Sharp awoke to Jehovah, Mikey, KirDan, and Sylvaniana kneeling around her in prayer to Nisstyre. Sharp made a muted sound that startled them all but did its job in getting their attention.

Jehovah was the first to speak, "So good to see you fully awake and aware of yourself Sharp. KirDan and I were beginning to wonder if perhaps your regen- eration device had been too far damaged by your recent altercations. Our prayers to Nisstyre are what made the difference. Praise Nisstyre!" The others began the praises as well, and when they had finished, Sharp began to speak. "There, was, something, I was, holding," she said in chopped up phrases.

"Yes, Sharp...this necklace." Jehovah held up the Sorranan emblem. It had a bit of dried blood on it, and appeared to be missing a few jewels from its en- crusted exterior. Sharp quickly thrust her metallic arm forward to grab the necklace. Jehovah, too slow to pull it back lost his grip. Putting it in her pocket once again, Sharp breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Jehovah, interested in knowing why Sharp had it and why it wasn't around Seive's neck, decided to investigate further. KirDan knew that she had pulled it from him before they both left, but held his tongue and decided to let Jehovah continue his investi- gation.

"When I passed you on my way out of the Hall, Sharp, I was on my way to the call of Seive. He was slowly awakening when I entered his abode, and was eager to tell me of what took place. He explained how you were fighting a losing battle, which I was aware of, and before the enemy struck the final blow, he stepped in and saved the life that you were about to lose. He went on to say that, weak and tired, he took you to his private quarters and revitalized you with food and drink, and mental stimulations...this he did not go into much."

Jehovah paused, coughed a bit, and continued.

"What Seive did not know, however, is that while he was unconscious, a point he didn't care to elaborate on, his unconscious contacted me with a call for help, an emotional help. I knew that his story wasn't complete, and that his pride drove him to conceal the truth. On my way back to the Church, I was con- templating on a thought that had crossed my mind and had stemmed from look in Seive's eyes as I left his room. His heart was in pain. Seive had lost something close to him, something he yearned for...perhaps someone.

Jehovah looked at Sharp with a look of intensity, as if he were not concentrating on her physical appearance or facial expressions, but her very thoughts. "Tell me Sharp, why is it that the Sorranan emblem was in your pocket instead of around Seive's neck?"

* * *

While Jehovah was talking to Sharp, and the others, he thought back to when he left Seive and remembered the look in his eyes and the expression on his face. There are some unresolved feelings that I must try to resolve. After I'm done with Sharp I will find Seive once again and try to follow through on my promise to help him. Jehovah made a mental note and reinvolved himself with Sharp.

Jehovah's word reverbiated in Sharp's head... "Tell me Sharp, why is it that the Sorannon emblem was in your pocket instead of around Seive's neck?"... She looked up to meet the gaze of her fellow Nightmares. Taking a deep breath she allowed herself to verbalize her doings, her thievery of the unconscious Seive. "I stole it from him as Kirdan ushered me out, I took it from him without him knowing." Her clan mates looked puzzled indeed. "Why?" Kirdan asked. An inner turmoil started to erupt within the depths of Sharp's being. "Do I tell my fellow Nightmares what really transpired in that room? Do I dare keep a secret from these faces that look to me for leadership, that I look to in such powerful kinship? Did Seive mean what he said?" And then, as if her nauseous lack of pride at this point was not punishment enough, she thought of Ventor, her husband. "Husband! I call him my husband, yet I have not been a wife to him in such a long time. I have not thought of Ventor as a husband since marrying my soul to Nisstyre and his magnificent church." Fighting back the thoughts of confusion, Sharp instantaneously decided to divulge the real events that took place in that damp, wet, dim room...

------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------

"... and that is when I took the chain." Sharp was emotionally expended by the end of her recount of the happenings with Seive. The room was deathly silent, surveying the faces of those around her, she struggled to decipher their individual reactions. Honesty was paramount and their responses were so important to her. Jehovah looked to be smiling smuggly, as did Kirdan. "Perhaps they are pleased at this news." The others gave nothing away.

Jehovah spoke first, after what seemed like muted year. "And what do you think of Seive's confession? For my Lady, it is your desire that fuels the direction of what is to unfold now". Sharp spoke softly, as if it was very difficult to let her muddled thoughts translate to spoken word. "Jehovah, you of all people know that a part of me has loved Seive since he first took me on as his source of amusement all those years ago." Shaking her head slowly, it was clear that Sharp was pained just speaking of it. "I loved him yes, back then, but now, now I just do not know... I have never entertained the thought of having him, he was always Tawny's, I knew that. My feelings are tainted, I cannot unravel them right now." Sharp stood from the couch. "I need some time to think, please, Kirdan, Jehovah, take this to Seive and make sure he, and only he receives it." Sharp handed a piece of neatly folded parchment to Kirdan. "Now, if you please, bid me some time away from the hall, I need to think. If you need me, send word."

Sharp left her clan hall, not deliberately planning her destination, she found herself in a quaint church in Stonebow Dale...

Seive stood quietly outside the front gates to the Church of Nightmares. He calmly noticed the positions of the hidden guards and smiled to himself. They had switched back to his former pattern of guards, rather than the weak arrangement some fool had dreamed up.
His jet black cloak billowed slowly in the light breeze, as he leaned against the wall of a facing building.
Hidden in the shadows with Arghaii, he awaited the arrival of the others. Soon Kirdan and jehovah walked out of the front gates, fully visible, and walked directly towards him and Arghaii.
Seive had called all those who had become involved together. Just as well, since Jehovah said he had something to tell him.
Retreating into one of the buildings, they took seats at a small wooden table in a dim room. Jehovah told him what Sharp had said:
"Seive, it seems you've confused our leader to a high degree." Jehovah chuckled, but upon seeing Seive's frowning face, stopped and continued. "I don't know what else to tell you, I've already told you her exact words."
Seive sat back and looked at each person-Jehovah....Arghaii...Kirdan.... Frowning, he said "Kirdan, will you excuse the three of us now, thank you for your help."
Kirdan appeared indignant, as if he had been slighted. He snorted once and walked out of the room with his head held high.
Seive waited until Kirdan had left, then collapsed and buried his head in his hands. "I think I've screwed up, guys," he said quietly.
Jehovah and Arghaii looked to each other, then to Seive.
"I don't know what to tell you...." Jehovah said quietly, putting his hand on Seive's shoulder.
Arghaii snorted. "Bah, it's just another woman, Seive, get over it."
Jehovah's eyebrow rose in slight annoyance as he glared at Arghaii.
Seive looked up. "I've loved but two people in my entire life, Arghaii, there's not such thing as 'just another woman' to me."
Arghaii muttered and said through clenched teeth "Just tryin' to help..."
Seive sat up and thought for a moment. "Where did Sharp go?"
Jehovah shrugged. "She said she needed time alone. She could be anywhere by now...I could find her if you want..."
Jehovah raised his hands, starting to cast a scrye spell, but Seive stopped him. "Let her go, Jehovah..."
Sighing, Jehovah nodded.
After a while more both left Seive to brood alone.
But Arghaii was a man of initiative. "I'll go talk to Sharp myself. I'm not in her clan anymore, her orders are meaningless to me..." Licking his lips, Arghaii began a scrye spell, and set off on his task. "Seive will owe me so much after I do this for him..." Arghaii grinned and couldn't stop.

After an hour of fast galloping 'Oneiros' brought Arghaii to Stonebow Dale. The Horseman dismounted and found his way to the Church with relative ease. He approached the gates and stopped just before he was about to knock on the sturdy wood with his bloody gloves. 'Why knock?', he thought to himself. He gathered his cloak around him and adjusted the mask on his face glancing around him, making sure he was alone.

He pulled the gates open and they did with a loud noise, the noise of old metal and wood shrieking against his efforts. There he saw Sharp standing in the middle of the Church, lost in thoughts. She turned around and looked at him startled.

The features of his mask twisted into a mischievious grin and he rest his hands on his twin daggers.

'Hello there Sharp.. you still remember me don't you?' After a long minute of silence he continued, 'I'm here to talk about Seive..'