Mischa simply opened her footlocker and brought out the elf's armor.

"Hurry up and get dressed. I'll bring you to Master Drogan." Replied Mischa as she left the room leaving her footlocker opened. Serenity took this time to put her armor on quite fast and she left the room fastening her long sword on the left side of her waist. Fiona asked Zaharia if she needed help with her armor, but the young acolyte refused her assistance and asked her to leave. When she left the room fully armored, she walked down the stair to the common room where Serenity was talking with an old dwarf.

"I see. You wish to know more about Balpheron." Said Drogan.

"Yes, if it's not to much trouble. Because a mercenary hired by him managed to destroy my hometown and the temple, where Zaharia and I lived." Replied Serenity.

"Well to tell you the truth, he was defeated no more than twenty years ago along with many of his apprentices. It would seem that the mage was hired by one of the Lich's surviving apprentices to hunt down the Harpers the killed his or her master along with anyone nearby. You and your friend are very lucky indeed to have survived this long." Explained Drogan.

"But what can Zaharia and I do against such a powerful enemy? We're only acolytes." Replied Serenity.

"If you like, I could take both of you in as apprentices along with my four other students." He proposed.

"I'll have to talk it over with my companion first." Replied Serenity.

"No need, Ren. I over heard everything. I say let's do it, because we have to complete our training." Said Zaharia. With that decided, the two acolytes joined the venerable Harper's school and as all his students the acolytes of Selune were given the magic teleportation ring of Mystra. They quickly learned that when Fiona cooks or brews a potion that they should run like heck away. Over the next couple of weeks, they had a few sparring matches with their teacher and the other students: Fiona, Mischa, Dorna and Xanos.


One day, Drogan decided on testing Zaharia. He placed her in a small room that had nothing special, then he casted a powerful enchantment. Her sight went black for a short moment and quickly returned normal. What she saw deeply surprised her; she was now inside an apothecary tent after a great war. Around her were many wounded and the dying and more were being brought in by the second, as if on instinct alone she quickly casted all her cantrips and spells of healing on the ones who were severely wounded. After exhausting her spells completely, she gave them healing potions until she ran out and finally she used her healing kits. After many tiring hours of treating the wounded soldiers, she felt very exhausted both physically and spiritually, but more wounded troops kept coming inside at an unfathomable rate. Right there, she came at a crossroad. Should she continue and burn herself out, or rest to recover the lost energy. She knew that duty knows no hours, but she chose to place her head down and rest. When she awoke, she found herself looking up at her teacher and her lover. "What happened? One minute I was in this room, the next I was in a tent with hundreds of wounded soldiers." Asked Zaharia.

"Master Drogan was testing you, Ria." Replied Serenity.

"Yes, and you've passed wonderfully. Here, you've earned this." Added Drogan as he gave her a perfectly crafted symbol of Selune. Zaharia could believe it as she stared at the small silver necklace, she was now a full-fledged priestess.


A few days later, it was Serenity's turn to have a test and she was ready as she'd ever be, but her exam was very different. She had to turn many powerful undead creatures ranging from zombies and skeletons to crust vampires and greater ghouls. They all came at her in many big waves, she casted her spell many times, but they just kept coming. She knew that she had to do something to defeat this undead horde. Suddenly, she felt something inside her grow, it was something very strong like a mighty dragon being awaken. Then like having a will of its own, her body casted to most powerful turning spell, Undeath to death. The spell came down on one of the enemies and obliterated all the others. After casting the spell, she simply collapsed out of exhaustion. When her eyes slowly opened, she noticed that she was in the room she shared with Zaharia and in bed naked. She looked around and saw her girlfriend sleeping next to her very closely and she was also equally nude. On the bedside table, she saw not one but two silver crescent moons, meaning she passed Master Drogan's test. With that out of her mind, she placed her arms around her lover and went to sleep contently as the goddess watched over the star-crossed lovers.

TBC…………..


Deathblade: There, I finally finished chapter 2. Tune in next time, when the Kobolds attack the school.

Carina: This chapter is smaller than the last one.

Deathblade: I know, I promise that the next one will be longer.

Carina: Right we got more metal to burn, sparks to fly, the next Monster Garage Challenge is just around the bend!