Son of Bhaal

In the Grip of Madness

Imoen's shrill screams awoke Bain. The burly warrior's swollen red eyes snapped open, he reflexively lunged forward, until he crashed into the bars of the hanging cage. The cage was barely large enough for Bain to stand in, it hung above a blood-stained, cobblestone floor by a single, thick, iron chain. The heat emanating from a nearby coal brazier drew a fresh sheen of sweat from Bain's naked skin, he recoiled from the smoldering brazier, it still held the implements that had seared the Son of Bhaal's flesh. Bain checked his chest, stomach, and thighs, the burns had mostly healed, although a few dark welts still marred his limbs.

Imoen's screams echoed from somewhere in the distance, Bain gripped the heavy bars of his cage, straining to bend them, to leave his prison and kill whoever was torturing his sister, his love. Imoen's screams faded to weak sobs, Bain bared his teeth, tears of frustration pouring down his cheeks.

***

Irenicus stepped away from the naked girl who hung from thin, silver chains in the center of his laboratory, slender wrists bound with leather. The white-robed wizard retrieved an empty vial from one of his work tables and used it to gather another sample of Imoen's sweet blood from one of the dripping lash marks adorning her bare back. Imoen moaned softly, the chains supporting her clinked as they shifted. Irenicus closed the vial with a tiny cork and placed it over a small burner to boil. As the blood sample warmed, Irenicus walked to the line of tanks resting near one wall, the clones of Imoen were in various stages of growth, two had died since the mage had checked last. The pale-haired wizard cursed under his breath. He twisted a knob attached to each of the dead clone's tanks, the nutrient solution in each slowly drained away.

The frustrated wizard crossed the lab to the long bank of windows and opened one. Cool, night air brushed over Irenicus's sharp-featured face, the mage inhaled deeply, drawing strength from the crisp breeze. The tall, thin wizard turned to look upon Imoen. The girl's short, sweat-soaked, auburn hair clung to the back of her neck, her naked body gleamed in the lamp light, almost every inch of skin bruised or bleeding. Irenicus marveled as the Daughter of Bhaal healed right before his eyes, bleeding wounds closing, welts fading away. The power of a god flowed in Imoen's veins, Irenicus swore that he would find a way to take it.

***

Consciousness returned slowly to Imoen. She groaned, and immediately felt the tight leather straps bound around her wrists, holding her up by lengths of gleaming chain. The naked girl looked around as best she could, the insane wizard was gone, she was alone with the fluid-filled tanks that contained whatever crazy experiment the mage was working on. Imoen closed her eyes and thought furiously, how could she escape before Irenicus returned?

Grinding her teeth together, Imoen twisted her wrists sharply. She bit her lower lip hard while bones snapped above her, she tugged down sharply, her hands slipped free from the binding straps.

Imoen wept silently, holding her broken wrists to her belly. She padded across the cold stone to the only door of the lab, she bit her lip again as she slowly reached out and pulled the door open. The passage beyond the door was dark, only the distant light of flickering fires gave Imoen enough light to see. Staggering into motion, Imoen walked down the passage, glancing over her shoulder several times, fearing that she would see the crazy wizard staring at her every time she looked back. Imoen made the journey to the source of the flickering light, it was an enormous dungeon, with slender cages hanging from heavy chains and more cages set along the walls. Imoen sobbed when she spied Bain in one of the hanging cages, she stumbled towards him, hot tears streaming down her face.

***

Bain blinked back tears of his own when he saw Imoen shuffling towards him. The naked, bruised girl looked up at her caged brother, her arms crossed over her belly.

"Can you unlock the cage?" whispered Bain, his blood-shot eyes glancing at the dungeon's entrance.

"I have to wait for my wrists to heal," replied Imoen.

Bain nodded. "Look around, see if you can find any clothes or weapons."

Imoen reluctantly left her brother's cage. She walked around the room, trying not to notice the other prisoners slumped in their cages, awaiting cruel, agonizing deaths at the mad wizard's hand. One prisoner hissed repeatedly at Imoen, the girl ignored the calls at first, then turned quickly when she realized who the prisoner was.

"Jaheira!" exclaimed Imoen, crossing quickly to the half-elf's domed cage.

"Can you free me?" demanded the beautiful elf woman.

Imoen tested her wrists, they could move without pain again. She knelt before the thick lock fastened to Jaheira's cage, the glowing ward rune stopped Imoen short.

"Your cage is magically sealed, I need a special key to release it."

"I think there's one in that storeroom, there," pointed Jaheira.

"Let me free Bain first, then we'll both look for it."

Jaheira clutched the bars of her cage as Imoen left to free her brother. One of the branding rods had a tip slender enough to use as a crude pick, Imoen deftly used it to open Bain's hanging cage.

Bain needed his sister to help him out of the confining prison. Standing on trembling legs, Bain hugged Imoen tightly, the girl buried her face in her brother's wide chest. Bain kissed Imoen's damp hair and gently brushed her bright tears away. "We better find that key that Jaheira needs."

Imoen nodded before releasing her brother. The siblings searched two storage rooms, finding loincloths, leather vests and leggings, boots, and a small collection of swords and daggers. Clothed and armed, Bain felt much better, he smiled when Imoen announced that she found the key they needed to free Jaheira.

Jaheira clasped the hands of the siblings when they freed her from her cage. Bain and Imoen waited while Jaheira clothed and armed herself, the Son of Bhaal stood near the brazier-lit entrance, peering into the dark passage. As Jaheira emerged from the storage room, Bain motioned with his right hand. Imoen grabbed the half-elf's arm and tugged her against the wall behind Bain.

The warrior snapped his hands forward and grabbed the black tunic of a guard. Bain threw the struggling man to the cobbles, dropping the point of his captured sword onto the mustached man's throat.

"How do we leave this place?" demanded Bain, digging the point of his blade into the guard's flesh.

"Wait! I don't work for Irenicus! I'm a thief!" cried out the man, his almond-shaped eyes wide with fear.

"What's your name?" snapped Imoen, ready to gut the wriggling man with her dagger.

"Yoshimo!" stammered the man, his body becoming limp, his eyes flicking from Bain to Imoen.

"Never heard of him," sniffed Imoen.

"Should I kill him?" asked Bain with a glance toward his sister.

"Wait! I can lead you out of here!" offered Yoshimo desperately.

The siblings stared hard at the helpless thief. Yoshimo was sweating heavily.

Slowly, Bain raised his sword away from Yoshimo's throat. The thief rubbed his neck, jumping quickly to his slipper-clad feet.

"We must leave quickly, before the wizard or his sentries find us," murmured Yoshimo, bringing an upraised finger to his lips.

Bain watched the thief warily as the man led the way back into the main passage before disappearing through a split-off. Imoen followed closely behind her brother, Jaheira kept to the rear, watching with her elven sight. The path twisted through many branching tunnels, Imoen could sense that they were rising gradually.

When the companions reached a dead-end, Yoshimo struggled to push open a concealed portal. Bain sheathed his blade and helped the wiry thief, an arched, heavy door of stone shifted and turned, bathing the companions in blinding sunlight.

Bain walked out from the passage onto a pile of shattered masonry that had once been part of an impressive tower manor. Imoen and Jaheira flanked Bain, shading their eyes with upraised palms.

A tongue of blue lightning exploded in the middle of the group. Bain smashed into a pile of broken stones, he shouted when his right arm snapped loudly. The Son of Bhaal dropped to his knees, but he fought to rise when he saw Irenicus floating a short distance away, his pale-gold hair snapping around his sharp face.

"I'm not done with Imoen yet," said Irenicus calmly. The wizard flicked his right hand, tendrils of black oil snapped out and coiled around Imoen, yanking her into the air.

"Bain!" screamed Imoen, reaching out to her brother, her terrified eyes huge.

Bain snatched a dagger from his belt and threw it at the levitating wizard. The spinning knife bounced off an invisible shield, Irenicus turned away from Bain and his companions, Imoen struggling behind him in her sticky bonds.

Three purple-robed wizards appeared in the air surrounding Irenicus.

"You are using magic illegally within Athkatla, surrender yourself immediately!" thundered one of the floating mages.

Irenicus flicked a finger at the demanding wizard. Five balls of lightning appeared behind the Cowled Wizards, then exploded with an ear-splitting crack. The wizards were reduced to ash within seconds, pieces of tattered robe fluttered to the ground. An oval portal of spinning green magic irised open before Irenicus. The mad wizard floated into the gateway, taking Imoen with him.

Bain squeezed his eyes shut as Imoen's last scream was silenced by the closing gateway. Jaheira drew close and enfolded Bain's left hand with one of hers, Bain simply stood, numb to everything around him.

"We'll find her, Bain, I promise," whispered Jaheira.

Bain squeezed the half-elf's hand before letting it go. The Son of Bhaal approached Yoshimo, the thief cringed slightly at Bain's dark expression.

"You knew enough about Irenicus to get into his lair, what else do you know about him?"

"Not much," shrugged Yoshimo. "I can get you in touch with someone who would know more."

Bain nodded, the thief began descending from the stone pile, describing the river quarter of Athkatla where the contact Bain wanted would be.

***

The man's name was Gaelen Bayle, he stood near a white-washed building smoking serenely from a long-stemmed pipe. Yoshimo hailed the man, who nodded a wordless greeting to the thief.

"My friend here needs some information, I told him you might be able to assist," introduced Yoshimo.

"What's your question, stranger?" prompted Gaelen.

"A wizard called Irenicus kidnapped my sister, I want to know where he took her."

Gaelen paled when Bain mentioned the mad mage. He glanced around, smoking furiously on his pipe.

"That information will cost dearly, stranger," said Gaelen after he collected his wits.

"How much?" frowned Jaheira.

"Twenty-five thousand gold pieces."

Bain coughed, Jaheira's eyes grew wide.

"Rather steep, isn't it, Gaelen?" grinned Yoshimo wanly.

"If a mad wizard is going to be looking for me, I want to be far away from Athkatla when you find him," puffed the man.

"Um, we don't have that kind of coin right now, we'll get back to you," said Bain before he left the smoking man and Yoshimo.

Jaheira stepped quickly to keep up with Bain. "Can you get that much money?"

"Unfortunately my powers don't extend to spontaneous gold creation, we'll have to look around, maybe take a job or two."

Jaheira arched one slim brow at the marching warrior, she noticed he was heading for a large, walled compound.

"Why are we going here?"

"Yoshimo said this place was a tavern, the Copper Coronet. I can't think of a better place to ask for sword work."

Bain and Jaheira waited while a stable boy unlatched the tavern's wall gate. Yoshimo jogged up to the companions, he took his place to the half-elf's right.

"What do you want?" snapped Bain.

"Thought you could use my help some more, maybe get a piece of the action," grinned Yoshimo, smoothing his oiled mustaches.

Bain snorted, but didn't protest. Jaheira looked at the wiry man distrustfully, Yoshimo winked at the elf woman and openly admired her sensual curves.

***

The common room of the Copper Coronet was large, smoky, and crowded. Four huge, towering men tended bar, two young women with low cut, white blouses and long skirts carried drinks and food to the boisterous patrons, mainly sailors and dockhands.

"There's Sarvo, the tavern master," pointed out Yoshimo.

The thief led the way to the bar, shoving a few swaying sailors aside to address the stout Master Sarvo.

"Three mugs of your best watered-down beer, good man," smiled Yoshimo. "My friends probably want some food as well, I will partake of your more tender wares."

Bain looked behind his shoulders at the laughing, shouting patrons, Jaheira looked sharply at Yoshimo's mention of "tender wares".

"You want Aerie again?" growled Sarvo.

"Yes, she will do nicely," nodded Yoshimo, rubbing his palms together.

"There's a free table," said Bain to Jaheira.

The elf woman shot Yoshimo a hard glare before she followed Bain to the table he indicated. Yoshimo grinned widely before leaving the common room, climbing a short staircase that led into the back of the tavern.

***

The short hallway was lit by the soft candlelight emanating from a series of small, silk-draped alcoves. Yoshimo could hear the soft moans of women as he walked to Aerie's alcove, the doorway blocked by a forest-green silk veil.

Aerie was stretched out upon a feather-stuffed mattress, her wrists manacled with heavy bands of iron, the manacles linked by chains to a thick iron ring fastened to the wall just above the head of the bed. Aerie was an elf, she had the appearance of a sixteen year-old human girl, her long hair was shimmering gold with two slender braids framing her small, fey face, a swirling blue tattoo was inscribed upon her smooth forehead.

Aerie rubbed her legs together when Yoshimo pushed the silk veil aside. She regarded the thief with large, liquid, blue eyes.

"Did you miss me, girl?" smiled Yoshimo while he loosened his wide-legged black trousers.

Aerie smiled softly, she lowered her eyes shyly.

Removing his tunic, Yoshimo climbed into the soft bed with Aerie. The thief stroked the elf girl's silky hair, she looked up, her lips trembling. Yoshimo brushed his left cheek against Aerie's warm hair, he sucked gently on one of her pointed ears, the girl caught her breath, blushing.

When Yoshimo grasped Aerie's small shoulders, the elf girl dropped onto her back, opening her legs with practiced ease. Yoshimo rubbed Aerie's tiny pussy with his swelling cock, he lowered his mouth to the naked girl's small breasts, sucking intently upon her perfectly round, pink nipples. Aerie moaned softly, she pressed her small palms against Yoshimo's lean chest, her tummy quivering. The thief shoved his stiff cock into Aerie's tender cunt. Aerie whimpered, her thin legs shuddering while Yoshimo rammed into her crotch, grunting with effort, his hands crushing her tiny breasts. Yoshimo moaned in bliss while Aerie's incredibly tight pussy milked his prick, the folds of her young sex stroking the length of his shaft.

Feeling his cock engorge, ready to release its creamy load, Yoshimo pulled out of Aerie and roughly rolled her onto her stomach. The thief slapped the elf girl's little buttocks until she sobbed, then he stabbed his cock back inside her cunt, grunting with every thrust, prying Aerie's cheeks apart so he could watch his shaft dive into the naked girl's honey-slick hole. Aerie was crying into her pillow, clutching the stained feather mattress with her small hands as Yoshimo impaled her belly over and over, finally gushing a thick stream of semen across her trembling buttocks and thighs.

As Aerie softly wept, Yoshimo nuzzled the back of her head, inhaling the perfume of her golden hair, his hands stroking her sides, her tiny hips.

*****