“I think that no matter what, any surviving plague demons will be a lot less dangerous without Vestapalk to lead them.”
A quiet cough interrupted their conversation. Roghar stood a little below them, with his head bowed and his shield at his feet. “I owe you an explanation,” he said. “And an apology. What Kri said about me swearing to obey him was true.”
None of them said anything. Roghar stretched out his right arm and Albanon saw the shiny flesh of a scar in the scales around his wrist. “Vestagix wounded me in Winterhaven,” said the dragonborn. “I prayed to Bahamut but the scar wouldn’t heal. I knew I was carrying the Abyssal Plague. That’s why I was in a dark mood after Winterhaven. That’s how Vestausan and Vestausir found us-through me. When we found Kri, I knew he could burn the plague out of me, but he made me swear to obey him-once-in return. I shouldn’t have done it. I’m sorry.”
Tempest was the first one on her feet and embracing him. “You idiot. If you hadn’t done it, you’d be a plague demon now and we might never have defeated Vestapalk.”
Quarhaun shrugged. “I thought you were hiding something that night in the valley.”
“You’re a drow-you’re suspicious of everything,” said Shara. She embraced Quarhaun as well. “Is this why you went charging into that pack of demons in the Plaguedeep?”
Roghar’s face tightened. “I knew whatever Kri commanded me to do would force me to chose between betraying you or breaking a vow made in Bahamut’s name. It seemed like dying in battle would let me escape the choice.”
Quarhaun stared at him in disbelief. “You’d never last in the Underdark, Roghar.”
The paladin smiled. “Thank you.” He nodded to the eastern horizon. “The moon’s up. Let’s go collect our gear and see if we can catch our horses. If we can’t, it will be a long walk back to Fallcrest.”
Belen glanced at Cariss, then cleared her throat. “I’m not going back to Fallcrest. Cariss says Turbull has invited me to join the Tigerclaws.”
There was greater surprise at her announcement than there had been at Roghar’s revelation, but more happy congratulations as well. Albanon looked around at the others. “Is everyone else coming back to Fallcrest? The town will need help and protection while it’s rebuilding. There’s plenty of room in the Shining Tower. You can stay there.”
He let his eyes linger on Tempest as he made the invitation and the smile she gave him in return made his heart skip. A little later, as they made their way across the fields of sink holes, she slipped her hand into his.
“You’ve changed from the apprentice wizard Roghar and I met in the Blue Moon Alehouse,” she said.
“I don’t feel like I’ve changed.”
“People look to you to make decisions. You take action when you need to. You’ve gone through more than I have.” She chuckled. “You’ve saved the world from Vestapalk and the Voidharrow.”
“We didn’t have a choice. We were there from the beginning.”
“There’s always a choice. I think you’ve made a lot of good ones.” She squeezed his hand and he felt a flush climb into his face.
“Hey, Albanon,” said Uldane. The halfling pushed his way in between him and Tempest, then turned around and walked backward so he could face them. “I’ve got something for you. I’m tired of carrying it around. It’s creepy.”
He flipped something at him. Albanon stretched out his hand without thinking.
What dropped into his palm was small but unexpectedly heavy. He froze in midstride and stared at the smooth black stone in his hand. “Uldane, this is-”
“Of course it is,” said Uldane with a snort. “Do you think I’d just drop something like that into a hole in the ground? There’s no telling who might find it.”