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"Please, no, get—let go!" |
"I want to see how far they’ll fit." |
"Stop it, stop it, STAAAA |
Squelching. Cracking. The scream died. |
Boots against the ground. Blood caked the air. Hot, thick. He didn’t move. |
Something did. A dragging. Humming. |
"Dear darling lad..." |
Moving further away. |
"Of the silver hair..." |
Astarion didn’t move until the singing faded away into the night. He didn’t move for a while after that, either. Then he rolled over, sitting up as he did, bile rising in his throat at the sight before him. |
Aurelia was gone, but there was blood on the ground where she could have been before Quinntav took her. Leon was there, his back against a tree, two things shoved into his eye sockets. Astarion rose to his feet, hissing between his teeth, and made his way over to the corpse of his spawn brother. On his knees, he was we... |
Astarion maneuvered his arms beneath him, ignoring the smarting and the glowing runes on the steel. He dug through Leon’s pockets...and came up with nothing to show for it. |
"Shit." Astarion looked into the forest, where he could smell the scent trail of Aureila’s blood. Where had they taken her? To what end? And why hadn’t they stayed behind to kill him, as well? |
He had never heard such a flat character to their voice before. The deep pitch, it was so unusual. |
Astarion flinched— another scream rent the air. Aurelia was still alive, they had taken her away to play with their toy. |
Quinntav must have used the lock of hair to find him, which had to meet that he was on their mind. All the same, he hadn’t touched him. It had to mean something, though making that assumption could lead to an awful surprise. |
Aurelia had to have the keys. Astarion had no idea where the others were, or if they should really catch up with Quinntav in the state they were in, but he could do fuck all about his Hunter. It felt like a small betrayal, but he began making his way back towards the camp, tracing the path he was able to pick up from t... |
It was half a mile before he nearly ran into them. More like Karlach into the vampire, the Barbarian yelling into the night: "ASTARION! Thank the gods!" |
"What did I say about touching," he quickly spat out before she could envelop him in a hug. Just beyond her Lae’zel and Gale looked to be catching their breath. Well, Gale, anyway, the Githyanki warrior had her eyes on the tree line. Smart. |
"Not to do it without permission— where’s Q? They took off like a rocket the second we let them out!" |
"And who had the balls to do that?" |
"That would be I," Gale lifted a hand. "From some distance and with a Knock. Wonderful foresight on my behalf, considering the state they were in..." |
"Aurelia mentioned that they were screaming." |
"My sister spawn," he grit out, "Though she may not be for very long since Quinntav began torturing her." |
Lae’zel made a noise. "That would explain the blood." |
"Quinntav broke their cot getting loose," Gale mentioned, motioning to Asatrion’s manacles. The runes were lifted, the searing stopped, and he felt some surprise when another wave released him entirely from the things. "The Glyph went off. I had to cast Hold Person to keep them still, then Knock, and-." |
"I understand. And what I suggest is that we return to camp," Astarion interrupted. "Let them have their fun for the time being." |
"I concur," Lae’zel spoke up again. Well, the night was just full of small shocks. "The Hunter has the advantage in these woods. We would do best to retreat and stay vigilant, least they return to take the spawn’s life." |
"Now, hold on," Karlach raised her hand. "Why didn’t Q attack Az here before? Not that I’m not grateful, but haven’t you been on their radar for while, now?" |
"You’re guess is as good as mine. I’ll choose to take it as a good sign and not make any complaints about my continued existence among the world of the living." Damned if he couldn’t stop thinking about it. "I’ll be sure to ask later, after they’ve come to their senses." |
Quinn couldn’t feel very much of anything. |
There had been a cold snap in the night. With the morning, their breaths had come in warm fluffs of air, easy to get lost in as the Tiefling huffed out gently and watched each one fade away. They were in a stream, though they couldn’t recall why they stood there, the sharp-cool current rushing around their ankles and c... |
It was bright out, the mid-dawn as crisp as the pale air on their exposed flesh. No coat, no boots, only the things they slept in each night. And blood, plenty of blood. |
That was why. It covered their front. Drenched through the fabric, cracked around their mouth each time they moved their chin in a different angle. They’d gone stumbling into the current, wrenching up bile and slivers of cartilage, until with the light it had all turned to ask in their gut: gray waste dripping from the... |
They should move. But it felt nice. Standing there. Unfeeling for a change. |
They knew when the others approached. Three of them: Lae’zel, Gale, Astarion. The others must have stayed behind, in case of an ambush, though Quinntav hadn’t very well felt like killing anything since throwing up the vampire. |
Gale’s tumbling conversation reached their ears, but he remained on the bank, crouching over what remained of the ash pile by the water while Quinn could feel Lae’zel’s stare digging into their back. Astarion waded into the stream to stand beside them, Quinn noting dully that no puffs of air could be seen from their lo... |
"How are you feeling?" A decidedly neutral answer. Quinntav expected him to remark on the body. Or. Lack there of. |
"Spent. Quiet." |
"Good. We found Leon and Aurelia," Ah, there it was, "Why drag her to the river? You left me completely alone out there, all by my lonesome." |
"I think we need to talk." |
"Oh," a tick in his cheek. "What about? Can it wait until you’re out of this puddle; it’s been hours, you’re bound to lose both feet standing here any longer." |
"We need to end things, Astarion," Quinn forced themself to meet his eyes. In their state, it wasn’t difficult. "The two of us." The vampire appeared horrified. |
"What? I— why? Is it because you |
killed someone this time? Because killing the two people who hunted me down and tried to take me back to Cazador is hardly against my wishes!" |
"I took Aurelia to the water to drown her. The water couldn’t kill her, but the moving stream turned her body to lead. I used her weakness to examine her. To pull out her teeth, to follow the pathways to her brain and central arteries. I snapped off her fingers, pulled out her nails, ate her intestines, and heart. I vi... |
"Well, you could have asked." His expression dry. "Being the resident vampire, after all, I could have told you it would be a complete waste of time." |
Quinntav felt a sharp whip of irritation, their first distinct emotion since dawn had broken: "Given that it took a majority of my night and distracted me from killing you I find I can hardly complain, you infuriating fucking vampire!" |
"Don’t snap at me because you’ve had a shit night, Quinntav!" |
"Don’t tell me leaving me isn’t sane! Keep to your own tent, and back the hell off!" |
"And give up on everything we’ve accomplished? Give up on what we are? I’ve asked you to trust me, time and again, and once more it seems that I have to beg for a chance to keep your confidence!" |
"Why are you not terrified of me!" |
"I had never been more terrified then when I thought I would lose you that first night! All of those years, Quinntav, and do you know what I settled into? Helplessness. Hopelessness. A cold, wretched thing who could not dare to feel one way or another, least I find some new way to break," Astarion face twisted with gri... |
"Of course, then there was the temple, and I couldn’t decide which was worse: that I would find you dead, or that you would die as a result of my trying to save you. I would have sooner of curled up and wasted away there, with your corpse, then have left alone-!" Astarion covered his face, stopping himself. |
Quinn dropped to their knees in the river. The physical weight of their guilt taking them out by the legs, by their spine. They could not hold themself up, could not think of the words that weren’t a pathetic waste of air. |
Astarion inhaled, and they heard him speak: "If that half of you so dearly wants to see me on display, it will have to make due with witnessing me in the flesh. I am not going |
"I didn’t want to hurt you like this." |
"Obviously," they sought out his face, "It would be terribly out of character if you meant to hurt me in any fashion. Coincidentally, it has mostly been collateral, save for your lack of faith." He knelt, the hard set to his eyes and mouth fading. "If you would not want me any longer, that I may not understand by any m... |
"Of course you would latch onto that," he held up a hand, cupping their chin and running the pad of his thumb over a corner of their mouth. "Your lips are turning blue," he commented, and Quinntav’s eyes fluttered as he kissed them along their bow. "Come on," he took their hand, and Quinntav stood, trudging after. They... |
Astarion held onto their hand, brushing the hair from their eyes, and flicking a handkerchief form his pocket to offer them. "Back to camp, I’m already done with this day." |
"With pleasure," Gale commented, and met Quinn’s eyes as they finished wiping their nose. "I could cast a bit of Feather Fall and we can have Lae’zel here carry you the rest of the way." |
"No need," the Githyanki marched up to Quinntav and without ceremony picked them up by the waist, hanging them over her shoulder like a bag of potatoes. "I have carried greater burdens then a half addled Teef-ling." |
"Tiefling," Quinn muttered, the turn the Githyanki made dizzying them, but at least they could see their vampire as she began walking into the wood at length. Astarion’s glance was entirely unsympathetic, and Hells they were tired. But. But they still had him, and, as a cost to his poor decision making, Quinntav pelted... |
Astarion endured every one. |
The stall was a slapstick of paint and old wood. The small half orc woman behind it not so different, the combination of sagging muscle and curling, foppish hair covering coal black eyes hidden deep within a hundred years worth of crow feet. She wore a dress spattered with hand knit flowers with a neckline that fell to... |
Quinntav loved her immediately, spotting the old woman in her stall among the several that lined the street of a town too small for a circus act but big enough at least it had its own open air market. Around what made the town well, cross crossing garlands of fall leaves sprouting from its eaves, there were dots of the... |
She took one look at them, and pointed to one: "Ring of Soothe. One hundred gold, seventy five if you give me a kiss." |
Quinn plucked up the ring, showing it to Gale, who used his clever charm of Detect Magic to give it a look over. "It's for Calm Emotions. Curious, it seems to be passive magic. You attune to it and it effects the wearer indefinitely." |
"Holy Hells," they looked between it and the Wizard. "Do you think it could work with...?" |
"I'm unsure. Yours is a unique case. But for seventy five gold, you may be paying for a chicken egg with a house, my friend." |
"I'll take it," Quinn offered their hand to the woman, who tucked her palm in with a smiled when they dropped a kiss on her knuckles." |
"I've never attuned anything before," Quinntav confessed after, the two of them heading over to where another few of their party were picking out fruit from a different vendor. Karlach tossed Quinntav a shining green apple, and they caught it with their palm, holding up the ring to the light for examination. It had its... |
"I can sit with you, if you like," Gale offered them, Astarion raising a brow at their approach while Wyll seemed to be polishing off negotiations with the fruit vendor. The Firbolg in his straw hat seemed half in love with the Blade, making Quinn grin into their apple as they carved out a bite. Wyll was all reds, blac... |
"What's intended," Astarion asked, frowning slightly, almost appearing bored. He looked devine in his high buttoned slacks and tucked in shirt. They all wore going without armor for their outing, though the chill meant they had to opt in for coats. The vampire managed to wheedle his way into a deal a week prior, and si... |
"I bought a ring!" |
He blanched. "Pardon?" |
"Ey, congrats, you two!" Karlach gave Astarion a smack on the back that likely cracked a rib or two. The red Tiefling didn't need layers, but Shadowheart had bullied her into furs and a hat, anyhow. Bullied, as in commented that she would look made for the mountains they were due to cross. And that's all she wrote. "Th... |
"Nevermind Astarion," Wyll chuckled, turning away from the farmer, the Firbolg batting their thick lashes with a sigh as they all began to depart with several bags of various produce. "When Quinn asks for your hand the to-do so to speak will be so outlandish half of the Gate will know to celebrate." |
"He's never going to say yes if you all keep teasing." |
"Enough with the charade! What the devil is the ring about?" |
"It's a Ring of Soothe," Gale put in, Quinn grinning apologetically at the huffing vampire for hardly discouraging any of them. "According to the lady, anyway. By my estimation it should allow our Hunter friend here to endure a continuous feeling of calm for as long as they wear the ring." |
"Calm Emotions," Wyll was frowning. It wasn't a spell a Warlock would wield but they had all known Gale long enough to be familiar. "Quinn, dampening your nature indefinitely sounds to be like an altogether morose method of dealing with your problem." |
"What the man is saying is that lobotomizing yourself is a damned stupid idea." |
"Az, I will still feel. I will only feel-." |
"Indifferent? Unaffected by anything or anyone around you?" |
"Ach, Q, Astarion's right," everyone short of Gale suddenly seemed altogether more concerned about the idea then Quinntav had expected. "Those fellows Gale effects always seem so out of it, so dense. It seriously takes them getting hurt half the time for them snap out of it." |
"And if it's continuous, will that be enough," Wyll asked, Karlach wincing. Even Gale rubbed his chin in thought. "What happens if we enter a battle, you are seriously injured, and you continue due to your lack of concern?" |
"Shadow will patch me together and that will be that." They didn't need the resulting eyeballing from all of their companions, Quinn knew how ridiculous that sounded. "I need to at least try. Give it a test run, see if I have any thoughts of ham stringing any scurrying child and, if so, how well I manage to restrain my... |
"Hilarious," Astarion replied without inflection, and that was that. |
"Quinn, dear. You're not fashioning the corpse's intensities into bows; is something the matter?" Astarion had meant it as a joke. A chuckle. A ha-ha, if you will. Something they or he would say, and both would snicker over. Humor was always the best Healer for trauma, after all. |
The Tiefling looked at him blankly, only the barest hint of a smile there. As it had been. For two days. "I don't know." They removed their blade from the skull off the ghoul laying between their legs and walked off without further comment. |
They didn't know. As if they hadn't considered it, and did think it bare worth considering. |
The others were cleaning themselves up after the ambush. It seemed half off the undead horde from the shadow cursed lands had started moving north, towards the city, and they kept running into the bastards. |
Astarion found Karlach knocking bile from her leathers, scowling at the stench no doubt. "If I have to spend one more afternoon scrubbing out brain matter from my smalls I'm going to scream," she groaned, as willing to complain as he had been in seeking someone out. "Q has really been dropping the ball on giving us a h... |
Quinn had been using their Hunter senses to detect undead in the area. The former Quinn would have joked about it being pointless with Astarion around but, sadly, that hadn't happened. |
"That's because they don't care. They don't care about anything anymore, and frankly I'm sick of it." Astarion was furious. The ring was certainly working, but it was working too well. It didn't simply calm them, it practically had given them a lobotomy. "They barely speak even when spoken to, they spend a majority of ... |
"I know! I mean, I'm happy that it's working for what they want it to, but it's awful! What's the point of a Bard that doesn't sing? Doesn't hum or dance or laugh at your stupid jokes?" Her troubled frown found their other Tiefling, Quinn standing with Wyll as he chatted at them. Their mouth moved in what looked to be ... |
And he didn't want to admit it. |
"If this goes too far I'm taking that damned thing off, mark my words." |
"Good. We'll figure something out. I don't want them to kill themself trying to deal with their darker half. We're a team, and comrades don't let each other fall on their own blades in times of grief." |
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