‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ the trouble is， ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ you think you have time. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ @0BSCURUS]

•

hand firm on the handle of his blade before he raised it — poised for their spine.

⠀

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ �� @0BSCURUS]

⠀

Of course he felt it. it filled the room like noxious chemicals，a power so significant it seemed to make the walls tremble in fear. it almost felt familiar — painfully so，as if his own knees would buckle to bow before them. but he didn’t. and neither did the one

•

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍𝐀𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧‚ @S4NGUlN3]

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍
The crypt seemed to inhale.

Cazador’s smile did not falter at first as he looked past Xarann, past the weapons and fixed his gaze on Astarion like a hand closing around a throat. His eyes flicked once, precise, calculating, to the
‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍
*

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ �� ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ @0BSCURUS]

•

rushing through tired muscle，desperation mixing with that eagerness to win. this wasn’t about just defeating some evil — no，it was about freedom. one large step in making it so neither he nor astarion needed to bend to anyone ever again. he managed to approach，his

•

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ @0BSCURUS]

•

he couldn’t wait to see how astarion would make them suffer，and he as well couldn’t wait for that promised celebration.

⠀

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ @0BSCURUS]

•

one a zombie whose only purpose was to stay alive long enough for the ascension. it was almost daunting — his eyes unable to resist from shifting to take in the sheer power that filled the room. his steps didn’t slow either，and soon they both stood side by side，

•

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ @0BSCURUS]

•

weapons ready but there was no need to interfere now. they all knew how things worked — how they fought together，and this would be no different no matter how difficult the opponent. his gaze shifted to the lord，his heart pounding with the anticipation of bloodshed.

•

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ @0BSCURUS]

⠀

His steps followed closely with theirs as they opened the door，the sight of the vampire lord in the middle of a large room. six bodies floated in that ritual circle，all bodies containing the same scars astarion once possessed. what had become of them was simple，each

•

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍𝐀𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧‚ @S4NGUlN3]

‍ ‍
Astarion went very still at Xarann’s words, like something sharp had slid clean between his ribs.

For a heartbeat he didn’t even look at them — eyes fixed on the door, on the muffled chanting beyond it — but the corner of his mouth twitched anyway, a slow
‍ ‍
*

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ @0BSCURUS]

•

released them then，parting with only a lingering kiss on the side of their face. this fight would be hard — harder than anything they’d faced before perhaps but he was ready，as were both other companions that stood behind them both now.

⠀

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ @0BSCURUS]

⠀

He had made a promise to them. a promise that seemed more important than anything else，at least in his addled and ever fracturing mind that is. cazador would live no longer，and the ascension ritual would end at the pointed tip of their dagger plunged into their old

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[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍𝐀𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧‚ @S4NGUlN3]

‍
@0BSCURUS ;
‍ ‍ ‍ ‍
The stairs down felt endless — carved stone swallowing them whole, each step pulling them further from the world above and deeper into his belly of rot and reverence.

Astarion didn’t slow.

If anything, he moved with purpose now, like the palace
‍ ‍
*

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝐗𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒏﹔ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ @0BSCURUS]

•

He paused，leaning in to whisper words meant for their ears alone， 〝 ‘n then we celebrate on his gutted corpse. 〞

His words dripped with honey，a restatement of a promise he’d made before as well. it was out of place，but gods they knew how he was all too well. he

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