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“We did it, Soldier. The city’s going to be all right. And so are you.”
Karlach turned around to face Tav, the sun low in the sky behind her, framing her ever-burning hair. She was as beautiful as the first time they’d met, down by the river, what felt like years ago now. Had it really only been a matter of weeks? That didn’t feel right. That didn’t feel right at all.
Tav had only known her for only so short a time and now she was going to lose her. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. All she could do as the giant woman, this indestructible, powerful titan of a woman fell to her knees, groaning in pain as fire began to overtake her, all Tav could do, was rush over in a powerless panic.
“Engine’s finally cooked,” Karlach said. “Held on just long enough.” She was gasping for air now. Thoughts of Karlach’s weakness were drowned out by the helpless, impotent fury of it all. Her Karlach, for not nearly long enough of a time. But the tiefling wasn’t going to let her sit with her thoughts. “So,” she asked, forcing herself to smile and sound optimistic despite everything. “H-how’d I do?”
“You were spectacular,” Tav said, forcing the words through her teeth. “In every way.” She hated saying every word of it, not because it wasn’t true but because she could only say them and not feel them, show them through touch and kiss and teeth and all the things that had marked her relationship with Karlach, every second they had been able to touch savoured like it was the last thing either of them would ever do.
“I’m sorry, am I the only one who thinks this is ridiculous?”
Tav’s head spun around like it was on a swivel. Astarion stood off to the side, nursing a bloody lip with a handkerchief. He was intruding. He had to know. He had to know now was a bad time. Sure, he was a Vampire Ascendant now, whatever that might mean, and he thought it was funny to tell kids they were about to die, but Karlach was his friend too, damn it! Let them have their grief!
“Now is not the time,” Shadowheart admonished him.
“No,” the vampire said, stepping forward. “Now is exactly the time.” He looked almost offended at Karlach’s scream of pain as the engine in her chest burned ever brighter. “I thought you were going to pull something outrageous out of your ridiculous behind at the last possible moment, but no! You’re all just going to stand around feeling sorry for yourselves! It’s ridiculous!”
“I’m not going back to Avernus,” Karlach groaned between her teeth.
“For the love of– No!” Astarion said, shoving Tav off to the side like she wasn’t even there. This bastard, this pale-skinned bastard was going to ruin her last chance to say goodbye! “Karlach!” he said. “Do you trust me?”
“I… Do I have a choice?”
He bit his lip which, Tav realised, probably hurt him more than most, then closed his eyes and shook his head. “This goes against my better judgement, but… yes. Yes, you do, darling.”
“Then - I - guess - I - do,” Karlach huffed.
“Good,” Astarion said, smiling like a child in a candy shop. “Could you be a dear and count to three for me?”
“One,” Karlach said, and Astarion shoved his hand between her ribs. It sounded like a chicken being opened from the inside. It was the most horrifying sound Tav had ever heard up until about two months ago. Her threshold for disgusting sounds had been significantly raised since then.
Reality seemed to set back in as she looked at Astarion, his hand up to his wrist in Karlach’s chest, and she jumped up, shoving him away from her. On his back, unceremoniously and undignified, he had the gall to grin at her.
“Ta-dah,” he said, and held up a metal sphere. It was steaming. Something hissed and Tav realised it was the sound of Astarion’s blood boiling. “Fuck,” he shouted and tossed it into the bay, where the Elder Brain floated gently in the waves.
“Karlach!” Tav yelled as she dropped down next to her. She wasn’t breathing. She wasn’t moving.
“What in the hells were you thinking?!” Shadowheart screamed behind her, grabbing Astarion by the collar.
“You’re a cleric!” he scolded her, and pointed at Karlach. “Do your job!”
“I can’t just heal her! Growing back an organ would require–”
“It would require what?” Astarion said, mocking her. “Loyalty to a deity that has chosen you, specifically? Oh, if only we had someone like that on hand! If only we had someone who could call upon divine intervention to give one single person a regular heart! If only–”
Shadowheart was already on her knees and praying, and a beam of moonlight slammed down on Karlach so hard it seemed to have actual weight to it.
Tav had expected something… spectacular. Sparks. A light show. Instead, Karlach’s wound slowly closed, there was a moment of quiet, pregnant silence, and then the tiefling shot up, crashing forehead-first into her, there was a hollow -thunk- and both of them fell back clutching their head.
Karlach was the first to recover. She sat up and looked down. For the first time in a decade, her chest wasn’t glowing. Her body wasn’t generating so much heat the whole world was covered in a light shimmer. For the first time in years, she felt like… herself again. What had been done to her had been heinous but she had, in some way, convinced herself that she had gotten used to it. Now, like getting over a cold you didn’t even know you had, there was a weight that had been lifted.
She took a deep, cool breath, and cried.
Tav was around her neck, too relieved for anything more coherent than a need for proximity. They laughed.
“What did you say to Selûne?” Karlach asked.
“If I’m honest,” Shadowheart replied, “I only managed about four words before she finished the prayer for me. I rather think she likes us.”
“Well,” Astarion said. “I do believe a thank you is in order.”
Karlach stood up and walked over to him. “Astarion, I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but… thank you.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “I owe you my life.”
“So about my reward–”
“That hurt like hell, and you’re a prick,” Karlach finished with a smile, and shoved him back into the harbour.