Chapter 19: Divine Retribution

Charmane and Edwin arrived at the bustling town square of Beregost, their steps guided by the prominent obelisk etched with the town's name. The air buzzed with the energy of a busy marketplace, the mingling scents of fresh produce, sizzling meats, and aromatic herbs wafting through the crowded thoroughfares.

Amidst the lively commotion, the resounding voice of the town crier rang out, "Hear ye! Hear ye!" the crier's voice boomed, cutting through the ambient chatter. The people paused in their tracks, their curiosity piqued by the urgency in his words. A hush fell over the square as all turned their gaze towards the herald of news.

"By order of his Most Radiant of Lathander Kelddath Ormlyr, governor of Beregost," the crier proclaimed, his voice carrying the weight of authority, "and in the best interest of its peoples, forthwith there be a bounty placed upon the head of the mad cleric Bassilus, for the crimes against nature that he has committed!"

A murmur rippled through the crowd, whispers of concern and curiosity intertwining like tendrils of smoke. Charmane stopped in her tracks and tilted her head in interest.

"Anyone bringing proof of his demise to the Song of the Morning temple shall receive no less than 5,000 gold!" the crier concluded. Charmane's eyes widened with a glint of desire.

As the town crier's words resonated through the air, the people around them began to share their thoughts on the matter. "Tis about time they get a bounty on 'em," A woman remarked, a tinge of satisfaction in her voice.

Charmane, seizing the opportunity, approached the woman and inquired further. The woman's face contorted with a mixture of disgust and anger as she described the cleric's malevolence. "Bassilus? He's a right evil man, he is!" she exclaimed. "He don't just kill people, he makes them into zombies and pretends they're his family. What would make a man do that, exceptin' evil?"

Curiosity piqued, Charmane probed further, hoping to uncover any leads that might aid in their pursuit of the mad cleric. "Any idea where he's from?" she asked, her voice laced with determination.

The woman shook her head, her expression filled with a mix of bewilderment and resentment. "No one's sure, really," she replied. "But I heard he mighta lived at Zhentil Keep before it got destroyed. Thought everyone died when it crumbled. I curse the fates that he lived through it."

The mention of Zhentil Keep piqued Charmane's curiosity. The stronghold had recently fallen to an assault from dragons and frost giants. She couldn't help but wonder how Bassilus had managed to survive its destruction. She asked after his whereabouts.

The man beside her spoke up, his voice dropping to a hushed whisper, as if fearing the very mention of the cleric's name. "Ye after that bounty? They say there be undead and madmen to the west. Would try that way first. Best be careful though. He's one of them Cyric boys. They ain't right in the head."

"Not to worry," Charmane quipped, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "I seem to have a knack for stumbling upon those misguided Cyric worshippers. Or perhaps they have a peculiar attraction to the sharp end of my blade. It's a mystery, really." She offered a playful wink to the townspeople.

They stared at Charmane, a mix of awe and apprehension in their eyes. With a hesitant smile, the woman muttered, "May the gods guide you, lass," before quickly scurrying away.

Edwin arched an eyebrow, an uncharacteristic look of approval crossing his face. "Another detour, I presume?" he asked, his tone lacking its usual condescension.

Charmane let out a dramatic sigh, her gaze shifting sideways to meet Edwin's. "As much as I'd adore filling our pockets with that shiny bounty, I think we should deal with this bandit issue first." her voice now dropped to conspiratorial tone, "Rumour has it there are seductive sirenes lurking near the coastal waters," she said, with a smile tugging at her lips. "And until Jaheira masters the art of dispelling magic, we'll be defenceless against their enchantments."

"I too will have that spell in my repertoire, you know," Edwin interjected, a hint of pride in his voice.

Charmane couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Oh, Edwin, you'd be the first to succumb to the sirene's song, whether it be through magic or their mere presence!" She chuckled, imagining the hapless mage entranced by their scantily clad forms.

Edwin scoffed, feigning offense. "Preposterous! My intellect is impervious to such trivial distractions," he declared, his voice laced with mock certainty.

Charmane grinned mischievously. "Of course, Edwin, of course. Your mind is a fortress, impervious to all except... well, let's just say the sirenes have a way of bypassing fortresses and going straight for the er treasure inside," she teased, winking at him.

Edwin's confident facade faltered for a moment, his lips twitching in a mixture of annoyance and amusement. "You dare to insinuate that my treasure is so easily plundered? I'll have you know that my focus is unwavering and my willpower unparalleled!" he retorted, a twinkle of determination in his eyes.

Charmane playfully tapped her fingers against her chin. "Ah, yes, unwavering focus indeed. Perhaps we should put it to the test, dear Edwin. A wager, if you will. If you manage to resist the allure of the sirenes, I hereby declare that the party shall follow your directions for an entire week." she proposed, raising an eyebrow challengingly, her tone filled with mischief.

"But," she continued, "If, by some chance, you succumb to their enchantment... well, let's just say you'll have to be on your best behaviour with the party, for a whole week," she proposed, a mischievous glint in her eye, "No insults, no sarcastic quips, and you must offer praise when it's due." she continued, before playfully adding, "Well, except for Neera, of course. We all know she's a wild exception to every rule."

Edwin's eyes glazed over as he muttered to himself, "They will finally realise my true place." His desire to seize leadership overwhelmed any lingering doubts, as he accepted with a begrudging nod. "Very well, Charmane. Prepare to witness the unyielding strength of my willpower." he declared.

"Alright. West it is then." Charmane said with wry smile.

As the party ventured beyond High Hedge, the scent of the sea grew increasingly potent with each step they took to the west. The air became tinged with salt and anticipation, foreshadowing the imminent unveiling of a breathtaking spectacle.

And there it was, emerging like a long-awaited treasure— the grand expanse of the ocean stretching out before them. Its azure depths extended as far as the eye could see, merging seamlessly with the horizon. The rhythmic crash of waves against the shoreline provided a melodic backdrop to the scene.

The coastal landscape danced with natural artistry. Towering trees lined the edge of the sandy shore, their branches swaying in harmony with the gentle ocean breeze. Among them, clusters of vibrant wildflowers burst forth, their colours an homage to the sun-kissed skies above.

The party was marvelling at the splendour of the coastal vista, when they glimpsed a figure, ethereal and enchanting, running towards them with an effortless grace.

She was a vision of otherworldly beauty, her flawless blue skin shimmering like the ocean's depths. Long, flowing green hair cascaded down her back, entwined with strands of seaweed and adorned with delicate seashells. Her attire, or lack thereof, left little to the imagination, as if she had emerged from the waves themselves.

As the sirene came closer, Charmane took a playful step to the side, deliberately locking eyes with Edwin behind her. With a mischievous grin, she performed an exaggerated mock bow and quipped, "The spotlight is yours my dear mage. Lead the way, for I insist on witnessing your legendary willpower firsthand."

Fear etched the nymph's features as she drew near. With a voice tinged with desperation, she pleaded in broken Common, "Please to help me, will you? I am alone on this desolate dry-land and who knows what lurks in these woods."

Edwin felt his gaze fixated upon her mesmerizing beauty. He couldn't help but notice the graceful curve of her enchanting figure and the seductive melody in her voice. With a smirk, he replied, "Fear not, fair creature. I shall gladly rescue you from this perilous predicament and ensure your safety... for a price, of course."

"Wonderful! Perhaps a kiss to show my appreciation?" the siren asked, coquettishly.

Edwin, his eyes gleaming with desire, focused on her luscious lips. "Who am I to decline a kiss from such a captivating beauty?" he responded.

As Charmane observed the exchange between Edwin and the sirene, a mix of triumph and irritation swirled within her. Her playful smile tightened, revealing a hint of resentment. She had expected this outcome, but that didn't quell the sting of seeing Edwin succumb to his lecherous weakness.

As Edwin's lips met the siren's in a fateful embrace, a sudden darkness descended upon the scene. Charmane's eyes widened in horror as she witnessed Edwin's body convulsing, his face contorted in agony. Time seemed to slow down, the world around her fading into insignificance as she comprehended the devastating outcome.

A piercing scream escaped Charmane's lips, a mix of shock, disbelief, and a pang of guilt. She had never intended for things to end this way. Despite his venomous wit, she had grown fond of the arrogant man. In that moment, all the petty arguments and banter seemed trivial, replaced by a surge of regret.

Rushing forward, Charmane fell to her knees beside Edwin's lifeless body. Her hands trembled as she reached out, desperate to find a pulse, to deny the cruel reality that lay before her. But there was nothing. Edwin was gone, a casualty of his own weakness and Charmane's unwitting role in his tragic fate.

As tears threatened to well up in Charmane's eyes, she blinked them away, refusing to let them cloud her vision. Her sorrow transformed into a burning fury. Her once playful smile twisted into a sinister snarl, revealing the sharp edges of her canines. With cold determination, she drew Varscona, whose icy rage now perfectly aligned with the infernal storm brewing within Charmane.

She launched herself at the sirene, her movements a blur of calculated brutality. Her blade found purchase on the sirene's flesh, leaving deep, jagged wounds that oozed with dark, otherworldly blood.

She plunged her dagger into the sirene's shoulder, twisting it cruelly to ensure every nerve screamed in agony. Blood trickled down the creature's torn skin, mingling with its pitiful cries of pain.

With every strike, Charmane carefully avoided fatal spots, her intent clear—to make the sirene suffer for its part in Edwin's demise. Each attack was deliberate, honed by the years of training, aiming to push the boundaries of pain without crossing into the realm of death.

The sirene, writhing in anguish, pleaded for mercy. "No! This is no longer fun! I cannot die for this! They are my actions, but not my intent! I can but do as I am bid by the master!" it cried, desperation tainting its melodic voice.

Charmane's eyes, ablaze with smouldering fury, burned with an otherworldly golden light, their intensity magnified by some mysterious power surging within her. As she tightened her grip on Varscona, her voice took on an ethereal quality, resonating with a chorus of voices that echoed through the air. "Restore my mage and explain yourself, lest I fertilize my garden with you!" she spat.

Her voice reverberated through the air, sending an ominous shiver of unease coursing through her companions. Khalid and Jaheira exchanged knowing glances, their expressions mirroring a shared trepidation, while the remaining members of the party stood frozen, their eyes widening in silent disbelief.

The sirene's ethereal form trembled, its melodic voice filled with desperation as it tried to explain its predicament. "I would not be here at all," it began, its eyes darting nervously, "but my shawl, is held by Ogre-Droth. It is my essence he commands, so to him I listen. It was a lark for a while, but no longer. I do not want to harm you further, but if he so wills, then I must. It is all I can do."

"A lark?!" Charmane retorted, her voice dripped with venomous fury, her words carrying the weight of a deadly promise. "This is a game to you!? Bring Edwin back now, or gods help me I'll flay you alive!"

The sirene's luminous eyes widened in fear as it attempted to reason with Charmane. "Please, I only can do as he wills. I not wish harm further," it pleaded, its voice filled with genuine distress.

Charmane's anger surged, her resolve unwavering as she contemplated a darker course of action. "Ah, then how about I kill him?" she spat, a twisted smirk curling on her lips.

The sirene hesitated for a moment, its ethereal form flickering uncertainly. "Oh. That could be... interesting," it responded, a hint of intrigue colouring its voice. "Yes, do that."

As the final syllables left the sirene's lips, she began chanting an ethereal song, a surge of magic crackled in the air, causing a shimmering portal to materialize before the party. The air around the portal grew heavy with arcane energy, swirling and twisting like an ethereal vortex. In the midst of this mystical spectacle, Charmane's sharp eyes caught a flicker of movement below.

Her attention snapped to Edwin, who lay gasping on the ground. A surge of relief and panic coursed through her veins. Without a moment's hesitation, she lunged forward, her hands grasping his pale cheeks. In that instant, a radiant light emanated from her touch, bathing the wizard in a warm, golden glow.

Beside Charmane, Jaheira's hands danced in intricate patterns, her druidic magic weaving a soothing aura of verdant energy. The combined power of Charmane's mysterious divine power and Jaheira's healing spells worked in tandem, accelerating Edwin's recovery.

Meanwhile, from within the shimmering portal, an imposing figure emerged—an Ogre, standing at an intimidating height of around 10 feet. Its crimson garbs, fashioned after the noble attire of Kara-Tur, draped over its massive frame, the fine fabric contrasting with its brutish appearance. The Oni bore the unmistakable features of its kind—red-hued skin, large protruding horns jutting from its forehead, and an extra finger on each hand. Its sinister eyes glowed with a malevolent gleam, betraying the depths of its wickedness and dark power.

"What be this trouble, Shoal?" bellowed Ogre-Droth, his thick voice tinged with an undercurrent of arrogance. "Why have you not destroyed these small-pinks? You're not to make me angry, water-child!"

"It is not my fault, Ogre-Droth," Shoal replied, her melodic voice trembling with trepidation. "They are stronger than I."

While the conversation unfolded between the two, Edwin, had mostly recovered. Charmane, extended a supporting hand to Edwin, urging him to stand. With a silent gesture, she motioned for him to move away from the menacing Ogre mage. Sensing the imminent danger, Charmane's piercing gaze locked onto her companions, silently instructing them to spread out and prepare for the impending confrontation.

"Pah! They are meat for the larder and gold for the purse!" Ogre-Droth was now saying, his disdain evident. "Kill them we shall!"

"You and your captive accomplice shall harm no one else, Ogre!" Charmane declared, her voice resonating with a steely resolve. Her eyes, now back to their deep brown, narrowed, fixed unwaveringly on the towering Oni before her.

"Captive?" the Ogre exclaimed, its booming voice laced with a mix of disbelief and indignation. "She told you this?" It paused for a moment, its menacing gaze fixed on Charmane. "You struck soundly to addle her mind so," it accused, its tone dripping with skepticism. "'Tis true that I possess her shawl, but water-child my mate. Envy of all others I am!" The Ogre's chest puffed up with pride, as if relishing the admiration it believed it deserved. "I am Ogre-Mage Droth! I kill and kill WELL!"

A surge of dark energy crackled around Ogre-Droth as he began chanting, his eyes glowing with an ominous intensity. In a swift and unsettling motion, the Ogre mage vanished from sight, leaving behind a lingering aura of malice in his wake.

Shoal, the sirene, retreated meekly to the side, her ethereal form trembling with apprehension. Sensing the urgency of the situation, Charmane quickly gestured to Khalid, motioning for him to take up the frontline as the group's stalwart defender. With a silent nod, Khalid stepped forward, his gaze focused and his shield raised, ready to face the impending magical onslaught.

Jaheira, stayed back this time, positioning herself to provide support and aid should the need arise. Her eyes darted between her companions, a mix of concern and determination etched on her face.

Just as Charmane was on the verge of slipping into the shadows, a hauntingly familiar chant pierced through the air, triggering a visceral memory of a near-fatal encounter. Her instincts kicked into overdrive, overriding her stealthy intentions. "Scatter!" she screamed with raw desperation, her voice laced with urgency and fear. And in a synchronized display of survival instinct, the party, already positioned apart, swiftly distanced themselves even further, creating as much space as possible between each member.

Not a heartbeat too late, a malevolent surge of energy crackled through the air as a deadly lightning bolt erupted from the Ogre mage's outstretched palm, hurtling towards Imoen with lethal intent. Quick as a shadow, the dexterous rogue leaped aside, narrowly evading the searing arc of electricity. A jolt of residual energy tingled through her body, but the shock was mercifully mild as the bolt streaked past, leaving only a faint scent of ozone in its wake.

Breathing a measured sigh of relief, Charmane seamlessly melded into the shadows, her stealth concealing her presence from the unsuspecting Oni. With precise timing, just as the malevolent creature began conjuring another spell, Charmane struck with lethal precision. The biting edge of Varscona found its mark, piercing the Oni's flesh. A shudder of icy pain coursed through the monstrous being as it reeled from the unexpected assault.

Simultaneously, a relentless barrage of arcane energy surged forth, as Edwin unleashed his magic with unbridled fury. Magic missiles streaked through the air, homing in on the Ogre mage with unerring accuracy, each impact delivering a searing blow to its form.

Driven by panic and desperation, the Ogre mage vanished once more, its voice now intoning a different incantation as it materialized again. In a twist of fate, a disconcerting realization gripped Khalid's mind—a small voice within him whispered that the seemingly monstrous entity before them was, in fact, his beloved Jaheira. The absurdity of it, however, fuelled a surge of righteous fury within Khalid. In a swift act of retaliation, he slashed at the brute, his blade driven by indignation. It found purchase on the monster's hide even as Charmane landed another deadly blow.

Not long after, the lifeless hulk of the ogre mage lay sprawled on the ground, its reign of terror brought to a decisive end. "By the waters of home, I am free once more!" the sirine exclaimed, her voice seemingly filled with gratitude and relief. "You must pardon me for leaving so quick, but I'll not spend another second on this hard-land. It was a fun game, but it is stale n-"

"Who said you were free?" Charmane's voice interjected, cutting through the air like an icy blade. Without a moment's hesitation, she closed the distance between them, her eyes burning with cold fury. In one fluid motion, her weapon struck true, the dagger finding its mark in the sirine's gut. The creature writhed in agonizing pain, its once-grateful expression twisted into a mask of pure torment. Lifeblood seeped from its wounds, staining the ground with its final moments of existence, drawn out excruciatingly slowly.

The party stood in stunned silence, their initial relief shattered by the gruesome scene unfolding before them. The revelation that the sirine had willingly allied with the malevolent Ogre Mage offered only a small measure of solace, a fragile justification for Charmane's terrifying actions.