Demonic Magician

The room was steamy, condensation from the hot bath clinging to the deep brown tiles and wooden plank walls. Sparsely furnished with a few empty shelves and potted plants that somehow lived despite the cottage being seemingly abandoned.

I pulled a face as Ren put her foot on my chest and wiggled her toes at me.

“Not my fault the bath is so small, trickster.”

While most of the tubs we had graced during our travels were wide and circular, this small, slim one was very much not designed for duos. Insisting that we sit opposite each other, it had become an awkward game of where we could fit all of our legs. The blissful hot water and comfort far outweighed the minor issue of space.

“I have some fragrant oil,” I said. “If you’re good for the rest of the day, I’ll give you a foot rub tonight.”

Her brow furrowed. “You’d do that? Promise?”

“You have my word.” I was slightly curious why that seemed like a big deal to her. After she’d given me a few shoulder rubs—and considering we spent so much time walking—it seemed like a fair enough deal.

“I hope so. I’ll be excited all day now.” Ren removed the offending foot from me and tried to move around up to her knees, threatening to spill water out onto the floor. She propped herself up near the side giving me the chance to watch the water run from her body - before she caught my glance and gestured with narrowed eyes. “Arm.”

I extended my right arm across the edge of the bath and she shuffled in front of it - a struggle with how little room there was. She placed one hand at my wrist, and the other near my inner elbow.

“Looks normal,” she said. “Feels any different?”

“Feels like nothing ever happened.”

She brushed wet hair behind her long ears and moved her face closer, inspecting my arm carefully. “Can’t be. Normal healing can’t do that.”

“It was definitely unusual - of that, I can’t deny.”

“Unusual,” she repeated. As if we hadn’t watched my injured arm completely burst into red mist and then reform with purple energy.

Her face even closer now, she pressed her lips just below my wrist and kissed it gently.

“No pain, odd sensations, awkwardness?”

“No.”

Now in the middle of my forearm, she repeated the same soft kiss.

“Your plans in this world haven’t changed unexpectedly?”

“No.”

Another kiss near my inner elbow.

“You don’t want to betray your feelings, lash out at your friends? Grab me right now and drown me?”

“No, of course not.”

I raised an eyebrow as she turned to face me, putting her arm across to hold the other side of the tub. The clumped ends of her wet hair tickled at my chest.

“No? Then what do you want to do with me, Max?”

The bathtub gurgled as our dirt and sins swirled around and emptied down the drain. Dried, we now got ourselves dressed. It took me a little longer, as I was constantly distracted by the elf. No idea why.

She caught my glances as she buttoned up her waistcoat. “I’m sorry for how I’ve been lately.”

I raised an eyebrow, not understanding her train of thought immediately.

“Being so needy and full-on. I’m… it takes a lot to get me out of my shell and I swung a bit too far the other way.”

My mind went back to the recent conversation I had with Tanya. “Ren, we could die tomorrow or live for a hundred years together. Both would not be enough time to fully share our love, so don’t waste your time on ‘sorry’. Squeeze as much as you can from life."

She pouted and stepped over to me, pulling on my shirt to draw me in for a kiss. “Charmer,” she said as she moved away, her eyes staring deep into mine. “You like it when I’m clingy and soft, don’t you?”

“Just as much as you like it when I’m firm and commanding, I’m sure.”

“Got me.” She smiled, illuminating us both.

“Oh.” My brow furrowed, as the sensible me tried to drag us from the otherwise perpetual cycle of affection. “I received a letter by courier.”

Her expression cooled, and an eyebrow went up. “Really? When?”

“Let’s relieve Tanya, and we’ll go through it.”

I’m sure we had taken a lot longer than she had perhaps expected - although in saying that, she seemed pretty wise and understanding with what we had going on. Ren and I had come a long way since awkwardly sharing a muddy hole in the ground. Hardly recognized her, almost - and I was sure to be a lot different from the always fine showman just trying to get by.

We stepped through the hallway into the open plan living room and approached the door, some slight surprise on both of our faces to hear the murmur of conversation and light chuckles from outside. I opened up the door back into the fresh air, which felt fantastic on my clean skin.

Tanya and Quinn were sitting around a small campfire, smiles on their faces over whatever their conversation had entailed. Wolf had moved closer to the fire, but was fast asleep once more.

Before I could apologize for taking so long, the weaver was already up on her feet. “You two look about ready to go on stage. A good scrub was clearly what you both needed.”

My tongue caught in my mouth, but I managed a nod. Ren had a wry grin, but didn’t seem keen to add her confirmation to the statement.

“My turn for a soak.” She sighed and stretched out. “All of you share your Equipment screens with me. While I bathe, I will go through and assign loot, and get your gold and Token share sorted.”

I did as she asked, if only so that she’d go into the cottage and I could feel less awkward about whatever was happening.

“Sorting equipment distribution is relaxing for you?” Ren asked her as she sent over her screen.

“In a way. Part of my role here is to take some of the unnecessary pressure off you, right? You only need the gear that will be an improvement, so consider me a filter for that.” She smiled and gave us a nod. “Plus, I like to feel there is some order in this world, even if I have to force it myself.” She turned and strode off towards the building.

Turned out I respected Tanya quite a bit. Not only because she was putting effort into making my life easier, but she was doing that even after the bullshit of the last few days.

Ren went to sit by the campfire, while I stopped and kneeled down beside the bear. I ran my hand around the fur on his head, and he opened a sleepy eye.

“Hey, big guy. You hungry?” I noted that he didn’t have his usual debuff - he’d made the decision to toggle off his attack buff for the first time since I had met him.

“Please,” he grumbled, closing the eye again. “Nothing too heavy, though.”

I gave him a pat on the head and moved over to the campfire.

“Would you like me to cook, Max?” Quinn tilted his head to the side.

“Hmm. I was thinking of doing like a… vegetable stir fry? The only oil I have is fragranced, however.”

“Oh.” He rubbed at his eyepatch. “Does that make it a better weapon?”

I nodded slowly, while the elf squirmed in my peripheral. “Maybe just a stew up some veg or something then. If you could?”

“It would be a pleasure.” He stood from his chair and gave me a brief bow.

Ren had an impatient look on her face that said sit and open the letter.

With a smile, I pulled out my favorite chair close to hers, and withdrew the envelope. I wondered if it was worth checking for any dangerous foreign substances or curses. Holding it up to the light… it looked pretty mundane. I’d take the chance. Splitting the plain wax seal, I withdrew the contents.

Dear Magician.

I understand I am to welcome you into the fold, as one of the few who have defeated a Guardian. It makes more sense now how you’ve been such the thorn in my side.

You are soon to know the burden your victory brings - but I offer out an olive branch. I can hone and protect you as your bud blooms.

Either way, our fates are now intertwined. Everyone has a breaking point. Do you think you are closer to yours than I am to mine?

Gamblers always pay the steepest costs.

Yours unfavorably,

Lady in Red

I folded the paper back up and put it away in my Inventory. Brow furrowed, I stared off at the horizon in thought.

“Maaax,” Ren whined.

“Oh, sorry.” I shook away the shadow covering me and gave her a sheepish grin. “It’s from you-know-who. An offer to join her, or otherwise a warning that killing a Guardian is bad news.”

She pulled a face. “That means she is scared and hurting, right? If she thinks that you should join her, she’d rather not face you.”

I didn’t answer, but nodded. What she said about the Guardians was more concerning that anything else. She couldn’t afford to fully commit to stopping us without overextending the power she needed to consolidate for Candlekeep. That didn’t mean we were safe - but we weren’t at all-out-war yet.

She knew something about the Guardians that I did not, however, and was twisting that knife into sowing doubt in my mind. Other than my new Power bar and ability to manipulate mundane cards, I didn’t feel any different. My Domain was probably the reward for a full meter. My arm was… I frowned at it, before catching that Ren had been patiently watching me for further conversation.

“We are resting,” I said. “I will not ruin that with my dour thoughts. Instead, I will eat well, enjoy the pleasant company that surrounds me, and dream of basking in the lights and applause of a show well performed.”

Ren attempted to roll her eyes, but didn’t have the heart to. Instead, she exhaled and accepted the inevitable. “I’ll toast to that.”

“Yeah, I’d love a coffee, thanks.” I gave her a shit-eating grin that did earn me a bit more exasperation.

“Dickbag,” she murmured, giving me a pat on the leg as she went over to the campfire.

I went into my Inventory and sent a copy of the letter over to Tanya. Was rude of me to interrupt her bath, but I figured she deserved to be clued in as soon as possible in case she had any knowledge to bless us with.

While I waited for a response, I watched the elf set up the kettle and have a conversation about the stew with Quinn. Offered him some ingredients and a coffee. Despite part of me feeling like I was harboring a potential nuke in my arm, I felt relaxed again. Wolf seemed content, if still overly tired.

A slice of heaven, interrupted by the gentle beep of the Chat.

[Tanya: We’ll need to be wary.]

[Tanya: This reeks of desperation.]

[Max: Agreed. Any thoughts on the Guardian stuff?]

[Tanya: No. Mind if I fwd this to my contact? Might prompt him to talk?]

[Max: Alright, if he is with the Wardens then they know me already.]

[Tanya: Fantastic.]

[Tanya: Oh. You willing to drop some Dex to go with a more Int heavy build?]

[Max: Sure. Card damage is Int based.]

I closed the Chat, feeling… I wasn’t sure what. Like I was haunted by a ghost. The shadow of something clouded me, but I didn’t know what or why. Was I just supposed to die to the Siren? Seemed unfair to put me in an unwinnable situation and then curse me when I beat out all odds. But… was I cursed? Not in the traditional way, and if it wasn’t for the odd nature of my renewal or the venom dripped by the Lady, I wouldn’t think twice about it.

My eyes rose up to see Ren standing there with the steaming coffee.

No, the Lady was wrong. Any power I had stolen from the Guardians was not a curse, but a blessing. Another tool in my arsenal that would eventually be her undoing. I lived in illusion and falsehoods - her words were flimsy and transparent.

I was the panacea to rid this world of her blight, and tonight I would carve out her supply lines and watch her bought followers starve out.

Perhaps after a nap though, I’d certainly earned it.