Once the loot was properly sorted and identified, including the bodies of the two archons, which might be useful, later on, we set out to fly back to the sisters’ island-ship. As we drew closer, I saw the smoldering ruins of ships that had been sunk by our ships. There were a few men and women still moving in the water below, clinging to the wreckage like a life raft as they tried to make their way back across the lake. Given the frost clinging to their faces from just that brief time in the water, though, I doubted that they would make it to shore. Auril Frostmaiden may not be venerated in these lands, but that did not stop her from sending winter here.

From the looks of things, there were the remains of thirteen, maybe fourteen boats in the water. They all looked similar to the fishing vessels I’d seen in my youth, in Frostwind Dale. If they were the same, then each one could carry eight to ten well-armed men, in a pinch. So, somewhere in the area of a hundred and twenty fighters in the water, plus the ones that had come with the archons and died on the beach.

I had to grin as I flew over the moonlit water. With the archons dead, and so much of their strength expended in a single night? The little crusade they’d been trying to brew up would falter soon enough. Such things did not keep their momentum after being decapitated and set such a stumbling block. At the very worst, it would lead to a minor civil war in the land, but the chaos shouldn’t spread outside the mountains that hemmed this land in.

No, now my concern was where to go next. After all, the continent was large, and the forces hunting me could move about far more quickly than one may like. Giving them too much time to move about might allow them to recruit extra forces to their side. Sure, they might be as useless as the warriors we killed tonight, but I couldn’t count on that. I was not the strongest mortal on the material plane, after all, and some of the great wyrms could easily be persuaded to deal with an oh-so-evil threat like me.

Oh, not that I thought I would lose to a dragon. I’d fought them before, after all. But some types of dragons were more dangerous than others. The gold ones, for instance, breathed fire, which I was weak against. Thankfully, my items gave me a good chance of evading even a dragon’s breath, but it was not something that I could allow to fall to chance. Despite being Twice-born, dying would still end my ambitions in this world.

As we landed in the sisters’ keep, Siora looked at me, clearly thinking the same thing. “So, where to, now? With the two archons dead, the area around here isn’t our problem any more. And we did promise to get out of here, and not get involved with the locals once we’d finished things.”

I nodded, and said, “Yes, but the magic allowing my ship to teleport won’t be ready until dawn. We could lift off and fly, of course, but that would likely cause more concerns, with the people who do, as you know, have flying warships of their own.”

Sanvi nodded. “I can cast a scrying spell to try and find them, but if they are shielded against it, or are particularly strong-willed, then I might not be able to form the connection.”

Vestele grinned. “I expect that to work once, if at all. We can’t count on them being idiots, after all. You said that Zadkiel will know that you’ve slipped your leash, and that the other two are dead, right? If he had even an ounce of cunning, he would put protections in place to prevent divinations from finding him, or his wives.”

I breathed out slowly. “If that fails, then we’ll either have to find some other means of getting information, or return to Frostreach and prepare the defenses there. I don’t like the idea of simply waiting for an enemy to come to me. That gives them the initiative, after all. Many of our battles have been won so easily because we kept the initiative, and struck only when we were sure of our victory.”

“Preparation makes for light work, yes,” Fartooth nodded. “But no matter how much you prepare the burrow with traps, the one launching the attack has the advantage, because they can always retreat, if need be, and the defender cannot, without abandoning their home. It is not a good place to be in.”

“Then perhaps we should move someplace else?” Vestele looked at us each in turn. “My sister and I are, after all, still members in good standing of the church of Malcanthet. There is a sizeable temple in Deepwater Port, the trading capital of the Bladesea Coast. And while we need not worry about traveling, since we have our own rides, there is more than shipping and freight that passes through that port! Information is a valuable commodity in its own right, and the temple hears many things.”

We all looked at each other. In truth, none of us had better ideas. If the scrying did not work, then Deepwater was our best bet, if we wanted to keep on the offensive. I nodded, once. “All right, then let’s give Sanvi some peace to do her scrying, and, if she cannot locate one of our quarries, we’ll relocate to Deepwater, and continue our search there.”

Sanvi nodded, and went off to cast her spell. I turned, and was about to speak to the others, when one of the projections called out, alerting us to a boat approaching. A single boat, from the direction of Galdar.

Instead of allowing a potential enemy to get closer to the island unchecked, I decided to go out and speak with the ones rowing out to the island. After all, while I suspected that this was the Magelord coming to ensure we upheld our end of the bargain, that did not mean he wasn’t also bringing spells that could ruin our day. Being proactive and going out to meet him would allow me to set the terms of the engagement quite easily, if there was to be a fight. All while the others prepared, just in case.

Flying closer, I smiled, as I saw my thoughts confirmed. Once again, it was the Magelord, as well as his chief hunter and captain of his city guard, with two soldiers to row them out here. None of them were particularly surprised when I flew out to them, and landed lightly upon the boat’s bow.

“Well met, Magelord Fargleam! I hope that this night has proved as blessed to you as it has to my companions, and myself?”

“Hmph,” the Magelord grunted. “I was coming out to ensure that you held up your end of our accord. I lured out the archons for you. Now, you will leave our lands in peace, as you swore, yes?”

I shrugged, and said, “In peace, I cannot promise, for I doubt the minions of the archons are all yet slain. However, I can swear that we shall start no conflict, now that the ones we hunted are laid low. Dealing with those who were swept along by their lies is a task better suited for you, and your people, rather than outsiders like myself, don’t you think?”

“Fair enough,” the Magelord nodded. “So, you will be departing soon, I take it?”

“Not soon, but not long, either. The magic which allowed us to travel so far, so fast, with our ships in tow, shall recharge at daybreak. While we could lift off and fly across your skies, we judged that such a thing would be too provocative, and might stir hard feelings amongst the populace, especially if someone with more courage than sense attempted to attack with airships of their own. No, waiting until we can teleport away has fewer potential problems, don’t you agree?”

“Given the choice of just those two, I am forced to see things your way, yet again. It was fortunate that the Archons were working on corrupting the other cities around the lake, or it would have taken longer to arrange the meeting. And the longer you are here, the more likely that problems will arise.”

“As I figured,” I nodded. “Which is why we have one of our number scrying as we speak, to get us a location where we might go next. Once the enchantments have recharged, we will teleport away.”

“Very well, then. I am happy that this business concluded without any unpleasantness. Mystra may not hold any love for those who use her Weave to use magic for ill, but unthinking devotion wins no praise from her, either. To be a true student of magic, one must learn the value of even the wicked souls, but that does not mean they are trusted easily, when they are at all.

“You, however, have proven true to your word, so far. And, while the land of Frostreach is far from Helorad, magic reaches further still. The magic halls of Tomekeep house a temple to the Lady of the Weave, and the scholars there know of Frostreach, and the Queen who reigns there. You are said to be tough, but fair, and true to your word, when given. So, their recommendation earns you this much trust, at least.”

I nodded. “Then, since I have left such a good impression, how about a further trade? Our lands are too far apart for any typical alliance or treaty to be workable, and the rest of your land likely wouldn’t go for such a thing, in any case. However, we both are practical enough to know that there are times when most look beyond the normal limits we associate with in order to resolve issues without wading through oceans of blood. Even if it is just calling an acquaintance to see if they have some knowledge that you do not, or have a contact that you could not normally get in touch with.”

The Magelord chuckled. “Always trying for more, but keeping it within the realms of good taste. That, too, is just as the reports say.” He considered for a moment, and then nodded. “I can agree to keep a channel of communication open between us, to facilitate the acquisition of information in times of trouble. But I will not divulge anything that would threaten the peace of Helorad.”

“Just as I would not offer any information that would be a threat to Frostreach,” I nodded. “And nor would I knowingly ask such of you, unless the consequences were something that stretched beyond one mere country, to threaten the entire world. We are both beholden to our lands, even if we rule them as we see fit, after all.”

With that agreement struck, the Magelord turned his boat back towards the shore, and I flew back to the island. And it was well that I did, for Sanvi had succeeded in forging a connection to one of our targets. The others were gathered around her as they looked at the mirror she used as the focus for her spell.

“It is clearly in the northlands, from their dress, but I cannot tell where it is,” Siora was saying. She smiled as I landed nearby. “Ah, Mel, perhaps you can shine some light on this. Sanvi caught the trail of the Hound Archons, but we haven’t seen a map, or anywhere but the inside of this house, and none of us recognize the dress.”

I looked into the mirror, and saw three hound archons speaking with a man, dressed in armor and bearing the symbol of Lathander upon his furred cloak. Then, the man turned, to face the magical sensor, and my breath caught in my throat. I did not need to try and guess the locale from which the man’s clothes were from, for I knew the man, himself, even though it had been seven years since last I saw him, a young exile from the Tribes, speaking to the Lord of the city.

“Frostwind Dale. They’re in Frostwind Dale.