Brisid awoke in a comfortable bed to the cheering of a small group. Looking up, he noticed the walls were made from the white marble of Castle Alleria. After slowly crawling out of the bed, he dressed and peered out the window. A group of perhaps fifty elves stood below his window, shouting his name. He turned away, slightly confused, and stepped out of the door. He found Dhenn sitting in a chair in the hallway, reading a book.

"Brisid! How does it feel to be Alleria's hero?"

Before he could respond, his stomach rumbled, rendering any additional responses void.

"How did I get here?" Brisid asked in return as they walked to the mess hall.

"Well, soon after you entered the black fog, I heard a scream. It sounded like Deallyona. Heh, first time I ever heard that beautiful elf scream... Anyhow, I thought it best if I stayed outside to wait. After maybe two hours, there were a lot of loud explosions and crashes. And then I saw you and the elf-maiden flying out of the tower, propelled by an explosion, and plunge back into the fog! You were waving at me. Whatever were you thinking?" Brisid smiled and shrugged. "And then I saw an amazing sight. It would have been comical had it not been so terrible. A huge red dragon leaped out of the clock tower following you with, get this, with its eyes closed!" Dhenn shook his head in bewilderment.

"A few minutes later, the fog suddenly disappeared and I saw the house. What a mess it was! The main residential wing was in ruins. No windows remained unbroken. Pieces of the roof lay on the ground. I was surprised the house still stood with all the damage.

"I ran to the front door and found you in a scorched room with only three walls. You were collapsed beside a burnt up table, and Deallyona was lying beneath another table. You had a nasty broken rib, and Deallyona's back was torn up with shards of glass. Thankfully Mystra heard my prayers and healed both of you. I searched for Coraven but found only his scorched sword at the base of the clock tower. I found some of his other belongings around there too." Dhenn added, " I assume he was burnt up by the beast?" Brisid nodded solemnly. "May Corellon keep him safe."

As Brisid and Dhenn walked into the mess hall, they noticed Deallyona eating alone. She was dressed in a simple white dress and looked almost peaceful. She glanced up at their arrival and gave them a slight smile.

"And how are you, Lady Deally?" Brisid asked, using her pet-name.

"Oh, I've been better," she responded sadly, but noticing her negative attitude was contagious added, "but I would've been much worse if it hadn't been for you. Thank you."

A few days later, the two elves stood outside the gates of Waterdeep, where they had planned they would part ways. Dhenn had previously excused himself to purchase more supplies.

Brisid looked at his companion. Her green eyes seemed to glow against her white Moon-elf skin. Instead of complimenting her about her eyes, though, he asked, "What will happen in Alleria? So many people have died."

"I suspect perhaps four-fifths of the population are gone. However, Alleria is a moderately large kingdom. Ten generations of elves are quite a lot," she said, referring to Velisa's curse. "We'll survive... Somehow."

Another minute of silence elapsed before the elf-maiden spoke. "Well, Brisid, it's been quite an adventure. One to last a lifetime. I'll never forget it, cousin."

"Cousin... What relationship did you say we had? 'Distant cousin,' you said. How distant?"

"Oh," Deallyona thought for a few seconds and responded slowly, "seven- or eight-fold removed, I think."

"Seven or eight? Not a very close relationship, huh," he said, moving a little closer.

"Nope," she said quietly, gazing up into his eyes, and whispered. "Not yet."