Tales of Evanhearth: Siege of Cudsul {IC}

[Lydyn]

"Uh.. right.." Rehora was clearly thrown off a bit by the comment, but wasted little time in following after the woman. It wasn't long before she realized that they probably wouldn't make it out of the mines before whatever it was would catch up to them and probably try and tear their limbs from their torsos by the sounds of it. 'Good time as any,' she quickly thought to herself and quickly stopped herself from running and looked back, only seeing darkness and hearing the echos of footsteps and metal against rock. Rehora quickly bent down and drew the rune for lightning on the ground and stepped back, unsure how it'd work, but she had intended to lay a sort of trap with the glyph - who knows if it'd work. However, like any good magi or tactician, she had a back-up plan as she quickly started to jog after her companion. Sadly, she probably wouldn't see if it'd work but the crackling of lightning was sure to travel down the tunnels to let her know it went off - if at all, indeed.

[Disciple Cain]

After writing the rune upon what seemed to be a orange colored vein in the stone, a violent and thunderous crash was heard from above. It was powerful enough that it could've been an explosion. The mine violently shook from the force of the explosion and the wooden supports crunched under the force of the stone that pushed down on it. Within seconds, the supports gave way and stones crashed down to the surface, throwing water and dust every which way. Now that the path was blocked, safety was guaranteed. Despite this, the ghoulish creatures would still continued hammering on the stones, even scratching on them to try to break them away, but their efforts wouldn't get them through before the group could merely walk out of the mines.

[Barsavis]

Kyr exploded into the exterior along with the cloud of dust. She did not stop for a moment. She was now completely the same color as the stone and cloud with the exception of her eyes and the inside of her mouth. It washed away immediately. The rain thundered down relentlessly from the clouds. The dust was collected and slammed into the ground by thousands of raindrops. Leaves jostled and jumped from the constant impacts, and thunder rolled through the sky. Rivulets of water finally carried away the gore of the battle with the miners, and thoroughly drenched Kyr, driving its penetrating cold to her bones right away. She coughed violently trying to expel the inhaled dust, spitting to get the grains out of her mouth and nose. Even so, she never forgot the danger and took to heading into the closest underbrush doing her best to keep her torment as silent as possible.

No answers, not one. She still had no clue what they were mining, had no idea what her foe even was, or what power they held. She knew one collapsed shaft would not be enough to keep them contained. There were no doubt air shafts and alternate routs in the mine that would keep them alive long enough to clear a rout if they were simply mortal living creatures. If they weren't then there was no reason a simple pile of rocks could keep them forever.

[Eleda]

With a start, Leah spun on her heel as a howling wind passed her, the very same that had awoken her. Very abruptly, raindrops began to fall around her, soaking the cloak she wore about her and causing a chill up her spine as the wind rolled by once more. She took a moment to be grateful for the hood of her cloak already being pulled over her vivid crimson hair. It had been at least four fortnights since the last time she had encountered any one person, let alone a civilization of a sort. And yet here she was, chasing a rumor of stone. However, it what not just any stone or ore she was in search of. The travelers she'd encountered called it 'the mystic blue', appropriately named for it's color. Whether or not it actually held magical properties had yet to be proven. But, it was very valuable and Leah knew of at least a dozen of merchants willing to pay her very good coin for the slightest bit of it. And so here she was, traveling through an unnatural storm to the enclosed city of Cudsul in search of a more definite answer.

The earth beneath her feet was eagerly soaking up the water as it fell, causing her feet to sink in as she walked, clinging to the fabric of her boots. Leah ignored the squishing noise beneath her and kept her eyes and ears alert. The sky was shrouded with dark, low clouds and though it was storming, she could tell that it was approaching dusk. She would need to pick up her pace if she were to make it to Cudsul before nightfall, according to Phyllos directions. In her path through a thicket of trees, a venison lay lifeless and still. Leah paused and bowed before the creature, placing a hand on the coat feeling an eerie vibe coming from it. Perhaps that is what others would call an aura, but to her it was just a very bad feeling in her gut. Quickly muttering a soft wish for the life spirit it lost, she began to speed walking once more, a groan filling the air behind her. Looking over her shoulder she could see the deer struggling to stand on its feet moving very slowly and unnaturally. Her green eyes widened and without a second thought, she began to sprint towards Cudsul, never taking the time to look back.

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The guards at the gate were hesitant to let her in, but eventually allowed her in, seemingly fearful of the impending nightfall. The town was quiet and somber at this time, many faces looked worn and guards appearing to be at the end of their physical rope. She had heard little about the town itself, save for the fact that it was primarily a mining town. In the distance, one building seemed particularly busy. Dim candle lights were flickering from within and the sound of many bodies could be heard from within, though not very loud conversation. It was a pub of sorts and as she entered, it startled her how quiet it was. It was filled with the physically and emotionally injured... and yet everyone was so silent. This was grieving. And it was thick in the air.

She slowly moved to a seat in the darkest corner of the room, pulling her bow off from over her shoulder and resting it on the table. Behind her, she heard whispers of adventurers having come earlier that day and heading out to the mining camp. The comment was quickly followed by chatter of the injured that fled the camp because of a goblin attack. Goblins? Could it really be true? Before she could ponder the question, a young woman with a dirt covered and yet pleasant face brought her an ale and slinked away without so much as eye contact having been made.

A few weary guardsmen returning from the mines took seats at a table close to Leah, all dead silent as a barmaid passed them. One took off his skullcap and gave her a quick nod and a weak smile before he hunched over the table to whisper to his mates "Goblins... goblins we can deal with. Goblins are nothing new, but that?" The man seemed to shiver as he looked away from the other two, staring at the table. So, the goblins rumor was true. Leah shifted in her seat, resting her forearms on the table to lean closer in the direction of the guardsmen that had just arrived.

The one across the table from him scanned the room for any peeping eyes and ears before he leaned in and gave his friend a significant look, saying, "That ore is valuable though... and our pay doubled when the Baron found what the workers were mining into." The last of the three shoved a hand into his pocket for a moment and then slipped out a silvery blue rock, holding it out in the middle of the table in the palm of his hand, "You mean this stuff?" Immediately, the first of the guards threw his hand over his and closed the other's fingers over it, glaring at him, "You took some of it?"

Leah struggled to keep her eyes glued on her table, her pulse quickening from hearing that it did in fact exist. It was not just a bedtime story told to her to fill her with the thoughts and desires of enormous wealth. It was real. And these men seemed feared of it. She stood silently, placing her bow acorss her chest once more and walked to the foot of their table, keeping her hood pulled over her ace so they couldn't quite make out her face. "If you do not want it, I will take it from you and you will never hear a word of it again. You will not be connected and your positions will remain intact. No one will have to know of your thievery against your Baron or town." Slowly, still unsure of how they would react to her sudden presence and proposal, she slid her fingers into a small pouch at her waist, placing six very bright gold coins on the table.

The guards looked up at her, almost startled that she came to approach them, but very soon the first guard pried open the hand of his mate (much to his dismay) and took the stone out of his hand. He opened Leah's palm and slapped it on her hand and said, "Here, take it. The blasted thing is probably cursed anyway." Leah smirked and tucked the stone into her purse, turning away from them not having touched the coin. "Keep the coin and enjoy your ale men." and she silently slinked out of the pub building in search of a place to stay for the night. They all exchanged glances with each other before the first guard nodded to her and divided up the coins evenly among them, choosing not to watch her as she slipped outside.

[Lydyn]

"Are you serious!?" she yelled out, standing outside of the entrance while becoming quickly soaked with chilling rain, her black hair clinging to parts of her face. Rehora had gotten outside the mine just fine, but turned to look into the darkness and barely made out the rumble that had saved their lives. Her attention had suddenly turned from fearing for her life to the powerful lightning bolt that had struck the mountain - she even included the dot in the middle to avoid it and it still happened. The magi was upset. "Damn it to hells!" she called out to herself again, pushing her arms down in a fit. She was glad that it had saved everyone but, "what use is my magic? I can't even draw activated glyphs! And now I'm here stuck, limited to searching dangerous runes just to learn more magic! Arrh!"

She balled her fists in frustration before just turning and letting out a huff as she looked at the other two, Kyr nearly going into a coughing fit. Rehora was starting to get a little cold as her robes began to weigh her down with all the rainwater it held and brushed a strand of hair that has clung to her nose. "Let's just get back ... we need to know what sort of ore they were mining.. ugh.." The magi still acted like she was upset about her magic and it may have explained why she seemed in intent on just moving on and why she took on more of a leader role as she started to march towards town. It was all they could really do anyways, she gathered - it was neither safe or smart to even bother with camping for the night, sure that firelight wouldn't even keep goblins away (let alone undead), though they seemed to have promised to leave them alone for the moment.

... Suddenly though, she seemed to paused for long enough to give both of them a good ten feet head start on her before she returned to reality and shook her head, rubbing her temples. 'That hurts more than usual..' she thought to herself before continuing. She didn't seem nearly as upset or mad, perhaps even calm as she walked after the other two now - towards town. It was unfortunately dark, but thankfully still not far past noonday even if the clouds were up. There was certainly time to make it back to the town still.

[Grandeur]

Erskine tried to dust off his coat, but to no avail; it was raining far too heavily for that. Within moments the dust had turned to a thin layer of mud and sunk into his clothing. He sighed, hoping that he'd at least be able to find somewhere in the dismal little town to get it properly washed.
"Oh joy," he said drolly, spotting Rehora and Kyr, and walking over towards them, "you two made it out as well. I don't suppose anyone's seen our resident meat shield... I mean, mercenary? No? Oh well, best push on. This weather looks forbidding and dramatic, and we all know that that kind of thing attracts restless spirits like moths to a flame, so I for one would rather not be caught outside in it. Also, I'm soaked enough as it is, the sooner we get back in a nice, warm house the better."
He walked past them, heading in the general direction of the town.

[Barsavis]

Kyr delayed them from immediate departure. She didn't seem upset or disheartened; she seemed clear headed and focused, "Did you see Garret, Erskine? I lost him in the mines; I don't know what order he was in. He had the other light but I never saw it. Were you with him?"

"We have to give Garret some time. We should listen in case he calls to us," She stood like a dog shut outside in the rain listening intently to the absolutely silent mines hoping to hear something. Her eyes wondered to Rehora to see the expression. She knew what some things that were happening within. People die, sometimes before their bodies do.

Kyr readied herself for the truth of another death. Friends and foes rolled across her memory. It changed her. She used to be just a girl, but one by one faces vanished and she knew exactly why and, in quite a few cases, exactly how. If Garret did not return it was just one more to toss in the pile, but she felt responsible anyway. She was supposed to be smarter than this, more clear thinking. How did everyone run a different direction in the dark like scattering jesters in a comedy? They had been cowards. Cowards she knew well, cowards survived. Clever cowards could even win. However, she should have had her cowardice under reigns as well as theirs. Had it been too long? This is what made her a survivor and not a soldier.

[Lydyn]

The comment didn't take long for it to sink in with the magi as she stopped and turned around. For a brief moment, she stood still and let out an almost inaudible sigh before slowly walking over to Kyr and standing next to the woman. Rehora didn't say anything, but the look on her face was enough - she wasn't standing here waiting for Garret to return, instead it was like she was standing in front of a grave, mourning for the lost. Several moment passed before Rehora spoke quietly, "when you're ready.. we should get back to town.. I know you'll feel the need to speak with the Baron - just find me afterwards, if you want to know what's really going on.." Rehora's tone of speech was far different than it had been before. Instead of frustration and confusion, it was coated with confidence and knowledge, but there was no telling why.

On the other hand, the magi was perfectly aware that she was the one that had collapsed that tunnel and knew exactly what had become of Garret, and while she knew that it had been a mistake on her part or a stroke of really bad luck - there was a measure of guilt in her heart. Thankfully, she didn't let it eat at her since she had to remember they might've all met the same fate had she not blocked the mines like she did. Fate was sometimes cruel. She waited for Kyr and would walk with the scout back to the town, sure Erskine was determined on talking to the Baron with or without the rest of the group. "Also.. if you get to Erskine before I do, just let him know he's wrong.. they've already been released. Again, he can seek me out if he wants to know the truth.."

[Disciple Cain]

There was no call from inside the mines. No one else crawled out from the dust. The only things that called out to them was the lightning in the distance and the pouring rain. There was no scratching at the collapsed stone-- only silence. The old, dead blood from many battles past was dragged away by the small streams that formed, all of it being dragged in every which way to the forest and even down into the mines.

[Barsavis]

Kyr waited some short time before she was convinced there was no help for it. Sopping wet, she lead the way into the brush. If Rehora was affected, she was hiding it well. But with the playfulness upon beginning the journey Kyr suspected it bothered her much more than she showed.

She stood in silence for some time before turning without a word. It was at that time Rehora noticed the concealed approach to Kyr's emotion. She had been choked up getting her composure. She wasn't ready for another war. Too much reminded her of her home and the toil it went through to only result in failure. Why couldn't they have just won?

"I didn't care," Kyr explained, a sick look rolling across her composure, "I have tried, but I don't. It's gone. I don't care. Even at the end of everything I cared, but I don't anymore. That is the real toll of war; it slices out little bits of you. I used to pride myself at being able to cry whenever I lost a patient… it made me work harder, more desperate, do everything I could. Now… now I just can't, it vanished when those nematodes conquered us. I don't want to be a lady or a noble. I just want to live in MY swamp…"

A string of Peori curses came gushing out of her mouth, another bit of her soul that had been painfully torn out. Peori curses are not simple words that mean naughty things; they were full-fledged curses giving detailed hopes of horrendous things that she wished upon them.

"How dare you pierce my ears and defile my skin." She murmured to herself. To the Peori, the body was sacred, tattoos and piercings were major no-nos. She had both since the Tamda took her away.