The Heroes of Baldur's Gate... and Me

Part 21: The Price of Purification

In the flickering light of our torches, the main hall of the monastery looked like a relic from a past world. The wisteria had broken free from their elegant containments, and the vines burst from between crumbling cracks of stone and crept up the worn statues, strangling the faceless figures. Coarse grass sprung up between the cobblestones of the floor, as ivy crawled up the patinaed stonework, all the way up to the domed ceiling, and encircled a gap, allowing through a single ray of light.

I stared up at the gaping glimpse of the outside - of the tops of ancient elms and the bright azure of the sky.
The single ray of light fell lazily down to the centre of the hall, where one statue had remained untouched by the passage of time.
The statue was of an imposing woman, a goddess or priestess, her arms spread wide in her billowing robe, a crown of golden sun beams on her brow.
A plaque below the statue reads the following: The Blood of Lathander. Spilled in holy battle with Sammaster. Immortalised here for all to worship.

Unfortunately, behind the statue lies the many skeletons of the monks that had once inhabitated the monastery, their hands still clutching their religious tomes and relics, as if to ward off the danger they had faced.
Their bones now lie between the wiry grass, stark white against the greens, and brown of the dirt.

I sit upon the stone steps opposite the statue, bandaging up the wound from the gremiska's claws. The others have gone to search the ruins, while I stay in the main hall with Karlach, who stands before the statue, her head tilted and torch raised as she considers the marble face before her.

"The blood of Lathander..." she murmurs, reading the plaque at the base of the statue. "Some type of holy relic? Wonder if that would be worth something?"

"I guess..." Not looking up as I respond, still focusing on my injured arm. A hiss escapes my clenched teeth as I tighten the bandage around the deep scratches, causing pain to shoot up my arm.

Karlach turns at the sound, raising an eyebrow at my pain expression. "You know, Tav or Shadowheart could easily have healed that for you."

I pack away my bandages and salves, keeping my face hidden from Karlach - so she did not see my shamed expression.
Despite there being no further comments from the others, I still felt their ire regarding what had happened with the gremiskas and was greatly embarrassed by my own lack of foresight.

"I didn't want to bother them further." I answered simply, returning the pack to my shoulders and standing from my spot on the steps. "Plus, it is only a scratch."

I move off the stairs and stand beside Karlach, the heat radiating off her as we gaze at the statue before us. The statue's expression is regal yet serene, despite the death and ruin around her. Her face is classically beautiful, with a straight nose and strong jaw, accentuated by the smooth, pale marble she had been carved from.

Footsteps echo across to us, and we see Lae'zel striding purposefully up a flight of stairs that curve up from below the hall.

"I have found the entrance to the Crèche." She announces proudly, indicating the steps she had just walked up. "They reside in the chambers beneath the monastery - let us gain entry quickly and find the Ghustil."

"Awesome, now we just have to wait for the others to return, and we can see what this purification is all about." Karlach looks around to the other side of the hall, where the others had disappeared to.

Lae'zel lets out an impatient huff at Karlach's words, and I get the feeling that if the others don't come back soon, she would happily proceed without us.

Luckily, she does not have to wait long before a collection of laughter hits our ears, and the others appear through an arch at the opposite end of the hall.