Chapter 12

Ryltar

I awoke just as the sun was cresting over the window. I looked over at Linu's sleeping form realizing once more just how beautiful she was, and how much I truly loved and cared for her. "She'd hate me if she knew about my past though. She'd leave me, and never look back." I shook myself from those thoughts, getting out of bed carefully so as to not wake her. I quickly dressed in my amour and sheathed my scimitars.

"Are you so sure about her not be willing to forgive you for your past Ryltar?" Mayra said. She obviously heard my thoughts.

"I... don't know it doesn't matter at this point. I'll tell her at some futrue time." I said

"When?" Mayra asked

"As soon as we deal with this cult." I said

Quietly walking out of the room I headed downstairs and out into the cool morning air. I breathed the fresh air in. Part of me was glad to be out of the city of Neverwinter, now with fresh air in my lungs that did not have the stench of death and decay on it. I headed for Kendrak's Barracks, where Aribeth and Arian Gend had setup their base of operations. I walked into the building as quietly as I could so as not to disturb anyone. I heard the sounds of heavy breathing and sword play around the corner. Coming around the corner I heard the sound of a blade being swung in my direction. I unsheathed one of my scimitar's and blocked the blow inches from my head.

I looked into the tired eyes of a weary Aribeth. Anger crossed her face at seeing me but realizing who I was she quickly regained herself. "Ryltar I'm sorry, I thought... well I don't know what I thought. Forgive me for striking at you."

Re-sheathing my scimitar I said. "It's ok Aribeth," I looked her over she had a thick sweat covering her hair as it was plastered to her head. "Aribeth how are you feeling? The last several weeks events certainly must be a strain on you."

"Aye, it is, as I am sure you can well imagine. Fenthick... my only love... dead at the hands of my lawful liege. His true murderers, however, lie invisibly beyond my reach." Aribeth said sadly. "I wish, with such fervor that it frightens me, to see those allies of Desther pay - to see Tyr visit them with terrible justice! I am a paladin of Tyr, sworn to uphold good and justice... yet somehow I cannot condemn Fenthick in my heart. He meant only to do what he saw was his duty, I am sure of it. Is that wrong of me?"

"Every one makes mistakes Aribeth, I myself have made many." I said

"I find that hard to believe that a person with your skills could have failed someone." She said to me

"That's not true," I said. "Has Linu told you about my first love?"

"She mentioned it once on the trip here," Aribeth said "But she didn't go into detail about it, who was she?"

"Her name was Ren'ly Caluak'dor, a female drow I met in Mezzodoran, she, like me, was not like the rest of the drow race. Long story short, I had finally decided to leave the Underdark but on my way to meet her I was restrained by a group of assassins, they killed her while I watched helplessly. So I have failed people in my past, it's hard to get over at first I know. But Aribeth you must realize you didn't fail Fenthick."

"Didn't I? I did nothing while he was mercilessly hung. I DID NOTHING!" Aribeth said ending with a yell.

"Calm yourself, look one thing I find that helps me blow off steam when I'm angry is to duel with someone or failing that a combat dummy. If you want I'll duel with you for awhile." I said offering

"I'm afraid my anger might overtake me and I would hurt you." Aribeth said.

"Don't worry as long as you don't hit my heart or cut my head off I'll be fine." I said jokingly.

"Alright then fine, defend yourself!" Aribeth came at me quickly I barely had time to get my left hand scimitar out of its sheath to block her blow. She pulled out a short sword and parried away my second scimitar. She had talent in fighting with two weapons there was no denying her skills. But wearing plate mail amour, she was ill-suited to the fighting style.

Her moves became increasingly harsh and she said. "I will destroy you all, you won't keep me from my revenge." Concern crossed me as I feared she was fighting some inner demon. I determined there were two ways to end this, one was to allow her to win. The other involved me winning. In her current state I couldn't choose which to do. Parrying away a swing at my head. I said. "Aribeth! control yourself. You are fighting like a barbarian." My words either did not reach her, or she did not care.

She kept backing me up across the floor area, I slipped on a bottle or some sort and fell to the ground. Victory crossed her face as she swung both swords down. I rolled out of the way and swept my left leg beneath her tripping her. She fell to the ground, the pain and suffering that had been on her face was gone. Replaced was a face of some peace. "Ryltar? Well it seems you are the victor." I helped her back to her feet.

At about this time Linu walked in, "What is going on?" she asked

"Ryltar was helping me blow of some steam. That is all." Aribeth said as she regained her footing.

"I see," Linu walked over to me. "Mayra woke me up, when you weren't in the room I grew concerned. Let me make one thing clear Ryltar. Do not go off any where on this mission without me."

"Yes Linu I understand." I said in defeat.

"Aribeth how are you feeling?" Linu said with concern.

"I'm fine now Linu, I'm just... well I'm just angry. But Ryltar helped me through that. I'm fine now. If you are both ready I can give you your mission orders now, as well as an idea of where to start?" Aribeth said changing topics.

"Of course tell us what must be done." I said.

End Ryltar

Linu

After Aribeth had given us our orders she had suggested we check out a goblin cave, Arain Gend had told her he had reports of masked figures helping the goblins. After several hours of fighting goblins with Mayra and Ryltar, we had just found the lair of where these figures where based. Several tough looking goblins and several robed figures were in the room. After the three of us had quickly dealt with the goblins and robed figures, Ryltar found a looked door.

"Can you pick it dear?" I asked.

"Well understand lock picking is not my best skill." Ryltar said. "However," He fiddled with the lock pick in his hand using it on the door. "I think this one can be done." he said standing back up with a smile on his face.

"What? No kiss?" He said jokingly.

"You expect one for every time you accomplish something?" I said playfully knowing where this was headed.

"Only if it's important." Ryltar replied.

"So I guess that means never then? Since your an idiot." I said walking by him and opening a chest inside.

"Yes, I know she's good." Ryltar said. Obviously talking to Mayra, why he didn't just say it mentally to her I don't know.

"Oh, shut up you two." I said. "We got more important things to worry about." Pulling a journal out of the chest. "It details about cult activities in the area." I said reading through it.

"Anything on where the cult is located?" Ryltar asked. "No, sadly it doesn't dear. Still we should return to Aribeth. I'm sure our presence and knowing that we are safe, will cheer her up."

"Ok." Ryltar said pulling out the Stone of Recall.

We appreaed back in an underground temple of Tyr. After being healed by the priest there. We headed through the portal in the temple and appeared just a few feet away from Kendrek's Barracks. Walking inside I saw that Aribeth was talking with Arain Gend. Seeing us entering, she excused herself and came over to us.

"It is good to see all three of you remain safe. Have you found any information on where the cult is located?" Aribeth asked.

"No I'm sorry Aribeth we haven't. However we have found a journal that does say where others may be found in the area." Ryltar said handing the journal to Aribeth. She seemed tired and worn out.

"Have you not been sleeping well dear? You seem exhausted and worn out." I said to Aribeth with concern.

"Why do you ask me that, Linu? The spy master put you up to this, didn't he?" Aribeth said glancing over to Arain Gend, with a look of annoyance.

"No he didn't, Aribeth." Ryltar said "Where just concerned about you. You don't look well."

" I... I see. I suppose my state is obvious enough. Aarin is far more concerned than is warranted, however... certainly a few bad dreams are not a reason to become alarmed. The servants claim I speak in my sleep and say frightening things. They creep about me cautiously like I have gone mad, and Aarin pays their superstitious twittering far more heed than he should. After all that has happened with the plague and... and Fenthick, I think a disturbing dream or two is not so surprising, wouldn't you both agree?"

"It is not surprising, Aribeth, I too have been through such a time of losing a loved one." Ryltar said.

"Finally, someone with some sense! I keep telling Aarin that these strange dreams are nothing to be concerned over, but he insists on treating me like an invalid." Aribeth said not very convincingly.

"You don't sound very convinced dear." I said with concern in my voice. Aribeth looked at me with shock and surprise.

"Now you, too? Has the world gone mad, or is it me? These dreams are... disturbing and frightening, but... they shall pass! They are my burden to bear and no one else's." Aribeth said exasperated.

I think Ryltar sensed the tense emotions flying through the air, he interrupted saying. "Why don't you tell us about these dreams? Maybe it will help. I've found telling your problems with friends put things in new light. If you wish the three of us can go somewhere private so no one needs to know any more about these dreams." Ryltar said glancing over Arain's way. Aribeth saw where his look was headed and nodded.

"Very well, let's go for a walk in the evening air. It will do all of us some good." Aribeth said walking out Ryltar and I followed.

We walked around the edge of Port Last finally finding a quiet area near a stream. Aribeth leaned down and swirled her hands around in the water before splashing it on her face. Once dry she turned to us. "How should I start?" Aribeth said to herself. "I... I am falling, in the dream. Always falling. Surrounded by a heavy blackness which chokes and drowns me. Grasping hands reach out to me, and the voices... a cacophony of whispers that plead to me for help. And... and then I see a shrouded figure. It is Fenthick. He is walking away from me and I run to catch him, but always he eludes me in the darkness. The voices get so much louder. They are accusing me, blaming me, and I... I feel ashamed, though I do not know what I am being blamed for. I cry out for help, for them to stop their assault, but my cries for help go unheeded. And then I catch up to the figure... and I see that it is not Fenthick. He turns and gazes at me with sad eyes... and I know it is Tyr... and then my god turns his back on me." Aribeth took a deep breath for continuing. "These... these are my dreams, Ryltar... Linu. Perhaps now you both can understand why I have not wished to discuss them. I am... frightened... of what they may mean." She said grasping her arms.

I walked up to her saying. "It's alright Aribeth, it's understandable. They would frighten me, as well." I said looking her straight in the eye.

"As they would I Aribeth. Do you feel a little better now with sharing them?" Ryltar said with concern. Mayra looked at Aribeth nudging her with obvious concern. Aribeth faced softened, as she realized she was not alone, that she had people she could turn to for help.

"I do feel better for it, thank you... all of you." she said looking at Mayra, she just nodded in return. "Hah... I am reminded, a little, of how I was introduced to the paladin life. You should ask me to tell you the tale, sometime. If you wish that is."

"We'll do that dear. Is there anything else you wish to say to us?" I said. Looking at Ryltar.

"Well... actually I was wondering a bit about Ryltar's past. If you'd tell me Ryltar what did you do once you came to the surface? Besides shield your eyes from the light of the sun or moon?" Aribeth said trying to make a joke. All three of us laughed and she smiled.

"Well... after my eyes adjusted to the sun light, I realized that surviving on the surface would not be easy. I had tried several years before and been forced to return to the Underdark after being chased out of an elven village." Aribeth interrupted him saying. "What were you doing on the surface then?"

"It... it was a raid. I and several other drow were to attack the village, after scouting it I found out it had only children, women, and sickly older elves. I wouldn't allow the others to attack the village. So I killed them all." Ryltar said. This was a tale he had yet to tell me and I listened intently. "Well I tried to convince a few of the elves in the village that I was not like other drow... but they attacked me. The few that came at me I easily knocked out. I summoned several gloves of darkness and made my escape. I returned to Mezzodoran alone. Saying that the elves ambushed us and I was the only surviver."

"I understand continue with your tale on when you finally came to the surface for good if you would." Aribeth said enraptured by Ryltar's tale.

"Well like I said, I knew that surviving on the surface would take all of my skill and abilities. As I adjusted to the surrounding forest I heard an animal cry out for help. It was Mayra," Ryltar paused seeming to mentally converse with Mayra. "She was being attacked."

"By who?" I asked.

"She doesn't wish for me to say." Ryltar said

"Very well then continue." Aribeth and I said at the same time.

"Well after rescuing her, she taught me the ways of the forest. How to be a druid." Ryltar said.

"But why don't you have the abilities that a druid normally posses?" I asked.

"Well, I do I just choose not to use them." Ryltar said looking at me.

"So you can turn into certain animals, and cast spells?" Aribeth asked.

"Yes, I can. I just choose not to." Ryltar replied.

"But why? Ok I can understand the transformation part, but why don't you use the spells? Certain ones would surely give you an edge in battle." Aribeth said pointing out the benefits of spells.

"I know that, however, it's... well don't worry about it. Ok? I just don't use them. They sometimes cause problems." Ryltar said sadly. "Hmmm... he's covering something up." I thought.

"Like what?" Aribeth asked bluntly. "Were you tricked or something, one time when you used them?" she said half-jokingly.

"If you must know, yes, I was." Ryltar said turning his back to us. "But I do not wish to discuss it right now. There is a cult to find." He then turned and walked away.

After he was out of hearing range Aribeth looked at me and said. "Well, seems we all have our problems. You should go I'll make my way back to the Barracks. Where do you plan on heading?"

"I'm thinking that Ryltar plans on going to the Neverwinter Forest. To see what is going on there. Seems animals are attacking everyone, even Rangers and Druids." I said. "Keep safe Aribeth, we shall return as soon as we are able."

"I will Linu, just be sure to keep Ryltar safe as well. All our hopes lay with you and his success." Aribeth said turning back to the trail which would lead to the barracks. I ran to catch up with Ryltar hoping he wouldn't be to far ahead.

End Linu

Ryltar

I had heard the last exchange by Linu and Aribeth. It wasn't that I didn't mind sharing my past, it was that were they to find out about what happened. They would probably hate me, and ask me to leave. "Especially Linu." I thought. "Are you sure about that?" A little voice in my head asked. "Who would love the butcher of hundreds of people? Who could forgive that?" I replied to the voice. I shook myself from my thoughts as Linu came around the corner her face lit up in joy when she saw me. "Where to now dear?" Linu asked.

I looked at the sky. While the sun had just set, it was still early in the evening. I figured we could probably make it to the Neverwinter Woods by the time, the night setting really set in. Failing that we could use the small way station that was near the woods, for rest. While I was debating this decision with myself, A small gnome walked up to Linu and I.

"Excuse me but are you two the Hero's of Neverwinter?" the gnome asked looking both Linu and I over.

"Yes, that is us? What can we do for you dear?" Linu said.

"I must be sure. You are the two famed Hero's of Neverwinter, a drow ranger, and an elven cleric." he said again looking us over. I got an uneasy feeling from him but decided to be nice.

"Be careful Ryltar, I don't like this guys scent." Mayra said to me

"Your right about that, this guy could use a bath." I replied smiling

"Yes, that is us. Now what do you need, sir?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just wished to give you this ring. Thanks to your efforts in the city, you saved several members of my family from dieing to the plague." He said handing the ring to me.

"Well were just glad to help dear. It's the least we could do. After all, we couldn't very well let he city suffer now could we?" Linu said.

"No, I suppose not. Well good day to both of you, and thank you again for saving my family." The gnome said. He turned and left us then.

"Well friendly fellow, isn't he?" Linu said.

"Yes... a bit to friendly." I said looking at the ring he had handed me. I put it in my pocket for now.

Linu punched my playfully in the arm. "Oh, Ryltar your to paranoid loosen up." She said.

"Like you did after you had to drinks of alcohol on the trip here?" I said jokingly.

"Well... Uh... OK so I can't stand alcohol! That doesn't change the fact your to paranoid." Linu said laughing at my joke embarrassed.

"Sometimes being paranoid saved my life." I said running my hand over the ring. I sighed. "Maybe your right. Fine how about we head to the Neverwinter Woods and find out what is going on there?" I said.

"A walk in the woods would be lovely dear." Linu said taking my arm in hers. Mayra made gagging sounds behind us. We both smiled and walked towards the gate, leaving Port Last.

End Ryltar

(A/N: Well that's a pretty nice chapter I think... its longer like most, and i think i captured aribeth's mood and feelings pretty well. I'd love to know what everyone thinks on how i did. I know i skipped the whole arian gend thing but honestly i hate him he's a jerk ;) as always please R/R)