Baldur's Gate 2 SoA Shadows Within Ch7 part 3

Baldur's Gate 2 SoA: Shadows Within
Chapter 7: The Unseeing Eye Of The Beholder part 3

Keldorn and the others woke up finding themselves in a strange environment. The air smelled like sulfur and vinegar, and the walls of the tunnels and the small room they are in look as if they are made of skin and flesh instead of stone.

"What... What is this place...?" Nalia asked in mild bewilderment.

"I don't know... And I've got a bad feeling about this place..." Keldorn said as he stood up on his feet.

Haer'Dalis checked out his surroundings, frowning. "'Tis new stage is unfamiliar to this sparrow. I sense the acrid stench of maliciousness and fear from every direction."

Anomen checked his scabbard and discovered that his mace is gone. "What? What sorcery is this? They've taken my weapon!" Anomen exclaimed.

Everyone else checked to see if they still have their melee weapons.

"They took my sword too," Keldorn announced.

"They've confiscated this sparrow's swords as well. What an unfortunate turn of events." Haer'Dalis said in disappointment.

"We are all defenseless here. This is not good," Yoshimo said.

Aerie grew increasingly frightened of her surroundings. She felt as if she is in some kind of horrific nightmare. She closed her eyes and shook her head, whimpering.

"Oy... Somebody put the wingless freak out of her misery before I do," Korgan growled.  

"Aerie? Are you okay?" Neera asked.

"No, I'm not okay, I will never be okay...! I wish I had my wings so I can just fly out of here!" Aerie whined.

"Hey, chill out, okay? You're not alone.

Just stick with us and you'll be alright, okay?" Neera comforted Aerie.

But... But... I don't want to be here... I want to go back home to Faenya-Dail..." Aerie sobbed.

"Neera is right, my dear. Stay with us and you'll be safe. So wipe your tears and let's find a way out of here," Nalia said.

Aerie nodded and wiped her hears with her right hand. Haer'Dalis took notice of Aerie and immediately became captivated by her beauty. Do my eyes deceive me? This is the most beautiful dove this sparrow has ever laid eyes upon... such emotion...! It moves my heart and soul! He felt compelled to comfort her. He walked over to her and said: "There, there, my dove... this sparrow will not leave your side for an instant," He said in a calm, comforting tone.

"Th... thank you..." Aerie whispered.

"We are not completely defenseless here. Aerie, Nalia and Neera have magic spells," Yoshimo reminded everyone.

Neera's eyes perked up. "Hey, you're right! Boy, you are smart just like Boo!" Neera smiled at Yoshimo.

"Hey! You took the words right out of my mouth, Neera!" Minsc said to Neera, but he was clearly not offended.

"I did? I don't recall putting my hand in your mouth," She joked, trying to lighten the mood, but Neera's attempt failed miserably when some creature somewhere in the tunnels nearby screeched loudly.

"What was that?" Aerie turned her head left and right in alarm.

"I don't know... But whatever it is, I think it is looking for us..." Anomen said, beads of sweat dropping from his face.

"Yes, but which direction?" Althirion wondered, noticing there are 5 ways out of the room they are in.

"If we take the wrong tunnel, we may run into whatever is looking for us. And me without my bloody ax!" Korgan cursed.

"We must risk it. If we stay here, the creature that is looking for us will find us eventually. Let's choose which tunnel to follow," Keldorn said.

-----

Ralis retraced his steps back into the room where Sassar and his friends stayed in with the sarcophagus. Sassar was surprised to hear footsteps approaching and had a hunch that it is Ralis.

"I-is that you? Have you returned successful?" His voice trembled with hope.

"Yes, I have half of the rod here with me," Ralis confirmed.

A big smile spread across Sassar's face. "Most excellent, my Lord! Most wonderful! Let me tell you, then, how the second half of the rod can be acquired," Sassar said.

"This is it," Ralis smiled, ready to end this cult once and for all.

"The Unseeing Eye is in a great pit in the center of the cult compound called Pit of the Faithless. It is a large labyrinth where the beholder's kin reside. You cannot enter the pit by the stairs-- the beholder's minions would slay you," Sassar said.

"Are you telling me that I must enter a pit where who knows how many beholders live, including the Unseeing Eye himself to find the other half of the rod? That's just great," Ralis said sarcastically, clearly worried.

"Yes, there is a possibility that you may encounter the Unseeing Eye before you find the other half of the rod, but you must get into the pit regardless," Sassar said.

"How?" Ralis asked.

"There's a niche where the beholder stores his treasures... including the rod. There's a safe way to get to that niche. One of our friends is still in the cult. You must approach him and say the phrase: "the eye is blind." He will then know who you are and be able to help you. you will find him by the Pit of the Faithless... do hurry, my Lord! The beholder continues to mesmerize and murder the innocent even as we speak!" Sassar said urgently.

"Oh no...!" Ralis gasped quietly, wondering if Keldorn, Neera, Aerie and the others are okay. "I shall go immediately with all haste," he said.

"Praise the gods! I wish you well, my Lord! Remember, do not speak to Gaal. If he senses that you have half of the rod, the plan is doomed. Speak only to Tad!" Sassar warned Ralis.

Ralis left the room with all haste. He made his way back to the cult of the eyeless hideout. He had to be careful not to run into Gaal, otherwise he would be screwed. He walked by a few blind cultists as he walked down the semi dark hallway. Ralis figured it wouldn't hurt to ask a cultist where Tad is since every single one of them are blind, but how would a blind person know which way to go? Ralis abandoned that idea. He passed by a few more blind cultists until he found himself in a room with four pillars.

"We didn't get any recruits from this group," Ralis heard Gaal say nearby.

Reacting instinctively, he hid behind the pillar to his right so that approaching Gaal wouldn't spot him. Gaal and three more guards walked into the room. They stopped walking in the middle of the room. Ralis did his best not to make any noise and quiet his breathing.

"It's depressing how so many people these days are weak-willed. None of them are fit in becoming disciples of the Unseeing Eye," Gaal fumed.

"Should we return to the surface and try to find more people who show potential?" One of the elite guards asked Gaal.

He stroked his chin in thought. "Hmm. We might as well. However, there are those who are suspicious of our activities, but they cannot take action against us without proof, so we should be fine," Gaal admitted.

"What if those intruders who snuck in with the previous group escape the Pit of the Faithless?" the other elite guard asked Gaal.

"They won't survive. The beholders there will end their lives and throw their corpses to the ghasts and ghouls in the neighboring caves. Come, let us find more recruits to invite into the cult," Gaal replied, then he and his elite guards left the room the way Ralis came in.

Sensing that the coast is clear, Ralis stopped pressing his body against the pillar and left the room the way Gaal and his guards came in. Eventually Ralis found himself in a large semi dark room which is the dormitory of the cult. Cultists sleep in small rooms that look more like small bear caves. In the middle of the dormitory is a large, dark green orb made of glass that illuminates the room in a shadowy green light. Ralis found a ladder and climbed up to the second level of the cult's dormitory room in search of the entrance to the Pit of the Faithless. He found the only passage that leads out of the dormitory room on the 2nd floor which leads to the Pit of the Faithless. He had no way of knowing for sure, but it is the only exit on this level. He headed for the passageway and followed the tunnel 13 steps forward until he came to a small room where a blonde haired blind man is standing in front of some kind of large cellar door in the middle of the floor.

"Are you Tad?" Ralis asked the blonde man nearby.

"I am. What do you want, pilgrim?" He replied.

"The eye is blind," Ralis responded, remembering the phrase Sassar told him to tell to Tad.

His eyebrows arched up in surprise. "You... Sassar sent you? Oh, thank the gods. I am relieved he is still alive! What do you need me to do?" Tad said happily.

"He said you would know a secret way to reach the small cave at the back of the beholder's lair. Can you help me find it?" Ralis asked Tad urgently.

Tad frowned. "You want to enter the beholder's lair? You're either brave or have a death wish... Well...you can't go down the chute that leads directly to the pit, Gaal and my fellow cultists will notice you, so you must go down these stairs to reach the Pit of the Faithless instead. Below is a secret pathway to the small cave in the lair. I don't know exactly where the passage is. Be wary of the creatures who feed upon the bodies of the faithless that are thrown down there. Those that are faithless to the cult are thrown directly into the pit to be tormented and killed by the beholders, then they throw the corpses into the cave where the creatures who feed on their bodies live."

"Okay..." Ralis sighed, rubbing his hands together until the palms of his hands heated up.

"Thanks for your help, Tad. I'm going in," he said.

Tad smiled. "Good luck, my Lord!" He said and stepped aside.

Ralis stepped closer to the cellar door, opened it, and began descending down the stairs into darkness.

At the end of the stairway after going many feet down towards the sub-level caverns, Ralis' nostrils were suddenly assaulted by the foul odor of decaying flesh and the ripe body odor of a crowd of undead creatures.

"Jeez..." Ralis muttered in disgust as he moved down the uneven, winding tunnel.

Along the way he past by many corpses. Every single one of them had their flesh torn off their bones, a sign that flesh eating creatures like ghouls, ghasts and zombies live here. Ralis continued following the tunnels. He heard the moans and groans of nearby undead in nearby tunnels and rooms, but he hasn't personally encountered one yet. Regardless, he drew his bastard swords in case of an ambush. He came to a stairway that took him a few feet up until he found another stairway to his right and another in front of him. A zombie lumbered down the stairs ahead of Ralis and the zombie stopped walking when it saw the human dressed in armor made out of ankheg hide armed with two magically enhanced bastard swords.

"What isss thisss? What isss thisss? A living one? Here? I mussst tell the mayor!" The zombie exclaimed and ran back up the stairs.

Ralis frowned. Mayor? He never knew that undead creatures had the intellect to be organized!

"Wait! Come back!" Ralis gave chase after the zombie, going up the stairs.

Ralis found himself in a room surrounded by 30 ghasts, 3 ghoul lords and 15 zombies!

"Oh my gods...!" Ralis gasped in shock.

This place is a city of undead! What surprised Ralis the most is none of the undead attempted to attack him. Apparently they were enthralled by the scent of living flesh, but they acted like they are trying really hard to resist their animalistic behavior. Seconds later, the zombie who ran off returned with another zombie, who is treated as the mayor.

"Here he isss, mayor Theshal..." The zombie who ran off said.

Theshal stepped a few feet closer to Ralis, now standing 6 feet away from him. Ralis's nostrils were at the mercy of the foul body odor and breath of these undead creatures.

"Hsss! Why do you come amongst usss? I begsss you to leave! The sssmell... the sssmell of living food makes usss wild!" Theshal hissed to Ralis, visibly trying to resist the urge to attack.

Ralis sensed that all of these undead are trying to be civilized as they possibly can without succumbing to their instincts as hungry undead, like how sharks go in a frenzy at the scent of blood.

"I've never seen ghouls act so... civilized. What the heck is going on here?" Ralis asked, still holding his swords.

"We isss fed from the hole... they throwsss meat to usss. We mussst eat! But we triesss not to eatsss the living! I triesss to teach the ghoulsss to be good, to have town likesss the living!" Theshal explained, still trying to resist the urge to feast on Ralis's flesh.

He felt that he should get his important questions answered fast. "I... see. Well, could you tell me where the passage to the beholder's lair above is then?"

"You... wantsss to sssee the Great Feeder?" Theshal licked his nose with his thick snake-like tongue.

"The... Great Feeder? If you are referring to the one who throws you down all the dead bodies, then, yes, I suppose so," Ralis nodded uneasily.

"The... the Great Feeder isss beyond the bridge, he isss... we goesss there to ssserve him and cleansss him..." Theshal exclaimed.

Ralis felt like time is running out and he is overstaying his welcome here. "Well, I better get going..." He began to walk away.

"...the... sssmell... it isss too much! I cannot sstand it any moresss! HsssSSS!"

"Oh no!" Ralis gasped and immediately ran down the stairs as Theshal and the other ghouls gave chase.

Then he headed for the stairs to his left. Up ahead he saw the bridge Theshal mentioned and immediately headed for it. Theshal and the other ghouls were still giving chase, so he is still far from safe. After reaching the other side of the bridge, Ralis saw that if he doesn't cut the bridge down, Theshal and the other ghouls will just chase him into the Pit of the Faithless. Ralis quickly used his swords to cut the roped holding his side of the bridge, then the bridge collapsed. Three ghasts who were already walking on he bridge fell into the chasm's darkness. Theshal and the other ghouls were stuck with no way to continue chasing Ralis. They hissed in anger, but Theshal managed to regain his senses. Before heading off into the tunnels that lead into the Pit of the Faithless, Ralis looked over at the undead creatures on the other end of the chasm and saw Theshal look at him with extreme guilt in his eyes. Ralis didn't need to ask Theshal what's wrong, he knew exactly why Theshal looks so sad. Ralis looked down forlornly, sighed and walked off into the tunnels.


I don't understand it. I am utterly confused. When I looked into his eyes, I saw something I never expected to see from an undead creature. The guilt in his eyes said to me: "I'm sorry, please forgive me." Imagine that-- guilt from an undead creature! If I told anyone this, they would laugh at me and say: "Ghouls and ghasts don't know pity or remorse! They are just evil undead who would love to sink their teeth into your flesh whether you are alive or dead!" And they would be right, undead creatures generally behave that way. But after looking into Theshal's guilty eyes, I saw something in him that I can relate to. Just like him, I too am shackled by my urges as a child of Bhaal, to see the blood and guts spill out from the wounds of my enemy-- it pleases my inner evil, much to my distaste. So then I ask myself: What is it that drives sentient creatures to kill for food, sport or self-defense? Is it some natural urge like how every living thing has the basic drive to live, survive and produce offspring, even at the expense of taking another's life? If it is, then it is simply that, an urge, not a choice made by the creature. We are in control of our bodies and minds, but our natural urges drive us to do what we are made to do.

The ghouls and ghasts can't help it if they go crazy at the scent of fresh, living meat. Whenever I see blood, I get excited inside, but I resist, I am reminded that I am in control of my body, not my natural urge as a spawn of Bhaal. That's why I didn't attack Theshal and his fellow undead. If I killed them, what would make me different from them? Maybe I would have done them a favor, there is no escape from their natural urges as flesh eating undead. But they are all just like me, imprisoned by urges that we can barely control. Our natural urges have no concept of good and evil, only survival, but I can't say the same about my Bhaalspawn urges. I pity them, and I pity myself. Is there peace from all this inner turmoil? I hope to believe there is. So yes, Theshal, I forgive you.

-Ralis Rutela


Meanwhile, back in the tavern, Abdel, Jaheira and Viconia still sat at the bar alone, waiting for Ralis and the others to return from their mission. Abdel looked over at Viconia-- he knows that the drow are not a race that can be trusted, unless the person who decides to trust them has a death wish. He couldn't figure out what his little brother saw in Viconia.

I guess he finds her attractive... I don't blame him, she does have a nice figure... Abdel thought to himself, then continued drinking his mead.

"Why do you stare at her?" Jaheira asked Abdel.

He set his mead down. "Huh?" He looked at Jaheira in confusion. "Oh, I was just wondering what Ralis sees in her," he replied.

"You know I can hear you, jaluk," Viconia said almost in a curt tone to Abdel.

He turned his attention to Viconia, who kept her hood over her head and veil covering her face. "I want to know something, because I get the feeling you're different from other... *clears throat*... dark elves," Abdel whispered "dark elves" so that the bartender and other tavern visitors wouldn't hear him clearly. "Why does Ralis trust you so much, and why do you trust him?" Abdel continued asking his question.

Viconia shrugged. "Your sibling is an enigma to me as he is to you. His actions, however, will not change the way how I view you rivvil. You creatures are so quick to fear and hate for no rational reason," Viconia said.

"I doubt that," Abdel shook his head slowly. "I get the feeling that you trust and like him."

Viconia bristled in outrage almost involuntarily. Me?! A female drow fall for a male rivvin? That is absurd! She exclaimed in outrage in her thoughts. "You would do well to hold your tongue before it gets you killed," she threatened Abdel.

Abdel wasn't scared, he smirked at Viconia. "Your behavior betrays your feelings, Viconia. Admit it. You like my brother, don't you?"

"Shut up! I have absolutely no intention of mating with a fearful creature like you humans!" Viconia hissed.

"But what about Ralis?" Abdel asked her.

Viconia fell quiet and slowly turned away from Abdel, wondering if what he is saying is true.

"I don't know much about dark elves, but I hear you say that trusting in anyone is foolish. Why do you trust my brother, of all people? Is it because you know he's different?" Abdel asked Viconia.

She didn't reply to him because she is occupied thinking to herself, thinking about her conflicting feelings about humans.

------

Meanwhile, Ralis finally set foot in the Pit of the Faithless.

"What the...!" Ralis gasped in shock at the scenery.

The cave walls look like they are made of raw flesh, giving the feeling that he is walking inside the bowels of some kind of monster. The air smelled a bit humid and putrid too.

"Gods, this place is... disturbing..." He whispered to himself as he walked down the tunnel.

In the first small room, in the middle of the floor, Ralis saw something that looked like a giant zit with a mouth shaped hole in the center that opens and closes constantly.

Am I in one of the Nine Hells?! This place is strange! Ralis thought to himself, walking around the thing and continuing ahead into the next set of tunnels.

He heard hissing noises nearby, a possible sign that he may be nearing a beholder or two. He silently wished that he does not run into Unseeing Eye before he finds the other rod piece.

Meanwhile, in a different area of the Pit of the Faithless, a couple miles east from Ralis' position, Keldorn and the others encountered a beholder, but it is not Unseeing Eye, but an examiner, a 4-foot diameter beholder that has no central eye and only 4 small eyes at the end of their tentacle stalks on their head. Examiners have a small, lamprey-like mouth on their ventral surface, surrounded by 4 multi-joined limbs ending in gripper pads.

"Everyone, get down!" Neera shouted.

She casted a magic missile at the examiner before it could attack, and Nalia quickly followed up Neera's magic missiles with her own, killing the creature.

Neera sighed in relief. "I really want to get out of here because it feels like we are trapped in the intestines of some monster, and I don't want to be here when the balls of dung roll our way," she said.

"Please don't say that again, dear lady..." Anomen groaned, feeling sick over the thought. They retraced their steps back and took another tunnel going northwest.

Ralis found himself in a room where he is ambushed by two beholder-kin creatures called "Lensman". Lensman are the most humanoid of the beholder related creatures, they have one eye set in the chest level of its five-limbed, starfish shaped humanoid body. Beneath the eye is a leering, toothy mouth. Four of the five limbs end in three-fingered, two thumbed, clawed hand. The 5th limb, atop the body is a prehensile, whip-like tentacle. The skin is soft and there are many short, fly-like hair. Lensmen are the only kin of beholders to wear any kind of clothing, and use weapons like quarterstaffs or swords, but they like to use double-headed pole arms. The lensman to Ralis' left attempted to stab at Ralis. Using Kondar, he slapped the spear away from targeting the left side of his left rib, and the other lensman to Ralis' right attacked, believing their Ralis would focus his attention on fighting the other lensman.

He thought wrong. Ralis dove forward away from the striking blow, then quickly turned his body around to face the second lensman and sliced at his right leg. The lensman howled in pain and collapsed, disabled. Enraged, the other lensman came at Ralis in full fury.  Ralis backed away from the lensman, blocking every stab until his back pressed against the wall, then Ralis jumped out of the way just when the lensman attempted another stab, only to have its spear get stuck into the fleshy wall. Unable to pull its spear out in time, the lensman decided to fight Ralis unarmed, which was not a smart move. Ralis blocked 6 punches and kicks in a row, then he drove Albruin into the lensman's mouth, the end of the blade protruding from the lensman's back. The lensman collapsed dead after Ralis pulled Albruin out, then Ralis stabbed the disabled lensman who was trying to crawl away to safety, then he followed the tunnel passage northeast. The passage was winded from northeast a few steps, then took him down southeast to a "Y" shaped branching passage. Ralis decided to take the left passage, hoping that he is going in the right direction.

Keldorn and the others are now being chased by three gauths who are trying to zap them with electricity spells.

"Where are we going?!" Jan exclaimed to Neera.

"Anywhere away from them!" Neera exclaimed in reply.

They came into another room, then decided to take the leftmost passage. They had no intention of splitting up to confuse the gauths, it's too risky. The gauths weren't that close to Keldorn and the others in their chase, so the gauths split up believing that Neera, Aerie, Althirion and the others actually split up. They managed to lose the gauths in a tunnel that twisted like a corkscrew then went north. They entered another room that is empty and has two tunnel passages, one to the southwest corner and one to the east.

At that moment, they heard someone exclaiming: "Where am I? Where am I going? Help! Somebody please!"

Soon Keldorn and the others saw the blind man stumble into the room, the same man who they saw have his eyes cut out even though he changed his mind about it at the last minute. He stumbled into the room not knowing where he is, unable to see the disturbing features of the caverns they are trapped in.

"We have to help him!" Aerie exclaimed.

Before anyone could agree or disagree, a beholder mage, a beholder whose central eye has been intentionally blinded to be able to cast spells came into the room, who was chasing after the blind man.

"Look out!" Keldorn exclaimed.

The blind man could hear the beholder breathing behind him. "Help! Please! Help me--Aack!" The man panicked, beginning to run but the beholder mage struck him down with a powerful magic missile.

"Attack! Attack!" Anomen exclaimed.

Nalia used the Breach spell on the beholder mage, removing any magical defenses it had, then Neera casted a chromatic orb at it, and Aerie fired a magical flame arrow at the beholder mage, killing it. Then they chose to take the southwestern path, and in the next room, they encountered something shocking.

They heard a voice speak to them not verbally, but through telepathy: "Despair, sighted, for death is thy familiar..." Keldorn stared at the creature wide eyed.

"Torm rescue us..." He whispered.

Ralis, meanwhile still walked down the tunnels with his swords in his hands, ready for an ambush. He fought and killed two regular beholders along the tunnel and continued following tunnels leading to whatever he felt is the right direction. He could only hope that he is going the right way.  It took him two minutes to find the room he is looking for. He found a room where there is a niche that looked like a large mound of pulsating flesh. Ralis wasn't sure what to make of it as he approached it carefully. He reluctantly began to climb on the mound, feeling something similar to a heartbeat beating on the palm of his hands and kneecaps. He decided to cut the niche open to see if the rod piece is inside it. He grabbed Avenger, his two-sided dirk out of his belt and then began cutting into the flesh of the mound. Pus like ooze began to gush out from the wound and Ralis grimaced in disgust. Then he opened the wound wider and saw the rod piece inside! Ralis smiled in relief.

"What luck!" He smiled, reaching his left hand into the wound and pulled out the second rod piece, then reached into his inventory bag to pull out the other rod piece with his right hand.

He held both rod pieces in his hands, looking at them in confusion.

"How the hell do I put this thing together...?" He wondered aloud.

As if on cue, the two pieces of the rod began to levitate in the air, and above Ralis' head, they adjusted each other in the proper position and came together, then fell into his hands. He smiled.

"All right! Now let's find Unseeing Eye and finish this," he said to himself and left the room. As he took 5 steps out of the room where he found the other rod piece, he heard someone scream nearby. "Who was that?" Ralis wondered. Assuming it is one of his friends, he broke into a run, hoping that he the passages he is taking will lead him to them.

----

Unseeing Eye, an elder orb, unleashed a spell that paralyzed Keldorn, Anomen, Althirion, Yoshimo, Minsc, Aerie, Neera, Nalia, Korgan, Jan and Haer'Dalis' bodies to prevent them from attacking or escaping, and before he could unleash more of his powerful magic spells on defenseless Keldorn and the others, Ralis finally caught up to them, entering the room holding the completed rod in his hands.

"Hey, body-less cyclops freak!" Ralis called to Unseeing Eye, and the beholder turned to face him, growling. Then it put up a spell called Improved Mantle, which deflects magical attacks and shields itself from melee attacks.

"Recognize this?" Ralis pointed the rift device at Unseeing Eye.

"Ralis!" Neera and the others were surprised to see him come to their rescue.

"Aha! My raven has come to our rescue! A dramatic appearance indeed!" Haer'Dalis smiled gleefully.

Keldorn, however, believing that the rod is a dangerous device feared for Ralis' actions. "Ralis, no! Don't give the vile creature the rod!" He yelled.

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing!" Ralis yelled back at Keldorn as the rod became active, whipping up strong forces of energy in all directions, causing his hair to wave as if wind is blowing in his face.

Then a bright ball of blue light slowly grew at the tip of the rod. Even though Unseeing Eye couldn't see what Ralis was doing, it knew what he had and is petrified with fear.

"Your days are numbered, beholder!" Ralis exclaimed as the roaring noise of the power building up in the rod reached a boiling point, then a large, bright blue beam of light shot out from the rod and engulfed Unseeing Eye in the beam.

Unseeing Eye felt its flesh slowly being burned away in the beam and it shrieked, knowing that its life will be coming to an end in seconds. Soon the barrage of the bright beam burned away all of the Unseeing Eye's flesh and it collapsed dead, and the beam shut off and the rod became inactive. Korgan laughed, surprised at what just happened.

Ralis looked down at the rod in his hands, amazed that it was more than strong enough to kill a powerful beholder with ease. Even his companions were in shock.

"You... killed the beholder..." Anomen gasped in relief and awe, then he shook his head to compose himself then he said: "A strong and noble knight like me could have done better."

Ralis noticed that Anomen does not have his mace sheathed to his belt. "Really? Where is your mace then, oh noble knight?" Ralis taunted.

Flustered, Anomen completely forgotten that he is unarmed, that the cultists disarmed him and his companions while they were unconscious and thrown into this pit. "I... I... I could have slaughtered that beast more gracefully than you have, and without that rod of yours! You should learn to respect your superior," Anomen snapped.

"Are knights supposed to feel jealousy and worry about superiority? You complained about me being a terrible leader for this mission and now you complain about this? You still complain even though I've proven myself to be a good leader of this group? What happened to honor and chivalry?" Ralis asked him.

Anomen didn't say a word but he scowled disdainfully at Ralis as he walked by.

"Are you guys okay?" Ralis asked the rest of his companions.

"I could go for a turnip sandwich, but I'm fine," Jan nodded.

Before Ralis could ask Nalia, Aerie, Neera, Minsc and Althirion if they are okay, Haer'Dalis came up to Ralis and said: "That was a spectacular performance, my raven! Just when my friends and I were staring into the face of death itself, behold! You, my raven, like a fine actor at the climax of a play, impeccably arrived to change our fates and send the antagonist into oblivion! I thank you!"

"Uh... you're welcome, Haer'Dalis," Ralis slowly said, confused at Haer'Dalis's over-dramatic words and gestures.

"You did good today, Ralis. You would make a great knight of the Radiant Heart if you wanted," Keldorn said.

"I can't. I feel that I can do good in the Realms just being the way I am," Ralis humbly said.

Anomen huffed and crossed his arms, mumbling. Keldorn took notice of that and left Ralis to speak to Minsc, Haer'Dalis, Neera, Aerie, Nalia, Korgan, Yoshimo and Althirion.

"Squire Anomen, it is time that I had another word with you. I must say that you do not always act in a manner befitting a squire of the Order. You must learn to show deference to your leaders and elders," Keldorn told him.

Anomen closed his eyes, still crossing his arms and keeping his back turned on Keldorn. "Sir Keldorn, I thought that I had made it clear the last time that you brought this, I have no need of further lessons... especially from you. I near my knighthood now."

Keldorn slowly shook his head in pity. "Anomen, you are a brash youth. If you learn to curb these outbursts you shall be an excellent knight. You are brave and strong. Do not fool yourself into believing that your time of learning is over. All life is a school of sorts." He told Anomen.

"If that is so, then there is no reason that you need to be my teacher. Life will take care of it for you."

"In this you are correct, I need not be your teacher. Learn the lesson where you will, but learn it. If you do not, the future will be unlike how you envision it," Keldorn calmly warned him.

"So the only way out of this hellhole was the bridge and ye cut it down? Perfect." Korgan grumbled.

"Calm down, let's not overreact. There must be a way out of here," Althirion said.

Aerie started to cry at the thought of never being able to see the sky again.

"I ain't gonna sit 'ere and die o' thirst!" Korgan began to fly in a rage and punch the fleshy walls, and as coincidence would have it, the layers of flesh fell down, revealing a secret passage, possibly an exit out of the pit! Everyone looked at the passage for a few seconds, then at Korgan.

He looked confused at first, then he said: "Aye, the dwarf bloody done it!" He smiled with pride.

----

They followed the secret passage and found themselves in the room where Ralis met Sassar.

"How did we end up back here?" Ralis wondered.

Sassar gasped, not expecting to hear so many footsteps coming his way.

"Relax, Sassar, its just me and my companions. We did it," Ralis assured him as he approached him and gave him the rift rod.

"You... you have killed the creature who has enslaved so many. Of that, I am thankful, but you have the rod still..." Sassar's voice dropped to a low, seriously urgent tone. "Be warned, my Lord... the device cannot be taken above the ground. My findings here have taught me that. It will surely destroy you if you do... I suggest you return it whence you came my friend. Do not toy with the power of the gods."

"Noted," Ralis nodded, then he led everyone on the somewhat long walk to the temple.

"You return? Why? Why have you come back here? You have brought back the great device?" The Diseased One was confused at why Ralis returned.

"The devices is of no use to me. I have returned it to destroy it," Ralis explained.

The Diseased One's eyes widened in shock. "But it is the great device! It is all-important! It has been this way for centuries! You have simply returned it? This cannot be, unless... Unless this has all been arranged from the start. Unless you have been a tool for our lord. It is not possible."

"Mayhaps he is stronger than you think? Mayhaps you should see for yourself," Ralis said with a smirk.

The Diseased One's fellow guardians appeared and surrounded Ralis and his companions. "This... this cannot be. You cannot be the herald of change. It is not possible. I... I must see for myself. I must hear the word. We all must," he said, then everyone proceeded to enter the temple.

Inside, the Diseased One and his fellow guardians looked around, wondering what they have come in to see.

"There is nothing here. There is never anything here but the stench of our hate," he said forlornly.

"Why should he come to you? Do you bother to offer his name in tribute?" Ralis asked him.

"The name has not been spoken outside of a curse for a generation. There has been no sign, and there has been no point," Diseased One replied.

"I have presented the sign. What will you do with it?" Ralis asked him, showing him the rod.

"I will... I..." Diseased One looked down at the rod and a surge of unfamiliar feelings that made him feel less bitter inside began to take shape. He and his fellow guardians approached the stairs.

"Amaunator! Your people call to you! I, Agru Tyndul, Sunlord of the Third House, pursuant to your Conduct of Worship contract, do hereby give my voice to your name. We ask... please... we call to you," he kneeled down. "Please... we have need of you..." He pleaded more softly. called out with renewed passion in his voice.

Ralis recalled that Amaunator was the Netherese solar deity of order, the sun, law and time. Seconds later, his transparent avatar appeared, causing Agru and his fellow guardians to gasp in shock.

"I hear... You who have suffered, who still suffer. The time is at an end. Letter of the law states that we guard until the end of time. Our time has ended."

"Then... what is left to do?" Agru asked Amaunator's avatar.

"Nothing. Your task is done. You will all sit side by side of Amaunator in the Keep of the Eternal Sun. The old enemies are gone, and duty is well enough fulfilled."

Once that was said, a smile spread across Agru's lips. "Praise be to the keeper of time, that he should let it end for the just," he exclaimed.

Amaunator's avatar groaned weakly. "This is the end of things. Rest your mind in my heart. Rest..."

After the avatar disappeared, Agru and his fellow guardians also disappeared into thin air as well. And the rod is destroyed as well, broken into small flakes of metal. Ralis and the others returned to Sassar.

"You are a great and wonderful being for what you have done. May the gods smile upon you forever for doing this for that creature. Now what will you do?" Sassar asked Ralis.

He grinned. "I think it's time to return to the surface and give Gaal a rude awakening."

----

Exiting the nearest manhole they could find in the sewers, they found themselves in the River District now. This district is south from the Gem District, very close to the Alandor River that divides Athkatla in half. They are on a street with a perfect view of of the river, with the Bridge district and Center District, and the 2nd place in the city where the poor Athkatlans dwell other than the slums of the Center District, and close to the edge of the street near the river, like before, Gaal and his fellow cultists are rallying a new group of people to join the cult. Like before, the priests of Lathander and Helm could not take action against Gaal, only try to convince the citizens not to listen to him. Like before, the priests of Lathander and Helm could not take action against Gaal, only try to convince the citizens not to listen to him.

"Everyone! Don't listen to that hypocrite!" Ralis called.

Everyone turned their attention towards him.

"What?! Who dares interrupt me?!" Gaal hissed.

"That man is lying to you all! He's using the lie of the so-called true god to lure all of you to being dominated by a beholder who is the god of the cult that he follows! I've killed the beholder and the cult is no more!" Ralis pointed an accusing finger at Gaal.

Everyone gasped and murmured uproariously about the fact that they had nearly been fooled into joining a cult led by a beholder. All peasants, commoners and nobles decided to leave Gaal.

"I never thought the Unseeing Eye could be defeated by a mortal..." One of Gaal's guards said.

"I believe it shows that no one is immortal or perfect," the second guard said to his partner and left Gaal's side.

"No! Come back! The Unseeing Eye has been killed, but not all is lost! Let us avenge him and make his visions become a reality. Come back, you fools!" Gaal shouted desperately.

"Give it up, Gaal! The only blind person here now is you," Ralis said.

Gaal recognized Ralis' voice. "You! Ralis! You have sinned against the universe itself! I shall destroy you!"

"It is too late, ghoul! Your master is dead, and you shall join him soon enough! Your evil cult is at an end!" Keldorn exclaimed.

"So surrender! You've lost!" Ralis exclaimed as he grabbed his longbow.

"This isn't over! It will never be! I'll-- Huk!" Gaal was about to throw a dart of wounding at Keldorn, but suddenly, an arrow lodged itself in Gaal's throat and he began to collapse dead. As he choked and struggled to stay standing on his feet, he lost his balance and fell over the small stone wall and fell into the Alandor River. Ralis lowered his longbow.

"He talked too much." Ralis muttered to Keldorn.

"The cult of the Eyeless will rise again! Death to the non-believers!" One of the cultists exclaimed, preparing to fight a battle they already lost.

Wasting no time, the knights of Helm and Lathander attacked loyal cultists and they fell easily as the blades ripped them asunder. Seeing all the bloodshed made Aerie feel a bit lightheaded-- she had wished that more fighting was unnecessary.

----

Later, Ralis and Keldorn returned to the Temple of Helm to inform Oisig about their discovery of the cult.

"Your return was foreseen, though what you would say is unknown. Is this cult to be believed? Speak what you know," Oisig greeted Ralis.

"It was a beholder cult, sir! I have killed the beast and the cult has disbanded!" He informed Oisig.

His eyes widened in shock. "A beholder cult in the very heart of Helm's sight?! You have done a great service removing it! We will send clergy to remove all taint of its presence. To your reward. Such service would earn greatness for one of the flock, but you are occupied elsewhere and will have to be content with mere gold and trinkets."

"No reward is necessary. I only did what I needed to do," Ralis refused the offer.

Keldorn smiled.

"In this, there is allegiance. Your faith is aligned with those of Lathander's followers, though it lacks direction," Oisig said.

"Thank you," Ralis nodded.

As he and Keldorn walked towards the temple's exit, Keldorn once congratulated Ralis for his actions.

Ralis and everyone else went to the tavern to inform Jaheira, Abdel and Viconia that their work is done, and as thanks for helping him with the investigation, Keldorn invited Ralis and the others to come visit the Radiant Heart and go to the Government District with him. Keldorn opened the entrance to the Radiant Heart and let them come in.

"So this is the guild house of the infamous Noble Order of the Most Radiant Heart, is it?" Nalia asked Keldorn.

Keldorn frowned at her not in offense, but in confusion.

"Infamous? Miss Nalia, we members of the Radiant Hear pride ourselves on bringing a little good into this dark world. Only the brightest, most upstanding members of all the Holy Orders are ever granted the privilege of membership," he said.

"Such as yourself, Keldorn?" Nalia cast a somewhat unfriendly glare at Keldorn.

"Humbly, yes, ma'am," he nodded.

"And the Order pays for your estate?"

"My lady Nalia, understand this: any soul of any social rank may join the Holy Orders and therein be judged by the purity of their heart, male or female. ... unlike some who take it upon themselves to criticize, we were not born into wealth and luxury," Keldorn said.

Nalia still didn't look pleased. "And yet these halls and all your sacred vows are only reserved for us humans... Believe what lies you wish, Keldorn, but it shan't make them any truer," she said curtly.

Ralis had to admit that she had a point. Never before has he heard of an elf, dwarf, or halfling paladin, only humans. It borderlines racial discrimination.

Keldorn was silent for a moment, then he said: "Let's leave this place and go to the Government District, shall we?"

As they left the Temple District, Ralis felt nervous having Viconia around Keldorn, and he hoped that Hexxat wouldn't wake up out of Dragomir's Respite anytime soon.

"Fer a muddled longlimb, Keldorn, ye doth wield a clever blade indeed," Korgan said.

"As do you, Korgan. But alas, blades be far too lengthy for the vertically challenged, I hazard a guess," Keldorn replied dryly.

"I need no narrow stick of steel to render a foe asunder. I prefer the ax to split the difference. Allies, aye, fallen too, if need be," Korgan said.

"Your ax has claimed a few close to you, I know. I'd not put a visit to the same impulse past you," Was Keldorn's solemn reply.

"Its nay brutal, only reasonable force. Ye pick yer battles big enough to matter, and small enough to win. They all had it comin'. All of 'em," Keldorn said.

"We all do, Korgan. Our Lord makes this world a vale of tears and sorrow. And, alas, few are saved. Infinitely more are damned," Keldorn sadly said.

----

"You have so many interesting companions to travel with, Ralis." Keldorn said a couple minutes later as he walked beside Ralis, leading everyone to the next district.

"My mission requires me to receive as much help as I can get. I was imprisoned by a powerful mage, he murdered some of my friends, but the ones that survived escaped, including me. But the Cowled Wizards took notice of the incident and arrested the mage and my sister. I intend to rescue her," Ralis ralis.

"Well, once we get to the Government District, you can visit the Council of Six building. There are a few wizards there who might be able to help you," Keldorn said, glancing warily back at Viconia, who still wore her hood and veil.

"So, how long have you been a paladin of Torm?" Ralis quickly asked, wanting to divert his attention away from Viconia.

Keldorn smiled, thinking of long memories. "I have been a paladin for over... 39 years, I believe."

"What inspired you to become a paladin? Was your father a paladin and you looked up to him, wanting to be like him?" Ralis asked.

"I'm sorry, Ralis, but I can't remember much of my childhood right now. However..." Keldorn's voice trailed off as he felt that he can't shake his suspicions of the woman covering her head and face with the hood and veil.

Ralis cursed silently, sensing what will happen. Keldorn turned to face Viconis and pulled down her hood, revealing her snow white hair, and he could clearly see that her forehead is dark gray. Keldorn's eyes widened in shock.

"A drow...?!" He gasped.

Reacting quickly, Ralis jumped in between Keldorn and Viconia so Keldorn won't be driven to stab her out of impulse.

"Ralis?? What kind of lunacy is this?! Why do you have a dark elf in your party?!" Keldorn demanded.

His heart racing, Ralis quickly tried to calm himself. "I know this looks crazy, but there's an explanation for all this," Ralis said.

"Ralis, there is nothing to explain! Why would you shelter a being of evil such as this?! Are you not aware of the foul reputation of her race and their allegiance to Lolth?"

"I am, Sir Keldorn, but understand that I don't only vanquish evil using my swords. I know her, and she was about to be burned at the stake by Beshaba worshipers for crimes she never committed. And she no longer worship Lolth. She now is a priestess of the dark opposite of Selune, much to my disdain..." Ralis admitted.

"Shar? Hmph. I would expect a foul creature like her to follow a deity of such impurity," Keldorn huffed.

Viconia wasn't going to take that insult lightly. "My Mistress of the Gray Waste is not deserving of her reputation. There are no hatreds so petty, Keldorn, as to compel forgiveness. As I am certain you're well aware, all pains are hidden. The mandate of your loyal order is deception and ruse, so misery is just another disguise for your gang of holy thugs' agenda is my guess. Yes?"

"Shar is a perverse travesty, drow! Her cult is seething with evil and bitter yield. She's a coven for the morose and the pathetic. Add another slight to the Order and you'll not reckon her secrets in the world of the living. Do you understand me, witch? Not another word in my direction. EVER," Keldorn growled, heavy with hate in his tone.

Ralis could only hope things won't get out of hand.

"Stay your hostility, paladin, I seek no conflict with you or your order. I've witnessed your sargh (skill at arms) and streeaka (recklessness) firsthand. My humblest apologies, suliss," Viconia replied.

"Are you two done? Good. Let's go, I won't accept a fight here or anywhere else between you two," Ralis growled in annoyance.

Althir gave a withering glare at Keldorn as he walked by, following Ralis and the others.

"Why did you look at me that way, Althir? Surely you understand that all drow, with the exception of Drizzt are evil beyond repent," he said, wondering if that's the reason why Althirion glared at him.

"Oh, I understand, all right. I respect you as a man, Keldorn, but NOT as a paladin," Althir said curtly.

"What have I done to deserve your ire? You should direct it towards those who deserve your hate, not your allies," Keldorn reasoned with Althir as the followed Ralis and the others.

"You have done nothing to me. It is what your brethren have done to cause me to think negatively of paladins. You claim to fight evil and injustice, but sometimes you unwittingly spread injustice, judging and attacking people you claim are evil or demon possessed rather than understand them," Althir said more loudly and curtly so that Ralis and the others could hear him, and they all stopped and looked at Althir.

Nalia realized that Althir is telling Keldorn what she is too ashamed to tell him.

"Some people are more complicated than you care to admit," Althir told Keldorn, then he lowered his head. "You may call me a sinner, or even a saint, but the truth is I am neither. I'm just a half-elven man who wants to spread justice and equality around the Realms, like you, but what makes us different is I am aware of my darkness. I've seen your ilk hunt down the guilty and even the guilty who are actually innocent without mercy, denying them freedom," Althir growled. "Can you live your life comfortably without knowing that you too have committed evil acts?"

Keldorn was speechless.

"The next time you speak of justice and honor, don't speak it in front of my face lest you want me to remind you of the horrors I've seen and experienced involving your fellow paladins..." Althir said, intending to end the conversation there.

Keldorn sighed. "Althir... you are indeed a good man, and although I find that your words are deeply disturbing to me, I shall learn from them as best as I can," he said.

"I doubt you will," Althir said darkly.

----

Once they got to the Government District, Keldorn took a deep breath and sighed with a lukewarm smile.

"Oh, to taste the airs of home... It has been a long time since I have passed this way," He said dreamily.

"You live here? I thought you told me you were born and raised in Esmeltaran?" Ralis asked him in confusion of his origins.

"Yes, Esmeltaran is my birth home, but Athkatla has long been my home. My tasks for the church too often keep me away, but my estate is in this district, along with my wife and daughters. Would you like to come? I could introduce you," Keldorn offered.

"That would be nice," Ralis nodded.

"Very well. I shall point it out to you as we pass its gates. As I said, it has been far too long since I last walked these streets," Keldorn said, then he glared at Viconia, wearing her hood and veil. "But you... you stay outside my estate. I have no intention of welcoming a dark elf into my house."

"Don't argue, Viconia," Ralis warned her.

She sighed and nodded.

It took them 16 minutes to reach Keldorn's estate. It is a magnificent large house, with 18 foot tall barred gates surrounding the estate to ward off trespassers.

"Ah, here at long last is... my estate. The servants have tended to it well this past while," Keldorn said.

Althirion and Nalia looked at the beautiful features of the estate in disdain for the same reasons. The guards at the gates opened the gate and let Keldorn, Ralis and his companions (except Viconia) in. Viconia simply st at the base of a tree, muttering curses in Drow.

"Nice flowers," Abdel said, looking at the garden patch of flowers around the front entrance.

Keldorn knocked on the door, and a few seconds later, it is answered by a middle aged woman with dark hair that is beginning to turn gray.

"Ah, Peony, you have done a fine job with the flowers out front. Where is your mistress?" Keldorn asked her.

"Why, Lord Keldorn! It has been well over a month since last I saw your face," Peony said, and gestured Keldorn and his guests to come in.

Keldorn removed his armor, wearing only his dark green tunic. Ralis took his armor off too, including Minsc and Abdel.

"And it has been as long since I have seen my Lady. Come, girl, is Maria about?" Keldorn asked Peony, wondering where his wife, Maria is.

Peony acted more flustered than happy, which Ralis found strange.

"Oh certainly, Lord Keldorn. Lady Maria is-- is in her chambers. I... I will fetch her for you."

"If you could, Peony. And the girls, too," Keldorn suggested.

Peony nodded, turned around and approached the stairway and shouted: "My Lady! Lord Keldorn has returned!"

Seconds later, Keldorn's daughters came running down the stairs, followed reluctantly by his wife, Maria. His youngest daughter, Vesper, is a 7 year old girl with her dirty blonde hair tied to a bun behind her head. Keldorn's oldest daughter, Leona, is 14 years old. Unlike Vesper, her hair drops down to her shoulders.

"Father...!" She exclaimed and ran towards him, allowing herself to be wrapped around his strong arms.

"Ahh, my sweet Vesper. How is you schoolwork coming? The priests are still kind to you for my sake?"

"Yes, Father." She nodded.

"... Good, good, that's good to hear. And Leona, the boys are letting you play with them now? They're not teasing you anymore?" Keldorn said as he released Vesper, approached Leona and gave her a soft hug.

"Not when the priests are there to hear it," She admitted.

"Good, good, that's good..." Keldorn nodded approvingly.

"Mother, can we go now?" Leona asked Maria.

"Of course, dears. Go on back to the sitting room while your father and I talk," Maria replied.

Suddenly Keldorn's nose picked up the scent of dinner cooking in the kitchen. "Can we talk while we have dinner, my dear?" Keldorn asked Maria.

She shrugged indifferently. "Do what you wish."

----

A few minutes later, Ralis, his companions, Keldorn and Maria were sitting at a large dinner table preparing to eat roasted cockatrice, corn and dressing with cranberry sauce, green beans, cherrybread, cornbread, pieces of chicken wings, legs and breasts, grapes, apples, bananas and Blackbark soup, which is one of many elven cuisines. Jan, however, preferred to eat only sliced turnip sandwiches. Ralis had never eaten roasted cockatrice before, but there's a first time for everything. Neera ate grapes while watching Jan eat a sandwich of raw, sliced turnips. after he ate the first sandwich, he burped loudly, and everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Pardon. Turnip reflex," He grinned.

Then silence fell in the dining room again, except for the clattering of silverware on dinner plates.

"So who are these people? Heathen you converted in Calimport? Traveling pilgrims you stumbled across in Saradush?" Maria asked Keldorn bitterly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Maria, this is Ralis and his companions. We are searching for his childhood companion, who--" Keldorn started to say but his wife rudely interrupted him.

"I don't care, Keldorn! It has been two months since you were here last, and then it was barely for a day! Not even enough to leave your scent about this place..."

"The work of the Order must be done, Maria. You know if I had my choice, I would be here," Keldorn replied, then bitten off some flesh of his chicken leg.

"Would you? Would you really? The guild house is right here in the city, but even then I never see you. It's always Radiant Heart this, Radiant Heart that!" Maria complained, standing up out of her chair.

Ralis and his companions sensed that the classic marriage issue of the husband not always being there for his wife and children is beginning to brew between Maria and Keldorn. Keldorn frowned in confusion.

"What about me? What about my heart, Keldorn? What if... what if I don't love you anymore?" She asked in a more quiet, sad tone as tears fell from her eyes.

"Maria!" Keldorn gasped.

"What if the girls can't live without a father anymore? What if I can't live without a husband...?"

Keldorn stood up out of his chair, feeling nearly heartbroken. He slowly approached Maria.

"You do not love me anymore? ...I... I have always loved you, and I always shall. However well I hide it, every day I spend without you is a day that's lost forever," he said as his eyes began to burn with tears. "I love you like I love the church, but the church is the harsher taskmaster... We knew that when we were married," he gently took Maria's hands into his own.

"I know, I know, and I love you in the same fashion, with all my heart..." Maria looked into Keldorn's puppy dog eyes.

"Then if we have love, Maria, what could ever come between us?" Keldorn wanted to know.

Maria could hardly look Keldorn in the face now. "I... I've been seeing another man... The children and the servants already know. He-- he took the girls out to the circus twice... oh, Keldorn..."

As Maria expected, Keldorn would be angry as a frustrated owlbear to learn this.

"You... you what? What is his name?!" Keldorn demanded.

"William-- Sir William of Thorpe... I beg of you, don't hurt him, Keldorn. If I can't have you, at least let me have something!" Maria cried.

"Wow. What an awkward moment..." Abdel said.

"Oh my... perhaps this wasn't the best time for us to join Keldorn here. I feel like we are intruding on... on something that should really be private..." Aerie stuttered nervously.

Keldorn tried his best to hold his anger in check, but knowing that his wife has been with another man without his knowledge or consent... he can't even look Maria into her eyes anymore.

"...Go... go to your daughters. To look at you right now Maria... To look at you is to go mad," Keldorn exhaled sharply.

Without saying a word, Maria left the dining room, leaving Keldorn to stand alone. Ralis stood up out of his chair and slowly approached Keldorn.

"Careful, Ralis. A man that has been cheated by his own woman can be unpredictably dangerous," Yoshimo warned him.

Keldorn looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes. "Curse the dictates of honor!" He seethed through gritted teeth and curled his hands into fists. "... Oh, the very gods demand that I bring this case before the courts. Sir William shall be hung and the love of my entire life imprisoned. There is no other outcome," Keldorn grumbled, still trying to hold his rage in check.

"The best thing to do is confront this Sir William. Do you know the man, by the way?" Ralis asked Keldorn cautiously.

"Aye, I do. Sir William of Thorpe is a foreign noble establishing trade here in Athkatla. He is often seen at the Mithrest Inn of Waukeen's Promenade. He was a good man-- at least I always thought so until... until now."

"Calm yourself, Sir Keldorn. There must be a rational explanation for this, I hope," Ralis gave Keldorn a comforting pat on the back.

"Oh, Ralis, nothing is clear to me anymore..." Keldorn sadly said.

"Then let's go see if we can shed some light on your predicament," Ralis suggested.

A few hours later, Ralis, Keldorn and the others reached Waukeen's Promenade in the evening. People were beginning to leave the promenade's market, because rumors have been spreading of vampire attacks in the streets of Athkatla during nightfall. Once they entered Mithrest Inn, Keldorn recognized Sir William right away sitting at a table drinking coffee called "kaethae", which is rare north of Calimshan and the southern Vilhon shores like Waterdeep, Athkatla and Westgate. Sir William wore bright green clothing and a hat covering most of his brown hair. He saw Keldorn approaching and didn't panic. Instead, he seemed calm.

"M'lord Keldorn... I was hoping you would come," Sir William said.

"May I presume, then, that you know why I am here?" Keldorn asked, again, doing his best to suppress his pent up rage.

"I was a husband to your wife and a father to your children, if that is what you mean." Sir William said matter-of-factly.

Keldorn grabbed Sir William by the collar and brought his face close to his.

"Wait!" Ralis yelled, hoping Keldorn would not punch the lights out of William.

Some of the startled visitors of the inn jumped out their chairs and walked away, believing a fight will break out.

"M'lady Maria has but one husband, and it is I... As for Vesper and Leona, how dare you defile them with your presence!" Keldorn angrily hissed.

Even as he looked into Keldorn's glaring eyes, William still is calm. "They yearn for a father-- any father... even an impostor off the street in your stead! Be to them in your compassion what you are to them in blood, Keldorn," William calmly said.

Ralis' eyes widened, understanding what William is talking about.

"So says the viper who will sleep in my bed, running his wretched fingers through the spun gold that is her hair? What do you wish, Sir William? To have a child that is not even yours?"

"Hmph! Unlikely," William replied to Keldorn. "I have been a spent wick for many years. We sought some beauty in the midst of all her pain. I wish I could say you would have done the same," William said.

Keldorn saw that it is hard to identify William's motives. He released the collar of William's shirt. "What am I to do with you? You show no remorse, yet at the same time, you are so devoid of malice. What am I to do at all?" Keldorn whined in confusion.

"Lady Maria loves you deeply, but without expression, love withers and dies. I was but a single drop of moisture; you are the oasis for which she searches. Love her, and I will be but wind-borne dust," William told Keldorn.

Keldorn is deeply confused now. "Are you asking for my forgiveness?"

"I am not fool enough to ask for that, m'lord." William shook his head. "I'd much rather think that someday you will thank me."

Keldorn didn't know what to think. He tried his best to think of what William is getting at, what he must do to end this debacle, but his mind kept drawing a blank. "I once believed that with age would come wisdom, but every day I seem to doubt it more... Much as it pains me to admit it, Sir William is right. My wife's love is like a flower, and I am carelessly letting it wither and die..." Keldorn started to cry.

Ralis knew exactly what to do. He walked up to Keldorn, put a comforting hand on his left shoulder and said: "Keldorn... for a human, life is too short. Put down your sword. Retire as a paladin and live your final days as a happy family man."

Keldorn looked at Ralis in shock. "Are... are you sure, Ralis? What about my work for the church?" he asked.

"Keldorn, the Order of the Radiant Heart isn't alone in the fight against evil! There are many people like myself widespread across Faerun who fight against evil forces on a daily basis. Leave the fighting to me and my companions. You've been a paladin long enough. Become a loving husband and father to your family knowing that young women and men like me, Ajantis and Anomen are continuing your work," Ralis heartily said.

Tears formed in Keldorn's eyes. He couldn't help but hug Ralis.

"I... I thank you, Ralis. You've given this old man hope that I never thought was there. Gorion would be very proud of you."

"He most definitely would be," Ralis smiled, nodding in agreement.

Later, standing outside of Mithrest Inn, Ralis watched Keldorn walk away proudly. Keldorn turned back to look at Ralis one more time and wave goodbye. Ralis waved goodbye in return.

Love is forever, but life is too short for some people to enjoy it. I don't know how I learned that, but it is true. As I watched Keldorn happily walk away, as if he had won the greatest victory in his life. It then occurred to me that Keldorn too is like Agru and the other guardians of Aumaunator's temple under the sewers of the Temple District, bound by duty and laws applied by the authorities they serve. Both of them were suffering under the harsh rules of their duties, waiting for someone like me to free them. I'm glad I was able to help them, because everyone has the right to live their lives peacefully towards the end of their days, without being forever constricted by the duties they have sworn loyalty to, sacrificing what little time they could spend with friends, families and loved ones. It's simply unfair for anyone to be forever deprived of happiness. As for me, my time has not arrived yet. There is much that I must do until the day I settle down.

-Ralis Rutela