The summons woke him from deep sleep. He sat up, wiping the grit from his eyes, and got dressed, wondering who it would be this time. A little thrill of anticipation ran through him, as always. It wasn't often he was so called, only once every year or so. He sometimes wondered how many had not made it this far, and had truly fallen. Once, it had been required that he hunt one down, and the experience still made his heart ache. Further, he had been here long enough, that his own trainees were beginning to make appearances, and in greater numbers than those who had gone before them. He wasn't quite certain how he felt about that.

One of them would be his successor one day.

He stepped outside, into the courtyard, and walked through the strange silence to the practice yard adjoining it. Several short benches sat beside the stands for practice weaponry, and he settled himself on one of them to wait.

He ran over the questions that he would have to ask, then left his mind and heart open, waiting to see if there was anything special required of him.

To his surprise, he sensed a vast amusement, and he smiled, knowing that this particular interview would be merely a formality. Not for the first time, he wondered what his own master's thoughts had been as that worthy had waited for him.

And then the small practice yard was no longer empty. A figure lay on the hard-packed earth, naked save for the breechclout that modesty among the mammalian races required.

He remained where he was, watching as the arrival stirred, and sat up. The darkness was no impediment to him, as he, like all his people, had been gifted with eyes that would pierce the gloom far beneath the water. The mere dimming of the light above with the setting of the sun was no barrier.

The figure stood slowly, and looked around, then turned, and he saw her face for the first time. He suddenly understood the reason for his god's amusement. He carefully schooled his expression.

"Well. I had been wondering if I would ever see you here," he said quietly.

She started, as she heard his voice, and her eyes picked him out from the clutter along the walls.

He got up, and walked over to her, and looked her up and down.

"Arrek? What's going on?" Reedip looked around with wonder. "How did I get here?" She looked down at herself, and froze.

"You were brought," he said, and crossed his arms. He masked his own amusement behind a stern gaze. "You should know why you're here."

Her eyes met his, then fell. She nodded. "Then get it over with, Arrek. This can't be easy for you..." She sighed. "You always had so much hope for me. I guess I've gone and blown it this time."

"Why did you do it?" he asked her gently. "Why was it so important?"

She shook her head. "I always thought you would understand... but for the why....even if we hadn't needed him alive so badly to help us so we could get out of that hell-pit... Aviriel is my friend."

He listened, and found the knowledge he needed springing from her words. And more. "How did you manage to befriend a Teir'dal necromancer?" he asked in astonishment.

"How did I….?!" Her voice rose. "How did you manage to befriend a troll shaman?" she retorted angrily, her fists planted on her hips. "And an ogre shadowknight? You're a fine one to talk!" Her eyes blazed, and she glared at him, before she came back to herself, and remembered where she was. And who he now was. She stared at him for a moment, then slumped. "It's a long story, Arrek. Just accept that it happened." She closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Do it. I'm ready."

He looked at her for a moment as she stood there, waiting for whatever punishment would come next. He felt his love for her bubble up inside him. She jerked in surprise as he reached out, and drew her into a hug.

"Ree...?" he asked softly, as he folded his arms around her and she clung to him. "Would you serve Marr still, even though you broke your Oath?"

"I have always served Him. But Arrek... I would never take back what I did... and I'd do it again." She drew back from him, looking into his eyes. "I doubt Marr would want me, knowing that."

He smiled at her, and she saw the light in his face. "Ree... what if I told you that I broke my Oath, too?" She blinked at him in surprise.

"Arrek...? You? But..." Her face was the picture of stunned astonishment. "I don't understand..."

"Ree... sometimes there are reasons behind things that we don't see or know about... until much later, when we've gone through them..."

"It's some kind of a test?" she blurted, as she stared at him. "This whole thing was engineered??" The trace of fire again sparked in her eyes, but it cooled as Arrek shook his head.

"No. You engineered it yourself. But it makes a good way to see what the Shin are made of, don't you think? To see how willing you are to do the right thing, no matter what it costs you?" He smiled, watching the shifting emotions on her face. "We can compare stories later," he said, as he felt the pressure of the Presence fill him. He gave her a final hug, before he stepped back again, and gave himself to his god, hearing the Voice that was not his emerge from his lips. Her eyes widened, and he knew she no longer saw him. He watched, heart swelling, as she slowly sank to her knees, love and awe filling her eyes.

"Reedip, will you stand as a Bastion against the Darkness, sowing Love where there is Hatred, Understanding where there is Fear, and Truth where there is Error...?"

Fin