Chapter 114
All around Leah and her besieged companions, chaos reigned in the shape of assorted demons and devils, mindlessly tearing through everything in sight. With Minsc and Jaheira at the front, Leah's little group charged into the chaotic battlefield, hoping to relieve the army before it was completely overrun, but at first it seemed like their efforts would have no meaningful impact on the outcome of the battle. The blob-like lemures and the mindless nupperibos died by the dozens from Minsc's wildly swinging sword, and as the broad-shouldered Rashemi ranger clashed with a dread inflicting balor wielding a fiery whip, his heroic efforts had at best saved a couple of Shadow Thieves from being brutally savaged, but it was still far from turning the tide of the battle.
Jaheira followed Minsc, but not to mindlessly charge after him from one defeated enemy to the next. Instead, the druidess wisely made sure to cover their flanks and provide protection for the spellcasters, ensuring that their mages and priests were always safeguarded from a flanking attack. As a result, the kill-tally of the druidess lagged severely behind that of Minsc, but her actions allowed the spellcasters to move more safely through the busy battlefield. Leah and Viconia had arranged for their own personal protection in the shape of several summoned skeleton warriors, large and towering, capable of beheading the weakest of demons and devils with single swings of their massive two-handed swords, but not posing much of a problem for terrors like pit fiends or mariliths. There was not much time for the two priestesses to chime in with their offensive magic, as all of their efforts had to be devoted to either providing the rest of the group with blessings or mending the injuries of either their own comrades or the besieged soldiers of their army they managed to reach in time.
Their mages and sole sorceress were also chanting constantly, although often with different focus. Sendai's arcane arsenal made her largely an offensive juggernaut, and so she focused on destroying as many enemies as she could, not holding anything back. Seeing this, Edwin, obviously felt challenged, taking upon himself to one-up the young drow, even if the wisest course of action might have been to utilize his more diverse skill set, the Red Wizard instead forced himself to unleash more and more destructive magic upon the battlefield, trying to outdo Sendai. Fortunately, Aerie and Jan were not feeling as competitive, and did not feel forced to kill as many enemies at the risk of endangering the group. Jan's street magic was mostly used in order to soften up the more powerful enemies either for the weapons of Minsc and Jaheira, or the magical attacks of Edwin and Sendai. Aerie mostly did the same, but with greater efficiency, her divine blessings allowing her to aid the group in many different ways, and the no longer fear-stricken frail waif now regarded the wild and brutal battlefield around her with calm, unshakable confidence, making one rationally judged and beneficial decision after another.
As Leah and her companions slowly carved their path through the vicious battle, the group surrounding her continuously grew, the relieved soldiers of all factions rallying around them, forming a core of resistance around her. Still, the slowness of their advance quickly made it clear to Leah that they would never be able to make significant enough progress before the army as a whole was decimated. A new plan was needed, and a decision had to be taken quickly.
"Left! Go left!" Leah shouted to the others, hoping in particular that Minsc would hear and obey her. "We have to reach Phaere!" she exclaimed in addition. The tall drow warlord and the leader of her armies was impossible to miss even in the chaos that reigned all around them, currently engaged with a massive glabrezu, flailing at her with both its pair of humanoid arms as well as the larger crab-like shaped pincers, trying to snap the drow's head off clean from her shoulders. From where Leah could observe the battlefield, it seemed as if a small group of survivors had similarly rallied around Phaere, and it was the young Sharran's hope that if the two groups could somehow unite, they might stand a fighting chance.
The only factor favoring Leah's plan was that both the demons and the devils were utterly unconcerned by their actions, they simply fought as they had fought the Blood War for as long as anyone could remember, mindlessly trying to rip apart anyone within their arm's reach, not caring about friends or foes. Thus, even if their progress was slow, their shouts and screams eventually managed to attract Phaere's attention, and having dispatched the glabrezu following a long and brutal struggle, the drow now ordered her troops to start pushing towards Leah's group. Their fearsome foes now caught between two advancing lines were overpowered more swiftly and soon enough, the groups met and melded into one much more organized mass, consisting largely of Phaere's drow and some Shadow Thief and Flaming Fist leftovers, the thieves and the mercenaries overall suffering terrible losses, many of them losing their morale, panicking and trying to escape, even though there was nowhere to flee to, simply becoming easy pickings for the marauding enemies.
"We need to fall back!" Leah shouted, trying to raise her voice above the roars and screams of the battlefield.
"We can't!" Phaere shouted back, shaking her head, white strands of hair almost completely drenched in demon blood. "The sphere is too far away and we would have to fight through them all to reach it! We won't make it!"
"Not fall back to the sphere!" Leah shook her head. "Fall back to the tower!" she exclaimed, pointing at the massive structure behind them. Phaere's eyes widened momentarily, but then she flashed a bloody grin before nodding confidently, instantly recognizing the merit of Leah's suggestion. The tower was the only place where a strategically important bottleneck could be created, and they needed to seize this opportunity while they still could.
"Fall back! Everyone, fall back to the tower!" Phaere immediately began to shout at everyone around them, everyone who could still respond. "Keep the line steady! Don't run! Don't turn your back on them! Stay in control!" the drow bellowed when she saw some of the Shadow Thieves starting to retreat a little too hastily, literally losing their heads as a result.
With their enemies having no guidance or leadership at all, just a dreadful disorganized mess of deadly foes, Leah's forces was able to execute their strategy while incurring only minimal losses, the whittled down army core finally reaching the base of the tower, where they were suddenly met with another retreating group, looking none worse for wear, the Twisted Rune vampires led by the ever unflappable and supremely confident Shyressa. "I like this new plan of yours much better, Leah," Shyressa told the young priestess with a highly inappropriate wink. "I think we'll just stick with you from now on."
"I appreciate that," Leah replied, not feeling very confident that the vampires simply would not disappear again at the first sign of trouble, but for now she was thankful to see their numbers swell to a more respectable size. "Phaere, organize the ranks, please," she ordered the drow commander. "This is where we'll make our stand. Also... has anyone seen Melissan?" she added worriedly.
"Well, she's not inside the tower anymore if you wanted to know, Your Worship," Jan Jansen replied quickly, having scouted Bhaal's former seat of power under the cloak of invisibility.
"I'm sure she'll reveal her duplicitous mug again sooner or later," Leah muttered, not feeling reassured by Melissan's sudden disappearance from the battlefield. Still, the masses of battling demons and devils facing them was the more immediate concern, and Leah quickly refocused herself on that, watching how Phaere quickly and efficiently went about organizing the last line of their defense. The Flaming Fist and the Shadow Thieves had been decimated so badly that they could not be expected to adequately hold flanks on their own, not against such powerful foes. The entire front line now consisted of Phaere's drow veterans, aided by Shyressa and the vampires, Minsc and Jaheira also recruited to shore up the first line of defense. The remaining mercenaries and thieves were used to shore up the flanks and assigned as reserves to protect the spellcasters at the back, in case some unexpected ambush from behind was executed.
With the army at the ready, all that was left was to wait until their foes took notice of them, but they seemed in no hurry to finish the last of Leah's forces by some wonder still surviving on the battlefield, and then the demons and devils began to engage each other, seemingly forgetting all about the regrouped army waiting for them at the base of the tower. It was only a while later when some of the roaming yugoloth took notice and began to lumber towards them, followed by a frightening marilith, standing at least ten feet tall as it slithered towards them on her snake shaped lower body, the six arms of her female shaped torso all wielding sharp and deadly swords, ready to sow bloody murder.
The yugoloth, disgusting looking cross between an insect and a lobster, crashed into their ranks first, but the line held firm. With discipline and morale restored, Phaere had the soldiers fighting with the skill, loyalty and efficiency they were known for. The yugoloth were repelled in short order, and by the time the marilith arrived, the army was well prepared to receive the assault. The front line fell back slightly, inviting the marilith to charge in before closing around the rampaging demon, encircling it fully. Magic crackled in the air, softening the demon's skin to incoming blows, lowering its resistance to arcane spells, and eventually the snake-like marilith fell to their combined efforts. A vampire and a couple of drow soldiers had been badly hurt by the demonic snake's swords, but the vampire regenerated quickly on her own, while Aerie and Leah acted swiftly to mend the drow's wounds and quickly restore them back to fighting shape. Several more disparate groups of demons and devils attempted a similar chaotic attack on their ranks, but the outcome was the same. As long as their lines remained organized, the enemy failed to dislodge them, especially when it did not attack as a unified force.
Leah was starting to feel a little more hopeful about their chances, when suddenly a sneering, cutting laughter seemed to echo from all around them. "You think you have succeeded?" Melissan's voice appeared to be coming from everywhere at once. "My power is unmatched in this place, but you will learn it too little too late. Witness it and weep!" At that, more and more portals opened across the barren basalt plains of the Throne of Blood, and an increased number of fiends began to pour through, many of them from the closest portals immediately turning their attention towards Leah and the reminder of her army, starting to advance.
"How is she doing that?" Leah cursed, watching the advancing mass of foes with growing concern, closing her eyes and raising her hands to shield her face as a wily pit fiend unleashed a powerful fireball at their lines, softening up the ranks. The pit fiend's large flapping wings were surrounding by wreaths of fire, and acid dripped from its sharp fangs as it let out an inhuman bellow, the army of fiends responding and lurching towards Leah's army with increased pace. "She must be manipulating the essence somehow!" Leah exclaimed, desperately trying to think of some clever idea, or risk being annihilated by sheer brute force.
"She is using the essence," Sendai remarked nearby. "Take a look at the skies above, Leah. Notice anything?" Leah cast her eyes skyward, immediately noticing what Sendai had meant. The green glow swirling above was noticeably lighter, and the discharges of fierce lightning considerably less frequent.
"How do we stop her from using it?" Leah wondered, as the first of the incoming foes had reached their ranks by now, forcing her to refocus on aiding the soldiers as these attackers were far more dangerous than any of the earlier waves. A glabrezu led the attack on their left flank, managing to catch one of Shyressa's female vampires in its pincer like claws, snapping the hapless bloodsucker in half, a fatal blow from which there would be no regeneration. The massive, insect-like gelugon, standing twelve feet tall on its small avian-like legs was harassing the right flank, the terrible spawn of Cania swinging its frozen spear and inflicting debilitating injuries upon some of their drow veterans. The pit fiend refused to engage their center, but instead seemed to be directing some of the lesser devils to strike there, the fiend itself focusing on raining down deadly spells upon Leah's army from a safe distance, Edwin so far failing to make a noticeable dent in the monstrous fiend's brilliant red leathery skin.
"I have an idea, but... you might not like it, Leah," Sendai spoke, having let go of another spell. The summoned ephemeral giant fist seized the irritating pit fiend and gave it a good pounding, forcing the monstrous fiend back and buying them a moment of respite.
"I'll consider anything at this moment, Sendai," Leah replied, the glow of healing energies leaving the tips of her gloved fingers and washing over the crumbling right flank where the gelugon had by now been brought down, but at the cost of three of Phaere's drow veterans, too high of a price if they wanted to get out of this alive.
"You have to open yourself up to the essence, Leah," Sendai spoke imploringly. "You have to seize it before Melissan does and uses it against us!"
"Shouldn't we both do it?" Leah asked. "We'll have better chance against her if we both do it, right?"
"Maybe, but..." Sendai hesitated. "Leah, I'm worried that if I were to use the essence... I would find it impossible to refuse its pull later. I'm afraid I might not be able to keep my promise to you. If I were to absorb the essence, it would surely turn me against you."
"That's... probably a fair point," Leah conceded after a brief moment of thought. "Still, it seems very risky... should I do it?" she wavered in uncertainty, stealing a quick glance at the grim-faced Viconia by her side.
"I don't know, abbil, but you better do something, because a moment later it will be too late," Viconia exclaimed, frowning at the morale-sapping cry of another marilith, the snake like demon leading a new charge together with a pair of menacing cornugons as their army was still reeling from the previous attack, struggling to rearrange their ranks.
"Alright, how do I..." Leah began to ask, but stopped before she could get through the question. It was completely unnecessary to ask how to use the essence, because deep down she had always known that the only thing she needed to do was to open herself to it, become the living conduit for the divine energy that sought to be used by a willing Child, had been made to be used by someone like her.
Hopefully I'm not making a tragic mistake, because if I am, it's going to be my last, Leah thought to herself as she closed her eyes and tried to ignore the cries of battle around her, willing herself to seize at the essence already bubbling in her veins, growing, surging, singing with heat of the battle, for once indulging it and allowing it to take over and rise to the surface. The feeling of exhilaration was indescribable. Her heart was thumping in her chest like mad, goose bumps forming all over her skin, prickling like electrified.
But she was not reaching out only to the essence already within herself. The gathered essence swirling above, being siphoned by Melissan, responded as well, eager, hungry, willing. It hadn't even entered her frame yet when Leah realized the simple truth... Bhaal's divine essence vastly preferred her as a host over Melissan. In fact, it actively despised being forced to toil for Melissan's sake. It had not been created to aid someone like Melissan, and it resented the fact of having had to do so. It had always been created to be used by one of the Children, and with Leah eager to use it to her ends, the essence responded with joy and enthusiasm, surging into the suddenly preferable host with overwhelming force that at first knocked Leah to her knees, making her friends stop and turn towards her with fear and worry in their hearts.
Leah's state of helplessness would not last for long, however. As the swirling green glow of the skyline dissipated to leave behind pitch blackness, Leah's body began to glow as she rose anew, now standing at least as tall as Phaere, towering over her army with otherworldly, divine radiance. The sensations were frightening and overwhelming as all of the remaining essence filled Leah's veins. It felt like something that had always been a part of her, suddenly growing and expanding to a size where it took over, to a point where Leah struggled to retain her sense of self, like her personality was being forcibly ejected from her physical body by the sudden intrusion of so much Bhaal essence. Still, by sheer force of will she did not know she even possessed, Leah managed to hold on, fighting tooth and nail, gradually wrestling back the control of her mind and body from the bursting essence, somehow managing to impose her own will upon the tremendous force circling in her veins.
Having regained a measure of control, Leah raised her hands, observing how her black spidersilk gloves had slipped off to reveal a healthy, knit skin underneath, basking in glowing radiance of divine power. For a while, she could not look away, but then the cries of battle nearby forced her to react. Instantly, her eyes were roaming the battlefield, taking in the gruesome slaughter, the essence within her singing with joy and approval at the gushing fountains of blood as the fiends had overrun and scattered the remainder of her armies. No! That is not what I should be feeling when seeing all this slaughter! Leah shook herself mentally, fighting to enforce her feelings onto the roaring essence struggling against the sympathy and compassion she felt for her friends and companions. Realizing that the essence would resist any action that was guided by her compassion, an idea came to Leah. Anger! That's what it will respond to! Anger, eagerness to destroy all these fiends, as long as something gets slaughtered! The essence in her veins buzzed instantly, latching onto her projected anger, begging to lash out, offering more and more creative ways to do so, showing Leah everything that this power afforded her, making her aware of so much that she could achieve if only she wished to.
One of the things that the essence had made Leah aware of was the power to manipulate and rearrange the realm that Bhaal had created according to his own wishes and desires. Leah focused firmly on what she wanted to do, and the essence responded with great eagerness. At her command, great cracks began to form in the basalt plain of the Throne of Blood, right under the feet of the fiendish horde. Massive crevices opened nearby, swallowing the remaining fiends, as well as some of her soldiers that the fiends managed to drag down with them, but Leah forced herself to ignore their screams, not stopping until several massive chunks of the floating realm had shattered into small pieces and had been sent into freefall towards the surface of Khalas, leagues below. Only a few of the fiends managed to escape their fate at the hands of this realm shattering spell, but the remaining few dozens of Leah's army quickly went on a counterattack and charged them down. Leah herself joined into the fray, spurred on by the urgings of the essence, picking up a fallen greatsword as she ran towards a wounded glabrezu, fending off the attacks of a pair of drow soldiers, a rare Flaming Fist survivor and Phaere herself. The greatsword felt almost weightless in Leah's hands as she drove it deep into the demon's midsection. The glabrezu hunched over, raining blows down on her, but to Leah, they felt like mere tickles. With almost no effort, Leah removed the greatsword from the fiend's belly and rammed it right through its reeking maw, killing the fiend.
Do you realize the power you might hold? When the world of flesh is beneath you, even creatures mysterious and magical will fall... something from a dream long ago that Bhaal's divine essence had tempted her with, came back to Leah, eliciting a smile to spread on her lips as she stood over the slain foe, aware that the others were watching her with slightly fearful reverence. I guess it wasn't lying, after all. And I guess it managed to convince me in the end.
"Is that all of them?" she asked, turning around to regard the few sad handfuls that remained of her army, startling herself when she found that her voice no longer sounded the same, somehow deeper and more severe.
"Yes, there are no more fiends to be fought," Viconia replied, the drow walking up to her with slow steps, looking almost disbelieving as she looked at Leah's face. "You... you have changed," she spoke quietly. "Your eyes... like liquid gold."
"The essence is... difficult to control," Leah replied in a strained voice. I should be feeling so relieved that she's alive... shouldn't I? She thought to herself, slightly disturbed at how difficult it was to project her own emotions and feelings with the difficult to control essence roaring within her. There's something else I should be concerned about... oh yes, the others! "Did we lose anyone? Our friends, I mean," Leah managed, looking straight at Viconia, the drow wincing at that.
"I'm sorry, abbil, but... Jaheira is beyond healing. Trust me, I tried everything, there is nothing to be done," Viconia replied with genuine regret in her voice as she took a step aside and revealed the scene behind her, Jaheira lying on her side surrounded by mounds of demon corpses, the druidess still breathing shallowly as a broken tip of a gelugon's spear protruded from her chest. "Same for Aerie, but the others have escaped serious injury," the drow added, nodding to her left, Leah sparing a glance to see Edwin hunched on his knees next to a badly mangled body of a young elf, Aerie looking to have been shredded and pummeled by a glabrezu.
"I might be able to do something for them, if you can keep them alive for a while longer," Leah said confidently, stepping past a slightly surprised Viconia, the drow barely managing a nod. Sadness and concern for her friends was on Leah's mind, but for the moment it was being completely overshadowed by the essence's roaring desire to track down their one remaining foe, forcing Leah to enter the tower again, almost guiding her feet to the back of the great hall, facing the throne of spikes and bone. "It's over, Melissan!" Leah shouted, standing in the middle of the etched Bhaal symbol, the skull surrounded by a circle of tears. "Show yourself!"
When Melissan predictably declined the kind invitation, Leah raised her hands, the essence guiding her through intoning yet another spell, this one filling the great hall with glowing green mist, coalescing around an invisible human-shaped figure sitting atop the throne, revealing Melissan's hiding spot. Leah's hands shot forward and a burst of projected energy struck the base of the throne, sending spikes and shards of bone flying everywhere as Melissan's invisibility was lifted, the traitorous Deathstalker crashing to the floor at Leah's feet where she remained, moaning and nursing her crushed left shoulder.
"Damn you, bitch!" Melissan cursed. "You just had to ruin everything! If you had given me a little more time before arriving here so suddenly, I would have managed to send assassins to take care of you and that illusive little drow of yours!"
"I'm not interested in your pathetic mewling," Leah snarled, reaching out and seizing Melissan by the throat. With hardly any effort, she lifted the kicking and screaming Deathstalker into the air and began to slowly crush her windpipe. "The only thing I want from you is the essence you've stolen," she added, about to execute the killing blow, when suddenly her vision filled with pure blinding light for a moment forcing Leah to close her eyes.
When Leah was finally able to open her eyes, she immediately saw that the landscape around them had changed. Some great power had moved her from the Throne of Blood to an entirely different plane, this one the exact opposite of Gehenna, a pristine realm of the greenest meadows, happy gurgling of mountain brooks running nearby, and precious blue cloudless sky above them, most likely some sort of celestial plane. That guess was further validated by the being that Leah found herself facing, at least nine feet tall humanoid figure that appeared to be female, solemnly beautiful like a silver statue, wearing a shining plate armor with a gleaming crystal sword in her hand, large and soft feathery wings on her back, spread and providing a comforting shadow for those standing in front of her. The mighty solar briefly raised her hand and evoked some kind of a magical spell, and as a result, soothing rain drops began to fall all around them.
Leah turned to look behind her, noticing that everyone, at least all of those who had survived the battle, had been transported to this celestial realm. Some of them had been too injured to stand, but the powerful healing rain summoned by the solar was now mending all the injured, allowing them to rise again, Leah relaxing with relief when she saw Jaheira and Aerie amongst the survivors, looking to have recovered. Melissan also appeared to have been restored, standing a little to the side of everyone, tense and ready to spring into action, and for a moment, Leah wondered why the essence inside of her was not reacting with violent anger towards the Deathstalker, but apparently there was something about this celestial realm that soothed even the most savage beast, namely her divine essence.
"There has been enough bloodshed," the solar intoned in a soothing yet commanding voice. "The gods are in agreement. This contest has been decided."
"This isn't over until I say it is!" Melissan's shriek appeared to suggest some disagreement on the matter.
"You will be silent, priestess of Bhaal," the solar turned to Melissan, firm steel in its melodic voice. "You have been playing with stolen energies, and your gamble nearly paid off, but it ends here. Even now, the essence that you have stolen struggles to escape your beaten frame. The only question is... will you release it willingly and accept your fate?"
"I refuse to accept this outcome!" Melissan screamed angrily, looking like she was ready to leap into action against insurmountable odds. "I will kill you all yet!"
"You will do nothing of the sort," the solar shook its head almost ruefully before a beam of light jumped from its outstretched hand and struck Melissan square in the chest. The priestess and Deathstalker of Bhaal let out a pained moan as her body began to glow green, wisps and tendrils of the divine essence being forcefully expunged from her body. As Melissan screamed, thrashing about and futilely trying to resist what was happening, her frame began to transform with this violent struggle. Before their very eyes, Melissan's body began to age at an increasingly high rate, withering and desiccating, once flowing with energy and vitality, now shrinking to become a hunched toothless crone, her mane of proud red hair turning white and falling out in clumps. As the last smoky wisp of essence left Melissan's frame, the skeleton held together by a sack of drooping leathery skin fell over and collapsed, disappearing under the thick grass of the celestial plain.
"The gods have decreed you the victor in this contest, Leah of Candlekeep," the solar now turned its attention towards Leah, not giving her much time to process the dreadful demise that Melissan had just been subjected to. "But before we can address your fate... there is the matter of the one other remaining spawn of Bhaal. The sibling who fought at your side," the solar said, looking straight at Sendai, the young drow starting to backpedal with wide, panicked eyes, obviously assuming that she would be subjected to the same fate as Melissan. "Compared to all the divinity you have absorbed, Leah, her portion of the essence is not large, but she also must make a choice whether to willingly let go of her divinity."
"I… have a choice?" Sendai stopped in her tracks, looking disbelievingly at the solar. "You mean... I can choose to just release the essence? And I won't wither and die like Melissan did?"
"If you choose to willingly surrender your essence to your sibling, I promise that it will be harmless for you," the solar intoned severely.
"Gosh, what a choice, huh?" Sendai laughed nervously. "If I could have gotten rid of it voluntarily, I would have done it a long time ago. So yes... rid me of the essence, please, I've never wanted any part of it."
"As you wish, young one," the solar appeared to smile as a gentler light now enveloped Sendai, coaxing the divine essence out of her. Because the young drow was not struggling to contain it, the process appeared painless and did not seem to harm her in any way, aside from making her feel very lightheaded once the last wispy trail of green essence had left her body. Sendai staggered on her feet, about to fall over backwards, but at the last moment Phaere was there, catching and steadying her.
"Whoa... that was..." Sendai gasped, soon being able to stand on her own two feet again, glancing around and appearing her own chipper self. "Hey! I don't... I don't hear the whispers no more! It's gone! Hah! It's really gone! I'm free! I'm finally free of it all... gosh, it feels so great, if only I could make you understand what it feels like! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much, nice, uh, deva-thing..."
"Solar," corrected the extra-planar creature even as it could not hide a smile on its usually neutral face. "And now, the only decision left to make now belongs to you, Leah of Candlekeep. You have already absorbed the vast majority of the soul essence of the Children of Bhaal, and if you wish, you may claim the essence released by Sendai and the energies stolen by Melissan as yours. This power is yours to claim, but it is also your decision whether to do so. Be wise, for the choice is irrevocable."
"What would happen to all the gathered essence if I decided to let go of it?" Leah asked.
"The gods have agreed that it would be destroyed to forever prevent any chance of Bhaal's resurrection," the solar explained.
"In which case, Cyric would retain the portfolio of the God of Murder," Leah remarked.
"That is correct," the solar nodded. "Do I have to explain what happens if you choose to absorb all of the essence?"
"Not really," Leah shrugged. "The essence I already possess gives me a fairly good understanding of what's going to happen. Also, Cyric is going to hate my guts," she added with an uneasy chuckle.
"Though I believe you would be enjoying the protection of a powerful divine benefactor," the solar remarked, appearing aware of the pact Leah had struck with Shar. "The choice is difficult, but you have your two options, Leah. This is where your destiny is realized, and your future begins."
"Understood," Leah nodded at the solar. "Before I make my decision, I would like to speak with my friends, if that's alright with you, solar."
"I will permit it, of course," the extra-planar creature replied calmly.
Leah turned around to regard her friends, gathered behind her. She could not have asked for a more skilled, loyal and devoted bunch to stand beside her, and this victory was as much theirs as it was hers. They were all people she had come to know only across the past three years, but in many ways, she felt as if they had spent together a lifetime on the road. Leah knew that should she accept her divinity, she would most miss the company of her friends, their lasting camaraderie... but above all, she knew she would miss the presence of a certain beautiful drow, the first of the gathered group that she turned to address, wrapping her arms around Viconia and pulling her into a fierce hug.
"What should I do?" Leah whispered in the ear of her beloved.
"I thought you had already made the decision," Viconia whispered back, though she did sound just a tad conflicted.
"I thought so as well, but... it's so scary how quickly the essence I have already absorbed subverted all my feelings and emotions," Leah confessed quietly. "You told me about our friends dying, and I could barely summon any sadness and compassion. I struggled to feel the passion and love I have for you. I guess… I'm really afraid that if I were to accept all of the essence, it would make me forget about my friends... about you. I don't want to let go of all that."
"You don't know that it would happen, little jalil," Viconia smiled in reply. "Your soul is bright and strong. You will find a way not to succumb to the essence."
"Maybe," Leah shrugged, though she did feel a tad more confident at Viconia's words. I did manage to hold on when the essence tried to violently take over my entire body. I scratched and clawed and held on. If I try hard enough, I'm sure I can have my sense of self coexist with the divine essence... find a way for the two to merge without erasing what I am, what I was.
"But even should you forget about me, Leah, I will find a way to remind you," Viconia added with a sultry smile, chuckling when she saw the puzzled look on her lover's face. "The new Lady of Murder will need to develop her clergy, won't she? And who else to entrust with this task than Viconia, High Priestess of the Lady of Murder?"
"You would..." Leah gasped, then chuckling when she realized what Viconia was saying. "Hah... that would actually work, if you were willing, of course. I don't think Shar would be angry at you if she and I were divine allies."
"That's the plan, Leah," Viconia grinned. "I told you before, abbil. I will always find a way to land on my feet and you will never have to worry about me. Go and meet your fate amongst the gods, Leah. You will not have to miss me, because there will always be a bond between us. I'll make sure of it," the drow spoke softly before planting a gentle kiss on Leah's lips.
"Then... I guess it is decided," Leah whispered as they broke the kiss. "I think... I think I'm alright with that," she added, even if deep inside she had to admit that she was always leaning towards choosing godhood. And not just because of the enmity of Shar, though it's a good reason on its own. The Dark Lady has the resources and the spiteful determination to go after me and my friends until she has finally seen us killed, there is no doubt about that. But... there's more than that, really. Now that I have seen and felt what the essence can do... I cannot forget its intoxicating power. With it, I can shape entire realms and re-forge them to my liking! What's not to love about that? Sure, Bhaal came up with a pretty neat design for that tower of thousand statues, but the rest of his realm was rather unimaginative and bleak. I could do so much better... and I could do so many other things with this power! I only have to make sure that it does not overwhelm me, that I don't lose myself to it... probably easier said than done, but like Viconia said... my spirit is strong. I only have to believe in myself that I can do it.
"Give my regards to Shar, when you see her," Viconia chuckled as the two finally parted. "And try to sweet talk her a bit so that she's not too angry with me when I jump ship again."
"Will do," Leah smiled. "Oh, there's... something else I think I can do for you as a goddess, Viconia. I think you're going to be pleased," she said, tutting when Viconia opened her mouth to inquire further. "Ah, no spoilers, I'm afraid. You'll find out in your own time," Leah chuckled, stepping away from the drow and approaching Jaheira, the druidess next in line of her friends.
"So, this is farewell," Jaheira remarked with a conflicted look on her face, obviously having overheard some of the conversation between Leah and Viconia. "I only hope that you know what you're doing, Leah. But I should not question you. You have made better decisions with your life than I have made with mine, and I have never had to face something as enormous as you have faced. You have not needed my advice for a long time now."
"Perhaps, but that doesn't mean I haven't appreciated having it," Leah smiled at the druidess. "Also, if I'm so wise, then you'll let me give you some advice now. Promise me that you won't drift apart from our friends, because I know that loneliness is poison for you, Jaheira."
"I... I promise that I will try," Jaheira managed, struggling to hold back tears. "Just do not expect me to worship the new Lady of Murder."
"You don't have to unless you really want to," Leah chuckled as the two melded into a long and firm embrace, Leah then moving on to the next in line, Sendai, the young drow immediately throwing herself into Leah's arms without any words spoken.
"Thank you so much for getting me through all this alive, Leah, I never hoped to see this day come," the sorceress managed through tears. "I just hope you'll be as happy with your decision as I am now."
"I hope so as well," Leah smiled, reaching out to playfully pinch the drow's cheek. "So, any plans for the future?"
"I think Phaere is still a bit angry with me for not telling her that I used to be a Bhaalspawn to begin with," Sendai whispered, throwing a quick glance at the tall drow nearby, standing by the remaining handful of her troops. "So I think I'll just stick together with Viconia and what remains of the group... if they'll have me."
"Of course we'll have you," Viconia rolled her eyes, then smiling at Sendai who flashed back a brilliant grin of her own.
"See, that's all sorted then," Leah chuckled, moving on to the next friend waiting to say farewells, dropping down on one knee to address a certain gnome. "So, Jan... got any advice? I mean, you did say you used to be a god for a while..."
"I'm shocked, Your Worship, you actually remember my stories?" Jan blinked. "Well, I'll be damned! But you're right, so very right, of course, I did fill in for Ao the Overgod while he was off gallivanting across Abeir-Toril during the Time of Troubles. All I can tell you, Leah, is to keep your wits about you. For all their supposed divinity, the gods of the pantheon can act surprisingly similar to mortals when it comes to betrayal, backstabbing and other charming expressions of divine politics."
"I expected no less," Leah snorted. "Anyway, let me make a guess of what's in store for Jan Jansen," she mused thoughtfully. "I think you will put your adventuring days behind you, return to Athkatla to spend the rest of your life with Lissa and Jaella, just profiting from everything you've achieved in my company. A smart gnome like you will know how to make good on all this craziness we've experienced together."
"You can expect a book detailing our adventures coming out very soon indeed!" Jan nodded excitedly. "Just promise to be a good sport and don't smite me for enjoying some creative license, alright? Demands of the market, you see... a smart gnome must be aware of everything."
"Well, if you end up making the new Lady of Murder look bad, I just might ask my new High Priestess to declare a Holy Crusade against the Jansen clan," Leah chuckled.
"Nothing would please and delight me more, Leah," Viconia added with an amused laugh.
"Ah, Minsc, my old fr-... gah!" Leah let out a loud gasp when Minsc pulled her into a fierce embrace, almost killing the would-be goddess by shattering her ribcage, releasing the whimpering priestess at the last moment. "Ooof... so, Minsc..." Leah took a deep breath, trying to recompose herself as Minsc and Boo stared at her intently. "If you're not in a hurry to return to Rashemen, I'm sure Viconia will find a lot of backsides for you to kick. I might not be around, but it would still delight me if you were to stay on with the group."
"Minsc can't believe that little Leah will be gone," the Rashemi ranger sighed with deep sadness. "But Boo says our heroic friend will go on to do great things and on this adventure, Minsc can't follow. It's true... Minsc has been feeling the call of Rashemen in his bones for a while now, and yet... our friends are here, so... yes, Minsc will stay. Boo insists on it. Boo says it's not just because of little Sendai's great cooking prowess, but Minsc thinks Boo might be fibbing. But that's alright... Minsc wants to stay to protect little Sendai, and also little Viconia. Minsc knows that some people can be mean to the nice drow, so he'll stay and keep an eye on them."
"That's great to know, Minsc, I really appreciate it," Leah smiled, patting the ranger on his massive muscle-corded arm before moving on to Aerie and Edwin, standing nearby, embracing the avariel and exchanging cordial nods with Edwin. "So, what's next for you, Aerie?" she asked the young elf. "I think you should consider adopting a new patron deity. Baervan just doesn't fit this new you, if you know what I mean," Leah added with a wink.
"I'm way ahead of you on that, Leah," Aerie nodded earnestly. "I did say I was absolutely committed to your cause, didn't I? Well, I meant it. If Viconia is to be your High Priestess, then I'll be her second in command, if you both will allow it. I will spread your name to every corner of this realm until everyone has heard it, and I mean that wholeheartedly."
"I think we will need all the zealous cultists we can get our hands on," Viconia laughed. "You'll make an excellent first addition, Aerie, welcome to the flock."
"Yes, I think I will enjoy having you as a loyal follower, Aerie," Leah smiled at the avariel. "Just... you know, don't overdo on the whole dark side thing. Remember, moderation is the key even when worshipping the Lady of Murder."
"Oh, I wasn't planning to start sacrificing children or anything like that," Aerie chuckled. "I just wanted you to know that you can rely on me."
"I really appreciate that, Aerie, thank you," Leah smiled at the avariel, then turning towards Edwin. "Ah, my favorite Red Wizard," she chuckled. "What of your plans?"
"Well, that depends largely on you," Edwin scowled. "Where in the Abyss is my planar sphere? I demand that you give it back to me!"
"I, uh... hmm, I suppose the sphere is back at the Throne of Blood?" Leah shrugged. "And I mean, sure, if I can give it back to you, I will. I don't think I will have much use for it."
"Good. (I'll be waiting,)" Edwin fumed silently, Leah shrugging and moving on, realizing that the Red Wizard would not be on reasonable speaking terms until he got his sphere back.
"Right..." Leah spoke to herself, looking around the remaining crowd, milling nearby, then walking over to the largest of the groups, Phaere and her surviving drow soldiers, numbering almost two dozen, while the remaining Flaming Fist mercenaries and Shadow Thief operatives had been whittled down to barely over a dozen. "Sorry that whole thing turned out so bloody," Leah winced as she stood in front of Phaere, looking at the enchanting drow warrior with slight regret of their upcoming parting, still remembering that one unforgettable occasion they had shared together.
"It was a glorious battle!" Phaere shook her head vehemently. "And the survivors will be much stronger for it. There is nothing to apologize for, in fact... I must thank you for the opportunity."
"At least your people fared better than the Flaming Fist and the Shadow Thieves," Leah remarked. "And I don't see Itona or Corwin amongst them..."
"Both dead," Phaere shrugged. "Saw the captain torn apart by a pit fiend right before my eyes, a grizzly sight. Didn't see how the leader of the thieves bought it, but one of my men apparently saw her getting kissed by a succubus. If I had to choose a way to go, that might be one of my top choices."
"Hah, I guess so," Leah shrugged. "So, what's next in the glorious journey of Phaere, the famed drow conqueror?"
"To begin with, just getting back to Suldanessellar, I think we've earned ourselves a break," Phaere grinned. "A week of nothing else but eating, drinking, fucking and sleeping... that sounds great right now. Afterwards... well, you know me, Leah. I'll do whatever it takes to keep my people safe. I'll find a way for the drow to survive on the surface, away from the clutches of Lolth."
"I'm glad to hear that, and if there's anything I can do, then I will surely help, perhaps, by tripping up Lolth and foiling some of her plans," Leah winked at the tall drow, surprised when Phaere briefly pulled her close for a passionate kiss before releasing her again.
"You're going to miss me, Leah," Phaere remarked with a knowing grin. "But don't let that stop you."
"I won't. I can't," Leah shook her head, chuckling as she walked past the leaderless groups of dejected Fist mercenaries and Shadow Thieves, stopping when she reached Shyressa at the head of a slightly depleted coven of vampires, still seven heads strong.
"So, you've decided to embrace your divinity, dove," Shyressa gave Leah a blinding smile. "That's wonderful to hear. Spares me from having to suggest some nasty and unpleasant threats to your beloved friends and companions, should you have chosen... poorly. And I'd rather we'd remain friends, isn't that right, lovesome?" she grinned, revealing her fangs in full.
"Of course, Shyressa," Leah smiled politely. With 'friends' like the Twisted Rune, one hardly needs enemies. "I suppose I will owe you a divine favor for your kind assistance."
"Well, don't think about that now, lovesome, we'll let you gather your bearings first, get used to your new role," Shyressa purred. "But I'm sure you'll hear from us in due time. Not to brag, dove, but our influence stretches even amongst the gods, so this fruitful partnership is far from over..."
"I wouldn't have expected it to be over," Leah replied. I'll have to be very careful about how to deal with this lot in the future. I don't think I should just dismiss them because I'll be a goddess. But I have outsmarted the Five and so many others... I should be able to deal with the Twisted Rune as well, should they decide to cross me. "I don't think it's worth asking what's in your future, Shyressa. I wouldn't expect an answer," Leah chuckled.
"Certainly, I can't give you any details, dove," the vampire beamed. "But I have full confidence that the future is going to be wonderful... just wonderful. But now, I think you should run along, lovesome. That solar of yours is starting to look a tad impatient."
"I suppose I should, yes," Leah nodded, turning around and walking back to where the solar stood silently, waiting patiently. "Well... as you might have overheard, I have made my choice, solar."
"Is this your final decision?" the solar asked, making Leah feel as if she had chosen the wrong answer in some aptitude test. "As I said before, it is irrevocable."
"It is my final decision," Leah spoke firmly, stealing one last glance at her friends, making sure the image remained etched in her memory forever, the people she had come to love and care about, all looking at her with tears in their eyes, but not necessarily only of sadness, but also of pride. "I wish to absorb the rest of the remaining essence and stand amongst the gods of the pantheon."
"As you wish," the solar nodded impassively. The essence that had been ripped out of Melissan and gently extracted from Sendai, had been coalescing in a warm green glow above them, but now, at the solar's command, it descended and surrounded Leah, eager to join the rest of the essence that she already possessed. The act of reuniting the essence felt much gentler than the dangerous act of absorbing a massive amount of essence the way she had done back at the Throne of Blood, nearly destroying her own sense of self in the process. Something within her felt whole again, something that was not entirely of her, not yet, but it was not, at least for the moment, violently trying to take over her senses, her feelings and emotions.
"Is... is it done?" Leah managed, feeling overwhelmed at the power coursing through her veins, but somehow, the essence no longer seemed to have that tainted, twisted sense to it... it simply felt like raw power, free for her to mold, shape and use as she saw fit.
"It is done, and we must be away from this place," the solar spoke calmly. "You have new grounds to thread, and a pantheon to meet. As for your friends... with one last act, I can transport them back to Abeir-Toril. Where shall I bring them?"
"I think Athkatla would be a good compromise that works for everyone," Leah smiled, waving her farewells as her friends faded from her view and a blinding light exploded before her eyes, and then, the only thing she could do was to hold on to the solar's hand, sent hurtling towards the new fate that awaited her.