The hall was littered with the bodies of the dead guards as Vex retrieve her arrows, "Upstairs." she informs, Kyria dusted off her hands as she stridden past the dead bodies.
She stood next to Vex as they watched the hall with a few of the rebels and the rest hurried up the stairs. The rebels soon join them as Kyria and Vex keep their eyes open.
But movement catches their attention, Vex looks over to Kyria as she meets the rogue's eyes. They both nodded and readied themselves.
The bowstring was drawn back further, and the fire was conquered in the Ashari's hand as they were ready.
But four shadows moved in front of them, revealing the back door team as they finally joins them. "Oh. Thank the gods." Vax said with relief.
The two exhaled as they lower their weapon and magic. Vax smiles as he steps up to his sister, but then looks up at the people on the steps "Wait, what's this crowd?" he asks, seeing everyone looking down at them.
"Pick it up along the way," Vex answers him, Vax walks past with the others, letting them get a whiff of the scent lingering on them, Kyria covers her nose as she looks at the rogue. "Why do you cover piss?" Vex questions.
"Picked it up along the way," Vax answers, Kyria just blinks as she looks at Jason, he groans shaking his head at her.
They hurried up the steps to the second floor, they spread out and look through each cell, trying to find which one was holding the rebel leader.
Percy kept his wide open until his eyes landed on a prisoner just inside one of the cells, he shot forward and gripped at the bars. "Archie," he whispers to the prisoner in the cell.
"Archibald," he calls out again, the prisoner inside the cell groans, lifting his head, and opens one eye. "Percy..." he groans. Then the exiled prince looks to the rogue. "Vax, get him out of there," he begs him.
The others just looked at him and watched, "Ah, right." the rogue mutters. Then kneels in the cell and pulls out his lockpicks. "Okay, here we go," he mutters, picking at the lock then it opens with ease.
"Did you see that? I'm telling you that the back door was cursed," he informs the others as Percy marches into the cell. "Shit, is this the afterlife?" Archie questions as Percy kneels in front of him.
Percy just smiles at him, "We're not dead yet, friend." he assures and helps him back onto his feet. The rebel nods at them and looks down the hall. "All right. We're getting out of here together." Vex informs the others.
But a burst of sickening laughter caught their attention as they looked down the hall "I'll give you this, girly." Stonefell slams his hammer onto the ground. His guard was right behind him. "You'll at least die together," he assures as they held Scanlan hostage. "Throw down your arms, return to your cells, and maybe I'll let you live." he offers them.
Jason just glares at him, "Why, so you can kill us all later? Fuck up!" he snaps at him. The others looked at him in shock, "Kill the gnome." Stonefell orders.
The guard removes his hand and held Scanlan by the hair as he held the guard's arm, struggling. "No, no, no, I'm too handsome to die." he cries, but his throat was cleared as everyone looks over and saw... Another Scanlan.
"What's a guy got to do to get some action around here?" he asks as he leaned against the guard, holding Scanlan. Keyleth just blinks at him. "Scanlan?" she asks.
The guard shoves Scanlan to the ground and then turns to the other Scanlan, bringing his sword down, only to strike at an illusion. The gnome took his chance and ran for it. "Run, you beautiful bastard, run!" Kyria calls out.
"Don't just stand there! Get him!" Stonefell orders them, and a few guards chased after him, "Oh no you don't!" Kyria calls out as she conquers a fire and threw it right at the guards.
They catch fire and burn, crying out in pain, "Stay away from our gnome!" Jason shouts as he charges, drawing his mace and swinging it at one of the guards.
A Rebel found her courage and swung at a guard. "For Whitestone!" she cries out. The rebels charge, meeting the guards head-on.
The fight broke out as the guards were slowly thinning out, Stonewall glares at the rebels, then notices Vex drawing her arrow, and he slams his hammer into the guard's leg. He cries out and was pulled in front of him.
The arrow sunk in through his throat and Vex gasp in horror. But Stonefell drops the guard and charges forward.
Just as the guards were thinning out, the rebels were facing the same casualties. But Percy held Archie close as he helps him walk through the hall.
A guard stops them in their path, but Vax jumps in front of them, ramming him onto the ground, summoning his dagger, and stabbing at the guard. "Go on. Get him out of here," he orders.
Percy nods and turns down a hall. Keyleth struggles against a guard and was thrown at the wall, Jason slides in front of her, raising his shield as he blocks the sword and slams him into the wall.
"Keyleth, you okay?" he asks, the druid props herself up and nods at him. Scanlan slips as he fell to the ground and looks back at the guard that held a swinging mace in his hand with a grin on his face.
He swings, missing Scanlan as he twists out of the way scrambles into his feet, and ran. The rebel looks over as she saw Scanlan running for it.
She finishes off the guard, picks up a sword, and steps after them, Scanlan summons Bigby's hand, but the guard swung his mace, dispelling it, and knocking him back to the ground. "I've got you, little one." the rebel calls out as she stood in front of Scanlan and charges. She catches the mace by her sword and threw him to the ground.
Then looks back as Keyleth and Jason help Scanlan up, they both looked to the rebel, who smiles at him, but Jason notices something behind her, "Look out!" he cries.
But it was too late, Stonewall swung at her, breaking her kneecap, and making her fall to the ground, then he raises his hammer, "No!" Jason cries out as Stonefell brought his hammer down and slams it right on her head, smashing her brains in.
The rebel's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell dead. The three just looked at the dead rebel in shock, Jason tightens his grip on his mace, glaring at Stonewall. "No!" Keyleth cries and forms into Mixxie. The sabertooth tiger.
She roars at the man as the guards stood in the way, blocking her from reaching a claw at him. Jason stood to his feet and charged.
Crying out as he charges, he rams into the guards, throwing one to the ground and slamming his mace right at the head, smashing it in. Stonefell took his chance and slips away, "Get back here, you fucking monstrous, coward!" Jason shouts as he slams his mace into the next guard.
Grog kicks in the guard as the slams into a door that opened into a room, the guard went to stop him but the barbarian slams his fist right into the guard, killing him but then notices the barrels behind the dead guard.
He gasps in awe. "Booze? Yeah!" he cries as he reaches for one of the barrels and takes one. Not noticing the skull printed on the label. "Now we're talking," he spoke with joy.
Taking a few chugs. He charges out of the room, his axe in hand and the barrel over his shoulder. Kyria looks back, seeing Percy was escaping with Archie, they locked eyes, making her nod at him, then flew the fireballs at the guards, burning them alive.
Once they dropped to the ground, Kyria jumps over them and hurried after the two. "We need to fall back." she tells him, Percy scoffs as they turn away, "Thank you for stating the obvious," he spoke as they turn the hall.
Meeting up with the twins, "Fun's over. Where's our exit?" Vax asks them. "Not this way. There are guards everywhere." Percy informs them. "There's got to be something," Kyria spoke up.
"Percy, let me go." Archie spoke up as he pulls away from the prince, "What are you doing?" he questions as Archie steps away. But the dwarf smiles at him over his shoulder.
"Just like the old days, creating a diversion while you get away," he answers, charging out as he picks up a sword and charges at the guards. "You fucking dobbers!" he cries at the guards, slamming his foot into him.
"Whoa." Kyria said in awe, all peeking from the side of the corridor "I like him." she points out, Vex rolls her eyes as Vax grins.
"Hey, Grog, check this out." Scanlan strums his lute, "Lighting." he sings as the lightning bolt flew from the strings and hits the guard in the back.
He turns and went to charge but the Barbarian cuts him down with his ax. "Ha, not quite there, Scanlan. Let me try," he said with a smile.
Scanlan just frowns as Grog swung his ax, taking down the charging guards. But one was shot right through the head of a guard. Grog looks over and saw Percy with Vex, Vax, and Kyria as they were armed.
They hurried down the hall as the guards and a few rebels were dead behind them. But Percy slowed the others just ran past him, he looks through the cells and saw a very familiar and very heated face as it smashes a rebel's head.
"You two, seal the doors," he orders. "Stonefell," he mutters to himself. The name on the barrel of his pistol glows this burning red.
The guards at the door heard the thud as they looked ahead and saw a charging dwarf, leaping right at them, they fell back through the door, opening the way out.
Vex steps up next to him as she looks at the way out, "As promises. Your exit." Archibald spoke, and she smiles down at him. "How chivalrous." she jokes and they both looked back as the others were gathered.
"Wait. Wh-Where's Percy?" Scanlan asks as he looks around at the group. The others looked around themselves, seeing no sign of the gunslinger.
But Kyria and Grog look back, seeing something dart off to the side, "Percy, wait!" Kyria calls out as she hurried after him, "Percy, wait!" Archie calls out as the witch hurried after the exiled prince and he was not far behind her. "Damn it." Jason groans as he hurried after the two.
"We'll get him," Vax assures them, Vex just frowns as she looks at the others. "The rest of you, hold this hallway," she orders as Scanlan ran after them. "Hurry, brother!" Vex calls after them.
~8~8~8~
Stonefell wondered the halls, a sick grin on his face as his hammer was in hand. Percy just glides through the hall, the lights of the torches reflect off Percy's glasses as the smoke slithers from his body, and his plague mask appears on his face as he steps into the same hall as Stonefell.
A rebel cries out as Stonefell slams his hammer onto the man's head, killing him instantly. He just laughs to himself until he notices the man standing behind him in the shadows, with his pistol aimed right at him.
He turns his hammer armed in his hands, "What are you supposed to be, freak?" he questions him. Percy just glares at the man. "I am vengeance for the de Rolos," he answers his voice distorted.
"The de Rolos?" Stonefell as he laughs to himself, "Now that takes me back. Some folks you kill 'cause you're ordered to. Them I killed 'cause I wanted to." he said to him with a smile.
The smoke was seeping from the pistol of the gun, the most, pulsing with... hunger as Percy was just not hesitating. "Let me say, you were the one I was least looking forward to," he admits to him.
"Fuck off." Stonefell snaps at him, charging forward his hammer reeled back. Percy took his shot.
Stonefell halts to a stop as he braced himself, but the bullet never hit him as he was still in perfect condition. He chuckles to himself, looking back at the man in the shadows as he said nothing.
But as he raised his hammer, only to find the head of the hammer was... shot off. "Huh? Huh?" he mutters as the smile was gone, looking at the man before him.
He takes another shot, hitting Stonefell in the chest as he fell flat on his back. Percy strides forward and stood over the captain of the guard.
Kyria makes it to the hall and looks down it as it, seeing Percy standing over Stonefell, "Per--" she starts, but suddenly went still as she felt that familiar sting in the back of her neck, but this sting froze her still as she stares at Percy in complete horror.
Seeing not Percival standing over Stonefell, but this... dark shadow, pulsing with a flame that sent chills down her spine.
Memories flicker of the night the shadow-like beast looms over her, its fangs snarling at her as the red-slanted eyes stare down into her soul.
Percy removes his mask as Stonefell looks up at the man before him as his hand is pressed to his bleeding chest.
"I wanted you to know it was me," he growls, his voice making her whole body go into complete shock. She slowly steps back from the hall, holding herself. "Huh? Percy?" Stonefell mutters, but the prince just aims his pistol and took out his arm.
The shot makes Kyria jump in fear, Percy takes another shot as Stonefell was in complete fear of the Prince.
Kyria presses her back against the wall and slowly slides down the wall, watching as Percy took multiple shots at the captain, blood splattering on his face as his eyes were completely black.
Percy raises the pistol as the name on the barrel shimmers away. He pants to himself as he was lost in a dark trance. "Kyria!" Vax calls out as he and Jason catch up.
But her shaking eyes were completely fixated on the person in the hall in front of her, tears streaming as her lower lip quivered. Jason and Vax exchanged looks as they kneel next to her, "Kyria, what is it?" Vax asks her, her breathing coming out in shaking pants, the looks of fear painted clear in her eyes as cold sweat drips from her temple.
Being consumed in fear and she curls into herself, pulling her arms over her head, trying to disappear, she morphs down into something small and black, into a small black kitten.
The two were confused at the transaction, then Vax looks down the hall as Percy was in his trance, Vax stood up and turns to him, "Percival." he calls out.
Without thinking, Percy turns his pistol and aims it right at Vax. The rogue blinks in surprise as Jason picks up the trembling kitten. The rogue replaces his shock with an angered confusion and shoves the pistol out of his face, "What the fuck are you doing? Running off, risking this entire mission." he questions him as Scanlan and Archie caught up.
"You scare Kyria half to death to the point she turns herself into a frightened kitten. Then you point that thing at me. And for what?" Vax snaps at her as Jason steps up behind him with the shaking kitten in his arms
Percy just glares at him, "For what?" he snaps, refusing to hold back now. "Stonefell helped slaughter them and laughed while it happened," he explains, the pure rage clear in his eyes.
Vax slowly steps back as Percy steps forward "I am the sole surviving de Rolo. I will have my vengeance and no one will stand in my way!" he shouts at him.
His rising voice frightens Kyria as she scrambles from Jason's grip, catching the Paladin's attention as he watches the kitten quickly hide behind his neck.
Then Archie steps up to them, "But, Percy, you are not the last de Rolo." he informs him, placing his hand on his chest. "What?" he questions.
"Your sister, Cassandra... she lives," he informs him, Vax looks back to Percy was utterly surprised as the words wash away the anger and were replaced with surprise as he looked back at the rogue.
Jason flicks his eyes back to them, it was a surprise, but his thoughts were on the witch that was cowering behind his neck, trembling in fear. It made him... question some things.
~8~8~8~
But the others at the door fought off the incoming guards, trying to keep the door open. "When are your friends coming back?" she questions Vex and charges forward.
Vex fires her arrow, taking out one of the guards, Keyleth jumps behind the wall, dodging the incoming rebel, and watches as Grog splits a guard's head open and he slides off the axe.
"Oi! Sorry we're late. We had a thing." Scanlan calls out as they ran towards them "Wait, where's Kyria?" Keyleth asks them. "We'll explain later, but don't worry, she's with us," Jason assures her.
"Grog, toss the booze!" Vex calls out. But the Barbarian just held it close, "Aw, but I just got it." he whines. She glares at him, "Just do it." she orders him.
Grog whines once more, looking down at the barrel in his arms, sucking up, and tosses it at the guards. Vex lights the arrowhead on fire and fires.
The barrel flew out as the arrow follows close by, it strikes and the entire hall was blazed in flames.
The rebels and Vox Machina hurried out down the path, leaving the burning manor, but Percy just walks after them, coming to a stop and looking back at the burning manor and a smile on his face.
"I have a sister," he said to himself as warmth fills him as he just looks at the flames.
From afar in the very castle of Whitestone, a young woman watches the burning manor from the window as if it was a sight no one could miss. "Cassandra," Delilah calls out as she and Professor Anders joins her.
"I'm sure you've heard about your brother, but this changes nothing," she assures as her hand caresses the side of her cheek and places it on the young Princess's shoulder.
But Cassandra just looks at the burning manor once more, furrowing her brow with worry as the manor was slowly consumed in flames.