Critical Role Campaign 3 Oneshots

1: Dorian & Ashton

Oh wow. Okay, okay, okay.

Lets see, Imogen's down but Laudna's covering her with FCG on the way.

Orym isn't looking too hot but he's still going ham on the monstrous creature we're still fighting in this back alley, that's good.

And Bertand's actually helping out for once, asshole, with his rapier out. Seems he's landing some hits. On par with Orym at least.

Fearne and Mister are right in the fray as well, blazing bright together as always, looking a little worse for wear.

Dorian continues clocking everyone as he brings his own lute out in front of him, making sure he's out of range with the creature but close enough to assist anyone who needs him to. Already have taken a few hits, he's breathing heavy and trying not to tweak his injured side. He's checked in on everyone except...

Where the hell is Ashton?

Looking around once more he spots them, crouched right behind the creature with their hammer ready to swing for a swift side-swing. Ashton's skin appears to be blazing with crackling energy and Dorian spots the same shapes shifting away from him in blue and red as it had in previous battles before the hammer struck true.

In an instant, Ashton's hammer smashes through the monster's knees effectively crippling it and knocking it forward enough for Orym to get his shortsword through its abdomen and Fearne finally blasting a hole through its chest. Dorian moves forward in case one more hit is needed but it's not. The forward blows cause the thing drops from knee, to ass...

Right where Ashton is still crouched, exhausted and on the verge of collapsing themselves. They glance up once more with heavy lids before bracing to be crushed by the overtly large beast. They didn't expect ornate clothed arms to wrap under their armpits and pull.

Dorian half tossed and half swung Ashton out the way with all the strength he could muster with tight muscles in his side, barely making it out of the way himself. The hammer was left upright and the creature fell, impaling itself on the sharpened rocked handle. It only murmured a little before falling still.

Both Dorian and Ashton were laying face up on the cobble, breathing heavy.

"Fuck." They say at the same time.

Both chuckle but Dorian ends up wincing at the tugging of his ribs.

Ashton turns their head and smacks the mantle attached to Dorians shoulders, "Good grab."

Dorian tilts his head, a lax smile still playing on his lips as he looks to Ashton. He raises his fist and holds it out to Ashton. Ashton's own grin widens and they knock their sleek knuckles against Dorians smooth ones softly.

"Nice hit to his knees. Well done." Dorian looks back to the sky, "I think we just need to lay low for a bit. Getting our asses kicked is not it."

He looked over to see Fearne pulling Orym up while Bertrand joins them.

"Nice shot young..." Bertrand looks to Ashton,"...one?"

"That works old man." Bertrand lends a hand down to Ashton who he helps pull up off the ground.

Both then extend their hands to Dorian who is gracelessly yoinked up to his feet. Probably easier than it should be. Dusting himself off as best as he can under the conditions, he glances once more to the fallen creature they had spent the last few days tracking. Laying face up with many wounds and a spire of glassed rock piercing through its chest.

He looked to Ashton, "How are you going to get your hammer out?"

Ashton didn't even look at him, just smiled before moving forward and grabbing the handle of their hammer and giving it a couple test tugs. There was some give in the flesh before Ashton's smile widened even more.

"Better step back, this is gonna get gross."

Sure enough, Ashton cranked the hammer handle back as if it was a level, using their body weight to help force the hammer head back up through the flesh before peeling it out to reveal and even larger hole left in the chest. It brought up plenty of flesh and gore along with it, some splashing on the leg of Dorian's pants we he promptly cringed at.

"That's disgusting!" Laudna said with her chipper voice, Imogen's arm around her shoulder, supporting the short purple-hair woman's weight. FCG fretting about her jostling her counterpart too much when he just got her back up.

"It is, isn't it?" Ashton replied back just as cheerfully.

Stepping back over to Dorian and Bertrand, they gave a quick once over to both before notice a piece of the creature sloughed over the side of Dorian's mantle. With as little grace as possible, Ashton pulled it off and rubbed out the smear on the mantle before tossing the bloody piece right at Bertrand's chest.

As expected, the older man squealed and swatted at his chest to get it off before scuttling off to join the others already gathering by the alley entrance. They looked back to Dorian.

"Spire by Fire?"

Dorian, still clutching his side although not as tightly, "Of course. I could take a drink."

"Yours is on me!" Ashton shouts over their shoulder and they start walking towards the rest of their party.

Dorian is always telling Orym there are no debts between them. They are friends of course, that's how it should be. Ashton's slowly growing on Dorian. They can be rather brash and blunt, but it's something Dorian can respect coming from a family who liked to nice and sugar-coat everything.

Catching up and keeping pace Dorian responded.

"Sounds great."