Thadeus pulls into the driveway and cuts the engine. The porch light washes over Marla and Elias, both of them visibly relieved as he steps out with Elizabeth in his arms.
He carries her inside and lowers her carefully onto the couch. The living room feels warm, quiet, and suddenly much too small for how tired everyone is.
Marla Brewer
I have her. Just let me check her over.
Marla moves in right away, checking Elizabeth with focused hands and a worried face. Elias stays nearby, steady and silent, watching Thadeus like he is glad to see him standing.
Thadeus Jovanović
Keep an eye on her for me. I need a little sleep.
Elias
Go on. We are here.
Thadeus heads upstairs, each step loosening the weight in his shoulders. Below, Marla stays beside Elizabeth, Elias lingers in the room, and the house settles into a held-breath pause.
✓ Quest Accepted
Discover Donny Ramirez's fate
“Thadeus goes into his bedroom and closes the door behind him. He pulls out a large box and empties his coat pockets, specifically putting the handgun, the mysterious letter and heavy duty binoculars neatly into the box. As he checks his pockets again, he finds the metal skeleton key. He holds it out in front of himself, thinking, "We didn't have a chance to find a use for this in the cathedral. Was this meant to be used there?" No answer comes to him. He decides to put in back in his pocket for now. Thadeus then hops into bed and close his eyes, quickly falling asleep.”
Upstairs, Thadeus shuts his bedroom door and the house goes soft around him. He empties his coat into a box, lines up the handgun, letter, and binoculars, then pauses when the skeleton key turns up in his palm.
Thadeus Jovanović
We didn't have a chance to find a use for this in the cathedral. Was this meant to be used there?
No answer comes. He pockets the key for now, climbs into bed, and sleep catches him fast.
“As he sleeps, Thadeus begins to dream. In the dream, he sees one of his favorite video game characters, Richter Belmont, charging through a 17th century town, many of the homes on fire, whip his trusty Vampire Killer at a group of attacking skeletons, crushing them with ease. Thadeus continues to see this vision as he sleeps.”
Sleep takes him under, and the bedroom falls away into smoke and fire. In the dream, a white-headbanded vampire hunter sprints through a seventeenth-century street, his whip cracking once, twice, and skeletons shatter at his feet.
Thadeus Jovanović
Richter moves like a memory Thadeus never stopped carrying.
The burning houses blur at the edges as the hunt goes on, clean and relentless, and Thadeus drifts deeper into the vision.
“Before he can see anymore of the dream, Thadeus wakes to the sound of movement downstairs. There's a knock at the door, "Mind if I join you?" It's Elizabeth's voice. Thadeus responds, "Yes, please do." She opens the door and jumps on the bed, causing Thadeus to sit up. Thadeus asks, "How are you feeling?" Elizabeth smiles, "I'm better, now that I'm with you again." Thadeus laughs, "You know you were only a few feet away from me, right?" Elizabeth blushes, "It was still too far away."”
The dream thins as Thadeus wakes to movement below and a soft knock at the bedroom door.
Elizabeth Bathory
Mind if I join you?
Thadeus Jovanović
Yes, please do.
The door opens, Elizabeth slips in, and she hops onto the bed, nudging Thadeus upright with a grin.
Thadeus Jovanović
How are you feeling?
Elizabeth Bathory
I’m better, now that I’m with you again.
Thadeus Jovanović
You know you were only a few feet away from me, right?
Elizabeth Bathory
It was still too far away.
“Thadeus attempts to get out of bed, but Elizabeth playfully pins him down, saying, "Not yet, you haven't had enough rest." Thadeus initially tries to lift Elizabeth off of him, but Elizabeth straddles him harder, her hips pressed into his and their legs intertwined. Thadeus stops struggling and replies with a smile, "Okay, okay, you win, I surrender." Elizabeth, still holding Thadeus down, leans in close, whispering, "Good, because I'm still not moving."”
SUCCESS (Superb Strength, rolled +1)
Thadeus tries to rise, but Elizabeth catches him mid-motion and presses him back into the pillows with a playful grin.
Elizabeth Bathory
Not yet, you have not had enough rest.
He gives one firm push, but she shifts her weight and pins him more securely, their legs tangling under the rumpled blanket.
Thadeus stops fighting it, a smile breaking through the sleep on his face.
Thadeus Jovanović
Okay, okay, you win, I surrender.
Elizabeth Bathory
Good, because I am still not moving.
She leans close, warm and steady against him, while the room stays quiet except for the soft house settling below and the distant, easy hush of the night.
“Thadeus and Elizabeth enjoy some intimate time together, when Thadeus's phone goes off. He answers, hearing Marla's voice. "Did you two forget Elias and I are still here? We could hear you two from downstairs”
The phone starts buzzing against the sheets. Thadeus answers, and Marla’s voice comes through half laughing, half scandalized, cutting the bedroom’s quiet with downstairs noise and familiar disbelief.
Marla Brewer
Did you two forget Elias and I are still here? We could hear you from downstairs.
Elizabeth covers her mouth, shaking with silent laughter against Thadeus’s shoulder while the room stays warm and dim. Downstairs, the house remains safe, but the call makes their privacy feel wonderfully ruined.
“Thadeus tells Marla they'll be down shortly. Turning back to Elizabeth, they have one more deep embrace before getting up from bed, putting their clothes back on and heading downstairs to Thadeus's office, where Marla and Elias are waiting for Thadeus and Elizabeth. Marla looks annoyed while Elias looks embarrassed. Thadeus says sheepishly, "Hey guys, ugh, sorry about the, umm...noise." Marla's face suddenly changes from annoyed, to trying to fight laughing, to doubling over with laughter. Elias, Thadeus and Elizabeth all break out in laughter, finding relief that they are all together once again.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +2)
Marla Brewer
Good. Try to use stairs this time, not the whole block.
Thadeus Jovanović
We’ll be down shortly.
Thadeus lets the phone fall quiet and folds Elizabeth into a long, steady embrace. For a moment, the room is only warm sheets, soft breathing, and the relief of being home together.
Elizabeth Bathory
Stay here with me one more breath.
Then they dress and head downstairs, the bedroom behind them left rumpled and still. The office door stands open, light spilling over Marla and Elias waiting inside.
Marla wears an annoyed look that cracks the second she takes in the sight of them. Elias stares at the floor, already red-faced.
Thadeus Jovanović
Hey guys, ugh, sorry about the, umm... noise.
Marla tries to hold it in, then folds over laughing. Elias snorts, Thadeus laughs despite himself, and Elizabeth joins in, the whole room loosening as if the house finally exhales.
“Once they finish their laughter, Thadeus brings the group the dining room, having them sit at the table. Thadeus takes the metal skeleton key out of his coat and places it on the center of the table for Elizabeth, Marla and Elias to see. "When Elizabeth and I were near the center of the SoD cathedral, we found this. We didn't have time to find a place to use within that cursed place." Marla takes a close look at the key, and mentions there's something on the base of the key. Elias finds a magnifying glass and looks more closely, and agrees with Marla. Elias says, "Marla's right, there's a small inscription on it. There's an outline of a horse head, with the initials KE next to it."”
SUCCESS (Legendary Reasoning, rolled +1)
The laughter thins out, and Thadeus leads them from the office into the dining room. Chairs scrape softly over the floor while the house settles around them.
He takes the metal key from his coat and sets it at the center of the table, where the lamp catches its worn edge.
Thadeus Jovanović
When Elizabeth and I were near the center of the SoD cathedral, we found this. We did not have time to find a place to use it inside that cursed place.
Marla leans in first, her smile fading into focus. She studies the base of the key, one finger hovering just above it.
Marla Brewer
There is something on the base of it.
Elias hurries for a magnifying glass, then bends over the table with it in hand. The room goes quiet except for his careful breathing.
Elias
Marla is right. There is a small inscription, an outline of a horse head, and the initials KE next to it.
“In unison, Thadeus, Elizabeth, Marla and Elias all shout, "Knight's End!" Thadeus adds, "So there is unfinished business to handle after all. If Donny Ramirez survived the cathedrals collapse, I would bet he's returned there." Elizabeth looks back to Thadeus expectantly, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going, then."”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +0)
Thadeus Jovanović
Knight's End.
Marla Brewer
Knight's End.
Elias
Knight's End.
Elizabeth Bathory
Knight's End.
Thadeus Jovanović
So there is unfinished business after all. If Donny Ramirez survived that collapse, I would bet he went back there.
Elizabeth Bathory
Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going, then.
The key stays on the table, but the room is already moving. Marla straightens first, Elias shuts the magnifier in his hand, and Elizabeth is halfway from her chair before the last word fades.
“Thadeus picks up the metal skeleton key and returns it to his pocket. Thadeus looks at Elias, "I think you should come with Elizabeth and I to Knight's End. It's going to be more dangerous than last time, but I think you may be the key, no pun intended, to the end the Stars of Divinity." Elizabeth nods in agreement, but Elias steps back, fear overcoming him. "Are you crazy? How can I..." Thadeus interrupts Elias, holding his hand up, and says, "I took a look at the Grimoire again when Elizabeth returned from the cathedral. The book mentions you, but the story is incomplete. We need you to end this."”
SUCCESS (Legendary Diplomacy, rolled +2)
Thadeus takes the key, folds it into his pocket, and looks to Elias across the dining table. The house feels quieter around the decision, like it is listening.
Thadeus Jovanović
I think you should come with Elizabeth and me to Knight's End. It is going to be more dangerous than last time, but I think you may be the key, no pun intended, to ending the Stars of Divinity.
Elizabeth Bathory
She gives a firm nod. "He should come. If this ends where we think it does, we go together."
Elias
Elias takes a step back, color draining from his face. "Are you crazy? How can I..."
Thadeus Jovanović
Thadeus lifts a hand to stop him. "I looked at the Grimoire again when Elizabeth came back from the cathedral. The book mentions you, but the story is incomplete. We need you to end this."
Elias
Elias swallows hard, eyes flicking to the key now gone from the table and then to Thadeus. Fear still sits on him, but so does the weight of being named by the book.
Marla stays still for a beat, reading the room, while the dining lamp hums above the abandoned magnifier. At the edge of the house, a faint scrape touches the front entry, as if something outside has found the doorstep.
“Thadeus places a hand on Elias's shoulder. "You are a Belmont, the Grimoire confirms it. The blood of your ancestors runs through you. I believe this belongs to you." Thadeus takes out the Holy Cross, the weapon Trevor Belmont gave his brother. "This really belongs to you," Thadeus says, handing the weapon to Elias. Elias twirls the Cross in his hand, spinning gracefully along his hand. Elias feels energy building up within him. "You're right, my good friend. I'm a Belmont. Let's end this."”
Thadeus steps in close, sets a steady hand on Elias’s shoulder, and draws the Holy Cross from his coat. Elias’s breathing catches as the old metal catches the lamplight.
Thadeus Jovanović
You are a Belmont, the Grimoire confirms it. This belongs to you.
Elias takes the Cross with both hands, then turns it once, testing the weight like he has done it before. His fear gives way to a sharp, startled focus.
Elias
You're right, my good friend. I'm a Belmont. Let's end this.
“With Elias's confidence restored, Thadeus, Elizabeth and Elias head out to Elizabeth's dark red truck. Marla calls out to Elias, "Be careful!" Elias looks back to Marla, gives a big smile and a thumbs up, then catches up to Thadeus and Elizabeth in the truck. With that, the three of them are on the road, and hopefully onto the last leg of their journey.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled -2)
Thadeus leads the way out of the dining room, and the house feels smaller with every step. Elizabeth is already moving beside him, and Elias (The Shopkeeper) falls in behind, the Holy Cross held careful at his chest.
Marla Brewer
Be careful!
Elias
He turns back, flashes a big grin, and throws Marla a thumbs up that tries to be brave enough for all of them.
The three of them spill onto the porch and down to Elizabeth’s dark red truck. Thadeus reaches the passenger side first, and Elizabeth swings the door open without slowing.
Elias (The Shopkeeper) catches up just as the cab door shuts. His breathing is quick, but his grip on the Cross stays steady as he climbs in beside them.
The engine turns over, and the truck rolls off into the night. Behind them, the house light shrinks in the mirrors, while a cold, pale glint waits at the edge of the yard and then slips out of sight.