[Daniel_M]

Chapter 2 – Return to Amkathran

Balthazar and his mosaic guards were there to greet us. Since Balthazar and I were on the same ground, the remaining of the five approached me flanked by his guards and extended a friendly hand out.

“I offer my congratulations Daniel…. You have defeated the menace Mellesan and destroyed the throne of our father… Thank you.”

I smiled and shook his hand “All in a days work Balthazar….”

The monk smiled “Well… I believe your friends are in need of a rest…come… I have laid out a fine banquet for you and your companions…”

“HA… Minsc and Boo firmly planted the boot of goodness upon buttocks of evil! And now we are tired…” Minsc shouted.

“Yeah…hack slash hack slash…Melly got her belly in a jelly are we going to kill some dragons now?” the sword Lilarcor said from on the back on the mighty ranger “Ooh…Minsc and Boo would love to kill dragons but first we must eat! Onward! Friendly Monk man take us to the banquet!”

We walked through the courtyard of Balthazar’s monastery and into the main banquet hall. There was a very long table in the middle of the room surrounded by chairs and a multitude of different types of food laid on the table. I have to tell you it did look very appetising, since I haven't eaten nothing but bread and water and the occasional Troll on a stick Keldorn makes which tastes very nice with Aerie's barbecue sauce. Ah anyway, we took our seats and I could see out of the corner of my eye Balthazar's mosaic guards give strange looks at Sarevok but he just shrugged them off. Sitting next to my brother going from the left was Imoen, Minsc, Aerie, Keldorn then myself.

Balthazar stood at the top of the table and raised his goblet in the air "A toast…to the heroes that saved this word from certain destruction…these fine people deserve your gratitude and a little speech for yourself…stand up Daniel and address the crowd." Of course then I had to so I stood up with my goblet of winter wine in my hand and look a glance around.

"Friends…Fellow compatriots, In my years of adventuring I have come fought with dragons, liches, evil mages and many other evil beings. And I have come out successful but I didn’t do it alone oh no, I had my friends behind me and I think you all owe them the same gratitude as I. There isn't a person anywhere that isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can. How many a man has thrown up his hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more patience would have achieved success? Hmmph. Perhaps but Success, real success, in any endeavour demands more from an individual than most people are willing to offer—not more than they are capable of offering… So… a toast… a toast to our friends, may they continue on the path of greatness…" I raised my goblet and the whole room began clapping and cheering. I took a sip of my wine and sat back down.

"Hehe…great speech bro. Have you been practice it?" Imoen said coyly from her seat looking over at me. I just shook my head and smiled. And with that done everyone began to eat, I was eating some rice dish Keldorn was having some type of read meat, Sarevok was gnawing on a chicken leg, Aerie was having the same as I and Imoen was also having the same. But the huge bulking ranger Minsc went straight for an extremely spicy dish not knowing its strength he took a mouth full of it and shouted.

"ARGHHHH! HOT HOT HOT!" I laughed, but Minsc got a little frustrated and went into a berzerker rage and started falling about the place holding his mouth and waving his arms around. It took about four monks to tackle him down on the ground and pour some milk in his mouth to calm him down. The ranger stood back up in a huff "Minsc will ask next time before he eats like a Orc…" there were muffled laughs from everyone as he sat back down.

After the banquet was over there was a little music from a troupe of Bards who called themselves 'The Beatles' what a strange name for a band I thought it would never catch on. Minsc was dancing with Aerie and much to my surprise Imoen managed to get Sarevok up and dancing, while Keldorn was in the far corner talking to Balthazar about random things. I was content for once in my life, I knew that the evil was purged and there was peace in this world once again.

But little did I know it would take a turn for the worse…

[ 03-18-2004, 09:01 AM: Message edited by: Daniel_M ]