Chapter 32: In the Line of Duty
Lord Nasher Alagondar sighed as he sat on his throne in Castle Never's Court. It was a common expression from him as he sat fulfilling his duties as the city's ruler. Before being crowned as Lord of Neverwinter, Nasher had spent his youth as an adventurer, gaining a reputation for competence and heroism all along the Sword Coast. Nasher eventually took up service as a knight of Neverwinter, quickly proving himself to be the most courageous and worthy soldier in the service of the city, and then an able and wise leader when made a captain.
It had been difficult for him to learn to sit by while others carried out his orders. While age had lessened his vigor, he was still more than capable of handling things personally, as many times he wanted to do when news of some threat came to his ears. But that was no longer his role. Neverwinter could not afford to have him slain. Sometimes, however, when his job became more a matter of babysitting the political machinations of the nobility or the pestering demands of merchant guilds, he could almost prefer an end to his life in glorious battle.
Neverwinter's Lord watched with a neutral expression as Squire Tamil Farlong, recent victor in both the political and combat arena, approached the throne after being announced. She was joined by her close companions, emissaries from a distant land, as well as the elven wizard, Sand. Nasher hoped the squire was bringing a positive report, and not another headache of politically motivated petitions.
"Ah, Squire Farlong. Have you come to make a report? And I see you have the company of the emissaries from the United States of… Earth with you?"
"America… sir. Er, milord," Jack O'Neill corrected. "We are with the United States of America. Earth is more of the land we are from…. milord."
"I see," Nasher nodded. "United States of America, then." Nasher Alagondar did not let his embarrassment show.
"My apologies, milord, for not being clear enough in my introductions earlier," Tamil cut in with a bow, taking the blame for the blunder. "And please excuse Colonel O'Neill for any difficulties he has with the formalities of our language. He speaks through a translation device as the Common language of their land is far different from ours."
Nasher nodded, acknowledging the squire's words. Inwardly, he was impressed with her court manners. Wasn't she from one of the small, rural villages out in the swamp? She certainly had a silver tongue and an understanding of how most rulers liked to be addressed.
"I do indeed have a number of matters to report on that I believe will be of interest to your Lordship and the Court." Tamil turned so that she was facing both Sir Nevalle and Lord Nasher. Nevalle was standing on Nasher's right hand side in his position as Nasher's military administrator and captain of the Neverwinter Nine. "First off, Sir Nevalle charged me with investigating the actions of one Larim, in the employ of Lord Temar."
"And?" Nevalle asked, expectantly.
"Both of them are now dead," Tamil stated bluntly.
"How could this happen?" Nevalle asked in shock. He had left explicit instructions for Squire Farlong not to attempt to arrest Lord Temar, a nobleman. Only Larim was to be questioned. Nevalle feared Nasher's displeasure over this.
"We tried to—" Jack began, but Tamil cut him off.
"Milord, Temar was in league with the Luskans. They were plotting to assassinate you, Lord Nasher," Tamil explained, indicating the Lord of Nevewinter as she spoke. "And Temar hoped to be appointed in your place. Larim was working directly for Lord Temar. They admitted as much when we questioned them, and then ambushed us with their house guards."
Nevalle was shocked. He had known Lord Temar disliked Nasher, but had no idea he would go so far as to commit treason.
Tamil signaled to Jack, indicating that now was the time to speak. "We tried to subdue them, but our weapons were ineffective. They had magical protections against our… well, it didn't work. But we did manage to take the guards alive." Said earlier, that would have sounded like an excuse. Said now, after an acceptable justification for the deaths, it was an explanation of the results.
"Indeed," Tamil confirmed. "Lord Temar and his servant both fought to the death, but the guards are even now being interrogated. It is doubtful they will know much, but there may be clues to further Luskan infiltration of the city."
"You've done well, Squire Farlong," Nevalle acknowledged. "And the assistance of the emissaries of the United States of… America?" Nevalle said, checking to make sure he had gotten it right, "…will be remembered in our future dealings."
"There's more, milord," Tamil continued. Nasher and Nevalle regarded the bard with interest. "Doctor Jackson of America and another of my companions, Neeshka, helped uncover the workings of a necromantic cult active in Neverwinter." Tamil handed over a worn book to the city leader—the journal of Arval, the cult leader.
Lord Nasher made as if to order an investigation. But Tamil forestalled him.
"The cult has already been dealt with, milord. Doctor Jackson reported the matter to me. We did not realize how serious the situation was or we would have alerted your Lordship before acting, but the emissaries of the United States joined me and a few more companions in what we thought would be a rescue attempt. But it was far more dangerous than anticipated."
Lord Nasher's expression showed concern. "I hope there were no casualties among your friends."
"Two of our group were slain during the battle. Major Samantha Carter of America, and Shandra Jerro of Highcliff."
This battle was far more intense than the previous ones had been. They weren't facing a group of adolescents with a few tricks. They were facing a group of adults with complementary abilities.
Shandra found herself facing off a pair of enemies, one of them a martial artist who smacked her sword aside with his bear hands and sent a flurry of kicks and punches her way. Despite her disadvantage, she was doing well enough at first, but then the leader standing in the back spoke some word, a word that burned her ears and mind, but worst of all her eyes. Suddenly, Shandra found herself blind.
Then the pain came. She could tell when it was the monk. His punches and kicks felt like a hammer slamming into her. She also felt the sting of a blade slicing into her flesh, finding the seams in her armor and stabbing through into her. It was agony.
Jack was having a difficult time shooting the monks. They seemed to have an uncanny ability to know where he was going to point his weapon and then, just not be there. And then he was being attacked by someone much too close. He had to drop his zat and pull out his swords.
Sam had managed to zat one of her opponents, popping into visibility when she did so. She was taking aim at another of them when she was surrounded by an eerie red light. For an instant, she felt a painful draining energy piercing her. Then her jaw suddenly went slack, her mouth opening of its own accord. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she slumped to the ground in a heap.
Daniel screamed her name when he saw Carter fall, drawing Jack and Teal'c's immediate attention. All of their eyes went wide in horror and they attempted to rush over to her, but their opponents would not allow them that luxury.
Shandra slumped to the ground with a groan. The beating she had taken was more than she could endure. The blood she had lost, pouring from her side. It was too much. She fell into blackness.
Lord Nasher saw the stoic faces of the heroes before him. He had lost friends in battle many times. It was never easy. Some hid it well. Others would be emotionally torn apart and unable to function for months. In both cases, it would be a trauma they would need time to deal with. The Lord of Neverwinter tried to feel loss for every life given in service to the city. It was his duty as its ruler. One of his more painful duties.
"I see now that is why only three of the four emissaries have come before me. I'm sorry for your loss," Nasher began. He was going to add some platitudes to his condolences about dying with honor and for duty, though he knew they would be of no comfort. It was simply what a ruler had to say. But Jack O'Neill spoke first.
"Don't worry about it. It's no big deal. Happens all the time," Jack said casually, shocking the balding ruler as well as the fair headed Sir Nevalle.
"Usually to me," Daniel Jackson interjected.
"Apparently, it was 'blonde day' on Death's calendar," Jack nodded, "Apparently it was their turn this time."
"You must forgive their strange ways, Lord Nasher," Tamil said, fighting her smile. "Traveling with them has taught me that humor is how they deal with stressful situations," the bard explained. "And do not think ill of them for their cavalier attitude, it is not as bad as it seemed."
"Then, they did not die?" Sir Nevalle asked.
"Oh, no, they died," Daniel corrected. "But they got better."
The carnage was over. Lisbet Bryce stood in shock over the death of Arval. She couldn't believe he was gone. She watched as the adventurers who had disrupted their ceremony rushed to their fallen friends, ignoring her and her pain.
"Oh gods! Shandra!" Tamil cried, tears streaming down her face.
The farmer who had come to her for protection lay still on the ground, her blood pooling beneath her on the stone floor. The bard channeled her magic into a healing prayer and laid her hands on her friend. White magical light poured over the wound, but the healing magic found no answering life to cling to. It was too late.
Jack leaned over Sam, his hands compressing her chest over and over again. He breathed into her mouth, his lips forming a seal on hers through which to breathe air back into her lungs. She wasn't responding. She had no pulse.
Teal'c had already tried his healing magic on her. It had failed, just as Tamil's attempt with Shandra had. They were dead. The spell that had struck Dr. Carter had taken her life, separating her spirit and body. Healing magic had no way to take hold.
They all sobbed there in anguish and anger.
And then Teal'c clenched his fists, shaking his head. "No, this cannot be. Oh, Tyr, god of justice, please heed my call and return these two noble souls to us!"
Nothing happened.
Then the former Jaffa from Chulak bent down and placed his hands on Carter's forehead, the words of a divine prayer coming to his mind and out of his mouth. There was a sudden glow all around her body. For a moment, it appeared as if a translucent image of Carter hovered over her body, slowly settling into her form. Then she sat up with a sudden gasp.
"What happened!" Carter exclaimed.
"You died," Jack answered, stunned momentarily.
"Yeah, I know. But…" Carter was saying.
"Teal'c," Daniel explained. "Somehow, Teal'c brought you back to life."
"I saw… I saw…" Carter was stammering. But she couldn't put it into words. She was going to have to rethink a few things she had been very skeptical of. She tried to stand, but pain flashed through her. She had returned to life, but was weary to the bone. She rose slowly.
"Teal'c!" Tamil called out the Chulakian. "Can you heal her, too?" Hope filled her voice.
"I shall try, Tamil Farlong," Teal'c offered.
The favored of Tyr laid his hand on Shandra's forehead as well and exerted his will as he had done with Carter. He uttered the words of the divine prayer he had just used. As it had happened previously, the magic surrounded the body of the dead and the spirit returned to it. Shandra's eyes snapped open and she took a ragged breath.
"It worked!" Tamil exclaimed. "Praise to Tyr! You did it!"
Teal'c noted that Shandra's wounds remained severe. He placed his hands on her wounds and filled them with healing magic. Within moments, the worst of the damage done to her body was repaired. The fair haired farmer-turned-adventuress staggered to her feet. Teal'c continued to heal Shandra, then hurried back to Carter to administer to her as well.
Lord Nasher regarded Teal'c with new respect. Nasher had already been informed that one of the emissaries from a faraway land who traveled with Squire Farlong was favored of Tyr. That fact had greatly increased the standing of the group in the Lord of Neverwinter's eyes. Nasher was himself a Divine Champion of Tyr, a special class of holy warriors dedicated to a particular deity. He knew that few followers of any deity were favored so highly that they were granted the power to bring the dead back to life, usually only the head priest of a temple was that powerful.
"While the task was difficult, Lord Nasher, that was not what prompted me to seek audience with you and Sir Nevalle to directly give my report. It is what we found after we had defeated the cultists that is the most disturbing."
Tamil indicated the journal she had handed over to Lord Nasher and then continued. "That record belonged to a powerful shadow priest named Arval. He was conducting experiments, trying to recreate a dark ritual connected to the King of Shadows."
Lord Nasher's eyebrows rose. References to that name had been popping up in more and more reports. It had been nearly two decades since the last rise of this "king" who could summon darkness. There had been many deaths and many disturbing events culminating in a short series of battles dubbed "The War of Shadow" during that time. Coming on the heels of the war with Luskan and the devastation brought by the Creator Race and their Wailing Death plague, it had been a most unwelcome event.
Now Daniel Jackson spoke up. "While we don't completely understand the ritual, Lord Nasher, Sand and I have been able to piece together its purpose."
The wizard/merchant inclined his head, taking his due credit with pleasure. He didn't mind sharing the spotlight with the human. He was proud of Daniel's achievements in spellcraft, having been the one to teach the human. It was true, Daniel's education in science had greatly facilitated his rapid growth in the study of magical lore, but nevertheless his progress was certainly remarkable. In the span of less than a year, the scientist had achieved a level of power few practitioners would ever achieve in their lifetime. Indeed, Daniel had surpassed the general level of knowledge Sand had possessed when they had first met. Continued collaboration with the human had led to Sand's own depth and breadth of magical aptitude rising alongside the surprising human.
"The purpose of the cult was to draw young wizards and sorcerers to Arval for his experiments with the ritual, and ultimately use them as tools," Daniel continued.
"It seems he targeted young, unpopular students at the Neverwinter Academy. According to what little the squire was told," Sand added, referring to Tamil by title, "when they were being taken to be locked up, some of the older cultists revealed that Arval had been using the Academy as a source for human sacrifices for at least a couple years." Sand gave a slightly sadistic smile as he added a little barb to the end, "Perhaps someone should speak to Magister Jochris about how he has been running Neverwinter's fine school for gifted magicians."
Lord Nasher didn't like Sand's tone in regards to the magister, but could not deny the truth to his words. Sand was proving a useful asset, and from all appearances, one loyal to Neverwinter. Even Sir Nevalle, who had always distrusted the elf, was realizing that perhaps his feelings were unmerited, despite Sand having formerly been a Luskan Hostower mage. Still, Sand had a double dose of elven hubris. Even if he was worthy of trust, it didn't mean the knight had to like him.
"What does the ritual do?" Nevalle asked.
Dr. Jackson answered. "It is intended to create a link between the soul of the subject of the ritual and the Plane of Shadow. According to Arval's notes, the desired result would be a merging of the subject and shadow, while retaining the knowledge and magical powers of the individual."
"The Shadow Priests found working with the orcs near Old Owl Well were doing similar research. They were also using the bodies of former Academy students," Tamil added. "They had managed to create reanimated zombies, but able to use their full magical capabilities. Arval was, apparently, taking the ritual a step further."
Nevalle remembered this mentioned in one of the reports to the city council from Captain Brelaina of the City Watch. This new report fit in with other reports of cult activity around the area. In light of this news, the report was indeed alarming.
"And does this ritual work?" Lord Nasher asked.
Daniel, Jack, Tamil, and Sand all looked at each other.
"We're not sure," Daniel responded in the end.
"Keep away from me! He isn't dead!" Lisbet Bryce yelled.
Tamil Farlong quickly backed away, not wanting to agitate the young girl any further. Unfortunately, that was the wrong thing to do.
"I can bring him back!" Lisbet cried. With that, she finished her part of the ritual, the part that activates the magic, before anyone could prevent her.
The chamber suddenly became dark despite the torch light. Not the darkness of the night, but the darkness of a nightmare. The very air became heavy with blackness that absorbed the light of the flames. The bodies of the slain cultists, their corpses showing the scorch marks from Elanee's powerful lightning storm and Daniel's firebrand, were covered in a deeper shadow that mirrored in its darkness the light of the power Teal'c had used to bring life.
Then living shadows rose up from each corpse, with clawed hands of pure darkness and evil red eyes of malevolence. Once more SG-1 and their companions were plunged into battle.
Tamil's powerfully enchanted adamantine sword sliced through the shadows, tearing at their substance as she evaded their lumbering strikes. She noted however, that their hands passed through her armor as if it weren't there. She only avoided their life draining touch by jumping backwards.
"Careful!" she shouted in warning. "These things can reach right into you. If you have an enchantment on your armor it will work against them, but the metal itself will do nothing to them. Do not let them touch you!"
After shouting that out, she began to sing again. Her song filled them all with a feeling or invulnerability. Indeed, the music itself helped to ward away the shadows, though creatures of darkness pressed against and through the enchantment, trying to strike the living flesh before them.
After managing to elude a pair of the giant shadows and find a spot safe to cast a spell, Daniel began chanting a spell he had just recently been researching. Tamil had found the spell scroll and given it to him to scribe into his spell book. Daniel had practiced it, but had never really seen its effects. He wasn't even sure he had it right. It was designed to return the undead to the state of death. As soon as he finished his spell casting, he saw the results. Every shadow in the radius of the spell's effect suddenly reeled, and a pair of them simply faded back away into natural shadows.
"Do that again!" Jack called out.
"Sorry, Jack. I only prepared one use for the spell. After casting it… it's gone until I study again."
The living shadows staggered again, and this time the rest of them broke apart into darkness. Daniel spun around to look at Dr. Carter. Had she already caught up to him?
"Don't look at me, Daniel. I haven't figured that one out yet," Sam said, shaking her head.
"It was me," Teal'c acknowledged. "When I heard your spell, I realized that Tyr would grant me the power to banish shadows as you did. I do not know how I knew this, but it was true."
Jack put his swords back in his scabbard. He'd been struggling to hit the things, half the time swinging at a false shadow, and even when he connected his blades did little against the darkness. He looked at his team mates appreciatively. "Good work," he said.
"It didn't work," Lisbet bemoaned. "He's gone. Really gone."
Tamil shot the girl a scathing look. "Oh, it worked fine. Or did you miss the shadows and the fighting and the killing?" Her sarcasm was biting.
"No…" Lisbet broke down crying. Through her tears she said, "…no, you don't understand. The ritual didn't work. I wasn't strong enough. Those shadows were just... echoes." The girl's eyes were full of anguish and shame. Seeing those emotions, Tamil's glare softened and she let Lisbet continue to speak. "Arval and the others," she began again, "they should have been joined with the King of Shadows. Don't you see? That's why we made all these symbols, all these markings. I said the words, but I," she stumbled over the words, "I was too weak." She choked on a sob. "Arval said he loved me. He said we'd be united in Shadow, joined to this beautiful ancient being."
Jack rolled his eyes. "You really were doing all this just to kiss a guy? Teenagers." Jack threw up his hands in mock surrender to the stupidity. "You know he was just using you, right?" "This," Jack said pointed to the necromantic symbols on the magic circle, pointed to the young girl who had been sacrificed. "This isn't love."
"Well, I'm not sorr," she argued obstinately, "Maybe Arval didn't love me, but I loved him. That's more important than light and shadow and everything else. It isn't wrong, and it isn't stupid."
Jack O'Neill's eyes went cold. He walked over and grabbed the girl by her shoulder and shoved her face down to see the lifeless bodies of the cultists they had been forced to kill.
"Jack," Carter called out, to restrain the colonel. He wasn't in a mood for restraint.
"You're not sorry?" Jack asked incredulously. "Look at these dead bodies and tell me you're not sorry again!" He let her go, but she remained on the ground, whimpering. Jack flung his arms out wide to indicate the crypt and the summoning room. "This is not love, and you are only fooling yourself saying you loved him. I know love, and I've lost love," Jack declared darkly.
"Love isn't selfish. Love doesn't hurt others," he scolded. "But this, this was selfish. And if you think this had anything to do with love, then you are deluded."
The group watched as Jack regained control of his emotions. The members of SG-1 knew of Jack's pain, the loss of his son and later his wife, and understood. Tamil, Neeshka, and Elanee were seeing this vulnerable side to the hero for the first time.
A stunned and shamed Lisbet Bryce followed the group out of the crypt. Time would only tell if she would gain wisdom from these events.
"We interrupted the ritual," Daniel explained. "We're not sure if it failed because of our interruption, because it wasn't performed correctly, or if the ritual is still flawed."
"But we did get to fight a lot of shadows," Jack remarked. "Big, human sized, soul eating shadows."
"There is something else," Teal'c added. Everyone turned to regard the generally reserved Chulakian. "We also discovered that the ritual needs to be performed by both arcane spell casters and priests in conjunction. That was why Arval needed Lisbet to help him test the ritual. She was a cleric. He needed another who could access divine powers to test it first to ensure that the ritual was safe."
Lord Nasher sat back on his throne. They had given him much to think about. When he had sighed earlier, hoping for something more than political wrangling, he had not expected something quite like this.
"Thank you Squire Farlong, Sand, and honored emissaries of the United States of America," Lord Nasher said, preparing to dismiss them.
"Sire," Tamil interrupted. "There is another matter."
"Oh?" the Lord of Neverwinter said, giving leave for Tamil to continue.
"The sage, Aldanon has been kidnapped from his home. You should be getting the report of the incident soon from Sergeant Brockenburn."
Lord Nasher was alarmed at this. Aldanon was a brilliant sage. At times, Nasher had needed to call upon the eccentric old man's knowledge himself. He could be annoying to speak to, but he was a valuable asset to the city.
"Nevalle, we must prepare a rescue mission at once," Nasher began. "We must learn who is behind this and track them down to wherever they have taken him."
"I believe we already know who is behind this, milord," Tamil stated. "We witnessed the standoff between the kidnappers and Sergeant Brockenburn's men on our way back from the crypts to make this report. They had a friend of mine, Marshal Cormick of the Watch, held captive. So, we intervened."
Tamil related how the group had freed Cormick, healed his wounds, and then entered Aldanon's estate. The bard related the events in a straightforward manner, concentrating on relevant facts of the events. Were this a tavern tale, its telling would have lasted as much as half an hour, full of embellishment and witty word play. But Tamil knew when to draw out a story, and when to give an executive summary. Lord Nasher appreciated the clarity and focus on relevant details. The bard and her companions were rising swiftly in is estimation.
Aldanon's mansion had been much easier than the crypt. Zat'nik'tel fired from behind a doorframe was devastating to those vulnerable to its debilitating effects. All of the thieves they had encountered were vulnerable. With Neeshka able to disable the traps the thieves had set, it had been a simple matter to snipe out all the thieves before an alarm could even be given. Every one of the servants survived unharmed and the entire gang was captured alive.
"Unfortunately, while we were able to save Aldanon's servants, alas, we arrived too late to do anything about his abduction. However, Old Scab, the leader of the kidnapper group, is being interrogated as we speak. Before coming to report, we were able to get some information from him by use of an enchantment," Tamil revealed. "Assuming the information was truthful and the thief was not feigning being caught in the enchantment, the person behind the abduction is a wizard from Luskan by name of Black Garius. And from past evidence, it is clear that Garius is in league with the King of Shadows cult."
"More Luskan interference," Lord Nasher muttered. "Just what we needed."
"Unfortunately, Old Scab did not seem to know where Aldanon was being taken," Tamil sighed. "But perhaps more thorough interrogation from the Watch will reveal that information. There was one more important piece of information we received though."
"Please go on," Nasher prompted the bard.
"Aldanon's assistant relayed an important finding the sage had made before being abducted. In the course of investigating an issue related to the githyanki attack on West Harbor and subsequent infiltration of Neverwinter, Aldanon found a strange link between this and the mysterious murders happening in Blacklake."
Lord Nasher's breath caught. Of all the trifling troubles in Neverwinter, the deaths of several high profile nobles had caused him the greatest headache. The nobility was powerful in Neverwinter. There were always murders happening, but because these murders had all been of highly influential noblemen, Nasher had to be seen to take action to protect the nobility. It was pressure such as this that forced him to institute the lockdown. Finally solving this would silence a lot of criticism and allow him to worry about more pressing matters.
Tamil completed her report. "It seems the three noblemen who were murdered were part of a fraternity of nobles who dabbled in arcane magic. The connection between them all was that they passed around a fragment of a githyanki silver sword found after the War of Shadow for observation and study. There is a fourth surviving member of the fraternity that Lord Dalren, Lord Brenick, and Lord Hawkes belonged to. The final member, Lord Tavorick, is still alive and most likely in possession of the shard."
"Cyran!" Lord Nasher exclaimed. "I will not allow him to suffer the same fate as the others!"
Major Carter said aloud what everyone was thinking. "Let's hope we're not too late this time."