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"Don’t you dare pity me. I don’t deserve it. You should hate me. You |
hate me - you were ready to kill me!" He sighed and looked away. "I wish you hadn’t found me." |
"I pity us both," Tav whispered. "And I share in the guilt." Astarion’s eyes snapped to hers, wet and sad. He didn’t speak. Tav inched closer to the bars, holding out a hand. Tentatively, he held it. He felt cold as ice in her grip. She pulled him closer, and he kneeled against the bars opposite her. She slowly, carefu... |
"I’ve missed you so much," she whispered. "I’m so sorry I didn’t come sooner." He scoffed into her hand, rolling his eyes. |
"You couldn’t have known. |
" He sighed. "I’ve missed you too, love." Tav’s stomach flipped. There it was. This was the man she’d taken down Cazador with, the man who held her all night before taking on Orin. There was the man he should have been all along, if only she’d been perceptive enough to convince him not to be afraid. |
"I’m here now," she whispered. "You’re safe with me." He closed his eyes at the familiar words, leaning deeper into her hand. |
"Hope is such a damning thing, isn’t it?" The cruel voice of Mephistopheles shocked them both, causing them to jump. When had he opened the door? Tav whirled, standing protectively with her back to Astarion. He stood slowly, head hung low. |
"One might call this the sweetest torture," he tutted, gesturing between them. Tav bristled, anger clouding her vision. Astarion crept up close behind her, his hand snaking out to land on her waist so gently she might not have noticed it. He leaned in close, his voice barely more than a breath on her ear. |
"Don’t make a deal with him, darling. Not for me." Tav didn’t respond, but his proximity bolstered her courage and resolve. |
"What sort of deal are you wanting?" Astarion gripped her hip tighter, a warning, and he hissed a curse in her ear. He was careful not to squeeze too hard, she noticed. The devil smiled. |
"Why don’t we adjourn, and we can...hammer out the details." It was not a request. Tav turned back to Astarion, pain in her eyes and his. |
"Please love, don’t do this," he begged. She put her hand on his neck, pulling him close, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. Their touch burned like fire in her soul, and he did not pull away, but he held himself back all the same. He knew he could not sway her. |
"I won’t lose you again, not when I’ve just found you," she whispered, her breath ghosting over his lips. Their eyes locked, and he kissed her hard, mouths crashing together in a symphony of loss and longing, love and hate, agony and ecstasy. She pulled away, breathlessly, and he shook slightly. |
"I’ll be back, as soon as I can." The look on his face betrayed him: he did not believe her. |
The room was smaller than Tav had expected. A blazing fire crackled in a nearby fireplace, blue as the ice surround but hellishly hot. The room was dominated by a large desk which was cracked and fissured as if it had been repaired innumerable times. There was no chair at it, she noted idly. Perhaps the devil preferred... |
"We have the matter of contracts to deal with, it seems. One we have verbally agreed to, but have yet to sign. Another, we must come to an agreement with." He was all business, and internally Tav chuckled with amusement - he would match his business practical appearance with a pair of spectacles perched on his infernal... |
"The first," he continued, unaware of her secret humor, "is a trade. 7,000 souls, including one Cazador Szarr, will be released from my prison to go whence they would have upon death. I do so swear that only those souls sacrificed by one Astarion Acunín during the Rite of Profane Ascension will be those released, as ag... |
Tav quirked an eyebrow. She hadn’t considered that she would inadvertently be freeing Cazador from an eternal torture by making this deal. He paused, opening space for her unspoken question. |
"Could I...that is..." she wasn’t sure how to phrase it, carefully considering. "Where would Cazador’s soul go, should it be released?" The devil smiled, and she felt again that uneasy pit in her stomach. |
"Why, to me of course!" He shrugged. "His soul was bound to me long before the deal we made, sweet child." Tav blinked, surprised. She considered again, then eyed him warily. |
"How many of the 7,000 souls are bound to return here once freed, exactly?" He chuckled. |
"Only a few, those who bound their souls to me in some other way." Tav noticed that he had evaded stating the exact number. |
"Will that affect my ability to kill Astar-" she paused, not wanting to call the monster above by Astarion’s name. "The Ascendant?" |
He tutted softly, patting her hand with a blistering heat, painful and soft at once. "No child. Once the souls are released from this pact he will lose his power as ascendant and simply revert to a normal vampire lord. That would hardly be a fair deal, wouldn’t you say?" His eyes twinkled mischievously. |
"Any chance I can know which souls have bound themselves eternally to You?" She played a smirk onto her face, and he scolded her as if she was a feral kitten. |
"I do not see how that is any business of yours, little one, as it is business of |
" He returned her smirk, but his white eyes burned subtlety. He wouldn’t give up the information, so she dropped the subject. |
"As You will, my Lord." She bowed her head slightly, and he relaxed once more. He cleared his throat, continuing with his terms. |
"Once the souls have been freed and the vampire ascendant killed, the undersigned - you, dear Tavwren, Savior of the Sword Coast and Beyond - will owe Mephistopheles |
action, to be completed to His specifications at a later time as He deems appropriate." This left a lot of room for interpretation, and Tav grimaced internally. Astarion was right, he could ask her to do anything. |
"Furthermore," he continued, "the agreeing parties are under oath that the undersigned shall retain rights to her everlasting soul, to pledge to whomsoever she chooses, at her own free will." He raised one eyebrow at her, smiling slightly. "Meaning I cannot use what I am owed to require you pledge your soul to me." He ... |
to be mine for eternity." His eyes, though clouded over, seemed to pierce her hungrily. She shifted uncomfortably in the large seat. |
"Most generous of You, my Lord." Her voice was soft and tenuous. |
"We would have such fun, you know." He smiled, and Tav suddenly felt the urge to bolt. She remained firmly in her seat, but his strange behavior gave her an idea of what she could offer to trade for Astarion. |
"Now," he said breezily, "if these terms are agreeable let us move on." She nodded, straightening in her chair and lacing her hands together as if in prayer; it was an action meant to lend her strength as much as it was meant to prevent him seeing the tremor in her traitorous joints. |
"The spawn soul is indeed one of my most treasured possessions," he intoned wistfully. "I have greatly enjoyed his suffering these brief years. You," he leveled his gaze at Tav, "wish to end that joy and keep him for your own." Tav swallowed. Not exactly how she would phrase it, but true nonetheless. |
"Such a prize requires a hefty sacrifice," he drawled. "The terms of our initial deal preclude the trade of your soul for his, of course, so what else could you have to offer which would be its equal?" He raised one eyebrow at her, leaning back in his chair and bringing his hands together at the fingers. He pressed the... |
Tav considered. She had nothing of great value to offer. Killing the ascendant would not be enough - he had already taken that into consideration for their first deal. She was not an evil person, and would not like to sacrifice souls in his name or some other equally vicious mission. She eyed him, and suddenly she reme... |
"I could offer my body," she said shakily. "I have consorted with devils before, and I am sure You would not be...disappointed." She gritted her teeth at the heat roiling off of him. It was almost like touching flame itself, and her hand screamed to retreat. |
The devil’s face fell in, she realized, slight surprise. He composed himself quickly and smiled. |
"My dear," he purred, "delicious as you are, and I have no doubt in your...skill..." He raked his eyes over her body greedily and she shivered involuntarily with disgust. "I’m afraid a mere roll in the snow would not be an adequate trade." He leaned forward, his face pressing close to her. She could feel the heat radia... |
"Perhaps, if you would consider being a consort, for use whenever I saw the need," he murmured, leering at her, "I may find that an acceptable trade." Tav stiffened, panic roiling in her gut. An infernal consort forever, as long as she lived? Or after she died, would he be able to call on her for eternity? The thought ... |
"But, something tells me that would be beside the point of rescuing your lover," he sighed. His knee flicked, returning her hand to her. She almost sighed in relief. It was a kindness, his refusal; she was genuinely grateful. The hardest part over, she brought her hands back together. |
"Perhaps Your most Gracious Self would have an idea of what could balance the scale?" She didn’t have to agree to anything, she realized, and so allowing him to make an offer would perhaps suit her better. He tapped his mouth, considering. |
"A hero, with the power to fell dread gods, bring down an elder brain... A heroic deed may be of equivalent value, though of course it would need to be to my benefit." Could it truly be called heroic if it was in service of a devil? Her morals had always been on the gray side of white, but she always strove to do the r... |
"I have just the thing," he smiled wickedly. "If you can remove one god from the pantheon, I will release your dearest love from his prison." Tav blanched. |
" She looked down. It would have been easier to let him use her body. How would she even accomplish such a task? Why would she |
"It is the perfect task for you!" He clapped his hands together, standing. "Not all gods are strictly |
, so your morals could stay intact. You’ve felled gods before, so you are clearly capable. And of course, killing them isn’t quite required - simply their |
She thought on his words. True, she had brought down |
gods, and their |
but disposing of an actual divine being was unheard of by mortals. She thought about Gale. He was technically a god, or at least aspired to be one. She pushed the thought from her head as soon as it crept in. She would |
kill Gale. After everything he’d done for her, it was unthinkable. |
"Yes," the devil continued. "This, I think, is the only appropriate trade." Tav panicked, standing and looking wildly at him. She hadn’t had a chance to refuse his idea! |
"My Lord," she began, but he cut her off by raising one great hand. |
"This is my offer, child. Take it, or leave it." His face was hard and she knew he was serious. She thought of Astarion, trapped and terrified. She thought of Gale, safe and unaware in his astral tower. Chewing her lip, she nodded hesitantly. |
"I agree to these terms." |
The bargain was struck. Tav signed on the line, agreeing to one action in Mephisto’s favor to be determined at a later date in exchange for the 7,000 sacrificed souls to be released and go to their respective afterlives. A second bargain was made, this one signed by the archdevil himself. Should Tav be able to lower th... |
Tav fingered the mirror in her pack idly, wondering about her next move. At this point, she was the only one who knew about Astarion’s soul, locked away in a devil’s dungeon. What would Gale think, if she told him? She had been quick to dismiss the idea of killing Gale, but removing him from the running for godhood wou... |
kill him - her deal would be done. It would be the most efficient path to victory, the easiest way to free Astarion. |
It would also mean she would likely remain a vampire forever, not to mention her good friend would be dead by her hand. It was the option of last resort, she determined. |
As she stood within the heated walls of the fortress, a great moaning echo pierced the sky. Thousands of shimmering golden lights rose above the building and dispersed, some clumping together and speeding off in all directions, some spiraling back down from whence they came. The 7,000 souls were free - Mephistopheles m... |
A thought bubbled up, unbidden. What if Gale should succeed? The idea had seemed ludicrous when he’d proposed it, but now it was within reach. If she could kill the Ascendant in Gale’s name, spread the name of Dekarios as the god who felled him, he would earn his place among the pantheon. Once he had the power, perhaps... |
her, the devil would have to accept it. |
Regardless of her choice, she had to go back to Gale. It had been too long, she needed to be somewhere safe, and she wanted to check in on Vivienne and Caeral. She pulled the mirror out, its green glow lighting the glacier around her. She looked different now than she had before. Stronger, less haunted. "Dekarios," she... |
Tav landed with a jolt in Gale’s comfortable living room. To her surprise, he and Caeral were already there, seated comfortably on a couch. They blinked at her, equally surprised at her sudden appearance. Gale beamed, drinking her in. |
"It’s so good to see you, my friend!" He strode to her and wrapped her in a great bear hug. She squirmed a little, surprised by the easy contact. When he pulled back, he seemed to remember himself. |
"Ah. Sorry," he apologized swiftly. "I took you for dead, since I haven’t heard from you in |
" He leveled a pointed look at her and she smiled sheepishly. Caeral soon joined them, placing a hand on her shoulder. |
"Your friend Gale has been a gracious host," he said. "He was initially surprised when two spawn turned up instead of you, but we explained the situation. He seems...trusting," he said, elbowing Gale lightly in the ribs. Tav eyed the two, noticing a certain something in the air between them. She smirked, but her face ... |
"Whatever news you have, it can wait. You need some time to rest. Viv would be happy to see you, I’m sure. She’s through that way." He pointed to a door off to the left, then he turned and, putting a gentle hand on Caeral’s back, the pair drew away from her. She quirked an eyebrow at their backs, but did as she was bi... |
Tav gaped, her hand still on the open door, when she entered into the...well, it couldn’t be called a "room." A "space" would be more appropriate. It was a seemingly eternal expanse of field, dotted with innumerable night orchids. The air itself hummed with music, emanating from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Vivi... |
"Mother!" She sprang up and ran to her, bare feet somehow not disturbing the flowers under them. She threw her arms around Tav’s neck, and they embraced. "What happened out there? Where have you been?" She didn’t seem worried, a far cry from the desperate creature chained to the floor of a dungeon. |
"A lot," Tav hedged. "I’m not sure how to explain it all, honestly." She looked around. "Did Gale make this for you?" Vivienne smiled, shaking her head. |
"Caeral did! Apparently he’s "gifted in the ways of the weave," according to your friend." She rolled her eyes slightly, still smiling. Tav quirked her eyebrow. |
"Is there...something going on there?" Vivienne grinned and laughed lithely. |
"I’ve spent most of my time in here, but when I’m around one I’m also around the other." She gave Tav a knowing look, and Tav laughed. They were a good match, she thought. Caeral had always been a gifted wizard, though he’d had little opportunity to practice over the years in the Crimson Palace. Tav mused over how ofte... |
Vivienne poked her face into Tav’s view, waving cheerfully. "Are you in there, Mother?" Tav smiled wanly. |
"I’m just tired," she said. She wasn’t aware how true it was until the words came out. Vivienne produced a small smile, her wide eyes softening. She took Tav’s hand in hers and pulled her back toward the living room. |
"Let’s go have some |
," her excitement lighting her eyes, "and then you can go to bed." Tav began to protest - every minute she wasted now was another minute the Ascendant could get away, or another minute Astarion suffered - but Vivienne’s deceptively strong grip pulled her along. |
"Perhaps just a little," she acquiesced. |
Gale was...happy. He couldn’t remember the last time he was truly happy. Caeral’s fingers traced runes on his arm, Gale’s hands folding in and out of the deep purple hair on the man’s head. |
The time here stretched on for aeons, and blinked by as if only seconds, all at once. Gale felt as though he’d known this man for years, and like their love was fresh and new. On the material, it had been maybe a few days. Together, they’d shared countless meals. He had grown to appreciate Caeral’s quirks - his fondnes... |
This was something he hadn’t seen coming. He thought of Tav less and less, though she was never not on his mind. He wondered if she was okay. Wherever she was, he couldn’t find her. Caeral couldn’t be called something as blithe as a distraction, but he did help keep Gale’s mind from wandering. |
Gale sat on the couch, shoulder to shoulder with Caeral, when Tav appeared with a blink. His mind reeled. She was here, finally. Had she done it? Was Astarion dead? He suddenly felt nervous. She was |
this man’s mother, he reminded himself. He did not need her permission to love him. Still, he found himself sending her away, dragging Caeral to the kitchen, panic rising in his chest. |
"Love," Caeral hummed, whirling on Gale as soon as Tav was out of earshot. "Your heart sounds like a wild horse. Take a breath. We’ve been through this." The slight man placed his hands on Gale’s chest, his amber eyes soft and reassuring. Gale heaved a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. |
"I’m not sure what came over me," he whispered shakily. "I’m sure she won’t have an objection. I just feel...wrong somehow. Like something is wrong." Caeral looked hurt, briefly, and Gale kissed him swiftly to wipe it away from his face. "Not with you, of course. Never you." He pressed their foreheads together, closing... |
"What feels wrong?" Caeral’s soft voice was curious, but guarded. Gale had to remind himself that he was no less broken than Tav - he had to be handled with care. He had been used, body and soul, since he had been turned. He was not unlike how Astarion had been once, but he had a certain softness, a kindness in his sou... |
"She’s not here because she wants to be," he said cautiously. "This isn’t some random visit. There’s something important. Something...bad." Caeral wrapped his arms around Gale’s waist, pulling him closer. Gale sighed at the feeling of him nestled under his chin. |
"Whatever it is, we can face it together." His tone was resolute, reassuring. Gale felt bolstered, his heart resuming a peaceful rhythm with his lover’s proximity. He felt Caeral smile against his chest. "That’s better." |
Gale pulled back, reluctantly. "Bad news, I find, is always easier to imbibe when food is involved." Caeral grinned. |
"I’ll start chopping." Gale grimaced dramatically. |
"I’d rather you peel - I don’t want to stitch your fingers back on today." Caeral laughed out loud, pushing Gale lightly before giving him a playful kiss. |
They sat around the table for a long while. Tav didn’t seem fully present. Caeral chatted with Vivienne, asking Gale this or that at times, which he responded to as best he could. He was focused, intent on Tav. She had an air about her, something cold and hot at once. He couldn’t quite place it, until she finally spoke... |
"I’ve been to Cania." |
All eyes turned to Tav in shock. Gale was the first to speak. |
"C-cania? Whatever for??" The eighth layer of the hells, home of Mephistopheles. Realization dawned on him slowly - this was the archdevil who had created the infernal ascension rite. Vivienne seemed lost. |
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