Love's Bite | Astarion x Tav Fanfic

The Elder Brain

My nights became more and more restless as the day we'd face the Elder Brain approached. We had planned the day. There was a lot to prepare. Not only physically but mentally. The fate of the world literally depended on us. I reflected back on how I got into this situation, and everything I had won on the journey here. Now, it could all come crashing down.
I signed as I rose from my bed. The sleepless nights had taken a toll on me, but I forced myself up. Today, we would destroy the brain.
Lae'zel, Shadowheart and Astarion got ready in silence. Everyone else remained to keep an eye on things in the city.
As we approached the door to exit our room, I paused for a second.
"Are we ready?" I asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Shadowheart chimed in.
"Let's just get this over with," Astarion said.
"We will win," Lae'zel hissed with determination.
I nodded.
"We will."
With that we left the Elfsong Inn.

Weaving our way through the sewer, a thought occurred to me. I stopped.
"Astarion..."
"Yes darling...?"
"This may be our last chance to kiss."
I turned around, doe eyed.
He smiled.
"Come here," he pulled me closer, and placed his lips on mine.
"Lovely," Lae'zel said.
I laughed.
Eventually we came across a small wooden boat. A swarm of rats gathered around. Its eyes glowing purple.
"Ew," I said, quickly boarding the boat. I had to get away from the things.
After the others boarded, we set off, rowing into the darkness.

Reaching the brain was relatively easy. A little too easy if you asked me. We only ran into a few intellect devourers along the way. I descended down a path that led to a body of water. It looked to be a dead end.
"It's here," the emperor's voice echoed in my mind.
The netherstones rose from my pack, and began circling me before all three joined at their base to form a three pointed dart. I reached out and it hovered over my hand. The entire cavern began to shake ferociously, and slowly the brain rose out of the body of water.
"You think you know why you are here," its voice boomed within my mind.
"You think that by killing the Chosen and taking the Netherstones, you can destroy me?"
Pain flooded my brain. It was excruciatingly loud.
"You are wrong."
The netherstones floated in my hand. I eyed them for a moment, wondering how these were going to control it.
"Don't listen to it. It's toying with you," the Emperor said.
I mustered up the courage to use the stones, pushing out what power it gave me from the palm of my hand. It accomplished nothing.
"By eliminating Ketheric, Orin, and Gortash, you have simply unbound me. Which is exactly what I wanted," the Elder Brain spoke.
"Don't listen to it! Focus on the crown!" The Emperor exclaimed.
I frowned. This had to work. We'd come so far, accomplished so much. I refused to lose.
With all my strength I tried again. A stream of light again emerged from my hand, pointing straight at the Elder Brain.
It failed again.
"The Crown is not my weakness - it is what made me what I am. They would not have surrendered it freely, so I gave them what they wanted - power. Their part has ended. The next orders will be mine."
Astarion's face flashed in my mind. We had to succeed. Against all odds, we made it this far.
Once again I tried to dominate it with the netherstones, and again it failed.
"And you - you had your role to play, too. Who do you think planted the knowledge of Orpheus' power, and the fear of what it could do? When the Chosen sent my thralls to retrieve the Prism - who do you think let the Emperor' slip its leash, knowing it would be the one to bring you to me?"
"We were part of its plan," the Emperor's voice echoed in my mind.
"You brought all three back to me. In so doing, you have liberated me. Now you will witness the Grand Design."
"We need to destroy it now," the Emperor boomed.
No. We had to win. I refused. With the little strength I had left, I attempted to control the brain once again.
Almost immediately I was thrown back. It was too powerful.
In a matter of seconds, the prism opened, and the Emperor emerged, dragging us inside.
"What the fuck?" Astarion asked.
"You said this would work," Shadowheart frowned.
"The situation is worse than I thought. This is an elder brain no longer. The magic of the crown has caused it to evolve - into a Netherbrain," The emperor said.
"What are our options?" I asked.
"If I consume Orpheus's brain, I can defeat it," he said.
I turned to Lae'zel.
She frowned. Having the only hope for her people in her grasp and then losing him must've hurt.
"I guess we have no choice," she said.
Then the Emperor did just that. He consumed what made Orpheus a person. For the first time, I saw him for what he truely was. A mindflayer.
We made a plan. To once again get to the Elder Brain and weaken it, then the Emperor could destroy it.