Author note: The line 'their whole lives are not worth a single beating of his heart' is homage to the song "The spiders and the butterfly" by power-metal Italian band Sinheresy, a line of which reads 'their whole lives are not worth a single beating of your heart'. It's a wonderful song, by the way, like all songs by Sinheresy.
WARNING for coarse language. Meg has quite the foul mouth when she's really stressed
oxoxoxoxoxo
The Temple of Rillifane was guarded by five Rakshasas on the outside, plus a Balor and a Drow inside, so the adventurers had no choice but to face another fight, staining the spotless marble floor of the Temple with blood. "I hope the Leaflord won't ask us to clean up the place", Meg muttered, placing the Moon Blade, the Goblet of Life and the Amulet of Rillifane on the altar.
When the last item was placed, the ground shook violently beneath their feet and a whirlwind came from a window, carrying thousand of leaves of every shape and colour, which gathered to form a big shape vaguely similar to that of an Earth Elemental. The avatar looked at each of them and spoke in a voice like thunder, "The avatar of Rillifane Rallathil is before you. Why did you call upon me, mortals?".
The Ilmatari made as if to speak, then she pressed her lips in a thin line and turned to Jaheira, "You tell him". The druidess' eyebrows shot up in surprise, but she complied, bowing her head in reverence before the avatar, "Great Leaflord, we called you because your people need your help: that abomination called Irenicus has...". Rillifane sighed, "Ah...He is back, then and attempting once again to steal the power of the Tree of Life", He shook His 'head' sadly, "The Exile was one of my children, once".
"He unleashed his monsters on the city, my Lord", Jaheira said, her voice respectful but urgent, "Your children are dying as we speak". "I will summon the spirits of the woods to fight the intruders", the Leaflord promised, then He looked the Painbearer straight in the eye, "Your God asked me to give you a message, little one: He says you must keep on living, for He has need of your services still". Meg's eyes flashed golden as hatred flared inside her, "My life belongs to me alone and it's within my rights to choose when to put an end to it!", she snarled.
"Your life belongs to Ilmater, little one", the avatar told her gently, "I know what is in your heart, but you must have faith in your God...". "My God knows how much he means to me!", she snapped, "He knows that's the only thing I have ever wished for, the only thing my heart truly desires and He should know that now that I have found a way to get it, I can't just toss everything away, I must go on and see it done! ". "But to what price?".
"The price that I'm more than glad to pay", she answered, "The price I should have paid long ago for all the death and suffering my existence has caused to him and to my other loved ones. My life". Edwin bit his lower lip, frowning with worry, "While I admire the determination you put into pursuing your goal, I think you're going too far with it (Sarevok this, Sarevok that, it always comes back to him! As if she had nobody else in the world!)", he muttered under his breath, looking slightly offended.
Anomen gently put an arm around Meg's shoulders and made her look into his eyes, "Meg, please, calm down. This is not you, the woman I know would never speak like this". She snorted, "The woman you know? You mean the pathetic worm who ran errands for every son of a bitch who had the gall to order her around, instead of nailing them to a cross for their insolence?".
He flinched at the ice in her voice, but didn't give up, "I mean the gentle, caring woman who supported me when I was overcome by my insecurities, who took Delon in her arms and lulled him back to sleep when he woke up from a nightmare screaming, the woman who stood by her friends and did everything in her power to save her sister from the prison she was held into". The Painbearer was silent for a long moment, then averted her eyes, "That woman is gone", she whispered softly, "The Taint is growing stronger and soon it will be all that's left. I must die before it takes over completely, before I turn into a true monster. Should it happen, you'd have to take me down anyway".
"We only need to get your soul back and everything will be all right again". "I can't get it back, I...", she trailed off, took a deep breath and went on, "My death is the price I must pay for Sarry to come back from the dead. This is the deal and I can't go back on it. I won't". Imoen intervened, "Deal? With whom?". "I can't tell you. But I will honor it".
Rillifane cleared His throat, or at least, He made a sound similar to that of someone clearing their throat, since His avatar didn't really have one, "I understand and admire you for this, little one. But if you allow the Exile to drain the Tree of Life, all of those who live in Suldanesselar will die as well. Not only the adults, but the children, including the infants. Thousands of innocent lives will be forfeit alongside yours. Is this an acceptable price to pay for that one man to live again?".
Margaret Dawn clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood, "They're Elves. An Elf took him from me, they must pay for his death. Their whole lives are not worth a single beating of his heart", she said, but she sounded uncertain. "You had the chance to take revenge on Kivan of Shilmista the very same day he killed your brother", the Leaflord noted, "And still you allowed him to leave peacefully. Why?". "I...I couldn't kill him. Shedding blood in Sarry's name would have tainted his memory and the love I have for him", she admitted, "I don't want this carnage to continue, I swear, but...".
"Would your brother want innocent children to die in exchange for his life?". That question hit her deeply and despite herself, she shook her head, "No, he would never want it to happen", she answered, ignoring the pain that tore through her at the thought that her brother would have to remain in the Abyss, "All right, then. We will stop Jon from ascending".
The avatar smiled with His leafy mouth, "Good. I will break the seal that closes the outer doors of the Palace. I can do nothing more to help you, but I give you my blessing", He added and a shimmering blue cocoon enveloped each party member in protective divine magic, "And please, save my daughter Ellesime". Saving the bitch? Yeah, sure. Fuck off, Rillifane, Meg thought, "Let's go, guys", she simply said, turning on her heels and leaving the Temple.
oxoxoxoxoxo
After descending the hidden staircase beneath the fountain and killing the three parasites which Irenicus had evoked to drain the power of the Tree of Life, the adventurers walked along the enormous branches until they reached a sort of natural platform in the centre of the Tree. Irenicus stood there, surrounded by a magical shield which crackled and shimmered with a power so strong it made their skin crawl.
"Irenicus!", Jaheira shouted, her voice filled with hatred and disgust as she gripped her spear more tightly. He turned and his mouth opened slightly in surprise, "What are you doing here?", he asked, his eyes finding Meg's and holding them, "I thought we had a deal, Margaret Dawn". A collective gasp came from the party members and the Painbearer blushed as all attention was fixed on her. "What is he talking about?", the druidess hissed.
"He is the one I made the deal with: I willingly gave up my soul, in exchange for him bringing Sarry back to life. That's why I didn't want to come to Suldanesselar", Meg admitted. "WHAT? How could you...", Jaheira swallowed her tears before going on, "How could you make a deal with the monster who killed my Khalid? How could you betray me like this, child?".
"I didn't betray you! Think on it, mom: father is gone and revenge won't revive him. But Jon can", the Ilmatari added, gesturing towards Irenicus, "After his ascension, he will have the power to bring back not only Sarry, but dad and Dynaheir as well. We only have to...". "To what? To let this city be destroyed and its inhabitants to die?". She flinched, "No...I mean...", she stammered, conflicted.
Before she could make up her mind, a female voice called out, "It is time to stop this madness, Joneleth". Jon's head whipped around, his lips curled in a snarl, "Who dares...Ellesime?". The queen opened her mouth to speak again, but she stopped and looked behind him and he turned and tensed: jaw set and fists curled tightly, Meg was walking straight to him...Or so it seemed: when she reached him, she simply passed him by, without even sparing him a glance and kept on walking until she was directly in front of Ellesime.
"Queen Ellesime", she said, her voice as cold as ice. "Yes, Child of Bhaal?". The answer came in the form of a hard slap to the face, then another, again and again and again and again, forcing the Elven queen to walk backwards in a futile attempt to avoid the beating, until she tripped on her own feet and fell on her back, her cheeks aflame and her eyes full of tears of pain. "Why? Why did you...".
"Do you even have to ask?", the Painbearer knelt and took a fistful of Ellesime's hair, giving it a violent tug, "All of this is your fault! We all suffered because of your cruel and selfish actions, you Godsdamned whore! I know how you toyed with Jon's heart, how you broke him and tossed him aside like a pair of worn shoes", she hissed, "But it was not enough for you, was it? You had to go further, to strip him of his soul, pretending to be merciful".
"B-but I...", the queen stammered, but another tug silenced her. "Silence! Do you have any idea of what it means to be soulless? No, of course not. But I do. It's pure agony: you feel what's left of your spirit rotting inside yourself, bit by bit, every day you hurt like there's a beast tearing you apart from the inside and your good emotions fade away, while your hate and anger grow until they consume you completely. This is the 'merciful' punishment you inflicted upon him. Does it look like mercy to you? Answer me!".
Anomen took a step forward, uncertain, "Meg, I don't think...". "Don't! It's between me and her", the Ilmatari tugged again at the other woman's hair, eliciting a yelp of pain from her, "Answer me, bitch. Does it look like mercy to you?". Ellesime sobbed, shaking with fear, "N-no". "So what was it?". "I-I...I-it was...He d-deserved to be puni...". "He deserved it? You have the nerve to say he deserved this?", Margaret Dawn's eyes were reduced to slits burning with Bhaal's golden light, "Well, what do you deserve for your crime, then? Jon, do you have any suggestions?", she asked, turning to Irenicus, who was looking at her with a mixture of curiosity and fascination.
He crossed his arms on his chest and tilted his head to the side, considering the question, "I think we could strip her of her soul and switch it with yours. I don't have my equipment at hand right now, but after I've achieved godhood, that won't be a problem anymore. Then I will give you your soul back and I will resurrect your brother and your loved ones who lost their lives in my dungeon".
She nodded, "I like this plan...Watch out!", she shouted, but it was too late: Edwin's and Aerie's contingencies had already stripped the Elven mage of his magical defences and Yoshimo seized the chance to stab him in the back, piercing one of his lungs. Irenicus wheezed, sending the bounty hunter sprawled on the floor with a punch, "You won't...Defeat me...", he cast another shield around himself, but without healing he knew he would have a hard time winning this fight.
"Jon! No!", Meg tried to heal him, but she was knocked out cold by Imoen with a sleep spell, while their companions fought the mage with everything they had, be it magic, steel or enchanted arrows. "Sorry, sis, I had to do it", the pink-haired Bhaalspawn murmured, preparing to cast an arrow of acid at her former jailor.
oxoxoxoxoxo
Post Scriptum: You may wonder why Irenicus punched Yoshimo, instead of casting a spell. There are two reasons for it: one, a punch is faster to throw and doesn't require the loss any magical energy, which he couldn't afford to waste; and two, even if he is a wizard, Jonjon's got some impressive muscles there, he's practically built like a gladiator.
