Chapter Text
She opened her eyes, a massive headache brought white spots in her vision, so she squinted them shut. She massaged her temples and peaked at her surroundings with one of her eyes. It took a while for them to adjust to the darkness in the room. The place was unknown to her. She felt unfamiliar.
She looked at her hands. They felt like strangers and, as she touched them, quite smooth, slender, and pale. Have her hands always felt this small? Not only could she not remember her own hands, but nothing before that either. The more she dug into her head, the worse the headache got.
There was a sense of urgency, but to do what?
She started looking about the room. It was round and with tall ceilings. The structure of it looked almost organic. There was some semblance of light glinting from the middle of the room, where a small sort of pool was.
As she reached to touch it, the explosion pushed her backwards, she didn't even think not to do that.
Looking around the rest of the room she could see it featured the same alien constructions. Tiny little coffins with glass to show the prisoners’ faces. Some of them were empty. She hoped the inhibitors managed to free themselves as she did - she didn't want to think of the alternative. There was a dead tentacled creature on the floor. Good.
The sense of urgency was at the forefront of her mind now. The unknown felt dangerous. Despite the dangers, her curiosity pushed her forward, picking up any useful items.
There was only one door she could use. Next to it was a tentacle-looking piece of machinery. She touched it and felt her headache leave her body, as well as close all her injuries.
But that was not the best thing.
A flood of dream-like awareness flew into her.
A shopkeeper bell chimed a few times in the background. She was standing behind a desk, the orange tail of a cat moving under it. She was looking at a hand. A different hand, now holding a mug of tea, the steam rising and taking over her senses.
A shadowy figure's footsteps came closer, until it stood before her. It felt automatic, her voice was comforting to hear. "Hello, I'm Tav. How can I help you?"
She was back to the dark room where the tentacle machine no longer glowed. She touched it again and nothing happened. She was Tav. Or at least that's what the voice said. She looked at her hands again. The veins seemed less prominent, the color was paler, and the fingers were a little longer.
It felt so remote compared to the vision. She tried to focus on the memory that flooded her earlier, but no other details came to her. She tried opening her mouth. It was dry. Licking her lips, in anticipation of speech, a shrill and almost musical voice came from her. She said the same thing her vision-self did. This was not the same voice.
The sense of urgency returned to her, and with the unfamiliar hand, she opened the door.
She should have felt horrified at her impulse to remove a sentient brain from the skull of a dead man. But here she was, engaged in a conversation with it as they advanced through this structure.
"You saved us friend!" The brain had said, now on its own four tiny feet.
"Who are you?"
"We are Us." The brain continued, then pausing for a moment. "We must go to the helm; at the helm we are needed".
"Where is the helm? Why?"
"Can you not hear it? We will not survive here. We need to navigate out of here." And the brain started moving towards the big gash in the wall.
Tav asked more questions as they went along. She found out she was in a place called Avernus, the first of the Nine Hells. They were escaping 'a great evil'. The opening of the wall depicted all manners of chaos. Smoke from the burning ship, flying creatures and... dragons.
A slender looking woman, with silver armor and a large sword pointing at Tav, jumped from behind her, landing inches from her face.
“Abomination, this is your end!” said the green skinned woman, her face twisted with disgust.
The women’s minds intertwined. Tav saw a pale, blond-haired woman, black and gray robes adorning her slender physique. A worm crawling into her eye. This was her. She saw the green woman get the same worm in her eye as well.
“You are no thrall. Vlaakith blesses me this day!”
"Who are you? What made you think I was a thrall?"
"Who am I? Your only chance of survival. We carry mind flayer parasites. Within days we will transform."
"There must be something we can do!"
"We can do nothing until we escape. We must take control of the ship. That thing will stay friendly while it thinks us one of them." The woman said, pointing at the brain.
She didn't know how or why but she wanted to follow her. She had one goal - to leave this place. And whether that was Tav's goal or not - it would at least get her to safety.
A group of flying creatures stepped them in their tracks.
As one of the creatures flew at her, Tav’s hands thrown up in defense. Adrenaline coursed through her, a ray of ice left her outstretched hand, hitting the creature right in the chest.
She was not sure she did that, so she stretched her hand again at a different creature. She felt a warm feeling in her chest. She imagined a long stretch of frost leaving her hand again, hitting another creature. It collapsed to the ground.
From across the room, she saw the woman, sword aimed high, slicing through the neck of a monster. Its body collapsed on the floor, followed by its head, a few movements later. The four-legged brain tore through the middle of an attacker’s body with one of its claws.
“You fight well.” Her voice reached her shortly. At least she did not embarrass herself in front of the warrior, but she did hold up her own, with actual magic. Was she a spell caster? What else could she do? Who was she?
“To the helm.”
She was starting to wonder why collecting things from dead people didn't seem to bother her. The thought died when she saw a familiar tentacled machine. The blue hue suggested it might still be functional.
Before the woman, Lae’zel, could stop her, she touched the tentacles, the refreshing feeling washing over her.
She stood before a mysterious figure, cloaked in veils of apprehension. The figure felt like both guide and a guardian. It was a beacon in the darkness, offering solace amidst the haunting whispers of her surroundings. In its presence, with unspoken words, she felt the promise of transformation. The figure drew Tav to it like a moth to a guiding flame.
Tav was back on the mind flayer ship. Who was that being? She could make out some interesting objects in the tall, large room from her vision. Memory of trinkets, orbs, tomes, glowing lanterns, and crystal mirrors. She sensed something from those mirrors. Something intimate, something she was accustomed to.
“Let’s hurry.” Lae’zel's voice pulled her out of her head once more and she started climbing further into the ship.
More of the same alien technology. As she inched closer to some bodies, she heard a thump coming from one of the nearby pods. A raven-haired woman was pounding her fists on the glass.
“You! Get me out of here! Please!”
Tav started looking for any way to unlock the pod, to no avail. There was another console next to the pod.
“We have no time for stragglers.” Lae’zel said impatiently from behind her.
Ignoring her, she reached for the pod to open it. She had no idea how. It looked so alien. Taking a deep breath, she hovered a slender hand over the machine. She was not sure why, but it felt right.
She closed her eyes and imagined the pod opening. She felt a response from the machine next to the pod, confirming their link. She was too startled, and she let the hand fall.
Tav shook her head, closed her eyes again and lifted the hand to the console. This time she put more intent behind the thought. She felt discomfort, a new sensation washing over her now – authority. A shiver ran through her and then a sliding noise next to her made her open her eyes. The woman in the pod now fell to her knees on the floor next to Tav.
“I thought that was going to be my coffin, thank you.” The woman said, as Tav tries to help her get to her feet.
At the contact, Tav’s mind lurched into her thoughts, like with Lae’zel's, and saw a similar worm placed inside the woman’s eye. But also, that her gratitude was mixed with wariness, because Tav was joined by the gith woman.
“You keep dangerous company.”
“Did you feel that just now? We were in each other's heads."
“I did. It must be because of those parasites they put in us. That will have to wait. We need to get off this ship alive. Let me come with you."
That made sense. Anything else would have to wait. "All right. My name is Tav."
"Shadowheart. One moment." And she reached into her pod to grab something.
"What's that?"
"Nothing. Trust me."
"Enough chatter, let's go." Lae'zel interjected, annoyed by the delay.
"She's right." Shadowheart confirmed. "Lead on."
As the three of them continued exploring the ship with the brain in toe, they stopped at the door where another tentacled healing machine lay.
Tav hesitated for one moment, then she touched the machine, and a new flow of images came to her. She was surrounded by tombstones, wails of anguish coming from a group of people around her. They all looked upon her, she couldn't help the sadness creeping onto her.
But she took comfort in the words coming from her lips commiserating with the departed. And so did the people too, it seemed. She leaned over the body of the deceased human man. As she placed a feather between his clasped cold white hands, she closed her eyes.
Tav was back on the ship. She glanced at Shadowheart and Lae'zel, neither seemed aware of what happened. Or gave no indication of it. She filled that one under 'sh*t to deal with later'.
Looking at her companions, tensions seem to be quite high as Lae'zel said matter-of-factly. "We are nearing the helm. Once inside, do as I say."
"Who put you in charge?" came an outburst from Shadowheart.
"Kainyank." Lae'zel muttered under her breath.
Not wanting to start something, Tav took a deep breath and pushed through the organic material of the doors. Inside there was chaos. All manner of creatures were attacking each other. From the tentacled purple monsters to more flying small creatures, to wild looking boars and red flying humanoids.
Before she could brace herself to try to cast any magic again, Tav heard Lae'Zel's "Htak'a!" war cry as she ran into the room, sword in both her arms slashing an imp from top to bottom before it collapsed to the floor.
She hears "Impero tibi" from Shadowheart, which stirred some sort of recognition in her. Tav then saw the large, winged creature drop its flaming sword to the ground.
A red flaming boar was running straight at her, slipping past the four-legged brain, and getting a claw on its side, before she had time to raise her hands. And nothing happened. She tried to close her eyes and imagine how it felt to bring the magic to her hands the previous time, but still nothing happened.
The creature slammed her to the ground, sitting on top of her. She was frightened now. Tav looked around, grabbed the staff that fell to the floor alongside her and squinted her eyes in focus while trying to keep the boar's teeth from biting her.
The animal burned her hand and torso from contact. The pain was enough to bring tears of anger to her eyes and the boar made a whimper sound as it collapsed on top of her. She opened her eyes and saw the smoke rising from the boar, charred skin still crackling with the bolt energy coming from the hand holding it.
"Thrall, connect the nerves to the transponder, we need to flee this place, now!"
Tav looked around the room for any source of the voice, she saw a flash of golden-white eyes staring at her from the purple tentacled creature.
Supported by her staff, she got to her feet and ran towards the end of the room where she saw a similar console contraption.
She gazed at the spongy console, tentacled nerves flowing from it. In the huge gaping hole in the wall in front of her, a massive red dragon's head peaked through, its teeth and breath too close for comfort.
Tav could see it drawing in a big breath as it began to shout a roaring fired breath at Tav. She did not hesitate to grab and join two of the console nerves, just as the flames reached her.
Tav felt time flying by faster, then stop. The dragon was no longer on the ship. But the ship started losing control and Tav couldn’t keep her balance anymore. She crashed against walls as the ship started its descent towards collapsing.
She was flung against the large opening in the ship. She looked into those same golden-white pearlescent eyes of the tentacled being, as a knock to her head rendered her unconscious.
As Tav was freefalling from the ship she opened her eyes, she was pondering how curious this day had been. She closed her eyes and smiled as a surge of power took over her body.
She opened her eyes again. The sun was shining bright in the blue-hued sky. Her fingers were caressing grains of sand and dirt and smelling fresh air, smoke and sweat.
Tav rose onto her elbows. She didn’t feel dead. She sat upright, taking in her surroundings. A river flowing nearby, sand under her body and a massive tentacled ship that seemed to have crashed nearby.
How was she alive? She searched her mind for anything new, but nothing beyond the last day came to her. The last day. The mind flayers. The tadpole in her brain. She needed to find a way to remove this thing from her head. Perhaps this was the urgency she felt on the ship.
She got up to her feet, grabbed her staff, and started walking. She felt a tinge of disappointment at not having access to any more healing pods to bring back any more visions. Tav paused near a small pool of water, hovering over it.
There she was. The unfamiliar face, the long blonde fair, long ears and what looked like light eyes; maybe blue or green, she couldn’t quite tell in the reflection. Tav reaches for the ears, the woman in the reflection doing the same and they felt alien and surprisingly sensitive.
She closed her eyes, concentrating on the middle of her chest where she first felt the surge of magic. It seemed to reply. She didn’t ask a question, just confirmation that it was still there. Despite not knowing anything beyond today, her magic being somewhat unreliable in battle, she felt she could count on it. Felt confident that it would be by her side no matter what.
It didn’t take long for Tav to recognize one of the bodies on the ground as Shadowheart's. With a knot in her throat, she reached towards the woman, feeling for a pulse. She was alive, Tav shook her shoulders to wake her up.
“You're alive! I'm alive! How is this possible?” Shadowheart exclaimed, reaching for the many-sided box of blackened iron, and pushing it in her backpack.
"I was hoping you might know that."
"I remember the ship, remember falling... then nothing."
"Do you have any idea where we are? Or where our gith friend might be?"
"No. And you might want to reconsider calling her a friend. Seems like she ran off without us."
"Allright. What do you plan on doing?" Tav questioned, feeling a little out of her element.
"First things first. We need supplies, a camp and most of all, a healer. We might have escaped, but we still have these little monsters in our heads."
"You want to stay together?"
"We need each other, and we both know what's at stake. I can't think of better company."
"Allright. Let's get moving."
"One thing, just before we go." Shadowheart interjected. "I wanted to thank you again, for freeing me. It would have been all too easy for you to run right past my pod, but you didn't. I'll remember that. Lead the way."
As the two women began walking, looting through dead bodies on the beach, bags and boxed, Tav couldn't help but look at Shadowheart a little more closely now that they were under sunlight.
She had dark hair left to hang down on the sides, displaying longer ears, though not as long as hers, dark hair tied up in a ponytail at the back with multiple rings. She wore a black and silver circlet over her fringe, leather gloves, and a chain shirt that was emblazoned with a symbol Tav didn't recognize.
She seemed to have an aura of mystery and sternness about her, behind those green eyes, which made Tav want to ask her about herself, but decided against it. Tav wondered about that. Was she any good at reading people? Or was this just self-preservation?
Amid the crash site and chaos on the beach, they still managed to find new creatures that wanted to kill them. She watched as Shadowheart's hand started glowing with golden light as she yelled "Flagra" and one of the brains shuddered and collapsed to the ground.
Wondering if she could do the same, Tav pointed her free hand at one of the other brains, imagining a golden flame striking it while her chest filled with what was now becoming a familiar warm feeling. As the magic left her hand, she opened her eyes to look at the outcome, disappointment filling her when the flame barely burned the brain and was not nearly as yellow and bright as Shadowheart's spell.
The brain was sprinting towards her and she held out her hand again, trying to remember what were the words Shadowheart used. She uttered a small "Flagra", under her breath, but nothing happened. She then said the words with more conviction. Still nothing.
The brain was within reach, and with a mixture of anger, disappointment, and shame she imagined how a ray of frost would stop the brain dead in its tracks.
In her other hand, the staff's end glowed in a blue light, a cold feeling spreading through her fingers, going through her body, and leaving through her outstretched hand, hitting the brain, and enveloping it in a layer of ice, dead.
Looking towards Shadowheart, she saw as the woman, picked up her mace from a now-dead puddle of brain, looking at her, one eyebrow raised. If she had any questions, she didn't voice them and Tav felt a sense of relief, not sure she could provide answers considering her state.
They continued along the crash site, near the water, picking up supplies and Tav went back to ponder her messed up brain. Her magic seemed unpredictable; it didn't always do what she wanted. She didn't know what she didn't know or what the limitations were. She wondered if Shadowheart knew more. Or could explain the process behind it. She felt exposed at the thought of admitting she wasn't a reliable ally. Would Shadowheart leave her if she did? Did she want to be alone?
Further in the distance they could make out the outline of another pod and a man next to it, looking around. As they approached, she could make out the man's details better. He wore a golden embroidered doublet jacket. He had curling white hair along his elongated ears, pale complexion, paler than Tav even, with an air of refinement depicting perhaps a nobility or someone of higher importance.
"Hurry, I got one of those brain things cornered." He said when they were close enough to hear. "There in the grass, you can kill it, can't you? Like you killed the others?"
Tav nodded and walked towards the area where the man pointed, staff in one hand, the other outstretched, preparing to ice whatever creature dared to cross her path.
Despite the unexpected confidence she felt, she didn't expect to see a wild boar running for its life. She was almost relieved. Her relief was cut short however, when the pale man brought her down with him to the ground, a sharp object near her throat. She struggled against him, but he pinned her down, one knee holding her.
"Shh, not a sound. Not if you want to keep that darling neck of yours." He purred against Tav's ear. ”And you." He said, looking at Shadowheart. "Keep your distance. No need for this to get messy."
"I need her alive. Stow that blade or I'll show you just how messy things can get." Shadowheart threatened.
"Promises, promises. But I have other business, I'm afraid." The man snickered. "Now" He said, looking back at Tav. "I saw you on the ship, didn't I? Nod."
Tav looked into his red eyes, a simmer of anger bubbling in her chest. She tried a quick glance to see where her staff was, feigning fear as the man tried to hold her gaze. It was too far out of reach for her. Could she try to freeze the man? Burn him? Electrocute him? All the uses of magic she tried were with the staff in her hand and now she wasn't sure it could work without it. She nodded to buy some time.
"Splendid. And now you're going to tell me exactly what you and those tentacle freaks did to me."
What? He thought she did something to him? That she was in league with the tentacled creatures? Why? She tried focusing on the source of the magic in her chest and tried imagining how the knife they both now held would freeze his hand.
Nothing happened. Ok, she would have to do this the old-fashioned way. A familiar calm washed over her mind, and she spoke in a musical voice. "No, you have it backwards. They took me prisoner, just like you."
"Don't lie to me. I – agh!"
Tav's mind felt the resonance of another and saw through unfamiliar eyes, prowling dark, busy streets. She tried to hold the memory, but it faded to the worm, the light, the fear. She looked at the pale man again, his eyes wide.
"What was that? What's going on?"
"It's the worm. It connected us."
The man hesitated. Then he removed the knife and they both got up on their feet.
"You're not one of them. You got the same worm, just the same as me." He continued. "And to think, I was ready to decorate the ground with your innards. Apologies" he said, offering a dazzling smile.
"Glad to see we're all caught up now." Tav responded drily.
"Indeed, we are. Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name's Astarion. I was in Bauldur's Gate when those beasts snatched me." He moved with effortless grace and subtle fluidity, each motion of his hands drawing Tav into his orbit with an irresistible allure.
She stopped herself, surprised by the effect he seemed to have, and simply nodded.
"The strong and silent type? All right." He stepped closer. "Please tell me you at least know something about these worms."
That question seemed to pull Tav from the spell she was under, moving to grab the staff off the ground before responding.
"Yes, unfortunately. They'll turn us into mind flayers."
"Turn us into -" he stepped back, eyes wide in shock and started laughing, a dry laugh. "Of course it will turn me into a monster. What else did I expect?" Shoulders now slump and brows furrowed. "Although, it hasn't happened yet. If we can find an expert – someone that can control these things – there might still be time."
"Control them?" Tav was outraged at the suggestion. "We need to get rid of them!"
"Well, yes, of course. But first things first."
Tav was musing with a thought. Would asking a man that just tried to slit her throat make Shadowheart want to leave any sooner? Would it be best to just tell him to find his own way? Several heads made for a good brainstorming session on potential solutions. Before she could go through all the outcomes of this and have everyone stand around looking awkwardly at her, she decided to go with her instinct, that seemed to have helped her the most this day.
"You should travel with us. Our odds are better together."
"You know, I was ready to go this alone, but maybe sticking with the herd isn't such a bad idea after all. And you seem like a useful person to know... All right. I accept." He said as he took a deep bow before her.
Tav glanced at Shadowheart before taking to the road. She seemed to understand the unspoken question and approached Tav with a bemused expression on her face.
"Astarion's an interesting find. Let's hope any future acquaintances don't hold a blade to your throat by way of introduction."
Ok, so she didn't necessarily disapprove of her decision. And she didn't plan on leaving yet. Maybe she did have good instincts and she nodded once towards Shadowheart, in agreement. Perhaps there was safety in numbers, both for herself and for the rest of them.
She wondered if the gythyanki woman would be close by or did she indeed leave them to go her own way. Maybe they should try to find her. She did mention she knew of a way to get rid of the worm, by proclaiming to be her only chance of survival. Lae'zel didn't strike her as someone who would inflate her own abilities, considering her prowess in battle.
Walking uphill through the rubble, smoke, and fire, they were nearing a glowing purple circle. Tav approached it, feeling something ooze from it in a way that made her chest warm. Like when she cast magic. Without hesitation, she proceeded to touch the sigil. A burst of electricity touched her fingers, and she took a step back. A hand appeared out of the circle and a male voice came through.
"A hand? Anyone?"
She almost burst into laughter. A hand asking for a hand. This day was getting better and better. Seeing as this hand probably had a sense of humor, she slapped the hand.
"Ow! Perhaps I should have clarified. A helping hand?"
She grabbed onto the hand and started pulling. It was no use. The hand seemed to be stuck at the other end.
"Come one, put your back into it!" The hand insisted.
She looked towards her companions. Astarion rolled his eyes, crossed his arms, looking away and Shadowheart sighed as she reached to pull together with Tav.
The extra strength helped as the hand, along with the rest of the man, fell on both of them, knocking them to the ground. Tav looked at the shadow behind her, gazing upward until she saw Astarion's face, looking completely unimpressed. The man got off them and stood upright, helping them get up as well.
"Ooft hello. I'm Gale of Waterdeep. Apologies, I'm usually better at this." The man said smiling, shaking her hand.
Did he do this often? Coming out of random magical circles, falling onto random people, Tav couldn't help but wonder, a smile coming onto her face. He was funny. She liked his sense of humor.
"Tav. Are you all right?"
"A bit shocked, but friend it is a relief and a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Gale continued in an enthused manner. "Say, but I know you, don't I? You were on the nautiloid as well."
"Never mind the nautiloid, how did you get stuck in that thing?"
"I don't know what transpired exactly, but the ship broke into multiple pieces, and I suddenly found myself in free fall. As I was plummeting to certain death, I spied a glimmer quite near where I estimated my body to impact with less-than-savory propulsion. Recognizing the glimmer to be magical in nature, I reached out to it, with a Weaving of words and found myself on the other side, as it were."
Tav's eyes rose into her hairline. This man, Gale, knew magic, she would certainly want to keep him around.
"How about you? How did you survive the fall?"
She didn't really know. Some sort of magic perhaps as well. It wouldn't be realistic to assume it was not. How could one survive such a fall without magic being involved?
"To be honest, I haven't a clue." Tav said, feeling a little silly to give such an inadequate answer.
"Fair enough. But even so, I have the unfortunate suspicion your survival is still very much in jeopardy. Back on the ship, you too, were on the receiving end of a rather unwelcome insertion in the ocular region, were you not?"
Tav nodded.
"The insertee we speak of, this parasite – are you aware that after a period of excruciating gestation it will turn us into mind flayers? It's a process known as ceremorphosis, and let me assure you: it is to be avoided." Gale emphasized on the last part, continuing to add. "You don't happen to be a cleric, do you? A doctor? Surgeon? Uncannily adroit with a knitting needle?"
"You seem to know a lot about our condition to realize it's beyond most clerics 'skills." Shadowheart added, seeming as if Tav was at a loss for words.
"Most, no doubt. But I find myself hoping to be in the presence of the few. You don't happen to be one of them?"
“Can’t say that I am.” Tav replied.
"We're most certainly going to need a healer, and soon too. How about we lend each other a helping hand once more and look for a healer together?"
Tav couldn't help but smile at the 'helping hand’ commentary and, before anyone could protest about a new companion, and a potential 'helping hand' for magic guidance, she said. "Sounds like a plan. You're welcome to join us."
"Most excellent!" Gale enthused. "A parasite shared is a parasite halved. Or something to that effect. Oh, but before you think you're about to embark on a journey with a most ill-mannered man: thank you for pulling me out of that stone. It was an act of foresight kindness I assure you, for I have the feeling ample opportunities will present themselves for me to return the favor."
An eloquent man with a good sense of humor and offering to help her in both the parasite issue and the magic issue who didn't put a blade to her neck when they met? This must be Tav's lucky day indeed. Except for the part where she woke up on an alien ship, a worm in her head, the barest recollection of her past and how to use magic. Things were just now starting to turn in her favor.
The four of them started to inspect the rest of the area. Not too far they managed to find Lae’zel trapped in a wooden cage, with two horned humanoids declaring she was a menace. Tav took on her liaison role saying she would deal with the threat. She tried to get the horned ones to leave, before gathering that they knew of Lae'zel from a certain Zorru, in their camp nearby. They even offered information on how to get there, once Tav mentioned they were looking for a healer.
"Enough gawking. Get me down!" Lae'zel scowled at her.
Tav closed her eyes, feeling the warm sensation in her chest, and imagined how a flame would appear in her hand. When she stopped hearing the Tieflings in the background, she opened her eyes and aimed for Lae'zel's cage. The first fire bolt was as weak as the first time she cast it, but the second one managed to break off the weakened structure of the cage. So maybe fire was not her kind of magic. Lae'zel landed gracefully to her feet and then approached the group.
"The tadpole hasn't scrambled yet all your senses. Auspicious." Lae'zel sneered. "But the longer we wait the more it consumes. My people possess the cure for this infection. I must find a creche. You will join me."
"Careful, she obviously sees your kindness as a weakness. Don't let her take advantage." Shadowheart interjected.
Feeling the uncomfortable tension between the two women rise again as it did on the nautiloid, Tav asked. "And what exactly is a cheche...?"
"It is many things. A hatchery, training grounds, a shelter. Githyanki protocol is clear: when infected with a ghaik tadpole, we must report to a ghustil for purification."
Tav found herself thanking her luck; not one, but two viable solutions to one of her problem. And Lae'zel's confidence in the matter suggested she was certain of its potential fix.
"All right. We journey together. Let's find this cheche."
"You have made an ally from Cheche K'lir – few know such fortune."
"I'll trust your judgement, but I won't trust her. Not until I've gotten the measure of her." Shadowheart said loud enough for everyone to hear.
Lae'zel snapped back at her. "You've a sharp tongue elf. Would that your mind proves its equal."
"Half-elf." Shadowheart corrected. "I suppose the finer details are lost on a creature like you."
"Come." Lae'zel moved to speak to Tav directly, ignoring Shadowheart. "The horned ones mentioned a camp. One there – this Zorru – has seen githyanki. A creche must be near. We will ask this Zorru where he has seen my kin."
And so, the adventure began.
They set out to find a place to rest, before going to the horned ones’ camp, Lae'zel mumbling about wasting precious time on rest and the fragility of 'their kind'. They found a secluded area near a waterfall surrounded by nature; each picked a spot to set up their tents.
Lae'zel and Shadowheart had no problem pitching their tents in a matter of minutes. Gale requested assistance from Lae'zel, while Astarion complained about not being used to curling up in the dirt and leaving his tent unpitched to go into the forest.
Tav wasn't sure she knew how to set up a tent either but paid close attention when Lae'zel helped Gale set his up and managed to do a decent job in the end. Not wanting to start on the wrong foot, or continue on the wrong foot more like, with Astarion, she pitched his tent as well. If nothing else, then for the practice alone. Shadowheart threw her a bemused expression and shook her head.
Once things had settled down and everyone took to arranging their spaces, Tav decided she ought to try and get to know her new acquaintances a little. She wasn't sure how long they would take to find the means to remove the parasite in their heads, so she might as well try and be a little friendly.
She noticed Gale near the fire in the middle of the camp and approached him, only to be greeted by a somber "Go to hell."
"Well good evening to you too." she replied, amused. His back was to her, facing the fire.
"Ha! you're a good sport." He smiled, turning his face to her, before looking back at the fire. " 'Go to hell'. An everyday expression. So trivial it's almost meaningless. But we've seen Hell. It's real. And it isn't trivial."
Not wanting to sour the mood before she started asking magic questions and hoping he would go back to his jovial self, Tav asked "What's on your mind, Gale?"
"Devils, dragons, mind flayers - they used to be abstracts. Pictures on a piece of paper. What a difference a day makes. Now we have tadpoles slithering through our heads like carnivorous foeti. That's not abstract."
"I'm not too worried, we'll find someone to help us."
"That's the spirit. Wake up with the lard, find a healer before the wee one gets hungry." Gale ended, just before going towards his tent.
Ok. So not in the mood to talk magic then. She decided to check in with Lae'zel.
"A monster forms inside us yet you waste time with idle chatter?" Lae'zel said a way of greeting. "Do you suppose the parasites in us dare to rest? That the ghaik do not still pursue us with each peal of the bell? Take your rest. I will stand watch. Should a single tentacle split your skull, I will not hesitate to end you." She ended, taking a seat next to her tent with her blade held tight.
Mentally scratching Lae'zel off the small talk list, she then approaches Shadowheart who had her hands on a map, sitting by her tent.
"Doing the rounds are you?" Shadowheart asked, without taking her eyes off the map. "What were you two talking about?" she asked as she raised her head to look Tav in the eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"You and Gale."
"Just trying to make conversation"
"I see. I'd be careful with Gale."
"You don't trust Gale?"
"He's a wizard. All they care about is power." Shadowheart added matter-of-factly. "Let's hope we rapidly find a healer. I think you know how important it is that we find someone who can cure us. Best if we focus on that." And then she started looking at her map again.
Everyone was distressed at the prospect of sprouting tentacles. Tav was concerned, sure, but her head was filled with thoughts from all the things that happened that day.
As she sat in front of the fire, letting her mind wander, didn't realize that everyone had gone to sleep, and she was all alone - until she heard a voice behind her.
"Did you do this?" Astarion asked, pointing at his tent.
"You're welcome." Tav said, before returning to the fire to add more lumber.
"I didn't ask for your help."
"No, you didn't."
He sighed, paused, and then added. "You should get some rest."
Tav nodded but made no effort to get up. She heard the shuffling of Astarion entering his tent and she was all alone, again.
She tried to go to sleep soon after that. Tav tossed and turned while her mind kept relieving all of the visions she had to try and make sense of them. How would it be possible to be in two different bodies? Were those visions - memories? Who knew what sort of magic mind flayer technology she willingly threw herself into to even get those images? She took it for granted that her name was Tav. It felt right though. Could the rest of what she saw be true?
Who was that entity? Why was she in a cemetery? And her mind seemed to have a knack for overthinking.
And then she heard birds and saw the light from the rising sun. She felt exhausted.
Tav yawned and got out of her tent. Lae'zel was in the process of dismantling her tent. Shadowheart and Gale were not up yet, and Astarion's tent flap was opened, but he was not inside.
"We leave as soon as those loafers are awake." Lae'zel announced as a greeting.
