Chapter 29 – Choice and Coercion
When Valen woke up, he was drenched in sweat as if from a nightmare. If only it was. Around him lay the dead, and he knew most of those silent faces, knew that they had been on his side. Yet I'm still here. Why? The insistent throb at his temples was hard to tolerate: Valen could only guess that the archdevil must have knocked him out and left him for dead. His memories were all blurred together: Cora, the onrush of white-hot anger, the mages with their horrifically burned bodies and their ensnaring spells. Last of all, he remembered Mephistopheles' sneering face.
I won't die so easily, devil. Too many of your kind have made that mistake before. He was lying on the steps of the fortress, just outside the doors. Rousing himself, Valen tried to push the door open, but it did not yield: he felt shamefully weak, and he sank to his knees again as a wave of dizziness passed over him. Under his armour, his clothes felt damp. It's not sweat, it's blood, he thought as he felt a trickle run along the length of his arm. No wonder the rage has passed – it's all bleeding out of me. Nothing was left but bitter despair.
Nearby lay the small bodies of the kobold and the halfling: a vague memory came back that Deekin had held out for a surprisingly long time. A little further away was the spike which still held Cora's body. He closed his eyes shut, banishing the sight. He had seen similar and worse many times over, but he did not wish to remember her that way. Better to think of her laughing, or the look on her face before he kissed her.
But that's what happens, doesn't it? You start getting close to a woman, and then...
Enough! He roused himself: there was something he could do for her, however small. Pain wrenched through him as he tried to stand. Nearby was a mage's staff: gritting his teeth though the agony, he used it as a makeshift walking stick and slowly made his way forward. At one point he nearly tripped; as he righted himself he noticed a sword lying on the ground. The blade was blackened as if it had been passed through a forge, but he recognised it as Enserric. He learned to pick the sword up with his free hand, and the dizziness washed over him again: it would have been easy to slip to the ground, but with a supreme act of will, he straightened up. Don't give up. Just a few more steps.
Finally, he made it: using the last of his strength, he put his weight on the spike, bending it forwards: he almost impaled himself pulling Cora's body away. Somehow he managed the feat without dropping her. He wanted to close her eyes and place the sword in her hand, but by now he was too weak to make another movement. He lay still by her side as the darkness began to close in upon him. You didn't fulfil the prophecy, but I know you would have tried. To the very end.
0-0-0
Valen had not expected to wake again, but he did, in the same desolate, cursed place. At the edge of his vision he saw movement: looking around, he saw one of the drow beginning to stir. Another survivor? Valen spoke her name, but the scout did not hear him. As if sleepwalking, she knelt to pick up her weapon and slowly walked towards the fortress. The doors opened for her and closed once more.
He turned back to Cora, but she was fading from his sight. He reached out to touch her, but just as before, when the spell had taken her, he could feel nothing at all. Can't stop this... it's as if I'm back in that cage in the Abyss, unable to make a difference. He wanted to lose himself again, give in to the rage so he did not have to think, to remember, to feel.
"Compared with the alternative, it is a lesser evil if her body leaves this place."
Soft and mellifluous though it was, the voice had a resonance that could not be ignored. He turned to see a shaft of light forming, like a moonbeam piercing the gloom: within it, an image of a woman began to form.
Not just any woman. Naked, with silver-white hair that flowed down to the floor and carrying a bastard sword, she resembled many of the paintings he had seen around Lith My'athar. Yet none fully captured the reality.
It was not his way to bend the knee, even before such a presence. "Eilistraee. You must have the power to bring Cora back," he said. "Use it."
"Her body is going elsewhere, and I cannot stop it from happening. Nor can I prevent the misuse of these bodies, even if I can safeguard the souls of those who worshipped me. Look around you, and take it as a warning."
Another soldier shifted, crawling on all fours before staggering to his feet, and Valen called out to him. "Listen to me!" As before, the soldier betrayed no sign that he had heard Valen.
"They are nothing but thralls, now, and they only hear the voice of their master. You know you are dead, don't you? It is the only reason why you can see me. If you stay here you risk suffering the same fate as the others. Body and soul."
"Then why are you here, goddess? To taunt me? From what you are saying, I can't expect help."
"Your doubts do not offend me, tiefling, for I have heard far worse from my own people. Yet there is one boon I could give to you. I could grant your soul passage to Arvandor."
He hadn't known what kind of answer to expect from her, but she still took him by surprise. "Why would you do that for an unbeliever?"
"Oh, you believe in my existence, or you would not be speaking to me now. It is just that you do not trust." Eilistraee's eyes bored into his. "As for my reason, it is simple. You gave your life in the service of one of my priestesses. If you were one of the faithful, your spirit would already be at peace." She paused. "You present me with a dilemma, and not just because of the shadows that lurk inside you. You cannot pass to my realm unless you pledge your faith in me, and speak it as truth. With all your heart."
"Heart? I don't have one." It was not the first time in his life he had such a thought, but when he had found Cora's body earlier, he had felt as if it was being ripped out of his chest.
"You are wrong, and soon you will understand. I am not the only one who is offering you a choice. You will have the chance to live again... but it will not be easy. You may attain your heart's desire or you may fall victim to your worst instincts. Even if the latter does not happen, you may curse your decision, because every step of your path will lead to greater peril. Not just for yourself but for those around you." She paused, looking out into the distance. "I believe the risks are worth taking, but I know you will not do it for my sake. The question is, will you do it for her?"
0-0-0
Cora was floating in the air, and she felt no pain: in fact she felt nothing at all. She was suspended above a room edged by many doorways, and she could make out two figures in the room. One was a strange creature with bat-like wings: he wore a hooded robe, so she could not see his face from her vantage point. The other figure was lying recumbent on the floor, apparently fast asleep, and looked so much like her that they could have been twins.
The winged creature looked up at her: his translucent skin was stretched so tightly across his face that he looked almost skeletal.
"It is you, Cora," he said. "Your body is waiting for you to inhabit it once more."
"Waiting? But... I'm here." Up here in the air, like a bird, and I don't know how to come back down.
"You died. Mephistopheles killed you, and I, the Reaper, brought you to this place."
She knew she should have felt some kind of emotion on hearing the news. Sorrow, anger – but there was only a vague, confused numbness. She remembered walking away from the devil, and hearing Enserric's voice. After that, she could recall nothing at all. She wondered if she had died almost instantly, but her mind wasn't offering up any answers.
Another thought struck her, and this time she felt a twinge of anxiety, but even then it was oddly muted. "I had allies – friends – we were all planning to march on the fortress together. They're safe, aren't they?"
The Reaper answered her. "They went in search of you, and they all met their end in the same place."
Dead? All of them? She knew her living self would have felt the sharp sting of grief, but all she could muster was a grey emptiness, as if a long, dark winter was gradually stealing over her soul. I thought the war was over. I thought killing the Valsharess was enough. How badly wrong could I be?
"You should know by now that death is just a transition. Soon I will bring you back to life, but you need not continue your journey alone. I could revive those among your companions who were closest to you, if they give their consent. Unlike you, they may choose whether or not they return here."
Her mind was still as foggy as if she had been sleeping too long. She didn't understand why she was the only one who had no choice, but it did not matter... the only important point was that she wanted to live again, and she wished the same for her friends. "We can come back to life? All of us? If we have a second chance then please, bring everyone back."
"You need to be the one who asks for them, otherwise it may not work. Not all spirits will trust the word of a stranger."
She knew that Valen would not be easily convinced. If she had been in corporeal form, she would have smiled at the thought. Suspicious to the core. "How can I do this?"
"All you need to do is simply think of them, one by one, and I will make sure that they can sense the call of your spirit. It is easiest for you to do this in your current condition, and that is why I have not reunited you with your body yet. Above all, be honest. Speak from the heart, because they will not remember what you said upon waking, but if they detect a lie, they are more likely to refuse."
She was ready to begin, but the Reaper had more to say. "If they accept, the amount of time it takes for them to return will vary. If they have already entered some form of afterlife it may take longer. Now it is time for you to start calling them."
It seemed easier to ask for Tomi first: she knew she would feel sad if he chose not to come back, but it would not be a crushing blow. Tomi... it's me, Cora. I don't know what you're doing now, but if you're getting bored with the afterlife you don't have to stay there. It was always fun having you around, and I'd like your help again, if you're game. Who knows, maybe we'll get our hands on that reward from Waterdeep, this time around.
She did not know whether she was meant to hear the response, but after a short pause, she thought she heard Tomi's rather dirty-sounding laugh somewhere in the distance. She looked at the Reaper, questioningly.
"Continue."
Dear Deeks, you never got the chance to finish your book, and you must have thought you were getting close to the end of it by now. I've no idea what I will be doing next, but I know someone who can bring me back to life, and it wouldn't be the same without your company. Boss is looking forward to continuing her adventures with you, if you're not tired of singing the Doom Song.
This time, she immediately felt a sense of bubbling, childlike excitement in response: she did not think she imagined it, for she could not have expected anything less from the kobold bard.
Next, it was Valen's turn, and at first she struggled to formulate her thoughts. Valen... it's Cora. I know we didn't always get along so well at the start, but we're past that, and I'm so glad I had the chance to see another side of you. She paused. You had such a hard life, and I can understand if you're sick of it all. Maybe it's selfish of me to even ask this... but I'd do anything to see you again. Come back, Valen, and walk by my side. Please.
She waited, suddenly terrified she would feel nothing at all save for her own hopes fading away. It was then that she sensed a prickly uncertainty, followed by something raw and ardent, as if her new-found yearning was matched by his. I hope I'm not mistaken.
"It is time for you to return." said the Reaper. Looking down, she realised she had been slowly sinking, and was now much closer to her body: she noticed one important detail that she had overlooked earlier. "There's a... tail? Why can I see a tail extending behind me?"
"This is a more profound resurrection than a priest could perform. Your body has been here for a while and was healed of all injuries, whether new or old."
"Old? But I never had a-". The ground was rushing towards her. Slamming back into her body, she gasped as if badly winded: she was looking through her own eyes one more, squinting because the light seemed brighter than she was used to. The tiles were cold and hard beneath her palms and she ached as if she had been sleeping in an uncomfortable position for hours. I'm alive, though! That's all that matters.
Experimentally, she stretched out her arms and legs, and she felt the tail – her tail – flexing along with her limbs. She reached around to touch the appendage, which was warm, faintly ticklish, and twitched under her touch. The sensation felt alien to her, and rather unsettling. With her hand still on her tail, she felt rough-edged leather around its base. Who cut a hole in the back of my trousers? It certainly wasn't me. Looking up at the Reaper, she decided she was better off not knowing the precise details, but if her pants split in future she'd know who to blame. Right now there were more important matters to worry about.
Sitting up, she addressed the Reaper. "How long does it take for the others to return?"
"It varies. If they accept your request, it depends where they are coming from."
"Don't you know whether they have accepted yet?"
"I will only be certain when their spirits draw near. I did not listen to your conversation with them: I simply made it possible."
"I see. Well, I didn't exactly hear them answer me, but I'm fairly sure I felt some kind of response each time." What if I'm kidding myself, and it was all in my imagination? Feeling apprehensive, she tried to take her mind off the waiting. She got to her feet, finding that the weight of her tail made her feel slightly off-balance. "I asked for three people – Valen Shadowbreath, Deekin Scalesinger and Tomi Undergallows. I thought of them when you talked of my closest companions, but are there any others who might need resurrecting?
His gaze was level. "They were not the only ones to die, but the others did not have a close enough bond to you, whether through fellowship or the ties of fate." He paused, looking out into the distance. "Wait. There is someone else..."
"Who?"
He shook his head. "The sensation was fleeting. It may be that they do not realise they are dead, or that they cannot accept their fate, making it difficult to commune with their spirit. Perhaps I will learn more later."
"I hope so. I'd hate to think that anyone was stuck." Cora looked around at room, and the doorways which ringed it, some closely spaced. One doorway at the far end had a distinct shimmering glow around its edges, rather like the door-portals within Undermountain.
"Where is this place? I should have asked you before, but I've no idea where I am."
"This room is called the Realm of the Reaper, and it is – or it was – a meeting place for the planes. As he corrected himself, Cora heard a flicker of emotion in the normally toneless voice. "Once, each doorway could connect to an almost infinite variety of locations. Now only one door is usable." His bony hand gestured at the glowing doorway.
"Why is that? Are the other ones broken?" she asked, as much to pass the time as out of genuine interest. She had never studied magic for long enough to understand how portals worked.
When the Reaper answered her, she heard real bitterness this time. "Mephistopheles forced me to close them. Somehow he managed to find out my True Name and bound me to do his bidding. Now I cannot bring the doors back to life unless he changes his mind, but that seems unlikely. He also ordered me to bring you back to life here."
Cora felt a sinking feeling, not dissimilar to the one she had when she first arrived in the Underdark. She did not fully understand how a name could hold such power over anyone, but she knew that anything involving the archdevil couldn't be good. "Wait a moment – he told you to revive me? Why would he give you such an order when he killed me in the first place?"
"He does not tell me his plans. I wonder if he needed someone to exchange places with, although you would be a surprising choice."
Before she could ask the Reaper to explain further, Cora was distracted by a pinpoint of light forming on the ground in front of her. The light began to spread out like water flowing from an underground source: swirling strands of red and black flowed within its radiant core.
"One of your companions is returning." said the Reaper. "I must concentrate. Stand away, and don't stare into the light: it will only grow in intensity."
Still acclimatised to the gloom of the Underdark, Cora found she had to turn away: even then she needed to close her eyes tightly shut. She waited in silence, and eventually the light faded. Opening her eyes, she took a peek.
You came back to me. She had never seen Valen before in good light conditions, had never fully appreciated quite how brilliant a shade of scarlet his hair was. His eyelids flickered but did not open: he looked as if he was dreaming, on the verge of waking up. If the Reaper did nothing else for her, she would be grateful for this act alone. She took a step forward, hesitant: the Reaper nodded at her, before turning away.
Walking closer, Cora nearly lost her balance as she stopped. Wouldn't do to fall on top of him. Slowly, she lowered herself to the ground to sit beside him, and she waited for him to awaken. After a short while she saw Valen's long fingers flexing slightly before his eyes opened. He blinked once or twice, and then he saw her. Your eyes are brighter than I remember. For a moment, she only gazed back at him.
"Cora... is that really you?"
Her throat tightened: she managed a crooked smile. "In the flesh... this feels strange, doesn't it?" she said, her voice sounding unsteady. Instinctively, she shifted forwards, and he reached out to her. Needing no further excuse to be close to him, she laid her head on his chest as his arms wrapped tightly around her. I could have lost you, and I couldn't even admit to myself how difficult that would be.
He spoke into her hair. "I saw you... I found your body. Outside the fortress." She felt him shiver. "I tried to avenge your death."
She straightened up so that she could look back at him. "I knew you would... but all's well now. The Reaper healed me and brought me back to life, just as he did for you."
Valen glanced over at the Reaper, his expression curious, before returning his attention to Cora. He studied her, just as he had done sometimes in the Underdark, when he couldn't quite understand what she was about. He touched her face: slowly, almost absently, his fingertips trailed down to her neck before resting there. In spite of the caress, his expression seemed troubled. "I wasn't there when you needed me, was I? I promised you that I'd fight by your side."
"By the Gods, Valen, I'm not going to hold that against you! None of us were expecting me to disappear like that. I did what I set out to do, even if it all went wrong later. I can't say I put up a noble fight, but I managed to kill the Valsharess."
It was then that she saw him smile. "You fulfilled the prophecy after all? I am very glad to hear of it."
"I should imagine the Seer will be pleased too."
Valen sat up abruptly, bringing her with him. "The Seer! If the archdevil killed both of us, then what happened afterwards? What became of her?"
"I don't know," she ventured. "Did she leave Lith My'athar?"
"Not that I know of. She stayed behind with the injured when we went looking for you."
"I wouldn't worry then. There's no reason to assume Mephistopheles was bound for Lith My'athar." I just wish I knew what his plans were.
She saw the way he expelled his breath, as if he had been holding it: she saw a faint cloud of vapour exuding from his mouth. The air was chill - but then what could she expect from this strange place where the dead came back to life?
"I hope that you're right... but it worries me. Our group thought we were well prepared, but he still managed to defeat us." His frown deepened. "I should have asked more questions while I had the opportunity."
"Perhaps the Reaper will know what happened to the Seer. He was able to tell me about your fate."
Cora stood by as Valen fired questions at the Reaper. More than once, the Reaper insisted that he was only able to speak of the few who were both closely linked to Cora and had died recently.
"In that case the Seer must be alive. She dreamed of Cora before any of us knew her, naming her as our Saviour – surely this means their fates were entwined?"
"l cannot say."
"Cannot, or will not?" Valen snapped.
"I can only tell you what I know."
"Valen..." Cora intervened. "I don't think he's lying."
She heard Valen sigh. It was only right and fair that he would have concerns about the Seer: she wondered about the priestess's fate too. Nonetheless, she felt a little sting of jealousy and with it, a twin stab of guilt. How long have I known him, compared with the Seer? I can't expect to be the centre of his life.
The Reaper's cool voice broke the silence. "Your other companions are drawing closer, and it would be wise to clear a large space. You could collect your belongings from the divining pool on the opposite side of the room, if you wish. It contains everything which was close to you before you returned."
Cora went to investigate, followed by Valen: as she stopped by the pool she sensed that Valen was watching her, and she glanced back at him. He was staring, apparently fascinated by a point just behind her, and as she twisted around to look, she realised why. Her tail gave a violent twitch of its own volition. "That was an unexpected side-effect of my coming back to life. To be honest, I hate it. I feel like someone's played a game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey with me."
"Donkey?" Valen's posture stiffened. "I never knew you were so averse to tails."
"I didn't mean – look, it's different for you! You've had one all your life. I can't imagine you without it, and it suits you perfectly."
"I could say the same of your tail," he said, his eyes softening. "It becomes you."
"Well, I'm glad someone likes it... and I'm sure I'll get used to it soon enough," she said, feeling self-conscious and flattered all at once. Turning to the pool, she braced herself to plunge her hands into the icy water. What a ridiculous place to store weapons. Finding Devil's Bane first, she pulled it out and handed it to Valen. "There you are! I hope it doesn't have rust."
He turned the spiked spheres over in his hands. "It's fine. I'm just relieved to have it back again. Hopefully your sword should be in the pool too." Suddenly he looked much more sombre. "I brought it back to you... before I died."
Touched by the gesture, Cora didn't think it was a good time to mention what had happened. She couldn't blame the cranky old sword for the way Mephistopheles had used him, but she still felt a certain discomfiture as she reached for the hilt. She wondered if Enserric would say anything, but he was entirely silent, making her wonder whether he still remained inside the sword at all.
"Booooossssss!"
Cora grinned as she turned around: if Deekin was looking slightly woozy, he certainly hadn't lost his voice. Not far away, Tomi had also materialised: in spite of Deekin's piercing cry he was fast asleep.
Deekin appeared such a small, slight figure that it was a marvel that he had not died long before this. He had survived so much with her, and was often far braver than he claimed. It struck Cora how often she had taken him for granted: fond of him as she was, she sometimes found him a nuisance. She vowed to herself that she would never treat him so carelessly again. Running rather unevenly to his side, she gathered him up in her arms, hugging him to her. "Ah, Deeks, it's wonderful to see you!"
"Deekin be happy to see you too, Boss!"
When she set him down on the floor again, he looked from her to Valen then back again. "Umm, Boss?"
"What is it?" She thought he would ask a question about where they were, or what their future plans were.
As usual, she was wrong. "Why yous got tail?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but it happened when I was resurrected."
Deekin nodded in the way he always did whenever anything strange occurred, with complete acceptance. He gave her a sly grin. "Yous and Goatman look like a couple, now that you both gots tails."
"Do we?" she said. Are we? I'm not entirely sure, but I hope so. She found herself flushing slightly, and she made sure to avoid looking around in case she met Valen's eyes. "Are you sure you don't mean partners in crime?"
"Whassat about crime?" said Tomi, finally awake. He rubbed his eyes. "I'm back again, then? I had a bit of a lucky escape just now. There I was, minding my own business when some busybody spirit comes along and tells me I've been back and forth so many times, they need to charge an entry tax." He winked. "Gave 'im the slip, though."
"They have taxes in the afterlife too? In that case, I'm glad I didn't get the chance to visit." Cora was feeling as cheery as the halfling thief, now that her companions had all returned. Whatever life had to throw at her next, she wouldn't be facing it on her own.
"So what's the plan, then?" said Tomi.
"Boss never has a plan," said Deekin, somewhat disloyally, Cora thought.
"I don't know where we are now, but it doesn't feel like the Underdark. We need to return there and make sure the rebels are safe," said Valen.
"I had a feeling you were gonna say that," said the rogue. "Don't you ever want to sit in a nice warm pub and count your reward money?"
"There's only one working doorway out of this place. Before we decide anything, we'd best figure out where it goes." Approaching the Reaper, Cora asked him.
"It leads only to Cania," he replied. There was no mistaking the note of regret in his voice.
Cora was sure she had heard the name before. Maybe Master Drogan mentioned it during one of his rather dry lectures on the nature of the multiverse. She had thought it a waste of time when she could have been practising sparring, but now she regretted her own inattentiveness. Before she could admit her ignorance, she heard Deekin speak behind her.
"Ooo, Deekin thinks Old Master mentioned that name once..."
"I know," said Valen. "I've been here before."
Hearing an odd roughness in his voice, Cora turned to look at him. Valen's expression was stony and his posture was almost entirely still, save for the brisk flick of the tip of his tail. Cora knew that look only too well. Either the Weapon Master sensed imminent danger or he was trying to keep a lid on his temper.
When he spoke again, Valen's voice was bleak. "We are in the Hells."
