Scanlan bites into his sandwich, and some mustard drips onto the page, "Aww." he groans, wiping it away. Kyria groans as she pulls the book away. "Hey." he groans. She just shot a glare at him. "Honestly," she mutters, then places her hand on the page and heats it, gently to remove the stain.
It lightly simmers the page, but she pulls away before making any real damage, leaving an out light of her hand.
Then sets the book down and reads over it. But looks back, seeing Scanlan giving her a smirk. "You drop mustard on it." she threw back at him.
He snorts, then looks at his hand, seeing the mustard stain, "Ugh." he groans. The two stand next to each other lost in their thoughts.
Then Grog bursts into the room, getting their attention "Everyone up! Creepy shit incoming." he warns as Pike was next to him and Jason appears behind him. The four exchanged looks. Kyria took the book into her hands and they followed them to the foyer. Meeting with Percy and Keyleth
"What's happening?"
"Where have the guards gone?"
They both asked them, Kyria and Jason shrugs at them. Then the front door opens as Jarett and the remainder of his guard run back into the keep and quickly close the doors behind them.
"What did you do?!" he questions them. They all looked at Scanlan. "Don't look at me. All I did was make a hoagie," he shouts as Jarrett and his guard march towards them. "Five of my mine are dead. If you didn't kill them, who did?" Jarrett questions them.
Then the lights suddenly went out, and the hairs on the back of Jason's neck suddenly stood up as a cold chill runs down his spine.
Something was lurking just in the shadows, "Uh..." Scanlan whimpers and Kyria growls as she held the book close to her chest. Then Vax immediately looks up, "Changing a guess it was them." he answers.
Everyone looks up, seeing wraiths looming over the beam, glaring down at them. Letting out his inhuman screech, they charged, killing the remainder of Jarrett's guards. They turn their attention to Vox Machina.
One charge right at Scanlan and he went flying "Scanlan!" Keyleth calls out as one came charging right for Kyria.
"Look out!" Jason shouts, shoving her out of the way. And it phases right into his body, he falls to his hands and knee, coughing as black ichor slips from his eyes and mouth.
Kyria falls to the ground, the book slips from her hands, and slides a few feet away, "They want the book." Vex looks over at the book on the ground.
The wraith dive right for it. Kyria shakes her head, propping herself up, and looks at the book. She went running for it, but Vex beats her to it. Picking the book off the ground and slips past them. "Keyleth heads up!" she calls out.
Keyleth immediately looks back at her. Vex throws the book as one of the phases right into her body, she smacks into the wall, falling to her hands and knees as she coughs up the black ichor.
The book flew into the air as a wraith chases it, but Keyleth catches the book and the beast shapes into a hare, hopping away. The wraith was right on her. Kyria ran to Jason, pulling his arm over her shoulder and helping him up.
Scanlan was slammed to the ground, the wraith digging its claws into his chest and he groans out in pain as he left his left slipping from him, "Scanlan!" Vax shouts as then swipes his knife at the wraith.
But the blade went right through it, turning its attention back to him. "Damn it," he growls. "I got him," Grog calls out as he grips hold of Scanlan and ran for it. Pike helps Vex run "Fall back!" she calls out as Kyria did the same for Jason.
They all fell back to the lounge, their last source of light as Grog shuts the door to the wraiths outside. Scanlan coughs as he rolls onto the table. "Aw, that sucked." he groans, feeling this lifeforce stable, for now.
The others panted as they looked at the door, stepping away from it. Freak out of their minds, but still alive. Kyria leans Jason against the table, he pants, leaning back against the table as she took his face into her hands, "You okay?" she asks.
He blinks for a moment and looks at her, "That fucking hurt." he groans then coughs for a moment. Turning away from her. "We need a way to fight them." Vex points out. "No use in you being unarmed anymore," Jarrett said as he tosses the twins weapons.
Vax catches the sword as Vex catches the crossbow, "A trigger? Ew." she mutters and aims it. Scanlan props up his head from Pike's lap. "Could really use my lute about now." he groans.
"I thought you said it wasn't a weapon?" Jarett questions him, and Scanlan just drops his head back on Pike's lap. "Obvious lie." he groans out. "What good will our weapons be if we can't fight shadows?" Kyria questions him as she kept propping up. "Kyria's right, not that any of these will do fuck all." Vax agrees.
Then Keyleth gasps, dropping the book. They immediately looked at her, seeing her eyes go lifeless, black ichor splattering onto her clothing. "Keyleth!!" Kyria cries out, but Jason held her back, holding her as she struggled in his grip.
Keyleth has dragged up the wall, her head, flicking out of control, the lights went out as the wraith appears from her shadow. She immediately drops to the ground, coughing as she tries to breathe. "Keyleth!" Percy calls to her. But the Wraith immediately attacks him.
Shoving him into the wall, claws dug deep into his chest. The life in his face drains as the black ichor pours from his mouth. Vex fired at it, but the arrow went right through the head. Getting its attention.
Jarrett and Vex jump back from its claws, Kyria looks behind her and Jason as one flew right for them.
She shoves Jason out of the way as it rams right into her. Sending her flying over the table, crashing into the wall with a yelp of pain.
Then it dug its claws into her chest, she spews out black ichor from her mouth and eyes. "Kyria!" Jason calls out, Keyleth pulling herself under the table.
Grog grips hold of the book, pulling it from grasp as he swings the chair at the wraith, but it went right through him, then he swung the head at it. "Why. Can't. I. Hit. You?!" he snarls as the head of the chair, kept slipping through the shadow.
Then one came up behind him, arms phasing through his chest, and digs its claws into his chest, he cries out. The black ichor spews from his mouth, he cries out as he was lifted from the ground.
"Hang on, buddy!" Pike calls out as she ran for him, gripping his legs and then onto the table, holding them in place. Vex scurries past her as she tries to avoid the wraith chasing her.
Then one came up to Pike, "You creepy fuck!" she shouts, Jason pulls himself up and then looks at the wraith reaching for her.
Jarrett forced on tries to relight a touch, giving them some source of light. Jason threw himself in front of Pike but the wraith dug one set of claws into his chest, making him cry out as more ichor spewed from his mouth and eyes. "Jason!!" Pike calls out to him.
But she cries out too, feeling the cold claws piercing her chest. Kyria snarls as she grips the arm of the wraith, pinning her to the wall, it snarls, getting into her face. "Fuck you, you undead piece of shit," she growls.
Then slams her flame hands into its face, it screeches from the sudden light, pulling away from her. She drops to the ground, coughing then heard a thud, followed by a crash.
She looks over seeing Jason and Pike laying on the ground, Vax right behind them as Vex caught Scanlan.
"Can't see shit." Pike groans, Jason rubs his eyes, "Fucking undead fuck!" he groans as well. Grog coughs as he held the book close to him. The wraiths notice the book and dive for it, but Jarrett finally relights the torch and waves it at them, the wraith shriek back in fear of the light.
Then he jumps onto the table and swings the torch at them, trying to keep them back. Kyria presses her back to the wall, seeing this. "Oh! The light!" Pike calls out as she props herself up. "Yeah, be a great time to make some more." Scanlan groans out.
Kyria pulls herself back up, and her hand went to her crystal, not feeling a new crack in the collection. She pulled her hand away, glaring at the wraiths. One came up behind Jarrett as he swings away, but right before it could touch him, a fireball was thrown at it, making it shriek in pain, verging away.
The others blink in shock then turns, seeing Kyria run up, back pressed to Jarrett's as she conjures a fireball in her hand. Jarrett shot a look at her, but it was a look of gratitude as they turned back to the wraiths, Jarrett waves his torch as Kyria fired fireballs at them.
Pike clutches her amulet in her hand, outstretching the other, the light of the Everlight flickers, not strong enough to enchant the flames. Jason spots all of them surrounding them. "Pike," he calls out. "I can't." she whimpers.
The wraith all snarled at the two as they kept the lights on, "Pike?" Vax calls to her, tears gathering in her eyes as she looks at him, "I said I can't!" she shouts. The torchlight went out, making the two just look at it. "Uh-oh," she mutters and they looked at the wraiths that surrounded them.
Keyleth cowers under the table, clutching her head with fear clear in her eyes, one by one, the survivors were lifted into the air or pinned to the ground. She then flicks her eyes next to her, seeing Percy pinned to the ground. "Keyleth, it's time," he calls out then looks right at her. "Prove yourself." he croaks.
Then she heard a thud in front of her, she flicks her eyes forward, seeing Kyria laying right in front of her, a wraith's claws digging into her chest, making her cough up more black ichor.
She gasps, trying to find something anything to bash its head in. but her grasp found nothing as her life force slowly slipped away and her body grew cold. Keyleth froze in horror as Kyria was going limp against the ground.
All she remembers hearing before slipping into the subconscious were the sounds of the wraith's inhuman screech.
It is not your time yet, my child.
A voice calls to her, making her stir.
Rise. Rise.
It was sweet, gentle, and held a material buzz, almost like a melody, it brought a sense of familiarity to her.
Rise and let your nature run wild and rip your enemies to shreds.
A sudden light fills her eyes lids, almost... restoring a sliver of her strength, flinching in her subconscious, clutching her fist tightly, that darkness suddenly burns hot as she grips the wraith's hand.
Making it stiffen, as it tries to break free, Keyleth just looks at the concentrated sunbeam in her hands, shocked for a moment. Kyria then leans her head up, pulling the wraith close to her. Face to face.
Let your emotions run wild and hold nothing back!!!
She opens her eyes, revealing her inhuman back and red eyes, her hand shifts into a blackened claw as the markings appeared on her face.
Keyleth hardens her resolve and then shot to her feet, bellowing out as the sunlight fills the room. At the same time, Kyria reels her claw back, scorched in flames, and slashes right at the wraith. Shredding the undead head as it splatters onto the window.
The other wraiths just shriek in pain, dropping the people that were in their clutches and trying to get away as they burn from the sunlight.
Kyria then stood up, seeing the wraiths were trying to get away, she then stood up, behind Keyleth as Percy props himself up and looks at Keyleth as if she was just terrified.
The wraith continue in their attempts to escape the room, but as one was banging its head against the door, an arrow was suddenly lodged right through the head. It immediately stops and turns back to her.
The others were just in shock as Vex's aim never misses, then she lunged forward "NOW!" shouting at the top of her lungs.
Everyone stood to their feet and charged at the wraiths as they has the advantage, Jason grips a chair and bashes one right to the ground, slamming his foot right on the head.
Kyria jumps to the table, snarling at one just in front of her, it snarls back as she jumps right for it, it dodges her attempt, but Vax jumps right onto its back and repeatedly stabs the wraith in the chest.
Percy pulls the wraith from the wall, slamming it into the crates and then into the ground. Kyria turns back.
Looking at the one Vax was currently on, she jumps at it, gripping onto the shoulder, and dug her claw deep in, dragging them slowly down its chest.
It shrieks in pain throwing her off and she crashes to the ground, Jarrett held one right at the door, keeping it at arm's length as it swung its claws at him.
Then Vex came up and pierced her sword right through the chest and the wraith spews up black ichor.
Jason kept slamming his foot into the head of the wraith, cracking it in on itself, then one came up behind Jason, and he turns in time.
But Kyria jumps it, and they both crash to the ground she took her claws and starts hacking away at it. Piece by piece.
The wraith crashes to the ground and throws Vax off him, but Grog stood up, growling to himself as he reaches up and rips a part of the chandelier off then started beating the wraith's head in.
Percy cries out as he slams his foot repeatedly into the wraith he had thrown into the cupboards. They all were merciless to the remaining wraiths, stabbing, beating, or hacking away. They did not let up for a second.
Grog grips the head right off, and Jason bashes the head in as Kyria rips the wraith under her apart. The sunlight began to flicker, then in the next moment, the light was gone and Keyleth drops to her knees, panting to herself.
Everyone else pants as if they were still alive, the room covered in scattered black ichor. Then the wraith withers into nothing as they evaporate into nothing. Vax stood up, holding his gut as Pike helps Scanlan stand.
Kyria stood up as well, panting as she was still flared up. Vax just walks up to her, placing his hand on her shoulder, "Kyria?" he asks. She turns and looks at him, seeing her face still covered with the markings and her eyes still changed.
He was shocked but just looks at her, "It's okay Ray-Ray. You're okay. We're okay." he assures her. She flutters her eyes for a moment, exhaling. Shaking her head. The markings faded, and her darkness slithers back, reverting her to her original self.
She blinks for a moment, her face distorted in disgust as she pulls her hands up. "You okay?" he asks, she smacks her lips.
Groans at the taste in her mouth. "It's in my mouth. All up in there," she mutters, pointing to the dark ichor, groaning from the taste.
"Oh, that's disgusting." she wipes her mouth. He just smiles at her, patting her shoulder. "Where did those foul things come from?" Jarrett questions them.
Percy helps Keyleth back to her feet. "We told you. The Briarwoods." she informs him, "And they'll no doubt send more. We can't stay." Percy said as well.
Then Jarrett turns and looks at Vox Machina as they were looking back at him. "Don't make us fight you, too," Percy warns him, Jason tightens his grip on the head chair.
But Jarrett just narrows his eyes, "You intend to stop those that did this to my men?" he asks them, "You have my word." Percy promises him.
Jarrett sheaths his sword steps to the side and opens the door for them, "Then go." he said, the party then walks past him, leaving the lounge.
But Jarrett grips Kyria by her arm, stopping her as the others walk by, Jason just stops ahead of them. Looking over his shoulder.
"I don't know what you are, or how you did that. But when you find these people..." he states, she looks up at him.
"Give them hell," he said to her, she bows her head to him, then walks up, her arm slips through his hand and she walks up to Jason as they joined the others.
Jarrett then looks back to the room, scratching the back of his head with a sigh, "and wish me luck trying to explain all this." he mutters, seeing the black ichor stains on the wall, everything destroyed in the room.
~8~8~8~
The next morning came, Percy closes the door to his room, a bag over his shoulder and he walks down into the foyer, going to leave, as he grips the door "No goodbye?" Vex calls out.
Everyone was waiting for him to appear, he just sighs to himself. "I'm going to Whitestone," he informs them. "Oh, we know," Jason calls out. "And so are we," Keyleth calls out as well, making him look over his shoulder.
"If we beat this Sylas, his charm on Uriel will fade." she tells him, "Not to mention, whatever is happening in Whitestone, it will only spread if Delilah and Sylas remain in power." Kyria agrees with her. "And we can clear our names," Scanlan said as well.
"Honestly, I wouldn't last a day in prison with this face. Look at me, I'm a snack." he points out, the others just looking down at him for a moment. "We're all with you, but..." vex said as she walks out, standing in front of him and pressing her finger at his chest, "No more secrets, all right?" she questioned.
Percy just smiles a little. "Understood. Thank you. All of you." he tells them. They just nodded at them, then step through the doors of the keep.
Greeted by Jarrett and Trinket. Vex and Vax just smile at him. "Trinket. Hi, buddy," she said as he ran up and she hugs him as Vax just stood next to them.
Trinket frowns sadly, then let out a small roar "Oh, I know, darling." she tells him as he nuzzles his nose to her shoulder, "But you'll be safer here at the keep." she tells him as he nuzzles against her.
"We'll be back soon," she promises him as Scanlan walks past them. "Told you guys this book was a big deal, not that anyone ever listens to me," he mutters, looking into the book.
He then stops and looks up at Jarrett standing in front of them. "Eh, what do you want now?" he questions, Jarrett just pulls out his lute. "Careful where you aim that thing," he tells him.
Then Scanlan takes the lute back as Vax walks up next to him, "See what I mean? A snack." the gnome said as he shot a wink at Jarrett. Jason just rolls his eyes as he follows the two.
Kyria kneels in front of Trinket and smiles at her, he looks back at her and gave her face a lick, "Gonna miss you too, buddy." she tells him, then hugged him. "We'll come back alive. I promise," she said to him. He roars softly. "We too, buddy. Me too," she said to him, pulling back and smiling at him.
The others gathered at the gates of the keep with determination on their minds. Percy just looks at them and held a proud smile. "Very well. To Whitestone," he said and the party began to walk, leaving the Keep to begin their journey to Whitestone.
"We should probably get some supplies, huh?"
"I can make a run to Gilmore's."
"Not without me to negotiate."
"I'm not going," Pike calls out, everyone stops and looks back at her. "Wh... what do you mean?" Grog asks her. She held her amulet in her hands, looking down at it. "I can't hear the Everlight. It's like you said, Grog. I think I need to tell her sorry." she said.
Jason and Grog walk up to her, "Properly, at a temple." she said as they kneeled in front of her "Pike, are you sure?" Jason asks her, she just looks at him.
"I won't ever hear the Everlight again if I don't do this," she tells him. Jason just nods at her "Well, I'll go with ya. Like old times, just you and me." Grog tells her, placing his hand on her shoulder.
But Pike just frowns as she places her hands on his. "I have to do this alone, buddy. And they need you," she tells him.
Grog just looks at her for a moment, shocked at her words and sad. "Oh, but... what if I need you?" he asks.
Tears well up in her eyes as she jumps, hugging him. "You can always talk to me. Even if I'm not around, you'll feel me there with you," she tells him. Then looks back to Jason, seeing the sad frown on his face.
She reaches out and cups his face. "Keep him safe for me, all right?" she asks, he bows his head to her, "Always," he answers.
She smiles, pulling her hand back. Takes one last look at Grog then steps out, looking at Keyleth and Kyria as they just look at her.
She then walks up, standing in front of them. "You're their light now," she tells them, they just nodded at her, understanding their role.
Keyleth walks with Grog as Kyria walks with Percy, both rejoining the others as they began their walk back to town.
Grog took one last look at her as did Jason, Scanlan just looks over his shoulder, waving at her for a moment then looks away, hiding his frown from her.
Tears in her eyes as Pike watches her friend descend to town, but she wipes her tears away and takes another path, in the hopes of finding a temple and removing whatever is blocking her connection to the Everlight.