Chapter Text
As we continued our journey, I found myself often thinking about my weapon—a silver dagger with a green blade, the hilt adorned with my Father’s symbol set in rubies. Designed to nick the flesh as many times as possible. The blade was thin and cruel, embedding paralytic poison into each wound it inflicted. The more I used it, the more questions it raised within me.
I remembered my training sessions with Sceleritas vividly. He had drilled me endlessly in the art of the dagger, the way it should move through the air, the perfect angle to slice through skin, the exact pressure needed to puncture vital organs without wasting a drop of blood. In those memories, I held a different dagger. That one had a red blade, a fitting weapon for the Daughter of Bhaal. Its color had always been a comfort—a reminder of my Father's favor and the bloodshed that was my birthright.
But this dagger… Where had it come from? It didn't feel like a gift from Bhaal; everything he offered me was colored in the shades of blood and death. The green blade, with its particular shade and serpentine shape, held some significance I couldn't quite grasp. It felt familiar, yet alien, as if it belonged to a part of me that had been lost in the fog of my obscured memories.
Sceleritas had said I would know everything I needed to know in due time. The phrase echoed in my mind, frustrating and enigmatic. I couldn't shake the feeling that this dagger was a piece of the puzzle—a key to understanding the black hole in my memory.
Another piece of that puzzle was the Absolute, this "god" the True Souls, and even the goblins we dealt with worshipped. Some far corner of my mind felt like I had heard of it before, a distant echo of a forgotten memory. When I mentioned this to Gale, he scoffed, dismissing the notion.
"Highly unlikely," he said with an air of certainty. "If a scholar like myself hasn't heard of this god before, then you wouldn't have either."
His condescension made me bristle. The wizard didn’t know who he was dealing with. My fragmented memories might be obscured, but the power and knowledge I once wielded were not to be underestimated.
We met a drow named Minthara at the goblin camp while looking for a healer. The camp was a chaotic mix of brutality and desperation, filled with intriguing figures, though most of them proved useless for our needs. Amid the squalor and violence, I did manage to pick up some delicious roasted dwarf. A rare delicacy outside the temple, and the taste brought a fleeting sense of comfort amidst the turmoil.
After weighing my options and, fueled by my need to please my Father, I decided to side with Minthara. The decision felt right, like a step towards reclaiming my lost power and purpose. Together we planned a raid on the druid's Grove. The anticipation of the coming slaughter stirred the Urge within me, making it almost unbearable.
The raid was brutal and swift. The piles of bodies left by the slaughter satisfied the Urge, each lifeless pile of gore a testament to my return to form. The tieflings were almost too easy to kill, like crushing bugs beneath my heel. The old Hellrider and the smith were the only ones who really put up a fight. The others could be picked off one by one with a bow and arrow; I didn't even need to use spells. The druids were a bit more fun with their wildshapes, transforming into beasts to defend their precious Grove. But once their resolve was whittled down to despair, they too became easy pickings. They were dying for me. All of them.
The bloodshed, the screams—it was like coming home. That night, our party celebrated the victory alongside the goblins and Minthara. The air was thick with the scent of blood and victory, a heady mix that made my heart race with a dark exhilaration.
Astarion, ever the hedonist, was pleased to finally have some good wine and the freedom to cause chaos. He reveled in the night, his laughter carrying over the campfire. The rest of our companions were more subdued, but there was a palpable sense of accomplishment for at least some of us. We had achieved something significant.
As the night wore on, I found myself standing at the edge of the camp when Minthara approached, her eyes glinting with curiosity. “The way you wielded that dagger today, it was... impressive. The Absolute works in mysterious ways, but I feel a connection between us."
Her words were laced with a subtle flirtation, and she stepped closer, her presence commanding and intense. "You have a fire within you, Eden, one that burns with a darkness I find irresistible. When you tire of the celebrations, seek me out. Tonight, you are mine.”
Her invitation hung in the air, charged with unspoken promises. I felt a flicker of intrigue at her words. The fierce drow matriarch was a formidable figure, and there was something undeniably captivating about her. Yet, as I looked into her eyes, a nagging sense of unease tugged at the edges of my consciousness.
It felt wrong, somehow. A part of me urged rejection, a voice buried deep within that I couldn't quite ignore. It was unlike me to hesitate, to second-guess my desires. But this... felt different.
I knew an alliance with Minthara was necessary, and she wouldn't take rejection well. I'd have to consider my words carefully. "Although I feel the connection between us as well, I believe it would be best not to get distracted by carnal desires. The Absolute demands our full attention."
Minthara's eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering across her features. I could feel the weight of her gaze, measuring my sincerity. "But if this is truly our fate," I continued, "we will indulge in each other when we meet again at Moonrise Towers."
There was a tense moment of silence. Minthara's eyes bore into mine, searching for any hint of deceit. Then, she gave a curt nod. "Fair enough," she said, her tone begrudgingly respectful. "You must be a most devoted True Soul, to be able to turn down an offer to lay with me. In Menzoberranzan, the high-born would prostrate themselves before me for a fleeting taste of my body."
I inclined my head, acknowledging her words. "In her name," I replied.