Before Oscar and his coven could get into the thick of it, a sharp rap came from the apartment door. His emotional sense struggled to comprehend the complexity of the visitors feelings. His heart was clouded by several strong emotions, so Oscar couldn't pin down what he was feeling, just that it hurt deeply.
Sallie beat him to the door, recognizing the scent. "Siobhan, what's wrong?! Your smell reeks of despair. Do I have to go knock some sense into someone?" Strange, I have barely known the guy for a few days and I already feel fond of him. He has done a lot for me, especially trusting me with his friend Sallie. That's it. Whatever he asks, I'm ready to help him.
"Your emotions are a knotted mess, Siobhan. Do tell us what's going on. You're amongst friends here." Oscar gently reminded the Fae.
Siobhan took in the happy scene. A trace of an ephemeral smile curled up on his lips, but faded before it could fully form. He flopped down to the couch and held his head in his hands. "It's a long story. First of all, I'm glad to see Sallie adjusting so well here. She's deserved this kind of happiness and I'm glad someone is finally giving her that."
Sallie sat down next to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "This isn't the time to celebrate my new boytoy, Sio. Tell us what's on your mind."
Siobhan exhaled like a man down to his last card. "I've had a conversation with my elder about what happened 2 months ago and it's... it's bad, Sallie. Let me start from the beginning. But before that, if you don't mind I could use a glass of water. Introductions to your covenmates would also be welcome while I organize my thoughts." Elena dashed to the kitchen and prepared him some water. "I am Elena, Oscar's first coven member. I handle the real estate and our home." Lydia took her cue and said quickly, "I'm Lydia. I handle the finances and his OnlyFans."
Siobhan had started drinking the water at that point just to spray it out of his mouth. "ONLYFANS?! Why the hell is a True Vampire selling nudes like a-- actually that's quite on brand for you. Nevermind." He recovered his composure and tried to keep the water down this time.
Draining the water and wiping his mouth dry, he began his harrowing tale. "Two months before this, my sister, Elara, and I were harvesting herbs from the Fae Wilds when we stumbled on a spatial distortion. Most of those dimensional gateways have been explored and are known quantities. This one wasn't."
His eyes looked off into distance, remembering that day. "Elara insisted we go in and take a quick look before we left. I tried to say no, but her curiosity demanded we go in. Things went badly right away. The gate closed behind us leaving us stranded. The whole place reeked of the Void. While I was scrambling to craft a spell to get us home, it found us."
Siobhan started hugging himself to stop from shaking. "It looked like some kind of Wendigo at first. But something wasn't right. It had the skull mask, antlers, and twisted body. The difference was it was 9 feet tall and its presence was enough to nearly make me soil myself. There was no soul in its eyes. No emotions at all, just an unending hunger. We tried to fend it off and it toyed with us for a while, then it got bored. After that it ate Elara. I would be in its stomach now too if I wasn't saved by an Elder who was passing by the wilds and saw the portal. She didn't dare to fight it, but she distracted it long enough for us to get out alive."
Elena and Lydia were shaken by the tale and Oscar was ready to go. "Well is it time for your favor then, because I'm ready to go."
Sallie interrupted him, "Sit down. There's more, isn't there?"
Siobhan tried to speak, but his voice cracked and he broke down sobbing. Eventually he was able to continue. "I've done research far and wide into that abomination and hit a dead end. Until at last night's auction, I found someone who knew what it was. They call it, the Hollow King. A Wendigo, touched by the void's influence and survived. The monster doesn't just eat flesh like other Wendigo. Any being eaten by the Hollow King suffers for eternity in its stomach. My sister can never reincarnate into a new life, while she's in his possession. This whole time I've been recruiting people strong enough and honestly insane enough to help me. That's why I asked you for that favor...."
Oscar digested this information. "You don't have to say anymore. I don't consider you just someone I owe a debt to you anymore Siobhan. You're like a brother to me now. Consider our slate clear. I will help you because that's what friends do for one another."
Siohan grimaced. "I'm sending all of us on a suicide mission, just for a small chance we can save Elara... Ask Lillith about the Hollow King before you decide."
[...]
Uh Lillith? You there? Is this thing on?
[Oscar please don't do this. All of you will meet a horrible doom if you walk this path. This kind of threat isn't something you're equipped for.]
... I'm sorry. I don't think I could live with myself if I said no to this request.
[I know. That's why I picked you. Just please promise me you will run if things go badly.]
Of course Lillith. Live to fight another day and all that.
Siobhan had stemmed the flow of tears and was waiting expectantly. Oscar crossed his arms and relayed her wisdom. "She strongly recommended we don't do this, but she understands why we want to try. Lillith's only request is that we have a reliable escape plan."
Siobhan nodded grimly and Sallie gritted her teeth. Elena's face was riddled with fear of losing her newfound family. Lydia, on the other hand, betrayed no emotions. Oscar sent out another ping of his emotional radar to read the room. Siobhan was filled with an indescribable emptiness and Sallie was full to the brim with rage. Elena was nervous and rife with terror, while Lydia was feeling insecure and hopeless. Hmm if I had to guess, she wishes she could help us. But what can a mere mortal do to help us immortals?
"Elena do you mind making something for us to eat? I think we have a long night of strategy ahead of us and your cooking is absolutely divine. Lydia please join us, you have a keen mind for business. We need your help to double check our plans aren't faulty." Both women smiled at him lovingly, happy to feel needed.
Three days of grueling strategy and several delightful home-cooked meals later, the trio was about as ready as they would ever be. Lillith and Lydia had unsurprisingly proven themselves to be the strongest tacticians. The trio would enter the dimensional gateway with an artifact to stabilize their exit and failing that, Siobhan could cast an escape spell assuming Sallie and Oscar can buy time. Sallie would take point with her durability and maintain the Hollow King's aggro. Oscar would aim to deal as much damage and limit the King's movement. Siobhan would cast whatever spells they needed at the moment from the back and give Sallie some breathing room. There wasn't much in the way of magical tools to deal with a creature like this. Only raw damage would affect a creature cursed by the Void as Lillith pointed out.
With nothing left holding them back except for Lillith's ominous warning, the trio set off for the Fae Wilds. The Wilds were a beautiful place teeming with exotic fauna and rare magical herbs, but the party wasn't here to sightsee. They carved a path right to the fateful portal where Elara met her doom.
As they stood before the shimmering distortion, the vibrant colors of the Fae Wilds seemed to bleed away. The grass at the portal's edge was a sickly, translucent grey. The air coming from the rift wasn't cold exactly. It felt empty, like the breath of a corpse. Siobhan locked eyes with Oscar, his thirst for vengeance burning in them. Oscar matched his intensity and nodded. It was time to enter the domain of the Hollow King. This might be our last ride Lillith. Any last words?
[No it won't be. I have something I could use to save you, but the price won't be cheap. I wouldn't do this for anyone, but you my dear heir. I pray that I won't have to use it tonight.]
Lillith, this card of yours. Please don't hurt yourself for me. I know we are one now, but being responsible for that would haunt me.
[It's a bit late for that now. You've chosen your path. Whatever happens from now on is left to the hands of Fate.]