Both of them have the same amount of energy as boisterous children, Nyx watched smiling while Karlach played fetch with Scratch. They were waiting for the others before heading out.

"Why, if it isn't our newly assigned delegator," he lulled by way of greeting.

She glanced over her shoulder as he sauntered down the stairs and sidled next to her. He was maintaining the pretence of being a magistrate back in Baldur's Gate - she wondered when he'll be sharing the rest of his story with the others.

The ruse won't last forever.

She narrowed her eyes at him with amused suspicion and he continued, "That was quite the show last night. I did not expect you to participate, my dear. Although,", he shifted looking her over, a knowing smirk quirking his lips, "I would have liked seeing you work, my courtroom."

Nyx couldn't keep herself from smiling, Hmm. We're back to this now, are we?

She crossed her arms and replied, the feintest hint of smoke in her voice, "Would you have been a fair judge, Your Honour?"

That line was totally worth the momentary flash of surprise that graced his face. His wicked grin accompanied his purr, and he stepped closer, "Oh, my little delegator, I've been nothing but fair in my rulings. However, I could give you a demonstration in my private chambers should you wish."

By the Abyss, relentless much? She wasn't sure whether she should be flattered or concerned.

Despite the heat settling on the tips of her ears she didn't back down. She gasped scandalized, a flat hand raised to her mouth, "That would be most inappropriate, Your Honour", she lowered her hand and continued smiling, "Especially considering that you have not yet agreed to my prior invitation to negotiations."

A sly grin spread on his face, he tilted his head, circling her, "And where would these negotiations lead to, should I decide to engage?"

The liquid smoke of her voice responded coyly, "I am not allowed to disclose the full details until you participate in the negotiations."

She watched his lips while he spoke, "You state a very convincing case, my dear. I will consider your proposal." He moved around her and inhaled next to her ear. She leaned slightly towards him and made sidelong eye contact over her shoulder.

Scratch's ball rolled towards Nyx and Astarion pulled away, he carried on walking past. She stooped to pick up the ball and threw it back laughing as Scratch leapt after it.

Astarion drawled behind her, "So, Gale. How is your sad, hopeless pining going?"

She frowned glancing over her shoulder.

What is he up to now?

Gale frowned as well and he declared, "I'm hardly pining. It's been a year or more since Mystra cast me aside."

Nyx turned back and shook her head, I won't consider it sad or hopeless. The interactions between Gale and Tav do seem mutual. However, for someone as intelligence as Gale is, he can really be thick in the head sometimes.

Astarion sighed dramatically and provided, "Oh, my dear wizard. I wasn't talking about Mystra."

Gale grunted then proceeded to ignore Astarion and sidled next to Nyx. She inclined her head to him, and he returned a smile.

Nyx wonders whether Gale would ever let his obsession with Mystra go and realize that Tav was far more real in that sense. Nyx must admire Tav's courage to attempt a relationship with a man who was accustomed to the affections of a goddess no less.

Then again, what exactly she was trying to attempt with Astarion, should he ever agree to their 'negotiations'? Nyx cleared her throat returning her gaze to Karlach and Scratch in order to take her mind of Astarion - not to mention the stupid blush that touched her ears again. Luckily her complexion hides it well from everyone else.

Bloody Astarion, he is likely grinning to himself back there.

---

Nyx enjoyed the mountains; the fresh crisp air, and the wide-open spaces, but it was tedious travelling and not everyone in the group was appropriately equipped for it. Panting, blisters, sore legs, huffing, puffing, bumps, scrapes and bruises were all part-and-parcel of traversing rocks, boulders and winding gorges. Not to mention the strange noises from the howling wind and the constant threat of rockfall.

Gale heaved red in the face leaning against a rock and remarked at Nyx using his robe to wipe the sweat from his brow, "You're like an alpine goat. It's not fair."

Shadowheart and Tav were winded too, settling themselves close by. Halsin, Karlach, Lae'zel and Wyll seemed better off. Whereas Nyx and Astarion had sure-yet-light-footedness to their advantage.

Nyx grinned, "You're like an ox carting a wagon up a hill", she received a glare of feigned annoyance. She chuckled, "You should use your staff to offset the balance and effort you require. Here let me show you.", Nyx proceeded to demonstrate a few methods. Lae'zel judged keenly and added a few of her own inputs, Gale accepted both with grace and gratitude.

Nyx's magic prickled and she casually surveyed the ledge of the gorge above.

Tav said between sips of water, "That is the umpteenth time I see you look up. Is something following us?"

Nyx frowned and glanced at their quizzical expressions, "My instincts tell me yes, but I don't see anything, and my magic can't pinpoint something specific. Not sure if I'm just being jumpy."

Tav barked a laugh, "I'll trust your jumpy instincts over mine out here any day. Mine is only concerned about not breaking an ankle on the way up."

Nyx hmmed and squinted trying to figure out what has her senses on edge. Astarion met her gaze and she signalled discreetly, Hear. Smell. Out. Of. Place. (?)

He made a curt nod and drifted to her. He spoke in a low tone, "Something is indeed trailing us, but much like you I can't determine what."

Tav was eyeing Halsin, who had said very little for most of the trek up. Tav ventured, "How about you Halsin?"

His eyes flited to the ledge, and he stated, "I've not sensed anything untoward as of yet."

Astarion had an unimpressed raised eyebrow and Nyx snickered softly.

"Chk!", Lae'zel drew her sword, and everyone froze. She surveyed the ledge as well, "I felt it too. If only for a moment.", she confirmed in an ominous tone.

Everyone looked around and the tension mounted in the group. Karlach and Wyll shared a querying glance with one another, but shook their heads and shrugged.

Nyx frowned and declared in general, "Best keep our eyes peeled and our ears perked then."

Karlach announced, "Weapons at the ready soldiers", while she drew her great axe. The others followed suit. Nyx gathered her bow and quiver. Travelling was going to be slower fully armed, but hopefully whatever was following them would think twice of attacking if they noticed that their group was onto them. Nyx and Astarion's heads snapped to a small tumbling rockfall behind them. They shared a brief glance.

That's it. There were too many small rockfalls. The wind should be making the most noise in a gorge.

---

The gorge gradually widened while they continued, sometime later they heard voices echoing off the walls. They cautiously approached when the voices became louder. Lae'zel identified the language as Gith and surmised that was potentially a group from the creche.

Tav agreed with Lae'zel that the group should make themselves known. They stepped into the preceding clearing, where the Gith had created a blockade over a natural bridge towards a broad road that continued into the mountains.

A Red Dragon! Yikes.

Nyx was fond of dragons, their majesty and power, but they are thoroughly intimidating - especially when on the side of potentially hostile Githyanki. She studied it carefully, committing as much detail as she could to memory. She would very much enjoy sketching it later and perhaps Lae'zel will even indulge her in some additional details about them.

Lae'zel's relative hostility towards Shadowheart and myself has decreased significantly after last night's cease fire.

Tav and Lae'zel approached the Githyanki blockade, Gale and Shadowheart following closely behind. The rest of the group held back. Nyx took a deep breath. The gorge had been too tight and too winding for her liking. The clearing remained enclosed, but threats were easier to spot.

Tav, Lae'zel and the Githyanki conversed, who declared that their scouts had been tracking their group for some time.

Ah, Nyx thought. Astarion lilted next to her, "Probably psionically cloaked, my dear."

Nyx made a noise of agreement and noticed several of these 'scouts' on the surrounding ledges above them. Even more Githyanki. Great.

Tav let Lae'zel steer the conversation. The Githyanki leader declared himself as Kith'rak Voss and considering Lae'zel's response he seemed to be very high ranking in their military - one of the Queen's Supreme Knights evidently. Nyx and the others shared raised eyebrows. This Kith'rak Voss did not mince any words.

He declared that they were pursuing thieves from the fallen Nautiloid, who they suspect are in the possession of a powerful Githyanki weapon. Even before he described it, it was clear that everyone present knew exactly of what he spoke. The artefact. He swiftly assigned Lae'zel to search for it as well.

Tav cleared her throat and caught Lae'zel's eye giving her a quick discreet wink. Nyx was both stunned and relived that Lae'zel understood the context of the interaction and simply played along with the assignment. Kith'rak Voss was pleased with the outcome and suggested Lae'zel 'take her slaves and hunt the thieves down'. Nyx snickered when Astarion made his disgust known.

Kith'rak Voss promptly took his leave upon his Red Dragon. Nyx had to catch herself, less she gape as it flew away. Astarion caught her eye, amused. She winked and he returned his wicked grin.

Several screams rung out in tandem, echoing within the clearing, startling them collectively. Nyx's heart lurched into her throat while she spun around, arrow nocked, to the position of one of the Githyanki scouts. Blood seeped over the ledge - the only remains of the scout’s presence. Battle cries rung out from the Githyanki blockade, shortly followed by what sounded like accusations being levelled at Lae'zel.

Lae'zel bodily placed herself between the enraged Githyanki and Tav, commanding them in Gith. Tav declared in common tongue, raising her hands, "We are not responsible for this." Gale and Shadowheart instinctively moving to protect Tav's back.

More screams reverberated off the surrounding crags, giving way to literal gut-wrenching sounds of people being eaten. Lae'zel's howl accompanied the other Githyanki's both in outrage and grief at the sounds of their people being slaughtered by a seemingly invisible foe. The amplified sounds of wet chewing and crunching bones made Nyx shudder.

"By the Abyss!", she breathed shakily while she frantically searched for the source. The others were looking around as well, various expressions of horror and confusion.

Karlach directed authoritatively, "Soldiers! To Tav. Tight and together."

They moved to Tav keeping their eyes on the surrounding ledges. The sounds of chewing stopped.

A body was thrown from over one of the ledges and plopped near Nyx. Nyx heard another body thud somewhere behind them on the opposite side of the group, invoking more howls from the remaining Githyanki at the transgression. Nyx inspected the gored and half eaten Githyanki corpse while they continued towards Tav. A shining metallic bolt protruded from the corpse's eye. She frowned and sucked in her breath. It wasn't a blot, but an iron quill.

"Silvanus preserve us.", Halsin said to her left and they shared a wide-eyed look of realization.

"By the Hells", came Wyll's voice from behind.

"Damn you! Spit it out! What is it?!", Astarion snarled to her right.

Halsin, Wyll and Nyx announced in unison, "Manticore!"

---

Chirruping laugher bounded off the walls.

"Well done", a high-pitched breathy voice purred, "We wanted green ones to fight. Kill others." It paused, "They watch. They learn."

"Abyss take you.", Nyx said under her breath as they reached Tav, and declared, "Mother and cubs!"

Another chirrup from the same voice, "No, no. Don't spoil game."

Tav asked, "How many?" and Wyll replied, "Up to three cubs. Four at most, including the mother."

Nyx added, "Watch for incoming ranged metal quills."

The voice demanded, "Silence! Dark One!"

Dark One?, Nyx frowned. The lingering echo within the clearing made the voice sound omnipresent.

"Oh Mummy! I want Big One! Lots to chew on!", a different high-pitched voice said.

"No more Green One! Enough Green One!", cub two proclaimed.

Cub one responded, "You can have Pale One!"

Cub two said, "No! Smell bland! Taste bland!"

Astarion scoffed. It would have been hilarious were it not manticores discussing who they'd like to have for dinner.

Shit, dinner..., another realization dawned on Nyx.

A third voice declared, "I want Human! Tasty human!"

Cub two complained, "You had human last time. Mummy I want humans!"

Cub one growled, "No, you can't have all humans! I want human too, Mummy!"

The three cubs proceeded to bicker amongst themselves who was going to eat the humans.

"Show yourselves you fuckers!", Karlach bellowed Nyx out of her thoughts.

Tav interjected calmly, "Easy Karlach, don't let them goad you."

The mother replied, "See, you want? See soon."

"See soon! See soon!", three cub voices chanted, and it became deathly quiet.

Nyx scanned the area; they were standing on the shadow side of the mountain, their current position behind the crags obscures much of the sun even though it is only late afternoon.

Soon. Soon the sun will set prematurely.

Nyx took a breath to speak, "They're waiting for the sun to set an-"

Quills whirred through the air towards her, and she brought up her magic to swat them from the air. She continued, "We'll be in twilight, darkness soon after."

A high-pitched hiss emanated from the crags that sounded like a rusted gate hinge, "No fun. Eat you first!" It was the mother.

Nyx returned the challenge hoping to lure them out, "Then come and get me!"

The laughing chirrup echoed one last time, "See soon."

Abyss take you.

A few heartbeats passed and Nyx watched the shadow grow on the ground. She felt her tadpole wriggle as the rest of the group communicated telepathically.

Shit, I don't know what they're discussing. Nyx could feel the different members of the party in the exchange, but the words were lost. She could sense some of the concepts and emotions though. It started with curiosity:

A question(?) from Tav,

Wyll responded,

Tav; understanding (?),

Lae'zel; frustration,

Karlach; anger,

Astarion; indignation - Nyx snorted mentally.

It continued with curiosity again (Gale),

Wyll responded, next was Shadowheart and Tav - subsequently she could feel Tav trying to reach her.

Nyx responded out loud in a low tone keeping her eyes on the ledges. She kept her words vague as to not arouse suspicion from their Githyanki guests and clipped, "I've muted it. It interfered with my magic."

She could feel shock, or perhaps surprise from Tav then understanding, and her mental presence withdrew. She felt the telepathic exchange continue between the others for a little while longer.

Astarion cleared his throat and signalled to her.

Move. Middle.

He paused.

Stop. Quills. Wait.

She gave a curt nod and proceeded to move to the middle of the group. There she stood back-to-back with Shadowheart, Tav and Gale in the inner circle. The rest of the group created the outer circle.

Astarion conversed in low tones with Halsin in Elvish. Halsin shimmered and took on his bear form. The huge grizzly huffed and shook itself out taking a crouched stance baring teeth.

Lae'zel spoke to the other Githyanki in their language.

Nyx’s hackled magic prickled in anticipation, and she focused on her breathing to channel it. She called up her whiskers to permeate the air. It was easier this time round, but they couldn't extend much further than the group's outer circle. Nonetheless, she had a dome of whiskers to notify her of incoming range attacks - or flying manticores for what it's worth.

Lae'zel's conversation with the other Gith wasn't going well, they seemed to be arguing.

"Chk!" Nyx could feel Lae'zel relay the message to the others, which was received by shock, annoyance, and acceptance? The Gith started to break away from their group. Swords drawn, they inched to the bridge in a tight formation.

They are either foolish or arrogant. Likely the latter. They'll pay the price for it on that bridge.

Nyx watched as the shadow crept further along the bridge, she turned her gaze to the sun. Only a rim of light remained behind the crags. She turned her head back to the Githyanki on the bridge and the world snapped into twilight.

The manticores howled.

---

By the Abyss!

It was a shrill metallic sound that pierced your heart and bones. The manticores toyed with the Githyanki on the bridge. Dark shapes and agile feline movements crawled against the walls or dove toward the Githyanki. Strange, exited yelping barks emanated from the manticores while they ambushed the Gith from above and below.

Sparks streaked through the air when a Gith blade grazed against some of the iron scales that protruded between the manticore's fur. The Githyanki stumbled and another manticore clawed at him from behind, underneath the bridge, then dragged him below to devour both his flesh and his blade.

His companions bellowed and Tav had to command Lae'zel to stand fast. Nyx could appreciate Lae'zel's need to fight alongside her people.

This must be especially gruelling for her to watch.

The manticores would pounce and swat at the remaining Gith, further harassing them by swooping overhead. One Gith lost a blade when the manticore bit down on it and nearly yanked the Githyanki off the bridge. Another Gith was forced from the bridge, caught by a manticore during her fall, and swept away by black wings. Only two Gith remained. The four manticores swarmed, iron maws glistening in the remaining light. Not one survived the final mugging.

The sounds of screaming, crunching and chewing filled the air once more.

Lae'zel bellowed again, both Halsin's roar and Karlach's enraged battle cry answered her call in tandem, but they remained rooted in position.

Trepidation shook Nyx's limbs; adrenaline and the crisp mountain air wasn't helping either. The silence stretched for a long time then night literally fell upon them.

Nyx could feel the flying monsters brushing against her magic. She spoke as softly and briefly as she could, "Circling above."

The rain of quills followed.

Nyx wasn't able to cover the whole group at once using her force magic. Instead, she sent out waves towards the quills. Failing her initial attempt; she targeted specific patches to magically reinforce where multiple quills came down or against quills not knocked out of the air. The quills were promptly accompanied by swooping and diving manticores.

Their shrieks bounced within the enclosed area, creating a disorientating amount of noise when the echoes stacked. Nyx was warding off stray quills while Shadowheart recited a spell behind her. It was a radiance spell; Nyx closed her eyes as Shadowheart finished the last words. Light flared red against her eyelids, more screeching sounded. There was a flurry of wings and whooshing weapons during the ensuing commotion. The area now illuminated by several magical light sources.

Karlach bellowed, wrestling against a manticore that had latched its teeth onto her great axe, flames burst from her, and it cried flailing backwards. Shadowheart added her own minor fire spells to Gales' lighting. Tav, Nyx and Astarion's ranged weapons answered the gleaming of outstretched claws when dark shapes dove from the ledges.

Halsin managed to tear one down from the air, mercilessly flinging the winged creature onto the ground. He set upon it, joined by Lae'zel and Wyll. The other manticores swarmed, and in the sea of changing shapes and undulating bodies they managed to set their relative free from Halsin's grasp.

The manticores retreated.

Gale exclaimed, "Ha! That'll teach them to think twice next time!"

Wyll responded, "Not such easy prey after all."

"Injuries?", Tav asked, and the group reported none to minor claw marks.

Good, that's good. Nyx surveyed the serrated barbed quills scattered on the ground and she puffed out her cheeks. Judging by the littered number; the manticores won't have many left to fling from their tails.

The exited barks came from the surrounding darkness and the manticores chanted again, "See soon! See soon!", followed by the same suffocating silence.

Nyx's heartbeat throbbed in her ears, and she could hear the others breathing. Iron and ozone reacted with the static magic in the air and Nyx could taste the cresolic irritation at the back of her throat. She felt another cluster of quills heading towards them and intercepted it to the left of their circle. In short succession, four shapes blurred like black shadows, jumping past one another in a crisscross pattern. Nyx barely dodged the gnashing teeth aimed at her leg. Regardless, her companions' voices cried out when four of them were each seized by a pouncing monster and dragged off in a different direction.

Abyss take them, the quills were a distraction.

Nyx bolted after a manticore, the same one she'd managed to evade and it grabbed Lae'zel instead. Halsin roared after another dragging Tav, Karlach intercepted the one grasping Gale, whereas Wyll and Astarion sprinted after a flailing Shadowheart.

Lae'zel managed to turn during the drag and swung at the creatures' freakish humanoid face. It pawed at her attempts while it continued to drag her away from the light, swatting away the sword blows. Nyx flung her knives, but they merely ricochet off its scales and teeth, and in return its eyes shone with jeering glee.

Within the confinements of the darkness, it released Lae'zel and snapped toward her blade. Nyx gathered her magic and focused on the creature's three rows of metallic teeth, pushing against its maw. Nyx struggled against the beast while Lae'zel rose to her feet, taking a wide stance.

Lae'zel's battle cry rung inside Nyx's head. Lae'zel lunged low using the momentum of her whole body to drive the entire length of her great sword into the creatures' head - from its chin, through its gaping maw and out of its forehead. It clawed at Lae'zel, who ignored it, inching her face closer to the shrieking creatures'. Pain and terror met Lae'zel's gaze. Blood seeping from its mouth, over its teeth. It bled from its nostrils, rivulets running into its eyes. Together, Nyx's magic and Lae'zel's lean power held the thrashing monster in place.

Nyx released its jaw and forced its paws away from Lae'zel, pushing against its metallic claws. Nyx could feel the creatures' strength fade against their combined efforts, it flung its tail over its head in one final attempt to free itself from Lae'zel's assault. Nyx swatted the quills away. The creature was inescapably skewered on Lae'zel's sword and dying slowly.

In a final swift movement Lae'zel withdrew her sword and arched it through the air decapitating the manticore. Its body slumped to the floor and Nyx fell to her knees with the sudden release of opposing strain. Lae'zel spun around and sped past Nyx towards the shrieking sounds behind them, vengeance propelling her onward.

Nyx was gasping for breath, and something stung in her neck. She stumbled to her feet, grasping at the location of the pain; cold smooth metal greeted her fingers.

Damn. Missed one., Nyx's vision was blurring, and she felt her heartbeat become thready, Damn again, forgot, paralytic, quills.

She clumsily reached for her backpack and withdrew her anti-paralytic and healing potions. She fell to her knees again and the world started spinning. She set the healing potion aside when her body swayed forward. Leaning on her hands, she managed to rip the quill from her neck. Blood gushed onto the ground, its warmth soaking her tunic. Swallowing the last few chalky mouthfuls of potion was a battle in-and-of-itself as the toxin took hold of her body. Ultimately, the void claimed her.

Footnote:

*Happy dance, happy dance...*
After editing, I managed to remove all the disruptive expositional parts from the text and incorporated it into the storytelling without it feeling off.
So, previously I had one/two sentences describing the manticores scattered within the battle scene itself - and this was very jarring reading-wise while editing, especially due to the pace of this battle. Thus, learnings from this: limited expositional parts are fine outside of combat or during a pause, but they definitely should be avoided during high-stakes battle... In contrast, I don't recall the Neothelid expositional parts being so jarring... or perhaps they will be if I re-read it now... LOL, I digress...

Anyway, so I brought in nearly all of the lore on manticores here (including previous version of DnD). More to follow in the next chapter.