Warnings: Strong and Sexual Language; Violence, Gore & Death.
"No, No, No, No," Athena cried as she ran.
Vex dropped down to the ground. Something came out of the casket and struck her down. Vex let out a faint gasp as she rolled over. The color disappeared from her eyes. Trinket roared as his mistress was gone.
Everyone turned around and saw Vex collapse on the ground. Athena was now holding her, trying to wake her up.
"Vax! Get your ass up here!" Scanlan cried as they all ran over to them. Percy too ran over still trying to comprehend what had happened. He didn't mean for this to happen.
"Vex, please. Wake up!" Athena shouted as she shook Vex. Nothing was happening.
"I was gone for 30 seconds. What the hell happened?" Vax asked after he climbed back up the rope. He turned in the direction of the shouting to see everyone surrounding his sister who lay on the ground, motionless.
"Vex!" He sobbed as ran over to her, holding her into him. Tears cascaded down his face as he cried. It was happening all over again.
"Sister."
Keyleth was sobbing now, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Pike, heal her!" she begged. Pike lifted her hand, glowing in its radiant magic but nothing happened again.
"There's....nothing to heal," Pike sorrowfully told as tears pooled in her eyes.
Athena's heart sank so deep, "No there can't be nothing. She was-was...struck with some kind of blast, there has to be something we can do."
"Somebody do something!" Vax cried.
"Let me see her."
Kashaw and Zahra appeared beside them with Kash bending down. Vax placed Vex into his arms as he examined her. "We could try resurrecting her," he said.
"A revival rite? I-I've never tried that before," Pike said as Kash placed her down, summoning his spear and marking the ground in runes.
"Yeah, not many have. It's hard as hell to pull off, so we got to do it while the body's still warm. Here. Help me." Vax was pulled away from his sister as Kash finished marking the runes around Vex.
"Here we go," Kash sighed.
"This can't be happening. Who was with her?" Vax demanded. Percy turned away, the guilt already eating him alive. Kashaw slammed his hands into the ground, the runes coming to life. A golden aura began to encase Vex as the spell crackled, lifting her body into the air. Pike's hand glowed as she aided in the spell.
"She's gonna owe me big-time for this... if it works," Kashaw strained, sweat dripping down his face as both he and Pike tried to maintain the spell.
Athena pulled out a pendant. She brushed off the dust with her thumb, allowing the scales to be seen after many years. She placed the pendant on her forehead.
"Please, Lawbearer, help them. I'll do whatever you want just please save her!" she prayed. Her head was struck with pain again.
"I'm sorry, my child. There's nothing I can do here."
"Spell's not holding," Kashaw shouted.
"Come on. No. It's not working," Pike cried as the runes began to flicker.
"Cause we're inside her temple. This is the domain of the Matron of Ravens. She's too fucking strong."
"Our gods have no authority here," Pike realized.
"Can we maybe move Vex somewhere else?" Grog stammered.
"We're underneath a lake. There is no somewhere else!" Percy shouted.
"There's-there's got to be another potion or something," Scanlan grabbed the bag of holding looking for one to use.
"It's no use. She's done for," Zahra said.
Everyone began to argue with each other about what to do now. Vax was gasping in the corner, panicking. His sister was going to die.
Out of the corner of his eye, a figure emerged from the shadows. He recognized her from Emon and Vasselheim. She glided over to Vex. One of her fingers gingerly reached down toward the encasement around Vex. Her finger pressed into causing it to crack.
"No!"
Her finger went through causing it to shatter. The spell faded causing Vex's body to fall to the ground. Everyone let out a gasp.
"Vex!"
"No! Come on!" Percy cried.
"What's happening?" Grog asked.
"Oh, God," Scanlan gasped.
"No. No, please!" Pike begged as held Vex's head.
What only Vax could see was his sister's spirit lifted from her body. The Matron of Ravens stood above everyone as Vex was lifted up to her.
"You...What? No." A golden thread emerged between the twins, connecting them both. The Matron stood emotionless as she continued her work.
"Take me instead, you raven bitch!"
She turned to him, her figure growing size as raven feathers fluttered around her. She turned back to Vex taking her finger under the thread. She pulled breaking the thread. Vex's spirit lowered down to her body as the thread retracted into Vax. He clutched at his heart as she moved past him back into the shadows. Vax looked back but she was already gone.
"I'm sorry," Kashaw apologized. Tears ran down Athena's cheeks for the first time in over two years. Not since his death had she cried. Now she was losing someone else.
"A price has been paid." The voice rang out in her head again. There was no pain this time, only a sense of sadness that filled her head.
Athena wanted to ask what she meant until a gasp brought her back to focus. Vex shot up as air filled her lungs again causing her to cough out.
"Easy," Keyleth held her up as everyone gasped out in joy.
"Oh thank the Everlight," Pike stated as playfully punched Kashaw, "I can't believe you pulled that off."
"Holy, shit. I'm amazing."
"What happened?" Vex gasped out turning back to Percy.
"I touched the armor. And you... you were..."
"You fucking died," Grog stated
"Grog!" Keyleth shouted at him.
"No, like dead dead," Scanlan joined in.
"Yeah. It was crazy. We turned around, and you were just laying there stone-cold," Grog added.
"Vex'ahlia, it was an accident," Percy remorseful admitted.
"Well...," Vex laughed, "Fuck."
"You saved her. Thank you," Keyleth told Kashaw as Trinket cuddled up to Vex.
"Well, yeah, yeah, of course. I mean, I'll just say you owe me one," Kashaw stood up.
"All right, all right. Yes, your breath is lovely," Vex chuckled as Trinket was now licking her.
"A price has been paid," Athena whispered as she thought about what that meant. She looked at the group that was surrounding Vex, but there was one person missing.
"Vax." She stood up frantically looking around for him. When she spotted him, she let out a gasp as she noticed what he was wearing. Everyone noticed the change in Athena as they turned to look in the direction she was looking at. Vax was wearing the Deathwalker's ward. The black leather was adored with raven feathers on each of the shoulder guards. More feathers went down the back forming a wing-like cape.
"The vestige. How are you wearing it?" Percy asked.
"I... I-I don't know," he panted looking down, inspecting his new armor. His head shot up as he ran over, hugging his sister tightly. "I was just worried I'd lost you."
"You okay, Vax?" Pike asked.
"Yeah, fine. That was just intense," he said as he help Vex up. Trinket help her up on the other side. Zahra went to up Kash, muttering something to him.
"Hey," Scanlan interrupted them, "You two ditched us before. What was that about?"
"No, we didn't ditch you. We simply couldn't find you. That's all," Zahra playfully sounded as she walked away from Scanlan.
"Uh-huh."
"Yeah. I mean, you know, if we were gonna ditch, why would I come back and help your friend?" Kashaw stated.
"Hmm. Fair point."
"You're very welcome, by the way. Now can we please get going?" Zahra declared she headed back the way they came in.
"Oh, sure. Yeah. You lead the way, I guess," Keyleth sarcastically said as the group followed the two of them.
"Here. Careful now," Percy help Vex walk.
"Thanks, Percy," she replied as she limped a bit, getting used to having feeling throughout her body. Vax turned around looking back at the towering statue of the Raven Queen at the end of the temple. An omniscient feeling came up to him.
"The Matron. What did I just do?" he asked himself.
"Vax?" He turned around to see Athena had waited for him outside of the temple. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. I-I just got lost in thought," he quickly spoke. Athena noticed the small change but didn't say anything. A lot had happened to him in a short time. He walked up to her, grabbing her hand. "I promise, I'm okay. At least for now," He admitted.
"Okay," she accepted, "Come, we can't fall behind." The two walked out of the temple just behind the rest of the group. Both of them knew that something more would come out of this.
"Stay close, you guys. I feel like we should be keeping an eye out for traps," Keyleth stated as she clutched her staff, looking around.
"Pretty sure Grog set them all off on the way in," Pike remarked.
"Oh, you're welcome," Grog replied. Trinket let out a growl as he continued to snuggle up to Vex.
"I love you, too, Trinket, but we have to keep up."
Vax could hear voices whispering to him. He looked over to his left and saw a mural with the prime deities depicted above a battlefield.
"Is this the Calamity?" An arrow plunge into the mural beside his head. He turned around to see people fighting all across his vision. The prime deities stood around surrounding the field.
"Holy shit. Are you all seeing this?"
However, none of the members were around him. He was the only one seeing the destruction. He was back in his original attire. The Deathwalker's ward was nowhere to be found. A giant sphinx-like figure came up to Vax but it was not Osysa.
"The Sphinx's Mate."
The wind blew snow in front of the Sphinx. He vanished revealing a mountain's peak in his place. Vax could feel a presence staring down at him. He turned around to see a figure on top of the hill looking down upon him with a greatsword in his hand, wearing the Deathwalker's ward.
"Vax!"
He let out a gasp as he returned to the temple surroundings. Athena was holding onto both of his arms while he steadied his breathing. The armor was again on his body. He look over trying to find the mural but it had vanished.
"What happened? You are worrying me, Vax," Athena admitted. She could still hear what she told replaying over in her head.
"I-I think..." he began but stopped as he look at her.
"What?"
"It was nothing. I think I saw where we needed to go next earlier. This place is just creeping me out is all"
"More like she is," Athena thought as she thought back to the Raven Queen. The words that she was told kept circling around in her head. She didn't know what he had offered for his sister. That is what worried her the most.
"Let's get out of here then," Athena said directing him back with the rest of the group. She didn't want to bother him now about it. They could regroup later.
"Uh, hello? Did we lose them again?" Keyleth asked as they entered another chamber. Kash and Zahra had disappeared from sight.
"Um...," Vex bent down as she observed some of the stones beginning to float off the ground. She turned around to see a giant creature with tentacles coming down from it. A loud groan came from the being as came down from a red portal.
"Uh, what is that?" Pike asked as everyone gasped at the sight of the creature.
"Oh, shit," Grog stated as its several rows of teeth opened as it growled. Its single eyeball spun around until it locked in on them. "Was that back there the whole time?"
"A Beholder?" Athena questioned.
"A what now?! What do we do?" Scanlan cried.
"Run!" The Beholder sent its tentacles down into the ground. They all came back up at random points around them as they ran for cover. Some of them went into the ceiling causing parts of it to fall down almost on top of them.
"Son of a bitch!" Pike yelled as they hid behind some of the stones. They all unsheathed their weapons as they prepared for the fight.
"Doesn't feel like the other traps," Vax commented. More of the tentacles broke through the ground under the feet causing them to separate. Percy ran while letting out some shots at the creature but was seemingly unaffected by it. It let out a low growl.
"Great we pissed it off," Keyleth stated.
"We do kinda have that effect on people," Scanlan remarked.
The stalks came forward to Percy. He brought out his gun to shoot at them but his gun only clicked. "Bollacks." He was out of bullets.
"I've gotcha," Pike said as she step in front of him with her radiant shield. The tentacles smashed into it sending them up. "No, I don't!" Pike cried as they pushed into the ceiling.
Grog jumped towards the Beholder bringing his sword above his head to slash down at its eye. One of the stalks came from the side and crashed Grog into the wall. A electrically buzzed admitted from the tentacles as it trapped him.
"I feel weird!" Grog's body was turned into stone against the wall.
"Grog?" Keyleth called as she was almost hit by one of its arms.
"He's not dead, just petrified," Athena shouted as she dodged some of the Beholder's attacks.
"Oh, just petrified? Really?" Percy cried as Pike and him ran from the tentacles until they were forced off the ground as one of them erupted through it.
Vax went to throw one of his daggers at him but the scenery changed back to the battlefield. Soldiers lay dead at his feet. The warrior wearing the Deathwalker's ward stood before him.
"Purvan."
Purvan dashed forward with his sword, a fight erupted between the two of them. However, to the world outside, Vax's stood still as his eyes glowed white.
The rest of the group unleashed everything they had on the beast. However, its arms kept breaking free from whatever damage or restrains they had on them.
"Damnit, they are everywhere!" Vex yelled.
"Don't let it trap you," Athena shouted as she jumped through the tentacles, spinning in the air. She landed on the ground as they redirected back at her. She narrowly avoided their hold as she was blasted back as they struck the ground beneath her. She hit the wall landing beside some cover as she was knocked unconscious.
"Nothing's working!" Percy stated as he and Keyleth ran in the opposite direction. Keyleth let out a gasp as she saw the stalks approaching their right side. She summoned some vines to shield them. Instead of hitting the vines, they shot up and down upon the two of them. They were blasted into the wall, debris covering them. As it settle only their petrified bodies remained.
Out of the shadows, Kashaw ran to Keyleth as he clutched his symbol. He began to undo the petrification as more of the arms came directly toward him. Zahra jumped in front as she blew up the arms with her magic. The Beholder let out a snarl at the two of them until its face was blasted with exploding arrows.
"Eyes up!" Vex called as she flipped in the air landing in front of them. "Where the hell have you two been?"
"Just grabbing a quick bite to eat. What's important is, we're here now," Kashaw affirmed as summoned a large shield blocking another attack.
"I'll get him back in the locket," Zahra held out the locket as she concentrated on retracting the Beholder back in. A rumbling occurred behind them causing Vex to look back as more of the arms shot from the wall.
"Look out!"
The tentacles wrapped around Zahra pulling her to the wall. She struggled against the hold as the buzz began to sprout from the arms.
"It was bloody hell capturing you, and I am not..." Zahra was turned into stone in an instant along with the locket.
"Z! No! No!" Kashaw cried out as he dodged a slam attack. Pike and Scanlan were running away from more of the tentacles.
"Not going to make a tentacle joke," Pike commented as they ran.
"Eh, too easy," Scanlan replied. One of the tentacles caught up to them wrapping around Pike before dragging her on the ground away in the opposite direction. Pike shouted out causing Scanlan to turn around, strumming on his lute. His purple hand pushed him at the same speed as the tentacle was dragging Pike as she screamed.
"Pike! Take my hand!" Scanlan grunted as they both reached for one another. He managed to grab a hold of her hand stopping her from moving.
"I got you, damn it. Do not let..." The electric buzz was sent up Pike and along her hand to Scanlan, petrifying them both in place.
The Beholder was searching around for his next target when he spotted Vex and Trinket. Vex sprinted to lead its arms away from Trinket. However, now there were fewer people so more of them could attack her. One of them struck her in the side knocking her down on the ground away from her bow. She looked up to see a stalk coming at her. As it was about to hit her, it was grabbed out of the air and in the mouth of Trinket. He wasn't going to let anything else happen to her on his watch.
Trinket was flung into the air and smacked on the wall then into the ground, knocking him unconscious. Stalks entrapped him turning him into stone.
"Trinket!" Vex cried as another tentacle smashed into her, petrifying her as well.
Athena awoke as her head screamed in pain from the impact that knocked her out. She shook her head clearing the fog in her brain. She looked up to see most of the members were petrified around. Across the way, she saw Vax still with his eyes glowing white. Kashaw was behind a pillar hiding.
Athena grunted as she stood up. She didn't have a moment to rest there as she saw the tentacles shoot out at her. She ran dodging them as they struck the wall behind her as she moved. She made her way to Kashaw, panting as she reached. He had a look of surprise to see someone else was not turned to stone.
"Oh, hey. I see you are still here," he chuckled. Athena narrowed her eyes at him, shutting him up.
"Just us and Vax?"
Kash nodded. "Listen, I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen. Z just..."
"I don't really care or have time for the explanation now," she said as she looked over to Vax and then at the creature. She let out a sigh, knowing what needed to be done. "You are going to grab him and get the hell out of here. Swim to the top of the lake and bring back the rest of your Take members."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to distract the Beholder to let you both leave. You better be quick 'cause I'm not sure how long I can hold him."
"You realize what's going to happen right? You will be turned to stone."
"I know," she simply stated, turning back to look at him, "Now go."
Kashaw ran over to Vax. Athena walked up slowly to the creature. The Beholder growled as it was about to send its stalks over to Kash and Vax.
"Hey!"
The Beholder turned to her with its teeth shining at her.
"Why don't you come play over here."
It released a loud roar as it sent its tentacles at her. She deflected most of them with her sword as she skillfully dodged them. The Beholder gathered a few of them together before sending them all to her. She brought her sword up to block them. The skid past her sword as resisted the attack. Her sword grinding against their fast speed. Athena grunted at the force it was taking her to not topple over.
Kashaw was pulling at Vax but his body was not moving. "Come on, you fucker! She is buying us some time to get out of her to get some help." No matter how much he pulled Vax didn't budge. It was like his body was paralyzed in that state.
The tentacles shot upwards before redirecting back down at Athena. She looked at the ground, spotting an old sword in rubble along with long-deceased robbers. She quickly picked it up bring both of her swords above her head. The tentacles slammed down on her causing debris and dust to fly across the room.
Kashaw had to use his arm to cover his eye, "Athena!"
He figured that she smack into the ground, petrified as well. Worse, she was dead from the blow. However, shock emerged on his face as he saw her kneeling on the ground holding up the tentacles against the swords. Her arms shook a bit against the strain of holding a powerful creature in its place.
"Holy shit. She is a badass," he remarked to the still comatose Vax.
Athena sliced down the swords cutting the arms off the Beholder. It reeled in pain as it screamed out, blood pouring out from the dismembered arms. Athena panted from the exertion. That literally took all of her strength out to push against it.
The Beholder snarled as it sent more tentacles at her. Athena swiped at a few of the tentacles and repelled them away from her. One of them snuck around her, wrapping itself at her waist. She pulled up as more tentacles circled around her body, squeezing her and causing her to drop both her swords.
She felt one of her ribs crack from the force as they tighten around her. She cried out in pain as the creature brought her up to its eye level. Drool pooled at its teeth as they open a bit wider to take her in.
"Crap, it's going to eat her."
------------------------------------------
Vax spit out some blood. Purvan was definitely winning their fight. He had broke Vax's hands, finger, and foot cutting him up and giving him a black eye. He shakingly stood up, grunting from the pain. Purvan brought up his sword at the ready. Vax clutched his fist, his joints cracking from their breaks.
Shush
A small hand reached out to him, resting on his hand.
"Vex?"
A child version of Vex stood before, lowering his hand with a smile on her face.
"Whatever happens...it's out of our control."
Purvan huffed out at him as he dashed forward. Vax exhaled as he closed his eyes. He felt the sword slash through him but there was no pain. He opened his eyes to see all of his wounds were gone and the Deathwalker's ward was now on him instead. He turned to see Purvan drop his sword, kneeling before him.
"Hail the new champion."
The scenery around them changed to one that resembled the temple. The Raven Queen stood above the both of them. She bent down outreaching her finger, sending a spark to his armor. It began to glow as it awaken its powers resembling outstretched wings across the front.
Vax opened his eyes to see Kashaw before him. His armor was still glowing with its newfound powers. He looked up in the direction to see Athena being strangled by the beast. Kashaw turned back to see Vax was now present with him.
"Well, welcome back. Got a nice new glow." Vax brought out his daggers as he analyzed where he was going to go.
"We didn't mean for any of this to happen. It's...,"
"Save the apologies and help my friends," Vax stated as he zoomed off.
"Okay. Well, you two are definitely made for each other," Kash remarked as ran to start unpetrifying everyone.
The Beholder noticed Vax's presence as it sent its tentacles at him. He spun around, flying upwards as diced them into pieces. The creature roared out loudly as Vax threw daggers at the tentacles holding Athena at a lightning speed. The Beholder dropped Athena as she began to plummet to the ground. As she was about to hit the ground, she felt a person grab onto her. The next thing she knew, they were out of the range of the creature and safely on the side.
"Vax?" she gasped.
"You okay?" he asked as he set her down gently on the ground.
"I'll live," she smiled.
"Good," he smiled back, "Stay here. I'll be back." Before she could protest, Vax had already disappeared away, fighting the Beholder at speeds she could barely register.
"Athena!"
She turned around to see the others running to her, back to their normal state. She grunted as she grabbed onto her side feeling her broken ribs shift.
"I've got you," Pike said as she held up her hand to her. Athena could feel her bones mend back into place.
"Whoa," Grog exclaimed, "Is that Vax?"
"How is he doing that?" Percy questioned.
"The vestige. I-It has to be," Keyleth remarked.
"Brother," Vex whispered as she watched him dance around the Beholder's attacks. Vax rode up one of its tentacles soaring into the air under a mural of the Raven Queen. He grunted as he flung a dagger straight at the Beholder, past all of its arms, and into its eye. The creature roared out in pain as Vax came down kicking the dagger further into its eye. The Beholer landed down just before the group with Vax on top of it. He jumped down landing gracefully. A glow ripped throughout his armor.
"Well damn," Grog stated.
"That was hot," Scanlan agreed before nudging Athena, "Right, The?" Athena let out a few coughs from embarrassment causing everyone to look at her with worry.
"Sorry, I-um...ribs are still healing," she looked away as a blush formed on her cheeks.
"Hmm," Vex murmured before looking at Kash and Zahra, "You two disappeared right before that creature showed up," she accused.
"Things got out of hand. Mistakes were made," Zahra admitted.
"Oh, mistake. Yeah, really? You think?" Scanlan pointed. Trinket let out a growl at the two of them.
Zahra let out a groan, "Look. The Take has spent decades protecting Osysa's secrets. We couldn't let a vestige fall into the wrong hands, but... I mean, clearly yours are worthy."
"Uh, listen, you know, we'd love to apologize all afternoon, but if you don't want to drown, we should get the fuck out of here," Kashaw pointed out as the room was beginning to flood due to all the damage the Beholder caused. "Follow Z!"
The group surrounds Zahra as began to summon some magic. The next thing they all were warm of was skyrocketing out of the tomb through the water and into the air. They all landed in the lake, bobbing back up to the surface.
They all swam back to the land, all exhausted from the ordeal. Keyleth quickly made a fire for them to dry off. During this time, Vax wandered off to the lakeshore staring off into the distance.
Athena stood up to check up on him when Percy placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll go check on him. Plus, I need to apologize." Athena gave him a nod as she watched Percy go to Vax.
The fire went out so Keyleth and Athena went to gather more wood. As they returned, they saw Kashaw and Zahra had gathered their things and were about to leave.
"Don't tell me you're ditching us again," Vex spoke.
"We misjudged you. It's rare what you all have, trust me. I guess Osysa knows what she's doing," Kash said.
"And listen, I know it won't make up for what happened, but I want you to have this," Zahra handed Vex her locket, "You might need it on the road ahead. It keeps a creature safely tucked away in a tiny pocket-plane until you need it. It's yours now."
"And what about my debt to the Slayer's Take?"
"What debt?" They both chuckled.
"I'd say take care of yourselves, but it seems that's the one thing you know how to do."
"Oh, don't worry about us, love. You've got bigger fish to fry," Zahra said as they both headed back to Vasselheim.
"She kept a creature in it. Hmm," Vex thought, "Do you know what I bet would fit in it nicely?"
"Me," Grog stated. Vex shrugged him off moving to Trinket.
"I need a way to keep you out of danger. What do you say, Trinket?" He let out a small growl at the thought. "Oh, come on, just try it. Maybe it'll be fun."
Vex pointed the locket at Trinket who began to glow red. He sucked into the locket causing everyone to gasp. Vex pointed back out causing Trinket to appear back again with them.
"Trinket!"
"I've got next!" Grog exclaimed.
Vax watched from a distance as they all marveled at the locket. He turned back to the lake but instead with greeted with the familiar red backdrop. A cabin stood in front of him as he looked in shock.
"Hello?"
He walked forward into it to see a couple. One of them was laying in the bed as he coughed up blood. The woman was cleaning it up until the man took his last breath. She began to sob as Vax watched a pointed hand clasped over the man's head. The Matron appeared above as she stared down at Vax. He tried to back away but the golden thread appeared connecting him to her. She began to approach him slowly as she pulled on the thread. He turned around and let out a gasp as he saw his own corpse staring back at him.
His eyes opened back to the surroundings of the lake. He was actually in front of a cabin as he panted. Vex stood beside him with her hand placed on his shoulder. He gently shrugged it off as he looked away.
"What?"
"You've been acting strange ever since the tomb."
"Have I?"
"What happened?" She grabbed his hand.
"I don't know."
"Bullshit, you don't know. Don't make me get Athena," she mocked.
Vax sighed, "I saw... something, but I-I don't know what it means. When you were on the floor, I... I saw the Matron of Ravens coming for you. I begged her to take me instead. I had to. But I don't know what's going to happen to me. To any of us."
"Brother, whatever this all means... we'll figure it out. Nothing's changed." She placed her hand on his chest. Vax grabbed her hand, taking it off.
"Everything's changed," he said as walked back to the group leaving Vex there.
Athena perked up as she saw Vax returning to them after Vex had talked to him.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," he replied back, "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine. I should be the one asking you that but I know a lot of people have asked that already."
Vax confirmed her words as he looked down unable to look up at her.
"Listen," she started, "I know you probably don't want to talk about it. Something I understand completely. But I want to let you know just as you have for me that...I am here for you whenever you need me."
Vax grabbed onto her hand, placing a kiss on the back of it.
"Thank you." It was all he said but she understood. The road ahead was not going to be easy.
-------------------------------------
And so it begins.....
Sorry for keeping you all waiting. I couldn't kill Athena again in the span of four or five chapters. That would be so cruel of me to do. Sorry, Vex.
I think with it keeping to Vex keeps an important aspect of Vax's character development.
I hope doing more of Vax's POV was okay in this chapter was okay since this chapter/episode is heavily his. That way, we have that needed context written down.
Poor Vax though because no matter in this or the series, he had to see both his sister and love interest die in front of him.
Some interesting things will be coming so stay tuned.
Also if you didn't hear the news, Lance Reddick passed away. He was a phenomenal actor both on and off-screen. He was the voice of Thordak for the series and he will be dearly missed.
Thank you all, see you in the next chapter.