Part 7
It had taken half the night to free Ardic Santele and clear Mateo of treason. The investigation had ended somewhat predictably, but Avress did not complain. Such an easy solution was welcome but the footwork needed to solve it was not. Avress hadn't had time for dinner and that combined with the unspoken tension between Imoen and herself, had given her a pounding headache. She felt tired, drawn and irritable. War waged around her continually drawing her attention at inopportune times. She had been glad of the opportunity to vent some of her frustration on Kiser Jhaeri's hirelings. The looks that Jaheira gave her on their way back to the inn, had not helped. The druid clearly was puzzled at the schism between the siblings and displeased at Avress' viciousness. Avress could not have even begun to explain, had she been asked.
Wrapped in the cool sheets of her bed, Avress massaged her temples. Sleep had been reluctant to grasp her. When it had, she'd slept fitfully. If a sleep spell would have worked on her, Avress would probably have tried it. Her mind refused to rest. Instead she had found herself mulling over the strength of the taint. How easily it had slipped from her control boded ill of things to come. Even now it churned away deep in the pit of her soul. If she could no longer push it away, what was she to do? Avress couldn't ignore the strange feeling of tension within her. The last time she had felt it was in the abyss when she had stood ready to fight Irenicus for the last time. It was the unwelcome feeling of fate being written. Flinging the sheets from her body in a fit of restlessness, Avress stood. The dawn had already broken and she doubted she would sleep longer. Thankful that Imoen was still sleeping, Avress dressed and slipped into the common room.
Once everyone was awake, they were going to try to enter the old prison. As Imoen wasn't speaking to her, Jaheira had informed her of what Sister Farielle had told them. In preparation, Jaheira had bought several restoration and protection scrolls. If there were vampires in the prison, they didn't wish to be delayed. Keldorn and Minsc had also returned laden with their purchases. The supplies had been somewhat expensive due to the shortages in the city, but the gold was well spent. Avress did not wish to become dependant on the pocket plane.
Absorbed in her pondering, Avress almost didn't notice when Jaheira sat across from her. Reluctantly, Avress looked over at the older woman. Her knowing expression suggested that Jaheira wanted to discuss the argument between Imoen and herself. Given the druid's dislike of Sarevok, Avress could well imagine what she would say. Avress winced in anticipation. From long experience, she knew that Jaheira wouldn't stop pressing her until she delivered the lecture she deemed essential. It was probably better to have it done with.
"Will you tell me, or must I drag it from you?" Jaheira asked.
"It's not something you really wish to hear," Avress replied with all honesty.
"Hmpf. I already guessed that, little one. Why you are determined to disturbed the whole group just to-"
"I'm not disturbing the whole group. Only you and Imoen seem to be... disrupted," Avress replied scathingly.
"Enough, child! Spitting venom will not distract me. Perhaps you do not wish to see it but his presence will affect the group. As leader, it is your duty to make sure it is not a fatal mistake."
"Do you really think this is something I haven't considered?" Avress snapped back, and then suddenly felt her anger drain away into a bone deep tiredness.
"Sarevok is an unknown element in the group, Avress. I do not like his effect on you but I will keep my peace about his presence. Just remember I will not blindly trust him. For those reasons perhaps we might consider taking another party member," Jaheira acquiesced.
"Another member?" Avress asked caught unawares.
"I know it won't have escaped you that our usual tactics have been... disrupted," Jaheira replied.
"I had noticed. We are lucky that we have done as well as we have. I assume you already have someone in mind?"
"You know me too well."
"Not Nalia!" Avress cried.
"That wasn't who I was going to suggest. I know you two do not get along. I was thinking of Anomen."
"No, Jaheira," Avress said bluntly.
"He would be a good addition. You know he could assist with healing and combat. The others already know-"
"I said no, Jaheira."
"This has something to do with his abrupt departure, doesn't it? He was rather... fond of you. Will you tell me what happened, child?"
"You asked then and I refused. The answer hasn't changed," Avress replied, her voice carefully devoid of emotion.
"It's not good for you to keep it locked inside of you," Jaheira coaxed, mistaking Avress' reserve for youthful petulance.
"It was nothing like that, Jaheria! He didn't break my heart or anything so melodramatic!"
"Then it was his heart that was broken," the wise druid said with certainty.
"I said I don't want to talk about it!" Avress ground out, displeased that Jaheira had come so close to the truth.
"Keeping it inside of you won't do you any good," Jaheira offered gently. "You should talk about it, Avress."
Avress struggled with herself. She had been loosing far too many arguments lately. That made her feel decidedly stubborn and... maybe... a little childish. The memories of Anomen weren't particularly painful- just awkward. The cleric had wanted more of her than she was willing to part with. His declaration of love had taken her unawares. Avress willingly admitted she had not dealt with it well. Love had been the last thing she had been concerned with. Especially with a bone headed cleric that sincerely expected she would be happy living the life of an Order wife. Her life was far too dangerous to entertain such thoughts, had she even desired such.
Jaheira had the best of intentions in bringing up Anomen. It was just that Avress did not want the druid trying to match-make further. Anomen's interest had been something Jaheria had approved of. Although she had not openly done so, the druid had all but shoved Anomen at her in private. Clearly Jaheria thought it was time she had a lover. Avress loved her guardian but she'd misjudged the situation. It rankled that the druid couldn't see that.
"It isn't important. What is done is done," Avress replied.
"It is normal for young ones to be confused about-"
"I am not confused, Jaheira! And, gods damn it, I am not normal! Anomen wanted a lady, not an adventurer with a really twisted family tree," Avress snapped, loosing her temper.
"Don't be silly, child! Of course you are normal and romantic upsets are part of life," Jaheira assured.
Avress jerked upright. The tension she felt earlier was now pressing about her. She was so tired of this! Recent worries throbbed anew in her mind. Jaheira's protestations had unknowingly hit upon a deeper issue. There were things about her that weren't normal and never would be. Gorion, Jaheira and Khalid had done everything they could to let her live a normal life and teach her how to hide her nature. She had willingly done so and she treasured the moments where she felt no different from her companions. Yet, it had come at a price.
Avress had spent her whole life suppressing part of what she was. Now it was becoming frighteningly clear, that having repressed the taint might just kill her. That scared her deeply. No amount of wishing would make the legacy of her father go away and she didn't want to die. Avress felt her finger nails dig into her skin in half-moons of pain. With the taint swirling so strongly through her soul, Avress felt bitter laughter rise up. Deny what she was? Pretend she was just any other simpering maiden? Fall fainting into the arms of her knight in shining armor? Ignore the truth? How futile.
A war was being waged over the Bhaalspawn. How easily she and her friends could be caught in the crush. Meanwhile the taint was growing ever stronger. It was already almost too strong to repress. Soon she would go taint mad because she had never learned to work through it. Worse, holding the taint inside would end up make it build up and erupt in a catastrophic surge. If she didn't utilize every resource at her disposal, they would be nothing but rotting corpses. It was time she took control of her heritage.
"I am a daughter of a god, Jaheira. I am the daughter of murder. There is nothing normal about it and maybe it's time we all realize that. Ignoring it will kill me or drive me mad."
Literally shaking with emotion, Avress abruptly turned and returned to her room. As if in response to her fears, the taint thundering in her ears. Swinging the door open, she unconsciously drew on its strength. When she had pushed the door open, it had nearly been jerked from its hinges. Imoen awoke at once. Avress met her sullen gaze and growled. Whiplashes of demands and supplications from the taint, eroded her control. A spark of fear appeared in the pink haired girl's eyes and she froze in her bed. If Avress had been able to concentrate on anything but the taint, she would have winced in response to her sister's terror. As it was, she was on a knife-edge of control. Avress focused all of her attention inward. One mistake and the taint would break free of her control as it had almost done earlier. This time she would not be able to push it away.
Avress had no real concept of what she was going to do. Instead, she followed raw instinct and desperate hope. First she broke down the barriers she had labored so long to erect around the taint. Immediately, it tried to consume her in a fiery wave of power. She was ready for that and Avress embraced it. As direct defiance did not avail it, with the seductive touch of a lover, it wound about her. With an iron will, Avress refused to listen to its promises. For long moments she let it flow as it wished, shuddering as it worked through her flesh.
Avress had spent her life learning to control her sorcery. At first it had been an alien presence within her. When she had learned to welcome it, she became inseparable from her magic. It was her and she was it and as such it was bound to her will as much as her arm or her eyes. Determinedly, she swore this would be no different. Ever so slowly the flood of the taint slowed its churning and seeped into her very being. Finally all was silent within. Strangely revitalized after her internal battle, Avress snapped her eyes open. Riding on the wave of her new strength, she looked towards Imoen.
"Get dressed, we are leaving now," Avress spoke abruptly, and barged through the connecting door.
Her loud entrance roused the light sleeping cleric and Avress repeated her order. Viconia immediately began to dress without question. Crossing the room, Avress again threw open the connecting door. The sleeping men leapt from their beds in various stages of undress. Keldorn approached her with a bewildered look but Avress pinned him with her determined gaze. This was not the time for argument. She was tired of wallowing amid the horrors that surrounded Saradush. The paladin's eyes widened and he remained silent. Flicking her eyes over the others, Avress dared them to speak up.
"It is time we find Gromnir. Get dressed, there are vampires to take care of first."
Returning to her room, Avress packed her bag and strapped it to her back. She was riding on the high of having absorbed the taint and didn't want to waste it. She felt strong and ready to face whatever might come her way. It had been so long since Avress had felt sure of herself. Her magic sang beneath her skin and played a duet with her taint. She had mastered both but not without cost. Integrating the taint had altered something. Exactly what it was, Avress didn't know.
Her race was that of the elves but there had always been differences. During her time at with Elessime, Avress had tried to embrace her elvan heritage but her attempts had met with failure. No matter how she had tried, Avress had never mastered the reverie and had to continue to sleep as a mortal. Nor had she been able to manage rapport during her time in the elvan city. Those differences alone had set her apart but now it was more pronounced. Embracing the taint, her other heritage, had changed something inside her. Less elvan... more something else. Avress shook her head. What was done was done and she had chosen to live, even if it meant becoming both less and more than what she had been. While she was absorbed in her thoughts, her group had assembled. The shocked and concerned faces of the innkeeper and the wenches barely registered as they strode out of the inn.
* * *
Reeking of mold and musty darkness, the old prison enclosed them. Endless doors, rooms and corridors had passed them by. Nothing had halted their progress for long, except for the specter that Imoen had encountered and reburied. Avress had felt the evil lurking in the shadows the moment she had entered the prison. The seals that had once contained it, had been damaged by the enemy catapults. She could feel that the evil within was simply waiting for the right time to boil out. The atmosphere subdued everyone and there had been little talk. When several vampires had attacked, they hadn't been surprised and the vampires had been dispatched with ease. Once the vampires were destroyed, Avress had let her new senses draw her further in. The stronger presence behind the hidden door ahead of them, suggested they had found the main nest.
"The main nest is behind this door," Avress spoke barely above a whisper.
The nod of assent from the others as they readied themselves was all she needed. The vampires probably knew they were in the prison but they wouldn't know exactly where. Under her breath Avress chanted a spell and as she released it the door shimmered before it swung open.
Pallid bodies within the room, paused in shock and hesitated. Avress knew they could press the attack and probably overrun them but she hesitated. It was unusual that the vampires didn't attack first. The figure of a woman moved forward and bared inhuman fangs. Avress wondered briefly what the vampiress would do if she simply released a wilting spell at her. Instead, Avress moved forward, confidant with Keldorn and Sarevok at her back.
"What?! A Child Of Bhaal? Here! Damn the wenches, for their lustful hearts... they were warned to stay away from the blood of gods, no matter how sweet!"
"And of course the others you've killed don't matter," Avress spat with contempt. "Do you wish to parlay or not?"
"You... you preach and yet you are a powerful one of your kind. I smell the murder in your heart, false one! There is no mercy in you. You would never let us live!"
With that the vampiress launched herself at Avress. Her speed was impossible to follow. Fingers like iron fastened around her throat. Nails burrowed under skin and sought her life. Enraged, Minsc's war cry echoed in the chamber, ringing oddly in Avress' ears as she crashed to the ground. Indignation fired at the creature that dared molest her. Other vampires had flung themselves at her companions and they were busy fighting them off in the cramped conditions. All this happened in less than a second. The vampiress hissed in glee and Avress voiced her own rage.
Her hands were tearing at the vampiress' but they could not halt their onslaught. Avress longed to draw upon her sorcery but she could not cast a spell with the monster so close to crushing her windpipe. The indignity of how the vampire surprised her scorched at her heart. Would she fall here, killed by a petty relic of life, when she had survived stronger foes? Never! Hate boiled forth, the taint demanding death. Bone broke and reformed. Muscles stretched and bulged. The pain of assuming and maintaining the form of the Slayer urged her on. Jaws parting, Avress snarled, showing her own fangs. The surprised vampiress howled as claws crushed her hands. Primal satisfaction erupted with a roar as she sunk her jaws into the vampiress' flesh.
Mindless death filled her mind. Avress surrendered to the lure and lunged at the next foe. That vampire was destroyed just as easily. Growling, she turned back to the vampiress that had so nearly killed her. With a twist and pull, the body was separated from the head. Massive claws pulled the heart from the cold chest. This time she felt a cold shot of triumph. The agony of being the Slayer returned with vengeance and Avress released the change she had commanded. Once again herself, she tottered. Her throat ached and burned. Blood flowed from the gouges the vampire had inflicted. She focused on them, as they were the least of her pains. Hands grabbed her before she slumped to the ground. Healing energy flowed through her and she screamed. The holy power rebelled against her taint and her nerves paid the price. Still, it was forced into her. Finally it ended. Avress flopped forward, whimpering, but no longer so quite close to collapse.
"Gods damn you Keldorn," Avress muttered.
"It was necessary. The drow comes," the paladin replied.
Soothing in its darkness, Viconia's healing spells washed through her. Avress took shuddering breaths as life and energy pumped into her, replacing what she had lost. She had come close to death. In response, the taint oozed back through her like a sullen child. Avress drew upon it in and healed what damage she could. Weak but mostly restored, Avress wiped at her mouth but only succeeded in smearing more gore on her face. The taste of long dead flesh was unpleasantly strong in her mouth. She probably looked far more savage than the vampires they had just destroyed.
"Foolish child! Have you lost all sense of caution? You let the taint drive you to this foolishness! Do you think we cannot see it in your eyes?" Jaheira cried.
"The taint is under my control, Jaheira," Avress stated and stood.
To her embarrassment, Avress nearly toppled over. The healing magic that had been pumped into her had done its job, but it would take a night's rest before she was back to normal. Not even having assimilated the taint helped. The Slayer change always exhausted her and nothing they had tried could cure it. Forcing herself to stand, she regarded the others. Only Sarevok and Viconia dared to meet her gaze. Suddenly, Avress realized that her eyes had turned yellow when she'd taken in the taint. Avress remembered all too clearly the first time her eyes had glowed yellow. It had been when Irenicus had stolen her soul. The discomfort of her friends was not surprising given their past experience with her yellow eyes. There were, however, more pressing things to consider. Thankfully, the group seemed a little worse for wear but had escaped serious injury from the vampires. Jaheira seemed intent on making up for it.
"Control! Is this what you call control? You need to-"
"To what, harridan? Repress it?" Sarevok growled. "You know nothing of the taint. It is not so easy to push aside. I know what she has done and Avress is correct in doing so."
"You would see her controlled by it as you were!" Jaheira snapped.
"I would see her master it and not repeat my mistakes."
Sarevok's outburst surprised her. Avress had not expected that he would leap to her defense. She wondered what had prompted it. Tension between the party members had been steadily growing. Now tempers were getting out of hand. Avress had seen the rage on Jaheira's face. She had fully expected that rage to be directed at her. Sarevok's comment, however, had redirected the druid's ire. Jaheira had never looked closer to loosing control than she did now. Cold malice radiated from Sarevok, matching Jaheira's ire. Inside, the taint added its approval but Avress ignored it. She could not afford to let the situation explode.
"Enough! We have Gromnir to deal with," Avress ordered but Jaheira looked at her with rebellious anger.
"Rest first. We are all tired from battle. When we are recovered, we will go on," Keldorn suggested, smoothly halting a confrontation.
She did not refuse the paladin's suggestion. Staggering to a place on the floor that wasn't streaked with blood or worse, Avress let herself sink down. To her surprise, Sarevok loomed over her for a moment before kneeling beside her. Avress gratefully took the rag he extended to her. She used it to wipe away the gore from around her mouth and where it streaked her hands. The lingering taste of blood she rinsed away with water from her canteen. Through this procedure, Avress felt his eyes on her. Unlike Jaheira's they weren't judging but that gave her no comfort. Doubt hounded her thoughts.
"Tell me, why did the old fool's healing seem to pain you?" Sarevok asked.
"It's the taint. It... dislikes the nature or god behind Keldorn's healing. That is why Viconia or Jaheira usually heal me when I require it."
"How strange. I never experienced such a thing."
"Neither has Imoen."
"I suspect the effects of the taint are different for each Bhaalspawn," Sarevok replied and they were silent for a moment.
"Why... why did you defend me to Jaheira?" Avress finally asked.
"I am not ignorant of her dislike. She resents my presence and I know you had to defend me earlier. I simply repaid the favor. Besides... I could feel it, Avress. Even now I can feel you are controlling the taint, not the other way around."
"Was what you said about the taint true?"
"I spent my life drawing on the taint and using it. It consumed me because I drew too much and was foolish enough to believe its promises. You have done the opposite and have pushed it away. I fear neither option will grant us victory over our enemies. I will warn you that it will not submit easily or quietly," Sarevok spoke, uncomfortable at revealing the confidence.
"You seem to have turned from warrior to philosopher."
"Death and the Abyss gives you time to think," Sarevok replied simply.
When it was Keldorn that called and end to the rest period, Avress was glad. Presently, she did not care to give orders. She just hoped that their differences could be put aside until Gromnir was dead but things were boiling underneath the surface calm. Her friend's doubt hurt, although she understood their feelings. It did seem that she was letting the taint overpower her. The taint had not just manifested itself in the eerie yellow of her eyes, but in the form of the Slayer. Avress disliked taking the form of her father's avatar. Her friends knew it was not something she did lightly, but she disliked the idea of death more. Could they not see she had no choice in that at least? As for her use of the taint in other matters, didn't they trust her? It was Imoen's gaze that made her wonder the most.
Uncomfortably aware of the pointed silence that encased the group, Avress walked with measured steps through the tunnel they had found in the vampire's lair. Avress doubted she could make them immediately understand the decision, the conclusion, she had so abruptly come to. She was the daughter of Bhaal and hiding from that truth didn't help. Accepting that part of her nature would help them survive. Even if it wasn't a part of her she liked. More selfishly, the feeling of liberation seemed to take some of the burden from her shoulders. The flow of her thoughts was interrupted as the figure of a woman came into view. Avress found pulled at her magic, ready to fight if necessary.
"Hold! I mean no harm, as I see I'm not the only child of Bhaal who is seeking an escape from Gromnir's madness," the woman said looking unerringly at Avress. "I am Asmay Jahag. You are?"
"I'm Avress, and I must disappoint you. We are seeking a way into the castle, not a way out. Might I ask why you have stayed so long, if you disapprove of Gromnir's actions?"
"Protection, what else? I thought Gromnir could protect me from the army and all the others that would cheerfully slaughter Bhaalspawn. You must know of those that would hunt us down like we were less than animals! Now I just want to get out of here before Gromnir's madness kills us all."
"The way is clear behind us but I don't think you will find the freedom you seek. The city is surrounded. Can you tell us how to get into the castle?"
"You might want to rethink that, sister. Gromnir is mad. He is executing every Bhaalspawn he thinks might be a traitor. The other Bhaalspawn go along with it out of fear of drawing attention to themselves. I dared not even speak out when my beloved Larid was killed. You'll find no sanctuary with Gromnir," Asmay spoke with pain and disgust.
"We do not go to the castle in search of sanctuary. Quite the opposite."
"Fine, but I just want to get as far from that madman as possible. There is a host of patrols just down this corridor. They guard the prisoners that Gromnir has taken. If you're careful you can slip past them but beware the traps. Most of them are so sensitive they will go off even if you get close to them. That's all I know."
"Thank you, Asmay. Be well," Avress replied and watched the woman leave.
"Now what do we do? If those traps are as sensitive as she says, we'll never get past them. I might know how to spot the odd tripwire but nothing so complex," Imoen spoke out, petulantly.
"If we can't avoid them, then we will have to deal with the consequences," Avress replied.
"That's your big plan!"
"I agree. It is far too reckless," Jaheira responded.
Her jaw clenched and Avress struggled with the emotions that welled up. It wasn't traps that they were talking about. Her sister and her guardian didn't trust her. At least Viconia, Minsc and Keldorn were giving her the benefit of the doubt but their concerns were legible on their faces. Sarevok just looked mad. The shock of it paralyzed any sharp retort she might have made in response. It was all happening so fast. What had happened during the confrontation with the vampires was hanging over their heads. Avress tiredly rubbed her eyes. Maybe she should have explained before they had left. If she had done that, then maybe they wouldn't have reacted as badly to her changing form as they had. Now she was paying the consequences.
"I believe what you meant to say was that you don't think I am able to lead. You think I'm being controlled by my taint," Avress said in a flat voice.
"Can you deny that it is raging through you?" Jaheira snapped. "I worry for you, child. You have seen what could happen to you!"
"You still assume I allow it to control me. You don't trust me."
"That is not true-"
"You are a hypocrite, half-elf," Viconia argued. "You speak of balance and when your charge tries to find her own balance, you condemn her."
"Minsc is confused! Little Avress is a friend, why do we yell at her? Boo thinks we are being foolish and should concentrate on delivering the boot of justice to Gromnir," Minsc boomed.
"Silence! Arguing like this will bring Gromnir's men down upon us," Keldorn reproached, halting the argument temporarily. "Jaheira, will you take my word that Avress is not being influenced by her taint?"
"How are you able to judge that, Keldorn?" Jaheira replied defensively.
"You know of my god granted abilities to determine the inner nature of others. While we rested I tested Avress' aura. The taint is ever increasing its strength within her and I doubt it will stop soon. She controls it well and there is no indication the taint will overwhelm her," Keldorn spoke up.
"And this doesn't bother your precious ideals?" Jaheria cried.
"It does. The darkness I see in her grows and that saddens me. But... the gods themselves intended this. I will not judge her unless her actions warrant it."
"Then how else do you explain everything! First *him*, then her eyes, and now the Slayer!" Imoen cried out, her voice sharp with tension.
"Is it your sister's changes that frighten you or is it your own?" Sarevok sneered. "I can sense the darkness in *you* growing stronger."
Hushed snarls and insults passed between the angry group like angry hornets. As it was, it took a burst of fire from her hands to attract their attention. Six shocked faces regarded her and she sighed. Shooting flames into their midst probably wouldn't aid her argument that the taint wasn't controlling her but it had halted the pointless arguing. She wouldn't let things degenerate into utter chaos, although it was very close to doing so. Avress almost felt like a chastened child when Jaheira sent her a reproving frown but she refused to back down.
"We can't argue like this. The enemy is all around us and we're at each other's throats. I was wrong not to explain about the taint before we came here but regardless, I did what I had to. Now we have to do something about Gromnir or we're all dead."
"Very well... but there will be reckoning, child. You walk along a cliff's edge and don't even know it," Jaheira gruffly replied.
Unable to reply to the druid without resuming the argument once again, Avress instead chose to press forward. The group quickly found that Asmay's words had been all too true. They had barely opened the door into the castle's dungeons when alarms sounded. Echoing and bouncing off the stone walls, the alarm had summoned a cadre of invisible assassins and regular guards. Two mages had come swiftly on their heels. Defeating the well coordinated guards had taken some work. Gromnir's men were not the average soldier and they had many campaigns behind them. The fighting conditions were difficult, making the battle longer than it would otherwise have been. The narrow halls had made it difficult for Sarevok and Minsc to deliver their blows. Keldorn had also had difficulty dealing with the assassins. The mages, although skilled, fell faster under the magical attacks of the women.
Avress had been disgusted at the state of the prison cells and the people in them. How long the people had been kept there, she'd not been able to tell. They were all dirty and bore bruises and other wounds. Tempting as it had been to free the prisoners, she had decided to leave it to the city guard, once Gromnir was dealt with. They could sort out the truly innocent from the guilty.
When they left the cell area, they had stumbled upon more guards. From there they had simply headed deeper into the castle. There had to be a staircase somewhere. By the time they found the staircase,
Avress had grown to respect Gromnir. Even if the rumours were true, and he was mad, he had not lost his cunning. The defences Gromnir set up had been cleverly designed. He had not failed to ignore the possibility that a group might get past the vampires. Many other commanders wouldn't have considered it.
On the next floor up, had been a group of Bhaalspawn. It had disappointed Avress that they had refused to speak before rushing into battle. It had been impossible to tell if they had been loyal to Gromnir or simply too afraid of Gromnir to not attack. They had certainly fought with fervour.
As Minsc and Imoen looked over the corpses of the fallen Bhaalspawn, Avress inspected the rooms. From experience, Avress guessed that this level was mainly residential. There were several doors leading away from the staircase and Avress guessed that more Bhaalspawn might remain in the castle. She had no interest in doing more than glancing into the other rooms. She had no desire to find out if any Bhaalspawn they found would also attack. Practicality told her that they would need every able body to defend the city. Sentiment made her less than eager to slaughter fellow Bhaalspawn needlessly. Once Jaheira had slipped on the boots of speed found on one of the dead and potions swallowed, they ascended the final stairway.
Crouched low in the protection of the stairway's banister, Avress listened to what seemed to be some kind of struggle. There was no sound of steel against steel and so Avress guessed it to be rather one sided. It was tempting to send Imoen forward to scout out the room from the shadows, but she refrained. If Gromnir was as paranoid as Melissan said, then it would be too dangerous. The sounds of the struggle died down. She truly hoped they had not come in on an execution.
"Your guards threatened me with arrest if I did not accompany them," a voice Avress recognized as belonging to Melissan arrogantly protested. "I do not take kindly to threats, Gromnir! What is it you want?"
"Gromnir knows a stranger came to Saradush, pretty Melissan."
The rough voice of the orc raised the hairs on Avress' neck. There was something frightening in its tones. Perhaps it was the madness that chilled her so. Avress risked a glance around the banister at the orc who had to be Gromnir. Who else would dare claim the wooden throne on the dais? His rounded and barbaric features parted into what had to be a smile. It displayed his yellowed tusks to full advantage and made Avress flinch with distaste.
"Another Bhaalspawn! You must think Gromnir too stupid not to remember there is no way in or out of the city, hmmm?"
"You fool, Gromnir! That 'stranger' may be our only hope of escaping this siege alive!" Melissan snarled with contempt.
"Bah! Gromnir knows the truth! He is no idiot! Melissan has brought this outsider in to kill Gromnir! Bhaalspawn means nothing! Yaga-Shura is Bhaalspawn- he wants Gromnir's head, too!" Gromnir snarled and then let out a sick chortle. "Foolish Melissan is plotting against Gromnir. Melissan is plotting the ruin of all the Children of Bhaal!"
"You are mad, Gromnir. Have I not always aided you and all the other Bhaalspawn? I brought you here to protect you! It was your paranoia that brought Yaga-Shura upon us!"
"Mad? Paranoid? No! Gromnir finally understands how Melissan lied! Melissan lured Gromnir into a deathtrap! Tell Gromnir where the Bhaalspawn assassin is hiding!"
"Hiding? The stranger is not hiding, Gromnir! If you were not holed up in this castle, you two could have had a meeting when the stranger first arrived!" Melissan sneered.
"Gromnir will never meet with this Bhaalspawn of yours! Hah!! Gromnir is wise to Melissan's schemes. Melissan wants to turn Bhaalspawn against Bhaalspawn until all are dead!"
"Your madness will be your death, Gromnir, nothing else... the death of you and all those who foolishly follow you."
"Take Melissan away- but watch closely. Gromnir knows that Melissan is tricky! Melissan lies, Melissan deceives."
Gromnir's ramblings had reduced to a low murmuring as Melisan was hauled away. It was clear he was mad. She could feel the taint worming itself through the mind of the orc. What bothered Avress was that his ranting had touched on several of her suspicions. There had been a strange spark of knowing in his eyes. Had madness from the taint brought him clarity? Avress promised herself that she would consider Melissan more closely in the future. Signing to her friends in the silent drow tongue, she told them to ready themselves. Avress then glanced back to Gromnir. The burly orc was still on his throne. As she watched, he stiffened. His murky eyes glazed and then he leapt to his feet. Avress drew in a breath. Beside her Keldorn touched her shoulder. His touch cautioned her but Avress had a feeling that the paladin's warning was too late.
"Arh! What is this?! The assassin is here hiding in the shadows! Gromnir cannot see you but he knows! Ha ha! Avress has come to kill Gromnir, eh? Hah!! Good fun!"
How the orc knew her name, Avress didn't know. Unable to ponder it for the moment, she instead signed for her friends to array themselves. Quickly they moved out to meet the guards that Gromnir had summoned. The Bhaalspawn himself snarled out a war cry and leapt towards Keldorn. The paladin calmly engaged the mad orc and parried his blows. Minsc hurled himself happily into the fray as did Sarevok. To her displeasure, Avress found herself tangling with an enterprising soldier who slid past the men. Beside her Jaheira and Viconia were dealing with opponents of their own. Imoen swore and Avress knew she'd lost a spell. Ignoring her already exhausted body's protest, Avress unsheathed her dagger with haste.
Dodging her opponent's sword was extremely difficult. The woman knew her craft and knew it was only a matter of time until Avress could not dodge a blow. The dagger in her hand seemed pitiful against shimmering sword the woman wielded but Avress was determined. She could not compete with the woman's fighting ability, but she had prepared for this possibility. It was simply a matter of timing and drawing the fighter in. The woman lunged forward and Avress seemed to falter. Precious seconds before the blade would have sliced her in two, Avress let her loose her spell trigger.
A series of protections sprung up about her. Shrieking, the woman backed off, burned by the ring of fire that had sprung up around Avress. The woman's blade grazed off of Avress' new skin of stone. Sweet and acrid the stench of burnt flesh and hair rose up in a putrid cloud. As the woman had been standing just where the spell materialized, she was far more burned than she would have been otherwise. Taking advantage of the woman's agony, Avress slid her dagger between the woman's armor. With a gurgle, she fell to the floor. Just as Avress looked up, a ball of fire hurled their way.
"Duck!" Avress screamed as it descended.
Devouring with a mind of its own, fire exploded, stealing the air from her lungs. The protections she'd erected moments before, took the lethal edge from the blast but even so, heat washed over her in painful waves. Around her, Avress could hear the cries of those less protected. Crouched to the ground she could not tell if they were friend or foe. Staggering to her knees, Avress began to call upon her magic. Hopefully the chaos created from the fireball would allow her time to complete a spell. Precious moments passed and a cloud of vapor inked the air. Avress let loose a howl of triumph. This time the screams belonged to her enemy as their bodies were robbed of precious moisture. Once the spell hit, Avress heaved herself upright and frantically looked for her companions.
Imoen was pushing off the body of one of the soldiers. He had taken the full brunt of the fireball, leaving Imoen unscathed. Jaheira looked singed but was continuing her struggle with the other soldiers, with Viconia by her side. Further away the silhouettes of combatants were all Avress could see. The wilting spell was very useful but it obscured the field. Not wishing to pause for too long, she repeated the spell. Before she could release it, the sound of earth ripping from the ground echoed about the room. One of the mages had summoned an earth elemental. This time Avress aimed towards where she had heard the mage's incantation. A choked gurgle told her she'd been successful. The fog from the wilting spell cleared abruptly and Avress felt herself grin. Keldorn struck down the final orc as she watched. The last of the soldiers were cut down quickly. She couldn't see Gromnir as he had already fallen.
As glad as she was to see her friends alive, Avress winced at their collection of bruises, cuts and burns. Minsc and Sarevok seemed particularly burned. It amazed her that the mages had been willing to inflict that punishment on their own soldiers who had been locked in battle with her companions. Jaheira also seemed to have accumulated more than her fair share of blows, probably from the earth elemental. As her heart slowed, she was becoming evermore aware of her own pains. The soldier Avress had faced off had managed to score a minor hit on her arm after all. The scattered burns that had infiltrated her shield were not serious but they made their presence known. In short they were all in need of healing. Before Jaheira or Viconia could begin their prayers, a familiar figure dashed into the room.
"Gromnir! Avress! Lay aside your weapons! We must work together to... No! I... I see I am too late to stop the bloodshed. You have slain Gromnir and many other Bhaalspawn, as well," Melissan cried as she looked over the carnage. "Gromnir's men left me in my cell when the battle started. I escaped as soon as I could, but I was too late. I... suppose this was inevitable. "
"Inevitable? It was your plan to try to work with him, Melissan, and now you say it was a vain hope?" Avress asked, a little disturbed at the woman's abrupt shift of opinion.
"I knew the chance of Gromnir joining you was slim, but I thought he might listen to reason. I was desperate to end this siege, and I... I was wrong. I'm sorry. Now I fear we are all doomed. There is no way out of Saradush. Between the army and the strange imprisoning magics, even our wizards are trapped here."
Avress found herself unable to hold back a scowl. Her instincts were screaming at her. The taint was uneasy in Melissan's presence. What that signified, she didn't know. Certainly, she did not trust the woman. Her appearances and disappearances were becoming all the more convenient and theatrical. To what end the woman was manipulating things, Avress was still not certain. The list of other options also remained painfully short. The city was badly defended and it was a matter of time before Yaga-Shura was triumphant. Avress had no desire to watch the city die. Perhaps the abyss was better than outright death.
"There might be an alternative, Melissan. There is a way to escape the city," Avress said, trying to give as little information as possible.
"You... can leave Saradush? Yes, of course... you found your way into the city, it is only logical to expect you can find your way out. Why didn't I think of that earlier? If you can leave... then the city can still be saved! They have endured so much, we must help them! Avress, if you can leave, then only you have the means to do that!"
"Leave to do what? Take on Gromnir's army alone? To flee is a far better option. If the Bhaalspawn are not in Saradush, then Yaga-Shura will have no reason to stay. The Bhaalspawn can be moved elsewhere," Avress argued.
"Understand, Avress, that this siege is but the beginning. Until this threat is ended, it doesn't matter where we go... we are in danger of being exterminated by Yaga-Shura and his allies. Eventually, even you would be overwhelmed by their power. I... I know more about them, Avress. More than I'm saying. But... I won't tell you everything unless you try to save Saradush."
The hook hidden behind the bait was very much visible. That made her trust the woman's promises even less. Melissan seemed far too calm under her veneer of distress. What truth there was in her words was delivered far too easily. Beside her Viconia stirred in disgust. The drown could sense the deception as easily as she. A quick look told her that Viconia wasn't sure of Melissan's true motives either. Avress found herself realizing there was little option. Again they would have to go along with Melissan's suggestion.
"It is not my first choice to do this," Melissan continued. "However, in my dealings with the Children of Bhaal I have learned that... sometimes... the ends must justify the means."
"What is it that you believe must be done?" Avress replied.
"The army itself is immaterial. If you fought your way to Yaga-Shura, himself, and defeated him, the army would collapse. But that's... not a simple matter. He is a powerful fire giant, to begin with...."
"Ewww! That's disgusting," Imoen cried. "I don't even want to imagine Bhaal mating with one of those overgrown monsters."
"Is it any more an abomination than a Bhaalspawn elf?" asked Melissan asked, slyly looking at Avress. "Bhaal was a God of pure evil - his taint is an abomination in any form."
"Yaga-Shura may be a giant, but a giant is no more difficult to kill than any other creature," Jaheira spoke up.
"It is not that simple, druid. Like Avress, Yaga-Shura is one of the most powerful Bhaalspawn to walk the Realms. I know not what 'gifts' Bhaal's blood passed on to Avress, but I can tell you something of his."
"Then tell us what you know and be quick about it," Sarevok growled impatiently.
Privately, Avress agreed. Melissan seemed to take great delight in dangling morsels of information before them. They needed the information Melissan possessed, but she disliked the price they would have to pay for it. Eliminating Yaga-Shura seemed like the logical next move. It would ensure Saradush's safety and it would eliminate a powerful enemy that would happily strike her dead. Avress just wondered if killing the giant was too logical, too simple. A deeper game than what she could see was being played.
"The giant seems to be invulnerable to harm. Arrows, blades - even the most powerful of our spells and enchanted weapons leave no permanent mark. He heals faster than we can wound him," Melissan said, glaring at Sarevok.
"Are you saying Yaga-Shura is invincible?" Avress asked doubtfully.
"Yaga-Shura was not born with this immunity. He developed it... learned it... somehow during his childhood spent in a secret glade in the Forest of Mir. I can show you where that glade is... but it is only speculation. The key to the giant's invulnerability might lie there, but it might not. There may be nothing there at all."
"What else do you know?" Avress pressed, not wishing to reveal how much the giant's protections bothered her.
"Then there is only one other place to look, though it is far more dangerous. Yaga-Shura has attracted a large number of fanatical devotees of his kind. They worship him as a god, as you can well imagine. They built a temple to him in the Marching Mountains. Many of them are in his army, now...that may mean the temple is vulnerable to your attack. Perhaps Yaga-Shura's secret lies there, I don't know."
"All you have are rumors and speculations. Evacuation would give us time to investigate," Avress replied.
"There is no guarantee that Yaga-Shura would leave Saradush even if the Bhaalspawn were moved. He might not believe that they have gone. Those rumors and speculations are all we have! If it doesn't work, Avress, then all the poor Bhaalspawn that I have tried to aid, including you, are doomed. Yaga-Shura and his allies will have their way. We must have hope."
"Very well," Avress replied tightly, knowing the woman could not be pressed further. "I will accept your proposal."
"I... know it is much to ask of you. Whether it means anything to you or not: thank you. Now... I must attend to the wall's defenses. However you leave, I suggest you do so as soon as possible. Godspeed, Avress. I pray you succeed in your mission, for all our sakes."
Melissan then stepped into a portal and left. Frustrated, Avress looked down to the bodies littering the floor. The carnage made her sigh. Gromnir had fallen but his death had won them nothing. She did not like it that Melissan refused to consider evacuating the city. Yaga-Shura might not believe that the Bhaalspawn were gone, but even if he took the city, they would be out of his grasp. No matter what happened, it seemed there would be more pointless deaths in the near future.
Looking back at her companions, she realized they needed to get moving. Bending down she pulled the potion bottles from the closest soldier and threw them at Jaheira and Sarevok. Taking the hint the others began to loot the corpses. Avress made her way towards Gromnir. Blood and worse pooled on the floor but that was not what drew her gaze. The already glazed eyes were what interested her. As she watched, the body began to disappear in a mist of sparks. That was the fate for all Bhaalspawn- to fall away into nothing. Avress bit her lip. Silently, she swore that it would not be her fate.
The armor and weaponry left on the ground were of good quality. That was quickly becoming standard. Even Gromnir's lowliest guards bore highly enchanted blades. The helm in particular had good enchantments against crushing blows. That she kept out for Sarevok, the only fighter without a helm. Downing the potions she'd found, Avress walked away. The rest did not interest her.
"Are we ready?" Avress asked.
"Yes, abbil, we are as ready as we ever will be. I had the buffoon opened the main doors," Viconia said indicating Minsc. "The town guard will be able to enter without messing their pretty uniforms."
Avress looked down at herself and smothered a smile. Her clothes were covered in cobwebs, dust and blood. The others were likewise decorated. Going through the front door did have its advantages. The backdoor always seemed to be through sewers or less inviting places.
"Then we shall return to the pocket plane. I have seen more than enough of Saradush."