“That damned halfling, I just know he drug her off without me." Colin swore as he hastily gathered his possessions from his chamber in the temple of Lathander and shoved them into his pack. He had just returned from spending almost two hours searching about the Waterdeep marketplace for Emalia. They had been gathering the last of their supplies in preparation for the trip northward. One minute she was right there with him and the next, she was gone. At first Colin had thought that perhaps she had just stopped in a store without him noticing but as the time wore on and he searched every store on the street, he realized that was not the case. It was then the darker thoughts began to creep in. Maybe there was a thief... a rapist... an assassin. As Colin had paced through alleyway after alleyway his dark imaginings threatened to send him into a state of panic. Then a new thought had come to him and he latched onto it like a drowning man to driftwood. Nephesh. That halfling must have snatched her away and convinced her to leave Colin here. Leave the outsider, the Faithless. That had to be it.
That brought Colin to his present state. He finished shoving items into his pack, threw it onto his shoulder and headed for the temple doors. Colin would be damned if he was going to let that little bastard lead Emalia away from him. Colin hadn't come this far to let some child fanatic lead her to her death.
Colin's stomping boot steps echoed throughout the large temple foyer as he reached the exit doors. He grasped one of the large wooden doors and threw it wide with such force that it crashed into the wall beside with a loud boom. A few surprised shrieks could be heard from temple patrons yet Colin paid no heed as he stormed through the doorway. Colin was halfway down the temple stairs before he noticed him. Right there, sitting on the lowest stair and playing with some rocks as if he had not a care in the world, was Nephesh. Colin stormed directly over to the halfling boy. "Where is she!?"
Nephesh looked genuinely startled as he turned his attention to Colin, holding up his hands in confusion.
Colin was not prepared for this reaction yet he was not going to let up. "Emalia. Where is she? Did you take her somewhere?"
At this Nephesh shook his head and communicated with a note, as was normal for the mute. "Perhaps she got lost in the marketplace?"
Colin didn't like this. He had been convinced that Nephesh had whisked Emalia away, yet he could not deny the honesty he was in the boy's eyes. "No, no. It wasn't even that busy today." Colin began pacing, the terrible scenarios of Emalia's fate starting to creep back into his thoughts.
Nephesh tried to offer more helpful suggestions yet none of it settled Colin. Finally, fed up, Colin demanded of him, "If your god is so wise and all knowing, ask Him where she is."
"That is not how these things work," Nephesh replied, "We do the bidding of the gods. They do not do the bidding of mortals. I am merely her guide on the path. This journey is hers to make, even if it is not convenient."
Those last words got Colin thinking. The journey. Emalia has been so focused on the journey, how it is her's to make, one of self discovery, one she must make alone. Could it be she simply left both of them to strike out on her own? Suddenly another piece of driftwood had bobbed to the surface for the drowning man.
Just as Colin was about to act on his new train of thought Nephesh stood and gestured for Colin to follow him. "What, where are you going?" Colin asked. Nephesh didn't answer, instead simply shrugging and heading back into the temple.
"It's just as well, I don't need him." Colin thought, yet he hesitated. He had no idea where Emalia was headed. As much as he hated the thought, if Colin could bring him along perhaps the halfling could be useful. With an annoyed growl he followed him into the temple. Although Colin walked quickly to catch up to Nephesh the boy always seemed to stay a few steps ahead, leading Colin through passages in the temple which he had never seen. Colin's irritation grew the further he followed. He didn't like the halfling much to begin with and the current situation was not improving his disposition. When he finally caught the boy by the shoulder it was because he stopped before a doorway guarded by two paladins in rose-colored armor. Ignoring Nephesh's irritated look Colin asked him, "Ok, so what is this place?"
The boy didn't answer, instead simply gesturing to the guards who stepped aside to allow the pair to pass. Nephesh continued through the doorway, again signaling Colin to follow.
Colin's jaw tensed. "I should just snap his little..." Colin's thought stopped short, rebounding in another direction. "I'll just find out what he's doing."
Nephesh led Colin through a seemingly endless maze of catacombs which gave way to tunnels and caverns. Colin's frustration built as they walked. All this time they were spending he could have at least been making some progress towards finding Emalia, catching up to her. After what seemed like an eternity the boy finally stopped before a passage which was covered by a beautiful golden-red tapestry.
As Colin stood there, breathing heavily with irritation, Nephesh handed him another note. "Beyond this chamber she lies, one who answers all questions pertaining to the dawn. Ask what you will, though the answers you find may trouble you."
Colin calmed a bit now that there seemed to be a point to this little trip yet the words were practically nonsense. "The dawn?" He asked, hoping for clarification, yet the boy simply nodded.
"What does that mean? Why must you be so cryptic?"
"I give only the answers I know."
Colin threw up his arms in frustration but it was obvious he wasn't going to get a clear answer. "Whatever, let's just do this."
Nephesh nodded and swept the tapestry aside, allowing Colin to follow him into the chamber. They emerged into a large cavern, the walls lined in musty red velvet tapestries depicting Lathander and the morning sun. At the center of the room a red elk rested, its black feminine eyes closed in the soft sighs of sleep. Nephesh slowly approached the center of the cavern, kneeling before the elk in respect and supplication.
Colin followed behind, his eyes scanning the clearly ancient tapestries in appreciation until his eyes fell upon the elk. He shook his head in disbelief. "A deer? Are you serious?" Colin's dumbfounded gaze fell to Nephesh and was met with a disapproving glare. The boy made an indication of silence and pointed to the floor beside him, directing Colin to occupy it. "This is ridiculous." Colin thought, yet he couldn't ignore the boy's seriousness. He reluctantly took the spot beside Nephesh, sitting instead of kneeling.
It was then the elk rose from her slumber. She gracefully stood and approached the pair, directing her probing gaze to Nephesh. "This one insults me." She spoke in a deep melodic voice. Colin's eyes grew wide upon hearing the elk speak and she turned her gaze upon him. "I am no deer mortal."
Colin's shock quickly faded as reason began to kick in. "There has to be magic at work here," he thought, "Some sort of illusion."
The elk snorted and spoke again, "That he is." The comment was directed at Nephesh, yet Colin had seen the boy write nothing. "What do you seek?""Where is Emalia?" Colin asked bluntly, clearly suspecting he was still wasting valuable time. He got no response from the elk but instead got a note from Nephesh."She who answers all questions pertaining to the dawn."Colin rolled his eyes in disgust. "More of his incessant nonsense." he thought.
The elk looked back to Colin and reared her head high, obviously displeased. "So long as he fouls this meeting, no answer shall he obtain. Respect is what I demand in return for an answer."
Colin couldn't believe it. Not only was he wasting his time now he was being insulted. His jaw tensed and a faint red glow crept into his eyes. "I will just slit it's..." but the thought ended there, redirected almost as soon as it came. "The time is already spent, I might as well continue to play along." He drew in a calming breath and lowered his head in reverence. After a moment of silence the elk spoke again, "The one you seek walks the road between sunrise and sunset."
Colin took in another calming breath to ward off his anger. These words meant nothing to him. "I'm sorry, what does that mean?" Colin asked in a controlled tone.
Nephesh handed him another note, "She is on a road, Faithless." Colin crushed the note in his hand, not knowing how much more of this he could suffer.
"She may or may not arrive before the sun sets on her life." the elk continued, as if finishing her previous statement.
This definitely got Colin's attention, his head darting up and his gaze fixing on the elk. "What are you saying? Her life is in danger?"
The elk spoke again, not directly addressing Colin, "Darkness closes in around her in many forms. The horizon between sunrise and sunset. She chases the appearance of the dawn cresting, without knowing the place it truly resides. Darkness..." she turns her gaze briefly upon Colin, "In all its forms... seeks her out. It will find her first on her path to redemption."
Colin had reached his limit. All he had heard was blathering nonsense and hints at Emalia's doom. Colin spoke in a deep, almost unearthly growl, "You speak nothing but nonsense!" Colin was going to end this creature's miserable life. His fury would be released and no amount of restraint was going to stop him. Sandorin would see the folly of his ways. He began reaching for his weapons and almost made it up off the floor before the feeling hit him. It was as if he ran headlong into a wall of utter darkness. There was an explosion of pain in his head, accompanied by a piercing scream which only he heard. The big man crumpled to the floor.
Colin picked himself up off the cavern floor. He had no idea how long he had been laying there. He felt a mild ache in his head and his vision was a bit dim but he was still in control of his body. He looked about the cavern and saw only Nephesh. "Where is it? Where did it go?" "We have our answers. We must leave now."
Colin felt only despair. The elk had appeared to truly know something about Emalia and now it was gone.
Nephesh promised an explanation to Colin and led him back through the tunnels and catacombs into the temple proper.
They soon found themselves in Npehesh's room. As Nephesh began adding his supplies to Colin's pack the big man started to emerge from his despondency. "What are you doing?"
"Preparing you." said his written response
"For what?"
Nephesh then began to take Colin through the meaning of the elk's words. With Colin's mind now clear he was now able to understand. Emalia was traveling northward along The Long Road towards the mountains. He couldn't believe how foolish he had been, and without the boy, how lost he would still be. He offered a sincere apology to Nephesh yet the boy simply reminded him that there were more important matters at hand. Neither one of them would be of particular use in tracking Emalia but they knew her general direction would have to set out hoping for the best. Nephesh quickly finished his packing and they set out from the temple. On the way through the Waterdeep marketplace Nephesh took a sudden detour over to an obvious woodsman perusing one of the market stalls. Colin's confusion was only momentary before realizing the boy was looking for a tracker. Colin was anxious to get their journey underway but he couldn't discount the value of a proficient tracker. With some impatience, Colin followed Nephesh over to the stranger. Colin stood a few steps behind, content to allow Nephesh to carry out the majority of the conversation.
As the two spoke of Nephesh's handicap, price, and their intentions, Colin found his attention drawn northward. His impatient gaze scanned the horizon, barely able to make out the faint outline of mountains in the distance. He almost felt if he could just focus hard enough he might catch a glimpse of white robes somewhere out there. With his attention so focused, Colin completely missed the woodsman's name as introductions were made: Hellstrom.
Colin was relieved when Nephesh and Hellstrom finally concluded the arrangements. It was decided the three of them would meet at the north gates of the city and set out that same day. The arrangements made, Colin had but one thought in his mind as his gaze returned to the north.
"Please be safe Emalia... I'm coming."
