Elen POV:
The sun is just dawning and everyone getting ready for the day. Lae'zel was probably up since the first bird songs, as she often complains about them, polishing her armour and whetting her greatsword, Shadowheart coming back from the nearby river where she washed herself as she does every morning, Wyll already fencing with a tree to warm up for fighting and Gale is yawning at his book, still half-asleep, sat cross-legged at the bonfire while waiting for some beef to cook. You like the ambience floating in the camp at daybreak, there is a serenity to it. You see Astarion coming back from the forest, blood still encrusted on the side of his lips after the hunt. He throws a fresh squirrel's carcass at you without a word or glance, and feigns not to see you as he passes by. You deduce that he is not over your last exchange.
You smell suplhur in the air and immediately tense, unsheathing your scimitars, as Wild Howl stands by your side with a low growl, bristled fur and uncovered fangs. The warrior is ready to defend as well, but no devil appears in the middle of the camp. Instead, a ring of fire rises at the warlock's feet and a rain of smouldering ashes twirls into a humanoid form in his back.
"Wyll!" shouts the cleric, as you and the gith run up to him, ready to slash at whatever hellish creature intruded.
"Stop!" he barks back. "This is no stranger, and she shall not be harmed!"
You stop in your tracks near him. Everyone is now approaching slowly, wary, weapons drawn and spells ready to fire.
"Wyll, you stinker! You didn't tell them about me?" a question to which the man doesn't answer, a profound shame darkening his gaze.
The cambion has her hands on his hips, head resting on his shoulder, tail and wings circling around him. She has a smoky blue skin, flaming orange eyes and four horns adorned with an heavy amount of jewellery. You decide to speak up:
"-Wyll, are you alright? What does she want?
-Do not worry about him. Yet. My puppy is being lazy, and his quarry won't die on wishful thinking alone. Now pet, could you remind me of what happens if there is a breach of contract?
-You and I already know, Mizora. There is no need for this."
She cups his chin with one hand as she laughs, just before violently yanking at an invisible chain that sends him face first in the dirt.
"I asked you a question."
He gets back up, wiping his face with the back of a hand and answering in an empty voice:
"-Breach of contract means immediate enrolment in the Blood War as a lemure.
-Bravo! And here I was, dreading that you might have forgotten the terms of our agreement! You have until sundown.
-Until sundown? But Mizora, how am I supposed to-
-Your prey is near, you only need cross the river to pick up her trail. See you tonight pet. Ta-ta."
She dissolves into the air even faster than she materialized, only leaving a handful of cinders drifting lazily. Everyone is now gathered near the man and his hurt pride. Lae'zel is the first one to break the embarassed silence:
"-Chk! Cavorting with devils? You're way more trouble than you're worth, kainyank!
-Stand down Lae'zel. He will explain himself before we decide to do anything." you decree to stop the situation from escalating any further. You continue:
"-Wyll, to which archdevil does this cambion answers to-
-That is your first question on the matter? Not why he kept that information from us?" interjects Gale, his brow furrowed, trying to piece together your reasoning. Wyll seems as confused as him but he responds:
"-She answers to the archdevil Zariel.
-The warmonger? I should have guessed. Of course we couldn't get some slack from interplanar scheming...
-You... knew?" he asks, a mortified expression cut swiftly across his face at the realization.
"The smell is hard to miss", jeers the spawn who snuck his way near, delighting in the man's ever increasing unease.
Wyll darts a worried look at you, and you confirm with a nod. He sighs and regains his composure:
"I am not at liberty to discuss the terms of my contract, the only thing I can say is that I do not regret making that deal with Mizora. It was a lifetime time ago."
The wizard has his initial queries finally answered, but now, a new batch of them seems ready to slip from his lips directly at you:
"-Hold on, you knew? Why didn't you say anything?
-We are still waiting on that secret of yours, Gale." you jab immediately, and so he shuts up. It's a cruel hit, but you are not in the mood to explain how hard you try to maintain this eccentric assembly from jumping at each other's throats every day.
"Fine, we will find this devil you've been asked to hunt down."
Everyone but the warlock and the wizard looks daggers at you, and a flow of disapproving words submerges you from every direction:
"Chk! We have to find the crèche as fast as we can to be purified! We already are wasting too much time on the druid's rescue!" Lae'zel hisses.
"I am not usually inclined to agree with the gith, but she is right! Our lives are on the line." adds Shadowheart.
"I didn't think you so interested in heroic endeavours, I am disappointed." Astarion groans.
There is no time for this bickering, and the vampire's comment angers you even more:
"I am not about fucking 'heroics' Astarion. Wyll is a valuable asset to our group, as he demonstrated already in battle. We have to help him. The more we are to slay that devil, the faster we can get back to our search of a cure. He deserves a chance at survival as much as we do. Need I explain to any of you that an eternity of service in the Blood War is worse than any death?"
A heavy silence falls on the troupe. The spawn is pouting, the half-elf seems convinced and the warrior sighs in defeat.
"-It is decided then. Shadowheart, Gale and Wyll, we depart immediately.
-Excuse me, you do not expect me to stay here alone with the gith, do you?" whines Astarion with his usual theatrics.
"-I do not, you two are to scout the north-east side of the river bank and see if you can find that ruined temple the druids talked about, we shall meet back here at sunset.
-Objective noted." acquiesces Lae'zel solemnly, refusing to acknowledge the childish scowl on her associate's face.
Your party assembles their bearings, and Gale distributes large slices of meat to everyone before you begin your march to the river, leaving behind you the other two readying themselves for their own mission.
YOU ARE READING
On the Death of Stars
FanfictionA fanfiction based in the extended universe of DND 5e, following the characters and plotline of Baldur's Gate 3. Elen was lucky enough to have their life finally begin right at its end and find their place in this world. But now? It has been snatche...
