"I'll go figure out where we are," Jaheira volunteered as they emerged from the quite kobold-less back door. It was in the shadow of a large hill; located more or less in the middle of a group of more hills, though lower. Water flowed into the opening they emerged from, fed from a small stream that made its way in from the southeast, but the land in sight was otherwise completely empty. "With luck we're no more than few hours' walk from the main entrance."
Lysara had been underground for perhaps half a day, if that. But the moon and the stars, partly hidden though they were behind rain-heavy clouds, seemed the brightest, most beautiful lights that she'd ever seen. The fresh, clean air was the sweetest taste she could imagine. She smiled at the sheer joy of being outside in the open air; and promptly dropped to her knees and sang. It didn't last long, but she was as pleased with the sound as with the looks of startlement that the drow and the two Rashemi gave her.
"Interesting," Viconia commented on the song with that speculative look in her eye.
"It's a surface elf thing," Imoen put in.
The drow snorted. "I likely know more of it then you do," she said to the young mage. At least she sounded more amused than hostile.
"So Dynaheir, what is it that brings a Rashemi witch so far to the north?" Lysara asked as a means of changing the topic. She didn't particularly like her ignorance over her own people, let alone discussing it with others.
"Does it matter?" the Rashemi woman asked in response. "I have a task to preform and I doubt that it concerns you, young one."
"I would know those who wish to travel with me," Lysara insisted.
The Rashemi woman sighed even as the berserker looked at Lysara as if he was considering squashing her. A gesture from the witch settled him down. "Very well," she acceded. "My task… This I and all my order know for fact: During the Time of Troubles, many of the gods, if not all of them, were cast down and forced to walk the prime material as near-mortal shells of their former selves."
The witch likely saw something in Lysara's face because she settled down to look at her more intently before she continued. "Three gods in particular were of interest, as they failed to return to the pantheon when those times ended. Your age, unless I miss my guess, would put you as having been born during or very shortly after those events, no?"
Lysara shrugged. "I honestly can't say I remember much from back then," she dodged. Khalid obviously wasn't used to guarding his facial expressions, because the answer was written all over it.
"So, about those spells we were talkin' about earlier…" Imoen tried to come to the rescue.
"I have been asked a question, and would finish the answer before being diverted," Dynaheir cut in softly, but as firmly as steel. "There are prophecies aplenty, both by Alaundo and… others, though many scholars put stock in his words above anyone else. All of them agree that the coming of the children left behind by the Lord of Murder will cause strife, and suffering; though some believe that these are warnings of one or two in particular emerging above the rest. I have been sent by my order to discover the truth of that matter." She folded her hands in front of herself, rubbing her left thumb with her right. "That is my task. So, friend… why is it that you are looking into this… plot again?"
Lysara sighed and debated for a moment just how much to tell this woman. Certainly not the truth of her heritage… she hadn't earned that yet. Rubbing her forehead, she sat down and glanced at the prisoner. "I was dragged into it, though I likely would have gotten involved anyway, if only to help the innocent," she told Dynaheir before changing the direction of the conversation. "But I think I might know where one of these… children you speak of is. Or at least, I'm starting to get the vaguest shape of who he is."
"Then… they are real," the Rashemi woman concluded gravely. "Gods and spirits protect us all. Who is this Child?"
"The man who killed my father," Lysara answered, and the other woman blinked. Lysara hoped that the statement was startling enough that she wouldn't inquire too deeply into Lysara's parentage. She'd certainly meant it to misdirect her. "I've had the sneaking suspicion for some time, ever since the… existence of such people was made plain to me. Now I'm almost certain."
That got a worried glance from Khalid, and an agreeing nod out of Imoen even as she grimaced, but if the witch paid them even as much attention as Lysara was, it would have been a surprise. She leaned forward, intent on the elf in front of her. "His name?"
"Koveras," Lysara answered. "Though I'm increasingly sure that's an alias. I have two solid leads on finding out who he really is though…"
"Is he… tall? Taller than Minsc and even brawnier? Does he have hateful black eyes and no hair?" Dynaheir asked.
"Yes…" Lysara whispered. "You have met him?"
"Not directly. I happened a glance at him some time between two and three months ago. I know not what his business was, though. Edwin appeared and I was forced to withdraw before I could learn more of him. I suspected that he was one on sight though. His helmet, under his arm at the time, was a copy of one that I saw during the Troubles, worn by a Deathstalker, and his eyes were those of concentrated death."
"You, whatever-your-name-is… What do you know about Bhaal?" Lysara asked their unhappy captive.
"I don't know anything about a temple!" he protested.
Lysara looked at Imoen for a moment and shared a raised eyebrow as the younger girl looked back. "I didn't say anything about a temple," Lysara told him, ignoring the obvious question. Likely he wanted her to ask it. "What do you know about Bhaal? Is 'Vok' one of his kids?"
"Bhaal had a lot of kids," the half-orc replied.
"Viconia, would you mind convincing him to answer me?" Lysara asked the drow.
"It would be my pleasure," the drow replied with a wicked smile at the brute.
"Okay! Okay! I don't know if he was one of them or not!" he squealed before Viconia could do more than reach for him. "Yeah his armor was made by an old priest of Bhaal, one of the last… but that's all I know!"
"And the temple?" Viconia asked.
"There's… two of them in the region. Old temples to Bhaal. One was taken by an earthquake recently and Vok almost took my head off when the news came to him while he was inspecting my setup. The other one's somewhere near Baldur's Gate, but I don't know exactly where it is. All I do know is that Vok and Tomoko talk about it a lot when they think no one's listening."
Lysara was growing increasingly certain that 'Vok' or 'Koveras' or whatever his name really was… that he was her brother. It was a profound and disturbing realization, knowing that your own kin wanted you dead simply because you existed, and was reveling in the thought of being the one to do it. Human or not, she thought that 'Vok' would have fit in very well with Viconia's culture. Lysara certainly hadn't missed the fact that Viconia had asked the obvious question. They, both the drow and the half-orc, wanted her to go into that temple for some reason. But what was it?
Was it that 'Vok' had chosen that place to murder her?
"Are you sure you don't have another name for 'Vok'?" Viconia asked, almost sweetly as she caressed the trembling half-orc's face. "One you're not supposed to know? Perhaps Tomoko cried it out in the throes of passion and you overheard?"
The large brute shook his head frantically, breathing hard as he tried to get away from the drow. "He… he doesn't take her when he's anywhere near me… he just told me she's his as a warnin'!" he protested.
"That's enough, Viconia. Let him alone for now," Lysara told her.
The drow actually pouted at her, but withdrew nonetheless, staring at her with a certainty of understanding in her eye that Lysara couldn't begin to even try to deny. She knew now, assuming she hadn't all along. Jaheira returned just then, even as the first drop of rain plopped down.
"I know where we are now, and can guide us back," the druid told them. "We will return to the mines and-"
"There's no need for that, unless it's on our way already," Lysara cut across the druid, drawing an angry glare. "I'm sure that Edwin, Montaron and Xzar made off with our mounts after reporting our tragic demise to the foreman. We'll make straight for Nashkel. Ghastkill can send a messenger to bring the man up to speed, and I'd very much prefer to catch up to those three before they have a chance to bolt. It wouldn't surprise me if one or both of the magi were planning to sit there and wait for orders on how to proceed, though if they dug up a lead that we didn't they could already be gone. How long they will linger is an open question."
Jaheira looked ready to spit nails, but just nodded once, curtly, when no one else disagreed with Lysara's reasoning. "And if that isn't the case?" she asked. "It would be most inconvenient to have to backtrack to the mines before we head out."
"A fair point," Lysara conceded, already having foreseen it. "I think Khalid would be most suited to sidetracking to check, don't you?" Lysara deliberately picked the same person that Jaheira would have 'volunteered' to go, though she herself would have sent Jaheira. Eventually the druid would stop trying to give her orders as if she thought of Lysara as her daughter. She appreciated that it had been her father's will that Khalid and Jaheira become surrogate parents to her if he should die; but that had been when she was little. She was grown now, and it was long past time that they stopped acting like she was four.
"Yes… I'm sure he is," Jaheira replied slowly.
"Well then, let's get going. Jaheira, take point."
The others started filing away in the direction the druid indicated, but the drow grabbed Lysara by the bicep as she turned to leave. "Are you?" she asked in a tone so low even Lysara had trouble picking up on it.
"Am I what?" Lysara asked.
"Do not play the fool with me, avvil. You know very well what I refer to," the drow pressed.
Lysara met the woman's eyes, and saw again the cold certainty that was there already. There was no point denying it, and lying would likely undo the very small progress she'd made with her. Being honest was key. "Yes," she admitted simply. The drow nodded and released her arm, a thoroughly satisfied smile on her lips. Lysara shuddered to see it, and couldn't help but wonder what she was up to now.
"Umm… what about me?" Xan asked.
"You're welcome to join us if you'd like," Lysara said, and Jaheira groaned.
"Oh no, I have no intention of doing that," Xan replied. "It's much too likely that you'll be beset by a horde of sword spiders, or invoke some evil god's wrath somehow and be smitten down, or fall down into a red dragon's lair, or get kidnapped by some wickedly evil and insanely powerful wizard, or drown or die in some sundry and horrific fashion. If you'll give me my Moonblade back then I'll be on my way."
"Of course," Lysara said, gesturing to Imoen. "Though I should think it likely that if you separate from us before we reach Nashkel; that some wild creature will have you for dinner."
"Oh… you raise a good point," the moon elf replied, looking thoughtful as he carefully took the hilt from Imoen. "Still, wild animals I can handle. I'd rather not be lumped in with you in your powerful adversaries' eyes. They're rather focused on you, and not likely to trouble with one escaped prisoner. Good day… or night, rather. I'll just conjure myself up some shelter and wait for dawn."
"Is there a reason that you invite practically everyone who crosses our path to join our group?" Jaheira asked testily as they left the moon elf behind. "It's almost as if you're thinking of starting your own adventuring company."
"I am," Lysara stated simply. "I haven't quite thought of a name yet…"
"You're not serious," the druid insisted as the drow bit her own knuckle to stifle laughter.
"Actually I am. Koveras is going to keep coming after me, as you said. That much is certain," Lysara explained. "If I'm moving around, constantly running, he'll eventually either run me down at a time and place of his choosing or I'll run headfirst into his paid assassins. But if he knows exactly where I am, then he'll come after me in person, unless I completely misread him."
"And you think that it's going to be as easy as simply amassing followers?"
"No, no. I anticipate supply issues, no one hiring us at first, which would limit numbers because hey, I'm not exactly a rich woman. And then we need a place to call headquarters…"
"And enemy agents slipping into your ranks?" the druid prompted with a glance at the drow.
Lysara smiled, but now wasn't the time to tip her hand about Viconia, and her plans for the woman, at least not while that woman was in earshot. "Jaheira, I thought I made it plain. Let me restate it more simply. If you give me proof, I'll listen to you about her. Otherwise, let the matter rest." She made a hand gesture for 'later' in common sign language where the drow wouldn't see it. The druid saw and nodded, but put on a sullen look nonetheless.
"What of you, Imoen? Can you convince your dear friend to see reason?" Jaheira pressed.
"Oh, Lys is Lys. I'd have better luck trying to build a flying city by myself than changing her mind when she's got that look on her face." the young mage replied before drawing Dynaheir off to the side, Minsc shadowing them. "Now, about those spells…"
"Now? Our books will be soaked if we draw them forth in this weather," the witch protested.
"Nah. It's shop talk time. Besides, as comprehensive as my book is about the Art, it leaves me with a lot more questions than answers."
"There are always more questions than answers," Dynaheir answered with a smile. "Mystra is the keeper of the Weave, and she is called the Lady of Mysteries…"
The druid sighed and pointed to the north. "Khalid, I believe our new leader has 'suggested' that you go fetch the horses," she told her husband sulkily.
"Well, it isn't as if you wouldn't have the same-" Khalid began.
"Don't tell me what I would and would not have done, Khalid!" Jaheira snapped. "Just go get the damned horses. If they're there, you'll catch up to us faster. If not, you'll need to move quickly to reach town at the same time as we do. And Lysara… we will discuss this in private."
She was getting tired of the druid telling her that, but saw no harm in conceding that point to her. She just nodded as they walked. "There are a few things I wish to discuss privately with you as well, my friend," she told the druid pointedly, turning the tables back in her favor.
From the look on her face, the druid had not missed the barely-hidden message that her word choice contained.
[-]
Khalid came with the dawn, just as horseless as Lysara had predicted, and the storm broke, or at least paused, a few minutes prior to his arrival; though the sky promised more to come. At least the dawn was visible, back the way they'd come and slightly to the right. "Well, t-they're gone," he informed them all. "Even y-yours," he added to Minsc and Dynaheir. "All the t-tracks were l-leading w-west by northwest, towards the town, though n-no one saw t-them m-making off with them."
"I suppose it's too much to ask for that they turned on each other after a few hundred yards and that at least one of them is out of our hair," Lysara commented.
"Indeed. I f-followed the t-trail for a little ways, but saw no sign of a c-conflict," Khalid confirmed.
Lysara privately thought she was either going to get a swelled – or cracked - head unless she was proven wrong about something soon. She understood that she was far from infallible, but swollen heads always meant hurt pride or worse later if they weren't tended to. They broke briefly, and Lysara cast a spell to alleviate some of the humans' fatigue while they ate. She didn't take all of it. She knew – she didn't know how she knew, she just did – that taking it all would lead to more harm then good.
"You truly do seem to be coming into your own," Jaheira commented, keeping her voice low the moment that she had successfully drawn the elf aside during that short break. "The way that Gorion always wrote about you made it seem as if you were… a helpless child who needed to be constantly looked after. I admit our first meeting did little to dissuade me of that view."
"He taught me well," Lysara replied, ignoring the druid's comment about their meeting. "I'm not arrogant enough to say I don't need anyone's help, because I do, and likely lots of it. But I don't need… that kind of attention anymore." She smiled ruefully and touched the older woman's shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, I probably would've been the clingy, helpless child you were expecting had we met as little as a year ago. I admit, and freely, that I might not be ready for a lot of things in the realms just yet; but I'm ready to give them the best I can."
Jaheira pursed her lips, looking sad for a moment. "About Viconia… please tell me you do not trust her."
"She's already told me that she's going to betray me. And I think I already have a reasonable guess on how, and perhaps a rough idea on just when."
"Then why do you keep her at your side?"
"You would prefer if I put her out only to find her at my back later?" Lysara reasoned. "Besides, if I'm even half right, she won't want to betray me when the time comes."
Jaheira just stared at her a moment.
"What?" Lysara asked.
"I'm just trying to figure out how that helpless little greenhorn whelp of a girl I first met is suddenly two steps ahead of me and staying there," Jaheira told her. "Ever since the day of the caravan attack, I keep finding myself deferring to you, even when you aren't deliberately giving the same orders I would simply so I have to concede. I do not much care for deferring to others."
Lysara shrugged. "I'm just Lys," she replied with a grin that the other woman reluctantly returned. "I didn't mean to humiliate you, and if that's what I've achieved, I'm sorry."
Jaheira shook her head. "My own fool pride made it necessary for you to do so before I could see that you aren't the child I thought you were, at least, not wholly. Make no mistake, you do still have some growing up left to do, but less than I had thought."
"I guess I'll just take that as a 'Jaheira' sort of compliment," Lysara told her. "Come, we've a red wizard and a pair of Zhents to catch up with if we don't want to be buying new horses and supplies. Besides, I want Ibblith back."
"You were serious about naming your horse that?"
"What? It fits. After all, she is not drow," Lysara quipped back with another grin.
Jaheira just rubbed her temples as if she had a headache, but let her take the lead again, by exactly two steps. Some people just don't appreciate good humor, Lysara thought to herself with a wry smirk.
They'd just returned to the group when Lysara sighted a lone figure moving towards their makeshift campsite, visible as much by daylight as by lightning flashes from the approaching storm. It was a small woman, about the same size as Lysara herself, and human, with short brown hair and almost too-round brown eyes and a matching face. Her features looked to be Kura-Turan, though the rest of her body was completely covered, from her spotless white boots upwards. She wore no armor that Lysara could see, other than a pair of bracers. A well-made grey travelling cloak covered everything else. She stopped a dozen paces off, smirking at Lysara as if the others didn't exist, and put her left hand on her hip, which drew her cloak away from the weapon on her belt in the process.
It was a katana.