Illesrhea

New chapter of Within is up. Review... if you DARE!

Hooray! I finally updated! If you enjoy, please R&R.
***

Scrambling unsurely across the soft earth, Discord and her friends gave chase to the stranger they believed to be Redblade. He tore across the land as though the dogs of hell itself were on his heels, and even light-footed Imoen found herself out of breath from the chase.

Discord, huffing for air, paused to glance back at her companions. All but Jan had managed to keep up, the short-legged gnome was out of sight. The others, weary though they looked, had kept up fine. There was no time to search for Jan. Discord sighed and picked up speed again. Whoever it was could not keep up like this forever, could he?

They rounded a corner. Thier target seemed to be losing some of his drive, but he was still ahead of the motley companions. The figure was getting farther and farther ahead.

Suddenly, the dirt in front of the fleeing man seemed to explode, sending clumps of earth, rocks and debris spraying in all directions. The man was blinded by a faceful of dirt, and the explosion propelled a rock into his stomach with such force that he doubled over, winded.

?The flasher-masher-bruiser mate,? Jan?s voice said smugly from the opposite side of the man. ?Patented by Jan Jansen, recently modified to increase explosive effects.?

?Nicely done, Jan,? Discord gasped, struggling to regulate her breathing. She leaned her hand against the wall of a nearby building, as did many of her fellows. Imoen rushed forward, using her boundless reserves of energy, and grabbed the man?s hand. With Haer?Dalis and Jan?s help, she managed to tie the struggling man up. Haer?Dalis kept hold of the man?s ropes.

?Release me, ye dogs! Ah?ve killed better men than you for less than this!? The man?s seafaring accent was thick and plain. Discord grinned smugly to herself. No Immensvale citizen would have such an accent if he hadn?t spent some time on the waves. This was certainly their smuggler.

The stranger seemed as out of breath as the rest of them. As impressive as his speed had been before, he was still only a man. His feet were quickened by fear, but his breath couldn?t quite keep up.

Haer?Dalis forced the bound man to his feet, and he met Discord?s eye with feigned calmness. ?Good she-elf... wha? was my crime? Yeh?ve caught me and bound me. Why??

?I don?t know. Why did you run?? Discord asked, delicately raising her scarred eyebrow, her lips pressed tightly together. Her tone was polite and cold, and she toyed cruelly at the man with her words like a cat with its claws. Her white-hot anger was well contained, for now, but her voice was like a scalpel - cold steel, cruel, and delicate.

The man seemed momentarily at a loss, but quickly recovered and regained his innocent countenance. ?Ah thought ye might be one o? them thrice damned bounty hunters out for me head.?

?Indeed,? Discord remarked dryly, circling the towering sailor slowly, savoring each cocky footstep. ?And how do you know I am not??

This time, Redblade recovered quickly. ?Bounty hunters don?t waste time a-chattin? with the prize. They kill and are done with it.?

?What have you done to warrant a bounty, good sir?? Discord asked bluntly. Before the sailor could find words for a retort, she charged on with her interrogation. ?Perhaps you have been into some petty thievery of late? Pickpocketing on the Docks of Athkatla? Mugging a few slumming nobles? Smuggling?? She hissed that last word with extra potency, and glanced into his veiled eyes for signs of recognition. ?Or perhaps it is not the law that you fear, but the outlaws? A certain Renal Bloodscalp, perhaps? I hear he can be quite the tricky business man, and a blunt, cruel enemy.? She smiled nastily, showing her teeth.

Redblade straightened up, a grimace hanging from his lips. ?Aye, yeh know who I am, alright, and I know you. No more games, god-mongrel.?

?Fair enough. I can respect that,? Discord said coldly.

?Yeh did better than I woulda? guessed of you, to come and find me here,? Redblade said slimily, his words full of suppressed bitterness at his capture.

?You didn?t think I would just let an attempted poisoning go, did you?? Discord allowed a note of gloating to show in her voice, and she haughtily examined her chapped hands as she spoke.

?Nah. ?Course not. I thought you would flounder about a bit, look for me and find no leads, before giving up. Yeh didn?t seem smart enough to get to Immensvale, let alone catch me,? Redblade snarled slyly ?However temporarily,? he added under his breath.

Discord laughed cruelly at that. He false mirth displayed her burning, ill concealed anger. ?You will leave my presence when I sicken of the sight of you, and no sooner. Be thankful that I don?t rid the Realms of your foul existence right now!?

?But that would make yeh a murderer,? Redblade sneered smoothly ?Just like yer father...?

?Still your tongue if you want to keep it, smuggler,? Discord whispered, softly, and dangerously delicately, drawing her white dagger as she spoke. ?Do you want to lose it so soon in the interrogation??

?Then yeh?d learn nothin? at all from me, and yeh know it. Stow your bluffs, I?m not in the mood.? Redblade was looking more and more confident.

Discord glanced around the city. Although the sky was beginning to deepen into the black-blue of night, they couldn?t stay within the city now. She was not about to let Redblade out of her sight, and she couldn?t risk the intervention of the villagers.

?Let?s get out of Immensvale,? she said, ignoring the groans of her companions. She sneered nastily at Redblade. ?We?ll want no witnesses.?

?Er... Discord, lass, you won?t be needing my help any longer?? Jan asked timidly, seeming to suddenly remember his former leader?s moods. ?Only I?ve got a field full of turnips to be plowing in the morning, and it?s getting late.?

?Yes, yes, Jan. Go on. It was good seeing you,? Discord said hollowly, her eyes staring at Dareth unflinchingly.

?Good luck with the harverst, Jan,? Imoen said fondly. With a brief cheery wave, Jan headed off into the darkening evening.

Discord took hold of the villain?s shoulder and shoved him, hard, in the direction they were going. Only his hands were tied, and the bindings were being tightly held by Minsc, so he grudgingly walked with the group, obviously realizing that resistance would get him nowhere. He glanced up Minsc, the towering juggernaught seeming to be made of nothing but knots of muscle, and thought better of trying to escape. Minsc, however, was the least of his problems.

o-o-o-o-o

They walked for the better part of an hour, Discord keeping her stony silence with a clenched jaw, the others nervously glancing from one to the other. The terrain was rocky, and without being able to use his hands to balance himself, Redblade stumbled and fell several times. Discord laughed nastily when this happened. Finally, they reached a clearing, sheltered on three sides by forest. As the sun had all but faded from the blue-black sky, Haer?Dalis and Anomen quickly set to building a crackling fire.

"Untie him," Discord commanded in a voice of cold steel. Her face was cool and calculating, but it showed a burning hatred hidden somewhere behind her hard eyes. Her rage was so plain that Imoen was quick to obey her without even bristling at the arrogant order.

"Heh. Yer taking a gamble there, me lass," Dareth grinned, as his bonds were loosed. He casually examined his fingernails. "Don't think I'm a fool 'cause I work the streets. I'll be out from under your nose by the time this night is over."

"I rather doubt that," Discord said quietly. She knelt down in front of the shifty man, and drew her axe. "You drugged me over by Windspear hills. Don't deny it." She sat down upon the ground, her feet folded neatly beneath her. "You crossed me, little man, and I don't let things like that slide very often. I think you know of my heritage?" He nodded. "Well you know what... unpredictable behavior my father's blood lends me. I try and keep to the law but sometimes I lose control. You wouldnt like that." She put her face very close to the theif's, and her lip curled. His face faltered slightly in its cocky show of disinterest.

"This is Frostreaver." Discord held up the blue-tinted blade and ran her thumb along its edge. "She is my favorite axe, and she has drank the blood of many of those who, like yourself, unfavorably crossed my path." She took a brisk breath, and smiled nastily. "Now, would you like to tell me who you work for and what he wants with me?"

"Yeh think I'm so timid yeh can intimidate a confession from me? Yer certainly an uppity one," Dareth's voice betrayed his nervous thoughts, although he managed to keep his face blank.

"I didn't think it would be that easy," sighed Discord. "We're in for a long and unpleasant night."

Her companions anxiously glanced at one another. This was a vindictive and cruel side to Discord which they rarely saw. She had a malicious glint in her eye which they silently knew came from her father. They didn't know what she was planning and if they should stop her, but they nervously watched the interrogation with increasing fear.

Discord was sitting back, looking at her axe again. "I have been carefully considering what to do with you, Redblade. I gave Frostreaver a lot of consideration. She is strong and brutal and can shatter bone and shred flesh without a second thought. The blade is enchanted to freeze the blood of the body it sinks into. With a strong arm behind her, this axe can easily kill a strong man in a single stroke. For my part, I must say, I love the sound she makes when she chops into enemy's flesh." On chops, Discord raised her axe lighting-quick and brought it down with all her strength with both hands. It sank into the ground in the space between Dareth's thumb and forefinger, where his hand was lying palm flat on the grass. An inch to one side or the other and Dareth would have lost a finger.The blade sank in until the earth covered it halfway. Dareth yelped and pulled his hand back, holding it against his body. Discord laughed.

"Why so jittery, Dareth? I missed." She grinned, showing her perfect white teeth. "Yes, I did think about Frostreaver, but decided against it. It would be over too soon. I might not get a whole answer to my query. A broad blade is good in battle, but in situations like this..." She leaned forward, and Dareth flinched involuntarily. She looked at him levelly, her face very close to his, and took his dagger from the sheath on his belt. "... I prefer a fine blade." She held up the dagger. It was thin and white, its tip razor sharp and evilly pointed. "This is a good dagger. A fine blade can get into so many places a broad one cannot. It can sever and slice without causing such massive bleeding or devastating damage. This is important in this business. Now, and do believe me when I say this is your last chance to answer safely, who do you work for?" All pretense of calm was gone from Discord's face, and her pure rage was laid bare for all to see. She bared her teeth and smiled.

"I... " Dareth faltered, and his eyes were held by the gleaming dagger in Discord's hand. "I cannot tell."

Discord's hand shot out like a snake, grabbing Dareth's wrist and slamming his palm down into the dust. She twirled the dagger briefly in her fingers and then drove the blade into his hand from the back, pinning him to the ground. He screamed in surprise and fear, his gasping breaths shaking his whole body.

"You bitch..."

"Discord, that's far enough!" Anomen was saying.

Discord didn't hear any of them. The blood was pounding in her ears, and her thoughts were becoming fuzzy and slow.

Kill him. Just raise the blade and slit his throat. It would be so easy.

"Esscieron! The... the man I work for, his name be Esscieron. Withdraw yer dagger!"

Imagine the feeling of his hot blood flowing down your hands. Kill the wretch.

"Where can I find him? What does he want with me?" Discord shouted, giving the knife a viciously cruel twist.

"He lives in the wilderness, somewhere north of the Temple ruins of Anumator. Thats all I know, I swear!"

"I will taste your beating heart if you lie to me!" Discord heard herself scream in a voice that was not her own. Her eyes were fixed on the man's quivering throat. Her jaw was clenched so hard she could taste her own blood.

Kill him.

"Release him! That's enough!" Haer'Dalis cried, while Anomen knelt down beside her and gently took hold of her wrist.

"Remove the blade now, Discord. That's all we're going to learn from him. This bloodlust can lead to no good." His voice was soft and soothing, and his dark brown eyes stared pleadingly into her equally deep ones. She blinked. Her whole body seemed to sag, and she yanked the blade from her captive and let it fall from her crimson fingers. Her eyes were unreadable and cold. She rose to her feet, ignoring Redblade?s sobs of pain.

"Deal with him. I am going to take a walk,? she said in a dull monotone, turning on her heel.

Aerie was suddenly beside them, casting a healing spell which sealed up Dareth's hand, leaving behind the hard ridge of a scar. His sobs turned to curses and screams of rage which he hurled in Discord?s direction.

"You crazed godspawn bitch. You Bhaal-blooded harpy! You'll pay for this!"

Discord?s head whipped around at the entrance to the forest. ?You don?t know how lucky you were tonight, Redblade. Goodnight.? Branches snapped noisily beneath her feet as she disappeared into the darkness. Soon she was out of sight, and her companions looked nervously from one to the other, not moving.

The silence was peppered only with the snaps and pops of the crackling fire.

Wow! Thats a lot to process. I'll go through it all...

- Yeah, it should be hair and sharp. My a key is a little sticky, so that happens. Ill fix it.

- ruefully is a word. I don't think truefully is. It means "mournfully" or "Regretfully"

- I'll fix the disclaimer. This fic was originally posted from fanfiction.net, so there may be some formatting errors because of that.

- 'ancy' means 'impatiently'

- rue is a word. It means regret

- "Suddenly a flaming torch had always been in his hand" I was hoping someone would notice this. Yeah, it doesnt make any sense, because it is a dream sequence, and dreams are crazy and illogical. Its supposed to give that sense of dreamlike-ness to the narrative.

-oops! eggagerated is a spelling error. I meant exaggerated, meaning "over-emphasized"

- Actually, it is spelled "thier". I before E rule, you know.

Thanks for the review! I love hearing from ppl!

-Rhea

Umar hills was a pleasant town a tad underpopulated, but Discord heartily enjoyed the calm, constant atmosphere of the village. She sometimes speculated about living in a place such as this after her adventuring days were over. The peace was attractive to her, but she knew herself well enough that she wouldn?t be able to stay for long. She was too much of a wanderer, and the day-to-day rural life would not satisfy her. Still, the prospect was interesting and made for entertaining thoughts and fantasies.

They arrived just as the sun began to sink behind the horizon, painting the sky with vivid streaks of red and orange. Tired, but glad to have reached their destination, the troupe cast a satisfied glance over the landscape.

?What now?? Imoen asked, stretching her back in such a way as to twist herself into a very bizarre position.

?I don?t know about you guys, but I am ready to collapse where I stand,? Discord sighed wearily. ?Lets just go get a meal at the inn and take a load off for a while. Then we can plan our next move. Its too late to take any decisive action anyway.? Shouldering her favorite axe, Frostreaver, Discord led the others in a slow, steady trudge towards the tavern.

The inn was fairly well packed, full of tired farmers taking a glass of stout to reward themselves for a hard day?s work. After much searching, the group managed to find a table large enough and with enough chairs for all of them. Throwing down thier burdens in a haphhazard pile, the group relaxed into the chairs with a sigh of relief. They ordered a heavy meal and leaned against the table, talking in low voices.

?If this Redblade person is in Umar Hills,? Haer?Dalis pointed out, ?then we should be careful, my Raven, not to alert him to our presence.?

?Agreed, Sparrow, but how are we to get closer to our prey if we cannot come out of the shadows?? demanded Discord. ?Any one of these people could be him.?

?True enough,? Anomen admitted thoughtfully. He cast an eye about the room. ?and we need information.?

The bustling bar room was a little too close and crowded for Discord's liking, but she busied herself with a mug of ale and soon forgot her discomfort. She felt the itch for a pipe, but had no safe leaf; besides, she was wary of smoking after her harrowing experience last time. She regretted this, as it was always a calming and enjoyable habit of hers, no matter what the others might think.

She cast an eye about her surroundings, doubtful of how to proceed. If they stayed in town too long, they ran a risk of this Redblade person seeing them and high-tailing it. If that happened, Discord didn't know what they would do. He could be anywhere in Amn, if he was not here. At the same time, she knew, it would be tricky to gather information in a small town like this without alerting him to their wherabouts. Word got around in a place like this, and if she went around unsubtly asking questions frankly, rumors would spread and tales would go from one villager to the next concerning the mysterious armed stranger questioning about old Redblade. Word would get back to him and he would be out of town quicker than they could track him down. They needed to find someone they could trust.

Imoen's job was clear without it being described to her. As the thief of the party, her duty was to constantly be watching; watching for a trap, a chest, or a suspicious person. In this case, she kept an eye out for anyone acting strangely, anyone who looked nervous at the sight of an adventuring party. As her narrowed eyes checked the room, they fell upon a familiar face. A gnome, half bald and unkempt, was talking earnestly with a young man at a table on the other side of the bar. Imoen hid her grinning face, and excused herself from the table, creeping silently through the throng of people.

"... and let me tell you, ten gold pieces for a turnip recipe like this is a steal, my friend! Auntie Bilcher, may she rest in peace, inventedthis turnip souffle one evening in order to have a classy meal prepared to impress some upstart human types who were coming round to dinner. Now, Auntie didn't like humans much, but she had invited them over as a result of a duel she had had with one of their dogs. Long story-"

"And we all know how much you hate long stories, eh Jan?" Imoen's impish giggle broke into the gnome's long winded droning. Jan spun around, and his face crinkled in awide smile to see the young lass.

?My, but Imoen, it has been a long time!? Jan cried joyfully.

?Heya!? Imoen chirped.

?Are you here alone, lass? Or is that grouchy blue woman with you??

?Um, Discord? Yeah, she?s sitting right over there,? Imoen grinned, pointing at her sister, whose face was obscured by the carved oaken goblet of ale, from which she quaffed from with great zeal.

?Well, little ?Moen, I?d love to join you in a minute and catch up on old times, but I am in the middle of a fairly important transaction.?

?Sure. I don?t think this gentleman is interested in your turnip souffle, Jan,? Imoen grinned, leaning her elbows impudently on the table top. ?Come on, the others will want to see you!?

?The others?? Jan peered back at the congregated travbellers, still oblivious to Imoen?s brief disappearance. His face broke into a wicked smile. ?Ano...?

?We?re all too tired to continue work today,? Discord was saying. ?Can we think about this in the morning?? Her head was sinking heavily into her hands and her eyelids were drooping. (Although, truth be told, her drowsiness was as much a result of the drink as the journey.)

?Aye, my Lady,? Anomen sighed. He seemed to be doing the best after their hard day?s travel, and he looked a little exasperated at Discord?s seeming disinterest. ?But I will press the matter on the morrow.?

?Indeed, Sir Ano, you have a hard time keeping that abnormally large nose to yourself,? said a gleeful voice. Anomen closed his eyes very calmly. His face went very blank. The only sign of life in him was the deep gouges he was scraping into the tabletop with his nails.

?Gnome,? he stated quietly.

?Hello Jan!? Discord, not seeming to notice, clapped Jan unsteadyingly on the back, causing the little man to sway for a moment and correct his balance.

?Cordy!? he chirped joyfully. ?It has been a long time. Almost... six months now, isn?t it??

?Something like that,? Discord grinned, motioning the tiny gnome to take a seat at their table. He did so, dragging a heavy chair with some obvious difficulty over to their polished table, and climbing onto it, kneeling in his chair so that he could be at a comfortable level in relation to the table. He was sitting right next to Anomen, who was sitting stiffly, bolt upright, and gripping his mug so hard his knuckles were white.

?Well whats a rugged adventurer such as yourself doing in a placid little country town like this?? Discord asked jovially. ?You?re not on some quest or other, are you??

?Ah, my friend, how little you know about me!? Jan scolded her, a cheeky grin on his wrinkled face. ?You of all people should know, Discord, that I am first a turnip salesman, second an adventurer. And I ask you, of all the places you have travelled, can you name another site so perfect for the cultivation and sale of that noblest of vegetables, the turnip??

?I can?t say that I can, Jan, but I don?t pretend to know nearly so much about the vegetables as you yourself,? Discord said obligingly.

?Well, let me tell you, this place is the shangri-la of root veggie farming. The soil is rich, land is plentiful, and the people here posess the refined and sophisticated tastes necessary to appreciate the flavor of the noble turnip. Business has never been better!?

?Glad to hear it, Jan.? Imoen arrived back at the table with another round for everyone, including their gnomish guest. Anomen downed his ale with surprising rapidity, gritting his teeth at the sound of the gnome?s voice. ?I wondered why Turnip Beer was on the list of drinks at the bar. Now I know.? Imoen added, grinning.

?A fine brew, to be sure, but I have far higher hopes for some finer turnip drinks - turnip brandy, or possibly turnip liqueur. Naturally these new developments will take some work and experimentation, but I think they will be both refreshing and potent.?

?Just don?t poison yourself,? Imoen advised.

Discord laughed, and took a draught from her non-turnip beer. She liked Jan, but she remembered finding travelling with him trying at best. She had been a little relieved when circumstances had forced thier parting, and she wasn?t the only one. Anomen in particular had despised the cheeky little man, who enjoyed sniping at the proud, slightly pompous knight simply to hear him flare up in quickly kindled anger. Discord sympathised with her lover, but at the same time found these little dialogues to be far too funny to intervene. It was a ridiculous concept, really, this tall, muscle built knight being bullied and taunted by this wizened little gnome. Haer?Dalis and Minsc, she noticed, also found Jan a little grating, but they held thier tongues for the sake of manners. Imoen adored him.

Discord snapped out of her thoughts as she realized that Jan was still talking to his old companions. ?...And that was when I remembered that I had stashed away a salad fork in my pack for just this kind of situation! Thank heavens I remembered to plan ahead. So I drew it out just in time and- well, the rest is history.?

?I had begun to think I could live the rest of my life without listening to another one of those stories,? Anomen muttered sullenly to Discord, who gave a lopsided grin.

?I heard that, Ano,? Jan said wickedly. ?And I wholeheartedly agree with you. Why just after we parted company, my first thought was ?thank the gods that I never have to be in the presence of that over-pious, self-important, arrogant, drivelling monkey again! And yet, here we are. Fate, I guess.?

?Listen, you half-pint, dirty little vegetable merchant, I-? Anomen?s angry retort was cut off by Discord?s imploring tone. The last thing she wanted was for the two of them to start bickering, just when they had been getting along so well.

?Anomen...? she began, but was cut off.

?I am curious, good sir Anomen, how is it you manage to puff your chest out so far when your head is so large and weighty? I shouldthink it would throw you off balance-?

?Jan...? Discord tried again.

?Cut it out, you two, you are drawing attention to us,? Aerie pleaded.

?And Discord said we need to keep hidden, so the smuggler-man doesn?t slip away like a greased hamster!? Minsc added, in an eggagerated stage whisper.

?Smuggler?? Jan turned to Discord. ?So you?re here on adventuring business, then? I almost forgot to ask you what you were doing here.?

?You were too busy making up stories about yourself, gnome,? Anomen spat vindictively. Jan whipped around, and tried to look furious, which was difficult on a three foot turnip salesman.

?For your information, knightling-?

?Oh, shut up you two,? Discord snapped. She glanced nervously around the bar, many of the inhabitants of which were watching their discourse with some interest. As if word wasn?t going to travel quickly enough. The fact that they were strangers alone made them a curiosity in this little village, but the longer they stayed, the more people would talk, and the more likely word of their arrival would reach the ears of Redblade. Not to mention that they were a strange enough sight as is; Discord, blue-skinned and armed, her raggedly shorn white hair completing her bizarre portrait; Haer?Dalis, a tiefling, which these people would probably never even have heard of, let alone be able to recognize; Minsc, the towering ranger standing tall and above all who stood near him, his bald head crowned with a purple tattoo and talking to a small hamster... Discord stifled laughter at just the thought of how they must look to these people. Keeping a low profile would be tricky.

?Yeah, Jan, we?re here on business,? she explained, casting a wary eye about the bar room. ?We?re looking for someone...?

The group then went into a hushed and long winded explaination of thier endeavors thus far.

?And so we came here to seek out the smuggler. We have to tread carefully, as this smuggler is doubtless skilled in subtlety and deception, and if he sees us we may never find him. That?s why we can?t simply ask around for information - word would get back to him, you see??

?What?s the fellow?s name?? asked the old gnome. ?Perhaps I can help you.?

Discord nodded. ?That?s what I was thinking. I believe I can trust you, Jan. His name is Dareth Redblade.?

Jan?s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ?Old Dareth? You?re kidding me! Well, that explains his apparent dislike for turnips... the Shadow Thieves I dealt with in Athkatla seemed to absolutely abhor the noble vegetable. Brutish lot, no refinery whatsoever. I should have known. I remember one time, when I approached him with my wares-?

?Jan!? Imoen interrupted him. ?You know this Redblade person??

?Why sure!? Jan said. ?He?s a regular at the tavern... actually, I think he?s here now. Right over...? Jan swung around in his seat, searching for Dareth?s face in the throng of bar patrons.

CRASH! A nearby table was shoved over, and the drinks and candles clattered to the floor, splashing beer and hot wax all over the floor and nearby patrons. In the chaos that ensued, Jan was distracted and stopped mid sentence. Imoen, however, whose business it was to see things, noticed a silent-footed man slip out the back door in the commotion.

??Cord! This way, he?s escaping!? Whoever it was must have been listening in, and tipped over the table rather than being identified by Jan. He obviously had enough skill and experience to know to create and take advantage of the diversion. That was thier man, Imoen would bet on it.

Trusting her sister?s judgement, Discord followed her lead, with Anomen, Minsc, Aerie and Haer?Dalis following soon after. Short-legged Jan followed, but lagged behind. They tore after their prey, Imoen leading and the others striving to keep pace. They were fast, but the stranger was faster.

o-o-o-o-o-o-

yeah, I know that was a lame chapter. I?ll give you something meatier when my schedule calms down a little.

Discord felt fine in body the next morning, but her spirit was heavy with shame. She timidly emerged from her tent to see her friends gathered around a morning fire, heating a thin gruel made from wild grains for breakfast. Their supplies gone, they had made do with what they could find, but that could only went so far.

?Um... Good morning, everyone,? she said quietly, and they all looked up to see her. She avoided their eyes.

?Discord,? Imoen smiled and made room by the fire. Discord briefly smiled in gratitude, and sat down in the dust between her sister and Minsc.

?How are you feeling?? Imoen asked.

?Better,? Discord grunted. ?Um... I wanted to apologise to everyone.?

?Boo says you don?t need to,? Minsc reassured her. ?It was the evil poison.?

Discord gave a short laugh. ?That?s very kind, Boo, but I really do think I should. I am so sorry for all that I put you through.?

?Thats not necessary,? Aerie said firmly. ?It wasn?t your fault. I should apologise to you...?

?You were just trying to protect Haer?Dalis. I would have done the same. And, my sparrow, I am sorry for what I said and did.?

Haer?Dalis bowed his head. ?As Aerie said, you were in the clutches of madness, you knew not what you did,? he said graciously.

?How?s your nose?? Discord asked with a little half-smile.

Haer?Dalis grinned. ?Aerie mended it well, thank you.?

Discord felt a little better after that awkward dialogue, but still felt the gap between herself and her friends which had not been there before. Even Anomen seemed nervous around her, despite his loving attentions.

?Well, what do we do now?? Imoen asked as they packed up camp. ?I suppose we have our quest already, now that we have found Discord has an anonymous enemy. We don?t need to look around Athkatla for work.?

?That?s true,? Discord agreed. ?Although we have to go there anyway for supplies and such.?

?We must go after the poisoner!? Minsc bellowed. ?Discord must be avenged.?

?True enough, Minsc,? Discord said, supressing laughter. ?But we need a lead before we can find him. What do we know about or enemy??

?He must have been watching us for a while,? Aerie volunteered. ?That?s how he knew that Discord smoked and how to get the Lotus in the leaf.?

Discord nodded. ?What else??

?Well, he must have known a lot about drugs and poisons, because he managed to drug me so he could get at your leaf,? Anomen volunteered. He tossed the pouch into Discord?s lap, and she examined the strange white powder. ?I found that on he tunic I was wearing that night. It knocks you out if you breathe it in.?

?It sounds like he was planning this for a while,? Discord murmured. ?Where could he get this stuff??

?The black lotus trade is rampant in the dank recesses of Athkatla,? Haer?Dalis stated. ?I don?t know about the other stuff. I believe its fairly rare, so he would have to be rolling in coin to procure it, not to mention that he would need all kinds of connections.?

?One of the wealthier drug lords?? Discord suggested.

?What about a motive?? Imoen asked. ?Why would a drug lord want you dead??

?The usual reason,? sighed Discord. ?I?m a Bhaalspawn, and a pretty famous one at that. He could have been hired, or he could be a Bhaalspawn himself, I guess.?

?I think it more likely that some other wealthy person with an interest in your heritage got a hold of the Lotus and the white powder. Lotus would be easy to get, and drug lords aren?t the only ones with connections,? Anomen said. Discord shrugged.

?Whoever it was, we should look into the drug dealers of Athkatla. That could lead us to the guilty party.?

?What about the Shadow Theives?? Haer?Dalis suggested. ?They know all that goes on in Athkatla, especially in the criminal underground, and they were trustworthy allies in the past.?

?Of course!? Discord snapped her fingers. ?We should go straight to the Docks district.?

Their goal in mind, the company set off for the City of Coin, and arrived in only a few short hours. Aran Linvail was pleased to see them. The blond, broad-shouldered thief smiled from ear to ear when he saw the familiar group.

?I heard all about your victory over the wizard, Discord, and I am most pleased. Is this the young girl you were so eager to save?? he asked, gesturing to Imoen.

?Yes, Aran. This is Imoen,? Aran and Imoen shook hands, and Aran admired Imoen?s slender, nimble fingers.

?Your hands are slim and quick, my dear,? he noted. ?Am I right in guessing that you are capable of picking the odd lock or pocket??

Imoen grinned. ?I have been known to in the past,? she said. ?But I am more of a mage, now, than a thief, though I still retain my old skills.?

?Indeed?? said Aran with interest. ?And I see you can draw a bow, as well,? he noted, seeing the short bow and quiver strapped to Imoen?s back. ?We could find many uses for you here in he guild.? His eyes travelled up and down her curved body. ?Yes... many uses...?

Discord?s protectiveness kicked in, and she put a hand on her sister?s shoulder. ?That?s a generous offer, Aran, but Imoen has plenty of obligations and goals to keep her busy without owing allegiance to a guild.? She made eye contact with Imoen and gave her a meaningful look. You don?t want to get tangled up in this. ?You understand.?

?Of course,? Aran said regretfully. ?Well, are you here on business or pleasure?? he asked.

?Business, I?m afraid.? Discord said.

?Business is a fine thing,? he said jovially. ?What?s on your mind??

Discord explained the whole situation, leaving out only her Bhaalspawn revelations. When she was finished, Aran looked thoughtful.

?Members of my guild have been known to sell black lotus,? he mused. ?But a job like that would have come to me for clearance before it was carried out, so I doubt anyone in the Shadow Thieves is responsible.?

?Oh, I?m not accusing you, Aran,? Discord said hastily. ?I just figured that since very little goes on in this city of which the Shadow Thieves are not aware, you might be able to give us some names.?

?That is assuming the black lotus was bought in Athkatla.?

?Yes,? Discord admitted. ?But its the only lead we?ve got.?

?Well, I can?t tell you much about the black lotus trade,? Aran said. ?That?s not our primary business here, as you well know. Black lotus is both plentiful and easy to come by in Athkatla, and it could have been bought anywhere. This other substance you mentioned, however, the white powder sounds familiar to me. May I see it??

Discord rummaged around in her pack and brought out the pouch, handing it to Aran. He took out a pinch and examined it. ?Yes, I know this stuff. This is sleepspice, and it?s a common enough tool for the grand-scale thief.?

?Do you know about any new shipment of this sleepspice that has come into Athkatla recently?? Discord asked.

?Actually, it is illegal here. The only way it gets into the city is smuggled on transport ships or on our own vessels disguised to look like fishing trollers. We did smuggle in some just last week, but it has been sold and distributed by now.?

?Can we see the records of who it has been given to??

?I cannot allow you to look directly at the records, as I cannot endanger the identities of my operatives, but I can look into it myself and tell you what you wish to know.? Aran snapped his fingers, and a servant brought a record book marked smuggling, and flipped to the last entry.

?Yes, I see a pound each has been given to my five primary operatives,? he read, ?and several other workers have recieved rationed amounts for specific jobs. We sold some of it...hmmm... Gelt, are these records accurate??

The servant respectfully stood behind Aran and peered at the records. ?Yes, sir.?

?Well, we?re missing almost a pound of spice, then.?

?Yes, sir. The matter has been looked into but dismissed as unimportant. The amount is trivial, and it is believed to simply have spilled or been misplaced.?

?Who was the captain in charge of this shipment?? Aran asked. ?Was he not interrogated??

?Dareth Redblade was in charge of the vessel, sir, but he has gone missing and could not be interrogated.?

?Oh, that?s right. I heard something about his disappearance, but I left it to his superior to sort out. He went missing along with a portion of spice... well, I would suggest you look into this, my friend,? he said to Discord. ?It would seem the most likely explaination.?

?Where can I find him??

?He worked on the sea, and could be found on the docks. However, if he is hiding from the Shadow Thieves, he probably is not in Athkatla. He was born in Umar Hills, I believe, and he may have returned there to go into hiding. That?s all I can tell you, my friend. Come back if you need more help.?

?Thank you kindly, Aran. Do you need some payment for your help??

?Of course not! It was a pleasure to see you again, Discord. Farewell.?

?Farewell.?

Outside, the sun was high in the sky, and Discord guessed it was about three o?clock. ?Well?? Minsc asked. ?Are we to find the smuggler-man??

?I don?t think we have much choice,? Discord said, shouldering her pack. ?And I think Aran was right, if he were still in Athkatla the Shadow Thieves would have found him by now. I suppose our best bet is Umar Hills.?

Anomen nodded in agreement. ?We should stop at Waukeen?s Promenade first, though, and sell some of our burdens and buy a few necessities.?

Waukeen?s Promenade was as bustling and packed as ever, with vendors everywhere touting their wares to the throng of busy shoppers. They decided to split up. Aerie went to the circus to visit Quayle, Anomen and Minsc took all their damaged weaponry to the blacksmith for repairs, Haer?Dalis went to look for potions and supplies, and Discord and Imoen went to the Adventurer?s Mart to trade and purchase goods. They got quite a wealth of gold for the magical artefacts they had collected on their quests, and bought some much-needed arrows and magical trinkets. By the time all errands and necessities were dealt with, it was almost six, and they decided it was too late to set out. They arrived at the Copper Coronet at half past six, and relaxed in the bar room with a meal, a drink and a sigh.

?No! NO!? She could feel herself screaming. Her voice was ragged and she tasted blood in the back of her throat, but the endless cry of terror and betrayal still ripped from her.

?This is for the best,? he was saying firmly. ?I am sorry but it is necessary.?

?What do you want from me?? she held the sobs back from her voice as best she could.

?Want?? he said blankly, ?I want nothing, my dear. You simply must die for the good of us all.?

?It isn?t right! Remember what I taught you! You know this is wrong!?

?I know what will happen if I don?t?

?No! I swear I will harm no one! Have I ever shown taint before??

?It is only a matter of time,? he said dismissively. Suddenly a flaming torch had always been in his hand. Its flickering glow cast blood-red light on his face.

She looked down at the stacks of wood and twigs piled around her feet. She was bound tight to a stake in the ground, and escape was impossible. Hot tears wet her cheeks as she met the eyes of her executioner.

?Please...? she whispered. He shook his head pitilessly.

?I hope you die quickly,? he said. ?I don?t wish to cause you undue pain.?

?NO!? she screamed ?ANOMEN, NO!?

?For the Order!? he cried and thrust the torch into the dry kindling at her feet. The flames leaped up almost instantly, wrapping her body in flickering tongues of agony. The heat was unbearable, she was screaming and screaming and screaming , she could smell her own flesh burning, and so afraid it burned oh Illamater it burned and he was laughing, he was laughing as she sceamed and as she burned oh no no no...

?NO!? Discord?s body convulsed and she cried out like a cornered animal as she broke violently back into the waking world. She let her breath out in a half sob as she looked around at the dark and realized where she was. Her face was soaked with sweat and tears.

?My love?? Anomen said groggily beside her, ?Discord, what?s wrong?? She had had many Bhaalspawn dreams before, and this kind of disturbance was not new to him. Her fear and constant vigilance of her father gave way to fearful dreams now and again.

?I...? As her eyes became accustomed to the dark, Discord looked at the man on the pillow beside her, and, still under the spell of the dream, felt a shock of fear go through her. She suppressed a sob. ?Just a dream,? she said, more to reassure herself than to inform her lover.

?Do you dream of Bhaal again? Do you wish to talk about it?? Anomen reached his arms out to her but she shrank from them.

?I... don?t remember what this one was about. I?m fine, really Anomen.?

Anomen looked at her, puzzled. ?You look terrible, my lady.? He pulled her towards him, and she shuddered involuntarily. Gradually, she began to relax, in the comfort of his strong arms. But the lingering emotion of the dream stayed with her.

They met in the bar room the next morning, still fogged by sleep. They ordered a solid, stick-to-the-ribs sort of meal and sat at a longtable, chewing and muttering a few sleepy words of conversation.

?Minsc, you look like hell,? Discord daintily observed. Great dark circles marked his cheeks beneath his eyes, and his skin was pale. He let out a noise something like a growl.

?Evil dreams visited me last night,? he said ominously. Discord raised an eyebrow.

?Really? Me too,? she said, resting her elbow on the table. Minsc simply stared at his thick fingers clenched around his tea mug, a grimace on his huge face.

?Minsc?? Discord questioned, puzzled by his silence. She put her hand on his muscled arm.

?You just keep your distance, little Discord,? Minsc murmured through his thick Rashemani accent. ?Boo does not know what to make of you now, and neither do I.?

Discord sat back, a little hurt by her old friend?s brash roughness towards her. She looked at Imoen for a little clarity, but she simply shrugged her shoulders, as confused as Discord.

After breakfast, the company was quick to set out on their way to Umar Hills. As usual, Haer?Dalis struck up a travelling song for themall to sing, keeping their spirits up. The journey took just under a day, and Discord hoped to get there before nightfall, if they made good time. Thier packs felt lighter now that they had sold thier spoils, and the journey was pleasant. Minsc woke up a little more as the day went on, and he became considerably warmer towards Discord. The weather was fair, and they encountered few obstacles on their calm road eastwards.