Vox Machina Book One: Nobodies to Heroes

Chapter 29: The Black Smoke

It was quiet in the chamber of the Ziggurat, the spinning black orb that sparks with electricity remained at the space of the altar.

Delilah lay at the base of the altar, holding her side as she was bleeding out, the angered prince stood over with his pepperbox aimed right at her.

But the others were gathered around the dying druid as the rogue held her in his arms. "Keyleth, wake up," he begs, she twitches her eyes as the dark magic etches further along her cheek.

"Keyleth! No." he cries out, holding her close. The tears spill from Vex's eyes as the girl she did not like was willing to die for her. Kyria reaches out as she grips her tribal sister's leg, "Come on, wake up." she begs to shake her leg.

Vax raises his head and looks at his sister, she ponders for a moment then the realization hits hers. "An elixir," she spoke, reaching into the bag of holding and pulling out a vial. "Try this. Quickly," she states.

Wasting no time, Vax states the elixir and pours it down her throat, and waited.

Nothing happens as the magic etches further up her cheek. "It's not working. We're losing her!" he calls out. "No, Keyleth!" Kyria calls out, Jason kneels next to her and places his hand on her shoulder.

Scanlan looks over at the witch and sees how completely different she was. "Uh, Kyria... when did you vert back?" he asks. She blinks and looks at him as the others looked at her and she raises her hands.

She blinks in surprise as she looks turns her hand, seeing honey-colored skin on her fingers and arms. "Wha..." she questions. Feeling up her arms, she reached into her mouth, feeling her teeth as her canines were smaller.

She feels her head, horns were gone, then reaches back, trying to find her tail, she looks back and saw it was gone too. She turns back to her hands, just shocked. "What's happened to me?" she questions.

"The Whispered One did not return. We failed. It was too soon." Delilah chokes out. "There's nothing to be done. Keyleth is gone." Percy calls out.

Jason shot a glare at him, "But at least we have what we came for." he growls, pressing the barrel into Delilah's forehead. "Are you fucking serious?!" Jason calls out seeing the gunslinger was still obsessed with his revenge rather than his dying companion.

"The fuck are you talking about?! Keyleth is still breathing!" Vex calls out as Keyleth groans in pain, Making Kyria look back and grip her legs.

"Something's not right. Uh, let me try, uh..." Scanlan spoke up then strums his lute. "Scanlan's hand!" he sang, summoning the mage's hand, only to get a spark of his magic.

"The elixir, my spell-- that thing must be blocking all magic," he states as they all looked at the orb, but Vax's eyes were locked on the dying Keyleth in his arms.

Jason huffs as he stood to his feet, "Damn it, he's right. Away from the orb!" Vex shouts. Cassandra marches up as she glares at the Necromancer laying against the altar. "We're not done with you yet," she growls. Gripping her hair and dragging her. Delilah gasps as Percy grips her arm and helps in the dragging, leaving a blood trail as they went.

They left the chamber and headed down the long steps of the Ziggurat, reaching the grounds of the Ziggurat they continued forward heading towards the tunnel.

"Hun... ger..."

A voice calls out, catching Grog's attention she looks around and then spies Sylas' sword. He grins to himself and walks up to it, gripping the handle and holding it up. "Finder's keepers," he said.