Brothers in the bush
As the sun rose, a clear day started. The first clear day we had seen in what seemed like an untold age. Although we had failed to save the town, we had managed to save some of the faithful. We helped them load their possessions into a boat and saw them off into the mists. And then it was time for us to leave. We marched towards the tarascon mannor house, since it was the only place left that had a boat able to convey us off of this island. But first we must be certain that no more evil dwells within the mannor house. With a sure step we entered the house and were nearly suffocated by the stench of death. It seemed that some evil still lived within this altar of wickedness. Being of keen ears I was able to detect something moving upstairs and instructed my companions to choose stealth and follow me up the stairs. Alas, Peotr did not heed my warnings and called out to the beasts, giving them warning of our approach. Still, feeling that virtue would be our shield, we moved forward and opened the first door we came to. Such a macabre sight met us, that I do not know how to describe it, but I could describe the beasts that confronted us. Ghouls. We had thought them all dead, but here they were, their foul stench assaulting us. They had been altered to our approach and had laid in wait for us. A chilling bit landed on my flesh and I was cursed with a chill that froze my bones. I could not move and could barely see what was going on. I knew that someone was dragging me out of the house and that we eventually made it away from the dwelling, but very little. Fortunately, Bernard possessed the calmness of mind to bring the flame of justice to the building and we watched it burned as we floated away.
As night settled, we stopped paddling and secured the boat so that we may rest. As peotr and I kept watch a swamp dragon that Peotr claimed was a crocodile launched itself into the boat. With a quick flick I stunned it and Peotr used his strange magic to befriend it. For some reason Kelios chose that moment to take her annual bath and leapt into the swamp.
As the swamp dragon pulled the boat along and dawn rose, we came upon a small walled island, the monastery of lord brutin, the 7th paladin of Ezra. The monks were most accommodating, giving us rooms, food and water to clean ourselves with. Even Kelios, with her strange behaviour was welcomed with open arms. She must have some aversion to the ground, for she never fails to climb something when the opportunity presents itself. As the day wore on, one of the brothers showed me the tomb of lord Brutin and allowed me to sit and meditate upon his greatness. Even the intrusion of Peotr did not break the feeling of serenity that radiated from this place. I must have fallen asleep at some point, for there is no other explanation, unless you allow for visitations by ancient spirits. As I looked up, I saw lord Brutin sitting across from me. He reached for the wine bottle and poured me a drink. I graciously accepted and tried to return the favour. But when I poured, it was blood that flowed from the bottle. Something then possessed me to pick up a dagger and release the blood from my veins. As it poured into the glass it turned to wine. Lord Brutin accepted my offer and seemed content. He then took my hand and flew me across the swamp. We landed in a town, but something was not quite right. I had ropes tied to me and they trailed from a cross that hung from the sky. It was as if I was some sort of puppet, dancing for the pleasure of others. But i was not pleasing, for the crowd that was watching fell upon me and tried to tear me open. I could feel them tearing into my chest, peeling my skin back. I awoke then, on the ground, outside of the tomb. It was strange indeed. I wonder what Ezra has in store for my future.
.......
Kelios was frustrated. The silly bald men had asked her to stay in this room, and there was no way for her to dry any of her cloths. And they seemed to get so upset when she started laying out her cloths to let them dry. It was as if they had never seen a naked woman before. Still, she had to find some place for her boots to dry, so she went looking for a fire. What she found was a monk, kneeling before a small flame, whipping himself and begging for forgiveness for the flesh he had eaten, the people he had killed. As Kelios stepped forward, the brother turned, eyes wild, fangs glistening and ran off down the hall. As she started after him, another monk stopped her and convinced her that he would explain all to her, if she calmed down. As they sat, drinking tea, in the dark room, the brother explained that some of the breathern were effected by the changing moon and transformed into creatures. They were of no danger to anyone in the monastery since the afflicted were locked outside when the change came over them. To prove this, the monk gestured towards the shadows and the first, beastly monk stepped forward and poured himself some tea. Kelios bolted to her room and locked herself in. The beasts within or the unknown swamp outside....which to choose?
......
Bernard was finished preparing the sermon that he would give tomorrow. He stepped out into the darkness and started towards his cell. As he walked he came upon a man building a wall. When he asked for directions, the man told him that the monastery of lord Brutin had not yet been built. The man asked for some help which Bernard eagerly supplied. After some time, they rested and Bernard stood watch as the man slept. As the moon played over Bernard he noticed that he was taller, his nails had grown to the size of daggers and fur had sprouted over his body. Nothing bothered them as the man slept and eventually he awoke. He thanked Bernard for his assistance and borrowed a bandage from him to clean the muck off of his face. The man looked at the bandage and suggested that someone may need this again, someday. With that he placed it in the wall and covered it with a stone, engraven with the symbol of Ezra. Bernard turned about and found himself standing outside the monastery walls, with the sounds of the swamp his only companion.
As night settled, we stopped paddling and secured the boat so that we may rest. As peotr and I kept watch a swamp dragon that Peotr claimed was a crocodile launched itself into the boat. With a quick flick I stunned it and Peotr used his strange magic to befriend it. For some reason Kelios chose that moment to take her annual bath and leapt into the swamp.
As the swamp dragon pulled the boat along and dawn rose, we came upon a small walled island, the monastery of lord brutin, the 7th paladin of Ezra. The monks were most accommodating, giving us rooms, food and water to clean ourselves with. Even Kelios, with her strange behaviour was welcomed with open arms. She must have some aversion to the ground, for she never fails to climb something when the opportunity presents itself. As the day wore on, one of the brothers showed me the tomb of lord Brutin and allowed me to sit and meditate upon his greatness. Even the intrusion of Peotr did not break the feeling of serenity that radiated from this place. I must have fallen asleep at some point, for there is no other explanation, unless you allow for visitations by ancient spirits. As I looked up, I saw lord Brutin sitting across from me. He reached for the wine bottle and poured me a drink. I graciously accepted and tried to return the favour. But when I poured, it was blood that flowed from the bottle. Something then possessed me to pick up a dagger and release the blood from my veins. As it poured into the glass it turned to wine. Lord Brutin accepted my offer and seemed content. He then took my hand and flew me across the swamp. We landed in a town, but something was not quite right. I had ropes tied to me and they trailed from a cross that hung from the sky. It was as if I was some sort of puppet, dancing for the pleasure of others. But i was not pleasing, for the crowd that was watching fell upon me and tried to tear me open. I could feel them tearing into my chest, peeling my skin back. I awoke then, on the ground, outside of the tomb. It was strange indeed. I wonder what Ezra has in store for my future.
.......
Kelios was frustrated. The silly bald men had asked her to stay in this room, and there was no way for her to dry any of her cloths. And they seemed to get so upset when she started laying out her cloths to let them dry. It was as if they had never seen a naked woman before. Still, she had to find some place for her boots to dry, so she went looking for a fire. What she found was a monk, kneeling before a small flame, whipping himself and begging for forgiveness for the flesh he had eaten, the people he had killed. As Kelios stepped forward, the brother turned, eyes wild, fangs glistening and ran off down the hall. As she started after him, another monk stopped her and convinced her that he would explain all to her, if she calmed down. As they sat, drinking tea, in the dark room, the brother explained that some of the breathern were effected by the changing moon and transformed into creatures. They were of no danger to anyone in the monastery since the afflicted were locked outside when the change came over them. To prove this, the monk gestured towards the shadows and the first, beastly monk stepped forward and poured himself some tea. Kelios bolted to her room and locked herself in. The beasts within or the unknown swamp outside....which to choose?
......
Bernard was finished preparing the sermon that he would give tomorrow. He stepped out into the darkness and started towards his cell. As he walked he came upon a man building a wall. When he asked for directions, the man told him that the monastery of lord Brutin had not yet been built. The man asked for some help which Bernard eagerly supplied. After some time, they rested and Bernard stood watch as the man slept. As the moon played over Bernard he noticed that he was taller, his nails had grown to the size of daggers and fur had sprouted over his body. Nothing bothered them as the man slept and eventually he awoke. He thanked Bernard for his assistance and borrowed a bandage from him to clean the muck off of his face. The man looked at the bandage and suggested that someone may need this again, someday. With that he placed it in the wall and covered it with a stone, engraven with the symbol of Ezra. Bernard turned about and found himself standing outside the monastery walls, with the sounds of the swamp his only companion.
posted by groodude at 3:02 p.m.
0 comments
