Part 9
The party dared not linger long in the pocket plane. The sooner they found a way to defeat Yaga-Shura, the better for Saradush. Barely eight hours after arriving, they had made their way through the wilderness after much consultation with the map. Avress appreciated the teleportation provided by the pocket plane but she had only the vaguest of ideas where it would send her. Finally they had identified the wooded area they had been sent to as the Northern Forest. It was several hours away from the Forest of Myr that Melissan had mentioned. They had agreed to head in that direction just as they had stumbled onto more of Gromnir's troops.
The short melee gave Avress and Imoen no opportunity to cast spells. To their chagrin, they mostly found themselves avoiding arrows, not even having time to erect protections against them. Thankfully, despite their recent conflict, the group fought well and the troops went down. Finding that they had inadvertently saved a merchant from Yaga-Shura's troops was a pleasant surprise.
Avress looked through the man's wears with interest. Although enchanted, Karthis al-Hezzar's items were not out of the ordinary. Imoen bought a few scrolls but Avress was looking through the more exotic items the merchant had been carrying. These items he had not thought the party interested in and so had not offered them outright. Most adventuring bands would have sneered at the raw ores, oils and other paraphernalia. Such things were of more use to craftsmen, farmers wives and other traders. Avress too would not have been interested except for the project she had been working on in Suldanesselar.
The elven mages had taught her a great deal. Primarily what they had taught her was the crafting of magical items and the components used in them. Nestled in with the raw ores was a silvery substance that was very familiar to Avress. It was illithium. It surprised her that the Karthis would carry such a rare thing. Her hands itched to touch it and she obeyed the strange urge. As if the ore would crumble at her touch, Avress let her fingers trace the silvery ore. It seemed to hum under her touch.
"Karthis, where did you get this?"
"That hunk of ore? I was given that in an exchanged with a less than reputable customer. I hear there is a market for that kind of thing in Atkathla. There is a man I know who can sell it there but now with my wagon broken... I will have to leave it. That is, if you're not interested in it?" Karthis spoke with hope.
"I am indeed," Avress replied and began to bargain.
She was soon feeding the ore into her bag of holding. Exactly what Avress would do with the ore, she was not sure. If used correctly, illithium improve a weapon's enchantment and could even be used to give a blade a vorpal edge. It had been Cespenar's obsession with 'shiny ones' that had made Avress think of her work with the elven mages. The imp might just be open to a little experimentation.
"Are you done pawing through the merchant's wears?" Jaheira asked. "We must go now or else we will not arrive at our destination before nightfall."
"I am ready," Avress agreed without inflection.
The druid nodded and trudged off towards the distant Forest of Myr. Avress followed in her wake. The parched forest required little concentration to navigate with Jaheira or Minsc scouting out the best path. To further ease their passage through hostile territory, Imoen had thrown an invisibility spell over the party so that they would avoid any more conflict. That left Avress with her thoughts. She had agreed to most of Jaheira's terms. They were verging on the grossly unfair but she had agreed as not to lose the half-elf's company. Jaheira was one of the few people that Avress saw as family and she didn't wish to lose what family she had. Her agreement, however, had not thawed the icy reserve that had recently girded the druid. Avress guessed it had to do with her refusal of the last term. She hoped that her compromises would not be in vain.
The heat blasted forest slowly turned denser and less inviting. Trees huddled together as if sharing secrets and the soil turned dark as pitch. The dirt underfoot quickly turned into near swamp. With every step, mud sucked at their feet. Traveling through a swamp was not a new experience for Avress. There had been several they had slogged their way through in the past. Something about this swamp was different. The chill upon the air reminded her of the ancient temple outside Umar Hills before it had been freed from the Shade Lord, but it was more than that. The menacing feel of the place was strangely familiar but Avress could not place it.
When their boots met with the uneven surface of neglected paving stones, the party paused. The air had a heavy and expectant texture. Avress glanced up at the darkening sky half expecting to see storm clouds. Instead, the sky was painted with midnight hues as the sun slowly set. Imoen shifted uncomfortably beside her. The atmosphere of anticipation was communicating itself to everyone. Finally, Avress looked at Keldorn.
"Can you feel anything, Keldorn? Whatever is here... it is not unfamiliar," Avress spoke up.
"I suspected what this place was when Melissan spoke of it. Now we are here, I know my suspicions were correct. There were once many hidden temples of Bhaal in remote places. The Order tried to stamp them out but I will admit that it was not fully successful. I recognize the evil of this place."
"It is more than evil you sense, paladin," Jaheira interjected. "Nature is crying out in loathing at what is in this place."
"Boo says evil hides in the shadows here. As if they could hide from his mighty hamster gaze!" Minsc replied in a not so muted whisper.
"L-lets just hurry. I don't want to be here for too long," Imoen spoke up.
Avress nodded and started forward again. Viconia had silently signed the need for caution at her and she did not disagree. Darkness had nearly descended and she did not wish to linger. One obstacle was the paved ground. It was riddled with weeds and pockmarked by the kiss of time. The group had to be careful not to turn their ankles on the uneven stones. As their gaze was directed at their feet, they did not notice the figure waiting at the end of the paved path until they were only a few feet away.
"Halt. Go no further. I wish to speak with you, my old ward."
The cherished tones of the voice froze her. Disbelief warred with sudden hope. Avress fixed her eyes on the robed figure. A hand reached up and pulled back the obscuring hood. A muffled sob left her throat as her foster father's features were bared to the group. Gasps of surprise from Imoen and Jaheira told her they too were shocked. The puzzlement of the other members of the group barely registered, as Avress drank in Gorion's features.
"Gorion?!" Avress exclaimed, her voice cracking.
"Yes. Gorion. Have you forgotten all that I had taught you? All that I brought you up to be? Have you forgotten me?"
"Never! I could never forget you!" Avress replied her heart pounding.
The objection fairly leapt off her tongue. No matter how old she would live to be, no matter how she changed, she would always remember Gorion. That she was seeing him now should have been impossible but she desperately wanted it to be true. Old friends and foes alike she had seen returned to the living. Was it so impossible to believe that somehow Gorion had returned?
"I tried to save you from your destiny, Avress. I tried to turn you into a force for good. And what have you done? Carved a path of blood and murder wherever you go! You are a disappointment. You were supposed to be so much more, Avress. You were supposed to be something greater, and yet in the end you murdered even I!"
"What?! No! I never murdered you!" Avress exclaimed and then shook her head in disbelief. "How could you say that!? I loved you!"
"You dare to presume too much! You ignore the truth, and you *will* be made to acknowledge it!"
Fire leapt from Gorion's fingers and slammed into Avress. Pain screamed along her shoulder, sending her stumbling back. The betrayal of a child struck by their parent hurt far more than the pain of the burn.
"I saved you, Avress." Gorion said with fervor. "I hid you from those who would hunt you. I taught you and enabled you to become what you are. I *died* for you. And you have failed me and everything I hoped you would be. That is why I am murdered by you. You think this animal, Sarevok, is responsible for my death? I expect no better from him. He is a slave to ambition, and yet you resurrect him and hail him as comrade."
Shame scorched her heart. Her foster father's eyes drilled through her, rich with disappointment. She had failed him. Avress moaned, unable to find a response. Guilt ridden, her eyes flicked to the armored figure to her left and then back to Gorion. Silently her foster father condemned her. Wildly, her thoughts raced and collided. Why had she returned Sarevok? Let him remain by her side? Why had she betrayed Gorion's memory? She couldn't remember.
"Be careful what you say old man! I killed you once before and I can do it again!" Sarevok snarled.
"And Imoen... my second hope." Gorion continued, turning his attention to the pink haired mage. "You have turned her into a conspirator to your own failure. All her potential...lost. How both of you disgust me so."
"No! No, Gorion, don't say those things! Please!!" Imoen begged, barely restraining herself.
"What have you come to, my ward? What have you done? So many bodies left in your wake, so much pain and destruction that you have caused. Why? Why?!"
The disappointment laden tones were like blows. Avress wished she would just die from the shame. She had murdered. How many had she killed since leaving Candlekeep? Avress shook her head. She'd killed but there were reasons. She couldn't remember them but there had been reasons!
"I have killed only when necessary," protested Avress.
"Then you know nothing of yourself! You have learned nothing! You grow ever closer to being a slave of your blood... you will murder all that you love and die a monster! I will not allow it!" Gorion screamed.
Purple lightning struck from above arching through her body. A hoarse scream ripped from her throat.
"I will not allow you to be the one who causes the prophecy to become true!" stormed Gorion. "I won't allow it, Avress! I will see you dead, first!! Bow before me and renounce your life!"
On her knees, Avress shook with pain. Words of anger, disappointment and shame echoed in her mind. She was worthless and weak. She had betrayed everything Gorion had taught her to be! Her hands clenched, driving her nails into her palm. Blood spilled from her torn flesh in compelling rivulets. The mesmerizing flow of Gorion's words seemed far away as she watched her blood flow. A distant roaring in her ears slowly grew in intensity and she realized it was the taint. With her recognition, the howl of the taint tore away the fog surrounding her mind. Gorion would never say those things! He would never hurt her! That wasn't Gorion!
"No! You are in my head, I can feel it! This- you- are a lie!!" Avress screamed.
"Aaaah, your power is too much! Cunning god-child! It shall be a pleasure to feast upon your soul!!"
The illusion that had been Gorion disappeared. It was replaced with the form of an undead shade. More undead appeared from the shadows and flung themselves upon them. Avress watched as the icy hand of the shade reached out towards her throat. Badly wounded from the spells flung at her, she could not move away fast enough. Chilling her skin, the hand fastened about her neck. Gouges rent their way across her flesh as something pulled her away from its lethal grasp. Sprawled on the ground, Avress realized it had been Sarevok that had rescued her. Even now he was beating back the shade, keeping it from her. Unfortunately, the shade was well protected against physical attacks.
With hands that felt like lead and a voice that was raw, Avress tore out the spell that would break apart the shade's protections. The complicated spell was almost beyond her in her pained state but somehow she completed it. The spell hit and Sarevok howled with triumph. Just as he cleaved apart the creature, a thick fog hit. Imoen had cast the wilting. Several undead creatures fell but more replaced them. With a soundless snarl, Avress sent several rounds of magic missiles into the creatures. Her missiles were not very effective but it was the only spell she trusted herself to cast. Red light filled the area as Viconia cast false dawn. The undead screamed in pain and in their confusion, were quickly dispatched by the blades of the men.
"How badly are you injured, Avress?" Viconia asked in her velvety voice.
"That gods cured shade knew how to fling a good spell," Avress replied biting her lip against the pain.
"And we stood around like rothe to the slaughter!" Viconia replied disgusted.
The drow put slim dark hands over the worst of Avress' injuries. Softly muttered prayers filled her ears as most of the pain melted away. With most of her injuries dealt with, Avress looked over her companions. Jaheira healed first Minsc, Imoen and then she most reluctantly healed Sarevok who just sneered at her. The drawn look of Imoen, Sarevok and Keldorn told Avress they had been drained by some of the undead.
"You should restore the others," Avress said to the drow cleric.
"True, but I thought I should tell you that shade could put a mind flayer to shame."
With that, Viconia left and began to restore the others. Avress was a little startled by her words. The drow was not the most warm of people- at least not at first. That she had tried to make her feel better meant a great deal. It helped that Viconia's words held a great deal of truth. It had been a very powerful creature indeed. The shade had also been effective because it preyed on her hopes and fears. It had ripped open old wounds Avress hadn't even known existed. She had learned several harsh lessons today. As she pulled herself upright, Avress looked towards the stone temple. Embracing the taint, she let her senses extend outwards. Something from within the temple resonated with recognition. Avress pulled back as if burnt. What she had woken, she didn't know.
"Something inside the temple just woke up," Avress said to her companions.
"How did it wake?" Keldorn asked.
"I'm not sure. I thought that I might be able to feel something about the temple with the taint. It reacted to something inside. I think it would have woken once we entered, even if I hadn't reached out," Avress explained.
"More undead?" Jaheira asked.
"Perhaps," Avress shrugged.
"At least we have warning," Sarevok rumbled.
"We should prepare with those scrolls from Saradush," Avress suggested and the others nodded.
Quickly Jaheira and Viconia read from the scrolls and said their prayers. As her amulet of power granted her protection from the draining attacks of the undead, Avress did not need the protections but she did cast stoneskin and spell deflection. Imoen also erected similar protections. Once ready, the party moved forward. The rotting door to the temple collapsed inward as Minsc tried to open it. The skeletal forms of the creatures within came as no surprise but they strangely did not attack. Having learned from the vampires, the party did not hesitate and arrayed themselves ready for attack.
"It... it is the Master... the Master come again!" The larger skeleton spoke. "No... hold.... No, it is but a vessel for the Master's power! An abomination! Kill it! Kill them all in the name of Bhaal!!"
The war cry summoned more undead, this time mummies and a pack of ghouls. Minsc plowed into them, followed by the others. Jaheira also moved into the fray calling for nature to rise up against the undead abominations. The ringing tones of a spell alerted Avress that one of the skeletons was a mage. From the words of the larger skeleton, it was a priest of some kind.
"Viconia, take the cleric! Imoen use your bow on the mage!" Avress called.
Her sister sent two arrows arching into the skeleton. They were just enough to disrupt its spell. Close by Viconia gleefully began her duel with the undead cleric. Avress carefully judged the distance between her party and the undead. If she was careful, a fireball would consume only their enemy. Magic sang through her and the taint roared its approval. Fire flew from her fingers and engulfed the pack of undead. Adding to the roar was the column of fire Viconia had called down upon the skeleton cleric. As the fire died away, so did the last of the undead. Avress was left strangely unfulfilled. She had expected a far more deadly confrontation.
"Was anyone injured?" Imoen asked puzzled.
"Not worth mentioning, child," Jaheira replied.
"I'm kinda thinking we wasted those scrolls."
"Caution is never wasted," Jaheira chided but didn't seem too sure herself.
"There is more to this temple, yet," Viconia added and pointed to a dilapidated staircase.
It was a blessing that the staircase was far more solid than it seemed. If it hadn't been, then there would have been no way for Keldorn, Minsc and Sarevok to use it in their heavy plate mail. The upper level seemed to be less touched by age than the rest of the temple. The reason for that seemed to be the pillar of energy pulsing in the middle of the room. The strange energy nearly obscured the form of a thin woman kneeling by it.
"Hee hee! You have come! Come, you have! The powerful one who is the spawn of the dead master! Hee hee! Nyalee knew you would come, she did!" the strange woman cackled.
"It seems I have come," Avress agreed warily. "What tricks do you have that you survive the undead here?"
"Tricks, yes! Nyalee knows many tricks! Witch of the Glade, they calls me, for many good reasons. Hee hee! But so many questions you have! Answer all your questions, Nyalee will! Oh, yes! Nyalee has been waiting for you, and she knows why you come, she does!" Naylee chortled and Avress realized she was insane beyond healing. "It is the boy... that traitorous fool of a half-giant boy of mine. You come because of Yaga-Shura! My boy has been a pain for you and I both, and you wish his blood, yes?"
"What do you mean 'boy of mine'? You are human. Yaga-Shura can't be your son."
"Nay, the boy did not spring from Nyalee's loins. Nyalee did see him for the spawn-child he was while but a babe and stole him from the crib! Raise him here in this temple as her own did she!"
Avress clenched her jaw against the pang of sympathy she felt for Nyalee, who had cared for the giant as Gorion had her. The memories of her foster father were all too fresh after her encounter with the shade. To let her sympathy run wild was not wise. The woman had clearly been a priestess of Bhaal and now seemed to desire revenge against her 'son'. That did not make her trustworthy.
"Why would you wish revenge on your own son, then?"
"Because a betrayer is the boy! Did Nyalee not raise the boy? Did Nyalee not teach the boy the old tricks, yes? And the boy did leave Nyalee here to rot! Steals her heart, even!!" Nyalee cried.
"Then tell me how to kill him," Avress replied coldly.
"That Nyalee will do. Hee hee! The traitorous boy will not even see it coming, oh no! Nyalee will haves her revenge! Listen closely, then, spawn-child.... Once a great cleric of Bhaal was Nyalee! But then great Bhaal is dead, and Nyalee is forced to turn to the older arts to survive. Nyalee steals the spawn-child Yaga-Shura to raise in this temple, did she. A new Lord of Murder did Nyalee hope to create! Foolish old Nyalee. Teaches the boy the old tricks did she, teaches the boy to remove his heart did she. The boy has removed his heart, and he will keep it afired and bathed in magical flames. While his heart burns, no harm may come to Yaga-Shura. No death may come until his heart is quenched!"
"So I must find his heart and quench it. How?"
"Only Nyalee knows the words and the arts to extinguish the boy's heart, she does. But Nyalee needs her own heart to use the arts...and the boy stole her heart years ago. Keeps it, he does. Finds Nyalee's heart and Yaga-Shura's heart both, spawn-child... brings them both to her. Nyalee will quench his heart forever, then! Hee hee! So surprised, so shocked will he be!"
"Then where would I find these hearts?" Avress questioned carefully.
"The boy has collected followers... live with them in the fire-mountains, he will. Nyalee knows not where. He will keeps her poor heart there, in hiding. His, as well, Nyalee is sure!"
"Very well, we have an agreement. I shall seek out these hearts and return."
"Yes! Hee hee! Nyalee will haves her revenge, oh yes! Go, spawn-child...go and finds Nyalee's poor heart! Bring me the boy's, as well! Nyalee cannot wait!"