Vox Machina Book 3: Heroes Become Legend

Chapter 4: I Object

Percy keeps his eyes on the wiring before him as Ripley watches from the shadows with Orthax muttering with excitement.

You delay the inevitable. His soul will be mine.

The forge calls to him, its heat fueling a world at war.

He rambles, making Percy sigh, "That's very disconcerting." he points out. "Orthax merely echoes my excitement." she assures s Percy remains focus on his work. "That's the missing piece of the puzzle, isn't it? What does your smoke demon get from all this?" he questions, adding the powder.

"You can ask them yourself when you're finished." she answers as Orthax appears next to her chuckling to himself. Percy adds in the final piece. "Oh, but I already am." he answers as the coiled wiring was sparking with electricity.

He smirks and turns to Ripley, stepping away. "Your theory was correct, Dr. Ripley. With magic and engineering, you can fashion an incredible power source." he inform as Ripley walks up to the sparking device as the excitement was clear in her eyes.

"Or incinerate a maniac." he informs and pinches the wires, causing the device to overload and burst, right in Ripley's face as Percy quickly leaps from the blast.

He stumbles away and hears a clank right in front of him, propping himself up, he see the dawn armor right in front of him, but before he could reach for the armor.

A hand snaps at his throat and raises him off the ground. "You toy with us." they snarl, both Ripley and Orthax spoke in unison. The demon growls as he strangles the prince.

But Ripley shook her head, gaining control. "No, we need him." she informs as Orthax just appears next to her.

Do we?

Percy just gasp for air, gripping at the shadow claw that held this neck. "Percy!" a voice calls out as he looks at the boarded windows.

The boards burst from the window as Vex came flying in and aims her arrow. She fired, but Ripley vanishes, dropping Percy as he lands on his knees, gasping to himself.

Vex rolls in next to Percy as Ripley reappearances and takes hold of the armor. "The armor!" Vex cries out as Percy watches Ripley vanish. "Damn it." he growl as she bamfs through the shadows.

The others appear, watching as Ripley kept vanishing. "She's got two vestiges." he calls out as she makes a run for the door, only for Grog to burst through and swing at her.

But she slides to a stop with a grin before she bamf away, "Oh, shit." he grumbles as she was out of his reach. "I've got her." Vax calls out as he leaps over Grog and flung his daggers, missing her as Orthax appears and shot out smoke surrounding them as their vision was clouded.

Vex ran up and gave Percy a hug, "I thought I lost you." she mutters, he was taken by surprise for a moment but returns the hug. "I'm here, Vex'ahlia." he assures as she pulls back and stares stares at him with tears in her eyes.

But he just cups her cheek "I'm fine." he promises and she leans into his hand. The others hurried in and saw no sign of Ripley, Jason flicks his eyes, warhammer in hand "I can't see anything? Anyone got eyes on her?" he calls out as Ripley appears in view.

"There." Keyleth calls out and waves her arm, Kyria snaps her eyes right on Ripley, seeing the smoke that loomed over her. "You..." she snarls, letting the animal in her take over.

Keyleth sent a wall of ice for her, Ripley misses it and aims her pepperbox right at them and fires. Kyria charges right for her as the bullets just miss her.