„Battle of the Keep"
Daria felt fabulous throwing spell after spell at the mass of the trolls storming below her. Her hands were no longer hurting and were almost fully flexible – she only used simple gestures mixing them with lesser incantations, but every time she attempted something more powerful she was rewarded with a flash of magic obedient to her will. For the first time she believed she was free, she had power and could use it, finally not a helpless prisoner anymore! She felt it all and more, laugher filling her chest. She could see. In the dungeon and later her vision was blurred and hazy, precognition blocked by mist she couldn't penetrate, created by pain and mind twisting spells. Now she began casting a fireball at the empty entrance to one of the guard towers in the keep. A strange snake-like creature appeared just in time to be bathed in flames. Daria's smile faded at the sight of death she brought upon a creature. Dying in flames… It awoken memories she wanted bury forever. She frantically searched the battle field for another enemy to focus on. She was aware of warmth in her palms, which was not only taking away the pain – it brought some peace to her mind.
Xan stayed with her though the first watch – he was the sole reason why her hands didn't hurt anymore. She couldn't believe she was resisting his help before. They didn't talk much, but she could sense tender feelings of friendship and loyalty through the elven Spirit, as he massaged each of her fingers, reviving what she thought was lost for good. When Minsc and Yoshimo took the second watch, he moved his cover near hers and she serenely fallen asleep taking comfort from the fact that he was near and that he cared.
Her dreams weren't that peaceful though, as always. She dreamt of walking through Candlekeep, but not a lively little town she remembered from her childhood. In her dream it was a dead and forsaken place. She looked around seeing a gray veil covering once blossoming flowerbeds, fountains filled with stale water and no longer colorful banners hanging from the walls. Up ahead the road a misty figure was walking towards something. Daria knew Imoen even before she saw her face. Her sister was leading her through deserted road, always few steps before her, always beyond her grasp. She was pointing familiar places, where they used to play, their little childhood secrets, but everything Daria touched was turning into dust. The people she knew stood frozen in place and she dared not touch them in fear they would also crumble and fall upon a contact. The pink-haired girl finally stopped pointing something distant in the end of the road before becoming as motionless and lifeless as the rest of their home. Daria stepped toward a dark figure surrounded by lurking shadows and recognized it was Irenicus, her captor, looking directly at her.
She abruptly sat on her bedroll, waking from the nightmare. It only took her few seconds to compose herself enough to fall asleep again though. She was used to strange visions after all and this one wasn't even half as bad as the others could be. For a moment she felt as if someone was holding her hands, but her dreams have already claimed her.
The next morning Nalia came to state that trolls were the mysterious aggressors, who attacked her home and that she was afraid to tell them fearing that they would leave her like the other mercenaries she tried to hire. Daria felt too good after full-night sleep to be angry at the girl, so she just confirmed that they would help her out despite that and prepared for the march. The Keep was only two hours of walk from their camp and after a short briefing from Capitan Arat, one of the few survivors who managed to escape from the Keep before it was taken over by the trolls, the group made its way through a secret passage leading directly to the Keep. Nalia stayed with them, unwilling to wait in safety while they were cleaning the stronghold of any invaders.
Since then they had to fight for every step, facing regenerating trolls and agile yuan-ti, their enemies streaming from every room and blocking the corridors. With Daria in her almost full magic capabilities, Nalia, who seemed to develop a particular hatred towards the trolls and Yoshimo with his quiver full of acid arrows scavenged from the storage room, monsters were falling one by one under rains of death-bringing elements.
Daria was standing on the courtyard stairs now, all that was left of de'Arnise keep garrison gathered below, preparing for the final assault. Nalia didn't look like an innocent and idealistic child anymore. Her face was grim and she loaded a bolt on a small crossbow she was carrying with her. Anomen stood near her. He was doing his best during the fights, using the breaks between the skirmishes to cast blessings and healing spells at the minor wounds they received. He was wasting too many magic on simple scratches though and Daria noted to herself to talk to the priest at the next stop. There was hardly time for it now though and she gave a sign to gather her companions. They stepped into dark hall of the Keep once more.
***
He could hardly focus. Xan was struggling to keep his thoughts centered on the fights, knowing that absent-mindedness was not going to improve his living rate, which he didn't believe to be high anyway, but he couldn't concentrate. He remembered meeting Daria year ago, in the kobold-infested mines of Nashkel. He thought of her as a lively and stubborn elven girl, almost a child, all too eager to learn magic. He directed her talent – he remembered many night watches spent practicing incantations, gestures and runes. She already knew the basics by then - growing up in a library like Candlekeep gave her many opportunities for that, and a foster-father like Gorion did everything to enhance the child's interest in arcane arts. But it wasn't the only thing Xan taught her. He couldn't believe he was the first elf she met, other than her. Well, second actually. She claimed to have seen some pointy-eared woman in Winthrop's Inn few years ago, but didn't have the courage to come any closer. And so she was making use of every chance to learn about the People, Evereska, elven pantheon and traditions. After months of adventuring together he grew to trust her instincts and considered her a close friend. It was an irony of a sort that throughout decades spent in Evereska he never developed as strong familiarity with anyone as with this carefree girl.
But it all changed. She wasn't smiling like before – a cheerful smile, extending to her eyes, her whole face, was replaced with a different expression, more wistful. He didn't hear her laugh even once. He wouldn't believe he could miss the sound of her laughing that much.
A yuan-ti's sword rang on his stoneskin, breaking through his melancholy, but fortunately none of his bones. Were it not for the protective spell, he would be one limb short by now. It clearly wasn't a time for reminiscing. The snake-man took another swing at the elf with a simple steel blade and Xan drew his Moonblade feeling a surge of anger overwhelming him. It was the mage's fault. The mad wizard – Irenicus! The enchanter didn't bother to parry another blow of the monster's sword knowing he still had three layers of stone on him. Instead he drove the blade straight into his enemy's gut giving some release to his rage. Blue glow surrounding the weapon dimmed bathed in creature's blood, but its owner didn't feel any satisfaction. He pulled the sword from the dying yuan-ti wishing it was Irenicus. He would pay for hurting his friend, for changing her. He would pay for her crippled fingers and pain never leaving her eyes. For every scar. Xan couldn't remember feeling such rage before.
The moment the creature fell to the ground Anomen appeared looking slightly battered and checked whether the enchanter was hurt. Daria also run up to him and caught his hand. He felt her skin through the glove somehow.
"Be more careful" she murmured and hurried of to help Minsc and Jaheira. Xan sighed feeling the fury withdrawing. He would die facing a powerful archmage trying to take revenge. So it was settled. He was wondering countless times how his end would look like - now he knew. Assuming they would reach the madman, but knowing Daria's resourcefulness they would arrive just in time for a spectacular death.
***
They entered the last chamber of the basement located under the Keep. It was a rough stone hall, lit only by the Light spells they carried with them. Trolls weren't keen on lighting the large candelabra, which lied in the corner, covered with dust and wax. Motionless gazes of the statues standing guard beside the walls were centered at the winged figure at the end of the room, a tribute to Tyr, god of justice. Xan saw a body below the statue of the god. It was most likely Nalia's father, but the young woman hasn't discerned it yet, her eyes unable to see in the darkness as well as his. 'Another death…' he caught Daria's eyes below the hood – she saw the body as well. Did she know…? There was so much sadness and resignation in her eyes that he felt a sudden need to do anything to make her feel better, but he chased the sensation away quickly, as three giant trolls approached them.
Nalia fired from her wand of fire, the rush of emotions taking over, before the monsters had any chance to attack. Her magic was hastily accompanied by acidic shots from Yoshimo, shooting practically blind, clouds of acrid smoke covering the opponents. The troll chieftain attacked before the veil cleared, leaping on Anomen and sending him flying backwards. At once Daria began the incantation, meaning to slow down their foes. Xan flinched as a pack of summoned kobolds appeared to their left, their yapping echoing through the hall, another of Nalia's wands in action. Minsc's sword connected with the skin of the troll chieftain.
It all took no more than five seconds between the explosion and the first wound appearing on the monster's torso. Xan tried to concentrate, but Daria's voice exclaiming the verses of the spell with steadiness and calmness was mesmerizing. He could only follow her magic, her close connection with the Weave he was also a part of. She finished the incantation at last and two smaller trolls, though calling them small could be the biggest mistake in one's life, flinched at the contact with the sparkling magic. Their movements now looked as if they were trying to wade through deep water. On an impulse Xan grasped his student's arm. She gave him a startled look, but smiled when her eyes shone a silvery glow. He began another spell, an enchantment of his choice. He heard her voice joining his in the unique melody of the charm.
The warriors fighting all three trolls were heavily pressed. Only one kobold remained from the group, the rest sadly crushed by the monsters, and even though the pair of trolls was attacking with reduced speed, their leader was still a formidable force with his long limbs seemingly built purely of muscles. Anomen has already got from the floor, apparently unhurt and Yoshimo drew his katana, probably not to risk hitting his allies with arrows in the fray, but they still had problems with keeping the creatures away from the spellcasters.
The situation changed spectacularly when the pair of elven mages finished the last word of the spell, strengthened by their joined forces – a purple glow covered the chamber and suddenly the trolls stopped their attack. They looked around seemingly lost and uncaring at the blades slashing their flesh. The troll chieftain fell on the ground murmuring with his breaking Common. "We are all doomed…"
Finishing off the heavily depressed trolls didn't give them any problem and soon only burned corpses remained. Jaheira couldn't hide a smirk looking at the enchanter when Minsc proclaimed loudly.
"So that was what you meant Boo, when you said that bad feelings are sometimes needed too! Minsc understands now!"
Daria was smiling at Xan and rubbing her fingers. Did they give her troubles again? The force of the previous explosion has blown the hood off her head revealing her face. Anomen was staring at her profile, his eyes wide open.
"NO!!!" a shout echoed in the silent hall. It was Nalia. She must have discovered her father's body. Xan sighed with resignation.
The young noblewoman knelt next to her beloved father. Three long cuts from the troll claws could be seen on his chest. He was dead for some time already and there was no chance of resurrecting him. Nalia couldn't stop the tears forming in the corners of her eyes, despite her attempts to look strong in the eyes of her new companions. She felt someone's arms surrounding her and tried to push them off, but when they didn't withdraw she fell into Daria's arms sobbing. She clung to her with a fear of a person, whose world has just been shattered into pieces, a fear Daria knew only too well. So she did the same thing Imoen did for her a lifetime ago - she held her, and stroked her hair until Nalia was ready to face the world again.
***
Anomen closed the door to the chapel, leaving two women inside. The rest of the team decided to wait for them in the next room, giving the young noblewoman time to come to terms with her tragedy. Her father unfortunately didn't last long enough for the reinforcements to come. The priest of Helm thought of it as of a sad occurrence, but he knew the sooner Nalia would get over it the better.
He finally saw the face of their elusive leader and that haunted his mind far more than any grievance. He expected everything but an elven face, perfectly normal if pretty, the only flaw being a fresh wide scar hidden on the other side of her face he only got a glimpse of, stretching just from under her eye to her chin, disfiguring the line of her lips only slightly. She looked exotic with her skin dark, but not black as a drow's, and chestnut hair. He was wondering if her sister they were supposed to rescue was as attractive as her.
He noticed the elven enchanter looking at him and realized his smile was giving up his thoughts. He tried to removed it, attempting to look as stern as every Helmite, which was far more appropriate in current situation. It wasn't that he didn't feel sorry for Nalia.
After a while Daria entered the room, her arms still circled around Nalia's shoulders. The young human had red eyes, but she wasn't crying anymore.
"We're getting out of here, people. Nalia is coming with us. We're leaving the Keep."