The warden seemed to nod at Phyrra's request, jerkily striding towards the doorway. The drow commanded it to carry the severed arm of one of its comrades on the way, the construct awkwardly stowing it so as to not draw suspicion - if such a feat was even possible within Carceri. It then continued to the doorway, its dagger rearranging as it thrust its arm into the wall, wrenching it to the side as the doorway opened once again. Despite being only a scant few seconds after the other wardens had left them the hallway was void of any movements save the barest flickering of light on the...now-blue torches. It seemed whatever emergency procedures had been put in place had now died down, hopefully giving the duo the hint of safety in their travels.

Phyrra held her breath as she walked through the door...only two parts of their plan could fail, either when she entered the doorway, or the warden. As she went through she kept her eyes locked, ready to unfurl magic should the suppression of Carceri sever the spell keeping it under her control. She let out a sigh of relief as it seemed to hold fast - after Shavvir entered she ordered it forward and through the door as well, finally letting at least some of the anxiety drop as it entered the prison with her, still obeying her commands.

"You will now lead us to where Molag is being taken. With no detours."

The warden nodded, starting down the hallway with both Phyrra and Shavvir in tow. They stayed close behind, making sure not to leave the aura generated by either the arm or the warden in order to maintain control over their new guide.

Soon, the hallway faded away into the typical labyrinthian hallways of Carceri. The warden took all manner of turns along the way, walking down hallways and passing prison cells of all types. Neither woman could make out the words, the texts of the lower planes lost to them both...and perhaps, it was better that way.

"Phyrra?"

The drow turned to her side, nodding. "What is it, Shavvir?"

The shadar-kai moved close, speaking in hushed tones she hoped would be inaudible to the warden. "We could start a riot. Command it to start opening the doors. It might draw the attention of the other wardens away if prisoners are running loose."

It was a brilliant plan...and it posed little threat of harming them. "Let's wait until we've reached Molag and see the situation. If it's bad, we draw attention then. If it's not, we use it as cover while we make our final escape."

"I like that plan. So, what do we do with the warden in the meantime?"

"We have to bring it with us, wherever we end up. Go too far away from it and I risk severing my control over it." Phyrra looked around, trying to see if anything looked familiar...not that she expected it to. The prison blended together into one metallic blur, the evenly-spaced sconces on the wall doing nothing to differentiate one hallway from the other. If she could read the doors, that would be one thing, but -

They turned another corner, and Phyrra looked past the warden to see where they were going - for once, this looked familiar. Long hallway, no cells...and a blank wall at the end of it. Either they were going outside, or they were returning to Solitary Confinement...and given where they'd first found Molag, one of those seemed more likely than the other…

Zaelynir flitted through the air, weaving his way around the massive projectiles that bore down on him.

They'd been fighting to push forward for a while now, but the endless barrage of sentries made it nearly impossible. Double that with the fact that their rear exit was completely ajar left them completely exposed to whatever wanted to find them...which there was almost certainly a growing list.

Zaelynir's magic was starting to wear thin, the seemingly-endless barrage of fire and lightning dwindling to only his weaker spells. It was taking longer and longer to tear down the weapons of war keeping them pinned in place, and each passing second brought him further and further to a point of total exhaustion - the projectiles that he'd been deftly avoiding before had slowly been drawing closer, his dextrous movements waning under the repeated and taxing flight.

Down below, there was little Maul could do but shield Wake from the assault, his shield raised forward and above him to block the incoming projectiles. He could see the end of the passage - finally. Still, it was nowhere close to them, and even the nigh-impenetrable shield he bore had its limits.

Zaelynir swooped down, wings tucking into his sides as he plummeted to the ground, landing beside Maul. "You're the tactician darling, so what's the plan? I can make a break for it - I think we all could, but it leaves us open. I don't have the fight in me to take out every one of these things...I'd be skewered long before then."

Maul paused for a minute before turning to Wake. The archer was still weak, but he'd been breathing steadily for a few minutes now. "What is your recommendation?"

Wake looked around, seeing the overwhelming odds stacked against them. "We're not intending to come back here...if we can make it to the end, then that's it. I say we rush."

Maul turned back to Zaelynir nodding. "Recommendation seconded. Forward traversal demands aerial assistance."

Zaelynir let out a sigh, nodding as he flapped his wings, hovering only a few feet off the ground at the moment. "I'll draw everything's attention while I can but my strength is waning. If I'm up there alone for too long darling...I'm afraid I might not be coming down on my own terms."

Wake nodded, giving a weak thumbs-up. "We're going to move fast, don't worry. We won't waste your time. Everyone's getting out of here."

"Very well then. Run like the hells, Maul." Zaelynir beat his wings powerfully, taking to the sky once again, seeing the rows of sentries still standing there. They'd taken out dozens already...and yet, that was only a fraction compared to what was left. They easily had a mile-long stretch of path to traverse, likely more...and the incubus would be dodging projectiles the whole way.

He looked down to the ground, seeing Maul throw Wake over his shoulder once more and set off. Zaelynir peppered the sentries with fire - not with the intent to destroy, but rather to distract. Maul couldn't fend for himself down there, but in the skies...in the skies, Zaelynir thrived. His strength was waning, but the short rest on the ground had given him enough time to restore some of his usual dexterity. He soared past projectiles once again, flying ahead of the warforged to ensure his safety. Spears were launched at him two-and-three at a time, some beginning to graze his wings and arms from the complex maneuvers they required him to make.

"This calls for a bit of...distraction." Zaelynir snapped his fingers, and instantly three duplicates appeared around him, mirroring his movements perfectly. They wouldn't last forever, but they'd buy him some much-needed time...hopefully, enough.

With his distractions in tow the incubus pushed forward, keeping pace with the warforged that had fallen into an all-out sprint, not slowing down since its inception. Maul's tall, powerful build gave him long strides, closing the distance faster than any of them could - without the use of magic, of course. Still, Zaelynir's flight speed was enough to comfortably keep up, giving him time to devote himself to avoiding the onslaught of missiles. The sentries seemed more numerous the further they went, the defenses growing against their favor in a final attempt to expel Carceri of any escapees. They were a half-mile from the exit now, and Zaelynir was starting to see some differences between the sentries up ahead...in addition to being more numerous, it seemed there were more surprises in store.

That was his problem, however...Maul just needed to reach the end, and they then needed to carve a defensive position there as they figured out their final plan of escape. Zaelynir continued onwards, spears flying at him from all directions. To his right, one of his illusory duplicates vanished, a spear going right through where its head would be...Zaelynir shuddered, adjusting the other two to be on either side of him.

From the corner of his eye, he saw something new fly at him - a net, and not one that looked like it would simply capture him. In the split second before he reacted he could see arcs of electricity coursing along its lengths as well as sharp spines across every bit of rope that comprised it. He held a hand out, exerting his will on the net, his mind grabbing it as it slowed to a stop, hanging in the air. He carried it forward with him, the Telekinesis struggling to hold such a large object successfully. The mental taxation it brought caused him to lose another one of his clones, a spear blindsiding the one on his left before he could hope to dodge. He hurled the net towards the sentry that shot it, hoping to incapacitate it if not more. With his final clone he put it directly above him, hoping that that might buy him just enough time - they had a little less than a quarter-mile ahead of them. Rather soon, it would be time to start pulverizing the sentries, rather than just dodging them.

Zaelynir continued flying towards the end - it was close now, but the inexorable assault on him was wearing him thin. His third and final clone remained alive - barely. He hurled a fireball forward as another net was thrown at him, more and more of his magic dwindling in this new effort to spare himself - he didn't even know if he'd have enough to break the sentries. The net burned through its center as the incubus flew through it, finding yet another new type of sentry awaiting him...one he wasn't looking forward to. He felt the air begin to vibrate around him and heat up, a low hum beginning to fill the air for just a brief second.

He flew out of the way just before the bolt of lightning erupted from the cannon, singing the air around him. Another blast, smaller than the first, arced towards him, forcing him to plummet closer to the ground in order to dodge it. Further ahead, another of the same sentry was setting its sights on him, the twin cannons readying themselves for their one job of incinerating escaped convicts.

Zaelynir continued to plummet - if he moved fast enough, maybe they couldn't catch him. The second cannon blasted the space just above him, eradicating his final sentry - they'd served long enough. Up ahead, Maul was just about at the outer wall - Zaelynir could tell something was strange about the barrier they'd have to get through, but he didn't have enough time to observe before hitting the ground.

His time on the ground was short - he needed to get up, lest they kill him. "Maul honey, I think we're in a bit over our heads. You figure out the door, and I'll keep distracting them...for as long as I can."

"Understood. Evasive maneuvers required." Maul turned his back on Zaelynir as the incubus launched back into the air - the warforged needed to figure out this door, something that he doubted he could do alone.

It was a swirling, orange mess, almost like a portal - and yet, Maul knew it wasn't. They'd gone through several at this point in their various adventures, and this looked nothing like any of them. He set Wake down, the archer actually managing to stand on his own two legs for the first time since they'd lost Lance.

"What are we dealing with Maul...what now."

Maul peered at the orange, swirling mass in front of him. "Structural composition unknown. Experimentation required."

Wake simply nodded, a wave of nausea rolling over him as he held one hand fast against the wall, nearly falling to his feet. "Okay I'll just...I'll be here."

Maul didn't give a response, slowly moving towards the orange glow. Up above, blasts of thunder arced across the sky along with the cacophony of ammunition being launched...that was not his concern. His concern was escape, to find his people once again...to be free.

As he got closer to the portal-like structure, he could feel intense heat radiating off of it, more intense than anything he'd seen up close before. His inorganic structure made it withstandable, perhaps even survivable - but as soon as he touched it, he realized that was as far as his physiology would carry him.

The stream of energy, whatever it was - it traveled left-to-right across the door, and it seared everything it touched, without remorse. A few millimeters of his appendages had been shorn off, a sizzle remaining on his hand when he quickly retracted. He held up his shield - he'd already expended its power for the time being, but that didn't compromise its structural composition. Still, the barrier tore through that as well, Maul retracting it before too much was lost.

"Barrier consumes indiscriminately. Magical compounds destroyable. Forward advancement procedure - unknown."

Wake looked over, his vision still blurry from the unending pain coursing through him. He could feel the lightning arcing through Lance's body, weakening him just as it weakened himself. Still, for a moment of clarity, he could see the orange haze of the door.

"That's...fuck."

Maul's expression went stern. "Explanation necessary."

"It's...oh, its a, a...a vesuvian barrier. Yeah." Wake's head pounded as he heard the obliteration of a sentry up above. It crashed down onto the ground a second later, shaking the foundations of the walls around them. He craned his neck to the sky, the psychedelic blur of colors above him drowning out any other discernible features.

"Compound unknown. Explanation necessary."

"It's...impenetrable. Magic. Ethereal Plane. Nothing gets through it. It eats through everything. The best you can do is slow it down."

"Further explanation necessary."

"Organic matter." Wake nearly fell to the ground, both hands pressed firmly against the wall as his mind ached recalling what little information he knew about them. "It's lethal, but it dissolves organic matter the slowest. Woods, metals, stones - instant. Flesh? About two inches of it in a minute. Again, lethal...but slow. Slow enough, anyways."

Maul couldn't furrow his brow - he was structurally incapable of it. Confusion as a reaction wasn't something he was built to express. But that last sentence - after that, it was all he was feeling. "Explanation necessary."

"Maul...ah, damnit. Maul, listen to me. Contact the others. Tell them to get to Lance. Tell them they've got…" Wake moved his hand from his sternum to his shoulder blades, head now resting against the wall to support himself. "Oh...four minutes might be optimistic."

Maul shook his head. "Order disobeyed."

Wake grimaced, head slamming against the wall as he finally fell to the ground. Damnit Maul, now's not the time. Listen...you...you can't feel what I'm feeling. Lance...it's like he's dying - I'm dying...every second. I throw myself into that barrier...I die. He gets freed. Everyone makes it out of here. To...to finish the job."

"Alternative methods require exploration. Sacrificial subjects existent within compound."

"No...we don't have time to go back inside, to find someone. We've already been here too long as is - Empyria's probably already built as is. Every second we spend in here, they grow even stronger, making everything we've done more and more pointless. If we don't act now, everyone we've recruited will be marching to their own slaughtering. Now come on...contact the others."

"Order disobeyed. Leadership required. Alternative methods demanded."

"Give me the Sending Stone, Maul. Please. I have to do this either way. You know that I do. If you won't do what has to be done...I will."

Maul pointed to the sky - to Zaelynir dismembering another sentry. Wake couldn't see it, but the incubus was barely staying afloat, wings scorched and riddled with holes, the fireballs he launched barely more than embers. "Sending Stone unavailable."

Wake let out a sigh - in actuality, more like a wheeze. "Call him down."

"Unnecessary." A half-second later, and Zaelynir slammed into the ground, his left wing a charred mess.

"Loves...this is all good, but what progress have you made."

"Give me the Sending Stone, Zaelynir. I know what we have to do."

Zaelynir immediately went to, only for Maul to step between the two of them. "No."

"Maul, damnit...get out of the way."

The incubus took a step back, putting the Sending Stone away. "Maul, explain yourself...and please dear, use your little words, I'd like to not guess."

Maul scowled, an expression he wasn't built for but had figured out how to produce - he'd certainly found use for it over the years. The words were tough to get out - this wasn't any form of a commanding officer and yet, given the circumstances, he was willing to yield to the request. "Wake intends to sacrifice himself opening the barrier. Doing so allows the remainders to escape."

Zaelynir looked back to Wake, his interest piqued. "Oh deary...I didn't know you had it in you. And what do you need the others for...need to tell your girlfriend a final farewell?"

"Need to tell them to get to Lance. You heard them earlier...only way out is a replacement, or death."

Zaelynir let that thought roll about for a minute, responding with a somewhat serious tone. "So this isn't about being the hero then, is it? It's not about you?"

Wake shook his head, wincing as another jolt of pain rolled through his body. "I'm only feeling a simulation of what Lance is going through right now, and even I can't bear to live with it...this was never about me."

"Hmmm...I'll handle it."

"Zaelynir!" Maul roared at the incubus as he took flight, struggling to make it far into the air from the injuries he'd already suffered. Still, the twenty-to-thirty feet of height disparity was enough to keep him out of reach of the incubus.

Up above, Zaelynir reached for the Sending Stone, barely keeping in the air for the time being - it would have to be short communications. "Phyrra. Shavvir. Either of you lovelies available?"

Phyrra heard a familiar voice coming from the Sending Stone and instinctively reached for it. They'd been following behind the warden for a while now, with no signs of stopping. "We're here Zaelynir, what's your status?"

"Oh...I do love to tease you, but frankly now's not the time and I don't have the spirit. Find Lance as fast as you can. Wake's going to do something stupid."

Shavvir heard the communications, promptly leaning over and joining in. "Zaelynir, what's happening? And why?"

Both women heard an audible sigh come through from the other end. "The door out of here dissolves anything it touches. Wake estimates that if he uses himself, however...it'll buy three-to-four minutes for everyone else to get out."

"Uses himself? You don't mean - "

"Yes. I do." Zaelynir's voice was the most serious Phyrra had ever heard it.

"You can't let him do that."

"I - okay darlings, here's our situation. I'm barely in the air, Wake hasn't done anything in a while because he's on the cusp of dying, and Maul is doing the best he can. I can't really tell him not to unless I get back on the ground, in which case I don't think I can get back into the air again. I do think it's a terrible decision, but he made a rather compelling argument and I can't really fight it right now. Unfortunately, I think your only course of action at the moment is to follow it, otherwise Lance is going to be dead in his cell unless you carry him out of here. Now just go."

Both women could hear Zaelynir put away the Sending Stone, and so they did as well. Silence hung in the air between the two of them for what felt like an eternity - Shavvir eventually broke it. "She's right. We have to get him."

"I know. I don't like it...but I'm not losing both of them. I promised to protect Lance, and I failed...this isn't the way it was supposed to get fixed, but neither of us can stop the others..."

Shavvir's face grew stern. Determined. "So we don't. He risked everything for me too, Phyrra...I'm standing beside you because I'm willing to do the same for him. Let's hurry before we lose him forever."

Phyrra nodded, instantly communicating with the warden they'd still been following. "Take us to solitary confinement. Now."

There was no diversion in its course, only two hallways left as it was before reaching the confinement chambers.

"Now open the door."

It did as it was instructed, thrusting its hand forward and opening the door to the confinement ward. Inside, Phyrra could feel the intense magical suppression emanating towards her...they couldn't go in just yet. She reached for the Sending Stone. "Zaelynir, I know you're busy. We're going dark again, but we're near Lance. Once we have him, we'll rush to you as quickly as we can." She didn't wait for a reply.

Just as the drow began taking a step forward, Shavvir held out a hand. "No...you stay here. We need this one to take us out as quickly as possible, and I'm not risking losing your control over it if you enter there."

Phyrra nodded. "Good catch. You remember the lever order?"

"Yes. As soon as he falls, I'm carrying him out. Be here. Be ready."

"And you be wary of guards. They took Molag in here - I don't think you'll be alone this time."

Shavvir gave a confident smirk. "I'll make it out. Trust me." With that, the shadar-kai stepped inside, the warden closing the door behind her at Phyrra's command. She rotated around to hide behind it lest other guards be coming past - despite their predicament, she still needed to keep up appearances.

Inside, however, was another matter. With her magic shut down once again, Shavvir slunk quietly in the shadows, hoping to remain undetected. At the moment, she couldn't see any wardens in here, though she was surprised to see an open passageway from the main chamber - and not the one they'd been through earlier. She avoided it for now, slinking around the corner to the doorway she knew of - the one Lance had been in earlier.

Inside, it was silent - untouched from how they'd left it. Shavir pulled the levers in order, watching as the stone slabs rose and fell in sequence. Once the last one was pulled, the passageway ahead of her was ajar - and inside was not whom she expected.

"Molag?" Shavvir stormed forward, anger heavy in her voice. Once she got inside the cell proper she confirmed it, Lance nowhere to be seen as Molag hung inside a most interesting device. His body was limp, and yet his eyes were wide open, staring at the shadar-kai from his vulnerable position. "Where is Lance?"

The assassin gave a weak smile. "Traded locations...this is my cell."

Shavvir pulled her sword out holding it out. "You're going to help me find him. Is that understood?"

"I thought you'd know more about how - " His words were cut short - by Everlife plunging into his chest. As soon as she did, he fell from the restraining device and into Shavvir's waiting hand. She flung him over her shoulder, the assassin extremely light despite his physical bulk. She moved quickly as soon as she had him, rushing out to the front door. She slammed her fist against the doorway multiple times until it opened, both Shavvir and Molag stumbling out into the entryway. The shadar-kai immediately let go of Molag, letting him slam unceremoniously into the floor.

Before Phyrra could even respond Shavvir held up a hand, deathly seriousness burning in her eyes. "Command your warden to imprison him should he attempt assault on any of us. Then, we continue."

There was a short pause before Phyrra responded. "Okay. It is done."

"Then revive him. Barely."

Phyrra knelt down, giving him the smallest dose of healing that she could - it was enough to bring him back to life, but not much more. Only a moment after he opened his eyes, Everlife was back at his throat, Shavvir's boot slamming into his midsection as he coughed up blood. "What do - "

"No talking from you. Is that understood?" For once, Shavvir saw...fear wasn't quite correct, but close enough. She saw fear in Molag's eyes, a level of understanding as to the situation he was in. All Shavvir got was a simple nod from the assassin before continuing.

"You will do as is instructed, or you will spend the rest of your life dying in that cell of yours, if you even can die of old age, it makes no difference to me. As to what you'll be doing, you'll be getting Lance out of here for us, and now. After that, you will be freeing every conceivable criminal in this establishment, and telling them that if they value their lives they will storm the city of Empyria on the Material plane. Before leaving, you will designate yourself and one other that will travel to the Nine Hells and the Underdark where you will inform the necessary parties that they are to send their designated aid. Is that understood? You may nod in agreement." The entire time, Everlife was still at his throat, the tip of the gleaming blade pressed against his skin.

Molag simply nodded, still pinned to the ground...it was all the response he felt comfortable giving.

Shavvir pulled him up, giving an all-too-fake smile at the assassin. "Good. Now, find Lance before he dies, because if we find him dead I'm going to delight in plunging this blade into your neck and kicking your disembodied head against the walls. Repeatedly." The shadar-kai punctuated the statement with a fake smile and an extended hand, helping Molag back to his feet.

"There are no protocols for what to do should a prisoner be incorrectly placed within an isolation chamber. As you could expect, this isn't a normal occurrence. However…" Molag slipped into his own thoughts for a few seconds. "Any entity caught within maximum security is thus sentenced there...that's the only rule that particularly applies here."

"There was an empty door when we arrived. I think it's too coincidental to be anything else."

"I don't know the rules to open the other doors - I was barely lucid enough to remember mine. Let's go quickly, and hope there isn't any opposition left. Even you, Phyrra. I can guide you two out of here."

The drow seemed skeptical, but agreed nonetheless. The warden's final order was to stand put as Molag swiftly dismantled it, a meager struggle occurring as soon as its first injury took hold. However, the three of them made quick work of it and immediately moved into the isolation chambers once more.

"Every cell has a unique mechanism. The levers you saw before won't be in here. I don't even know what they all are. Some can certainly take more time than…" Molag paused as they walked into the cell. Up ahead was a singular metal walkway surrounded by tall walls. At the base of it, a swirling portal with a greenish tint loomed.

"...others."

Phyrra raised an eyebrow. "Look familiar?"

Molag nodded. "Portal maze. This portal will take us to others. And those to others, and so forth. There's only one correct way through. Pick wrong? You could find yourself wandering about aimlessly. Pick very wrong?" He pointed up, a shaft of metal extending into the air above them. "You fall out here, and hope the landing isn't too rough."

"So it's simple trial and error. You and I can run through, Phyrra can take us back to the entrance if we get too wounded and get us back on our feet. I'll be honest...I'll take this over being crushed alive." Shavvir looked to Phyrra for confirmation, getting a nod from the drow.

"That's...yes, that should be simple. I possess natural healing of my own - I don't even remember where from, in truth. But healing such as yours should make this easy. Keep the arm with you, and be ready to pick up any of us that need it. Are you ready Shavvir?"

Before moving, Shavvir pulled out an ink pen, handing it to Phyrra. "Let's try to hash out a map as we go. No sense taking the same path twice. But yes...Lance is waiting for us. The more attempts at this we have, the better."

The two entered, disappearing as soon as they touched the portal, leaving Phyrra to herself...though not for long. In less than five seconds she heard the sound of falling from above, Shavvir crashing down onto the metal planking. With a grunt she took the pen, drawing a dot that she marked "entrance" as well as four dots in a cross-shaped pattern. She connected one of the dots to the entrance, and then x'd out the one clockwise to it. "This is going to take a while."

Before she'd even left, Molag had joined her, drawing a T-shaped room connected to the cross, marking off one of those exits. "Always draw a new room. Don't ever assume a room you've entered is one that we've been through. We'll seal the gaps later."

The process repeated - sometimes Shavvir made two quick returns, otherwise she was gone for quite a while. The map continued to grow, five, ten, twenty rooms being added - and still, no exit. Molag and Shavvir's trips slowly grew longer as they mapped a deeper path into the maze, hoping that it would be their final time. Phyrra, as well, began to take trips - Shavvir was the first to go, hitting the ground with a sickening thud as the drow quickly picked her up and ran back towards the door where she could heal the shadar-kai. With a sigh, Shavvir returned to the maze, walking back into the first portal.

After the fifth time of helping Shavvir back to her feet, and nearly as many for Molag, doubt began to creep up Phyrra's spine. She carried the shadar-kai back to the entrance of the isolation chamber, bringing her back to life once more.

"Shavvir...if we don't find the end of this soon, I don't know if I'll have enough magic to bring Lance back here. Be careful."

"And if we don't move fast enough, we might not find him in time to bring him back ever. It's a delicate balance...Molag and I are learning more about this every time. I think we're close...we have to be."

Phyrra nodded. "Okay. I'll be here, waiting." The women walked back to the maze, Phyrra taking her spot by the ever-growing map as Shavvir entered back in.

The cycle continued - until Phyrra noticed a difference, one she should have seen, or rather, shouldn't have seen, earlier. Shavvir had been the only one to come from the portal for quite some time, Molag's presence notably absent for the past few minutes. Once again the drow rushed her ally out to the front entrance, expending some of the last dregs of her magic to bring Shavvir back to life - she could only hope Molag had found the way through, or else someone's next fall might be their last.

"Shavvir...trace Molag's path. I think he might have found Lance."

The shadar-kai nodded, grunting as she got back to her feet. "I was beginning to suspect as much. We'd been running into each other from time to time, but I haven't seen him for a while. I thought he might have found a new branch, but…"

"No, you've been back five times and I haven't seen him once. I think I remember the last spot he put on the map." The two women scanned the map, Phyrra putting her finger on one room to the very top of the map. "Here. This is the last thing he made. One entrance...two exits."

"He's been going clockwise when there were multiple exits, we both have. Assuming he didn't change that, I think I can follow it. Let's see...how to get there." Shavvir looked at the map, mentally connecting the rooms in her head as she tried to snake her way up to the top. "Left center, right, right, left, center...and then, hopefully a left."

"Best of luck." Phyrra tried to put on a cheery face, but it didn't come easy to her - repeated healings had drained her energy and her hopes - they'd been running endlessly ever since escaping from their cells here, and she was about at her breaking point.

Shavvir didn't respond simply stepping into the portal - hopefully, for one last time. She took the route she'd planned out, walking through the rooms in turn. Some were familiar - at least, as familiar as the featureless walls could provide, but the arrangement of portals looked familiar. She continued through the rooms, arriving at the final known portal. She stepped through it, entering into the room.

In it were three portals, one of which being the one she'd entered from. To her left...nothing out of the ordinary. To her right, something quite out of the ordinary. It was the only portal she'd seen thus far framed by an archway, nothing particularly spectacular about it, and yet its very presence gave the shadar-kai pause for concern. In any other place, she wouldn't question it...but in a place like Carceri, it could very well be a trap. On top of that, Molag's current trajectory put him going through the left...but would he have changed? Shavvir felt like he would...from what she'd seen of the assassin, it felt like rules only applied to him for as long as he wanted them to, and no longer.

She went through the archway...and on the other side, a dimly lit room. At its rear, Lance was shackled to the wall in a heavily elaborate set of restraints, his eyes lifeless and head hung low. His body was lightly convulsing, a sign of just how weak he was...she couldn't imagine how bad off Wake must be. Below Lance, Molag simply stood, arms folded and looking up towards his apprentice.

"You made it." Molag turned to face Shavvir, no hint of an expression on his face before turning back to Lance. "I was chained here for decades of the Material plane's time, I assume. I lost track of it after a while. Standing here though, watching Lance...I don't see how."

"I'm surprised. Coming from you, that almost sounds like pity."

"It is, actually. I trained Lance up from nothing. He had potential, and I drew it out. Watching him, I'm almost tempted to get him out just to set him free...but I can't go back to this."

Shavvir raised an eyebrow. "You'd turn around and leave, if we didn't have another plan?"

"I wouldn't have agreed to help. I've agreed to our previous arrangement. I would have started early."

"I suppose...I can't argue with - " Shavvir immediately stopped as the restraints around Lance broke free, his body tumbling to the floor. Instinctually Shavvir rushed over, throwing her arms out as the rogue crashed into her, rather than the ground.

"Am I...dead? Again?" Lance once more found himself in inky darkness, his form missing. It wasn't his first experience here, and yet he knew nothing of where he was...or what he was supposed to do here.

"Yes." The cacophony of voices answered back to him abruptly. They'd answered his questions last time as well...though he hadn't asked anything too peculiar.

"Is my brother...okay?"

"No." The answer was just as swift as the last one, sending a chill down Lance's spine...if he had one.

"What happened?"

This time, there was no response...he simply saw a figure walking towards him though the void. It was wispy and ephemeral, barely perceptive to all but the most keen of eyes. Despite that, Lance knew exactly who it was. The rough build, the basic features of its face, its height...there was nobody else it could have been.

"Wake? What's...where am I...and why are you here, and like that? Is this the ethereal plane?"

The form's face settled into a gentle smile. "No Lance...this is what comes after life. If everything went according to plan, you won't be here much longer."

"No...no, but that means that - "

"It's okay...I've lived a life that I can be proud of, and found an end that I can be proud of too. There's still more for you out there. Go live it...finish the fight."

"B-b-but Phyrra! She can - "

Wake shook his head. "No...I'm afraid there won't be much left for even Phyrra to salvage. I don't think you have much time left Lance, so I want to make this quick: continue to be yourself. Be a light for the others. I think they'll need it now, more than ever. The Abyss is a terrifying place...but with you, I know that you'll prevail."

There were millions of things Lance wanted to say all vying for the right to be spoken, resulting in the rogue simply being speechless as the gravity of the situation fell on him. Wake was...gone. His brother...his brother was gone.

"Take my hand, Lance. One last time. We're brothers, right? For your sake, I hope you won't see me for a while...so let's just - "

Lance came to, his arms outstretched in front of him as his eyes were bloodshot from the tears streaming down his cheeks. His vision was too blurry to see the worried expressions of both Shavvir and Phyrra above him, their darkened forms blending into the ceiling above him. He felt a hand take his and try to help him to his feet, but he simply remained on the ground, unable...or perhaps unwilling, to move.

"Lance. Lance?" Phyrra's expression turned from relief back to concern as the rogue didn't seem to get better despite her channeling every last drop of magic that Lolth had bestowed upon her...if it didn't work, there was nothing that she could do.

"Lance...what happened. What did you see?" Shavvir could tell that something else was wrong - what, she wasn't sure of yet. The rogue was clearly alive and yet traumatized beyond belief.

"Bring him back Phyrra...we have to find him, a-a-and you'll bring him back, right? Y-you have to." His eyes were still stained with tears that rolled down his cheeks onto the featureless floor, both women's eyes immediately turning dull at the words.

"Lance...he wanted this. He did this to save you. I - I want to save him too, but I don't know if you can. But...right now, we need to move. If we don't...the sacrifice he made will be in vain.

"No...we have to save him. He...he's going to be okay, right? Right?" His arms were still outstretched in front of him, Phyrra standing up and clasping one in her own as a look of pity formed on her features.

"I'll...I'll do everything that I can...that Lolth can. But we need to move, okay. I'll carry you if I have to...you've been through a lot."

Shavvir actually bent down, picking Lance up as one would a young child. Lance was tall but lean, and Shavvir actually found him easier to carry than she had anticipated. "Let's go, Lance...we'll get you out of here."

The walk to the exit was unsettlingly silent - Lance nestled into the grip that Shavvir had on him, tears dampening her armor the more they walked, passing through the lifeless halls of Carceri until they were eventually led to the door. Phyrra opened it with the severed hand she still carried, leaving it stuck inside as they ventured out into what was beyond the prison. The vividly colored sky seemed almost out of place now - the light retches from Lance, along with the carnage of destroyed towers lining the walls gave a very different tone than the scenery wished to give off.

The two women broke into a light jog as they moved down the massive corridor, eventually coming to the end. They saw the open doorway...along with a sight that both averted their gaze from instantly. Wake's body was pressed against it...or at least, what was left of it. A leg had fallen to the floor, having been shorn off cleanly from his body. His arm was lying beside it, the forearm carved away by whatever force was doing it to him. Shavvir laid a hand over Lance's eyes as they walked forward...as traumatizing as it was for them to see, she couldn't imagine how it would affect Lance. They passed through the door, finding the other two on the other side. Zaelynir actually bore a somber expression, something that seemed out of place on the usually-playful incubus. Next to him, Maul carried the same emotionless expression he always did, but his posture - downward-pointed head, sunken shoulders, slouched back...it was clear this hurt him as well.

"We...have these." Zaelynir held up two glistening coins, identical to what he'd used in Acheron. "He told us to go to the Abyss...I think it would be rude of us not to at this point."

Lance squirmed in Shavvir's grip, the shadar-kai letting go as he fell to the floor. He stood up shortly thereafter, dusting himself off and wiping the stains on his cheeks away. His eyes were still bloodshot, enough so that he looked almost feral. He took a deep breath before speaking, trying to calm his flood of emotions. "I...I saw him. While I was dead, he spoke to me. I'm going to the Abyss. I'm finishing the fight. On my own, if I have to." He was staring at the ground the whole time, too ashamed of his sorry state to look the others in the eyes. Still, his words held conviction, passion...enough so that the others felt it, even without seeing his eyes.

"You aren't alone, Lance." Phyrra moved beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Wake meant something to us all, differently...in a way, I think he's what bound us together for so long. I know what he stood for...and I'm not giving up on it either."

"He was always willing to entertain me, you know. We had quite a few private chats, him and I. I think we learned a lot about each other...I certainly told him more about myself than I thought I would. I'll see this through to the end...for him." Zaelynir's expression had softened before - not quite happiness on his face, but the depression from earlier had seemed to fade.

Maul spoke next...for once, breaking his dialect. "On Acheron, Wake agreed to function as my commanding officer - in Warforged customs, it is the only one you speak like this to. With his passing, it is left to me to determine the next commanding officer. However, I am breaking standard operation procedures and designating four simultaneous replacements. I am attempting to preserve his legacy within you by performing such an act."

Finally, Shavvir...she looked down at the floor, almost ashamed. "I...I saw eye to eye with Wake on quite a few things, but I didn't have anything with him like what you all are describing. We were teammates, we worked together...but that was it. I regret not getting to know him more than I did, and I do not intend to make that mistake with anyone else."

Silence filled the five of them for a few moments until eventually Zaelynir walked over to Lance, extending one of the coins. "I've scouted the area...the River Styx is only a few minute's walk away. I think you should call the Boatman, and take us out of here."

Lance nodded, taking the coin and following Zaelynir's lead, everyone else trailing the two of them. Like the incubus had said, the River Styx was surprisingly close to the exit that they'd taken, the river flowing endlessly in both directions. Lance stood in front of it, holding the coin over the river just as he remembered his brother doing so. "Charon, Lord over the River Styx. I have need of your services."

Just as before, a spectral voice reverberated in their minds as the familiar boat seemed to emerge from beneath the waters, sailing close to them. "Then display your payment."

Lance continued to hold the coin out, trying to remember precisely what Wake had spoken...his mind was a rush of memories of his brother, each vying for his attention. "Here is your coin, boatman."

The vessel stopped in front of the group, Charon's skeletal hand taking the coin from Lance. "What is your destination?"

"The Abyss."

"Your payment suffices. All traveling may now board."

Lance nodded, stepping into the vessel as the other four filed in behind him. Like before, it was barely large enough to fit them...but the empty space beside Lance showed that it could fit at least one more.

"Departing for The Abyss at once."