Chapter 99: Bonding

Anomen watched Jaheira drag Harrian out of the cavern, utterly confused. A part of him wanted to go out and, in some way, moderate the conversation, because considering all that had just happened, perhaps leaving those two to their own devices wasn't the best of ideas. Though following would be incurring Jaheira's wrath – and Harrian's, and considering what the thief had just done, he didn't want to irritate their leader.

He leant down and picked up the scroll to collapse the cavern on top of the dead Balor. It was a little battered, and one corner was ripped, but it was still intact. He unrolled it and peered at the arcane words suspiciously. Although he had used scrolls for spells in the past, this was quite unlike any he had seen before, being Svirfneblin in origin. He'd probably do well to pass it onto Edwin.

This thought reminded Anomen that the others were still around him. Imoen stood by his side, looking tired and worn, her expression suspiciously emotionless as her gaze flickered from the dead Balor to the entrance to the cavern which Jaheira and Harrian had disappeared through. Anomen made a mental note to talk to her later, though he was a little unsure why he bothered – she would doubtless not open up to him, but he was determined to try.

Edwin had staggered to his feet and was resting against the wall, drinking from a healing potion as if it were a flask of water. Anomen would have intervened and tried to stop the mage from wasting valuable potions if it weren't for the fact that Edwin's many cuts and bruises were disappearing right before their sight, flesh knitting together and bruises fading on his skin as they watched.

Next to him was Minsc, standing a little unsteadily, consulting Boo about something. The ranger had already been healed by Anomen, but was still a little battered from the battle. The priest was, however, loath to use another spell on him, as he had a limited number left and it wasn't clear whether or not Harrian or Jaheira would need to be attended to, or even if the druid had any healing spells of her own. Minsc could stand, could function – as much as Minsc could – and would probably be perfectly alright after a night's sleep, so it was not worth using a spell or a valuable potion unnecessarily.

Anomen's expression darkened as Edwin drained his bottle and searched about him for a second one. Even as the Thayvian removed the cork and lifted it to his lips, the cleric strode past him and yanked it out of his hand, sealing it swiftly before Edwin could even react.

"Show some backbone, Red Wizard," the Helmite spat. "You can stand, your worse bruises and cuts are healed, and another drink would be nothing more than a waste of potions. We do not know whether or not we can gain another supply of these. If necessary, ask Jaheira if she has any leftover healing spells before we rest, but before we should not waste our supplies so callously."

Edwin raised an eyebrow, and opened his mouth for a retort just as Imoen arrived, interrupting the budding argument by tugging on Anomen's sleeve. She had gone a little whiter than before, and had switched the emotionless mask for an expression of intense worry. "Anomen… Haer'Dalis."

Anomen unhappily glanced over to where he had last seen the tiefling and winced slightly. Haer'Dalis had been thrown to the floor and his prone form was now sprawled in the dust. He couldn't tell whether or not the bard was moving, or breathing, but from the way Imoen was running towards the unconscious tiefling, ignoring Anomen's reaction now she had got his attention, he could feel his heart sink a little.

The pink-haired mage had Haer'Dalis's head cradled in her lap by the time Anomen had staggered over, mentally running through what spell to use. He knelt before the bard, ripping his gauntlets off and lifting a bare hand to the tiefling's neck, searching for the beat of life somewhere within.

"Is he alive?" Imoen asked anxiously, brushing a stray lock of blue hair from out of the bard's face and biting her lower lip. He could see her hand trembling, so he reached out and covered it with his own.

"He is alive. He will survive," Anomen assured her briefly, before pulling back and closing his eyes, hands on Haer'Dalis's chest. His lips moved silently as he chanted under his breath, reaching out, trying to find Helm's power and use it to save the tiefling.

A part of him wondered why he was doing it. The bard had done nothing to deserve this sort of assistance – in Anomen's eyes, merely travelling in Harrian's party did not automatically make you a good person who deserved this sort of help. Haer'Dalis had done precious little in all of his existence to make him deserve to live.

On the other hand, he didn't deserve to die, and from the worried look in Imoen's eyes as she gripped the tiefling's hand, it seemed as if Haer'Dalis did indeed have a chance to somehow, potentially, make his life worth saving and worth living, if only for the sake of somebody else.

Anomen's eyes snapped open as the blue light of a healing spell engulfed the bard, then spared himself the pain of Imoen's reaction by looking away and hurriedly searching for a healing potion to give to the bard.

Haer'Dalis gasped and attempted to sit up, but was firmly pulled back down by Imoen's grip on his shoulder. As his head spun from the disorientation of the spell and the movement, he found himself face to face with a smiling Imoen, whose blue eyes were twinkling with absolute delight. "I thought you were supposed to be the best swordsman in the realms?" she asked, chuckling.

The blade was prevented from replying by Anomen bottled a bottled healing potion in his face. "Drink," the cleric grunted, grabbing the tiefling's arm and examining carefully the wounds in it. Some were quite deep, and there was a small chance that the healing potion, whilst it would knit the flesh together, it might not remove the ache which would doubtless remain for a few hours, or maybe days. Good.

Haer'Dalis drank gratefully, feeling distinctly revitalised by the glowing blue liquid. He gasped for air again as he was done, then looked over at Anomen, who was already putting his potion case away and standing, ready to head over back towards Minsc and Edwin. "My thanks, my hound," the bard declared lightly as he sat up slowly.

Anomen merely grunted in reply before striding off, eyes fixed on a spot on the cavern wall most intently, and making absolute sure that he didn't cast them a backwards glance, even when standing in silence with the other two.

Haer'Dalis rubbed at his chest ruefully. "I am indeed the best swordsman in the realms – well, the second best," he told Imoen as he looked at her. "However, it came to my attention that this balor was not exactly interested in using his sword in hand-to-hand combat, and even the sharp edge of Entropy could not quite deflect his massive blade." He smiled at last, standing and pulling her to her feet also. "But I am now healed, and none the worse for wear. It shall take more than a denizen of the hells to destroy Haer'Dalis!"

"Perhaps, but if we could avoid putting it to the test again?" Imoen replied, smiling tiredly, the relief obvious. She seemed frayed and edgy even knowing he was alright, and wouldn't quite let go of his hand.

His smile broadened a little. "My wildflower, although I am a Doomguard and, as such, must welcome the end of all things, I believe I can currently aid my philosophy distinctly more by being alive and well instead of meeting my own fate this very day. I have no intention of being cast down before the curtain has to fall."

Back with Minsc and Edwin, as he slouched with his back against the wall, Anomen frowned a little sulkily as he saw Imoen hug Haer'Dalis happily. He looked away, kicking idly at a stone on the floor, then pulled the scroll to collapse the cavern out of his belt and passed it to Edwin. "You may wish to examine this for use for when Harrian returns and we are ready to finish this sordid affair," he sighed, unable to conjure up even any venom or an insult for the Red Wizard.

Edwin raised an eyebrow, but took the scroll without comment. There was a long silence as he unrolled it and read carefully, making the occasional hum of comprehension, but on the whole not seeming particularly thrilled with the scroll. "A simple affair, and something someone of my unsurpassed intellect should have no problem in dealing with." There was a pause as he rolled it up and stuck it somewhere within his robe. "You can be something of a coward and a buffoon, Helmite," he declared at last.

Anomen's frown deepened, this time with confusion, and he turned to glower slightly at the mage. "What makes you say that, Thayvian? Have I done something in particular this time to damage your sensitive nature and prompt you to let forth with half-witted insults which are unnecessary?"

Edwin rolled his eyes and leant back against the rock, fiddling with the spell components on his belt. "There was a 'but' coming, simian," he sighed. "And as a matter of fact, your constant bumbling and sulking irks me." He paused, then jerked his cowled head in the direction of Imoen and Haer'Dalis. "Though I cannot begin to comprehend what the two of you see in that perpetually and disturbingly perky wench, you are showing all the backbone and determination of a mustard jelly in your endeavours (If, indeed, there are any endeavours at all, for I cannot see them)."

"Why do you care?" Anomen asked defensively. "What is it to you how I conduct my affairs or my life?" It took a few seconds after he demanded this for him to realise that he hadn't denied anything Edwin had accused him of.

Edwin shrugged. "Do not presume; I am merely tolerating this foolish endeavour here in the Underdark solely for the promises Corias has made me. You know full well that I am hating spending time with this party." He straightened up, and glanced at the entrance to the cavern as Harrian and Jaheira stepped back in. "Your bumbling is amusing, and is possibly one of the few things that makes this stay more bearable. That frivolous, irritating bard, on the other hand, is one of the major factors in making this stay unbearable in the first place." He paused, and pasted a smile onto his face. "Now, let us get back to being lackeys, shall we?"