Signs in the Mist: Part I : Team B.E.D.Z.

[Zenai]

OOCAwww, screw you guys D:< Leaving me behind and gaining a bah-zillion points in magic while Zenai gets nothing but points in "standing around like an idiot." Also, the keys are in the mines? All the way out there?!


Bob had “accidentally” whipped Zenai to “motivate” him to fighting harder but the mixed-blooded one suspected that Bob doesn’t have much skill with the whip. Eridanus came about and locked the Craven in a pincer maneuver but the Craven was still about to fend them off with its bear arms. Zenai kept at the creature with a mixture of thrusts and slashes; still the Craven parried, blocked and dodged. Damn this creature for being augmented. The former squire brought his two swords to bear and swung down diagonally from right to left. The Craven grabbed his blades, ignoring that sharpened steel is cutting into the flesh. He kicked into the beast to force to release its grip on Zenai’s swords. Zenai’s Vantha ally seemed to be muttering something but Zenai didn’t pay much attention to it. Zenai assumed it was some kind of battle mantra but it worked better than Zenai expected when Eridanus unleash a flurry of super-fast strikes against the Craven. Zenai was both impressed with Eridanus and himself; Eridanus, as he was more than a fighter than Zenai had anticipated and himself, because Zenai thought himself a good picker of allies. Eventually, Eridanus opened the Craven up to Zenai’s offense and the Half-Inarta slice off the Craven’s head. The creature’s body collapsed to one side.

“Krysus’s Dagger, Bob! What was that for?!” Zenai said as he rubbed his sore rear. His armor would have absorbed most of the lashing but he could still feel the sting of the whipping whip. “By the way, where’s that boy of your’s?" He asked Bob but the midget felt it was better to leave the boy be to whatever fate that was in store for the street urchin. Zenai just shrugged and trusted Bob enough that: 1) Bob himself knew the boy was capable enough to fend for himself; and 2) Bob wouldn’t leave Zenai behind just like he did the boy. “Alright, Bob; if you say so.” Zenai wiped his blades with his own sleeves and took note not to whip his face with those. Zenai felt some regret killing the body of the possessed but most likely, his soul won’t be returning to its former state even if they had a way of exorcising the Craven. Eridanus seemed to have elected himself as de-facto leader after their previous leader had been foolish and cowardly. This suit Zenai just fine: another bait for Bob and Zenai to use but hopefully, this one doesn’t run away and get lost like the last one. Zenai offered one last prayer to Dira for the goddess to receive the soul of the possessed one and bring him into her embrace and eternal peace.

They continue on their quest to get some kind of key in the Blood Pits; an arena where one can fight for blood and glory as well as money. The main motivation to participate in these fights in the Blood Pits would be most likely money and status. Those normally go hand-in-hand especially when you have the ability to take what you want. Though Eridanus was leading, Bob would have guided them since they were still quite unfamiliar with most parts of Sunberth. Zenai had been focusing on the docks due to his job as one of Old Legs’ Taggers. Bob had nudged him and Zenai look over to the midget to see what he wanted. He mimicked what Eridanus had done earlier; a finger to the lips but Bob was smiling. “Just like old times…” Zenai thought to himself. Zenai nodded and once again, left his life in the hands of the dwarf. Zenai was more beholden to Bob then Eridanus; Zenai had been in more trouble with Bob more times than the fingers on his own two hands, including his thumb and maybe his toes on his two feet. Eridanus? Zenai doesn’t exactly trust the man like Zenai would trust Bob but then again, Zenai would need to redefine the word “trust” when he applied to Bob. However, Eridanus had proven himself thus far and hasn’t led them astray plus he was good with those swords.

They finally arrived at the Blood Pits after a bit of running and Eridanus bade them to stop which Zenai fully complied. Bob also nodded his approval since this leader was learning from his predecessor. It was then a bearded ghost appeared from the mists. Zenai wanted to draw his weapon and just as he grabbed the hilt of his swords, the ghost spoke of his intentions and something about a latent one. The ghost speaks as if he was losing his mind. Zenai had thought you would have all of your wits as if you were young and alive but it seems that you will bring over your mental deficiency into the next life as well. Zenai took a quick mental note to take steps to keep his mind sharp at all times. As the ghost converse further, he had offered the key to Zenai’s relief. He was worried that they would need to scour the entire Blood Pits and maybe dig it up and pick a lock on a chest that might contain it. The ghost also speaks of restoring something to Bob who immediately refuse it. Zenai raised an inquisitive eyebrow; it was not like Bob to refuse something for free.

Zenai recoiled as the ghost’s tendrils wrapped around their feet and something in him convinced him to stay calm and that the ghost had only the best of intentions. It seems that the ghost needed a host to undo whatever was done to Bob. Eridanus offered himself it seems. “Well, it’s either Eridanus or me.” Zenai was glad that the ghost pick Eridanus over Zenai since just in case the ghost was actually a Craven, Zenai would have less regrets slaying Eridanus than he would have if Zenai slayed Bob. The ghost slowly possessed Eridanus and the Vantha himself was being calmed and confident throughout the whole process. Zenai had one hand on the hilt of his sword just in case but true to his words; the ghost didn’t attack them…yet. The possessed Eridanus then proceeded to interrogate Bob about magic. Zenai then wondered what would Bob had to do with magic and tries to remember a time if Bob had actually any magic. He can’t exactly remember and would need to ask Bob about it later. While they were having their little chit-chat, Zenai keep an eye out for them. They were quite out in the open and anything could happen. Zenai’s guard’s instincts told him to keep an eye out for any possible surprise attacks by more Craven while Eridanus and Bob “bonded” with each other.

Zenai kept watch but would send a momentary glance once in a while to his comrades to make sure they were alright. In one of those glances, Zenai spied that Bob had two floating glowing balls in his hand. It switched between wind, water, earth and fire; the elements you would normally see a Reimancer wield when enacting their arts. Zenai both feared and awed by magic; it seems to be a shortcut to everything and anything. However, the cost can be very detrimental if one would carelessly channel their djed into the wrong places. Though the possibilities and powers of being a magic-user are very tempting, Zenai decided it was best to stick to his more human abilities. After their interrogation and teaching session was over, Bob and Eridanus seemed to be quite drained from the whole session. Zenai went over and spoke to them. “So are you guys done yet?” He enquired both of them. Hopefully, they get could underway and finished their quest. “Bob, you look flushed and since when did you know magic?” Zenai inquired about Bob. Perhaps now, Bob would be more useful in the fights that are about to come. “Well anyway, where is that ghost and the key he promised? Let’s get this done so we can head back to whatever safety that is left in this damnable city so I can hide under the bed.”

[Eridanus]

Time to enter the dungeon!Let's go Team Snurglepuffs!

Eri had witnessed the entire event, and when the ghost finally left his body he dropped to the floor, his hand supporting his body to prevent himself from fully collapsing. Breathing heavily, he could feel his body severely strained by the ghost's use of djed, and he was grateful that the spirit had the courtesy to not drive him into overgiving. He was still rather exhausted, and as Zenai took stock of the situation he just panted while looking at the ground, gathering his thoughts properly so that he could take stock of himself.

So Bob was a mage, and a pretty powerful reimancer at that. That would definitely be to their advantage, though the ghost did mention that Bob could not use magic without it saying so. That was fine, and Eri was sure that the ghost would think of a way. Still, their current strength was quite depleted, and Eri took a while to gain back his bearings, before wearily standing back up.

While Bob was still recovering, for the mental and physical trauma he suffered was much greater than Eri, the ethaefal walked over to Zenai and whispered, "Be wary of your friend, Zenai. He might be.... unstable for now. Just keep an eye on him, alright?"

After the party of three felt that they could continue, Eri would remind them that the city was still in danger, and he took a deep breath, praying to Leth to watch over them. "Let me help you a little," Eri said to Bob, and he placed his hands gently on Bob's burn wounds. Focusing on the remnants of the bond that all ethaefals had with their respective patron gods, he directed a bit of power from the moon to age the wound by a day, helping Bob to advance in a day of recovery in terms of healing. The effect was little, but every little bit counts after all.

Assuming the informal role of the next leader now that Darik was gone, he beckoned the group and so they entered the blood pits, where the goal of their quest lie mingled with unspoken dangers.

[Bob Barton]

OOCJust going to breeze through this since most of it is already covered

That was one very very very very long conversation which reminded Bob a lot about classes in the Zeltiva University even if this specific "class" was about magic, made only longer because ghosts terrified Bob a lot. They were all crazy malicious spirits who lingered around to torture the living and this one even if it was for helping could be just the same. If Bob was on another side or did not already agree to help retrieve the key thing it could have been a lot worse like when that ghost he now knows as Lucerne smashed the Craven they had met earlier in the front of the Majestic. Bla, bla, bla, more complications because of the even more malicious source and the whole ordeal was over leaving Bob tired and having a ghost inside of him. "Just don't go using me to try and kill people which will not have anything to do with the key retrieval right?" he mumbled, like he remembered how another ghost nearly used a little girl to kill him in the past.

And since he also "remembered" the other things now he told Zenai that it was "before I met you and you can thank idiots who have no right in interfering with the business of others without any reason. You should be happy though. You would have lost a lot more in our games if I was able to use it then so hooray to you" a cause of celebration for Zenai who would have owed Bob a lot more than just friendship if that had happened. "Hell I know about that. Yes lets just get done with this but I already warned you. We should have just left Sunberth instead of relying on your bed" he told Zenai to assert the fact that he was always right, and lazy when he told his friend "now help hold me up a little bit" acting weak and limp when he did. Better for Bob to conserve whatever strength he had left right now so that he could escape at a moment's notice when he needed to. Whoever said that he was going to fight even more just because he gained access to his latent powers that he was supposed to have?

As for the informal next leader, or bait as Zenai and Bob both already knew and confirmed time and time again, Bob kept a close watch. Especially when the lead bait who was supposed to be up front moved back to Zenai to whisper something which while was not enough cause for worry, was a cause for suspicion. Then a cause for disgust when Eridanus put his hands on Bob's as he put it, gently but for Bob it was gay so he snatched his hand away exclaiming "what the!" Once he moved to the front in his assigned role, Bob moved back towards Zenai to tell him that "I hope you remember where your loyalties are, friend, just like I do. You know just as well as I do that I make the best plans for survival right?" and the point of that was to not listen to or trust Eridanus unless they really had to.

[Archelon]

Enough prattling , the entrance to where the key sleeps is close. A voice echoed in Barton's head, Idle chatter will get you killed if you're not observant of your surroundings The entrance to blood pits was close, down within the center of the old stone quarry, just a short mining tunnel which lead to one section of the sprawling labrynth of mines around the town of Sunberth. During the Valterrian the city had gone through enormous upheavals, with many of its sections becoming buried beneath the earth like a mishmashed pile of jigsaw pieces thrown around by a petulant angry child. The Blood pits, were one such piece, cut off from the rest of the Sunberth's underground, wedged down into the bottom of the ancient quarry. Walkways lead down to the entrance in a winding path, but as the party entered the quarry's bottom to see the entrance of the Pits before them they would find immediately that something was wrong from the norm. There were bodies lying in their view, dead , yet inside them the skin of their stomach jostled as some forms of animal feasted upon their insides. The rats have been stirred, fleshling, farther within there is a ghost possessing them as it tries to ward off intruders from the Key. Enter and slay them all! If I am unneeded, then at the golem's side is when you shall hear my voice again!

[Darik]

Darik listened to L’shan as he walked. His answers were odd but Darik couldn’t call him a liar. He had no evidence to disapprove his words, but then again that still didn’t mean he had to trust the ghastly thing in his body. But at least it provided him with one advantage. He couldn’t be attacked by Craven’s spirits while the little boy’s form was in his body. Their physical hosts could still cause harm, but no more possession for him! As he walked, he didn’t pay attention to his surroundings. There was no use, everything looked so different in the mist. What ust to be boxes turned out to be trashcan’s, and what was thought as exits were actually walls. As he walked, he noticed he started to head downwards. Knowing this was possible in the uneven city of Sunberth he didn’t give it another thought. Until it started to wind left and right, making some sharp turns and some gradual. Then, he felt something on his hair. He looked up and about five feet above his head was dirt. So he was in a tunnel almost blind, and he still had no idea were he was going. His tunnel converged on another one. Before he could start heading down this one, he heard low voices. His first instinct was to bolt back the way he came. But…they sounded familiar. He had actually heard these voices earlier in the day before they had gotten separated. He put his back to the wall and waited for them to arrive. When he saw the heavenly form of Eridandus enter his view he stood up. “God, what took you so long?” They must have been surprised, what were the chances of finding someone in a city like Sunberth? It was actually much higher than you would think, Darik always bumped into people he had met previously. And most people he met he stole from so…. Do I really need to explain what usually happened? “I have been down here ages waiting for you.” Darik titled his head slightly to the side when he heard a voice in his head. ”Shut up, they don’t need to know that.” He spoke aloud not realizing that they could actually hear him. “Why do you guys look so messed up?” Eri looked drained, Bob was hanging to Zenai, and Zenai…was Zenai. “Nevermind, I really don’t need to know.” ”Ya Dude, without my leadership it looks like they all fall apart.” He really should learn how to speak inside his mind, his party most likely wouldn’t take too kindly to his words. Or maybe they would still be stunned into silence because they had found Darik. ”So,” He clapped his hands to get their attention. ”I think we should get moving.” He took his rightful place as the alpha, meaning he took the lead. They finally arrived at the entrance of the Blood Pits. There were bodies everywhere, much more than usual, and there stomachs were bustling. Darik thought about sliding his dagger into them, but ignorance was bliss. ” Do you know how this happening?” He was talking to the ghost, but how would his followers know? He spoke with the same tone of voice, and they wouldn’t be able to see the slight tilt of his head when they were walking behind him. What was down in the blood Pits? Darik didn’t know, but he kept walking. He could succeed at any task, no matter the difficulty.

[Zenai]

Zenai raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Eridanus’s whisper. “Who in the shyke has the right to tell him to be wary of Bob?” Zenai frowned and was offended because: 1) who is he compared to Bob?; and 2) of course, he is wary of Bob; there isn’t a day with him that there was no trouble. Not so much from Bob himself but everything else around him. He ignored the warnings for the moment and walked pass Eridanus to helped Bob up. “Here. Hold tight to my arm.” He grabbed from under Bob’s armpits to support him least he fell over in dizziness or nausea. The midget was a bit heavier than Zenai thought so he put more strength into his lift least he get dragged down by Bob and fall over an idiot with no sense of balance.

He used his left arm to do this thus leaving his right arm free enough so he can draw his weapon if he needed to defend himself. Bob seemed different but Zenai couldn’t put his finger on what kind of weird exactly. In addition, that warning from Eridanus seemed to be pulled from a dirty hole of sorts but it sounded honest enough for Zenai to actually considered it and kept it in mind. At the very least, Zenai would be more cautious of Bob however more dangerous he has become. Zenai responded to Bob, “Hey, it was only a suggestion. Anyway, since we’re here and already made a forced-upon-us pact with ghosts, let’s just go through the motion and this quest. Also, pray to Dira that this isn’t our time and day.”

It was then annoying shriek came from one of the tunnels. Zenai immediately drew his talon sword and turned to face the source of the shrike before he pushed Bob behind him to shield the midget from the threat. He pointed his weapon at the figure that may be another Craven. To both his disappointment and annoyance, it was Darik who was able to find his way back to the group even though he ran towards the opposite direction during their first encounter with a Craven. “Oh, it’s you…” Zenai sheaved his weapon back in disappointment. “For a guy that boasts a lot, you sure can run fast especially from monsters. Or is that how you lead by example?” Zenai doesn’t know why but he feels like stabbing the little petcher but he stopped himself and satisfied himself by being satirical. “Also since you asked, we just met with another ghost. Bob and Eridanus can fill you in on the details. And oh, we did pretty good without you and your so-called leadership. Eridanus here was doing mighty fine as our new leader.” Neither Bob or Eridanus had filled Zenai on the details either. He nudged Bob and tilted his head towards Eridanus to bid them to tell them what their next course of action is. Perhaps it would be about where the key was supposed to be and also the dangers that lurk in the Blood Pits. They better have some sort of plan.

[Archelon]

Within the entrance to the blood pits, in one of the antechambers that many men sat hawking beer and ale for the fights, a series of squirming rats were jettisoned out of the opening by the heavy hands of the Pit Bull. The carcasses fell at the party's feet as the towering farmer turned monster in the ring strode out carrying a large axe cursing up a storm. For a moment, in the mist the large man wouldn't see them and pass them towards the outside mumbling things about 'going to dastana' for more guards and 'thirteen rats at least' before mumbling about an opening in the back of the blood pits itself where a 'petching wall came down.' Soon enough though, the party would see the axe wielding figure strode out of sight, only stopping to casually snap the neck of a rat with a large bootheel. Where he went after that- they wouldn't know as he vanished into the mists. In Darik's mind a shakey voice spoke, "I do-on't know anything. I think I'm just a new ghost, but that old guy seems to know something." Whether Darik would pass what the voice said on or not would be another matter entirely. In fact, during their first stretch of the entrance to the blood pits it would behoove him to speak softly to not warn any rats of their approach, something the others would prove well kept to follow in stride. In Bob's mind the old leywellin ghost watched the newcomer behind his eyes and whispered to the beleagured man's senses. "Young'n's got a young ghost hiding in him keeping from the craeven it seems. Good call. Might be an edge to save his hide and yours. The key , or the golem is somewhere close to the inside where the locals call the blood pits. Just get me there, and I'll say the words to have it follow you anywheres so long as you get it back to the temple in some simulacrum of working order is fine, in truth i'm not sure how damaged it is. Don't use magic in there though, the craeven are possessing some rats. About fifteen of them in all. 12 on the way, three round the key, one's a little large by my fathoming. Like it's ghost is making it into a monster. Be careful boy." If the ghost saw or felt any hesitance in Barton's step, a slow steady pressure would force the man forwards with another whisper, "You were broken once, now you're still a little battered, just remember- keeping yourself moving will keep you alive more times then stopping Worse comes to worse, dash for the goal and I'll help you then with a few other words. Those golems are mighty tough in a fight if they work right..." To Eridanus and Zenai: entry into the pits would mark a startling fact to their eyes, they'd see the strewn carcasses of a few rats and spectators, some seeming to have killed each other until the possessing ghosts ran out of bodies. But if one of them was observant enough and looked close enough they would find two small vials of alchemist's fire glinting in the light at one of the dead's belt's. If they could identify what it was that is and knew how to use it it would prove a frightful tool in their arsenal. If they couldn't it could turn deadly if misused...

[Darik]

oocI post last, but looks like I post first!

Darik suddenly stopped, causing everyone else to bump into each other. As he hit the ground from the force of Eri, they all got to see what he saw. He had just seen a glimpse of something, and he had trusted his instinct. The only thing he knew was that it was big, and it carried some kind of weapon. Getting off the ground, he did get a glimpse of information. There were thirteen rats in the arena. Yes, the big man was a pansy afraid of rats going to get more guards. Shesh, there just rats not like jaguars or something else than can kill men. ”Guy’s, stay here. You’re all clumsier than the blind and deaf. And I said stay, meaning if you move we’ll all die a painful death.” He wasn’t trying to threaten, them, he was being sincere. He was the best thief out of all of them, and this certain operation required stealth One wrong step, and the men inside the arena would know a trespasser had entered. His footsteps made soft imprints on the dirt as he walked out into an open space. No alive rats so far, good. In the first little cavern he was in, were about five bodies and eight dead rats. Why the humans had kill rats was a bit unknown to Darik. They were just rats, he would have been more worried about his human opponents. Except the body in front of him had teeth marks in his neck. But many weapons replicated teeth, such as certain thief weapons. Weapons, carcass, and trash all littered the floor. He needed to solve that problem, and take one for the team. As quietly as possible, he started to scavenge the body of the fallen. He had a feeling he would need to keep the ability to run, so he made piles by the wall. He had no doubt that if they survived and came back to the room he would have to share it, but that was a thought for another time. He made three piles: Weapons, armor, and trash. On the bottom of the trash pile was where Darik hid any and all valuables, likes mizas or gems. He could share, but there was a extent on how far his generosity could go. After he had that all sorted, he moved the carcasses. Why? Because he wanted to. Also, because it was hilariously fun playing with the rats. He would try to kick all of their lifeless bodies into one little pile, without using his hands. Sometimes he hit the wall to hard, and it would cause a slight sound, but nothing came to confront him. The human bodies were less fun to move, because he had to push them. When he was finished with the last one, he admired his handiwork. As he looked around a last time, he spotted something on the body he had just moved. He had patted down each body thoroughly trying to find valuables, and yet he had still missed this hidden wonder. He removed the two little vials and stared at them. These looked mighty cool, and Darik would have fun experimenting them. Yet, someone in his party could most likely clearly identify it and use it much more effectively. Dammit, Darik was going to take one for the team. He put both of them in his hand and got ready to throw them. ”GUYS, CATCH!” He gave them a shout before he threw underhand, because the mist made him hard to see. Darik didn’t get to see if they caught it or not, because he had disobeyed his own orders. He had been loud, and had drawn some attention to himself. A rat reared its big ugly head from a tunnel to the left. He trusted L’shann and took his warning to heart. He needed to get out of there. He took of into the tunnel to the right, heading deeper into the blood pits. When he entered the next one, three rats who had been patrolling stopped and stared right at him, inhumanly. One lunged a height that should have been unreachable for its size. Because he kept running, it flew past his back and it even speed him up. It was unnatural for rats to jump that high, and it freaked him out. The next thing, was how fast the rats were running. They were running almost as fast as Darik, when he was five feet taller than them! Weaving over and under tables, kicking chairs down trying to slow the rats advance, Darik did anything he could to slow down the nine furry things chasing him. His teammates needed to get what they needed fast, because it was only a matter of time before Darik tripped, ran into a dead end, or got tired. He was being what they wanted him to be, a scapegoat, but he was only being it because they needed to fulfill their end of the bargain. Unless they were dead of course. Darik wouldn’t know if they were just puddles of flesh, not having caught the alchemic fire.

[Bob Barton]

Eridanus probably had the right idea about warning Zenai about certain strange behaviors that might come from Bob because at that time he replied the ghost because it was all in good manners and "chatter is what ensures that people work well together. Besides, we have two pairs of eyes here. Yours and mine" unless of course the ghost looks through Bob's eyes as well. This is probably one of the first times he is accommodating a ghost as a guest? There was only so many assumptions he can make about how it works but at least he was not forcing him to hurt his friends. It was also all true when he explained that "we are making our strategies" even if it was against members of their group. "A better use of our time instead of blindly walking around now that we have no leader" because the only time Darik is qualified as being a leader is when he was leading the retreat not that Bob could complain because it is exactly the same thing he would have done.

And what strategy would they have now? Of course it was Eridanus taking Darik's place with the bait distraction role. Bob followed behind the ethaefal nothing that the mists made the den look very unfamiliar unless they were using another way that he did not know about but looking at some of the scrawlings and markings on the wall encouraged him that he was on the right track. Gradually he recovered enough to walk properly just in time to reach their destination where "rats are waiting?" for them. Bob has handled rats before and they were really big so he was not too keen on going forward. Poking on one of the bodies with his cane Bob gave out a chuckle when he saw the wounds which showed that they were the tiny kind. "They shouldn't be much of a problem at least compared to the big ones" as he kicked one of the corpses to turn the unsightly remains away from him until he thought things through again. Another abnormal encounter rats because this time "they are being controlled by ghosts?!?" That was even better... Even if they were not physically superior they are going to be a lot more smart and Bob knew very well because of himself that wits were always going to be more dangerous than size.

Even that would be a lot better than what Bob met up with and that was that horrible boy Darik who claimed that he was "waiting?" Bob scoffed at the thought because "I'd imagine you more likely waiting to loot our bodies if you didn't already run home crying to mommy like you did earlier" chuckling a little when the boy said they did not need to know that. Darik's sudden change of heart was a little bit suspicious but Bob did not care much about it since he could go back to the initial plan and sacrifice the most useless one around first and foremost. The suggestion that he was something most made Bob want to laugh out laugh if not of the threat of the rats nearby and his weakened state. Ignoring whatever else, Bob continued on always on the lookout for rats. "When you see one just squish it but when there is a lot we run" he told Zenai remembering the methods he used to go against the rat's pack tactics. At least when it came to information, Bob's ghost was a lot more useful when he relayed the information that "it was ghost possessed rats" when Darik asked.

Another important thing was luck and it seems that Bob's group had it as well when a bigger man not only took out some of the rats for them but also seemed to completely miss them sparing a lot of trouble. He also gave them very important information that they might need when Bob overheard that there are at least thirteen rats. "We better take care of them fast before that guy comes back with his Dastana party" Bob whispered to Zenai. He never met Dastana before but knew the reputation. "You don't suppose that the opening he was talking about is where we are supposed to go?" he asked the ghost aloud as well as opinions from his allies.

Bob also asked the ghost that "since getting possessed stops us from getting possessed, won't it be better if you can get some of your friends into these guys here without them knowing?" It was important because Bob was not one to put himself in any danger period and "they are the ones who are going to go in fighting." But would the ghost have that? Nooooooooo because he started pushing Bob forward and "whose fault is that?" dragging his feet to keep himself back to get the rest he needed that the ghost would not let him right until he talked about how the golem would work in a fight "and it will be on our side?" That sounded really good actually and if a mad dash was all it took Darik would be the best candidate for it. That boy was really fast. Too fast that there was not enough time for Bob to stop him from acting on his own. "And you want me to keep moving now that he is going to risk us all..." he asked the ghost as if making a point.

Yes it was just too bad that what the ghost wanted Bob to do coincided with what Darik wanted the rest of the group to do. As if in defiance Bob did the opposite of Darik's stay here and moved along the side of the building as quietly as possible to see if there is any other sources of danger that might be missed. Leaving Zenai and Eridanus to keep watch of Darik's progress Bob moved on alone until he reached the corner with his whip in his hand rubbing against the wall to keep him straight together with his cane he had to use as substitute for Zenai as his support. However, as quiet as he wanted to be there was the faint sound of clacking from when the tip of the cane touched the ground with his weight. Something that Bob was unable to avoid as soft as he tried to do it but he was able to quieten his steps. Hopefully anything which heard his cane will interpret it as something wholly normal and innocent.

It will not stop curiosity or cautiousness though as Bob suddenly heard tiny feet scurrying towards him around the corner and when he peeked through he saw a rat. Just a normal one but he remembered what the ghost said about the craeven possessing the rats. Without waiting Bob slid his arm forward from the wall the rest of the whip following behind hoping to strike the rat first and then he swept it back once it passed through successfully stunning the surprised rat. As quickly as his body would allow it he tossed the whip aside and lunged forward grasping his cane with both hands and mashing the rat at the head while collapsing on the ground at the same time. When he was done he quickly got up he retrieved his weapons and headed back to his companions to tell them that "I think we are in trouble" just in time to hear Darik's shout from beyond the mists.

[Eridanus]

Darik seemed smarter than he looked when he offered to scout ahead, and Eri walked along with the rest of the group behind as he silently observed the conversation between Bob and Zenai. Well, Bob, Zenai and the old ghost, to be precise. Bob never realized that he was talking out loud to the ghost instead of in his head, which made him look quite schizophrenic.

As Bob went out to scout further, the group hid themselves as a huge man killed a rat before stomping off muttering something about "Dastana", a name that Eri had heard of even as he was new in Sunberth. He had no wish to meet this Dastana, going by the rumours that went around the marketplace about that person's brutality. They needed to find whatever they needed find and they needed to do it pronto.

Eri and Zenai kept an eye on Darik and the surroundings as the boy quickly unloaded the corpses and shifted the corpses with a dexterity that signified his background as a thief. The boy seemed to find something, and he shouted "Catch!" before throwing something underhand to Eri.

The mists and darkness made it difficult to see what exactly Darik threw, but Eri instinctively raised his hand and was actually surprised when he felt cool glass against his hand. The boy had used an underhand pass, but the mist probably caused him to misjudge the correct strength of which to throw at the other vial flew cleanly pass Eri's head, sailing through the air and shattering against the wall further behind them, exploding into a huge fireball.

"Shyke!" Eri swore suddenly as he quickly turned around to see the fireball billow behind them. It was quite lucky that Darik misjudged his aim for if he was accurate both Eri and Zenai would be cooked in that magical firestorm. He looked at the vial he held in his hand reverently, now that he realized its capacity for serious damage. Tucking it securely in his pocket, he turned around again to find Darik but could not see the boy.

There were only him and Zenai around, and the loudness of the explosion seemed to have drawn some attention to them. A few rats came scampering, sniffing around to investigate the sound, and Eri stared at them in disbelief. Rats did not come in such a size. They definitely did not come in such a size.

He could feel the temperature subtly cooling, though it was a psychological reaction more than physiological, which was the exposure he had as a brief stint as a spiritist apprentice at work. There was spirits about, and from the hair standing at his neck he could somehow instinctively tell they were not too happy about his existence. The only thing that would appease them would be feasting on him.

He had no intention of letting that happen.

"Zenai! Handle my back!" Eri whispered urgently to Zenai. He could take on these oversized rodents, but their numbers might allow them the advantage of overpowering him on his blindside. It was fortunate he had a fellow combatant to negate this disadvantage.

He was tired from the exertion, but the idea of impending doom served as an excellent motivator to get his adrenaline pumping again, though his muscles would complain more violently at the end of this ordeal. If he survived.

Drawing both blades, he could hear Zenai drawing both of his dangerously curved talon swords as well, the sweet singing of metal in the air giving Eri strength to fight on. He took a step forward, swiping with his cold-iron blade quickly, and the first rat he struck was not quick enough to dodge his sudden strike, its head being quite cleanly decapitated from its twitching body.

The ethaefal spotted a movement from the corners of his eyes and he quickly spun around, unleashing a snap kick in time to push a lunging rodent further away from his side. He dashed forward, pressing the advantage to run the rat through with his steel blade, fixing it in place as he swung his other sword like a cleaver and removing its head again. He knew what the craven were capable of, and this was the most reliable method of destroying the possessed bodies. He stepped back, unsheathing his blade out of the newly-dead flesh of his second victim and surveyed in front of him critically, spotting a figure coming at him out of the mists.

Eri dashed forward, using both blades to strike down hard on the rat, splitting it into two and he continued to swing his sword through the flesh until there was no more resistance, until his blades were done with their gruesome job of rending flesh and reached the nothingness of air.

There seemed to be no more on his side, and he looked around to see if Zenai needed help.