Another thirty minutes later, William had distributed all the potions by the time they'd arrived at Ilya's house. He'd shared freely with Sooka and Bash, but sparingly with Aribis and Enna. Enna, however, had refused the gift and handed hers to Bash. Though he hadn't said anything, Bash had felt some comfort knowing that the ability to heal his friends lay in his pockets.
As they approached the manse, they saw Kayl standing on the porch awaiting their arrival.
"It's about time you arrived!" he called to them with a smile. "I've been waiting here for about ten minutes!"
"Sorry," dismissed Aribis, turning a side eye to William. "We had some shopping to do."
And with that, Aribis charged up to the door and gave a sharp knock.
They waited for an awkward moment with no response, and Kayl eyed Sooka as she approached warily with the spoon. She poked him in the arm, and he grinned at her.
"Aye, still me, lass," he said. "Besides, if it wasn't really me, how would I have known to meet ye here?"
"They can suck things out of your brain," dismissed Aribis casually.
Kayl did not respond in like manner.
"They can suck things out of your brain?" he cried in astonishment.
"Not literally, of course!" chuckled Aribis. "Just… take a peek, that's all."
"That would have been something to know, wouldn't it?" Kayl said pointedly, still quite taken aback. "Here I was thinking it was all guesswork!"
"That's why we've been saying that we can't trust anybody," nodded Enna.
"Certainly changes a few things, indeed!"
At that moment, the door slowly opened, revealing a bleary-eyed Finwe. He appeared to have just awoken from a deep slumber, and he greeted them with naught but a squint in his eye.
"Oh," he said lazily. "It's you guys. Come on in."
Slowly recovering from his sharp rousing, he rubbed his eyes and stood aside as they all piled into the main room. As she passed, Enna produced a goodberry and handed it over, which he accepted gratefully before perking up almost the second it was down his throat. The group took seats around the room, and Kayl nodded kindly to Finwe. After some introductions, they explained their reason for bringing him.
"We thought you could use another trusted companion," explained Enna. "We know you've been on edge, and perhaps it would be good to have someone else close by that knows what's going on and can help protect Lady Ilya."
"Uh… this guy?" asked Finwe with a crude point in Kayl's direction.
"Aye, that'd be me!" replied Kayl cheerily.
"Okay, then…" Finwe cast Kayl a concerned and prying glance. "Lady Ilya isn't here right now, though…"
"That's all well and good," said Aribis. "We just think that we should all travel around in pairs."
"That's right!" bounced Kayl. "You're stuck with me, laddie." Bash chuckled at Kayl's facetious grin.
Reluctantly, Finwe agreed to the pairing before heading back off to nap again. Kayl began making himself at home and dug into the bar, clearly excited to be somewhere much more extravagant than his little home in the Daffodils.
After a time, they began speaking of their plans for the evening, and Bash revealed his intentions to head to the Dandelions to investigate the source of the black taffy drug. After bouncing around ideas of which tavern to visit, the group eventually settled on the Sour Apple, and Bash was encouraged by the fact that Sooka seemed to agree. Although he believed that he knew Agneward better than she, her more recent knowledge would definitely be of benefit to them.
Having settled on their destination, they encouraged Kayl to stay with Finwe at all times, a task that he was all too eager to perform, and then they left, following Bash's direction once more until they came to Dandelions. Their first day back in Agneward had shown the Dandelions to be a somewhat cheery place, though poverty clearly abounded, but today was very different. Bash mourned the sad state of the stricken district – the stench, the dirt, and the haze.
As they passed a group of children playing about, Enna left their group and produced goodberries for them, though they were immediately distrustful.
"That could be the poison!" one said.
To gain their trust, she began produce leaves and flashes of green magic, and they hesitantly took the berries. Bash smiled despite their trepidation; this was something he'd seen Enna do countless times, and it had always warmed his heart, even in the early days of their friendship. As they took the berries and ate them, joy lit their faces, and it reflected in Enna's. She told them her name, and they thanked her warmly.
"What can we do to thank you?" they asked sincerely.
"Stay safe," replied Enna with a smile. "And don't ever take any black taffy. That will be more than enough repayment."
"Of course!" They nodded vigorously, and their voice dropped to nearly a whisper. Bash strained his ears to hear from so far away as they said, "Have you seen the thralls?"
"I have…" said Enna sadly. "Do you know where they gather?"
The girl nodded and stepped up to whisper into Enna's ear something that did not reach Bash's. Then suddenly anxious, she glanced around in each direction before urging the other children to leave.
As Enna turned back to them, her expression one of sadness mingled with fulfillment, William's voice came from Sooka.
"You are a superhero," she said.
Enna grinned, clearly tired, but happy that she was able to do something.
"I'm proud of you," said William.
"That's always been one of my favorite things to do," smiled Enna before turning to Bash. "She said they gather at Sunburst Hall."
"I guess that makes sense," he shrugged. Then seeing the questions on the others' faces, he explained, "A hospital of sorts."
"It might be worth checking out later."
They agreed, and proceeded toward the Sour Apple, Bash leading once more, keeping to the walls and trying to stay out of the public eye. Aribis did not help their venture, but spent much time hobbling around on his chicken legs trying to appear normal. Luckily, Bash, Enna, and Sooka had enough familiarity with the streets that nobody seemed to notice him as they passed by. Multiple groups of people and some individuals meandered the street in the early evening, and even more huddled in corners or alleyways, some faint and deathlike, some shivering, some staring vacantly into space. Although Bash had spent ample time in the Dandelions, he had never seen it quite like this. Something in him mourned the state of the city; he wished that he could have been here the past several months to help these people as he had for so long before.
At long last, they pushed through the bleak and bleary until they finally arrived at the Sour Apple. It was a putrid place, and not one of Bash's favorite watering holes, but it was always a treasure trove of information. Compared to the surrounding buildings, the Sour Apple boasted higher quality craftsmanship, a testament to the high number of regulars. Still, it was dismal compared to the taverns in other districts of Agneward, and Bash had often had to hold his breath going in to stave off the smells that would accost him on every visit.
Bracing himself, he led them up to the door, Enna close behind him, and stepped inside. The interior was decently lit with sputtering oil lamps and one single fireplace on the other side of the room. The bar looked grungy, and the tables were anything but organized, smattered across the room haphazardly, and behind the bar stood the proprietor of the Sour Apple, a half-orc named Urgok'nir. Had Bash been out of his disguise, he would have begun playing on their banter-filled relationship before easing into a discussion about black taffy, but he knew that he would have to take a different approach today. He wasn't Bash; he was Peren Starfell.
But as soon as Bash turned his eye onto the half-orc, he realized that it was not a half-orc at all. He blessed his dagger once more as instead, he saw a hunched, gray-skinned creature with sinewy skin and beady eyes. Bash froze in place, and Enna bumped into him.
The doppelganger turned to them and met Bash's eyes, mindlessly growling, "What can I get ya?" His voice was exactly as Bash had remembered Urgok'nir's to sound, but Bash's skin crawled as those bug-like eyes bored into his.
"Oh, a pint of ale if you don't mind," warbled Aribis.
A thousand thoughts ran through Bash's mind, but he couldn't decide what to do. The doppelganger didn't know who Bash was, and he didn't know that Bash could see him for what he was. Perhaps a pint of ale would be harmless. Maybe he could urge Sooka to poke him with her silver spoon while he wasn't paying as much attention, and then everyone would know without Bash having to announce it. Or maybe he should just leap over the table and tackle the filthy creature. And where was the real barkeep, if not standing before him? Was he in some deep, dark dungeon in the Well? Though they weren't what Bash would call friends, he still respected the old half-orc for the honor he'd displayed on many occasions.
They approached the bar cautiously as the doppelganger poured a pint for Aribis and slammed it down.
"If the rest of you lot don't want anything," he growled once more, "then go over there and don't be bothering me." He gestured toward the room with merely a dozen patrons.
"I'll take a mead!" piped up Enna.
"We don't have mead," he replied. "Only ale."
Incredibly uncomfortable, Bash sought a way out of the situation so that he could explain to his friends.
"How about we go sit at a table and you just bring us a round?" he offered.
"What about the little missy?" The doppelganger pointed to Enna.
"I'll drink hers," waved Bash with forced grin.
"I like the way you think, sir." Those eyes bored into him once more, and Bash felt a shiver go down his spine. "Have we met?"
"No, I don't think so!" said Bash hastily. Perhaps too hastily. He cursed himself silently, then added, "It's my first time in town."
The doppelganger pierced him with its eyes once more, and Bash felt the slightest tickle on the side of his head. His heart sank as the doppelganger spoke once more.
"Bash!" he called with a spirit of recognition, but his face seemed almost fearful. He began inching away from them, glanced at the meager crowd, and shouted, "Hey, we're closed for the day! Everyone, go home! Get out!" After much confusion and hesitation from his patrons, he shouted once more, "We're closed!" Then snatching a bag from under the bar, he turned to run for the door.
"He's a doppelganger!" shouted Bash, and the group burst into action, quickly realizing the situation.
Bash leapt forward to slide across the bar right as one of Aribis's crossbow bolts snagged the doppelganger's bag strap and pinned him to the wall. With nobody to stop his momentum, Bash clambered to the floor and rolled to see Enna smack the doppelganger with the hilt of her dagger. It recoiled but was still conscious. Leaving the bag behind, it tried to shove past Enna, who stood firmly in place. As Bash stood, a dark magic glowing blue to Bash's eyes settled over the doppelganger's eyes, and it began to panic as its vision darkened. William landed several hits as Aribis fluttered onto the bar.
Screams ran through the bar as patrons filed out quickly while Aribis placed the sharp tip of his loaded bolt onto the doppelganger's forehead. Seizing the opportunity, Bash wrapped an arm around the doppelganger's neck, drew his dagger, and pressed the swirling steel onto his target's neck.
"Might as well just calm down now," said Aribis slyly. "You're not getting out of here in one piece. Let's talk."
Pressing his dagger on the doppelganger's skin, Bash whispered in its ear, "Where is the Ghost?"
"Don't kill me!" it pleaded. "Don't kill me, please. I'm nobody! I'm just a proprietor. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Lie to me again, I dare ye," warned Aribis.
Reaching into her bag, Enna withdrew a silver coin and reached for the doppelganger. Pressing his dagger tighter on the grayish green throat, Bash let a little blood fall as he growled, "Hold still."
The metal made contact with the creature's skin, and a sizzling sound rang out with its cries of pain.
"Just making sure," nodded Enna before replacing the coin.
Suddenly, the doppelganger began to scream in terror, thrashing about as if it were being burned alive.
"No!" it cried. "He'll kill me! He'll kill me!"
Its limbs flailed about desperately, one of them swinging back in a paltry attempt to strike Bash.
"Please, just kill me now! You'll be more merciful! Please!"
All at once, the intensity of the doppelganger's panic escalated to a new level as he became hysterical, and Bash struggled to hold him in place.
"Where is the Ghost?" demanded Bash once more, nearly shouting over the doppelganger's cries.
And yet, the doppelganger didn't seem to hear, but continued its thrashing. Setting aside his crossbow, Aribis retrieved a length of rope and carefully stepped forward in an attempt to bind its arms into a less dangerous position. Enna, William, and Bash worked together to hold the doppelganger in place as Aribis twisted and tied the rope in place, finally allowing Bash to let go.
It slumped to the floor, and Bash could see the beads of sweat on its brow and the tears running down its face. Almost defeated, it whimpered out one more plea.
"Please, kill me. Please."
Suddenly, a piercing scream rang throughout the tavern, and they all turned their eyes to Sooka. Within an instant, William was by her side.
"What's wrong?" he asked urgently.
Sooka began to flail about frantically, various words escaping her and illusory images floating up from her hands. Bash was reminded of the previous night in the Zen Manse, but this was much more disjointed and nonsensical. She grew frustrated with herself, and her words became more and more incoherent. Bash thought he heard the Ghost's voice several times, and something about "Delthorn," but nothing was making any sense.
"You're all dead," mumbled the doppelganger from the floor, panting as if he'd just sprinted a mile. "He'll kill us all! You don't understand!"
"Maybe if you would help us, we could kill him before he kills anybody else," urged Enna, her attention leaving Sooka for a moment.
"There's no helping!" cried the creature. "Are you insane?"
William's attention also turned back toward the bar as he said, "We almost killed him before."
"Hogwash," it accused. "You can't kill him! You can't kill him; he's older than the city. I'm not trying to brag about him, either. He's been killed before! He has been slain before, don't you get it? He cannot be killed."
"There has to be a way," demanded William.
"There is no way!"
"There is," said Bash quietly.
"No, he is immortal!" insisted the doppelganger. "You can't kill a ghost."
"Erathis won't let her city fall," assured Bash. "She gave us a way to defeat him."
"Erathis? Erathis?!" scoffed the doppelganger. "She has no place here! Don't you realize? Whatever he's been doing, he's done it before. He's done all this before! You don't understand. You stand no chance. There is nothing you can do." Its voice devolved into broken sobs. "He'll kill us… He'll kill me… You've killed me."
"Listen to me," said Bash, kneeling before the broken creature.
Disgusted as he was, he thought that perhaps if it thought they had a chance to overcome the Ghost, it might help them. They needed information, and the location of the real Urgok'nir was foremost on Bash's mind.
"We've fought him before and almost succeeded. Erathis gave us a way to kill him, and to keep him dead. We can do this, but we need you to help us."
Slowly, the doppelganger turned its eyes up at him. Those disgusting, bug-like eyes still spilling out tears. It pondered for just a moment, then turned to look at William, Enna, and Aribis. Utter defeat and resignation, but perhaps a glimmer of hope, ran across its expression.
"You really think… you can kill him? For good?"
Bash nodded.
The creature sighed.
"How can I help?"
"For starters, some information would be nice," said Bash.
The following interrogation went relatively seamlessly, aided by a spell from Aribis. Surprisingly forthcoming, the doppelganger gave information out freely, and it appeared that its hesitant intent really was to help them dispose of the Ghost.
It appeared that the doppelgangers were promised positions of wealth and power, and protection while holding those positions, in return for their services to the Ghost. This doppelganger, named Aunn, was one of four siblings all employed by the Ghost and placed in various positions throughout the city, though Aunn claimed that none of them knew where the others were. His brother Sirks held a position of great wealth and comfort, and Aunn believed that this brother would be reluctant to leave it. His brother Feigs and sister Ourt, however, would probably be more easily convinced. As far as whether there were more than just these four doppelgangers in the city, they could not glean.
The doppelgangers met on a rare occasion when the Ghost had a specific job to give to them, and this was the only time they were allowed to speak with each other. This meeting place lay deep within the Well, and Aunn promised to take them there, though Enna encouraged the group to wait until the following day.
Aunn himself had the job of finding depraved souls for the Ghost whenever he desired them. Communication was possible thanks to a sending stone that Aribis quickly retrieved and held on his person. As far as black taffy was concerned, all Aunn knew was that it was made with a substance obtained through Delthorn Holdings, combined with the blood of the Ghost and the blood of a mortal. Distributed mostly from Sunburst Hall, it had been circulated throughout the city for a month, impregnating the city with a sleeping control of the people's minds. Bash knew that at any moment, those thousands of people could be turned into the monstrosities they'd witnessed the night before and used for the Ghost's bidding. It was a chilling idea.
Of that particular effect of the black taffy, the doppelganger seemed to be oblivious. He'd never heard of such transformations, and the news only served to plunge him deeper into his own despair.
Eventually, they gathered the courage to ask what happened to the people the doppelgangers replaced. Much to their relief, especially Enna's, they learned that most of them were kept alive in case further information was needed.
"Where do you keep them?" urged Enna.
"Mine is here… in the basement."
Images of Urgok'nir tied up without food and water flashed across Bash's mind, and he quickly stood and announced his leave. Aunn pointed to a trap door across the floor but hidden behind the bar, and Bash quickly opened it and descended the stairs.
It was eerily quiet, and quite dark, but that meant little to Bash's elven eyes. The various barrels and shelves filled with cheap ales and old breads blocked his view of most of the room, and he took a couple steps forward before halting and listening intently. He heard the faint sound of a whimper, followed by a ragged breath.
Heart sinking, he charged toward the sound and then came to a sudden stop. Before him was the proprietor he knew so well, but nothing like how he'd known him. He was shackled to the wall, arms raised above his head, clothes ragged and stained with blood. His mouth opened to breathe in slow, unsteady breaths, revealing no teeth. One of his eyes had been plucked from his head, a stream of dried blood on his cheek. Two of the fingers on his left hand were missing.
Something came over Bash that he hadn't expected. This man was not someone he would have called a friend, but he was someone that Bash had relied on for many years in the past. How many times had Enna come here with him to find information? There was an understanding between them, some level of trust that they would help each other when needed. He was a staple in Bash's life in the city, a constant that had grounded him for the past four decades.
Since they'd returned to Agneward, many things had happened, and mostly bad. Sopheta had left them, Aribis had died, they'd been imprisoned, and they'd discovered an underhanded plot to destroy the city. And yet, through all that, the city itself had been Bash's comfort. Never in his life had he ever felt so at home as he did on these streets. They were reliable and unchanging in the face of even the darkest adversity. The Colosso Exhibition was a yearly event, something that Bash could always count on for some entertainment between his missions, and this year, he even got to participate in it. All these things had been holding him together.
And here, before him, was a forceful symbol that all this was a lie. The city that he loved so had been pulled out from under him in one fell swoop. How many doppelgangers were there? If someone as unseeming as Urgok'nir could be one of them, there was no telling how far the corruption had spread. All that he'd been finding comfort in was merely a farce, a thin string to which he'd been clinging for dear life.
Aunn had just sliced that string in half.
A lump welled in Bash's throat, and he rushed forward to the half-orc. Immediately, Urgok'nir shuddered and struggled to plead with him.
"Please," he grumbled. "Please, I don't know anything else."
"It's okay," said Bash softly, taking out his lockpick and removing the shackles as quickly as he could. "It's me; it's Bash. I'm going to take care of you." One of his arms fell free.
"Is that really you?"
"It's me," assured Bash. As his other arm fell, Bash put an arm around his waist and hefted him to his feet, noticing a startling lack of weight. The man was skin and bones, clearly starved and malnourished.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to rescue you, of course."
They hobbled toward the stairs and made a slow effort up them. As they crested the top, Bash called for Enna to join him and help. Immediately, she appeared and helped pull Urgok'nir up the stairs, eyes distressed and anxious at seeing his terrible state. She whispered words of magic, and the greenish glow flowed from her to the half-orc sealing up the worst of his wounds, but far from restoring him.
A small amount of color returned to his cheeks, and his steps seemed a little firmer, but it became clear that only time and nourishment would completely heal him.
"I'm sorry I can't help you any more than that," she apologized as he settled shakily on the floor.
"Who are you?" asked Urgok'nir.
The light of the tavern revealed that his one remaining eye was covered with a white film; he couldn't see anything.
"It's my friend, Enna," replied Bash. "And my other friend William is here, too."
"You have friends now?" The slightest hint of humor was veiled behind his voice.
"You could call us that," said William with a small smile.
"Does that mean the scum who put me in this state is gone?"
They glanced at Aunn, who shifted uncomfortably on the floor not five paces from them.
"It's under control," assured Bash as William put a finger over his mouth and glared at the doppelganger. Aunn remained silent.
"Wait," said William suddenly. "Where is Sooka? And Aribis?"
"What?" said Enna, jumping to her feet and looking around.
"We have to get this guy to a hospital," urged Bash.
But not Sunburst Hall, he told himself.
"Where did they go?" asked Enna, running to the open door and poking her head out.
Struggling to focus, Bash tried to bring up his mental map of Agneward, but it was oddly fuzzy and vague. Enna's desperation and worry was oozing into him, and Urgok'nir's ragged breathing didn't help. He wasn't sure of any other reputable hospitals in the Dandelions, and instead, he turned his mind to other places where the man could at least rest somewhat comfortably until they could do better the next day. At last, his mind rested on a safe house just down the road.
"Enna, we can find them later," called Bash. "But we have to get him to a place where he'll be safe while we're gone. There's a place just down the road, maybe ten minutes."
Reluctantly, Enna nodded. "He really needs rest. Maybe it'll be okay for now, but we have to go find Aribis and Sooka."
"We will, but I'm taking him to the safehouse first."
William agreed, and they left the Sour Apple, each of them on edge. Their friends were somewhere unknown, and they carted a disguised doppelganger with them. Bash's world was falling apart, and he didn't know where to begin. A wrath was building inside him, and he wasn't sure if he could contain it.