The Nein rushed into Ludinus’ estate at full speed, praying to every god they followed that Essek was still alive. They heard through the grape vine, thanks to Beau, that Ludinus had recently taken in a ‘stray’ from the Dynasty. It didn’t take much digging to find out that it was Essek, stolen away from his post in Eiselcross and held in the Martinet’s home. Caleb had immediately booked of time in his teaching, under the pretence of some rather important business abroad, and had requests Beau as his personal guard. Obviously, Yasha would have to come as well in such a case, and it was hardly an issue to call Fjord and Jester and the Balleater back to the shores of the Menagerie Coast.
Caduceus had been slightly harder to reach, as always, but a few well-informed crows was really all it took in the end. As for Veth, she had jumped as soon as Caleb reached out. The only one they couldn't reach was Kingsley, something that no one was quite sure how they felt about. It felt wrong not to ask, but Caleb would have been lying if he said he hadn’t been relieved at the rebuff from the tiefling. And, just like that, the Nein were back in business. All except one, that is. And that one was who they were after.
“Alright, everyone split up and check every room for him. We have no idea where the Martinet might be keeping him so we have to keep our eyes peeled.” Fjord said, directing them all to split up. Jester and Caleb rushed down the north hall together, Caleb looking for arcane traps while Jester searched for mechanical ones. Both of their hearts were racing more than they would have admitted to anyone.
“He’ll…he’ll be alright, right Cayleb?” Jester asked, the worry clear in voice and her wide eyes. Caleb just nodded.
“Ja, of course, Jester. He…he will be fine. You are a cleric after all. You…you can make him fine if he is not.” Caleb said. It wasn’t a question, and Jester knew it. She nodded back. Both of them knew what Essek meant to the other. Everyone knew what Essek meant to Caleb, of course, but even Fjord had only questions about him and Jester. It was years ago now, and they were so very in love, and Fjord knew he had no place to ask about Jester’s past loves. But many of them suspected that they, too, had been involved at some point.
Interrupting the shared glance, Caleb and Jester heard a scream from down the hall. Blood curdling and deep, they knew whose it was. Both of them took off at a sprint.
“Essek hold on!” Jester shouted, running as fast as she could towards the sound.
“We are here! Please, Essek, we are coming!” Caleb followed, running faster than he ever had in his life. Their cries were met only by screams filling the hall.
When they found the room that the shouts were coming from, they couldn’t help but freeze in the doorway. Essek was alone in the room, chained to the wall, and very badly beaten. His eyes were puffy with bruises, and tears tracked through the dirt caked on his face. His breathing was ragged and hitched, and every other ne was punctuated with a scream. He was calling out to someone, anyone.
“Essek we’re here…” Caleb said, rushing towards him. Jester at his side, they both knelt beside him and began to inspect his wounds. Caleb could see the bruises around his wrists from the shackles, sprained at worse and strained at best. More worrisome though, was the gash in his chest, slowly dripping blood onto the floor.
“He…he is done with me…” Essek choked out. The effort of it brought him to coughing, as blood trickled out of his mouth.
“Well we aren’t Essek, so don’t you go quitting on us yet. It’s very rude, you know.” Jester said, trying to cover the worry with a smile and a laugh, just as she always did. Essek tried to laugh in response, but it only brought on more coughs. More wheezes. More blood. More and more and more, until every breath was coated with it. Until Essek was choking on it. Until his breaths slowed…and stopped.
“No…” Caleb whispered. “No no no no no….no!” He grabbed Essek’s shoulders and began to shake the drow. “Wake up! Wake up!” he ordered. But it was no use. Essek’s eyes were rolled back, blank and hollow.
“I…I can fix it, wait.” Jester said, scrambling in her bag and searching for something. After a few moments, she pulled out a necklace. It was lovely, and opulent, and Caleb remembered the day that Essek had given it to her. He and Jester had visited together, to tell him that it was their last time. Their last time sleeping together, and the end of Jester’s involvement in the relationship. And this had been his goodbye gift. A necklace, studded with heart shaped diamonds, worth far much more than the spell needed. Jester ripped off the centre diamond, and held it to Essek’s chest. “Work.” she commanded. “Work, dammit.”
“Please…” Caleb pleaded. “Please…please please please. Come back to us.” As he begged, he fiddled with the cuffs at Essek’s wrists, undoing them and rubbing the elf’s wrists. Jester took the other wrist in her hand as she chanted. Prayed. Called upon Artie and the Wildmother and the Storm Lord and every god they all knew. This had to work.
A moment passed. Nothing. Just silence and the bated breath of the two mages, alone in the room with Essek…Essek’s body.
Another breath. Silence.
Another…thump…thump…thump.
“I’ve got it!” Jester shouted. “I’ve got a pulse!” Essek’s eyes blew wide open, as he sucked in breath, raspy and shaking.
Caleb melted, and threw himself into Essek’s arms.
