Evie hated waiting. She had paced for a while till Halsin told her to go sit down. Her wound was closed, but she still felt weakened by it. She went up into overlook and lay down on a stone bench . She only closed her eyes for a moment, at least she thought it was a moment. Her dream or rather nightmare was of the dragonborn bard. She could still feel Quil's warm, sticky blood on her hands. The coppery scent in the air and the sight of the poor girl. Her body cut open, wet crimson entrails leaking out of the body and the look of pure terror on her scaled face. Evie jerked awake and felt the room spinning. Her stomach threatened empty up the bile churning in it. She stumbled into what looked to be prayer room at one time. She fell to her knees and tried to fight the nausea. She didn't see the little creature appear behind her.
"Oh master! Jublient day, I have found you at last!" Evie jumped to her feet and held her hands up. The small fiend bowed and grinned up at her. "We have been parted so tragically long." He moved closer and Evie stepped back. "Master, are you unwell?"
"Who the fuck are you?"
"Sceleritas Fel, your most humble butler."
"Butler?" He skipped closer and placed a clawed hand on her arm.
"Master's memory is still a mess. I had hoped when I caught wind of your beautiful work with the bard that you had regained yourself m'lady."
"How...I didn't...I don't remember killing her."
"Master was always so careful with her bouts of joy. Since you have been away so much has changed." The fiend reached into a small bag hanging from his back. "Your father is pleased with your work on the bard. Here is your inheritance. I will see you soon m'lady." Before she could ask him anything else he vanished. His appearance left her more confused. She looked at the fabric in her hands. It was a rich red color. Magic pulsed from it. She shrugged and fastened it to her chain shirt. Since waking up on the mindflayer ship nothing surprised her much anymore. A devil tried to bargain with them, cultists either wanted them to join them or have tried to kill them and now a fiendish butler showed up.
"I shouldn't have wished to live in more interesting times." She shook off the oddity of it all. She made her way back down to the worg pens and Halsin gave her a greeting smile.
"Rest well?"
"Not really. I need to go find them. I can't just stand here while my friends are out there facing gods know what." Halsin could see the worry and frustration on her young face. She shifted and winced hearing how loud her chain shirt jingled in the quiet space.
"I don't suppose you have a set of leather armor I could use?" He shook his head and she sighed.
"Your companions left their packs, maybe there is something in one of them." Feeling a little guilty rummaging through their things she found a dark set of leathers with matching boots and gloves. She silently thanked the gods that Wyll was a bit of a pack rat. She rushed into a corner out of sight to change. It took her a few minutes to get the new set of armor on. The new cloak was the last touch before she started back to Halsin. Searching Astarion's pack she found a couple of daggers and she slipped one in her boot and another on her hip. Forgoing her shield she slung her hammer on her back and headed back for the door.
"If anyone comes back this way tell them to wait for me." Halsin nodded as he watched her disappear in the dark through way. She was welcomed by the bodies of the three goblins who had been guarding the room right outside the worg pens. The echos of battle sounded in the distance. As quickly and quietly as she could she rushed forward. More dead goblins dotted her path. Her friends had been busy. She prayed they were all alright. The clatter of weapons and din of voices told her she was getting close.
OoO
"Well we stirred up a bloody hornets nest! Shadowheart stood back to back with Astarion. They had attempted to kill Dror Ragzlin, but only succeeded on bringing the whole place down around them. The goblins were easy enough to kill, it was just their sheer numbers that were daunting. Priestess Gut and Ragzlin shouted orders and the group tightened ranks. "We need to take those two out!" Karlach growled and rushed the nearest mob of goblins cleaving through them. Her goal was the hobgoblin. She cut a bloody path through giving her friends a little breathing room. The hobgoblin was ready for her seeing the fiery tiefling storm her way to him. Great ax met war hammer in a shower of sparks. The two danced around each other while all around them their respective armies battled.
Wyll did his best to protect Gale from the onslaught of the advancing goblins. The two were the least armored and the most vulnerable. Priestess Gut threw spells and barked orders for her followers to take the men down. Pain shot through Wyll's leg as a pike sliced through his upper thigh. He grit his teeth and tried to keep to his feet. Gale was panting behind him, spells nearly spent and his magic fading. They needed rest, they needed this fight to end, they needed a miracle.
"We can't keep this up much longer..." Wyll nodded and stabbed at the goblin that rushed at him. Gut had enough of them picking off her men. She ran at Wyll, he barely had a chance to turn when her staff smacked him across the face. He fell to the ground and the goblin laughed turning her attention to Gale. "Wyll!" The priestess started muttering a spell and aimed it at Gale, he had nowhere to move and no hope of blocking it. He closed his eyes waiting for the end. A wet sickening crack made him wince, his eyes opened at the sound of a body hitting the ground. The goblin leader was crawling to get away from a dark figure in the shadows. A dark hammer slammed down on her skull crushing it. The body gave one last quiver and then fell silent. Gale didn't see his savior, a touch of divine magic pulsed through him and Evie's worried eyes appeared out of nowhere. She turned and lay her hands on Wyll using the same healing spell bringing him back to conciseness.
"Fight isn't over yet boys." She held out her hand and pulled the warlock to his feet. "Stay out of the fray and hit them from a distance if you have anything left." Before either of them could say a word she was gone, heading toward Karlach and her adversary.
"I will crush your skull!" The hobgoblin swung his own warhammer at Karlach's side, but she dodged it. Astarion tried to say flanked with the goblin leader so his attentions was divided. It worked for a while till more goblins crawled out of the woodwork. The elf's attention was now on the few who were now trying to surround him.
"We need to end this now!" Karlach could hear the desperation in her companion's voice. She bull rushed Ragzlin only for him to side step her and bring his hammer down square on her back. A scream of pain echoed in the room as the barbarian crumpled to the ground. "Karlach!" Astarion lashed out at his last combatant. The goblin tried to stop the blood from pouring out of the wound. Her efforts were in vain. The thundering footsteps heading toward him made Astarion turn, but not soon enough to stop being knocked prone. The frenzied hobgoblin snared at him as he raised his hammer for a killing blow. "So this is the end. Killed by lowly vermin." Crimson eyes closed waiting for death. He heard the gasping grunt and felt the warm spray of blood rain down on him. His eyes opened and the sight in front of him was very unexpected. Ragzlin was trying to pry a figure off his back. Bloodied daggers flashed as they stabbed into his neck and torso over and over again. His massive body stumbled and swayed as each hit sapped more and more of his energy. The hobgoblin fell to his knees weakly pawing at the figure who at his point was savaging his dying body. The few goblins who remained were stunned as were Astarion and his companions. Ragzlin's body fell forward and the figure who ended him tumbled forward. Blood drenched their features as they sprung to their feet and ran at the last of the goblins. A few cries of pain and surprise were the last sounds of battle to be heard. Only the sound of panting broke through the silence. The dark figure seemed to have vanished in the darkness of the room, but Astarion could still hear their breathing. He just could not pin point where they went. Shadowheart rushed to Karlach's side and began searching through her pack for a potion. The blood soaked figure appeared behind the cleric and slapped a potion into her hand. Green eyes went wide seeing their leader covered in blood and there with them.
"Where in the hells did you come from?" Evie chuckled.
"I got bored so I came to help." The half elf shook her head and laughed. The low groan from Karlach made Shadowheart breathe a sigh of relief. The rest of their group was now hovering around them. "Everyone alright?" Evie saw the look of shock on most of their faces. A murmur of questions and answers of their conditions dinned in the room. She just shrugged and went to retrieve her hammer which she left near where she rescued Gale and Wyll. She felt someone shadow her and found Astarion close to her. "You alright?"
"Quite from your timely rescue." She grinned, even covered in grime and blood she looked beautiful to him. "I didn't know you were skilled in using daggers?" She tilted her head, almost like she was trying to remember something.
"It felt almost natural, but I can't remember..."
"You are full of surprises darling, it will be fun to see what other little quirks you have." Through the spots on her cheeks the blood had not touched he saw a blush creep up and she tried to turn her head away from him to hide. He quickly, gently grabbed her chin and pulled her back to look him in the eyes. "You are too precious." He watched her pupils blow wide and she leaned closer to him.
"Hey you two, we need to let the druid know we killed the leaders." Evie pulled away quickly at the sudden voice. Gale stood glaring daggers at the rogue elf and Astarion growled back a the mage. Evie sighed and took Astarion's hand, forcibly leading him passed Gale. Mostly she wanted to stop the vampire from slicing their wizard to ribbons. It didn't hurt that she pretty much showed Gale that she favored Astarion and his advances over anyone else.
"You should have let me stab him." Evie snorted and shook her head.
"There has been enough blood spilt today. We are all tired and running on a blood high, no need to add to it."
"Speak for yourself darling, I haven't had any decent blood today. While helpful in healing, goblin blood is rather mealy." She smirked watching him wrinkle is nose. He had a cute side, one she felt only she was privileged to see. "What are you smiling at?"
"Oh nothing, you are adorable when you crinkle your nose is all." The smirk on her face widened as he opened his mouth to speak, but found no words. "If you want something less gamey for dinner come see me before turning in for the night. You can have my blood to wash out the taste of theirs." The rogue flashed her a devilish grin before opening the worg pen door for her. Hopefully now they could get some answers from Halsin about their next steps to ridding themselves of the parasites.
OoO
Halsin had left them and returned to the Grove. The group had decided to rest before heading back there. Most of them were exhausted and needed healing. Evie felt drained, her vision blurry, everything ached. At first she chalked it up to the fights in the goblin camp, but as the evening progressed dread filled her. She stumbled away from the main of the camp. Her guts felt like they were on fire. From the quiet of the night she heard her friends gasp and moan. Their time had run out, the tadpoles were changing them and there was nothing they could do to stop it. She leaned against a rock and tried to breathe. Even that was agony. She wasn't sure how long she had been there before feeling cold steel against her throat. Lae'zel stood over her speaking her native tongue. Evie blinked trying to understand her, but focusing was next to impossible. The cold metal felt nice against her burning skin.
"...first you, then the others, then myself. We will not become ghaik." Evie closed her eyes and waited for the flash of pain. She was vaguely aware of someone calling her name. That same someone had pulled Lae'zel off of her. A flash of white and crimson was the last thing she saw when the world went dark. The next sensation she felt was warmth, it spread from her head to her toes. The energy pulsed through her and her eyes fluttered open. A woman in gold armor was crouched over her, hands glowing with magic. The stranger's eyes glowed white and their face was graced with a small smile.
"I got to you just in time, you were transforming." Evie slowly sat up. The pain was gone, she felt better than she had in days. "You won't turn into a mindflayer, not while I'm around." The woman's eyes stopped glowing and she could see they looked very similar in color to her own.
"Your voice...I've heard it before...on the ship, you told me to wake up and fight. Then I heard it again when I was falling..."
"I saved you before." The woman held out her hand and Evie took it. She was easily lifted to her feet and the woman steadied her. "And I'm here to save you again."
"Why? How?"
"I am an adventurer just like you and just like you I was infected. I fight to free us both of this, but I need your help."
"My help?" Evie remembered her friends, all who were also transforming. Panic hammered her heart. "My friends...Oh Gods..." The woman gently squeezed her shoulders.
"Your companions are safe. I was able to stop their transformations as well." Evie hugged the woman and quickly let go. Part of her was relieved and another part was suspicious. "We are fighting a war for the soul of Faerun. A battle which we are losing, for now. I need you to tap into the abilities the tadpole gives you. It might be the only way for you to survive. For the sake of us all, you must learn to wield it."
"I don't understand."
"Remember using your connection to it on the ship, with the intellect devourer and the console that freed your cleric friend?" Evie nodded. "You were just scratching the surface, if you hone those powers, strengthen them, nothing will stop you." Evie followed the woman to the edge of the rock they stood on. As she waved her hand the asteroids tumbling in front of them parted. Evie's eyes widened at the sight of a large skull like rock across the way and beings of energy fighting one another. "Damn, I'm needed..." A shock wave of energy raced toward the pair and the dream woman threw up a spell to block it. Her other hand reached back and sent Evie flying back away from the blast. Her voice echoed in Evie's head. "Wake now, you'll feel better I promise..."
OoO
Evie groaned and covered her eyes from the harsh morning rays. Her head throbbed a bit, but the pain from the night before was gone. She heard a low groan to her left and she turned her head. White curls filled her vision. She reached out and gently ran her fingers through those silky curls. Astarion lifted his head and relief showed on his handsome face. Another low moan sounded to her right. Lolling her head she saw Lae'zel trying to sit up.
"Please tell me you two had a very weird dream too?" Astarion gracefully got to his feet and held out his hands to both women. Evie took it without hesitation, Lae'zel paused, but then took the rogue's hand.
"A dream figure offering power and gifts?" She nodded. "It would seem they stopped our transformation into monsters. I am quite grateful for that." Lae'zel clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"Do not trust it. Nothing good comes from using ghaik powers." Without another word she stormed off heading back to the main part of camp. The two watched her retreating form.
"You pulled her away from me didn't you?" Astarion looked annoyed thinking back to the scene he stumbled into the night prior. Lae'zel with a dagger at Evie's throat poised to strike. It took all the strength he had left in his ravaged body to pull the gith away.
"Why didn't you fight back?" Evie sighed and fidgeted with her rings.
"I...I didn't have the energy to. I thought that was it and before becoming a mindflayer it was best to let her end me." Her mind wandered back to the dream guardian. "It would seem it wasn't our time,
you stopped Lae'zel and this guardian stopped our turning."
"And the power these tadpoles can give us isn't bad either." She rolled her eyes at him and pushed him gently toward their camp.
"I'm not sure I trust whoever that was that saved us. We can explore them, lets just be cautious about it. We've been lucky so far. I just don't want it to run out."
"Alright darling, shall we gather the others and head to meet the druid?"
"I'm hoping this Moonrise place has answers for all of us. I have a strange feeling that we are being led on a wild goose chase." She didn't voice her worries about her lost memories or what she did to the bard. She feared the longer this goes the dark thoughts will come back and take over her again.