« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2020, 09:16:21 PM »
The Mountain Trek
28th of June - Early MorningIt's been a quiet day, yesterday. Quiet, in a sense that no dead, no attacks. But I was occupied with tasks and training.
Sir Ragnar has been helping me quite a lot in how to fight effectively against undead. I can wield my maul more confidently, yet not enough. Will it ever feel enough?
A friend of Sir Roland, called 'Red', bless him, has provided us all with platinum equipment! Free of charge, too. He hadn't asked for a dime, and was fast to provide them. I cannot be thankful enough. I feel safer.
I had some time to think while I spent most of the day picking necessary herbs and cutting down trees. My anger grew with each.
Nine people. Seven of them, stolen and converted. Two, killed. All innocent villagers. Cursed now, forced to be their slaves for all eternity, their souls in agony and in chains... unless, we get to them. Unless we free their spirits. Unless, we put an end to this. There can be more, many more. The night is bountiful and free for them to roam. Humans, weak enough to fall for their charms and spells. Why wouldn't they seek out more slaves?
My fear, is turning to anger. And that to ambition. I will, by all means, fight on. Won't fall for their threats. Won't lose hope. There is always another dawn. And we, have advantage. If we manage to find their coven, it is all over for them.
Lady Arshtat is calling for me now, I can hear her yelling from the door. We are to go out training, and exploring. There's apparently another Neureni ruin in the mountains, and even though the inn was possibly a distraction, we should check the place nonetheless.
29th of June - Before DawnOnce more. Once more we've been attacked. We had to retreat back to the Chapter House, their numbers were too great.
After writing my latest entry today, I went out to join Lady Arshtat and brother Mikeal on the investigation. The trek took long, and the weather got colder the more we climbed Mount Ghakis.
This place, as Arshtat explained, is swarmed by men from Invidia all the time to discover treasures, yet the undead, the dead of the Neureni keep rising to fight them. She said to expect much battle.
As we got closer, night fell. I couldn't see my surroundings well enough, and the frosty air was not making it any easier. We started looking for the path that leads down to a small grove then the cave of this place, but we just couldn't find it. Roaming mindlessly in the mountains, trying to find it, it was almost midnight. The long walk and this trek were starting to tell on me, my legs were giving out. I was not used to wearing my full plate armour for this long of a time.
As we were still looking for the path, I felt the presence of something. I could feel a pair of eyes on me, staring, judging, examining. It made me shiver, and I, panicking, started looking around. The others must've felt the same too, for they were now on guard. I lifted my chin up, squinted, the heavy and fast paced wind slapping my face and I saw him.
Marko von Khorvich. Up on the hill, with his arms folded, staring down at us. Even in that misty, frosty weather, his red glowing eyes were sharp and bright.
"What have we here?... Searching for something, are we?"
All of us were ready to just charge at him. I am not as brave as my comrades, my human heart fails me sometimes, yet I could find courage by their side.
"It was a clever plan now, wasn't it? You have to give us that... we made you protect that inn, while we comfortably moved on with our plans..." He chuckled, enjoying himself.
"Turning them all into your kind? Ruining the lives of innocents? You disgust me!" I screamed up at him.
Mikeal, seeing that I was angry and was lashing out, inched his way in front of me protectively in case Marko decided to attack.
"We will never let you get to her!" Shouted Arshtat.
"The Nightmaster... let's say... has many interests. She's merely one of them." Marko explained, rolling his eyes.
"The Old Inn was one of them. But that can wait. Those places, many of them exit. And they'll remain, long after your armour is rusted, and your forms are turned to dust."
"Good will strike you down, purge you from these lands!" Yelled Mikeal.
"Only the living suffer the delusion of faith. Here I stand before you, a true god. You'd be wise to just kneel and beg to join our family, really."
"You are nothing bu filth on the face of this earth!" I exclaimed, ready to charge forward.
His eyes turned on me, and he grinned. As if he was expecting that answer. Wanted to hear that.
"Then we shall take you by force."
It all happened so very quickly then. Wolves of night and dark flanked us, attacking from behind. Marko disappeared from our field of vision, and we were left alone with his minions.
The fight was brutal. The wolves were strong, they did not yield. If they did, more would come. We fought as much as we could but noticed we are not enough, they are overpowering us, and decided to retreat. As we ran, they kept on coming. Vampire spawns, fledglings, sorcerers were added to the whole bunch. Blood covered each of us' armours now, as we ran and swung at the same time. We had to get to the Chapter House. Call it however you might, perhaps we indeed ran like cowards. But I fear dying at the hands of them, would not just be death. We were face to face with being one of their slaves if we failed, so we had to survive.
Fighting our way, clearing the road, we managed to get to the Chapter House. They slowed down, and for a moment we thought we were safe. Nothing seemed to be around. Arshtat searched her bags to find the door key, while Mikeal was heavily knocking.
Then from the darkness, Marko attacked. He striked me, and landed quite the blow. It wasn't the bleeding wound that hurt, however, for I felt my breath being stolen, my being, my own very soul being drained. Before he could do more, Arshtat managed to hurt him so very badly in one swing, he had to retreat, dissipating into mist.
We entered the Chapter House, burnt out, panting, all covered in blood and wounded.
It is an hour after now, and I am in bed writing all this after treating my wounds and cleaning myself. There was nothing else we could do at that moment but retreat. I felt so helpless, so powerless. I need to get stronger.. not for me, no. If I die, that's quite alright. But I cannot let others die in my stead. They protect me with all they have, but I need to deserve that. I do not. Not yet.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2020, 09:22:49 PM by Marionétt »
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