Chapter 67: Before The Ruins
It had taken a little over a week for the group to reach the Ruins of Arvahn and the trip had actually been less stressful than the one from Neverwinter to the keep. Qara had actually behaved herself and not picked a fight with anyone. Of course, Khelgar thought to himself, that was probably because Sand had shown a remarkable ability to avoid an open confrontation with the girl. Qara could try one's patience, that was for sure, and he sure didn't know why Nim had included her in this joint. He was just glad that there had been no fireworks along the way, although there had been a couple of close calls. However, one look from Nim pretty much killed any confrontations before they got too involved. There was just something about the way those cool, green eyes fixed on you that made you lose your nerve. Hells, even the brat Qara backed down when Nim looked at her in that way. Khelgar shook his head, realizing that by now everyone knew that Nim was quite capable of seriously hurting or killing those who crossed her. He hadn't wanted to believe it, wasn't comfortable with it, but he could no longer deny the truth. The way she treated Torio had cemented that fact in everyone's mind but good.
Turning his eyes from the fire he had made for camp that night, he turned to look towards the top of the hill where the little elf was standing looking down into the valley of Arvahn. That mutt of Bishop's was standing right beside her, looking quite at home. He studied the girl for a while and then noticed that even though her body was still as a statue, her ears were pricked up and her nose was lifted, almost like a predator sensing its prey. In fact, her actions so mirrored Karnwyr's that it brought sharply home the difference in the girl out here, away from the keep.
"You've been silent for quite a while stumpy, what's wrong with you?" Neeshka asked, her voice slightly taunting, her eyes gleaming in preparation for a sharp retort from the dwarf. That retort never came and so the tiefling reached over and waived her hand in front of the dwarf's eyes, "hellooooo, anybody home?"
"Get your fingers out of my face fiendling," Khelgar said as he pushed her hand away. "Can't a dwarf have a moment to think for himself without a thieving, sneaking, little cut-purse sticking her tail into his business."
"Yeah a dwarf can, but that's never been a problem of yours before moss-breath," Neeshka chuckled. "Honestly, if a serious thought spent more than a minute in your head I would be surprised, and I'm not easily surprised."
"Well be prepared to be surprised for I was thinking serious things," Khelgar grumped. "I was just pondering some revelations I've had about our little leader if you must know."
"Yeah right, you were probably wondering when she was gonna go hunting for your dinner," Neeshka snorted, her lips curved in a slight smirk.
"Well, you're wrong," Khelgar said emphatically, a gleam entering his eyes as he stared at the tiefling. "I was thinking about how different she is out here in the wilds compared to the way she is at the keep. She seems to belong out here, almost like she is nature or nature is her. Oh and by the way, Bishop has gone to hunt for dinner tail-for-brains," he added as an afterthought.
Shandra had been sitting with them, watching the banter back and forth between them, and couldn't keep from laughing at the look of suprise on Neeshka's face as the tiefling's jaw dropped open in shock at what the dwarf had just said. "Too bad I'm not a betting type of person or put a bet on whether Khelgar could surprise you. I'd have made a fortune," she chuckled.
Neeshka snapped her mouth closed so hard her teeth clacked together and she simply glared at the other woman for a minute. "What did you mean by that nature stuff Khelgar?" she asked, turning to the dwarf and glaring at the smug look on his face.
Khelgar shrugged and tried to find the words to express his thoughts, never an easy thing for him to do. "Don't really know, it just came to me as I was watching her there with that mutt of Bishop's. I've been with her the longest, travelled the farthest with her and I never really noticed it until now."
"I noticed it from the first days of traveling with you to Highcliff," Elanee spoke up softly as she settled on the ground between the two. "I even spoke of it briefly after the battle with Garius, about how she is more in tune with nature than any non-druid I have ever met. In all the years I watched her I never fully understood what I was seeing in her behavior. It has taken months of association and many lengthy conversations for me to fully comprehend the difference."
"She has always been more relaxed out here, in the woods, than in any walled structure," Casavir said, his tone indicating he didn't understand what the druid was talking about.
"Know that from the day I was released to join with the Kalach-Cha that I have been aware of the diffrence," Zhjaeve spoke up, her voice calm and confident. "Know that I sensed in her the same things as I would sense in a wild animal locked in a cage. Know that this only disappears once she has been out here for a couple of days and returns quickly once she is back inside walls. It is far more than comfort that causes this. Know that out here is where she truly belongs."
"You know I don't like Bishop, so don't jump all over me for what I'm about to say," Shandra told them and saw them look at her curiously. Taking a deep breath she continued. "When she first informed us of Nasher's plans for her that day at the Flagon and we were all talking about what it all meant, Bishop said some things that I remember quite clearly. He said that being assigned to rebuild the keep for war would kill her spirit. He said that she needed to fly free or she would wither and die. He was right," she finished softly.
Neeshka sputtered angrily and then hissed, "You're crazy. Bishop's an ass, he's stupid, he, he..."
"He was right and we were wrong," Sand spoke up firmly, causing the tiefling to stop mid rant. "I have seen it, we all have seen it these past few days. She is more open, care-free and happy out here than she ever is inside the Keep or in Neverwinter."
"I have closely watched her during this trip and can't deny what I've seen," Khelgar shook his head. "She moves through the land as if she owns it, as if it was placed here for her to move through. I swear by all that I hold dear that the land actually welcomes her, talks to her, speaks to her in a language we can't hear or understand. I know it sounds crazy, but that's the impression I've gotten."
"Know that it is not madness Khelgar," Zhjaeve looked directly at him. "I have seen how the trees seem to reach out to her and I have heard whispers on the wind. Know that I feel you are correct and that nature speaks to her and tells her things that we could never understand. Know also that I feel if she should ever need help, that all of nature would seek to aid her in any way that it could."
"I believe that is because she is a devotee of Solonor," Elanee said softly. "Bishop scoffs at such things and insists that the gods do not exist, but they do and they do occasionally choose to favor mortals. Solonor may have even chosen her specifically because of the threat from the King of Shadows, for that threat is not just against mankind but also against nature."
"Oh come on Elanee, that's such nonsense," Neeshka snorted and rolled her eyes. "She's like 80 years old and we never heard anything about this Shadows guy until just a couple of months ago. She's been following Solonor for a lot longer than that."
"Actually, it is a logical deduction," Sand said thoughtfully. "This is not the first time the King of Shadows threatened this plane. The last time was when Nim was a babe and her village was destroyed. It was during that final battle that the shard was buried in her chest, settling so close to her heart that it would be next to impossible to remove, at least not without killing her. That shard, as well as the others she carries, are part of a silver githyanki sword. She has seen that sword before and so have I."
Casavir came to sit with them, an intent look on his face as he faced the wizard. "You have never spoken of what is was you saw that time you linked with Nim's mind. I have been curious about it, but I respected her right to keep such things to herself. However, if what happened so long ago has any bearing on events now, then you have an obligation to inform us of it. We are her companions and have sworn to stand by her in her fight. We need every weapon or advantage we can get and the knowledge you have may provide such a thing."
"Shouldn't it be Nim's decision if we should be told?" Shandra asked sharply. "You know how private a person she is Casavir and you also know just how touchy she is about people talking about her behind her back."
"Actually, we are not talking about her, at least not techinically," Sand responded, a faint smile curving his lips. "If I choose to share my knowledge with others, that is my decision. I am not revealing deep dark secrets, nor am I revealing any hidden truths. I am merely relating things I know that just happen to involve her in some way."
"Trust a wizard to come up with a way to twist things so he comes out smelling like a rose," Khelgar snorted. "Just remember, Nim's not a logical type person."
"Ah but there you would be wrong, for she does not act on emotion but on a carefully determined course of action based on personal experience and hands on training," Sand retorted. "Even those times when she seemed to act on impulse, she was operating on some level of logical thought. Nim approaches every situation in a very logical and organized manner."
"Gee, no wonder you two are so buddy, buddy," Neeshka snickered and then laughed at the affronted look on Sand's face. "I'm surprised you didn't make a play for her before Bishop got his claws into her."
"She is a child and I am old enough to be her grandfather," Sand said suddenly looking like he had a bad taste in his mouth. "I happen to prefer my companions to be more mature thank you very much."
"She is more mature for her age than others of her kind Sand," Elanee said softly. "Her childhood was such that she was forced to grow up long before normal elven children would have to. Some of her actions may have been childish, granted, but she is learning quickly. Perhaps too quickly," she mused and fell silent thinking about it.
"It's so sad that she didn't get to enjoy being a child more," Shandra spoke up. "I mean, we all got to play with dolls or other toys, to play tag or hide and go seek. She got to learn to feed herself, clothe herself, look after herself. She learned about battle tactics and war, how to stalk and kill her prey. What kind of childhood is that?"
"Know that it was such that made her capable of handling and succeeding at the daunting task now before her," Zhjaeve said firmly. "My people believe that everything happens for a reason, even if the reasons are not clear. Know that it was no accident that her formative years were such as they were. I would like to hear what Sand knows about her memories for I believe that some of our answers can be found in them."
Clearing his throat, Sand started off with the first battle long ago, and walked them through it all right up to the point where West Harbor was destroyed. "The sword was wielded by a man, a warlock to be precise, against an avatar of the King of Shadows. It shattered and in succeeding years, the pieces were scattered throughout Neverwinter territory. Without knowing how it is possible, the man responsible for Melia's and the other nobles' deaths is the same one that participated in that battle. He wielded the sword and he is attempting to gather the shards. One could conclude that this sword, the shards for which Nim possesses, is a weapon capable of defeating our foe. As such, Nim is the only person who could wield it, for she carries a piece inside her. How we will convince her of this remains to be seen though. I imagine it will prove quite difficult."
"She isn't convinced that this enemy we face is her problem you know," Khelgar looked askance at the wizard. "I think difficult is too mild a word, I would use impossible."
"Already Meredelain and the surrounding woods, her woods, are falling under the threat of shadow," Elanee said firmly. "The gods can read future events and even take steps to alter them. I believe that Solonor chose Nim because of what happened to her when she was five years old. If I am right, then it is indeed possible that all of nature would respond to her. Solonor's domain is the woods, but he is closely tied to Mielikki and Rillifane and is on good terms with Silvanus, Lurue and Chauntea. Those five count all of nature as their domains and as such are usually supportive of the chosen of the others. Soon enough Nim will come to accept the truth that this is her fight and one she has been prepared for by those who watched over her."
"Yeah maybe, but I think it will take more than words from us, a few silver shards, and an arcane ritual to do it," Shandra shook her head.
"Well I've had about all I can stomach of serious talk, especially on an empty stomach," Khelgar grumbled. "What the hell's taking those two so long anyway?"
"I still can't believe Bishop took Grobnar along," Neeshka shook her head. "I thought he hated the gnome."
"Well it's quite obvious to those of us who use their eyes and brains," Qara put in her two bits worth. She had been silent the whole time, feeling contempt that the others were so clueless about what was going on and now she could rub their noses in it. "Nim likes Grobnar and Bishop would do anything to make her happy, so he tolerates the little runt. Pathetic really how he practically curls at Nim's feet and wags his tail anytime she smiles at..him..," her voice trailed off as everyone heard a low growl coming from behind them.
Karnwyr was looking at Qara like he wanted to rip her a new one, but it was the expression on Nim's face that caused Qara to slowly pale. The elf had obviously heard what was said and was definately pissed. Her lips were pressed so tightly together they were almost non-existant, and her emerald greens eyes glittered with cold malice. "The only pathetic one in the group is you Qara," she hissed. "I would strongly suggest that you keep your nasty tongue between your teeth and your thoughts to yourself from now on. That is if you don't want to become a permanent resident of the ruins."
Everyone sucked in their breath, not mistaking Nim's intention for anything other than a direct threat to Qara. They looked nervously at the sorceress to see how she would respond and everyone breathed a silent sigh of relief when the girl merely sniffed and went to her tent. Looking at Sand, Khelgar thought for a minute that the wizard looked disappointed. Shivering a little, he decided to try to divert attention from the source of everyone's discomfort. "So Nim, what discoveries have you made?"
Nim glared at Qara for a while before turning and taking a seat next to the dwarf. "Thorondor is returning and has a great deal of information for us. Over dinner, I will tell you what we've discovered and we can come up with a plan of attack."
"Attack?" Neeshka squeaked.
"The valley below us is overrun with orcs, goblins, ogres and bugbears," Nim responded, a slow feral smile curving her lips. "We need to prepare for war," she finished and noticed that the only one of the group who seemed thrilled by the idea was Khelgar. "Don't wet yourself getting all excited dwarf," she teased him and saw him sputter.
"Cripes Nim, I'm not sure I can handle this new you," Khelgar gasped out and then chuckled. "But I'm sure going to enjoy finding out."