Cracks in Her Armor

A breeze slipped through camp, and I rose quietly. Karlach was sprawled out in her bedroll, one arm flung over her face, snoring loudly—noisy in sleep just as she was awake. Her infernal heart pulsed with a soft orange glow beneath her skin—warm and steady.

Shadowheart was already up, crouched near her gear, calmly going through her morning routine. She glanced up when she noticed me, offering a small, warm smile. She stood up and crossed the short distance to me.

“Morning,” she said quietly. Her voice held a gentleness I hadn’t heard before. “Last night was... something. Thank you.”

I raised an eyebrow. She gave a soft laugh, then looked down, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Like you, my memories are... tangled. Fuzzy in places. But that—what you gave me—it felt real. Like something I could actually hold on to.” She paused, her voice quieting._ _“...Grab on to.”

A flush rose to her cheeks.

When her eyes met mine again, they held a flicker of something unguarded—not trust, not yet, but the start of it.

“Let’s make more memories like that,” she said, giving my arm a gentle squeeze before turning away. Her steps were soft, hesitant. Like she didn’t quite want the moment to end either.

She paused before walking away, just long enough to glance over her shoulder.

"Don’t keep me waiting too long."

Progress

We were just starting to talk about plans for the day—maybe a scouting loop toward the Goblin Camp, or heading straight to Ethel’s house—when a scream cut through the air.

It was sharp. Raw. Bordering on hysterical.

Lae’zel.

She burst from her tent like a panicked beast, hair wild, skin sheened with sweat, eyes wide and unblinking, body trembling.

Her gaze locked on mine.

“YOU,” she snapped, stabbing her finger toward me. “We need to talk.”

Not a threat. A plea. Something was wrong.

Karlach sat up mid-snore, grabbing her axe with one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other. “What did I miss?” she muttered.

“NOW,” Lae’zel yelled, still staring at me.

Shadowheart and Karlach exchanged a look.

“Should we be worried?” Shadowheart asked.

“Probably,” Karlach said, voice rough with sleep and grin already forming.

Lae’zel grabbed my arm and pulled me from camp, her grip vice-like. Down an embankment, out of earshot. For a while, she said nothing. Her camp clothes shifted with her breath—short, uneven. Her fists clenched and unclenched at her sides like she was searching for an enemy she couldn’t see.

Then she stopped.

“Do it,” she said, her voice hoarse.

I blinked. “Do what?”

“The ritual. I don’t have long left.”

That squid bastard had worked fast.

“Alright,” I said gently. “Sit down. Like before.”

She obeyed without hesitation. No scoffing. No glares. Just sat on her knees, back straight, eyes forward. Waiting. She was trying not to shake.

I raised my hand. No magic yet. Just the motion. The offer.

And then I looked at her.

Really looked.

Her face wasn’t proud. Wasn’t cold. It was terrified.

Big, golden eyes locked onto mine, wide with dread and **** pleading. Tears brimmed at the edges. Her lower lip trembled, and her breathing came too fast, too shallow. She tried to hold it together, but she was unraveling in front of me.

This wasn’t how I wanted it.

I lowered my hand.

I reached forward and placed my palm gently on her head.

No magic. No pleasure. Just contact.

I started running my fingers through her hair. Soft, slow motions. Headpats. Real ones. Something inside her shifted. Maybe even broke.

[Lae’zel: Corruption +2]

She froze. Then leaned forward, letting her weight rest against my hand. Her shoulders started to tremble. Her breathing came in soft, uneven gasps.

She sat like that for some time, just hand on her head. Eventually she rose to her feet, quiet and composed.

Her eyes rose to mine. This time, they weren’t filled with fear—but something else entirely. Wide and searching, as if trying to piece together what had just happened. Awe, surprise, maybe even a touch of reverence. Her cheeks were flushed, her breath still unsteady.

“Your magic really does work,” she whispered.

[Lae’zel: Approval +8]