James Ward - Pool of Radiance

By the time he finished, he realized they had ridden past miles of countryside, and he had seen none of it. The others had remained silent throughout his tale. It was only after they stopped for the night, when Tarl told them his plan for retrieving the hammer, that Ren spoke.

"You'll never get through that place alone," Ren said as he unpacked the mare. "As soon as we get this river cleaned up, I'll go with you."

Tarl turned from where he stood unpacking Cerulean and faced Ren. "No, friend. This is my fight. The ruler of Valhingen Graveyard holds in his hands my heritage and my pride. I must seek vengeance for my lost brothers, and I must take back that which belongs in the most holy place in the Temple of Tyr."

"I'm not saying you don't have an appointment to meet up with that vampire," said Ren. "I'm saying you won't make it to his lair without help. How many of your brothers-men strong in their faith-died before you even saw the vampire? What do you think-you're going to say, 'Take me to your leader,' and the skeletons and wraiths are going to bow and let you walk by?"

"With Tyr's strength-"

"With Tyr's strength, you'll face the vampire after you've let me help you get past the riffraff."

"And me," said Shal. "I'll help, too."

Tarl simply shook his head. He would not endanger the others. He would challenge the vampire on his own, but there was no point in arguing the fact. He would make his move when they returned.

For now, he sat down across from Shal and thanked Tyr once again for sparing her. His assignment from his god was too much of a pleasure to be a burden: Shal's mission would lead to his own. In her, he would find strength. He watched for a time as she diligently studied her spellbooks. Then he looked to his own books and began to think about what he must do in the days ahead.

Shal, too, was thinking-about facing Yarash. She didn't think she had mistaken the combination of awe and animosity Cadorna felt toward the wizard. She felt this challenge would possibly be for her what facing the vampire would be for Tarl-surely not a personal challenge such as his, but a test of newfound strengths and skills against an experienced sorcerer. Shal had grown much in her magic in the short time since Ranthor's death, but Yarash was, from Cadorna's accounts, a wizard with talents that perhaps rivaled even Ranthor's. Cadorna insisted the wizard was not evil but crazy, and that he would attack on a whim, in keeping with his own chaotic nature. Spell against spell, Shal knew she could not hold up against so formidable a wizard. She could only hope that with the help of her friends, the Staff of Power, and her sheer physical strength, she would stand at least a chance.

By the time Shal woke up the next morning, nightmare dreams of violent lightning bolt feuds still fresh in her memory, Ren had already taken care of the horses and packed up everything except her bedroll and Tarl's, which she noticed was teasingly close to her own. Ren held up his finger to his lips to shush Shal so she wouldn't bother Tarl, then he reached out his hand to help her up. He continued to hold her hand even after she was standing and led her toward a clear brook that fed its pristine waters into the black bile of the Barren River.

"I've tried before to tell you…" Ren began awkwardly. "That is, before, I wanted…" Ren stopped again, groping for words. "You remind me so much…"

"Of Tempest. I know." Shal looked down into the clear water. Every stone was visible, even in the deepest parts of the stream. The morning sunlight sparkled off the clear water and shone off the submerged leaves of the silverweed that lined the stream's banks.

"I've wanted so many times to tell you how much I… But the other night, I finally put Tempest to rest, Shal. I said good-bye to her once and for all. I know that a part of what I've felt for you has been tied up with my feelings for her…"

Shal reached for Ren's other hand and searched his sapphire-blue eyes with her own. "And now we can be friends and see where that takes us? Is that what you want to say?" Shal smiled and held Ren's hands tightly in her own.

Ren had noticed Shal watching him a dozen times or more. He knew she was attracted to him. How could she so easily understand and accept that he was asking only to be friends? He had not wanted her to be hurt, but he had expected her to show at least a glimmer of regret. Yet here she was, smiling, her green eyes twinkling as though she were delighted with the news.

"I'm no fool, Ren. You should realize that by now. I know your stares and attention were really directed at a memory."

Ren let his hands drop to his sides as Shal relaxed her grip on them.

"I'm happy to have the chance to be a friend to you on my own, without the help of your love for Tempest. I've appreciated your attention, really, but I always knew it wasn't directed at me. Now, if there's still some attraction between us, it should be genuine… Besides, Sot introduced me to Jensena and tried to warn me I had some competition. I tried to tell him she's more your type, but-"

"You… you sure have a way of putting a fellow in his place."

"Ren, how do you expect me to react?" Shal tossed her red hair back over her shoulders and extended her hand toward the big man. "Friends… again?"

Ren clasped her hand firmly. "Friends… still… always."

"A good enough friend to help against a crazy old wizard whose actions are no concern of yours?" Shal asked.

Ren didn't answer right away. He waited till they were back at the camp near Tarl, who was just waking. "I don't know just how Yarash is polluting the Stojanow River, but his actions are my concern, too. I can't stand to see that river like that. There's no reason why the Stojanow shouldn't be as pure as that brook over there. Instead, it's as black as night and reeks like some festering wound. It's bothered me since the day I first saw it. My first thought was of a black snake surrounded by dead and dying plants and animals…

"As a thief, I could say it isn't my affair, but I'm beginning to discover that rangering is a deeper part of me than I realized. I can't ignore the state of this river any more than I could ignore that ruined garden back at the gnoll camp. I'm more committed to this mission than I have been to anything we've done so far." Ren offered Tarl some water from his pouch and several strips of jerky, and then he helped Shal roll up her bedding.

Finally he mounted his horse and waited for Shal and Tarl to mount Cerulean. "I've decided to return to rangering," Ren said softly.

Both Tarl and Shal turned in the saddle to face him.

"It's a more difficult lifestyle, but it puts me closer to nature… and to myself. If I had followed my instincts, I probably would have made this trip weeks ago, when I first arrived in Phlan. Just look at that river! It doesn't only look and smell dirty; it's actually toxic. Somewhere upstream, it has to be pure, because dead fish float ashore, and you know nothing can possibly live in that water. It even permeates the land. Look at those gray tree trunks lining the riverbanks-a fire would do less damage."

"Rangering is an honorable profession," said Tarl. "I know not everyone chooses to be like a cleric in their spirituality, but I'd think you'd find comfort in the added fulfillment of being a ranger."

"Yeah. It's kind of a calling, I guess. I mean, I have a natural knack with animals, and once I learned how to trail, I never forgot it. Besides, there's something that drives me to see nature set right."

Ren patted his horse as they rode. "This mare was abused, and her owner said she was worthless. I won her in a dagger toss. I never did anything special-just talked to her and treated her right-and she's been the finest horse I've ever had."

She sleeps around, interjected Cerulean. The mare whinnied, and Shal chuckled.