„In search of Valygar Corthala"
The team camped outside the secret entrance to the de'Arnise Keep, shielded by the palisade, a good place to defend themselves in case there were some trolls left near the empty stronghold. Tough indoors was filled with soft beds and promises of cover from the wind and rain, there were also fallen both monsters and men, their corpses left in the corridors where they died. Nalia had a talk with captain Arat, informing him about her father's death and accepting his resignation from duty. She decided to disappear, to leave her home to the Reonalls' family and thus the final task for the survivors of the de'Arnise Keep guards was to bury their comrades and then go their own way.
The result of their last escapade into the abandoned halls was the Flail of Ages, now carried proudly by Anomen, and gold from Lord De'Arnise coffers, which Nalia was disinclined to leave to the Roenalls. Minsc and Jaheira were wearing new breastplates from the keep's armory, but Daria decided to hold on to her robes and cloak, knowing that even leather armor would restrict her from effective spellcasting. She was drinking a jasmine tea from the keep's kitchen, sitting near the fireplace preparing for the last thing that needed to be done today. Nalia asked for some time alone and took her blankets to a covered corner of the palisade, but was still close enough to signal if anything was wrong. It was a moment to relax and concentrate before attempting a locating divination. A perfect moment to be ruined by Anomen.
"My lady! I have been thinking about our last conversation and I was wondering why haven't you found your sister already, if you have such remarkable talents?" his voice broke her conscious reverie. 'Did he really think she hasn't tried?' she thought with a sigh. She did. It was the first thing she did after Imoen was teleported away by the Cowled Wizards. She was tired to bones, hurt and bleeding, but she tried. And the only thing she saw was pitch black darkness, the only thing she felt was cold.
"My powers aren't impossible to block, Anomen, and Cowled Wizards have both means and reasons to shield themselves from divinations." She felt like she failed her sister somehow. It was pointless, she couldn't do anything, but knowing this didn't remove the feeling of guilt.
"Don't worry my lady. We will find your sister" Anomen proclaimed solemnly. "I will do everything I can to help you in this mission, this I swear on my honor as a squire in service of Helm!" Daria was mildly surprised. Anomen said he's joining the party to gain enough reputation, to be accepted in an order of knights of some sort. He out-rightly admitted he wanted only to accomplish some good deeds and there was nothing personal in it. And she took him in because they could use a healer with battle experience. She didn't expect him to become so private all of sudden. Unless… She moaned inwardly. No, not again… The 'damsel in a distress' situation. She should have known. A 'weak' elven woman on a mission to save her sister imprisoned by evil mages. A fairy tale coming true. She had enough of this after traveling with Ajantis. The aspiring knight was circling around her like a hawk, waiting for her to drop something, or at least vaguely mention that she needed some help. She couldn't even make a comment about the weather without being immediately covered with his far too big cloak. At first she was flattered by his advances, she had to admit that. No one has ever courted her like that after all. And he was chivalrous and well-mannered. But when he started to make attempts to massage her feet at every stop, she politely suggested that maybe he should go look for fame and fortune somewhere else.
And now Anomen. Did she really look that helpless, she wondered. Or maybe it was her elven posture making her look weak and fragile. She had to say something, to show that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.
"I kno…"
"We're all set Daria. If you're ready we can begin" Jaheira came in time to ruin her speech. But at least now she had work to do. Preaching could wait.
"What do you mean 'all set'? You didn't need anything before, right?" this time Daria didn't foresee Yoshimo's appearance from the shadows. She jumped at the sound of his voice. He seemed to be pretty content with that.
"This time I'm not going to see a glimpse of future… my friend" she mimicked him, a bit irritated that he bested her this time. "I have to… It's hard to explain. It's like leaving your body so your mind can wander freely. It's difficult to describe."
"Isn't it dangerous, my lady? Leaving your body makes you defenseless. Is it possible that you won't find your way back?" Anomen was getting used to a role of her protector, it seemed.
"Minsc will take watch when I'm in a trance. It is possible that I get lost, but Jaheira takes care of that." She was completely dependent on her friends when she was separated from the material world. She remembered the first time she tried to foresee something single-handed, without an anchor to show her a way back. Or rather she remembered the feeling of falling, slowly losing every ounce of strength she might had. And when she was almost powerless against the tide sucking her into unknown she felt a sturdy slap on her face. And then another one. She clutched to the pain and followed it to the surface, regaining consciousness just in time to be rewarded with another one of Jaheira's slaps. She noticed Xan, sitting by her, holding her hand. He was usually pale, but then he was white as sheet. Jaheira stopped her hand and took her in her arms. Daria smiled at the memory. It was the first time Jaheira shown her some emotion through her stony facade. It stayed like that – whenever she tried to divine something far, Jaheira and Xan were always there to make sure she came back.
"Plus, I use an anchor – something that links me to the present" she added, returning from the quick trip to the past.
"What kind of anchor?" Yoshimo raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing sinister, I'm afraid" she answered with a smirk. They were going to travel together for some time. She owed them explanations. "I just listen to a heartbeat – I make sure it doesn't sound to quiet, because it would mean I'm beginning to lose my perception of present time. It keeps me focused somehow."
"Whose heartbeat?" the bounty hunter asked with innocent face. Daria felt her cheeks reddening against her will. She felt like when she was caught stealing cookies in a kitchen in Candlekeep. 'It's nothing to be nervous about!' she chided herself.
"Xan's" she muttered and turned to Jaheira waiting for her.
***
Minsc patrolled the wooden wall, sheltering them from the woods surrounding the keep, and beasts living within. The environs were undisturbed by anything bigger than a squirrel, and though the berserker's eyes soon wouldn't be able to penetrate the shadows of the forest, deepening as the sun began to disappear behind the horizon, he trusted his hamster companion to detect any danger near the camp. Inside the palisade Jaheira unfolded a blanket and sat on one of its corners. Daria sat in the middle, Xan to her left. The diviner took a deep breath, exhaled slowly and handed her palm to the gloomy elf. Anomen and Yoshimo silently sat close by to watch.
Daria closed her eyes. Xan was holding her hand, but unlike he held it many times before. He was careful with her fingers it seemed, as if fearing they would break again the moment he'd take hold of her palm more firmly. But it was hardly important at the moment, so she forced herself to center attention on his pulse: fast, despite the calm situation. She gradually detached her mind from any distractions. She fell backwards as all her muscles relaxed, but Xan and Jaheira held her limp form already, placing it gently on the blanket. She could see it, but it felt like she was looking through a telescope, from a great distance. It was strange to look at her own face, bright silver in her opened eyes, but she got used to it by now, after many past divinations. The new scar was ugly though.
She flew high above the camp, looking at the nearby stronghold becoming smaller and smaller. Far above the ground, among the clouds lit by the setting sun, she whispered a name – Valygar Corthala, and made it flow with the wind, circling the whole Amn, entire Toril, should she want. But it wasn't necessary – she felt an answering voice, like a song coming from a distance. It wasn't far enough to hide from her eyes and she moved towards the source of the sound, swirling through the wind, immaterial and free. The beating of a heart followed her above the lands of Amn. Xan was with her even now – it's no wonder she got used to his company that much.
"Say something, Daria! Speak!" she heard Jaheira's urging – it was almost indistinctive among the melodies of the wind, but she eventually complied looking at the conclusion of her psychic journey.
"I see a small hut among the hills, located north from a small village on the east…" she began to speak through the vocalization spell.
***
Daria inhaled sharply, ending her mental trip. She turned on her side coughing, feeling air in her lungs. Her senses were attacked by all possible sensations, the rustle of every leaf, Minsc's heavy footsteps outside the palisade, the smell of the thousand herbs in the forest, the heavy embrace of her own clothes and the fuzzy blanket underneath – she could feel it all, for a small amount of time, before the dazzling whirlwind of colors and scents composed itself into the world she knew. She couldn't help but smile seeing Jaheira and Xan held their breath for few seconds. The first few attempts of divinations ended with Daria covering her ears with all her strength, since she couldn't withstand the hiss of the air as they breathed.
"Did you write everything down?" she asked Jaheira, when she managed to sit on the blanket. She didn't even flinch at the sound of her own voice, merely a whisper, but loud as a shout in her ears. Jaheira noiselessly showed her the notes.
"Great, 'because I don't fancy repeating it anytime soon. I'm spent." Her voice returned to normal or rather - her senses returned to normal. She stood up from the cover. H legs weren't even shaking, she realized surprised. Usually she couldn't stand up without help for at least half an hour, but now she only felt drowsy. She really was getting hold over it. It didn't stop Xan from jumping to his feet to support her however. Daria decided to take advantage or the situation, just a little bit, and when he offered her his arm she gave him a hug, circling her hands around his waist. She raised her eyes at him – it was his turn to flush and pretend uneasily that it's a normal way to help somebody stand. He was already becoming red as a peony. Now he would say that she was doomed and…
"My lady! Are you hurt?" Anomen instantly rose from his seat ruining her fun.
"No, I'm alright" she said, releasing Xan from her arms. "I'm off for some sleep though. Wake me up at the last watch, if you don't mind". The enchanter took her by the arm with an unrecognizable murmur, avoiding eye contact. He was persistent. Or he didn't mind hugging after all.
It was the former, Daria knew it, but she couldn't help the tinge of sadness she felt.
***
In the morning they gathered the camp and took the first road leading east they could find. Jaheira arranged the notes – she and Daria were walking in the front of the group, trying to figure out the right path.
"This rock formation is quite characteristic. Is it the 'white rock' you mentioned in the trance?" the druid pointed a small group of sandstones.
"I don't know" the diviner answered the hundredth time over. For her it was just another pile of rocks. It looked exactly the same as all before.
"You said you saw the path leading the village?" The druid raised an eyebrow with doubt.
"I saw it from the sky. It's a completely different perspective, you know?" Daria was getting irritated by now. The next question would be about assessing the distance.
"But you know how far it is?"
Daria wouldn't call Jaheira predictable, but they had such arguments every time she was divining a road somewhere, and they have already developed a pattern.
"Yes, I know. I told you – two days of marching, plain road. I can see as much" the elven diviner said with tiredness in her voice. She could see she didn't convince her guardian.
"But we don't see any landmarks you mentioned – the white rock, a deciduous forest or the hills." Jaheira rearranged the notes again.
"The white rock could be everywhere. I suppose it may not look as white as from the sky. The forest is halfway from the village, so we won't see it before the late afternoon, and the hills begin at the very end of the road." Daria didn't see anything more characteristic than that. It was a very simple path, leading straight east, disappearing among the hills. There weren't many travelers, and those few who choose the road were going in the opposite direction.
"Assuming it is the right road and we don't know that."
"It does lead eastward. I'm not a walking map Jaheira! We'll have to stick to the road until I learn how to draw in my trances." The diviner added sarcasm to her arsenal. There was no way she could as much as move a finger when she was away from her body and Jaheira knew it.
"Maybe all you have to learn is making clearer directions" Jaheira said in her usual superior tone. That did it. She wasn't a druid to distinguish every tree in a forest.
"Fine!" Daria stormed off to march in front of the group, ending the discussion and leaving Jaheira behind. It was also a part of the pattern.
On the other part of the group the tension was certainly lower. Nalia was marching along with Minsc. She held Boo in her hands with care and smiled lightly.
"I came to a decision yesterday" she said to her tall companion. Minsc nodded solemnly encouraging her to talk. "I decided that I want to become an adventurer, like you. I could help the poor and everyone who was in trouble. My father would be proud, I'm sure. I know I'm not used to such life yet, but I will learn. Daria allowed me to stay after all."
"Little Daria is a good person, so says Minsc and Boo! She helped us too when we lost our witch and couldn't find her." The little hamster climbed back on his shoulder from the girl's hands.
Further behind Anomen became a target of Yoshimo's interrogation. The priest was answering the questions relating stories of his adventures in the order, oblivious to irony in thief's praises of his courage. Xan was lagging behind, with nose stuck in his scrolls.
***
They camped for the night in a forest – the one Daria was relaying on with her navigations. The diviner couldn't help a smug smile appearing on her face every time Jaheira looked in her direction, but since she still had her hood on the druidess couldn't see a thing. They set off the next day, early in the morning. The weather was sunny, a cloudless sky without anything covering the view of the hills ahead. The hills however…
When they reached the first slope around noon they noticed a dark cloud hovering above a distant settlement, coming from the north. It covered the village in a sinister shadow, looking as if it was trying to strangle the little town with murkiness and gloom. Their path led straight into the darkness.
"This does not look good" Nalia stated. Daria sighed. Why a straight road was never as simple as it seemed?