Harn laughed and Evie's face soured. "Oh sure, if ya could prove it. By the time we got back with everyone, Vessilia had been holed up in the Eyrie fer a week. The Guild claimed she'd 'made it back on her own' somehow."
Felix gave him an incredulous look and Evie grunted. "We haven't been able to see her since. Kept to the Eyrie and the Inner Ward, from what we hear. The Duke even sent his Hand to protect her, train her."
"That's...damn. That sucks," Felix managed. "Atar mentioned her being secluded, but not all the rest."
Evie scowled. "Atar wouldn't have. He's been avoiding us too, ever since we got back. Makin' nice with the Elders and the nobles."
Harn spit and grunted. "Sparky did what he thought was best for him. Can't blame em, not after the tribunal's decision."
The sound of a slamming door came from the back of the warehouse, muffled but entirely audible to Felix. He paid it only half a mind, instead looking at Harn. "I heard some of that too. Demotion and all. I'm sorry, Harn."
The stalwart man shrugged, but absently touched his neck. "It is what it is, now."
"That's bullshit, Harn. And you know it," growled Evie, who hopped back up onto her perch. "Guild needed a scapegoat and used you and my sister to do it."
Evie's eyes were bright, but no tears came. She made a slashing motion with a hand. "Yyero blight their balls! It was wrong. Is wrong."
"What are we arguing about now?"
They all turned toward the new voice, and Felix saw Calesca Boscal striding into the open warehouse. She looked like a new person, sleek armor and a slew of sharp weapons about her body. Her tawny hair was still short, cut at the nape of her neck in a style slightly longer than Portia's, and her face was clear of bruises and blood. She did look tired, though, as dark circles accented her eyes. She paused for a just a moment when she saw Felix, but it was barely a stutter in her step.
"Felix," she walked up to them and nodded at him. "You're alive."
That last part sounded more like an accusation than an observation to Felix. He blinked and looked at Evie. She didn't meet his eyes.
"I am," he admitted before rubbing his chest in a flare of phantom pain. "I'm sorry."
Callie's eyes softened slightly, and she cleared her throat. "I have questions. Let's talk in private."
Felix nodded and followed her as Callie went back to one of the separate rooms in the back. He could sense Evie trying to follow, but heard Harn hold her back.
"Let 'em talk, kiddo."
"I gotta be honest Felix, I saw the aftermath of what happened in the Labyrinth." Callie sat down at a table in a back room and gestured for him to do the same. "I don't know how anyone survives that."
Felix grimaced and sat down. The room she had guided them to was spartan, containing only a rickety table and four chairs. The rest of the space was dusty flooring and brick walls. It felt like an interrogation room, and he had no doubts about Callie's intentions. He preferred to cut to the chase.
"You saw the giants?" Callie nodded and Felix continued. "They had attacked us right as we reached the center, the vault door. Did you see that? Magda thought we needed to get inside and turn off whatever artifact was powering the fog. Maybe that would get us out of there."
Felix took a deep breath. "Grimmar and his people attacked us before we could. We...we were surrounded and hurt and the door was closing. Magda was injured...she couldn't stand. I tried to drag her into the door, but we weren't gonna make it..."
He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, shoving it back from his face. "Magda Shield Bashed me into the vault. Said one of us had to make it through. She...uh--"
Speaking of it raised the phantasms of his memories, clear and as sharp as broken glass, but Felix pushed them away. His throat ached. "She saved me, Callie."
Callie didn't move nor speak for a time. They both sat there in silence, neither really look at one another for a while.
Eventually, however, Callie stirred. "Call me Cal. Callie is...Cal is fine."
Felix watched her jaw flex, as if the woman was chewing something over. Making some sort of decision.
Ah, wait. Felix fished out something from his pocket and placed it on the table.
"She asked that I give this to you, when I made it out."
Atop the rickety wooden table was a beaten triangular locket on a fine chain. The chain was broken, but Callie--Cal--didn't care. She reached out tentatively and touched it. In his Manasight, Felix saw a bloom of white-gold Mana flare gently around the locket on the table as well as beneath Cal's gambeson. A sympathetic bond, Felix noted. Some sort of air Mana mixed with...a variation on life Mana?
Cal gently lifted the locket and cupped it delicately in her hands.
"Thank you. This--" She swallowed. "I didn't find it when I found Magda's body. She was torn up so badly that...I thought it had been lost."
"It was important to Magda that you get it back. I lived...somehow, and when I found out where you were I had to bring it to you," he said.
"Shit, look at me, all weepy." She laughed and wiped at her eyes with her wrist. "First bit a'good news I've had in months."
"I can't imagine it's been easy. With the Guild and everything," Felix offered.
"Ugh, blind gods, no. It hasn't," Cal growled and tucked the locket into a pouch at her waist. "Can't even access the Domain for training and harvesting. Those conniving bastards won't be happy til I'm dead or out of town. And with the Inquisition lockdown, the last ain't happenin' too soon."
"Damn," Felix said, scratching the back of his neck. "I was hoping you might let me tag along when you left. But if the Inquisition isn't letting people out..."
"Yeah, we're all screwed for now." Cal paused, pursing her lips and considering him a moment. "Your free to tag along if we make it out. You seem good in a fight."
"What about the Domain?"
"What about it?" Cal raised an eyebrow. "We can't get in. Like I said, we're pariahs from the Guild now, even Harn, Bronze Rank or no."
"What if I could get a way in?" Felix offered.
"Then I'd say you have some wild delusions, kid. But I'm listening." Cal leaned forward.
Felix bit his lip and shook his head. "It's more of a maybe, but...but first I have to tell you something. It's important and...we're gonna want Evie and Harn in here for this."