Chapter Text
The next morning saw them moving bright and early once again. They had no idea how long this would take, and didn't want to waste a moment. The streets were eerily quiet almost like the city was bracing for the storm to come, a feeling that was enhanced by quake that ran under their feet. However, despite everything some businesses were still miraculously open. They waved a brief hello to Dammon and the collection of Gondian's clustered around his forge as they jogged down the stairs and over to the surprisingly large shop. The door swung open, and Karlach, Shadowheart, and Tem stepped back to let Wyll take the lead.
"I welcome thee to the Devil's Fee, where every hellish curio's a rarity! So merry be – and shop with glee," an almost gilded dwarven woman called gleefully from behind the counter.
"Oh no – definitely something up with this one," Karlach muttered, looking the woman up and down, "Trust me."
"Okay then, let's see what you have to sell us," Wyll started, leaning on the counter and turning on the charm as he looked over Helsik's wares. Carefully counting coin and bartering over a series of powerful health potions and other useful odds and ends, until Karlach tapped him on the calf with her tail, confirming the infernal artifacts were legit. With the knowledge their source was real, Wyll wound down the bartering, passing the purchased potions among the group to pack away in easy reach. Then he turned the after trade small talk towards what they were after.
"So, we've heard the rumors and seen the wares, tell me Helsik, is it true you have some more… discreet services you might offer? To people like the former Lord Gortash and other notables," Wyll leaned forward, drawing his fiendish features into stark relief.
Helsik wasn't intimidated though,
"You must be awfully familiar with our esteemed former Archduke to have heard things like that, though perhaps your own nature says more to those rumors than anything else."
"You could say that," Wyll knew how to make a discussion work in his favor, straightening to a more imposing stature light playing off his gleaming horns and blood red eye, "our sources are of course, our own. Just like we wouldn't ask someone of your caliber to reveal where you source your merchandise from."
"Truly. That's remarkable. And I do like to deal with remarkable people. Very well. You seek answers, Lord Mammon seeks coin. I will happily mediate – make me an offer," she responded, voice sliding sultry in the back half.
"Mammon! I knew it! I did," Karlach chirped, giving Shadowheart and Tem a pout in response to their judgmental looks.
Wyll slid a stack of shining gold coins across the counter,
"How's this for a starter?"
"Quite the fitting token," Helsik laughed, "Let it not be said that Lord Mammon's servant does not deal with paupers. But I'm afraid you'll need to offer an awful lot more than that. And I know your good for it, given you've already shown me your purse. I'll be keeping these though, of course."
"Oh, I know. That was just to wet your appetite. We're looking for some help sliding into a specific place in the Hells, Avernus, in particular. We just need to know if you're good for it. Then we can talk price, especially as a group that might be looking to be repeat customers. Part of which could be an answer about what Raphael wants with the Crown Gortash retrieved. Something that trust me your Lord Mammon would be very, very interested in."
"We might be able to come to a deal, though guessing based on the thrumming coming from that one's chest you're looking to go somewhere very specific," Helsik looked just about ready to bite on the hook Wyll had so handily dangled in front of her, "So, where do you look to go?"
"The House of Hope, there is something we require from there, though what will cost you extra," Wyll responded, weighting the hook even further in their favor.
"Oh, you are the audacious sort aren't you. Something like that would be twenty thousand gold, though in exchange for some of that lovely information you're taunting me with I'd be willing to knock the price down to ten thousand gold," the Dwarf offered, "Of course, money up front, because the idea of you coming out the other side is simply ludicrous."
Wyll rocked back, giving at least the appearance of thought about the bargain. While the rest of them did their best to give nothing away, even as The Emperor seemed to have decided this was the time to try and dissuade them from this course of action. But after the last tenday or more of his constant badgering, and their last explosive confrontation it was easy to push him to the side, and instead focus on watching Wyll work.
"How about the information now, and of your choice, other than our target, from Raphael's vault? I'm sure there's something you've been dying to get your hands on. And if we were to get it for you with nothing in the ledger…"
"Well, when you put it like that," Helsik capitulated, pulling a few things off the shelf, along with a heavy tome bound in peculiarly colored leather, "There are Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength with in those vaults. Which, just looking at you are not your goal. You do the ritual, give me the information, and the next time you need me we act as though we have never met, and that time you pay me in gold, and you have a bargain."
Wyll smiled like a cat that had gotten the cream as he reached out to shake her hand,
"You have yourself a deal, shrewd one. First, we are after the Orphic Hammer Raphael holds in his vaults."
Then he held out his hands to take the materials for the ritual, which she, after a long moment, and some notes scribbled on flash paper. Once they were in hand she continued.
"Second, to complete this half of our bargain. Raphael seeks the Crown of Karsus to become Archdevil Supreme, a tyrant ruler of the Hells. Which I'm sure would cause problems with your Lord, never mind your business practices. You also don't need to credit us as your sources for this, which will be quite easy as we have not exchanged names."
Wyll's grin lends credence to his fiendish nature, and Helsik realized how many cards exactly he held over her. But instead Helsik just laughed.
"Oh, don't worry, I know who you are Wyll Ravengard, but I am happy to take credit for this information. Lord Mammon will regard me handsomely for exposing this newest treachery. There's a circle you can use upstairs, and remember. We have never met, leave the Gauntlets upstairs in the chest if you survive."
Wyll just nodded and led the rest of the group upstairs carrying the various ritual pieces, as they continued to ignore The Emperor's judgmental attempts to dissuade. Before carefully working their way through the directions ahead of enacting the ritual.
"Fringe, could you copy out this circle for us," Karlach asked, passing her the sheet with the plain common instructions for the ritual once they were safely ensconced in the upper room.
"What, looking to become an amateur diabolist there Karlach? You didn't seem the sort."
"Nah, but can't hurt to have all the information. Besides, if it can be used to get in, it's probably related to a way to get out," Karlach said, turning infernal marble over in her hand, "Hey, what do you think would take the place of this to get back to Faerûn? Do you think Halsin would know?"
"You could probably use a tuning rod like you would in a plane shift spell, as long as it was attuned to Toril. Though for this kind of working you might want to have it tuned more specifically," Wyll answered as he placed the incense and the diamond in their respective spots.
"Okay, then, something to add to the shopping list. Right after rations," as Karlach said that she slid the marble into it's place at the center of ritual circle as everyone took their own place with in. Tem reached out quickly as the magic swept over them, grabbing Karlach's hand with a smile as they watch the tension build in her shoulders. Time to go to Hell.
-=-=-
Even though they were clearly inside of the House of Hope Tem felt the biting dry heat of the first layer of the Hells cutting into them. For the first time since they had been able to regularly touch Karlach, their linked hands felt normal, even as they felt their ki rise up to keep them from overheating. They heard the wind rattling outside the elaborate windows of the hall they had appeared in, which revealed the views of mountains rising forbiddingly on all sides.
"Okay, in and out," Karlach said grasping their hand tight, "We got back in, and we can get out."
"Of course. We get the hammer and gauntlets and we go. Portal's still there, and if you need to leave, just let us know first," Tem kept their voice calm, and didn't let go of her hand. They knew it wouldn't be practical for the entire time, they would let her have her anchor for as long as possible.
"On the bright side, other than all the stress from being back, my engine feels… normal. Like it isn't on the edge of cooking me alive. It's pretty nice, even if I know it won't last," Karlach added, trying to keep her anxiety tucked away under bravado.
Tem let her hold on to the veneer of calm she had pulled over herself, instead heading towards the grand doors that seemed like they would lead into the rest of the house proper. All the while trying to ignore the skin-crawling feeling that emanated from the massive stone pillars at each corner of the room. Which was only intensified by the form of a spectral dwarven woman flickering into existence by the doors.
"You came. Such a shame. CURIOSITY KILLED ALL THE CATS IT WON'T BE SO KIND TO YOU," the woman's voice was rough from screaming, and they could almost hear an undercurrent of rattling chains, like she was projecting all the sounds around herself to them, "Ah the jailer will hear us. I shouldn't be talking to you. I must go. It's not kind to me."
The projection flickers, like the woman is getting ready to flee, or… perhaps, Tem thought, looking at the set of her shoulders, testing their resolve. Karlach's hand squeezed theirs, before the met the dwarven woman's eyes.
"Maybe we can help free you from whatever it is that's hurting you. We're sure to piss off the master of the house already, what's a little more in the pursuit of some good."
She flickers back at this before speaking again, still in a hushed and raspy tones,
"I hope so. But it is a faint hope. Just like me. I can't leave, I can only suffer. But I'm supposed to do that in silence. Everyone here hates me for what I am. I'm the thing that kills you, and the only reason you're alive. Made by a promise, undone by the truth. A handshake, a hug, the first beat of a newborn's heart. A promise of a new start. I am Hope. What little is left of her. A GUTTERING CANDLE IN A UNIVERSE OF NIGHT, though that might just be you. Caught between Temperance and Temerity."
"He's driven her mad," Karlach said from just behind them, even as Tem swallowed hard, "Poor soul."
They had to wonder though, in their world sometimes madness wasn't just the loss of one's mind. Sometimes it was in seeing too much.
"I'm not much of a friend to anyone anymore, though you're learning to trust me. But I could use a friend myself. Do you want a friend to guide you through this madhouse? Shhhtttt, I hear the jailer, it hears me. It'll call Raphael. Make every question count. Make some of them count twice if you can," Hope muttered, looking them over, almost cat like.
"We're looking for the Orphic Hammer, and some other treasures from the vault. Can you help us?" Tem tried to keep their voice low, feeling the tension in Hope's form, spectral though it was.
"Oh, you discovered an ancient gith prince in need of a savior? The Orphic Hammer is the perfect tool for breaking all infernal chains. Even mine, even yours, as long as you can find them," Hope looked hard past them, presumably at Karlach, but they dared not look away lest their only ally vanish, "Hope can help. The Hammer is here in this House – it's…"
Their head echoed with a harsh rattle of chains and an agonized scream from a voice already raw from screaming. Hope flickered in that moment, unable to hold on as something happened on her end.
"Shhhhttttt… Quiet… There it goes… Everyone here is mad – even you, especially me – and that makes them dangerous. But it also makes them stupid. I'll make you seem as ruined as the rest of the people here. A simple glamour to make you a terrible wretch, still within my power, because while Raphael is Master, I am still the house's mistress. Now whisper your questions, little wretch. Be really quiet, and very clever. You're good at that aren't you. Little mouse you learned to be, when you are truly a great cat running everywhere. Concentrate."
Tem did focus, drawing themselves down, until they were little. Small and quiet, trying to ignore the way they felt like that first year on the run again. As well as the phantom brush of air against their scars from where Hope's glamour revealed them. Instead they pushed ahead, asking,
"We need to find where he keeps the Orphic Hammer. Where is it?"
"THE SAME PLACE YOU'LL FIND YOUR SORRY LITTLE SOUL WHEN RAPHAEL RIPS IT OUT. In the Archive, where he keeps all his shiny, shiny trophies. Down the corridor, past the debtors. OH! The debtors. They won't like you," Hope singsonged, "But I like you. I know I do, I think I do, I hope I do. I just need to ask one question, and then I'll know for sure."
"What is that? Though normally I'm the one asking hope for things," they said, trying not to think of all the times they had cursed the concept of hope.
"Can you save me? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE."
Hope, huh?
"Yes," Tem said looking at the dwarven woman and seeing not just her, but everyone they had damned in Shar's care, "Have hope, we're going to save you. What do we need to do? You mentioned the Hammer could break infernal chains."
"All right. You have to listen to me very very very closely. I will say this only once, Hope-Bringer. Find the KEY. Take the Hammer. Smash my chains. Find the key. Take the HAMMER. Smash my chains. Find the key. Take the Hammer. Smash my CHAINS," Hope entered an almost trance like state as she repeated the instructions thrice, "But be careful. Once you take the Hammer, the fire will come. And Raphael. You must run run run run. But don't forget me. Because if you don't hope is dead. And Hope is dead. I don't want to burn. Not again."
"We won't. We'll get you out of here. I promise," Karlach said from behind them with a conviction that for once Tem could echo, even as the flickering projection disappeared with the further, echoing rattle of chains. Leaving them once again alone in the antechamber of the House of Hope, feeling like the circle of part of their journey closing.
-=-=-
Pushing into the main chamber of the House of Hope Tem did their best to step quietly, followed by the rest of their party. Skulking through they walked past the feast hall Raphael had pulled them into when they first met, except with out the glitz and glamour of a devil trying to wine and dine a target. The food was wrong or just missing, and half the chairs were filled by skeletons, other souls who had fallen for the devil's trick. Additionally there were various souls who looked much like their glamoured selves frozen in moments of torment, caught like an insect in amber. They kept their head down, trying to avoid focusing on any one soul, afraid they would see themselves or their friends reflected in them.
"I hate this," Karlach said quietly, "makes my skin crawl something awful."
Tem squeezed her hand again, they knew the feeling, it rhymed with all the years they had spent with the monastery. The looks on the debtor's faces mirroring those after they had 'comforted' the victims they had thought they were saving. The moment before they broke.
"Yeah, I can't tell if this is specifically for our benefit, or our fiendish foe is just exactly the kind of piece of sh*t that torments us," Tem grit their teeth as they came towards the Archive door, watching Hope's silhouette flicker into being by door.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I hope he's just that kind of piece of sh*t. Otherwise we're f*cked, and not in a fun way," Karlach added quietly, as they reached the dwarf.
"Hello again, little cat-mouse. The price for speaking is steep, but I must give warning, even at the ever climbing cost. The prize you seek is just ahead, in the Archive, but you can't take it yet, and even if you could, you mustn't. The disguise will fall away, and Raphael will come sweeping in to rip out your soul to add to his clinky-clinky collection of coins. If he doesn't just eat you up. IN THIS HOUSE THIEVES ARE MELTED LIKE BUTTER AND SPREAD ONTO TOAST, yummy, yummy toast. I miss toast. Shhhh… I'm doing it again I'm doing it again," Hope explained, voice modulating all across the board before she began rocking, caught in a loop.
"It's going to be okay, Hope. Breath and focus, and at least the flame and fright in your mind will recede for they are nothing in the scope of this all," they breathed slowly, leading her through a basic technique.
"The flames in my mind are only one of the problems, the flames scorching my backside are very very real. But you've learned optimism well, little cat-mouse, your tiger taught you well, so I can keep helping. The Archivist has the key, is the key, but he's stubborn as your gith and serious as your old master. EXPLOIT HIS PIDDLING WEAKNESS AND MAKE HIM GROVEL, YOU'D LIKE THAT WOULDN'T YOU DEEP IN YOUR HEART. Oh no. They hear me… speak quickly and speak softly, less they ferret us out."
Tem softened themselves, focusing on what they needed to get through here quickly. Carefully they got low, letting the noise bleed from their form.
"How do I deal with the Archivist? He will have a vice or flaw, your tormentor wouldn't keep someone around he couldn't manipulate," Tem's voice was a whisper, only the hint of stirring ki.
"Clever little cat, he fears authority figures. Perhaps his teacher took a strap to him and left a deep impression at an early age. Or maybe… maybe… Never mind, there's one person he fears the most. She is," but then she was cut off but the all too familiar sound of breaking bone, and clinking chain as Hope winces.
"We'll get through this, Hope, but I need a name. Who does he fear most?"
"SCARIER THINGS THAN YOU LITTLE MOUSE, Verillius… Verillius Receptor," they felt Karlach tense behind them, someone in Zariel's circle then, "A High Inquisitor of Zariel. Officially entitled to audit Raphael's collection. One of the few who can brook no argument when it comes to taking things away. She oft comes in guises of all kinds, because her true form is so gargantuan and mind-scarring. PLAY YOUR PART WELL LITTLE CAT-MOUSE AND YOU CAN BE THE PART OF ONE OF THOSE BLASPHEMOUS GUISES, PERHAPS THE MOST BLASPHEMOUS YET."
That was the end of what they could get as with the sound of further breaking bones heralding her disappearance. Setting a sense of worry and nausea deep in their gut. But they didn't dare leave anything behind, instead unfolding themselves to appear like someone who might be a servant of a devil on Zariel's stature, giving Karlach's hand one last squeeze before they let the mental trick back into someone who wouldn't be out of place in their childhood, save the horns and tail. Before striding into the room like they owned the place, even as every step feels like a betrayal.
"Oh, a guest," a devil clad in tidy robes said as they walked through the door, "Are you a client of the Master of the House, or a visitor, journeying from elsewhere in the Hells? There was no one on the visitor's log for today, so you must not have been invited."
"You mean you don't recognize this guise? I thought better of you, Archivist. It is I, Verillius Receptor, the High Inquisitor of Zariel, and I have come for an audit," Tem let the words fall from their tongue, gut twisting.
"A thousand apologies, oh majestic magistrate of the infernal court. Your visage of a mortal is so vile I found it perfectly convincing. I would of course, prostate before myself as is proper, but my spine has been rendered into a thousand pieces and I must instead just welcome you do your work," a very real wince finished the statement, as he waved them into the room proper. Clearly planning to continue to follow them despite what was clearly real pain. So Tem kept the guise up, wandering to look at the various treasures with a critical eye. Until they came to the Orphic Hammer, predictably ensconced in a globe of invulnerability.
"I will need to examine this piece, Archivist, undo the security measures."
"Alas, your eminence, I cannot," he seemed legitimately regretful, "Only my Master has the passkey to this piece, as it was made from his own essence. But he should be along shortly. Could I perhaps interest you in the opportunity to relax in the Boudoir while you wait?"
Tem suppressed a grimace as they took the invite from devil, keeping their face impassive. Like this was normal,
"Perhaps I will. Have me alerted as soon as he arrives, this delay will of course be reflected on your report. As my Lady will be displeased by this waste of her valuable time."
With that they made a dismissive gesture and walked as fast as they could without blowing their cover from the room. As soon as they rounded a corner to a small alcove not occupied by a specter of torment Tem collapsed in on themselves, sliding down the wall, breathing hard. That was harder than they expected, especially playing Zariel's scheming dog. It had left every bit of them not already on edge vibrating with tension, because despite Hope's true-sighted proclamation they didn't enjoy having power over people like that, even if they knew they could. At least if they hadn’t earned it.
"Hey, darling, are you going to be okay?" Karlach was crouched in front of them, concern covering her face. When had that changed?
"Eventually, didn't think it would be that… intense. I've played the snotty noble before, but that was worse. It was like I was watching someone else pilot my body, but I was still making all the choices," Tem's breathing evens out a little as they speak, Karlach's hands bracing on their shoulders, "I wasn't even planning that last part before… it just fell out of my mouth, even knowing it might hurt you."
Karlach pressed her forehead to theirs, making it so they couldn't look away if they tried,
"I know you're not hers. And you're not anything like the person you pretended to be. We're in Hell, everything is worse here, everything. But you're mine, so trust me, if you can't trust yourself. That wasn't you, not really."
Tem nodded slowly, matching their breaths to Karlach's own, until the tension was just the low level hum of being in Avernus. They looked at the worried collective of their friends, and let Karlach help them up.
"Okay, okay. Let's get this over with and get out of here. I guess we need to go see what he keeps in his Boudoir, even if it's the last thing I want to look into. Because chances are that's where he'll be keeping any fancy password," Tem was ready to be done, their respect for Karlach swelling for surviving a decade in these environs.
Everyone seemed ready to move, even as their faces were equally horrified by the thought of seeming what got Raphael off. But it was probably be the quickest route to get the hell out of here. The debtors in the hall were more aware of them this time as they walked through the halls. Unable to go back to their skittering mouse-like continence after the overwhelming nature their last disguise. Until they stood before the shimmering magic curtain of the Boudoir, and all the possible depravity within.
-=-=-
Tem swallowed hard as they pushed the key into the lock more force than necessary. Even after Haarlep had been killed they still felt odd, despite everything they were still relatively body shy, and they had been about to just hop right into the incubus's bizarre pleasure game. Still more than a little lost in thought they thought they took scrap of paper that mostly likely contained the passphrase they needed, and turned to pass of the stash of Soul Coins they had found to Karlach. Only too be taken aback at the unnatural stillness that suffused their partner's form. Tem had gotten used to her fidgets and little dances, ways to burn off the hum of energy that came part and parcel with most extraplanar ancestries, they had honestly found it comforting, especially as it had made them more comfortable not suppressing their own little quirks. But now Karlach stood like if she displayed a shred of weakness she would be torn to shreds, like she was alone all over again.
"Hey," Tem said, sliding their hand into Karlach's with a squeeze.
They had more of a reassurance on the tip of their tongue, but instead Karlach turned with an almost animal hunger, pushing them against the wall with a devouring kiss. It was claiming and rough, with all the pent up tension of the night of the tiefling party. Wanting to touch and being denied, especially with the isolation both has been so recently released from. Tem found themselves surrendering into the kiss, teeth and tongues and passion. Until something flipped and, hitching a leg up to Karlach's hip they pushed back, giving as good as they got. That seemed to be enough of a cue to escalate, as she ground hard against them almost driving them into the wall with the force of her want, before Karlach reached down and pulled Tem's other leg up, supporting them against the wall trusting Tem to pull them closer together, even as both sought more friction even through the strange glamour. Eventually the kiss broke off, at least briefly, both panting, until Karlach began kissing along their jaw, fangs scraping and sending sparking through Tem's quickly climbing system. Sliding up against the wall Tem's thoughts started to spiral. Gods, they wanted Karlach so much in this moment, the tension of when they couldn't touch coming back full force. They wanted her to touch them everywhere. As Karlach drifted down, biting and sucking down their neck, and Tem felt their horns scrap against the wall trying to give Karlach more space to work. They writhed, twisting their hands into her hair, a wanton moan sliding unbidden as Karlach bit down at the junction of shoulder and neck. Tem ground hard in response, they wanted her as deep as she could go, seeing if there were more stars to be seen, they were sure Karlach could show them galaxies. They wanted her to pull that trick from the outskirts of Baldur's Gate, except use it to see how deep she could manage to get in them. Or better yet, if they had the prick they had used on their date, so Karlach could feel just how ready they were for them while as getting herself off. They just wanted to ride all of the feeling Karlach was willing to give them. But then, even with Karlach still working on their neck and shoulder, something cold washed over them.
That thought wasn't them… Or at least not just them. Despite the heat building between them, Karlach tipping almost passed the blue heat into white, and Tem feeling flush with want. Despite everything they between moans and sighs of pleasure began tapping on Karlach's back.
"Wyvern, Karlach, Wyvern," part of them didn't want to call a stop to this, but it was the part that wanted things they had never enjoyed. The part that they realized had completely forgotten Shadowheart and Wyll were in the room.
It took a long moment before Karlach pulled back, panting, eyes blue with desire.
"Whatsit?" But pulled from the moment Karlach's eyes and engine flame started to bank.
"Not that I'm not enjoying myself, but this," Tem said waving a hand between the two of them as they slid down, "isn't just us. It's the house, and… you-know-who. Something's not been right about all of us since we got here. You've been too still love, Shadowheart's been too quiet."
Which prompted them to look over at her, even as they let the rapidly cooling Karlach rest against them. Shadowheart was just turning away, like she to had realized something was wrong. But there was a hunger in her eyes they saw as she turned away, desire for belonging, or maybe something more. Wyll was facing away, clearly uncomfortable with two people they were pretty sure he mostly saw as siblings unconcernedly about to those who might be watching just go at it. But with at least on kind of heat draining away he turned back slowly towards the rest of the group.
"We're all… off, like at least at a guess, the version of ourselves we're the most… scared is real," it was hard for Tem to say it out loud, but as they did it clicked into place, "You've been still and guarded, like… I'm guessing you had to be under Zariel. Shadowheart's been fighting it, but you've been more like when we first met. And Wyll's… it's like when we ran into you, Karlach, everything is… more black and white. But I have to admit it was good with Haarlep, because…"
Tem trailed off, they had never been good at admitting weakness, or fears. And the magic, or whatever was pushing the effect through had cut deeply, and amplified the effect.
"I've been… been the nothing person. Whoever I'm dealing with expects, a mouse of a person for Hope, the fiendish auditor with the Archivist, or well," Tem swallowed hard, leaning into Karlach, resisting the urge to press their face into her shoulder and stop talking, "or someone who would play along with an incubus's sex game, despite both being in a committed relationship and even if I weren’t that not being my thing. I'm just, an empty shell, who can be whoever the person I'm talking to wants. If Wyll hadn't jumped in… I don't know if or when I would have been able to stop."
They don't mention the thoughts that had tipped them off to the latest round of it, they would have to talk about it with Karlach later, but for their sake, didn't want to in front of everyone else. Tem hated how easy of a time whatever magic was working on them was having, and how scared they still were that they weren't actually a person, just an empty shell going through the motions. But as the silence stretched, everyone putting the pieces together, they went to bury their face in Karlach's shoulder craving tactile comfort, only for Karlach to flinch away. As they looked up they saw the flash of worry sweeping across her face.
"Were you?" Karlach's question was surprisingly quiet, the bubbling of the strange restorative pool almost swallowing the words.
Tem swallowed, looking up at her worried eyes,
"Not until the end, other than maybe the fact I completely forgot Shadowheart and Wyll were there. I like you being happy when we get to have a private moment, and I wish we could have more. But, I wanted things I know I don't want, or at least wanted them for reasons that weren't, weren't us trying something, together. Everything else was real. And everyday we're not someplace like this bullsh*t you remind me I'm not a nothing person anymore. Hells, you saw me pull on the mask of someone who would have hurt you without a thought and still saw me."
Karlach sags against them in relief as they speak, until at the end she sweetly kissed their forehead before resting them together.
"Okay. We should probably talk about whatever makes you think you think you're not giving me enough or whatever. Especially since… letting it fester before we have to come back, hells know it was bad to carry sh*t like that in the first time," her words were disorganized as they all tried to fight the compulsion towards the self they most feared.
They nodded, not pulling away, but making it so they could see the other two while being tucked together. The reminder that they weren't alone in this helping chase away the fears the house was trying to drive in.
"It's a lack of hope," Shadowheart finally says, seeing the pair of them twisting to face them, "It's the version of ourselves we fear the most, the one if we were to give into hopelessness. It makes me wonder about there being someone named Hope kept captive here."
Shadowheart had cut to the heart of it. For all they had struggled with the concept of hope, it was the thing that kept them from just… giving up. Being a nothing person just surviving.
"Hopefully, knowing will help us from falling into the trap. Besides, all we have to do get the hammer, rescue Hope, and get out," Wyll outlines brusquely, clearly struggling against the compulsion.
Tem nods,
"We should get moving. I can't imagine he isn't aware of our presence at this point, even if he hasn't set himself to return."
They headed carefully out of Boudoir, ready to be gone from Raphael's strange pleasure hall. The entire group made their way through the hall, sliding just enough into meekness to avoid starting a fight with the various debtors and specters who popped in and out of existence. Maybe if it weren't this group of people they might have explored more of the House, but they didn't dare trying to deviate from their path, making their way back to the Archive. Everyone of them all to aware of how close the people they feared being, and how close they could be to the surface. Striding in they moved with confidence towards the Orphic Hammer, nodding Shadowheart towards the Gauntlets they needed to get for Helsik. Not daring to open their mouth, but using their imperious body language to pull the Archivist's focus to them so Shadowheart could work.
"Give me my heart's desire," Tem said as quietly as they dared, more out of embarrassment at the passphrase than any thought that it would keep Raphael from noticing their trespass, especially since he was probably expected something like this when they turned him down.
The globe dropped away and Tem reached out, seizing the hammer in one hand and swinging it onto their back. They ignored the Archivist's pontificating as they all fell back together, Hope flickering back into existence as the doors to the Archive slammed shut.
"I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS. AND BAD NEWS. AND WORST NEWS," Hope began, the voice of true sight pronouncements echoing, seemingly no longer worried about her jailer, "Good news! You got what you came for – successful visit with more besides, great success. Fantastic work! Bad news – so many things will be on fire when you step outside of this room. And it's special fire, the kind that burns even the unburnable. AND YOU ARE ALL INCLUDED IN THE THINGS TO BURN. That's okay, though, right? What would Hell be without some Hellfire! WORST NEWS RAPHAEL IS ON HIS WAY HOME AND OH BOY OH BOY HIS SPITTING MAD. LIKE A MADDER THAN I HAVE EVER SEEN, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM? But you planned for this, I know you did. You have everything under control. Because if you don't, please kill me before you die. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T PANIC EVEN WHEN YOUR EYES START TO EVAPORATE FROM THE HEAT. THAT'LL BE A NEW ONE FOR YOU LITTLE CAT-MOUSE. Come to my prison, bring the Hammer, break my chains. And then we exit stage ANYWHICHWAY."
"We'll be there as quickly as we can, and we'll get you out, I promise," Tem's voice had more confidence than they expected, even as the worry of Hellfire crept in.
"QUICK AS A CHEETAH LICKETY-SPLIT IF YOU DON'T MIND," Hope's voice, such as it was was undercut by pain again, driving Tem to shove the doors open out into the flames.
-=-=-
Tem was glad for Hope pointing them back in the direction of the Boudoir after rescuing her. The pool that had been so confusing had the same effects as a whole day of rest, so they could come into the fight fresh, even if they were all suffering new pulling burn scars from the Hellfire Spheres, never mind the flaming explosions of the various debtors and servants transforming into merregons and hell-boars. It would effect Karlach and Tem the most, with Shadowheart and Wyll the worst burned of the two able to step back and fling spells as long as the new twinges didn't keep them from focusing.
So now weapons drawn, they shoved their way into the chamber they were supposed to leave through. Raphael stood in the center, just over where there should be a portal out, hopefully just temporarily dismissed. Various devils and cambions were scattered around the room, with Yurgir the Orthon and the dark haired dwarven woman from Sharess's Caress flanking him. Karlach and Tem kept themselves between him and the rest of the party, eyes sharp as they waited for Raphael to start talking, because there was no way the cambion wasn't going to talk.
"You. There are many thing in your world that I loathe. Litters of kittens, chattering children, adventurers who don't know their place – the noise and the chaos of it all. In my world – in my HOUSE – there is order, and there is decorum. You came here, uninvited, and you stole from me. In doing so, you brought the chaos of your world into mine. I will not abide it," Raphael spit he was so mad, his form flickering between the refined noble and the devil's for that lurked beneath his skin.
"You say you stand for order, but you mean control, domination. And you had to know we wouldn't let that stand, you've met us. Because order without will is death," Tem's form, like Karlach's was contained fury, they would have to center themselves before the fight began in earnest, but after their experiences here they refused to bow, "We'll get out of here. We'll go through you if we have to, you can't stop us."
"I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE THAT HE WON'T," Hope's true sight voice was an ominous echo behind them, but Tem hummed with a rage they had learned to live with, and if that's what it took they would go down swinging. The other's, those they left behind would finish the task.
"Oh, Hope, you are such a piteous thing. All it takes is a crumb from the table, and you forget the centuries of starvation. This insolence has earned you centuries more. And you chose one of the people most disdainful of everything you stand for to through your lot in with. Korrilla, if you would – tell our unwelcome guests about your role in their tragic downfall."
The dark haired dwarf, who in this new light looked shockingly like Hope, spoke,
"I permitted you the freedom to decide your own fate. You could have been smart, selfless – saved the world. Instead, you came here and risked everything."
"It's the fatal flaw of mortal kind. Take away their free will, and they call you a tyrant. Allow them to indulge it, and they become tyrants. You think yourselves better than most, but in the end, instead of being the heroes you could be working with me, you choose to bring ruin. Trying to seize your own power when it would have gone so much neater if you had just taken the lot you are allowed. Now you're not so different to the doomed Karsus, over-reaching your limits, and burning your world to ash in the process," Raphael sneered, done acting like he cared at all.
"WRONG WRONG WRONG. They will save their world and smash you to smithereens. And hope is better for those who have to learn it," Hope's voice was strong the exclamation her own.
"It's this charming naivety that makes you company such a joy to me, Hope. I'll forgive this little rebellion once you're suitably chastised."
"This isn't a rebellion, it's a revolt," Hope's voice was firm and angry, "I'm taking back My House Raphael, which means it's time for you to go."
"Then Hope dies today, such a pity. Your house has been mine long enough I'm sure no one will notice the difference. Commander – you can salvage a trophy from these insects when I'm done with them."
Yurgir smiled over them, clearly thinking of the hard fought defeat back before the Gauntlet of Shar. But they had changed since then, come into themselves in ways he couldn't know. So instead of any banter they waited, staff spinning idly between their fingers.
"If you have any last words, make it quick. It will only take a moment to finish you," Raphael's tone was confident, as he abandoned his human seeming.
Tem said nothing, let him keep his preconceived notions about them. He would be dead soon enough. Instead they took a deep centering breath, sliding into the calm of combat. Raphael thought they were mice, time to teach him they were actually the cat.
"No words? Pity. No matter. You will scream before the end, little mouse. Now… down comes the claw."
-=-=-
Tem looked around at the ruins of the once opulent room they had appeared in. The massive window was shattered, with Yurgir's corpse half impaled on one of the remnant shards from where Wyll's eldritch blast had finished him off. Karlach stood with them over Raphael's rapidly cooling body. Most the of the room was littered with stone fragments and the dusty remains of various devils. Hope and Shadowheart stood at opposite ends of the room, looking like every spell they could possibly had been wrung from them. Tem was pretty sure everyone had gone down at some point or another during the fight, only the dedicated work of both clerics working in concert having kept them from hitting a spiral of death. Instead Hope stood over the other dwarven woman a sad look on her face. Tem hobbled their way over, half the muscles in their legs feeling like limp noodles.
"It is absolutely preposterous that any of us are alive. Maybe we're not! PINCH YOURSELF AND CHECK WE'RE NOT DREAMING THE LAST OF OUR LIVES AS WE DIE SCREAMING."
Tem barked out a tired laugh, even as they pinched at their thigh,
"It would be my luck that my last dreams would feature muscles that feel like more wet noodles than muscles," but the pain was sharp and real, making them aware of the specific kind of gravity that being awake and alive had, even as Hope barked out a sharp, harsh laugh, "But despite everything, as incredible as it seems, we did it. We defeated Raphael."
"That is incredible. We're incredible. We're spectacular. What a wonderful, jubilant, glorious day. OH BUT MY POOR SISTER KORRILLA. It is not right that she died, and it makes me want to weep an ocean," Hope slid in and out of herself as the she looked at the corpse that was apparently her sister.
Tem had cared about their siblings, and wanted to believe that they would be sad if they died, especially in the wake of finding their mother's body. But their disconnect meant they had little idea how to comfort the woman.
"I'm sorry there wasn't a way to save her," their words felt hollow, because to be honest, they we're sure they would have tried terribly hard, especially given it sounded like Korrilla had been just shy of stalking their party on Raphael's orders.
"When we were children, she always kept the last piece of pastry for me, and bloodied the nose of the bullies who pulled my hair. She was my sister. But a wise woman once said, there's no point in crying over split blood. We must go on. And despite all the years I've lost, I have enough love in my heart to guide you home," Hope had settled on the floor next to her sister's corpse, and Tem awkwardly rubbed at her back. There was something in this though that was clean and clear. While, especially with the shattered window it was clear they were in the Hells, but the particular energy that made them the thing they most feared had bleed away with Raphael's death. It was still miserable, but without the particularly nasty edge.
"What will you do? Can you bear to stay here, after everything Raphael has done and did to you," they asked, even as the others managed to pull themselves together, even as drained and pulled thin as they were.
"I'll hope. What else is there to do? I hope I'll see Korrilla again one day, and that she'll say sorry for her hand in all of this, and I'll tell her she's forgiven. I hope I'll find the pieces of my mind that fell out of my head over all those years, and that I'll be able to put myself back together again. I hope the echoes of pain will fade, and memories of sorrow will die, and that you'll visit me here some day. I hope that I can manage to pull my house back together. And I hope you have a happy ending of your own."
Tem nodded along, all of that would be hard to take on hope. But if that was what Hope needed, mediocre puns and belief, Tem couldn't fault them for it. But keeping their voice low they asked,
"I hope to see you again as well, though if your amenable, it might be sooner than either of us might like. Especially if I'm going to get a happy ending of my own. Karlach and I at least may need to find ourselves in Avernus again before too terribly long to buy time. If we can make our way here, could we stay until their ready for us to come back?"
"I would be happy to have the two of you to stay, though I can't be sure I could keep Zariel away on my own," Hope's voice was honest, "But as a place to rest, my House of Hope is open to you KARLACH AND TEMERITY CLIFFGATE. So that your next stay in the Hells, though it may not be kind, it can be kinder."
The return of Hope's true seeing voice was as much of a shock as the way she addressed the pair of them, Karlach and the others having drawn near. Wyll and Shadowheart were loaded down with gear, as the portal back to Faerûn spun back into existence.
"AND YOU BLADE OF AVERNUS, WYLL RAVENGARD, AND SELÛNE'S CHOSEN SHADOWHEART HALLOWLEAF, ARE ALSO WELCOME TO MY HOME AT YOUR NEED."
Tem was nervous of what that proclamation could mean. But also wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"Thank you Hope. I hope you find everything you lost along the way."
