"You know magic?!" Percy was pacing back and forth. He didn't sound that he was pleased in the slightest.
"You know magic!!" Scanlan smiled seeming completely ecstatic. He was now right next to Jessica. "I knew you were one of us. Are you good with music?"
"Can you help heal Grog?" Keyleth looked over at Jessica.
Jessica was looking at her hands. She hadn't spoken to anyone. Blue lightning had definitely shot out of her hand. Percy had seen her do it. A strange blue symbol had most certainly appeared. Though now it was no where to be seen. She couldn't explain how she done it, but she had done it. It hadn't happened in...well a while. She supposed it was due to the fact...she wasn't being subjected to...She began to shake on the verge of tears.
"Hey." Vax gently laid a hand on Jessica's shoulder. His voice was steady and grounding.
"I didn't know if I could do...whatever I did...I don't know if I can help Grog." Jessica shook her head, tears down her cheeks.
"Its ok. We'll figure this out. Are you ok?" Vax kept his voice steadily calm, assuring.
"SHE CAN DO MAGIC!" Both of Percy's hand gestured to her. "MAGIC. AS IN SHE CAN FIGHT!"
"Yes." Vax'ildan looked over at Percy. "And you can obviously see the reaction that this is causing. Lay off it for a moment." Both of them stared at each other intently. The tension thick in the air, both to stubborn to back down.
"Quick! Someone draw a dick on Grog's face!!" Scanlan pointed down to Grog. Jessica smiled as Scanlan gave her a wink, he had drawn the attention off her. For now.
"Ok Bud. It's time to wake up now." Vex tried to wake Grog up gently but when that didn't work, she slapped him harder. And when that slap didn't work, Keyleth gave him a slap on the other cheek. And that was hardly effective either.
Percy knelt down next to Vex, right across from Jessica. "Let me see." Percy looked him up and down several times through narrowing eyes. "Well it isn't physical damage. He's barely taken any of that."
"Hmmm." Tiberius now stood over Percy's shoulder. "It's clear that when that brain-thing hit Grog with his zapper-thing that it rendered him unconscious. I would assume that it is a magical creature just based on the attack alone."
"No shit." Vex muttered under her breath.
"I'm sorry what did you say?" Tiberius looked over at Vex.
"She said No Shit." Scanlan said lough enough for the whole cavern to hear.
"Shh." Vax shushed him.
"I might..." Keyleth rubbed the back of her neck. "I might have something that could wake Grog up. I'd have to look it up in my book. It could take a few hours." She sighed and looked down at the ground.
Vex got up. "I'm going to investigate that duergar then." And with that, she walked off.
Vax gave an apologetic smile to Jessica and helped her up. The pair followed Vex, Percy fell in step behind them.
The duergar, from what Jessica could tell, was a female. She was bald from what Jessica could tell. She had a nasty, pale, sunken face; clouded eyes with no visible pupils; and her teeth were yellow, gnarled, and sharp. Vax gave Jessica's hand a squeeze before he walked over to the duergar, placing his dagger against her throat.
However, the harder they party pressed, the more stubborn the duergar became. The duergar looked over at Grog and then spat. "Bury your dead weight." That seemed to temp Vax more as Jessica saw him push the blade slightly deeper.
Percy suddenly fired his gun making everyone jump. He walked up to the duergar and cauterized her wounded shoulder. This investigation seemed to be going nowhere.
"And what say you child?" The duergar looked at Jessica. Eyes were suddenly on her. Vex started to translate but Jessica spoke, familiar with the duergar language.
"I say. That you've provided us very little information. There's no point in keeping you alive." Jessica shook her head.
"You won't find her." The duergar held her chin up.
"You're wrong." Jessica spoke in common. "We'll rescue her."
"And we're going to kill your god." Vex replied. She gave a nod to Vax who slit her throat, letting her body tumble off the edge of the cliff.
"Alright." Vex sighed and stretched. "Let's make camp for now. Until we can get Grog awake and keep going."
Everyone got to work getting things set up.
"I didn't know you knew how to speak duergar." Vex was helping Jessica with firewood.
"My Aunt and Uncle wanted me to be well educated. I picked up several languages from my tutors." Jessica gave a shrug.
"You talk about them a lot. I noticed more than your Mother and Father." Vex raised an eyebrow.
Jessica shrugged. "My Aunt and Uncle raised me since I was seven years old."
Both of them gave a look, before she turned her attention away. "Scanlan what are you doing?"
"Making us look scary." Scanlan was fidgeting with a duergar head. He skewered it to a stick and placed it at the base of the camp.
Jessica paced back and forth for a considerable time. Vex had gone to look at the remaining duergar bodies. She had picked up a bone. It was strange, gnarled and bleached. As soon as she held it up, Tiberius snatched it from her, looking it over.
"This looks like a Wand of Magic Missiles." He gave a it another look before giving it to Scanlan.
Jessica walked over to Keyleth and sat down. "Do you mind the company?"
Keyleth smiled and shook her head. "Wanting peace and quiet?"
"Exactly." Jessica leaned her head back on the rock wall, closing her eyes. With Keyleth it was a comfortable silence. She was studying, neither bothering each other. It reminded her of home. It was awhile later when Keyleth nudged Jessica. She opened her eyes.
"You ok?" Jessica stretched and looked over at her.
"Jess...what is that? I'm sorry Jessica." She corrected herself. "I didn't mean-"
Jessica gave a small giggle. "Most of my family calls me that. Don't sweat it. Whats up?"
"That." Keyleth pointed.
Jessica followed her finger until she came across what Keyleth was pointing towards. Above the wall of the fire pit was a symbol. Jessica could've swore she knew what the symbol was. She rubbed her eyes and tried to focus.
"Keyleth. Go take a imprint of it. I can study it later." Jessica yawned. Keyleth took a page from her spellbook and made an imprint of the carved symbol. Jessica leaned back and went to sleep once more.
Next thing Jessica knew, cold ass water was being splashed on her face. "The fuck?!?" Jessica sat up quickly.
"There's rumbling going on!" Tiberius exclaimed as he pointed to the ground.
"You sure it's not Grogs farts again?" Scanlan leaned back on the boulder behind him.
Well whatever was going on, it seemed to have stopped. Everyone was now fully awake. Keyleth got up and got the ritual prepared for Grog. Jessica watched as she lit incense, placed a small statue of Pike out. Scanlan provided background music.
"It is something isn't it?" Percy was now next to Jessica.
"Yes I agree it is...something." She gave a nod.
"I am sorry I...overreacted." Percy rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just you know how to use magic. It's a good thing."
"I agree. It's just," She took a breath, "I haven't been able to do magic since I was a child. And it's a lot to process."
Percy gave a nod, both of them looking down, their fingers intertwining. Percy gently took her hand and brought it up to his lips, placing a gentle kiss.
Jessica smiled, turning and leaning into Percy. He wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her into him. And just as he leaned down to kiss her-
"JESS LOOK WHAT I DID!" Keyleth all but shouted. Grog was sitting up, pouring her ale.
"Oh..." Keyleth blushed as she noticed Percy right next to Jessica. "Sorry I think I interrupted something. Please continue."
"Never any damn privacy." Percy muttered, narrowing his eyes at Keyleth. Then looked back at Jessica.
Jessica smiled and shook her head. "None at all." She breathed. She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek before walking away and headed toward Keyleth.
"Bahamut. That's the symbol. Its the platinum dragon."
"The platinum dragon." Tiberius interjected. "Just like I told Scanlan. Bahamut is a good thing. Unlike Tiamat, who is a total asshole."
"I think." Jessica continued. "Lady Kima inscribed it here. I think it means that we're going the right way."
"Well let's not keep waiting any longer." Vex arose, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm going to look for tracks." Vax was quickly by her side. It didn't take long. There were decomposing bodies that appeared to be goblinoid. Drag marks accompanied them. As they approached the huts, which were mainly smashed, more corpses were discovered.
"This is odd." Jessica leaned down to one of the bodies. Percy, who had been almost uncomfortably close to her, knelt down beside her.
The rest of the party came to a halt.
"Whats odd?" Vex stopped and turned around to face her.
"These puncture wounds. They're all in their skulls." Jessica was trying to recall her studies. There were creatures worse than those intellect devourers.
"There are creatures that devour brains." Vax had walked closer, now on Jessica's other side. "My teachers in Syngorn taught me that."
"Then we should all stay on high alert. Let's go." Vex continued on.
It wasn't fat before they reached what appeared to be a moving light source.
"Alright. Not everyone needs to go on this trip. Me and Vex will head over on the flying carpet." Vax looked to the group. "We'll take one or two more."
"Count me in." Scanlan all but bounced to him. "We'll take Jessica as well."
"She isn't going." Percy spoke up almost immediately.
The group suddenly started at him. And then to Jessica.
"Look. We promised Allura that we would protect her. We gave her our word."
"Yes. And not an hour ago you were pitching a fit for her not using magic to help and fight. It can't be both ways Percival." Vax narrowed his eyes at Percy.
"She doesn't know enough that won't get her killed. Let's not put her in danger until we absolutely have to."
Vax opened his mouth to speak, a hand to his dagger, before Jessica stepped in between both gentlemen.
"I'll stay Vax. It'll be ok. If your just scouting, three should be plenty."
"Are you sure?" Vax raised an eyebrow.
"Go. Tell us everything when you get back." Jessica walked Vax to the carpet. She watched him climb onto it next to Vex. He looked at Jessica, started to reach his hand out as if to pull her up there with him before he took off.
"Thank you." Percy let out a breath, then looked at her. "You're mad." He ran his hands through his hair, then pushed up his glasses. "Look-"
"While I appreciate you wanting to look out for me, I am very capable of making my own decisions."
Jessica turned away from him, pacing along the edge.
"It'll be ok M'lady. They'll be back soon." Tiberius was suddenly by her side.
Jessica nodded. "Remind me, when we're not in inevitable danger, to sit down and have a conversation about magic."
Tiberius smiled. "I would like that very much."
The pair stood side by side not speaking and it was nice. When Tiberius became occupied with only God's know what, did Jessica finally walk to Percy. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
Jessica smiled. "Don't talk." She just wanted him to stand there and let her kiss him.
"We're back!!" Scanlan all but screamed at them.
Jessica closed her eyes. "I could kill him." She spat through gritted teeth.
"We can later." He slipped his arm around her and they went to join the group.
"Ok so good news, they didn't notice us moving around." Scanlan began.
"So how bad are we fucked?" Percy raised an eyebrow.
"There's a large number of duergar. At least two trolls and two ogres." Vex stated.
"And not the worst of it." Vax added. "They all seem to be controlled by one creature. Making them all its slaves."
"It ate a duergar brains out!" Scanlan looked at them all in horror.
"Mind flayer." Jessica whispered. She looked to Vax. Both giving them knowing expression.
"There's more about this illithid. I just." Tiberius sighed. "I got water on it."
"We need a plan." Vex paced.
"We need bait." Vax added. And then turned and looked at Jessica.
"Someone who definitely doesn't look like they belong down here."
"Where are you getting at brother?" Vex came up next to him. She followed his gaze. "She'd be killed in ten seconds flat."
"Well just have to see how fast I am at running." Jessica shrugged then smiled at the twins.
"NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT." Percy pulled Jessica back to him. His face was hard, set, a burning anger Jessica had not seen before in his eyes.
"Percy." Vax tried to reason with him. "Do you think we'd let her intentionally die. You think we're that stupid?"
"There's no reason to put her into harms way if she doesn't have to be." Percy countered.
"Shes already in harms way now. Being down here. With us." Vex'ahlia explained.
"And then there's no need to increase those chances."
"I'm going." Jessica looked up at Percy.
Percy opened his mouth to sepak. But Jessica held her hand up.
"You can't stop me. I'm not changing my mind."
Percy looked furious, however, he remained silent.
"I'll go with her. I have the deck of illusion. Hopefully it'll produce something helpful." Tiberius was at her side.
"Because that's so much better!" Percy threw his hands up and walked away. He leaned against one of the large boulders, his back to her and his arms crossed.
Jessica looked back, walking to him. She held out her hand, reaching, but stopped herself before she placed a hand on his back. She gave an inaudible sigh and tuned back going to Vax. The trio headed across the bridge.
Jessica waited until Keyleth had successfully cast her spell, making the ground seem larger than it really was before she headed inside. It was eerily quiet, and the camp made the hairs on Jessica's neck stand straight up. The duergars that were there seemed not to pay her a bit of attention.
"You're getting warmer child. I feel the magic in you." A voice called to her sickly sweet in her head.
"Who are you?" Jessica asked out loud.
"I promise your death won't be in vain. I'll kill you swiftly, kindly. Unlike what I'll do to your friends."
Whatever trance Jessica was in she shook her head and high-tailed it out the other direction. It didn't dawn on her right away that she was almost in the center of the camp. But she made it to the bridge. The illithid not far behind her.
The plan however did seem to work. The troll and the over both fell off the edge. Jessica stepped onto the bridge to put distance between them.
"Ah." The voice returned. "There's no need to flee child. You're not in danger. Come back. I want to see you closer."
Jessica felt her whole body tingle, her limbs becoming stiff and rigid. She closed her eyes and tried to fight it.
"There's no need to be scared little one. Just walk backwards. Come back towards me." The illithid was close to Jessica, she could tell.
As if her body was not her own, she turned toward the strange creature. And that's when she felt her body fall.
Before she could let out a scream, several things happened. First, she heard two shots from Percy's gun. It must have found its purchase. The second was a hand grabbing the back of her tunic keeping her from falling anymore than she already had. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, clearing the last of the fog that clouded her mind. Lastly she was being lowered on the carpet. She looked up and saw Tiberius give her a nod.
"M'lady." He smiled.
"Thank you." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Jessica was relieved to see both Keyleth and Vex. "Well that was fun."
The three of them let out fits of giggles.
"Should we head up there?" Keyleth looked up to where the boys were looking down at them.
"Stumpy, you coming?" Vax peered over the edge.
"There's a cavern down lower. I can see it." Jessica dared a glance over the edge of the carpet. "Its just behind the waterfall."
Both girls looked at her, suspicion in their eyes.
"When the illithid was in my mind. It left a...connection is the best word I can call it. I saw the cavern." Jessica kept her eyes down to where it lay.
"It could very well be a trap." Keyleth glanced over at Jessica.
"Vex. Come on." Vax called down.
"Or there's something that could help." Vex looked at each of them in turn. "Girls trip down?"
"Percy can't be anymore furious with me than he always is. So I'm in."
They both looked at Keyleth.
"I mean ok sure. Why not."
"Be right back brother." Vex called back up before they decended lower.
It wasn't a long decent, and Jessica noticed that Tiberius followed them. As Jessica had stated, there was a waterfall right where she described it. The girls hopped off the carpet, letting Tiberius take it back to the top. Keyleth parted the water and the trio headed inside. Vex and Jessica presses up against the wall, Keyleth turned in a panther, staying between the girls. There wasn't much in the cavern over all, skeletons, decomposing bodies. Rags in the corner.
Jessica quickly grabbed Vex'ahlia's wrist as she went to step closer. She saw the rags moving before either of the girls. "Its moving."
The trio stilled themselves. As the ball in the corned moved and rose. Vex was immediately on high alert, ready to shoot if need be.
Jessica identified the creature almost immediately. It was an illithid. It was scarred and filthy. It looked at them desperate, shocked.
"Who? Who are you?" The illithid narrowed its eyes at them.
"We're friends." Keyleth offered.
The illithid moved closer, the angered expression still looming on his face. It looked like it ready to kill.
"K'Varn." Jessica answered, and the illithid stopped. It took her in, looking her up and down.
"How do you know that name?" It asked her coolly.
Jessica stood still, spoke calmly as not to provoke him. "There was an illithid up there. When he was in my mind, I heard the name."
Vex eyed her. "We were sent down here to find a Halfling Paladin."
"But that doesn't mean we don't have common goals." Jessica continued.
"You know magic." The illithid stated a moment later. "It lives within you."
"I do. It does." Jessica answered.
"I am also an Arcane user." Jessica could tell the illithid wasn't happy. "And for that I was ostracized from my community."
"Do you wish to be reunited with that community?" Jessica took a step closer to the illithid.
"We can help. And at the same time, seek vengeance on those who wronged you. On those who did this to you."
The illithid seemed to perk up at the mention of these prospects. On a tentative alliance.
Jessica put her hands behind her back, motioning for Keyleth to go and retrieve the carpet.
"We have a deal." The illithid gave a week nod.
Cautiously, the group moved back up to where the boys were waiting. They all stiffened once the illithid stepped off the carpet.
"Look guys we made a friend." Keyleth smiled at them.
"We made an alliance." Vex corrected.
"A tentative one." Jessica nodded. Then she looked up at the illithid next to her. "For this to work, I do need to know your name."
The pair stared at each other. It was a very odd pair indeed. Percy was inching to Jessica trying not to draw attention to himself. After several tense seconds, the illithid spoke.
"You may call me Clarota."