Break Enchantment

      Today’s snippet, titled “Break Enchantment”, is a piece I wrote about a PC in Mark’s Evil Pathfinder Campaign.
      Be forewarned, there are mature themes and naughty language below.
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      When she closed her eyes, she could feel it. Lurking there beneath her lids, sliding through her veins, pricking at each nerve. It was a part of her now, utterly.
      Not like the need to draw another card, no. This was different. This was…
      Nyx paused, hesitating for the right word. Dae would know. Dae… oh Dae…
      It was raw, and powerful, and it echoed. It vibrated. It pulsated. With every breath, with every thought – something about her very being was fundamentally changed.
      It had happened when the Glaive-Angel drew his last. Some unknowable fragment of his incredible power had been passed onto her.
      “Like destiny,” she whispered to herself. “Fate.”
      Nyx clenched her fists at her side, anger burning like the stars in her heart. She had drawn a card and it had taken everything from her – the carefully chosen magical objects she had collected over the years. Despite that, she had not been able to control the desire and she had drawn again.
      And things had gotten worse.
      Nikodemos had turned on her in a rage.
      Nyx understood that it was not really him, that he had been influenced by the fates that slept inside that cursed deck of cards. It did not make her heart any less broken, however. It did not make her entire life any less over.
      “There must be a way to fix this.”
      She closed her eyes, clad in plain silks and none of her enchanted jewelry, feeling more naked by the lack of Dae’s love than by the absence of her gear. One card had granted her a boon; hard to explain even to herself, Nyx knew that if she willed it, she would be granted the answer to a dilemma.
      It was the sort of thing that could save a person’s life. It was the sort of strange notion that could prevent her from ending up like Quick Bill nearly had – a drooling idiot whose soul had been torn from his body and trapped in a magical gem. It was worth far more than any gold or jewel.
      Her allies would call her stupid if they knew how she intended to use her boon. Nyx imagined they would berate her with things like: who cares if your fucking brother doesn’t love you anymore? Kill him and take your things back. Leave the cunt alone in that flat and find another.. There are a million better ways to use that knowledge than quelling that pissy bastard’s whining. Let little bitch have his way. Who cares? We’re going to rule the world with the money and magic we find in Ip!
      Ruling the world was probably a long shot at best, but they were absolutely right in believing that there was treasure beyond counting within the walls of the lost city. There was magic the world had not seen in generations down there. Art, gems, coin, lore. Wealth immeasurable.
      It would mean nothing without Dae at her side.
      Nyx knew normal people would understand her need. Folks who loved friends and family, they would get it. Her allies were like her. Broken. Maybe they did not even understand it, maybe they were entirely unaware of it. But although Nyx could live without any number of people – including them – she knew she was not long for this world without Dae.
      She closed her eyes once more and whispered her dilemma to the cosmos.
      A heartbeat. Two. Three. Four.
      From the depths of the universe, she felt its response, rather than heard it. A divine spell – admittedly a fairly powerful one – could restore Nikodemos to her.
      “I like, totally, can’t go to the temples here,” she mused out loud. “And I don’t want to owe Adelind anything. Crazy bitch. Like, damn it… what can I do? Dae – I wish you weren’t so busy being like, a total dick, because you’d know what to do.”
      One last breath of an answer from whatever powers had owed her a boon. Her eyes widened as the name tripped lightly across her mind.
      Geshan…
      Nyx blinked. It was probably not any better to owe the halfling, than to owe to the Dhampir; but at least Geshan seemed self-aware and mostly sane… Mostly.
      Nyx cast one more look over her shoulder, up at the small balcony of the tiny flat she had shared with her twin since arriving in the city. She could see him raging up there, still cursing her name and grumbling about how he would kill her if he saw her again.
      The bitchiest part of her soul wanted to fly to the open window and dare him to fucking try, but she bit her tongue and turned away. Geshan would help, she knew the universe had not lied about that, and even if it cost her every last cent she possessed, Nyx knew that without Dae… there was nothing on this world left for her.
      She reached up to touch the symbol she wore at her throat and was once again disturbed to find it missing.
      “Dae, you are like totally going to have to enchant me a new one, after Geshan fixes you.” Nyx chuckled, a mirthless sound. “You will owe me that much, at least.”
      As she headed toward the Inn, Nyx could feel that unimaginable new strength in her soul and it was exhilarating.
      Still, beneath that, there was an itch she needed to scratch.
      The deck, still clad in its beautiful velvet bag, weighed heavy on her hip.
      She wanted to draw another card.
      Just one more.
      Or maybe two…

– – – – – – – – – – –
Signed, Josie
Note: Image is “Playing Cards” by caltiva from SXC.hu

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