Chapter Text
Larian shook his head to rid himself of his violent thoughts … like carving his horse’s neck raw and eat its raw meat while it screams in agony ….
“ Larian you ok there? You’re looking a bit lost . “ Shadowheart’s voice was heard, pulling him back into reality .
He looked at his friend . Her new red hair were doing wonders for her. He was glad that she found a new mission in saving her parents as they traveled to Baldur’s Gate.
“ What do you mean?”
“Well , you look at your bag like you want to butcher it. “
Larian patted his horse’s mane as if to convince her , that he wasn’t thinking anything of the sort.
“ Tsk!! Horses!! Useless beasts !! Saddled only to spoil your species even more. Running is so much better for your muscles and heart.” Lae’Zel retorted as she jogged along the horses.
“ I will never understand the ginthianki. “
Isabel said smiling , as Dame Aylin who was the only one apart from Lae’Zel that didn’t ride a horse, flew next to Larian .
“ The little warrior is right , Ally Mine. Something troubles you . Your eyes are giving it away. “ she said as her beautiful white wings moved up and down.
“ You don’t have thoughts of killing me or any other again I hope.” Isobel added hopefully.
“ No …. Just my horse . We should stop soon. The sooner we make camp the sooner I can isolate myself until the following morning.”
“ I really hope that , it doesn’t come to that soldier. However we can never be to careful with your curse . “ Karlach said while still petting an overjoyed Scratch on her lap. Gods , it felt so good , being able to touch again!!!
Lucky for the group they found and abandoned keep just some miles outside of Baldur’s Gate , so they made camp there.
After they relieved the horses from their saddles they set up tents and tried to ignore Astarion who was bitching and moaning about his misplaced hair comp.
As the night came around Larian slipped into his camp clothes ant took a little stroll through the camp. He passed by Aylin and Isobel who were looking blissfully at the moon enjoying each other’s company. Larian couldn’t help but smile . He had made this possible along with his friends. Maybe some good was still inside him… Maybe Alfira would be the last time he ever killed with no memory of it …
Larian climbed the abandoned tower along with Lae’Zel, Karlach and Shadowheart. They looked the city’s lights on the horizon.
“ There it is ladies …. Baldur’s Gate. We are but a day away . Tomorrow morning we shall enter it. “
“ And hopefully, have some answers. “ Shadowheart said looking at Shar’s burn mark on her hand.
After a while and some drinks , courtesy of Astarion and Alfira , the group went to bed .
It was a night, more peaceful than most. There was no wind and the toads of a nearby pond were lulling our heroes to sleep. However Larian woke up at the middle of the night in cold sweat.
“ Blood . I must have BLOOD!!!”
He whispered as he made his way to the sleeping Karlach.
His hand going for his knife…
“ No!! “
He sheathed the knife and run into the woods punching a tree viscously . The tree bark came down in broken pieces as did a good amount of blood from his now, torn open hand.
“ No no no!!! Control yourself!!!!” He cursed under his breath trying desperately to relax his heart.
He fell to his knees holding his wrist and looking his bloody fist with glee in his eyes. It was magnificent .And that was precisely the problem.
Larian shook his head and hid his hand into a patch of fallen leaves.
“ I should be dead . Maybe then , these people would still be alive. That wizard who was stuck in that portal , in need of some help and I sliced off his hand… that poor bastard who was trapped below fire debris and I left him to roast alive while smiling at his screams. … Oh Gods ,that young girl Alfira. Talented bard who only wanted a place to stay and I disembowelled her in her sleep!!! I’m so sorry about all of you. I’m sorry I couldn’t just die when I fell from the ship of the Mindflayers .”
Larian whispered to no one in particular as both his mechanical and biological eye caught a dark figure hiding inside the shadows of the trees.
He rolled his eyes .
“Astarion!! I told you , that blood sucking thing would happen only once… Don’t push your luck .” Larian sighed as he got up and reached for his torch.
Before he could light it however , the shadow lunged at him with superhuman speed, grabbed him by the throat and slammed him to the tree. Larian gasped for breath as his feet weren’t touching the ground anymore. His attacker was whipped out a crimson blade . The blade was like a snake, and on the base of the dagger there was a red stone that was shining. In its light, Larian saw the pale woman with the even paler eyes. She was wearing an armour made of enchanted hard blood, stronger than steel. The armour was like a dress with pants instead of a skirt and it perfectly hugged her luscious curves . Her lips were black and on her left hand there was a single ring. Her hair were really long running down passed her ass in a thick ponytail. In its end hang a metal contraption like the end of a flail. She completed the look with a tiara. It was her …
“ Orin.”
She let out a crude laughter and took in a deep inhale .
“ Your blood smells, incredible!!! I need to spill more of it!!! “
Just then an insatiable wish to slit the pale woman’s blood, overcame every one of his senses as he hit Orin’s forearms making it buckle before head butting her hard in the face.
Orin let out a yell and backed away, letting Larian fall ‘ landing on his feet.
He then drew the only blade he had on his camp attire, a dagger and let out a smile.
“ Hahahah a little fight in you yet little pup? Good I like that. You don’t deserve our master’s crimson!! I will drain it from your meat . Drop by agonising drop!!!” She all but sang as she charged at our hero.
Larian wanted to know more of this so called master , but his impulses got the better of him and he run towards the Red Woman too.
He wasn’t as skilled with such a short blade but he believed , his blood lust would make up for that . He was dead wrong. Orin was in her element, dodging every single one of his attacks and slashed effortlessly at his back and his legs . She even added another scar through his crystal eye . Thank God it wasn’t his real one or he would be completely blind.
“ Yes!!! The sight of blood is what fuels me!!! Come on little whelp!!! My blades are thirsty!!!” Orin said with sadistic glee as she did a backflip and slashed behind Larian’s knees making him fall .
“ So disappointing. “ she giggled as she walked in front of him and raised her dagger.
Just then however Larian reached up and grabbed Orin’s throat and started squeezing. Orin was taken by surprise and tried to stab the man in the face but Larian caught her arm and continued squeezing.
The amount of pressure continued to rise as Orin went from smiling at the pain, to wanting more , to gagging in agony and gasping for air. Before long all twisted pleasure had drained from her face and she had dropped to her knees in front of Larian, as the latter continued tightening his fist around her neck with an evil smile on his face.
He would feel her neck break with a delightful, sickening crunch . Then he would rip her torso open and would crush her still beating hea—NO!!! DONT GIVE IN!!! NOT ANYMORE!!! NOT EVEN FOR HER!!! Resist!!! Fight!!
The smile on the man’s face faded as he released Orin to the ground.
The Red assassin coughed loudly as she got air back into her lungs.
“ What??! …. Why?” She gasped as she looked to Larian. Before he could respond however , he grabbed Orin by the arms and pulled her towards him. Orin was shocked speechless, only to find out that he had pulled her towards him for her own good. A spear had been thrown into the tree behind them right were the shapeshifter’s head was before Larian pulled her. That caused her to drop her second blade onto the grass.
Larian snatched his dagger from , the ground , flipped it and threw it in the direction of the spear . A gith with no armour fell dead with the dagger lodged in his forehead.
“ Ginthiaki fighters!! “ Larian screamed as he tried to ram to his fighting friends. Before he could take a single step a piece of rope tightened around his neck and pulled him towards the ground again.
“ Die Istick!!!” A female goth voice was heard as he felt her tightening the rope. His vision darkened but after a second became clear again and the rope fell to the dirt. Larian quickly turned and he saw the Githianki on her feet with a vibrant , crimson blade coming out of her throat. The blade retracted and the Gith fell to the ground, choking on her own blood.
Orin stood above her knife in hand but this time she wasn’t smiling. She looked puzzled as she studied Larian.
He also studied her , unsure of what to do.
Orin then brought her foot down hard, smashing the goth’s skull to pieces. Still no smile or laughter at the carnage. Just looking at one another. The fighting in the camp could be heard from there.
After a few awkward moments, Larianbent down and reclaimed his dagger from the body , also taking Orin’s fallen blade. Her eyes bulged as she saw another holding it.
To her surprise Larian grabbed it by the blade and offered it, handle first to Orin. They both felt something that didn’t recognise. Orin reached forward and took her blade.
Larian looked at her some more unsure of what to do , and then ran back at camp to help his comrades.
The Lady of Red , stood by herself in the dark woods.
“ That was… unexpected…” she said to herself and twisted her ring disappearing into nothing. She would have another meeting with that man… no matter what!!