V Sylune's Interference V

Ches 24 1362 DR, Year of the Helm

I was quiet inside of Storm Silverhand's house.

Bowie and Storm had arrived back in Shadowdale earlier in the morning, by teleportation. After spending a couple of days in Berdusk, traveling the city with Olive, (who had given Bowie a big kiss just before saying goodbye to him) Bowie was glad to be home.

It was later that night when Bowie had slipped out of his room and ran out of the door.

The thought of Manshoon betraying and murdering his mother had plagued Bowie's mind since the night he officially became a Harper. He could only think of revenge as he held his sword Vithril and wore his cloak around his body. Tonight, he would start the journey to Zhentil Keep, then he would murder Manshoon. And there would be no one to stop him...or so he thought.

Bowie had only taken three steps outside when he felt a strong force grab a hold of him and stop him right where he stood.

The halfling couldn't move his arms, or his legs. He wondered if Storm had seen him sneak out and had cast a spell to stop him, but then he remembered Storm was off visiting her sister Lareal in Waterdeep.

"Just where do you think you're going?" asked a soft ghostly voice in front of Bowie. The spectral form of Sylune appeared a few inches away from Bowie, hovering a little bit off of the ground.

"I'm going to kill Manshoon," Bowie answered in a cold voice.

Sylune nodded her head. "I see. And is this some sort of Harper mission, or is this a personal one?"

"Personal," Bowie quickly answered," he murdered my father and mother after he said that he would never harm them."

The ghost of Sylune sighed. "I know Bowie, and it was wrong for what he did. However, no matter how much you want to kill him, you are no match for him and the power he wields. He would destroy you in seconds. Minutes if you are lucky."

Bowie sighed, but Sylune continued. "But killing isn't the answer. If you go and even did manage to kill him, then you would be no better than he is. Then there are his clones, who would not waste a second to come after you. You would be throwing your life away no matter what the outcome of the fight was. If your parents, or Krillin and Andressa were here, they would be telling you the same thing."

The halfling stopped and thought about what Sylune had just said. He began to see the meaning of her words, and realized that it was no good to take a life for the sake of revenge. Still, the pain continued to hurt inside of him.

"If you are still insistent on fighting Manshoon, then continue to train with Storm. If you just put your mind to your training and your skills, there is no telling how powerful you could become. But don't let revenge be the focus on your training. Continue to train because you love being a bard, and because you want to be the best. You've got your mother's spirit, and your father's passion. There is no telling how far you could go."

"You're right Sylune," Bowie said softly. He watched Sylune's spectral form move up to him and then felt her warm touch as she gently hugged him, then disappeared.

The halfling could feel the warmth of Sylune's words fill him with confidence. He would continue to train, and not go after Manshoon.

Still, if Manshoon happened to cross his path, Bowie wouldn't hesitate to strike him just once.

With the feelings of revenge and anger now gone, Bowie felt a little better. He quickly went back inside Storm's house to practice.