I hope you had some fun in the previous chapter.
Because now it will go downhill.

Once again, a big fat thank you to nensha, not only for beta reading but also for her constant help and input to always write things a little bit better :)

Gale looked, for the lack of a better word, alerted. That was what came to Tav's mind. Like someone who knew there was a trap nearby and carefully tried to avoid it.

"That is a rather… strong word, I might say," Gale replied slowly, eyeing Tav cautiously.

"I think it's a simple word. And I'm a simple man. I use simple words. You love magic, don't you? I love my parents, I love Peter here. I love nature."

I love you.

"I once thought I knew everything about love. But I was young back then. And quite foolish," Gale said and tilted his head a bit, his eyes were on Peter and the silky bugbear bundle, "but the older I get, the less clear it becomes to me. Ambiguous. Hard to grasp and define. Not that it really mattered. I mean, in the past couple of years there was never really any time for a serious relationship..."

"Can't love anyone when you're busy travelling all of Faerûn...?" Tav asked. He did his best to sound casual but felt how his heart got heavy.

You don't have to say it back.

"Busy staying alive," Gale correct him, "but yes. I guess that's just another price I had to pay."

"A pretty high price that is, then." Tav said slowly.

I know you don't feel the same way about me.

"Beats the odds, doesn't it?" Gale replied, with something unreadable in his eyes.

Tav felt like an idiot. How did Gale manage to say so much without actually saying anything? It wasn't like Tav had much experience in relationships, though. Not for lack of trying – he'd just never met anyone who managed to fascinate him as much as Gale did. Tav desperately wanted to be a part of Gale's world, his life, but slowly started to believe that Astarion had been right all along.

"Maybe this was a mistake. Us, I mean." There. Now he said it. And yet he didn't feel any better. Worse, actually.

For a moment Gale looked thrown off but then he frowned a bit and took a step towards Tav.

"You really think that? After all we've been through? The nights we spend together?"

Tav failed to hold Gale's gaze, just shrugged and stared at the unconscious ugly gnome to his feet.

"Well then, let me clear your mind of doubts," Gale said, "it absolutely wasn't a mistake."

Tav blinked surprised and lifted his head. He didn't expect Gale to be so eager about it and... so certain.

"We're a good team, aren't we? And we like each other, don't we?" Gale continued. Tav didn't fail to notice how Gale carefully chose the word like. "And I mean: I am gorgeous and you're spectacular! A match not quite but almost made in heaven," Gale said with a confident smile.

Tav opened his mouth and looked, indeed, a bit bashful but then he grit his teeth and suddenly pushed Gale away.

"Stop doing that. You always do that. Whenever I try to be serious about us you just... do this! And then I am all flattered again and just forget about it! And I just told you how I-," he groaned, desperately trying to word what had made sense in his head a second ago, "how much you- I mean... did you even listen to what I told you? So... yeah. I do think it was a mistake. Because I guess I... am more involved into whatever this is between us... than you are. It's not your fault." The more he talked, the less angry he sounded. Just sad.

For a while Gale was silent and Tav just stared at him, expecting an honest reaction, at least that one time.

"I didn't know your feelings were running so deep. I never meant to hurt you in any way. I thought we're on the same page..." Gale said, sounding somewhat helpless.

"Yeah," Tav mumbled, "me too, Gale. Me too."

Gale opened his mouth – but said nothing. Instead, he just let a hand wander through his hair and sighed. It was strange to see him being out of words for once.

Tav didn't feel any lighter. His heart still felt cramped, felt heavy. He'd hoped for something different, a different outcome, Tav knew that now but truth be told, it just went as expected. Didn't hurt any less, though. He wanted to be with this man but couldn't endure this uncertainty any longer. It hurt. And not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It was a soul-hurt, a body-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. Nothing should be able to do that. Specially not love. And with everything going on in their lives right now, Tav didn't know if he had the strength to fight this battle too. He couldn't compare to a goddess, he knew that. Maybe it was for the best to take the choice away from Gale so he didn't need to make one at all.

"We... we will sit down and talk about it, about us, I promise," Gale said pleading, "but I just think right now is really not the best moment."

"I don't think there is much more to say here..." Tav replied, not even sure how he managed that his voice came out so steady, "... but you're right about one thing. We should focus on something more important. Like getting that orb out of your chest."

Gale just nodded, with sadness in his eyes. Without another word, they left the alley and headed for the Twin Song district.

"That's not a temple. That's merely a house of worship. You should see the House of the Moon in Waterdeep. That's what I call a temple." It was the first thing Gale said after an hour of travelling through the streets and alleys of Baldur's Gate in mutual silence.

"I see you found your voice again..." mumbled Tav, only to regret it a second later because Gale threw him a mean glance and a deep frown on his face.

"I hope you didn't expect me to sing and dance happily in the streets after you basically broke off things between us," Gale said.

His voice was calm and almost friendly but there was a sharp undertone in it too, one that not even Tav failed to notice. He stole a glance at Gale. So that's what happened, right? Tav had never broken off anything with anyone before. Because he'd never been long enough with anyone to even reach such a point, he's never gotten beyond some simple, mutual attraction for one or two nights. Tav couldn't say it was a pleasant feeling but he hoped that he would feel lighter eventually. He took in a deep breath and concentrated on what was ahead of them.

"Baldur's Gate doesn't have a House of the Moon, like Waterdeep, but if someone refers to Selûne's temple, they always mean this." Tav pointed towards a quiet lot of land.

The garden with its large, dark trees was a nice view in the midst of the city, especially for a nature lover like Tav, who already ached for some green after spending just two days in town. A stone wall surrounded the property, the centre of which was a tall building with small windows. It was easy to see even from the outside that dark curtains blocked any view into the inside. There was a second, smaller house between the trees, close to the outer wall.

"Why would clerics of Mystra seek out a house of the Moonmaiden anyway?" Tav wondered.

"Mystra, or rather her first incarnation, Mystryl, is a daughter of Selûne. As you probably know, Selûne and her twin sister Shar were among the first beings that found their way into the world and the universe as we know it, after Ao created everything. And in the war of light and darkness, when the two started their eternal battle, Selûne ripped out some of her own divine essence, though it nearly killed her, and hurled it at her sister. Selûne's essence tore through Shar, bonding with some of her sister's essence and pulling it loose. This energy combined to form Mystryl and this way the goddess and magic itself were born."

While explaining, Gale had lost the bitterness in his voice, almost like his love for story telling had made him forget what had just happened between him and Tav an hour ago. And Tav hung on every word as if they were back in the wilderness, sitting at the camp fire, his head in Gale's lap.

"Although Mystryl was composed of both light and darkness, she initially sided with Selûne, her first mother, giving her the upper hand in the battle," Gale continued and made these small gestures with his hands that Tav liked so much. They made him think about a composer creating music – or a wizard weaving magic. "Mystryl balanced the conflict and mediated an uneasy truce. The two churches of Selûne and Mystra are joined through the love of mother and daughter. Clerics of one often help the other. Their alliance is no secret. Maybe they seek shelter here, maybe information, maybe just a safe haven."

"Well, whatever it is, I suppose we're going to find out," Tav said and headed for the main entrance, a large door made of metal bars, the silver eyes of Selûne gracing the centre.

It wasn't closed but right now this place was rather silent. Those who were seeking out Selûne's guidance, were seldom doing that at broad daylight.

"Let me ask one of the locals," Tav said, earning a sceptically raised eyebrow from Gale.

"One of the clerics? Think they will tell some strangers anything about the priestess when there are problems with both the church of Gond and the Red Wizards?"

"No." Tav shook his head and pointed at one of the large trees, "I mean them."

They were a bunch of squirrels. At first, they escaped into the treetops but after Tav sat down in the grass under one of the trees and casually started to speak to them, they slowly climbed down. One brave squirrel jumped on Tav's knee to claim an offered biscuit. Gale and Peter kept their distance – they didn't want to scare the squirrels off.

"It's my fault," Gale mumbled. "I allowed this to happen. Allowed that he caught feelings for me. Didn't set any boundaries. Guess part of me wants it and that's why I didn't stop it. It feels... nice to be loved, you know?" He glanced down to Peter and a weak smile crossed his face. "You don't understand a word I am saying, I suppose."

Gale looked over to the tree and saw how Tav was covered in squirrels by now. They were sitting on his head, his shoulders and one on his stretched out arm. It looked like he'd bribed them successfully with some biscuits.

After a couple of minutes, Tav came back to Gale and the squirrels all returned into the treetops, one carried a small pouch.

"I sacrificed my biscuits," Tav explained, which drew an amused snort from Gale.

"How are you doing that?"

"What?"

"Talking to animals. Is this some kind of arcane ritual, passed on from ranger to ranger over generations? Or divine magic maybe, a blessing from the Oak Father? You know: for someone who claims that he has no clue about the arcane arts, you got some quite interesting secrets up your sleeve."

Tav shrugged.

"My father always called it the voice of nature. And taught me to listen to it. It's a rustling in the leaves, a whisper in the earth, too. It's nothing special, really. Certainly not like what you do, certainly not magic."

"I think it is quite the special gift."

"You could do that too. You got spells for that, don't you?"

"Well, there are spells that let you read thoughts, sure, but it's is not like this, not like what you do... you communicate with them," Gale said and pointed towards the trees, "and I think they really like you!"

Tav looked back at the tree, at Gale and then just shrugged again.

"I am just curious, that's all," Gale said and lifted his hands apologetically. "Did they tell you anything?"

"Yes." Tav nodded. "She's here. They confirmed what the idiots in the tavern said. A young woman and a few guards have been seeking shelter here since a couple of nights. The clerics gave them space in their guest house."

He pointed towards the smaller building at the other side, hidden between trees and brushes and close to the stone wall. Tav went to walk over there but noticed after a couple of steps that Gale wasn't following. He turned around, and gave him a questioning look.

Gale let out a shuddered breath.

"Can't say I am not nervous," he admitted.

Tav raised an eyebrow as if he wanted to say: you? The over confident Gale? The man with the ogre sized ego? You're nervous?

"I know what you're thinking," Gale said. "I just... don't know what to expect."

"Well... you're not going to find out by standing there. Come on. Maybe you worry over nothing. Maybe it's all just rumours and it turns out she's just an ordinary cleric?"

Gale threw him a look of uncertainty.

He really is nervous, thought Tav. That must be the first time since he knew Gale.

"You know the way folks are with rumours. I once took a contract to kill one horrific beast that terrorised the forest and it turned out to be a sick cow that got mad because it ate rotten weed. I managed to calm her down, coddled her up and the issue was resolved! I was still praised as a hero, though," Tav told with a smile and on instinct, he reached out to comfort Gale – but hesitated before actually touching him.

Slowly, Tav took a step back and lowered his hand, suddenly unsure where to with his gaze so he decided to stare at his boots like an idiot.

"A-anyway, I am with you and I am going to make sure nothing goes wrong," he mumbled and turned around to make his way over to the guest house.

The building was of simple, yet noble style. Build from wood like many houses in Baldur's Gate, it fancied the same, small windows like the main building. Several silver plates over the door showed phases of the moon, indicating that this was a house of Selûne. A faint, musky smell, like sandalwood, was in the air and made Tav wonder what was possibly going on inside.

Gale took in a deep breath to calm himself, put on a charming smile – and knocked on the door.

For a few moments there was just silence and Tav already started to come up with a plan how to break into the house, maybe through one of the windows or-

The door got opened.

An older man with a stern face looked at the two men in front of him and frowned. A shiny metal armour adorned with the symbol of Mystra marked him as one of the guards the squirrels did mention.

"You're at the wrong house. The temple of Selûne is over there," he explained calmly and nodded at the main building.

He was just about to close the door again, when Tav quickly put his foot into the gap.

"I think we're exactly where we want to be," said Gale politely and it visibly raised suspicion in the stern man.

"We're looking for the Eighth Sister of Mystra," Tav blurted out and earned a nudge and slight frown from Gale.

"There is no such woman here. You should leave," the stern man said and was about to close the door again when his gaze stopped at Gale. "I know you," he said suddenly and Gale took a surprised step backwards.

"I highly doubt that."

"No. I do know you. You're Gale of Waterdeep, aren't you? The former archwizard? You vanished a couple of years ago but I remember you from the mage academy on Pharra's Alley. You used to give lessons until you left without a note... many rumours are roaming the academy about your whereabouts."

Gale bit his lip and looked seriously disturbed for a second before he gave the guard an awkward smile.

"Well... yes. That's me."

The guard suddenly opened the door and made a welcoming gesture.

"It's good to see you at good health, no one really knew what happened to you."

"I started to travel. No exciting tale to tell about my vanishing, I am afraid," Gale said friendly after he'd found back to his confident and charming front.

"A nice surprise for sure. We could certainly need your help. You and your friend can come in but I fear this thing has to stay outside." The guard nodded towards the giant spider and Tav just took in a deep breath to lecture this man about Peter Skittler Junior and that he wasn't a thing but a partner and companion and-!

"Sure. We understand," Gale said – and Tav just stood there, with his mouth open, feeling like a fool. He just made an "hmpf" sound and stepped inside after gesturing Peter to stay.

"What are you doing here?" the guard wanted to know.

"We followed rumours on the streets about some clerics of Mystra coming all the way from Waterdeep to Baldur's Gate. We got business with the Eighth Sister," Tav explained.

"Don't call her that," the guard growled at Tav before he turned towards Gale, "Amina is to be found in the prayer room. She was too young to know you personally before you vanished, but she sure knows your name and reputation."

"That's... good!" Gale said, pressed.

The guard led them through the foyer and towards another door. Tav noticed that the scent of sandalwood got stronger – and he also noticed that Gale got rather pale. And if he was honest with himself: he didn't feel that good either. A part of him wanted to comfort Gale right now, pull him against his chest, with arms tightly wrapped around him. Wanted to give him a kiss on the forehead and tell him that they would brave this, side by side.
But another part of Tav just felt cold and heavy. A numb feeling that baled up inside his chest and started to stretch all over his body, making him wonder why he still managed to move his limbs.

"I will wait outside." The words of the guard pulled Tav back into reality. "And so should you."

"No." Tav stated flatly.

"It's alright. He can be trusted," Gale said and gave the guard an intense stare.

Mumbling something under his breath, the stern guard just nodded and waved towards the door before he sat down at a small table nearby, picking up an open book.

Tav lifted his hand to knock at the wooden door. Throwing a glance to the side, he noticed that Gale had pulled himself together again. He looked more confident and it might just be an act, who knew, but Gale managed to radiate tranquillity, like he usually did, no matter how dangerous or maddening the situation they were in. It was what fascinated Tav so much. That and Gale's wits, his charm, his wisdom, his courtesy – and his smile. He wore it right now and it turned into this cheeky smirk as he glanced over to Tav for a second or two. He felt his cheeks getting warm and cursed himself in thought that Gale caught him staring. It wasn't Tav's fault that Gale had the single most attractive smile in the world and used it as a superweapon with lethal result. It was absolutely not Tav's fault that smile was completely hypnotizing.

"Come in," a quiet voice called out to them from the other side.

Tav blinked, gave Gale a nod and opened the door.

The prayer room was surprisingly big and empty. There were a few benches and at the end one could see a small shrine dedicated to Mystra. Book filled shelving graced the walls, up to the ceiling. Tav noticed that the strong scent of burning sandalwood came from the makeshift altar and the shrine. A petite woman kneeled in front of it, her hands were folded in prayer. She got up graciously and turned around in the same fluent motion.

She was young. Sixteen, maybe seventeen years old. And yet Tav noticed some incredible maturity in her eyes and in the soft smile she greeted the two men with.

"Welcome," she said kindly and Tav took a step towards her.

"Are you the Eighth Sister of Mystra?" he asked outright. Gale put his face into his palm and groaned.

"No," Amina said with a frown, her voice became a bit colder, "people gave me that name. I don't know why. I have mortal parents that I dearly love and that are still well and alive in Waterdeep. I hope that's not the reason you knocked on my door."

"It is certainly not, I can assure you," Gale said and gave Tav an angry glare. "My name is Gale and this is Tav. You need to forgive him his non-existent manners... he lived his life in the wilderness and is not really familiar with common customs of society."

Now it was Tav who frowned and swallowed a cynical 'my, thank you for these kind words about me, Gale!' that sat on his tongue. And there people wondered why Tav preferred the company of animals.

"I see." Amina smiled. "I didn't want to appear rude. I just don't like that title. Yes, it is true that I have one deep connection to our beloved goddess. But I would never put myself on par with her daughters and grant myself such a title. I am not that arrogant."

Well, that means she's not Gale's daughter at least, thought Tav.

"That connection, however, is why we're here. To be completely honest," Gale continued.

Amina gave him a curios look out of dark blue eyes, tilting her head a bit in a way that her long, black hair fell like a waterfall over her shoulder. It made Tav shiver a bit – she had one strange, deep gaze. As if she was able to stare into one's soul. Gale had to feel it too – but if he did, then he didn't show it. Instead, he offered Amina a disarming smile. After all, he wasn't easy to intimidate, Tav knew that.

"I am looking for a... cure. To one very particular illness. A magical sickness, if you will. One that... only the goddess herself can cure. Or someone with incredible powers."

Amina frowned a bit and came closer, with her hands behind her back. Tav noticed how her eyes dropped from Gale's face to his chest.

"We heard the rumours of your unique abilities and I thought maybe I finally found someone who can offer the help I am searching for, since years of-"

"Your name is Gale, you said?" Amina interrupted him softly with her eyes still on his chest.

His heart, actually, noticed Tav. He didn't like it one bit and everything inside of him screamed to reach for the crossbow on his back.

"Yes. You might've heard a thing or two about me, in the academy back in Waterdeep, I-"

"I know who you are. I know what you are."

Silence.

Tav send Gale an alarmed look and fought hard against his instincts to draw his weapon.

"What?" Gale let out, confused.

"I can see it pulsing inside of you," Amina whispered and slowly reached out with her hand but Gale backed off, escaping her touch. "You poor man... it's eating you, isn't it... I only heard the rumours from the elder students and teachers in the academy. Some say you did a terrible thing. And just vanished one day, eaten alive by some devil who pulled you into its realm. Or maybe something even worse."

"Well, I actually just started travelling. People like to exaggerate," Gale said uneasy but still friendly.

"You paid a high price for your arrogance, for being so hungry for power and knowledge, didn't you." Amina's voice suddenly was as sharp as a knife.

"Wait. That's not what happened," Tav blurted out. "He's not like Krasus! He only read the Netherese book because your goddess decided to ignore him after using like a mortal play tool! And instead of helping him with this horrific, dark magic, curing him with a snap of her fingers, your beloved Mystra abandoned him! What kind of goddess turns her back on her Chosen Ones?"

Gale's eyes widened in shock.

Amina blinked and looked at Tav.

"Krasus?" She turned her head towards Gale. "You are familiar with Krasus' doctrine? So it is true. You did a terrible thing. And you got eaten alive by something equally terrible. It just didn't kill you and merged with you instead. Am I right?" Amina took a few steps back and seemed to comprehend what she'd just learned.

"Godsdammit, Tav!" Gale hissed. "Once! Just once! Think before you talk!"

"But it's the truth," Tav mumbled irritated. "You're not some... power hungry maniac who wants to become a god himself. You were just..."

A man in love. And those tend to do (incredibly stupid things for their beloved one. Tav knew that now. He knew that all too well.

"One Netherese abomination," Amina finished Tav's sentence instead. "And the goddess herself turned her back on you. I cannot allow you to live any longer. I cannot allow a monster like you to roam Faerûn."

Tav had his crossbow in his hands, aiming at Amina.

"He's no monster. He's merely a... hatchery for monstrous things," he said a bit helplessly. Not like he understood any of this...

Amina narrowed her eyes on him but then Gale got between them.

"Wait, stop. Stop! Tav, lower your weapon. Lady Amina, I beg you to listen to reason... there is certainly no cause to fight. And whatever monster you might see in me, killing me is not going to help. Quite the opposite, actually. If you kill me... you will be responsible for the deaths of many. You will destroy the whole of Baldur's Gate. If I am not alive anymore to contain the Netherese magic inside of me, it will erupt in one horrific explosion. Yes, I did a terrible mistake. And I'm paying for it, still, after all those years. Don't let thousands of innocent people pay for it, too."

Gale could be very convincing. The way he spoke, so serious, full of old pain, yet passion. Tav slowly lowered his crossbow and even Amina looked like she considered his words - but then she lifted her hand, bright light was balling up inside her palm.

Tav reacted on instinct and blisteringly fast. Before she could actually throw the blast of the divine energy at Gale, an arrow hit her right in the shoulder, jerking back her arm and the missile shot into the ceiling.

"You fool!" Amina yelled, pressing a hand at the bleeding shoulder and pulled out the arrow without hesitation. "You know what he is and yet you protect him?!"

A complete lack of understanding mirrored on her face. She stared at Tav with anger and incomprehension but there was something else in her eyes, too. Tav felt a shiver again. This deep, soul searching stare...

"Viscera..."

"No!" Gale raised his hands, purple runes showing up under Amina, trying to stop the spell she started to chant.

"... ut lapis." She finished her words through gritted teeth, strained through the magical prison Gale put around her.

Tav felt heavy. His body didn't listen to him anymore. He dropped his crossbow, suddenly not being able to hold it and felt that he had to sit down under some strange, invisible weight.

"Gale... what's... happening...?"

His voice felt just as heavy as his whole body. Even breathing became hard work. He had to force his chest to rise and his lungs to exhale.

"No, please gods, no, no..." Gale mumbled desperately and dropped down next to Tav, one hand on his shoulder and one stroking his face. Gale stared into Tav's eyes, searching for something.

Tav didn't like the look on Gale's face. He'd never looked so scared, so horrified before.

"Te cura," Gale mumbled, pressing his hands against Tav's chest.

White light engulfed him, the soothing and refreshing energy of a heal spell and yet he felt no difference.

"Please tell me you feel better, please tell me you feel better, please..." Gale whispered.

Tav tried to answer. His tongue felt like it was made of stone. So he just shook his head – a notion so small that he could swear he didn't move at all but it drew a miserable whine from Gale.

"What did she..." Tav started with rough voice and tried to lift his arm. He managed to slowly raise his hand in front of his face but his fingers felt cold and-

Tav's eyes widened in deep and terrified shock. His hand had turned to stone and he could see how it slowly started to spread over his arm.

He stared at Gale in honest panic.

"We fix this. We... we will fix this. I am going to get you out of here, somehow, we get you to Halsin and he surely knows how to break this spell and-" Gale suddenly lifted his head and looked at the door. Strange noises came from the other side. It sounded like yelling and the weird skittering and clicking noises of-

"Peter! He's going to help us out of here, you just have to hold on, alright? I am going to-," Gale started and tried to lift Tav up but to no avail. Gale wasn't very strong to begin with and Tav already started to get heavy.

"Gale. Give it... to me... straight. What... is happening to me...?" Tav pressed out.

Gale closed his eyes, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"A spell called flesh to stone. You... will slowly start to turn into... stone. It starts with your limbs... then will spread over your skin, your muscles. Once it reaches your heart, you're..." He didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he gave Tav a determined look. "Fight it, Tav. It is a matter of willpower. Her will against yours. With enough time, I can get help, we can... Halsin surely has the power to break this spell, he can heal everything!"

"Will I... die?"

"No. Rather worse. You will be caught forever in a petrified state and I... I am not going to let that happen to you. I promise."

"Gale..."

"Stop talking. Concentrate against the spell."

"I am sorry," Tav managed to press out without heavy stuttering.

Gale stopped his fruitless and desperate attempts to lift Tav up and gave him a helpless look. Were those tears shimmering in Gale's eyes...? It was that bad, then. Petrification. Worse than death.

"This is not... how this was supposed to go. It's my fault..."

"It's not! Don't take the blame now! And save your energies. You can work through the spell, I know you can," Gale said resolved.

"No. Listen... to me," Tav continued in a frail voice. "I just wanted... to be part of your world. But I am not... what you want... or need. And I..." Tav's voice cracked, his throat felt paralysed, his chest heavy and cold. "... I don't think I can fight it... magic... is not my strong suit. I am not... like you. I am just a fool... who sometimes talks to squirrels..."

Gale gently shook his head and put a hand on Tav's neck, he noticed that, but he couldn't feel the touch.

"Don't say such things. You're no fool. And you certainly did enchant me, so I guess you're able to do some magic..." Gale said and tried to force a soft smile through the pain but failed.

Tav tried to scoff.

"Still... with the cheesy... poetry... lines?"

Now Gale actually managed to smile through the tears.

"You just have to hold on. Fight it. I know you're strong."

"Gale, I-"

Tav couldn't finish his words.

Accompanied by a quiet but unbearable creaking sound, Gale had to watch how grey stone crept over Tav's lips, his nose and finally his eyes, freezing them into an eternal stare.

Gale couldn't breathe. His vision and his mind got all blurry. Slowly he put his hand on Tav's cheek but felt only cold, dead stone.

"You..." His voice was yet a deadly whisper as he slowly got up and turned around. "You." Now it was a vibrating and dark tremble of anger.

Amina stared at Gale through the magical prison that kept her at place, unable to even make a sound yet alone move.

With one strained yell however, she finally managed to break Gale's spell. Panting heavily, she wiped a strain of dark hair out of her face.

"This wasn't necessary," Gale said, his voice now sounding hollow, mournful.

"He made his choice," Amina replied as golden radiance started to surround her, filling the whole room with the light of a warm summer sun.

"Tread carefully now, Amina. I will give you one last chance to end this peacefully. Turn him back. He and I we leave this place. It doesn't have to end this way."

Crackling blue lightning started to fill Gale's eyes and small thunderbolts danced over his arms, his body, jumped between his fingers.

But then, without another word, Amina unleashed a blast of divine energy towards Gale and slammed him into the door at his back. Grimacing in pain, he slowly got up on his feet again. This young woman possessed incredible powers.

"Not treading carefully then? Out with a bang it is," Gale said with a cold ease.

He lifted his arms and three bolts of lightning arched towards Amina. Her screams filled the sacred chamber and the scent of sandalwood got replaced by the stench of burned flesh.

"I will end you, Netherese abomination!" Amina spat out, her hand cramped over her chest, mending her body right away through a divine healing spell.

"I am no Netherese abomination. I am the embodiment of Netherese magic."

Gale grit his teeth through the pain that started to rage through his body, ignoring the creeping fear in the back of his mind and the voice that told him that this was wrong, that he should stop. But there was another voice whispering too and this one got stronger and stronger, fed by his sorrow, his anger.

Tav wouldn't like it. Hells, he would yell at him for giving in to the dark whisper of the tadpole.

Tav would...

No. It wasn't important.

Not anymore.

A storm of necrotic energy started to rage through the room. Sickish, green light dripped out of Gale's eyes, grew like tentacles out of his body. And oh, he could see fear in the face of the young priestess. And he could see how the necrotic energy started to eat through her, could see how she started to age. Her skin wrinkled in seconds, her hair turned grey.

"Monster!" she spat out in anger and lifted her hand to form a shield of golden and sacred energy around herself.

Monster, yes... that's what Tav had called him too.

I slept with a monster. Those were his words, whispered in fear, after Gale had shown him the dark secret that lurked inside of him.

And yet Tav stood by Gale's side. Neither pushed him away nor abandoned him, like Mystra had done many years ago. Gale's eyes fell on the stone statue on the ground and it was now that he noticed the look on Tav's petrified face. Sad, yet almost peaceful. No hate. No fear. No pain. Not even a silent reproach.

"This is not who I am... this is not who I want to be..." Gale whispered and the necrotic aura around him flickered and got weak.

It was this moment that he dropped his guard for a second or two and it was this moment that a powerful blast hit him in the chest, like a bull ramming at full speed.

Gale opened his mouth but no sound escaped his lips. It felt like his lungs got crushed. Like a fish on land he tried to gasp for air, while he slowly got down on one knee.

Amina, looking much older now, stood above him, her face grim.

She lifted her glowing fist for one final, lethal strike.

Gale knew he should feel sorry for the destruction that would follow, caused by his death. He knew he should feel sorry for all the innocent lives that would get wiped out in one horrific blast that would level the whole city, leaving nothing behind but dust and tormented souls.

And yet he felt sorry only for Tav.

Gale closed his eyes, too weak to even make peace with himself.

Then, the unmistakable scent of rose water suddenly filled the chamber and with it a divine whisper. It was a soft voice, a warm voice that spoke to them, yet the tone was one of a mother scolding her children.

"No child of mine shall be responsible for the deaths of so many."

Gale opened his eyes.

"Mystra," he whispered.

There must be somewhere in the cosmos

Bound to a word I couldn't say

A soul devoid of feeling

My heart has left me somewhere far away

I made sure to use spells and abilities that actually exist in 5e (and therefor in Baldur's Gate 3 too) and if you're really curious, you can ask me which one appear. But I may have modified them a bit to fit better into the narrative, in terms of gestures and such.
Credit to the poem at the end goes to Shelby Merry.