Hello again! My chapters don't come so regularly these times do they. Sorry. As usual, thank you Finduilas for your review and your useful suggestions :) I hope you like my "bad associations" about vampires in this chapter.

Here goes!

Chapter VIII. Post-traumatic stress

Anomen and Amousca awoke late in the following morning. Amousca was glad to see her sister, brother and old friends again; their adventures kept them far from Amn most of the time. The reunited team took a sustaining breakfast, then Imoen teleported them.

They landed in the middle of nowhere. That's what it looked like, anyway. It was a vast plain, with long, rolling hills, covered in wild grass. A forest edge could be seen to the East and the city in the distance to the West.

The battalion of undead hunters and warrior-priest stopped dead and reformed swiftly, deftly answering Matteo's command, when the gate started to open.

Kelsey opened his arms to catch his wife as she tumbled out of her gate. She let out a small cry of joy when she saw him, and threw her arms around his neck. Of course, he trusted her unbelievable spell-casting abilities, but she had been on a rescue mission in the middle of Watcher's Keep, after all, and he had been worrying a little. He knew he would have felt it if anything really bad had happened to her, but it still warmed his heart to finally see her, alive and well. His sorcery made one of its unpredictable outbursts and enfolded both him and Imoen in Luck. He closed his arms and his eyes, knowing the moment would be brief, but determined to take advantage of it.

"Hope you don't mind having reinforcements?", he heard.

He opened his eyes. Amousca was standing there, looking at him with a smirk on her face and a lifted eyebrow. She wore Vecna's robes, the Amulet of power and the Staff of the magi. There was nothing stopping her today – well, nothing short of a battalion of baalors, that is.

He let go of his wife, and smiled warmly as he hugged his sister-in-law, who had been his teacher some time ago. If not for her help in disciplining his talent and her exertions at training him against scores of summoned creatures, all during a two-week crash course in the Elemental chambers of the Sphere, he could not have hoped to join Sarevok's party and survive.

"Not at all, Amousca," he answered. "In fact, I'm rather relieved to have someone here who can Spellstrike."

He let go of her and saw Delryn's discomfort; no matter how Amousca loved him, Anomen couldn't shake his insecurity, apparently. But she was his friend, and it was appropriate to hug her when he hadn't seen her in such a long time, so Kelsey didn't really care what Anomen thought about that.

She laughed, and looked at him straight in the face. "How is this Warding whip coming?"

He grunted and Imoen giggled. The archmage seized Kelsey's hand and pulled his sleeve up before he could react, showing the parallel scars on his forearm.

"That's what he got last time he tried," Imoen said. "And moreover, he struck himself with some sort of skin-removing whip. Apparently, he makes his incantation a little too literal." The archmage was hardly stifling her laughter.

"Excuse me, dear spellcasters," Matteo called a little ironically, "but might I remind you that we have a mission here today?"

"A most important one, sir Matteo," Amousca smiled.

He blushed to be called "sir" by his mother in front of all the Order's men. He turned to his father. "Shall you command us, sir?"

"I gave you this mission, my brother knight. It is yours to continue," Anomen said. "I will offer my council if necessary."

"I will gladly partake of it," Matteo nodded. Nogam nodded his approval and the party resumed its course.

As the battalion was slowly starting forward again, the ranking officers made their way towards the head of the column of men. Guervin was the first one to say something. He nodded, and smiled to Amousca.

"Lady Amousca. I had not realized we would have the pleasure of your presence… again," the paladin grinned.

"I believe you are insinuating something about me being in your company earlier?", she answered with a smile. Banter was easy with Guervin; he was a good and simple man, who she knew quite well because he was a friend of Anomen, and she saw him often enough.

"I must confess you dumbfounded me. I had not realized the freelancer spellcaster was you…"

"Not until you started to be gated away and everyone saw the look on Matteo's and Anomen's faces," Nogam said with half a smile.

"Well, you were supposed to be dumbfounded," she smiled.

"Prelate Zarath was of the opinion that I was in a position of conflict of interest in this mission," Anomen exposed as all the gazes were turning to him. "Prelate Zarath and the other senior knights wished that I accept the command of this mission, due to my experience with liches, but I refused very plainly unless a skilled spellcaster came with the party. All the other freelancers that myself, my lady or my daughter Coreen knew were busy at the moment…"

"All but Edwin, my lord," Amousca reminded with a grin.

Anomen tensed and grimaced. "Do not insinuate that the damnable red wizard is worthy of collaborating with a mission of the Order."

"Of course not," Amousca said, barely repressing her laughter at the thought of Anomen forced to tolerate the company of Edwin for a whole mission.

"…So there was only Amousca left," Anomen concluded. "However, since my son was already on the mission, the prelate thought it wiser if the men were not aware of the identity of the spellcaster, and would therefore judge objectively my behavior regarding the spellcaster."

"I see," Guervin said.

There was a short silence after that.

"How were you able to maintain the illusion of your appearance, during the training lesson of the squires, when you assumed the shape of a planetar and were half-strangled by Echigam?", Nogam asked.

"It was a cantrip and not an illusion," Amousca answered. "It never fails to amaze me how inquisitors will see through the most powerful of illusions effortlessly but will be fooled by the simplest make-up cantrip."

"Maybe we should get back to the matter at hand," Matteo advised.

The outline of the ruined tower was visible against the horizon to the west.

"Strategies," Amousca said. "If I am Chaotic commanded and Stoneskinned, I can walk in the middle of them and ram them to undead dust with Red Dragon's Breaths and Fireballs and such."

"And if you lend me the Amulet of power, I can walk in the middle of them with the Shield of Harmony and repulse them with Helm's power," Anomen added.

"I need the Amulet to cast Breaches and Spellstrikes on short notice if we run in any resistance worth our notice," Amousca pointed out.

"And a line of Undead hunters wearing Helmets of charm protection can cut them to pieces," Nogam said, looking a little offended not to have been mentioned earlier.

"Don't forget the Vampire fear," Imoen advised.

"The power of Helm does not cost time or mental energy," Sarevok said. "I don't think we can afford Amousca casting any less fast then she usually does, and she will be busy enough with a vampire mage without having the time to Fireball constantly. Nothing stops Anomen from switching from Turning undead to hand fighting or to False dawn."

"Hm, I believe the choice is Matteo's," Guervin remarked.

Everyone turned to Matteo. He tried to repress his blush.

"Spellcasters in the middle, where they are protected from all sides. We can't afford them drained of their life and spellcasting abilities. The undead hunters wearing Helmets of charm protection will take the first line, after the priests Remove fear from them. Sir Anomen and myself, the most experienced clerics of the party, will protect ourselves with spells and go in first; we should be able to kill most of the fledglings and turn the full-fledged vampires. This will clear the ground for the undead hunters to fight hand to hand."

"If I may, sir?", Amousca said, with obvious amusement at serving her son the same line she had her husband.

Everyone burst into laughter, even the squires that had overheard but were not officially "invited" to the conversation. "Yes, milady?", Matteo said with a smile.

"The undead hunters should use ranged weapons against turned vampires, so the ranks will stay closed and a more powerful or lucky vampire that had escaped the turning could not skip through the ranks and start to kill squires and spellcasters. But if an undead magic user appears, it would probably be wise to make a gap between the priest-spell-protected first line and the non-protected back lines, unless you want me or Imoen or Kelsey to suddenly start ramming Fireballs in the middle of our ranks."

"Suggestion noted, milady," Matteo approved.

"And me? You're not forgetting me, I hope?", Sarevok grunted.

"And me," Mazzy added. "Although staying behind with Gesen would be fine."

"You could both Smite with ranged weapons if we come across anything that deserves it. I leave that to your personal judgement," Matteo said.

"With the Psion's blade, I just need a Negative plane protection to take up the front line," Sarevok offered.

"All right," Matteo agreed.

"I can Wish us all protected from the undead," Amousca offered.

"This should not be necessary unless the vampires succeed in breaking our ranks," Matteo stated. "However, if this happens, we will be grateful for your short-time protection. It will give the priests the time to cast a few of their own spells."

Amousca nodded. There was a silence.

"Does anyone have anything else to say?", Matteo finally asked. "Is everything clear?"

"Yes, sir!", the squadron leaders answered, before they fell from the head to their men, to relay the orders.

ooooo

Amousca tried not to shake. Shaking would not keep her from casting, but it wouldn't be very good for the squires' morale. She half-smiled to herself as she looked at the young men around her; she was somewhat reassured that they seemed to be needing the Remove fear as badly as she did.

She gripped her staff tighter and moved forward as Imoen was telling them that there was no trap ahead. Matteo and Anomen were on the front line, not protected from the negative plane yet. Those spells had such a short duration that it was better to cast them at the last second. Sarevok was in the middle of the front line, another warrior-priest behind him, ready to protect him from the undead's draining.

Everything was silent, and the air of the crypt under the tower was cold and moist. It smelled of death and rotten flesh and decay, as all vampires lairs did. Of course, it wouldn't do for an undead to smell like roses, would it. Amousca sighed as the memories flashed back in her mind. A graveyard, just before sunrise…

ooooo

Bohdi had the nerve to actually be threatening her. Amousca was confident because Anomen was on the front line with the Shield of harmony and the Amulet of power. It was amazing how she had been relying on his strength and ability to drive the others while she was without her soul. He had been the driving force pulling them all onward; Imoen without her own soul, Keldorn and his conflicting sense of duty, Minsc and his lost Dynaheir, Mazzy and her Patrick, gone into undeath. Anomen had been the valiant soul that steered them all with his unwavering strength and determination; he could even have been said to be obstinate.

Amousca had been absolutely confident in his ability to hold back whatever Bohdi would send after them for long enough for her and Imoen to cast a few powerful spells in the middle of the battle. Although she had not counted on Bohdi being powerful enough to get through to him even with the Amulet of power.

The vampire had stood predatorily in the middle of their path, long, sharp nails ready to strike, teeth bared by pursed lips. She had said that her threats were not idle, and that Amousca would lose much if she continued on that path.

Anomen had been expecting it when she lunged towards him. He was not overly tall, but he was still a good foot taller than her, and maybe twice heavier, with his armour on. He was also very strong and quick enough. He greeted the vampire with his shield up, smashing it in her face with all his strength as she jumped, aiming for his neck. The shield made a move outward to brush the vampire aside, towards Minsc's and Keldorn's waiting blades. Amousca saw him staggering back from the weight of Bohdi crashing into him. But she also saw that the vampire was not merely human and thus was capable of inhuman moves. She hissed as the shield crashed into her face, but she gripped the arm behind the shield even as she was pushed aside and turned in the air, pivoting her whole weigth until she landed on her feet, behind his shield. Amousca had the time to analyse it all as she was preparing an Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting. Imoen was almost finished with her Magic missile.

Bohdi snapped her head forward and bit Anomen on the neck even before he could move. Blood spilled so hard a few drops landed on Carsomyr, and began to boil and hiss. Amousca failed her spell, and dried painfully her hands in the process. Liliarcor and Carsomyr began their downward move. Bohdi made loud sounds of sucking, fangs still embedded in Anomen's neck, as she threw a handful of white powder in the air. Anomen was trying to move away.

Liliarcor and Carsomyr swayed idly in the air and collided with each other, where Bohdi had been just a split second earlier, and further where Anomen had stood.

"It cannot be," Amousca stated. "Not with the Amulet of power," she added.

Anomen's blood on Carsomyr was churning and quickly turning black. The blade was refusing it, sensing its evil. Amousca looked with an infinite hollowness inside of herself. The pieces were not fitting themselves in her mind. She could not comprehend, and she could not feel the loss.

Keldorn wiped his blade, seeing the distress it caused Amousca. "Come, my friend," he said, reassuringly, putting a fatherly hand on her shoulder. "There might be a way to save him yet, if we act quickly enough."

She had not said a word, but bent to gather the Amulet of power from the ground. The others had gathered armour and such, and they had started forward once more, an elemental on the front line, this time.

ooooo

They had met Drizzt and his party soon after. The Drow had wisely decided not to ask for details when Amousca asked them not to attack Anomen from the beginning, but to concentrate on Bohdi. They had borrowed Viconia's help for the occasion. Amousca could tell she was afraid to face vampires – she was no match for the undead creatures, but she of course would never admit it. Amousca told her that the back-up wouldn't be far behind and sent her in first.

Viconia opened the door, and walked forward. Drizzt, Keldorn, the spellcasters and then the others followed. Bohdi was there, looking pleased enough with herself, standing deliberately close to Anomen, murmuring something in his ear. Amousca's blood turned cold. She felt frozen inside of herself, like she was on the edge of finally remembering what having a soul was like, but unable to cross the line, and her very blood stopped at the thought.

Viconia poured the vial of holy water in the pool as Bohdi was spitting her venom about the "treacherous elves". Amousca didn't care to listen. She could just stare at Anomen, and see him stare back at her blankly, his eyes hollow and bloody, his face pale and his bearing weak – not proud and arrogant as he usually was. She let Imoen converse with the vampire.

Bohdi launched herself on Viconia, nearest target. Drizzt and Keldorn started to fight hand-to-hand with Grimwarders that came nearer and Viconia efficiently turned the fledgling undead. Amousca tried to speak with emotion, even if it was hard without a soul, and asked Anomen to stay away. And she started her spell.

She almost failed it again when Anomen continued to come towards her, but she closed her eyes, and held on to her spell. She opened her eyes when she finished it. She threw both hands forward as the incantation finished. Anomen had come so close during her casting that her hands collided with his chest. His death-cold hand seized both her wrists, and twisted them together painfully. She let out a small cry of pain as he brutally pulled her arms, and lowered his head. She felt his cold breath on the skin of her neck. She shut her eyes and grit her teeth and readied herself for the drain, but then her forgotten spell finally exploded and she was free. Anomen was dead at her feet, skin ugly and peeled off his cheeks and knuckles.

A silence filled her ears. She could no longer hear the sounds of battle, Keldorn's worrying grunts of pain or Viconia's panting as she tried a healing spell. She could no longer see the red all over the chamber. She could no longer smell the blood from the pools.

She just stared at a body at her feet, one she had killed, and how ugly death was. She tried to reason herself, knowing the Anomen she knew would not have wanted to live if it was to be an unlife. She removed her cape, and gently put it over his body. She knelt on the floor next to him, and gently took his hand into hers, trying not to break his dry fingers. It was terrible and ugly.

After a while she had noticed the silence. She had lifted her head. Drizzt was standing a little to the side, panting heavily. Viconia and Keldorn were both bleeding profusely, pallid and barely able to stand. Apparently, the undead protection had finished before the battle. Minsc and Mazzy were in need of healing. Imoen was looking exhausted, but calm. She looked like she had her soul back. Too bad it had cost her sister her heart.