The creaking of the massive double doors that composed the gates into the court of the Palace of Suldenesselar was a sure sign of someone who had been fortunate enough to receive an audience with the Queen herself- or someone who was bold enough to approach her without permission. Queen Ellesime, ruler of the elven city and daughter of the Seldarine, had experience with both in the past few months. Still, the one who approached stopped far beyond her presence, bowing in submission and speaking loudly enough that he might be heard across the court, unwilling to approach his ruler without her permission or invitation.
"My Queen... Greywulf is here-"
"To speak with me. I know... send him in." she said, remaining seated at her throne, the elven guard turning on his heel to stride back to the Bhaalspawn, to let the half-elf pass into the presence of similarly divine blood. She closed her eyes as the faint murmurings of her guard and that of her guest echoed outside the palace court, followed by the sound of his footsteps cracking across the stone floor as he walked a straight and narrow path toward her throne. The glass windows embedded in the ceiling of the palace let the sunlight grace her throne at the peak of the day- it was close enough to let the light blaze upon her and it made for a most illustrious sight, even if the glare from above made seeing anything outside of the pillar of light a somewhat difficult task.
As it was, Ellesime did not bother to squint; she knew the figure that approached her throne. Though there was no reason to fear, Ellesime could not help but feel a hint of fearful symmetry in what she witnessed now with what she had seen just months ago. Jon Irenicus, approaching her in the midst of the siege of Suldenesselar, striding through the court with his head high, unafraid of her or what he was about to do. The Exile had been powerful... so powerful with the stolen Bhaal taint flowing through his veins that even she could not stop him from taking control of the city. And now, coming to rest before her, only a handful of feet away, stood Greywulf, once more in possession of the taint and a sorcerer with powers that came close- perhaps not equaling, but remarkably close- to that of Irenicus'.
Did she fear him? No... not in the way she had feared Irenicus. But like any being of immense power, he commanded respect. As did she. He bowed slightly, then straightened his back to face her. "Queen Ellesime... you're looking well. I'm glad you agreed to see me."
"After everything you have done for my people- and myself even more so- how could I not?" she smiled graciously, standing from her throne and descending the few marble stairs between them so that she faced him at nearly eye level- he was just taller than her, though that in no way diminished her own commanding presence. By her posture and her tone of voice, however friendly, she made it clear what her position was, and that he had no right to 'demand' anything from her, only request.
Greywulf paused a moment before speaking again. It was true, she was honor-bound to help him in whatever he asked, within reason at least, but the attitude of the elves had... shifted, since their initial defeat of Irenicus. His status as Bhaalspawn had gotten out rather quickly, and the constant battles that were erupting outside the wood had reached the ears of the citizens here. There was no denying that almost every elf in the city walked on eggshells around him and Imoen. It was better with the others, but not by much. The only elves who remained carefully pleasant in their dealings with him were Ellesime herself, and perhaps Priestess Demin. Elhan had never been completely supportive of their presence, nor had he condemned them. Indifference was better than hostility, Greywulf supposed with a sigh as he finally committed himself to what he was about to ask- a request that would most certainly throw more fuel onto the fire of hostility.
"I came here today because I need your help." he began, his hands folded under his robes. "I've had visions... dreams lately. Over the past weeks they've plagued me at night and I can't forget them in the morning. I haven't slept through the night in at least three days."
Ellesime's porcelain features knit in a frown as she considered his words. "Visions... of the future? Or are they more centered around the events of the present? If they concern that which has yet to occur, Dianya of Letherel might have answers you seek-"
"No... it's of the present. At least, I think it's of the present." Greywulf admitted, unable to hide his uncertainty as he brushed a lock of his sandy hair from his face. "Villages burning... men and women dying, trampled underfoot. All so that someone... someone whose eyes I see through, can find one person and kill them."
"And... do you know who this person is? The one being hunted, or the hunter?" Ellesime prodded, but Greywulf could only shake his head.
"I don't know who the hunters are, and I don't recognize the faces of the one who's being attacked- all I know is that they're like me and Im. Whoever is leading these armies is after Bhaalspawn."
Ellesime flinched with that admission, and while she covered it well, Greywulf saw the calculating, the weighing of options that immediately ran through her mind. If someone was hunting Bhaalspawn, holding two of them in her city, just recovering from a nearly debilitating attack by the mage Irenicus... Suldenesselar was not equipped or ready to fend off another full scale assault. Simply put, the Bhaalspawn and his companions could not be allowed to remain in Suldenesselar much longer. Her gaze fell upon Greywulf, and his stomach sank as he knew there would be little chance of him convincing her otherwise now. She had to do what was best for her people, regardless of the consequences for him and his friends. He understood, but that didn't stop the knot of anger from rising up in his stomach again.
"Exactly what is it you wish me to do for you?" Ellesime asked him, turning to present a side-profile to Greywulf as she gazed skyward. "If it is simply a good night's rest you wish, I can enter your mind and try to erect barriers to block out these thoughts... but working within a mind is no small matter. So many things could go wrong-"
"No, that's all right." he raised a hand in deferment. "I simply hoped you might be able to provide some kind of insight... that maybe you could make some sense of what I've been seeing. Why I've had these visions-"
Ellesime sighed, her head dropping to her chest as she went through her options. Greywulf wasn't a stupid man. He knew she would be evicting him from their city before long. This new information, that Bhaalspawn were being actively hunted by armies led by some unknown figure- she couldn't let him stay. And yet, to send him on his way without a shred of information or aid would be unworthy of what he had done for them. She glanced back at him, "I assume this has some connection to your taint... perhaps the visions you see are a link to another of the god-children? I must see these visions for myself to make any kind of prediction."
She approached him, raising her hands towards his head, Greywulf taking a slight step backwards reflexively. "I thought we just talked about the idea of scrambling my head. Don't get me wrong... I trust you, but-"
"I will only be passing through... an observer of sorts. I shall interfere with nothing." Ellesime tried to reassure him. "Your mind contains the key... though if I am to find what I seek I might have to dig even further. Relax... give me access to your innermost being and I shall do what I can to help you..."
Greywulf exhaled, steeling himself for whatever might come about of this melding of their spirits. "All right, but I'm warning you up front, my mind's not always the nicest place in the world. Believe me, I know..."
X X X X X X
The sound of grunts and wood cracking against wood reached her sensitive ears long before she came within sight of the event that was causing such a loud ruckus. Then again, 'quiet' wasn't exactly one of his strong points. Jaheira quickened her pace, slightly curious as to what poor saps Minsc had drummed into sparring with him again today- she let a smile curl the edges of her mouth upward as she spotted three elves in splint mail circling the giant form of Minsc, clad in leather armor and wielding a quarterstaff. His opponents held staves as well, though Minsc's weapon looked particularly small in his enormous grip.
One of the elves bolted toward him from the side bringing the staff in a low sweep meant to take out the back of his legs while another came toward his front with a blow straight toward his head. Jaheira watched with, admittedly, a sense of curiosity and desire to learn, knowing that while she might have been the better of the two in terms of finesse, Minsc's strength was never to be underestimated and his tactics reflected the berserker that lay not-so-hidden beneath his jolly nature. Were it her in Minsc's situation, she might have a difficult time with the fight; the elves were faster than she, and with a numerical advantage of three to one, her best option would be to break their circle around her, then get her back to something solid so she could face all of them at once.
Minsc did nothing of the sort- rather than try and dodge both attacks coming his way and end up taking both squarely, he moved ahead and narrowly dodged the attack aimed at his legs, one that would've knocked him to the ground and made him easy prey for the elven force he faced, as well as making him lose the match. Throwing his shoulder up, it took the hit instead of his head, landing squarely and sending a solid crack reverberating through the air that made Jaheira wince despite herself. Still, the opportunity was there and Minsc did not let it go to waste. He used the part of the staff between his hands to drive into the elf that had struck him, sending him to the ground as he barreled over him. Strength over speed... the essence of Minsc's nature in battle.
The third elf was quick to follow the ranger's attack from behind, his staff hitting the ranger's side before the big man could even think about blocking. The two elves still on their feet began a massive flurry of attacks, their blows dancing and in and out of Minsc's range, trying to keep the big man from using his superior strength against them, and for a few moments, it looked as though they would succeed in bringing him down. Then, with a flash of movement, Minsc managed to grab hold of one of the staffs swinging towards him. It took a moment for the elf holding it to realize what had just happened, before he found himself being flung into the other elf by his own staff. The two tumbled away, leaving Minsc the only one on his feet and the victor of the match.
He grinned, trying not to hold his sides in pain as he helped the elves back up, exchanging words of congratulation and the like as Jaheira strode to them, arching one eyebrow as the elves nodded with respect as they left, leaving Minsc alone in their arena of sorts. Minsc turned to Jaheira, about to speak until he grimaced with the pain of the blows he'd taken in their match. "Ehh... Boo says it is good to see you, though Minsc would very much like to sit down if we are to speak. We are a bit dizzy at the moment..."
Jaheira shook her head, a sigh escaping her lips as she gestured for him to remove his leathers so she could examine his injuries. "Knowing you, the dizziness is the least of your problems after the beating you just took. Why did you not defend yourself? You could surely have blocked many of the attacks headed your way..."
Minsc shrugged, a gesture that made the big man wince, as he removed his shirt, exposing the welts and bruises that were scattered all across his sides and torso. A particularly nasty one was forming on his side, and from the way he was holding himself, Jaheira expected nothing less than a cracked rib. Maybe two. "Minsc waited until they were close enough to strike. He won, is that not enough?"
"Not if I am the one to continually patch you up." Jaheira gathered her druidic magics within, placing her tanned hands over the worst of the injuries and murmuring chants and incantations as the healing power she commanded swept into his body. Minsc exhaled in visible relief as his body knit itself back together, leaving only the barest of traces that he had been injured in the first place. "Perhaps when I am done fixing your mistakes, we should spar. It has been some time since we tested out skills against one another..."
Minsc nodded with a grin and no lack of enthusiasm, pulling away from her as soon as she was finished and taking up his staff again, slipping his leathers on once more. It was all the protection he needed; his opponents usually chose to wear something heavier, to compensate for the great strength behind his blows, allowing him to avoid holding back as much as he might have to otherwise. Jaheira watched with more than a hint of self-assuredness, slipping her own chainmail off and going with simple leathers as well. Minsc opened his mouth to ask if she was sure, but a glare from the druid made his question a moot point.
Without any signal, the two came together in a dance of battle, both accomplished warriors, both so very well acquainted with each other and the way that they fought. A swing wide was followed by a downward strike meant to cleave a gnoll or hobgoblin in two with his massive sword. Even though they were using staffs, the blows came like clockwork, and Jaheira had no trouble anticipating them, parrying one and dodging the other. On the opposite side of the coin, Minsc had little problem blocking Jaheira's attempts at counter-attacking him- her actions and movements were like water, fluid, serpentine. They flowed into one another, her body and spirit linked as she fell into what Minsc could only think of as a berserker rage... without the rage. Like she became one with her weapon, almost. It was a state Minsc admired and thought made her into a fine warrior... which was why, of course, he did his best to stay on the offensive and keep her from finding the time and balance to enter that state.
She came off a block from the ranger, sliding back on the soles of her feet as she fought to maintain her balance. So far it had been a stalemate- she could feel her muscles responding to the adrenaline, her body tightening in the thrill of the duel. She resisted the urge to wipe sweat from her brow, instead choosing to take a lunge forward, stringing the inevitable parry into a low kick where she could try and sweep the ranger's feet out. It hadn't worked for the elves before, but it was true enough that if one was to bring Minsc down, the best way to approach it would be from the legs.
Minsc parried the staff lunge, as expected- Jaheira's eyes widened as she felt a grip of iron snatch her wrist as she began diving for her kick. He'd pushed forward instead of retreating slightly from her lunge, and then taken her by the wrist before she could react. A stupid mistake. Minsc pulled her off balance and prepared to bring a knee around to knock her to the ground- he spotted something that made him pause, hesitate. That moment of hesitation was enough for Jaheira, and with a swinging upwards kick, the tip of her boot impacted with Minsc's chin and sent the ranger stumbling back, releasing the grip he held on her wrist. She fell to a crouch, then rose up with a flurry of swings, each one carried into another. She'd found her balance and with a strong blow to the side, Minsc tumbled to the ground.
The woman exhaled with relief, taking satisfaction in the hard-won victory. They rarely sparred, but when they did, neither of them gave any quarter and it was never an easy match. Quite frankly, she'd thought herself finished when he'd gotten a hold of her. She strode to Minsc, the ranger rubbing his jaw and still blinking away the last few head shots. Extending a hand, she nodded to him as he stood to his feet. "Well fought, Minsc... but you hesitated. Why?"
The ranger did not answer right away, and that in itself made Jaheira's warning senses tingle. Minsc was nothing if not direct, and the slightly ashamed look upon his face did nothing to assuage her curiosity. "Minsc, what is it?"
"Minsc does not wish to intrude if this is none of his business, but... but Minsc noticed that you no longer wear your ring." the ranger stopped, looking fairly miserable that he had even brought up the subject, as though knowing it would be a touchy issue for the druid but unwilling to lie when directly questioned. He was right in one respect- it was a touchy issue, and not one she particularly felt like discussing with the ranger, though she had no one to blame but herself. She'd brought it up, after all. Jaheira glanced down at her bare hand... bare for the first time in years. "I... it has been some time since Khalid passed on. And you know that Greywulf... rather, you know that he is special to me."
Minsc nodded slowly, his shame at bringing the subject up slowly making way for curiosity. "But... eh, Boo says that you did not remove your ring when you and Greywulf first began seeing one another as more than just friends. Why now?"
She grit her teeth, feeling defensive despite herself. No- she'd been trying to work on holding her tongue when frustrated with her companions, especially after the damage she'd done after escaping from Irenicus' dungeon. Things she'd said... no, she was more deliberate with her words now. Not that she'd blunt her tongue completely. "Minsc, suffice it to say that while many bonds surpass death... some do not. And unless I indicate otherwise, I have little else to say of the matter. Shall we go again?"
Her quick diversion away from the topic was received well enough, and Minsc obliged her by effortlessly slipping into a conversation topic completely unrelated to Khalid or her relationship with Greywulf. Whatever that was, at the moment. She wasn't wearing her old wedding band for more than one reason- Greywulf had proposed to her back in the realm of Hell they'd fought Irenicus in, and she'd said yes... but they'd scarcely talked of it since then. Rather, she'd avoided the topic every time he'd tried to bring it up afterwards. And quite frankly, she was willing to avoid the topic in her own mind once more. What better way to take one's mind of something than sparring with a seven foot tall berserker?
X X X X X X
The world felt as though it was spinning, and opening her eyes did little more than show an empty sea of blackness that surrounded her in the void while her consciousness slowly slipped into that of the man before her. In reality, her hands were outstretched and grasping Greywulf's head as she delved into his mind using her magics, but in this world... there. Her body slowly began to take form, and Ellesime smiled as she looked down to see her own body shimmer into existence, the world before her swirling into a deluge of shapes that made sense in some parts and were nothing but mindless gibberish in others. The mind was a difficult place to understand- the forms and the shapes with which it represented itself were never the same between people, and simply keeping oneself from getting lost in the tangle of thoughts and passages was a chore in itself.
Queen Ellesime closed her eyes, stretching out with her feelings, trying to find the presence she sought... there. The taint was the origin of these dreams, these visions; that much she was sure of. A castle with doors opening out of the sides of the walls and spires that were bent and jagged at odd angles was the location where she felt the strongest evidence of the taint. She would begin her search there. Moving through the mind was not like moving through the real world- at the speed of thought, she found herself striding over the open drawbridge of the gates, even if there was no moat below, or even any ground for the whole structure to rest upon.
Ellesime glanced from side to side, watching for any sign of what she sought as she moved through the torch-lit castle halls, following a path of red carpeting that seemed to stretch forever before her, only pausing at seemingly random times to shift direction down side passages that led to more stone halls, each one identical to the last. Greywulf's mental defenses... every wizard had them, including herself. They were taking shape in this way, as a castle's labyrinth; she closed her eyes, focusing her power gently, subtly. It wouldn't do to try and break the walls down- not only would it be detrimental to Greywulf's mind, it would be far more difficult a task than simply finding a way past them.
She could feel her physical self whispering to Greywulf, trying to relax him, trying to help him lower his defenses so that she could proceed further... there. A section of the walls melted away, providing a straight path for her to follow- she felt no hesitation in taking this route, knowing that whatever else happened, Greywulf would be doing his best to aid her. There was little danger so long as he continued to remain in control-
"Who enters my domain?!"
The voice rumbled through the air, and everything around melted away, resolving itself into the shape of a throne room, much like her own in the palace of Suldenesselar. She did not see a speaker- no, there it was. A figure rose from the darkness, hooded and robed before the throne. Ellesime paused, wondering if she should prepare to fight... wait. That voice. It was like the sound of someone trying to deepen their tone, like they were doing a bad impression of a dwarf. The stifled giggles from beneath the robe didn't help either... Ellesime frowned, venturing a guess. "Imoen?"
The figure flashed once, and sitting upon the throne with her legs crossed in front of her was the girl herself, grinning from ear to ear. "Right as rain! Well, sort of. I'm not really Imoen, but it'll make things easier if you just think of me as her. Sound good?"
Ellesime walked to the form standing before her, reaching out with a hand... Imoen snorted a laugh, then took Ellesime's hand, squeezing once as though to assure the elven Queen she was real. "You are part of Greywulf's mind? No... not his mind. His... his soul-?"
Imoen laughed, clapping lightly, obviously impressed. "Yep! Why I'm the form ol' Grey's soul takes, you'll have to ask him that. But yer doing well. I guess yer here to find out about these nasty little dreams he's been having, hmm? I can't much help you with that... ye'll have to talk to our other 'guest.' Come one... I'll show you."
The two women left the throne behind, coming to a doorway with wooden slats and metal braces. It was embedded in a stone wall, and there was an immediate sense of foreboding that nearly overcame her as she drew close. Imoen glanced at Ellesime, noting the immediate twinge of discomfort and almost pain that crossed the elven queen's face. "You feel it too, hmm? Not surprised. It's been a lot stronger ever since I got yanked out of here by Irenicus a while back. I used to keep it under lock'n'key the whole time... s'been a while since it's been that weak. Not that I can't handle keeping it under control, but there are times... well, let's just take a peek, shall we?"
Imoen snapped her fingers and in the blink of an eye, the door disappeared as well as the rest of the room. The world around reshaped and shifted once again, the only constant being that of Imoen, still standing beside her with a look of cautious preparation. They reappeared in a cold dungeon, dank and filled with shadow. The entire room seemed alive with darkness, and if not for the light that seemed to glow around Imoen, it would have been nearly impossible to see anything. Despite herself, Ellesime felt a cold sweat upon the back of her neck. Elven queen or not, this was not the realm she was accustomed to. She took a measure of her surroundings again, this time noting a mangle of twisted iron bars in the corner.
Imoen smiled weakly, seeing where Ellesime was looking. "I told ya... that's where I used to keep him locked away. As you can see... there's no way I'll be able to push him back into that. For now, I do well enough to keep him prowling around down here- I keep him from the surface, he keeps out of my way. Not the best of arrangements, but meh, what are you going to do with a divine taint?"
A booming footstep rumbled behind them, and Ellesime spun in place- and so close it could have licked her, was the massive maw of the Slayer. Ebony eyes stared unblinking into hers, and the long rows of needle like teeth spread wide as it rumbled, "Hnh. The elven queen, here in my domain. I should kill you."
Ellesime unconsciously felt for the power inside her, unsure if it would be enough here, in this realm of the mind and spirit. Fortunately, she had help. "Whoa there, tall dark and gruesome." Imoen warned, stepping between the two as she pushed Ellesime behind her. "She's not here to be yer snack and you know it. There's something she needs your help with. You best cooperate or-"
"Or you'll what?" the Slayer growled, throwing its four arms out to the side and roaring a mocking challenge as it hunched over, the spines running down its back and arms flexing with each breath it took. "You cannot cast me out, that much you have already admitted. You may hold me back, but it is no longer your decision to chain me. If Greywulf desires my aid, he has but to ask, and we shall be one."
Imoen might've continued the argument, but Ellesime was unused to being ignored, even in circumstances such as these. She raised a hand quietly, cutting Imoen's retort off, then boldly stepped up to face the monster once more. "As she said... I need your aid. You ask why you should do anything to help me... perhaps it is worth noting that Greywulf will not leave the safety of Suldenesselar until he knows what path he should take. I am helping him decide this... and until I can know what he has seen in his dreams, I can do nothing. He will remain in Suldenesselar, and you will have no opportunity to take the control you seek. By helping me, you help yourself."
A glimmer of interest passed through the black pits that passed for eyes in the scaled features of the demon before them; it flexed one of its arms, straightening up to its impressive nine feet of height, then bent over so it could look Ellesime squarely in the eyes. "Your strength is great, but in this place... you overestimate your own powers. Still, if you are eager to test your will so fully, I will show you what you wish to see."
A hole in the dungeon opened, a passageway leading even further downward into blackness, into the deepest recesses of Greywulf's mind and spirit. Imoen chewed on her lip in concern, glancing to Ellesime with nervousness. "I dunno about this... if you choose to go down there, I can't follow you in. That's his realm, not mine... and I doubt it's a nice place to be."
Ellesime regarded Imoen for a moment, then smiled weakly, striding towards the void with the Slayer following behind, veritably glowing with dark amusement. "So I've been told."
X X X X X X
Greywulf felt it first. The tremble in Ellesime's hands as she gently grasped the side of his face, the faint twitches of pain and effort that her face betrayed. She was reaching the innermost parts of his consciousness, the places he hid from everyone, including himself. There was little he could do within himself to help her now.
Another tremble, this time bringing a sharp blast of pain through his mind, nearly forcing him to pull away from her touch. What was she seeing-?
Ellesime's eyes flew open as another jolt of energy ignited between them; she withdrew as though she'd been shocked, holding her head with one hand as she blinked rapidly, trying to regain her vision, her focus. He did not approach her, giving the elven queen space, but still asked, "Are you all right? I felt your efforts..."
"I am... unharmed, if that is what you mean." Ellesime breathed, slowly regaining a sense of her former composure. She tried to hide the rapid pounding of her heart, tried to sort out the blur of images she'd tried to absorb as for a brief, terrible instant... she'd felt it. The full taint of Bhaal. The wave of dark energy that ran through not only Greywulf, but Imoen. That ran through every Bhaalspawn on Faerun. It was a feeling like nothing else... like a dark mirror of the oneness she took part of with the Seldarine.
Sensing Greywulf's anxious gaze still upon her, she tried to shake off the lingering fear and dread, searching for a way to aid the expectant man before her. "I saw... I saw others. Other gods among men, destroying one another to claim the Throne of Bhaal. These are the events you witness each night. It is not just the hunting of Bhaalspawn... it is the killing of them by their own kin. The claiming of the Throne is at hand, and you will either hunt, or be hunted."
"But who? Where are they, how can I-" Greywulf stopped himself, noting the pained expression she still wore, the way in which she held herself. "I'm sorry. I just... I don't know what to do. People are dying, and it seems like all I can do is sit here in this city and let it happen. I can't do it. I've got to do something."
"Yes... yes, you do." the elven monarch nodded quietly. "The taint within you spoke nothing of where your murderous kin hide... but the conflict you face will be inevitable. It is in your destiny... and I may have one last method of aiding you in that respect. There is an ancient grove outside the city, where the old elves would go to seek out the wisdom of the gods to find their destiny. The magics there are strong... only the royalty of Suldenesselar has ever been allowed within the wards that protect its borders. In these dire moments, I will grant you access to the grove, though I fear that afterwards, I have little else to lend to your cause."
Greywulf listened with a bitter nod; he sighed, shrugging with forced nonchalance. "So you're saying that once we leave, the gates won't exactly be swinging wide for us to come back."
"No. No, they shall not." Ellesime replied, a sad smile crossing her pale lips. "Go. Seek your destiny. Your time here has ended... and no matter what happens, know that I and this city are indebted to you for all time. You will find your way, that much I trust. As for Suldenesselar... it must be allowed to find its way once more as well. A way of peace, for a time. I'm sorry. We can no longer help you. I will send Elhan and a gathering of my soldiers to lead you to the grove-"
"Don't bother." Greywulf said stonily as he turned his back on her, stalking out of the palace hall. "We'll go alone. It's how we did it against Sarevok, it's how we did it against your Exile, and it's how we'll do it this time. Just point the way and we'll be out of your city by tomorrow."
His cold tones were not undeserved- she did not protest or reply with indignation, though she did not expect him to turn around for one last moment, adding what seemed like an afterthought, almost. "And incidentally... thank you."