Lots of PoV changes, labelled for reference. Starting with Nyx.
Nyx
Karlach wrinkled her nose at the thickening goo on the ground, "Ew, that's nasty."
Nyx snorted, "I suppose it is."
Lae'zel regarded Nyx with a wary side-eye.
Karlach remained unfazed and quipped making air quotes, "So, that's your new 'Shadow-Nyx' look?"
Nyx blinked.
Oh, yes, and she released the Shadowweave to drain from her body.
Karlach regarded her approvingly, "Yeah, still prefer this one. Even with the, uh, thingy", she gestured to her own temple.
Nyx's eyebrows knit, Thingy?
Nyx chocked holding onto her head when several of the ancient memories clamoured at her again, raking into her thoughts.
"Get out of my head!" She was barely aware of the other's queries of concern. She managed between clenched teeth, "I need to get out, get them out." Promptly disappearing by way of shadow steps.
--- --- ---
Astarion
Astarion swore when Nyx fled again, "Damn it all to the hells!" His nostrils flared; her scent remained. He met Tav's gaze across the auditorium, and she simply nodded once and said "Go." He sprinted after Nyx.
Mercifully, he found her just around the corner of the House of Healing in Reithwin plaza by the statue.
She was doubled over, heaving. He approached with caution and prompted, "Nyx, my dear, are you alright?"
"I... a moment."
Worry and relief warred inside him, but he waited. She straightened, her eyes pinched, then her breathing changed, trepidation swelling in his chest. But she meditated - long enough for the others to join him. Finally, her eyes opened, she rolled her shoulders and smiled at them.
Tav sidled next to Astarion, her smile brighter than Nyx's. Nyx's expression faltered and she frowned again, reaching for the glowing teal spot Karlach pointed out earlier. Her eyes widened at the contact, and she promptly retrieved one of her throwing knives.
Tav gasped in alarm as Nyx started to cut it from her face, "Nine Hells Nyx! What are you d-?"
Nyx provided dismissively, as though the answer were as clear as day, "It's the sentient part." She tugged at the gall, her bloody fingers pulling at it while its roots stretched, desperately clinging to her. Nyx skilfully proceeded to cut along its roots, and they gaped while blood seeped down her face. The sight of it coursing down her face made his hunger grow.
Vexed, the question blurted from him, "Sentient part of what?"
Shadowheart gasped in realization and answered, "The curse."
The weight on Astarion's back shifted and Clive's muffled annoyance came from beneath his cape, "Feckin' hells! What is going on!? Where is Nyx?"
Astarion shrugged the backpack off and placed him on the ground. Clive took the time to shoot him a blistering glare before turning his attention to Nyx with another 'Feckin' hells' at the sight of her carving at her own face.
The gall's magic flared at the tugging and Nyx's eyes pinched in pain.
Clive hopped forward and declared, "Incoming!"
Her quarterstaff flew from the pack and Nyx caught it in a practiced motion. Runes lit up along the staff and, with it a last unceremonious yank from Nyx, forced the gall to relinquish its hold. Nyx cast it to the ground and stomped it with the butt-end of her staff into a bloody, teal-tinged splatter.
The runes flared one last time and Nyx sighed in relief, throwing her head back, "So much better."
Shadowheart stepped forward and reprimanded, "Good, now that you're done mutilating yourself, I'll fix it before you get another chance to make it worse."
Shadowheart barely stepped past Tav when Nyx choked again, her head rocking backwards and her free hand clutched at her throat.
Astarion threw his hands in the air exasperated, "What in the hells is happening now?"
She didn't answer and the light of her staff sputtered. The runes snuffed and Nyx's head lolled forward. They waited, shifting nervously.
Tav queried in a small voice, "Nyx?"
Nyx's entire demeanour had changed. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around as though it were the first time she took in her surroundings. The unfamiliar gaze settled on each of them in turn and a smirk not belonging to Nyx touched her lips. When she spoke the intonation was, wrong, "My, my. She did a very good job of hiding your memories from me."
Clive leaned forward and growled threateningly, "Who is this? What have you done with Nyx?"
She jutted her hip out and tutted, leisurely leaning on the staff. She purred gesturing to herself, "Nyx has fallen into my trap. Our roles are now reversed and for once I am the warden of her prison." A disturbing self-satisfied smile spread on her lips.
Clive growled again, "Pox-ridden parasite! You let her go!"
The rest gasped.
She countered snidely, "Or what? Hmm? What could you possibly do?"
Clive grumbled under his breath.
She pulled herself up and declared, "I thoroughly plan on enjoying my newfound freedom," she looked herself over, "Including this body." She placed a finger to her lips, "Clothing is not to my taste, but that is easy enough to rectify. Then," her head snapped back to them, "After I finished eating all of Nyala's memories. I'll eat each. Of. Yours." She pointed at them in turn. Her eyes settled on Astarion, and she leered at him.
He was disgusted by it, not only because whatever possessed Nyx regarded him like so many others had done before, but the foul creature had the audacity to do it wearing Nyx's skin. He snarled.
She licked her lips remarking, "Oh, I can see why she made extra effort to hide yours from me."
He fisted his hands at his sides, "She does not belong to you."
She threw her head back and laughed.
But the laugh cut short, and the quarterstaff blazed.
Nyx's intonation returned and hissed, "I told you that my mind is not your playground!"
It wailed, "No! How did you esc-"
"I've thought of another use for you."
"No, no! You can't", the voice became that of a little girl, and it pleaded, "Please, you can't. It's me Nyala!"
"This is the last time you'll use her memory against me."
"NO!"
Nyx's eyes rolled back into her head and Astarion's body moved of its own accord. He caught her in the fall. He gently lay her on the ground, yet seizures overwhelmed Nyx, shaking her entire body.
He whipped his head to a shocked Shadowheart and huffed agitated, "Damn you! Stop standing around like an idiot! Help her!"
Shadowheart lurched into motion, joined by Tav and Gale.
--- --- ---
Tav
Shadowheart was cradling Nyx's head, her brow drawn in deep concentration. The convulsions started again and Shadowheart stressed between clenched teeth, "Hold her down."
Tav and Astarion pressed Nyx's limbs into the ground on either side of her body. Rivulets of blood ran from Nyx's eyes, ears and nose. Tav’s heart was about to beat out of her chest.
Tav made way for Gale to address the bleeding. Struggling against Nyx’s limbs, she asked in exasperation, "What's happening?"
Clive answered moving closer, his magic probing at Nyx, "She is fighting."
Tav gave him a wide-eyed look. "Fighting? The tadpole?"
"Aye, and the curse."
--- --- ---
Nyx
Nyx dragged the tadpole biting, kicking and screaming to the crystal prison. The Crystalfang Mycoweaver stood ready. Nyala in drider form at its feet, her hands resting on the prison's shell. Nyx pulled on her magic, grappled with and hurled the tadpole toward the prison. Nyala snapped it open, and the tadpole crashed into the Nightwalker. Nyx couldn't look on. At what the Nightwalker did to the tadpole and averted her eyes from the scene. Terrible noises ensued as the two tore into each other, sounds Nyx couldn't even describe rung across the forest. Her mental kingdom shuddered.
The Mycoweaver spun another enormous cocoon around them, pliable and strong. Nyx hastened to her lookout point and shifted her mental landscapes again. Like a conductor she orchestrated the symphony. The forest parted and the way to the black portal cleared. Shroud stood ready at the barrier. Demons throwing themselves against the barrier from within, scraping and clawing at Shroud.
--- --- ---
Tav
Beads of sweat were collecting along Shadowheart's forehead.
Tav eased her grip on Nyx and directed at Clive, "Can we help?"
"Nye, I can't enter her mind like Keetjah and Sanika. I doubt any of ye can either, tadpoles or no. Nyx has to see this through herself."
Tav's lip quivered when another severe episode started up again and Clive added, "Ye helping already, more than ye know."
Tav nodded. She started to sing, soothing her nerves and wrapping her magic around Shadowheart, Nyx and Gale for good measure.
--- --- ---
Nyx
Nyx made an upwards motion with her one hand towards the sky and the ground under the cocoon lifted into the air, creating a ramp towards the portal. The tadpole and the Nightwalker were too busy trying to kill each other to notice, and the cocoon rolled downhill. Shroud timed her response, weakening the barrier just enough for the cocoon to melt into it, delivering the duelling monsters within to a hoard of awaiting demons.
Shroud, Nyala and Nyx combined their efforts with the Mycoweaver and together they forced the barrier closer to the portal itself. Demons and monsters fighting soundlessly within. The portal erupted and its black tendrils lashed out, ensnaring the Nightwalker and tadpole alike. Demons swarmed the two and the entire entourage was pulled into the Demon Web pits. Nyx, Nyala and Shroud couldn't force the barrier any closer to the seals as both the portal and its demons resisted their efforts once more. Thus, they relented.
Nyx heaved, her hands on her knees, sweat dripping from her forehead onto the ground below.
Nyala squealed triumphantly and she chanted, "The monsters are gone! The monsters are gone! La la la! The monsters are gone! Whe whe whe!"
Nyx would have snorted had she the energy.
She startled when Shroud patted her on the back and commented, "Fine footwork."
"Heh," Nyx managed between gulping breaths, "There are still... Demons... To contend with."
"Meh, the demons can wait.", Shroud shrugged dismissively, "Nyala and I are going to celebrate while you get some much earned and much needed rest."
Nyx straightened and quipped, "Oh, bless you. That sounds heavenly."
Shroud chuckled, "I thought you'd like that."
--- --- ---
Tav
Eventually, Shadowheart's cooling magic stilled the seizures and the bleeding stopped under Gale's efforts. Shadowheart tended to Nyx's facial wounds. Tav and Astarion tentatively released Nyx's limbs. Gale let out a heavy breath next to her. Astarion's jaw was set, and his focus tracked Shadowheart's progress.
Tav clasped her shaking hands together and mused out loud studying Nyx, "How did Nyx's parasite do that?"
Clive grumbled, "They've been at odds from the start."
Her eyebrows climbed into her hairline, and she admitted, "I knew she had 'muted' it, but nothing to indicate..."
"Aye, Nyx wouldn't allow it free reign and it had been resisting. She locked it away in a corner of her mind. Me thinks it escaped after she was cursed.", the last line was followed by a string of cussing.
Tav wrung her hands, "Will ours do that too? Even with the artefact?"
The corners of Clive's pack gestured upward in what she presumed was his version of a shrug. He said, "Me thinks not. Nyx's magic has always done strange things. Mayhap it influenced her tadpole unexpectedly too?"
----
Tav organized her crew. Karlach, Shadowheart and Astarion would assist getting Nyx back to the Mason’s guild. Tav wanted to search for Arabella’s parents one last time. She had spotted a set of doors at the back of the surgical auditorium after defeating Mallus. The rest of them stared at the doors.
Lae’zel remarked, “There is an unfamiliar presence behind these doors. Is it wise to disturb it?”
Tav nodded in confirmation, “I can feel it too, but”, she glanced back at the broken corpses in the theatre and continued, “It’s not like theirs.”
They readied their mettle and magic nonetheless, and Tav pushed the double doors open. A gods-awful smell assaulted them.
Tav blinked through the tears and the coughing. It was a laboratory of sorts. A giant stone slab in the middle of the room encircled by an elevated area of stone shelves lined with hundreds of bottles. The stench abated through the open doors, and Tav stepped into the room proper. Candles played off the bottles' contents.
Wyll scowled at the contents of the jars in the shelves closest to him, “By the hells! He was no healer, only a monster.” They were filled with organs, limbs, blood and various other liquids. “Good riddance”, he remarked finally, and the others made noises of agreement. Even Lae’zel seemed to disapprove of the carnage on display.
Tav neared the slab in the middle of the room, her magic lights revealed the outline of two bodies beneath the sheets. She steeled herself and reached toward the fabric.
A disembodied voice spoke, “Don’t. It is best to remember them as they were, not what he had done to them.”
Tav yelped and snatched her hand back. The other circled her protectively, heads searching for the source of the voice. Recognition flashed in Tav’s memories, and she prompted carefully in a small voice, “Sister Lidwin? Is that you?”
Tav gave Lae’zel a reassuring pat on the shoulder and she eased her stance at the materializing apparition before them.
Warmth radiated from Sister Lidwin’s ghost, and she said in a practised yet comforting intonation, “I helped them as much as I could in their last moments.” She strolled toward the bodies.
Tav chewed her lip glancing between the bodies and Sister Lidwin. Tav asked, “Were they tieflings?”
Sister Lidwin’s nurse's veil bobbed in reply, and she said softly, placing a hand on one of the body’s foreheads, “Yes, these are Arabella’s parents.”
Tav gaped and the Sister chuckled sweetly, “I am not the only ghost to walk these halls or this town. Not all of us have succumb to Shadow. We have been watching your progress, hoping you’d free us from the nightmare too.”
“I, uh”, Tav took a deep breath unsure of how to ask the next question, “Are they… trapped too?”
Sister Lidwin shook her head, “No. Even though you couldn’t save them in life, Mallus Thorm’s defeat meant that they could move on. They knew you'd found Arabella and made sure she was safe. They are at peace knowing that.”
Tav’s lip began to quiver, and Gale’s hand gripped hers. Tav sighed, both disappointed and relieved. She thanked the Sister nonetheless.
Sister Lidwin smiled softly and stated, “It is a debt repaid, all that I could do in gratitude for your assistance.”, her gaze settled on the others, and she made a curtsy, “For all of your assistance.”
Tav returned the smile and nodded in return, “Would you be able to move on in peace?”
She shook her head, albeit not in sadness, “Not yet. Only once the curse has been lifted. However, you have brought us more peace than we have known in centuries.” She turned her head as though something called to her and left with a parting request, “Thank Nyx for me. None of us would be here if she wasn’t willing to fight so hard for all of you. And tell her that, I’m sorry.”
--- --- ---
Nyx
The dreamless sleep passed too quickly when her body urgently beckoned her awake. Nyx found herself seated upright in her own tent. Her stomach churned and she fled out of the tent, her hand over her mouth.
By the Abyss, indoors?!
She vaguely remembered mention of the Mason's guild. The camp was quite, the rest asleep. Her bleary eyed, mild-panicky sweep with her whiskers guided her out of the building and toward the docks of the guild in a few short shadow steps. She purged more curse from her body behind some crates. Fortunately, this time round she could shadow step her way back to her tent afterward and retrieved a water bottle along with some herbs from her pack. She returned to the docks and plopped onto a barrel closest to the water's edge.
Thank the Graces, she sighed, chewing on some mint after finishing the contents of one water bottle. Parley followed and she savoured how such simple digestive remedies can refresh both body and mind. Two more water bottles and another round of herbal sprigs had her feeling like a person again.
Though I remain cursed.
She watched things move in the shadows on the opposite shore, musing over how she had too gained a very personal stake in seeing the curse be made undone.
Escorting Ketheric Thorm to his tomb and sealing both inside once more.
Hopefully, for the last time. Her dark thoughts lifted when a familiar presence brushed against her whiskers.
A smile on her lips and in her voice, she greeted, "Bellinor."
Nyx turned when he didn't answer. The wee hours of the Shadowlands hid his features from her, but hesitation lined his stance. She chewed her lip, Is he afraid?, and her hand absently touched her temple.
He spoke softly. Matter-of-factly even, "The wound is fully healed, though Shadowheart said she did what she could for the scarring."
Her fingers traced the branching scars, reminiscent of roots they spread from her temple reaching around her ear. The thought of it didn't please her, but she was glad to be rid of it regardless - a small price to pay - Well, from a 'purely physical' perspective. The scars left on her mind and memories would haunt her for some time to come.
He remained stock still. The once comfortable silence they shared before felt strained in this moment. She decided it best to address the lingering uncertainty that the dragging stillness attempted to avoid. Nyx stood and walked over to him.
He neither closed the distance, nor did he retreat. She stopped once she could make out his expression and looked him straight in the eyes.
I owe him that much.
He regarded her with an unusual neutrality. She gathered up her resolve, wondering why it was harder to do so standing in front of him than when she was faced with a myriad of monsters, shadows and demons.
"Astarion," she began searching for the words, looking away briefly. She would have wanted him to interject, but he waited patiently, as always, for her to scrape her thoughts into something meaningful. Her eyes met his searching gaze, and she mused at first, "Distance has always been a wise teacher. Reflection imposed by space and time, especially when I was trapped within the curse... I had every right to be angry at you." Her voice tightened, and he shifted uncomfortably, but he remained unreadable. She continued, "However, even that seems distant now. I was reminded that the person one becomes to survive often lies in stark contradiction with the one we truly are."
He tilted his head, and his jaw moved. Where his words failed him, she continued, "You are not what he made you do, or what you have done to survive. I am the last to cast judgment when I too have resorted to monstrous deeds to overcome another. The only difference being that I was able to choose my actions." She smiled warmly. His neutrality faltering and she continued, "And if you're still willing: I would also like to have something real with you too."
His expression cycled through several different emotions making her own bravado wither. She added quickly, "But should you rather not, because of -", she gestured to the cursed-scared side of her face, "I understand," she managed firmly, though forcing the knot from her throat in an uncomfortable swallow.
He gaped at her then, "I, no, my dear", he looked around as though the words were hiding between the crates. He took a deep breath, and his eyes shone with determination, "I've always appreciated that," he made a noise of acknowledgement, "We share a deeper connection. Including our darkness. I've found comfort in that - knowing we accept it in each other, without prejudice. I don't fear your darkness. Your…" He paused for a moment but relented, disliking the word he chewed, "Curse, does not change that." She beamed at him, and he added sheepishly, "I'm sure we'll dispel it too once all is said and done."
A flood of joy and relief swept over her. Not knowing what to do with the swirling emotions, she bounded on her toes and blurted, "I missed you", flinging her arms around him and locking him in a hug.
His body went rigid. A jolt of recognition shot through her when she remembered his touch aversion. She wanted to pull away, but he caught her retreat and drew her closer again. Nuzzling into her hair he spoke softly, "I missed you too."
She relaxed into his embrace, burying her face into his chest. He sighed and his tension abated. They held each other for what seemed like forever.
This is wonderful.
Progressive fatigue blanketed her.
His chuckle roused her, "My dear, I won't mind staying here for the remainder of the night. But I would rather you rest properly in your tent."
She managed a hmm in agreement, then another in disapproval when he released her to stand on her own two feet. He chuckled again. Grinning he offered his hand to her in a slow flourished motion. She took it without hesitation. He led her back to camp.
She quipped groggily as they reached her tent, "You goin' to tuck me in?"
He scoffed amused, "I'll try."
He was an expert at helping her out of her clothes and into her sleepwear, but not so much at the ‘tucking-in’ part. She hid her smile in her bedroll. To his credit he did give her a peck on the head.
She muffled a query when he stood, "No cuddle?"
His eyes and fangs flashed, "It would be my pleasure to do so, my sweet. However, I don't want to disturb your sleep tonight. You can look forward to that tomorrow evening, hm?"
She mumbled, "I'm goin' hold you to it."
"I'd have it no other way."
--- --- ---
Astarion
"R'hunni'vah", he finished, but she had fallen asleep by that time. He smiled at her and saw himself to the pillows in the corner of the tent, settling himself down for the night. He had already hunted, after he and the others had returned to camp and Shadowheart had stabilized Nyx.
It was unfamiliar and disconcerting, caring so for another. He needed a distraction after everything that transpired in the plaza and a hunt usually provided that. But, instead of clearing his head; he rehearsed a slew of various confessions, appeals and explanations. Trying to find the right words, but they eluded him. And he remained mute standing before her, his mind in a stupor.
Words were always the easiest. He tried to force them from his lips, yet he couldn't formulate one sensible sentence.
Mercifully, her convictions allowed him to find his. Heartfelt, messy and sincere. The most he had ever been. It was terrifying. Like Tav said.
He scoffed at himself, I don't know if this resembles 'normal'. His gaze rested on her sleeping form; I do know that this... This feels right.
And if he were truly honest with himself, he would go so far as to concede to, Adoring.
Published: 14 Feb 2025
