"The Hexed Hive" (RT2x12) is the twenty-fourth episode of The Re-Slayer's Take. The Re-Slayers and Professor Alexander Parade confront the twigmen, only to uncover that their origins are heartbreakingly linked to one of their newest friends.
Synopsis[]
Alexander see the twigmen approaching and uses a gun-like device to cast Grease, causing some of them to slip, while Poogs throws black powder at them. Heera starts climbing the pine tree, who is still sentient thanks to Timpani's magic and helps her, asking to be saved from the "sap stealers"; she obliges, attacking the twigmen from up there. The smaller enemies surround Poogs, Farah, and Frog and slash them with their small claws, and although Farah manages to kill some and Frog promises outloud to break their curse, they don't stop attacking them; the monk also tries hitting the biggest twigman, but it doesn't even notice. Timpani casts Faerie Fire, using fireflies to make it easier for his friends to hit the enemies. As a new big twigman with multiple legs comes out of the crater, the two faced one hits Frog twice and then copies her fighting posture before running away; however, Alexander shoots at it, destroying one of its faces, and Heera (joined by Poogs in the tree) finishes it off with her bow and arrows. The smaller twigmen approach the pine tree, who is determined to protect his new friends, creating a barrier with its pine needles so that Heera and Poogs are protected; the creatures attack Timpani and Farah instead. Farah, noticing that Frog looks hurt, throws at her the flask Dr. Fitzwaggle gave her, and the monk thanks her and drinks from it, although she only feels a strange sensation inside of her, instead of healing, assuming it is an expired potion. She then proceeds to go inside a hole in the crater, noticing a purple light approaching. In the meantime, Timpani casts Conjure Animals and summons eight beavers to face the wooden enemies, while Alexander faces the insectoid twigman, using Catapult and a big diamond to hit it, which Heera (using flaming weapons assisted by Poogs) hits shortly after, causing massive damage.
Inside the hole, a third massive twigman, with one leg and a purple stone in its body, grabs Frog and knocks her unconscious; the potion she drank, however, causes her to rise again as a shorter version of herself, leaving her old form behind. The monk attacks her enemy, Extracting Aspects to determine its weaknesses, and noticing a strange energy in it. Timpani and Alexander move towards the crater too and the latter throws his artificial eye inside, informing of what's happening with Frog and identifying the twigman as the one who hurt Doublas (since its missing leg was because of him). While Heera and Poogs approach Farah goes inside and attacks the twigman, helped by Frog; Alexander (after being told by Timpani to go first) joins them shortly after and, after taking his eye, delivers the final blow to the enemy, defeating it with one shot. The rest of the group (after Poogs helps Timpani, who got stuck in the tunnel) joins them, and are surprised to see Frog's smaller form and her paper-like remains (which horrifies Timpani when it is reduced to dust); Alexander assures that all Aeorians were able to do that, and had become so small that they had disappeared completely. After Farah takes the stone from the twigman (confirming it is the heartstone) they continue exploring until they find the old hag's lair, with some trinkets and a cauldron, as well as a small door in a wall. Heera confirms that the cauldron has a dangerous trap and draws a circle in the floor so that they don't touch it. Alexander finds his dog's heart (a cylindrical emerald) among the trinkets, and encourages the group to help Frog find her screwdriver so they can leave; she does it herself, finding a now inanimate twigman holding it, which she leaves undisturbed after taking her tool. Farah asks Heera to check the door, and she reluctantly does, opening it and revealing a child's room that is too small, with a bed, some inanimate twigman holding toy weapons, and drawings that include one with the words "Agatha - Mother". Understanding that was the place were Xella grew up, Heera takes the drawings and bluntly asks Frog to keep them in case they find the hexblood again; Frog praises the art style and puts the papers with her journal.
Two hours later the group arrives at Alexander's cabin, very tired, and he fixes Douglas, who starts moving again and producing sounds, saying "bark" and "father". They go outside to play with the dog, and Frog stays behind for a moment, sketching the dwarf's radio-like device to investigate later how to fix it. Shortly after the professor asks them if the want to stay for tea, but the Re-Slayers explain they must leave to solve some of their own problems. They suggest him to come with them, but he refuses, explaining he wants to stay and change his house and the stairs again, now that the twigmen aren't an issue; Timpani tells him that if he ever wants to visit them in Vasselheim he can. When Frog is near Alexander the mechanical arms are drawn towards her, and the professor declares that even though he is the greatest expert in Aeorians, he no longer needs the arms, so she can keep them; she thanks him, and when she realizes she's smaller than she should, she says she will grow up to be able to use them. Alexander also agrees to give Farah some of his black powder, and sends Timpani to fetch it (although the firbolg has some problem on his way due to the trapped stairs); once he returns Farah promises that she will write to the professor if she ever makes any discovery about the substance. As they are saying goodbye Heera tells Alexander to keep his investigations in the area of his crater instead of causing more detonations elsewhere, and assures him that there is Aeorian technology beneath the crater; he thanks her for the suggestion, but declares that he will excavate whichever area he deems adequate, and after the adventurers leave on their wagon he and Douglas return to the cabin.
Featured characters[]
Re-Slayers[]
Returning[]
- Professor Alexander Parade
- The pine tree
New[]
- Douglas, Alexander's robotic dog
Mentioned[]
- Xella Blacktongue
- Agatha
- Grimm Heldwell (unnamed)
Quotations[]
Trivia[]
References[]
Art:
- ↑ Re-Slayer's Take S2 promotional art, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
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