Switching PoVs a few times, labelled for clarity.

Nyx PoV

Nyx swept her cone of whiskers along the tree line, but detected no one else other than the three figures shrouded between the trees before them.

Tav didn't seem to be in the mood for pleasantries and said plainly, "State your business then."

The gruff shadow answered, "Such manners for heretics and exiles, who would have thought?"

"This is not the place, neither the time for jeering. It is dangerous and -."

"Oh yes, yes of course. You're exorcism is of little value to us, and so are you. We would speak to Shadowheart directly."

A cold shudder ran through Nyx when the subtle stirring of their shrouded group's magic brushed against hers. As though summoned by that alone, Shadowheart stood next to Tav, Lathander's mace in hand.

The gruff voice sneered, "And here is the traitor brandishing her blasphemous relics. We should be offering your death to the Dark Lady and toss your remains into the pit where you belong."

Shadowheart drew herself up. "I'm not interested in your drivel. Give me your message and leave unless the Nightmother wants to be less three more followers."

A resigning sigh escaped the leader. "As you wish", and the three silhouettes stepped into the light. They were Sharrans, through and through - covered from head to toe with the colours and symbols of Shar, only their eyes glared at Shadowheart from beneath drawn cowls.

Gale had stopped his incantation, and Nyx heard some of their own companions draw nearer.

The Sharran in the middle annunciated slowly then chewed at the last word. "Return the prism to the House of Grief and we will stay our hand in killing you and your friends."

Another spoke; the one on the right. "Why wait? Why not kill them now and take the prism?"

The gruff one chastised. "It is not for us to question, but to follow. You will not speak out of turn again."

A delighted giggle burst from the one on the right, making her fellow Sharrans stare at her wide eyed. She said, "Oh, I will speak whenever I please. Do whatever I please - and I think I'll start by cutting out that petulant little word-flap!"

---

A red blade flashed and the crazed Sharran drove it straight through her leader's throat, the tip protruding from the opposite end, dripping with blood. The other Sharran's enraged cry rang out and he swung his mace, but she sidestepped his blow so easily he seemed drunk. Red flashed again and she sunk her blade into the man's stomach, disembowelling him. He crumpled to the floor. His leader kneeled next to him, clutching desperately at her throat.

The crazed Sharran gripped the leader's chin and forced her to look up into her face; noises of pain sputtered between the gurgling. She made good on her threat and savagely cut the tongue from the leader, the cries muffled by blood. The leader fell to the ground dead, and the crazed Sharran held the tongue briefly aloft, then cast it aside. She turned her deprived grin on the onlookers.

Tav held her hands out to her sides for Nyx and Shadowheart to stand down. She asked, "Friend or foe?"

Malicious intent danced across the Sharran's face, and Nyx dearly wanted to secure an arrow between the Sharran's eyes. The murderer studied the blood on her curved blade, twirled it in her hand, and tutted. "Oh no, the night-creepers are dead and it's all your fault." Pointing at Shadowheart. "But, the lordling's games grow tiresome." She sighed, and at first Nyx thought the Sharran was shaking out her limbs, but instead they snapped loudly. Her arms contorted at unnatural angles, and her spine bent over backwards. Another distressing snap made Nyx's breath catch when the S neck broke and swivelled around to look at the ground.

By the Abyss!

The Sharran's body shimmered, and her skin undulated. During the transformation, her body straightened, righting itself until they stood face-to-face with the Chosen of Bhaal, Orin.

Up close Orin looked sickly, on the verge of death herself; eyes glazed white, her skin grey.

Is she wearing meat?

Indeed, red pieces of meat were arranged into an outfit, held together by golden chains drawing attention to how swirls of black magic shifted under Orin's skin when she moved. A sardonic smile split her lips and she said, "So, you're the lickspittle who crushed the Bone Lord's thrall." It took all of Nyx's self control not to react when she levelled her curved dagger at Tav. "Have you come beg-begging, sniffing for our stones?" She waved a mocking finger in the air. "Gortash doesn't like that. A throat his black hand can't choke the spit from."

Tav spoke, and Nyx caught the slightest tremble in her voice. "We are not going to bargain with the dead three."

Orin ignored her and instead studied her blade lovingly, and lifted it to her lips. Licking the blood from the blade in a slow, deliberate motion. Her expression became distant and she mused, "He will tremble at your slaughter. So, eager to spill the guts from this city." As though remembering their presence, she said onto Tav, "When you find the lordling tell him Orin is watching." She turned, seemingly to leave, then stared at the bone pit, two new silhouettes standing on the precipice. "Oh, the Lord of Bones wanted me to deliver you a parting gift."

In another blur of motion she dashed off toward the pit, heading straight for the two Myrkulites waiting at the dome. She slit one's throat; the blood splattered against the dome. Its white magic flickered red. The other Myrkulite fell to their knees, offering themselves to Orin with open arms, and she sacrificed them with glee. Blood pooled at the base of the dome, running quickly along the magic circle, tainting its power, and the ground shook.

Gale yelled, "Keep your distance, it's a summoning spell!"

They scrambled away from the pit.

---

Nyx's heart was thundering in her ears, and she gasped when the tower of carcasses moved of its own accord. Bones and meat boiled, sinking away into the pit and the mixture bubbled like a witch’s cauldron. The viscous, muddy soup of bones and liquified flesh parted and congealed. Two separate entities took shape; one of stripped bone gleaming off-yellow in the moonlight, and the other; a mass of flesh growing into a mound of different animal heads. Their group gaped at the scene while Orin giggled like a giddy child, twirling around and waving her dagger in the air.

The Bone Swarm climbed its way out of the pit, using sharpened bones as makeshift picks. Each sharp strike to the ground slowly revealed a monster constructed from every bone imaginable, hap-hazardly fused together - its long limbs ending in hooks, skulls, jaws and digits.

The Lump of Livestock rolled its boneless body onto the ground. Squeals, snarls, howls, and hoots tore from the multiple throats of its heads. A grotesque collection; some fully intact and recognisable; others mangled together into a withering mass of ears, eyes, snouts, and gaping mouths baring mismatched teeth.

Orin sang a final morbid greeting and disappeared into the treeline. "We will dress in your flesh, and sleep on your bones!"

Orin’s threat jarred them out of their collective stupor and spurred them to seamlessly reorient their group for battle. A hasty confirmation that the Chosen of Bhaal had indeed left the battlefield allowed their focus to fall upon dealing with the monsters. Lae'zel, Wyll, Tav, Gale, and Astarion coordinated to attack the Lump of Livestock; whereas Nyx, Halsin in bear shape, Karlach, and Shadowheart engaged the Bone Swarm.

Halsin and Karlach charged the Bone Swarm head on. Multiple limbs with digits grabbed at their arms and legs, but were either snapped off by sheer momentum or a crushing blow. Nyx and Shadowheart dodged a series of hacking attacks in their wake.

A cattle skull swooped down, its jaws gnashing, meeting Nyx's upward blow from her quarterstaff, knocking it clean off its limb in a flying arc, teeth rattling. Another two came at her from either side: a sharpened shoulder blade and a cluster of broken antlers. She twirled her staff in one hand, drawing a circle with it around her body, slamming the ends in quick succession into the oncoming attacks. Splintered bones rained down on her as another bone limb grabbed her from below, yanking her off her feet. She hit the ground hard, knocking her breath from her lungs and her quarterstaff from her hands. Five different limbs bared down on her from above; hooves, more skulls, a ribcage, and a thigh bone. Each larger than the former. Reinforcing her legs and arms, she ripped herself free from the digits grasping her ankle and rolled out of the way. The thigh bone cratered the spot with a loud thud. One of the skulls clamped itself onto her arm, digging blunt teeth into her, bruising the flesh beneath regardless of her reinforcing magic.

Nyx steeled herself against the pain and called more of her power. She threw the eager surge outward in all directions like she would her shield. The skull on her arm strained, and cracks tore along its jaw and face, whereas three of the other limbs flew back violently, snapping backward in several places. The thigh bone breached her shield, and Nyx spent more magic to intercept its blow. Suspended in midair above her head, it took all of her concentration to keep it from crushing her where she sat. Grinding her teeth, she made a trade, letting the thigh bone inch closer while she got her legs into position. A final blast of her magic shoved the thigh bone away, and Nyx dove for her staff. She stood, pooling her magic to one side of the staff as the thigh bone heaved itself up for the next strike and Nyx met it like-for-like. The blows made every one of her own bones rattle in her body, but each successive hit broke more pieces away until a last swing sent its broken splinters flying as well. Nyx took a moment to survey the battle. Echoing booms of magic saw her other companions turning the tide against the Lump of Livestock.

Good. That's good.

With her improvised-force-magic-cudgel in hand, Nyx dashed to Shadowheart's side, swatting away incoming limbs while Shadowheart dealt with ones holding her in place. In a coordinated dance, Nyx and Shadowheart made their way to the bulk of the swarm, where they kept its far-reaching limbs occupied whilst Halsin and Karlach ripped it to shreds from within. Bones shattered with strained creaks and loud snaps as they thinned the Swarm piece-by-piece. Subsequently, the tower of bones slowly sank in on itself. At one point, Halsin and Karlach broke through the middle of the Swarm, cleaving the tower in two. It toppled over, and bones sprawled across the ground in a loud, satisfying clatter. The uncoordinated wriggling bones made for easy pickings, and soon only dust remained of the Swarm.

---  --- ---

Astarion PoV

The mound of squealing animated flesh was a revolting thing to behold. Its heads of goats, pigs, chickens and cattle squashed into one another as it rolled and caterpillar walked its bulk toward them. Astarion nocked incendiary arrows, three of them finding purchase in the creatures' hide, but the flames soon snuffed when the arrows disappeared into pliable flesh. Tav's frost blots met the same fate. Lae'zel roared her challenge, hacking a piece from it in a wide, charging swoop of her blade. The separated cluster of heads wailed and wheezed, dodging Wyll's attempt to stab it on the ground. Squirrelling away the separated piece merely congealed back into the Lump. Gale pummelled it with a handful of magic missiles, most of which seemed to bounce right off its hide, only making it wobble at the point of contact.

Astarion sneered after another set of his magic arrows vanished into its hide once more. The damnable self-stitching putrid factory righted itself after every attack; neither Tav nor Lae’zel had any luck either. He stole a glance at the Bone Swarm, another boom of magic sending shattered pieces flying. Feeling inspired, he called upon some of his own arcane trickery. Red magic laced up his arm and pooled in his extended hand.

He took aim, reciting, "Ruptus!"

A large portion of the Lump's body distended and burst open with a sickening squelch. Pieces of flesh and muddy blood splattered on the ground. To his credit, Wyll took the opportunity and shot several Eldritch Blasts at the oozing wound. More pieces of its body disintegrated as a result. Although the gaping holes sealed quickly, the Lump of Livestock was unable to regrow its flesh, leaving sunken patches dotted around its hide. Lae'zel adjusted her tactics as well, keeping the Lump from ensnaring the magic casters while they danced around it in groups of two. One to rip it open, and the other to add insult to injury.

Astarion grinned and cast a Cloud of Daggers into the crater that Gale had rend with a deafening Shatter spell. The Lump's heads thrashed, their eyes rolling wildly, ears held flat, and their jaws gritting against the relentless assault. Tav threw her magic into the fray, following Astarion's example after Wyll tore sections into the creature with booms of Scorched rays, and more flying daggers shred into exposed areas.

The smell of decay and cooked meat accompanied plumes of smoke and sizzling flesh. The creature wailed terribly; the screeching and dying cries of multiple undead animals made Astarion's ears ring. Its size reduced enough for Lae'zel to carve it into purposeful chunks. A quick rupturing spell followed by a shredding spell would see the resulting ooze seep into the ground.

A clattering ruckus drew Astarion's attention to the Bone Swarm collapsing under the efforts of the others, and a last few targeted strikes and spells on their own side made sure the Lump of Livestock would fertilise the earth.

--- --- ---

Nyx PoV

Injuries were minor, but they heaved with exertion and regarded the fallen monsters with disgust. Tav swerved around and recounted, "Red daggers dance in the dark - beware the blade that smiles with many mouths." She searched the tree line and the others did the same.

Nyx inched closer to the trees, carefully sweeping her cone over the shadows. "Nothing."

Between heavy breaths, Tav asked, "None of you see or sense Orin either? We're sure she's gone?"

Looking himself over in dismay, Gale picked pieces of gore from his robe. "For now. But I have a sinking feeling we'll be seeing her again, sooner rather than later."

"She's fucking around and I don't like it." Flames lapped over Karlach's skin as she scanned the tree line once more.

Astarion threw his hands in the air. "As if it's not enough we have a gallery of villains to look out for, but now we could be infiltrated by a shape changer?"

Leaning on her blade, Lae'zel said, "Cool your blood. She'll die before she gets the chance."

Astarion scoffed, jutted out his hip, and gestured. "Well, I can't tell if any of you are acting strange because you've been replaced or because this group is full of weirdos."

A laugh burst from Nyx. "Like you're the one to talk. We're all covered in necromancer muck."

"I am the only normal one here!"

Shadowheart quipped, "Oh sure, just like Tav isn't a secret agent."

Nyx smiled while they exchanged more jabs.

Everyone sounds the same, at least.

However, something else was definitely amiss. Nyx turned to the forest, yet the calls of the nocturnal insects and animals contradicted nothing until her gaze swept over the pools of blood left by the Sharrans. She asked, not averting her eyes from the spot, "Ugh - Shadowheart, do Sharran corpses disappear on their own?"

"What? No, of course not."

"Then we might have a problem-", Nyx tracked the drag marks into the forest, and she gathered her weapons.

Her companions stilled, but the nocturnal life around them continued its low ambient buzz. Astarion sidled next to Nyx and spoke in a low tone, "My sweet, please tell me you're jumping at shado-"

From the bone pit came a grating sound.

Astarion groused, "You can't be serious. What in the hells is that?"

"A plant, and another undead," Halsin's magic swelled immediately upon recognition, and the rest of them took position.

---

The clearly lit Corpse Flower stood over the dead necromancers, slithering vines wrapping around their bodies and hoisting them into the air as though appraising them at first. Pale rusty-tipped bulbous blooms unfurled, and each one was fed a corpse. The petals closed, but part of the dead's legs dangled from them. Satisfied with its prize, the plant advanced on the rest of them; vines carried its round body forward, which was littered with flowers and the rotting skulls of decaying corpses. It was gaining an alarming amount of speed.

Halsin gripped his staff tighter and his power glowed, casting the area in life-giving green. The ambient noise of the nighttime insects increased tenfold from the forest. He projected over the din, "Cover your faces, and when its corpses start disappearing - run."

The buzz became a roar and a blotting cloud of insects burst from the underbrush, engulfing the encroaching monster in a flurry of wings. The creature's muffled grating screech turned into a gurgle and a spray of fluids erupted from inside the insect swarm. Nyx sidestepped one of the stray jets, but she was splattered with brown liquid and withering insects succumbing its digestive action. Dying insects squirmed in a pool of acid around the plant, and a handful of corpses had indeed disappeared from its body.

Vines shot out from the Corpse Flower to intercept Karlach and Lae'zel, grappling with their weapons. Nyx nocked an incendiary arrow, letting her ranged attack join Tav and Astarion's. They hit their mark, and it was clear the creature felt it too, but the dripping brown liquid snuffed any nascent flames.

Another disconcerting sound came from the creature and a thick tentacle lanced through the air, striking Gale down before he could finish his incantation. Wyll tried to intercept, but the tentacle wrapped around his upper body squeezing a cry from him. More vines slithered towards them. Nyx was too far away to do anything else other than doubling her efforts, switching her fire arrows for frost, freezing portions of the acid-coated creature, mercifully slowing its movements. Tav and Astarion were dodging more vines, while Shadowheart lined herself up with the tentacle choking Wyll. Lathander's light tore through it, and Wyll dropped motionless to the floor. However, this didn't stop the lesser vines from dragging Gale and Wyll to the plant.

Nyx's breath caught when more vines burst from the ground; fortunately, they were permeated with Halsin's magic. He ensnared the opposing vines with whip-like speed, holding fast by growing thorns that dug into their flesh. With Halsin keeping the troublesome vines at bay, the rest of them could cover Shadowheart while she dragged Gale and Wyll to safety. Nyx settled into her firing rhythm, each strike revealing where she should aim the next. She searched for spots between the tangle of hardened plant matter until she hit the core of the creature and a screech confirmed its effectiveness.

Her moment of triumph was short-lived. The Myrkulite corpses disappeared into the Corpse Flower's body along with several other skulls. It called forth its vile magic, making the air and her curse-induced blemish stir. The monster's crown of flowers writhed and gurgled. Nyx dashed behind a tree, but instead of another spray of digestive juices - an irritating mist dispersed from the flowers, obscuring everything in sight.

Eyes blurry with tears, Nyx snapped her whiskers into place, and the irritation at her neck intensified. She could hear the others choke through the mist, but they were outside of her line of sight and her sphere. A silhouette moved through the mist; its wheeze and stilted gait reminded Nyx of the crypts' undead.

Did it just create its own thrall!?

Not wanting to act on assumptions; she gathered her staff and stalked the silhouette until she had a clearer view. Coming into range confirmed that it wasn't one of her companions, and Nyx pooled her magic behind her swing, clobbering the zombie hard across the head. Someone cried out in the mist, and the distraction cost Nyx. The zombie's neck was broken, its head hanging limply from its shoulders, but that didn't stop it from throwing itself at her, knocking her to the ground and falling on top of her, scratching at her face.

Abandoning her staff, she called to her knives and desperately cut at its clawing hands until they were putrid stumps, which it proceeded to beat her with. A hard blow to her stomach made her magical mask falter, and she took in a gulp of stench. It took all her willpower not to retch right then and there, instead she landed a solid kick into the zombie's chest when it reared to strike her with both stumps. It flailed backward, and she sprang to her feet, collecting her staff and bludgeoning the monster's head until it stopped moving. Fortunately, with her weapon still blessed, the zombie won't rise again. She watched as an all too familiar glow left the corpses' eyes and her cursed blemished settled.

The mist cleared, and Nyx rushed to assist Halsin, who was wresting both zombie and Corpse Flower vines. Karlach and Lae'zel bellowed their challenge, charging the plant simultaneously, giving it no quarter to counter while Halsin's vines ensnared it anew. Tav and Astarion were covering Shadowheart, who was tending to Wyll and Gale. Nyx too retook aim, searching for the weak spot beneath its thought exterior, more of it exposed through Karlach and Lae'zel's efforts. Finally, the plant slumped to the ground, its vines going limp and its crown of flowers wilted. More fluid spilled from the monster along with clothing, equipment, and the remainder of the corpses.

Tav gaped at the scene. "Nine hells. How many people did it eat?"

Halsin set his mouth in a grim line. "They were dead already. But smaller ones can hold nine, larger ones twice as many."

Karlach curled her lip. "Gross. Another parting gift from Myrkul?"

He nodded solemnly, and Nyx added, "Fed with Shadowcursed too."

Gale had recovered enough to remark from his seated position. "Ghastly. I hope that is the last of them."

Astarion snarled, "If I see another person wearing Myrkul's pointy shit I'm going to stab them in the back with extreme prejudice."

Nyx made a noise of agreement.

Tav clenched her fists. "Karlach, Lae'zel - keep a lookout here. The rest of us are going to do a sweep."

A thorough survey revealed no more threats, and their battered and bruised group ambled their way back to camp for proper recovery.

--- --- ---

Astarion PoV

Astarion gazed at the campfire, his thoughts sombre.

First Lae'zel, now Shadowheart's past is dogging at our heels.

He wondered whether his would be next.

Perhaps the Myrkulites had one thing right. He cast his gaze toward the bone pit. The remains of the evening's battle were hardly recognisable, and yet their group had nearly been thwarted by the efforts of the Dead Three. By doing all that was necessary. Not holding back, even when it meant sacrificing their own followers to the cause.

Power is for the taking.

Astarion allowed the tantalising line of thought to play out, and it offered a multitude of opportunities when applied to his situation. Instead of running from it like Lae'zel and Shadowheart. Instead of having to hide like a hunted animal waiting for capture or death. Instead of falling into Cazador’s trap – he should set his own.

Why shouldn't I take it for myself? Especially when it is so ripe for the claiming.

Tav's voice snapped him back to the present, standing before him. "Something you'd like to share? I'm a little worried about asking seeing as you're smiling to yourself like that."

His grin grew even wider, and he decided; Why not? It is such a daring idea after all. And I would dare very much, thank you.

--- --- ---

Nyx PoV

Nyx searched for Shadowheart, finding her at her tent tending to her plants. It was a strange and welcome sight - witnessing this softer, more caring side. Claiming back parts of herself ever since renouncing Shar. Tav's silhouette drifted between their other companions in the background.

Likely doing her rounds.

Nyx fretted at the wrinkles in her tunic, thankfully Shadowheart put her out of her misery and said teasingly, "I can smell the smoke coming out of your ears."

"I, uh... wanted to ask for your help."

Tav's visit had left Shadowheart in a better mood than Nyx expected. Running a hand over one of the potted plants' leaves, she replied, "Sure, as long as it doesn't involve more undead."

Nyx steeled herself and simply came out with it. "I am concerned about my blemish.", and added quickly, "The one left over from the curse."

Shadowheart turned to regard her with a frown, watering can in hand. She set the can down and gestured for Nyx to take a seat on the nearby stool. Nyx felt even more self-aware during Shadowheart's inspection, which started with the scarring on the side of her face. After brushing Nyx's hair behind her ear, she remarked, "The wounds have healed well. I'm glad."

Blinking, Nyx gave her a quizzical side eye.

Suddenly unsure, Shadowheart said, "I'm sorry you had to go through all that."

Nyx was taken aback as well as genuinely confused by the apology. "It wasn't your fault."

"True, but it was still because of something I once believed in."

"The curse was Shar's doing and hers alone, it had nothing to do with you."

A soft smile quirked on her lips. "I don't know how you do that. Selûne and Selûnites were always the same to me, guilty of the same things. It didn't matter who did what. They were all guilty and deserved everything that came to them." She shook her head.

They sat in silence for a while until Nyx scraped her thoughts together. "Maybe that was exactly why they took your memories?"

She paused her inspection.

"So that it was all you knew; all they allowed you to know."

Shadowheart straightened and glanced at the moon. Then she moved to Nyx's blemish. "It looks healed as well?"

Nyx pursed her lips and ventured, "You don't sense anything more to it?"

"Sense what?"

She said in a small voice, "The curse."

Shadowheart paused for a moment and then summoned her magic. Nyx's blemish itched terribly in response as Shadowheart began her clerical examination. Nyx wondered whether it was truly wise to confirm what she already suspected - especially something she might have been better off keeping to herself.

Shadowheart gasped, and her magic snatched back. "But how?"

"I was hoping you could help me with that."

Snapping out of her astonishment, her serious healer's expression took hold and she probed further. It made the blemish itch with a vengeance and Nyx laced her fingers together to keep them from going to her neck.

Shadowheart straightened again and asked in a serious tone, "Do you want the good news or the bad first?"

Trepidation had Nyx's throat in a chokehold. "The bad."

"There is definitely remnants of the curse," and she added quickly with a placating hand at seeing Nyx's expression, "But, but - it's inactive."

A deep crease lined Nyx's brow. "How can those two things be possible at the same time? If it's dead, why is it still there?"

She shrugged, leaning forward to inspect the blemish again, a finger to her lips. "It's like you're holding onto a piece of it."

"What!?"

Shadowheart took a step back, holding up her hands. "I'm merely relaying what I observe. Don't shoot the messenger."

Nyx deflated, but gestured animatedly. "I wasn't planning to. Abyss take it, why would I be 'holding' onto it? I want nothing to do with it!"

A smirk tugged at Shadowheart's lips. "I can't answer that for you."

Nyx gave her a weak glare, receiving a grin in return. Her fretting started up anew, and she asked, "Is there anything I can do to be rid of it permanently? Uh, 'stop holding onto it'?"

She tilted her head, considering. "I honestly don't know. It feels intertwined with your own magic. Let me think on it."

I suppose that is the best I can hope for at this point.

Shadowheart promised Nyx that she would keep everything they’d discussed between them. Nyx expressed her gratitude, prompting Shadowheart to flash a knowing smile. "You know, I am rather excellent at keeping secrets."

With more questions than solutions, Nyx saw herself back to her tent. She passed behind Astarion's tent, hearing both Tav's and Astarion's voices. Overhearing a name made Nyx stop dead in her tracks.

"Cazador draws ever closer."

Tav didn't reply, and Astarion continued, "Cazador and his Rite of Profane Ascension. An imperious soiree, attended by devils and spawn alike." His voice dripped with contempt, and a mocking drawl emphasised his former captor's title. "A grand ceremony to honour one exalted vampiric master, and elevate him to an unfathomable station." His tempered tone returned. "To place him in a position of such esteem the world will yearn to kneel and offer their necks."

Tav shifted and said, "Oh, we'll deal with him, there is no question about that. Do you think we can defeat him? Are we strong enough?"

Astarion's wistful reply made Nyx's eyebrows rise. "We will kill him, but there's more to it. Think about it. It seems like Cazador, for all his evils, has got further than any of my kind ever have. He's on the verge of a miracle. This may be the beginning, not an end. I can see myself now. Lord, King, Master."

Oh, Astarion, please don't choose that path. Nyx held her hands to her chest, her heart in her throat.

He continued, "If the time comes, and I can stay one move ahead of him, I'll take his place before his blood can hit the floor."

Nyx thanked the Graces for Tav's response. "So, you'd kill to take that power from him? The others bound to the ritual?"

He scoffed. "What's a handful of the wretch's servants? If they're anything like me when I was enslaved, they're all but begging for death anyway."

Don't be so callous.

Anger broiled in his next reply, "After two hundred years of shit, PURE SHIT." He took a deep breath. "I think I deserve something better."

Thankfully Tav didn't yield. "Freedom is not the same as power."

A dramatic sigh escaped him. "All I'm saying is: let's be clever about it. If an opportunity arises for me to become a more magnificent bastard than I already am, why turn it down?" He implored, "I'd like to find out more about the ritual before we waltz into Cazador's front door. If we track down my old comrades - the other spawn - we may discover more... and be finely positioned for yours truly to ascend."

Graces...

There was a long pause and Tav said, "Would you be alright with meeting them again?"

He barked a laugh. "You're too adorable. I'll be fine. I'm sure they'll bring back memories of so many pathetic years, but I'm much stronger now." His tone shifted again. "If we don't find my brethren, they will find us. Likely with bared fangs. Unless Cazador has changed their orders, they'll be in the dens of the city, seeking prey."

More perturbed by the unintended eavesdropping, Nyx's thoughts were racing. After a while, when no solution surfaced, she continued to her tent.

I'll need to speak to him. On both accounts.

Upon reaching her sanctuary, trepidation gnawed at her anew while she fussed for something to do.

--- --- ---

Tav PoV

It was barely daybreak when they arrived. Tav watched Father Liam and two paladins of Helm climb the slight slope toward their camp.

Tav suggested to her crew that they be on guard. "I'm in no mood for more surprises."

They took up strategic, albeit non-threatening positions - if the paladins noticed they didn't show it, and Gale accompanied Tav to greet the priest.

Father Liam beamed. "The gods bless you. I only expected the pit to be quelled, not cleared out as well."

Tav smiled warmly despite her suspicions and said, "We encountered more resistance than expected, but dealt with it." He nodded sagely, and she asked, inclining her head at his two bodyguards, "The Fists taking your situation more seriously?"

A smile flickered across Father Liam's features. "In a fashion." He introduced the paladins escorting him and said, "The Storm Tabernacle sent them after receiving word of our predicament. They will be staying with us until everything has settled. Something we are most grateful for."

Tav continued a few more rounds of pleasantries before they concluded the visit with due payment and well wishes on their respective journeys.

Tav sighed in relief when the three missionaries left. Gale draped his arm over her and drew her closer. She leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. The brief respite put the wind back in her sails.

"Right," she said, turning to face her crew, "I don't know about you, but I'm eager to see Sow's Foot at our backs."

Rounds of whoops and cheers rose from camp; their efforts steered toward their next destination: Whitkeep.

And here I'm sitting behind my computer listening to beautiful traditional Japanese ambient music while writing about MURDER, BLOOD and GORE!

*Oh, look at all these cool undead creatures* - I thought. *Won't it be fun to use them all?* - I thought - *And I have narrative reason to do so too*. Forgetting that I had to write THREE battles in one chapter to do so... Phew. Challenging, but fun at least and I got to try out some new stuff with all the spells too... But I don't think I'll do three battles in one setting again... Onwards!

Bone Swarm by Daniel Kahn, Jeff Lee, and Mike Welham (Tome of Beasts 1)


Lump of Swine (Lump of Livestock reference) by Cannonsong and DM Tuz


Corpse Flower by Monster Talents II (DM Guild)