A Raven's Blessing | Vax'ildan x OC | TLOVM

Vexations

Warnings: Strong and Sexual Language; Violence, Gore & Death. 

The sun shined down on the city casting a glow on the rebuilt building of Whitestone. It was always a pleasant contrast seeing that Whitestone was doing well despite the conclave's activities in the rest of Tal'Dorei. However, anxiety was eating at Athena from their encounter with Ripley in Ank'Harel. 

She knew the words. 

Words that could flip a switch and cause her to revert to a mindless killer with no will. At best, she was now a liability to the group at worst she was a ticking timebomb. She hated the feeling. She couldn't stop trying to think of the ways how Ripley obtained the words. She was really trying other ways to justify the most likely reason. That Ripley was now connected to Ironamal. Which to Athena didn't make a lot of sense as they were more based in the south of Tal'Dorei towards the Iron Authority. Sure, the whole point was to eventually take more land in Tal'Dorei for the empire but they never managed to get far north, especially in the area where they could have met Ripley. To do that would have signaled that the Iron Authority was ready for war. Though it was in nature that their god of choice, the Stife Emperor, was the god of war and conquest they weren't stupid enough to do that. However, Tal'Dorei's military presence was almost nonexistent now after Thordak's attack. Had Thordak's attacks allowed them to expand northward?

No. There hadn't been any reports of their military according to Allura and Cassandra so if they were it was restricted to their orders. Still, it wouldn't explain an alliance with Anna Ripley. One where they would freely give that information out. While she had a vestige she didn't have anything else to currently offer them as far as she knew. 

The base of Athena's neck began to ache as if it sensed her train of thought. She instinctively rubbed at the indent to try to soothe the pain but with limited success. She was kinda glad that they were going to have to go to Hell. Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, Ripley wouldn't be there so Athena didn't have to worry about that. 

She was starting to understand why Percy wanted to kill Ripley desperately.

The thought caused Athena to look up from her spot on the Sun Tree's roots next to Scanlan up at him. He was in better shape now compared to the day before after almost being killed twice essentially. Though as luck would now decide, a splash of bird poop landed directly on his right shoulder staining his navy coat. 

 "Bull's-eye," Grog chuckled next to him. 

"That's quite the omen," Percy said wiping the feces off his coat. 

"Actually, it's supposed to mean good luck," Vex leaned down smiling, "Especially in romance."

"Then I should've put a bird's nest in my bedroom years ago," Percy countered back causing the two of them to burst out in laughter. Grog joined in but his laughter simmered down as he thought about the statement. "That's fucking weird."

"Percy's nesting habits aside," Vax interrupted sighing, "The Plate of the Dawnmartyr is apparently in Hell." 

"Are we seriously considering going?" Keyleth asked.

"Well, it would make for an awesome song," Scanlan said beside Athena standing up with his lute. "Vox Machina conquered Hell. Where the demon Zerxus dwells. On a chariot of flame, they sang out his name. Scanlan the demon god cast his spell!"

The group stared back at Scalan silence with Pike giving an oh while Grog awkwardly coughed. Athena reached up giving Scanlan a pat on the shoulder. "I should workshop it," he concluded sitting back down, "I'll workshop it." 

"Yeah. Okay, even if we go, how would we get there?" Keyleth pointed out.

"Actually, we know a way. An old ally of ours--," Allura began.