Chapter Text
You go down just like holy Mary
Mary on a, Mary on a cross.
Mary on a Cross - Ghost
Her entire body ached . As she experimentally wiggled her fingers and toes, Andromeda Vaas immediately noted that this was not the satisfying ache of tired muscles after a long day of training. This was a bone deep weakness that forced a sharp gasp as pain from her lungs as pain shot through her limbs. Her head was pounding, a steady thumb, thumb, thumb in time with her beating heart, and the bright light assaulting her eyelids certainly wasn't helping. But, she thought, its warm... so -. One eyelid cracked open before she squeezed it shut again. Yes, that was the sun - thank the Gods - not some artificial light from one of Zariel's machines, or the nightmarish light the Demon Queen occasionally used in her torture sessions. It was beautiful and warm and... and it's hot rays were beginning to burn her damp skin.
Andromeda let the blistering heat seep into her bones for a moment, basking in it, before her mind lurched. Why am I damp? Where is everyone? What in the Hells happened?
Just like that her brain flickered to life and the fragmented memories from the past day rushed back to her.
A nautiloid appeared in the blue skies overhead, completely soundless in a way that no gargantuan ship of metal and flesh had any right being. The tieflings around her didn't react immediately, not as the sun was blotted out by the monstrosity above them, but, when the tentacles began to descend, the panicked screams rose in a cacophony that was all too familiar to Andromeda. The civilians scattered, pulling the little hellions with them as they dove for the trees, but the Vaas family, along with the rest of the small contingency of banished Hellriders that escorted the group from Elturel and Baldur's Gate, remained rooted in the road. Andromeda gripped her sheathed scimitars, keen eyes tracking the closest tentacle as it wound its way through the skies. Her father stood just a few feet ahead, flanked by her eldest brother, Sadrine, who, before their banishment, had been a elite member of the Hellrider Sorcere, and Zevlor, a rider captain who had risen through the ranks in her father's unit. To either side of Andromeda were her two other brothers, Felyx and Haven, both of whom had sworn their oaths to Elturel long ago.
As Andromeda continued to track the tentacles, she realized that she was the only person left on the road who hadn't sworn any oaths to defend Elturel, though she, like the rest of the warriors around her, had been shunned by the City she loved and had faught her way back to. Her experience had simply happened years before.
Then there was a sharp cry from the treeline and Andromeda spun, her body moving on instinct, as she recognized her brother-in-law's voice screaming for their youngest. Andy, the tiny blue hellion who reminded Sadrine so much of his lost sister that he had named him for her, was running towards them through the trees. As he burst from the tree line, Andromeda's stomach dropped, because there, looming 15 feet above the small boy, was the closest of the ship's tentacles. Sheer terror froze her heart as it curled through the skies, altering course automatically as it sensed a new, more vulnerable target.
Sadrine's voice broke through the ever-growing noise around her as she screamed for his son. She could hear his eldritch sword clatter to the ground and the scatter of gravel as his feet slipped against the loose road beneath them. His body went down hard, the plate crashing against the rocks below. Her father was moving, as was Zevlor, and Haven, and Felyx - every single Hellrider moved as one, trying to make it to the boy. But their armour was cumbersome. They wouldn’t reach Andy in time.
Andromeda, though, she was faster. Eleven years spent in the Pit had forged her into a wholly different weapon from the rest of the Vaas clan, she was quick and agile. Ruthless and efficient in her movements. The oaths carved into her bicep commanded that she never hesitate, never yield, never fail in her goals; and, even though she was further from the boy, she’d reach him before any of the others could. She launched herself forward, moving faster than even she thought possible, and barreled into the young hellion. Her arms tightened around the boy as she spun, picking him up off his feet and launching his tiny form into the air towards his father. She only knew that he had been safely snatched from the air by the clatter of her father's gauntlets and the sharp orders he gave as he handed the boy off.
But Andromeda was busy dodging the tentacles that were bearing down on her. The first had been joined by three others, all circling around her as her scimitars spun wildly, trying to push past the guard she held. They were fast, too fast, even for her. She risked a look to the side and caught sight of her family moving in.
No.
She dropped the scimitars and flung out her hands, calling upon every ember of brimstone still burning in her blood, every piece of her that still sang the song of the Hells, of the Blood War. She could feel the fires below answer her call, carving their way through the bedrock below, until a wall of fire burst forth. It rose, higher and higher, as Andromeda gritted her teeth against the strain. Her body ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the tentacles as they continued their relentless pursuit. Her father was screaming, powerful wings flapping as he dropped his mortal form and took to the skies, trying to outfly the wall of flame that kept him from her.
She gnashed her teeth and squeeze her eyes shut tighter against the pain as she forced the wall higher and higher. She was surrounded by hellfire, she was the hellfire. The burn in her blood was familiar and painful all at once. Her brothers' voices rose from beyond the wall now, screaming for her, and she could feel Sadrine's magic trying to intercept, but this was no spell. This was her. Even if he wielded the magic of the Hells, she was the Hells. Forged in their fires, steel sharpened by the brimstone of Avernus. Sweat was beading along her forehead as she continued to duck and dodg the tentacles looming above her.
Just buy them time. Buy them time. Those words were a song echoing in her head, the beat was the pounding of her heart as she continued to spin, diving out of the way of the tentacles' ever increasing attacks. Faster and faster they came until, finally, Andromeda stumbled. She felt the sudden weightlessness of falling and then… she was unmade.
It lasted only a moment, two perhaps, before she was reassembled, trapped inside a pod, an odd combination of otherworldly mechanics and flesh. She screamed, rage burning away in her chest, and clawed at the glass separating her from the rest of the room. The pod was small, but she shoved her shoulder against its glass once, twice, three times before the figure looming in the shadows at the back of the room spun. The tiefling recoiled, pressing herself as far back against the fleshy back of the pod as the small space would allow. A Mindflayer. It floated several feel above the ground, tentacles swaying back and forth in time with some unknown melody. It was wearing odd armor, with a massive, ornate collar arching high over its head. The monster floated forward, flicking one long claw in the direction of the glowing pool at the centre of the room. As it drew closer and closer, she felt her breaths come quicker, her chest growing tight, and her fingers numb. It co*cked its head, glowing orange eyes assessing her with a frank intelligence that terrified her. It’s clawed fingers reached forward, curling into a fist, and Andromeda could only scream as its psionic powers blasted through her mind, forcing her body back against the fleshy portion of the pod. She tried to close her eyes, to turn her head, but she wasn't in control.
The glass opened and she tried to dive from the pod, but her body refused to cooperate. She fought against it, trying to force her limbs to move. She needed to run. She needed a weapon. She needed to think. But thinking was impossible, not when the Mindflayer’s power assaulted her mind once more, forcing her head back harder against the fleshy back panel of the pod and her eyes wide open.
It was gliding towards her, one hand outstretched and pushing its powers into her mind while the other carefully cradled a wriggling worm.
No. No. Not like this. Please, Lathander, not like this.
But Lathander’s presence was entirely absent aboard the ship. There would be no divine intervention to save her from this fate. The worm’s teeth gnashed and its wiggling intensified as its master laid it, almost reverently, upon her cheek. She couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t scream as the creature slowly crawled along her skin until it was level with her eye. It arched its tiny body back, teeth gleaming in the unnatural lights of the ship, and launched itself into her tear duct, burrowing through flesh and bone. The pain was blinding as it tore through her flesh, burrowing deep into her brain.
Andromeda’s eyes flew open, the midnight blue orbs wide with the panic rising in her chest. Her body moved of its own accord, rolling through the sand, as bile spewed from her lips. Her breaths were coming harsh, and she choked down a sob as the roiling in her belly finally settled. She needed control. Control over her body, over her mind. But... there was a Mindflayer worm in her brain… She was dead. She was dead, dead, dead. Eleven years of torment, of fighting, of loneliness. She had just gotten out. Just gotten her family back. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair.
She screamed through her teeth, beating her fists against the packed sand beneath her as she tried to force the sobs back.
It wouldn't help. It never helped. She needed control. She needed... she needed the Gith.
Lae’zel, her mind supplied, she said her name was Lae’zel. She would surely know something. Andromeda wiped her mouth on the back of her glove, chest heaving as she braced herself against the sand beneath her. She was on a beach, but the landscape was unfamiliar, though she was at least sure she wasn’t in the Hells. She took a deep breath, allowing the briny air of the sea to fill her lungs and banish the sulfuric air of the Hells, before she staggered to her feet. Her head swam, a dizziness sweeping through her mind as she rose on unsteady legs. She was weak, clumsy in a way she hadn’t been since those first few years under Zariel’s thumb, but she couldn’t afford to waste time sitting in the sand. She needed to find Lae'zel.
Andromeda took one unsteady step, then another, bracing herself against some of the wreckage as she surveyed the damage around her. Bodies of fishermen were strewn across the beach, intersped amongst the burning wreckage of the nautiloid she had crashed into this once peaceful coastline.
More deaths on my conscience. Sorrow and regret wracked her heart as she gazed down at the fisherman. His eyes were open and the fear of his final moment was etched across the weathered lines of his face. Andromeda bent down, fingers gently closing the older man’s eyes, and offered a silent prayer to Lathander before she straightened once more. No dizziness this time, at least.
A glint of metal caught her eye a short distance down the beach and… yes, it was the half-elf. Shadowheart. Her plate was reflecting the sun like a beacon, drawing Andromeda to her like a moth to flame. The tiefling moved quickly, bones barking their protest as she sprinted along the beach, slipping through the sand, until she fell to her knees next to the dark-haired woman.
She was breathing. Andromeda’s gloved hands reached out, the burns beneath her reinforced gloves stretched painfully as her fingers gripped the woman’s shoulders and jostled her roughly.
“Shadowheart?! Shadowheart, can you hear me?!” She couldn’t keep the panic from her voice, couldn’t stop how it broke as she remembered the woman’s desperate pleas for help. Thankfully, she didn’t have long to wait, as Shadowheart’s eyes popped open, terror swimming in their green depths for a moment before she focused on the mint-coloured tiefling hovering above her, blocking the sun. Andromeda’s breath left her, relief sinking into her bones - she wasn’t alone “Oh, thank the Gods, you’re alive!”
Shadowheart appeared to be in shock. Her mouth gaped open like a fish, and her wide eyes scanned Andromeda’s face. Then the gleam of recognition flared in their depths. “You’re alive. I’m alive. H- how is that possible?”
Andromeda leaned back on her heels, and toppled, in her crouched position, hard into the sand. A breath of air whooshed from her lungs as her arse connected with the packed sand - a breath letting loose that she hadn't realized she had been holding “We took control of the ship. Then one of the red dragons attacked, and we were sucked out the side as it crashed… Do you have any idea where we are? Is this Faerun?”
Andromeda couldn’t help the slight twinge of desperation that crept into her voice. If she was still in Faerun, she might be able to find her family. She could make sure they were safe, that they hadn’t been taken as well.
Shadowheart looked around, keen eyes scanning the landmass around them, before she took a deep breath. A soft smile spread across her lips as she focused back on Andromeda, “We’re in Faerun… somewhere near Moonhaven from what I can tell. I recognize that rock formation over there.” She pointed further down the beach to where several steep cliff faces rose up to form three isolated rock formations.
Andromeda curled forward, relief surging from every pore as she took in the half-elf’s words. Moonhaven. That wasn’t terribly far from where she had been taken. The tieflings from Elturel may still be nearby… She folded her feet beneath herself and rose to her full height, extending an arm to her companion as she did so. “I was traveling with a group of Hellriders near here, evacuating tieflings from Elturel. They may be near… someone there might have an idea to help us.”
Shadowheart’s hand gripped Andromeda’s forearm tightly, and the tiefling leveraged her body weight to pull the woman up. “Excellent. We’ll need to find shelter and supplies as well, did they have any to spare?”
Andromeda shook her head, long curls falling from between her horns, and sent Shadowheart a sidelong glance “Not particularly. They’ll likely be willing to part with some rations, but there are quite a few of them and very few resources. The hellions alone require more resources than they have to spare." She shuffled forward, scanning the ground for anything useful. She needed a weapon - scimitars if she could find them, but anything would do. Her fingers twitched minutely, confirming that her daggers were still hidden in the bracers under her gloves. Shadowheart was a few feet to her right, pulling clumps of mugweed from the ground and folding them delicately into an alchemist pouch dangling at her waist. "Do you brew?"
The cleric jumped slightly, as if she had forgotten Andromeda was there, or as if she wasn't accustomed to being noticed. "Not particularly well, but I'm passable. If we can't find someone to purchase potions and elixers from, mine will suffice, but the potency is difficult to predict without the proper equipment..." The young woman trailed off, tying her pouch back to her belt, before continuing to pick her way along the beach.
Andromeda nodded, tugging loose the cover of an upended barrel and crowing with joy as she pulled out a set of thieves tools. The set was old, somewhat rusted, but they would suffice until she caught up to the tieflings and could grab her pack. She raised the satchel up, shaking it slightly as Shadowheart peered back over her shoulder "Got something good over here, at least. If we come across any chests, I should be able to pop the lock relatively easily with these." Andromeda jogged further up the beach, scanning the sands for any signs of Lae'zel. There were no tracks, no signs of a disturbance or cover up. If the woman had fallen near them, and that was a big if considering the numerous planes the nautiloid had careened through after she had steered them out of Avernus, there was no sign that she had been on the beach. "Did you happen to see where our Gith friend fell? I don't see any signs of her having been on the beach..." She trailed off, hands resting on her hips as she continued to peer around, only turning to look back at Shadowheart after a minute of silence passed. When Andromeda's midnight blue eyes met Shadowheart's forest green orbs, she couldn't help but arch a perfectly arched brow at the look on the other woman's face.
"I'd be careful of the Gith, if I were you. They aren't known to be particularly trustworthy, you know." Shadowheart's derision for Lae'zel was palpable and Andromeda felt herself grow weary at the mere thought of trying to mediate between the two strong personalities, one of whom seemed to have a very personal grudge against the other for no other discernible reason than she was Githyanki. Her thoughts trailed back to a few short months prior, after her initial escape, and the group she had fallen in with. They were all Hellriders and none were particularly subtle in expressing their strong dislike for Andromeda Vaas, the Traitor of Elturel, especially in those initial days. It hadn't mattered that everything they had known about her was dramatically skewed in favour of the cambion who had trapped her. It didn't matter that she had been dragged into Avernus kicking and screaming, fighting after the stinging realization that she had been tricked, manipulated by someone she loved. And as those memories ran rampant through her mind, she found herself feeling a kinship with the Gith woman who had vanished.
"You seem to have an... issue with Lae'zel. I understand that she wasn't particularly willing to help you on the nautiloid, but... Shadowheart, we have to think in terms of the threat we're facing." This was the General speaking now, and Andromeda repressed her shudder at the thought of dredging up that commanding presence once more. "The Gith are formidable warriors. Lae'zel was impressive against that cambion. It took me months to figure out that they've got that blind spot - she saw it in seconds. Besides, the Gith are, perhaps, the single most knowledgable people when it comes to the intricacies of Mindflayers. I'm not in the business of bestowing blind trust, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend. We'd be fools not to take advantage of a resource that presents itself." The tiefling pulled her long, riotous curls up off her neck, securing them into a tight ponytail with a piece of fabric she had ripped from a discarded shirt as she waited for Shadowheart to respond. She could feel the woman processing her statement, keen intelligence gleaming in her eyes as she assessed Andromeda. She knew that look. Shadowheart was assessing for weaknesses. Andromeda's shoulders drew back, back straightening and chin tipping down slightly. Power. Control. Discipline. Authority.
General Andromeda Vaas, the Demon Queen's Champion.
"I...' The woman's voice was soft, contemplative 'I suppose you're right. I - AH!" Andromeda's daggers were in her hands and, in an instant, she had fallen into a fighting stance. Her eyes scanned their surroundings, searching out the source of her companion's alarm, but finding nothing. Her gaze shifted to Shadowheart then, who was cradling her hand close to her chest.
"Are you alright?" Andromeda's entire countenance shifted in a blink. No longer the authoritative leader, or the battle hardened warrior - just a young woman with a kind heart. She stepped forward, searching Shadowheart's face for the source of her alarm. She watched as the cleric's face shuttered, her eyes going blank, and she dropped her hand to her side once more.
"Nothing! Nothing. Sorry - just... just a spider bite, I think. Nothing to worry about." She was lying, Andromeda was sure of it. But, she thought, we all have our secrets... I certainly don't intend to divulge my history to a perfect stranger.
"Alright. So long as you're not hurt." She sent the other woman a small reassuring smile and turned away, giving her some privacy, and continued to pick her way along the beach.
It took the duo another hour to clear the entire beach of anything useful and begin the trek through the wreckage proper. Andromeda couldn't help the sorrow that weighed heavily in her chest as she closed countless fishermen's eyes and, as they crested a small rise near the entrance of the wreckage, she felt that sorrow keenly. There was a group of 3 intellect devourers all crowded around the body of a young man. His eyes were wide, terrified, and the monsters were descending upon him, tentacles ripping and tearing. She felt her feet start to move, propelling her closer to the body, but was halted by Shadowheart's hand on her shoulder.
"He's gone, Andromeda. Theres no saving him." She thought she detecting a hint of sorrow in her companion's voice then, and turned to look at her. "We're outnumbered. We're tired. If we run in there now to get them off a body, we might not make it off this beach at all." Shadowheart's hand dropped and she tilted her head to the side, nodding towards a rocky outcrop a short distance away. "We can probably climb up to the top of the cliff while they're distracted though."
Sighing heavily, Andromeda nodded. She gestured for Shadowheart to take the lead and, together, the pair began the steep climb up the cliff face.
The day was hot, entirely too hot; and, as they reached the top of the cliff and the trees began to crowd them, the pleasant breeze that had been cooling the nape of Andromeda's neck disappeared, leaving the duo to their misery. Without the breeze, all Andromeda could spell was the fires that burned merrily below them, climbing up the wreckage and consuming anything in their way. It reminded her entirely too much of Avernus.
Shadowheart came to a stop, leaning against a thick tree trunk to wipe the sweat from her brow. Her breaths were coming in heaving gasps, the exertion of the climb making itself apparent. Andromeda, for her part, could feel her tender muscles barking their protests. Her thighs were quivering, hamstrings screaming with the effort it took to propel her up some of those rocks. She braced her hands on her hips, and let her body fall forward at the waist. The stretch pulled a low groan from her throat and she let her hands slide down her thighs, pulling her upper body closer and closer until her head was a hair's breath from her knees. It was only when she opened her eyes that she saw the shimmering glint of purple in the rock face through her legs. She popped upright, spinning on her heel as she did so. There was a rune, glowing purple with arcane magic, spitting angry sparks from the cliff face a short distance away.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
Shadowheart turned, eyes trailing along Andromeda's sightline until she was gazing at the rune as well. Her eyebrows rose, disappearing into her short, dark bangs. "I am... it looks... angry?"
Andromeda's feet began to move before her brain caught up with her body, and Shadowheart's bark of panic wasn't enough to curb the path she was cutting through the brush and to the glowing rune. Her feet stuttered to a stop a foot away from the sputtering magic and she tentatively reached out a hand, body coiled like a spring to leap away at the first sign of danger. But there was no danger, just a small zap of magic against her fingers, before a tanned hand pushed from the rune.
"A hand? Anyone?!"
She shared a brief look with Shadowheart, gesturing quickly for the half-elf to help her. The pair each wrapped their hands around the protruding arm and quickly yanked against the pull of the magic. A human man tumbled from the stone, catching himself as he collapsed into the dirt of the path and began chuckling to himself.
"I'm sorry," He guffawed as he stood upright, dusting his hands against his purple robes before shoving one out, taking Andromeda's and shaking it vigorously "I'm Gale of Waterdeep! Pleasure to meet you both!" His grin was wide and infectious as he shifted to take Shadowheart's hand, giving it the same vigorous handshake. "Thank you for you're assistance there. Finding oneself trapped within the weave is a most unpleasant experience when the prison happens to be within a rock. Oh!" His eyes widened as he took Andromeda in more fully, and another slow grin stretched across his features "But I know you, don't I? You were aboard the nautiloid? Am I correct in assuming you were also the victim of a certain insertion? In the ocular region?"
Andromeda felt her eyebrows inch higher and higher with every quickly spoken word the man - Gale - uttered. "Oh! Um... yes. Yes, we were both aboard the nautiloid. We were thrown off as it was crashing and landed on the beach. You..." she trailed off, glancing between Gale and the stone behind him "fell into the stone when you were pulled from the ship?"
He let out a booming laugh "Well, yes, I suppose that is the layman's way to explain the phenomenon. In reality, as I was falling, I noticed a glimmer of weave and pulled myself towards it. Pulled a bit too hard, though. Thank you ever so much for your assistance... Say, one of you wouldn't happen to have a means of removing these little monstrosities, would you?"
Shadowheart spoke up, her spine straight and voice confident. "You seem to know enough about magic that you must understand that this is beyond most clerics capabilities. We are, however, in the process of searching for someone with such power."
Andromeda turned from her then and offered the man a smile "You're more than welcome to join us, Gale. We've searched the beach for survivors, and had planned to make our way through the wreckage. Shadowheart says we're near Moonhaven, so hopefully we'll find someone who can help soon."
His grin was contagious. "That would be most excellent! I would love to join you all! Say, are either of you particularly learned with the Weave?"
The trio hadn't need to go far before stumbling upon more company. This time, though, when Andromeda sprinted up a short incline and launched herself at one of the two tieflings who were surveying a triggered trap, neither Shadowheart nor Gale wasted time in joining her.
"Nymessa! Oh thank the Gods - where are the others? My father? Brothers?" Andromeda's arms ached, but she clung tightly to the taller red tiefling before pulling back and dragging the second into an equally fierce hug.
"Andy! We were so worried! Your family is at the Druid's Grove nearby, just follow that path there - when we left everyone was still there, but they were talking about sending some of the more senior Riders out on recognizance. Zorru went out earlier with one of the others, but came back alone. They ran into a Gith near the mountain pass and then we found this one skulking about." Nymessa gestured to the trap behind her where Lae'zel was dangling 20 feet in the air, seething like a wet cat.
Get. Me. Down. Andromeda heard Lae'zel's furious voice echoing in her mind and raised a single brow at the other woman.
"She's with me. She helped me escape... let her loose." She could see the confusion cross both Nymessa and Damays' faces, but her tone brokered no argument. They slowly reached over to the rope holding the trap aloft and sliced it, causing Lae'zel to crash to the ground. "Thank you. You both head back to the Grove. We're going to finish scouting the wreckage and we'll join you all there later. And Nymessa? Could you tell the boys I'll be back? Please? I... I'm sure they're worried."
Nymessa sent her Captain's sister a soft smile and nodded her head before turning on her heel and jogging back through the small canyon towards the Grove.
After watching the retreating backs of the tieflings for a moment, Andromeda turned back to where Lae'zel continued to stew inside the makeshift cage. "Now, how on Toril did you manage to get yourself in this situation?"
The Gith sniffed, levelling her golden eyes on the smiling tiefling, and sneered "Let me out, teeth-ling. Now."
Andromeda choked on a giggle. "I'm sorry, did you just say teeth-ling? Its tiefling. And why should I? Where were you off to in such a hurry?"
Lae'zel's eyes rolled slightly, the irritation on her face palpable in the air "Because I know the key to curing us of our affliction. Those tieflings spoke of a Zorru who encounted my kin. I must find them. They will be able to direct me to a Creche to be purified. If you release me... I shall allow you to accompany me."
Andromeda's head tilted to the side and her brows pulled together "Purified? What does that entail, exactly?"
Lae'zel choked out an impatient noise, her fingers gripping the makeshift bars "It is the process by which Queen Vlaakith allows her noble warriors to be rid of gaik infection. It shall save us all if you are not a fool and release me."
Andromeda shared a look with Shadowheart and Gale before carefully picking her way down the incline towards where the cage lay. The thieves tools she found were well made, she learned, as they quickly unlocked the padlock. Lae'zel shoved the door open, disgust clearly written across her features as she stormed a short distance away to where her weapons were resting. As she began strapping each piece carefully to her amour, Andromeda leaned against a nearby tree trunk. "Well, at least we have two leads now. The Grove will likely have healers - an Archdruid may be able to help with our problem. If not, then the Creche might be able to assist." She turned her face up towards the sun, examining how high it was in the sky, before turning to stride back up the rise "Come along then, we have a lot of ground to cover before evening. I want to clear the rest of this wreckage before doubling back to the Grove. No point in us having to come back tomorrow to search it all."
The group was meticulous in their search. No barrel, crate, or chest was left unopened. Each corpse was searched, both for identification, and for anything of particular value, and, as a result, they were collecting a decently sized armoury. Dammon will be pleased to have something to forge with, at least, Andromeda thought and she weighed a poorly made dagger. They had discovered several goblin bodies lying near the wreckage, along with a Mindflayer barely clinging to life, but the search, thus far, had been uneventful.
Uneventful until they heard the desperate calls for help coming from further down the path. Andromeda's steps picked up speed, jogging closer to the sound, only to discover a pale, white-haired elven man pointing a dagger into the bushes. "You there! I have one of those brain things cornered - you can kill it, can't you? Like you killed the others?"
Andromeda's eyes slid to Shadowheart - how had this man known the group had doubled back to kill the intellect devourers she and Shadowheart had seen earlier? He couldn't... unless he had been watching them. She darted her eyes to the side, tipping her chin for Shadowheart to take to the man's other side. "Of course... Happy to help." She stepped forward, body coiled tightly with suspicion, and made a show of turning her back on the stranger to peer through the bushes.
A boar darted out between the brambles and, underneath the animals panicked cries, there was the distinct scuff of moving feet closing in on her unprotected back. Andromeda spun, ducking out of the way of the elf's blade and sidestepping back into place alongside Shadowheart. Her lip pulled up in a sneer as the stranger stumbled, feet sliding through the gravel as he hurried to catch himself, then whirled around, dagger held out in a defensive position.
"If this is a robbery, you're off to a poor start, friend. You've also backed yourself into a corner and are severely outnumbered..." Andromeda's chin tipped to the area just beyond the bushes, where the ground fell away, then lifted her arms to gesture at her three companions, who had circled around the lone elf. "I'll give you the opportunity to explain yourself now."
The man's red eyes darted back and forth between each of her companions, his feet shuffling nervously as he calculated his odds of making it out of this encounter alive if he tried to fight his way out. "You're in league with them!" He exclaimed. His voice had taken on a shrill, panicked quality. "I saw you! Waltzing about that ship while the rest of us were locked away in pods! I-"
A sharp pain split Andromeda's skull. She yelped and clutched at her head, barley having the presence of mind to realize that the man was also grimacing in pain. Then...
Baldur's Gate. The Upper City. The moon high in the sky and a tanned hand clutched in a pale one. The scene shifted to inside a pod, and Andromeda immediately recognized the nautiloid. She was watching through someone's eyes... the elf's eyes... as she darted along the chamber, driving a dagger into one of the imps that was blasting spells her way.
She was back in her body. The fresh air of the Sword Coast was in her lungs. She wasn't back on the ship.
"What in the Hells? What was that?" He had dropped his dagger and was gawking at her with guarded confusion.
"I... I think I was in your head. Were you in mine?" Her eyes met his and, from his expression, she knew he had been. "Right... well... I didn't have that ability this morning. Did you?" A slow shake of his head. No. "Potentially a side effect of the tadpoles then... I'm not in league with the Mindflayers. None of us are. We were all taken and infected, same as you."
His eyes were calculated, clearly assessing the information she had provided. Then, just as quickly, a charming smile flit across his face: "Well! So wonderful that we've cleared that up! Apologies, I was ready to decorate the ground with your innards. The name's Astarion." He didn't bother to extend his hand to shake. Andromeda was smirking at the handsome man despite herself - he was amusing, if nothing else.
"You certainly could have tried, Astarion. But if your first attempt was anything to go by, I imagine my innards were quite safe. Yours, on the other hand..." She trailed off, winking at him with a smile. "Andromeda Vaas. This is Shadowheart, Gale, and Lae'zel." She sized him up once more. "You know... we're searching for a cure. You're welcome to join us, if you'd like?"
His stance shifted, one hand rising to play with the ruffles of his collar. Casual. Indifferent. Desperate for regain the upper hand. Andromeda smiled - she'd play his game.
"Hm. I was ready to go this alone but... Alright! Why not. More heads are better than one and all that posh."
As the steadily growing group approached a large, clear area encircled with high rock walls and a massive gate covered in ivy, Astarion's ear perked up. "Someone's angry..." he mused, sending a smirk to Andromeda before darting ahead and peering around a large boulder. When she caught up, the tiefling crouched low, angling her body to gaze at the group screaming up over the rockwall. They were demanding to be let in, beseeching whoever guarded this glen to open the gate.
"You led goblins here?! Where is the druid!"
Zevlor. He was furious. Andromeda felt like she was flying, knowing how close her family was, and started darting forward. Before she could get more than two paces away, she was halted by a hand on her arm. Lae'zel's grip was firm, unyielding, as she nodded her head across the clearing to where a small legion of goblins, wargs, and bugbears were rushing into something that might have been a formation. Three archers climbed up the boulders just ahead of where Andromeda was running and took aim.
She turned to the group, any joy that had broken across her face at the thought of her family had been pushed to the furthest reaches of her mind, as she fell into what was familiar. "Astarion - stay hidden and pick them off form a distance. Daggers only if they get too close - your first priority is to protect Gale and Shadowheart. You two," Her gaze cut to the two spellcasters "you know your magic best - do what needs to be done. Shadowheart, keep us alive. Lae'zel," Andromeda twitched her fingers and the daggers hidden beneath her gloves popped into view. "you're with me. We take out the archers, then fight to the gate." With one final nod at her companions, Andromeda leapt over the boulders and shoved her dagger through the eye of the closest archer before turning to swipe at the tendon of the second. It dodged out of the way, only for an arrow to fly from Astarion's bow to lodge itself in its eye. He crowed joyfully and sent her a mocking bow.
"One for me, darling. Do try to keep up."
Andromeda let out a sharp laugh, throwing him a middle finger over her shoulder as she continued to push towards the gate. Lae'zel was at her side, sword slashing through a warg that thought to make her an easy meal. Missiles of magic whooshed past her, ruffling her hair as they buried themselves in a bugbear standing between her and the small contingency of fighters protecting the gate.
Granted, they were also the ones who brought this fight dow upon them, but she supposed that was an argument to be had after the bloodbath. As she sliced through the neck of a goblin bearing down upon the group's archer, Andromeda felt Zevlor's arrows fly through the air, picking off goblins as they tried to reform a line. She spun on her heel, ducking as a bugbear swung a mace at her head, and stabbed into its thigh, dragging her blade down the length. She left it there in the dirt. It would bleed out on its own.
"Thats three, Astarion."
"That one isn't dead yet!" His sharp response was punctuated by the twang of his bowstring as he fired at a small group trying to swarm a man across the clearing. He had jumped from the top of the gate, sword swinging wildly and eldritch magic blasting.
Andromeda spared a look to the bugbear who... yes. That was the death rattle. "He's dead now."
Stab, slice, cut. Stab, slice, cut. Stab, slice, cut. Over and over her blades slid through the enemy's flesh, either landing a killing blow or sending her opponent to the ground where they would bleed out into the dirt. Andromeda had learned long ago that a clean kill was a luxury. You kill them outright, or you land a blow that fells them and kills them slowly. Either way, they never rose to continue the battle.
Shadowheart's voice cut through the screaming around her: "ANDROMEDA!"
A mace crunched into her ribs, sending a rush of pain through her chest. Andromeda gasped and clung to the mace, instincts taking over as she drove her daggers forward. But the goblin that had landed the blow was suddenly bathed in radiant light. It was burning. The smell of burning flesh scorched into her mind, forcing her back, back, back, until she was kneeling in the Demon Queen's throne room.
"You have disappointed me, General. For that you must be punished" Lolth's voice was silken. So quiet the room had to be completely silent for her to be heard. But the power behind everything she said was terrifying. From her place on the cold marble floor, kneeling in a pool of her own blood, Andromeda tried not to shiver at the malice that laced through every word the Demon Queen spoke.
Andromeda had been in the Hells long enough to have learned that fighting only made it worse. The beasts down here enjoyed it. Resistance only spurned them on. So she didn't fight as the guards grabbed her by the shoulders. Didn't resist when they dragged her up the dais to the pit of flame that crackled there. But she screamed and cried when they pushed her hands into its depths and held them there.
She blinked, still staring at the charred corpse before her. She wasn't in the Pit. She was on the Sword Coast. There was a battle. She was fighting.
But the battle had fallen silent around her. Her eyes rose to take in the scene. The fight was over. And her companions were looking at her with confusion writ across their faces.
"Oh. Um... Good. Good job, everyone. We -" She took one look around, to confirm that they hadn't lost anyone. "We should check the bodies. Pull anything... anything useful. Then go inside. My... my group is in there. We might be able to find some answers."
It turned out answers were not what they would be met with. Instead, Andromeda walked through the gates to find Zevlor and the human man, Aradin, from outside staring one another down. Each was clenching their fists, clearly near their limit. She rushed forward, pushing between the two men and firmly planting her hands on their chests, pushing them back as much as she could. "Woah, woah, woah. One fight just ended and you all want another one right here in front of the hellions?"
The human smacked her arm away and sneered down at her. "I didn't ask you, foulblood."
Her eyes narrowed just as Zevlor burst out: "You owe her your life, you fool!"
"I didn't ask for her help!" Gods, this man was an entitled prick.
"And yet you needed it all the same" Andromeda sneered, lip pulling up over her fang in a snarl. She gazed up at the man with clear contempt. "What kind of coward leads a hostile group back to a sanctuary where children are present?!"
He looked about ready to burst. Andromeda could see the tell tale signs of a man on the edge. The way his fists clenched and unclenched. A vein pounded in his temple. He was about to blow and, if her instincts were correct, the explosion would be aimed right at her. She didn't have the opportunity to strike first, though, as a green fist shot out and punched the human in the face, knocking him out cold.
Andromeda's mouth hung open, gaze locked on the crumpled form at her feet. Her eyes followed the legs of his attacker up, up, up to Lae'zel's face, just as she spat on his tunic. "Lae'zel... what... what was that?"
Lae'zel's focus shifted to her, gaze locking on her shocked expression, and her features shifted to confusion. "It is not customary to defend ones battle sisters? This... human... was insulting you, a far superior warrior by my assessment, was he not? And he would have struck you. A slight against one is a slight against all. In Creche Kil'lear, he would have been hung from the battlements by his tendons and left to rot for his sheer idiocy."
She felt a grin split her face and, with a pointed look to Shadowheart, Andromeda mummered "Thank you, Lae'zel. Your defence of us all is appreciated."
"Andromeda" Zevlor's voice, cutting through the quiet moment between the group, was soft, almost shocked "good Gods, we didn't know if you had survived."
Andromeda turned, a soft smile on her face as she gestured to herself "No worse for the wear, thankfully. I'm... I'm so glad I caught up to you. Where are my brothers? Where's father?" She peered around his shoulder, sure that her siblings were somewhere among the throng that had congregated.
"Your brothers are deeper in the cave, or perhaps they're below with the druids trying to convince Khaga to cease her foolish ritual, but your father... he left on a scouting mission. He was planning to venture to Wakeen's Rest, not far from here. We had heard that there was a contingency traveling with Duke Ravenguard taking respite there and thought to offer our assistance. More soldiers to protect the Duke, more soldiers to protect the civilians..." He trailed off, eyes still scanning her over for any signs of injury. She felt her heart warm at that. Just a few short months ago, that look would have felt calculated... suspicious. Now, though, she had proven herself to these people... they cared for her.
She nodded, turning her mind to the plan he had laid out. It made perfect sense. He'd likely also be carrying news of the nautiloid attacks - that was surely something the Duke would want to know. "Alright... well, we're in need of a healer. Do you know if there is one here?"
"Oh! Yes, I saw that hit you took to the ribs. Yes, there is a druid - Nettie - below in the sanctum. She should be able to help." The older tiefling reached out a hand, gripping Andromeda's shoulder tightly. There were so many emotions dancing across his ordinarily stoic features that Andromeda struggled to maintain eye contact with him. "I am... so glad that you are alright, Andromeda. Truly." She felt her heard lurch at his proclamation and raised her own hand to squeeze his.
"Thank you, Zevlor. I'm glad I found you."
It had taken Andy stamping his little foot and insisting that Aunt Andi was standing right there for Sadrine and Petyr to turn their heads to look over their shoulders. Andromeda, for her part, was leaning against the carved cave wall, smiling softly at the little family with tears in her eyes, all while trying to stifle her giggles. Her companions had, upon realizing where Andromeda was going, decided to divide and conquer. Astarion and Shadowheart were going to venture deeper into the sanctum to find Nettie, while Gale and Lae'zel went to trade their small armoury to Dammon for some much needed coin.
When he had finally gathered his wits, Sadrine had moved so quickly Andromeda had barely seen his form dart across the small room. She was wrapped tightly in his arms before she could blink. Her arms wrapped around her eldest brother, squeezing him tightly and letting the security of his presence wash over her. She let out a shuddering breath and pushed her nose against his neck, smelling the cedar and pine scent that was so very him. "Never do that again, do you hear me Andromeda Sabine Vaas?" He had pushed her away by the shoulders, holding her at arms length to scold her, before shaking his head and dragging her back in for another hug. "We thought we lost you all over again. Father was besides himself, Andi. We all were... Gods above. You... Andi you saved my son. I..." Words rarely failed her brother, but the emotion welling in his eyes told her exactly why they were failing him now.
"I'd do it all again, Sadrine. All of it. I would never let anything hurt him - never again. Do you understand me?"
Sadrine let out a laugh, smothered by the unshed tears lining his eyes, and squeezed her once more. "I understand. When did Little Andy become the protector in this family?"
She smiled widely up at him "I think it was around the time that you three taught me to punch that boy in grade school who made fun of my tail..."
Three little voices crowed from deeper in the cave: "You taught Aunt Andi to punch, Papa?! Why haven't you taught us to punch?!" She arched a brow at her brother, who's face had gone slack as he tried - and failed - to come up with a good enough reason for his astute children. He needn't have thought quite so hard because, at that precise moment, her other two brothers burst into the room, effectively distracting their niece and nephews.
"ZEVLOR SAID ANDY'S BACK! HAVE YOU SEEN HER? HAS SHE BEEN-" She spun around, grinning at them widely, and opened her arms just in time for their shocked faces to morph into unabashed glee. The swooped down on her tiny frame then, squishing her between them and lifting her clear off her feet. Felyx and Haven had always had a habit of speaking in time, or finishing one another's sentences, but that skill was entirely absent as both brothers shouted questions over each other.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT THING?!"
"Who is that absolute smoke show cleric I saw going into Khaga's office?"
She turned sharply to Felyx at that, eyes trained sharply on her brother. "Her name is Shadowheart, and you wouldn't know what to do with her." She turned to Haven "That was a nautiloid. A Mindflayer ship." Back to Felyx "I was on the ship, which brought me back to Avernus, then we crashed it on the beach nearby. I've been wandering around the wreckage collecting the rest of the survivors." Finally, back to Haven "I was thinking that I couldn't let Andy get snatched up. Then I was thinking that I couldn't let any of you fools rush in and get snatched up - don't tell dad I looped him in with you guys."
The boys all gaped at her. "A... a nautiloid? A Mindflayer ship? Wha - Andi... are you okay? What in the Hells happened?" Sadrine was the one who broke the silence. Petyr had tucked the boys into bed and had returned to stand behind him, the halfling's hands gripping his husband's forearm tightly.
Andromeda felt... helpless. She gazed around at her family and felt some of the panic from the beach rise in her chest. "I... I'm not sure. T-they took me and locked me in a pod of some kind then... then a Mindflayer- Well, it... it infected me." She couldn't look at them. She had never told them the particulars of what she went through in the Hells, nor in the Pit. She had always kept her trauma buried deep in her belly, ignoring it unless she was forced to turn and face it head on. So to tell them this... to be face to face as she explained how the monster had assaulted her senses. It was almost too much.
They were all silent, and the tiny chamber felt far too loud. The drip, drip, drip of water from the ceiling sounded like a waterfall in the crowded space. Her breathing felt entirely too loud, to fast. Her body felt too big, too small, too hot, too cold. It was all too much.
Then a small hand wrapped around hers. Petyr. The man who had stolen her brother's heart, the man who had pulled her from the deepest despair she had ever felt following her mother's death, the first person who wrapped her in a warm hug when she returned from the Hells. Her gaze dropped to lock with his and, as he gazed up at her, he squeezed her hand, pulling her down into a warm hug.
As Andromeda started to sniffle, then openly sob, she had the fleeting thought that Petyr's hugs were a father's hug and, in her father's absence, it was exactly what she needed.
It turned out that Nettie had absolutely nothing to offer their little group in way of a cure - just more leads. And, as Astarion explained it, a poisoned thorn branch and a bottle of wyvern poison. She'd ask Shadowheart later about why, exactly, she decided to leave that particular detail out of her account. Either way, Nettie couldn't help them, no one at the Grove could, only Master Halsin. Unfortunately, Master Halsin also happened to be the druid Zevlor was screaming about at the gate - the one who the adventuring party had left behind at the goblin camp. To make matters worse, the druid he left in charge - Khaga - had Arabella trapped in the inner sanctum for allegedly stealing their idol of Silvanus. The duo had quite deftly taken control of the situation, assuring Khaga that they'd take responsibility for the girl, and, as soon as the druid had nodded her assent, Astarion had ushered the girl out quickly. His smile had taken on a downright devious note when he explained that her parents were, rightfully in Andromeda's opinion, absolutely furious.
"Honestly, we might finally get some entertainment around here!" He nearly danced with glee at the prospect of cutting the druids down. Privately, after witnessing how some of the druids treated the refugees, Andromeda agreed that cutting them down to size would be immensely satisfying.
Andromeda felt a migraine coming on and, as she rubed her temples, she silently hoped that Lae'zel and Gale had some better luck.
But good luck wasn't often something that Andromeda Vaas experienced. At that exact moment, Gale came rushing over to their small group, completely winded and gesturing wildly to the pathway behind him. "La-Lae'zel" He gasped "Zorru... hurry!"
Andromeda's eyes went wide, recalling what Nymessa had said about Zorru coming face to face with several Githyanki, then she flew. Her feet were loud, crashing against the stone floor, as she catapulted her body around the corner only to stop short at the scene before her.
"Kin must have been in a hurry to leave a weakling such as yourself alive. Were if I-"
"LAE'ZEL!" Andromeda's voice cracked through the silence of the space. Rage funnelled through her chest as she hurried forward, helping Zorru to stand and positioning herself between the taller tiefling and the Gith. She glared up into Lae'zel's shocked face with a ferocity even she was shocked by. "What in the Hells are you doing? Explain yourself!"
The taller woman sniffed, peering down at Andromeda with a critical eye "I am performing an interrogation, istik. What does it look like?"
Andromeda took a step forward, a hairs breath from Lae'zel now "It looks like you are torturing a civilian under my protection." Her voice was low, dangerous. There was fire in her eyes and a death promise in her words. Neither blinked for a long moment. Seconds, minutes, hours - time was fleeting as the two warriors stood off. Lae'zel's keen gaze assessed Andromeda, sizing up the small tiefling - the way she stood, carried herself, all promised violence to any who got in her way. "I will not ask twice, Lae'zel. Stand down." Andromeda's voice had dropped to a quiet growl as the crowd around them grew to include civilians, druids, and the remaining Hellrider contingent.
Lae'zel blinked once, twice, then... she took a single step back and cast her eyes down. The only show of deference the proud warrior would allow.
Andromeda took it, spinning on her heel and crouching to Zorru. "Are you alright?" She whispered as she scanned him for any sign of injury.
"Y-yes. Yes, I'm... I'm fine. Thank you, Andy..." Zorru was shaken, that much was obvious, but, as she helped him to her feet, he didn't appear physically injured.
"I apologize, Zorru. I promised Lae'zel we'd come to talk to you about the Githyanki you saw... I imagine my companion is just anxious to be reunited with her kin. Isn't that right, Lae'zel?" Andromeda cut a dangerous look back to her companion, who nodded shortly in agreement. "Is there anything you can tell us to help us find them?"
Zorru looked uncertain for a moment, eyes nervously shifting between a glowering Lae'zel and a softly smiling Andromeda. "Y-yeah. Yeah. We ran into them just past Wakeen's Rest... I- I've got a map here. I marked it. You... you can keep it." The tiefling pulled out the map and pushed it into Andromeda' hands, shuffling his feet nervously. "I- I need to go." Andromeda angled her body to let him pass as far from Lae'zel as possible. The poor boy was barely out of leading strings, but he was putting an admirable effort into pushing back the tears of terror that had gathered in his eyes.
When he had left, and after she had sent a look to Alfira imploring the bard to follow him, Andromeda turned back to Lae'zel. "We'll need to discuss this further when we're alone but... there are too many people around right now." Her eyes trailed over those gathered around them, obviously awaiting a show. "Lets set up camp over by the gate. Come on."
That first night together was tense. Andromeda had made it abundantly clear to Lae'zel that her behaviour towards Zorru was unacceptable and would not be tolerated. The tieflings, she insisted, were under her protection and should be treated with the same respect Lae'zel afforded her. Once the tension between the two warriors had faded slightly, then came the tension from the intense debate on what their next steps should be.
Predicatably, Lae'zel was steadfast in her opinion that a Creche was the only answer. Shadowheart and Gale strongly advocated for finding the Archdruid - all evidence, they said, pointed to him at the very least having accumulated some knowledge about their specific tadpoles. Astarion... well, Astarion mostly sipped his wine and made scathing jabs at everyone (but Gale in particular). Eventually, the group decided to scout the Risen Road the following day. As they readied themselves for bed the soft echo of footsteps altered them to someone making their way up the path to their campsite. Shadowheart, who had already retired to bed, poked her head out through her tent flap. She was squinting slightly, confusion marring her beautiful features, "Is that... is someone coming?"
Andromeda nodded, turning towards the path "Hello? Did you need something?"
From the darkness beyond their campfire, a human with tightly woven braids strode up the path. He was sure footed, confident, and... familiar. Yes, this was the man from the fight... the one who had been wielding his rapier and eldritch magic with such a ferocity Andromeda had almost wanted to stop to admire him. "Hello there! Apologies, I didn't get the chance to introduce myself after that skirmish at the gate! I'm Wyll... the Blade of Frontiers, some call me!" His smile was bright, charming, and Andromeda realized that she knew this man - at least by name.
"You've been teaching the hellions to fight! My nephews and niece talked about you for hours today!" She grinned widely at him, gesturing for him to take a seat at their fire. "Are you hungry? Gale makes an excellent stew..."
"No, no, thank you though! I believe I was speaking with your brother earlier, Haven?" Andromeda nodded, smiling widely "He mentioned that you lot were planning to head out in the morning - have you decided where you'll go?"
"Well," Andromeda began, staring into the fire intently while twirling a twig idly between her fingers "my father reportedly went on a recognizance mission to Wakeen's Rest - apparently Duke Ravengard and his retinue are resting there. Besides that, the information we gathered today indicated that there is a Gith presence somewhere on the Risen Road. The plan for tomorrow is to begin scouting the Road, hopefully we'll make it to Wakeen's... maybe even pick up some whispers about Master Halsin..."
When she turned to look at the man besides her, Wyll looked positively gleeful "Excellent! Listen I-"
The sharp pain from earlier cracked through her skull once more, and Andromeda was no longer in her own body.
She was the Blade of Frontiers, sprinting through the fire and brimstone of Avernus in pursuit of Zariel's greatest weapon. A woman, wreathed in flames and holding a greataxe aloft, swung down on anyone and anything in her path - a demented grin stretching across her face all the while.
She was back. A deep breath. Then another.
"Hells, what was that?" Wyll's eyes weren't clouded in suspicion... she had no idea what he had seen in her own mind.
"The tadpole... I imagine you were also on the receiving end of one?" He nodded "They connect us sometimes. We haven't been able to control it so far, so its just... odd visions of various parts of our lives. You were... you were in Avernus?" She tried her best to sound nonchalant, but, from the look Astarion shot her, she was sure she had failed at that.
Wyll, though, didn't seem to notice. "Yes. I was. I've been hunting one of Zariel's dogs. She jumped aboard the ship and I wasn't able to catch up to her. I know that she crashed with us though. I saw her take off through the trees before I fell unconscious. She could be committing... untold atrocities in Zariel's name all along the Coast by now... I need to stop her."
Andromeda's entire body clenched at the Archduch*ess' name. She had been the source of so much pain. Years and years of torment. Andromeda shuddered to think of one of her minions loose on the Coast. "Well, you're in luck Blade, because I happen to be quite proficient in killing Zariel's beasties. If you'd like you can join us tomorrow. We'll keep an eye out for Karlach while we search for a way to get rid of these things" She gestured to her temple with a smile and took a drink from her wine.
Wyll's answering grin was infectious. "Oh, you are?! Excellent - I imagine you gained that experience during Elturel's fall?"
Andromeda's drink paused momentarily on its way to her lips. "You could say that."
He grew more somber then, apparently misreading her hesitancy "I apologize. I can't imagine how it must have been for you all. I'm just grateful for that group who brought you all back... Its a shame that the City has banished the tieflings, though. I'm sorry... you've all been through so much..."
She couldn't help but turn to him. He was sincere, she could tell. It almost hurt to lie to him now. "Thank you, Wyll. I... I think I'll turn in for the night. We'll be leaving with the dawn, so you should get some rest."
Wyll smiled and waved a goodnight, turning to Astarion and Gale, who still crowded around the fire, to ask if either knew any good card games.
The following morning started with the dawn, just as Andromeda had promised. Astarion, Gale, and Wyll all looked worse for the wear - she even noticed Astarion pestering Shadowheart for some restoration magic as she was tucking away her tent. As quickly as they could manage, the steadily growing group packed up their camp and set out to the west, following the road until Andromeda stopped short just before the bridge.
"Rolan? Cal? Lia? What in the hells are you doing out here? Its not safe..." She scanned the trio for signs of injury and, finding none, met their eyes. Cal and Lia looked guilty. Rolan looked as Rolan usually did, insufferably irritated with everyone and everything.
"We're leaving, Andromeda!" His voice could be so Gods-be-damned poncy sometimes. She fought the urge to roll her eyes at him.
"Oh, are you? Where do you plan to go, then?" She popped a hip out, resting one hand against it as she stared down the younger tiefling.
"We're going to the Gate. The Grove will be a bloodbath soon enough and I don't intend for us to be caught in the crossfire!" He was truly clueless.
"Rolan... the roads are infested with goblins. Mindflayers are snatching people from the streets. And you think the best approach is to run off with a small group - one who can easily be overpowered by the scouting party of goblins we faced off with yesterday? Are you really that dense?"
The wizard sniffed "I can keep us safe."
Andromeda exploded "Rolan - you know a couple cantrips and some first circle spells! How do you anticipate you'll be able to fight off an army of goblins? Or two bugbears? Or a could wargs? We're not even thinking about the people and other dangers you might come across!"
Cal turned to Rolan, grabbing him by the elbow "Andy's right, Rolan... we should stay with the group! We'll be much safer that way!"
Lia nodded vigorously "Besides, we'll be able to help that way! Its better than running off on our own like cowards!"
Rolan looked between the siblings and, after a moment, his chest deflated. "Fine. Fine. We'll go back to the Grove... But-" He pointed a finger at Andromeda, a fierce expression across his face "if anything happens to them because of this... I'm holding you responsible, General." He sneered the last word and, despite Cal and Lia's protests and demands for him to apologies, he stormed past her, knocking his shoulder against hers on the way.
Andromeda shook her head and waved the siblings off, insisting quietly that they had nothing to apologize for, before sending them on their way. The group around her was silent for a moment, then -
"Well," Of course Astarion would be the one to break the silence "that certainly felt like there's some history we aren't aware of! Care to dish, my minty friend?" His smile was sly, eyes shining with... something Andromeda couldn't quiet place.
"It was..." She sighed "it was nothing. Rolan and I... we have a complicated history." She looked around at the group, seeing the clear curiosity written across their faces and turned her gaze up to the sky. "When Elturel fell, Rolan and his parents were trapped in their shop. I had been trying to clear the main shopping distract, bring the survivors to the safehouse the Hellriders had established, when I heard the commotion. A bone devil had broken down their door. He and his parents fought it off for as long as they could but... bone devils are particularly nasty creatures. It took both his parents out with one swipe. He... well, I think he blames me for not getting there sooner. He blames himself for not being powerful enough to save them."
Wyll looked down, a mournful look on his face. Shadowheart and Lae'zel watched her carefully, no signs of any emotion crossing their features. Astarion, being Astarion, picked at his nails with a board look on his face. But Gale, he reached out a hand and took hers. "Its unfair of him to blame you for that. And blaming himself will not accomplish anything, either. When we return to the Grove, I'll take him under my wing... figure out where he's at in his mastery and help him progress as much as I can."
Andromeda smiled at him, a gentle thing after her heavy revelation "I think he would love that. He's got an apprenticeship lined up in the Gate... Lorroakan? He's very excited."
Gale winced "Ah, yes. Lorroakan. He and I were classmates at one time... not a particularly kind individual... but perhaps he's changed!"
"Can we please get a move on?! All these flies are positively swarming and the heat is ruining my hair!" Astarion's voice cut through the brief moment of silence from where he stood halfway across the bridge, riffling through some old trunks. Andromeda shared a quiet look with the rest of the group - none of them had heard him leave.
As they continued across the bridge, the party could see tall, but dilapidated stone walls in the distance - Moonhaven. Hurrying closer they notices the bodies strewn across the path. Each was relatively fresh - a day old at most. As they crouched to examine the dead, footsteps echoed behind them. A group of three - the adventurers who had left with the druid and returned to the grove - were picking their way across the bridge. Andromeda rose slowly, hands loosely falling at her hips - close enough to her now-recovered scimitars to draw quickly if need be.
"Well, well, well - look what we have here. The foulblood left her precious grove." Aradin, that was the human's name, mocked her, a sneer pulling taught across his features. "Found my mates then, didja? That blasted wizard never said nothin' about no goblins. Temple was supposed to be empty." He narrowed his eyes at their group "You lot planning to rescue to druid then? Got a death wish, I s'pose."
Andromeda stepped closer, swagger on display "Seems to me you weren't prepared for whatever it was you were getting yourself into. What made you all go looking for the Temple, anyway?" Her tone was mild, disinterested almost - only her companions could tell that she was desperately seeking information on what, exactly, had been so valuable that it spurned a group to run head long into danger without so much as doing a modicum of preparation.
Aradin glared. "I was prepared. The wizard never said that the Temple would be occupied, or nothin' about no goblins. He's got a contract out for some relic... the Nightsong, he calls it. 5,000 gold pieces for whoever brings it to his tower in the Gate."
The Nightsong didn't ring any bells but, risking a look over to Shadowheart, who looked like she might explode at any moment, Andromeda thought it might mean something to the cleric. She strode forward, the very picture of nonchalance "Well then, if you have no intentions of finishing the job, I might just take that contract off your hands - what do you say?"
He scoffed. "If you want to get yerselves killed, go right ahead. Here" He shoved a piece of parchment against her chest, still glaring down at her "take it, if you've got a death wish. Me and mine, we're heading back to the Gate. Nothing left for us here now."
She looked down at the contract, scanning for any further details about the relic, before looking up to watch the group jog into the distance. Once they were out of sight she turned to Shadowheart, handing her the contract. "You looked like you might have heard of this 'Nightsong' before?"
Shadowheart's eyes scanned the contract before looking back up to meet Andromeda's. She looked at the rest of the group and, for a moment, looked to be contemplating something important. But then, just as quickly, her face became a mask again. "All I know is that some Gods and Goddesses invoke darkness and night as part of their practice. Nightsong certainly sounds like it might be a relic devoted to one of those..."
Andromeda nodded and, once again, she had the impression that Shadowheart wasn't being entirely truthful. She inhaled deeply, turning from the villiage to gaze into the forest. "Zevlor's directions tell us we should skirt around the village and cross a river further down... You all ready?"
"Will there be mud?" Astarion's voice piped up with clear disgust as he gazed down at the damp earth "I cannot get mud on these leathers... they take forever to dry and chafe me terribly."
Following a short detour to invite a beautiful white dog to their camp, the group found themselves following a blood trail on the banks of the river. Andromeda could smell the sulphur that clung to that blood, and she knew, somewhere deep in her soul, that Zariel's minion was nearby. She knew she'd have to dispatch them quickly - she couldn't risk any of Zariel's generals telling her new companions anything about her time in Avernus.
The group moved quickly and quietly, sneaking along the river bank on near-silent feet until they could see a massive column of fire rising high into the sky. At its centre... Andromeda's heart stuttered. She... recognized this woman. Wyll's vision hadn't done her justice - the monster in his mind looked nothing like this woman... this... Karlach. Andromeda's mind slipped back years, to when she was 20 years old.
She had been in Avernus for a year at that point and had already been brutalized in every imaginable way. Zariel had taken to dressing her up in a mockery of Hellrider garb and carting her out to the frontlines of the Blood War to provide her soldiers with entertainment. It was the only time anyone had ever refused to hurt her... this tall red tiefling, one with a fierce expression and glowing orange eyes, who burned with the very fires of Avernus had been the only one in Avernus who refused. But not just refuse. That was an unfair description of what she had done upon seeing Andromeda's broken and beaten body. The woman had slaughtered every single soldier who had laid a hand on Andromeda that day, a perfect stranger. She had put her own life on the line to bring retribution down on their heads, and Andromeda hadn't ever been able to thank her for it. She had fallen unconscious shortly after the woman's first swing and, when she awoke hours later, she was already chained in the back of the wagon.
She blinked and she was back, and Wyll was striding forward, sword drawn. He was talking to the woman, to Karlach, and she was pulling the fire back down, drawing it inward, as she grinned down at him.
"f*ck me, the Blade of Frontiers! I was sure I had lost you back there..."
Andromeda saw the moment Wyll decided to throw the full weight of his eldritch magic at the woman and she didn't let herself think before darting forward to grab his arm, pushing it to the side and sending his blast of magic wide. "NO!"
The Blade rounded on her then "What in the Hells are you doing?! She's Zariel's dog - we need to put her down!"
"Wyll - NO! Stop!" Andromeda threw herself between her new companion and her one-time saviour. "She's not! She's NOT!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S NOT?! YOU SAW WHAT SHE DID!" His explosion was terrifying, desperate. He was clinging to the idea of Karlach as a minion of Zariel and Andromeda silently prayed to Lathander that she'd be able to convince him otherwise.
"Wyll..." Andromeda felt her own desperation then and she focused on it, channeled it, pushed it out to Wyll with her tadpole. And she pulled him into her memories.
He saw everything.
Her year in the Hells before Karlach. The front line where she was beaten and bruised for the amusem*nt of Zariel's front line, and how they had shoved her at Karlach, the newest recruit, and demanded that she continue the parade of torture on the young, utterly broken tiefling. He watched as Karlach snarled with rage and killed each and every solider who had laid a land on her.
Andromeda's eyes were closed when Wyll began to speak. "I... I..." She couldn't look at him and, instead, turned to Karlach.
The woman hadn't changed much in the 10 years since their first and only meeting. More scars. Her horn was missing now. But she still projected that fierce energy. Andromeda's eyes lifted to meet her orange orbs and she was instantaneously pulled into Karlach's memories.
Karlach, full of sweat and blood, desperately searching for a way out. She brought down her axe again and again, smashing through each and every devil, carving a path through the carnage towards the nautiloid that hovered a short distance away.
Andromeda felt herself return to her own body and took a deep breath of the fresh, Sword Coast air. "She's not what you think, Wyll. You saw that for yourself..."
She could feel Wyll deflate. "I... You're really no devil, are you? I've been deceived..."
Karlach looked at Wyll, a broad smile splitting her face. "Glad you've seen sense, Blade. I would have hated to put you down."
"You would have died in the attempt..." Wyll's severe words were undercut by the laugh that bubbled up from somewhere deep in his belly.
"Now..." Karlach braced her hands against her hips, muscles rolling in such a tantalizing way that Andromeda had to force her eyes away "Not that I'm not grateful for your intervention Miss..."
"Andromeda!" She blurted out, smiling widely "Andromeda Vaas and this is Astarion, Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Gale, and you know Wyll already..." Astarion raised a single eyebrow at her. Gods she was acting like a school girl. Get it together, Vaas. "We, ah... we're trying to find a cure for the... the tadpoles." Karlach's face was so... breathtaking, eyes locked on her own with an intensity that made her want to look away and never look away all at once. Gods, she thought, am I blushing? Is it obvious? Oh gods, I'm going to make a fool of myself.
Karlach grinned broadly. "Amazing! I'd love to join, if thats alright with you all? But first... I need a bit of help. Some of Zariel's goons are on my tail - disguised as Paladins of Tyr, no less. I did a number on 'em, but they're hold up in that tollhouse up on the hill. If... if you lot could help me get rid of 'em I'll be free to help with the tadpoles. I just... I can't leave Zariel's minions running around the Coast, you know?"
Andromeda did know. She knew that feeling keenly. She was nodding before Karlach even finished her sentence. "Of course... of course. We have enough to worry about without Zariel's influence chasing us across the Coast" Privately, Andromeda relished in the thought of taking them apart piece by piece. She wasn't some broken, scared girl anymore. She had countless cambion's wings mounted on her walls in the Pit - it had been a long time since she feared the minions that lurked in Avernus. "Yes, we'll... we'll go there right now. Does that sound good, everyone?"
Astarion piped up at that, his voice taking on a simpering tone that he only used when he desperately wanted to inconvenience someone. "Actually... I'm positively famished, Darling. Couldn't we stop for a spot of lunch before marching off to do away with the Archduch*ess' evil minions?"
A smile broke across her face despite her best efforts to maintain her composure. "Yes, Astarion... we'll have a bite and then start scouting the tollhouse. I don't want any surprises... and Zariel is usually full of them." She rolled her eyes as she shucked her pack, tossing it onto the ground at the base of a nearby tree.
The group settled on the river bank, Andromeda leaning against the rocks as she picked at her fruit. She was distracted, alarmingly so, because she didn't even notice Karlach settling next to her. Andromeda Vaas didn't get distracted. It was far too dangerous.
"You seem to be familiar with Zariel..." The taller woman trailed off, a question left hanging between them.
"I am." Andromeda turned her head slightly, eyes catching Karlach's for a moment before she looked back down, fingers fiddling with the skin of her orange "I was a prisoner in Zariel's court for about three years."
Karlach choked on her sandwich. "You? You were in? But... how? What? Why?"
A laugh bubbled out at Karlach's shock. She wasn't surprised that Karlach didn't remember her... Andromeda looked dramatically different when she wasn't half naked, beaten, and bloody. "I was. Do you remember the entertainment they used to cart out to the front lines? The Hellrider's Disgrace?"
She saw the realization dawn across Karlach's face slowly. "You... I remember you."
"And I remember you, Karlach. Though I didn't know your name until today..." Andromeda smiled at the barbarian, then turned her eyes back to the water, letting its ripple and flow sooth the jagged pieces of her heart "I owe you... a lot."
"You owe me nothing." Karlach's voice was fierce, furious "Nothing. Do you understand? What they were doing... was monstrous... I did the absolute bare minimum. I didn't even know where they took you when the frenzy cleared... and then, well, you know how it was. So many things want you dead that you sort of... stop. You're just living moment to moment... its hard to wonder about what happened to anyone else when the numbers are constantly shifting."
Andromeda nodded emphatically. She understood all too well the need to wall yourself off, to focus only on how you would survive the next hour, the next day. But Karlach seemed to have a horrifically skewed perception of everything she had done for her. "The bare minimum?" Andromeda couldn't help the indignation from creeping into her voice "Karlach... the bare minimum would have been not taking pleasure in any of it, pulling the punches, but doing it anyway. What you did... Karlach you saved me. I was... Gods... I was so close to just taking a sword and ending it all that day. The things they did... I..." She looked down "I'm not sure if I'll ever be entirely over it but... you... you gave me hope." She eyed Karlach's hand for a moment, assessing the flames that still wreathed the appendage. "The fire... what happened there?"
"Oh! One of Zariel's fun little additions. I... I have an infernal machine for a heart. It makes me run... extra hot. I burn when I get excited, angry, enticed... So" She noted Andromeda' gaze on her hand "unfortunately, no hand shakes for me."
"I'm sorry, Karlach... I can't imagine... Do you - I mean, do you need a mechanic?"
"Why, you offering to have a look under the hood, hot stuff?" Karlach winked down at her and Andromeda choked on her orange slice. The image of... No. Focus, Vaas.
"Ahem, sorry, went down the wrong way... Um, well I know someone who might be able to help, actually! A tiefling who spent some time in Avernus when Elturel fell... he might have some ideas?" She could feel herself blushing. Why was she blushing?!
Karlach smiled though, and Andromeda suddenly realized that she was completely fine with all the blushing she had been doing if it meant that Karlach smiled at her like that. "Well, sounds like we need to do away with these Paladins so we can get me back to your guy!"
Her face dropped "No! No, no sorry. He's not... We're not - I mean... Gods. Um," Andromeda paused, taking a deep breath, before she opened her eyes and smiled up at the other woman "Yeah! We'll likely need to find some infernal metal... if Zariel put her machinery in you then thats likely what its made from, and no metal of the material plane will hold up against it, but I've found some weird things over the past two days. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if there is some kicking around here somewhere!" Karlach's grin was blinding as she stood up, dusting her hands against her pants.
"Well then! I'll let you finish your lunch - and... thank you, again."
Andromeda smiled softly, waving the woman off with a mumbled "It was nothing!"
It took approximately 30 seconds after Karlach retreated to talk to Wyll for Astarion and Shadowheart to descend upon her like a flock of gulls fighting for the last scraps of a picnic. "Darling, darling, darling... was that you... flirting?" Astarion didn't bother to hide the endless amusem*nt in his voice as he settled next to her, calculating gaze settling on Karlach's broad shoulders.
Andromeda groaned softly, letting her head fall against her knees. "Yes, no... maybe? I don't know, honestly." Her voice was muffled by her legs, but she refused to look at either of them or their identical smirks.
Shadowheart's giggle was quiet next to her, followed immediately by a cough, as if she was trying to cover it. "Oh, come now. It wasn't that bad... it wasn't obvious, especially to her. It was only apparent to us that you were... flustered. And thats only because we've only ever seen you, well, confident. Bordering on co*cky, even. So this was a dramatic change to say the least."
While she was sure Shadowheart meant well, Andromeda felt herself slinking lower and lower until she was half curled against the half-elf next to her. "Maybe I'll get lucky and the tadpole will just zap me the next time I start saying something stupid around her? One of you could take me out if I just start turning mid-conversation, right? Make it nice and quick?"
Astarion's answering grin preceeded a detailed analysis of the best ways to potentially kill each of them, should the need arise, and Andromeda finally allowed herself to relax with the odd normalcy of it all. This she could do. This was comfortable. This was easy.
Looking at Karlach? Talking to her and not falling over her own tongue? That was decidedly not easy, and she wondered if it ever would be.
