Those Who Walk Away

is the fourth episode of the second season of The Legend of Vox Machina. In a desperate bid to save a team member's life, Vax strikes a fateful deal with the Matron of Ravens, offering his life in exchange. As Vox Machina battles their way out of the sunken temple, Vax wonders what he's just signed up for.

Plot summary
Vax sneaks into a camp and unlocks a door, revealing Vex. Once freed, the two begin to flee, but when Vex steps on a twig, they hide in one of the wagons. There, they find a large, dying bear, whom Vex comforts. She then notices the still-living bear cub, and, despite Vax's protestations, insists on bringing the bear back, telling him he must embrace what's in front of him. All three run from the camp.

In the Sunken Tomb, Vox Machina weep over Vex's body. Zahra and Kashaw enter, first noticing that the party found the Deathwalker's Ward, then that Vex is dead. Keyleth begs Pike to heal Vex, but Pike tells her there's nothing to heal. As Vax yells for anyone to help, Kash runs up and suggests a resurrection ritual. He and Pike begin one, but find it difficult to perform because they are inside the Matron of Raven's temple.

Vax sees a vision like that he had seen in Emon and Vasselheim, of a woman in a white mask. As she prepares to take Vex, Vax yells at her to take him instead. She turns towards him, and cuts a glowing string leading between him and Vex. Kash apologizes for the seemingly failed resurrection, until Vex suddenly revives. She asks what happened, and Percy haltingly tells her he touched the armor, at which point Grog tells her that she died. Keyleth thanks Kash as Trinket licks Vex. Vex wonders how she was brought back, and everyone turns to Vax, who is suddenly wearing the armor. He runs to embrace Vex.

Zahra whispers to Kash that Vox Machina have the armor, but Scanlan interrupts them and asks why they disappeared before. Zahra tells him that they just got briefly lost, but Scanlan is suspicious. Vax, alone behind the group, wonders what he just did.

As they continue out of the tomb, Zahra and Kash argue about what to do about the armor, which they had intended to claim for the Slayer's Take. Zahra still wants the armor, but Kash is less sure. Vax meanwhile is drawn to a mural within the temple, featuring a number of the gods, which he recognizes as potentially being an image of the Calamity. Suddenly, he finds himself on a red lit battlefield. He walks up to a sphinx who he believes to be Osysa's mate. The scene then shifts, and he is in front of a mountain instead. He then turns and sees a figure on a cliff standing above him, wearing the Deathwalker's Ward, before coming back to himself in the Sunken Tomb.

Kashaw tells Zahra to give it up, but she levitates them to a balcony out of sight of Vox Machina, and releases the demon from her amulet. A massive multi-legged creature with one eye materializes in the space and begins to attack the party. They attempt to run, but find that the creature has petrified Grog. They all fight back. Kash seems worried, but Zahra tells him that once everyone is restrained or paralyzed, she'll take the armor and he can restore them and they all can leave. At this time, Vax, who had been behind the group due to his vision of the Calamity, approaches and sees the fight. He returns to his battlefield vision, this time, alone with the figure, whom he recognizes as Purvan Suul. Purvan begins to attack Vax.

Back in the temple, Vox Machina continue fighting the creature, with Keyleth, Vex, and Percy becoming petrified. Kash jumps down to assist them. Zahra, once Kash is in danger, joins them. She attempts to trap the creature in the locket again, but she becomes restrained and petrified. The creature then petrifies Scanlan and Pike.

In Vax's fight, he is getting badly beaten by Purvan. In the midst of the fight, as he raises a badly broken hand to attempt to fight back, he sees a vision of young Vex, holding out a hand to him and telling him that "whatever happens, it's out of our control." Vax stands aside as Purvan rushes towards him again, and is untouched. Purvan drops his sword, and kneels to the new champion. Vax comes back from the vision, and his armor begins glowing. He runs towards the creature, moving unnaturally quickly, and sees Kash, who tells him that they're the only two left unpetrified. Vax tells him to help the others, and begins his attack. Kashaw begins restoring Zahra and Vox Machina as Vax attacks. The party watches in awe, remarking that it must be his Vestige permitting him to move so quickly. Finally, Vax throws a dagger into the creature's eye, and it dies.

Vex walks up to Zahra and Kash and accuses them of having left suspiciously close to when the creature appeared, and Scanlan agrees. Zahra admits that they couldn't let the Vestige be lost to people who were undeserving, but that clearly, Vax is a worthy owner. They then all flee the temple, which is beginning to flood, and escape through the lake.

On the banks of the lake, Percy attempts to apologize to Vax for not waiting and for triggering the trap that killed Vex. Vax punches him in the face. Meanwhile, Kash and Zahra take their leave, but Zahra gives her amulet to Vex as an apology, and also assures her that her debt to the Slayer's Take will be ignored. Once they leave, Vex summons Trinket into the amulet, then releases him, as Grog asks to be next.

Vax, still some way away from the party, has another vision, this time of a small hut in which a man is dying, and a woman weeping over him. As he expires, the Matron appears, pulling the man by a golden thread. A skull briefly appears before Vax but he is interrupted by Vex, back in reality, putting a hand on his shoulder, telling him he's been acting strange. She asks him what happened, but he tells her that he's not sure - he saw the Matron of Ravens coming for her and told her to take him, but he's not sure what the implications are. Vex tries to reassure him, but he seems unconvinced, and walks away.

This scene cuts to Anna Ripley, who is watching in a lavender crystal ball. She then walks towards a burning town, different from Emon, with a dragon flying over it.

Cast
End credits list main cast, then guest cast in alphabetical order.

Crew

 * Written by - Eugene Son
 * Staff writer - Meredith Kecskemety
 * Directed by - Young Heller
 * Storyboard artists -

Vox Machina
These characters are Vox Machina and their adventuring companions.
 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Pike Trickfoot
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia

Returning
These characters previously appeared in an episode of The Legend of Vox Machina.
 * Kashaw
 * Trinket
 * Zahra

New

 * Purvan Suul