"So, you and Astarion," Gale said on the elevator ride up. I turned to look at the other wizard. He was looking straight ahead, watching the bricks as we rose.
"Yes," I said simply. I looked over at Astarion, who had a little smirk on his face. He glanced at me, and the smirk only grew, his eyes glinting.
"I see," Gale said.
There was disappointment written all over his features and in his voice. I tried to recall every interaction I'd had with him, whether or not I'd led him on. Nothing came to memory- just exchanged pleasantries and occasional conversation, before we'd agreed to journey separately for a while in the underdark.
I had no more time to dwell on it as the elevator finally came to a stop. Astarion opened the gates, and we all stepped through.
The air felt immediately different- heavier, darker. Everything had a dark, greenish, bluish tint to it. The stonework room that the elevator opened up to was in great disrepair; more remnants of the ancient temple we had just been in. A deep sense of dread settled into my bones. This land had been cursed and dead for a while.
"We're going to need torches," Halsin said. He took the lead, and made his way over to where some were resting against the wall, distributing them amongst us. They would stay lit for a while. "These won't protect from the darker parts of the land, but it will be enough to keep the shadows from harming us for now."
I nodded my head. We continued on, but stopped short rather quickly- an old man blocked the path we needed to take. He had long greying hair, and a long grey beard; dressed in an elegant red robe with a blue sash, and red hat lined with blue. Gale took a step forward.
"Elminster?" he said, brows knit together. The old man turned toward us, and recognition crossed his features when his gaze landed on Gale.
"Gale, my boy!" he said with great joy. "Thank goodness. I've had to don my best pair of boots and expose them to so many miles of country."
"Whatever for?" Gale asked. "Surely you must have good reason."
"It is grim news indeed," Elminster said, shaking his head. Gale's expression turned even more concerned. "It is regarding that orb you carry in your chest."
We all exchanged looks. I had forgotten that Gale was a ticking time bomb; despite having to hand off multiple magical items for him to consume. Gale took in a slow breath, and let it out just as slowly.
"Well, out with it, old man," Gale said sternly.
"You're not even going to invite a poor, old man to sit with you and enjoy some cheese and rest his feet?" Elminster placed a hand over his heart.
"No," Gale said. Elminster made a sound of disapproval with his tongue, and shook his head.
"Very well, then," Elminster said with a sigh. "There is no easy way around it. Mystra has- bestowed upon me the ability to stabilize that orb in your chest. You would be able to detonate it at will."
"Mystra would consider forgiveness?" Gale asked. Elminster made a face.
"Mystra would consider- what she considers forgiveness," Elminster said, tilting his head from side to side. He shifted his grip on the staff he held. "She expects you to use this blast at moonrise towers, to take out the heart of the Absolute in one fell swoop."
"Mystra wants Gale to kill himself?" I butted in. I didn't know much about the goddess, just that Gale had messed up royally with that orb and she had shunned him. This information still made me angry. "We'll take out the Absolute on our own terms."
"Well, if it's the best chance we've got," Gale said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I had begun to step closer to Elminster. "Mystra would have me do this?" Elminster nodded his head. "Very well, then."
"It is done, then," Elminster said. Gale placed a hand over his chest. "I wish you luck, friend."
Elminster gave Gale's shoulder a squeeze, and then made his way over to the elevator we had just climbed off of. He shut the gates and rode on down, with Gale holding me back so that I couldn't follow after and give him a piece of my mind. I turned to Gale, gritting my teeth.
"We'll find another way," I told him. Gale gave me a deep look of sorrow.
"I for one am totally on board with this decision," Astarion said. Gale and I shot him a glare.
"We will find another way," I said again.
"And if it's our only chance at defeating the Absolute?" Gale asked. "We have no idea what awaits us at moonrise."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," I said. I marched past him then, torch in hand.
We continued on, exiting the crumbling building and moving out onto the cursed lands. Even with the all encompassing darkness there was still a strange beauty to the land.
"What's that over there?" Astarion asked, pointing at the lights flickering a short distance away.
"Looks like more torches?" I suggested.
"We should approach with caution," Shadowheart said, her expression hard. I nodded at her, and we crouched as we approached.
"Who goes there?" a female voice called out. I exchanged a look with my companions, wondering what the best course of action would be. Astarion and Shadowheart shrugged, but Halsin stood and made his way over.
"I am the druid known as Halsin," he introduced, stepping around the corner. I ran my hand down my face, and then the rest of us followed suit.
"Halsin? I've never heard of you," the woman said. She had a small group of people with her.
We didn't have much time to dwell on introductions, as one of the men with her was suddenly dragged off into the darkness. His screams filled the air. She whirled around, holding her torch out to try and see better.
"Yonas!" she called out. We were all suddenly on edge, moving in closer to the other group of people, unsure what the hells had just happened. "Yonas, where are you?"
"Lassandra," a voice called from the darkness. "Lassandra, I'm here."
"Where!?" the woman, Lassandra, yelled. We were all watching the darkness with wide, fear-filled eyes. "I can't see you! Yonas. Follow my voice; come back to the light."
"I can't see you," the voice, presumably Yonas, called back again. "I can't- see anything. Something's... wrong."
There were more screams, followed by horrific crunching sounds. And then a broken-looking man, a darkness oozing off of him, stalked out of the shadows. His eyes looked- wrong. He reached out toward Lassandra.
"You should join me," he said, and there was something wrong with his voice as well.
"Yonas?" Lassandra's brows furrowed and she took a step back. She shook her head, knowing that her friend was no more. "Harpers, to arms!"
More creatures came out of the darkness. We all readied our weapons and spells, and Halsin wild shaped into a bear.