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Rolan shifted his position in the uncomfortable park bench he sat on. Another glance around at the passersby and Cressida was still nowhere in sight. While he wanted to be upset and irritated with her for being late to the meeting she planned, knots formed in his stomach. A quick glance at the time did little to calm him.
“Cressida? Is everything alright? It’s been an hour.” he let the sending spell go through.
No response. It didn’t feel right that she stood him up like this. Not when she wanted to know what was going on with his master just as much as he did. There was nothing for her to gain by not showing up. And the pure silence on the other end of the spell sat wrong with him. Particularly when he knew how easy it would be for her to send him something in the first place. She was a psionic for Helm’s sake. Sending should have been like breathing for her. And she knew that this was the best chance for them to meet without Lorroakan prying as his master was away for a while.
Ironically, he was supposed to be attempting to steal from Cressida again.
What was it Lorroakan said again? “It should be easier this time around.”
Rolan’s heart sank. How had he not seen it before? The only way it could be easier was if Cressida was subdued in some way. Her sickly state when they met, the pain she spoke of, there was some kind of connection. He didn’t know what, but that didn’t matter.
His boots pounded against the ground as he sprinted off, not caring if he looked a fool. It was fortunate that the park was not too far away from her mansion. He silently prayed to whoever might be listening that Cressida stayed alive. If she wasn’t responding because she had been dead this whole time… Rolan didn’t finish that thought.
Maybe he was overthinking it and she was sleeping. Maybe she forgot. Gods, he hoped he was wrong.
The dimming sun meant it was both not quite light and not quite dark enough to see well around her unkempt yard to find the side entrance he knew he could get through. As he pushed through the door, he heard a loud yeowling from what he could only assume was Nova. Scampering followed as soon as the door shut behind him. The hairless cat ran right up to him, meowing repeatedly. She rushed between his legs to get his attention, nearly tripping him as he made his way further into the manor.
No time was wasted in rushing to her room and sure enough, Cressida laid there in her bed unmoving.
Surely she wasn’t… no. Rolan didn’t finish the thought. Her closed eyes were unconvincing of any livelihood, though. He put a finger to her throat to feel her pulse. It was faint and slow, but there was still something. His touch also caused her to stir, her eyes flickering open to look at him. There was a glassy look, but still recognition.
“Rolan?” her voice was hoarse and quiet, “What… you’re here?”
He then registered just how cold she felt, “Yes, Cressida. I’m here. We need to get you to a cleric.”
While humans were generally cooler than tieflings, Cressida felt frigid.
“No… I just… I need to rest,” she murmured, “You’re warm.”
Rolan felt her lean into his touch and noticed her wince when she moved too quickly, “I’ll get you to a cleric. You need help.”
“I’m fine…” she coughed, “Fuck. I- I can’t … can’t get up… hurts.”
“Don’t worry about getting up,” he hoped some part of his words were reaching her properly, “I’ve got you.”
She gave the slightest nod in response and her eyes closed as he pulled the blankets from her. He lifted her with such ease. Too much ease. And she shivered when taken from her bed.
“It’s… so cold,” she nestled against his chest.
Rolan felt a lump in his throat as he moved to get them out of the mansion, “I know, I’ll try to find somewhere quick. Cressida, I need you to stay awake. I need you to stay with me.”
“Finding where?” she murmured
“A cleric. You need help,” he didn’t know how else to phrase it, “You’re… you’re dying.”
Cressida tensed at that, “No, no… had worse.”
“I doubt it. Just, please stay with me,” he pleaded.
She looked up at him “I’m not… can’t be… I haven’t…”
“I know, I’m sorry,” he rushed out of the manor with her in his arms, “We’re getting you help, I swear it.”
In moments like these, he wished he had chosen to study as clerics did. Maybe then he would have picked up on it sooner. He surely could have fixed this himself. Instead he was wandering the streets of the Upper City blind with Cressida babbling on, trying to string something together. Rolan saw a sign pointing to the Temples District and rushed that way.
He wasn’t sure how long he’d been running with her, but Cressida gripped tightly onto his arm, as though trying to get his attention.
“I- I don’t… don’t want to die… not,” she coughed, “Like this… please.”
“And you won’t,” he snapped, trying to keep any panic from his voice.
Though, with night rolling in, some of the temples looked closed. He tried running up to a few larger ones, but they turned away from him. Acting as though he didn’t exist or worse.
“Come on! Surely you see she’s dying!” he snapped at a robed man who surely must have been a cleric.
The man looked him over and eyed Cressida, “You can take your little scheme elsewhere. And stop defiling my temple.”
Rolan wanted to argue further, but Cressida’s breathing was so soft that he knew there wasn’t time. Something to remember for later.
“You have to stay awake, Cressida,” he told her, “Please.”
Her eyes just barely fluttered open, “Cress.”
“What?”
“You… you can call me Cress,” she managed, “Friends… people called me that…. Cad called me that…. He’ll be so angry….”
Tears stung at his eyes, “Right, Cress. I need you to stay awake. Tell me about… about your cat.”
“Nova, she has a name,” she said with an indigence and energy that he didn’t think she still had.
“Right, my apologies. And how long have you had Nova?” he asked.
“Um… well, I think it’s been nine years… maybe ten?”
Rolan nodded, “And what’s her favorite toy?”
As much as he wanted to listen to her, he was more focused on finding a place to take Cressida. Somewhere that would help her and somewhere that would do something. Ideally without assuming this was some sort of harebrained scheme. And as long as he could hear the soft timbre of her voice, they were out of danger. However, he had no idea how long he could keep her awake with questions about her pet.
If this were Elturel, he would’ve known where to go. Hells, why didn’t he figure out the layout of the Temples District before now? It was then that he walked into a wall and his grip on Cressida tightened, hoping he didn’t knock her against it on accident.
At the very least he should have brought a healing potion or learned healing spells in the first place. Something that could render him more useful.
When his eyes looked up he saw an elvish man in deep, teal-colored robes, not a wall.
“My apologies, saer, I didn’t see you there, we’ll be on our way,” Rolan said.
The man shook his head, “No worries. Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. She needs help though. I’ve been looking for a cleric,” he explained, “You wouldn’t happen to know where I could go do you? I would be willing to compensate you for your troubles. Please, she needs help and I… I can’t do it.”
The man smiled, “Luckily for you, I’m a cleric. Come with me.”
Rolan followed the man to a modest-sized temple. Though, he was led to the back where a small cottage stood.
“Don’t we want to be in the temple?” he asked.
The cleric laughed, “If you want your friend to lay on an uncomfortable pew, sure. But I think she’d fare better on a bed.”
“Your goddess will reach you in here?” he asked as they entered the cottage.
He nodded, “Yes. The temple is not a necessity. If anything, given the Moonweaver’s ties to the night, this is the best time to ask for her aid. Outside may be more her preference, but an open window will do. Could you get that for me once you set her down, my friend? I don’t believe I caught your name.”
“Rolan,” he replied, “And you are?”
“Athtar,” the cleric said.
Rolan laid her down on the bed that he hoped was a guest room. The idea of them taking this cleric’s only resting spot didn’t sit well with him, but Cressida needed help. And this wasn’t the time to get picky or think too hard on technicalities.
“Can you save her?” he asked, opening a window before going back to her side.
“I think you got her to me just in time and likely saved her life. She is clearly unwell,” Athtar said, starting to look her over, “It will be easier to help if you could explain what’s going on.”
“I… well I’m not sure,” Rolan admitted, feeling his tail curl around his leg, “I think she’s cursed, but I don’t know for certain. Or how she’d even be cursed. I’ve only known her for two tendays if we’re being generous.”
The cleric nodded, “Then what can you tell me?”
“She’s always been sickly since I met her. She has these headaches that cause her a great deal of pain. Which, given she reads minds, makes sense. But it seems more intense than it should be. It’s limited her movement and thinking,” he sighed, trying to think of everything he could remember, “She has trouble with magic sometimes. There are times when she can barely cast a cantrip despite her having capabilities far beyond that. At least, assuming she isn’t exaggerating.”
“And you don’t think she’s exaggerating?”
Rolan shook his head, “No, she isn’t like that.”
“And what does her diet look like? From what you know, of course,” asked Athtar.
Rolan shrugged, “Adventurer’s rations, mostly. She goes into the city and buys as much as she can and then eats them until she’s out.”
“Right, I imagine a psionic like herself wouldn’t enjoy being out in the city much…“ Athtar paused in thought, “If that’s as consistent as you claim then we should be able to rule out poison. Does she live with anyone?”
“No,” Rolan said before feeling Cressida’s eyes stab into him, “Well, there is her cat, Nova. But otherwise, no.”
Athtar nodded, “And have you spoken to Nova before?”
“Um… no. I’m not a druid.”
“You may want to. Pets often have an insight into their owners’ lives that we ourselves wouldn’t notice,” he replied, “In order to save your friend, I’ll need your help.”
“Shouldn’t that be your goddess’s job?” Rolan asked.
The cleric nodded, “Of course, she can help with the healing magic and spells. But she can’t do everything. She can’t tell us the root of the problem and she can’t provide the physical nourishment Cressida would need.”
“Right… I suppose that makes sense. What do you need?”
“I need you to go into the city and bring me some food for her. Nutrient dense foods and herbs. You seem intelligent enough, so I suspect that shouldn’t be much of an issue for you. Then, if you can, you should find a way to speak with Nova. She may hold some valuable information.”
“Alright, and what will you do?” the wizard asked.
“I will utilize various spells to help the healing process. We don’t know what the exact issue is, so I’ll be trying a variety of ideas. At the very least, she should be out of danger when I’m through with that. Though, such magic does have a cost.”
Rolan’s eyes widened, “What sort of cost?”
“Oh gods above, Rolan, a gold cost!” he clarified, “The Moonweaver’s church does not have many resources when it comes to monetary means and this amount of spells will require resources, I’m sorry to say.”
Rolan nodded, “Fine, that’s fine. Here, take what you need for now.”
He tossed the cleric a small pouch of gold, leaving some to get the things he needed to find. While he was sure he’d be kicking himself later about it, Rolan knew that he wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if the reason Cressida died was because he was being cheap.
“We can figure out payment at another time. But thank you,” Athtar replied.
Rolan moved to leave before feeling Cressida’s ice cold hand brush against his.
“Please come back…” she managed, tears brimming in her eyes.
He squeezed her hand, “I will, I promise. And I’ll check on Nova for you while I’m out.”
Cressida gave a weak nod.
Athtar looked to Rolan “Now go on. Cressida is in good hands, I promise you.”
He paused then, “I never told you her name.”
“You didn’t, but I recognize one of the few Sehenites in the city when I see them,” Athtar sighed, “It’s been a while since I last saw her. Several years. I will do what I can.”
Of course they ended up in her goddess’s temple. He tried to tell himself that was a good sign.
Rolan nodded, “As will I.”
With that, the wizard rushed back into the night.