The others continued to wait in cover, some of them were resting as Percy repeatedly clicked the barrel of his gun. "Darling," Vex spoke up, stopping him.
"Scanlan's probably three-deep at a brother right now. Who let that sex-crazed gnome do this solo?" she questions aloud, pulling her hand away. "Um, you?" Vax answers her.
She huffs as she presses her chin into her hand. "Never listen to me again." she groans, then Percy huffs and stood to his feet, "That's ot. I'm calling it," he spoke as Vex looks up at him.
"You're just going in?" she questions him, he flicks his eyes down at her, "The longer we wait, the more we risk being discovered. On my shot, we move," he orders them.
"Will you give it a rest!" Jason calls out, making the others look at him. "Stay out of this, Bassfoot!" Percy snaps at him, but the Paladin just frowns. "Don't start Percival. Look, I know you want to save your sister, but have some faith in our bard. There's more to him than just singing songs and sex." he informs them.
Vex frowns at him, "Oh, and you're an expert?" she questions, Jason looks at her, "I trust Scanlan to get this done, can you say the same?" he questions. Percy just looks away, frowning to himself.
Lowering his pepperbox. "Fine, we'll wait a little longer." he agrees then turns and glares at him, "But so help me, Brassfoot, if you're wrong--" he starts.
"Holy shit. He did it." Vax spoke up as he see the rising smoke of Vedmire's manor. "And it looks like he went all-out," he adds, Kyria stood to her feet and looks out at the cover, seeing the smoke.
The others stood, "Oh, yeah, he's into dat freaky stuff." Grog spoke up. "Damn. I will never underestimate Scanlan Shortholt again." Kyria admits to herself.
Archie watches as the guards were leaving Anders's manor and head towards the fire. "Excellent plan, Vox Machina," he said with a grin looking back at the others.
Who was just as surprised, "I mean... that is what we're known for." Vax said as he tries to put on a confident smile. Keyword: Try. Kyira nudges her head to him, "What he said." she throws in.
"I'll rally the rebels. When you have her, send a sign." Archie informs as he goes to leave, but looks over his shoulder. "And, Percy, try not to get yourself killed," he said and held his hand out to him.
Percy just smiles, "I was dead yesterday, remember? Can only improve from here." he jokes as he locks hands with him. Then Archie pulls away and hurries off.
Vox Machina steps out from the trench, into the soaking rain, Percy pressed his hand to the wall, looking at the manor just a few feet from them.
Then one by one they hurried across the yard, heading towards the front door as they were gathered at the steps. Percy and Keyleth pressed their back against the wall by the door as the Druid peeks inside, seeing no one in sight.
She turns and looks back at the others, "Looks clear inside." she answers and grips the door. But Vax'ildan stops her from turning the knob. "Hold on! It could be a trap," he warns and checks the door.
Jason looks behind them, seeing no sign of any of the guards returning or any unknown surprises behind them. Grog just grunts in annoyance. "Not everything is a trap, you twit." he snaps, marching forward.
The Paladin turns back, "Grog, wait!" he whispers as the half-giant grips the Rogue's shoulder. "Let's do this!" he shouts, pulling the rogue out of the way and kicking in the door, his ax at the ready.
But the smile falls as he saw about 30 to 40 guards all standing on the archway of the steps, with their bows at the ready and arrows drawn. "It's a trap," Grog admits to himself, and the guards opened fire.
~8~8~8~
Scanlan was thrown against the chimney, beaten and bloodied, he groans, opening one eye as he sees the incoming fist that sends him flying right through the chimney and smacks onto the ground.
Vedmire steps forward and looks down at the gnome as he could barely stand, but he tries to as he props himself on his hands and knees, only to be kicked in the stomach and sent tumbling away.
With a cough that left his lungs. He groans, trying to catch his breath as he crawls away. But Vedmire steps up behind him and raises his sword.
Scanlan turns and held his hand out, "Oh, wait. Please, please..." he begs. Vedmire pauses as the gnome held his hand out and turns it, flipping him the bird.
Vedmire growls as he was insulted, but Scanlan just smirks and swung his fist, Bigby's hand came soaring in and strikes Vedmire in the face by surprise.
But the duke looks at the gnome as the hand was soon gone and he swung his blade at the gnome.
Scanlan stood to his feet, holding up his middle finger to him as the mage hand appears once more and blocked Vedmire's strikes. Scanlan steps back, trying to keep his magic strong as the duke just strikes, one blow after the other, unrelenting.
But with one last strike, the mage's hand dispels as it sent Scanlan stumbling back, sliding right towards the end. Laying in defeat, Scanlan groans to himself as he was in a lot of pain.
But a shadow stood over him as he looks up, to see a foot smash into him, not enough to crush him, but enough to make a point.
~8~8~8~
The other peeked in, seeing their barbarian was... frozen in his place, "You good, buddy?" Keyleth asks him.
Kyria peeks in behind him as Grog was still standing at his feet and Jason joins Vax, seeing the arrows pierced into his skin.
Vax just laughs as the paladin grins, "Oh, man. They are fucked now." he warns, Jason grins, "Oh, I give them five to ten seconds to realize their mistake." he bets.
Grog looks up at the guards at the steps and bellows in rage. He charges, throwing his ax, nailing one of the guards as he grips the railing, pulling himself up.
Grabbing one of the guards' ankles and throws him to the ground, breaking through the railings. "Come here!" he growls, pulling himself up and gripping hold of his ax.
He throws the guard over the railings as he cries out. The rest of Vox Machina ran in as they saw the body hit the ground.
But as soon as the guard notices them, a stone pillar is out of the ground, Vex standing atop it as her bow was drawn, she fired at the guard and takes him out.
Jason charges out, "Kyira!" he calls out, "On it." she answers, slamming her hands into the ground, her cracked crystal glowed as a stone pillar shot to the railing.
Jason stood at the top as the pillar came to a sudden stop and sent him flying onto the second floor, landing on his feet, and stumbling forward, but he catches himself and swung his mace, nailing one of the guards right on the head.
Kyria grins for a moment but gasped as she heard the sound of the cracking. She pulls her hand to her crystal, feeling a new crack form. She flicks her eyes up and saw the arrows flying towards her, "Crap!" she shouts and takes over behind the pillar as the arrows flew past her.
Vax ran up to the stairs as the guard meet him halfway, Percy looks around the room and his eyes landed on Anders as he locks eyes with him, momentarily, until he retreats into a side room. "Anders," he growls.
~8~8~8~
Vedmire stood over the exhausted gnome as he slowly presses his foot at him. "Did you honestly think you could beat me by yourself?" he questions.
Forcing his eye open, Scanlan reaches out his hand as lighting crackles over his hand. Vedmire removes his foot and slams it onto Scanlan's arm, pinning it down as the Gnome cries out in pain and the bolt was fired off to the die.
Vedmire grins down at his prey, "I'm afraid this performance is over." he informs as Scanlan looks up at him in fear, "You're weak. You're small. And in this world, that means you lose." he declares and held his sword over the gnome, ready to take his head.
Scanlan shook his head and held his hand out once more, "Wait, wait, wait. It's true. I'm all talk. Everyone thinks I'm a joke." he admits, his hand pressed at Vedmire's foot as he curls in shame.
Vedmire just looks down at him, surprised he admitted it, but the shame that once covered Scanlan was gone as he glares up at the duke.
"But the brothels have taught me one thing: size doesn't matter. It's how you use it," he warns, then gathered all of his strength, all his willpower and it collects into between his legs and with one push.
He sends the charged lightning bolt right through Vedmire, making him cry out in pain as he was taken by surprise.
He stood there, shocked and fired as he falls out, stumbling down the roof and smacks into the gargoyle that stop him from falling off the roof.
Scanlan stood to his feet a smile on his face as he huffs a laugh then turns away as he stood at the edge of the roof. Vedmire groans as he flutters his eyes open and glares at the gnome. "Fucking little cunt. You've been an annoying piece o' shite." he groans, pulling himself up.
Scanlan just looks back at him as the Mage's hand flew up and held the finger to him, he climbs onto the hand and floats away, "And you've been a lovely audience." he said as Vedmire was too weak to chase him.
"And don't forget to tip your server," he calls out as he admires his handy work. The manor was going up in flames as explosions went off, taking out more of the manor.
"Good show, Scanlan," he said as he was very proud of himself, but the moment was ruined as the mage's hand craps out at the last second, catching his attention as he was sent plummeting into the roofs below him.
~8~8~8~
Percy ran up the steps, across the walkway, Grog, and Jason knock the guards out of their way as a thick vine pinned one of the guards at the wall.
A guard came up behind him, going to catch him, but a fireball was thrown at him, sending the guard flying against the wall.
Percy looks back, seeing Kyria had her arm aimed and her cracked crystal, he nods at her and heads into the side room.
It was dark, but thanks to the moonlight outside, it gave off enough to see the room was filled with antics.
But this did not let Percy's guard down as his pepperbox was aimed, stepping through the room, for any signs of Anders. He ran over, he hurried to the next side door he saw.
Bursting through it as he aims his pepperbox and saw at the end of the old room where he and his sister were taught everything they know, was a light room, and in that lit room was his old teacher.
"Anders!" he calls out, he ran towards the back room as the doors close in front of him. "Open the door, coward!" he shouts, slamming his fist against the glass, getting a better look as he was holding something in the grip of his hand.
Percy pulls back and slams his shoulder into the wall, a few times until he burst through the door on the fourth try and his pepperbox was aimed.
But his eyes widen in surprise as the person behind held him in his old teacher's grip... it was his younger sister, Cassandra. She struggles against Anders's grip, trying to break free. "Cass?" he mutters.
Her eyes locked with his as he lowers his pepperbox. "Percy?" she mutters. But Anders took his chances and stepped behind Cassandra as he held his grip on Cassandra's wrist.
"Always early to class, Percival," he spoke, Percy flicks his eyes to his old teacher and aims the pepperbox, cocking it. "Release her, Anders. That's older!" he snaps at him.
Anders just smirks at him, "An order? You de Rolos were always so entitled. My new employer encourages me to make my own decisions." he spoke as he held a knife at Cassandra's throat, making her gasp.
Kyria makes it into the room, looking around as she saw the light emitting from the far room, "If you harm her, I will end you." he warns as the pepperbox was shaking, "Let her go and we can discuss a future where you're still breathing." he offers him.
"Oh... you seem to think this is a negotiation." Anders informs him, as Cassandra grips his arm, "Don't!" Percy shouts as Anders, without hesitating, slits her throat.
Her eyes widen in shock, her hand gripping her throat as the blood slips from her fingers and the corners of her throat. Anders lets her go as she stumbles off to the side.
"Percy!" Kyria calls out as she makes it to the room, but she saw his eyes were in horror as he was looking ahead. She follows his gasp and gasps in horror, covering her mouth.
Cassandra's vision blurs as she looks up into the mirror, seeing Anders smirking back at her as the blood was slipping down her shirt.
She looks down at the desk, seeing the blood that was just pooling. She goes to turn, but her hand slips in the blood, and slowly falls to her knees, trying to breath.
Without thinking, Kyria ran over to her, catching her in her arms, "Hey, hold on!" she calls out. Cassandra shot her a look as the witch turns her over in her arms and presses her hand at her throat, "I need to keep pressure on the wound, just stay with me!" she calls to her.
But Cassandra looks past her as her brother was staring at her in horror. She gags, reaching her hand out to Percy as he was frozen in place.
Kyria looks over at him, seeing he was frozen. "Percy! Percy!" she calls out, but his eyes were locked on his sister, "Percival!!"