Chapter 12 -:o On the road o:-

Ged opened his eyes blearily, his head aching and the inside of his mouth tasting as if someone had used it as an outhouse. He tried to recall what had happened yesterday as he rose up, the sheets tangled up in a sweaty pile at his feet.

"Good morning to you, Master Gedragon."

Ged turned in alarm, and saw Jaheira sitting in a chair, watching him dispassionately.

Drawing the soggy sheets to cover his nudity, the wizard blushed angrily.

"What are you doing in my room!"

The druidess raised one of her eyebrows in a sarcastic gesture and yawned as if bored.

"Someone had to come and see if you were still alive. It's nearly noon, and we were planning on moving on."

Ged glanced at the door of his room and back at the druidess, somewhat accusingly.

"No, I did not break in. Your door was open. Be more careful in the future, child." Jaheira said, her expression changing into a frown.

"I locked it, I am sure of it!" Ged snapped back at her. He did remember doing that.

"It doesn't matter now." Jaheira replied.

"I wanted to ask you something. They found a body, near the temple. A dwarven miscreant and hired killer by the name of Karlat. Do you..." she let her words trail off, seeing Ged's eyes widen and the young wizard quickly turn away, his jaw clenched and hands curled into fists.

"Ah. I see." the half-elf's voice was even but her eyes glittered in fury.

"You should have told us, and not gone off getting drunk and picking up some local tramp-"

"Jaheira, please." there was something hurt and frightened in Ged's voice that made the druidess take notice.

"I- I killed him. He gave me no choice, I swear!"

"As I said, he was a known ruffian. Good for you for ending his worthless life, but you should have told us!" Jaheira said angrily.

"You had handled yourself well, from what Khalid told me." she continued, in a more even tone.

Ged paled visibly at her words, fully remembering the incident and what had almost happened with the local ruffians after that. Jaheira observed his reaction, but made no comment.

"I wanted to ask you... In battle, do you get these kind of..." Ged paused, searching for words to express his meaning.

"What do you mean? I do get frightened, everyone but maniacs and their ilk do. It's nothing to-"

"No!" Ged again interrupted her. "I do get scared, but what I mean is... I call it the 'killer instinct'."

"The 'killer instinct'?" Jaheira repeated, mystified.

"Yes, I just know how to... kill. It happens and I know how to... do it, without really 'knowing' it." Ged's voice was very small, as if that of a child's but Jaheira suddenly shivered as she thought of Khalid's description of Karlat and his end. The dwarf had supposedly been an experienced killer, one that would have been a handful for either Khalid or herself, even.

"It comes when I feel threatened and… takes over."

"Go on!" Jaheira demanded, anxious to hear more.

"It is as if time slows down and then I just know how to use all the powers at my disposal to... end the threat." the wizard continued on, his gaze averted.

"As if... As if something was guiding me. But that is not the worst part." he turned to face the druidess, his eyes full of dread.

"I... It makes me- FORCES me to enjoy it! I can't help it!" he cried out, wringing his hands.

Jaheira sat silently for a moment, looking at her despairing charge.

"Can you fight it?" she finally asked, her voice grave.

"Yes! I mean, some local hoodlums attacked me yesterday, and the 'instinct' answered but I fought it and repressed it." he responded, trying to sound certain.

"Repressed it?"

"Yes! I- uh, talked my way out of the situation."

Jaheira nodded, but behind her calm demeanor her mind was in turmoil. Was the boy cursed? But with what and when had it happened?

"We had best go see the priests before we leave." she said aloud.

Ged nodded and reached for his waterskin.

After emptying it greedily he felt a bit better, though his head still felt slightly heavier than normal.

"We have been making inquiries about the town. The iron plague and the bandit threat has people on the edge, and there is some new villain, a maddened criminal loose about the countryside, killing people. There has been talk of a reward for his head."

"You mentioned before, about the iron plague, that it couldn't be natural." Ged said. "I think you are right, but have you any ideas what is behind it? Some sort of magic or a- a curse?" he continued, stammering a little over the word curse.

"Hmph!" Jaheira snorted. "The people here all believe it's a ploy of the Amnish. The fools!" she sighed, shaking her head.

"No, my sources told me that the town of Nashkel is having all sorts of troubles in their mines. Something is killing their miners and fouling up the metal. It's not the Amnish. And the bandits are unusually rapacious and quite numerous. I wonder if some organization is behind both the bandits and the iron plague..."

"But what... Who would do that? The Zhents?" Ged wondered.

Jaheira grinned at the mention of the Black Network, and not in a friendly way.

"I first believed that, too. But no, I don't think it's the Zhents. There's something else at work here."

"Do you think we can solve this... crisis?" Ged wondered aloud, thinking about Jaheira's very familiar mention of the Zhentarim as if she knew them very well indeed.

"We will investigate the matter at Nashkel, at least. After that, we shall see. Just do as I tell you and you'll do fine. Make sure the girl and that witless bard understand this too, and keep your eye on those two cretins who forced their company on you- on US.No sense in trusting them, and I think our time with those two is nearing it's end."

Jaheira rose up and headed for the door.

"Hurry up and get dressed, we should have already started towards Nashkel!

She walked out and slammed the door behind her.

Ged jumped out of his bed and regretted it instantly. His headache returned instantly and his stomach heaved. Swallowing against the rising bile, he pulled on his pants and put on his shirt, vest and cloak.

Then he noticed his spellbook was missing!

He had left it on the table before leaving to buy his spell components yesterday. Ged remembered Jaheira saying his door had been open.

Cursing aloud, he grabbed his backpack and stormed out, having an idea who might be behind the theft.

He rushed to one of the nearby doors and pounded on it with his fist.

"Come in!"

Ged opened the door and instantly saw his guess had been correct: his spellbook lay in the floor, as if carelessly tossed aside.

Xzar was sitting on the floor, intently studying something.

"You took my book!" Ged yelled angrily.

"Yes yes yes. So? We had a deal, my spell for yours. The deal is now concluded." came the answer. Xzar didn't bother to turn.

Ged walked to the mad wizard and turned him around, grabbing his shoulder.

"What possessed you to- WHAT IS THAT!"

Xzar rose up, giggling like a little girl. He had been studying a severed human hand.

"It's a project of mine, a piece of raw material I procured on the course of our travels."

"It's a hand! Is it- Silke's?" Ged stammered, fighting to keep his already queasy stomach from rebelling outright.

"Yes, thou unwashed fool! It's her's, what of it?" Xzar sneered, his tone changing to one of sneering superiority.

Ged picked up his book and backed towards the door.

"What do you mean 'project'? What kind of a-... You're a necromancer, by Mystra!" the younger wizard said, his face mirroring the disgust in his voice.

"Of course I am! Leave me now, fool!" Xzar replied, roughly pushing him out and slamming the door behind him shut.

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When he went outside to meet the rest of his companions, Ged saw they had been busy. The equipment they had captured from the ogre and Silke had been identified by the priests of Lathander (for a hefty fee). Jaheira now carried Silke's white staff, a magical weapon of minor power. One of the belts was also useful, emanating a protective barrier that caused arrows and other thrown or fired missiles to bounce away. Jaheira handed it to Ged, warning him not to trust it too much.

"Keep it on whenever you are not sleeping. It might not be a suit of armor, but it will give you something against these filthy bounty killers."

She also gave him a healing potion.

One of the other belts had been cursed, just as Jaheira had warned Ged. It would change the sex of anyone wearing it, and the priests had offered to take it and destroy it. Jaheira had agreed, exchanging the item for a few poison antidote potions.

Khalid had had his armor fixed and bought a larger shield for himself, along with a open faced helmet adorned with a green plume.

Imoen had teased Ged at first about Lady Gyllian, but once he told her about Karlat, the girl quit her jesting and expressed her sympathy. She didn't look surprised however, when Ged mentioned Xzar's project.

"Bah! I knew that creep was up to no good! I say we better watch him an' that other one close, lest he start thinkin' up new projects with some of OUR body parts..."

Ged nodded, noting somewhat distractedly Xzar and Montaron finally joining them. Xzar headed instantly for Garrick and reverted to his childlike manner, asking about some story with 'dragons that had feet like rabbits'.

"Imoen..." Ged began, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Yea...?"

"When in battle, do you get these... feelings?" he continued, observing her reaction intently.

"Sure I get scared, don't ya worry about it! Did that silly druid give ya any lip? Jes' ignore her highness, that's what I'm planning ta do!" she replied, giving him a quick, distracted smile before turning her attention back to watching Garrick's discomfort.

"No, I mean... Oh never mind."

Ged felt relieved in some way, not having to share the grisly details with the happy-go-lucky girl. Perhaps he could find help at the temple, or just push back this 'killer instinct' every time it manifested itself.

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They were on the road again.

The priests at the temple had been mystified at Ged's explanations and their magic had revealed nothing. Jaheira had been anxious to move on and that had been it.

The sky was already darkening, and heavy clouds blotted out the stars. It had been a long, tedious day of walking what with Imoen pestering him about his hang-over or that his heart had been left in Beregost with Lady Gyllian.

From somewhere came a memory of Gorion, telling his eager young audience tales of his adventures.

Gorion had often remarked that being an adventurer sometimes meant life on the road, survival in the wilderness. Occasionally spending weeks without seeing any other sentient beings, in the company of beasts and monsters.

It had sounded wild and wonderful then, in Winthrop's Inn surrounded by friendly faces, eating warm food and drinking fine ale or cider.

Ged lowered his head against the chill wind.

The reality was somewhat more complex. He missed Beregost already. Out here with all the bandits and ogres, eating dried rations and sleeping uncomfortably, it wasn't so nice.

He observed his companions.

Imoen was walking by his side with Garrick next to her, both of their faces etched with weariness, for the pace Jaheira had set was quite strident. At least Imoen's weariness meant she kept her quips to herself for the moment.

Xzar and Montaron were squabbling, of course. They walked ahead of the youthful trio, one of the moody pair occasionally shoving or kicking the other.

Jaheira led the way and Khalid walked last, both using their infravision to best advantage, trying to scope out any ambushers.

The first drops of rain hit Ged in the face, the cold and hard wind making them feel like small needles.

According to the druidess, the group would arrive at Nashkel next noon.

For the young wizard, it wouldn't be a moment too soon.

-:o Next episode: Four pledges and a promise o:-