“Ow. Ow. Ow.”
“For goodness sakes, Jan, stop it. Jaheira healed you five minutes ago.”
“Don't be so hard-hearted, Jarran. That lava pit nearly burned my boots off.”
“You deserve it for being so greedy. A few baubles aren't worth the burns you took. If you had told me what you saw, I could have grabbed them for you. I'm the one with the magical boots.”
The gnome looked embarrassed and said, “I'll make a deal with you. If you promise not to mention it again, I'll pretend I never saw this gem. It has to be the biggest pearl I've seen… I bet it would make a nice gift to a lovely lady.”
Jarran frowned. “And I'll pretend I didn't hear you insinuate I'd hide treasure from the group. But,” he said as his face broke into a smile, “I'll take it anyway. I think I'll get good use from it.” He took the pearl from Jan's hand and whispered a word of power to it. It rose into the air and began to hover over Jarran's head.
“By Uncle Scratchy's pointed beard! An Ioun Stone! And I missed it.”
Anomen looked up from his studies. “It is only what your avarice deserves, gnome.” The group was resting in the room past the lava pit, and he was diligently trying to decipher the religious papers that they had discovered. “Now be quiet while I try to read this.”
“I believe I might remember some of the words from when my group traveled these halls,” Mazzy said, but Anomen ignored her.
Valygar shot the priest a disapproving glance and said, “I had always heard that your group worked out of Trademeet, Mazzy. What brought you up this way?”
“The mayor sent out notices to all the surrounding towns, desperately appealing for aid. We simply came to see what we could do to help.”
“Have you been leading a group long?”
“Not long enough, it would seem,” Anomen muttered under his breath.
Mazzy turned bright red as Valygar scowled. “Why don't you cease this sniping, Anomen?” the ranger snapped. “Mazzy has a heroic reputation in this part of Amn. On the other hand, I had never heard of you.”
It was Anomen's turn to blush. “I do not require adulation. I am content to serve Helm and the Order.”
Mazzy glared at the priest. “Are you insinuating that I do this for fame? I have acted as a paladin would, and it is no fault of mine that others speak of it.”
“You are no paladin and no knight, and I am tired of your delusions.”
“You are only a youth, so I shall let your insults melt away. But no true knight would speak such things.”
“Do not presume to lecture me on what a knight would or would not do.” He gathered up the papers and rose from the floor. He began to cross the room to his pack when he noisily crashed to the floor.
Jarran leapt to his feet in surprise. “Anomen, are you all right?”
The knight staggered to his feet, blood running from his nose. “She tripped me! The little witch tripped me!”
“Is it my fault you do not look where you put your feet, you clumsy oaf?”
“You…!” Anomen started to charge at her, but Jarran stepped in between them.
The bard grabbed his friend by the shoulders and shouted, “Anomen, control yourself!” He began pushing the man out of the room and said bluntly, “It is time we had a talk.”
He half lead, half shoved the priest back to the bridge on the other side of the lava room. “What in the Abyss is wrong with you? I've never seen you behaving this way.”
Anomen's face had a rebellious look, but slowly it melted away to simple frustration. “I cannot help it. She speaks constantly of herself as if she was a paladin and a knight. I could not become a paladin, but I did not embarrass myself by pretending that I actually was one.”
“There doesn't seem to be any harm in it.”
“No harm? I worked for years, Jarran, years as a squire. I performed every menial task and endured every sneer because knighthood shone before me like a flame that warmed my soul. I lost everything to become a knight, and what has she lost? What has she sacrificed? To simply call herself a knight without any trial or service cheapens every person who has labored to attain that goal.”
“But you don't know that, Anomen. We don't know enough about her to know if Arvoreen put her through tests or set some sort of rules for her to follow.”
“Perhaps… perhaps you are right.”
“Mazzy seems like a good person, and she is devoted to her goddess. Couldn't she become a paladin one day?”
Anomen seemed startled at the idea, but looked thoughtful. “There have never been halfling paladins before, but… that is in the hands of the gods. If the halfling gods decide that they wish to have paladins serving them, then I suppose such a thing is possible.”
“And would they be welcome in the Order?”
“That would be up to the leaders, not to a newly-made knight.”
“Then let me rephrase that. Would you welcome her into the Order?”
“I would have to think on that. I am not accustomed to thinking of halflings as warriors. But Valygar appears to think highly of her, and he seems a man not easily impressed.”
“Well, you are going to have to think of her as a warrior. I can't have this sort of bickering, it's too dangerous. And I certainly can't allow party members to attack each other.”
Anomen stared at him, then lowered his eyes. “When we return to Athkatla, if you would prefer that I return to the Order, I… I will understand.”
“Anomen, you're my friend. I want you to stay in our group. That's why I'm giving you a chance to mend your ways. Almost anyone else I would have kicked in the pants and sent on their way.”
The priest looked even more embarrassed. “I appreciate your kindness. I will do my best to control my temper.”
“That's all I am asking. I can't expect you to be best of friends, but I do expect you to tolerate each other and work together.”
The two men returned to the room, and Jarran pointed at Mazzy. “Your turn. Now.” The halfling followed him back to the bridge. “Mazzy, I want the truth. Did you intentionally trip Anomen?”
She glared for a moment, then sighed. “I did. I was weak, and it was foolish to allow myself to give in to my baser nature. You wish me to go, I am sure.”
“I suppose that would be the obvious course of action. There has been strife since you joined our group, so I should eliminate the source of the problem.”
“Yes. It is the sensible thing to do. Let me gather my things, and I will trouble you no more.”
“Mazzy, I said it was the obvious way to deal with it. I didn't say that I was actually going to ask you to leave.”
“I…I don't understand.”
“I know that you have been through quite a lot, and that's why I'm willing to give you a second chance. And I want you to give Anomen another chance.”
She stood in silence, thinking. “I am unsure that I can do as you ask. He has been most unkind. He has sneered at my fighting ability and my faith, he has dismissed my experience… When we were fighting the undead, he was in such a hurry to reach his foe he shoved me out of the way as if I was of no consequence. I have struggled for years against those who believe that halflings are nothing but thieves or jesters, and he is one of them.”
“Anomen is a good man. I know you haven't seen him at his best, but he has had difficulties recently.”
“Difficulties? He is a large, strong man, a knight in a famous Order. What struggles could he possibly know?”
Jarran started chuckling. “I don't mean to laugh, but Anomen is angry because he feels you are the one who has had it too easy.”
Mazzy looked indignant. “Too easy? Does he know what it is like to try to walk the path of a paladin when none take you seriously?”
“He knows what it is like to try to become a knight when others in the Order hoped he would fail. Many there didn't take him seriously, either.”
“Hmmm. A problem, to be sure, but he obviously overcame it. He is, after all, a knight.”
“But even though he has achieved his goal, he still struggles. Perhaps the two of you have something in common.”
“I doubt that, but… I will try my best to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“Good. I think you'd make a fine addition to the group, but I won't allow sort of thing. I hate to be harsh but… Anomen was here first, and he is my friend.”
“I understand. I will ignore his barbs as best I can.”
They rejoined the group, and Anomen and Mazzy gave each other uneasy glances. They appeared determined to pretend to ignore each other as the party readied themselves to move on.
Jarran slid along the pathway around the lava pit right behind Jan. The gnome checked for any traps, then announced that the room beyond was some sort of crypt. The party entered it cautiously, wary for more undead.
Suddenly the long-dead torches on the walls flared, and the room was filled with light. Two vague figures appeared, but before the party could attack, they chanted, “Hail to the Lightbringer of Amaunator! The light has returned!”
Jarran lowered his axe. “Who are you, spirits?”
“We were once the Faithful of the Keeper of the Eternal Sun. We dwell here in misery, unable to rest.”
“Why can't you rest?”
“We have failed our beloved Amuana. In the last days of this temple, we were blessed with a child prophetess, the Child of Light who would fight against the darkness that was once more beginning to spill into these lands. But our savior was born too late. She was not yet strong enough when the wards were destroyed, and she was murdered along with the rest of us. The body of our blessed Amuana was thrown to the wolves, and we cannot find peace while her bones lie desecrated.”
The other spirit chimed in, “But you have brought her to us! We sense that you bear the Child of Light, and have carried her away from her defilement.”
Jarran set his pack down, and retrieved the small bundle of bones. He laid the bundle on the floor. “Here is your prophetess.”
“Our duty is at an end. Please... Amuana... forgive us! Forgive our lapse and let us cross over at last!”
With cries of joy, the two spirits faded. Untouched, the folds of the blanket fell apart to reveal the bones within. The body glowed with a golden light, and rose from the floor. The figure of a young girl formed before them, and she smiled.
“I am grateful to you. Badon and Dettseh have been relieved of their duty and crossed over, and I will join them soon. I have a gift for you, Lightbringer, Man of the Twilight of our Lord. Before you lies the den of a shadow dragon. This wardstone will allow you to pass the beast untouched if you so choose. If you choose to fight the creature, then the wardstone will assure that you will surprise the dragon. You have great strength, Lightbringer. The choice is yours.” She held out a small black and gray stone.
Jarran took the wardstone. “Thank you for your help. Is there anything we can do for you?”
“Only that which you already intend… slay the Shade Lord and return Amaunator's light to this blighted place.”
“Before you go…have the spirits that I released in Athkatla moved on?”
“They still await the Light. I will join them, and we shall all find the home that the Lightbringer has provided for us.”
“Wait a moment… why do you call me 'Lightbringer'?”
“Because you carry the Light of the Keeper of the Eternal Sun in your soul. You sit at his right hand and bring the servants of the Light hope. All hail the Lightbringer, blessed of Amaunator! May the Light be forever victorious.” With that, the spirit faded away, leaving nothing behind, not even her bones.
Jarran looked at the others, who were staring at him with puzzled expressions. Slowly he said, “Why do I get the strange feeling I've just been worshipped?”