the end?

	When daylight came, the party minus Axio reassembled in the main room of the inn, and then divided by task.  The proprietor stood agape as he looked over the damage, and the pools of blood on the floor.  Caroline's body was gone, and was being prepared for burial in the Temple of Dumathoin, while there was no sign left of Clutch.  Luanea tried to break the news gently.

	“Sir, for what it may be worth, the one responsible for this is dead.”

	“How could this have happened?” the proprietor sobbed.  He rubbed his eyes on his sleeve as he looked at the huge splotches of blood on the walls and floor.  “She just… she's just dead!  I go to bed for the evening, and when I come in, she's been murdered.”


	Verashon poked the map on the table in the little library.  “And here we go,” he said triumphantly.  “The dwarves who explored this area found it.”

	Luanea examined the map her husband had dug out of the stacks of books.  “I wonder why the giants themselves never bothered to record this,” she asked aloud.

	“I suppose they thought they wouldn't need to,” Verashon said.

	“Or that part of the Ostoria empire didn't have many literate residents,” Kyria pointed out.  She had her feet propped up on a chair beside her as she read her own book.  “Aren't most giants illiterate?”

	“True.”  Verashon examined the map.  “So… the site is north of Sundabar, in the foothills of the Spine of the World Mountains… or, no, the tunnel to it is there.”

	“Wonder if the dwarves have explored the place,” Kyria yawned.

	Suivi set his book down and stood.  “This one is useless,” he muttered.  “So why was this so easy?” he asked the room.  “These records aren't classified.  Why didn't somebody find this place a long time ago?”

	“Because people don't tend to come back from the Spine of the World, and when they do go, this isn't what they're looking for.  The giants were litterbugs par excellence.  They left their debris all over, and most of it was easier to find than this.” Verashon said.  “It's not safe up there, anyway; I've been in the tunnels under those mountains.  Orcs, slavers, demons, creeping fungi, abandoned dragon magic, and worse.”

	“Besides, most of the major dwarf settlements in the North are barely hanging on,” Verashon said.  “Sundabar took it in the teeth during the Fall of the Silver League, Mirabar has its own problems,” he said, looking around in disgust, “Adbar is under siege by Orcs more often than not, and Felbarr only barely held back the Fire Giants a few years ago.”

	“I guess.  How do you know so much about Northern politics?” Suivi asked.

	“And so little about the actual places?” Verashon asked drily.

	Suivi frowned.  “I wasn't going to ask.”

	“It's fine.  I travel through the Underdark, rescuing slaves from the Matrons, quite often.  The Underdark around here is packed with trouble.  I have to break for the surface quite often,” Verashon said.  He looked over at his wife and smiled.  “Luanea's friends in the Temple travel with me sometimes, too.”

	“People's bigotry towards drow tends to falter when one shows up with their children and parents, rescued from the eeeevil dusk-skins below,” Kyria said sarcastically, waggling her fingers.

	“Kyria, come on,” Luanea chided gently.

	“Whatever.”  Kyria flipped her book shut and set it carelessly down on the table.  “Look, I'm a wizard.  I like sitting around reading as much as the next girl, but is there anything else we need?”

	“No, I think we're done.   If this is all the people here knew about this place, we're not going to find passwords, maps, or anything,” Verashon said.

	Kyria pulled up her hood.  “Then if you all don't mind, I need some fresh air.”

	Verashon started piling books.  “I'll copy the map down and meet you at the inn.”

	“I shall speak to the Marchioness,” Luanea said.  Doshellas was already halfway out the door.


	Kyria whistled to herself as she walked through the town.  She hadn't enjoyed the road much, but she was happy to be about to leave Mirabar for a place that didn't have devils in the night.  She wended her way through the roads and alleys, following Doshellas.  The taciturn ranger hadn't been comfortable at any point on the journey, whether it was shoved into a coach, walking around a city in daylight, or sitting in a library.  He wasn't any more talkative than he ever was, but he certainly looked even happier than she was to be leaving.

	At the inn, the blown-open room was already roped off, with a plywood sheet up over the gap.  The day staff was busily cleaning the blood and smashed furnishings when Kyria and Doshellas walked past them.  Upstairs, they happened on an argument in progress.  The proprietor was arguing – quietly – with Cavria, who stood stock-still before Axio's door with her hands over chest and her armor on.  “I said no,” Cavria said, her voice barely above a whisper.  “And I meant no.  We're leaving the instant we can, and not one minute before.”

	The proprietor waved a sheaf of papers in her face.  “This is the least of what you owe me,” he said, though he lowered his voice when Cavria's face tightened in anger.  “Your friend trashed the first floor!  One of my people is dead!”

	“And that isn't Axio's fault.  If you want us to help pay for the damages, fine, but-”

	“No buts!” the proprietor insisted.  “I can't send a bill to Asmodeus, can I?”

	Doshellas's face tightened when he saw Cavria ball a fist at her father's name.  He started wondering if he would have to step in when Cavria took a steadying breath.  “Give me… the bill,” she growled, and this time she didn't even try to hide her contempt.  The proprietor flinched, but shoved the paper into her hands and stomped away, apparently unwilling to push his luck.

	Cavria tossed the bill over her shoulder into her room and went back to standing before Axio’s closed door, fists tight.  She nodded politely when she saw Doshellas.

	“He’s sleeping,” Cavria said softly.

	“Yeah.  When we’re ready, I think we’re ditching this town,” Doshellas said.  “We may not even stay for a guide.”

	“Whatever you guys decide.  I’ll get Axio when it’s time to go.”  Cavria rolled her shoulders and rubbed her eyes.  She hadn’t yet told anybody about Bagrisniel… but it could wait, until they had reassembled.

	It was funny.  Cavria had to imagine there were very few Paladins or even Clerics who had met so many Clestials so young.  It was reassuring, actually.  It set a high bar, but she could hold her head high and look Gods and Angels in the eyes.

	She heard movement in the room behind her.  Cavria leaned over to the door and rapped it lightly.  “Axio?”

	“Mmmph.  Lemme… get some clothes on,” he muttered.

	A few minutes later, he emerged, dressed and bleary-eyed.  “How long was I out?” he asked.

	“About nine hours,” Cavria said.

	Axio cricked his shoulders and patted Cavria on the shoulder.  “Did you stand out here the whole time?” he asked.

	“Yes.”

	He chuckled sadly and turned the pat into a light hug.  “You're a good partner, Cavria.  Thank you so much.”

	She blushed and returned it.  “You're welcome, Axio.  Are you up to eat?”

	“I could stomach something,” Axio said.  “What time is it?”

	“Noon, I'd say,” Cavria replied.  She reached in and grabbed a shirt for him.  “Here, can you fit this over your wings?”

	Axio struggled into it, but gave up when he heard a seam strain.  “Mmm... nope.”

	“Well, nobody minds,” Cavria said flirtatiously.  She ran a hand over his awe-inspiring chest.  “Maybe they'll be slower to arrest us if you're there, looking pretty.”

	Axio sighed and rubbed his eyes.  “I'm... mph.  That poor girl.  Did somebody raise her?”

	“You think anybody in this town will spring to raise a maid?” Cavria asked disgustedly.  “No, but the priests of Dumathoin buried her with honor.”

	Axio held back a tear as he followed his partner down the stairs.  “Poor thing.  She was concerned for me.”

	“You were fighting in her room?”

	“Yes,” Axio said.  “I... I wish I could say I was certain it was my idea, but I'm not... she asked if I would sleep with her, and I said yes.”

	Cavria felt her heart clamp up a bit in sudden envy.  “Oh.”

	“But... I fell asleep before she even got there, and she saw how sick I was from whatever the devil was doing to me,” Axio continued.  “She was going to get an apothecary when she... died.”

	“Oh, Axio, I'm sorry,” Cavria said, feeling rather ashamed.

	Axio sighed as they climbed down the stairs.  “I feel like I killed that girl.  I know, it's not true, but...” he trailed off as he entered the main room and saw the Axe standing outside the ruined room.  “One moment.”

	The Axe saw the glow of Celestia approach from behind him and turned, and his eyes went wide when he saw Axio.  Axio came to a halt at the door, and when the Axe opened his mouth to object, one look for Axio's tortured, gemstone eyes shut him up.

	Axio leaned on the shattered doorframe and whispered a prayer on his would-be lover's soul.  “Kelemvor, guide Caroline to your home, and commend her gladly to her rest,” he said in Celestial.  “Please look kindly on her martyred spirit, as she fell trying to bring joy to others, and suffered no guilt in her murder.  Let not the taint of the Hells scar her spirit, and shuttle her immortal soul to her fair and merciful end.”


	Cavria brought two bowls of stew to a table and watched Axio pray for the maid.  She sighed sadly and set the spoons aside.  She would wait.

	After a minute or two more, Axio turned away and walked over to her.  He accepted a bowl and started listlessly stirring.  “Cavria?” he asked quietly.

	“Yes?”

	He looked up at her.  “Are you scared of dying, like me?”

	Cavria's blood chilled.  “Uh.”

	Axio's gemstones turned down.  “Don't answer if you don't want, of course, but... I wasn't scared of dying until yesterday.”

	“Well... I mean, I am a devil,” Cavria said.  “So... yes, I guess I am.  I... Ryaire will catch me, I know,” he said awkwardly, “but I might reform as a full devil, with all my surgery undone... or without the un-brainwashing…”  Cavria trailed off.  “Yeah, I'm scared.”

	Axio snorted and downed some stew.  “Hmph.  I guess... I'm getting really tired of this,” he said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder.  “It's only made us miserable.”

	“I know.”

	“I sound selfish.”

	“It's... okay.”

	Axio winced.  “I'm sorry.”

	“I know.  I... I never had a choice either,” Cavria said quietly.  “But I did spend three years in Heaven.”

	Axio chuckled brokenly and dropped his spoon into the bowl.  Cavria looked at him, startled, and thought for a moment he was actually crying, but no.  He was pulling himself together.  “Okay.  Okay, we're done,” Axio said.  “No more feeling sorry for ourselves.  There’s a war to stop.”