Arc 9 Chapter XXIX: Mystical Surgery

A cup of your worst tea for the gremlin (Who is apparently also a lizard hater. I have never been this betrayed in my life. Smh.)

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Having sent the Flaming Fist contingent to join the others at the temple ruins, the party of four decided to seek out the nearby Zhentarim outpost, which just so happened to be hidden in a cave system just under the inn they had just saved.

Wyll was briefly tempted by the idea of lashing out at them for not aiding the Balduran contingent but he managed to ignore the urge, as well as the odd excited buzzing sensation coming from his sword, and just in time to stop himself from blowing everyone up as well.

As when they entered one of the secluded storage buildings carved into the hillside behind the inn, they came face to face with a trembling lookout in Zhentarim light armor, surrounded by what could only be barrels of alchemist's fire, and holding a glowing scroll of magic.

One Gale immediately recognized as a scroll of fireball.

The tension in the room was palpable, but before their overly eager Githyanki could bisect the coward currently daring to block her path, Astarion took control of the situation and recited the password his contact had given him.

The terrified lookout almost blew them all up anyways, but after a quick wizardly intervention, they managed to enter the Zhentarim hideout in one piece and met the other members of the Balduran cartel.

A short staredown ensued, but the grizzled rogue Astarion had negotiated with days prior quickly confirmed their identities and just like that the tension disappeared, and the Zhentarim welcomed the group's business with open arms.

Or well, an arm, the other was firmly hidden behind their back and holding a dagger.

Par for the course that.

Still, aside from a particularly insistent artist trying, and succeeding, in making Wyll buy his freedom through a particularly pathetic session of begging and bragging, they were finally reasonably safe, and could let themselves relax.

Which proved itself rather fortunate, as the moment the four of them reached a secluded alcove the Zhentarim pointed them at, each and every one felt a sudden wave of nausea that quickly dragged them into unconsciousness.

Hours passed, and just as one of the more curious Zhentarim agents decided to try his luck and look through their pockets, Lae'zel woke up with a half gasp half growl, clutching at the young man's throat with a vice grip.

"Cowardly little thief!" She hissed, already moving to unsheathe her spare dagger and gut the worm.

Only for Wyll's hand to land on her shoulder, making her turn to him with a furious glare, but the man didn't flinch "Let him go, he is about to suffocate."

"And why should I?" She demanded.

"Because our hosts may take offense at one of their own dying, incompetent as he is." Astarion's drawl joined their conversation, though his gaze was as sharp as ever "And we have more important things to discuss." He added while lazily pointing at the side of his head.

The Githyanki warrior looked elsewhere for support but found none, and with a grunt of irritation, shoved the agent back and promptly kicked him in the back, making him stumble out of the alcove they were resting in.

He yelped in pain, rolled down the rocky incline, and finally stopped with a pained grunt, heavily bruised but still alive.

"Now that that has been dealt with." The vampire went on as if nothing happened "Was I the only one who had a delightfully familiar visitor in my dreams just now?"

His voice was as flippant as always, but there was an undercurrent of anger to it that was very easily missed.

"Let me guess." Wyll leaned against a cave wall, rubbing the sides of his head "Someone you know, prophesying some great calamity on all Faerun while also promising a suspiciously vague reward after all is done?"

Astarion looked at him for a moment before letting out a simple "...What?"

Wyll just sighed, slumping down against the wall "You will have to forgive me my cynicism." He chuckled bitterly and shook his head "Just in the last few days I was faced with so many attempts at manipulation I honestly can't help but consider this particular cup to be filled with nothing but poison out of hand."

"Oh no, don't get me wrong." The vampire snorted, waving his hand in the negative "I was just surprised it was you who pointed it out first." His jovial expression disappeared in an instant and he turned to the sole wizard among them "What do you think?"

Gale's eyes were closed, and he was pinching the bridge of his nose, seemingly holding his breath.

The light shaking of his shoulders betrayed his inner turmoil though.

"Either the tadpoles are growing in power faster than predicted." He said ultimately "Or whoever is keeping them in stasis is growing desperate."

He took a slow calming breath before continuing "Whatever it was my friends, it suggested we consume other tadpoles to empower ourselves, and all good sense tells me that is a terrible idea."

"Well..." Astarion scratched his chin "While I will definitely miss the sun, I for one-"

Lae'zel, who had been listening to the conversation in furious silence, finally snapped "We must extract the Ghaikh tadpoles immediately! Who knows how long we have left before we are turned into abominations. What are you hesitating for?!"

To her surprise, the three men merely blinked at her outburst.

"Well yes." Astarion shrugged, as if it were obvious.

"What else would we do?" Wyll tilted his head.

Gale just shook his.

And Lae'zel, who had slowly gotten used to never having her way, was left flat footed.

Though not flatfooted enough not to stop the terrified shriek that threatened to rip itself out of her throat as she felt something land on her shoulder, the only thing stopping her from immediately stabbing whatever it was being the distinctly familiar feeling of terror.

"You are in luck, my newest disciples!" The arrogant chirp felt like a paradoxical salve for their souls "Your Lord and Savior Scorch is here to save your souls!"

And just then, as it was most definitely timed by the maddened bird, the Zhentarim finally reacted to the sudden incursion, quickly surrounding the entrance to the alcove as their leader went to speak and demand to know what was going on.

And yet, she quickly found her voice leaving her as the flaming bird turned to face her and the air turned both heavy and boiling hot "Oi, n'wah. You got an entrance to the Underdark here?"

The woman, whose bravado nearly made Lae'zel slap her teeth out mere hours earlier, gulped in fear "Y-yeah?"

"Show us the way then." Scorch ordered ominously "Or do I need to start persuading?"

Like a well oiled machine, the Zhentarim bolted to do as they were told, even the most rebellious of their number not daring to complain for even a moment as they scrambled to get the literal living calamity as far away from their hideout as possible.

Surprisingly, all of the gang members were left with their eyes intact as they lowered their guests into the pits of the Underdark.

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(Reyvin's POV)

"So how does it feel to eat someone's mind?" I asked the betentacled abomination floating eerily in front of me "Like do you get a string of memories or is it more involved?"

The surprisingly peaceful biological computer (it had no soul, thus it was no person, I will die on this hill) calling itself Omeluum didn't skip a beat in answering "How does it feel to consume water?"

His hobgoblin associate made an awkward chuckle at that to hide his growing worry "Ah, don't listen to him." He elbowed the Mind Flayer "He likes to joke."

"I do not-" Squidward Jr. went to correct him.

But I had no patience for such things right now, and raised a hand "I am not terribly shaken by your dietary habits, I was just curious. In any case I am in need of your particular brand of expertise."

The dead beady eyes just stared.

"My companions got themselves infected by your fellows, and their time is running out, or so we think." I began.

Feeling a sudden wave coming from the artifact and then seeing my followers falling unconscious the moment we finished initial negotiations with the mushroom people was rather disheartening even for someone as experienced as I was, and frankly the only assurance I had against whatever was happening was me pointing the Mortal's Razor at the hovering orb and muttering threats at it while it held them down.

Because for all my power, whatever was in there was better at psionics than I was, and it was fucking infuriating.

And I couldn't even rip the thing out of their heads in the emergency as their psychic energies were going haywire while they dreamt, effectively turning the 'potential' brain death my original plan promised into a 'definite' one.

In short, all I could do was wait and hope, and it was a feeling I have almost forgotten.

Kind of exciting actually, under all the fury of course.

Thankfully the lot of hem wake up soon enough, and wisely informed me of the fact they were met by whatever creature was hidden in the artifact, holding a guise of either people they knew or those they idealized in their dreams, promising them power and purpose, if only they retained their 'blessing'.

My faith in my choices was proven correct swiftly after that as none of them felt particularly tempted by the tentacular infestation in their brain.

Will wonders ever cease?

"How long ago was this?" Omeluum asked immediately.

"About a week?" I tilted my head "Yeah, that sounds about right."

He ever so slowly blinked "How are they still not transformed then?"

Unwilling to waste time explaining myself, I took the opportunity talking to a telepath presented and simply shoved a copy of my memories on the subject at him.

The Mind Flayers tilled for a long moment before murmuring a still emotionless "Fascinating..."

"Do you have anything that can help?" I asked "I only really need something to more precisely cut into your local variety of mental energy, but a basic guide on resisting it will do as well."

The creature considered for a moment but then shook its head "Our powers are mostly instinctive and dependent on our physiology. However I do have something that could help you."

He reached into his robe and retrieved a lightly glowing band of silver "This is the Ring of Mind-Shielding. It is what allowed me to escape my Elder Brain long ago." He offered it with an open hand "Its potence against psionic abilities is immense."

"Not going to just offer it to me, are you?" I asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Of course not." Omeluum said "Either use it to heal your thralls, or learn from it to do the same, all I ask is that I get to watch."

I considered the offer for all of one nanosecond before shrugging "Acceptable."

"Then we have an accord." The creature let out a noise that was dangerously close to excitement and proffered the ring in truth this time.

Hours we spent examining the artifact, the way its powers interacted with the world and vice versa. And in the meantime I was also absently constructing a small chamber and warding it to high hell and back just in case whatever was hiding in the artifact wanted to come out and play while I was taking its toys away.

I wasn't powerful enough to contest it directly, but I was as ever first and foremost an enchanter, and giving me even an hour to prepare was suicidal.

While I was busy saving their souls, my current companions were negotiating around with the mushroom people and their guests. Somehow they managed to get into a contract with a family of dwarves, and gain access to the Myconid vaults due to the shroom fuckers finding out we offed the Absolutists who apparently raided one of their own some days ago.

Oh and apparently more Gnomes did survive. Joy.

Halfway through my preparation, the group I sent Scorch to fetch arrived, looking battered and tired as if they had just taken a stroll through Oblivion without the nifty trick of being able to leave whenever they wanted.

"Why-" Astarion asked, breathing heavily "Why in the Hells did you not just teleport us?"

"Hm?" I looked up from the circlet I was tinkering with "Oh." I shrugged "I didn't want to listen to Lae'zel's bitching about the Mind Flayer." And with that I turned back to my work.

Though not before getting the delightful treat of listening to Astarion scream at the Githtyanki how he had to gut a minotaur because of her.

And Omeluum wisely kept out of her line of sight at all times, so she had no idea why the vampire was screeching at her to begin with.

Inevitably, this ended up with said albino knocked the fuck out on the ground, but he should have expected that much.

Before the day was out, my preparations were over with and I invited everyone to join me. Their faces showed doubt and trepidation, but also a surprising amount of trust for a good number of them.

Feeling oddly motivated, I teleported a final letter in no particular direction (I pinky swear), and bid them follow me into the large stone chamber I had magically carved out earlier.

The instant we stepped inside, I wasted no time in activating the wards, making the invisible Mind Flayer stumble as his psionic levitation failed him, and many of my followers let out brief sighs of relief as the tension left them.

I smirked at the group "Don't blink." And just as they registered the words I spoke for the first time since I came here "TIID KLO UL!"

The world made to resist, but the power of my soul was too great for mere passive defenses, and just like that time stilled to a familiar terrible crawl.

With satisfaction coiling my face, I placed my new Mind-Rend Circlet atop my head, and felt my psychic abilities transform into a distinctly weaponized form, my empathetic aura disappearing almost completely and converting from a sensor to a supernaturally sharp needle.

Cold pragmatism decided my first subject, and I turned to Durge, who had the least to lose if things went wrong.

I pressed my hands to the sides of his head, and pushed.

The barrier around the tadpole which felt volatile and dangerous when I faced it first was pierced like a balloon, but the temporal crawl stopped it from detonating as it immediately tried doing.

The tadpole was a potent creature indeed, because despite the nearly ceased time flow it immediately tried cannibalizing its host, but I was ready, my probing of its defenses swiftly followed by an overcharged disintegration spell, and then by a draining one.

In one swift move, the surprisingly abundant lifeforce and magic the creature carried were ripped out of the Dragonborn's head, and promptly shoved into a nearby wall where they would explode harmlessly once time resumed.

My satisfaction only grew as the natural order of thins returned, and I immediately turned to the rest, internally laughing my ass off at the energy trying and failing to crawl out of the artifact the entire time.

That will teach you to try and one up me you little shit!

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An: A bit rushed, yeah but frankly I feel this is better than dragging this poor thing out any longer. Hopefully I'll be able to reset properly next chap.