Something to Hold on To

Something To Hold On To
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Soris awoke with a gasp. For the fourth night running, he had awoken from the same nightmare. He was falling. His friends reached out to catch him, but every one of them missed, and he continued to fall. Viconia remained, with her arm outstretched, but he couldn't quite reach it. Both of them were screaming, and he plunged down into the darkness only to awaken and find the rest of the camp sleeping peacefully, except for one.

Dreaming again?

Yes, Eric, the same one.

The one where you are falling?

Yes, that one.

You really should speak with someone. I'll go get the pretty lady.

No, you know she hates it when you wake her.

Then maybe you should do it. The cub snickered. I'm sure she wouldn't mind.

Eric! They're just dreams, nightmares, but they don't feel real like the Bhaal dreams did. I'm sure I'll be fine. Tell you what, let's go get something to eat.

Now you're talking, but I still think you should wake the pretty lady.

Perhaps I will, but I need some time to think.

Fine. You think. I'll eat.

The sorcerer and his familiar settled down by the fire, a fire that had long since died to a few glowing embers.

Elhan was no more gracious when Soris and his friends returned than he had been when they left.

"So the stragglers return. At least you bring the Lanthorn, but it is a shame that you didn't lose the Drow. That is of little consequence, however. She will be dealt with in time. Quickly, hand me the Lanthorn."

Soris did not care for Elhan's statements regarding Viconia, and he frowned as Imoen handed the elf the ancient artifact. Upon touching the elf's hands, a brilliant light shot forth and burned through an illusion, revealing a city not far from where the party stood. They began to walk and shortly came to stand before a huge set of doors. Elhan nearly leaped for joy.

"At last, sweet Suldanessellar! Too long have I been absent from thy loving embrace."

Viconia caught Soris' eye and made as if to gag. She began to speak, but Soris waved her into silence. Elhan spoke instead.

"You now tread on ground that few outsiders have ever seen. It must be treated with the utmost respect. Normally, I wouldn't allow ones such as yourselves to enter our beloved city, but these are the worst of circumstances, and I fear that we may have further need of your aid."

"Nice to know we're appreciated." Imoen mumbled from somewhere in the back. Both Elhan and Soris glared at her, but said nothing. Elhan looked directly at Soris.

"This situation will require a delicate, if firm hand. See that you keep your party in line, and that includes the Drow. Many of my people are not as tolerant as I am. Leash her if you must." Viconia glared dangerously at the now grinning Elhan. Soris knew that he needed to separate them soon if he was to avoid a confrontation. The group moved forward into the city. As they stepped into the chaos, Soris leaned in so that only Elhan could hear him.

"I do not appreciate your insults and veiled threats towards Viconia. We are doing you a favor by helping you now. The least you could offer is a small amount of respect, but should that not prove possible, let me make myself clear. If anything unexpected were to befall my Drow, as you so graciously refer to her, I will hold you responsible."

Soris left Elhan, the elf standing at the gates to the city with a puzzled and angered look on his face. The elven commander shouted orders to the departing party.

"Send any of my people you find here. I will direct them to safety!"

"As you wish, wael, you shall remain here in safety, while we take the risk for your pathetic city. If it wasn't for Soris, I wouldn't waste my time with you pathetic fools." Viconia muttered to herself as the party ran through the streets.

"What's that Vic?"

"I was just saying that the fools are not worth our time."

Imoen grinned at the Drow. "Maybe, but then who is? We do what we can."

"That we do."

At that moment, war cries could be heard from the front of the party. Minsc and Keldorn had engaged the first of their many enemies.

Soris crossed the bridge, running between Jaheira and Viconia. Imoen and Eric followed not far behind. They arrived to find a Drow raiding party assisted by three skeleton warriors and several large golems including one made of adamantium.

"Viconia! Turn those skeletons." Soris began to chant furiously, and his eerie choruses were soon matched by Imoen's. Jaheira drew her scimitar and leaped into the fracas, Drow blades glancing off of her shield, armor and occasionally her stoneskins.

Eric slipped in and out of the shadows and began attempting to hamstring Drow warriors. He was not very effective, but he did manage to trip up several of them giving the other members of the party a chance to finish them off.

Viconia fell back and sought the calm state she needed to make contact with the power given to her by her goddess. She reached out and began the chant that normally was able to turn the undead. She waited for the power to overwhelm and fill her before radiating outward. Nothing happened. She could feel herself beginning to panic. Shar! Where are you? I need you. Her desperate prayer was disrupted when she heard Imoen screaming.

"Vic! Stap out of it. Soris is in trouble."

Viconia could see that both Soris and Imoen had their staves out. Imoen was doing a good job of keeping two skeleton warriors at bay, but Soris was surround by several clay golems as well as the last of the skeleton warriors. Viconia left her prayer and drew her hammer. She felt Crom Fayer's strength infuse her body as she moved to engage her foes. The golems fell quickly enough, but the skeleton warriors were a different story.

Suddenly, a brilliant light arched through the battlefield and the remaining undead collapsed into piles of dust. Viconia caught sight of Keldorn returning Daystar to its sheath before she turned her attention back to the battle before her. A crushing sense of loss and failure filled her, and she struggled to push it aside. Only the adamatium golem remained. Soris and Imoen immediately began casting spells, reducing its magic resistance. Soon tiny pink spheres were added to the mix, and not long after that, the mighty golem tumbled to the ground.

While Soris took several moments to catch his breath, Jaheira and Minsc climbed the stairs of the nearby dwelling. They entered the house, and shouting and several thuds were heard coming from within. Soon Minsc emerged, shouting for Soris.

As Soris climbed the stairs of the dwelling, Imoen stepped up beside Viconia.

"Vic, what happened back there? I mean, why didn't you control those skeleton warriors? I've seen you do it before."

Viconia looked at the pink-haired mage, and feelings of dread and despair washed over the Drow.

"You must not breath a word of this to Soris, but I fear my goddess has abandoned me. Shar has removed her power from my grasp. I don't know why, but I tried to turn those skeletons, and nothing happened. It wasn't as if they resisted. I felt nothing."

"Oh gods, Viconia. That's awful. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, I...I do not need your pity. I will work through this on my own. I haven't always been a powerful priestess."

"I know, Vic." Imoen paused. "I think your wrong about not telling Soris. He cares about you, and this is important. Like it or not, it will affect how this group functions. He relies on you, and if you aren't there to help him, someone could be killed."

"I know that, but if I tell him then he will pity me and try to protect me. He already does, and I don't need that. Besides, without my power, I am mostly useless to him in any case."

"Vic, that's not true. Soris would never force you to leave."

"That, I know as well, but I will not have him treat me as if I am some fragile wounded animal. I will not." Viconia practically spat the words. Imoen might have pushed her further, but Soris and Jaheira emerged from the dwelling, and neither of them looked particularly pleased. Imoen frowned and made one last comment to Viconia.

"Think about it, will you?"

The Drow glared at her and said nothing. Her attention was focused on the sorcerer and the druid. Viconia couldn't quite hear their conversation, but she thought she heard mention of a dragon. She moved to gather in the courtyard of the dwelling with the rest of the party.

For several moments, Soris just stood there. Jaheira and Keldorn looked expectantly, and Viconia cleared her throat. Finally, Imoen broke the silence.

"Well? What's going on. Come on Soris, you've got to tell us." Imoen was just as impatient as he remembered her to be. Soris smiled for a brief moment before his frown once again assumed command.

"I spoke with priestess Demin. She says that Irenicus has sealed himself within the very heart of the Tree of Life. What he is doing there is anyone's guess, but it isn't good. To cover his tracks, his minions hold most of the city and have completely blocked off the Tree. There are too many of them to fight. Fortunately, she provided me with another plan. She believes that we should be able to several sacred objects to summon an avatar of an elven god. We already have two of the objects. The last, a chalice is in the clutches of a black dragon that resides in a glade just outside of the city. We will most likely have to defeat this dragon if we are retrieve this chalice.

"Great! Terrific! As if this party wasn't fun enough already." Imoen rolled her eyes.

Jaheira looked at Soris with her familiar arched eyebrow. "I assume you have some sort of plan concocted?"

Soris paused for a moment. "As a matter of fact, I do. Do you remember how we defeated the Shadow Dragon?"

"If I remember correctly, it involved mostly running around and hacking wildly." Viconia added dryly.

Soris shot her an annoyed glance. "Yes, but before that. If either you or Jaheira can hit this dragon with a harm spell, taking it down will be easy."

"Yes, but if we miss, this dragon will be much harder to slay, if I'm not mistaken. Perhaps I should ready the dragon armor anyways."

Soris grinned a little. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Keldorn, but your right. We're better off safe than sorry." Soris went on to outline the rest of his plan. In the end, the group decided to rest and prepare in a small glade just outside of the dragon's clearing. As their carefully concealed fire burned down to a few glowing embers, Viconia came to sit next to the young sorcerer.

"I need to speak with you about...about the plan for tomorrow."

Soris was worried. He could tell that something was bothering Viconia, but he didn't know what it was, and wrestling information out of the Drow when she wasn't ready to talk was worse than pulling teeth. He nodded to her. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

The Drow took a deep breath and began. The sorcerer couldn't help but notice the way her hair shown in the moonlight.

"I do not wish to speak with you about this, but Imoen is right. I will not have you be overcome by my weakness."

"Viconia, I..."

"Silence. I don't want your words right now. Just listen. If you do not wish for me to remain after you hear what I have to say, then I will understand."

Soris was struck dumb, but his mind wondered if this was another of those times. Please don't push me away now, Viconia. I need you, now more than ever. He snapped his attention back to the speaking Drow.

"The plan tomorrow will not succeed."

"Why not?"

"Because I... because I cannot... I have lost the favor of Shar. I am powerless, and thus will not be able to do my part.”

Soris' mind began to race. His earlier conversation with the goddess of the lonely returned to haunt him. She will fall away. It is not my name she calls in her agony. It is not my name...

Soris suddenly wondered whose name it was Viconia had called. He forced himself to return to the present world and to deal with the problem that had presented itself.

"How... how long have you been without your power?"

"I only noticed it earlier today when I attempted to turn the undead."

"I'm glad you decided to tell me this, and I think the plan will still work, but I need to talk to Jaheira and Imoen to change a few things before they set their spells for the battle. I would rather stay here with you, but I must..."

Viconia simply nodded.

He slipped off to make the necessary changes and wrestled with his feelings as he went. This is all my fault. I should have seen this coming, but I thought it would be Viconia's choice. He clenched his fist and glared upward. Why? Why does she deserve this? If your problem is with me, then deal with me. The sad part about all of it was that, Shar was dealing with him, and her actions against Viconia hurt the young sorcerer more than anything else that could have been done.

He quickly made the necessary adjustments and returned to Viconia's side. She sat there, gazing sullenly into the dying embers. For a moment, Soris hesitated, but the gently slid and arm around her shoulders and drew her towards him. She briefly resisted.

"I understand if you do not wish me to remain. My strength is gone. I am no longer of any use to you."

Soris could hardly believe what he was hearing. "That's not true. I have never valued you only for your clerical abilities, and I'm not going to send you away, not unless you want to leave. I don't know what I can do to help you right now. Don't give up. We'll get through this somehow, together. I promise."

As she leaned against him, Viconia wanted to believe his words, to have faith that they might make it through. She didn't know. Everything was changing, and she didn't if she could keep up. Everything I used to hold true is failing. Everything except for... She slid her arms around the figure beside her and held on.