These Horns of ours [BALDURS GATE 3 : Wyll x Karlach]

Chapter I : New Friends, New Horns

The morning sun rose over the clear waters of the Sword Coast, birds taking their first flight of the day, and the blackish clouds originating from the crashed Nautiloid ship that came down on this beach a week ago at most still visible in the skies...

Camped nearby were a group of its escapees. It's quite a mystery how they survived tobegin with or haven't yet had the pleasure of turning into hideous alien-like by now.

Much has happened between the group of Adventurers already. What began as a short-term cooperation between a Baldurian and a Githyanki Warrior became an adventuring party housing the most unusual travelers in all the entire realm. They weren't shy of recruiting A soldier of the Hells, questionable Wizards, Clerics of unknown Faith, a Vampire Thrall, or even the Legendary "Blade of Frontiers"...

After meeting the group of adventurers in the aftermath of a fierce battle with the local Goblins at the Gates of a Druid Grove housing a flock of Thiefling Refugees one Wyllyam "Wyll" Ravenguard, known mainly by his Persona "The Blade of Frontiers" found himself joining forces with the group after it's leader only ever known as "Tav" sought to find a cure for the Illithid Tadpoles planted into theirs and Wyll's heads back on the Nautaloid. Though before which, Wyll still had a job to finish, hunting down a what he called "Advocatus Diaboli" A devils Advocate, messengers of Doom originating from the burning Hells of Avernus. It was his duty as the revered "Blade of Frontiers" to bring down that devil before it harmed any innocents...or that is what he told to the Travelers at least.

While hunting devils was not on the "to do" list of some of the group's members it's leader and two others agreed to help Wyll find his Target which had been found to hide near a Tax Office on the unsurprisingly blocked Road toward Baldurs Gate. The outside area, as expected, had been littered with the corpses of ravaged Gnolls, the same kind the group encountered on the way to this place. After meeting a handful of so-called "Paladins of Tyr," they pointed them toward the shore, placing a bounty on the Demon's head for the group to collect.

After making their way down to the shores, following a trail of blood they would encounter their "Demon" in the form of a smoking and wretching Thiefling Woman, this was her. This was her, the Devil's Advocate they had been hunting, but...

None of this seemed right; Wyll was supposed to hunt a ravenous Demon, not a Thiefling, begging them to hear her out. Wyll attempted to put aside his morals and told himself that this might just be a shapeshifter in disguise, yet not even he could fool himself as their leader stepped in to hear what she had to say before the group all collectively found their tadpoles connected to...her, she had been infected with a Tadpole as well.

While the group did see the Hells in her Memories, it was not from the perspective of a Devil, but rather a Soldier on the Front lines, ripping through hordes of Demons...the same Demons under which that soldier should have served. She was no Devil but a deserter from Zariel's Army, a runaway just wishing for freedom.

By this point, the Thiefling would introduce herself as Karlach, mentioning the so-called "Paladins" waiting up the hill, being Zariel's enforcers in disguise, wishing to bring her back to serve in the hells.

The group, including even Wyll, having come around by now, followed suit with Karlach's suggestion of decimating her pursuers once and for all, in turn joining the group as well. Even Lae'zel, the rather pessimistic Githyanki Fighter, agreed that having an experienced Soldier in their ranks was more than enough of a reason to slay a couple of false Paladins.

Even being in Zariel's ranks didn't save them from the combined strength of the Adventurers; they were beaten down quickly in no thanks due to Karlach's ability to Catch on fire at will...which naturally raised concern. Karlach, after throwing a fit of maybe understandable rage and burning down half of the Tax Office in the process, explained that her Heart had been replaced by an Infernal Engine, giving her the ability to survive at exceptionally high temperatures, which included being on fire evidentially.

After the group had returned to camp with their new companion, introductions were in order. All were delighted to have more muscle within their ranks...yet it was Wyll who distanced himself from the camp for a bit, contemplating and feeling regret or even betrayed. He was a Hero to the people of Faerun, saving people from harm. Not hunting helpless deserters for an Archdevil...he couldn't tell the others yet, no. It was too early.

Yet it seemed he wouldn't be the one to tell them anything; after evening broke, a voice rang through his mind; it was no Tadpole. Instead the source of his Powers telling him of her Arrival, Wyll could do nothing to stop it, so all he did was stand in the camp, alerting the rest.

Before he could do much, a black vortex appeared in the camp from which a tall, slender, and horned woman rose. The large demonic Wings of hers stretched outward.

Wyll had made a pact with the Cambion Fiend Mizora, a subordinate of the Archdevil Zariel. It had been her who had tasked Wyll with hunting down Karlach, deceiving him in the process, as typical for Devils. Yet Mizora did not seem to mind Karlach being alive much, though Karlach's sentiment toward her was far from the same. Wyll defended himself, confronting Mizora head on, not having signed up to hunt down Zariels runaways or Thieflings, going against his Contract with her, leaving Mizora quite amused about it all, even letting them keep Karlach alive.

But going against a Warlock pact was not something that was punished lightly. Mizora created another black flaming vortex, but this time under Wyll's own feet, chains sucking the Warlock in. To the horror of the surrounding spectators, he returned. His previously dark skin having been covered in a faint sheen of red and two curled long horns sticking out of each side of his forehead. He had been turned into a Fiend for defying the contract.

Mizora, satisfied, returned to the hells. Ensuring that this would not be the last time they met.Surprisingly, this was not the weirdest thing the group had encountered up to this point. Most pitied Wyll, but it was Karlach who approached the Warlock at night while they all slept.

"You...sacrificed yourself for me even though we barely met. Why Wyll? Could've just ratted me out to Mizora and be done with it..."

Wyll, leaning against the rocky walls of a giant boulder located within their camp, looking out toward the ocean, noticed her.

"My mission is to protect the innocent. You were always innocent, Karlach; I was just too blind to notice it at first."

He had lost the heroic tone in his voice in this moment, looking at his hands, arms and body in disgust. Yet never did he think of blaming anybody but himself for it

Karlach sat down next to the Warlock, keeping her distance due to her Engine being too unstable to touch without being fried in the process.

"I gave everything to escape Zariel's grasp; I sometimes even thought about giving the life of even those I considered friends...if someone were to give me an offer. Though I think I'm too much of a welp to admit that I could never. If I ever were to see HER again, I-..."

She noticed she'd gone off on a small rant by now, however, noticing that Wyll still listened to every word she said

"Uh, a-anyway. Cheers, Wyll, I really mean it...nobody had ever sacrificed themselves for me but you all, especially you. But this sad shit aside, mind if I stay here a while too? Haven't seen the Moon or Water in a while, is all.""...Be my guest, Karlach, though remember that we need to be up early in the morning."He answered, smiling, and them both returning their gaze toward the ocean and the moon.