The portal opened and Vax stepped out to make sure the coast was clear. When he stepped away from the opening, everyone else followed him. When everyone was out and the portal closed behind them, they all took a look around and noticed that they had no idea where they were.
"Where the hell are we?" Vex asked when they noticed that there was nothing but trees around them. "You can barely see anything around here"
"And what's with the fog?" Vax wondered looking around, "seems a bit ominous"
Miel and Keyleth looked around, trying to get an idea to where they were.
"I can't tell where we are in Tal'Dorei" Percy muttered, "maybe it's just cause we haven't been here before"
"The plants aren't saying much either" Keyleth said, her hand on a tree, "but they keep saying to get out of here"
"Well, I guess there's not much to do but walk forward" Vex said, "if we don't move we're not going to get any closer to figuring out where we are"
With that said, they all started walking. They walked and walked and walked, but it didn't seem to end. They continued walking, hoping to find something to let them know where they are but they never saw anything. It was as if they were walking in circles, going nowhere. At some point, Vex left a mark on a tree to make sure but they never saw it again, so that had to mean that they were moving forward...right?
"This is getting tiring" Vex groaned annoyed. They had been walking for hours with no end to the foggy wilderness.
"Miel, did you sense anything about where we are?" Keyleth asked the warlock, "you haven't said anything in a while" she didn't receive an answer and she looked at the purple haired girl, only to see her looking anywhere but any of them. "Um, Miel?" Keyleth brought her hand up to her shoulder
Miel jumped and looked at her friends, "w-what?"
"You haven't spoken for the last couple hours, love" Vax spoke, glancing over his shoulder at her
"O-oh. Sorry. What did you ask?"
"If you know where we are?" Keyleth repeated with a smile, wondering if her friend was okay
Miel didn't answer first. She took a look around first before she answered a bit hesitantly, "um, maybe?"
"What?" Vex stopped walking and turned to look at her with a glare, "you know where we are, and you haven't said anything?!"
"Um..." Miel didn't look at her, she was only looking around as she had been doing for the past couple hours. Vax noticed that her ears were slightly twitching
"Do you even know how to get out of here? Or how long we have been walking?"
"Calm down Vex" the rogue spoke up, a bit worried about the warlock's actions.
"We've been walking for about 2 hours...3 tops"
They all stared at her bit in disbelief. Again, Miel was not looking at them. She'll glance at them while they are talking to her but when she's not saying anything, she's looking around, almost as if she's trying to find something
"And what are you looking for?" Percy asked starting to get a bit annoyed at the lack to eye contact while talking, "you've been looking all over, do you know which way to go, or not?"
Miel quickly looked at them and shook her head, "no I don't. I'm just as lost as all of you" she said
Vax noticed that Miel looked slightly nervous. Like someone who wanted to stop talking and change the subject.
"Look, I think we need to keep moving. It might not be safe to linger"
"Why? Do you know this place?" Vax asked
Before Miel could answer, some sort of green spell flew by, missing the twins. Then a purple one flew between Keyleth and Percy.
"Is that magic?" Keyleth asked
"Move!" Miel shouted and pushed everyone to start running. As they ran, more and more magic shots of every color were being thrown at them.
"Who is that and why are they blasting at us?" Vex called
"The Shadows, we're in their domain. They probably sense strong magic from the bow and the armor" Miel explained as she blocked any shot flying at them
"I thought you said you didn't know this place!" Percy yelled in anger.
Miel didn't reply as they ran, but she did look sad for some reason
"Can you make them stop?" Keyleth asked
Miel's eyes widened and ran ahead "Uh, I rather keep running"
"Excuse me, what?" Percy called
"Well, we're bound to either lose them or get out of here if we keep running" Miel called not looking back them 'I don't want to'
"Miel! If you can make them stop, then maybe we can get out!" Vax called but he didn't get a reply, "Miel?"
"Miel!" Keyleth called. A blast then grazed by her, scaring her and almost hitting her.
Miel gasped and she shut her eyes. She didn't want to stop, but she knew her friends would get hurt if they kept running. The Shadows were relentless and will keep hunting down their targets. She knew that. But she didn't want to go back.
A blast landed in front of her making her stop. At their halt, she heard The Shadows about to blast all of them. Miel gasp as she brought up a barrier around her and her friends. The blast hit the bubble and she could hear them mumbling.
She took a deep breath and brought down the barrier.
"Miel?" Vax asked when she took a few steps towards where the blasts came from.
"Szae!" She cried, shocking her friends, "Xe ip Miel Luanguard! Szae ourulq vorv tapy afz!"
"What is she saying?" Keyleth questioned
"I think...it's Infernal" Percy muttered
"What?"
After Miel spoke, they heard gasps and muttering. Soon, the mist dispersed and people in dark clothing emerged with shocked faces. They were of any species, elves, gnomes, humans, and more, they all walked out with wide eyes staring at Miel.
"Miel Lunagaurd?" One red headed female human asked as she stepped up to Miel, "is that really you?" Miel looked hesitant but nodded her head. The girl smiled before she knelt down, followed by the rest, "the last Lunagaurd has returned!" She cheered
"Uh, Miel what is going on?" Percy asked taking a step forward
Some of them growled and stepped between Percy and Miel, pointing staffs and weapons at the four.
"No wait!" Miel called but two held her back, almost as if trying to keep her out of danger
"Uh, love, if you know them, you might want to tell them that we're with you" Vax glared at them as she pulled out his daggers.
"Stop! Stop! They're with me!" Miel called as she appeared in front of the four
The people looked at her in shock before the girl from earlier walked up to her, "Mh divh, your magic! It has grown stronger!"
"Y-yes" Miel replied and then cleared her throat, "all the walking we did, that was all of you, correct?"
"Yes, we are sorry about that, Mh divh, but you were so close to the village and we did not know it was you" a male elf replied
Miel's eyes widened, "so we were close by?"
"I think a stop might do us good" Keyleth spoke a bit nervously, "we have been walking for hours and we just came back from a different realm"
The group around them muttered, more than likely curious about them being in a different realm part. "Mh divh, you have been busy" the girl said, "come, come, we will show you back to the village"
"A-actually!" Miel called, bring up her arms to stop her friends from moving, "I-I would like you to release the spell and let us out of the mist, w-we have places to be"
"But Mh divh, you all must be exhausted. You need rest. We can sense that you have just battled and need to restore yourselves" a female gnome replied, "we can sense you have low magic at the moment."
"Usually I would say no," Vex asked, a bit unsure about the situation, but they could get out if they led them. "But I am too bloody tired to argue. Let's just go with them."
"Wonderful!" They called, "follow us, oh and don't forget the servants"
"What!" they all yelled
"No no, they're my friends not my servants" Miel corrected as she heard them growl in anger
"Ah, yes, I apologize" the red haired girl chuckled, "that man in black did call you love earlier...is he your lover, Mh divh?"
Miel gulped at the look she was giving her, "y-yes"
"Ofr divh has found a lover. There is so much to celebrate back at the village!" A younger girl cried out
"I don't know" Miel muttered with a blush at the loud announcement
As they walked, Vax pulled Miel back by her arm so she was walking with them.
"Care to explain?" He asked
"Who are these people and how do you know them?" Percy asked
Miel sighed sadly, "they're a village of Warlocks and...well..."
"Mh divh, we have arrived!"
"Arrived where?" Vex asked a bit angrily
Miel sighed again as she walked ahead of them, "this is my home" she said and turned to look at them, "Welcome to Blackthorn"
"What?!"
~~~~~~~~~~~
"I thought you said you were kidnapped and your home was burned down" Percy spoke as they followed Miel, who was following another person into the village
"Yes, my home. Not my village" Miel responded a bit monotoned
"Mh divh, you and your friends should stay the night" the girl they were following spoke up, "clean yourselves up, eat, rest up and then you can continue in the morning"
"Listen girlie, I don't think-"
"My name is Hoshina"
"Hoshina, thank you for the offer" Miel replied before Vex, "but I think we'll just rest up and leave"
"Non-sense! There is so much to celebrate, We might be up all night!" Hoshina smiled, "Mh divh Lunaguard has returned, your magic is stronger, and you have a lover!"
"Please stop that"
"Please, Mh divh" she said as she held Miel's hands, "at least for the village. They would want to see you are safe and sound after the incident all those years ago"
Miel sighed. She did not want to stay here but they were right. Her group was exhausted, and it was obvious they needed some rest before going into another possible fight.
While Miel was busy with Hoshino, Percy sighed and looked around Blackthorn. It was just a simple little town. Very little. The buildings actually looked like the ones in Whitestone. He noticed that where there were flags, there was a strange symbol on them. The symbol appeared to be two curved horns. A simple image that looked like it was everywhere, but why did it feel like he's seen the image before?
"Wonderful!" Hoshina cried, "Bryn and Boran should be around here somewhere" she muttered
Miel's eyes widened, "uh, why them?" she asked, trying not to get her voice to squeak
"Mh divh, they have been here as long as you have and your old friends! Who better to show your new friends around then old acquaintances?"
"Known her since we were kids" a voice said as a woman walked up to them behind Hoshina. She had long jet-black hair and silver eyes. "You're right though, who else to show her new friends around?"
"Bryn" Miel said when she saw the woman
"Xe'dd zicy uz orap myry" Bryn said to Hoshina. The young girl smiled and walked off, leaving the group. "Will you introduce me or do I have to guess?" She asked with a smile
"These are my friends," Miel started, "Keyleth, Percival de Rolo, Vex, and Vax" The group waved at Bryn as Miel introduced them, "we're Vox Machina, well half. We got separated from the rest"
"Oh that's sad" Bryn said and brought an arm around Miel, "I heard that the elf clad in black is your boyfriend" she teased as Miel started blushing, "he is cute" Vax blushed lightly as he heard her. So many of them just kept pointing it out today. "Is he a warlock as well?"
"Uhh-"
Suddenly, before she could say anything, a gross, unidentifiable face appeared in front of Miel's face, so fast, it was as if it popped right in front of her. She was frozen stiff until it let out a growl and she let out a yell, pushed away from Bryn and fell to the ground.
"Hey!" Vax yelled as they all ran to Miel when they noticed the undead. Vax and Keyleth were by her shaken side, while Percy and Vex stood in front of them in defense.
"He ain't all that" A voice called. A hand was placed on the head of the zombie and a man appeared next to it, the zombie in between Blaze and him. He looked similar to Blaze. "Just cause he's got Pervon's armor doesn't mean anything around here"
"Do you mind?" Vex spoke, "she has a case of Necrophobia, so if you could please stop it" she glared at the man.
"What!" he laughed, "Miel the rybytz, has necrophobia?!" the group glared at him, "who would've known all those years ago, it would come to this. Miel Lunaguard, the dark warlock, next in line, is scared of the undead"
"We've all got our fears don't we" Percy said, annoyed at the guy's tone
"And I suggest you get rid of that thing, before we start looking for yours" Vax growled as he held a shaking Miel
The man just smirked at them, and the zombie crumbled, "try it, oicy tmipeual, put the armor to the test. If you haven't noticed, you're in a village full of warlocks as far as the eye can see"
"Boran, that's enough" Bryn chuckled, "they are the guest of afr divh, we must be kind"
"Psh, you will. I won't. I don't care what they say" Boran replied
"These are the twins in the village" Miel said as Vax helped her up, "Bryn and Boran"
"Yeah, yeah, let's hurry up, shall we? All that time spent running after you lot has wasted most of the day." Boran said as he walked up to the couple and pushed Miel over to Bryn, "if we don't hurry, everyone will start without you"
"What will start?" Keyleth asked
"The festivities, of course" Bryn said as she pushed Percy over to Boran, "Hoshina mentioned there was lots to celebrate, but before that, Mh divh has to get ready as well as her guests" she explained, "you two, fine gentlemen, will go with my brother. And the girls with me" she said and she started pulling Keyleth and Vex away.
"What? but-"
"No buts, lover boy, let's go" Boran said and pushed them in the opposite direction
"Boran" they all stopped and turned to look at Miel, who called him and was now glaring at him, "Yaf mirp zmyp, vorv haf sudd eih xe myijh eruty" she said. Boran only scoffed and continued walking
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Miel, you said you lived near Pryah" Keyleth said
Bryn had taken the girls to what looked like a bath house. She had said that she could feel that they needed to 'recharge' themselves. So they freshened up quickly and got changed.
"I said 'I think' not that I did" Miel said called back. She was behind a screen where Blaze said she had placed her clothes. "I had a bag over my head when I was taken, I didn't see where I was" Miel's eyes widened at the garments she saw instead of her usual clothes.
After a couple seconds of silence, Vex spoke up. "That Boran-guy is a bit of a dick, huh?" she asked, "everyone seems to be happy you're back except for that one"
"That's because my brother is a dick" Bryn said as she came in, "it won't be surprising when he gets what's coming to him in the end. Are you girls ready?"
"Blaze, where are my clothes...and my hair ties?" Miel asked
"They are in your room, I thought you should wear the clothes made for a Lunaguard"
"And what are the clothes for a Lunaguard?" Vex asked
"I don't want to wear it" as they heard her reply immediately, Vex and Keyleth glanced at each other in confusion. Wondering why Miel was acting this way all of a sudden
"Can you at least humor the rest?" Blaze wondered and after a while, they heard Miel sigh
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So what can we expect at this gathering?" Percy asked the warlock as they waited for the girls to meet up with them. Percy was basically trying to figure out more about Miel's village while Vax just stood a small distance away with his arms crossed.
"It's just a feast, nothing special" Boran replied and then glanced at the rogue with a smirk before adding, "just like the trainee we're supposedly celebrating"
Percy stiffened and his eyes widened in shock as he turned to look at Vax in worry. The rogue turned around and glared at the male warlock. "What was that?"
"Just what I said" Boran chuckled, "that girl has always been a disappointment with magic and I can see nothing has changed. I don't know why we're celebrating a failure like her for returning"
By now, it was clear that he was trying to get on Vax's nerves by insulting Miel and Percy was worried about the outcome since the whole group knew how Vax is about his lover.
"You better watch what you say in my presence" Vax growled as he walked closer to Boran.
"Or what? Gonna use The Matron of Raven's armor on me? That doesn't seem very champion of you"
"Listen you-"
"Alright, gentlemen" Percy interrupted and pushed the two away from each other, "we can see where this is going and I suggest that we calm down before one of us does something we'll regret"
"I won't regret anything" Vax muttered in a growl as he glared daggers at Boran
"Regret what?" The boys turned around when they heard Keyleth come up behind Vax.
"Nothing, we're fine here" Percy replied as he pushed Vax further away from Boran, "we were just waiting for you ladies to come back" he chuckled nervously
"Well, we're here" Vex said, "can we get going and go get some food now?"
"Where's Miel?" Vax asked noticing that the female warlock was not with them
"Bryn is walking with her because she's walking with the pace of a turtle" Vex sighed and looked behind them to see the two warlocks walking up to them. Blaze looked like she was trying not to laugh while Miel had a blush on her face and was covering herself with a black cape that she had on for some reason.
"Miel, why are you wearing a cape?" Percy asked. Miel didn't have a cape, so it obviously was weird that she had one on right now.
"Mh divh has agreed to wear the traditional Lunaguard attire" Blaze said happily, but Vax couldn't help but notice that it looked almost fake and forced.
"And what is the traditional Lunaguard attire?" Percy asked wondering why Miel was being self conscious about heat she was wearing all of a sudden
Blaze turned to look at Miel, who let out a sigh. Obviously she did not want to let go of the cape, but it was becoming a hassle to walk slowly because of how she was covering herself. And it's not like the cape was that long anyway. She let out another sigh and let go of the cape.
The black cape fell down and her friends eyes widened when they saw what she was wearing
"Wow, Miel that looks very......nice" Keyleth said with a nervous smile
"I forgot how long your hair was" Vex said as she eyed the long purple locks of the warlock and noticed that part of her hair was covering her face more than usual. Probably for lack of her hair ties to keep most of her hair out of her face.
"Red looks really nice on you, love" Vax said lightly as he came up behind her. Miel blushed as he wrapped his arms around hers. Vax slid his hand down her arm and brought it up so he could see the gold band around her wrist. He didn't know what it was, but something about the golden bands around her wrists, upper arms and ankles unsettled him a bit.
"Vax!" Miel whispered-yelled as she pushed him back. Vax quickly faked a sly smile as he chuckled and shrugged. "Blaze took my clothes, okay. So, she basically forced me to wear it. I could give two shits about the Lunaguard traditional attire"
"Yaf sudd syir uz vorv ducy uz" Bryn said in a sickeningly nice tone
"Am, wmfz fe!" Miel hissed at her, "Ticy fw za zmy wzfeuv oyiwz wa sy til qyz uz ajyr suzm vorv xe val'z mijy za wyy hafr oityw vorhpary."
Her friends glanced at each other in confusion before turning to look back at Miel. Boran walked over to stand on the other side of Miel while his sister was on the opposite side. He leaned in close and whispered into her ear, earning a glare from Vax. Once Boran moved away with a smirk on his face, Miel looked back and forth between the twins and glared at the male. She then sighed angrily and pushed him away as she walked over to her friends. She grabbed Vax's hand and turned to look at Bryn, who had a smile on her face.
"Well! Where is the stupid feast at?" She asked
"You don't know?" Percy asked and Miel just glared at him
"Oh, it's not her fault" Boran chuckled as he and his sister walked ahead of them and they followed, "Miel never went to a feast before. She was too small back then....and syic" Miel growled, "it's at the center of the village so that everyone can participate"
"Except for Miel back then" Bryn whispered quickly as she broke away from the group when they made it to a banquet full of people who had just finished setting up everything. Bryn and Boran lead the small group to the head of one table and as they walked over, all the warlocks around them stopped what they were doing and lowered their heads, almost as if they were in prayer. Percy and Keyleth were sat on one side while Vex and Vax on the opposite side. Boran pulled Miel to the head of the table, between Vax and Percy, kept her there and told her not to sit yet.
Blaze cleared her throat a bit and everyone picked up their head to look at them. "Wydtapy yjyrhaly! sy vory myry za sydtapy kitc afr dawz juddiqy syicdulq -" a sudden cough interrupted Bryn
"Yeah, uh do you mind not speaking in your own tongue?" Vex spoke up as everyone looked at her now
"Yes, don't you think its rude for your guests?" Percy added to back her up
Vax noticed Bryn's eye twitch a bit before she smiled wide, "Of course, how rude of us!" she said, "no worries"
"We are here to welcome back our lost, Village Leader, Miel Lunaguard" Boran announced, in an obviously fake excited voice. Miel glared, knowing that he changed what was said earlier.
"Years ago, our poor Village Leader was taken from us the day before her inauguration and was not able to get her patron along with everyone else in the village" Bryn continued, "that same day, not only did we lose our current Village Leader, but also our previous Lunaguard"
The small group looked at each other and then to their warlock friend and noticed that she was shaking lightly.
"That day was when we had all realized that our young Miel was ready to step up and be a part of the village. For she had stepped up and done what no other Lunaguard had done before" Miel's eyes widened, "Miel had murdered her own parents in order to take the leadership role that she would have waited extra years for!"
The small group of Vox Machina's eyes widened and they whipped their heads to their warlock friend only to see her hair covering her face more than before.
"After her deed was done, our Miel was stolen from us by worthless ruffians and, to add insult to injury, they decided to burn down The Lunaguard House" everyone let out yells of frustration as the group was still in shock of what they just heard, "but she managed to find her way back to us today and tomorrow she shall finally have her patron!"
Vax's eyes widened as Blaze said that. There was a reason Miel didn't have a patron yet and that was because she was still deciding. Yes, she was taking her time in the pace of a turtle, but she was considering her options. He was about to stand and object for her when he felt something force him down. He looked at Miel and noticed that it was Boran, who was standing next to her, with a faint green glow on his hand. Boran looked over at him and smirked before forcing Miel to sit down.
After that, everyone sat down and proceeded to eating everything on the tables. As shocked and concerned that Mini Vox Machina was, they were also starving so they ate what they could but would still glance over to Miel every now and then. Who ate slowly with her hair still hiding her eyes from everyone. Throughout that whole time, she did not say a word to anyone.
After everything was eaten and cleaned Bryn and Boran walked the group away from the feist and close to the edge of the village.
"Excuse me, but um where are we going?" Keyleth asked shyly
Vax looked over at Miel who walked between the twins ahead of them.
"Why, to the Lunaguard House of course" Bryn said
"But you said it was burnt down" Vex said
"Yes, but with our strong magic we were able to recently reconstruct it to its natural glory" Boran said, "so now its good as new" he said as they made it to a huge mansion-like building. "There are multiple rooms inside, you each can decided where you sleep, it doesn't matter and we don't care"
Bryn looked back at the group and Miel, "everything inside has been restored, so even your room should be just as you left it before you were taken from us"
"Thanks" Miel spoke for the first time since their announcement, "we should all head inside, it's been a long day and I'm sure everyone is ready to sleep" she said in a monotoned way
Everyone glanced at each other before they noticed that she motioned for them to go ahead. They stepped forward and up the steps. Vax turned to wait for her when he noticed the twins whispering to her. Whatever they said to her, she didn't reply and walked up the steps.
Once inside, they all noticed how grand and spacious it was inside. The twins and Percy could tell that, just like their parents, Miel's had expensive taste as well. She walked up the steps that were in front of the door, "all the rooms are upstairs" she said and everyone followed after her.
Upstairs it was just simple hallways with doors here and there. "each one is an empty room" she simply said and walked off
"Wow, did you have a big family, Miel?" Keyleth asked awkwardly
"Yes" was all Miel said before she entered a room and closed the door.
"You all don't believe that story do you?" Vax asked quietly as his eyes lingered on the door Miel went through
"Not really" Keyleth replied a bit uncertain but the other two stayed quiet and Vax turned to look at them.
Vex noticed the look he was giving them, "Well what do expect me to say, that's not exactly the story she told us all these years"
"And I wasn't told much about her past" Percy said as he pushed up his glasses
Vax rolled his eyes and turned to go to the room closest to the one Miel went into, "It's obviously not true" he said
"And how do you know, brother?" Vex asked but the rough did not answer and closed the door behind him
Vex only sighed, "whatever, we'll sort this out tomorrow" she said and made her way to a random door, "I'm exhausted right now"
With that, the remaining two also walked to a random door and walked in to settle for the night.
Miel sat at her bay window as she stared out into the black night of her hometown. At this time of night, nothing was lit. There was not a single spec of light around her village.
She let out a sigh as she laid her head back on the wall. She thought back to what the twins told her and tears weld up in her eyes. She rubbed her eyes and waited a couple minutes before she got up and walked to the door. After another few minutes, just to make sure, she walked out and headed towards one of the doors.
She knocked lightly and waited for a bit. When no one answered she remembered what she did earlier in the mist and tried to teleport to the other side of the door. After a few tries she finally made it into the room. She saw the person sleeping on the bed and walked over to them. She lightly placed her hands on the blanket and shook them awake.
Startled awake, they looked over and jumped slightly at the yellow glowing eyes of the warlock staring down at them.
"We need to talk"