Chapter 5

We returned the girl, whose name turned out to be Arabella, back to her parents. They were both relieved at their daughter's return and furious at her for trying to steal the idol. They tried to reward me with a locket, but I refused. Gale on the other hand did accept the locket and greedily stuffed it into his pack. Weird.

As we walked towards the exit of the grove, Gale spoke, "It was a brave thing you did saving that girl from that viper. What is youth if not a time to be forgiven for one's transgressions." Gale said in tone that indicated he had not been forgiven for similar past slights. I was starting to like Gale more and more.

"Agreed, that woman was just as venomous as the animal was. You did good killing the thing, though part of me wishes you'd put the master down as well." Wyll chimed in, righteous fury steeling his voice.

"It was foolish to risk the group for a single life. But watching the elf squirm was entertaining at least." Lae'zel added.

"What you did was very admirable Harry," Shadowheart said though half of her agreeance seemed to be to contradict Lae'zel.

"What I want to know is what was that lovely weapon you used to kill the snake? You called it a 'handcannon'?" Astarion said giving a wolfish smile on recalling the snake's death.

This was going to be an issue. While I didn't want to lie to my new group, I didn't want to tell them I was from another universe yet either. Starting that conversation would inevitably lead to bringing up Maggie and didn't trust any of them enough to tell them about her. Time to twist the truth a bit.

"I got it from my home. They make them there, but this is a special model. Made to take down much bigger game than snakes or men."

"And where is your home?" Gale asked scholarly interest humming in his tone.

"An island nation far from here. It's called Chicago. We don't travel out much. The only reason I'm not home is because of the mindflayers." I said, trying my best to keep my poker face up with the new, straight-up false information pouring into my half-truths.

The group seemed generally satisfied with that answer. But Astarion and Shadowheart seemed to pick up on my not being entirely honest, they decided to let it ride for now. Knowing I would have to deal with that later I suggested we find a place to camp.

Wyll showed us to a nice part of the forest close to the grove and the beach. Somehow everyone had custom-made tents and casual wear, whilst I just had the bedroll I took from the bandits, and my casual wear was just taking off a leather duster. And just as it promised Withers stood at the edge of the beach and dirt waiting patiently.

"We meet again, as predicted. I shall be here in thy camp, for whenever thou has need of my services.

"And why have you given your services to me? I'm a stranger in these lands and I don't plan to owe a debt to anyone in them."

"My services are freely given, and I have no need of favour from thee or any of thine companions."

The mummy did not seem to be lying but I wasn't sure, but its help could be useful.

"What services do you offer?" I asked reluctantly.

"To mend the threads between life and death. Should thou or any of thy compatriot's parish, I will cleave soul to body once more." Withers said in such a matter-of-fact way I knew he wasn't embellishing on his power. Which was terrifying. A creature who could bring people back from death would be a powerful being indeed. Beings of such power did not help intrepid out-of-universe wizards without ulterior motives.

"How do command such power?"

"Because it is my calling. There is little else to explain." Withers said, in the tone of a man explaining something so obvious it need not be uttered.

"What are you?" I said wonder and apprehension waring for purchase on my tone.

"There are many answers to that question. None are important."

Rather than responding to that I closed my eyes and summoned my sight and… nothing. I don't mean my sight didn't work, I saw the area we camped in, the swirl of magical energy coming from both practitioners and nature itself. But under the gaze of my wizard sight Withers remained the same. I closed my sight and stared hard at the skeletal figure.

"If you are quite through trying to harm thyself. I would suggest you go and speak with thine companions. The strength of thy bonds will determine success in the coming trails." Withers said, pulling a book from its robes and opening it, dismissing me from existence.

Whilst I would much rather figure out what my new withered acquaintance's deal was, he wasn't wrong. I was likely stuck with this group of people for the foreseeable future. Time to see if we have more in common than the worms in our brains.

I decided to start simple with my fellow wizard Gale, or I suppose Gales would be more accurate to what I was seeing. Gale was wearing a baggy and long-sleeved purple nightshirt, with interruptions of black embroidered with gold around his waist and neck. He also dawned similarly purple pants and shoes. He was staring intently at a man wearing both these clothes and his face, they hummed curiously in time with each other.

"Be with you in a moment." Both Gales said in the exact same voice, in perfect time with each other.

"Using illusion magic to check for grey hairs, trust me not worth it. Either you'll be wishing so hard not to find them you'll will the image to not show any, or it'll be accurate, and you'll start feeling old." I said to the Gales with impeccable wit.

The Gales chuckled simultaneously before the true Gale dismissed the illusion. "No, fortunately, my vanity will not be taking such a hit today. I was checking for signs of ceremorphosis."

Gale then cleared his throat and straightened like a man about to give a lecture, "Day one: fever and memory loss. Day two: hallucinations and greying skin. Day three: hair loss and blood leaking from all orifices. Need I go on?"

I didn't want him to but me keeping my stomach from being queasy wouldn't help me understand what was going on any better, so I nodded at him to continue.

"Day four: excruciating pain as the skeleton and organs reform and reposition. Day five: the host's personality has disappeared. Fingers, toes and limbs elongate. I take it you get the picture?"

"I do, but we gain nothing from an incomplete diagnosis. Finish it up doc."

"Day six: the flesh around the mouth splits to make way for tentacles. Day seven: a mindflayer is born. This is the annotated version of course."

I followed the line of logic. The first day would have been on the ship and the second was today. "We should have seen some symptoms by now, fever and memory loss at the very least."

"Spot on!" Gale said pointing his finger to his nose, "Any scholar would tell you our situation is abnormal."

"That can't be anything good. Do you think something is messing with the worm's lifecycle?" I asked fear and curiosity mingling in my voice.

"On that, I don't know, but I agree it is likely a calm before a storm."

"Since it seems we'll be weathering it together, we might as well try to get to know each other better," I said.

"I suppose, what would you like to know?"

"Start with the basics and I'll respond in kind."

"Alright, I'm Gale Dekairos, I'm a wizard of a not insubstantial renowned. I have a cat; a tower and I am accustomed to a good book on lonely evenings." Gale said with obvious pride in his voice.

"Great, what's your cat's name?"

"Tara, and technically she's a terssum. That's a catlike entity with wings and an expanded consciousness. If she ever heard me call her an ordinary feline, my books and drapes back in my tower would be in great peril."

"Yeah, I know the feeling, Mister is pretty much the unspoken emperor of my home, I think he only lets me stay because he feels sorry for me, and because I feed him when beckoned by his stumpy-tailed majesty," I said bowing as Mister was owed.

Gale laughed richly, "A fellow feline subject then, I'm glad to make your acquittance and hope your lord won't miss you while in my company. Now I believe it's your turn."

"Right, I'm Harry Dresden, I'm a wizard of great annoyance to both friend and foe. I have a cat named Mister and a dog named Mouse. I live in an old castle where I run a private investigation agency."

"A castle? Hmm. Didn't take you for the old money type."

"I'm not. I won it off a crime baron"

"And how did you manage to do that?" Gale asked impressed.

"I called his bluff and asked for it as payment for services rendered," I said smiling at the memory of getting that one over on Gentlemen Johnny Marcone.

"I'll not ask furtherly then. What's a private investigator?" Gale asked

"People come to me with problems. Lost wedding ring, magical talent in need of pointers, desperate people in need of magical protection, that sort of thing."

"Sounds admirable"

"I try to be, it's hard work but it's rewarding and it's right," I said with a comfortable conviction.

Gale smiled, "Well it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Harry Dresden, but I should be turning in."

I bid him goodnight and moved on to the next companion nearest to Gale. Wyll was sitting on a stool next to his tent polishing his rapier in what looked like a familiar motion. When noticed me he put his sword away and smiled, "Well met Harry". He was wearing red and black clothing that looked tattered and old, and either the shirt was a crop top or was cut down to resemble one.

"Well met, Blade of Frontiers. How did you get that name by the way?"

"My father once said, 'One does not pursue the champion's life. One merely answers its call.' And so it was for me." Wyll said smiling longingly at the mention of his father's words.

"I was hunting near Cloakwood when I heard it- a child crying out from a lone farmstead. I found him in the fields flanked by goblins. His mother's corpse bled into the soil next to him. I don't remember much of the battle. But I remember drying the boy's tears after."

"Bastards, no child should have to go through that, it was a good thing you did Wyll, should be proud," I said with a snarl edging my tone.

"Proud, no. But I was angry. Because you're right no child should have to go through what that boy did. How many more are out there? How many more cries went unheard? The frontiers demanded a blade and I heeded." Wyll said with conviction elevating his words.

I looked Wyll up and down for a moment, he was being sincere. Always good to meet another person who shares my convictions on fighting the good fight.

"So how did you end up hunting Karlach?"

"My source told me of her atrocities done in service to Zariel, the Archdevil of Avernus. A devil with fire for a heart. I made my way to the hells to stop her, but she climbed aboard the mindflayer ship to escape me. But I believe I know where she is, I can track her heat from anywhere." Wyll showed me on the map where he tracked Karlach's heat signature.

"Don't worry Wyll we'll find her. That heat signature isn't far from where Lae'zel's people are meant to be held up. We'll slay the devil together and then get some answers from the githyanki." I said with confidence I at least half felt.

Wyll nodded with enthusiasm and grasped my hand in a tight squeeze for a moment.

"So, who's this source of yours? They could be useful if they can get any info on these tadpoles or this Absolute." I asked ending the shake.

"They're a person that prefers anonymity I'm afraid. And I already have asked them to look into our situation. Anyway, I should be getting to bed, goodnight, Harry." Wyll said hastily, going into his tent.

Well, that was odd. That source of his must be awfully personal if he'd blow me off so quickly after mentioning it. Something to file away for later.

The next of my companions to talk to was the ever-smiling Lae'zel who was busy practising her swordplay on a dummy crudely shaped like a mindflayer. She was wearing minimal clothing, a black bra, brown pants and shoes, likely best for training purposes. Though the winter mantle was thinking of other uses for the outfit. I pushed the feeling down and cleared my throat to get her attention. She put down her sword and looked at me with a sigh and a scowl. "What do you want wizard? It better be important, every moment we waste is one we could be searching for the creche."

"Nice to see you to Lae'zel. Now I was talking to Gale about ceremorphosis and wanted to ask you some questions since you have some knowledge on the subject."

"I understand much beyond your or the other errant wizard's understanding. More to the point I know the cure to our condition. So, I say again, it is imperative we find a creche. You wizards would do better to observe more and question less." Lae'zel sneered

"Yeah, questions and knowledge are a wizard's purpose and opiate. So how about you indulge me and tell me what you know about ceremorphosis." I said letting the sarcasm mix with my annoyance.

"Fine, it starts with fever and memory loss. Then you start to hallucinate. Your hair falls out and you bleed from every orifice. Your bones will change form. Your jaw will split to allow room for four great tentacles. All skin will become gore and shed to reveal new flesh underneath. Then you have ceased to exist and a mindflayer is born." Lae'zel preached.

Aside from the more intense imagery it was the same symptom account as Gale, "But we haven't had any of these symptoms, do your sources have any president for this?"

"Chk. No, the tearsu slates have no mention of the process of becoming ghaik being anything other than what I just described. The fact that ours is unique is troubling and all the more reason we must be cleansed. Who knows what the ghaiks have planned for us."

I preferred not to think about it. I had enough on my plate, now to add the machinations of evil squid monsters. But she was right. The fact that we aren't having any symptoms can't be just a batch of good luck. Hell, with how my life tends to work out, it's pretty much an impossibility that it's anything other than some evil plot.

"I don't plan on letting myself be turned," I said with more confidence than I felt.

"Words forged in steel. May your actions express the same mettle." With that Lae'zel picked up her sword and began practising on the dummy again, dismissing me.

I moved on to Astarion who was lying down star gazing in a white shirt that puffed around the collar and black pants with matching shoes. The noble gentlemen's longue wear.

"It's quite a sight. The stars I mean. I could take or leave your chin." Astarion said lazily

"How dare you, my chin is a wonder to behold."

"Yes, you could take someone's eye out with it easily."

We chuckled for a bit before I continued, "You seem more relaxed than the others. What's up?"

"I've been thinking. Reflecting on what tomorrow will bring. When we either grab the druid from his captors or leg it to the gith creche. Will we find out how to bring the worm under control? Will this little adventure of ours be over already?" Astarion mused, almost disappointed.

"Probably not, I'm still curious as to how this new god of goblins fits into our situation, if you want to come along with me, I wouldn't mind the back-up."

"Why not, but are you sure this 'Absolute' and our brain worms are even related?"

"Not one hundred precent but a new god pops up in an ecosystem it doesn't belong, and a mass infecting of tadpoles are two unusual events. In my experience unusual events tend to mingle if in the same general area of each other."

Astarion jumped up suddenly, "I'll trust your judgement for now. You've gone to the hells and back and survived everything so far. I'm not easily impressed by people, but your strength and cunning are far greater than I initially gave you credit for."

If the words weren't enough the big cat smile that didn't touch his eyes would have tipped me off. He was playing me. For what purpose I don't know. Protection? Insurance? Either way best not to let him know I know. "Thanks, you're a bit more than the backstabbing pretty boy I thought you were."

"Thankyou darling. Now I should be heading to bed, sweet dreams." With another Cheshire cat smile he went into his tent.

Right, last but definitely not least Shadowheart. Who was fiddling about with her mysterious object when I walked up. She was wearing a frankly gorgeous outfit of black and grey. The top in particular left an amount of cleavage that my winter mantle screamed about with great delight and hunger. Ok maybe it wasn't just the mantle.

"Something the matter?" Shadowheart asked. I gave her a guilty and embarrassed look as I moved my stupid eyes back up to hers.

She gave an appreciative look as pulled some words out of my mouth. "Umm, what's the story with that artifact?" I asked hastily and without much thought.

"No story, none that your entitled to hear anyway. Just forget you ever saw it" Shadowheart said hastily hiding the artifact back in her pack.

What was so important about that artefact? It probably had something to do with her god or religion or however faith magic works in this world. Knowing people like that pushing won't get me anywhere, either she'll tell me when she's ready or I'll have to figure it out on my own.

"Fair enough. We should probably get to know each other better, make the journey a bit less lonesome." I said pinning the subject of the artifact for future thought.

"Must we? No harm in a bit of mystery, don't you think?"

"True but were gonna be going into a few more scraps before this is over. Easier to do so if we trust each other."

"Easier's often less interesting. Besides, we've plenty of reason to rely on each other already- you can't confide in just anyone about a monster in your head."

"Maybe I just want to know you better? And besides I already know about your wound and your fear of wolves how much more uncomfortable stuff can there be?" I said, once again allowing my mouth to invite my foot for dinner inside my esophagus.

"I don't have a fear of wolves," Shadowheart said defensively.

I sighed, I wasn't going to be able to weasel out of this, so may as well double down. "Shadowheart, you froze when I threatened Kahga and thus far you haven't flinched in the face of danger, but when that wolf started growling you locked up," I said as lightly and sympathetically as I could.

Shadowheart scowled, "You're far smarter than you look, Dresden. If you're going to mock me get over with so we can move on."

"Why would I mock you? We all have our fears there's no shame in it, and a fear of wolves isn't exactly irrational. I've fought with and against wolves, they are vicious and smart in packs and can be ferocious alone. Trust me, I will happily avoid confrontations with wolves if I can help it."

Shadowheart's scowl turned into a neutral look and then into a small smile when she said, "You know I should be surprised by your understanding but thus far you have been quite decent to me. Thank you, Harry."

"No problem, and I'll respect your privacy. If you don't want to share, I won't force you."

"Thank you," Shadowheart said as we faced each other, the moment silent but pleasant. I was tempted to touch her arm again, and also to do other things, but decided instead to bid her goodnight and make my way to my bedroll.

I didn't go to sleep when I went to my bedroll, I just laid there with my eyes closed waiting for the others to go to sleep. When I was sure they were all sleeping I made my way to the broken stone building next to our camp. Once there I laid out all the maps Zevlor gave me and drew a circle around it and myself. With a touch of my hand and will I closed the magic circle around myself.

Tracking spells are finicky things when it comes to humans. We are hard creatures to define magically speaking, we change our minds on who we are too much for anything like hair or blood samples to work more than a few days after extraction. Animals on the other hand are far less complicated. They only really change as they grow into adulthood and then more or less stay the same, especially if they are magically inclined in any way. So, when I pulled my pentacle amulet from my neck and wrapped a piece of my dog Mouse's fur around it, I knew I could use it to track him and by extension Maggie.

I held my amulet over the first map, that of the general area. Nothing. I moved to the map of Baldurs Gate, the city the tieflings were so eager to get to. Not a thing. Then I turned to the map of one of their apparent best routes to the city. A place, whose name Zevlor didn't know outside a place called Moonrise Towers. As I hovered my amulet above the map it began to spin rapidly until it finally stopped and landed on a spot not too far from the towers, the map pointed to an inn at the location. So, Mouse and Maggie were at the inn but what for? How does this play into Nicodemus wanting power from a dark god of this world? Questions for tomorrow, I have the location, the only thing to do now is get Halsin out and make my way there. I'm coming Maggie, I promise.