1st Day of Harvester, 565 CY

The Canalside Inn, Chendl, Furyondy

"Why exactly are we here again?" asked Zantac.

His team leader's reply was cold, terse and spoken low enough for only the mage to hear.

"I didn't want to go to any tavern where we might run into Unru, and Nesco said this was the closest thing to a dive that Chendl has."

Zantac grunted and looked around. The Canalside Inn was a bit on the dingy side; certainly not on the level of The King's Arms or The Willow Tree back in Willip, but he'd been in far seamier places in his lifetime.

The tavern, located, not surprisingly, by the banks of one of Chendl's beautiful canals, sported a riverboat theme, with various detritus of barges and boats hung around the place. Someone had seemingly made a half-hearted attempt to craft the end of the long wooden bar into the prow of a ship but had apparently given up the job half-way. Whether due to lack of funds or lack of talent, Zantac couldn't say.

Several flagons and mugs on their table held the assorted beers and wines ordered by the ten individuals. No one had been particularly hungry; a small bowl filled with goldenseeds was the only food present.

Outside the city walls, Elrohir had curtly refused all offers of small talk, turning his back on the three new arrivals as he ordered Lady Cynewine to find them a suitable place where they could talk more freely. Saxmund, Garoidil and Aelfbi had all frowned at this, although only the latter seemed truly taken aback.

For their part, Argo, Aslan, Nesco, Tojo and Zantac had said little, following the lead of Elrohir and Cygnus. The basics of the situation were immediately obvious to them. The ranger and the tall mage had the most personal and intense reasons of despising the sometimes-traveling companion of their guests, although in truth none of them held any great fondness for her.

The shutters near the wall where their table was situated were left open in a valiant if vain attempt to air the place out. During the daytime the canal view must indeed have been appealing, but by the time the ten had managed to reenter the city, stable the three horses and wend their way here, the sun had been down for almost two hours. Their window, facing east, now showed only the dim glows of assorted lamps and torches.

As usual, Saxmund pointedly avoided looking at Cygnus.

The mood around the table was tense. That name seemed to hang in the air above them, and Aslan could sense that Elrohir was getting ready to release his pent-up emotions with the obvious question, so the paladin decided to redirect matters.

"So. Saxmund, Garoidil, Aelfbi," the paladin announced in as firm and yet nonchalant a tone as he could muster. "How did you know we were here in Chendl?"

The three looked amongst themselves for a moment before Saxmund cleared her throat and answered.

"We didn't," she said in her reedy voice. "Some time ago, we had paid Cerenellyl to notify us via sending if he ever received news of your whereabouts. As chance turned out, we had just left Chendl and were only two days' ride out when we finally got word from him. We immediately turned around and came back."

Argo saw Elrohir and Cygnus scowling, both men aware that the flow of conversation had been directed away from their primary topic of interest. However, Bigfellow didn't want to light that particular fire just yet either, so he followed up. "Where were you heading?" he asked.

"Back to Ironstead," Saxmund replied. The woman finally turned her green eyes on Cygnus, who met her gaze, still unsmiling. "As we had mentioned last time we saw you, we had planned to return to the forest and find the steelsphere from the Mary Celestial that we had arrived here on Oerth on. Kingus had thought it might still be functional."

"I told you then I doubted it was." Cygnus' voice was little more than a growl. "Since you're all still here, I guess I was right."

"Not entirely." Garoidil, looking as moody and dour as Flond ever did, spoke up for the first time. Elrohir and the others looked at the fighter, but it was Aelfbi Gemblossom who elaborated.

"It was a little over a month ago that we finally located the steelsphere," the priest of Lady Goldenheart related. "We'd hired ourselves back out to the woodsmen of the Vesve as scouts and guards, supplementing their own rangers and warriors. Well, as I said, we found the sphere, but a metal golem that had been in the sphere with us had apparently reactivated itself and wouldn't let us near it. It took several attempts before we were able to destroy the thing. As you had predicted Cygnus, we weren't able to find any sign inside that it might still be functioning. We returned here to Chendl, downhearted. But it was then, while we were having supper in The Heroes' Rest Inn and deciding what we were going to do next, that the most extraordinary creature just strolled through the front door. Well, actually, it nearly had to bend over double to fit through and even then, it barely made it. Twice as tall as a man, with sky-blue skin."

The others stiffened.

"Ogre magi?" asked Tojo, tensely.

"No." Garoidil shook his head. "A lot thinner, and much more urbane and well-dressed."

"Came right over to us. Called itself a mercane and said its name was Agarth," Saxmund said. She then looked around at Elrohir's group to see if either name meant anything, but there was no look of recognition. She shrugged and continued. "Claimed to be a planar merchant. It- he- seemed to know that we'd found the sphere and started asking us all kinds of questions about it. It was then that he said there might be some kind of signaling device hidden within the sphere and if it was still undamaged, it might be possible to use it to call the Mary Celestial to this world!" Saxmund finished, a little out of breath from the revelation.

Aslan frowned. "Can the Mary Celestial fly the skies of a Material world?"

Saxmund shrugged. "I don't know, but Agarth seemed to think it might be able to."

The paladin looked thoughtful and a little chagrined. He had dismissed that possibility during their exploration of the astralship.

"Of course," Garoidil added, smirking, "that's when things got interesting."

"What happened?" asked Nesco.

"Well," related Saxmund. "After we'd told him our whole story and were all set to ask Agarth if he wanted to enter into some kind of partnership with us, he suddenly says he's looking to acquire- his word- the sphere. He said that we really had no claim on it, as we'd been trespassing when we'd boarded the Celestial in the first place. Then he said he was going to go examine it."

"And after he pumps us for information on the damn thing," scowled Garoidil, "this monstrosity has the gall to try and hire us as bodyguards for him!"

"Naturally, we declined," added Aelfbi, who then grimaced over at Garoidil. "Some of us more graphically than others, I'm afraid."

The fighter grinned at the memory.

"And he just left?" asked Aslan after a short pause.

Saxmund nodded. "Yes. He just said he'd look elsewhere for protection."

"As an aside, I don't think this Agarth was totally defenseless," Aelfbi mentioned. "After he'd squeezed back out the door onto the street, I saw him disappear."

"Did he cast? Was he a wizard?" inquired Zantac.

"Not that I'm aware of," replied the half-elf. "He just vanished."

There was another silence as this information was digested.

"So," said Argo Bigfellow, perhaps a shade too loudly, "what can we do for you?"

"We were hoping you could accompany us back to the Vesve," Saxmund said. Her eyes were downcast,t and she twisted her hands together on the table. "It's a race against time now that Agarth is on his way. Our turning back means it's possible that this mercane will reach the steelsphere before us; depends on whether he has to walk all the way there. We've at least got horses. Even if he does get there first, I don't think he'll be able to just magic the thing into his pocket and stroll off with it. Those things are immense; as I'm sure you'll remember."

"But you want us along in case the issue of ownership comes up," the big ranger said, drumming his fingers on the table.

"We've got salvager's rights!" Saxmund shot back, more fiercely than she had yet spoken that night. "If there's any chance of using the sphere to get back home to Rolex, we're going to take it. We might even be able to get back to our own time that way. After all, the astral is timeless."

"It's also worth noting," said Gemblossom, the cleric now staring in turn at Elrohir, Aslan, Cygnus and Tojo, "that if this is the case, you could also use it to return to your home; the world of Aarde. Perhaps even to your own time, as well. We'd be happy to share the Mary Celestial with you if we can get back to it. Corellon knows it's more than big enough for all of us."

"I have nothing for me back there," mumbled Elrohir, but Cygnus saw Yanigasawa Tojo's eyes brighten momentarily. Here, the wizard knew, was a possible way for the samurai to return home after he had finished his quest.

But it was for his own admittedly selfish use that the tall wizard saw a scenario forming in his mind.

Kar-Vermin, he thought. I can hide myself and Thorin from Nodyath, but there's no way on Oerth we'd be able to hide from that lich.

Cygnus took a swig of beer to hide his face as he contemplated. Our only other option will be to try and prevent this ritual from being completed. A suicidal task if ever there was one. But- if we could get home- Thorin and me... even Vermin might have trouble following us all the way back to Aarde, and he might be loath to do so even if he could. This steelsphere might be something worth following up after all.

Another silence followed. Aelfbi frowned at the lack of response to his offer.

Then, apparently attempting to keep the conversation flowing by any means, the half-elf took a perfunctory look around the table before turning to Elrohir.

"So, Elrohir,' asked Gemblossom in a casual tone. "Where's your wife, Talass?"

There was the distinct sense that an invisible balloon had been silently punctured somewhere over the table.

The ranger's hands curled into fists as he slowly rose to his feet.

"Elrohir," said Aslan warningly. He reached out a hand to grab his friend's shoulder, but Elrohir shrugged it off.

"Where's my wife?" Elrohir seethed. "It's funny you should ask that, Aelfbi. It so happens that you just missed her. Shall I explain?"

Everyone was staring at the ranger now, unwilling or unable to say anything to stop this. Gemblossom's eyes were wide with anxiety as he gazed at the human now leaning over the table to glare at him. The half-elf's hand reflexively closed upon the holy symbol of a golden heart that hung around his neck.

"My wife," continued Elrohir, "received a vision from her deity that instructed her to leave me; her husband. It seems that her father, the former and only High Priest of Forseti here on Oerth, recently died and she had to return to her people and assume that role."

Aelfbi looked perplexed and appeared to be about to ask a question but Elrohir plowed on. The ranger's anger was palpable, but an ugly and sarcastic grin split his features.

"Now as it turns out, there was one other person who could have fulfilled that role and saved my wife the minor bother at having to leave her family forever. Unfortunately," he continued with a mock tone of sorrow, "that person just happened to have betrayed her father, her deity and her people by running off with a priest of an evil god. This person, as it turns out, is quite accomplished at betraying people and leaving nothing but death and misery in her wake. Would you like me tell you who this person is, Aelfbi?"

The last question turned into a shout. The other patrons of the Canalside turned their heads to stare at them, but Elrohir paid no attention. The ranger lunged forward so suddenly that Gemblossom leaned backwards in his chair and nearly tipped it over.

Saxmund and Garoidil were instantly on their feet. The others too stood up, but with exhortations for calm. In the midst of it all, Elrohir turned his flashing blue eyes on Saxmund.

"Where is she?" he hissed. "We know she's still with you, Saxmund, or you wouldn't have waited until Sir Dorbin and his allies had gone. Where is she?"

Aelfbi, trying to regain his balance as well as his dignity as he stood up as well, now met Elrohir's angry gaze unflinchingly.

"We thought," the cleric said slowly and deliberately, "the fact that you hadn't immediately sent for the illusionist meant that you did not share this Sir Dorbin's extreme and violent views."

"No." Cygnus now spoke up. "It meant that Elrohir and I want the pleasure of killing this bitch ourselves. If any of you had children, perhaps you'd understand how upset a parent gets when they're threatened and kidnapped."

"Everyone, please," Aslan cut in, motioning with both palms downward towards the table. "Everyone sit down. We don't need any outside attention. That won't help anyone's agenda."

Unable to find fault with the paladin's logic, the assemblage reseated themselves, but the hostility remained.

Elrohir took a hefty swallow of beer and glared again at the trio's leader. Puzzlement now mixed in with his earlier anger.

"I don't understand you, Saxmund," he said finally, shaking his head. The ranger had to pause to get the next name past his lips.

"Talat," he ground out, "betrayed Kingus to his death! I know you and he were close- how can you permit this person to still travel with you? I know Aelfbi speaks of redemption and all that rot," he waved a dismissive hand at the half-elf, "but you seem like a practical person. By the gods, she can't even cast prayers for you now that she's no longer a priestess! Add to the fact that she's a wanted woman here in Furyondy! That makes you all accomplices if she's caught!"

He stared at Saxmund. Aslan saw a note of pleading on his team leader's face; the expression of a man who was heartbroken for answers.

And the paladin knew that Saxmund did not even know the real question that Elrohir was asking.

"Why?" finished Elrohir, before looking away and rubbing his eyes again.

The trio again seemed to silently confer with each other. "Go ahead, Saxmund," Aelfbi eventually said. "I think it will mean more to them, coming from you."

The woman took several long deep breaths and then began.

"Your points are all valid, Elrohir," she began. "And do not think that I don't consider them every night as I lay- alone," her voice broke a little, "in my bedroll. I have no love for this woman and would gladly abandon her to her fate, Aelfbi here notwithstanding. However," she hesitated, "there was one other who spoke out for her redemption."

"Who?"

And here Saxmund turned to look directly at Cygnus.

"Kingus."

"What?" Cygnus blurted out. The wizard looked wildly around at his friends, looking for validation of what he had heard. He turned his attention back to Saxmund, but he was still groping for words. "But- but- that's impossible! Wescene told us what you'd told her! Nodyath kidnapped Kingus when the four of you went to Willip! It was only after that incident that Talat first came to you, isn't that right?"

But Saxmund shook her head. "No," she said quietly. The woman ground a goldenseed between her thumb and forefinger as she continued, not looking at any of them.

"The day we'd arrived in Willip, we'd taken rooms at The Willow Tree and then gone our separate ways to pick up supplies we needed. When we met up back at the inn that night, Kingus told us that a woman who called herself Talat had walked up to him and told her who she was and that she was considering leaving Nodyath. He said that he believed she was telling the truth and that we should all do whatever we could to help her." She brushed the goldenseed fragments off her fingers. "Well, the next day, Kingus set out for the temple of Heironeous and…"

Saxmund's voice trailed off. Garoidil looked at her, a rare look of concern on his face, and then glanced over at Cygnus.

"Of course," he said sourly, "by the time this Talat showed herself to us, Kingus was already gone. You can imagine that we were less than pleased with her." The fighter scowled deeply. "Saxmund and Aelfbi can say what they like; I'd just as soon run her through. You commit a crime; you pay for it. That's the law in Hellas, and it seems to be the same in this kingdom." He then waved a hand at Cygnus. "And what with what happened with your children, I've no problem with your wanting to kill her. I think we'd all be better off. I've been teaching her some basic combat training, so she'll be at least marginally useful, but that's only because Saxmund here keeps prodding me to do it."

He relapsed into a sullen silence and sipped at his apple wine.

Aelfbi laced his fingertips together with his elbows on the table. The half-elf's face assumed a calm expression as he addressed his comrade.

"Tell me, Garoidil," the priest inquired. "I'm still not clear on one thing. Exactly what crime has Talat committed?"

Garoidil opened his mouth to protest but Aelfbi cut him off, partially rising again from his chair.

"No, not Nodyath- Talat! What exactly did Talat do?" Gemblossom asked, his voice uncharacteristically rising. "Did she physically aid him in any way during the commission of any of his crimes? Is being associated with a criminal a crime itself in Hellas? How about here?"

He sat back down, his gaze now encompassing Elrohir and his friends.

"Can any of you name one single crime this woman has committed here in Furyondy?"

"She was silent!" Elrohir snapped at him. "She just stood by while her lover was kidnapping and murdering people!"

"And it never occurred to you that trying to leave a man who can teleport and polymorph at will might seem like an impossible task to her?"

"Don't make excuses for her," snarled Cygnus. "If she's so innocent, let her return to Willip and stand trial. The law will determine if she is guilty or not!"

Aelfbi directed his reply not to Cygnus, but to Elrohir.

"And did your law determine that for your counterpart?"

The ranger blinked, caught off-guard.

"I believe Nodyath determined Mendoleer's fate, not your Baron Chartrain," Gemblossom continued. "According to Talat, Mendoleer- who indeed was a willing participant in Nodyath's crimes- was murdered simply to keep him quiet. What chance do you think Talat would have sitting defenseless in a jail cell; she who has taken Nodyath's greatest treasure from him?"

Try as he might, Elrohir could not find a counter-argument at hand.

Now it was Aslan who leaned forward. The paladin's face was serious, but there was also a curiosity there.

"Forgive me, Saxmund, for lingering on this terrible subject, but there's something I need to know."

Saxmund looked at him expectantly, awaiting the question. Everyone around the table was silent.

"Why exactly," the paladin asked, "did Nodyath kill Kingus?"

"What do you mean, why did he kill Kingus?" Elrohir asked angrily. "This is Nodyath we're talking about, Aslan! He'd already killed Mendoleer and kidnapped both Thorin and Tad! He killed Kingus because…"

Elrohir stopped. For some reason he couldn't finish that sentence in a manner that satisfied him.

"Well," he eventually managed. "I just assumed he was angry that he'd mistaken him for Cygnus and prematurely ordered the assault on The Brass Dragon."

But even as the words left the ranger's lips, he knew they did not satisfy him.

Aslan turned to Cygnus. "Everything I do, I do for a reason," he said to the wizard. "That is what Nodyath told you, isn't it, Cygnus?"

Silently, the wizard nodded, his brain trying to put these pieces together.

"Nodyath didn't kill Kingus," Saxmund said quietly.

The Elrohir party gaped at her, but the woman's next words gave them their explanation.

"According to Talat, Nodyath only kidnapped Kingus and turned him over to The Emerald Serpent. It was they who killed him."

Elrohir snorted. "You're splitting hairs, Saxmund! That's the same as murder! Nodyath must have known what they'd do to him!"

Saxmund looked at him. She seemed calmer now than at any point since they had first sat down.

"It was a contract abduction. Talat said Nodyath even showed her the gold he'd gotten for the job. He was very specific in that The Emerald Serpent wanted Kingus alive."

"Why?" asked Cygnus, but Saxmund merely shrugged.

"He didn't tell her."

There was another brief silence, which was broken by Zantac. "Why this line of inquiry, Aslan?"

The paladin took a small sip of his wine. He glanced over at Saxmund and her two companions before looking back at the red-robed wizard, and Zantac had the distinct impression that Aslan was considering how much it might be able to say safely in front of the trio.

"I spent too long this year not looking for connections when they were right in front of my face, Zantac. I can't afford that naivety any longer. None of us can."

He said nothing more, but Zantac saw Elrohir's face as he gazed at his friend in consternation, and he thought he knew what their team leader was thinking.

Kingus and Kar-Vermin. Could there possibly be a link?

All very cheerful," Garoidil growled, "but getting back to the point at hand. Will you help us or not? Like Saxmund says, it could be worth as much to you as it is to us."

"A few moments alone to confer, if you please," Argo Bigfellow said in his most unctuous manner.

Elrohir waited until the three Rolexians had left the inn before looking at his teammates.

"Well?"

Argo stepped right up. "I told you earlier, Elrohir. I'm going home tonight on the Aslan Express. Nothing they said changes anything about the danger facing us. I'll be damned if-"

Again Elrohir interrupted his fellow ranger. "Don't worry, Argo. I told you earlier you could head home if you wanted to, and that still stands. For anyone," he added, looking around at the rest of his party members.

Everyone looked at each other. Aside from Argo, they all seemed hesitant about voicing their views, or perhaps they were still formulating them.

Cygnus was the next to speak.

"I say we help them."

Aslan whipped his head around to glare at the tall mage. The paladin's eyes narrowed.

"Why, Cygnus? Are your reasons selfless, or are you just hoping to get within striking distance of Talat?"

Cygnus stared back at Aslan, but the magic-user did not respond.

Aslan's light blue eyes seemed to burn a line across the faces of his companions as he looked at each in turn.

"I won't tolerate base treachery. If anyone can't accept Saxmund's view of Talat, then they had best not come along on this journey."

Zantac raised his eyebrows. "Sounds like you're planning on going."

"I am," the paladin replied. "Not only is helping Saxmund and her friends get home a noble cause, but if it does work out, I'd want to be sure that the Mary Celestial doesn't fall into the wrong hands afterwards."

"Well, count me in," Zantac said, shrugging. "I'd love to take a peek at this vessel. I'm wondering though; do you think this Agarth's light blue hands are the wrong ones?"

"I can't say," said Aslan. "I've never heard of mercanes. It might even be possible that this individual was in polymorphed form."

"I'd like to go," Nesco's voice was quiet but firm. "I know the Vesve; the land and the people. I'd be of immense help."

"You always are, Lady Cynewine. I am gladdened for your company." Aslan smiled at Nesco, who felt that familiar and simultaneous mixture of happiness and heartbreak that the paladin's smile always engendered in her.

"I aweso go."

The others looked at him, but the Yanigasawa samurai said nothing more. He did not look at any of them now.

"We are honored, Tojo-sama," said the paladin gravely, although his eyes lingered on the samurai's dastana.

Everyone's gaze now fell upon Elrohir.

There was no mistaking the ranger's internal struggle. Elrohir was gripping the handle of his mug so tightly his knuckles were bone white and his entire body seemed to be trembling slightly.

"Elrohir," Aslan said softly. "You know you don't have to go. We'll all understand. Besides, we-"

"I'm going," the ranger announced suddenly. He did not even seem to have heard Aslan.

The paladin took a deep breath and made sure his friend's eyes were upon him before he asked, "Why?"

Elrohir scowled. "I don't need to explain my reasons to you, Aslan."

"In this case, I'm afraid you do, Elrohir," Aslan responded. "I've already said I won't stand for-"

"You don't have to worry," he snapped back. "I'm not going to kill Talat."

"Prove it."

There was not a sound around the table as the paladin and the ranger stared into each other's eyes.

"Swear it, Elrohir," Aslan's voice was almost a whisper. "Swear you will not harm Talat in any way."

"I swear it," replied Elrohir. "I swear by all the Aesir."

But Aslan shook his head and now the paladin's voice was hard and cold.

"Swear it by something you still believe in, Elrohir."

Elrohir pressed his lips together and Aslan saw his friend's eyes grow moist, but the ranger blinked them clear. Elrohir took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair.

"I swear it," he repeated, not looking at Aslan, or indeed any of them, now. "I swear it by my wife. I know what Talass wanted regarding her sister, and I will follow her wishes in this matter."

Elrohir glanced out the open window as he spoke.

"I'm looking for answers," he said quietly. "And I think Talat may have some for me."