Silvarian studied his companions and not for the first time wondered, "Why me?"

From West Harbor to Neverwinter and now in some shadow plane of a land far from his homeland, he felt as if the Gods looked down and singularly picked him to be the object of their whims and fancies. The destruction of his village, his adventures, the rapid rise in social status, and just as suddenly, whisked away and left for dead in a cavern, all seemed like something out of a very bad dream. No, he corrected himself, not a dream but some demented god's poor idea of a joke.

Sitting across is a mage from Thay, her shaven head revealing tattoos and designs of power. She claimed her mother had tasked her to recover him and bring him to someone named Lienna, though he suspected that there was more to it then she lets on. Lienna unfortunately was dead when they arrived, choosing suicide rather then allow herself be taken by other Thayan mages. It was then that they learned of the death of Safiya's mother.
Silvarian initially thought it strange that she would prefer to stay with him, than to go back to the academy but considering what he saw and knew of Thayan predatory practices, knew it was the wisest choice. Safiya undoubtedly, would have gone to her death had she left and returned on her own.

Beside Safiya, sat Kaelyn. Just recently joined, they found her as they entered the temple.
Silvarian did not know what to make of her.
Speaking to her, he learnt that she, once a cleric of Kelemvor, suffered some ideological differences and caused her to worship Ilmater instead.
Her demeanor was that of a gentle spirit but her convictions reminded him of a stubborn badger.
The thought badgers however, broke his line of thought and an unbidden memory of a druidess sprang into his mind.

"What's wrong?" Safiya asked.

Safiya it seems, tend to watch him, as if studying a laboratory experiment, and yet, he felt that there is more to her then meets his eye. There was tenderness he could feel, whenever she addressed him.

"Memories. Of friends far away." said the ranger, Silvarian did not want to elaborate that they were all probably dead.

"He is thinking of his lover or perhaps one of his many loves, such a pretty thing of golden skin and feral eyes." a voice said from behind them. It was Gann.

Silvarian did not like the hagspawn, but his tactical mind recognized the need of Gann's company. Safiya frowned but remained silent. It is obvious that Gann's charm or lack of did not matter to her at the least and she tolerates his presence only out of respect towards Silvarian's decisions.

"Her name is…was Elanee. She died saving me." Silvarian said softy.

"Ahh, and I am sure her sacrifice was a noble one, for one as deserving as you." Gann said, in that mocking tone of his.

"I do not know if I truly deserve such, gifts, but I will not put her memory to shame by discussing the merits of such sacrifices made. I will ask you this Gann, is there anyone you know who would have done the same for you? Is there anyone who would think of you as deserving his or her life?" Silvarian retorted without malice.

Gann's features clouded for a moment.

The half elf intrigued him; the man despite being brutally honest was able to temper his disdain with sincerity.

"This will be a very interesting journey." Though the hagspawn.

"You wound me, your words cut me, if only a little. Nevertheless, I will speak no more of this." Gann replied, he knew that the man has a dark side; he sees it every time they are in battle. The change from a gentle, soft spoken half elf to a man methodically lopping off his opponents' limbs and striking grievous wounds with those twin swords of his, made him at the very least, worthy of caution.

"This will be a very interesting journey indeed." A grin spread on Gann's face.

They were finally able to open the door to the temple's basement, after a hard fought battle against knights dedicated to Myrkul who held the key. Silvarian didn't understand why would anyone still worship a dead god, but a rare insight struck him. Perhaps the god isn't truly dead, yet, if there are still followers who are able to draw power from a fallen god.
Silvarian pushed further thoughts aside and concentrated on the task at hand, and scanned the area for traps. Finding none, they entered cautiously and moved down a long corridor.

"Someone's there." Kaelyn said pointing to a far shadowy alcove.

They waited a moment watching the figure, but realized it was only a statue.
Silvarian however saw something familiar, and walked towards it to take a closer look.

As he got closer, Silvarian's heart started to pound harder and his mind balked at the sheer impossibility of what he saw.
Nevertheless, there was no mistake, he reached out to touch the statue, to make sure that he wasn't seeing things, to see if it was truly there. Running fingers across features that he knew so well, the horns, the lips, that little grimace of a smile when she's in trouble, all came crashing down on his mind and he gave voice to its name, "Neeshka?"

Kaelyn was confused.

"You know this thing?"

"Not a thing, dove, but a person, from back home." Replied Silvarian.

Safiya approached and made an observation, "Look, it is holding a ring and what looks like a parchment or page torn off a book"

Carefully removing the ring, then the paper, Silvarian read it out aloud.

"Day five.

I should have thought about this a little more. Definitely should have brought more food and water but Mephasm did not say how long I had to wait. Stupid doors will not open and I had a narrow escape when some mummies came wandering about. Do not know how much longer I can stay hidden so I am going to use this scroll on myself, don't think the undead here will bother something that is made of stone. I am going to trust that he will know what to do when he finds me. He better."

Taking the ring from Silvarian, Safiya noted that it is a Stone-eater's Ring, one that held the power to turn someone who was turned to stone back to flesh again. Giving a quizzical look, her eyes searched Silvarian's "Should I use it?" she asked.

Silvarian replied, "Yes Safiya, please do so."

Putting the ring on, Safiya concentrated and felt its power running through her. Focusing that power, she gestured and willed its power to flow to the statue in front of them. Everyone waited and for a moment, it seemed that each held his or her breath. Then the change began, gray stone started to take on color, softening, turning back to leather and flesh. In a space of several heartbeats where the statue once stood, now stands a being of flesh and blood. She staggered, taking a shivering step then toppled over.

Silvarian, however, was there to catch her, cradling her, softening her fall. She clung to him tightly unable to speak, the ranger, however whispered into her ear, "I thought I lost you."

"I knew you would come." Neeshka said hoarsely.

Her lips were still a little bluish and it was obvious she needed a drink. Silvarian motioned for some water. Neeshka drank and sighed.

"I knew you would come." She repeated, and then she started to cry softly for a while before loosing consciousness.

"Oh my, yet another moth drawn to your flame, one with such strong feelings too. One would think that she is more then just a playthi…"

Gann froze.

Faster then he thought possible, the half elf had his swords out, katanas he called them, and whirled on him. He felt one of the blades nicked the side of his neck and the warm trickle of blood that flowed from the cut. Gann was about to say something when he caught the madness in the half elf's eyes.
"No, not madness..." Gann thought.
He is calculating if he still wants me, if he still needs me.
This is no idiot, blinded by acts of goodness and mercy.
He does what he does because he chooses to. Gann shivered almost as much from that knowledge as from the excitement he felt.

"We should move back to one of the more securable rooms and make camp. She needs a meal and some rest, as we all do. She does not look like she is able to move till then." Kaelyn suggested breaking the silence.

Silvarian nodded, stepped back and with grace that belied his agility, smoothly sheathed the swords. Turning his back to Gann, he walked off to scout for a defendable place to rest.

Gann, watched him, and noted that he did not notice or did not care to notice another pair of eyes, filled with questions, watching him walk away. Reaching up to touch his neck, he felt the cut. Deep enough to draw blood, but not so deep that it would have severed an artery.

"Such control!" Gann thought. "I think I am in love." Gann said to no one in particular, simply excited over the fact that the journey has taken an interesting turn of events.