Prototype's Gate

While Gale was guiding Alex through the intricacies of the Weave, Alex was far from idle. He subtly shifted the internal structure of his eyes, hoping to observe this mysterious force in a way no one else could. He was right to do so. The Weave existed beyond the normal human visual spectrum of 400 to 700 nanometers, residing closer to the ultraviolet range, based on the faint, shimmering patterns he could just barely detect.

Later that night, Alex lay on the cool sand, his gaze lost in the vast expanse of the night sky. The rhythmic sound of the waves crashing on the shore was almost hypnotic, lulling him into a state of deep contemplation. He felt a presence approaching, a familiar one, yet something about it was off. Without needing to turn around, he knew it was Tav. He could sense Tav’s mind—something he had never experienced before, a strange connection between them that felt almost like an intrusion.

Tav stopped beside him, and for a moment, everything was still. Then, with a swift, savage motion, Tav raised a knife high above his head and brought it down in a deadly arc aimed straight at Alex's heart.

Instinct kicked in, and Alex rolled away just in time, the blade sinking into the sand where he had been moments before. He quickly scrambled to his feet, facing Tav, whose usual calm demeanor had been replaced by something primal, something terrifying.

Tav’s eyes burned with a crazed intensity, his voice a growl that seemed to emanate from deep within. "I’m going to kill you and bathe in your blood!"

He lunged at Alex with a ferocity that was wholly unlike the man he knew. Alex sidestepped each wild slash, his mind racing to make sense of what was happening. This wasn’t Tav, not really. It had to be some form of possession or a curse—a dark influence twisting him into something unrecognizable.

As the moments dragged on, Tav's attacks grew sluggish, his movements less precise, clearly unfamiliar with the physical exertion of combat. Seizing the opportunity, Alex deftly grabbed Tav's wrist, disarming him and tossing the knife into the sand. With a quick maneuver, he twisted Tav's arm behind his back and swept his legs out from under him, forcing him face-first into the ground. Alex wrapped his arm around Tav's neck, applying just enough pressure to cut off his air supply.

Tav struggled, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but Alex held firm. He didn’t want to hurt him—only to stop whatever madness had overtaken him. After a few agonizing seconds, Tav's body went limp as unconsciousness took hold.

Alex released his grip and sat back down on the sand, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. What had just happened? Minutes later, Tav stirred, groaning as he slowly regained consciousness. The wild, feral look was gone, replaced by confusion and fear.

"What happened?" Tav asked, his voice shaky as he rubbed his head.

Alex’s gaze was steady. "You tried to kill me."

Tav’s eyes widened in disbelief. "I… what?!"

"You tried to stab me," Alex replied calmly, picking up the knife and showing it to him. "Right here, while I was lying on the sand."

Tav stared at the knife, horror dawning on his face. "I don’t remember… I had this terrible nightmare, but I can’t recall what it was about. Just this overwhelming feeling of dread. Then I woke up here."

He looked at Alex, desperation creeping into his voice. "Can you keep a secret?"

Alex nodded, sensing the gravity of what Tav was about to reveal.

Tav took a deep breath, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're not the only one struggling with lost memories. I have knowledge about this world, but when I try to remember anything personal—who I was, where I came from—it’s just… blank, like those memories were never there to begin with."

Alex remained silent, processing this revelation.

"But this… this madness, what am I?" Tav’s voice broke, his hands trembling as he cupped his face, trying to hold back tears.

In Tav he could see himself a few weeks back. Woke up with no memories of the past.

He looked up at Alex, his eyes pleading. "Please don’t tell the others about this. Please."

"I won’t," Alex assured him, his voice steady and sincere.

"Thank you," Tav whispered, a mixture of relief and fear in his eyes.

"Have you had more episodes like this?" Alex asked, probing gently.

Tav shook his head, his expression troubled. "Not like this one. But I’ve been having these… violent urges. Thoughts of what it would feel like to stomp on a rat or kick a squirrel. At first, they were just fleeting, like a whisper in my mind. But they’re growing stronger, more persistent."

"And you’re afraid you’ll lose control," Alex finished for him.

Tav nodded, his fear palpable.

"I think I’ll try to sleep now," Tav said, laying down on the sand, his back to Alex.

"You're not going back to the camp?" Alex asked, concerned.

"No," Tav replied softly.

Alex could hear the steady rhythm of Tav's heartbeat slowing as he drifted off to sleep. With a heavy sigh, Alex lay back down, his eyes once again tracing the subtle currents of the Weave that danced above him, even as his mind grappled with the unsettling events of the night.

As dawn broke, casting a warm glow over the camp, Alex and Tav made their way into the church. Astarion was already awake, lounging casually with a book in hand, his sharp eyes flicking up as they entered.

"It seems everyone else is still asleep," Alex remarked.

Astarion’s gaze lingered on the two of them, a sly smile playing on his lips. He had heard someone leaving the camp during the night and now, seeing them return together, his mind raced with possibilities.

"Good morning, lovebirds," Astarion drawled, his tone teasing.

Alex ignored the jibe, but Tav, who seemed to have recovered some of his usual bravado, shot back with a smirk. "Jealous?"

Astarion chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh no, sweetheart. Don’t compare me to this guy. I’m in a league of my own."

Tav and Astarion shared a laugh, but Alex only sighed, rubbing his temples.

An hour later, the rest of the group was up and ready for the day’s mission.

"Seems like our numbers are getting a bit unwieldy," Tav observed, glancing around at the assembled group.

Wyll nodded in agreement. "We’ll draw too much attention if we go out like this. It’s best to keep the group small."

Tav considered for a moment before nodding. "We’re heading to take out that spider nest, so five should be sufficient."

Everyone else agreed, though there was an undercurrent of unease.

"I’ll take Karlach, Astarion, Alex, and Shadowheart," Tav decided.

Lae'zel's expression immediately darkened, a scowl forming on her face. "Tsk, I need to train," she muttered, clearly displeased at being left behind.

Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Alex saw a flash of something dangerous—a reminder that Lae’zel was not someone who took orders lightly. But she turned away, frustration simmering beneath her skin as she walked off to find her own way to release the pent-up aggression.

___________

Back at the village, they found Lump waiting for them, his usual gruff demeanor replaced by a paler, more anxious look. Something was clearly off.

"Lump, are you alright?" Alex asked the ogre with a small, knowing smirk.

Lump averted his gaze, refusing to meet Alex's eyes. "No, I'm completely fine," he muttered.

Tav, more focused on the task at hand, cut in. "Did you spot any goblins around the area?"

Lump shook his head, the motion almost robotic. "No. It seems all the troops are still stationed at the sanctum , west from here."

Tav frowned, the news not bringing the relief it should have. "We need to deal with them soon. If we don’t, they could launch an attack on the grove at any moment."

[A few hours earlier]

"I need to get as far away from that abomination as possible," Lump muttered to himself, his heart pounding in his chest as he sprinted out of the village. The nightmarish events of the past hours replayed in his mind, fueling his panic.

He had never run so fast in his life. His lungs burned, his legs ached, but the fear driving him forward was relentless.

[Lump, stop.]

The voice pierced through his mind, freezing him in his tracks so abruptly that he nearly tumbled to the ground. The voice was unmistakable—it was that abomination, Alex.

[Where are you going?] Alex’s voice was cold.

"O great one," Lump stammered, trying to keep his voice steady. "I was just looking for a place to sleep for the night."

[Running as fast as you could?] The tone was accusatory, leaving no room for lies.

"Yes," Lump answered plainly, knowing any attempt at deception would be futile.

There was a moment of silence, and then Alex’s voice filled his mind again, sending a shiver down his spine. [Stay close. When I give the signal, return to the blighted village.]

Realization struck Lump like a blow to the gut. Alex could track him, speak into his mind as if his thoughts were laid bare. The color drained from Lump’s face, his fear deepening. He had no choice but to comply. The abomination had him on a leash, and there was no escaping it. Alex, wherever he was, smiled in satisfaction, knowing his plan was working flawlessly.

Yesterday, as Alex had passed by the carcass of a dead sheep, a small, wriggling worm had slipped down his leg and burrowed into the decaying flesh. This wasn’t just any worm—it was a modified version of the tadpole, a rudimentary tracker and telepathic communicator that Alex had secretly deployed. Lump, unaware of the full extent of Alex’s abilities, had unwittingly eaten the infected sheep, sealing his fate as Alex’s unwitting pawn.

[Back to the present]

The group stepped into a dimly lit forge, the air thick with the smell of burning metal and ash. Astarion strode forward, pulling a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket with a flourish.

"I almost forgot—I found this while looting a chest," he announced, holding up the paper for everyone to see.

Tav took the paper, his eyes scanning the text. "A recipe for a weapon using sussur tree bark," he mused.

Astarion shrugged. "Seems pretty useless if you ask me."

Shadowheart, however, perked up at the mention of the tree. "Not necessarily, if we can find a sussur tree."

Karlach, leaning against the wall with her massive arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t that the glowing tree that only grows in the Underdark?"

Tav nodded, his mind already spinning with possibilities. "Yes. If we find a way to the Underdark, we should definitely seek out a sussur tree. But for now, let’s stay focused. Where’s the entrance to the nest?"

Astarion pointed towards the far end of the room. "There," he said, gesturing to a section of the wall where the stone had been crudely dug away. "That hole leads straight into their lair."

Without hesitation, Karlach was the first to leap onto the stone platform, her powerful legs propelling her upwards with ease. Astarion followed with the same grace, and Shadowheart was right behind him. Alex watched, impressed by their agility. When it was Tav’s turn, Alex gave him a boost, before climbing up himself with practiced ease.

"Be quiet and watch where you step," Astarion whispered as they approached the entrance to the hole, his voice low and serious for once.

As they crawled through the narrow opening, the reason for Astarion’s warning became clear. The cavern beyond was a labyrinth of webbing, with sticky silk bridges crisscrossing the space above a small but deep chasm.

Karlach eyed the fragile-looking webs warily. "That doesn’t look very solid," she muttered, her voice tinged with unease.

"It may not seem like it," Astarion replied as he began to cross one of the web bridges, moving with deliberate care. "But I saw two spiders walk across it earlier, and it barely shifted."

He moved slowly, carefully placing each foot to avoid getting stuck. "And be mindful of your steps—this stuff is incredibly sticky."

One by one, they followed Astarion across the web. Karlach and Tav struggled the most, their feet getting caught more than once, but they managed to free themselves without too much difficulty. Luckily, Karlach’s fiery presence didn’t ignite the webs, sparing them from a potentially disastrous situation.

Once they were all safely across, Karlach gripped her double-edged axe tightly, her eyes scanning the darkness ahead. "How many spiders are there?" she asked, her voice a low growl.

Astarion, peering into the gloom, replied, "Five spiders, and two others creatures that look like spiders but with only a pair of legs and arms. I couldn’t get a closer look without being spotted, but there might be more. Oh, and the spiders can teleport—just in case you needed more bad news."

Tav’s expression darkened. "Those are phase spiders. They can shift between the material plane and the astral plane at will. The others must be ettercaps. Nasty creatures, but at least they don’t have any special abilities like the spiders."

Astarion sighed dramatically. "Fantastic. Horse-sized spiders that can teleport. Just what we needed."

Tav ignored the sarcasm, his mind already formulating a plan. "Astarion, you said you know some illusion magic. Can you create a minor illusion to lure them in?"

Astarion’s smirk returned. "I can, but only if you ask nicely."

Tav rolled his eyes but played along. "Please."

With a satisfied nod, Astarion began preparing his spell.

"Here’s the plan," Tav continued, addressing the group. "Astarion will lure them out with an illusion. Once they’re in position, I’ll cast a fireball to hit as many as possible. That should weaken them or if we are lucky , kill a few. Then, Karlach, Alex, and Shadowheart, you’ll move in to finish them off. Astarion and I will provide support from the back. If anyone gets injured, we’ve got healing potions and Shadowheart’s spells."

"Simple plan, fewer ways to mess it up," Shadowheart remarked, her voice calm and steady.

As they ventured deeper into the cavern, Alex couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer size of the place. The ceiling was so high that it disappeared into darkness, the occasional glint of silk barely visible in the gloom. The air was thick with the scent of decay and something else, something primal that set his nerves on edge.

Then they saw them—the spiders and those grotesque, half-spider, half-human creatures prowling around the cavern. The phase spiders moved with eerie grace, their bodies rippling as they phased in and out of existence, while the ettercaps skulked in the shadows, their beady eyes glinting in the dim light.

Everyone took cover behind a large boulder, the tension thick in the air as they prepared for the fight ahead. Astarion, ever the stealthy rogue, crept forward, his movements fluid and silent as he positioned himself behind another rock closer to the enemy. With a quick gesture, he cast a minor illusion, conjuring the image of a small, helpless cat in the midst of the monstrous creatures. The illusion was perfect—its tiny meows echoed through the cavern, pulling the attention of the beasts.

The creatures reacted instantly, shrieking and clicking in unison as they rushed towards the illusory cat. Just as Astarion had described, five massive spiders and two grotesque ettercaps emerged from the shadows, their movements jerky and unsettling. As they converged on the illusion, Tav’s eyes narrowed with focus. He raised his hands , channeling a surge of arcane energy, and with a powerful flick of his wrist, hurled a fireball the size of a small car into the group.

The explosion was deafening. The flames roared as they engulfed the monsters, the heat so intense it made the air shimmer. The spiders and ettercaps screeched in agony, their exoskeletons and flesh blistering and charring under the onslaught. Yet, despite the devastating power of the spell, it wasn’t enough to finish them off.

Karlach exchanged a quick glance with Alex, both of them understanding what needed to be done without a word.

"Let’s finish this," Karlach growled, charging forward with Alex close behind.

She reached the closest spider first, her double-edged axe swinging down with brutal force. The blade cleaved through the spider’s thick carapace, splitting it open with a sickening crack. Before she could catch her breath, an ettercap lunged at her, its claws extended to tear her apart. But Alex was faster. He slid beneath the creature with remarkable agility, then delivered a crushing downward kick to its spine, snapping it like a twig and sending the ettercap sprawling.

"Thanks," Karlach grunted, not missing a beat as she turned back to the fray.

Alex, sensing movement behind him, spun around just in time to see another ettercap raising its claws to strike. But before it could bring them down, an arrow whizzed through the air and embedded itself in the creature’s skull. Alex took advantage of the moment, driving a powerful side kick into its ribs, sending the ettercap stumbling backward. He looked up just in time to see the remaining four spiders begin to phase in and out of existence, teleporting to higher ground to escape the battle.

One of the spiders attempted to spit at Alex, narrowly missing him and leaving a pool of a bile colored liquid on the stone floor.

"Everyone, pick a spider!" Tav shouted, his voice echoing through the cavern.

Alex immediately set his sights on the spider that had attacked him, scrambling onto a nearby rock to reach it. But just as he got close, the creature phased out, reappearing near Karlach. She dodged its attack with a snarl, swinging her axe in retaliation, but the spider vanished again before she could land the blow.

Meanwhile, Tav and Astarion were faring better, keeping their distance and attacking with ranged spells and arrows. Even then, the spiders’ ability to teleport made it difficult to land a decisive hit. Shadowheart, attempting to strike one down with a radiant blast, missed as the spider phased away at the last second, only to reappear next to her. She barely had time to raise her shield, blocking the spider’s fangs as they clanged against the metal.

Seeing Karlach’s frustration building, Alex moved to assist her. The barbarian’s patience had worn thin, her flames burning hotter as her temper flared.

"Stop running and fight me, you eight-legged fuck!" she roared, her voice filled with fury.

Alex, thinking quickly, picked up a pebble from the ground and hurled it with surprising force. The small stone sailed through the air and struck the spider’s abdomen with such precision that it broke through the exoskeleton, embedding itself deep in the creature’s innards.

The spider let out a high-pitched screech, twisting in pain as it turned its attention to Alex. That was all the opening Karlach needed. With a roar, she dashed forward and brought her axe down with all her might, cleaving the spider in two.

"Thanks again," Karlach said, breathing heavily as she delivered a final blow to ensure the spider was dead. She spat on its twitching body. "I really hate spiders."

Alex and Karlach turned to check on the others. Astarion had already taken down his spider, evidenced by the sheer number of arrows embedded in its lifeless body. Tav’s opponent was barely clinging to life, and with a final burst of lightning from Tav’s palm, the creature convulsed and collapsed. Shadowheart stood over the remains of another spider, her flail dripping with ichor as she lifted it from the smashed head of the beast.

"Good work, everyone," Tav said, his voice laced with both relief and exhaustion.

Alex scanned the cavern, his eyes narrowing as they focused on the deeper recesses of the cave. "Should we move deeper?" he asked, already anticipating the next challenge.

Tav shook his head. "Rest for a moment. We need to be at full strength before we face their queen. She’ll be much tougher than these."

Alex noticed Astarion rolling his eyes, clearly displeased with the idea of delving deeper into this nightmare. It was clear he’d rather be anywhere else but here, yet he didn’t voice any objections.

Nodding, Alex found a flat rock and sat down. He was good to go but he knew the rest needed this moment of respite.

Karlach sauntered over, a grin spreading across her face as she plopped down next to him. "Hi there, soldier," she greeted, her tone light despite the carnage they had just endured.

"Hi," Alex replied, leaning back against the rock, letting the tension in his shoulders ease.

"Thanks for having my back with that spider. It was really starting to piss me off," Karlach said, her smile genuine.

Alex chuckled softly. "They were annoying, always teleporting around like that. But you did a great job keeping up with them."

Karlach’s grin widened. "That’s sweet of you to say. You’ve got some impressive moves yourself. Quick reflexes and a lot of strength for someone who looks so... skinny."

"Thanks..." Alex replied, a bit awkwardly, not used to the praise.

Karlach eyed him curiously. "Who taught you to fight like that?"

"Instincts," Alex said with a small shrug.

Karlach burst into laughter, a deep, hearty sound that echoed through the cavern. "Instincts, huh? Your instincts told you to stone that spider to death?" She gestured to the spider Alex had killed, its body still leaking dark blood from the hole the pebble had made.

"Yes," Alex answered, deadpan, causing Karlach to laugh even harder.

"Well, I won’t pry," she said, standing up and stretching her arms above her head. "But I’d like to see you in a real fight someday."

Alex looked at her, puzzled by her remark, but she just flashed him a wink before sauntering back to the rest of the group, her playful smile never fading.

Despite himself, Alex couldn’t help but smile back. "These guys are fun," he murmured to himself, leaning back against the stone and closing his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to relax.

After ten minutes of much-needed rest, they were back on their feet, the respite giving them renewed energy as they prepared to venture deeper into the dark, foreboding cavern. Whatever awaited them ahead, Alex knew they’d face it together, just like they had with the spiders—and that thought gave him a strange sense of comfort.