Nyx PoV

'The Pools' were aptly named and was a welcome change to the monotonous leathery hallways the colour of mindflayer skin. It was brightly lit to boot, smelling of salt. The sound of trickling water was strangely soothing to the nerves. Stepped pools crisscrossed over the floor, water cascading from one to the other.

The chamber was demarcated into separate areas, either by the pools themselves or bundled curtains of translucent flexible tubing. The anterior end of the chamber had large brine filled pools, their surfaces glistened with a swirling sheen of minerals. Tubes lined the back wall, liquid moving inside and feeding into the pools.

"Are these brooding pools?" Nyx peered into the next level of tiered waters, tiny black tadpoles fliting within.

Lae'zel remarked with distaste, "Tadpole incubators for the immature. They are moved to larger pools to grow."

Shadowheart pointed at another set of pools, a mist wafting above pulsating with psionic energy. Whispers came to Nyx as the party neared.

Karlach visibly shivered, "I don't like creepy noises in my head.", and moved away.

Nyx scrunched her nose at the telepathic words, and shared concerned glances with the others.

'Baldur's Gate will know my design. Come my children, we march, we march.'

Wyll's brows furrowed. "A call to arms. We're close and we shou-", his words cut off and he stared off past the pools to a line of mindflayer pods, "Mizora?" He broke out into a jog.

The rest scurried after.

---

Indeed, it was Mizora inside a mindflayer pod. The only occupied one left, banging from the inside when she spotted their group approaching.

Wyll cranked his neck and asked, "You're Zariel's asset?"

Her muffled frustration replied, "By Graz'zt's cock, it's about time you came!"

Nyx surveyed the other pods and said evenly, "Looks like she's next in line for whatever awaits."

Mizora banged on the windowpane again, "Get me out! Now!"

Wyll declared, gesturing with a pointed finger, "I'll do it, and you'll set me free. That was the deal."

Nyx blinked. Truly? When did this happen?

Mizora tried to be flippant, but her desperation was apparent. "Yeah, yeah. So, get to it already."

Tav held up a hand, smirking. "Hold on - I need to relish the moment a little longer."

There were tactless snickers and grins from the others as well.

Mizora rolled her eyes and smacked her lips. "Go on and gloat. Bow to your pretend crowd.", she sneered, "I would like to remind you Wyll of Clause Z, Section Thirteen: 'Should promised soul refuse or neglect duty, the pact-holder shall cast the promised into Avernus as a lemure.'"

Karlach fisted her hands, her knuckles popping audibly.

Mizora continued, "I'll make it simple: Wyll fails or refuses, and he turns to a thick blob of stink-flesh and sinks to Avernus. Now, be a good boy and play along pup or you'll spend an eternity sizzling in the hells. And I'll only amend the pact once the mission is done, not before." Her condescending recounting became grating. "Clause F, Section Nine. ‘Soulbinder shall bestow reward of favour only upon soul-bearer's fulfilment of related obligation.’"

Wyll shook his head and turned his attention to the pod's console. Tav pointed to the psionic relay on the left and Wyll touched two fingers to his temple.

A soft gurgle shook the pipes around the pod, and it opened with a swish. Mizora couldn't get out fast enough - an odd pang of sympathy ran through Nyx for a moment.

Mizora sighed, stretched her wings, and collected herself. "You did alright Wyll. I'd give your belly a good rub, but I could never stand the smell."

What an asshole. I don't understand why Wyll decided to work for her.

Wyll ignored her remark and stated, "You're free Mizora. Now hold up your end of the bargain, sever the pact."

A sly smile split Mizora's lips. She exaggerated clearing her throat and she recounted once more, holding up a sharp pointed finger. "Clause Z, Section Thirteen. ‘If the soulbinder consents to separation she will release the soulbearer from all obligation within 6 months.’"

Wyll blurted, "Six months? Gods damn you!"

She chastised him in a high-pitched smug intonation, "Ignorant thing, it's always the terms and conditions that get you."

Nyx wasn't sure whether Gale's reassurances were helpful or not. He said, "Six months is a trifle - you'd barely read through a single bookcase in Candlekeep in such a time."

Karlach half-quipped in a serious tone, "Not when you're in the company of devils."

Mizora seemed very pleased at her little game, whereas Wyll was understandably not impressed. His jaw worked, but he held his tongue. Mizora swept her gaze over Tav’s group and made a face at the gore on their clothing. The cambion made a flourish of her hand and said, "After jumping through all those hoops a little treat wouldn't hurt."

Nyx's skin crawled at the touched of Mizora's magic, but relief swelled within her body. The dull aches, bruises and stiffness from battle were suddenly gone, along with the blood, grime, and damage to her gear.

Mizora shot their surprised expressions a knowing grin and said lightly onto Wyll, "All that power and to think you want to throw it all away." Her expression became grave. "I'll leave you to your very serious business while I take a much-deserved bath. But don't you fret, I'll find you soon enough, you're going to need me. Count on it." She seemed ready to leave, but remembered something and her flippant tone returned. "Oh! And go ahead, tell your chums how we met. I've loosened your tongue." She flashed a smile at the rest of them. "It's a real cracker of a tale. Ta-ta", with a last mocking semi-twirl Mizora was gone in flames.

"Well," Tav crossed her arms, "That's that then. Wyll?"

He rubbed the back of his neck not meeting her expectant gaze. "I think that story would be more suited to the campfire."

Tav nodded sagely and chippered, "At least we got a patch-up and a cleanup."

Astarion crooned, "Saving the devil was worth not having congealed blood between my toes anymore."

Nyx made a face and shook herself out. "True, but I was trying very hard not to think about that. I swear I can still feel the phantom squish inside my boots."

Astarion chuckled dryly at her shudder.

---

Tav prompted, "Keep sharp, according to the map our next destination is known as the 'Transformation chamber'." She confirmed everyone’s readiness, and the next door peeled back. They stepped into a poorly lit room, light from several mindflayer pods were the only source of illumination.

Nyx squinted at the vessel next to her; its glass was darkened, and she couldn't see inside.

A high-pitched scream filled the air, followed by pleas and desperate banging.

Tav gasped rushing forward, "Yeva! Hold on!"

Tav hastily stowed one of her crossbows and came to an abrupt halt at the far end of the room.

"Hurry! I don't want to become one of them!", Yeva was near frantic inside her pod, its tubes making an unsettling whirring noise and steam rose form ports in the pod.

"Mystra's Mantle! You're all still alive!?", Gale was gaping at the other pods, people trapped inside and desperately calling for Tav to release them quickly too.

Tav's fingers snapped to her temple and the large console against the wall lit up in response to her psionic command.

The pods whooshed open collectively. Unfortunately, more than just people were released from the pods. The occupants of the darkened pods were revealed upon opening - mindflayers; victims already turned, some clad in clothing, others in armour sporting various insignia. A heartbeat of silence passed, both people and mindflayers taken aback at suddenly being face-to-face with each other. Chaos broke out in the subsequent heartbeat.

---

Nyx was staring straight into the burning gaze of a mindflayer. Its levelled hand stretched toward Nyx and its tentacled maw writhed. Nyx's world careened under the psionic assault, she tripped over her own feet trying to back away, holding onto her head. She threw her magic against the attack, physically and mentally. The mindflayer's head rocked and it stumbled backwards. Nyx used the precious few moments to unsheathe her throwing knives.

Nyx's opponent came to the same conclusion as its kin and set its sights on an easier target. Four knives flashed ahead of Nyx, intercepting the mindflayer from behind, who was intent on one of the unarmed Flaming Fists. Wrapping her legs in magic, Nyx sped past the mindflayer landing targeted slashes with her remaining laced knives at the creature's head. Its shield flared while Nyx got into position planting herself between the mindflayer and the unarmed halfling. The mindflayer glared at her while her companions battled against the other mindflayers as well as protecting their own charges.

The halfling queried rapidly from behind, "Do you have any weapons to spare?"

Nyx recalled her discarded knives from the ground and kept the mindflayer occupied with defence. Her knives sputtering against its shield in sparking lines. Between strikes Nyx retrieved her quarter staff and hunting knife, she held them out in one hand to her side. "I trust you know how to use these."

"Much obliged", came the reply.

From the corner of her eye Nyx could make out the halfling appraise the weapons followed by assessing the dual between Nyx and the mindflayer. He stalked out of her periphery and a smile spread on her lips.

Good. Willing, and able.

Nyx put all her effort into keeping the mindflayer on the defence, using her whiskers to track the halfling's progress while he maneuvered around the creature. Shadowheart's familiar movements moved behind Nyx, however she dared not look for risk of blinding herself with Lathander's mace. Nyx braced herself when Shadowheart movements raised the mace in the air.

"Incendé!"

Light ripped through the chamber and the mindflayers screeched in unison. Nyx blinked the spots from her vision and caught a glimpse of the halfling rushing the mindflayer. It recovered quickly and lashed out, the halfling dropped the staff and clung to his head. A swirl of knives battered the mindflayer from all angles, and it let go of the halfling. Nyx shadow-stepped around the creature, pressing her offensive closer, each successive round carving into its leathery flesh. A psionic boom met her when she stepped from the shadow and sent her sprawling. Her rattled brain was seized by mental claws and demands for submission. She trashed against it, ramming her magic through the opening it attempted to carve into her mind. It was better prepared for her magic this time, and countered it. They wrestled for what seemed like an eternity, Nyx desperately scraped together mental capacity to reach for her chaos magic while keeping the intruder at the periphery.

Her mind was suddenly released and through the blur Nyx watched the halfling pummel the mindflayer, who was now sprawled on the ground as well. The mindflayers tentacles wrapped around the staff in the halfling's grip. Nyx was on her feet gathering her throwing knives. Her hunting knife flashed in the halflings hands, and he cut away one of the tentacles. Nyx bundled her knives together and drove them into the mindflayer's throat, cutting deep to deliver the acid and poison to both flesh and gullet.

The creature's soft tissue became instantly scorched and the poison spread quickly. It's gave a hoarse screech, limbs and tentacles flailed uncontrollably, and the halfling delivered a final stab into its eye.

There was no time to waste, Nyx and her new duelling partner had to intercept a mindflayer attempting to feed on Yeva. It yanked the spear from Yeva's hands and wrapped its tentacles around her neck and head, drawing her to its maw. Nyx's arrow reached it first, plunging into its shoulder. It reeled from the impact and the halfling swooped the creature’s feet out from under it - the topple releasing Yeva from its grip. Yeva recovered quickly and with a sneer, joined them in finishing off the mindflayer by driving her spear into the dying creature face. Nyx shifted her attention to covering her companions and harassed the other mindflayers at range until the battle was concluded.

---

Tav asked incredulous scanning the outcome, "Everyone in one piece?"

"Aye, a bit battered and shaken.", the halfling replied while he took stock of his own companions.

Tav nodded and replied, "Aedric, it is good to see you alive."

Yeva announced, "Gods mercy you arrived in time!"

Nyx took a moment to recall who spoke next. Zevlor, the tiefling paladin, added after taking in the surrounding scene, "Hells... I didn't think we were going to make it." He searched their faces and said onto Tav, "Thank you..." Before Tav could speak Zevlor continued, concern in his expression and voice, "I... owe you an explanation. Much more than that." He held out an imploring hand. "But first, please... The others. The ambush - tell me they survived."

Tav chewed her lip and said carefully, "Most of them had found refuge.” She frowned. “What happened out there?"

Zevlor’s shoulders slumped, and he gazed at the floor. "You've heard some of it, I'm sure. That I froze, or broke, or some other lie that is kinder than the truth." He met their eyes in turn. His shame building with each successive explanation, "We were ambush by cultists, yes. And then I heard... Her." Awe crept into his voice. "Their false god, whispering promises in my mind. I would be a paladin again - with a god's purpose, a god's power. Everything I needed to protect my people."

He shook his head, looking away briefly. "And all the while, the cult tormented them. They fought, and ran, and died around me, while I imagined myself their saviour. By the time I regained my senses, it was too late. I did not just surrender to the Absolute. For a moment, I welcomed it." His lip pulled into a disgusted snarl.

Tav provided softly, "Sounds like you were being enthralled. It's not your fault."

A small fleeting smile touched his lips. "It would be nice to think so. But whatever these monsters twist us into... I believe it beings in us. I won't make excuses. I can't make amends. But I know something of what you came to do - I want to help, if you'll let me." He pointed to the one of the exits and elaborated, "Ketheric marched through there not long ago."

Karlach rolled her shoulders. "Fucking coward ran tail."

Aedric, his companions and Zevlor's eyebrows bobbed. Aedric shifted his weight and said discerningly, "You've been in battle before? Tell us everything. If are to meet him in combat again." He drew himself up and stated, "Don't try to talk us out of it either. We have yet to find Duke Ravenguard and if that means going through him to do so. Then so be it."

Tav nodded sagely, "Alright, let's talk business."

---

Nyx was helping with minor injuries. The unexpectedness of the battle had turned in their favour, especially considering that the nascent mindflayers had not yet fully gained control of their newfound abilities. Aedric explained that his band of Flaming Fists got a bit too confident in their abilities to remain unseen while sabotaging a shipment of tadpoles to Baldur's Gate.

"Aye," Aedric confirmed seeing the rest's shocked expressions, "Being shipped by the barrel." He shook his head.

Gale asked urgently, "But you did manage to destroy them all?"

Aedric nodded and said, "At the cost of ending up here."

The conversation turned to their current predicament and an all-round discussion commenced. The separate groups were combining relevant information about Absolutists and the colony to piece together multiple plausible scenarios and strategies for the coming confrontation with Ketheric. After several rounds of heated debates, they settled on Tav's group taking the lead while the others were to support and follow orders - or err, 'instructions' as Aedric insisted.

Nyx watched with amusement while their extended fighting band organized itself regarding weapons and supplies. Nyx thanked the graces that their combined loot gremlin habits had paid off. Aedric returned Nyx's knife and quarterstaff opting for a spare sword and shield. He smiled warmly and thanked her with a firm handshake. Between Karlach and Lae'zel's propensity for hoarding weapons, the rest of the Flaming Fists and Zevlor where adequately armed. Astarion reluctantly parted with some of his extra daggers while Wyll happily proffered multiple back-up rapiers. Nyx, Shadowheart and Gale had spare potions of various purposes, whereas Tav produced a shop's worth of amulets and related trinkets. Fortunately, Aedric's group and Zevlor weren't stripped of their own armour.

Fully armed, somewhat restocked and with stern expressions; Nyx had to admit - they made for an intimidating bunch. Nyx swept her gaze over the Flaming Fists. Gauntlet Yeva had exchanged her worn spear for one of Lae'zel great sword's after being nearly sworn to death where she not to return it. Gauntlet Dorran was discussing and illustrating swing manoeuvres with the great axe borrowed from Karlach. Karlach grinning like a maniac while showing off her great hammer. Fist Nima was more interested in Tav's trinkets, carefully wading through them and selecting a few choice pieces to complement her magic. Astarion was pretending not to be sizing up Korran, who was busy 'testing' Astarion's extra daggers with a flourish of rogue-trained motions. Bram was grumbling in his beard about the shield he had been given, clearly not to his preference regardless of it being the largest the group had, but after some adjustments nodded to himself and heaved it onto his back. Even Zevlor looked the part kitted much the same as Aedric, determination set in his features.

Tav appraised them, "We have protection from the Absolute's influence because of the artefact and our 'conditions'." She addressed the Fists and Zevlor in turn, "Expect her psionic enthralling again, especially here at the seat of her throne. Nyx’s mental fortitude potions should help with that."

Zevlor and the Fists seemed unperturbed, but vowed to keep an eye on each other for enthralling and providing support when needed. They dutifully drunk the potions as well.

The small warband continued to the exit and was met with a long winding corridor. The final descend toward the Undercavern was silent and tense. Nyx's stomach knotted with nervousness.

Astarion caught her eye and signalled, 'Most. Kills. Wins'.

Nyx matched his malicious grin and returned, 'Good. Hunting.'

Published: 2 May 2025