Vax can’t move.
Why can’t he move?
He wants to move, he needs to move.
Last thing he remembers is these two people - the Briarwoods, they were called - cornering him in their bedroom. It had been his fault for getting caught, he realizes that now, but he was known for slipping out of worse situations. These two were nobles . They had servants and rich clothing and jewels.
There had been something in a book. He remembers that well enough. Something about a creature, an entity, and he should be able to remember it, why can’t he remember it?
Why can’t he move ?
He tries to focus, tries to see, but it’s like there’s a blurriness to his thoughts, like something had entered his mind and shuffled it around. He hates it, it isn’t right, it’s not natural , but he can’t seem to fight it.
He doesn’t want to fight it.
The Briarwoods had seemed so attractive. So powerful. He wants to do anything for them. He will do anything for them. And right now, that involves staying still, as the Lord circles him, brushes his hair back, drags too sharp fingernails across his cheek.
Vax should move.
Vax shouldn’t be here.
But he wants to be, doesn’t he?
Lord Briarwood is saying something, cooing sweet words into Vax’s ear, and they sound beautiful , they sound poetic, and Vax could listen to his deep sultry voice all night. It reminds him of someone else. Someone far away, someone he should be able to remember, someone he -
The Lord grips Vax’s shoulder tightly, the fingernails digging well beneath Vax’s suit, and it hurts , he should move , why can’t he fucking -
“You look delicious,” the Lord croons, and suddenly he’s forcing Vax’s head sharply up, exposing his neck, and -
It’s cold . Like a blizzard has rushed in through the windows, biting at his skin, but it’s inside him, and he feels his veins pulse with searing pain , as if the usual warmth within him has vanished entirely, replaced with cold and fear and dread and -
He stumbles forward, clutching at the punctures in his vein, and his vision is clear now. The Briarwoods aren’t attractive, they’re terrifying , and they’re blocking the fucking exit.
New strategy then.
Vax bolts.
He feels the glass shatter around him, miniscule shards digging into his skin, but it’s nothing compared to the sharp and heavy impact of the ground colliding with his body, the water in the fountain doing nothing to break his fall.
He manages to sit up, delirious, wracked with pain, and he thinks of his friends.
“ Chenga, ” he whispers, almost a prayer.
Suddenly the Briarwoods are there again, as if he had never escaped them in the first place. He’s gasping, he’s scrambling, trying to get away, and Vax glares up at the Lord as he grips his bleeding neck, his life dripping freely beneath his hand. He doesn’t have much time left.
He’s scared.
He manages to find a shard of broken glass and pinpoints the Lord’s towering frame, and if this is the end he’s going to go down fighting, godsdamnit.
He lunges, pain forgotten, only for his desperate swings to find no purchase and oh, the pain’s back again, as he feels himself lifted into the air.
He doesn’t register his words. There’s redness tinging the edges of his vision.
He can’t move.
He’s thrown to the ground with a vengeance, and the impact doesn’t even hurt, he’s so full of pain. He doesn’t think his body could even process anymore, and this time he knows it’s the end, knows it in his soul, and he should get up, should keep fighting, but all he can think about is Keyleth, beautiful, walking under the trees. All he can think about is his sister, Vex’ahlia, of them growing up, of them being happy, of him seeing her grow into who she is today.
It will be so hard, without him, but he knows she can manage it.
He knows his best friend.
He thinks he sees his friends, running up to fight, to save him, but it has to be an illusion. One last final trick of his mind.
Despite it, he says a prayer to the Everlight anyway. To keep his friends safe.
He slips into blackness, content.