Disclaimer: I do not own Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn or Throne of Bhaal, or anything else about the series. I am not making any money by writing this. This is just for fun. Mostly my own (fun, that is).

Warning: Oh, where do I start? Dark themes and grotesque images. Violence. Insinuated homosexuality in the early parts which will be full out male on male love later on. Moral issues, ethical issues, philosophical issues, etc. This is just an umbrella warning. More will come later, as needed.

Note on the characters: Most of the characters are from the game (specifically Jaheira, Keldorn, Anomen, Imoen, Yoshimo, Aerie, Minsc, Solaufein, etc). The PC in this is Kysis, a male human paladin (cavalier kit), the character I've been playing as and rping as for eight years now. I'm trying to keep as canon as possible for all the characters while at the same time, coming up with conversations and situations and tensions of my own. Solaufein is going to be drawn some from the Sola Mod, but that will just serve as a starting point.

Author's Note: This is my July 2009 LDWriMo, with the goal of 50k in the month. Cheer me on? R&R is always cherished and appreciated. My muse survives off reviews, so please feed it!

SAVIOR FALLING

Part I: The City of Coin

The wounds were still healing. Gingerly, he lifted a bandage, dusty blue eyes narrowing. The scabs were still thick, rough, and it was slowing him down. There was only so much he could do when worrying about pulling a stitch or breaking open a scab. A sigh filtered through his pursed, ashen lips, frown intact as he re-bandaged his arm. Until that wound was healed, he would be of no use at all on the field of battle.

It was frustrating, just having to lie low, do nothing as Imoen was off, who knew where, with that fiend. Yes, the Cowled Wizards had them both now, but that did not insure safety, and he was not about to assume it. They had gone from the frying pan and into the flame too many times for him to consider safety anymore.

"Are you coming?"

Jaheira's voice sounded from the door, just as stern as ever, perhaps more so. Her harsh treatment was just a mask; Kysis could see the sad glint in her eyes, even now as he turned to glance in the dim slight of the tavern. They had only been in the Copper Coronet a day, two days, and already it felt too long. Tying off the bandage, Kysis nodded, seeing Jaheira go from the corner of his eye.

Quickly, Kysis strapped on what patchwork of armor he had. It was hardly the equipment he had when leaving Baldur's Gate, but that hardly surprised him. Such trinkets had probably been worth a small fortune. He only thought about it now that he needed a fortune to get Imoen back. The gear might have made a difference, but he refused to go after Imoen ill prepared. Now they were doubly set back.

Checking the baldric at his side, Kysis nodded, pushing his platinum hair back from his face. It was longer than he liked keeping it, but that hardly mattered. There were more important things. Tying his helm at his belt, he slung his back over his shoulder, cringing before heading out.

The boom of the main room was deafening, immediately bringing a dull throb to his head, tendrils of pain radiating from his temples, to the back of his skull, further out even. Sucking in a deep breath, he tried ignoring it. The others were ready, sitting around a table. It hardly looked like a patient kind of waiting.

Jaheira was standing, talking to someone. Harpers seemed to know everyone, and hopefully, one of those masses knew something about the Cowled Wizards, so he did not disrupt her. Minsc stared at the table with an uncharacteristic frown, slowly petting Boo in his hands. He had lost his witch, his purpose, after all they had done to save her time and again.

Yoshimo was leaning back, lounging even. He was not effected by the same loss. Kysis did not really know him, except for the few fleeting words he had said while they struggled to escape the fiend's maze. He had been captured too, for some unknown reason, and seemed more than content to tag along.

Clearing his throat, Kysis sat. He didn't want to scare them. They'd had enough frights recently for a lifetime. Despite his attempt, Minsc still jumped, Boo squeaking at the sudden jolt. Kysis tried to smile. He knew it fell flat. It was merely skin deep, unlike his wounds.

"What's the delay?" Kysis' smile dropped at the sound of his own voice. It was horse, rough in a way it hadn't been before. His voice had always been deep, rolling, but this was dark. He knew he couldn't go back, and perhaps that was the part which worried him the most.

"Food, my friend." Yoshimo smiled, patting him on the shoulder. Kysis held his breath, trying not to show the pain he felt at that friendly gesture. His armor covered his bandages; white linen crisscrossed his body, more parts of him injured than unscathed. If they were normal wounds, they would have mended. His heritage would have seen to that.

Nodding, Kysis waited. The silence felt normal. Imoen had always been the chatterbox of their little company. Conversation without her was awkward, tense. Maybe that was just the circumstance. Kysis didn't care to think about it at the moment.

"Have you heard anything about possible work?" Kysis let his gaze sweep the mass of people packed into the slums tavern. There were all different classes represented, surprisingly. Peasants, beggars, noblemen. Kysis wasn't sure who was out of place and who was right at home. Yoshimo was their guide, in that respect, as he had been in Athkathla before his own abduction.

"I've heard second hand tales of work from lazy peasants who want no part of that kind of adventure, but have yet to find the ones actually hiring." Yoshimo shrugged. If he had known Imoen, grown up with her as Kysis had, the thief might have been more concerned, not so nonchalant.

Bowls were set down on the table, one for each of them, a loaf of stale bread at the center. The liquid looked oily. It smelled old, making his stomach churn. It was better than nothing, true, but…

"You should eat."

Kysis glanced up from the bowl, lips pursed as he watched Jaheira sit. She was like a mother hen after Gorion died, and that had not changed once he became the hero of Baldur's Gate. Even as the Duke threw lavish parties in their honor, Jaheira was there chiding him. He should have gotten used to it. Then again, it had only been a few months since it all started.

Sighing, Kysis stirred the contents of the bowl with the crooked spoon provided, accepting the chunk of bread handed to him.

He would have to make the best of this.

0 0 0 0 0

Wandering the slums during the day had done no more good than sitting around in the tavern the whole time. Yes, they knew the lay of the land better now, but that hardly mattered. Kysis doubted that Imoen was in the slums, so they would just have to acquaint themselves with a new locale once they learned of her location.

A large sphere had phased into existence at the north western corner of the district, and was constant observation and study by the Cowled Wizards. Kysis wanted nothing to do with them, their sphere, and whatever they were planning, all the more since he doubted they would willingly give him the location of Imoen in exchange for whatever service he could perform.

There were commoners complaining about the circus which had come in town. It was something about the circus being closed, guards called, the Cowled Wizards being brought in even. Kysis had been curious about investigating until the mention of those dreaded wizards, and their iron grip on Amn. He was still reeling from the thought of magic being illegal.

They were back in the tavern. Jaheira had gone to talk to Bernard, to arrange for their rooms that night. There were so many hours being wasted, but they all needed the rest. From what they were hearing, the streets were far from safe after dark.

It looked like much the same crowd about the tavern that night as it had been the previous one. There were a few new faces here and there, but they were no doubt regulars and Kysis did not know it yet. Most of the people were just average city folk. Kysis could tell by the way they moved, they way they talked and looked; most of these people had probably not even traveled outside that district, much less outside of the city.

There were a few exceptions, though. Kysis could see the glint of armor through the crowd gathered around the stew pots. Standing, Kysis wove his way towards it, ignoring the questions of his party. He did not feel like explaining, getting their hopes up only to fall through. There was no guarantee. It might just be a play of lighting on the wall, or something else mundane.

When he broke through the group, Kysis saw that it was not just lights on the wall. It was a man, in armor, with a shield that bore some crest or another. Kysis did not recognize it and did not expect himself to. The man was bored, alone, and obviously of the adventuring predisposition. Kysis approached.

The man turned his head, gaze raking up Kysis, taking stock of him. Kysis saw the man's nose wrinkle. Great. This was probably just someone in armor for show, to draw women in with false tales of glory. Kysis was about to turn and go back to the table when the man, in a boisterous, almost arrogant, voice actually spoke.

"Hold, Sir. You are a smudge of light in the darkness of this rancid cesspool. Might I inquire what you are doing here?"

Kysis glanced around. Yes, it wasn't a pleasant place, but Kysis had yet to see anything that qualified it as a rancid cesspool. There was something about the man, his bearing, that told Kysis he had no evil intentions. His training as a paladin had made his senses sharp to such things.

"I'm here seeking employment. There hasn't been much luck yet." Kysis let a smile, as wane as it was, creep on his ashen lips. He used to have a golden tan, but the time spent in the racks had robbed him of his sunkissed tone. That's not all it had robbed him off. "And you?"

"Adventure of the righteous kind, of course."

Kysis almost rolled his eyes, mumbling, "Yes, of course." The way this man was talking made him sound like he was part of the Order. Hopefully not. The Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart did not exactly approve of Kysis' heritage, and they had made that loud and clear to him while he was in Baldur's Gate. "Are you looking for companions? There is safety in numbers."

"So long as you stay on the noble and good path, I suppose I can." He smoothed a hand over his thick beard and mustache, a crooked grin on his face. "My name is Anomen Delryn. I am a priest of Helm and a squire in the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart."

It took all of his will power not to groan. This trip was going to be tedious if Anomen found out about any of Kysis' carefully guarded secrets, or if Minsc or Jaheira were careless and let the largest of them, his heritage, slip in a conversation. Hopefully that would not happen, and hopefully word of who he was had not spread from Baldur's Gate all the way down into the kingdom of Amn.

"I'm Kysis." He offered a nod of his head in respectful greeting, not supplying any last name. His mother was still an unknown, though his father… introducing himself by Bhaal's name would be suicidal. "I'm a paladin, currently without sponsor."

"Ahh! Well met, then! Show me to the others, and hopefully they agree with my morals as soundly as you do!"

Already this was feeling quite trying, but Kysis quietly agreed, leading the way back to the table, handling introductions. He had always been charismatic, and it was easy enough to convince the others of Anomen's potential worth. Their ragged group of four was now five, and he was feeling slightly safer for it.

Now they just had to find work, lest their meager funds run out all together.

0 0 0 0 0

"Normally there is a plethora of people here ready to hire any adventurers that happen in. This is most unusual. Perhaps they will come out of the woodwork if we manage to impress them somehow." Anomen was standing, surveying the people present without any care of what they might think. Kysis remained seated, watching him before pulling his gaze back to the food before him.

It was the same mush as before, nowhere near the cooking he had access to in Baldur's Gate, but better than the meager rations that fiend had given him while Kysis was caged. His body was still recovering from all of the things that man did to him. It was hard for him to remember all of what happened, mind hazy with pain and horror.

"How are we supposed to prove our worth if no one will give us a chance in the first place!?" Minsc's billow brought a smile to Kysis' lips. Boo was sitting happily on the broad ranger's shoulder, looking around, sniffing. Boo no doubt could smell their food. So long as Minsc kept the hamster fed, Kysis had nothing against the creature coming with them.

"There is that matter of the circus."

Minsc and Jaheira both looked at Anomen immediately, Kysis staring at his food instead. He'd been stirring it with a dinged up spoon, trying to convince himself to eat it. Any nourishment was better than none.

Putting down the spoon, Kysis pursed his lips, thinking for a moment before letting his sapphire eyes slide over to Anomen. "I heard the Cowled Wizards were involved."

"At first, they took a look at it and then left to circus to fend for itself." Anomen's disapproval was obvious, as were all of his other tones. He stroked his beard, tapping a finger on his chin. "If we do this, we could quickly build a reputation. The work offers would be plentiful."

"Right now we should be lying low, not drawing more attention to ourselves when—"

"Jaheira, we have no choice." Kysis glanced at his old friend and guardian, and she smiled warmly back. She had never questioned his leadership, and from the looks of it, she was not about to begin now. For that Kysis was thankful. He needed the support at the moment. "Tomorrow we'll go to the circus and see what we can do. Hopefully this works."

The others nodded and got back to eating. This start was promising… somewhat.