The fight continues! It gets quite dire. In lieu of a play-by-play, I present the story of Ashen Company's street fight against Berringer and his Ulvari Cartel goon squad in the form of a word cloud.
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Meanwhile, the rest of the party is trying to figure out our body situation. Flynn asks Mordecai, who had recently "partied" with several of the drow assailants inside the urn, if he has any bodies in there we could use. Despite all the screaming that audibly escaped from the vessel during the fight, Mordecai insists he has none. Okay, well at least there are still bodies laying around we could recycle, but what about the logistics of absconding through the city streets with a couple of corpses? Can we bring them into the urn and transport them that way? Flynn seems nervous about asking Mordecai for this favour, but Lotty encourages him (also reminding him of something he could use to try to convince the genie). Flynn ignores that last part, but does work up the courage to ask Mordecai if we and our two new corpses could hitch a ride in the jar with him. Mordecai acquiesces. Null offers to change her look and be the one to carry the urn and the two party storage bags back to 71 Tucket Place. One person carrying a few packages is less likely to be noticed and 71 Tucket Place was a dump, unlikely to come to anyone's attention. Cool plan, let's do it. Flynn shoves the bodies inside the urn and everyone except Null follows suit. The changeling, now looking significantly older, picks up the urn, the Handy Haversack and the Bag of Holding and starts walking back to 71 Tucket Place.
Meanwhile, inside the urn, Mordecai welcomes them to a spotless abode. The mouthwatering smell of fresh cookies wafts through the space. Suspiciously, there are no bodies to be seen. Weird. The journey back to the stone hovel at 71 Tucket Place is about ten minutes, during which everyone inside the jar takes a short rest. Curiously, Flynn does not regain his spell slots.
Taking advantage of the respite, Silas knows he needs to tell Nikolai the next step of the plan - they will need to split off from the party and leave the city. The Ashen Company will falsify their memories of this trip and will believe the pair are dead. They can't ever rejoin their friends until they're sure the threat is defeated, lest the ruse fall apart. Niko protests. They can't adequately protect their shieldwall by running away! Silas insists that in doing this, Niko and Silas are protecting their friends. Niko has become the target of powerful enemies, making any associations of his vulnerable to violence and death. Letting everyone, including their enemies, believe Niko and Silas are dead removes the target from the boy's back and lessens the risk that their loved ones will be attacked to get to him. This is to keep him out of reach, yes, but everyone will be safer overall if this plan goes ahead. The boy thinks on the proposal... He doesn't agree, but he will follow Silas and obey.
Ding! Mordecai's cookies are ready and he offers them to his guests. Despite them being a delicious combination of dark chocolate and macadamia nut, only Lotty and Flynn partake. To their delight, the cookies are tasty as hell and come with a temp HP boost! Post-cookies, the party sits in silence until it becomes clear that they are just delaying the inevitable. Niko and Silas have to leave as soon as possible in order for the plan to proceed. It's time for farewells.
Niko: Flynn steps up to Niko and tells him he's a good kid. The goblin wishes him luck and bids him to visit his shop when times are better. Niko nods, despite this being the first he has heard of Flynn having a shop. Lotty's up next. She starts musing about what a wonderful fighter Niko will become under Silas's tutelage, but can't seem to hold back her tears for long. She starts to weep and Niko comforts her, saying "I'll be fine, Miss Lotty". Berrik stays silent and keep his wishes to himself, not wanting to mar Lotty's last moments with Niko.
Silas: The paladin gathers his friends. He hopes that, despite what we will believe to be true, some part of our hearts remember that death isn't the end. He hopes that the Ashen Company will carry their experiences and memories of Silas and Niko with them, keeping them alive in the echoes of their hearts. Lotty hugs him and Silas wonders what he will ever do without her, their resident mother owlbear. Lotty tearfully reminds him that he's the caregiver now and that he's going to be great dad. Silas nods, and smiles nervously. He asks her to take care of the party - they will need her. Berrik approaches Silas next. The elf looks at one of his oldest friends and appreciates that he has always been the strong, silent type - their stalwart protector. Berrik has always had their backs and kept them alive. Berrik nods, he did his best. He reminds Silas that there is still Null to watch out for- you two always had a deathwish. The two men hug each other goodbye. Silas next turns to Flynn. He has always appreciated the goblin's ability to keep things lighthearted. He hopes that Flynn will use that ability to help heal their friends when he is gone. Mordecai suddenly interjects, shoving Flynn out the way to tearfully hug Silas goodbye. He hands over a satchel of dark chocolate/macadamia nut/definitely not dead drow cookies for the road. Silas thanks the hysterical genie and turns back to Flynn. The two shake hands and Flynn hands Silas a box of his finest cigars - a couple of them are actually in good shape too!
The only thing left to do is exit the urn and take their leave, but Silas is nervous about facing Null. The pair of them are probably the most co-dependent of the bunch, and it will be hard to say farewell. Mordecai offers to teleport Silas and Niko somewhere directly out of the jar, but Silas declines. They have to say goodbye.
Silas and Niko exit, landing in the familiar stone hovel at 71 Tucket Place. Null greets them, shifting her face back to the one they know best. "I guess it's time", she says wistfully. Nulls hugs Silas and doesn't let go. Silas pleads with his friend to be strong and not turn to despair when he's gone. Null knows she should reassure him, but she finds it hard not to vocalize how scared she is of what's to come. She's afraid of the idea of her mind being altered again. She knows her propensity for risk and self-destruction when she feels angry, afraid or unmoored, and she doesn't know how to avoid those feelings if she believes her best friend to be dead. He bids her to find solace in their friends, the ones that are still there, the ones that depend on her. She will try, she will try to try. Null then expresses to Silas that, despite her misgivings about what must happen, she is deeply proud of him. He is doing the hard thing, giving up everything: his friends, his future, his victories in order to give this child a chance at a better life. She tells him that if this act is his only legacy, then that's more admirable than any glory adventure or war would bestow. She pulls an awkward Niko into the hug and tells him that her best friend in the whole world is leaving her in order to give the boy a chance to find peace and truly live his own life... so he better not be a little shit to Silas. Niko assures her they will be fine. Null realizes she's been lingering like this for an uncomfortable amount of time. She releases Silas and Niko from her grasp and backs away. She tells them to have a good life and, if all goes well, she will see them on the other side (of this situation, not of life!) back in Zanidonia. Silas says his last goodbye and wishes, more than anything, that his friends take care of each other in the days to come. Silas lingers a little longer, before Niko nudges him that it's time to go. He says a silent prayer to Aeon and the pair depart through the front door and disappear into the streets of Palirano.
Once Silas and Niko are safely out of the vicinity of the city, they meet up with Reno and continue their journey aloft, on the camel pegasus's back. Suddenly, Silas begins to feel warm. Radiant, comforting heat spreads through his whole body and into Flare. The paladin's trusted two-bladed scimitar glows brightly and, in a flash, splits into two new weapons: a longsword affixed to Silas's back, and a shortsword affixed to Niko's. When Silas tied himself to Niko's fate so did Flare, and in that selfless act of love and duty both man and weapon became exalted.
And so Silas and Nikolai flew on, their destination known only to themselves. Their hearts were full.
