Chapter Text
Gale’s breath trembles with pure terror.
It happened so fast. Too fast. Barely a second to think, let alone register what’s transpired.
Only minutes before, all was well. He had been in his office at Blackstaff Tower, reviewing the latest batch of essays by his perpetually bored pupils, another long day in his life as a professor. The lull of busywork was soon interrupted by a surprise visit from his darling wife, Connie, with Tara in tow. The former of which came holding a basket with a steaming haggis plate and freshly made sweet buns. She teased him, saying that if he wasn’t coming home for dinner again, she was bringing dinner to him. Their schedules often kept them apart in the evenings, he with the academy and her with Waterdeep’s branch of Harpers. To have her sitting right besides him on a lonesome night was a welcome change of pace. And of course, Tara was always good company. Even if she scolded him for staying at work for far too long hours and Connie for forgetting the command word that gave access to Blackstaff’s faculty wing again.
The last moments of this peace were spent with Gale about to bite into one of the sweet buns, ready to relish the taste of Connie’s skills in the culinary arts. But in the corner of his eye, he saw her watching him as he moved the treat closer to his mouth. There was a subtle anticipation in the way she smiled at him. He was about to playfully remark on it when all hells broke loose.
He saw her tense and, suddenly, she was yanked back from him by an invisible grip. It lifted her several meters above, her body hung limp in the air like a rag doll. Not even a scream escaped her lips before she was silenced, her brown eyes filled with a hazy white glow.
But Gale screamed. He screamed out her name, threw himself forward to climb over the desk towards her. Precious seconds wasted trying to think of an incantation, something, anything to free her. His hands flicked out to cast. All that his efforts earned him was a painful impact when a blinding light filled the room and launched him backwards into one of the largest bookshelves behind his desk.
Gale isn’t sure how much time had passed between the light and Tara waking him, yelling and nudging his head with her claws. His office is left in shambles from the force of the explosion and he can feel a small trail of blood dripping down his forehead, but he cares not. He desperately searches the room for Connie, any sign of her presence, and he finds nothing.
“Mr. Dekarios, this is,” Tara shakes her head in disbelief, “not good. I can smell it. That magic, that foul magic, it was—,”
“Netherese,” the word falls from Gale as he feels a tightness clench throughout his whole body. Still, he pushes himself back to his feet.
He limps forward, despite Tara’s protests. But his strength doesn’t last, and his knees buckle when his eyes fall upon what lies in the center of the blast radius.
“No,” says Gale, “how can this be?!”
There, stained on the wooden floor, is a glowing sigil. A perfectly circular orb, with wisps of weave flowing off both sides. The mark of the all-consuming Karsite Weave.
“Connie?” he gasps out, as a horrific possibility crosses his mind. One that he isn’t anywhere near ready to accept. “No. No, no, no…!”
Hot, heavy tears well up in his eyes and slide down his cheeks. His hand moves to clutch his chest, where he once bore that same sigil.
“CONNIE!” He cries to the heavens.
“Hello, my love.”
Connie remembers a voice whispering to her. It was his voice, but it wasn’t his voice. Or at least, it couldn’t be. Because her husband would never cast Telepathic Bond unless it was a dire emergency. All those years ago, when the Netherbrain fell and the parasites died within them, they agreed it would be a long while before they used anything other than their physical voices to speak with one another.
The man before her had been about to chomp down on the sweet bun she baked special for him. It couldn’t have been him who spoke those words to her. He couldn’t be the invisible caress she suddenly felt on the back of her neck. Gentle in nature, but one that sent what felt like a shockwave of fierce magic running throughout her veins.
“It’s been far too long.”
The last thing she remembers is Gale, the one she knew was him, screaming her name. Her body locked still into a frigid paralysis, helpless as she was ripped from his warmth and sent flying.
All had gone white.
The voice came again before she embraced the oblivion.
“Few mortals ever glimpse what you’re about to see.”
She knew what it would say next. By heart.
“But don’t be alarmed. I’m here with you.”
She opens her eyes.