After the battle in Baldur's Gate, Gale went home to Waterdeep. He became a professor of evocation magic at Blackstaff Academy. And loves it. His first year on the job, Gale didn't mingle much.

Tonight would change that. The Winter Gala, an event every professor and student wouldn't dare to miss.

Dressed in his finest robes, Gale approaches the ballroom with a spring in his step. It's a beautiful night outside, though, so he stops to take a look at the sky.

And that's when she appears. Materializing beside him, an Image of Mystra appears.

"My dearest Gale of Waterdeep. You look well." Her voice sinks into every corner of his mind, and makes his stomach churn.

Gale looks to her, the excitement wiped clean off his face. "I wasn't expecting you."

"It's a very important wizarding event. Of course I would watch over you all." She smiles, that cold sickly smile that Gale could never decipher the meaning behind.

"Why are you here, talking with me?" Gale wishes to cut through the small talk.

"...I... miss you, dearest Gale. Once, you were my Chosen. And once, we both failed each other. But you are the best version of yourself now. I wish for us to revel in that success together." Mystra extends her arms, expecting him to fly right into them.

But he doesn't. Gale stiffens up and takes a step back. No matter how good life got for him, he would never forget that year of loneliness. The year of being abandoned by his goddess. Nor the command from her lips to sacrifice himself to destroy the Netherbrain.

He looks away, pained. And with a swipe of his hand, he casts Dispel Magic, and her Image is gone.