NM Part 12

The hellish Blacksmith has fallen, it's blackened Skeleton turning to dust before your eyes as the group is left to survey the damage. The small house is missing a wall, the smith having crashed through it when it manifested. The stairway leading back to his... collection.. remains intact. Ka'len still lays by the shattered anvil after having been hurled against it during the fight. Alba picks herself off the ground, running a hand over the thin, bloody cut she'd made on her belly. The wound, like her bruises, glimmers white and begins to close, and with each step she takes toward the fallen swordsman, it's clear that some of her strength returns with it, a bit at a time. "Swordsman," she says, kneeling next to Ka'Len and resting the back of her hand to his forehead. "Hoi, swordsman. Awake, and let us be about our task, ahn?"

Remi drops his hand in silence as the Blacksmith is defeated, the orange glow around the Bard's palm slowly fading. Catching his breath some as he looks around, surveying the damage, and making sure everyone is alright, his gaze soon falls upon Ka'Len... And he follows Alba at a jog then, ending up crouching next to the swordsman as well, and after a moment of looking worried, raising his hand to hover a few inches above him... Starting to conjure up a faint, green glow, "Um, here, this might help... Hopefully..." [Cure]

Marduke leans into his staff catching his breath for a moment. Glancing to Remi and offering a smile, "Excellent work there Remi, very nice fireballs." Then reaches for the book as he flips through and shakes his head closing it back up, "Hmm this still feels like a Family Undone. The question is what do we do next?" Glancing around and then to the sky, lastly looking towards the hole leading to the coffines. "I suppose we need to go back down there and find which one belongs to the boy." He hasn't moved over to Ka'Len seeing how others are helping him, for now just catching his breath.

Sebastion frowns as the blackened skeleton fades away. His head slooowly tilts. "It appears he was powered by the ghosts of the children," he points out, knowing he's stating the obvious by the sound of it, "Abominable creature." He sheathes the sword, and turns his head, briefly raising his brows. He spots that others are tending to Ka'Len, so instead he heads off toward the building that the smith burst out of, curious about the contents of such a place.

Ka'len groans lowly as he feels the hand on his forehead. Slowly he starts to open his eyes as the healing energies start to surround him. The young man looks up at Alba and he smiles sillily, "but I don't want to go to school today.." He shakes himself though and blinks, his eyes focusing on her before he looks over at Remi. He blinks afew times and then everything snaps into place and he sits up suddenly and looks towards where the dust remains fromt he skeleton. Shaking his head a little bit then he blows out, "I'm ok.. thanks... um... not sure what happened there."

As Ka'len is tended to the contents of the house are investigated. In the rubble of the fallen well a scattering of the standard blacksmith's tools are found, hammers and tongs and other odd implements. The furnishings are simple, a bed and small dresser with a washbasin. Though the true feature that would grab the eye is the makeshift alter near the back of the room. Toys and other small items lay scattered on the floor around a small metal bowl, within the bowl rest two chess pieces, a black queen and bishop. Also are found another small fragment of bone, and another of those bronze wedge-shaped pieces.

"You were struck," Alba says, rising and holding out a hand to help the swordsman to his feet, nodding her thanks to Remi, "and you hit the anvil, before the ground. Learn this lesson," she says, with a brief upward flicker of the corner of her mouth, "if you must take air, 'ware that your landing is not interrupted." Looking over her shoulder at Marduke, the Viera lowers an ear, once, a gesture something akin to agreement. "Hoi, warrior!" She calls to the house, "what do your eyes see within?"

Remi takes a moment to look Ka'Len over, making sure he's entirely alright, and then pushes back to his own feet as Alba helps the swordsman up, quietly stating, "No worries. Glad you're ok." Turning to Marduke then, he faintly smiles, as much as is appropiate considering the situation, and answers, "I have a good teacher." Before he looks over at Sebastion... And then wanders over to join him, to see what he might have found.

Marduke peers at the house but doesn't approach, leaving it to Remi and Sebastions for now. Chanting a few words he is holding a controlled ball of fire, "Let me know what you find in there. I am heading back down to find the coffine we need. I really hope..." Cutting himself off, "we don't have to open it. We may have to carry the remains back to the house." Shaking his head and looking over to the others, "Would be more gracious if at least one person joined me down there." Turning to head down the stairs.

Sebastion advances to pick up the chess pieces, giving a soft 'hmm' noise as he does so, looking over the setup. He stuffs the chess pieces away where he usually puts them. He calls back out at Alba, "There's a ritual altar here, it would be easy to surmise it was used for whatever process turned him into that monster!" He spares a glance to Remi, and gestures at the altar, brows raised. "More of these objects we've been finding, too!" he adds, in his shout out to Alba.

Ka'len's hand reaches up to rub his temple as he pushes up to his feet with Alba's assistance then murmurs to both she and Remi, "thanks.." He pauses then grins a little at Alba, "right, and hitting the anvil is never a wise thing unless it is with a tool and not my body." He smiles ruefully before looking offotowards where Sebastian has gone. Looking towards Remi then he mutters again, "thanks for the healing.." He looks to Marduke then and blinks a little bit before muttering, "right.. coffin.." A face is made and he looks to Alba, "shall we?"

The Bone fragment and metal wedge still lay with the alter unclaimed. Those going back down the stairs will be greeted to the site of the rather morbid tomb once again. Given more time to look it over there are 15 of the tin coffins resting in alcoves in the walls, with room for another 10. A stack of empty coffins rests against the far wall, showing that the Smith had fully planned to finish his collection. It doesn't take long to find the appropriot casket, the name "James Marlon" inscribed on the side. As the group takes stock of the situation an ominous rumble of thunder echos through the otherwise silent town, the air growing thick and humid.

Alba looks from house to hole, and nods to Ka'Len and Remi. "Go. Join the shaman. I shall assist the warrior." With that, the Viera turns and lopes toward the shattered house, glancing from bowl to Sebastion, eyebrow rising. "Another piece of metal," she murmurs, moving to the altar and taking up wedge and bone fragment. "...And memories for the skull. Ahn. This is all, then?" At the rumbling of thunder, she glances outside, eyes narrowing. "...We must hurry. Come." And without another word, Alba slinks out through the gaping rent in the shack, toward the stairs.

Remi peeks down into the bowl, and seems about to pick up the wedge, when he looks across his shoulder at Alba instead. Nodding some at her then, he starts to wander back to join Ka'Len and Marduke... Looking slightly apprehensive for a moment as he pauses at the top of those stairs, before taking a deep breath and heading down. His ears perking up at the thunder above as soon as he's halfway down, which doesn't seem to help his mood much. But at least he doesn't turn tail and run, instead set on helping Marduke with that coffin as best he can.

Marduke runs his hand over the coffin as he considers. Then shakes his head, "Were going to have to carry this up. I got the light for now, unless somebody else can make it. We need to get moving.' Glancing to the stairs, "The weather is turning back, fast. Not natural I don't think." Stepping back to get out of the way and hold the light up so people can see as best he can.

Ka'len moves after Marduke, the caskets examined while the young man frowns to himself. He shakes his head a little and then whispers, "so glad that Mordecai isn't here." He shakes himself then looks at Remi and Marduke before he moves to help with the casket, "I'll carry... lets.." He stops and blinks at the thunder before frowning, "right lets get moving." He lifts half the casket, once the other side is taken, before starting for the stairs. "Right let's get moving then."

The items are stowed, the coffin is brought to the surface just as the rain begins to fall. A flash of lightning illuminates the town casting twisted shadows in every direction as a bolt of crimson lightning lances from the sky to strike a nearby building. The roof implodes from the impact and the windows are blown out throwing glass and wooden shards into the air. More significantly the boards covering the door are jarred loose and fall to the ground... carrying with them to wards that were inscribed along thier surface. There's an audible scraping sound as dark shapes move in the shadows beyond the now missing windows. Bob drifts around the area twisting and turning "Ooohhhh notgoodnotgoodnotgood.. RUN!"

The skull turns and begins to head back down the street "No time to get to the Marlon estate, gotta get back to the Inn. It's the closest safe haven. Gogogogogo!!!"

Alba's head snaps toward the sky as the clouds flash crimson, ears slamming against her head. Having little use for the Spirits in her day to day life, the Viera finds herself sorely lacking for whispered curses or entreaties, covering her loss with a simple, sharp exhalation. As the wards begin to fall, and dark things stir in the house, no breath is wasted; indeed, the Sandsea hunter seems to think Bob has the sitation pretty well covered, reaching out a hand to scoop the skull from the air as she passes, tucking Bob next to her ribs and pouring on the speed. "TAKE THE COFFIN AND RUN!!" her parting words.

Remi tries to help Ka'Len with the coffin for a moment... But finds himself struggling a bit, the slender lad not particulary strong. Looking at Marduke then with a bit of a grimace, he speaks up, "Um, you're bigger, you help carry please? I'll guide." And with that, he waits for the summoner to take over for him, before he starts to guide him and Ka'Len up the steps... And as soon as he reaches the top step, all hell breaks loose. The Bard wincing and covering his face with one arm as lightning strikes and glass and stuff goes flying everywhere. Lowering that arm again afterwards to stare at those dark shapes with wide, scared eyes... And seeing Alba run, he calls out down to Marduke and Ka'Len, "We gotta run! Please hurry!" While raising his hand to provide cover fire if needed...

Marduke gets out of the hole and glances around. "Run, yes run!" Turning he starts off towards the inn heading bobs advice clearly. Pausing as he glances to Remi, "Just until Sebastion catches up, he is far stronger then I am for that" Though he isn't going to wait, time is not a friend right now. "Hury along now!" Glancing to Ka'Len, "Lets get moving!"

Sebastion hears the call that they should start running like hell. And then he starts doing just that. He doesn't say a word, the moment that the word goes that they should, he breaks into the fastest run his body and his equipment will allow, momentarily sparing a glance to Marduke and the others, but otherwise more concerned with escaping the possibility of horrible mauling in the streets of a ghost town.

Ka'len starts to make a face at the rain, once they reach the top of the stairs and start towards the door, but the flash of lightning causes the casket carrying young man to jump a little. The fire and the blown out building wards is what next draws his attention. As Alba grabs Bob start to book it back towards the inn the young man starts to move faster as well, attempting to jog once they're out of the smithy and at the same time not drop the burden he and Remi, wait no make that Marduke, are carrying between the two of them. Though he spares a glare at Sebastion's back as the swordsman takes off.

As the group runs as though hell itself is on thier heels they can see several buildings have suffered a similar fate as the first.. and grants them thier first glimpse at the creatures the wards have been holding back. They had to have once been normal people, clad in tattered clothing ranging from gaurdsmen to housewives. Thier skin is pale and wrinkled, hanging off thier frames. Eyes are hollow and sunken into thier sockets, pure black in color. When the group is spotted one opens it's mouth to shriek at them, revealing a crimson glow eminating from within. The clothing styles are varied, ranging from the ancient to more modern styles.. you swear you might even recognize one or two of them from the airship. The lost souls begin to give chase, at least a dozen at the moment as the shrieking will undoubtedly call more.. the Inn still seeming so far away.....

Alba skids to a halt as the first of the sunken-eyed horrors shamble out of ruined and blasted doors, eyes widening. "Bob," she mutters, waiting for the lugged coffin to close to within two strides, before taking off again, "if there is no means to hold these creatures at bay now that they are loosed, we both shall be very unhappy." As she makes a wide circuit of the lane, her purpose becomes clear; Alba isn't so much heading for safety, as making herself an elusive and attractive target for the shrieking dead; better for attention to stay on the nimble and quick, than the slow and encumbered.

Remi runs and runs... But even as fear drives him on, his wide eyes shooting to one shambling ghoul to the next, he makes sure not to get too far ahead. Staying only a bit ahead of the two with the coffin, not wanting to leave them to some horrible fate if they end up lagging behind... But even so, his fear is still powerful enough to spur on the 'fight' part of his 'fight or flight' instinct as well. And as he moves, he starts snapping out his hand towards some of those monsters, blasting bright orange fireballs at them to hopefully keep them at bay a bit longer.

Marduke glances to the buildings at they pass them and goes a bit more pale. Eyes glancing around and shaking his head, "Keep Running!" Is all he offers and glances foward again to watch where he is going, some how managing to keep the metal casket up for now. "If somebody wants to grab this I can try a distraction." Eyes looking around and finding Sebastions passing them and blinks, "I... keep running!"

Sebastion doesn't spare any glances to the creatures they are to run from. The wide-eyed soldier only gives off the sound of his efforted breathing and the loud clatter of his armor. He's certainly trying to run as fast as he can, with only his scarf trailing out behind him. Well, it's obvious this experience is scaring the hell out of him, no more mild reaction out of this guy!

All he wants to do is run. To run and never stop running til he's away from these... things. For the better though Ka'len has entirely forgotten to drop the casket while he runs with Marduke. From the man there are no yells, just a low mantra of 'shitshitshitshitshitshitshit' as he keeps struggling onto the safety of the inn.

Alba's live bait trick pulls a few from the growing group, while Remi's fireballs force a few more to retreat back to the shadows only to emerge again a few moments later. Marduke begins to lose his grip on the coffin in the rush and is forced to slow up to keep from dropping it, which slows Ka'len as well who is unable to pick up the slack, it appears the pair may be overrun by the oncoming mob... As the shambling ghouls begin to close in there's a crack and the sound of energized air as a lightning bolt thunders down the street from some point ahead of Alba and blasts into the oncoming mob. As the group rallys to continue it's run a pair of the blue shades appear in the street in front of them, walking towards the lost souls. The man and woman holding hands, raising thier free hands and unleashing another dual blast of lightning into the mob to drive it back, reducing several of them to smoldering husks. The pair almost look familiar...

With the distraction of the ghostly mages driving back the lost souls the Inn is reached as the storm begins to truly rage, the coffin hauled inside and the door shut and barred giving the group time to recover from the latest ordeal.

Dash left. Run. Leap right. Run. Run. *Run.* As Alba's gambit begins to pay off, the Viera allows herself a momentary sigh of relief... Coupled by a truly hate-filled stare at Sebastion's retreating back. The slipping coffin forces her to redouble her efforts, hurtling back and forth and between the bard's fire blasts, leaping over the shades without pause, as they stride into her path. Rolling on impact, she hurls herself to her feet, sparing but a single backwards glance at the ghosts, ears pricking slightly as the lightning roars through the ranks of the screaming dead. "Shaman! Swordsman! MOVE!!" It's not until the coffin is in the Inn, that Alba feels it safe enough to follow, slamming the door behind her.

Remi glances over his shoulder long enough to see Marduke and Ka'Len struggling... And he actually slows down a moment then, reaching out to try and push the coffin firmly onto their shoulders again, before he shouts, "Ruuun!" And lets loose another couple of fireballs at those ghouls... Blinking them as the nearest ones are turned to smolders by a loud blast, and ever so briefly glancing at his hand in surprise. But that doesn't last long at least, as he notices the two blue shades next, and stares at them wide-eyed even as he keeps moving... The Inn finally coming up next, and the Bard almost leaping inside to safety. Landing in a crouch and catching his breath, looking tense, and almost a bit feral for a moment.

Marduke stumbles and slows down to get his grip back on the casket. Grunting as he does so, "Damn it." Fingers getting slippery from the wetness but soon he is picking back up the pace not once looking behind him. Not wanting to know just how close those creatures got it seems. Eyes going wide as he notices the ghostly figures helping them, and a touch of a smile before dashing into the inn, setting the casket down carefully and finding a wall to slump agianst to catch his breath, "That was..." Shaking his head with a groan, "The two we helped, the ones in love...I think" Taking a deep breath, "Allies." Closing his eyes and seeming to zone out for a moment.

Sebastion gets into the inn, stumbling to a halt, and nearly bowling himself into a wall as he staggers to stop himself from running quite so quickly. And then he leans over and places his hand on a wall, and wheezes into the scarf, sparing not a single word toward the others, the burst of a sprint having tuckered the young, haggard soldier out more obviously than any running had before.

Ka'len's mantra continues even as Remi helps them. There's a little bit of a nod and Ka'len struggles with his hold before shouting to Marduke, "hold on there.. we're almost there, we're almost there.." He doesn't spare a glance for the spirits, just the horrors surrounding their small band which quickens his pace. When finally they run into the inn and the door is slammed behind them he drops the coffin with a definate thunk and then slips to his knees, panting while clutching his chest. He looks up at Sebastion afterwards and then looks around for something before just dropping back to his back on the floor, "goddamn it.."

Alba pushes off the wall, scraping a rivulet of sweat from her brow. Slinking up to stand -- mostly, at least, as the Viera still seems to be catching her breath -- behind Sebastion, Alba clears her throat, once. "....Warrior." Her voice is low and raspy, her baiting antics costing much, in terms of energy. "...From this moment forth... there is no patience. You be of aid to us, that all survive this madness. Or you *never sleep again,* for should you abandon us once more, I will slit your throat as you sleep, and I will smile. And we shall see if the creatures will find your corpse enough to sate themselves."

Remi lets himself fall back, slumping onto the floor in a similar fashion as Ka'Len... And he just closes his eyes for a few moments then, seeming to quietly collect himself... Before one cracks open as he hears Alba's voice, his ears perking a bit as well. And he then tilts his head up to watch her and Sebastion then, worry mingled with some curiousity, as he grimaces lightly at their interaction. Glancing to Marduke and Ka'Len next.

Sebastion straightens up, and gives a hard stare to Alba. It's an extended stare that reminds focused on her the entire time she speaks. And then he motions with a very slow raise of his hand, his breath still heavy, his voice even tired, "No one is dead." He lowers his hand. "I panicked. I'm sorry. I heard Bob, and I started running, and that was it. You saw those things out there." He points out with his fingers vaguely to the side. "I am slower than everyone in this group, and my strength would not have made one lick of difference. My sword has failed to work on the shades every time. The woman in the house threw me like a piece of balled-up paper, the blacksmith took the sword like he was made of stone. Killing me would serve no purpose beyond satisfying your sick desire for retribution and turn this into another tragedy, and make this group one person smaller. It was not as if I bodyslammed them into a crowd of shades." He throws up his hand when he reaches that last part. "Please get the hell out of my face."

Ka'len's eyes remain closed for a few long moments and then he sits up. He doesn't say anything about Alba's threat nor does he respond to Sebastion either for the moment. Instead he looks towards the door silently and then he turns back around to face his crewmate and Sebastian with a scowl, "Enough. We've got the coffin. What was found inside the smithy residence? We're stuck here for a while, lets hope not indefinately, so we might as well check out what is available to us."

Bob coughs and floats back into the air when Alba finally lets go. "Ugh.. wet Viera.. how the heck am I still able to smell anyway?" The fury of the storm rages outside, that all too familar sound of the lost souls outside clawing at the walls, the occasional shriek still echoing through the thunder and lightning. "Well folks I'd settle in for the night. Might still be some wine behind the bar, if I could still drink I think I'd be hitting the bottle right about now. Place is just getting weird." He seems oblivious to the tensions in the room, just floating about lazily.

Alba holds Sebastion's gaze a moment longer, dark eyes hard. "Your strength would have made much difference in the carrying of a coffin, warrior. Be glad that it did not make *all* the difference." Finally, she looks away, holding up the bone fragment between two nails of the hand that was still free. "Bob. Come. We have found more of your memories."

Remi watches the standoff for a moment longer... Before he gives a very slight nod of agreement to Ka'Len, and then pushes himself to his feet. Trying to catch a peek of the fragments Alba is carrying next, while he speaks up, "Yah... I'm curious what secrets you hold, Bob." The Bard looking at the floating skull a moment, and then just giving a tiny shrug, "Also, someone should make a fire or something, so we're at least warm tonight... And do we have any food?"

Marduke wakes up it seems from a short rest glancing around and sighing softly, 'We are alive, that does matter. I am stronger then I thought I was, but sore." pushing himself up on the wall, "Wait memory?" Moving back to a closer seat so he can listen, "And everybody ok?" Pulling up the book to check through it real quick.

Sebastion makes a mild grumbly noise as Alba departs, and turns with a laggy step to find somewhere to rest against. He decides to slump down in a corner of the room, and holds his sword in one of his hands, holding a miserable stare out into the air. He shrugs at Marduke's inquiry, though that little squabble with Alba was about all the verbal communication he had left in him for the night.

Ka'len tilts his head to Alba and ponders before looking at Sebastion, "you too when into the house, did you find anything?" He waits for a few moments then registers mention made earlier about some wine and starts looking for that.

Bob floats over and turns so Alba can insert the bone fragment to patch one of the holes in the back of his skull. The cracks sealing over just like before as light shines from his eyes and he rises into the air again. "In the months before the ritual the Avatar of chaos granted his chosen minions visions showing them those who would stand and fight as champions in the name of order when the time came, and so the crone began to plot to be rid of them. Some were simply slain, but others needed more creative solutions. All men have thier weaknesses and the Crone was skilled at finding them.. perhaps a child, or a loved one, or a prized object... she found thier obsessions and vices and turned them against those who would be champion, so that when the time came they were caught unaware of what was happening until it was too late. And so the Avatar of order stood alone against Chaos and it's minions." The light fades and Bob drifts down to rest on a table. "Whoa.. what was I saying again?"

Several bottles of wine and a stash of seemingly edible dried meats and wax-sealed cheeses are discovered in the Inn's Kitchen. More than enough for at least two weeks of supplies.

Alba listens intently to the tale, nodding slowly as the voice reveals the history of this forsaken town. "You tell us the tale of the village's damnation, Bob," she murmurs, as the skull comes to rest on the table. "A fell story it is... One that perhaps we would do well to heed." Letting out a long, deep breath, she slumps into a chair, drawing out her other prize; the brass wedge. "Other trinkets such as this we have found, yes? Perhaps we would do well to see them all, now."

Remi blinks at Bob, and stays silent for a few long moments after the skull tells its tale... And then he starts looking at the others, from one to the next, and frowns a bit... Before speaking up, "I guess that makes us the new champions, somehow. Have to pick up the pieces... That, or we gotta free the spirits of the ones who were supposed to fight this evil anyway... I mean, we all saw the two ghosts out there, right? If we could get a few more of those to help..." And he trails off some, and then shrugs.

Marduke just closes his eyes and listens quietly to the tale and sighs fotly, "Interesting." Is all he offers, and then goes to stand up to get some food, "Anybody hungry? I am after that, and we need to watch that cakset until morning, we head back to the house after ok?" Moving back to his seat with a sigh, "Long day."

Sebastion turns his head lazily to observe Bob during the tale, and then shrugs again, and turns his head off toward Marduke. "A small piece of cheese," he replies to Marduke, "I believe it would be fair if I get less rations as I seem to have tightened tension for the group." He looks off toward Alba, as if to see what reaction that would garner out of her.

Ka'len stops, listening with the cork from a bottle of wine perched in his teeth. He considers and then finshes uncorking the bottle. Spitting the cork out into his hand he takes a drink and nods to Remi before offering the bottle to the next closest person while he pulls out the metal pieces he'd collected and offers them to Alba. "There you go.. and yea, I think your right Remi. I think we're freeing the spirits of the champion's so they can fight on the same... hmm plane? I think that's the right word, as those things haunting this place."

"Eat what you need to retain your strength," Alba replies, taking the metal pieces with a nod. As the food is parceled out, she looks to the warrior, eyebrow rising. "I mean what I say, warrior. But this does not mean I wish for you to starve. Only for you to work, as all work. Should you fail?" An ear flicks, and a shoulder rises in a negligent shrug. "Then try again. This is all, warrior. It is much I ask, and it is little. It is what is required to see that we live." That said, she pushes away from the table, taking up her share of the food. "Eat, warrior, and be strong."

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