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“Ice spitting bastards!” Vax’ildan shouted as he let the flame-tongue dagger fly toward the despair demon. One of his feet was frozen to the ground and his teeth were chattering despite his best efforts to keep himself from succumbing to the effects of the ice.
As the dagger flew, he was certain it would find its mark. That is, until a ball of flame slammed into its side and it was knocked out of the air with a guttural screech. His brow furrowed and his head whipped to the side the flame had emerged from, expecting to see Keyleth wielding her staff. Instead, he saw a qunari leaping down from a rock, giving a laughing shout as she did so, a staff that formed into three dragon heads clutched in one hand.
Reaching to his belt for the dagger that had now returned to it, Vax slammed the hilt into the ice surrounding his foot, effectively shattering it. Turning, he took stock of the individuals who had joined them on the field.
Foremost was the qunari mage who was running square into the fray, staff twirling and alight with flame as she laughed and shot spells with ease. Another mage was off the main field of battle, a bald headed elf with a calm face and demeanor, his own staff conjuring ice. Near him stood a dwarf with a crossbow that looked nearly as large as he was, looking more irritated than anything. A voice he recognized as Scanlan’s took his focus to the main field.
“I’ve seen barmaids scarier than you are!” He was screaming at a terror demon that was looming over him, magic lacing his words. The creature stopped, tilting its head as it stared at him, and the pause was enough for the fourth of this new party to make herself known.
“Ha!” A shield swung, knocking the demon to the ground, and a sword pinned it there through the chest moments later. The woman wielding it had short hair and a stern face, the scar across one jaw reminding Vax of Lady Kima.
Checking on his twin, it was apparent that she had realized these were allies as well. She nodded to him before focusing her arrows the same place that the dwarf had focused his bolts.
Soon, all demons save a monstrosity of a pride demon had been quelled, and even it was on its last legs. The warrior woman rushed forward, only to be halted by a thunderous boom from behind all of them. A hole appeared in the demon’s chest and the woman’s jaw dropped as the beast staggered and collapsed, now nothing more than a corpse. She whipped around to where Percy was now standing, calm smile on his face as he lowered Bad News.
The hole that the demons had been coming from flared, and all of Vox Machina’s attention returned to it in alarm. They all gathered quickly (save Grog, who was held back by a gesture from Pike) that the hole was responding to the qunari mage, who had her left hand raised to it. After a moment’s focus, she closed her fist and pulled her arm close to her body, and the hole disappeared, leaving the air as it had once been.
As one, the warrior woman and Grog spoke the same sentence, one to Percy and one to the qunari:
“How did you do that?”
There was a short, awkward pause before some of them laughed. The two groups came back together and faced each other.
“No, really.” Grog said, gaping at the qunari. “How did you do that?”
Vax, Percy, Vex, and Keyleth all shared a look at his tone. Grog was more than a little smitten.
“Magic.” She laughed and wiggled the fingers of her left hand at him, causing him to grin.
“And you,” the warrior woman spoke, looking to Percy, who had now placed Bad News back over his shoulder. “What is that? How did you do that?”
“It’s a firearm,” Percy replied, straightening his glasses. “A device of my own creation.”
“An ingenious and effective one,” the elf mage inclined his head with an unreadable, small smile.
“Thank you. I believe some introductions may be in order here. I am Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo the Third, -”
“You can call him Percy, we all do.” Vex stepped forward as she cut Percy off, a smile on her face that Vax knew well. She was fixing to suss out a way to make coin, if there was one to be found. “And you are?”
The qunari started to speak, but was cut off by the warrior.
“Representatives of the Inquisition, including the Herald of Andraste. I am Cassandra, and this is Solas and Varric. We are simply on our way to Val Royeaux to seek assistance for our cause.”
Vex’s eyes lit up.
“What sort of assistance?”
“We hope to ask for aid from the Templars in the city, and anyone else who would be willing to help.” The Herald shrugged. “And… Please, call me Kerah.”
“Well, Kerah.” Vex smiled. “I think we might be able to help you.”
“How so?” Cassandra arched a brow, expression distrustful.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Scanlan was speaking now, and Vax fought the urge to bring his palm to his forehead. This could go south very very quickly. “We’re mercenaries! Fighting skills or hire. We come from Taldorei originally, and we call ourselves the Super High In-”
“We’re Vox Machina.” Vex cut him off, her voice taking the honeyed tones it did when she was preparing to haggle. “And we would gladly help your Inquisition. For the right price, of course.”
“Vex, I don’t think we should-” Keyleth started softly, only to be cut off by Percy almost imperceptibly touching her wrist and shaking his head.
Kerah had been quiet up until now, but now she surveyed the group carefully before glancing to her own companions. “Thoughts?”
“I say we need all the help we can get, Firecracker,” The dwarf, apparently Varric, spoke first. “I’ve seen similar gangs of misfits work miracles. Been part of one of those gangs.”
“I agree. It would be unwise to turn down help where it is offered, and our ambassador has been forging plenty of connections that we could use to aid in the payment this group would require.” Solas was now casually leaning on his staff, the same enigmatic smile on his face.
“I am not so certain.” Cassandra said, lips pursed and eyes narrowed, looking over the group. “Who are all of you, what can you do? Speak for yourselves, please, and be quick.”
There was a pause before Percy spoke again.
“As stated, I am Percy. I specialize in objects of my own design, mainly those that are explosive in nature.”
From there, it was natural to go through the group in the rough line they’d formed into.
“Vax’ildan. I’ve got daggers.” He shrugged.
“Vex’ahlia. Quick with a bow and quite deadly, with a little help from my friend here.” She patted Trinket and gave the group before them a wink.
“Scanlan Shorthalt, Kingslayer and bard extraordinaire.” This earned him a bemused smile from Kerah, the expression laced with confusion.
“Pike Trickfoot. I’m a healer and… Well, not bad with a mace.” She gave a modest shrug.
“Grog Strongjaw. Just point me to where there’s killin’ to do.”
“I suppose that leaves me. I’m Keyleth, a druid of the Air Ashari, skilled in elemental magics.”
Introductions ended and Cassandra looked to Kerah once more.
“In the end, Herald, this is your decision.”
Kerah nodded and held out a hand to Vex.
“Welcome to the Inquisition, Vox Machina. I imagine you have things in the city you need to gather. We’ll be leaving before sundown. Meet us at the city gate and you can join us on the trip back to Haven, and we can discuss payment then.”
“A pleasure.” Vex shook her hand firmly.
“We should proceed,” Solas said, “Those in Val Royeaux will be waiting.”
The four members of the Inquisition departed and there was a moment’s pause before the group exploded into noise.
“Did you see her?” Grog was first to speak, looking at Scanlan, “Holy shit!”
“She’s quite something, I had no idea fire was that sexy.”
Keyleth rolled her eyes before turning to Vex.
“Are you sure this is a good idea? We have no idea what the Inquisition really wants, it could be worse than the hole in the sky.”
“The hole that is regularly expelling demons and causing smaller rifts to spread?” Percy interjected, not unkindly. “I doubt that very much, but… It is worth questioning the motives of such an organization, I admit.”
“We’ll just be doing what we’re doing right now, won’t we? Killing demons for money. Just for considerably more money.”
“My sister does have a point…” Vax rubbed the back of his neck. “I propose this: We join this Inquisition for now. Keep killing demons, try to zip up the holes in the world. We work out a payment plan so, if things go to shit with this Inquisition, we can bail out and still make something out of it.”
“I want to go with that mage.” Grog said, finally realizing there was another conversation going on. “No, seriously. Did you see her?”
“It… doesn’t seem like a bad idea.” Pike had one arm across her body, elbow resting in its palm and tapping one finger against her lips with her other hand as she considered. “Solving the problem here at the source will keep Taldorei safe as well as Thedas. We can do more good here than we could at home, and it’s not like we could carry on with the trip as planned with the state of things.”
“Right, all true, but consider: We just got done running across everywhere to kill four ancient dragons!” Scanlan shrugged, his arms wide and palms up, “Who knows what else the hole in the sky is going to shit out! It’s not our job, is it? Emon, Westrun, those were cities we knew. This place… We’re visiting. That’s it. We could just book it back home. Done.”
“And find more demons waiting for us there?” Percy arched a brow at him.
“So? We’re obviously able to kill the things.”
“Why not kill the big thing they’re coming out of?” Grog looked up at the flashing green tear in the distant sky.
“Smart thinking, Big Man.” Vax nodded to him.
“That and there’s money in it, Scanlan. And probably women. You could always try with that woman…. What was her name? Cassandra?” Vex laughed a little. “She reminded me of Kima.”
“Glad it wasn’t just me.” Vax smirked at his twin.
“She’s… Well, yes, she is a fine specimen, I won’t deny that…” Scanlan thought for a moment, before sighing. “Alright. Alright. Off we go to kill the hole in the sky and probably all die trying.”
“We’re helping people, Scanlan.” Pike rested a hand on his shoulder briefly before starting to prod around the bodies of the demons for anything useful.
Scanlan watched her, and Vax saw him mouth ‘Shit’. Scanlan would do anything to make her happy, and they all knew it.
“Nothing much,” Pike reported after a moment. “Shall we go back?”
They returned to the inn they’d found, a small establishment on the very outskirts of the city. While they certainly enjoyed the finery of the capital, they didn’t want to spend the gold to stay smack in the center of it. Vex had loudly said there wasn’t enough gold in the world to stay with people that obnoxiously rich.
While Percy cleared away their bills at the inn, Vex and Vax went to the city guard captain. They delivered the last demon hunting outing’s total kills and told the guard they would be leaving. The man seemed sad that they were going, but he gave them the coined they’d earned and thanked them for their services. Vex pocketed the coin pouch and gave him a wink before leaving, Vax at her side.
Not certain when the Herald and her group would return, they arrived at the main square about an hour before sunset, and Scanlan took the time they had to put his hat on the ground and set into a flute performance for what spare coins they could earn. Keyleth assumed a bear form and, much like their first night in Kraghammer, danced and clapped and cartwheeled.
Vox Machina watched the pair perform, Vex cheering especially loudly whenever a passerby threw a coin into the hat. She was the first to notice the Herald’s group approaching, now with one more among them.
“Curtain call.” She shouted to Scanlan, and he finished his latest number with a flourish and a deep bow. Keyleth became herself again while Vex eagerly counted the coin Scanlan’s performance had earned them.
“Seventy gold. Not bad, Scanlan.”
“Fifty-fifty?” He held out a hand.
“I’m in a good mood. Why not.” Vex dumped the appropriate amount into the gnome’s hand and he gave her a bow before pocketing it.
“Vox Machina.” Kerah spoke as they approached them. “This is Sera, she’ll be joining us on the trip back to Haven.”
The new elf, a bow across her back, looked the group over. It didn’t escape the notice of the twins’ that her nose wrinkled upon spotting the gentle point to their ears, as well as Keyleth’s.
“Really…. Elfy group, aren’t they?” She said, looking at Kerah in a way that was almost accusing.
“Odd thing for an elf to say.” Vax said with a chill to his tone that could rival what spewed from the mouth of any despair demon.
“I’m not an elf, I’m just people.” She shot back. “Not all snotty like Egghead.” She jerked a thumb over her shoulder at Solas, who offered one of the most composed eyerolls any of them had ever seen in return.
One side of Vex’s mouth quirked up.
“Half elves, dear. And not so fond of the elvenkind back in our homeland, either. They’re not much for us, because of the other half.”
“Oh. Might not hate you all that much, then. Especially not when you look like that.” Sera laughed. “We going, then? Come on, don’t want to be in the woods when it’s all creepydark.”
They fell into a rough line, Kerah at the lead. Grog trotted up to walk with her, eagerly starting a conversation about her horns. Cassandra followed, straight backed and one hand resting on the pommel of her sword, Percy falling into step behind her. Solas followed her, and Keyleth fell into step beside him, the two of them quiet save a few words exchanged about their magics on the journey. The twins fell in behind them after Vex had returned trinket to the Raven’s Slumber, and Pike, Scanlan, and Varric brought up the rear. The twins exchanged glances, and each knew the other was hoping this went well. It could, as so much for them did, go terribly wrong. But as the journey continued and the parties blended, they relaxed. Perhaps this wouldn’t be too bad after all.