Chapter Text
MC slowly opens her eyes as she sees a tall figure standing over her. It suddenly speaks, revealing a deep masculine British voice.
GHOST: Time to get off the ship. It departs in 5 minutes.
She blinks as she sits up and rubs her eyes, finally getting a good look at him. Her eyes widen as she sees he’s dressed up like the reaper himself. A large black cloak, a jawbone mask, black armored pants and boots.
MC: Are you death? Am I finally going to die in peace?
He tilts his head and gives her an odd look.
GHOST: No, you’re already dead. This is simply a ferry to the afterlife, where your journey’s fate will be determined on who you become.
She narrows her eyes at his statement.
MC: My… what?
GHOST: The name’s Ghost. I’ll be your guardian… Until I’m not.
He turns and starts walking away.
MC sits there on the floor for a moment, staring at Ghost as he walks away. She finds herself strangely intrigued by him, especially his deep voice. He seemed cold and indifferent to her situation, but that only made her even more curious.
She gets up to her feet and follows after him, her steps a bit shaky.
She follows him off the ship, and there seems to be some kind of checkpoint camp up ahead. A pale blonde woman with no eyes speaks up to her.
EYELESS: Name?
MC: Um, I don’t have a name.
EYELESS: You don’t have a name? Everyone has a name. How old are you, kid?
MC: (rolls her eyes) I’m actually 25. What’s it to you?
EYELESS: I just find it surprising, is all. Most people have names.
MC: I don’t have a name because I don’t exist. So there’s that.
EYELESS: (chuckles) How can you be talking to me if you don’t exist?
MC: I may be standing here and speaking, but that doesn’t mean I truly exist. I only matter in the moment, but not when I’m gone.
Ghost gets slightly irritated by the sudden philosophical talk. He doesn’t have time for that, so he just gives her a name instead.
GHOST: Just call her MC. Let’s move it along already.
EYELESS: Alright, if you say so. Now hurry along, we get a ton of these people here.
No more stalling or chatting.
The eyeless woman waves her hand, signaling for MC and Ghost to move past the checkpoint. After the two walk past, MC raises a brow at Ghost.
MC: And who gave you the right to give me a name, huh?
GHOST: (rolls his eyes) We need to keep moving, and I don’t have time to waste. I have more subjects that need to be moved as well.
MC: (scoffs) Well, sorry I’m such an inconvenience to you. It seems no matter if I’m dead or alive, people still can’t fucking stand me.
Ghost stops walking for a moment at this comment, pausing to look back at her with an impassive look behind his mask.
GHOST: You care way too much about what people think of you. It sounds like that was one of your problems when you were alive.
Her expression goes from slightly pissed to caught off guard. Her eyes widen a bit as she just stares at him. This made her feel… uncomfortable. The way he just read her like that with barely any effort. This made her feel weird, and she didn’t like that he was able to see through her so easily.
GHOST: I’m right, aren’t I? You were probably insecure and let people walk all over you. Well, things are different down here. If you don’t learn how to grow a spine, it won’t be long before something eats you up. Let’s keep moving.
He resumes walking.
She follows him again, feeling annoyed and slightly flustered. This guy knows nothing about her, yet he had her all figured out. It was like he could read her like a book. No one had ever been able to do that before. She hates it, yet she felt also feels strangely attracted to him.
They eventually arrive at a giant gate. Ghost’s eyes glow a bright white as the gates open, the metal creaking loudly.
MC: (looks around in awe) What is this place?
GHOST: This is as far as I go for now. You’re on your own until then.
Her eyes widen again at this.
MC: What do you mean I’m on my own?! You can’t just leave me here!
Her anxiety starts to rise as she steps forward, reaching out towards him. He steps back away from her and puts his hands in his pockets.
GHOST: I have other responsibilities to tend to, and you’re not special. I don’t have time to stay with every single person who comes here. Just follow the path like everyone else. Good luck.
With that, he suddenly vanishes into a dark cloud of smoke.
She feels her heart start to race as panic rises rise inside her. The familiar feeling of isolation starts to return. He just left her alone and vanished without even caring. This made her feel even more angry, frustrated, and hurt. She clenches her firsts, taking several deep breaths to try and calm herself down. She looks back at the gate, her stomach starting to twist with anxiety. She gulps and turns back to the path. The only way out is forward, she guesses.
She takes a few more deep breaths to calm herself down before heading forward on the path. The path is surrounded by many dark twisted trees that seem to go on for miles. MC hugs her arms around herself, starting to shiver a little bit out of fear and nervousness. The trees and dark sky above cause her to feel uneasy. As she walks, she catches movement out the corner of her eye. She looks over towards it, but only sees trees. She shakes it off and continues walking.
But as she walks, she starts to notice more skeletons and scattered bones. The sight gives her goosebumps. They seem to be scattered at random, with at least one every few steps she takes. She tries to keep her cool, pretending they’re not there at all as she continues down the path. That’s when she suddenly hears a wolf howl in the distance.
The howl made her entire body tense up instantly. She stops in her tracks, the sound sending chills down her spine. She looks around and listens, trying to tell which direction the howl came from. Suddenly, a black figure runs past her. MC jumps back in fear at the sudden figure, her heart pounding in her chest. She looks in the direction it ran, trying to see where it went. But it was no longer there, having vanished into the dark trees. Not risking it, she starts running. She runs as fast she can, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She doesn’t look back over her shoulder, afraid of what she’ll see.
That’s when she suddenly hears the groan of another man somewhere nearby. Her eyes widen as she thinks for a moment. It’s possible it could be a trap, but at the same time, what if there was someone really in danger? She decides to reluctantly follow the sound where it came from. As she follows the sound, she suddenly comes upon a cemetery. There, she finds a group of strange pale people surrounding a man. But not just any man. It was Leon Kennedy himself. MC’s eyes widen as she lays upon the most attractive white boy she’s ever seen in her life.
Leon is on his knees with his arms restrained behind his back by the strange pale people. His jacket, belt, and weapons are nowhere to be seen, and he looks absolutely pissed. Despite this, his eyes still manage to scan the area, trying his best to analyze the situation. Astarion, a pale elf with curly white hair, suddenly steps out of the midst and smirks as he speaks to Leon.
ASTARION: Look at what we found here, boys. Quite the specimen, isn’t he?
The pale people chuckle and murmur their agreement, and MC can tell they’re eyeing Leon like a piece of meat.
Leon responds defiantly, and MC sees he’s another American like her.
LEON: I know what you losers are. You don’t scare me one bit.
ASTARION: Awe, someone has a little attitude.
Astarion suddenly steps behind Leon and grabs his chin roughly, yanking up his face to lock eyes with him. Astarion grins again, his fangs becoming visible.
ASTARION: Tell me, pretty boy. Have you ever encountered a vampire before?
Leon glares up at him and speaks through gritted teeth.
LEON: Unfortunately, I have. And I blew their head clean off their puny shoulders.
Astarion chuckles and releases Leon's chin. He circles in front of him, examining his attire and physique.
ASTARION: Such a brazen young man. So confident, so arrogant… and so attractive, might I add.
The other pale people snicker, and Leon narrows his eyes in annoyance, glaring at Astarion coldly.
PETRAS: I think the master is going to be pleased with this find.
ASTARION: That he will.
He walks back over and crouches down in front of Leon, examining him closely. His hand slowly reaches out and grabs Leon by the jaw again, pulling him closer.
ASTARION: You should consider yourself lucky, handsome. The master has quite…expensive tastes. And he’s been quite hungry as of recently.
MC narrows her eyes as she watches this interaction play out from behind the large tombstone nearby. She doesn’t know what these people are, but they definitely don’t seem friendly. Suddenly, they all collectively lift up Leon as he tries to struggle.
Leon continues to glare defiantly as he’s suddenly lifted up. He starts struggling with more desperation, trying to wrangle himself free.
LEON: Get your goddamn hands off me, freaks!
The pale people snicker at his struggle and tighten their grip on Leon’s arms. Astarion smirks and pats the back of his head mockingly.
ASTARION: You’re cute when you’re angry, you know. Shame that fire in your eyes won’t be there once the master's finished with you.
They suddenly speed run off so fast that MC wouldn’t have been able to catch it if not for Leon’s yells. MC knows she has to try and save that guy from these people somehow. She decides to run after them, using Leon’s voice as her guide. She follows them through the forest, doing her best to keep a low profile. It’s very difficult, as she has to duck behind trees and avoid tripping or falling. Eventually, she finds the group bringing Leon through a gated area. Beyond that, there’s an outline of a giant castle.
MC watches from a distance behind a tree, observing the castle. It looks old, decrepit, and ominous as hell. It looks like something out of a horror film. Leon is now being carried into the castle, still struggling. His desperate and angry yells can still be heard by her. As the gate slams shut, she slowly walks over it and tries to open it, but it doesn’t budge. There’s also no lock or anyone that looks like it can be opened.
MC tries yanking on the gate with all her strength, but it still doesn’t give an inch. It’s clear that there’s no way in from here. She starts feeling a small wave of panic rise up inside of her. She looks around, trying to find another way in. Conviently, there was a little skeleton dog burrowing a hole through the gate not too far away. MC’s expression immediately lights up as she notices the dog. It’s narrow, but it seems big enough for an average person to slip through. This seems like her only chance to get inside. She walks over and kneels down, holding out her hand to pet the dog. The dog pauses from digging and leans forward to sniff her hand. It tilts its head to the side and lets out an adorable little whine. MC smiles and pets its head, feeling its bones and smooth skull. It feels strange at first, to pet a literal skeleton without any fur on its body, but its cute nonetheless.
She then starts helping the dog dig deeper with her bare hands. They both collectively dig, and the hole starts to grow bigger and wider. Eventually, it becomes big enough for her to be able to squeeze through. MC smiles in satisfaction, and the dog seems satisfied as well, sitting back as it watches her. MC carefully gets down on her stomach and begins to squeeze through the hole. It takes some wiggling and pushing from her shoulders, but she soon manages to make it to the other side. The dog soon follows after her.
Once the dog and MC make it through the other side, she stands up and dusts off her dress. The castle is right in front of her now, only a few yards away. It looks even more imposing close up. She takes a deep breath to try and steel her nerves, before carefully making her way over to it. The dog sniffs the ground as it follows after her. She notices the dog sniffs the bushes area before going into it, and for some reason, decides to follow after it. She gets taken through a long bushy area, before coming into what appears to be a courtyard. There’s the sound of a violin and piano nearby.
MC slowly creeps out of the bushes, being careful to stay out of sight as she approaches the music. The dog still follows after her, keeping low as well. The music is beautiful to her ears. But therens also this nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach, like there’s something dangerous nearby. She ignores it, instead letting her curiosity win over. She rounds a corner, and finds the source of the music. She sees a group of masked people all dancing in sync with each other. It was strangely hypnotic, as if she wanted to dance with them too, forever. But to her surprise, the dog runs inside past the dancers. This snaps her back to reality, and she quickly runs after it.
The dog keeps running ahead of her, barking in the distance. MC continues to follow it, wondering what’s drawing its attention. The dog then comes to a sudden stop in front of a window. She walks over to it and her eyes widen as she sees a narrow walkway, followed by another building. Through another window, she can see a tall black-haired man, who then moves away, revealing Leon who is still restrained. He is then dragged away by his hair.
MC gasps as she sees Leon being dragged away. Anger sparks up in her chest at the sight, and before she even realizes it, a new drive overtakes her. She doesn’t even know him, but she isn’t gonna let these freaks hurt him. She has to find a way to save him. But when she turns around, she finds Astarion standing right behind her.
Astarion stands there, a devious smirk on his face as he stares down at her. He speaks with a hint of mockery, as if already knowing what she plans to do.
ASTARION: Now what do we have here, a pretty little thing who has somehow found her way inside?
MC glares up at him defiantly, her hands clenching into fists. She refuses to be intimidated, even though her heart is pounding in her chest.
MC: I’m here to save my damn friend. Now get out of my way, freak!
Astarion simply chuckles at this, amused by her fierce attitude. He crosses his arms, looking her over.
ASTARION: How cute. You’re a feisty one, aren’t you? But you seem to be terribly, terribly confused, my dear. Your so-called friend the master’s now, and I’d advise you to not interfere.
She stands her ground. She has no idea who this man is, but his condescending tone and cruel words only spur her anger.
MC: You wanna know what I think about you and your ‘‘master’’?!
She suddenly kicks him in the balls, then turns and runs away, the dog following after her. Astarion doubles over in pain, cursing as he clutches his crushed nuts. He grits his teeth, feeling fury build in his chest. He gets to his feet, shouting after her.
ASTARION: You little wench! I won’t be humiliated like this!
He takes off after her. Despite his pain, he ignores it and lets his anger towards her fuel him. She may have caught him by surprise, but he won’t let her escape. MC runs through a ballroom with a strange chesspiece tile floor. She suddenly trips on the hem of her dress, and shrieks as she falls flat on her face. Astarion catches up to her just in time to see her trip. He bursts out laughing, standing over her with an amused smirk.
ASTARION: Well well, look at this. Caught so easily, and so adorably clumsy. Like a little mouse when it tries to run from the cat.
MC groans and grumbles, trying to get back on her feet. The dog goes running around her in a worried frenzy. Suddenly, a hand roughly grabs a fistful of her hair, yanking her up to her feet. MC gasps as she is yanked upwards, only to stare directly into Astarion’s cold, piercing red eyes.
Astarion grins cruelly as he tightens his grip on her hair, forcing her to look at him. He speaks in a deep and low cold tone.
ASTARION: Look at you, trying to play hero and be brave, only to trip and fall almost immediately. You might be more of a pathetic fool than I first thought. I think the master is going to have a lot of fun with you, mousey.
MC winces in pain from his tight grip on her hair, but she refuses to let any fear show in her expression. She glares up at him defiantly.
MC: Let go, asshole! I’d rather die than be used for your ‘‘master's’’ entertainment!
Astarion’s grin falters as he narrows his eyes at her.
ASTARION: I would be careful for what you wish for, darling.
He then begins dragging her away. The skeleton dog watches in shock, but he isn’t about to abandon his new friend. He stealthily follows after them.
Astarion drags the MC all the way to Cazador’s throne room, where Leon is also waiting.
ASTARION: Master, look what I found. The princess has come to save her precious boyfriend.
She yelps as he tosses her on the ground next to Leon.
MC: (grits her teeth) HE’S NOT MY BOYFRIEND! I SAW HIM BE KIDNAPPED BY YOU FREAKS SO I CAME TO SAVE HIM!
Leon glares at Astarion, his eyes full of hatred.
LEON: You sonuvabitch! Let her go! She has nothing to do with this bullshit! You can take me, but leave her out of it!
Suddenly, a loud and deeper voice nearly shouts.
CAZADOR: Silence!
Everyone goes silent as Cazador emerges from the shadows, slowly approaching them. Leon and MC watch him warily. Even Astarion stands at attention.
Leon tries to loosen the restraints behind his back, but to no avail. He continues to glare at Cazador as the vampire Lord walks up to them. Cazador then looks down at the two captives with an air of smug superiority, and lets out a soft chuckle.
CAZADOR: You have outdone yourself this time, Astarion. I am very pleased. (extends his arms as he smirks) Now we can finally hold the Black Mass!
Astarion and the other vampires’ eyes light up.
PETRAS: I have been waiting for this moment! To be able to finally walk in the sun again!
Leon grits his teeth, his hands clenching into fists.
LEON: Don’t you dare! Whatever sick ritual you freaks are planning, don’t involve the goddamn girl! She has nothing to do with this!
Cazador looks back at down at him. After a moment of silence, he speaks again.
CAZADOR: You remind me of my younger self. A man who was once a naive fool. Always putting others over my own needs. That is what cost me everything.
Leon scoffs as he glares up at Cazador defiantly.
LEON: There is nothing foolish about having empathy and caring for others. That was the only thing I was good at! At least I wasn’t a damn leech.
CAZADOR: Is my bloodlust so different from the ones you answer to? The ones who starts meaningless wars, allowing mass deaths, every single day, all for the sake of greed.
Leon narrows his eyes as he listens to Cazador’s words. He hates to admit it, but in a twisted way, the vampire lord’s words make sense. The military and Umbrella has its own share of dark secrets that the public knows nothing about. But he refuses to show or even acknowledge that he somewhat understands where Cazador is coming from. He simply grits his teeth, unable to think of a response.
MC suddenly scoffs as she speaks up again.
MC: Give me a fucking break. You sound like my abuser. Always pretending he knew how I felt, trying to relate his similarities to mine because I was daughter. It’s just manipulative gaslighting. No one’s falling for that.
Astarion’s eyes widen slightly as MC opens up about her past. He frowns a little, knowing that Cazador is no different. But he has been Cazador’s slave for so long, that rebellion feels like a foreign concept at this point. Leon glances at MC out of the corner of his eye, a bit surprised to hear her say that. That comment had to have come from personal experience. He can only imagine what kind of past she might have. It only made him feel more worried for her.
Cazador narrows his eyes at MC, displeased with her words. But instead of lashing out, he takes a deep breath and composes himself, keeping a calm expression.
CAZADOR: You and I have more in common than you think, young girl. You and I have both been victims of manipulation and abuse. That I understand well.
Leon narrows his eyes at this. It almost sounds like Cazador is trying to relate to MC, and trying to gain her sympathy in the process.
MC: (sarcastically chuckles) Nah, we’re not the same, not in the slightest. But keep telling yourself that, old man.
This time, Leon smirks slightly at her comment. She’s got an attitude on her, and isn’t afraid to speak he mind. He also finds it sweet that she’s trying to stand up for both him and herself.
Cazador’s face twitches in irritation at her insult, but he keeps his composure.
CAZADOR: You seem much braver when you have your heroic little boyfriend nearby, hm?
MC doesn’t let his remarks get to her.
MC: Well, someone’s gotta be the man around here. And I don’t mind wearing the balls from time to time.
Astarion tries to suppress a smile, finding her sassy responses quite funny. Leon smirks a bit more, amused by her comment as well. Even Cazador seems slightly amused by her boldness, although it’s clearly starting to annoy him the more she talks.
CAZADOR: (smirks) Well, my dear, perhaps we’ll see how manly you are as you watch your boyfriend die for a greater cause. For I will become the Vampire Ascendant, and you—My consort.
Leon and MC's eyes both widen in shock. Leon's smirk falls instantly as his blood runs cold.
LEON: The hell she is! You keep your hands the hell off her, you fucking piece of trash!
Leon tugs at the restraints, rage now filling his veins. He has a look of pure anger on his face, like he’s ready to rip Cazador apart for even suggesting it.
Cazador rolls his eyes as he turns away and dismisses them with a wave of his hand.
CAZADOR: Get them out of my sight. Bring the boy to the kennel, and have the girl prepared for the ceremony.
Astarion nods as him and the other male vampires grab Leon, roughly dragging him away. Leon squirms wildly, trying to break free as he continues yelling.
LEON: Get off! Get your goddamn hands off me, you goddamn bastard! And you leave her alone!! I swear to God, if you and your freaks lay a single finger on her-!!!
Leon is dragged out of the room, kicking and screaming. MC can only watch, her hands clench into fists, her stomach twisting from anxiety annd fear about what will become of him. She also feels a wave of anger over the fact that she was now going to be forced to become Cazador's bride. She glares up at him defiantly, refusing to say anything as she tries to keep her expression fierce.
MC continues to glare at Cazador as the vampire ladies take hold of her arms, dragging her out of the room. The fact that he didn’t even look at her again only made her angrier. And she couldn’t do anything but allow herself to be dragged. She clenches her jaw and tries to stay as defiant as possible, even though deep down, she is panicking.
MC doesn’t say anything the entire time as the vampire women work on her. She’s too busy thinking about Leon. Is he okay? Where did they take him? And how long would it take for the ritual to start? The thought of being forced to be with Cazador as his ‘‘consort’’ is making her feel sick to her stomach. She suddenly snaps out of her thoughts as one of the women grabs her by the chin and starts applying some makeup around her eyes. She clenches her fists tightly, barely keeping her irritation down.
Suddenly, the door slowly opens, and Astarion walks in wearing a black suit. He looks at MC silently for a moment, taking in the red wedding gown that will fit Cazador’s wedding theme. He couldn’t deny she was beautiful. Way too beautiful to be forced into the life he was forced in.
For some reason, a part of him doesn’t like seeing her this way. He feels an unfamiliar feeling, an odd desire to protect her from this fate. But that’s absurd. Why should he care? Why is he suddenly feeling this way? He’s never once cared about anyone, so why now?
He quickly composes himself and speaks up as he walks closer.
ASTARION: You look lovely in red, darling.
MC tenses up as she hears his voice. She scowls but remains silent, not wanting to speak to him.
Astarion stands next to her as his eyes roam over her form, the dress accentuating her large curves. He feels a small pang in his chest from seeing her like this, and he hates it. He reaches out and runs his fingers through the braid of her hair slowly, as if it’s an expensive piece of silk. He tries to speak with a playful tone, hiding the odd feeling in his chest.
ASTARION: You’re going to be quite a pretty prize for the master.
MC’s reply shocks Astarion to his core.
MC: Is that also what you are? Another prized possession?
Suddenly, anger flares inside of Astarion from her comment. How DARE she suggest that he is in ANY way comparable to the other spawn? He grips the braid tightly in his hand, yanking her head back to look up at him. He speaks in a low tone, his red eyes narrowed.
ASTARION: I am not a prize, nor am I a possession. I am the master’s favorite. His most loyal, and most trusted lieutenant. To even compare me to the others… that is a grave insult!
MC grunts in pain as Astarion yanks her head back. She glares daggers at him, but doesn’t show any fear. Despite the fact that he currently has the upper hand, that he has control, she refuses to show any weakness.
MC: Favorite? You mean ‘‘favorite pet.’’ That’s not exactly the flex you think it is.
Astarion glares down at her as he continues to grip her braid tightly. Every word she says fuels his anger more and more. Especially the “favorite pet” comment. That one particularly hurts, in a deep, painful kind of way. To hear the harsh truth of his miserable existence being voiced so coldly and bluntly is irritating.
He speaks in a low tone, his fingers tightening on her hair.
ASTARION: Watch your filthy mouth. Or have you become too comfortable with your leash?
MC winces but still doesn’t back down.
MC: The only leash I see here is the one around your neck, Astarion.
Astarion feels another pang of pain shoot through his chest from her response. Why, oh WHY, did he suddenly feel so damn bothered by someone like her? He should be laughing and taunting her, enjoying the sight of her being humiliated before him. So why was he feeling like this?
He suddenly yanks her head back even harder, almost too roughly, causing MC to yelp. He smirks down at her, trying to act confident.
ASTARION: You’ve got quite the tongue on you, mousey. Too bad your pretty voice will be ripped away once you belong to the master.
MC: Just like yours was ripped away from you?
Astarion feels his grip loosen on the braid as her words hit him like a punch in the stomach. He hates to admit it, but she’s right. His voice and everything that made him an individual was taken from him when he was turned. But he quickly composes himself, not wanting to show that her comment actually bothered him.
ASTARION: You just don’t know when to shut up, do you?
Suddenly, Dalyria comes in.
DALYRIA: It is time for the wedding. The master wants the bride at the chapel.
Astarion finally releases his grip on the braid, glaring at MC as he straightens up. He still can’t understand why his mood is suddenly so off. Why does this girl rile him up and get under his skin so damn easily?
Astarion’s gaze is cold as he looks down at her.
ASTARION: Off to the wedding you go, mousey. Hope the ceremony is to your liking.
He then forcefully grabs her arm and drags her out of the room.
MC stumbles as Astarion pulls her down the hallway with him. She glares at him the entire time, trying to keep her defiant composure. He keeps a strong grip on her as he guides her to the chapel. Eventually, they reach a large set of double doors with intricate designs carved into it. Astarion isn’t gentle as he opens the door and pushes her inside.
The chapel inside is dark and cold, illuminated only by hundreds of candles, giving the place a haunting and eerie feeling. In the front is a large stone altar, and standing next to it is Cazador. He’s wearing a red suit with a cape. He smirks as he sees her enter the chapel. He speaks with a condescending tone.
CAZADOR: Ah, my beautiful bride arrives. You look ravishing, my dear.
MC feels a shiver go up her spine as Cazador calls her that. She can only glare at him defiantly as Astarion guides her towards the altar to stand next to Cazador. The atmosphere in the chapel only makes her feel more uneasy and agitated. She feels like a trapped animal right now, and there's a strong part of her that wants to flee and run.
Cazador takes one of her arms and guides her up to the altar, standing by her side. He runs his hand over her arm, as if inspecting her like a prized possession.
CAZADOR: Such beautiful, flawless skin. Like porcelain.
Astarion stands next to them, watching the two silently. The fact that MC is now so damn close to Cazador for this sick wedding makes him feel oddly tense. MC feels a wave of repulsion wash over her as Cazador touches her. The way he looks at her and speaks in such an objectifying manner makes her blood boil. She hates every second of this. She can only imagine what kind of sick and twisted things he’s thinking about right now. As Cazador continues to gawk at her, MC shoots a quick glare at Astarion, noticing how he’s watching the two silently.
A bald vampire priest suddenly comes over and begins reciting the stuff she would hear in movies. It was as if this abusive maniac was trying to have a normal life for some reason. Cazador keeps a tight grip on her arm. MC feels like he’s trying to show her off like a trophy instead of a person. Like some object to be admired. She’s so distracted by her own anger and repulsion that she barely even hears the priest’s words. All she feels is dread for the moment when it’s time for the inevitable ‘‘I do’’ bullshit.
As Astarion continues to watch, he gets momentary flashbacks to being the whimsical and flamboyant man he was before he became a monster. He knows that will be the MC’s fate if no one intervenes. No one ever came for him, so why should he care, right? But yet, he finds himself walking over to a goblet of holy water, picking it up, and then growls as he suddenly douses Cazador with it, temporarily blinding him for a few minutes.
Cazador is completely taken by surprise as the holy water hits his face. He lets out a sound that's a mix between a gasp and a snarl, and quickly lets go of MC. He brings his hands up to his face and starts rubbing it frantically as he lets out another snarl.
CAZADOR: Astarion, you treacherous bastard! What do you think you are doing?!
Astarion doesn’t respond as he suddenly grabs MC’s hand and starts running out of the room with her. MC’s eyes widen with surprise and confusion as Astarion grabs her hand and takes off running. But she recovers quickly and immediately runs with him, not wanting to stay in this hellhole one moment longer. She can hear loud shouts behind them, and the sound of Astarion’s name being called out angrily by Cazador and the vampire guards.
ASTARION: I know where Leon is being kept! We need to find him and get him out of here too!
MC keeps running alongside Astarion as he leads her through the winding halls of the castle. She nods, knowing that Leon has to be saved too.
MC: Alright, lead the way!
As they sprint through the halls, they can hear the loud shouting and angry voices of Cazador and the guards approaching behind them. The sound makes MC’s heart race, and her adrenaline spikes even more. She tries to keep up with Astarion, doing her best not to trip or stumble over the long wedding gown.
Astarion keeps running, leading her down a long winding corridor. They make several turns, trying to elude the guards and throw them off their trail. MC struggles to keep up with Astarion’s long legs, but she keeps pace with him somehow, adrenaline fueling her. Eventually, he leads her to a closed door. He quickly tries to open it, trying to find a way to get through.
ASTARION: Damn it! It’s locked!
MC: Shit!
They both stand there, feeling defeated. Is this how her journey truly ends for her. Just as they thought it was truly over for them, MC suddenly hears a familiar bark. It was the skeleton dog she met earlier. MC’s eyes instantly light up as she hears the familiar bark. She whips around just in time to see the skeleton dog rounding the corner. Seeing the dog makes her feel a sense of relief, and she immediately kneels down and calls out to it.
MC: Here, boy! Come here, boy!
The dog’s tail wags excitedly, and he begins running over to MC as fast as his little skeleton legs will take him. MC quickly scoops him up into her arms, feeling more at ease as she holds him. As she stands back up, Astarion turns to her in frustration, and speaks in a hurried and exasperated tone.
ASTARION: Alright, so now what? That little skeleton dog can’t exactly pick the lock!
MC: (rolls and narrows her eyes) You think I don’t know that?!
Astarion glares at her, feeling irritated by her attitude towards him. He's trying to save them, dammit, and this is how she acts?!
ASTARION: Well, unless you have some kind of brilliant idea, I don’t see how we’re going to get the hell out of here!
Cazador’s guards finally find them. This catches the dog’s attention.
GUARD: Return to Lord Cazador at once, Astarion! Or face his wrath!
Astarion grits his teeth, glaring at the approaching guards. He takes a step closer to MC, trying to put himself between her and the guards.
ASTARION: I’d like to see you bastards try!
The guards begin surrounding them, and some of them start to approach them. Astarion's hands curl into fists, preparing to fight.
The skeleton dog feels MC’s fear. The dog turns its head towards the guards, and then suddenly leaps out of her hands.
MC: (eyes widen) Hey! Where are you going, boy?!
But to MC and Astarion’s shock, the dog’s eyes start glowing white as the dog transforms into a giant skeleton wolf.
MC’s eyes widen even more in disbelief as she sees the dog transform into a giant skeleton wolf. She takes a step back, completely stunned by the spectacle in front of her. What the hell was going on?The guards also stop and stare in shock, completely taken off guard. They have never seen anything like this before. Astarion also can’t believe his eyes. Where the hell had this thing come from?
The wolf lets out a howl before charging at them at incredible speed. The sudden charge of the giant skeleton wolf catches everyone off guard. The guards cry out in surprise before the wolf collides into them, knocking them all on their backs. MC takes this opportunity to grab Astarion by the hand.
MC: Come on! Now’s our chance to run!
And without another word, MC takes off running this time, dragging Astarion along with her.
After running through more labyrinths, they manage to come upon another one of Cazador’s kennels. But it wasn’t just any kennel, it was the one that Cazador had the victims of the spawns in. Astarion freezes as he sees all the people in the cages, many of them his.
MC’s eyes widen as she spots Leon in the last one.
MC: LEON! YOU’RE ALIVE!
She runs over as she sees he hasn’t been bitten, but was terribly beaten.
Leon is on the ground, bleeding heavily and barely holding himself up. He looks like an utter mess, his uniform torn and dirty. His face and arms are bruised and bloodied, but he manages to smile weakly when he sees that MC finally shows up. He speaks with a small grunt, as even talking is painful.
LEON: Oh thank god, I was wondering if I would be stuck in this damn cage forever.
MC: Don’t worry, we’re gonna help you! Astarion, help me get this cage open!
But Astarion is frozen in place as he stares at one of the cages. He see a familiar face. It was Sebastian, his first victim, and someone he was genuinely attracted to. Sebastian slowly lifts up his head as his eyes widen in recognition.
SEBASTIAN: You… I know you.
MC stops as she looks over at them, now confused by what’s happening. Leon is also confused on why Astarion is with me.
Astarion is still frozen in place for a moment, looking like a deer in the headlights. He hasn’t seen Sebastian in over 2 centuries, and the fact that he’s now right in front of him, another vampire locked up by Cazador, it’s all too much to process. He finally finds his voice, feeling strangely choked all of a sudden.
ASTARION: S-sebastian? I thought you were dead…
He slowly walks over to the cage.
Sebastian’s gaze hardens.
SEBASTIAN: You were the one from the tavern. You smiled and joked and got me drunk. You called me so many sweet things… My name sounded like a lyric on your tongue.
ASTARION: (frowns) You were handsome. Shy. You’d never been kissed.
SEBASTIAN: You taught me how. And then you destroyed me.
Sebastian growls as he lunges at the cage door, but Astarion quickly dodges.
MC and Leon continue to watch silently, listening to their exchange. Neither of them has any idea of what Astarion’s past was like. MC can feel a strange knot twisting in her stomach as she sees the odd emotions going through Astarion’s expression. He looks torn between anger and distress.
Sebastian slowly falls to his knees. Astarion’s gaze remains fixed on Sebastian.
ASTARION: It can’t be.
MC speaks up again.
MC: Astarion… Who is he?
Astarion doesn’t want to reveal his victims, but he knows there’s no turning back now.
ASTARION: He was one of the first victims I found for Cazador.
Leon narrows his eyes as he starts to puts the puzzle together. Astarion and the other vampires were most likely collecting victims for Cazador.
MC also takes note of this, realizing that the victims were collected in order to be victimized. The more she learns about Astarion, the more she is starting to question her earlier assumption of him being a person who can be trusted.
Astarion decides to reveal the truth.
ASTARION: They’re my conquests. I pursued them, seduced them, and brought them back to Cazador. He told us he was feeding on them. But it seems he turned them all into spawn.
Sebastian suddenly speaks up again.
SEBASTIAN: He made all of us vampires. He plans to sacrifice us all for the Black Mass.
MC: (eyes widen) Wait a minute, what?
Astarion’s eyes widen in shock.
ASTARION: What did you say? The Black Mass? Cazador is planning a ritual for it?
SEBASTIAN: We’re all going to die so he can become the Vampire Ascendant.
Leon goes on high alert, realizing Cazador is planning a genocide. He suddenly starts tugging harshly at the cage bars, desperate for release.
LEON: That sick bastard, we have to stop him!
MC looks at Astarion intently.
MC: Astarion. We can’t just let these people be sacrificed and killed for that abusive asshole. Are you willing to stand up and help us kill this guy?
Astarion stands there for a moment in silent contemplation. A part of him wants to say no, to walk away, to save himself. But another part of him, the tiny glimmer of his old self that used to care for others, can’t allow all those other victims to be sacrificed. And he can’t let that monster have what he wants. And the fact that both MC and Leon, who had been nothing but defiant towards him, were now actually asking for his help… It made him feel oddly touched. He takes a deep breath.
ASTARION: …Fine.
MC: Then help me get Leon out of here.
Astarion sighs as he walks over and uses his claws to open the cage. Leon quickly crawls out of the cage, and MC helps him stand up. His legs are still pretty weak from the beating he endured, and he has to lean on her for support as he limps. Astarion takes in the sight of Leon holding onto MC for support. Strangely, he feels a pang of jealousy. Why can’t it be him holding onto her like that instead? He quickly shoves the weird feeling down, trying to ignore it.
MC then looks over at Sebastian.
MC: Sebastian, do you know where this ritual Cazador is planning will take place?
Sebastian then points to the large doors behind them.
SEBASTIAN: In there.
Astarion looks over at the massive double doors Sebastian is pointing to. He has to resist the urge to go charging in through those doors right now and tear Cazador apart. He needs to think rationally here. He turns to Leon.
ASTARION: Can you walk?
Leon scoffs, though his body is clearly in pain as he limps still.
LEON: Hell no. I can barely stand, not to mention walk.
MC: (frowns) Looks like it’s gonna be you and I doing the fighting here, Astarion.
Astarion looks like he wants to argue against that statement, but Leon and the other captives are all unable to fight for themselves. Begrudgingly, he decides to go along with it.
ASTARION: Damn it, fine. Just try not to slow me down, all right?
MC: (rolls her eyes) Hope you still remember how to throw a punch.
Astarion rolls his eyes too at her response, but he can’t help but smirk at the same time. Even in a life or death situation, she still has the attitude to sassing him. He has to admit, she’s pretty damn amusing.
ASTARION: Just try not get yourself killed first, mousey.
They both open the doors and help bring Leon with them. The smell of decay instantly hits their nostrils. As they look around, they see Astarion’s siblings bound half-naked by strange glowing red energy. And there in the center, in his black suit, was Cazador.
CAZADOR: (to Astarion) Look at you, returning after betraying your own family. You should be on your knees begging for our forgiveness!
Astarion glares over at Cazador defiantly, his hands balling into fists.
ASTARION: I have nothing to beg for. You think I owe you anything? After you took away my freedom and turned me into one of your toys?
Astarion can feel himself getting angrier just at the sound of Cazador’s stupid voice.
Cazador laughs coldly.
CAZADOR: Oh, my dear boy, I gave you everything. I saved you from a meaningless existence, and turned you into the beautiful thing you are now! And this is the response I get in return? (narrows his eyes) You were nothing, and you still are. It seems that not even undeath could fix you.
MC speaks up, matching his coldness.
MC: Astarion is not your pet, or your slave. He is a person, and even though he might be dead, he’s still breathing, isn’t he? You forced him to serve you like a dog, never thinking that he would end up biting the hand that feeds him. I say it was long overdue
Cazador looks over at MC with an air of arrogance and superiority. He gives her a condescending smirk.
CAZADOR: (chuckles) Oh, how brave you are. And how naïve. I suppose you think you and that pathetic little knight are here to save the day, hm?
MC: You told me that you also experienced abuse. Yet here you are, repeating the cycle of it. In the end, have you truly escaped from your abuser? Or did you just simply replace them?
At that comment, some of Cazador’s composure falters for a moment. A muscle ticks in his jaw as he glares at her, clearly feeling anger building inside of him.
CAZADOR: How dare you. You know nothing about me.
MC: (crosses her arms) Well, I know one thing. You’re definitely not his ‘‘family.’’ You’re a monster.
CAZADOR: What is family, if not the monsters are we obliged to love? That is why he will not last long outside with you. We are his people. This is all he knows. (scoffs) You have been an interesting distraction, no doubt. But your time together is over.
MC feels a hint of disgust at Cazador’s words. Cazador truly believes that he owns Astarion.
MC: (mockingly) I gotta say. This is not how I expected a custody battle to play out in real life.
Astarion is feeling more and more angrier as he hears his former Master spout his bullshit again. He really can’t believe he ever bought into Cazador calling him his ‘‘adopted son,’’ or calling all his spawn his family. This was the farthest thing from a family that he could imagine. It was nothing more than a prison with pretty ribbons on it. He narrows his eyes as he glares at Cazador.
ASTARION: You really think I will go back with you, don’t you?
Cazador looks back at Astarion.
CAZADOR: Be honest with yourself, boy. Do you truly believe that these humans will bring about your salvation? Once they’ve had enough, they will stake you the first chance they get.
Leon feels his energy slowly returning to him. He feels his anger and adrenaline begin to rise as he hears Cazador’s constant gaslighting. He’s heard enough from too many of his former superiors. Leon stands up shakily, using MC as support. He narrows his eyes as he glares at Cazador.
LEON: You think you are so special and superior, but you are no different from all the tyrants I’ve met. You’re nothing but a damn narcissistic fool, and I’ve met plenty of those.
Cazador turns to Leon. He can see that he’s struggling to stand up straight, still recovering from the beating he endured. He looks amused at Leon’s defiant words.
CAZADOR: Ah, and you, little knight, are a pathetic mess. You think you can help her? You can barely stand on your own. I imagine you will be the first one to go.
Leon narrows his eyes as he gets into his fighting stance.
LEON: Evil has taken residence. I was sent to rid of it.
MC’s eyes widen as she sees Leon regained his energy and will help fight. She gets into a weird fighting stance as well.
Cazador seems amused at this, almost tauntingly so, as his lips turn into a cocky smirk.
CAZADOR: (laughs) What a valiant effort. How heroic. But you are fools to think you can win.
Without warning, Cazador uses Woe to lift Astarion and yoinks him to the center of the room, his shirt being removed in the process as he gets pout into the same red energy binds. His back scars are also finally revealed.
LEON: (scowls as he looks back at MC) Stay close! You have more of a chance helping me fight than doing it alone!
MC snaps out of her brief shock when she hears Leon yell out at her. She quickly composes herself as she nods, her expression becoming determined.
MC: Got it!
Meanwhile, Astarion is struggling to get free of his binds.
ASTARION: Damn it, get this off me!
CAZADOR: (shouts the first part of the ritual) ECCE DOMINUS!
Suddenly, Cazador’s goons come out. From more undead beings to werewolves.
Leon doesn’t hold back as he lunges at one of them, punching it as he sends it flying back. MC’s eyes widen as she sees Leon’s true strength. How in the hell did the vampires from before manage to subdue him? Leon grins as he goes on a fighting spree, punching his opponents and using his kicks to send them flying in all directions. He shows off his acrobatic skills and strong fighting skills as he fights. He knows how to fight, that’s for sure.
MC was so focused on watching Leon fight, she doesn’t see a zombie coming at her. The zombie tries to sneak up on MC from behind. It grabs her by the arm, causing her to cry out in surprise.
MC scowls as she suddenly slaps it.
MC: Don’t touch me you ugly green snotball!
The zombie lets out a loud gurgling noise as she slaps it, making it stagger back. It glares at her through its dull yellow eyes as it starts stumbling towards her again.
She suddenly begins slapping its head multiple times.
MC: Stay back!! Or I’ll kill you!!
The zombie is starting to get annoyed as MC keeps smacking it in the head. It lets out a few angry snarls as it lurches forward, trying to bite MC. But Leon suddenly jumps onto its back, wraps his legs around its head, and twists it off as he eyes widen as she gasps. Leon grunts as he tears off the zombie’s head off. He quickly throws its head into another approaching zombie as it splatters it. MC lets out another gasp of surprise as she sees Leon’s quick thinking.
MC: Wow that was… dramatic and very extra.
Leon then turns to her and grins, running a hand through his hair as he stands tall and proud.
LEON: But it did the job, didn’t it?
He winks at her, amused by her shocked reaction.
MC: (rolls her eyes) Aura farming during a life or death moment. Totally not cliche.
This angers Cazador as he feels himself grow weak due to the goons using his power. Cazador feels the energy draining from him. This is a complication that he did not anticipate. A hint of desperation now fills his voice as he speaks up again to MC.
CAZADOR: You have ruined my ritual! How? You and your little boyfriend should’ve been dead by now!
LEON: (rolls his eyes) Almost forgot this asshole was still alive.
CAZADOR: I’ve had enough from you 2. I was considering allowing you to live, but I think I will just end it here and now!
Cazador uses his power as both MC and Leon get levitated in the air. Leon grits his teeth as he feels himself getting lifted up in the air. He tries to move but to no avail. MC is struggling as well, feeling panicked and helpless. After all hope seemed to be lost, there was a familiar howl behind MC and Leon.
The sound of howling causes MC and Leon to turn their heads. Both of their eyes widen in a mixture of surprise and relief as they spot the skeleton dog from before. But not only was it just the wolf, Ghost also walks up next to it and pets it.
GHOST: Cazador Szarr. You have breached Tandem’s laws of interfering with mortals.
Cazador seems to freeze at the sudden appearance of Ghost. He can hardly believe who just showed up. After a moment of shock, he regains his confidence and scowls.
Ghost suddenly commands the skeleton wolf.
GHOST: Riley, subdue the vampire lord.
Riley lets out an excited bark in response, and then charges straight at Cazador.
CAZADOR: NO!!!
Cazador attempts to try to use his powers on Riley, but the skeleton wolf doesn’t even seem fazed. Riley tackles Cazador to the ground, and lays her entire body ontop of him. Leon and MC then fall back to the ground.
MC lets out a small groan as she hits the ground, and she rubs her back a bit. Leon falls right next to her, letting out his own groan as he sits back up on his hands and looks over at her.
LEON: (concerned) You okay?
MC: (nods) Yeah.
They both stand back up, as she looks over at Ghost.
MC: It’s you again. Should I kill you for allowing me to nearly be married by some asshole vampire guy?
Ghost gives a small laugh at that, almost amused by the situation. He doesn’t seem offended or bothered at all by her words.
GHOST: I’d like to see you try, love.
Leon narrows his eyes at Ghost’s accent. His voice sounds familiar, but he can’t put his finger on it.
LEON: So that wolf belongs to you, huh?
Ghost glances over at Leon, taking in his curious expression, wondering why he’s so interested all of a sudden. He nods his head in response.
GHOST: Riley is indeed my hound. Quite the lovely creature, isn’t she?
MC: So the dog is a girl, and a hound hybrid? I swear, the afterlife is so fucking weird. But wait a minute… If she belongs to you… Then that means that you had her watching over me?
Ghost lets out a small chuckle, amused by her confusion. He nods.
GHOST: Indeed, I did. Why do you seem so surprised?
MC: (narrows her eyes) I thought you didn’t have time to be around me?
Ghost grins at her, leaning against a pillar as he crosses his arms. He seems amused by her attitude.
GHOST: I’m a busy man, love. I can’t be there every time you get yourself into trouble. Though it is quite interesting to watch your shenanigans.
She scowls at him, when Astarion suddenly falls out of the energy binds. Astarion hits the ground on his knees, gasping and panting. His hair is now a tangled mess. But even with how messy and disheveled he looks, it does little to detract from his natural good looks.
LEON: (crosses his arms) Astarion is back. What do we do now?
MC: I think Astarion deserves to be the one to kill Cazador.
Astarion stands back up, and brushes the dust and dirt off himself. He glances over at the sight of Cazador struggling and panicking underneath the skeleton wolf, and he can’t help but smirk at the sight. But it’s not a kind or humorous smirk, it’s a cruel and taunting one.
Astarion walks over to Cazador.
ASTARION: I wouldn’t mind having the honors, darling.
Astarion sees Cazador’s dagger fell off next to him. He slowly picks it up and watches the fear seep into his former master’s eyes.
Cazador starts to look increasingly panicked, struggling under the weight of the skeleton wolf.
CAZADOR: (desperate) No, no! Stay away! Stay back!
GHOST: (clicks his tongue) Riley, come here girl.
Riley turns her head towards Ghost, tilting it slightly in acknowledgement. She then stands up off Cazador and walks over to stand right next to Ghost. MC smiles lightly as she pets Riley’s head. Riley happily leans into MC’s touch, her tail wagging a bit at the attention. Leon seems amused by the sight as he looks back at MC.
LEON: You seem to have a way with animals, huh?
MC: Well, I was a dog owner back when I was still alive.
Leon perks up a bit, seeming rather surprised and interested by this comment.
LEON: You owned a dog? What kind of dog was it?
Astarion rolls his eyes at them.
ASTARION: Um, hello? I’m kind of having a moment here?? About to kill my abuser???
Leon and MC turn their attention back to Astarion. They see him standing there holding the dagger, looking every bit irritated.
LEON: Yeah yeah, go on and kill the bastard already.
Astarion rolls his eyes at Leon’s words, and steps closer towards Cazador with the dagger in hand. He looks down at Cazador with an expression of cold hatred, staring him in the eyes.
CAZADOR: W-wait! Can we talk about this?
Astarion is no longer in the mood for words as he suddenly roars and slams the dagger into Cazador’s chest. But not just once, about 50 times. As Astarion repeatedly stabs Cazador with the dagger over and over, Cazador’s screams eventually turn into gurgled gasps, and then silence. Cazador goes completely still as blood pools around his corpse. Astarion then drops the dagger and falls to his knees, and for the first time in over 200 years, starts crying.
Leon and MC both stare in shock at the scene before them. MC looks both impressed and disturbed by the sheer anger and intensity that Astarion displayed when he killed Cazador. It’s unlike anything she’s ever seen. Leon on the other hand, looks more sympathetic and concerned by the fact that Astarion is now on his knees breaking down into tears. This is a side they’ve never seen from the vampire, and it's definitely unexpected.
Suddenly, all the other spawns that were bound are released, free from Cazador’s control. They all slowly walk over to them.
DALYRIA: Is it done? Is he dead?
Astarion lifts his face, tears trailing down his cheeks as he looks over at the other vampires. Seeing so many spawn suddenly freed and walking over to him is slightly overwhelming, but he’s too worn out and emotionally tired to get defensive.
ASTARION: (weakly nods) Yes… Cazador is dead… It’s over.
PETRAS: What do we do now?
Ghost speaks up again.
GHOST: I could take care of them, if you want, Astarion. The Underdark can be a good place for 7,000 spawns to flee to.
Astarion slowly rises to his feet, wiping the tears from his eyes. He takes in all the spawns before him, looking each and every one up and down. He feels a sense of hesitation, and his words are a bit shaky as he responds to Ghost.
ASTARION: You… you would do that?
GHOST: Only if you want me to.
Astarion is quiet for a moment, as he looks back at the spawns once more. Even after all this time, he still has trouble trusting others. He lets out a shaky sigh, and tries to compose himself.
ASTARION: Yes. Do it. Let them be free.
Ghost looks back at MC one last time.
GHOST: See you around, love. Don’t worry, Riley will show up again if she knows you’re in real danger.
MC gives a small wave goodbye, feeling a bit sad to see them go.
MC: (nods) Alright. Thanks, I guess. Stay safe.
Ghost gives her a small smirk as Riley rubs her head against MC’s legagain, wanting a final goodbye pet.
GHOST: Goodbye, love. We hope to meet again.
MC gives one last good head pat to Riley before Ghost speaks up again to the spawns.
GHOST: All of you, follow me. Don’t even try anything, either. It won’t end the way you think it will.
Ghost then turns and walks out as Riley follows after him. All of the spawns slowly begin following Ghost as well. Leon is watching them all go in silence, feeling a mixture of shock and awe. MC is watching them leave as well, with a mixture of uncertainty and concern in her eyes. Astarion however, looks the most conflicted out of all of them, his expression and body language almost making it difficult to pinpoint what exactly he is feeling.
After several moments of silence, Astarion finally speaks up in a quiet and hesitant voice.
ASTARION: (softly) We should go. There’s nothing here left for me.
He keeps his eyes glued to the ground, still somewhat processing everything that just happened.
LEON: I agree. I’ve had enough of vampires for one day.
MC: (sighs) Tell me about it, no offense, Astarion.
Astarion finally tears his gaze away to look at MC, and he actually gives her a tiny smirk.
ASTARION: (slightly amused) None taken, mousey.
The trio eventually abandon the castle as they make their exit. To both MC and Leon’s surprise, there’s actually daylight here. She didn’t expect to see the sun again. But they then remember Astarion can’t walk in the sun, so Leon gives Astarion a sheet to MC’s amusement.
Astarion groans and rolls his eyes once he takes the sheet from Leon.
ASTARION: (annoyed) Great, you expect me to just strut around in this? Isn’t this humiliating?
Leon can’t help but let out a snort, clearly amused by Astarion's predicament.
LEON: Hey, you can either be seen strutting in that, or risk getting turned into a pile of ash. I don’t see you having many options here.
MC: Hopefully we’ll find a place where they have some decent clothes eventually. This place is making me hate wearing dresses for the first time.
Leon glances over at MC, noting her comment about hating dresses.
LEON: Really? You don’t like wearing dresses? But you look so good in them. Especially the one from earlier.
MC feels herself blush at Leon’s compliment, but immediately rolls her eyes.
MC: Shut up. Don’t say stuff like that. Plus, I don’t exist. So compliments don’t matter.
Leon chuckles, clearly amused by her reaction. He nudges her with his elbow, still wearing a grin.
LEON: Don’t be so harsh on yourself. You look pretty damn alive to me.
Astarion can feel an unusual spark of jealousy flare up in him again as he listens to Leon flirting back and forth with MC. He knows that he has no claim over the woman, but it still irks him seeing MC being showered with compliments and attention from Leon, while all he's doing is making himself look foolish with this damn sheet. It’s a feeling that Astarion hates. He’s grown so used to being the charming and charismatic one, the one who turns heads and makes people swoon. Not this.
‘‘Dark Nights’’ by Dorothy starts to play in the background as the trio start walking together through the forest. They don’t know where they’re going, only that their journey will be lead to something else eventually.