Adrian: Baldur's Gate

The next day, Adrian and his troupe marched onwards, entering the properly grassed and wooded areas.

Edwin was lagging behind, marching slower. Eventually, when they stopped briefly for lunch (cold salted meat from their packs), Adrian took him aside.

"What's wrong with you?"

Edwin looked down a long moment before speaking. "My mission here was to kill Dynaheir. In order to do that, I made that year-long pact with you without first considering the consequences. My superiors may not be plased."

"So are you going to worm out of the deal?" Adrian asked, voice level.

Edwin looked angished. "I can't! That's the whole problem. I am commited to you now, no matter what. Fore the entire year."

"And that's why you're worried. How they'll react."

"Yes. And that was part of why I conspired with Xzar against you. If I could get you to serve me on my terms, they would take it much differently." Upon seeing the dangerous gleam in Adrian's eyes, he waved his hands frantically. "I'm not justifying! I'm just explaining!"

"Well, I am first and foremost a mercenary," said Adrian, after a pause. "I'm sure that we can come to some arrangement with them. They may even be pleased that you've gained some experience for yourself in the field, surely a worthy asset for a Thayvian agent."

"I hope so," murmured Edwin. "I dearly hope so."

They came within, so Edwin told them, a mile of the base, when they were accosted by a druid who wanted them to find a scroll for him. He agreed to pay 500 cash, under pressure from Adrian.

They had to fight their way through a veritable army of sword spiders, heading away fom the base as they did, much to Edwin's chagrin. Eventually they found the scroll, on the body of another druid. They had used up a good portion of Edwin and Xzar's spells, but thankfully not all. Adrian had also been scratched up a bit by the spiders. Kagain too, but of course Kagain healed quickly.

The dwarf had been rather quiet for a while now, brooding and thinking. When Adrian had asked him about it, Kagain had said he was in "full trooper mode". Which Adrian understood, but he still wondered what he could do.

Viconia got her hands on the scroll and froze.

"What is it?" Adrian asked her.

She gritted her teeth, and her eyes blazed. "This scroll," she hissed. "Is cursed. It's not worth the parchment it's scribed on."

"Oh, really," said Xzar in a cold whisper.

"One druid's head, coming up," said Adrian.

But when they got back to the druid, they found he was already in battle.

His opponent was another druid, wearing ragged leathers. Her hair was long and blonde, her eyes blue. She was lithe and quick. In some ways she reminded them, of Faldorn, but in other ways not. Her eyes were bright and clear, and the stave whe wielded was enchanted metal, something no self respecting Shadow Druid would ever have with them.

Adrian let fly a crossbow bolt, weakening the enemy druid, and the blonde girl finished him.

"Thank you," she breathed. "He was a fool."

"So we learned," said Viconia.

"I am Tree. I thank you again. I hope we meet again."

She turned and dashed into the forest, and was gone, almost before any of them could blink.

"I wonder what that was about," said Adrian, thoughtfully.

"I have the feeling we'll find out eventually," said Viconia.

At last, they reached the Red Wizard Base. It was a ruined temple, much like the one near the bandit camp. Five Red Wizards stood atop it, muttering to themselves.

Their leader turned. "Ah, Edwin. I hope you have completed your task."

"Yes, Denak," said Edwin, bowing low. "The witch Dynaheir is dead. These mercenaries assisted me."

Denak nodded. "Good. You took rather long, and we need to head home now."

Edwin blinked. "Home? But I thought there were more missions planned?"

"There were." Denak's face soured. "But a crisis is brewing at home."

"A crisis?" Edwin raised an eyebrow.

Denak sighed. "A Red Wizard had betrayed us, and all of Thay. Darrian Velbaras was his name. He incited a peasant revolt amongst the masses. He was exiled for his crimes, and the slave ringleaders killed, but the uprisings are spreading still, like wildfire. All able-bodied Red Wizards must return home immediately to put down the insurrection. That includes all of us."

Edwin blinked. His mouth opend and for a second no sound came out. When he finally did speak, his voice was a croak. "But...but I have pledged a year of my services to these mercenaries for their assistnace! I couldn't have killed Dynaheir without them!"

"That is too bad." Denak paused. "Mercenaries you say? We shall be happy to pay them to put the slaves in their rightful place."

"While I am no advocate of slavery, I would take your contract if I was able," said Adrian. "But I am not. We have pressing buisness in the Gate which cannot wait for a long campaign in Thay."

"Then the contract must be broken. We must leave now, Edwin. Every hour is precious."

"I cannot break the contract," said Edwin, almost whispering now.

Denak frowned. "You know what happens to oath breakers, boy. Don't do this."

"I have no choice...."

Denak didn't wait any longer. He began to cast a spell. So did the other Red Wizards. So did Xzar. Viconia began to pray for the Dispellation of magic, and Tiax raised undead. Kagain began to charge forward. Adrian grimaced, and drew his crossbow.

Edwin stood helpless, unable to move.

All of the Thayvians had chosen long, complicated spells, so when Xzar's lightning bolt ripped through them, half of them were stopped in their tracks. Then Kagain had closed with them, axe flying. Viconia's dispellation disrupted the spell casting of the rest. Adrian's crossbow bolts peppered them, and Tiax's undead marched in.

Denak was a powerful wizard. But all the others were less than Edwin, skillwise. It was no real contest.

When it was done, Edwin slowly marched up the steps into the wrack and ruin of his life. He looked down for a moment, then looked up to the sky, and let forth a long, agonized scream of anguish.

Then, after a pause, he said, "Come here, Xzar."

"We had no choice--" the Zhentarim mage began.

"I know that. Now come here."

Xzar gulped and danced up the steps.

Edwin took off his archmagi robe and dropped it into the surprized necromancer's hands. Then he took of his Red Wizard robes, and tore them in half, and dropped them. He took back the archmagi robe and put it on over his tunic. The robes, matching the color of the tunic, turned black.

"Loot the bodies, if you wish," said Edwin, looking at nothing and no one. "I...I need a few minutes alone."

Adrian could only stare at his retreating back as he wandered off into the grass.