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Rush Of Blood To The Head, part 4.11.


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#1 Guest_Theodur_*

Posted 16 September 2003 - 05:27 PM

Rush Of Blood To The Head, part 4.11.

Once again we walk through the narrow corridors of asylum, empty cells on both sides of the hallway… I am unsure what will happen to this place, but in all likelihood the Cowled Wizards will assume their control over it sooner or later. A couple of turns later we run into the smiling Saemon Havaerian who has made a huge mistake by staying here longer than necessary.

“Gone and off like the shadow flees the morn,” he says with a soapy smile on his face, “You aren't going to let him fall away so easy, are you?”

“Your last advice was a decent one, Saemon, but only as far as it prevented us from dying. Still Imoen and I both lack our souls,” I sneer, “if you know where Irenicus went, you better share it with us.”

“Your goal is truly admirable and nothing would please me more if you would allow to aid you on your way,” Saemon’s sleazy manner of speech only serves to infuriate me even more, “I know you have reasons to view everything I say with suspicion – it is true that Bodhi employed me, but she has fled and I owe her brother no loyalty. But I know a thing or two about his plans… by peaking into his journal from time to time.”

“Get on with it, pirate, and make it quick – we can not afford to waste precious time on the likes of you,” Jaheira snarls.

“Ah, yes – from what I saw in his journal and from his conversations with Bodhi, I understand that his destination is an elven city in the Forest of Tethir… Suldanessellar. I have no idea on his plans there, but he seems intent to gain great power… powerful than anything, even gods – that can’t be good.”

“Humph. That's putting it mildly - godhood should only be reserved for those with the proper destiny and mental endurance (someone like me, for example!)” Edwin adds.

“Suldanessellar? Forest of Tethir?” I look at Jaheira.

“I am unsure about the location of the city… In any case the entrance would be forbidden for ones such as… us,” Jaheira frowns.

“So, I will offer my services to you, in the hopes that we can benefit from each other,” Saemon reminds me of his presence, “I'm sure you can understand the motives of self-preservation.”

That also includes selling us out at the first opportunity, no doubt… I am not enough of a fool to trust this pirate one bit. “What sort of services do you propose to us and why do we even need them? We can get to this Suldanessellar by ourselves, without your help,” I try to bluff hoping that Saemon might reveal more information.

“First, let me inform you of the ways you may leave this place. Irenicus left by a magic portal... it could be trapped, and it may even lead into…” Saemon does not get to finish the sentence as I cut him abrupt.

“You think us fools, Saemon? Why would we ever choose to follow you if we can hunt down Irenicus directly? Where is this portal, speak quickly?”

“I assure you it is definitely not a safe place to go… the portal is downstairs, behind a trapdoor in a wall, you will need a lock to open the door – perhaps you can find it in his private quarters. I strongly urge you to reconsider, though…” Saemon tries to convince us for the last time.

“Well, any of you think we can trust this piece of filth?” I ask my companions, but silence is the only response.

“He knows too much, abbil,” Viconia adds, “We can’t let him go either.”

“Viconia is right, Theodur,” Jaheira says, “There is no telling what he may do with the information he possesses.”

“Too bad, Saemon,” I look at the pirate who has shrunk a little in size, “at least I hope you can put a decent fight before you die, traitor. I will not give you a second chance to betray us again.”

Turns out that Saemon can’t put up a decent fight and quite quickly he falls on the floor, badly injured by Edwin and Imoen’s spells. Viconia is about to cut his throat with a dagger, but I intervene.

“Don’t do it, Vic. I think it will be enough if we would just drop him into one of these cells,” I say. Viconia just shrugs her shoulders and helps me drag Saemon’s limp body into the cell that was formerly occupied by the great Tiax. Much to Viconia’s dismay, I drop some of the dried rations from my backpack in front of Saemon – only later I realize that they actually might not help him survive, but instead would attract rats…

“I can’t believe I wasted a spell on something as pathetic as this pirate, a group of kobolds would present a more serious challenge,” Edwin complains as we make our way to the private chambers of Jon Irenicus. They are located near the entrance of the asylum, though I cannot see any convincing strategical reasoning for that – I guess he really felt that the wards that sealed this place were so impenetrable.

Edwin steps into the room as first, I follow him closely – immediately I am forced to grab him by the cowl of his robe and yank him backwards. With a loud yelp he lands on the floor, but notices the large stone golem rushing towards us before he can utter an insult at me.

Quickly I slash the large construct around its chest, forcing bits and pieces of stone to fly around us, but as it swings his mighty fists at me I barely manage to jump back to avoid being crushed. Jaheira and Viconia quickly come to my aid, protecting me with their shields and rapidly swinging away at the golem. However, this time it is Imoen who brings the beast down, throwing small orbs of glowing fire at him, making the golem crack from within…

“You are not as witless as you look, girl,” Edwin speaks, shaking pieces of dust and stone from his precious red robe, “that was not the possibly worst choice of spell in this situation… obviously, it was just a beginners guess, but at least you did not screw up completely.”

“Gee, thanks Eddie! You’re a pal… say, why didn’t you help us in the fight?” Imoen asks innocently.

“Err… uh, well, that is… I was busy with, err…”

“Say, could it be that I know a spell that is not in the possession of the Greatest of the Red Wizards? What do you say if we… trade?” Imoen winks.

“Fine, fine, you insufferable monkey, just leave me be… I believe we came here looking for something, so you better do something that you are at least fairly competent at,” Edwin sneers, ignoring our collective snickering. Imoen sneaks inside Irenicus apartments and Edwin follows her.

“He will be eating from her palm soon… Imoen is one that is hard to deny,” Jaheira encircles an arm around my waist and whispers softly in my ear, “just as her brother… also so hard to deny…” the whisper turns into a soft, teasing kiss starting from my ear, her lips travel across my cheek and end up linking with mine…

“Ahem,” Viconia expresses her discontentment, “shouldn’t we go and take a look at what they have found?”

“Mmmmph,” I reluctantly break the kiss and smile at Jaheira, “I suppose we should…”

Meanwhile, inside the apartments, Imoen has finished examining the room for traps and now she searches through every cabinet, locker and drawer, looking for a key, but not passing up any other object of some value, such as…

“Yes! Finally! You are mine once again, all mine…” Edwin exclaims as he grabs something small from Imoen’s hands and cradles it in his arms… seeing our stares, his face expression turns defensive, “what are you looking at, fools? Have you never seen a man reunited with his chessboard? Especially when it is a present of my dear tutor, Master Dekaras…”

Ignoring Viconia’s laughter, Edwin proceeds to recount the figures, meanwhile Imoen holds up her arms triumphantly – small, golden key in her hand…

“Argh! That… that… that leather-fetish obsessed degenerate! I will hunt him down for this to the deepest depths of the Abyss, I swear! The nerve of that feeble-minded imbecile!” Edwin shouts in anger.

“What is the matter now, Edwin?” Jaheira asks resignedly, as if to addressing a spoiled kid.

“Ah… why bother explaining a tragedy of indescribable extent to a bunch of ignorants… you would not understand… the black pawn is missing! You will pay for this, Irenicus! Now it is personal, do you hear me!” Edwin raises his fist to the ceiling of the room as if Irenicus would be hiding on the upper shelf of the large wardrobe.

“No worries, Eddie…” I can barely contain laughter, “I always felt you needed a handicap…”

“You… you…” Edwin looks like he is going to pop a vein, “You’re on, fool! Come and be crushed by the superior intellect of a Thaywian Red Wizard!”

“We do not have time for this nonsense, wael,” Viconia quarrels.

“Indeed, you both should know better than that,” Jaheira admonishes us, “now that we have the key, there is no need to dawdle around, let us get going.”

“Pah! Women… they clearly do not recognize superior mind at work when they see one…” Edwin complains.

“Awww, Eddie! We, women, are not so bad… give us a chance, will ya? I recognize your superior intellect, Eddie… ain’t I a sweetie?” Imoen playfully pats Edwin on the shoulder as we leave the room.

“Humph, I hope you realize that you are only so far from getting struck by a magic missile, annoying girl,” Edwin barks, “and stop touching me without my permission…”

 

It does not take Imoen long to find the huge, secret doorway and indeed – just as Saemon Havaerian told us, a large, swirly magical portal awaits us inside… waiting for us to step through it…

“Well, is everyone ready?” I turn to regard my group of friends, “any famous last words before we leave?”

“We have wasted enough time already,” Jaheira speaks, “let us go and see where it takes us… no place could be worse than this.”

One by one we step through the portal… once again to face the familiar, nauseating side effects of teleportation… I feel myself floating into nothingness, only to finally realize the meaning of Irenicus’s words …

…our friends in the dark…

Oh, no… could it be… Underdark?




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