A Fall of Water

Threads of Discord – Episode 14

In the dimly lit dungeon’s depths, the party awoke to an unexpected and brutal assault. Thorny vines ensnared Elise, Phoenix, Xamson, and Priscilla, holding them in painful restraint. Violent shivers surged through Violet as a massive crystal spike erupted from the ground, piercing their midsection. Darkness enveloped them all, and they groaned in agony.

Amid the chaos, Elise managed to conjure a small ball of light, revealing the nightmarish scene. Thorny creatures and a colossal crystalline monster loomed nearby, but Cassius was conspicuously absent.

Struggling to free themselves from the entangling vines, the party fought to retrieve their weapons. Phoenix, with fiery determination, scorched the thorny restraints, freeing everyone but Xamson. Despite severe injuries from the brambles, Elise and Xamson aided one another, while Vye administered first aid. Xamson, near death’s grasp, recalled the dark gate and an eerie encounter with death itself.

Xamson stood before the Black Gate, where a vision of his step-mother urged him to come back home, pulling at his heartstrings. A choice lay before him: to return to his former family or stay with his newfound companions. With wavering resolve, Xamson chose his new family, embracing the unknown path ahead.

Back in the physical realm, Elise and Xamson received healing aid while Vye, now more composed, attempted to fend off the advancing monsters with a powerful sleep spell. However, a surge of wild magic summoned a raging firebird, scattering the party. Xamson, struck down once more, teetered on the edge of life and death.

During this turmoil, Priscilla struck the crystalline monster with a resounding blow, bringing it to its knees. Then, in a moment of crucial decision, Priscilla chose to end its existence, causing discomfort among the group.

With the enemies vanquished, the party regrouped and focused on finding Cassius. They followed his tracks, which led to a mining facility. Here, the paths diverged, with illusory tracks leading southwest and Cassius’s true trail heading southeast.

After discerning Cassius’s actual path, they disregarded a southern secret and followed him. The trail led them to a massive chamber with pipes and structures, connected to the Font of Fortune. Wisely choosing not to confront the guardian, they traced the pipe’s route.

Eventually, they reached a vast underground caldera, where the pipe discharged its water. A treacherous chasm separated them from a peculiar castle on an island. Priscilla, demonstrating his incredible strength, sealed the pipe, halting the water’s flow.

Phoenix deftly crossed the dangerous chain to the island while Vye summoned a monstrous flying creature to carry them. Just as they made their ascent, a roaring deluge burst forth behind them, submerging goblins in its fury.

As they neared the island, a horde of shadowy bats descended upon them. Vye fought off the initial wave with fire, but the commotion alerted more lurking above and below. Priscilla and Xamson struggled to move the barge, while Elise held her ground.

In a disastrous turn, Priscilla’s strength waned, capsizing the barge and plunging them into the tumultuous waters. Amidst the chaos, the castle’s doors swung open, and Cassius, his eyes blazing with hostility, emerged ready for battle.