Hexblade's Charm

Three and then some - Forget-Me-Not

"What do you mean?", Malyck shouted in New Krytan, his voice breaking. "Hexi, it's us, it's Malyck, what are you talking about?"

The creature sat up, rubbed their forehead. They, too, switched to New Krytan, but there was a clear accent in their strange voice. "I... I am sorry, but I don't understand what you are talking about. What is a Hexi?"

"No... no, you can't have forgotten. Come on, Hex, remember, please, you have to remember!" Hysterical, Malyck grabbed the creature's shoulders and shook them hard. Hands in black leather gloves ripped him back as the creature crawled away in terror.

"What are you doing? Stop!"

"I believe you need to calm down, petal", the Mad King mumbled into his ear. "You're scaring it."

"It? What do you mean, it?! Why doesn't he remember?"

The creature looked at them in horror. "What's going on? Please don't hurt me!"

"Don't worry, dear", Oswald said loudly and hissed to Malyck: "Let me handle this."

To the creature, he continued: "We do not wish to hurt you. Do you have a name?"

The creature seemed confused. They cocked their head and rolled their eyes, thinking for a long while. "I don't think so", they finally said.

"You are still wounded", the Mad King said, "and I know a place where you may rest with us. We have been in a battle, fighting on the same side, and we could all need some peace and quiet. Would you care to accompany us?" He had thrown on his velvety, seductive voice.

The creature saw Malyck's despair and doubt crossed their face. But then, they hesitantly nodded. "I don't know what's going on, but I think you might help me bring some light into his darkness."

"Then let us depart for Melandru's Domain", the Mad King offered, and both of them nodded, Malyck in tears and the creature with some doubt.

Another portal took them back to the Candy Corn and the ship arrived at their destination the same evening; the Mists had once again changed, and the course was easier to chart than before. The creature had spent the journey watching the Mists around them with wide, curious eyes from the bow.

They set up camp at the broken Mistwarden housing. No humanoids were yet in the area, but the birds and insects had returned and the peace of the place was calming everyone's frayed nerves.

Malyck kept watching the creature closely, even though he saw a familiar unease within their features. He had felt the same when he woke up in Tyria, captured in that weird world and saved by the Berry Band. Everyone had turned their attention to him like a spotlight, and he remembered how scared and confused he had been. Still, he could not keep himself from searching the creature's face, the way they spoke and moved, for just the slightest hint of someone he recognised. For just a little spark of hope that the man he loved was still somewhere in there.

He approached the creature carefully after dinner, when the Mad King had retired to the Candy Corn. The creature had chosen not to wear the glittering vest and colourful clothing Hexi usually adorned himself with; instead, they wore a simple incredibly plain shirt and pants. Their face was still just a plain humanoid one, no special features, nothing distinguishable.

"Hey", Malyck said softly, "I'm sorry for scaring you earlier."

The creature smiled cautiously. "It's alright. I can see now you mean well."

"May I sit down?"

The creature patted the space next to them on the sofa, and Malyck sat. He fought the overwhelming urge to cry.