Chapter 74: Split Loyalties

Sir Anomen Delryn sat in his quarters at the guildhall of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart dejectedly. He knew he should have been full of absolute joy this day, the day he had been waiting for his entire life… yet he could not coax his heart into feeling anything but pain and guilt.

It had been three days since he had parted ways with Harrian and the others, though it felt like years. Every hour had been an additional weight on his shoulder, and he had passed the time in something of a depressed trance.

This morning had been his Test. As Harrian had predicted, the Order would not issue him an ultimatum then cast him out, and he had achieved his knighthood; was a full member of the Order. And yet he could still not be happy about it.

He stood, hands clasped behind his back as he paced in his small quarters. Harrian and the others had opened up his eyes to the truth; he had simply been unwilling to see. Now he was a part of the Order, he could see everything that was inherently wrong with it; how such a supposedly noble group of knights were being swayed by fear and politics, taking action so inherently wrong Anomen couldn't see how any members could accept it.

Even the new duty he had privately bestowed upon himself could not lift his heart, however. He aimed to correct the Order, to rise within its ranks until he had the power to change things, to direct them back on the path of righteousness. The masses were still the holy warriors they should be; it was merely a handful of corrupt individuals in positions of power. Anomen would have to set things right.

There was no going back. This was the course he would have to take; dedicate his life to the Order as he had always intended. Protect Harrian and the others if the Order decided to wrongly take action against them, but he could never rejoin them. He had chosen his path, and there was no going back. No going back.

He closed his eyes as memories flooded back – meeting Harrian in the Adventurer's Mart; making a fantastic early impression by braining him in the brawl in the Copper Coronet; hunting down the Skinner Murderer with the most unlikely companions; being forced to return home with Yoshimo to get the invitation to Duchinov's ball; listening to Haer'Dalis's play in the basement of the Five Flagons; that ridiculous ball; Harrian guiding him through Moira's death…

Anomen stopped as the memories rushed painfully at him, and not solely memories of Moira. He had made no attempt to contact Cor over the past few days, not even to tell him that he had finally passed his test. He no longer cared about his father. The only people he cared about were people he wasn't allowed to care for. All he had left was the Order.

The new knight straightened up, picking up his long purple cloak from the back of the chair in his quarters and draping it over his shoulder. He had the Order. And that was enough. That was enough.

Anomen nodded silently to himself as he started for the door, his cloak sweeping behind him dramatically. Keldorn, just retired from the Order, was staging the celebratory dinner at his house. Even the Prelate was supposed to be going. Indeed, Anomen had the Order… and that was enough. That would have to be enough.

His footsteps echoed down the corridor as he marched through the guildhouse – it was late afternoon, and oddly very few people were about. His carriage should be waiting for him outside to take him to the Firecam estate. It was time to get on with the rest of his life. Alone. Without Harrian, Jaheira, Minsc, Yoshimo, Haer'Dalis… or Imoen.

Although he had barely known the young mage, he had felt himself oddly drawn to her, wanting to get to know her better, and every little fact he learnt entrancing him more, even though she was so utterly unlike any lady he had ever met or courted. That was, Anomen supposed, part of her attraction… the fact that she was so mysterious to him.

Well, now she would probably be left to the courting of that bard. Anomen could see beyond Haer'Dalis's flowery words and courtly language; see the mildly morbid obsession with death that lay within his planar roots. Delryn could tell the difference between an uncontrolled bloodlust in Harrian's eyes and a barely-contained fascination in the tiefling's. The former filled him with pity and sympathy – something he didn't dare let the Bhaalspawn know – but the latter filled him with nothing but disgust.

Yet the bard was eloquent, elusive, intelligent and adaptable. He had also pulled the cotton over Imoen's eyes. Whilst Anomen was quite sure Harrian would not let his foster-sister get too involved with someone like Haer'Dalis, Delryn doubted how much the thief's disapproval would be doubted. The cleric believed he had to be there himself to keep tabs on matters, to ensure they didn't get out of hand.

But he couldn't, could he. He had made his decision; had chosen the Order over Harrian, over the quest, over Imoen. It was not a choice he could go back on, no matter how much it hurt. It was the right choice. The Order was his future. His future was laid out before him with the Righteous Heart. With Harrian, there were no rules, no boundaries, no guidelines on how to live his life…

Anomen shook his head at how tempting the idea suddenly seemed. Those raised with rigid rules and strict tenets would either cling to those rules with all their might, or rebel against them. Delryn had found a middle ground, seeking solace in them but not relying deeply on the creed of the Order. Yet he knew he would not be lost without them… and if he stepped away he would be his own master, bound only by his faith, with his own path to forge in the world…

So lost in his own thoughts was he that he failed to notice the other armoured figure turning the corner in front of him, and the two figures collided noisily. Fortunately, neither fell, but the crashing of metal upon metal echoed down the corridor as they staggered, each trying to regain his balance.

Anomen placed a hand against the wall next to him as the other man also steadied himself, and he blinked. "Sir Keldorn! I did not expect to see you here…" His voice trailed off, and a brief look of panic crossed his face. "I am not too tardy? I hope? I was just getting ready to depart…"

Keldorn raised a hand to stop Anomen's rambling. "Nay, lad. The party is not quite ready yet. I was simply wondering if you would forestall your arrival; possibly missing the party altogether." He paused. "And I have left the Order; you no longer need to call me 'Sir', Sir Anomen," he pointed out, and although he smiled there was a trace of seriousness on his face.

Anomen frowned. "What has happened… Lord Firecam?" he asked lightly.

Keldorn rolled his eyes but made no comment. "Something most serious which I believed would concern you." They slowly continued to make their way down the corridor. "Although Corias is no longer my responsibility, I still have contacts across the city keeping me appraised of his movements… I wish to make sure the more fanatical in the Order do not decide to take action against him."

A look of shock and horror crossed Delryn's face. "Sir Cadril got his way?" he demanded incredulously, then fury took over the surprise. "If he has harmed them, I swear that I shall…" The new knight's voice trailed off as he realised there was nothing he would do.

Keldorn raised a hand again. "No, Cadril's words have fallen on deaf ears. Ryan is not a fool, and has the Prelate's ear. Unless something radically changes, Corias and his friends are safe provided they stick this side of righteousness." He shook his head at Anomen's confused expression. "The night after you parted ways with them, they went missing. It took me several days to trace them, and I did not tell you for there was no guarantee they were in danger; not to mention the fact that you had your test to deal with. This morning, I managed to trace them." The two knights came to a halt and faced one another. "The vampire Bodhi has captured them. Though they are still alive, there is no guarantee that they shall remain so…"

Unparalleled horror filled Anomen's expression. "Bodhi," he murmured numbly as the colour drained from his face. "They…" His voice trailed off, and he stared at Keldorn for a long moment before whirling around on his heel and marching back off in the direction of his quarters, the aged paladin close behind.

"The choice is yours, Anomen, but do not be too quick to rush to the rescue. The Order will frown upon such action, and I am not capable of taking on a horde of vampires alone. Neither are you," Keldorn reminded him as the younger knight strode rapidly in the direction he'd come through and charged into his quarters.

Delryn barely acknowledged him as he picked up his family shield and the enchanted mace he had recently taken to carrying. Shifting his cloak, he slung the shield over his back and attached the mace to his belt before striding back out. "I don't care," Anomen snapped angrily. "They'll die if I don't save them… I'll rescue them, with or without your help."

Keldorn smiled grimly, clasping the younger man's shoulder. "You have my sword, Sir Anomen. I simply hope you understand the consequences of your actions. The Prelate has not changed his stance."

As they exited into the corridor, Ryan Trawl seemed to materialise from the main hall and started to stride towards them. "Sir Anomen!" he called out, his voice cautious yet authoritative. "What in Tyr's name are you doing?" Realisation struck him as he saw Firecam standing next to Delryn. "Keldorn… you didn't…"

The aged paladin folded his arms across his chest. "This is Anomen's choice, Ryan. He was bullied into succumbing to your wishes before, into taking an action that wasn't necessarily right. He is entitled to know what has happened to his friends, just as he is entitled to go and save them if necessary."

Ryan's eyebrows lowered grimly. "Anomen, the stance of the Prelate has not changed. Let the Bhaalspawn and the others die and stay with the Order. The consequences of defying Wessalen are unthinkable."

"For you," Anomen responded furiously. "You made me turn away from my friends, my comrades, my allies all because of your own fears, because of what could have been. That is far less right than standing by the Order." He turned and started to stride for the main door.

"Step outside that door, Anomen, and you will not be welcomed back inside!" Trawl barked sharply. "Aid the Bhaalspawn and you are defying the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart! Defy us, and you will be without honour, stripped of your knighthood!"

Delryn paused at the threshold as he opened one of the great doors. Trawl smiled slightly as he thought he was getting through to the knight. But the words he spoke did little to please him.

"I shall have my own honour, and forge it myself if necessary," Anomen told him soberly. "The Radiant Heart is without honour if it asks me to do what it is doing." He straightened up defiantly. "If Helm sees fit to judge my actions immoral, and strips me of my knighthood, then so be it. But I shall not be judged by a corrupt mortal man such as yourself, Sir Ryan."

With those words, Sir Anomen Delryn, knight and priest of Helm, and former member of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart, strode out of the doors to the guildhall, Lord Keldorn Firecam in his wake, giving Trawl a superior look.

They strode side by side out of the hall, barely acknowledging Cadril and Irlana as they walked, not looking at each other. Keldorn grimaced as he tightened the clasp on his blue cloak. "Wait until we are out of sight before pausing," he told Anomen quietly.

As they stepped around the corner, the two men came to a halt, and Keldorn then noticed that Delryn was shaking unstoppably. He clasped the cleric's shoulder. "You made the right, choice, lad," he reassured him. "They were in the wrong. By defying them, you stuck more to the path of righteousness than you would have by following them." He looked at Anomen, making the younger man straighten up. "You are indeed a knight. This glory was bestowed upon you by Torm, Tyr and Helm, and no mortal can revoke it. In their eyes, you are still their champion."

Anomen smiled thinly, still looking thoroughly shaken. "My thanks, Keldorn," he whispered hoarsely, nodding. He had battled giants, murderers and the aristocracy, but this was easily the hardest thing he had ever done. "But we have some rescuing to do. Let us commence with retrieving the Lady Jaheira, for I feel we will need her help if we are to succeed…"