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Post by VecaVjestica on Nov 20, 2009 3:25:45 GMT -5
"No, I don't see anything. The buildings all look to be in good condition, and there's nothing overgrown as such. I don't think it's abandoned. Maybe it's just closed for the day?" Barax said, but Nura could hear it plainly in his voice than not even he believed it. He grew up at a farm and knew full well that even such a small farm as the one his parents owned demanded constant care. One's work was never done on a farm - and what is a plantation other than a a much larger, more diverse farm? Finally, as if he too had realized just how implausible his conclusion was, he said: "We'd better check it out." Nura nodded and urged Shine on. The poor mare had began feeling it's mistress' concern, and she began feeling nervous. Nura tried to calm her down, whispering soothing words and petting her neck, but the young woman's efforts not very successful. As they came closer, Nura could see better the state on Sureeta Dawn. It didn't look deserted, but there were no signs of people anywhere, save from the smoke that came from the chimneys here and there. This should've calmed her down, but instead, it only made her feel more nervous. What in the name of gods was going on in there!? "Nura, you know these grounds well. Is there anywhere the staff might gather, in case of storms or emergencies? Like a cellar or something? Maybe someone spotted us on approach, and thought we were-" Barax began, and Nura just thought how he might have a point, after all, she was coming to Sureeta Dawn every year since she was 11 and she never heard of anyone there who even saw a Templar, let alone of one visiting the plantation, so maybe Barax was right, maybe they were just frightened by the large, strange machine and hid away into the underground cellars. This part of Waeleden was known for strong storms that sometimes ripped houses apart and carried them away, so all cellars on Sureeta Dawn were well built, firm and large, so they could protect not only the goods, but people and animals when the storm season came. But Barax's sentence as well as her own chain of thoughts was then cut off by a sharp, swooshing sound, and then Nura noticed there was an arrow sticking out of the Templa's armor. "Get behind me!" Barax ordered and, this time, Nura obeyed right away and without protest. She could take a man on in hand to hand combat, but she had no power against projectiles - with which their attackers generously showered them. Barax, on the other hand, had not only the Templar suit, but a giant shield, with which he was protecting them both now while Nura hid behind him and tried to keep Shine from panicking - and failing at it, too. "Is it possible he knew you were coming?" Barax asked, but Nura replied with full certainty: "No, not a chance. Only you, the King and I knew about where we were going and why." Sure, the Shaden's knew, too, but not much and, even so, Nura was sure they wouldn't reveal it to just anyone. But she didn't have the time or enough concentration to think. Shine was jumpy, she wanted to run away from the danger, and all of Nura's efforts were set on keeping behind Barax and forcing the horse to obey her. She heard Barax shout out, but she didn't really listen to him, not until he spoke directly to her: "Stay close to me, Nura. I'm going to try to get closer to the house so I can actually see who is attacking us." She replied only with a nod - a stupid thing, really, since Barax couldn't see her, but Nura didn't have enough brain right now to notice such things - and did as the Templar had ordered. And just as Nura, annoyed, angry and wishing she wasn't so useless int his situation, thought that things probably couldn't get any weirder than this, something - no, someone! If she wasn't hallucinating, that is - literally few into and then bounced off of Barax's Templar suit from behind, jumping straight into the midst of battle inside of the plantation walls, leaving the redhead staring with her mouth open behind him. Now, if she could do that, she wouldn't be stuck behind Barax, playing a fair maiden in need of rescue, a dead burden, she thought bitterly as she pushed Shine closer to Barax's back, trying to shield both the frightened little horse as well as herself.
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Post by Trippy Hare on Nov 24, 2009 13:54:30 GMT -5
"No, not a chance. Only you, the King and I knew about where we were going and why," Nura said, though Barax couldn't really hear her over the clang of arrows bouncing off or embedding into his shield. Barax edged closer to the house, watching for movement- then, something huge landed on him, nearly throwing him entirely off balance. Whatever it was- or whoever, as it looked like a person, or person-shaped blur- dove through the window Barax had shattered moments ago. He heard Nura's horse whinny in alarm, and along with the noise of his armor creaking and hissing, made it all but impossible for him to hear the voice speaking inside the house. A few moments later, a quavering voice called out "All right, we give up!", and a small group of haggard figured filed out, followed by an enormous and well-armed man. A few of the figures were bleeding, and one had an arm in a sling and bandages around his chest. Barax kept his ballista trained on the crowd- and the stranger. "If hanging is the price I pay for a week of freedom, so be it!"Barax couldn't entirely mask his confusion. "Wait... what exactly do you think I am here for?" Barax asked, keeping his weapon raised. "Where is Carmine Lax? Are you hiding him?" he added, trying to impart a sense of confidence in his voice. So far, the absolute oddity of his arrival at the plantation left him more shaken than he wanted to admit. Being ambushed wouldn't normally have bothered him, given how effective his armor was against improvised weapons. But there was Nura to worry about... and that tall stranger had some impressive looking weapons, and had already shown some amazing agility. What was he doing here? And why didn't the servants attack him- they had instead attacked Barax and Nura. "Carmine Lax is a monster, and we are better in his absence," one of the servants called back. "Why else would he send for a Templar, but to force us from our homes?!"Barax was confused now. Unless this Carmine Lax was an extraordinarily prescient person, he couldn't possibly have known they were coming. Yet, he was gone- and his servants remained? It made no sense. "Nura, do you know any of these people?" Barax asked Nura, as quietly as he could. She still looked uncomfortable, and he honestly couldn't blame her. "I have a feeling they are neglecting to tell me something, and given the reception we received- and the company they are keeping, in the form of that tall menacing figure, I think it would be a better idea for everyone to calm down a bit. And if one of them recognizes you, it might help keep things more civil."Despite how exciting the entire exchange had been, Barax was a little surprised at how quickly it was over. He assumed that what he had felt springing off his armor was, in fact, the stranger- so it wasn't much of a stretch to assume he had also convinced the hostiles still inside the house to surrender. That implied he was on Barax's side... which in turn, only raised more questions. How could he be, as nobody else but he and Nura were even supposed to know they were coming here? Had the king sent him? If not, who had? It was enough to give him a headache. All these details would have to be ironed out later- for now, there were more important matters to attend to. "I trust there aren't any other fighters hiding in the outbuildings?" he began. "If you have any wounded, bring them out- we can tend their injuries. I am not here to arrest any of you, I am here for Carmine."It was crystal clear that none of the servants believed a word he said- but hopefully, Nura would be able to convince them otherwise. There was still the tall stranger to deal with, but he didn't seem hostile, even though with how well he was armed, he certainly could have been had he chosen to be. He made Barax nervous, as he had certainly not seen any sign of the stranger prior to today, or en route to the plantation. Yet, he had arrived so swiftly, so silently- had he been following them? Again, thinking only raised more question he had no answers to. As Nura was attending to the injured servants who had been slowly brought out of the unrecognizably marred manor house, and one of the healthy servants had gone running to the outbuildings to tell his fellows to lay down arms, there was nothing for Barax to do. It felt strange, to be bored in the midst of a great deal of commotion. For the moment, the only thing to do was to stay out of the way, while remaining visible enough to ensure nobody got any funny ideas.
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Deva
Adventurer
DISCO DISCO!!!!
Posts: 55
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Post by Deva on Nov 25, 2009 16:36:57 GMT -5
Carefully going from room to room, Deva wasn't surprised when the people inside tried to sneak up on him, he could smell their fear, he could taste their adrenaline, it was impossible for him not to know where they were. Quickly turning around when the footsteps got louder, he brought his arm up, the blades on his gauntlet cleanly shearing through the wooden handle of the scythe that was on a course for his head.
He then caught the falling blade, tossed it into the wall behind him hard enough to embed it a few inches, then he slammed his would be assailant against the wall, all within the span of a few seconds. Holding the serrated blades up against his throat, he spoke clearly, and calmly. "Listen to me, those people outside aren't your enemy, they aren't here for you, and neither am I. I'm here to find out about them. So how about you and the others lower your weapons, and we can be sensible about this?" The man was so scared, he just nodded in agreement. Turning to head into the other rooms, he opened the door closest to him, and an arrow whizzed straight towards him.
There was nowhere for him to go but backward, and he didn't have enough room to maneuver out of the way, so he stood there and let the arrow hit him in the stomach. Grunting a bit as he pulled the arrowhead out, he gave the man who shot him a look of annoyance. "I suggest you put the bow down, I don't want to hurt you, and you can't hurt me." Showing him the hole where the arrow had penetrated, the wound was already closing, healing itself.
The man paid him no mind, and was notching another arrow when Deva sped across the room, ripped the bow from his hand, took the arrow, then impaled his leg with it. The man screamed in agony as he realized what had just happened. "Don't be a whiner, it went clean through, and I'll take it out once we come to an understanding. You tell you're friends, we're going outside, and we're going to talk to the Templar and the girl you attacked, we're going to figure out what exactly is going on, okay?? I'll be waiting outside."
After a bit of coercion, Deva had gotten all of them outside, although a few still tried his patience, and they ended up with a few shallow wounds, and one with a broken arm. "Alright we give up!" One of the men shouted to the Templar before everyone stepped outside. Once they all started walking towards them, one of the more passionate workers thought a week of freedom was worth a lynching, what sort of conditions were these people living in? "You won't be led to the gallows you fool, just talk to them." After a bit of conversation, a runner went to tell the other workers that it was okay, and that they could come out. The girl was tending to the wounded, and the Templar was standing off to the side, he was the one he needed to talk to. Walking over to him, Deva looked him in the eyes, as best as he could through the helmet anyway. "Templar, I'm sure you have questions about me, and I have questions about you and the girl. So, let's stop standing around awkwardly, and get them out of the way, I'm sure things will run much more smoothly then."
((Apparently, if you put brickRed as a color, this blue thing I've got goin on is the result))
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Post by VecaVjestica on Nov 25, 2009 19:20:44 GMT -5
As strange as these latest events were, after a while - a while that seamed to last forever and was far too dramatic for Nura's taste - it seamed that they were finally settling down...at least enough for Barax to have the time to actually start talking to the people he was fighting. Deciding that what's safe was safe, she stayed behind him until he called out to her, asking: "Nura, do you know any of these people?" He was trying to be quiet, but she heard people around her murmur and her name was repeated several times, so he was obviously failing in successfully executing that decision. She looked around, but she didn't see any familiar faces. "I have a feeling they are neglecting to tell me something, and given the reception we received- and the company they are keeping, in the form of that tall menacing figure, I think it would be a better idea for everyone to calm down a bit. And if one of them recognizes you, it might help keep things more civil."Since Barax obviously thought it was safe enough for her to come out, Nura did so, slowly riding up in front of the Templar. The battlefield look awful and she instinctively began thinking of everything they will need to tend to the wounded. Judging from the looks of the people that surrounded them, not a small number was sickly as well. She sighed. What the hell happened to this place? Lax was a terrible person, like people here rightfully noticed, but his foremen kept the plantation efficient and progressive. Something happened, something wrong, to bring this prosperous estate to such ruin. While Barax spoke some more to the people, trying to convince them they came here to help, not harm, she looked around, her head held high and her back straight, like a queen. Her mother taught her pride and it showed at all times in her stance and speech. She was watching the faces carefully, hoping to spot one she knew...but someone spotted her first. "Nura? Do you remember me?" she heard a man's voice before she saw a tall, muscular young man making his way towards her trough the crowd. She didn't quite recognize him, but his voice was very familiar, a musical voice that made her think of jokes and songs and someone pulling her hair...and when he smiled to her, dimples showing on his handsome face, she remembered. "Jørgen Leth," she spoke out loud, as if to remind herself, and his smile widened. "You look...very different than the last time I saw you," he said with a somewhat flirtatious tone. "You look a bit different too...but I see your character hasn't changed at all," she replied with a raised eyebrow, to which he began to laugh. "Life treated you well, Firecracker," Jørgen kept teasing - her comment amused him, it was obvious, "A Templar guard and that guy with the blades, whoever he is...what did you do, marry royalty?" Nura frowned. "Irrelevant," she replied coldly, "Do you have enough authority around here to have someone give the Templar the answers he needs and obey his orders while I gather up the sick and wounded. I see you have plenty of both here." It was Jørgen's time to frown. "Yeah, things didn't really go the way we thought...but sure, I'll see what I can do." He left and Nura turned to Barax. "Sorry...this was the best I can do...I don't see anyone else I know, not here.""Who are you anyway?" one of the women asked and Nura turned to her before replying: "I used to work at this plantation with my mother every year." She heard people scoff and exclaim profanities, denying that was she was telling was true. "I'm not lying," Nura continued seriously, "Carmine Lax killed my mother several years ago and then I tried to kill him with a shovel. You must've heard about that. It was a rather...pictorial event." People murmured, eying her suspiciously. "I heard about that," one of the men said, "They said the girl who did it had hair and eyes like yours...but that still doesn't prove it was you, or explain what you are doing here with these two warriors." She tried to keep her temper on a leash, which wasn't easy - these people were getting on her nerves - but nobody could tell that from her face or her voice. She seamed as calm and collected as she was in reality disturbed. "I only came here with the Templar. I have no idea who the other man is," she replied and then took the letter from the King, the one that she was to take to the nearest judge and showed it to the man - unopened, of course. She needed to preserve the seal. "I am here to see that Lax is arrested and trialed as the responsible one for my mother's death, with the authority given to me by the High King himself."The man took the letter, staring at it in shock. "But how...?" he began, but Nura cut him off: "Does it matter? We're wasting time I could use to tend to those who need medical attention. I'm a trained healer." She wasn't, but the man didn't know that. Besides, it wasn't important. The people will heal, and it didn't really matter how, not to her. The man nodded, obviously seeing the truth in her words, and returned the letter. Nura packed it back into her pouch and turned to Barax. "I'll go see what I can do to help. You please take care of the rest. You're better at it than I am," she asked him, and when he agreed, left to find a few women who could help her organize a small dispensary. It was a hard and arduous job, but once she persuaded the people she meant well, it ran more or less smoothly. There were too many of those who needed the help of a healer or a doctor, and for some reason they saw Nura as a miracle-worker. It had been a long time since they had someone who knew more than to brew herbal tea and pull out rotten teeth, she was told later, and it made her angry. She didn't, however, waste time on trying to find out why things at Sureeta Dawn were in such a terrible state - she was just too busy. Some of the men were injured difficult enough that she had no idea if her latent healing power will save their lives, and a few had old injuries that hadn't been properly taken care of and developed gangrene. At least one of them needed to have a limb amputated in order to save his life, but not one accepted it, no matter how hard she tried to convince them to do it. She had no idea how long it had passed when she heard someone calling her name. She left the side of the poor sick child who had apparently suffered from dysentery and which she had to separate from the others to prevent an epidemic, leaving the boy in the care of his mother. The woman told Nura that the boy probably got infected by drinking infected water - one of the six wells of the plantation had been spoiled during the last storm. Making a mental note that she had to check all water and seal up the infected well, Nura came out of the improvised field hospital she created under the shed, where they used to keep karts and such, and met with the man who came for her.
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Post by Trippy Hare on Nov 26, 2009 5:03:42 GMT -5
"Sorry...this was the best I can do...I don't see anyone else I know, not here," Nura said apologetically. Barax had known it was a longshot to hope that Nura was on friendly terms with everyone. He hadn't really expected her to know anybody, so the fact that she did was actually better than he had expected. Nura explained to one of the more upstart of the motley bunch why they were there, and Barax had to stifle a smirk as the man's jaw dropped in shock at seeing the Royal Seal. "I'll go see what I can do to help. You please take care of the rest. You're better at it than I am," Nura said, before rounding up some of the relatively able-bodied people and got to work. "I can wait," Barax told Nura. "I'll find out what these people know about Carmine's whereabouts regardless, and if we leave in a hurry, some of them may not survive. We have plenty of time, while they do not," he said, hoping to instill a sense of authority into the frightened and sickly-looking crowd. "I'll keep watch for now, as I won't be of much help to you in treating them. Let me know if you require my help," he added, before striding off to stand watch. Barax kept a wary eye on the proceedings, as Nura and an acquaintance of hers whose name he didn't quite catch went about setting up a clinic of sorts. As the day wore on, it became more and more apparent that something had gone terribly wrong at the plantation. It wasn't just the confrontation earlier- there were much older injuries among some of them, and clear signs of disease and malnutrition. It looked more like a prison camp than a plantation. From Nura's descriptions of Carmine Lax, Barax had anticipated signs of abuse and poor treatment among the servants, but nothing as bad as this. He had a feeling the extent of the problem would only become worse as he queried these people, but investigations would have to wait. There was something far more pressing to deal with, and that was the mysterious warrior who had arrived in the midst of the fracas. "Templar, I'm sure you have questions about me, and I have questions about you and the girl. So, let's stop standing around awkwardly, and get them out of the way, I'm sure things will run much more smoothly then," he said, his tone of voice and posture showing a clear sense of purpose. Barax nodded in agreement, this man was obviously very skilled in combat, and his arrival could not have been coincidence. Still, he was not hostile, despite an easy opportunity to injure or kill Nura earlier. "Yes, I'm sure we have much to discuss," Barax replied. "The threat has certainly passed, in any case, so we might as well do something productive." After moving a little ways away from the field clinic- close enough to rush in should Nura call for his aid, but not so close as to be in the way- Barax opened the hatch of his suit, though he didn't exit it. The small breeze felt wonderful, compared to the stifling heat inside his armor. This served another purpose, as well- it showed the stranger that Barax did not see him as a threat, but was not so foolish as to lower his guard completely. "I suppose the first order of business is gratitude- there would most definitely have been more casualties had I been forced to enter the manor. Whatever you did in there saved a lot of lives. So for that, you have my thanks," Barax began. It was certainly true- had he been forced to enter the manor, much of the structure would have been demolished, and no doubt there would be far worse injuries to everyone inside. Thanks to the stranger, he would have far more people to question as to the events that happened here- and maybe a few leads as to Carmine's whereabouts. "It seems strange not to know to whom I am speaking," Barax mused. "So for the sake of civility, might I have your name, sir? My own name is Barax, and the girl's is Nura." Barax paused, trying to think of a way to phrase the long list of questions racing through his mind at the moment. "Though I've no doubt you heard Nura's explanation, it is indeed true that the High King Waeleth sent us here to apprehend Carmine Lax and bring him to justice- though it seems we arrived too late to catch him so easily" he continued. Barax didn't want to say too much, but he felt it was necessary to show a certain degree of fairness in the dialogue. "That is what brought us here- so to what purpose did you arrive?" he asked. Barax hoped that by explaining their own arrival first, the stranger would be more inclined to reveal his own intentions.
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Deva
Adventurer
DISCO DISCO!!!!
Posts: 55
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Post by Deva on Nov 28, 2009 0:31:07 GMT -5
Walking over to the side with Barax, Deva watched the goings on of the servants, and Nura tending to them. After Barax spoke for a bit, Deva said his piece, "There's no need for thanks, I only did what was necessary to spare innocent lives. You'd be surprised at how fast people follow orders when you have these brandished in their face." Engaging his arms blades, he held them away from the Templar to show he meant no harm. "After all, Templars aren't know for their subtlety in combat after all, and you trying to go into a house with regular doors would amount in mass collateral damage. I must admit, you Templars have always intrigued me, so much power from a suit of metal, fascinating." Pacing back and forth, his eyes took in everything there was to take in, and he committed it all to memory.
"It seems strange not to know to whom I am speaking. So for the sake of civility, might I have your name, sir? My own name is Barax, and the girl's is Nura."
"I am known as Deva, although my clan brothers and associates often call me Sturm, it's your choice really. As for your reason of being here, I believe you, I'd know if you were lying, trust me. I might be able to help you in your endeavor, but it depends on how long ago Carmine left. As for my reason, or should I say reasons for being here. You and Nura are my reasons for being here. Motioning him a bit further away from the others, he waited till they were far enough away for him to speak freely. Many in my line bend the truth so to speak, coercion is praised, however I will speak truthfully with you. I don't know if you've heard of us other than myths, but I am a member of the Clan Oberon, a coven of assassins that has existed for longer than most can remember. The reason I'm here is because I was assigned to...deal with that little group of bandits who had the unfortunate luck to run across you. Even though my assignment was completed, it wasn't me who completed it, so duty compelled me to follow you. That's how I came to be here."
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Post by VecaVjestica on Nov 30, 2009 16:05:40 GMT -5
It was Jørgen. He looked tired, but cheerful, and he carried what looked like a large chunk of bread and cheese sandwich. "I thought you might like something to eat and rest a little. You've been working damn hard," he told her with a smile and Nura took the sandwich with a look of gratitude on her face. "You thought right," she said and sat down on a nearby haystack. Jørgen pulled up a haystack for himself as well, seating himself right across from her. "So...am I ever gonna find out how did you find yourself in fancy garbs and escorted by a Templar guard?" he asked both genuinely curious and amused. Nura gave him a scornful look and waited till she swallowed the food she was chewing before replying: "You did. I told you it was irrelevant." He laughed out loud before he leaned his elbows on his knees and flashed her a charming smile. "You haven't changed at all...only became come beautiful," he told her, his voice becoming lower and colored with a light purr. Nura's face immediately became serious and cold. She didn't like where this was heading. Did he thought she had become a prostitute or maybe a mistress to an influential man, and was now trying his luck with her as well thinking that, if one man could do it, so could he? He always had success with women, she knew he was very confident about himself in that area. "More beautiful implies that you thought of me as a pretty girl before. You haven't," she told him. Jørgen raised an eyebrow: "And why do you think that?" Nura replied without even a hint of reproach, simply stating the obvious: "Mila Barun, Kari Sondik, Raquel Moor...you called them dove, rose, jewel...me, you called carrot." He grinned: "And Firecracker." Nura couldn't help but smile: "Yes. And Firecracker." But only when they were alone, she remembered that too, as if he was embarrassed to call her by any pet-name that wasn't a mockery in public. That was the strongest reason why she never allowed him to have his way with her, despite wanting to do so. He was her first crush and he knew it, or at least suspected it, but Nura remained cold to his advances...well, remained seaming cold. Inside, she rejoiced each of his attempts and had wild dreams about him and places where his hands and lips could make their marks on her body. She knew how quickly he dismissed girls and women he managed to woo into his sweet web, and yet she envied them - they got to have him, taste him the way she never allowed herself out of fear of emotional pain she was sure he would cause and pride. Not too far away, Barax was talking to the strange man who had joined them in the middle of the fight, a strange looking man that made Nura feel wary and nervous. She wondered about him, and now that she had the chance to observe him, the impression she had of him only deepened. He was dangerous. Deadly. But what else? She had no idea. "So who is that guy, anyway?" Jørgen asked and Nura waved her head: "I have no idea." He nodded: "Nobody does, but people who fought him say he was fast and well trained...almost as if he weren't human. And he looks odd, too, so he's inspiring some interesting stories. Every time I hear Buckram - one of our blacksmiths - talk about their encounter, the guy gains an inch in height and some nigh-magical new feature." Both of them chuckled to that. Yes, rumors were funny, but they didn't change the aura this man shined, an aura that woke concern in Nura's heart. "People also say you came here for Lax," Jørgen asked almost nonchalantly, but the look on his face was, for once, serious. Nura nodded. "You won't find him here," he told her, sounding almost apologetic about it. "Do you know where I might?" she asked him after a moment of silence, but it was his time to wave his head in negation this time. He looked...angry for a moment. Nura gently laid her hand over his and asked, worried: "Jørgen...what happened?" He looked at her, frowned, and replied with a dark tone in his voice. "The bastard sold us out." Nura gave the young man a questioning look and he began to talk, unraveling a story of corruption and blood that caused the demise of Sureeta Dawn.
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Post by Trippy Hare on Dec 7, 2009 20:29:19 GMT -5
"There's no need for thanks, I only did what was necessary to spare innocent lives. You'd be surprised at how fast people follow orders when you have these brandished in their face," the stranger responded, showing Barax his weapons. He didn't brandish them with hostility, but rather demonstratively- just to call awareness to them, but not to imply a need to use them. "After all, Templars aren't know for their subtlety in combat, and you trying to go into a house with regular doors would amount in mass collateral damage. I must admit, you Templars have always intrigued me, so much power from a suit of metal, fascinating.""Yes, that's very true. Given the state of some of these people, it seems rather remarkable any of them fought at all. I'm not sure what has happened here, but it doesn't look like any plantation I've ever seen before.""I am known as Deva, although my clan brothers and associates often call me Sturm, it's your choice really. As for your reason of being here, I believe you, I'd know if you were lying, trust me. I might be able to help you in your endeavor, but it depends on how long ago Carmine left.""I had planned on questioning some of these refugees in regards to Carmine's whereabouts, though I'll wait until Nura has at least looked them over. Given their overall condition, it would certainly seem that Carmine left some time ago. Still, any leads would be most helpful- as far as any assistance you'd be willing to give, I'd have to consult with Nura. I doubt she would refuse, but I wouldn't want to make any decision without at least getting her opinion on the matter." Barax didn't see the necessity of it, to be honest. Even though every village he'd been to so far- save his own- had been under attack, that couldn't possibly happen everywhere they went. Still, Deva seemed willing to help- and if she felt Deva could help track down Carmine's whereabouts, then he saw no reason to refuse. "As for my reason, or should I say reasons for being here. You and Nura are my reasons for being here. Many in my line bend the truth so to speak, coercion is praised, however I will speak truthfully with you."Barax tried to suppress the instinct to narrow his eyes suspiciously, and consciously guided his hand away from the lever that would close his armor. So far, Deva had not shown any sign of hostility or deceit- so admitting his "line of work" utilized it didn't necessarily make him untrustworthy. Still, Barax could feel his hackles raising, much though he pretended they weren't. "I don't know if you've heard of us other than myths, but I am a member of the Clan Oberon, a coven of assassins that has existed for longer than most can remember. The reason I'm here is because I was assigned to...deal with that little group of bandits who had the unfortunate luck to run across you. Even though my assignment was completed, it wasn't me who completed it, so duty compelled me to follow you. That's how I came to be here."Barax stroked his chin thoughtfully- he had not heard of this Clan Oberon per se, but he had heard tales of tyrants and despots, murderers and thieves, all who met their grisly comeuppance at the hands of an uncatchable assassin. In these stories, the victim was always someone who very clearly deserved their fate- yet it seemed impossible that someone whose profession was to deliver it could actually exist. Then again, Deva had been following them since mere days out of Swordstroke Moors, and neither he, nor Nura, nor even her comedically clever horse had known or even suspected as much. Again, Barax couldn't help but marvel at how many opportunities he had unknowingly given any potential assassin to kill Nura and himself, and couldn't help but be both grateful and a little creeped out by the fact that nothing had happened. "Ah, well, I'm afraid it was pure chance that led to my encountering those criminals. Nura and I had been slightly delayed, and we determined that waiting until morning would have been more amenable to the villagers that stomping in in the dead of night would have been. Apparently, the morning we had waited to enter the village for resupply was the same day the bandits attacked. Personally, I found it strange that such a small settlement would even merit being attacked- but then, as now, quick intervention saved lives. I apologize if my intervention caused any problems for your assignment, though I would not have acted differently had I known. I'm sure you understand," Barax said, trying to keep his tone pleasant. "I'm going to start questioning the healthier villagers," Barax said, racking his brain for something productive to do. "Hopefully one of them knows where Carmine went- or at the very least, what caused this place to fall to such desperate ruin as to make its residents desperate enough to assault us. I would certainly appreciate your assistance- though on the other hand, I'm sure Nura would like some help with her efforts to treat them, too. I'm not much use in a medical setting, so I cannot help much in that regard."
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Deva
Adventurer
DISCO DISCO!!!!
Posts: 55
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Post by Deva on Jan 11, 2010 14:06:04 GMT -5
"Yes, that's very true. Given the state of some of these people, it seems rather remarkable any of them fought at all. I'm not sure what has happened here, but it doesn't look like any plantation I've ever seen before."
"Agreed, I'm sure there's something here that we don't know about, and I think no one was ever supposed to know about it." Pondering for a moment, he let Barax speak his mind, and he was thinking about questioning the workers, he also voiced what Deva was thinking, Carmine had been gone for some time indeed.
"Still, any leads would be most helpful- as far as any assistance you'd be willing to give, I'd have to consult with Nura. I doubt she would refuse, but I wouldn't want to make any decision without at least getting her opinion on the matter."
"Of course, I wouldn't want to make the lady uncomfortable with my presence, I'll wait until you talk to her." At his mention of his clan, he noticed Barax focus on something, he was probably thinking of every mysterious death or assassination of powerful figures, all who deserved exactly what they got, and that's when it started to sink in, he started to realize who the Oberon were. After that, Barax explained the whole bandit situation, a smile crossed Deva's face, the reason for the attack was serious, but far beyond what the bandit's were capable of accomplishing.
"Asit turns out, there was a dignitary staying at one of the inn's, and while she tried to stay inconspicuous, once people know your face, you can never truly hide from everyone. The bandits figured if they could hold her hostage, her father would pay a very large ransom to get her back, although they miscalculated their own abilities, and got the time frame wrong. She was leaving as you arrived, and I assume they thought you were her escort, so they attacked you, hoping to get to her. As for Nura, she seems fairly profficient at her job, so I'll leave her to it for the time being, and after I help you question a few of them, I'll see what I can help her with."
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Post by VecaVjestica on Feb 7, 2010 16:31:03 GMT -5
As Jørgen spoke, feelings whirl-winded inside of Nura, building up on the already-existing rage which burned deep inside of her. The more she heard the more she was sure that killing Carmine Lax was a work of charity for the World. She never once doubted her decision, let alone felt guilty for it, but if she had, this would've convinced her that, this time, revenge truly was the same as justice. The day was just like any other, Jørgen said. Everyone was up before dawn and getting ready for breakfast in the main house, but nobody was any rush. The plantation never lacked work, but things were much more relaxed in-between seasons. Fewer tradesmen visited, the intermediaries of the plantation had far less work to do in the neighboring cities and towns, there weren’t nowhere nearly as many workers on the premises as there were when the season was in peak and migrants joined those who not only worked but also lived at Sureeta Dawn, and there were fewer guardsmen on the walls as well. In fact, the workers felt even more relaxed than usual because Carmine Lax and two of his three foremen left the plantation the day before on business. But, just as they have all sat down to eat, there was a loud noise similar to an explosion, like when a lightning bolt splits a tree in half, and roars of men and horses charging in trough the now broken main gate flooded the peaceful grounds. Confused, people rushed out only to see the few guards who jumped to defend the plantation being slaughtered at the spot. The bandits spared no-one. Whoever dared fight them back was killed our wounded. Jørgen himself suffered a blow to the head with a battle club which knocked him unconscious. “I was lucky,” he told her, “If they hadn’t left me for dead, I would’ve kept on fighting until they did kill me. Whoever hit me put me trough over a week of painful hell while I healed, but he also saved my life.” He smiled bitterly as he added: “I’m still debating on whether or not that’s a good thing.”The day turned into a bloodbath, a holiday of death and despair. Men, women, even children were beaten, raped, killed...and not always in that order. Chaos ruled Sureeta Dawn and hours stretched into infinity until the poor workers couldn’t take any more and finally gave up, their spirits as broken as their bodies were. The bandits have won and they took control of their newly acquired property. And that seamed to include not just the plantation, but its workers as well. Few of the wounded were allowed to heal. Anyone who was judged as weak or couldn’t be brought back into a useful state within a week or two was killed - men who lost limbs or sustained more serious head or internal organ injuries, people too old to work...even some of the children. “Remember Armanda Kale?” Jørgen asked and, when Nura nodded, he replied sadly, “We got married, she and I. And we had a beautiful baby girl only six months ago. We were so happy...and those monsters snatched our little Mina off Armanda's breast and impaled her on a spear before our very eyes. It drove us both insane with grief, but Armanda took it far worst than I, fighting, screaming, crying...she could find no peace, my poor love.” His face was dark, his brow frowned, and his eyes full of tears he was fighting back. “She killed herself only five days later,” he told her a moment later, and Nura made a mental note to make Barax promise he will stop her from murdering Lax herself once they finally capture him. The man didn’t deserve mercy, not from the people, not from the gods. After a few days in which nobody knew if they’d live to see tomorrow or how long this reign of terror would last, the bandits round the people up at the main house and presented them with a choice: either they will stay at the plantation and do what they are told or they die. Not much of a choice, but at least they now knew what their faith was to be. Everyone chose to obey. The brutality of their usurpers struck fear into the bones of the poor people of Sureeta Dawn and nobody even thought of fighting any more. There wasn’t much they could do at the moment anyway. And so they worked, worked harder than ever before. Their first job was to bury their fallen into a large pit they were ordered to dig up just outside of the plantation walls, with no markers and no dignity, as if they were infested animal corpses rather than people who were once alive, happy, good. But that was not the worst of what they were forced to do, though it certainly was the most cruel. Though the food for the plantation workers was never luxurious, it was always substantial and plenty - but the new “masters” only gave them enough to keep them alive. Before, they were allowed a full-night’s rest and time to recover when they were sick or hurt - now they feared even complaining, in case the bandits decided they weren’t valuable enough to keep alive. Young women and boys were abused, and anyone who dared complain was severely punished. They were treated like slaves, worst than slaves, for their “masters” were savages and relished in their pain. The sprouts in the biggest fields were plucked out and new seeds were planted, seeds to a strange, fast-growing, herbaceous plant nobody recognized. It resembled purple sage, but not until the bandits started plucking the leaves and smoking them did the people realize that the plant was actually a powerful drug. From honest, hardworking farmers, they were turned into poison manufacturers. Nura couldn’t believe it. “But the worst part of it was that we kept hoping for salvation. We didn’t even know the truth until long after they’ve had us beaten and on our knees,” Jørgen said, his anger cold and full of resentment, “They laughed in our faces when we threatened them with King’s justice that would strike them down as soon as Master Lax found out what they did. ‘Why do you think he and those two boot-lickers of his left the plantation yesterday?’ they mocked us. We couldn’t believe it...but weeks passed and nothing happened. Nobody came to our rescue, to punish the bandits for the horrors they’ve committed. We still would’ve had some hope, but one night one of the girls who served them told us that she overheard them talking about how they didn’t need to worry themselves about anyone finding out that they overtook us any time soon because Lax didn’t renew any of his contracts this year. He’d been telling his friends and business partners that he plans to either sell or close Sureeta Dawn and retire to one of the spas in the seaside, and the bandits have been helping him move his money and valuables from the plantation several weeks before he left for his supposed business trip. Gods only know how long it had been since he made a deal with those bastards to abandon us...and how much they paid him for it.”“I bet you’re sorry now you didn’t let me kill him when I had the chance,” Nura said, anger flaring in her eyes like a cold flame, and Jørgen laughed, but his laughter was far from a happy one and Nura didn't know what to make of it, so she didn't press further. She had other, more urgent information she needed to get out of him, anyway. “Jørgen...when we came in, one of the men who announced surrender said that he was ready to hang for a week of freedom...what was he talking about?” she asked him a moment later. “We suffered for as long as we could, weeks, months, afraid of retaliation...but one can only put up with so much,” he told her seriously, “In the end, we became so desperate that we decided to either get rid of them or die trying.”He sighed heavily and raised his eyes to Nura before he continued: “We had been planning it for a while and we were all involved in the execution, even the women. The cooks mixed the crushed leaves of the drug plant we managed to smuggle out of the fields into that night's dinner food and, as soon as the bandits were asleep, we cut their throats and burned their bodies in the smithy's furnaces. That night was one week ago.” He sighed again, like a man who carried a burden on his chest he was no yet ready to let go. “I never thought I’d be able to kill a man...but I was. All I had to do was remember the horror they put us trough, the dead children and the cries of women and...it was as if someone took my body and did what needed to be done,” he told her, but Nura could see that he was lying to himself. Jørgen was a good man and, like all good men, he had a conscious. Yes, he knew that what he did was right, but he still felt the burden of guilt for becoming a killer. Still, she said nothing. Jørgen needed her to believe him so he would believe the lie himself. “There was just one problem. We didn’t realize it until the morning, when we counted the bodies,” he explained further, “One of the bandits was missing. Then someone remembered that he went to bed before dinner because he had a bad tooth that had pained him all day. We rushed trough the plantation, but we couldn’t find him or any of his belongings. He probably didn’t sleep very well either and when he saw what was going on, used the fact that we were too busy with his friends to keep guard to escape. So when we saw a strange woman on a horse with a Templar by her side, we assumed the worst and attacked with the little we had. We didn’t want to be slaves again, Nura, not to anyone.”Now that she knew everything, Nura knew she had to persuade Barax to stay a few days longer at Sureeta Dawn. The people needed the help of her talent, and so did the few remaining farm animals and plants. They had to do what they could to help them get back on their feet. Maybe the plantation will never be what it once was, but for now, all it needed to be is a place where the survivors of Lax’s crime could make a decent life for themselves again. As if reading her thoughts, Jørgen asked: “I know it might be foolish to ask...but is there any chance you can use your influence to persuade the authorities to let us stay here?” Nura looked at him kindly, but didn’t lie: “I don’t know. I really don’t. But whatever I can do, I will, I promise.” Her old friend smiled. “I know you will,” he said and stood up, letting go of her hand. “I won’t keep you, you have people to take care of,” he said, “If you need anything, shout. I’ll try to keep myself close by.”Nura watched Jørgen as he left, worried for him, for his soul, his mind. He was strong, she knew what, but was he strong enough to allow himself to heal the pain and damage that was caused to him by cruel people and events he wasn’t powerful enough to stop? She prayed he was, knowing that there wasn’t much else she could do for him - and, as illogical as she knew that was, hating herself for that. What good was the power to heal when you couldn’t cure what ailed the most? But, as practical as always, she didn’t allow herself to brood on that. Instead, she finished her meal and went back to her patients, the people she was able to help, even if just by remedying their physical injuries. She concentrated on what could be done, leaving the rest aside, forgetting about Lax, Jørgen, Armanda, their baby daughter, forgetting even Barax and their mysterious aid. There’ll be time for that later. Right now, she had other things to take care of, things that she could actually fix, and that made her feel a little better.
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Post by Trippy Hare on Feb 8, 2010 2:39:44 GMT -5
This place was familiar- almost as soon as she set foot on the grounds beyond the shattered perimeter fence, Calasi could feel what had happened here. There were many lives cruelly stolen on these grounds- the Lich could sense their pain, oozing up out of the soil like a weed. Since Calasi- like all Necrids- shared a direct link to the Lich's mind, she too felt the pain, rage, and grief. The thirst for vengeance was strong among the dying, and would be doubly so among the recently dead.
One of which- her named had once been Armanda- cried out through the Link louder than the others. She had suffered an even greater loss than her own life- she had lost a child, cruelly murdered by the barbarians. Calasi seethed, her eyes red with unbridled rage. She knew that pain, and a desire for revenge permeated her very being. It was almost enough to make her careless- that much rage blinds a person to all caution, and given that her task here was not complete, caution was not something she could afford to lose.
Calasi crept along the outskirts of the plantation compound, using a mostly-ruined granary to hide during the daylight hours. The arrival of the Templar had caused an uproar at first, but the surviving locals had quickly acquiesced, and had even warmly and desperately welcomed the girl, and the tall and imposing stranger. His garb felt familiar, as though she had seen it before. But the living were still beyond her help, for the moment. They did provide useful information- as small groups of servants hustled about, scavenging for whatever meager supplies remained and speaking loudly of their losses, Calasi was able to overhear where they kept their dead. That would be her first stop.
When night finally fell, she crept out of the shattered granary, and made her way to the mass grave where the fallen innocents lay. Their voices cried out louder in her mind-link as she approached. "I hear you, brothers and sisters- and I have come to make you an offer. Your pain is not limitless- it can end. A life for a life will spare your suffering- the lives of your tormentors will be snuffed out, and in so doing, your sorrows will vanish. But there is a price- my Master requires your assistance, to ensure that such tyrannies are purged from this world. Should you decide to render your services, you will receive much in return. You shall never again feel hunger or thirst, never shall the extremes of summer sun or winter winds affect you. You shall never know loneliness, you shall never know fear. All this, in exchange, for your service. What say you?"
What had once been the endless, indiscernible cries of loss and sorrow became a single, unified voice- the words were unknown to her, but through the Link, each of the fallen made their answer clear- YES. A thin, yellow line encircled the mass burial pit, a flash of light lit the night sky like a bolt of lightning, and the roar of shifting earth emulated the thunder that followed. Calasi ran back to the ruined granary, using the massive cloud of dust as cover- she needed to remain here, for there were some among the injured who would not survive, and they too would be given the opportunity to make the choice she offered.
The dust settled, and the mounds of earth that once covered the dead lay sunken in the pit that had housed them. Through the Link, Calasi felt the Lich's gratitude and pride- thanks to her efforts, he had many new recruits. Yet, there was still much to do. She needed to get into the field hospital the Templar's associate had erected, for within there were still over a dozen severely wounded. Some of them were a little further from Death's Door than they had been at her arrival- Calasi reasoned that it must have been whatever medical treatment the woman had provided. Some of them might even survive their once-fatal injuries. She would have to be very careful to only speak to the doomed few, and avoid the notice of the others. That included anyone making the rounds as a night watch- she did not want to be caught, as doing so would cause the Lich to teleport her back to Erchaea. It would take weeks to return to the plantation, and the remaining staff would be on guard for grave robbers the moment they discovered the burial pit was empty. That gave her one night- tonight- in which to work.
she was in luck- the man posted as night watch for the field hospital appeared to be asleep in his chair. The wounded were all asleep or unconscious- and even more fortunate, the woman had already separated them via triage- the ones who would not likely survive were towards the periphery, well away from the healthy patients. She had expected to see twelve, perhaps fifteen people too injured or ill to hold out much longer- instead, there were four. The others healed astonishingly quickly. Too quickly to be the work of medicine. There must have been magic afoot. Calasi mused on this for a moment, then approached the bedside of a middle-aged man with severe gangrene in both legs, and began her work.
"Wake up, brother," she whispered close to his ear. His eyelids fluttered feebly- he was too weak to open them. Calasi gently placed a hand on his forehead, her pale, undead flesh cooling the fever that raged there just enough for consciousness to creep into his mind. "I have been witness to the horrors and sorrows you have endured in this place. I can feel your pain. Your rage grows stronger, even as your body weakens. If you let me, I can nurture it, so that it grows beyond the bounds of this dying flesh. My Master can help you- He can end your illness, your pain, and your grief. You will never again feel fear, never again feel hunger, never again feel helpless. All He asks in return, is that you serve Him. What say you?"[/color]
The man's eyes managed at last to open, and even through fever and wracked with agony, he managed to look at her face. "Are... are you an angel?" he croaked, his meager voice thick with wonder and astonishment.
Calasi smiled softly, as she stroked his fevered brow. "I am but a messenger, my brother. But you have only to say you will accept my Master's offer, and I will take you to him this very night, and He will rid you of all your pains and worries, and leave your anger free to flourish. You will become invincible, brother, and then you can track down every last man responsible for the tragedy that befell you, and squeeze the breath from their lungs."
His eyes widened, and he licked his parched lips hungrily. "Yes, he croaked again, a smile beginning to creep onto his face. "Yes, I will."
Calasi smiled broadly, and kissed his forehead. "Then close your eyes, brother- and when you hear my Master's voice, you shall rise again, unbroken, with the power to render the ultimate justice for those you have lost."
He obediently closed his eyes, and she moved on to her next patient. This one, a younger woman just past the peak of her beauty, eagerly accepted her offer. As did the next, and the next. All four of the dying readily, and greedily, accepted her proposal. The final step in her task would be the most difficult, as she had to gather them together, so that the Lich could transport them all at once with a single spell. All of them were bedridden, but not lying next to each other. She would have to move them.
Calasi returned to the gangrenous man, and gently slipped one arm beneath his shoulders and another beneath his waist, lifting him as though he were a large child, and carrying him over to the woman. She set him down gently, carefully, propping him up against the end of her bedding. Almost immediately after she stood up, someone behind her tapped her shoulder.
Even though Calasi had been dead for far longer than she had ever been alive, she still took a sharp breath in surprise- before whirling around, drawing her dagger as she turned. The man she found herself face-to-face with was young, handsome, and most remarkably, completely unafraid. His eyes said it all- there was anger burning brightly within him, but it was not directed at her. "Is it true, what you told them?" he asked, his voice a whisper. Calasi sheathed her dagger slowly, as to not provoke alarm, and nodded wordlessly. "And if I go with you, he can lead me to the monsters responsible for this?!"
Calasi sighed, and shook her head. "Not for you, He cannot. My Master is merciful to a fault- His gifts are reserved for those standing on the threshold between life and death. You are yet young and strong, you have no need for Him. Your will have many years yet remaining to you in which to pursue your tormentors. Perhaps, when your hour has come, He will help you."
"That's not good enough!" he hissed, stepping towards her with a short sword drawn. "My life ended after Armanda died, even if my body doesn't know it! Take me to him now, or I will run you through where you stand!"
Calasi closed her eyes and turned her back to him. He couldn't possibly understand what he was asking- to the dying, servitude to the Lich meant an end to all the earthly suffering, yes. But to the living- and one such as him, with most of his life yet before him, what could service offer? His pain would end- but so would his pleasure. The myriad simple joys that the living could experience would be lost to him forever. "Know this, stranger. Once you accept my offer, you cannot rescind it. Service is permanent, which is why it is offered to the dying. Are you certain?"
"Yes, I'm certain! If I wasn't, I would have either killed you, or kept pretending to be asleep! Now take me to him!
Calasi sighed, and motioned him forward. "Help me move the others here, then sit down with them. Keep your eyes closed, or the spell that will transport you may also blind you. You will know when you have arrived."
He did as he was told, helping her carry the other two victims without another word. The thin yellow line began to slowly trace itself around the five of them- four dying in body, and one dying in spirit. "Before you leave, stranger, at least tell me your name."
"Jørgen," he answered, almost spitting it out, as though the word was distasteful to him. As though he were angry that his named remained, and was not itself erased like the nameless dead in the pit.
A moment later, the circle was complete. A flash of light lit the field hospital, and then they were gone, leaving Calasi alone amongst the living. She shook her head sadly, then crept back out the way she had come.
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Post by Trippy Hare on Feb 8, 2010 3:43:55 GMT -5
As night began to fall on the Sureeta Dawn, Barax began assigning watch shifts to the few locals who seemed healthy enough to be capable of staying alert for a watch. The main gate was in shambles, and some of the buildings once used as housing were no longer in any condition to do so. Neglect was not nearly as much a problem as disease- it had taken him most of the day to find and seal the tainted well Nura told him about, and that was with the help of some locals and their hound. Some of the houses were in no condition to be lived in, either- many had rat infestations, and rats spread disease as though it was their reason for living. Fortunately, the main house and one of the servant cottages next to it were in good enough shape for habitation. Barax recruited some volunteers among the locals, and boarded up the broken windows and a few holes in the roof. By the time the sun began to set, most of the work on the house was done. It wasn't pretty, but it was finished. Nightfall's approach meant he could no longer risk working on the Dawn- and with only himself and Deva as any real security, he decided to spend his watch hours patrolling the plantation. Over dinner, Nura discussed Jørgen's story with him- Barax could hardly believe what these people had been through, let alone the courage they had shown in both repelling the bandits, and attacking a Templar. Still, there was much of the story he wanted to know more about- a description of the surviving criminal would help immensely. His name would help even more. IT also bothered Barax that in all the time the plantation had been under the control of the pirates, no magistrates or bailiffs or constables- no officer of the law of any kind- had so much as looked in on the Dawn. Plantations this size weren't exactly hotbeds of criminal activity, but to think that nobody had even looked was bizarre. "I'm going to go talk with Jørgen," Barax told Nura after dinner. "It's probably too late to track down the surviving brigand, but if he knows the man's name or face, we may be able to pick up his trail later. And I am curious about-" Barax continued, before being cut off by a sound like thunder and a bright flash of light. There hadn't been a cloud in the sky all day, so it couldn't have been a storm. "Everyone, remain calm!" he tried to shout over the din of frightened and confused people. "That noise sounded as though it came from the north- I shall personally go out to see if anything is amiss. Anyone who would like to accompany me, fetch a lantern and meet me outside the main house!" he added, feeling a lot less brave than his voice wanted to convey. He hoped at least one person would volunteer, so he wouldn't have to tromp about all alone. "Deva, would you mind standing guard here with Nura? I'd hate to leave everyone unguarded if both of us went to investigate."Minutes later, his suit clanked to life and stood outside the main house, towering over a pair of volunteers. The sight of them was comforting- they knew this place far better than he did, so they would be able to tell if something was amiss. "Look, by the burial pits! It looks like an enormous fog! one of the men said. Barax couldn't see anything in the gloom, but he started off in that direction anyway. "I don't imagine you had much time to properly bury your losses- but even still, there is enough noise and light here to frighten off all but the bravest coyotes. Perhaps an old timber collapsed in that ruined granary, or-"Barax stopped short and let out a shocked gasp. This was a sign even he could see- the burial pit was empty. The fog one of his volunteers had mentioned was a cloud of dust hovering in the air all over the site, though even as he watched, it began to settle. Somehow, something had emptied the entire burial pit in one fell swoop. "Both of you, go back to the main house," Barax began slowly. "Tell everyone to stay indoors tonight. I'm not sure what manner of creature is capable of such a thing, but it would be best for us all if nobody finds out."Both volunteers practically ran over each other in their haste to get away, leaving Barax alone in the gloom with a single tiny lantern hanging from his armor, casting flickering shadows over the large empty hole sunk into the earth. He slowly bent down to examine the edges of the pit more closely- a task made nearly impossible by the swaying of his lantern whenever he moved. He crept all along the periphery, looking for any unusual tracks. He had never even heard of a beast that could do such a thing, nor had he ever seen a creature that could cause that burst of light or dig such a large area so quickly. Bile rose in his throat as he continued- there was no scent in the air other than turned earth, nor was there any blood, any fragments, any sign of what had been in the pit to begin with. Some terrible, unknown monster had not just dug up this grave, but stolen every body interred in it, without so much as displacing a single hair or scrap of clothing. What's worse, it hadn't left any tracks that he could see. Surely this monster must have been heavy to begin with, but how had it carried off all its ill-gotten spoils without so much as bending a blade of grass?!! Barax got to his feet slowly, barely suppressing the shivers of sheer terror he felt running up and down his limbs. This plantation must have been cursed, to suffer so much ill fortune. Unfortunately, he knew full well that he and Nura simply couldn't leave- not yet, not while these people were still sick and weak and unarmed and helpless. He would have to stay, at least until they were healthy enough to look after themselves. That might take a week, or two, or even a matter of months. All the while, the monster was lurking around somewhere. Maybe, if Deva stayed as well, he could track the creature, or at the very least discern what manner of beast it was. It was always better to know what one was facing, no matter how fierce a monster it turned out to be. Barax felt his mind whirling beyond his grasp, as the most fanciful tales of mythical beasts ran through his head. As if to finish driving him to madness, his imagination began to play tricks with his eyes. It almost looked as though a miniature sun had blinked on inside the field hospital, casting a bright glow- and then disappearing. He shook his head in puzzlement. "I simply must get some rest. I'm beginning to see things, now! It's not as though Jørgen would simply ignore some bright flash of light inside his own watch!" Barax chuckled nervously to himself, as he tried in vain to dispel the unsettling knot that formed in his stomach. "Unless, the beast took him too... and there's nobody around in any condition to slay it if it did... except, well, me. Oh, dear."Barax Took a deep breath, and stomped towards the hospital. "I'm probably just imagining things, and all this noise will wake up the patients, and Jørgen will be angry that I've stirred everyone up when they need rest, and Nura will get angry at me when she hears of this. Yes, that's it. It's just my imagination playing tricks on me. I'll just pop in, see that everything is fine, and then get back to dinner. And maybe get some rest. Yes, that's a good plan," Barax muttered to himself, hoping to drive out the sense of foreboding. The fact that Jørgen didn't come out to meet him as he approached didn't help. "He must have fallen asleep on duty. Yes, that's it. I'll give him a stern lecture, then be on my way," Barax said, quavering, as he opened his suit and stepped out. It was too big to fit inside, and it became painfully clear by now that he would have to venture within to get to the bottom of whatever was happening. "Jørgen, you fool, if you were incapable of standing watch all night, you should have told me! I'll have to find someone to-" Barax began shouting angrily, as he entered the well-lit tent. His voice died in his throat an instant later- Jørgen was gone. And there were four empty beds as well. Barax's limbs suddenly began to shake, so much so that he could barely move. The monster had been here, too- it had gotten inside the tent and stolen even more people, without even waking the patients who slept! He backed away as quickly as he could, and fumbled with the suit's hatch. It took several attempts to open the damn thing, as his hands shook like leaves. As soon as he was safely inside, Barax ran back to the main house as fast as he was able, twice tripping over himself and crashing into the ground. There was a small crowd of onlookers waiting for him by the door- Nura was there too, looking crossly puzzled and holding a lantern aloft. "We must leave this accursed place!" Barax began, almost immediately. "I don't know what evil has come in the wake of those brigands, but we must not stay long enough to find out!"
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Deva
Adventurer
DISCO DISCO!!!!
Posts: 55
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Post by Deva on Apr 16, 2010 3:17:33 GMT -5
For a while, Deva could swear he smelled something...different, it made the hairs on his neck, and all of his senses told him it was otherworldly, although he never felt it for more than a second before the reek of the massive pile of dead bodies assaulted his nose yet again. After helping Nura with what he could, and getting a bite to eat, he set about helping the survivors in any way he could. After his chores were completed, he decided the best thing for him to do was patrol the border of the plantation, he was helpful true, but the people were still afraid of him to an extent, and he didn't want to force overexposure on them, although the Elf and Stygian parts of his mind thought it was kind of funny to see them squirm uncomfortably around him.
Several times during his patrol, he had to scare off wild animals who smelled the dead and figured them to be an easy meal, once he got in their way, they felt differently. He kept his patrol going until the sun went down, he knew the animals were still looking for a free meal, but he was bored of patrol, and he could easily stop them if they tried to get too close. As he made his way back, he passed the medical tent, and he could swear he sensed that sinister presence again, but like last time, the smell of death and the wounded mingled and he could no longer pick it out. He finally made it back to the others, and after a few minutes of relative peace filled with a sense of unease, something happened.
Barax was planning on going to visit the man known as Jorgen, and while he was preparing to leave, there was a deafening roar and a light that left his sensitive eyes temporarily blinded. His vision returned in short order, but he'd be seeing spots for a while. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he knew why that same smell kept coming and going all day, he was sure of it, but before he could fully wrap his mind around the current series of events, Barax had asked him to stand guard, while he and a few volunteers went to check things out. I'll keep them safe, you have my word. After the Templar and his volunteers had left, the others began to whisper quietly among themselves, Deva saw no use in trying to calm them, since they would think he was trying to cover something up, then go back to chattering once the fear passed. Making his way over to Nura, he leaned over so he could whisper in her ear.
"I know you have magic, but I'm not sure if you can sense it, whatever caused that commotion has command of powerful, dark magic, magic that no mortal mind can comprehend or use successfully." His fathers race were practitioners of dark magic, Thaumaturgy, also known as blood magic, sacrificial, rune, any type of dark, forbidden magic, they were versed in. However, this was darker than even they dared to go, this was necromantic in nature, and for the first time in his life, Deva was shaken. "We need to be on guard, if dark forces decided to make a move, we'd be ill equipped to fend them off, especially with this many people to protect."
From the distance of the main house to the medical tent, Deva could see everything going on, Barax looking around the grave pit, the two men with him, everything, so imagine his surprise when the tent lit up for an instant then, the light vanished just as quickly as it appeared. After a tense waiting period, Barax finally made it back, and he was shaking with fear, he too felt they needed to leave. He hadn't noticed it, but Deva had his fangs bared and was letting out a low, barely audible growl, a natural reaction when dealing with something of that nature.
"Nura, inform Barax of what I told you, I'm going to go check things out, I'm fairly certain we're all safe for the time being, but I'll be positive by the time I get back." Without waiting for any replies, he dashed into the night, towards the sight of the desecration. When he finally got far enough that the others couldn't see him, he shifted into his Great One form, his senses were much sharper, and his mind now operated on a level of a beast with beyond human intelligence. Now he was certain, Necromancy was in play, he could smell the foul magic in the air, and one of the creatures was still near.
He broke into a full run on all fours, he wanted to catch this creature and find out why it was here, and why it did what it did. As he ran, he pushed off of his hands and began sprinting on his hind legs. Holding his right hand out, he shot a bolt of electricity from his fingertips in the general direction of the thing, not trying to hit it, but to let it know he was coming.
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Post by VecaVjestica on May 25, 2010 5:05:52 GMT -5
Nura knew not of fatigue as she worked, too angry at the world for letting these poor people down to allow herself to let them down as well. She left other jobs to Barax and their strange new aid, Deva, as she learned his name was once they were finally introduced. She was needed here, with the ill and the injured. Besides, she was hardly strong enough to help with clearing out the debris, trying to make as many buildings that remained whole usable and sealing up those who were beyond repair for whatever reason, inspecting and clearing the wells, outhouses and compost pits, and all the other work Barax and Deva organized with the help of the workers. The improvised infirmary they made, however, was where she could not only do a good job, she could save lives, and so she concentrated fully on it. The only pause she made was when she ate with Jørgen, but strangely, she felt no hunger or thirst, even in the near-summer heat that dominated that day. Though it wasn't pleasant to bear, the dry air helped in treating those wounds that needed constant ventilation. Her biggest problem, however, was the inability to uphold the hygienic standard her patients needed - water was plenty, even though it all needed to be boiled before use, but chemicals she could use for cleaning and desertification were scarce. Nura made a mental note to take two or three men from Barax tomorrow and have them cook some soap, if nothing else; as for the rest, they'll just have to go out and buy it. Thank Gods for that free credit letter the King gave them, she thought, not without a mirth of irony, and went back to her work. The impulse to use her talent actively was strong, but Nura fought it, knowing that she will raise enough questions as it was when they realize that the health of so many people has rapidly improved in just one day of her care. Nobody was that good a healer, not even the great doctors from big cities with heir powders and concoctions, strange instruments and tomes upon tomes about medical science in their libraries. However, she did not rely only on her innate healing power; she also implemented all her knowledge, cleaning the wounds, separating those who could spread infections from those who's ailments weren't contagious to others, sterilizing the tools and bandages, making her patients drink lots of room temperature tea and previously boiled water, and made sure that they often eat small portions of food, mostly vegetables she ordered be first cooked, then mashed (thank Gods for potatoes, carrots and chard; the plantation was so run down that not much else was useful even to those who were still healthy, let alone the ill). By the time evening came, Nura knew for sure that not more than four of the ill could be lost. The oldest one was too feeble to suffer trough the sepsis that was eating it's way trough his body for Gods only knew how long, the young girl had been too stung out by sickness and the poor way she'd been treated by the bandits who held Sureeta Dawn, while the two men who were not more than ten years older than her had injuries that never fully healed and, when they became infected from drinking the water from the tainted well she had Barax seal, they were already too weak to fight the disease. Nura's heart suffered for them, but she knew there was nothing she could do to save them, not even if she risked exposure and openly used her talent to fully heal them, for their bodies have already given up. She learned a long time ago (and trough many tears) that her talent didn't work on creatures who's lives were destined to end, and she made her peace with it, even if she didn't understand what was the deciding factor in who she could and couldn't save. Barax didn't bother her much during the day, and she was happy with that; Deva, on the other hand, offered some help, but aside from moving the sickly around and other heavy-weight work, she didn't have much use for him in the infirmary, so she sent him away with a "Thank you" and a cautious look. Though he had proven that he could be trusted (for now), Nura instinctively kept her guard up around him. It was not just her usual wariness of strangers, especially strange men, but the odd vibe she got from him. Still, as long as he was on their side, she supposed she had nothing to fear from him. So far, he posed no threat, thought he made more than obvious that he'd be a formidable one should he chose to change his mind and begin to act against them, and so Nura decided that, for the time being, she will keep herself polite, but distant towards him, at least until she knew him well enough to be able to make a decision about how exactly should she treat him. She didn't plan on leaving her charges that night, but when dinnertime came, Jørgen came to fetch her and refused to listen to any of her demands that he leaves her alone and that she must stay at the infirmary in case someone takes a turn for the worst. "It's your choice, Nura," he told her in the end, "You'll either go on your own to the hall and get something to eat, or I'll put you over my shoulder and carry you there like a sack of potatoes." Nura knew her old friend well enough to see in his eyes the amusement that said he really would do what he threatened, if for no other reason than because he knew everyone would find it funny. He always pulled pranks on people and liked making those around him laugh, and apparently, that still hadn't changed...even if his bright character was gravely shaded by his personal tragedies. Still, he tried, and Nura was happy for it, because it showed will to live and fight. She'd seen people give up too many times, broken by circumstances; they'd sink into depression or become so bitter even sweets tasted foul in their presence, and she hoped that won't be the case with Jørgen. And so, to avoid giving everyone a spectacle and seriously bruising her pride, Nura left Jørgen to guard the sick, with strict orders to run to get her if anything, anything at all happens, and joined the others fr dinner. It was only after she had the first bite of food that she realized how hungry she was, and it took her some effort to keep her manners on a cultured level instead of shoveling food in her mouth. She skipped on the wine and drank only boiled water during her meal – she was beginning to feel just how strained her body was from the day-long work, and she didn't want to risk turning sleepy. During dinner, keeping her voice low and her face blank as to not disturb the workers any more, she retold to Barax the whole of Jørgen's story. She could see it had an impact on him and how hard he though about everything he heard as he tried to make sense of it and decide their next course of action. "I'm going to go talk with Jørgen. It's probably too late to track down the surviving brigand, but if he knows the man's name or face, we may be able to pick up his trail later," he told her and Nura nodded in agreement as Barax continued, "And I am curious about-"He was interrupted by a powerful, eery sound, that reminded of thunder, and a flash of light almost bright enough to be a lightning...but anyone who stopped to think would know it is not so, not only because the sky had been clear all day, without a cloud in sight, but because the sound followed the light, not the other way around. Everyone became visibly disturbed, murmuring with frightened looks on their faces, and Barax's attempts to calm people down didn't really work. His call for action and asking for volunteers wasn't all that successful either, for only two men joined him, but if this made him feel bad, Barax didn't show it. Instead, he turned to Deva, asking him to remain at the hall with Nura, and left to get his suit. Nura frowned. Whatever happened, she was sure it wasn't good, and it both frightened and annoyed her that she had no idea what was going on. Bad things happened way too often to Barax and her lately, odd things that she never imagined she'd have to go trough, and after the short taste of stability and a chance to actually have a home, it angered her that the Gods decided playing tricks on her was much more fun. "What do you think happened?" one of the women who helped her out in the infirmary that day asked Nura, and she had no idea what to tell her, but she figured the best thing she could do until Barax came back with more news was to try and calm the people down as much as she could. "I don't know...but I trust Barax to take care of it, if need be. He is a very capable man," she told the woman, trying to soothe her, and speaking not loudly, but clearly enough for all people in the hall to hear her. It seamed to work, at least a little bit, because they slowly began returning to their meals. But Nura had no such luck, because the minute she was left alone, Deva approached her and whispered in her ear something that made her heart jump. "I know you have magic," he said, and Nura immediately turned her death-pale face to him. Deva kept talking, but Nura heard him like trough water. The shock was just too great for her to react in any other way. He knew! He knew – but how!? She didn't slip up once, not today...but if he had been on their trail for a portion of the time Barax and her spent on road, then he might've seen her doing something that revealed her most guarded secret. She ran trough the days in her mind, but she couldn't remember if she did anything...except the time when she made ants and flies attack Barax...but he couldn't have seen that...could he? Taking a deep, long breath, Nura tried to get some color back in her cheeks. People were beginning to whisper again, and she needed to regain her composure if she expected to keep at least some modicum of order around. "It doesn't work that way," she told Deva a calmly as she could, "Not for me. I don't even know what this thing that I have is. But that's not important right now. Tell me what we can do to keep these people safe, no matter how little there is we can do. If things are as serious as you say, we'll need to find a way - any way - to protect them. They've been trough too much as it is." However, they didn't have the time to go over what the next thing they were to do was, because the two men who joined Barax came back, running like crazy, breathless and just as pale as she had been only a minute before, barely coherently shouting about what happened outside and the orders the Templar gave them. Nura stood up, disbelief clear on her face. Some grave-robing creature dug out the entire burial pit and stole every single corpse!? What on Earth... Some women fainted. A few cries were heard. Men were either furious with anger or remained motionless, as if someone switched their bodies off. This was far worst than anyone thought would be, and the unknown horror that performed such a foul deed frightened them all. Nura grabbed the lantern from the pillar behind her and walked over to the nearest window, trying to see for herself what exactly was happening out there. Just then, Barax came running in, and began rambling almost the moment he set foot inside: "We must leave this accursed place! I don't know what evil has come in the wake of those brigands, but we must not stay long enough to find out!"Nura turned to Deva. If he knew about magic, than maybe he could make sense of this whole mess, she though – and he seamed to agree with her opinion. "Nura, inform Barax of what I told you, I'm going to go check things out, I'm fairly certain we're all safe for the time being, but I'll be positive by the time I get back," he announced and swiftly left her to deal with an entire room full of hysteric people. Oh, well... Putting the lantern down on the nearby table, Nura marched over to Barax and sternly replied: "There shall be no such nonsense, Templar. You know just as well as I do that we have nowhere to go." She shouldn't be in this position, she thought bitterly, and Barax should be acting like a frightened hag, regardless of how unimaginably horrible whatever it was that awaited them outside was. This will not do good things to their authority, and the sooner he realized that and began acting like the soldier of the realm that he was, the better. "I've spoken to Deva and he said that he has a pretty good idea of what creature stole our dead from their resting place, and possibly how to deal with it," she continued, trying her best to sound fully convinced of her words. Granted, that wasn't exactly what the man had said, but she didn't have the time to get into the specifics right now – that will have to wait until Barax calms down and not quite so many people are listening to their every word. "He left to do what he can, and he assured me that, as long as we stay inside, we're out of harm's way. Now, will you please stop shaking and pull yourself together? These people are depending on us for safety, and we can't offer them much if we're falling apart from panic." Sweet Gods, he'll hate her for bossing him around like this, but she needed to shock him into clarity, and this was still better than sapping him. She couldn't handle so many scared people on her own, she needed Barax's help, and she refused to allow him to get away from his share of the burden just because witnessed and inhumanly terrifying event. Figuring that what the people needed right now was a strong arm and a no-nonsense kind of strength to lead them out of this chaos, Nura turned towards the people who grouped up and looked at the two with concern and fear. "Well. I think it's safe to assume all of our appetites are gone - so why don't we clean up the hall, hm? You didn't spend the whole day killing rats and cockroaches just to have them infest the hall again, did you? Let's get to work, people! Chop-chop!" she ordered and clapped her hands, forcing people into action, at first slowly and then more adamantly. To set an example, Nura herself pulled Barax by his shirt to sit back at their table and began clearing it, keeping one eye on the workers as she did. "Snap out of it, Barax...please," she spoke to hi, nearly pleading, careful not to be heard, "I can't do this without you. Deva's out there doing Gods know what, and to be honest, that frightens me more than whatever monster stole the dead." She glanced over the hall before turning back to Barax and whispered: "He knows about me. I don't know how much, but he does...and he says he can sense magic, even feel it's nature. According to him, whatever happened tonight is a result of dark magic mortals aren't capable of." She frowned, with gathered dishes in her hands, sharing her greatest concern with her companion: "He reminded me tonight of that woman, the Necrid from the Matchless Mine. Barax, it's a bit too convenient that we have him here when something this impossible happens...and yes, it could easily be my unrusting nature accusing him, but I still think we should gather the people up, move them to the cellars perhaps - they're right under the hall - and find out what the hell is going on out there ourselves. I don't feel like risking their life, or our own, by putting my faith in a mysterious stranger just like that."She knew that, if she was wrong, she will owe Deva a long and hearty apology, but she wasn't ready to allow more harm to come to these people just so she wouldn't offend the man. Barax and herself couldn't do much against something that had enough power and skill to dig out such a large amount of ground and steal so many corpses in such a short time, but they could at least try. If it was just about them, they could've packed up and left, but now they had the responsibility to these people and they couldn't leave them to fight this new terror alone. Nura ha already decided that, unless Barax had a better, smarter idea, she will follow Deva out and get to the bottom of this. Nobody deserved what the workers of Sureeta Dawn have been trough, least of all these small folk who never hurt a living soul in their life, and it just wasn't fair that they are left to the mercy of some new danger without anyone to support and protect them.
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Post by Trippy Hare on Jun 6, 2010 14:44:45 GMT -5
"There shall be no such nonsense, Templar. You know just as well as I do that we have nowhere to go," Nura said sternly, though Barax could barely register that he was being spoken to. His mind was still reeling, concocting ever more elaborate monsters that he was sure had set their evil eyes on this plantation. "I've spoken to Deva and he said that he has a pretty good idea of what creature stole our dead from their resting place, and possibly how to deal with it. He left to do what he can, and he assured me that, as long as we stay inside, we're out of harm's way. Now, will you please stop shaking and pull yourself together? These people are depending on us for safety, and we can't offer them much if we're falling apart from panic," Nura pressed on, her voice maddeningly calm and steady. Barax wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, until she too was seized by the urgency of the situation. Of course, she would be furious if he did that, and thinking of how vague and nebulous his orders were, and how long they would have to travel together, brought a glimmer of sanity back into his mind. "Yes... yes, of course. We must have a plan," he muttered, sitting down at the nearest table and rubbing the bridge of his nose. There was still food spread on the table, and he grabbed a bread roll and began munching on it, mostly out of habit. there was water, too- it tasted funny, as it had to be boiled first, then cooled- but it was still refreshing enough to slake his thirst. Nura busied herself clearing the table, and goaded everyone else into action, too. Barax sat, mindlessly chewing on a crusty bread roll, his head struggling to wrap around the situation. "Snap out of it, Barax...please," she spoke to him, nearly pleading, careful not to be heard, "I can't do this without you. Deva's out there doing Gods know what, and to be honest, that frightens me more than whatever monster stole the dead." Barax nodded, not really hearing her. she looked nervous, and keep looking around to make sure nobody was listening to her. "He knows about me. I don't know how much, but he does...and he says he can sense magic, even feel it's nature. According to him, whatever happened tonight is a result of dark magic mortals aren't capable of."In a flash, his wits came flooding back into him, the shock of which almost made him choke. He coughed forcefully to clear his throat, and shook the last cobwebs from his mind. "So it's magic, and not a monster? That's a strange comfort, to say the least. But if mortals cannot-"He froze: he'd seen magic like that before. That woman- the alabaster vision of beauty, whose presence had thrust he and Nura into this bizarre journey- she had used such magics. His Mind's Eye saw her strike down a burly brawler without even touching him, saw her pull an arrow from her bloodless breast, and saw her vanish into thin air without a trace. As if reading his mind, Nura said, "He reminded me tonight of that woman, the Necrid from the Matchless Mine.""I was thinking the same thing, actually- remember how she vanished with a flash of light? That seems strikingly similar to what happened to the departed. It's almost as though we were being followed. That, or we are unlucky enough that we keep crossing paths with that woman out of sheer coincidence- but that just doesn't seem possible," Barax murmured, more to help himself think than to make conversation. It seemed to fit- she had simply vanished, leaving not a trace behind, and that's precisely what had happened to the bodies. As to what anyone could want with bodies, he dared not think about. "Either way, we can't just leave these people here alone- but if we're being followed, we can't stay either, or we would put them in further danger. We'll have to stay long enough to get the Dawn functional again, and maybe train them up a bit so they can defend themselves, or plant traps, or build defenses. In any case, the longer we stay here, the more danger they are in- and of course, there's also the matter of Deva. He told me earlier that he was at the village we saved from bandits a few weeks ago." It had been bothering him for much of the day, how Deva had openly admitted to following them, and- unless Barax misunderstood- to being an assassin, as well. He'd certainly been helpful enough here, and Barax didn't think he had anything to do with whatever had happened- but it was still eerily convenient, and that put him on edge a little bit. "Barax, it's a bit too convenient that we have him here when something this impossible happens...and yes, it could easily be my untrusting nature accusing him, but I still think we should gather the people up, move them to the cellars perhaps - they're right under the hall - and find out what the hell is going on out there ourselves. I don't feel like risking their life, or our own, by putting my faith in a mysterious stranger just like that," Nura said, seeming to read his mind for the second time. Barax had often seen his parents finish each other's sentences, too- which got him thinking, not for the first time, that maybe his folks had seen something in how he and Nura interacted that was invisible to him. He could almost feel the blush creeping up his neck at the thought, and consciously willed it away- or tried to, anyway. the last thing he needed was to initiate another round of escalating teasing and counter-teasing at a time like this- the mere thought of which was so inappropriate and silly, he started to giggle, and had to quickly turn it into a cough so that he wouldn't look like a madman. Well, more like one, anyway. "For tonight, the cellars will have to do. But tomorrow we must begin in earnest- I'll ask Deva to help me knock down the old granary, to use the stones for fortifying the perimeter wall. That way, I can keep an eye on him- and at the same time, someone with his strength will be quite useful to have for such a task. That will probably keep us busy for most of the day, so I'll need someone to make an inventory of what is still useful here: any buildings in disrepair or infested with vermin will have to come down, lest they breed pestilence as well as rats." He sighed, and rubbed his temples to try and wear away some of the frustration and panic he'd felt earlier. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not keen on the idea of investigating this ourselves- I'm certainly in no mood to do it tonight, and these people need your skills."It felt good to hear himself talk- to hear himself come up with a plan. And this plan seemed solid enough- he and Deva would busy themselves away from the people, while they busied themselves converting the land back into a usable and sustainable farm. "We shall have to put any thought of pursuit on hold for the time being," he added, apologetically. He didn't want to give Nura any bad news, and Jorgen was the only person she knew from this place. He had been her friend- or something along those lines, anyway. But if he said nothing, she would surely ask about him sooner or later. Much though he didn't want to, Barax would have to tell her the truth. "I'm sorry to tell you this- but our only chance at a lead is gone. I couldn't ask Jorgen anything about the escaped brigand- because Jorgen wasn't in the infirmary. Whatever took the dead took him, too."He finished the rest of his roll, and chased it with a large gulp of water. "However, I think I have a plan. Those criminals who grew poison here didn't use it themselves- they must have had a buyer. And if those criminals died here, then their buyer wouldn't know the plantation has changed hands again." Barax smiled, both at the thought of turning the tables on whomever had so horribly abused this place, and a little surprised at his own sudden stoke of inspiration. "Sooner or later, without receiving any product, that buyer is going to come here- and when he does, I have a feeling he'll be able to tell us something, useful."Barax helped Nura clear off the rest of the tables and usher everyone into the cellars. "Get plenty of rest, my friends, as we have much work to do tomorrow," he said, trying his best to be reassuring. Some of them were still understandably shaken, but others seemed to take heart. Work was something they could all relate to, and the sooner this place had structure again, the better. Once everyone was as settled as they could be, he and Nura went back upstairs into the main house to stand watch. "We'll need a lot of supplies to get this place running again," he mused out loud. "And a lot of work. And some luck. And maybe a priest."
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