Once outside, Raven whispered "I don't think it's safe in there. They have started to block the exits, so I had to move quick without explanation."

He looked behind him, and saw that the muddy fellow was now blocking the door behind him. "There's no going back, kid. I'm not going to push through Mr. I-don't-like-baths over there. So hold on tight, because I'm about to make a run for it."

Ivan balked, not really getting what was going on. He desperately wanted to go back for his weapon at the very least. "But if there is trouble, shouldn't we stay? We could... ah!" Ivan let out a sharp squeak, pushing his legs closer together so much that he was squeezing Raven's midsection in a way that must have been at least a little uncomfortable. "Sorry..." He rested his head on Raven's chest, wondering where they even planned on going. Back out to the caravan? Certainly not, what good would that be? The thing was stuck fast in the mud, and there was no way a single man and an ill could pull it out by themselves and get back on the road.

The rune-cloaked cultist stepped aside to let the pair out the door, to the odd looks of the young and big fellows. Still leaving the door open, he opened his mouth, but the young man gave him a shut up glare and stood, putting the knives away.

"Well, I for one am glad we can get underway. I must admit, we hadn't anticipated humans to walk in, especially in a time like this, and on this day of the year too. So I must say, you lot came in the wrong place at the wrong time. Why he-" he threw his arm in the direction of the caravan master- "Brought you folks in is well beyond me. I don't particularly care what you lot do, though I suppose he thought a couple of you had potential for joining in. All of you maybe? Who knows. I wasn't aware it was anyone besides us seven or so. Feel free to leave, I do-"

The mud man stepped forward a few feet, turning a dripping head to look over all in the room. "No. All remove. He said so."

The young man sighed. "Come on, we aren't here to ki-"

The trapdoor to upstairs opened, and the highwayman poked his head out. "All is well!" he yelled with a british accent to the low background of sobbing before the trapdoor closed again.


Outside, the rain had abated considerably and the fog receded, and the forests stood almost silently, inviting Raven's entry...

Everything just started going so fast for Jameson, one moment he had a weird gut feeling, the next, Raven carried Ivan out the door and now Skylar is casting some really threatening spells. He was surprised by Skylar's sudden actions. Jameson quickly snapped out of his daze and drew both his guns and pointed each at the young man and the cultist. "Yeah... I'm gonna have to agree with what he's saying here. We just wanna get on with your paths, unless you have something planned for us, then we're gonna have problems." said Jameson sternly, but inside he was nervous and uneasy, someone or something was messing with him and he had to get out fast. His eyes darted around the house looking for signs of trouble, he noticed Baldur close to the ladder, if his instincts were right, he's gonna go get Regina.

Jameson was too preoccupied to hear the trapdoor opening, he wanted to get this over with. "Humans? What are you talking about? Are you saying you lot are not humans? Then what the hell are you?" asked Jameson threateningly, he just wanted so badly to run, to burst out, but he kept his cool as much as he could. "And seven you say? By the looks of it, there's four of you who just entered, the caravan master and Regina, so who, where or WHAT is the seventh!?"

Big oops. Ignure.

Raven broke into a run, definitely going back to the caravan. His run wasn't all that fast, as he had to be careful not to trip what with Ivan in his arms and the mud on the ground. Sure, it seemed silly for their first stop along the getaway was the caravan, but significant rations were kept in there. Raven didn't know how easy it would be to hunt and gather here in the forest, so he wanted some food and water along with him just in case they had trouble collecting their own. Plus it could still provide some shelter if the storm raged once more. Certainly it would be a ridiculous idea to try and move the thing, but Raven felt it was important to save whatever resources he could. He said none of this however, because he was trying to save his breath for keeping up a speedy pace. He slightly regretted leaving the others to their deaths, and leaving the kid's bow behind, but it helped give the illusion that they were not running away and just going outside to pee or whatever. Hopefully buying them a valuable minute or two.

The storm seemed to have eased up for the moment, but the ground was still a muddy disaster. Ivan was glad to be lifted off the ground as the made their way back down the road towards the caravan. Ivan's eyes slowly fell closed, his head leaned softly against Raven's chest. Aside from being scared and a bit tired, Ivan was actually feeling a lot better. While his attacks could be deadly if left unattended, they usually cleared up fast once they were over. Now he had other problems to focus on. He said nothing, gritting his teeth together as he tried to forget about the situation. He wanted to stay with the others to help, but he understood why they would want him out of the way.

"I'm going to go off a hunch here" Baldur began "that you lot aren't of this plane of existence, especially given the amount of magic radiating off the Mudman. If I had to guess I'd assume at least one of you is a demon of some degree." Baldur said as he got ready to rush up the ladder as soon as a brawl started. He was more than positive that this wasn't going to be resolved with words and at this point the sorceress upstairs seemed like his best chance of getting out of this alive considering she seemed to know something about what was going on.

Suddenly another wave of dread washed over Baldur as he thought he saw a figure outside but upon closer examination he saw nothing. He realized he nerves were likely getting to him now due to the stress of the situation.

The young man looked around. "Well, lets see..."

He looked at the caravan master, big fellow, up at the ceiling and down at himself. "Well, I can't say there is very much humanity in this bunch." He looked at the cultist. "I guess he's kinda human. Wouldn't tell at the altar, though." The cultist gave a grunt as he crossed his elbows. "Mud man? Good friend of our other good friend downstairs."

"So I guess we have a couple options. You could always go up that ladder and meet the Captain, though that might not be the best idea. You could leave and let us do what needs to be done" - he gestured at the open door - "or you could get in what will probably be a costly brawl, and even though I know your group isn't perfect humanity either, I can make a good guess where most of the cost will be, especially when Cav manages to find the trapdoor." As he spoke, the mud man slowly backed out of the rear exit, disintegrating into the mud.

He began pacing on the raised area. "So, I don't know about you, but I like getting things done expediently and without the mess. So you can head off to join your fellow outside, use the back door if you like, or you can waste time on a matter that you have no investment in." He stood still next to the door and placed an arm on the large 'man's shoulder. "So?" Another crash could be heard upstairs.



Outside the caravan, not far down the path from Raven would enter to collect remaining rations, mud formed into a humanoid figure, this time much larger and with blunted arms the size of thick logs with boulders on the ends.

"Change of plans: Let's not go to the caravan. We'll hunt with my gauntlets and drink from streams. I don't know. But I'm pretty sure punching mud to death is difficult, so let's head this way instead shall we?" Raven said, a little bit shocked by that thing just appearing there. Because he was carrying a sick child, Raven didn't feel particularly comfortable about getting into fights. He guessed that this thing wasn't very agile, and that he could easily dodge it's boulder arms, but better safe then sorry. Raven ran in a different direction, which was the direction where the caravan was originally going.(North) Once the muddy beast was out of his sight, he slowed his pace to conserve energy. "Ivan, buddy, we got to get out of this damn forest. I don't like it here." He said to the sick kid as he trudged along. "I'm not tired yet, but I'll need to sleep eventually. And I'd rather not do it wherever here is."

"Well turns out we can just walk out the door after all." quipped Jameson at Skylar. He felt relieved that the option was still there which made him relax a bit, although they were clearly into demonic magic, he was glad albeit suspicious of their kindness. Jameson began to calm his nerves and the gut feeling was subsiding, but he still felt uneasy towards the ground, something was below them, waiting to be unleashed. The obvious choice right now would be to just walk out the back door, but there was something stopping him, something rather tricky. He needed the caravan master or Regina, for now they seem to be on their side, and also because they know these parts better than anyone of the caravan group. If they wish to get to the north alive, they needed them. However, it was obvious that these non-humans would not let either of them go just like that, especially Regina who seems to be in trouble, it didn't felt right to leave her after the help she provided.

Seeing that they're still on talking terms, Jameson made a request which he doubt would be fulfilled, "We would very much like to move on with our lives and leave this place, but we got a problem, we can't survive out there, not without the caravan master and Regina. So.. if you could allow it, we would like to borrow their services, at least until we leave the forest." Jameson doubt they would hand him both the caravan master and Regina, his main goal was to bargain for one of them, he felt bad if Regina had to stay, but right now, the survival of the group is all that mattered.

Ivan cringed back as another mud creature appeared. He couldn't help but think that it was the mud creature from before, perhaps... they were following them. They weren't supposed to leave. Ivan tightened his grip on Raven and tried to think of something else. He thought about wanting to go home, the still existing ache in his lungs... and his bow.
Ivan fought the urge to protest and beg to be taken back to Regina's place for his bow. The bow had belonged to his father, and if he ever made it back home, he wanted to be able to return it. Besides, that was the bow he'd learned to shoot with. He didn't know if he could just as easily use another bow. A light hunting bow was about right for him, but most bows were larger and heavier, likely too much for someone so young.
He kept fidgeting around in Raven's arms, as if trying to find a more comfortable position, but he never seemed to. He just kept tossing and squirming like an anxious animal. Raven's pace was a bit fast, and Ivan kept getting jostled around. He was beyond grateful when the man slowed down to preserve energy.
For a brief moment, he thought about how suspicious it was for Raven to just take him and leave without consulting any of the other caravan members. Was Raven being entirely trustworthy, or did the situation just go from bad to worse to... whatever comes after worse but before worst?

"Do what needs to be done?" The knight growled, tensing up, hiding the hand on his sword again, "And what does need to be done?..."

He knew it was probably for the best that he ignored everything that was happening here and ushered the rest of the group out the door. The North was a place full of demons. He couldn't confront them all, and he had enough of his own to deal with... But, for two years, this was his job. This was his path to a righteous death. This was how he would redeem himself for all those brothers and fathers and mothers and sisters that he killed in the Civil War.

There was a path to salvation for the violent soul, the priests had always said, A pious man must purge evil, within and without, and the only way for a warrior to reach paradise was not to fight for himself, but to offer his life for someone or something else... There was also something about making peace with yourself and the world, but Robart never paid attention to that. That was more about achieving happiness and enlightenment in paradise or some shite, but happiness could wait. The important thing was always getting out of Hell before it was too late. Struggling for happiness is what put him on the sinner's path to begin with...

What if he was one of the casualties that would follow a confrontation? Was the woman's life really worth dying for? Would his efforts be rendered null and void anyhow? Could he really call himself a repented man if he repaid a stranger's forgiveness and kindness by leaving her to these ruffians? At the same time, could he call himself a man of the Gods if, by his actions, his travelling companions were killed for a cause that he chose for them?... His thumb brushed anxiously back and forth over the handle of the blade. Would a pious man purge evil and die with surrounding innocents, or preserve his life and the lives of the other caravanners in the room and let evil destroy someone who never did him any wrong?

I will... I won't... I will... I won't...

"Alright, let's try not to die out here. I hear a stream we can possibly drink out of. Probably not the cleanest water, but maybe we can boil it in a campfire...? No, we'd need a pot for that." Raven said. He had slowed his pace to a stop nearby a stream. "Kid, you look really broken up about something. Obviously we aren't in the happiest of situations, but at least we're not immediately in danger right?" He said as he gently sat the Ivan down on the driest spot near a tree he could find.

"And if this is about worrying about the other lads, I'll have you know that I was requested through a psychic telepathic message from the Caravanian that I should remove you from the situation. To be honest, if I weren't bringing you out here with me away from whoever they were, I'd have felt that running was too cowardly. But I have confidence that our companions will take care of themselves."

Raven flicked away an insect.

"Man this sucks. I still haven't figured out what we're going to eat and when, and what's worse is that the mud man could just pop back up again. Or a pack of wolves. Or herd of bears."

He stopped to think.

"Actually, bears are solitary or in pairs. They don't travel in herds. And don't usually hunt humans unless they are really hungry or if you're near their kids. So that's one less thing to worry about."

"Ve need to go back! I need my bow!" Ivan cried out suddenly, bolting to his feet almost as soon as he was put down. He grabbed Raven by his arm, mostly to hold himself upright but also as a gesture of urgency. "It is not even mine! It is my father's..." He wasn't really listening as Raven talked to himself. He was still fidgeting around, shifting his weight from foot to foot and standing on his toes, bouncing up and down slightly. "Come on, you do not even have to take me. Leave me here, get the bow and come back to me. Please..."

Raven sighed. "I understand. Try not to die while I'm gone, kid. I'll go get your bow. If I don't come back, assume I'm dead and go on without me. If I do come back with the bow, we'll be able to hunt with it. Remember that wolves can't climb trees. See ya." He turned and ran back in the direction of the house, having a very bad feeling about this. But hey, if he was able to get away with the weapon it'd improve their chances of survival. If he got into a fight and killed all the occult people, they'd pretty much be safe. But on the other hand, if Raven died, Ivan would have a tough time living out there. At least that's what Raven told himself. Coming into view of the building, Raven started creeping up low. He kept his eye on the doorway before him, and the ground beneath him. After a minute or so of sneaking forward, the gauntleted man was right beside the doorway, listening to the conversation within and waiting for his chance.

Ivan nodded, waving as Raven left. He did his level best to stay where he was, but it eventually hit him that he really needed to pee and he wandered off a ways into the woods.
On his way back, he tried to remember exactly which spot he'd been left in. He hadn't gone far, but all the trees looked exactly the same to him. Deciding not to get himself more lost than he had to, he climbed up a tree so he wouldn't have to sit in the mud to wait. He kept his eyes on the ground, listening for footsteps... or pawsteps, as the case might be. Wolves couldn't climb, but bears and wild cats could. Ivan shivered, resisting the urge to climb higher. He had to be able to get down by himself. Getting stuck up a tree would just make him look like even more of a fool.

Skylar knew they needed help. None of them knew these woods well enough to survive and the North wasn't a place to wander. Skylar heard Jameson asking and the Knight demanding answers while Baldur tensed himself, preparing for the ladder. He was a little lost with how to proceed. Should they help? Should they run? He heard something, happy and light, but shook it off. He started took a breath and said-

It was bright. A boy, no older than eight, laughed as they cube hovered a few inches off the ground before falling. The blue irises faded as he look up and Skylar picked him up and twirled him-

A woman sneered from across the room and suddenly everything was ablaze. The boy vanished from his grasp and Skylar screamed and screamed fornhim. His magic couldn't put the fire out fast enough so he bolted, coughing and gasping. He stumbled into a room and froze. A small altar in the dining room. The woman with lightning dancing on her fingers. The boy pale, eyes dead, stomach sliced open. He flung his fingers out and sent spell after spell flying but every spell broke, failed, and faded. She smirked. He growled and discharged one last spell-

Eyes unfocused, he stared straight at the cultist. The orbs engulfed his hands and a hand the size of himself appeared, solid black. "Give him back! Give me Alexander back witch!" Skylar screamed before sending them hurling at the cultist.

The young man sighed. "I'm afraid either is not quite possib-"

Skylar's attack flew past towards the rune-cloaked mage, who kneeled and brought his robes over his head just as the magic made impact, knocking him onto the wall besides the door and turning the cloak's runes a bright red.

The cultist stood slowly, and as he brought his robe down, it was to reveal a pair of pitch black eyes and a face with every sign of murder written on it pointed directly at the one who had assaulted him.

"This farce has continued long enough. Tarizel, step aside." The young man opened his mouth in protest, to which the cultist snarled "You will step aside."

The large man stood and stared at Skylar as the cultist's eyes began to burn red. "I did not sacrifice a thousand human children to squabble with piddly humans. I did not deal with a demon lord to sacrifice a sorceress for a worm like you. Quisel was right. Remove the humans and outsiders. Remove them all."

At that he pulled out a pitch black sacrificial blade. "More souls to the cause is always appreciated, after all." He stood, leaving the last sentence to sit as loud scraping noise arose through the trapdoor to the depths of the unknown below.

Behind Raven in the yard, mud began shifting once more. This time, however, it was not a single figure that stood, but three, all man sized and one ripping a section of fence from the ground at the same time the cultist had hit the side of the house.

Beyond the shifting of the mud, something else was happening outside - instead of the fog receding further, it had become much closer, the sky much darker and the rain at a complete stop.

In the forest around Ivan, all was seemingly quiet - save the unusual noise of mud slowly sliming up the trunk of the tree.

Ivan heard a noise at the base of the tree. Assuming it to be some animal, he only wrinkled his nose a bit and closed his eyes, leaning against the trunk of the tree with the intent of getting some rest before Raven arrived with his bow. But the noise didn't stop. Raising an eyebrow to himself, Ivan looked down, then screamed bloody murder.
The mud on the ground was starting to creep its way up the tree, as if it had a mind of his own. Ivan was suddenly glad he'd had the foresight to relieve himself earlier, as he only had the one pair of pants and this would have been the end of their clean state if he hadn't acted earlier.
Though Ivan was light for his age, he quickly got to a point on the tree where the branches could barely support his weight. He knew if he went any higher, he'd just end up falling. He knew what he had to do next. He ran across the long branch, ignoring the ominous cracking sounds, and jumped into the next tree over, just barely catching himself on a branch. He was now hanging by his hands from a branch that was just about to about to break. Not good, to be sure. He tried to see if he could maneuver himself to a different branch, but this tree was sparse and the next few branches over he couldn't even reach. "Raven! RAVEN!! God damn it, Raven!" He cried, barely able to hold himself up.