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To live is to die, that was the one of the many things that his old friend had once told him, that to live properly one must embrace the hands of death once their time came, that Lathander would be waiting for them on the other side, the light of his radiance would warm them and they would know that their lives had been well lived. It sounded nice, a comfort at one point knowing that was what awaited him when his time came, but Marius was no fool, not now. He had turned from Lathander, cursed his name and called upon the one that listened to him the most within this world of darkness, turned away from the warm light to the crimson that stained his very being. She listened to him, helped when he sought for Lathander and the one he praised for so long abandoned him, The Duchess, Lilith was always there now, her hands upon his shoulders, breathing life into him, whispering her praises as he walked through the shadows of Druskenvald with his companions. She was there when he took control, this crooked world becoming his, a temple for the rose being built and Marius became the Crimson Abbot with ease, spreading her word throughout the land, embracing the hunger, the lust. She was with him all the way until the end, when a group of adventurers came upon his land and sought to free those from the embrace of the Duchess. Wished to seek a way to break the curse of the moon, to break his influence upon the land that he had staked for his own. Marius tried to have them embrace her and when his gifts and wishes were turned down, the rage building and a battle began, Marius fought. He fought until he was striked down, a blade at his throat as dying rasps left him, he stared up at those that defeated him and spat at them with rage, refusing to forsake his Goddess.Perhaps that was the reason he was here. Lathander didn’t come for him like his King had once spoken of long ago, there was no light or comfort. He sat around a campfire, alone within the darkness, realization and understanding washing over him, all that rage vanishing and Marius truly had time to sit and realize all the wrong that he had done. He had stepped away from what he believed, allowed it to twist and warp his thoughts and actions, and now, now he was alone. Marius didn’t know how long he sat there, whispering to himself, calling for his companions that had been warped just the same as he, prayed to Lathander for forgiveness and understanding that this loneliness would be punishment, waiting for something to happen. Nothing ever did, just the constant feeling of Lillith surrounding him, her voice cooing and echoing around the trees that surrounded him, a reminder of what he had embraced and shoulders hunched down. Time drifted by, it had to have, Marius didn’t know for sure though, nothing ever changed until one day it did. The embers within the circular ring of stone grew brighter, a light shining forth from the growing flames and Marius jolted peering into the flames to see a small bundle, a child peering up from a mop of jet black hair, large ears pointed and a sharp smile upon features. A goblin. Marius frowned, peering into the blaze, watching this young goblin grow, the thieving and stealing, the cons leaving a bad taste within his mouth. Skrimm. That was the goblins name, the goblin that Marius had watched grow from a small babe to the man he was now, watching his adventure with his friends, whispering encouragement and scolding him as if he were heard. Skrimm never heard him, never saw him only within dreams at points but Marius saw everything, knew everything about the goblin that when Skrimm and his friends stumbled upon a familiar castle within the freezing land known as Drakkar, Marius screamed at them to turn away. To not go there seeking shelter, the scent of roses strong within the clearing now, the Duchess laughter echoing from the trees as Marius watched the group wander up, knocking on door and a familiar woman answered, innocent looking and just as kind as Marius remembered her being when he first came upon her seeking the grail. Her blonde hair shined, her body swaying underneath the crimson garments that kept her smooth form covered and Marius felt horror grow as a fanged smile landed on the goblin that Marius watched grow. She was welcoming, playing the same ploy she had with him, and Marius screamed, tried to wrench the goblin away from her, to warn Skrimms friends but he went unheard as one by one they went to separate rooms, the thrall already placed and Marius could only watch as The Duchess laid her hands upon the goblin, the gentle gasps and whines that floated from the room, the scent of roses and arousal nauseating and Marius turned away from the act at hand, turned away as Skrimm begged just like he had once. Marius could do nothing as the once bright orange and yellow flames tinged with shadows bled to crimson, watched as Skrimm drank from that horrid grail like he had, bathed in crimson blankets and watched as he fell asleep, unable to be reached. No, instead Marius watched as the vile temptress turned, running a hand through locks, fingers tracing over skin until fingers rested upon heart, her gaze glowing crimson and Marius froze as her head turned to stare at him.“I know you are watching my dear knight…his soul screams of you, and I can sense you here, your anger.” She purred, narrowing her eyes as fingers dug into skin ever so slightly, pinpricks of blood forming upon green skin, “You swore no matter what life you would be mine once, and I will make do on that swear. This soul, yours, his, and whoever comes next, belongs to me. Oh dear Marius, thank you.”The fire dims, crimson now bathing the clearing of woods that the knight found himself in, his eyes locked upon the scene of Skrimm sleeping peacefully, watching threads of crimson wrapped around his throat and a halo of sorts formed. No one would see this, no one would know that the goblin was now corrupted, now forever bound to this vixen, and no one would ever know that Marius begged and screamed for forgiveness, for cursing Skrimm and any afterwards of her attention. His sins damned them.–Marius watched as Skrimm continued on his adventure, the new challenges he faced, pleading for him to forgive him even when his words fell on unhearing ears, watched as his friends and him continued forth within this icy world and watched as Skrimm slowly fell into the temptations of The Duchess. Crimson bathed the clearing until one day there were no flames, no fire and Skrimm was not to be found, death might have come for the goblin and Marius wept. Time once again drifted by, the fire once again growing as another figure appeared within the flames that were once again the orange and yellow light it had been, a small tiefling child this time. Marius swallowed down, promising that he would do better, that he would make sure that he warned this being of what could happen. With Skrimm he had no idea, but now, Marius knew that they were connected, and he would not let his sins damn another unfortunate enough to share the soul so corrupted.
Everytime that Shepherd came to him within his dreams Marius made sure to help, to teach the young child about honor, about temptation and those that seek to harm, hope blooming in his chest as he watched the young cowboy grow into a young man, and despite the horrible names and the way that others treated the tiefling, Shepherd fought for them, saved them and grew to be someone that Marius only wished he could have been in his life. He watches intently, once again knowing that he could do nothing, no one saw him out in the real world, that only Shepherd could perceive him within his dreams if they were lucky, but that didn’t stop Marius from talking, from encouraging and warning Shepherd of dangers. Barovia was a horrible place, the darkness and cruelty reminding the knight of Druskenvald, reminding him of the corruption.It was too close to home, but Marius refused to turn away, praying to Lathander once again that Shepherd would be fine, that they all would be safe, that during battles and saving those captured nothing would befall them. His call went unanswered as always, and horror dawned within his chest seeing a familiar blonde woman stumbling out of a cell, tears flowing down her cheeks as Shepherd helped her outside. A predator playing prey, and Marius screamed at Shepherd to see past her lies, to not allow her to camp with them and to get away but The Duchess remained, played her part like always and when the group settled for the night, Shepherd under her spell Marius felt guilt ache within his chest as Shepherd treated her properly. A true gentlemen, soft and careful, a lover, a pleaser and the familiar sounds of lust filled the nights sky, and Marius turned away again as Shepherd grunted and the pitched sigh followed, her body falling against the ground, the tiefling above her, asking if she was alright, worshiping her, praising her still, her fingers in his hair, grasping horns and clawing down back. Roses filled the area and this time, Marius watched as The Duchess pulled the grail out once more, allowing the tiefling to drink, to fall into temptation and lust. Again, Marius failed as the flames turned crimson solidifying the corruption. As Shepherd fell asleep, his arm wrapped around her, holding her as a protector would, threads of crimson formed again, another halo and she smiled, peering at Marius once more, whispering her thanks.Anger and grief filled him, and he watched Shepherd continue on, realizing what had happened, that something changed and Marius apologized once again up until those flames resided at some point, dimming down to embers and for a long while they did not grow again. Leaving Marius to himself, to bask in the true punishment of his death. He was the cause of this, his anger and rage, the corruption, the temptation and lust…all of it damned these people, damned them all just because they had the unlucky chance of getting the soul stained in crimson. He screamed that it was not fair to damn these beings with his soul, to force them into a life of her devotion, that no more should be subjected to that soul, blaming himself, blaming Lathander, and blaming the Duchess. His anger continued for a long while, until fading into a numbness, pleading with the world to not allow another with that corrupted soul but the flames grew once more.Again a young goblinnoid greeted him, a bugbear and Marius felt his chest ache at the small thing, watched as he was abandoned and treated cruelly but Marius never reached out, didn’t see the point in trying to help if what he said and did wouldn’t matter. Marius simply watched Torbek throughout his life, never bothering to say hi or help up until the bugbear had fallen unconscious during one of the experiments within the feywild. Soothing and whispering to the bugbear that things would be better, that he wasn’t alone, and perhaps that helped Torbek continue on within captivity, helped in forgiving those that had been the cause of it all within that inn. Torbek wasn’t alone now, he had friends and was traveling, living his life and Marius sighed softly as time seemed to drift on, the Duchess seemingly leaving this one alone. Hope formed within his chest as the days went on, their adventure seemingly about to reach the end, a few more things needing to be done before they could leave the realm of chaos and magic. Marius watched intently, tilting his head as the small group wandered down the paths, a small town coming into sight, a inn found and the group sat down, eating and drinking, enjoying their time and Marius felt at ease until the scent of roses caught his focus, head turning to see her wandering through the crowd towards Torbek.Marius tried, he really did to warn the bugbear, to step in front of him and block the Duchess from her target but nothing stopped her from leaning close, batting her eyes, and showing interest. Her hands wandering, leaving the bugbear flustered but leaving him wanting more and Marius struggled to stop it from happening, begging her not to, to leave Torbek alone, just leave this one alone! His cries went unheard, drowned out by lust and pleasure, watching as she dominated the thin bugbear, seeking her pleasure and demanding more and more from the overstimulated goblinnoid, willing to please and listen, Torbek did what he was told eagerly, desperate and Marius covered his ears, turning away until silence flooded forth, the glowing light of flames now a bright crimson once again sharing what happened.Torbek had fallen, had been cursed with his soul and the Duchess had claimed another being with the tainted soul as crimson threads and a glowing halo appeared.Time drifted by again, Torbek vanishing from being viewed at some point, Marius doing nothing but picking at the skin on his fingers, not paying attention, not bothering to even see what or who appeared as the flames sprouted up once again. He refused to witness life, to witness innocence grow into someone with hopes and dreams, to plead and beg for what would happen to not take place. He doesn’t watch, doesn’t listen, until roses catch his focus and head lifts to peer at the solar elf. Pyke from the few words that caught his attention once or twice, watches as she once again placed that thrall upon him, leading him away from the main area of the ship, lips teasing and whispering words hot and Marius closed his eyes listening to pleasure sighs and the pitched whines, the sound of skin slapping and her pleased gasps echoing.There was no stopping this. This was his punishment, to forever see those that shared his soul be damned to the temptation and lust that had once taken him by storm, and Marius broke down, sobbing.