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Vex’ahlia always worries about her brother, though sometimes she wonders if she worries too much. But then, Vax’ildan does something stupid and she sees that she worries just enough, thank you. Vax is currently exploring a cave that the party is planning to set up in, while others of the group are out scouting the surrounding woods leaving the two half-elves and Percy. Vex’ahlia absentmindedly wonders what types of loot is in the cave. As the self-proclaimed bookkeeper, she prides herself in being an expert looter. She is beginning to doze off against Trinket when a shout echoes through the cavern. She starts, grabbing her bow as she recognizes the yell as that of her brother. Trinket growls as Vex’s anger grows-nothing messes with her bear or her brother and lives. Vax’ildan runs out of the deeper part of the cave, left arm clutched to his chest, obviously useless. He’s swearing in all languages he knows, and probably some he doesn’t.
“Vax, what happened? What’s coming?” Percy asks the panting half-elf.
“Centipede. Gigantic fucking centipede.” As if on cue, a centipede bursts from behind him, about eighty feet long and when raised up for an attack, head brushing the roof of the cave. Percy drops his gun in shock and Vex scrambles back slightly. Percy manages to load a round and empties it into the creature’s body. It yowls in pain, head area hitting the cave ceiling, raining down stalactites on the four. Trinket is spared, as well as Percy and Vex’ahlia. Vax, however, is not so lucky. He gets a stalactite to his already wounded shoulder, the sharp rock sending him to his knees.
“Vax!” Vex screams, readying a flaming bow attack. She sends the arrow into the chitinous mandible, followed by another arrow to the eyes and a bear claw to the side. Percy managed to reload and shoots out an ice round, freezing the centipede’s hind to the side of the cave, giving Vax enough time to throw a few daggers and roll out from under the creature.
The sound of the fight drew in Grog, who runs at the centipede, axe swinging wildly. He lunges, axe dragging down the belly of the best. Guts begin to spill out, and the giant insect thrashes around, breaking the ice chaining it to the floor. Its rear half strikes Vex, Vax, and Percy, slamming them to the wall. They get the wind knocked out of them, and Percy knows he has a concussion due to the way his skull cracked against stone. A fireball whizzes past Grog’s form, only to explode inches from Vex’ahlia’s face.
“Sorry!” Comes Tiberius’s voice, followed by a roar signaling Keyleth’s arrival. The centipede releases its hold on the two half-elves and human, meaning that Percy could get in another shot. There is an odd gurgling noise as the bullet gets lodged in its trachea. As Percy lets off another shot, it falls to the side, shaking in its death throes. After it lands, Pike and Scanlan arrive.
Pike immediately rushes towards the three by the wall, readying healing magic. Percy is the first, quickly healed of a concussion and bruised ribs. Vex’ahlia refuses Pike’s aid, trying to hold up her bloody brother. Vax’ildan sways in her hold, shoulder bleeding profusely from where the stone pierced flesh. Pike helps Vex sit him down before laying her hands on him. Vax coughs, sending flecks of red onto Pike’s armor. The gnome’s eyes widen and she grabs her holy symbol, mouth moving in prayers to her deity. Divine healing energy flares from her hand and symbol, engulfing the half-elf in its light. The group watches with bated breath as the wounds slowly start stitching together and the coughing stops. Vax slumps into his sister, who immediately starts panicking.
“He’ll be fine, he just needs rest. Are you hurt?”
Vex shakes her head, “Nothing major, I’ll be fine with a few days’ rest.” Pike nods and moves away, checking to make sure she healed Percy fully.
Vex’ahlia looks down at her brother and puts a hand on his head, yeah, she’s right to worry sometimes.