Sounds of laughter and music drifted across the lawn to greet her. She stopped outside, greeting Lorelei with a question.

"Has he been here long?" she asked, pointing to the receding shape of the drow.

Lorelei replied with a curt nod, "Them's always about now days. Can't seem ta do a shift without one or two poppin up someplace."

"Really? Hm, I wonder what that is about. Any of the Ostar inside?"

"I saw Thrand a while ago, and I think Glorfindle be in there with his Lady Joylah."

Entering the building she observed that it was full of laughing customers. Scanning the room quickly for members of the Ostar she noted that indeed Glor was with Joylah. Standing in the doorway she watched the two, they seemed so happy to be with each other. Smiling to herself she concluded that a bit of happiness was more important than a drow and left the two alone. Not seeing Shandra in the busy room and disappointed that she had missed her, Veil asked Sir Feanor to walk her to the embassy, maybe there was something in the books there that she had missed.

Hours later she had it. There, in one of the tomes brought by Zhi K'lyn a detailed account of the powers bestowed upon Nim'Alkar at her forging. Gathering up the book she recalled home, and entered Maya's stillroom. Her frustration mounted as she tried to piece together the spell that would allow the sword to break Qwellens bond with Wrath and restore him to life. She just did not have the skill needed. Magic had never been her true calling. Sighing deeply she started to clean up the mess she had made, when Maya walked into the room followed by her usual parade of small animals and birds.

"Eeee! Veil!! You can't mix those two! They will explode!" Reaching around her, Maya quickly removed the herbs she had been cooking from the flame.

"I get blamed for enough things, don't you dare wreck the house… It will somehow become my fault!!" Maya admonished her sister, then asked curiously, "What's this? A spell book?"

Reaching for the tomb, Veil held it to her chest, wrapping her arms around it.

"A book Zhi brought. It's about the sword."

"Can I see it?"

"N'uma."

Looking her sister in the eyes, Maya gently removed the book from her arms.

"Pride will get you no where seler, you have ginsing in your hair, bloodmoss all over the floor, and this is my room. It seems you are trying to work magic, something we both know you do not do well. Now, give me that book!"

Maya took her time reading the book, knowing Veil was waiting to see if she could figure out what she had been doing. Finding a page smudged with traces of herbs she stopped.

"Your going to try to bring Q back!?"

Veil replied only with a slight nod.
"You do realize that there is a price that you will pay?"

Again, another slight nod.

"Von won't be happy. And do you also understand that you cannot free him completely from the lich? The lantern was made by the same Mages as the swords; Q'wellen acted in honor, he will have to free himself of that."

Veils eyes widened sightly, revealing that she had not comprehended that one fact.

"Pride Veil, why must you always do everything alone? Did you ask Celes and Zappania for help? Did you ask Von or I? N'uma! Why do you act this way?"

From the doorway came a reply Maya had not expected.

"Alone she will walk, until she accepts that people love her, faults, scars and all."

Startled, both sisters turned to see the Drowess Zhi K'lyn standing in the doorway.

"I see you found the book."

Becoming angry, Maya stated flatly, "You knew she could not do it alone. Why didn't YOU help her?"

There was no answer as the Drowess smiled at the pair, turned, and left the room. Laying a hand upon her sisters arm, Veil simply said, "Maya, will you help me… please?"

Smiling widely, Maya hugged Veil close and kissed her cheek.

"I have been waiting for years to hear that from you. Uma, I will help."

The sun was coming up over the top of the mountains when they finished. Veil had communicated with the sword while Maya mixed the herbs. Together they applied the paste to the blade and watched in wonder as Nim'Alkar glowed and the paste slowly absorbed into the sword.

Peals of laughter floated through the villa as they both heard Nim'Alkar sing,

"Now all you have to do is get the god of the Bladesingers to answer me."