As the Ashen Company continue to battle their old friend they feel broken, both at the heavy hits Silas is throwing at them and as their hearts ache the closer they come to finishing the fight.
Even with Null and Lotty being knocked unconscious during the fight our heroes come out victorious - despite it not feeling anything like a victory. With Silas on his last legs Flynn know the hardest part of this fight is down to him as he fill Silas with Eldrich blasts he falls. Surrounded by Null, Berrick & Lotty Silas uses his last breath to let them know Nicolai is still alive and charges the Ashen company to save his adopted son.
Whilst Berrick, Lotty and Flynn have long mourned Silas and only just learnt of their own memory changing plan it's all too raw for Null who has known all along Silas is alive and is having to come to terms with his death for the first time. She lashes out at Flynn with a chill touch, which Flynn gladly takes - he's already hurting and doesn't feel it's wholly undeserved. He takes out a cigar and keeps his distance for a moment, not really feeling part of the team and his decision weighing heavy on him.
After trying to clean the blood from Silas Lotty feels it's a moment for his oldest two friends to take care of and goes to comfort Flynn. She bums a cigar and sits down waiting for Flynn to join her. They don't need to share many words and both understand the other is lying when they say they're ok but as Lotty takes Flynn's hand they know they have each other and their friends so there's still a chance everything will be ok.
Null & Berrick take care to remove Flynn's armour, as his body seems to fully return to Silas' form they clean and prepare him for a dignified farewell. There is a glowing green light in his chest; on closer inspection it looks like a miniature version of a soul turbine where Silas' heart should be. Berrick as able to cut it from his chest and throws it to the ground to open the next portal.
Flynn asks Mordecai to take Silas' body in to the urn until they can find a suitable resting place for their friend and Lotty straps his armour to her back - despite seeming to be very powerful none of them feel comfortable wearing it - they heal up and step through to the whatever awaits them in the next portal.
The Ashen Company step out on to a large cratered surface, seemingly floating in space. They make their way to a large temple with a 30ft wall of green energy where a doorway should be. Everyone feels a cold chill down their spine, except Null - somehow this feels disturbingly comfortable.
An Eldrich Blast from Flynn confirms it is just an illusion, albeit one that is powerful enough to silence everyone in the nearby area. The litch with a mouth takes the opportunity to indulge in his favourite pastime of trash talking his foes. Like every villain worth their salt he monologues his plans to have the Company get through the halls in front of them for their final confrontation at the soul turbine.
Taking care to avoid stepping on any runes and a quick update on the group text chat the Ashen company prepare for what feels like the last level of this tower.
Null gathers her friends together for a group hug as they share a tender moment on the edge of the end of the world. Hand in hand they think of all the people that have been lost already in this fight as they step through the portal with renewed vigour not to lose anyone else.
- Entry - Aspect of Azrael
- Necro fruit- Rune scarred cultists
- Clockwork - Lich & death knights
- Graveyard - Rune scarred banshees (Hi Eleanor!)
- Lava - Rune scarred balor
- Ice tundra - frigid cold
- Swamp - Rune scarred basilisks
- Snow farm - Rune scarred zombie giants
- Classroom - Alistair's riddles (+book on Soul Transference)
- Underwater - Kraken
- Wall - Spikes of agony
- Ashen Company Villa - duplicates
- Sands - Silas
- Azher's tower