A/N: This part is super plot heavy, and VERY spoilery if you haven't finished the game. This is your only warning


The two days went by quickly as Luastra and Astarion prepped for Gortash's ball. He reminded her how to dance as they swayed together in the living room and the study. Luastra was still unsure that she was ready to dazzle, but Astarion assured her that she would be fine. They had also gone to pick up the dress the day of the event at Lysa's shop, and Astarion did get an earful. Now Lysa was in charge of the wedding garments of both the bride and groom with no room for argument. And since they went early in the morning, they were able to sate her urge and curb his hunger with little issue.

Now they were both set to arrive at Gortash's manor in the Upper City, and Luastra found herself growing more nervous while the carriage bounced over the cobblestones. She was sure that while this event was to show his new inventions, she knew that he would go over the next steps in his plan with her. Astarion wouldn't be allowed to accompany her, and while she could do it on her own, she worried about his safety. Gortash had already tried to burn him alive, who knew what else he had planned to do.

"Try not to chew your cheek off, darling," Astarion teased, bringing her out of her thoughts. He was mostly joking, but the urge made her pain tolerance much higher, so he also meant it as a warning. Luastra sighed, staring across from him.

"He's going to try something," Luastra mentioned, starting to tap her foot incessantly.

"He might, but I doubt that he'll do it in front of a whole crowd of people. I'll stay in the crowd or next to you. Remember, the moment you want to leave, we can leave," he reminded, reaching for her hand. She took his and sighed. Once she talked to the lord, they would be gone, courtesy be damned.

"Just be safe. Please," Luastra groaned as he smirked.

"I'll be as safe as I can be," he promised before the carriage stopped. "Looks like we're here."

Luastra swallowed as she put on her stage smile, letting Astarion get out first. He had insisted, saying something about etiquette or something. She had tuned him out after a few minutes of arguing that she could get out of a carriage by herself and just agreed. Grasping his hand, she stepped onto the ground, glancing around.

There were nearly a hundred more people than there were at the Grand Duke's soiree that she had attended several tendays ago. Her grip tightened on Astarion's hand before he repositioned her, so she was hanging on his arm instead. It seemed that Gortash had invited every politician, every socialite, every noble, every citizen in Baldur's Gate to his event. Luastra cleared her throat as she followed Astarion's lead, feeling overwhelmed by the number of people that surrounded her.

Astarion patted her hand on his arm, hoping to ground her a little. It had been a minute since he had been invited to such a large party, but he fell into his rhythm with ease. Luastra stared up at him before he gave her a smile. She nodded slightly, smiling back at him. As far as the partygoers knew, they were background characters. They weren't main guests or guests of honor. They were coworkers that happened to be invited who took an opportunity to come.

Luastra relaxed a little as Astarion guided her inside the manor, where they were greeted by the strangest things either of them had ever seen. They were like two sentient sets of armor, but they were the size of ogres. She wrinkled her nose, smelling something mechanical and awful about them as they approached. One turned to them with its joints stuttering before it held out its hand.

"Place your coats in my hand. I will place them in the rack," the armor explained in a strained staccato voice. Astarion grabbed their coats and gave it to the armor slowly, afraid sudden movements would startle the creation. "Thank you. Enjoy your stay."

Astarion practically dragged Luastra away from the armor, afraid that they might combust or malfunction. Luastra had to keep a steady jog to keep up with Astarion as she glanced back at the metal monsters. The magic keeping them together was intense and yet incomplete. It was a prototype to be sure, and it was unsettling.

"What in the hells are those things?" Astarion hissed once they were out of earshot in the corridor. Luastra shrugged, still staring behind them.

"They were like metal golems, but something is off about them. The magic is incomplete or something. I'm guessing that's what Gortash is revealing tonight," she speculated before she shook her head. "If he perfects those things and gives them to the Fist, then the Fist are about to become a lot more powerful."

"That doesn't seem like the best news," Astarion admitted as she sighed.

"Depends on who you are," she replied before placing her arm through Astarion's again. "But we can table that for now. Let's go see what kind of wine they have."

"You read my mind, darling," he chuckled as they made their way to the ballroom.

~U~

The ballroom was already in full swing when they arrived. They were announced as Lord and Lady Ancunin, which was met with some applause and gossipy whispers. Luastra did her best to keep her face neutral as they walked into the large room. It seemed that Gortash had a certain sense of humor, not that she really minded. Her and Astarion's marriage was inevitable at this point, and having the same last name be announced would become common place in the coming years. Astarion kept his eyes trained in front of him with a light smirk on his lips as they wandered in search of refreshments.

"Master Ancunin!" A sing-song voice rang out, causing the couple to stop in their tracks. Luastra smiled as her mother broke through the crowd with a glass of wine in her hand. Astarion grimaced at his name pronounced in such a manner as the drow councilwoman approached. "I thought I would at least be invited to the wedding, even if it wasn't announced."

"We aren't married, Mother. It seems that Lord Gortash has a particular sense of humor and a particular distain for our courtship," Luastra explained with a sigh before greeting her mother with a nod.

"Is that so? Well, it seems that Lord Gortash might be getting too big for his britches, hmm? He's been getting meddlesome in council meetings as well, even the Grand Duke is getting irritated with his antics. If it weren't for your father, I would have dealt with him already," Nosilna griped with a head shake. She clearly had had too much wine.

"Mother, you might want to lower your voice," Luastra warned as Astarion tried not to laugh.

"No, I believe your mother and I are of the same mind," Astarion countered, earning a glare from his counterpart.

"Oh? And how much do you know of Luastra's father?" Nosilna asked, her voice dropping an octave in warning. Luastra stepped forward so she could lower her voice.

"Astarion is already very aware of who Father is, and who my twin sister is," Luastra explained, alluding to her urge. Nosilna's gaze flickered to Astarion before she nodded once.

"I'm surprised you are still here and breathing, Master Ancunin," Nosilna remarked as she took another sip of wine.

"Please, call me Astarion. I am marrying your daughter, after all," he insisted. The councilwoman regarded him carefully.

"And you're fine with all of this?" Nosilna clarified softly, gaging him.

"Of course. Your daughter is remarkable, and I understand the risks that I'm undertaking," he answered as Nosilna raised an eyebrow.

"He's been very helpful. I'm able to manage it a lot better now, and I think we've found a good balance," Luastra explained as her mother regarded her carefully. Nosilna then smiled genuinely before pulling her in for a hug. "Mother?"

"I am glad you found a good one," she whispered before stepping back. "Surface dwellers can be hit or miss when it comes to courtships, so I am glad that this is working out. Not that the drow are much better."

"What would you have done if it hadn't worked out?" Luastra wondered. Nosilna laughed as she waved her hand.

"Oh, my dear, you would have killed anyone you didn't like or want to court. I can hardly make you do anything you don't want to," her mother reminded before sighing. "I'm not saying I wouldn't have kept trying, but I'm fully aware that you wouldn't stay with anyone you didn't like."

"That's reassuring," Astarion muttered.

"I just want you to have a life outside of your father. I thought you were getting trapped down there, so I thought I would give you a little push out the door," Nosilna informed, ignoring him. She reached out and cupped Luastra's cheek. "Ideally, I would like to see you free of him."

"Mother," Luastra warned as Nosilna nodded. It was treasonous to even think of an unshackled Bhaalspawn.

"I know, I know, just a mother's sentiment, I assure you," the councilwoman reminded before shaking her head. "And maybe an old woman's regret as well."

"You're hardly an old woman," Luastra laughed as Nosilna smiled.

"I forgot how sweet you are, my dear," Nosilna chuckled, gently patting her daughter's cheek. "Now, go enjoy the festivities before Gortash unveils his handiwork. I'm sure we're going to be all the better for it."

"Try not to get drunk, Mother. You're still a public figure," Luastra reminded as Nosilna waved her off.

Luastra frowned as her mother disappeared into the crowd. They stood in silence for a moment before Astarion grabbed two glasses of wine from a waiter walking around with a tray. Luastra rubbed her face before he led her to a deserted corner where they could speak a little more freely.

"How involved is she in your father's business?" Astarion wondered as Luastra sighed.

"She left Lloth for him and quickly became one of his top ranked followers. She was chosen to carry me, and she was devout until the urge started to develop," Luastra answered before swallowing, staring at the tiles on the floor. "She found me over the body of the man she had fallen in love with. She was able to restrain me, and from then on, she helped me sate the urge until I was old enough to do it on my own."

"When was that?" Astarion asked before she shrugged.

"I was little, still a child. I forgot how old I was. Back then I would fully blackout instead of watching my body being taken over. It was horrifying to wake up next to a dead body covered in blood without knowing what had happened or why. My mother tried to explain the best she could, but she could never take away the fear or the dread," Luastra continued with a shrug. "Eventually, I could see the signs of when I was about to blackout, and I learned how to stay semiconscious during it. It got easier. Well, recognizing the signs got easier. Seeing the corpses didn't for a while. I got used to them after a few decades."

"What do you need from me?" Astarion asked after a few beats of silence. Luastra smiled at him before shaking her head.

"Just keep doing what you're doing. I would like to get rid of the urge one day, but it'll take time and research. For now, let's just enjoy the ball before Gortash decides to ruin it," she replied, reaching for his hand. He brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles and nodded.

"How about a dance?" Astarion wondered as she agreed. They abandoned their goblets and took to the floor, letting themselves get lost in the music.

~U~

Before long, the music came to a stop as Gortash appeared on the balcony over the ballroom, calling the guests to his attention. Luastra stood close to Astarion as they peered up to see the lord flanked by two of the shuttering metal golems. They were right in their assumption that he had made them for the Fist, and that they were his first prototypes. He was in the process of making more, but these were the first to come out.

Questions came from the guests, some from newspaper reporters from the crowd, as Luastra felt a tap on her shoulder. She glanced behind her to see a glowing mage hand holding a small note. She grabbed it as the hand dissipated before reading it. It was a short message, just stating that she was to meet with Gortash in the meeting hall on the first floor in five minutes along with some simple directions.

"I've been summoned," Luastra whispered into Astarion's ear, who frowned. She showed him the note and he sighed.

"Alright, I hope Gortash is quick about it," he complained with a light grin. Luastra smirked before she passed through the crowd. As he promised, he kept to himself in the middle in clear view of several guests.

Luastra glanced at the note that gave her directions of which corridors to take and which door it was. She gathered her skirts and hurried towards the room that Gortash had instructed her to. It was in a quiet hallway on the first floor, a ways away from the party, perfect for their planning. Once she was sure that she had the right door, she swung it open to see an older man dressed in a dark suit. Panicked, she unsheathed her hidden dagger from her bodice and held it out in front of her.

"Who the hells are you?" she hissed, assuming a fighting stance. The older man turned, showing his elven heritage, and he smirked. He didn't seem very intimidated by her, and she growled at his insolence.

"You must be Bhaal's Chosen," he remarked, his voice deeper than she had expected. She bared her teeth, ready to leap across the table to attack him.

"And how the fuck would you know that?" she demanded. The door swung open as Gortash entered, pleased as punch by the circumstance.

"Ah, so you two have met," the lord smiled as Luastra glared at him.

"Who the fuck is he?" she growled, using her blade to point at the elven elder.

"He's my guest, just as you are, my dear. Now, please, if you can be civil, let's sit and I will explain what's going on," Gortash answered as he sat at the table. The elven man sat down as well while Luastra clenched her jaw. Sitting down at a table was not in the cards for her.

"I would prefer to stand, thank you," she informed sternly through her teeth.

"Suit yourself," Gortash replied as he pulled out a few papers and a journal. "Now, to get straight to business. I've invited you here because we are the Chosen of the Dead Three. Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul. Lord Gortash, Chosen of Bane."

"General Ketheric Thorm, Chosen of Myrkul," the elven man introduced before both men turned to her. Luastra frowned, feeling like they were patronizing her.

"Lady Luastra Gallanth, Chosen of Bhaal," Luastra sneered before Gortash scoffed.

"I thought it was Lady Luastra Ancunin," he remarked as she stabbed his table with the dagger. "You two just seemed so close."

"We have talked about a betrothal, it just hasn't happened yet, asshole. But my personal life isn't why we're here," Luastra reminded with a snarl. Gortash held his hands up placatingly before he opened his journal.

"I admit, you are correct. We are here because our gods have decided to work together again on a grand plan to take over the world, and I have a magnificent plan on how to do it," Gortash explained. Luastra leaned against the table, keeping her hand on the hilt of her blade.

The first step in Gortash's perfect plan was the heist that he explained to her already, to which they would steal from Mephistopheles a crown. Although, it wasn't just any crown. This was the Netherese Crown of Karsus that was supposed to make him a god. It was the first key to their gods' victory.

The crown is imbued with three stones, one for each of the Chosen, which can control whoever wears the crown. Luastra wanted to remark what a stupid design it was, but she held her tongue. It would work out in their favor after all.

Gortash then explained that they would place the crown on an illithid elder brain, which is where he lost both Luastra and Ketheric. This was an incredibly risky and horrible idea that had a very low chance of success. However, Gortash said that he already had that plan in the works, so they didn't have to worry about that. However, Luastra did worry.

Once the brain had the crown, they would hide the brain underneath the shadow-cursed lands around Moonrise, where Ketheric lorded over. The shadow curse would keep from prying eyes from stumbling on their plot, and it would allow them to grow their empire in silence. With the crowned brain, Gortash said that they would create Netherese illithid tadpoles, which would usually create mindflayers, but his explanation was interrupted. At that point Luastra had heard enough.

"We're creating Netherese mindflayers?" she nearly shouted, in complete shock. Mindflayers and elder brains were things you told children to get them to stay inside after dark. While they were real, you didn't see them on the material plane. And now, Gortash wanted to bring them to the Sword Coast.

"Of course not. Not all of them, at least. You see, with the Netherese magic, the tadpole creates a stasis that stops ceremorphosis. We give the order to turn or to stay the transformation," Gortash clarified before she shook her head.

"Then why?" she pleaded.

"Because the infected can still hear the hive mind of the elder brain. We can create a new god, which I've named the Absolute, to speak into the minds of True Souls and tell them that they are the true believers. Once they make their goddess proud, they will be gifted with whatever they want. Power, glory, wealth, the Absolute will make it happen," Gortash explains with glee. "And us three will be paraded as the Chosen of the Absolute, while we are the true masterminds working for the Gods of Death."

"So, these True Souls will be taking over the world in the name of the Absolute, but their razing FaerĂșn for the Gods of Death," Luastra realized as the puzzle pieces clicked together. With all Toril under the Absolute's control, Bhaal would only need the urge to kill Gortash and Ketheric to take control. And then she would be the instrument for the apocalypse. Of course, the same could be said for Gortash and Ketheric respectively. For now, though, they would have to work together to make this work.

"Exactly right," Gortash nodded with a smile. "And like I said, I already have a plan in the works for the elder brain, so you don't have to worry about that. We just need to get the Crown of Karsus, and then we can move to the next step in the plan."

"How soon do you want to move in on the Mephistar?" Luastra wondered as Gortash hummed to himself.

"In three days. I think that will give us enough time to prepare and let Ketheric get back to Moonrise," he informed before turning to the general. "Are you sure that there is enough room underneath those towers to hold the elder brain?"

"Plenty, and I have enough loyal followers of Myrkul that we can dig out a few more tunnels if we must," Ketheric reassured as Gortash nodded.

"Wonderful. Then Luastra and I will meet at the Devil's Fee at dusk in three days, and I will head to Moonrise with the crown straight after," Gortash informed before turning to her. "Will you be joining us at Moonrise?"

"Not this time, I'm afraid. I have appearances to maintain, after all, because of you. People will start talking if I suddenly disappear to go on a trip," Luastra growled as she narrowed her eyes, pulling the knife from the table surface.

"You make a valid point. We will make another trip to take you to Moonrise then, but I will make sure that you receive a stone before I leave with the crown. It's important that each of us has a part. If my calculations are correct, one person won't be enough to control the brain on their own," Gortash warned.

"Fine," Luastra nodded. "Now, unless there was something else, I will take my leave."

"No, I believe that was it," Gortash replied with a nod. Ketheric smirked as Luastra glanced at him, making her way to the door.

"Don't get eaten by the brain, Gortash," she commented before closing the door, trying not to run down the hallway back to Astarion.

~U~

Astarion had promised to stay in plain sight where he couldn't be ambushed or taken advantage of, but he was also incredibly bored just wandering around the crowd by himself. He generally would leave by this point in the party when the dancing was done, and the wine was starting to dry up. Even most of the gossipers had departed after Gortash's announcement. Plus, the sun had set, so going outside was out of the question. More opportunities for Gortash's goons to grab him out in the dark. He grumbled his complaints under his breath before he felt the hair on his neck stand on end. He froze before turning around, presenting himself carefully and politely.

"There you are, my boy."

Cazador had weaseled his way into the party as well.