Ritual Theater

Wyll’s tent door parted. He leaned halfway out, brow raised, voice lowered. "Got a minute?"

The candles behind him gave it away—Ritual time.

I stepped inside. His tent was pristine: bedroll tight, weapons neatly arranged, candles flickering in a perfect circle. Wyll knelt at the center, hands on his thighs, eyes closed. All this effort—his own design. I hadn’t asked for any of it.

"I am ready," he said, still not looking.

I circled around him slowly as I mumbled a few vaguely infernal sounding phrases. His posture was stiff with intention, too perfect to be comfortable. I crouched down and flicked him on the nose.

He winced. "Ow."

I didn’t stop there. Another flick followed, just a bit harder this time. His shoulders stiffened, but he didn’t open his eyes.

"And the rules?"

He didn’t flinch. "If I talk about the ritual, it won’t work."

"Good boy."

I gave his forehead a final tap with my fingers, just enough to break the tension he was clearly trying to hold. "Carry on, Blade of Frontiers."

I turned to leave.

"Actually..." he said, still sitting. "I wanted to have a word with you."

I paused.

"You’ve been witness to a pantomime," he continued, solemn. "And I... I’ve played my part all too poorly.."

"Right..." I said.

"A reckoning approaches. Soon I will face my penance. Karlach is not the only one with an infernal knife to her throat"

"Sounds dramatic."

"You don't even know half of it. Soon, the veil will lift. That is all I can say for now.."

"Well, goodnight then."

"—I just hope I can meet it standing on my own two—"

I stepped out and headed to my next stop, letting his words trail off behind me. Already knowing the point, not wanting to spend more time listening to him dance around it. Not that he would convey any information tonight anyway. He had made a pact with a she-devil. One I was very much looking forward to meet.

But that was in the future. Right now I could see the present right in front of me.

Karlach, unwrapped and waiting in her hot tub, only thing on her was a lecherous smile.