Author's note: My fan-base is currently busy! All of the comments are most welcome. Perhaps I should set up a forum so you can discuss this fic. ;-)
Chapter 61: Maintaining Balance
Nobody said anything more as the group approached the clearing Cernd insisted was the entrance to the druid grove. Jaheira had kept quiet, answering a question as simply as possible if asked, but not addressing anyone with her own issues.
The trees were less thick here, and even Anomen could travel with considerably greater ease. The cleric was swinging his mace restlessly, clearly intent on making himself useful if a fight broke out.
Harrian stumbled over a dead fallen branch and swore before glancing around, taking in his surroundings properly. He slowly realised that there was much to the druids' chance of regime than the attacks on Trademeet. "All the trees are… dead," he murmured numbly, seeing logs, trunks and branches littered all around the stony and hard floor of the clearing.
"The land is being poisoned," Cernd intoned gravely, his brow furrowing. "The Shadow Druids are sapping nature of all of her strength, all of her goodness. Eventually all that shall be left here is death."
Imoen kicked a pebble. It shot towards a large rock, ricocheting off and then bouncing around some of the nearer dead tree trunks before landing in a pond with a concerning 'gloop' noise. "Why?" she asked at last. "I thought Shadow Druids were just druids who wanted to destroy civilization, not the land."
"Their stance towards civilization disrupts the balance," Jaheira explained as the party continued, skirting around the thick, gloomy waters of the pond. "The connection required to make all of the animals attack the town has to be a draining one. They are making nature act unnaturally. The land suffers."
The area seemed dark, oppressive, and Harrian knew he really wouldn't want to be around here on his own at night. "We have to end this," he said at last with a conviction that surprised him. He wasn't quite sure why he cared so much about this.
Cernd nodded. "Of course we do," he said simply, blandly. "The grove's this way," he continued, nodding northwards. "Though we are quite likely to meet resistance. The Shadow Druids will have many spies, and will be anticipating our arrival. Obviously they will not want us to be here."
An eerie silence hung in the air as they started towards the north. The place was truly dead, for not even the song of birds could be heard. Corias silently labelled this place as officially giving him the creeps.
The clearing was not too large, and the grove plainly in the centre of it, at the very heart of the corruption of the land. It was seen only as the mouth of a tunnel in the rock leading to the underground caverns of the grove. The only sign of the presence of man was the four pillars by the entrance, which looked more like standing stones but were clearly not natural in their arrangement. This was presumably the site of outside rituals.
It was not, however, empty. Their arrival was clearly expected, and the druids had even turned out a welcoming party to greet them in the traditional Shadow Druid way – with clubs swinging, scimitars flashing, spells throwing.
However they were outnumbered and outmatched, and disposed quite quickly. A well-placed fireball from Imoen, who had been earlier coaxed by Harrian to have some faith in their magical use licence, weakened them considerably. Cernd, in wolf form, had savaged the lead druid, and Corias and Jaheira finished off another between them… but it was Anomen, mace waving wildly, invoking all the power of Helm, who caused the most devastation.
As the last summoned animal fell to the floor, the cleric came to a halt in his fighting, chest heaving, mace dangling heavily by his side. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his free hand, and grinned at the others, who were looking and feeling a little useless. "I have served my purpose," Delryn assured them smugly.
Imoen grinned brightly at him, and was about to make a comment when footsteps could be heard echoing from the entranceway of the tunnels. They all whirled around, scimitars, quarterstaffs, swords and maces at the ready, only to see a short, thin-looking man in ragged clothing hardly looking as if he was about to present a fight.
The young druid, whose face held a haggard look making him seem older than he actually would be, looked tentatively at the group. "Ah… I see you…" He wilted a little under their glared, before bobbing his head hurriedly. "Please, no more bloodshed. I bid you to enter and say what you will to Faldorn, head of this grove." He seemed to spit the name of the grove's Grand Druid.
Jaheira, Imoen and Harrian exchanged shocked looks, their eyes wide with surprise. "Faldorn?!"
* *
Faldorn the Shadow Druid and head of the grove near Trademeet grimaced as she saw the five adventurers arriving before her, but managed to affect a sneer to hide her aggravation. "My word," she murmured, raising an eyebrow disparagingly. "I did not expect to see your sorry hides again! What are you here for? You dare defy the Shadow Druids once more?"
Jaheira took a step forwards, almost trembling with anger. "We defied you before," she spat, glaring her customary glare. "Defying you once again shall be a simple matter, defiler of nature!"
"Me? The defiler of nature?" Faldorn repeated, visibly incredulous. "You are as much of a weakling as you once were! You do not understand just what nature needs! You would let nature die if she were placed in your hands!"
Cernd interjected, presenting an impersonal representative of the druidic needs, and stopping Jaheira from throttling Faldorn there and then. "The land here is dying, Faldorn, and you are causing it. We are not here to judge your beliefs about nature, we are here to stop you from destroying her!"
"Interloper!" Faldorn shrieked. "I am the ruler here! Your words mean nothing; are nothing!" She stood from her large, stone throne, which was about as pretentious as Harrian believed a druid could get. "You shall not torment me again!"
The Shadow Druid gave them a long, disparaging glare, before her eyes eventually settled upon Jaheira. "Where is your pathetic mate, weakling? Has he perished, the harshness of the world proving too much for one as pathetic as him?"
Harrian had to lunge forward to grab Jaheira's arm to again stop her from attacking Faldorn there and then. She didn't struggle, but he could feel her shaking with rage, and… sorrow. The would had been prodded again.
He glared daggers at Faldorn.
"He does not concern you," Jaheira said at length, only now her voice was cold, calm and emotionless. Faldorn should have known this meant greater danger than when the half-elf was raging furiously. "You will not speak of him again."
She straightened up, shrugging off Harrian's hold. "I shall challenge you for leadership of this place. You cannot rule here any longer or the land will die. I shall fight you, as is my right, for my duty lies in protecting nature, which you are defiling."
Faldorn considered her for a long moment, before stepping forward, head held high. "Very well. I accept your challenge. No armour, no weapons other than the power of nature – thus it shall be the mother who decides who is the victor."
"As it should be," Jaheira declared firmly, then instantly slipped her chain shirt off and dropped her scimitar, leaving her only in a simple tunic. Faldorn was already unarmed and without armour, and nodded as she turned to her. "Let us go to your arena, then, so that others cannot interfere."
Harrian grimaced, stepping up beside the half-elf, concern etched in his expression. "Are you sure this is such a good idea?" he asked, chewing on his lower lip. "Perhaps Cernd should fight, he is…"
"He is tired, underfed and his connection to nature is not as strong as it once was," Jaheira responded firmly, shaking her head. "I can and shall beat her, for that is what I must do." There was a long silence as she took in his worried expression. "Fear not – I am capable of taking care of myself, as you well know." She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, then turned back to Faldorn and nodded yet again. "I am ready."