A/N: I meant to finish this a couple of days ago, but I got far too busy with festive stuff -- so, here is a chapter for Christmas -- not the most exciting one to date, but the last one that I needed to get out of the way before... well, before all paths lead to Athkatla, really :D (I'm sure you can all work out what I mean by that...) I'm aiming to get at least one more chapter up by New Year -- my rather optimistic pledge to finish this by 2007 seems destined to be delayed, though, as the situations and scenarios just grow and grow beyond all my attempts of control :D
I'll wish everyone a very Happy New Year with this one, though, in case I fail to update again before then -- thanks to everyone for their continued support and reading -- your various feedbacks are all very appreciated, and I'm just glad I can create something entertaining enough to keep you all interested! When I first started on the site, I was in awe of some of the works on here -- two of which I still follow closely (both Baldur's Gate related fics, by Finduilas and Kendris) and it was only due to the encouraging response I got to 'Anomen's Thoughts' that I plucked up the courage to post up 'Discovery' -- and from that, came 'Reclaiming'.
Little did I know that it'd work out the way it has when I wrote a VERY simple outline for it ;)
So, thanks to you all -- you're great, and whether you leave a review or a message or not, I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am writing it!

General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.

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The Warden, the Master and the Thralls

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"Be careful!" roared Valygar as Edwin's fireball exploded, incinerating their enemies easily, but also threatening to set alight his allies. Tagget moved away even further from the battle, where two of the thralls had survived the magical onslaught and were raining blows down upon the stalker as he ducked and dodged, parrying their blows as well as he could with his katana. Missiles flew from Edwin's fingertips, striking the woman and knocking her to the ground, allowing Valygar to concentrate on the man. It only took a few more seconds for the ranger to find an opening, letting his weapon cut through the gap in the slave's defences and slice through the flimsy leather armour. He fell to the ground, dead.

"We should follow them," declared Valygar, looking over to the portal on the floor. Flesh coloured, it pulsed regularly, seeming to contract and relax at regular intervals, pulling anything upon it down into its hold when it tensed. Coran had disappeared soon after Nalia, and only moments later the three remaining companions had come face to face with a group of thralls investigating the girl's shriek. Tagget had managed to stay away from the fight, unarmed and un-armoured as he was, but thankfully Edwin's fireball had weakened their foes severely from the beginning, even if it had come dangerously close to scorching Valygar in its explosion. The stalker was now wondering how the two thieves would be coping on their own, surrounded by an unknown number of slaves.

"To what end?" asked Edwin irritably. "To follow them into an uncertain death, perhaps? It would be foolish to stumble blindly into such a situation. (Must I always be the voice of sense around here?)"

"We cannot just leave them!" Valygar's eyes glinted dangerously.

"The foolish girl should have been more careful," replied Edwin calmly. "And our reckless leader is more than capable of defending her long enough to pull her to safety. I assume there are portals that lead back out, gnome?"

Tagget nodded nervously. "They... they stop you from exiting if you wear a collar, but your friends should be able to pass through easily enough."

"Then it is settled," said Edwin with satisfaction. "We will wait for them to come back, as they surely have the opportunity to."

Valygar said nothing; he glared at Edwin for several moments, then approached the portal, stalking around it as he drummed his fingers on the hilt of his sheathed katana. Edwin fully expected him to do as Coran had -- leap into the unknown without a second thought. Neither the elf nor the ranger were too bright, he'd noticed, and so the acts of sheer stupidity displayed by them were failing to shock him any more. He was pleasantly surprised, however, when the ranger showed obvious signs of restraint.

Edwin couldn't keep the smug smile off his face as figures began to emerge from the depths of the portal, pushed out by its contractions. It vanished quite quickly when he realised the man standing next to Nalia was a human, and not the elf he'd expected. To make matters worse, the man he had been expecting to appear was being carried in the strangers arms, looking rather limp, while Nalia sobbed.

-----------------------

When Coran opened his eyes he didn't recognise his surroundings. Granted, the inside of the planar prison was strange to him and so it wasn't exactly what he'd call familiar... but he was sure it wasn't meant to look like this.

Everything was grey. There was a floor beneath him, but it didn't feel real. The walls were there, but... they looked false. He wasn't sure what it was that caused him to think that, but his instinct was warning him and he had no reason to doubt it. He simply had no idea where he was; but a sudden realisation of his previous moments made him shudder with a sudden chill.

He was dead?

He frowned slightly. Even when he'd been in his sleep, he'd never witnessed this place before. When he studied his surroundings more intently, he could see some other figures further on and he began wandering towards them. A few were standing around another; a fairly tall girl, pretty by human standards. Her black hair fell around her face and her lithe body was tense. She was watching one of two portals of light; it was spinning, glowing with a vaguely blue colour -- and then it faded. She gasped, falling to the ground... then she faded from existence. The crowd murmured quietly, then dispersed, wandering away. Coran ran over to the nearest figure.

"Where am I?"

The man looked at him and smiled. "If you don't know, it's maybe for the best."

He knew. The words sealed it for him. "That girl -- what happened to her?"

"She was one of the lucky ones," said the man sadly as he ambled off. "She's been pulled from here to return to life."

Coran looked back to the portals. The blue one had faded, now hanging dully in the air. The other, however, was glittering with a golden light. People were moving away from it, almost instinctively, but Coran felt himself drawn closer and closer. When he reached it, it flashed slightly, blinding him. When his vision had cleared, he realised he was not alone.

The woman standing by his side was familiar to him, but yet a complete stranger. He had worshipped Her form for longer than he could recall, singing praises in Her name every day and spreading his love to honour Her ethos. And now She had come for him... was it really time to pass into Her realm?

He opened his mouth to speak, but she shook Her head, smiling at him from under Her curling, golden hair. Her blue eyes were like pools of water, swirling gently as they locked to his and drawing him in. The curves of Her face and body were as perfectly aligned as the statues that were sculpted in Her name, and a shimmering violet gown rippled in the non-existent breeze. He fought to keep his breath, then realised he didn't need to.

"You have come," she said, her voice low and seductive, but also seeming to be sad. "It is not yet your time, however." the portal behind her changed in colour -- the gold turned to a shade closer to brown as she continued to talk. "Listen well, my faithful, for I give you this chance to go on. What your heart seeks is not yet beyond your reach; if you believe in me and let your emotions ring true, you will find the way. You have a long road to travel yet, Coran, and the path shall not be easy. Listen to your heart, and I will be with you."

With that She stepped aside, clearing the way between him and the swirling mass. He was compelled towards it, wandering through before he realised what was happening. As everything faded to black, the last thing he remembered was Her softly murmured words. "Luck be with the romantics."

-----------------------

"Coran?" Nalia was sitting beside him when he opened his eyes, her tear-stained face a telltale sign of her sorrow at his fall. She gasped, immediately moving to kneel by his side as he groggily tried to sit up.

"I... I am... fine," he grinned crookedly, raising one hand to his head. It was thumping rather badly, and he had to blink a few times to allow his eyes to adjust, putting his world back into focus. He was in the passage where Nalia had inadvertently stepped onto the portal that led to the cells. Valygar and Edwin were watching him carefully, both appearing quite surprised by his sudden return to life. Another figure, the human whose collar they'd removed, was sitting beside the gnome, Tagget. He looked at the elf fearfully.

Coran accepted Valygar's hand, standing rather shakily, and smiled to the former prisoner. "You have some strength," he noted dryly, checking himself over for injury, surprised to find that he was completely free from injury.

"I-I'm sorry," the man stuttered. "I... I couldn't help-"

"It's all right," said Coran soothingly. "I know -- it was the collar."

The man nodded.

"He's called Jack," explained Nalia quietly. She was watching Coran with wide-eyes, as if she expected him to fall over dead again at any second. "He... he carried you out here when we realised you were... you were... why are you here?"

Coran grinned to her. "You make it sound like it's a shame I'm still with you!"

"(Well, he said it.)"

Nalia ignored Edwin and rushed over to Coran, shaking her head. "No... no, not at all. But... you were... well, we didn't expect you to... we have no cleric here, but still..."

Coran took her hands gently in his, continuing to smile reassuringly at her as she trembled. "I don't really know what happened. But... apparently, it's not my time, and my Lady Goldheart sent me back to finish my role in the fates of the land."

Nalia looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Coran just kept smiling; any memory he had of what happened had faded rapidly, and he had nothing but the recollection of a smiling face with long blonde curls and eyes as blue as the summer's ocean. "I can't remember," he said softly. "But what's important is that I'm back."

Nalia nodded her agreement, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug. He reciprocated happily, though memories of Maiyn flashed into his mind and caused him to frown slightly. He managed to hide his concerned look when they parted, however, turning back to Jack and offering him a hand.

"Time for us to go on," he said simply, helping the human man stand up.

"(About time.)," muttered Edwin darkly.

-----------------------

Tagget and Jack led them along the corridors, and now they knew what to expect, further incidents with the portals to the cells were avoided. After a while the two former thralls paused, looking back at the companions hesitantly.

"What's wrong?" asked Coran.

The two exchanged nervous glances.

"It's where we are," said Jack quietly.

"Close to the Master of Thralls, we are," agreed Tagget, licking his lips anxiously. "Formidable in combat, it is -- a stare that can freeze fear into even the bravest of souls."

Coran nodded. "We've experienced such beasts before," he said, remembering the incident in the planar sphere. "Is there anything you can tell us about this creature that will help us in our battle?"

"Protected he is, by the toughest of thralls," noted the gnome with a frown. "They wish not to serve him, but cannot help their actions. Perhaps... if you could get past them without killing them, they may be valuable allies."

"Edwin?" Coran nudged the red robed mage. "You have sleep enchantments, don't you?"

The Thayvian snorted. "(Enchantments! Simian.) I possess powerfulspells that can induce sleep in hapless victims, yes. By inscribing a rune on the ground, I can make it so they feel the effect when it is activated, usually by wandering too close to it."

"Good man!" Coran clapped the human on the back, causing him to scowl darkly. "Then we can get past them without causing them any undue harm and face this Master. It's a demon, you said?"

"A tanar'ri," nodded Jack. "It channels the element of air and is usually flanked by two pet elementals. Its staff summons and dismisses them."

"This gets better..." remarked Valygar grimly.

Coran sighed. "Well, we have little choice but to go on. This tanar'ri -- it has the object we seek to disable the collars?"

Jack nodded eagerly. "It possesses the Orb of Control. If it is destroyed, the collars will no longer have the power to control the other prisoners."

"Why do I get the feeling that destroying this orb isn't going to be simple?" asked Nalia.

Tagget coughed slightly. "There is a rift, and used it could be," he said hopefully.

"Where is the rift?" asked Coran.

The gnome exchanged another glance with Jack. "In the Warden's chamber." A heavy silence fell, broken only when Edwin mumbled something in an unfamiliar language. The others assumed they were curses.

"But!" exclaimed Jack, "If the Master's guard thralls come around as you reach the rift, they will come to aid you in the battle -- I don't doubt that for a second!"

Edwin frowned. "Exactly how far away from this 'master' is the warden?"

Tagget swallowed hard. "In the next room, he is."

Valygar rolled his eyes. "Even better..." he mumbled.

Coran shrugged. "Well, it might be slightly more challenging-"

"Slightly?" Nalia sounded sceptical.

"-but it doesn't change the fact that we have little choice in the matter." Coran smiled charmingly. "Let us work out a plan!"

-----------------------

Edwin muttered under his breath. This wasn't unusual for him at all, but at least this time, Coran reflected, he was preparing a spell. Just as he was finishing, he stepped forward to look around the corner and set his invisible rune on the narrow entrance leading into a large crystal chamber. The thralls guarding it noticed him almost immediately, moving forward to apprehend him; two humans and two yuan-ti. To the group's general relief, and Edwin's smugness, all four of them collapsed when they passed through the archway, snoring loudly as they lay in an untidy heap. The mage lifted his robes and wrinkled his nose as he tiptoed over them, the others close behind.

"Through there," whispered Tagget, pointing to a dazzlingly bright room beyond the chamber they were in. Coran squinted -- like this cave, it appeared to be constructed from sparkling crystals that picked up the slightest bit of light and magnified it around, causing the small and innocent torches at the entrance to power an almost overwhelming amount of light.

Nalia quickly finished her resist fear cantrip and Coran felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Edwin's haste spell was next to hit them, and Valygar got in place at Coran's side, ready to move in at the Thayvian's command. Another round of spells were completed, with each mage bringing a loyal invisible stalker to their sides. Edwin nodded, and together the creatures moved forward, seeking out the elementals to distract them from the battle. It worked almost perfectly -- the elementals swirled around, brought into existence as the tanar'ri slammed his staff on the ground. They immediately launched themselves at the stalkers, whipping themselves round into small whirlwinds that pushed the creatures away further, leaving the path clear to the demon.

Coran and Valygar charged, carefully avoiding the gaze of the beast, their hasted movements letting them cross the distance before it had registered their appearance. The elf's sword cut across its flesh as the ranger used both his weapons in a dazzling display of speedy double wielding. The tanar'ri growled.

"You! You are the ones who have brought such disruption to this prison and my thralls, eh? Well, this will be the end of that!"

It drew its head back, emitting a loud roar that coursed across the room. Coran was thankful of Nalia's earlier cantrip, and went on attacking with Valygar, completely unaware that there was now only one voice chanting behind him.

Edwin threw Nalia a dismissive gaze and rolled his eyes as he finished his own spell; with a careful flick of the hand he caused large hails of ice to fall down heavily around the demon, causing Valygar and Coran to swear loudly, almost in unison, and duck for cover. The Thayvian immediately threw himself into his next cantrip, an incantation of vocalise that engulfed the silenced Nalia. She smiled weakly in thanks and threw herself back into her own mutterings -- an acid arrow soon followed, piercing the demon's tough skin and causing it to wince.

It was enough distraction for Valygar and Coran to emerge from their shelter when the hailstones finished -- a quick frown at Edwin from each of them, before they returned to their quickened attacks, felling the beast much faster than they'd anticipated. Coran was quick to grab the fallen beast's staff, throwing it to Nalia and pointing to the elementals who had almost destroyed the stalkers.

"See if you can draw them back into it!" he cried.

She nodded slightly nervously, ignoring Edwin's derisive snort, and steadily made her way over to the creatures; they were still busy with the summoned creatures, and the first one disappeared as soon as she hit it, a flash of light drawing it back into the staff where it had come from. It's partner turned and snarled at her, launching itself at her with a growl and causing her to stumble. She heard Coran calling her name, and she flailed helplessly, praying that the staff would hit the beast as it lunged for her throat. A flash of light blinded her slightly as she hit the ground, and to her relief, the creature had gone. The elf was by her side in an instant, checking she was all right.

"I'm fine," she smiled, accepting his hand as he helped her to her feet. She caught his eye, but to her slight surprise he seemed to flush, turning away from her as if the situation was awkward, and wandering back to Valygar and Edwin, where they huddled together, discussing tactics about the Warden. Tagget and Jack cautiously approached them, having been hiding out in the corridor until they knew it was safe to enter, and the former prisoners offered their advice on the coming battle.

Nalia remained where she was, watching Coran with slight confusion; he didn't even seem to be missing her presence in the discussion, and before long they seemed to have agreed on a battle plan. Helplessly, she wandered over, nodding when she was told her role and taking up her position as a loyal member of the group. With a grim look, Valygar led the way through, the Master of Thrall's orb in his hands.

-----------------------

Many were dead, but due to the overwhelming force they'd had in sheer numbers with the enraged but freed thralls, many more were now being teleported from the prison by those who had the magical ability. The group were thanked repeatedly, and the few who had some basic healing skills tended to the wounds on Valygar and Coran before they began to leave, Jack and Tagget amongst their number. The gnome pointed to the corridor they needed, and they cautiously made their way along towards the most heavily guarded of the cells, aware that the fighting may not yet be over.

But it was -- the few people they encountered were disoriented and confused, and only Nalia's soothing voice and concerned care managed to persuade them to make their way to the Warden's chambers, convinced he had fallen and their chance for freedom had come. Within minutes they'd found Raelis and her troupe, much to their delight. The woman rushed over to Coran, grasping his hands in hers as she smiled.

"You have known us for so short a time yet you have bought our freedom with blood," she said. "My child, my friend, it is a debt I can never repay..."

"There is nothing to repay," Coran assured her. "We are glad to have been able to set so many others free from this place, as well as yourselves." Edwin snorted from somewhere behind him.

"The other slaves? They have been released?"

Valygar nodded. "When we destroyed the control held by the Master of the Thralls, their collars were deactivated. Now they are making their way from this hellish place."

Raelis sighed, seemingly with relief. She turned to her troupe. "Come, ye Doomguard, we must be off and swiftly. And you, Coran," she looked back to the elf. "I can give you nothing but my gratitude and a conduit from this place, back to the plane you call home. Perhaps we all shall meet again."

She shimmered slightly, and the air behind her swirled into a large portal. Wordlessly she nodded to them, waving farewell as the others, including the blue-haired Haer-Dalis, wished them good fortune. Nalia was the first to make her way through, Coran close behind her, with Edwin next and Valygar taking the rear. They stumbled as they arrived at the other side, feeling fairly dizzy, and looking around them to check where they were. As expected, the playhouse of the Five Flagons lay before them; eerily empty, except for one single figure who was standing at one of the backstage tables, a knife in hand, and the body of one of the slain mephits dissected before him. He looked up briefly at their arrival and smiled coldly.

"Ah, I wondered how long you would be."

-----------------------

Coran was quite unsure how to act. "Xzar?" he asked for the second time -- the first time had been ignored; the necromancer waving an irritable hand as he continued with his investigation into the dead creature's innards while Edwin shuffled closer for a closer look. Valygar had been restrained, but only just, when he realised who was there.

"No," Coran had said to him in a low voice. "He is... different -- sane. We do not know what to expect with him in this state." His tone seemed to have been enough to prevent the ranger from acting -- thus far at least -- though the stalker's muscles were tensed and ready to move. Xzar had given him no more than a single glance, which was more than he'd bothered to do with Nalia. Only Coran had exacted a studious look from him.

Eventually he finished the task at hand, scooping up some organs into a jar with a pleased smile. His attention went back to the elf. "You," he said, moving forward. Valygar stiffened. "I do not know your name, nor am I particularly bothered by it, or who you are."

"Flattered, I'm sure," replied Coran dryly.

"Do not attempt wit, please, unless you can manage to sufficiently utilise any small amount of intelligence in your pea-sized brain," said Xzar, a hint of frustration in his voice. Edwin's eyebrow rose.

"(A bit crude and gaudily dressed for someone with my impeccable taste, but nevertheless, a wholly refreshing attitude)," muttered the Thayvian. Nalia gave him an odd look, making sure she gave his robes a very obvious stare. He ignored her.

"What do you want, Xzar?" asked Coran, slightly impatiently. He was slightly disturbed by the mage's lack in insanity, which was very unsettling -- too unsettling to balance out the plus point that his halfling companion wasn't present, though, with reflection, Coran was quite happy with it this way. He wasn't sure if he could have stopped Valygar from acting had Montaron been by the necromancer's side.

"Interesting," murmured Xzar, still staring at the elf. "Three times now you have uttered my name, so it is unlikely to be a coincidence. I believe I was right... I do know you -- or have certainly met you, previously, and you must be the key to what I seek."

"Our meetings have been brief," replied Coran bluntly. "And I am assuming you are seeking Montaron -- and I cannot help." He waved his hands to signal their departure, but Xzar seemed intent on delaying them.

"I do seek Montaron, ultimately," he said coldly, "but to find him, I shall require assistance."

"You'll get no help from us, wizard," said Valygar threateningly.

Xzar gave him another dismissive look. "You know the one I need to find -- she will help me to find him, for I have found out that she is likely to pursue his... captors. I need to know where she is."

Coran paled slightly. "Who do you mean?"

"The name is unimportant," Xzar snapped. "You know the girl -- as tall as the waif whose company you currently keep, with the hair and hygiene that betrays her feral streak. The Child."

The elf swallowed hard. Maiyn. "She does not travel with us… with me, any longer."

Xzar studied him for a long moment, then swept his hand out towards the nearest table, sweeping several wigs and facial paints onto the floor in one angry movement. "Where is she?" he demanded. "It is her that I need, and you were the one she travelled with not even a year ago. You must know."

"Well, I don't," replied Coran simply, with a shrug. "All I know is that she is due to return to Athkatla at some point, and she will likely report to the Shadow Thieves who reside beside the docks."

Xzar's eyes gleamed. "The Shadow Thieves?" he asked thoughtfully. "Large building, seems to be cloaked in shadow, and the windows are darkened out?" It was very close to the place he'd taken as his laboratory, conveniently.

"That's the place," nodded Coran. To his relief, Xzar smiled, then swept past them swiftly without another word. He watched as the necromancer all but bounded up the stairs, then exchanged pointed looks with the others: Nalia was wide-eyed, and he assumed it was worry over the necromancer's behaviour; Edwin was frowning, seemingly lost in his own world, and Valygar's face was thunderous; his rage so intense that his whole body was now shaking.

Coran moved towards him, but he shook his head, and the elf nodded respectfully. "Let us go to the inn," Coran said quietly. "Tomorrow we will return to the country."

-----------------------

A note was awaiting them when they got to the Seas' Bounty, sealed simply and unidentifiable until they opened it. Within, written in Renal Bloodscalp's elaborate writing was the information he had promised them previously -- the details that the Shadow Thieves had ascertained regarding Aerie's death.

'I can assure you that none of my men had anything to do with the unfortunate events surrounding your young friend. We have investigated the matter, using what resources we have, and what I can tell you may prove to be of some interest. Seen, fleeing from the scene just moments after the girl entered the alley, was a swarthy appearing figure -- short in stature, with one source suggesting that he may have possessed halfling blood. He was followed to his inn, where he shared the room with a green-robed man who was conspicuous if only for his complete detachment from reality. It has been suggested that these men are not unknown to you, and so I shall not go into further details; if you require their names, I am sure we can come to some agreement."

"I knew it," said Valygar calmly as they sat at the table of the inn. Nalia's face was grim upon hearing the news -- only Edwin seemed unbothered by it all.

Coran nodded. "We can only hope that whatever pickle they've found themselves in," he said, "is enough to lead to their end."

"Xzar was... strange," said Nalia quietly. "He is... different, when alone."

"He was," agreed the elf. "Perhaps it is some magical thing? Or some form of bond or spell we don't understand? Regardless -- I think he is more dangerous without Montaron, than he is with him -- at least when he's a babbling fool, we only need worry about the halfling's fighting ability."

"I will not rely on something else bringing them to justice," stated Valygar quietly. "I will travel with you tomorrow, but then our paths must go separate ways. I will go on to my cabin in the hills and get what I need, before I return to the city to find them in my own time. I will not rest until I have avenged our friend."

Coran nodded understandingly to him. "Had I not my own business to deal with, I would offer my own company for your task. But... I have other things I must do."

"I know." Valygar stood up. "I can only hope your friend does not provide assistance for these monsters, either wittingly, or unwittingly. I have no wish to extend my ire to anyone else." He turned and walked away, heading to his room. Coran sighed.

Nalia raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't mean that as harshly as it sounded," she said. "And your friend-"

"When we met Valygar, at his cabin, and Korgan attacked us," he interrupted. "We didn't fight Montaron and Xzar, remember?"

Nalia nodded as Edwin looked decidedly uninterested. "You said that they'd saved her life more than once."

"Yes," the elf replied quietly. "They have -- and she respects that."

Nalia bit her lip slightly. "You think if Xzar finds her, she'll help them out of gratitude?"

The elven thief sighed and shrugged and he leaned back in his chair, a defeated expression on his face. "I don't know, Nalia. I don't know any more."

-----------------------

The journey to the De Arnise Keep was fairly subdued. They set off early, picking up their horses from the Crooked Crane and meeting Reynald and his companions at the city gate shortly after. Nalia rode beside the charismatic leader of the ex-paladins, and though their conversation seemed quite light-hearted, they kept their voices low in respect for both Valygar and Coran's quiet moods. Edwin gave up complaining less than half an hour into the trek, aware than it only served to cause the other former knights to attempt to converse with him.

Night fell more than an hour before they arrived at the safety of the keep, and Nalia was quick to send the maids off to make up rooms for the extra bodies, then arranged a time for them to meet Captain Arat and the Major Domo the following morning after breakfast. The fallen paladins had seemed fairly impressed with the structure, and seemed to be pleased with their decision to move from the city to serve alongside the guardsmen -- Captain Arat also seemed to be open to the idea after Nalia had vouched for them, though he seemed to hold a certain suspicion about their trustworthiness; Coran was sure she'd be able to persuade him to give them a chance, however; and if needed, he'd do likewise.

As it was, he was hoping to avoid the gathering altogether. Since his near escape in the planar prison he'd been feeling strange, but he was at a loss when he tried to work out what was causing it. Part of him was wondering if leaving the city was truly a wise option -- he'd stayed there so long in the hope Maiyn would return, to leave it now felt wrong... but since he no longer knew what he expected when... if... he saw her again, he was unsure if he should even make the effort.

He lay awake for a long time that night in his own room -- he retired while Nalia was still talking to the Major Domo, and when there'd been a knock on his door slightly later, he'd feigned being asleep until the familiar sound of her soft footsteps could be heard returning back down the passage towards her own chamber. Neither sleep nor reverie were within his grasp, and instead he lay in the darkness, surrounded by the silence of the keep at night. Thoughts swirled around his mind, of ghosts that refused to be put to rest, as he clutched the letter Maiyn had written for him, all those months ago, when he lay asleep in the palace at Baldur's Gate.