General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.
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The Ceremony
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Once inside, Maiyn quickly made her way through to the ballroom, getting as close to the slightly elevated stage as she could. Occasionally she'd bump into someone, and they'd turn to reprimand the clumsiness, only to discover nobody nearby. Xan and Dynaheir's invisibility spells had done the trick, and now they merely had to last long enough for Sarevok to appear.
The room was a grand room, richly decorated with large oil paintings depicting the Dukes of the city both past and present. The floor was tiled with light shades of marble, which sparkled a thousand different colours from the light from the immense golden chandeliers overhead.
She looked over to the centre of the hall, and noticed Imoen and Coran standing slightly away from the other nobles. They were smiling to each other, arm in arm, and she felt a sudden pang of unexplainable jealousy. She knew she had nothing to fear from their pretence; it took her several minutes to realise that the jealousy she felt was more out of the situation. She'd have given anything at that moment to be the one standing alongside her lover in a fine dress, having him giving her the approving looks he'd given Imoen earlier. With an inward sigh, she turned around and waited for the ceremony to begin.
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Eventually a large man emerged from the grand staircase that ascended behind the platform, a smaller woman walking by his side. He looked around at the expectant crowd and smiled.
"Now that all of our guests have arrived, we can begin the ceremony," he announced. Maiyn noticed that he wore a set of ceremonial chainmail, highly polished. A deep red cloak swirled from his shoulders, matching the robe worn by his companion. Her long brown hair had been neatly gathered behind her into an assortment of tresses, and her keen gaze swept across the audience as she spoke.
"As you know, this is a special occasion for the city of Baldur's Gate. It is time for a new person to join the ranks of the Grand Dukes. I do not wish to downplay the tragedy that we have suffered with the loss of Entar Silvershield, nor the shock over the disappearance of Duke Eltan, but this is not the time for us to show grief."
"The votes have been tallied by those submitted by the landowners," said Duke Belt strongly. "The result was almost unanimous."
A large figure appeared at on the stairway; a large armoured man, straight from the Maiyn's nightmare. It was Gorion's murderer, and she could feel her hand calling out for her bow.
"What of Duke Eltan?" called out one of the noblemen. "If he is not found, or dies from his condition, who will replace him?" A murmur went up around the room, and soon several men were shouting their questions.
"What about the rumours of Amn mobilising for a war? Why aren't we preparing for war?"
"With our iron shortage, how are we to defend ourselves?"
"Who will give us the iron we need?"
"What about the Zhentarim - I've heard that they may be somehow involved!"
"I believe Duke Eltan was poisoned by members of the Shadow Thieves! They've probably spirited him away as well now!"
"Please!" shouted Duke Belt, bringing some peace back to the surroundings. "All of your questions will be answered in due time, you need not worry."
"Entar was killed by Shadow Thieves, agents of Amn!" yelled one of the audience. "If it isn't obvious to the rest of you, it's obvious to me - Amn wants a war!"
"The evidence we have about Entar's murder does resemble the work of the Shadow Thieves," said Duchess Liia, "but-"
"Resembles?" interrupted the man with a snort. "That's ridiculous! The signature left behind on the body was the mark of the Shadow Thieves! Are you blind and stupid woman?"
"If I may continue," continued the Duchess coldly. "The signature left behind was very blatant, and could have been put there to mislead all of us."
"Who would want to mislead us?" asked another nobleman.
"Perhaps I could interrupt here," said Belt patiently, "before this meeting degenerates into meaningless bickering. We are here to welcome the new Grand Duke, so perhaps we could get on with it." Duke Belt turned to face the figure now descending the staircase. When he approached them on the platform, Duke Belt turned back to the audience.
"The new Grand Duke," he proclaimed with a flourish. "Sarevok Anchev."
The crowd applauded eagerly, with several cheers dotted around the room. Sarevok bowed graciously to the assembled people and addressed them in a forceful tone.
"I am honoured to be here before such a respected assemblage of noblemen. I accept my new position with full awareness to my new responsibilities - and I will have many of them. I would first like to address some of the questions that have been raised today. The rumours about Amn's mobilisation are entirely true, as is the involvement of their Zhentarim cohorts."
This drew amazed gasps from around the room. The audience's attention was fully fixed on Sarevok, which was a blessing; it meant no one noticed the nine new faces appearing and melding into the shadowy positions each had taken up. Maiyn looked quickly to see where the others were, but could only see Khalid from her location; he was slightly further back in the hall than her, and half hidden in an alcove.
"Do not worry," continued Sarevok, trying to appease the crowd. "We are not bereft of a defence. Although the recent Zhentish attempt at depriving us of the most valuable war resource has weakened us, it has not crippled us. When my father was recently murdered, I inherited control of the western branch of the Iron Throne. We have a great deal of stockpiled iron - enough for all our needs. I will give this to the city to do as you will."
The crowd broke out into wild clapping and cheering, and even Duke Belt and Duchess Liia looked pleasantly surprised. Maiyn scowled darkly.
"Unfortunately our greatest military commander has been taken from us," Sarevok went on. "A grievous blow to this city! To insure that the Flaming Fist is well led, I will be assuming control of the mercenary regiment, with permission from its current steward, Angelo."
"Wait one moment!" exclaimed Belt, taking a step towards Sarevok. "That is not in your power to decide!"
"Shut up and let Duke Sarevok speak!" exclaimed one of the noblemen.
"Instead of waiting for war to come to us, we will take it to them," said Sarevok to Belt and Liia. "With the Flaming Fist we should easily be able to take the town of Nashkel, and then quickly fortify the mountain pass through the Cloudpeaks."
"No!" Maiyn stepped forward, causing the nearest nobles to draw away in horror at her filthy appearance, and smell of the sewers. "This cannot go on!"
"What?" roared Sarevok, his gaze scouring the crowd for the interloper. "Who dares to interrupt!"
"I do," shouted Maiyn, causing gasps from the onlookers. Belt and Liia regarded her curiously as she scowled fiercely at Sarevok. His stunned expression was soon replaced by one of murderous anger.
"You..." he said in quiet rage. "You dare come here? Angelo! These are the ones wanted on multiple counts of murder: kill them!"
"He is planning to kill you both," said Maiyn calmly, looking straight to Belt and Liia and ignoring the movements of the guards towards her. "He hired assassins to kill Entar Silvershield, and it was a shapeshifting agent under his command that was poisoning Duke Eltan. The Duke is safe with an ally after we rescued him from the Flaming Fist compound."
Sarevok's golden eyes flashed with anger at her words, and he turned to give a nearby man a dark look. "Angelo!" he hissed furiously.
"Everyone, wait!" shouted Belt, raising his hand to regain control of the disquieted crowd, and halting the guards closing in on the ranger. "You there - these are serious accusations and the punishment for falsity is severe."
Maiyn calmly walked up to the platform, opening her pack as she went. The guards watched her every move, but at Belt's signal they allowed her to pass and she pushed bundles of parchment into the Duke's hands and gave Sarevok's diary to Liia. Sarevok saw the book, and reached forward to snatch it back, but Maiyn deftly got in his way, blocking his lunge and being knocked to the ground in the process.
"Enough!" shouted Belt, looking through the papers, his expression becoming more and more serious. Liia held out the open diary for him to peruse, and he set his jaw grimly. "This certainly seems to be a detailed collection of evidence," remarked Belt as Maiyn clambered to her feet. "What do you have to say about this Sarevok?"
The armoured man, looked at the Duke with hatred, and let out a bellowing laugh. "This is not over!" he shouted, raising his arms to the crowd and seeming to beckon someone or something. Suddenly several of the noblemen trembled, shifting shape as they returned to their doppelganger figures, causing the innocent members of the crowd to scream and run in terror. The shapeshifters immediately began to move towards the Duke and Duchess as guards leapt from their posts to fight them; Maiyn's companions materialised from almost every angle in support. The ranger quickly pulled an arrow from her quiver, taking careful aim to bring down the closest creature before swapping to her sword and dashing off into the melee.
"You and I are not finished yet, Maiyn!" roared Sarevok as he was engulfed in a shimmering white light. "I'll kill you, just as I killed Gorion!" With a flash, he disappeared, as did Angelo and another figure Maiyn hadn't previously noticed. The ranger paid little attention to it, having previously underestimated the number of shapeshifters within the crowd. There were easily twice as much as she first imagined, and they were proving to be skilled in their fighting, easily evading the blows from the guards, and slowly making their way to the platform to their intended targets.
Dynaheir, Imoen and Xan were frantically mumbling words to their spells, the two females having already taken down one of the doppelgangers with magic missiles and a mighty blow from Minsc. The berserker seemed to enjoy the fight, smiling gleefully as he hacked and slashed at the creatures. Xan's haste spell engulfed the companions, and Maiyn felt her actions becoming easier and more fleeting.
With grace, she ducked the attacking blows, skirting around the group of foes until she was beside Alora, the young thief looking terrified as she brandished her shortsword at them. The ranger's presence by her side seemed to provide a calming influence, and with a snarl, Alora viciously stabbed one of the shapeshifters, bringing it down as Maiyn grinned at her.
More purple missiles danced into the fight, further weakening some of their foes; Jaheira and Khalid were fighting side by side, working in tandem. Coran materialised by Maiyn's side, parrying a particularly vicious lunge towards her that she hadn't noticed. She shot him a quick smile of thanks, and received a brief fond look in return.
A chattering of bones signalled Yeslick's raising of skeletons to aid them in the battle. The skeletal figures were no match for the skilled doppelgangers, but they protected Yeslick as he completed his chant prayer, each of the companions glowing in the light of his God's favour, the miracle combining with the haste spell to enable them all to move with unnatural speed and ability.
Kivan's shots had managed to eventually take out two of the shapeshifters before he'd run out of arrows, and he equipped his spear as he went alongside Minsc, the rangers fighting alongside each other as they held off the doppelgangers from climbing onto the platform.
Imoen's scream echoed around the hall as she fell to the heavy blow from one of the beasts. Within seconds, Yeslick was clubbing the creature to its demise, preventing it from getting back to the young thief. When it was safely taken down, he turned to her, murmuring words of healing as Maiyn looked on helplessly. Her own distraction caused her own injury; the sharp talon from one of the doppelgangers was forced into her stomach, impaling her painfully against the wall. Coran quickly cut it down, and Maiyn fell to the ground alongside it, the blood pouring from her wound. She shook her head to Coran as he moved to sit beside her, and she reached out to Fenmarel for his healing grace. Coran nodded grimly when he noticed the faint white light spark from her hands, and returned to the fight, working even harder than before, his anger at Maiyn's injury being channelled into his skill as he aided the Harpers in felling several of the creatures.
Eventually they all lay dead; Belt and Liia safe from harm, Imoen and Maiyn healed enough to stand. Coran helped the ranger to her feet and allowed her to lean on him as the Duke and Duchess approached.
"It was lucky that such people as you were here to intervene," said Belt quietly. "We can only assume that those creatures were here to complete his plans for assassinating all four of us."
Maiyn nodded weakly. "He must be stopped," she said with effort. "We have received information on where he has likely retreated, but we do not know how to find it."
"Allow me," said Belt, closing his eyes for a few moments. A strange glow enveloped him; almost purple in nature, but then shifting to green, then blue. When he reopened his eyes, it faded from him instantly. "My Gods bless me with divining powers," he explained. "All I could discover, however, was that Sarevok passed through the thieves guild on his way underground."
"The place of his retreat is somewhere underground," said Coran. "Now we know where to look, although I think we shall need to a little rest before then."
"There is no time," protested Maiyn, but Coran shook his head firmly.
"We have enough time to allow our spellcasters to rememorise their spells, and for you and Imoen to receive the full healing you need. We cannot even consider facing him in battle when we are not fully ready."
"Your companion is correct," agreed Liia. "We will send mercenaries to keep an eye on the thieves guild to ensure he does not leave via their base."
"I think it is in your best interest to find him before he finds you," nodded Belt, "but you will need to be fully prepared. Come, we have a room you can use to prepare within. When you are done, send for me and I shall come and dimension fold you as close to his location as I can."
Coran thanked the Duke, and helped Maiyn as they followed the others down a small corridor to a large chamber. Three comfortable looking beds took up most of one side of the room, desks and seats scattered in the other. Maiyn collapsed into one of the chairs, and allowed Yeslick and Jaheira to channel their healing into her wound after checking that Imoen was fine. The thief sat down by Dynaheir and Xan, the three of them studying their spellbooks seriously as the rest of the companions sat in silence, preparing themselves mentally for the battle ahead of them. Finally, the end was near.
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Maiyn dozed fitfully.
She was a monster, hunted by everyone. She was everything that people claimed her to be; the kobold scorned like a rodent, the ogre that came for children in the night. The mobs and their torches were coming for her, counting her amongst the creatures she once hunted herself. A voice echoed in her mind. It spoke of destiny and nature, of evils bred in the bone. It reminded her she would never be free of this mob, no matter where she went, she would be hunted for what she was. It spoke of the murder and death running in her blood, and encouraged her to accept it, to gain the power from it. The essence of Bhaal refused to be ignored.
Maiyn walked in her dream, away from the mobs, away from the voice. She had not ignored the taint - she knew she had fought it dagger and claw for each victory, and ultimately she had triumphed. With righteous will, she had turned the dark forces in her body to good purpose. The voice returned, determinedly, issuing threats. But Maiyn saw them as empty. It tried to play on her doubts, but discovered she had none left. In defiance, it took a form, and Maiyn turned to stare at it, unwavering despite its onslaught. Slowly it began to fade, becoming weaker and weaker, warning of others who would listen where she had not, others who would embrace what she had not; others who would seek her death.
"How long was I asleep?" she asked groggily, stretching her stiff arms.
"Not long at all," Coran assured her. "The mages are still studying, Jaheira and Yeslick are still praying. Perhaps you should join them now though?"
Maiyn nodded, and went over to kneel by the others. She bowed her head, calling out to Fenmarel and drifted into her meditative state, sharing her thoughts and fears with her chosen. Coran watched her as he sat edgily at the other side of the room. He was not afraid of what lay ahead, but neither did he want to face it. Silently he moved over to her side, settling down beside her, and closing his own eyes.
Oh Hanali, he began, allowing his emotional release to his Goddess.
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"Excuse me, ma'am, but there's someone here who says they need to speak to you urgently." The serving girl looked nervously at the group, but Maiyn smiled to her and asked her to show whoever it was in. The girl nodded, bobbing a curtsey as she retreated. Soon after, a woman in an orange robe seemed to float into the room, looking around at them excitedly.
"I just had to come and see you!" she exclaimed. "I am Akra, the castle's Seer! I wanted to give you all individual readings before you set off again!"
Maiyn tried not to look horrified. "I, er, well," she said hesitantly. "I'm not sure if we have time..."
"Aww, sure we do," protested Imoen. "We're still waiting for Xan to sort through the spare scrolls we have after all." Xan looked up briefly and scowled, returning almost immediately to his task at hand. Maiyn sighed, but nodded to the woman.
"We'd be, erm, delighted," she said unconvincingly.
"Marvellous!" exclaimed Akra, insisting they all sit down so she could approach them one by one. She was a middle aged woman, her black hair was streaked with grey, and her face was wrinkling as the last of her youth faded. She approached Jaheira first, ignoring the druid's snort of disdain as she knelt before her, reaching out to take her palm.
"I thought you were a seer," remarked the half-elf dryly, "and not some carnival fortune teller." Akra ignored her, studying Jaheira's hand intently for a few moments before speaking.
"You are a strong woman," she murmured with interest, causing Jaheira to scowl. "Your path is a complex one. I see the source of your inner strength weakening - shattered in time. You will find a new focus; something else will direct you and you will return to the dominant presence you embrace."
Akra turned and took Khalid's hand. The half-elf looked uncomfortable with the show, but put up less resistance than his wife had. The Seer looked quite surprised by whatever she saw. "You will seek something, something hidden far from here. It will not want to be found, and you will discover that experiences do not always broaden ones horizons." Khalid frowned slightly as the woman moved away from him, cornering a glaring Kivan who reluctantly allowed her to examine his own hand.
"Ah, interesting," she mumbled. "Your true calling has not yet become apparent to you. You must first allow your rage to quell before it will become clear."
Kivan snatched his hand back, and darkly stalked off to stand by the window, gazing out to the city. Akra regarded him for a few moments with amusement, then turned on the unsuspecting Xan.
"What delicate hands!" she exclaimed as he protested about her manhandling. "So cold to touch as well... Hmm." She peered slightly. "Your duty conflicts with what matters most to you. You will love murder above all else, but ultimately it will serve as your own prophecy."
Xan snorted, and instantly went back to his scrolls. Maiyn glimpsed at him carefully, but could see no readable expression on his face. Akra had taken a delighted Minsc's hand, and was remarking on the size of it, much to the berserker's pride.
"The bars of both captivity and grief will not be able to hold one such as you down for long," muttered the Seer. "The affinity you share with one close to you will be reforged anew."
"No bars can hold down Minsc and Boo!" proclaimed the Rashemani loudly as Akra turned to Dynaheir. The witch only offered her hand hesitantly, her obvious taste for the revelations showing in her expression.
"You are a wise and intelligent woman," mused the seer. "A mission that is important and personal to only you shall soon reach its conclusion." Maiyn looked quizzically at the witch as Akra moved off to Yeslick, but Dynaheir could only shrug in mystified confusion.
"You have a strong sense of duty," Akra said to the dwarf, making him swell up with pride. "Your loyalty shall see you through to the end I see."
"Thank ye," said Yeslick, bowing to the Seer as she smiled at him. Without a pause, the woman made a bee line for Imoen.
"Hmm," she said thoughtfully. "Hazy... you have a journey of self discovery ahead of you. I can see water separating you from your stabilising elements, but the rest is unclear." Akra looked at Imoen with troubled eyes, but said no more, and hastily moved on to Alora. The halfling had been trying to hide from the woman's attention, but it was to no avail.
"You have seen more than you ever expected to see," noted the seer, staring at the thief's grubby mitt. "There are those who will pine for your presence for a long time."
Alora raised an eyebrow, but Akra had rounded in on Coran and Maiyn, taking the fighters hand within her own. She frowned deeply as she studied it, and eventually raised her gaze to look at him. "When you awaken, you will feel differently. Many tales will be told before you know how to resolve your own." Coran just blinked at her, but didn't bother saying anything. Instead he watched keenly as Akra took Maiyn's hand gently, and poured over it. The seer appeared to become troubled.
"Testing times lie ahead... there is... there..." Akra dropped the ranger's hand, stumbling back slightly and regarding the elf with fearful eyes. "I am sorry, I can not see past something that is clouding your destiny. I... I have not experienced such before. I must go."
Abruptly, Akra turned and left the room, the stares of the party following her as she closed the door behind her. Maiyn was frowning slightly, and she regarded her companions with some scepticism. They were sitting quietly, even Jaheira seemed to be lost in her thoughts, and Maiyn stood up.
"For someone who can foresee the future, she said very little of meaning," said the ranger firmly. "Why are we all looking down? We have an important step ahead of us, and we don't need some strange tarot reader to cast doom and gloom over our futures. I mean, we have Xan, who is perfectly capable of doing that by himself." Light, relieved laughter erupted across the room, and even Xan smiled wryly to her.
"We are nearly ready to go?" she asked, this time seriously. Her companions nodded, finishing the arrangement of their belongings, ensuring their weapons were ready and other miscellaneous tasks. Maiyn went to the door, and called over one of the guards, asking if he could inform Duke Belt of their intention to leave soon. As the guard strode off, Maiyn turned back and regarded her companions with a wistful look. She knew the danger they were about to face, and it was almost more than she could bear to know that would follow her to it; but without them she would have no chance at all.
With a sigh, she re-entered the room, and joined them as they completed their final preparations.
