Chapter Forty: Love
Realms of the Dead, 10 Mirtul, 1370 DR
Anomen knelt before Kelemvor, who was looking at him strangely. "Anomen Delryn, you have not called the name of any god, and are therefore one of the Faithless… have you anything to say, before I must judge you?"
The cleric of Helm bowed his head, and then said. "As you know, I am a cleric of Helm. He is my master, first and foremost… but, coming to these realms, I have realised that I have a duty, and duty is what my Lord Helm recognises most. I have come to ask you if I might trade places… if I may exchange my soul for someone else's."
The Lord of the Dead frowned. "You wish to take the place of Nalia de'Arnise?"
Anomen nodded. "Yes… I would like to offer myself to the demons, so that they cannot take her pure soul. She has done more than her duty- she has died, she has lost those close to her… I would not have her suffer in death as well."
Kelemvor said, "You would give yourself into torture?"
A cringing voice cut into their conversation. "You cannot, Kelemvor! Nalia will be mine!"
Anomen saw the Goddess Loviatar standing in the shadows, and flinched at her anger. Kelemvor faced the Lady of Pain, and said, "She will not be yours, no matter what I decide, Loviatar. Nalia promised herself to the demons, not to you. She will be sent to hell, where she will be trapped by demons for eternity. You will be forbidden to travel anywhere near her… now, begone from my realms."
Loviatar snarled, and then turned into the shadows, and disappeared.
Kelemvor looked at Anomen, and said, "Kathryn will not be happy. She loves you Anomen, and wished to visit you in Helm's care…"
Anomen said, "It is my choice. I am within my rights to ask to be exchanged."
The God of the Dead sighed. "Yes, I know… and I will honour your request… but are you sure you have contemplated what you will do? Nalia took that vow knowing she would have to spend eternity in torture… what gives you the right to break her agreement?"
He sighed. "Because I love her as well. I would not have her in pain… I want her to be happy, and to be rewarded for her actions on the planes, not cast into the torture chambers, to be the plaything of demons!"
"Very well… Anomen Delryn, you will be sent into the demonic pits of the ninth hell, and there, you will spend all eternity in hellish torment. The name of Nalia de'Arnise has been removed from my rolls of judgement, and the name Delryn is now marked. Farewell, knight of Helm… farewell…"
*
The demons had stripped him of his clothing, and, with scaled, clawed fingers, stroked his naked flesh, crooning and laughing, mocking his mortal form. Shame and embarrassment rose within Anomen, which was only made worse when whips tipped with burning coals were slashed across his back.
At the same time, a tiny demon was slicing into his chest, marking the symbol of hell with utmost care, taking the time to cut nerves. The blood dripped like a sea, and Anomen shrieked as he writhed on the stone table, struggling against his bonds.
He called to Helm, to Kathryn, but they could not break this punishment… Anomen had taken Nalia from pain, but had put himself at the mercy of the demons that now took pleasure from inflicting pain. One demon had brought a small girl into the chamber, and was making Anomen watched as they killed her, again, and again, before his eyes.
Anomen wanted to help her, but he could not, and the demons laughed every time he tried to move, every time he cried out to Helm, or Kathryn. Snakes writhed their way around his body, their coldness accentuating the shame of his nakedness. Spiders teemed, their sharp fangs slicing into his skin.
Almost every torture known to man, and many others were inflicted upon him. They degraded him, made him obey their every whim. They laid the corpse of the girl on his stomach, and kept her there as she rotted, maggots eating their way through her face, which was still fixed in garish horror.
And still they whipped him, again and again, shrieking with laughter, drinking his tears from goblets of bone, capturing his sweat and blood, and licking their fingers, savouring the taste of mortal weakness.
They violated Anomen, again, and again, forcing him, with collars of mind control, to declare his love for them, to declare his eternal obedience. And then, when they were taken off, they showed Anomen images of what he had done while under their control.
And the worst thing was, that was Anomen lay there, he knew there would never be any release, that there would never be any escape from this place… and, he sobbed as he lay alone, for the few moments when the demons left him, to feast on the flesh of innocents, he called out for Kathryn, his lover.
A single note of harmony sang through his tortured pain, and he saw the Bhaalspawn standing in front of him, her white hair just as he remembered it, her eyes glistening with tears, and her lips parted slightly.
Anomen… my love…
He gasped in a shaking breath, and said, "Kathryn… I… I love you, Kathryn… but… but I had to help… Nalia… I… I loved her… as well… forgive me, my lover… forgive me, please? I have… dreaded your sadness as much as this… please do not hate me…"
Kathryn shook her head, and a tear touched her pale, beautiful cheek. No, Anomen… I could never hate you… remember the day when I appeared to you, when you had rescued, Nalia… I told you then… I told you that your promise might be broken… but I also told you that I would always love you…
The knight of Helm smiled, and he drew in a shuddering breath, made worse by the tears and tightness of his throat. "Thank… thank you… Kathryn… I… I… am not… worthy… of your… your… your love…"
Oh, Anomen! Of course you are! You are the bravest, the most chivalrous, the noblest knight I know. You dazzled me when I was a mortal, and you dazzle me even now, with your beauty, with the sacred holiness of your soul… you are worthy of greater things than this, my love."
Anomen smiled. "I… I… know that… at least… Nalia will never… suffer this… ever…"
Kathryn nodded. Yes. And for that, you should be happy. You have saved her, Anomen… you have saved her from this pain.
There were raucous sounds then, as the demons returned from the pits below. Anomen knew sudden fear, and all trace of his control faded. "Oh, gods… gods… Kathryn, please help me… I can't… I can't stand this anymore… I can't stand it!"
The Goddess of All Song bowed her head. There is one thing I can do.
"What… what is… that?"
I can kill you.
A broken sob broke through the noise of hell when she said that, and Anomen saw her golden tears streaming down, touching the stone table where he lay. He said, "I am already dead, Kathryn…"
I can make it so that you are killed even here. Your soul would cease to exist… you would die, never to come back… but you would be free from this… there is… only one complication, Anomen.
"What…?"
I love you too much.
The knight smiled faintly, yet the tears still fell. "Kathryn… please… kill me… deliver me from this wretched place… I need… you…"
The goddess nodded, and walked over until she stood over him. She leaned over, and kissed him on the lips. Anomen felt a jolt as her divine beauty entered his soul, and as their hearts connected for that one brief moment, Anomen felt the pounding force of her love, as it broke down all barriers between them.
She withdrew, and Anomen saw, in her hand, a beautiful red flower, shining with the powerful magic of her love. He saw her place the flower in his hands, and he clenched onto it with all his might.
"I love you, Kathryn!"
A brief, sad little smile played across the face of the goddess. She walked over, placed a hand on each side of Anomen's head, and then kissed him softly on the lips as well. Anomen stared into her brilliant eyes, so much more vivid than they had been when she was mortal.
I love you too.
And with those words, Kathryn sent a pink energy through Anomen, sending him into a peaceful sleep. With tears glistening, and wretched sobs tearing at her heart, she sent lightning against Anomen. Sleeping, he didn't feel anything, but awake, and forced to kill her only love, Kathryn shrieked with agony.
I love you.
Anomen, barely realising it, faded into oblivion.
I love you…
Kathryn screamed, and, across the heavens, the stars shimmered, each one giving their own eulogy for the knight of Helm…
I love you…
All across Toril, the bards and singers raised their voices, and every person was gripped by the power of Kathryn, and it was her voice that sang across the Realms, the song of their Undying Love reaching into the sky, drawing the attention of gods.
I love you…
From every temple of Kathryn, on every statue of the Goddess, golden tears fell, touching the floor. Where each golden tear touched the ground, a brilliantly glowing red flower sprouted, noble and proud, and brimming with the strength of her love.
I love you, Anomen Delryn, Knight of my heart.