An: quite long... (900+ words) This is my first Tav, Amara, who I used to romance Ascended Astarion. This takes place before that.
Tw: evil/villain reader, death, insects/bugs
Masterlist
A village a two day trek from Baldur's Gate had begged for help. Assassin bugs were terrorizing the people. The large insects weren't uncommon, but the density of them was beyond anything you'd ever seen. You could see them as you walked into town, groups of at least ten standing just past the treeline. They weren't intelligent creatures, but something about them sent a chill down your spine.
The village leader introduced you to Amara, a ranger, and Izod, a barbarian from Phannaskull. She was thin, tall, nimble, while the barbarian was stocky, average height, and took thundering steps. The older man begged all of you for help again, they'd lost almost half of the population in a week. It was like a purge. The three of you agreed to help.
“The bugs will be able to smell us coming.” Amara states, “We need to hide our scent before going.”
She rambles on about the various vegetation that should help and pulls out a few she gathered along her journey. Izod mentions seeing hundreds of not thousands on their way just last night. You had plenty of knowledge about the beasts, nothing of any real value after they'd finished, as you were summoned as the only druid willing to travel so far.
“Do you have a cleric in case some are able to slip by?” You ask.
The leader nods, “Yes, she arrived just yesterday.”
You knew even if one group slipped by it could be devastating for the village. You had to be careful. The three of you set out at sunset, knowing the bugs would have the advantage over the citizens with their darkvision. You crept through the shrubs and thorns, Amara jumping from tree to tree. She shoots the first insect you come across. It was alone and seemed to be weak. The three of you look at each other, then around the forest as a scream echoes through the forest. You race back, swarms of monsters breaking down doors of people's houses. Each of you start to deal with the infestation, slicing, casting, shooting.
“They aren't normally so organized!” Amara yells from a rooftop, “Something bigger has to be going on.”
As the swarm grows you lose sight of each other. Amara jumps down, slicing through bugs with her swords, Izod slams their hammer through a particularly heavy group. Insect juices and blood spray over the three of you as you do your best to mow them down. Izod chases after the last few while Amara searches the area for you. When she finds you, you're bleeding on the ground, several insect shaped bite marks sprinkled on your body. You've been paralyzed. She rushes you to the cleric like it was her own life at stake.
The woman helps you to a bed and begins her work. By sunrise your wounds are mostly healed and the paralysis has worn off. Amara and Izod took turns watching over you and patrolling the village.
Izod had captured one of the creatures as it tried to escape to wherever it came from, “This one can lead us to the real evil.”
By mid day you were released and the three of you set off again. As you followed the bug, which the barbarian had tied a lead to, it started to get darker. You had to be close, the sun was still high in the sky and you could see it, even through the blackness that took over the trees. A cave sat in the middle of the inkiness, like a sore thumb, it was green, and flowery.
Just as you reached its entrance a horde of the bugs sprouted free again. They didn't attack, simply flew past you and up into the air before falling back down to the forest floor. Amara and Izod look back towards the cave, you were no longer in sight. They didn't dare call for you, letting the evil inside know they were coming was far worse than your possible escape. They head inside, leaving the now dead Assassin Bug at the cave entrance. The inside was a stark contrast to the void just outside. Moss, flowers, and woodland critters scatter across the cool grey stones.
“A druid.” Amara mumbles, gesturing to the various potions, spell books, and staff nearby.
“You seemed to have forgotten one thing about these bugs.” A soft, familiar voice smirked behind them, “Assassin Bugs understand Druidic, though they cannot speak themselves.”
They both turn, with surprise and anger on their faces. Behind them stood you, their druid friend, or at least they thought you were their friend. Each of them readies their weapons, prepared for a long battle.
“Do you want to know why I wanted to destroy this place?” You ask, rhetorically.
Izod narrows their eyes, “There is no reason to do this, hurt innocents.”
“Innocent.” You scoff, “They destroyed my home. They encroached on my grove, hurt my animals, and destroyed my plants. I was simply…. Returning the favor.”
“Was it worth it?” Amara asks, her voice quiet but firm.
“Obviously.”
“I should've let you bleed to death.” she spits back at you.
The battle that ensues isn't your best work, but it ended as you'd expected. The barbarian holds their hammer against your head as the ranger points the top of her sword against your throat. You can't help but laugh, everything worked just as you thought it would the moment you'd met them.
“Just tell the village they're free from my torment.” You chuckle darkly, “Tell them my ghost will haunt the forest for centuries.”
“I will correct what they've done wrong,” Amara vows, pushing her sword deeper towards your throat, “but you won't be here to see it.”
As she executes the final blow you see her for what she is, an elf who just wants justice. For you, for the village, for anyone in need. That's something you're okay dying for.
