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.
————
It was all a blur as we made our way up to the brain. There was a few memorable moments though - when my companions, and the people we saved along the way gathered together to help up fight this thing. Ayelin and Isobel were there. Even some of the guild was standing with us. If it weren't under such dire circumstances, I would've cried. To think that we've inspired so many to fight by our side made me emotional. I was just a Bhaalspawn. Now, I'm more.
We continued forward, eventually finding the brain. As crazy as it sounds, we had to climb the its brain stem to reach it. Once there, we came face to face with group of mindflayers. We were vastly outnumbered.
"Call upon our allies and let's get to the brain!" The Emperor exclaimed.
I did as he said, and summoned as many as I could, while I desperately sprinted to the portal on the opposite side of the brain. I watched as chaos unfolded around us. Our allies throwing any arsenal they had, and the Elder Brain doing the same.
Finally we reached the portal, throwing as many attacks I could along the way. I leapt in, and the others followed.
"We need to weaken it enough for me to destroy it," The Emperor said.
I nodded.
I glanced around the area. We were standing on platforms that surrounded the brain.
I unleashed every attack I could. The Elder Brain fought back. Removing the platforms. We barely avoided falling to our deaths.
Finally when it was weak enough. The Emperor took control.
He turned to me, watching me for my input.
"Command it to destroy the tadpoles, then itself," I said without a second thought. All that power was something no one should have.
He nodded, and with a simple thought. The Elder Brain was destroyed.
We felt the interior crumble around us.
"We need to get out of here," I said.
The five of us sprinted to the portal. Landing on the hard platform on the other side.
I stood up, I was partially afraid that there would be more enemies around. But they were dead.
I laughed, unable to believe that we did it.
As I looked down on the city below, I saw hundreds of dead mindflayers.
I turned to the others. Elation was on their faces. We were finally free.
It was short lived. For without the Elder Brain's ability to fly, gravity took hold.
It fell, hurtling to the ocean.
I quickly cast flight on everyone. I wasn't particularly fond of going for a swim.
And so, we flew off the brain, as it collided with the ocean, sending a large wave in all directions.
We touched down on the damp stone, and watched as the brain sunk into the ocean.
I turned to Astarion, "we did it!"
He smiled, "yes darling, we did."
The others ran over to join us.
Gale, Karlach, Wyll and Halsin congratulated us. It felt good and a little sad to know that our journey was over. I've spent months with them, and I could feel the lump in my throat forming. I knew I'd even miss Gale.
"We did it soldier. The city's going to be safe and so are you," Karlach said.
I turned to face her. My smile faded. She dropped to ground and became enveloped in flames.
I ran over to her.
"Engines finally cooked. I held on long enough."
I knelt down in front of her.
The lump in my throat grew thicker.
"So, h-how did I do?" She asked through pain.
"You were spectacular in every way," I smiled.
"For you, for the city, and myself. Blah, blah, blah. But mostly for you."
I reached out to touch her.
"Careful! Hot-"
"How did I do? Spectacular," she said to herself.
My heart was shattering as I watched on.
"It's the one thing I can't beat, isn't it? Same below as above. I love. You"
"I love you too Karlach," I said softly.
"Goodbye sun, goodbye sea. Goodbye," she yelled, clutching her heart.
"No! We can't let her die. Not like this - not now," a voice came from behind. It was Wyll.
"You can't - you?" Karlach said painfully.
"Karlach, please stay," I said.
"What do you say? I'll come with you to Avernus. Karlach and the Blade of Frontiers, how does that sound?" He asked.
"Go with Wyll Karlach. You won't be alone," I smiled.
She screamed in pain for a moment, then finally spoke.
"Okay, but we need to go now."
"Thank you, be safe. And I'll write to you," I said.
She smiled, "see you soon, soldier."
Then she and Wyll made their quick exit. I began to breathe a little easier.
"I'm glad Karlach has found a way out of her predicament," Halsin said.
"This is incredible. Maybe whatever the tadpole changed in me was permanent," Astarion said watching his hands sink in the sun.
I smiled.
"And we didn't even have to turn into mindflayers to do it," he continued, chuckling.
"I-," Astarion's face began to flake.
My jaw dropped.
"Oh, gods. No. I need to find shelter," he said running off.
"I guess that's the last Astarion's seen of the sun," Shadowheart said.
I watched Astarion run off making sure I'd be able to find wherever he sheltered later.
I turned to Lae'zel, "what about you?" I asked.
"I can't return home after seeing Vlaakith for what she really is. I was thinking of finding the resistance group," she said.
I nodded.
"But, will you stay a while?.... To celebrate?" I asked.
"It would be my pleasure."
With that they all made their way back to the inn, and I went to tend to Astarion.
He cowered in the shadows of some boxes.
"How do I get you out of here?" I asked.
"Give me your cloak, I'll cover myself," he said.
I took it off and handed it to him, then began guiding him back to the Elfsong.
"Maybe I was a little too hopeful," he said.
"It's okay. We defeated the Elder Brain. We can figure this out together," I said.
"What will we do now that the Elder Brain's dead?" He asked.
"I say we bring Scratch and Owlbear along, while we find a solution for you. I want you to be able to walk in the sun," I said.
"Really?"
I nodded, "it won't be a glamorous life but it will be an adventure. Then when we're done with it all, we can settle down."
"I'll go anywhere with you," he said.
I laughed. How I managed to find love along the way baffled me. I wasn't alone anymore, and my heart was filled with joy at the thought.
————
That night we all celebrated at the Elfsong. The owner was so grateful that he gave us free food, and the citizens shouted us many drinks. There was singing, dancing, and chatter amongst everyone.
I waltzed over to Gale who looked a little glum.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I'm just thinking about the crown. If I could reforge, the power it contains could solve my orb predicament," he said.
I signed, "Gale that's a tomorrow problem. Enjoy yourself. Look Tara's over there having fun."
He laughed, "okay. Okay."
I quickly made an exit before he could mansplain something to me.
I approached Shadowheart, "I'm going to miss you."
"And I you," she said.
The moment felt solemn.
"You will write to me when you get the chance won't you?" I asked.
"Of course. I don't have any plans to leave right away though. I have no idea what I'm going to do. Being so close to death, I didn't think of what to do next. I'm free of Shar now too," she said.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out. You've only just started living now," I smiled.
"Thanks to you," Shadowheart smiled back.
I felt a sense of joy overcome me. Hearing how I helped others made me feel like I could slowly makeup for what I did as a Bhaalspawn.
I approached Astarion and plopped on the couch beside him, "are you ready for what's next?"
"I'm ready for every day with you."
"Awwww stop," I giggled.
"You have a different aura to you now," he said.
"I feel less stressed, and a whole lot more free."
"Me too," he grabbed my hand.
"Whatever you do, I'm with you all the way," he added.
"I love you," I kissed his lips. Soft, tender lips kissed back.
"I love you to the end," he said.