Wars of the Bhaalspawn

by Capt. Incredible

Complete! The Throne of Bhaal can no longer be left unoccupied- a war for the Throne has begun. With his closest companions at his side, one Bhaalspawn sorcerer moves ever closer to claiming the power of Bhaal for his own, regardless of desire or intent.

35. Part 2: Broken

Blood ran and flowed in heavy, thick rivulets down his features as the half-elf scrambled through choking dust and fog, trying desperately to achieve one simple goal… survive. No high minded purpose, no duty-driven quest or even a pull to destiny lay before him- all he could think of was the here and now, pushing to get one more breath, exist just a few seconds longer. The odds, unfortunately, were not in his favor.

Greywulf's eardrums nearly burst at the sound of another demonic screech going off right beside him as a winged succubus tumbled to the ground, tackled by a whirling mess of maggot-flesh and tentacles, the two evil monstrosities caring little for who or what was around them, only seeking to quench their hatred and bloodlust upon one another. A large claw had clipped him across his brow moments earlier- the blood ran through his eyes as he tried to blink away the stinging sensation, only seeking to make it through this warzone of demons and devils. Just a few dozen feet more, that was all.

Had the others made it there? It was the most distinct- rather the only distinct- thing upon the battlefield, the large black obelisk, glimmering like a lighthouse in an unholy sea of blood. He'd shouted a command in desperation, the only thing that made sense in this hellish place, to meet at the landmark in hopes of survival, nothing but survival… but this place did not seem quite so forgiving. Greywulf stumbled, a mere twenty feet from the obelisk, his entire body trembling as the world spun around him, a deafening roar amidst all the slaughter and carnage. What was happening to him? A concussion from the Dragon's Breath spell he'd nearly been incinerated by? Something was amiss… not something. Him. He was not right. No time to think, no time to ponder, only time for action. One hand in front of the other, keep moving- "Come on!"

A firm hand grabbed the cloak on his back, yanking him to his feet and thrusting him forward, the sorcerer barely aware of who was guiding him. A shadow loomed over the top of them- Greywulf glanced upwards dumbly, only just seeing the downward slash of a fiery blade. He moved to try and counter with a spell, but for how slow his hands were moving he may as well have been hogtied. Before the blade could separate his head from his body, the shield of Sir Anomen swung upward, deflecting the blow while Anomen pushed ahead, the icy mace he wielded crunching into the side of the beast that had attacked them. Frost and icicles spread over the surface of ruined flesh and broken bones, the demon cried in pain as it staggered away, giving the warrior priest enough time to yank Greywulf further from harm, the other battling devils not giving the wounded one much respite- within moments it had been obliterated. No sign of weakness would be tolerated in this miasma of misery.

Anomen pulled Greywulf to the obelisk, sweat rolling down the squire's bearded features as he tried to keep his head on a swivel, watching for any attacks coming their way- nothing so far. Nalia and Reynald were approaching from the other side of the battlefield, feet pounding the stone floor of their jail like pistons, Nalia surrounded by a haze of protective magic, Reynald trying to seek cover behind her, using the power of the Impaler to keep foes at bay. They would reach the obelisk in moments- Anomen hefted Greywulf's nearly limp body toward the obelisk, meaning to rest him upon it for a moment, when something rather strange happened. The moment the half-elf's form touched the gleaming stone, he vanished with a flash of light, dematerialized though time and space and reforming in a strange new world, as unfamiliar as ever, if not quite so war-torn.

Greywulf's delirious eyes gazed up at the slate domed ceiling, shapes and cracks in the form as incomprehensible as the writings of deities or devils. The patterns seemed natural, like that of a mountain side left in the elements for years and years, but it couldn't be- it was almost too natural, a designed imperfection, a chaotic order to the whole thing. Strong white pillars with ribbed edges supported the small platform like the arms of an ogre, flexing and holding the gazebo like structure high. The void was spinning all around them and beyond- their small rest was like a small hourglass of sanctuary in the midst of the universe.

Three more flashes of light grabbed the half-elf's attention, rather, what was left of it- Anomen flinched at the sudden change of scenery- whether it was for the better or worse remained yet to be seen, but at the very least there were no demons ready to cleave their heads like the top of a warm loaf of bread. Still, there was no denying that wherever they were, magic was the domineering force- despite the lack of a physical world to hold their gazebo like platform in place, tumbling through the void, their bodies did not follow suit, flying from their anchorage. They remained still, simply taking in the sudden change, curious yet unnerved, in equal measure. Greywulf's labored breathing eventually drew their attention back to their companion, fallen and cold.

"Is he-" Reynald started to speak with concern, but Anomen had already knelt by the half-elf, his hands held gently over Greywulf's features as he whispered words of clerical magic- nothing. A blue haze fell from his fingers for a brief moment, but little changed- the sorcerer remained as sickly as before.

"This is no ordinary ailment- perhaps a poison from one of the demons we fought through?" Nalia murmured, scanning their companion for any sign of injury or wound through which a malady could have spread- there was nothing. He was as whole- if scarred- as ever, though his form looked ready to expire any moment. Sweat poured from his face as he lay there, muscles tensing and relaxing in sequence.

Another healing spell from Anomen, this one meant to cure diseases- still nothing. The squire stood, concern across his bearded face as he glanced to the others, looking for answers they most certainly didn't have. Perhaps they might've simply been left to ponder in vain as their friend expired, had aid not descended to them from the most unlikeliest of places…

"You don't look like demons at all, do you? No, I suppose you don't, though I rather doubt you'd tell me if you did." The voice was clipped with a foreign sounding accent, and it was made even more remarkable that there was nobody standing on the platform around them to speak it- upon glancing to take in the over-void of their surroundings, however, the source became clear, even if their perception of the current situation became that much muddier.

Floating around the gazebo, just out of their reach was a dapper figure, clad in leather vest, triple stitched leggings and two-toned shoes, as well as adorned with a funny top hat and wool cloak. At least, it appeared to be sheepskin, if heavily dyed. His chest was bare and scarred beneath the open buttoned vest, and his demeanor, while friendly enough, bore the unmistakable feel of something… other. His ears bore the tell-tale pointed tips of an elf, but the eyes- their piercing yellow gleam did not settle the nerves of any who dared look him squarely.

Perhaps it was his sudden appearance, so quickly coming from what had appeared to be an endless expanse and beyond, or the way in which he so casually spoke to the new arrivals, but nobody seemed overly eager to greet the man- finally it was Nalia who spoke, clearing her throat as only a noblewoman would when addressing an unknown such as this. "You speak so lightly and easily, though we all recognize the danger of this place, I should think. You assume rightly that none of us are demon-kind, but your own manner leaves much to be questioned- who are you?"

The floating humanoid grinned, nodding as he hovered backwards a few feet. "Very good! Some sense in you Primes after all, I see- the cambion told me to try and find Primes with a bit of wit about them. The four of you might actually do. Perhaps three though, from the looks of your companion…"

"Speak plainly, creature!" Anomen commanded, leveling his mace at the sudden arrival. "For you are no human, that much we have all deduced by now, I should think. I have heard another with a similar demeanor and manner as you speak of people as 'primes' in the past- you are a tiefling, yes?"

Golden eyes lit up with both amusement and approval- "Yes, yes you will do nicely, after all! I am quite glad to have found you- we should be away though, 'tis no good to stay for too long in the void like this. Nasty things tend to find their way here… ah, I believe I hear one flapping its wings right now."

With that, the tiefling glided forward and landed on the stone floor of the portal platform, wrinkling his brow at the construct they were all gathered within, sparing Anomen's weapon a second glance before examining the pillars of the gazebo intently, scrutinizing their sides as though seeking something entirely hidden from sight. "Please point that mace elsewhere, sir knight, or whatever you fancy yourself. There is so much about your societies I have yet to fathom, though it will probably be some time before I venture amidst the planes again, once we have escaped this wretched prison…"

"Do you know where we are?" Reynald questioned, still guarded but oddly at ease. "This remains within the Watcher's Keep, I assume, but to hold a space so devoid of life and yet filled to the brim with such evil- we barely escaped a horde of demons only to find ourselves adrift in nothing at all!"

"That does seem to be the trick of this little place, doesn't it?" the tiefling grunted, running one hand up along the pillar before finding something- he gazed at the small, nearly imperceptible markings on the stone, then tapped it quickly in succession. "This level of the Keep, as you refer to it, draws all manner of extra-planar creatures here like a siren's song- many demons have been pulled into the ether after being lured to the gateway this place opens in the other Realms. Getting out of course… that's the rub. Nobody seems to be able to leave, once they've found themselves imprisoned here- and any time a demon dies, their essence simply reforms into a new body. I hate demons..."

"Egads, enough of this." A visibly confused Anomen held both hands up, trying to get the tiefling's attention. "You are one of the first things we have seen in some time that has not attempted to kill us on sight, and I thank you for that. But we are in sore need of some kind of explanation, and our friend has taken gravely ill. If you have any intent to aid us then I would ask you to-"

Anomen's protests were cut off by a familiar, if dreaded sound. The unmistakable tones of a dragon's roar echoed through space- far from the east, or what passed for east in such a directionless void, a speck of white slowly grew, flying on a vector headed straight for them. The ice dragons were known for their cruelty and merciless treatment of other creatures- it looked as though the time spent here in the prison of Watcher's Keep had done little to improve this one's demeanor. Frost dissipated at its jaws as the ice dragon roared- Anomen turned back to the tiefling, who hadn't bothered to turn around, continuing to probe and prod the runes upon the pillars around them. "Hmm… you'd think I'd remember the sequence of runes to get us away from this place- I've visited here often enough. The dragon isn't upon us yet, is it? No… ah, there it is!"

Even as the great winged beast drew ever closer, the tiefling's meddling and prodding of the gazebo caused an eruption of light to pour out of the ceiling of the gazebo- a portal, undoubtedly. Before any could question the destination of this particular wormhole in space-time, the light enveloped them all and so the dragon found nothing but dust upon his arrival to the portal- it crumbled stone within its frustrated claws, emitting empty roars to go alongside an equally empty belly.

X

Two hours ago:

The strength of the desert sun would normally be enough to drive any travelers to their knees, destroying the drive of any prospective travelers that dared venture through the burning sands of the southern wastes. The hot sun, the lack of water, desert scorpions and serpents, even the rare gorgon or two that might appear in the mirages of the sands.

And yet… the city of Amkethran was the one full bastion of the desert- embedded in the sides of mountain range that lined the desert and separated it from the more temperate zones of the land, it was the closest thing to civilization to be found in the whole region. And in just a few short hours, the entire thing could be razed to the ground by an army of dragons.

Aerie panted with effort as she skid to a halt, sand tumbling all around her feet as she came to a halt beside the others, drenched in sweat and dust as they took refuge under the walls of the city. A roar from above shook the walls they stood by, releasing another drizzle of sand from the top of the walls atop their heads. "This is madness!" Viconia shouted, trying to be heard over the cries and screams issuing from within the city. "We barely survived one battle against these creatures, and we think to throw ourselves against another horde of maelthra?"

A rebuttal from Jaheira was cut off with the sound of a dragon's wing swiping a tower of the citadel's walls nearby, sending debris tumbling down, landing with a massive thud some twenty feet down the line of the wall. Cernd raised an arm to try and ward some of the flying sand that flew their way, spitting some from his mouth as he gathered himself, fixing his gaze on the massive cracked doors that led into the city proper. "There is no safety to be found outside this place, nor within until the threat is vanquished. If we are to find the leader of this place, this Balthazar, then we should hurry. What is it to be?"

"People need our help here!" Minsc declared, glancing inside, looking at the throngs of screaming people, hurtling from place to place, trying to find some measure of sanctuary from the flying monsters in the sky. "We cannot simply turn a blind eye to their plight! We stand ready to help! No time to waste, right Boo?"

The ranger hurled himself from their holding position, bursting inside with sword drawn, launching himself from a pile of rubble to the side, onto a mud-brick roof that was nearly crumbling, into the air to swipe a wing clean off a Chromatic drake that was swooping toward a man who had stumbled while running for safety, or whatever passed for safety in this place.

Viconia snarled as the rest of the group followed, muttering under her breath, "The unthinking selflessness of this group makes me sick- I did not escape one death at the hands of zealots only to meet another death in the company of the equally mad."

"If you think so little of us then you are certainly welcome to take your leave." Jaheira tossed behind her, a tight smirk across her dirtied features. "Tis only a week long journey through the desert, due west. You might make it a full day before dying of thirst."

Whatever spite Viconia may have returned Jaheira's way was cut off by another roar- a massive brown dragon swooped low, nearly toppling another tower along the outer wall they'd just passed within- the sound of a scream echoed through the air before a sudden thud of two bodies hitting the ground slamming beside them. The sight was a grisly one- two monks, their bodies and internal organs crushed under the weight of the dragon's claws before being dropped from hundreds of feet in the air..

The group only spared the sight of the two dead men a moment- there was more to do, and no time to tarry. Minsc's lead had been good enough, if rather unbalanced- Aerie had managed to regain the lead with him, helping to guide his rampage in an actual direction, aiming for the central structure, the citadel of this desert fortress. In many ways, it was an interesting dynamic- the ferocity and barely restrained rage of the Rashemani combined with the drive and focused powers that leapt from Aerie's hands, clearing a path, while Cernd and Jaheira used their druidic magics to raise barriers, shield civilians and save as many lives as possible. A string of vines twisted out from the earth to provide a method of climbing, allowing two more to escape a collapsing building, climbing to an upper structure that would provide some method of escape- another drake swooped down towards the newly exposed civilians, only to get dropped from the sky, a glowing hole embedded through its chest from a Bolt of Glory sent from Aerie's fingertips.

Viconia watched her erstwhile companions continue to fight, the drow sticking mostly to the shadows, every now and then taking a moment to use her mace or magic upon any who escaped the notice of the others- but this continued to gnaw at her- the meanderings of the insane ranger had put them into an untenable position- the longer they continued to interfere in this manner, the sooner the other dragons would take notice and wipe them out. Perhaps it was time to reassess her position- not to say she was ungrateful for her rescue- she owed Greywulf, and she'd admit that, if grudgingly. But suicide was not on her agenda. There had to be a better way, something she could convince the others of…

"Drow! Spy of Sendai!" a shout caught her attention, as a brown robed monk rushed to her side, grabbing her arm with an iron grip as his gaze fixed upon hers. "Balthazar warned your mistress about keeping her spies from this sacred place. We fight Abazigal's forces now, we shall not tolerate your interference as well!"

"Unhand me, rivvil." Viconia hissed, her mace rising from its lowered position in her right hand to come across the monk's right side- or it would have if the monk's reflexes weren't so damned quick. The warrior dropped Viconia's arm and raised both arms to deflect the mace swing, then thrust his palms forward to send Viconia tumbling backward, settling into a fighting stance.

"You will regret that decision-" Viconia swore, rising from her unglorious tumble, hefting her weapon tall again- before dropping to a crouched position, chanting furiously in an attempt to take the monk by surprise. In a manner, it worked- there was a split second where her opponent hesitated, waiting for the physical attack that was no longer a threat, but his speed would be more than enough to reach her before her spell ignited- if not for a touch of interference.

Lightning tore from the sky and struck the monk with smell of burning hair and flesh, the monk driven to his knees as he struggled to make his muscles stop spasming. He managed to look up, seeing Jaheira standing beside Viconia, the drow glowing just faintly with a Bull's Strength spell while thunderclouds gathered above Jaheira, heeding the druid's call. He barely had time to scream before Viconia's mace turned his head into a bloody pulp.

Gazing down at the headless mess lying on the red streaked sand before them, Viconia turned to grimace at Jaheira, the druid refusing to say anything… "I will not say it, you v'utir elg'caress."

Jaheira snorted, her knowledge of the drow language extending just far enough to know what Viconia had called her. "I would expect nothing less, eldalie nek."

Viconia laughed, a cruel sound, but there were genuine notes of respect in her tones. "Ha. Perhaps Greywulf sees something in you after all. This monk seemed to think I was part of Sendai's forces, come to scout the city while the dragon invades- there is something more to their relationship, I think, than mere antagonists."

"For once we are in agreement then. This entire situation has felt wrong from the moment we landed in Amkethran- and I do not like being manipulated." Jaheira's eyes narrowed. "The sooner we get to meet this Balthazar the better. I have some questions that need answering…"

"If he is a part of this conspiracy against your lover then we will gain nothing from him, save death at his hands or at the claws of these dragons." Viconia scoffed. "That they mistook me for one of Sendai's spies so quickly might work to our advantage- you continue on with the others, do what you feel you must. I will do the same."

Jaheira had little time to argue or debate the point with the drow cleric- she spun on her heel and sprinted into the smoke and dust of the city, leaving Jaheira to curse and run back to the others, whispering a silent- and only partially begrudging- prayer to Silvanus on Viconia's behalf.

X

Now:

Minsc loosed a berserk yell, swinging the Silver sword down to sever the neck of the ice drake that had lunged at him, turning his swing into a full circle, just in time to recoil from a blast of flame, one that would have engulfed him if not for his quick reflexes. As he staggered backward, face flush and reddened with the intense heat being generated from the red drake bearing down upon him, Minsc was tackled out of the way by Jaheira, the two tumbling behind the remains of a fallen tower from the wall surrounding the city. Flame washed over the top of the fallen rubble as the drake continued to pour its flame; Jaheira cursed, pointing the other direction, gesturing for Minsc to move.

Even as the two warriors began crawling in opposite directions, perpendicular to the drake in an attempt to split its attention and flank it, Cernd remained static, arms raised as he clenched his teeth, muscles taut and body rigid while he channeled the power of druidic magics into holding the collapsing structure before him upright just a few more seconds… just a few more. Vines sprouted from the earth and pushed upward, entangling themselves to nearby buildings and then to the rubble before him, trying to hold up a pathway for Aerie to bring the survivors inside out- it was going to be close…

A dirty young boy along with an injured man and his wife burst from the dusty innards of the structure with Aerie close behind, her robes whipping behind her as the vines Cernd had summoned snapped and let the entire building collapse behind them. The druid wasted no time tending to the civilians who had come forth- they would have to survive on their own from here on- there was no time. The four companions had continued through the city, trying to find their way to the main fortress, though the siege laid upon it by the winged ones above made travel rather perilous- stopping to help those in need of it had proven even more of a delay, though none of them would consider it in that manner. They'd stumbled upon several drakes laying waste to a small street of houses, a particularly nasty red one poking through the collapsing buildings with fire and murder in its eyes. They'd succeeded in distracting it for now, but it had been making full use of its flight and fiery breath, keeping them at a distance and making them dive for cover more often than not.

Still, it had their full attention now- Aerie began her casting, preparing to loose holy power on the beast- as if hearing her incantations and understanding just what it would mean were she to finish, the drake swerved from its position holding Minsc and Jaheira at bay and lunged at Aerie, jaws chomping furiously. The elven cleric sidestepped, nearly tripping over a pile of crumbled bricks and rocks, even as Cernd chanted his own form of magics. Swarms of insects rose from the dust and headed straight for the drake, sending it rearing back on its haunches for a moment before loosing fire at the horde of pests, incinerating most of them in the first blast and catching the rest with a second and a third. Still, the distraction had been enough. Minsc barreled out of nowhere with the Vorpal sword raised- the intended downswing to behead the drake missed as it swerved its neck to the side, forcing Minsc's charge to barrel into the drake itself, sending both of them tumbling into another crumbling cottage- another set of screams issued from within as the drake blasted fire in its tumble, setting the whole house ablaze- Cernd's eyes narrowed, knowing how quickly the civilians inside would meet their end if they didn't act quickly. He immediately began his magic again, drawing on what power he had left- most of which had been exhausted already. Just a bit longer, please… the flames of the house began dying immediately as he tried to calm them, tried to bend nature to his will one more time.

Even as the drake pulled up, trying to lunge for the cowering people inside, Minsc leapt onto the drake's back, pulling the neck away, trying desperately to force the beast away from those inside- Aerie had already slid into the rubble of the house, casting her spells to close the wounds of those within, while Jaheira had abandoned magic for her weapon, plunging the dagger she carried into the drake's chest again and again, ignoring the hot blood shooting across her body and features as she relentlessly ended the creature's life. As the beast finally collapsed, Jaheira stepped back, wiping blood from her eyes and sheathing the dagger with a heavy breath. She needed to get a new weapon sooner rather than later- the dagger wasn't a bad choice, but she wasn't too keen on the idea of going up against dragons without any other weapon. Her spear lay shattered in the desert outside Amkethran now… but until then, she'd survive. Survival was something they were good at- Jaheira's reflections were interrupted by the sound of a full dragon's roar, rumbling the ground they stood upon. She swallowed, fighting the panic that threatened to well up within her, amending her previous assumption as Draconis' shadow fell upon them. Survival was something they were good at… so far.

None of them needed say a word- they all began running, hoping to avoid the notice of the brown dragon far above them, but it was far too late. Their small battle with the drakes had attracted one of their main foes, and it was descending upon them quickly. Far too quickly for them to avoid, even as they rushed through the streets of the city blindly, hoping to find something, *anything* to provide cover or a way out- and then fate intervened, giving them a short reprieve. The defenders of Amkethran were down, but not quite out, not yet- the towers set around the city with ballistae had targeted Draconis on his dive, hoping to take the dragon out of the fight- and when it fired, the shot hit, if not lethally. The big creature's wing was pierced with the massive bolt, eliciting a howl of pain from the dragon and sending its arc upward for a few seconds, before crashing to the ground in a gigantic explosion of dirt and brick.

The four adventurers skidded to a halt, raising their arms to block the sudden onrush of dust and smoke blowing their way- Minsc grinned through the dirt and the dust; he pointed toward the impact site of the dragon, just a few streets ahead. "Now is our chance! Another dragon awaits the taste of our righteous steel! AAAAARGH…"

Minsc's battle cry faded as the ranger powered forward, the others following in his wake as they zigged and zagged through the narrow streets, finally coming to the ruined block where Draconis was rising- only to nearly bowl over another civilian headed the opposite direction. The fleeing man skidded to a halt, his face a tableau of horror as their gazes met his- something familiar about his features, as though they'd met him before, but where-?

"YOU!" Jaheira shouted- of course. Now the face matched the memory. Saemon Havarian, pirate, smuggler, thief… betrayer. The one who had set them up to Irenicus back in Brynnlaw. The man spun on his heels and darted back to the rising form of Draconis, giving the group a small pause- the sudden appearance of their old enemy had killed their momentum, if only for a moment- was it time to pursue him, or attack the rising dragon before it could gain its bearings- too late. Far too late now- with a few treacherous words, the beast had leapt over Saemon's cowering form and descended upon them, scattering the group as they found themselves in mortal combat once again.

Aerie skidded across the dirt and dust, slamming against a small pile of rubble as she felt something in her shoulder give upon the impact. She stifled the immediate urge to cry out in pain, instead choosing to attempt to scramble to her feet and try to keep moving. Draconis was swiping at Minsc, the ranger trying desperately to parry the claw strokes from the great beast, but he was on his back, swinging the Silver blade madly to keep himself from being bisected. Only a matter of time before his arms gave out or his reflexes were a fraction too slow to block the downswings from Draconis- unless he received a bit of help, of course. Aerie braced herself, leaning against a half collapsed wall and began casting, trying to keep her fingers moving without feeling, moving on instinct-

Draconis' acidic breath spewed out over the top of Minsc- Aerie nearly leapt in horror, realizing how quick the breath would eat the flesh from her protector's bones, leave him a bloody skeleton in seconds… she pushed the thought away and pushed her will into words, loosing a Sunfire in Draconis' face, the dragon rearing back in fury, shielding itself from the blazing light. Would Minsc even be able to react to the sudden reprieve? Was he even capable of it now? Her heart leapt in relief, seeing Jaheira kneeling beside Minsc's form, her hands and eyes glowing as she purified the air with nature's power, each second a drain on her body- the ranger was finally out of danger- just in time. Jaheira's chest heaved as she fell backward, collapsing into Cernd's arms, the male druid trying to pull her to safety, getting some distance from Draconis before the beast recovered its senses.

Aerie began to stagger out to rejoin the others- no. She saw now how they'd have to defeat this creature- they were too damn tired, too worn to fell the creature in a normal fight. Jaheira's collapse after a single spell was enough to make this evident. They'd been going too long, the desert trek, the mountain battle against the drakes and dragon- too much. Here, in the ruins of the city, they'd only get the slimmest of chances. That the beast had been grounded was the only stroke of luck they could count on. She stumbled backward, taking a seated position beside a half-crumbled wall, inhaling sharply and mentally preparing herself. With any luck, the others would understand, would follow suit- they often joked that traveling together for so long let them know each other's thoughts and plans without even saying anything- she prayed to Baervan that in this one instance it could prove true.

Minsc scrambled to his feet, whipping around to face the still writhing Draconis, his tail knocking pieces of stone and brick high into the air as he thrashed- that wasn't what he had hoped to see. Where was Aerie? Nowhere to be found- another gout of acid blasted from Draconis' mouth and into the air, preparing to rain all around them. Cernd had seen it- he was pulling Jaheira beneath a leaning wall; it would be just enough to cover Jaheira, but not himself- but if they waited for the remaining acid to fall, the dragon would be fully recovered and wipe them out with ease. Minsc grimaced, knowing what he was about to do would certainly hurt. Instead of taking cover, he charged ahead through the mist of acid falling upon him, burning his skin and setting his eyes ablaze with fire- he squeezed his eyes shut, hoping he could remember where the beast had been- Minsc swung his blade high, feeling the satisfying impact of the blade slicing into scale and flesh, but coming out the other side too quickly, far too quickly- he hadn't hit the vital organs he'd aimed for- no, the Vorpal blade had cut into the dragon's arm, severing muscle and making the beast rear back again- only for a second. It lunged forward and raked its claws across Minsc's body, knocking him into a standing brick wall, the tottering rubble collapsing upon the impact, burying Minsc's blinded form in the dirt and stone.

Cernd trembled, his face pouring sweat as he heard the sound of Minsc's limp body impacting the rocks behind him- acid poured down from the dragon's breath and scalded his bare back, the druid keeping Jaheira safe from the downpour with his own body. Minsc was down, but maybe he had bought them enough time to mount a retreat- as he felt the burning subside, he spun to try and shunt aside whatever attack Draconis was throwing his way- a shadow loomed above them as his eyes widened, watching a massive block of stone and brick come hurtling his way, flipped up from Draconis' wounded claw. No time to pull Jaheira aside- Cernd's nostrils flared as he gave himself to the beast within, his flesh bursting and tearing as the wolfwere howled, making its presence known. Cernd raised his arms and caught the enormous boulder, bestial muscle and fur straining under the weight, tearing and ripping and breaking bones under the enormous stress. For a moment it looked as though the wolfwere would collapse, the boulder falling upon him- Cernd shunted the rock aside, arms and shoulders broken from the impact, muscles shredded beneath skin, but all of it rapidly healing with the regenerative powers of the beast. Still, it wouldn't be quick enough to stop Draconis, the dragon already moving to strike, skittering over the dirty streets in a bee-line for Cernd and Jaheira-

A blast of sunlight shone down from the heavens, causing Cernd to raise his arm for protection- a Sunray blazed from the heavens squarely down upon Draconis, burning and setting the dragon's back ablaze, but more importantly, blinding the beast once again, the dragon skidding across the ground and slithering all over the rubble of the destroyed city block, clawing at anything within reach as it attempted to regain its sight. Through the bestial, feral instincts, Cernd recognized the work of Aerie, and understood her actions, her plans… one shot after another, the elven maiden was doing her best to keep the dragon off balance, only taking shots when the beast was occupied, not letting it know her location or zero in on her- in a way, using the others as a distraction to let her distract the dragon from them in turn. No time to plan, only to react to Aerie's spellcraft, to trust she would keep the dragon from growing too focused- Cernd leapt at Draconis, landing on the burning scales on its back- Cernd flexed his rapidly regrowing arms, the bones within solidifying, finally regaining their strength- Cernd thrashed his claws down upon the damaged scales, wrenching and tearing the dragon's protection off of it, exposing the raw hide underneath with each extreme effort. Draconis howled in pain, thrashing at the sudden exposure of its back to the elements- he rolled left and right, sending Cernd flying off, bouncing off a pile of rubble before rebounding off and back towards Draconis, sinking his jaws into the exposed skin he'd ripped open. Blood gushed from the wound as Cernd continued to bite and tear- Draconis leapt backward, trying to squash Cernd against another mudbrick hut- again the wolfwere escaped, leaping off and loping along a line of ruined homes. Draconis spewed acid at the running creature, soaking the entire street in the burning liquid- Aerie tucked her hands and knees in closer, trembling as she listened to the sizzling of dissolving stone around her as the cover she was hiding behind melted under the dragon's breath. Her hiding spot wouldn't take any more abuse, and the dragon wouldn't remain oblivious to her presence too much longer. Cernd was distracting it for her, giving her time- but the jaws of a wolfwere wouldn't be enough to kill it. Minsc was down, Jaheira was down… she was the only one with enough power to kill it. Just her and the dragon- she needed time to prepare. Aerie swallowed hard, then began casting.

Cernd dove from one crouch to another, trying to stay ahead of Draconis' breath, utilizing all of his enhanced reflexes to stay alive, to keep himself on the run, still moving… and there was his chance. The dragon's breath stopped for a moment, letting him turn and charge the beast in a loping stride- he lunged ahead and impacted Draconis' chest, clawing and slashing the scales, cracking the armor of the beast with each blow, but not doing enough to break through. The back, he needed to get onto Draconis' back where he could truly hurt it- Draconis' arms raked down to grab the wolfwere, only for Cernd to release his grip, lunging out to snag the dragon's claw as it came to squash him. Cernd pulled himself up to try and use the dragon's arm to launch himself behind Draconis… too slow. Draconis' tail swept up and slammed Cernd out of the air and into the ground, the wolfwere lying in a miniature crater as Draconis reared up, slamming its massive claws onto Cernd's form again and again. The wolfwere raised one arm weakly before collapsing as the fur and claws vanished, revealing the battered form of Cernd beneath, unconscious and near death's door. Draconis roared in victory and prepared to end it all- the sound of a spell igniting tore Draconis' attention away, the dragon spinning to find the source of his constant frustration so far- the only thing he saw was the line of rubble half-melted by his acid- Draconis sniffed, then growled, gurgling acid deep in his throat as he zeroed in on the stink of elven fear.

Acid gushed over the cover Aerie had been hiding behind- the whole area was engulfed in steam and sulfur from the dragon's breath- if it had been done a minute ago, Aerie would have been left a corpse, a melting skeleton cowering behind a few scraps of brick and stone. Instead, Aerie stood tall in the ruins of the street, her skin glowing with magical protection.

Aerie's thoughts flickered briefly to Greywulf, wondering what the sorcerer would do here. Probably some clever quip, some insult or challenge- something to foster the illusion of courage, to show the bad guys he wasn't afraid, to show them he'd taken them on anytime, anywhere, and that he'd still come out on top. That was him- not her. She was scared. She knew how close death was, how it stared her in the face even now… Greywulf's face, his smile flickered before her, and she braced herself. She wished he was here to give her strength… but maybe this was how he felt before each insane plan. No more time to think about it. Only time to act.

One spell- Aerie raised a hand and shouted her incantations, igniting a Bolt of Glory in her hand that she hurled across the street, leaving a smoking hole in the dragon's scales on its chest. Draconis hurtled forward, swinging claws down to bisect the elf- the claws bounced off as Aerie's second spell ignited, a Stoneskin covering her body and protecting her from physical harm. Enough time for Aerie to hit the dragon again- she closed her eyes and hurried her incantations, speaking as fast as she dared, not wanting to miscast a single word- finished. A Blade Barrier sprang to life around her as the dragon went to send his tail to knock her from her feet- the tail hit the blade barrier and rebounded off, skin and scales cut to ribbons as soon as it touched the magical wall of razors. Draconis howled in pain as his eyes blazed in fury- Aerie shook her head, trying to fight off the sudden wave of queasiness that racked her body. Too many powerful spells, too quickly. No- not now. Cernd had fallen. Jaheira was down. Minsc… where was her friend, her protector? All of them, their lives, all on her… no! Aerie's eyes blazed open, a last surge of strength coming through her body as she prepared for the dragon's final attack. The dragon grasped a pile of rubble, throwing it down upon Aerie's form, rock and stone scattering this way and that as the blade barrier struggled to protect her; more and more she felt her barrier weaken, the dragon adapting and adjusting his attacks to match her protections- a final boulder slammed against her body, sending her tumbling and another Stoneskin dropping as the Blade Barrier fell completely.

Draconis roared and moved to strike her down with another slash of his claws- a Sol's Searing Orb materialized in Aerie's hand, her arm already in motion to hurl it. The magical stone struck Draconis' claw and pierced it completely, exiting the other side, sending the beast stumbling back in pain, shaking the ground with his bellows of agony. Here it was- all of Aerie's spells had been leading to this point, nothing more than a means to an end, the goal to force Draconis into attempting to kill her the only way he could. The next few seconds would decide it all- she had two Stoneskins left, just enough to complete the plan if Draconis was angry enough- the beast swung back down to all fours, fire in his eyes as he lunged at Aerie.

She had no time to react- he grabbed Aerie in his uninjured claw, squeezing tightly, imagining the elf's body exploding in a shower of gore from the pressure he was exerting upon her- another Stoneskin fell from her body, igniting the beast's fury even further. Fine. Protection from Acid, protection from physical harm- the dragon was done playing with this puny mortal- all the magic in the world would do naught once she was inside his gullet… with that, Draconis opened his jaws wide and tossed Aerie in whole. He felt Aerie land on his tongue, swallowing before the elf could make a mad scramble for the front of the dragon's jaws, roaring in triumph as he felt her begin to slide down his throat… strangely enough, she wasn't squirming as much as he had anticipated. In fact, the small tickle within felt less like a mad struggle for freedom, and more like… more like a spell? Some kind of spell… sliding down the caustic, bloodied throat of the dragon, drowning in saliva and acidic fluid, her last Stoneskin falling away and leaving her skin to burn, Aerie closed her eyes, making her final peace with whatever would come next. She gathered the last of her magics… then spoke a Holy Word.

The spell did its job in spectacular fashion- a bridge between Aerdrie Faenya and the prime material plane opened up around Aerie for a brief moment, pure priestly magic engulfing the elven cleric in an explosion that engulfed everything within thirty feet. Or at least, it would have if she hadn't been so constricted within the dragon's throat. Instead of the power of her god engulfing everything around her, it was all confined and funneled down into the dragon's belly and up into the dragon's mouth and skull- Draconis opened his mouth, clawing and scratching at his throat madly, trying to find some kind of release for the godly power beginning to engulf his brain, shining out of his mouth and eyes and nostrils… not nearly enough. Draconis' head, neck and upper chest exploded while Aerie's burnt, bloody form tumbled from the explosion and rolled to a halt beside a broken mud-brick hut in the dust of the Amkethran streets. Aerie managed to open one swollen eye for a brief moment, seeing her handiwork… Draconis was dead at her hands. For one such as her- a wingless Avariel, cast from her home… to slay a dragon in her final moments? This would be a fine death, as Minsc would put it. She hoped he wouldn't blame himself for her passing… he had enough guilt to bear on his broad shoulders. But in the clarity that comes with death, Aerie found all her troubles, all her worries beginning to float away… one… by… one…

Aerie's chest stopped rising and falling while her unseeing eyes drifted upward to gaze at the bright midday sky, her spirit passing into the arms of the goddess. A fine death indeed.

X

Rocks tumbled from the ceiling, and the entire ground beneath their feet shook with every step that Ogremoch, Prince of Earth, took within the cavern leading to Sendai's Enclave. His shadow loomed over Imoen, Sarevok, Haer'Dalis and Solaufein as they backed away from the monstrous spirit of the earth- a marble fist rose high in the air, slamming down amidst them, scattering two in each direction to avoid becoming paste under his grip.

Sarevok rolled to a crouch, teeth grit as his mind spun in equal parts frustration and calculation. It had taken their best attacks and reformed itself with almost no effort- there were few enemies that had stood up to the full force of a Deathbringer's fury- it was not something he was used to. Or liked having to face, for that matter. Little time was left for any further reflection- instinct and reflex spurred him on, and as the fist that had crushed the ground beside him began recoiling, he lunged for the arm, trusting the magic of the Chaos Blade to cut the marble armor Ogremoch had grown to protect itself- it did, if only just. Shearing through the hardened stone left Sarevok's arms burning with exertion, but he was rewarded with seeing the syrupy strands of mud beneath that had connected hand to arm- for all the good it did. The mud turned to hardened rock and shot from the arm socket like a dart trap embedded in a dungeon wall- Sarevok took several to the breastplate, only the might of the Red Dragon Scale saving him from instant impalement.

A sheen of magic hazed over Sarevok, deflecting the missiles that would have eventually found an unarmored spot- Imoen's work, if it was really her pulling the strings of that pink-haired form that walked among them now. Oh yes, Sarevok was well aware that there were two inhabitants of that particular body these days- the taint had grown powerful indeed in his little sister- Sarevok had mastered it, as had Greywulf. Would she be able to do the same, or was she destined to lose herself to the bloodlust like so many of their kin? Perhaps that question was better off pondered when they weren't in such imminent danger, even as Ogremoch turned its attention to the girl with the flaming eyes, her powers wild and unfettered as she lashed out with fire, melting and scorching the stone surrounding the spirit's body.

"Our efforts are for naught!" Solaufein shouted, coming to one knee with his blade at guard, glancing at the Bhaalspawn woman, trying to gather her attention. "It draws its power from the earth, we shall never be able to defeat it down here!"

"T'would be foolish not to try though, would it not?" Haer'Dalis called back, throwing himself at the recoiling elemental prince, twisting in midair to plunge both of his short swords into the chest of Ogremoch, sinking into a crack in the marble armor. He twisted them, trying to open the crack further- Once there was a tiny gap to be found, he raised a hand and thrust it toward the split, launching a burst of magic missiles into the crack, sending chunks of rock and mud exploding from the elemental form.

"Perhaps, but I would much rather fight a battle we have a chance of winning!" Solaufein growled, eyes narrowed as he watched Ogremoch's body bubble with muddy tentacles, six of them sprouting and launching towards Imoen. Her hands moved to direct the flame to the new threat; she managed to shear off two of the tentacles of earth before the others found her- one grasped her arms, tying them together and snaking over her wrists and arms, while two more slid around each of her ankles. The final one wrapped around Imoen's petite waist, finally drawing tight and sucking the girl straight towards its earthen form- Solaufein swung his blade through the mud ropes, severing the link and freeing Imoen once more. She looked at Solaufein with what may have been gratitude before moving to burn the monster again- Solaufein grabbed her wrist and pulled her to face him. "This is pointless!" he shouted. "There must be another way! We must sever its link to the earth-"

Solaufein's words were cut off by a ball of spiked earth extending from Ogremoch's head, whipping around like a flail made of dirt and thorns. The drow tried to get to his feet, woozy with the impact- Sarevok growled and moved to defend the kneeling drow, spitting down beside Solaufein's rising form. "On your feet! I will not fall to defend your hide, elf."

"I would not dream of forcing you to a death so noble." Solaufein muttered, struggling to raise his blade again as Sarevok parried another sharpened spike of earth headed for the two of them. "There… there must be a way to end this creature-"

"There is." Imoen's voice rang out clearly in the cavern- Imoen's voice, not the other one. For a brief moment, somehow, Imoen was the one fully in control… and she'd found a way to end it all. A Cone of Cold burst from her fingertips, directed not at Ogremoch, but the ground beneath their feet. A sheet of ice grew to encase the entire ground, spreading out to finally encase the entire cavern floor- Imoen began working on the walls as well… it didn't take long for Ogremoch to realize just what Imoen had planned, but the efforts of Haer'Dalis, Solaufein and Sarevok were more than enough to deflect any efforts to disrupt her. Ice continued to grow, encasing the entire cavern in its crystal grasp; Ogremoch lunged at Imoen in desperation, trying to push through the warriors and the bard- all three of them lunged back in return, blades and magic cutting the creature open from hip to shoulder. Without the power of the earth to call upon, cut off from the touch of the land… Ogremoch screamed and collapsed, elemental essence leaving the crumbling remains of a stone and dirt body and dissipating into the ether, returning to the Elemental planes.

Haer'Dalis exhaled in relief and sheathed Chaos and Entropy with a flourish, watching the lifeless dirt crumble atop the ice. "Well… another impossible foe falls to our might. The story will hardly be believable when I regale my audiences with the truth."

"If Sendai truly waits below, then she will know soon enough that her elemental prince has fallen." Sarevok grimaced. "We should keep moving. Momentum is on our side, no sense in squandering it."

The eyes of the drow narrowed… always looking for the next fight, no regard for the safety or care of the others. He turned to regard Imoen, but she was already moving, determination in her haggard features. "Sarevok's right." Imoen said, her voice shaky perhaps, but undoubtedly her. "We can't wait, or give them to regroup. We keep moving… and we don't stop until Sendai is dead."

Haer'Dalis grinned while Sarevok nodded in approval- Solaufein could only bow his head and murmur in a tone he was sure she would hear, if only just. "I am at your side, as always."

"I know…" Imoen murmured in reply as the four of them descended further and further into darkness.

X

Sendai's eyes flashed open, a small weight leaving her mind, a weight that had been there ever since the day she'd enslaved Ogremoch as her own personal servant. It meant but one thing… the Bhaalspawn drew ever nearer. The forces she'd sent above had failed. Her Elemental Prince was dead. The intruders were stronger than she had ever imagined… no! Sendai slammed a fist onto the war room central table, glaring up at her only remaining general.

"The rogue Bhaalspawn draws ever closer! Mithykyl, my ally...you must stop the fool before this goes further!"

Where once her words would have drawn immediate obedience- the telepathic reply sent by the Ulitharid creature was somehow less… sincere, than it might have been once upon a time. Was Mithykyl beginning to doubt her words? Beginning to doubt her power? No! If her mind flayers abandoned her, there would be nothing left between her and the invaders…

A few tentacles flicked her way, igniting the drow priestess' rage. "Do not wave your tentacles at me, Mithykyl! I have no other choice...my minions are slaughtered, even Ogremoch has been destroyed. If you wish to feast on the brains of those that Bhaal enslaves, you will unleash your illithid on the Bhaal-child that invades the enclave. You must not allow this interloper to reach my inner sanctum!"

Mithykyl wavered a moment longer before sliding out of the room, leaving Sendai to her own private thoughts and fears. It was becoming far too apparent that the wards of Gorion were far more powerful than any of them had assumed- Melissan included. She'd gone to great pains to assure them that their combined forces would be enough to dominate the Realms, and individually each of them could quell any rogue Bhaalspawn. So far, her prediction had been correct, but now… Sendai turned and strode back to her own private chambers, slamming the door behind her as she prepared to done her armor and weaponry. The battle would reach her, that much she was certain. When it did… for the first time in many years, Sendai felt fear.

X

"You picked one hell of a time to come down with a demon malady, you know that?" Anomen remarked, holding a moistened cloth over the top of Greywulf's forehead as the two of them remained in the back end of a cavernous plane, covered in the darkness of an ether plane yet still retaining the characteristics of one of a dozen caves they'd found themselves in throughout the years of adventuring.

"Hnh…" Greywulf murmured, his face pale and covered in beads of sweat as he lay still- conscious, if only just so. "Didn't mean to inconvenience everyone…"

Anomen smiled in spite of himself and the situation- after arriving in this rocky plane, the tiefling who had brought them there offered to bring the group to his master, so to speak. He had offered a way out, as well as a cure of sorts for Greywulf's ailment- apparently an affliction mortals suffered when exposed to demon blood or demon essence in high quantities. Having said that, the entire group had seen and felt the effects of battling through the demon brood war upon first arrival to this level of the Keep- the tiefling theorized there was something about Greywulf that was reacting differently to the demonic auras. Not that anyone had been willing to say just what that difference was to the tiefling.

"Just hold on… with any luck, Reynald and Nalia will return soon with help for you and a way out of this place as well. We are almost finished with this place… be strong, my friend. This Keep shall not conquer us." Anomen reassured him, putting the cloth away and feeling the half-elf's forehead again- still burning up, like a fire was alight inside the sorcerer's skull. He had sent Reynald and Nalia in hopes that his clerical magic might help stave off this sickness if it progressed much further- not that it had been much use before, but the hope was still there.

"Watcher's Keep… this damned place." Greywulf whispered, his eyes glazed over, the tone of delirium settling into his voice. "A crystal… crystal palace full of corpses. A king's court full of death. Nothing here but monsters and blood- Imoen. Jaheira. Failed them all…"

"Quiet your mind, Greywulf." Anomen laid both his hands on the half-elf, whispering quiet incantations as he attempted his healing magics again… no discernible difference. He whispered a prayer to Helm, hoping his companion could hold out long enough-

"No… no time for quiet. Or regret… this place is… this place was a mistake." Greywulf abruptly pushed himself up on arm, his wild-eyed gaze fixing on Anomen. "Went with you to… to… help. Not just that. Never just that- more to it. Always more to it. Bhaalspawn, the Five… didn't want it. Wanted a way out."

"Greywulf, you must settle yourself-" Anomen tried to gently press the half-elf back down, but the sorcerer pushed Anomen's arm away, a sudden intensity to his green eyes. "You must calm yourself, your fever is worsening…"

"Thought if I went with you… maybe could put off this destiny… stop the wheels of fate." Greywulf whispered, sweat rolling from his features, his skin turning paler by the second. "Jaheira… Imoen… they deserved better from me. I was afraid… so afraid that I ran here. Ran into an uncertain hell to avoid facing the one lying at the end of the war. The Bhaalspawn will never find peace…"

Anomen pushed Greywulf down again, quickly returning to another healing spell, trying desperately to cool the sorcerer's features- "Your body is overheating, Greywulf… you *must* calm down. Concentrate on my voice… this guilt you have over joining me here- all is forgiven, my friend. The others will understand... they must."

Greywulf shuddered, slowly releasing the tension in his form, growing limp on the ground again, his robes soaked in sweat. "Jaheira… my balance- beautiful perfection… I abandoned you all. I'm sorry…"

Anomen exhaled quietly, watching Greywulf finally slip into unconsciousness. It looked as if the man's fever had topped- there was little more he could do but hope Greywulf would remain sleeping and overcome the plague within his body. He braced himself and climbed to his feet, moving to stand with his hands on his hips, gazing out toward the path Reynald and Nalia had traveled with the strange tiefling. Sending those two hadn't been an easy decision, but taking Greywulf with them would have left them far too vulnerable- oh yes, he didn't need the tiefling's warning to recognize the sound of harpy screeches in the distance.

Whatever portion of the Keep they found themselves in, the landscapes were wildly different, each portion like a new realm and occupied thusly. According to their erstwhile guide, Greywulf's malady would pass in time- though the tiefling's advice was meant for a mortal, not a Bhaalspawn. Would the sickness pass slower, quicker, more painfully through the blood of a god-child? They weren't sure yet. It had obviously affected him quicker than the others- though the tiefling assured them that if they'd stayed in the demon war zone for much longer, the others would have been feeling the same effects as well.

Anomen heard another harpy screech, this one far closer than he had expected. Anomen raised his icy mace and hefted his shield, watching and waiting for an imminent attack. His eyes flitted back and forth, guard up and at full attention- nothing. The echoes began to fade into the distance- Anomen relaxed, lowering his arms. For all of Greywulf's ramblings, he had voiced a concern that the squire was certain all four of their party had felt at some time or another- whether this trek to the Keep was worth it in the end. Why had all of them gone, after all? This was a quest he was set upon by the Order, and so his motivations were simple, clear. Even so, was it about doing the right thing, stopping whatever evil lurked below? Or was it about redeeming himself and his own reputation? Perhaps a combination of both, truth be told. But what of the others?

Reynald… another story of redemption, perhaps. Attempting to reclaim a sense of purpose, of glory in a fallen past. Maybe the easiest motives to understand, but complicated by Nalia's introduction to the fray- his dedication to serving as her protection did little to hide how smitten he remained for the noblewoman. A classic boyhood tale if it turned out as well as most fairy tales tended to- a warning to up and coming squires and knights should things go poorly for the fallen paladin.

Nalia- perhaps the most inscrutable of the group, though she was not quite so secretive or clever as she believed. Anomen was no fool- even if some of the knights at the Order Hall would say otherwise. Nalia's purpose here was most certainly self-serving, though it was arguable that her end goals were worth fighting for. Still, those who sought power rarely found it in the manner of which they desired- in the end, Nalia's loyalty was not in question, nor her ability to help their cause. But when all was said and done, her true goals were not the same as his, or perhaps any of them. It would not be wise to disregard that fact.

The sound of Greywulf's labored breathing snagged Anomen's attention again- he glanced back at the half-elf, shaking his head quietly. Of all of them, he had held Greywulf's motives as the easiest to discern, though the truth was rarely so simple. A service for a service- his aid against the forces of Watcher's Keep in return for Anomen's service against the Bhaalspawn threat. And yet… his words betrayed an underlying motive, a way out for the Bhaalspawn, to put off his destiny, so to speak. It was true- the threat of the god-children dwarfed this single quest that Anomen was tasked with, and when hearing of Greywulf's own journey, he had not expected the man to aid him. It would seem the Bhaalspawn was just as prone to bouts of fear and weakness as Anomen. Granted, most people's moments of self-doubt and fear didn't lead them into a legendary dungeon constructed by Helm himself…

A blaze of light erupted around the squire as he immediately went to guard, wary of the emergence of a portal around him- Reynald and Nalia emerged, flanked by a very large, very unfriendly looking cambion- Anomen rushed to the half-demon, mace raised high-

"Stop!" Nalia demanded, raising a hand and placing herself between the cambion and Anomen. "This is Aesgareth- he is the master of the tiefling who brought us here. He and his troop and have been stuck in the Watcher's Keep for some time- they seek a way out as much as we do."

"Indeed." Aesgareth said with wide, pointed teeth. He was a tall creature, bipedal and adorned with a long fur robe with heavy plate armor beneath. A long mane of black hair flowed from his head, and his features, while angular and dark-skinned, were not enough to give away his demonic descent so quickly- it was the glowing, red cat's eyes that let the secret slip. That and the strength that allowed him to wield a massive two-handed runed blade in one hand like it was a child's toy. "So… this is the mortal who has succumbed to the demon plague? Mmm… he smells… *sniff*… different than the rest of you. No wonder his blood has reacted to this place."

"Tis true, Greywulf is no… mere mortal, shall we say." Nalia spoke- apparently she'd conversed at length with this beast- Anomen lowered his guard, if only just slightly. "Can you help him?"

"Aye, though it will take time for the illness within his body to run its course." Aesgareth rubbed his chin, baring some particularly long canine teeth. He rustled in a side rucksack that lay on his hip, pulling a vial of murky liquid out and offering it to the group. "This particular concoction does wonders for those with half-demonic blood, clearing the taints and reactions we endure when interacting for too long with our more feral kin. T'would probably kill a mortal… but your friend there? He might survive. Might."

Reynald inhaled sharply, watching Nalia take the vial from Aesgareth, hesitating only a moment before uncorking it and leaning down to Greywulf's mouth, pouring the contents in. "Nalia!" Anomen began to protest, but the deed was done- Greywulf exploded in a cough with the sudden ingestion, eyes bulging as the magical potion did its work. He turned on his side, retching once- his body collapsed into a fetal position again and went limp, but his chest continued to rise and fall with a stronger rhythm than before.

"There, you see? He shall survive. Probably." The cambion smiled, bowing gently to the group. "It will take a while longer, but he shall regain his strength. Now to business, yes?"

Nalia turned to face Aesgareth, but she did not miss the glare Anomen shot her- We will discuss this later, my lady. Be assured of that. "Of course- you spoke of the method of traveling around this place- the way in which your tiefling brought us here?"

"Yes, yes… this place was designed to be quite the maze… and quite deadly to anyone who found themselves within, too." Aesgareth mused, resting his chin on a clenched fist, elbow tucked in to his chest. "And as my little servant told you, this place has an aura that draws extra-planar creatures to it as well, pulling them from the ether and into this place, only to find that they, quite frankly, can never leave."

"And… the dragon?" Reynald queried.

"Hmm? Oh yes. That beast." Aesgareth laughed, though it was not exactly a pleasant one. "My little troop of travelers had quite the run in with the dragon… hmm… fifty years ago? Or was it longer? Time passes so strangely here for you Primes. I can only surmise that the Keep draws creatures from all realms- we fought with the beast long enough in that void until we found the exit, that archway you passed through."

"And how did your servant find us?" Anomen asked- despite the cambion's non-hostile demeanor, a half demon was still just that… half-demon. There would be no trust between the two parties, at least, not completely.

"Would you believe quite by accident?" Aesgareth arched a bushy eyebrow, his red eyes glinting with amusement at Anomen's obvious mistrust. "After so many *boring* years trapped in this place, I have taken to sending different members of my troupe with the skill and dexterity to remain safe out amidst the numerous planes of this dungeon. All in search for ones such as… well, such as you. Primes, with the blood we need to finally leave this place- but I get ahead of myself, do I not?"

Aesgareth reached into his robes and withdrew a large brass wand, embedded with three sparkling crystals, vertically placed upon the side of the wand. He examined it for a moment, shook it once or twice, then pointed it at the cavern wall. It sparked, and a slight hum could be heard as it vibrated in the cambion's hand- but nothing happened. He glanced at the others- "You see? For all the time we have spent here in this place, my companions and I have sought the answers to leaving, and finally discovered the secret. A wand, assembled from pieces scattered throughout each different realm of reality within this level of Watcher's Keep. The wand's handle was mounted atop the obelisk where you found the demons at war with each other- one of these crystals lay at the bottom of a whirlpool guarded by a fiend Kraken- another was scattered in the void, long ago gathered by that pesky dragon and added to his hoard. Lost two good men trying to steal this little gem away." Aesgareth mused, rubbing one of the crystals.

"To make a long story short, we did the hard part. We found all the pieces to the puzzle, put them together and were well on our way to leaving this place for good, when we found that- perhaps due to the designer of this place utilizing demons as guardians to whatever thrice-damned creature lurks below- we could not activate the portal. Like every other creature and beast here, we remain stuck, trapped forever. However, we are not full blooded demons- the magic that keeps the demonic souls trapped here and even restores their flesh once it has been destroyed would not do the same for us. We, I think would be most interminably dead once killed. In fact, I know this to be true, since Garm and Riortlath did not return from their meeting with the dragon's belly."

"And you think that because we are… primes, as you put it, the magic will work for us?" Anomen frowned, taking a moment to check on Greywulf as he listened to Aesgareth's story. "This seems uncertain… but as I'm sure my companions will tell me in a moment, what choice do we have?"

"None, at that." Aesgareth grinned. "You see, I've been here far too long, seeking one such as you to test my theories. "Now that I've found you… well, should you decide this risk is too much for you to bear, I would simply kill all but one of you and force the last to test the wand. Were that to fail, I would try using a severed hand to do so- you get the picture."

Aesgareth leaned close to them, bending down from his massive height with a growl. "Do not mistake my presence here as altruism. I am *SICK* of this place. Use the wand and open a portal- I care not how you do it, or what danger it presents to you and the other primes here."

"We intend to descend to the next stage of this Keep- are you certain that is where you wish to go?" Reynald questioned- but a vicious look from the cambion shut him up. "Or perhaps, as you say, it matters little where and how the wand takes us."

Aesgareth presented the wand- Nalia took it gently, inhaling sharply as she felt the powerful magics thrum within her hand, reacting to her mortal blood. A simple point of the instrument, a channeling of the will- a gateway opened before them, a swirling vortex ripping through time and space and leading to what looked like an inky void, flickering back and forth between images- as Aesgareth drew close to the portal, it cleared up, becoming an extraplanar cityscape… "Ah, Sigil!" Aesgareth sighed, looking through the portal with delight. "So the wand can lead to other places… though perhaps it is reacting to my presence? Would it allow you primes traversal anywhere other than the next stage of this dungeon? Bah! I care little for speculation at this point. The great city of the outer planes awaits- from the depths of my heart do I thank you for this chance. May your path lead to better fortune than that which you found in this place."

As Aesgareth began to step through, Reynald called out, "Wait! What of your companions? You said we would return to them after we were certain the magic would work and they would accompany you, did you not?"

Aesgareth laughed, shaking his head. "After spending the last several hundred years listening to the same tieflings and half-breeds whine and complain and moan over our situation… I am ready to start anew. I will find others to journey with, I think. Farewell!"

With a flash, the cambion vanished, the portal disappearing with him. Nalia blinked, looking down at the tool in her hand- this was a magical item like no other- a conduit to the very fabric of the universe, allowing for instanteous travel wherever she could envision- or did the power only work here within Watcher's Keep? The possibilities made her mind reel- no time to think it over, examine or study it- at least for now. Her goal was so near- if all her studies were to be believed- and if the cambion's words were true, spoken to her privately when she had made her bargain with the half-demon- then the goal was nearly within her grasp. Down below, in the next level of Watcher's Keep sat the Machine she'd long sought, a machine with the power to change reality, to bend the rules of the universe to suit her will- a machine to make the De'Arnise lands, the people safe forever. The power of a goddess at her fingertips… power to make the world into the better place she'd always wanted.

"Well… he was kind of a bastard, wasn't he." Greywulf's words, weakened but growing more and more clear with every passing second pulled all of their attention to him. He was raised on one elbow, eyes bloodshot and face pale… but alive.

"We thought we'd lost you for a moment there." Anomen smiled, kneeling beside Greywulf and offering him a shoulder to lean on as he attempted to rise. "I am glad to see you remain with us. Nor did I treasure the thought of having to report your demise to your other traveling companions."

Greywulf laughed, then grimaced, holding his side. "Eh… ah… not quite ready for jokes yet, I think. Still, if I'm good enough to stand… with some help… then I'm good enough to move. I've had enough of this place to last a lifetime."

Nalia smiled, pointing the wand again as Reynald and Anomen allowed the sorcerer to lean on them both- another portal opened before them, crackling with yellow lightning and energy as a massive hall and a grand contraption were made visible in the gateway before them. Nalia's breath caught as she finally took sight of her goal. The Machine of Lum the Mad was here. And by the gods, its power would be hers.

X

Balthazar grimaced as the last of the smuggler's goods were cleared from the mountain grotto, the prospective battlefield cleared and readied for the fight with the draconic invaders. The sound of another home exploding under the firepower of the dragons outside did nothing to calm the storm roiling within the monk's frame. So this was how it happened- for all the good intentions, for all the time he'd spent trying to deny the heritage of his blood, the city he'd made into a fortress, the people he'd attempted to protect from harm- all of it would burn. The rivers ran red with the blood of the innocent… and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. With Saradush he had been able to convince himself that it was a necessity- that most of the inhabitants had been Bhaalspawn like him, whose lives needed to be purged for the greater good.

Here- the people of Amkethran were simple folks. Simple peasants, men and women who had entrusted him to their safety. There was no other way to put in- he had failed. For all his efforts, even if he were to kill Abazigal and the dragons that laid siege to his city- he had failed. Even now the city burned… he felt his blood rise with rage again- no. That was not the way of his order- he calmed himself, fought to push the anger and murderous ferocity back down again. Not that his newfound 'ally' Saemon Havarian was making it any easier. The man was a thief, a murderer, a con… he deserved to die more than most, but if he could truly deliver an advantage to him against the wards of Gorion… then he could yet serve a purpose. For a time.

The rogue had been 'interviewed' by his monks on everything he knew concerning Gorion's wards and their whereabouts- it sounded as though he knew of the Bhaalspawn's companions, if nothing else- and that they were in the city now, aiding the defense against Abazigal. Melissan had said she was sending them his way- but neither Greywulf nor Imoen had been among them. This made things… interesting. Once finished, Havarian had led a dozen of his men on a foray into the city to find those who had been a part of Greywulf's companions- their task was to bring them back here, willingly if possible, by force if necessary. He had been prepared for their arrival in numerous ways- a neutral source of information, should he be able to conceal his true heritage from them, or a web to ensnare and end their threat should they deduce his own nature. But to have this new opportunity, to welcome them as aid against the forces of Abazigal- it was far too good an opportunity to pass up. Still, far before he could imagine making any of them his tools against the dragons outside the mountainside, he would need to find them. The city's defenses were all but shattered by now, of that he was certain... to find those four men and women within the ruins of Amkethran would be no easy task-

"Master!"

A shout from one of his monks got his attention- the young warrior came to him, bowing low with one fist planted against his other flattened palm. Following behind under armed guard was a drow elf, her white hair spilling from beneath her hood as she eyed her captors- if they were indeed that- with equal parts respect and annoyance. "We found this elf wandering the streets, seeking refuge from the dragon's wrath. She says she serves Sendai and was sent here as a spy-"

"I can speak for myself, jaluk." Viconia thrust her arm from the clutches of the monk, spurring a guarded response from those escorting her. A quick jab from one of the monk's to her kidneys sent her doubling over in pain before Balthazar waved them off, folding his arms as he stared the newly enraged drow down, his eyes narrow and calculating.

"You arrive at our doorstep just as we find ourselves under siege by the dragons of Abazigal. Tell me, did you come to pick our carcass clean once the dragon is through with us or to decide which of your former allies would be best to stab when the battle is over and done with?"

Viconia coughed, trying to regain her balance and wind- "My mistress sends her greetings, Balthazar… she heard of your plight against the dragons, and sent me to bring her news of the outcome." An easy enough lie- from everything she knew about the players in this particular war, it would be believable. "I would not have come here if she-"

"Enough." Balthazar raised a hand, cutting Viconia off, turning from her completely as he watched the rest of his men continue their preparations- another set of snared placed around the outskirts of the cavern openings… good. And the ballistae… smaller versions, but easily assembled here within the cavern. This… spy, or whatever she was, had little bearing on their current situation. Were he still within his meditation chambers in the main citadel of Amkethran he could have opened the ritual portal to Sendai and questioned the woman herself… it had probably been reduced to rubble at this point- along with most of the good men and women inside. The monks he'd trained at this monastery… not Bhaalspawn, not damned Children like himself… just people who wanted to follow a better path. That path- his path- had led them to a terrible place, in the end.

No… not the time for this rage, this anger. He needed self-control- a moment's worth of meditation was enough. He turned to glare at Viconia again before considering what to do with this woman. "If you are who you claim to be… and do not think that I will take anything you say at face value- then perhaps there is a place for you here after all. My forces are gathered here to make a final stand against Abazigal when he tries to claim me for his last kill. You, however, will face off against the dragon before he comes to me."

"What?!" Viconia's face was a mixture of shock and uncertainty- Balthazar gave her a withering stare, cold eyes fixing on hers without remorse. "I did not come here to fight, I came-"

"Your original purpose matters little to me now, only what you can do to help my cause. Sendai does not send weaklings to do her bidding- I assume you have some skill in combat, judging by your armaments. If Abazigal is not expecting to find drow opposition here, he may yet reconsider his siege- or perhaps, it will spur him in desperation to attack all the more quickly, in hopes of avoiding a retaliatory strike from your mistress. Or perhaps you have been lying to me this whole time and the dragon will eat you whole. I care little, so long as the greater good is served. Prepare yourself, woman. My monks will ensure your cooperation in this matter-"

"Oy, good news there my friend!" Saemon's insufferably cheery tones burst into earshot- and to his credit, Balthazar managed to suppress the urge to put a fist through the smuggler's head. He preferred Saemon when he was fearing for his life- giving him some hope of survival, however slim, had brought back the attitude of reckless merriment he found so… annoying. This- none of this- was a matter to be taken lightly. His people, the ones he'd spent his life trying to protect- they were dying out there. Being slaughtered like cattle. He was in no mood to be called to from across the room like an obnoxious town crier. His patience was growing thinner every second.

"Saemon, I hope for your sake that you have made decent use of these past few hours I've spared your life…"

The captain turned smuggler exuded an offended air for a moment, before bowing once and gesturing with a grin behind him. "I reckon you'll take quite the liking to these folks. Used to know 'em back in the day, though they might not like me as well as you'd think. A bit of a misunderstanding, I'm afraid. Found them rotting beside the corpse of that bastard child of Abazigal- looks like they put up quite the fight before takin' a fall. One less dragon for us to worry about, seems like. Good thing I found them when I did. Another couple hours they might all've been dead."

Being dragged by the arms and dropped in an unglorious thud were three- Cernd, Minsc, and Jaheira. All three were in bad shape- in Minsc and Cernd's case, it looked as if they were half-dead... the hot desert sun and the injuries sustained at Draconis' hands had taken their toll. Balthazar studied them for a moment, then looked back at Saemon. "You spoke of four companions, I see but three before me. Where is the fourth?"

Saemon rubbed the back of his neck, wincing gently. For all the times he'd betrayed these particular folks… even as he was doing right now… it wasn't personal. Never had been. Seeing the elven lass like that- damn shame, really. "Eh… we found her body…but she didn't… ah… wasn't any point in bringing her back, if you catch my meaning."

"No…!" Minsc was rising from the sands, monks immediately moving to grab his arms and restrain him- his bloodshot eyes were fixed solely on Saemon, equal parts rage and despair in his gaze. "Tell me where she is! Aerie! WHERE IS SHE?!"

Saemon bowed his head a moment, unwilling to meet the eyes of the ranger. "I'm…ah… afraid she didn't make it, mate. By the time we found you and your own, there was nothing to be done-"

A low rumble turned into a choked howl, finally becoming an inhuman shriek of pain, coming from the depths of Minsc's being. Muscles and veins bulged from his neck and arms as he charged straight for Saemon. There were no words coming from the ranger, no threats, no battle cries- only the anguished screams and strangled cries of a man pushed over the edge. Dynaheir had been taken from him by Irenicus. Now Aerie had been taken by these monsters- twice he was made a failure. Twice his charge had been killed while he was unable to help. Somewhere, something inside the ranger's mind snapped. No more holding back. No more civility, no more denying the madness lurking inside. The ranger was gone. The berserker was in control now.

For every monk that tried to hold Minsc back, he continued to push forward, throwing them off like ragdolls. There was no denying the bloodlust, the berserker rage that had taken the Rashemani. Saemon started to backpedal, realizing the mortal danger he was in- he scrambled to take cover behind the crowd of Balthazar, Viconia and the monks guarding her. Viconia watched in equal parts curiosity and horror- the ranger was a terrible sight to behold when his wrath was unleashed. But without the broken bird to calm him down, could the beast be caged again…?

It mattered little who was in front of Saemon, or where he took cover- Minsc was determined to push through whatever got in his way; despite the oncoming threat, Balthazar remained stoic, watching the events unfold. Just as Minsc broke free and attempted to barrel through them all to reach Saemon, the Bhaalspawn monk stepped in to deliver a blow to the back of the ranger's neck. Balthazar's hand was like a knife of steel, his speed inhuman- one blow was enough. Minsc slumped back down to the rocky ground, eyes rolling back in his head as the rage fled his features.

Balthazar clenched his fist, looking down at the group in frustration, then back at Saemon. So much rage in this one- if the others were in any way similar, there would be no cordial alliance, no combining of forces. So much for allying himself with these- just another waste of time and energy while the people of Amkethran- of Faerun itself- suffered these horrors. Enough. He gestured at Saemon, then Viconia. "Guards! Put those two with these others! No more distractions- the five of them will face Abazigal's forces alone- if they survive, then they gain their freedom. If not, we will lure the weakened dragons into our trap."

"What?!" Saemon shouted, his features growing pale with shock. "I must protest, sir- this was never part of our arrangement-"

Balthazar spun on his heel and towered over the rogue, his eyes narrowed in malice. All of the bloodshed, the treachery, the corruption of his blood and the consequences it brought to the rest of the Realms… enough. Time to end it all. "I grow tired of hearing your voice, Saemon Havarian. Speak again and you shall lose your tongue. I have made my decision. You wish to survive, smuggler? And you drow, do you wish to return to your mistress? You will have your chance. Kill Abazigal and freedom is yours. One way or another, this war *will* come to an end."