NM Part 18

Daybreak once again banishes the lost souls back to their shadows and other hiding spots, the wailing and shrieking of the ghouls replace by the deathly stillness of the town once again. Though the sky has begun to take a rather ominous shade of crimson.

Rubbing at one corner of her eye, Alba looks to the window. THe sight of the blood-tinged sky earns a deep frown from the Viera, ears falling backward. "'Ware," she says, levering herself to her feet and slinking toward the packages at one table. "The skies are in a fell mood, this day. Like as not there shall be fighting, and soon." Plucking up a package, she tucks it under her arm, curved mythril dagger restles in her other hand. "Upon your feet, and quickly. I do not think we will have much time, this day."

Remi stayed close to the packages throughout the night, curled up next to the table, trying to get as much sleep as he could. But as Alba speaks, he cracks open an eye and wiggles an ear, before slowly rising to his feet. Covering a yawn for a moment before he nods at her, glancing over at the window as well, "... Yah. Plenty of fighting to do before we get out of here, I imagine." And he shrugs matter-of-factly, his emotions getting a bit stunted from all the stuff he's already been through, and reaches out to grab a package as well.

Marduke is already up and about making sure he has everything ready it seems. Muttering under his breath as he glances out the window and nods slowly, "The sky has tears of blood. It feels for the first time in a long time, and it is pain. We should move quickly, our time of day grows short before it even starts." PIcking up a package and holding his staff in the others heading for the door.

Ka'len rested some during the night, but frankly it's darker much longer than he needs to rest. The young man is ready though when the first light of dawn starts to brighten the sky. He blows out a breath and then whispers, "red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor take warning.." There's a little shake of his head then before he heads for the door and pulls it open as the packages are grabbed. His hand goes to the hilt of the blade and he motions to the door, "alright, lets get moving."

Sebastion hefts the package that he had decided to carry, and regards the rest of the group. It's prohibitively difficult for him to wield his weapon. He looks off to Marduke with an incredulous brow perk, but spares his words only a mild 'hmph.' He takes up the the back of the group, looking off to Alba, too. "It's the whole damned town," he mentions, "The longer we're in here, the more we do, the more dangerous it gets. Let's just go." He shifts the package in his arms so it's easier to carry. He's grumpy, from just waking up, it seems.

The streets are still and silent once again, though every sound seems amplified as you swear things still scurry in the darkened alleys and peer at your from behind the warded window shutters. A door on a sealed house occassional rattles as those it keeps contained test their bonds. The theater is found easily enough, though unlike the other buildings you've seen to this point this place has been ravaged and battered. The door hangs loose on a single hinge and the window shutters torn off, as though the building had been attacked repeatedly. It's interior isn't much better, felt-lined chairs are torn and overturned and the glass ticket booth shattered littering the floor with glass and ancient coins. The stage looms dark and empty at the far side, curtains tattered and stained. The orchestra pit filled with rusted and broken instruments. A single light seems to flicker up towards the ceiling hinting at somthing perhaps in the rafters, but no immediately evident way to reach it.

Alba's lips curl back from her teeth as the party scampers down the silent avenues, and by the time they reach the theater she seems ready to bite the shadows themselves. As they enter the main hall, she slows and crouches, peering between each row of seats, ears twitching left and right, angled up toward the rafters. "Oi. Minstrels," she calls, as the silence lingers, "we bring what was promised to you."

Remi keeps an eye out for trouble as he traverses the town, but doesn't seem as quite on edge anymore as before, perhaps getting used to the situation, or just too tired to really react with much fear anymore. Though as they finally reach the theater, he does perk up a bit, and carefully follows Alba inside, carrying his package. Letting his eyes wander across the interior, soon attracted by that light up ahead, headtilting curiously at it.

Marduke continues to walk forward once he enters the theater. Clearly making his way towards the stage and glancing around as he does so. A soft sigh escaping him with a shake of his head, "The pain here, in this town." Pausing as he glances at the stage, "We may have to open the packages. My money is still on the Work Unfinished, a production not yet done and these are part of it. Anybody here outside of Remi know anything about acting? This is just my hunch." Glancing up and noticing the light with a tilt of his head.

Ka'len steps in and then blows out a breath while pondering, "I wonder if the others got trapped in here when the darkness came," HE tilts his head and peers up towards the rafters as well, frowning a little while he keeps that sword in hand. He looks at Marduke for a moment and his brow lifts before he smirks faintly, "not formally.. still I don't think we'll know for sure til we open the packages." He nods to the three holding them before going back to looking around.

As it turns out, Sebastion is not someone who appreciates the fine arts. Aside from the mind-numbing terror that comes from walking through a town that has been trying to kill you for days, or is it weeks, now, he shows very little indication that he cares about the state of the theater. He walks around, though, at a slow pace. "There may be a specific room where we're supposed to take these. Actors should have dressing rooms, right?"

As you approach the stage there's a familiar tingle in the air and two of the blue shades appear on it. The first a man dressed as a bard or actor, the second clad in simple garb. The bard pacing the stage in a worried fashion. "What do you mean the costumes for the final act havn't arrived!? We've put this production off for three weeks and tonight we go on in front of the town magistrate and the ruling council! You tell that junk vendor we had a deal and I want those packages here before the final curtain raise, the show must go on!" The pair fade out once again, but not before the illumination from their summoning shows a partially-covered ladder at the back of the stage going upwards.

"I think that perhaps you may be correct, Shaman," Alba mutters, arching an eyebrow at the spectral fit being thrown. "There," she says, nodding toward the ladder. "I will climb; best if perhaps only one other does also, until it is known to be safe." Without waiting for an answer, she slinks toward the back of the stage, transferring her dagger to her teeth and beginning to climb the ladder, one-handed, yet no less swiftly for it.

Remi blinks a moment and watches those ghosts in silence, his ears wiggling a bit at their discussion. And as they fade again afterwards, he glances down at the package he carries, before watching Alba move towards that latter. Turning back to the others afterwards as he speaks up, "Prolly best if someone else who can fight up close follows her... Rest of us should maybe check what's in the packages meanwhile?"

Marduke watches the two shades, then sighs. Reaching to put a hand up to his head and shaking it, "I was really really hoping I was wrong, I have no acting skill. Still may be." Smirking a moment and glancing to the package he is holding and hmms, "Seems they may be costumes Remi." Moving to climb up onto the stage and following Alba to the ladder, but not climbing up it.

Ka'len nods in responce to Remi's suggestion and he looks at Sebastion then, "keep guard down here, alright?" He waits for a moment and then he sheaths his blade and starts to climb up after Alba, glancing up occasionally before picking up the pace so that he'll be up just a moment after she is.

Sebastion's brows raise as the blue shades appear. A smile shows on his face, for some reason or another. "Right, then." He looks off toward the ladder, and squints as the light fades away from it. He regards the rest of the group, and then Ka'Len. His brows drop again and he repeats, "Right, then," in a flat tone of voice. He looks off to the ladder and sighs, apparently relenting whatever made him discomforted about the plan. He finds a place to set down the package he's carrying, and considers it, and goes about trying to open it in a way that will at least leave the package viable for holding its contents, following Remi's suggestion.

The ladder leads to a platform lined with props and theater supplies, the light coming from around the edges of a doorway at the back of the platform. Many of the props are damaged and scattered about the floor, as well as several tattered copies of what is apparently the play's script entitled 'Three nights, two Chocobo, a Barrel of wine and You: A musical Love Story' Those down on the stage checking the packages note that they are indeed costumes for the play's final act. Fancy clothing for a man, a wedding dress, a Viking Helmet and fur vest, and a Chocobo suit. A further look around the stage area will reveal the backstage dressing rooms, but nothing of any real interest.

Alba plucks up one of the manuscripts, eyes widening as she reads the title, ears slamming against her head. Closing her eyes briefly, she lets out a deep sigh, knuckling the bridge of her nose. "All that is needed to perfect the day," she mutters sourly, gathering up the rest of the manuscripts, "is for the Moogle spirits to sing of our deeds in this place."

Remi blinks a few times as the packages reveal those costumes, and starts poking at one of them a bit before looking up at the others and asking, "... What do you think we need to do with these?" Though judging by his expression, he probably already figured it out, but wants the others to say it for him. A mild frown furrowing his brow.

Marduke points to the Wedding Dress and then to Remi, "I suggest if we have to wear these, you wear that." his voice very firm on that, "Because I doubt any of us want to deal with her, remember the moogling." He offers looking over the others and hmms, "Probably put on a play, we have six of us and four costumes. Lets see if we can find a script for all this and make sense of it. We need to make this work complete, which I fear..." Pausing as he looks to the wedding dress, "Putting on the play. I will direct." Moving over towards the ladder, "Any scripts up there?"

Ka'len follows after Alba and then he loks at one of the scripts before sighing, "shit... well you know that's going to happen. I'm inclined to think that Marduke was right." He looks down then takes a couple of the scripts from Alba, "c'mon before they decide on costumes and one of us ends up looking like something like a.." he looks at the title again, "giant... chocobo." He tilts his head to Marduke's call before heading back to the stairs and starting down. "Yea we've the scripts here, looks like some musical romantic comedy," the young man calls while continuing down.

Sebastion gives a very unhappy look at the costume, at least after the notion of them acting comes up. He turns to look at Marduke, and gives him the most baleful stare he can muster. He grumbles, making no objections other than looking like he hates everything. "Musical... romantic... comedy." There is nothing about that he does not dread. He sets the package down as if it were to suddenly burst into flames in his hands, carefully but with some urgency.

As Alba and Ka'len move to head back down the ladder there's an audible *Thud* from the other side of the door followed by cackling laughter and a repeated clanging sound. The laughter fades after a few moments but the clanging remains and the light around the edges of the door flicker and show signs of movement behind it.

Remi frowns deeply at Marduke, his cheek flushing a bit, as he responds in an incredulous tone, "... Why do I have to wear the dress? And why do you get to direct? You said yourself I'm the one with likely experience in acting and stuff..." The Bard grumping a bit as he looks down at that wedding dress and shakes his head... Though luckily, he's distracted right after by the sound of cackling laughter, his eyes shooting up to the end of that ladder, and his magic casting hand instinctively going up a bit.

Alba pauses at the sound of the cackling, whipping around to face the door and crouching low. "....To open or to not," she says, glancing over her shoulder Ka'Len's way. "Choose, swordsman. I would not act in haste, this day."

Marduke shakes his head over towards Remi, "And thus you have the hardest roll, for the best you see." Nodding at that and glancing around to the others, and jumping a bit at the sounds from behind the door. Standing up he taps his staff as he starts to chant, then offering, "best to open it, it will have to be done sooner or later."

Marduke shakes his head over towards Remi, "And thus you have the hardest roll, for the best you see." Nodding at that and glancing around to the others, and jumping a bit at the sounds from upstairs and the cackling. He shakes his head as he grabs his staff and starts to chant a bit, "Sounds like we may have trouble up there."

Ka'len freezes and he starts to climb back up the ladder before peering through Alba's legs at the door. He looks up at her then at the door then up again before muttering, "we get help, then we open the door." He sets the scripts he'd taken asside and looks down before issuing a sharp whistle, "gettup here guys, something nasty I think." And then he slips back up again and he pulls his blade while inching a little closer towards the door.

Sebastion hears a faint thud, but not the rest of the spooky sounds. He glances off toward the ladder, and then looks off at the others. He draws his sword when he notices Remi seems to be ready for a fight, but he remains near the package. Even if he hates it, it's important for his freedom and survival. Maybe. So he's gotta keep tabs on it. It's probably the chocobo costume, though.

"Within your own time," Alba says, voice rising faintly as she slides her package to one side and away rom line of sight to the door. "It is not as though we wait upon mad clowns to burst through a door and seek to murder us, after all of the fighting we endure before this day..."

Remi glances at the others a moment as Alba calls down to them, and then just quietly moves to the ladder to climb up, the argument about the wedding dress luckily forgotten for now. Quickly reaching the upstairs area, he moves to stand next to Alba and Ka'Len then, his hand raising to the door, palm out, while he takes a deep breath before asking simply, "Clown?"

Marduke is heading up the ladder as well, staff in hand. Eyes looking over the place and then the door. he offers a nod, "Whenever you are ready then, let us see what rest beyond the door for us." Holding up his hand and chanting as he cast Protect over on Alba.

Ka'len hesitates and glances at Alba for a moment before he makes a bit of a face in regards to her statement before shaking his head and moving forward again once again as the others, sans Sebastion, join them. Taking a breath then he suddenly moves forward to open the door with blade drawn.

Sebastion doesn't immediately see a door fly down or hear more shouting, and instead calmly lowers the sword. He shrugs, causing a clatter of his armor, and decides to climb up on stage and poke around, to see if he can't find anything of note at all up there. He does have a sword, after all. He steps over to where the others climbed up, but remains at the bottom of the stairs, warily watching the rest of the room as if something will pop out at any moment. "What's going on?" he inquires up at the rest of them.

The door opens it reveals a room light by one of the everburning lamps hanging from the ceiling. The clanging sound coming from a wind-up toy of a monkey beating a pair of cymbals together, though it stops abruptly as the door is opened. The room within is bizzare, papers cover the walls from floor to ceiling inscribed with arcane symbols and diagrams, though exactly what they are is hard to tell due to the multitude of smiley faces haphazardly painted across those in what appears to be blood. A mummified corpse lays on the floor, apparently having recently fallen from a chair it was propped up in, it's arms and legs torn off and tossed to the corners of the room and it's shriveled feature garishly painted like a clown's face in faded makeup. The rooms furnishings are scarce, a dresser and mirror on the far wall with various jars and vials on it and a book with several pages torn from it, the pages scattered about the floor.

Alba draws in a hissing breath as the door is thrown open, ears perking forward as the protective magics shimmer into focus around her. Narrowing her eyes, she steps forward, stooping to pluck a piece of paper from the floor. Her shoulders hunch, faintly, as she begins to read aloud the words scribbled on the page. "Those fools! Everything was almost perfect for the summoning of the master before that bloated cow Turner got greedy and didn't give me time to finish the preparations. The spirits got wind of what we were trying to do and sent an agent to put a stop to it. Now the Avatar is loose in town, the others are bound by some sort of spirit trap and the whole damn town is stuck is some kind of hellish limbo. I have to find a way out of here before this place kills us all!"

Remi blinks at the interior, and hesitates a moment, before he risks stepping inside just as Alba does, looking around himself, before his gaze falls upon one of those pages on the ground, and he reaches down to grab it. Frowning at the text, before he starts to read outloud as well, after Alba finishes, "It's been ten days, most of the town are either dead or twisted into those "things". This isn't how it was supposed to happen. He was supposed to come, not this Monster! My wards are holding for now but I can hear them outside the walls clawing to get in every night. The sounds of fighting are dieing down, the number of normal people left dwindle each day as the safe havens are being overrun one at a time. Each person that falls rises as one of these damned ghouls. It wasn't supposed to be this way." ... Lowering the page again to look at the others as he finishes.

Marduke steps up behind the group pausing a moment as if having a internal debate then shakes his head, "Why not." Moving into the room he bends over and picks up a paper, seeming at random if not for the fact his motions are very direct where he goes. He starts to read, ""I've found it! The spirit that came to stop the ritual left itself an exit from this forsaken hole. In the library, a doorway behind one of the bookcases. The only problem is it needs a key, the hole is thin and long, not a normal keyhole. Somthing must need to be inserted into it to activate the doorway. But what?" He pauses again as he rereads the paper for the first time, "This gives me a idea..." Not noticing anything else in the room yet.

Ka'len backs up a step as the door reveals the toy monkey. He turns his eyes to the walls of the room and shudders, but soon after Alba retrieves the page he tilts his head and then steps forwad as another one catches his attention. His lips draw downwards and he begins to read while at the same time slowly turning to glance towards the ladder down to the stage, "I am so close, so close! My divinations have shown me what I need, a sword. The sword from one of the Champions that cursed sow had slain before the ritual. A blessed weapon last seen in the hands of that fool Ranger Marlon. When the sun rises again I will head to the estate and rip it apart if I have to to find that blasted sword! I just pray my wards will hold for this final night."

Sebastion listens to them speaking aloud upstairs, reciting the fate of whatever transpired here. A look of comprehension passes over his features. Before they even finish, he looks down to the sword. He examines it with a new fascination, and then his brows lift as it gets to Ka'Len's words. An amused chuckle rolls out of him, and he calls up at them, "We already have the key!" He sounds entertained now, and astounded by the idea. "I feel like an idiot, now," he muses aloud. "Of course it would be important for our freedom."

Alba blinks sharply, shaking her head and giving her paper a second look, brow furrowing. "The sword... is the key...? Hmn..." Glancing at the others, then over her shoulder, the Viera raises an eyebrow. "What is the greater wish? To murder Father Antlion, or to leave this benighted village?"

Remi arches his brow a bit as he thinks on what was just read... And then looks over at Alba with a bit of a blink, answering her, "Uh, I think I'd rather leave, myself... The next party of hapless adventurers can deal with father antlion." And with that, he turns away from the room, and heads back towards the ladder at a jog, just wanting to get back to Sebastion and the key, now.

Marduke shakes his head slowly at that, "No, I am not sure the sword is the key. The metal plates we are collecting is more likely." Reaching up to tap his chin and frowns all the more, "No, this is wrong something is nagging at me. Something Bob said." he offers, "That he became trapped in his own madness, killing each one releases part of the lock on him, pieces to a puzzle." Eyes looking to Remi with a faint smile, "And set him free on the world? As much as I want my freedom, I will not stand for that personally."

Ka'len looks back at the room for a moment and then the page before he lets it fall. "Part of me agrees with Remi, part of me doesn't though. These people are trapped and twisted. If we leave we'll take the escape with us and who knows how many more deaths will happen. And those deaths, those new deaths.. they will be blood on our hands. Don't know about you guys, but, I don't want the blood of innocents on my hands. I say we stay and we beat the spirit be damned clown down." He turns to grab the scripts and start back down the ladder.

Sebastion looks down at the sword, and goes silent. A conflicted look on his face if anyone ever saw it. He looks off toward Remi as the bard approaches, brows raised. He frowns, briefly, as he hears the opinions differing between them. He reaches up to rub over the back of his neck, and back down at the sword. He looks off toward the exit. And he turns to start walking. He's not going to stand around discussing it, it seems like.

Alba looks from Remi, to Marduke, to Ka'Len, and shrugs. "It would seem the greater number desire to slay the creature. I care not either way, but it will be good to watch this village burn." Turning, she heads back toward the ladder, pausing to scoop up her package. "...Though I believe Remi held the greater share of wisdom."

Remi pauses at the top of the ladder and turns back to the others to frown at them, looking unhappy as he seems to think for a few moments, and then shrugs with a loud sigh, "... Well, I didn't figure it'd follow us or anything. I wanted to just slip out and keep it locked in behind us. We could have maybe figured out something to do back home... Come back with more people or something..." And he shrugs a second time then, before adding, "But fine, we'll stay then." And he prepares to climb down the ladder, not noticing yet Sebastion is leaving.

Marduke doesn't leave the room yet, his eyes wondering over papers along the walls. His face going more and mroe pale as he mutters, "By the third principle here, the square within the circle here, followed by the motion of..." Trailing off as he mutters arcaiac words here and there slowing down as he takes his time and then starting to curse, "By all that isn't sane in this place!" Turning he lands a kick right at the mumified corpse, "YOUR THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!" Glaring at the corpse, "This here!" Motioning to the papers along the walls, 'Is a massive summoning ritual, sacrificing all the lives here to create a permanant summoning. Aligned with insanity or madness."

Ka'len follows after Remi and he half smiles then gives another to Alba before Marduke's sudden yell causes him to spin around. He blinks for a few moments and then jogs over to the door to peer into it, not entirely wanting to be inside of that room, and then he mutters, "Seems like a reason they would want to get at this room." He shudders and glares down at the mummified remains before looking around the room, "Marduke, can you see a way to end the spell?"

Sebastion glances over his shoulder as he hears the shout from where he is closer to the exit, not stopping in his gait. He considers his chances, looks at the sword, still frowning pretty hard. He can't get caught up in this mess, and... if his Master found out he helped a bunch of adventurers /kill/ an avatar of Madness, well, he might end up ... worse for it. Once he heads out through the door, left open like before, he turns and tries to run to the library as fast as he can go.

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