Chapter 31: Slight Repaid
Charmane cocked her head, her eyes lingering on the defeated fighter sprawled before her. Shar-Teel's once defiant gaze now appeared suitably crushed, her spirit broken along with her arm. Blood trickled from her battered nose, its bridge crooked from Charmane's powerful blows. Her eyes stared sullenly from swollen slits under her puffed and bruised eyelids.
Charmane's eyes gleamed with a mixture of triumph and a twinge of guilt. After a moment's thought, the rogue pulled out a vial from the pouch at her waist, and threw it at the fighter. She egged the woman into this dual and she would take responsibility for it.
The woman caught the vial but hesitated for a moment, her pride still warring with the pain and humiliation she had endured at the hands of the man before her. But ultimately, she chugged the healing potion down.
As Shar-Teel's face returned to its unharmed state, Charmane extended a hand, her gaze softening for a brief moment.
"I can't believe this." Shar-Teel finally said, as she took her hand. "I'm beaten, by a man no less. I guess I must follow my convictions and pledge my sword to your cause, however stupid it may be."
A small smile tugged at the corner of Charmane's lips. "I am a woman, remember?" Charmane responded, her smooth baritone hinting at a touch of amusement. "But I am glad to see you are a woman of reason. To display such humility in the face of defeat is no small feat."
Shar-Teel's eyebrows shot up in surprise, as if realising her own momentary lapse. "Hah! I must have taken one too many blows to the head," she said, sounding impressed. "I nearly forgot about your foul illusion. To follow a woman, hmm? All the better!"
Charmane's apologetic expression was genuine as she replied, "I would welcome you into my ranks if I had the space. Alas, we have enough fighters. I am Charmane, better known as Gorion's ward around these parts. Should you ever find yourself in need of allies, I suggest you leave a message at the Friendly Arm inn."
The woman nodded in acknowledgement and dusted herself off. The encounter had left Shar-Teel's mind in turmoil, grappling with the fact that she had been thoroughly beaten down by someone who, at that moment, seemed to embody both sex and yet neither. It gnawed at her, the dissonance between what she had believed and what she had experienced, challenging her long-held hatred for the male sex. With her mind reeling from confusion, she bid farewell to the mysterious rogue.
"It would be a pity to lose such a handsome male," Viconia spoke up, her voice tinged with a mixture of amusement and regret, "But would you like me to lift the curse now?"
"Hmm…" Charmane pondered, examining her long limbs. The body felt foreign, and her weapons didn't sit right in her hands, which was one of the reasons she had opted for a beatdown instead of a sword fight. The ground seemed farther from this height, and she couldn't help but miss how she used to look up into the darks depths of Edw-. Charmane furrowed her brows in discomfort as she realised where her thoughts were going. She cleared her throat.
Viconia looked concerned, "You look a little flushed, are you okay?"
"Ahem, yes," Charmane said, trying to feign nonchalance. "That was certainly fun. But I much prefer my own body," she finally said, batting aside her intrusive thoughts.
"You wouldn't happen to have a brother, would you, abbil?" Viconia asked, curiously, as Charmane returned to her normal self.
Charmane's eyes twinkled with mirth, "If Edwin's theory turns out to be true," she began, "And I am indeed a spawn of Bhaal, you'll probably find dozens of my siblings hanging around somewhere."
"Well," Imoen began, her tone both teasing and affectionate. "I much prefer ya as ya are. Can't have ya be handsome. No siree. It's creepy. Not havin' it." She grinned, trying to dispel the lingering unease from seeing her friend in such an unfamiliarly handsome form.
"The girl speaks sense, for once." Edwin muttered. A part of him was greatly relieved to see Charmane's female form again, while another could not stop thinking of the words she'd uttered. He had caught onto the compliment hidden in her teasing: she had called him handsome; he was sure of it. And that's what made the whole situation all the more exasperating because even as he acknowledged her compliment with pleasure, the deep baritone with which the rogue had uttered the words made the mage shudder in disgust. "Argh! This infuriating monkey will drive me bananas!" he muttered in irritation, as his mind continued to churn into a jumbled mess.
The party was finishing off a pack of short and vicious group of gnolls, better known as flinds, when an animated corpse came lumber towards them. As they readied their weapons to confront the undead intruder, it abruptly spoke up.
"Wait, me no want fight. Me Korax, me friend!" the creature said in a hoarse groan.
Charmane looked fascinated, "Wow. We don't see talking ghouls every day. Hmm…" Charmane considered, as she took in the creature. Ghouls were known to be self aware and stronger than zombies. Perhaps where Neera had failed, this ghoul would succeed. "Come along then Korax, we'll be your friend." Charmane replied cheerfully.
"Me will be good boy, me promise." Korax croaked. "Me will help you with anything you need."
Charmane managed a smile at the creature's efforts. If she ignored it's putrid stench, it was almost cute.
The ghoul claimed to have seen giant lizards to the east, and Charmane was more than happy to let him lead them there. Nevertheless, the party watched the ghoul warily as it lumbered towards their destination.
As they journeyed, the landscape transformed into a desolate expanse, the ground becoming cracked and parched. Towering natural pinnacles jutted out of the ground like ancient sentinels and in the distance lay the skeletal remains of some colossal monster. Upon closer inspection, it became evident that the entire area was an ancient graveyard, strewn with the remains of many of the same gigantic creatures.
"Dragon bones!" Edwin murmured, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and scholarly curiosity. "I have no doubt I can find a use for them..."
As they drew near the graveyard of ancient dragons, Charmane spotted a basilisk basking in the sun. The creature's yellow scales shimmered as it turned its gaze toward Korax, who stood at the forefront. Emitting a hiss, the lizard turned its malevolent eyes at the zombie, yet the ghoul continued his advance unperturbed.
"Jackpot!" Charmane exclaimed triumphantly as the party finished off the lizard from afar. The ghoul proved to be an exceptional bulwark against the basilisk's lethal gaze and to top it off his bites were so noxious, it paralysed the lizards on contact. Needless to say, it did not take long for the party to clear the area of every basilisk in sight.
While Korax, feasted on the lizards, Charmane took the opportunity to scout the path back to Neera. She hadn't gone far when she came upon a group of people, she assumed were adventurers, discussing how to take down basilisks. Their equipment didn't look particularly interesting, and their party composition, made up mostly of fighters, seemed poor as well.
Charmane continued scouting and save for a few groups of flinds and weak looking tasloi, the area was fairly clear. Finding no great threats to speak of, she decided it prudent to lead her party straight north.
As they neared the aforementioned adventurers, a sandy-blonde haired woman, wearing plate armour, spoke up, "Hey, Lindin, look over here, we've run across some travellers." she uttered loudly, "Hey there, my name's Kirian." she said, as she addressed Charmane's party. "Me and my buds are an adventuring band. You look to be the same, except", she paused and snickered, "A little worse for wear. Still learning the ropes of the business, eh?" She asked, mockingly.
"Pfft! Hahahaha!" Charmane burst out laughing, purposefully holding her belly for added effect. "Phew." she said, wiping a tear as her laughter subsided.
Kirian's eyes narrowed, her irritation palpable. "What's so funny?"
Charmane responded with a haughty arch of her eyebrow, her lips curving into a mocking smile. A casual flick of her wrist brought her dagger into view, held between her fingers with a nonchalant grace. "You see this? This little trinket holds more value than everything you are worth," she remarked, her tone dripping with condescension.
Kirian's attempt at a dismissive facade couldn't hide her insulted expression. "Really? Come on now, let's be real. Look at yourselves." she sneered, gesturing mockingly at Charmane's group. "The bunch of you have about as much style as a pack of gibberlings. The way you hold yourselves, pathetic. All you are is a bunch of hicks who slapped on some armour and weapons and decided that they could be adventurers. It's real sad."
Charmane's laughter, like tinkling glass, rang through the air. "Oh, my apologies," she cooed, her tone laced with faux innocence. "I must have forgotten to consult the pauper's guidebook before addressing you, but are those swords of yours perhaps sourced from a street market's discount bin?"
Kirian's anger seethed beneath her clenched teeth, her pretence of composure slipping away. "You don't know who you're messing with! We're not some small-town hick adventurers, we're Waterdhavian, born and bred. Maybe you want to rethink your earlier statements?"
Charmane's smirk widened. "Has the grand city of Waterdeep fallen upon times so dire that even its crème de la crème have resorted to amateur adventuring?" She paused, her voice dripping with mock concern. "Oh, I apologise, were my words too arcane for you? I'm sure the elite of Waterdeep are versed in at least a few multisyllabic expressions, right?"
Edwin's eyes widened in silent acknowledgment, his lips curling into a smug smile. Charmane's words had been almost a mirror image of his own thoughts, a linguistic feat he couldn't help but admire. While he frequently taunted Charmane for her supposed barbarism, this time, he had to give credit where credit was due. The linguistic riposte with which she was dealing with their adversaries was a rare flash of wit that even he found genuinely impressive.
Kirian's face turned a deep shade of crimson, her anger now fully exposed. "Enough of this! Baerin, Peter, Lindin!" she barked, her voice quivering with rage. "These upstarts need to be taught a lesson. Let's show them what true adventurers are made of!"
Jaheira's lips twitched with the struggle to suppress a smile, "Who would've thought that the Red Wizard's arrogance could actually serve a purpose." she mumbled, as she readied her weapons.
"Viconia! Let's shut these greenhorns up!" Charmane commanded.
As the tension thickened in the air, the spellcasters on both sides began to weave intricate incantations, conjuring ethereal energies that crackled and swirled around them. The very atmosphere seemed to shimmer with the promise of impending magic. Amidst this arcane symphony, Jaheira poised herself, ready to join her husband Khalid and their unorthodox zombie ally in the fray. Yet, before she could make her move, Charmane swiftly brought up a hand, halting her in her tracks.
In a heartbeat, Viconia unleashed a dazzling display of magic, a radiant golden orb bursting forth, enveloping Kirian and her companions. The luminous energy cascaded over Khalid and even the unwitting Korax, who stood nearby. A sudden hush fell over the scene as Kirian's party clutched their throats, their voices muted by the potent magic of the Silence spell.
A derisive sneer curled across Kirian's lips, her confidence seemingly unshaken. Her band was a skilled amalgamation of fighters and battlecasters, their prowess not to be trifled with. The muteness, though an inconvenience, was not enough to deter them. Brimming with bravado, she thrust herself into the heart of the battle, convinced that victory was within their grasp. What she hadn't accounted for, was Charmane's favourite wizard
Suddenly, a cascade of sticky glitter engulfed Kirian's party, sticking to their eyes and obscuring their vision. Mute and blind, the once fearsome warriors stumbled and flailed, their advantage vanishing like mist in the morning sun. Charmane watched with a calculating grin as the condescending Waterdhavians succumbed to their own arrogance.
The tableau shifted as Edwin's fireball erupted with a vengeance, the explosive force immolating their foes in a whirlwind of searing heat. Anguished cries pierced the air, their voices blending with the harsh crackling of flames as the conceited adventurers roasted within their own red hot armour. In a matter of moments, the coordinated onslaught of Charmane's party was enough to wipe out the Waterdhavians.
Charmane's voice now cut through the chaos, a chilling coo that danced on the edge of cruelty. "There you go, Korlax," she purred, the words a sinister caress. "A feast fit for a loyal companion. You've earned it."
Amidst the charred remains and the dissipating smoke, Khalid's voice wavered. "If I may... suggest," he began, his brow furrowing in a display of concern, "perhaps, in this instance, our c-c-course of action might have extended a tad beyond the necessary. Might we have entertained the thought of a strategic withdrawal, rather than invoking this confrontation?"
"The way I see it," Charmane mused, "These group of bullies probably incite fledgling adventurers into confrontations as a matter of habit." Her lips curved into a wry smile as she continued, a glint of defiance in her eyes. "It's just that this time they bit off a little more than they can chew." With an air of unapologetic boldness, she lifted her chin, her gaze defiant and resolute.
"Yup, got what was comin' to 'em," Imoen chimed in, her voice full of agreement, though her face contorted into an expression of disgust. "But, um, did they really need to become Korlax's lunch?"
Charmane shrugged, "Korlax did good work for us. I just thought he could use a little treat. Not like these Waterdhavian's will miss their corpse where they are going."
"Desecration of this sort bars the path to resurrection," Jaheira interjected, her disapproval palpable.
Edwin's lip curled in a grimace of disgust. "And give them the chance to hunt us down in the future? Spare us your melodrama, druid." he turned to Charmane. "Ignore these naysayers. Your actions echo the finest and proudest of Thayvians. (The rogue better appreciate my magnanimity. The Odesseirons do not give such compliments lightly.)"
Charmane grimaced, feeling a mixture of pleasure and concern. "Gee, thanks Edwin." she said, realising that if Edwin was complimenting her to this extent, she might have to reflect on her actions a little bit. Just a little bit.