A torrent of pain shot through Lucien's body. The spell Jester had used seared into his brain, causing sharp needlelike bursts behind his eyes. Gripping his head and squeezing his eyes shut, he cried out. He was sure his skin would shatter like glass as the red eyes faded from his body, the pain almost too much to bear. Darkness encompassed his vision.
A bright blast from Lucien's form caused the Nein to shield their eyes. When the light faded, Lucien was left lying on the ground, his body no longer a twisted nightmare. Instead, it was the familiar form of their once friend, Mollymauk.
"Is he dead?" Veth asked, not daring to get closer.
"I don't know, but we should-" Fjord was cut off as Essek's voice cried out from beyond the crumpled tower.
"Caduceus!"
Essek was on his knees, pulling Caleb's head into his lap.
"Oh my gods, Caleb," Jester was the first to reach them. She dropped down next to Essek, rifling through her bag as she went.
The rest of the Nein gathered around as Jester placed the diamond on Caleb's chest.
Essek brushed a strand of ginger hair from Caleb's face, allowing his fingers to brush against pale skin.
The diamond shattered as Jester completed the spell.
A breath punched from Essek as Caleb's chest expanded. He hadn't even realized he'd been holding his breath.
"Welcome back," Caduceus gave a lopsided smile.
"You're okay," Jester's tone still carried a worried lilt.
"Is it over?" Caleb asked, blinking up at his friends.
"I don't know," Veth glanced over her shoulder where Lucien stirred.
Lucien's eyes opened to find himself lying amidst decaying flesh. His body ached and his head throbbed with a cacophony of drums.
The sound of dissonant voices whispering thank you's surrounded him.
"No," his looked down to see he was no longer kissed with the promises of the somnovem. "No, no, no."
"Molly?" Jester's voice reached his ears, pulling his attention up to the approaching Nein.
"What have you done?" Lucien seethed; his hands shook as he clenched them.
"I believe we saved you," Caduceus gestured around them.
"You ruined me. This shouldn't have been possible," Lucien grit out, his voice wavered as if tears threatened, but there were none in his eyes.
"The somnovem lied to you," Caleb stepped from the back of the group.
Lucien's heart leapt at the sight of him alive.
Essek's arm caught Caleb's preventing him from going too close.
A sneer pulled at Lucien's lips at the sight.
"They promised you greatness, but they lied. They caused torment and destruction. You were a means to an end for them. You were never meant to survive," Caleb continued to speak, though he allowed Essek to hold him back.
Lucien sucked in a shaky breath. The rest of the tomb takers were dead. He'd sacrificed everything and now...he was alone once again.
He shook more as his breaths became short and fast.
"I'm sorry, are you...having a panic attack?" Fjord asked, glancing to the other members of the Nein as if for clarification.
"Here," Caduceus reached forward and tapped Lucien's shoulder.
A wave of calm washed over Lucien. He would be fine. He would figure it out, like he always did.
"You sit here and think about what you've done," Caduceus turned to the group, "We should probably talk about...all this."
The Nein shuffled away from Lucien, leaving him sitting in a dying puddle of flesh.
"I can see the pain on all of you. You were hoping for you friend back, but instead you got this," Caduceus gestured behind him.
The group stayed quiet.
"Think we have to discuss what we do next," Caduceus continued, "Even though I know you don't want to."
"Do we...do we kill him?" Beau asked, her eyes downcast.
"Maybe Molly is still in there?" Yasha squeezed Beau's hand, whether to comfort herself or Beau she wasn't sure.
"If he is, how do we reach him?" Jester asked.
"He seemed to respond to us, but that could just be because Molly was a pat of Lucien. We may not be able to separate the two physically. And even if we could, how could we be certain it was Molly we got?" Fjord glanced over to where Lucien was sliding his arms over the missing eyes.
"He's still dangerous though, isn't he?" Veth looked to a still bloodied Caleb.
"He doesn't have the eyes anymore, he's no more powerful than Molly was," Beau shrugged.
"Is that a chance we're willing to take?" Fjord looked to each of his friends.
Silence hung in the air, no one wanting to make the call.
"Molly once told me that he didn't care what I'd done in my past. He believed in second chances," Caleb's eyes were set on his blood-spattered boots.
"I can't see him die again. Even if it's not Molly," Yasha shook her head.
"So, what we take him home and try to rehabilitate him like a wild dog?" Veth sneered in Lucien's direction.
"We're really good at making unlikely friends, take Essek for example," Jester shrugged with a hint of a smile.
"You've been awfully quiet, Essek, what do you think?" Beau nodded to the drow.
"I think I am not one to speak on such matters. I did not deserve the trust you have given or the second chance I was granted. How can I speak against your decision to offer the same to another?" Essek frowned.
"You don't think we should?" Beau pressed, sensing the trepidation in Essek's tone.
Essek didn't respond.
"Speak your mind," Caleb urged, his eyes meeting Essek's.
"I fear he cannot be trusted. He hurt you all. He killed-" Essek cut himself off, closing his eyes as images of Caleb's limp body filled his mind.
"Maybe it was the somnovem, ya know?" Yasha looked doubtful despite her hopeful tone.
"I think you have all done a wonderful job. You saved lots of...people? Is people the right word, I don't know. You also prevented great tragedy. We're all alive and..." Caduceus looked over his shoulder, "sometimes, evil is born from a lack of compassion."
Caleb broke away from the group, heading towards Lucien.
"Caleb," Essek called after him worriedly.
Lucien looked up as Caleb neared him, frowning as the wizard stripped his coat from his shoulders.
"We cannot stay here, this place will likely crumble in time," Caleb draped his coat over Lucien.
Lucien slipped his arms into the sleeves and pulled the sides around him as he stood. The warmth felt nice on his bare skin.
"You're not going to kill me?" Lucien narrowed his eyes.
"We haven't decided, but Caleb's right, we should get outta here," Beau nodded.
Lucien didn't trust them, but he didn't want to be abandoned. Not again.
"To the grove, Caduceus?" Jester asked, pulling her tuning fork from her bag.
"Yeah," Caduceus nodded with a smile.
Lucien watched as the Nein clasped hands. Yasha reached to him, taking his hand in hers and with a gust of wind they were gone.
