Jessica covered her mouth to keep from crying. Scanlan was there, the rest of them had to be there as well.
"Come out Queenie." Scanlan taunted once more. And focusing on her, Scanlan smiled. "My Lady, we have come on a mission. To save the two lovely people you were holding captive. We have completed our mission, the melee, that hovel you called a palace back there, we lost two of our own. We would like them back. Now I'll it very simple because my fellows are begging me to keep things simple. It's a simple binary choice. You can all die right now, or you can turn over our friends and we will probably, probably leave you in peace. I would promise, but I don't make promises to dogs."
Everyone on both sides were quite before Queen Ulara narrowed her eyes, cursing in undercommon.
"Uhh Jessica...care to translate?" Scanlan blinked at her.
"She said 'go to hell'." Vex translated before she let an arrow loose.
And as Jessica could see the fire come down from that arrow. The mindflayer's appeard from its use of invisibility.
The mindflayer managed to stun several of the party. Jessica took a moment to charge the Runes along her arms. She called the lightning lure to her hands.
Jessica glanced back up and had just enough time to bounce out of the way, before Tiberius' Fireball made impact. When the smoke cleared, Jessica saw that it had killed a few of the underlings.
"I do not wish to kill you." Jessica turned to the wood elf behind her.
"Nor I you." Jessica shook her head. "I've seen enough violence for...awhile."
The wood elf went to reply when a dagger suddenly came to his throat. Vax'ildan had emerged from seemingly out of nowhere with a smile plastered on his face. "Thanks for that love." He kissed her cheek. And pulled her along to the rest of the group.
Without another word, Percy had Jessica safely tucked under his arm, his eyes focused to one spot.
"Scanlan managed to banish her. But she'll be back. That spell won't hold for long. Did she hurt you?" Percy finally turned to look at a Jessica.
"No." Jessica gave a reassuring smile and shook her head. "No I'm just fine."
Percy narrowed his eyes, obviously not believing her. He went to reply, but both of them saw a ripple. Ulara would appear in just a few moment.
As soon as Ulara made her appearance, three people shouted. "Hold her!"
Jessica watched as Tiberius cast Hold Person, only for it to fail. Scanlan immediately jumped in with a Hold Person of his own, this time succeeding.
Percy let go of Jessica, placing her behind him. She watched him ready to fire Bad News directly at the Queen's head.
"Wait!" Vax quickly grabbed Percy's wrist.
"On?" Percy pressed.
"WE NEED TO TALK TO HER!" Vax exasperated. His hands motioning to Ulara.
Percy remained eerily calm. "She. Took. Her."
"And we are dealing with that. But we need all the information we can get first. Alright." Vax gave Percy's arm a squeeze. Percy looked from Vax to Ulara before settling Bad News and returning back to Jessica.
Keyleth by this time and in her earth elemental form had managed to grab Ulara in her arms, lifting her up to where her feet dangled to the ground.
Vex took two steps forward, standing in front of Ulara. "It would be in your best interest to not struggle."
Ulara looked at the group. "Alright. So, let's make a deal, shall we?"
Vex smiled lethally. "You're in no position to negotiate."
"We have everything we came here for." Scanlan piped up. "What can you possibly offer us that we don't already have?"
Queen Ulara looked at him steadily. "Valid point. What purpose do I serve? You should let me go."
Scanlan full on laughed. "Let you go? I tried to talk to you and you almost tried to get us killed!"
At this point, Vax made his way to the pair. "Vox Machina, our purposes here are done, but Lady Kima, she has further to go, and I am curious, Your Highness, if you know anything about this K'Varn chap or gal or thing? We have heard his name. They seem to be famous in these parts. I was wondering if you knew anything about K'Varn."
Queen Ulara looked from Vax to Jessica. "I know many things. But you should ask your Runechild. He's the one that's been visiting her dreams."
Every eye fell heavily on Jessica. She drew herself up and walked out of Percy's reach. "Clarota."
The illithid was at her side, a hand on her shoulder. Jessica gave a glance up at him. "Do you want to suck her mind?"
If Clarota was capable of smiling, he did. He walked past Jessica and stood in front of Ulara. Clarota brought his hands up, and a moment later his voice shot through their mind. "Now...tell us what you know."
Jessica watched as Ulara's eyes glaze over and fill with a blue arcane energy. Ulara tried to struggle, but it did not last. Her smile twisted into a grin.
She opened her mouth and her voice droaned. "Liberation. Liberation is what it brings us. Liberation from physical limitation. Liberation from the pain of the light." Ulara looked up. "We all shall rise. K'Varn, the Guiding Darkness. The sun shall hold no sway and we shall walk the surface once again."
Tiberius looked taken aback. "Its poppycock?!?"
Vex turned and looked at Jessica. "K'Varn is the one you've been seeing."
Jessica gave a nod, and Vex turned to Ulara. "What is K'Varn?"
Ulara spoke again. "K'Varn came to us, showed us how through unification we could be better than we ever were."
Vex sneered. "I didn't ask what he did, I asked what he is."
"K'Varn -" Ulara began but was suddenly stopped. The blue in her eyes changed to the cold and dismal black. Her body began to convulse and struggles for a second then falls slack.
There was a deep chuckle. "Ah there! There we are, I can see you all so clearly."
"Not me!" Tiberius exclaimed.
The voice itself seemed to smile. "You'd be surprised dragonborn."
Tiberius crossed his arms. "You're pretty good."
Jessica narrowed her eyes. She watched K'Varn. She could finally put a voice to his face.
"So serious Runechild. Step foward. I want to see you properly."
Percy went to grab her wrist but she walked foward, next to Clarota.
"Ah such a pretty face, Little One. And such power you possess. To look upon you, it's everything. Come, you are close, yes? Come to me as my guest. I invite you. The temple doors are open. I'd like to see you in person Runechild."
Jessica narrowed her eyes. "How close are we exactly?"
K'Varn gave another chuckle. "You're already on the right path. Come to me. You are my most treasured guest."
Ulara went completely limp. Jessica reached up and checked her pulse. But she was dead. She was probably dead the moment K'Varn entered her mind.
Keyelth set the body down and dropped out of her earth elemental form.
Jessica glanced around as Tiberius, Vex and Vax began to loot the bodies.
Jessica knelt down and picked up the cresent silver circlet. It seemed magical in and of itself. As well as various potions.
"Hey..." Percy was at her side.
Jessica looked up. "Hey-"
Percy crushed her to his chest before Jessica could finish her sentence. She wrapped her arms around him.
"I shouldn't have...I should...."
Jessica buried her face in his chest. "I'm ok. She didn't hurt me."
Percy took her face in his hand, forcing her to look up at him. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"I promise. She tried to push my magic, but I don't feel much of a difference."
Percy sighed, but gave a nod. "I want you home."
"Percy -" Jessica began to protest but Percy pressed a finger to her lips.
"I can't keep you at my side at all times, as much as it would put me at ease." Percy looked at her, then gently cupped her cheek. "I got separated from you for less than two minutes and you were taken."
Jessica closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. But then she quickly remembered that pissed her off. She crossed her arms and stepped back "I'd be killed if I left now! K'Varn has seen me! He's seen you! All of you!! If we don't finish this, there will be more than just my own safety to worry about."
"If I let you go any further down and I am putting your life at risk. Vax and I both promised Allura that we'd protect you and -"
"And sorry to interrupt this...whatever this is, but I've called a group meeting." Keyleth poked her head between the two of them.
Percy and Jessica joined Keyleth, Vax, Vex, Grog and Tiberius. Clarota was off in the corner, and Kima and Scanlan were no where to be seen.
Keyleth cut right to the chase. "I think we should get out of here."
Everyone looked taken aback. Vex shook her head. "What? Why?"
Keyleth sighed. "We have Grog. We have Jessica. We've found found Kima and that was our mission. I don't trust her."
Vax sighed joining in the conversation. "We were sent here to
bring back Kima."
Vex narrowed her eys. "And you want to abandon her?"
Keyelth shook her head. "She's been rude...just the wrong vibe overall..."
"Kiki," Jessica spoke up. "She's been tortured. Very tortured."
"Keyleth if you want to go, go." Percy adjusted his glasses. "Take Jessica with you. She's no longer safe."
Jessica turned to look up at Percy. "K'Varn won't let me return to the surface."
"The Runechild cannot leave." Clarota was to her side. "And the halfling is unstable and cannot be trusted.
Jessica sighed. "Many people have died, many more have suffered." Jessica looked to Keyleth. "But we don't get to go home until this matter is resolved. None of us do."
Jessica reached out and gave Keyleth's hand a squeeze as she heard Scanlan and Kima return.
Keylet took a breath and walked up to Kima. "I wanted to apologize."
She cocked her head. "For?"
"The other night. I was too harsh."
Kima gave a shake of her head. "It's honestly not a worry. War is stressful and all of us have been through enough."
Everyone took a sigh of relief. With enough excitement the party managed to settle down. Most were asleep when Percy came by her side, slipping her hand in hers.
"Jessica -" He began.
Jessica turned and reached up, her lips brushing his cheek. "I know."
He smiled, leaning in to kiss her when Clarota took Jessica by both her shoulders. Clarota set her up on a large stone.
"See the green light Runechild. There is the Great Pyramid. There is Yug'Voril."