Heart to Heart

Chapter 27

Blinking my eyes open, I found myself to be, once again, entangled in Karlach's arms. I don't even remember getting up. As I picked my head up, I found out that I didn't. Karlach came over to where I was sleeping and got in behind me. Light snores were coming from her, a smile crawling onto my face. She was just adorable, everything about her. Quietly getting up, I changed out of my night clothes and walked out of the inn to get some fresh air. As I was doing some stretching, a man walked by that caught my attention. He was wearing a long, black robe that had an intricate design to the fabric. He had light stubble and black hair. He had someone else walking beside him while there were two giant things on either side. There were other people who were watching him as he walked up the road and disappeared.

"Who was that?" I asked someone nearby.

"Lord Gortash," they said.

"Where did he go?"

"To Wyrm's Rock. Which is just up the street from here. It's a big fortress."

"What does he do?"

"He kind of runs the Steel Watch."

"The Steel Watch?"

"Yeah. They're like mechanical beings. They mostly guard Gortash whenever he leaves the fortress."

"I see," I said.

"Are you not from around here?"

"No. Just passing through," I said. "I have business with him."

"I hope it goes well," the person walked off.

"I hope so, too," I said, lingering as I remembered where he had gone before I lost sight of him. If we were to get lost simply going up the road, there was something wrong with the both of us.

Heading back into the inn, I found Karlach to be sitting on the edge of the bed stretching. It appeared she had just woken up.

"Morning, Y/N," she said, standing up.

"I know where Gortash is."

"You do?!"

"Yeah. He's just up the street at Wyrm's Rock. He's in a fortress and commands the Steel Watch."

"Steel Watch?"

"Mechanical beings," I said.

"So like body guards but without the need for a person?"

"Yes."

"Tch. Seems like my job was easily overthrown by some machine parts."

"It's better that than you," I said. "Just from his appearance, he looks like a douche."

Karlach barked out a laugh, "HA! Never thought I would hear that word come from your mouth."

"He does look like a douche. There is nothing appealing about him. I hope there was nothing going on between the two of you."

"Ew, no. I kept it strictly professional with him when I worked for him. Besides, I kind of agree with you."

I chuckled as we finished getting our things together before heading out of the inn, making our way towards Wyrm's Rock. Once we reached the area, I immediately knew where we could find Gortash. The fortress was definitely a fortress and stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Are you ready, Karlach?"

She nodded her head and we made our way into the fortress. As big as it was on the outside, it was even bigger on the inside. I could get lost going down these corridors and I stuck close by Karlach, even though I think she could just as easily get lost as I could. If we were going to get lost, might as well get lost together.

"Do you know where you're going?" I asked.

"Sorta. I'm just following the sounds of an evil bastard."

"What noises does he make?"

"Bad ones. Not very nice ones, how about that?"

I giggled quietly, but even with the high ceilings, it still echoed off the walls a bit.

"Ho!" Karlach yelled as it echoed.

"Karlach!" I couldn't contain my laughter.

"Hello! Hey!"

"Karlach," I playfully shoved her. "You're going to get us caught."

"Good. We can find Gortash easier."

"Are you looking for Lord Gortash?" someone appeared before us.

I literally jumped and Karlach caught me, my tail curling upwards behind me. My arms were wrapped around her head as she held me tightly to her chest.

"Y-Yes," Karlach said.

"Do you have an appointment with him?"

"Tell him, an old friend would like to chat."

"Of course. Right this way," the person walked down the corridor we had just entered.

"Well, good thing to know we were going the wrong way," Karlach whispered to me.

I jumped down from her and walked behind the person.

"Sorry about that," I said.

"Don't worry about it. Happens all the time."

Reaching a corridor we had never went down, the person stepped aside and gestured towards it.

"Just down the hall and he should be there."

"Thank you," I said and they disappeared.

As we got closer and closer to him, Karlach's tail stiffened up, the tip of it swinging back and forth in a tight motion. I reached down and grabbed onto her hand, holding it softly, yet firm.

"You're going to be alright, Karlach."

"We've got to be light on our feet. They can't kill what they can't catch."

Just as she said that, once we reached about ten feet from him, she removed her hand from mine and charged right at him. That wasn't good. One of the machines stood up and walked towards her, blocking her path.

"Stand down, villain. The Steel Watch commands it."

Gortash stood up and raised his hand. The machine grabbed onto Karlach.

"Don't fucking touch me. Gortash! Face me you fucking asshole!" she yelled as she got dragged off to who knows where.

"And who may you be? I know Karlach, but I have never seen your face. Are you from around here?"

"No. I was in Avernus."

"Zariel, by chance?"

"Yes."

"I see. Did you know Karlach in Avernus?"

"Not really. I only spoke to her when Zariel needed her. I was Zariel's prized slave."

"Ah, I do remember her mentioning you when she bought Karlach from me."

"Did she know you were selling her to Zariel?"

"Nope. She woke up one day as normal. I told her there was a mission for her. Zariel opened a portal and she walked right in, after I told her she'd be in Avernus for a while."

My fists clenched together as I pulled my lip back, sneering at him.

"She trusted you," I said. "She trusted you with her life and what did you do to her? Betray her."

"Like you would ever understand betrayal."

He was right. While I never personally experienced betrayal, I only got second hand experience. I unclenched my fists and sighed.

"What business do you have here?" Gortash asked.