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Ever since Tav found that book, it had been on Astarion's mind. He couldn't get it out of his head, and whenever he decided to open it up, the voices would surge into his mind, whispering horrid thoughts and temptations to kill others in the party. He wouldn't let himself give into the temptations, but he wanted to know more of what this Necromancy of Thay had to offer. Maybe it could help him to free himself from Cazador. Maybe it could help him kill Cazador... Or perhaps, if he were lucky enough, he could use it to resurrect himself in some way and make being a vampire spawn null and void. In some strange world, maybe it could allow him to return to his old life. Wishful thinking, of course, but it didn't stop him wondering.
Astarion tossed and turned in his bed, the spirits voices hazy in his head. They whispered to him at night and he almost regretted having opened the tome in the first place. He was right when he'd told Tav the book read him more than he read it. It was getting deep into his memories, pulling out any chance Astarion had been given to draw blood in the past, taunting him with it - making his hunger grow and grow in the pit of his stomach. Like a seed, it was blossoming into something much bigger than he could have ever thought possible. The want to drink was strong, clawing at him like a beast, ready to break through at any moment.
His heart raced in his chest, causing his eyes to shoot open, catching sight of the tome glowing a bright amethyst purple, just visible from beneath the blanket he'd haphazardly thrown over it. He swallowed thickly, sweat forming on his brow as he felt the temptations gnawing at his insides. "No. No, I won't do it. Shut up! Shut up!" He hissed out, but the voices only grew louder, intensifying with every second.
Feed...
Feed Astarion...
FEED!!
Clutching at his head, Astarion dug his nails into his scalp, wanting to just scratch and claw until the spirits were out. "Stop! Stop it! I won't harm them! I can't do it!" He cried out desperately. He knew he had to do something, anything. Destroy that damned book now or be consumed by the overwhelming urge to drink his party dry.
Tears formed at the corners of his eyes as he clawed at himself before he got up and threw back the blanket covering the tome. Now the voices were shouting at him, screaming for him to do the unthinkable. Sinful deeds that he had not given into since leaving Cazador Szarr's palace. Barely able to think straight, Astarion grabbed his dagger, dropping to his knees in front of the book. "Shut up! Cease this infernal racket!" He yelled, bringing his dagger up, clutched in both hands before he brought it down with all his might upon the evil tome.
But what should have pierced straight through the book with a satisfying tear merely bounced straight off, flinging the rogue backwards as a forcefield protected the book. "Agh!" He sat up, staring at the tome with wide eyes. It seemed this book was tougher than he'd anticipated. "Not going down without a fight?" He mumbled to himself through gritted teeth. "Well, neither am I!"
"Fire. Fire will get rid of this blasted thing once and for all!" He reasoned and snatched the book up, rushing out towards the campfire, burning just barely. "You'll make excellent kindling." He hissed, throwing the book into the low flames with no hesitation.
The fire roared around the book, but nothing happened to it. Bright, piercing purple light began to shoot out from all directions and Astarion could only back away, watching in horror as the flames took on the same amethyst hue. As if fuelling the book's cries, the voices began to consume Astarion's mind, burning just as the fire did.
The vampire fell to his knees once more, crippled by the blazing pain in his head, hands clutching his temples as he screamed. His cries were lost to the wind, no help coming to his side as he felt his mind burning up. The pain was unimaginable and it went on and on, raging - a worse torture than even Cazador could have thought up.
After what felt like an eternity the world went black and Astarion's body fell limp, unconscious on the ground whilst the tome lay smouldering next to him, seemingly having bounced from the flames itself.
"Astarion... Astarion, wake up!"
Groaning, the vampire's eyes cracked open, locking on the familiar and welcome face of Tav. "What... What happened? The tome! Where's the tome?!" He shot up, a cold sweat on his brow once more.
"Tome? What are you talking about?"
"The... the book- the Necromancy of Thay?" He frowned at them as they seemed just as bewildered as he was.
"We left it behind, don't you remember? Astarion... you were having a nightmare. We never brought it with us. Gale said it would be too dangerous..." They took a breath in. "I think you should get some air. Come on." They held their hand out to him, offering him a gentle smile of reassurance before leading him out of the tent.