Thurston notices his friend state and he approaches and gently touches him looking to Val

"What.. what happened? Is he hurt? Je... Matteo? You ok?" he leans over the mumbling man, obviously worried. 

Matteo looks up at him.

"I killed that poor archer, in cold blood. He was just relieving himself, defenceless, and Jex just... I can't."

He looks away in shame.

"And that soldier as we left, there really was no reason to. I don't know why he did it. I don't know how he took back control, but I need to learn to lock him deeper away. I thought he was gone for good."

Trying to understand better what's going on with his friend Thurston helps Val to get Matteo on his feet. 

"Ok listen. I am going to be brutally honest with you, because our very lives and all of those who count with us depend on it. I know you are in pain right now, but you need to put it together. We need to run, we need to rejoin our forces. What you.. what Jex did back there was to save lives. Do you understand? " he shakes Matteo's shoulders to make him look at him again "I know it's hard but those people " he points back to where the camp is " Just want to kill everyone in Sheercleft, do you hear me? They are not here no negotiate, neither to show mercy. They bring a full army of monsters to let loose in the city streets and kill everyone there. Men, women.. the children at the auspicie. To that we say No. Look at me! I know Jex. He is a tricky bastard but has a golden heart and never, never would hurt anyone if it wasn't necessary. So don't be so harsh on your judgment Matteo ´cos Jex's actions have saved lives tonight. We all did. For as hard and sad it is. I whish there was another way, but we are doing our best here. I am glad you are here and helping us. Now. Focus on run with us. We need to regroup and keep fighting. This is not for us. This is for the people back in our home that need us. Do you follow me? I need you to stand up and run. Can you do that for me? Are you with me? " he shakes his shoulders once again, not harshly but to make him keep looking at him and focusing " Are you with me?"

Matteo nods. 

"I can run, the rest is for later."

"Good man" says Thurston and he shares a concerned look with the others as they resume their way back to the relative safety of their forces. 

It's late when Aiden, Didymus, Matteo, Thurston, Valaith and Vark finally trudge up Mount Judgement to where Sheercleft's forces lie in wait. The kobold patrols spot them long in advance and a welcome party waits anxiously to receive their heroes and hear news of the enemy.

As Vark approaches and questions her status she just shoots an icy, silent glare at him that speaks volumes. 'Not now.' She says nothing, allowing Thurston to handle this strange situation with Matteo or Jex or whomever this person was standing before them. She did not understand what was happening, nor was she the correct one to assist him with... whatever crisis this was; she did not care whether any of those soldiers lived or died. They threatened the existence of her home and those whom lived within it... those she protected. Whether they were good people, bad people, or something in between did not matter to her. The only thing that mattered was the safety of those under her protection. She would kill every single man and woman in that camp to protect her people. 

As they finally approach their own encampment, and safety, Val finally turns to Vark and storms up to the half-orc, jabbing a meaty finger into his chest. Her voice was quiet, steady, and furious as a cold fog bursts from her mouth with each word. "You get that ******* devil out of this camp now, Vark or I'll do it for you! It left me to die! The next time I see it, I will end its existence in this world. Do not test me on this."

“B- b- b- but, I- I…” Vark quickly looks around to ensure that Didymus is nowhere within smashing range. Not seeing the devil nearby, he turns back to Val and his stammering continues “H-he… he was j-just trying to help… if-if I’d been in the tent any longer those guards would’ve pin-cushioned me. I mean… I had plans to get us out but… well if I had then I might not have been able to get Aiden away from Marcellus and-and I was coming back for you- he would’ve come back for you too, just like he saved Thurston… b-but… well… you seemed fine Val. No one else could have fended off all those guards alone without even a scratch like you did… I’m…” his eyes go glassy and wide, pleading like a puppy who’s misbehaved. “I’m sorry things didn’t go exactly as we planned, but I promise I wouldn’t have left you alone if I saw you needed help! But everyone made it out okay, that’s what’s important right? And… it might’ve looked like he ****ed you over but… Didymus was a big part in us pulling the mission off safely. And I mean… it was a total success! We killed Curor AND Riddel in one go! Really that’s even better than we could have hoped for. I wish everyone else could’ve seen the way you squished Curor’s….” His grisly retelling falters as he notices the still shaken form of Matteo. “H-head…”

Matteo winces at the mention of the head crushing. He sits on the floor scratching at his hands.

"And Faldric. Jex heard Marcellus order him to scout your army so he followed him and killed him. I had to watch, I couldn't stop him."

Val's tone softens a bit at Vark's visceral panic, but the stern consternance remains. "The outcome is not the only important thing in war, Vark. You have to be able to trust those with you to do their part. When you cannot trust those with you, everything breaks down. I trust you," she jabs a finger into his chest. "I do not trust that devil. I will not go into a battle like that again with it, regardless what it did to help this time. You do not need Matthew, you do not need Didymus, you do not need Aury. You must trust yourself and trust in your own power, Vark. You have a strength in you; we all see it." She gestures at Matteo, Aiden, Thurston... "Now, you must see it for yourself. Make your own path, Vark, do not be a puppet. You are better than that." 

Vark huffs and casts his eyes low. “I don’t expect anyone to trust him, and especially not to trust Matthew… but you’re wrong about me. All the strength you guys think you see in me was given. Accidentally by Aury, contractually by Matthew, both at a price.” His hands clench around Pathmaker as the tortured moans of Aureaonus thunder through his memory. “I’ll make of it what I want, but that is the path I’ve been given. Aury needs me. Matthew has crazy schemes and I need to figure out… well, what exactly they are first. Then maybe how to stop them. You all do this stuff because you want to, for honor or for duty or for Thor or whatever. I… I have to. I only have my powers because of the situations I’ve gotten myself into and now I have to see them through.” He shakes his head, his words only serving to build his frustration. “You guys keep telling me to make my own path and make decisions for myself but that’s what I’ve been doing this whole time. I’m just… working with what I’ve got. And what I’ve got isn’t muscles or faith. They’re debts.”

Val shakes her head. "No, Vark. That's what the demons in there," She pokes his temple. "Say to you to make your belittle yourself, to think you are lesser than what you are. You think I do not doubt myself? Among my people I was nothing special, just another of the tribe. My brother was the special one, Larkin. He was to be the next leader of our tribe. He was the smart one, the strong one... I was just more stubborn. I, too, did not choose this path. It was thrust upon me when my people were taken from me, but I will be damned if I let someone else tell me how to walk that path. I do not do this for anything so stupid as honor or duty, and definitely not for any god. I do it, because I want to. Sheercleft has become my home and you all have become my tribe." 

'...and without my tribe, I am... nothing.'

"We wish to help you with all of this, with Aury, but we can only help you if you let us. Just something to think about Vark." She hefts Rook over her shoulder again, before looking over at Matteo's frail form. "My threat still stands, I do not want that devil near me again on the battlefield. If you refuse to dismiss it, that is your choice, but if I see Didymus on the field of battle... I will do it for you."

She strides over to Matteo, grabbing his hands to prevent him from harming himself. "I do not know what happened to you, my friend, but perhaps we can help. Come, let us get you a warm bed and something hot to drink." She physically picks him up and begins walking Matteo towards the encampment before looking over her shoulder at Vark. "If you wish to speak more, come find me, Vark. I think we could learn much from each other."

Matteo offers no resistance again as Val hefts him to his feet.

"You know, he needs to be shown how to behave. If you want him to stop going to the demons, let him see you going to each other."

As Val walks away with Matteo, Thurston approaches Vark. 

"What a woman... " he mutters " You know... she is right. Even if your... associate, has show some resources and was helpful avoiding the gnolls to see us... I could have help Aiden, Odin's bear! I would put the brain of that coward when it really should be... in his ass! " he nudges the half-orc with his elbow " I was mad, I am mad, both at that Marcellus and Didymus for taking me out of there, got to tell you my friend, I refrained my wrath because we needed to get out of there, but Thor knows it was hard. You must understand it's... it's not easy for us.. but we try. We try because we love you. And about what she had said... I left my clan in shame. I've promised Aiden that I will return and face judgment for my actions and decisions once we are done here, but... the only ones who doesn't has doubts are the dead..." 

He keeps walking towards the camp

"Now let's try to help Jex... This Matteo guy... needs to brow up... or better up dissapear. I wonder if that elven professor could help him, perhaps we should send word to them requesting his help.. " 

Vark can’t help but smile at the Norscan’s levity. “I… I love you all too. And I know you all have difficult pasts too but it just… it just feels like none of you really get me.” He says with a sigh.

”And Jex -Matteo- yeah I really don’t know what’s up with that. I still haven’t met this professor guy but… well if Seid and Aiden couldn’t figure out whats wrong with him maybe the professor could? I could try and send him a message… if we can get Jex back to normal before the battle I think that’d be best for everyone.”

A dozen-man entourage meets the returning heroes on the road. Their presence can be heard from nearly an arrow's flight away as voices hail the returning champions. When the two parties meet, a few of the Sheercleft entourage - primarily those without horses - kneel to their heroes. Generally, the air is hopeful and brimming with anticipation for news of the heroes' mission. One, however, keeps a level mind and steely gaze at the five returning figures. Brundir sits atop Stonebrow, armoured as though Marcellus himself walked the Acharnost back. "What news? Seein' none o'ye dead, so that's a good start. We're dug in 'ere and've got beds an' fires jus' fer us." Brundir turns in his saddle to smile at the captain of the Sheercleft Guard, "Ye lost th' bet, next round's on you," Brundir glances again at the Acharnost, then back to the man, "Especially their round."

Aiden looks around uncomfortably at the kneeling men. He stood in the back of the group, happy to have the others take the force of the soldiers' praise. Suddenly, he felt an oddity among the Acharnost. They seemed to count him among their number, but he had only been with them for what, a little more than a month? He hadn't saved this village that seemingly united the rest of the party -- he had shown up late, delved beneath Khaz a Grungron with them, and then been invited along. 

He looked around at Sheercleft's heroes. Vark was being torn between his pact to Matthew and loyalty to his friends.

Jex...or Mateo...whoever this man was...clearly had his own struggles. Is that really the same man who tried to humiliate me beneath Khaz a Grungron? He was clearly changed.

Valaith was wrestling with her anger, threatening Vark's allies -- though there, Aiden supposed that she was only partly to blame. He himself couldn't trust Didymus or Matthew. Not Matthew. Loki. Aiden grew more sure of that day by day.

Thurston had shamed himself and left their clan in dishonor. He was the man that Aiden remembered, if not somewhat more grown up. But there was a darkness there, a regret that haunted the paladin behind his bravado.

There was Bründir. He seemed unwavering -- the most well adjusted of them all, in Aiden's estimation. Greeting them from atop an armored war hog like they had just taken an evening stroll, rather than made a rather reckless attack at the heart of an enemy camp.

Despite all of their shortcomings and struggles, they had still saved their town from the Mabigoni, and continued to defend it. Friends of dwarves and elves alike. The heroes of Sheercleft. Acharnost. Those who take vengeance.

And then there was him. Aiden, son of Olrik. He wielded one of the swords of Artus Breanor's vassals and could channel the lightning of the heavens, but in the face of the Acharnost, he felt extremely ordinary. 

Shaking his melancholy aside for the moment, Aiden clears his throat. "Marcellus' siege weapons are destroyed. The Baron himself lives, but several of his commanders were killed," he says. With that statement being the extend of the propriety he could muster, he continues. "Drinks and rest would be wonderful."

Bründir narrowed his eyes from his relatively high perch. "Siege weapons, destroyed. Y'mean....All? All of them? An' ye say sev'ral commanders?! Last we met, I could count'em on a hand, now ye say our Acharnost went an' killed sev'ral?!" Bründir glances at his allied commander's amazed and rightfully incredulous stares before nudging Stonebrow closer to Aiden. He leans over in his saddle, and speaks in a hush, "Tell me now, on yer God's own thunder, that not a lie's crossed those lip o'yours..." He lingers, more with a hopeful awe in his gaze than the skepticism of the Sheercleft officers.

"Thurston and I made short work of the catapults, while the others snuck deeper into the camp and killed. I swear by Thor and my honor that it's true, Lord Halfshield."

Brundir split a wide grin as his eyes gleamed with joy, "Don' call me that, you thund'rous shite, that's fer them."

The dwarf spun back around to the Sheercleft leaders on his massive boar, "The Acharnost delivers with interest! They bring machines t' smash our walls, an' so we bring th' divine themselves down! They bring dark magics and cunning guile, but we take all that an' shove it right back up where sun don' shine! They're shaken, they're scrambled, an' most importantly, they're bled. Go! Tell yer men! Tell'em th' Acharnost're heroes o' Sheercleft again!" A cheer rises from the commanders and they quickly begin hurrying back to the camp while Brundir stays back to return with his companions.

"You bunch of hot-tempered, shite-brained, bastards! Couln'a jus' done one, ye had t' go an' stuff'em all, then, huh?! Did ye even bother leavin' an army standin' while yer at it? Come time Marcellus runs like a dog, all ye can go sit on a peak an' get bunged. Leave me behind...." Brundir gives a hard sniff and shifts away in his saddle, "Next time anybody says, 'Someone stays back...', they're th' one doin' it! Get me?! I ain't gettin' left back from a damn good scrap like this ag'in!"