Chapter 21: Far from Grace
Sarevok
The drow priestess he had just killed lay scattered in several pieces around him. Wiping at his face with a section of the woman's cloak to clear away the blood running down into his eyes, Sarevok noticed how ineffectual that gesture was when he was practically soaked in crimson.
His rage had been terrible, even by his own standards. It still was, but slaughtering dark elves for the past couple of hours had taken the edge off of it somewhat.
He had been mere seconds away from finally having Ilyrana. That damned Harper, bellowing about the drow raid, wouldn't have been enough to stop him. It had taken Viconia hissing at them from the other side of the bedroom door, urging them to go downstairs before the others came searching for Rana, to actually force him to surrender her. He presumed the drow had been eavesdropping on their activities, though he wondered why she would bother trying to aid in keeping it a secret. It was apparent by now that the cleric had a personal stake in Rana, as most of the others did, but hers wasn't as glaringly obvious as, say, the priest's.
Cutting down one of the males, and clenching his fist at how easy this had turned out to be, he brushed Rana's soul with his half to find her, and then began heading in her direction. He would kill the rest of this rabble and then finish what he started. Gods, he could still taste her, and it made it impossible for him to let go of his wrath. He had been so close.
Another priestess fell before him, whatever spell she had been chanting dying with her, the magic fizzling out in the air around them. Despite how little of a challenge these drow presented, he still enjoyed the fight, albeit not nearly as much as he normally would have.
Rounding a corner, and stepping over the bodies of some of the town folk, he saw that the majority of the raiding party had been focused on The Last Stop, judging by the extensive damage and the congestion of corpses surrounding it. The inn they had previously been staying at, before the girls saw that spider.
He paused at that thought. The drow worshipped the Spider Queen, Lolth.
Spiders…
The one that had been in the girls' room was supposed to have been large. Not one of the giant species, but certainly bigger than normal, and definitely far from its natural habitat.
Approaching the building, he laughed aloud.
Those foolish girls and their irrational fear of arachnids probably unknowingly saved them all.
He briefly wondered what had happened to the paladin and the priest. They had been grouped together until battle had separated them. Which was for the best, as the sound of Anomen's voice did nothing for his mood. He found himself missing the dwarf, Korgan. Of all Rana's companions, he had been the most agreeable to fight beside.
Lightning struck a few yards away, felling a drow he hadn't noticed. The sudden illumination momentarily blinded him, but it was nothing compared to the effect it would have on any of the dark elves nearby. Infravision could quickly become a disadvantage in a fight against any magic-wielder competent enough to call down lightning or fire.
Searching for said magic-wielder, he eventually saw Jaheira standing just outside the inn, calling down the lightning. As he drew nearer, passing by a few smoking craters in the cobblestone, the smell of ozone growing stronger, the druid glanced up and locked eyes with him. Despite the fury still simmering inside him, he grinned at the hate pouring out of her eyes. The sudden impulse to run her through, with no one but soon-to-be dead drow to witness, had him adjusting his grip on his sword. She noticed.
"By Silvanus, I wish you would try it," she spat, her palms glowing as she readied her magic. "Give me an excuse, any excuse, to end you, once and for all."
"Have I not already? The Iron Crisis, Gorion, a handful of other Harpers... forgive me, I never bothered with their names. What more must I do, Jaheira?"
He watched her struggle with her anger, enjoying every second of it.
"Soon, Sarevok, Ilyrana will see you for what you really are and when she does, I'll be there to bear witness for the fallen."
His ensuing laugh echoed out eerily into the night.
"You honestly believe that, don't you? Oh, Jaheira," he purred. "I'll let you in on a little secret. Rana already knows. Foolish woman, why do you think she prefers my company to yours? How many years has she had to listen to your self-righteous prattling? Unable to send you away because you brainwashed her into thinking she actually needed your feeble help. I think we both know your time here is almost up. Not much longer now, and Rana will see who she really needs… and who is just dead weight."
"I vow I will kill you myself before that ever happens. You may have her and some of the others fooled, but I see you, Sarevok Anchev. Even if you succeed in manipulating her into sending me away, and even if I die, you won't ever win. You'll never be a god, and I know Ilyrana. She will never want to be one, either. Which means you will never be anything more than a bad dream come back to haunt us for a time. And when you fade away, again, you will be forgotten. Because you are nothing."
Sarevok lunged forward, his gauntleted hand closing around the druid's throat, squeezing hard enough to ensure no incantation made it past her lips.
The bitch dared say something like that to his face?!
His wrath saved them both.
A white orb of fire slammed into the building, just above the doorway, collapsing the front of the establishment. Both warriors were thrown into the inn proper by the blast, rather than being crushed or incinerated.
His plate armor absorbed most of the damage, only leaving him a little dazed and a ringing in his ears that drowned out most other sound.
Jaheira lay a few feet away, on her back, blood tracking from her ears, and she wasn't moving.
Glancing around, he saw most of the tables and chairs were upturned, windows smashed, and several dozen bodies of the inn's patrons strewn about. Seeing that none of them were any of Rana's companions, he rose to his feet, bringing his sword up with him, and headed towards the stairs.
The Harper was no longer his concern. He was sure now that the woman's influence over his half-sister had waned to non-existence. If anything, her rabid paranoia would further his own ends. The more she harped on Rana, the further she drove her straight into his arms. Assuming, that is, that she was still alive. He couldn't be bothered to check.
The sound of explosions somewhere in the distance broke through the whine in his ears, and he paused to try and discern what they could be. After a moment, they faded, and he moved on.
Dead drow littered the second level, many of them with a single black feathered arrow protruding from an eye or other exposed area on their bodies.
He felt a tap on his soul, and turned towards the room Rana and Imoen had stayed in days before. The door was blown off its hinges, and very little remained of the bed and nightstand. The window was gone, along with a large section of the wall around it.
"Nice of you to join us."
Rana sat atop the dresser, one of her knives spinning through her fingers, her eyes glinting from the taint's reaction to the carnage. Her hair was mussed, her leather armor was bloody, and she had a streak of soot across one cheek. Turning to the only other person in the room, Viconia, who was rifling through the pouches of a headless dark elf, he stabbed his sword into the floor and began removing his gauntlets.
"Get out."
The cleric looked up at him, one eyebrow raised.
"I know you're not speaking to me, male. Don't let our Ilyrana's favor go to your head. Lest you lose both."
"The druid requires your assistance downstairs," he bit out, regretting that excuse to make her leave.
"Is she dying?"
"Hopefully."
Rana cleared her throat and cast him a disapproving look. Such a pity the effect was lost by the humor shining in her eyes.
"Very well. I'll remind you that there are still more drow roaming the town, and the others aren't far from here."
Very soon he was going to have to interrogate Viconia about her protectiveness of Rana and her secrets. But not now.
Tossing his gauntlets down next to his sword, he stepped toward the girl, turning his back on the departing cleric. Just as his hands were about to come to rest around her waist, he felt the prick of her knife at his throat.
"Ah ah. Not a good idea right now, Sarevok. I'm afraid I may have overindulged on the drow and the Slayer is uncomfortably close to the surface. Best to keep your distance."
"While your concern is appreciated, it is unnecessary," he replied, raising his hand to grasp her wrist. "I do not fear the Slayer. You forget, I know how to bring you back from it."
Exerting enough pressure to lower her arm, he was confused to find that it was harder than it should be. Rana noticed his furrowed brow and smirked up at him.
"By overindulged, I mean I channeled the taint more so than was probably wise. If you don't want my knife at your throat, you're going to have to try a little harder than that," she purred.
Which meant she was indeed growing more powerful with the death of the other bhaalspawn. If using their father's power was making her this strong, he could only imagine how much stronger she'd be after killing more of the Five.
And when she's a goddess.
His other hand shot out to fist in her hair, pulling her head back. Letting go of her wrist, he slid his hand to her knee and pushed her legs open, stepping between them. He felt the edge of her steel cut into his skin, deep enough to draw blood.
"I don't have to use brute force to make you submit, pet," he murmured, slowly leaning down to brush his lips against hers.
"Sarevok, this is for your safety-"
He took her bottom lip between his teeth. She stopped breathing. Biting down just hard enough to make her whimper, he used this distraction to grab her knife, prying it from her fingers before she could react. Reaching over, he slammed it to the hilt into the dresser beside her.
He answered her enraged snarl by pulling her against him, lamenting his armor because he couldn't feel her, and kissing her. His hand tightened in her hair when her tongue met his. He felt her gloved fingers brush the stubble on his cheek. Felt her growl of frustration that she, too, couldn't feel him.
The smell of blood and death, the distant clash of steel and the yells of the town guard, all of it reminded him of Saradush. Of the chaos of war. He could think of no one else he would rather be with right now than her.
He ended the kiss long before he wanted to, but now was not the time to lose himself in her. Not with the drow around. Or her companions, though he cared less about that with each passing moment with her. Let them see her with him. He wanted them to know who she belonged to. And that despite how powerful she was becoming, it was he she surrendered herself to.
Stepping back with some reluctance, he grinned at the look on her face.
"Soon," he promised her.
"About that-"
The sound of footsteps rapidly coming up the stairs cut her off. Yanking his sword out of the floor, he turned towards the door, noting Rana had slid off the dresser and taken up her bow.
"My raven, it's Imoen!" Haer'Dalis panted as he reached them. "The taint, it's like before at the hot springs!"
Rana brushed past him to follow the bard. Sarevok followed just behind her.
"What happened?" Rana demanded, and the tiefling began to explain.
Sarevok stopped suddenly as he noticed a shadow moving down the hall, towards one of the last rooms. Turning back, he watched Rana and Haer'Dalis disappear out of a broken window on the ground level. Viconia was bent over Jaheira, presumably healing her.
Rana could handle herself. Especially with this temporary infusion of strength.
Making his way down the hall, past rooms of peasants butchered in their sleep by the dark elves, he reached the last room on the left. The door was closed, and locked. Taking a step back, Sarevok surged forward, throwing his shoulder into it. It crashed open to reveal one of the males, a fighter judging by his armor, lying on the floor, propped up on one elbow, and mortally wounded.
Red eyes locked with his, and the elf hissed out a curse in his mother tongue. Sarevok took note of the gaping stomach wound, and the bone protruding from his shin.
Chuckling under his breath, he turned and righted the door so that it could close as much as it was able. He heard the drow try and scramble up to attack while his back was turned, just as he predicted he might.
His backhand across the elf's face would have been lethal if he had put his gauntlets back on. Instead, it merely dazed him.
"Do you speak common?" He asked it.
The drow spat blood and tried to rise. Sighing, Sarevok pressed his foot down on his shin, feeling the bone poking up into his boot. To his credit, the drow made far less noise than he expected, but eventually, he began to snarl at him in the common tongue.
"Do you belong to Sendai?"
"I'll tell you nothing, human!"
"I was hoping you'd say that."
He regretted that he didn't have the proper tools with him to extract information, but he would make do.
Before the elf could move, he plunged his sword through the wound in his stomach, avoiding the spine. Withdrawing a healing potion from his bag, he knelt beside the gurgling drow, pried his mouth open, and poured half of it down his throat.
Poking at the flesh around the sword, he frowned and forced a bit more liquid into him. Satisfied that he had healed enough that he wouldn't bleed out, but also not be able to go anywhere with his blade skewering him, he drew out his amber and jet dagger.
"Now. I'll ask again. Do you serve Sendai?"
"Do what you will, human scum, I will not talk."
Six fingernails later, Sarevok learned that the drow did indeed serve Sendai.
"Where is her enclave located?"
"May Lolth feast upon your-"
Using one hand to cup the elf's mouth to muffle the screams, he began peeling a section of flesh from his torso. His dagger wasn't ideal for this, but again, he would make do.
"Where is her enclave located?"
When the drow tried to bite his hand, he twirled the knife so that he grasped the blade, then jabbed the drow in the mouth with the handle, knocking out a few of his teeth.
"Where is her enclave located?"
Still nothing.
Running out of skin on the man's stomach, he tapped the shin bone a few times in thought.
"I'll make your death quick and relatively painless, drow, if you tell me what I want to know. If you don't, you'll still die, but not anytime soon. And I have enough healing draught to keep you alive for quite some time."
"Nothing you can do… that's any worse… than what she'll do…"
"You aren't going back, so that's not a concern for you."
"Never tell a human-"
Sarevok took hold of the bone and began to twist.
Eventually, the dark elf told him where Sendai's enclave was. He needed to check, but he was almost certain it wasn't where the map that Melissan had given them said it was.
He felt Rana's soul brush his, perceived her panicked concern for her sister, as well as an underlying need for his presence, for some kind of comfort. Then he felt her recoil away from him. Puzzled at her reaction, he reached out to her, and hissed in a breath at her sudden rage. Flashbacks of being tortured by Irenicus assailed them both as Rana saw what he had been doing to the drow.
Images of knives and scalpels, white hot pincers and foot long needles, swam unbidden into view, momentarily stunning him. Irenicus's face, followed by unimaginable pain in Rana's abdomen, then seeing something so horrible that her mind had blanked it out, leaving him in the dark, filled with her bone-deep fear and suffocating anguish.
The whole thing couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds at best, but when she snapped the link between them, and suddenly the room and the dying drow came back into focus, exhaustion weighed on him as if it had been hours.
Gritting his teeth, he yanked his sword out of the elf's stomach and left, not caring that he'd given his word he would reward any information with a quick death.
When he got downstairs, he saw Jaheira and Viconia talking to Valygar. As he approached, he waited for the druid to start yelling about his attempt to end her pathetic life. When she only glanced up at him in annoyance before dismissing his presence, he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"We need to get Jaheira back to the house," Valygar told him when he saw him. "That blast did more damage than Viconia can heal at the moment. She needs rest."
Was the ranger trying to say that Jaheira had suffered a serious enough head injury that she couldn't remember their little confrontation? He would have laughed if he wasn't somewhat disappointed. He would have liked to have seen who Valygar and Viconia would have believed. All he would have had to say was he had merely been trying to get the Harper out of the way of that blast.
Ah well, she would remember eventually.
"I'll return with her," Viconia stated while hefting her mace. "I'm all but useless until I can rest as well, and I don't wish to be mistaken as part of the raiding party by this town's rabble."
Sarevok and Valygar watched the women leave.
"They'll be all right," Valygar said as if to reassure himself of the fact.
Sarevok snorted and shook his head. He didn't care if the druid died on the way back to the house. He didn't particularly care if Viconia did either, but the prospect of her as an ally, or at least someone who supported his involvement with Rana, did mean he felt somewhat invested in her welfare. He could do nothing to ensure her safety at the moment, though.
Following that slight pull on his soul that indicated where Rana was located, he was thankful the ranger wasn't one for small talk, as he had much to think on and little time to do it.
He hadn't paused to consider how Rana would feel about torturing that drow for information. Logic dictated that they needed Sendai's whereabouts before moving forward. Had she not discovered what he had been doing, he might have been able to discover the extent of Sendai's military might, what kind of allies she had, and what sort of defenses they could expect to face.
Not that he would have actively tried to keep the torture a secret, but he strongly suspected she would have accepted whatever information he had to give her and not ask any questions about how he got it. Seeing it though, through their soul, made it impossible for her to ignore, it seemed.
He felt momentarily concerned that she may try and use it to reinforce the crumbling walls she insisted on throwing up between them. Though, he was confident he could coax her to forget. All he had to do was think about how she had been putty in his hands only hours ago.
His self-assurance flagged when they turned down toward the market square. Or what was left of it.
Smoldering shops, demolished produce carts, and charred corpses of not only drow, but the guard, and the locals, were what greeted them as he and Valygar approached what had been a bustling marketplace before the sun went down.
"What could have done this?" The ranger whispered, an arrow knocked on his bow, while they picked their way through the debris, searching for Rana and the others.
Sarevok didn't answer, because he had an unsettling idea of who was responsible, even if he struggled to wrap his mind around it. Those loud, thunderous booms he'd heard earlier, that's what had caused this.
The destruction worsened as they went through. In some areas, the cobblestone had been reduced to sand, and parts of the bodies appeared to have been vaporized.
"Rana!"
The girl didn't react to Sarevok's call, though she must have heard him. Standing alone within a crater, with her arms wrapped around herself, and her head bowed so that her hair obscured her face, she didn't look up or respond. Her lack of reaction made his unease grow teeth and start to gnaw at him.
"Rana, what happened?" He demanded as they neared her.
Reaching out, he lifted her chin to make her look at him, and the blank starkness that stared back at him could almost scare him.
"Rana? Sweetheart, where's Imoen?" Valygar asked her when she didn't reply.
Wordlessly, she raised her arm and pointed toward a smoking pile of rubble. Beside it, Haer'Dalis and Anomen bent over an unconscious Imoen. The ranger shot him a concerned look, then jogged toward the others to investigate.
"Rana, talk to me. What happened here?" Sarevok asked, smoothing her tangled hair away from her face.
"It's all my fault… I never taught her how to control it. Even after… after Mazzy, the earthquake, I didn't talk to her about it. I've been so self-absorbed. I could have prevented this. She's never going to forgive herself. I have to convince her that it's not her fault. It's mine!"
Rana tried to back away from him, to turn away and hide the tears. Without a second thought, he pulled her to him, knowing that if she shut him out he'd have Hell getting her back. She resisted, but she was tired, her borrowed strength waning by the second, and didn't struggle against him for long. With a sob, she rested her forehead against his breastplate.
"Whatever techniques you've created to control the taint, however it is you've managed to fight it as you have over these years, you cannot expect to teach Imoen these things in time to stop this from happening. She is a mage, I don't know if it's even possible for her to prevent the taint from weaving itself into her magic."
"I should have at least been trying! Every time I lose control, it's only my enemies who suffer for it. I may put my allies in danger, but I've never inadvertently caused their death! And there's never been innocents killed!"
"Bah, they knew what they signed up for! If they still choose to follow you, after seeing the Slayer, then they have already accepted the possibility of dying in your service. And she likely saved more townspeople than she killed tonight, so stop wringing your hands over those worthless lives lost in the crossfire."
Rana hissed and pushed herself away from him, her eyes reflecting the light of the embers scattered across the area.
"It's that easy for you, isn't it? To just write off the lives of these people. There could be children smoldering in this rubble, Sarevok!"
"Yes, it is that easy, little one. Don't pretend that it's not the same for you. You can play at being a compassionate heroine with the others, but don't pull that shit with me. I know better. I know you. You care about your sister's feelings, not about these peasants."
"And the children, my aegisess?"
Hearing those words, that elvish nickname she had given him when they were young, made his blood burn.
My protector.
He'd forgotten she used to call him that. That term of endearment could be almost funny now, after everything, but was he not that once more? Was he not protecting her once again?
Had she not reminded him of their childhood, he would have simply said that children often die in war, she knew this better than anyone. But, he couldn't bring himself to be so callous about it now.
"It's late in the night, I doubt there were any close enough to the market to be caught in this. Worry for the ones being sheltered in their homes. The houses the drow have sacked. I do not believe our sister killed any of them, my dhaer."
My shadow.
He watched the effect her own nickname had on her, saw the way her eyes softened as she gazed up at him, wanting to believe he was right about the younglings. He also saw the moment she remembered him torturing the drow.
Before she could muster her rage, he pulled her close once more.
"Say it again, little one," he murmured.
"What?"
"You know what."
"You get off on this sort of thing, don't you?"
"Yes. Now say it."
Her lips quirked, but her humor faded just as swiftly as it was sparked.
"Don't think I haven't forgotten about the torture. I have strict rules against that, as I explained to you when I allowed you to join me. I should send you away for that."
"Don't play games with me, Rana. You won't. And we both know it."
"No. I won't… my aegisess. But I don't forgive something like that easily. You know better than the rest why I feel so strongly about this."
"We needed the information-"
"And Irenicus needed my soul."
"Do not compare me to him, Rana."
"Then don't showcase the similarities."
"My lady, Imoen is waking!"
She moved to go around him, to go to her sister. He stopped her with a hand on her waist.
"There are no similarities," he growled down at her, refusing to let her walk away from him. "You and I may have been enemies before, but I never would have done the things he did to you, even when I hated you as fiercely as I did."
"What do you want from me, Sarevok?" She asked softly, her voice a direct contrast to her rising fury. "My body. My power. What lengths are you willing to go to in order to possess either? To possess both? Tell me again that you're nothing like him and I'll call you a liar."
"Watch your tongue-"
"My lady, is there a problem?"
"No, Anomen. I'm coming."
Clenching his fist, he turned and pinned the priest with a glowing stare. The other man gripped his mace and shifted his weight, as if he actually had the balls to attack. Sarevok wished he would, wished he could exorcise everything on the fool.
Rana was upset, wasn't seeing things clearly. Once she'd assured herself that Imoen was all right, and had helped alleviate the girl's guilt by taking it upon herself like some kind of Painbearer of Ilmater, she would see that Sarevok had tortured that drow for good reason. That he had done it for her, not because he had desired to.
And that he bore zero resemblance to Irenicus.
His frustration over the past several hours prevented him from even considering if there was any truth to her words. Or, perhaps, there was just enough fear, deep, deep down, that she may be right.
Ilyrana
"Oh, gods! What have I done?! Those people… those poor, poor, people… WHAT HAVE I DONE?!"
Imoen's screaming sobs tore at Rana, and she fell to her knees beside the girl and held her tightly, trying to keep her from falling apart entirely.
My fault. This is all. My. Fault. This is what I get for being so wrapped up in myself, and Yoshimo's letter, and Sarevok. I should have been working with her to fight this.
"Sissy, listen to me-"
"NO!" Imoen screeched, shoving Rana away hard enough that she fell back on one elbow. "Fuck you, Rana! Where were you?! Why weren't you here when they ambushed us?! Why did you stay at the inn, getting your rocks off with Viconia over how many drow the two of you could kill together?! I wouldn't have had to use anything this big if you had been here! Stay the Hell away from me!"
Imoen rose unsteadily to her feet, her eyes red with pain and exhaustion.
"My wildflower, don't blame your sister, she couldn't have known-"
"Don't you dare defend her!"
"Imoen, you need to calm down," Valygar said soothingly. "You'll bring any remaining drow down on us."
"Of course you'll take her side! You've been in love with her for forever! Nothing you say matters, Valygar!"
"That's enough!" Rana snapped, getting to her feet. "You have every right to be upset and pissed off at me, but you're being irrational-"
Before anyone could react in time to intervene, Imoen snarled out a few arcane words, and three magic missiles struck Rana across the chest.
"IMOEN!"
Valygar flung himself on Imoen, pinning her wrists to the ground, his face contorted with rage. Imoen bucked him off as if he weighed nothing. Rising to one knee, her voice rising in a chant, she swung her arm up, fingers pointing at her sister, and a Flame Arrow shot forth.
Rana's defensive enchantments had absorbed most of the impact from the magic missiles, but she had still staggered from the shock of the attack. Sarevok caught her from behind, then shoved her behind him, in time to take the fiery projectile in the shoulder.
"Fucking knock her out!" He roared at Anomen, who had remained still and quiet since Imoen had come to.
The priest cast a Command spell, forcing Imoen to fall asleep. Sarevok withdrew what remained of a healing potion and downed it, scowling down at the slagged remains of one pauldron.
Rana sank to her knees beside her sister, her eyes wide, and her expression hollow and tired.
She knew it was the taint that had goaded Imoen into attacking her, but the gravity of her own guilt shrouded that fact. Her sister was right, if she hadn't remained behind at the inn after clearing it out, if she hadn't stayed to snipe anymore oncoming drow with Viconia, Imoen wouldn't have felt the need to use a spell as destructive as whatever the fuck it was she had used.
"We're going back. Now," Valygar hissed out through gritted teeth.
Sliding his arms under her body, the ranger lifted Imoen in his arms and turned to look at the rest. His face reminded her of back at the hot springs, after telling him they had to leave Mazzy's body behind. Reaching up, she brushed his arm with her fingertips, but he did not acknowledge her.
Sarevok took the lead, sword in hand. Haer'Dalis followed, casting a sorrowful look at his lover, then at Rana, who rose to walk beside Valygar while Anomen took up the rear.
"The fuck was that, Rana?" The ranger snarled.
"The taint, it must still have a stranglehold on her to have pushed her to attack me like that. And to have the strength to throw you off of her. Thank the gods magic missiles and a flame arrow was all she seemed to have left to hit me with."
"Yeah, instead of whatever the Hell it was she used to decimate this place."
"A Meteor Swarm spell," Haer'Dalis supplied softly.
"Um, no. Imoen can't handle a spell that powerful."
"I'm sorry to contradict you, my raven, but she can. I don't know how she managed it, but I remember our red wizard casting it once before, this was the same. Well, that's untrue. It wasn't the same, because this was far stronger, but it definitely was a Meteor Swarm."
"Where the Hell did she learn it?! And what happened here exactly?"
"We heard the town guard shouting for aid when we set off from the inn. When we came to the market, Sir Anomen was already there, attempting to rally them, so we jumped in to help. It looked like we had gotten everything under control, but it was a trap. This sparrow believes they were waiting for you, my raven, and Imoen as well, because several of their priestesses appeared out of nowhere and began hurling spells at her, ignoring the rest of us. While we tried to defend against their onslaught, more of their fighters began materializing out of the shadows on all sides. Nearly all of the town guard that was here was cut down, and those that survived died in the Meteor Swarm that Imoen called down when it looked like we were about to be overwhelmed."
Raw fury coursed through her veins at the very thought of Imoen thinking of making a last stand like that. That she even thought she had to. When Rana was only minutes away from her location, basking in the violence of the night while no one was around to judge her. Imoen was more important than all that. And Rana had failed her.
"This wasn't your fault, Rana," Valygar replied in a low tone after a while. "We all shouldn't have allowed ourselves to become separated. We know better than that. We got cocky, we've overcome far worse odds than a drow raid, so we didn't take this is as seriously as we should have. We've also been sick of being cooped up, waiting on reinforcements and more information, that we saw this as a welcome distraction, rather than a serious threat. At least that's how it felt for me."
Rana bit her tongue so hard that blood pooled in her mouth before the pain could even register. She wanted to lash out at him, to scream that Imoen was right, he was too in love with her to place the blame where it rightfully belonged. Even if the rest of what he'd said was probably right, she wanted to seize on the olive branch of blame absolution that he was trying to offer her and tear it to pieces.
She remained silent. She knew his feelings for her didn't run that deeply, and that his only mistake was being logical when she wanted to be anything but.
"My lady, we may need to consider some kind of magical restraints or dampener. If Imoen is strong enough for this kind of magic, and she's unable to control it or the taint, we may not be able to subdue her next time she snaps."
"You did NOT just suggest putting a muzzle on my sister, Sir Anomen."
"Hold your tongue, berk! No one's putting a collar on anyone while I yet walk this plane!"
"It was only a thought!" Anomen replied defensively. "I don't like seeing you hurt, Ilyrana!"
"While your concern is touching," Sarevok sneered without turning around. "Suggesting we restrain Imoen because of her tainted power also implies we should be shackling Rana as well, because, you know, she can turn into a demonic killing machine on a whim."
"He's got a point," Valygar replied snidely, casting a look back at the knight, before lowering his voice so only Rana could hear. "Though, if we're being honest here, the idea of shackling you probably turns them both on."
Rana cocked her elbow to deliver a devastating jab at his ribs, only to swear profusely that she couldn't without risking him dropping Imoen. Valygar still swerved away from her. Just in case.
"Little one, look up ahead."
Casting a departing dark look at Valygar, Rana hurried forward to join Sarevok.
The horizon was just barely beginning to lighten with the dawn. The sight of it brought to mind the morning of the hot springs ambush. Which felt like eons ago.
The Rookery stood among the oaks in the distance, and Rana could see the barely discernible glow of defensive magics cast by Viconia before they had departed to fight the drow.
"What am I looking at?" She asked, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.
He didn't answer. He didn't need to. As the seconds passed, she could see that the light was waning, not growing stronger.
And Rana realized she was looking west, not east.
"A False Dawn."
"Recently cast, too."
Picking up their pace, and with weapons ready, they moved closer to home. Making sure Valygar and Imoen remained in the middle, they wove between the trees, stepping carefully over the upraised roots.
As if there wasn't already enough to worry about, now Rana was scared that something may have happened to Chauntia, Mezoar, and Rook while they were gone. They had sealed the house and told them to wait in the wine cellar, but anything could have happened.
The front doors were still locked, with no signs of attempted entry, so they went around to the access door in the back.
Dozens of dead drow littered the ground around the trees. Several more were still alive, trying to rise to their feet. Sarevok and Rana swiftly took care of them while the others were let inside by Keldorn.
"What happened here?"
"When Anomen, Sarevok, and I got separated, I felt my presence may be needed back here, so I returned. There were scouts posted in the trees, and I did what I could to take them out. Eventually, Viconia and Jaheira showed up. The drow attacked while I was letting them inside. We pushed them back, but they inevitably began taking out Viconia's defensive spells. She used the False Dawn before they could get through. Torm help us if there are any more of them."
As they entered the dining room, Rana sagged with relief at the sight of the others. Chauntia and Mezoar sat at the table, nursing cups of spiked coffee, tired and scared, but okay. Rook merped! from Chauntia's lap and bounded toward her, ran up her leg, and curled up in her arms.
Viconia snored on a pallet on the floor, wiped out from casting all those spells. Jaheira sat in one of the chairs, exhausted but alert, her eyes fixed on Sarevok.
"What happened to Imoen?" Keldorn asked while Haer'Dalis set up another pallet near Viconia so Valygar could lay her down.
"She used a Meteor Swarm spell at the market when we were being overwhelmed," Anomen replied grimly. "And then she attacked Ilyrana and I was forced to put her to sleep."
"Gods above, if the taint is pushing her to this-"
"I suggested some type of restraining-"
"Which isn't happening-"
"You dare bring that up again!"
"Now isn't the time for such a discussion!" Keldorn shouted over the others.
"There won't be a time for such a discussion," Rana snarled.
"Keldorn's right," Jaheira agreed. "We have more important things to discuss. Like that animal trying to kill me back at the inn!"
Rana looked at who the druid was pointing at, then cursed under her breath when she saw it was Sarevok. His face was one of slight confusion, and maybe it was their shared soul or that she'd been around him long enough to notice his tells, but she was positive he knew exactly what he was being accused of.
"What is she talking about, Sarevok?"
"Yes. Tell her, Sarevok! How, if not for one of the drow launching a fireball at the inn, you would have killed me. Or tried to."
"I see your head must still be rattled by that blast, Jaheira. Perhaps you should lie down?" Sarevok replied with mock concern.
"You dare deny it?!"
"Deny what? Trying to shove you out of the way of falling debris? My apologies if your pride can't handle my saving your life."
"Just before that fireball, you grabbed me by the throat to-"
"I heard the spell being chanted and lunged at you to push you inside the inn to avoid being hit. I won't be held responsible for whatever paranoid delusions your mind conjured to cover the fact that I saved your ass."
He's… lying. Rana's heart began to pound as she became more sure of that fact.
"And why would you care enough to save her, abomination?" Anomen demanded.
"Um, because I would have been caught by that blast as well. She was standing in the way, and there wasn't enough time to exchange insults, so I acted."
Jaheira's look of frustration and rage made it hard to ignore that needling feeling that she was indeed telling the truth.
"Jaheira, are you absolutely certain of what you're saying?" Valygar asked.
"Yes! You honestly believe I would make this up?! Are you so blind to what he is that you would question me?"
"It's a serious accusation. And you were badly rattled when Viconia healed you. Not to mention, she couldn't do a full healing with what she had left."
"I drank a healing potion when I got back here! I didn't want to say anything back at the inn, I wanted everyone assembled when I revealed what he tried to pull."
Rana hugged Rook closer to her chest. She couldn't think. There was too much to think about, and she just couldn't process this on top of everything else.
"I believe she's telling the truth," Anomen exclaimed, rounding on Keldorn.
The paladin looked at all of them, his grave face lined with weariness.
"Of course you do," Sarevok laughed. "Anyone could level any sort of accusation at me and you'd swallow it without question. It's her word against mine. And while I can't stand to be around her, I'm not the one who's been trying to turn everyone against her by going to each of you in turn and ranting about having her gone. As she's been doing with me since I was brought back."
It scared her how convincing he could be. How such conviction could ring in his words when they were untrue.
"Because I appear to be the only one here who has not forgotten what you are, Sarevok Anchev!"
"No one else here besides Rana, Imoen, and the drow were there during my attempt at ascension, Jaheira. Do you see them rambling about me plotting and scheming? Have they been leading this witch hunt with you? No, fool, it is only you who can't let the past go."
"Imoen believes as I do!"
"And yet she hasn't been trying to poison the minds of the others as you have. Enough of this deception, Jaheira. You've been chafing at my resurrection and doing everything you can to convince everyone else that I should be put back down. Now, when no one else was around to see it, you say I attacked you. Even though we both know if I intended to kill you, you would be dead."
"Godchild, listen to me. I know you and I don't always see eye to eye, especially where Sarevok is concerned, but you must believe me!"
Rana looked at her, feeling torn about what to do.
"Can you provide some sort of proof?" She finally asked, knowing the druid damn well couldn't.
She suddenly hated the both of them for putting her into this position. She was positive Jaheira was telling the truth. That Sarevok had indeed tried to kill her. She was also sure that Jaheira had likely been antagonizing him. What she didn't know was if the other woman had done so in order to provoke exactly that reaction. Regardless, Sarevok needed to keep a better handle on his anger. If he cared about Rana at all, he would understand that she couldn't afford to lose anymore companions.
"I cannot. You have long trusted my word, child. I am asking you to continue doing so now and believe me."
"Ah, yes. The word of a Harper," Sarevok sneered. "How could she not possibly have any reservations over that?"
"That's enough," Rana snapped. "I can't lose either of you right now. In case you've forgotten, we were just attacked by a drow raiding party. The city guard has been decimated, along with who knows how many of the buildings and residents. I'm sure at least some of them have gone back to report to Sendai, so she'll know for certain our location. Both of you just stay the hell away from each other from now on. If I see either of you starting shit with the other, you'll be dismissed or worse, I swear."
She pinned them both with a fierce look, adding more fury to her gaze when Sarevok only regarded her mildly in return, as if doubting her words really applied to him as well.
"Now, what do we know about what happened? Where did they come from? How many of them were there? Did they have allies within the city? Were they targeting particular places or people other than us? Jaheira, you were the one who reported the raid, tell me you have some answers."
The druid stared at her for a long moment. Rana stared back, waiting, too tired for this shit.
"I was investigating around the old mine entrances when I saw them," she eventually began. "They were coming out of the shafts and spreading out. I alerted the guard and then came straight here to wake everyone."
"Okay, so the mines link up to her enclave. Do we know how extensive they are? Or maybe we can find some old blueprints or ask the mayor or something."
"I was able to find out that the entrance to her stronghold is behind a collapsed mine shaft. An illusion spell is in place to disguise it."
"Who told you that?" Anomen asked Sarevok incredulously.
"A drow."
"He just offered you that kind of information?"
"Something like that, yes. There's some sort of old dwarven architecture near it, that's how we'll know where it's hidden."
"Okay, now do we have an idea of their numbers?" Rana asked before Anomen could press further.
She had enough on her plate without Sarevok announcing how he got his information.
Fuck this night.
"Judging by the ones we encountered at the inn, along the way, and the market, I'd say upwards of fifty," Haer'Dalis supplied.
"Speaking of, why were they focusing so much of their efforts on the Last Stop?"
"I have a theory on that," Sarevok replied. "Do you remember that spider that was in your room there?"
"Of course," Valygar whispered. "It had to have been a scout. Maybe there was a second that reported back, or perhaps one of their priestesses was controlling it when it was killed. They must have discovered once they got here that we were no longer there, and had bought a house here in the city."
"Which means this place will be the focus of their next attack. Unless we hit them first."
"Which we can't do until the others arrive."
"All right," Keldorn said thoughtfully. "We'll post look outs, just as we do when we're traveling. One on the mines, and one around the house. Until we get reinforcements, we have to assume an attack is imminent at any time during any night. I highly doubt they'll launch an offensive during the day, when they're at a dire disadvantage. We have about a week or so before our old comrades begin to show. In the meantime, we can help these people rebuild and fortify their town. I'll ask about getting an audience with the mayor. Valygar, are you still wanting to go to that ranger outpost?"
"Aye, but tonight changes things doesn't it? Would you feel comfortable with me gone for a day or two?"
"Rana?"
"Sendai may be the one responsible for those missing kids. Or she may not. Either way, we know where she is now, which isn't in the location Balthazar's map indicated, which reinforces my suspicions that he's been trying to herd us into an easy position to take us out. Go to the outpost, ask about the little ones, and if they've seen a dragon flying around. Once we've dealt with Sendai, we'll need the proper coordinates for Abazigal's lair before we can act."
"All right," Valygar answered. "Now, does anyone mind if I get some sleep before I leave or…"
"Go to bed, Val. Sun's coming up, so go ahead and sleep in your room. I don't think we'll all need to bunk in the dining room once daylight is upon us."
He gave a mock salute and turned to stumble off towards his bedroom.
Rana looked at Keldorn, hoping he'd dole out lookout duties. He must have taken the hint cause he gave her a small, tired smile.
"I'll go see if there's anyone left within the town guard, and if so, see if they can help us with standing guard over the mines. Anomen, would you mind keeping an eye on things outside around the house? Everyone else should get some rest. We'll rotate watches when Viconia and Imoen wake up."
With that settled, Rana went and knelt beside Imoen, brushing the girl's fiery hair away from her face.
I'll make things right. As I should have already been doing. I promise you, Im. You won't have to stain your soul anymore. Mine's bad enough, a little more won't matter.
"She'll be out for a few hours, my lady. Best to let her sleep, but if you want me to, I can dispel the enchantment."
"No, she needs her strength. I'm going to try and get a couple hours myself. If she wakes before I do, can you come get me?"
"Of course."
Rana rose and set off for her room, feeling the eyes of the others on her back as she left.
Especially Jaheira's.
She didn't have a clue what else could be done. Gods know she didn't particularly care much for the woman anymore, but she was still a valuable ally. And had suffered more than most during this journey. It would require far more cruelty than Rana currently had in her to ignore that. She'd just have to talk to Sarevok. To remind him that he worked for her. Regardless of whatever was going on between them, and whatever happened in the future, she needed to be able to trust him not to pose a threat to the others.
She feared his arrogance made him believe he was all she needed. That the others had suddenly become expendable just because of what they were doing together.
Her earlier words, about him being like Irenicus, hadn't been entirely spoken with earnest. The memory of her own torture made it difficult to separate the intention behind the act. They had needed the information. And she certainly didn't care about the drow. What Sarevok did to him was kind compared to what that disgusting race did on a regular basis just among themselves.
"Rana."
Sighing, she stopped just at her door, hand resting on the handle.
"What is it, Sarevok?"
She felt him at her back, and couldn't suppress a shiver when his fingers brushed her waist.
"You and I need to talk."
They did. But not alone in her room. With the memory of what they had done in her bed hanging over them. Even now, her body ached with want at the thought of finishing what was started. It was strong enough that she nearly agreed, knowing full well that the moment the door was locked, the importance of their discussion would rapidly begin to wane.
"I don't think that's a good idea right now," she whispered without turning around, finding it easier to hold her ground when she didn't have to look into his eyes.
"Why? Because of what that Harper said?"
"Yes, part of it is because of what Jaheira said. Was she lying?"
"Rana-"
"Was she lying?" She asked again, turning around to see his face while he answered.
"I've killed others for far less than what she said-"
She felt that warm blanket of relief envelop her and savored it for a second. If he had tried to lie to her about that…
"And the next time Anomen pops off at you? Will you kill him? Leaving me down two fighters? Two healers? I need these people if I hope to even survive long enough to consider ascension, Sarevok!"
"No, what you need is to discard those who continue to question you and replace them with beings far more powerful and loyal."
"By offering them what in return? False promises about the power and wealth they'll have if they help me ascend? That's you, Sarevok, that isn't me. These people have been with me for far longer than you have, and while I may not be overly fond of some of them, they've all bled for me. Jaheira lost her husband to Irenicus. He'd still be alive if they hadn't stayed to help me."
"That coward-"
"Stop. Just… stop. I'm going to bed before you dig yourself deeper. I suggest you do the same."
She turned around, opened her door, stepped inside, shut it, locked it, and sighed. Looking down at Rook, who gazed sleepily up at her from the warm confines of her arms, she told the kitten the only thing that felt real at the moment.
"Your father's an asshole."