Lucien stood with a renewed sense of being, "We welcome you. I welcome you. This is incredible. I'd always wondered, but this is..."he took in a deep breath, "this is something."
Beauregard was the first to speak, "What's it like?" her voice sounded curious, even envious maybe. Perhaps they were finally seeing it. The potential.
Lucien closed his eyes and sent into their minds, thousands of worlds, endless possibility, colors that shouldn't be conceived by the mortal mind. All of time condensed to a moment.
He opened his eyes and let out a breath, "I wish I could share it, but there's...well, you'd need to be with us. You have to be with the pattern," he glanced to Caleb with an inviting grin.
Fjord's voice pulled his attention then, "You've left us alive. You said you wanted an audience. We're here now. It doesn't seem like many more are. What was it all for?"
Lucien frowned, "I left you alive," he hummed. "Why did I leave you alive?" They'd done nothing but be a hindrance. Perhaps it was the allure of having Caleb by his side. Perhaps it was something else. He shook his head, not wanting to think about it too hard.
"You have to have somebody witness, right?" Beau shrugged as if it were obvious.
"Molly?" Jester's voice piped up timidly.
Beau's next words went unheard as Lucien snapped his head towards the blue tiefling.
"Mollymauk Tealeaf," Caleb's voice spoke up next.
Lucien felt that tingle at the base of his neck once again. Oh how he hated that feeling.
"No, I've told you, he's gone. You have me now," he growled before turning to Beauregard, "I need witnesses, yes. To hear my birth cry," he raised his hands, and the city began to scream loudly. That was why he kept them alive, he needed an audience. It was nothing more.
In that moment that Jester began to sing, it sounded familiar, but Lucien was sure he'd never heard it. However, the tingling started again before he shoved it down.
"Well, I do believe now it's time to take the city back to where it all began," he grinned, "Where the pattern can reach all the minds."
"Oh, but surely, there'll be time for that later," Caleb's voice shot through him like a dart. Once again, the tingling surged up his spine. This time though his chest fluttered with a feeling he was unaccustomed to.
"Do you still intend to leave the world better than you found it?" Beau asked, causing the tingle to almost burn. His hand and eye twitched involuntarily. Whatever they were doing, was affecting him in a way he hated. He pushed the feelings down and concentrated on the crests.
"Where's the other crest? I can't feel it?" Lucien demanded, unable to sense it. "What have you done?" he growled.
The Nein remained silent, though all eyes were on him.
"Very well, through dreams it will be, then. Who do you care about? Whom shall I reach out to in their night's slumber? And show them the pattern until they come and bring me what I need? Your husband?" he turned to the halfling. "Your boy? Maybe they can make the trek up, too. And bring me the other crest I need. One by one, they will all begin to see as you have. They'll begin their own paths to becoming my Nonagon," Lucien was angry now, they had become too much of a hindrance.
Veth shook her head, "No, no, I don't think they will. They don't steal from happy people."
Tingle.
Caleb shook his head, "These threats are empty."
Tingle.
"Why don't you ask the charm? The charm is here?" Beau gestured to Yasha.
The tingle grew to a sting that Lucien couldn't shake. He'd had enough of this.
"Enough," he shouted, "I don't know what you think you're doing, but I've had enough," He rose up to the sky and pointed two eyes towards the mighty Nein. He would make them see reason or he'd kill them trying.
*AN*
A continuation of the previous one shots. I have a couple more planned.
