Baldur's gate II_ throne of Bhaal - Drew Karpyshyn [65]
He scouted until he found a small cave-somewhere he could bed down for the night and be out of sight but still be able to emerge quickly when he heard the unmistakable flapping of a dragon's wings. He also needed somewhere with clear sight lines of the numerous peaks dotting the horizon, so that he could track the flight of his quarry. Satisfied his location met all of his requirements, Abdel retreated inside and waited.
Night fell, but Abdel didn't sleep. While marching, even Abdel had needed to stop and rest for an hour or so each day, but now that he was merely keeping vigil, the physical specimen that was Bhaal's avatar had no need to sleep or rest. Alert and anxious, Abdel watched and waited, and with every passing second he knew the already minuscule chances of finding Jaheira alive were growing smaller.
Close to midnight he heard a sound, something searching the area outside his cave. It wasn't a dragon-this intruder was much smaller. Abdel crept to the entrance of his makeshift lair, his movements silent. The big sellsword had no intention of revealing himself. He didn't want to risk an encounter that could alert Abazigal or the wyrm to his presence. Abdel only wanted to see who was scuffling across the nearby rocks.
In the light of the full moon, Abdel could make out a single dark silhouette-a giant of a man in heavy armor adorned with savage spikes and lethal blades forged onto the metal plates. At the sight of the half brother who had betrayed him at Saradush, all thoughts of concealment and discretion vanished, replaced by a hatred so primal Abdel could only scream a single name to express his fury.
"Sarevok!"
The armored man turned to meet the sellsword's reckless charge, batting away the thrusting sword seeking to plunge itself into a vulnerable spot between the impenetrable iron plates. Abdel's body crashed into Sarevok's, driving them both down.
They rolled on the ground, Sarevok wrapping his arms in a bear hug around Abdel's own, pinning the sellsword's limbs to his side and preventing Abdel from using his sword to hack through his half brother's protective iron shell.
Abdel twisted his body, trying to break free of Sarevok's grip and bring his weapon to bear. As they grappled, he felt the blades on his opponent's shins and forearms slicing through his flesh again and again. Each time the wounds healed instantly, but the incessant pain enraged Abdel further.
Sarevok still possessed inhuman strength, but Abdel knew that the power he had gained with Yaga Shura's death had made him physically superior to any foe-even this brother who shared Bhaal's blood. But he couldn't break Sarevok's grip. The armored man had better leverage, and he had locked his left fist around his right wrist, making his hands virtually impossible to separate.
Still, Abdel refused to give up. He bucked and thrashed, throwing his entire weight from side to side. A smaller man would have been flung around like a rag doll, but Sarevok's own great size allowed him to counter Abdel's throes. Eventually though, Abdel knew, his enemy would tire. Or his grip would slip, and Abdel would be free to hack his half brother into trembling, quivering bits.
Sarevok was holding on for dear life, trying to speak, but Abdel wasn't about to listen to any more of his half brother's lies. Heedless of the pain and injury he was about to inflict on his own body, Abdel smashed his forehead against Sarevok's visor. It was a desperate move, a ploy he had used to great effect in many a bar brawl when his hands had been restricted. Abdel soon learned that head butting a foe with a full iron visor did