Harpers Quest Two- Beyond the Mists

Chapter Twenty-Two

They continued walking Mendis checked his bond with Tevon and found that the Halfling Thief was fine and in no trouble, Meriel trailed after him, her hands gripping her staff tightly and trying not to betray her fears.
They continued upstairs and found that this one led into a vast chamber where another giant crystal was sitting, the rest of the room appeared to be in a shambles, rubble lay scattered all over the place and what looked like tanks lay broken on the ground and glass was all over the place, Tevon stood nearby holding some broken machinery in his hands.
"What happened Tevon?" Mendis asked.
Tevon shrugged "nothing I was just wondering where this all came from, this room was like this when I came in, and we are moving although all I can see is a mist".
Varharland wandered in then and said, "it looks like a battle of some sort was fought in here, but was it in the past or the future?"
Mendis wandered around a bit, using his powers to read the past, he shuddered and replied, " it was in the past, but it was a battle, not so long ago it is the echo of the past and what will be".
Varharland asked, " what do you mean?"
Mendis frowned and said, "I can't really say, it is like the events of the past met the ones of the future, Varharland I'm still getting to know this strange power, I do not fully understand it".
Varharland nodded " let me try".
They all looked at him then, and Mendis said: "I didn't realise you had the power of foresight as well!"
Varharland said, " you are not the only one who can see the future in this group Mendis or the only one with Psionic abilities, I admit I'm rusty, but I'm good enough".
"Ok," said Mendis.
Varharland concentrated and reached out with his own powers "let's see now" he paused and continued " what goes around comes around, the future is the here and now, but this is an image of the past of what has come before and will be so again, Mendis is right, this battle has happened before in the past, two wizards fought here a fierce battle, Tenaradan the Black and Traldaren the Planeswalker, neither won, both fled the scene, both vanished into the annals of time, this has happened before, it shall happen again regardless of who falls".
"is that so?" Tevon said, " we killed Tenaradan, didn't we? I got his bloody phylactery, didn't I? That's what killed me!"
Mendis said, " he said regardless of who falls it must all be linked somehow, the two towers, Talafran, everything!"
Varharland came out of his trance and said, " so how'd I go?"
"You said more than what you said," Mendis said and quickly filled him in.
"Gosh!" Varharland said.
"Yes"-said Mendis.
Tevon had taken to exploring the room and remarked: " you know this room is almost an exact duplicate of the one we found Jihid in, there are a few more bits, but it is a duplicate".
Jihid looked around "I have been here before, this room, it looks familiar I can't remember how, I think someone was trying to experiment on me or something, which probably explains the memory loss" he frowned " those tanks they held people or what was left of people, I tried to free them, the ones that were still alive, but I couldn't, I was weak and sick myself, I think that is why I have lost so much of my memory".
"But why was someone trying to experiment on you?" Skye asked with a shudder "I had someone trying to experiment on me because of my blood or so he claimed, his name was Irenicus, we managed to beat him, but we didn't kill him, he got away before we managed to".
"Your blood?" Jihid asked.
"I'm Bhaalspawn, and quite possibly so is Sy, our father was the god Bhaal it is said before the Time of Troubles".
"Your father is the God Bhaal?" Varharland asked.
She nodded " yeah terrible, isn't it? The God of Murder".
"The very dead god of Murder" Mendis pointed out.
Jihid said, " Hmm not so bad then, according to Mendis I'm possibly half-demon".
"Maybe," Mendis said.
"And well, I'm half Erinyes," said Grace.
Liarna said, " try been half Gold Dragon!"
"Half-Elven here," said Mendis with a grin.
Varharland smiled and said, " see Skye, both you and Sy fit right in, half the Band aren't all, shall we say, Ordinary!"

"But Bhaal! The God of Murder! I rather be half Erinyes!"
"Not fun at all," said Grace " take it from one".
Varharland shrugged " don't worry, you are not who your parents were, I can't even remember mine!"
Mendis had gone to a pedestal of some sort and had noticed some strange inscriptions on it, he pulled out his sketch of the one he had found in Sithicus and compared the two, they matched.
"Say does anyone know what they say?" Mendis asked.
"No I don't recognise the language," Var said " however hang a sec", he then started to chant "Language of the ages seen, mystery and obscurity, remove the mist of the ages and let this language be seen, remove its secrets and obscurity and let it be seen" they all waited and looked at each other in amazement not sure what to think.
Most mages tended to chant strange words and throw spell components around, Varharland hadn't done that, although he was often heard chanting odd rhymes like that.
The words seem to move and change to the Battle-Mages eyes, and he read the inscription "Beware the curious traveller, watch your step and times tests, three tests you will pass through fire, frost and time, time will pass but when you reach the final test, if you live the Master of the Tower shall see ye before him. Failure means death and damnation. Turn back if you wish, or proceed if you dare, but you reach the time of No Return, there is no turning back, make your decision, flee or face your fate".
"Gosh," said Mendis.
"That is correct," said Varharland.
Mendis said, " so what do we do, huh?"
"We go on," Var said.
"Tests! I hate tests!" Darkstar complained then " why must every mad, evil Darklord run tests! To test what? Do they get a high from seeing their foes humiliated with their mettle? And for what! So said Darklord can kill them!"
Varharland chuckled at Darkstar's musing "maybe said Darklord wishes that the party of said do-gooders to be turned to the dark side and become part of his minions, so he tests their mettle, or they are like Ascerack, test them, and if they pass offer them Lichdom".
"Gross-out!" said Meriel " who'd want to become a lich! For the rest of eternity? If I had to be one of the Undead, I rather take the vampire or ghost option, at least then you can pass for a person!"
"A vampire! You know how much that thought terrifies me!" Skye said "I have enough trouble with just been a child of Bhaal! The very thought of vampirism!"
"Not all vampires are bad," said Mendis then before he felt Narache's hand on his shoulder and Narache's gaze piercing into him.
Sylandra said, "I agree with Skye".
"What of you, Gus?" Varharland asked the Half-Orc.
Gus shrugged "I'm considered an abomination by most and distrusted by many, it doesn't really worry me actually" he burped loudly " excuse me".
They didn't know what to make of Gustavis, Trias said he was no servant of darkness and Mendis said he had a similar 'feel' to Narache, Gus looked to most, a Half-Orc, but he seems to keep both himself and his armour clean, and weapons well maintained, his favourite weapons appeared to be a matching set of twin axes, but he also wore a well-used sword at his hip and a crossbow across his back, and he seemed to really care for the two young women in his company.
Sylandra continued, " vampires are evil! They should be destroyed! We ran into some in Athkatla, and they tried to get us on their side".
Narache nodded "I had heard that Athkatla had been overrun by vampires".
"There were two factions the vampires and the Shadow Thieves, they had it out with each other, over something that never really came clear to us".
Skye said, "I was more interested in a mission of my own" she paused " well we finished that, and we left Amn and ended up here, stuck".
Varharland said, " we can probably get you back home if you stick with us".
"I know," she said, removing her hood, shaking out white hair. Which was attached to an attractive, yet clearly, Half-Drow face, Skye's skin was a dusky black teamed up with blue-violet eyes.
"Your Half-Drow!" Darkstar said, amazed.
"So are you" she pointed out.
"Hell no! I'm full Drow!" Darkstar said, "I'm as Drow as they come!"