The guildhall was bustling as Sordia Vignti debriefed with Ezra. The smell of ale and the hum of chatter filled the room, but the party’s grim expressions silenced those nearby. Ezra stood before them, arms crossed, her sharp gaze scanning their faces. “Well?” she asked, her voice cutting through the din. [[Ellette|Ellette]] stepped forward. “The camp is destroyed. They were summoning something—something big. We stopped it, but...” She glanced at [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], her voice faltering slightly. “There were complications.” Ezra’s eyes narrowed. “Complications?” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] shrugged, his tone casual despite the weight of the situation. “Let’s just say we had some disagreements about priorities.” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] crossed his arms but said nothing, his expression guarded. Ezra studied them for a moment, then sighed. “As long as the threat is neutralized, that’s what matters. But keep your priorities straight, Sordia Vignti. You’re not just fighting for yourselves.” The party nodded, the tension in the room palpable. After answering a few more questions and giving a brief rundown of the camp’s layout and defenses, they were dismissed. “Get some rest,” Ezra called after them as they left the guild. “You’ll need it.” The journey back to the keep was quiet, the weight of the encounter still heavy on their minds. [[Ellette|Ellette]] sat at the reins, her face stoic but her grip on the reins tighter than usual. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] sat beside her, silently plucking the strings of a repaired lute, the soft notes doing little to ease the unease in the air. Behind them, [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] fidgeted with his pistol, occasionally glancing at [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], who was flipping through the book he had salvaged from the camp. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] sat at the back, staring out at the trees, his tentacle-like prosthetic flexing idly. “I’ll say it,” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] finally broke the silence. “That was... messy.” “Messy?” [[Ellette|Ellette]] echoed, her voice sharp. “It was reckless.” She shot a glance over her shoulder at [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]]. “We barely got [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] out of there alive, and you were more concerned with grabbing their trinkets.” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]]’s eyes didn’t leave the pages of the book. “Those trinkets might hold the key to stopping worse things from happening.” “Or they might doom us all,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] retorted, her tone icy. “Enough,” [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] said softly, her lute’s melody faltering. “We all made it out. Let’s not tear each other apart now.” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. “Look, [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], I get the thirst for power. Really, I do. But you’re pushing it. [[Ellette|Ellette]]’s got a point—we’re not playing with harmless toys here.” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] closed the book with a sigh, finally meeting [[Qwimby|Qwimby]]’s gaze. “I know what I’m doing.” “Do you?” [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] asked quietly, his voice steady but tinged with disappointment. “Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like you’re letting this tower of yours become more important than the people around you.” For a moment, the only sound was the clatter of the cart wheels. By the time they reached the keep, the children were waiting at the gates, their laughter cutting through the sombre mood. Jess and Derek stood by, their expressions a mix of relief and curiosity. Rasp, the death kiss [[Ellette|Ellette]] had tamed, floated nearby, its tentacles twitching as if sensing the group’s tension. “You’re back!” Pirate shouted, racing up to [[Qwimby|Qwimby]]. “Did you bring anything cool?” “Not this time, kid,” [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] said with a faint smile, ruffling Pirate’s hair. “We had... other priorities.” [[Ellette|Ellette]] dismounted and handed the reins to Derek. “Get the supplies inside. We’ll debrief after everyone’s settled.” Jess approached [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]], her eyes scanning the group. “Rough one?” she asked, her voice kind but concerned. “You could say that,” [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] replied, giving a small smile. “But we’re all here.” For now, [[Ellette|Ellette]] thought grimly, her gaze lingering on [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] as he strode toward the tower. Later that evening, the party gathered in the war room, the children tucked into bed and the keep quiet save for the crackling of the hearth. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] had brought the salvaged book, placing it on the table as [[Ellette|Ellette]] watched him warily. “We need to talk about what happened,” she began. “That camp wasn’t just another cultist hideout. They were summoning something—something big. And you almost lost control of the situation, [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]].” “Almost?” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] scoffed. “We won. [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]]’s fine. The camp is destroyed.” “We didn’t win because of you,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] said sharply. “We won despite you.” The tension in the room was palpable. [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] leaned back in his chair, watching the exchange with narrowed eyes, while [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] placed a calming hand on [[Ellette|Ellette]]’s arm. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]], uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up. “She’s right,” he said, his voice low. “You’re so focused on power that you’re losing sight of what we’re fighting for. It’s not just about stopping Zargathax. It’s about protecting the people we care about.” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]]’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he opened the book, flipping to a page filled with arcane symbols. “This,” he said, pointing at the markings, “might be the key to understanding what they’re planning. I’m not apologizing for wanting to use every advantage we can get.” [[Ellette|Ellette]] stood, her voice cutting through the room like ice. “Just make sure your thirst for power doesn’t destroy us all.” She left without another word, the tension in the room lingering long after she was gone. The remaining members of the party sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the day pressing heavily on them. Finally, [[Qwimby|Qwimby]] stretched and stood. "Well, I think we’ve had enough drama for one day. Let’s get some rest before someone decides to summon more ducks." [[Zara Blackwood|Zara]] chuckled weakly, rising as well. "Agreed. We’ll be sharper tomorrow." [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] nodded, still lost in thought, and followed her out. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] lingered at the table, his fingers brushing the edges of the salvaged book, before he too rose and left the room without another word. The keep fell into an uneasy quiet as each member of Sordia Vignti made their way to their chambers, hoping that sleep would bring some clarity to the storm brewing among them. [[Chapter 52. Growth and Bonds]]