Author note: the idea of Imoen using glitter bomb traps was given to me by my friend Nikoru Sanzo, to whom go my heartfelt thanks! ^ᴥ^
oxoxoxoxoxo
As soon as they got into the Pocket Plane, they noticed that one of the remaining challenge rooms was open, but before anyone could speak, Meg raised her hand. "Food and rest first, then buttkicking", she said tiredly, "We may be healthy, but we're still tired and hungry. Whatever is in there, it can wait eight friggin' hours". "You're not even a little curious as to what is in there, sis?", Imoen asked, stretching her neck to peek into the room, but all she could see was darkness. "No. If anything, I'm worried that it will be as difficult as the fight we've just faced. Let's go eat". After the meal, they all retired to their rooms, but soon enough a squeal came from Imoen's and she slammed the door open, going to bang on the doors of everyone else in excitement. "Guys, guys, you gotta hear this! Come out now!".
Edwin emerged from his room with a scowl, "What is it, you annoying brat?", he grumbled, adjusting his crimson pajamas and flinched when the pink-haired thief shoved a thick tome towards him. "I found some very cool spells in here!", she exclaimed. "Is that the tome from Nyalee's temple?", he asked and she nodded. "Yep! I found useful stuff so, according to the rules, I'm gonna share it with you guys, instead of keeping it all to myself! Ain't I a nice and amazingly kind-hearted girl?". He rolled his eyes, "I won't dignify that with an answer. Get to the point, Imoen".
She frowned, "Sheesh, okay! So, I found a spell called Ruby Ray of Reversal and a spell of Wish. Oh and also one called Shapechange that sounds amazing: it can shapeshift us into a Mind-Flayer, an iron golem, a greater wolfwere, an Earth Elemental or even a giant Troll, depending on what we want to become! Isn't that cool?", she squealed, eyes shining. Aerie hummed, her wings fluttering slightly behind her, "That's very useful: we could use the Wish to recharge our spells and be healed completely without the need to rest or even lose a single minute to cast a healing spell", she noted and Meg nodded with a smile. "That's a good suggestion, Aerie and that's exactly what I want you four to do: learn all those spells and when you use the Shapechange, I want you to turn into Mind-Flayers, I can't think of a more dangerous opponent than that".
The mages obediently gathered in the common room to memorize those new spells before going to sleep. Ten hours later (they had decided to sleep in for once, since their last battle had really taken a toll on them), the party gathered in front of the final challenge room after a good breakfast, refreshed and ready to kick some butt. "Okay, guys, keep your eyes open for trouble", Meg said as she led them in. Suddenly, a man appeared in the room: he was tall and slim, with burning black eyes, short black hair, an aquiline nose, high cheekbones and chalk-white skin and he smiled at Meg, though it was quite a disturbing smile, "Hello, heir to my old enemy. Do you know who I am?". She looked him up and down, then sighed as she recognized his appearance, "Cyric", she said in a defeated tone.
The deity arched a thin eyebrow, "Well, now, don't sound too happy to see me, will you?", he muttered, clearly offended. "Sorry, I meant no disrespect, I'm just a little tired I guess. What brings you here, Black Sun?". "Oh, I was just curious to see how much of a threat you are to me". "I have no intention to take the Throne, if that's what you're worried about. You can relax and keep it, I've never wanted it and never will". "So you say now, but who says you won't change your mind? You still have some time before you need to make your decision, girl. In the meantime, I'm sure you won't mind if I test your strength against my chosen, right? That's why you created these rooms after all, to test yourself. And I doubt Ao could be mad at me for helping with it, since I'm not intervening directly, don't you agree?". "Well, to be honest…".
"Excellent!", he clapped his hands with a smirk, "Do your best, for my chosen will do the same!", and with those words, he vanished and seven men appeared in the room, only to disappear a moment later. "Invisibility", Aerie frowned and cast a spell to break their cover while Imoen grabbed a handful of small spheres from a satchel hanging from her belt and tossed them on the ground, where they scattered all around the room. She then felt a rush of air on her nape and ducked just in time to avoid being impaled on the short sword of the now visible assassin, then she swiped her leg to kick his feet out from under him, but just as she was about to stab him, he rolled away, jumped to his feet and vanished again thanks to an enchanted charm hanging from his neck.
The party members were not much better off: no matter how often they parried, ducked and dodged, they still got a good deal of small wounds, their frustration spiking through the roof, until…Pop! There was a loud sound similar to the cork of a champagne bottle popping out and a huge cloud of bright pink glitter filled the room before setting down, covering everyone from head to toe, including the now-not-so-invisible-anymore assassins. Even better, the spell with which the charms were imbued didn't work on the glitter, so the adventurers had an easy time dispatching the enemies now that they couldn't hide anymore.
As soon as the last assassin fell, Cyric appeared in the room, his face twisted in a mixture of disappointment at the loss of his men and poorly concealed amusement at the adventurers' new look, "Well, I see you made short work of my chosen. An impressive performance, I must say, completely outshining that of my followers. You will be a real nuisance after your ascension, girl". Meg rolled her eyes, "I told you already, I don't want the throne of my sire: I never did, I never will. I have no intentions of becoming a goddess, it sounds like it's too much of a drag". The Black Sun nodded, massaging his chin, "Yes, it can be…Tiring at times. But it's quite interesting too", he replied, "Well, I will see you again if you ascend, or not if you remain a pitiful mortal. Goodbye for now, daughter of my old rival", he snapped his fingers and poofed out of existence.
"Good riddance", she commented, then looked at her hands and arched an eyebrow noticing that the glitter was still there, while the wounds and tears on her clothes had disappeared, "Why isn't this stuff going away?". "Because it was Imoen's doing", Anomen answered with a sigh, "If something is caused by us, it remains". "Wonderful", Sarevok grumbled, shooting a disheartened look at the sparkly layer of painfully bright pink dust covering his precious red dragon scale armor, "Just what I needed, to be covered in…This". "Hey! I'll have ya know that pink glitter is the height of fashion this year!", Imoen protested indignantly, crossing her arms on her chest and causing a small puff of sparkling dust to flutter around her.
"Well, fashionable or not, we need to clean ourselves up before going to face Balthazar", Meg decided, "I doubt he would take us seriously otherwise", she added under her breath and the others nodded and went to their rooms to take a bath, while the pink-haired thief grumbled about 'fashionably challenged mutton-mongering riff-raffs' and 'too blind to appreciate a good pink when they see it'. After a good deal of washing and a vigorous and thorough scrubbing (Sarevok and Anomen in particular were horrified at the idea of even a single particle of glitter remaining attached to their armor), the party went back to Amkethran and this time the Portal was nice enough to drop them straight in the town square instead of leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere like usual.
"Is it me, or the magic portal thingy is finally working as it should?", Imoen commented as she looked around with a grin. "Yeah, I noticed that too", Daniel agreed. "Maybe it's because now Meg has basically all the Essence of Bhaal in herself, so the whole Pocket Plane is more attuned to her needs", Jaheira mused, "Maybe it was a matter of connection with the structure of the portal". The Ilmatari made a face, "Bah, at least we won't be needing it for much longer, I've had enough of that stupid thing", she grumbled, "So, any ideas on how to get into the monastery?".
Gromnir raised his hand, "One of Lothar's men told me that the local smugglers use a hidden door to get in and out of the monastery without raising suspicions, since the citizens must not know of Balthazar's dealings with them. If we can convince them to tell us where it is and open the way for us, we'll get inside without trouble". She smirked, "Good, let's go and find these smugglers then", she said, twirling her mace.