General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.
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Blindness
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It had taken Coran a couple of days to settle into the keep. There had been a lot of work to do; repairs from the troll invasion being the priority, as well as clearing out the remains of the creatures. Nalia left with Aerie on the second day, escorted to Athkatla by several of the keep's guards to make arrangements for her father's funeral and subsequent interment in the family tomb in the city's Graveyard District. In the meantime, Captain Arat had explained Coran's new role to him, explaining that most of the day to day running of the castle would be looked after by the Major Domo and himself. Coran had found the elderly chief steward a stern man, but he'd managed to find an affinity with the Captain.
"Lady Nalia explained that we would be away quite often?" asked Coran as he walked with the man around the courtyard. He'd grown to respect Captain Arat quickly; a tall and muscular man in the prime of his life, and completely loyal to the De Arnise family. Coran understood how important a strong allegiance from such a man was worth, and he had quickly insisted they talk to each other as equals. Arat had been slightly perturbed by this at first, but had slowly accepted it as he saw Coran's willingness to get involved during the keep's cleaning.
"She did," replied Arat as they strolled along the path. "If anything important crops up, the Major Domo will send a runner to find you with a message. It will be sealed with the De Arnise crest, so you will be able to tell when it is a genuine summons."
Coran nodded. "It is a fine building," he remarked quietly as he paused and looked around. He'd become very familiar with the layout over the days they'd been there, and a part of him had surfaced that he'd never experienced before; a part that was content to think there was somewhere he could call home. Nalia had been continuously grateful for all his help in freeing the keep, and he was made to feel welcome by both servants and guards alike. Nalia's aunt, the Lady Delcia, had been a little less impressed. Although she did not actually accuse him of lying, she cast several aspersions on his vague claims to have noble parentage, and finally decided to go and stay with family friends until she decided what to do. Nalia had explained that this meant she would be gone indefinitely, but had not appeared too upset by it.
They left the keep on the day of the funeral. Coran escorted Nalia as her companion and friend, allowing her to lean on him as she wept openly for the loss of her father. The Major Domo and Captain Arat both attended the ceremony, their faces grim as they paid their final respects, and they both hugged Nalia goodbye when the tomb was sealed.
It was then that she noticed the Roenalls were present amongst the merchants and other nobles her father had been associated with. Lord Roenall made his way to the girl, expressing his deep condolences on her loss with a sincerity that surprised Coran. Nalia accepted them, thanking him for his kind words. It was as he left that Isaea appeared, cornering the girl and sneering at Coran.
"This is the barbarian you will allow to run your home?" he asked with disgust and contempt. Coran just smiled pleasantly.
"This is the new Lord of my lands, Isaea," replied Nalia sharply.
"I can assure you, my dear, he will not be needed after our wedding."
"There will be no wedding," said Nalia simply. "My father is dead, and I have no wish to enter a marriage that I dread with a man I despise. Now, if you will excuse me."
Nalia turned to leave, but Isaea grabbed her arm tightly, causing her to cry out in pain. In a flash, Coran's hands had grabbed him in return, twisting his arm in an awkward manner, causing him to let her go free. She stumbled away thankfully as Coran whispered his carefully worded warning to the nobleman.
"If you ever threaten my Lady Nalia again, I will make sure you live to regret it, as both her friend and her Lord. I care not what you think of me or her decision - just as I care not for you or your pathetic words. Take my heed, and get on with your life without causing her any further distress, and I will promise that I will not be requiring to hunt you down in months to come."
"You dare address me like this!" exclaimed Isaea angrily.
"I dare do a lot of things," continued Coran in his hushed tone. "Do you want me to demonstrate?"
In the end, Isaea left muttering darkly about how he would get his revenge, and Nalia cast a worried look at his departing figure. Coran shook his head, telling her not to worry about it. "Even if he does try something," said Coran gently, "I will do whatever I can to right any wrongs caused by that pompous nobleman."
Nalia's worry seemed to settle, and the group made their way to the Copper Coronet, retiring for the evening so they could prepare to visit the Order of the Radiant Heart the next day. Coran was anxious to find Ajantis and see if the paladin had any news regarding the whereabouts of Maiyn and her party, and he felt a bit of hope welling in him. Soon he could be with her again.
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"I'm sorry, Sir Ajantis left not an hour ago, my Lord."
Coran sighed. "Have you any idea when he will be back?"
"Can't say with any certainty," said the stablehand apologetically. He'd been the first person they'd bumped into as they wandered around the headquarters of the paladin building; the knights that milled past seemed busy and preoccupied, and Coran had felt more comfortable asking the cheerful young lad that was tending to a large bay mare. Coran had passed the Crooked Crane when they'd arrived at the city to check on Patch, and had been pleased to see his money was being well spent - the horse looked comfortable, but eager to have some time away from the stables. Coran had promised the steed that he would take him for a ride soon, and enquired about acquiring extra mounts for the other party members. Korgan had looked horrified by the prospect.
"Thank you anyway," said Coran dejectedly, moving away towards the large door leading back to the Temple District.
"Wait!" called the boy, running after him. "I heard that he's gone to the Windspear Hills - they set off on horseback, so it shouldn't take them too long to get there and back," said the boy quickly. "I don't know how long they'll be there though - they're dealing with the suspicious deaths of some knights so I'd recommend you coming back in a few days - maybe even a week. Sir Ajantis isn't scheduled to go elsewhere after this for a while."
Coran smiled his thanks, and led the others back out to the grand entrance of the Order. They stood in the sun for several minutes before he moved off, slowly making his way along the narrow paths that wound their way between the canals that seperated the various magnificent structures. Impressive temples for a whole range of deities could be seen from almost every angle, intermingled with a handful of affluent looking homes. Coran felt a pang from the familiar longing of his roguish nature; wanting to sneak into the properties, to see what valuables they had that were worth taking. He briefly wondered about the young daughters of such households, and then berated himself almost instantly, thinking guiltily of Maiyn.
"What are you doing to me?" he wondered aloud as he stopped to lean over the stone parapet that ran along the edge of the channel. He closed his eyes, and remembered Wyrm's Crossing, the bridge leading across to Baldur's Gate. He remembered how he'd run across with Maiyn, laughing and carefree. She'd stopped halfway across, leaning on the wall as he was now, allowing him to wrap his arms around her. What was she to have caused him to turn into the man he now was? He shook his head and opened his eyes, noticing the Temple of Talos almost straight ahead of him, orbs flickering with lightning as they rotated at each side of its grand entrance. It was enough to clear his mind of any stupid romantic memories.
The sound of shouting came to his ears, and he looked to his right, spotting the gathering of people almost instantly. He approached them with curiosity, Korgan following him as Nalia and Aerie hung back nervously.
"Such words are an affront to the gods! Surely you will pay for this!" shouted a tall man; he proudly wore the symbol of Lathander, showing him as a Dawnmaster of his church. His cold glare was fixed upon a man with a scarred face; Coran realised suddenly that his disfigurement seemed in part due to violent blindness being placed upon him - his eyes seemed to be missing completely from his head.
"Quiet!" screeched a woman dressed only in rags. "Listen t'what he has t'say!"
"I call on you to abandon your false gods!" called the disfigured man. "They have done nothing for you! Cast them aside and join me on the true path; join me in the calling of the true sight!"
"What... what does that mean?" asked one of the crowd. "Shall we tear our own eyes out then? Don't be foolish!"
"What shall we do then?" asked another. "Who shall we turn to if there are no gods?"
"But there is a god!" shouted the blind man. "There is the true god! The Unseeing Eye is here amongst us! He offers the faithful a clarity of vision, the true path to the divine! He offers you his protection and succour!"
"Do not listen to him!" interrupted the Dawnmaster sternly. "He seeks to poison your minds!"
"Bah!" exclaimed the ragged woman. "What has your god ever done for me, eh? Eh? I'm poorer and no better off than I ever was!"
"Don't speak to the priest in that tone!" yelled an outraged man. "The gods will be offended!"
"Don't you see what he's saying?" replied a woman next to him. "He's saying there are no gods to be offended! I say we see what this Unseeing Eye has to offer!"
"Aye! I wish to see!" agreed the ragged woman.
"No, my friends," said the unsighted man. "You do not with to see! Forget what the years of lies have told your eyes! You wish to know; you wish to learn! These are the truths that the Unseeing Eye can offer you. A truer gift than you will find amongst any of these other so-called deities. Come, witness the miracle of truth! Come and behold the Unseeing Eye for yourself and see the true god that is amongst us!"
"No," shouted the Dawnmaster as the man walked away. "Do not go with him!"
"I'll do as I wish!" retorted the peasant woman, running after the pilgrim. "I want the truth! Show me the Unseeing Eye!"
"Yes, show me!" shouted the other woman, also moving off.
"What are you doing?" yelled the man who had stood by her side. "Are you mad?"
"I want to see," she said as she looked back. "Come with me!"
"I'm not going with that man! You're my wife - you cannot go!"
"If you do not wish to see the truth, that is your business!" she screamed, turning away from him and running after the small group of people, who were heading into the sewers by this point.
"Arianne! Come back!" The Dawnmaster moved over to the man's side, gently leading him away towards the Temple of Lathander as his wife disappeared from view. They passed another tall figure, dressed in shining ceremonial mail and robes. The priest of Lathander nodded respectfully to him, and he bowed his head in return sombrely.
"This must not come to pass; the everseeing eye of Helm must be made aware of what they plan," he proclaimed loudly, his gaze surveying the dispersing crowd until his eyes locked with Coran. "You. I would speak with you," he announced, striding over to stand before the elf. "I would hire you as mercenaries in the service of Helm - I would prefer a man of faith, but you will be adequate. Follow me to the temple and I will discuss what is required of you. Helm requires you now."
He turned and strode off; Coran gave a cursory glance to his companions before following him. Down the narrow walkways they went, past the magnificent structure dedicated to Lathander. As they passed the grand entrance, Coran looked inside and could see the man from the crowd weeping softly as he sat in shock over his wife's abandonment. Coran grit his teeth slightly as he marched on, through the equally impressive doorway to the Temple of Helm, and followed the priest to his desk.
"I am High Watcher Oisig," he said when they had all arrived. "First, I must say that your reputations are known and irrelevant. You will be judged according to how you serve in this task." Coran nodded, noticing Korgan's steely glare and Nalia and Aerie's rather fearful expressions.
"The task I ask will be treacherous," continued the High Watcher, "but you seem capable. Serve well and you will be rewarded; display any treachery and it will be seen."
Korgan grunted, and Coran nudged him sharply. It was meant to be in the ribs, but due to the difference in height, the elf only succeeded in knocking his elbow into the dwarf's helmet.
"And so to the task," sighed the priest, sitting heavily on a chair. "You heard the fool in the street. If what he says is true, it threatens to upset a delicate balance. A new power would only disrupt the way of things. If he is lying, then whatever cult he is proposing can only serve to hurt those it bilks into following him."
"We will do what we can to help," nodded Coran. "What is it you require?"
"He of the Unsleeping Eyes must know of this cult. The blindness they promote is abhorrent to Helm. We ask you to investigate and identify what is happening. The Vigilant One tells us that the cult is underground and close, but we cannot see past the sewers. You must infiltrate it, as a friend or conqueror; you must suffer the filth of the sewers to find the filth of the cult."
"It is as good as done," said the elf quietly. "I will return with answers."
High Watcher Oisig regarded him for a moment. "You are a religious man?" he asked after a pause.
"I am faithful to my goddess, Hanali Celanil," replied Coran simply. "She is a goddess that revels in love and beauty - to encourage such needless disfigurement is abhorrent to my eyes, as one of her flock."
Oisig smiled slightly, then stood up. "Then may the Great Guard give light to all wrongs against you," he said formally. "You may seek healing and tools to aid you here, as you need. Ask an acolyte, and you will receive. Our resources are thin at the moment, but an ally of Helm and servant of Torm shall be awaiting you in the sewers. Seek Keldorn to serve with you."
"We will welcome his assistance," bowed Coran.
Oisig smiled properly this time. "Faith guide you both."
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Coran held the squirming Aerie in his arms as Nalia helped Korgan to rummage through the belongings on the fallen men. The party had snorted in disdain when the strangers had demanded payment to merely let them pass, and so a battle had been fought and won - but the cleric was still feeling the effects of the Symbol of Fear that had been cast directly at her.
Nalia's face was still wrinkled; it had become her permanent expression since they'd climbed down through the manhole and into the sludge. Coran tried to cheer her up by describing the sewers of Baldur's Gate but she'd only managed to look a little more disgusted. Korgan complained even louder than she did - the dwarf felt the effects of the deeper sewage channels more than the others, and excrement and slime had slopped all the way up to his shoulders in some parts as he waded through the filth with difficulty.
Thankfully most of the passages had become dry, or at least shallower. The bandits they'd slain had found themselves a rather clean spot, free of rubbish and even fairly free from the unending reek of waste. Coran was wondering how much they made from passing visitors; the sewers were hardly somewhere he expected to be heavy in traffic, especially in this part of the city. Perhaps they charge the blind priests, he mused, freeing Aerie as he noticed her calming down. The avariel gave him an embarrassed look as she moved away, and he just smiled encouragingly, causing her to flush slightly.
Korgan and Nalia were done, so Aerie helped Nalia to identify the magical pieces they'd discovered. Korgan was pleased to find that some of the magical armour was in his size, and he claimed it as his own, gladly discarding his stained armour in favour of it. Aerie was told to wear the Helmet of Charm Protection that she recognised with the gift of lore - she nodded and obeyed, smiling shyly at Coran as he nodded approvingly in return. She also took one of the shields, enchanted as it was with a spell of protection. Korgan roared in pleasure as Nalia handed him a glowing throwing axe, telling him that it would return to him magically after each use. Coran quietly made use of the remaining set of enchanted armour, and the group were fitting the spare items into their packs when a voice rang out from the darkness.
"Halt and go no further laymen - there be a grave evil here, the source of which I have yet to find."
Coran stood as he saw a tall, proud looking man approach them. He was a human, an older one at that; his grey hair matched his silver beard, and despite his stern glance, his eyes were kind. A set of armour adorned him, shining, despite the filth that had splattered across parts of it. It had an orange hue to it, and a family crest adorned the breastplate.
Coran bowed his head respectfully.
"Lord Keldorn!" exclaimed Nalia.
"Lady De Arnise?" asked the man with puzzlement. His eyes shifted to the others.
"I am Coran Sullussaer," said Coran. "These are my companions."
The man nodded. "I recognise the Lady in your midst," he said quietly. He didn't seem overly surprised by Nalia's presence, but his eyes had a slight suspicion as he regarded her companions. "Forgive the harshness of my tone, but state your business in this place."
"We have been sent by the church to seek out a cult," replied Coran. "Am I to assume you are the Lord Keldorn we were instructed to meet?"
"Aye," stated the knight. "Then we are well met." He extended his hand, and shook Coran's arm warmly in greeting, smiling at the others. "I am a humble servant of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart. The evil of which we seek is quite strong, and unsurprisingly, it emanates from somewhere deep below us. Come - let us seal our fates together and seek it out. It is my duty to serve the greater good."
Korgan muttered something distasteful, which only Coran managed to pick up. The elf shot him a bemused look before nodding to the paladin. "Your presence in our group would be most welcome," he smiled sincerely. "Let us find the way further into this warren."
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Coran admired Nalia's work as she concentrated on the snare before them. Although fairly new to the life of an adventurer, she listened intently to his tips and advice on such matters, and now she was confident enough to tackle the trap on her own as he watched.
They had found a stairway leading down below the sewers, and wandered along old rock tunnels inhabited by shadows and creatures of the depths. They'd wandered cautiously into a purple-hued cavern, only to have the door slam behind them and lock; a poisonous gas filling the air as they were attacked by vampiric mists. Nalia's quick thinking had allowed them to escape as she picked the lock swiftly, and they'd waited for the noxious fumes to disperse before they went back to finish off the wraiths. Coran had praised her wits, and the young human had flushed with pride causing Korgan to laugh.
"She cannae be gougin' out her eyes fer any cult," said the dwarf. "She'll hae stuck 'em on you long before then."
Coran had calmed down the irritated girl and quietened Aerie as she stuck up for her friend. The noise of the argument had led to them being discovered by three armed men, who they rapidly discovered were servants of the Unseeing Eye - the central man being the blind preacher they'd already witnessed above ground.
Coran quickly explained they were looking to join their ranks, but explained they were reluctant to forsake their eyes at that time. The man, who had introduced himself as Gaal, had seemed sceptical over their worth, but then seemed to soften slightly, giving them another way to prove themselves. He asked for them to go to the levels below and retrieve part of a rod from atop a holy altar - Keldorn visibly balked at the notion, but Coran accepted the challenge and quickly ushered the group back through the corridors, to a door they had previously passed. Gaal had provided them with a key to unlock it, and Nalia had quickly determined the location of the snares.
Before long she had finished clearing them, and the party moved on slowly towards a large chamber ahead of them. An eerie glow seemed to emanate from it, and Keldorn whispered that he could detect a great, dormant evil within. A large sarcophagus dominated the centre of the room, raised high on a stone plinth. The party were looking at it with some awe when they noticed the man shuffling towards them from a tiny room that led off from the cavern.
"Hmm, be wary friends!" he called to some others standing behind him; they were not brave enough to go past the door however. "Someone has come before us - I can sense it!"
"More of you with no eyes?" asked Coran. "Are you followers of the Unseeing Eye then?"
"No, my Lord, we are not," replied the man as he reached out to locate them. Coran held out his hand, allowing the man to grasp it tightly, and he smiled. "Perhaps it is more correct to say we are worshippers no more. My name is Sassar - what brings you to this place?"
"The Church of Helm has bid me to investigate the cult," said Coran, his honesty surprising even himself. "I am now seeking a rod from below."
"No!" shrieked Sassar in horror. "You must not do this! You cannot give the rod to the beholder, my Lord! It is an artifact of great power!"
Coran shot Keldorn a concerned glance. The party had been unaware on the Unseeing Eye's actual race, and discovering its true identity was now little comfort to them. "What do you know of this rod?" asked Coran quietly, guiding the man to the steps leading up to the old coffin. They sat down, side by side as Sassar explained.
"I was High Priest of the One God once. When I discovered the true depth of his evil I escaped, and met up with others who had left the cult. We have tried to stop him, but we have lost the senses he gifted us with for taking our eyes. We are truly blind, stumbling in our efforts to halt this evil.
"His purpose of coming here was to gain the powerful artifact from below. It is an item of such destructive power that the gods themselves determined it should not be used again. It was split in two, and this half was secreted here, protected by powerful beasts and magic."
"Then it is safe where it is, away from him?" enquired Coran.
"Many of the Unseeing Eye's followers have perished trying to retrieve it," replied Sassar sadly. "I know, my Lord, that the beholder has one half of the rod - were he to acquire the second half he would be capable of wreaking terrible destruction!"
Keldorn sighed. "If this is true, then we shall not retrieve the rod. We shall have to find another way to infiltrate their conclave."
"No, my Lord - the exact opposite is true," said Sassar, suddenly excitedly. "If you can, you must retrieve it."
Coran was puzzled. "Why? I thought you said the beholder must not get hold of it?"
"He must not," agreed the man. "But we tried to get the half of the rod ourselves to use its destructive power against him - it's the only way to destroy the creature! The beholder has failed to get the rod because the gods have cursed the item. This lets you determine the artifact's true worth... or threat."
"I see," said Coran thoughtfully, when in truth he didn't.
"Would you... would you be willing to go down and retrieve the artifact, my Lord?"
"Can we use it on its own?" he enquired.
"No," admitted Sassar. "You shall need both halves - but I know of a way to do this. Retrieve the first half and I shall tell you of it."
"Very well," said Coran, standing. "We will return as soon as we are able."
"We are most grateful," said Sassar sincerely. "We have tried, but our blindness limits us. Be careful as you go, my Lord!"
Coran signalled for Nalia to lead on down the passage at the far end of the chamber, and the young girl immediately started searching for traps, expertly disarming the snares. A sudden howl made Coran dart in front of her, his sword raised to fight the shadow that had materialised before them, protecting her vulnerability as she was caught with no magical defences raised. As it fell, she smiled her thanks to him, and he inclined his head chivalrously.
It wasn't long before they located the spiralling steps leading down to their destination, several giant spiders forming the first welcoming committee they came across as they approached a giant marble hand. Aerie wandered around the sculpture, her eyes wide with wonder at it while Nalia examined the wall behind it, searching around the patterns. Her first few attempts to locate anything hidden only succeeded in calling forth more arachnids, but eventually she pulled out some gems from a small nook, a look of triumph on her face.
"My Lady Nalia," said Keldorn with amusement. "You never fail to amaze me with your... abilities."
Nalia just smiled, knowing full well that the paladin was not wholly supportive of her roguish skills, but too proud of her discovery to pay much heed. She passed the jewels to Coran and he graciously secured them in his pack, praising her once again for her improving skill. She beamed happily in return, walking along by his side as they followed the dark corridor, searching for some words to make light conversation. Despite all the time that had passed with their company being shared, she was painfully aware that actual conversation between them had been limited. She glanced around quickly - the others were slightly behind them, Aerie and Keldorn chatting quietly with Korgan interrupting every few minutes with a jibe.
"I wanted to thank you," she said, her voice hushed to not draw attention for the others.
"Whatever for?" asked Coran, turning his head to smile at her. She could see his eyes twinkling as they normally did and she felt herself flushing slightly.
"Well, you rescued my home..."
"And you have already thanked me for that," he reminded her.
"...and for accompanying me to my father's funeral." Nalia's voice broke slightly at mention of her father, and she looked away quickly, swallowing hard as she composed herself. Coran didn't say anything for a few moments. When he spoke, his voice was gentle and kind.
"Losing someone is a hard thing. I am only glad I could be there to provide a little support."
"Have you... lost someone?" she asked. He rarely spoke about his past; but no one had really asked him much about it. She realised how curious she was about him, and she waited patiently as he considered her question.
"I have seen companions fall. I have also lost people without them having died; my previous companions are in these lands somewhere, but until I find them, they are lost to me."
Nalia nodded. "I... I imagine seeing someone die must be hard."
"It can be," he replied gently. "Some of our friends died in the heat of battle, and so there was no time to notice what happened. Some died while I, myself, was dead."
Nalia gasped. "You... you have died?"
Coran laughed lightly. "Apparently so, my dear Nalia," he smiled. "They tell me that I was dead, that it was the healing and praying of the clerics in Baldur's Gate who brought me back to life. All I know, is that for a time my life was black indeed, and I awoke to a sensation of pain that wasn't truly my own. Then I knew my former companions were in trouble."
Nalia's face was a mixture of curiosity and mild horror. "I would like to help you find your friends," she said eventually. "If, that is, you would allow me to accompany you for that long."
"I can hardly deny the will of my ward, can I?" asked Coran teasingly, causing her to smile slightly. "I appreciate your offer, but I shall not hold you to it; I would be happy if you decided to see it through, however."
Nalia smiled happily, and paused as Coran stopped in his tracks. He pointed ahead, and the group followed his gaze. A large structure loomed ahead; a raised platform of a pastel blue rock with several obsidian pillars reaching up to support the gilded roof lay before them. Something, however, had once rent it asunder, and the group noticed a deep chasm, leading down into an immeasurable void that separated the ground. A solitary bridge provided a crossing, and it looked sturdy enough to support them. Coran nodded grimly, and led the way onto it cautiously, the others following behind him in silence.
The party reached the midsection when the bridge shimmered slightly, separating itself from the edges and leaving them trapped as it levitated above the breach. Aerie screamed in fright.
"Shut yer gob, ye prissy, grounded harpy!" growled Korgan. "Yer skull-splittin' screechin' is o' nae help tae anyone!"
"Enough, dwarf!" proclaimed Keldorn sternly. "There is no reason to take such a tone with a lady!"
"If there were any ladies travellin' wi' us, I'd agree," muttered Korgan quietly, causing Nalia to glare stonily at him.
"The bridge has fallen, and ends in death," came a voice that signalled the end of the bickering. The companions looked around, but nothing was visible. "I am the guardian of the bridge. Call forth the name to summon the path. What is the bridge?"
"Eh?" said Korgan.
Coran shrugged helplessly, trying to think quickly. "I don't understand," he said. "What do you wish to know?"
"The bridge will repair for those who belong. Speak of the bridge to show you belong. Show you belong, or suffer the end. What is the bridge?"
"It's a riddle of a sort," whispered Aerie suddenly. "A cryptic message. It wants us to tell it what it means by the 'bridge'."
Keldorn frowned slightly. "If it ends in death, one would think to assume that it refers to life?"
Aerie nodded, wearing a matching frown as the considered. "I would agree with that."
Coran took a deep breath. "Life is the bridge," he said loudly. A pause followed his words, and the companions held onto each other - even Korgan allowed Coran's hand to grip his shoulders.
"Life is the bridge that must end in death," came the words eventually, causing them to sigh in relief, "though duty may hold it at bay. You have spake of the bridge, but this alone is not enough. You are not alone on the bridge. Call forth the name to summon the path. It travels with you and through it you travel, and yet it does not leave you behind. Who is with you?"
Coran watched Aerie and Keldorn as they stood thinking. Korgan was fidgeting impatiently, causing Nalia to throw him a disapproving look.
"Lands? Roads?" suggested Nalia, tearing her scowl from the dwarf.
Aerie shook her head. "No... you can leave them behind by leaving the road, or crossing a sea," she said quietly. "This means something less physical I think."
"Experiences?" ventured Coran.
"Hmm," mused Keldorn. "It doesn't fit quite right..."
"Time," said Aerie softly.
"Ah, yes," agreed Keldorn. "Time... that would fit."
Coran nodded. "Time is the path." Silence lingered after his words had finished their faint echoing.
"Time is with you and you travel through it, and all the while it moves away from you. Time goes on, with or without you, though duty may make it wait. The bridge is not stable, and the end changes place. Call forth the name to summon the path. Choose the most difficult step on the bridge."
"The final one?" suggested Nalia. "Because, it would imply the final step would lead to your death in this context."
"Possibly..." contemplated Aerie.
"The first step could also be what it means," said Keldorn quietly. "It is a movement into the unknown, the beginning of all things."
"Ach, who cares about the flamin' steps!" yelled Korgan, his patience with the game running out. "Yer current step'll always be the hardest, fer it's the only one that matters at any point!"
"Lower your voice!" hissed Nalia angrily. "You don't want-"
"The current step may be your first, and it may also be your last. The others are abstract; this is yours to choose and shape, though duty may force the choosing. You have summoned the path and may join the guarding. Duty awaits you."
A shimmering signalled the returning of the bridge to its original place, and the companions hurriedly finished their crossing. Aerie and Keldorn stared at Korgan while Coran gave him a bemused glance. He was sneering smugly at Nalia, and the young girl was gritting her teeth as she ignored his mocking words.
"Har har! Imagine that, eh? Ol' Korgan gettin' the answer afore you godbotherin' daisy-munchers, an' afore the bag o' tricks could get her head out o' the nancy-elfboy's loins!"
"Th-there's no need to be like that!" shouted Aerie with a little stamp of her foot. Korgan laughed in amusement.
"If I wanted tae listen tae yer yip, ye prissy elf, I'd pull ye over my knee and smack yer bottom. At least then I'd have meself somethin' interesting' tae do while ye blathered on."
Aerie gasped in horror, turning a bright shade of crimson as Nalia gawped at the dwarf's crudeness. Even Keldorn had taken offence, and his tall frame loomed over the dwarf.
"That is enough!" boomed the paladin righteously. "You will not address the fair women in this group as such in my presence any longer, or by Torm, I swear it shall be your last act!"
"Ye'd best go off an' bother someone else, or ye'll find me axe in yer skull!" snarled Korgan, trying to square up to the much taller human.
"Enough!" shouted Coran, glaring sternly at them both. "This can wait until we've settled our business down here."
Keldorn backed away slightly, but his furious gaze remained on the dwarf, and Korgan just muttered unpleasantly as he followed Coran's lead up the shallow stairs that led away from the cavern. Coran sighed as he strode on. He wasn't cut out for leading.