Heart to Heart

Chapter 9

"Y-You know this monster?" Wyll asked.

"First off, she's not a monster," I said. "She was just a victim of Zariel and the Blood Wars."

"Finally, someone understands me," Karlach said.

"My question is why are you here? Are you here to bring me back to Avernus? Did Zariel send her war dog after me?"

"And here I thought you understood me," she sneered, baring her fangs. 

"And I thought you understood me, yet you pushed me through a portal and now I am here! I had to be here for five months without knowing what to do. I had no order, no routine, and for once I had to think for myself."

"You're going to blame me for granting you your freedom?"

"While I wanted to be free from Zariel, I wanted to do it myself. I didn't need help from her war dog and I definitely don't need her help now."

Karlach growled, "Here I thought we could have been friends. I was worried sick about you when I pushed you through that portal. I thought you weren't going to forgive me and that if we met up, we could make amends. Guess there's a fat chance of that happening now."

"Why are you here? You didn't answer the question."

"First of all, I came here on my own accord. I wanted to be free from Zariel and whenever I saw that chance, I took it. So now that I am free and no longer in Avernus, I can finally do what I want."

"Not if I have anything to say about that," Wyll said, pulling out his blade.

I placed my hand in front of the blade, "Stand down, Wyll."

"What? Why?"

"The Champion is no killer."

"She had slain so many demons and other creatures down in Avernus and in the Nine Hells. Besides, I have a job to do."

"Let me ask you something, Wyll," Karlach said. "Look into my eyes," her voice growing soft and her eyes softening as well, almost a pleading look to them. "Can't you see that I'm not what you think I am?"

"I know you're a monster, a heartless killer."

She let out a short, breathy laugh, almost sounding like a 'huh'. 

"You're definitely right about one thing. I don't have a heart. Zariel took that from me, along with everything else. But she also took everything from Y/N. Her family, her home, her people, and her will to keep going in life."

"Don't pretend like you've known me your entire life. You were given a place to sleep because Zariel cherished you more than any other devil and tiefling in her palace, aside from the one who could heal wounds. I was given nothing. I had to sleep on the cement ground of her palace with nothing but the clothes on my back acting as warmth. And I wasn't even given new clothes until I literally was wearing nothing to cover my chest. She at least treated you with some respect aside from taking out your heart. But still, you know nothing about me. So stop claiming like you do."

"Alright, tough shit," Karlach growled. "Think you had it so hard in your life, eh?"

"I know you had a rough life, but let's not compare how shitty our lives were in an attempt to make ourselves feel better about said lives."

Karlach tsked as she shook her head.

"Look at you, getting all bold now that you're able to talk. To finally defend yourself. To hold your own. Five months ago you were afraid to even look at me, but now that you've had your taste of freedom, you think you can say any damn thing you want. Must be nice, right? To be able to say whatever the fuck you want at whoever the fuck you want. You don't have to hold your tongue anymore."

She grabbed her axe and placed it on her shoulder, "Maybe I can do something about that."

I grabbed my sword and extended it out, the tip of the blade reaching underneath her chin. She tilted her head up as I moved the blade upwards.

"Maybe I can bring you head back to Zariel after I cut it off."

"You can try, but you know you won't be able to beat me."

With one swift motion, she swiped underneath my legs and I fell onto the ground, not even processing everything. She grabbed the end of the axe's staff and placed the blade underneath my chin, doing the exact same thing I did to her to me. Wyll was about to step in but I raised my hand up.

"Do you yield?"

"I yield, Champion."

Pulling her axe back, she placed it onto her back and outstretched her hand to me. As soon as I made contact with her, flames appeared and it felt like I stuck my hand in fire. I pulled it back and so did Karlach.

"A-Are you alright?"

I shook my hand to see there were blisters already appearing, "Shit, I'll have to get Shadowheart to heal those."

I stood up and Karlach took a step back.

"I-I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's that engine, isn't it?"

"Most likely."

"Come on," I said.

"W-What are we doing?" Wyll asked.

"We're not killing her."

"W-What?"

"She's not a monster, Wyll. She is just another tiefling. And if you even think about killing her tonight, I will have Astarion suck every drop of blood out of you. Understood?"

"Y-Yes, Y/N. B-But why defend her? I thought you hated her?"

I turned my head over my shoulder, Karlach walking behind us with her head hanging low.

"She's not a bad person, Wyll. The only reason why I snapped at her was because she's the last person I expected to be here. Not to mention she shoved me through a portal in a strange land that I had to get used to living in and with nobody, mind you. So now," I turned behind my shoulder to look at her once more. "I kind of want her to feel what it was like, but since we do have a lot of people back at camp, she doesn't have to go through it alone."

"Do you want her to go through it alone?"

"I kind of do, but she has been put through enough."