Baldur's gate II_ throne of Bhaal - Drew Karpyshyn [49]
The last thing he saw before the world vanished entirely was an enormous winged beast descending on the city of Saradush, ruby scales blinding and bright in the reflected glow of the fire belching forth from its reptilian jaws.
He was back in the void. Although, as he looked around, Abdel realized the name no longer fit. There was clearly ground beneath his feet now. An empty gray sky arched overhead. The mists were gone, revealing a barren, lifeless plain extending to the limits of his vision in every direction.
The void had become a sterile, dead world with nothing to break the monotony of the landscape except the free-floating doors that stood before him. Abdel noted there were only four now.
"They represent your possible destinies, Abdel Adrian," an unseen speaker answered in response to his unasked question. "And as you continue down your path, your possible futures become fewer."
Abdel instantly recognized the infinite yet singular voice of the being from his dream in the clearing.
"Show yourself!" he demanded.
Suddenly the figure stood before him, as physically magnificent as before, the blinding light of perfection still radiating out from its being. But for some reason, Abdel now found the creature less impressive, less imposing, less wondrous, less… well, just less.
"I am not less, Abdel Adrian. You have simply become more. Much more. Your progress has been amazing, even to one such as myself."
Abdel spat out his next question quickly, unnerved by the being's habit of answering the thoughts in his head. "Why have you brought me here?"
"As before, I am not responsible for your presence here, Abdel. You are."
He remembered his last glimpse of the material world, the terrifying vision of the dragon descending on Saradush. "I have to get back! You have to send me back!"
"You know the way back, Abdel. You control your leaving just as you controlled your arrival."
The doors. Abdel took a step toward them, then hesitated. Slowly he turned back to face the immortal creature, still not even certain what he intended to say.
"I cannot do this alone, Abdel," the being explained. "I can only answer the questions you ask."
"I did as you told me. I found those who share my tainted blood. And the only thing I learned was that I have to keep killing. I've known that lesson my whole life!"
The creature made no response but stood perfectly still, waiting for Abdel to continue.
"There has to be more to my destiny than just slaughtering my Bhaalspawn kin! But you refuse to help me. Why? You know something. Why can't you just tell me?"
"There are forces greater than you can yet comprehend at work. Many of them are working through you. They can save you or destroy you. I must be cautious, for your own sake as well as the sake of the future.
"If you are not yet ready to ask the question, Abdel Adrian, you are not yet ready to truly understand the answer."
Abdel laughed, uncertain if he meant the sound to be wistful or bitter. "You sound like Gorion."
"Your adopted father was a wise man."
The big sellsword glanced briefly at the doors, then turned his attention back to his strange companion. As desperate as he was to get back to the real world, he could not simply throw away a chance to learn something about what was going on. He opened his mouth to speak, and a million questions tried to come out at once. The result was only choking silence. He took a deep breath and tried again.
"The Five… do they really exist as Melissan claims? Are they truly attempting to resurrect Bhaal?"
"What Melissan has told you is the truth," the being admitted, then hastily added, "but there is much about the Five she has not revealed."
Abdel was momentarily caught off guard by the answer. The rushed qualification seemed vitally important, yet at the same time the being seemed almost ashamed, as if it had violated some extraplanar