Nephesh brought out his pad of paper and wrote a note which he promptly held up. 'Are you well?' The question took both Emalia and Colin off guard, and actually left Emalia wondering for a moment what the boy could mean.
"I'm fine..."
"Goodness Nephesh, did you walk through every bush you saw?"
'I've been searching for days...'
"We did leave very quietly."
Nephesh pointed to the obelisk around Emalia's neck. In truth, she had forgotten she had even put it on. 'I sensed it when it disappeared.'
"The demiplane..." Emalia had spoken this before she had fully realized that maybe Colin wouldn't want anyone knowing. And indeed, he quickly placed a hand upon her shoulder to silence her further.
'Demiplane?'
"Yes, we just had to leave for a while."
'I cast the spell so she would heal!'
"I wanted to be sure Emalia would be undisturbed, both while she slept and after. This has been a nice, restful place."
Irritated, Nephesh planted himself on the floor of the cavern and began to tear into a sandwich he had the foresight to pack. It seemed to be the mention of the baby once more, Brin being well again, that sent Nephesh to his feet, grabbing onto Emalia with sticky sandwich hands to listen to her mostly flat stomach. Seeming content, Nephesh listened with a quizzical face as Colin and Emalia both informed him of their marriage. His note after was simple. 'Congratulations,' it read.
"I have also come to a bit of a decision," Emalia began. She still had not even informed Colin of her thoughts, and both of them looked at her with a tinge of confusion. "I... don't believe taking this journey is the right thing for me to do. I've thought it over and... I have found myself, so I don't really need that any longer... and... well, I do have a family now..."
Colin's happy smile said volumes. "Really? Are you sure dear?"
"I believe so."
"You know I'm with you all the way but that does make me feel more at ease."
'I do not want you to trek this path while the baby grows in your belly. But it is your path, Emalia.'
"Well, I've thought a lot about it and feel that perhaps it is for the best."Nephesh shook his head and held up another note. 'Father was right.'
"Right?"
'You forgot the Vows of Absolution. To abandon the ways of Ao and deceit. He has fooled you. Have you forgotten the Voice, too?'
"Nephesh, please. Emalia is allowed to make her choice."
"I can't... kill all the people. The more I think about it and... I just can't."
'Kill people?'
"My mother, my father, my brother, my uncle... All of them would die when the RoK fell.. and... none of them would return. Colin too."
'That is why we must teach them the Truth. Do you think the RoK will fall when we find the Temple?'
"I'm not one of you anymore, Nephesh. I'm your friend... but..."
'It is your destiny to find the Temple, not bring down the RoK.'
"The temple is a step, yes?"
'The Temple will be used to STOP the RoK, Emalia.'
Emalia looked to the ground, her face flushing a bit. She had heard this somewhere before, but something still did not make sense to her. She knew that the idea of Rebirth was to bring the RoK down to make way for The Apprentice to return, and to have him bring back all the Faithful. "But if the Temple is to stop the RoK, why does Grobnak wish me to go?"
'Father does not understand why you are acting this way.'
"It doesn't matter. If it's my choice, then that is what it is."
'You still don't know what the Temple is for?'
Emalia kept her sigh of irritation in check. "All I know is what I will do is start a major conflict and many people will die, one way or another. I've decided I no longer wish to do that."
'It is called the Temple of Light for a reason, Emalia.'
"And the people for and against wish to know where to find it, Nephesh. I imagine to use or destroy it as they see fit. I will not lead them there."
"Nephesh, look, she has a new family now. Why is it so wrong for her to want to stay with them and watch it grow? Your father can find someone else to do this thing."
'This conflict you think you will be starting has been going on since before you or I was born.'
"Then I don't need to worry on it. If it's been going on, I have nothing more to add that won't be or hasn't been already." Emalia's words came out with a measure of calm that, up to that point, had evaded her. She felt a clarity in them and her vision now. She was no longer angry with the Realms. She saw by merely looking at Colin how balance did occur in the scheme of life - one truly evil could change for the better. While evil did appear to be prevalent everywhere, who was to say that just based on what she knew of Colin, that things would not right themselves without mass intervention.
Nephesh continued to attempt to convince Emalia that she had not heard the truth of the message, but to Emalia, she knew all she needed. She had heard Grobnak, she had heard Nephesh, and now she heard Colin, Jessiah, and all those in disagreement. While she still believed that the RoK should be stopped for all time, she had begun to waver in her commitment to The Apprentice and all that worked for his return. Her eyes now locked onto a beautiful rose colored vision of a promising future. As Nephesh went forth to complete the journey to the temple, Colin and Emalia went to their room, and after a time, found sleep in one another's arms.
