Thread: A Word of Darkness

It was the smell of gunpowder. She looked around, wanting to find a torch of some sort before finding an old table with a rag laying on it. She went over to the table and dropped to her knees before taking a firm grip around one of the tables legs and tearing it off with all her might. It cracked off the table that immediately fell over to its legless side. She took the rag and twisted it around the wooden table leg and threw another look around, finding a lantern. She picked it up and removed the little cork that kept the fuel in its container. With a little shake, she managed to pour all the oil over the rag before opening the iron door to the forge. The flames engulfed the rag only by nearing it close to the forge. With the rag burning quickly, she knew that she had to do her business quickly. She sprinted towards the open trapdoor and down the stairs. Holding her torch lightly out into the dark room, several boxes and barrels marked TNT was revealed. What in the holy mothers she said to herself, wondering why anyone would store explosives under a blacksmith. She got an idea and grabbed a smaller barrel and placed her foot on the first step of the stairs. Due to her increased weight thanks to the barrel of gunpowder, the stairs collapsed, leaving her looking up at the open trapdoor that shone light down into the room only to illuminate her and cover everything else in darkness around her. She sighed softly while stroking over her forehead with her left hand. She threw a look again around in the room, but without any use. The torch had burnt out and Iriya had thrown it up into the blacksmith to avoid any accidents. She took a few steps into the darkness and felt around for a crate. It was heavy with lots of gunpowder but she still managed to push it towards the opening. She threw the barrel of gunpowder as well up into the blacksmith, hoping it wouldnt land near the torch or any fire before she climbed the crate and got up into the blacksmith again. The barrel had landed perfectly just next to the torch. She rushed to the barrel and picked it up, not wanting it to explode. The floor of the basement was all covered in the black smelly gunpowder, something that gave her an idea. She went outside and found a little shack. By not really thinking about opening the shack to see what it contained, she tear off one of the planks that had been recklessly hammered onto the shack. She went back inside and laid the plank on the floor before opening the barrel and pouring a thin long line of gunpowder along it. She then slid it slowly into the basement with the top still poking up into the blacksmith. She trailed a track of gunpowder from there and outside the blacksmith before stopping two houses away. She rubbed her hands together as the barrel was empty while grinning. She felt very clever of thinking of such a plan while imagining that Seiken probably would have set off magical time bomb or something that would go off way too early. She went back into the blacksmith only to find some rusted tong which she used to pick up a searing piece of coal which she went outside with and to the end of the trail of gunpowder. Iriya took a deep breath before taking a little pause. She stood there, listening closely to the sounds around her. The birds were singing, the soothing sound of a summer breeze sweeping over her face and the faint sound of the sea was all to be heard. She was a bit worried about Seiken and if he would be alright by himself, but she knew he was powerful. Iriya took another deep breath before biting her lower lip carefully. She slowly closed the tongs closer to the end of the trail which was neatly ended as a little dune of powder. She dropped the coal and the instant she saw it all light up and wheeze its way along the trail, she turned around and started to sprint. By panicking a bit by the loud and aggressive sound, she realized that only two houses wasnt near enough to shelter her from the impact with thoughts of the amount of T.N.T there was in the basement of the blacksmith. She managed to slide down a little slope and cover at the bottom of it. She pushed her fingers into her ear and waited for the impact. One Two Thr- She wasnt able to finish before her counting was interrupted and a yelp pushed forth from her lips. From afar one could see the blacksmith blow into the air before the somewhat intact house would explode and spread its pieces all over the town. A lot of birds flew away from the nearby trees and the shockwave created by the explosion made a wave of dust gust through the town. The basement was left in a huge crater and the wall was smashed wide open. Iriya remained like this for a few minutes before finally removing her fingers and sighing softly. The birds had only started to sing again after the explosion and the dust had just begun to land. She peered just over the slope to see the result of her little plan. She was left with a big grin and a naughty look in her eyes. She ran to the crater and could barely contain herself from screaming due the adrenaline rush she got. She wanted to do it again and this time much bigger! She was sadly unable to as she used all of the T.N.T. Iriya looked towards the wall and saw it had been blown open, just as she had planned. With a final look around to admire her successful explosion, she carefully jumped from rock to rock over towards the wall. The explosion had made the ground very crude and fragile, so she decided to step on solid objects in order not to cause a cave-in. She got on the other side and went a bit back up in the forest that lied beyond. She kept going till she reached a hill which had the view of almost the entire town but the harbor. She narrowed her eyes over the town, scouting for Seiken but without any luck. He told her to wait for him and that was exactly what she had planned to do. She sat down under an apple tree which also stood on the hill and sighed once more softly. The rush from the explosion had just started to fade and she felt a bit sleepy. Before she could go to sleep, she decided to make sure Seiken would find her as she wasnt at the location they agreed to. She broke some branches off the apple tree and used a nearby sharp rock to carve branches into small darts as well as she could before taking her bow. Being a woman of marksmanship, she shot each branch into each tree on the way upwards from the wall to her location by standing on the top of the hill. The branches hit the hard bark of the trees one by one and left them standing solid in the direction towards her. She smirked for a brief moment before sighing softly out as she felled against the tree. She peered up into the air and smiled dreamingly to herself as she drove off into dreamland. The sun was on its way down over the horizon which left the scenery in a golden theme. The breeze brushing over her golden hair calmed her as she parted her soft lips a bit in her sleep, breathing heavily but slowly. When Iriya woke up, it was morning again. Her throat was a bit hoarse due the raw air that comes at night. She threw another look over the town but was only able to see roofs of the buildings due the morning mist. She became a bit worried now that Seiken hadnt come to find her. She rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes and stood up, brushing her bum for dirt and stretched for a little bit. She shivered lightly there she stood, feeling Goosebumps raise on her arms. She took a step in the direction of the town. She held her left hand up to her chest and just gazed down the hill and into the forest that the mist had engulfed. She bit her lower lip carefully while sighing. Should she go and look for him, or should she stay by his words? Iriya closed her eyes and shook her head for a moment before sitting down. She pushed her legs up to her head and leaned onto her knees. She sighed again and looked around before closing her eyes and resting onto her arms. She thought shed try to sleep some more, but since she wasnt really feeling so sleepy and the chilly air around her caressed her skin, it was hard to do so. Instead, she sat quietly and got lost into her own thoughts. Far away, a little flute was heard. Iriya looked up and around while blinking confused. Was it all her imagination or did she really hear a whistle? Thinking it all must have been in her head, she returned to her previous position. The flute was heard again and this time Iriya was sure she heard it. She stood up and looked around. She heard the flute once more, but it wasnt coming from the direction the town was. In the opposite direction, the flute was sounded once more and some bushes were moving. Iriya took a step backwards and quickly broke off another branch off the tree, forming another arrow as quickly as she could before placing it on her bow. Aiming towards the bush, she waited in anticipation of what that might appear. A girl came forth from the bushes. She had a rather dark skin, almost looking like someone sunbathing too much. Wearing a cotton-white west and matching pants with brown boots, she looked around. She had dark-red hair that was combed backwards and held there by a bandana. Her lips were bright pink and red eyes, almost reminding Iriya of a demons. Her rather muscular body filled the clothing out good, but thankfully for her rather small bust, didnt tear the clothing apart. Iriya lowered her bow as the woman came closer. She hadnt seen Iriya just yet but was heading in a straight direction of her. The woman raised a little flute made out of oak to her lips and blew. The same tune roamed the area like it faintly did before. Just after lowering her flute again, she noticed Iriya. She jumped backwards quickly and got down low. She saw Iriya was armed as she narrowed her eyes over her. She used only a few seconds to look at Iriya before raising her whistle again and blowing loudly two times. The sound echoed over the area before something far away was heard. It was the sound of stomping coming closer and closer in a rapid speed. Iriya feared a stampede of animals coming judging by the sound and kneeled down, ready to evade anything coming at her. Out of the bushes jumped a large man. He had also the same toned skin as the woman but clothing made out of pelts and hides. He had only a pair of pants and a large scar across his belly. On his back he had a large staff of some sort which was much like a small pillar. On the top of the staff there was several spikes nailed to it and even some traces of flesh and blood. He reached for his staff and held it up in both hands after landing before the woman. He roared fiercely and seemed like he was going to charge Iriya. Iriya, whom was frightened by the large man took a few more steps back and decided to throw her bow away, not wanting to get into trouble with these guys. You! The large man said and pointed at Iriya with his staff. M-me?! Iriya yelped and quickly blinked curiously a few times. The woman got up on her feet again and came to the mans side. What business do you have in our forest?! He yelled again. He seemed rather angry with Iriya for trespassing on his territory. I-I am waiting for someone! Iriya said shuddering. And you expect us to believe that?! Youre here for our animals, you hunter! He had seen her bow and presumed she was here to take hides, teeth and such from the animals to sell for a profit. He roared once more and started to charge. The woman stood still while smirking to herself. Poor girl Kinda cute, but we show no mercy She said to herself. Iriya reached for her bow again, but it was too late. Due the tremendous speed the man charged her in, she wasnt able to grab it. He stood right in front of her and raised his staff to deliver a blow with such force, she was sure shed die. Just as the staff was to hit her, the man was caught by an enormous magic fire-dragon that came up the hill. The roaring dragon took the man in its mouth and flew off into the sky. The woman who stood there gasping reached for him with her hand in vain. 2-Forest.jpg Varlek! she cried as she watched the magic dragon fly high up before exploding in a tremendous black flame. With fear struck in her eyes she ran towards the edge of the hill to watch him fall into the forest below. She ran as fast as she could to find him. Iriya stood completely shocked and still gasping. What did just happen? She looked in the direction where the dragon came from. Seiken came walking up the hill, almost completely unrecognizable. He was drenched in blood and had some pieces of flesh and bones around on his body. Though, none of it seemed to be his. His eyes glowed in red coursing light as he breathed heavily. Iriya wasnt sure if she should be happy or terrified to see Seiken but she was glad he was there. Seiken stopped just next to Iriya and looked down at the woman whom just disappeared into the forest to look for the man. The stench of death oozed from Seiken as he kept his gaze towards the forest. S-Seiken? Iriya carefully said, reaching out a hand to touch his shoulder. The moment her hand touched his body, he looked at it before looking up at Iriya. He blinked a few times and the red pulsing light disappeared before his normal brown eyes appeared. He was exhausted and breathed as if he had run many miles. T-take me to that man Seiken said and leaned against Iriya whom was disgusted of the smell and the thought of the blood getting on her. She helped Seiken walk down the hill and towards the little opening in the forest that the woman had disappeared into. After walking for only a moment in the forest, they found the woman and the man. He lay unconscious in her arms as she held him close to her and cried. S-stay away from me!! She screamed at Seiken as they came closer. The man groaned softly in pain as he was starting to wake up. Erika The man groaned and reached for the womans face and stroked over her cheek softly. He had barely managed to open his eyes before blinking a few times and opened them normally. He grunted a bit as he tried to get up but felled over onto his knees. Dont push yourself, Varlek! She said and went to support him in getting up. Seiken had by now figured out that Erika was the name of the woman and Varlek was the big man. Varlek shook his head for a little moment and got on his feet with the help of Erika. Man Been a long time since I last took a hit like that! He looked over at Seiken whom stood there a bit on guard. S-Seiken acted only to defend me! Iriya said in Seikens defense. Heh, I believe we owe you an apology, little girl. If youre here with such wizards, then you must be no hunter. He got up on his feet for real now, not needing any help from Erika. Erika did however seem a bit worried about Varlek and was afraid he might push it too far. Are you sure? She said only to be stopped by Varlek. Quite the blast you gave there, man. And damn, how that hurt! Id rather wrestle four grizzly bears and raccoon with rabies than take another one of those blows! He arched his shoulder a bit as if he tried to get it back into the correct position. Seiken didnt reply to his words but was still a bit on guard even though he was exhausted after that spell. While not thinking of anything to respond with, he had never considered himself a wizard as Varlek calls him. So, folks Gonna tell me what ya are doing here? And whats up with the bloody guy? Varlek said and pointed at Seiken. W-well, this here is Seiken and Im Iriya. Were travelling through here Iriya said before looking at Seiken, confused what he had been doing by the way he looked. Travelers?! Hah, well that explains everything, I guess! People can get the wrong idea when you go around carrying bows, ya know! He was referring to when he first saw her and how she was trying to fire at him. Im Ex-ranger general Iriya of the Moon elf tribe. Carrying a bow would only be natural for me. Iriya said and looked at Erika. She didnt really seem to approve of Seiken and Iriya with the way she was looking in a different direction. I am no wizard, but you could perhaps call me a battle-mage. Seiken finally said and looked at Varlek. What Seiken didnt know was that in Shana, battle-mages are one of the highest ranked guards for the king. Y-you are a battle-mage!? Varlek and Erika said at the same time. They both seemed to become a bit nervous but at the same time rather friendly. Erika smiled a bit shyly and Varlek scratched the back of his head while grinning for a moment. W-well that changes everything. Im Varlek Duskshroud. This is Erika Duskshroud, my younger sister. Varlek folded his hands and bowed before them both. Iriya, whom knew what status a battle-mages status had, covered her face with the palm of her hand before taking a deep sigh. Seiken was a bit surprised of the sudden friendliness of the two but smiled and bowed himself. So, why are you covered in blood like a barbarian? Been in recent battle? Varlek eyed Seiken up and down, seeing how he was covered in gore. O-oh About that. Seiken said and turned to Iriya. The villagers are all dead. Tychoo felled into deep sadness after losing his beloved Medina. He then wanted to reanimate her body and soul by using the villagers. The result was horrible Obviously something had gone terribly wrong as the whole abomination was attached to his body. As the swollen large monster he was, I had no choice but to end its life. I can still hear the writhing of the heads and arms sticking out of its shoulders and legs, begging me to kill them. Seiken shivered a bit and brushed pieces of flesh from his body. Iriya had slid down onto her knees and held for her mouth as she was struggling to not vomit. Ugh, what are you two on about? Seiken sighed and told Varlek and Erika their story. About how Seiken was found by Iriya, about the Midnight show, about Lazards trap and what that had happened in Wendel. Quite the story you got there, boy. Did the king of Shana send you out on a mission to find this Lisa? Varlek said and stroked his chin. He didnt seem to have an aftereffect of the dragons blow earlier. Seiken was a bit concerned as a blow like that would have devastated every single bone in a normal mans body. No, shes someone very dear to me, and We got separated. Were currently heading to Shana in order to find some answers. Varlek seemed a bit puzzled but then chuckled heartily. Well, in any case, we need to clean you! You smell almost like a dead deer in the glowing hot sun. Seiken nodded and looked at Iriya. She had gotten up on her feet again and seemed a bit better now as she had taken a few steps away from him to get away from the smell. Erika stood next to her and looked at Seiken as well. This way, I know about a waterfall. Varlek said and pointed in the direction downwards a little path. As they were walking, Erika explained to Seiken and Iriya that she and Varlek was abandoned in the forest as babies by their parents. Mother nature had other plans for us though, and sent us a kind bear. The bear took us to its den where we grew up for several years before we were found by a village not too far from here. We learned how to speak, behave and such. However, one night bandits raided the village and slaughtered everyone. Luckily Varlek ran with me into the woods where we have lived since. Erika seemed a bit sad and was looking into the ground as they were walking. Seiken had been looking around as they were walking down the path. This forest was indeed a lot prettier than the one he was in with Lisa. The Forest floor was soft and mossy like the other, but the moss was greener in this one, a lot more pleasing to the eye. Far away into the left side of the path they were on, Seiken could see sunrays shine through the trees that danced lightly in the wind. He smiled for a brief moment as this was a moment of serenity. They could hear birds chirp in the treetops and even a cuckoo far away. Seiken thought to himself that the summer was indeed the nicest season of the year as a warm soothing wind caressed his bloody face only to feel the red liquid coagulate even more, making it slightly harder to make face expressions. Iriya kept her lower lip lightly bitten by her teeth as she peered into the ground. She was worried about Seiken and what that had happened to him since he looked the way he did. She lifted her gaze just once to look at him but then looked quickly away again, feeling her stomach writhe only by the sight of him. She could hear some noise coming from the direction they were headed. As they came closer, she could clearly hear that it was the sound of the waterfall she heard. The path widened and turned into a little meadow of small white flowers that too were gently dancing in the wind. Here we are. Varlek said and looked at Seiken. Seiken looked up on the waterfall that wasnt taller than a house. The waterfall went down into a large pond that had a small brook running further down the path. I and Erika will be heading down the path we came a bit, so you can have a bit Privacy. Varlek said and placed his hand on Erikas shoulder before walking a bit upwards the path they came from. I-Ill help wash you if youd like Iriya said with a large blush over her face. Seeing how filthy Seiken was, she figured that he need a bit help to get cleaned, also with the clothes. Seiken didnt reply at first but then smiled and nodded. If youd like. He said and sat down on the edge of the pond with his feet in the water. He felt how the cold water immediately penetrated the fabric of his boot and cool his foot only to leave him with a little pleasant feeling of being soothed that resulted in a soft sigh. The blood from the boot seeped from the fabric and left the little area around his foot all darkened. Iriya stood a bit back and was unsure about how she should approach Seiken. He had been behaving a bit different since they last were alone together and she had grown a bit afraid of him. She held her left hand on her chest as she looked at him while he took his boots off. He placed them just next to him on the green grass that was soon covered a small pool of watery blood. Seiken threw a look over his shoulder and looked at Iriya. Their eyes met and as they looked at each other, a little gust came in between them. W-wha.. H-how would you like me to help you out? Iriya said a bit unsure if this was a good idea after all. The last thing she would want is to see Seiken angry. The moment back at the tree when he looked at her with red glowing eyes had made such an impact on her that she had become rather submissive in his presence. Well, Ill be jumping into the pond and in the meanwhile, you could take care of my clothes? Seiken suggested, acting all normal before trying to smile a bit, but it had become impossible due the hardened blood on his face. Sure. Iriya said without any hesitation and turned around to wait for him to get undressed and get into the water. Seiken stood up and gazed over the pond. It was shallow at the edges, but apparently became drastically deeper towards the middle and where the waterfall came down. He took his clothes off and placed them in a pile over his boots before jumping into the cold water. When Iriya heard the splash of Seiken jumping in, she turned around again, only to hear him yelp a bit due the sudden coldness of the water all over him. She went over to the pile of clothes and took his pants and dipped them in the water. The crystal clear water became immediately muddy and impossible to see through. Seiken dove deeply into the pond and started stroking over his body to get the blood off. Both of them kept going on like this for a while until Seikens clothes was all clean and had been laid on the grass to dry in the sun. Varlek and Erika came back when Iriya was placing his boots on the grass again after washing them. So, all clean now, Seiken? Varlek said and grinned as he stood on the edge of the pond and looked at Seiken in the middle of the pool. Yeah, just need to wait for my clothes to dry He said and sighed softly. The past days had been tiring on Seiken and it was good to finally see some new friendly faces and relax a bit for a change. So, you two were heading for Shana you said? If youd like, we could take you there. Its not like I and Erika have anything special to do these days as we live in the woods, but you two seem like a nice couple. So if you wouldnt mind our help, well be leaving once your clothes are dry, alright? Seiken spaced out for a moment. Was he and Iriya a couple? Seiken hadnt given Iriya much thought lately since he and Verdan revived her from the succubus. Y-yeah, that would be much appreciated Seiken said and got up behind some bushes just next to the waterfall. While hiding from the girls, he took a moment to let the sun shine on him as he shook his body in order to dry quickly. Varlek came over with his clothes which Seiken put on. Now, you have two choices. Varlek said before stopping for a moment. He detached the staff on his back and slammed it into the ground and leaned against it. Its the short and dangerous route, or its the long and safe route. Varlek and Erika were well known in the forest and knew what kind of things that one could meet. Despite the fact that this was a much prettier forest than the one Seiken lost Lisa in, this one was just as dangerous if one wasnt careful. How long is the long route? Seiken asked before looking at Iriya. She seemed a lot happier now that he had gotten rid of all that blood and was a lot more pleasing to the eye. She stood next to him and looked at Varlek. It will take us a month to get to Shana. I dont think youll want to walk for that long, so Id advice the short and dangerous one. Varlek informed them before looking at Erika. Erika whom hadnt said anything for a while looked at Seiken. She seemed to be completely lost in thought as she eyed him up and down, admiring him. She parted her pink lips slowly as she was lost into his brown dark eyes. Seiken whom had been looking at Varlek looked now at Erika. She blushed gently with a bright pink flush over her cheeks as their eyes met and blinked a few times. Wah- huh? Did you say something, Varlek? She quickly managed to say when she noticed them all looking at her. Varlek tilted his head a bit to the left and gazed upon Erika questioningly. We are going to take the short and dangerous way to Shana. Tell them about the route as you was the one discovering it, remember? Erika nodded again before looking at Seiken again for a brief moment. Iriya saw how Erika was looking at Seiken but didnt say anything. She did instead knit her fist lightly, feeling a little hint of jealousy inside. It was nothing going on between her and Seiken, but she didnt like Erika or Varlek too much. The shortest way to Shana is if we take the ferry. Erika said and licked her lips a bit. The ferry? Seiken said a bit surprised. Erika nodded and continued. There is a long river not far from here that goes into a lake just outside Shana. The ferry can take us there in only a matter of few days. However Erika stopped and looked up at Varlek. He had a grave look in his face and looked over at Seiken and Iriya. The ferry that goes along that river is known as the ferry of souls. Its a cursed ferry that only appears at its docks every midnight for ten minutes before it departs to its destination. According to the legends weve heard from adventurers, there is a treasure on that ferry far greater than a mountain of gold. Varlek said. But Why is this so dangerous? Seiken curiously asked. He could feel Iriya grab his arm carefully as they both listened to Varlek. Iriya had calmed a bit down and felt more at ease when Seiken was clean again. . He didnt seem so fierce or aggressive as he did when he was covered in blood, something that made her being able to trust him a bit more again. A large cloud covered the sun and the whole area became a bit dark as a cold wind blew by before Varlek continued. They say that whoever goes on the ferry never returns. The ferry have, however, been seen in the lake just outside Shana, hence why we know it goes back and forth there, but Erika is the only one who have seen it, and only for a brief moment. Every full moon, we can hear the sounds of the spirits aboard the ferry, wanting to get off the boat writhing and screaming. And if you listen even more carefully, you can hear sounds of a banquette taking place where everyone is having a good time before this hacking sound appears. Said to be the sound of the ghosts and whatnot hacking the bodies of those boarding the ferry.. Seiken could feel how Iriya grabbed his arm a bit harder, obviously a bit scared of this story. Wouldnt that be suicide? Seiken asked, looking over at Erika. Y-youre a battle-mage, are you not? We should be fine. Erika said while looking at Seiken while smiling a little. Besides, if you are able to cast more of those dragons, then it should be a picnic.. Seiken looked down at the gem in his hand. It was all dark and no light was to be seen. Im not sure. The reason I was able to attack Varlek with that spell was because I saw him charge Iriya, something that must have triggered something in this as I felt it supply glow and give me such strength that it felt like my mind was about to explode. Seiken explained and held forth his hand to them both to see. O-ohw Well then I am not certain. Erika said and looked up at Varlek. Bah! Dont worry, well manage! He said cockily before chuckling. Erika peered curiously over at Seikens hand. May I have a closer look? She asked before taking his hand in hers without waiting for any answer. He squirmed slightly as she felt his hand touch hers. Biting her lower lip, she leaned even further forwards and peered deeply into the dark purple color of the gem. Only for a second, she thought she could see something golden deep inside. She blinked a few times, trying to see what it was, but it was all gone. She shrugged and thought it must have been her imagination that had been playing tricks with her. Thats an odd thing How did you get it in your hand? She asked, letting go of it and looked at Seiken. I was born with. I have no idea why, though. He replied and shrugged at her. Erika looked over at Iriya which was looking straight back at her. She did obviously not approve of her touching Seiken. So, what will it be? Varlek asked and leaned a bit more onto his staff. Seiken looked at Iriya for a moment. Iriya looked back up at Seiken, peering deeply into his eyes before smiling a little. We will be able to do this, wont we? Seiken nodded and the four of them started following the little brook going from the waterfall to find the river which the ferry was in. As they was walking down the brook, the sun slowly started to slide down behind some mountain tops, leaving the scenery golden once more. It wasnt long before it became uncomfortable to travel down the brook as the sun hit them directly in the eye from its position. They hadnt eaten for a while either, so they decided to camp for a moment. They found a little opening in the forest only a few meters from the brook where they sat down and breathed exhausted. They had been walking for quite some hours and it was Varleks stomach that sounded like a hungry dragon that made Erika suggest that they camped. While she and Varlek were out hunting for dinner, Iriya and Seiken made the campfire. Iriya ran around and found dry branches on the ground and even a dead tree that she took twigs of. Seiken sat by the little round circle of rocks he had made and went over the magic spell for fire over and over again in his head. He did not wish to mess up and set the place on fire in front of Varlek and Erika. Only after a half hour of hunting, Varlek and Erika came back with one deer that they held in two limbs between each other. This fella should last us for a day! Varlek proudly said of their catch. It was only natural for Varlek and Erika to be adept in hunting when living with the animals the way they have been. Seiken was sure that Iriya would be grossed out when they were to cut the deer up, but surprisingly enough, she offered them to be the one doing it. I went hunting a lot with my fa- Iriya stopped for a moment. She looked sad into the ground for a brief moment before shaking her head lightly and looking up again.I went hunting many times with my father, and I was always in charge of cutting the catch up no matter how much I hated it. Ive grown used to it now, so I would be more than happy to do it. She said. Varlek and Erika, whom also had done it many times, perhaps thousand times more than Iriya, shrugged and let her do it. Iriya found a large flat rock nearby and laid the deer on it before starting. Seiken closed his eyes for a little moment before he attempted to lighten the pile of branches with fire. He reached out his hand, pointed at the pile with all his fingers before thin rays of red magic shot out of his fingertips. The rays gathered in his palm before shooting a larger beam onto the pile, fully engulfing it with fire. Varlek and Erika who hadnt seen one perform magic before, only spells was amazed by this and gave Seiken an eager applause. Woah, that was nice! Varlek said and squatted down next to Seiken. Think ya can teach me? Seiken was unsure whenever he could teach someone magic as he never fully understood its concept himself. I dont think I can. Its very hard, and I wouldnt know where to start with you. If you plan on going with us inside the city of Shana as well, Im sure you can find someone to teach you. Seiken replied as he warmed his hands on the fire. Erika was admiring Seiken again and stood leaned against a tree in the back, just watching him. Iriya threw a look over her shoulder now and then to see what the boys was doing while parting the animal into suitable slices for them. Erika went over to Iriya to see how it went. She was doing fine, but she had split the parts evenly. I think you should split some more up for Varlek. When it comes to food, he can eat a horse on long days. Literally! Erika grinned and patted Iriya on her shoulder. O-oh? Sure, Ill let him have some of me. Im not that hungry really. Iriya said a bit surprised, not noticing Erikas presence at all. So Could you perhaps tell me a bit about this Lisa? Erika asked after a little moment of silence. She was interested in hearing what Seiken and Lisa had between them as he had said it was someone dear to him. Is she like his sister, or? Iriya grinned a bit now and shook her head. Didnt he tell you? She was his childhood friend. A bond like that can very much is like a sisters, but I believe it can be a bit different. I dont know, dont have any sisters myself. Iriya replied while penetrating the pieces of meat on long thin sticks she had gotten while gathering firewood. I believe Seiken have a little crush on her, to be honest. And I wouldnt be too glad if one I had a crush on had been separated for me either. Iriya bit her lip a bit while keeping her work up, thinking back at the time when Seiken went into the cathedral and she was to find a way out of Wendel. I see. Well, I hope we two will get a long well! Its going to be quite the adventure. Erika said and patted Iriya roughly on her shoulder twice, making her almost lose her balance as she was squatting down. Y-yeah Was all she could say. When Iriya was done with the meat, she came over with the spears with meat she had prepared for them. It was four spears to Iriya, eight spears for Seiken and Erika and sixteen for Varlek. She figured that she would split the meat in the manner of body mass. Whoo, this is going to be good! Varlek said all excited, rubbing his hands together. He was clearly hungry the way it sounded he was housing a dragon in his stomach. They set the spears up over the fire which Iriya supplied with wood now and then while talking. It didnt last long before the smell of the cooked meat surrounded them and made Varlek almost crazy. He looked over at the spears and circulated them to see if any of them was soon done. Relax, Varlek, youll get food in time. Erika said and grinned of her brothers eagerness. Seiken leaned against the base of a tree in the little opening they had camped and smiled a bit sheepishly at them all. He was somewhat tired and decided to try rest up as much as possible before they got to the ferry. Erika stood up and looked around for a moment before she saw a special tree. The tree was small but with large leaves. She picked four leaves off the tree that constantly withered and crumbled into a thick liquid the moment the leaves left its branches. Erika frowned a bit when seeing how the tree responded to only have a few leaves removed. You seem startled Iriya said and squatted down next to Erika who poked the remains of the plant with a stick. These large leaves are the life-support of the plant. As it has next to no roots, it develops great leaves to take in as much sunlight as possible. Some even says its enchanted! Iriya explained to Erika whom frowned upon seeing how her stick had dissolved in the remains of the tree. I see Erika said and stood up, heading towards the little brook to fill the leaves. They would serve as good cups. Iriya was a bit surprised as those trees werent really rare in forests, and since Erika had spent most her life in the wilds, she couldnt understand how she had missed it. Erika went back to the fire and shortly after, Iriya came there too. They all was handed their leaf filled with water while Iriya informed them about how many spears each could take. Varlek had snapped half of the portion of his spears in only the moment a lightning took to strike the earth from the heavens. To be a big muscular brute, he surely got the speed! Iriya and Seiken looked at each other in surprise and then back at Varlek whom ate as if he hadnt eaten in several months. Relax a bit now, or youll get it in your throat. Erika said and grinned a bit while she reached for a spear of her own. Varlek didnt seem to hear her as he kept on devouring spear after spear. The four of them drank well and ate till they almost couldnt move. It was important that they were all well rested since there was no telling when they could do this again. The night was quickly upon them. The good company, water and food surely didnt make the time go slower either. Despite the long time it had been since Iriya was out in the woods at night, she quickly grew accustomed to it. Erika sat next to Seiken under a tree which was a few meters away from the fire. Varlek was sleeping, and it was fascinating Seiken. He stood up straight and leaned onto his staff. isnt Isnt he going to fall over? Seiken questioned Erika while frowning a bit. Dont worry, he always sleep like that. On-guard. She grinned. Seiken tilted his head slightly to the left before looking around for a little moment. The sounds of the night had stopped and it was surprisingly quiet. They had heard the sounds of an owl, several animals and cicadas until just recently. Seiken slowly rose on his position and scouted around. A thin seeping mist came like a wave through the forest. The mist quickly thickened and the air became immediately colder. Varlek! Erika shouted before Varlek woke up violently. Seiken hadnt heard anyone wake up that violently like Varlek did. The way he woke up sounded like he was being the target of an exorcism. When he finally calmed down, he noticed the mist. So its time He said and grabbed the staff in his hand before attaching it to his back in a little strap he carried. Time? Iriya said and took a step closer Varlek. The mist will show us the way. Though, we need to move quickly! From the moment the mist appears in these parts of the forest, it is only a few moments before the ferry departs. Erika said before quickly fetching the little satchel he had kept attached to her belt. Seiken had detached the scabbard with his sword earlier that evening, but had put it back on now. His gem glowed in a faint yellow light as he could see the mist sweep gently over it. Iriya had picked her bow up from a nearby tree it was resting against and took her quiver on her back. The four of them was ready to move. With a dash, they started sprinting forward and down the path the mist came seeping in. It wasnt long before the trees cleared up and they could see the river. They couldnt see the boat straight away, but when they got closer to the edge of the river, it appeared just before their eyes, almost like a ghost. So This is it, huh? Seiken said and swallowed hard. Erika who was the only one that had seen the ferry before nodded at Seiken. Varlek snorted and grunted. How do we get on? Iriya said, not seeing anywhere they could board the ferry from that side. The ferry was a ghastly looking ship that was very long. They stood on the beginning of the river, and by looking down the river they couldnt see the end of it due the mist. The ship itself wasnt that wide. The four of them stood beside each other in front of it and they saw four more of them could easily be placed next to either of their ends and still not be at the same length of the ferry. With several cracked windows and a gloomy light being cast over it due the strange mist, the boat floated silently in the dark waters that Seiken couldnt see the bottom of. The lights on the both sides of a door on the deck they was looking at, glowed with a faint blue light that made the ship look even ghastlier. We dont have time to look for a way on the ship. Use your agility! Varlet shouted and took a few steps backwards before charging and leaping onto the deck. His feet slammed the frail wood with such force that the ferry rocked gently in the waters. The sound of his weight hitting dark-river.jpg the deck rushed through the boat and the sound of a glass breaking from behind the door was heard. Iriya, Erika and Seiken followed by doing a little leap themselves, but not making nearby as much ruckus as Varlek. Ok We made it. All we need to do is survive till we reach the lake near Shana. Varlek said before pushing the door open with the non-spiked end of his staff. The old door made a cracking noise as it slid open. The round window that was in head-height was all cracked and as it went against the wall on the inside, shattered pieces of glass over the floor. Varlek went first ahead, holding his staff up to his chest. Seiken followed shortly after with his sword in his hand. Erika and Iriya stood back, wanting the guys to check if it was safe to enter. Come on, girls Varlek said cockily and looked around inside. The inside of the ferry looked like a pretty wagon, but with benches on both sides along the wall, much like a church. In the middle along the midway, a long red carped laid on the floor. The walls was covered with paintings and unlit lights. The paintings was pretty, much alike those that hang in Iriyas mansion. However, these paintings seemed more eerie. Two of the paintings illustrated two men being decapitated by naked women while another one was illustrating a man eating his own guts that hang out of his open belly with a knife and fork. Erika had finally moved inside now, only to raise her fists. She was adept in martial arts and knew how to deliver a fatal kick with her feet or a concussion blow with her fists. Iriya stood still outside, looking in at the others as they was looking around inside. She almost tripped over as the boat suddenly moved a bit. The sound of iron hitting wood was heard and the boat freely floated down the river. The moment the boat started moving, the forest turned into darkness. It reminded Iriya much about the night sky as the only thing she could see was the pitch black darkness and small sparkling spots around her. She thought it was pretty at first, but then she thought she could see something appearing around the small sparkling spots. White masks appeared out of nowhere. They seemed emotionless but slowly moved towards her. They had appeared all around her, perhaps over a hundred of them. With a wheezing sound they gasped and groaned at her, sounding like tortured souls. G-guys! She said, totally crept out of it all before running inside to the others. They turned around and looked at Iriya. Whats wrong, Iriya? It seems like youve seen a ghost. Seiken jested and grinned while patting her on her shoulder a few times. Iriya turned around and pointed outside only to gasp for a moment and slowly lower her hand again. The masks had disappeared. I swear, it was white masks chasing me She said, only to lower her voice towards the end of her sentence, realizing how silly it all sounded. Masks? Varlek said and poked his head outside the door, looking around. Varlek didnt know what a mask was and therefore couldnt tell whenever he saw any or not. The masks did, however, not appear when he looked outside, leaving him to think that Iriya must have seen an illusion of some sort. Dont worry about it, we need to stick together. If we do that, well be fine. Varlek said calmly. Seiken found a lever on the far end of the wagon, just next to a red door made out of some sort of red fabric. It could remind one of pillows being sewn into the door the way the fabric bulged out. There was a window in the door too, all round and gloomy. It was impossible to see through, no matter how hard Seiken tried. He gave the others a little look and they looked back in approval to his. They took a few steps towards Seiken before he pushed the lever down with a light grip. The moment the lever went all the way down, the sound of a screaming man roamed the room and a little cabinet slid open. Inside was four swords nailed to the wall, a quiver of arrows, a bow and a pair of gloves with knuckles made of steel. The steel blinded Erika with the blue eerie light that suddenly shone through the door next to the lever as she approached them. Would it be Alright to take them? Erika said and looked at Varlek and then Seiken. Iriya was already eager to get the bow and arrows as the ones she had were rather flimsy and too fragile for any usage at all. Do whatever you want to do, but make sure everyone knows it and that youre very careful. We are going to be here for an unknown period of time, so lets not all go die at the first day, shall we? Seiken said and gave them both a little nod of approval to take the weapons. Iriya reached forth to take the quiver carefully while looking around to see if there was some sort of trap set up that would for instance drop a gate of blades down on her hands as soon she touched the quiver. Erika smiled a bit as Iriya was able to get the quiver without anything happening. As she was strapping her quiver on her back and fetching bow, Erika reached forth to the gloves. They were light to the touch, but felt very sturdy. Varlek looked at the swords and frowned a bit as he wasnt really fond of using blades in combat and sat down on one of the benches. Erika gasped a bit in delight as the gloves fitted her hands perfectly while watching Varlek sitting down. Her pleased gasp turned into a frightened one as the moment Varleks bum touched the bench he disappeared into a little cloud of smoke. Varlek! Erika said and reached for him with her hand. She lowered her hand slowly and bit her lower lip. We need to find him. Seiken said and looked at the door leading further in the ferry. Erika and Iriya nodded. Erika had only heard about the dreadful things that went on in this place at night and didnt dare the thought of what that might happen to her brother. Even though he knew how to defend himself, there was no telling what he could do to specters. Seiken opened the door roughly with his right hand, seeing his gem glowing faintly purple. What is this thing on about? It changes color like the rainbow. He said as he looked into the gem for a moment. The girls went ahead of him and into the next room where they found a banister to lean onto. Seiken looked up and into the other room where the girls were. The room was all lighted up by lights and almost blinded him as his eyes had gotten used to the darkness. As he took a few steps into the next room, his eyes widened. The room widened out several meters and as he looked over the banister, he and the girls was looking down into a large banquette hall. H-how is this physically possible?! Seiken gasped and looked around. The ship didnt seem this big on the outside and the river was far from that wide to being able to hold this ship. Look! Iriya said and pointed at one of the tables. Varlek was sitting in the middle of the table and was enjoying a large meal. There were several tables covered in white tablecloths and chairs all around them. The tables had the most delicious food standing on them, and on the chairs sat ghosts eating and enjoying the food. The ghosts seemed all to be wealthy men and women, and if Seiken hadnt known better, hed believe this was all a big rich mans party. Men in tuxedos, women in pretty dresses with jewelry hanging around their necks and butlers roamed the place. They were all transparent, but they didnt seem to know that they was dead. The table Varlek was sitting at was the largest. It was a long one with him in the middle. The ghosts around that table behaved as if Varlek was one of them and he did the same. W-what is this place? Whats going on!? Iriya said and looked at Erika and Seiken. Shh! Looks like something is about to start Seiken said and pushed Iriya a bit back when she tried to go down to the lower floor where the ghosts was. Few seconds after Seiken spoke to Iriya, the hacking sound appeared. The ghosts that were enjoying themselves suddenly stopped and looked around as if they heard the sound too. Varlek didnt stop but continued to eat from the delicious meal he was served. The lights along the wall slowly dimmed and the bright and clear room soon became gloomy and a bit murky. One of the women had placed her head on the table and the man next to her had come out of the kitchen earlier with a butchers knife. He raised it up and chopped the head off the woman. Erika and Iriya covered their mouths as they gasped while Seiken frowned and made a face. Only a moment later, the other ghosts started doing the same. Holy This is one big massacre! The men and women went around with knifes and axes, cutting each other up. The transparent blood was being shattered everywhere. Varlek! Erika said and jumped down over the banister and landed amongst the ghosts. Iriya and Seiken ran towards the stairs, but as they were to descend it, a blue barrier blocked the path. All they could do was watch. Erika ran towards Varlek whom was still eating and almost seeming to enjoy it all. However, on the halfway to him, she was stopped by a decapitated woman whom tried to slice her open with a knife. Erika held her hands out in both sides and took a deep breath and closed her eyes before opening them slowly, giving the woman a sinister look. She squatted lightly down before jumping into the air, spinning around and landing on the woman whose torso was twisted so hard that it broke open and got separated from the legs of the woman. Eh Iriya said, finding the whole thing grotesque. I might have put too much power into that twist. Erika said and punched a man coming towards her with a knife. Erika! Look! Iriya said and pointed towards Varlek. He had laid his head on the table as well. One of the nearby men came towards him with the butchers axe and had it up in the air. Seiken, do something! Iriya shouted and looked at him. Seiken had placed his hand on the barrier and was breathing heavily. Ill Try overloading it. He said and tried to focus energy in his hand. Erika seemed almost to be dancing there she was, kicking and punching everyone that approached her while slowly making her way towards the woman that was heading towards Varlek. Its Its draining me! Seiken suddenly shouted, trying to take his hand off the barrier. One could clearly see a purple aura flow from Seikens hand and disappear into the barrier. Iriya saw this and threw herself onto Seiken, hoping that the force of her weight would be enough to separate him from the barrier. Luckily, it was enough. Seiken landed on his back and smashed his right hand in the floor. A little cracking sound was heard on the impact. Iriya fell over him and landed against his chest. They both looked into each others eyes and blushed for only a moment before Iriya got up and shuddered. W-we should probably find some other way to help Erika Iriya said with a little smile and a bright blush across her face. Seiken nodded and got up. He looked at his gem from which he could feel an intensive pain coursing through his body. The gem had a crack on it and the string had appeared inside it. Dark-Purple smoke oozed from the crack and Seiken felt uneasy of the pain and a strange feeling that came rushing through his body. Are you alright? Iriya asked and supported Seiken a bit, seeing that he was troubled. It feels Like my body is burning up. He had a hard time speaking. He felt how droplets of sweat pour down from his forehead and how his vision became blurry. He looked at the barrier and held up his hand once more. And once again, the barrier tried to drain his powers. However, the moment the dark-purple aura connected with the barrier, it was shattered and a tremendous beam shot out of his hand. Seiken almost tripped backwards from the enormous power and used his other hand to support the overloading one. Aim for the ghost! Iriya said and pointed down at the one that was heading towards Varlek. The intense beam of dark-purple light was slowly but surely directed towards the ghost, destroying everything in its path. Oddly enough, the ship wasnt damaged at all. Erika breathed heavily as she stood in one of the corners, finally being able to rest a bit when Seiken backed her up. She wiped her forehead for sweat and sighed deeply while looking over at Varlek. He was still lying with his head there, waiting for the ghosts to come. As the last ghost was consumed by Seikens tremendous force, the lights in the room were lit again. Seikens magic just faded and it made him fall onto his knees. He was all exhausted and his body was hurting all over. Seiken! Iriya said and supported Seiken up, letting him lean onto her. Here, let me take you downstairs She helped him down the stairs that had a red carped going from the top and to the bottom. Along the walls was another series of eerie pictures which made Iriya shiver for a moment. She helped Seiken onto a chair where he sat and breathed heavily as she ran towards Varlek where Erika already stood. Varlek! Varlek! Snap out of it! She shook roughly by grabbing his shoulders, but he was still leaning over, head on the table. The food on the table had disappeared to Seikens big disappointment. He surely could use a bite right about now as damaged he was. Iriya He tried to say and reach for her with his hand. But he fell asleep instead due the exhaustion. While Seiken was asleep on the table, the lights suddenly went out again. When Iriya saw Seiken had collapsed, she ran to him and bit her lower lip, felling worried for him. Seiken She said quietly and watched him sleep. Oy, we need to gather them! In case we are getting company, it would be best to have only one place to protect! Erika shouted from Varleks table. Iriya and Erika helped Varlek to the table where Seiken lied to position them both in the middle, preparing for what might happen next. The room had a pair of stairs on the other side of the room where they came from, leading up to another door. Along the sides of the room were four doors on each side. All of them suddenly flew open and new ghosts came in. However this time, some of them were equipped with swords, maces, knives and forks. Some of the ghosts was less transparent than the others and almost seemed alive. Iriya took her bow and prepared herself. Ready for round two? She asked Erika whom held her fists before her, ready to take on her own side. Lets do this. Erika charged towards her side, kicking and punching everything that came in range. Her moves sent the ghosts flying into each other and even impaling some on others weapons. Erika charged towards her side, kicking and punching everything that came in range. Her moves sent the ghosts flying into each other and even impaling some of them on others weapons. Iriya hadnt started to attack yet, but was just watching the ghosts that moved towards her, almost like zombies. They were slow and seemed to have problems moving. Iriya looked at the floor where the dead ghosts laid. It didnt take long before those too started moving, slowly standing up and shaking violently for a second before moving towards Iriya. She took her bow and put an arrow on it. After allowing her lungs to take in a deep breath, she rapidly started retaliating. As she was breathing out after the inhale, she fired arrow after arrow into the ghosts heads, which pushed them backwards. When her breath was all out, she started breathing normally again, however, on each inhale, she took a quick moment to put some more force into the current arrow, something that made the thin and shard projectile shatter the skull it hit and pierce through up till two others afterwards. Erika was a bit curious about Iriyas fighting style and had kept looking over her shoulders now and then, checking her out. She grinned as she saw how fast her hands moved and how accurate her shots were. It was almost if they were homing towards their targets. The battle went on and the stream of ghosts seemed limitless. Iriya was almost out of arrows and Erika was on the verge of collapsing. Her breath sounded almost like a males the way she breathed, all exhausted. The ghosts groaned and moaned at them, walking slowly closer. What shall we do?! Erika said and looked at Iriya. Quickly, grab Varlek! Ill take Seiken! Iriya commanded and grabbed Seiken by the neck of his shirt. Erika grabbed Varleks staff and pulled him along with her. No matter what, he never let go of that staff. They ran upwards the stairs on the other side and looked down into the dining room. The stairs felt quite fragile as they dragged the boys up and leaned them against the wall. If I only had some of those explosives Iriya said to herself and thought to herself that she could take advantage of the shambling stairs. Erika went to the left stairs and sat down on the top. She roared, almost howled loudly and pressed down with her legs, managing to tear the stairs apart with one quick and powerful kick with her legs. The debris of the shattered stair fell down and made the way inaccessible to the ghosts. Iriya had on her side used the last arrows she had to take down the ghosts that ascended the stairs until Erika could come over and crush the stairs as she did with the first. She sat down again, and as a woman with two knives and a bloody apron, she kicked forth and tore the stairs beneath her feet. She looked up at Iriya whom looked down at her. They could both breathe out relaxed now before throwing a little look at the boys. Seiken had fainted due large reduction of magic over short time and Varlek seemed to have snapped out of the trance and was now asleep. We should look for a place to stay a few hours. Erika said as she breathed heavily. Iriya nodded. With neither of them having anything to fight with, they both agreed to that the idea of finding shelter for the night was appealing. Several hours later, Seiken finally woke up. He sat up and looked around a bit sheepishly. He sat in a bed in a little room. On the other side of the room was another bed and Iriya was sleeping in it. Between them, on the far side of the wall was a door leading out to a hallway. The ghostly light coming from a little round window illuminated the room in a ghastly way that sent him a shiver rushing down his spine. He tried to lay down for a bit but was interrupted by an intense pain in his chest. He supported himself on his right hand against his pillow. With big eyes, he looked over the gem. It was all fixed and no sign of the crack earlier was to be seen. All confused he shifted hands to support himself with so he could have a closer look. Did the string do this? Seiken said to himself and gazed into the dark purple abyss of the gem. Trying to lie down again, he was interrupted by another groan of pain. Nhh. Iriya rolled over and looked at Seiken. She had been sleeping till then but woke up by the noises Seiken made. Wha what happened? He asked curiously, looking at her. She sighed and was obviously happy he was alright. I think you overloaded your magic. You collapsed when the barrier drained your power Iriya sat up in her bed but covered herself up with her sheet. Varlek was fast asleep after the battle with the ghosts, so I and Erika dragged you here to two cabins where were going to take cover for a while. Seiken smiled bit, appreciating that Iriya took care of him. So They- Seiken was interrupted. Theyre at the other side of your wall in a cabin just like this. Iriya smiled. Seiken smiled back at her for a moment and sighed before it started to hurt in his chest again. He groaned and rushed his hands to his chest, making him fall onto the pillow with his head, groaning even louder. It hurts a lot, doesnt it. Iriya said calmly, looking at him. She had removed his shirt so she could more easily see if there were any wounds she could mend. Seiken nodded and sighed a bit. It hurts all over my body He stared into the wooden roof that had a little crack in it, granting him no vision of the room as there were no lights lit there. I think you should try to get some more rest. Iriya said while biting down onto her lower lip for a moment. Seiken sighed a bit, not enjoying the fact he was useless last fight. I guess Youre right. He sighed once more, but this time deeply. Perhaps so deeply that Varlek and Erika could hear him in the other room if they was listening. Seiken closed his eyes and tried carefully to roll over onto his side, facing Iriya. Thank you Seiken whispered, which made Iriya smile a bit. She got out of her bed and stood up on the fl