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Wind howled outside the frosted window, air slipping under the doors and cracked windows of the little shack.
It was cold.
It had been getting steadily colder in the house, not that the owner cared in the least. The temperature had been steadily plummeting and Paultin watched as the domain outside his window prepared for yet another snow. The desolate landscape stretched white for miles and miles. Paultin's lips turned upwards just slightly.
"We always did enjoy the snow, didn't we Paultin?" The Ring whispered in the male's mind, "Oh yes. Snow is just so pretty." He agreed as he stroked the long beard upon his chin, stalking to his throne at the back of the room.
He sank into the throne, his elbow dropping to the arm as he hummed a tune under his breath, his glowing blue eyes shining in the semi-darkness, "How long has it been?" He questioned as his tune abruptly cut short.
"A few months, although this realm does run differently." The Ring responded with a purr, "And yet there has been nothing. I find that I'm getting bored lounging on my throne. Aren't you?" He spoke as his eyes glimmered with humor.
This is how it had been for the months following Paultin's disappearance from wilds outside of Chult. Conversations between the Ring and Paultin in the emptiness of the house as the snow and frost outside of the house built and grew. Here they sat, musing and discussing as if they were the best of friends, and the only people to exist.
"It has gotten quite boring, hasn't it? My power has accumulated large amounts by now. It would be enjoyable to finally have something to do." The Ring answered, a disembodied smile in it's voice.
A malicious smile worked its way onto Paultin's cracked and pale lips as he sat forward in the throne, "What do you say we pay them a visit?" He mused with a dark note to his voice.
"What do you say we put some of that acting to use?" The Ring countered and a chuckle floated through the house in answer.
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The sun was just peeking through the jungle trees when Evelyn, who was sat on watch around the Crew, noticed a familiar figure approaching the group. She immediately sat up a little straighter and her dull eyes glowed a little brighter as she recognized who it was. Checking to make sure the rest of the group was safely still asleep in the open, she took flight over to the figure.
"Oh Paultin! Where have you been all this time?" She exclaimed as she reached out to throw her arms around the male, who stepped out of her reach quickly.
"I just went out on my own for a bit. Nothing serious." He replied nonchalantly, reaching a hand to hold the Sun Sword hilt strapped at his hip.
"Nothing serious? You've been gone for months! Surely what you've been doing wasn't as important as popping in to let us know you were okay!" She argued, her cheerful smile fading as she became incredulous.
"It's alright. Everything was fine." He answered as he waved her off.
"You never answered me, Paultin." She cut in, catching his shoulder as he started to walk in the direction of the group.
"And that was?" He questioned, turning his head to look back at her, his shaggy blond hair falling in front of his eyes momentarily.
"Where were you all this time?" She asked quietly, her blue eyes searching his hopefully.
"I managed to get out of the forest and get to a small village outside of Chult. I became pretty important there." He spoke without an ounce of hesitation, his voice strong and clear. His eyes bore into her as he spoke.
"I have one more question."
"You're sure asking a lot of questions suddenly, Evie."
"Pardon me if I am curious as to where and what my friend has been up to."
Evelyn dropped her hand from Paultin's shoulder, but her gaze never left his. Silence settled around them for a few seconds, the only sound the small flutter of her winged boots and the sounds of the creatures in the forest around them. Paultin stared back at Evelyn, his posture a portrait of a relaxed man waiting for their friend to say something at last.
"Where did the Ring go, Paultin?" Evelyn asked at last, her eyes finally falling to his hand, where the Ring was nowhere in sight.
Paultin heaved a deep sigh as he broke eye contact with the blonde in front of him, his eyes clouding over with grief. Guilt, maybe? He rubbed the top of his right hand with his left.
"I lost control for a while, Evie. That village I mentioned? I had attacked them and tried to take it over for myself, but I managed to break out of the Ring's grasp before any serious damage was wrought upon them. I spent this past month helping them rebuild what I had destroyed. I gave the leader the Ring, telling him to get rid of it or hide it where no one will ever find it again." He mumbled in shame as he rubbed his hands together while he spoke.
"Thank you for telling me this." She spoke as she laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder with a bright smile, "I'm sure it was hard, but we could have helped you. Made sure everything worked out."
Paultin met the female's eyes yet again, "Then maybe you wouldn't mind coming to see me again." He added as a smile turned up his lips.
Paultin's shoulder became cold under Evelyn's touch and she released her hold, stumbling back a step, "What-What do you mean? You're right here with us again! You're here, Paultin!" Her voice shook in surprise.
Paultin's form began to shimmer and melt, "No, Evie, I'm not. Come find me in my true domain in the Shadowfell. I'm sure you'd love to see the real me there." His voice became distorted as his form lost shape and eventually became a puddle.
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Evelyn shot up from her bedroll, releasing panting breaths as she placed a hand to heart to calm herself, "What a strange dream... Why would Paultin be in the Shadowfell anyway?" She mumbled to herself, trying to work through the dream. She glanced around the group, noticing that Strix and Diath were also awake, "Did you have it to?" Strix asked as she noticed Evelyn's shaking hand at her chest.
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Paultin sat on his throne, dangling the signet ring in front of his blue eyes, examining the engraving on the ring, "I'm surprised you still hold onto that." The Ring spoke.
"I would never get rid of this thing. Evelyn is still one of my friends." He answered, dropping the ring in disbelief, "Of course it could never replace you, though. That's why it remains on the string."
The Ring seemed to purr in response to the male's answer, "You're just buttering me up, aren't you?"
"Oh no, never."
He glanced out the window in front of his throne, "It looks like they finally showed up to play." He heaved himself out of the throne as snow began to fall heavily outside the windows, frost creeping along the windows, "Are you ready to show off a little?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
The group scouted around the area as they entered the snow-covered landscape. They all walked solemly, their hands on their weapons and equipment. While walking to the place where they could summon a portal to get to the Shadowfell, destruction of villages and whole chunks of forest had been blasted away in ice and snow. Frozen villagers stood in the path, stuck in positions of intense fear or shabby protection. Those that hadn't been frozen and had spotted them, had fallen to their knees in front of the group, tears streaming down their faces as they described in broken voices what had befallen them and their families and friends.
Evelyn had done her best to help them back on the path towards Chult with a cheerful smile, her construct heart cracking all the more as the survivors described what her friend had done. Paultin really was consumed by the Ring; he would never do anything like this if he had any sort of grip on reality.
Strix and Diath had walked side by side in silence, each preoccupied by their own thoughts the whole time. They each spared glances at each other, only speaking up to tell them what way they needed to continue to get to the portal.
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As Evelyn floated forward, squinting to see through the blizzard they walked in, "Don't get too far ahead, Evelyn. We don't know what he has planned." Diath called to her as she floated away from them.
Evelyn didn't even spare the time to give him an answer as she searched with a dull gaze for anything that could hold the bard's place of hiding. She ran her tongue over her lips to dampen them, despite the cold air that threatened to freeze her lips. She did not want to call out lest Paultin outright attacked her at the sound of her voice.
The sound of heavy, large wings beat above them from a distance, steadily becoming closer and closer. Evelyn noticed the sound and turned to join the group once again, "Where are you going, Evelyn? Don't you want to find me?" A voice asked her from behind.
She spun around, seeing Paultin standing in front of her. His hair had become a deep black and had grown out past his shoulders. His trimmed beard had gone wild and gotten long. He was thin, even through his layered clothes. So very thin. Worst of all, his eyes shown in the brightest blue through the snow.
"Paultin! We're here to help you escape from the Ring!" She exclaimed eagerly.
"And what if I don't want your help?" Another voice answered from directly behind her. She spun around to find another Paultin in front of her, "What do you mean? Of course you want our help!" She argued quickly.
"I'm pretty sure I don't want any help from you guys." Another voice whispered in her right ear and she turned her head to see another Paultin.
"No offense, but you guys aren't much good to me aside from a little enjoyment." A fourth voice said from her left ear.
The sound of the wings became a dull roar as her head went silent and empty. She stumbled back a few steps, bumping into something behind her. She turned slowly, coming face to face with a huge ice dragon, a fifth Paultin sitting astride it, "How'd you like that little trick, Evie?" He asked with a vicious grin, spreading his arms wide at his sides, "My domain sure is wonderful, isn't it?"
Evelyn stared at the dark haired male above her as Diath and Strix appeared at her sides, "Surely you have something you want to say?" He asked, his grin never fading, "We just want to help you." Diath answered quietly, pulling Gutter from its sheath at his hip. Strix raised her staff in preparation to fight.
Paultin laughed, "You sure seem like justice warriors all of a sudden."
"We just want to free our friend from a dangerous magic." Evelyn spoke at last, freeing the Heart of Spinelli from the sheath on her back, "And we're prepared to fight-" "And kill." "to get him back." She answered.
Paultin slid off the dragon's back and it roared in response as he released the Sun Sword's hilt, spinning it in his hand, "Then come at me if you will, my friends." He spoke, his voice taking on a hint of mocking.
The group raised their weapons as the ice dragon took a lumbering step forward and bit at them with its large maw. Evelyn swiped at it with the flaming Heart of Spinelli, while Strix rolled out of the way and Diath ran off to stab at the dragon from behind.
Paultin watched with a bright gleam in his eyes as the dragon bit at his friends, its wings twitching as it lunged. Evelyn shouted something to Strix and glanced around for Diath before looking straight towards Paultin, who raised the Sun Sword in response to her look.
Diath jumped on the dragon's back and stabbed Gutter into it before jumping out of the way as Strix launched a Fireball at it. Seeing the two working together, Evelyn took off for Paultin.
Paultin grinned at the approaching Evelyn, a few ice figures appearing beside him. Evelyn swung the flaming sword at them and melted them completely through, continuing forward. Paultin activated the Sun Sword and raised it in front of him, while Evelyn deactivated the Heart of Spinelli and landed on her feet, her sword held in front of her.
"We're going to save you from that ring, Paultin." Evelyn spoke unwaveringly, and Paultin laughed once again, "I don't need saving."
Evelyn gritted her teeth and swung at him, locking swords with him, "I'm going to get that thing off your finger."
"Like hell you are."
He broke the lock and raised a hand, summoning a Thunderwave under her feet. The force of the spell knocked her back, but she stepped forward again, covering herself with her arms. Sheer determination shone in her crystal blue eyes.
"All it would take is a Crown of Madness." Paultin spoke with a twinkle in his eyes. Both the Ring and himself enjoyed the prospect of the spell.
"And yet you haven't done it."
"Don't tempt me."
She charged once again, feinting and slashing upwards. Paultin blocked with the Sun Sword, although it was clumsy and the sword was pushed away from him. With him now open for attack, Evelyn threw her arms around Paultin, holding the sword to the back of his neck, "One move and I slice right through your neck." She whispered.
Paultin glanced down at her with surprise shining in his eyes. A question hung above him as he remained silent: What do you plan to do now?
She smiled grimly, "Only what I have to." She answered.
Paultin slowly rose his hand to Evelyn's metal chest, the surprise melting into affection as he looked down at Evelyn. As if he had seen Evelyn. Actually seen her. A second later, a Thunderwave tore through the area as it rippled through her metallic body and sent her flying. The sudden movement of the sword at his neck caused the blade to drag along his neck in a deep slice.
He cried out and clamped a hand to the back of his neck as blood seeped through his fingers. Taking the chance as he could, Diath ran forward and ripped the Ring off of Paultin's finger. He staggered forward to try and grab the Ring again, but lost his balance and fell to the ground.
As blood soaked the snow around him, Paultin fell into unconsciousness.