#there's no 'magical cure' from being what they are even after all of bhaal's blood is extracted

[maegalkarven]

My favorite aspect of "nature vs nurture" with Dark Urge is what it's both why Durge was Like That.

It was both nature (a pureblood bhaalspawn) and nurture (Sceleritas and Bhaal's teachings).

Durge was born into their role of prodigal murderer AND nurtured into it.

Which makes the defying Bhaal so much interesting because at the beginning of the game it's a battle against nature (dark urge) but the lack of previous teachings. So Durge is a clean slate trying to battle their very own origin.

And after the temple, after Durge defying Bhaal and being resurrected, it...reverses.

Because there is no dark urge in them anymore, no Bhaal's unholy blood.

BUT there's nurture. The glimpses of the memories of the person they once were, the eerie familiarity of it, body and mind acting without thought and slipping into old habits. Most of Durge's memories are lost, but they have recovered enough for their raising and past habits to affect them now. And so it's a battle against nurture now, to be different than you used to be, was raised to be.

[hellcatalex1]

Part 4 - Salt and Sea (Unbinding the Curse)

Astarion x Female Elf Durge

Post game, one year after the fall of the nether-brain, spawn Astarion, rejected bhaal durge

Triggers: Blood, adult language, adult themes consensual blood drinking , fluff, trauma.

A/N: This chapter does have a small amount of soft smut at the end. Nothing overly graphic or descriptive. It's at the end of the chapter.

Enjoy!

"What are we looking for here Gale?" You ask. Stepping over crates cluttered in the alleyways.

Shadowheart and Astarion following behind you.

"We're looking for a sage named Alustriel, she's well versed and knowledgeable about Netherese magic, she is the last living member of the Watchful Order here in Waterdeep."

"What's the Watchful Order?" You ask curious.

"The Watchful Order of magists and protectors, a guild that once resided in Waterdeep, held some of the greatest wizards and sorcerers amongst its members." He explains

"What happened to the rest of them?" You ask.

Gale lets out a disappointed sigh " One of their most powerful members was cursed with madness , killed almost all of them, then fled. Rumors have it, he resides in the Undermountain."

"That's terrible." Imagining in your mind the horrors that Alustriel endured that day.

Gales expression lightens a bit and he gives you a small smile. "It was some time ago, and the Watchful Order is what inspired the Black Staff Academy to form. Alustriel is very old and wise, she will sure have answers for us." He says before taking lead and walking in front of you back into the busy streets.

You hope for Astarion'a sake that Gale was right. The worst part about this entire situation was the uncertainty. But you had to be strong for Astarion. Letting him make his own choices but being his support every step of the way.

After a few hours of searching, you find yourselves standing before a grand, ivy-covered building with tall, arched windows. This is the home of Alustriel.

Your group walks Inside, the air is cool and fragrant with the scent of old parchment and exotic herbs. An older woman is hunched over a desk, writing in a book in a large study lined with shelves of ancient tomes.

"This better be important, do you have any idea what time it is?" She asks never looking away from her book.

"We understand it's late but we must seek guidance regarding an object that carries powerful Netherese magic." Gale explains catching her attention. She looks up from her book and stands up from the desk, turning to you. She is an older halfling woman with grey hair and piercing blue eyes.

Gale quickly explains your situation, laying out the phylactery and its potential as Astarion’s salvation. Alustriel listens intently as her expression unreadable, before finally speaking.

“You are wise to seek counsel before attempting something so dangerous,” she says, her voice calm and measured. “The magic you are dealing with is ancient and powerful, far beyond what most mortals can comprehend. The Netherese were masters of their craft, but their hubris was their downfall. To attempt to harness this power is to walk a very fine line between life and death.”

Astarion steps forward, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes. “Is it possible? Could this phylactery cure me?”

Alustriel studies him for a long moment, as if weighing his very soul. “It is possible,” she says finally. “But it will not be easy. The ritual will require immense focus, precision, and power. Even then, there is no guarantee of success. You could be cured… or you could be consumed by the very magic you seek to control.”

The room falls silent as the weight of her words settles over you. Astarion nods slowly, his resolve unshaken. “Then we’ll do it. But we’ll do it right. With every precaution.”

Alustriel’s gaze softens slightly, and she inclines her head. “Very well. I will assist you in preparing for the ritual out of pure curiosity of the outcome. But you must understand, the risk is great, and the consequences could be dire. Are you truly ready for this?”

Astarion looks at you, his eyes filled with both determination and love. “Yes,” he says quietly. “I’m ready.”

And with that, the preparations begin. Over the next several days, Alustriel works tirelessly to help you and Gale prepare for the ritual. She teaches you the ancient incantations, helps Gale refine the runes needed to channel the phylactery’s power, and even consults with Shadowheart on the divine protections that might be needed to safeguard Astarion’s soul.

The tension among you grows as the day of the ritual approaches. Every moment is filled with a mixture of hope and dread, as you all work together to ensure that nothing is left to chance. Astarion remains focused, but you can see the strain in his eyes, the fear of what might happen once the ritual begins.

The night before the ritual you and Astarion spend time alone in your private quarters. Spending time with one another in case the worst happeneds tomorrow. You lay on Astarion as his back is on the bed. He wraps his arm around you. You draw circles on his chest with your fingers. Lying in a comfortable silence. The weight of the ritual still heavy on your minds.

"Normally I wouldn't pry but given the situation i wanted to ask you something." Astarion says breaking the silence.

"Hm, what is it?" You ask looking up at him.

"Back at the wedding, when Aylin mentioned marriage, you reacted strangely." He says.

Oh fuck. With everything going on with the ritual you had forgotten, and you felt unprepared to talk about it. You stop tracing circles and slowly sit up on the bed and sit next to him. Silence fills the room for a moment or two.

"I'm sorry I didint mean anything by it, it's just we have never spoken about marriage, I don't even know your views on it, so when she said that i...i wasn't" you pause. "I wasn't sure how to react."

Looking deep into your lovers eyes. Astarion grabs your hand and gives it a small tug. "It's understandable darling, honestly I've never given it much thought. I had never planned on falling in love. My life was filled with pain and torture at every turn and I thought I was going to be a slave to Cazador for the rest of my life."

You knew one of the things Astarion hated was pity, but It was hard not for your heart to ache when he told stories of his past trauma. You never saw the pain you felt for him as pity. Just sadness and empathy of what he went through and the hardships he faced under Cazador's control. He sees the sad look on your face as thoughts flutter in your head.

"But I suppose when the time feels right, I could see myself asking you to marry me." He says completely catching you off guard. Your eyes widen and you can't help but smile.

"You're the one I want forever and If this ritual works I won't have to bear the pain of outliving you."

You give him a soft smile "We can grow old together."

"Gods I forgot about that part, as I grow older I will no longer have my beautiful face."

You chuckle. Cupping his chin in your hand. "You will always be beautiful to me."

Astarion reaches out and gently tucks a piece of your hair behind your ear.

"You know" he murmured. "This could be our last time we have an opportunity for a night of passion." He says giving you a small seductive smile. "I guess we better make it count." You respond. Astarion leans in and pulls the back of your neck closer to him as he brushes his lips against yours kissing you tenderly. The kiss made your heart swell. It wasn't hurried or demanding. It was slow, gentle and filled with love. As the kiss deepened and you can't help but to let out a small moan. He wraps his arms around you as if he's shielding you from the world. Never breaking the kiss he gently guides you on your back as he maneuvers himself above you as he hovers over you. He moves from your lips to kissing your jaw then down your neck. You close your eyes savoring every pleasurable feeling.

You lift your head and offering for him to feed. "I'm your's my love." You whispered. The words flowing out with trust and love. If the ritual worked it would be the last time he ever got to feed from you. Feeding was a special, intimate moment only you and Astarion shared. You weren't going to lie, you would miss it.

Astarion pulls away from kissing your neck and gazes upon your face. "Thank you love." He says. He cherished feeding off you as well. The care you had to make sure he was properly fed and the pure intimacy it had made him feel safe and loved.

Astarion moves back down to your neck and traces his lips up and down your neck, leaving you with a small shiver from the sensation. He slowly sinks his teeth In. You wince from both pleasure and pain. You feel the slight pressure in your neck from the blood pumping through your veins and to his mouth. Your blood tasting like the finest vintages of wine. He runs his fingers through your hair trying to soothe you. His hands lowered to your body, exploring every curve. Lifting up the shirt on your stomach he trails his icy cold fingers along the line of your stomach to your belly button. Each touch was light and reverent, as if he was worshipping you.

He pulls away from your neck and places a soft kiss on the new puncture wounds. He plants kisses down your neck and eventually making his way to your stomach then your hips. He places a kiss on your hip bone and your hips buck up. You let out a pleasurable moan. Your body responding to him in ways that felt familiar and new. He sits up and slowly helps pull your shirt over your head, exposing your bra. He traces a line with his fingers from the bottom of your back to your bra strap and with ease and dexterous fingers, unclasps your bra strap. The bra falls down your chest exposing your breasts. He cups one of your breasts in his hand, gently massaging it. You place your arms over his shoulders kissing a spot behind his ear then move to gently nibbling on his earlobe. Astarion lets out a small moan, enjoying the sensation.

You help him get out of his shirt and exposes his muscular chest. He glistens off the reflecting moonlight from the window. He gently pushes you on your back and pulls you into another deep and passionate kiss. Your body on fire with desire. You feel his cold fingers again trace from the top of your stomach only this time not stopping at your belly button by reaching under the waistband of your pants. He pushes your panties aside with his fingers and gently eases his fingers inside of you. Your hips once again buck up from the sensation. He was taking his time, savoring every moment he had with you. He knows all the right ways to make you squirm, knowing your body well and what it responds to. He helped pull your pants down and following your panties. You then returned by helping him pull his pants down until you were naked and vulnerable in front of each other.

He gazes into your eyes once more and lowers to your ear. "I love you" he whispers in your ear. "And I love you." Lovingly gazing into his eyes.

When he slowly entered you. Your breath was taken away. The rhythm between you slow and steady, a dance of two souls slowly intertwined. Every moment every touch was a reminder of everything you had been through together. Feeling safe in one another's embrace.

"Oh gods" you whimper out. A steady amount of sweat on your scalp. Your foreheads press together. Both of you are breathing heavily. As the pleasure built, your eyes locked into his, the world around you fading into nothingness. It was just you and Astarion. He was your entire world and you were his.

When you finally reach your peak together it was like an explosion of warmth and light. A perfect cumulation that was building from the love and desire from the both of you. Astarion's name left in a whisper. Your hands clutching him as he held you through the waves of pleasure. His body trembling against yours. He places a kiss your forehead before falling beside you on the bed. Both try and catch your breath. You turn to your side and snuggle into him. Watching the rise and fall of his chest. He wraps his arm around you. Both of you interlace your fingers together. Gently rubbing his thumb on your skin. Tiredness creeps over you but you try to fight it as you don't want this moment to end. Trying to pull your thoughts off tomorrow.

"Astarion?" You gently whisper. Your voice hoarse.

"Yes darling?"

"Will you read to me?" You ask. You loved when he read to you. His voice like silk when he read the words off the page. He knew you wanted the distraction. Anything to take the thoughts off tomorrow. And in reality he was in the same boat.

"Of coarse my love." He says with gentleness and understanding in his voice.

He sits up to pull out a book from his pack. A book you both loved to read. He props and fluffs a pillow to learn back on. You get comfortable and lay your head on his chest. He opens the book and flips to a bookmarked page, and begins to read. You gently close your eyes, focusing on the words of the story. A gentle breeze smelling of salt and sea makes its way through the window. Bellowing the curtains as the wind blows through it. The comfort and tiredness over takes you and you drift off to sleep.

Click here for part 5