A Critical Role story - In the Shadow of the Titan

A Shadow Departs

Though Allura had to admit that Keyleth's speech was one of her best, the fact that the war room was celebrating the defeat of Vecna, even as the bastions, clerics and paladins continued to struggle against the undead forces still within the city of Vasselheim, nagged at her.

This was in no small part due to Kima still being somewhere out there, but Allura couldn't tell if this was actual disregard towards the fighting lines or an acceptance that the troops would succeed, a thought that was in equal parts edifying and arrogant.

With that thought, Allura was also happy to see that not only had Vox Machina all returned successfully, they had also found and brought back Velora, though she had been mortally wounded in the fray. The party had also been able to save Zahra and Kash from being crushed in the collapse of the Tower of Etropis, after the banishment of Vecna. The couple had chosen to continue to fight to clear the streets whilst Devo'ssa, finally free of the force cage that had held them, had brought Vox Machina, and Velora, back to the Sanctuary of the Platinum dragon.

Though she remained in her diplomatic role, Allura noticed that Vox Machina, who were never the most diplomatic of souls, drifted towards the balcony area. And she couldn't blame them - over the past 7 days, the group had been to three different continents, a number of other planes, met several gods and banished one of those from the material realm, and had Scanlan return from a year long parting of ways.

Allura continued to make small talk but began to make her way around to the balcony - as an arcanist in a divine city, she was very out of place and was feeling the need to connect with other Tal'doreans.

Finally shaking off a minor priest of Erathis who was getting a little too liberal with the wine, she made her way to the balcony, noticing that the guardsmen who had been on the balcony were at each of the doors, subtly dissuading anyone disturbing the heroes of the hour. She smiled warmly at the one she passed, receiving a quick nod in return and stepped through the doorway.

And stopped.

The tension on the balcony was palpable - Allura was almost surprised that no-one inside could feel it then she noticed that Vox Machina were not alone. A woman in black with a ceramic mask stood facing them and with shock Allura realised that this was the Matron of Ravens herself. Allura immediately looked towards Vax, currently speaking quietly with Keyleth as the others looked on and the Arcanist remained still, intuiting that this was a final goodbye and not wanting to interrupt.

As Vax in turn spoke to each of his compatriots, Allura blinked back the tears, and the memories of her time with the party overlapped with that of her own party from 15 yeas ago and more, before Thordak razed Bryoden and was banished to the Realm of Fire.

She could tell Percy was magically immobilised, and that the rest of Vox Machina were straining to do something but were holding themselves back from assaulted a second god so soon after dealing with one. And probably rightfully so, for whilst Vecna had recently acended to godhood, the Matron had been a divine power for an age or more. Vax took the time to say his goodbyes to each person before making his way back towards his patron.

He paused and gestured, and a trail of snowdrops headed out from his feet to each member of Vox Machina. He waved one last time towards Keyleth and his eyes caught Allura. There was a single nod of respect then he turned back and started walking.

Allura blinked and Vax, and the Raven Queen were gone, with just a few black feathers fluttering to the carpet of snowdrops. Giving the party a moment, Allura looked down where something had caught her attention - three single snowdrops, apart from the bloom that encircled Vox Machina. She paused, then plucked them from the balcony floor and put them carefully into a pouch on her belt then looked back to the group.

Keyleth had sank down to sit beside Vex, heads resting on each other but the other half-elf now got up and approached Percy, now released and holding a parchment of some sort. What was said, Allura didn't quite catch but Pike joined them and took the parchment from him, as he started crying, hiding whatever it was about her person.

Allura took a moment to compose herself then stepped down to join the group, thinking that the group would probably appreciate going for a drink right about this point, and that she'd really like to find Kima ...