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29. Xan's Departure


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#1 Guest_Kulyok_*

Posted 07 June 2005 - 12:38 PM

"Here lies the lord of Fission Slime," Ala snorted, fastidiously evading the small slime puddles, remaining after the battle. "Not much left of his minions, huh?"
The party was well on their way to Nashkel, but the endless red lengths of an arid region were getting on everybody's nerves. It was impossible to rest in the open, so the adventurers were hungry and tired. A thicket of firs a little away from the main tract seemed a good place to spend the night, but a large group of slimy monsters thought otherwise. However, now they were gone, and the party set a small campfire, ready to rest. Jaheira was studying the map, as usual, with Khalid peeping at it over her shoulder. Xan huddled next to the fire, his chin on his knees, and the girls bent over the prone body of Narcillicus Harwilliger Neen, a former scientist of sorts.
"Good catch, too," Imoen responded, carefully looting the body. "Can you believe he had a real Lightning scroll? Soon I'll have all Evocation spells at my disposal!" Her smile faded. "It's just I don't know how to use them, yet."
"No worries, Im, probably we'll come across another mage yet, and he'll teach you," Ala grinned.
Imoen visibly stiffened at these words, and Ala flushed, realizing what she had said.
Of course Imoen has not yet forgotten Xzar and his betrayal, you idiot! And she will not do it soon, make no mistake. Xzar--traitor, stinking traitor! Why did he do this to her? If he wanted to betray us from the start, at least he could do it without hurting her feelings so!
"Sorry, sis," Ala said aloud, touching her friend's arm soothingly. "But you'll learn fast, even without Xzar. I know you will."
"Maybe," Imoen gave her a wistful smile. "Xan has already shown me some cantrips, so..."
A barely audible whisper came from the border of the wood. The half-elf sharply spun around. "What was that?"
"You there, is your name Ala? Hurry up and answer. Your answer better be the truth, for your life depends upon it."
Four women stepped out in the open, three of them taking an aim at the girl immediately. The fourth one was taller than the rest, and the symbol of the Dark Sun hung loosely on her neck. It was her who spoke.
Ala felt her party members closing in, but her legs went wobbly just the same. "No, that isn't my name, I think you have the wrong person," she said slowly, trying to make her voice as confident as possible. We may prevail, but I shall be killed!
The woman smiled, baring her teeth. Her black eyes, however, remained cold, and for a moment the girl could swear they flicked yellow. Then the priestess spoke, and her words paralyzed Ala with fright once again. "You lie! Remember what I told you about lying. You were foolish to even try, as my god Cyric allows me to see through all falsehoods. You shall now die, Ala."
Three arrows, closing in. Three arrows... The girl ducked, but she saw it was useless. Three arrows, let out simultaneously, meant death. She watched in mute horror as three pairs of hands released their respective strings...
A blue glow surrounded both Xan and Imoen, and they stepped forward, protected by magical shields. Two arrows bounced from them harmlessly, but the third arrow hit Ala straight in the chest, sprawling her on the ground. Gasping, the girl reached for a healing potion.
The second shot got reflected again. Then Imoen's arrow found her target, and the bounty hunter wasn't able to make her third one. Xan made a slick gesture, and one of remaining archers turned against her fellow, snarling.
Meanwhile, it took combined efforts of Khalid and Jaheira to take the leader of the amazons down. Even ambushed from both sides, she tried to cast spell after spell, and one of her curses hit Khalid, who began to stumble and miss. Next, Jaheira's scimitar took one of her arms off, and the woman fell, her blood spraying a wide circle of grass. Before long, all four lay dead.
Ala sat up, feeling her vision clear as the potion worked its full effect. "Are you all r-right?" Khalid stepped up to her, looking anxious.
"I t-think so," she said shakily, leaning at the warrior's arm as he helped her up. "But I do not like this at all. Why does it continue? Who sends these bounty hunters? All of them were wearing Cyric's holy symbol; is it Cyric who wants me dead?"
"You have forgotten an important point, child," Jaheira said. "The man who murdered Gorion wanted to kill you, too, and, judging by your words, he was no priest."
"Yes, but he had glowing eyes! He could have been possessed by Cyric, as well."
"Perhaps. But how would you explain the dwarf at Beregost, and the man at the Friendly Arm? And what about the woman at Nashkel? I think it's time we found out who really stands behind this."
"No!" Imoen interrupted her. "First, I want to know how they find us, again and again!"
"Well, it was obvious I would have to spend the nights somewhere, so they waited for me in Beregost, Nashkel and Friendly Arm Inn," Ala shrugged.
"Right, sis. But now we are in the wilderness. No cities, nothing. And we've met two parties, in two days, searching for you! Don't you think it's a little strange?"
"Er, Cyric could give them a hint?"
"I do not think Cyric reveals our location to these pitiful bands," Xan said, shaking his head. "They bear his symbol because they can worship no other. It is highly probable they used scrying, instead."
"Scrying?" Imoen's face lit up, as it always had after solving another Gorion's riddle back at Candlekeep. "They'd need a personal item to do it. And I know what it is!"
"Moonblade," Xan and Imoen finished in unison. An uncomfortable silence followed.
"Well," Jaheira said curtly, "it seems that we shall have to endure these attacks in the future. Everyone must stay on their guard and we'll do just fine. Now, let's move ahead. We have a long way to Nashkel yet."
"No," Xan sighed. "It is my blade and I shall not expose you to the risk of being killed. I shall retrieve it, and I shall do it alone." He turned to the human girl. "I am sorry, Imoen, but you'll have to find yet another teacher. Hopefully he lasts longer than a day."
"You don't even know where the sword is!" Ala stared at the mage in disbelief. But a small voice in the corner of her mind told her that the elf had a point. The blade was his, and they would be safe if he left. She angrily cast the thought away. "What are you going to do, wander the wilderness till you're killed?"
"Now that I am able to cast again, I shall try to locate it with divination magic," she heard. "As for defenses, invisibility spells work quite well. I do not wish to desert you, but neither do I want to be an indirect cause of your doom."
"That would be a complex divination spell," Jaheira remarked, frowning. "I doubt that you're up to it. You'd better stay in the group until-"
"Until my doom? Or yours?" Xan asked quietly. The druid faltered, momentarily lost for words. Khalid shifted uneasily, but said nothing. The girls exchanged looks as Xan went to the dying fire, picking up his backpack.
He will go, Ala realized. If we don't stop him, Xan would go and get himself killed!
But... I do not want to stop him. I nearly died today, and it still may happen. His leave is so very convenient: he even has a chance to survive and retrieve the moonblade, so my conscience is clear. And if he dies, I won't be there. It'll be entirely his fault. A perfect and logical solution.
Ala smiled wryly. But logic has never been my strong side.
"Don't," she stepped up to the elf as he heaved the pack on his shoulders. "Don't go alone, Xan. Either stay or we go together. We are not Montaron and Xzar, we care whether you live or die."
"And so do I, strange as it may seem," Xan answered, an odd glint of amusement in his eyes. With a twinge of shame, the girl realized he knew about her doubts all along. Curse these enchanters! "But where would we go? Group march to the city of Baldur's Gate, perhaps? Out in the open, ambushed every few hours? Or Nashkel? I seem to recall my last visit to the town did not end well. No, Ala, while this life is certainly dull and pointless, I've no desire to finish it so soon." Reaching into his robes, he produced a small vial and tossed it to the girl. Inside was a single lock of hair. "I cannot carry this with me, for the odds are not to my favor. It's time you destroyed it." He cast a spell and disappeared from sight.
Ala buried her face in her hands, feeling strangely empty. What is it? Relief? Regret? Whatever it is, it's not pleasant. Then an arm landed on her shoulder. "He made his choice, child," Jaheira said, her voice unusually soft. "We could not stop him."
Ala's eyes stung. "You think so?"
"I do. You tried, but he already made up his mind, and," the druid sighed, "perhaps it was for the best. We are not experienced enough to withstand these constant ambushes, and Xan has invisibility. He is strong."
But is he? I guess he might be, but will it be enough? Ala closed her eyes for a moment. No, there's no point in self-whipping now. She blinked, twirling the vial in her hands. "Jae, what is it? What on Faerun did he use it for?"
"Oh, don't be stupid, child," Jaheira snorted, returning to her usual snappy self. "He found you in the smithy, don't you remember? It is your hair, he used it for scrying!"
"Yes," she replied vaguely, "probably he did. But how did he acquire this lock in the first place?"
To this question Jaheira could not answer.




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