(ACT 1) BARD SONG: A BG3 FANFICTION

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕹𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖎𝖑𝖔𝖎𝖉

The moments before Aera fully woke up were a blur to her, fleeting images in her mind that felt impossible. 

She vaguely remembered seeing a Githyanki woman, a Mind Flayer, and a little tadpole like creature. As she opened her eyes, she felt a painful squirming behind her eye and she gasped, pressing her palm against her eye and gritting her teeth. 

Where the hells am I? 

The last thing Aera remembered seeing back in Waterdeep was the cowardly half orc and Zevlor's fearful eyes. She'd seen in his expression that he thought she was done for. 

Thankfully, her time had not come yet. 

Aera glanced around, not seeing the Gith woman or any others. Grunting, Aera jumped down from the pod. 

The Nautiloid was something she'd only heard of in stories or through the pages of books. While she knew they existed, being on one was nothing short of a culture shock. The inside of the vessel was like the inside of a creature, the walls flesh, differing shades of pink and red. It smelled of charred meat and smoke. 

Aera walked over to the pool in the middle of the room, where small tadpoles laid motionless. She decided to leave it alone, moving on to the next room with caution. 

She still had her Lute with her, to her relief. She also had her backpack and her dagger. Aera had stashed her crossbow on the outskirts of Waterdeep for safekeeping, a decision she regretted immensely. 

As she slowly made her way through the hallway and to an open area, she looked around for any sign of life. Surely I'm not the only survivor. There were many pods back there. 

Light on her feet, Aera approached and walked onto a platform that lifted her to a second level of the open area. She noticed a man lounging in a chair nearby, but one glance at him told her he had met his fate. Despite this, she heard the sound of a voice. 

It was coming from him. 

Aera moved toward the man slowly, her eyebrows furrowed, her heart racing. She held her dagger close at her side. She realized the top of his skull was nowhere to be found, his brain exposed. His face was contorted with death, but yet...

"Yes! You've come to save us from this place, from this place you'll free us! Please! Before they return! They return."

Aera blinked in surprise as the brain quivered. The brain was speaking to her? 

"Who am I talking to, a man or a brain?" Aera asked. Her grip on her dagger tightened. 

"A newborn. Born new from this husk." 

Aera had read about the Illithid before, but couldn't put a name to the creature she was speaking to. Still, she decided to pry a bit more. 

"You sound afraid. Why?" 

"The enemy. So many enemies." 

Aera looked at the man. She decided this thing didn't deserve any remorse. As far as she was concerned, it was with the things that abducted her in the first place. 

Without hesitation, Aera took her dagger and swiftly buried it into the soft brain. The creature screeched, then fell motionless. 

Aera clenched her jaw, then decided enough was enough. She needed to get out of here, and fast. 

She hurried through a hole that had been blasted in the side of the Nautiloid.  As she ran, a dragon flew past her, Aera stumbling to the side in shock. 

What is going on?! 

As she tried to regain her footing, she noticed something flying above her, but didn't see what it was until it was right in front of her, a sword pointed in her direction.