Daughter of Bhaal

Rating: PG
Date: September 2001
Category: Baldur's Gate (Forgotten Realms) fanfic fragment
Disclaimer: This story is fan fiction and therefore was written purely for enjoyment, not for personal gain. Baldur's Gate I and II were developed ©1998-2001 BioWare Corp. Baldur's Gate, Shadows of Amn, Throne of Bhaal, Legends of the Sword Coast are trademarks of TSR, Inc., a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

This was intended as prologue to my version of Baldur's Gate II. However, I did never get around to write that story.



He was dead.

Sarevok was finally dead.

Al'hara felt numb. The whirlwind of treachery, fighting and bloodshed had reached its finale and now she was too exhausted to even feel relief. She cradled his sword in her arms - trophy or just proof of their victory? - and watched his corpse dissolve. Why this happened, she didn't know and couldn't care yet. He had always claimed not to fear death. She hoped for him that it had been the truth.

A hand on her arm brought her back to the here and now. Imoen smiled tiredly.

"We live, Al'hara. I didn't think it possible but we all have survived."

"Ajantis?" The young paladin had taken the brunt of Sarevok's fury but had stood his ground despite near fatal woundings. Together Ajantis and Al'hara had engaged Sarevok in close combat while the rest of her party had showered him and his allies with missiles and magic.

"Branwen says he will live though he will need the services of a temple to heal completely. She wants to ask you if we could rest a day before returning."

"Of course." Al'hara rubbed her eyes and tried to think clearly. "There is still this other Iron Throne party about and we won't survive another hard fight today."

"We could sneak past them again."

"Half-dead and tired as we are now? No, it's better to rest first and replenish our magic." She looked at the great emblem of Bhaal. "This temple gives me the creeps but it is probably safer here than outside with all the undead. Let's see if we can use one of these room here."

They found a chamber with an intact, sturdy door and warded it with their last spells. Soon exhaustion took over and they slept. Only Al'hara was haunted again by her dreams. It wasn't one of these vision-like revelations, but a nightmarish jumble of fighting, friends dying and blood, so much blood, and again and again this taunting, insidious, voice in her mind tempting her to.. to...

She came awake with a start. On the pallet beside her Imoen slept undisturbed and Al'hara took comfort in the sound of her breathing. Once again the presence of her 'little sister' brought peace to her mind. She knew, Imoen would never abandon her, would never cease to believe in her. It had been always so that Imoen's sunny disposition balanced her own brooding mood and violent temperament. Balance, she thought, Jaheira never gets tired to repeat it and maybe she's right. You have to balance the good and the evil in your heart. And as long as I don't forget this I will control my destiny, and not some dead god's blood.