Lann Neath

It bothered Lann, scratched like a bad itch and spread goosebumps over his human skin, scales standing on end on his lizard half. But before the small scratch of lingering distrust could fester into the open wound of outright discord, Epiphany did the impossible.

The damp and dark caves making up Neathholm were illuminated by a bright angelic light as Epiphany raised their arm to the unreachable skies and the Light of Heaven materialized in their hand. Their voice was solemn and echoed clearly in the cave for all mongrels to hear and believe. “Lann speaks the truth.”

In that moment, all doubts were cast from Lann’s mind. He would follow Epiphany wherever they went.

And he had an apology to make.

***

In the end, it was Seelah who brought it up, when they set up camp after clearing up the Shield Maze but before progressing through the innermost gate.

They had just finished eating a meal of grilled skinned rats, courtesy of Lann (while there was food in the pantry, which Camellia had been very keen on pointing out, they were on enemy territory, warranting every precaution - including poison) when the paladin moved to remove her armor for the night. Epiphany offered their help, deftly aiding Seelah in shedding the full plate.

“Hey, you’re pretty good at this!” Seelah praised “I’m so used to putting this thing on and off by myself - definitely feels nice to have someone help out!”

Epiphany smiled. “Glad to help. To be honest, I didn’t know I could do this until a few minutes ago.”

“Oh! Are you remembering more things? How’s your memory?” Seelah asked.

Lann perked up at that, stopping his motions of testing his bowstring and shifting to look at Epiphany, who seemed to sense his gaze and turned to meet it. Camellia had also deigned to lift her head from glaring at her grilled rat to stare at the tiefling, who saw it in their peripheral vision and seemed to wilt under their collective gaze.

“It’s okay. We trust you.” The words flew from Lann’s mouth before he had even registered saying them and he quickly turned his reptile half to Epiphany as he felt his human half flush. Epiphany’s eyes widened and their own cheeks darkened as Lann’s admission stunned them into silence.

Seelah grinned and drew Epiphany in a half-hug. “Of course! We’re among friends here. Right, Camellia?”

The half-elf lifted a dainty hand to her chest and her mouth curved in a polite smile. “Right. Tell us all your secrets.”

After a few seconds, Epiphany sighed. They gently disentangled from Seelah and once again busied themselves undoing the straps that held up her plate before speaking again, voice soft. “So… Lann. To put it plainly - a large amount of my memory's missing. In fact, when I first woke up, I didn't even remember my name.”

More pieces came off, Epiphany gently depositing them on a cloth Seelah had laid out. “But since I fell down here I've been remembering a few things. Bits and pieces. And deduced a few others.”

Seelah had fully shed her armor now and smiled gratefully to Epiphany, who smiled back. The tiefling went over to their bedroll, carefully sitting down with a tired “oof!” and smoothing the creases in their dress, then raising two fingers. Lann, ever the hunter, followed their every move with rapt attention.

“I know two things for sure. My name is Epiphany Goodhope, and I am a Cleric of Pharasma - may She forgive me for forgetting Her for even a moment, no matter how brief.” This gained them a sympathetic look from Seelah. “I remember some spells - the basics, if you will - but my guess is that I used to know many more, and as such I presume that my memory loss has somehow affected my abilities.”

“Well, your name doesn’t give us many clues” Seelah mused, idly scratching her chin “but if we go by your by your accent, you’re probably Mendevian.”

“The largest - and closest - temple of Pharasma is in Nerosyan, I hear.” Camellia supplied. “Of course, that doesn’t guarantee it was your temple. It could’ve been a…. quainter place.”

“Well, that’s nice and all” Lann sudenlly cut through the chatter, an uncharacteristic steeliness in his voice “but I think what’s more important is not who Epiphany was but who they are and who they want to be.”

All eyes turned to Lann, but he paid them no mind - except for a pair of surprised amber ones, staring directly at him.

So he spoke to them.

“You’ve been a leader since you fell down here. You’ve commanded us all in battle, showed the Light to Sull and gave the mongrels hope, and even when I told you to your face that I though you were a cultist and demon spy when we first met - you forgave me with a smile.” Lann breathed deeply. “All without memories. Because you have character. You have strength and beliefs.”

Lann held Epiphany’s gaze.

“You already know what to do. So point, and I’ll shoot.”

Epiphany was silent for a long moment, long enough that Lann feared he had put his foot in his mouth. But soon enough a genuine, relieved smile bloomed on the tiefling’s face. “Thank you, Lann.”

Lann felt his blush return tenfold and quickly rearranged himself on the bedroll so his lizard half faced Epiphany. “Y-Yeah, no problem.”

Seelah burst into a hearty laugh while Camellia rolled her eyes, which only served to aggravate Lann - but he couldn’t bring himself to regret speaking his mind when the sound of Epiphany’s own laughter followed.

In that moment, all doubts were cast from Lann’s mind. He would follow Epiphany wherever they went.

———

Lann’s frozen state was broken by the sound of Epiphany’s tail hitting the bed as it swayed erratically behind them, the mongrel quickly recognizing it as a sign of them becoming increasingly upset. Flexing his fingers to break his paralysis, Lann then kneeled in front of the tiefling, carefully reaching for their hands, which were currently fidgeting with one of their long white locks. When they didn’t reject his advances, he held their hands gently and kept his grip light so they could withdraw at any moment if they felt uncomfortable.

Epiphany took a deep breath and braved a look at Lann’s face and. Oh gods. Their gaze was so simultaneously vulnerable and embarrassed that Lann feared he had lodged his foot so far in his mouth and straight down his throat he would never be able to get it out and fix this, and Epiphany was going to kick him out of their chambers and never speak to him again-

“I… it’s just…” Epiphany nervously licked their lips and shrugged lightly. “Sex is just a very intimate thing for me… and I never met anyone I liked or trusted enough to do it with until…” their gaze became soft and a ghost of a smile graced their features as the sentence trailed off, but there was no need to finish it. Lann felt his heart hammer mercilessly in his chest, longing to break free, to leave his body and join Epiphany’s equally racing one to merge into a single complete being.

But that was physically impossible, so he settled for kissing them.

Lann cradled Epiphany’s face and guided their lips to his, pouring all of his love and affection into the gentle but passionate kiss. Epiphany sighed in what sounded like relief and scooted closer to the edge of the bed to press their soft body into Lann’s toned one, and he relished in the feeling of their warmth.

Soon the need to breathe led them to break apart, but the pair remained close, breaths intermingling and noses brushing, refusing to look away lest the other suddenly disappear.

“Sorry if it seemed like I freaked out on you.” Lann whispered, brushing an unruly lock behind Epiphany’s ear. “I thought…. You’re beautiful, Epiphany. You could have anyone you wanted. And you’re settling for me?” He grimaced at the unintended self-deprecation in his tone, but if this was real and Epiphany actually wanted him, then he was going to have to fight some demons, so it was best to start right now.

Epiphany shook their head firmly, raising their hands to hold the sides of Lann’s face and making a point to caress his scaled cheek, eliciting a shiver from him. “Nonsense. I am not settling for anything. I am choosing you Lann.” Epiphany’s features suddenly became bashful and their cheeks darkened even further, but their eyes had that mischievous glint they bore whenever they flirted with him “Besides…. I think you’re really fucking hot.”

Another shiver ran down Lann’s spine at Epiphany’s admission. It was his turn for his human half to flush a dark red up to the tip of his ear and he could simultaneously feel his blood start to rush south. Gods, he wanted them. No, he needed them. And they want you too, his heart sang.

But, still, he had to make sure.

Oh, but Epiphany knew. Their hands slid from his face agonizingly slow, as if committing his features to memory, down to his broad shoulders and finally stopping at his chest. And they leaned forward until their left horn tapped against his single one, and they whispered directly against his lips, their honeyed breath decadent as he parted his mouth to drink it in.

“Please, Lann.” Epiphany blinked slowly, white lashes prominent against candy pink skin. The claws on their right hand dragged lightly over the scales on his chest, and Lann exhaled shakily. “Be mine. Make me yours.”

And something inside Lann finally broke.

It had been glass-like. Put on a pedestal, removed only to be polished, hailed as virtuous, and regarded as almost a point of pride for him.

But now Epiphany was here, in his arms. And they were telling him it was alright. It didn’t have to be up there. He didn’t have to keep that distance.

So he knocked over the pedestal, shattering it into a million pieces. And the sound was sweeter than the singing of azatas.

—————