Trigger Warning: The following chapter contains mention of suicide, although no major depiction is written.

The next morning, Mariel met with Draul over breakfast at the Rusty Dragon, being the first of the group to catch up with the paladin. Over the meal, Draul handed over the letter he wrote to Sheriff Hemlock that would give the other adventurers permission to meet with the prisoners. Additionally, Draul offered six journals to Mariel, explaining that four of the journals were notes that he took over his past interviews with Nualia and her cohorts that may help the adventurers. The other two journals, which looked familiar, belonged to Nualia and Tsuto. With the journals, Mariel and the other adventurers would have a chance to know the prisoners better as Draul had done over the past few weeks. Mariel thanked Draul, who returned to his room to relax and plan out how he intended to spend his day off.

Now by herself while waiting for the others, Mariel sorted the journals by prisoner at the table she sat at. While she wanted to help Draul, she didn't want to take all day doing so. She thought that the best plan would be for each of the adventurers to question and talk with a prisoner each one on one. That way, the group wouldn't overwhelm any of the prisoners and would have time to study the notes of an individual rather than going through all of the journals. Mariel believed that if the others agreed to her plan, they would be done at the garrison before the start of the afternoon.

With time to spare, Mariel reached for one of the journals to read. While she wasn't yet ready to make her choice, there was one prisoner that she didn't know much about. The adventurers had gone against Nualia and Tsuto while learning what they could about their history and motives. Additionally, Orik had been forthcoming with the group and even worked with them briefly at Thistletop at Draul's suggestion. Of the villains locked away, Mariel knew next to nothing about Lyrie. She was a spellcaster capable of wielding magic but not well enough to match Mariel. That was all she knew about Lyrie and she intended to learn more to satisfy her curiosity.

Mariel started to skim through the pages, looking for something to catch her interest. Draul kept his notes concise as if he was filing a report. Occasionally, the paladin wrote down his own thoughts regarding what he thinks about the prisoner and how best to guide them toward redemption but Mariel skipped over the passages. She wasn't interested in Lyrie's anger over being rejected from the Pathfinder Society or her attraction to Tsuto (which Draul cautiously noted was more obsessive than charming) but what did catch her interest was the topic of her thesis that she submitted to the Pathfinders. Much like Mariel, Lyrie had shown interest in the history of Thassilon, which was what led Nualia to recruit her to begin with.

There was hardly anyone else in Sandpoint that was interested in Thassilon other than Mariel. The town had been built over Thassilonian ruins and was likely on the border of the territories of two runelords yet she had only met one other person who knew anything more than basics regarding the ancient empire. While Brodert Quink, the elderly sage of Sandpoint, was interested in learning more about Thassilon, Mariel considered most of his theories to be too outlandish for her preference. If Lyrie was a competent scholar, then Mariel may have found someone else who shared her interests in Thassilon. Mariel flipped through the pages of the journal, hoping to find more references into what Lyrie studied about Thassilon, but there weren't exact details.

"Leave it to Draul to not record what's truly important from his conversations…" Mariel muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Razvan asked.

Mariel looked up from the journal to see that Razvan had joined her and took a seat at the table. Behind him, she could see both Corita and Kennick making their way over to the table. With the waiting over, Mariel set the journal down and waited for Corita and Kennick to take a seat before explaining.

"I was just going through some of the notes Draul left for us. I believe the best course of action for us would be for each of us to pick a prisoner to focus on."

"That seems like a good plan," Razvan said with a nod. "I take it that you've already picked who you want to talk with."

"Apparently, it seems that Lyrie may have studied the ancient empire of Thassilon," Mariel told Razvan. "Of course, she doesn't know as much as I do, but it could be common ground that we share."

"I can see that working out," Razvan turned toward Corita and Kennick. "We have three others to pick from. Let's get that out of the way now so we can read while eating breakfast and be on our way."

"I'll talk with Orik," Kennick said quietly.

"Orik?" Corita raised an eyebrow. "I would have thought you would want to talk with Tsuto or even Nualia?"

"I'll talk with Orik," Kennick repeated himself, frowning.

"Right," Razvan said. "I don't blame you for that if you think that seeing them would be rough for you."

"Even without consulting Draul's notes, I imagine Orik requires the least amount of work for his trial," Mariel took one of the journals to offer to Kennick. "You're not terribly social compared to us so it may be best to give you the easiest task. No offense, of course."

"None taken," Kennick told Mariel as he accepted the journal from her.

"In that case, I'll be happy to see Nualia and try to talk with her," Corita said with a wide smile. "I have a feeling that we'll get along great!"

"You think that you're going to get along with the woman that wanted to turn herself into a demon?" Razvan pointed out with a chuckle. "I wish I had your optimism, Corita."

"Corita, perhaps you should consider letting Razvan talk with Nualia," Mariel suggested with a frown. "Draul may not appreciate it if all the hard work he's put toward guiding her toward redemption was undone because-"

"Because of me?" Corita interrupted Mariel, shaking her head. "You have to give me some credit, Mariel. I have a way with people that gets them to open up to me. Sure, Nualia may have tried to kill all of us, but I'm confident that if I put in the effort into befriending her, I can help Nualia find redemption like Draul wanted."

"Corita's right" Razvan said with a shrug. "It's surprising at times but she's very capable. If she wants to meet with Nualia, she's more than welcome to."

"Thank you, Razvan," Corita said, grinning.

"Fine," Mariel said and slid two journals over toward Corita. "That leaves you with Tsuto, Razvan. Are you fine with that?"

"I've got nothing against meeting with Tsuto," Razvan reached over to grab the two journals. "I might have a few ideas for how our conversation will go but I'll see if Draul wrote down any suggestions first."

"Then it's settled," Mariel said. "Let's read up and get ready for our meetings."

"We're eating first, right?" Kennick asked.

"Of course," Corita laughed. "We can't meet with prisoners on an empty stomach!"

After the adventurers finished their breakfast and read the notes Draul had on the prisoners, they made their way over to the Sandpoint stone building was practically a fortress compared to the other spots in Sandpoint and it made sense to keep dangerous prisoners locked away there. The adventurers made their way inside with the upper levels of the garrison housing the Sandpoint town guard. While Sheriff Hemlock was at first confused by their visit, the letter from Draul cleared matters up. He led the way to the stairs leading underground to the jail, which the garrison was built on top of. The sheriff trusted the adventurers to follow the rules of the guards assigned to the prison and to be careful when meeting with the prisoners.

This wasn't the first time Kennick had been to Sandpoint's jail, and while he hated to admit it, he knew what it was like to be behind bars. After the Late Unpleasantness, he had lost most of his friends and felt alone. He fell into a rough crowd, and while he avoided serious crimes, he got into more fights simply to let out the rage he kept pent up. Kennick had been arrested after one such fight, and after spending the night in the jail, he was let go thanks to the plea of Daviren Hosk. Had it not been for Daviren's intervention, Kennick wasn't sure what kind of life he would have lived.

The jail at the Sandpoint Garrison typically didn't hold prisoners for too long. There were a few angry drunks and lowly thieves that were sent to spend a night in a cell, but when it came to more serious crimes, Sandpoint sent such prisoners to Magnimar to stand trial. The fact that Draul was able to convince Sandpoint's town council to circumvent such a policy may pose challenges down the road, but for now, Kennick didn't believe that authorities from Magnimar were aware of the prisoners Sandpoint had. That had been part of the reason why Draul had pushed for Sandpoint to have trials for Nualia and her cohorts as soon as possible.

As a matter of fact, while reading the notes he had been given. Kennick discovered that Orik's trial, the first of the villains to be tried, was to take place tomorrow evening.

Truth be told, Kennick wasn't too worried about the trial being sooner than he expected. As Mariel suggested before, Orik was least likely to be convicted to punishment outside of being placed under Draul's custody. The mercenary hadn't been involved in the raids on Sandpoint outside of association with Nualia and had helped the adventurers defeat Malfeshnekor. Even if Kennick had doubts on being able to help Orik, he still wouldn't want to change his mind on who to talk with. He certainly wasn't ready to meet with Nualia or Tsuto after everything they had been through.

Following one of the guards, Kennick was led to Orik's cell. The guard unlocked the door and stepped aside, letting the adventurer step inside before closing the cell door behind him. The cells were kept simple with a cot in the corner, a stone bench to the side, and a bucket of water and empty chamberpot by the door. The cell was dark as the torches were placed outside, and even with the faint light coming from the open doors, Kennick's eyes had to adjust to being in the darkness. He focused his attention on Orik, who was on the ground doing sit-ups when the cell door opened. Even in captivity, the warrior found something to fight off signs of boredom.

"You're not Draul," Orik commented as he stood back up. "Kennick, right?"

"That's right," Kennick answered with a quick nod. "Draul needed a break from his work."

"Tell me about it," Orik said. "He's visited me every day, asking me questions not only about what happened with Nualia but about my interests and life. Draul says that I shouldn't be too worried about my trial but that hasn't stopped him from talking with me for about an hour."

"You know your trial is coming up, right?" Kennick asked, leaning against the wall by the cell door.

"Draul did mention that it was coming up," Orik nodded. "He's handled most of the details for my defense, something about how I never harmed anyone and didn't have a chance to do the right thing because I was surrounded by an army of goblins. Most of the details went over my head but it seems like Draul knows his way with the law."

"That he does," Kennick muttered in agreement. "Is there anything I'm supposed to do?"

"I'm not really sure," Orik admitted with a shrug. "Maybe if you talked to Draul, you could testify on my defense? Draul told me that since everyone in Sandpoint knows you, your word could go a long way in changing people's minds about me. How does that sound?"

Kennick thought over the idea, stroking his beard with his hand. He wasn't against speaking on Orik's defense at his trial. Orik hadn't done anything too terrible other than accept a job from Nualia. As an aspiring mercenary himself, Kennick thought that Orik should have thought about what accepting his jobs meant, but even then, it would be hard to say he directly harmed anyone. However, there was something on Kennick's mind regarding the prisoners going free. They were all aware of something he'd rather keep secret, and if he could make a deal with Orik, he could reduce the chance of the people of Sandpoint finding out who he truly was.

"I'd be willing to speak of how you helped us kill Malfeshnekor," Kennick said with a nod. "I only ask one favor from you."

"And what would that be?" Orik asked.

"I need you to keep my secret from the people of Sandpoint."

"Your secret?" Orik raised an eyebrow, confused. "I don't think you told me any secrets."

Worried that one of the guards was listening in, Kennick didn't explain what he meant with words. Instead, he imitated a bear growl as best as he could. Orik's eyes widened in understanding and the mercenary nodded.

"I get it," Orik said. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you," Kennick bowed his head.

Kennick was worried about Nualia or Tsuto letting everyone know that he was a coldborn. In fact, he was surprised that they hadn't tried letting one of their guards know and let the rumors spread. He wasn't sure what kind of agreement he could reach with them and still was hesitant about meeting with his former friends. At the very least, hearing Orik agree to keep his coldborn heritage a secret was reassuring. It was likely that out of Nualia and her cohorts, Orik would be the one most likely to be freed and Kennick felt the mercenary would keep his word.

There may be hope for Draul's plan for the captured criminals to work out after all.

Mariel couldn't help but feel a hint of excitement as she was escorted to a cell by a guard. She had spent decades of her life studying Thassilon, reading old tomes and visiting ancient ruins. Even with her extensive studying, there was still so much left unknown about the empire of Thassilon. Mariel had traveled to Sandpoint to learn more, and while she was surprised that her adventurers brought her to Thassilonian ruins, she was disappointed at the lack of interest in ancient history. The only "expert" she could find in town was Brodert, and given how crazy some of his theories on Thassilon were, Mariel found that there was no one who she could discuss history with.

Finding out that Lyrie had an interest in Thassilon gave Mariel high hopes that she would have finally found someone to help further her research. Lyrie may not have studied Thassilonian history as long as Mariel had but she had ideas of her own. Depending on what the rogue wizard knew, Mariel thought about taking Lyrie as her apprentice in both matters of arcane and Thassilonian research. They may have been enemies in the past, but given that Lyrie hadn't done much other than study the ruins at Thistletop, Mariel was certain that Draul could get Lyrie off with minimal punishment. From there, there were plenty of ways for Mariel to share with Lyrie what she knew as they learned more about Thassilon.

The guard that Mariel followed opened a cell door, allowing for her to step inside while he closed it behind her. She caught a quick glimpse of Lyrie pacing around in her cell before the young human turned toward the door with a scowl. Her hands remained unrestrained, but without her spellcasting materials, she was of little threat to Mariel or the guards.

"You again," Lyrie said, shaking her head. "You were captured with the paladin back in Thistletop."

"And when I broke out, we brought you here as our prisoner," Mariel reminded Lyrie with a smirk. "But if we're interested in the past, why not go further back? I'm particularly interested in your thoughts about Thassilon."

"I take it that you've studied the ruins that I found in Thistletop," Lyrie frowned. "I shouldn't be surprised that you would steal from the progress I've made."

"Given that you were working with someone intending to sacrifice an entire town to a dark goddess, I've lost little sleep over the matter," Mariel shrugged. "Not that I've had many chances to go to Thistletop on my own but I was able to determine that Thistletop once fell under Karzoug's territory."

"The runelord of greed?" Lyrie questioned. "Interesting. I would have thought the land around Sandpoint fell under the runelord of wrath."

"We did find a statue of Alaznist in the catacombs under Sandpoint," Mariel told Lyrie. "Perhaps I'll show you what we found once, assuming that you follow whatever deal Draul sets for you."

"An intriguing offer," Lyrie admitted, tapping her chin in thought. "I'm already going to do whatever that naive paladin wants me to do so I can get out of this terrible cell but I think that I'd be more interested in pursuing my studies by myself."

"Is that so?" Mariel asked with a smirk. "I would have much to teach you."

"As if," Lyrie chuckled. "I've seen only a little of what you're capable of, and if you're as good of a historian as you are a spellcaster, then I am not impressed."

"Excuse me," Mariel gasped. "Need I remind you that you're imprisoned and I am not? Wouldn't this imply that I'm the superior mage?"

"Your friends did most of the heavy lifting when you ambushed me," Lyrie countered, holding up a finger. "You didn't do much."

"I have spent decades studying both magic and history," Mariel told Lyrie, her voice rising in anger. "I will not have an insolent whelp such as yourself think that you know more than me."

"Surely, if you've studied Thassilon for that long, you would be well known for having discovered the secrets of Thassilon," Lyrie argued, grinning. "And if you had spent even half that time studying magic, you would be a powerful mage that doesn't have to rely on your brutes to knock me out. Meanwhile, I've only lived for such a short time compared to you and I would say that my skills are comparable to yours. Whether it's because of my hard work or your laziness remains to be seen."

Mariel scowled. While it was true that she took her time with her research, both magical and mundane, she had the time to spend to make sure everything she did was perfect. Each spell that she knew was one she was confident that she mastered, even if it took years to hone her magic. Everything she knew about Thassilon took time to ensure that her sources were accurate so that she wouldn't spread false facts over the ancient empire. Lyrie may have been young but it was foolish for her to assume that the knowledge she possessed was anywhere near what Mariel knew. She advanced on the prisoner, believing that a stern lecture would be enough for Lyrie to realize her mistake.

"It's time for a lesson," Mariel told Lyrie, holding her ground. "What school of magic do you focus on?"

"All of them," Lyrie answered defiantly. "Don't tell me that you limit yourself by focusing on one school."

"Better to be a master of one than a master of none like you," Mariel shot back.

"Not that you're much of a master to begin with," Lyrie said with a quick laugh. "What kind of magic do you specialize in?"

"Evocation, of course. One of the strongest schools of magic when it comes to a fight."

"And the most unimaginative one," Lyrie pointed out, crossing her arms. "It basically amounts to destroying a foe with the elements. That's what most mages think of when they want to study magic."

"Seeing as how my magic defeated you, I wouldn't look down on evocation so much," Mariel said. "If you had specialized in one of the schools of magic, you might have stood a better chance even if the end result would be the same."

"Again, you ambushed me with your thugs," Lyrie snapped. "And even though you focused on evocation, I know specialists like yourself often neglect other schools of magic. What would those schools be?"

"I don't really care much for necromancy or enchantment," Mariel admitted, shaking her head. "I could learn them if I want but I don't see a reason why."

"Are you that much of a fool?" Lyrie asked, throwing her hands up in defeat. "Those are two of the strongest fields of magic and you neglect them!"

"I don't really care for controlling minds or raising the dead!"

"Enchantment can end fights before they even begin and there's more to necromancy than creating undead minions! Not that you would consider anything other than a fireball!"

"Have you not considered that such spells that you defend are immoral for a reason or do you truly not care for free will?! As mages, we have a responsibility to people and society that we must consider when it comes to what spells we do."

Lyrie chuckled. "Seriously? You're bringing up the ethics of spellcasting of all things when your evocation spells are just as bad? I'm sure there are people out there who would rather lose control of their actions instead of being set on fire or frozen completely like evocation spells tend to do!"

Mariel glared at Lyrie harshly. The young human certainly had some nerve talking down about the spells the elf knew even though she was a prisoner. Mariel continued the argument, bringing up points to defend herself as well as go on the attack against Lyrie's opinions. In the back of her mind, Mariel realized that Draul may not like to hear that she spent time arguing with Lyrie instead of trying to reform her, but at this point, she didn't care. If anything, more jail time may be enough to humble Lyrie and show her who the superior spellcaster truly was.

When Razvan first agreed to meet with Tsuto, he thought that it would be a simple enough conversation. Although Tsuto hated his father and Sandpoint, it was his attraction to Nualia that gave him the push he needed to join her. Although Tsuto felt that he was in love with Nualia, Razvan had a better idea. Based on the journal entries Razvan read from Tsuto's journal, he felt that the half-elf was only infatuated with Nualia's looks. Razvan felt that if he could get Tsuto to admit to that, he could then explain how Nualia merely used Tsuto much like how Delek Viskanta, Nualia's first lover, used her. It was a terrible cycle and Razvan hoped that he could empathize that it fell on Tsuto to break away from it to live a better life.

It was only when Razvan read Draul's notes from meeting with Tsuto in the Sandpoint Garrison that he had second thoughts about his plan. Draul noted that over the past weeks, Tsuto had become somewhat deranged, believing that Nualia would escape and free him from his cell. His belief in Nualia was so certain that, as Draul wrote down, he had tried to take his own life while in prison while declaring that Nualia would bring him back. Since that incident, Tsuto had been moved to solitary confinement and was kept under watch at all times for his own good. Even then, Tsuto had started going on a hunger strike that started three days ago.

As Razvan read through Draul's notes, he started to wonder what the paladin expected him to do. He knew how to talk his way out of most situations but he felt out of his depth when it came to dealing with Tsuto. If anything, Tsuto needed serious help that Sandpoint couldn't provide. It would have been better to send him to Magnimar but Draul wouldn't approve of that since it would likely lead to Tsuto being tried by Magnimar's courts. Without much other choice, Razvan kept reading through Draul's notes, knowing that backing out or trading with someone else wasn't an option. He didn't think he could help Tsuto but he also didn't think that Corita, Mariel, or Kennick would do much better.

The only plan that Draul came up with to help change Tsuto's mind on Nualia coming to save him was to get someone close to him to open up. The paladin had written down that he thought about asking Kennick for help but wasn't sure if Tsuto would consider him a friend after they had fought. Instead, Draul had gone to Ameiko, which Razvan saw as a good idea. Tsuto had risked a lot trying to get his half-sister to join Nualia and he obviously cared for Ameiko. Unfortunately for Draul, Ameiko wasn't sure that she wanted to see Tsuto and kept refusing the paladin's offer. With that, the notes Draul provided didn't have any other suggestions on what to do with Tsuto. Razvan immediately knew that he wouldn't ask Ameiko for help if she didn't think she could help.

It was only as he was escorted through the garrison by a guard that Razvan figured that his best chance to snap Tsuto out of his fantasies was to stick with his original plan but with a slight alteration. He didn't need to convince Tsuto that he was only infatuated with Nualia, but rather, Razvan needed to convince him that Nualia didn't care for him as he thought she did. It was risky, but the way Razvan thought about it, Tsuto's belief that Nualia would come to save him would be shattered if he realized she was using him. Approaching a cell door with a guard standing outside, he also knew that whatever method he went with, he needed to be delicate. They may have been enemies not long ago but Razvan didn't want to push Tsuto to drastic action even by mistake.

The cell door was opened by the guards and Razvan stepped inside to find the room nearly empty. There was a small pile of stray in the corner which the rogue thought was a makeshift cot for Tsuto to sleep in and nothing else. Tsuto sat with his back against the far wall from the door, his hands chained together tightly. The half-elf didn't look up from the ground even as the door closed behind Razvan. After looking over Tsuto for a moment, Razvan could see that his hair had grown out while imprisoned and that he looked thinner than before. There was a slot on the cell door for the guards to watch and intervene if necessary.

"It's been a while, huh?" Razvan said, crossing his arms. "You remember me, right?"

Tsuto glanced up from the ground but remained silent. Razvan shrugged and crouched down, sitting down in front of Tsuto.

"You probably do," Razvan continued. "We tried to kill each other on two separate occasions. That's the kind of thing you don't forget."

"Are you here for revenge?" Tsuto asked, his whisper barely carrying over to Razvan. "I won't stop you if you are."

"I didn't exactly bring any of my weapons," Razvan shook his head. "I'm here to talk. Draul thought that maybe meeting with someone new would help."

Tsuto glanced down at the ground, away from Razvan.

"You should be glad that I'm not here to kill you," Razvan said, knowing that bringing up Draul's notes wouldn't be a good start to get Tsuto to open up. "I'm sure that you want to live."

"I do," Tsuto chuckled weakly. "It doesn't matter if you kill me or not. Once Nualia gets out of here, she'll be able to save me. Even if you kill me, my love will bring me back."

Razvan nodded quietly, thinking about how best to discuss Tsuto's relationship with Nualia. He couldn't be direct with his suggestions as he needed Tsuto to come to his own conclusion. Thinking back to his childhood, there were lessons Razvan learned that could be what Tsuto needed to hear. He may have left behind those lessons when he grew up but he felt that he could still share them with someone who needed to hear them.

"Love, huh?" Razvan tapped his chin in thought. "You know, before she died, my mother used to worship Shelyn. She taught about how love can look different based on what kind of love it is."

"I don't care where you're going with this," Tsuto muttered quietly.

"Just hear me out," Razvan said. "Regardless of whether the love is romantic, familial, or erotic, there is always a deep connection between people who share love together. I'm not sure that that's something you and Nualia have with each other."

Tsuto looked up, his eyes furious. "You don't know anything about us."

"You left your journal when you fled from the glassworks," Razvan told Tsuto. "I read it for myself since we needed to know where you could have run off to. You wrote a lot about how devoted you were to Nualia and there were a lot of drawings of her too."

"Those drawings were private," Tsuto snapped at Razvan.

"It's not the first time I've seen a drawing of someone naked," Razvan assured Tsuto with a lighthearted chuckle, waving his hand dismissively. "It's strange but there wasn't hardly any mention of Nualia's feelings for you."

"I don't want to hear this," Tsuto said. "You shouldn't go through people's private writings."

"I'm just saying that I noticed a distinct difference," Razvan said, holding a hand up defensively. "It felt to me that she saw you as a tool, a weapon to use against Sandpoint. She was aware of your feelings but I don't think she really had any for you."

"We've slept together several times," Tsuto told Razvan with a smirk. "I know her more intimately than you."

"And I sleep with a merchant's daughter every now and then, but you don't see me saying I'm in love," Razvan said matter-of-factly. "For us though, that's fine. That's what we want out of our relationship. Have you and Nualia talked about that or have you just assumed that she was in love with you because she threw herself at you."

"Enough!" Tsuto shouted. "Leave me alone! I'm done talking with you!"

"Alright," Razvan said and slowly stood up. "I don't want to cause any problems."

"You already did."

Razvan took a few steps toward the door before looking over his shoulder at Tsuto. "One last thing. When Nualia thought she was in love with Delek, they slept together, but it turned out that he never had feelings for her."

"She…" Tsuto trailed off. "We don't talk about Delek."

"Maybe you should think about it," Razvan suggested. "You know Nualia's story, don't you? I think if you think about it, you might realize that you and her have more in common than you realize."

Tsuto glanced toward the wall, shaking his head, as Razvan tapped his knuckles against the cell door. The guards outside opened the way for him and closed the cell once he stepped out of it. It had been a gamble poking at Tsuto's feelings as it could have made the situation with him worse. Despite everything they've been through, Razvan sincerely hoped that Tsuto would pull through and realize that Nualia wouldn't save him if he died, even if she had the power to do so. Razvan looked through the slot on the cell door, seeing Tsuto lying prone on the ground.

"That was quick," one of the guards said. "Draul usually takes hours with the prisoners."

"Who said that I was done," Razvan turned to face the guard. "Has Tsuto been served any food today?"

"We tried but he didn't eat anything."

"Try again and let's see if he's changed his mind," Razvan told the guard. "And make sure the food's good. We want him to eat."

"If you say so," the guard muttered, stepping away from the door. "I don't think there's much hope."

"Maybe," Razvan admitted quietly, still looking through the door's slot. "Still, we're not going to give up that easily."

Corita hummed to herself while following the guard along to the most secure cell in the Sandpoint Garrison. She thought back to how life in Sandpoint turned out for her. While she had made the journey from her home to Sandpoint to pursue a career as an actress and singer, she hadn't expected to get caught up in a goblin attack and become a hero to the town. Corita fought along with her new friends to keep Sandpoint safe against the town's enemies, and in doing so, came into conflict with Nualia. It had been a tough battle, but in the end, Corita and her companions brought Nualia back to Sandpoint to stand trial.

Nualia had led the goblins to attack Sandpoint, intending to burn it down as a sacrifice for Lamashtu, the Mother of Monsters. Working with the other adventurers, Corita had learned how Nualia turned to darkness. The town of Sandpoint was divided on having Nualia as an aasimar with some in town seeing her a freak while others holding her up on a pedestal. Nualia's adoptive father, the town's former priest, had tried to ensure his daughter was perfect only for Nualia to become pregnant after meeting with a man she thought truly loved her. It was during the Late Unpleasantness that Nualia finally snapped, burning down the old cathedral along with her father while setting out to purge herself of her celestial heritage. Corita had heard that Draul and Mariel thought the runewell beneath Sandpoint may have had a role to play in twisting Nualia to her madness but such claims were unproven.

When all was said and done, Corita felt sorry for Nualia. From what she and her companions found out, Nualia had been dealt a terrible hand in life from a controlling father to a manipulative lover to a town that never saw her as a person. Corita had been fortunate enough that she had a good life back at her home village despite being born a half-elf. Had things been different and Corita had been treated as Nualia had, she wasn't sure what she would have done. Although Nualia's past couldn't excuse her actions, it did help Corita understand the fallen aasimar better. It was that understanding that pushed Corita to do what she could to help Nualia despite them nearly killing one another not so long ago.

The others may not have thought Corita was up to the task of trying to help Nualia find redemption but she intended to prove them wrong. She had the perfect plan in mind that she kept to herself. The way Corita saw it, Nualia didn't have anyone to call a friend. She had enemies, accomplices, and lovers throughout her life but no one she could consider a friend. Corita intended to become friends with Nualia and treat her as an actual person. She wouldn't treat Nualia any differently regardless of what crimes she had or because she was an aasimar. Corita even decided that she wouldn't read Draul's notes or the journal Nualia kept to respect her privacy. It was the best way to start an honest friendship.

The guard led the way to the cell at the end of the hall. Unlike previous cell doors, which had bars, the cell holding Nualia was solid metal with only a slot that the guards could open to look in. The door had been ordered specially made given how dangerous Nualia was, and while Corita heard rumors that it had been blessed by Father Zantus or made from cold iron, the bard knew better than to believe such gossip. Draul had made sure that Nualia couldn't call upon her unholy magic and Corita figured that the door was more to assure the guards and the townsfolk more than anything. Corita reached for the door handle only to find that it was locked.

"Excuse me," Corita turned to the guard with a smile. "Could you unlock the door for me?"

"Sorry, ma'am, but Sheriff Hemlock says that the door's to remain closed for visitor's safety," the guard explained. "Not even Draul was allowed in the same room with her."

"Such a shame," Corita sighed. "Could you at least give us some privacy?"

"But if she were to break out-"

"If she was capable of breaking down this door, she would have done so already," Corita pointed out with a wink. "I'll be fine. I don't have any way to open the door either."

"Very well," the guard said. "I'll check in on you in about ten minutes."

Corita gave the guard a wave as he walked down the hallway. It was disappointing that she wasn't allowed to be in the cell with Nualia for their talk but Corita wasn't going to let that ruin her plan. Once the guard was out of sight, she reached over to the slot and pulled it aside, allowing her to look into the cell. The room was dimly lit from a candle that sat atop an empty tray. After looking around the room, Corita spotted the outline of Nualia laying on a cot in the corner of the cell. Corita thought briefly if Nualia was asleep or not, and with a shrug, thought that the empty tray was a sign that she had eaten breakfast and was awake.

"Good morning!" Corita greeted with a cheerful tone. "We haven't been properly introduced, have we? My name is Corita Salache."

"You're not the paladin," Nualia commented without emotion.

"That's right," Corita nodded. "I'm his friend though. We fought back at Thistletop. Remember?"

Nualia stood up from her cot and made her way over to the cell door. The light from the hallway allowed Corita to see Nualia more clearly. Nualia had torn at the ragged clothing she wore to expose her midriff, which showed her scars, the Mark of Lamashtu, across her stomach. Then, there was Nualia's left hand, which had been twisted into a demonic claw. Corita could see why the guards were worried about Nualia as there was little to be done to properly restrain the claw short of cutting it off from the prisoner completely. Nualia stood at the other side of the door, her violet eyes looking through the slot with a harsh glare.

"I remember that I nearly killed you," Nualia said harshly. "Yet you're not angry at me. In fact, you seem pleased to see me. I take it that you were knocked senseless when you fell to the ground."

"Maybe you're right," Corita giggled. "The way I see it, that fight's in the past. I would like to move forward."

"It's not easy leaving the past behind," Nualia told Corita, shaking her head. "As much as Draul believes that there's a future for me outside of this cell, I know this town too well. Sandpoint never cared for me before, and now, the people will see me killed. There's no use delaying what's to come."

"If that's the case, why not enjoy what time you have left?" Corita asked. "You should live each day to its fullest."

Nualia blinked several times in disbelief before backing away from the door. "In that case, I shall enjoy the rest of my day without having to deal with an annoying visitor."

"Is Draul really that annoying?" Corita questioned, tapping her chin in thought.

"Clearly, between you and the paladin, there isn't any intelligence to be shared with your merry band of heroes."

"And yet we still managed to defeat you," Corita pointed out with a smile.

"I know," Nualia groaned. "Could you please leave me alone?"

"Unfortunately, I can't," Corita shook her head. "I'm taking over for Draul today. What does he normally do during one of these meetings."

"He prods me about my past, trying to get me to 'slip up' and admit that I regret my actions," Nualia looked over her shoulder back at the door. "My only regret is that I failed to burn this town to ashes and now here, forced to listen to an insufferable and immature girl!"

"Immature?" Corita blinked in surprise. "I'll have you know that I'm twenty-six!"

"You… you can't be serious," Nualia stammered. "Surely if you were you would be more mature than how you act."

"Maybe," Corita shrugged. "Like you, I try not to let what people think of me influence who I am."

"Are you trying to say we have something in common?" Nualia rolled her eyes. "What a joke. You acting like a child no matter what people think doesn't compare to the crimes I've committed for my own sake. We are nothing alike!"

Corita nodded, although she wasn't ready to give up so easily. The best way to befriend Nualia was to find common ground that they could share. If Corita could find something that they can bond over, then it was possible that Nualia would be open to genuinely talking rather than making insulting remarks. Although the bard admitted that her plan wasn't working out so far, she wasn't ready to give up and had a few more tricks up her sleeve.

"I think we have more in common than you might think," Corita said, keeping calm. "I grew up in a town smaller than Sandpoint called Turtleback Ferry and everyone treated me differently because I was a half-elf."

"Unless your father locked you in your room and had you pray to Desna for forgiveness and guidance so that he can force you to become a nun, then I do not care to listen to your story," Nualia turned away from the door.

"Honestly, my father didn't care about which god I worshipped, although I do count myself as one of Desna's followers," Corita explained gently. "It wasn't easy given that the only temple in Turtleback Ferry was dedicated to Erastil, but fortunately, I found a copy of The Eight Scrolls that-"

"I don't care!" Nualia interrupted Corita, her voice rising in anger.

"I'm sorry," Corita bowed her head. "I should have considered your feelings on Desna after what your father put you through. Although, if you don't mind me saying, I don't think that Desna would have approved of him."

"What?" Nualia gasped in surprise.

"I mean, Desna is the goddess of the stars and travelers; she encourages her followers to see what the world has to offer," Corita explained. "Your father may have worshipped Desna but his actions would go against her teachings. Like, Desna doesn't care to have nuns in cloisters. She would want her followers to hit the road, see the rest of Golarion. It just seems to me that by shutting you away from the world, your father was acting against the teachings of Desna."

Nualia remained silent for several seconds and Corita knew that she had gotten through to her. Father Tobyn's behavior in the past had bothered Corita even though she had never known the priest. Not only was he mentally abusive toward Nualia, it was hard to believe that Desna would grant him the power to wield divine magic as was expected from a priest. By discussing the flaws Corita had seen with Father Tobyn, she had found common ground with Nualia. Slowly, the aasimar turned back around and walked toward the door. Corita could see that Nualia wasn't happy but she seemed less angry than before. The bard figured that she was making progress at least.

"Perhaps I was quick to judge you," Nualia said, her voice tense. "Maybe you're smarter than I first thought you were."

"I wouldn't go that far," Corita tapped the side of her head lightly with her fingers. "Believe me, I get more things wrong than I get right. If I was smart, I wouldn't have crossed that rope bridge back at Thistletop while goblins attacked us. Terrible idea."

Nualia chuckled and shook her head. "Enough about Thistletop. I'd like to hear more of your perspective about Desna."

"I can tell you what I've picked up about the worship of Desna, but honestly, I'm not that religious to begin with," Corita admitted. "Draul might know more about Desna."

"Please don't drag him into this," Nualia said, sighing. "Every day, he brings up how he found redemption through the glory of Sarenrae. It's sickening. I don't care about making amends. I only want to learn more to satisfy my curiosity and to see how terrible my father was when it came to following Desna."

"That's as good of a reason as any," Corita said with a grin. "Let's see what I can remember about The Eight Scrolls…"

A/N: I would first like to apologize for taking so long to write this chapter. I know a lot of readers are excited to see what comes next, but a lot came up. I found it difficult to get into the mindset of some of the prisoners, but fortunately, now that I've done so, that shouldn't be an issue moving forward. Additionally, I've started taking online classes to pursue my Master's, so that means less time to focus on writing. Finally, as you can tell by reaching this point, this is one of the longest chapters I've written for Rise of the Runelords. As it served to catch up some of the characters during the short time skip, that might have been expected, but it took more time to write even after I cut out a final scene to include in next chapter.

I hope this explanation satisfies everyone. Moving forward, I am going to try to get back into writing The Skinsaw Murders, although time commitments on my part may mean that the next update is sometime away. Fortunately, we are moving into the start of this part of the adventure hope, so that might help me out.

Finally, I'd like to give a quick shout out to BadOrk11 for favoriting this story. I appreciate the support.

Until next time.