Chapter 4

The sunlight peeked through the forest. Freya had just finished her breakfast when Kaylah sat down next to her. "You made a lot of noise when you brought back Tanis last night," the halfling commented after she put her plate and fork on the ground.

Kaylah looked over at her friend, her face flushed with embarrassment. When she had Tanis had returned to camp the night before, Kaylah immediately gave the half-elf a lecture about running off and ogling naked elves.

"He should have explained himself," Kaylah muttered under her breath.

Freya shook her head. "You didn't give him a chance. You just carved and raked into him like he was some orc. From what I heard about what Tanis had seen, it was something special."

Kaylah was about to argue, but the halfling held up her hand, and added," It is said that Quile Veldaron and her followers come to Ardeep Forest to dance for their goddess. As I said, it was something special. Especially since Tanis actually got to meet Quile. She's one of the Seven Sisters, and a Chosen of both Mystra and Eilistaree"

"I'm surprised to hear that coming from you Freya," Lucilya said as she came and sat next to the rogue and the hordebreaker.

The halfling shrugged her shoulders. "I read a lot and keep my ears open. I've heard about many things that go on in the world. I'll have to sit down with Tanis and talk to him about it. Speaking of which, I haven't seen the half-elf today."

"He's with Gilderoy," answered Lucilya. Her eyes wandered to Kaylah, whose face showed that she had a lot on her mind.

"Do not think that you were too hard with Tanis," Lucilya whispered to the half-drow as she reached into her pocket and drew out some elvish bread. "He seems to have forgotten about it."

Kaylah sighed. "I know. I was with him when he woke up this morning. I'll be honest with you both, I was kind of jealous when I saw him watching those drow elves."

"You were jealous that he witnessed a sacred ritual, and you didn't?" asked Lucilya.

Kaylah giggled and shook her head.

"Spoken like a true elf," Freya whispered before she stood up and stretched her muscles.

"They let you watch them?" Gilderoy asked Tanis as they walked along a thin dirt path that encircled a large fernwood tree.

Adjusting the chainmail he wore under his leather jerkin, Tanis nodded and looked at the half-orc. When he had first learned of Gilderoy's parentage, he had been a little confused.

Back in Krynn, he had known ogres and humans who had produced offspring, yet it surprised him that an orc and a human could have a child.

'That must have been quite a site," Gilderoy continued in a low voice," thought I'd rather kneel and pray before Waukeen than watch naked elves."

"I just don't get why Kaylah had gotten so upset," remarked at the half-elf as he stretched his head.

Gilderoy shrugged. "Who knows with women, though I'm sure Kaylah had her reasons." The half-orc hid a smirk beneath his beard. He knew why Kaylah was so upset, but he figured that Tanis would have to figure that out for himself.

"Right," whispered Tanis. "Hopefully she'll calm down once we get to this tomb. It shouldn't take too long to get there, and the only thing we'll worry about is orcs."

"Or dragons," added Gilderoy.

Tanis raised an eyebrow. "Dragons?" he asked. "What about dragons?"

Gilderoy let out a sigh. "Nothing really. It's just that I remembered that a red dragon is said to fly around this area."

Tans crossed his arms. "But I thought red dragons lived in mountains and caves?"

The half-orc shook his head. "Not this dragon. He's a vicious creature, but don't worry Tanis. I'm sure that we won't run into him. He's probably had a run in with Gileed and his men."

"While we're on the subject, why is Reluraun's Tomb so special?" the half-elf asked.

Gilderoy raised a thick eyebrow, as if the half-elf had come from some other world. Then he remembered that Lucilya had told him that Tanis did in fact come from another world.

The half-orc took a deep sigh. "Reluraun was an elven warrior who fight a powerful necromancer during what was called the Crown Wars. They killed each other in battle, but the necromancer's final spell had twisted Reluraun's soul."

Tanis let out a shudder, but he let Gilderoy continue," Reluraun's kin created a great tomb where his soul resides. It is said that his soul was turned into some horrible undead creature. When elves would go into the tomb to pay their respects, they never came out. However, elves who stay outside of the tomb usually leave an item of importance on the outside door."

"Gilderoy, you're not trying to scare Tanis are you?" Lucilya asked as she approached them. Behind her was Kaylah and Freya, who were dressed down in their leathers.

"I was giving Tanis a brief history lesson," Gilderoy answered with a smile. The half-orc closed his eyes and whispered a prayer to Waukeen.

Tanis walked over to Kaylah and whispered her an apology. Truthfully, he didn't see anything wrong with what he had witnessed the night before, but he felt that he owed her an apology for chasing down the orc and worrying her.

Kaylah smiled and wrapped an arm around him. "I should be the one apologizing. What you saw last night was something sacred and spiritual. I just don't want you to think that all we drow do is kill people, pray to our wicked spider goddess, or dance naked for our dancing goddess."

Tanis kissed her cheek, then said," That's not what I think Kaylah." His eyes looked over, noticing that the others were staring at him and Kaylah.

In an attempt to take the embarrassment off of the half-elf, Freya held her double-axe over her shoulder. "So what's this I hear about a dragon in the forest?"

Tanis and his companions continued through Ardeep's thick forest, until they came across what they thought was an empty nest.

"It looks like a giant bird's nest," Kaylah commented as she examined the twigs and pieces of wood that made up the structure of the nest. Her eyes wandered over to the outside of the nest, noticing the tracks that went around the grassy area.

"Either that, this is a dragon's nest," Gilderoy declared in a low voice. Lucilya walked over and gently punched him in the shoulder.

I wonder what's going on with those two? Freya said to herself as she brought her double-axe forward.

Kaylah drew her repeating crossbow while Tanis drew Wyrmclaw. As he held the sword forward, he noticed that the blade began to illuminate a blue glow.

The rogue also noticed the blue glow. "I've never seen Wyrmclaw do that before," she commented.

Tanis shook his head. "I've never seen that before either." His eyes continued to watch the sword's blue glow. He didn't know much about the sword, except for that it could produce a coldness when it struck enemies. However, Tanis did recall hearing about a legendary weapon called Wyrmslayer. It was created during the Kinslayer Wars, or the Second Dragon War (Tanis wasn't sure which) and was said to be powerful against dragons. Two abilities that Wyrmslayer was famous for, was casting a fierce white glow, and making a humming noise whenever it was in the presence of a dragon.

Tanis Half-Elven had possessed Wyrmslayer, the half-elf said to himself as he held Wyrmclaw in his left hand.

"I think we should leave the nest before the dragon comes back," said Tanis as he stepped out of the nest.

They continued their treck until dusk, and then set up camp near a small cave. Freya had decided to take up the task of cooking dinner. Tanis decided to go for a walk, and assured everyone-especially Kaylah-that he would be back soon.

After bidding everyone a brief goodbye, Tanis walked back into the forest. He reached into his pocket and drew a copper ring.

"Tanis, is everything all right?" asked Lucilya as she appeared from behind him.

The half-elf turned to her and smiled. "Yes, I just wanted to take a moment and reflect on things. This forest is such an interesting place."

"The elves from Evermeet call Ardeep, the Faraway Forest," Lucilya said as she walked over to him. "Tanis don't take this the wrong way, but you remind me of someone I knew many years ago. Kaylah told me that you come from a world called Krynn, and that your mother came from this world."

"Yes, my mother Eneyla was an elf from Fauern," Tanis said quietly as he twisted the ring on his hand. "Perhaps you two knew each other."

Lucilya smiled, recognizing the name of her old friend. "I do recall knowing an Eneyla in my youth from Evereska."

Tanis's eyes lit up. "That Eneyla must have been my mother. You two must have grown up in this place called Evereska. Maybe I can go there someday to meet my mother's family. To see the home she grew up in."

Lucilya sighed. She wasn't sure that the guards, or the Hill Elders would allow a half-elf like Tanis into the city. It has been so long since she had been home, that she wasn't sure that she would even be allowed back into Evereska.

Still, seeing Tanis's face light up, prevented Lucilya from saying anything.

"Ask me again sometime Tanis," as all the elf said before heading back to the cave, where a nice bowl of soup, followed by a hunk of cheese was waiting for her.

Tanis watched Lucilya leave, then looked down at the copper ring he held in his hand. After hearing Lucilya tell him that she knew his mother, Tanis had forgotten the true reason he came out here. Still, looking at the ring in his hand helped him remember his mother, and father.

But new questions arose in his mind. Would his mother's family welcome him? Would they welcome Kaylah?

The half-elf pushed away those thoughts and placed the ring on his finger. He smiled as the faint smell of soup brushed up to his nostrils, reminding him that there was dinner waiting for him.