Thumper, bumping into ... things

[unexplored]

If you please excuse me,
gah... *she sighs*, I really don't like to start
with something I rather avoid to say,
same as to thank anyone for anything,
but that's off the point now,

.. anyway...

Nobody asked me, I was just born into this misery.


Don't blame it on me and best you leave me be anyway,
we most likely won't get along.
I can't stand your kindnesses and your wisdom that
you love to teach me so much.

Best to make sure you act the way you suggest yourself, I say.

You care for me? I heard better lies.

Oh, you think you are better than me?
Now we are getting somewhere. That's ok. Choke on it.

You know?
All I know is that I am better than some.
And I know those made a mistake in not taking my life as well when they had the chance.


......




......


He wasn't a good man. Beating up wife and daughter when drunk proves it.
No! *her voice rather angry now* it's not an excuse!


If only we had enough money it sure would have been different.
If only we had enough money he sure wouldn't have agreed to that "job" they offered.
If only he wouldn't be such a damned drunk fool we might just have had the money
at least he probably wouldn't have messed up that job.



I know this is sick,
but sometimes I wish I would be back home with mom and dad around,
however bad that time was actually.

I wish it because if I were it would mean nothing happened.

I need another drink now. Nothing I like to remember, you know?

.......

Come on, don't tell me I shouldn't drink.
You asked, now shut up and listen and let me have my drink ... or leave.
Don't tell me what to do anyway!

*she emptied her drink almost half before she put the glass
back on the table and got lost into thoughts.
Half a minute later she got back, seemed almost embaressed
as she noticed where she actually was and who she was talking to*

You know? Can't say I worship her,
but I had even prayed to Shar to have my revenge.
She knows a little about that and she knows where they hide.
No, no, ... you can't just hide from that mistress.

*she was grinning for a moment but that expression turned
into a bitter mix of sadness and hate
and it seemed like she reminded something,
a fateful decision she made while back or so.
Then she reached out for her glass to empty it*


*another short moment of silence followed*


I should go now and find that strange looking mage.
He said he knows about ways to introduce me to
someone that will prove useful to me.

Hmm? ... Yes, yes, I'll be careful. Don't worry about me.
Soon I'll leave this town so we probably won't meet again anyway.


.........

[unexplored]

Who is this woman?


The woman all this is about is a slim female human with a nice
headdress. Nothing special she just ties her long black hair to
her right side, which gives her a youngish and playfully look
fitting her young age of 18 summers.
She seems healthy, her size is approximately 5'6'' and you would
guess she weights around a 100 lbs.
The eyes!
Almost as green as emeralds, yes, just, ... just not as shiny... no, not at all.
Nevertheless she is not ugly but most of the time not a man's
first choice. She grew up in Baldur's Gate and speaks Illuskan just
like any other from this area and knows the common tongue as well.

but back to it...



.........

Not just another rainy day




No thunder and lightning on that rainy evening although it would
seemed fitting. The sun almost vanished behind the horizon and
what was left of that day's light was blocked by the houses. So it
got somewhat dark already on one of these many narrow alleys in
the Baldur's Gate harbor district.

She stopped as she reached her destination. A house just like any
other just the one who lives in there isn't. In thoughts and taking
another deep breath before she gave the door a firm knock.



"What is it?" a ugly hunchback asked after he opened the
door just enough to take a look outside.

"I am Thumper, errm.. Madeleine Thumper. I need to speak to
your master. I came to take his offer."


He let her in and asked her to wait in a room with dimmed light that
came from a few candles here and there. It was bright enough for her
to notice the armors that stood there like knights but serving as
decoration only.
Only decoration? Each time she looked the other way she was sure they moved.


.........

The mage approaches




"You have come, I see..."

He was a small man of old age, scratchy voice, pale skin and wore a
black robe with purple edges and one of these caps on that are
common for mages. His dull eyes looked her over for a moment.

"...A wise choice, you will see."

These were the words the mage said when he stepped in after a
few minutes of waiting. For some reason she can remember this
rather unimportant scene up to today as if it just happened.


"Follow me, I would like to introduce you to someone"



He led her into what was almost a hall. Down in the cellar through
some unexpected long corridors with many doors, almost a dungeon
of some sort. They even passed by some cages and an empty cell.
For a moment she struggled and asked herself if she is yet another
fool that ends up caught in here. No doubt nobody would hear her
screams outside. She suppressed her fears and just kept going.

At the end of this hall they went in was a circle painted in white on
the ground, a really large one and another one, a way smaller one.

He moved over to her and gently led her to a position just as far
away as the smaller circle was away from the large circle and asked
her to stand still while he prepares everything. Madeleine just did
what she's been told.

It became clear when the mage had drawn another white colored
circle on the ground around her and positioned himself in the other
small circle that something big is gonna happen.

A few strange words and a clap of his hands later and all the white
of these three circles started to emit an almost bright light.

You sometimes get to hear mages casting spells in a backalley because
spellcasting is illegal but what she heard now was something she had
never heard before. Some language that gives you the creep just by
listening to it.

With every of what seemed to be a sentence the mage said he swung
around his arms, put his hands on the ground, finally up in the air and
after all that: a word. He shouted it out loud, several times even.
She realized it wasn't just a word it's a name!


An explosion inside that big circle, a loud sound and when it was over the
inside edges of the white big circle were on fire. She faded to black for
a second, almost fell. Some dark sinister energy was in that room now,
right there within that large circle. A black hole of the size of a door
appeared just a bit larger.

Suddenly and against all her expectations some beautiful angel stepped
through. She had long black hair, an adorable slim well shaped body and
wings with feathers. If it weren't the sinister red glow of her otherwise
beautiful shaped eyes and the hate she got for you when she is looking
at you you would never guess where this lady just came from.


.........




Dealing with angels



"I brought you a soul"

the mage said and Madeleine suddenly was fully aware again.

"She is willing. I fullfilled my part of our treaty.
Now it is up to you to fullfill your part."

Ignoring the demanding mage and with a calm voice that strangly echoes
within itself and within this hall she turned her head to Madeleine.

"Is that so?" she asked while she looked her over shortly.

Madeleine froze. She was unable to move and unable to speak right then.
This didn't go unnoticed and brought up a soft smile on that angel's face.

"No need to be afraid, little one. I think we both will be best friends."

She paused shortly and when she noticed Madeleine's breathing was
back to normal she continued to speak.

"You see, I can make your wishes come true, help your cause or
whatever your petty business is on this this plane. I help you here and
now and you are going to help me in the afterlife. So what do you say?
Shall we continue?"

It needed a cough to clear her throat to recover her voice. Then with a nod:

"We shall."


............