"You've ruined our banquet, assaulted political allies, and risked the security of the realm." Uriel said as he stood in front of his throne, As the group stood at the bottom

"Throw them in irons!" Uriel shouted angrily making shocking the group. "You heard him. Come with me." A soldier tried saying as he came up to Grog who turned at him and growled. "We did nothing wrong." Vex said in defense as Mara glanced over worried at Percy to see no reaction but a look of defeat "Sovereign, it's been a very long evening." Lady Allura said."I will see that they are properly punished."

"See that you do." Uriel said before walking away from the conversation.

"Allura, something is very wrong with Uriel." Vex states, "He's under the Briarwoods' influence, I can feel it."

"That is a considerable accusation?." Lady Allura questioned . "Do you have proof?"

"No. But I can get it." Vex said with confidence. "I just need time and access to..."

"Emon owes you a debt," Lady Allura said interrupting, "but that does not mean you are above the law. Though perhaps Uriel is being too brash....Until this is resolved, you are hereby confined to your keep under house arrest."

While the others protested "How can you arrest a house?" Grog asked confused. "Okay. Thank you, Lady Allura." Pike said putting her hand on Grog's leg gently

"I'll convene a formal inquiry at once." Lady allura says "Your fate will be determined once we hear the Briarwoods' side of the story" she turned and walked away, mumbling "If they'll even speak to us anymore."

Meanwhile

As sylas drove the carriage, deliah went through the truck frantically looking for her book, which she could not find "Sylas, stop!" She exclaimed

He pulled the reels and the horses came to a halt, she growled in distraction "My book. They have my book!"

The door opened revealing her husband "A minor inconvenience, my love" he replied

"But that tome contains details of our..." "It will avail them of nothing." He stated holding her chin lovingly "Besides, we have the means of retrieving it, don't we?"  He smirked which caused her too

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

The bear and chameleon were separated from the group, trinket protected his buddy s one guard reached for him, scaring him and making him fall back

"Get your filthy hands off my instrument!" Scanlan said angrily jumping trying to grab his lute "The more you resist, the longer this will take." Captain Jarett said as he walked over to Scanlan.  "Come on, man. It's not a weapon!" Scanlan said glaring at the captain, "I just want to serenade the group!"

"Then you're doing us a favor." Vax said across the hall leaning on the wall next to Keyleth and Mara, the gnome glared at him from the corner of his eye

"Your belongings will be returned if you are exonerated. All point of egress to this compound are being surveilled. If you attempt to escape, you will be executed." Captain Jarett said

"Are you fucking joking?" Mara asked in anger but was held back by vax and Keyleth

"I do not joke." Captain Jarett said glaring "I advise that you sit tight and wait for the sovereign's inquiry."

"And what, we're just supposed to sit here?" Grog asked standing up. "You have the run of your keep. I'm sure you will find something to entertain yourselves." Captain Jarett said smug before slamming the door shut.

The group then moved to the kitchen,
Pike was sat in the corner, Grog was heavy lifting two boulders where he got them, Vax and Vex were leaning on separate walls, and Scanlan was looking at the book that Vax had stolen from the Briarwoods, Percy was drawing plans while Mara interacted with Kelyleth as a way of calming down, she made a plant grow which seemed to make Mara feel better, especially when she put it in her hair, Vax looked over his shoulder before looking away rubbing the back of his neck

"Come on. Yep." Grog said grunting as he lifted his weights

"Grog!" Percy yelled out finally annoyed about the sounds the Goliath was making
" what?" He said confused

"I know we have plenty to talk about, but I'm not turning into a vampire, am I?" Vax asked leaning on my chair looking at Vex

"Look in the window Vax." Mara said, the male looked to the window seeing his reflection "I withdraw the question." Vax said embarrassed

"So, what are we waiting for?" Grog asked, "Let's fuck up these guards and bust out of here!" Lifting the weight in the air

"Oh? So, you'd like to be fugitives of the crown, wanted in every corner of Tal'Dorei?" Vax asked crossing his arms resting them on the back of mara's chair.

"If Uriel is under a charm, maybe Pike has a spell that can cure him." Keyleth said with hope as she turned to look at Pike who was still in the corner looking down at the necklace that was broken thanks to Sylas "Um, Pike?" Keyleth asked, "Where'd you go?"

"Huh?" Pike asked turning back towards the group, "Oh, um, I-I don't know. W-What she said"

"Screw all that. We should focus on this book. I mean look at it: dead bodies, wolves. It's some kind of fucked-up evil diary. Ooh, maybe it has evidence that can clear our name." Scanlan said as he flipped through the book.

"Oh really?" Vax asked sitting in the chair next a seat opposite the gnome besides the redhead, pulling the book across the table toward himself. "You think you can actually read this thing?"

"Well, yeah, I mean, I-I only just started translating it. And Delilah's handwriting is, like, the wors but..." Scanlan said getting interrupted by Vax.

"Uh-huh. So, what does it say?" Vax asked not believing Scanlan at all and pushing the book back to scanlan "Oh. Uh, it says 'Pyramid, spirits of the dead,' and right here in tiny letters it says, 'Uh fuck you, Vax'" Scanlan said flipping of Vax.

"Oh, lovely. Care to translate this?" Vax asked flipping off Scanlan with both hands, as they started going back and forth with flipping each other off.

"Can you two stop?" Pike asked angrily turning towards them before turning back around, Then out of nowhere Vex, stood up and pulled the map out from under Percy's hands. "I was using that." Percy said aggravated. "We need to talk. All of us. Percival, you too mara." Vex said leaning on the table looking between the two Percy leaned back in his chair sitting up straight in perfect posture "Certainly." He said "What would you like to discuss, Vex'ahlia?" Percy asked as he sat down also in perfect posture.

"For a start, what the hell happened back there? You never thought to mention that the Briarwoods killed your family?" Vex asked looking at Percy with a glare "Especially when a certain cult leader as you refer to him would show up at the party at uriels or happens to have strong allies"

"Oh! My bad!" Grog yelled as he dropped his weights.

"I wasn't aware he'd show up, he Never attends Public places, let alone have powerful alliee that can kick our asses" Mara stated resting her arms on the table and smacking her head into them.

"And I wasn't aware you were owed information about my past." Percy said staring forward before turning to her

"When your pasts comes to kill us, I'd say we deserve a heads-up." Vex said crossing her arms glaring back at them

"And how exactly where we supposed to know the Briarwoods or mara's enemy would be attending?" Percy asked as he glared at her.

"I want to know about the smoke!" Keyleth yelled standing up making all of them look at her "Sorry. I... d-d... Loud. Sorry."

"Smoke? My weapon burns black powder. Perhaps that's what you saw." Percy said leaning forward on his arms on the table.

"What we saw was you shooting an innocent kid.." Vex said walking to stand to his side "no one in the employ of the Briarwoods is innocent." Percy say looking not looking back at Vex. "The boy knew nothing." Vex said resting her hand on the table glaring at him, leaned closer. "He was terrified!"

"Slightly more so after you exploded his hand." Vax added.

Percy sighed "Maybe I got carried away." Percy said " but you don't know the Briarwoods. What they did to my family."

"Then why don't you tell us?" Keyleth asked looking at him, then turned to Mara " and maybe if you tell us about yourself more, we can also help with what you going through" she says

Percy and Mara look at each other before sighed, and he began telling his story first, "When they arrived in Whitestone, the Briarwoods came as allies. But they brought dark ambitions. An allowed no one to stand in their way. And allowed no one to stand in their way. Not even children. They slaughtered us in cold blood... seizing my ancestral home. Even our tutor, the man my parents entrusted with our safekeeping betrayed us. After enduring weeks of torture, my sister Cassandra and I tried to escape together. But..." he gripped his fist in anger " the Briarwoods know I'm alive now and they are not in the habit of leaving loose ends."

All eyes were on Mara, waiting for her turn, she frowned looking down " you can't help...unless...you could kill me..." she says which they're eyes widened in shock " what?! Wha..no! What good would that do and why in all ....... would any of us kill you?" Kelyleth questions confused
"If you had to pick between protecting, the group and realm...or me.... you'd have to kill Me to protect both" Mara stated

"Um I don't understand...why?" Scanlan asked

"Astoria..." Mara muttered "What?..." vax chuckles "mara that place is a story made up to put children to sleep it isn't..." until she look him dead in the eye, he realised she wasn't joking "Your serious aren't you" his eyes widened "It's not a story it's real" she says "I know cause I'm a descendant of the royal family, And my royal name is melaina...but my grandmother changed it, so I could hide from that man..."

"What? But why is that man hunting you down?" Vex asked looking like she was gonna square up with that man "Cause he wants to use me, to restore Astoria to its once formal glory" Mara replied "Isn't that a good thing? Or does he just want the treasure?" Scanlan asks "No, no it's far from a good thing, and no it's not the treasure he's after, it's the entire kingdom itself he's after" Mara said

"I...still not following" scanlan says, causing her to sigh  "if he gets what he's after Then the whole realm, will come to an end, The entire floating kingdom is a giant weapon, With it, he'll become unstoppable" she explained, while they were shocked by the reveal, she holds her necklace between her thumb and index "My necklace... and I...are the key...it won't work for anyone without the royal blood of Astoria...me.."

"Then why not just throw away the stone?" Percy questions finally speaking "I can't..." Mara sighed "the stone is like the map, it's the only way to track the location of Astoria, if I throw it away, his trackers will find it"

"You've...been carrying this burden...for how long?...." kelyleth asked hesitantly

Mara frowned " ever since I was a child..." she answered,  let's just say they were not happy, After hearing this news, in fact, one of them, the giant actually growled out in anger "Damn it, that bastard!" And went to grab his weights "What are you doing?" Vax asked "I'm gonna go kill him" grog replied, turned to go for the door, which cause the girls eyes to widen and run in front of the door before he can even reach for the nob "No! Grog! You can't!" She exclaimed,  which totally shocked you talk with a surprise by expression of fear in her " Mara?! Calm down! Whats gotten into you!" Vex exclaimed

"He'll kill you!,Please don't go!" The girl cried still holding her arms out "You'll die like my friends did!" Which really start to cause a lot of questions to be risen "What? Mara tell us everything, The whole story this time" pike says

Mara felt uneasy speaking about her past, but began telling the whole story, when she was young she lived with he grandmother in the mountains far far from tal-dore " when I was a little girl, I live with my only living relative, my grandmother far far away in Gondoa, on our farm, After my grandmother died, I was alone, I started raising the animals by myself, it wasn't much, but it was enough for me to live...but then...he showed up..." young Mara was carrying buckets to feed the animals. When she noticed a man with several others approaching the farm "he captured me...and tried to take the stone...but the night, I was taken...the air ship was attacked" little Mara was forced to stay in a room, when all of a sudden, the airship was being attacked, briefcase that contained the necklace, but suddenly an explosion knocked him over as the box was open, the necklace falls out, and moved over to her, she picks it up, another explosion of the window, causes her to retreat to a different location, however the ship was heading down Mara tried to hold on for dear life, but sadly lost a grip, bigger plummeting to the ground below "I fell from the sky...but apparently the gods blessed my survival..." while she was unconscious the necklace and apparently saved her by slowing her fall

A man, a woman and they're group of archaeologist were travelling when they noticed, and also heard the airship crash, but what could the main twos attention is the sudden light somewhere else in the forest, the leaders of the group Approaches and found the young child lying in the grass unconscious, before the light had disappeared, he picked her up and take her with them back to their home, after a few days, the child awoke to find out herself wrapped in bandages, where she sustained some injuries from he attack and crash "When I awoke, I was in a tavern, the man and woman whom came my father and mother" she said

" wait they just adopted you like that?" Scanlan asks weirded out " after learning my past they took me in, and began raising me like their own, they're a caring people, don't judge Scanlan, I'm not the only one, I have many siblings they took in" she scolded " anyway, I was afraid....mercer would find me, so I never returned to my home land...it would be the first place he'd look for me...my father took me on some of his Journeys which is how I met Percy" meanwhile said person smiled fondly at the memories the two had together "however after some time the tavern wasn't visited as much and we really need money, so I started adventuring, became a mercenary, taking on whatever jobs I could get, no matter how incredible dangerous or difficult, eventually i met some people, some of them acquaintances on jobs, But later i became part of a group, because of them, I got to see new places and met new people...but sadly...my happiness wouldn't continue, mercer and the red cloaks found us..." Mara clenched her fists "we tried to fight back...but...I think you can guess the outcome...once again...He killed them all...I was afraid everyone I met would eventually get caught up in my struggle...So I stopped meeting people and focused on my work on gaining money, but I wouldn't go to the tavern, just give it to a member of the family in secret"

"You didn't want him to find your family" vax concluded, which she nodded "But now he's seen you guys and is likely trying to come up with a way to capture you guys, so I won't have a choice but to do as he says" she frowned

"Mara..." pike finally speaks sympathetically

"When worst comes to show your going to have to kill me" she says

"No...no there has to be another way, Ending your life is not the answer" kelyleth said saying what everyone else was thinking the same "It's the only one I've got, I've tried to fight mercer, but...he's much stronger than I am...heck he has power allies" Mara grumbles

"So, what's your plan?" Vex asked as she laid out the map in front again, smirking, the other two smiled slightly

Elsewhere

Sylas stopped the carriage outside of a graveyard, as his wife Delilah steps out, he breaks open the metal gate "I hope this is to your liking." He smirked as she walked pass, removing her glove "You take me to the nicest places~" she flirted, then came to a halt, kneeling down and and began speaking in a foreign tongue the spell "Vassa Foth. Nel Kaza." Her hand became a claw, her purple aura emitting from her hand as her voice echoed "Thrudah klessen foth.Vassa kaldoa za-kana va.Veekor-Brama Uth Sa-Ka!" As she spoke the purple aria moved about the graves and purple veins at her neck, the aura seemed to create some sort of triangle pentagram, as her hands slammed down, the energy shot up int the air, bringing something up with it

Back with the group 

Percy leaned his ear against the wall gently knocking on the outer exterior "The thing about an old keep like this it's quite easy to miss small details." I said as Percy was able to get the hidden wall to open up, leading to a dark passageway, Percy headed down first, Mara next, then Vex, Vax, Scanlan, Grog, Pike, Keyleth. "Could do with some light, Pickle." Vax said to Pike as they walked down the passage. "You, okay? Pikey?" Grog asked the female gnome "Yeah, I-I'm fine." Pike said distracted still. "Keyleth, uh, can't you give us a little sunlight?" Pike asked the druid. "Me? I-I don't know. I've never tried. I get... Oh, just... Oh, come on." She tried making a tiny ball before it went out "Ugh, I can't do it." Keyleth said having no confidence in herself. "Sorry, guys."

"Forget it." Percy said gently "We're here." he pulled a chain that opened a side door on the ground. "And so are we." Captain Jarett standing above with his men, The group groaned in annoyance "Ah, fuck a duck." Vax said

The group were them separated into different rooms, Percy, Mara and kelyleth were tossed into Percy's room "Your group clearly can't be trusted, so we're separating you. Like children." Captain Jarett said, then slammed the door close "Dick." Mara muttered glaring at the door he shut

The guards grunted as they tried to push grog into the room, who held onto the doorframe grunting "no!" repeatedly while he struggled to maintain his grip, until pike spoke "Grog, it's fine." She assured, so he let go of the doorframe and then slammed it closed and  being locked in, meanwhile, after putting the twins and scanlan in the kitchen, the guards were taking away all the cutlery "Aw, you can't take the cutlery!
What if we get hungry?" The gnome argued.

"Eat a f*ck' sandwich." the guard said rudely before slamming the door and locking it behind them "Hey, I don't take orders
from you, assh*le!" Scanlan spat, then scoffs putting his hands in his pocket "Fine, I'll make a sandwich, But not because
he told me to." leaving the twins to talk in private as they walked to the window

"I shouldn't have listened to Percy." Vex muttered "He's out of his mind."

"Ah, he's certainly complicated things." Vax says as he leans himself against the table "There's a way to make
our situation simpler." Vex says as she put her hands on the table. "You and I have escaped from worse." She stated as in the background
Scanlan grunts trying to rip the bread in half " Syngorn. Huh." Vax muttered, as his sister hummed

"Guards might catch the group, but not you and me." She stated

"True." He Agreed with what she said was true

"We could." she said we are putting her in index finger against her chin "Then why aren't we?"he asked flipping something that looks like a knife, she didn't say, seemingly to be fighting with herself, then look towards the gnome in the room, taking his hand out of the jar by which was coated in May, be melted butter, bread, and spreading the substance on the bread

She sighs

Meanwhile, outside, what are the guards, which was patrolling walked past one of the torches, before it suddenly went out, much to this confusion "What?" Causing him to turn and look when he rings and just like the first one, the second torch, the side him blew out "Uh.
Is someone there?" he called out, what he failed to notice, it was something is rushing past in the shadows

With grog and pike

"Oh." Pike breathed while trying to meditate, she sighs shakily "Come on." She don't Gareth as she in a dark place, was the only small dim lights up ahead of her going far out. "Everlight?" She called out, she starts walking around, trying to find the one known as the ever light, she look like she was starting to grow worried "Everlight...Are you there? ..Please?" in reality she starts breathing loudly, as something big was approaching her, getting closer and closer "Ah, come on." She gasped in shock as the person who was walking towards her, turned out to be grog "Oop. Sorry, Pikey." He laughs a little but with out smile "You always talk in your sleep?" He asked "Uh, I..." she sighs " I was meditating." She stated, then turn back to the table with her candles on "Trying to, anyway." She murmured.

"Mm." he hummed, then mutters "God, I wish we had some grub." He begins looking around for food, throwing stuff aside "Got to be something here." He looks inside a box as he walks past pick again, but when you're back "no" he mutters, throwing it behind him

"Ooh, what's this powder?" He asked opening the lid of said jar "Herbs and spices?" He starts gulping it down as pike replied "The ashes of my ancestors." He coughs, then open his mouth and the Ashes pour out "Right." He coughed, before putting the jar right back where he found it, even noticed her necklace on the table and picked it up "Oh, hey, do you use this to talk to your goddess?" He asked and tries speaking to it "Hello? This thing on?" What he didn't notice that was the tears leaking out of her eyes, or the tiny sobs

"Am I talking in the wrong end?" Suddenly hears a hunt and looks down to see pike hugging hi, crying, and looks down concerned "Um...Pike?"

"After that spell hit me, the... the Everlight, I-it's like she can't hear me anymore." She says in a distress voice "Oh. Well, I mean, when people can't hear me, I just shout louder." Grog chuckles, before noticing his efforts to make her laugh didn't work "Um... you try that?" He asked, She replied through he crying" I don't know, Grog. I don't know anymore!"

"Oh. Well,do you think she's mad at you?" He suggested, she sniffled as she looks up to his suggestion "I mean, maybe... maybe you should just say sorry."

Outside

An orc guard was leaning against the wall falling asleep against the wall, snoring softly, when is the blonde elvin guard approached, leaning against the same wall and elbow in the other guard awaken, startling him at first bedpfre glaring with a huff as the man chuckle, as the orc glare at him he took notice of something in the shadows of the door "Hmm?" And grabbed a torch confusing the other guard "Hey. Did you see something?"

"Huh?" Just them both torches blew out, crunching sound is then heard and something splattering on the side of his face "Hmm? Hey. W-What the...?" He looks at the other guard in shock as he sees the guard had blood pouring out ip his mouth, chocking, then arms practically pushed through his torso, he screams ashes dragged up the wall, being crushed against the wall, dying painfully

"Captain Jarett!-" he was cut off, becoming the next victim

With kelyleth, Percy and Mara

Percy was killing time by working on his gun, while Mara sat in the corner holding her gem of her necklace in her hand, kelyleth
Sat on the other desk in the room feeling awkward "So... " she chuckles nervously "Just you me and Mara in here..." Percy pushes a button under the table, which causes it to open up compartments that contained,

"Uriel was mad... huh?" Keyleth said as Percy pulled out the small blue print he'd hidden in his sleeve, "We didn't ruin his entire dinner. Just dessert..." she frowned "Didn't know about your guys past. But I guess none of us ever share that kind of stuff, huh?"

"I didn't exactly go a proper a chance to really share my past, it kinda forced me" Mara say, "I wouldn't have said anything and hop I could just forget." She said with a shrug still playing with her necklace

"I may never see my family again." Keyleth said softly making Percy and Mara stop what we were doing "What?" Percy asked slightly interested. "Yeah. My Aramente." Keyleth said looking down at her feet. "I don't get to go home until I complete it and prove myself worthy." She chuckled sadly at that thought, "Which, might not happen, so..."

"I didn't know that." Percy said softly "I'm just saying. I know you think you two are alone. That we don't know what you guys are going through. But you don't have to be." Keyleth said looking up at us, as Percy kept his back turned. "I appreciate that Keyleth, truly." Mara say with a small smile at the sweet redheaded druid.

"And for the record we think you're damn worthy." Percy said turning to her as Mara nodded agreeing with him. "But there's a world of difference between your struggle and mine" He said, turning back and working on his gun, clicking the parts into place "Whether you succeed or fail, your family is still alive."

"Captain something is in the courtyard." They heard a guard say outside the door to Captain Jarrett as they passed "Outside now. Lieutenant, with me. Quickly" Jarett said as we heard them walk by, the guards open the door, the captain and the rest of the guards marched out, only to find the other two missing "Where have the guards gone?" Captain Jarrett questioned the ordered the others "Fan out." One of the guards approached trinket as the bear starts growling while looking around for what he felt in the around, pascal feeling scared hid behind trinkets ear

"Shh, Hey, what's the fuss, boys?"the guard assured "Nothing's out here." All of a sudden, a hand reached down and grabbed him from in the tree pulling him up screaming while cussing the same blood leaking from the eyes and mouth, his eyes rolled back as he dies, the woman guard found one of the bodies of the guards outside and screams when she's dragged into the darkness, captain jarred gasp at what was happening "Damn."

Grog and pike heard the screaming from the room "That doesn't sound good.We better warn the others."she says, the two run for the door as the screaming continues, grog tries to open it but the door wouldn't budge "It's locked." He states turning back to her  "I don't want
to wreck your shrine."

"Grog, do your Grog thing." She said without hesitation "You got it." He turned back to the door and punched it

Elsewhere

Scanlan was trying to eat his so called sandwich while reading Delilah's book, when some of the butter fell onto the page "Aww. Ugh." Scanlan tried to wipe it off, however got some stuck to his hand, just then grog burst in with pike beside him, causing the three to stop what they were doing "Everybody up! Creepy shit incoming."

They run into the hallway, where they met up with the other three from the opposite side "What's happening?" Kelyleth asked "Where have the guards gone?" Percy injects " and what was that screaming we heard?" Mara asked worried

Just open the door opened and look to see captain Jarrett and two surging guards, who puts his back against the door panting from running "What did you do?" He questioned and all eyes went on to Scanlan. "Don't look at me. All I did was make a hoagie." He said defensively. "Five of my men are dead." Jarett said as he walked towards them "If you didn't kill them, who did?"

Then the room turned dark as a wave of wind, blew through the hall and we could hear whispering voices. "Ah, this can't be good." Mara shivered . "Chancing a guess, it was them." Vax said looking up at the dead whisp looking creatures above .

As two flew down and took out both of the soldiers that were with Captain Jarett and another one grabbed Scanlan flying away with him. "Scanlan!" Keyleth yelled after the bard. "Hang on Scanlan-AHH!!!!" Mara was suddenly grabbed by her feet " mara!" Percy yelled, caught her arm, quickly pulling out a small knife from her book, and stabbing the creature making it howl in pain and drop her, Percy pulled her back to safety

"They want mara and the book!" Vex said as she turned to where Scanlan had dropped the book after being thrown, she ran for it picking it up and running down the hall a little bit turning back to the group. "Keyleth, heads up!" Vex yelled throwing the book as she got tackled by one of the black creatures going through her. Keyleth caught the book transforming into a hare as she hopped away from one of the black creatures.

One of the creatures, began attacking Scanlan making him cry out " Scanlan!" Vax rushed and sliced he creature, however it didn't even cut the damn thing, the creature turned and screeched " damn it!" He cursed

"I got him!" Grog gabbed the gnome and ran back before the creature got him, vax running behind him

"Fall back!" Pike yelled, as Grog grabbed Scanlan, and Pike carried Vex as the group ran into the lit dining room, closing the door behind before they could get in, Scanlan was placed on the table "Aw that sucked." Scanlan said rolling onto his back coughing, black goo leaking from his face and eyes. "We need a way to fight them." Vex said

Captain Jarett spoke up. "No use in you being unarmed anymore." He said as he threw a sword at Vax and a crossbow at Vex. "A trigger? Ew." Vex said holding up the crossbow "I could really use my lute about now." Scanlan groaned from the table. "I thought you said it wasn't a weapon." Jarett said guarding the door. "Obvious lie." Scanlan said

"Not that any of these will do fuck all." Vax commented

Suddenly they heard Keyleth gasp and drop the book, and when all turned to her black goo was also coming out of her eyes and mouth as her head shook back and forth and she was dragged up the wall. The lights then went out and the creatures poked their heads out of the wall. "Keyleth!" Percy yelled stepping forward before getting grabbed by a creature and slammed against the wall black goo coming out of his mouth and eye's as he choked on it.

"Percy no!" Mara yelled going to help when a creature also pushed her against the wall, she starts to cough heavilyas black goo came out of her, Grog tried punching the creature that had held her up, then drops her, leaving her too weak to move, and putting its focus on him "Why, can't I kill you?!" Grog yelled annoyed angrily as the creature phased through him and started to drain him, lifting him up in the air. "I got you, buddy!" Pike cried as she grabbed onto the table to try to pull him down, vex runs around avoiding one's attacks as another appeared before pike

"You creepy fuck," she yelled at the corpse as another shoved his hand in her, slowly draining her before tossing her away. Grog fell onto the table breaking as captain Jarrett ran to him trying to strike a flame with his sword. As the corpses rushed forward, the flames ignited. He waved around the torch which caused the corpses to back away from him. "Oh! The light!" Pike shouted.

"Yeah, now would be a great time to make some more," Scanlan groaned, Pike tried to conjure the spell as it flickered in radiant magic but nothing could hold. "I can't," she whispered.

"Pike!" Vax yelled as the corpses were drawing closer and the torch was beginning to dim. "I said I can't!" she yelled this time. The light from the torch burned out, dimming the room. This allowed the corpse to begin its attack once again. A corpse rushed at them, picking up Vax and another one tackling Vex. "Shit!" Mara grunted trying to get up, only to be pinned down by one of the creatures making her weaker as it drains her

Keyleth was hiding under the table covering her ears from the shrieking "Keyleth, it's time to prove yourself," Percy mustered as he was being drained on the ground. Keyleth wanted to just under the remaining part of the table but her friends needed her more. She fought past the urge as came out and stood on the table.

A ball of light emerged from her hands as she held it up high with a new sense of authority, All the corpses let go of them as they tried to flee from the light. Their forms began to burn as they lost their ability to phase through objects. Vex shot one with a bolt that managed to land into the skull of the corpse, proving they could now be hit. "Now!" Vex shouted. They grabbed the nearest corpses to them and started to beating them, vax jumped up and dragged one, repeatedly stabbing with his dagger, Percy dragged one down, throwing it about before throwing it at the closet breaking the door, mara grabbed a piece of the broken table leg and repeatedly jammed it into the creature, captain Jarrett held the one at the door which struggled against him as vex stabbed it with a sword, the creature vax was stabbing then threw him, off as grog stood back up, ripping part f the metal chandelier and swinging it repeatedly down breaking its skull, All of them yelled until the corpses were dead, The light vanished as Keyleth fell to the ground in exhaustion.

The remains of the corpses disappeared into dust. "Where did those foul things come from?" Jarrett demanded. "We told you. The Briarwoods," Keyleth exclaimed while being held up by Percy.

" and they're ally mercer Frey!" Mara says as vax helped her up "And they'll no doubt send more. We can't stay," Percy added, captain Jarrett pushed himself up with a grunt as he blocked the door. "Don't make us fight you too," Percy pleaded.

"You intend to stop those who did this to my men?" he asked. "You have my word." Jarrett sheathed his sword and opened the door for them. "Then go. Give them hell. And wish me luck trying to explain all this," he said as they left the room.

Time skip

After resting and wiping the goo from their bodies, they all prepared their equipment and outfits to journey to Whitestone, Percy was about to leave with a duffle back, about to reach for the handle when he heard . "No goodbye?" Vex asked as the others stood with her. "I'm going to Whitestone." "And so are we," Keyleth spoke for the group. "If we beat Sylas, then his charm on Uriel will fade," Mara explained.

" and hopefully we can also take down the guy chasing after Mara" kelyleth adds, much to the girl's appreciation

"We can clear our names. Honestly, I wouldn't last a day in prison with this face. Look at me, I'm a snack," Scanlan added.

"We're all with you but...," Vex said as she walked to Percy, placing her finger at his chest, "No more secrets, all right?" "Understood. Thank you. All of you," Percy looked around at all of them, They exited the keep to the outer courtyard where Trinket, with pascal on his head and Jarrett were standing. The twins raced to Trinket as Mara went to her chameleon and he coddled them with a sad expression, knowing he was going to be left. "Oh I know, darling. But you will be safer here at the keep. We will be back soon." Vex and Trinket hugged each other

" I know buddy, but it's not safe bringing you, you stay and keep trinket company okay?" Mara does nuzzled the creature who croaked sadly

Scanlan walked past them still studying the book. "Told you guys this book was a big deal, not that anyone listens to me," he scoffed as he came up to Jarrett. "Eh, what do you want now?" Jarrett pulled out Scanlan's lute from behind him, handing it back to him. "Careful where you aim that thing," Jarrett smirked.

"Hm. See what I mean, a snack," he whispered as Vax pushed him along away from Jarrett.

The group gathered at the front gate, standing looking towards the horizon. "Very well. To Whitestone," Percy announced as they move. "We should probably get some supplies?" Scanlan asked. "I can make a run to Gilmore's," Vax suggested. "Not without me to negotiate," Vex quipped back.

Mara stopped and look back and noticed that Pike was still at the front gate. "Pike? You okay?" she asked causing everyone to turn around. "I'm not going," Pike stated causing everyone to gasp. "W-what do you mean?" Grog asked.

Pike looked down at her holy symbol in sadness. "I can't hear the Everlight. It's like you said Grog, I think I need to tell her sorry. Properly, at a temple."

"Well I'll come with you," Grog suggest as came down to her level, "Like old times, just you and me," he placed his hands on her shoulders to comfort her. "I have to do this alone, buddy," she said as she placed her hand on his, "And they need you."

"Oh--what if I need you?" Grog teared up. Pike also teared up at his reaction and jumped forward to hug him. "You can always talk to me. Even if I'm not around, you'll feel me there with you."Pike came down from Grog, holding back more tears, and walked up to Keyleth. "You're their light now," she said proudly.

Keyleth nodded at her statement, hoping she would prove it right by her. Keyleth helped Grog back to the group as they began their trek to Emon for supplies. Scanlan waved back at Pike who was crying at having to leave her friends behind. Scanlan turned back with a sad expression matching Grog's.

And turned tears her the direction of her destination, to reconnect the everlight

"Don't worry guys. Pike's a badass. I'm sure she will make things right and meet up with us soon," Mara assured. "I sure hope so. It's just not the same without her," Scanlan said. "Then let's hope she comes back real soon so that we can be us fully again. Plus we will get to tell her how we killed a vampire and a witch," she smiled "Yeah," Grog gave a small smile as he clenched into a bit of hope