NEGRATH'S TALE
1 FROM THE DUNGEON TO THE KEEP
-Joys and sorrows…not necessarily in that order
Having rested long and well in the literary environment, the would-be escapees spent a languid time going through the present tomes, dropping the odd book or parchment in their packs.
Negrath having occupied the table for some in-depth study of a particular book of history, Jaheira was, not unexpectedly, the one to first pick up her weapon and demand that they continue, plucking the tome from his hands.
-"Hey! I wasn't…" he exclaimed, shutting up as he saw the look in her eyes…evidently, he was.
-"My mistake. I forgot I'd read it before."
Nodding brusquely, she pulled him to his feet, pushing him toward his pack as she repeated her demand to them all;
-"On your feet, people! We are not her of our own free will, and if we do not leave this place NOW, we may never do so! Am I making myself clear?!?"
-"Quiet, you'll wake the dead!" Imoen complained, climbing to her feet, appearing to just having woken up, and looking worriedly at the corpses littering the floor, curiously odorless.
Smiling wryly, the druid chuckled;
-"Not yet, child, not yet…"
-"I'm not a child." The mageling protested, well aware it would be ignored, as Jaheira turned her attention on the ranger, slumped up by the wall near the most readily available exit; sauntering over, she leaned close, seemingly spending a few moments chatting with Boo, before somehow causing the little animal to hide somewhere on the large man's person.
As evidenced a split-second later, it had been an act of pure animal instinct;
-"MINSC!!!"
Being on his feet, although unsteadily, in the blink of a drunken eye, the berserker grabbed the disturbance by the throat…or, at least tried to.
But with the Druid having jumped back the second he began to move, he only managed to unbalance himself further.
Pushing him back against the wall with her staff, the druid studied his swimming eyes:
-"There would appear to be something strange from this end…our friend here has been made all but ineffective, if we were to battle anything other than innocent bystanders. We should go see what might have caused it."
-"Right behind you." Negrath promised.
Turning to send a significant glance at his sheathed katana, she smirked;
-"I would appreciate it if you avoided that particular area."
Taking an instinctive step backwards, the kensai then got an idea;
-"So I will," he replied, heading down the corridor before she could lead on.
An almost derisive chuckle, and Jaheira commented;
-"Don't grumble about being last, child, -you- can at least -do- something from that position…besides, you prevent me from getting it."
………
Finding that the corridor they had entered were little more than a U-turn, they wandered into a room of some size, a strange smell permeating the air, threatening to overcome them.
As the small, dwarf-like people became aware of their presence, the ones nearest them stopped their strange work, rushing back to where four of their number had grabbed bows and axes, while the oldest of the lot launched into the gestures of a spell…
-"Imoen…" Negrath began, smiling as a small group of glowing orbs flew past, slamming into the dwarven mage, and aside from interrupting his spell, evidently doing little more than annoying him.
Before he could conjure up another, An increasingly worried druid rushed toward him, sweeping the fellow off his feet and having her staff help in giving his head a proper impact to the stone floor.
Stood still long enough for the axe-wielders to circle her, she grinned maliciously at them.
By the time they'd managed to look at each other, getting to the same disturbing conclusion, Jaheira were already turning…
Positively lifted of their feet, they got a more intimate contact with the tables making up their work station than they'd ever wanted to have.
Loosely dangling heads and broken bones aplenty, they slid to the floor, effectively ending what little activity might have been left in their heads…
………
As the druid looked up from her work of "easing the load" of the three corpses, she found, not surprisingly, that the archers had been equally insufficient as the fighters.
Imoen appearing to share some observation or other with Negrath, Jaheira looked around, quickly locating any number of things that either could be used, or contain items that could.
-"Imoen!" she called, rummaging around in the seemingly random mess on the tabletops;
-"There may be something of interest in some of the containers. Help us keep our use of healing spells to a minimum, will you?"
The thief grumbling something unintelligible, sound erupted a short while after of a lock being opened.
The group gathering around the result of the mageling's search, they were pleased to see more of the larger blue potions.
Jaheira picked herself a scimitar and a sling, having already gathered what she could find of sling stones, while Imoen and Minsc shared arrows, as they both now had suitable bows…although Imoen had no intention of using hers more than strictly necessary…
………
Imoen having gathered small trinkets at every opportunity thus far, the others assumed she counted on it to give a substantial payoff when sold.
Personally, they all figured that for all they knew, the dungeon they were trying so hard to leave where in an area where such were in abundance, and therefore worthless…still, they considered it worth the hope.
Having fed the berserker one of the larger blue bottles, they turned to the room's only other exit, sauntering through another U-turn, before Imoen held them back, her eyes flying over the floor ahead of them;
-"Stop! Something's not right here…shadows where none should be…uneven edges where it should've been plain…"
-"Isn't it?" Negrath wondered, studying the stretch of stone in front of him. As for the shadows, how she could tell in the near-absence of light was beyond him…he pondered if this could be one of the "things" she said she saw…
-"There is nothing there, girl." Jaheira stated, proving her point by slamming her staff into the floorstones in question.
As a result, it was nearly ripped from her hand as several sharp objects peppered it, sending up the signature smoke of particularly violent poison…
Looking dumbly at the small specks that had thusly appeared in her weapon for a moment, she then requested one of the lesser potions, carefully carved the small, but deadly spikes from the wood with her newly acquired blade, and finished her repairs by a trickle of the blue liquid on the leftover smears.
Swallowing the rest herself, she spun the staff a few times, finding the balance basically uninterrupted by the minor shaving, and smiled.
While all this went on, Imoen had made sure no more such missiles could interrupt their progress, disarming the visible parts of the trap just to be sure.
That done, the group continued around the second corner, coming to the doorless opening into a most peculiar room;
In the middle throned a mighty construction, the purpose of which they couldn't even begin to comprehend.
On two sides of it, in diagonally opposed corners, were some sort of platforms, on one of which stood a fearsome creature that evidently were overjoyed to see them.
Gesturing wildly at the impressive statue in the center of the room, he made some motions as if to twist something.
Imoen, having discovered the same ridiculous setup she had back with the pillar of light, wandered over, twisting the only item on the controls imbedded in the massive construction that looked like it would respond to manipulation in the slightest.
Hearing the others call out for her to stop, she so did, looking back at them.
Seeing them stare at the creature somehow held in place on the platform in the far corner, straight ahead from the door, she simply looked on as their fellow prisoner drew twin blades, a lizard-like tongue licking the lips of his furry beast-face as it's eyes found hers, and seemed to wink.
Never aware her hand had completed the motion on it's own, she could only watch as it bowed to her in a mocking gesture of thanks, before rushing her friends.
As the battle was joined, she found herself unable to do anything but watch…
………
When she finally could get her body to comply, she ran to the door through which the fight had receded, drawing a great sigh of relief when she found everyone still standing…however wall-supported they might be.
Her relief quickly turned to regret, though, as the three of them turned eyes upon her…eyes that, despite their owners obvious reluctance, could naught but gaze accusations on the mage.
Stammering, she tried to explain;
-"I…I tried to help, but…but I just couldn't seem to…I couldn't…and I really had no intention of…of…releasing it."
The last escaping her lips as little more that an ashamed whisper, she looked at her feet, before turning pleading eyes on the one that might understand…
-"I knew what would most likely happen…I knew you had less than believable chances to come away from the battle as many as you were before it…but that…that were the very reason I did it! I mean…my hand did it! I had no intention…I'd rather cut it off than let it…I'd…"
-"Done is done. And we wouldn't be here if we believed you to be responsible for the things the blood the two of you share makes you do." Jaheira replied, embracing the thief as though knowing it ought to be done, but unused to doing so…in such a capacity, if nothing else.
Minsc looking at Negrath as if wondering what he were waiting for, the kensai soon found himself walking over to kneel before the thief;
-"I daresay no-one here will hold such a thing against you…as long as they survive to deny it." He added, giving a slight smile, widening it as she returned it, albeit weakly, nodding;
-"I know. And thanks." She smiled, hugging them both briefly before hurriedly heading back the way they'd come; "Can we leave now?!?"
Plucking with him the creatures blade, Minsc waited for the two others to lead on.
………
As they reentered the metal corridor, Jaheira quipped;
-"It's almost like I've been here before…"
-"I know…but I reckon the fellow that is to use this is the one we thought was an ancient statue."
-"You saying I spent several minutes, alone, with my back to a Golem?!?!?!?" Imoen exclaimed, whirling on them, fear etched on her face;
-"And that we are to activate it because you "reckon" it's the one that can help us move on?"
-"If it is, It'll accept the key, and go do what it was made for…if not, we flee and slam the door in it's face. I would guess it has no instruction to wreck the dungeon."
-" "I guess", "I reckon"…do you at all have any clue what you are about to do, brother dear?"
Cringing at the biting tone of the young woman's query, Negrath shook his head apologetically;
I only know that there are doors about we cannot open, and the only creature I've seen that ain't so much mud on the floor, is the "statue" back where I got an unexpected nap."
………
-"Master? Without the eyes you did not give me, I cannot see you…is it you?"
Clearing his throat, Negrath nodded;
-"Uh, yes. Yes, it is I. Have you been performing your duties lately?"
-"As I have been instructed master: every day, every night. "clean the sewage chambers and feed the guardian.""
The reiteration of it's command coming in a cold, uncaring voice, they could only assume it somehow where an exact copy of the order as it had been given, giving Negrath a most unwelcome refreshment course in what their captor sounded like.
-"Do you wish me to "Open the doors and begin your duties" again?"
Shuddering as the hated sound momentarily returned, the kensai nodded fervently, eager to get away from the creature so able to feed sounds back to their origins, before remembering that the creature couldn't see him...
-"Yes, yes I do. Now go."
-"As you wish, master." The Golem intoned, grabbing the strange stone he had taken from Rielev's room, from his hand, and stomped toward the exit so fast the others barely had time to avoid being trampled...
Having followed it into the small corridor off the crystal chamber, the squeezed up against the walls as it came thundering back.
Peering trough the door at the other end afterwards, they saw a strange creature flap about within, its long, winding "arms" ending in appendages immediately recognized as such intended to grab and suck.
Wobbling around on legs wholly disproportionate to the immense, bulging body, it appeared ignorant of whatever sign they might give off as to their presence.
Jaheira tugging on Minsc's arm, the two rushed through the door, charging the beast with the intent to finish it before it could retaliate.
Despite Minsc severing a flapping limb and Jaheira driving her staff far enough into its gaping maw to make a bulge on the back of its head, the strange creature fought back;
Poison dripping from its fangs, it somehow managed to spray the stuff all along the wood shoved in its mouth, before the druid could retrieve it, winding its one healthy tendril around Minsc's swordarm.
By way of response, the ranger brought the large blade over in his other hand, grabbed the slimy limb the now free hand, and pulled…
Toppling, the now harmless opponent could only scream as a frustrated druid effectively cut it to pieces, well aided by a two-hand sword that, despite being driven by less force than usual, were more than capable of cutting deeep gouges in the soft hide of the peculiar beast.
No other creatures evident, Imoen set to work disarming whatever traps she found, Negrath opening the "cleansed" chests and barrels, and Jaheira, leaving Minsc to clean her staff, cleared the now accessible hallways leading off the cavernous room for the small creatures keeping guard in them.
After one such trip, she returned, grabbing Imoen by the arm and calling the others with her;
-"I think I've found the way out! Come!"
Eager as anything, they rush through the slim tunnel, slowing to a stop as they pass through the resulting doorway into a room that at best can be described as "unfitting" the rest of the dungeon...
-"Someone actually -sleeps- down here?" Imoen exclaims, disbelief evident in every word.
Jaheira simply shrugs; she has seen worse placed bedchambers.
Directing her companions' attention to the tunnel opening in the left wall, she almost snickered;
-"He is evidently also afraid of his ability to get out quickly…in there's a portal that just might get us elsewhere in a hurry."
-"And the key?" Negrath queried, wondering if his friend had lost it.
-"Must be somewhere around here, don't you think?"
-"Not if he carries it with him…" Imoen suggested, shrinking as the druid glared at her;
-"It's here! Find it!"
**Khalid…** Negrath thought, recognizing the reason for the half-elf's impatience and so far nigh-unceasing irritation.
**Help us out here! Look for -us- for a change!**
Aware that the valiant fighter probably would work harder to find them than even Minsc would ever care to, the kensai looked to his right, curious as to the secrets by the tantalizingly scented opening there…
-"What's in there?" he wondered aloud.
-"Trees…possibly some dryads as well." Were the careless reply, almost sounding as if the druid knew what would follow, and had no wish to have it happen…:
-"Dryads?!?!?!?"
-"Not for sure, child!"
-"But the possibility is there?"
-"The possibility is there wherever trees are allowed to grow in peace."
Before the half-elf had even begun her reply, the thief where already by the entrance, disappearing out of sight.
-"Imoen!" Negrath called, immediately regretting his request, although he knew only too well that she would probably have gone there anyway.
Following him and Minsc in their pursuit, Jaheira gritted her teeth as she fought not to scream her annoyance;
**Khalid, my love…hang in there…despite our snail's pace-progress, we're coming…**
………
-"Child, why are you here? If you can, you should leave this place at once…we can not."
-"If you can't, what makes you think I can?" Imoen retorted stubbornly, her shining eyes belying the tone of her voice: this was a dream come true…
-"We must stay with our trees. Had you had such a bond, you would not be here…We beg you, go! Leave this place!"
-"There must be something we can do for you. Will you not let us try?"
-"Of course, child…had you been able to do what giving us aid would mean."
-"I'm a mage!" the thief protested.
-"Of much too insufficient strength. We are sorry, but no, you can not…"
Looking to her sisters as a wave of tangible pleasure flooded through their common link, the tree-spirit followed their eyes, contributing to the suddenly joyous atmosphere as her eyes fell on the druid as she stepped up to them, having taken the lead as the two men froze in stunned bliss at the sight of the small, but perfect forest clearing the cavern held.
Despite every sworn intention to get the situation over with as soon as possible, Jaheira found her decisive frame of mind dissolve in the familiar sight and feel of the dryads magic.
Finding tears rolling down her face at the thought that they'd probably not be able to see them again once they'd joined up with her husband, she sauntered to a stop next to Imoen.
-"Can the rest of us help?" she requested, her elven hearing having provided her an understanding of the problem.
Studying the welcome addition to their little group, the dryad holding the postition of spokeswoman for the others nodded;
-"You may. We need for our acorns to be delivered our queen. She will plant them elsewhere, where we may spread our branches freely and breathe in the winds from the sky."
Ashamedly digging in her spice-pouch, the druid brought forth a number of small nuts, offering them up for study, knowing full well there would be no other such items in the dungeon than those required to keep the dryads with trees.
-"We understand…and we are grateful that you saved them, for whatever reason you may have had."
-"Not smart to start a fire down here." She mumbled, pocketing the nuts once more.
Nodding and smiling, the dryads instructed them on where to go once out, and then gently led them further into the small grove, the men beckoned to follow with a look, stopping at the entrance of a bedchamber even more out of place, yet more suited to the natural environment than the previous.
-"What…what is this place?
…So beautiful…surely we're not to believe -HE- made this?!?" Imoen protested.
-"Unlikely as it is, he doesn't strike me as the type to invite guests. It's his." Negrath replied, looking to Minsc as the ranger put a heavy hand on his shoulder;
-"Boo wants to know what the forest folk is doing in the dungeon of our enemy?"
-"You mean you cannot tell?" Jaheira commented; "It's pretty obvious that he, as others have before him, believed them to continue being as perfect and natural in captivity as in nature…-un-like similar city-dwellers, he has managed better than most…not perfectly, though: that…"
-"Would not be possible. Minsc knows." The large man rumbled, a dangerous look in his eyes as he headed back after the retreating tree-spirits.
-"What…" Negrath began, stopping as Jaheira explained;
-"If I know the berserker as well as I think I do, he will try to find out something to search for, in the intent of finding the -man- responsible."
Chuckling, the kensai lifted his arms defensively;
-"Point taken. Peace."
-"Granted." The druid nodded, her answering smile a tad strained.
Glancing into the beautiful room as Imoen wandered about within, evidently unaware of anything but that room, he smiled reassuringly;
-"I have no more interest in letting Khalid wait than you do, my friend. We will be back on our track as soon as possible."
-"Liar." Were the laconic reply; Jaheira had by now gained trust in the fact that -something- would come up to slow them down even more…
-"Do what you want, as long as you don't have us walk back into our cells and lock ourselves up."
-"Imoen!" the Bhaalspawn then called, starting into the room to help the thief look for the accursed portal key she evidently had forgotten about.
Blinking momentarily, she spun around gesturing wildly for him to;
-"Stop! Not another step! Back!"
Backpedaling fast enough to bump into the returning berserker, Negrath turned surprised eyes on the mage;
-"Why?"
-"I haven't checked for traps yet! Didn't you know that?"
-"…you've been walking around in there for several minutes! If any traps are present, shouldn't you have set them off?"
-"There is a reason for those jerks in the bandit camp to commend me on my size, you know! A heavy thief is an unsuccessful thief! Now stay there! I won't have any blood spilled in this room! I'd burn it, but I don't want it dirty."
Puzzled by the last statement, the kensai turned to Minsc, once more having had his shoulder weighted down;
-"Yes?"
-"The spirits…they told Minsc "Irenicus". We go avenge Dynaheir now?" the large man asked, visibly itching to deal some pain to a very specific pair of buttocks.
-"Did they tell you where he was?"
-"Dryads say we'd be likely to find him once we left…" glancing down at his chittering pet, he corrected; "Dryads say -he- likely to find -us- once we left."
-"Yeah, that'd sound more correctly." Jaheira quipped, quite evidently eager for such an occasion to arise.
-"OK, it's clear." Imoen proclaimed, already rummaging(carefully) through this chest and that shelf, under that bed and behind this desk.
-"Find anything?" her half-brother queried.
-"Quite the bit." Where the reply, as she came over, pack brimming with items.
-"Think we should take over some of that?" Jaheira grinned ironically.
-"Perhaps." The mage-thief sighed, dumping the bag at their feet.
Going through it's contents, the druid found herself with a handful of strange sticks.
Looking humorously at Imoen, she queried;
-"You collected these?"
Shrugging the thief replied;
-"Yeah, I figured they were keys of some sort. I found those three in various locations in the room." She added, indicating two seemingly useless, jagged sticks, and something looking like a broken spoon.
Weighing the "spoon" in her hand, Jaheira smiled victoriously;
-"This would be it. Let's go teach this "Irenicus" some manners!"
Minsc, holding up his hand to stop her, looked at Negrath, holding out his hamster;
-"Boo tells me dryads also said something about a thing of yours some…" glancing at the pet as it squeaked; "…some "djinni" had. They thought you might have use of it."
-"A thing of mine, that I might have use of?"
Boo squeaked, whiskers twitching, and Minsc nodded;
-"Aye, and very much so, Boo agrees."
-"…and just what would he know about that?" Imoen wondered.
-"To heed the advice of tree-spirits." The ranger replied matter-of-factly, giving her the distinct impression that Boo looked strangely at her for not knowing.
Muttering an "I knew -that-" at the animal, she headed off back through the grove, leaving the berserker to heft her pack onto his shoulder, and waiting for the two others, before following.
Upon asking where in the dungeon such a creature as a djinni might be hiding, they were told to go to where they found the acorns. Their druid would find it from there.
"Their druid" throwing a mental tantrum at having to retrace their steps once more, and this time -away- from the way out, they so did.
………
Turning into the second U-turn off the duergar encampment/workstation, Jaheira suddenly turned to the wall making up one half of the first outer corner, feeling blindly across it;
-"There's something here…I knew I felt something strange about this place…"
One arm suddenly vanishing into the wall, she stepped back, studying it the limb carefully, flexing her fingers;
-"No harm done. This must be it. Come."
Whereas she stepped right through the stone wall.
Glancing at each other for an uncertain moment, they all jumped as she poked her head back out through the invisible door, creating a somewhat bizarre sight;
-"Do I have to -pull- you through by the ears?!?"
Shaking his head with a rumbling chuckle, Minsc looked to Negrath as he started towards the wall;
-"Jaheira is not as good with magic as my Dynaheir, but Boo says she finds it well."
Merely nodding, the kensai gestured for his fellow Bhaalspawn to precede him trough.
………
As they all found themselves on the other side, he looked around, getting the uncomfortable feeling that if he looked over the banister surrounding the platform on which they found themselves and the length of the gangway ahead, he would see absolutely nothing.
Ignoring the notion, he made sure Imoen stayed well in the middle as they walked up the disturbingly hollow-sounding walkway, knowing that Jaheira and Minsc would ignore all but the closest enemy or their goal.
Having felled yet -another- group of the winged magic-wielders on a second platform, they headed up a set of stairs, gathering onto the surprisingly small platform at the top, gazing confusedly at the only item there: an oil- lamp.
After some time of that, concluding that it would be what they were looking for, they three fighters turned to the mage, who eagerly grabbed the lamp, and rubbed it.
A loud noise of compressed air, and the djinni was among them;
-"I am bound. What do you…ah, you are not my master? Prisoners be you, having managed to get yourself into trouble."
Giggling for the first time since…since before Negrath's tortured memory could be bothered to recall, the mageling retorted;
-"And you would be the proverbial djinni in a bottle?"
Gazing at her for a moment, the powerful being nodded;
-"That I would, young female. I assume that, having escaped, you have sought me out to regain the item stripped from you by our collective captor?"
-"Yes." Negrath nodded, taking a step back as the spirit turned blazing eyes on him;
-"Did you rub the lamp?"
-"N-no?" he stammered, taken aback.
-"Then do not adress me as if you did."
Turning back to the thief, the djinni's "rough side" vanished as though it were never there;
-"Do you wish it returned?"
-"But of course!" She replied, smirking at her elders. Finally someone actively ignoring them.
-"And I have no greater wish than to give it to you, it being the very thing that keeps me here. But I can not do so as long as the other half of my container is not here. They were separated to keep me bound to this one. Once united, they are naught but lamps, and I will be free once more, dare you take on the task of acquiring the other lamp?"
-"Well, with help, I've learned there are little I can't do."
-"With the right help, there is little -anyone- can't do." Jaheira commented.
A flicker of fire in it's eyes, the spirit proceeded to ignore her once more, as Negrath turned a quizzitive look at her.
-"I did not adress him." She explained, keeping it short as the djinni's ear twitched.
-"Then you may travel back into the dungeon whence you came, searching high and low…as you can see," the supernatural being stated, indicating the lamp present;
-"…you do not have much chance of discovering it on first glance."
-"Had it been anywhere we -could- find it, I would have. I'm an excellent thief."
In your own realm, certainly." Commented the djinni, continuing as if it meant nothing;
-"You may then want to discuss the issue with such people as you have left alive on your search for the way out."
With that, they all found themselves outside the door leading to the otherworldly place, momentarily incapable of understanding just where they were.
Once that had been reestablished, they wordlessly headed back to the Dryads…
………
Successfully having retrieved it from the anxious tree-spirits, they sauntered up to their most recent "employer", momentarily blinded as the two lamps came within range of one another.
As sight returned to them, they found little changed…save for the fact that the djinni suddenly seemed all the more "present"…as if there were far more to him than they saw.
Bowing deeply to Imoen as he offered a long, black two-handed blade, it's lack of shine not so much a result of age as of intention…if anything, it seemed to swallow the light that touched it.
-"That's not mine!" Imoen exclaimed, as aware as any of the others who it really belonged to;
-"That belongs to Sarevok!"
-"And the Bhaalspawn is dead. Long live the Bhaalspawn." Were the toneless reply, the supernatural figure unmoving.
-"Is it just me, or did the guy just make a joke?" Negrath quipped, shrinking slightly as the djinni set eyes on him.
-"So I did…and yet I did not. Are you not a Bhaalspawn?"
Recceiving a positive response, the spirit turned back to Imoen repeating the question.
-"…so I've been told." She shrugged.
-"And is Bhaalspawn Sarevok not dead?"
Glancing between them selves smiling ironically; yes, they assumed he would be, at that.
-"Then…?"
-"The Bhaalspawn is dead." Jaheira intoned, giving Negrath a significant look.
-"Long live the Candlekeep orphans." The kensai concluded with a smirk.
In what probably went for a high degree of expression, the right corner of the djinni's mouth twitched.
Plucking the blade from the nigh-all powerful hands, Minsc weighed it in his hands;
-"Minsc thinks it is not a natural blade. But Boo says it is wise to use 'til better comes along."
To the approving nod of the spirit, the ranger added, replacing his old blade with the new as he did so;
-"Minsc also hopes that will be soon."
………
At long last back by the portal, Negrath were unsurprised to see Jaheira make a beeline for the glowing disc before them, not once even stopping to consider.
Turning back as she found herself alone, she glared at the lot of them;
-"The key, please? If I have to do this alone, at least give me the option of -not- digging through the roof with my nails!"
Grinning half-heartedly, he led the others up to the platform, and through…
………
The teleportation process having a number of wholly unwelcome side-effects, a disturbingly long moment pass before they again are able to pay attention to their surroundings.
As a result, Negrath found himself requesting the foreigner they found to be in the room with them, to repeat what he had said upon their arrival.
He so did;
-"As you can not possibly be among the friends of this madman and still be that unused to his transportation, allow me to cut down on my introduction.
In the interest of getting out of here in one piece, Yoshimo begs your assistance.
Stepping forward, Minsc put a hand on the hilt of his new sword, holding out his pet;
-"Little man, Boo looks upon you with susupicion! How you come to be here? And take care to watch your words."
-"Much like you, I would assume." The strange man pointed out, glancing confusedly at the animal that appeared to be the brain of all that muscle.
Looking to Negrath, his eyes landed on Jaheira.
Momentarily looking between the three of them, he evidently decided the druid was the leader;
-"My dear woman, I have bee wounded in my previous attempts to get out, and have therefore ceased to try.
Together, though, I have no doubt we will be able to vanquish the foes that stand in our way. What say you?"
With a wry grin an Negrath, she replied;
-"Not for me to say…although my advice would be to leave you here."
-"At least let me follow you out!?!"
-"As she said, it's not her decision to make. I'd be pleased to have yet another blade at my side…but I would appreciate it if you would walk -beside- me, and not behind."
-"Cautious, yet aware of the need of aid. Yoshimo is happy to be among such wise travellers."
-"How you came to be here then?" Imoen asked, seeing something in the man she recognized as not entirely good.
-"That is the embarrasing part of my tale, I'm afraid…priding myself on my profession, an occupation that requires it's practioners to be aware of all things, I was caught unawares.
Going to bed in The copper Coronet, I awoke in this dungeon with a mighty sore head, and no understanding of how I got here."
-"You are a thief?" Jaheira commented, appearing to lower him even further down her scale of respect;
-"We already have one of those. Nice try, but my advice stands."
-"If he had followed such advice, such a train of thought at all times, where would you be?"
Smirking, the druid replied simply; "thanks to a couple of pretty influential friends, the question is irrelevant when it comes to me and my husband...which I simply insist we go looking for right now!" she concluded, turning glaring eyes on the Bhaalspawn.
-"Hey, after you." Negrath commented, gesturing to the door with a smile;
-"And you come with us." He added, turning to the Khara-turan.
-"Ah, you might want to know something…" Yoshimo suggested, readying his bow;
-"It is the winged beasts out there that hurt me. They are strange, though…one of each kind flying about the room, with another of each in a cage along the wall…hurting the ones in the cages seems to hurt the free- flying ones…though I have not yet managed to kill any of them. The free ones keep swarming me."
-"Minsc, Imoen…Jaheira! Use your arrows and stones at the ones that are caged. One at the time. I'll take on the ones flying free."
-"Why you?" Imoen wandered, treating her bow as if it was covered in unknown substances.
-"Because I'm the only one not knowing how to use those things." Negrath explained, shushing the druid as she turned to comment;
-"I know…but believe me, you do not want me to wander around with a bow."
Simply nodding, she motioned for the archers to open a path for him, as they all readied for combat.
………
The floor one big mess of Mephit corpses, and Imoen searching the containers in the room, Minsc chatted with his pet as Negrath and Yoshimo discussed swords and their use, leaving Jaheira free to idly roam the place with a bored look, noticing a mangled corpse on a table in the other end of the room…
Having no real interest in studying their captors handiwork, she nevertheless approached, drawn by a force she simply could not resist…
Not a second later, blades where drawn and spells readied as her companions whirled around, alarmed by a scream which by its mere intensity threatened to bring them to their knees…
-"KHALID!!!"
Not as long, but at least up to my usual standard(from -my- POV, mind you…()…and unless anyone protests profusely, I will be reinitiating the story after her monologue…I wouldn't be able to outdo the original anyway… *apologetic smile*
Well, I held my indirect promise…I managed to get this sequence into this chapter…
The next, I reckon, will be a bit thougher…then, there won't be much left until we're at the point of the original story's beginning…and then you'll all have to wait 'til I can work through the game once again…(see, I reformatted C…and incidentally, in order to free up space on D:, I had moved my saved-games.zip over to C: a while before…*being very sorry*)
See you in the "missing link" :P
Funseeker.
1 FROM THE DUNGEON TO THE KEEP
-Joys and sorrows…not necessarily in that order
Having rested long and well in the literary environment, the would-be escapees spent a languid time going through the present tomes, dropping the odd book or parchment in their packs.
Negrath having occupied the table for some in-depth study of a particular book of history, Jaheira was, not unexpectedly, the one to first pick up her weapon and demand that they continue, plucking the tome from his hands.
-"Hey! I wasn't…" he exclaimed, shutting up as he saw the look in her eyes…evidently, he was.
-"My mistake. I forgot I'd read it before."
Nodding brusquely, she pulled him to his feet, pushing him toward his pack as she repeated her demand to them all;
-"On your feet, people! We are not her of our own free will, and if we do not leave this place NOW, we may never do so! Am I making myself clear?!?"
-"Quiet, you'll wake the dead!" Imoen complained, climbing to her feet, appearing to just having woken up, and looking worriedly at the corpses littering the floor, curiously odorless.
Smiling wryly, the druid chuckled;
-"Not yet, child, not yet…"
-"I'm not a child." The mageling protested, well aware it would be ignored, as Jaheira turned her attention on the ranger, slumped up by the wall near the most readily available exit; sauntering over, she leaned close, seemingly spending a few moments chatting with Boo, before somehow causing the little animal to hide somewhere on the large man's person.
As evidenced a split-second later, it had been an act of pure animal instinct;
-"MINSC!!!"
Being on his feet, although unsteadily, in the blink of a drunken eye, the berserker grabbed the disturbance by the throat…or, at least tried to.
But with the Druid having jumped back the second he began to move, he only managed to unbalance himself further.
Pushing him back against the wall with her staff, the druid studied his swimming eyes:
-"There would appear to be something strange from this end…our friend here has been made all but ineffective, if we were to battle anything other than innocent bystanders. We should go see what might have caused it."
-"Right behind you." Negrath promised.
Turning to send a significant glance at his sheathed katana, she smirked;
-"I would appreciate it if you avoided that particular area."
Taking an instinctive step backwards, the kensai then got an idea;
-"So I will," he replied, heading down the corridor before she could lead on.
An almost derisive chuckle, and Jaheira commented;
-"Don't grumble about being last, child, -you- can at least -do- something from that position…besides, you prevent me from getting it."
………
Finding that the corridor they had entered were little more than a U-turn, they wandered into a room of some size, a strange smell permeating the air, threatening to overcome them.
As the small, dwarf-like people became aware of their presence, the ones nearest them stopped their strange work, rushing back to where four of their number had grabbed bows and axes, while the oldest of the lot launched into the gestures of a spell…
-"Imoen…" Negrath began, smiling as a small group of glowing orbs flew past, slamming into the dwarven mage, and aside from interrupting his spell, evidently doing little more than annoying him.
Before he could conjure up another, An increasingly worried druid rushed toward him, sweeping the fellow off his feet and having her staff help in giving his head a proper impact to the stone floor.
Stood still long enough for the axe-wielders to circle her, she grinned maliciously at them.
By the time they'd managed to look at each other, getting to the same disturbing conclusion, Jaheira were already turning…
Positively lifted of their feet, they got a more intimate contact with the tables making up their work station than they'd ever wanted to have.
Loosely dangling heads and broken bones aplenty, they slid to the floor, effectively ending what little activity might have been left in their heads…
………
As the druid looked up from her work of "easing the load" of the three corpses, she found, not surprisingly, that the archers had been equally insufficient as the fighters.
Imoen appearing to share some observation or other with Negrath, Jaheira looked around, quickly locating any number of things that either could be used, or contain items that could.
-"Imoen!" she called, rummaging around in the seemingly random mess on the tabletops;
-"There may be something of interest in some of the containers. Help us keep our use of healing spells to a minimum, will you?"
The thief grumbling something unintelligible, sound erupted a short while after of a lock being opened.
The group gathering around the result of the mageling's search, they were pleased to see more of the larger blue potions.
Jaheira picked herself a scimitar and a sling, having already gathered what she could find of sling stones, while Imoen and Minsc shared arrows, as they both now had suitable bows…although Imoen had no intention of using hers more than strictly necessary…
………
Imoen having gathered small trinkets at every opportunity thus far, the others assumed she counted on it to give a substantial payoff when sold.
Personally, they all figured that for all they knew, the dungeon they were trying so hard to leave where in an area where such were in abundance, and therefore worthless…still, they considered it worth the hope.
Having fed the berserker one of the larger blue bottles, they turned to the room's only other exit, sauntering through another U-turn, before Imoen held them back, her eyes flying over the floor ahead of them;
-"Stop! Something's not right here…shadows where none should be…uneven edges where it should've been plain…"
-"Isn't it?" Negrath wondered, studying the stretch of stone in front of him. As for the shadows, how she could tell in the near-absence of light was beyond him…he pondered if this could be one of the "things" she said she saw…
-"There is nothing there, girl." Jaheira stated, proving her point by slamming her staff into the floorstones in question.
As a result, it was nearly ripped from her hand as several sharp objects peppered it, sending up the signature smoke of particularly violent poison…
Looking dumbly at the small specks that had thusly appeared in her weapon for a moment, she then requested one of the lesser potions, carefully carved the small, but deadly spikes from the wood with her newly acquired blade, and finished her repairs by a trickle of the blue liquid on the leftover smears.
Swallowing the rest herself, she spun the staff a few times, finding the balance basically uninterrupted by the minor shaving, and smiled.
While all this went on, Imoen had made sure no more such missiles could interrupt their progress, disarming the visible parts of the trap just to be sure.
That done, the group continued around the second corner, coming to the doorless opening into a most peculiar room;
In the middle throned a mighty construction, the purpose of which they couldn't even begin to comprehend.
On two sides of it, in diagonally opposed corners, were some sort of platforms, on one of which stood a fearsome creature that evidently were overjoyed to see them.
Gesturing wildly at the impressive statue in the center of the room, he made some motions as if to twist something.
Imoen, having discovered the same ridiculous setup she had back with the pillar of light, wandered over, twisting the only item on the controls imbedded in the massive construction that looked like it would respond to manipulation in the slightest.
Hearing the others call out for her to stop, she so did, looking back at them.
Seeing them stare at the creature somehow held in place on the platform in the far corner, straight ahead from the door, she simply looked on as their fellow prisoner drew twin blades, a lizard-like tongue licking the lips of his furry beast-face as it's eyes found hers, and seemed to wink.
Never aware her hand had completed the motion on it's own, she could only watch as it bowed to her in a mocking gesture of thanks, before rushing her friends.
As the battle was joined, she found herself unable to do anything but watch…
………
When she finally could get her body to comply, she ran to the door through which the fight had receded, drawing a great sigh of relief when she found everyone still standing…however wall-supported they might be.
Her relief quickly turned to regret, though, as the three of them turned eyes upon her…eyes that, despite their owners obvious reluctance, could naught but gaze accusations on the mage.
Stammering, she tried to explain;
-"I…I tried to help, but…but I just couldn't seem to…I couldn't…and I really had no intention of…of…releasing it."
The last escaping her lips as little more that an ashamed whisper, she looked at her feet, before turning pleading eyes on the one that might understand…
-"I knew what would most likely happen…I knew you had less than believable chances to come away from the battle as many as you were before it…but that…that were the very reason I did it! I mean…my hand did it! I had no intention…I'd rather cut it off than let it…I'd…"
-"Done is done. And we wouldn't be here if we believed you to be responsible for the things the blood the two of you share makes you do." Jaheira replied, embracing the thief as though knowing it ought to be done, but unused to doing so…in such a capacity, if nothing else.
Minsc looking at Negrath as if wondering what he were waiting for, the kensai soon found himself walking over to kneel before the thief;
-"I daresay no-one here will hold such a thing against you…as long as they survive to deny it." He added, giving a slight smile, widening it as she returned it, albeit weakly, nodding;
-"I know. And thanks." She smiled, hugging them both briefly before hurriedly heading back the way they'd come; "Can we leave now?!?"
Plucking with him the creatures blade, Minsc waited for the two others to lead on.
………
As they reentered the metal corridor, Jaheira quipped;
-"It's almost like I've been here before…"
-"I know…but I reckon the fellow that is to use this is the one we thought was an ancient statue."
-"You saying I spent several minutes, alone, with my back to a Golem?!?!?!?" Imoen exclaimed, whirling on them, fear etched on her face;
-"And that we are to activate it because you "reckon" it's the one that can help us move on?"
-"If it is, It'll accept the key, and go do what it was made for…if not, we flee and slam the door in it's face. I would guess it has no instruction to wreck the dungeon."
-" "I guess", "I reckon"…do you at all have any clue what you are about to do, brother dear?"
Cringing at the biting tone of the young woman's query, Negrath shook his head apologetically;
I only know that there are doors about we cannot open, and the only creature I've seen that ain't so much mud on the floor, is the "statue" back where I got an unexpected nap."
………
-"Master? Without the eyes you did not give me, I cannot see you…is it you?"
Clearing his throat, Negrath nodded;
-"Uh, yes. Yes, it is I. Have you been performing your duties lately?"
-"As I have been instructed master: every day, every night. "clean the sewage chambers and feed the guardian.""
The reiteration of it's command coming in a cold, uncaring voice, they could only assume it somehow where an exact copy of the order as it had been given, giving Negrath a most unwelcome refreshment course in what their captor sounded like.
-"Do you wish me to "Open the doors and begin your duties" again?"
Shuddering as the hated sound momentarily returned, the kensai nodded fervently, eager to get away from the creature so able to feed sounds back to their origins, before remembering that the creature couldn't see him...
-"Yes, yes I do. Now go."
-"As you wish, master." The Golem intoned, grabbing the strange stone he had taken from Rielev's room, from his hand, and stomped toward the exit so fast the others barely had time to avoid being trampled...
Having followed it into the small corridor off the crystal chamber, the squeezed up against the walls as it came thundering back.
Peering trough the door at the other end afterwards, they saw a strange creature flap about within, its long, winding "arms" ending in appendages immediately recognized as such intended to grab and suck.
Wobbling around on legs wholly disproportionate to the immense, bulging body, it appeared ignorant of whatever sign they might give off as to their presence.
Jaheira tugging on Minsc's arm, the two rushed through the door, charging the beast with the intent to finish it before it could retaliate.
Despite Minsc severing a flapping limb and Jaheira driving her staff far enough into its gaping maw to make a bulge on the back of its head, the strange creature fought back;
Poison dripping from its fangs, it somehow managed to spray the stuff all along the wood shoved in its mouth, before the druid could retrieve it, winding its one healthy tendril around Minsc's swordarm.
By way of response, the ranger brought the large blade over in his other hand, grabbed the slimy limb the now free hand, and pulled…
Toppling, the now harmless opponent could only scream as a frustrated druid effectively cut it to pieces, well aided by a two-hand sword that, despite being driven by less force than usual, were more than capable of cutting deeep gouges in the soft hide of the peculiar beast.
No other creatures evident, Imoen set to work disarming whatever traps she found, Negrath opening the "cleansed" chests and barrels, and Jaheira, leaving Minsc to clean her staff, cleared the now accessible hallways leading off the cavernous room for the small creatures keeping guard in them.
After one such trip, she returned, grabbing Imoen by the arm and calling the others with her;
-"I think I've found the way out! Come!"
Eager as anything, they rush through the slim tunnel, slowing to a stop as they pass through the resulting doorway into a room that at best can be described as "unfitting" the rest of the dungeon...
-"Someone actually -sleeps- down here?" Imoen exclaims, disbelief evident in every word.
Jaheira simply shrugs; she has seen worse placed bedchambers.
Directing her companions' attention to the tunnel opening in the left wall, she almost snickered;
-"He is evidently also afraid of his ability to get out quickly…in there's a portal that just might get us elsewhere in a hurry."
-"And the key?" Negrath queried, wondering if his friend had lost it.
-"Must be somewhere around here, don't you think?"
-"Not if he carries it with him…" Imoen suggested, shrinking as the druid glared at her;
-"It's here! Find it!"
**Khalid…** Negrath thought, recognizing the reason for the half-elf's impatience and so far nigh-unceasing irritation.
**Help us out here! Look for -us- for a change!**
Aware that the valiant fighter probably would work harder to find them than even Minsc would ever care to, the kensai looked to his right, curious as to the secrets by the tantalizingly scented opening there…
-"What's in there?" he wondered aloud.
-"Trees…possibly some dryads as well." Were the careless reply, almost sounding as if the druid knew what would follow, and had no wish to have it happen…:
-"Dryads?!?!?!?"
-"Not for sure, child!"
-"But the possibility is there?"
-"The possibility is there wherever trees are allowed to grow in peace."
Before the half-elf had even begun her reply, the thief where already by the entrance, disappearing out of sight.
-"Imoen!" Negrath called, immediately regretting his request, although he knew only too well that she would probably have gone there anyway.
Following him and Minsc in their pursuit, Jaheira gritted her teeth as she fought not to scream her annoyance;
**Khalid, my love…hang in there…despite our snail's pace-progress, we're coming…**
………
-"Child, why are you here? If you can, you should leave this place at once…we can not."
-"If you can't, what makes you think I can?" Imoen retorted stubbornly, her shining eyes belying the tone of her voice: this was a dream come true…
-"We must stay with our trees. Had you had such a bond, you would not be here…We beg you, go! Leave this place!"
-"There must be something we can do for you. Will you not let us try?"
-"Of course, child…had you been able to do what giving us aid would mean."
-"I'm a mage!" the thief protested.
-"Of much too insufficient strength. We are sorry, but no, you can not…"
Looking to her sisters as a wave of tangible pleasure flooded through their common link, the tree-spirit followed their eyes, contributing to the suddenly joyous atmosphere as her eyes fell on the druid as she stepped up to them, having taken the lead as the two men froze in stunned bliss at the sight of the small, but perfect forest clearing the cavern held.
Despite every sworn intention to get the situation over with as soon as possible, Jaheira found her decisive frame of mind dissolve in the familiar sight and feel of the dryads magic.
Finding tears rolling down her face at the thought that they'd probably not be able to see them again once they'd joined up with her husband, she sauntered to a stop next to Imoen.
-"Can the rest of us help?" she requested, her elven hearing having provided her an understanding of the problem.
Studying the welcome addition to their little group, the dryad holding the postition of spokeswoman for the others nodded;
-"You may. We need for our acorns to be delivered our queen. She will plant them elsewhere, where we may spread our branches freely and breathe in the winds from the sky."
Ashamedly digging in her spice-pouch, the druid brought forth a number of small nuts, offering them up for study, knowing full well there would be no other such items in the dungeon than those required to keep the dryads with trees.
-"We understand…and we are grateful that you saved them, for whatever reason you may have had."
-"Not smart to start a fire down here." She mumbled, pocketing the nuts once more.
Nodding and smiling, the dryads instructed them on where to go once out, and then gently led them further into the small grove, the men beckoned to follow with a look, stopping at the entrance of a bedchamber even more out of place, yet more suited to the natural environment than the previous.
-"What…what is this place?
…So beautiful…surely we're not to believe -HE- made this?!?" Imoen protested.
-"Unlikely as it is, he doesn't strike me as the type to invite guests. It's his." Negrath replied, looking to Minsc as the ranger put a heavy hand on his shoulder;
-"Boo wants to know what the forest folk is doing in the dungeon of our enemy?"
-"You mean you cannot tell?" Jaheira commented; "It's pretty obvious that he, as others have before him, believed them to continue being as perfect and natural in captivity as in nature…-un-like similar city-dwellers, he has managed better than most…not perfectly, though: that…"
-"Would not be possible. Minsc knows." The large man rumbled, a dangerous look in his eyes as he headed back after the retreating tree-spirits.
-"What…" Negrath began, stopping as Jaheira explained;
-"If I know the berserker as well as I think I do, he will try to find out something to search for, in the intent of finding the -man- responsible."
Chuckling, the kensai lifted his arms defensively;
-"Point taken. Peace."
-"Granted." The druid nodded, her answering smile a tad strained.
Glancing into the beautiful room as Imoen wandered about within, evidently unaware of anything but that room, he smiled reassuringly;
-"I have no more interest in letting Khalid wait than you do, my friend. We will be back on our track as soon as possible."
-"Liar." Were the laconic reply; Jaheira had by now gained trust in the fact that -something- would come up to slow them down even more…
-"Do what you want, as long as you don't have us walk back into our cells and lock ourselves up."
-"Imoen!" the Bhaalspawn then called, starting into the room to help the thief look for the accursed portal key she evidently had forgotten about.
Blinking momentarily, she spun around gesturing wildly for him to;
-"Stop! Not another step! Back!"
Backpedaling fast enough to bump into the returning berserker, Negrath turned surprised eyes on the mage;
-"Why?"
-"I haven't checked for traps yet! Didn't you know that?"
-"…you've been walking around in there for several minutes! If any traps are present, shouldn't you have set them off?"
-"There is a reason for those jerks in the bandit camp to commend me on my size, you know! A heavy thief is an unsuccessful thief! Now stay there! I won't have any blood spilled in this room! I'd burn it, but I don't want it dirty."
Puzzled by the last statement, the kensai turned to Minsc, once more having had his shoulder weighted down;
-"Yes?"
-"The spirits…they told Minsc "Irenicus". We go avenge Dynaheir now?" the large man asked, visibly itching to deal some pain to a very specific pair of buttocks.
-"Did they tell you where he was?"
-"Dryads say we'd be likely to find him once we left…" glancing down at his chittering pet, he corrected; "Dryads say -he- likely to find -us- once we left."
-"Yeah, that'd sound more correctly." Jaheira quipped, quite evidently eager for such an occasion to arise.
-"OK, it's clear." Imoen proclaimed, already rummaging(carefully) through this chest and that shelf, under that bed and behind this desk.
-"Find anything?" her half-brother queried.
-"Quite the bit." Where the reply, as she came over, pack brimming with items.
-"Think we should take over some of that?" Jaheira grinned ironically.
-"Perhaps." The mage-thief sighed, dumping the bag at their feet.
Going through it's contents, the druid found herself with a handful of strange sticks.
Looking humorously at Imoen, she queried;
-"You collected these?"
Shrugging the thief replied;
-"Yeah, I figured they were keys of some sort. I found those three in various locations in the room." She added, indicating two seemingly useless, jagged sticks, and something looking like a broken spoon.
Weighing the "spoon" in her hand, Jaheira smiled victoriously;
-"This would be it. Let's go teach this "Irenicus" some manners!"
Minsc, holding up his hand to stop her, looked at Negrath, holding out his hamster;
-"Boo tells me dryads also said something about a thing of yours some…" glancing at the pet as it squeaked; "…some "djinni" had. They thought you might have use of it."
-"A thing of mine, that I might have use of?"
Boo squeaked, whiskers twitching, and Minsc nodded;
-"Aye, and very much so, Boo agrees."
-"…and just what would he know about that?" Imoen wondered.
-"To heed the advice of tree-spirits." The ranger replied matter-of-factly, giving her the distinct impression that Boo looked strangely at her for not knowing.
Muttering an "I knew -that-" at the animal, she headed off back through the grove, leaving the berserker to heft her pack onto his shoulder, and waiting for the two others, before following.
Upon asking where in the dungeon such a creature as a djinni might be hiding, they were told to go to where they found the acorns. Their druid would find it from there.
"Their druid" throwing a mental tantrum at having to retrace their steps once more, and this time -away- from the way out, they so did.
………
Turning into the second U-turn off the duergar encampment/workstation, Jaheira suddenly turned to the wall making up one half of the first outer corner, feeling blindly across it;
-"There's something here…I knew I felt something strange about this place…"
One arm suddenly vanishing into the wall, she stepped back, studying it the limb carefully, flexing her fingers;
-"No harm done. This must be it. Come."
Whereas she stepped right through the stone wall.
Glancing at each other for an uncertain moment, they all jumped as she poked her head back out through the invisible door, creating a somewhat bizarre sight;
-"Do I have to -pull- you through by the ears?!?"
Shaking his head with a rumbling chuckle, Minsc looked to Negrath as he started towards the wall;
-"Jaheira is not as good with magic as my Dynaheir, but Boo says she finds it well."
Merely nodding, the kensai gestured for his fellow Bhaalspawn to precede him trough.
………
As they all found themselves on the other side, he looked around, getting the uncomfortable feeling that if he looked over the banister surrounding the platform on which they found themselves and the length of the gangway ahead, he would see absolutely nothing.
Ignoring the notion, he made sure Imoen stayed well in the middle as they walked up the disturbingly hollow-sounding walkway, knowing that Jaheira and Minsc would ignore all but the closest enemy or their goal.
Having felled yet -another- group of the winged magic-wielders on a second platform, they headed up a set of stairs, gathering onto the surprisingly small platform at the top, gazing confusedly at the only item there: an oil- lamp.
After some time of that, concluding that it would be what they were looking for, they three fighters turned to the mage, who eagerly grabbed the lamp, and rubbed it.
A loud noise of compressed air, and the djinni was among them;
-"I am bound. What do you…ah, you are not my master? Prisoners be you, having managed to get yourself into trouble."
Giggling for the first time since…since before Negrath's tortured memory could be bothered to recall, the mageling retorted;
-"And you would be the proverbial djinni in a bottle?"
Gazing at her for a moment, the powerful being nodded;
-"That I would, young female. I assume that, having escaped, you have sought me out to regain the item stripped from you by our collective captor?"
-"Yes." Negrath nodded, taking a step back as the spirit turned blazing eyes on him;
-"Did you rub the lamp?"
-"N-no?" he stammered, taken aback.
-"Then do not adress me as if you did."
Turning back to the thief, the djinni's "rough side" vanished as though it were never there;
-"Do you wish it returned?"
-"But of course!" She replied, smirking at her elders. Finally someone actively ignoring them.
-"And I have no greater wish than to give it to you, it being the very thing that keeps me here. But I can not do so as long as the other half of my container is not here. They were separated to keep me bound to this one. Once united, they are naught but lamps, and I will be free once more, dare you take on the task of acquiring the other lamp?"
-"Well, with help, I've learned there are little I can't do."
-"With the right help, there is little -anyone- can't do." Jaheira commented.
A flicker of fire in it's eyes, the spirit proceeded to ignore her once more, as Negrath turned a quizzitive look at her.
-"I did not adress him." She explained, keeping it short as the djinni's ear twitched.
-"Then you may travel back into the dungeon whence you came, searching high and low…as you can see," the supernatural being stated, indicating the lamp present;
-"…you do not have much chance of discovering it on first glance."
-"Had it been anywhere we -could- find it, I would have. I'm an excellent thief."
In your own realm, certainly." Commented the djinni, continuing as if it meant nothing;
-"You may then want to discuss the issue with such people as you have left alive on your search for the way out."
With that, they all found themselves outside the door leading to the otherworldly place, momentarily incapable of understanding just where they were.
Once that had been reestablished, they wordlessly headed back to the Dryads…
………
Successfully having retrieved it from the anxious tree-spirits, they sauntered up to their most recent "employer", momentarily blinded as the two lamps came within range of one another.
As sight returned to them, they found little changed…save for the fact that the djinni suddenly seemed all the more "present"…as if there were far more to him than they saw.
Bowing deeply to Imoen as he offered a long, black two-handed blade, it's lack of shine not so much a result of age as of intention…if anything, it seemed to swallow the light that touched it.
-"That's not mine!" Imoen exclaimed, as aware as any of the others who it really belonged to;
-"That belongs to Sarevok!"
-"And the Bhaalspawn is dead. Long live the Bhaalspawn." Were the toneless reply, the supernatural figure unmoving.
-"Is it just me, or did the guy just make a joke?" Negrath quipped, shrinking slightly as the djinni set eyes on him.
-"So I did…and yet I did not. Are you not a Bhaalspawn?"
Recceiving a positive response, the spirit turned back to Imoen repeating the question.
-"…so I've been told." She shrugged.
-"And is Bhaalspawn Sarevok not dead?"
Glancing between them selves smiling ironically; yes, they assumed he would be, at that.
-"Then…?"
-"The Bhaalspawn is dead." Jaheira intoned, giving Negrath a significant look.
-"Long live the Candlekeep orphans." The kensai concluded with a smirk.
In what probably went for a high degree of expression, the right corner of the djinni's mouth twitched.
Plucking the blade from the nigh-all powerful hands, Minsc weighed it in his hands;
-"Minsc thinks it is not a natural blade. But Boo says it is wise to use 'til better comes along."
To the approving nod of the spirit, the ranger added, replacing his old blade with the new as he did so;
-"Minsc also hopes that will be soon."
………
At long last back by the portal, Negrath were unsurprised to see Jaheira make a beeline for the glowing disc before them, not once even stopping to consider.
Turning back as she found herself alone, she glared at the lot of them;
-"The key, please? If I have to do this alone, at least give me the option of -not- digging through the roof with my nails!"
Grinning half-heartedly, he led the others up to the platform, and through…
………
The teleportation process having a number of wholly unwelcome side-effects, a disturbingly long moment pass before they again are able to pay attention to their surroundings.
As a result, Negrath found himself requesting the foreigner they found to be in the room with them, to repeat what he had said upon their arrival.
He so did;
-"As you can not possibly be among the friends of this madman and still be that unused to his transportation, allow me to cut down on my introduction.
In the interest of getting out of here in one piece, Yoshimo begs your assistance.
Stepping forward, Minsc put a hand on the hilt of his new sword, holding out his pet;
-"Little man, Boo looks upon you with susupicion! How you come to be here? And take care to watch your words."
-"Much like you, I would assume." The strange man pointed out, glancing confusedly at the animal that appeared to be the brain of all that muscle.
Looking to Negrath, his eyes landed on Jaheira.
Momentarily looking between the three of them, he evidently decided the druid was the leader;
-"My dear woman, I have bee wounded in my previous attempts to get out, and have therefore ceased to try.
Together, though, I have no doubt we will be able to vanquish the foes that stand in our way. What say you?"
With a wry grin an Negrath, she replied;
-"Not for me to say…although my advice would be to leave you here."
-"At least let me follow you out!?!"
-"As she said, it's not her decision to make. I'd be pleased to have yet another blade at my side…but I would appreciate it if you would walk -beside- me, and not behind."
-"Cautious, yet aware of the need of aid. Yoshimo is happy to be among such wise travellers."
-"How you came to be here then?" Imoen asked, seeing something in the man she recognized as not entirely good.
-"That is the embarrasing part of my tale, I'm afraid…priding myself on my profession, an occupation that requires it's practioners to be aware of all things, I was caught unawares.
Going to bed in The copper Coronet, I awoke in this dungeon with a mighty sore head, and no understanding of how I got here."
-"You are a thief?" Jaheira commented, appearing to lower him even further down her scale of respect;
-"We already have one of those. Nice try, but my advice stands."
-"If he had followed such advice, such a train of thought at all times, where would you be?"
Smirking, the druid replied simply; "thanks to a couple of pretty influential friends, the question is irrelevant when it comes to me and my husband...which I simply insist we go looking for right now!" she concluded, turning glaring eyes on the Bhaalspawn.
-"Hey, after you." Negrath commented, gesturing to the door with a smile;
-"And you come with us." He added, turning to the Khara-turan.
-"Ah, you might want to know something…" Yoshimo suggested, readying his bow;
-"It is the winged beasts out there that hurt me. They are strange, though…one of each kind flying about the room, with another of each in a cage along the wall…hurting the ones in the cages seems to hurt the free- flying ones…though I have not yet managed to kill any of them. The free ones keep swarming me."
-"Minsc, Imoen…Jaheira! Use your arrows and stones at the ones that are caged. One at the time. I'll take on the ones flying free."
-"Why you?" Imoen wandered, treating her bow as if it was covered in unknown substances.
-"Because I'm the only one not knowing how to use those things." Negrath explained, shushing the druid as she turned to comment;
-"I know…but believe me, you do not want me to wander around with a bow."
Simply nodding, she motioned for the archers to open a path for him, as they all readied for combat.
………
The floor one big mess of Mephit corpses, and Imoen searching the containers in the room, Minsc chatted with his pet as Negrath and Yoshimo discussed swords and their use, leaving Jaheira free to idly roam the place with a bored look, noticing a mangled corpse on a table in the other end of the room…
Having no real interest in studying their captors handiwork, she nevertheless approached, drawn by a force she simply could not resist…
Not a second later, blades where drawn and spells readied as her companions whirled around, alarmed by a scream which by its mere intensity threatened to bring them to their knees…
-"KHALID!!!"
Not as long, but at least up to my usual standard(from -my- POV, mind you…()…and unless anyone protests profusely, I will be reinitiating the story after her monologue…I wouldn't be able to outdo the original anyway… *apologetic smile*
Well, I held my indirect promise…I managed to get this sequence into this chapter…
The next, I reckon, will be a bit thougher…then, there won't be much left until we're at the point of the original story's beginning…and then you'll all have to wait 'til I can work through the game once again…(see, I reformatted C…and incidentally, in order to free up space on D:, I had moved my saved-games.zip over to C: a while before…*being very sorry*)
See you in the "missing link" :P
Funseeker.
