Author's Note: Erk! Knew I forgot something! No, AC, my overlooking of Minsc was not intentional. When I started Chapter 82, it was initially from Anomen's POV, and explained what happened to Minsc and Haer'Dalis… then I re-wrote it and forgot to take them into account. Brief explanation in this chapter. Though, as I'm sure you've noticed, I'm not great with Minsc. He doesn't… fit in the party in the way a non-mentally challenged party member would. I love the guy, but I don't do him justice. Hmm…

Chapter 83: Unleashed

Jaheira ducked as a spiked arm swung at her, then leapt back as Harrian attacked her in an over-arm swat which would have reduced her to a pile of red mush on the floor, had she been less speedy. "Child, open the door!" she snapped at Imoen, her expression barely betraying the terror they were all feeling.

"It's blocked!" Imoen retorted, having already abandoned her lock-picks in their uselessness, and was now hacking away at the door with her short sword, chunks of wood flying everywhere in her frantic onslaught.

Beside her, the winded Anomen recovered enough to dodge a blow from the Slayer. There were three of them in a small space, and they couldn't dodge forever. The moment Harrian moved in close, cornered one of them, they were done for.

He side-stepped neatly, Harrian's clawed fist making a dent in the wall where his head had been a split-second beforehand, then dove in between the Slayer's legs, skidding across the room and emerging behind Harrian in his attempt to avoid decapitation.

Lost in the midst of his fury, without a single trace of control or humanity left within him as he stood in the current shape, Harrian swung his clawed fist again, this time catching Jaheira in the side, sending her flying into the wall. The druid slid to the floor, still conscious but momentarily stunned.

Seeing the danger behind her, Imoen whirled around to speedily deflect the downwards plunge of Harrian's claw with her sword as it attempted to split her in half. The force of the blow knocked the blade from her hand, however, leaving her defenceless and stuck in the corner.

Even as the massive shape of the Slayer shifted to attack again, there was a shout as Anomen leapt up, grabbing one of the spikes on Harrian's back and hauling himself up, clinging desperately to the Slayer. He pulled himself higher, wrapping his left arm around Corias' giant neck. He raised his other arm, and Imoen could see the flash of metal which proved that he had, in fact, gathered up the Daystar and was prepared to use it. It looked like a suicide attack.

Either ignoring the fact that there was still Harrian there, within the Slayer's body – or having weighed up the pros and cons and decided that attacking him was an acceptable risk – he brought the blade down, the metal cutting into the Slayer's shoulder. It let out an inhuman bellow of pain, ignoring Imoen for the moment, and attempted to swipe at the determined cleric.

Anomen was too close to the Slayer's back for it to grab him, but as the beast whirled around, his legs flailed behind him and a claw managed to get a grip on his foot. Delryn was yanked unceremoniously off the Slayer's back and hurled into a wall. He hit it with a sickening thud and slid to the floor, miraculously still alive, conscious, and with a grip on the sword.

The Slayer bounded towards him as he leapt to his feet, taking the Daystar in a two-handed grip. As Imoen watched in unsurpassed horror, Anomen raised the blade skywards, shouting out something – a prayer, an incantation, a battle cry? – then brought the sword back as he prepared to strike.

Jaheira clambered to her feet unsteadily, raising an arm, absolute shock and dismay on her face. "Anomen! Don't –"

Her shout was cut off as Delryn lunged with the blade, thrusting it into the Slayer's comparatively soft chest. As the metal pierced its skin, there was a blinding flash of light which seemed to consume the whole room. Imoen felt a wave of heat wash over her, then everything went black.

* *

Imoen opened her eyes slowly as she drifted gently back into consciousness. Blurry confusion switched quickly to surprise as she saw little more than a pair of greenish-blue eyes only a few centimetres away from her own.

She must have involuntarily started, for Anomen drew back swiftly as he realised she was awake, looking thoroughly chagrined. "M-my lady," he stammered apologetically, bowing his head. "I am to see you are well. I apologise for endangering you earlier, and have tended to your injuries…" His voice trailed off, and he regarded her nervously.

Imoen sat up slowly and looked around. She was lying on her bed in her own room, the door wide open, and a variety of bandages and healing components littered on the floor. In the corner, lying on a mattress, was Harrian, back in his normal form, either unconscious or asleep. Blood caked his body, especially around the shoulder, which was little more than a gory mass. Beside him sat Jaheira, patiently working away, clearing him of blood and mess before reverting to healing spells so she could see what she was doing.

"What happened?" Imoen asked, more than slightly dazed. "I don't remember much… how is he… what did you…" She stopped, blinking as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and felt momentarily dizzy.

Anomen gently and tentatively pushed her back down. "Rest, my lady," he said firmly, withdrawing as quickly as possible. "I have healed your injuries, but you still need rest." He glanced at Corias' slumbering form. "I took up the Daystar. It is a sun blade, and I was able to use it to bring Harrian down." He sighed deeply, worry etched across his features. "I only pray he is not too badly injured."

Imoen didn't directly answer him, merely looked closely at Jaheira, who was making some progress with Harrian's shoulder, healing the wound bit by bit so as to ensure there were no mistakes, a small flash of blue heralding the knitting together of muscle or flesh. "Is he going to be okay?"

Jaheira stopped her tireless work for a moment to glance at the mage, letting out a deep sigh. "I believe so. The blade made a mess of his shoulder, and the sunray merely augmented the damage." She returned her attention to Corias slowly, still addressing Imoen. "That is what happened to you. I was fortunate enough to be shielded from the blast by Harrian, and Anomen was wielding the Daystar, so we both went uninjured. You were less fortunate, though your wounds were minor." She gave Delryn a sideways glare as she spoke, which made the edgy cleric recoil slightly.

Anomen shifted uncomfortably. "I am sorry," he said sincerely, "though, if presented with the situation again, I would make the same decision. The only person in danger of serious wounds was… Harrian."

"And that was acceptable?" Jaheira challenged him haughtily, not even looking at the cleric as she chastised him. "I am aware that we were stuck in the middle of some rather… extreme circumstances, but that does not mean that you could –"

Imoen, watching uncomfortably, could see that Anomen was too ashamed to argue with Jaheira, although he was perfectly within his rights to do so. She hopped out of bed, raising a hand to ward Delryn off. "He's right, Jaheira. Would you prefer it if he'd done nothing and Harrian had killed us all?"

"He would not have…" The druid's voice trailed off, and her expression hardened as she focused all of her attention on Harrian. "You are healed. You should both go; I will attend to Harrian. He needs rest."

Anomen glanced at her slowly. "You are tired, Lady Jaheira; you cannot do all of the healing yourself, not without being severely drained. You should permit me to help." He had, thankfully, managed to make his voice a little more forceful.

Jaheira threw him a vicious sideways glance. "You have already helped enough," she spat venomously. "Now go. Both of you."

Imoen threw Anomen a pointed look then, when the cleric didn't budge, too stunned to move, she grabbed him by the arm and practically dragged him out, shutting the door behind them. "Leave her be. She'll manage, and I don't think she wants the two of us hanging around there whilst she laments."

Anomen looked thoroughly confused. "Laments? I don't…"

"Why do you think she happened to be in the room with Harrian already when Quint dragged us up there?" Imoen pointed out, grimacing a little, then nodded as comprehension dawned across Anomen's face. "Exactly. It's best we leave them to it." There was a pause as they turned to walk down the corridor, heading back towards the common room of the Five Flagons. "So what, exactly, happened?"

Delryn shrugged, still obviously sheepish. "You were knocked unconscious by the blast of the Daystar, and Harrian fell, in his injuries reverting to his normal shape. His room was too much of a mess for us to keep him there, so we moved a mattress into your room and tended to you both." He paused, staring at the floor. "Minsc and the tiefling were untied when Quint returned to the tavern. The tiefling only said that they fled instantly…"

Imoen gave him a sideways glance, mild irritation clear on her face. "He has a name, you know," she rebuked him gently.

Anomen opened his mouth, ready to return with an insult directed at Haer'Dalis, but saw the expression on her face and subsided unhappily. "I am sorry, my lady," he mumbled. "The morning has been… stressful."

She laughed slightly, and was gratified to see his expression lighten a little. "Forgiven, Anomen." There was a brief pause as she studied his face slowly. "Don't blame yourself for what happened. It's all worked out as okay as it possibly could. If you hadn't done what you had, then I'd probably be a smear on the floor." She smiled a little at him. "Thank you."

Anomen's expression grew serious and slightly more earnest as he regarded her, coming to a halt as they reached the foot of the stairs. "My lady, it may be wrong, but I would have been willing to slay Harrian if it was necessary to save you. I could not, in all good conscience, allow him to hurt you if there was something I could do to prevent it."

There was a brief silence as Imoen's face grew softer, a little more composed. She opened her mouth to say something, then hesitated slightly. In that moment of hesitation, it was as if a door had been slammed in his face, and a joking smile played across the mage's lips – only this time, it was not a smile that lifted his heart.

"You're a sweet guy, Anomen," Imoen insisted, but her tone was playful, flippant as she patted him on the shoulder, then turned and sprang down the stairs to the Five Flagon's tavern, doubtless to where Haer'Dalis was enjoying a recovery drink.