Baldur's Gate 2 SoA: Shadows Within Ch18 pt2

Baldur's Gate 2 SoA: Shadows Within
Chapter 18: Enter Jierdan Firkraag part 2


Sometime during the time Ralis and his chosen companions left Crimmor heading for Amnwater, Abdel and Jaheira have recently left Athkatla on their horses, running down the road past caravans on their way to Arnise Hold, hoping that no other Harpers are coming after them.

"What do you think the Harpers will do once they discover the bodies of Galvarey and the others?" Abdel asked Jaheira.

"They might come looking for us, I am not completely sure, it does not matter," Jaheira replied.

Abdel felt puzzled. Why doesn't this matter to her? "I don't understand. You're a Harper. Why did you side with me instead of them or walking away?" He asked her.

Jaheira stopped walking, turned around and glared at him, causing his heart to jump in surprise.

"I told you this already, because you are a sibling of a man I respect. Do I need another reason?" She asked curtly, glaring at Abdel in a way that unnerved him.

"Uh... well... I... I thought..." Abdel stammered, his mind unable to think of a rational explanation.

"Enough stuttering! You sound like Aerie when you do that. Let's just get back to Arnise Hold and think of our next course of action," Jaheira ordered, then urged her horse to move on.

Abdel nodded and urged his horse to keep up with Jaheira's.

"Wait. You said I sound like Aerie?" He called incredulously to Jaheira as he followed her.

A couple hours later, they were the only two people on the road now, and it is evening now. They are 3 miles away from the off road leading to Arnise Hold now. Abdel and Jaheira could hear crickets and birds chirping, and wolves howling in the distance, and the wind blowing from the east into their faces. It took a few minutes for the cool winter wind to die down a bit, but for some reason, Abdel and Jaheira could still hear the whooshing noise of wind. Wait a second. How could the wind be whooshing around their ears when it has died down?

"Whoa!" Jaheira shouted, pulling on the reins to slow her horse to a stop, then Abdel did the same. "Listen, Abdel. Do you hear that?"

Abdel heard it. It sounded like large wings beating against air to him. "Yeah, I hear it too," he said.

Then on a sudden hunch, he looked up at the darkening evening sky to see a shadow pass over them about 100 feet in the air. A shadow with large wings!

"By Torm! Look up, Jaheira!" Abdel gasped, pointing up at the sky.

She saw it, but she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She assumed it was a wyvern, but she didn't see a stinger on the end of the creature's tail, so it could only be one thing... A dragon! The dragon flew east, disappearing down the long road to Crimmor.

"Where do you think it is going?" Abdel asked.

"I have no idea, but it doesn't matter, it was not hunting us," Jaheira replied. She never faced a dragon before, and she hoped that wouldn't change anytime soon.

--------

After reuniting with everyone else at Arnise Hold, they spent the next three days waiting for Ralis and the others to return when on the day Garren arrived at the Radiant Heart and revealed what happened at Windspear Hills, Neera got word from Ralis's majordomo that the shipment of jewels and gold are ready to be picked up at Purskul. Eager to pick up the delivery and send them to Knocktor at the Wild Mage refugee camp Neera prepared for the trip, with Andrew being the lancer of the stagecoach she will be riding on. Abdel volunteered to go with her because he wants the opportunity to see how Kirik is doing. Even Jaheira, Viconia and Valygar volunteered to go with them. Dorn and Althir decided to come too. Neera asked Haer'Dalis, Jan, Cernd and Nalia to watch over Edwin, for obvious reasons.

As the stagecoach moved down the dirt road to the road connecting Athkatla to Crimmor, Neera, Jaheira, Valygar, Althir, Dorn and Viconia said nothing to each other for a long while. Dorn looked at Althir and saw many things in his personality that he could relate to.

"I would have a word with you, Althir," Dorn called.

Althir looked at him. "What do you want?"

"I look at you, and I notice that as half breeds, you and I have much in common," Dorn said.

Althir just looked at Dorn with a scowl.

Dorn smiled. "Yes... I see the anger in you. It is the same kind of anger I have towards these... "civilized" men I've dealt with in my life. They mistreat us half breeds because we are different, because we are... abominations in their eyes. You wanted to be treated as an equal, or at least a trusted ally, as I did, but they gave us no place in their world of "perfection". Ur-Gothoz has much to offer to a man like you. With his power, you will be able to exact revenge on those who wronged you, as I have already done."

"In that I agree with you, I do have anger within me, I have been mistreated by those who see themselves as perfect or superior, but I use my rage to slay those who who mistreat the innocent. Unlike you, I won't let my emotions lead me to being shackled to the will of a demon. Spit your bile someplace else, half-orc, your mind games won't work on me," Althir said.

Valygar was looking out the other window sitting next to Jaheira, watching the trees they passed by.

"You scan the horizon as a hawk, Valygar, though with such an unnatural threat in your past I cannot say I blame you," Jaheira said to him.

Valygar nodded. "Unnatural, yes... I struggle to understand the differences in magic that have been presented to me." Then he looked at Jaheira. "How do you feel about it, Jaheira? Are they all not cut from the same vile shroud?"

"Magic takes many forms, and only some dare circumvent the cycle of death. It is a power that draws from all things, and need not be feared simply for being," Jaheira told him.

"I suppose not, though there is ample to fear in those who wield it," Valygar said.

At that moment, the stagecoach reached the road between Athkatla and Crimmor and was about to turn left to head for Crimmor... however, Garren, who was riding his horse down the same road almost ran into them! Garren's horse stopped running and neighed in surprise, standing up on its hind legs, almost causing Garren to fall off the saddle.

"Whoa! Whoa, girl! Whoa!" Garren shouted, urging his horse to calm down.

Even Andrew had a hard time getting his horses pulling the stagecoaches to calm down.

"Whoa! Calm down!" Andrew shouted to his horses.

Eventually they settled down, and Garren jumped off his horse and approached the stagecoach.

"Is anybody hurt? Is everyone all right in there?" He called.

Then Neera opened the door and stepped out.

"If by "hurt", you only mean "aching neck", then yeah, we're fine!" She said cheerily, rubbing the back of her neck with her right hand.

Andrew jumped off the carriage and approached Garren.

"You seem to be in a big hurry, sir. Who are you?" He asked.

"I am Garren Windspear, the former owner of the Windspear Hills settlement."

"Ah, I heard about you. Some nobleman named Firkraag replaced you as owner of that place a few years ago, right? I have friends who live there," Andrew asked.

"Yes, but he didn't replace me fairly. He swindled me, and now, he has framed Ralis for murder," Garren said.

Andrew, Neera, Abdel and Jaheira's eyes shot open in surprise.

"Ralis? You mean Lord Ralis Rutela?"

"Yes, that's right," Garren nodded.

Abdel jumped out the stagecoach. Garren was surpised at how tall he is, and even more surprised when Abdel grabbed him by the throat.

"Is he in trouble?! Did you get him into trouble! Tell me, or I'll-" Abdel started to threaten Garren, but Jaheira and Valygar made him calm down.

Abdel released Garren, causing him to inhale air sharply. Down the road behind him, Abdel and Andrew could see a few more carriages coming.

"Firkraag used some kind of illusion spell on ralis and his companions and on the knights they killed to fool each other into believing they are ogres. The outcome of the confrontation would have brought the retributive act of the Radiant Heart upon them, but I arrived at Athkatla today to tell the knights of the Radiant Heart that Ralis and his companions were duped by Firkraag," Garren explained.

"And? What happened?" Andrew crossed his arms.

"They decided to forgive him... and to help them bring Firkraag to justice," Garren said with a smug smile as the carriages behind them came closer, then stopped near them.

About 12 knights jumped out the carriages. Andrew and Abdel saw that based on the emblems on their body armor, they are knights of Tyr, Helm and Torm respectively.

The lead knight, who appears to be a 41 year old man with blonde hair approached them.

"Is there a problem here, Garren?" He asked.

"No, Sir Ryan, there is no problem," Garren assured the knight.

Ryan nodded in approval, then introduced himself as Ryan Trawl, paladin of Helm in the Radiant Heart.

"Since we are all here, we should head for Windspear Hills as soon as possible. Who knows what kind of trouble Ralis may fall into when Jierdan finds out that the Radiant Heart knows of his innocence," Garren said, then he climbed back onto his horse.

"He's right, we've no time to lose," Ryan said, as he and his knights headed back for their carriages.

"All right, let's go!" Andrew declared and climbed back on the lancer seats of the stagecoach.

-------

Six days have passed since Garren Windspear left for Atkhatla to tell the knights and paladins of the Radiant Heart that Ralis Rutela and his companions are not at fault for accidentally ending the lives of Ajantis Ilvastarr and his team of knights. Six days... It is now the 11th day of the month Alturiak. For six days, Ralis stood at the window of the house, thinking of how to exact revenge on the man who tricked him; this Jierdan Firkraag who framed him. He thought about running a blade into his chest, but no, that won't do. He also thought about burning him alive. While Ralis was daydreaming staring out at the window, Illtha was preparing breakfast for her guests. She admitted to them a couple days ago that she is not an experienced cook, but she knows how to cook porridge.

"Ralis, the porridge is ready!" Illtha called as she brought a large bowl of steaming hot porridge to the dinner table, where Tashia, Aerie, Rasaad Mazzy and Anomen sat. Hexxat was still asleep in the coffin inside Dragomir's Respite, which is with Ralis's weapons and equipment in Garren's bedroom. Ralis grunted and shrugged in reply to Illtha's call as he looked out the window thinking about how to punish Firkraag.

Mazzy turned her head and looked over at Ralis. "He has been like this for the past six days," she said.

"He has been tricked into killing a friend he hasn't seen in months with his own blade. I would be angry too, if I were in his shoes," Tashia said.

Illtha and Tashia looked at him in pity.

"Someone should talk to him," Rasaad advised.

"I'll go," Tashia said.

"Why... why do you want to go?" Aerie asked, almost defensively.

"Because I know how it feels to lose a friend," Tashia said with sincerity.

Aerie saw that sincerity and suddenly felt so guilty she had trouble looking Tashia straight into her eyes.

"I... I'm sorry, Tashia, I just thought..."

"You thought what?" Tashia asked.

"I... I thought you wanted to... Nothing... Forget I said anything..." Aerie sat back down into her chair slowly.

Tashia shrugged, then walked over to Ralis, carrying her wooden chair, placed t near him and sat next to him as he forlornly stared out the window into the sunny morning sky.

"Look, Ralis, drowning yourself in sad thoughts won't get you anywhere, you have to move on, you taught me that yourself when I was depressed about Arilistan," she said.

"I didn't teach you anything, Tashia, I invited you to my group," Ralis said sullenly.

"I know, but, as I traveled with you, I learned that myself. With you, I've made new friends. I tried to keep myself in high spirits after I distanced myself from Arilistan, but the more I think about him, the more depressed I become," Tashia said.

Ralis shook his head. "It's not easy to move on after seeing someone you've known for a long time becomes a different person or dies by your hand," Ralis said glumly, wiping a tear from his eye as he continued looking out the window.

"That's true, but no matter how hard the lesson was for me to learn, I have learned that I should move on from Arilistan. He is not the Arilistan I used to know, he let the taint in his blood twist his mind with promises of power... But you... you've resisted the taint. That alone tells me he had a choice, and he chose to listen to it. Well I have a choice too, and I say its over between us," Tashia said, though it pained her heart a little to say that.

"What will you do now?" Ralis asked.

Tashia shrugged. "I don't know. Find a man who is truly more benevolent than he was, I guess," Tashia shrugged.

"Hey, Ralis! Could you go out back and chop some more firewood for me? The fireplace needs more firewood," Illtha called from the dinner table, pointing over at the fireplace with its dying fire, the smoke rising up the chimney.

Ralis nodded, stood up and walked outside, and Tashia watched him go, wondering if he would be a decent replacement for Arilistan. But there is just one problem. How can she get his attention?

Ralis walked around to the back of the cabin, and found stacks of firewood already cut, neatly stacked in a triangular shape.

"Wow, these logs look heavy... I wish Abdel were here..." Ralis said, then he remembered that Illtha said she wanted the firewood chopped into manageable pieces.

He looked down at the base of the firewood pile and saw a woodcutting ax. He picked up the small pieces of firewood, set one of them on a nearby tree stump, raised the ax over his head, then brought it down, cutting the small cylinder shaped firewood piece into two halves that split apart upon impact. Little did Ralis know that Tashia followed him out of the house. She stood at the edge of the house, peeking around the corner and watching him at work, chopping the firewood into two smaller pieces.

Neera was right about one thing... Tashia remarked in her thoughts. ...He does have nice buns.

She drank a potion of invisibility, and when she could no longer see her hands, she slowly approached Ralis.

He is sweating now after chopping in half the 8th piece of firewood. "All right, 10 more to go, and that should be it," he said to himself and grabbed his 9th firewood piece to chop in half.

Tashia cautiously approached behind him, and when she got close enough to him, she brought her right hand up slowly as she smiled with her upper teeth softly biting down on her lower lip, then touched his buttocks. Ralis gasped, feeling something touch him there, then he immediately turned around and saw nothing. No one was near him. He heard birds chirping, but nothing else. He frowned in confusion, knowing that his mind is not playing tricks on him. Tashia, who backed a few feet away from him was smiling, she couldn't help touching him. She knew it was an immature thing to do, but still...

Meanwhile, back inside the cabin, everyone was eating their porridge peacefully until they heard knocking at the door.

"I'll get it," Illtha stood up and walked towards the front door.

She opened the door and suddenly a Halfling man named Jum stumbled into the house suddenly, shouting: "Ahh! Run! Hide! There is trouble, I am sure!"

"Slow down, Jum, You will alarm our guests. What is wrong?" Illtha tried to calm him down after shutting the door.

Jum pointed at the door, his fingers trembling. "Bandits! I saw them! Coming! They try not to be seen, but I saw them! Nearly here! Hide and run!" He exclaimed.

"Bandits?" Rasaad frowned in confusion.

"Whatever those brigands are up to, we will stop them," Mazzy assured the Halfling.

"Good and good! Garren away, so no one here to guard the home. I'll go hide in the hills, I think!" Jum started to run for the door so he could leave the house before the bandits arrive, but Illtha grabbed his shoulders, stopping him.

"Jum, calm yourself! I can help, if need be. We also have our guests, so I doubt there will be trouble," she said, but Jum didn't care to listen, he broke free of Illtha's grasp, ran for the door, opened it and ran out with the door wide open.

Illtha, Rasaad and the others watched him run until they saw him struck down by an arrow which flew in from the left.

"Oh no! Jum!" Illtha gasped.

Then suddenly, from the corners of the door, two orc bandits, followed by two half-elf bandits and two human bandits!

Mazzy and the others drew their weapons!

"Kill them! But take Garren's daughter alive!" One of the human bandits, a comely 28 year old woman with black hair named Plath Rededge ordered her fellow bandits. She has a medium sized blue shield strapped to her right arm, wore +1 plate mail armor and a rapier in her left hand, with two daggers and five darts attached to her belt.

The orcs growled and charged forward!

"Ralis! Help!" Illtha called out the window to Ralis out back.

"Huh?!" Ralis and Tashia turned towards the direction of the shout.

Tashia, still invisible, ran for the front door. Ralis, carrying the woodcutting axe followed, not knowing Tashia is with him. When he reached the left side of the cabin, he found two half-orc bandits, one man, the other a woman there to greet him! They started laughing, believing Ralis to be easy prey without his swords and armor, advanced towards them with their +2 maces weapons ready to strike. Ralis held the woodcutting axe ready, waiting for one of them to strike. They started to flank him on both sides, spreading out, trying to catch him off guard. Ralis kept his eyes on the half-orc man, but he tried to position himself to where the half-orc woman was at least in the peripheral vision of his eyes. And as he suspected, the half-orc woman struck first. Ralis dodged the striking mace, then before he could attack the half-orc who attacked him, the other came charging at him! Responding quickly, Ralis turned the axe sideways, holding both ends of the wooden handle to parry the half-orc man's sword. The blade cut 3 inches into the wooden handle.

Ralis immediately kicked the half-orc man in the groin, causing him to let go of his sword's hilt and hold his genitals in pain as he sank to his knees groaning. Then Ralis slammed the hilt of the sword down to the grass, causing the blade to pop free from the axe's wooden handle, propelling the sword itself up in the air. The half-orc woman came at Ralis again with another furious strike that he dodged, and tripped her, causing her to stumble to the ground. Then he grabbed the sword's hilt as it fell back down towards him. Now he has the axe in his left hand, and the sword in his right, then he came at the half-orc woman and stabbed her in the back with the sword, and at the same time, he turned his body to the left, facing the groaning half-orc man, then brought the axe down, cleaving his head in half. with both enemies dead, Ralis ran for the front door.

Inside the house, the fighting between the bandits and Ralis's companions ensued!

"What do you want with us?!" Illtha demanded.

"We want you!" Plath pointed her rapier at Illtha.

Rasaad and Mazzy got between Illtha.

"If you want her, you have to fight through us!" Mazzy said defiantly.

"Then it's time for some carnage!" One of the ogrillions exclaimed excitedly.

An orc proceeded to attack Mazzy, but she was ready for him, blocking his wooden club with her shield, and whenever she found the opportunity, she tried to strike at his legs with her sword, called The Sword of Arvoreen. Mazzy was forced to leave Illtha's side while fighting the ogrillion, however. Rasaad too, was forced to stop defending Illtha because he was forced into a fistfight with the other ogrillion, who wanted to test Rasaad's fighting skills. However, Illtha was not left defenseless. Aerie came to her side and stood with her even though everyone else was busy fighting each other.

Tashia, who has just came into the house still invisible, whacked the half-elven woman with her quarterstaff from behind, knocking her out unconscious before she could fire an arrow from her short bow at Rasaad. The surprise attack, however, forced the invisibility spell to wear off, and since Plath stood in front of the half-elven woman when she got knocked out, she turned around and saw Tashia standing near the unconscious archer and immediately attacked, trying to stab at Tashia with her rapier. Tashia swiftly dodged each stab, and sometimes batting the very thin blade aside with her quarterstaff, and when Ralis came into the house, Plath was forced to stop trying to attack Tashia and use her shield to block Ralis's swords when he charged straight at her and bombarded her shield with his bastard swords swinging. When Tashia tried to whack her head with her quarterstaff, Plath jumped away from Ralis and Tashia rather than turning her shield to face Tashia's incoming quarterstaff, because it would be a fatal mistake.

Rasaad dodged the ogrillion's left hook, then right hook, and when the ogrillion tried to hit him again with a left hook, Rasaad grabbed the ogrillion's fist with his right hand, then kicked the ogrillion in the chest and jumped with both legs in the air, still holding onto the ogrillion's outstretched left arm, and kicked his face with both legs, causing him to stagger back, and when Rasaad landed his feet on the floor, he jumped at the ogrillion and brought his right leg up, kicking the ogrillion in the chin, causing his head to snap up in the air, stagger back further and crash into the dinner table, breaking the table in a "V" shape, causing some of the bowls of porridge to spill down towards his face and body.

"Stop!" Illtha yelled. "That's enough! I know you're here to get me, so I'll let you take me. Just leave them alone!"

"Illtha... don't..." Aerie said. starting to reach for Illtha's right arm, but she pulled away from Aerie's grasp.

"No, Aerie. I must do this," Illtha said, walking past Aerie and approaching Plath.

"So you'll surrender yourself quietly?" Plath asked.

Illtha nodded. "Only if you promise that you and your brigand friends won't hurt or kill my guests," she said.

Plath smirked and nodded. Then she signaled the last living orc in the house to approach Illtha and apprehend her. He picked her up and carried her out of the house.

After he left with Illtha, Plath laughed. "We have taken Garren's child! Now it is time for his bothersome friends to die!"

"You liar!" Aerie was about to charge at Plath, but Rasaad stopped her.

"Just what the hell kind of bandits are you? I've never seen a team of bandits with orcs and ogrillions in their numbers!" Ralis said.

"We have all that serve Lord Firkraag, regardless of race. If it serves to distract, all the better! Your destruction shall continue regardless, at Firkraag's request! Your ruin continues with the devastation of Garren Windspear in your name. Away goes his child from under your nose, and I wonder who shall bear the blame! Lord Firkraag watches with amusement as you die a public death again and again! So much more entertaining than simple killing!" Plath said with a sinister grin.

"I still don't understand! I don't know what I've done to offend him! What crimes have I done to warrant this kind of punishment?" Ralis exclaimed.

"A friend of yours wronged him, and that's all that matters. The magnitude is irrelevant! Now you are destroyed, and your reputation falls! Revenge against you is revenge against those that are safe in the arms of death!" Plath replied, and before she and her remaining fellow bandits could resume the battle, something unexpected happened.

An arrow pierced Plath right in her neck! She dropped her rapier and sagged to the floor, choking. Then seconds later, Valygar, Althir and Jaheira came charging into the house and made short work of the remaining bandits. Ralis and the others were surprised to see them.

"Valygar! Jaheira! Althir! How did you get here?" Tashia exclaimed.

"We met a man named Garren Windspear along the way to Crimmor, along with a few knights from the Radiant Heart. The knights are retrieving the bodies of the knights you were tricked to killed as we speak," Valygar replied.

Then Garren came charging into the house. He was shocked at how ruined the dining room is, with the dinner table broken, and the dead bodies of the bandits strewn everywhere.

"What... What happened here?" He asked.

"These bandits... They came out of nowhere! Jum warned us they were coming, but he didn't survive..." Ralis explained.

"What about my daughter? Where is my daughter?" Garren asked, his voice rising with tension.

"We... I... They took her away at Firkraag's orders," Ralis said sullenly.

Garen's eyes became glossy with tears. Ralis could see the anger beginning to boil in him, and it increased his guilt.

"I left my cabin in your care, and you let these... fiends ruin my cabin and steal my daughter?!" He yelled in Ralis's face, but he suddenly calmed down after that. "I... I... no, no, I know it's not your fault," he said as he backed away from Ralis. "I know who is truly to blame here." Then he kicked Plath's body to vent his anger. "Damn that Jierdan Firkraag! What is his grief with me?!"

"That, we don't know. That woman there before she was shot by Valygar said that a friend of Ralis wronged him in the past," Mazzy said, pointing at Plath's body, then she looked at Ralis. "Ralis, do you know who she's referring to?"

"I haven't the slightest clue!"

"This must end, damn it! I cannot live under the shadow, under- his heel!" Garren snarled.

"I agree! We must take the fight to him! We should find out where he is, rescue your child and put an end to him once and for all!" Ralis exclaimed.

"Yes! The knights of the Radiant Heart have decided to forgive you of your accidental transgression. Although, I have no idea where you might find him. His hooligans cover their tracks very well. Maybe... the ruins in the northeast? I don't know..." Garren muttered with uncertainty.

"We will bring your daughter back alive, rest assured, my friend," Rasaad said to Garren.

"Ryan Trawl and his knights demand justice for the slain, so they will accompany you to the temple ruins," Garren said.

Mazzy caught a glimpse of some paper protruding from a small satchel attached to Plat's belt. She opened the satchel, grabbed the paper and read the letter.

"Ralis, read this!" Mazzy called and handed the latter to him.

Ralis grabbed the letter and read it. It says:

Ralis, if you have survived fighting my loyal servants, then I offer you the opportunity to earn back your honor and more. This game is interesting, and I look forward to playing it. Come, let us meet and decide who is the better "person". In the northeast is our battleground. You will know it when you see it. Yes, I think you will know.

Now they know where to find him. Ralis lowered his hands and crushed the paper in his right hand when he balled his right hand into a fist.

"If Firkraag wants to play this damn game with me, I'll play," Ralis said, scowling sharply, looking forward to avenging Ajantis and plunging one of his swords into Jierdan's chest.

-----

Ralis, Valygar, Anomen, Mazzy, Tashia, Aerie, Rasaad, Abdel, Jaheira, Neera, Althir, Dorn, Ryan and his 11 knights stood in front of the entrance of the old temple ruins after walking northwest to the temple for 55 minutes. The temple is very large and old, and apparently surrounded by a 12 foot tall stone wall. How far the wall goes around the temple, no one knows. Ryan Trawl assumes that this must be a long abandoned temple dedicated to Bahamut, the dragon god of justice, worshiped by metallic dragons which are generally good aligned, and the brother of Tiamat, the queen of chromatic dragons, which are generally evil aligned dragons. The entrance of the temple has two large pillars on both sides of the gap of the stone walls with murals of a gold dragon standing up on its hind legs, and on top of both of the pillars are the statue heads of a dragon, made of copper and brass, it seems. Along the way to the temple, Ralis was very apprehensive about bringing Dorn along with Ryan and the other the knights of the Radiant Heart, but fortunately Tashia knew a spell that masks Dorn's alignment and blackguard class in case Ryan or the other knights get suspicious of Dorn, even though she wondered why Ralis wanted to hide Dorn's alignment from the knights.

"So..." Ralis said, looking up at the dragon statue heads on the pillars. "This must be the place where that bastard Firkraag is hiding. I have to say, he sure knows how to pick his abodes."

"My men and I will scout around the temple. You enter the temple from the inside, but be careful." Ryan Trawl instructed, then he made hand signals to his knights, telling them to follow his lead.

Some of his knights drew their swords, and the others readied their longbows and shortbows. The clerics followed behind, prepared to use healing spells in case their fellow knights get injured in a fight. Then they split up into two groups, one group led by Ryan going left, and the other group led by a young but promising knight named Lucas Windfall went to the right, to scout around the temple from the outside for secret entrances or traps.

"Well... here we go," Ralis sighed to his companions, feeling his stomach churning nervously for some odd reason.

He led his group into the entrance, keeping his right hand on Kondar's hilt in case they get ambushed. When they entered the temple, they were enveloped in darkness for a while, but not because there was no light, but because their eyes needed to adjust.

"Calm down, we are in no danger," Jaheira said, being able to see in the mild darkness easily with her low light vision ability.

They headed down the hallway towards where they saw torch lights a few feet down the hallway. When Ralis reached the first torch hanging on the wall to his left, he thought he heard voices whispering down the hall.

"Yoshimo..." Ralis whispered, then Yoshimo approached him. "I need you to scout ahead, see what's around the corner or something," Ralis instructed him.

"Yoshimo is willing," Yoshimo nodded, then he stepped forward ahead of the group, walking on the tip of his shoes to ensure his footsteps remain quiet.

At the end of the hall, the hallway curved to the right into the first room of the temple. Yoshimo peeked around the corner and saw a small group of orcs and orogs being commanded by the chieftain orog. The chief orog was glaring down at a tired orc lying down on the floor.

"C'mon, chieftain DigDag, just few more minutes of sleep..." A sleepy orc mumbled in protest and tried to fall asleep on the cold stone floor, even though he didn't care abut that.

DigDag growled in anger and kicked the sleepy orc right in his buttocks, jolting the orc wide awake!

"No sleep! No rest! We need be ready for the young human and his friends when he get here! Do I need kick all of you in arse?!" DigDag exclaimed angrily.

All the orcs and orogs grumbled "no" lazily, both in Common and in the orc language.

Yoshimo smiled. They have the element of surprise here. He returned back to Ralis and the others quietly and told them about the tired and lazy orcs and orogs that the orog chieftain is having trouble dealing with. Yoshimo had a plan to dispatch them. It involves smoke bombs, which he has. Meanwhile, back at the tired orogs...

"I go to Firkraag and report to him. You lazy lot stand guard, lest I come back and kick you all in arse all day!" DigDag exclaimed angrily then left, going further into the temple.

A minute after he left, Yoshimo stuck his hand out from the corner of the hallway and threw the smoke bomb into the room full of unsuspecting orcs an orogs. The bomb rolled towards one of the sleeping orogs on the floor and gently hit his face, coming to a stop just 2 inches fro mhis face.

"Huh?" The orog opened his eyes.

Suddenly, the strange ball exploded into a dusty cloud of smoke, startling the orog! Startled shouts and yells came fro mthe confused orcs and orogs as the smoke billowed in the room. Then, Yoshimo and Hexxat sprang into action, running into the smoke and started cutting up the unsuspecting orcs and orogs. Some of them could hear the sound of several blades cutting through flesh, but they did not know where it is coming form, the smoke is too thick for them to see. They never knew what hit them. When the smoke died down, Yoshimo and Hexxat stood in the room with the bodies of 6 orcs and 5 orogs, their weapons dripping with blood.

Ralis and the others then entered the room.

"That worked out well," Tashia said.

"Indeed," Hexxat said.

"Shall we continue?" Yoshimo suggested.

Meanwhile outside the temple, Ryan's group of knights found a secret entrance leading into the catacombs of the temple, where they caught several groups of orcs by surprise and defeated them in sword battle, and continued to explore the catacombs. Lucas's team also found another way into the temple, it took them down to the caverns below the temple, where an orog mage named Rhuk who specializes in transmutation spells sent his kamikaze kobolds to attack Lucas and his knights. Lucas only lost one man in the battle, because that man tried to attack the kobolds head on with his swords, two killed him by committing suicide, getting near him and exploding near him, and after seeing that, Lucas decided it would be better to attack these kobolds with ranged weapons like bows and arrows. It was an easy battle, apparently Rhuk thought Lucas and his knights would be stupid enough to engage the kobolds in a sword fight.

-----

Ralis and his companions fought their way through kobolds, humans, half-elves, elves, orcs, ogrillions, everyone and everything who is a loyal servant of Jierdan Firkraag who volunteered to be an obstacle for Ralis to fight through.

"What is this place? And why would Firkraag be hiding here of all places?" Abdel asked Ralis, looking at his surroundings.

They were in a room where supposedly the dead are buried.

"This looks like some kind of... tomb..." Althir said, inspecting the stone coffins, but never opening them.

"A tomb? Ryan assumed this could be a temple dedicated to Bahamut," Ralis said, stepping over a few corpses of half-orcs and orcs, checking their pockets for any useful tools.

Jaheira and Neera approached what seemed to be a dusty stone tablet on an old table in the center of the room.

Neera blew the dust off the tablet, and Jaheira examined it.

"This is not a temple dedicated to either god," Jaheira announced. Everyone except Althir and Dorn joined them out of curiosity.

"What is it?" Valygar asked.

"This place... is the tomb of King Strohm the Third," Jaheira said.

Ralis gasped softly, recognizing the name. "The old king of Tethyr of the Strohm Dynasty?!" He exclaimed.

King Strohm the Third was the third ruling king of the Strohm Dynasty who ruled from the year 735 DR to the year of his death in 769 DR. He was the human great-great-great grandson of King Strohm the Second, who was a half-elf, his children, then grandchildren and beyond to one of King Strohm the Third's parents wed humans, causing the elven blood in the Strohm bloodline to fade away. King Strohm the Third was famous for being a powerful fighter, fighting trolls, ogres and such.

"Yes," Jaheira nodded, looking over at the rows of coffins ahead.

"But why does he have a tomb all the way over here in Amn? It would make more sense for this place to be in Tethyr," Ralis said.

"Maybe... he has untold riches here that he wants to keep hidden," Neera guessed.

Everyone looked at her.

"What? Was it something I said?" She looked confused.

"Neera, you are a genius! This could explain why Jierdan Firkaag is so wealthy! But we'll worry about his source of wealth later. Right now, we need to find Firkraag himself. Follow me, everyone," Ralis said.

Eventually they stumbled into some kind of dungeon complex, and they found themselves in a room where the jailers rest, where DigDag was having a conversation with an orc and a half-ogre at the far end of a rectangular table covered in a dirty white cloth.

"You! You here!" DigDag pointed at Ralis.

"Yes, I'm here. You better tell Firkraag to start running for the hills, because I am going to kick his ass," Ralis said, stepping forward with his swords in his hands, both blades dripping with blood.

"Firkraag not run! Firkraag welcomes you! Here is where we take stand!" DigDag retorted.

Then the half-ogre spoke. "Ahh, you did come after all. Firkraag said you would. It has been a while, Ralis. Do you remember me?"

Ralis looked at the half-ogre, finding him oddly familiar... Then it all came back to him, he recognized this half-ogre!

"No way! Tazok! How?! How are you...? But... you're dead! I saw what happened to you! Angelo accidently shot you in the leg with an explosive arrow, and the explosion destroyed your legs burned you to death!"

"Ah, so you do remember. Apparently Sarevok took too much for his plate, and left me in a bad position." Tazok grinned. "Let me tell you what happened to me after you killed Sarevok. After you left the temple, I laid on the floor, unable to move with my legs gone, for what seemed like hours, my skin burning, the endless, tormenting pain... I thought I would die a slow and painful death... I would have, if he hadn't saved me. Lord Jierdan Firkraag gave me new life, and healed my wounds. He is my new master, and as you have already noticed, my new master is much smarter, and you'll find me much harder to kill than the last time we fought!"

"You're saying that Firkraag has had his eyes on me ever since I've been fighting the Iron Throne?!" Ralis asked, in surprise. This is too much for him to bear.

Tazok grinned, relishing the surprised expression on his old foe. "That's right. Seems Firkraag has a special treat in store, brought me here just for you. Got a special bug in his craw about seeing you perform. Who am I to disagree if I get to put my foot to you once more?! Fight me! And know that behind Tazok is a power greater than you have ever seen!"

Then Ralis and Tazok charged at each other! Dorn, Jaheira, Hexxat, Abdel Valygar, Althir and Anomen fought DigDag and six other orcs.

Neera, Tashia and Aerie decided to find out where Illtha is since this is the dungeon level of the old abandoned temple.

Ralis and Tazok violently clashed swords together, trying to strike each other in the neck or at least the chest, but they were equally matched in aggressiveness. Ralis couldn't help assuming if Firkraag has upgraded Tazok somehow when he healed his injuries. Before Ralis could anticipate the move and dodge it, Tazok kicked Ralis in the chest, sending him staggering back towards the table behind him, and when he fell on the table, Tazok quickly came at him, aiming to impale his broadsword into Ralis's chest while he was still on the table. Ralis knew he couldn't stand up in time, so he rolled aside, and Tazok's sword cut into the wood of the table instead, causing him to lose his balance when the table broke down into a thin "V" shape. Ralis had already recovered and slashed at Tazok's exposed skin. He cried out in pain then backhanded Ralis in the face, causing him to slam into the wall. Dorn overpowered DigDag really easily, with his unnatural strength as Ur-Gothoz's blackguard. Dorn finished the orog off by cutting his sword arm off, then his head.

Tashia, Aerie and Neera checked each jail cell systematically, away from the battle Ralis and the others are engaged in, though they could still hear the shouts and sounds of steel clashing together.

"Illtha, are you here? If you can hear us, answer back," Tashia called.

Then almost immediately, a voice said: "Hello? Can you hear me? I'm over here!"

Aerie's sharp elven ears picked up the direction where the sound is coming from.

"There!" She pointed at the fourth jail cell ahead of her to the left. She and Tashia and Aerie ran for the prision cell and found Illtha inside.

"Am I glad to see you! I knew you would come!" Illtha said.

Neera pulled on the bars, but they only rattled, never budged.

"Does anyone have a key?" She asked Tashia and Aerie.

"I... I think the locks are magically sealed. The half-ogre who patrols the dungeons with the orcs, ogrillions and orogs had some sort of key, but don't know where you'll find him. Where is Ralis?"

"He... He's on his way to confront Firkraag," Aerie said.

Illtha's eyes widened in fear for some reason.

"Is he crazy? Noble pursuits are well and good, but it's suicide for him to throw himself needlessly at Firkraag!" Illtha said.

"Why? Why shouldn't he face Firkraag? You and your father won't be safe until he is dead and done, right?" Neera asked.

"No, Neera, you don't understand. Firkraag is... more than he seems. He is more powerful than Ralis realizes," Illtha said urgently.

Tashia, Neera and Aerie looked at Illtha with confusion and curiosity.

"Tell us what you've learned about this Firkraag," Tashia said.

Back in the room where Ralis and his companions were fighting Tazok and his allies, Tazok is the only enemy alive now, and Ralis, Valygar and Dorn where fighitng him while the others stood back unless help was absolutely necessary. Tazok had a hard time protecting himself when he deflected the swords strikes from Ralis, Dorn and Valygar. He never got used to battling multiple opponents at once. Parrying the swords of one opponent leaves you open to be attacked by another opponent. Tazok tried to constantly switch his focus from Ralis to Valygar, Valygar back to Ralis or Dorn, and so on, but he always ended up getting another injury. His body armor offered little protection, exposing his muscular body, and now his body is covered in sword scratch marks and is growing more and more bloody as the battle progressed.

He felt dizzy, and he could feel some of his energy fading, replaced by fatigue, but he refused to go down, he kept fighting until the bitter end when Ralis paralyzed him with Ghoul Touch when Tazok was busy defending himself form Dorn and Valygar's attacks, and cut his head off his body. Tazok's head, still attached under his helmet bounced towards the broken table and stopped near it.

"He won't be coming back from the dead anymore, I made sure of that," Ralis said when he sheathed his bloodstained swords.

He checked Tazok's body and found a key attached to his belt.

Abdel looked around, noticing that Tashia, Aerie and Neera are no longer with them.

"Hey, where is Tashia, Aerie and Neera?" He asked.

"They were with us naught a minute ago before the fight began," Anomen replied.

"You guys go look for them. I'll hunt for Firkraag alone," Ralis instructed, handing the keys to Jaheira.

"What? No! That is a stupid decision for you to make!" Jaheira exclaimed.

Althir approached Ralis. "Jaheira is right. What if you walk into a trap? Who will save you when you stumble into a trap?" He asked the young human.

"Firkraag hasn't laid any traps for me. He is expecting me, somewhere, and I must meet his challenge, Illtha and Garren are counting on me, and I must avenge Ajantis too!" Ralis turned and ran down the northwest hallway.

"Ralis!" Valygar called to him, but Ralis didn't stop, he didn't look back, he kept running down the hallway.

He ran up the stairs at the end of the hallway, and on the upper floors ran down a few more corridors, fighting past ogres, goblins and human bandits until he found a door up ahead. He approached the door, opened it, and a bright beam of bright light hit him, causing his eyes to sting from the brightness, he had to shield his eyes as he stepped out the door... into fresh air.

------

When his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he found himself outside of the temple, in what seems to be some kind of old, large courtyard. Ralis looked to his right. He could see the stone wall stretch for nearly two miles making this the largest courtyard he has ever seen, and in the yard is large broken structures, broken pillars, broken walls, great places to take cover from arrows and other projectiles if this place were used as a battlefield. He also noticed that the many broken pillars and walls formed around a large circle, in the middle of the courtyard, there is a large, circular open space where there is no debris, just flat ground. Ralis looked up at the blue sky. It is still morning, almost afternoon, it seems like, the sun still lingered high above. then he stepped forward, realizing this place could not only be a good place for a battlefield, but also a good place for an ambush.

"Firkraag!" Ralis shouted, his voice echoed in the sky. "If you are out here, come out! I tire of playing your cowardly game! Come out and face me!"

He waited for a reply. No response. At least, not immediately. From a pillar a few yards ahead to the right, which is leaning agaisnt a broken wall, Jierdan Firkraag himself stepped out from behind the pillar, applauding as he approached Ralis slowly, and stopped 11 feet away from him.

"Welcome. You have come as I wanted. It has been an interesting game, I admit, but I must agree with you, I grow tired of it myself, to tell the truth," Jierdan said, feigning boredom in his voice.

"Yes, here I am. Why have you forced this confrontation?" Ralis asked Jierdan.

At that moment, Ryan Trawl and his group of knights, and Lucas and his group of knights emerged from the same door Ralis emerged from, and stood behind him, watching him converse with Firkraag.

Firkraag scratched his beard. "For my amusement, for my curiosity, and my memory of transgressions of the past- all of this spurred me on to playing this boring game with you. To be honest, *sigh*, I find you quite boring."

"I want a straight answer," Ralis said.

Firkraag sighed again. "Very well, an in-depth response. Your father interests me. Your lineage crosses the mortal and spiritual, and both concern me somewhat."

Ralis glanced back at Ryan and Lucas and noticed they are looking at him with puzzled frowns, then he looked back at Firkraag who is still standing where he has stood for the past minute.

"Gorion raised you," Firkraag continued.

Ralis gasped. Firkraag knew Gorion?! "How did you know this?!" Ralis demanded.

"I know this from my spies and followers. They are subtle when I wish it. Gorion was as much your father as anyone. He was also an adventurer in his younger days, and crossed my path decades ago. Him and his Harper friends," Firkraag said with a hateful sneer. "I bear the scars of that meeting. He is beyond my revenge, being dead as he is, so I settled for the next best thing. I can torment his spirit by destroying you," he said with a chuckle. "Wherever he is now, he must be seething," he grinned.

Something doesn't sound right to Ralis's ears. If Firkraag met Gorion years ago, he would have been a child back when Gorion was in his middle or late 20's. How can this possibly make sense?

"There's something wrong here. Why do you hold a grudge on him for such a long time, and how could you have known him when you were apparently a child during his adventuring days? How old are you, exactly?" Ralis asked.

"I toyed with forgetting Gorion's transgression, though it has not been long in dragon terms. It was your other father that made me curious, however. You are a child of Bhaal. What an interesting subject to study, or so I thought. Really, you are not so different, despite your little personal struggles. What will be interesting is your conflict with Jon Irenicus. That is something I would very much like to see," Firkraag replied.

"What? Are you in league with that sadistic bastard?!" Ralis spat angrily.

"No, I have no dealings with that... creature. I am merely interested in YOUR confrontation with him. Yes, I would love to see it. So now I release you. You bore me, and I shall taunt you no more. This has been such sport that I bear you no ill will. You may leave," Firgraag said, turning around to walk away.

"Oh no, this is not over! You owe me! Chances are you won't live to see my confrontation with Irenicus!" Ralis exclaimed.

Firkraag stopped walking, and turned back to face him.

"You tricked me! You fooled me into killing my friend who was one of those knights! I've come for your head!" Ralis exclaimed.

"Ralis is right! Justice must be served! Jierdan Firkraag, you are under arrest!" Ryan Trawl said, then he, Lucas and the other knights drew their swords and longbows.

Firkraag shook his head in disappointment. "Do you creatures have any idea who you are dealing with?" He said slowly.

"It's all of us against one of you. I've been forced to play your game, now let's play mine," Ralis said.

Firkraag shrugged. "Very well. It is, as they say, your funeral."

Ralis was confused at first, then suddenly he heard the sickening crunching of bones moving and shifting, but he didn't know where it was coming from. Suddenly, a huge wing emerged from Firkraag's left side! The knights gasped in surprise! Then another wing emerged from the other side of Firkraag's back! Then to Ralis, Ryan and Lucas's surprise, Firkraag himself began to change! His clothing melted, and his skin slowly changed color, becoming fair to red, skin turning into hard, shiny scales, and he grew taller, his neck growing longer, his head transforming from a human head to... to a dragon head! Firkraag's body elongated to the point where his tail finally formed! His front and hind muscular legs glowed bright red in the sunlight!

"My gods! Firkraag is a..." Lucas stared to say.

"Red dragon..." Ralis concluded for him.

Red dragons are the most powerful and feared species of chromatic dragons. They breathe fire and their bodies smell like smoke and strong sulfur. Ralis was suddenly reminded of what happened to Amalas during their encounter with Thaxll'silliya the shadow dragon. Once again, he is facing another dragon, and the shadow stone won't protect him this time, he'll have to fight this thing with the knights, and if he isn't careful, he'll get burned, or worse, devoured.

"So," Firkraag began, his voice sounded very similar to his voice in human form. "Now that I am prepared for battle, are you ready to begin?"

Ralis slowly sheathed his swords.

"Ah, I see I surprised you by showing my true form. Why back down now, when you were once so eager to avenge your friend?" Firkraag asked Ralis with a grin, showing his bright white sharp teeth, which are long as a long sword blade.

Ralis's anxieties were suddenly clouded by his desire for revenge. This dragon ruined the lives of many people for greed and petty revenge. Now it is time for him to pay! Ralis pulled his longbow out, grabbed an arrow and fired at Firkraag! The arrow struck Firkraag's body, close to his front left leg. The arrow barely hurt him, it felt more like the sting of a needle.

Firkraag growled in annoyance at Ralis, puffs of smoke billowing out form his nostrils, signifying that he accepts the challenge.

"Fire! Fire!" Ryan yelled to his archers.

The knights and archers and Ralis spread out around the courtyard both clockwise and counterclockwise, trying to flank Firkraag from both sides and shower him with their arrows. Some of the arrows hit Firkraag, some sailed over him. He turned his attention to the knights and archers in the 2:00 position, lowered his head to the ground and breathed fire at them!

"Take cover!" One of the knights yelled, taking cover as the cone of fire came at them!

Some of the small mounds of rubble and broken walls proved not to be very good sources of cover for fire, as the intense flames melted the walls down and cooked the knights who took refuge behind them or made them suffocate under the smothering heat.

"Don't stay in one spot! Keep moving!" Ryan shouted to the knights as he strafed with the archers shooting arrows with them at the dragon.

Firkraag tried to search for Ralis among the attacking knights, but he couldn't find him with so many arrows flying about. He casted the Confusion spell on the knights, subjecting them to irrational confusion, then casted Protection From Normal Weapons spell on himself, in case some of the knights unaffected by the spell try to continue to attack him. The few knights who weren't affected by the Confusion spell continued firing arrows at Firkraag, and their arrows can't harm him anymore since they are not magically enhanced arrows.

Firkraag turned around and saw Ralis running along the debris at the 7:00 position in the yard. Firkraag breathed a cone of fire at him! The cone narrowly missed Ralis as he jumped off a mound of old stones and continued running and came to a stop, sliding towards a small broken wall for cover. Then he exposed himself briefly to fire a +3 arrow at Firkraag, which hit him in the neck, 5 inches below his head. Firkraag felt no pain at all even though he was hit.

Even though he is sweating profusely, heart pounding in his chest rapidly and adrenaline urging him to keep moving, Ralis managed not to panic completely and make any foolish moves, but instead abandoned his cover and ran counterclockwise around the circular open space where Firkraag stood, and just in time, because Firkraag's tail smashed into the spot where Ralis once was. If he stayed there, the rubble of the destroyed wall would have crushed him, or the force of Firkraag's powerful tail whip would have broken his bones. Ralis ran past a few knights who were walking around in confusion under the influence of Firkraag's Confusion spell, not knowing where they are or what they are doing. Ryan and Lucas noticed that Firkraag seems more interested in attacking Ralis more than their knights.

"Our weapons aren't hurting him anymore!" one of the archers said.

"We need a mage with a spell to breach his magical defenses," Lucas said.

"We don't have a mage," the archer said.

"Helm help us..." Ryan whispered.

Firkraag continued to chase after Ralis as he weaved his way past confused knights and various kinds of debris. Firkraag stopped following Ralis and stood his ground, flapping his incredible wingspan to whip up a gust of wind. Flapping his wings in Ralis's direction, he created a strong force of wind that even the confused knights couldn't stand up against, they were picked up off their feet as if they were picked up by a tornado, and slammed against a wall or pillar, breaking their bones. Ralis, however, got off lucky. He managed to hide behind a sturdy wall to avoid being picked up by the strong gusts of wind and wait until Firkraag's wings calmed down.

Then after the strong winds stopped, Ralis tensed to expose himself from cover and fire an arrow, but he hesitated for a second. When he finally decided to expose himself to attack Firkaag again, he saw a large body towering over him! He looked up and saw Firkraag's head growling at him. Ralis felt his heart jump in fear. Firkraag's head came down at him! Ralis moved out of the way in time to avoid being bitten, then he moved through a door opening in the wall he was hiding behind, and Firkraag maneuvered his head through the hole, trying to grab him into his jaws before he got away, and ended up getting stuck!

Ralis turned around, noticing Firkraag's predicament, then drew his bastard swords and returned to attack! Ralis started slashing at Firkraag's exposed head, creating slash marks all over!

Enraged, Firkraag used all his strength to break free. The stone wall shattered into more than a dozen stones, knocking Ralis off his feet, and Firkagg lifted his head up into the air and roared angrily, his head numb with pain and dripping with blood.

"Get in there!" Lucas exclaimed, ordering some of his knights to assist Ralis even though their unenchanted weapons can't harm the dragon anymore. 4 knights rushed over to the dragon, and started striking at its muscular legs with their swords and maces.

"Get back!" Ralis warned them.

It was too late. Firkraag used his tail to whip three knights, and the force of the tail whip sent one of the knights flying through the air towards a pillar and smashed against it, then Firkraag grabbed the last knight with his left claw and pressed him down to the ground.

"Ralis, run!" Ryan shouted.

Firkraag advanced towards Ralis. He fired another arrow at Firkraag, aiming for his head, but the arrow missed, and Ralis turned and ran.

This is it! I'm dragon chow like Amalas...! Ralis vaguely thought as he ran as fast he could, feeling the ground vibrating as Firkraag stomped closer towards him. He imagined that any second now Firkraag will either burn him to a crisp or catch him in his jaws.

Then something unexpected happen. Firkraag stopped chasing Ralis when he felt his Protection from Normal Weapons spell wear off.

"What is this?!" He demanded.

Ralis stopped running and turned back around when he heard Firkraag say that. He saw near the back entrance of the temple stood Aerie, Dorn, Valygar, Neera, Abdel, Jaheira, Anomen, Aerie, Tashia, Minsc and Althir!

"Yes!" He grinned.

Aerie had used the Breach spell, canceling out all the protection spells that Firkraag has put on himself before and during the battle.

"She dispelled his protection spells!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Now we have him!" Ryan exclaimed, and at that moment, Lucas, Ryan, the remaining knights who are still alive and conscious, along with Ralis's companions charged at Firkraag either to get in perfect range to shoot him with arrows or to attack with their swords.

"You annoying little flies! I'll kill you all!" Firkraag snarled. He turned around and breathed fire at everyone!

"Watch out!" Ryan shouted, and everyone jumped away from the cone of fire billowing from Firkraag's mouth!

Unfortunately two archers were caught in the cone of fire and ended up flailing about, shrieking in agony as the fire burned them.

Althir threw 3 throwing knives at Firkraag's body as he ran clockwise around Firkraag with Valygar shooting arrows.

"Peanelian, go!" Tashia raised her Scrimshaw figure up in the air and shouted.

Then a cloud of mist formed near her, and Peanelian jumped out of the mist, roaring! Then she charged at the dragon!

Mazzy, who is near Peanelian's running path jumped onto Peanelian's back as she ran by. Mazzy, now riding on the leopard's back pointed her sword in Firkraag's direction and yelled "Arvoreen guide my blade!" With triumphant vigor as the wind breezed against her hair and face.

Peanelian jumped into the air, and at the same time, Mazzy jumped off Peanelian, her body rushing at the side of Firkraag's body, then she impaled her sword deeply into the layered patch of red scales under the Firkraag's right wing bone, and at the same time, Peanelian swiftly jumped onto Firkraag's back and started tearing into his back with her claws! Firkraag roared in pain and did everything he could to get Peanelian off his back, but she was too quick and nimble, avoiding his bites, and Dorn saw this as a perfect opportunity to perform a sneak attack on the dragon. Activating the poison in Rancor, he charged at Firkraag, yelling. Abdel followed him, then when they got close enough, Dorn jumped as high as he could at Firkraag's body and impaled Rancor into the chest area, between Firkraag's front legs hanging 5 feet above ground, and Abdel ran his broadsword into Firkraag's left leg, piercing the blade into the hard scales.

Firkraag roared, under intense pain, both from sword wounds and wounds from the arrows piercing his body. Raising his right leg up, he grabbed Dorn with his claw and pulled him off. Dorn found himself trapped inside the smothering claw of the dragon. Firkraag tried to crush Dorn in his claw as he once again attempted to breathe fire on Ralis and the others, but they avoided the attack, taking cover or because Aerie and Tashia managed to cast a spell on some of them that protects them from fire. Dorn, still inside Firkraag's claw used his arms and legs to push Firkraag's claw open. It wasn't easy, even with his strength as a Blackguard. firkraag was both confused and surprised that Dorn is somehow managing to break free from his tightening grip.

Althir jumped up in the air yelling, with both his katanas Edwyn and Kyoutsu raised over his head, poised to cut into Firkraag's right leg. When both katanas cut into Firkraag's limb, he roared in pain, releasing Dorn and dropping him and his sword to the ground.

Ralis, his companions and Ryan and his knights did not let up, and Firkraag was losing strength, especially with Peanelian clawing on his back. From his point of view, his eye vision is getting blurry, his body is numb with pain, but he still had some fight in him, however. He whipped his tail in a wide arc, almost hitting Lucas in the head, and everyone else crouched down to avoid the sweeping tail. Then Neera, who had recently learned a new spell called Tenser's Transformation, used that spell to give herself berserker strength like Minsc and Korgan. She was so glad that a wild surge didn't happen this time. Then, charging at the dragon with her modified staff, she whacked at Firkraag's body with Ralis, Althir, Dorn, Minsc, Abdel and Jaheira. And using his wings, Firkraag hovered 15 feet in the air, to keep himself from being melee attacked any further, and as he flew up in the sky, he managed to shake Peanelian off his back and the leopard fell. Just when Ralis, Aerie and Neera thought that Peanelian would hit the ground, Peanelian instead disappeared into thin smoke before she landed on the ground. With Peanelian off his back, Firkraag positioned himself 19 feet in the air.

"He's going to rain fire on us from that height!" Jaheira exclaimed.

"Shoot him down!" Ralis exclaimed.

He fired more +3 arrows at him, and Valygar fired his own arrows at the dragon, Neera and Aerie fired magic missiles at Firkraag, and after being hit by the barrage of projectiles, Firkraag felt too dizzy to stay airborne. He fell to the ground with a loud thud. He could barely stand up anymore. Ralis saw Firkraag wobble as he stood up on his legs, and then he tried to raise his head up off the ground, but he couldn't and his eyelids fluttered occasionally, as if he were struggling to stay awake. Ralis charged at Firkraag with his swords drawn. when Firkraag managed to raise his head up off the ground, he prepared to breathe fire on Ralis. He knew he wouldn't be able to get close to Firkraag to strike him in time, so he continued coming at Firkraag. When he breathed fire on him, Ralis found that he was enveloped in a tunnel of fire, but thanks to the Protection of Fire potion he drank before Firkraag flew up in the air, the fire couldn't burn him, but he held his breath as he charged forward. Running through the tunnel of fire, Ralis reached Firkraag's head, and then jumped up in the air and slashed at Firkraag's head with intense fury, bloodying Firkraag's head even worse. Ralis landed next to Firkraag's head and noticed that his eyelids were fluttering. It didn't last long, eventually he succumbed to his wounds and closed his eyes shut.

Ralis wiped the sweat off his face. "He's dead... Firkraag is finally dead..." He whispered.

Ryan, Lucas and the surviving knights cheered. Firkraag, the one responsible for tricking Ralis and his companions into killing Ajantis and the other knights is dead. Justice has been served. and Illtha, who had been watching the fight from a safe distance was astonished. She had never seen anyone take down a dragon before! She ran up to ralis and hugged him.

"I cannot believe it is finally over! You have done the unimaginable! My rescue and the destruction of Firkraag... it is astounding!" She exclaimed.

"I can't believe we did it either," Ralis said.

"Don't be so modest, Ralis. You have gone above and beyond the call. Wait till Father hears about this!" Illtha smiled.

-----

Back in Garren's house, he was happy that Illtha has been rescued unharmed, but he was extremely astonished to hear that Jierdan Firkraag was actually a red dragon, and that he is now dead.

"I had heard rumors throughout Faerun that dragons can walk among us disguised as humans or elves, but... That does not matter, my daughter is saved, and my heart is free, and I have you to thank, Ralis, you and your companions. With the creature gone, my lands are free, and the dead that fell before you are avenged. I thank you as they would. I have no reward to offer that would suffice, but-"

"Your thanks is reward enough," Ralis said.

"You are a good sort, Ralis. You place yourself at risk when no one asks of you to. You placed yourself in danger for my sake even though I never offered a reward for your good work." Garren said.

"Well, there is one thing you can do. I'll hire some guards form Arnise Hold to go on an expedition into King Strohm the Third's tomb and find out where Firkraag gets his coins. You can hire some people who know the ruins more than I do and help them find it," Ralis suggested.

"I'll do that," Garren nodded.