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Chapter Text

Threads of Light, Connect Us through Time

Again, and Again (I Will Change your Fate)

Chapter 0

Cold

Only cold existed

            Seconds... minutes... 

                            Hours... days... years... ....

                                                    Vax could not be sure if he himself was real...

Time no longer existed, nor did the sky, the earth, the seas and oceans...

     could barely...

                        remember...

                                      ... the green foliage of the woods

the breeze ruffling her sister's braid, with that blue feather always pinned to her temple

the loud laughter of the goliath, along with the softer laughter of the gnome sitting on his shoulder

the soft and joyful musical notes emitted by the lute of the gnome bard

the radiant smile of the young druid

            ... and the snow-white hair of that bright young human with pale green eyes

                          ... with a melancholic look, as if the whole world weighed on his shoulders

                       ... the blood falling from his forehead

Thank you for saving me

                                       ... with that sad little smile

now it's my turn

                       ... that white hand gently caressing his face

to save you.

Bullshit!

Save him? What a joke. Vax just stood there watching, his legs so weak, his wings trembling on his back, with tears falling freely down his face

He just stared as the young human, his hair white because of the cruelty of the world, was dragged into the black and infinite abyss with to the gigantic monster he was tied to

The same monster that was brought back by that horrible woman inside the body of one of her victims

The monster that plunged the world into chaos before anyone could do anything to avoid it,

Neither gods nor mortals had the opportunity to even raise a hand when reality fractured

                         Now only cold and chaos existed...

                                             Now and forever...

... MY CHAMPION...

A powerful voice cut through the cold silence of the chaos

A faint light shone in his chest

A Thread of Light broke off, creating a path in the dense darkness

...MY BEAUTIFUL CHAMPION...

An imposing figure slowly formed

His Goddess took form

But what had once been a mighty and proud divinity of Death, now her form looked frail, consumed

Her beautiful mask was cracked all over, fragments of it falling as the Matron approached him

"My Goddess, what is happening? " he could barely hear his own voice, he didn't know if he was whispering or shouting, maybe it made no difference anymore

...MY CHAMPION... MY POWER DIMISHES... SOON MY BEING WILL FADE AWAY... CONSUMED BY CHAOS...

The Thread of Light that connected him to his Goddess was slowly beginning to fade

Vax closed his eyes, letting out a sigh, so this was it?

At least he would disappear together with his Goddess...

... BUT THERE IS STILL A CHANCE... TO UNDO THIS DESTINY...

What?

With surprise, he opened his eyes

"My Goddess, how is that possible? "

... THE BONDS OF DESTINY... BIND ALL LIVING BEINGS TO EACH OTHER AND THEIR INEVITABLE END... TO ME...

...TIME MARCHES IN ONE DIRECTION... TO BE BORN, TO LIVE AND TO DIE, SUCH IS THE DESTINY OF MORTALS...

... BUT THESE BONDS OF FATE UNITE US ALL THROUGH SPACE AND TIME...

Taking a moment to process the Goddess' words, his eyes widened further in surprise as he understood what the divinity was implying

"But that...! Is that even possible?! "

... THIS FEAT IS TABOO... SENDING A MORTAL ENTITY INTO THE PAST COST A HEAVY PRICE... BUT THE BALANCE OF THE WORLD HAS ALREADY BEEN BROKEN BY THIS VILE CREATURE...

... NOW THE WORLD DIES AND ONLY CHAOS WILL REMAIN...

The huge figure of the Matron vanished in a mass of black feathers, forming a smaller figure that appeared in front of her Champion

...I WILL PAY THE PRICE FOR THIS ACT... BUT MY CHAMPION... IT WILL DEPEND ON YOU... FOR THIS FATE TO CHANGE...

Raising her hands, the dying goddess took the hands of her Champion

...MY FATE TOUCHED CHAMPION...

Feeling his whole body tense up, a burst of energy spreading throughout his whole being, igniting him in a blinding light

In his mind there was only pain, feeling every part of him burning, splitting into infinite pieces, being consumed by the energy his goddess was transferring to him

And in an instant, in his mind appeared the image of his Goddess' mask, cracking, breaking into a thousands of pieces

... CHOOSE YOUR ACTIONS CAREFULLY... THIS IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE TO UNDO PAST MISTAKES...

Feeling his Goddess die, an explosion of white light was the last thing Vax saw before falling into unconsciousness

... I TRUST YOU WILL DO THE RIGHT THING...

... FAREWELL...

... MY BEAUTIFUL CHAMPION...

... ... ... ... ...

... ... ... ...

… … ...

… ...

...

Vax opened his eyes.

Chapter Text

Chapter 1

“It was my fault, I... I set off the trap by accident... I was so anxious to take the armor that I didn't think...”

With a punch toin the face, Percy fell to the ground.

“Shut up, just shut up!… I don't want to hear a single word out of your damn mouth, de Rolo.”

Barely containing his fury, Vax watched as Percy lowered his head, avoiding his gaze. Damn coward, always thinking he was right and ignoring warnings.

From the moment he saw him in that cell so many years ago, Vax always knew that the human would bring trouble. It was his fault that they almost died at the hands of the Briarwoods, and then at the hands of the damned demon inside of him. It was his fault that they were dragged into so many dangerous situations, but they still helped him because he was their friend and part of the team. But Vax should have known that the day would come when Percy's bad luck would claim the life of one of them.

Vex'ahlia's life.

But it could have been any one of them and Vax wasn't sure if his deal with the Matron would have helped with anyone other than his twin.

It could have been Scanlan, it could have been Pike, it could have been Grog, it could have been Keyleth...

But that didn't matter anymore; he was bound to the Goddess of Death and he had no idea what would happen from now on, but it was worth it as long as Vex had a long life.

Vax would make sure they all had the long and happy lives they deserved.

"The next time I see you about to do something stupid that puts our lives at risk, don't think for a second that I'm going to hesitate to keep that promise I made to you in Whitestone. If this happens again, I will kill you! Understood?"

This time Vax would keep his promise, one false step, and he would personally plunge his dagger right into Percy's heart...

He could notice the fear in the human's dodgy eyes, a slight tremor in his figure.

Good, maybe this way he would finally listen when he gave him a warning.

Turning his back on him, the rest of the group followed, no one daring to say a word, their gazes low and elusive.

He took a couple of steps, ready to leave the watery grave behind. They had no time for this, innocent people were dying because of the Chroma Conclave, they had to hurry up and find the next Vestige...

Vax opened his eyes when he noticed that instead of the steps of his companions or the song of the birds or even the soft sound of the breeze, he only heard silence.

He raised his head. Everything around him had gone black.

Vax was all alone.

He called out the names of his friends, of his family, but no one answered.

Moving forward in the darkness, first in steps but soon he was running. Running in the dark, with furtive shadows rushing by, barely able to catch them on the periphery of his sight, barely hearing mocking laughters. He felt watched by a dark presence...

He felt one of his feet touch something.

The blood froze in his veins...

A huge axe. The axe Grog used to wield.

Stained with blood.

He let out a gasp, a cold sweat ran down the back of his neck.

Taking more steps, he found more of his friend's belongings.

Pike's mallet…

Scanlan's lute…

Keyleth's staff…

Each and every one... stained with blood.

With a scream caught in his throat, he felt someone stop behind him. He turned around.

Percy.

Shadows danced across his face, but he caught a glimpse of a cold smile.

And one eye glowing an unpleasant yellowish tone.

Raising his left arm, with a hand that was barely skin and bones, withered and greenish, he held...

Vex’ahlia's bow.

With a howl, Vax lunged at Percy.

The bow fell to the ground, and with it they both lay on the ground.

Rising to his knees with bated breath, Vax looked down at his own trembling hands. Crimson blood coated them, warm and viscous.

And beneath him lay Percy, with a dagger stabbing right into his heart. The shadows had left his face, revealing a tired expression, completely consumed, eyes infinitely sad, barely able to emit a couple of tears.

His right hand weakly reached up, caressing Vax’s face, whose tears were flowing freely and uncontrollably.

This was not what he wanted, despite his promise, despite his fury... he would never... he would have never...

“I didn't mean to... I never meant to...” with his voice cracking, he just kneel there, watching as Percy slowly formed a sad smile.

“Thank you... for saving me...” his voice barely a whisper.

His hand dropped to the ground, his eyes losing luster.

Vax, now all alone, stained with the blood of his family, sank into darkness.

Letting out a desperate cry-

Vax opened his eyes.

With his heart pounding in his chest, Vax sat up from his makeshift bed of grass and leaves, looking around, finding himself in the middle of the camp inside the small cave they had set up. Memories slowly came back to his mind as his companions were preparing breakfast.

It was only a couple of days since he had left the Matron's watery tomb, making his way to Rimecleft. The mood of the group was at rock bottom, there was hardly any chatter among them, comments in the air, the occasional dirty joke from Scanlan, but if it weren't for Vax insisting that they pick up the pace, it would take them forever to reach the next Vestige.

Slowly the tension had been lowering in the group, slowly returning to how it used to be, well, except for Vax and Percy, or rather, Percy and the rest of the group. The human barely responded when he was asked a question, but that was about it, just keeping to the rear of the group, silent.

Not that Vax cared much about this, he could barely stand their presence near him when they had to set up camp...

Or so he had used to think the day before...

Or rather, what Vax had used to think thirty years ago.

Because Vax was no longer that young half elf, the rogue of Vox Machina, who gave his soul to the Goddess of Death to save his sister, but now he was Vax, the semi-immortal Champion of the Matron of Ravens, thirty years in the future, the one in charge of helping lost souls pass to the other world and find peace, the hunter of those who dared to disturb the natural order of life and death.

And who would forever bear the guilt of having lost a friend because of his own pride and stubbornness.

Vax's memories slowly returned as he watched his friends, his family of choice, get up and prepare a quick breakfast.

He remembered how, after the events of the tomb, Vox Machina made their way to Rimecleft, to Kamaljiori. When the team split up after Umbrasyl stole Mythcarver, the fight against the horde that Grog had been a part of years before, the failed trap and the final fight against Umbrasyl, where Percy...

“Percy...” whispered Vax, scanning the cave, realizing Percy was not with them.

Rising quickly, his sight went unfocused for a moment, forcing him to drop to his knees. Gods, his head felt like it was going to explode at any moment.

“Wow, hey, Vax, easy!” a voice exclaimed in concern.

Pike brought her hands up to the half elf's face, not quite touching him. "Are you okay? Let me help you." Focusing her healing magic, Pike tried to cure her friend of the ailment that was affecting him, but she didn't feel that anything was wrong.

Vax opened his eyes, not knowing at what point he closed them. Pike, the beautiful and kind Pike, who could be as merciful as a goddess, and just as vengeful. She looked so young, so full of vitality. Taking a breath, he dismissed his melancholic thoughts for another time.

“I'm fine ,Pike, just a little disoriented. I'm still not used to the powers of this armor,” he murmured, taking the gnome's hands and pulling them down. Pike didn't look very convinced of his words, but it didn't matter. Getting up again, this time successfully, he began to walk out of the cave.

Looking around, he saw the rest of the team setting up a small fire, Grog eating what for him was a small breakfast. Scanlan sat beside him, concentrating on checking the strings of his lute, tightening them to his liking. Keyleth sat in front of the fire, warming her hands in the flames, or perhaps practicing a little control over them? Vex sat beside her, checking her bow. But she put it aside the moment she noticed her brother's presence.

"Vax, are you okay? You look kind of pale..." His sister stood up, furrowing her eyebrows.

Did he look so out of sorts? Well, he couldn't blame them, with the nightmare he had and the memories slowly coming back to his head, the flames reminding him of the screams of people running away from the dragons... Cassandra's piercing scream when...

Shaking his head, instead of answering her, he asked, “where's Percy?”

Vex stopped her steps. Her face gave him a look of disappointment. “Vax...”

“Vex, it's not what you think, I just... I need to know where he is.” Vax understood why his sister looked at him suspiciously. The last few days, since the tomb, Vax's attitude towards the human hadn't been the best, mostly passive aggressive and sarcastic comments, questioning anything he tried to do. His fists clenched at his sides, mentally berating himself, had he known... no, he should have known a long time ago, more than anyone else now that he was the Champion of the Matron. With the lives they led, with death only steps away, every moment could be their last.

Things had changed. Not that Vex could know that, but it was the truth.

Before she could answer him, Keyleth murmured timidly, “Percy said he went to the river to gather some water, that way...”

Without waiting for another answer, Vax quickly ran in the direction Keyleth pointed, towards a small entrance into the forest.

O-o-O

Crouching in front of the icy current of the river, Percy let his hand dip, feeling the cold burn on the skin of his hand, his nerves going numb.

Cold was all he felt lately.

Ever since the tomb, ever since he confessed to the group that he had triggered the trap that killed Vex, he felt a rift between him and the rest of Vox Machina being created. Their furtive glances behind his back, their low murmurs, the way they forced their smiles when talking to him...

That fragile trust he had managed to build since their fight under Whitestone, in the Ziggurat, when he had been possessed by that demon, forcing him to attack his friends, that uncontainable rage that had consumed him, that he wasn't sure if the demon had amplified or if it was really all him... that delicate trust that he would never do anything to hurt them again, had been shattered.

He didn't blame them. If he was in ther place, he would also put distance between himself and someone like him. The Cursed Heir. Is how Ossysa had called him. It seems those words were true.

Would things go back to the way they were? Did he want them to go back to the way they were?

...No.

Nothing could be the way it was, nor did he want it to be. He didn't deserve his friends' trust, after all they had done for him, but Percy attracted misfortune wherever he was, everything he touched he destroyed. They would never be safe by his side.

The best thing he could do for them was to leave, to go as far away as he could, where his bad luck could not hurt them or Cassandra, his poor sister, now in charge of Whitestone.

But he knew he could not do that now, with the Chroma Conclave carrying devastation wherever they went. Even if he attracted misfortune, he had to stay and help as best as he could, he could not abandon his family when they needed all the help they could get. He would put distance between them and himself, and think through every action he made very carefully, and perhaps he could avoid ruining things even more than he already had.

And when they were done with those damn dragons and peace returned, he would leave quietly, without farewells or anything, but he was sure that no one would notice his absence, perhaps they would even be glad that he was no longer there, the annoying human who could not help but ruin everything he touched.

Removing his hand from the icy water, he could barely feel it, finding it hard to bend his fingers, but he preferred it that way, the cold and the pain was what he deserved after all.

Gloving his hand again, he stood up. He stood looking out over the river, letting his mind wander. The water flowed, the surface so placid and calm. So different from the river that years ago had swept him away from his stolen home.

... it would be so easy to walk into the river and dive down into those waters... and never come out...

“It would be so easy...” he murmured, his breath condensing in front of his face.

O-o-O

Gods, his heart was pounding in his chest.

Avoiding branches and bushes, Vax reached the riverbank. With bated breath, he looked around...

A solitary figure stood in front of the current of the river...

Surrounded by the snow...

There he stood...

Percival...

With his blue coat swaying softly in the breeze...

His skin almost as pale as his hair...

With those green eyes under his glasses–gods, he'd forgotten how soft the green of his eyes really was....

His breath condensed on his lips...

“It would be so easy...” the words coming from those lips, broke the trance into which Vax had fallen.

So easy what...?

Only now did he notice how sad Percy's expression was, his eyes dull, staring at the surface of the river...

So easy...

... and in the midst of the clamor of battle, the last thing he saw of him were his eyes. Despite his smile, his eyes were full of sadness and regret...  

Vax's heart, which had been pounding in his chest a few seconds ago, suddenly stopped. 

No... no no no nononono NO!

His body reacted on its own.

“Vax... what-?!”

By the time his mind caught up with his body, he saw himself with his arms around Percy, holding him tightly in an embrace, his chin resting on his shoulder. He could feel the confusion in the human, of how he was trying to tell him something, but all he could perceive at the moment was the beating of the man's heart in his arms. 

No... after so many years, Percy was here again, alive and conscious... and he couldn't... he wouldn't let anything or anyone take him away from him again.

And that was a promise.