As the Fire Rises

Chapter Twenty: Peace Bringer.

Reithwin bloomed with light and life. The once undead shadows that overtook the town and its surroundings were long pushed back by Thaniel, life had been brought back to this land and its surrounding area. 

"When we get back I wouldn't say no to a pint at Last Light." Shadowheart sounded tired already. Astarion mulled over his friend. She had been pained for so long by the loss of her parents, the years under the cult of Shar. She, Diana, and Aelius had so much in common and yet she seemed distant. He did not want to push his friend but she perhaps was the best to navigate his own children through all they had gone through. A later day perhaps, he thought back to what Karlach had told him. "One step at a time." Simple yet difficult. 

"Chultan Fireswill sounds heavenly about now." Gale sighed. "Something strong." 

Their ride to the elevator to the Grymforge was stunning, there were so many signs of the young druid's touch. Plant life, animal life just the spirit of the lands were pleasant to the eyes and soul. 

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One boat ride and an elevator down and the Underdark greeted them like old friends, Sebastian stood arms open for embrace. Astarion ran to his once victim now friend. "The years have not been kind to you friend. Is that a worry line?" Astarion released his friend, touching his face. 

"There is not!" The two laughed. 

"There is not, though the look on your face was worth saying so." The others gathered hugging Sebastion one by one. "Dalyria has found what you have come to search for, it is  guarded by a field of Bibberband. She was too fearful to approach not wanting to destroy it." 

"G'lyck, I did not enjoy my time with those before." 

"Sebastian do you know where this field is?" 

Sebastian lead the group, Citrine unhooded her grass eyes taking in the beauties of the Underdark, the soft glows and growing crystals had her memorized. Since she set foot in the Underdark a beautiful humming filled her head. She felt her body melt as Lae'zel dragged her through the Underdark. 

"There's no fucking way." Shadowheart stopped short of the ledge, looking over the field of Bibberbang, the very spot they saved Baelen from so many years ago. "They grew here the whole time?"

Without a word, Lae'zel transferred Citrine who swayed in silence to Astarion, she stepped off the cliffside, bouncing through out the field, misty stepping her way through the field and back up to them. Bibberbang exploding after each step.  

She stepped back to them,  the blue flower like mushroom in hand. "Eat it." She demanded of Citrine. 

Broke from the melody Citrine looked at the Gith, "I'm not putting something in my mouth just because you demand it of me." 

"Open your mouth and consume the mushroom before I throw you into the field myself." Lae'zel's words were demanding but there was a plea behind her eyes. 

"And if I do, what happens to me? Poisoning me in the Underdark?" Lae'zel grabbed Citrine from Astarion's arms as he stood in shock watching her pry open Citrine's jaw shoving the mushroom down. 

Citrine fell to the ground, choking and gagging, swallowing the mushroom she looked back up to Lae'zel. "Happy now?" Her hair fallen widely in her face. Pain flooded her once more as she dropped from all fours onto the Underdark's cold ground. 

Through the pain the melody came back to her pointed ears, then visions flooded her. She walked beside a white dog and owlbear cub, her sister's blade in hand. A large oak laid before her, words to a sister she would never have, then the pain second to the pain she felt now. The overwhelming flood of panic, her stomach pushed further than she had seen before, she felt the love and care she had for those inside of her. She watched herself bring her children into the world, she could only feel the protectiveness and beauty of both her children as her eyes faded back into her head, their warmth in her arms. 

Citrine pushed herself back to all fours tears falling sobs leaving her throat, she looked up scanning the area for the two she held in her final breaths. Her eyes fell on them, Aelius hair as snowy as his fathers, eyes that gleamed like her own. Diana her hair as curled and colored as her own with eyes like her father's. "Aelius, Diana." She tried to rush up to them, arms outstretched. They flinched behind their father, grasping tightly to him like small children. "Please." Her voice broken in the sobs. Pain flooded her once more, she felt as if her spine was being torn from her back. "Please." She muttered out. 

The melody flooded her as she fought back the darkness, a large shadow parted between those around her. "Peace Bringer." Spaw parted the group, he lifted Citrine from the ground carrying her like a sleeping child, "Peace Bringer has returned." 

Astarion watched as the colony circled Citrine, their hums flooding the group, they swayed around her as Spaw held her close. "Peace Bringer returns differently than before."

"Her memories of our time are gone to her." Gale tried to part through the myconids though they did not allow closing their circle tighter to Spaw and Citrine. The group watched as Spaw throw another Noblestalk and some other plants they did not recognize into the bubbling mushroom cauldron in front of him. He pulled the ladle out, tipping it into the half open mouth of Citrine, she coughed and spat it out her eyes fluttering, he ladled another spoonful in, his thin hands covering her mouth.

"Stop you'll choke her." Astarion pushed through, parting the myconids. He halted watching Citrine convulse in Spaw's grasp. He watched as her eyes darted open. 

"Astarion?" Her voice was soft like it had been before. "Astarion, I remember. I remember it all."