My Brother's Keeper

[Bri]

"Let me get this straight," Imoen said sharply, her hazel-green eyes focused on the angelic shaped, incandescent blue form before her, that entity known only as the Solar, "You are giving me the choice to become a goddess, is that it, or to stay as a human?"

 

  "INDEED," the Solar stated, "YOU AND ONE OTHER ARE ALL THE BHAALSPAWN TO SURVIVE.  HOWEVER, THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE."

 

  Imoen closed her eyes, "How can there be one more?  Daxon died in the battle with Melissan."

 

  The pink-haired thief shivered as she recalled Daxon's sword thrust deeply into Melissan's body, the savage grin on her brother's face.  Suddenly his mouth turned into a great O of surprise for a mint green light blazed in Melissan's form, some of it leaking and moving back to the well behind her, the source of her power.  However, and traveled along the length of the blade into her brother's body.  Daxon's body began to jerk, vibrate, a loud wail escaping her brother's lips before he disappeared in a spray of blood and flesh, his body unable to contain the great essence of Bhaal.

 

  "Wait a just a minute," Imoen growled, "I saw what happened when my brother took on just a fragment of the essence that left Melissan's body.  I don't know what you are trying to pull here, but I'm not going to be some exploding party favor just because I said yes."

 

  The look on the Solar's face temporarily quelled Imoen's rebellious attitude, "YOUR BROTHER'S BODY, THOUGH IT CONTAINED THE ESSENCE OF BHAAL, WAS STILL ULTIMATELY EARTHLY FLESH.  MELISSAN PARTICIPATED IN ANY NUMBER OF RITUALS TO PARTAKE OF HER FORMER MASTER'S CORE.  DAXON WAS...UNPREPARED...FOR WHAT WAS TO COME.  IF YOU DECIDE TO WALK AMONGST THE GODS, YOUR MORTALITY WILL BE BURNT FROM YOU, AND YOUR ENTIRE BEING CHANGED TO SPIRIT."

 

  Imoen's incredulity rose, as she added, "Then why are gods able to manifest at all if they are only made of spirit?"

 

  "CHILD OF BHAAL," the Solar replied, "THE POWER OF THE GODS IS MUCH MORE POTENT THAN THE MERE PHYSICALITY OF MORTALITY.  DONNING THE BODY OF A MORTAL IS CHILD'S PLAY FOR A GOD.  COME, TIME GROWS SHORT, WILL YOU ASCEND OR NOT?  YOU MUST SLAY THE LAST VESSEL OF BHAAL'S ESSENCE TO SECURE YOUR POSITION, OTHERWISE, THIS HOLOCAUST WILL BE REPEATED ANON..."

 

  "But there is no other Bhaalspawn!" Imoen shrieked, "All of them are dead, all but me!"

 

  Imoen's tirade interrupted as an ear-piercing wail resounded in Imoen's ears.  The pink-tressed woman turned her head and saw her companion, her friend Aerie holding a bundle close to her breast, a singular silvery tear.

 

  Daxon's son...my brother's son...she means Quayle... Imoen thought, and shivered, No, I can't...

 

  But a deep whisper rose in the back of her mind, Think of all the power.  No one could hurt you again.  You can protect all those like you from the Irencuses and Melissans of Faerun.  All it takes is one more life.  You have slain many as it is, getting to this point.  Some young, some old, human and not.  What is one more life to take?

 

  "THE TIME DRAWS NIGH, DAUGHTER OF BHAAL.  MAKE YOUR DECISION..." the Solar said forcefully.