General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.
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Sisters
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All around her was black -- a never-ending void that surrounded her. There was nothing else; no lights, no sounds, nothing. She was floating; she didn't even have to make the effort. It was just happening. She didn't seem to be capable of conscious thought, but as she became more aware of her surroundings, she tried. She knew that where she was wasn't reality; she was either unconscious or asleep. She wasn't sure which. She couldn't remember much at all about what had been happening, or what had happened. She tried to focus more.
Brynnlaw... then Spellhold. She'd found Imoen, Irenicus had found her. Then it had gone dark. But that was before -- she'd come out of that sleep, and awoken in a bare cage, barred, cold... alone. The room was large, and her prison was in the centre. It wasn't the only one -- other cells lined walls. They had inhabitants, but none of them were there. She didn't know what influence they were under, but occasionally one would murmur, another would twitch. Other than that, they were still. They wore light leather armour, and some had their hoods drawn. They were thieves. Shadow Thieves.
Yoshimo had visited. He'd not stayed long, he'd not said much at all, and she couldn't recall any of his words. His sword had cut across her arms and legs through the bars, then he'd sneered and left. She could feel the blood running from her wounds, but she'd only managed to offer a small prayer to Fenmarel, then she'd fainted.
Slowly a light grew in the distance. It became stronger as she watched it, and then it flashed intensely, causing her to shield her vision. When she next opened her eyes, she could see the cage. She could see Irenicus standing next to her, staring into her cage. She looked back at him hatefully with what little strength she could muster.
"Stand," he commanded, using his magic to manipulate her into obeying as he'd done before. She tried to fight it, but was powerless to do anything but comply. Other figures had appeared in the room, standing around him. Bodhi was one, smirking up at the ranger. Yoshimo was standing in the shadows; but she knew it was him. And behind Irenicus...
"Imoen," Maiyn whispered. Her sister ignored her; her eyes were glazed, her gaze fixed on something in the distance.
"Well," said Irenicus smugly. "It would seem that my visitor has awakened. It is as I predicted. It all has been. I fear I have had an advantage over you; I have planned your coming from the start. It could be no other way."
"I don't..." Maiyn's voice faltered.
"Had you known of Yoshimo," continued the mage, gesturing lazily behind him, "things might have been different. But a spell component slipped into a soup will still get anyone in the end."
Maiyn found herself becoming riled, and some of her energy returned. She glared at her captor. "Treacherous and cowardly actions."
Irenicus shrugged. "It was his suggestion, really. A fine way to retrieve you unharmed. Of course, your safety is no longer a concern at this point. But don't worry... you won't have to think about any of this or that. Your life ends today."
More energy, swirling into her. She stood, more due to her own strength than the willing of the spell, and her eyes flashed dangerously. Something inside her was pushing at her consciousness and she relented, allowing her hate and anger to give her the push she needed. "Release me!" she snarled. "I will kill you, I swear it!"
He laughed. "Yes, I believe that you would. I can't blame you, really, not when I wish the death of others for similar reasons. A pity one of us must be denied." He waved behind him to Imoen. The young girl was still in her trance, and Maiyn instantly caught control of herself.
"Imoen..."
"Don't worry, Imoen has already suffered what she must for my cause," Irenicus mused. "She even survived -- and this bodes well for you. You are stronger, more focused; you are aware."
"Aware?" Maiyn frowned as she stared at the mage. "Aware of what?"
"Imoen was more than bait, and has served just as you will. She is like you in many ways, and in one very special one."
"Are you... are you suggesting that she is a child of Bhaal as well?" Maiyn couldn't keep the disbelief from her voice. "That is just not possible."
"You must have suspected," noted Irenicus dryly. "Perhaps she felt no symptoms, but the taint was there. She is a similar age, and was apparently secluded as a child, just as you were. This Gorion of yours should have told you about yourselves early on. You might have learned not to fear what you are."
"No... you are lying." The ranger shook her head slowly, hardly able to believe what she was being told.
"Imoen is indeed a child of Bhaal," insisted Irenicus. "I suspect her innocent charm and humour suppressed the darkness. She showed no symptom because there was no place for shadow in her spirit. I had to show her some very dark images indeed. It is unfortunate that it had to be done, but it was necessary to get what I needed. Now I must focus on you."
"What did you do to her?" She shouted her question.
"I am done with her," he replied simply. "You should be more concerned about yourself now."
"I will not help you!"
He laughed again, and this time both Bodhi and Yoshimo joined in with him. "You assume you are a volunteer, but I don't need your co-operation. I will take the essence of you regardless."
"I am strong." She said it more to reassure herself, but she managed to keep her steely gaze, her pretence of not being afraid. Inside, she was terrified. "I am strong," she repeated, "strong enough to stop you."
"No, Maiyn," he smiled. It was a cruel expression. "You are not. It is much more likely that you will die. Unfortunate, but unavoidable. Do you see the Shadow Thieves in the other chambers? They are the fruits of Bodhi's guild war, and their deaths shall force the divine soul from you." He took several steps closer to her cage, and she felt herself shrinking back. "Don't be afraid -- I suspect this will be mercifully quick."
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When next she opened her eyes she was back at Candlekeep -- the phantom version of her former home, complete with the void surrounding it. The thieves had fallen, twisting and contorting as her captor's spells hit them. Her gaze was forced to watch each one by his will, her eyes prevented from closing. Then the spells had hit her too, and it had gone black.
She knew she wasn't dead; she wouldn't have come back here unless she was unconscious. But now she needed to work out what to do.
"Do... not fight." It was Imoen. Maiyn looked round but there was no sign of her sister and her voice was faint. "To fight... is to lose... Come to me... find me..."
"Imoen! Where are you?"
"Within... find me within. You cannot fight alone... you cannot... find me within..."
Maiyn looked back to the tall building before her -- the library of Candlekeep had never looked as imposing as it did then, but she knew she had to go inside. She steeled herself and marched towards the large doors, rent from their hinges by some malevolent force. Her way in became blocked as she climbed the stairs; a demon appearing before her, but making no move to attack.
"Be prepared to give up something of yourself to enter," it declared, in a voice almost too human to belong to such a creature.
"I don't understand," replied Maiyn.
"To pass you must sacrifice. That is all I can say."
Maiyn looked past it -- she could see the dusty rooms of the library, Imoen in the distance. She had no idea what it meant, but she nodded. "I will sacrifice."
The demon reached out and touched her lightly. She felt drained, and she leaned against the wall while she recovered from the passing sensation. The creature faded from existence, and the ranger half ran, half stumbled as she rushed to her sister's side, kneeling beside her huddled form.
"Imoen..."
"Shhh," whispered the young girl. Her eyes never met Maiyn's. "Before the shadows return to me... I have seen what is to come -- one alone cannot fight... together we must battle your instinct. Alone you would fall, whether you win or lose, but here... in my sight... we can defeat it. Lead it... here. Together... he does not expect us together... but he has shown me how."
Maiyn stood and nodded; she didn't know what she was meant to do, but Imoen's pleas were desperate. The library seemed to be devoid of any other life, the staircase that would once have led upstairs was broken and impassable. She had no option but to search for whatever it was outside.
"It is your only chance," whispered Imoen as she moved off, "and... my last."
She ran through the doors, and noticed that her armour and weapons had returned to her dream form. She pulled her sword free and made her way carefully along the ground leading through the torn landscape. She hadn't gone far at all when she saw the figure.
Tall and imposing, it immediately stormed towards her, and in her heart she knew exactly who it was.
Bhaal.
"Fall to your knees!" it roared, raising its weapon high above its head. "You can do no other! I am within you! I am your essence!"
She backed away, trembling violently before she was able to pull herself together. She swallowed hard. "You want to fight me? You'll have to catch me first!"
She ran. His voice came after her.
"You cannot run from yourself! You cannot defeat yourself! I am the blood! I am the instinct!"
She didn't stop until she was by Imoen's side. Turning, she saw him coming through the door, heading towards her in a single purpose. Imoen stayed still, not even seeming to notice him; Maiyn began to panic.
"Now!" hissed the thief suddenly. "It is in my sight! I will add my strength to yours... he has shown me... how to make it vulnerable!" She stood and a light burst forth from her, dazzling their attacker and making it stagger backwards. Maiyn leapt towards it, desperately trying to penetrate the armour as she thrust her weapon wildly. The figure screamed in rage, and she pushed the blade through its neck, watching as it collapsed to the ground. Its face was a blur, but the eyes... the eyes were red, and full of shock.
"I am your instinct!" it gasped. "Yet... you deny me? Fight me within your own mind? I should devour you! How do you stand? I sense... your soul... it has taken form to guide from within -- you are strange amongst your kin! But... it is weak! It will not help again! There is nothing inside -- You are empty, now... except for your instinct!"
Imoen let out a strangled cry from behind her, and Maiyn spun around to see her sister thrashing on the ground, shrieking in agony.
"Something is wrong!" she screamed. I... no... not again!"
Maiyn felt the blow to the back of her head as Bhaal struck her, and her world went black as Imoen's tortured cry echoed in her head.
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"Well, you are a strong one indeed." There could be no mistaking the voice; Irenicus loomed over her huddled form, gazing down at her curiously between the bars of her prison. His masked face betrayed no other emotion. "You resist beyond all reason," he continued, murmuring as if to himself. "A pity you are dead on the inside."
He swept away as Maiyn dragged herself to her feet. She clung to the bars as she pulled herself up and spoke. "You cannot turn me against myself. I have strengths you cannot see."
Irenicus paused, then turned to look back at her. "I don't know what you faced while mired within the spell, but here in the world of the living my plans have gone just as I wished." He paused and took a few steps back towards her -- she was sure he was smiling underneath his cover. "I have drained you," he explained calmly. "Drained you of the very thing that made you special. It is the worse of curses, and I should know. You are no longer a living threat."
"What do you mean?" Maiyn demanded. Her thoughts were still muddled; she was unable to grasp his meaning.
"I have taken your divinity and drained you of your soul," he replied simply. "The curse wrought against Bodhi and I has now ceased, and yours and Imoen's has begun. You will wither, you will wane... and you will die." He turned to his vampiric sister. "Bodhi! Remove this... nothing! And Imoen as well. We are restored at their expense and need them no longer. Our revenge to come is now all the sweeter."
"As you will have it, my brother," Bodhi purred.
"See to it as quickly as possible. I will tell our friends in the dark of our coming." He returned his gaze to Maiyn. "Farewell Child of Bhaal, we will not meet again."
He strode from the room, Yoshimo slinking behind him with one last hateful look in her direction. Then Bodhi's face was before her, and she was drawn into the hypnotic gaze.
"Come, my toy," came the soothing voice. "It is time for some fun."
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Kivan and Anomen finally let go of Minsc, satisfied that he'd calmed down sufficiently. They'd found themselves standing in a strange place, the centre of a large chamber that had steep flights of stairs leading from it in four different directions. Their belongings were lying in a haphazard pile on the ground, and Jaheira had begun to sort them out.
"What happened?" asked Kivan calmly.
Minsc frowned. "Well, Boo says that we followed the evil undead here, and they taunted us a bit. Minsc cannot remember that, but Minsc can remember hearing Larry calling to him."
"Lilarcor called for you?" asked Kivan.
Minsc nodded solemnly. "I could hear Larry in my head, telling me to pick him up, so I did. Then I realised where I was, and noticed the evil vampires. I was filled with a righteous fury, and I charged them, seeking to bring an end to their vile existence!"
"Booyah!" called Larry supportively.
Kivan looked over to Jaheira. She was staring at Minsc in a curious way, but she broke it off and exchanged a shrug with the ranger.
"We should prepare ourselves," she said calmly. "The fact our equipment has been returned to us is suspicious."
Xan had weakly picked up his moonblade, and slowly the colour was returning to his pale face. Kivan placed a hand on the enchanter's shoulder as he passed, and the mage sighed. It took several minutes for their equipment to be sorted through and they noticed Maiyn's own possessions had been left for them as well.
"Does that mean they'll take her here too?" wondered Anomen.
"Possibly," replied Jaheira thoughtfully. "Though I am reluctant to waste time waiting here when we should be searching for a way to get to her and Imoen."
"I agree," stated Kivan stoically. "We need to find out where these stairs lead to, and find a way from this place."
"But what if they take Maiyn here and we've gone," interrupted Sime. "We heard... her screams. We can't risk abandoning her unintentionally, can we?"
A heavy silence fell as they recalled the sounds they'd heard when freed from their glass prisons. Jaheira was the first to break the silence.
"We will divide," she said calmly. "I will go with Kivan to scout our surroundings while the rest of you remain here to see if she appears. We cannot tarry overlong, but we can afford to wait a small time."
The others nodded to this, putting their packs back down on the floor as they watched as the two cautiously made their way up the closest set of steps. A silence fell over them that they all seemed reluctant to break, and so it was easy for them to hear the approach of footsteps when they eventually came.
None of them moved, assuming it was their companions returning from exploring the passage, when suddenly two loud thumps startled them from their melancholy thoughts. They looked up to see Maiyn and Imoen collapsed on the ground, having been pushed from a ledge fairly high up on the wall. Bodhi was standing there, looking down at them gleefully.
Xan's heart skipped as he looked at the bodies. Neither of them moved for a long few moments, then he noticed Maiyn stirring. She was moving... standing... helping Imoen to her feet. The girls exchanged a concerned look, worried about each others welfare, then looked up to the vampire.
"And so your life does come to an end," came Bodhi's taunts. "A pity. You have proven resilient beyond all expectation. It is appealing to me."
"Spare me your words and do as you have been ordered... like a good girl." Maiyn spoke in return and her voice was cold. It frightened Xan -- something about her manner, her tone, was wrong. She was... different.
"Irenicus does indeed wish you dead, but I am not his lapdog and you are now subject to my will," hissed Bodhi angrily. "Your words will foster no resentment towards my brother, but I also need not obey him just yet. Your abilities have piqued my interest, and since you are to die, I would have you do it in an entertaining fashion."
"We won't do anything for you!" declared Imoen. Xan felt some small relief -- the girl had recovered from whatever effect she'd been afflicted with previously, it seemed.
"You will do it or die," sneered the vampire. "Irenicus can be so dour when he wishes. He is set upon revenge for his banishment, and can think of nothing else. A failing of his mind remaining flesh, I suspect. Undeath has given me focus, and an interest in the abilities of powerful creatures; an interest in you. I will make your death glorious, as well as entertaining."
"Do your worst, Bodhi. I do not fear you." A chill went up Xan's spine as Maiyn spoke again. She was focussed, calculating with her response, but she delivered it in a way he'd not seen before. It was almost as if she was detached from her emotions -- had it not been for the brief look of worry when she regarded her sister, he would have believed she'd been drained of her feelings completely.
"You should," purred Bodhi in reply. "You must run my gauntlet to prolong your life. You must do so knowing you have but the slimmest chance to make a difference. Do you see these passages before you? They are the darkest part of the asylum and its history: a test of clarity for its prisoners, by a director that delighted in dissecting the mind. Now he is under my... influence, and this place is mine to control. It is a masterpiece of madness, one that you will come to know intimately. It has been some time since I have given chase to a worthy foe. Enter the maze of this place and seek an exit. I give you time to run, after which I will come to feed."
"We will not perform for you!" shouted Maiyn.
Bodhi laughed. "But you are not running solely for my benefit. I give you a reason as well, to make the hunt more desperate. You may yet foil Irenicus, though the chance is small. His plans will take time, just about as long as my hunt. Run my gauntlet and your life ends... or is freed. The hunt begins!"
Bodhi's form swirled and twisted until she turned into a bat, and it disappeared into the passage she'd used to deliver Imoen and Maiyn from. The girls looked back to each other briefly, then their gaze fell to the rest of their companions, and Maiyn's initial relief was quickly replaced by one of fear and worry.
"Jaheira and Kivan," she said, running over to the others. "Where are they? Please, tell me that haven't-"
"We are fine, child," came the druid's voice as the half-elf sprinted down the stairs with Kivan close behind. Both Maiyn and Imoen were pulled closely into their embrace, and the four figures stood in a tight hug as Minsc threw himself into the mix, roaring his happiness at having found Imoen once again. Anomen stood by Sime looking awkwardly at the reunion as Xan was dragged into it's midst by the berserker, but their feeling of alienation wasn't to last as they were in turn enveloped by the group's display of emotion. Eventually it finished, and they broke apart, where all eyes fell to the sisters.
"Are you all right?" Imoen was looking at Maiyn with worried eyes. "I was so scared... you came all this way to get me and we were almost..."
"Shhhh," whispered the ranger, her arms going back around the young thief as they shared their own embrace. The elf's hold was enough to soothe the human's trembling. "Are you hurt? What did he do to you?"
Imoen shrugged slightly as they pulled apart. "I... I don't know, really," she admitted. "Same thing he did to you, I guess... since we're... the same?"
There were a couple of sharp intakes of breath from their companions; the girls ignored them.
"Maiyn, he showed me what you are and... what I am. And then he took it away." Imoen's voice was small. "I don't know who I am now. You may not feel it yet, but the spell for me made me feel hollow. He took something vital... he says it was my divine soul? I find out I'm a child of a god and now I'm empty and dying. You are too..."
Xan let out a strangled cry, then turned and walked away. He sat on the steps farthest away from the group, deathly pale and shaking. Kivan went to sit beside him as Maiyn spoke.
"We'll survive by helping each other, like you helped me in the dream during the spell."
Imoen looked at her sister with confusion. "The dream? I had no dream during my ritual. Just blackness, and my will draining away. Has this affected you different than me? You have been dealing with the Bhaal essence longer... perhaps you are more focused... Or perhaps it is more focused upon you."
"I don't know," sighed the ranger. "Regardless, we have to get back what Irenicus took from us."
"I agree," nodded Imoen. "Divine soul or not, there is a deadly threat to our mortal lives. I do not look forward to what is coming. I have been getting weaker, Maiyn, and it has only been a few days since they performed the ritual on me. If we don't reverse what was done... if we don't restore our souls... we will probably both die."
"We'll find them and get our souls back," insisted the elf. "We'll not be parted again, and we'll support each other -- we can do this."
Imoen nodded weakly and offered the faintest hint of a smile. Maiyn felt Jaheira pulling at her arm, and allowed herself to be led to her equipment. The druid followed her, leaving the human with the others.
"So, Imoen really is your sister, after all?" asked the half-elf quietly. Maiyn nodded.
"I... I didn't even think..." said the ranger softly. "She... she's so..."
"Innocent? The taint must have been hidden deep within her."
"I'm frightened for her."
Jaheira reached out and squeezed the ranger's hand. "Now you know how we feel for you," she said knowingly.
Maiyn smiled ruefully, and looked back to her sister. The thief was smiling to Minsc as Sime and Anomen introduced themselves, and seemed to have brightened up already. "I think I do," she agreed, bending to pick up her possessions.
"So, you're a Shadow Thief, and you're a member of an Order of Knights?" asked Imoen. Anomen and Sime nodded.
"I guess they say opposites attract," she remarked casually, then burst out giggling at the horrified expressions she faced.
"My lady, there is... that is to say, although Lady Sime has proven to be a valuable ally, there... with us... there..."
"What he's trying to say," interrupted Sime, "is that we're nothing more than travelling companions."
"Yes," agreed Anomen with relief. "That is all I meant."
"Well, it's nice to meet you both," grinned Imoen, "and it's especially nice to see you again Minsc!"
The berserker beamed down at the girl, then swept her up for a bearhug, causing her to squeal with surprise. "Minsc and Boo have missed the little Imoen!" he declared, setting her safely back onto her feet.
Imoen reached out and scratched Boo's head gently. "The feeling is entirely mutual," she assured him, then smiled over to Jaheira. The druid returned her warm expression and set about tending Maiyn's wounds -- when she found out that Yoshimo had caused them, her expression turned dark.
"He will answer for his actions," was all she said on the matter, before murmuring a prayer to Silvanus as she let her hands dance along Maiyn's torn skin. Sime shifted uncomfortably in the background, but the ranger caught her eyes and smiled slightly.
"It is good to see you, Sime," she said quietly. "I'm glad you're still with us."
Her words were filled with such sincerity that the Shadow Thief relaxed slightly, and relief began to pour into her.
"I'm glad I'm still here to help you however I can," she replied.
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"She is back now, mellonamin." Kivan settled himself down beside Xan, watching the group from a distance. Jaheira had taken Maiyn to her equipment and seemed to be in control of the preparations to move on.
"She has lost her soul," replied Xan quietly. "She is doomed to die."
"You've been telling her that non-stop for over a year," shrugged Kivan. "You should have had the time to get used to the idea."
Xan sighed. "There was... hope, then," he muttered. "Now... now there is nothing but an empty shell. You did not see how she reacted to Bodhi -- she was different. It was not the Maiyn we know."
"It is to be expected," reasoned the ranger. "That is why we are here, though -- to help her, to prevent the taint from getting a tighter hold on her than it already does."
"And what chance does she have when she has no soul -- no real feeling or emotion left inside? There is nothing left to fight it in her."
"She's stronger than you give her credit for. But... you are correct. That is why we need to help her to find Irenicus quickly. Time is now more important than ever."
"What's the point?" Xan looked over to their leader, and Kivan could see the fear in his eyes.
"Because there is still hope. Because we all love both her and Imoen, and we don't want them to die." Kivan stood up and offered a hand to Xan. "Come -- you will feel better when you speak to her."
The enchanter accepted the hand and pulled himself to his feet, but he looked unconvinced by his kin's words. With another mournful sigh, he followed back to the others, lingering on the fringe of the group and deliberately avoiding eye contact with Maiyn. Within minutes he found Imoen standing next to him, and he started in surprise.
"Hey Xan," she said, trying to smile. He returned the effort weakly.
"How are you feeling?" he asked politely.
"I've been better, ya know?"
Xan nodded uncomfortably.
"I'm glad you're still with us," continued Imoen, almost awkwardly. "I mean... I know Maiyn's always been close to you, and I'll never forget that you helped me with my spells when I was first trying to learn magic. I mean, what I'm trying to say is... it's good to see you again. And I know my sister will appreciate you still wanting to help her."
She moved away before he could reply, and he took a deep breath as he braved his fears and looked to Maiyn. She'd put her armour back on, and loaded up her pack ready to move off. Jaheira and Anomen were talking through something with her while the others sorted themselves out around them. Her eyes slowly moved towards him, then met his own and for a second it felt like his world had stopped. She smiled, and her eyes seemed to light up, causing his fears to lessen for a bit. But then it passed as he looked more carefully; her eyes, which had only been tinted with yellow before, now shone with a golden ferocity that he'd only seen once before.
She had the same eyes as Sarevok had when they battled him.