03x12 - Souls in Darkness

[bunniefuu]

[somber music playing]

[Thordak-Raishan] No allies.

No help.

You're all alone, Keyleth.

But you are lucky.

For you alone get to gaze
upon my glorious new body.

The perfect weapon to destroy
every Ashari village, one by one. [laughs]

You will never.

[yells fiercely]

[Thordak-Raishan] Ooh.
Such a spell might have

destroyed my old form...

...but I have become death, child.

[dramatic music playing]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[growling angrily]

[Keyleth pants, grunts]

[Grog] Keyleth!

[gasps]

Thordak!

Uh, actually, I-I think that's Raishan.

She must have switched bodies?

Eh. I don't got to understand
something to k*ll it.

[shouts fiercely]

[cackles] This body feels no pain.

[roars]

Aah!

[pained groan]

[Scanlan] Hand!

Come on. With me.

-Pike?
-On it. Go!

Enough games!

Can't... [pants softly]

[intense roaring]

Watch it!

Bring it. I can handle fire.

[Thordak-Raishan] These flames
burn different.

[pained groaning]

Pikey!

You think I'd have helped you
acquire these vestiges

if they were a threat to me?

You're puppets.

I pulled your strings

and you danced.

[groans softly] Keyleth.

Keyleth!

[Thordak-Raishan roaring]

[Vax] Keyleth?

Run. Get the hell out of there.

I've got a plan.

Don't do this to me, Kiki.

This group takes chances all the time.
Now it's my turn.

Vax...

Trust me.

[Thordak-Raishan roaring]

[intense music playing]

Raishan! Let them go.

They didn't cause your disease.

It was my people. They're your enemies.

The Ashari were once allies to my kind.

Until they betrayed us,

claiming nature for themselves.

-You would do the same.
-That's a lie.

Don't play naive, Keyleth.

You celebrated k*lling Brimscythe,

Umbrasyl, Vorugal.

We're both fueled by ambition. Admit it.

[Keyleth grunts]

[distant roaring]

Big guy, any more punch
in those gauntlets?

Let's find out.

[shouts]

[panting]

[yells]

[Thordak-Raishan] There's nowhere to run.

[grunting]

[Vax] Come on, keep going.

[Grog grunting]

[roars]

[grunting]

[shouts]

[cries out]

[roars]

[dramatic music playing]

[shouts]

[grunting]

[shouts]

[groaning]

[panting]

[exhales]

Farewell, child.

[whimpers]

Hurry, Grog!

[Grog shouts]

[roars]

[Keyleth shouts]

No!

You fancied her.

What a shame.

Thordak erased your mother.

It's only fitting he ends you as well.

[roars]

[grunts]

What?

Keyleth?

Impossible.

[roars]

[roaring]

My disease? No!

You can't!

Not again!

[screaming]

Aah!

You cannot harm this body!

Looks like she just did.

[grunting]

[roars]

[grunts]

[Thordak-Raishan] Ashari...

[Percy] Please.

-Help me!
-Kiki!

[sighs]

I don't know how you did that.

But you were legendary.

Disease is a part of nature.

And you can control it...

if you find your anchor.

You gonna kiss me or what?

[gentle music playing]

Oh, wait. One sec...

[retching, coughing]

Sorry... it's not you, it's...

...it's poison. [retching]

[chuckles]

So chunky.

♪ ♪

[grunts softly]

[exhales softly]

[crickets chirping]

Matron, guide me.

-[wind blowing]
-[ethereal whispering]

[mystical, pensive music playing]

♪ ♪

[Matron] You have sought me
for a corrupt purpose.

Is it wrong to free my friend
from eternal torment?

We honor the transition
from Life to the After.

Not violate it.

His soul is already violated.

Tamper with death,
and you will know sorrow far worse.

Even if you retrieve him,
there will be a cost.

Then there is a way.

Show me.

Show me!

[Vax grunts]

[gasps]

[panting]

[birds cawing in distance]

And if Raishan could
place her soul into Thordak,

why can't we return Percy to his own body?

Y-Yeah, but what happens
if you defy the Matron?

She's a god.

Okay, something that devil Zerxus said,
it-it stuck with me.

Sometimes you should
go against the wishes of your deity.

After all, the gods didn't create us
to blindly obey them, right?

But Vex was only dead a few minutes
when you brought her back.

Percy's been gone for a while.

He could end up a zombie.

Even if we could,
his spirit has long departed this plane.

[Vax] Actually, no.

I've sensed that his soul
is being held prisoner within Orthax.

H-Hold up. A soul inside a demon?

Where's the demon?

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Cool.

[sighs] I need a drink.

Pickle, if you can restore his body,
I can connect to Orthax.

Breaking Orthax's curse
nearly k*lled Percy.

And you're gonna do it
without the Matron's help?

She warned me
that meddling with fate is... dangerous.

But that doesn't mean it's impossible.

Vax, if you don't return,

if I lose Percy and you...

[Vax] Sister.

I would gladly give my soul
for one day of your happiness.

No one can undo the past.

Well, one can certainly try.

[pensive music playing]

♪ ♪

[grunts softly]

[straining]

[squelching]

[Pike] His body
is as good as I can get it.

For luck.

[ominous music playing]

♪ ♪

Orthax. I seek vengeance.

[Orthax] Against whom?

Against you.

[whooshing]

[chain squeaking]

It's starting.

[screams]

[scream distorts, fades]

[Orthax] Why have you come,
Raven champion?

There is nothing for you here.

Percival De Rolo. I demand his release.

[Orthax] But Percy belongs with me.

They all do.

He would not leave,
even if you could find him.

[Percy] Let me go!

Percy! I'm coming!

This revival's gonna be
way tougher without Kash.

I'll help you.

[Orthax] Perhaps you belong here, too.

A scared little boy,

forced into a pact with the Matron.

You must serve her every whim...

[thunder crashing]

...or she'll punish you
with a ghastly future.

-[shrieks]
-[screams]

Hold him down!

[grunts]

[Orthax] But I can shield you
from your pact.

Like Percy, here you could be free,

unbound to her authority.

Give in to your vengeful heart, champion.

For the Matron's fate cannot be changed.

[grunts]

But it can certainly be bent.

[grunting]

His body's ready,
but the spell won't last forever.

Vax. Vax! Can you hear me?

Hurry!

[panting]

[Percy] What is this place?

Percy, guide me.

[hammer clanging]

De Rolo. Can you hear me?

Percy?

Who are you?

[gasps]

-[Orthax cackles]
-We need to go.

No.

There is work to be done.

I don't know what it's done to your mind,
but this isn't you, Percy!

Get off of me!

I don't know who you're talking about.

You see?

A soul cannot be rescued from my domain.

Especially one who does not wish to leave.

Damn it, listen to me...

[grunts, screams]

His shame fuels my forge.

The roar of its fire
cannot drown out his guilt.

Percival deserves this.

The f*ck he does. [grunts]

If you alter his fate, Raven Champion,
you will never be the same!

Never know happiness!

Snap out of it, De Rolo! Come on!

[grunts] We can't maintain it.

This has to happen now!

-How?
-I-I don't know.

There's no manual for this.

I don't know if you can hear this,
but your friends need you.

Damn it, I need you.

[ethereal whispering]

[exhales]

Percy...

This isn't how I wanted to do this.

And gods know, all this attention
would appall you, but...

That day with you in Syngorn.

When you stood next to me
and you allowed me to be

part of something that you hold dearest,

I...

I was so proud.

You stood up for me and I...

I lied to you.

I lied to myself.

I hate that I was too afraid to admit it.

You're fascinating and obstinate

and-and the cleverest man I know.

[somber music playing]

You have to find
your way back to us, Percy.

Please! Remember who you were!

[Vex] Because the truth is,

I love you, darling.

My heart...

it's yours.

[Percy] Vex'ahlia?

Wait. Vax?

Back to the forge!

Now!

[straining] She loves you.

And so do I, brother.

[hopeful music playing]

No. No!

This is my realm!

You belong to me!

[groans softly]

Do it now!

[triumphant music playing]

[Orthax screeches]

[yelps]

[groans softly]

[gentle music playing]

[Percy] You've got something there.

-Careful.
-[crying]

I've only recently taken up breathing.

-Yes!
-f*ck yeah!
-Oh, wonderful.

[laughs] I can't believe it. Vax...

I'm here, Stubby. I'm okay.

-Well, that's quite a relie...
-[groans softly]

[sighs]

[hopeful music playing]

[Vex] Better, darling.

-[panting]
-You made it to the gate twice today.

At this rate, I'll be jogging
by my 60th birthday.

[chuckles] As long as the other bits work,
I don't mind.

Thank you, for everything, but especially

for not giving up.

Mm, remember, I died too, once.

I didn't deem the experience

suitable for a gentleman of your station.

Oi, think you two
could hobble back for dinner?

Scanlan has some chickens on
in the chateau.

-Trinket, give the lord some help.
-[growls softly]

[growls contentedly]

Vax.

I owe you my life, brother.

I won't forget it.

[whooshing exhale]

[Vax] She won't forget either.

[ominous music playing]

[lively music playing]

[indistinct chatter]

Well, at least he serves champagne.

Hey, big boy, mind passing that knife?

Um, buddies?

Yes, knife, I will do your bidding.

Oh, sh*t.

Must k*ll...

-[gasps]
-[laughing]

-Look at your stupid face.
-[laughs] You dingus.

You had me going for a second.

[sighs] Every moment
with you people is surreal.

-Ah, you love it.
-[door opens]

[others] Gilmore!

[laughs] Thought I smelled chicken.

Ah, that's our Scanlan,
always the meat man.

-How's Whitestone, Shaun?
-Glorious.

In fact, Lady Cassandra wished to invite
you all there to celebrate Winter's Crest.

Ooh, goodie! [gasps] Shopping!

Well, f*ck me,
I think this deserves a toast.

Scanlan, have a song for the occasion?

Oh. [chuckles uncomfortably]
Uh, yeah, yeah, I do.

Um... Uh, but, you know, before that,

um, I've been thinking, and, uh...

Well, o-our mission is-is over.

And even though we really,

you know, really shouldn't have
succeeded, we-we kind of did.

But with all the treasure we found
and the adventure we had,

I've been looking for something else.

[sighs] I tried all the wrong ways
to find it,

but the right one found me.

As corny as it sounds,

I like myself better when I'm with Kaylie.

She matters to me.

And, I think for the first time
in my life, I matter

to her.

But you matter to us too, Scanlan.

You guys are like family to me.

But now, I have a real family,

and she's the best.

[somber music playing]

Uh, I-I don't want to bring down the room.

I-I just wanted to say that,
after dinner, we're heading out.

Where will you go?

World tour sounds nice.

Okay, wow, um, this is awkward, um...

I've been putting off my Aramenté,

but it's time to become
who I was meant to be.

So... turns out, we'll be leaving as well.

The Voice of the Tempest
may need a squire,

and I'm pretty fast at fetching water.

Well, I couldn't be happier for you.

Just don't run off
and get married or anything.

And fret not, Gilmore,

Percy and I will join you in Whitestone.

After all, Lady Vex'ahlia has yet
to experience life as a noble.

W... Now, wait a minute.
Does this mean we're breaking up?

Well, I'm not going anywhere.

And if danger pops up again,
who do you think they're gonna call?

Um, the Slayer's Take?

Uh, the Protectors of The Realm,
you doofus.

We're still Vox Machina,

and we still f*ck sh*t up.

Yeah! I'll drink to that.

-Cheers!
-[laughter]
-Yeah!

-That's the spirit, big man!
-L'chaim.

Well, Dad, shall we?

[Scanlan clears throat]

♪ It's moments like these ♪

♪ When you really start
to question it all ♪

♪ Like, why am I here? ♪

♪ And you're over there all alone? ♪

♪ Oh, I want to say the right things ♪

♪ But I can't find the words ♪

♪ Just want to put you first ♪

♪ Don't ever want to be apart ♪

♪ I would let myself burn ♪

♪ If it meant that I could save you ♪

♪ Not even hesitate
to walk through the fire ♪

♪ If it was the only way to get to you ♪

-♪ I would circle the world ♪
-♪ I would circle the world ♪

♪ And wouldn't stop until I found you ♪

♪ I'd search the night for the stars ♪

♪ Hoping that they'd lead me back to you ♪

♪ I would circle the world. ♪

[ominous music playing]

[cultists] We are his sight.

We are his voice.

We are his touch.

We are his heart.

We are his blood.

We are

-his blood.
-[screech]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Chirp.