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[Arcalian]

Irenicus was frustarted. The tactical skill granted to him by Adrian's soul was a great help to be sure; but Ellesime and her damnable minions were holding him at bay. He was gaining ground, it was true, but it was slow, oh so slow......

Getting the Dragon in the gate and secreting some of the "sacred" Elven artifacts with him was a pain. You would think the Dragon would simply tear through the opposition, but the Elves were stout and steadfast, calling upon Rillifane and all the rest of those hypocritical Seldarine to protect them. And with High Priestess Dermin backing them up, that was no joke.

Slowly but surely though, his troops were advancing towards the palace. The Drow were all to eager to die fighting the Elves, so long as two or three Elves went down for each one of them. And for all that the Seldarine could do, Lolth was undoubtedly assisting her children as well. It chafed Irenicus slightly that the Drow were faring better against his hated former home than his own magics or the various Rakshassa, undead, and his other slaves.

He wished Bhodi were here.

But she was dead now, and he knew it. The Bhaalspawn must have destroyed her. Irenicus wanted to believe that Imoen, at least, had died in that conflagration, but he could not hope for such. He knew Adrian was still alive; the soul within him would have settled peacefully if it were so. But no, it was restless and angry, and Irenicus was feeling the effects fo that.

He would destroy Adrian and Imoen both, if he must; and here, in this place of power that would be his.

Sooner or later, the trees of home will be burning, he promised himself.

-----

Frennendan led Adrian and his party on almost straight line north. A few bends and twists led them over a hill, and a series of short ridges.

But what appeared ahead of them appeared to be nothing; a gray mass.

"That be it?" Korgan was unimpressed.

"It's an illusion, obviously," said Edwin. "(That damnable Gnome could probably see through it with those goggles of his.) I'm sure our priests could invoke their Sight."

Viconia and Anomen did so, and sure enough they could see; the mists cleared for them, and they saw a tall white tower surrounded by four domes, which were in turn surrounded by four square buildings, of the same ivory-white tone.

"It looks like a temple," Viconia said unceratinly.

"It is," said Frennendan. "A temple dedicated to ego, ambition, greed, and foolishness. Lead the others in."

Frennendan went on, and Viconia and Anomen followed in his wake, leading the others.