Vox Machina Book One: Nobodies to Heroes

Chapter 26: The Sixth Barrel

The party headed further down into the tunnel, traveling further from the surface, the tunnel that leads them to a dead end as that dead end was blocked by a heavy and ancient door, that was still in good condition, but hard working.

Vax presses his hand at the door, "Mind giving this a shove, big man?" he asks, looking at the half-giant next to him. Grog just grins, leaning against the door, and looks down at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Could you say that again?" he said, smugly. Vax sighs as he pinches his brow. "Oh, Gods. Oh, Grog. You are so mighty and I am so weak. How ever could little old me survive without you?" he said with a long groan.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," he spoke then grips the door and with a growl, pulls it over, revealing another hall, but this one was mostly shrouded in darkness.

But it was from an era of ancient times, long forgotten. "Whoa." Scanlan and Jason said in awe. "Some of my best work. This far below Whitestone, it took ages." Ripley informs them as they walk down the bridge.

The Twins stops for a moment as Vex was glaring at the prisoner. "I don't trust her," she spoke. "You don't trust anyone." Vex reminds her.

She shrugs. "Well... except you," she informs, smiling at him. But Vax just frowns. "Funny way of showing it sometimes." he shot back and started walking.

She just looks at her brother and sighs, pinching her brow. "Oh, Gods," she mutters and follows suit. "Hey, to point this out before we got get ourselves killed, we do have evidence now. We can drop this whole thing." Scanlan throws out.

Grog, Keyleth, and Kyria just look at him "You know, go back and fight our day in court." he said, pointing over his shoulder. "Oh, and abandon the revolution we caused?" Keyleth questions him "Really, Scanlan?" Kyria questions.

"No, whatever the Briarwoods are planning down there, we must end it," Percy spoke as everyone stopped and looks at him, Kyria stiffens as she was looking directly at him, not seeing Percy.

"Right, right, yeah, yeah," Scanlan mutters as he flicks his eyes away, momentarily. Then scoffs as the three look down at him. "Dumb suggestion, Keyleth." he shot out.

Both he and Grog cross their arms at the druid, who was just flabbergasted. Kyria just held back a laugh "Yeah, I'm really disappointed in you, Keyleth." Grog spoke as he and Scanlan walk on.

"Wait, what? No, Scanlan's the one who said..." she tries to explain, but groans as she grumbles to herself, walking after the others. Kyria pats her back as she smiles at Keyleth. "Just let it go, there's no getting out of that," she informs.

Keyleth just sighs as she nods at her, Kyria then turns her attention back to the Prince that held his pepperbox at Ripley's back and frowns to herself.

"Is something wrong?" Keyleth asks, seeing the worry in her eyes, Kyria just sighs, "Something's not right with Percy. This smoke or darkness... it's growing." she whispers.

Keyleth shot a look over at Percy momentarily. "Is it your sense?" she asks, Kyria blinks for a moment, "It was hurting at first, but after I've become... this. I don't just sense it..." she raises her head and looks at Percy. "I can see it," she mutters.

The growing shadow that looms over the gunslinger, Keyleth steps closer to her, "And what do you see?" she asks, Kyria flicks her red eyes at her. "It's not something of this plane," she spoke, Keyleth flicks her at Percy then leans in close to her tribal sister. "Keep a close eye on him," she whispers.

Kyria nods at her as they approached an open room, the floor was strained with dried blood and some white powder sat at the center with a pipe overhead of it. Almost looking like a drain. "Okay, uh... Percy? Any idea what we're looking at?" Keyleth asks as she looks over at the Prince.