"Wha-! Where did they come from?!"

"They just appeared outta nowhere!"

Those are the startled comments Ralis heard the members of the Thieves' Guild say as soon as they teleported in. Ralis turned his attention to a blonde haired boy about his age.

"You. Have you seen a man in scary looking armor walk by?" Ralis asked him.

"Yeah. He went down the stairs over there. He was sure in a hurry. If you guys are going after him, be careful down there," the boy warned Ralis.

"Why? Are there trolls and plugtails down there?" Imoen asked the boy in a jesting manner.

"Down there are the thief warrens, a vast maze. Easy to get lost if you don't know where you're going," the boy replied.

"Thanks. Let's go!" Ralis said then ran downstairs, his companions following.

Down in the basement of the guild, Ralis and his companions found an injured brunette woman named Voleta Stiletto lying face up on the floor. There is a vertical sword slash mark on her chest. The cut is somewhat superficial, not completely life threatening, but could become serious if not treated.

"Blast you all thrice over!" Voleta cursed when she saw Ralis and his group. "I don't know who you be, but if you lot are in league with him that cut me down you can all go straight to Hades! May the spirits of those that built this maze take you down!" She continued cursing.

Ralis walked over to her to check out her injuries. The slash mark begins at her chest, and down to her stomach. Fortunately the cut isn't deep.

"You look terrible. Who did this to you?" Ralis asked.

The woman frowned incredulously. "Who? Sarevok it was! I recognized him from when I was… ehhh… "exploring" the Iron Throne base the other day. I'll be fine, he was in too much of a hurt to do a proper job on me," She said.

"Here. I'm no cleric, but I can heal you," Ralis placed his right hand on Voleta's belly, and before she could ask what is he trying to do, her wounds instantly healed.

"What…? How…?" Voleta is utterly dumbfounded as she sat up.

Her shirt is still partially bloodstained, but her wounds have healed as if she had never been cut.

"You're welcome," Ralis smiled.

"Attaboy, Ralis! Be the gentleman I know you are," Coran said proudly.

"I… I thank you for taking the time for healing me. You've got more of my blessings if you're tracking Sarevok down," Voleta said.

"I heard this place is a vast maze. Could you guide us through the maze so we can find him?" Ralis asked.

"HA! Er… I mean, no. No. I won't be doing that. I ain't ever seen anyone walk out of that maze alive. Not that you won't survive or anything. I bet you just waltz through without a problem. Yes sir, I'll just wait here to hear about it though. I ain't got no wish to meet the undead that maintain her, not the jellies that keep her clean. Gotta… gotta catch my breath, you understand."

Ralis could clearly tell that Voleta is clearly nervous about going down that maze.

"Fine, we'll travel it alone. Where does the maze lead?" Ralis asked.

Voleta shook her head and took a seat on the chair next to a dusty table. "I don't rightly know, though it is said there is a city beneath this one," She said.

"A city? As in a city that belongs to the drow?" Dynaheir asked.

"I don't know if it's a drow city or not. Some archaeologist smart arsed sage might be able to tell you more about it. It's not a proper city down there, you understand. Just the remains. Not surprising, really. If the site that Baldur's Gate is built on is so appealing, it would figure that there would have been one built here before. I care little. Nothing but undead down there now. Get going before you lose him," Voleta said.

"I understand. Rest ye well," Ralis gave Voleta a pat on the back. She nodded indifferently.

"Yeah, whatever. Just you be sure to give that Sarevok a shank o' steel.

"Oh I will," Ralis promised her, then began to lead his group down the maze.

"This place gives me the creeps," Neera said nervously.

"Don't worry yer pretty hair about it Neerie. Just stay by my side and I'll protect ya, okay?" Imoen promised.

Minsc and Dorn stood by Ralis's side.

"Evil 'round every corner. Careful not to step in any," Minsc said quietly.

Ajantis, behind Minsc nodded in agreement.

"I agree with you, Minsc. This dungeon has an air of evil about it," He said while warily turning his head left and right.

Ralis looked down at his feet. So far he has stepped in nothing. They turned left, walked a few steps forward, then made a sharp right. Down this corridor, they caught sight of jelly-like ooze monsters called Mustard Jelly. They are blind creatures, but they don't need eyes to see anything, they have an ability that's known as "blindsight", allowing them to discern objects and creatures without actually seeing them. They secrete acid from their gelatin bodies that dissolves flesh and any kind of metal with ease.

"Jellies!" Ralis exclaimed.

"Our arrows and swords won't hurt these things!" Coran exclaimed.

"Then why don't we use a little magic!" Neera stepped forward and fired magic missiles at one of the oozes.

It squealed in pain and dissolved into nothingness. Only 3 more mustard jellies to destroy. One of them is sliding against the wall towards Ralis and the others. Dynaheir and Neera fired magic missiles at the jellies until they were all defeated, becoming puddles of lifeless fluid. Then Ralis and the others ventured deeper into the maze.

They hit a few dead ends and were forced to take different routes for the next few minutes, but fortunately they didn't run into any more hostile creatures… That is, until they encountered a different type of ooze called Gray Ooze a few minutes later. Two of them. They look like a thick puddle of gray sludge, roughly 8'(20 cm) and up to 14'(4.27 m) in width. When they saw Ralis and his companions by their blindsight ability, they started to slowly advance towards them.

"Okay guys, you know the drill," Ralis said.

Neera and Dynaheir stepped forward and fired their magic missiles against the gray oozes… Unfortunately, the oozes weren't hurt at all.

"What happened?" Neera asked, confused.

"I think these types are immune to magic!" Dynaheir exclaimed.

"Well… I guess we better try our weapons. Guys, be careful, those things can digest flesh very easily," Ralis warned Minsc, Dorn, Coran and Khalid and they charged in and attacked the oozes.

It wasn't a tough fight, the oozes were easily defeated.

"T-there are SO many places that I would rather be," Khalid said nervously.

"Come on, Khalid, show some backbone, will you?" Jaheira tried to encourage him.

"I… I'm sorry, dear wife," Khalid apologized meekly.

"This place is so cold… I get the feeling we should turn back," Safana said.

"Why should we turn back? Great perils yield great beauty," Coran said enthusiastically.

"Ha. You're the only one who seems to be enjoying this, Coran," Ralis remarked.

"What can I say? I like to live dangerously," Coran shrugged with a shameless smile.

After 19 minutes of wandering around the maze, fighting oozes and skeletal warriors, Ralis and his companion found a bleeding man laying on the floor near the maze's exit.

"Look! Someone is hurt!" Khalid pointed ahead.

Ralis raced towards the injured man and kneeled down. It is Winski Perorate. He coughed up some blood before speaking.

"Well well. I thought it would be you. Quite the little family reunion shaping up now, isn't it? I knew you would follow, you two are of the same blood. You must take the fight to him, lest he strike you down at his leisure. Not that it will matter, you have already beaten him. His plans are in ruins and his allies are fleeing in droves. Hahaha… Such glorious goals, they were, though none understood the true desire behind them. None but me, that is. Unfortunately I am now expendable, but I expected no less," Winski said to Ralis.

Ralis frowned. What is this man talking about? "What's your role in this? Why did you help him if you knew you were to be cast aside?" He questioned him.

Winski coughed blood before speaking. "What was my role? I was Sarevok's mentor and tutored him in the blackest of rituals. If he had succeeded, there is no doubt I would be among the dead, but my name would live on in his wake. There are things beyond death if you die in the right fashion, and how could there not be a place in history for the architect that shaped the actions of the ascending Lord of Murder?"

"What the hell are you saying?" Ralis asked, only partially understanding Winski.

"You would not understand. You were born to affect the realms. The rest of us must carve our own place by whatever means necessary."

"How can he hope to ascend by starting a war against Amn? It makes no sense," Ralis said.

"You should know already. You practically followed his every move. Likely you are driven by the same desires as well, though you have channeled them in a different fashion. No, war with Amn is just a means to an end, Sarevok is no profiteer. I don't know if he would have actually succeeded in ascending, but who can really say? If you have the arrogance of a god and can kill like a god, who's to say that you are not a god?"

Ralis clenched his fists. "You sick bastard, you created a monster! I ought to kill you where you lay, but I'll let you live so that you'll be held accountable for your atrocities!" Ralis snapped, standing up.

Winski chuckled and coughed. "Your "charity" is admirable. You have definitely take a separate path than Sarevok, though I wonder if it shall truly matter in the end. Leave me, I am no longer a threat to you or anyone. I'm just going to rest here a while," Winski said.

"Come on, guys, let's move," Ralis said, too disgusted to look at Winski one last time as he rested his back against the wall, coughing.

They emerged out of the maze and found themselves in… an abandoned underground city!

"By the Three…!" Dynaheir gasped.

"By Helm, look at this!" Ajantis exclaimed.

"Wow…" Coran's eyes widened.

"So dreary…" Safana said.

"Hrmmm," Dorn said.

"Whoa…" Neera gasped.

"Lookit that…" Imoen whispered in shock and awe.

"This would be a good place for a henge," Jaheria said.

"This place reeks with evil, even Boo can feel it," Minsc said.

"I-I-I-I've never seen anything like this…" Khalid said.

"Selune guide us to the light…" Rasaad whispered.

"That must be Bhaal's temple up ahead," Ralis pointed ahead at the only building many yards away that is not in ruins.

The temple looks new, as if time hasn't made it age or deteriorate.

"And you think Sarevok is hiding in there?" Rasaad asked Ralis.

"No doubt about it. Let's go, but be careful," Ralis nodded.

He led his group forward into the ruins of the city. As Ralis stepped forward with each careful step, he looked around. It seems like the buildings here were destroyed. There's no way after centuries of being abandoned the city would crumble apart, but the temple of Bhaal up ahead would remain new. Something isn't right here. Ralis began theorizing that maybe the citizens of this once thriving city were murdered by worshipers of Bhaal.

Or worse, most of the city was Bhaal worshipers and to appease Bhaal, they destroyed their entire city and everyone in it. Ralis couldn't understand it. Why would they try to appease a god who relishes in the death and destruction of people, towns, cities, nations and the world? When they neared halfway to Bhaal's temple, Tamoko came out of hiding from among the ruins of a building ahead to Ralis' left. Ralis frowned in surprise. He didn't expect to run into Tamoko here. And she is holding a katana in her right hand. What's going on?

"Tamoko?"

"Hello again, Ralis. I fear this time I have not come to speak, and I must take arms against you and your friends," Tamoko said, and she doesn't sound happy about it.

"What? What's going on? I did what you wanted. I killed Sarevok's new girlfriend, Cythandria for you as payment for giving me the information to save Duke Eltan," Ralis said.

"You have done what you must, I suppose. I was... orokashi (foolish). Sarevok knows of my treachery."

"He does?" Ralis couldn't believe it.

"He has forsaken me, left me to die in your path. I must fight to regain his trust, his… attention. And so I stand before you knowing that if I defeat you he will continue his plans and I shall love him, and if you defeat me, you shall go on to kill him. He will not yield to either of us. I have… I have no choice," Tamoko said regretfully.

A flashback ripped into Ralis's mind. He said a similar thing to Dabron Sashenstar.

"He would have killed me if I hadn't killed him! What was I supposed to do? I didn't have a choice!"

"Everyone has a choice, and you made a poor one."

Ralis suddenly had an epiphany. There's always an alternative, even if you're not aware of it.

"There is always a choice, Tamoko. Don't throw your life away," Ralis tried reasoning with her.

"There may always be choice, but the choosing has become unbearable. I have but two duties, and both leave me little hope. No, young one, I must face you now." Tamoko said disdainfully, her eyes becoming watery with tears.

She sounds just like me when I faced Dabron back then… Ralis silently remarked.

He once believed he had two choices, let Aldeth kill him, or kill Aldeth. Usually people would choose the latter because surviving or the prospect of obtaining what we desire regardless of the consequences has always been our moral folly, and Bhaal's taint in Ralis' blood knew that, that's why against his better judgment, he killed Marl, the xvarts of the village and Aldeth Sashenstar.

"I will not kill you, Tamoko. You are not my enemy," Ralis said, unbuckling the scabbards off his belt, allowing them to drop to the ground.

"Ralis what are you…" Dorn started to say.

"I got a bad feeling about this…" Khalid whimpered.

Tamoko started to lose her temper. "You must! I stand before you. I block your path! I am an obstacle that holds you back! You will face me! you will fight me!" She wailed in frustration and crying at the same time.

It took all the moral discipline Gorion had taught him to resist the urge to give in to Tamoko's demands... to his blood's demands and fight her when there is another way. If he could go back in time and stop himself form murdering Marl, the xvarts and Aldeth, he definitely would, but what's done is done. All Ralis can do now is try not to repeat his mistakes.

"If you would throw your life away based on the options available to you, you are already dead. I… should be dead because I made terrible choices, believing I had very little options available to me, just like you are right now. Ask yourself this, Tamoko: Do we trick ourselves into believing that we have little or no choices, or is it our inner monster trying to come out? If throwing your life away is the choice you want, then you don't need me at all," Ralis reasoned with her, speaking from the bottom of his heart.

Tamoko blinked twice as if she woke up out of a nightmare or something.

"You... you are not so alike after all. He would not have hesitated for an instant. Perhaps... perhaps it is more than his blood that makes him the way he is. I have been a fool. Go! Your path is clear and I wish you well," Tamoko said.

"Thank you very much," Ralis sighed in relief, crouching down to pick his tool belt up off the ground and fasten them on his waist.

"One last word in passing: Beware of the blindness of those who would follow, and the damnable lure of those who would lead. A fool I was, and others are still. Ready yourself for the fire to come," Tamoko said before walking away.

Ralis didn't know what she meant by "fire", but he feels ready for anything now.

Ralis and the others approached the temple's entrance door.

"Wow. That's a big door," Ajantis said.

When Ralis attempted to open it, they heard the sound of undead howling in the distance.

"Here they come..." Dorn said, not sounding worried at all.

Not far ahead of the temple, skeletal warriors rose from the rubble of the city ruins and lumbered towards them, armed with bows and arrows, and all kinds of swords.

"You guys need to stay out here and hold them off! I'll deal with Sarevok!" Ralis instructed.

Neera turned around to face Ralis.

"What?! No way! I'm coming with you! You might need my wild magic!" Neera protested.

"Ready for tough fight?" Dorn asked Minsc.

"I wish I had time to sharpen my sword, but I'm ready," Minsc nodded in agreement.

"Try to keep up," Dorn said to Minsc and then charged at the skeletal warriors head on.

Khalid, Jaheira, Rasaad and Ajantis followed.

"Let's go, Boo! Go tear out some evil undead eyes! RAAAAGGHH!" Misc yelled, joining the fight.

"Neera, listen to me. This is my fight and my fight alone. Brother to brother. No one else should get involved," Ralis said compassionately said while resting his hands on Neera's shoulders.

She started to cry. "Please come back… Because when you do, I'll find a good time to talk about furthering our relationship, I swear," Neera sobbed.

Ralis wiped a tear off her left cheek.

"You got it," He smiled cheerfully, then turned around and pulled one of the big doors open.

Then the door closed behind him. Neera forced herself to stop crying and joined her friends in fighting the skeletal warriors.

Once inside the temple, Ralis looked around the very large room. There are 4 huge, thick stone pillars lined up to the left, and 4 more lined up to the right. The rows of stone pillars that lined each of the long sides of the rectangular chamber looked ornamental. Carved into the stone of the pillars and the walls alike were scenes of unimaginable horror. Screaming faces of men, women, children, and beasts were directed on Ralis, their faces frozen in a moment of pure agony—the moment of traumatic death. In the middle of the floor is the Bhaal symbol, a large, grinning silver skull with multiple partially misshapen ovals surrounding the skull, which probably represents the souls of murdered people.

Merciful gods… Ralis shuddered when he looked at the symbol as he walked further into the temple.

Up ahead, he saw Sarevok, Tazok and Angelo standing together on a high rising platform with two large brass pots on both sides with bright burning hot fire in them. Sarevok is no longer in the armor he wore back at the Duchal Palace, but his traditional demonic looking armor.

"Sarevok!" Ralis hissed.

"Ralis Rutela. So you've come alone. How very… foolish of you," Sarevok said nonchalantly.

"It was foolish of you to cross me! You have no idea what I am capable of!" Ralis barked.

"Oh, but I do. We do share the same blood after all. Why don't we see if you really are family? Kill him," Sarevok ordered Tazok and Angelo.

"Gladly," Tazok grinned, wielding a broadsword.

"It'll be my pleasure," Angelo pulled out a composite longbow with an arrow of detonation and took aim at Ralis.

"Damn," Ralis cursed and ran for one of the pillars.

Angelo fired the arrow, and it hit the ground where Ralis stood a few seconds ago, but the explosion from the arrow when it impacted on the floor didn't catch Ralis because of his boots of speed. Behind the safety of the pillar, Ralis wielded his Dead Shot longbow, and pulled an arrow out of his quiver. Tazok and Angelo descended from the platform, hunting for Ralis. Angelo notched another arrow from his quiver, ready to fire another shot at his target. Sarevok stayed where he stood, watching the fight as if it is a show. When Ralis was prepared, he emerged from behind one of the pillars and fired at Angelo. He missed, the arrow flew over Angelo's head. Angelo fired his own arrow at Ralis. The explosion almost caught Ralis as he ran for cover because he could feel the heat behind his back and neck. He hid behind another pillar. He is hoping that Angelo would run out of exploding arrows so that he can make a move.

Angelo fired another exploding arrow, not so the arrow can directly hit Ralis, but so the explosion can.

"AAAGH!" Ralis yelled from getting thrown by the explosion.

He hit the wall, breaking his quiver, and roughly landed on the ground, his remaining arrows spilling out on the floor everywhere. Ralis had no time to pick them all up. He just grabbed three and ran for the pillars on the other side of the room Angelo tried to shoot him with his exploding arrows, but the arrows couldn't hit Ralis moving so fast, and the explosions couldn't catch him either. Ralis hid behind one of the pillars.

Angelo quickly grew tired of the cat & mouse game.

"Damn it. Flush him out!" Angelo ordered Tazok.

Tazok chuckled and approached Ralis' hiding spot so that he can flush him out for Angelo to shoot. When Tazok checked the pillar Ralis is hiding behind, he was nowhere to be found!

"What the—Gnnnghh!" Tazok grunted, paralyzed.

Ralis reappeared next to Tazok's left leg. Ralis drank an invisibility potion, waited for Tazok to come in, and then he paralyzed Tazok with Ghoul Touch. However, the paralysis effect wore off sooner than Ralis expected and Tazok nearly chopped off his head, but thanks to his reflexes, Ralis ducked and ran away from Tazok, heading straight for Angelo. Angelo saw Ralis coming and aimed his longbow at him. Ralis dropped to his knees, sliding on the floor when Angelo fired the arrow, and the arrow soared over Ralis's head... and lodged itself straight into Tazok's left leg because Tazok was directly behind Ralis trying to chase him. Tazok moaned in pain after accidentally getting shot. Angelo gasped, knowing what the arrow will do in a few seconds.

*BOOOM!*

The arrow that is stuck in Tazok's left leg exploded, completely blowing off Tazok's left leg, severely damaging his right leg and burned off a few layers of skin on his body! Tazok lay on the floor still alive but incapacitated, injured and badly burned from the explosion. He screamed and moaned in pain. Before Angelo could ready another arrow to shoot at Ralis, he already closed the gap between him and Angelo and knocked the bow out of his hand, punching and kicking the corrupt Flaming Fist officer. Angelo recovered and tried to score a left hook to Ralis' face but Ralis crouched a few feet to dodge the blow then lunged at Angelo's head, headbutting him in the face, breaking his nose with a satisfying wet crunch. Angelo groaned in pain and collapsed on the floor on his back, holding his right hand up at Ralis as if he's trying to tell him that he has had enough.

Tazok is badly wounded and Angelo is subdued. Sarevok is impressed. Ralis looked down at Angelo, but before he could say anything, he heard someone chanting a few command words to cast a spell. A mage is behind him- somewhere, but Ralis couldn't see him, only hear him.

"Ralis, listen to me, and listen quickly..." Ralis heard Albruin whisper to him.

"What the...?" Ralis gasped, looking around in bewilderment.

"Hold me in your hand, your offhand sword. I can help you see what you can't see," Albruin whispered.

Not wasting time with questions, Ralis replaced the longbow in his hands and pulled out both Kondar and Albruin. As soon as he pulled Kondar and Albruin out their scabbards, he immediately saw the mage, Semaj, standing 6 feet away from Ralis at the 2:00 position. Semaj is still chanting the command words, summoning arcane energy in his gesturing hands. Ralis only looked at him for a split second then pretended not to know where he is, turning his head left and right as he indirectly approached the Mage. Right before he could say the final command word to complete the spell casting, Semaj's heart jumped in surprise when Ralis immediately charged at him! He stabbed forward with Albruin and its blade pierced Semaj's chest! Semaj gasped in shock and confusion. He couldn't understand how Ralis spotted him without using a Detect Invisibility spell. It is because of one of his magically enchanted bastard swords, Albruin, it not only protects the wielder from being poisoned, but also allows the user to see invisible opponents once a day. Ralis pulled Albruin out the wound and Semaj fell on his knees and collapsed face down to the floor. Then Ralis approached Angelo, sheathing his swords.

Angelo, knowing that he is now at the mercy of Ralis crawled backwards away from him, his nose still bleeding profusely, creating a red stream of blood down towards his lips.

"Please... Don't kill me. Don't do this to me..." Angelo pleaded.

"Why should I listen to the pleas of a corrupt officer?" Ralis asked Angelo spitefully while advancing towards him slowly.

"Come on, Ralis. I had no choice. Sarevok made me an offer I couldn't refuse," Angelo said.

"We always have a choice. And you wasted it by letting two good men die so you can ascend to the highest rank in the Flaming Fist."

"You know how rough life can be, don't you? I needed a raise. I have a daughter. Don't you understand?" Angelo pleaded, crawling backwards against a pillar.

Ralis nodded. "Oh, I understand, all right. You're saying dishonesty and abuse of the law is the way to make an easy living for you and your kid."

"Yes- I mean no! No!" Angelo vehemently shook his head.

"Just the answer I was looking for. You let Scar and Grand Duke Entar die so you can have an easy life. You pathetic wretch. You'll say anything to save your skin," Ralis hissed.

He grabbed Angelo by the neck and slowly lifted him up in the air as high as he could.

"Don't do this… Don't… Aack…" Angelo's voice got cut off when Ralis tightened his grip on his neck.

He then used a new ability he hasn't used before: Vampiric Touch, slowly draining the life energy from Angelo. Sarevok watched Ralis slowly end Angelo, smiling in approval under his demonic helmet. The way how Ralis is executing Angelo reminded him of the way he killed Arran, the fellow Bhaalspawn he killed months ago by choking him to death and throwing him off the roof of the Iron Throne building. However, unlike Sarevok back then, Ralis took no pleasure in choking the life out of Angelo. He saw Angelo as a roach that deserves to be crushed. Angelo banged his right fist on Ralis' arm weakly, his life energy draining, making him so weak he can barely lift his arms or keep his eyelids open. Then when Angelo grew weaker, closer to death than a few seconds ago, Ralis crushed Angelo's windpipe, hearing a satisfying crunch noise. Angelo gargled and choked for a few seconds then expired, his eyes rolled back into his head, and his arms and legs went limp. Ralis immediately felt the rush of ecstasy surge through his body upon feeling the helpless man's life expire at his hand, and he steeled his mind, focusing it, reminding himself that he killed this man not because he is a Bhaalspawn born to murder, but because Angelo's death is necessary for the safety of the people in Baldur's Gate and Amn. Then Ralis dropped Angelo's lifeless body, and turned to face his half brother still standing on the high rise platform.

Sarevok applauded at Ralis' performance, taking a few steps towards the edge of the platform.

"Yes... You are indeed family," he said.

"I may have the blood of a god running through my veins like you, but that's where our similarities end!" Ralis snarled.

"But you are still family! No other could have lived to oppose me in person. Of course, it will not matter in the end. Unfortunately for you, I will prevail, and a new era will be born onto the realms," Sarevok said adamantly.

"To hell with your new era!" Ralis snapped. "Your plans are mad! What do you hope to gain by resurrecting a dead god?"

"Father Bhaal is dead, but the slaughter I will orchestrate shall prove me to be his most worthy successor. It will raise his power from the ashes!"

"Successor? Listen to yourself and think! Deities are not known for sharing their power willingly unless they have something to gain from it!" Ralis shouted.

"You fool! I do not wish to RESTORE his power, merely to RAISE it! With his divine blood that flows through my veins, I shall assume control over that which he so foolishly lost! I shall BECOME Bhaal. THAT... is the only acceptable outcome." Sarevok said.

Ralis was appalled at what he heard Sarevok say. There is absolutely no way for him to bring Sarevok back to Tamoko alive and well, he is too driven by his desire to ascend, unaware of the fact that he is only doing what Bhaal wants his progeny to do.

"All that is left is for us to to end this in a manner... befitting our heritage. Now! Face me! Face the new LORD OF MURDER!" Sarevok exclaimed as he swiftly pulled his sword out of his scabbard and pointed the blade down at his brother.

Sarevok quickly descended down the stairs and met with Ralis clashing swords. He deflected Kondar and Albruin from each direction Ralis tried to strike him. Sarevok then kicked Ralis in the chest when he found the opportunity, and his kick only pushed Ralis back a few feet, almost catching him off guard. Sarevok came at Ralis on the offensive! Ralis blocked Sarevok's sword with both Kondar and Albruin. The blades clanged loudly, ringing in Ralis' ears and he could see sparks fly off the blades when they clashed together. Sarevok spun his sword down and to the left aiming to cut Ralis at the waist level, and Ralis managed to deflect the sharp blade away with Kondar by twisting his wrist tightly to the left, then put Sarevok on the defensive briefly by swinging Albruin at him, but he jumped back to be at a safe distance from striking range knowing he won't be able to bring his sword up to deflect it in time, Albruin's blade missing him by a few inches. Ralis didn't want to give Sarevok any breathing room, he came at Sarevok, swinging both swords, one to deflect, the other to try to wound Sarevok. It is impossible to create a fatal wound while he still has enough stamina and agility to dodge and parry, it is best to wear him down with fatigue, wounds or both.

Unfortunately Sarevok expected Ralis to grow confident and attack him head on. Ralis crouched to dodge a strong overhead swing, then he deflected Sarevok's sword when it came back for a slightly lower swing, and he felt his kneecaps suddenly ache with fatigue. Sarevok then let his right hand come off his sword, and Ralis saw the blade-lined forearm of his gauntlet come flying towards his head and he crouched again to avoid the fatal backhand, and rolled on his buttocks away from Sarevok, but the attempt nearly backfired. Sarevok tried to step on Ralis while he was still on the ground, and seconds before the armored boot came down on his head, Ralis swiped at Sarevok's left leg with Albruin, the blade crashed against against Sarevok's black-iron jamb, sending a few sparks flying, causing him to recoil a few inches away from Ralis, giving him the room and time he needed to stand back up on his feet. Though Ralis was on the ground and vulnerable, Sarevok took three long steps backward, bringing his sword up in front of him in the guard position for some reason.

He can't bend down, Ralis realized. That weakness might help me.

Springing to his feet, Ralis grunted and went at his brother again. Ralis intended to rush in, drawing Sarevok's defenses high with Albruin, then slide down between his brother's legs and attack him from below with Kondar, where he was vulnerable. Ralis charged at Sarevok, and when he got close enough, he swung Albruin towards his head, and as expected, Sarevok deflected the strike, then Ralis crouched into a slide with the intent of sliding between Sarevok's legs, and before Kondar struck Sarevok's left leg, Sarevok quickly turned his sword counter-clockwise to meet Kondar's blade and stop it from touching the armor plates covering Sarevok's left thigh, and Ralis slid under his brother, his effort to disable him failed. He quickly rose up to his feet and a split second after Ralis managed to stand on his feet, Sarevok turned around to attack his brother. So much for trying to exploit his weakness.

Sarevok tried slashing at Ralis from different directions each time Ralis deflected a strike. Then Sarevok whirled his sword down and to the left, aiming to strike at Ralis' waist but he barely blocked the strike with Kondar. He tried to strike back at Sarevok with Albruin when he deflected Sarevok's sword with Kondar, but Sarevok kicked him back before the strike could connect with his armor. Ralis staggered back a couple feet away and regained his balance. Sarevok then slowly advanced towards him.

"The streets will run red with blood when my work is finished," Sarevok said.

"That'll never happen," Ralis protested then tried to strike at Sarevok, ignoring the humidity of the hot sweat on his face and the ache of fatigue in his arms.

Sarevok expertly deflected Ralis's strikes even though he only has an enchanted greatsword and Ralis has two enchanted bastard swords. As they clashed steel, Ralis and Sarevok found themselves standing on the Bhaal emblem on the middle of the temple floor, standing on the skull.

"Why do you reject our heritage, brother?" Sarevok asked Ralis when they locked their swords together, the steel grinding against each other.

"Because nothing beneficial can come from chaos and destruction! And Gorion has taught me to have the will to make my own choices in life, rather than let the blood of our father direct my desires!" Ralis shot back.

"Killing is our father's work! Embrace it as I have!" Sarevok exclaimed.

"And become a tool that knows nothing but to adhere to the base urges our father set in stone for us? NEVER!" Ralis yelled, unlocking his swords from Sarevok's and continued slashing at him.

"Very well," Sarevok said.

Then he made a move Ralis least expected. When he blocked Sarevok's sword with both Kondar and Albruin to reduce the possibility of his swords breaking under the weight of Sarevok's heavier sword, Sarevok unwrapped his left hand from holding his sword then attempted to backhand Ralis in the face! He flinched and staggered back, caught off guard by the unexpected move. Even worse, he lost his balance and footing and fell on his back, giving Sarevok the opportunity to deliver the finishing blow. Ralis quickly rolled away from Sarevok's swinging sword, and jumped back up on his feet. Sarevok swung his sword at Ralis again, and Ralis dodged the strike by crouching, but the Sarevok went along with the arc instead of making it change course in an attempt to slash at Ralis again and he ended up striking Ralis in the back, making a big minus shaped cut mark in Ralis' back, between his shoulder blades! Ralis cried out in pain and turned around to face Sarevok.

"YEEEARRGH!" He came in charging at Ralis almost like a bull, and he moved aside and parried horizontally just in time when Sarevok made a glancing strike at Ralis, only for his sword to clash against Kondar and Albrun once more.

"Ha. I do not fear death. Do you?" Sarevok asked Ralis, trying to unsettle him.

"No. The only thing I fear is the power you're trying to take as your own. Everything you are doing is meant to bring Bhaal back to life whether you realize that or not," Ralis replied through gritted teeth trying to ignore the burning pain of his wound behind his back, and his arms and legs aching with fatigue.

"You are a pitifully misguided fool, brother," Sarevok said with mock pity in his voice.

Then he kicked Ralis in the chest. The momentum of the kick sent him staggering back into one the pillars. Sarevok came at Ralis ready to deliver a devastating strike, and Ralis ducked out of the way, and Sarevok's sword ended up slicing through the pillar like butter. Sarevok thought that by using one of his Bhaalspawn powers he would finish off Ralis, but apparently this fight isn't going to be as easy as he thought. Before Sarevok could recover from using the most devastating strike that would have dismembered Ralis' torso from his waist and legs, Ralis came back and cut off the thick spikes off Sarevok's right shoulder plate an slashed at Sarevok's right rib-cage, damaging his armor.

"Urrgh!" Sarevok grunted, feeling the painful vibration of his armor getting damaged. He backhanded Ralis, his fist connecting with his brother's face rather than the bladed forearm, fortunately for Ralis, sending him reeling a few feet back.

While Ralis was dazed, Sarevok attempted to cut him down head first, but Ralis recovered in the nick of time and parried with both Kondar and Albruin vertically.

*CLANG!*

Sarevok's blade made contact with Ralis' swords instead of his head! Ralis kneeled down, barely able to stand up against the weight of Sarevok's blade.

"Your death is inevitable," Sarevok said coldly. "Only the strongest shall prevail."

Ralis's arms ached keeping his legs and swords from not buckling down under the weight of Sarevok's strength and blade. If that happens, Sarevok will split Ralis's head in half like a watermelon. Thinking fast, Ralis hand an idea. He rolled towards Sarevok, rolling between his legs and ended up standing up behind him then Ralis slashed at his back!

"Augh!" Sarevok groaned and kicked Ralis with his right leg, he spun around and attempted to stab him.

Ralis parried with both swords once more. The blades grinding against each other for a few seconds, then Ralis and Sarevok continued clashing swords, moving back over to the Bhaal emblem in the middle of the floor, as if they are drawn to it like a magnet. Then again, maybe they are. Two Bhaalspawn of two different natures: Sarevok is chaotic evil, seeking power for personal reasons, and Ralis is lawful good, wanting nothing less than to end the iron crisis and everyone responsible for the transgression.

"Why must you go on this meaningless pursuit of power? We don't have to fight," Ralis tried reasoning with Sarevok.

"It's not in our blood to do such a thing. We exist, we fight, we sow chaos. Only the strongest among us will survive, and that will be me, brother!" Sarevok replied.

"Over my dead body!" Ralis exclaimed, putting a little more force into his strikes, even Sarevok could feel it when he felt his sword vibrate every time Kondar and Albruin clash against it.

"That's the idea," Sarevok said with a bone chilling sinister chuckle when they stopped clashing briefly.

When their swords locked together once again, Sarevok shoved Ralis back a few feet so he can have some space to activate one of his special abilities. Ralis took the time to heal himself with his Heal Minor Wounds Bhaalspawn power.

"Now, brother, you will see but a mere sample of the power of the LORD OF MURDER! EEAARRRGH!" Sarevok shouted, activating his most powerful malevolent Bhaalspawn ability, "Call Upon Unholy Might", increasing his strength tenfold.

"Well then, let me show you my own refined power! YEAAARRGGHH!" Ralis exclaimed, summoning his newest benevolent Bhaalspawn ability, "Call Upon Holy Might"!

Sarevok's body radiated a dark red aura, and Ralis' body radiated in a dark blue aura. With their strengths increased tenfold, their fight will now intensify tenfold as well. Ralis and Sarevok continued clashing steel while standing on the Bhaal symbol. With their strengths increased, their swords clashed with much greater force than before, making both of their ears ring. Sarevok attempted to strike at Ralis's head and Ralis ducked aside moving left. Ralis tried to cut at Sarevok's heels, but even in his heavy armor, he managed to jump to avoid having his feet cut off. Ralis quickly stood up before Sarevok could attempt another strike and tried to attack Sarevok as he tried to attack him, and Ralis relinquished his strike in time to crouch safely, then he continued hacking away at Sarevok and Sarevok kept deflecting.

"Your strength must surpass mine in order to defeat me. You lack that strength. You have no chance of defeating me!"

"Keep talking!" Ralis snapped back.

Ralis grew more and more aggressive with his strikes. His dark blue aura around his body intensifying. Sarevok was about to make a surprise attack on Ralis, but fortunately for Ralis, he already started his own surprise attack. After so much hacking and slashing at Sarevok, thanks to the strength given to him by Call Upon Holy Might, he managed to break Sarevok's sword! Shards of steel flew everywhere! Sarevok staggered back in shock.

"What?! Impossible!" He gasped, looking at his broken sword.

Ralis didn't give him no quarter. He spun around once for greater slashing force and slashed at Sarevok's chest two times, managing to slice through the armor and cut into his body! Sarevok's bright yellow eyes widened in surprise when he felt Ralis deal the fatal blow, slicing through his lungs, and dark red blood seeped out from the wound, staining the waist and leg plates of his armor. Then he fell to his knees laughing, but his laughs quickly changed into quick wheezes as he collapsed on his back and passed away.

Ralis sheathed his bloodstained swords. Finally, at long last, Sarevok is dead. He avenged Gorion and saved the Sword Coast and Amn from the threat of his Bhaalspawn brother.

"It is done," Ralis sighed in relief.

Then he remembered his promise he made to Tamoko.

"Tamoko, I... I'm sorry. There was no way I could bring him back to you…" Ralis lamented.

Just when Ralis turned around to leave, he saw Sarevok's body brighten in the peripheral vision of his eyes.

"What?" Ralis looked back at Sarevok's body.

His body is glowing as bright as the sun!

"What the…?" Ralis shielded his eyes with his right arm and had no idea what is going on.

Sarevok's body dissolved into bright sparkling dust and the gold vapor cloud slowly crept over to a hole in the wall. Ralis then remembered what the voice told him in one of his dreams when the bone dagger struck a statue of his likeness.

"Such undeserved pride, great conqueror, when your whole being is borrowed, credit where it is due and payment to where it is demanded…"

Ralis finally started to understand the meaning. When a child of Bhaal dies, his or her essence that he or she "borrowed" flies away to rejoin Bhaal, which causes the corpse of that Bhaalspawn to quickly dissolve into ash. That's the "payment" the progeny of Bhaal must make when they are broken.

"You are made as you are, and you can be broken."

Ralis left the temple to return to his friends. As for the essence that was once borrowed by Sarevok, it navigated its way through the temple's nooks and crannies until it came to a statue of Sarevok's likeness. The essence shone on Sarevok's statue, only to make it crumble down in heaps of stone, representing the fact that Sarevok has been broken, and has given up his essence that he borrowed from Bhaal so that the deceased Lord of Murder may one day return.

Ralis and his companions were hailed as heroes the following days, but little did Ralis know that this is just the beginning. Sarevok still has follower that Ralis and his group haven't captured or killed yet. The storm is coming, but the shadows are just around the corner…

To Be Continued in:

Baldur's Gate Siege of Dragonspear Enhanced Edition Novelization

Based on the upcoming expansion to BG:EE "Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear"

Or alternatively, to be continued in:

Baldur's Gate 2 Shadows of Amn Enhanced Edition Novelization

Based on "Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition"