The heroes are in the Hall of Mirrors facing the fey Queen of Mirrors. A tale straight from a children's book of fairy tales. The mirrors in these stories might show the past, they might show the present, they might show what the future might be.
Mike and Gracchus are battling after Mike fell to temptation. Cletus is failing to engage the fey Queen of Mirrors in combat. Agnes has grappled Father Inverness as Belor knocks out cold Father Inverness with the shaft of an axe.
As Agnes charges the fey Queen of Mirrors, the mirrors placed around the hall start moving forward to encircle each hero. Agnes looks into the mirror next to the fey Queen and sees a vision in the mirror.
Snowflakes blow in the wind. If ever a cage looked cold, it was this one.
In a corner of the cage huddles a forlorn small figure wrapped in a dirty blanket.
The figure starts looking up and an amulet falls out of the wrapped blanket. The amulet shows a sunburst.
No wait, the amulet comes closer and it’s not a sunburst at all. The amulet shows ten rats whose tails are tied at the center, and then each rat radiates from that center. The sunburst is a rat king. Remembering history, a rat king is a collection of rats whose tails are intertwined and bound together. No one has ever been on public record as admitting to serving one or to seeing one, but myth can’t always be fake.
The figure looks up further. A young tabaxi looks into your eyes.
Agnes believes this young tabaxi is her long lost child, stolen by the same hooded figure that murdered her spouse. Enraged, Agnes attacks in a frenzy, but her iron axe is of little effect against a fey Queen.
As the mirrors move up behind the traitorous Mike, Gracchus attacks and sees the mirror behind Mike. Gracchus's vision in the mirror is different from Agnes' vision.
A regiment of Ream stands at the prow of three ships. The ships lie before the walls of Caladan Town. Flaming trebuchets stand at the ready on the walls. The first trebuchet releases, and the first ship suffers loss.
The bedraggled remains of the regiment stand on a grassy field. The few survivors look up at the jeering crowds in the arena.
Ream is in ruin. Not a ruin by barbaric works, but a ruin of apathy and of neglect. The frescoes on the walls of the capitol’s forum are in poor repair, paint peeling and faded.
No, that can’t be right. Ream looks more prosperous than ever. But why are there flags of many nations lined up next to the banner of Ream above the forum?
Cletus has seen the effects of mirrors on his friends. Cletus consults Pawpaw the opossum, the party lawyer, for historical background on what to expect. Pawpaw's legal background finds precedent for this and warns Cletus not to make even a verbal agreement, for it would be binding to the fey.
And yet, Cletus can't help but see a mirror for the mirrors are constantly getting closer to surrounding each hero.
Cletus stands before the few remaining elders of his land. The elders are scarred, weary, and full of sorrow.
The elders ready a poker heating in the fire.
The mark of an exile is branded upon the right cheek of Cletus. The right sleeve of Cletus is torn off.
The elders turn their backs and Cletus walks away.
The Syratic League watches Cletus walk away as they continue their mission of mercy for the Crick. The best scholars in the land have heard of all disease and seen most of them.
Mike has also seen the mirrors. His attitude instantly changes and instead of giving Gracchus a final blow, Mike gives Gracchus a cure wounds. Taking a leap of faith into a mirror, Mike ends up on the opposite side of the hall from where he wants to be. Cletus asks "are you in your right mind now?" and Mike replies affirmatively.
Meanwhile, a grappling contest between Agnes and the fey Queen of Mirrors has turned into a slow dance to match the ghostly ethereal dancers in the room with the fey Queen leading the dance.
"Come join my court. Or perhaps you might rather go forth and tell of my beauty? Tell me, do the halflings remember me fondly? The halflings who stayed with me were ever so rude and rebellious. It's so hard to find good help these days. Before you go, do look in the fountains. You've been the only courteous one here."
Belor is at the iron maiden holding the wizard struggling to open it. If Belor didn't have chainmail gloves on, his hands would be bleeding profusely. Belor accidentally glances at a mirror and sees his own vision.
A fat, grey man stands on the approach ramparts of Tar Ghnavost. Hideous children run around his feet as the man strides forward dragging a large stick.
As the man comes closer, it’s harder to see his face, must look up further.
This is not a man. Hill giants have come to Tar Ghnavost with Orcs, goblins, and sundry.
The doors of Tar Ghnavost sound like a drum as the battering rams knock on the entrance. The knocks echo like drums in the deep throughout the Dwarven hold.
But that is so far away, and not at all where you can see.
A port with calm waters is seen and containing a seedy tavern. A dwarf stands at the door, as steadfast guard. The dwarf turns, Belor’s squad leader in the First Spear reduced to common work as a bouncer.
Mike joins Belor at the iron maiden and together they start opening the iron maiden containing the wizard. Mike cuts his hand on the spikes and as his blood pours onto the iron maiden, it becomes easier to open.
Gracchus attempts a flying tackle of the fey Queen, knocking Agnes to the side. The fey Queen is too strong and holds Gracchus up as though she were dancing with a toddler.
"Helplessness is not an innate virtue. But abuse of the helpless is certainly a lack of virtue. And I do pride myself on my virtue. You are helpless!" And the fey Queen throws Gracchus away.
The wizard is visible in the iron maiden. Mike's blood covers the cover and he is unconscious. In a quick feat, Agnes pulls the wizard out of and throws Mike into the iron maiden. Agnes throws the wizard over her shoulder and runs to the entrance. "We'll have words about this cat!" growls Belor.
"Don't forget to look in the fountain my dear. You're the only one who has shown any courtesy." reminds the fey Queen.
Cletus rushes to the iron maiden to save Mike. With the assistance Belor and Gracchus, Cletus wrestles it open and pulls out Mike. But it's too late, Mike is dead.
"Don't hang around here! I've been in here for days!" complains Probabilitor from Agnes' back. Probabilitor opens a teleportation circle in the middle of the room.
Agnes pauses to look in a fountain. Her reflection stares back at her and she sees and feels that she is now wearing a circlet made of cloth and inlaid with gold. On this circlet are seven rooster feathers carved from iridescent dragon scales. She feels a slight sapping of her strength and an equivalent increase in her charismatic charms.
Pausing no more, Agnes and the wizard go into the teleportation circle and are lost from view. Belor, Cletus, and Gracchus swiftly follow dragging the body of Mike and the unconscious Father Inverness.
So ends the tale of Mike, but Mike found redemption in the vision of the mirror.
A life full of regret is hard to live.
Treachery of the last people to extend the hand of friendship is a harsh end to a life lived in such unforgiving circumstances.
Mike can see his blood being spilled on the spikes of the iron maiden containing the Wizard Probabilitor.
The wizard is a conjurer. Can the wizard make a portal home and free Mike’s friends? What choice do we have?
Can there be any regret in righting ills done? No, there can be no regret for helping friends.
Hall of Mirrors
