Disclaimer--I do not own the forgotten realms setting, but I do own the characters used within the story. In other words, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TOUCHING THEM! I SWEAR I'LL SIT ON YOU!
AIDEN'S FLAME
Epilogue
It was a fortnight after Aiden's death, and Zenalic was standing in a dark alley with Faridim and Flamecaller at her side.
They were in Skullport, and at the other side of the alley stood General Aquilus, accompanied by his bodyguard whom carried two scimitars and three more who each carried scimitars.
"Tell me," Zenalic called. "How does it feel to know that you are going to die?"
The general looked back at her and said, "I do not plan on dying, human." All five of the warriors seemed to shift a bit, as if fading into a deep mist, and when they came back into focus, all were drow.
The three humans wasted no time in expressing their thoughts, rushing forward together and drawing their chosen weapons.
Zenalic aimed for one of the smaller drow, ignoring how skilled all drow were said to be. As she got almost within range of his wickedly curved scimitar, she cast a minor levitation spell and jumped, straight over the warrior's head.
Even as she landed, she slashed out with her sword, taking off his head.
She turned and scanned the battlefield, hoping that their initial attack had broken the line and caused enough damage to give them a chance.
Faridim was battling, and losing to, two drow. Flamecaller was dueling the largest, who wielded dual scimitars. And General Aquilus was fleeing. He was nearly out of the alley when a shadow shifted and a hooded figure stepped into his path. Words were spat, but she could not hear them. Almost without delay, their blades swung.
Zenalic turned from the battle and began a casting. She finished it, sending a bolt of lightning at one of the drow battling Faridim. He crumbled to the ground and she turned to Flamecaller's charge.
She cast another spell quickly, this one a flash of light. The blinded drow stopped his attack and pulled back, swinging his scimitars in a defensive weave, effectively holding off the human warrior.
Zenalic raised her hand, aiming at the drow, and channeled the power of Phoenix which resided in her. His body burst into flame and he let out a scream of agony.
Before the scream had died away, Faridim had dealt the killing blow to his opponent.
The three turned and walked down the alley to where the hooded figure stood over the dead and smoking corpse of the general.
"Who are you?" Zenalic asked cautiously.
"Why tell," the figure said in a voice that Zenalic found oddly familiar, "when you could show?" He threw back his hood without another word.
There, with purple glowing eyes, stood Aiden.
Zenalic ran to him, hugging him and kissing him. He moaned in pain as she gripped him tightly.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Milady…" he managed as he collapsed into her arms.
Faridim and Flamecaller rushed over, saying, "We need to get him to the surface."
Faridim picked up the small elf with ease and set off at a trot, Flamecaller and Zenalic on his heels.
As Aiden began to open his eyes, he was buried in another flurry of her hugs and kisses. When Zenalic finally stopped for a moment, Aiden looked around.
He was lying in a bed with Faridim, Flamecaller, and Zenalic all standing around him. Was this the temple of Sune he had taken Zenalic to before?
Aiden grabbed Zen and kissed her over and over. When finally they broke, he looked at Faridim, who said, "You must forgive me, friend, but I shall pass on the kissing, if it is all the same to you."
Aiden laughed long and hard, happy for his friend's attempted humor.
He looked to Flamecaller, who only smiled, then back at Zenalic. "We thought you were dead," she said. "What happened?"
"After I sent you through the tunnel," he began. She slapped him hard on the face. "What was that for?"
"Sacrificing yourself to save me," she said, kissing him.
"And that?"
"Sacrificing yourself to save me."
He grinned and continued, "I attacked them, taking too many wounds to count. But I dealt death, over and over. I killed a score or more before I fell.
"I don't remember exactly what happened, I just remember being shot by the crossbows... Many times. I fell unconscious, and expected to die. When I came to, I found all the drow dead. Some had been burned, others had been torn to shreds by great claws.
"It took me a tenday to gather what strength I needed just to leave. I fought so many battles and almost died so many times on the road back, I gave up hope. If not for Phoenix, I would have died a hundred times over. It carried me through the Underdark, leading me back to Skullport.
"It kept me alive, fueling me with its energy, fighting even when I could not. Eventually, I stumbled into you. Who were those drow?"
"The leader who you killed was General Aquilus," Faridim said.
"What?" Aiden asked, stunned.
"We only found out a couple of days ago. In the tunnels you sent us to, we found a dark elf who had been sent to warn the drow of our attack, but he had not been told of all the wards placed on the tunnel. He was almost dead when we found him, and it took him time to heal, and even more to talk. He told us that the general was a dark elven imposter, filling the spot of a human they had killed. So we followed the general. You saw the battle."
Aiden nodded. "So the threat is now gone."
"It is indeed. What will you do now, my friend?" asked Faridim. "We could use an arm like yours in the watch."
"Nay, my place is in battle, not on a patrol."
"Will you leave Waterdeep, then?" asked Flamecaller.
"And leave the three of you to your own devices?" Aiden asked teasingly. "I was gone for not even a fortnight and look what happens? You get into battles with drow who outnumber you almost two to one, run wild in Skullport, and recklessly endanger your lives."
"Then what will you do, my love?" asked Zen.
"I have not tired adventuring, so I suppose I'll seek a job doing what I do best," Aiden said. "As I understand, the Harpers have quite dangerous goals… Mayhaps they would have me as an agent."
Zenalic nodded, smiling. "So be it. Together we shall be as agents, then."
Aiden kissed her, as Flamecaller and Faridim took the hint and left, shutting the door and informing the priests to give them time alone.
The Phoenix rejoiced to be rejoined, both halves as one, if only for a short while.
A.N.--Well, what'd y'all all think? R&R! BTW, I was thinking of writing a sequel to explain all of this stuff, like the sword, and maybe Aiden's history, or at least indepth emotions for the time covered. If anyone wants it, review this story and ask for it! Wow, it's actually really over... TY all, for the reviews you have given.