A quick correction from last chapter, the bomb you get from killing the goblin in the Blighted village is NOT a runepower, it's just smokepowder, which is a MASSIVE difference.
Also, please stay till the end.
...
Fin's POV
A faint chime rippled in the back of my head.
[System Notification]
Enemy group (Goblins x5, Worgs x2) eliminated.
First-time use of [Divine Flame Arrow] detected.
PP awarded: +180
[Current PP Balance: 702]
I blinked the text away, and when I lifted my eyes up, I could see that they were all locked on me, and as the silence stretched, Karlach finally broke it.
"What in the nine bloody Hells was that?" she cracked in disbelief.
"A little trick I've been working on." I shrugged.
"Little trick?" Wyll definitely didn't believe that. He stepped forward. "That wasn't a spell from any sorcery I've seen. No mortal hand conjures fire like that."
His eyes were locked on me. "So tell us, Fin. Where does it come from?"
I said nothing.
Wyll pressed on. "Do you have a patron? Some infernal contract binding you? Or is it divine?" His hand twitched toward his blade again, Don't do anything stupid. "Tell me true, what god's name do you serve to wield such power?"
I was slowly releasing my cursed energy.
Alfira shifted as her voice trembled. "Ehm..D-does it matter?"
All eyes turned to her. She shrank slightly under the weight of their stares.
"He's been nothing but kind, saved the Grove and me. And he hasn't asked for anything in return. So maybe… maybe it doesn't matter where it comes from."
At least someone still appreciated me, naïve but earnest. Wyll looked at me once more, jaw tightening. His voice was low. "No. It doesn't matter. Power like this is not without a cost."
Mmh makes sense given his story, I too would worry about power if I got a shity boss as he did.
But then, before anyone else could say a word. My least favourite event happens. IT was like knives poking my brain. Wyll, Karlach and Shadowheart dropped to the floor, holding their head.
Given the mind fucking I got will dear old dad, I guess I was kinda used to it.
Still hurt like a bitch though, the world blurred in white-hot agony. And then came the voice.
"Hear my voice. Obey my command."
It didn't sound. It was thought, invasive and commanding, sliding into my skull.
Images of Ketheric, Gortash and Orinn slithered in there.
The Chosen of the Absolute.
The voice pressed harder, "Bow to the Chosen. Aid them. Seek the weapon. Deliver it to me."
The visions twisted, flickering. The voice cracked.
Shadowheart then finally uses the prism to free us as it bursts a warming orange aura around us. We then came to our senses, and fortunately enough, everyone's attention could now be shifted from me to Shadow Cutie.
"Don't give me that look. I don't know what happened any more than you do. We should keep going," Shadowheart said, trying to brush the event aside.
"Nice one, Shadowheart. That thing in your pocket seems powerful as hell." Karlach smiled
Wyll exhaled shakily, his rapier tip dragging a faint line in the dirt. The colour hadn't fully returned to his face. "What in the gods' names was that?" he said, breath still uneven. "That voice, it wasn't illusion or magic. It was commanded us." His eyes flicked to the orb still faintly glowing above them. "And that relic of yours, somehow, it stopped it."
Shadowheart crossed her arms, lips thin. "You're asking the wrong person, Blade. I told you, I don't know what that was."
"That's not an answer." Wyll's noted.
Shadowheart met his stare, expression unreadable. "Believe whatever helps you sleep, Wyll."
Shadowheart's gaze flicked toward me. "You haven't said a word," she said quietly. "You're awfully calm for someone who just had a god's voice scraping through their skull."
I chuckled. "I've had worse." I glanced down at the still-fading glow around them, then back to her. "Whatever that thing is, it chose to protect us. And you're the one holding...I trust you with it."
Heh, that caught her off guard.
Her brows lifted just slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her usually guarded face before she turned away, pretending to adjust her gauntlet. "...You shouldn't," she muttered, but there was no bite in it.
Wyll sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I hope your trust doesn't get us all killed."
A frantic voice cut through the aftermath.
"Wait, wait, hold on!" Alfira practically yelped, her lute clattering against her hip as she waved both hands. "Why did you all just-just collapse? You were screaming, clutching your faces, and then this thing comes flying out of nowhere like a damned ghost!"
She spun, eyes darting between them. "I didn't hear any voice! I didn't see anything! You all looked like you were dying!"
The four of us exchanged looks, cats outta the bag, I guess.
Shadowheart finally spoke, her tone clipped. "You wouldn't understand."
Alfira blinked, speechless. "You, what? You looked as though you were dying, and I wouldn't understand?!"
Okay, let's do this.
"So," I started, "it started on a flying squid ship…"
Alfira froze. "…A what?"
Karlach groaned. "Oh, gods, here we go."
Wyll muttered, "He's really doing this."
Shadowheart pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm walking ahead."
But I kept talking anyway, already gesturing as the group trudged down the path. "You'll understand what I mean. There were tentacles, mind flayers, explosions, real dramatic stuff."
Alfira hurried after them, half-panicked and half-curious.
"Picture this: you wake up inside a flying squid ship full of brains with legs."
Alfira blinked. "I… I'm sorry, what?"
"Right? We were kidnapped by mind flayers, and they shoved tadpole parasites into our eyes."
"Into your eyes?!"
"Yeah." I rubbed his temple absently. "Still in there."
Alfira gagged, stumbling a step. "That's not...you can't...you're joking."
Karlach threw a look back over her shoulder, grinning. "He's not. Squid-heads, worms, all true. Disgusting lot. You should've seen it, Alfira...the worms wriggle."
Karlach said the last part, poking Alfira's neck.
"Please stop talking," Alfira said, voice rising in pitch, shoving Karlach's wriggling finger away.
Wyll groaned softly. "I'd have preferred to forget that particular detail."
I continued. "The worms are how mindflayers expand their armies. It's a process called ceremorphosis where you turn into a mindflayer. We escaped. The ship crashed. Met a few people. Some of us found out that the parasites… do things."
"Things?" Alfira echoed, horrified curiosity creeping into her tone.
"Like, uh…" I thought for a moment, caressing my beard. "Telepathy. Dreams. Voices. That sort of thing, but most importantly, not turning into a mind flayer by the looks of it."
Alfira stared. "Voices. Like the one that just—"
"Exactly like that one," I said.
Her jaw went slack. "You all have brain worms, and you're just walking around like it's fine?"
Wyll sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It's not fine. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But until we find someone who can remove them, there's not much choice."
Alfira looked between them like she was deciding whether to run or scream. "Gods above. I joined a travelling band of cursed lunatics."
I smirked faintly. "Eh. Could be worse."
"How?" she demanded.
I grinned. "Could've been eaten."
That earned a strangled sound from her somewhere between a gasp and a groan.
Karlach clapped Alfira on the back hard enough to nearly knock her over. "Don't worry, bard. You'll fit right in. After a while, you stop questioning things and just start hitting them instead."
Shadowheart spoke for the first time since the flare. "Assuming they don't hit you first."
And so we finally arrived at the goblin camp. It was pretty cool to see in person, I guess. Some torches burned around the entry. Most of all, it was the Goblins, who lounged around and drank; you could smell the stink of rot and smoke in the air.
A feast for a job well done, it looks like.
"Looks like we've found our camp," Karlach muttered, tightening her grip on her axe.
"And it seems they've got themselves a bard", I pointed out.
As upon a crudely made stage stood Volo.
"With fragulous crown, and with sceptre abrade, Dror Ragzlin short work of the innkeeper made!"
The goblins jeered and clapped.
"The inn burned to ash! The captives were many! Goblinkind has reduced them to cowering filfenny! So raiseth your goblets, and drain them with pride! Dror Ragzlin, the True Soul, hath led you galide"
Wyll was also chuckling at Volo's predicament. "I wager Dror Ragzlin's the goblin in charge, the way this one's carrying on."
I cupped my hands around my mouth, "Woo! Yeah, Volo!"
Volo proceeded to get fucked up and was dragged away by a goblin.
...
I thought it'd be best if the group explored a bit, you know, know your enemy and stuff.
"Place your bets! The bird's a born killer!" a goblin barked, waving a mug.
I crouched in the dirt beside a pit made of broken planks, an amused glint in his eye. Inside the makeshift ring, an owlbear chick fluffed its feathers and screeched.
Shadowheart folded her arms. "This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen."
I smirked. "Then you'll love it when I win."
And as expected, I took the dub with ease and went to accept my winnings.
"Told you, I'm like the bird whisperer." I smiled.
The goblin bookmaker hesitated, sweating. "E-eh, see, uh, we were just gonna—"
Thwip.
A line barely grazing the goblin's ear. A small part of the goblin's ear came off.
I smiled pleasantly. "You were just gonna pay me."
A small pouch of gold landed in my hands.
Hehe, I love gold.
Karlach groaned. "He's terrifying and adorable. I hate it."
Wyll muttered, "He's like a child when it comes to gold."
I jingled the pouch and walked off chortling.
...
"Say it again," I said in a non-serious tone.
The goblin pressed its forehead to the dirt. "Fin is strong! Fin is mighty! Fin's boots smell like destiny!"
I kicked one foot forward. "Kiss it."
The goblin obeyed without hesitation, smacking its lips against my boot. I could hold my laughter in, a genuine, childish sound that echoed through the courtyard.
Karlach leaned against a wall, shaking her head with a grin. "You're really leanin' into this whole cult-leader thing, huh?"
Wyll pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to pretend I didn't see that."
Shadowheart crossed her arms. "At least he's consistent."
Alfira, wide-eyed, whispered, "He's enjoying this…"
...
Later, under the flickering light of a dozen torches, the camp had shifted from brawling to bellowing.
Alfira sat on an overturned barrel, lute in hand, strumming a lively tune that somehow cut through the chaos. Her voice rose strong and clear:
"From moonlight to mire, we march through the fire. Steel in our hands and no fear in our choir!"
Goblin voices joined in, horribly out of tune but enthusiastic. Even Karlach's deep laugh wove between the notes, and Wyll clapped to the rhythm, and Shadowheart repeatedly tapped her feet to the beat.
I leaned against a shattered pillar, the faintest smile on my lips as Alfira played. The camp's madness felt almost… alive, rather than hostile.
Alfira ended with a flourish, breathless and grinning. The goblins roared, raising mugs and weapons alike.
"You see?" Karlach said, elbowing me. "Music does soothe the savage beast."
"Or gives them better timing for the next raid." I joked.
Karlach chuckled, handing me a cup of who knows what.
...
For as fun as it was, we'll probably have to kill all of these guys when we come back. But that was future Fin's problems; for now, we moved forward into the inner sanctum to face the Goblin leaders.
"So Soldier, what's the play?" Karlach asked.
I scanned the upper floors with my observation haki. "We could clear this whole place out. Wouldn't even take long." He glanced at the distant shadows moving through the corridors. "But I've got a better idea."
Wyll's brow furrowed. "I'm listening."
"We split up. I'll handle the goblin leaders. They're all True Souls with the infections, and I can learn more about their origin. If I play it right, I can move through their ranks without suspicion."
Karlach raised an eyebrow. "And us?"
"You find the druid," I said. "I overheard one of the goblins at the party mention he's a prisoner within their dungeon."
Karlach shrugged, tightening her grip on her axe. "Alright. You schmooze the creepy cult types, we'll go break out your druid buddy. Sounds fair."
Shadowheart nodded reluctantly. "We'll keep it quiet. No unnecessary bloodshed unless they force our hand."
Karlach grinned. "So… not quiet, then."
Shadowheart rolled her eyes and started down the hall. "Just try not to make a scene before we're done."
Alfira's eyes lingered on me, eyes darting nervously between the goblins and the ruined murals. "You sure about this?" she whispered. "Splitting up here feels… wrong."
I gave her a faint smile. "Trust me. It's all part of the plan."
She swallowed, nodded once, and hurried after the others.
However, her gaze lingered on me.
"S-stay safe, Fin." She stuttered.
I watched them go until their footsteps faded into the labyrinth of the inner camp. Then I turned toward the upper stairwell,
"Ms Drow, here I come," I smiled, rubbing my hands together.
...
End of Chapter.
Hello...
Imma go on a bit, but please read it if you can.
To start, sorry for such a long break. I had a short holiday, then I was just at work and just didn't find time to work on this. This isn't to say I've lost interest, is just that with me on break from Uni, I NEED MONEY!
And while I enjoy doing this, I don't make money from this. This is purely just for the love of the game. And no, I'm not making a Patreon.
During my break, I was also able to play through another BG3 Campaign and finally start Elden Ring.
FUCK MALENIA!!!
But most important of all, I was able to review a lot of the comments and my past writing on this story and try and figure out a long-term solution to my bouts of energy. I remember working on the first Arc, it was so much more enjoyable for me to work on since it was a story of my own creation, with my own little shitty plot I could work on and on, day after day.
But then the moment I got it into BG3, I had trouble adapting to the preexisting game. So my solution to this is Speed running the shit out of it all. I'll try to do it in a way that doesn't sacrifice the quality I've tried to achieve so far, but a lot of scenes I originally intended to do will simply be removed.
I'll also be shifting back into first-person POV's. I felt that was a strong suit of the earlier story. Let me know what you think.
Anyway, I'll see you in the next chapters, which hopefully won't be in 6 months.
Cya Later!