Clover's Log
Ronan is down. Nyx and Brendel need time to complete the complex task of rebuilding and reprogramming a Warforged, even with the proper equipment fate has allowed us to stumble into. Also pressing is the fact that within this room are four trapped Mind Witnesses. We’ve encountered one other in our time in the Rift, the one who showed us the tabaxis’ role in the war with the Good Lady and the Titans. The memory that proved the Good Lady is guilty and revealed tabaxis are from another planet. Each Mind Witness contains memories of the time before the Shattering—no other living beings remember that time, as all memories have been transferred to the Mind Witnesses. They are not meant to exist near each other. Clearly the magic of their cages is keeping them in close proximity to one another, and they are begging to be freed.
Oman and I come up with a plan to break the cages, me entrusting him with my magic-infused quarterstaff, and I step into view, immediately heading for the nearest cage. The workers see me, but I have my mission. I attack the cage with my claws, lightning sparking against the magical lock. Oman gets Ronan up, and together we manage to open the cage. The Mind Witnesses are free, but we are under attack from the workers. Nyx and Brendel almost have Keys back up and running. But they aren’t quite fast enough. A portal opens above us, and one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever seen descends from the hole. The Beholder. Immediately the workers try to flee. We have a choice to make. We can stay and try to win an impossible fight, or we can run.
The Beholder makes the decision for us, quickly blocking the elevator with its anti-magic field. We have to fight long enough to find an escape. An angel flies by the window outside. Should we try to catch his attention, try to get him to join this unwinnable fight? No time. The Beholder is too powerful, and it’s taking everything we have to stay alive. After what feels like a century, Keys completes his updates and joins the fight, flying straight into the heart of the battle without hesitation. He buys us the time and space we need to get to the elevator. Almost. Any second now and the Beholder will strike us all down. That’s when Renna steps into harm’s way, drawing on every ounce of magic she has to…put the Beholder to sleep. In doing so, she crumples in upon herself. I rush toward her, hoping to save her, but the Beholder is dreaming, and may wake any second. If I stay, try to help, we both die.
And that’s when a second Beholder appears, born into the world from the first’s dream. Time to go. We take the elevator as far down as we can. From there, some of us take the stairs, while Oman and I fly ahead to get the text left by Shadow. We arrive to find three angels lying in wait. In no shape to fight them, Oman tries to persuade them to follow us back up where the true enemy awaits. Something tells me they won’t be easily swayed.