Baldur's gate II_ throne of Bhaal - Drew Karpyshyn [56]
He took another deep breath. A cool mist spread down into his chest, the moist cloud soothing his scarred throat and lungs. His hearing, destroyed by the dragon's battle cry, had returned enough for him to detect the monotonous droning of a religious chant echoing from far above.
Struggling against his own weariness, he opened his eyes and found himself lying naked on a cold stone floor, staring up at a high arched ceiling. The walls and roof were adorned with elaborately painted images of men and women suffering from disease, injury, and torture- though their expressions showed not torment, but relief. Common to each scene was the figure of a cowled man, his sympathetic face stained with tears. Abdel recognized the portrait of Ilmater, the crying god.
It was then that he realized he felt no pain, even though he was lying on his horribly burned back. Unsure if his natural healing abilities had finally kicked in or if there was another explanation, he forced himself to sit up. The effort blinded him, as stars momentarily filled his vision.
"Thank Ilmater you're alive!" Melissan's voice exclaimed through the glittering tapestry.
Abdel heard the sound of scampering feet and a second later felt the familiar embrace of Imoen as she wrapped her thin arms around Abdel's massive neck. "Abdel," she cried, pressing herself against his obviously completely healed back, "I thought I'd lost you."
As he wrapped his massive arms around his half sister and hugged her back, the stars in his vision began to vanish. Abdel found himself surrounded by not only Imoen and Melissan but by several robed figures anxiously studying his every movement. No doubt it had been these priests of Ilmater who had saved him from his injuries.
There was little time to waste on thanks. "Jaheira?" he asked hesitantly, looking directly at Melissan. The tall woman turned away.
Imoen released her grip and withdrew from Abdel, her face heavy with grief. "The dragon took her," she said softly.
Abdel gently pushed Imoen away and rose slowly to his feet. Seeing something in his eyes, the robed figures took several steps back from the warrior who now towered over them, clad only in the charred remnants of his clothes. Melissan held her ground.
"I am truly sorry, Abdel," she said.
Launching himself at her, Abdel managed to wrap his hand around her throat before anyone else had a chance to react. With his hands squeezing ever tighter he lifted her off the ground, her heels kicking feebly in the air. The priests of Ilmater reacted with horrified gasps but made no move to intercede on Melissan's behalf.
"Abdel!" Imoen screamed, leaping on his back and futilely trying to pry his hands from Melissan's neck. "Abdel, it's not her fault! There was nothing we could do."
Melissan clutched feebly at Abdel's massive arms, her eyes bulging as she gasped for air.
"She betrayed us!" Abdel roared. "She lied to us about the Five! She wants us all to die!"
"No!" Imoen shrieked, now pounding on her invincible half brother's back with her tiny fists. "Melissan drove off the dragon! She found you and brought you to this temple. If she wanted to kill us why did she save us?"
No longer so certain of Melissan's treachery, Abdel's grip loosened. He lowered the tall woman until her feet were on the floor and let go of her neck, giving her a disdainful shove that sent her reeling back into the surrounding priests of Ilmater, who caught her as she stumbled.
Imoen dropped from Abdel's back and rushed over to see if Melissan was all right. Assured her new friend would survive, the young woman shot a harshly disapproving glance back at Abdel.
"What were you thinking, Abdel? Have you gone mad?"
Abdel didn't answer but merely swore and spat on the hallowed floor of the church as he turned away from them.
With Imoen's help, Melissan managed to stand. Her long, delicate fingers massaged her neck beneath the high, dark collar that reached up to just beneath her chin. Her throat was bruised beneath the fabric