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"Who are you?" asked Nika warily. |
"There are many answers to that question. None of which are important. Now I have a question for you, what is the worth of a single mortal’s life?" |
Mortals live only to be slaughtered. |
Her eyes widened at the answer that had come to her instantly. She swallowed. |
"Depends on the mortal," she said carefully. |
The skeleton’s eyes bored into hers; she had the distinct feeling that somehow he knew her first answer regardless. |
"I am curious, by what standards you’ll judge." The strange skeleton intoned, seeming unsurprised if not slightly amused. "Very well, I am satisfied. We will see each other again at the proper time and place. Farewell." |
Gale proceeded to try to question the skeleton further as he slowly made his way into the main chamber, but he refused to speak any further apart from to direct them to a ladder that would lead them back to the surface. Everyone seemed keen to return to the light of day as soon as possible and leave the eerie crypt behind. |
The sun was climbing in the sky as the party journeyed through along the coastline together. Gale and Shadowheart were clustered together in the lead, chatting amiably. Lae’zel was content to walk alone a few paces behind them, bird-like eyes constantly scanning her surroundings, her hand darting towards her blade whenever she heard so much a rustle from the undergrowth. Nika and Astarion had ended up walking together at the rear of the group. |
"Are you sure that you don’t want to be up there with the other magic-wielding folk?" Astarion asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Gale appears to be getting himself quite excited over the finer points of proper tuning fork frequency for planar travel. Gripping stuff." |
Nika snorted. "I think I know where Gale keeps his tuning fork" she muttered. |
"Oh yes, I had always assumed it was a stick up his ass, but this explains a lot," Astarion smirked at her. |
Nika and Astarion had settled into this routine of trailing at the back of the group together. A camaraderie that tended to revolve around flirty banter or mutual eye-rolling at something one of the other members of their odd little group said. Nika found herself almost enjoying his company at times. She could tell their camaraderie surprised the others, including Astarion himself if the furtive glances he would shoot her way sometimes were anything to go by. Nika knew she confused them. While she was generally prickly to the whole group, the fact that she chose Astarion to talk to the most frequently, seemed to surprise them the most. Drow from the Underdark considered the males of their species little more than slaves. Many female Drow were not even interested in the company of men at all and formed attachments to their fellow women. Nika had no idea what her past attachments had been obviously, but she was fairly certain that she could appreciate the beauty of both genders. She cast a subtle glance at Astarion. He almost looked Drow himself, with his pale skin and silver hair, his red eyes probably made him more Drow than her by many surfacers’ estimations. Her eyes travelled over his defined jaw line and high cheekbones in appreciation. |
"See something you like Darling?" Astarion purred, having seemingly caught her ogling. |
Damnit, she thought. |
"If you want to hang back from the group and slink off to somewhere quieter, you only have to ask darling." He was positively grinning now, "I know you’re just dying to show me the rest of those scales..." he arched a brow, before wiggling them suggestively. |
She levelled a deadpan look at him but felt a smile starting to tug traitorously at the corner of her lips. Thoughts of what Astarion and her could do if they had a little privacy assaulted her mind. Pale hands sliding over dusky blue skin. Fingers threading through silver curls. She felt her body thrum with need in response. She swallowed and took a deep breath, trying to get a hold of herself in case he noticed how flustered she was becoming. |
What is wrong with me? Get a hold of yourself! |
The pale elf was going to be the death of her. |
They arrived at Grove sometime later to find it bursting at the seams with tiefling refugees. A male tiefling with orange wizened skin and burning yellow eyes strode up to them as they passed through the entrance gate. He introduced himself as Zevlor, and explained that goblins had been attacking the Grove, and the Druids had started a ritual to expel all outsiders including the tieflings themselves. Astarion looked around, tiefling children ran past squealing and playing, but their parents bore the haggard expressions of people who knew their days were numbered. He glanced at the rest of the party, Gale’s sympathy for the tiefling’s plight was clear on his face. Shadowheart was as hard to read as ever, her thoughts on the entire matter shrouded behind dark eyes. Lae’zel’s only concern was clearly scanning every tiefling like a hawk looking for the one named Zorru. Nika seemed unbothered, if a little impatient at the fact they had stopped to talk to Zevlor. |
"We will gladly help rid you of this goblin menace so you can lead your people to safety Zevlor," Gale said. |
Nika scoffed behind him, causing Zevlor’s eyes to dart nervously in her direction. The presence of a Drow in the Grove had not gone unnoticed. Several tieflings whispered and pointed, or simply adjusted their course to give their group a wide berth. Gale ignored her and continued to talk with Zevlor. |
After Zevlor had expressed immense gratitude for their offer of help, he led them further into the Grove, showing them where they could restock supplies and rest tonight. They began calling at the various stalls set up around a central marketplace area to replenish potions and rations. Nika visited a stall with an elderly woman selling potions. The woman had sensed that something unseen ailed them. While Nika had been unwilling to share their condition with a stranger, the woman introduced herself as Auntie Ethel and said they could visit her at her Teahouse in the South-West if they changed their minds. Nika thanked her as she turned to leave and walked straight into a broad doublet-wearing chest. |
"Oof!- Sorry I-" |
A handsome, well-built man stumbled backwards slightly. He was tall, lean, with rich dark skin. His face was marred by a scar however, that passed across one almost completely white eye which did not match the other, which was a warm, dark brown. He recovered quickly, flashing Nika a dazzling smile and a small bow. |
"My apologies my lady, I did not take enough care where I stepped, I hope you are not hurt?" he asked in a well-spoken accent that suggested wealth and nobility. |
Astarion was impressed by the man’s ability to maintain such cordial civility upon realizing he had collided with a Drow. Nika just shrugged and made as if to walk on but he spoke again. |
"You may call me Wyll. Say, I think I just heard Zevlor speaking of you and your companions," he said, glancing around the group, "you plan to take the fight to the goblins?" |
"We do, we just love going out of our way to help the meek and downtrodden," Astarion drawled, sarcasm dripping off every word. |
Wyll seemed confused, he opened his mouth to speak again but the world lurched familiarly, and his thoughts jumbled together with Astarion’s. An unfamiliar face filled Astarion’s vision, red-skinned, burning with the fire of the hells, horned woman tore through a battlefield, axe raised aloft. |
The connection snapped apart, leaving her head throbbing. Wyll also groaned, clutching his forehead. |
"Chk! He is infected," Lae’zel hissed. |
"If I had to guess, you took a bumpy ride on a mindflayer ship same as me. Haven’t turned into a mindflayer just yet, but sooner or later, my luck will run out." Wyll replied, "Been thinking I need a healer, and I reckon you’ve been thinking the same." |
"You seem awfully calm for someone about to turn into a mindflayer," Astarion quipped. |
"I’m not about to reveal my fear to the children," Wyll said, gesturing at the young tieflings playing nearby, "They expect a hero not a coward." |
Astarion cringed inwardly. Another moral do-gooder. Brilliant. |
"I’ve been waiting for this Archdruid Halsin to return. They say he’s pretty powerful. He could probably help us. Problem is – the goblins have nabbed him. So, the way I see it, it’s a win-win situation, we kill those goblins not only do we get the pleasure of ridding the world of a few more of those awful creatures but we also get our healer, what do you say?" Wyll held out a hand to him. |
Astarion paused, the last thing they needed was to get embroiled in a rescue mission unless he could be sure it would benefit them. Gale darted forward and shook Wyll’s hand with a smile. Great. |
"Who was that in the vision I saw?" Astarion asked. |
"Advocatus Diaboli," he stated gravely, "a devil from the hells I’m hunting. Karlach is her name. It is imperative I find her." |
Astarion didn’t bother to supress his sigh as Gale was all to eager to insist they would also hunt down this devil as well. For people with ticking time bombs in their heads, they certainly seemed to be building up a large to-do list, only some of which would actually help with the parasite. Astarion wasn’t going to argue however, the more these people saw him as helpful, the less he would have to worry about being staked if his condition were revealed at some point. It was harder to stake a hero. Right? |
As evening fell, the group had set up a small camp in one corner of the market. Astarion glanced up from the book he was reading to watch Wyll teach the tiefling children to use practice swords. His words were gentle, patient and encouraging. What a waste of time. He was dreading what his joining them meant for future righteous lectures now that Gale had another wannabe hero as an ally. Shadowheart occasionally fell in with them, but her priorities and moral judgement seemed to shift as frequently as her moods. At least he could rely on Nika and Lae’zel to help him keep the group on track, he was pretty sure they would rather turn into mindflayers than go out of their way to help another in need for no gain. |
Nika approached the group, having gone for a solitary walk earlier. She passed by him, seemingly unaware of his presence and stopped with her back to him. She stretched her arms overhead her back cracking from the toils of the day. The bright, sunny day had given way to a clear, mild evening. The moonlight made her white hair shine in the night. Astarion’s practiced charm had already begun to get under the surface of those tough dragon scales. He could see her desire for him in her eyes, hear the subtle interest in her voice, gods at times he swore he could smell her arousal. At those moments it was hard not to throw the meticulous, gradual seduction out of the window and just grab her. The game of seduction was usually going through the practiced motions of centuries. His mask slipping into place, the real Astarion underneath, cold and detached. It was the only way to keep the revulsion at bay and stop it leaking out where his targets could see. No, this was different. He didn’t care for Nika, he didn’t even know her, hells she didn’t even know herself. But he could not deny how physically attractive he found her. Even now, her form stretched out above him, he was itching to see under that damned grey robe that hid so much. She was simply a beautiful woman, and this would be one of the few seductions he knew he would enjoy. |
"It’s quite a sight..." Astarion said softly. |
She started and turned suddenly, not realizing he had been there. He had lounged back lying on his elbows, head tilted as he appraised her. He saw her mouth open slightly and her brow furrowed. |
"The stars I mean. I could take or leave your chin." He grinned, reveling in the fact that he knew that she would have mistaken the subject of his first statement. |
Nika looked up. Thousands of specks of silver dotted the inky sky. |
"They are beautiful" she said. |
"I can see them from Baldur’s Gate of course, but not with such clarity," he continued. "It got me thinking, reflecting on what tomorrow might bring. If we find our healer or this Gith creche... will our little adventure be over?" |
"What? Will you miss me?" she quipped. |
"Hah! Well why not?" he grinned, sitting up. "You’ve been to the hells and back, survived the crash, survived everything that’s followed. I’m not easily impressed by people but... you’re stronger than I gave you credit for." |
"I’m just trying to survive. Like you." She replied evenly, but he could tell that the flattery was appreciated. |
"Yes... we’re more similar than I thought..." he smiled and met her eyes, letting his expression smolder in a way his marks could never resist. |
The seconds stretched by. He could see the way he affected her. Her pupils were dilated, mouth was slightly parted, her tongue darted out to wet her lips. |
"...Are you alright?" she asked hesitantly. |
"Mm? Oh! Umm..." he allowed himself to seem caught off-guard. Letting his usual poise slip for a moment. "I was leagues away. I just need to... get some air, clear my head." his composure returned as quickly as it was gone. |
"We’re outside... in the air," she said flatly. |
"Well yes... I suppose we are," he conceded weakly, before perking up suddenly. Keep her off-balance. |
"There was a question I’ve been meaning to ask you!" he announced. |
Nika merely grunted. |
"Well, I see you are just thrilled by that. Am I going to get a coherent answer?" he smiled innocently. |
"Just ask your question brane'nesst" she sighed, sitting leaning back against the wall behind them. |
Hmm he was going to have see if he could pick up a book on Drow language on their travels. He was intrigued by the odd Drow word or sentence that would slip through. |
"Very well. I was wondering what your opinion of men is?" he asked carefully. Oh, he knew the answer already, or at least when it came to him. But he affected a curious tilt to his head any way. |
Nika snorted "Are you wondering why I haven’t collared you and led you around on a leash like my pet yet?" |
"Well darling if you want to experiment in a little naughty roleplay, you only have to ask" he whispered conspiratorially. |
Nika’s eyes widened for a moment. He saw her attempt to give him a withering look, but a grin broke out on her face, ruining any hope of seeming disapproving. He grinned back, he knew he was incorrigible. Incorrigible and irresistible of course. |
"I’m not sure what answer you are expecting. I do not know how I would have treated men before. If I assume I am Lolth-sworn, then she teaches us that men are beneath us, especially surfacer men" she paused to give him a quick grin, "Lolth’s society expects men to be silent and obedient. I suspect you would struggle with both." |
"I’ll have you know I can be both when I want to be! But it does sound awfully boring... where’s the fun in silence? So, will you expect your bedpartners to be silent and obedient hmm?" he raised his eyebrows innocently. |
"I don’t know. I suppose I’ll have to take someone to bed and find out won’t I?" she replied with a smirk, her boldness catching him off a guard for a moment. |
Unfortunately, Wyll chose that exact moment to come and sit with them and strike up pleasant conversation. Astarion plastered on a polite smile to conceal the fact that he was considering making Wyll dinner right about now. |
Astarion made his excuses to Wyll and Nika a short time later as night fell and snuck out of the Grove, passing the oblivious guards at the gate like a ghost. After finding dinner in the form of boar he tranced in the woods so that if he returned at first light the others would just assume he had awoken early, rather than catch him sneaking back to his bedroll in the dead of night. |
He returned to the grove as the sun was starting to crest the distant hills, painting the land in pinks and orange. He returned to find his companions had awoken. Lae’zel had found Zorru and learnt of the location of her fellow Githyanki and was making no secret of her eagerness to head out right away to find them. Meanwhile Gale and Wyll had spoken to a Druid named Nettie who rather than try to heal them had instead tried to kill them when they had revealed the nature of their ailment. Astarion hadn’t held back his laugh of astonishment when he discovered they had left this Nettie alive after such an attempt, promising her they would take a poison she had given them if they felt themselves begin to transform. He had no intention of taking any poison. A shock of long white hair in the corner of his vision caught his eye, Nika and Shadowheart were leaning in a doorway watching something intently. Nika must have sensed his gaze, as she looked over her shoulder and beckoned him over with a smirk. Astarion silently joined them. The scene before them was a tiefling woman pointing a crossbow in shaking hands at a caged goblin. The goblin was jeering and goading her while the tiefling worked up the courage pull the trigger. Another tiefling was trying to persuade her to have mercy. |
"10 silver says she won’t do it" murmured Astarion. |
"I’ll take that bet." Shadowheart replied. |
The crossbow gave a twang as she released the bolt into the goblin’s chest. |
Shadowheart held out her hand with a triumphant smirk. |
"I’m impressed. I didn’t think she had it in her. They’re all still going to die, but at least they won’t go down without some semblance of a fight..." he replied as he handed over her winnings. "Well, I’m glad I didn’t miss the little execution show here; I’m sure you enjoyed it of course" he nudged Nika’s elbow cheerily. |
Nika shrugged "there’s a vampire about" she replied bluntly. |
This time Astarion’s careful mask of indifference slipped for real. How did she know? He had been so careful! He began to rapidly reassess Nika’s intelligence for him to have underestimated her so thoroughly. She was watching his face carefully, no doubt his shock was plain to see, he carefully repackaged it. |
"A vampire? How awful, they are ferocious creatures. I’ll stand watch tonight, so we aren’t taken unawares." He replied smoothly, "how did you discover this?" |
"I went for a walk at dawn and found a boar that was drained of blood from two holes in its neck." Nika said offhandedly as she approached the goblin corpse. Her speak with dead spell cast the room in pale green light. |
"Ah yes, the creepy talking to the dead thing again." Astarion drawled. |
Her necromancy skills both scared and awed him. On the one hand, he feared the green tendrils climbing up her arm and lighting her eyes. The idea of another possibly being able to control him was a dread that could freeze his very bones, but on the other hand, could this give him the edge he needed over Cazador if he could keep her close enough? Cazador was a powerful sorcerer in his own right, but any edge was an edge. |
"Who leads the goblins?" Nika asked the corpse. |
"Dror... Ragzlin... Priestess Gut... and the Drow" the goblin answered in a monotone. |
"Why are you here?" Nika continued. |
"Scout... tribe coming... destroy this place... for the glory of the Absolute..." came the reply. |
Nika frowned "Who or what is the Absolute?" |
"All of us... everything" the corpse replied. |
Nika released the spell and the corpse fell to the ground with a thud. |
"Have either of you heard of this Absolute before?" Nika asked Astarion and Shadowheart. |
"Never," Shadowheart replied, "And I know my religions." |
They regrouped with the others, and Nika relayed the goblin’s words to them. No one had heard of the Absolute before. It was decided, much to Lae’zel’s disgust, that they would head to the Goblin Camp first and foremost as Archdruid Halsin seemed like their most promising lead. |
The journey West towards where the tieflings reported the attacks had been coming from was uneventful. The party crossed a stone bridge over a fast-flowing river and saw signs of a village in the distance. As they got closer, it was clear that the village was abandoned and half ruined, with chunks of the stone wall missing, and several buildings were half-collapsed. The entrance was flanked by two tall houses with steep pitched rooves. It was the perfect set up for an ambush. Nika signalled to the group that she and Astarion would scout ahead. |
The sun was high in the sky so they both took care to hug walls and overhanging rooves as much as possible. She and Astarion circled around to the side of the village and climbed up some boulders that gave them a better vantage point. As suspected a gaggle of about ten goblins were lurking on the roofs of the houses flanking the village entrance, just waiting for the chance for a surprise attack. Astarion touched her forearm to silent get her attention, he signalled for to follow his eye line, which was fixed upon three huge ogres standing in the remains of a ruined building further into the village. There were undoubtedly more goblins in the village that they couldn’t see as well. Nika gestured to Astarion to continue further around the village outskirt. As they rounded a stone wall, they came upon a lone goblin sentry. Nika grinned at Astarion triumphantly. Nika cast a bubble of silence over the creature as Astarion raced in and grabbed the goblin from behind, dagger to its throat. |
"Now, now, settle down..." Astarion crooned at the struggling goblin "you’re going to tell us the easiest way to get into the goblin encampment." |
Before the goblin could answer, Astarion felt the parasite writhe behind his eye as the goblin’s eyes suddenly locked to Nika’s and the feeling of connection followed. A burning symbol appeared over one of the goblin’s eyes. |
The word sounded in his head unbidden. He knew Nika had heard it too from her expression. He instinctively knew that if they commanded this creature, it would obey them without question. |
"T-t-True S-s-soul!" the terrified goblin stuttered, "W-what would you h-have of m-me your excellence?" |
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