Jeff Inlo - Pure Choice

Stepping within arm's reach of the swirling, pulsating oval, Ryson pulled the Sword of Decree from the sheath across his back. Though exposed, the blade did not radiate with great brilliance, for it only reflected the natural light of the delver's home, not the hostile glow from the dark realm's fire pits. While a portion of the blade's enchantment might have been somewhat muted, the weapon still revealed a clear direction to the delver, one he already intended on following.

With one great swing, he sliced the dark mass open. The portal dissolved in a flash of bitter darkness as all of the hollow magic trapped within the oval collapsed back into Baannat's realm.

In that same instant, the gray that enveloped the skies of the dark realm dissipated, and for the first time, the light of stars filled the heavens. Ryson's blade blazed with new brilliance and the radiance filled the shadows of the plateau.

The weapon in his hand revealed another answer. The breaking of the portal and the release of the hollow magic helped to bring the dark realm slightly out of its shadow of despair. It remained a barren land of nightmare and horror, but an act of conviction and trust opened a potential path to new light… new understanding.

Filled with optimism, Ryson raced back to his wife. Linda remained unconscious in the arms of the cliff behemoth, but with the Sword of Decree in his hand, the delver knew she would recover.

Dzeb looked down upon Ryson with a gentle smile and then looked up to the stars above.

"You have brought hope to this land," Dzeb acknowledged.

Ryson knew it wasn't just him that brought out the stars. It was all of them. They had come together to help one another. From Dzeb looking after his wife to Jure trying to reach a renegade elf, they all followed what was in their hearts. The path might not have been as clear as he hoped, but they did not turn away from it.

"I also figured something else out," Ryson admitted. "You came to help Linda because it was what you believed you had to do. You can't explain it, you just knew. I'm starting to understand that myself."

"I know you are," Dzeb replied.

"Indeed he is," Enin added, eminently proud of the delver's display of faith. He placed a hand upon Ryson's shoulder. "You did everything you needed to do. That's why I told you to focus on saving Linda. Ansas was only concerned with himself, not with all that was around him. You were never like that, and I wanted to make sure you remained so."

Before he could respond, Ryson heard the other spell casters stirring from unconsciousness. He made no move to confront them, but watched carefully as they rose to their feet.

It was Neltus who first realized that Ansas had been defeated. The sorcerer's body was limp on the ground. More importantly, Neltus knew the dark magic that once allowed him to cast spells of enormous power was gone. He looked across the plateau and saw foes he knew he had no chance of defeating. In a fit of fear, he cast his own portal and leapt into its center.

The sorceress, Rivira, and the infern also created portals for their escape. They retreated with the same urgency as Neltus.

"Should we follow them?" Jure asked.

"No," Enin answered. "They are back to what they were, but hopefully somewhat wiser. Let's hope they don't waste this second chance."

Ryson turned to Enin.

"What do we do with Ansas' body?"

"There's nothing we can do for him," Enin disclosed. "It will remain here, perhaps for an eternity. This plateau will become a tomb for his soulless body. In all honesty, I think it's somewhat fitting."

"There is one other we have to consider," Holli added as she nodded to Scheff who was slowly rising to his feet.

The elf had not seen everything that had transpired, but he knew the dark magic was no longer within his core. He looked at Ansas' limp body and somehow understood the sorcerer had come to an empty end. It was all a misguided waste, until he considered the outcome of his battle with Jure.

Scheff had been defeated, but he was still alive. As Ansas once said, it was important to learn from defeat. The elf realized the sorcerer had been wrong about many things, but not that.

The elf thought back on his initial decision, his desire to become legendary in skill and power. He was told to focus only on the natural hue of his magic and to ignore everything else. That portion of advice was ill-conceived, and Scheff understood he had to carefully consider everything that had happened in order to find his way.

Attempting to place the proper perspective on his experience, the elf remembered how Ansas spoke of good and evil. The sorcerer appeared to understand each, yet chose no clear path to either. Instead, Ansas tried to raise himself above both, to make his own enlightenment the ultimate quest. It might not have been intended evil, but it was selfish and arrogant, and eventually led the sorcerer to corruption.

Scheff had taken a similar course, and it was a path the elf no longer wished to travel. It was time for him to change directions, to consider something besides himself, something bigger.

Walking humbly toward Birk Grund and Shantree Wispon, he spoke in an apologetic tone.

"I am sorry, and I wish to return to the camp."

"We will be happy to have you," Shantree responded without hesitation.

"We should all leave this place," Enin advised. "Holli, please take the elves back to their camp. I will take everyone else back with me to Connel… the Church of Godson. I think that would be best."

Two days after the encounter on the plateau, Ryson traveled alone to Burbon in order to pick up a few essential items for himself and Linda. Before he left to return to Connel, he decided to stop at the guard headquarters in the center of town.

He asked to see Sy, but he did not go inside. He didn't want to speak to the captain in the confines of his office. He wanted to do it out in the street, out in the open. The delver didn't care if people passing by heard what he had to say. He had nothing to hide.

Sy came out and actually smiled. He did not bury the fact that he was thrilled to see his friend. He had been worried… greatly worried about both Ryson and Linda.

The captain asked how Ryson had fared. He did so not as a commander seeking a report, but as an anxious friend genuinely concerned about Ryson and Linda's welfare. Sy stood quietly as the delver revealed to him everything that had happened.

"Is Linda okay?" the captain asked when Ryson completed the tale of events.

"She's conscious, but still a bit tired. She doesn't remember everything, but probably more than she wants to. I've got a few things that I'm bringing back to her… to make her more comfortable."

Sy hesitated, but only for a moment. As was his way, he decided to face the delicate issue head on.

"So are you staying in Connel permanently?"

The question caught the delver off guard.

"Permanently? No. Enin just wants to keep an eye on her for a while longer. He believes she's fine, but he wants to be certain there aren't any complications."

"So you're coming back," Sy said without even trying to conceal his relief.

"This is our home," Ryson stated.

"I'm happy to hear that. It wouldn't be the same without you."

The delver then decided to bring up an issue of his own, one that he knew needed to be addressed.

"Before I go, I want to talk to you about the river rogues that got into town."

Sy was not so sure that was the best of ideas. He didn't like sweeping issues under the rug, didn't want to simply pretend that nothing had happened, but he didn't want to renew any conflict between them.

"Maybe this isn't the best time," Sy offered. "I don't think either one of us is looking to have another argument right now."