Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dinner turned out to be a quiet affair, and honestly, that’s how Vex prefers it. 

No rush to finish or interruption of any kind, just an easy meal filled with light conversation. With all the stress that was ever so quickly shoved onto their plate, it was nice to take some time and pretend it wasn’t there.

‘Although,’ thinks Vex, ‘It’s not like we can turn a complete blind eye. Not with them here.’

For indeed, while Vex would love to imagine that all of her issues didn’t exist for an hour, their guest’s presence (and her brother’s lack of one) made it hard to truly relax. 

The kids were still eating, bundled together in their own private corner, talking quietly amongst themselves. Vex could tell that it wasn’t anything malicious, rather nerves of being in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. 

The rest of her team were doing much of the same. Grog and Pike were still deep in their dinners, and Percy had begun to write something in one of his many notebooks, busy with some sort of project. If she’d let him, that man would work until sunrise. 

‘That reminds me,’ Vex thinks, setting down her dish. Facing everyone, she speaks up, “Well, now that we’re all nearly done, I think we better set up watches for the night. Our normal shifts are not going to work tonight, so it's best we plan who’s taking what.”

Percy raises a hand, “I’ll go first. There are some things I’ve been meaning to fix, and I want to get them done before going to sleep.”

Across from him, Gorgug blinks, “That’s actually a really good point. There are a couple of things I gotta work on, so I might stay up with you.”

Percy’s face flashes with surprise, “You are… an inventor?”

“Mmmm, somewhat. I do try.”

Grog tilts his head, looking confused. “But you have that big axe. I thought you, y’know,” He makes a chopping motion, “Used it.”

“He does both,” says Kristen, placing a hand on the half-orc’s shoulder, “He’s our unwavering barbarian.”

“And,” continues Adaine, “Our amazing artificer, plus many other things. Gorgug really can do it all.”

He ducks his head, “I don't know about that.”

“Take the compliment.”

“Sure.”

Vex nods. “Sounds good then. Then you two can grab the first watch,” she eyes the rest of them, “Any other takers?”

“I’ll grab the second,” says Pike, “I like being up at that hour.”

“Okay,” Vex turns to the girls, “Either you want to volunteer?”

They look at each other and Adaine speaks up, “I was actually thinking that I should take the final watch, I only need four hours, and waking up halfway seems counterintuitive. Is that alright with you?”

Kristen shrugs, “I guess that works. Pike and I can enjoy the night without you.”

Adaine smiles, “Thank you.”

“It’s settled then,” says Vex, “Percy and Gorgug up first, then Pike and Kristen, and finally, Grog, Adaine, and myself will finish up.” She nods to everyone, “We best be getting ready then.”

“Before that,” says Adaine, pulling out a book from her side bag, “We better contact our friends.”

Kristen turns to her, “You got back a Third?”

“Barely, but it will work.” She takes out an odd-looking quill and opens it to a blank page. “Now, what are we saying?”

Vax is in the middle of laying out his bedroll when he hears Fig gasp. He spins on his feet, his weapon already in his hands when he sees the girl standing straight, her eyes glowing a misty blue.

“What’s going on?” asks Scanlan, his posture ready. To his left, Keyleth stands nervous, afraid of the circumstance.

The kids, however, seem unbothered. Riz continues to clean his weapon and Fabian doesn’t even move from his seat, instead asking “Is that who I think it is?”

“Yup,” replies Fig, “Adaine finally called.” The blue mist fades, and Fig is quick to find her bag and dig into it.

Keyleth and Vax share a glance, before turning back to the kids. “Wait, what happened?” 

Not looking up from her bag, Fig calls out, “One of our missing friends, Adaine. That was a Sending of hers. I’m gonna reply here in a minute, I just need to find my notebook.”

Riz looks over. “What did she say?”

Without looking, Fig makes a motion with one hand, and a tiny image appears. It is of an elven girl. She is wearing a blue coat and has a glowing sword at her side. A moment later, the image speaks, the voice likely that of the girl’s. “Fig, we’re okay. Met some other folk and are camping with them tonight. Completely safe. What about you? Any plans? We’ll see you tomorrow. Love you.”

“Huh,” says Vax, staring at the illusion, “Clever.”

“Adaine said that they’re with other people,” says Riz, looking curious, “You don’t suppose they're with your friends, do you?”

Scanlan narrows his eyes, “That would be one hell of a coincidence, would it not?” 

“Scanlan,” Vax pressed, “It’s fine.” 

The gnome raises his hands in defense, “I’m just saying.” 

“The bard is right. I’ll give him that,” says Fabian, crossing his arms, “From what I could tell, this forest is massive. For something like that to have happened, there must be something else going on.” 

Riz turns to his friend. “You think there’s some sort of interference at work?” 

“There very well could be.”

“That,” Keyleth adds, “Or it really is just a coincidence.”

“And remember,” says Fig, deep in her bag, “We’re not even certain that they’re with your friends. So let’s not dig into this too much before we hav- Found it!”

Pulling her hand from the bag, Fig proudly displays a small leather notebook. The color is black and red, and there appears to be a symbol engraved on the front. Vax doesn’t get a chance to look further however, as the girl plops back down and hurriedly opens the book to a middle page. “Okay, how should I respond?”

“Respond?”

Fig rolls her eyes, “To the Sending! We only have five minutes or so before the spell dissipates. What am I telling her?”

Fabian begins immediately. “Let them know that we’re safe and secure for the night.” 

“And that we’re also with people,” continues Riz, “Some folks with missing friends.” He pauses, “Should we mention the attack?”

“Definitely.”

“Absolutely not.”

The two teens glare at each other, with Fig first to respond. “Of course, we're telling them. Riz nearly died. I'm not lying to them about that.”

“It's not about lying,” replies Fabian, “There’s no way in hell we are telling our friends hey-by-the-way-we-were-nearly-murdered and-now-those-same-people-who-nearly-murdered-us-we’re spending-the-night-with and are totally safe.” He meets her eyes. “They would freak. Probably avoid sleeping and try and find us.”

“So you want us to hide this?”

“No,” says Vax, answering for him. “By no means. Once tonight passes and we reunite you with your friends, they should be told.”

Keyleth nods in agreement, though it's a solemn one. “I will never apologize enough for what happened. But it's still our responsibility and our fault at the end of the day. Tell the truth as soon as you meet them.”

Fig, while not completely convinced, relaxes. “Alright. Thanks for that I guess.” She writes for a moment before asking, “Anything else?”

Keyleth nods. “Mention that you are with someone who can Scry and reunite you in the morning. That way, when I do look in on them, they’ll be expecting it.”

The three kids look surprised, and Fabian sits up a little straighter. “You were planning on doing that?”

“Yes,” says Keyleth, smiling slightly, “I would have tried earlier but unfortunately we've had a busy day and I don't have any stronger spells left in my system.”

She nods and jots something else down. After a minute of writing, she calls out, “I think I got something that works. Any other additions or am I free to reply?”

“I think that's everything.”

Fig grins. “Perfect.”

Riz raises an eyebrow. “Can I see what you wrote before you do that?

“Nope,” she replies, the mist returning, “You’ll find out in a second though.” The blue swirls and soon enough, both eyes are aglow. Fig gives the paper one more glance before calling out. “Hey Adaine, we're also alive and safe. A lot of fucking shit happened, we’ll talk about it later.” She thinks for a second before continuing, “Also with people. Gonna Scry tomorrow. Don't stop it. See you tomorrow and rem-“

“Stop. You’re out,” interrupts Riz, “You were done like five words ago.”

Fig waves her hand, the mist fading, “It’s good enough. They're smart, they'll understand.”

Fabian shakes his head amused, “To be fair, I've gotten worse.”

Fig snorts. “You've sent worse. I still remember your reply from the solstice, that entire conversation has been burned into my mind.”

“I'm gonna stop you right there,” says Fabian, raising a hand. “It was not that bad.”

“Are you sure about that?” replies Riz. “I can recite it for you if you need the reminder, it certainly was-”

Before the boy can continue, Scanlan interrupts. “Do we have anything else to do tonight or are we calling it a day?”

Vax thinks for a second. Despite the separation, his routine hasn’t been too disrupted. The camp is secure, their bedrolls are out, and all of their equipment is prepped and ready for tomorrow. “I think the only thing left is watches. We have a normal schedule but with half of us missing, it's going to need some adjustments.”

Scanlan is quick to volunteer. “I’ll take the first watch.”

Fig narrows her eyes. “By yourself? That’s not happening.”

He raises an eyebrow, “Care to join me then?”

“Actually yeah,” agrees Fig, “I will do that. You could use the help.”

The gnome’s expression doesn't change, but Vax catches the flash of something sour in his eyes. 

“Fig,” Riz presses.

The tiefling waves him off. “No, it's fine. Completely fine.” She smiles, all fury and no teeth. “I had plans anyway, so this works out nicely.”

“Actually,” Vax injects, stopping the tension from further building, “Pairing up is a rather good idea. Kiki, are you okay to take second watch and I’ll grab the third?” With her nod, he looks back over at the boys, keeping his body relaxed. Everything is fine. It’s completely and totally fine. “Either of you care to join me?"

Riz goes to speak but Fabian beats him to it. “The Ball can join you. I will manage the second.”

“Fabian.”

“If we woke you up three hours in, there is no way in hell that you would actually go back to sleep.” Fabian turns to his friend. “And you really need the sleep.”

Riz goes to retort but hesitates at the faces of his friends.

Fabian doesn't back down. “Please.”

The boy sags and sits back down. “Okay.”

Fig narrows her eyes. “Promise?”

He nods. “I promise.” 

“Lovely!” says Keyleth, the cheer in her voice stiff. “Let’s start on that, shall we? The faster we sleep, the sooner you’ll see your friends!” She turns to her things, making an obvious show of getting her night gear together. 

All three of the kids looked widely unimpressed by her attempt at optimism, but thankfully none of them called her out on it, instead scattering back into a corner and getting their own things together. Vax stands, his movements fluid, casual, and ready. The moment all three are distracted, he fakes a yawn and mutters under his breath, “Are you gonna be alright Scanlan? You’re awfully prickly with them.”

His friend doesn’t even look in his direction. “I’m just keeping a close eye, that’s all. We’ve dealt with a lot lately, and this entire situation seems a tad too convenient for it all to be an unlucky encounter. I know better than to believe in coincidences.” He shrugs and reaches for his lute. “We all do.”

And isn’t that the truth. 

But even in his solid explanation and even tone, Vax could sense the barest hint of something more. Scanlan was hiding something. Something big. The slight tremor, the constant awareness, a truth that Vax couldn’t quite make out but could tell was buried deep. Something. Something…      S om et h  i  n  g .  .      .

.

.

.

nothing.

Sometimes Vax hated how good of a liar his friend was.

Despite the energy that stirred with the Sending’s return, the rest of the group found their way to sleep shortly after dinner. And for that, Percy is thankful. It’s not that he didn’t like the excitement, Vox Machina made for a wonderful escape from his demons, but it was certainly harder to focus on any kind of work when they were around. 

Thankful, his watch partner made no attempt at conversation, busy with his own work. So with Grog and Pike snoring soundly, and Vex propped in the corner, Percy allowed everything else to fade away as he worked on his projects.

He got all the way through a bundle of arrows and into fixing Retort when it happened. The jammed section of the gun dislodged further, causing a side of the barrel to dent and pinch his finger. 

Percy recoils, barely biting back a curse as he does so. He tosses the gun to the ground and rubs his eyes. “Fucking hell, this is going to be a long night.”

“Everything okay?”

He glances up only to find the wide eyes of Gorgug staring right at him. He waves him off. “It's fine, just a mistake on my part. Nothing that can't be fixed.”

The half-orc tilts his head. “Do you want some help?”

Percy nearly winces. That is a disaster waiting to happen. “I'll be alright, thank you.” But the boy is already moving, setting down his own project to grab Retort off the floor.

“Wait.”

He still doesn't listen, picking up the gun and turning it in his hands.

Finally, Percy reacts, standing up himself and reaching to take the weapon, “Be gentle with that, it's dangerous.”

“I know,” says Gorgug, unbothered by Percy’s frenzy. His eyes narrow when he finds the dent, examining it close and with a careful look. “What happened to it?”

Percy sighs, sitting back down. It's not like the boy can shoot anything right now. “Damn thing jammed on me. Happens a lot. I was trying to fix it and broke it further.”

“So it's salvable?” 

“Most likely. It may take a few hours, but I should be able to get it to work again.”

Gorgug runs his fingers along the barrel, “Maybe I could,” his voice trails off. He presses two figures into the dent and holds. Percy is about to speak up when a soft golden light spills from beneath his hand. He watches in fascination as the blemish reverses, slowly rising and fixing itself until it’s completely gone. Leaving nothing but a polished shine. Undamaged and alright.

“Remarkable.”

He shrugs, giving a small smile. “Artificer remember?”

Percy nods, but his thoughts are slow and distant. A whirlwind of questions and uncertainties rush past him. Eventually, he settles on something. “Well, I can tell that your friends we're not over-exaggerating. You definitely have talent. Thank you for the help. It would have taken me the rest of tonight to fix that.”

Gorgug gives the weapon another look, shaking his head slightly, “I wouldn't thank me too much. All I did was fix the dent, it's still kinda broken. Mending can only do so much.”

“Still, you have eased my workload for tonight. I'd say the thanks is plenty deserved.”

“I’m glad I was able to help.” He hands the weapon back to Percy, “I know what it's like to be up all night working on something, it's never fun.”

“It definitely isn't.” Percy places Retort to his side before continuing, “I am quite surprised. I heard the comment your friends made about your skills, but still, this is unexpected.”

“Yeah I get that a lot,” says Gorgug. “People will see my height and weapon, and think they know everything about me. That all I'm good for is hauling my axe around. It's frustrating but there's not much I can do.”

Percy huffs, “Well clearly that isn't the case. I've only seen you work for a few minutes and I can already tell that you have a keen eye for invention. Not to mention a magic that is definitely suited for it.”

Gorgug seems surprised for a moment before he hangs his head and nods. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“You're most certainly welcome.” Percy pauses, looking past the boy, He nods to the pile on the ground “What were you working on?” 

“Oh, um.” The boy goes rigid, “Nothing special. Just a gift for a friend.”

The lie is far from convincing but Percy doesn’t push it. No need to stir the pot. “Alright. I just wanted to ask. However, you may want to return to it. Best to finish it before bed. I certainly don’t want to be working on this all night.”

Gorgug smiles at that, the tension fading, “Good point.” He returns to his work and Percy does the same. 

But while the rest of the watch is fairly quiet, Percy’s evening is far from lonely.

“Y’know,” says Fig, “I think we have a lot in common.” 

Scanlan doesn’t look up from his work. “Oh yeah?” 

Their watch so far had been a quiet one. Once everyone else went to sleep, they both posted themselves up and kept busy. So far, the girl had said nothing to him, just the occasional glare or hardened look. Scanlan offered a similar courtesy, doing his best to avoid looking at the thing at the two in the corner. He keeps busy, tuning instruments, going through supplies, anything to avoid thinking about the burning the burning the burning the situation at hand.

“Yeah,” she continues. “I mean, don't know for certain or anything but I have a feeling.”

He glances upward and catches her eye. “Like what?”

The girl leans back in her seat, a small grin climbing her face. “For one we're both bards, pretty strong ones at that.” She picks at her nails. “For another, both of us seem pretty headstrong, unable to turn away from a fight even if we tried. And finally,” She slices her palm and meets his gaze. “We're both very talented liars.”

He doesn't react. Not to her. Not to the screaming. “You sound certain.” 

Her smile grows. “But I am. All bards are liars, it's part of the job.”

“Projecting much?”

Fig laughs, humorless and cold. “Your explanation is sound enough, I’ll give you that, but don’t think for a second you’re in the clear.” Her face hardens, and Scanlan sees the girl’s fury for everything that it is. Embers and all. “You do anything, and I mean anything to my friend, a cruel word, a bad joke, so much as a fucking glare. Do anything to him and I promise you that I will drag you to hell myself and fucking keep you there.”

Scanlan doesn’t blink, just continues to stare at the complete and unwavering truth that sits on the girl’s face. A declaration beyond any point of deceit. Sincerity in its highest form. He thinks about her promise and his friends and not the fire and screaming and the screaming and fire she’s calling calling calling he’s screaming dying watching watching watching and the fire and the fire and the fire she’s screaming dying  dyingand their laughing an d he can’t move he’s screaming only watch can only watch watching wa tching watch the fire and f ire and th e fir e a nd t he fi re a nd t he f ir e a nd th e fi r e an d t he f i r e a n d t h e f  i r  e a n d t h e f i r e a n d t h e f i r e a n d t h e f i r e a  n  d t  h e f i r  e  a   n  d    t  h  e       f   i   r  e   

scanlan!

The witch's magic burned.

“Okay.”

Because really, he doesn't care if he goes to hell.

I lov-

he's already there. 

“Do you actually like being up at this hour or were you just being nice?”

Pike pauses, turning from her post at the cave’s entrance towards the human girl behind her. 

“Both actually. Most of my friends prefer either the first or third watch, so I took this watch a lot.” She laughs before adding, “It took me a while but eventually I grew to like it. What’s your preference?”

Kristen shrugs. “It depends on the day. We don’t really have a strict watch schedule. Most of the time one or two of us will watch for a few hours until Adaine takes over. Depending on who is with us or what we are doing sometimes I'll go days without taking a watch. Not to mention, we're not on a quest super often, so most of the time there's no watch to be had.”

“Huh,” says Pike. “Cool.”

Kristen waves her off. “Not really. I mean the fact that you guys have set watches says a lot about your experience.”

“Oh, it's not that big of a deal.” Pike joins her by the fire, “I mean we have been traveling together for a year and a half now, so I would say that it's more routine than anything else.” She pauses, glancing at the girl’s injury, which was now clean and bandaged. Pike healed it best she could, but infection was always a possibility, “How’s the leg?”

“Honestly, I kinda forgot about it,” Kristen untangles herself from the many blankets that cover her. Pulling out her leg, she sets it on the log, unwrapping most of the bandages. “I think it's fine. I wasn’t hanging for too long, and we healed it before anything could really settle.” Giving it another look, she adds, “I think I'll just change the bandages and give it some more healing in the morning. If anything else feels off, I'll use a Lesser Restoration. That should clear it up.” Reaching into her bag, she pulls out some fresh gauze. “Best get started.”

Pike watches the girl work. Her hands are steady and careful. Definitely experienced. “So I take it you’re a cleric then?”

“You got it.” She gives Pike a look, “I take it you are too?”

Pike laughs, “How'd you guess?”

“The symbol around your neck is a pretty good indicator.”

“You got me there.”

The conversation lulls just as Kristen finishes. After tucking the blankets back around her, she asks, “I was wondering, and sorry if this is rude.”

“Yes?”

“Your symbol,” Kristen meets her gaze, “I don’t recognize it. Who do you worship? Sorry, I’m usually better at this kind of thing.”

“Oh,” Pike relaxes and waves her off, “No, it's fine. My goddess isn’t very well known and I’m actually in the process of trying to rebuild her faith. But yeah… to answer your question, I follow Sarenrae, the Everlight, goddess of healing and redemption.”

“Sarenrae?” Kristen is slow to respond, “I’ve never heard her. What is she like? What are her priorities? You mentioned redemption…”

Pike smiles. While respect for the Everlight wasn't hard to find, interest in her was another story. “Her commandants value mercy, patience, and compassion. She aims to inspire the hopeless and guide the lost. Sarenrae carries the belief that anyone who seeks redemption may someday receive it, a belief shared by her followers. As her cleric, I do my best to heal who I can and be a light when hope is diminished.” She dips her head. “I’m far from perfect, but I do my best to live as she requests and be true to who I am.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty great.”

“Sounds like it,” Kristen crosses her arms, thinking hard, “Still, it's weird that I haven’t heard of her.”

“I wouldn't worry about it too much.” She gestures to the girl, “What about you? I don't see a symbol…”

“Oh! I guess it isn’t visible.” Tugging off her blanket and rolling up a sleeve, Kristen reveals a woven bracelet with a series of charms. They’re small rune stones, all except for a larger one that hangs distinct from the rest. The symbol is that of a carved circle of spiraled silver. It flows clockwise, resembling that of a backward C. At its center sits a four-pointed star made from a purple gemstone. It shines in the fire’s light, showing off a polished care. Pike has never seen anything like it. 

“It’s beautiful.”

Kristen smiles and brings it to her chest. “Thanks. I made it myself.”

Pike raises an eyebrow, “And… who is that for exactly?”

“Oh, right. Um, you probably haven’t heard of them either, well maybe…” Kristen thinks for a second before asking, “Have you heard of the Nightmare King?”

“…no?”

“Okay, nevermind.”

Pike blinks hard, her thoughts slow. “You…what?” She clears her throat and tries again. “You worship someone called the Nightmare King?”

To her relief, Kristen looks confused. “What no. Why would you think that?”

“You just said-“

“That was tangent. I didn’t finish. It didn’t count.”

Pike lets out a breath. This girl will kill her. “Then who exactly do you follow?”

Kristen sits up a little straighter and begins. “I worship Goddess Cassandra, deity of magic, mystery, and the night. Have you heard of them?” With Pike’s shake of her head, she continues. “I assumed as much. They don’t exactly have a large following to say the least. Hoping to change that but yeah. Cassandra’s great. She’s very down to earth and incredibly kind. They aim to help, to show you that darkness is nothing to be afraid of and that the unknown is only as scary as you make it out to be. They’re curious and imaginative, always wanting to learn about other people and places. They are wonderful and she wants to find people that care about her so she can care about them! All they want is to show people that they’re not alone, that they don’t have to be alone if she is with them. She… understands what it means to be an outcast, so they want to ensure that no one else has to feel like that if they don’t have to. And yeah…” She trails off and turns away, “Sorry, I know that was a lot at once. I just… they mean a lot to me, and I want other people to care about them too.”

It definitely was a lot of information at once but Pike isn’t gonna say that. Instead, she smiles, “Don’t be sorry. I asked after all. And you’re right, I hadn’t heard of her. But they do sound lovely.” Pike thinks for a second, mulling over the girl’s words. “You said goddess, correct?” 

“Yup.”

“And you’re sure about that?”

“Completely. I know my stuff.” Kristen stretches before adding, “Don’t be too hard on yourself. I knew you probably wouldn’t know of her. It's rare that anyone does.”

Still. “Do they have any other names that they go by? Titles potentially?” 

“Ehh, I don’t think so.” Kristen thinks before adding, “Witch Goddess, maybe? But, I think that’s it.”

Okay, that’s a little weird. While Pike wasn’t too well versed in the deep practices and traditions of the rest of the pantheon, she is keenly aware of the basic commandants of the other gods, much less their names and titles. And nothing about this deity sounds familiar. Pike could see Cassandra being a potential variation of the Moonweaver, but the title ‘Witch Goddess’ is not something that she's ever heard before. And the name itself Cassandra. It seemed a little too down to earth to be a divine name. It could be that they were in fact a minor idol, but Kristen sounded a little too certain about the nature of her worship, and Pike doubted that a cleric seemingly as devoted as her would make that mistake.

No, there was something else going on. Things didn't add up. It was almost like Kristen was… was.

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt, revelation piercing her mind. It couldn’t be, right? There was just no way.

Could it?

She must have made a face because Kristen suddenly looked concerned, “Are you alright?”

Pike waves her off. “Yeah, I'm fine. Just lost in thought. No need to worry!”

Kristen looks skeptical, but simply shrugs and pulls out a heavy tomb from her bag, “Do you mind if I read for a bit? I have some research I need to get done.”

Pike is too scrambled to do anything but agree. “Go right ahead! I'm here if you wanna talk.”

“Sure.”

A cleric. A human cleric. A human cleric that worships a goddess that she’s never heard of. It would fit but.

She snags another look at the girl. Because she really was a girl. And while Kristen seemed capable, it didn’t automatically make her a celestial in the making.

No. Pike could speculate all she wanted; it didn't mean anything.

Unless she proved it. Huh.

Huh.

‘Guess I have a spell to prep in the morning.’ Pike thinks to herself, already preparing for everything that would mean. Because if it was true, if this was it, then they were all in a bigger mess than they thought.

It takes a bit, but through the threat of not recovering his magic, Keyleth is able to coerce Scanlan into sleeping. 

She stares at him for a while. Waiting and watching for him to relax and fall asleep. She’s worried. His attitude is strange, even regarding the circumstance. Keyleth doesn’t know what’s going on but if she had to guess… 

Scanlan’s stubbornness. His abrasiveness and lack of trust. The strangers and the disparity that follows them. It's familiar, bringing her back to an old anger and a bad call. Where they were stressed beyond their wits end and stuck miles underground. It’s distant, these children are by no means mindflayers but there are enough pieces to make a picture. 

Keyleth still thinks about Kraghammer a lot. Her treatment of Kima is something that she’s never quite let go of. Clarota she can handle. She wasn't the only one to have trusted him, and while it didn't turn out the way they hoped, she doesn't regret that trust. But Kima… Kima was all her, only her. Her fear and frustration taking hold, blinding her from the good that she should’ve seen. It's hard to look back on those weeks with anything other than regret and guilt.

So while she doesn't know the specifics, Keyleth has a feeling that she knows exactly what Scanlan is going through.

Keyleth isn’t sure how long she's gone for, trapped in her own head, before a voice finds her ears, breaking her focus.

“Keyleth?”

She startles, coming out of her thoughts only to find Fabian looking at her. “Is everything okay? You’ve been staring at the wall for like twenty minutes.”

“Oh,” her face goes warm, “Have I? Sorry, I didn’t mean to leave everything to you. We are on watch together, I should have been paying better attention if something were to happen-“

He cuts her off, dismissing her concern. “You’re alright. I was wondering. No harm, no foul”

“Thanks.” Keyleth dips her head, “And yes, I am okay.”

“Good.”

“Yeah, good.”

They sit together in tense silence, the awkwardness only growing. ‘Should I say something?’ Keyleth thinks, ‘Apologize again? Would that be too much? I don't wanna be rude. What questions can I ask? Should I even ask questions? He's had a long day and I don't want to put pressure on him but I don’t want to just sit here, that isn’t fair either. Maybe I coul-“

“I wanted to thank you.”

And just like that, her spiral comes to a screeching halt. What? There's no way she heard that right.

“There's no way I heard that right.” Keyleth repeats, glancing up at the boy, “Did you say you wanted to thank me?”

“Yes, I did.”

Still, she doesn't understand. “For what?”

Fabian's eyes flicker over to his companions. “Saving my friends for one. Along with giving us a place to rest and providing us with the way back to the rest of the team in the morning.” Fabian smiles slightly, though it is small. “Though the circumstances were not the best, it has worked out in our favor. But that is entirely because of you. So thank you.”

‘Holy shit,’ she thinks, suddenly nauseous, ‘This is fucked.’

Because really, really, in what world are you attacked by a couple of strangers, completely and nearly murdered, and feel grateful about it? This kid.

The words rush out of her. “Please don’t! Ah-”, Keyleth stops herself, glancing to see if her outburst woke anyone. When no one stirs, she tries again, this time much quieter. “I can’t stress this enough, you don’t need to thank me. You shouldn’t! We were out of line and resorted to violence when it was unnecessary. I know something good came out of that whole incident, but that's not an excuse. I'm glad things turned out okay, but we shouldn't have gotten there.”

Fabian is unfazed. “And I’m telling you, that I am okay with it. I have seen when things have gone wrong, extremely and awfully wrong. One minute, you're untouchable and the next you're fucking falling.” The boy suddenly looks much older than he is, “I have seen that downward spiral before. Have lived it. To be honest, if you hadn't encountered us, I don't know if we would have been okay. I just don’t know.” He smiles, one layered in regret, “So, even though I nearly watched you and your’s murder my best friend, your arrival brought us to safety. And that’s all I care about.”

Keyleth wants to argue, wants to scream at this kid to rethink his priorities, but she takes one look and she can’t. Exhaustion and resolve hang steady on his face and Keyleth knows without a doubt that Fabian would stab himself before he changed his mind. So, she exhales, releasing any anger she can before responding with a quiet, “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Great. Thanks.”

They sit in silence again, neither not knowing what to say before Keyleth clears her throat, pivots as hard as she can, and asks, “So, you and your friends seem fairly experienced, got any fun stories you feel like sharing?”

Fabian visibly relaxes, the odd expression fading from his face, “I have a couple. My friends and I have quite the tendency for trouble. You won’t believe the shit we’ve done.”

“Oh, try me.”

The rest of the shift is spent swapping easy stories, and while she isn’t sure she believes it all (because really, fighting conjured elemental acrobats in a modified time stop brought on by a teenage abjuration wizard is a stretch even for her) but Keyleth smiles anyway and enjoys her night.

And while it’s not what he deserves, what any of them deserve, it’s enough.

Grog could tell as soon as he woke up that things were better. 

That ever-growing pit in his stomach was gone, leaving an old but warm fire. He means what he said, that sword was using him, and Grog feels beyond stupid to have not noticed. 

It was almost like getting drunk. Like, you can't realize that you're losing control until you were totally shitfaced. Grog could feel his energy returned and body relaxed. He wasn’t dying to fight, didn’t feel the overwhelming urge for blood and ruin. He was just Grog, a big buddy, sitting by the fire and staying alert while his friends slept. 

It felt pretty good. 

Vex is awake with him, fixing some of her clothes, Trinket lounging at her feet. Across from them sits the elven girl, Adaine. She hasn’t really done much during the watch, just staring blankly at the fire, with the occasional check of her bags or glance at her friends. Grog wasn’t the smartest guy around but even he could tell that she was scared. Which to be fair, completely understandable. But she didn’t seem to realize that. 

Thankfully, he isn’t the only one watching. 

“What’s wrong darling? You’re staring at that fire like your sanity depends on it.” 

Adaine startles, obviously unprepared for Vex’s question. “I’m fine. Just nervous. Sorry.”

“It’s alright,” says Grog, “Nothin’ to say sorry for.”

“Why are you nervous?” Vex asks, “The separation still bothering you?”

She shrugs, “I guess. But I… I trust my friends to make it through the night. Heavens know they survived worse. But that message. I don’t know… something about it rubbed me the wrong way.” Adaine sighs, starting back into the fire, “I just have a bad feeling that’s all.”

Vex hums. “Well, I can’t promise anything. But if your friends are with ours, they are most likely safe and well-protected. That I know.” Their eyes meet and Vex smiles, “It’s going to be alright. I’m sure of it.”

Adaine nods and relaxes slightly. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

The mood dims and while Adaine does seem to believe the ranger, she's still thinking hard. Time for a distraction.

“Um, Adaine?”

“Yes Mr. Grog?”

“I don’t mean to be nosy, but I noticed you had a sword.”

“Oh!” She perks up a little and takes it out, “You mean this?” Yes he very much did. The sword was long and thin with runic symbols descending down its blade. Along its hilt was a series of eye-like designs, reinforced by the stone eyes placed at the pommel and the guard. Though it was made of silver, the blade appeared almost blue, the fire light catching it in a weird way. It looked like a decoration but also something useful. 

It is weird.

Grog loves it.

“What do you think?” She asks, showing it off. 

“It’s very detailed. And very pretty," Vex gives it a closer look, “But also practical?”

“Yeah, it looks pretty handy in a fight. Like you could really stab someone with it.”

Adaine’s laugh bubbles out of her, “Yeah. I mainly use it as my arcane focus, but it has made for a good weapon on occasion.”

Grog really wants to hold it but he doesn’t want to be rude. Instead, he asks, “Does it have a name?”

“The Sword of Sight.”

Vex snorts, “The name certainly fits.”

Adaine smiles. “Indeed it does. I was surprised too. Elves tend to be flashy with their naming conventions but this one is pretty on the nose.”

“I was going to ask because it does look very Elven. Did your family make this?

Adaine’s face wavers for a second, so quick that Grog barely catches it, but she pushes through with a smile saying, “No, not mine. One of my teammates, Fabian, his grandfather made this a couple hundred years ago, but I don’t know the specifics.”

Grog clears his throat. “Well, uh, thank you for sharing. It really is a cool sword, so yeah…”

She nods and tucks it away, “Don’t mention it. I’m happy to share. And actually…” Adaine turns towards Vex, “I had a question for you.”

“And what’s that?”

She points at Trinket, “What’s your bear’s name?”

Vex smiles wide, bending over to give an extra good pet. “This is Trinket. He is a very good boy and very spoiled.” Trinket huffs and rolls over for a belly rub. “Oh you know it don’t you. You know how loved you are. What a good boy…” She looks up, asking, “You wanna pet him?”

“I would love to.”

Grog watches in quiet contentment as Vex guides the girl, showing her where and how to pet the bear. Trinket loves it, soaking up the attention with joyful vigor. He can't keep the smile off his face when Trinket licks Adaine’s hand and a small squeal escapes her. It’s lovely and small.

Suddenly Adaine stops, a motion not unnoticed by Vex and her bear. Trinket nudges her hand but still she stands and rushes back over to her bag.

'Shit, what now?'

Vex gets up, her face hardening. Worriedly, she asks, “Is everything alright?” Grog can’t help but look towards the entrance, hand reaching for his hammer. 

Thankfully, Adaine is quick to spin back around, something small tucked to her chest. “Everything is alright, I promise. Just being with Trinket reminded me of something.”

“And that is?”

“Him,” Adaine tilts her hands forward, cupping them together to show the thing hidden in them. Grog looks and… is that?

“Is that a spider?” He asks.

Adaine laughs at his tone, “Not for long.”

She sets the creature on her shoulder and gets to work. Pulling out a small blanket, a book, and a series of candles, Adaine spreads everything out, setting up some sort of ritual. The two of them watch as Adaine places the spider in the center of the blanket, with the book open in front of her and for the next hour, begins to cast. It is a constant weave of magic, spinning around her, ebbing and flowing. Occasionally, Adaine’s voice grows louder and he can hear the small chant of some language before it fades back into mumbles. The book pulses in soft blue light, directing and shaping the magic above it. Neither he or Vex interrupt, just watching in careful silence at the spell at hand.

Finally, finally, something changes. The magic freezes and Adaine directs it down towards the spider. It swirls around the creature, creating an orb around it. Grog watches as the orb extends outward before fading away, all the other magic fading with it. And instead of the tiny black spider, there now sits a small round green frog. It ribbits happily and jumps towards Adaine, who catches it with a smile. “There we go. You’re back to normal now.” She looks up at the two of them, an easy look on her face, “This is Bogariel Frogariel, or as I like to call him Bobby the Froggy. My familiar.”

“Was that the spider from a minute ago?” asks Vex.

She nods, “Yes. I briefly had him change forms so we could see into an outlook, but I tucked him away when things got a little… hectic. I haven’t had a chance to change him back until now, so I figured there was no better time since we had an hour.” Adaine lifts him up, “Isn’t he cute?”

Grog grins, “A-duh. He’s like a tiny little ball. It's amazing.”

Vex pokes him and adds, “He definitely is adorable.”

Adaine gets to her feet and brings him higher, “Would you like to hold him?”

“Hell yes! Ah, I mean,” He hesitates, yanking his arms back, “I would… but I’m afraid I’d squish him.”

“But that’s the best part, he can’t be squished.” Adaine closes her hands and squeezes, “See?”

And yeah, she’s right. Because whenever the girl squeezes, the frog only compresses like a pillow, completely unharmed, only to refill moments later. 

“Oh I love that,” remarks Vex, “It’s certainly perfect for Grog away, right Grog?”

But Grog’s not listening, already picking up the tiny creature and hugging it tightly, only to open his hands and watch it expand outward away. As promised, Bobby is unharmed, croaking happily as it soaks up the attention.

It really is a great night.

They’re two hours into the watch before Riz says anything.

It’s not like he’s been ignoring Vax’s questions because Vax hasn’t asked any. Since the pair woke up, each had stuck to their own side and gotten to work with cleaning and readying weapons. 

It's a meticulous kind of task. The one that you don’t really need to think about, but really should. Anything involving weapons required a special kind of concentration, one that Vax wasn't willing to break over some pestering. If the kid wanted to talk to him, he would. For now, the least he could do was respect Riz’s own space and let him do the same. 

Still, Vax couldn't help but watch the boy work. It was odd to see such familiar movements on anyone other than Percival. Especially weird to see them on someone so young. From what Vax could tell, this situation was far beyond Percy, as Riz’s control and understanding of the weapon seemed much older than a few months. 

Something was not adding up.  

But still, Vax did not ask. 

Silently, they finished up their weapons within the first hour, and moved on to other such chores and routines. 

Finally, when Vax catches Riz idle and in between tasks, he remarks, “You are a very talented rogue you know that.” 

Riz pauses, clearly surprised by the comment, “Really?”

Vax nods, “I have some pretty good eyes and even I didn’t realize you were hiding. Nor did my companion. If you hadn’t revealed yourself with your attacks, I never would have known.

“Thanks,” his response is quiet but sincere. He gives a half smile before adding, “Slipping into the shadows is kinda my specialty. It's good to know I’m doing it at it.”

“Oh, I understand completely. I love my friends, but other than my sister, those chuckleheads couldn’t vanish to save their lives.” 

“I’m right there with you. I love my friends, but god do they suck at stealth”

Vax lets out a laugh. “Yeah.” He leans back, steeling himself for a moment. “I don’t intend to be redundant, but I am sorry about the attack. It truly was a mistake.”

Riz shrugs dismissively, “It's alright. I understand why it happened. If I saw a group of strangers with something they shouldn't have had access to, I might have done the same.”

“That doesn't excuse it.

“It doesn't have to. For me, it's enough. And besides,” He looks at the fire, the embers dimmed, “At least it's for a reason I can get behind and not for something else…” Riz trails off, but it isn't hard for Vax to pick up the pieces.

“People often judge you?”

“All the time. Thankfully, it's usually just snide remarks and some glares and not total attempted murder, though that has happened on occasion.” Riz breathes deep, adding, “My friends do a good job at shutting it up but it doesn't stop everything. Nothing I can do about it though.”

Vax nods, though his thoughts are distant, old comments bubbling on his back, “I’d drink to that.” He clears his throat, “No I'm right with you. Even though it's far beyond your control, it's still shit.”

Riz catches his eye, “You know where I'm coming from then.”

“Yeah I do,” he says, not at all bitter. 

“But you’re a half elf.”

“Well, while most folks don't care, Elves tend to be another story. And if you're raised in a city full of them, you're bound to hear some things. Unkind comments especially.”

“…oh. I’m sorry.”

Vax waves him off. “Don’t be. It was a long time ago. Besides, most people are better than that.” He gestures to his friends, “And their opinions aren’t the ones I care about.”

Riz smiles, looking to his own companions. “Agreed.” His eyes drift past them to the camp’s entrance, the first bit of light peeking through. “Not long now.”

“No, not long at all,” Vax relaxes, the ending in sight, “And soon, you'll see your friends again.”

“I think they'll like you.”

“I'm looking forward to it.”

They don't say anything else, content with watching the light grow and change, the morning cometh. 

Dawn was here and Vax was ever thankful for it.

Vex shrugs off a yawn, standing alert in the forest clearing. Around her, her friends stood scattered, all watching the trees with varying levels of intensity. The kids were especially nervous, tucked together in the clearing’s center, their eyes ever searching for their friends.

Morning had been a quick debacle, as everyone was eager for a reunion. Through a series of Sendings, they became aware of the other group status, who were very much alive and alright. Among that relief, their suspicions were also confirmed, with Adaine claiming that both sets of missing friends were indeed with each other.

That sparked a new round of questions for all of them to consider, but for now reunion itself took priority.

Which meant waiting for Keyleth to finish casting her goddamn spell.

Vex allowed her focus to shift from the trees and onto her friends. Percy and Grog looked alright, each clearly in a better mood than they were last night, but Pike… well Pike had a weird look in her eyes, clearly lost in thought. Odd.

She doesn't hesitate to comment, “Are you alright dear?”

Pike blinks, “Huh?”

Vex rolls her eyes, and repeats herself, “I asked if you were alright. You’re obviously lost in thought.” 

Pike goes to speak but hesitates. “I’m okay. Just thinking.” 

“It doesn’t seem like that.”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you.”

Vex is unimpressed. She goes to push further when from the corner of her eye, light flashes from one of the trees. She gives Pike one last look before turning completely to the tree, ears still alert. ‘Please, be them. Please.’

The light shifts to green, scattered before compressing into a single line along the tree. From there, the wood creaks and stretches, a doorway forming, forest visible on the other side. Seconds pass and a number of figures rush through, her brother among them. Vex feels the last of her worry fade as she rushes to meet him, “Vax!”

He’s there immediately, familiar arms wrapped around her as they fall into a hug. Vex goes slack, all of her strength gone. She tucks herself into his shoulder, inhaling leather and steel as she gives into her fear and her anger and her utmost relief. Wetness creeps into the side of her neck as Vax cradles her. She hears him mumble a prayer over and over, words too jumbled for even her to make out. Finally, after her breathing calms and Vax has gone quiet, she quietly states, “What a night, aye brother?”

A wet laugh escapes him, “No shit.” He ruffles her hair, “We’ve definitely had worse though.”

“Oh, without a doubt. Still sucked though.”

“Yeah, it did.”

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me too.”

Vex wipes her eyes and loosens her grip, separating ever so slightly to see the other figures. Like she thought, Scanlan and Keyleth are uninjured, with Pike, Grog and Percy surrounding them, the relief palpable. Beyond them, Gorgug, Adaine and Kristen are embracing three new figures. A half-elven boy with a sword, a tiefling girl with an instrument and a goblin boy in a vest. They're rambunctious, smiling and laughing as they reunite. Vex can’t really make anything out, as they’re all speaking over one another, talking aloud with no rhyme or reason. Vex smiles and leans back into her brother. “They seem to be having fun.”

Vax nods, “No kidding.”

She gives him another squeeze, before letting go and walking over to the rest of her friends. Keyleth gives a quick hug and Scanlan a nod and finally, finally, the seven of them are together.

Percy is first to speak, “It seems you had your hands full last night.”

‘We definitely did,” Vax responds, “But so did you apparently.”

“No question about it.”

“Well, how did you meet them?” Pike asks, “The sendings only told us so much.”

The three glance at each other, looking nervous. Vex narrows her eyes, “What going on with you all? What happened?”

Scanlan clicks tongue and nods to her, “How about you tell your side and then we’ll share ours.”

Percy and Vex exchange a glance. So it’s not just her then. “Alright. Percy and I went hunting last night and while we were out, we heard some odd noises. When we went to look, we found the kids. Kristen, the human girl, had gotten tangled in a snare trap. We got her down and patched her up. They were lost and missing their friends, so we brought them back to camp.”

“After that, they messaged their friends, which is how we figured they were probably with you guys,” Grog continues, “Then they held watch with us last night and here we are.”

Percy adds his own thoughts. “How odd is it that both of our groups were separated like this and they both would find each other ever so conveniently.”

“We were thinking the same thing,” says Vax, “It can't be a coincidence.”

Keyleth nods, “Agreed. I don't think it's the kids doing, but there does seem to be something else going on.”

“Wonderful.” Vex points to her brother, “Now are you gonna share your side or what.”

Vax averts his gaze, “Well…”

Pike crosses her arms, “You guys are being weird. What happened?”

“For your information, they attacked us.”

Everyone startles, snapping their attention towards a voice from behind. Stalking towards them is the tiefling girl from before. Her friends are right on her heels, doing what they can to slow her pace. The half-elven boy grabs her shoulder, “Fig.”

She swats his hand away, “Fabian stop. Don’t defend them.”

“I’m not defending them. I’m just trying to tell the truth.”

“And I’m not? Am I exaggerating then? Making up shit like I always do?”

“That’s not what I said. Fig listen to me.”

The argument builds and finally, Vex processes what the girl said. Interrupting, she asks, "I'm sorry, did you just say they attacked you?”

“Yup.”

“Kinda”

They two glare at each other, about to start again, but Scanlan speaks before they can. “Yes we did,” he confirms, “We did attack them.”

The four are speechless, with Pike sputtering out, “Why?”

“It’s not we acted on purpose,” Vax reasons, “It was a misunderstanding. Something we are trying to figure out ourselves.”

“So?”

“Fig! Stop!”

“You stop! You keep defending them and it pisses me off!”

“Fig-”

Grog injects, “What kind of misunderstanding?”

Keyleth looks torn, “It would clear things up but-”

“You might react poorly,” Vax finishes, his eyes primed on Percy of all people. Just what were they talking about?

Percy looks equally confused, “You’re worried about me of all people?”

“Yes.”

“Very much so.”

That doesn’t sway him. “Seriously? Am I that uncontrollable?”

Vax doesn’t hesitate, “Extremely. Did you really have to ask?”

Percy rolls his eyes, “Fine. If I promise to be rational and not reactive, will you tell the bloody story?”

Keyleth still pushes, “Do you promise? Like really promise? Because Percy we need you to stay calm. And I don’t know if you’ll do that.”

Percy sighs and softens, “Alright yes. I swear on my mother’s name that I will be calm no matter what is shared.” He gives the two half elves another look, “Okay?”

Vax and Keyleth share a glance and nod, “Okay.”

“Now will you stop being vague and tell the damn story?”

“Yeah,” Keyleth looks over to the cluster of kids, “Um, Riz, would you mind showing them?”

Among them, the goblin boy steps forward, reaching for something on his side, “And you’re sure about this?”

Vax nods, “We’re sure. If you could, please.”

Riz lets out a breath before pulling out a long thin weapon. It’s made of wood and metal, something bright blue encased on the handle. He presents it forward and Vex sees the shape move up- oh. Oh. No wonder. In boy’s hands, though clearly different and oddly made, is Percy’s design. A working version of his design.

Fuck.

Her sentiment is clearly shared as Pike’s eyes go wide and Grog grasps a hand on Percy’s shoulder, preventing him from moving. Percy himself stands frozen, a silence that bends and stretches before he quietly asks, “Why do you have that? How do you have that?”

Riz shrugs, “That’s the confusing part. Because I shouldn’t, right?”

The half-elven boy, Fabian, continues, “See, you all seem pretty certain that guns have only been around for the past couple of years, invented by your friend over there, but Riz’s weapon is heirloom, something that’s been around for at least a decade.

“Not to mention the fact that guns have been around for longer than that,” Gorgug adds. He turns to Adaine, “Weren’t guns present during the Solisian border disputes twenty years ago?”

“I’m surprised you remember that. But yes, they were. Firearms have been around for at least a century I think,” Adaine glances at Percy, confused as the rest of them, “And you claim to have invented them? Are you sure?”

Percy rubs his face, an ever-growing mixture of frustration and confusion, “I’m near certain. The idea came to me in the middle of the night, something that I had to forge and perfect on my own. There was nothing similar to my designs, there still isn't. But your weapon,” He looks closely at it, “It's of similar design, but it differs immensely from my own. Even from here, I can tell the mechanism is different. And it looks far too polished to be an imitation.”

Keyleth nods, “That we thought too, though we realized it after the fact. Something weird is going on. Riz shouldn’t have his weapon but he does. How does that make sense?”

“Welp,” Fig claps her hands and smiles, “Seems you guys have a lot figuring out to do. I wish you the best of luck. In the meantime, we’re gonna go. Bye now.”

“Fig,” Riz sighs, “We can’t leave yet.”

“Sure we can,” she argues, “We just need to turn around and walk away. Let these wackos deal with their own issues and we’ll deal with ours.”

Vex narrows her eyes, “Aren’t you all lost? Do you just plan to wander the magical frozen woods until you stumble into your destination? Is that it?”

The girl waves her off, “We'll figure it out. We always do. Anything else seems better than dealing with a bunch of randos who attacked us cause they didn’t know basic history. So yeah, I'll take my chances with the trees.”

Gorgug squeezes her shoulder, “Fig, that’s not the best idea.”

“Yeah,” Kristen agrees, “I know you wanna find Ayda and make sure she’s okay but we've got to be smart about it.”

“And that means figuring out whatever the hell is going on with these guns,” Fabian continues, “Please Fig?”

Before she can answer though, Pike injects, “Actually, I think I know what happened.”

Everyone turns and stares at her. Surprised, Scanlan asks, “You do?”

She nods, “Maybe, I just need to confirm a few things.” Pike takes a few steps forward, so that she is directly in front of all six kids, “Just a quick couple of questions. Where are you guys from again?”

“From Elmville ma’am,” says Fabian, “We’re all students at the Aguefort Adventuring Academy.”

Pike hums, “And where is that exactly?”

“Solace,” Adaine answers, “Just west of Bastion City.”

“Okay. Next question, what is Solace?”

She receives a lot of blank stares at that one, with Kristen stating, “Y’know Solace. Most prominent country in the western world. North of Highcourt, in a stalemate with Fallinel, ring a bell yet?”

“Not in the slightest,” replies Pike, “To my knowledge, and to my friends’ knowledge, that country doesn’t and never has existed.”

Even Fig is caught off guard by that, “Really? You can’t be serious?”

“I am,” Pike swallows hard, “I think you kids are a long ways from home at the moment. Likely across realms if I had to guess.”

The rest of Vox Machina pause at that, with Percy asking, “That seems unlikely Pike. What makes you sure?”

“I mean they fit the description, don’t they?” When they remain confused, she turns back and explains, “I had my suspicions last night when I was talking with Kristen, but a few moments ago I confirmed it. I just casted Detect Good and Evil, and that girl,” she points to Kristen, “Emits more celestial energy than anything I have ever encountered. The fact that she registers as a celestial at all tells you all that it needs to. It’s them, no doubt about it.”

Wheels begin to turn in her head, the answer striking Vex like lightning. She looks, like really looks, at the kids before her. Six figures, all unique. The incorrect information, the oddness of their arrival, the fact that both groups were split and met separately. Percy said it best, didn’t he? That it was ever convenient for things to happen as they did. But it’s more than that. Bigger and more complicated than they ever would have dreamed.

Around her, her friends arrive at the same conclusion, a wide range of expressions that all convey the same message.

“Oh shit.”

Because the entities, the powerful and foreign beings they were warned about, were a bunch of children with guns.

May the Everlight save them indeed.