Evermeet, 4 Marponeth, 1378, Year of the Cauldron
Benito Moltos awoke with a start. Panic gripped him as his vision was clouded by a translucent veil. He sat up and found that he was on a bier in a temple. The gossamer veil slid down to his waist. Next to him on a similar block of white marble lay Grim. The halfling also sat scratching his head. The room was very bright.
"You died. Both of you."
Benito turned quickly to the sound of the familiar voice of Aris Cloud-dancer. Next to him stood the most beautiful elven woman he had ever seen. Her eyes looked tired, and were bloodshot, but she smiled and it calmed the rising anxiety that crept within him.
"What do you mean, I--?"
From the recesses of his mind, memories began to flood back. He fought the hysteria that grew.
"The Wail...the Wail..."
Benito wept...
**
Some time later, the Heroes of the Reach re-united in a sitting room somewhere in the otherworldly palace of Queen Almauril. They drank and ate in silence. Grim and Benito were famished and wolfed down the food that was presented to them.
"You destroyed the sword. The Starym Moonblade. The queen had been gracious enough to supply us with her tears," said Aris breaking the quiet.
"Yes, yes. I remember submerging it into the tub. It burned. I remember the metal dissolving into fragments along all those cracks it possessed. Whitehot. The blade tried to promise me power once again. I have to admit that I was tempted. Then the ghost that resided within the unholy thing emerged."
Benito shuddered.
"Actually, it was what the elves call a banshee and a powerful one at that. Seance and I were caught outside as some sort of protective dome formed over you, Grim, Ivan, Ell, and the Queen."
Ariod piped up, "I dove in just in the nick of time."
The druid crunched on a golden apple, "Good thing I was in giant eagle form."
"You and Grim fell when the thing screamed. We thought that you guys had just passed out...It went right for the queen. Ell and I jumped in the way," recalled Ivan.
"Apparently, the banshee still retained its incorporeal nature," Aris added.
"Hey, you didn't get there 'til later. Are you tellin' the story or me?"
"Right. But I am trying to paint a tactical picture for Benito so he can see his death in the most objective, least emotional way possible."
Benito blanched as Aris began to speak of his death so callously. The others noticed and there was a long pause before Ivan spoke up again.
"Anyways we hacked and hacked and some strikes got in, but most did not. Then the thing leaped and flew into the air. By that time, the general there had teleported in with the mage."
"Where is Seance, by the way?" asked Benito
"Not here. Probably attempting to steal elven high magic secrets," answered Arid critically.
"He didn't do anything in the battle anyway," spoke Ellysidell suprising the others.
The wild elf folded his arms and dared the others to challenge that statement.
Ivan chortled, "So ye fight a god and live, and now ya gets all uppity!"
That brought a much needed round of laughter. Even Grim smiled. Benito was grateful for Ivan and his unorthodox ways. It relieved the tension.
"So, how did you end up defeating the demon from the blade?" asked the priest of Ilmater.
"It could not stand up to the three of us," said Aris pointing to Ivan and Ariod.
"I levitated to face her, while Ariod in his planetar form flanked her, and--"
"And big elf over there tossed me at her. That Blue Destiny blade of the general's couldn't miss. We sent the b- back to Hell. We saved the queen and then found out that you and Grim had died. Thank Tempus...I mean Ilmater for elven healing magic. The Queen herself raised you."
Benito was still a little confused at some of the conversations. His memory was still hazy.
"What's with the feathers, Ivan?"
"Oh, I'm in good with the Eagle Riders. They like to party and they're crazy like me. The commander says he gots something special to give me later."
"Ellysidell, what do they mean about you fighting a god?"
The wild elf sighed, "I would rather not talk about it."
Kyros chimed in bitterly, "Right after the elves cheated me of a sparring victory by not telling me all the rules, the elven god of vengeance strides in and points at Ellysidell. The avatar beat him down in less than twenty heartbeats, but Ellysidell actually struck him. The wierd priests of Labelas Enoreth were collecting the droplets of god's blood."
Benito looked at Ellysidell with genuine awe.
**
In the evening there was a feast. Queen Almauril and the elves of Evermeet were very grateful. Everyone of the Heroes received a token of gratitude. For Ivan: the unhatched egg of a great eagle; For Aris: promise of support for his upcoming campaign against the Shades and Zhentarim of Iriaeabor; For Kyros: a set of shining plate mail armor to replace his mithral plate. He changed his name on the spot to Kyros, the Shining Knight. Grim received a deadly blade to complement his kama and Seance got his precious scrolls. From the armory of Evermeet, the Queen presented Ellysidell with Redethemar, a mighthy battle axe to fight evil. Benito was given the most enigmatic gift: a vial of godsblood from Shevaresh, elven god of vengeance to use "When the Stars were Right..."
Aris returned the remaining sets of roaring armor that they had found beneath Hellgate Keep to close the ceremony.
It was the grandest banquet they had ever attended with songs sung that would echo in their minds for the rest of their lives and dancing and frolicking to ecstasies they could never see among the realms of men.
The only downside was for Ellysidell, Chosen of Fenmaril Mestarine. He came back into the banquet hall sullen-faced.
Benito asked, "What is wrong, friend?"
"The champion of the queen did not allow me to begin courting her."
With a twinkle in his eye, Benito replied, "Worry not, Ellysidell. There will be another."