Conspiracy and Dreams

The city of Teseron wasn't large. No more than 200 people lived in the town , but it always seemed quite busy, especially considering only a few miles away was the small town of Ut.

Neither town had tall buildings or even a wall to protect themselves from the undead. Man Naturalists just kept guard by patrolling the streets.

Not far from the two villages were Kelfet's Peak, a large mountain that only the highest ranking Naturalists were allowed to wander up to, and also the Teseron Ruins. None knew of why these ruins stood, nor why they were in such a peculiar formation of a prefect circle made of rocks. None the less, many claimed the ruins to be haunted.

These landmarks however were not Erron's goal.

He had stowed away on a sky ship and followed two minotaur here to Teseron Isle. He wasn't exactly sure why they had brought Turk'en here instead of their home city of Azerath. He followed the minotaur into town and found them speaking to a blacksmith. The blacksmith paid them some fresh water and they gave the unconscious darkling to the dwarf.

Erron waited until the minotaur departed and then snuck to the building and peaked inside the window. He watched the dwarf toss the body of Turk'en down some stairs into a basement before shutting the door to it and locking three deadbolts.

Erron waited until he was sure the blacksmith was no longer thinking of Turk'en. This was evident when the dwarf went back to hammer the hot metal he used to forge weapons with.

Erron then found a window and snuck into the basement and quickly found the darkling.

"You OK Turk?" he whispered to Turk'en and eying the gunshot wound the darkling had suffered in Peregren.

Edaw followed curiously after Erron. He was sure Erron was only trying to help Turk'en. However, Edaw was still bitter and distrustful of Erron. So why did he follow Erron?

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer..."

Unfortunately, Edaw didn't have any friends. So either way, he was stuck following Erron.

He kept looking at the tall mountain he wasn't supposed to go up.

"I could be up there and down in no time," thought Edaw. He had lost sights of Erron and proceeded to tour the town at his leisure. However, Edaw was unable to realize he was being tracked himself.

Turk'en grogily tried to rise, but the pain in his side prevented him from doing so.

"Hhhnnn!" He growned. The darkling layed his head back down on the ground. He had bruises and sores in places he didn't know he was hit. Those may be a result of him being here.

Where was here?

"Erron? Where am I? What happened. Last thing I remember is getting shot but the stupid cow."

Turk'en put his hand over his wound It was a pretty clean shot from what he can tell, but he wouldn't know until he got to look at it properly.

Now was not the time for that.

"Ow! Who dies first"

Kristyn walked down a street carrying with her a bag of food to take home. She was getting adjusting to Teseron again. It was a long time since she's been here. She loved it so much, yet every part of her wished she could leave...

Still, the woman made her way home, wanting to get into her soft peasant clothes. The druids told her she could head home. She took the time greedily. She got some special items for tonight's dinner.

Travelling down the road, she was crossing a busy street, focused on her daily tasks. One moment, she was walking through an intersection, the next, she was on the ground, her groceries scattered on the ground. She looked up to see a minotaur with a darkling moving down the dark, open streets.

Kristyn got her items back in order and was ready head home still, but noticed a human sneaking off behind the minotaur.

I'm supposed to be off duty... but I don't like this.

She carefully watched where this human was going. She didn't have a good vibe about this man. Finally, a second human appeared. He was half metal! His arms and legs were entirely metal, with his hands being claws!

Kristyn sighed heavily. She gave her bag of food to some starved peasants. She then followed after the metal monstrosity, wondering what these people were up to.

Turken wrote:

Turk'en grogily tried to rise, but the pain in his side prevented him from doing so.

"Hhhnnn!" He growned. The darkling layed his head back down on the ground. He had bruises and sores in places he didn't know he was hit. Those may be a result of him being here.

Where was here?

"Erron? Where am I? What happened. Last thing I remember is getting shot but the stupid cow."

Turk'en put his hand over his wound It was a pretty clean shot from what he can tell, but he wouldn't know until he got to look at it properly.

Now was not the time for that.

"Ow! Who dies first"

"Shhh...quiet," Erron said softly. We're in Teseron. The minotaurs brought you here. Sold you to some dwarven blacksmith. You're in his basement locked up. Not sure why. I cam in through the window. They're Naturalists here so we'll get you taken care of. Just stay quiet. I'm gonna go have a talk with the dwarf and find out what's going on."

Erron stormed up the stairs and kicked the door hard.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" the dwarf yelled turning toward the door.

"OPEN IT OR I COME OUT CUT OFF YOUR FINGERS ONE AT A TIME!?" Erron yelled.

"FUCK OFF WITH YA!" the dwarf yelled and turned back to his hammering.

Erron kicked the door hard. (Tenacity +2)

[roll="d20"]1[/roll]

Door:

[roll="d20"]1[/roll]

Erron kicked the door off of the hinges. The dwarf spun to face Erron in shock. Erron slapped the dwarf spinning him. He grabbed the back of the dwarf's head and slammed it to his anvil. He eyed a dagger sitting on the work bench (Tenacity: Rapidity).

The dwarfs bloody finger went flying.

"YOU HAVE 9 MORE! I'LL CUT OFF ALL OF THEM IF YOU DON'T TALK!" Erron growled.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!?" the dwarf cried in pain.

"GRAH!!!!!" Erron yelled throwing the dwarf across the room. The dwarf crashed into another workbench smashing it and sending tools flying.

"WHAT'S YOUR DEAL WITH THE MINOTAURS!?" Erron yelled backhanding a chair sending it flying across the room.

"THEY-THEY BRING ME-THEY BRING ME TEST SUBJECTS!!" the dwarf cried.

Erron was in the dwarf's face, with one hand holding back the dwarf's head by a handful of hair and the other holding the dagger to his throat.

"TEST SUBJECTS FOR WHAT!?" Erron growled.

"F-FOR-FOR- AH SHIT DON'T KILL ME!"

"TALK!" Erron yelled.

"I DON'T TEST ON THEM. I JUST COLLECT THEM!" the dwarf cried.

"COLLECT THEM FOR WHO!?" Erron demanded.

THUNK!

And arrow embedded itself into the side of the dwarf's head killing him.

"What the fu--TURK STAY DOWN THERE!" Erron screamed and dove.

Tons of arrows burst through the windows and hit the wall outside. Erron had barely moved. The dwarf was shot in every available part of his body.

Erron ran to the window but saw no one. He could however hear several people running into the woods away from the town.

"Son of a bitch." He complained.

He then ran to the basement to check on Turk'en.

Kristyn heard the shouting and ran to the blacksmith. She got there just in time to see people with bows flee to various directions. She wasn't able to see who it was, but it certainly alarmed her.

She drew her bow and notched an arrow. She found the open window to the basement open. She slipped in and aimed the arrow.

"Would either of you two be gentlemen and tell me whom the arrow is for?"

"Put it away girl. You don't want any of this. My friend, the darkling here, needs a healer. Do you know of any Naturalists in the area? He was shot a day ago. It's a belly wound. Probably the most painful wound you can get. He WILL die from blood loss if we don't get him help." Erron said ignoring her aiming at him.

Tara wondered into the quiet little town. She walked around a bit slowly watching and listening to the people come and go, it was nearly the dinner hour, she could smell the home fires sparking to life and the smells of vegetables and meats cooking. Oh she was hungry. It had been days since she had a filing meal. Weeks since she had a restful night. She took careful note of the buildings and the alleys. Always watchful now, noting always a possible escape. She hated being cornered in, anywhere, especially in crowds. She headed toward a well to get a cool drink of water. She needed to rest and find food. There seemed to be friendly faces here. Perhaps she would stay awhile, keeping to herself as much as possible.

Turk'en clutched his stomach wound as it yet again pumped blood out.

"Uhh.... N...n...Not to inter...rupt, but *COUGH* can I get some help here?"

Turk'en layed his head back down to try and gain control of himself.

If he didn't get help soon his reign as King of the Undead would be short lived.

"Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing." Turk'en said outloud as the other two look at him in confusion for a second.

Kristyn looked at Turk'en, clearly, for the first time.

"Oh, you're bleeding!" Kristyn said, dropping her bow and going to the darkling. She looked up at Erron.

"You kept talking to me while I could have been healing him?"

Before Erron could reply, Kristyn began to heal Turk'en (Heal Minor Wound).

"He'll need a more powerful naturalist. I'm just a ranger, but I think I bought him some time."

She gathered her bow and replaced the arrow into her quiver.

"What are you doing down here?" she asked calmly.

Tara Rizing wrote:

Tara wondered into the quiet little town. She walked around a bit slowly watching and listening to the people come and go, it was nearly the dinner hour, she could smell the home fires sparking to life and the smells of vegetables and meats cooking. Oh she was hungry. It had been days since she had a filing meal. Weeks since she had a restful night. She took careful note of the buildings and the alleys. Always watchful now, noting always a possible escape. She hated being cornered in, anywhere, especially in crowds. She headed toward a well to get a cool drink of water. She needed to rest and find food. There seemed to be friendly faces here. Perhaps she would stay awhile, keeping to herself as much as possible.

Kristyn wrote:

Kristyn looked at Turk'en, clearly, for the first time.

"Oh, you're bleeding!" Kristyn said, dropping her bow and going to the darkling. She looked up at Erron.

"You kept talking to me while I could have been healing him?"

Before Erron could reply, Kristyn began to heal Turk'en (Heal Minor Wound).

"He'll need a more powerful naturalist. I'm just a ranger, but I think I bought him some time."

She gathered her bow and replaced the arrow into her quiver.

"What are you doing down here?" she asked calmly.

As Tara made her way through the town, Kristyn worked on Turk'en.

"We're from Peregren. I know, why are we here. Two minotaur kidnapped my friend here. I followed them here. They--"

SH-BOOM!

"What the hell!?" Erron yelled. The entire buyilding shook, causing dust to fall on them in the basement. Erron left the darkling with the woman and rushed up stairs. The building was destroyed.

"Explosives...."Erron look around and saw the arrows from earlier. However they weren't arrows....they were crossbow bolts.

"Dwarves?" Erron said confused. He then saw Tara lying in the street. She had been knocked down by the blast. Many rangers and druids were rushing to the scene.

Erron ran to the Hellfolk woman and made it to her first and began to help her up.

"Get to safety now!" he yelled at everyone.

"There's dwarves in the woods with explosives. They could attack again at anytime!" Erron said to everyone around.

"Dwarves? Why would dwarves attack Teseron?" a ranger asked confused.

"I don't know," Erron said worried.

Edaw was enjoying his walk. He forgot why he came to Teseron, but he was starting to like being here.

Then the explosions came. Edaw dove to the ground, and took cover.

After the excitement stopped (for the time being) Edaw got up and hurried to see if anyone needed a metal claw-hand.

Turk'en lay on the ground of the basement and felt t burn of the rangers healing take effect. He almost doubled over in pain from the process.

"Why does the healing hurt just as bad as the wounding?" Turk'en thought to himself. He could feel his body start to mend it self as the woman knelt over him.

Then The explosion happened.

The building's foundation shook. Turk'en covered his face as best he could until it was over.

"Erron, what in the abyss just happened?"

Turk'en tried to get up on his own before the healing finished it's own work.

"Err! Help me up, Erron."

Turk'en looked around and didn't see anyone.

"Erron?"


"Where are you?"

Turk'en saw the doo upstairs open.

When the explosion hit, Kristyn covered the darkling from falling ceiling debris. When the explosions stopped, terror struck her heart. Kristyn looked at Turk'en sadly.

"I-I'm so sorry... I have to leave."

Kristyn abandoned the darkling in the basement. She ran up the stairs as fast as she could. She saw the darkling's friend.

"I have to help my son!" she shouted, sorrowfully, as she ran further into the town.

She ran so quickly, it didn't take her long to return home.

"Elan! Elan!"

It didn't take long for the young boy to come out with a nanny.

"We're alright, ma'am."

The boy had obviously been crying, but he ran into his mother's arms and he knew he was safe. His dark hair and blue eyes gave away his heritage. Many in the town remembered the temple, and some were afraid of the boy.

Was he the son of Leif... or Lehti?

Erron ran back to the building and down to the basement.

Turk'en was alone.

"Get up. We're moving. They've stopped the attacks for now, but who knows when they might start again. Only one group of people I know of uses crossbows and explosives. Dwarves. Only I can't figure out why they would attack druids..."

Turk’en started to get up as soon as Erron said it. Turk’en was still sore, but was able to move. He was up and dusted himself off dusted his coat off and put it back on and buttoned it up.

“What the hell is going on, Erron?”

Turk’en went for the stairs, looked out from the hole and took in the devastated building.
Turk’en moved about the store, or what was left of it. He rummaged around, but could only find himself a cutlass and five daggers. He found himself sheaths for the weapons and fastened them around himself. He found some bracers. They weren’t in perfect shape, but they would have to do.
“I’m with you. Lets get out of here. Where to? “

"We're going to get some help and head into the woods. Find out what is going on with these dwarves. Teseron is one of the few places that the undead are weak in. While they still exist here, the rangers and druids and monks are usually able to keep them under control. We can't have the dwarves hampering them," Erron replied and eyed Turk'en.

The darkling didn't look well.

Erron said nothing. Not out a lack of compassion, but to keep Turk'en from worrying about the injury Erron had suffered...

Edaw was fortunate. Some debris fell on him, but the rocks glanced off his metal arms. He got up, dusted himself off, and continued through the town, but with a quickened pace, and focused.

Edaw saw the rangers and druids gathering to help the community and tried to figure out what just happened.

A few buildings had holes and some were completely devastated. Edaw made his way and finally found what he was in Teseron for. He walked up to Erron and Turk'en. He gave them both a long look.

"You guys look like shit."

Kristyn grabbed Elan, and held her in her arms. After telling the nanny to go to the druids and see what they were planning. Kristyn wanted to head back and see if the darkling was still in trouble.

She moved as quickly as she could with the infant in her arms. She arrived at the battered blacksmith shop, and heard what the human had said.

Erron wrote:

"We're going to get some help and head into the woods. Find out what is going on with these dwarves. Teseron is one of the few places that the undead are weak in. While they still exist here, the rangers and druids and monks are usually able to keep them under control. We can't have the dwarves hampering them," Erron replied and eyed Turk'en.

"I'm sorry, darkling. I did not want to leave you, but even a naturalist has maternal instincts.

"I'd like to go with you two, if you're going after the dwarves. When do you plan to leave?"

Turk’en looked up after he found his weapons to see and hear the woman healer talking. He looked to her and then down to the child behind her. Another time he wound have completely understood her thinking. He traveled with his own son for a few years before giving him to his friend and fellow hunter Aldion. Then Turk’en felt his heart pounding as he thought about what happened to Tal’Kren Ra’hell. Nerin Toth would never remember the sacrifice he made. But Turk’en would. He remembered all. That may be the worst part of the the curse of the King. Remembering all the pain and suffering that he bore witness to.

“Madam healer, I admire and appreciate your need to assist us, but the path we walk is a dark one and not meant for the weak of heart or that of a child. I’ll not have another ones blood on my hands. Send him to the druids and rangers of Teseron. He will be more safe there than journeying with us. We move fast and light and strike as lethal as lightning. We can’t be slowed down by him.”

Turk’en turned back to Erron. They needed some food for the road. They needed to move fast to catch up with the dwarves. Turk’en’s stomach hurt. The rest of the healing would have to take time. Time they didn’t have to just sit around.

Turk’en turned back to the woman to see what decision she had made.

"Of course Elan's not going with us. I wanted to make sure you were out of the basement, though. I just hope the we can stop the dwarves before they bomb the town again.

"You are just going after the dwarves, aren't you?"

The child didn't seem ready to let his mother go. Unfortunately, Kristyn knew she couldn't wait for the druids to fix things.

However, the thought of leaving her son to a group that feared the boy, and in a town to be attacked didn't please her.

Turk’en spoke to the woman,
“We are going after the dwarves but we aren’t going to kill them out right unless we need to. We have to find out what’s going on first. Why would they attack Teseron? Who are they working with?”

“We are moving quickly though. So get your son to safetly NOW!”

Turning back to Erron who was gathering what he could from what’s left dwarf’s shop.

“You ready, Erron?”

Turk’en completely missed Erron’s face when he tried to lift his arm to grab up a sack of supplies.

Turken wrote:

“You ready, Erron?”

Turk’en completely missed Erron’s face when he tried to lift his arm to grab up a sack of supplies.

Pain.

Terrible pain.

He couldn't let Turk'en know it though.

The darkling depended on him.

It was two days ago. On a ship to Teseron. It had been overwhelmed by them.

Erron was fallowing the minotaurs.

Even the minotaurs were shocked by the events.

Such pain.

Erron tried to ignore it.

The wound on his arm, was easily concealable, but keeping the fact that he was injured was not easy....

He tried to hide it.

He tried to pretend as if it didn't happen.

The incident on the ship.....it was a sign of things to come. Of things that were changing forever....

He was so very very very tired.

So tired......

....and hungry.

Erron looked at Turk'en through undead eyes and growled, rushing his friend to feast.....