Philip Athans - Baldurs Gate: A Novelization (Forgotten Realms: Computer Tie-In Novels)

Baldurs Gate, Book One

Baldurs Gate

By Philip Athans

Torm save me,Abdel called and sliced his sword back to his left, then right. The spiderpaused, and Abdel rolled all the way over to one side, hoping to escape theweb. Hair was pulled painfully from his arm, and a strand of web stuck to hisneck. He was a fly now, a meal for this eight-legged predator, and like a fly,his desperate struggles only served to cement his captivity in the sticky web.

Hold still, thespider said, and Abdel flinched at the sound of its voice. It was a sound likeglass being drawn across steel, and it set Abdels hair on end as much from thesound of it as from the horror that such a creature had the power of speech atall. Hold still, human, and let Kriiya drain you. Let Kriiya drain you dry.

For my two girls.

(Im still a regular person.)

Acknowledgments

Abdel is all mine, but everyother character in this book, the beginning, almost all of the middle, and theend of the story is based on the brilliant work of the creators of the BaldursGate computer game from Bio Ware: James Ohlen, Lukas Kristjanson, Eob Bartel,Ray Muzyka, John Gallagher, Scott Greig, and the rest of the Bio Ware BaldursGate team. And thanks to Interplays Black Isle Division. Thanks guys, it wasfun!

And, I must of courseacknowledge my editor Jess Lebow. (Okay, I put your name in the book. Now wheresmy five bucks?)

The blades cametogether so hard they threw out a blue-white spark bright enough to burn itsgentle arc into Abdels vision. The impact sent a shudder through the heavyblade of his broadsword, but he ignored it and pushed back in the direction ofthe attack. Abdel was strong enough and tall enough to seriously unbalance hisopponent. The man stumbled backward two steps and brought his empty left handup to keep from falling. Abdel saw the opening and took full advantage of it,flashing his sword across his opponents open midsection and slicing deeplythrough chain mail, flesh, and bone.

Abdel recognized twoof the four men who were trying to kill him. The men were sellswordshiredguards and thugsjust like Abdel. They had obviously been paid, but by whom andfor what reason, Abdel couldnt fathom.

The man Abdel hadkilled took ten or twenty seconds to realize he was dead. He kept looking downat the deep gash that had nearly cut him in two. Blood was everywhere, andthere was a hint of the yellow-gray of entrails. The expression on the mansface was nearly comical: surprised, pale, and somehow disappointed. The look ofit made Abdels heart leap, and he couldnt tell if it was from the horror orthe pleasure of the sight. The pause was enough, though, to allow another ofthe bandits to step in and nearly gut him with one of the two small, sharp axesthe mercenary spun madly in both hands.

Kamon, Abdel saidas he skipped back half a step to avoid the second axe. Long time.

Hed worked withthis one before, a year ago, guarding a warehouse in Athkatla that was storingsomething a very long and increasingly bizarre parade of thieves were intent onstealing. Kamons trademark was this fast and furious, though not terriblyexact, twin axe attack. A short, stocky man, he was a fighter many lessexperienced opponents underestimated. Anyone whod been fighting as long asAbdel had, though, could tell by the mans quick, crystal blue eyes that he wasa smart and capable fighter.

Abdel, Kamon said.Sorry about your father.

It was an old trick,older even than Gorion, who sometimes seemed to Abdel to be the oldest man everto walk the streets and trails of Faerun. Abdel could see his foster father outof the corner of his eye. Gorion was on his feet, fighting, but as usual tryingnot to kill the banditwho was obviously not as considerate as the older man.The dark complexioned bandit with the elaborately covered headscarf was comingat Gorion with a scimitar too fast, too out of control. Gorion was able to keephim at bay with his heavy oaken staff, but for how long?

Abdel let Kamon comein with his right-hand axe and caught it with his blade just under the head.The broadswords sharp edge cut into the axe handle, and Abdel pulled up butnot out, and the axe came out of Kamons hand so quickly it left a red burn onthe bandits palm. Kamon cursed and backed up three quick steps. The loss ofone of his weapons surprised him, caught him off guard maybe, but Kamon wasexperienced enough to keep his eyes open. The axe was still stuck on Abdelsblade.

Abdel knew heshouldnt stop to try to pull the axe off, but when he heard the crunch ofgravel behind him he did it anyway. He was hoping Kamon would do the obviousthing, and Kamon obliged. The bandit came in fast with the other axe, swinginglow to cut his victim at the waist.

Abdel pulled hisknees to his gut, keeping his sword across his chest to protect him. His feetcame off the ground, and he fell onto his backside at the same time the bighalberd blade came down from behind him. The crunch of gravel was the heavystep of Eagus, the first of the bandits Abdel had recognized when they firstpresented themselves on the road. Eagus still bore the scar on his face fromthat bet hed lost to Abdel in Julkoun eight months ago. The memory made Abdelsmile even as he was suddenly drenched in thick, hot blood.

Eaguss blow, meantfor Abdel, had split Kamons head in half from crown to chin. Abdel wasdisappointed only because now he wouldnt be able to ask Kamon if he ever foundout what it was theyd been guarding in that warehouse.

Still curled in aball, Abdel swung his feet up and brought his sword back, the hand axe stillstuck awkwardly to the blade. He was hoping to gut Eagus from behind while thehalberdier still had his weapon stuck in his friends head. Halfway up aburning pain drove the breath from Abdels lungs, and he instinctively droppedto his left.

The fifth bandit,the one who had been hanging back, had fired a single crossbow bolt into Abdelsright flank. Abdel tore it out, pulling some links loose from his chain mailtunic and roaring at the pain. He made eye contact with the crossbowman justlong enough to send the man scurrying backward in fear. The sellsword couldonly hope the crossbowman was scared enough not to shoot him again. Abdel hadmore immediate problems.

Eagus swore as heworked at wriggling the blade of his halberd out of Kamons head. He had tostay close to the halberdier, but Abdel gave himself a handful of seconds tocheck his fathers progress. Gorion was holding up well. He was letting hisopponent tire himself out with one hopeless lunge of a scimitar after another.

We can go on likethis forever, Calishite, Gorion said, guessing the mans origin by hispeculiar dress and choice of blade, or long enough for you to tell me whohired you and why.

Abdel grabbed Kamonsaxe free of his sword, keeping track of Eaguss hurried progress with one eyewhile keeping the other on his father.

The Calishitesellsword smiled, revealing a tarnished silver tooth, and said to Gorion, Wewere paid extra, sir, not to say. You can give us your ward, though, and maybelive.

There was a sound asif someone had tossed a maidens-thigh melon from a guard tower, and Eagusshalberd was free. He swung the polearm up and around, spraying Abdel and theroad with more of Kamons blood. Abdel threw the axe, and Eagus dodged iteasily. The throw wasnt meant to kill but to force Eagus off balance, andAbdel knew there was only one way, and one second, in which to test the successof this method.

Abdel came in fast,leaping really, his feet leaving the ground for a risky half second. He spearedat Eagus and felt his blade sink home through a gap in the bandits rustedarmor before he tucked his feet back under him. He meant to stand and drag hisblade up through Eaguss guts to disembowel him, but Eagus wasnt quite as off-balanceas he could have been. The bandit slipped gingerly off the tip of Abdelsblade. There was blood, and Eagus was obviously in pain, but he fought on.