Disclaimer: As always, Baldur's Gate III is © to Larian Studios, the setting for the Forgotten Realms campaign is © to Ed Greenwood and Dungeons & Dragons et al are © to Wizards of the Coast. However, Ashaka, other characters and certain plot points are of my own creation. If you don't recognize something from the game proper, than it's probably mine.
Special thanks goes out to my beta reader, CatSnievans, you're the best!
Summary: After being spirited away from her home in Kara-Tur, a githzerai monk finds herself lost upon the Sword Coast of Faerûn. In order to find a cure for the illithid larva within her mind, she must learn to trust those who share her plight. Eventual Lae'zel/PC romance. F/F.
Warnings: Headcanon, violence, language, OCs, spoilers for the game.
Chapter VII:
The Emerald Grove
Part II:
Into the Viper's Lair
After taking a bit of time to help settle a few minor disputes among the tieflings gathered in the Hollow, the quartet returned to the main area of the grove and soon found themselves on top of the gate, where a tiefling woman was mourning for the man slain at the beginning of the battle to secure the grove's entrance. While Ashaka had tried to console this tiefling, it had proven a futile effort when the woman had stormed off with a second tiefling at her heels, begging her not to do anything brash.
Afterward, the quartet crested to the top of a tall hill surrounded on one side by tall rocks, and Ashaka motioned for everyone to halt and crouch to make themselves less conspicuous when she caught sight of movement on the path ahead.
One was a pink-haired tiefling, whom had been busily peering through the eyepiece of a telescope, and the other was a dark gray bugbear whom was adamant on killing the fiend-touched woman. The goblinoid fell thanks to the combined efforts of the group, which had given time for the tiefling to clamber up onto the nearby rocks.
It took a bit before the woman felt safe enough to climb back down and, nervously, she approached the group.
"That was good timing on your part," the tiefling said, though she remained tense, yellow eyes darting over each member of the quartet. "I'm not really good at combat, so wrestling a bugbear would've gone rather... poorly."
In that moment, the fiend-touched woman's eyes narrowed.
"You're not here for heroics, are you," she continued, her tone becoming accusing as her gaze settled on Ashaka in particular. "The stench of Avernus is all over the lot of you. Let me guess: you were sent by your devil mistress to retrieve her soul coin. Well, too bad! I earned it fair and square, so it's mine!"
"We were in Avernus," Ashaka replied, keeping her tone calm, "that of which is true, but know that we serve no devil."
"Then, would you care to explain why you reek of the Hells?"
"We were abducted by mind flayers," Ashaka explained, "the ship went straight to Avernus when it fell under attack by githyanki dragon riders. My companions and I managed to escape from our confinement when a batallion of devils led by a cambion lay siege to the ship so, in the chaos, we managed to hijack the vessel and had it hop to this plane, where it soon crashed."
"I do remember seeing something unusual in the sky a couple of nights ago," the tiefling replied after a moment of thinking. "That's quite the story, and I thought I was doomed. Now I feel sorry for you."
Ashaka managed to hold back a sigh, both at the pink-haired woman's words and when she heard Lae'zel growl under her breath, knowing that the githyanki was probably glaring daggers at the tiefling.
"Here," the woman said after she reached into her belt pouch and pulled something small and round from it, which she then handed to the monk. "Take this. It's worth a fortune, but that's not worth much if you're dead. Consider it payment for saving my life and, while you're at it, feel free to take a gander through that telescope over there. You probably won't see much, given the current time of day, but it's been enough to help me stave off boredom."
Ashaka accepted the coin and, after turning it over once in her hands, she recognized that it was indeed a soul coin. While not worth much here on the Prime, in the Nine Hells, it would be worth a fortune. Still, it felt odd to be in possession of one, given that it housed some poor sod's soul within the metal covering.
After putting it in her satchel, the githzerai made her way over to the telescope, taking a moment to adjust the setting on the eyepiece before she looked through it.
"And what do you see?" Lae'zel asked, annoyance lacing her voice.
"Nothing but sky," Ashaka replied, only for her eyes to widen when something red flew into view and, while the image was still blurry, Ashaka could make out the outline as being draconic in shape. "No, wait! There's a dragon."
"What color?!" Lae'zel inquired, now sounding quite interested.
"Red," Ashaka informed simply as she adjusted the telescope a bit more, and the image became clear, showing the dragon hovering as a distant roar came to Ashaka's ears. The githzerai yelped in surprise when she felt herself being rudely yanked away from the device, however, and Ashaka shot Lae'zel a dirty look as she managed to catch herself to keep from falling, thanks in part to Shadowheart's help.
"Seriously, Lae'zel, just stop!" the cleric snapped, and the githzerai saw the half-elf glaring daggers at the githyanki, who paid her no mind as the fighter moved to look through the eyepiece.
"Tsk'va, it's gone," the githwarrior growled as she stood up to her full height, her attention locked to the middle distance. "I got a glimpse but, unfortunately, I couldn't tell if it was being ridden by a kith'rak or not. Still, I'd like to believe so. Let's be done with this place so we can head north."
"And why were you so quiet?" Ashaka inquired of Astarion as the group made their way back down the hill.
"Because," the pale elf replied, giving a smirk that made Ashaka briefly consider punching him just to wipe it off his face. "It's rather entertaining watching the seeds of discord blossoming between the three of you, so I didn't want to spoil the show."
Ashaka rolled her eyes skyward for a second at the reply, but she remained silent in regards to the matter. As much as Astarion rubbed her the wrong way at times, Ashaka knew that the pale elf had the same goal that she, Lae'zel and Shadowheart did: rid themselves of the parasites before it was too late. Once this was said and done, she knew that he would be up and gone at the first opportunity and this was something she looked forward to.
The group had returned to the Hollow for a brief reprieve after everything that had taken place that morning in order to unwind before tackling the tasks that remained, namely gaining an audience with the acting First Druid and speaking with Halsin's apprentice.
Lae'zel sighed as she drummed her fingers on the wooden table she was currently sitting at as she waited for Ashaka and Shadowheart to return with their midday meal. Astarion, of course, had excused himself and vanished into the nearby crowd of tieflings; and while Lae'zel still found the rogue's continuous wish to avoid food odd, she didn't feel the need to confront him about it.
At least not yet, anyway.
"Sorry," came Ashaka's soft voice from Lae'zel's left, and the fighter turned her attention to the monk as she leant forward to set a bowl of... something... down in front of Lae'zel before the shorter gith slid into the seat across from her. "Know that there was quite a line of people waiting, so it took longer than I initially thought."
"Chk! What is this?" the githyanki demanded, nose wrinkling as she stared down at the bowl of gray slop before Lae'zel slowly slid her gaze over to the githzerai who, to the fighter's disgust, had already begun tucking in to her own bowl of the stuff.
"I'm not sure," Ashaka admitted after pausing to wipe her mouth on a piece of linen, "but, know that in spite of its unappealing appearance, it's actually not bad."
"Back in K'liir, we had actual sustenance and not... this."
"I'm going to refer to a specific statement you told me this morning back at the river," Ashaka stated calmly as she set her spoon down, icy gray eyes locking with the fighter's. "Know that this is the Prime Material Plane, not the crèche where you were trained, so don't expect the same meals to be readily available. Go back to camp if you wish, but know that our supplies are limited."
"Chk. At least you could've gotten a hunk of bread for me since you procured one for yourself."
"Know that I asked, but she's only limiting one piece of bread per person given how low supplies are here as well."
Rather than reply, Lae'zel gave vent to an annoyed growl as she lowered her attention back to the gruel before, with an angry sigh, she slowly picked up her spoon and hesitantly raised it to her lips before taking a bite. While the overall taste wasn't great by any means, Lae'zel couldn't help but agree that it was in contrast to the overall appearance of the stuff.
She blinked when she heard the soft tearing of bread, and Lae'zel glanced up in time to see Ashaka tearing the hunk of bread she held in half before gently placing one of the halves back down onto the table and lightly sliding it towards the githwarrior, who rudely snatched it up and pulled it closer. She then heard the soft clink of glass as Ashaka pulled two small bottles of water out of her satchel, one of which she pushed in Lae'zel's direction.
Rather than confront her for a word of thanks, the monk wisely returned to her own meal which, to Lae'zel's shock given the size of the bowl, was already over halfway gone.
"Did the monks not teach you any proper etiquette when it comes to eating around others?" the githyanki pondered, reaching for the offered water and pulling it to her before pulling the cork out and taking a drink.
"Know that I would have preferred to eat alone," the githzerai hissed, offended, "however, this area is crowded, so I had no choice in the matter." She paused to break off a piece of bread, dipping it in the gruel before continuing: "As I told Shadowheart the other evening: know that old habits die hard. Given your shared assumption, know that I wasn't hatched and raised in the monastery where I trained and I shall leave it at that."
"Still, it's not like we'd be jumped in a place like this," Lae'zel stated before taking a few more bites of gruel and breaking off a piece of bread to dip into the stuff. "Both of us are well armed, so anyone who'd think of trying to pick a fight with either one of us would be foolhardy."
"True, but you can never be too certain in regards to those who skulk in the shadows," Ashaka countered, her words causing the fighter to arch a questioning brow before she dismissed it and returned to her meal. "In knowing this, never fully let your guard down, especially in a crowded place like this."
A tired groan came to their ears, then, and Lae'zel turned to see a certain cleric moving towards their table, her own bowel of gruel and hunk of bread in hand as the raven-haired woman slid into the seat at Ashaka's left... and promptly faceplanted, her forehead meeting the tabletop with a solid thunk.
"Know that I warned you," Ashaka said simply before, with a fleeting grin, the githzerai pulled a third bottle of water out of her satchel and set it near the half-elf.
"I should've well listened," Shadowheart muttered, raising both hands to gesture in accordance to her reply, "but, to be frank, how should I have known this off-putting looking stuff would be so damn popular?"
"Know that one should always be on alert in a new place, after all," Ashaka admonished before taking a swig of water from her own bottle and devouring her last piece of bread after using it to soak up the last remnants of the gruel. "Well, I'm finished. I'll be right back."
"Take mine as well, revrykal," Lae'zel ordered, smirking when the githzerai shot her an annoyed look even as she accepted the mostly empty bowl. The monk then rose from her seat and, with both bowls in hand, proceeded to head back to where the elderly tiefling woman was serving the last of the gruel in order to return them.
"Oh, for fuck's sake," Shadowheart grumbled as she raised her head and sat up fully, "take it back yourself, gith. Just because Ashaka was kind enough to provide the water doesn't mean she's your servant girl."
"She already did," the fighter replied smugly, unfazed by the glare shot her way by the cleric. "It's not my fault she wanted to do my errand for me."
"'Wanted to'," Shadowheart quipped, raising her hands to either side of her head and twitching her fingers as she spoke, "right."
"Know that I honestly don't mind helping out," Ashaka stated as she slid back into her seat, "I'm only annoyed because Lae'zel didn't utter a certain word."
"And you'll never hear such from me, zerai," the githyanki growled before taking another swig of water and turning her attention to the cleric before asking, "Why did it take so long for you to get your food, anyway?"
"Well..." Shadowheart replied, sounding a bit sheepish, "the old woman selling potions nearby made an offer that, I won't lie, is rather enticing."
"No," Lae'zel snapped, slamming her bottle of water on the table so hard that it cracked to the point of nearly breaking, "no more sodding detours! We are going to find the githyanki and that is final!"
"Who made you our leader, anyway?!" Shadowheart snarled, slamming her fist down on the table as she shot to her feet, eyes flashing bloodfire as she glowered down at the still seated githyanki. "If anyone has the final say, it's Ashaka!"
"Stop it!" Ashaka shouted suddenly, causing the other two women to jump as the githzerai also shot to her feet, gray eyes narrowed to slits as she glared at both the fighter and cleric with the disapproval of a mother who'd caught her children fiercely bickering over something mundane.
"Please," the monk began again after willing herself to calm down before she turned her attention to the half-elf, "Shadowheart, know that I appreciate your words but, know that I'm capable of speaking on my own behalf, so there's no need for you to do so; nor is there any reason for you to constantly goad Lae'zel whenever she speaks out against your ideas."
Ashaka paused for a moment before turning her pale gaze to Lae'zel and continuing on:
"Lae'zel, know that I understand that you believe your kin hold the cure to our problem, but you need to realize that we should also take other options when they present themselves. In knowing this, we're all in dire need of a cure before we turn, after all, so we need to work together and not against each other."
"Fine. Just as long as she keeps out of my way," Shadowheart grumbled before she set her attention on her meal.
"Chk. I'll go along but, when we begin to turn, you will have no one but yourself to blame for our delay in procuring the cure we seek, zerai."
Ashaka met her gaze for a long moment before giving a single nod.
"In knowing this, very well, I will take full responsibility should that misfortune befall us. Now, let us see the map you carry with you," the githzerai agreed before her brow furrowed a bit in a mix of confusion and curiosity. "Where'd you get that thing, anyway?"
"The wizard happened to have an extra," Lae'zel replied simply as she moved to unfold the map before spreading it out on the table, ignoring the dirty look Shadowheart shot her as the cleric moved her bowl of gruel out of the way. "So, he gave it to me when I inquired about it."
"Good to know, thank you. Now, Shadowheart, could you share what you learned from the woman you spoke with?"
The cleric nodded, holding up a finger in a silent request for the monk to wait till she'd finished drinking before the raven-haired half-elf stood up and skimmed over the map.
"Ethel said to find her at her tea house..." Shadowheart trailed off before she tapped her finger on a location that was south of the grove. "Here."
"That's quite far from our current location," Lae'zel pointed out as she watched Ashaka produce a piece of charcoal from a smaller pocket on her satchel before the githzerai marked down the location indicated by the cleric. "Given the positions of both markers, the githyanki are closer."
Shadowheart opened her mouth to protest, only to give vent to a defeated sigh when Ashaka gave her a warning look. Lae'zel allowed herself a smug smirk, only to drop it when the githzerai glanced in her direction.
"Know that your suggestion isn't a bad one by any means," Ashaka stated, her tone gentle (to Lae'zel's annoyance), "but Lae'zel is correct. Know that, should the encounter with the githyanki not work out in our favor, we will seek out this Ethel."
"Fine, then," the cleric replied, defeat lacing her tone, "let me finish my dinner, then we can get everything done here and move on."
Once again, this githzerai surprises me, Lae'zel thought as silence fell over the trio, and the githyanki found herself once again watching Ashaka as the young woman occupied herself with studying the map. In spite of her soft-spoken tone and quiet nature, she has the qualities of a leader. Why she can't - or won't - openly embrace this important facet of herself is beyond me.
On their way out of the Hollow, they came across Astarion talking to a young tiefling boy whom had set up shop at the northeastern outskirts of the cavern. While the child sounded absolutely frustrated, the rogue seemed to be amused to no end.
"Look, sir, just keep the damn ring, alright?" the boy sighed as the trio drew near, and Astarion was grinning as he turned to face them.
"Oh, hello! This young gentleman and I were having a friendly chat."
"Seriously, Astarion?" Shadowheart growled, "while the three of us were discussing our next course of action, you were out here playing with kids?"
"Not playing, no," the white-haired elf corrected, "I was merely showing this young lad here a less clunky way of advertising his wares."
Ashaka remained silent as the rogue and cleric argued, and the monk's eyes narrowed slightly when she saw the tiefling boy jerk his head in a peculiar manner, his gaze locked to Astarion's back. Ashaka's eyes widened when she saw movement near a particularly large fern that was growing a foot or so away, a small shape slinking out from behind it before moving to sneak up behind the rogue.
"What are you doing?" Lae'zel asked, confused, but Ashaka ignored her as she kept her full attention on the small tiefling girl whom was aiming to steal Astarion's coin purse. The monk made her move, then, quickly side-stepping around Astarion as a chorus of confused shouts left Ashaka's companions; causing the little tiefling to flinch and freeze in her tracks.
"Heh, I should've realized this was a two-person operation," Astarion drawled as he followed Ashaka's lead and turned to face the small girl, who suddenly burst into tears.
"Poor kid," Shadowheart murmured, taking a step forward, only for Ashaka to quickly raise a hand in a silent gesture for the cleric to halt.
"It could well be an act," the monk warned, all the while keeping her gaze focused squarely on the girl as the githzerai concentrated on the thoughts that swam right at the surface of the child's mind:
I... I can't do this anymore... I just can't...
These thoughts were accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of self-shame, and Ashaka allowed herself to relax slightly before she took a step forward.
"A life of thievery isn't one for you, is it," she stated gently, and the girl took a nervous step backwards before turning her attention to her accomplice.
"I-I can't do this! I'm sorry, Mattis..." the little tiefling whimpered, lowering her hands from her face, and Ashaka saw the streaks left behind by tears before the girl turned and bolted past the group and into the Hollow.
"Well, there goes that plan," the boy grumbled, and Ashaka shot him a look of disapproval before she and her companions made their way down the stone-made set of stairs which led down into what they presumed was the heart of the grove mentioned earlier by Zevlor.
Angry shouts floated up to them and, as they drew near, Ashaka saw a handful of tieflings being denied entry by a trio of druids, of whom were all clad in brown and white clothes that were embroidered by an ivy pattern on the white sections.
"Let my daughter go, right now!" one tiefling woman snarled, her hands clenching into tight fists as she lashed her tail.
"Get back, hellspawn," the druid woman in the middle spat, "your daughter's a thief and she's to be judged on Kagha's orders!"
"Let me through or I'll rip your damn throat out!"
Upon hearing the threat, the male human druid assumed the form of a large brown bear, a low growl rumbling in his throat as he glowered at the tieflings, whom had no choice but to back down. As the lavender-skinned woman and her husband were heading passed Ashaka and her group, the monk overheard the woman grumbling under her breath.
"I'll be back," Ashaka assured as she turned and approached the pair, and she held back a sigh when she heard Lae'zel growl out an insult. As she drew closer, the young woman could see that the tiefling was distraught, fresh tear streaks staining her face.
The lavender-skinned woman was clad in a simple brownish-orange tunic marked by white accents on the front near the buttons, collar and on the cuffs of the long sleeves as well as a pair of medium-brown breeches and a pair of brown shoes. Her hair, reddish-orange in color, fell to just below her jawline.
"Damn it!" she snarled, her tail lashing as she paced back and forth while her husband watched, "we could've taken those guards! We need to get Arabella out of there now!"
"You heard what they said," the man replied gently, his calm demeanor never wavering even as his wife whirled about to glare at him. "They're awaiting the acting First Druid's word on whether or not Arabella will be allowed to go free."
"Ugh! I'd sooner treck through the Nine Hells than give an ounce of trust to that snake!"
"I saw the confrontation," Ashaka said as she stopped a few paces away from the couple, "may I ask why the druids have your daughter detained?"
"Arabella tried to steal the idol," the man answered, and Ashaka saw that he, too, had been crying. "The druids lost their damned minds about it because they need it for their precious 'ritual'."
"It's... all my fault," the mother added with a shake of her head, "I was complaining and said that I wished that the wretched thing would just disappear or, better yet, explode, and Arabella apparently heard me..."
"So, now she's being judged by druids who hate the lot of us... It's... it's not right."
"Breaking into druidic chambers to steal a sacred relic? She sounds like fun." came Astarion's voice from behind Ashaka, and the monk clenched her jaw as she set a hand on her chest in order to keep herself calm.
"Quiet, you," Shadowheart scolded and Ashaka couldn't help but wonder why she believed that those three would listen and wait for her.
"Children tend to take things to heart," Ashaka replied, her words aimed towards the girl's parents. "Given how tensions are high, she wanted to do what she could to make you feel better. While I'm not placing the blame on you, this is an instance where you should have chosen your words more carefully."
"And you should shut your yap and bugger off," the woman growled before turning her back to Ashaka, who closed her eyes and gave vent to a soft sigh.
While harsh, it's better to state the truth than to lie and make someone feel better, the monk thought to herself as she turned and headed back down the stairs, I'll do what I can to help her daughter, but I can't promise things will end well.
The quartet paused when the currently shape-shifted druid roared and feigned an attack, only for the woman to tell him to calm down.
"This is the heart of your grove, is it not?" Ashaka asked, keeping her tone calm.
"Aye," the woman replied warily, her tone hard, "and it's forbidden to outsiders by Kagha's orders."
"Know that I need to speak with her," Ashaka replied calmly even when she heard the bear snarl under his breath as he glared at her.
"On who's request? The hellspawn?" the druid sneered, "get out of my sight or else!"
"Wait," the gnome to the woman's left spoke up, and she gave him a confused look, her brow furrowing when he motioned for her to bend down to his level. When she did so, he held up a hand and whispered something in her ear, and the woman's eyes widened before she rose back to her full height and cleared her throat.
"Word travels fast here, apparently," Lae'zel murmured, "but not fast enough for some."
"That," Ashaka whispered in reply, "or it's in one ear and straight out the other."
"So, you were right," the druid grumbled as she turned her attention back to the group, "go ahead, and don't keep Kagha waiting."
Though the trio of druids stood their ground, Ashaka and her companions slipped through a sizeable gap between the gnome and the eastern pillar of the stone archway, stepping into a large room where, to their right, they could see the large, elaborate alter that had been set up for the ritual where a circle of druids were chanting in a language Ashaka couldn't comprehend.
Continuing on, the quartet paused in front of a stone slab that rose, allowing them access to a stone staircase that led farther down into a large cavern, and the frightened apologies of a young child came to their ears, the fear within the girl's voice causing Ashaka to frown momentarily before she forced herself to once again show a more neutral expression.
The child, Arabella, was the spitting-image of her mother: lavender-skinned with orange eyes and reddish-orange hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She was clad within a sleeveless sky blue tunic accented by an off-white bandana tied around her neck, a pair of purple-black breeches and a pair of brown boots.
"Have you lost your senses, Kagha!?" a man snapped as the group approached, "release her!"
Ashaka narrowed her eyes when she saw a large serpent slither across the stone, unblinking yellow eyes locked onto the tiefling girl as it stopped just behind her left shoulder, where it raised the first foot of its legless form and hissed lowly. Arabella turned, fear twisting her features into a grimace as she caught sight of the reptile.
"Please," she whimpered, turning her attention over to the pair of druids, "I'm sorry..."
"This is madness, Kagha," one druid, a human man, stated, "She's just a-"
"A what, Rath!?" came the second druid's response, and the orange-haired elf turned to glare at her companion before continuing her tirade: "A thief!? A poison!? A threat!? I will imprison the devil and I will cast out every stranger!"
"Thief?" Ashaka echoed, her eyes narrowing, "Poison? What's this girl's actual crime?"
"Girl?" Kagha sneered, turning her attention to the monk, "you mean parasite. She and her kind eat our food, drink our water, and then she steals our most holy relic in thanks."
The elven woman then turned to address the man, who currently wore an expression mixed between worry and disappointment.
"Rath, lock her up. She remains here until the rite is complete."
A smile slithered onto her lips, then, before the druid turned back to address a cowering Arabella, "Keep still, devil. Teela is restless."
Ashaka set her jaw, her fingers twitching when the rust-colored serpent hissed and opened its mouth, displaying long, hollow fangs. Something needed to be done, or this child was going to die, given the way the reptile was acting currently.
Wait, the githzerai realized, her eyes widening slightly, that's it!
"We took the idol back, Kagha," Rath protested, "surely-"
"Do as I say," Kagha ordered, once again cutting the man's reply short.
"Know that you act rashly - as a cornered viper would," Ashaka interjected, ignoring Shadowheart when the cleric hissed the monk's name through clenched teeth. "Free the girl or more tieflings will interrupt your ritual."
"A gathered herd of the devils would indeed be disruptive," the woman agreed after a moment of thought, though not without a snort of derision. "It is as you say." Kagha paused in speaking, then, before voicing a sound not unlike the soft hiss of a serpent and Ashaka saw the creature calm as it turned its attention to the druid. "Teela, to me."
Upon being addressed, the viper slithered down the side of the large rock before winding its way between Arabella's feet, and the girl was barely able to keep down a frightened shriek as she squirmed.
"Quiet, thief," Kagha warned as she glared down at the child, her viper coiling around its master's right foot, "my grace has its limits."
Ashaka blinked when she heard Shadowheart stifle a cry of pain, and she looked back to see the cleric cradling her right hand. When the githzerai turned back, she saw Arabella practically bolt for the stairs, the girl disappearing through the doorway after the stone slab had slid open.
Poor kid. Thief or not, she didn't deserve to go through such trauma.
"Thank you, Kagha," Rath spoke up, drawing the monk's attention back to the druids. "Master Halsin would-"
"Halsin isn't here," Kagha interrupted, her words coupled with her tone causing Ashaka's eyes to narrow for a fleeting moment. "Keep his name off your tongue, lest Teela pierce it."
"You did well to speak up for the girl, thus, preventing what would have been a tragedy," Rath praised once Kagha had moved to the other side of the cavern and well out of earshot. "That snake is fickle."
"What if I hadn't said a word?" Ashaka pondered, "what would have happened?"
"... Nothing befitting of a child or any of our world's creatures." The human sighed, looking towards the orange-haired elf for a moment before returning his attention to the monk. "We let a snake replace our leader. She would have the tieflings driven out - or worse."
"Know that I've noticed that Kagha's all too happy to rule the roost, so to speak. Furthermore, since first arriving, I've heard the name 'Halsin' mentioned a few times, is he your true leader?"
"That he is," the dark-skinned man replied, nodding. "He disappeared after joining a small band of mercenaries on an expedition. Perhaps he was captured by goblins, or perhaps..." Rath trailed off before shaking his head. "Were he still here, he'd set 'Mistress' Kagha back in line and make her stop this damned ritual. More will die if the rite is finished. So many more... sent into a world gone mad..."
It's exactly as Zevlor had mentioned, Ashaka realized, putting the pieces together.
"If no one's searching for Halsin," she said, sounding more confident than she felt, "I could."
"Would you?" Rath asked, a hopeful note replacing the disgust and sadness in his voice. "I would give anything to see our true First Druid return home."
"I'll do what I can to find him."
"Silvanus's Blessing upon you," the druid replied with a bow of his head, "and my gratitude as well. Halsin is an elf with the presense of a bear. You'll know when you see him. As I mentioned, he left west with the mercenaries."
"One last thing," Ashaka said as Rath took a seat on a nearby stone stool, the man turning his attention back to her when she spoke.
"Yes?"
"Do you know where I could find Halsin's apprentice? Zevlor made mention of her, but didn't tell me where she is."
"Ah, that I do, she's been spending time over there in the makeshift laboratory she and Halsin had set up before he disappeared," Rath replied while pointing towards an entrance at the far side of the cavern.
"Thank you," Ashaka murmured as she returned the bow with one of her own. When she turned and headed in the direction pointed out to her, she narrowed her eyes warily when Kagha raised a hand in silent bid for the monk to stop.
"Go on," the elven woman said when Ashaka approached her, "say it: you think I'm a monster."
"Your iron will is impressive - if a touch inflexible."
"You speak in paradox," Kagha growled, "I care not for steel, but I know how it bends - and breaks. I will not allow this grove to be broken. I took back the Idol of Silvanus, and the rite is resumed. It will seal the grove free from harm. Free of intruders."
"If they are cast out, Zevlor believes his people will perish on the road," Ashaka countered, crossing her arms over her chest.
"And mine perish if he stays," Kagha shot back. "You and your companions showed great mettle at the gate. The mettle of skilled swords for hire. I want you to provide your services to Zevlor and guide the outlanders out of the grove. I'm sure they'll reward you well. They are to be gone before the final prayer. If they are not, then the viper must strike."
It's not a reward I'm after. I want nothing more than for Zevlor and his kin to be safe, Ashaka thought to herself, only for it to be interrupted when the acting First Druid spoke again.
"Mark my words: this tale shall end but one way - with the outlander rot cleansed and the grove forever shrouded."
And with that, the elf turned and made her way to the other side of the cavern, where her serpent was waiting, presumably to be fed. Ashaka watched her through narrowed eyes, before the githzerai willed herself to relax once again.
She frowned, however, when she heard Shadowheart suck in a deep breath through clenched teeth, and the githzerai turned to see the cleric stood frozen, blue-green eyes wide and locked onto the huge silver-gray wolf that was lounging behind where Rath was seated currently.
"I hate wolves..."
Ashaka rolled her eyes when she heard Lae'zel give a derisive snort before the githyanki muttered 'is'tark' under her breath. Ignoring the fighter's insult, the monk approached the frightened half-elf, and while she pondered reaching out to set a hand on Shadowheart's shoulder, in the end, Ashaka decided against such a gesture as she saw the raven-haired woman take a deep breath and recompose herself.
"I... guess that, given how I acted during the battle outside the gate and my reaction just now, you've noticed that I'm terrified of wolves and, well, anything closely resembling such," the cleric admitted, shuddering as she spoke. "They're... ravenous predators with teeth the size of daggers. Don't be surprised if I'm reluctant to face any more."
"Everyone has their own fears, Shadowheart," Ashaka soothed, her tone gentle, "know that I won't judge yours."
"Really," the woman replied, sounding both relieved and perplexed by the monk's reassurance. "Some might think it makes me a liability... In either case, it's... not something I want to dwell on right now."
"That I don't blame you for," Ashaka replied as both women caught up to Astarion and Lae'zel, both whom were waiting for them near the entrance of a smaller room. Inside the circular chamber, a large statue of some sort of creature native to this plane sat in the middle of the room, a soft, blue glow gently emanating from a series of elaborate markings etched into the front of it.
To the right, a dwarven woman was stood at a small table, where she was busily tending to an injured bird and speaking softly to it as she dressed its wounds.
"I see you," she called as the group approached, "give me a moment."
Ashaka nodded silently, watching as the woman softly chanted an incantation to a healing spell, spring green magic coalescing around her hands for a moment before fading.
"There," the druid murmured, more to herself and to her visitors, "it's up to her now: life or death... Now, what was it you needed?"
This question was asked as the dwarf fully turned her attention to Ashaka, and the githzerai took note of the elaborate dark green tattoos that marked the much shorter woman's bronze skin. She was clad in brown and white clothing, not too dissimilar to what Rath wore, and the woman's black hair was kept in a short bob that barely reached her jawline.
"Are you Nettie?" Ashaka inquired, "I was told she could possibly help us."
"Aye, I'm she," Nettie confirmed, "I do what I can and, for most folks, that's enough. Now, let's have a look at you."
Ashaka took a step forward, bending down a little so the druid could look her over, and she saw the woman's brow furrow a bit in her scrutiny.
"Hmm... you seem healthy enough, aside from looking a bit tired around the eyes."
"There's a parasite inside my head," Ashaka explained, barely able to hold back a grimace at having to speak of it, "a ghaik larva."
"Wait..." Nettie trailed off, her eyes widening in shock. "A mind flayer tadpole?!"
"Aye, the very same."
"That's a serious condition," the dwarf murmured, concern apparent within her tone before she turned and motioned for Ashaka to follow her. "Come, I... might be able to help, but we need to be quick about it. This way."
The githzerai turned to share an aside glance with her companions for a second before she followed the druid, who paused before a wall of stone, blue magic glowing around the woman's hand as she gestured. As Ashaka watched, a small section of the stone separated into panels that slid open with a steady grinding sound, revealing a doorway that led into a smaller, hidden room.
A feeling of dread fell over the monk when she caught sight of a dead humanoid lying on a stone slab near the back of the chamber, the ash gray skin and white hair silently stating that he had been a drow in life.
"That one had the same condition as you," Nettie explained, her tone grim. "He attacked us in the woods alongside some goblins. A tadpole crawled out of his head soon after he was struck down."
"Is everyone being abducted by illithids these days?" Ashaka grumbled, "I didn't think it was such a common occurrance."
Rather than answer, Nettie turned to face the table behind her, where she fiddled about with a few things that had been lain out. After a minute or so, the druid turned to face the monk once again, and Ashaka arched a questioning brow when she saw the dwarf holding what appeared to be a sharp branch.
"... Rather too common, I'm afraid," the woman muttered in a delayed response to Ashaka's earlier question. "At least that's what Master Halsin suspected. It's just a pity you have me instead of him, he understands these things: studied them. Still, we have options." After a moment, the woman spoke again, this time, her words were aimed at Ashaka's companions: "You three don't have to be here for this."
"Please," Astarion drawled, even as Ashaka shot him a warning glare, "don't mind me, I'll just watch."
"Very well, then," Nettie replied, "let's see what can be done."
"I'm curious as to how that plant will be of help," Ashaka wondered, her tone wary.
"It might. But, first thing's first. I need to know of your symptoms. Have you noticed anything strange happening?"
"Know that I fell from a ship in the sky," Ashaka admitted, "yet, something caught me. It saved my life."
"Protected from on high? Sounds like the drow. Master Halsin said he was tougher than he had any right to be. How'd you pick up the parasite? Before he disappeared, Halsin was desperate to find where all this was happening."
"On a mind flayer ship," Ashaka replied, trying to keep from sounding annoyed, "I was abducted and infested."
"A mind flayer ship?" Nettie repeated, a mix of awe and worry in her voice, "but, Master Halsin was sure..." She trailed off before giving vent to a deep sigh. "Look, you've been nothing but honest with me, so I'll be straight with you: you're dangerous. If you transform here, we're all dead. In spite of this, you seem like a good soul, so you deserve a chance to save yourself."
She paused, placing the branch in her belt before she reached into her belt pouch and produced a small vial that contained a viscous liquid within.
"This is a vial of wyvern poison," Nettie murmured grimly as she held it out for the monk to accept. "Swear to me: you'll swallow this if you feel any symptoms."
"I swear," Ashaka replied with a nod as she accepted the vial and moved to place it into her satchel.
"I hope it doesn't come to that," the druid admitted, a hint of relief in her tone, "y'know, I've spent my life treating folk, but not once have I ever seen a mind flayer infection. Then, suddenly, there's dozens of you - a bloody infestation.
"Master Halsin and I were tracking, studying, trying to figure out what the Hells was going on. All because you should all be, well, changing, yet you're not. There should be a small army of mind flayers out there. Odd experience aside, you seem perfectly normal."
"You must have learned something from studying them."
"For one... that thing in your head is like nothing we've ever seen from mind flayers. It's one of their larvae for sure but, from what I saw with that drow before he was slain, this sort grants powers to its host, nor does it turn you into one of them... Not yet, anyway."
"You mentioned tracking other victims," Ashaka inquired, her interest piqued in spite of the grim subject matter. "Did any of them change?"
"In all honesty, it's hard to say," Nettie admitted, "there's a lot we don't know. Infested folks like you have been converging on an old temple of Selûne, but I've no idea why. When Master Halsin heard that the mercenaries were headed that way, he saw an opportunity to get answers and joined the expedition right on the spot. Whatever he found there, he... didn't make it back."
"Do you think he's still alive?"
"I think so," the druid replied, her voice attaining a hopeful tone as she spoke, "I hope so. I've sent birds to find him, but they can't get anywhere near the temple without goblins trying to shoot them down."
Ashaka's eyes narrowed at her next sentence, only for the monk to relax when Nettie backpedaled, her tone apologetic: "You, though, you're one of them... technically speaking, I mean. They won't kill someone carrying one of their parasites. So, if you can find Halsin and get him out of there, we'd be able to discover what he learned and, perhaps he can save your life. How's that sound?"
"All right," Ashaka replied, "as I told Rath: I'll do what I can to find Halsin."
"Thank you," Nettie breathed, relief lacing her voice, "it would mean everything to the grove- to me. I wish I could tell you more, but only those mercenaries know the full extent of what happened out there. All I can say for certain is that they all went to the old temple of Selûne and Master Halsin didn't make it back. Good luck out there, and if things start to go bad: remember the vial, remember your oath."
After saying her piece, the dwarf bowed her head in a manner similar to how Rath had earlier before turning and leaving the smaller room.
"Wyvern poison," Shadowheart muttered, "I've never tried it, and I hope to keep it that way."
"Better a quick draught than ceremorphosis, nonetheless," Ashaka countered grimly.
The cleric stared at her for a long moment, eyes narrowed, before she sighed softly and nodded in reluctant agreement.
"You have a valid - and grim - point there," the half-elf added, casting a wary glance over to where Astarion and Lae'zel were in conversation near the doorway leading out of the larger room where they'd first met Nettie.
Ashaka saw Shadowheart glance down at her right hand, before the other woman shook her head and turned her attention back to the githzerai.
"I noticed you glance at me when I was in pain during the confrontation," the half-elf admitted before she took a moment to steel herself. "Let's just clear the air about that now, before it happens again. It's just an old wound that hurts me once in a while, nothing to be concerned about. And before you ask, it's nothing to do with the tadpoles. It's just... something I've had to live with."
"How badly does it hurt when it flares up?" Ashaka inquired, concern lacing her voice.
"A lot... quite a lot, to be honest. Thankfully, it always passes quickly, so I can manage."
"Good to know, but it does concern me that you're unable to heal it completely," the monk admitted, barely holding back a frown when the cleric gave a dismissive shrug.
"As I've said before: I'm not that accomplished as a cleric, at least not yet. For now, there's more pressing matters to attend to," Shadowheart replied before she turned and moved ahead in order to catch up with Astarion and Lae'zel.
She's hiding something else about that wound, Ashaka suspected, eyes narrowing slightly as her gaze lingered on the cleric for a moment before, with a sigh, the monk hurried to catch up with her companions.
As she drew near to where they stood waiting for her, Ashaka arched a brow when she noticed Lae'zel staring at her with a mix of annoyance and another emotion Ashaka couldn't quite make out, only for the githyanki to mouth 'What?' before averting her gaze with a huff. Though confused by Lae'zel's behavior, the githzerai chose to remain silent on the matter as the group made their way back to the stone-made stairway that led out of the grove's heart.