A/N: Not my best chapter, still recovering.
Double update day! This, and Father of Monsters!
For Love of a Witch needs some more time in the oven, so to speak, so here we are.
Still recovering from that bout of Covid -was out sick for an entire week!- and bills are a bit tight which means MORE work to make up for what I lost out on, but it is what it is.
Its HARD to write this story because not only do I not have Baldur's Gate -can't afford it and don't have a system to play it!-but I'm writing this solo.
Ergo, I have to watch walkthroughs and the like and I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING! SEND HALP!
So yes, this takes a bit longer.
With my fifteen year anniversary on this site finally here, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.
And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.
Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. Feels like everyone's lost their minds sometimes. Even before that, so many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.
So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, and stay alive, one word at a time.
Time and feedback-ergo reviews-will determine if this will remains a story. Simple as that.
This chapter comes from Jonathan Young infamous song: "Devil With a Heart of Iron"
Give it a listen, if you like. Its quite catchy, and addicting at that!
Last but not least, verbatim for Karlach's lines.
"Just wait 'till you see Baldur's Gate. You'll never want to leave."
~Karlach.
Heart of Iron
Gortash dreamed darkly.
His sleep was fractured and broken, tormented by darkness.
That alone wouldn't have bothered him. No, it was the beast that dwelt with said darkness that terrified him.
"Behold the mighty lord Gortash." the crimson fox before him rumbled out a low laugh. "Ruler of no one and nothing. Where is your army? Where are your soldiers? Where is your brilliant scheme now?" it leaned forward, exposing row upon row of wickedly sharp teeth. "So powerful and yet you will die screaming, not because over your plots, or schemes, oh no, but because you hurt one woman. The wrong woman. The woman who has my dear friend's heart. Ohhh, the irony.
"What are you?!"
"A warning. What a fool you are." It laughed at him. "And you will die a fool's death. Wake up now, little mouse."
His world went red and he awoke with a furious snarl.
What manner of nightmare was that?!
(.0.0.0.)
Her heart was a furnace.
Burning and churning like the engine it was, it set Karlach's very blood ablaze with fury.
All because of him.
Gortash.
She'd trusted that wretched worm once, respected him, hell it was pretty much her job to protect him for awhile there, and that's what she did. She'd been young, so young she didn't recognize evil when she saw it. When he turned on her she was too dumbstruck to realize what was happening. At the time, she'd had a single thought:
No way he'd hurt me, right?
WRONG.
By the time she realized he really Gortash would, it was too late. They took her heart. Just...ripped it out her chest and left this thing in its place. That slimy snake had betrayed her for reasons she didn't understand really, reasons that didn't matter anymore. If she ever saw him again, she wouldn't give him time to weave his web of words. Her axe would meet his head. Simple as that.
Evil has no real cause. It just...exists, and delights in pain.
She was beginning to understand that now.
Evil is, as evil does.
No exceptions.
Evil is evil.
Simple.
Just like these so-called "Paladins of Tyr". Feh! Buncha phonies.
They hadn't been happy to see her again, much less Naruto; in fact, their facade burst like a soap bubble with only a little prodding after they barged into their shack.
"Enough!" their leader, some mook in armor whose name she couldn't be arsed to remember, brayed at them. "I'll not play pretend anymore! Karlach, you're going home in pieces if needs must!"
Violence it was, then. Good. She snarled at him. "I'll rip your heart out first!
"Ha!" his lip curled in a sneer, reminding her so much of her former master. "Now as in the Hells, I can see why her Ladyship wants a murderous brute like you back. And you," he rounded on Naruto, "You'll soon learn what it means to ally yourself with the likes of this gar-
SPLAT.
Karlach whistled as a bloody stain impacted the wall. Kid was quick. She hadn't even seen that punch.
"Avernus was never my home." she growled at the other "paladins", heat flaring in her chest. "It was my prison. I'm free now! AND I'M NEVER GOING BACK!"
From there, everything dissolved into a beautiful red slurry of violence.
Her favorite.
Naruto caught a crossbow bolt and lunged at the would-be archer. Karlach lost track of him for a moment and when she did, one of her attackers rushed her, blade in hand. She caught it on her axe, roared, pivoted, and disemboweled them with a single swing. Another paladin pretender tried to grab her, only to set themselves on fire for their troubles. Ha! Too bad! She swept their legs, sent them tumbling to the floor, and stove their face in with a stomp before they could hope to rise.
"I'm finally free, you hear me?!" she rounded on the frightened survivors, eyes blazing, teeth bared in a snarl. "I'd sooner die than go back to the hells!"
"You tell 'em!"
Out of the corner of her eye she could've sworn she saw the kid catch a claymore between his hands. He just...grabbed it! Right in his palms, then brained the bastard who attacked him with it! Ballsy! Who even thought to do that? And why were his eyes yellow? Naw, didn't matter So long as he helped he gut these bastards.
From there it was a wrap.
They might be outnumbered, but they had the fury of a battalion and the strength of monsters besides.
Zariel's lapdogs never stood a chance. Some even tried to flee before the end. Too bad, so sad. They received no mercy.
Kid was pretty good now that the talks had broken down -because no way in hell was she going back- he knew how to handle himself in a fight. Hells, he tore through those so-called paladins like paper. No stranger to killing, this one. Then again, neither was she.
In the end, the slaughter lasted the better part of an hour.
Shame about the house, though. It was a shattered wreck now. No way they could use that to camp tonight.
"Phew." when all was said and done, she blew out a quick little breath and stretched both arms behind her back. "Had to let off a little steam after facing off with those ignots. Granted, the fire's lasting a little longer than it should." she raised an arm and grimaced a bit a her still-burning limb. "How do I look?"
Naruto tilted his head "...hot?"
Karlach's tail twitched, betraying her amusement.
Oh, so they were onto banter now, were they? "Careful there, soldier. If I burn any hotter, I might explode.
His face went red. Heh. Cute. Almost made her wanna tease him."
"Hear that?" She thumped her chest. "Infernal engine for a heart, remember? Lets me burn as hot as the Hells." A worrying thought occurred to her when the heat didn't die down. "Seems to be running in overdrive since I left Avernus. Won't be seeing my mechanic any time soon, so I'll just make the most of the extra heat. Just don't get too close 'till I've found a way to calm it down.
"Mechanic?!" Was that a note of awe in his voice just now? "So someone has to...tune you up, or something?"
"Wild, right?" she winked his way. "Believe it or not, I'm one of Zariel's least mutilated pets. But, its abit early in the game to be getting onto tragic backstories. Let's save the scar-show for later, after we've worked up an apetite for tragedy. Meanwhile, I'll need to find someone who can tune up my engine sooner rather than later. Believe me when I say this thing is HOT."
"Yeah, no kidding." he looked her up and down with a rueful grin. "You're kinda smoking."
Something fluttered in Karlach's chest and for once, it wasn't her engine.
Were they flirting now, or was he being dense? Either way...
...she kinda liked it.
"Look, The first time I ran into those 'Paladins' they let slip there was an infernal mechanic in the area. A tiefling." no recognition on his face. That was a good thing, she supposed. "He might be able to stabilize things - if I can find him. Pretty sure there's a druid's grove nearby...I think."
"Seems as good a lead as any." he shrugged one shoulder. "You know the way?"
"Meh, more or less." she waffled a hand. "I'm sure we can find our way if we stick together." He didn't protest, so she took that for the acquiescence it was. "Hopefully our guy will be among them. A tune-up would do this old tub a world of good. But first... Don't suppose you know how to make camp?
Wonder of wonders, Naruto actually did.
Huh, neat.
Wouldn't have thought someone like that -or this young!- would know his way around a campfire much less how to string up a pair of tents. The tollhouse might be a wash, but it had some decent salvage, and the bodies of her pursuers had loot and armor they could sell besides. Naruto lingered over each one, frisking them clean. Did that make him a bit of a loot goblin? Seemed young for that, too.
Another thought struck her then, and not a best pleasant one. Oh gods, am I robbing the cradle?
No, he had to be at least eighteen, right?
Yeah, definitely. Must be.
Better bloody well be!
When asked about his outdoor skills, Naruto simply gave a shrug and said. "Kakashi-sensei always told us to be prepared. Yamato-sensei even moreso."
And there it was, another morsel of his past left at her feet for her to inspect.
Unfortunately she botched the pronunciation. "Shensei?"
"Sensei." he corrected not unkindly.
Blast it all. Try again. "Shenhe?"
He was smiling now. "Sensei."
"Right, I've got it this time. Sensei." She ran the word over her tongue a third time, tasted in on her lips and frowned as he finished setting up the tents. "You know, I'm not familiar with that word. And I've been to the hells, so that's saying something!"
His smile took on a small, sad hue. "It means teacher. Or mentor, I suppose." He thumbed his chin and considered the starry sky above for a moment before giving up with a shrug. "Doesn't matter now. I won't see them again anyway...
Ouch. 'Way to put your foot in your mouth Karlach. Bloody deep throat it why don't you?!
"Sorry." she managed, wearing a grimace. "I'm sure they were good people."
"They were." He looked back to her with a wistful sigh. "Some of the best. Did you know I was an absolute brat to them in the beginning?" He palmed his face and rasped out a laugh. "Going on and on about my dreams, hooting and hollering like a broken record." his voice gained an edge that hadn't been there before, a hint of bitter self-loathing once carefully concealed beneath a sunny smile but no longer. "I'll become the next hokage! I'll bring Sasuke back! Believe it! They must've hated me. I really didn't do much to endear myself to them at first; I kept throwing myself headlong into danger without a care in the world...
There was something more to his words, a hint of self-loathing, regret perhaps.
"This isn't entirely about them, is it?"
"Not really, no." he shook his head. "It isn't.
Then why the long face?" she couldn't touch him at the moment, but she could prod him with her words.
"Well, I'm definitely a murderer now." he turned a small glazed smile on her. "I helped you kill those people...and it felt good." palming his face, he looked away. "Why did it feel good? It shouldn't...right...?"
Like hells she was leaving it there. Not after that!
"Hey, hey!" she bulled forward, pausing just shy of touching him. "Don't worry about it. Whatever's bothering you, just leave it to Mama K, alright? If you have a problem, don't keep it bottled up inside. Just talk it out with me."
"Oi." He squinted up at her, rather reminding her of a fox. "You're not that much older than me."
She granted him a bemused grin and managed a quick elbow to the ribs without burning him. "Wasn't what I meant, soldier."
...then I'll accept that sentiment." he looked like he wanted to say more, only to think better of it at the last second. "Night, Karlach."
She let him go, watching sadly as he slipped back into the tent. "...G'night, kid."
A faint rustling was her reward, nothing more, nothing less.
'Well,' she sighed, 'I really loused that one up, didn't I?
The night held no answers for her. Only silence.
Karlach turned in, dead tired already.
Her head hit the pillow.
Sleep came easily.
And if she dreamed of a certain glowing blond...well. That was her secret to keep.
A/N: Cut~! We'll call it there for today.
Pairing might be a single pairing, or might be harem. You decide! Do let me know in your reviews~!
Sooooooooo, do you want this to be a story? Would you like weekly updates? Yes? No? Maybe so? Make yourselves heard!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this particular tidbit, and others. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? Well...I'll not be able to continue it! Sad as that may sound, I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard!
As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, as such, I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly? And have some previews -potential blot bin things- that I'm working on.
References ahoy~! And ideas for new stories. Hopefully this will sate my muse for the time being.
(Previews)
"Can't die, eh? Lets test that theory~!
Pretty sure some of these so-called gods need a good talkin' too...
Tell me more about this engine of yours." he asked as they sat down to eat. "It doesn't sound good.
It isn't, they cut me open and shoved it where my heart should be.
Minthara did not see him until it was too late.
"Hello~!" he dropped from the ceiling. "Mind if I knock you out for a bit?"
"I wish you dead!"
"And I wish you'd shut the hell up, ya noisy bitch...
Vlakith blinked. Hard. "Oh, dear.
Kurama smiled.
Note: Bit of an obscure reference to Jonathan Young's song here. You can thank him for pushing me into Baldur's Gate.
"Devil with a heart of iron? Me?" Karlach scratched the back of her head with a sheepish smile. "I mean it has a nice ring to it and all, I'm flattered really."
"You're just full of witty quips and sarcasm, aren't you? What was your name again? Shade...?
The surly girl scowled at him rising to the bait he'd set all too easily. "Shadowheart."
He clicked his tongue. "Honey, ain't no way in hell that's your real name...
"I've decided." Naruto clamped a hand on Orin's shoulder. "I'm going to fix you."
The changeling sputtered in confusion. "Fix me?!"
"Yup. You clearly need a friend~!
Karlach slapped a hand to her forehead. "Naruto, no."
"Naruto yes!"
R&R~!