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viablemess · 1 month

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Gale's Childhood + Mystra

I just have some thoughts and need to articulate them because they will not leave my brain alone at all and I cannot think about much else. Feel free to sit down and join me as I word vomit how I imagine Gale’s childhood went. I did not edit this or proof read it at all, so bear with any grammar/spelling/flow mistakes please!

So, Gale’s mother is Morena Dekarios, we know that. She’s an angel, an icon, and she cares so much, and she is wicked smart. I also headcanon that she is a high quality escort in the City of Splendors, and so grew up knowing how to please people and blend in with high society in any way she can. So, she raised Gale right. She told him about what she did, never hid anything from him, and would bend over backwards to ensure that her son was happy, healthy, and cared for. Because she had to blend in with high society, she had so many books, and art pieces, and high quality alcohol and clothes all over her house. Gale grew up around these, and absorbed it all with ease, and Morena thought that was fantastic. She frequently sent him to school whenever she had to work even if he had already spent the entire day there because she knew he would be safe and looked after, because his dad was not around to look after him.

Speaking of his dad, let’s talk about Waterdeep politics for a moment, shall we? We will circle back to Gale’s parentage. Waterdeep is ruled by a council of 16 Lords, all of whom are anonymous. Whenever they are ruling in public, they use magical masks called the Lord’s Helm that hides their identities. A common game in Waterdeep is to identify the Lords and figure out the rumors that float around about them. The Lords actually start most of their own rumors, though, so these can be easily misleading. Because the Lords elect the other Lords via anonymous vote, it is difficult for the Lords to even know who is who, but they do know their names, and so they have more information. So, while the Lords are frequently protected from assassination / bribes / stalking / lobbying from the public, they are not as always well protected from each other, so the secrecy is still important, and caution is warranted. I imagine some of the Lords take this very seriously, and value the job over forming families or bonds, so high quality well-to-do escorts like Morena are highly sought after.

Now, back to Gale’s father. So, Morena is an escort for a Lord, one thing leads to another, some mistakes are made, and Morena gets pregnant which was definitely not the goal, but she can’t tell anyone she is pregnant with a Lord’s child, so she just pretends the child’s father is another client and moves on. So, if the Lord happens to be a (maybe red) wizard/cleric/paladin of Mystra… who is to say? If this Lord happens to be highly talented and magically inclined (or magically manipulated) who would ever know? Gale starts showing magical inclinations in the womb. Morena’s 9 months of pregnancy are absolutely hell. She isn’t ready for a child, but she isn’t not ready, either. So, she gets shit done and gets ready. She talks to the local Blackstaff Academy and seeks help and these teachers are /interested/ because rarely does anyone show magical talents in the womb and they are here to support her and more importantly here to teach this would-be-prodigy.

Morena is wealthy, so she can pay for private tutors and Gale shows magical abilities akin to a teen when he is a child, and so she fanes those (sometimes literal) flames. She knows her son’s child is powerful, and so Gale must be powerful, too. She loves him, and fully enables him to make his own decisions, but he is /good/ at magic and a child. He likes being good at things, and so of course he follows his talents naturally. So much so, in fact, that when he accidentally sets off a fireball trying to pick his mom some roses with a mage hand, Elminster shows right up. He had been watching Gale, after all. Mystra had told him to. Mystra had told him to watch Morena when she was pregnant, too, because Mystra knew what would happen. Mystra willed this to happen, and neither Morena nor Gale are any wiser about it.

“I wanted to give my mum something pretty,” tiny Gale had said, tears in his eyes and chubby cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry! I thought the roses were pretty, like sunsets are pretty, and I must have thought of the fire of a sunset by accident and—and—please don’t get mad at me.”

Because if there is one thing that Morena did instill in Gale other than politeness, a love for the finer things in life, and a sense of ambition (heh, ouch), it was to be respectful of authority, because Morena isn’t stupid. If a Lord could use another Lord’s child against them, they would, no hesitation. So, Gale is taught to be a good, rule-abiding little boy who has a healthy caution of leadership but mostly knows how to smile and nod and keep his head down. And Elminister, while not masked, gives off waves of authority, so Gale aims to please and keep his head down.

Elminster smiles. Gale clutches Morena’s skirt and hides behind her and Morena glares at Elminster as if daring him to do something. Elminster puts out the fire with a wave of his hand, and introduces himself. “I’ve been keeping an eye on your talents, Gale Dekarios. You’re so talented, but you do not know where to aim your talents. May I help you?”

Morena knows who Elminster is, she has heard the rumors. She does not know he is Mystra’s chosen (Morena knows Elminster to discuss grandiose tales with her clients, not to study magic or doctrine) or his relationship with Mystra at all. Morena frequently says, only in private and after a few glasses of wine, that the Gods can fuck right off because they were no help to her, she helped /herself/ thank you very much, so she does not know. She just sees this powerful and well-known figure who might be able to help her protect her son from his dad who is maybe still a Lord, and says yes.

Gale’s private study with Elminster goes on for a few years before Mystra gets involved when he turns 11. He excels, he goes to Blackstaff as one of the youngest students ever, and his classmates hate him. He is too good, too favored, too young. He does not have to try, as if he is blessed, and Gale does not understand why his classmates hate him. He’s studying just like they are, just many years ahead. He is young just like them, but a few years more. He has a favorite teacher in the form of Elminster, just like his classmates have their own favorites who actually are teachers at the academy and not a rumored hero of Faerun. His experience is close enough for Gale to not understand why his situation is unique, and why his peers hate him for it. So, he asks for a cat. Cats are nice and soft and hiss at people who they do not like, and Gale always had a hard time saying when he didn’t like someone so maybe the cat would do it for him. But Gale needed to focus on his studies, and cats couldn’t live with students at Blackstaff, so everyone tells him, respectfully, no. Gale keeps trying to make friends, and keeps failing, and he finally says “fine I’ll summon my own friend!” and summons Tara, which is an impressive feat, and within a single hour Tara says “fuck everyone this human is /mine/ and no one can tell me otherwise.” People try to banish Tara away, and she always comes back, but only for Gale, and sometimes for Morena.

Everyone knows Gale is talented, but it is not until he casually wields the Blackstaff entirely by accident that everyone realized how much so. The staff molds to his hand, and flutters in his direction ever since he picked it up. The school is furious, and Gale does not understand, because does that not mean that he is good at what he studies? He doesn’t understand it means he is a threat, he is too good, he is too strong, and some people would rather eradicate him than educate him.

One of the requirements for students at Blackstaff is survival training. The students are released into nature and told to fend for themselves, summon food and water or use their magic to otherwise make some, to create shelter, to prove that in practice they can manage a bad situation. The teachers are nearby, of course, to help should something go wrong. However, at this point, teachers feel one of two ways about Gale Dekarios, and that sometimes is a help but frequently is a hinderance. These teachers see this child, and can easily understand that one day he will be a threat to their jobs, their research, their theories. He’s just that good. And some of the teachers get together to make this test akin to the hells for Gale, and he goes off by himself. Waterdeep is surrounded by beautiful golden beaches and stalagmite caves, which are beautiful blessings during the tourist times of year. They are deathtraps during high tide, and the teachers know this, and so does Mystra.

It's pouring by the end of the first day, and Gale does not know where to go. He can heat his closes, and summon food and water, but he is aware of the fact that magical exhaustion is a thing, and that he cannot keep himself dry and warm constantly with magic for the duration of the test. So, when he sees a rainbow will-o-whisp that feels safe, he follows it into the cave. Mystra leads Gale into a shallow grave planted by the Blackstaff teachers, and watches him almost drown. The teachers would have let him drown. They would have let this eleven year old boy get grabbed by the rushing water and dragged to the bottom of a sharply pointed, mud filled cave. At the bottom of that cave is a large hollow tree trunk, and the teachers would have waited for tide season to end, and eventually drug Gale’s tiny corpse out of where it was wrangled around the smooth wood, where Gale had tried to hold in and climb out feebly, crushed by the weight of the water overhead, until the calmness of unconsciousness met him.

Drowning was calm, for Gale, at first. It was calmest when the rainbow will-o-whisp appeared again, a single speck of bright light in the murky darkness, his eyes stinging with water, his chest and stomach throbbing for oxygen. Drowning was calm, as he felt warm arms wrap around him, and felt the water get expelled from the hollow tree. Gale felt the weave rid his lungs of water and dry him off and warm him. Mystra lead Gale to his death just so she could save him, and so easily, Mystra became an exception to Gale’s distrust of authority, because she taught Elminster. She was the very rush of security and rose and love that Gale felt every time he channeled the weave. Mystra was magic—what Gale was good at, what made Gale who he is, what Gale loved. So how could he not love his savior? His muse? Mystra welcomed him into her hollow tree and taught him of Her. Her world. Her gifts. Her abilities. The three days of the test passed in a blink, and Gale emerged from the cave tinged with blue and white and the teachers who sent Gale to die heard Mystra’s laugh in their ears.

Mystra had staked her claim on Gale, and everyone knew it. Everyone had suspected it, when Elminster kept showing up, but now they had proof. Gale’s magic was sprinkled with starlight, brilliant blue and white and purple of Mystra. Gale vanished in his dreams to visit Mystra in her domain, and she continued to teach him everything that the teachers couldn’t or wouldn’t. The teachers who tried to kill him snapped to attention and did everything they could to help Gale, then, because to not would be to betray the Weave itself.

Gale went back to the hollow tree when he was about to graduate and the tide lowered, and met Mystra again. She took a more physical form, then. She guided his hands and arms as she taught him magic, and she kissed him on the forehead. She whispered, “my child, my star, my boy, my prodigy,” and Gale fell further and further under her spell. The Blackstaff Academy had graduation ceremonies where everyone would dance and celebrate their victories with one another. Morena was so, so proud. A few Lords showed up to congratulate the students, and check on the fresh talent. Gale was the equivalent of the valedictorian, and when he danced with himself, the more learned students and the teachers and Tara could see the strings of Mystra’s weave manipulating his movements like a marionette until they were perfect. Because he was her’s, and she would settle for nothing but the best.

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thechaoticdruid · 2 months

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[The Spawn Vs The Ascendant] (4)

Astarion(s) x Tav

Plot: The conclusion of the sad tale of the Vampire Ascendant and his Fair Consort and the beginning of the showdown between the Spawn and the Ascendant.

Content/Warnings: No F!Tav this chapter, Major Angst, gore, blood, slight suggestive themes, toxic master and slave relationship, depressed M!Tav, Ascended Astarion should be his own warning, death, like a lot of people die...

Next???

[Save Game 2:Crimson Palace, 5 years post game.]

Tav sat upon his master's lap, trying to remain as still as possible as the artist captured their likenesses with a skilled, but clearly nervous hand. The human man held his paintbrush shaking as he glanced back to see the vampire lord staring right at him. His eyes were practically glowing red as he smiled at him maliciously, almost daring him to make a mistake. The lord’s consort glanced over at the mortal man with pity in his red orbs. He knew his master was completely reveling in the artist’s fear. Astarion kept an arm wrapped possessively around Tav, his hand slipping under the back of his waist coat and gently caressing the cool skin of his back.

Tav huffed a bit, trying to keep his gaze focused on the poor artist and ignore the hand that was oh so close to sliding down the back of his pants. His master's hedonistic ways were honestly getting tiresome for Tav to indulge. Using sex as a way to make peace with his master was getting more and more tedious. Pleasurable as it was, it just made Tav feel empty afterwards. Unloved.

Tav grit his teeth as he suddenly felt a hand slide down the back of his pants to grope him. A hand he immediately yanked away.

“Stop it, please.” Tav said, pulling his master's hand away from his ass. “I really don't want you doing this when Abby could walk in at any moment.” He huffed.

“She’s studying right now, darling. No one will notice anything as long as you stay quiet about it, pet.” Astarion gripped Tav's chin and made him meet his eyes. The poor artist was struggling to keep up with the two lords moving while he was trying to capture their likenesses. Thankfully he was close enough to finishing.

“My lords, it is finished.” He said before stepping to the side of his canvas. Astarion looked over to the artist’s work before guesting for Tav to get off his lap. Tav did so almost immediately before looking over at the portrait with interest. It was memorizing, very life-like and so utterly exquisite!

“It's beautiful, Oskar.” Tav complimented as he looked over at the mortal man with a kind smile, “truly, no one could have done it better.” The spawn praised.

“T-Thank you my lord!” The artist replied, his nervous gaze was kept on Astarion who looked the painting up and down with an unimpressed grimace.

“I will admit, you are far better than the last pathetic whelp I hired to paint us, but the piece is missing something…” Astarion grinned before taking a few steps towards his canvas.

“Is it!? I was sure I captured an exact recreation of your likenesses. What's missing?” Oskar looked over the canvas in worry, eyes scanning the painting frantically. Astarion tapped a claw-like nail against the center of the painting.

“Just a bit of red…..Right here!” The vampire lord suddenly smashed Oskar’s head right through the painting and onto the ground, splattering blood everywhere.

“Astarion! What the hells!?” Tav screamed, shaking in shock and anger, “he was just a scared innocent man!”

“He got on my nerves. And he kept painting my face incorrectly,” Astarion said, gesturing to the area around his cheek and mouth.

“You killed him because he painted your laugh lines!? I cannot fucking believe you! You’re a godsdamned psychopath!” Tav gritted his teeth with snarl, fist clenched as he prepared to strike at his master but then he stopped and stormed off.

Tav ran to their shared bedroom and sobbed into his pillow. He was doing this just to get rise out of Tav now. Ever since Tav stopped being his sweet obedient little love Astarion seemed almost spiteful at times. Killing for no other reason than the fact he could and always wanting Tav to watch. Sometimes Astarion had a reason and sometimes he did it just for sick pleasure. Albeit his reasons weren't exactly justified by any means.

Tav remembered a kind adventurer he met at The Blushing Mermaid one night, not too long after the Elder Brain had been defeated. He was a half-elf cleric, handsome and chivalrous. Tav and the half-elf man drank and had a long talk about all the ways Baldur's Gate could be made better for everyone. He wanted to open his own hospital and heal those in need, those who could barely afford to care for themselves.The cleric made Tav laugh and blush, and even offered to meet him again for a drink sometime. Tav was tempted, but he turned him down saying he wasn't sure how his fiancé would feel about it and told him he probably wouldn't be happy. And he was right…

Tav awoke later that night to screams in the palace and quickly ran to the source. Astarion was bending the poor half-elf cleric’s arm backwards, dislocating it from his socket with a sickening sounding crunch.

“Astarion!? What are you doing!?” Tav cried out, red eyes full of horror.

“I was just entertaining your lovely little friend here. I must say he is rather handsome, quite the fine specimen you found. You will come and join us, won't you, my treasure?” Astarion purred, acting completely indifferent to what he had just done to the poor helpless man. Tav frowned and stepped forward shakily. “Good boy~. Now stand perfectly still and do not move from that spot, no matter what.” Astarion said with a glow of red eyes.

“My love please!” Tav begged as a red aura surrounded his body, forbidding from moving from where he stood.

“Ah, ah, ah, no means no, my darling.” Astarion shook a finger at him before turning his attention to the terrified cleric.

“Tav! What's going on!? Why can't you move!?” He asked in a pleading voice, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

“I'm sorry….” Was all Tav could say before Astarion sank his fangs into the poor man's neck.

The vampire spawn grit his teeth, watching as his master drained the sweet fool dry. The vampire lord held the mortal’s head tightly, gorging himself on the young man's precious ichor as all he could do was shake and twitch in pain as his heart slowed to a stop.

Within minutes the half elf’s body fell to the ground with a thud. Eyes wide and mouth agape as he laid there lifelessly. Astarion wiped the blood from his lips and licked it off his fingers.

“You didn't tell me you were going out tonight.” Astarion said coldly.

“I didn't think I had to!” Tav snapped.

“You are mine. You will not go anywhere without me knowing and you will certainly not bed anyone without my say so!” He snarled, jealous venom dripping from every word.

“Bed him!? Is that what this is about!? I never even touched him! I told him I was going back to you for fucks sake!” Tav shouted, tears beginning to fall. Astarion's gaze softened, and he dropped his compulsion over Tav before watching as the spawn fell to his knees sobbing.

Tav sniffled into his pillow, the whites of his eyes beginning to turn pink as his eyes got puffy. Suddenly the door creaked open.

“Daddy?” Abigail’s small voice called out as the little half-elf girl peeked her head in. “Daddy!” She smiled before scampering over towards Tav as he rubbed his eyes and sat up.

“I made this for you!” The seven-year-old took out a piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it, revealing a picture of a red dragon. Tav rubbed his eyes and smiled softly at the little girl.

“Thank you, sweetie.” He said taking the drawing from her as she sat on the side of the bed with him.

“I'm glad you like it!” She smiled and leaned in to hug him, he returned the hug and ruffled her blonde curls. “I finished my studies, teacher said I'm getting really good at magic! Do you think Papa will be proud of me?” Abby asked, tilting her small head as her elven ears twitched. Tav hesitated. He still wasn't fully comfortable with the young girl calling him and Astarion Daddy and Papa, considering he never wanted to bring her into their home in the first place. But Astarion's word was law and somehow the vampire Ascendant had convinced himself that this would somehow salvage their relationship.

“I'm sure he will, darling.” Tav patted her head, wanting to kick himself for the sweet lie he just told her. Astarion, despite thinking this was the solution to his and Tav’s problems, wasn't a very attentive parent. He tended to ignore the poor girl most of the time, unless she actually showed an impressive display of power with her magical talents she'd slowly began to develop after being brought to live with them. He often joked about training her to be an adorable little weapon before turning her when she became of age. Two ideas that Tav utterly despised and frequently voiced his disapproval of only to be brushed off by the Vampire Ascendant.

But other than an occasional praise or pat on the head for whenever she did something that impressed him, Astarion didn't pay much attention to Abby. Tav was thankful that he also didn't ever harm her and kept his sadistic and murderous tendencies to a minimum in her presence, but it was also sad that she lacked the connection that she craves from him.

“The servants won't let me in the ballroom to show him what I learned today though. They're mean.” Abigail huffed. Tav chuckled nervously, internally grimacing at the memory of the poor painter’s head splattered all over the floor.

“They probably are just cleaning it up, my dear. The floors were beginning to get messy.” Tav said, feeling a nervous lump in his throat.

“Daddy, you look scared…Are you okay? Should we go find Papa?” Abigail asked.

“No! I-I…..” Tav began before suddenly being interrupted.

“I'm here, my darlings.” Astarion suddenly opened the door and stepped inside.

“Papa!” Abby jumped up from where she sat, running over to the vampire lord like an excited little pup. “I learned something new today! Watch! Watch!” She cheered. Astarion stared down at her with an unamused expression but allowed the girl to continue. Abby waved her arms, concentrating before suddenly pushing a chair slightly across the room with her magic.

“Hmm…Perhaps there's hope for you yet.” Astarion gave the girl a slight rub on the head, causing her eyes to light up before he turned his attention to Tav. “Did I hear that my precious treasure was frightened?”

“Daddy was scared, Papa! I think he needs a hug!” Abigail chimed in.

“Indeed, I think you're right, darling.” Astarion said before approaching Tav. Tav bit his lip, a sickening feeling bubbling within his belly, the urge to move away from Astarion’s touch was increasing by the moment.

Astarion sat beside him, allowing Abby to climb in his lap. “Is something the matter, my sweet little husband?” Astarion asked. His voice sounded sickeningly sweet and so fake, but Tav needed to keep his calm, especially since Abby was right here.

“I…um…. No, my love…I just…. I was napping and had a bad dream…” Tav said before feeling Astarion slink an arm around him and pull him close. Abby leaned over and hugged Tav once more. The male spawn but his lip as he glared slightly at Astarion. What was his game today? He acts like a complete monster and then pretends nothing happened, like he didn't just slaughter an innocent man in their own home! He literally murders someone right in front of him and then wants to play house like they're one big happy family! It was utterly infuriating!

“Abby, my love. I need to speak with Daddy alone.” Astarion said as he moved one of Abby's stray curls over.

“Okay Papa…” Abby said sadly before getting up and scampering out of the bedroom.

“Perhaps my little outburst earlier was a bit unnecessary…” Astarion said with a sigh, though his tone didn't sound sorry in the slightest. Tav remained silent, refusing to speak because he knew if he did, nothing would stop him from screaming his head off at the man next to him.

“I…I didn't like how you were praising him. How you smiled so warmly at him. You never do the same for me. Not anymore.”

“And why in the nine hells do you think that is, hm?” Tav finally spoke, trying his damndest to suppress a growl. “I gave you everything, Astarion. I fought for you, I killed for you, I even fucking died for you, but nothing is ever enough, is it? You just take and take and expect me to believe that you still fucking love me! That you actually give a damn about me after everything you've done!”

“I do love you!” Astarion suddenly grabbed Tav's wrists. “Can't you understand everything I've done is for us!?” Astarion hissed out.

“And murdering innocent people in front of me is for my own good is that what you're saying?” Tav almost laughed at the absurdity.

“You knew exactly what I was the moment we met! Don't act like this is a shock! This is what I am! This is what we are….”

“I would never harm an innocent…” Tav spat.

“What about all the souls we sacrificed in the ritual? They weren't all corrupt villains you know…Your hands are just as bloody as mine, my dear…” Astarion growled through gritted teeth.

Tav bit his lip, tears welling up in his eyes once again. “I didn't want to do it…. I just…. I thought you'd leave me….” Astarion frowned, gaze softening as he watched Tav break down and sob into his hands. Astarion let out a sigh before he scooted closer to Tav and pulled the smaller male against his body.

“You have me forever now, is this not what you wanted?” Astarion asked, holding Tav against his chest in a gentle, but possessive grip.

“I-I…. I don't know…. I just want things to be like they were between us…Before everything…” Tav stuttered.

“They can, my love. They can.” Astarion whispered before kissing Tav’s tears away, “I will give you whatever you want, all you need to do is stay by my side….” He pressed his forehead against Tav's, crimson eyes both locked together.

Tav buried his face into Astarion's chest and the two of them stayed like that for a while, until Astarion noticed his lover’s hands shaking a little.

“You haven't fed for days, have you?” He hummed.

“I don't like it.” Tav muttered.

“My stubborn little love, you're going to end up driving yourself mad with hunger.” Astarion huffed.

“I don't care.” Tav grumbled, face pressed into his master's chest.

“You will if Abigail is harmed because of it.” That statement alone caused Tav to go quiet. Astarion simply proceeds to undo the strings of his shirt, pulling it down and exposing his neck and shoulder to the spawn. “Feed, my pet.”

Tav doesn't even hesitate, the insatiable hunger roaring within forces him to bite down onto his master’s neck in seconds. The blood of his sire was absolutely divine, each drop delighting his senses. Astarion smiled as he felt Tav begin to drink from him.

“Ahh…Yes, good boy…” The Vampire Ascendant moaned, cupping the back of his consort’s head gently as Tav continued to suckle upon his skin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Save Game 2: Crimson Palace 15 years post-game.]

“I told you this would happen Astarion!” Tav snapped, fangs bared. “You just couldn't just stop with Baldur's Gate, couldn't you!? Now you've gone and endangered us all!”

“We're not in any danger, my sweet. These monster hunters are no threat, we'll just crush them like we always do.”

“Papa is right, Dad! And I can help too now that I'm strong enough!” Abigail said with a smirk, an ominous black and purple magic, swirled around her hands. “We’ll crush them together!”

“That's my girl, come on then!” Astarion smiled maliciously. Tav frowned, watching his husband and daughter rush head on into the conflict like complete fools. Astarion was strong, but the monster hunters had more numbers this time. They surrounded the manor, ramming their way in through the front door and cutting down the charmed servants first. Tav took the form of a black panther and prepared himself for a fight.

Astarion’s plans for world conquest were beginning to spread across the Sword Coast. He had a decent number of spawns now to do his bidding, but despite this many of them had been cut down by these hunters who traced his children back to him. Now they were invading his home, hoping to snuff out this vampiric infestation at its source.

In the grand scheme of things, it was supposed to be simple, build an army, take over the world. At least that's how Astarion himself always put it. Tav had always told him it would be foolish to think that the world would just let him do so, but he was THE VAMPIRE ASCENDANT as he oh so very often said. He was invincible! In his own mind anyway.

The hunters stormed the crimson palace, killing everyone in sight. Abigail stayed with Astarion, watching his back as they tore right through the hunters together, scattering bloody severed limbs all over the castle. Astarion had a bliss filled sadistic smile upon his face which never faltered even a little as he sliced through his mortal foes with Cazador's old blade. The same one he used to carve the infernal runes into his old master’s back.

Abigail was less messy than her vampiric father. She summoned elementals to join the fray, shot lightning bolts and fireballs, she even had a wicked where she could make someone's body inflate until they exploded.

Tav used his claws and teeth to defend himself, tearing apart any hunter's who got too close. The battle was quick and bloody, turning a good portion of their home into a warzone. As the fight came to a close Tav was suddenly pierced through the head by a crossbow bolt, doing considerable damage and forcing him out of his wildshape. The bolt dropped to the ground as he transformed, his wound now gone as if it had never happened. He looked around frantically for the source of the attack before seeing a familiar figure stepping towards him. An elven woman approached him, holding a crossbow in one hand and a wooden stake in the other. Tav wasn't sure why he froze, perhaps it was just fear? No, that wasn't right. There was a click sound from the stake being loaded into the crossbow though it barely even registered as memories began to flood into Tav's mind.

That day at the beach when Astarion had a dagger to his throat.

The night at camp when Astarion had fed from him for the first time.

After the tiefling party when the two of them first made love.

And Astarion’s confession at Moonrise.

It all came back before suddenly there was a piercing pain in his chest as he suddenly coughed up blood. His legs gave way and he fell to the ground with a stake through his heart. The last thing to ever grace his ears were screams of his lover.

“TAV!” Astarion rushed over to his spawn in an instant and grabbed his shoulders. “Wake up, damn you!” Astarion cupped Tav's face in his hand as tears began to stream down his face as Tav’s lifeless eyes stared back at him.

“T-Tav, my sweet, my heart, I forbid you to die!” He sobbed, grabbing hold of the stake and tearing it out. “You are mine and I am yours…And if we die, we die together…Do you not understand!? Answer me!!” Astarion’s eyes flashed red, but nothing happened to the body. It was far too late.

The elven huntress prepared her crossbow to take another aim, this time at The Vampire Ascendant now that he was grief stricken with the loss of his beloved consort. She loaded a second stake, but before she could fire it a vine lasso snatched the weapon from her hand before yanking it away. Abigail glared back at the elf; her face full of rage as stomped across the sea of corpses that littered the floor. In no more than a moment she casts hold person on the hunter.

The Vampire Ascendant held Tav in his arms, his face buried into his neck as he murmured to him in elvish. From what Abigail could hear he was repeating a declaration of love to Tav over and over.

~•~•~•~•~~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Astarion had Tav’s body sealed away in a coffin, deep under the Palace. Abigail was ordered to place a magical spell on the body to keep it preserved. The elven hunter was now chained up within the kennels, glaring back at the vampire lord as he paced the room. “My husband was better than I ever was. He was too kind for his own good. He even protected those filthy peasants you begged your lover to spare and you killed him for it.”

“You killed my husband so I killed yours. Is that not a fair trade-” Astarion quickly wrapped his hand around her throat, squeezing hard and making her gasp.

“Tav’s life was 1000 times more valuable than any pathetic excuse of a spouse you ever had!” Astarion snapped, nearly crushing the woman's windpipe and making her face turn purple. But he soon stopped before any permanent damage was done. Osha gasped, breathing in and out slowly as Astarion began to think. He glanced over at Abigail who looked through her books. Her eyes scan through them in hopes of finding some way to fix this mess or at least ensure Osha suffered immensely. She came across a ritual that would give someone the ability to manipulate time itself, though it would likely require an entire city’s worth of mortal souls.

“Papa I-......”

“Do not call me that anymore!” Astarion snapped at her. “Tav is gone…I'm done playing house…” Astarion said coldly, but Abigail could see a flicker of sadness in his eyes.

“Yes…. Forgive me Master ....” The half-elf said, head hanging low.

“Now, what to do with you….?” Astarion sighed and glared over into Osha’s eyes, his nose crinkling in disgust.

“Do what you must! I am ready to join Magnus in the next life!” Osha huffed out.

“Oh, you precious little thing…. You're not going to die today……You're not going die for a very long time yet….” A sadistic smirk spread over Astarion's face before he approached her slowly, gripping her chin and turning her head. “From this day on you are mine to torment….” He whispered into her ear before sinking his fangs down into her neck.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

[Save Game 1: Act 3, Crimson Palace.]

The Vampire Ascendant huffed in pain as he composed himself. He needed to find her. He needed to make sure she couldn't escape.

His red eyes glanced over to the gith and the half elf as they stood side by side.

“Find Tav quickly and bring her to me.” He ordered. The two female spawn nodded before turning on their heels and beginning their search. Astarion bit his lip with worry, he came so far, went through all this trouble just to get Tav back.

After the scribe of the dead denied his demand to return his beloved to him, stating that “his fate was sealed the moment thou sired him,” he had only one choice left. To tear time itself apart. The price to get here was far too great to turn back now. The Ascendant paced through his ballroom, his eyes glancing up at a painting of his old master.

You failed him. He's dead because of your weakness. You were never meant for love, foolish boy.

He could almost hear his old master's voice taunting him as he glared at the portrait. Astarion pulled out his blade before slicing it in half with a grunt of frustration.

“Heh, I never cared for that painting either. It was always taunting me with that stupid grin of his.” A voice piped up from behind the Ascendant.

“What are you doing here?” The Lord questioned, not bothering to look back. The stranger's voice which mirrored his own was all he needed to hear to know who it was. The Spawn.

“You know exactly why I'm here.” The Spawn hummed. “Now where is she?”

“Honestly I don't know. She slipped right through my fingers…I'll get her back of course. I won't give up what is mine.”

“She's not yours, don't you understand? Tav doesn't belong to anyone! Have you forgotten what it was like to be owned and kept like a pet!?” The spawn hissed out.

“I would never treat her the way Cazador treated me! I would…I will give her everything.” The Ascendant finally turned around to face his counterpart, blade drawn and pointed towards him.

“Darling, you can lie to everyone else in this wretched world except me.” The spawn said with a frown. “Let it go. Chasing Cazador's shadow has clearly cost you your Tav. I won't stand by and let the same happen to mine.”

“And what would you have me do? Just give up? Say sorry and leave with my tail between my legs? Pft!” The Ascendant scoffed.

“Return home and find a new path. One that's yours to choose.” The spawn said, “We don't have to be the monsters that Cazador made us…We can be more…” He smiled slightly, lifting up his hand to the Ascendant as if to call a truce. The Ascendant hesitated, looking at the hand cautiously as if it was some kind of trap before slowly reaching out, his own lips forming a grin.

“I am more than any of you will ever be….” Suddenly the Ascendant rammed his blade right through the Spawn's stomach.

“ASTARION!!!” A voice screamed out.

To be continued.....

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