Orc Cave

Zenithral, though he resists Ilmadia’s manipulative spell, is struck with indecision. His mother and grandfather argue heatedly as his companions drift away.

"I never thought things would get this bad." A soft hand touches his arm. Next to him, Saki watches the proceedings with reddened eyes. "Of all the worst nightmares that a parent can have for a child, this may be the worst. Not just the obvious things..." Her gaze passes over the twins, and her expression seems softer toward them than before. "But the... estrangement. We hardly know each other, except for the scars of decades past."

She turns to look up at Zenithral, and the wrinkles around her eyes deepen. "But you... Zenithral, you are special - blessed by Ilmater for some special purpose! I sometimes believed that whatever else came from Ilmadia’s life, at least you were born. And now..." She looks over at her daughter again. "I wonder if you were sent to help her. Or to judge her. To make up with her, or to make up for her."

Saki sighs and puts a wrinkled hand to her forehead. "My prayers to Ilmater on her behalf have only ever directed me to you. You... have a closer connection to him. Has Myllandra ever said what might be done about Ilmadia? Can you... contact her? Might she hear your words now and grant you wisdom? She must know more of how these infernal contracts function."

Halla turns her back on Zenithral and his family and marches after the departing heroes. Colors about her grow deeper and richer as she gathers her druidic magic. Swinging both arms as if she were wielding a large club, she hurls the magic at Alalla, stripping away Ilmadia’s enchantment with brute force. Clarity immediately returns to the paladin. "Don’t let your husband go anywhere," she growls, then turns on Reòthadh. "Wipe that grin off your face, dwarf. We have work to do!" Another shattered enchantment.

Using her 7th and 8th level slots, Halla dispels the enchantments on Al and Reo.

Alalla gasps with fury and indignation as her mind is freed from the spell. "I almost-!"

She yanks hard on Erevain's hand, trying to get him into position to throw him over her shoulder. "Moonshae! Babies! We talked about this!"

Erevain playfully spins into Alalla’s pull and slips a foot behind her calf, sending her off-balance and toppling to one side. He sidesteps and smoothly sweeps her off her feet, armor and all. He chuckles and nuzzles her cheek, still caught up in Ilmadia’s spell. "Yes, my thoughts exactly! Say, Reòthadh! Have you ever been to the Moonshae Isles? We wouldn’t mind if you sped us on our way there with a teleport spell..."

Ilmadia stares at the place her children vanished from for a long moment. She takes a step and reaches out, as though they still might be there, but her legs give way and she falls onto her knees.

"No...! Where-? I- I'll never find you." Ilmadia's gaze slowly turns to Zenithral, noticing for the first time he has not been affected by her spell. "You'll die. There's nothing I can do." Her tears have dried and most of her emotion has left her voice. She is too spent. Her eyes look distant and unfocused, as though struggling to comprehend the reality before her.

Ilmadia retreats from Zenithral's eyes, bowing her head and hugging herself. She stares unseeingly at the cave floor, apparently unaware of anything else. The Black Swan who entered the cave so proudly and determined not long ago now sits broken and uncaring.

Breathing hard from her exertion, Halla turns back to Alalla and Erevain - and groans. "And you said you don’t moon over him." She tries to dispel the magic lingering on Erevain, but it fails. She stomps her foot and lets out a bear’s growl. "Don’t make me stop him."

Zenithral silently notes the twin's disappearance and nods solemnly towards Saki. He slowly lowers himself to sit cross-legged and closes his eyes in prayer.

Mylandra...I need guidance now more than ever. My mother is trapped by the Enemy and we are doomed, as it stands...what can be done? She may be our only change of stopping Belfiet. Can Ilmater make himself known to her? Rescue her? Or...another diety perhaps? If she is not meant to serve Ilmater despite her heartbreak and tears, might there be another, such as Torm?

"Or...if she is lost, but there is yet another way to victory, please make it known..."

Alalla near-shrieks with outrage and puts her gauntleted hand directly in Erevain's face to push him off. She shoots a panicked look towards Reòthadh, then relaxes when she sees she is not about to be teleported away at any moment.

With a grunt, Al wrests free of Erevain's hold and uses her superior strength and height to knock him to the ground with a clatter of armour and a crunch of snow. She sits heavily on his chest.

"Can't you clear his head like you did mine?" She grumbles at Halla.

"A dwerf could give him a jogging to the memory, but he’s afraid he might enjoy that.... and this one does not grin, next time you see a dwerf acting the fool don’t hesitate to wipe the grin away again. He doesn’t want the city folk to get any ideas."

A grim look weighs down the dwarf’s face, the leathery creases in his face dark from the lighting in the cave. The moment loses its intimidation when Halla catches sight of a subtle wink from his eye.

"Well... erm... we brought the kids... and um, they’re gone now.... So, maybe we can figure out some type of accord, or deal of sorts, to help you out. Maybe we find the kids together, perhaps stop an archdevil? In return we break that pact yer bound with? A dwerf has a nasty habit of breaking things, an he’s never tried breaking an infernal pact before."

"Zenithral." Myllandra’s voice seems to come from just behind him, as though she is looking over his shoulder. As always, her voice echoes as if she were standing in a great cathedral. "Ilmadia’s trap is of her own design. Her choices were hers to make. She married an assassin and participated in his political machinations. She spent time in the Hand of the Seldarine learning from undead horrors and abominations. She willingly bound herself with the first pact, and that has lead to blood and pain for thousands. Perhaps more. She is the Pretender’s right hand. Many of her choices were evil, and led to evil. By her own making, the devil Justly claims her soul.

But you see beyond her choices. Her life was difficult - more so than needful. She was wronged and denied in ways that you still do not fully comprehend. Is there room for Mercy to intervene?

Ilmater grants this choice to you. Should you decide she is to be spared the devil’s clutches, Ilmater himself will break her bonds. But even then, she will pay a heavy price for what wrongs she has done, and she may not survive. Also, she must be willing."

Myllandra pauses, and Zenithral thinks for a moment that she may be steeling herself. But when she speaks again, her voice is firm and formal. "What is your decision?"

Zenithral breaths in, slightly surprised at the immediate, vocal response.

"I believe she has truly tried. When she couldn't find acceptance in her own family, she sought it elsewhere...but I believe inside, she now wishes otherwise. She wants nothing but love for her children, but already feels lost beyond hope. Whether she survives or not, freedom from eternal damnation is worth the cost of Mercy.

"Shall I ask her for her willingness?"

"Ilmater cannot help her if she is not willing.

You have grown wise beyond your years, Zenithral. Ilmater will abide by your decision. And I... am proud of you." The finality of the words indicates that her presence has withdrawn.

Zenithral's eyes slowly open. He rises to his feet and approaches his mother.

"Mother," he says, trying to meet her gaze. "I have spoken with a servant of Ilmater. If you are willing, he can break you away from your contract. Though you might not survive the consequences, you will be free. If there is any part of you that wishes for redemption, now is the time to ask it.

"In addition, if you are freed, your knowledge may prove enough to save your children, and more. He did not say that last part, but I believe it. I believe in you."

Saki wipes her eyes, but watches silently. One hand plays with a red cord looped about her fingers.

Arannis looks between Zenithral and Ilmadia. The elf looks emotionally spent, his whole body drooping. He stumbles to a kneel in front of Ilmadia. "If... If a god gives you a chance to make things right, you must take it. Please, Ilmadia. Daughter! Choose now to leave all the evil behind... I have lived my whole life in bitterness for things that happened to me. Do not repeat my mistakes! Please..." He trails off, unable to speak any longer.

Reòthadh's voice does nothing to rouse Ilmadia from her stupor, but she starts when Arannis collapses near her, and the name 'Mother' makes her look up blearily. She looks between her father, mother, and son, confusion clear on her face.

"What is this? You have never so much as sniffled, Father, and now you sob? And for once Mother has nothing to say?"

She turns to Zenithral. "Why would you ask him for that for me? What benefit is it to you to break my contract? I'll be of no use to you without the power Belhifet grants me. If you want information it's yours. I have no reason to withhold it any longer. If you want to end my evil, then aren't your bows easier? It's what I have earned."

Halla gasps when she realizes what has happened with the children. She waves Reòthadh towards Erevain. "Sit on him, if Alalla can’t control her husband. I know you can grow large enough, if you have to."

She runs back to where the twins disappeared waving her hands through the air as if to feel where they have gone. It is a desperate act, and tears once more well in her eyes. "No... Where...?" Her eyes fall on Ilmadia, and her hands tighten into fists... then loosen as she sees the other woman’s pain.

Utterly frustrated and overwhelmed by all the recent events, Halla takes refuge in the form of a black panther. She pads over to one wall and lies down, eyes closed.

Saki tucks the red cord into her pocket. "Ilmadia..." She kneels down next to her daughter and puts an arm around her. "Our hearts are pained because we love you and care for you. You know that your father and I are not perfect. I am sorry that I spent more time with others than with you.

I am sorry... that I judged you. I held you to such high expectations, even from a very young age. But your father and I, we tried so very hard to bear children. I promised Ilmater that if he blessed us with a child that I would rear them in the faith. I should not have forced that decision on you before you were even born. It was unfair to you..."

Saki sniffs and rubs the back of Ilmadia’s head while she gathers her thoughts. "I... thought for certain you would have the guidance of someone wiser than me. I am sorry... I am so sorry!"

"That is exactly the trap Belfiet has set for you. You think that without his power, you are nothing," Zenithral looks her in the eyes. "That. Is. Not. True. For the first time, you have a father, mother, and son who want to make things right, who are finally beginning to understand."

He stands straight and tall and gives a sweeping gesture. "Even if you feel you have nothing more to live for, would you not rather spend the afterlife with the One Who Endures, if at least to ask him your questions yourself, rather than with the Pretender, being forced to cause even more misery and heartache for others Having you free of your contract means you might be able to help prevent others from suffering as you have, from suffering the fate and wrath of Belfiet."

He stops and turns back to Ilmadia. "You have not failed. Not yet you haven't."

"Perhaps it was only through the pain and hardship you have been through that we could truly begin to understand each other. Perhaps it is you who has, indeed, endured and followed Ilmater's creeds most fully.

"But if you would still rather spend eternity with that fiend...then I cannot stop you...Only you can."