Jeann was tired. She couldn't tell if it was from the workout or the constant strain the job placed on her, but either way it was an annoyance she wished she could've avoided. Her bones ached, her muscles screamed, hell, even her armor seemed to weigh more than a man. She wasn't even old, she was still in her prime age with all that entailed. But I'm still tired.
What Jeann was certain she was tired of the most, however, was watching friends die. As Alder raced towards the beast as it attempted its escape, she could feel the tug at her mind to dissascociate against his coming demise. He was going to die, like all the others. And she was going to survive, again.
I really am a monster, I've killed almost as many friends as enemies now. Her needless sense of chasing danger and intrigue had always perked the ears and minds of her friends. She made sure to plan for each possible danger, she'd even studied the patterns of the demons and monsters in the areas. She'd taken every possible precaution, yet somehow they still always seemed to die before her eyes. It was only a matter of time before it caught up to her and Albert. It was a miracle it hadn't already, but then again... Albert was different.
And now she'd caused the death of Alder, the only man from that accursed prison of education she'd actually gotten along with. He was her brother in arms, even if the man had little idea of the actual skill he'd managed to acquire.
And now he's dead.
Jeann looked up and peered through her fingers, trying to decipher the shadows being cast from the light at the center of the chamber. It was glowing a brilliant blue that seemed to pour from the depths of the world itself. She felt a burning, like being too close to a caster during a spell but much worse. Trickles of blood began to pool at her feet, but was seemingly absorbed into the center of the room moments later.
The room was filled with a screaming, a howling of dread and pain. It silenced all, even the sounds of rushing magic-heated energy splitting around her. The shield Gewels would keep her safe from the heat and from the sound, that was the beauty of the armor. She'd need to thank that man again when she went to tell him of Alders death. Poor boy would be hurt worse than anyone. I'll have to remember the spear. He'd want that back after all, no need in having personal tech getting out.
Suddenly, the screaming stopped and the howling light vanished, leaving the room in a strange glow of flickering candles that seemed almost alien after the brilliance of the previous. It was almost too dark in the room to see, but she made out the frame of a few figures supine on the floor. One had its head removed, the other was missing an arm.
"Alder?" She called. No answer.
The surrounding room began to move, almost every guard took a defensive stance against her and the Count strode closer to the bodies. He kicked one figure, the one missing most of its arm, and it groaned.
"Shame." He said "Seems its merged with another one. Doctor?"
"Yes sir, right away." A man said, rushing over to the beheaded figure.
"What is this?" Jeann sneered. Does he know? She tightened her fist around her blades sturdy grip and readied to move. The armor would speed her up, but it could injure her if she wasn't careful. She'd planned to betray the Count for months, why would he suddenly make the move?
"Tieing up loose ends I'm afraid," He said. "I was hoping our man here would be the one that could pull the source out and contain it. Turns out he bargained with it like every other one."
"And the pokers here? That part of the plan? Kill us?"
"Hardly," Philistine looked almost offended "I've no wish to kill you-"
"Could have fooled me."
"-unless you plan to report this."
"Thats a shame," She said "Because thats my friend lying face down there. So I'm pretty sure I have a desire to do so."
"Then I'm sorry, Jeann. Your services are no longer required." Philistine motioned to another guard and waved for him to leave. "Tell them to hunt down the other Pere involved."
"They're gone already," She smiled, her intuition had worked out for once. "Working with Alder only now."
The Count sighed and lowered his head. "I was afraid you'd say that. Hunt them still." He waved, and the guard fled.
"Bastard!"
"Please miss." one of the guards said, "Don't make this harder than it has to be."
"Kill them then," The count turned to the apparent doctor and added "All of them."
"This is madness." Albert said. "You'd kill Pere?"
"What makes you any different than a commoner?" Philistine looked them over and smirked "Aside from the fancy license and wasted gear?"
"Disgusting." Jean readied herself to move, Albert taking similar actions with a pair of daggers he produced from a back sheath. "Well, come on then."
"Don't keep us waiting." Albert added.
Pain. All Alder felt was pain. The world burned, everything his body touched seemed to be made of fire. He was burning alive on the floor of a dingy room several feet below ground. He tried to pull his voice from the depths it was hiding in, but found it absent. He raised a hand and tried to pull something to him, anything, but was too weak to summon the magical tether.
Wake, Alder. A voice in his mind rattled conciousness into his form and he blinked away the haze. Good.
"Are you?" He raised a hand to his head and pressed against the temple. There was no bump or damage. Nothing but his skin and hair. "Where are you?"
Now is not the time. We're in danger. The voice was female, and snippy. It spoke with an urgency that Alder felt little control over. Something in him was screaming to move. Jeann and the others are struggling. We need to help.
"How do you-"
Alder!
"Alder!" Jeann shouted as she slammed into him, pulling the pair away from a falling executioners axe.
Jeanns heavy armor let her lift him with ease, slinging him over her shoulder and rolling to a halt. Her blade was gone and though the weight was likely miniscule to her, Jeann seemed to be in a failing position. Albert slung a throwing blade into the shoulder of a nearby guard and fell in beside the duo.
"Let me down," Alder said "I can walk fine."
"The hells you can!" Jeann said
He can, The trio looked each other over in surprise.
"Was that you?" Albert asked.
"Yes and no." Alder said "I think."
"You merged with it, that's what they said."
He did, and we can discuss that much later. For now we need to move. Theres a guard waving for you near the rear exit.
"Oridi," Alder breathed. The Changeling had joined them after all, and was now silently waving their sanctuary to them. He realized in that minute that he was far calmer than he'd have expected himself to be. Guards were circling their position as the Count fled through the door leading towards the Keep.
A line of thought sat in his mind, just ahead of his own. It was seeing, hearing, and thinking through everything just before he did. The sensation was strange, and he couldn't put a word to it. Only that it felt like knowing everything you were about to do before you did it, and that you were only following a path. He didn't like it.
"What do we call you?" Jeann asked
Nadea. It said. Now, the guards.
He made to ready the spear in his usual position and found slid past where his hand would have been. It was gone, his left hand up to the wrist was gone. An urge to scream was surpressed and his brushed the concern aside. I can deal with it later, He wasn't sure if it was his own voice now or the creatures, but whatever the deal had been it was certainly in effect.
"Nadeas right, we need to escape." The words felt dry in his mouth. Was he dehydrated now? He was missing a limb and dehydrated, what a winning combination. "We need to get to Oridi."
"Well come on then." Jeann charged forward and let polearms slam against the armor to no effect, then dropped one with an elbow to the face and took the mans weapon.
"Lets go!" Oridi called, their voice was the deep bellow of the guard, but the urgency transfered regardless.
Alder felt the sudden urge to turn, and followed it in time to dodge a blade swinging downward towards his arm. He spun to face the attacker and readied into a single handed stance, shrinking the spear length to fit without a second thought. The guard looked surprised at the move, clearly not expecting him to have moved before the strike, but lunged forward with a follow up.
Point drawing closer, Alder pulled the spear up and let the blade slide along the metal. Then used the mans momentum trip him, sending him crashing into the solid stone.
"Move Alder!" Abert flung another blade across the room and into the shoulder of a guard preparing to toss a spear. "Now!"
"I know!" His voice sounded strange to him when raised. That was new.
"It's about time!" Oridi said "We need to get down the passage and-"
"There they are!" A call from charging soldiers came from their passage ahead and Oridi sighed.
"Damn, I was hoping that have held them longer."
"Exits." Jeann said
"The passage," Oridi said "And the Keep."
"Guards guys," Albert waved a hand and summoned a small wall of energy between them and a flying bolt of energy from an arcanarm.
Down the passage is the best choice, you should move while you have the time. Alberts shield spell is preventing Arc fire.
"Who in the name-" Alder cut Oridi off
"No time. Her names Nadea. I think she's here to help."
"He made a deal with the thing?" She asked
"YES" Jeann and Alder said in unison, mirrored frustration in their voices.
"Down the passage." Albert said. He rushed ahead and cast a wave of flame down the narrow path, engulfing the soldiers and sending them scattering backward.
