Warnings: Strong and Sexual Language; Violence, Gore & Death; Sexual Content.
"Oh, no. Oh. Oh, no," Keyleth panicked as she paced. A giant furred creature slithered in the sky above them. Athena could barely believe all that she was seeing in front of her. So much color was before them like a rainbow had puked onto the landscape.
"What happened to the others?" Percy asked.
"Uh, I don't know."
"Where's Pike?"
"How do you not know?!" Vex exclaimed.
"Breathe, all right? We will get nowhere by panicking," Athena reminded them, "Just tell us what you remember."
Keyleth took a deep breath and exhaled calming herself down but still paced around. "I tried to take us to the next vestige. U-Umbrasyl... disrupted my spell. I... I managed to transport us here, but the others went... somewhere else?"
"At least we're together," Vax whispered to Vex and Athena.
"I shouldn't have tried to pull off a spell like that," Keyleth stated.
"If you hadn't, they wouldn't just be lost, they'd be dead," Athena reasoned.
"But... Pike." Tears filled Keyleth's eyes.
"She was... With Grog and Scanlan. We have to believe they're okay," Vax assured.
"They aren't the only ones lost. Where the hell are we?" Vex asked.
"Well... I was trying to take us to the next Vestige of Divergence."
"I think you succeeded," Percy said looking out, creatures floating by, "It's here. Somewhere."
A hummingbird-like creature flew beside Keyleth. Her eyes immediately went wide with excitement as the bird floated up. "Hello, little floof. Oh, that is the prettiest bird I have ever..."
Tongues shot out from the plants nearby as they fought over the bird. The squawked out in pain as it was ripped into multiple pieces. "Oh!" Keyleth cried out as she knelt down next to the plants that belched out.
"Friends, welcome to the Fey Realm," Percy smiled, excitement filling up inside him. He had always dreamed about visiting the fey realm ever since he read out it.
The rest of them were not smiling.
Deciding to head in the direction Scanlan pointed out in his visions, they were now wading through the tall grass that lit up around their bodies in a fluorescent blue.
"Without Pike, we don't have a healer, and without Grog, we don't have our muscle and without Scanlan, we have..."
"Less dick jokes," Vex finished placing a hand on her temple, "Ugh. This grass is making me dizzy. Look." Vex whistle causing the grass to ripple out in color.
"Scanlan said his vision of the Fey Realm was like a drug trip," Keyleth stated as white flatworms waved around them in the air.
"And that the Fenthras Bow was inside a twisted tree in a bog," Vax added.
"He also said sheep's milk is his favorite lubricant, so...," Vex smirked.
"We should check that distant range," Percy pointed ahead to a tall peak, "Most bogs drain from the mountains."
Keyleth walked up next to Percy, reaching out her finger to point, "How far away is that?" The moment her finger pointed at the range, it broke appear with one section falling to her hand. "Uh... Did... did I break it?"
"Well, the Fey Realm does have a sense of humor."
"A twisted one, at that. Is anything as it seems here, de Rolo?" Vax asked.
"In my youth, I was fascinated by the Fey Realm. The mystery, the danger," he boasted picking up a walking stick and throwing out his arms, "Why, I read every single text I could get my hands on. You needn't worry. Follow my lead, and we'll be just fine."
The stick dissolved in his hand, changing into a three-headed snake. "Hmm? Ahh!" Percy yelped as let go of the snake. "Oh...," Percy chuckled. He turned, ignoring what just happened at continue walking ahead while everyone gave worried glances at each other before following their "expert".
They managed to leave the tall, vibrant grass as they walked through a canyon surrounding them. They reached an area covered in black tendrils coming out from the ground. They all pulsed as they moved ever so slightly.
"Looks like we have to get through that... whatever that is," Vex spoke.
"Oh, what was this called again...," Percy placed a finger on his chin as he thought. He smiled as he pounded his fist into his palm at his epiphany, "Ah, yes! An Awoken Grove. The environment may react to your mood. Just project positivity and it will remain harmless. Watch."
Percy walked forward humming a joyful tune as he walked through the grove, the tendrils opening up for him.
"Great, this was made for me," Athena sarcastically replied as followed Percy's lead, humming their own tunes. The tendrils remained open as they began to pass through.
"Oh, this is so stupid," Vax remarked. The negative statement triggered the tendrils to wrap around his throat, choking him and pulling him up.
"Vax!" they shouted as more tendrils wrapped around his body. Vex shot an arrow at one of them forcing it to fall as it squealed out. More replaced the fallen ones. Percy held up his gun but one of those three-headed snakes wrapped around the firing arm.
"Damn! Time for a different approach," he stated as he pulled out a pin trying to crank his glove. Athena rushed forward with her sword cutting the tendrils she could reach but soon they all adjusted to her attack lifting Vax higher.
"I can't reach!" She shouted as she tried to jump but with no success.
"They're plants! Can't you control them?" Vex asked Keyleth who was holding out her hand to try to control them.
"It's like they can't understand me!"
Vax grunted from the strain. He popped out his dagger slicing all the tendrils across forcing his release. He fell to the ground, pushing away from cut-up tendrils before more of them wrapped around his hands pulling him across the ground.
Vex notched one of her explosive arrows aiming it above his hands, "Can't believe I'm wasting this on a plant." She released the arrow hitting the tendrils causing them to explode without harming her brother.
Vax panted as he stood up, "Harmless?"
"Bizarre. That shouldn't have happened. I don't understand," Percy frowned.
Vax grunted as he pushed past the group, "What else is new?" Keyleth and Percy slowly followed behind to not approach his space. Athena and Vex shared a worried look with each other.
"The armor," Athena simply stated.
"I know. Making me worried. What do you suppose we do?" Vex asked.
Athena let out a sigh, "Nothing we can do. It's up to him...and her."
"Come on. We're almost through!" Vax called back to them. In the tendrils, a creature watching them closely scurried away. The sound brought the pair's attention for a moment before they both headed toward the rest of the group.
They reached an area where a stream floated above their heads, hopefully indicating that they were closer to the bog that Scanlan described. Though it felt like they had been walking for hours up to this point. Vax looked at the clear stream above him. His reflection shined back at him before turning into one of his corpse. He let out an angry sigh as he walked slightly faster, ready to leave the realm as quickly as possible.
"Um, I think we've been here before," Keyleth pointed out.
"To the untrained eye, the Fey Realm can be confusing," Percy tilted his glasses, "The ground only looks familiar because the landscape is shifting."
"Uh-huh. Percy, no offense, we have been walking around for a while and the sun is in the exact same spot," Athena pointed out.
"Oh...," he nervously chuckled, "You see, time's a bit wonky in the Fey Realm."
"Sure. And?" Athena edged on with a smirk.
"Uh...," he chuckled again, "Well... give me a moment to think." He placed his finger on his chin.
Vex's ears perked up at the sound in the trees, similar to the earlier one she heard back at the Awaken Grove. She pulled out her broom zooming off in the direction she heard the noise. She emerged into a clearing spotting a hunched-down horned human-like creature drawing in a book. Their lower body was covered in fur with hoofed feet as they smiled at their drawings.
"Doodi-li-doo," the creatures hummed. Vex floated down behind him.
"Hey. Whatcha doin'?" she whispered. The creature gasped as Vex picked him up, flying up high with the creature screaming in her arms. After reaching a decent height, she dangled them in the air.
"Start talking. Why are you following us? Who are you?"
"No one...so can you put me down?" the creature spoke with a heavy accent.
"Gladly." Vex dropped the creature, plummeting down to the ground at a high speed. Just before they hit the ground, Vex caught them zooming back to the group. She threw the creature in between them, hitting the tree beside them.
"Ah!" the creature grunted as it stood up to be surrounded by the rest of them. Vex jumped down from her broom and approached the short creature.
"Let's try again. Who are you, and why are you following us?"
"A simple wanderer who enjoys a little entertainment. You can call me Garmelie," he bowed with his book behind him.
"What are you reading?" Percy noticed he was trying to hide it.
"Ooh! Nothing! No reading. I-I-I can't read."
Vax grabbed the book from behind him. "Uh, that's, uh...curious."
"Oh, no! It's not what you think it, sir." Garmelie jumped up to try and grab the book.
"Keeping notes on us, were you?" Vax opened the book with Keyleth peering over. Both of their eyes immediately went wide with a dumb-founded expression appearing on Keyleth's face.
"No, don't open that!"
"No... Uh... O-Oh," Keyleth nervously chuckled after seeing the contents of the book. Vax's serious expression turned sickly as he turned over the book, throwing it to his sister.
"No, I did not draw those," Garmelie tried to explain, "Well unless you like those."
Vex opened the book with Percy and Athena looking over her shoulders. Athena's jaw dropped from shock as she looked at the drawings.
"Oh, my," Percy said as he looked surprised as well.
*Warning: Sexual content below. Mature audiences only!*
The drawings depicted each of them provocatively in a sexual manner. Vex had huge boobs that were spilling out from her top as she shot an arrow. Keyleth was wearing a dominatrix outfit with a vine wrapped around her. Percy was at the bottom completely naked, holding his gun with three penises coming out of him with Vex's head on the tip of each one.
What shocked Athena the most was that hers and Vax's were combined. It depicted Vax below Athena with her on top smothering him with a giant set of breasts, grinning while Vax was drooling below her. Although their bodies were slightly covered, Athena couldn't help but blush red with embarrassment. She looked up to see Vax avoiding her gaze as he blushed from embarrassment as well as the fact he had to see his sister depicted in that way as well.
*Content over*
"The likenesses aren't bad," Vex said.
"Why do I have three peni?" Percy asked as Vex handed the book back.
"Art is subjective. Oh, ah, no need to be angry, seeing as how Garmelie can guide you where you need to go."
"And how do you know where we want to go?" Vex asked.
"Didn't say where you want to go. Said where you need to go." Garmelie leaped away, humming along in the opposite direction than they were originally heading.
"My books were filled with creatures like this. Best we ignore him," Percy said walking forward.
"Your books have done a fat lot of good for us so far." Vax crossed his arms at him. Percy turned away with a frown, his shoulders slumped. Vex and Keyleth followed after him, Athena staying behind.
"Percy's only trying to help," she offered to him as they both walked back up to the group.
"Yeah. Heard that before," Vax said as he kept his gaze down.
Percy shook himself off as he stood proudly on top of a boulder. "Well. Now that the irritating illustrator is gone, I can concentrate on navigating us through..."
Garmelie teleported next to Percy in a flash of blue light. He brought up an apple, crunching into it and chewing loudly.
"Of course," Percy sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Percy ignored him as they continue traveling forward. They climbed down from a set of reefs into a thicker area of the forest.
"There's water up ahead. I think we finally found our destination," Percy called out. A fart sounded interrupted him as a pair of buttcheek appear on a stump beside him.
"Welcome to the Fey Realm." It tooted out with the rest of Garmelie appearing beside him. "Garmelie's here to help when you need him."
"I can literally see the bog we need, thank you," Percy stomped angrily trudging off.
"Sounds like you have all the answers, then. Well, goodie for you," Garmelie said inspecting his nails. They continued forward as tiny balls of deep purple slime scooted past with a slight trill.
"Percy, you study these?" Vex asked.
"Of course. They're, uh... Well... well, I think they're called, uh... Oh, fine, I have no idea. Garmelie..." Percy turned around to see the creature had disappeared. "And he's gone again," Percy facepalmed.
"Well, they're pretty. Which means they're probably super deadly," Keyleth sadly stated
"Whatever they are, we should keep moving," Vex said.
Vax and Athena were in the back of the group approaching the slime. Athena passed through them fine. Vax took one step near them and the slime immediately began to flee. He gave a curious look at them as they turned and swarmed him.
"Me again?"
One of the glops leaped up at Vax. He quickly spun around kicking it. As his foot made contact, it began to dissolve, hissing, burning his foot. Vax cried out in pain causing the rest of the group to turn back, running for him.
"I was joking about the deadly thing. That was a joke!" Keyleth exclaimed as Vex fired three arrows. The arrows landed into three of them but the tips were dissolved and the rest of the arrows fell limp on the ground.
"Well, that's a problem."
Percy fired a few shots, exploding a few of them. The rest continue trying to attack Vax who ducked and weaved from their strikes.
"Oy! Heads up!" he called out. Two daggers appeared in his hands, throwing them at a floated rock formation. The daggers struck causing parts of it to fall down on top of the slime. Vax breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Vax, look!" Keyleth pointed at the rocks. The slime came out from under it and floated above them, forming on the giant entity, "It's... growing?" The creature fell down to the ground at Vax but he sped out of the way.
"Oh, what the fuck?"
Several arms emerged from the giant slime blob, trying to hit Vax. Luckily, the armor's speed allowed him to dodge out of the range of the attacks.
"It's an amalgamation. Try to break it apart," Percy announced as he tried to charge up his glove but only a light spark erupted from it. "Fuck's sake."
Keyleth summoned vines from the ground wrapping around its body and holding it down. However, they began to dissolve into its body as it unleashed a loud roar. "Oh, come on. The plants in this realm are real assholes!"
The slime though began to shrink back down into the ground with only remnants of it visible. "Ah, I think I scared it off," Vax said.
The ground a few feet from him erupted as it emerged back out coming toward him, bigger than before. "Shit. No. No, I didn't!" he exclaimed as they all took off running. The slime threw a tree at Vex and Keyleth. It rolled towards them as they reached a wall.
"Trinket!" Vex summoned him out. He barreled through the tree as Vex jumped on his back. Keyleth wild shaped into a jackrabbit running after the bear.
Vax was smacked into a ridge. His back hit the wall as grunted from the impact falling down onto the ground.
"Vax! Hang on!" Athena shouted as she and Percy ran to him. Athena knelt down beside him helping him up as Percy fired at it.
"I'll get him!" Vex cried as she charged at it on Trinket firing arrows. Two of the arrows sunk into it as she fired a third one. The arrow ripped a part of it off but it sent a stream of spores at Vex and Keyleth knocking them both back. They fell onto the ground coughing.
"No!" Vax shouted as they all ran to them. The slime threw its arm down blocking him from the rest of them. "It's after me...," he realized as grabbed his armor. "Right. Come on, ugly!" Vax jumped up, bouncing off the terrain and leading the slime up and away from the rest of them.
"Keyleth! Vex'ahlia!," Percy cried as they reached them, "Thank goodness. I was worried those spores might've..." Both Vex and Keyleth giggled. Keyleth rocked back and forth while Vex stared at her hands.
"Affected you?" Percy looked at them questioningly. Tears pooled in Keyleth's eyes as she fell down to the ground. Vex moved her head looking at the landscape with a great wonder that her eyes looked like they could bulge out. "Vex'ahlia? Are you okay?"
Vex fell down to the ground. "Oh, hey...," she mumbled as she smiled.
"And...they are both high," Athena said as she pinched her temple. Vex rolled over to Trinket, sitting up and facing him.
"That is not what I imagined you'd sound like!" Vex laughed at Trinket.
Keyleth sat up and began crying. "I was just so mean to you guys. Let's never fight again, okay? I love you so much," she spoke while rocking back and forth.
Percy let out a groan at their state, "Well, this is just great."
"We better find Vax. He can't keep running forever," Athena declared, "They should be fine...I hope. Trinket can you keep an eye on them?"
Trinket let out a low growl as Vex curled up closer to his fur. Keyleth continued to rock back and forth on the ground.
"Gods, this better not last long."
Vax panted as he dodged the arms of the slime. He sped and jump from branches ahead of it before landing on some coral on the ground. He hid behind the structure, peeking out as he caught his breath. He pulled his dagger out as he scanned the area through a thicket. Behind him, the slime came down and began to form its shape.
"What?" As it came down, the Raven Queen's appeared in it to Vax. "The Matron?"
"Vax! Incoming!" Percy shouted as he threw an explosive in the air. He pulled out his pistol firing at it causing it to explode and sending down some of the coral on top of the slime. Vax jumped on top of the debris running to them.
"What are you doing here?" he asked them. The blobs that exploded were already making their way back to each other to accumulate.
"We weren't about to give up on you. There must be a way...Some natural weakness...," Percy said. Athena searched the area spotting a waterfall behind the blob.
"Water. Look," She pointed it out. "Think we can cook it?" she asked looking down at his glove.
Percy nodded, "On my mark, take it for a drink." The slime brought one of his arms up. The three of them dodged out of the way as it slammed into the ground. Vax started leading it to the waterfall before he was knocked back by one of its attacks. Percy ran to one of the bases of the streams pulling out his crank from his glove.
"And... charge!" He cranked the glove but it only sputtered. "Just a moment!" he shouted as Vax turned on his hind staring down the creature.
"Uh, Percy?" The slime brought out its arm preparing to slam at him again. Above, Athena sliced some vines holding some rocks causing them to fall down onto the blob. It cried out as it was momentarily stunned. Athena jumped down rushing to Vax's side and helping him up.
"Percy, now would be a good time!" she shouted.
"Blast it. Diplomacy, fuck's sake, work!" Percy hit is glove causing the mechanism to glow blue signaling it was charged. "Now!"
Vax and Athena jumped through the waterfall as the slime reached out an arm to grab at them. Percy shoved his glove into the stream connected to it sending the electricity shooting up across all of the water. The electric wave crashed into the slime still in the water, shocking its entire form. It began to bubble as a great flash of giant energy exploded in front of them. The slime turned into gray ash as the wind drifted it away. The three of them turned to rush back to Vex, Trinket, and Keyleth.
The two of them were knocked out. Trinket had brought them to the side of the ridge out of the way of other creatures in the area.
"Are you alright?" Athena asked Vax as she reached out for him.
"I'm fine," he stated walking away from her and heading toward a stream. His expression was filled with sadness. "Check on the others, please."
Athena slowly pulled her arm back looking at his retreating form. She stared at her hand and for the first time in a while, feeling a sense of loss. Her hand felt empty. A hand placed itself on her shoulder. She jolted slightly as she turned her head to see Percy looking at her.
"Don't worry. I'll talk to him."
"'Cause that went well for you last time?"
"Better me than you."
Percy walked up to Vax who was staring at his reflection in the water. Athena let out a sigh turning her attention back to the others.
Vax headed Percy's footsteps approaching him as he watched fish pass by him. "I didn't want your alls help."
"That's the thing with nobles. We're rather stubborn," Percy rubbed the back of his head. "Athena...she is the most stubborn person I know when it comes to her friends. Especially you." His statement caused Vax's face to frown. He felt like all of his actions were hurting them now.
"I know I've made mistakes. But I also know something about carrying darkness. Whatever happens, I'll have your back," Percy said.
"That creature... it was drawn to me. You saw it, too."
"Yes, the way everything's reacted. It's as if the realm's against you."
"It's this armor. The Matron... I-I don't know what's happening, but it's like... ...I'm headed in a different direction from the rest of you. I appreciate you having my back, Percival. But where I'm going, I don't think you can follow." He turned his head to him. It was the third time that Percy saw a great level of sadness fill inside Vax. "Don't let them follow me. My sister...Athena. Don't let them lose themselves for me."
Percy breathed out a long exhale. "I'll keep them safe, Vax. I promise."
Vex groaned from behind them as Athena helped her next to Trinket. Deep eyebags were set underneath. She sat down next to him placing her hand on her head, "Feels like a hangover without any of the fun."
Keyleth shot up next to her with the same deep eyebags, "Not me. I feel incredible. Like my mind connected to nature on a spiritual level. I mean, I get it now. We are all just prisoners of our own anxieties, searching for connection in this..." Keyleth's stomach gurgled loudly and her cheeks puffed out. Multi-color liquid spilled from her mouth as she tried to catch it. Before Vex and Athena cringed at the sight.
"Ugh... Oh, man... Oh, I can taste the colors... Oh. Yeah." Vex held her hand up to her mouth to stop herself from vomiting as well. In a tree above them, Garmelie giggled kicking his feet out as he drew.
"Oh, this will be a good one."
"I'm going to guess you had something to do with this," Percy angrily said walking up to the tree.
"Well, you guess wrong. Garmelie was merely the traveler on this journey," he said as he jumped down, "For your next journey, the Shademurk awaits."
"Shademurk?" Vex groaned.
"That bow of yours? The tree you seek lies there. You all managed to legitimately entertain, so Garmelie will guide you. If you accept his help?" He looked over to Percy.
Percy let out a grunt crossing his arms, "You're the expert."
Garmelie chuckled at his admission, "Well, follow me." Vex and Keyleth groaned as they shakingly stood up. "Don't worry ladies, walking will help with the sickness."
Vax joined back up with them. His gaze met Athena's and shame filled his body. Despite his actions toward her, Athena gave him a small smile.
Her smile could light up any darkness, even his own now. His expression turned a bit up at her. Athena herself with momentarily filled with some relief at Vax's reaction. She just wanted him to safe and happy.
Garmelie whistles signaling them to follow. Keyleth and Vex quickly got their energy back up allowing them to keep up. Garmelie just hummed along as led them through a thick part of the forest. He continued through a small hole in a bed of rocks. The rest of them looked at each as Vax shrugged heading in first after the satyr. As he emerged on the other side, he let out a gasp as saw a giant city sitting in the middle of the realm. One that he recognized.
"What?"
"Ooh, a city. Garmelie had forgotten about this little hamlet."
"That's pretty weird, even for this place," Keyleth said.
"I thought you were guiding us to the Shademurk," Percy questioned Garmelie throwing him a side-eye.
"Oh, yes. One day, it just appeared out of nowhere. Pop! Alas, we'll have to pass through it to reach your bog."
"That city almost looks Elven," Athena stated standing next to Vax.
"That's because it is," he said.
"It's Syngorn," Vex elaborated.
"You've been there before?" Percy asked.
"We lived there."
"With our father."
-----------------------------------------
Time to dive a bit into Vax and Vex's relationship with their (douchebag) father. I can't wait to write about Athena's reaction to him. It already makes me giggle thinking about it.
Also sorry if this chapter seemed a bit jumpy at times. Obviously, since the group is split up, there is a lot of transition that happens during the episode so I had to write a bunch of filler transitions that are not my best work.
Quick opinions for thought: in the future, would you all read a type of modern-day au, high-school setting of Vox Machina with Athena? Like she comes in as the new kid with a troubled past kinda thing and meets them. I have been thinking about this to write something while we are waiting for season 3 once I am done with season 2. Let me know if you would like this or not. Or you can shoot some other ideas here as well.
Anyways, hope you like the chapter. I'm sorry for those who don't like angst but it won't stay around for too long. I promise.
See you all next time!