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[Arcalian]

Tree slammed her quarterstaff hard into the face of an squire, breaking his nose. As he staggered and stumbled, she whipped around, getting the velocity of her body behind the swing, and broke his neck.

She turned, and saw Viconia down on one knee, frantically thrashing her flail at the two knights in front of her, while a third closed in from behind. Adrian and Blaine had both already seen the trouble, and were heading towards the Drow, but neither of them would get there in time.

Everything became still and calm and focused. Fortunately the Order Hall was more than large enough to accomodate her rather unusual fighting style. But at the same time, the marble floor was rather smooth, less than idea for what she wanted....but Viconia, who was in Tree's mind something not unlike a sister, needed her.

The sounds of battle dimmed out as she focused, and soon she heard nothing but the triple-beat rythym of her Half-Dryad heart. She began to run, seemingly slowly in an unnatural silence. It was often this way for her when she performed her leaps and jumps.

She slammed her quarterstaff into the floor and pole-vaulted into the air. Angling her body carefully, she came down...feet planting on the back of one knight as she brought her staff down upon the head of the other.

All three of them went down in a confused mass of bodies, but she got back up and the other two did not. One was dead, the other merely unconscious. She remedied that by slamming her quarterstaff into his eye socket, forcing the weapon into his brain.

She pulled her quarterstaff out with some difficulty, and turned to face the third knight. That one had been startled to a halt by her sudden arrival. They readied their weapons....but all this had given Blaine enough time to arrive, and his katana flashed orange, chopping the Knight's sword off almost at the hilt. He was still staring at the stump of the blade in astonishment when Blaine beheaded him.

Tree used the opportunity to cast her most powerfull healing spell on the still-kneeling Viconia. The Drow reached up with a shaky hand and clasped her shoulder, and thanked her in her own dark tounge. Tree smiled and responded in kind, much to Viconia's surprise.

Blaine touched her other shoulder. "Korgan needs you as well," the kensai said, and Tree nodded. By now Adrian had arrived, and was giving his lover a healing potion. The Drow leaned against him greatfully as Tree went to help Korgan.

By the time she had healed him, the battle was effectively over. Krath and Anomen were pounding down the last of the fallen Knights.

"We cannot return to the Coronet," Tree murmured.

"No indeed," Adrian agreed. "We'll spend the rest of our waiting time in Bhodi's lair, after I make a brief stop in the Bridge District." The Bhaalspawn turned to Krath, Tanya, and Blaine. "Do any of you wish to join us on the journey to Spellhold?"

All three of them looked thoughtful, but as Tree had suspected from their auras, all three declined. "Our alliance is with Anomen," Blaine said apologetically, "And our work here is done. We will need to find our own places to hide."

"As you will," Adrian agreed amiably enough. "I am recruiting some help in the Bridge District anyway, as I said."

Anomen stood over the last body and sighed sadly. "I wish this hadn't been neccesary," he said.

Tanya came to his side. "You did the right thing. You have grown much since we first knew you."

Anomen smiled sadly. "Thank you, but it doesn't make me feel any better."

"Wisdom is seldom comforting," the Ilmaterite said, and Tree nodded in agreement. All three of Anomen's allies took turns shaking his hand, and departed. Adrian's party was not long behind.

----

As Tree had expected, the help Adrian had been referring to was Haer'Dalis and the Surgeon. Each was quite happy to rejoin the troupe.

"Aye, the storm of chaos shall wreak it's havoc on the island of spells," Haer'Dalis declaimed in a grand voice, striking a poise.

The Surgeon simply smirked. "He means yes," the odd mage translated. Tree was interested to note the two had formed a friendship in their oddness. Perhaps that would be of help in rescuing Imoen.

----

"The ship was sighted approaching the docks today by some of my living spies," Bhodi said when they arrived in her dungeon. "We can go tonight."

"Excellent," Adrian nodded. "We could use some rest first though, and I know you will wish to wait until after sunset to leave. You're still coming with us?"

"I told you of my shared history with the mage," Bhodi said, eyes glittering. "I would have words with him when we get there."

"Just leave a piece of Irenicus for me," Adrian said.

Bhodi laughed. "Oh be sure, I will not prevent your meeting." There was something odd in the vampiress' eyes when she said that, but even Tree, with her ability to read auras, could not fathom it. The minds of intelligent undead were often closed to her regardless, but with Bhodi it was even more true than usual, for some reason. In fact, there was something naggingly familiar about it, but the Druid couldn't place it.

So Adrian's party settled for a brief rest in the dungeon for the last short wait for the boat, as the sun sunk to the horizon. When it finally did set, unseen by all save Adrian and Bhodi herself, Bhodi's current "pet" Drayven and two other vampires quietly left the lair, to perform the favor Adrian had asked of Bhodi earlier.

Adrian's own party, plus Bhodi, did not set out for the docks until nearly midnight.

[Arcalian]

Bookwyrme figured out what Tree was sensing. Bhodi already told em she was an ex-elf; she told a lie close enough to the truth that the lie was able to hide in it's shadow.

The evil path won't really manifest itself again until certain details regarding Adalon come to the surface. But watch for a bit of *original* evil in the next part.

[Arcalian]

Perhaps that she, like Irenicus is without a soul?

Bingo!

Great chapter. Glad you finished the fight this time, instead of leaving us hanging

Though, of course, there is now a new cliffhanger.

Cliffhangers are my specialty.

[Arcalian]

One question. I'm guessing she uses her druidic spellcasting mostly for healing (or even metabattle divination type effects) as she virtually never uses it offensivce combat spells - not that I disagree tactically, as her physical attack is so potent - just that I'm assuming she does milk her spellcasting ability somehow.

In Bg1, i tend to ahve clerics summon skels and otherwise heal. In Bg2, its mostly straight up healing until the high level summons, like the Greater Elementals. Bless and Dispel Magic are always great though. Otherwise i just send em into the fight weapons swinging.

Ah see, instead of pulling out the q-staff, she should have just used its 'planting' to spin herself around it like a pole and whap the other guy with her legs, all Burly-Brawl like 'n stuff

I don't have a specific point for the burly brawl to be recreated in Adrian's saga, but I always thought the music for that fight would be perfect for the final battle on the throne. If anything teh finall battle with Smelly Melly will be a reversed Burly Brawl.

is Anomen not going to Spellhold?

Oh yes, hes going. But his friends arent.

go for it Ano....you could use a good...erm, R&R partner

Yes, but not her, and not now.

[Laufey]

She slammed her quarterstaff into the floor and pole-vaulted into the air. Angling her body carefully, she came down...feet planting on the back of one knight as she brought her staff down upon the head of the other.

All three of them went down in a confused mass of bodies, but she got back up and the other two did not. One was dead, the other merely unconscious. She remedied that by slamming her quarterstaff into his eye socket, forcing the weapon into his brain.

Oh, that was one nasty hit! Has to be a critical.

"We cannot return to the Coronet," Tree murmured.

"No indeed," Adrian agreed. "We'll spend the rest of our waiting time in Bhodi's lair, after I make a brief stop in the Bridge District." The Bhaalspawn turned to Krath, Tanya, and Blaine. "Do any of you wish to join us on the journey to Spellhold?"

All three of them looked thoughtful, but as Tree had suspected from their auras, all three declined. "Our alliance is with Anomen," Blaine said apologetically, "And our work here is done. We will need to find our own places to hide."

As I expected - I suppose their part in the tale is over, for now?

Anomen smiled sadly. "Thank you, but it doesn't make me feel any better."

"Wisdom is seldom comforting," the Ilmaterite said, and Tree nodded in agreement. All three of Anomen's allies took turns shaking his hand, and departed. Adrian's party was not long behind.

She's very right about that. Wisdom can be quite painful to acquire.

"I told you of my shared history with the mage," Bhodi said, eyes glittering. "I would have words with him when we get there."

"Just leave a piece of Irenicus for me," Adrian said.

Bhodi laughed. "Oh be sure, I will not prevent your meeting." There was something odd in the vampiress' eyes when she said that, but even Tree, with her ability to read auras, could not fathom it. The minds of intelligent undead were often closed to her regardless, but with Bhodi it was even more true than usual, for some reason. In fact, there was something naggingly familiar about it, but the Druid couldn't place it.

Oh, I think I can...and it will surely be interesting to see Adrian's reaction, when he learns the truth.