Orianna's eyes were closed, her breathing shallow while the scent of spring wafted through the air. As she lay on her back she ran her hands along the earth, feeling the blades of grass through her fingers and the noticeable texture of soft linens against her body. She moved her hands to her chest and rubbed them down to her stomach, smoothing out the fabric of the modest dress she was wearing.

Was she in heaven?

As she opened her eyes, she became aware of her surroundings, resting in the middle of a small field with old cherry trees on the outskirts. The blossoms were in full bloom, raining off the branches like fresh fallen snow as the gentle breeze carried them away. The serenity reminded her of home.

The sun was bright at its highest peak, so Orianna had to throw up her arm to shade her eyes from it. She squinted, watching the fluffy white clouds move slowly along the bright blue canvas of the sky. They spun and morphed into different shapes that she watched with fascination. When was the last time she'd felt so at ease and took the time to appreciate nature and all that was around her? Her imagination kicked in as she saw different figures in the clouds, one particular cloud shaped like a rabbit changed into something that looked similar to a—

"A Kobold."

She blinked and turned her head to the voice; the surprise was obvious in her face as she looked at the fair-haired elf beside her. Astarion. He too was on his back, arms bent above him as he rested his head in his hands. His profile looked beautiful from this angle with the sunlight against his skin. He looked different in this light, like he was alive, his skin tone appearing less pallid than usual. There was also an air about him like he was happy and unburdened.

When he rolled onto his side and propped himself on his arm to lean over her, she knew this had to be a dream. His eyes were no longer red, but a majestic blend of soft blues with the smallest hint of sage green and gold closer to his pupils. His expression was loving as his fingers came up to stroke her cheek affectionately.

"This isn't real..."

"Even if it's not, you might as well enjoy it." His voice was subdued, like he too knew he was just a figment of her imagination.

"I never want to wake up then." She whispered, worried her words would turn against her.

She reached out to caress his face but paused, scared he might vanish into thin air. He smiled at her and leaned into her touch, grasping her hand and turning his head to kiss the inside of her palm.

"Orianna, I will be here for you. Always." He placed her hand against his cheek, holding it there in his. "So, don't lose hope. Keep living. Keep fighting. Persevere."

As she stared at him, she could feel that tight burning sensation in the back of her throat, like she was on the brink of tears. She simply nodded, knowing her voice would crack if she spoke now. If she tried to express anything in words she might fall apart, might cry the thousands of tears that lay dormant inside of her.

Instead, she grounded herself by stroking his soft hair, tracing along the tip of his ear and all of the other outlines of his features, burning every detail of him into her memory. She wasn't sure how much time had passed but it was enough for her to feel at peace once more like she had at the beginning of the dream.

"I'm sorry I kept my secret from you. I could have made this scene a reality— the two of us basking in the sun..."

"There's no need to explain yourself. I understand." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "I don't want you to have any regrets. I just want you to remember me fondly."

Why did this emotion feel so close to grief? Astarion wasn't dead and gone but the distance between them, the reality she wouldn't see him again was one and the same. All she had to hold onto now was a memory.

"Astarion... I can't do this without you... not again..."

He pulled her into an embrace, holding her in a way that felt too real to be a dream as he stroked her hair in a comforting manner.

"Be strong, my love."

...

Darkness yet again as her consciousness crept back into the real world. Part of her didn't want to open her eyes to see where she was but the other part knew she had to. When she opened them, reality set in.

Her vision became blurry as she wept the many tears she'd been holding back.

Her brain felt groggy, and her body was sore, paired with a dryness in her throat that needed to be quenched. She reached for the spot near her shoulder and winced, it was tender with two little scabs where Dragomir had bitten her. The blood had been cleaned and she was lying in bed, tucked snuggly into the blankets in her undergarments. It was likely Irina's doing, considering she was essentially her handmaiden.

That's when she remembered his gift. Her hand rubbed the collar around her neck, fiddling with the latch on the back, tugging and pulling to test its strength. There was no way Dragomir would have given her even the slightest chance of removing it on her own. He likely had a key or some form of mechanism to remove it properly.

Sitting up she reached for the glass of water on the nightstand and guzzled it down. She still felt a little faint, but she could honestly thank her father for her stamina. If she were mortal, she might have found herself six feet underground, clawing her way to the surface with a different type of immortality. The thought made her think of Astarion, wondering how he and the others were doing. They were likely upset about the outcome no doubt, but there'd been very little they could have done to help her. She hoped they would simply hold onto her as a pleasant memory and move on with their lives. They deserved it after all they'd been through.

Once her tears were dry, she tossed her legs off the bed, pulling the sheet off the mattress to wrap it around herself for modesty. When she went to the wardrobe to find some clothes to put on was when she knew why Irina hadn't bothered dressing her.

That bastard. Her fingers twitched as she fought the urge to tug the articles of clothing off the hangers and rip them to shreds. Every piece of fabric was either extremely extravagant or scandalous. It felt like another backhanded punishment he was inflicting upon her, giving her nothing to wear but costumes for his own entertainment.

She pulled out a few dresses, but they all had lined corsets and excessive layers of fabric, beyond uncomfortable. Instead, she pulled out a particular item that was light weight, iridescent and sheer like a pearl, and adorned with clear gems on the bodice. It was a difficult choice between coverage or comfort. Considering how miserable she felt, being comfortable won. Either way she would have to grin and bear it. Throwing on the clothing she decided to ignore the floor length mirror in the corner. Better to avoid her reflection, otherwise she may never leave this room.

She made her way down towards the main floor, taking the path to the library she would frequent. As she padded along, she walked past a few mortal servants, none of them exchanging any extra words with her except for polite good mornings and small bows.

Her room and the study were the few places she could be left alone around here. When she arrived it was quiet, except for the crackling sound of the fireplace. Her steps were slow as she pulled open the desk's drawer and dug out a drawing pad and the set of pencils she had stored there. She took a seat by the fire and curled up in the armchair, placing the sketch book on her thighs. She tapped the pencil against the paper with no particular rhythm for a few minutes. Before she knew it, her hand was moving with gentle strokes, creating different shapes and angles. She drew a few lines here and there, smudged, shaded and erased until her tiny portrait was complete.

A century of practice seemed to have paid off. She smiled as she touched the paper with clean fingers, admiring his piercing eyes and the tilt of his lips in that charming smirk, and his perfectly pointed ears with the cute way his hair curled around them. Her heart filled with warmth, feeling comforted as she began to draw some more sketches of him from different angles with varying expressions. She wanted to get the memory of him on paper, before the centuries would pass, before she would forget his face.

"Lady Orianna?"

She glanced up from her work. "Viktor? I didn't hear you come in."

"Apologies, I should have knocked louder." He pushed along a small cart, coming up to the small table beside her.

"It's still early morning, you're not usually up around this time."

This was the time of day when the Lord of the house and his vampire children would rest, leaving mundane duties up to the mortal servants that arrived from the village, working in the morning before promptly leaving just before dusk.

He was quiet and meticulous as he placed down a few scones with raspberry jam and clotted cream, along with some earl grey tea in a cute porcelain tea pot with matching cup and saucer.

"I was concerned for your well-being. Four nights have already passed since your arrival."

Four nights? It was more than she'd ever slept, but the blood loss and emotional exhaustion must have caught up with her. Not to mention her world of dreams was a place she'd much rather stay in. She missed the sound of Astarion's voice already...

"You were worried about me?"

"I may belong to Master Dragomir, but I still have the capability of producing my own feelings and emotions. Or at least, I try to. I took it upon myself to check up on you." Viktor moved and placed a hand on the back of the other chair, glancing at her. "Do you mind if I sit?"

She shook her head, closing her sketchbook and placing it off to the side as he took a seat with her by the fire. She watched him curiously, wondering if she'd ever seen him off duty and unguarded. They had spoken many times before, but never this casually. She truly didn't know that much about Viktor except for the general things like when he'd been turned and who he might have been before.

"When you ran away, I was hoping we wouldn't meet again." He bowed his head slightly. "I'm sorry it didn't work out for you... I never expected him to be this obsessed. Addicted even."

Her brow furrowed as she went to pour some tea, but Viktor held up his hand and did it for her. "Half a teaspoon, correct?"

She smiled and nodded, appreciating how he seemed to always remember the smallest details about her. She watched as he placed a tiny bit of sugar and splash of milk into the cup before pouring the tea over top, giving it a thorough stir and handing the saucer to her.

"Thank you." She blew on the hot liquid before taking a careful sip and placing it back down on the table. "Why did you decide to come see me now?"

"I figured now more than ever; you could use a friend. If you're here for the long haul I'd like to do what I can to make your stay more bearable. And if there is anything, anything at all, come find me and I will help you." He leaned back into the chair and crossed one leg over the other, resting his hands on his knee. "Like you, I wasn't meant to live an eternity in the shadows. I took my Oath of Devotion very seriously when I was alive."

"Didn't Dragomir tempt you like he did the others?"

"I fought against him and his temptations. He took me against my will. Drank me dry and forced me into his servitude as his fifth spawn. Everything I once knew was gone in an instant." He gazed off like he was trying to remember something. "It was so long ago now... I hardly know the person I once was. I can't recall much at all really."

Orianna could see now why he was being so considerate of her. He probably saw himself in her, the devotion she had towards honor and virtue, to protect the weak and pursue the greater good. How she had stumbled into Dragomir's path unknowingly and took everything from her along the way. To think he'd been silently cheering her on this entire time, and she'd never noticed. Perhaps his gentle manner and treating her to delicious food every chance he got had been his way of comforting her.

He had certainly been good at hiding his intentions and maintaining a low profile around his creator. That would also explain why he'd come to speak with her now while Dragomir was resting in his coffin, hidden away somewhere deep in the palace. The other spawn also didn't pay Viktor any mind, finding him too dreary to be around.

"I value your kindness, Viktor."

"It's nothing."

The space between them became quiet as he gave her a chance to finish the scones on her plate and empty the tea pot of its contents. She sighed with contentment; her belly now satisfied after missing a few meals. Turns out she'd been more famished than she thought.

"I hadn't seen that look in your eyes for a very long time." Viktor quietly commented.

"Which look is that?"

"Being in love. I remember it clearly, the day your heart was broken. To see that expression again is uplifting in a way. Hopeful."

Orianna looked down and pulled her knees up towards her. "Fate was playing an amusing prank to make me fall for another undead..."

"Your meeting may seem like a coincidence, but some souls are destined to find each other. In my humble opinion, it doesn't seem strange that you followed a similar path again. He's a spawn and you're a demi-god, two beings who blend in with the mortal realm but don't truly belong to it. Our immortal existence can be a lonely one."

She sighed sadly and pressed her eyes against her forearm. "I'll never see him again... Fate cannot bring me back to him."

"I'm truly sorry, my Lady." He stood from his chair and pet the top of her head gently.

It felt like the sort of comfort a father would give his daughter. Not too affectionate or overbearing, it was just the right amount of support she needed to know she wasn't completely alone here. She had a friend looking out for her.

"If you need me, you know where to find me. I'll leave you to your privacy now."

With that he cleared all of the dishes and left with the same poise he always carried, closing the door behind him to leave her in her solitude.

She sat in the chair for a while longer to look at her drawings before closing it and walking over to the grand piano. As she opened the case, she placed the sketchbook on the music desk and gently ran her hands along the keys. No one played this beautiful instrument except for Dragomir and herself, as well as Irina who had been her teacher. She was thankful for those lessons and the time they had spent together in this room. It had been a much-needed distraction, and it didn't hurt to be proficient in things outside your wheelhouse.

After some quiet contemplation she settled on a song, one she knew well enough to play without the need for sheet music.

...

Five experienced and powerful individuals to take on a seven-hundred-year-old vampire with spawn and other creatures in his own abode. What could possibly go wrong?

All of them met at the Sorcerous Sundries in an office Rolan had let them borrow. Astarion was leaning back in a chair, his leg crossed over the other as he polished one of his daggers. He listened to the others discussing their plans and ideas on how to tackle such a feat. On paper, the Netherbrain had been their strongest, most challenging enemy yet. If they could destroy something world ending, they definitely had the tools to handle a creature of the night. However, they also had a lot more allies swooping in back then when they needed it, allies that had been collected along the way during their quests, and none of it had come for free either. They had to traverse far and wide, from the Underdark to the Mountains, from Hell and back again.

They had managed to kill Cazador as their usual party of four, and though it had been a tough fight, they had prevailed. The five of them in this room could hold their own and also summon any kind of undead, elemental or planar allies for extra support if need be. They all had their strengths and weaknesses, but together they were a well-balanced unstoppable force in their own right. Not to mention the massive stack of scrolls they had accumulated over their time together, so exhausting their resources wasn't an issue.

Tav, having been so protective of the scrolls and other potions and elixirs, meant each of them were able to pocket a variety of spells they'd normally have no association with. Mind you, some of them were very rare to come by and not just anyone was selling them, so Tav was right to be the caretaker all this time.

"You have a decent picture in your mind of what Duskmire looks like, but where can we expect to land exactly? I don't want to end up in Dragomir's lap without making sure we have Orianna first." Tav commented.

He was in his traveler's chest, going through a mountain of items to see what would be worth bringing. Rest was likely going to be an issue when they were in the villain's lair, so he would need to be a lot more careful with how he managed his magic.

"Luckily I was able to look at the history of multiple items and cross reference them. I'm positive the exact location we will teleport to is Orianna's dwelling." Gale reassured.

"Well then, we should strike while the iron's hot." Shadowheart affirmed.

"Once we're there the first priority is to make sure Orianna is safe. After that, we locate Dragomir." Tav closed the trunk, handing everyone their own bags of scrolls and potions for safe keeping.

"Let's make it clear once again, that this portal is a one-time deal. It's going to take all my magical capability just to cast it. Keeping it open is easy enough, but I'll have to concentrate."

"Shadowheart and I will be able to keep you safe, Gale." Halsin said, placing a fist over his heart. "You have my word."

"I appreciate the sentiment." Gale then looked to Tav and Astarion. "Are you sure you'll be fine, just the two of you and Orianna?"

"More than alright." Tav waved his hand in dismissal.

Gale gave a final nod before turning away to focus and work his magic. The weave swirled around him, bending to his will as he focused his incantation to cast the spell. His eyes glowed with indigo light as the energy in the room rippled and shifted until it formed into a raging purple portal.

"This isn't going to be like that time we saved you from that portal, is it?" Astarion questioned sarcastically.

"You're not going to hold that against me for the rest of our lives, are you? It's perfectly safe and functioning." Gale assured. "So, who'd like to do the honors?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Tav punched a fist into his palm.

He walked up to the portal but then turned his back to it, looking at each of his companions and placing a hand on his heart.

"As much as I may seem like a loose-cannon, I don't take anything lightly. Especially when the lives of my friends are on the line. You've all placed your trust in me on more than one occasion— you were there with me through all of it, and I'll be forever grateful for that. As far as I'm concerned, Orianna is one of us now. If it had been any of you on the other side of that portal, I'd jump into it every time."

He looked into the eyes of all of his companions who smiled at him in approval. He then nodded and turned back to the portal, staring into the depth of its black center and swirling violet ring.

"Now, time to go hunting."

...

Tav always took the role of a leader, going through the portal first without hesitation. After a moment Astarion and the others followed.

There was a flash of blinding purple light obscuring their vision before they were welcomed by the sort of grandeur, they had felt the first time Rapheal had snapped them to the House of Hope. To think this was merely Orianna's quarters, the rest of the palace was undoubtedly huge and just as extravagant.

"She's not here. Perfect." Shadowheart spoke in that sassy sarcasm.

"I will find her." Astarion breathed in slowly, taking in her scent that clung to every corner of the room. She must have spent most of her time here. "It would be best if I go alone."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Gale spoke up.

"All of you will slow me down and cause too much of a ruckus. Let me do this silently. I will find Orianna and quickly return. Then we will search for Dragomir."

Tav nodded in agreement. "It's true, Astarion's a much better option for something so delicate, especially if we don't know where she is. We don't want any alarms to be set off so soon."

"Then it's settled."

Astarion moved to the doorway, listening closely to confirm no one was outside in the hall. He opened the door slightly, making no noise as he slipped out and closed it behind him. He crouched with slow, careful steps, practically silent as he made his way down the hall. He wondered what direction he should head in as he came to the stairwell which led in two opposite directions. That's when he heard something in the distance, the chime of piano keys.

It had to be her.

He tiptoed in the direction of the music, being careful and deliberate with when he would wait behind a piece of furniture or when he would cast invisibility. There were no spawn in sight but there were a few mortals here and there, shuffling about. They appeared to be doing mundane chores like sweeping, dusting and polishing. He expected them to look miserable but they seemed to carry on as if they were tending to the regular chores of a respected house. They were all in proper uniforms no less, women in maid outfits and men in button ups with aprons, both matching in colors of dark grey and white.

The music sounded close but still muffled, definitely behind the doors a few more paces ahead. He paused as two maids stood just across from it, deep in discussion.

"Aren't we supposed to be keeping an eye on her?" One of the maids asked, rubbing down the edges of a picture frame. Her Tiefling red tail was swishing back and forth nervously. "I don't want to end up like the others."

The other lady was an elderly human woman. She sighed as she dusted off one of the vases sitting on top of a chest of drawers. "I want to give her space. I've known her since I was a child and she seems to have lost that twinkle in her eye. I highly doubt she will try to run away again."

"Tsk. All that whore needs to do is tilt her neck and she gets a free pass."

"Don't say such things. You don't know her circumstances." The older lady scolded, but the Tiefling went on.

"I know that five of us were chopped into tiny pieces and fed to the wolves because of her. We have a decent life here and she's squandering it."

"You and I don't know what it's like to live any other way, my dear. Master Dragomir has been the law of this town for over five hundred years. We were born into it. She never belonged here to begin with."

The Tiefling girl huffed, frustrated with a hint of envy in her voice. "You may be right, but you can't deny she's living a life of luxury. He lavishes her, dresses her up and lets her do whatever she wants. She's more than a meal, I tell you."

"Believe me when I say, nothing she does is by choice— the very clothes on her back are more like garnishment on a plated entree. And the things that go on with her and the Master are private. You'd do well not to speak of them so rashly." The older woman collected her things and made her way further down the hall. "Come along now, we should head down to do the laundry."

The Tiefling followed begrudgingly until the two of them were out of sight. Sneaking around always seemed to work out in his favor, taking the ladies absence as the perfect opportunity to carefully open the door. He was thankful for the fact this palace was immaculately well kept, the door didn't even creak and barely clicked when he entered and closed it behind him.

The room was impressive with high ceilings and walls of bookshelves that climbed all the way up to the rafters, every inch of space filled with reading material or priceless art and artifacts. There was a fireplace with a seating area, a writing desk, and off to the side a luxurious black grand piano near one of the stained glass windows.

Orianna's back was to the door as she sat on the stool that was cushioned with royal blue fabric. Her fingers danced along, flowing with precision and expertise as the keys cried out with beautiful textures and emotions. He could practically hear her sorrow and anger in the captivating melody as it would rise and fall with varying intensity.

Astarion observed how she didn't seem real; she could have been an illusion with how picturesque the scene looked. He was entranced as he took in her appearance, wearing an outfit that could only be described as sensual with how it clung to her body in all the right places, yet still draped loosely in others. It honestly looked more like lingerie than actual clothes. The material was lustrous and iridescent like a pearl, the sheer fabric barely leaving anything to the imagination. It was also adorned with jewels that sparkled like raindrops against her fair skin. She wore her hair down like she preferred, full and wavy with a few strands tied in a loose braid away from her face.

He took a few more steps towards her, wondering what to say.

...

Normally Orianna would take refuge here in the library or her room. They were the few places she would normally be left alone, with maybe a few souls waiting for her outside. It seemed counterproductive now to even waste their time watching her, given her hopeless situation. This damned collar, no matter how many times she tried to cut the leather or fiddle with the lock she had no luck in removing it. Dragomir had the key and to her knowledge he either kept it close or well secured in some unknown vault.

A sigh left her as her fingers tapped a few more keys, bringing her song to a close. She sat there for a moment longer before she became aware of that unmistakable feeling of someone watching her.

"I thought I asked to be left alone?"

"I thought I would be an exception."

She sucked in a quick breath, her hesitation clear when she didn't turn around right away. Was she hearing things? She swallowed and swiveled the stool, the words getting caught in her throat as she looked upon her visitor. Her heart pounded in her chest so hard that she was sure he could hear it, along with the blood rushing through her veins.

"Astarion... am I dreaming right now?" She stood up, her adrenaline making her skin prickle.

"Whether this were a dream or not, I'd most certainly be taking advantage of this situation."

His eyes trailed up and down her body, taking in every detail and storing it to memory. It was the first time he was seeing this much of her and she was just as alluring as he'd imagined.

"However, this isn't a dream. I'm here to take you back, me and the others. We need to hurry to them and put an end to Dragomir."

"I never thought I'd see you again..." She didn't look completely convinced. "You came to this place to save me? It's suicidal."

He moved towards her, clasping her upper arms in his hands. "Darling, I know it is. We haven't taken any of this lightly."

"Why would you—"

Not another word. All he wanted was for her to accept he was here and she was worth saving. He pulled her into a tender hug, holding her like they hadn't seen each other in years. He then pulled back and planted his lips on hers. It was all she needed to be convinced as she threw her arms around him, kissing him back and embracing him tightly.

His hand was tangled in her hair as the other moved down her back and slid along her shapely curves, from her slim waist to her wide hips. Even he was surprised by his own enthusiasm as he groaned and angled his head to kiss her deeper, reaching his tongue inside to brush against hers. He felt the vibration of her moan as it mingled with his, causing him to separate his lips from hers. Unwillingly, he might add.

"Damn— all I want is to whisk you away to some faraway place where we can be alone. You're seriously testing me."

This was not the time or place to let his guard down, but she was so provocative, practically gift wrapped. Was this how sailors felt when a siren seduced them and trapped them forever in their song?

The blush on her cheeks grew a few shades darker. "I don't think I've heard you confess to something so... carnal."

"Once we've survived this ordeal I'll have even more to confess." His fingers caressed her cheek as he spoke more seriously. "Right now I need you to act natural and head back to your room. I will be right behind you."

She nodded in response, and did exactly as he said, snatching up her book from the piano and leaving the room, being sure to walk with the usual melancholy the servants were used to seeing. They either bowed to her or didn't even bat an eye as she took the path up the stairs to her room.

Astarion followed close behind, completely invisible and undetectable to those around him. Once they reached the door, she entered promptly with him slipping inside as it closed, the spell being released once their privacy from any onlookers was guaranteed.

"Orianna!" Tav kept his voice quiet but the excitement was still there when he held her in a warm embrace. "I'm so happy to see you."

"Me too. I can't believe you're here." She couldn't stop a few tears from falling, far too relieved to see him and his companions.

His hands went to her shoulders as they separated at arms length, wanting to get a good look at her and make sure she was okay.

Astarion moved quickly, snatching up a small blanket from one of the chairs to wrap around her body, keeping her modesty. "Let's start by getting you into something more appropriate for what's to come."

Shadowheart was already ahead of him, presenting her with the heavy chainmail armor that had been left behind at Baldur's Gate. She suited up quickly, missing the weight of the chain shirt on her shoulders, feeling more like herself already.

"I'm almost at a loss for words. The most I can say right now is, thank you. From the bottom of my heart I have never felt so greatful... I'm indebted to all of you."

"You can thank us with a celebration once we're in the clear." Gale said with a smile, but there was a seriousness behind his gaze. "Wish I could join you in putting a proper end to this, but I'm sort of caught between spells at the moment."

"I'll stay here with Gale and Halsin. You'll be keeping those other two out of trouble." Shadowheart said simply.

Orianna looked at them, the worry clear in her voice. "You should know, in a fight I'm going to be far less useful than you may have anticipated."

"What do you mean?" Tav asked. Her statement concerned him.

She placed her fingers on the collar around her neck. The expression on her face made Astarion move towards her and examine it closely, not having noticed the eerie glow it was producing when he'd initially found her.

"What in the nine hells has he done to you..."

"It's an antimagic field. I can't cast any spells whatsoever, and I haven't had any luck removing it."

"Gale, can you do anything about this?" At this point it felt like that bastard was taking everything from her but her soul.

"Afraid not. If it's anything remotely similar to Sussur Blooms it will sap any magic within range. Obviously he had the foresight to make it impossible to remove by force. Even if you're immortal I'd say decapitation is out of the question, or it's at least a theory I'm not willing to test."

"The timing of your jokes isn't always appropriate, Gale." Shadowheart shook her head before patting Orianna's shoulder. "You can still swing a weapon. Don't worry about Tav and Astarion, they have enough potions to raise an army off the ground."

Orianna nodded, thankful for Shadowhearts support. She prayed to Pelor she would find the strength within herself to do everything in her power to see this through, to take back her freedom and go out into the world again.

"So, where should we look for him?"

"He keeps his coffin concealed somewhere below the palace. From what I know there should be a hidden passage in his room that will lead us."

"No time like the present. Before we head out though, I have something for you..." Tav said, pulling out an item for Orianna. "I've been holding onto this for a while but never had any use for it. I know you'll wield it well."

She blinked and held her hands out with curiosity. The glow of its radiance was seen before she felt the legendary mace placed into her hands. She looked at its holy light in amazement. The weight of the weapon felt balanced in her grasp, the details of the handle and pointed tips of the mace extremely well crafted.

"Tav, this is incredible. Does it have a name?"

"The Blood of Lathander. We managed to find this little gem when we were looking for Lae'zel's Githyanki crèche. They happened to be based at one of his temples."

Orianna knew the Morning Lord just as well as she knew Pelor. They were similar in many ways but when Pelor was further associated with the sun, agriculture and healing; Lathander was best symbolized by the rising sun, new hope and beginnings, along with many other titles.

"I will cherish it."

"Excellent. Then it's time to put it to good use."