Chapter Text
Wyll pulls Gale up with a grunt "Annd up you go" the wizard rolls his shoulders and groans in response.
They couldn't keep this up much longer.
Azar's eyes scan the room watching his friends struggling just to stay on their feet then up at the giant hammer. Triggering it would likely kill him ...or just barely leave him alive, he wasn't sure what was worse frankly.
"Gale I need you on that lever-" Azar points with his whole arm. He walks with purpose shooting a mephit in the neck with a crossbolt as he passes. "you and Astarion keep it busy! Shadowheart lava! Wyll cover me!" Azar shouted the orders over bubbling lava and grinding gears. Maybe it was just Loviatar's blessing talking but he'd scarcely ever felt so in his element.
He hops up onto the mold and intends to continue that path up on to the center platform but trips making the 2nd jump. He had hoped his fire resistance would have been at least enough to keep him from feeling the burns but he suposed all magic has it's limits. The liquid burns anything it can reach through the leather and it is then that Azur starts regretting the fingerless gloves.
Wyll pulls him back up before the lava can do to much damage " 've got your back boss" Wyll smirks and flourishes his Warhammer when did he get that?? questions for another time unfortunately Azar downs a health potion and he crackes his neck as the liquid slides down his throat.
it's ok... next round yeah-
Astarion shoots at the bot only for it's armored exterior to deflect the arrow. The guardian angrily stomps over to the vampire and slams it's fists down on him, shit it wasn't supposed to get that close to- it jumps knocking Astarion flat on his back and he doesn't get up, shit NO!
Azar makes the jump this time and plants himself square in the center of the platform.
Everyone took their turns hitting the machine. Azar shot it last turning it's attention upon himself and quickly downs another potion. Com'er ya shiny basterd.
The automaton screeches and runs towards him. It jumps down on top of him knocking wyll, who has yet to return to his platform, down in the process.
He miscalculated.
Fucking idiot You think you can protect them? Your not built for that, it's simply against your nature my dear
Azar groaned fuck- that's gonna hurt for at least a few days. He makes himself stand back up and hits the bot with Karlach's hammer.
fuck.you.
"GaLE NOW" He shouted and that's not right- his voice should be steadier than that! he needs to be confident, he is confident in this.
"Now? But your-" Azar looks at his fallen friends if he doesn't end this now... "I TOLD YOU TO PULL THE FUCKING LEVER NOW PULL IT!"
~~
Gale hesitated a moment making eye contact with Shadowheart across the room in silenet question. She simply clenched her jaw and nodded.
The hammer came down
Karlach watches from the ledge above as the robot fell along side her friend and she rushed down using feather fall. For a moment no one moved it was like time had froze. Her touchdown suddenly set everyone else in motion and everyone made a beeline for someone.
~~
A warm hand grabbed his arm and pulled him away
There were warm hands pulling him somewhere down his mind helpfully identifies but down where and why are they so warm? it's so fucking hot here he can't think gods why did his head hurt so much fuck- someone forces a liquid down his throat and after he feels better but also worse at the same time. His face scrunches uncomfortably but eventually he opens his eyes. He barely misses Gale's exhale of relief. He sits up and it's only then that he realizes he's being spoken too"--n't you *ever* make me do that again you stupid fucking asshole what in the 9 hells was that!?" Azur groans everything hurts now "gee love ya too, waterdeep" he trys to joke but his ribs are sore so it comes out in wet coughs. Gale shook his head and reached for another health potion "eh hm mm no no we only have so many of those" Azar stood up unsteadily, his whole body protesting the movement "I'll sleep it off, come on let's get out if here" he offered his hand to Gale who reluctantly lets himself be pulled up.
Gale keeps a keen eye on their apparently self sacrificial leader and when he stumbles less than 5 ft away Gale is right there to help him back up. Azar grumbles about being carried but doesn't stop the wizard from guiding them both out of the grymforge.
Once every one is accounted for Karlach, being the only one not nursing wounds, leads them out. They find a few benches and sit own. Shadowheart pulls out bandages and potions passing them around. Almost everybody needs something
Azar sit himself down on the ground and leans his head against one of Astarion's knees "hi 'star, how ya doing?" Fuck he's tired what if he just- "I'm great with what my 3 cracked ribs and the cut on my side, it's a wonder I don't leave camp more" the vampire jests running his fingers through Azar's hair a movement that's trying to seem absent minded but Azar knows it's not. And he knows it's not real, he knows that Astarion is putting on an act for why he's unsure but it's not real he knows that. And he can live with that that's ok. But some selfish part of Azar wishes it was real and if he closes his eyes for a second he can pretend that the hand is there out if concern, to comfort them both.