Cursed Heritage 1 - The Dark Half
Chapter 11 - Hearing the heartbeat
Nighttime.
Most living beings dream, whether dragon or halfling. Sometimes the dreams are more than simple images running through the sleepers head without purpose. They can be visions from the gods or other messages from the beyond.
They can even be warnings about one's perilous future or a promise of a better tomorrow.
Or they could be phantasms, malicious illusions sent by one's enemies to lead one astray.
Whatever the cause, everyone dreams.
Northward from the windy coast where the companions were camped out at, in the great city of Baldur's Gate a man dreamed of his mother. She pleaded for him to help her, even as she was dying. Someone (who the dreaming man knew very well!) was strangling her with a garrote. It wasn't a new dream, and the man didn't lift a finger to help his poor mother. Why should he? It was just a dream, after all. With a last pleading call of his name, the vision vanished and the man woke up. It had been just a dream. Again.
Far, far to the south another man dreamed. If it could be called that. His dreams contained no passion, no emotion. He dreamed of revenge. Revenge against a traitorous lover and her arrogant, insolent people, his own former countrymen. But he got no pleasure from his visions of finally gaining that revenge. That bothered him somewhat, how could he not feel any pleasure at seeing his former home in flames? He knew the reason, indeed it was the very reason behind his vengeful thoughts. As he opened his eyes, the man smiled coldly. He knew what it would take, he knew how he could replace what they had stolen from him. And then.. The cold smile only widened. Then they would suffer as he had.
Even further south, a woman dreamed. She saw the faces of old comrades, now dead. Among them, she spied her former lover, only recently killed, though not by her own hand, as so many others had been. She saw her two former gods, for whom both she had once been a chosen champion. Both of them were dead, their once immortal essence now belonging to others. She was a survivor, she knew the dream was telling her. It had to be. She had outlasted her friends, mentors, lovers and even her gods. She had no equals, the woman exulted in her sleep. Her day was coming.
*-*-*
Aidan dreamed.
His mind had drifted back to the now destroyed bandit camp.
It was filled with all manner of bandits and humanoid brigands, but they were easy pickings before his might. Scattering like leaves before his might, he unleashed his mighty spells again and again, ravaging the camp again.
Suddenly he felt his feet losing touch with the ground, and saw that he was rising to the air.
For a moment, his ascent was joyous. He was like a bird, free from all the pain and hardship that his life had became since he left Candlekeep, just under a month ago. Laughing, he spread his arms and soared through the clouds, enjoying the cool breeze on his face.
Then, he felt stiffening in his limbs. Panicking, he tried to will himself to keep flying. It was useless, he had seemingly lost all his power and fell screaming to the ground.
Surprisingly, the ground accepted him and he fell straight through it without slowing down. He descended for some time, until he found himself in a lighted cavern, looking at himself.
Or a statue of himself, accurate in every detail.
A dagger of bone hovered in front of the statue.
Then he heard the voice. It was the same malicious, but strangely familiar voice that had haunted his dreams before.
"Such a pride undeserved, great predator, when your whole being is borrowed." It said to him in amused voice.
"You were made as you are," it continued, growing cold. "and you can also be broken."
With lightning speed, the dagger of bone with the statue, cracking it.
Feeling terrible pain in his heart, Aidan awoke with a start.
Clutching his chest, he breathed in relief. The pain was gone as if it had never existed.
But...
He felt something, something new. Much akin to the mysterious healing abilities that brimmed inside him.
Shivering slightly, the young wizard wondered what on Faerun was happening to him.
*-*-*
Kivan dreamed.
It was a recurring dream to him, one that had begun after his quest for revenge had caused a tragedy.
He saw the little girl stand in front of him, staring at him with pain- filled, accusing eyes.
"You promised to protect us!" she cried, tears flowing from her eyes.
The air smelled of smoke from the burning farm house, which the bandits had set aflame.
"I did! I tried to! I..." he heard his own words, and felt sick to his stomach at how false they rang. He hadn't cared about the human farmers, preferring to chase after the bandits himself. He had found them, and killed them all. Including Kurzbuk, Tazok's former second in command who had personally tortured him and killed his wife for Tazok's enjoyment.
But other members of their band had struck at the farmhouse, killing the farmer, his wife and his two sons. They had dragged the older sister away and the little girl had only survived by hiding in the forest.
Kivan heard himself promise the child that he would kill the bandits and rescue her sister.
"No!" he moaned.
The dream changed.
He was standing in the clearing again. The bandits were all dead. But so was the girl, ravaged and then tortured by the cruel humanoids. He saw himself kneel down and scalp the bandits. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the sight of his own deeds. How in Corellon's name had he thought the girl would be mollified by this grisly display?! Had he been that callous then?
He saw himself confront the girl again, saw her turn and run away, crying. She didn't care about revenge, she only wanted her family back. To his horror, Kivan knew what was to come next. He saw himself turn...
And walk away.
"This is a dream!" he screamed.
"Yes it is." A new voice, one that this dream hadn't featured up until now!
Turning in amazement, Kivan faced Deheriana, his lovely and very much dead wife.
"How... You're..." he stammered like Khalid at his worst, tears flowing from his eyes.
The slender, beautiful elven woman smiled at him.
"I am dead, my love. And this is a dream." Slowly, she walked over to Kivan, who had by now fallen to his knees.
Kneeling in front of him, Deheriana kissed her husband tenderly.
Sobbing harshly, he embraced her for a moment which felt like eternity.
Still smiling, but with great sadness now, she pushed them apart but held both of his hand in her own.
Seeing her sad gaze penetrate his being, Kivan knew instantly why she had come.
"I... I have wasted it." he told her in a cracked voice, still gruff but no longer cold or dead. Instead it was filled with grief.
"I lived for vengeance, giving no thought to the plight of others. I have caused great harm in my foolishness. I know now that..." his voice cracked and he began sobbing harshly again.
Deheriana lifted his chin up, and looked at him in the eyes. He saw love and understanding there, no trace of accusation.
It was worse than anything other he might have felt.
"I know that due to my wickedness, we will never walk together in Arvandor as a husband and wife. I was given a gift by the gods themselves, and I squandered it! I..." he would have continued but Deheriana lifted a finger to his lips.
She took a step backwards and changed into a familiar figure.
Aidan!
His mouth agape, the ranger saw that they were once again in the Wood of Sharp Teeth, facing the half-ogre Tazok. He was so tense, fighting to keep from drawing his bow and launching a shaft at the target of his revenge. He saw Aidan talking to the brute, and knew as he had then realized that if he chose to fire, Aidan and the others would die.
But did it matter?
He had no life beyond his revenge and now it was in his grasp.
But he didn't fire, just as he had chosen not to fire when the event had really happened.
Aidan turned at him and smiled, just like Deheriana had.
Then the young wizards image shifted into another familiar form.
It was the same forest but now it was dark, dark like the skin of the figure in front of him.
The dark elf, Viconia.
He saw that he was aiming his arrow at her and saw her turn, like she had done then. He knew that he had no real reason to kill her expect his own deep hatred of the drow and the pain they had caused Deheriana's own family when they had slaughtered her cousins before he had rescued her.
He also knew that this drow had saved Jaheira's life and routed the bandits, most likely saving them all. He heard his own words reply to her curses as he had then. From beyond Viconia's field of vision, he saw a heat figure of man armed with a bow. The new figure was aiming for the dark elf also.
A bandit tracker, and he saw more figures in the distance: a search party.
He wouldn't even have to shoot her himself.
Taking a careful aim, he made his decision.
The bandit fell to ground, Kivan's arrow through his eye.
Viconia whirled around, wielding something in her hand. An empty potion bottle the elf ranger noted as he had noted when the event had really happened. Not as accepting her fate as it had seemed, he thought caustically.
He drew his hunting knife and spoke his last words to the drow who was retreating to the forest, ready to start spell casting. He knelt down beside the bandit and saw himself start the grim deed. The rest of the search party was still some distance away, he would have ample time.
Kivan felt someone lift his chin up.
Viconia, he noted realizing that this hadn't really happened. The dark elf had fled and he had killed the search party just as he had later told Aidan.
The drow's image changed into Deheriana again.
She smiled at him and then he understood.
The knife fell limply from his hand and for the first time since her death, whether in dream or awake, Kivan smiled with real relief and warmth. The tears that welled in his eyes weren't tears of shame or agony.
He was alive.
And then he woke up.
*-*-*
The night had passed.
Aidan was sitting on a cliff-side, overlooking the sea. Waves were crashing on the shore and his heart constricted as he remembered climbing to the ramparts of Candlekeep as a child to witness this very same event: the sun rising from behind the red sky while listening at the scream of gulls and roar of waves.
The others were eating breakfast and discussing with Safana about the possible guardians of Black Alaric's treasure. The girl had insisted that there were some powerful, possibly magical beasts in the cave, but she couldn't say what kind.
Taking a bite out of the strip of jerky he was eating, Aidan briefly wondered about his dream of previous night. He wasn't sure if the visions were tests or if they had any meaning at all. But each time he had felt the mysterious power inside of him increase.
Eating the last bit of his meal, the wizard rose up and walked back to the rest of the companions. Safana immediately greeted him with a promising smile, but it wasn't the red headed young woman who caused Aidan to stare mouth agape.
Kivan was smiling, and not out of sarcasm or joy of killing bandits.
For the first time, the ranger looked contented.
The young wizard briefly envied the elf, who had obviously slept better than he had.
*-*-*
"Here they come again!"
Aidan cursed at Jaheira's hasty shout of alarm.
As they had neared the reputed location of the treasure cave, they had been set upon by a horde of hobgoblins. Normally it wouldn't have been too strange, as hobgoblins were a common menace in the Sword Coast after all and not all of them were members of The Chill or anything like that.
But these particular humanoids fought without any care of casualties and with great fury. They also attacked stupidly, without any resemblance of smart tactics. After seeing the glazed over eyes and mindless ferocity of their enemies up close, Jaheira and Aidan had both concluded that someone had charmed or otherwise mentally dominated their enemies.
And yet more of them came.
Kivan and Imoen were dropping them from distance with arrows as they charged over the sandy beach without even attempting to take cover or encircle the companions.
Aidan was preparing to cast the "Web" spell when he saw something new.
A green-skinned woman was directing the assault from afar.
"Jaheira! Look!" he yelled to the druid, pointing at the strange woman.
The druid was likewise preparing a spell, but halted and cursed when she saw the woman.
"By Silvanus! I should have guessed! Quickly, Kivan, shoot her!" she screamed at the ranger.
"Sirines! We're fighting Sirines and their slaves!" Kivan replied at Aidan's questioning look as he fired an arrow trailing sizzling drops of acid at the green woman. These arrows were enchanted, having been bought from Thalantyr by the companions. The acid in the greatly increased the damage potential, but since they were very expensive Kivan and Imoen had agreed to preserve them for only the most dangerous of foes.
Kivan's aim was true, and the beautiful female screamed in pain. Raising her own bow, she took an aim towards Khalid who was battling the charmed hobgoblins. Not seemingly caring for her pawns, she fired and hit the half- elf on the shoulder.
Grimacing from hurt, Khalid kept fighting.
"Look out! There's another one!" Imoen yelled, and fired her own acid arrows at the new Sirine emerging from the sea. Her aim had been hasty though, and she missed by a wide margin.
The new Sirine started chanting and singing, and to Aidan's horror he realized she was casting a spell! Quickly he cast his own "Magic Missile" spell, aiming the two missiles towards the new foe. But the Sirine had been quicker.
She disappeared from view entirely and Aidan's spell missed.
Quickly, Jaheira started chanting a counter spell. Aidan cursed aloud. What he wouldn't have given for a "Detect Invisible" spell now, but that particular spell was a divination.
A "lower form of magic" as he had thought so foolishly back in Candlekeep.
Kivan had hit the first Sirine again, and dropped the woman from the fight. Imoen was scanning for the second aquatic female humanoid, but until Jaheira finished her "Invisibility Purge", she couldn't see her.
Khalid killed another hobgoblin, and Aidan saw that there were only a few more left.
Something was wrong!
He saw the half-elf miss his next strike and fall to his knees.
"What on..."
Aidan saw the arrow sticking from Khalid's shoulder.
Poison!
Jaheira had finished her spell, and the Sirine shimmered back in to view.
She had changed position and Imoen and Kivan were facing the wrong direction. Aidan didn't pay too much heed, as he ran towards Khalid who was trying to dodge the hobgoblins' swings and dig a elixir of health from his belt to counter the poison.
Aidan quickly cast his "Chromatic Orb", hitting the other hobgoblin in the face and killing it. The other got skewered by Khalid but managed to score a hit in his left arm with it's club. Yelping in pain, Khalid dropped his potion.
It fell to ground and shattered into a thousand pieces.
Hurriedly, Aidan began to dig for his own antidotes as Khalid fell to his knees again, panting and gasping for breath.
There! He reached for the potion and...
Let go of it.
Something was happening, he realized. This stinking half-elf was trying to hurt his mistress. Aidan knew that his mistress was in pain and he had to punish the others first.
Imoen saw her arrow hit the Sirine and yelled in relief. The green-skinned woman fell down with a yelp but still struggled to rise. She saw Kivan rise his bow and take careful aim.
Suddenly she heard Aidan chanting.
Turning to her friend in wonder, she was suddenly engulfed in sticky strands that ripped her weapon from her hands and entangled her fast. From Kivan's cursing she realized he had met with a similar fate.
Jaheira realized what had happened: Aidan had been charmed!
Quickly she began her own spell casting, intended to launch a charm of her own to counter the Sirine's spell. Too late, she saw the green-skinned woman fire her bow at her. Her spell disrupted, she had no alternative but to quickly dig for a antidote and pray that the Sirine wouldn't hit her again.
Grinning evilly, the aquatic woman aimed her bow.
She didn't notice a slight shimmer beside her, until she was engulfed in a cloud of gas.
It was Mara, Aidan's little faerie dragon familiar.
Gasping like she was feeling.. great joy, the Sirine limply dropped her bow and began to wander aimlessly. She no longer seemed to care, even when Kivan slashed Aidan's "Web" strands and cut her down with his sword.
Hurriedly running to Khalid, Jaheira saw that he had dug out Aidan's elixir of health and was feeling better. The young wizard was some distance away, staggering like a newborn colt and grinning like an idiot.
*-*-*
"I didn't know you had a breath weapon!" Aidan demanded from his familiar.
The little dragonet grinned sheepishly.
"I forgot to tell you my lord. Euphoria inducing gas. But you should have known! After all, I AM a dragon..." she said in her best schoolmistress voice, wagging a tiny claw at him.
"Thanks anyway. You saved us all..."
"Again." The dragon interrupted.
"...again?" Aidan was incredulous.
"Yes. I am a cunning and courageous scout after all, whose many heroic deeds have..." the tiny dragonet began to list her "accomplishments" but Aidan saw fit to silence her.
"Hush. Look." Ahead, farther down on the beach lay a cave.
"That's it!" Safana yelled and jumped from behind the bush she had hid in.
Jaheira and Imoen cast a disgusted glance at her as she ran to Aidan.
"Black Alaric's cave! Send that little... thing to scout it out!" she continued, wrinkling her nose at the tiny dragon.
Mara gave an equally tiny snarl to the girl, but Aidan was already shaking his head.
"I won't risk it. If there are magical creatures inside, I don't want them seeing her. We'll go in after we have rested first." He replied.
Safana tried to keep her smile up, but for the first time Aidan saw something else... annoyance flash in her eyes.
"No. No no no! You saw those green skinned wenches and what they did to those hobgoblins. What they did to you!" She added for effect.
"What if there are more of them?"
"But we are weary from the poison and low on spells! If what you said is true and there are magical guardians inside, we might be swiftly outmatched!" he snapped back at the girl.
Now he saw clearly that she was getting angry.
"Aidan... Safana is right." It was Jaheira.
The young wizard couldn't believe what he was hearing. He opened his mouth for an angry retort but this time Imoen cut him off.
"As much as I hate disagreeing with you, chum, I have to agree with the rest. We have potions and scrolls we can use, don't we? But if we rest and come back later, and more of these Sirines show up..."
She didn't have to finish, Aidan knew she was right. He had known from the moment Safana argued it, in fact.
It was just that.
"It feels like a..." he blurted out with his thoughts.
"Like what? Good advice? Let's go!" Safana was all smile and charm again, and Khalid was already digging up a potion of stone giant strength from his backpack.
Trap. Aidan finished silently.
Sighing, he dug out his own oil of speed and presented it to Khalid.
He had a feeling they were in for a nasty fight.
*-*-*
The cave was dry despite being close to the shore, and a deep layer of dust blanketed the floor. As the companions slowly edged deeper in to the cave, they began to see remains of the previous hopefuls.
Three crushed hobgoblins skeletons and what was probably the remains of a Sirine lay nearest to the entrance.
Aidan gulped, looking at the cracked skulls of the skeletons made him uneasy. The cave was deadly silent and the bones were covered in dust.
Some twenty meters onward they came upon what looked like the remains of a neophyte adventuring party. Their corpses too were crushed, and as Khalid briefly examined the breastplate of one of the unfortunate corpses, Aidan felt icy dread settle in his stomach as he saw how badly damaged the piece of armor was.
"Psst!" Imoen signaled from the lead.
The rest of the companions quickly hurried to her.
Putting a finger to her lips, she pointed forward into the gloom.
A huge, at least a half-ogre sized humanoid figure was standing there. Khalid glanced at Aidan questioningly.
The young wizard exchanged looks with Jaheira.
"A golem?" the druid asked.
It had to be. Aidan nodded at Khalid and the half-elf began to uncork his oil of speed.
And not a moment too soon. Without any indication at what exactly had triggered it, the golem suddenly lumbered towards them. Shouting in alarm, Imoen immediately launched her magical arrow followed by Kivan doing the same. Khalid hurriedly poured the contents of the flask on top of him while the magically strengthened Jaheira sprung forward to attack the magical construct of body parts with her enchanted staff.
Aidan knew that spells were largely useless against most golems, so he resigned himself to keep watching the two side passages, not possessing any magical weapons.
He was delighted to see the magical acid arrows bite deep. Jaheira too dealt a huge blow to the silent creature. Reeling from their blows, the golem struck back sending the warrior druid flying.
It started towards her, but then turned to face the charging Khalid instead.
Possessing giant strength and magically hasted, Khalid was too much for the already weakened golem. The supernaturally quick half-elf dodged it's massive fists and dealt two massive blows to the construct's already weakened middle section.
It flopped to ground in two pieces.
Aidan's yell of victory changed to a yelp of terror.
From both of the side passages a new golem could be seen approaching.
Kivan and Imoen immediately shot the other one while Khalid intercepted the other like a tornado, while Aidan ran to help Jaheira stand up. Concentrating, he used his mysterious healing powers to heal the druidess.
From the corner of his eye he saw that Khalid was more or less holding his own but Kivan and Imoen were in trouble. They had managed to wound the golem with their bows, but since Kivan didn't possess an enchanted blade he was of no use in the melee and was forced to try and find a safe place to shoot it. Not an easy task in the swirling melee.
Striking with her minorly enchanted blade, Imoen managed to stab the beast. Jaheira shook her head to clear out the ringing, and started toward the fight. At the same moment Khalid yelled for help.
The experienced warrior druid didn't hesitate and headed to aid her reeling husband, who had been badly pummeled by the golem. Aidan heard Imoen scream in pain and turned again.
She was laying some three meters from the golem, coughing up blood and holding her chest in pain, oblivious to the massive beast closing for the kill. Yelling in anger, Aidan cast his "Mirror Image" spell and ran to stand between the golem and Imoen.
The huge construct shuddered a bit as Kivan had taken the chance to sink two arrows in it's back. Not caring about the elf, it quickly started to pummel Aidan's illusionary figures. Suddenly realizing that he was in mortal danger, the young wizard nonetheless stood his ground. Defiantly, he struck out with his staff.
The non-magical weapon hit the golem ineffectively across the face, rocking it slightly but having no other effect. The beast demolished his last illusion.
Realizing his mistake, the young wizard stumbled backwards as the deceptively quick construct rose up it's massive fist's and...
...Got an acid arrow straight into it's already wounded flank. Jerking spasmodically, the beast fell down on it's back. Aidan fell on his behind in amazement and relief.
Gazing up, he saw Kivan's smiling face. Taking the elf's offered hand, he quickly ran to Imoen's side. He still had some of that healing energy left, he could feel it inside of him.
*-*-*
The treasure had been impressive enough.
Many gems and jewels and gold in abundance. A strange cloak, some potions and a great enchanted tome were also present. The loot was to be divided in six parts, but the companions decided to do so later.
They were wounded and weary, but still had no desire to rest near the cave for the fear that more Sirines might show up. As soon as everyone was ready to move on, the companions gathered their equipment and started northwards, intending to evade both the Sirines and the undead infested rocky hills in the east.
The day had been long, and each of them (with the exception of Safana) was worn and weary. To the north the ground began to rise and soon they were walking on massive cliffs. To make matters even worse, Aidan spotted dark clouds on the horizon. As the wind began to increase in volume the young wizard realized it would be no light summer drizzle.
The rain began with furious force, the fierce winds whipped their cloaks around them making moving difficult. Soon Imoen couldn't take it anymore, being weary with her wounds. The searched futilely for shelter, while Kivan carried Imoen since he was the strongest of the companions.
"There's light ahead but..." Jaheira shouted suddenly, halting their advance.
"...but what?" Aidan replied, yelling over the fiercely blowing winds and boom of thunder.
"It could be anyone, hobgoblins or something worse!" she finished.
"I know! Still, do we have a choice!?" Aidan replied, glancing towards Imoen. Jaheira exchanged looks with Khalid who nodded at her.
"Very well! I'll go and have a look, you wait here!" she answered and before anyone could stop her, she had started towards the light.
"J-Jaheira! Wuh-wait!" Khalid stammered and started running after her.
"Impatient fools! Aidan, Safana, come here!" Kivan demanded, laying Imoen down.
He also placed his backpack down, and drew his bow.
"Wait here, I'll go with them. If it's worse.. At least some of us will survive." He smiled with grim humor at Aidan's amazed face and started running after the two half-elves.
"A-Aidan..?" he heard Imoen's voice and immediately turned to attend his wounded friend. She seemed to be in terrible pain.
"Here." It was Safana, she had knelt down beside him and held a bottle of brandy in her hand.
Pouring it into a cup, she gave it to Aidan.
"Just a bit, it's very strong, should dull the pain." She said sympathetically, helping Imoen to sit up so she could drink better.
Smiling gratefully, all his recent misgivings about their "guide" forgotten, he offered Imoen the cup. She drank greedily, and some color seemed to return to her cheeks.
Safana offered him a cup too, which he gratefully accepted, shivering in the cold. The alcohol tasted strong, almost too strong.
"Whew! What is this.." he looked up and saw that Safana had corked the bottle, and put it in Kivan's backpack.
"What.." he started again and rose up unsteadily, seeing Safana smile cunningly. His vision blurred and he fell back down.
The girl laughed at him and picked up Kivan's heavy backpack with a grunt. Taking a quick look towards the light where the others had vanished, she ran into the storm.
Suddenly Aidan heard voices shouting in alarm.
Jaheira!
He tried to stand up but his legs didn't work. He felt so tired!
The sounds of combat were unmistakable, his friends were in danger.. he had to.. he had to..
Aidan fell to ground, fast asleep.
*-*-*
Kivan was fighting for his life.
He had heard Jaheira shout Khalid in alarm and sounds of heavy combat could be heard from the direction of the fire light.
As well as the booming voices of ogres.
Three of the brutes had lumbered forward to meet him, and he couldn't know if the two half-elves were still even alive. His skillful shot had dropped the first ogre in it's tracks, the acid from his arrow sizzling in it's skull. The second was moaning on the ground, trying to reach the elf but not quite managing due to it's acid-damaged kneecap.
He was trying to avoid the swings of the last one's massive blade while attempting to score hits with his own long sword.
The ogre bellowed in rage and hacked at him.
Fortunately for the elf, the brute was a clumsy fighter and he had managed to escape injury so far. Again, the massive blade rose.
This time Kivan didn't hesitate. He quickly grabbed the small ceramic flask he wore on his belt, uncorked it with his teeth and drank it down.
The ogre took his swing, and missed. This time it had been close. Kivan realized he was growing tired.
Feeling the effects of the potion of fire breath warm his stomach, he unleashed it's full force on the ogre's stunned face. Despite the thunderstorm, the beastly giant lit up like a torch and ran down from the cliff in panic. It's death scream echoed even over the constant clap of thunder.
Kivan took the moment to draw breath. A nearly fatal mistake.
The by now recovered third ogre swung it's massive club at him. Luckily to the ranger, he managed to dodge the full effect of the terrible blow. Still, even a glancing blow from an ogre to someone in light armor can be fatal, and Kivan was tossed aside like a rag doll.
Rolling with the impact, the ranger quickly scurried up and abandoned his sword in favor of his bow. Drawing his last acid arrow, the ranger flicked a cold glance at the slowly moving, wounded ogre. The brute bellowed at him, no doubt cursing him out in it's uncouth tongue. Kivan's reply was to shoot his wickedly enchanted arrow straight into it's open mouth.
With a strangled gurgle, the beast fell.
Sighing with relief, Kivan started immediately towards the huge fire. More forms were approaching, these ones smaller than full ogres.
Half-ogres and ogrillons.
Yelling Khalid's and Jaheiras' names, he fired his first arrow, dropping a charging ogrillon which startled the others somewhat. Taking advantage of their confusion, he fired again, this time wounding a half-ogre. The brutes realized that they were facing a single archer and charged.
Kivan's second arrow dropped the already wounded half-ogre.
With a defiant yell he switched weapons.
He couldn't flee, his companions were depending on him. He met the first charging ogrillon, dodged under it's clumsy swings and sliced open it's bulging gut.
He fought like he had never fought before, just like when he had defended Deheriana from the ogres and hobgoblins.
He had failed then. He wouldn't fail this time.
As he hacked off a clumsy half-ogre's sword-arm, Kivan realized he was smiling. He felt an ogrillon's horn-covered fist hit him to his side, but ignored it. Turning dexterously, he lopped off the orc-spawns head. In one fluid movement he blocked the next savage swing from a half-ogre.
Like an acrobat, he danced around his enemies, dodged the most, took some blows but kept ignoring them until he was bleeding all over.
He wouldn't fail. Not this time.
With a savage yell, he felled yet another brute.
The half-ogres were amazed, were they fighting some angry avatar of an elven god? They had the elf surrounded but their blows seemed to have no effect, and already seven of their number lay down dead in the ground.
They hesitated.
Kivan didn't, and yet another ogrillon fell, it's intestines falling out of it's pierced torso.
As the blood-stained, smiling elf turned to face the next half-ogre, it took a step back.
Kivan followed.
His enemies fled.
Kivan tried to chase after them, but found out that he couldn't take another step.
He fell down on his knees, his sword falling from his limp fingers.
After the frenzied fighting, his senses began to work again. He tasted blood in his mouth, felt blood running down his back, chest, arms, legs. Down his face.
Feeling his chest, he looked down. It was his heart blood running out.
His vision was beginning to grow blurry, he was seeing everything through a red haze.
Someone was standing in front of him!
"Ja-Jaheira?" he managed, blood running out of his mouth. He didn't feel the rain anymore, he realized, nor did he hear the thunder.
It wasn't Jaheira. It was the little human girl who haunted his dreams. Was he dreaming?
Kivan tried to speak, but no words came out. The girl, for the first time, smiled at him. She ran over, kissed him on the forehead and took his hand.
"I forgive you" she whispered.
Kivan smiled. And smiled. How he smiled!
And he would keep on smiling for all eternity, in the green forests of Arvandor under the benign eyes of the Seldarine, where lost loves are reunited and the worthy are granted eternal peace.
He hadn't failed.
Chapter 11 - Hearing the heartbeat
Nighttime.
Most living beings dream, whether dragon or halfling. Sometimes the dreams are more than simple images running through the sleepers head without purpose. They can be visions from the gods or other messages from the beyond.
They can even be warnings about one's perilous future or a promise of a better tomorrow.
Or they could be phantasms, malicious illusions sent by one's enemies to lead one astray.
Whatever the cause, everyone dreams.
Northward from the windy coast where the companions were camped out at, in the great city of Baldur's Gate a man dreamed of his mother. She pleaded for him to help her, even as she was dying. Someone (who the dreaming man knew very well!) was strangling her with a garrote. It wasn't a new dream, and the man didn't lift a finger to help his poor mother. Why should he? It was just a dream, after all. With a last pleading call of his name, the vision vanished and the man woke up. It had been just a dream. Again.
Far, far to the south another man dreamed. If it could be called that. His dreams contained no passion, no emotion. He dreamed of revenge. Revenge against a traitorous lover and her arrogant, insolent people, his own former countrymen. But he got no pleasure from his visions of finally gaining that revenge. That bothered him somewhat, how could he not feel any pleasure at seeing his former home in flames? He knew the reason, indeed it was the very reason behind his vengeful thoughts. As he opened his eyes, the man smiled coldly. He knew what it would take, he knew how he could replace what they had stolen from him. And then.. The cold smile only widened. Then they would suffer as he had.
Even further south, a woman dreamed. She saw the faces of old comrades, now dead. Among them, she spied her former lover, only recently killed, though not by her own hand, as so many others had been. She saw her two former gods, for whom both she had once been a chosen champion. Both of them were dead, their once immortal essence now belonging to others. She was a survivor, she knew the dream was telling her. It had to be. She had outlasted her friends, mentors, lovers and even her gods. She had no equals, the woman exulted in her sleep. Her day was coming.
*-*-*
Aidan dreamed.
His mind had drifted back to the now destroyed bandit camp.
It was filled with all manner of bandits and humanoid brigands, but they were easy pickings before his might. Scattering like leaves before his might, he unleashed his mighty spells again and again, ravaging the camp again.
Suddenly he felt his feet losing touch with the ground, and saw that he was rising to the air.
For a moment, his ascent was joyous. He was like a bird, free from all the pain and hardship that his life had became since he left Candlekeep, just under a month ago. Laughing, he spread his arms and soared through the clouds, enjoying the cool breeze on his face.
Then, he felt stiffening in his limbs. Panicking, he tried to will himself to keep flying. It was useless, he had seemingly lost all his power and fell screaming to the ground.
Surprisingly, the ground accepted him and he fell straight through it without slowing down. He descended for some time, until he found himself in a lighted cavern, looking at himself.
Or a statue of himself, accurate in every detail.
A dagger of bone hovered in front of the statue.
Then he heard the voice. It was the same malicious, but strangely familiar voice that had haunted his dreams before.
"Such a pride undeserved, great predator, when your whole being is borrowed." It said to him in amused voice.
"You were made as you are," it continued, growing cold. "and you can also be broken."
With lightning speed, the dagger of bone with the statue, cracking it.
Feeling terrible pain in his heart, Aidan awoke with a start.
Clutching his chest, he breathed in relief. The pain was gone as if it had never existed.
But...
He felt something, something new. Much akin to the mysterious healing abilities that brimmed inside him.
Shivering slightly, the young wizard wondered what on Faerun was happening to him.
*-*-*
Kivan dreamed.
It was a recurring dream to him, one that had begun after his quest for revenge had caused a tragedy.
He saw the little girl stand in front of him, staring at him with pain- filled, accusing eyes.
"You promised to protect us!" she cried, tears flowing from her eyes.
The air smelled of smoke from the burning farm house, which the bandits had set aflame.
"I did! I tried to! I..." he heard his own words, and felt sick to his stomach at how false they rang. He hadn't cared about the human farmers, preferring to chase after the bandits himself. He had found them, and killed them all. Including Kurzbuk, Tazok's former second in command who had personally tortured him and killed his wife for Tazok's enjoyment.
But other members of their band had struck at the farmhouse, killing the farmer, his wife and his two sons. They had dragged the older sister away and the little girl had only survived by hiding in the forest.
Kivan heard himself promise the child that he would kill the bandits and rescue her sister.
"No!" he moaned.
The dream changed.
He was standing in the clearing again. The bandits were all dead. But so was the girl, ravaged and then tortured by the cruel humanoids. He saw himself kneel down and scalp the bandits. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the sight of his own deeds. How in Corellon's name had he thought the girl would be mollified by this grisly display?! Had he been that callous then?
He saw himself confront the girl again, saw her turn and run away, crying. She didn't care about revenge, she only wanted her family back. To his horror, Kivan knew what was to come next. He saw himself turn...
And walk away.
"This is a dream!" he screamed.
"Yes it is." A new voice, one that this dream hadn't featured up until now!
Turning in amazement, Kivan faced Deheriana, his lovely and very much dead wife.
"How... You're..." he stammered like Khalid at his worst, tears flowing from his eyes.
The slender, beautiful elven woman smiled at him.
"I am dead, my love. And this is a dream." Slowly, she walked over to Kivan, who had by now fallen to his knees.
Kneeling in front of him, Deheriana kissed her husband tenderly.
Sobbing harshly, he embraced her for a moment which felt like eternity.
Still smiling, but with great sadness now, she pushed them apart but held both of his hand in her own.
Seeing her sad gaze penetrate his being, Kivan knew instantly why she had come.
"I... I have wasted it." he told her in a cracked voice, still gruff but no longer cold or dead. Instead it was filled with grief.
"I lived for vengeance, giving no thought to the plight of others. I have caused great harm in my foolishness. I know now that..." his voice cracked and he began sobbing harshly again.
Deheriana lifted his chin up, and looked at him in the eyes. He saw love and understanding there, no trace of accusation.
It was worse than anything other he might have felt.
"I know that due to my wickedness, we will never walk together in Arvandor as a husband and wife. I was given a gift by the gods themselves, and I squandered it! I..." he would have continued but Deheriana lifted a finger to his lips.
She took a step backwards and changed into a familiar figure.
Aidan!
His mouth agape, the ranger saw that they were once again in the Wood of Sharp Teeth, facing the half-ogre Tazok. He was so tense, fighting to keep from drawing his bow and launching a shaft at the target of his revenge. He saw Aidan talking to the brute, and knew as he had then realized that if he chose to fire, Aidan and the others would die.
But did it matter?
He had no life beyond his revenge and now it was in his grasp.
But he didn't fire, just as he had chosen not to fire when the event had really happened.
Aidan turned at him and smiled, just like Deheriana had.
Then the young wizards image shifted into another familiar form.
It was the same forest but now it was dark, dark like the skin of the figure in front of him.
The dark elf, Viconia.
He saw that he was aiming his arrow at her and saw her turn, like she had done then. He knew that he had no real reason to kill her expect his own deep hatred of the drow and the pain they had caused Deheriana's own family when they had slaughtered her cousins before he had rescued her.
He also knew that this drow had saved Jaheira's life and routed the bandits, most likely saving them all. He heard his own words reply to her curses as he had then. From beyond Viconia's field of vision, he saw a heat figure of man armed with a bow. The new figure was aiming for the dark elf also.
A bandit tracker, and he saw more figures in the distance: a search party.
He wouldn't even have to shoot her himself.
Taking a careful aim, he made his decision.
The bandit fell to ground, Kivan's arrow through his eye.
Viconia whirled around, wielding something in her hand. An empty potion bottle the elf ranger noted as he had noted when the event had really happened. Not as accepting her fate as it had seemed, he thought caustically.
He drew his hunting knife and spoke his last words to the drow who was retreating to the forest, ready to start spell casting. He knelt down beside the bandit and saw himself start the grim deed. The rest of the search party was still some distance away, he would have ample time.
Kivan felt someone lift his chin up.
Viconia, he noted realizing that this hadn't really happened. The dark elf had fled and he had killed the search party just as he had later told Aidan.
The drow's image changed into Deheriana again.
She smiled at him and then he understood.
The knife fell limply from his hand and for the first time since her death, whether in dream or awake, Kivan smiled with real relief and warmth. The tears that welled in his eyes weren't tears of shame or agony.
He was alive.
And then he woke up.
*-*-*
The night had passed.
Aidan was sitting on a cliff-side, overlooking the sea. Waves were crashing on the shore and his heart constricted as he remembered climbing to the ramparts of Candlekeep as a child to witness this very same event: the sun rising from behind the red sky while listening at the scream of gulls and roar of waves.
The others were eating breakfast and discussing with Safana about the possible guardians of Black Alaric's treasure. The girl had insisted that there were some powerful, possibly magical beasts in the cave, but she couldn't say what kind.
Taking a bite out of the strip of jerky he was eating, Aidan briefly wondered about his dream of previous night. He wasn't sure if the visions were tests or if they had any meaning at all. But each time he had felt the mysterious power inside of him increase.
Eating the last bit of his meal, the wizard rose up and walked back to the rest of the companions. Safana immediately greeted him with a promising smile, but it wasn't the red headed young woman who caused Aidan to stare mouth agape.
Kivan was smiling, and not out of sarcasm or joy of killing bandits.
For the first time, the ranger looked contented.
The young wizard briefly envied the elf, who had obviously slept better than he had.
*-*-*
"Here they come again!"
Aidan cursed at Jaheira's hasty shout of alarm.
As they had neared the reputed location of the treasure cave, they had been set upon by a horde of hobgoblins. Normally it wouldn't have been too strange, as hobgoblins were a common menace in the Sword Coast after all and not all of them were members of The Chill or anything like that.
But these particular humanoids fought without any care of casualties and with great fury. They also attacked stupidly, without any resemblance of smart tactics. After seeing the glazed over eyes and mindless ferocity of their enemies up close, Jaheira and Aidan had both concluded that someone had charmed or otherwise mentally dominated their enemies.
And yet more of them came.
Kivan and Imoen were dropping them from distance with arrows as they charged over the sandy beach without even attempting to take cover or encircle the companions.
Aidan was preparing to cast the "Web" spell when he saw something new.
A green-skinned woman was directing the assault from afar.
"Jaheira! Look!" he yelled to the druid, pointing at the strange woman.
The druid was likewise preparing a spell, but halted and cursed when she saw the woman.
"By Silvanus! I should have guessed! Quickly, Kivan, shoot her!" she screamed at the ranger.
"Sirines! We're fighting Sirines and their slaves!" Kivan replied at Aidan's questioning look as he fired an arrow trailing sizzling drops of acid at the green woman. These arrows were enchanted, having been bought from Thalantyr by the companions. The acid in the greatly increased the damage potential, but since they were very expensive Kivan and Imoen had agreed to preserve them for only the most dangerous of foes.
Kivan's aim was true, and the beautiful female screamed in pain. Raising her own bow, she took an aim towards Khalid who was battling the charmed hobgoblins. Not seemingly caring for her pawns, she fired and hit the half- elf on the shoulder.
Grimacing from hurt, Khalid kept fighting.
"Look out! There's another one!" Imoen yelled, and fired her own acid arrows at the new Sirine emerging from the sea. Her aim had been hasty though, and she missed by a wide margin.
The new Sirine started chanting and singing, and to Aidan's horror he realized she was casting a spell! Quickly he cast his own "Magic Missile" spell, aiming the two missiles towards the new foe. But the Sirine had been quicker.
She disappeared from view entirely and Aidan's spell missed.
Quickly, Jaheira started chanting a counter spell. Aidan cursed aloud. What he wouldn't have given for a "Detect Invisible" spell now, but that particular spell was a divination.
A "lower form of magic" as he had thought so foolishly back in Candlekeep.
Kivan had hit the first Sirine again, and dropped the woman from the fight. Imoen was scanning for the second aquatic female humanoid, but until Jaheira finished her "Invisibility Purge", she couldn't see her.
Khalid killed another hobgoblin, and Aidan saw that there were only a few more left.
Something was wrong!
He saw the half-elf miss his next strike and fall to his knees.
"What on..."
Aidan saw the arrow sticking from Khalid's shoulder.
Poison!
Jaheira had finished her spell, and the Sirine shimmered back in to view.
She had changed position and Imoen and Kivan were facing the wrong direction. Aidan didn't pay too much heed, as he ran towards Khalid who was trying to dodge the hobgoblins' swings and dig a elixir of health from his belt to counter the poison.
Aidan quickly cast his "Chromatic Orb", hitting the other hobgoblin in the face and killing it. The other got skewered by Khalid but managed to score a hit in his left arm with it's club. Yelping in pain, Khalid dropped his potion.
It fell to ground and shattered into a thousand pieces.
Hurriedly, Aidan began to dig for his own antidotes as Khalid fell to his knees again, panting and gasping for breath.
There! He reached for the potion and...
Let go of it.
Something was happening, he realized. This stinking half-elf was trying to hurt his mistress. Aidan knew that his mistress was in pain and he had to punish the others first.
Imoen saw her arrow hit the Sirine and yelled in relief. The green-skinned woman fell down with a yelp but still struggled to rise. She saw Kivan rise his bow and take careful aim.
Suddenly she heard Aidan chanting.
Turning to her friend in wonder, she was suddenly engulfed in sticky strands that ripped her weapon from her hands and entangled her fast. From Kivan's cursing she realized he had met with a similar fate.
Jaheira realized what had happened: Aidan had been charmed!
Quickly she began her own spell casting, intended to launch a charm of her own to counter the Sirine's spell. Too late, she saw the green-skinned woman fire her bow at her. Her spell disrupted, she had no alternative but to quickly dig for a antidote and pray that the Sirine wouldn't hit her again.
Grinning evilly, the aquatic woman aimed her bow.
She didn't notice a slight shimmer beside her, until she was engulfed in a cloud of gas.
It was Mara, Aidan's little faerie dragon familiar.
Gasping like she was feeling.. great joy, the Sirine limply dropped her bow and began to wander aimlessly. She no longer seemed to care, even when Kivan slashed Aidan's "Web" strands and cut her down with his sword.
Hurriedly running to Khalid, Jaheira saw that he had dug out Aidan's elixir of health and was feeling better. The young wizard was some distance away, staggering like a newborn colt and grinning like an idiot.
*-*-*
"I didn't know you had a breath weapon!" Aidan demanded from his familiar.
The little dragonet grinned sheepishly.
"I forgot to tell you my lord. Euphoria inducing gas. But you should have known! After all, I AM a dragon..." she said in her best schoolmistress voice, wagging a tiny claw at him.
"Thanks anyway. You saved us all..."
"Again." The dragon interrupted.
"...again?" Aidan was incredulous.
"Yes. I am a cunning and courageous scout after all, whose many heroic deeds have..." the tiny dragonet began to list her "accomplishments" but Aidan saw fit to silence her.
"Hush. Look." Ahead, farther down on the beach lay a cave.
"That's it!" Safana yelled and jumped from behind the bush she had hid in.
Jaheira and Imoen cast a disgusted glance at her as she ran to Aidan.
"Black Alaric's cave! Send that little... thing to scout it out!" she continued, wrinkling her nose at the tiny dragon.
Mara gave an equally tiny snarl to the girl, but Aidan was already shaking his head.
"I won't risk it. If there are magical creatures inside, I don't want them seeing her. We'll go in after we have rested first." He replied.
Safana tried to keep her smile up, but for the first time Aidan saw something else... annoyance flash in her eyes.
"No. No no no! You saw those green skinned wenches and what they did to those hobgoblins. What they did to you!" She added for effect.
"What if there are more of them?"
"But we are weary from the poison and low on spells! If what you said is true and there are magical guardians inside, we might be swiftly outmatched!" he snapped back at the girl.
Now he saw clearly that she was getting angry.
"Aidan... Safana is right." It was Jaheira.
The young wizard couldn't believe what he was hearing. He opened his mouth for an angry retort but this time Imoen cut him off.
"As much as I hate disagreeing with you, chum, I have to agree with the rest. We have potions and scrolls we can use, don't we? But if we rest and come back later, and more of these Sirines show up..."
She didn't have to finish, Aidan knew she was right. He had known from the moment Safana argued it, in fact.
It was just that.
"It feels like a..." he blurted out with his thoughts.
"Like what? Good advice? Let's go!" Safana was all smile and charm again, and Khalid was already digging up a potion of stone giant strength from his backpack.
Trap. Aidan finished silently.
Sighing, he dug out his own oil of speed and presented it to Khalid.
He had a feeling they were in for a nasty fight.
*-*-*
The cave was dry despite being close to the shore, and a deep layer of dust blanketed the floor. As the companions slowly edged deeper in to the cave, they began to see remains of the previous hopefuls.
Three crushed hobgoblins skeletons and what was probably the remains of a Sirine lay nearest to the entrance.
Aidan gulped, looking at the cracked skulls of the skeletons made him uneasy. The cave was deadly silent and the bones were covered in dust.
Some twenty meters onward they came upon what looked like the remains of a neophyte adventuring party. Their corpses too were crushed, and as Khalid briefly examined the breastplate of one of the unfortunate corpses, Aidan felt icy dread settle in his stomach as he saw how badly damaged the piece of armor was.
"Psst!" Imoen signaled from the lead.
The rest of the companions quickly hurried to her.
Putting a finger to her lips, she pointed forward into the gloom.
A huge, at least a half-ogre sized humanoid figure was standing there. Khalid glanced at Aidan questioningly.
The young wizard exchanged looks with Jaheira.
"A golem?" the druid asked.
It had to be. Aidan nodded at Khalid and the half-elf began to uncork his oil of speed.
And not a moment too soon. Without any indication at what exactly had triggered it, the golem suddenly lumbered towards them. Shouting in alarm, Imoen immediately launched her magical arrow followed by Kivan doing the same. Khalid hurriedly poured the contents of the flask on top of him while the magically strengthened Jaheira sprung forward to attack the magical construct of body parts with her enchanted staff.
Aidan knew that spells were largely useless against most golems, so he resigned himself to keep watching the two side passages, not possessing any magical weapons.
He was delighted to see the magical acid arrows bite deep. Jaheira too dealt a huge blow to the silent creature. Reeling from their blows, the golem struck back sending the warrior druid flying.
It started towards her, but then turned to face the charging Khalid instead.
Possessing giant strength and magically hasted, Khalid was too much for the already weakened golem. The supernaturally quick half-elf dodged it's massive fists and dealt two massive blows to the construct's already weakened middle section.
It flopped to ground in two pieces.
Aidan's yell of victory changed to a yelp of terror.
From both of the side passages a new golem could be seen approaching.
Kivan and Imoen immediately shot the other one while Khalid intercepted the other like a tornado, while Aidan ran to help Jaheira stand up. Concentrating, he used his mysterious healing powers to heal the druidess.
From the corner of his eye he saw that Khalid was more or less holding his own but Kivan and Imoen were in trouble. They had managed to wound the golem with their bows, but since Kivan didn't possess an enchanted blade he was of no use in the melee and was forced to try and find a safe place to shoot it. Not an easy task in the swirling melee.
Striking with her minorly enchanted blade, Imoen managed to stab the beast. Jaheira shook her head to clear out the ringing, and started toward the fight. At the same moment Khalid yelled for help.
The experienced warrior druid didn't hesitate and headed to aid her reeling husband, who had been badly pummeled by the golem. Aidan heard Imoen scream in pain and turned again.
She was laying some three meters from the golem, coughing up blood and holding her chest in pain, oblivious to the massive beast closing for the kill. Yelling in anger, Aidan cast his "Mirror Image" spell and ran to stand between the golem and Imoen.
The huge construct shuddered a bit as Kivan had taken the chance to sink two arrows in it's back. Not caring about the elf, it quickly started to pummel Aidan's illusionary figures. Suddenly realizing that he was in mortal danger, the young wizard nonetheless stood his ground. Defiantly, he struck out with his staff.
The non-magical weapon hit the golem ineffectively across the face, rocking it slightly but having no other effect. The beast demolished his last illusion.
Realizing his mistake, the young wizard stumbled backwards as the deceptively quick construct rose up it's massive fist's and...
...Got an acid arrow straight into it's already wounded flank. Jerking spasmodically, the beast fell down on it's back. Aidan fell on his behind in amazement and relief.
Gazing up, he saw Kivan's smiling face. Taking the elf's offered hand, he quickly ran to Imoen's side. He still had some of that healing energy left, he could feel it inside of him.
*-*-*
The treasure had been impressive enough.
Many gems and jewels and gold in abundance. A strange cloak, some potions and a great enchanted tome were also present. The loot was to be divided in six parts, but the companions decided to do so later.
They were wounded and weary, but still had no desire to rest near the cave for the fear that more Sirines might show up. As soon as everyone was ready to move on, the companions gathered their equipment and started northwards, intending to evade both the Sirines and the undead infested rocky hills in the east.
The day had been long, and each of them (with the exception of Safana) was worn and weary. To the north the ground began to rise and soon they were walking on massive cliffs. To make matters even worse, Aidan spotted dark clouds on the horizon. As the wind began to increase in volume the young wizard realized it would be no light summer drizzle.
The rain began with furious force, the fierce winds whipped their cloaks around them making moving difficult. Soon Imoen couldn't take it anymore, being weary with her wounds. The searched futilely for shelter, while Kivan carried Imoen since he was the strongest of the companions.
"There's light ahead but..." Jaheira shouted suddenly, halting their advance.
"...but what?" Aidan replied, yelling over the fiercely blowing winds and boom of thunder.
"It could be anyone, hobgoblins or something worse!" she finished.
"I know! Still, do we have a choice!?" Aidan replied, glancing towards Imoen. Jaheira exchanged looks with Khalid who nodded at her.
"Very well! I'll go and have a look, you wait here!" she answered and before anyone could stop her, she had started towards the light.
"J-Jaheira! Wuh-wait!" Khalid stammered and started running after her.
"Impatient fools! Aidan, Safana, come here!" Kivan demanded, laying Imoen down.
He also placed his backpack down, and drew his bow.
"Wait here, I'll go with them. If it's worse.. At least some of us will survive." He smiled with grim humor at Aidan's amazed face and started running after the two half-elves.
"A-Aidan..?" he heard Imoen's voice and immediately turned to attend his wounded friend. She seemed to be in terrible pain.
"Here." It was Safana, she had knelt down beside him and held a bottle of brandy in her hand.
Pouring it into a cup, she gave it to Aidan.
"Just a bit, it's very strong, should dull the pain." She said sympathetically, helping Imoen to sit up so she could drink better.
Smiling gratefully, all his recent misgivings about their "guide" forgotten, he offered Imoen the cup. She drank greedily, and some color seemed to return to her cheeks.
Safana offered him a cup too, which he gratefully accepted, shivering in the cold. The alcohol tasted strong, almost too strong.
"Whew! What is this.." he looked up and saw that Safana had corked the bottle, and put it in Kivan's backpack.
"What.." he started again and rose up unsteadily, seeing Safana smile cunningly. His vision blurred and he fell back down.
The girl laughed at him and picked up Kivan's heavy backpack with a grunt. Taking a quick look towards the light where the others had vanished, she ran into the storm.
Suddenly Aidan heard voices shouting in alarm.
Jaheira!
He tried to stand up but his legs didn't work. He felt so tired!
The sounds of combat were unmistakable, his friends were in danger.. he had to.. he had to..
Aidan fell to ground, fast asleep.
*-*-*
Kivan was fighting for his life.
He had heard Jaheira shout Khalid in alarm and sounds of heavy combat could be heard from the direction of the fire light.
As well as the booming voices of ogres.
Three of the brutes had lumbered forward to meet him, and he couldn't know if the two half-elves were still even alive. His skillful shot had dropped the first ogre in it's tracks, the acid from his arrow sizzling in it's skull. The second was moaning on the ground, trying to reach the elf but not quite managing due to it's acid-damaged kneecap.
He was trying to avoid the swings of the last one's massive blade while attempting to score hits with his own long sword.
The ogre bellowed in rage and hacked at him.
Fortunately for the elf, the brute was a clumsy fighter and he had managed to escape injury so far. Again, the massive blade rose.
This time Kivan didn't hesitate. He quickly grabbed the small ceramic flask he wore on his belt, uncorked it with his teeth and drank it down.
The ogre took his swing, and missed. This time it had been close. Kivan realized he was growing tired.
Feeling the effects of the potion of fire breath warm his stomach, he unleashed it's full force on the ogre's stunned face. Despite the thunderstorm, the beastly giant lit up like a torch and ran down from the cliff in panic. It's death scream echoed even over the constant clap of thunder.
Kivan took the moment to draw breath. A nearly fatal mistake.
The by now recovered third ogre swung it's massive club at him. Luckily to the ranger, he managed to dodge the full effect of the terrible blow. Still, even a glancing blow from an ogre to someone in light armor can be fatal, and Kivan was tossed aside like a rag doll.
Rolling with the impact, the ranger quickly scurried up and abandoned his sword in favor of his bow. Drawing his last acid arrow, the ranger flicked a cold glance at the slowly moving, wounded ogre. The brute bellowed at him, no doubt cursing him out in it's uncouth tongue. Kivan's reply was to shoot his wickedly enchanted arrow straight into it's open mouth.
With a strangled gurgle, the beast fell.
Sighing with relief, Kivan started immediately towards the huge fire. More forms were approaching, these ones smaller than full ogres.
Half-ogres and ogrillons.
Yelling Khalid's and Jaheiras' names, he fired his first arrow, dropping a charging ogrillon which startled the others somewhat. Taking advantage of their confusion, he fired again, this time wounding a half-ogre. The brutes realized that they were facing a single archer and charged.
Kivan's second arrow dropped the already wounded half-ogre.
With a defiant yell he switched weapons.
He couldn't flee, his companions were depending on him. He met the first charging ogrillon, dodged under it's clumsy swings and sliced open it's bulging gut.
He fought like he had never fought before, just like when he had defended Deheriana from the ogres and hobgoblins.
He had failed then. He wouldn't fail this time.
As he hacked off a clumsy half-ogre's sword-arm, Kivan realized he was smiling. He felt an ogrillon's horn-covered fist hit him to his side, but ignored it. Turning dexterously, he lopped off the orc-spawns head. In one fluid movement he blocked the next savage swing from a half-ogre.
Like an acrobat, he danced around his enemies, dodged the most, took some blows but kept ignoring them until he was bleeding all over.
He wouldn't fail. Not this time.
With a savage yell, he felled yet another brute.
The half-ogres were amazed, were they fighting some angry avatar of an elven god? They had the elf surrounded but their blows seemed to have no effect, and already seven of their number lay down dead in the ground.
They hesitated.
Kivan didn't, and yet another ogrillon fell, it's intestines falling out of it's pierced torso.
As the blood-stained, smiling elf turned to face the next half-ogre, it took a step back.
Kivan followed.
His enemies fled.
Kivan tried to chase after them, but found out that he couldn't take another step.
He fell down on his knees, his sword falling from his limp fingers.
After the frenzied fighting, his senses began to work again. He tasted blood in his mouth, felt blood running down his back, chest, arms, legs. Down his face.
Feeling his chest, he looked down. It was his heart blood running out.
His vision was beginning to grow blurry, he was seeing everything through a red haze.
Someone was standing in front of him!
"Ja-Jaheira?" he managed, blood running out of his mouth. He didn't feel the rain anymore, he realized, nor did he hear the thunder.
It wasn't Jaheira. It was the little human girl who haunted his dreams. Was he dreaming?
Kivan tried to speak, but no words came out. The girl, for the first time, smiled at him. She ran over, kissed him on the forehead and took his hand.
"I forgive you" she whispered.
Kivan smiled. And smiled. How he smiled!
And he would keep on smiling for all eternity, in the green forests of Arvandor under the benign eyes of the Seldarine, where lost loves are reunited and the worthy are granted eternal peace.
He hadn't failed.