“But, I thought he was at the Monastery! Or had started his Apostlate by now anyway,” Kreet said as they ran back through the path in the woods.

“He left the day after you, Kreet,” Karl said, hobbling as best he could along the rough path. “He thought you were going back to your old home.”

“Idiot,” Kreet muttered.

“He was. He was awfully pissed off, Kreet. Wouldn’t listen to reason. Cursed the Monastery, cursed Pelor. Kreet, he lost it after they kicked you out.”

Kreet’s mind raced faster than her feet. But still, joining a demonic league? Surely that wasn’t the Brand she knew.

“Still, Karl, a demon? Brand would never…”

Karl interrupted her as they came out and she saw the burning remnants of his house. “You didn’t see him Kreet. He really lost his shit.”

“And you’ve not heard from him since?”

“Not till today. Kreet, he’s not the same guy he used to be.”

“But why would he want your boy? Oh god, Karl! Where’s Vosa?” she said as they passed beyond the smoking ruin.

“She’s in the Sanctuary. Cleric Quint is looking after her. She was burnt pretty bad,” Mekelson explained.

“Kevin, are you still back there?” Kreet said, turning around. But the baker was right on their heels.

“Dammit Kevin you run faster than all of us. Why are you staying behind.”

The baker smiled. “View’s better!”

Kreet would have laughed if the circumstances were different. “Well don’t get any ideas. You stay here while we go into the Sanctuary, okay?”

“I’ll be waiting for you, Gator!” he said and planted himself at the door obediantly.

Karl looked at her. “Gator?”

She shrugged, “What can I say? He likes me!”

When they got to the Sanctuary, the man Kreet had known as her master looked old. His hair had gone white in the time since she’d last seen him and he rose from a bed as the three entered. The form under the sheet was barely recognizable, but she could see that Vosa was healing rapidly. Karl got to her first.

“Did you find her?” Vosa croaked and wheezed.

“She’s here, love,” Karl answered back, holding her hand.

“She can’t see,” the Cleric said. “But her eyesight will return. I can’t heal all of this, but she’ll recover.”

“Kreet, are you there?”

Kreet looked at the woman that she’d despised in her heart for so long. Now she could feel nothing but pity.

“I’m here Vosa.”

“Kreet, I’m sorry… for everything. Please understand, they made me.”

Kreet looked up at Karl, uncomprehending, but Vosa continued.

“They told me what to say. You and Brand… You’re a kobold! It… seemed like the right thing to do.”

“It’s okay, Vosa.”

“No it’s not!” Vosa said, trying to sit up. “Dammit, it’s not okay! It’s wrong. I knew you loved him, Kreet. I knew. It’s payback, Kreet. Brand… he’s paying me back for what I did to you. To both of you!”

Kreet patted her hand.

“I’m sorry Kreet. If I’d have been a stronger woman, I wouldn’t have let it go this far. But I wasn’t. I just wanted Karl and little Paulie. Kreet, please… help me!”

“I’ll do whatever I can, Vosa. We’ll get him back.”

“You didn’t see the demon. Oh forgive me, Paulie. It’s eyes were fire! Kreet, it has my BOY!”

Kreet’s eyes watered in sympathy.

“We’ll get him back, Vosa,” Karl assured his wife, but she had lapsed into incomprehension.

“IT HAS MY BOY!!!”

Karl looked at Kreet, his eyes anguished.

“We have to go, Karl,” Mekelson said to Quint and Karl. “The sooner the better.”

“I’ll go too,” Karl demanded.

“Karl, your leg…” the warrior started, but Karl protested.

“I can move as fast as she can!”

“And I,” Quint said.

“Three Clerics?” Mekelson sighed. “We need another Tank is what we need!”

“I’m a Tank,” Quint said, rising. “Karl, ease her suffering while I get my armor on. The healing will continue on it’s own but any relief is helpful.”

Karl closed his eyes took over as his Master left the room.

“A Tank?” Kreet said, looking at the steel-clad warrior.

Mekelson shrugged, “Damned if I know, but he’d better get back fast. They’ve been gone an hour at least, and they know where they’re going.”

A figure returned that Kreet barely recognized. The wings on it’s helm declared it’s nature though. A Paladin of Pelor stepped from myth into reality in front of her.

“Great God!” Mekelson exclaimed.

The figure opened it’s helm. “Afraid not. It’s just me,” Quint said. His face looked out of place and old. But he moved as if he’d long worn the shining armor which put Mekelson’s steel to shame.

“You are a Paladin?”

“I have sworn off that label. I was a Paladin. Now I just teach Clerics.”

“Well if that demon is anything like what Vosa describes, we’ll need a Paladin,” Mekelson said, standing up. “It doesn’t sound like any lesser Demon to me.”

“I’ll do all I can.”

Karl stood and one of the Acolytes who had been standing by sat at his place and began to chant.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

The four left the Sanctuary and out to the courtyard where Kevin, a wagon and two horses were waiting.

“Sorry Kreet,” Quint said, sitting in the cart beside Kevin while Mekelson and Karl climbed up to take the reigns. “You’ll have to sit back here with us. You’d spook the horses. I know it’s not the charging steed you might have expected, but we’ll all move faster this way. Did you bring your sunglasses?”

Kreet patted her pack. “Never without em.”

“Good. Then we’re off.”

Kreet turned to where Karl sat as he began the wagon rolling. “Karl, do you know where Ka'Plo used to live?”

Karl shook his head, but Mekelson knew the way.

“Let’s go there first,” Kreet suggested. “He had a map of the caverns. My memory isn’t that good. We’ll need it.”

Mekelson nodded and they were off at speed.

“I thought he gave the Monastery all his books,” Karl said as they rode.

“Not the maps. He didn’t want anyone to use them. But I know where he hid them.”

“After all this time, what if they’re not there anymore?” Karl asked, alarmed.

Kreet shrugged, “Then we’ll have to rely on my memory anyway. And see just how good of a Tracker Kevin actually is!”

“Best there ever was,” Kevin said, thumping his chest.

The odd sight of a knight, a Paladin, a robed Cleric, a baker, and a little kobold Tavern Wench bouncing along the road greeted a very few people, but the little party didn’t slow for anything as they sped through the night.