The chill of the Druid's Chamber cuts cleanly after the heat of the coup behind us.
It almost seems like another world.
The loudest thing in the room is the tranquil flow of water from the clear pools that edge the chamber. The walls carry subtle echoes, having been honed flat by ancient craftsmen. Tall and imposing murals depict wars waged and won, sacred rituals, and ancient peace pacts. All colored in vivid hues and shining with the light of the placid waters.
Kagha sits at the stone table in the center of the chamber, thumbing through curled documents. She's tight-lipped and focused on what's in front of her. She doesn't see us enter.
Bex swiftly climbs the vines to reach her perch. She crouches, quiet and low, eyes sharp and tracking the druids below, bow poised.
A short man with ragged umber hair enters the chamber from the servant's quarters behind Kagha. He immediately sees us and clears his throat. "Kagha..."
"Yes, what is it, Loic?" Her voice is sharp and frustrated. She finally looks up and gets to her feet, startled and defensive. There is an intensity in her brow that lands somewhere between sorrow and false bravado. "You."
My smile isn't doing much to hide my hunger. "Me." My hands twitch. My right knuckles are still spattered with the gore of Maggran's battered head. Loic steps beside her, and I see the spineless druid emerge from Nettie's chambers.
"Have you come to degrade me further? The outlanders remain in the grove. I thought you were going to speak with Zevlor. Why are you here?"
My chest is pounding with feral exhilaration; I close my eyes to steady myself. My voice becomes soft with the effort of holding myself together. Bhaal's whispers writhe like a tempest in my mind. "Kagha. There are many threats on the road to Baldur's Gate, it's what brought my people here to begin with." I glance at the two druids that stand beside her. "They were being slaughtered. Some gave their lives to get the caravan this far."
Loic and Kagha's faces remain unmoved, but the spineless druid winces ever-so-slightly.
"Out in the wilds, the dangers are countless." I pull free my greatsword, raising its blade in condemnation. "But here, the only danger is you."
The color drains from her face, and Loic quickly runs over to the stone table to arm himself with his club. Before I can take a step forward there is a sudden eruption next to me. One of Bex's arrows had skewered a rat at my feet, causing him to lose wildshape and violently shift back into a halfling.
She did it. Bex found the shadow druids...
Another rat begins to dash for Kagha. I bring my heel down on it, and with a pop, it transforms into another halfling dressed in the shadow druids’ garb.
A tail disappears around the table. I dive for it, grabbing the little bastard and crushing its body in my hands. Another burst, another shadow druid. He coughs blood onto my face and tries desperately to wriggle free.
Slippery fucker.
I bark at Astarion and Lae'zel. "Catch them! Don't let them escape!" With a swift kick to my face, the man jerks free, stumbling to his feet. I scramble forward and snatch his foot, dragging him into me.
I've pinned him, and pull my dagger from my cloak, holding the point against the side of his face. "Where is Olodon!?"
He grunts and growls, struggling with every ounce of strength he has. I drag my dagger across his skin, watching the blade peel away at him. His screams are electrifying. I continue to dig away at him, slowly, listening to the changing pitch of his beautiful agony.
Lae'zel has one of the shadow druids locked in a grappling hold. The druid kicks her feet, arms locked behind her head, throat compressed. She heaves, her voice a guttural snarl. "Me! I'm Olodon!" She is ablaze with frustration.
I stare at the man beneath me and a hungry joy floods me, matching my sadistic grin. My voice hisses in his ear. "Husk." I slide my dagger under his belly and pull upward, carving out skin and fat, exposing the winding silk of innards beneath. His screams reach a crescendo and echo through the chamber as his hands hover over his unveiled viscera.
I climb to my feet, Loic is lying on the ground with several arrows in his chest. Bex's beautiful handiwork.
Astarion has the other shadow druid held tight by the hair, dagger at his throat.
To my surprise, the spineless druid has Kagha on her knees, his wolf companion standing over her, teeth inches from her neck.
I walk up to the man. "You've seen the light. A bold shift. Brave. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?"
He gives me an uncertain smile. "Rath, Ser."
I give him an encouraging nod. "Did you know about the shadow druids?"
He looks at Olodon and her two cohorts. The gutted druid is dragging himself toward one of the cave pools. Blood trailing behind him.
"N-No... I would have never agreed to this if I had known they were involved."
A splash, as the gutted man throws himself into the sacred waters.
I would assume this man was malicious if malice didn't take forethought and a firm conviction. "Yet, the Rite was salvation when it served a world you understood. A world where you were happy to let my people die."
His shoulders tense and he looks down at Kagha. His face reflecting a harmony of shame and remorse. I let the silence stretch, finally walking around Kagha. I pull a length of rope from my cloak, binding her arms, and running the cord through her teeth, gagging her.
From the corner of my eye, I see Bex move on the archway. She stands and aims her bow at me, taking a shot that hits me square in the shoulder. In the same moment I feel a crack against the back of my head, and I double over.
Adrenalin fills me as I swiftly turn to see another druid, shillelagh already swinging down on me once again. I catch it, rip it from his hands, and batter him across the face. He falls to the ground, blood smeared and teeth falling from his mouth.
Rath inhales. "Markoryl!"
Kagha tries to climb to her feet but in a wild fury I slam the club across her back with such force that it snaps in half. She grunts and drops to the ground, failing to catch her breath.
The graduating rage within me is starting to become overwhelming and I sharply look at Bex. She's paralyzed, her eyes filled with dread.
I try to compose myself, the whispers in my mind are wild with bloodlust. I speak sharply. "Bex."
She jumps, startled by my tone. She doesn't move.
I grab the arrow and snap the shaft, throwing it to the ground before meeting her eyes once again. "Come here."
My words slowly unfold in her mind. She finally climbs down, dashing over to me, reaching out a hand. "Vash! I'm so sorry!"
She tries to free the arrow from my chest, but I catch her wrist and she winces.
"Leave it."
I look down at the man as he wipes blood from his face.
"What do you want to do with him?"
She looks at me, confused. "What do I want to do?"
Markoryl looks at her, dazed and in pain. He gains a moment of clarity and scrambles to his feet, trying to bolt. He barely takes a step before I've snatched a fist full of hair, dragging him down. He's on his knees in front of her as I wait for her to decide.
Her breath is heavy as she looks into my eyes, unmoored, and searching me for reassurance. I give her nothing more than my patience.
I need her to show me where she stands.
She glances at the shaft caught in my shoulder, and her face settles into a flat, determined serenity. Her dagger digs it into Markoryl's neck. There is no hesitation once the decision was made.
Markoryl gags, clawing at his neck.
"Pull it out, Bex. Don't make the man suffer."
She hears me but watches him flail a moment more before finally pulling the blade. The torrent of blood fills the air with the scent of death. I release him and he collapses, convulsing from shock.
She doesn't look at me as I approach her and place a hand on her back. "Not now." She snaps.
My muscles flinch as I pull away. Her heat scorches the edges of my composure. I respect that she needs space, but I'm proud of her all the same.
Rath has his hand over his heart as he watches Markoryl die.
My gift to him is redemption. "It's time for you to face your sins, Rath. Take Kagha, we need to show the circle the truth."
He looks down at her, pulling her up by the elbow and following me out.
We step into the light of the inner sanctum, and I hold out my arm, allowing Rath, Astarion, and Lae'zel to pass me. They kneel the newest captives in line with the others.
Bex follows up behind me, lips curled, arms folded. She sees Danis standing at the edge of the inner sanctum, looking for her, frantic. She jogs over to him, embracing him tightly. His hold on her is dear and grateful, but his gaze flicks to me for the briefest moment.
Druids and tieflings are scattered across the sanctuary, mingling. A subtle anticipation lingers. People begin to gather as they see us.
Rath tracks the sea of faces and begins to look sickened. That expression only deepens when his eyes land on the bodies of the druids whose lives were lost in the coup.
I direct Lae'zel to the center of the collective. She kneels Olodon in front of the crowd, alone, and I take my place behind her. It is not lost on me at how profoundly small she is below me. Destiny has wrought her a most inequitable judge. Though I am the judge for whom destiny called.
The voices in the crowd fall silent at my presence.
"Through times of hardship, the Emerald Grove has stood, triumphant. A verdant bounty, occupied by a circle who was surely built on a foundation of compassion. We know that times of uncertainty often foster radical ideas." I wrinkle my nose and look at some tiefling gathered in the front. "However foolish they may be." A few chuckles rise from them as they glance at each other.
"Cults. Goblins." I glance at the loyalists surrounding me. "Heretics." My voice hisses with condemnation, and a few bodies shift in discomfort.
"It's a pity this circle was almost known as one who buries its head in the sand." The druids hold an uneasy breath. "Today, you are absolved. In that, your honor is not lost. However, the blight remains."
I place my boot on Olodon's back and she pitches forward with a grunt, legs splayed awkwardly.
"Careful!" She snaps.
My voice settles into a reverent timbre. "May her blood be the baptism that cleanses the Emerald Grove, so that you may begin again." I reach down and grip her head, fingers pressing tightly into her face.
"What are you—"
My shoulders flex as I begin to twist. Her shrieks rattle me with pleasure until her throat is pinched silent. Her neck extends beyond its natural tension. The purr of Bhaal's approval rushes through me as my breath quickens and grows shallow. Her skin tears, spine breaks, and with a final rend, her head rips free from her body.
I close my eyes and exhale deeply through my nose. Her blood nourishes the grass beneath her.
Muffled wailing rises from Kagha as she collapses. A druid in the crowd falls to his knees and vomits into the grass. A few are clutching their hands. Several tieflings look away, most don't.
After a moment, a faint voice rise. "Wh-When will Halsin be back?"
My hair stands on end, and I search the crowd for the voice. "May the man who asked step forward."
A druid emerges from the crowd, hesitant and shuffling.
I study him carefully. "What is your name?"
He's hardly glancing at me. "Derrok, Ser." His eyes briefly track Olodon's head before quickly looking away with a shudder.
"Derrok." I place her head down and approach him, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Salvation can feel like an open wound, when all you've been trying to do is heal. However, if the rot runs deep enough, cutting is often the only salvation left."
He finally meets my eye, and I give him a comforting smile. "Halsin is alive and well, but he has chosen to remain in the goblin camp. He is still chasing his whims."
Derrok hangs his head and nods.
"Halsin. The man who left Kagha in charge when she wasn't ready to lead. The man who wasn't here when the grove nearly fell into the clutches of the Shadow Druids."
I step away from Derrok and face the crowd.
"But I came for you. A foulblood. Willing to turn a blind eye to your bigotry, and do what Halsin could not. Root out an evil you didn't even see."
I lower my voice.
"To save you from every poor choice he made. Save you from what you were becoming."
There is a faint murmur among the druids.
I walk back to the captives. "Halsin is a good man. Brave. Kind. Sagely, even. But there are good men, and there are true leaders."
I pull Fezzerk's axe from my back. The blade is polished, reflecting the light of the grove over its people. "Who among you will be the arm of mercy to act in the name of Silvanus?"
The air grows still and one man steps forward. I recognize him as a former loyalist.
"You once served Kagha, but changed your ways. You're a commendable man. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"
His face is hardened and resentful, but his conviction is true. "Aelar, Ser. I only saw the light because you shined upon the Emerald Grove."
My head tips to him, graciously, handing him the axe. "It is my honor to banish the shadows."
Aelar cracks a prideful smile and takes the axe in hand with a sense of duty.
My eyes turn to Rath. "As First Druid, you will bring forth the final shadow druid."
He looks stunned and doesn't move at first, hesitant, like a lost lamb. He finally approaches the man and slowly lifts him to his feet, placing him in front of me.
"Aelar." My boot find purchase on the shadow druid's back, pinning him to the ground.
Aelar looks down at him. His nose curled with disgust. He sharply inhales, brings the axe down with precision. A deep breath escapes him as the head rolls free.
My gaze shifts to the crowd. "Mercy for him: a swift, clean death. Mercy for you: to be spared his circle's tyranny. This is the only way mercy can foster true harmony."
The first loyalist is trembling beneath her hood, and I hear quiet sobs. I get down on a knee beside her. "We can see that you were led astray. Will you take my guiding hand back to the path of peace?"
She nods vigorously, and I hear a quivering voice, muffled, but sincere. "P-Please... I want to see the light again."
I gently untie her. Her body is still, but her hands tremble violently as she brings them to her front. I pull the hood off to see cheeks drenched in tears. Fear has overwhelmed her, pushing out any sense of who she used to be.
I take her hands in mine. "You are forgiven. Please, breathe with me." She looks at me, her chin still quivering. We breathe. I give her a nod and we stand together. Her footing steadies and I return her to the circle. She is welcomed back with loving arms.
"Gretta. Finally..." A woman touches her cheek and embraces her. "Thank Silvanus."
Gretta begins to cry once more, burying her face in the woman's shoulder. "I'm sorry..."
The woman grips Gretta's hands and looks toward me. "Blessed be the Peace Bringer."
A few whispers course through the druids.
I smile and move to the next druid, who is an older man. He holds no fear in his heart, and I speak patiently. "Will you allow me to guide you?"
He is quiet, but his voice is stubborn, prideful, and his answer is simple. "I could never follow a man like you."
My head bows with respect and hear a few gasps from the crowd.
"Karrik."
"Karrik, no! You don't understand!"
I look at the echoed voices with sorrow. "I could never disrespect the wishes of a principled man." I rise and place my boot on his back.
There is a gasp as Aelar watches me, waiting. I give the nod and the older man swiftly cries. "Wait!" As the axe cleaves his neck and he goes limp beneath me.
I sigh, charged with pleasure as a wail cries out, and an elder woman collapses in grief.
Hands rush to comfort her.
"He knew. He knew, Elwyn."
"It is the will of Silvanus."
The woman clings to the arm of one of her fellow druids and has lost her breath for wailing.
Of the three remaining loyalists only one more chooses the righteous path.
My eyes track the dead before addressing the crowd once more. "Today you have witnessed balance restored, and a new order grown from the shadows. One of mercy, compassion, and reckoning. One that I will bleed for."
My jaw clenches and I grip the shaft of the arrow still lodged in my shoulder. With a held breath, I rip it free and hold it high for all to see.
"I make this vow: For as long as I draw breath, I will serve as protector of the Emerald Grove. To uphold salvation when all hope is lost. Pledge your conviction to me, and you will never stray toward wayward paths again."
The reverence starts with a single man. He grips the hem of my cloak and brings it to his forehead. "...Peace Bringer."
Two more druids approach me, following the first. One muttering with a reverent undertone. "Peace Bringer."
With a gentle smile, I touch the crown of his head before he returns to the crowd.
An elder woman steps up to me, gently pulling back my cloak and placing her hand over the wound. With a pulse of blue light, the wound begins to knit. The healing spell is meager, but enough. I gently hold her hands in gratitude. "Thank you."
A few more approach, reaching for me, touching my cloak.
I hear murmurs of thank you, and Peace Bringer.
Tears of the indebted fall.
Voices of the beholden rise.
I become encircled in reverie, and meet as many eyes as I can.
A few tieflings take my hand and squeeze my fingers.
"You kept your word."
"Brother."
The crowd subsides and I finally turn to Kagha. My heart leaps with wicked exhilaration.
She is lying on her side, sobbing through her nose, spittle dribbling from the rope gag. As I drink in the sight of her, I'm struck with a cruel realization.
...I can't kill her.
Blinded by contemptuous bloodlust, I've become sloppy with my kills, and it's nearly cost me my conquest.
I sigh deeply and press my fingers into my forehead, finally address her, voice quiet and measured. "Kagha." My tail flicks with agitation.
With trembling hands, I untie the rope that gags her and pull the bindings off her wrists.
I bring her to stand. Her knees are weak and she can barely support her own weight.
"Take Olodon's head to Cloakwood. Find your rightful circle. Let them see the fate of those who stand against me."
She stares at me, a blaze of hate cuts through her shame.
I put a tender hand on her shoulder. "May Silvanus guide you on your journey." I place Olodon's head into Kagha's hands and she gasps and tries to drop it, but I grip her wrists before she has a chance.
"Look at her, Kagha." My voice hammers her as my grip tightens until her skin turns white. "Do not hide from the consequences of your poor leadership. Observe, and learn."
She grips the head in horror. I finally let go of her and turn to Aelar. "Take her."
He seizes Kagha and dragging her to the ivy gate.
The crowd follows as Kagha is pushed out. Banished. Forced to march. She will either make it to Cloakwood or die along the road.
I look down at the crowd, standing next to Zevlor and Rath from the parapets of the gate.
"An apt fate—to face the very dangers she tried to force upon the innocent. May this be a new dawning for the Emerald Grove.
Peace will prevail.
By Blessing, or else by Blood."