3.2 - Transition (Patreon)

3.2 - Transition

Madison

Teeth bit down, ripping flesh from bone and Madion woke with a shriek of terror.

Everyone else leapt to their feet, weapons and spells in hand and it was only when Sophia cursed with a snarled out ‘For fuck’s sake, Clements!” That Madison realized what had happened. 

She tried to mumble something, an apology most like, but the words got stuck in her throat, drowned under sobbing and sniffling as she wiped at her face, arms hugging herself as she felt a cold that had nothing to do with the temperature.

“False alarm everyone.” Durge said. “Back to sleep, Astarion are you good to keep watch.”

“It’s barely been two hours.” The elf said by way of answer. He sat at the tippy top of the rock that was their camp. “

“Fuckin christ.” Madison heard Sophia mutter, trying to settle back down to sleep. 

“I could cast a calming charm.” Shadowheart offered. “Ease your fear some. I take it that was your first encounter with redcaps.”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. 

It hadn’t just been her first encounter with Redcaps, it had been her first encounter in a fight. In having her life threatened. In seeing people get murdered.

She always knew Sophia had a violent side but seeing how she phased that knife into a skull, how Taylor had bashed two skulls in with a rock, Karlach cleaving open the monsters with that axe- even the one Gale had killed that had been on top of her. She could still hear the sound of ripping flesh, the screams of the Redcaps as they died.

Hell, she could still smell the blood.

“Tis a kind offer.” Gale remarked. “But won’t that drain some of your own magic while you sleep?”

“Better to lose a bit of magic and let us all sleep well than to have no sleep and less magic because of it anyway.”

Gale gave a rueful chuckle. “Fair point.”

“I’m sorry.” Madison finally found enough of a voice to speak.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Wyll remarked, even as he settled back down into his cot. “We’ve all been afraid when we first met violence. It’s natural.”

“Fear in the moment is natural, letting the fear continue into your sleep is foolish and pointless.” Lae’zel similarly was trying to settle back down into her cot.

“You can’t tell me you’ve never had a nightmare.” Wyll answered her. 

“Is this some Faerunian malady?”

“What- no its… huh… well if it doesn’t happen to your people in the Astral plane… maybe it is.”

Shadowheart shifted closer, sort of caterpillar crawling her cot closer so she didn’t have to leave it in order to reach Madison. 

“Don’t worry luv.” Karlach yawned at Madison’s feet, and honestly, Madison had picked this spot exactly for that reason… the heat rolling off the woman was keeping her feet warm and toasty. “Mama K’s right here. No beasties will get to you.”

“Hold still.” Shadowheart placed her fingers to Madison’s temple and it was strange, she could feel the Magic taking hold, like someone grasping at her hand before she felt tired all of a sudden once again. 

“Go to bed now.” Shadowheart said settling into her own Cot, “Everything will be fine.”

Madison nodded absently, not even trying to fight the welcome oblivion of dreamless sleep.

—

They woke up again at nearly noon, much later than normal. Madison had no doubt it was because of the interrupted night, but at least a small part of her guilt was eased by the fact that they also had to wait a bit for the sun to rise high enough so that some light could pierce through the overcast of thick grey clouds overhead that perpetually shrouded the marsh in gloom.

After all, according to Durge the only thing worse than a Fey ambush was a Fey ambush where you couldn’t see.

When they finally started moving again, it was slow. Now that they were in the heart of the marsh the mud was thick. Even if the cart wasn’t naturally slower, slogging through it all, everyone was slower, trying to navigate through ankle deep sludge that sucked at their every step. Occasionally they found dry patches of dirt that made moving easier but they never lasted; more often than not, it was just mud or hip deep, still water that stank. 

It wasn’t long before Durge made the call.

“We’re leaving the cart.”

Madison winced. She did not want to walk through this muck but given that even she, a girl who had never even seen an Ox in real life could tell the thing was becoming exhausted- well, the writing had been on the wall. 

“What about Emma?” Sophia asked. She was having the easiest time, floating from dry patch to dry patch with her shadow state. Right now she was half dangling from the remains of what looked like a partly drowned dead tree, feet planted on its trunk just above the waterline.

Durge made his way over to the back of the cart and without preamble picked Emma up, hauling the comatose red head onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Wyll, Shadowheart, untie the Ox.”

The two were already working to do exactly that  as Durge planted Emma onto the Ox’s back. “Clements.” He called, gesturing her to come over, offering Madison a clawed hand to help her move from cart to Ox. 

Madison apologised to the Ox as she did for stepping on his backside with her shoe… It didn’t look bothered, or acknowledging of the apology.

Durge held her hand until she sat. “Hold her.” He demanded, and Madison wrapped her arms around Emma, the girl’s head falling back to rest on Madison’s shoulder. Madison was shorter than Emma, so the limp way her head hung there looked genuinely uncomfortable but there wasn’t exactly much they could do. 

Grabbing part of the rope that had served to yoke the ox to the cart Durge tied it around the beast’s neck, giving one end to Madison to hold and the other end he handed to Wyll.

Wyll just raised an eyebrow as if asking why he was being chosen for this task.

“You’re the Ox’s favorite.” Madison wasn’t sure if he was joking.

The others gathered the supplies from the cart. Various packs, bags, ropes and other containers carrying the entirety of their supplies. Only person that didn’t have to carry anything was Karlach and that was because she was quite literally going to burn whatever they gave her to hold. 

So, the massive axe wielding woman took point ahead of them. 

The column marched on in silence, and Madison tried to not let the despair claw at her as the full enormity of the entire insanity that her life had become threatened to press down until it crushed her under it all.

As quickly as she could, she maneuvered her bag off of her back and plucked the spellbook out in order to keep reading. The distraction, if nothing else, would help. 

After a few awkward seconds of negotiating the book into her hands, her hands into a place where she could read and hug Emma upright and her bag back onto her shoulders she managed to get her shit together and flip onto the bookmarked page for the next cantrip.

Vicious Mockery, the title read.

Immediately, her eyes darted to the right, where Taylor was walking beside Lae’zel.

Madison winced and with a sickening twist of her stomach, quickly turned the page to the following one called ‘Mage Hand’

But even so, the guilt squirmed and churned in her gut now.

She’d… tried to talk to Taylor, more than once, but Taylor barely let her ever get a word in edgewise before she either started talking with someone else, or doing something or, if all else failed just sticking a bee in Madison’s face like she had yesterday.

It was clear she didn’t want to talk, not with any of them and Madison couldn’t really blame her. Especially with Sophia being… well… Sophia.

 On the one hand Madison wanted to respect the need for space especially with everything including what she saw from Taylor just yesterday but on the other- she couldn’t really fix things or even just do the bare minimum of apologising if things kept going like this…

She didn’t know what to do. Hell, she didn’t even really know what the right thing was right now. 

“Interesting-”

Durge’s voice made Madison look up, pulling her from her thoughts as she saw the white Dragonborn kneeling on the ground, tail curling to his left as he examined… a dead boar?

“Drained of blood.” She heard him say. 

“Think it was the redcaps?” Karlach asked, axe across her shoulders and both hands hanging from each end of it. 

“Probably.” Astarion remarked. “Nothing says the little beasties are limited to our blood to sustain themselves. Animals will do just fine.”

“Hrm.” The sound Durge made was contemplative, and he passed his hand over the boar. “Only been dead for a few hours at most, Two puncture wounds.”

“Puncture wounds?” Wyll asked. “That sounds like-”

“A vampire, yes.” The Dragonborn nodded.

As Madison gaped, she heard Shadowheart curse something under her breath. “As if we didn’t have enough problems.”

“Wait-” She looked towards the half elf. “Vampires are real!?”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Taylor throwing her hands up. “Of. Fucking. Course.”

“Honestly- does your world have any dangers!?” Shadowheart accused with a dry look. 

“Excuse us for being the normal ones.” Sophia answered.

Taylor just buried her face into her hands… and started giggling again. 

Or… maybe sobbing… 

—

They nearly stopped to make camp again, and the only reason they didn’t, was because they found the hut as they climbed the dry hill they were going to make camp at.

They found it by the glimmer of firelight in the distance. The orange flame flickering through the brambles of dead foliage and thick fog

They were tired, exhausted even, but all thoughts of camping were thrown out of the window by that point, mostly because Lae’zel of all people made a really good point.

“You would make camp in sight of the enemy where you’d alert it to your approach?”

And the thought of backtracking through the mud and the sludge was no one’s idea of a good time.

So… exhausted or not, tired or not, they kept going.

Every step closer Madison felt her insides twisting into knots and the shadow of the teahouse seemed to twist and writhe in the Gloom, like a serpent shifting in shadow.

When they finally drew close however, Durge paused about fifty or so feet away from the door, beckoning Taylor closer. 

“What can you sense?”

“Two people.” Taylor said, her features scrunching up. “I think they’re… eating? One is eating at least.”

“Can you describe the layout?”

Taylor nodded, then, knelt down. “Need a light.”

Gale, who had been standing just behind her, obliged, a pale light blooming at the end of his staff like a torch as Taylor began to draw with her finger in the soft mud.

Lae’zel, Wyll, Sophia and Karlach hovered over her, each one looking down at the hastily drawn map. Madison was curious too, but… held back. She didn’t want to get in the way.

“Sort of a spiral, tired staircase kind of shape.” Taylor said. “Fireplace is the lowest point, going Clockwise it gets higher, entrance, balcony, what I think is a storage area and finally a bed room at the top.”“Alright.” Durge nodded. “Assume one of the people within is the Hag, Karlach, Lae’zel, stay close with me, Shadowheart and Gale, by the door, Wyll, Hess and Astarion, see if you can position yourselves on the higher platforms, get a decent angle to surround her. We can’t take chances.”

“I have a swarm gathering around the house.” Madison heard Taylor say, “In about half a second, I can flood the whole place with everything, but I’m not sure if anything here is poisonous or not.”

“Hags are typically resistant to poison. It's their brews. Vile and noxious things.” Gale explained. “Your swarm would be better off just stinging with everything, give us room to do some damage.”

Even from her angle, Madison saw how Taylor’s lips twisted downward, an irritated frown taking over her expression. But wether that was from Gale saying the Hag was immune to poison or Gale’s comment on them doing the real damage, she wasn’t sure.

As Durge stood up, he walked back towards Madison and Emma, offering a hand to help her down as he pulled free a length of rope from a pack dangling on the Ox’s side to more securely tie Emma to the ox.

“Stay by her.” Durge ordered. “Behind Shadowheart and Gale. Neither of you are fit for combat.”

Madison nodded meekly. She might have learned one spell, but she had no illusions on how much of a deadweight she really was, even in comparison to Emma and that said some shit.

She took hold of the rope Durge handed to her and urged the Ox forward. “Come on Dorothy.”

The white Lizard stiffened and then turned around in askance. “What?”

Madison blinked up at him. “Dorothy… I… thought the Ox could use a name.”

Durge blinked at her. 

Sophia snorted. “You’re such a-”

“I was thinking Sir Loin” Durge remarked 

Madison laughed, a surprised bark of noise before she slapped her hand over her mouth. 

“Sir Loin of the Beef is a fine name.” Wyll chuckled.

“I’m gonna stop you there-” Karlach chuckled. “You really wanna go reminding us of ‘Beef’ every day? When was the last time you had a really good steak?”

Wyll suddenly got a thousand yard stare. “Fair point.”

“They’re not a boy though.” Madison protested.

Durge shrugged. “She doesn’t mind.”

And that was that, the moment of levity was done as he marched forward. “Hands off your weapons, it’s an awkward ambush, but I’d rather keep it as an attempted ambush at the very least.”

The others followed behind him. And Madison was surprised when Taylor fell in step next to her, though in retrospect it made sense, seeing as how she was going to use her bugs and didn’t have a weapon on her. 

As they climbed the steps leading to the old house, Madison felt her heart pounding at a mile a minute in her chest, her palms were sweating and pure dread cloyed her stomach and made her knees shake. 

Then, the doors opened.

“Ahh, Visitors.” Madison heard an old woman’s voice, delighted in its tone. “Unannounced and comin all the way out here for little old me.”

She climbed the steps and could see the group fanning out just like they’d discussed.

The Ox, who’s name was yet to be decided, clopped up the stairs beside her, and when they reached the top of the stairs, Madison finally saw the two occupants.

One was a young woman, ginger, curly hair, sitting at a table overflowing with food, and looking at said food like someone marching to the execution chamber.

The other was an old woman who smiled at them, and when she caught sight of Emma, Madison shuddered at the wicked glint in her eyes. 

“You know why we’re here.” Durge said.

“I can guess.” Ethel answered. “Something to do with that sweet little redhead you’ve got tied to that Ox?” Then, suddenly, she frowned. “By the way, if it shites in here, you all will be pickin it up!”

“This doesn’t need to become unpleasant.” Gale said. “Just remove the curse from the girl. You have no right to damage her mind!”

“Pah!” Ethel laughed. “That girl was already fucked in the head long before I arrived love.” The old woman turned to look at each of them, smiling a cruel smile as her gaze lingered on Sophia, Taylor, Shadowheart and Durge. “In fact, I can say quite a lot of you are fucked in the head. A right cavalcade of loons even before the wrigglers squirmed their way in.” She giggled. High and… almost cartoonish. A caricature from old movies as to what a witch sounded like.

It still made a chill crawl down Madison’s spine. 

“Auntie Ethel?” The woman at the table began to stand. “What’s going on?”

“Oh nothin much dear Mayrina.” ‘Auntie’ said with a smile. “Just some travelers lookin for Auntie’s help just like you.” Ethel sneered. “Travelers that won’t be gettin anythin really. Cause they’ve got nothin Auntie wants.”

Durge frowned, then turned his head as though he only just noticed the other woman. “Oh… so you’re Mayrina?” Durge’s tone was odd, she’d almost call it… amused?. “I don’t suppose Auntie has told you what she did to your Brothers has she?”

For once, the smile fell from the Old woman’s lips. “Shut yer hole!” The old woman growled… were those fangs?

“What? H-how do you know my brothers!?”

Durge turned and looked at Ethel, staring the old woman down, and Madison could detect something of a challenge there.

But then, Wyll cut in. “We found them on the way here.” The man said, his tone remorseful. “I’m sorry but; Ethel fed them to her Red Caps. They’re dead.”

“WHAT!?” Mayrina’s shriek made Madison’s ears ring, the horror in her face and voice were undeniable, all blood draining from her features before she looked to Ethel. “Y-You didn’t!?”

The old woman sneered at her. “They were being rude and I detest rudeness.”

In all of the mayhem, Madison wasn’t sure if the others noticed Durge tossing Wyll an irritated look. 

The tears began to leak from Mayrina’s eyes. “You Monster!?” The woman howled. “The Deal is off!”

“Pah!” Ethel waved a hand through the air, and with a puff of green, toxic looking smoke, Mayrina was… gone… just… completely gone! “I’ll deal with you later, Away with ye. And you-” 

The old woman turned back to Durge and the others; all of whom now had their hands on their weapons. “I’ll teach you why you shouldn’t be stickin that lizard nose in other people’s business!”

There was a sudden pulse smoke beginning to billow around Ethel’s form.

“Take it down!” Durge roared, lightning crackling out of his hands, lancing across the room towards Ethel as Lae’zel and Karlach rushed her and the sudden, deafening buzz of insects became loud all around them.

But the smoke swirled and whorled, dancing past the lightning bolt, flying across the room to appear right infront of Sophia!

The Ward backpedaled, pulling the knife with her right hand as a long, spindly clawed hand whipped out of the smoke towards her. 

Sophia shifted, her form becoming smoke and mist.

The claw hit her anyway.

Madison jumped, Sophia scream of pain as the lightning leapt between droplets of her blood and the crackling tips of the claw arm.

She crashed into the ground, a wound raked across her shoulder and collarbone as Ethel emerged from the cloud of smoke.

She was hideous. Long hooked nose, hunched back, arms reaching down to the floor, a face that looked almost deformed in its proportions. The hag laughed. “Oh so strong you are little Miss Hess. Stephen would be so impressed!”

Madison saw Sophia’s expression turn haunted. An arrow came sailing out of Astarion’s bow, deflected by a translucent shield of magic.

Wyll who was closest placed himself between Ethel and Sophia, a burst of flame blooming out of his hand in a blast of fire, like a napalm grenade went off infront of Ethel’s face.

The Hag shrieked, vanishing in another smoke cloud as the inside of the Teahouse was swarmed with insects.

“Astarion duck!” Taylor shouted and the Elf didn’t need to be told twice, diving forward as something zipped past his head.

“Argh!” Madison heard Ethel scream, seeing her swatting and thrashing amidst the bugs, Astarion trying to line up another shot before a blast of something sent him, and the onrushing Wyll sailing back down the layers of the room to crash into Lae’zel and Durge, Karlach practically dove out of the way of all of them to avoid setting them on fire as she charged Ethel, her every step leaving a smoking footprint in the half rotted wood. 

“Glacius!”

“Te Cur!” 

Gale and Shadowheart’s words spilled from their lips, hands shining with cold and healing magic respectively as a lance of pure cold streaked out from Gale to strike Ethel and a green glow took hold of Sophia’s body, her wounds closing.

Ethel battered aside the lance of ice with her bare hands, Just as Karlach reached her, the massive woman’s axe coming down like a guillotine only for Ethel’s oversized claws to grab it by the neck, matching Karlach’s strength with her own. 

“When I’m done even the hells won’t want ya!” Ethel taunted.

Then, she screamed.

Madison stared, her mind almost stuttering on what she was looking at before she did an immediate double take to her left, confirming that, no, Taylor wasn’t standing there anymore and that she’d somehow, moved clear across the room without practically anyone noticing to Stab Ethel with Sophia’s dropped knife in the Hag’s thigh.

Ethel howled, shoving Karlach off before taking a wild, backhanded swing at Taylor who dodged out of the way by the skin of her teeth.

Ethel stalked forward, swiping again, Taylor ducked under it and lashed out with a kick, and Madison could almost swear her foot was covered in a sort of heat haze.

But the limb was caught before it could connect, Ethel’s clawed hand snatching her strike and yanking her off the floor hand before bodily smashing the girl into Karlach, sending the both of them crashing into the wall before Ethel’s body once again vanished in a cloud of toxic smoke.

“Bye Bye lovelies!”

Madison heard Ethel’s voice, but couldn’t see her anymore, the swarm of insects slowly dissipating as Karlach scrambled to get away from Taylor, now apologising profusely as Taylor writhed and squirmed on the ground her whole back scalded with burns, her shirt gone where she’d made contact with the larger woman. 

“Shit! Shit! I’m so sorry!”

“Shadowheart!” Durge groaned as he got back to his feet. “Heal her!”

Shadowheart nodded, rushing forward, past the mess of bodies that were their companions to make her way over to Taylor. 

“What?” Madison heard Karlach speak leaning close to Taylor as though Taylor was trying to say something.

“FIREPLACE!” Taylor shouted, making Karlach jump. The word was spat like a curse, likely because of the pain. “Not real!”

Gale ran to obey, moving towards the crackling fireplace, the pot still bubbling over the flames.

With a word and a gesture- the illusion fell away, revealing the mouth of a deep, black cave.

Astarion groaned, the back of his head thunking into the floor. “Let me guess. We have to climb down into the pit of death and dread that is the Hag’s lair, don't we? I volunteer Wyll to go first.”

“You’re too kind.” Wyll rolled his shoulder, rubbing the pain away as his bones popped and cracked.

That’s when an army of insects, buzzing, swarming, biting and clawing poured into the hole like a waterfall of chitin and mandibles as Taylor, eyes lighting up in unmistakable fury, started rising to her feet again.

“... I suppose that works too.” Astarion chuckled. 

That’s when Emma began to stir. 

(X)(X)(X)

So... any bets on how fighting a Hag in her lair is gonna go?Fifty bucks says someone is gonna get fucked up! :D