As the doors slid open still, a sudden voice calls out to the group, "Well done, but I'm afraid you won't be leaving with what you've come all the way here for!"
With this came a bird like screech from a massive beak, yet without the motion of wings that should have gone with it.
"...Voice in my head? Did you get out?" the Jester asked as he looked around.
Clutching his handaxe, the bugbear quickly glanced around. Letting out a snarl, the hairy bruiser readied himself. "Oi, show yaself ya cretin!"
Arm's slightly raising, Latha began to silently draw power for any spell she could think of.
Heart and I would look around the chamber housing the broken bridges we still stood in.
Latha and Harlequin unfortunately didn't see much that they hadn't before. Mister Bump, however, would see the odd tendrils floating aloft, following them up to see a massive brain with a bird like beak screeching out at them again. Heart would see this, as well as the figure standing against the wall from the other side of the broken bridge, far from range, but close enough to see everything and everyone there. With four tendrils hanging from his face like an odd beard of flesh. I would notice this, but I'd also heard the very familiar voice taunting us, and the direction it had come from. Thus drawing my saber as I stepped forward, shielding Heart.
Heart, recognizing the strange being watching them, glared at him, "It won't be like last time!" "You've gotten bold," he remarked while petting one of the brains with legs, just like the one the others had fought at the party.
"Oh bloody 'ell!" The bugbear exclaimed, before whipping his head toward me, "Wait, is dis da fing ya fought before?! Ya could've warned us we were fightin' a brain squid!"
I looked to Mister Bump with a raised brow, "I've never seen that thing before. Falcone's here." Heart spoke up, "He's the one that tried to sell me, and had me kept at the brothel all those months ago."
"Ohhh brain squid?" the jester asked, "That sounds TASTY. Do they cook them with Soy Sauce?"
"Do not let your guard down, and by all the gods do not put that image in my head!" Latha would growl tensely.
"Well ain't dat great..." the bugbear grumbled, bracing himself for a fight. "So, wit one ya wanna take?"
"Fighting a Mindflayer or Giant Brain Octopus. This is like deciding what kind of aneurysm I'd prefer..." Latha trailed off. "I've a few defensive spell and enchantments that might make it a bit easier, but I'll need time to cast them all."
"Ohhh that's a great idea, let's give it a brain aneurysm!" the Jester said, "Buut if we have to pick... I'm leaning towards the scrawny guy."
"I have a score to settle with Falcone," I assured.
Falcone gave a cold snicker, and his movements remained unseen with the aid of his cloak of invisibility. I would suddenly, instinctively press a hand against my chest, as I tried to resist my given command, "Lady Heart has an invitation to Lord Xanathar's dwelling, you should bring her there as ordered, Duke!"
I shook my head, gritting my teeth in defiance.
Seeing the tentacled threats before us, Mister Bump would rush down towards the grell. Eyeing the strange creature cradling the legged brain, he'd stop before the broken bridge, hucking one of his spare handaxes, before continuing on to provide a bugbear barrier between his companions and the wriggling horror.
As he came to a stop before the grell, he drew his other handaxe, and growled. The strange being would be struck by the axe, and let out an offended hiss in response. The grell would let out a screech, and reach out it's tentacles to try and wrap around the bugbear. However it missed in it's attack.
Beyond frustrated with the quick turn of events, I turned on my heel and grabbed for Heart. Unable to sever the strings that puppetted me! Grabbing her by the arm and twisting just so I was now behind her, placing the blade of my saber against Heart's throat, "Sorry..."
Harlequin let out a laugh as he saw me grab Heart, then he ran down the corridor, reaching down and scooping up a stone.
"A thief who hides under a blanket is a shit thief!" he snapped, the stone in his hand glowing before it shot out of his palm at the wall.
Falcone would let out a sharp yell as the stone caught him in the hand, causing him to drop the crystal down to the floor below. Holding his now broken hand, the caped rogue glared at the jester, "And one who hides behind a mask will quickly be forgotten!" He looked over to see that the crystal still had cast its magic on me, and smiled cruelly through his pain.
Fending off the mass of slithering arms, the bugbear would call out, "Aye got me hands full over 'ere!"
Heart would try to shake me off with strength alone, not wanting to hurt me with a spell, I realized. She would begin to slip away, until my blade about pressed against her throat again, with me using all my will power to not let it slash her skin.
"He's over there, guys!" Harlequin says, pointing at the spot where the stone had stopped, "And I broke his hand!"
Raising and focusing, Latha turns her palms outwards towards the jester and, just managing to hold back her nervousness on her choise, unleashes a wave of energy into them, "Harlequin! Whatever you're doing, do it fast!"
Thanks to Latha, Harlequin would feel a boost and a spring in his steps.
Falcone glared at the masked rogue still, and drew his rapier to lunge at him.
With the beaked monstrosity at hand, the bugbear would do his best to make sure it didn't reach the rest of us.
As he then set his sites on Latha. Who was still close to the captive Heart and myself.
Breathing deeply, Latha's eyes flicker from me, to Heart, to the varied opponents surrounding us, options running through her head. For a brief moment, her eyes snap to her enchanted staff as it suddenly flashed, a faint pressure that had begun building at the back of her mind fading. Gritting her teeth, she made her decision.
"Heart, you've been an excellent student and I'm so happy to have known you. For all his faults, I've no doubt The Clown will be done and back before that poor excuse of a pirate can try anything else. Cover your ears right now." And then she moved.
Heart did as told.
Though she would find the blast to not be as problematic as we were concerned about, with her dragon heritage giving her resistance to storm based spells.
I too, having been around Heart while she got used to her magic, would be able to resist the bulk of the spell. However, there would be some pain striking in the ear closest to Latha. Causing me to lower my saber from Heart's throat a bit as I tried to gather myself.
Meanwhile, the alien being would not fair so well! The blast would echo out to him, shaking him where he stood. As a terrible pain rang through his head, causing him to drop his pet to the floor below with an unhealthy splat!
The pale Teifling appeared in front of the abomination, staff raised in a striking position and face set in a near feral snarl of sharp teeth, ready for whatever comes next.
Harlequin laughed as he dodged the slash from Facone's rapier, drawing his own.
"We shall fence like true gentleman." he said, then lashed at the air with his own rapier.
While doing so, Harlequin slipped in his flurry of an attack, knocked prone in the process. With Falcone now looming over him.
"What a joke!" He scoffed while looking down at the masked thief.
"...How's your hand?" the jester taunted.
"About to be the same as your ribs!" Falcone assured with a growl.
The ranger would continue his assault on the beast, swinging away at it with his handaxe in one hand, and buffering back any attacks with his shield. "Ya alright back d'ere?!"
With an unearthly shriek, the tendrils once struggling would fall limp as cold noodles, as the being now dropped to the floor below. Then there would be a loud splat, and a crack from it's beak.
The dwarf looking on, then commented, "There will be a lot more to clean up than black pudding, it seems."
The Mindflayer glared at the spellcaster standing before him.
"How dare you?!" He hissed while trying to grab hold of her with the tendrils attached to his face.
Looking over, I would see our friend in trouble. Fighting against the command given to me, I released Heart and went as close as I could and focused on the mind flayer. Heart would follow suit, focusing as well. The Mindflayer would give a sharp grunt as though something had struck him in the head. While Heart leapt up, with a pair of wings summoned forth to rush over with as she breathed out at the Mindflayer as he dropped Latha. A breath of electricity rushing out at the alien horror.
Harlequin laughed from the ground, kicking his legs up and hopping back up. "Man, you're name is Falcone, but you're more of a... Goose!" he laughed, then swung his rapier in a slash.
Falcone would stumble back, feeling the ledge behind him. Glaring at the masked figure, he then glanced at his usual rival, "I'll be back for you another time, dear boy!"
Coughing, and still on the floor, Latha raised one hand, forcing as much of her magic into her palm as she can and aiming it at the Flayer, "Get out of our city!"
A great swirling sphere of toxic, glowing green ooze burst from the wild sorceress hands, blasting forwards and dead center into the tentacled horror before us.
While already jolting erratically from the dragon breath cast upon it, the Mindflayer now sizzled and writhed from the acid sticking to his flesh. His tendrils flailed about...until they stopped. His eyes rolled back in his head, the last thing he saw were the two women he'd scoffed at before when seeing their seemingly lack of capabilities. Then he crumbled to his knees,until toppling over to join his pet.
With Latha's magic surging through the air, it would then lash out and strike the invisible rogue. Burning away his enchanted cape, the human would suddenly be standing there, and then in his place stood a withered, potted plant.
Heart landed beside Latha, catching her breath now. Looking around, we would see the fight to be over it seemed.
Harlequin stood there, looking at the plant. "...Woah... Did I do that? Or... was he never here? Is anyone really here? Maybe we're all figments in some big being's imagination. And at any moment... I could become the potted plant."
"...Huh, lucky that." Latha would mutter under her breath, adrenaline leaving her near passing out.
Heart caught her, making sure Latha was stable and helped across back to the rest of us.
"... Aye don't know bout dat friend, but Aye do know I'm covered in dat beastie's goo..." Mister Bump said, shaking off the ichor off of his fur.
Watching on, I stayed back from my friends and Heart for the moment.
"That could have gone a lot worse," I chuckled lightly while trying to stop the ringing in his ear.
"I am impressed," the dwarf commented, before looking around, "But what a mess to clean up!"
The clown looked down, grabbing the potted plant in one hand and the crystal in another before he returned to the group. "Look, the Goose left a gander."
"We'd better put him somewhere safe for now," I stated firmly.
"Well... sorry bout da mess den. If ya find me axe, lemme know." Mister Bump said, as he approached the fiendblooded mage, "Ya okay dere?"
"You were amazing Latha!" Heart beamed with pride.
While I looked to Harlequin, "Thanks for what ya did to try an' stop that crystal. Falcone's a coward, an' this fight proved that again."
"Honestly when a guy is holding an orb or something, chances are hitting it is the best choice. Worse case it blows up." He sets down the plant and looks at the crystal. "So... What's it do? Can I use it?"
I blinked in concern as the jester looked over the crystal, "I don't know if that's a good idea."
Latha smiled tiredly at her apprentice and the bugbear, chuckling lightly, "I'm alright, thank you both, I just need a little time to rest."
"Falcone was using that to give orders to Duke, wasn't he?" Heart mentioned with shared worry.
"It's tied to this crystal, a bigger piece of it. I imagine Xanathar has the other piece-"
"Indeed!" A voice chuckled out from behind the slightly opened doors.
From within the vault we'd been heading towards with the dwarf.
"... Aye don't like da sounds of dat..." Mister Bump growled.
Instinctively I moved ahead of Heart, but both of us hurried to the vault.
"...Of course it couldn't just be over." Latha would sigh, straightening herself.
"Oh boy. Round 2 of 3!" Harlequin said as he pocketed the crystal.
The group of us would look inside, finding a now empty vault. The dwarf beside us looking on in shock to see not a single treasure remaining within the large chamber. In the center, was a sickly yellow, greedy, glowing eye, as a voice snickered out, "This went quite well, indeed! The cache of Dragons is now mine, and so the city is too! On to what's next!" His mad laughter filled the chamber, even as his eye vanished from sight.
"What? Hax! I call hacks!" Harlequin exclaimed.
"... well, d'at ain't no good... " Mister Bump uttered, shaking his head.
"What do we do now?" Heart asked the dwarf, or really anyone that might be able to answer.
Seeing the frustration and exhaustion in our crew, I gave a sigh and said, "We head back for now, an' figure somethin' out from there."
The dwarf looked at the staff in his hands, and regretfully handed back over to Heart, "This will protect your dwelling as long as it's there. Take it."
Heart would take back the dragon staff as instructed.
"Again, of course it couldn't just be over..." Latha sighed.
"Well yeah, there's always a boss at the end of a story." the jester shrugged.
We had gotten back to the clock tower in one piece. The city remained unnervingly quiet. Like the calm before a storm. Heart had hidden away the dragon staff for the time being. While I tied the plant that was Falcone to a beam so he couldn't get away if he wanted to once he changed back.
The crew had an idea of what was ahead of us, but we didn't know what to expect at the same time.
"So, on the one hand, we've finally managed to get rid of at least two thirds of the leaders behind our city's current woes." Latha would say somewhat jovially, only for her expression to fall soon after, "On the other Xanathar managed to get away with the treasure..."
His arms crossed and leaning against a wooden beam, the wooly muscle of our group gave a grunt, "Must be plannin to get 'imself a very nice hat."
"One for each eyestalk?" I tried to laugh while pondering over what to do.
"Duke, didn't you say you've been in his lair once before?" Heart recalled.
I nodded, while leaning back against the wall in a similar fashion as my bugbear friend.
"... so, out wit it den" The goblinoid commented, "Yer were able to git in before... how we gonna do dat now?"
"Well, we need a plan first. Chances are without his right hand man, Xanathar's even more paranoid than before," I replied, "As much as I want to go in an' finish this once an' for all."
Heart looked over at the potted plant, "Would having him captured give us leverage at all?"
Looking at the potted plant with an expression that could only be called complicated, Latha shuddered slightly, "Have I mentioned lately how worried I am about the nature of my magic? Because I very much still am."
"I don't even know polymorph..."
Heart looked to Latha , "I'm really impressed with how far you've come along."
Eyeing Latha, the bugbear gave a shrug. "Perhaps ya know it deep witin ya... just, don't know how to pull it out on command."
I shook my head, "Xanathar is loyal to himself an' one...other?"
"... and just who is dis othah?" Bump asked, shifting his weight as he tried to get more comfortable.
"You're not gonna believe me," I replied, "but he has a pet fish. All I know is that he talks to it an' keeps it safer than himself."
At my comment, he raised a brow. "... a pet fish? Well... dat would be cute if it wasn't some kingpin hellbent on ruining da city."
"It's not as cute as it sounds," I assured.
Heart then looked to me, "You won't like it, but I think I have an idea?"
"What's that?" I asked cautiously.
"We need a way for him to let his guard down. So the others can sneak in?" Heart prompted. "You're right, I don't like this," I commented.
"... what exactly are ya suggestin?" Mister Bump asked, a wary tone in his voice.
"I'm already planning the ensuing panic attack..." Latha would tease.
Buttercup was coming in with some warm drinks while the discussion continued, being sure everyone got one. Before standing with Mister Bump and purring against him. He would take a drink, his face flushing a tad red, before wrapping an arm around the feline.
Latha would thank the catgirl, taking a sip as she waited for Heart to continue.
Heart took a deep breath, "Well, bring me to him. He believes you to be under the curse's effect, use that to our advantage?"
"Do ya really think I'm goin' to offer ya as bait?!" I exclaimed.
Harlequin, who had been silent this whole time, suddenly perked up, "Ohh. I got the crystal thing."
"Duke, we need a way in for the others," Heart held her ground.
"What if, I go in, Duke is under my spell and is dragging his wife in?" Harlequin suggested.
"We're not married...?" Heart mentioned, blushing a bit at the idea with me, and glancing at her still gloved hand.
"Mazel Tov!" Harlequin replied.
"In any case, this still involves handin' Heart over to a Maniac that will kill her as soon as he looks at her!" I pointed out.
"Not exactly... not if he wants to gloat first," Heart mentioned.
"Oh please. He's a big scary bad guy." Harlequin says, "He's gonna monologue and gloat about how great he is. Come on, Duke. Read a storybook."
I took a deep breath and released it, looking to my crew and then Heart.
"We've been protectin' ya all this time... if we mess up, all of what we've done..."
"This isn't like you," Heart mentioned gently.
"...As much as it give me a headache to agree with him, Harelquin has a point. Our foe has shown more than a certain flair for the... dramatics." Latha mentioned.
"... Harlequin has a point... we could use his ego to our advantage," Mister Bump agreed as well.
Leaving me looking to both him and Latha, "You too, huh?"
"Did my brain finally crack? Cause I'm hearing my idea is probable?"
I ran a hand through the white streak in my hair, wondering if it the silver strands were spreading. Yet also knowing it was worth a shot. Still I noted, "I hate this..."
Looking at the clown, face flat, Latha spoke, "Well, every dog does have it's day. It seems the same occasionally applies to fools as well."
"I know, I get the first day of April!" Harlequin laughed.
"Now... wut bout da rest of us?" Bump would add in.
"I'll keep our new plant company, water him, talk to him, break-, I mean, make sure he gets sunlight " Buttercup chimed in.
Mister Bump slowly blinked, and took a nervous gulp. "... hopefully he'll be back to normal soon.. and not like having a head bud."
"So, I believe the plan is to bring me to Xanathar, and while he's deciding what to do with me, the rest of you sneak in and find the fish? Go from there and be ready to bring a fight to him?" Heart replied.
"An' if he decides what to do with ya?" I questioned.
"You and Harlequin can keep him talking, or be ready with a counter spell?" Heart answered.
"Oh please, I could talk a tuna into a can." the clown assured, "Or slice him up with a buncha knives. I got knives."
"If all goes well, this will be over soon. All our hard work will pay off," Heart realized, with an air of hope in her voice.
"...I suppose this it then?" Latha would sigh. "Come Hell or high-water, this is likely our best chance to end all this."
"...bada ba bum... bada ba ba bum..." Harlequin started humming.
Mister Bump gave a smirk, and nodded. "We gotta take it before dis chance slips away."
Finally giving a bit of my own smirk, I finally said, "I guess it's decided then?"
Heart nodded, "It seems so?"
"Let's get goin' then?"
"Wooot!" the jester cheered.
"Suppose we should." Spoke the Teifling, standing up.
So I would begin leading them to the villain's hideout. Skullport, going along the third underground level of the Undermountain complex directly beneath Waterdeep and Mount Waterdeep, also known as "The Sargauth Level", named after the subterranean river that passes through it and Skullport was built on.
This meant a bit of traveling carefully so not to be caught along the way. Yet as we drew nearer, the group of us would find it to be oddly quiet the closer we got.
"...Now all we need is a singing kid under the lamplight." Harlequin said.
"If we saw any children around a place like this, it would be a very bad thing. I know from experience..." Latha would trail off at the end of her statement.
Heart raised a brow at this.
"... quiet... too quiet..." Bump stated, sulking along with the group in the darkness.
Still I would lead them to a locked door, brought there from the castle ward's sewers.
"It's funny to think how close we were at times," Heart mentioned to ease me up a little.
I allowed a smile, "I guess we just missed each other?"
The walls of this narrow, spiraling staircase were carved with opened eyes that glowed with a faint, magical light. Heart and I would feel as though we were being watched, or would have had we not snuck by. The crew would remain hidden from this feeling thanks to Mister Bump 's spell. The dimly lit staircase descended for hundreds of feet, ending before a circular stone door.
Then I would position myself behind Heart, who stood ready.
Having used abit of hunter's magic, Bump, like his feared ancestors, was able to make his allies undetectable by the kingpin's magic defenses. A smirk came from his toothy mouth, as he snuck in the shadows.
Despite a few near stumbles and trips, Latha had managed to keep her usual clumsiness at bay... mostly. Keeping to the shadows, hood drawn over everything but her long horns, she followed as well as she could behind Bump.
Harlequin would be in the front, holding the small crystal and placing it in his front pocket for now. He turned to the two behind him.
"Come on, Princess. Your new home awaits~" he ordered with a chuckle. Not a very friendly one.
"Doesn't look so bad," Heart stated boldly.
I held Heart's arms firmly behind her now. Heart tried in vain to get free of my grip.
"Of course, it's not the proper pillows and cozy abode you're used to." the jester scoffed, walking forward, "But hey, my new friend said he'd have something special JUST for you~"
Heart glared at the jester, before trying to give a brave smirk, "Sounds cozy?"
"Oh I bet. You could say it's... like getting buried in the sand at the beach~" Harlequin said, "Except you'll get a nice room with six walls, a locked door, maybe they'll even throw in a pillow. Most people I know don't get anything so snug~" he turned away from her, "Most just get tossed in a ditch." He started walking forward.
I followed after Harlequin, with Heart secure in my grasp. I didn't falter, and Heart dug her feet in for good measure. Harlequin laughed as he led the way down.
"You know, up until that fight, I had to think of a way to bring you here." he said, "At first I thought I'd use a rope, but you'd probably bite it. Then I thought, 'How about a suitcase?' But did you know people can BLEED to death? Like seriously, chop off a few limbs and they just pbbt. Just like that."
"You like to hear yourself talk, don't you?" Heart raised a brow before I slid a gloved hand over her mouth.
"We have something in common!" Harlequin mocked, going down to the door and knocking on it.
Heart glared at the masked rogue, but tried to say nothing at this point.
"Let's go princess," I hissed while following with her still.
The door would slide open, allowing us into a wide chamber.
More eyes were carved into the walls of this room.
Harlequin walked into the chamber, stopping to look at one of the eyes, raising a finger like he was going to poke it, but lowered his hand and continued forward.
"What do we do?" Latha whispered to Bump. "How do we follow them in there?"
To the left of the room,the entrance to another chamber was blocked off by solid Earth.
The bugbear would give Latha a nod, taking her along with her as he continues to sneak in after the others, keeping to the shadows and out of sight. Keeping Latha under his cowl.
"Xanathar, we have a gift for ya!" I called out, "A certain Viper you've been tryin' to get a hold of?"
"Yeah, and I wanna get paid sooner rather than later, so let's get to the surprise pop up of some goons... Or yourself. Either one works."
Harlequin , Heart, and I would then hear a sinister voice in our heads, "A Viper, you say? That is cause for a good pay day, isn't it?"
"Bring her to me," he ordered as an unseen door slid open to allow us into the next chamber.
"...You heard the man." Harlequin said to me. "In."
Heart pushed back against me a bit,only to be shoved forward a tad roughly.
Going in, the group of us would find a long hallway, magically lit, and decorated with several oddly placed statues.
Many of them positioned as though worshipping a being before them, some cowering, others twisted into warped variations of whoever they were before. Some would have mouths and eyes eroded away, others hands were now melded with the floor, and many others simply locked in place. Followers, former recruits trying to run, and servants. All now frozen in stone where they stood, one way or another.
Harlequin was able to keep his composure, while Mister Bump felt sick to his stomach from the twisted sight before him. His fur would stand on end, as he saw the wretched and twisted visages warped in stone.
Latha and I would face these images, surprisingly steady in our stride. While Heart would become a bit shaky, being forced forward by me still behind her.
Harlequin would get close to one, look it over. Then he'd back up, posing his fingers in a three sided square as he moved them to Heart, then at a semi-bare spot in the hall.
Heart managed a glare through her sickened state.
"Bring her forth, don't keep me waiting," the voice from a moment ago hissed from beyond the door at the other end.
"Oops." Harlequin said, lowering his hands and walking forward with Heart and I following.
Heart's knees locked up on her as she stood there among the twisted statues. I would then pick her up, still with a hand over her mouth, to begin carrying her to Xanathar as ordered.
In her head though, she would hear my voice clearly, "I won't let that happen."
She tried to settle the fear in her chest.
While Mister Bump had managed to gather himself in order to follow.
The next door would open to reveal a large circular room. It was once a meeting hall, but had been overrun with treasure reaching from wal lto wall. Our treasure.
The crew of us would look around in vain at first. Then Latha would look up as she noticed a strange shadow cast upon the ground of gold. Carefully, Latha would signal Bump to look upwards with her.
Heart was looking up as well.
Several eyes were watching us from above, focusing on the three of us that were announced. His teal flesh now shining as scales, two ebony horns protruding from the sides of his head, a long lashing tail whipping out from behind it's mass. The eye stalks moved back and forth, attached to wispy, yet strong framed wings. With one central eye looking down at them from within an ever open maw.
Mister Bump would quietly utter, "... shit."
Heart's eyes went wide as she tried again to gather her composure. As she managed to swallow her fear to glare up at the warped beholder.
"...I want to go back to the Library." Latha whispered under her breath.
The clown noticed Heart looking up, and his mask followed her up and up, seeing the large monster glaring down at them.
"Damn... boy... he thicc..." Harlequin said softly, but his joking demeanor had faltered slightly.
"I see you've brought me a little Viper to keep, I've waited a long while for this!" He gave a dark laugh.
Xanathar looked over Harlequin , Heart, and I. The corners of his eternally opened maw curved into a delighted smile, that of contempt and hunger all the same
Mister Bump and Latha seemed to still be hidden from his sights. That, or he was too focused on the gift brought to him.
"...So hey!" the masked clown said, "Yes she is, and you! Well you're the big bad wolf in the city, eh?"
"I believe I have achieved far more than some howling dog. The city belongs to me, every alley, every brick, every being within it, is my domain!" He gave a growling laugh, "As it grows, as does my power over it!"
"Yeah man, I hear it!" Harlequin replied, "You don't just own the streets, you ARE the streets! The bricks are your scales, the people are your eyes, the water's your spit!"
"Exactly!" He hissed while starting to slither and fly down to us, keeping a close eye set on Heart. One of his wing tip eyes in particular.
Latha looked up at her bugbear companion, decidedly less sure now then when their mission had started.
"What do we do now? We've only just gotten in and things are already going sideways." She whispers.
He would furrow his brow, and started to look around...
"Damn man that's so... DEEP." Harlequin stated, "Man nobles and kings, they rule above, from a distance, but you're actually IN it! You take charge! That's the kinda shit I can get behind!
Heart glanced at Harlequin, while I watched Xanathar still, not saying anything yet. Mister Bump would take in the large room itself, once being an audience chamber where Xanathar would give his men missions, or make examples of them on a whim. To our right he would notice a closed door. Across from them the door that was there was no more. Completely sealed. In this circular room, a vast treasure rested at our feet, piles upon piles of gold, gems, and odd items strewn about.
All the while, Harlequin was keeping his attention on Xanathar as he drew nearer.
Latha would notice the treasure in general, but mostly the eyedrake drawing closer to the couple and our masked friend.
"So...why bring this offering? Are you looking to buy some favor?" Xanathar mused, looking at Harlequin.
Mister Bump would whisper to the mage, making sure to keep her obscured, "Way Aye sees it... we eithah take advantage of our friend chattin it up, and attack... or we can go into dat room over there, and see if we can find... leverage."
Mister Bump would also take notice of something shimmering from the end of Xanathar's tail as it coiled around a large hand sized crystal, with pieces of it clearly broken off.
Grimacing, Latha would nod.
"You're right, our best bet right now is to stick with the plan and... and get the fish." The teifling would trail off lamely.
The bugbear's eyes would go wide, as he nudged Latha. "Wait a minute dere... dat crystal... he's holdin' dat crystal keeping Duke undah control dere..."
Following Bump's gaze, Latha's eyes would widen as well.
"Got somefing dat could take care of dat?" the bugbear asked.
"Baby you know it." Harlequin said, "...Well... Yeah and no. Look, I'm not well in the head, but I can see when you're fighting a losing game." he says, "I just want in on some fun, rob some REAL people, not fall into this 'noble thief' bullshit everyone's preaching about."
"Is that so?" The eyedrake snickered, "You're smart, and clearly know not to cross me in such a way? I would make short work of a clown like you if I saw the need to."
Then he also looked at me, "And you lead him here? Without my needing to summon you?" The crystal his tail held onto began to glow, and I braced myself, but didn't flinch, "Why fight it? You need men it seems, an' I want to do what I do best."
Latha could see that the crystal had purposely been broken in pieces to perform the profane ritual on me. It carried an ancient aura of deep magic.
Heart, without looking, would say to Latha in her mind, "Go on ahead with Mister Bump."
Then she began to fight against my grip, keeping focus on us as she managed to growl, "Traitors!"
I quickly closed my hand over her mouth again to keep her from saying more.
"...Damn it!" Latha would hiss to herself, "Come on Bump, this will be our best chance."
Mister Bump gave a nod, and started to make his way to the door.
"Now what to do with her?" Xanathar mused, "To think the Cezanni princess and the Black Viper were one in the same. You kept me from accomplishing my goals earlier on, but now yoyr brought to me by your so called trusted thief and friend?"
"Not much of a hero or a princess are you?" he then scoffed.
Heart glared at him still, being forced into silence.
"I could disintegrate her, but then again, I'd much rather be able to place you as my prized trophy, forced to watch as my city slips from your grasp!" Xanathar mocked.
Now magically rendered invisible to the naked eyes, the bugbear would slip past the aberration, sneaking into the next room. With Latha close behind.
"Mister Xanathar!" Harlequin said, "You gotta tell me, one thief to a master ruler... How did you do it? I'm just... wracking my brain over how you got so powerful so fast."
Xanathar gave a delighted open mouth grin, that would have looked really silly, if it weren't so terrifying.
"I owe some thanks to the wonderful slumber my city fell under those couple months back. For once I found out that the princess had dragon blood within her, I started to think of them more and more. I demanded to know how such a wisp of a girl could hold what I should have had!" His voice began to boom with quick anger.
Then he wickedly smiled again, calming himself, "But then that fog rolled in, putting everyone in my city to sleep...including myself!" He laughed in amusement.
Peaking into the next room, Bump would look around for anything of use. His furry ears raising up as the abomination went on about itself.
Listening slightly to the monologue going on behind them, Latha could help but shiver slightly as one thought went through her head, "By Gods, there's two of them!"
"Then, while in that deep slumber, my thoughts of Dragons became more maddening! Why couldn't I be a dragon?! Then, I woke up, and found that instead of creating a spawn to chase away, or kill, I had indeed become what I desired!" Xanathar continued on.
"The mists," I realized aloud.
"...Come on." Harlequin looked at Heart, "You gotta admit, that's metal!."
Heart couldn't speak still, only shooting him a glare in response.
Harlequin shrugged as he assured the eyedrake, "...Yeah, she thinks it's metal."
As Latha and Mister Bump crept into the room, the spellcaster would immediately notice a large fish bowl pushed to the side of the room. Beside it stood a dwarf that wore a cap with fake eyestalks attached to it. In the bowl, was the fish.
The goblinoid gave the man a curious look, blinking slow. Sneaking up way up towards the little man, Mister Bump would clench his fist, before giving him a bop to the head to knock him out.
Blinking, Latha would look at the Dwarf in a mix between confusion, shock, and slight wonder even as Bump struck. Instantly the dwarf holding fish food would crumble to his knees.
However, this would end Mister Bump's invisibility. Luckily they were in the room away from the distracted Xanathar.
The eyedrake focused its wing tip eye on Heart, "Now then, how shall I make you pay for trying to get I my way? I can't leave you around afterall!"
Harlequin cleared his throat. "Uh, pardon me, your Excellent Drakeness." he said, "As much as I'd love to see if Bluebloods have blue blood, I believe there was a finder's fee for services rendered? After all, you can't play with a toy while you're still in the toystore."
Keeping his voice low, Mister BUmp would turn towards the tiefling... grabbing the strange cap from the forcibly slumbering servant of the beholder, as well as his cloak and fishnet. "Alright, Aye gots an idea Latha..." With that, he would point towards the fish tank. "Ya gonna be Sylgar."
"...Excuse me?"
"Yeah, he can see me now... so Aye'll pose as da servant, and ya can use ya lovely voice to pose as da fish. Duke says da fish talks to Xanathar, right? Wit how nutters he is... he probably finks the fish talks back!"
Looking between the fish, Bump, and the other room, the unseen Teifling's shoulders would slump, "Sure, I'll pretend to be a talking fish, this might as well happen."
Taking the fish bowl, the bugbear would look at the goldfish swimming about within, and would carefully take it in his furry mitts, heading back to the room with Xanathar. "Dat's the spirit..."
Xanathar focused another eye on Harlequin from his outburst, "I certainly can if I am in my shop." He then snickered, "However, I do like your guts. Do you have a suggestion on what to do with her then?"
An eye of his then focused on me, "Or would you like the honors?"
"...Well..." Harlequin says, starting to chuckle, "If I may be so bold... You have liberated this town from the filthy nobles who would watch us squirm like bugs, stepping on us when we're useless..." He crouched a bit, "You have so many fantastic ways of killing her, but why not make it... simple... public... A grand hanging of the last member of the royal family! No! ...Burn the noble at the stake... then feed her to the wild dogs!" He started cackling a bit, nearly falling forward.
"While all those would be amusing indeed, I would rather deal with her now!" He hissed out a snicker, "Why delay it and give her the chance to run or fight?"
He kept his main eye on Heart now, preventing her from using any magic.
Harlequin shrugged, "...so she can see how pointless it is when you have such a mighty gaze on her."
"Now then," he set an eye on me, as I then dropped Heart. The draconic princess landed harshly on the treasure littered ground.
Then she looked up at me as I drew my saber.
"I think we should listen, to the silly clown man!" Latha would call out in what, she prayed, was a suitably ethereal and... fish like voice.
Hopefully, with Latha in tow, Mister Bump would kneel onto the floor before the draconic beholder, and held up the fishbowl... making sure to keep a good grip on it. And mused to himself how fish like Latha made the voice.
Xanathar turned a bewildered eye to the fish bowl.
In a deadpan, serious voice, he asks, "What's that, Sylgar? Which one did you like best?"
He kept an eye trained on Heart as well to keep her from moving.
"The... one about the burning..." Latha would do all she could to keep the mix of confusion in her voice, "It would be...Ironic? For someone... unworthy of having dragon blood in their veins to die from fire."
Mister Bump began to have second thoughts about this plan, as he kept on his knees and held up the bowl to the winged eye monster.
"Not all dragons are fire breathers," I couldn't help but mention, aiding to the topic.
Heart looked to him in shock for a moment.
"For everyone to see of course!" Latha would hurry to add. "Too...Know how great you are... and better? Ole' buddy?"
Xanathar seemed to ponder over this, "It would take time to get her up there, unless...?"
He looked at me, "You have magic that could aid in this?"
I looked up at the warped dragon with far too many eyes that wasn't a hydra, and said, "What sort?"
"I detect magic in you, the magic of shadows?" Xanathar commented, as the crystal began to glow in his coiled tail, "Tell me!"
"Sylgar wants her to burn, so let's heat things up!" He ordered as if it were crucial to make the fish's wish happen.
"For starters," I began casually.
"Easy my Draconic hunk of Emperor." Harlequin said, "We can do it the good old fashioned way. A bit of hard labor leads to fantastic results!"
"And fireworks! For the afterparty!" Latha would call, forcing down a mad and desperate laugh as she raced to think of something actually helpful.
"I have done more than my share of hard work! I want this little wench dead a long time ago, and Sylgar wants her fried up! So let's get to it!" He ordered.
"Or...Or we could be really nasty and...and put her ON A BOAT!" At this point, Latha's head was spinning as the sound of her own heartbeat filled her ears. "Beacuse... Because boats are just awful ya know!? Cause they keep you away From water! And you know how great water is and I'm just saying that cause I'm a fish! Which I am! Yeah, set her on a boat and... and have her have to live on it and never ever go in water or on land again! Ya know a boat bit-I mean killed my cousin once! Yup! So I know boats are bad and so we should put her on one and make her sail away into the sunset!"
At this point, the mad, semi manaical laughter would force its self out of Latha's throat as she desperately tried to get some hold on herself.
Mister Bump would began to feel a bead of sweat on his brow, as he forced a grimace on his face.
Xanathar looked straight at Sylgar, and said, "We could do that, and then set the boat on fire!"
"Of Cource!" Latha's eye would twitch, "Now we just need a horrible nasty boat!"
Xanathar let our a laugh, "It shall be done! But in the meantime, to make sure the little serpent can't get away...!"
His one eye focused on Heart, who would feel her magic kicking up in her as the anti magic field was lifted on her, only for her to try and stand and then freeze up.
Heart's magic wouldn't be enough, nor could she move in time, as her skin hardened and grayed. All she had a chance to do was look to me, but without a trace of fear in her sapphire eyes.
Then she stood as a defiant statue before us all.
Leaving me having to restrain myself from reaching out to her.
Xanathar let out a chuckle, "Aw, peace of mind while we prepare her boat. I'll turn her back when things are ready."
Latha was bitting down onto her own knuckles to keep herself from screaming, small beads of blood pickling from her sharp teeth.
While I looked over Heart in shock, but managed to say calmly, "Your orders then?"
Xanathar looked over us, and chuckled, "We're getting a boat."
"...God you took control of this situation so perfectly." Harlequin said to the Beholder.
"Yup! Great! Perfect! HAHAHA! Hey buddy 'ow bout I hold onto that control crystal for ya while we do that! Give ya an extra free tentacle!" Latha insisted.
"One must stay in control to be in control. This way she can't run away, and she was tossed over to me by her own trusted resistance, and beloved?" He chuckled with a glance at me, as I smirked through a grimace.
The beholder dragon then looked to Sylgar.
"Oh, thank you, Sylgar!" He said while gently dropping the crystal into the water.
The bugbear would watch as the crystal drifted to the bottom of the bowl, taking a nervous gulp.
"Now then, let's prepare the viper's final voyage into oblivion!" Xanathar grinned awkwardly.
"Yippee! So! I'll hold down the fort, you get the boat! Meet back here in five and we'll have this all wrapped up in time for fish flakes!" Latha cheered.
Xanathar looked to his beloved fish, looking into it's fishy eyes.
"Make sure she doesn't get away, Sylgar!" He nodded and looked to Harlequin and I, "Let's go to my city and find what we need."
He then began to fly towards the exit, leading the two of us.
"I can get us there faster," I offered.
"Oh?" Xanathar asked.
"I can teleport the three of us up to the surface, and return to get them when we're ready," I explaned.
Xanathar chuckled, "In a hurry to get rid of her, are you?"
"The sooner we finish this, the better," I agreed with a cold glance at Heart.
"I agree." Harlequin said, "The thread in my head is going taunt, it's gonna snap soon. We can get this ended."
Waiting for Xanathar to be distracted and looking away, Latha would slowly and silently begin to weave a spell to reverse Heart's petrification.
As Xanathar turned to face Harlequin and I, Latha would begin casting her spell. With this, the stone casing over Heart would rapidly begin to crack.
The draconic princess emerged, quickly gathering herself in response as she gasped for air.
Hearing the cracking of stone, the eyedrake started to turn around, giving Heart little choice but to cast her magic, using her dragon transformation spell to become the combination of human and dragon it brought forth and call to the others, "Everyone, now!"
Giving us a chance to at least get a head start as the eyedrake turned and growled at her and Latha,"What is this?!"
"It's called pulling a fast one, I think you'd be familiar with it!" The Teifling would tease back.
Harlequin moved quickly, drawing his rapier as he turned towards the large eyedrake.
"A part of the watch!" he said as he thrusted his sword forward, jabbing the beast in its gut.
Xanathar let out a growl of anger as the blade struck him.
While I would quickly turn, slashing at the eyedrake's tail. Cutting a decent gash of his flesh out of his tail. More like hacking a piece of the tail off, the tip of it, before slipping back into the shadows behind him, and reappearing beside Heart back out of the shadows. I gave a smile, seeing she was okay, "Hey."
Latha would hear a "thanks," in her head from me.
Latha would smile back at me in response, nodding slightly.
Placing the fishbowl down, the bugbear drew his twin handaxes. Letting out a huff, he then rushed the abomination, taking two swipes at the monster, one axe after the other.
Using bonus action for Hunter's Mark, giving me an addition 1d6 damage. Also Natural Explorer's advantage on attack rolls against targets that haven't acted in combat yet. Getting into Xanathar's face, the goblinoid would let out a bellow as he hacked away at the multieyed creature
Xanathar would snarl back at him, quite angered by the betrayal, and growing vindictive with each attack.
While Latha would then jump in with her own attack of searing sunlight summoned forth and focused on the eyedrake! Leaving Xanathar as he screeched as the light blinded him.
Hand raised, a great flash of light erupts forth!
As the fight got going, the group of us would hear something odd out in the hall of horrors that we had walked through. The sound of shifting stones, and heavy marching steps.
Mister Bump gulped slightly, "... Aye don't like da sound of dat.."
Heart began to try and summon up some energy to strike the warped mob boss with.
And was able to strike the angered and blinded eyedrake, ensuring it's wrath as the bolt of lightning struck him.
While I was focused on the transformed tyrant. However Mister Bump, Heart, and Harlequin would notice the large crystal shard floating up and glowing vibrantly, as the beast before us commanded in his blind wrath, with the ability given by his many eyes, "Thief, you will defend me and kill this wretched Viper before she has a chance of seeing her throne!"
I gritted my teeth as my chest ached with a sensation I couldn't describe. The magic of the accursed crystal radiating through my veins as I tried to fight it, but to no avail. Cursing myself for failing her, my sense of self began to slip away as I was turned to face Heart with my blade drawn.
While Harlequin took another harsh jab at the eyedrake as it was distracted by Mister Bump and controlling me, "You're going for mind control again? Really?"
"In time, I may control all of you!" The eyedrake chuckled and snarled at the same time as he took the hit.
Then one of his eyes began to glow.
Harlequin would be able to move out of the way in time as the ray let out a dark bolt of energy, striking where he had just been standing and disintegrating some of the gold and floor instead.
Staring at the disintegrated floor space, Latha's face would pale at the displayed magic.
While Duke, looking to me, had no choice but to attack! Obeying the crystal's magic and the commands of his master. Catching me off guard as I was just able to face him in time as he swung his blade, cutting into my shoulder!
"Duke?!" I exclaimed, before seeing the look in his eye, quickly telling me that he wasn't really there.
Any familiarity was gone as he looked at me like a drone, driven to obey.
His head snapping back to his old comrade attacking the young aristocrat, Bump gave a growl. Eyeing the beast, he snarled, "Yer two take care of eyes 'ere!"
With that, he rushed back around, and struck at Duke with a kick followed by a headbutt. "SNAP OUTTA IT YE GIT!"
Duke stumbled back from the kick, but managed to avoid the headbutt.
He glared at his friend, not knowing it.
Mister Bump would shake it off with ease, as another eye began to glow, trying to grip the bugbear with fear.
Looking over at Harlequin, Latha would raise her hand and will forth power, casting Haste on the Jester.
Xanathar gave a wicked, blinded grin, before taking a deep, deep breath, and aimed at Latha and I.
Seeing the breath of anti magic being cast over them, I looked to Latha quickly, shoving her out of the way and taking the hit instead.
Latha would be shoved out of range, while my dragon form rapidly reverted back.
"Heart? No!" Latha would shout in equal parts shock and fear.
"No longer a dragon?" Xanathar mocked, "What a pitiful creature!"
I glared up at him, before turning my attention to Duke, bracing myself and waiting to act.
Harlequin, saw that the eye drake was distracted, so he took a breath and moved back from the eyedrake's range, then he took a few steps back, getting some distance, about 15ft from the creature. Once he was a fair distance away he raised a hand and the eyes of his mask flashed a bit.
Mister Bump would hop back just in time as a chilled ray of death zipped by him.
While Duke would continue his attack against me, looking to me as though he hated me for a reason he didn't know.
Not having my scales to protect me, or even magic for that matter, I would be struck by his blade. Striking my side, as I tried to cry out to Duke to reach him.
When this didn't give the hoped for result, started to try and talk to him, refusing to draw a blade against him, "Duke, listen to me!"
For a moment he paused, as though he were trying to resurface, but was just shy of it.
"Duke, you have to fight this! Don't let anyone else puppet you! You've beaten this before, you can do it again!" I urged while avoiding the next swing towards my chest.
A furious swipe nearly grazed my shoulder as I hopped back just in time. Then I ducked down, and lunged forward to quickly throw my arms around him, "Duke, stop!"
For a moment, the thief I held onto froze from this sudden touch. This close, I could feel the external heat given off from the crystal within his chest. The fury of it causing him to shake his head, fighting it and yet trying to obey it at the same time. Even as he grasped my shoulder, as though he were unsure whether to hold me or shove me aside.
Especially as the eyedrake made the crystal glow with it's enraged glow. Causing him to finally grab me and shove me back away from him. Swiping his blade towards me as he did this.
"Duke!"
With Duke having just struck me again, Mr. Bump would lunge upon our leader, wailing blows upon him in an attempt to knock some sense into him.
"Heart!" He finally choked out, fighting off the control over him. He looked to Heart in alarm, seeing the slashes, "What did I...?!"
Yet was cut off from his friend coming after him, "SNAP OUTTA IT!"
"Mister Bump, stop!" I pleaded, gesturing for him to see Duke no longer under the control of the crystal, and now knocked back quite a bit.
"Sorry for roughin yer up dere mate!"
Duke winced, but smirked as well, "I'm glad ya did."
Harlequin would be protected from the wave of fear trying to take hold of him as the fight went on.
Looking at Mr. Bump, Latha would make a quick gesture before a beam of light would fire out!
"Bump! Smash!" Yelled the Teifling, pointing at the Eyedrake.
The fur on the bugbear would thicken, as becoming as rough as stone. He turned back towards Xanathar, and chuckled. "Rioght den!"
Xanathar let out a curse, hearing his puppet free at the moment. He then unfurled his wings wide to swoop down and try to bite the thief. However, in his blinded wrath he flew overhead instead.
Everyone would hear as the shifting stone drew nearer. Mister Bump and Latha would look to see some of the twisted statues from before marching nearer to the entrance to the chamber.
Mister Bump would growl, "... gods damn it."
"...Oh that is just typical!" Latha would grouch.
Still unable to use my magic currently, I would draw my own blade now to turn and face the eyedrake.
The eyedrake would let out a frustrated growl as he sent out a bolt of chilled, dark energy at the thief beside me.
Duke, who was more focused on trying to shield me, would be struck by that energy, letting out a pained yell as it caught him.
"Duke!" I cried out, seeing him trying to steady himself as some of his life seemed to be shot out of him.
It was now that Harlequin would begin to focus his own magic, while the eyedrake's attention was currently on us. Laughing a twisted snicker as he watched me trying to help steady the thief beside me as he gritted his teeth in pain from the hit.
As the jester cast his spell, Xanathar began to let out an obnoxious laugh, but his wings held him aloft. Though a wave of fear washed over the mage as the eyedrake continued to laugh.
Duke would try to summon energy of his own to attack the laughing mob boss. Letting out a bolt of chaotic energy that struck the eyedrake.
The eyedrake would continue to bark with horrid laughter, with an eye glowing, but missing its target to try and disintegrate him.
Turning back towards the beholder, Mister Bump jumped into the air, swinging his fists down onto the creature! Grabbing a hold of Xanathar's wings, he would yank and pull on the eye dotted limbs, holding them in place and bracing for a fall. The two would plummet, landing onto the pile of gold below. With Xanathar now having 300ish pounds of fur and muscle on top of him!
Backing away from the eyedrake, Latha would instead turn her attention to the shambaling stone-things. Muttering a small incantation, she would draw a line starting from just in front of them, and traveling around to cut through Xanathar just behind Bump.
Xanathar would snicker despite the hit, while the statues tried to get passed the wall. They would fail, as it was easy to see their misshapen forms just trying to move at all. However, the eyedrake continued to writhe with uncontrollable laugher.
Even still unable to use magic, I would rush up with my blade to try and strike him.
Digging into his shoulder, while causing him to growl and snicker. One of his eyes tried to strike. While Mister Bump's grip would fail as he was flung from the back of the draconic beast. Flinging him 30 ft. away.
Hurtled by the blast from the beam, the hairy warrior let out a grunt in pain, "So it's gonna be like dat ey?"
Throwing him up into the air, the bugbear would face quite a fall on the way back down.
Xanathar began barking with laughter, his threats and plans for the city, "I will hold this city in my claws! All that I see, will be my hoard! I have several...eyes...that will be a lot!"
"You will all be my stone puppets! The Viper will be dust when I am done!"
Harlequin walked up to the laughing beholder dragon.
"You see the world like I do!~" he said, raising his rapier. "Like one, big joke!" He lashes at the large creature with his improved speed, "And the punchline is that you THINK you're on top!"
As the mob boss was struck, one of his eyes tries to focus it's attack. Shooting out, and striking me with it's horrible force. Causing me to let out a cry of pain as the same chilling pain ran through me as it had with Duke. Who, after making sure I was steady in return, looked to the laughing tyrant with a glare in his remaining eye. Summoning up a chaotic bolt of magic to try and strike Xanathar, who was too bust laughing to realize how injured he was, with blood emerging with his barks of laughter. Still he missed the laughing beast, but managed to destroy the crystal that had fallen to the ground near him.
"Hey Mister Bump, would ya mind takin' the helm, ol' friend?" Duke asked while supporting me.
"Did you miss, even after I hurt your precious...princess?!" Xanathar mocked the thief through his horrid laughter.
Duke didn't reply to this. Instead, he stood beside me, the both of us holding the other up I realized. Proving that he would no longer be controlled by the warped tyrant.
Pulling himself up, there was an audible crack from Mister Bump's back. Turning towards Duke, he gave a nod, before rushing back into the fray, swinging savagely upon the abberation.
Too busy gloating and too overwhelmed with laughter, Xanathar did not see the coming threat.
Pouncing from behind, Bump would land his furious blows upon him. Lodging the blades of the axes into the base of the wings, he would tear into the rubbery flesh, ripping off the each of the eye studded limbs, "Wit all dem eyes, ya shoulda seen dis comin'!"
Xanathar let out a sinister snicker until his dying breath, "Sylgar and I will rule it all!"
He laughed as though he weren't dying, until the very end. Then he was silent and still.
With this, the statues at the wall crumbled to the ground. Breaking into dust, freeing the figures once trapped and warped. Their souls free. The ones that were left as themselves changed back. Each of them looking on in relieved awe at the sight before them.
"...Damn, and I thought I was crazy." Harlequin said, looking down at the silent eyedrake.
While I would feel a surge of magic return to me with the death of the eyedrake. As Duke and I would hold onto each other still, a bit in shock while supporting each other.
Pulling himself up from the wrecked and warped flesh, Mister Bump shook off the gore from his blades. Letting out a huff, he looked towards the others.
"Well... dat's da end of dat..." Sliding the axes back into place, he went back to pick up the fishbowl, tucking it under an arm.
Sinking to her knees in exhaustion, Latha would sigh deeply, heart still pounding in her chest, "Finally, it's over!"
"It's...over?" I asked in disbelief.
Duke would place a hand to his chest, as the crystal placed in him breaking away, freeing him. He gave a sharp groan as it released him, but smiled with relief, knowing it couldn't control him anymore. Then he looked over our crew, with pride showing in his remaining eye, "I told ya we could do this."
"Not gonna lie, I was about 50/50 on if he'd actually win that," Harlequin admitted, "I think I was fallin for him... or it was the gold talking to me."
Letting out a chuckle, Mister Bump would nod towards the jackpot in the middle of the room, "Well... dere's plenty to go around now."
"If it's all the same to all of you, I'd like to go home and lay down. It's been a long day," Latha would quip.
"Speakung of which," I commented while looking at the treasure around them, "The cache of dragons..."
Duke shook his head, "The treasure guarded for your family?"
Then I shook my head, "We won this fight together, and so it will be divided as such. Without all of you, hope would have been lost."
I looked to Latha in particular, "Take enough to pay off your debt, my friend."
Looking about, the teifling would stare for a bit... and then start laughing. First lightly, and then into full belly cackling. Falling lightly onto her back, still chuckling lightly with her wild red hair spread out, she would run her fingers over some of the coins and treasure around her, "Yes...yes I think this might be just enough!"
Mister Bump's eyes would bug out for a moment, before he rubbed his face. "... dis is gonna make a whole lotta kids happy..."
"I will be counting on all of you as we move forward to heal the city," I smiled, "So I want all of you taken care of."
Harlequin looked at his divided share, then he laughed. "You kidding? I can't take all this. I'd have to retire!"
Duke and I couldn't help but chuckle at the reaction of our friends.
Duke then looked to me, and without warning, swept me up in his arms. I quickly steadied myself, grabbing his shoulders as he spun me into this embrace, "I have my treasure right here!"
I blushed deeply as he nuzzled his forehead against my own, "My sapphire?"
With me giving a sigh in answer to him, "My thief?"
"Of course, sweetheart," Duke promised before kissing me.
