The Beast Within
Chapter Eight- Mulsantir Prison
Another clear night. The moon rose high above the dark velvet blue sky, among the thousand sparkling stars. Trees whispered in the wind. Smell of dry hays in the air. Despite the cricket clicking, the dog barking, and the owl hooting in the woods, the land was sound asleep, exhausted from all the commotions during the day.
Chin rested on her knees; Leela sit on the roof of the watchtower, watching the lamp along the road flickered in the distance. Below, the soldier exchanged shift. Their armour clanged as they stepped away from the wall. Having just returned from the high mountain Mount Galardrym this morning, she was terribly exhausted. Yet somehow she could not sleep.
"Arh, there you are." A sudden hoarse voice croaked, disturbing the silence around her. The druid jerked her head around and saw the dark ranger stood nearby.
"Hi." She grinned slightly, watching him sit down next to her. He reached out his hand and gently kneaded her silvery long braided hair. The air genasi tilted her head and eyes half-closed, seemingly enjoyed his touch.
"I've got something for you." He whispered.
Leela raised her eyebrow queryingly. Bishop took off his backpack, yanked the drawstring open and carefully took out something inside. It was a rather large, long parcel, carefully wrapped in a piece of finely weaved fabric.
"What is it?"
"Well, why don't you open it and find out?" Bishop urged.
The air genasi obeyed. She gingerly tugged and untied the knot that secured the parcel. It was a longbow. Made of unknown wood and blue-lacquered to perfection, the bow was beautifully carved and written with rune. It was humming and shimmering in a fainted blue light. She reached out her hand and caressed the weapon tentatively. After admiring the craftsmanship for a while, her tinted blue eyes moved from the bow to its giver.
"A Drow-made longbow? With magical property?" Her voice was thick with awe: "Where did you get this?"
" 'Forever'." Bishop's glare did not move from the druid: "Found it in Deekin's shop. He's been carrying it with his pile of treasures since the Underdark. According to the kobold, this is an Arcane weapon. Able to shot flaming arrows without charging. It took some convincing for him to be departed with this lovely piece."
"It was beautiful." Leela gushed: "Thank you."
"Arh…now you have no excuse not learning how to use one." The dark ranger blushed slightly. He looked away for a while, suddenly took profound interest on two guard chatting happily just below them.
"I see." The air genasi smiled: "Perhaps we can start with some…normal ones. Don't really want to torch this Keep, yes?"
"That will be too kind for our friend Black Garius." Bishop chuckled. His gazed were on her again. The corner of his mouth twitched, he leaned over, gloved hand gently brushed against her cheek, and kissed her lips softly….
Leela stood in front of the weapon rack and gaped at the familiar blue longbow with certain degree of belief. They were back to the Mulsantir's market, doing a relaxing stroll in the mid afternoon Sun. Stopped by browsing one of the newly arrived merchant's stall, the druid saw the weapon once belong to her.
They had emerged from the Veil Theatre for some time. Almost as soon as they pushed the heavy door opened, they were greeted by three masked women, who Safiya informed her were Wychlaran, the Witches of the Rashemen. True ruler of the Rashemen, the hathrans went on telling them that the bear god they thought they've killed was now outside the city gate with a large spirit army, demanded the city to hand over the druid. Thinking the city was under siege all because of her, they refused point blank to allow Leela and her companion to see the dwarven lady Magda, who they took refuge, unless Okku is being dealt with. The air genasi had a feeling the only reason they didn't kill her on sight or simply handed her over to the leader of the spirit army as sacrifice was because she just rid the Red Wizards in the Veil Theatre for them.
Leela had no choice but to agree to face Okku. The three witches appeared to be satisfied. Before they left, they permitted the druid to check with the local prison recruit anyone who was willing to assist them in battle, saying whoever helped them will be granted full pardon.
"Shall we go to the prison now?" Asked Safiya as they watched the Wychlaran teleported themselves away, disappeared into the thin air.
"Nop. We were in that damn Shadow Plane whole day. I'm hungry. Food first." The air genasi sprung around and headed towards the market. She nearly walked straight into someone who stood in front of her.
They were two wing-humans—half-celestials. They overheard the entire conversation Leela and the three witches had and were willing to offer their assistance, if the druid could do something in exchange—to find their sister Kaelyn the Dove in the Shadow Mulsantir. Apparently she has been in there for months, searching for something in the Dead God's Vault.
"Dove?" Leela frowned: "She named after some animals?"
"Our siblings—they are five, including Kaelyn - are known as 'the Menagerie'." One of the half-celestials, who introduced himself as Efrem the Stag, explained patiently: "We adopt the titles of noble creatures out of respect for nature. The Menagerie has long traveled together, led by our eldest sister. But since Kaelyn was exiled from our grandfather's court in Celestia, we have been distraught."
"Please help us." The other one, the female half-celestial called Susah the Crow, begged: "We are running out of hope. We've been in this city for days and we have no clue where the Shadow Portal even is. Shadow Portal is—"
"Yeah, I know, the door to the Shadow Plane. " The druid shook her head: ". Have to go back to the Shadow Plane…..Oh, Gods…"
"Well, we do really need some allies to fight with us." Safiya pat her shoulder and whispered in the low tone: "Perhaps we can go back a bit later, after getting some food and look into this prison place?"
The air genasi stared ahead for a long while and finally gave in: "Alright. We will go find the sister of yours as soon as we are able."
The two half-celestials were overjoyed. They hug the druid and her companion; nearly squeeze the air completely out of their lung, before finally leaving them alone.
"Right, where were we?" Safiya smirked: "Food. Still fancy roast squirrel?"
They headed back to the traven. After having the biggest meal they have in two days, they returned to the market square, thinking of stacking up some supply before paying the prison their visit.
It was when Leela spotted the bow.
"………Where did you get this?" She snapped her head up and asked the Dwarven merchant.
"Found it among the abandon bandit camp in the woods, my lady." Bowed the merchant: " That area was infested with Lizardfolks. Those damn things disappeared for a while a few years back. Rumor has it something evil drove them away. I was told they tried to take over Highcliff at one stage. You know Highcliff, my lady? Highcliff at the Sword Coast? "
Leela nodded absent-mindedly. Of course she knew Highcliff, the beautiful small seaside village. Poppies danced in the wind, waves gently bashed against the gray rock, sails hoisted up against the wind in the sunset, children giggled, chasing each other in the cornfield, and sailor sang drunken ballad under the moonlight….
"Well, they started returning again recently." The merchant grunted: "Not particularly good for folks like me. Had to pay some bodyguards to get all the way here. Lost two in the last trip. Bleeding hells, if you ask me."
"How much is this one?" The air genasi waved the longbow.
"30,000 gold."
"What? That's absurd!" Those spirits outside the gate could probably hear Leela's voice: "You charge something you loot from the dead body that much?"
"We both know that's not a normal longbow, my lady." The Dwarf wagged his finger: "I've got someone have a proper look of that thing when I was in Neverwinter. Arcane weapon. You don't come across something like that everyday."
"But..but I don't have that much gold on me…" The druid stuttered.
"Well, then." The merchant snatched the longbow back. Suddenly Leela's hands feel terribly cold and empty: "Your lost."
"No, please—"
"Here." Safiya chimed in. She handed over the merchant something. Something wrapped carefully in the deerskin: "Will this do?"
The Dwarven Merchant untied the knot and his bearded face instantly glowing with delight: "Spirit Essence? And the best quality ones I've ever seen in years! Of course this will do, my lady."
"You don't need to feel oblige to tell me anything." The Red Wizard of Thay smiled at Leela as they walked away from the Dwarven Merchant, the longbow, Forever, nicely tugged at the druid's back.
"…Thank you." The air genasi stared at her feet.
"Your welcome." Safiya gave Leela a warm smile before turning her attention ahead: "Now…this must be the prison the Wychlaran were talking about."
She came into a halt and stared at the tall structure at the end of the road. Like the wall surrounded Mulsantir, it was build with stone. The granite was blacken and worn. There were some weeds poking out between gaps here and there. Several large dusty banners bear Mulsantir emblem draped from the top of the towers. The execution platform stood gloomily at the corner.
The approached the large heavy timber door and knocked the heavy metal ring bolted on the wooden surface. An old lady answered the door. She, like the three witches they just encountered, also wore a mask.
She seemed to know who they were immediately: "My name is Tirzah the Old. Arh….it's you."
"You know who we are?" Leela frowned.
"Of course." Tirzah shot them an icy cold, top-to-toe glare: "As you have disturb the spirit, you also disturb me. What's your business here?"
"Arm… the Wychlaran told us we could find help here…" The druid scratched her head: "against the spirit army."
"Help? From this lot?" The old witch arched her eyebrow: "Trust in their "help" and you'll find yourself aloe when trouble comes. Gods, sometimes I wonder what was in their mind….well, alright, come in and speak to them, if you with to persist this foolishness." She stood aside and let them in.
The air genasi thanked the hathran and entered. The dim room had no window. Damp mildew and unknown odors filled their nose. It was terribly cold, even with a cast iron chimenea burning in the middle of the chamber. She did a quick scan around the area. There were four units: two holding cells and two solitary confinements. Both holding cells were occupied, one confinement was vacant and one was not.
"Those two," Tirazh pointed at the prisoners in the holding cells: "You can go ahead and ask. There's no need to fear. But that one over there," She pointed at the door at the other end of the chamber: "Be warned…i guard /i your thought!"
"What do you mean guard your thought?" Safiya's tattooed eyebrows were in knots.
"You will see." The old witch returned to her table, inspecting the scrolls laying on the surface.
Leela turned her attention to the first prisoner. He looked like a combination of orcs and something else. Definitely one of the scariest things she had ever seen, the being had greenish, rough looking skin and brutish feature. Gods must be in quite a bad mood when creating his kind.
"Safiya…" The druid tilted her head slightly towards her companion and whispered: "What is he?"
"Hagspawn." Said the Red Wizard in low tone: "They are the sons of hags and human males. They are quite common in Rashemen, really. You know what hags are, do you?"
"Hags, a variety of horrible monstrous humanoids, resembling an exceedingly aged woman. Rarely seen along the Sword Coast but are common in the wilds of Rashemen. Different hags have different appearance and mannerism. Some of the known variety to date are: Annis, Green hag, Bheur, and Night hag…." Leela's finger ran through the battered scroll and read the script out loud: "Fascinating creatures, aren't they?"
"Oh, indeed." Sand raised his eyebrow but did not peel his gaze from whatever he was looking at. He was reading some tomes of arcane spells at the other end of the table. The flickering lamplight illuminated his porcelain facial feature, made him looks almost surreal.
"Have you seen one of those?" Asked the air genasi.
"The Arcane Brotherhood captured one once." The moon elf's piercing blue eyes glared at her briefly and returned to his tomes: "My lady, chances are you will never encounter one in your entire life. Find something else useful. A spell, perhaps."
"I, myself think otherwise." Grobnar clapped his hand enthusiastically: "Oh, my. Hags. They are fascinating, indeed. Rumor has it that there was whole coven of them somewhere in the Rashemen. Whole coven of hags! Imagine that! Would that be wonderful to meet them, I wonder?"
"Yes, if you want to be the lovely snack of these hideous creature, go ahead." Snapped the wizard: "Gnome. Arh…typical."
"Oh, never mind him." Laughed the gnome cheerfully: "Do they have illustration on the script of yours? They do? Oh, how wonderful. Mind if I have a look?"
Leela nodded. Of course she did.
The hagspawn starred at them with certain degree of curiosity. The air genasi introduced herself and her purpose visiting the prison. Unexpectedly, he refused point-blank to assist them battling the spirit in any way, claiming their reach and memories were long.
"Am not going to risk my hide out there. No freedom can replace that." He gave them a meaningful side-glare.
The second one was a human. Having overheard everything between the hagspawn and her, he turned down the druid's offer before she even opened her mouth. He, too, considered the price for freedom was far to great for him to bear.
Leela sighed.
Now there was only one left.
They slowly walked towards the door at the other end of the room. It was when the air genasi noticed the strange marking all over the wooden panel and the boulder frame.
"Spells…" She mumbled: "In Rashemi, perhaps? ….I wonder what are those…"
"I can't recognise them, either." The Red Wizard rubbed her chin: "Strange. Why does this particular room need a spell caste upon its door? Wouldn't normal locks do?"
"Those spells aren't harmful trap of any kind, mistress." Kaji squeaked: "It will not do any harm on us."
"Thank you, Kaji" Safiya grinned towards her familiar: "I guess there is only one way to find out." She withdrew her staff: "Ready when you are, Lee."
Leela carefully opened the door.
There were more spells scrapping on the floor inside. They were very similar to those summoning circle Black Garius used to draw in the Keep's basement, which Ammon Jerro took over and used when a demon or devil's aide was needed. But this certainly wasn't a summoning circle. Why would someone want to summon something inside a prison cell? This was something else.
Then the druid noticed the person sit within the circle.
He had the most impressive deep blue eyes Leela had ever seen. Like her, he also appeared in blue colour, but perhaps a few shades darker. His hair was long and in shimmering silvery blue, covered half of his statuesque feature. Like some Rashemi she had encountered, he was also dress in fur. He looked like a hagspawn, and yet he was so different to the one they had just conversed with outside. His eyes gleamed as he spot his visitor entering the room. His eyebrow arched, and the sarcastic grin on his face deepened.
"Oh, hello." He scanned the duo from top to toe. His voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of playful tone: "What's this? An air genasi? Gods, they really spoiled me. Sending more jailers rattled my cage, I see. I was about to slip into a rather pleasant and relaxing dream, now you come and spoiled it."
Both Leela's snowy eyebrows nearly reached the ceiling. She starred at the man in front of her with the look of beyond disbelief. The druid certainly did not expect someone like this in a prison cell.
"Alright…" She looked at the prisoner suspiciously: "Who are you?"
"I am Gannayev. Gannayev of Dreams." He bowed.
