Finder's Bane

by Novak, Kate

  Joel knelt beside his god. Very gently he pulled the finder’s stone from his hands. As if Jedidiah knew it was him, the god wielded up the gem.

  Joel lifted his head and began to sing. His voice still sounded very far off, but he knew the tulip song well enough that it didn’t matter.

  The finder’s stone began to glow softly, then to steam. Misty blue smoke writhed outward toward Jedidiah’s body and surrounded him. Slowly the power sank back into its source.

  Jedidiah’s scars began to heal, and his breathing grew strong and steady. Without warning, his eyes snapped open.

  “Lo,” Jedidiah said.

  “Hello, yourself,” Joel replied with a smile. He handed Jedidiah the emptied half of the finder’s stone.

  “You might have been killed destroying that phylactery, you know,” Jedidiah chided Joel.

  Joel shrugged. “I might have lost my god if I hadn’t,” he pointed out.

  “Where’s Walinda?” Jedidiah asked.

  “Did she ever come back?” Joel looked up at Jas.

  “Who cares?” the winged woman muttered.

  “She never returned,” Holly said.

  “What happened to the Hand of Bane?” Jedidiah asked.

  Holly held up a leather sack and shook it. Its contents rattled like dried bones.

  “That should make Lathander happy,” Jedidiah muttered, sitting up slowly.

  “Yes,” Holly said. “I am to scatter the pieces about the multiverse,” she said.

  “Get that order in another vision, did you?” Jedidiah teased.

  “Since my lord Lathander is not in the habit of posing as a feeble old adventurer, that is how he makes his wishes known. Yes,” the paladin replied with a sassy tone. “My lord Lathander also wishes you to know that he thinks you are a reckless fool.”

  “God of Reckless Fools,” Jedidiah agreed with a grin. “He could have popped in at any time to show me how I should have done it. Not that I would have listened, necessarily, but I’m always open to suggestions from the haughty and powerful.”

  Holly tossed her head and sniffed, but Joel didn’t think she was really offended. Had she asked Lathander, the bard wondered, why it was Jedidiah who had to save her in the desert and not Lathander?

  “And you, Lady Jas,” Jedidiah asked, “do you have any criticisms you wish to share?” Jedidiah asked the winged woman.

  “I learned a long time ago not to mess with gods,” Jas replied.

  “But the gods have messed with you anyway,” Jedidiah noted, stroking some of the feathers growing on Jas’s face. “Perhaps I can remedy the damage Xvim’s priests have done to you,” he suggested.

  “I think the darkness inside of me is something I have to deal with myself,” Jas said.

  “Very well,” Jedidiah said, “but perhaps I shall check in on you sometime to see if you need a song to lighten your heart.”

  “I think I could tolerate that level of godly interference,” Jas replied. “Maybe.”

  “Then I guess it’s time I escorted you all back to the Realms,” Jedidiah said.

  Joel shook his head. “I need to return to Sigil,” he said. “But I don’t want you following this time. It’s way too risky.”

  Jedidiah looked surprised and more than a little concerned. “Does—does this mean you’re leaving me?” he asked.

  “Only for a while,” Joel assured him. “I thought I’d help Holly hide the Hand of Bane. Then I have another duty.”

  “Oh?”

  “I owe the end of a story to a bariaur. When I’ve finished my tale, I hope Dits will tell it to others … other priests and other gods. Maybe even the Athar.”

  “You’ll have to tell it to me when you return,” Jedidiah replied.

  Joel grinned broadly. “You’ll be able to hear it firsthand when I tell it in Sigil,” he said. “I’ve restored your ability to sense what happens around your priests … around me.”

  “I know,” Jedidiah said.

  “But you still want to hear me tell the tale,” Joel realized aloud. ‘You want to hear me say your name and tell people that I’m your priest.”

  “Yes,” Jedidiah said with a sheepish grin.

  “That’s my purpose … to strengthen you, as you strengthen me,” Joel said. “A priest’s purpose is not about being a slave to power as Walinda thought. It’s a covenant about growing and renewing one another, god and follower both.”

  Jedidiah sighed and smiled. “Yes,” he agreed.

  “I understand now,” Joel said, “I can accept that I’m your priest, without reservations, now and forever.”

  “And I accept the gift of your following with great joy,” Jedidiah said. “Forever.”

  The Rebel Bard held out his hand.

  On the corpse of a dead deity the god Finder clasped hands with his faithful priest.