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33. Rufie


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#1 Guest_Kulyok_*

Posted 01 March 2009 - 06:55 PM

"I don't understand," Imoen's eyelashes fluttered in bewilderment, "I just sat on this ledge and whoops! My hand slipped into the hidden treasury and," she lovingly stroke two pieces of parchment on her lap, "I got this! Another Cloudkill and Chromatic Orb, for free!"
"What? Give it here now, you little specimen of a macaque!" Edwin swiftly approached the girl and tried to pry the scrolls from her hands.
"Hey, easy here!" Imoen swiftly drew back, "I know you have an Orb already."
""I have no qualms about the Orb, but I do not think it is wise to trust a Red Wizard with such a dangerous spell as Cloudkill," Jaheira said. "We should sell this one, as neither of you is able to cast such advanced magic yet."
"Oh, relax, Jae," Ala said. She was sitting on another ledge, dangling her feet in a small stream nearby. The adventurers had gone a considerable way southwest, and were now having a short rest in a secluded spot next to a forest waterfall. "The emeralds we've got will net us a tidy sum, even if we do not turn them in as a bounty, so we can allow ourselves some luxuries. Such as," she sprang up, approaching the mages, "carrying expensive scrolls. By the way, Edwin, if you want this Cloudkill scroll, you'll have to earn it."
"Earn it? It's mine, and mine alone, by the single fact that I'm the only one deserving it! (You cannot expect a mere girl to have it when I do not, anyway.)"
"Uh-oh. Yours. Of course. But you see, Imoen is learning to be a mage, and she needs some help. So, if you help her practise, the scroll is yours. But if not..." Ala yanked the scroll away. "No teaching Im, no scroll. Sorry."
The mage looked as if he was going to fulminate, but then he seemed to restrain himself. "Teach her. Very well. But if she proves to be incompetent, it is not my problem," he reached his hand for the scroll. "Deal?"
"Deal."
"I can't believe it," Imoen sighed, as they picked up their packs, ready to move further, "it's been how long, a week? And now it's the third mage teaching me."
"Well, Im, look at it this way," Ala finished applying some dark substance on the last arrow and carefully put it into a quiver, "it could be worse. It might have been that two previous ones were dead, and they're all alive, even the Zhents, much as I sometimes regret it. Besides, Im, whatever you say, I don't think Xzar was a good tutor."
"I know," Imoen nodded, "but I still miss him, a bit. I know he was a scumbag and all, but..." She shrugged helplessly.
"Children, hurry up!" Jaheira called. "We cannot wait for you all day."
"Coming!" Ala waved and turned back to her friend. "So, Immy, I'm sorry it has to be like that. I wish we were back at Candlekeep, or that I could grasp Elminster by his unwashed beard and ask him to teach you. But for now you'll have to do with Edwin, I'm afraid." She snickered. "Just pray he won't fall in love with you, too."
"Him?" Imoen giggled. "Sure, sis, he's tall, dark and handsome, but I'll eat my spellbook without salt if I ever see him in love. Nope, Edwin is out."
Still laughing, the girls ran forward to catch up with the rest of the party.
Edwin clenched and unclenched his fingers as he walked, fuming inwardly. Me, a fully qualified wizard of Thay, with magnificent abilities and vast knowledge of lore both ancient and modern, to teach some peasant girl? They must thank me on a bent knee that I have chosen them to aid me in my quest, and instead the annoying half-elf bothers me with these petty tasks!
The mage exhaled soundly. I'm hopelessly stuck in these barbarian lands, with nobody but monkeys around.
He was sorely tempted to abandon the party and the witch altogether, but that would mean becoming an exile, and Edwin Odesseiron was not about to let anybody see his humiliation. No, he must proceed, even if that means babysitting this Imoen girl every step of the way.
Then another thought came into his head. But I must also mind my task. The witch is just a possible source of influence, the main target is the Bhaalspawn. But that means I shall have to watch the girl, until I can make a valid decision on whether prophecies speak of her or not. And only then will I be able to return to Thay.
"Is Evil Wizard angry?" Edwin heard, as a mailed hand fell on his shoulder. "Boo tells me that the Red Wizard plots the World Domination and must be distracted, lest he comes up with something very Evil. Here, you can hold Boo if you wish, he is a very wise hamster. See?" The ranger bent his head to the rodent. "Yes, Boo, I will tell him. Boo asks me to remind you that we roam the Realms for adventure, and the World Domination is not included."
"I know exactly what's the reason for me to travel with such an obnoxious and obviously insane gibbering idiot!" Edwin brushed Minsc's hand off indignantly. "And that does not include a Mielikki-serving ape telling me what I should and what I should not do!"
A sudden squall of wind nearly threw him off-balance, flinging his robes open and providing party with a generous display of wizard's legs. Imoen squirmed and hastily retreated to the trees, protecting her own mantle from unraveling.
"Well, Edwin, you asked for it," Jaheira noted, chuckling quietly. "Gods do not like being mocked."
"Nice legs, by the way," Ala was laughing openly. "Pity you have to wear these... unmanly garments."
"Unmanly garments?!"
"Little Ala is right," Minsc noticed importantly. "In great country of Rasheman, only Witches wear these, and if a member of Ice Berserker Lodge would go on his dajemma in a dress, everybody would laugh."
"Berserkers? Why, it seems so. I had suspected as much when I caught your scent a few moments ago," an amused female voice said. A pretty, if rather plump, redhead woman came forward from a small grove. Two tall, blond warriors flanked her. "Whatever your intentions are, halt! You trespass quite deep into Amnish territory. Perhaps you have come to spy upon our supposed troop build up? It's quite funny, the stupid notions you northern barbarians can get stuck in your heads."
"Whom have you called bar-" Edwin started, but Ala cut the wizard off. "Are you saying that Amn does not threaten Baldur's Gate?"
"Of course not," the woman snorted. "Our mighty nation has better things to do than attack some self important barbarian city. Anyhow, take our advice, and go back from whence you came."
"I suppose," the girl said. "We were moving west, anyway. But we have done a service to Amn by cleansing the Nashkel mines, so I believe you're not doing us justice when you call us 'barbarians'."
The redhead shrugged. "Even so? Well, whoever you are, you're probably just peasants. And I am Sendai, of the noble merchant house of Argrims, foremost family in Amn, and I apologise to no one. Goodbye, peasants. I wish you luck on your journeys, you'll probably need it." She made a sign to her companions, and all three disappeared in the forest.
"Why, why haven't we attacked?" Edwin was speaking even louder than usual. "I had just the spell for the occasion, and these three were close to attacking us, so that would be self-defense, anyway. If you had no need of their armor and weapons, you could leave it to me!"
"Would you carry them yourself?" Ala raised an eyebrow. "You've answered your question: they were well-equipped. We almost lost Jaheira to such a party once. And the other day I was one step from getting killed. So I say we don't get involve in every brawl."
"Still, we learned some useful things," Jaheira said thoughtfully. "That woman seemed none too bright, so she probably didn't lie. And that means that Amn truly has no hostile intentions towards Baldur's Gate."
The day was drawing to a close, when they encountered yet another person. A small blond boy of about ten approached Jaheira, tugging her sleeve.
"'Scuse me?" he sniffed. "I ever so sowwy to bother, but could you help me? I've lost my little dog and I can't find him. He's probably ever so scared right now."
"Your dog?" Jaheira replied in disbelief. "Child, do you even know how dangerous these lands are? Have you no parents here?"
"Parents? Yes, I'm here with some rewatives, but they away for a moment and I'm lost. We are thinking of moving here someday, but I don't know my way awound yet. I can get home, but I just gotta get Rufie back. Please, could you help?" The boy looked at them with imploring eyes.
"Certainly, little one," Minsc answered at once, crushing all Ala's hopes to sneak away quietly. "Despair not, Heroes of Goodness will gladly aid you."
"How do we recognize him?" The girl made the last attempt to shirk the quest.
"You're sure to know him when you see him, cuz he's just the cutest little thing," the boy smiled, showing them perfect dimples on both cheeks. "Here, take this as well. His favorite chew-toy it is. He'll know you're a friend if you have it in your hands. Thank you so much again!"
"You'd better have this, Jae," Ala indicated the bone in the boy's hands. "I don't like the idea of touching other people's personal objects anymore."
"Is this what had happened when we met Prism?" Jaheira looked at the girl sharply. "You had touched the vial and went all white for a moment, then you had smashed the statue as if it had belonged to Demogorgon himself."
"I... I did, yes," Ala said with an effort. "I've seen the things I'd rather not," she briefly described her vision.
"That is strange," the druid was pensive. "I hadn't met the woman myself, but Gorion told me some unpleasant things about her. Namely that it was her city where Gorion came to dwell first, with you on his hands, and the Queen had driven him out because of what you were," Jaheira's hands clenched to fists on their own accord. "But the ritual you've described sounds unfamiliar to me. Suldanessellar is concealed in the thicket of Tethyrian forests, and elves rarely admit outsiders here, with the exception of friends and relatives. Perhaps later we shall find out more about this."
"Yes," Ala nodded. "I hope we shall."
The party found Rufie quite easily. A large reddish-brown dog was noisily licking water on the sandy river bank, not far from the place where they encountered the boy. It wagged its tail as it saw a bone in Jaheira's hand, and eagerly followed the adventurers.
Before they could return Rufie to its master, however, they met with another delay. A tall, gangly fellow approached them in a careless stride, beating up the bushes with a short sword as he went.
"Hey there, fella!" he clapped Ala on the shoulder. "I'm Vax. Seems like your little party's wandered a bit off the beaten path, eh? Well, that's too bad for you, cause you've had the misfortune of meeting the fastest draw in the West." He chuckled merrily. "See that man over yonder? His name's Zal, and he's the fastest dart thrower that has ever walked the Sword Coast! Now, if I were you, I wouldn't want to test the patience of such a man. So why don't you do the wise thing and hand over all your money? Otherwise you're going to be in a heap of trouble. A large heap of a trouble."
"Woof!" Rufie suddenly barked. "Woof, woof!"
"I think that he doesn't like you," Ala stepped back and drew her dagger. "And I agree. There're six of us, and only one of you. So you'd better leave us alone, while you can."
"Yeah! Go away, you big meanie!" Imoen bristled. "And if ya wanna know, the best swordsman on the Sword Coast got eaten by an ogre! So go away before our dog eats you and your fastest draw!"
The fellow laughed. "Hear that, Zal!" he shouted on the top of his voice. "Seems they don't take you seriously! Guess it's time to show what for, huh? Sorry, guys, but you're in for a world of hurt," he swiftly ducked. Next moment, a dart whistled from the direction of nearby bushes, piercing into Imoen's unprotected shoulder. The girl whimpered, trying to get it out, while other party members drew their weapons.
The second dart went straight for Jaheira's throat, but it didn't get there. Rufie jumped as if to catch it, changing in the process. Its body was melting, the fur giving way to scales, and fangs began to grow over its head. With a swipe of an enormous arm, the monster broke Vax's neck and streamed into the forest. A second later, there was a high-pitched scream, and then silence.
"Rufie! Who's a fuzzy Rufie? Who's a fuzzy little guy?" the blond boy was running to the party across the field. They instinctively stepped back.
"Thank you just ever so much," the boy said breathlessly. "I better take this lost little puppy home right away, or Aesgarth will be really angry. They're stuck in Watcher's Keep again. Here, take this. It's another of his chew things, but we can get more where we're going. Thanks again," with this words, he opened the portal and disappeared. Next, Rufie the fanged demon appeared from the bushes, looking very smug, and leaped into the portal, too. For a moment Ala could see a weird stony landscape and murky shapes on its bottom. Then the portal closed.
"That's a deck of cards," Jaheira said, sounding surprised. "It looks tattered and, well... chewed, but all the symbols are visible."
"This is no ordinary deck," Edwin pushed past Khalid and peered at the object intently. "I do not need useless divination skills to tell what it is. That is the Deck of Many Things! The item of utmost power and magnificence!" He coughed. "What I have meant to say is that it is merely an old artifact which powers have long been drained, I'm sure. (There, that will do.)"
"And of course, you would like to study this completely useless object at your leisure?" Jaheira asked sweetly. "Forget it, Edwin. I'd rather leave it here, but as it probably has some value, we'll take it. Not for your entertainment, though, and don't try to convince me otherwise."
Edwin shrugged. "I am not even remotely interested. (And I shall find a way. Just wait until you fall asleep. But the witch must die, first.)"
"So, shall we go?" Jaheira tapped her foot impatiently. "The Gnollish stronghold awaits!"
"And Dynaheir!" Minsc roared.
"And treasure!" Imoen agreed heatedly.
"And gnolls," Khalid added morosely.
"And a long way to go yet," Ala concluded. "Let's go!"




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