Disclaimer: I do not own 'Shadows of Amn', the 'Forgotten Realms' or any characters therein. Wizards of the Coast do, at my last check. Lucky them.
I do, however, own Fritha and certain other characters and plot points. Basically, if you don't recognise it from the game, it's probably mine.

– Blackcross & Taylor

In to the darkness

The shouts of friends and guttural roars mingled as they echoed through the tunnel, the leathery green spheres of gauths swooping and weaving in amongst the group, dodging blade and spell alike.

Aerie stood in the shadow of the ranger, working her magic from safely behind his blade, watching the gauths dart between her friends, teeth flashing as they snapped at any weakness before retreating again, most escaping to the shadows above them. But through the chaos Aerie suddenly caught a glimpse of red hair; Nalia, two gauths bearing down on her and the girl being forced back, any arrows that managed to find a target merely glancing off their tough hides. She knew any spell could just as likely hit her friend as well as the creatures and before she could think she had readied her staff and was flying out from Minsc's shelter.

Aerie stepped left, ducking under the swing of Keldorn's blade and halting an approaching gauth with a word, her heart racing as she watch Nalia struggling to nock another arrow. Suddenly, Fritha sprang from the shadows at the girl's side, her appearance so sudden she had felled the first gauth and wounded the second before they'd even a chance to retreat, Nalia finishing it with an arrow to the eye. Suddenly Nalia's struggles held an air of the staged, but whether planned or not, it seemed her friend was no longer in trouble and Aerie felt a cold vulnerability creep over her as she realised the danger she herself was in.

She whirled immediately, hoping to retreat back to Minsc. But fighting closed the way; the ranger joined by Jaheira and both on the other side of four gauths. A movement to her right and she turned just in time to guard against a bite, catching the gauth across the jaw, the creature retreating into the shadows above her before she could ready a spell. Aerie swallowed dryly, a real panic filling her as she cast about for an ally, the tunnel a chaos of blades and flashes.

Aerie held her staff ready, trying to catch the familiar hiss of gauths over the shouts and clashes of the fighting that raged about her, the shadows that hemmed the group in concealing untold enemies. A flare to her left and she dodged just in time, the bolt of energy flashing past her into the darkness, the gauth almost upon her as she straightened and it was not alone. Another two followed, all circling just out of reach looking for an opening. She drew up her hands for a spell, the gauths taking the opportunity and sweeping in, teeth ready.

Aerie lashed out with her staff again, biting back a curse as the nearest swooped easily out of reach, her arms aching as she moved immediately to swing at the next. But she was too slow, her staff getting heavier by the moment as she lunged for the third. It, however, was not so quick to retreat, darting at her face and she raised an arm, screaming as she felt the teeth sink in and instinct took over, the energies that left her hands doing nothing short of vaporising the creature, ash plastering her bloody arm.

'Aerie!' a voice behind her roared, and she whirled back to see the ranger fighting through the chaos to reach her.

'Minsc!' she screamed, one arm cradled in the other as she started forwarded, when the two gauths she had been fighting dropped suddenly from the shadows to block her path. Their attentions were on the approaching man though, the sudden discharge of energy almost blinding her, though through the daze she saw Minsc kill one before he fell, Jaheira appearing over him to engage the second, and at last it fell dead at her feet.

A groan before her and Aerie's vision cleared to reveal Minsc struggling to stand, Jaheira and Anomen already bent over him, trying to convince him otherwise as they unbuckled his breastplate.

'Is- is there anything I can…?' She trailed off into silence as it became clear neither had even noticed her speak, and Aerie retreated to stand against the tunnel wall, watching the others examine carcasses and check equipment, all oblivious to her.

Aerie sighed. They had been travelling the maze of tunnels for more than an hour before any sign of life had been seen, Jaheira finding a pit trap in the darkness that had probably been the end for more than one traveller in its time. Since then it had been one trap after another, the ones the Nalia could not disarm forcing them to go around or even backtrack to find another route. And it had been during one of those times that they had stumbled into the horde of gauths… The elf bit back a frustrated sob, pressing a wad of cloth into her bleeding arm and putting all her focus on keeping the magelight above her staff aglow; would every quest they accepted lead them through some sun-forsaken labyrinth?
She winced as the ranger groaned again, Jaheira's curse echoing about the tunnel, concern for Minsc and her own guilt merely adding to her worries from the morning.

Her earlier visit to the circus had started as it usually did, her friends all gathering about her once she had awoken from her rest, ready for news of what she had been doing. And she had felt an unaccustomed pride as she'd described to them her last few days away from the city, rescuing Nalia's castle and showing them the gold she had earned; clearly not a vast sum for the company she held now, but a good tenday's earnings for a circus performer. But as she'd talked, the atmosphere had seemed to change. Quayle was the same warm soul as he had always been, but she'd found the others growing quiet and withdrawn, unwilling to share their own news and excusing themselves one by one until it had been just her and the old gnome left. Of course, she'd asked him what was wrong, what she had done to upset everyone so, and he had sat before her silent for what seemed like an age as he deliberately filled his pipe, until finally he'd sighed and she remembered his words with painful clarity.

'Can't you see it yourself, girl? Their problem isn't with you, but with themselves. Before you were all the same, normal folk with normal cares; now you're off saving Faerûn and they just feel mundane by comparison. How do stories of new tricks and quarrelling performers compare with sieges and trolls? I expect they were worried of boring you. I know you don't care, Aerie, but it can't be undone. You are not like them now, no longer the frightened little girl I took in so long ago… Aerie, you're special. This new lot you've fallen in with, they're your sort… all brim full of fight and destiny. You're one of them now, you can't keep clinging to this old life.'

Aerie had told him she didn't care, that there was no difference, but deep inside she'd known he was right. She could visit the circus as many times as she pleased, but she would never again be a part of it.

The elf sighed, tightening her grip on the cloth at her arm. It was all very well for Quayle to say she had outgrown the circus, but it did not mean she fit in with her new group, and Aerie felt anchorless without the idea of her old life there waiting for her, as though abandoned between two worlds. Her new friends were nice enough, of course, but the more time she spent with them, the more she felt she did not belong. There was just something about these people, a certain fluency that made her feel like she was just playing at things.

Minsc and Jaheira were clearly old hands, Fritha led with a confidence that spoke of experiences well beyond her years, and the squire too, for all his youth, had been training for battle since his early teens. Even Nalia seemed to have found her place in the group, always at hand with lockpicks or well-placed arrow, and she felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought.
Aerie shook her herself, angry at her own pettiness. Nalia had just lost everything she had ever known, she should be glad her friend had found her place in the world. And on the whole, Aerie considered, she was happy the girl had found her niche; it was just so frustrating that she had not.

Aerie sighed crossly; this should not be so difficult! She had already lost one life when the slavers captured her. But, then, it had been she, not her family who had been stolen away, and she often imagined them living in Faenya Dail still; her father working on his sculptures in the studio, her sisters, Helia and Euripal in the garden, combing their hair or chasing birds, just as they had when she'd left them. Aerie shook her head, as though to scatter the memories. That life was dead for her now. She could no longer return to the city; to watch her kinsmen soaring over the mountains as she once had would be a torture she could not bear. But she had found Quayle and the circus and the pain had eased. Aerie understood that change was a natural part of life and in her heart she knew the circus no longer had a place for her, so why was it proving so difficult to relinquish it?

She aimed a frustrated kick at the nearest stone, the pebble taking flight only to strike the tunnel wall, the sharp clack echoing about her. Anomen glanced up at the noise and she turned away, worried he could see the unrest on her face. At least he had stopped picking on her now, which was certainly more than could be said for the druid, she considered as she glanced back to see Jaheira stalking towards her, a bandage ready in her hands and a look that suggested she would have liked nothing better than to hang her with it.

'By Silvanus, Aerie,' she began as soon as she reached her, gently covering her arm in salve and beginning to bind it up, 'if you cannot fight in close combat, I suggest you avoid it! I won't always be here to tend you!'

Aerie swallowed, wishing ardently that the woman would lower her voice. 'I-I'm a healer too, Jaheira.'

But the woman merely snorted. 'Yes, and a lot of good you'll be to us half-dead!' she snapped, pulling the knot tight, 'Stay out of the melee in future!'

Aerie dropped her face, feeling the blush surge as the druid stalked back to the now standing Minsc, Fritha and Nalia appearing instantly at her shoulder.

'And it's cold out, so put on your mittens-' scolded Fritha, wagging a finger at her.

'And don't slouch-' came Nalia in quite a good likeness of her aunt.

'Oh shut up!' Aerie snapped, surprising herself with her own sharpness. But thankfully, neither girl seemed offended.

'Aerie, dear,' Fritha laughed gently, throwing an arm across her shoulders and giving her a heartening squeeze, 'why so sad? I know Jaheira can seem a little harsh at times, but she doesn't mean anything by it; it's just her way. If anything, it shows she cares…'

Aerie sniffed slightly, stubbornly shrugging her off. That may be so, but it hardly served to make things any better. Not fitting in was bad enough, but there was just something about the druid that never failed to make her feel like a silly little girl. 'It's all right for you,' she muttered, face still lowered, 'it's me she singles out.'

But Fritha just snorted. 'Oho, Jaheira has had months to get used to me. Do you really think we were like this from the beginning?'

Aerie looked up slowly, never really considering that the woman would have ever scolded Fritha like that. Yes, they would have fought. In fact, you would have had to be blind not to notice their recent quarrels; the cruel bloody sort of fighting that only close friends could do, or forgive. But sharp though they had been, they were still the arguments of equals and Aerie could not imagine Jaheira rebuking Fritha as she had just her.

'Wh-What was she like back then?'

Fritha shook her head, a wistful smile playing on her lips as she gazed off into the darkness.

'Ah, she hated me… We had Imoen and Dynaheir with us back then, but even so, I still think there was a little place in her heart reserved for me.' She sighed gently, turning back to her still smiling, 'but time passed and we got used to each other. I can't imagine life without her now.'

'Aunty was the same, dearest,' came Nalia with a gentle smile, 'her sharp words always hiding some genuine care for me… or my reputation at least,' she added with a frown that suggested she wasn't sure whether to be offended by such misplaced concern, and Aerie felt instantly ashamed of herself. Nalia had just lost her home and her family, and there the girl was trying to cheer her up. But before either of them could say any more, a deep voice called her name and Nalia took her lantern to a narrow section of tunnel where Keldorn was stood with the druid, suspicious looking scorch marks peppering the walls.

'Looks like they've found another trap,' commented Fritha absently at her side, 'still, at least we're probably on the right track, eh?'

Aerie tried to return her smile, but it would not come and she dropped her face again. 'I should not be complaining of this to her.'

Fritha sighed, seeming to understand her meaning without further explanation.

'Aerie, dear, just because Nalia is suffering, doesn't mean you can't too. Still,' she continued, her eyes drifting back over to where Nalia and the old paladin were stood talking, 'it's a shame the boy Isea was not more like our Keldorn here. I think it likely we would not be so much pitying, as envying her,' she finished with a roguish grin.

It was clear what Fritha was trying to do: distract her from her melancholy with some inappropriate and not to mention childish gossiping. But, Aerie considered as she felt her lips twitching, it seemed stubborn to deny so ready a diversion. She smiled shyly.

'Well, his armour is awfully shiny.'

Fritha threw her head back and laughed warmly, a mixture of genuine amusement and triumph that the game had been taken up, and Aerie could not help but join her. Perhaps she had a place there after all.

xxx

Anomen felt his jaw clench as yet another round of quiet giggles erupted from the two girls before him. This was the last time he travelled with a group comprised mainly of young women!

They had left the site of the battle and had been continuing on through the caverns for almost an hour now, Minsc and Jaheira at their head. Nalia was walking abreast with Keldorn behind them, the paladin telling her of a campaign her father and he had both served in when they were but squires themselves; the tale apparently a humorous one for the girl was laughing for first time since Anomen had met her. But, which unfortunately left him bringing up the rear just behind Fritha and Aerie, who, it seemed, also appreciated the man's efforts with their friend, for they had not stopped talking about him since they had set off, the pair whispering and laughing and generally behaving like children.

He glanced to them now, neither making any attempt to hide their admiration, their eyes trained on the old knight as they chattered. If it wasn't enough that the insufferable Keldorn was now with them, always on hand to mete out criticism and generally make him feel like a child, without his companions suddenly falling over themselves to worship the man as well!

Anomen scowled, unable to bear their idiocy a moment longer and leaning forward with an angry hiss. 'Really! The pair of you are acting as though you have never encountered a paladin before.'

The girls turned back to him, quite surprised at being interrupted so, though Fritha recovered first.

'Well, to be fair, I haven't. But I shouldn't mind to in future, if they're all like him,' she grinned, fanning her pale face with a casual hand and throwing Aerie a smirk, 'oh, he's just so gallant.'

'My lady!' Anomen spluttered, trying to overcome his disbelief, 'He is a married man!'

But the girl merely rolled her eyes, the elf giggling quietly as Fritha turned back to answer him.

'Of course he is married, Anomen, and so he should be. My observations were not to those ends. He's just so…' she paused, smiling warmly as she searched for the word, '…lovely. All old and wise and compassionate.'

She glanced to Aerie and they both beamed foolishly at each other. Anomen snorted crossly. Fritha was very hard to read. Although he had been concerned by her more eccentric traits, she had seemed capable and quick, with patience that was, though sometimes misplaced, undeniably impressive. But the more he associated with her, the more idiotic she revealed herself to be! Wandering off to find Gaal with barely half the group, her abject refusal to admit that rule by the Order would make Amn a just society for all, and the way she was now giggling with Aerie over a man old enough to be her father!

'He's not old enough to be Aerie's father', had been her impertinent reply when he'd voiced that concern.

Aerie herself was ahead of Fritha now, holding a furtive conversation with Nalia that was punctuated by much giggling, and Fritha dropped back to walk next to him, though her eyes still watched the girls with a mild interest.

'Lost your cohorts?' he asked, barely keeping the sneer from his voice.

Fritha glanced to him a moment before seeming to realise what he meant, nodding to the pair as she answered.

'Aerie's just asking Nalia if Keldorn has any sons of our age,' she replied with a grin and Anomen frowned, sincerely hoping this was another of her jokes.

'If he did, they would surely be members of the Order and I would know about them.'

'Not necessarily,' she said casually, 'besides, I doubt you would take the time to acquaint yourself with one so much younger than you, even if he were a member.'

'One so much younger?' he repeated, hardly able to believe her cheek, 'how old do you think I am?'

She shrugged slightly, giving him an appraising look. 'About thirty years?'

'Thirty!'

'Older?'

'Fritha, I have seen but twenty-four winters! You truly believe I look thirty?'

She shrugged again, an air of nonchalance about her as she continued. 'Well, your beard covers a lot of your face; I suppose you just seem older. I mean, if you were to judge my age on merely my manner, how old would you place me?'

'Twelve,' he answered sourly, but the girl seemed not to take the insult as it was meant.

'Exactly. As it is, I am almost double that!' she exclaimed, as though it was something he should have trouble believing. 'So it just shows, you really can't tell, can you.'

Anomen scowled as the girl sent him a dazzling smile. No, you really couldn't tell.

Fritha turned her attention back to the path ahead of them before she lost her composure completely and burst out laughing. Her efforts at cheering Aerie had rubbed off on herself as well, and though annoying Anomen had seemed to be an entertaining consequence of their discussions, Aerie was now immersed in conversation with Nalia, and Fritha decided it was as good a chance as any to reconcile herself with the squire.

'Anomen.'

'Yes,' came the snap of a reply, and by the look on his face, she was fortunate to get that.

'I note that Keldorn serves in the Order under Torm and yet you serve in Helm's name; is the Order allied to a certain few faiths or may anyone join?'

He eyed her shrewdly a moment, as though trying to discern whether this would somehow be twisted into another joke. She sent him a sincere smile.

'Well, my lady,' he began finally, and Fritha did not fail to notice the renewed use of her title; a sure sign she was on her way to being forgiven. 'Any faith may join the Order; indeed it even accepts those who pledge allegiance to no god -though that is something I am not sure I agree with,' added sternly, with a frown that matched her own. 'But no, any man may put himself forward to be squired, as long as he has a knight to sponsor him and the wealth to cover the cost of training.'

'You have to pay?' she blurted out before she could stop herself, though thankfully he did not seem offended.

'Yes, but only to cover the initial costs of weapons and lessons in the first few years, until you can be sent on campaigns to earn your keep.'

'But what of those who cannot afford it?' she pressed, finding it hard to grasp how a group so obsessed with justice for all could be so unfair. 'Their desire to join may be no less.'

Anomen gave her a warm albeit slightly patronising smile, as though he was resisting the urge to pat her on the head. 'I see your outrage at this perceived injustice. Indeed, my lady, it does you credit, for it can be a hard path to the Order for those without coin. I myself was without funding for my initial training, for my father refused me, and had it not been for the intervention of my mother, I would not have been accepted at all. She has long passed now, but while she lived she was a devoted follower of Helm and friend to Sir Ryan Trawl.'

He smiled slightly at some undisclosed memory and Fritha found herself quite warmed by the sincerity of his gesture, until he glanced back to her and the air of arrogance was about him once more.

'My mother petitioned the knight-commander on my behalf, begging him not to turn me away and so he allowed me to enter as a novitiate of Helm. I was sent to a seminary where I trained as a cleric and learnt my sword arts from the guardians of the temple to eventually join the Order as a squire. A long road it has been, my lady… but I am pleased to serve in the Order under Helm's name -and I trust that Helm is pleased with me, as well,' he added rather smugly.

Fritha considered he probably was, and not to either's credit.

'But what of you, Fritha?' he continued, shaking her from her thoughts, 'you are a force for righteousness and honour. Why do you not request to join the Order and achieve glory as well?'

Fritha frowned slightly as the rather ridiculous image of her in full plate, brandishing a sword as tall as she was rose unbidden behind her eyes.

'I didn't think they let women in.'

'Well, they do not accept them as squires, no, but if the lady has proven her worth already, they will accept her into the ranks after a few tests of virtue have been completed.'

'Proven her worth?' she repeated with a bark of laughter, 'Then I sincerely doubt they would have me, Anomen. Besides,' she continued with an easy smile, 'I have no need for glory, and I am sure the Order has no need for someone like me.'

'No, no, you are as likely right,' Anomen began and it was only when she turned to nod that she noticed the anger in his eyes, 'the Order would have no need at all for one who would deal with thieves and heretics!'

Fritha blinked owlishly, the suddenness of his attack leaving her speechless, though the squire was by no means finished.

'One who jests and prattles when silence would serve! One who- who cannot even muster the will to fight against the injustices of this land!'

His anger finally spent, he quickened his pace, making to brush past her again. But Fritha had no intention of being snubbed for the second time that day, her voice echoing gloriously as she shouted after him.

'Well, I am glad we are in agreement then, though why they should want your company instead is beyond me!' she snapped, leaving unspoken the fact that, at the moment, they did not.

He paused, form rigid, before carrying on his path to their head and Fritha let him go, eyes focused his back and taking an angry pleasure in watching his ears grow steadily redder.

Jaheira watched as the squire marched towards herself and Minsc, only to fall into step with Keldorn at the paladin's gentle intervention and leaving Fritha to bring up the rear alone, just on the edge of the light. Jaheira sighed tersely, pausing to give Minsc a nod before turning to pass the two quietly chattering girls and the stiffly silent warriors, at last falling into step with her.

'I see you and the knightling are speaking again,' she commented with a frown to Anomen's back and Fritha shot her a look.

'Oh yes,' the girl muttered savagely, 'we're getting on like a house on fire, complete with falling beams and screaming occupants.'

Jaheira snorted; if Fritha was still in the mood for such turns of wit then she doubted the squire had done that much damage.

'Would you like me to speak with him?' she offered, already knowing the girl's response.

'No,' Fritha sighed, running a hand through her hair, 'and I'd rather not talk about it either; I'm finding it very hard to remain objective at the moment.'

Jaheira nodded her acceptance. 'As you wish, though it is nice to see you are not without temper; your patience is commendable, but I worry sometimes it signifies a lack of something else.'

'Like what?'

'Like a regard for your own feelings,' Jaheira warned and the girl turned away, clearly unwilling to hear the lecture as she continued. 'Fritha, being the leader does not mean you have to bear the brunt of everyone's tantrums.'

'I bore yours, didn't I?' she muttered sullenly and Jaheira felt herself colour, her guilt quick to resurface though she was not alone. 'I'm sorry,' continued Fritha all in a rush, her dismay instant, 'I really am. I didn't mean that, it's just this quarrelling with Anomen has left me out of sorts.'

Jaheira nodded her acceptance of this hasty apology, a moment's silence falling between them before-

'You know, he does not have to be a member of this group…'

Fritha shrugged, looking suddenly tired.

'No, he doesn't -and I suspect he is thinking exactly the same at this moment,' she added with a humourless laugh. 'But he is good at what he does and his association with the temple has already found us this work. I mean, he's fine usually… well, he's all right anyway,' she conceded at Jaheira's look. Fritha sighed. 'I shall just have to learn to be more accepting.'

'You'll have to learn?' Jaheira repeated incredulously, the girl's acquiescence only riling her further, 'did I somehow misunderstand his screaming at you a moment ago?'

'No,' Fritha conceded slowly, 'but I was not blameless in things. I had been teasing him not long before.'

Jaheira raised a stern eyebrow. 'About what?'

'Pretending I thought he was a lot older than he clearly is,' Fritha confessed, giggling slightly as she recalled it. 'He got all pink in the face. "Thirty?" It was very funny. I thought it might lighten the air a touch; he's been agitated ever since Keldorn joined us, but you saw yourself the ultimate result.'

Jaheira snorted crossly, turning to throw another glare at the squire. It had been unreasonable of him to shout at Fritha over something so small, if indeed that was the what was riling him, and Jaheira felt sure that the arrival of Keldorn had done more to influence the squire's behaviour than any teasing Fritha, who he seemed to hold so little regard for anyway, could have done.

'Well that was ridiculous. As though you could mistake him for anything but a child with the way he behaves! Between him and the elf, I'm not sure whether we are heading a mercenaries' group or a nursery.'

'Leave Aerie be, Jaheira,' Fritha sighed, unwilling to see all her previous work in cheering the girl undone. Jaheira snorted, opening her mouth to continue and she interrupted her evenly, 'We have all lost, Jaheira. You, I… why not her as well?'

'You know something,' Jaheira pressed and Fritha glanced to where Aerie was walking ahead of them, looking small and frail in the grey glow of her staff.

'I know too much,' she said at last with a nonchalant shrug and Jaheira seemed to know from experience that that would be the end of it, a silence falling between them that neither felt the need to break.

The sound of raised voices behind him and Keldorn turned with an unpleasant certainty to see Anomen exercising his temper upon the girl, Fritha. Though she herself seem to be suffering in anything but silence as the pair parted, Anomen marching towards the head of the party as though to put as much distance between them as possible. Though the squire's behaviour was really not very different to that of other young men of his age within the Order, all being passionate and combative when it came to matters of justice and honour, yet without the age and the wisdom to temper such zeal, it was something the lad should be learning to control. Something that only seemed to be proving more difficult the longer he spent outside the Order's structured hierarchies.

Keldorn sighed, waiting until the squire drew level before drawing a measured breath and halting him.

'Squire Anomen.'

The lad seemed to shudder at his words, and Keldorn could almost see his desire to just carry on to the head of the group, though his sense of propriety eventually won over and he dropped back slightly to walk at his side, stiffly answering his summons.

'Sir Keldorn.'

The paladin nodded once and they walked on in silence a moment or two longer, giving the lad's temper time to settle before he spoke again.

'I noticed you and the girl, Fritha, are having a disagreement of sorts,' he started conversationally, Anomen needing little more prompting to take up the discussion.

'Before you begin, I am well aware it was not the appropriate way to address a lady!' he snapped, though to his credit, he did flush soundly at the admission and Keldorn shook his head. Although the lad often acted in anger, his subsequent contrition could never be doubted.

'Anomen,' Keldorn sighed, wondering mildly how his own knight had resisted in braining him when he himself had been as brash and choleric as the young squire, 'I do not believe it was the appropriate way to address anyone. But the question of why you did so, still remains.'

Anomen hung his head slightly, as though embarrassed to recall it. 'I do not know. We were speaking of the Order, she was asking me of the different faiths and, and- I just find it all so frustrating at times!' he burst out with sudden fervour. 'I joined with this group to earn glory in the eyes of the Order, to distinguish myself from my peers, and though I have travelled with them for nigh on five days now, there has been nothing! The girl did not even allow us to accompany her when meeting with Gaal! I know the Order teaches patience, but it seems as though I am to be taunted at every turn!'

Keldorn sighed, halting as those before him did, the group rounding a corner in the tunnel to reveal a vast cavern, a huge stone temple stood within. The very building itself seemed to shine with its own inner light, stalactites glittering above them in the bluish glow and Keldorn could make out the dark silhouettes of hooded figures milling about before it. If Sassar was to be believed, they may well have found their artefact. Fritha and the druid had moved past them to speak with Minsc, Nalia and Aerie stood together at the tunnel mouth, talking quietly as they watched the temple with a quiet awe and the paladin returned his gaze to the man next to him.

'Anomen, if this path was easy all would walk it.'

'Fritha would not,' he snapped sullenly, 'she does not care for such things! How am I supposed to achieve the goal I seek in such company that cannot even understand the importance of the Order to Amn?'

Keldorn shook his head, lowering his voice slightly in hope that Anomen would do the same as the two women before them exchanged a look, the druid turning back to throw them a glare.

'Perhaps they do not, but why do you assume that it will be an obstacle? You are in their company now, destroying a great evil and at your god's request no less.' The paladin sighed again, laying a hand upon Anomen's arm as though trying to will the truth of his words into the lad. 'Anomen, I understand your eagerness to attain a knighthood, I was the same myself once. But if you become too focused on this goal you will lose sight of the path to it; just serve Helm and do good in the Order's name, you will find the recognition you seek.'

But if anything this request for patience only seemed to make him more belligerent, and the old paladin could do nothing but shake his head with despair as Anomen quit his company to march past the others and up to the strange cowled figures, leaving the rest of them little choice but to follow.

'What is this place?' he demanded as he reached them, the strangers barely lifting their eyes at his arrival, something which only seemed to infuriate the squire further. 'Speak now or suffer my wrath!'

'Little do they know, they're getting off lightly,' Fritha muttered, the paladin watching as Jaheira nodded curtly.

'Yes, we must suffer his company.'

Fritha snorted noisily into her hand, still smiling as she moved to join the lad.

'Stand down, Anomen,' she interrupted easily, 'these people look to have faced much worse than you.'

And she was correct, Keldorn considered as he stepped up beside her, the light from their lamps falling across the figures to reveal hanging faces of decaying skin, as grey and lifeless as the surrounding stone.
Anomen was glaring at her, clearly furious, though Fritha paid him no mind, turning instead to give the nearest figure a polite bow, 'Please forgive our intrusion.'

The figure remained silent for just long enough for the girl to clearly begin to wonder whether he had understood her, when at last he shrugged and answered, his tone one of total apathy.

'It matters not at all. I have nothing to hide from you and would not care even if I did,' he gestured slightly to the figures that still milled listlessly about them, all but ignoring their presence, 'I think you'll find we care about very little at all.'

Fritha shrugged as well. 'All right, then tell us who you are.'

The man sighed deeply, his breath coming stale as an ancient tomb.

'Ah you wish the exposition. Typical,' he began, this faint air of bitter humour the only life about him. 'We are the guardians. We guard the temple. This is very important because every few hundred years or so someone nearly always wanders this way.'

'A-Are you ill?' came the voice of the avariel behind him, hesitantly worried and Keldorn made a note to commend her on it later, her concern for others a credit to her.

The man sighed again, dully considering a rotting hand. 'It is the decay of our minds and souls. We have grown to hate the power that sustains us, and so we rot.'

'Then why do you stay?' asked Fritha.

Again a sigh and shrug. 'We cannot leave. We cannot even die. We are born again in an endless cycle of souls. It has been so for millennia.'

'But who sustains you?' the girl continued, a slight urgency creeping into her tone, clearly wanting to help them, but still unsure how. 'Who is your temple dedicated to?'

'The temple?' he repeated, glancing back to the building as though vaguely surprised to find it there. 'It has been so long since we have uttered the god's name, it has been forgotten by most. What loyalty do we owe a creature that would condemn us to this?' He snorted bitterly, turning away from them to rejoin his brethren. 'Take what you will from the temple. We are guardians in name only.'

The girl watched him go, before sighing herself and leading them up to the dark stone doors of the temple, waiting wordlessly for Keldorn and Anomen to step forward to open them, the squire's surprise mirroring his own at their unexpected lightness, the solid doors swinging open easily at the slightest touch. Fritha glanced to him and Keldorn nodded, the pair entering side-by-side.

Inside a huge hall stretched out before them, easily rivalling the Helmite temple there in Athkatla in size, though it was much more elaborate in its design. A high vaulted roof arced overhead supported by two rows of ornately carved pillars, everything in the same deep blue stone, while underfoot, an intricate pattern of sunbursts was worked in gold and blue tiles. In the distance, Keldorn could just make out a set of steps leading up to the alter, a bowl of intense blue fire burning brightly upon the top, bathing all in an eerie washed out light. There was something about that place; some sense of ancient weariness that seemed to weigh on the spirit and made him feel his fifty years, though his younger companions did not seem to notice.

'It's beautiful,' he heard someone breath behind him, the paladin glancing back to see Fritha staring up at the arches with awe. Keldorn went to answer her when another cut him off, the whole group seeming to start as a voice before them rasped, 'Who walks in the temple of I?'

The form of a man had appeared in the central aisle, so frail an apparition that Keldorn could still see the outline of the altar through it, though its presence seemed to fill the temple; a consciousness much larger than anything that could be comprehended, to the point where is seemed to overwhelm his own. It was a feeling Keldorn himself had experienced only a handful of times before. Once when in prayer for the safe deliver of his first child, another time when just a squire, preparing for the final assault on the pass he and his comrades had been holding from the orcs, and even though this feeling was much weaker, he was in no doubt what had just appeared before them. Whoever that ancient temple was dedicated to, they had not yet passed so far into obscurity as to eliminate their presence there.

'Tread with care, friends, this is no mere spirit.'

Fritha nodded once and he could see the understanding in her eyes, though the girl seemed undaunted by the knowledge, squaring her shoulders to answer it.

'Fritha walks here.'

The apparition considered her thoughtfully.

'The guardians let you pass?'

'Let me pass?' Fritha repeated incredulously, her surprise seeming to banish what little trepidation she may have had. 'They practically invited me in.'

The avatar flickered, shock evident on its face.

'What is this you speak of? Why have the guardians failed in their duties? The great device was placed in their care; this temple built to house it, the guardians given over to protect it. This was the letter of the contract.'

Keldorn shook his head gravely. 'You are no longer worshipped here. Ages have passed since this temple was built and those outside have lost their faith.' He sighed to add sadly, 'They feel nothing but loathing for you.'

The avatar flared brightly and Keldorn sensed its fury.

'But they must serve! It is the letter of the agreement. They are to guard and I will sustain them. This is to be for all time.'

'But they are suffering!' Fritha cried, clearly outraged at the injustice of it. 'And for what? They guard against nothing, no one comes!'

A righteous anger swept over him and for a moment, Keldorn thought it would attempt to strike out at the girl, an eternity of unwavering deference making her outburst seem all the more insolent, when suddenly it seemed to change, an unexpected air of sadness about it.

'Ah, I sense it… Much time has passed and I weep for my children, they that have suffered for so long.' It sighed and the weariness of the place suddenly seemed overwhelming, the paladin tightening his grip upon his sword hilt, the familiar weight of the blade solid and reassuring as the avatar continued. 'The letter of the agreement was that I protect the great device until the end of time, but even it has waned in power and is not so epic a danger as once was thought…'

It paused, gazing about at them all, and when it spoke again its words rang with an obstinate strength.
'I will reinterpret the agreement, for surely I should protect the device until the end of my time, and that is nigh. The intent of the bargain was that the great device would not be used again and if it is indeed the end of time, then my last act should be to destroy it.'

'Hang on,' Fritha cried, quickly raising a hand to forestall it, 'we need it first!'

The avatar turned its gaze upon her. 'Yes, child, I see in your mind your plans. You seek the great device for another, though you owe them no allegiance and they intend to kill you.'

Anomen coughed pointedly, but said nothing. The apparition nodded.

'The course is simple. You will take the great device and weaken it, then return it to me. Tell my people you carry the piece so that you might deplete it. They must know I intent to destroy it… but more than that, they must know I intend to end their service. The small amount of faith this will instil, even for a short while, will give me the power to destroy the artefact upon your return.'

It nodded once more and Keldorn heard Fritha gasp as a slender blue rod materialised in her still raised hand, the girl almost dropping it in her surprise.

'Go in peace, my children.'

...

Fritha led them back through the doors, the one they had spoken to just previously glancing up at the sound, voice half-bored, half-derisive as he approached them.

'So, have you enjoyed your visit?'

'Yes, thank you,' answered Fritha without thinking, such niceties drilled into her from an early age. Jaheira caught her with an elbow, though the leader seemed not to notice, his eyes fixed on the rod in her hands.

'You… you have the great device!' he breathed, his voice gaining a sudden passion, the other guardians rousing slightly at the commotion. 'Wh-What are you doing with that? It cannot be moved! It has not been moved in millennia!'

'It is the will of your god,' came Keldorn behind her, and Fritha considered that if his deep confident tones didn't convince them, nothing could. 'It is his command that the rod be taken from this place and weakened, that he may destroy it.'

The man stared at them a moment, eyes hard, before shaking his head, the determined weariness about him once more. 'I do not believe you. If you have the device it is only because our god is even weaker than we imagined.'

Fritha shrugged, signalling for the others to follow her as she turned to leave. 'You will see. We will return and you will be freed from your service.'

'Nothing changes here,' he shouted after her, almost defiantly, 'you will not return and we will not be freed.'

Fritha felt her hand tighten about the rod, the blue enamel patterns that covered its surface smooth under her fingers. They would be freed, as would Sassar… as would Imoen.