A/N: I seriously am not deliberately dragging this out -- I did think all of this would fit into one chapter, but it'd be an incredibly long, rambling one, and I'd feel pressured to cut some things out that I don't want to, so... let me say once again -- next chapter (!) should be the one some people are waiting for, and it won't be long in coming. I start my new job (less time to write!) tomorrow, so I'm determined to get it done by then, if at all possible :)


General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.

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Vampires

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Bodhi flapped her black wings as she travelled along the many passages of her lair. They'd breached the outer defences quicker than she'd expected them to, though she was hardly surprised to find that they were pushing on, further into her trap. They were foolish to think they could succeed... but she supposed they had no choice, really. At least, the two young girls didn't -- their comrades were foolish to seal their own fates by blindly following them.

Her primary concerns, of course, were Maiyn and Imoen -- the two who would fight hardest. There were others, more skilled in the group -- Bodhi had done enough homework to know them well from afar, and she was looking forward to having a prime position to watch them fight, though she was sure that they would fall before they reached her sanctum. It was a pity, really... in a way, she almost hoped one or two of them would get that far, to see what she had in wait for them.

The druid was working with the raven-haired thief girl. Bodhi had wanted that girl as one of her own for a long time, but she'd resisted every charm spell they'd tried, much to the vampiress' annoyance. She was skilled with her weapons -- her aim with the bow was deadly, Bodhi already knew this -- but now she watched as the girl expertly fought with a shortsword in her main hand, and a vicious looking cat o'nine tails in her other. She had a finesse in her style that the vampire liked; it was complemented, nicely, by the druid's own fighting style -- more aggressive, yet still controlled.

The half-elf's club was covered with spikes, and they tore at the skin of Bodhi's fledglings, causing many shrieks of pain and irritation. With the other thieves acting as support, this particular section of the group were able to make their way along one of the main passages steadily, suffering little from the attacks of their aggressive foes. Bodhi cared little -- the further in they managed to get, the more they'd suffer.

She whirled away, flapping her wings as she glided along the passage, seeking out the others.

-----------------------

"Pull back! Raise shields!"

The vampiress watched the shining knights with amusement. They huddled around two of their own -- one of them was the cleric who travelled with the ranger girl and her companions, and the other was obviously some other nameless runt from their oh-so precious organisation. They were rigidly in formation, refusing to break, no matter what was thrown at them.

And considering they were taking the main route towards her sanctum, there was plenty standing in their way.

She was disappointed to note that the faith of the priests was strong enough to destroy her weaker children outright, though, and most of the other undead. But still -- there were her pet Grimwarders, who resisted the holy power being thrown around by the excitable priests. Their arrows were gliding beautifully through the air, managing to find and penetrate the small gaps in the armour of the warriors; and so, their neatly held formation was broken, as the leading paladin -- wielding... Carsomyr?! Bodhi recoiled slightly as he charged forward to meet them. The priests were exposed -- more of her children moved in.

She hissed to herself at the discovery of the paladin's weapon and flapped away -- he would have to be watched if he managed to reach her sanctum... a sword such as that was not one Bodhi was willing to face.

-----------------------

Coran ran to the Council of Six building, trying to push his way past the guard standing outside the closed doors. The sentry just scowled at him, pointing roughly to a sign on the wall: These doors close upon the fall of night each day, and business assumes at dawn, the next morning.

"I need to speak to Is... Lord Roenall," muttered the elf, desperately trying to stay patient. The guard shrugged unhelpfully. "Look, if you at least tell me if I can find him here tomorrow-"

"Not here, no," the man interrupted. He's got a city estate just round the corner, and he'll be doin' his business from there for the next tenday or so, I'm led to believe. Might want to try an' make an appointment in the morn."

Coran smiled. "Thank you -- you've been very helpful."

The guard just nodded as Coran wandered in the direction that he had jerked his head. He rounded the corner, passing under a few bare branched trees, and eyed the house ahead. There was no fence -- no real grounds to talk of, but it was the only residency nearby. It had to be the place.

Stealthily he crept towards it, making sure to stay concealed in the shadows whenever possible. He skirted around the side, peering into the windows as he passed, but dismayed to notice nothing but empty rooms. Lights on the second floor, however, betrayed the chance of someone within.

There was ivy across the back wall -- spread so far over so many years, it provided an excellent means for the nimble elf to clamber up to peek into the higher windows. In the third one was his target -- Nalia sitting on the edge of a bed, looking fretful. He'd known there was a reason he'd headed towards the only barred window of the building.

He briefly pondered letting her know he was there, but opted against it in the end. There was no way to be sure how well defended she was, but he had little choice with what he had to do. He carefully made his way back down to the ground, then searched for the side-entrance. The cook's door was the least secure of them all, and it only took him a few minutes to pick the flimsy lock, sneaking into the warm but empty kitchen. Without another thought, he plucked a potion from one of his pockets, and smiled as he took a small sip.

Carefully, he moved forward, checking his reflection had disappeared in the window -- it had. Silently he pulled free the dagger he always kept in his belt, inching forward towards the hall. It was a notable risk he was about to take, but he had no choice. He couldn't wait around for the authorities to help Nalia in her bid to escape, but nor could he leave here there, doomed to a potential life of misery with a man she hated.

She was his ward!

-----------------------

Ah... the large berserker warrior and his young mage charge had arrived in the lair. Imoen didn't look as nervous as Bodhi had expected her to, which amused the vampiress somewhat. Her guardian had entered his awful, crude rage, roaring loudly as he swung his sword around at whatever got close enough to strike. Effective, but... primitive.

Bodhi then noticed three other figures following them -- the other elves, including their errant leader! She'd recovered from her change, once again, though the strange looks she was earning from her companions meant that they had not. The mage and the other ranger were quickly involved in the battle as the group took yet another different way to her lair. The two fighting men pushed the skeletons and mummies back as they attacked, allowing Imoen and the gloomy elf to follow behind them, casting their spells whenever they had a chance. Bodhi approved -- there was a good chance they'd be low on components by the time they reached her sanctum.

But what was this? Their leader wasn't following them -- her arm was being held by another, a green-robed man. He was pointing to another corridor -- little less than a crack, really, in Bodhi's recently refurbished and re-planned crypt. How curious! She had not expected any of them to even notice it, let alone consider that route, but the man appeared to be very persuasive.

They disappeared into the darkness and Bodhi span away, swiftly making her way along the high-ceilinged passage towards her sanctum. This was something she did not expect at all.

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"Behind you!"

Jaheira turned at Sime's warning, bringing her club up to knock aside the vampire that had been bearing down upon her. Its body instantly disappeared into a swirl of mist that drifted away from them, like so many others had done previously. The druid didn't have time to watch where it was going, though -- a gargled cry told her than another of the thieves had come to harm, and she leapt towards his attacker, swinging her weapon with ease and determination.

Sime cracked her whip, nicking her own foe in the face, making it pull back slightly. This gave her the time she needed to duck the blow from the other by its side, using her sword to run it through. Quickly, she then pulled away to the side, ready for the scarred one to try another strike. It never came, though -- one moment it was there... the next moment it'd exploded into a thousand pieces, covering the young girl in various pieces of flesh. She looked disgustedly at Anomen as he appeared from the other side of the passage.

"I know I should be thanking you," she said wryly, "but part of me wonders if that was deliberately done."

The priest grinned slightly at her. "Nay, my lady -- simply the most effective way to combat these foul creatures."

Sime nodded, dashing away to help Arkanis, her fellow thief, as he became cornered by more of the beasts. The other members of the Order poured into the area, causing Jaheira to smile with relief slightly, and soon the ante-chamber was clear. The druid walked forward to Ajantis and Anomen, beckoning Sime to join them. The paladin was examining a large door set into the stone, blocking off their further pursuit.

"Can you open that?" Anomen asked Sime. She frowned slightly, joining the paladin in his examination, but ended up shaking her head. "From what I can determine," she said thoughtfully, "it'll only open at the touch of the individual it's been attuned for."

Jaheira and Anomen exchanged glances, then spoke at the same time. "Imoen."

-----------------------

There had been nothing in their way as they crept along the dark corridor, Maiyn leading the way, Xzar close behind her. Eventually it opened up into a smaller room, and she stopped cautiously, frowning slightly.

"What is it?" he whispered.

"I heard something," she replied, her voice low. Instinctively her hand drifted beside the hilt of her sword, and they stood there for several moments waiting. Something darted from the darkness, turning to look straight at her -- then it lunged.

She pulled her sword free clumsily, staggering backwards at the sheer speed it had demonstrated -- but it never reached her. She saw it, seemingly slammed against the wall by some power, with Xzar's hand pointing at it.

"Finish it off," he commanded her. She nodded nervously, cautiously making her way over to the writing creature.

Kill it. The presence was still there, but she didn't have time to dwell on it, nor was she in a position to argue with its decision. She drew her blade back and plunged it into the vampire's chest. It melted into a mist, drifting away down the passage. She was about to follow, when Xzar encouraged her to stop.

"Come back here."

She did what she was told -- in reality, a sane Xzar was slightly frightening and she'd been left alone with him and his rather impressive powers. She wasn't sure what, exactly, she feared more -- Bodhi's pets, or her current magical companion. But her suspicion of the Zhent was soon slightly diminished, as two more figures appeared, moving more carefully than their predecessor. Xzar smiled cruelly and flicked his wrist as he pointed to the nearer. It stopped immediately, then slowly turned around to its comrade and leapt for it with a snarl.

Maiyn watched in morbid fascination as the two undead fought, one under Xzar's complete control, the other confused by the turning of its companion. When only the one loyal to the necromancer remained, he gave her the same instruction. "Finish it off."

She nodded, her throat feeling very dry as she moved forward. This one was not being restrained by him at all -- it just stood there, watching her with its red eyes slightly glazed. There was no guarantee he'd be able to keep its hold on it, and no guarantee he'd not just leave her to get close enough before he broke his control. Her hands trembled slightly as she got closer, drawing her sword up high. It kept watching her as she moved slowly, and its eyes began to flicker. The glaze shifted slightly, sometimes flickering away completely. She hesitated in her move, a horrified expression on her face as she watched it. Then it smiled.

Its hands were around her throat before she knew what had happened, and she was knocked to the ground. She screamed, dropping her sword in her surprise, but then... it was gone. She stayed still on the ground, breathing heavily as Xzar loomed over her.

"I have no patience for those whom are weak," he said calmly. "I would not have broken my control over it, had you followed my instruction swiftly. Now, get up -- we are close to our destination... I am sure of it."

Why are you allowing this?

She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the words in her head.

You are allowing this inferior being to command you?

She picked up her sword.

Why? Why do you let others tell you what to do?

She closed her eyes. Like you? she thought, not even knowing if it'd work. There was a silence -- she could communicate with it...

I know what is best for you.

She sighed, ignoring Xzar's raised eyebrow, and stalked past him. She didn't like any of this at all.

-----------------------

The various spells flying form Imoen and Xan's fingertips were enough to weaken the undead, leaving them as easy targets for the combined attacks of Kivan and Minsc. Their progression through the catacomb was steady, and the elven ranger could see a chamber ahead of them.

"Where'd Maiyn go?" came Imoen's voice, suddenly.

Kivan dodged the raking claw of one of the mummies, and glanced backwards -- sure enough, there was no sign of her, or the Zhent mage. He grit his teeth grimly, helping Minsc to finish off their closest foes before replying.

"They must have become separated from us," he remarked. Xan groaned loudly and Imoen looked fearful. "We'll head to the chamber ahead -- I can hear others there, so they may have passed us somehow, and we might find out other companions."

Imoen nodded, following Minsc as he strode along, Xan behind her. Kivan took up the rear, listening intently for anything suspicious nearby, but he could hear nothing except for the sound of them moving, and the vague chatter coming from ahead. Minsc's cry of delight heartened him somewhat -- he noticed Jaheira as they got closer, the two knights beside her, and Sime examining a large door as she spoke softly to another thief by her side. He scoured the others quickly -- various paladins, clerics and thieves, but no sign of Maiyn or Xzar. He approached the druid swiftly, Imoen close behind him.

"Maiyn is not with you?" he asked urgently. The half-elf shook her head, frowning slightly.

"We thought she was with Minsc and Imoen."

Kivan sighed. "She was -- we think Xzar persuaded her to take an alternative route-"

A scream was heard. Imoen jumped, clinging to Jaheira's arm. "Maiyn!" she shouted.

"Minsc and Boo shall blindly charge on-"

"We're under attack!" Sir William's voice was steady, and loud enough to let everyone present know. Immediately the members of the Order formed themselves into two groups, ready to face off against the two large passages leading into the cavern. Jaheira pulled Imoen behind them, nodding to Sime as the rogue delved into the shadows with her comrades.

"Stay here with your witch, Minsc," Kivan advised calmly. The berserker looked confused for a second, then nodded, charging towards the first of the creatures to appear, as Xan made his way over to Imoen, desperately scrambling through his component pouch. The elf took one last look around; Ajantis and Carsomyr were easily tackling the foes at one of the corridors, and the enraged Minsc was doing almost as well at the other side. Kivan nodded to himself, happy that the amassed force could handle the attacks without him, and he slunk into the small crack that he had noticed only moments before.

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The guard fell to the floor quietly, the knife in his back being pulled out swiftly by Coran. Quickly, the elf eavesdropped at the nearest door, but heard nothing overly suspicious. A small peek through when he opened it a crack revealed nothing but a large cupboard; he felt someone was certainly smiling down on him, and his fingertips brushed the pendant of his Lady before he bundled the guard's corpse into the closet. There was some blood staining the rug, annoyingly, but it couldn't be helped -- it was also a lot less noticeable than a dead guard.

He'd not found anyone else on the ground floor at all -- most of the rooms were dark and empty, though richly furnished; with thick rugs, valuable looking busts and statuettes, and beautifully ornate paintings. Coran had taken a few of the smaller items that would fit into his pack and pockets, then watched the man for a while. Only the stairs seemed to have merited a guard; a lone figure dressed in the Amnish army's colours and uniform, seeming to be bored with his current posting. Coran was only to happy to put him out of his misery, pocketing his knife again and holding his hand out to check he still was invisible.

Happy with the potion still in effect, he stalked up the stairs towards the landing, cautiously peering around to see another two figures standing outside a closed and padlocked door. Cunning, he thought to himself -- Isaea obviously knew of Nalia's less refined habits, and had made sure his men were, in turn, also aware, providing a lock she couldn't work her skills on. He crept forward again, using every elven blessing he'd been born with to stay low and quiet. Only as he approached the nearest guard did he pull out his knife, thrusting it deeply into the man's abdomen.

His companion leapt back, drawing his sword as he wildly looked around for the unseen attacker. Coran left the knife where it was, aware that the remaining guard was watching it for movement, and instead he manoeuvred himself around, slowly and quietly, until he was standing at the man's back. With a smile, he pulled the cheesewire he'd borrowed from the kitchen from his pocket, standing up slowly. He saw his shadow beginning to form from the lantern behind him, and a slight movement in the guards head told the elf that he wasn't the only one. Swiftly he raised his arms, throwing the loop over the man's head and pulling against it tightly.

The guard's sword clattered to the ground, his hands desperately clawing at the pressure against his neck. Although not the strongest of elves, Coran's determination gave him the edge, and eventually the body felt limp, sliding to the ground as the thief let goof his impromptu weapon.

A quick rummage through the bodies revealed the keys to the door and the padlock. There was no sign of Nalia's pack or spell component pouch, and Coran swiftly went through the other rooms in search of them -- they were, as he'd expected, in what appeared to be Isaea's own room. A magnificently carved four-poster bed was the centrepiece, gold gilding shining softly from the moonlight pouring in from the huge glass doors that led out to a marbled balcony, covered with plants in terracotta vases. Mahogany chests and wardrobes lined one of the walls, and a desk had been pushed up near to a fairly large window. Coran approached it, seeing the view it offered; the parks of the government district were in plain view, and he imagined it would be quite a pleasant scene to have before you for a sunny afternoon.

His eyes drifted down to the desk itself -- some papers had been neatly stacked, accounting for some business Roenall was involved in. The elf had little interest in it all, but his curiosity pushed him into searching more thoroughly, almost rummaging through the available materials. He found a leather covered book, a velvety bookmark helping it to open up at a half finished page. Written on the page, in neat handwriting, was a long ledger of payments and expenses accrued by a certain part of the man's trading. Coran could barely contain his smile as he read it. So, Lord Roenall... we deal in slaves, do we?

A scratching noise brought him back to the present -- he pocketed the book and snatched up Nalia's pack from the other side of the desk. Thankfully, he realised, her spell component pouch was inside it. He realised the scraping noise was being caused by the girl, herself, as he approached her door. Swiftly he unlocked the padlock, discarding it to the side before using the other key -- faintly glowing in the dimness -- to open what appeared to be a lightly enchanted lock. For a second, he imagined it only working for Isaea, but evidently he was wrong -- the door swung open, causing Nalia to stumble backwards. Relief flooded her face as she realised who was standing in the doorway, and she threw herself forward onto him, her arms clasping around his neck tightly.

He returned the embrace with a grin. "Come," he whispered into her ear. "We should leave before we're caught."

-----------------------

Maiyn breathed in sharply, tensing at the figure approaching, before Kivan's soft, melodic voice penetrated her defences. She closed her eyes, exhaling deeply and allowing herself to relax slightly as he approached, a concerned look in his eyes. He looked briefly at Xzar, then returned his attention to her, speaking in elvish.

"You are not hurt?"

She shook her head, offering a weak smile. "Where are the others?" she asked, using the common tongue to appease Xzar. The necromancer was tutting softly behind her.

"Not far ahead of us." Kivan followed her lead in language choice, but he completely ignored Xzar's impatient tapping. "They are fighting the last of the creatures."

"The last?" the Zhent asked. "Do you know for certain that those are all that is left?"

Kivan looked up to him slowly, and Maiyn extended her hand, shaking her head at him. "Let us go to help them," she said firmly, some of her confidence returning -- the voice in her head was subdued, now, at least, and she was no longer alone with Xzar. The male elf nodded his agreement, moving back slightly to allow her to go past. He motioned for Xzar to do likewise, and the necromancer nodded his head graciously, barging Maiyn out of the way as he wandered onwards towards the safety of the group. The girl rolled her eyes slightly, then paused suddenly; something didn't feel right.

Her eyes met Kivan's -- he'd been looking back into the cavern, and now the grip on his spear was tight... defensive. "Go," he whispered. "Go to the others, and I will delay these creatures."

"I'm not-"

"Go," he said strongly. "Ensure the others have faced their other battles victoriously -- we cannot be attacked on all sides if they are struggling."

"Let me stay here with you, then -- you cannot take them all on at once!" She closed her eyes, rapidly murmuring a prayer to Fenmarel. A bluish glow wrapped itself around Kivan as the deity provided him with some protection from the undead. He smiled at her.

"Go," he repeated again. "I will not be far behind -- I promise."

She hesitated, only moving when he gently pushed her away, turning back quickly to defend himself from the first creature's attacks. Xzar had disappeared -- they had no other back up, unless...

I am still here.

She left her sword, closing her eyes. It wouldn't take long to do it...

"Maiyn, no!" Kivan's voice jerked her from the daze she'd allowed to surround her. One vampire fell to the ground, immediately melting into a mist, as he shook his head at her, his eyes reproachful. "Do not use that! Go -- ensure the others are safe, then direct Ajantis and Minsc here when you can -- I will hold them up as best as I can, until then."

She nodded, her mind racing -- she barely registered herself as she ran through the narrow corridor, and she had no idea how long it lasted, or how far she had to go before she emerged into the cavern, where Ajantis seemed to glow in a terrifyingly bright light. His sword swung in the air, almost in slow motion, neatly cleaving the last of the creatures in the cave in two, and as he turned to look at her, he frowned slightly. She felt the heat from his weapon... it glowed brighter at her, so bright she had to shield her eyes.

"What is wrong, child?" Jaheira was beside her. She blinked a few times, trying to remember... she needed to say something, but she couldn't remember what...

You are weak, my child.

"Where's Kivan?" Imoen's voice reminded her.

"Behind me... through the crack," she managed hoarsely. "He's holding them up, but there... there are so many..."

Jaheira immediately called for the knights to go to his aid, her arm going around Maiyn's back as she pulled the ranger away from the scene, to let the men past. Only a few had breached the narrow entrance to the tunnel when there was a thunderous roar from somewhere in the complex; dust careered down the route she'd just used, billowing out into the cavern as the knights pulled back, covering their faces from the debris.

"Kivan!" Maiyn tried to pull away from Jaheira's grasp, but the druid held onto her firmly, a concerned look fixed to the collapsed passage. Several of the thieves tried to make their way through, but they shook their heads to Sime; the girl nodded quietly.

"It's completely blocked," she said. "There... there's no way back there."

"The other side," cried Maiyn. "There's a way down from the entrance... Kivan is there!"

Ajantis signalled for Sir William to take some of the knights to search for the other entrance, and the men swiftly made their way down into the gloom of the tunnel, Minsc refusing to be left behind. Maiyn pleaded to go with them, but Jaheira shook her head, sitting by the ranger's side and holding her close. Xzar was watching the scene with a strange expression while Anomen and Imoen stood hand in hand, their eyes fixed to the route the departing knights had taken. Xan stood to one side, looking paler than ever before, and just behind him, Sime quietly conversed with her companions, sending a couple to accompany the knights stealthily, to provide assistance if it was needed, but even her eyes were full of worry.

"We wait," said Jaheira, her voice cracking slightly. "We have injuries to attend to before we go on, and we will not move while our forces are split."

Silently, the healers got to work, tending the injuries that had been accumulated by the group. Jaheira gently disentangled herself from Maiyn, calling Xan over in her wake, as she moved to perform what assistance she could. The enchanter sat down awkwardly beside Maiyn, saying nothing. She barely even registered his presence... inside, there was a debate raging on that no one else was aware of.

Who was he to tell you what to do?

He is my friend. I trust him.

He will be dead by now, and it is your fault. Your fault for not taking control of the situation and using the power offered to you.

No... no, it's not my fault.

Do you truly believe that?

Xan's hand found hers as her sobs became more frequent. He spoke to her soothingly, using his free hand to push the hair from her face, but she didn't seem to be aware of him at all. Helplessly he sat there, his gaze alternating between the passage the knights had taken, and the trembling form of Maiyn as she lay helplessly beside him. None of them noticed the bat flapping past them, far overhead.

-----------------------

Bodhi initiated the change back to her humanoid body in the safety of her sanctum. She was pleased -- although neither Imoen nor Maiyn had fallen in the battles against her outer defences, one of their elven companions had. If only her mage had acted quicker, then she may well have been fortunate enough to catch the elven girl in the blast too, but... no matter. It would be more satisfying to kill the demoralised nuisance with her own claws.

She looked around calmly. The most powerful of her children surrounded her now, and the most powerful of their own stood by their sides. Valen was at the back of the room, almost shrouded in shadows; by her side was a former Shadow Thief, a girl by the name of Anishai. A skilled warrioress with more than a smattering of guile, she had been an excellent addition to the ranks, and Bodhi had been proud of her underling's choice.

Standing by the large pool of blood was Parisa; tall, handsome Parisa, who Bodhi had taken as her lover on more than one occasion. He looked confident when their eyes met, and his lips curled up into a small smile. He was patient enough to wait with his own new pet -- a tall and powerful man that they'd 'rescued' from slavery to one of the city's nobility. Bodhi knew her lover had made an inspired choice for his own child, and she'd shown her approval on several occassions since the discovery.

Then there was Hareishan... loyal Hareishan, who was perhaps, the most vicious of all the creatures present. Her thirst for blood was rarely quenched, and her predatory nature had ensured that she would always be one of the favoured in Bodhi's lair. She'd been found, washed from the mine in Cloakwood, and beyond most normal means of resurrection, by some of Bodhi's employed hunters; they'd recognised the potential, quickly ensuring she reached their mistress. It had almost been too late to bring any life to her at all, however, but the former mage was reluctant to remain dead. She had embraced her undeath more quickly than any of the others had.

And then there was her choice of pet... the small halfling. At first, Bodhi had been angry at the waste of one so talented, choosing something as useless as her own. But then she'd realised... it was the halfling that had travelled with Maiyn, briefly -- the one whose path crossed with her frequently. He was vicious, predatory... everything his new mistress was, and Bodhi realised -- they complemented each other perfectly.

They would be her secret weapon, as well as the other vampires -- the more powerful ones who had been granted a place in her sanctum, amongst the Grimwarders and skeletal warriors. She knew the party would wait before storming in -- if only to grieve for their fallen companion. But she didn't mind... she could open the door whenever she wanted, take them by surprise... But where was the fun in that? She was the powerful one here -- she was the one in control. She'd show that to them, as they died -- as they became her children, and the two girls evaporated to dust -- she'd make them realise how foolish they'd been to pursue her.