Baldur's gate II_ throne of Bhaal - Drew Karpyshyn [58]
"But I sensed something different about him now," the tall woman continued. "Sarevok has changed since I first met him. Do you believe he is still capable of such evil?"
"I… I don't know," Imoen admitted, "I guess not. But I didn't really know him before."
She turned to her brother. "What do you think, Abdel? Did Sarevok betray us?"
Abdel considered his answer for a long time. Sarevok had murdered Gorion and Khalid. He had nearly killed Jaheira, and he had done it all without conscience. But that was long ago. Like Melissan, Abdel sensed something fundamentally altered in the Sarevok who had accompanied them to Saradush.
"It hardly matters now," Abdel finally answered, his voice weary. "If Sarevok is the traitor, I suspect he retreated with the rest of the army. I doubt we will run into him again. We have to focus on the task at hand. Tell me about the Five, Melissan."
When Melissan hesitated, Abdel pressed his case. "I proved myself by risking my own life to slay Yaga Shura. Surely you realize that I have no desire to bring Bhaal back to life. If you expect me to aid your cause, you must tell me everything you know about the Five."
Tilting her head to the side, Melissan seemed to be weighing Abdel's words, balancing the risks of revealing too much against the rewards of obtaining Abdel's help.
"Please, Melissan," Imoen implored, "I've known Abdel my whole life. He's a good man. You can trust him to do the right thing."
The tall woman gave the younger girl a warm smile. "Very well, child. I will tell you both what I know about the Five, and you will understand why I was not surprised to see the dragon joining the battle against us."
* * * * *
"Please, Abdel, come with us," Imoen begged. "Melissan will take us both to the monastery at Amkethran. She has promised that Balthazar, the leader of the monks there, will hide us. They'll protect us from the Five while we rest and regroup."
Her brother shook his head. "You go with her now. I'll catch up later after I find Jaheira."
Imoen couldn't bring herself to say the awful fact they both knew to be true. But Melissan was not afraid to speak the words.
"Your lover is dead, Abdel Adrian. You cannot save her."
Abdel strapped the large, heavy blade he had claimed from the armory of Saradush across his back. "If I cannot save her, then I will avenge her death."
"You intend to slay a dragon by yourself?" Melissan demanded. "Perhaps several of them?"
"If I have to."
"What about Abazigal?" Imoen asked. "Their Bhaalspawn master Melissan told us about? What if he's waiting for you, using Jaheira as bait to lure you to his lair?"
"I've already killed two of the Five. I don't see why a third should be any different. In fact, killing this one should be easier. If Melissan is right this wizard doesn't share Yaga Shura's immunity to conventional weapons."
"All the information I have gathered seems to indicate that you and Yaga Shura were the only Children of Bhaal to have such remarkable invulnerabilities," Melissan admitted. "But just because it is physically possible to run Abazigal through with an ordinary sword does not mean he will give you that chance.
"Your confidence is admirable, but foolish," Melissan warned. "Have you not been listening to what I have said? Abazigal is a master of both dragons and sorcery. Unlike Yaga Shura and Illasera, he is not merely some warrior you can hack down with your sword."
"Killing wizards is hard work," Abdel admitted as he pulled on a pair of sturdy boots that were at least two sizes too small. His own clothing had been incinerated by the dragon's fire, but Melissan had managed to find him a shirt and breeches that fit his enormous frame-barely. "But Abazigal won't be the first mage whose plans I've thwarted."
He stood up and gave Imoen a hug. Over her shoulder he could see out into the streets of Saradush. Already the survivors were beginning the task of rebuilding their city, clearing away the debris and bodies that littered