and Steorf alone in the gathering darkness.
EPILOGUE
Tazi walked carefully over to Steorf and hugged him fiercely. It took a moment for him to respond, but when he did, he was just as emotional.
'Easy,' she finally told him and freed herself from his embrace. 'I think I might have a broken rib or two.'
She turned from him, though she didn't let go of his hand. The sandstorm had passed at some point during the battle and starlight now flooded the chamber. Its pure, white light glinted off the shattered remnants of the soul gem, and illuminated the remains of the mummies.
The torn and desiccated bodies had been mended by the destruction of the gem. No longer were their corpses dried and withered. Each of Ciredor's victims' bodies had been restored to what they had looked like in life. Each face bore a peaceful countenance that had formerly been denied to them.
Tazi brought the back of her hand up to her mouth and was finally granted the release she needed. Tears streamed down her face.
'It's over,' she choked out.
Steorf took hold of her other hand and moved so that she faced him.
'I've never seen you cry,' he told her in a hushed tone.
He caught one of her tears gently on his fingertip.
'So much is lost,' she whispered.
'Fannah…' she started to say, then she squeezed her eyes shut.
She held on to Steorf for a few moments. When she broke from his embrace a second time, she moved to face the chamber of the dead.
'Let me give you a moment alone,' he told her. Then we should probably start our journey back to Calimport, and eventually, Selgaunt.'
Tazi nodded to him and he stepped out onto the parapet. Tazi looked carefully near the brazier, but Fannah's body was no longer there.
One of the pieces of the soul gem, no larger than her thumbnail and shaped like a tear, caught Tazi's attention. She picked up the splinter and moved out onto the parapet to join Steorf.
He was gazing at the night sky, and Tazi was struck by how straight he stood, his back no longer bowed in pain. She reached out her hand and touched his face. It was cool under her fingers, no trace of a fever left.
'You're all right,' she noted in wonder.
'Must be a parting gift from Shar,' he answered vaguely. 'Do you want to bury Fannah?' Tazi was certain he was simply trying to change the subject.
She decided to dwell on that later and dismissed the thought for another day.
'She's not there,' Tazi informed him, not sure of the meaning behind her friend's disappearance.
'What?' Steorf asked, clearly surprised. 'What do you think it means?'
Tazi leaned against the railing with her elbows and twirled the fragment of the jewel in her hands.
'Perhaps it means only that the world is still full of mystery,' she answered.
'And hope?' Steorf asked slowly.
'And hope,' she replied.
Tazi let her gaze drift off at the miles of ever-changing yet ever constant desert, lit only by the stars. Even though she couldn't see it, Tazi knew that beyond Calimport lay Sembia, and home.
