A druid, a warlock, a boar, and a fighter explore some ruins and learn more about the war that destroyed West Harbor.

***

By the time they made it to the first set of ruins, Savannah's boots were caked in mud up to her ankles. "This is why I'm not a druid," she muttered, shaking her foot as Connor inspected the ruins they were in front of and Vhaera tried to paw beetle guts off her tusks. "I'll never understand how you deal with this, Connor."

"You'd be surprised how long it took me to," Connor said absently, turning to Bevil and tilting his head at the ruins. "It's definitely this one."

"I think so, too," Bevil nodded, wiping his sword down. "I saw the other building. It's still sealed shut."

"And this one has scratches on it," Connor easily opened the door. "Let's see how many lizardmen we can sneak past."

***

As it turned out, they could sneak past several of them. Only a half-dozen were able to catch them moving through the ruins, but Connor and Bevil's weapons won against claws and arrows.

By the time they made it into the deepest part of the ruins, Bevil's hair was disheveled, Connor was holding his arm awkwardly, and Vhaera was limping on three of her hooves. "This had better be worth it," Bevil muttered.

"Let's hope," Savannah agreed as Connor shouldered the door open.

He stopped in his tracks, making Savannah run into him. She was about to complain until she saw the collection of lizardmen in front of an altar in the room. "Oh great spirits of the Stone Tomb, please hear our plea!" the lizardman behind the altar hissed. "The other lizardling tribes take our territory. They wage war, and before we fight them for our ancestral hatching grounds, we ask for your blessings!"

"Oh, gods," Savannah closed her eyes, dropping her forehead onto Connor's shoulder; she regretted it instantly when Connor inhaled sharply and winced as he rubbed it.

"There certainly are a lot of them," Bevil swallowed hard. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"Shh!" Connor glared at him.

Bevil gulped when the lizardmen all turned to them. Immediately, the shaman behind the altar narrowed his eyes to slits. "A warmblood, here?!" he spat. "Your very presence offends the stone god!"

Savannah swallowed hard, but Connor took a deep breath. "When this land was once ours, my . . . tribe . . . left something here."

The shaman frowned. "And this gives you the right to intrude on our lands?"

"We mean you no harm," Connor promised, waving his hand to encompass himself, Savannah, and Bevil. "And we wish to live in peace with you and your clan."

The shaman scowled. "What do you propose then, warmblood?"

"When this land belonged to my people, we buried an object of great importance here," Connor answered. "All that I ask is we retrieve it and leave in peace."

The shaman walked over to him, staring long and hard at the druid. Connor stared back, not showing any sign of weakness, and the shaman hissed. "We will let you retrieve this object, warmblood," he decided. "But you shall leave once you have concluded your business."

"Thank you," Connor nodded gratefully.

The shaman nodded back, then looked at his followers. "We will leave the warmbloods in peace, brothers."

Bevil's jaw dropped, but he stumbled back against the wall as the shaman led the lizardlings out of the room. "What was that?!" he gaped at Connor in shock.

Connor blew out his breath in a rush. "That was me . . . sincerely hoping I wasn't going to end up as their next meal."

"I am infinitely glad you're the diplomatic one of the two of us," Savannah said gratefully as she started scouring the room. "I probably would've attacked."

"Probably?" Connor snorted.

"I would've," Savannah admitted, then paused in front of a chest. "Here."

Connor walked over and peered over her shoulder. "Strongbox," he nodded in agreement, crouching down. Savannah helped him lift the lid of the chest, then looked inside.

To her, the velvet-wrapped bundle looked unremarkable. Connor, however, tensed and stared. "Connor?" she asked quietly.

He slowly reached inside and picked up the bundle. He flinched when he touched the fabric, then lifted it up and unwrapped it. Savannah's eyes widened when she saw the smooth silver shard resting in the palm of Connor's hand, and Connor exhaled shakily. "I definitely understand why someone would want to find this," he said quietly.

Bevil, on the other hand, took one look at the shard and exploded. "We were risking life and limb for that?! None of this makes any sense! Daeghun can do his own blasted quests from now on. When you're done searching around, let's get out of here."

Connor silently nodded, and Bevil did an about face and headed for the door. "Do you know what it is?" Savannah asked Connor quietly as they followed his best friend.

"No," Connor shook his head, swallowing. "But I can feel it humming with power."

***

Daeghun looked relieved when the group returned to West Harbor. "You have returned . . . and you have brought the shard."

"That's all you can say?" Bevil shouted. "I almost died out there!"

Daeghun didn't skip a beat. "If I did not believe you could handle the task, I would have sent another."

"Yeah, well, you weren't out there in the swamp getting attacked by lizardfolk!"

"No," Daeghun said icily, "I was here attending to the wounded, Bevil. Now find Merring and do the same."

Bevil clenched his jaw, then snorted and walked off. "I don't see how you put up with him."

Savannah raised an eyebrow at Connor, who sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "He risked a lot to help us," he reminded Daeghun. "He's all who can support his mother after Lorne vanished."

"I know," Daeghun nodded. "But this talk is for our ears alone, and he will not serve you where you are bound."

Connor nodded in agreement, pulling the bundle out of his bag. "What were those ruins in the swamp?" he asked.

"Many such ruins lie within the Mere and beneath it," Daeghun answered. "They are of ancient Illefarn, an empire once forged from an alliance of dwarves and elves. All that remains are ruins, and little else, and their empire lives on only in history books and stories."

Connor nodded, unwrapping the bundle. The silver gleamed up at them, and Connor took a deep breath. "What is this?"

"That shard is one of a pair," Daeghun answered. "Both were found after the battle that destroyed West Harbor long ago. My half-brother, Duncan, and I asked a mage in Neverwinter to examine the shards for enchantments, but he found nothing except a faint magical aura, a residue of the battle. And so I kept one shard, and the other I gave to Duncan. Not long after I returned to West Harbor, I sealed it away in the ruins."

Savannah had so many questions, but only one demanded an answer at the moment. "We have an Uncle?"

Connor snorted loudly, and Daeghun looked faintly amused. "So to speak. It would be more appropriate to say that I have a half-brother. Duncan, like Bevil, has many faults that would make it wise not to rely on him or call him kin."

Savannah's eyes flared at the insult to Bevil, but Connor, who looked moments from collapsing where he stood, continued with his questions. "How long ago was this battle in West Harbor fought?"

"It was long ago," Daeghun answered. "And it was a battle that did not concern West Harbor, but the village was caught up in it, like many such villages in the Mere of Dead Men. We knew little about what had sparked the conflict. Demons were involved, led by a warlock of great power. We only knew him as the King of Shadows." The very name made a chill run down Savannah's spine, and she shivered. Connor's face paled, but he nodded for Daeghun to continue. "The forces of Neverwinter attempted to drive the demons back. Many villagers fled, some taking the road, others wading into the swamp, anything to escape the battle. There was an explosion, pure and white, then nothing more."

Connor looked down at the shard, frowning and scratching his head. "You said there was a faint magical aura . . . but I feel something much stronger coming from the shard."

"Strange," Daeghun tilted his head. "Perhaps the attack awakened it." He nodded decisively. "If so, then perhaps a second look at these shards would yield different results, but such divinations would be beyond anyone here in West Harbor, including Tarmas."

"So who can we take it to?"

"I need you to go to the city of Neverwinter," Daeghun responded. "Find my half-brother Duncan, retrieve the second shard, and take it to a mage all of you can trust. Duncan owns an inn in the Docks District of the city, the Sunken Flagon." He wrinkled his nose. "Not the most . . . reputable place, but safe enough."

"And how do we get to Neverwinter?" Savannah asked.

"Head to the small port town of Highcliff when you are free of the swamp," Daeghun answered. "There, seek passage to Neverwinter. The beasts that attacked us will leave West Harbor alone once they realize their quarry has fled. If all goes well, you should be in Neverwinter before they find your trail. Say your farewells – your boots may travel many roads before you return. I let some of the others know you are leaving, but not the why of it."

***

"A silver shard?" Amie asked when Savannah stopped by her bed, her best friend's skin still burned. "What would outsiders want with a piece of silver?"

"I haven't touched it, but Connor says when he holds it, he feels strong magic," Savannah answered. "He can't tell what, but it must be important."

Amie hummed thoughtfully. "Well, as much as I'll miss you, I'm glad you're leaving together. You're stronger together than you are apart." She smiled up at Savannah. "Just promise to come back, all right? I want to hear everything."

Savannah giggled, giving her friend a careful hug. "I will."

The door opened, and Connor entered with Bevil. "I think Orlen gave us two weeks' worth of his pork jerky," the druid announced, peering into his pack with an amused expression.

"And how did Vhaera take that?" Savannah giggled.

Connor sighed. "She was still glaring at him when we came here."

Both girls laughed, though Bevil shook his head. "I wish we could come with you," he sighed. "But someone needs to help take care of the village."

"It's in good hands," Connor clapped him on the shoulder. "Take care of everyone for us?"

"I will," Bevil promised, giving Savannah a quick hug.

"Good luck," Amie hugged Connor when he bent down.

"Thank you," Connor rubbed her back. "Get better soon."

"I will," Amie nodded.

Bevil led them out the door, back to where Daeghun was waiting. "One more thing," he said, making the twins stop. "If you run across the one who hurt Amie . . . stick a blade through his heart for me," he requested. "She deserves that at least."

Connor nodded. "Gladly."

Bevil gave him a tight hug before walking over to join his mother, Retta, who was comforting his two young siblings. Savannah sighed, looking around the village. "I can't believe we're leaving."

"Definitely not under these circumstances," Connor agreed, carefully placing the shard into the pack on his right hip. "But if it means everyone is safe . . . "

Savannah conceded the point with a nod, following Connor down the path back to Daeghun. Their foster father raised an eyebrow as they approached. "Have you said your farewells?"

"We're ready to go," Connor confirmed.

Daeghun nodded. "To get to Neverwinter, take the road that borders the Starling farm out of town. It is the only road through the Mere of Dead Men, so following it will be easy. I've made it known that you travel directly for the city in the hopes that the enemy will pursue you along the High Road. Instead, you will head to the small port of Highcliff once you are clear of the swamp. From there, you will seek passage on a ship to Neverwinter."

"Why by boat?" Connor asked.

"Your trip to Neverwinter will be quicker by water, and my attempt at misdirection may allow you to reach Highcliff before the enemy becomes aware of your true route," Daeghun answered. He looked around the village, then sighed. "I have nothing more to say. It is time for you to go, my children. Each moment you remain here brings greater risk to the village."

Connor nodded. "Thank you, Father."

"I wish you good luck," Daeghun bowed slightly. "Safe travels."

He walked off to speak to Georg and Merring, and Connor turned to Savannah, taking a deep breath. "Are you ready?"

Savannah looked around the village one last time, then smiled when Bevil and Retta waved to them. Savannah waved in farewell, then straightened her shoulders and turned to Connor. "Let's go."

***

The quintet is now down to a trio, but that gets fixed next update.

graphic by marvelity