Darius was stupefied as he watched Alaira hop off the wagon and approach the guards. He reached an arm out to stop her, but he stopped when he caught sight of that creepy bear toy staring at him. Before he knew it, one of the guards was on the ground and the half-elf had a boot to his neck. Why? Why would she do that with no information at all? He was about to march over to Alaira and rip her off of the guard she was interrogating when an idea occurred to him. He could use her scene as a distraction and search for that gods-awful smell.
As he made his way closer towards the bridge, the smell got stronger. It was almost overwhelming. Readying himself for what he'd find, he looked over the edge, and he nearly gagged. He had been expecting bodies or something of the like, not human waste. Something was definitely not right with this toll bridge. No one with a healthy mind would work in these conditions. Darius walked back to the wagon, shaking his head in disgust and his hand on his sword. He was ready to push Alaira off the man if on the slight chance that there was nothing wrong.
This was going to be a long job.
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Fallenreaper
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Leith fidgeted when Mar stared at him for longer than what he felt normal. He nodded at Althalus' words. It made sense that once life was given, there won't be any effort made by the mage other than communication with what they made. Leith was going to say something about convincing the kid to stop the horde, but Althalus had turned his attention to Mar. It had seemed that he had been unsuccessful in trying to stop the argument, but it didn't last long, and Althalus agreed to try and talk to the child.
"I'll stay down here and keep watch." Once Althalus and Mar had gone upstairs, Leith started pacing parallel to the barricaded door. He hoped was ready for when they broke in.
---
Darius felt like death. He cursed himself for having too much to drink the night before. For most of the morning, he was irritable and would ignore anything anyone had to say that wasn't work related. It was late in the morning before he started feeling better. When they made it to the toll bridge, he was feeling around seventy-five percent. He wrinkled his nose at the smell. Something was wrong. The guards looked like he had felt earlier. He looked at Ssarak, finding that the dragon man looked uneasy as well. Once he saw that, he made a beeline towards Alaira.
"Something is not right about this bridge. Do not make a scene this time," he quietly warned. Satisfied, he started to walk away, but before he made it too far, he paused. "Come with me." he said over his shoulder. "Something is long dead, and we need to find out what it is." Normally, he wouldn't have said what he had, but having the half-elf within reaching distance would make sure an incident like the day before wouldn't happen again.
"I'll stay down here and keep watch." Once Althalus and Mar had gone upstairs, Leith started pacing parallel to the barricaded door. He hoped was ready for when they broke in.
---
Darius
Darius felt like death. He cursed himself for having too much to drink the night before. For most of the morning, he was irritable and would ignore anything anyone had to say that wasn't work related. It was late in the morning before he started feeling better. When they made it to the toll bridge, he was feeling around seventy-five percent. He wrinkled his nose at the smell. Something was wrong. The guards looked like he had felt earlier. He looked at Ssarak, finding that the dragon man looked uneasy as well. Once he saw that, he made a beeline towards Alaira.
"Something is not right about this bridge. Do not make a scene this time," he quietly warned. Satisfied, he started to walk away, but before he made it too far, he paused. "Come with me." he said over his shoulder. "Something is long dead, and we need to find out what it is." Normally, he wouldn't have said what he had, but having the half-elf within reaching distance would make sure an incident like the day before wouldn't happen again.
That could work
Darius leaned back in his chair as he listened to Ssarak, drinking from his mug as he did so. When he was asked about himself he smiled. There were two types soldiers in his opinion. Those that didn't care to know about their comrades, and the ones who did, and it seemed like Ssarak was the latter. Most of the time, Darius couldn't care less about the people he was working with. Sure, he'd help them if they needed it on the battlefield. He just didn't want to know every detail of their life.
"We can do that." Darius spread his arms out. "Ask your questions and I will answer them, or not. It depends." He leaned forward. "Question for question, then? Since you brought it up, you can ask first."
Leith Calder
Leith glanced between the undead and the house as he got ready for Mar's answer. He didn't get one, however, because Althalus answered it for her by running up to them and offering to take his place. The shrieking didn't catch Leith off guard this time, so the only indication that it happened was a small wince. He nodded and hurried towards the house.
Once inside, Leith scanned the room for anything that could be used to barricade the door, grabbing any he found and dragging them to next to the door. Looking outside, he saw that Mar and Althalus were slowly fighting their way to the house. Once they were both inside, he winced at the way Althalus entered, he pushed a sturdy-looking bookshelf followed by a stack of assorted furniture in front of the door. He turned around and saw Mar raised up and looking down at Althalus.
"Hey!" Leith shouted at them. "Not the time. We should probably go help Grey. He's up against what seems to be a master-level Necromancer. I'm still not sure how that's possible, he's just a kid..." He frowned as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other "Is it absolutely necessary for the kid to die to stop them?" he asked, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the door. "Wouldn't being unconscious do the trick?"
"We can do that." Darius spread his arms out. "Ask your questions and I will answer them, or not. It depends." He leaned forward. "Question for question, then? Since you brought it up, you can ask first."
Leith glanced between the undead and the house as he got ready for Mar's answer. He didn't get one, however, because Althalus answered it for her by running up to them and offering to take his place. The shrieking didn't catch Leith off guard this time, so the only indication that it happened was a small wince. He nodded and hurried towards the house.
Once inside, Leith scanned the room for anything that could be used to barricade the door, grabbing any he found and dragging them to next to the door. Looking outside, he saw that Mar and Althalus were slowly fighting their way to the house. Once they were both inside, he winced at the way Althalus entered, he pushed a sturdy-looking bookshelf followed by a stack of assorted furniture in front of the door. He turned around and saw Mar raised up and looking down at Althalus.
"Hey!" Leith shouted at them. "Not the time. We should probably go help Grey. He's up against what seems to be a master-level Necromancer. I'm still not sure how that's possible, he's just a kid..." He frowned as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other "Is it absolutely necessary for the kid to die to stop them?" he asked, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the door. "Wouldn't being unconscious do the trick?"
"You are a brute." Darius said as he shifted his stance, both relieved and disappointed that he didn't have to stop a fight. "But that does not mean you need to stay one. Think before you act, and today will not repeat itself." He turned around and got ready to hop off the roof, but before he did, he spoke over his shoulder. "It does not look like you are alone now. That child seems to enjoy your company." With that he jumped down onto the ground below.
Darius sighed as he made his way back to the inn. Hopefully, the problem would be solved for this mission. He had no idea if the events at the bridge would stay with the half-elf after the mission was over. It wouldn't be his problem after, so he didn't really care that much about it. He opened the door to the inn and scanned the room to see if Ssarak was still around. He was, so Darius went to the bar and ordered two mugs of mead. Once he had them, he made his way to Ssarak's table and sat down across from him. He offered the dragon man a mug. "I think we need to celebrate surviving today." Darius smiled. "Let us hope that we will not have to celebrate this every night."
Darius sighed as he made his way back to the inn. Hopefully, the problem would be solved for this mission. He had no idea if the events at the bridge would stay with the half-elf after the mission was over. It wouldn't be his problem after, so he didn't really care that much about it. He opened the door to the inn and scanned the room to see if Ssarak was still around. He was, so Darius went to the bar and ordered two mugs of mead. Once he had them, he made his way to Ssarak's table and sat down across from him. He offered the dragon man a mug. "I think we need to celebrate surviving today." Darius smiled. "Let us hope that we will not have to celebrate this every night."
Darius watched the event unfold in front of him. When the half-elf ignored them, it took everything he had not to try to beat sense into her. Instead, he set down his mug and let Meirin try to talk some sense into Alaira. If that didn't work, he'd try his own method. At first, it appeared that Meirin wasn't making any progress, but when she mentioned the demon attack, the half-elf stiffened, stood up, and rushed Meirin, slamming her against a wall.
Darius stood up and made his way towards the two, ready to break it up if it got more violent, but they separated before he made it to them. Alaira stormed out of the bar, slamming the door behind her. He raised his eyebrows when Meirin followed after her. He hadn't expected the girl to continue. Hell, he didn't expect her to shrug off being slammed into a wall. He shook his head slightly and hurried after red haired girl.
He waited while Meirin got directions and followed her towards the house. He looked around for the half-elf but he couldn't find her. He stopped when he heard a voice coming from above him. They were on the roof. Taking a few steps back, Darius readied himself for the jump. He took three deep breaths and waited for his head to become clear. Once it had, he jumped, higher than he usually would, and pulled himself onto the roof.
He hadn't heard what Meirin had said, but he watched the both of them with his arms crossed over his chest. He was ready to stop anything that happened on the rooftop. It wouldn't do if two of the escorts injured themselves. So he waited, and he watched.
Leith Calder
Leith was relieved to see Mar move. He pondered her comment about being not okay before she started issuing orders. He nodded when she told him what he needed to do before looking at him. For a moment, panic flooded his mind. He wasn't sure if Mar was looking at him as an example of what she'd do, or she was about to swipe with her tail. He chose the latter and took a few hurried steps backwards. He was right. Mar's tail swept forward and knocked the undead backwards. There were a few that were out of the range of the sweep and had started shambling towards Mar.
They weren't going to make it to her. Leith made it to them first. He lashed out with his sword and cut the first one in half from just below the ribcage. He looked over his should to see if there were any on the other side of Mar. There wasn't any at the moment, so he turned back to the two in front of him. He moved his sword from his right hand to his left, wincing at the pain it caused. He grabbed second one and whipped it into the third. They flew backwards and landed in a heap of arms and legs.
A tremendous crash boomed through the air. Leith looked back at the house and saw that the door was no longer in its frame. They were that much closer to ending it. He heard Grey's shout that he was going to get the kid alone. Not good. If that kid could raise the entire village, there's no telling what else he could do. He glanced at Mar and switched his sword to his right hand as he got ready to run to the house. "Let's go, we need to close that door up again."
Darius stood up and made his way towards the two, ready to break it up if it got more violent, but they separated before he made it to them. Alaira stormed out of the bar, slamming the door behind her. He raised his eyebrows when Meirin followed after her. He hadn't expected the girl to continue. Hell, he didn't expect her to shrug off being slammed into a wall. He shook his head slightly and hurried after red haired girl.
He waited while Meirin got directions and followed her towards the house. He looked around for the half-elf but he couldn't find her. He stopped when he heard a voice coming from above him. They were on the roof. Taking a few steps back, Darius readied himself for the jump. He took three deep breaths and waited for his head to become clear. Once it had, he jumped, higher than he usually would, and pulled himself onto the roof.
He hadn't heard what Meirin had said, but he watched the both of them with his arms crossed over his chest. He was ready to stop anything that happened on the rooftop. It wouldn't do if two of the escorts injured themselves. So he waited, and he watched.
Leith was relieved to see Mar move. He pondered her comment about being not okay before she started issuing orders. He nodded when she told him what he needed to do before looking at him. For a moment, panic flooded his mind. He wasn't sure if Mar was looking at him as an example of what she'd do, or she was about to swipe with her tail. He chose the latter and took a few hurried steps backwards. He was right. Mar's tail swept forward and knocked the undead backwards. There were a few that were out of the range of the sweep and had started shambling towards Mar.
They weren't going to make it to her. Leith made it to them first. He lashed out with his sword and cut the first one in half from just below the ribcage. He looked over his should to see if there were any on the other side of Mar. There wasn't any at the moment, so he turned back to the two in front of him. He moved his sword from his right hand to his left, wincing at the pain it caused. He grabbed second one and whipped it into the third. They flew backwards and landed in a heap of arms and legs.
A tremendous crash boomed through the air. Leith looked back at the house and saw that the door was no longer in its frame. They were that much closer to ending it. He heard Grey's shout that he was going to get the kid alone. Not good. If that kid could raise the entire village, there's no telling what else he could do. He glanced at Mar and switched his sword to his right hand as he got ready to run to the house. "Let's go, we need to close that door up again."
Leith rotated his shoulder as he watched the mob of undead in front of him. They just wouldn't stop. They'd be cut down and more would take their place. A man with a makeshift spear came around the mob and stepped towards Leith. The right side of the man's face was caved in from eye to ear. It was a grisly wound, and Leith had to fight to keep himself from losing his breakfast. The man smiled, showing broken and bloodied teeth.
"You should surrender and die," the man said an a rattling voice. "You can't kill us."
Leith nodded in agreement. "You're right, I can't, but I can slow you down." Without another word, he lunged forward and sliced at the man before he could react.
But react he did.
The man had started moving before Leith had. And while he was no means fast, he managed to jab at Leith with the spear before he was cut in half. The spear lodged itself into Leith's left bicep. With a shout of pain, he took a few steps backwards. He examined the wound. It was a deep wound, and the weight of the haft was pulling on it. Glancing back at the undead, he stabbed his sword into the ground and grabbed a hold of the haft by the head and broke it off, gritting his teeth at the pain.
The sound of a body hitting the ground caught his attention. He looked up and saw Coco. She tried pulling herself up but failed and fell and stopped moving. Leith's mind went blank as he tried to figure out what just happened. Was she dead? Unconscious? He had no clue. He knelt down and examined the Foreas, looking up periodically to look for any undead person.
She had a rather bad head wound with what seemed to be the Foreas equivalent of blood oozing out of it. There were marks on her neck that was bleeding as well. He put his left hand against her neck below the marks and stopped them from bleeding out of the wound. He waited a few seconds before he released his hold on the blood. It wasn't bleeding nearly as bad as it was before. He wasn't sure if he could do the same for the head wound. They needed to get to someplace safe quickly. He looked over his shoulder to see how close to the house he was and to see who was there. Althalus and Grey were by the door, The guide was between Leith and the house. That left Mar unaccounted for.
He found her quickly enough, being that she was the only Naga here. She was still and being rushed by a child. Maybe she had been dazed. Whatever it was, it wasn't good. He wouldn't make it in time, the child had almost reached Mar. Leith made a small gesture and grabbed for any liquid he could see. Once he was satisfied, he packed it down into a ball the size of an apple. And with a small chopping motion, he sent the ball hurtling towards the child.
The ball made contact with the child's head and bounced off before breaking apart. Leith was glad to see that the ball had knocked the child off balance. Leith looked at Mar. "Mar! Are you okay?" He ignored the small headache that was forming and picked up his sword and turned towards the approaching horde. If Grey didn't get the door down soon, he was going to give it a try.
Darius Jura
Darius sat at a table by the wall and ate his meal. He glared at Alaira while he ate. He would have approached her when she sat down, but Ssarak brought the child that saved them to Alaira. He had no qualms about confronting Alaira with the child there. It was the stuffed toy that moved on its own that made him uneasy. It didn't look like much, but he had experience with underestimating something because it didn't look threatening. He had time to have two helpings of soup with a chunk of bread before Ssarak came back and took the child, and the toy, with him. Meirin seemed to have the same idea as he did and was talking to Alaira, and the way Meirin was standing made it look like they weren't talking about anything nice.
He stood up from his table and made his way towards the bar and sat down beside Alaira. He ordered some mead and waited for it before he turned to address Meirin. "You should sit. This will take a while."
"You should surrender and die," the man said an a rattling voice. "You can't kill us."
Leith nodded in agreement. "You're right, I can't, but I can slow you down." Without another word, he lunged forward and sliced at the man before he could react.
But react he did.
The man had started moving before Leith had. And while he was no means fast, he managed to jab at Leith with the spear before he was cut in half. The spear lodged itself into Leith's left bicep. With a shout of pain, he took a few steps backwards. He examined the wound. It was a deep wound, and the weight of the haft was pulling on it. Glancing back at the undead, he stabbed his sword into the ground and grabbed a hold of the haft by the head and broke it off, gritting his teeth at the pain.
The sound of a body hitting the ground caught his attention. He looked up and saw Coco. She tried pulling herself up but failed and fell and stopped moving. Leith's mind went blank as he tried to figure out what just happened. Was she dead? Unconscious? He had no clue. He knelt down and examined the Foreas, looking up periodically to look for any undead person.
She had a rather bad head wound with what seemed to be the Foreas equivalent of blood oozing out of it. There were marks on her neck that was bleeding as well. He put his left hand against her neck below the marks and stopped them from bleeding out of the wound. He waited a few seconds before he released his hold on the blood. It wasn't bleeding nearly as bad as it was before. He wasn't sure if he could do the same for the head wound. They needed to get to someplace safe quickly. He looked over his shoulder to see how close to the house he was and to see who was there. Althalus and Grey were by the door, The guide was between Leith and the house. That left Mar unaccounted for.
He found her quickly enough, being that she was the only Naga here. She was still and being rushed by a child. Maybe she had been dazed. Whatever it was, it wasn't good. He wouldn't make it in time, the child had almost reached Mar. Leith made a small gesture and grabbed for any liquid he could see. Once he was satisfied, he packed it down into a ball the size of an apple. And with a small chopping motion, he sent the ball hurtling towards the child.
The ball made contact with the child's head and bounced off before breaking apart. Leith was glad to see that the ball had knocked the child off balance. Leith looked at Mar. "Mar! Are you okay?" He ignored the small headache that was forming and picked up his sword and turned towards the approaching horde. If Grey didn't get the door down soon, he was going to give it a try.
Darius sat at a table by the wall and ate his meal. He glared at Alaira while he ate. He would have approached her when she sat down, but Ssarak brought the child that saved them to Alaira. He had no qualms about confronting Alaira with the child there. It was the stuffed toy that moved on its own that made him uneasy. It didn't look like much, but he had experience with underestimating something because it didn't look threatening. He had time to have two helpings of soup with a chunk of bread before Ssarak came back and took the child, and the toy, with him. Meirin seemed to have the same idea as he did and was talking to Alaira, and the way Meirin was standing made it look like they weren't talking about anything nice.
He stood up from his table and made his way towards the bar and sat down beside Alaira. He ordered some mead and waited for it before he turned to address Meirin. "You should sit. This will take a while."
Actually it was the soldier...
Although that could be edited in after the fight.
Although that could be edited in after the fight.
Leith watched as the kid got angrier and angrier as the group ignored his order. If it weren't for the carnage around them, Leith would have thought the kid's anger amusing. Leith raised an eyebrow when the kid started shouting to someone in the house. Why was he at the window instead of his parents? Maybe they're injured, he thought to himself before the kid stepped into view. Or maybe he snapped The clean ring on the bloodied hand of the kid was what caught Leith's eye after he got over the shock of all the blood. The kid spoke again in a calmer voice.
And the dead rose.
It wasn't the mass of the dead that made Leith uneasy. It was the kid's eyes. The glowing eyes made him feel an unusual sense of dread and, oddly, anger. It didn't last long because the kid moved and a crossbow bolt appeared where he had been. Leith shook his head and realized that Grey was shouting orders. He nodded his head and turned to find Coco and their guide, but instead he ended up face to face with one of the Yarosmerian soldiers.
Leith took a step back and smiled as the man apologized before he attacked. Leith shot his arm out and caught the soldier's wrist with his right hand. "None at all." He gave a small tug and tore the soldier's arm off, throwing it into the crowd behind the man. As the soldier stared at his arm in disbelief, Leith grabbed ahold of the man's chest and threw him at the woman that had grabbed Coco's spear. "Shame..." Leith flinched and looked around. There was no one close to him so he shrugged.. He must have been hearing things. He drew his sword and got ready to fight. Grey had better get that door open quickly.
And the dead rose.
It wasn't the mass of the dead that made Leith uneasy. It was the kid's eyes. The glowing eyes made him feel an unusual sense of dread and, oddly, anger. It didn't last long because the kid moved and a crossbow bolt appeared where he had been. Leith shook his head and realized that Grey was shouting orders. He nodded his head and turned to find Coco and their guide, but instead he ended up face to face with one of the Yarosmerian soldiers.
Leith took a step back and smiled as the man apologized before he attacked. Leith shot his arm out and caught the soldier's wrist with his right hand. "None at all." He gave a small tug and tore the soldier's arm off, throwing it into the crowd behind the man. As the soldier stared at his arm in disbelief, Leith grabbed ahold of the man's chest and threw him at the woman that had grabbed Coco's spear. "Shame..." Leith flinched and looked around. There was no one close to him so he shrugged.. He must have been hearing things. He drew his sword and got ready to fight. Grey had better get that door open quickly.
Leith sighed as he leaned back in his chair. For the past fifty minutes, he had studied everything that Satori had given him. From the sounds of it, an Esyire by the name of Dirssi was looking to take a student from the college. It was believed that the student might be taken for unlawful reasons. She had brought a retinue along with her, but the attack had killed two of them.
Leith looked at the notes one last time before he bundled them up and left the library. He went to the upper floors and tossed them out one of the windows. As they fell, the papers caught fire and burned to ash. Satori's all for the secrecy with this one, he thought as he watched the ashes blow away. Now, he needed to investigate Dirssi. He went to a nearby gargoyle and asked it to lead him to Dirssi's room.
The gargoyle led him to a hallway of rooms and pointed at one of the doors. "There," was all it said before it left for its pedestal, mumbling something about why Leith couldn't have picked a closer gargoyle. Leith shook his head with a smile and looked at the room that Dirssi had occupied since the attack before coming up with a plan.
Leith found another student that, for a few coins, would do anything that wouldn't get him kicked out and brought him to the hallway. "Now, all you have to do is knock on that door. If no one answers, you just earneed yourself some easy money. If someone does answer, tell them that someone had arrived and was looking for Dirssi. Just don't tell her that I set you up for this, or..." he trailed off and leaned against the wall with his right hand and started tapping a finger against it. The man paled and nodded before he started walking towards the door. Leith hid behind the corner and listened for what would happen next.
Upon the knock at the door, Dirssi reluctantly got up from her desk and answered. Even in her room, she wore her scaled armor, as the college had not inspired confidence in her regarding her safety. When she opened the door and saw that the one disturbing her was not Lucilia, she grew moderately annoyed. "Yes?" She questioned, her tone matching her mood.
The man fidgeted at her tone. "Uh, I was asked to get a Dirssi. Someone had arrived at the gate and they asked for you. It seemed important. And I was told to get you." The man rubbed his arm as he waited for her response.
"Someone arrived for me? That doesn't make any..." Dirssi began, interrupting herself with a sound that was somewhere between a grumble and a hiss. "I swear, if this is not about the fugitive, I am going to have someone's head. Very well, I will be there." She answered before stepping back into her room for a moment. Going back to her desk, she grabbed the notebook she had been writing in and stuffed it into her pack, then dawned the black cloak laying on her bed. As she stepped out of her room, she pulled her hood over her head, adjusted the pack under her cloak, and headed off to the front gate.
Leith waited for the footsteps to dissapear before he turned the corner. The man was standing by the door, rubbing his neck as he stared at the wall in front of him. Leith patted him on the back. "You'll be fine. You can go now." The man seemed to snap out of his daze and walked away from Leith as fast as he could. Leith sighed as he watched the man leave. He didn't like to use intimidation to get things done, but it was sometimes a necessary evil. He watied a few seconds before opening the door and entering.
He needed to be quick to search the room. Dirssi could potentially be back any moment. The room was quite spartan, and it was fairly warm. There was a solid looking desk that had writing supplies and ink stains on it but nothing to write on. Underneath the desk was a pack. He picked it up and set it on the desk. In the pack was a whetstone and other items that he assumed were for matinence and a note book. The whetstone looked like it had been used recently. He took the book out and opened it. There was nothing written in it though. Disappointed, he sighed and put the notebook in the pack and put the pack back under the desk.
Enough time was spent in the room, so Leith hurried to the door and snuck a peek both ways before leaving. He closed the door and went to headed to his room, thinking about what his cursory examination revealed. The desk had been written on, that was certain, but there was nothing that had been written in the notebook he found. Maybe she had another notebook that she took with her. If that was the case, It would be nigh impossible to get it from her. Not the best start, but he had just started. He had three days to find something to prove Dirssi was taking a student for something unlawful. Plenty of time. He got to his room and sat on his bed before lying back and staring at the ceiling. He needed to plan his next course of action.
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