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We are now at the White Tower, after what has turned out to be a race against evil across our broken world.
Two days ago, Kye's breathing became labored, as though a great weight lay on his chest, and he became feverish. His sweat blackened, like ash in water. The Yellows descended in force, and they had to call for new candles three times over their examination, during which Kye was subject to every undignified prodding ever devised by a healer, and I watched in silent terror that the best of men was about to be taken from this world, and half of my broken soul with him.
Linli was with me for a time, but was forcibly ejected by the healers for pestering them with the questions I couldn't bear to voice, and for which they had no answers. Ultimately, they concluded that his blood was evilly poisoned, literally, and he and it were warring for possession of his life.
After a day, they woke Kayla and had her implore the deity she serves on Kye's behalf, but Kussuth likely has little use, and therefore no favor, for a man who dedicates his life to preserving order and protecting others. My own entreaties to Mystra brought little more than the comfort of her attention. There was much bickering among the Yellows, but it was decided that Kye had to be taken to the Tower, though none knew where it was anymore.
Kayla, who seemed barely rested when she arrived, and whose communion with her god requires no small amount of exertion and discomfort, volunteered to take us. She has a spell that allows us to move as clouds. We used to use it when speed was paramount, but her offer caught me by surprise. She and Kye have always been at odds. I had assumed her assistance was given as long as we brought her closer to her vengeance on Donovan the Pretender, but perhaps there is some nobler motive in her.
The five of us--Kye, Kayla, Linli, myself, and Lady Salia--races across the skies. Lady Salia had the insight that refugees would doubtless be moving toward whatever semblance of order towns and cities still represented, and rumors travel faster than arrows. For a day and a half, we followed groups of poor, terrified people, using the direction of their desperation as our compass.
After finding two villages and a city that was little more than rubble, I began to lose hope. In order to allow us to move among the clouds, Kayla's spell gives us their form, so there was no way to tell if Kye was worsening or how quickly. Indeed, only my continued sense of his fear let me know he still lived. There was no knowledge that the Tower stood, or the surrounding city, or where it stood. We were following the lost to nowhere.
On the second day, we found an unusually large group of refugees headed toward a second group, beyond whom was a third. We followed them until, at last, the Shining City glittered like diamonds on the horizon, with the White Tower rising above it, blazing with the sun's own fire. Had I eyes to weep or a mouth to shout, I would have. Home and help and safety was in sight.
Kayla, with her innate talent for agitating whatever authority is available, chose to bring us into the Tower through the Amar Council's chamber window, of all those available. It was in use by a score of exhausted-looking Dynasophers and their Warders, who were most startled to see a cloud enter the room and coalesce into five people.
Kayla avoided any expression of their ire by strategically collapsing. I realized for the first time since I woke that I am without my shawl and ring. While my heart tried to weep and scream and my mind, which wished desperately to join Kayla on the floor, groped for an argument that would prevent them from killing us while not being so lengthy that Kye's ailment killed him as I requested aid, and without my symbols of office, Mystra smiled on me and brought my eyes to the delicate features of Elizabeth Benton, my former apprentice, now Lady Benton of the yellow ajah, to judge by her shawl. My mouth utterly failed to form words as she dashed forward and embraced me. I weakly returned the embrace and tearfully gestured to Kye.
From that moment, she took swift and complete charge. Kye and Kayla were carried to the infirmary and Ladies Salia and Benton cloistered themselves in his room. Nobody is allowed in, though they sent a messenger to the temple of Tyr a few hours ago.
I'm left to my own devices, so Linli and I have been wandering the Tower. This place is more home to me than anywhere save my house in Nan Lanc. Mystra preserve that place until I return. The surety of its seamless stone walls is more comfort to me than I have words to say. The Tower stands, even in the face of the breaking of the world. The Dynasophers persevere, unbowed in the presence of the greatest evil and our own divisiveness.
The Tower endures, and we still serve the people of Aeorn, but we are so few, and I can't stop thinking about my part in that. Every empty room I pass seems to ask a question I cannot answer. If I'd planned a little better, would someone be here? If we'd moved a little faster? If I pushed my self harder, or planned better? Why am I walking these halls instead of another woman?
Kye, please wake soon. I don't know how much longer I can stand to be alone with myself.
I stood in front of the door to Etherani's chamber for an hour, but I'm more frightened of the questions that empty room will ask than any other.