The Price of Success

They went back to the right fork to enter a bizarre torture chamber. Spikes lined the floor and another, smaller, blood pool filled the center of the round room. Chains dragged across the walls and skeletal remains suggested prisoners long gone. A haze of mist rose from the blood and advanced toward them. “I don’t like the looks of that,” Aerie said, readying a spell.

“I was unaware that we were to have visitors. Did Mistress Bhodi invite you? Ah, yes, Tybalt. She mentioned that you might arrive soon. What a shame she won’t be able to greet you herself.”

“Where is she? What has she done with Haer’Dalis?” Tybalt cried. The vampire stood through another exit from the chamber, glaring at them intently. “She and her entire spawn will suffer for this!”

“Yes, yes. Chatter on, little mouse. I’m sure you believe what you say, but it’s all for nothing. She has your friend under control, just as she plans on having you. The child of a god under her sway, that would be interesting to witness. Though I think the position of favorite would change, and I can’t have that happen.”

“You’d kill us because we could take away your title?” Aerie asked, bewildered. “I didn’t think vampires could be so petty.”

“Enough talk!” it replied, leaping into the room, followed by another of its kind. The mist had risen from the blood and was advancing toward them as the two vampires neared.

Ajantis threw another vial of holy water into the blood, creating a bomb of positive energy which scattered across the mist and the vampires. The mist dissolved while the vampires shrank back, nonplussed for a moment. The party took advantage of this to initiate the attack.

They felled the vampires without too much trouble, though Valygar received a large slash across his chest. “I don’t have any healing spells, I’m sorry,” Aerie said. “All I have are spells against the undead right now.”

“I have used up much of my spells,” Jaheira added, healing what little of his wounds she could. “You’ll have to wait outside.”

“I’m fine,” the ranger growled, but quieted at Jaheira’s look. “Fine, I’ll wait in the coffin areas and stake the vampires as you send them, okay?” He took the remaining stakes and gingerly made his way back down the hall as the remaining four walked into the next room.

Several blood pools dotted the chamber, connected through some unseen device; all flowed into one another and rippled with movement, as if a constant current ran within. Four vampires stood around the room, staring at the party as they entered.

“So you finally make your way here, Tybalt?” Bhodi purred, standing at the far end of the room. “I wondered how long before our next meeting. How did you find me?”

“General Elhan had a general idea of your location,” Tybalt spat.

“Ah, Elhan. I remember him. What did he tell you, exactly? That I had stolen the Rhynn Lanthorn? I seriously doubt that he revealed Irenicus or my involvement with Suldanessellar, did he?”

“I came for Haer’Dalis. I don’t care about your little rivalries. Give him back.”

Bhodi laughed softly. “How passionate of you. Get what you want and forget the rest. Fine, no exposition for you, then, just the bare bones, so to speak. You’ll find your beloved off worlder improved since the last time you spoke. He was terribly difficult to persuade to see things my way, an unfortunate side effect of his heritage, no doubt. But all things fall to reason, and he is no exception. He has quite the promise, I think, and I look forward to testing him out.” She gestured and a door behind her opened to reveal Haer’Dalis, noticeably paler since the last time Tybalt saw him. “Say hello to your friends, love.”

“H-hello.”

“He’s a bit shy, yet. I’ll have to introduce you when there’s more-” She broke off as Tybalt gave an inhuman cry and rushed forward, aiming his sword at her heart.

The others followed suit. Ajantis threw the last holy water into the main blood pool before swinging Carsomyr at the nearest vampire. Jaheira’s skin appeared to grow tree bark as she engaged the undead. Aerie hurriedly cast a spell, creating an enormous globe of sunlight which filled the room. Three of the vampires screamed and shielded their eyes, hissing in fear as they began to dissolve.

Bhodi sneered at the effect and swiped at Tybalt. The pair dueled, claws against long sword, paying no mind to the action around them. Tybalt couldn’t bear to look at Haer’Dalis’ form, so he concentrated on hurting Bhodi; he didn’t want to kill her, he wanted to cause her pain and make her suffer. His blows were devastating but not lethal. She sensed this and grinned.

“What’s the matter, Bhaal child?” she asked. “Your friend will now be forever young and unchanged. You should thank me. I was going to give you the same gift, but you don’t seem appreciative. I think I’ll feast on you, instead.”

Tybalt roared and struck harder, not caring whether he killed her now. He wanted to shut her up, not listen to her taunts anymore. He ignored the blows she gave him, ignored his companions’ cries, ignored everything but his blade sinking into Bhodi’s flesh. He barely realized when she vanished and he stood unopposed. “Where is she?” he demanded.

“Tybalt!” Jaheira grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “It is over. The vampires are dead. Get a hold of yourself.”

“Haer’Dalis,” he whispered, searching the room despite his better judgment. He found the man sprawled on the floor, blood seeping through his shirt. “No! No…” He collapsed onto the floor, dropping his sword. “No no no,” he whispered, rocking himself back and forth.

Jaheira looked at Ajantis and Aerie, and they left the room. “Tybalt, listen to me,” Jaheira stated calmly. “You must remain calm. I understand what you are feeling, but you must think clearly right now. There will be time for mourning later, but we have many things to do first. Your soul is not yet free.”

Tybalt didn’t appear to hear her. He stared at the tiefling’s body and mumbled to himself.

“Tybalt, please. This has been a difficult time for all of us, and it is not over yet. If we are to get through it, we all need to be strong. This hurts, but you can get through it.”

Tybalt made no move, and Jaheira sighed. She stood, taking his sword in case he did something drastic, and went to find the others.

Valygar shook his head when she entered. “Bhodi didn’t have the Lanthorn on her body. It isn’t in her coffin. I did find this, however.” He held forth a dried lump of flesh. “It appeared after I staked her. I think it’s her heart, but I’m not sure why it didn’t dissolve with the rest of her.”

“The foul thing is too black and hardened to be destroyed,” Ajantis guessed. “At least her taint has been washed away for good.”

“Yes,” Jaheira mused, “though I’m curious about Elhan. She mentioned knowing him somehow. I think there’s something the elves aren’t telling us.”

“How’s Tybalt?” Aerie asked.

The druid frowned. “He will be fine, given time. But time is what we don’t have right now. I fear to think what damage Irenicus will do before Tybalt is ready to face him.”

They searched the coffin room for the Lanthorn, coming up with nothing. “There was another room where Haer’Dalis…” Aerie pointed out.

They returned to Tybalt. He hadn’t moved, and Jaheira knelt beside him again. “Search the room,” she said. “I’ll stay here with him.”

The room where Haer’Dalis had entered from was small, little more than a storage room. A shelf of books stood above a locked chest, comprising the entirety of the room’s contents. Valygar and Ajantis worked on breaking open the chest while Aerie skimmed the books.

“These deal with vampirism in some way,” she said, intrigued. “Why would Bhodi have such literature? What could she be looking for?” The elf took the books with her as the men forced open the chest.

The Rhynn Lanthorn stood inside. They grabbed it and left.

“Well?” Jaheira asked. She had managed to get Tybalt to stand.

“We have it,” Valygar affirmed.

“And there are some books I’d like to look at,” Aerie added.

Jaheira scowled. “There isn’t time for that. Help me get Tybalt outside. Maybe fresh air will help.” She started to move to the exit.

“No!” Tybalt shouted, looking at Haer’Dalis’ body. “Don’t let him rot here.”

Ajantis picked up the tiefling and carried him. “We can give him a decent burial,” he said.

They left the tomb, shutting the doors on their way out. “We should have Elhan bar the entrance,” Jaheira said. “That hole is better left uncovered.”

Ajantis was going to set Haer’Dalis down, but Tybalt became enraged, pacified only when the paladin remained holding the corpse. “For now,” Jaheira promised. “We will deal with it when we return to the elves.”