Part - The Fourth
The blood roared in Duran's ears as her body was dragged along by some unknown force. She was helpless, floating in space, no longer able to say whether she was alone or with friends, frightened to open her eyes and check. For one horrible moment she wondered if Imoen had dropped the key, and that this was what death was like, but then the noise and the whirling stopped, and she stumbled heavily down off the dais.
She slammed into somebody, who staggered backwards under her weight and fell against the wall. Hearing the groans and thuds from behind her, she guessed the others had arrived and decided it was safe to open her eyes. She looked up, into the surprised face of a man around Minsc's age. He was holding her gently around the waist, both of them sprawled on the floor where her momentum had thrown them.
'So,' he said softly, glancing up at her friends as he pulled her to her feet, 'there is sanity in all this madness. If you are not in league with the evil that dwells in this place, Yoshimo begs your assistance.'
Before Duran could answer, Minsc had spoken up, the trip through the portal having not addled his brains any further than normal.
'We serve no evil mages, no sir! But Boo looks on you with suspicion, little man. How is it you come to be here? Never have I seen Boo's whiskers quiver so!'
Yoshimo took a step back, confronted by a bristling Rasheman ranger, and what he thought was a rat. Imoen shared a glance with Duran, and managed a weak smile at the man's reaction.
'I am not sure how I came to be here . . . like you, I suspect.'
'Unlikely,' Imoen muttered, wrapping her friend's arm about her shoulders to keep her upright. It seemed that Duran had taken the brunt of the portal's magic, and so was having difficulty re-adjusting to basic things, like gravity.
'I have been trying to find my way out,' Yoshimo continued, unaware of their scepticism, 'but I was wounded in my attempt to do so.'
Jaheira spared a glance for Duran, whose eyes were still a little out of focus.
'Do you know a way out of this place?' she asked him, her tone aggressive as ever.
He shook his head, confusion written on his face at her hostile behaviour. She scowled at him. There was something not right here, and every one of them could feel it. If even the hamster was uneasy with this man, they would have to get rid of him, fast.
'I do not know a way to escape this place,' Yoshimo confessed, then brightened. 'Perhaps we could search for the exit together?'
Jaheira looked him up and down, giving him the full benefit of her suspicion and doubt. He squirmed.
'No, I do not think that it would be wise. We'll be better off navigating this place without you.'
His face fell, and the druid thought she detected a hint of fear in his expression as he sighed despondently.
'Then I shall survive by taking the wise path,' he said. 'Go ahead and forge the trail. I will follow your path once I have rested a bit. If you're ever in Athkatla and need some assistance, I reside at the Copper Coronet, an inn of some renown. Again I say, farewell.'
He picked up his pack, and stepped through the portal. The group surged forward to stop him, but nothing happened.
'But, that can't be right,' Imoen protested quietly. 'How did he get through there without a key?'
'I do not know,' Jaheira said, her eyes narrowed suspiciously, 'but we have other things to concern ourselves with.'
She snapped her fingers in front of Duran's nose. The bard jumped, her eyes clearing so she could glare at the druid.
'What was that for?'
Jaheira nodded to herself.
'You're better,' she said cryptically, and strode over to the door. 'Imoen! Traps and locks, please.'
The thief exchanged a look with her friend, and left her side, checking the door for traps as Minsc reached out to prevent Duran from toppling over. She gave him a grateful smile.
'Thanks, Minsc.'
'Boo says you stay close to me and I will protect you. He is not happy here.'
Duran nodded slowly, and for lack of anything else to do, stepped closer to the ranger. He beamed down at her. The door swung open, and the world erupted.
Mephits flew at them from every direction, spitting whatever magic they were capable of at the vulnerable group. Every one that was cut down was replaced by two others, summoned by mephits protected by cages.
'Portals!' Jaheira shouted, going down under an onslaught of fire magic.
Imoen and Duran forced their way through the flying army, hacking at the creatures within the cages. Imoen was knocked flying as four mephits banded together to protect their portals, but she was quickly back on her feet again, this time protecting Duran as she fought the portal creatures. Minsc waded through the flying things, lifting Jaheira to her feet and towering over her protectively.
The last of the irritating things was disposed of, Duran and Imoen shared a grin as they moved to rejoin their friends. Jaheira turned to the door, and froze.
'Kha . . . Khalid?'
There, before them, on a table, was the twisted mutilated body of an elf. He had been subjected to many tortures, and now was dead, freed from the torment of their captor. Jaheira screamed suddenly, throwing herself to her knees beside the table.
'Khalid! No . . . this is an illusion . . . a dream . . . a bad dream . . .'
She looked around wildly, and Duran was shocked to see tears in the elven druid's eyes.
'Where are the mirrors . . . the switches to pull to . . . to show where he is hidden . . . Khalid!'
Her sobs filled the chamber, yet no one dared approach, knowing the violence of her temper.
'Damn . . . damn you . . .'
Minsc knelt suddenly, and following his lead, Duran pulled Imoen to her knees as well. Together they honoured the death of their companion.
'Damn you! I will have the heart of who has done this!! I will tear their blackened heart from their . . . I will . . .'
Unable to stand it any more, Duran moved to embrace her friend, steadfastly enduring the flailing fists to enfold the weeping woman into her arms. She rocked her friend gently, lost in memories of the elven warrior, who had taught her so much.
She remembered the hours he had spent trying to teach her how to use a sword, training that invariably ended in laughter at her complete incompetence with the blade he'd given her. He had taught her to smile again after Gorion's death, given her reason to laugh at whatever life threw at her because nothing was as bad as it seemed. It was somehow ironic that he had spent so many months protecting her, and that her last memory was of him pushing her to one side, to save her from a sword that should have taken her life.
Jaheira pushed away suddenly, her eyes red-rimmed with grief. She rose to touch the face of her beloved husband.
'Sil . . .Silvanus guide the light . . .to the source . . . Take this man to what he justly deserves. By . . . nature's will, what was given is returned, what was turmoil is . . . is now peace.'
She kissed his still lips, her tears falling to wash at least some of the blood from his face.
'Khalid of my heart, let my love . . . my love lead the way . . .'
Hesitantly, Duran touched her shoulder gently.
'There may be a way to get him returned to life. Should we not try?'
Jaheira turned, ready to snap at the girl for her idiocy, and found herself looking into eyes wet with tears for the man who had touched her life so deeply. She could not bring herself to shout, when the child was in as much pain as she.
'He . . . Khalid . . . is dead, and has been so for some time,' she said quietly. 'Beyond a point there can be no raising, especially when the body has been . . . has been desecrated.'
She stroked the girl's face, finding the echo of her grief in one so young almost as painful as Khalid's death itself.
'We live in an age of miracles, and nature allows the rebirth of many that have passed beyond the veil, but there is a time when . . . when it is better to let go.'
Duran swallowed past the lump in her throat.
'Then we will not disturb his body further. We will honour his loss with future deeds.'
Jaheira nodded, letting her friend wrap an arm about her shoulders.
'That is the way of things. There will be payment for this crime, and I shall not rest until it is collected. When we are able, there will be . . .'
She stopped, shaking herself and drying her eyes.
'Enough. I would leave this place.'
Agreeing, they followed her through the next door, leaving the sorrowful scene with heavy hearts.
It was not long before they smelt the change in the air, the freshness which told them they were close to the surface, and freedom. Their pace quickened, especially when with the freshness came a breeze that cooled them gently. They burst onto a gantry and pulled up short, confronted with hooded figures dressed all in black.
'Ahah!' the one exclaimed. 'I knew there that to be reinforcements down here. Couldn't be that powerful by himself, I said!'
Another spoke up, near to where Duran stood.
'What say we put an end to this here and now? We'll see the end of Irenicus and his little guild war before the day is through.'
Duran frowned, confused.
'Guild war? What are you talking about? I just want out of this dungeon.'
'You can talk all you wish, but it will do you no good,' hissed a voice from the shadows behind them. 'Everyone in this place has either attacked or tried to lie their way into our confidence.'
'I have no reason to lie,' Duran told them. 'I just want out of here, like I said.'
'And we shall deliver you. Fall upon our blades and spells, and then you will be free.'
Jaheira stepped forward, her spear ready in her hands.
'You are mistaken, but I care not! Khalid will be avenged, whether you stand aside willingly or not!'
She was knocked backwards as a man appeared in front of her, grinning down at her half-elven leader. He grasped Duran's throat, forcing her backwards.
'You and your guild dies, no matter your words!'
The ensuing fight was short and bloody. Despite the men's advantage in turning invisible, the four adventurers were desperate to see the sun, and made short work of them. Not even stopping to glance back at the bodies that littered the gantry, they moved to follow the breeze to its source.
The light slowly grew brighter, and the sounds of battle filtered down through the smoke and dust to the small group as they clambered awkwardly up out of the darkness and into the welcome light of day. What they saw was destruction.
The mage from Duran's waking nightmares, Irenicus, stood amidst the crumbling ruins of what once must have been a great building. Around him lay the black hooded bodies of men who had died fighting him, and beyond them, still more yet living came to join battle with this force of darkness.
'You dare to attack me here?' he asked of them, his tone incredulous. 'Do you even know whom you face?'
With a flick of his wrist he obliterated many of their number, his magical fire consuming them even as they crumpled in death.
'You will suffer! You will all suffer!'
As the last of them fell, he turned to go once more underground, and saw the four dishevelled figures standing among the ruins, weary and injured, but determined. A grim smile crossed his cold features. He addressed Duran, ignoring the others who stood with her.
'So godchild, you have escaped. You are more resourceful than I had thought.'
Before the bard could answer, Imoen had stepped forward, determined to protect her friend from whatever Irenicus intended to do to her. Duran had taken many such steps to protect her in former adventures. It was time she repaid her friend's bravery.
'You're not going to torture us any longer,' she spat, the memory of his sick experiments, his fingers within her mind, stoking her anger.
Irenicus laughed, a cold brittle sound that froze her momentarily.
'Torture?' he repeated. 'Silly girl, you just don't understand what I'm doing, do you?'
Imoen drew in a deep breath, preparing her spells to attack him.
'I don't care what you're doing. Let us go!'
His face grew hard and callous, his hands coming up to form the intricate symbols of an aggressive spell.
'I won't let you leave, not when I'm so close to unlocking your power,' he told her, surprised that the frail thief/mage had such spirit left within her.
'We don't want anything from you,' Imoen hissed, and released her spell.
It hit him in the midriff, taking him by surprise. His own attack flew past her, catching Duran in the chest as she surged forward to aid her friend. Minsc caught the bard as she flew backwards, the force of the blow slamming him back into the crumbling wall behind them. Jaheira hurried to Imoen's side, only to be thrown sideways by an invisible hand.
'Enough!' Irenicus declared. 'I will no longer listen to the babbling of ignorant children.'
As he raised his hands to perform the spell that would bind the two girls, the familiar hiss of portal magic filled the air, and several cowled figures appeared around him and Imoen. One took hold of the young thief's arm.
This is an unsanctioned use of magical energy.'
Another came forward to grasp Irenicus.
'All involved will be held. This disturbance is over.'
He went stumbling backwards, as the mage delivered a crippling blow to his groin. Irenicus drew in his power, casting angry spells at each of the cowled ones.
'Must I be interrupted at every turn?'
The scene lit up with the flashing of magical light and fire. Minsc drew a hand over his eyes as he squinted to see Imoen amidst the battle. Beside him, Duran lay dazed, slowly stirring from her unconscious state. Boo slipped from Minsc's tunic to scurry across her waist, squeaking excitedly at his ranger.
Irenicus surveyed the scene around him with barely concealed distaste.
'Enough of this!' he demanded, and in accordance the magic cleared.
The cowled ones lay dying or dead around him, but yet more appeared, stepping from the portals ready to do battle.
'You will cease your spell-casting and come with us,' one insisted, raising his staff protectively as Irenicus turned towards him.
Another stepped forward to bar the mage's path to his colleague.
'Even if we fall,' he told the irate mage, 'our numbers are many. You will be overwhelmed.'
Irenicus looked him up and down brutally, his gaze disapproving, to put it mildly.
Against Minsc's chest, Duran stirred, her eyes fluttering open to take in the scene around them.
'You are wakeful once again?' the ranger asked softly, shifting so she could sit upright.
Duran nodded and yelped slightly as Boo appeared from beneath her tunic, running up Minsc's arm to his usual resting place. Across from them, Jaheira also stirred, her eyes sharp with anger and mistrust.
The cowled one forced himself not to quake beneath the hostile glare.
'You bore me, mageling,' Irenicus said finally. 'You may take me in, but you will take the girl as well.'
Imoen started, jumping fright as two of the cowled ones moved to take her arms. Behind her, Duran struggled to her feet, staggering slightly as a wave of dizziness hit her.
'What?' Imoen protested. 'No! I've done nothing wrong -'
'You have been involved in illegal use of magic,' the man beside her said coldly. 'You will come with us.'
Desperation sank through the young thief, and she turned her head to gaze at her friend. Duran was hurrying towards them, but too slowly, still dizzy from the blow to her chest. Imoen began to struggle, trying to buy the bard some time to reach her.
'I'm not going with them!' she screamed, suddenly afraid. 'I'm not! Help me, please!'
She was dragged into a portal as each of the cowled ones disappeared, along with their captives. Duran lunged forward, hoping to slip through before they closed, but landed on her face in the rubble. She rocked back on her heels, stunned.
Minsc reached her first, anger clouding his vision as he surveyed the scene.
'No, this cannot be!' he cried, furious that he had been done out of his revenge. 'The murderer of Dynaheir flees from righteous butt-kicking vengeance? And he takes Imoen with him, too!'
He shook the young girl's shoulder, not understanding why she did not react.
'Something must be done, Duran! We must find this evil wizard! All that is goodness cries out for this! Even little Boo,' he added, 'although he cannot cry out quite so loudly.'
Jaheira hauled herself to her feet, having been sensible enough to wait for her body to recover before trying to walk. She could see the stunned expression on the bard's face, the unseeing incomprehension in her eyes.
'I find it odd that Irenicus would leave of his own violition,' she mused, moving over to remove Minsc's hand from Duran's shoulder. 'And why take Imoen when it is Duran he is so obviously interested in? Perhaps he expects us to give chase?'
She grasped Minsc's wrists almost absently, slapping his face to calm the irate ranger. He bristled for a moment before subsiding, stroking his hamster for reassurance.
'We must step carefully,' she told the Rasheman, forcing him to listen to her calm words. 'We know little about him . . . who he was fighting, who took him, or even where we are. We seem to be drawn into machinations not of our own making.'
'No!' Minsc protested. 'We must go quickly to save our friend, Imoen! The wizard may be leering over her evilly even now!'
Jaheira fixed him with a no-nonsense stare.
'And which why would we go?' she asked pointedly.
Minsc opened his mouth, ready to point in the right direction. A puzzled, disappointed frown crossed his face and his expression fell. Jaheira lifted his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes.
'Do not be foolish, Minsc,' she said gently, understanding his intense desire to save Imoen. 'We must know our enemies . . . and the extent of our danger, here . . . before we rush into anything.'
Slowly he nodded, understanding and trusting his friend implicitly. They turned to look at Duran, who remained kneeling on the spot where her friend had been only minutes before. Jaheira knelt beside her, a gently hand on her shoulder. Duran lifted shocked eyes to the elven druid.
'She's gone,' she whispered. 'They've taken her away . . .'
Jaheira pushed an errant curl from the shell-shocked girl's eyes, nodding forlornly.
'Yes, Duran,' she murmured, cradling the girl's shaking body in her arms. 'She's gone.'
The blood roared in Duran's ears as her body was dragged along by some unknown force. She was helpless, floating in space, no longer able to say whether she was alone or with friends, frightened to open her eyes and check. For one horrible moment she wondered if Imoen had dropped the key, and that this was what death was like, but then the noise and the whirling stopped, and she stumbled heavily down off the dais.
She slammed into somebody, who staggered backwards under her weight and fell against the wall. Hearing the groans and thuds from behind her, she guessed the others had arrived and decided it was safe to open her eyes. She looked up, into the surprised face of a man around Minsc's age. He was holding her gently around the waist, both of them sprawled on the floor where her momentum had thrown them.
'So,' he said softly, glancing up at her friends as he pulled her to her feet, 'there is sanity in all this madness. If you are not in league with the evil that dwells in this place, Yoshimo begs your assistance.'
Before Duran could answer, Minsc had spoken up, the trip through the portal having not addled his brains any further than normal.
'We serve no evil mages, no sir! But Boo looks on you with suspicion, little man. How is it you come to be here? Never have I seen Boo's whiskers quiver so!'
Yoshimo took a step back, confronted by a bristling Rasheman ranger, and what he thought was a rat. Imoen shared a glance with Duran, and managed a weak smile at the man's reaction.
'I am not sure how I came to be here . . . like you, I suspect.'
'Unlikely,' Imoen muttered, wrapping her friend's arm about her shoulders to keep her upright. It seemed that Duran had taken the brunt of the portal's magic, and so was having difficulty re-adjusting to basic things, like gravity.
'I have been trying to find my way out,' Yoshimo continued, unaware of their scepticism, 'but I was wounded in my attempt to do so.'
Jaheira spared a glance for Duran, whose eyes were still a little out of focus.
'Do you know a way out of this place?' she asked him, her tone aggressive as ever.
He shook his head, confusion written on his face at her hostile behaviour. She scowled at him. There was something not right here, and every one of them could feel it. If even the hamster was uneasy with this man, they would have to get rid of him, fast.
'I do not know a way to escape this place,' Yoshimo confessed, then brightened. 'Perhaps we could search for the exit together?'
Jaheira looked him up and down, giving him the full benefit of her suspicion and doubt. He squirmed.
'No, I do not think that it would be wise. We'll be better off navigating this place without you.'
His face fell, and the druid thought she detected a hint of fear in his expression as he sighed despondently.
'Then I shall survive by taking the wise path,' he said. 'Go ahead and forge the trail. I will follow your path once I have rested a bit. If you're ever in Athkatla and need some assistance, I reside at the Copper Coronet, an inn of some renown. Again I say, farewell.'
He picked up his pack, and stepped through the portal. The group surged forward to stop him, but nothing happened.
'But, that can't be right,' Imoen protested quietly. 'How did he get through there without a key?'
'I do not know,' Jaheira said, her eyes narrowed suspiciously, 'but we have other things to concern ourselves with.'
She snapped her fingers in front of Duran's nose. The bard jumped, her eyes clearing so she could glare at the druid.
'What was that for?'
Jaheira nodded to herself.
'You're better,' she said cryptically, and strode over to the door. 'Imoen! Traps and locks, please.'
The thief exchanged a look with her friend, and left her side, checking the door for traps as Minsc reached out to prevent Duran from toppling over. She gave him a grateful smile.
'Thanks, Minsc.'
'Boo says you stay close to me and I will protect you. He is not happy here.'
Duran nodded slowly, and for lack of anything else to do, stepped closer to the ranger. He beamed down at her. The door swung open, and the world erupted.
Mephits flew at them from every direction, spitting whatever magic they were capable of at the vulnerable group. Every one that was cut down was replaced by two others, summoned by mephits protected by cages.
'Portals!' Jaheira shouted, going down under an onslaught of fire magic.
Imoen and Duran forced their way through the flying army, hacking at the creatures within the cages. Imoen was knocked flying as four mephits banded together to protect their portals, but she was quickly back on her feet again, this time protecting Duran as she fought the portal creatures. Minsc waded through the flying things, lifting Jaheira to her feet and towering over her protectively.
The last of the irritating things was disposed of, Duran and Imoen shared a grin as they moved to rejoin their friends. Jaheira turned to the door, and froze.
'Kha . . . Khalid?'
There, before them, on a table, was the twisted mutilated body of an elf. He had been subjected to many tortures, and now was dead, freed from the torment of their captor. Jaheira screamed suddenly, throwing herself to her knees beside the table.
'Khalid! No . . . this is an illusion . . . a dream . . . a bad dream . . .'
She looked around wildly, and Duran was shocked to see tears in the elven druid's eyes.
'Where are the mirrors . . . the switches to pull to . . . to show where he is hidden . . . Khalid!'
Her sobs filled the chamber, yet no one dared approach, knowing the violence of her temper.
'Damn . . . damn you . . .'
Minsc knelt suddenly, and following his lead, Duran pulled Imoen to her knees as well. Together they honoured the death of their companion.
'Damn you! I will have the heart of who has done this!! I will tear their blackened heart from their . . . I will . . .'
Unable to stand it any more, Duran moved to embrace her friend, steadfastly enduring the flailing fists to enfold the weeping woman into her arms. She rocked her friend gently, lost in memories of the elven warrior, who had taught her so much.
She remembered the hours he had spent trying to teach her how to use a sword, training that invariably ended in laughter at her complete incompetence with the blade he'd given her. He had taught her to smile again after Gorion's death, given her reason to laugh at whatever life threw at her because nothing was as bad as it seemed. It was somehow ironic that he had spent so many months protecting her, and that her last memory was of him pushing her to one side, to save her from a sword that should have taken her life.
Jaheira pushed away suddenly, her eyes red-rimmed with grief. She rose to touch the face of her beloved husband.
'Sil . . .Silvanus guide the light . . .to the source . . . Take this man to what he justly deserves. By . . . nature's will, what was given is returned, what was turmoil is . . . is now peace.'
She kissed his still lips, her tears falling to wash at least some of the blood from his face.
'Khalid of my heart, let my love . . . my love lead the way . . .'
Hesitantly, Duran touched her shoulder gently.
'There may be a way to get him returned to life. Should we not try?'
Jaheira turned, ready to snap at the girl for her idiocy, and found herself looking into eyes wet with tears for the man who had touched her life so deeply. She could not bring herself to shout, when the child was in as much pain as she.
'He . . . Khalid . . . is dead, and has been so for some time,' she said quietly. 'Beyond a point there can be no raising, especially when the body has been . . . has been desecrated.'
She stroked the girl's face, finding the echo of her grief in one so young almost as painful as Khalid's death itself.
'We live in an age of miracles, and nature allows the rebirth of many that have passed beyond the veil, but there is a time when . . . when it is better to let go.'
Duran swallowed past the lump in her throat.
'Then we will not disturb his body further. We will honour his loss with future deeds.'
Jaheira nodded, letting her friend wrap an arm about her shoulders.
'That is the way of things. There will be payment for this crime, and I shall not rest until it is collected. When we are able, there will be . . .'
She stopped, shaking herself and drying her eyes.
'Enough. I would leave this place.'
Agreeing, they followed her through the next door, leaving the sorrowful scene with heavy hearts.
It was not long before they smelt the change in the air, the freshness which told them they were close to the surface, and freedom. Their pace quickened, especially when with the freshness came a breeze that cooled them gently. They burst onto a gantry and pulled up short, confronted with hooded figures dressed all in black.
'Ahah!' the one exclaimed. 'I knew there that to be reinforcements down here. Couldn't be that powerful by himself, I said!'
Another spoke up, near to where Duran stood.
'What say we put an end to this here and now? We'll see the end of Irenicus and his little guild war before the day is through.'
Duran frowned, confused.
'Guild war? What are you talking about? I just want out of this dungeon.'
'You can talk all you wish, but it will do you no good,' hissed a voice from the shadows behind them. 'Everyone in this place has either attacked or tried to lie their way into our confidence.'
'I have no reason to lie,' Duran told them. 'I just want out of here, like I said.'
'And we shall deliver you. Fall upon our blades and spells, and then you will be free.'
Jaheira stepped forward, her spear ready in her hands.
'You are mistaken, but I care not! Khalid will be avenged, whether you stand aside willingly or not!'
She was knocked backwards as a man appeared in front of her, grinning down at her half-elven leader. He grasped Duran's throat, forcing her backwards.
'You and your guild dies, no matter your words!'
The ensuing fight was short and bloody. Despite the men's advantage in turning invisible, the four adventurers were desperate to see the sun, and made short work of them. Not even stopping to glance back at the bodies that littered the gantry, they moved to follow the breeze to its source.
The light slowly grew brighter, and the sounds of battle filtered down through the smoke and dust to the small group as they clambered awkwardly up out of the darkness and into the welcome light of day. What they saw was destruction.
The mage from Duran's waking nightmares, Irenicus, stood amidst the crumbling ruins of what once must have been a great building. Around him lay the black hooded bodies of men who had died fighting him, and beyond them, still more yet living came to join battle with this force of darkness.
'You dare to attack me here?' he asked of them, his tone incredulous. 'Do you even know whom you face?'
With a flick of his wrist he obliterated many of their number, his magical fire consuming them even as they crumpled in death.
'You will suffer! You will all suffer!'
As the last of them fell, he turned to go once more underground, and saw the four dishevelled figures standing among the ruins, weary and injured, but determined. A grim smile crossed his cold features. He addressed Duran, ignoring the others who stood with her.
'So godchild, you have escaped. You are more resourceful than I had thought.'
Before the bard could answer, Imoen had stepped forward, determined to protect her friend from whatever Irenicus intended to do to her. Duran had taken many such steps to protect her in former adventures. It was time she repaid her friend's bravery.
'You're not going to torture us any longer,' she spat, the memory of his sick experiments, his fingers within her mind, stoking her anger.
Irenicus laughed, a cold brittle sound that froze her momentarily.
'Torture?' he repeated. 'Silly girl, you just don't understand what I'm doing, do you?'
Imoen drew in a deep breath, preparing her spells to attack him.
'I don't care what you're doing. Let us go!'
His face grew hard and callous, his hands coming up to form the intricate symbols of an aggressive spell.
'I won't let you leave, not when I'm so close to unlocking your power,' he told her, surprised that the frail thief/mage had such spirit left within her.
'We don't want anything from you,' Imoen hissed, and released her spell.
It hit him in the midriff, taking him by surprise. His own attack flew past her, catching Duran in the chest as she surged forward to aid her friend. Minsc caught the bard as she flew backwards, the force of the blow slamming him back into the crumbling wall behind them. Jaheira hurried to Imoen's side, only to be thrown sideways by an invisible hand.
'Enough!' Irenicus declared. 'I will no longer listen to the babbling of ignorant children.'
As he raised his hands to perform the spell that would bind the two girls, the familiar hiss of portal magic filled the air, and several cowled figures appeared around him and Imoen. One took hold of the young thief's arm.
This is an unsanctioned use of magical energy.'
Another came forward to grasp Irenicus.
'All involved will be held. This disturbance is over.'
He went stumbling backwards, as the mage delivered a crippling blow to his groin. Irenicus drew in his power, casting angry spells at each of the cowled ones.
'Must I be interrupted at every turn?'
The scene lit up with the flashing of magical light and fire. Minsc drew a hand over his eyes as he squinted to see Imoen amidst the battle. Beside him, Duran lay dazed, slowly stirring from her unconscious state. Boo slipped from Minsc's tunic to scurry across her waist, squeaking excitedly at his ranger.
Irenicus surveyed the scene around him with barely concealed distaste.
'Enough of this!' he demanded, and in accordance the magic cleared.
The cowled ones lay dying or dead around him, but yet more appeared, stepping from the portals ready to do battle.
'You will cease your spell-casting and come with us,' one insisted, raising his staff protectively as Irenicus turned towards him.
Another stepped forward to bar the mage's path to his colleague.
'Even if we fall,' he told the irate mage, 'our numbers are many. You will be overwhelmed.'
Irenicus looked him up and down brutally, his gaze disapproving, to put it mildly.
Against Minsc's chest, Duran stirred, her eyes fluttering open to take in the scene around them.
'You are wakeful once again?' the ranger asked softly, shifting so she could sit upright.
Duran nodded and yelped slightly as Boo appeared from beneath her tunic, running up Minsc's arm to his usual resting place. Across from them, Jaheira also stirred, her eyes sharp with anger and mistrust.
The cowled one forced himself not to quake beneath the hostile glare.
'You bore me, mageling,' Irenicus said finally. 'You may take me in, but you will take the girl as well.'
Imoen started, jumping fright as two of the cowled ones moved to take her arms. Behind her, Duran struggled to her feet, staggering slightly as a wave of dizziness hit her.
'What?' Imoen protested. 'No! I've done nothing wrong -'
'You have been involved in illegal use of magic,' the man beside her said coldly. 'You will come with us.'
Desperation sank through the young thief, and she turned her head to gaze at her friend. Duran was hurrying towards them, but too slowly, still dizzy from the blow to her chest. Imoen began to struggle, trying to buy the bard some time to reach her.
'I'm not going with them!' she screamed, suddenly afraid. 'I'm not! Help me, please!'
She was dragged into a portal as each of the cowled ones disappeared, along with their captives. Duran lunged forward, hoping to slip through before they closed, but landed on her face in the rubble. She rocked back on her heels, stunned.
Minsc reached her first, anger clouding his vision as he surveyed the scene.
'No, this cannot be!' he cried, furious that he had been done out of his revenge. 'The murderer of Dynaheir flees from righteous butt-kicking vengeance? And he takes Imoen with him, too!'
He shook the young girl's shoulder, not understanding why she did not react.
'Something must be done, Duran! We must find this evil wizard! All that is goodness cries out for this! Even little Boo,' he added, 'although he cannot cry out quite so loudly.'
Jaheira hauled herself to her feet, having been sensible enough to wait for her body to recover before trying to walk. She could see the stunned expression on the bard's face, the unseeing incomprehension in her eyes.
'I find it odd that Irenicus would leave of his own violition,' she mused, moving over to remove Minsc's hand from Duran's shoulder. 'And why take Imoen when it is Duran he is so obviously interested in? Perhaps he expects us to give chase?'
She grasped Minsc's wrists almost absently, slapping his face to calm the irate ranger. He bristled for a moment before subsiding, stroking his hamster for reassurance.
'We must step carefully,' she told the Rasheman, forcing him to listen to her calm words. 'We know little about him . . . who he was fighting, who took him, or even where we are. We seem to be drawn into machinations not of our own making.'
'No!' Minsc protested. 'We must go quickly to save our friend, Imoen! The wizard may be leering over her evilly even now!'
Jaheira fixed him with a no-nonsense stare.
'And which why would we go?' she asked pointedly.
Minsc opened his mouth, ready to point in the right direction. A puzzled, disappointed frown crossed his face and his expression fell. Jaheira lifted his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes.
'Do not be foolish, Minsc,' she said gently, understanding his intense desire to save Imoen. 'We must know our enemies . . . and the extent of our danger, here . . . before we rush into anything.'
Slowly he nodded, understanding and trusting his friend implicitly. They turned to look at Duran, who remained kneeling on the spot where her friend had been only minutes before. Jaheira knelt beside her, a gently hand on her shoulder. Duran lifted shocked eyes to the elven druid.
'She's gone,' she whispered. 'They've taken her away . . .'
Jaheira pushed an errant curl from the shell-shocked girl's eyes, nodding forlornly.
'Yes, Duran,' she murmured, cradling the girl's shaking body in her arms. 'She's gone.'
