The Dead Will Hunt

Hellcat wrote:

The brute was falling backward...

Sweat was pouring from her face.

Shaking, she grabbed the nail out of her waistline. Squeezing it in her fist, she began punching the brute's leg muscles with it.

She realized she was screaming a very primal haunting scream as she stabbed over and over again. It occurred to her, that she liked it too.

The Brute fell landing on top of Oceana. Oxygen fled her lunges as he crushed her. If it weren't for the weight of the beast being distributed across her entire body, it surely would have killed her. It let out an angry growling howl and rolled off of the thief, finally allowing her to breath again.

It quickly stood and fell again, it's ankles snapping from the torn rotted flesh not being able to hold the weight.

Unfortunately, it fell on Oceana again, this time it's stomach landing across her own.

Onni laid there under the trashed cart and manure. He pulled himself out so that he could breath, but he collapse soon after. There were places where his blood trickled down his scales, all over his body. His armor was almost tarnished. It probably saved him from too serious of wounds, though.

He was furious at himself. The horrors of Toi Swamp was still fresh in his mind. He slew a dragon, for the dead gods' sake! Why did he let the brute do so much to him?

Auer laid on the ground a fair distance from Popurum. Both were unconscious. The riverfolk took two big hits after each other, and the naturalist was abused to no end. His scales were an unnaturally bold red. The bloody scales gleamed in the cold moon light.

The riverfolk didn't move at all. He was bruised, but was likely in much better shape than Auer. His red hair covered his face. He was on his stomach, not moving at all. His green robed dirtied by the ground and blood from Auer. His arms were stretched out in front of him, small and abandoned of life. Popurum's breath was shallow and slow, but the back of his chest stirred still.

Onni pulled himself out from under the cart. He breathed deeply. He kicked his legs and felt something underneath the mound of manure. Something fleshy. The lizard held his breath and dug into the mound. The smell of road apples never bothered Onni, fortunately. However, it was probably not the healthiest thing to be sticking a head into.

Onni felt around and grabbed hold of an arm. He pulled. The body seemed to follow, and soon, a darkling appeared out of the mound.

"There's one," he said in a heavy breath.

Onni looked over at Oceana. The poor woman was stuck beneath the horrid monster...

Onni pulled himself onto his scaly, clawed feet... then stumbled.

Damn... cart...


A small hand grasped at the ground. Popurum slowly stirred awake. His head turned to look around. A bloody streak had dried on his forehead, adding more red to him besides his hair.

The riverfolk was dizzy, and tired. A few feet away, a red reptile was laying on its back, out cold.

"Ow..." whined the little guy, pulling himself up. His legs and feet hurt.

He turned and looked to see what hit him. A giant infected was falling over onto that nice human lady!

Popurum gasped and ran over to help. The small figure approached the huge terror without a second thought. The brute swiped at Popurum, still on its stomach... and hit. The monster must have been at an awkward position with its swing. Popurum was able to get up with a busted cheek and eye. This time, Popurum approached slower. Something stirred inside. A feeling similar to what he felt in the cage, with the firey hands.

The brute propped itself up on one arm, ready to swing with the other.

Now, some heroes have great strength to fight with. Some, use speed and stealth. Some are wise and intelligent enough to summon powers. Some even can wiggle their ways out of fights with wiley and clever words. Popurum... he didn't excel in any of these traits.

He had enough sense and understanding for some magic, sure. But what Popurum truly had that made him a hero: courage and luck. Two traits that seem to get overlooked...

Popurum was on his feet, with energy inside him. It wasn't a powerful spell... but it was enough.

The brute pulled its hand into a fist, next to its face. It was ready to pound the riverfolk into its grave. Popurum however, finished his spell.

A blast of energy collided with the stationary fist, causing it to whip backwards into its owner's face. The brute managed to punch itself, and it rolled itself over, off of Oceana.

Now in the grand scale of things.... Popurum didn't damage the brute at all. The punch was hardly powerful enough to cause the fist to do much. However... it did free Ms. Oceana.

"WHEEEE!" squealed the riverfolk, running over and trying to drag the woman away from the beast. He grabbed her by an arm and started dragging away with all his vigor.

"You're sure lucky, Ms. Oceana."

"There's two..." said Onni relieved that Oceana was pulled to safety. The riverfolk was endearing for sure.

Onni didn't waste another chance, however. The riverfolk's spell stunned the horror, and with its leg crippled, there would be no better opportunity. With one final breath, he sprung into a spring, running straight for the brute's arm.

It had started to recover and had its fist ready to pound the ground. The riverfolk and woman were gone. Onni was quickly coming towards it. The monster pounded the ground causing the ground to tremble. Onni skidded to a temporary halt before jumping up onto the brute's arm in an attempt to sprint to the head. The monster roared and flung its arm.

Onni dug into the arm, grabbing one of the arm's bones. He held on tight... THERE! Onni using the arm as a lift, swung up over to the neck. With his left blade released, he plunged it into the brute's skull. The degraded bone caught the blade, and Onni's arm split open the skull, allowing brain matter to pour. It fell onto the dangling lizard man. His blade was lodged in the skull, and the monster was flailing still.

Onni released his right arm's blade and began to punch upward into the face of the brute.

One, two, three, four... counted Onni with each punch. Finally one of the arms flailed right into him. It was kind enough to dislodge Onni's blade before sending him soaring again through the air... landing on his butt... on his tail stub... hard. He hissed.

He sat right next to Revek as he pulled Brute zombie brain out of his mouth... He then smeared it over the human's nice fancy boots.

"Starting to become a diet of mine," said Onni, grumpily.

Onni Scaletail wrote:

"Starting to become a diet of mine," said Onni, grumpily.

"Good way to get infected. Ever wonder how zombie dragons get infected?" Revek said.

Onni then remembered when his tail had been bitten.

"It's not over yet people! HERE THEY COME!" Revek yelled, readying himself, as a horde came running toward the scene.

Draylas was dazed he slowly pulled himself up he looked around he scanned the area for some makeshift weapon, he found nothing.

The Darkling turned around and it just so happened that a zombie had made its way in through a gaping hole in the building, it was overlooked in the battle with the brute.

Draylas couldn't react fast enough the zombie grabbed a hold of him and sunk its teeth down into his arm tearing flesh away.

The darkling managed to grab a plank of wood and bash the zombie's head in crushing it.

Draylas slowly stood he looked at the group and then to his arm he then slumped against the wall, he had lost..his mission was over.

He heard his father's voice again.

"You did well my son, do not fear we shall see you soon enough," the voice faded away.

"I'm sor-", Draylas was cut off.

BANG!

A perfect red hole was in the center of his forehead a line of crimson ran down his cheek.

CHARACTER SHEET
***************
Name: Clyde Young
Race: Human
Faction: None
Hair: Slightly long almost shoulder length neatly trimmed.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Light black
Ability's: Versatile,Rugged,Influential
Companion: a Raven,it has no name.
Personality: He isn't evil but he isn't nice more or less neutral.
History: Unknown.
Appearance: He has a beard, its not bushy its like 5 o clock shadow that hasnt been shaved, he has two scars along his right cheek, each about 3 to 4 inches long. He resembles that of a wild west Gunslinger/Outlaw.

Weapons: Clyde uses pistols only he is a gunslinger, he has two pistols that look like Scolfield Revolvers, They are not those weapons due to time period they just look like it, they have the same fire rate as Scholfields and work the same, they just arnt scholfields. they are custom made by Dwarves. (I will post a picture below)

Armor: He dosent really wear armor he wears a brown duster and cloth pants he has a bandoleer along the inside of the duster for more ammo, he has cowboy boots on and a cowboy hat. (I will also post a picture of these)



The first pictures are the weapons, mind you he has two of those pistols
The second picture is his outfit and hat.
**************************************************************

Clyde's Revolver was smoking he had it aimed at the Darkling he looked at the group and in the most cold un-caring voice he spoke, he always sounded that way.

"Someone had to kill him, mind as well have been me," he said as he struck a match against his duster and lit a roll of paper that had some sort of smoking product in it.

He took a long drag.

The darkling fell to the ground dead, Clyde spun his duster slightly swirled as he aimed both revolvers at the undead, the were six shooters but he was very good at reloading.

he began firing the revolvers one after another the bullets exploded through different zombies head.

He holstered the two revolvers once they were empty, he ducked behind a wall as he quickly reloaded he jumped back out and a Stalker screeched leaping at Clyde with its mouth wide open.

He stuck the end of his revolver inside its mouth and pulled the trigger, it's head literally exploded.

It's body fell limp and Clyde tipped his hat slightly, at the fact that he was challenged and he won.

He glanced at the rest of the group as he spit the smoking product from his mouth.

"I have horses just in the stables there cut off from the undead if we can get there we should be able to get away," he said still firing away.

The sounds of the gunshot echoed, and caused Onni to jump. He wasn't expecting the loud bang. He grasped Revek's leg in a reflex.

"Er... sorry," he said embarrassed. The lizardman stood up. The horde was coming. Onni sighed, heavily. He ditched the human and ran over to Auer's unconscious body. He grabbed his mate underneath both arms and dragged him to the hidden door. Onni was surprised to see it intact.

"Riverfolk!" called Onni to Popurum. The little red headed mage was making sure Oceana was alright, but came when he heard his name.

Onni opened the door and quickly tossed Auer down, not being very delicate.

"Guard the boy and the lizard until he sobers up. Auer is a naturalist and can heal us when he's clear-headed. I don't know what the boy's purpose is, but guard him like he's a cure or something."

Onni then rudely shoved Pops into the cellar.

Screams in the city could be heard. Some of the nearby ones were the hardest to hear. The sound of men, women, and children trying to escape, only to be captured. Their desperate, pleading screams as they were eaten alive were never easy to listen to.

Onni tried to block the sounds from his mind. He first had to make sure Auer was safe, then he would protect the boy. He released both blades, and braced for the horde...

Hadrian woke up to the commotion and saw the undead running around the commons. He saw across the way his friends ducking and getting away. He looked around for his stuff. He only found his sabre, pouches and jacket.

Grabbing both the boy worked his way through the crowd killing zombies along the way. He growled as he did so. Rage was taking over as the hunter, or animal for lack of a better discription, came to the forefront of his consciousness.

The boy was fierce if not skilled. He hacked with his sabre. A weapon mainly used with grace, Hadrian used it like a machete cutting through thick brush.

He could see his friends going for a building.

He didn't see Draylas get bit. He did see him get shot in the head though.


"NOOOOOOO!" Yelled Hadrian, but no one could hear him over the sound of the crowd.

Hadrian saw who did it and followed the man as he ducked behind a building. The man came out with two odd looking flintlocks using one to explode a sprinters head.


The man turned to talk to the group about horses putting his back to Hadrian. Hadrian picked up a broken signpost and swung with all his might into the back of the knees of the man in the duster.

THWAK!

The man dropped to his knees in pain. Hadrian swung again with the makeshift bat and hit him in the head, knocking him to the side and on his back. The man lay there holding his guns still, somehow, flash of lights exploded in the mans eyes from the boys hit.

"YOU KILLED MY FRIEND! YOU KILLED HIM, YOU BASTARD!"

Hadrian reached into his pouch and quickly, probably too quick for anyone other than Oceana to see, and stuck a black wad in the barrel of one of the pistols.

"I WOULD KILL YOU, BUT I'LL LET YOU LIVE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I CAN KILL YOU AT ANY TIME. YOU WILL NEVER BE RID OF ME! YOU WANT TO LIVE LONGER GET EVERYONE OUT OF HERE LIKE YOU SAID YOU WOULD."


Hadrian learned from the brief lesson Draylas taught him. The boy quickly leaped away and went to Oceana to make sure she was ok.

"What happened?' Hadrian asked, 'and who's the boy?"

BANG!

Hadrian turned to see the man in the duster gripping his hand he had his gun. He had lost two fingers from that hand his trigger finger and his pinky. The hand was bleeding out and the man gripped it as best he could to try and stop the blood.

"That's called a stickywad. As you can see it explodes when it's hot or when it's agitated. Don't touch my friends again. Now get up and stop whining. get us out of here!"

Clyde looked at his gun the barrel was exploded he salvaged it best he could he would have to repare it later he tucjed them both in his holster and looked at his hand, he would have to learn to shoot with his middle finger or get some sort of prostethic fingers, he was unsure, he could feel for the bou for Clyde to has lost friends.

Clyde walked over to Hadrian and clasped a hand on his shoulder, the grip was firm but gentle at the same time.

"He was bitten it had to be done, I am sorry," he said hos voice still sounded cold but he had a sentimental hint to the way he spoke.

He walked over to Draylas's body and took his sword and dagger he closed his eye lids and drapped a blanket from his pack over him, he then walked back to Hadrian and handed him Draylas's weapons.

"Something for you to remember him by, now I believe we got off on the wrong foot the horses are just around the corner I need to be able to trust you, you have to help me," Clyde spoke to the boy.

He then walked over to the trap door and opened it he leaned down in the hole and stuck his arm down to help the others up.

"Hope you can ride a horse were leaving," he said as he waited to pull the others up.

He looked back to Hadrian.

"Gather what you can friend, and set the Darklings body on fire, its the best burial we can give him in this situation," he spoke horde zombies were getting closer his trigger finger twitched slightly as he looked back down into the whole.

Revek looked at Onni, slightly annoyed at grabbing his leg.

"Pull yourself together. We need fighters, not children," he said and walked toward Clyde.

Before Clyde could speak, Revek grabbed his good hand and smacked Clyde in the face with it, causing the cowboy to pistol whip himself.

"No more shooting people idiot. Do you hear that horde coming this way? That's because you're attracting them us. They go toward loud noises."

Revek turned toward the others.

"Get the boy out of the cellar. We have to leave Greyshore NOW! Sarek did his part for the Hunt. If we don't do ours, the boy will die and then it's all over. Face facts people...we're Hunters.....and we're being hunted," he finished turning back toward Clyde.

"If you're lying about these horses...I'll kill you."

Clyde just nodded he looked at everyone.

"Alright, stay here I'll get the horses," clyde said he holstered his weapon and adjusted his duster and his hat and snuck out onto the streets.

There was a large group of undead fighting over a child and his mother Clyde tipped his hat in respect, he then quickly ran across the street an undead was leaning up against the door to the stables as if that was going to get it inside.

Clyde drew his revolver he cocked back the hammer eased his finger on the trigger, but he stopped remebering what Reverk said. He hosltered the revolver. He had a large hunting knife in his belt, he pulled that out and grabbed the zombies shoulder and swung the blade downard he stabbed it right through the top of the skull into its brain.

He opened the door, there were two horses one which was his a black stallion he mounted it and grabed the reins of the other horse which was pulling a wagon large enough for the whole group plus one riding the horse.

"HIYAH!" He said as he snapped the reins and the horses ran out of the stables making there way to the group, his pet raven then landed on his shoulder he didn't pay any mind he looked at Reverk and the others.

"Let's go," he said the zombies noticed the horses and started running. Towards the group, his horses were faithfull to him and would stay no matter what.

Clyde jumped off his horse to help the others in the wagon.

Aese pops his knuckles and pulls a folded blade from his waist, letting a flick of his wrist free the longsword from where it had looked to be crumpled. He lets the fingers of his free hand quiver softly as he runs them down the stainless blade, small blue arcs of lightning leap forward from his fingertips to connect with the steel and energize it with pure energy. The blade seems to take on a faint illumination, and begin to vibrate faintly with the magick coursing through it.

As he encroaches the small grouping of people, he holds the blade at ready. The very first of the group to catch his eye was the lizardman without a tail. It bewildered him as to how the aniver could walk without its tail...which acted to balance the movements of many reptilian humanoids.

"I have the innate feeling that you all will be exiting this place. I believe I'll be following...another instinct lets me know that you all wouldn't mind the help." He staggers back as a wagon pulls up, and as a man begins to usher people into it. "Erm..yes, that'll do." He closes his folding blade and falls into line within the confines of the vehicle.

Still using the staff from earlier, he smashed an undead in the face, and then another in the knees, breaking its leg. He launched one of his hooks into a zombie that was running for the lizardman, snapping its spine as its own force kept pulling against the cable.

The majority of the zombies gone, he turned back towards the group just in time to see the darkling get shot. Now it should be stated, in their brief time together, Petra found that he didn't like Drylas. And now that he thought about, he wasnt sure if that was his name.

But no matter what he thought of the darkling, he hated this "cowboy" more, wagon or not.

"Where'd he get a damned wagon...?" he said to himself

Onni looked at the cowboy's wagon, and then down the hole. His face became strict and poised. He was stern. A look of understanding and clarity. It was bitter though. Yet, he smiled.


"Watch my back. I'm getting the boy." Said Onni loudly. He slipped down under the door and did not come up for several minutes. Finally, the door opened. Popurum and the boy emerged. Pops held the boys hand and held a plank of wood (His Knight's Mace).

"Mr. No-Tail said it's time for us to go?" asked Pops helping the boy to the wagon.

The door to the cellar was closed. Onni never appeared. Nor did his mate, Auer.

Once the boy was in the wagon, and safe, Pops turned back to Revek. He didn't know why, but Pops liked Revek. He might not have been very friendly... but he was a strong leader.

"Boss, the lizards are staying behind," said Popurum. Then in a voice to imitate Onni's, "'In this world, you can't worry about if and when you die. All that matters is how you die.' That's what he told me, Boss."

In the cellar, Onni lit a torch and walked towards the back. There, sitting with his back against the wall, Auer looked around groggily. A blanket was around him. Onni lowered himself to the ground, sitting down next to his love.

The two lizards got close together. They spoke to each other in their raspy, reptilian voices. Onni told Auer about the Civil Agents and Acaetus Nimius. Auer told Onni about seeing the Civil Agents and fleeing the house before they caught him.

The remains were of some mammalian humanoid. Somehow, Auer and Onni managed to keep missing each other, and thinking the other was dead. Then, Auer heard of Onni, Savior of Greyshore.

"Onni?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are we?"

Onni chuckled. He remembered waking up in a chair one floor above with tubing draining his lizard blood... That was how long ago? It felt like years...

"It doesn't matter."

There was a pause. It was still and quiet in that cellar. Just the two of them. The two waited... the horde would come. Then... with any hope, they'd find their places together in the next world.

"I'm glad you found me."

"Me, too," finished Onni.

Nick W wrote:

Once the boy was in the wagon, and safe, Pops turned back to Revek. He didn't know why, but Pops liked Revek. He might not have been very friendly... but he was a strong leader.

"Boss, the lizards are staying behind," said Popurum. Then in a voice to imitate Onni's, "'In this world, you can't worry about if and when you die. All that matters is how you die.' That's what he told me, Boss."

In the cellar, Onni lit a torch and walked towards the back. There, sitting with his back against the wall, Auer looked around groggily. A blanket was around him. Onni lowered himself to the ground, sitting down next to his love.

Revek nodded.

"OK everyone get into the wagon. We have--"

A lone zombie rushed the wagon and began convulsing horribly as it ran.

SHA-BOOM!!!

The Exploder ran between the horses to climb up the front of the wagon and exploded.

Now then, Exploder zombies weren't conventional zombies. They didn't need to bite a victim to spread the plague. They simply needed to blow up and their left overs just needed to make a flesh contact with someone uninfected to spread the plague to them.

Horse meat and the front half of the wagon flew through the air. The back half of the wagon itself. Anyone who had climbed into the wagon went flying through the air as well.

Aese landed hard on his left shoulder on the ground, feeling something pull in it.

Revek pushed himself up off the ground. He had covered Popurum and the back half of his coat was covered in zombie grime. He quickly took it off and tossed it to the side, annoyed at having to find a new one now. White leather trench coats weren't easy to come by and he had to trade a lot for that one.

He then glanced over at Clyde.

"Damn," he whispered.

The side of the cowboy's face was covered in Exploder grime. Petra's neck was covered in Exploder grime. Asar's hand's were covered in Exploder grime.

In the cellar, Onni and Auer sat close to one another. Onni thought about the ordeals he had been through recently....and oddly enough he viewed some of it in a strange way....some of it....made him feel hungry.

Hadrian had been around the corner keeping watch as the others started to load up into the wagon.


SHA-BOOM!!


"What the hell?!" Hadrian came back around the corner to see what was happening.

"Can you guys be any loud... ...er.... ?!"

Then he saw the gore and grime splattered over almost everyone.

Hadrian got mad.

"Keep it down! Now lets get out of here, Clean that crap off and lets go!"

Craigzilla wrote:

In the cellar, Onni and Auer sat close to one another. Onni thought about the ordeals he had been through recently....and oddly enough he viewed some of it in a strange way....some of it....made him feel hungry.

"Auer..." said Onni, afraid. Ever since that human spoke of how the dragons become infected... Onni silently knew. One reason he knew he couldn't continue with them. He didn't want some stranger to do it... He wanted Auer...

Lizards aren't known for their tears... with maybe the exception of crocodiles. However, even Onni could cry. Auer watched, saddened. What they were, well, was beyond the need to speak.

"I'm sorry-" began Onni. Auer stopped him. They got closer. For years, Onni wondered what the point was. Why not just give up, and abandon Nerin Toth? All the pain in this world... all the sadness and sorrow. Why go through that? It seemed so pointless... But... Now, he understood.

Years of hurting. Months of putting up with stupid mammals and zombies. Even all the politics... None of that could damper Onni's spirit. He understood why the world kept fighting. This moment with Auer. That's what it's all for... for everyone.

All the harder... after finally figuring it out... to know that Onni's fight would be over... Onni could feel it. Time was borrowed.

"The boy... that darkling thought there was something important about him..."

"Okay..." said Auer.

"You better..." Onni couldn't finish. He unlatched the wrist blades from his arms. He handed them over to Auer. The red scaled lizard, with Onni's help, set the weapons in place...

Auer kissed Onni's forehead.

"Wait for me," whispered Auer... he placed a fist to Onni's temple. He prayed it would be fast... Both shook. Both quivered. The best moment of their lives... was also the hardest... and cruelest.

"As long as it takes..." replied the damned lizard.

Auer released the blades...

Blood ran down to the ground, staining the blanket... staining the cellar floor... staining Auer's heart.

The naturalist lizard worked fast. After making sure there was no way for Onni to be raised again, he took a pack, placed the bloody blanket inside, lovingly.

He hurried to the cellar door. The torch was darkening. Auer started to open the door...

He looked back...

"You've done your part, Onni. I pray I can do mine..."

The lizard slipped up to the surface. He shut the door behind him. A gust of air slipped in. The breeze reached the weakening torch. And the room went dark...

---

OOC: That was THEE hardest post I have ever written... I'm going to miss Onni. I cried while writing this.

---

Name: Auer Scaletail
Race: Aniver (Lizard)
Faction: Naturalist (Druid)
Ht: 5'9"
Wt: 160ish

Skin: Red scales as the dominant color. Found around his back, legs, arms, head, and neck. Copper colored scales decorate his underbelly. Reptilian fins decorate the top and back of his head.

Gear: Tattered naturalist robes. Onni's wrist blades. A pack with a blood stained blanket, water, and rations.

History: Read The Dead Will Hunt

Aese pulls to his feet, resting a hand on his left shoulder. He grunts hard, and swiftly pops the bone back into place. A stabbing pain floods through his arm and echoes within his body, causing a hard gasp to arise from his pallid lips. In all of his life, things were being destroyed by all of the fucking zombies. His fists clench, as he looks around at all of the disgusting ichor that had glazed over much of the surrounding area.

"This is bullshit." Aese says aloud as he grabs the blade from his waist and lets it snap outward to its full length, and with a clench of his fist, the metal seems to become engulfed in a blindingly white flame. He wanted to run zombies through. He wanted to spill their vile, rotting entrails across the soil, and fertilize the Earth with their disgusting mulch of a body. Though, his left arm ached and twitched uncomfortably. He couldn't do much with it...it was a marvelous turnabout that he was ambidextrous.

To much of his disdain, no zombies were in reach. As much as he wanted to cleave one into tiny little pieces, he would have to wait. Though, he had the itching feeling that he wouldn't have to wait very long.

"I would like to make the suggestion that we regroup, take care of those with...slime...on their bodies, and move along." He spins the blade in his hand and gestures towards those with grime on their bodies. "I don't know if that spreads the disease through skin contact, and if no one else knows for sure..then I'd rather not take any chances." He lets his hard, emotionless eyes lock onto those afflicted.

"I'm sure, as hunters, the majority of you will agree. Kill them if necessary. Or...remove the parts of the body that ail them." He says in a harsh tone, better befitting a Murderer than a "gentle" artificer. One who's inventions would be used for the betterment of mankind should there be a lack of the Zombie Scourge.

But now...

Everything he would ever create would be used to destroy.

Auer appeared above and immediately noticed the carnage. His moist eyes enlarged at the gore. He suddenly threw up all over the ground in front of his clawed feet... There went the booze.

The reptile watched and listened Aese. Auer wondered exactly who the leader or the group was. He wiped his mouth of the bile and walked over to him.

"I'm sorry for missing most of the scene, but I am a healer. If I can be any assistance to you or a little boy, I promise to serve to my death," said Auer, respectfully to Aese.

"I'm here for the group, just command me."

Coughing and gagging, Oceana gasped for air in her lungs. It felt good, she gulped air, cooling her burning lungs.

"Thanks!" She said to the little man. Wondering to herself how it came to be her rescuer was so small and the brute that was crushing her was so big.

Oceana ducked when the gun was being fired. Things were just so chaotic and nothing was making sense.

She looked down at her hands, the wood plank had left several splinters and cuts. Pain. Like every other sense, it must be pushed aside. No time for crying or whining, she pulled as many of the wood splinters out with her teeth as she could, while her eyes took in all that was going on around her.

Who was this strange man with the hat and horses. Could they trust him? Did they have a choice?

She looked at the brute, finding no weapons on it's remains, Oceana sighed. And kicked it's leg out of frustration. She must find a suitable weapon.

Her fortune to defend herself would not hold out long as it is, she has more than once owed her life to these new friends.

How could she begin to repay them?

Revek looked at the others frustrated that his trench coat had been covered in zombie grime. He tossed it aside with an angry look on his face. White leather trench coats were not easy to come by.

"We have to leave here now. These undead are after the boy. It was Sarek's job to test all of you to see if you would be suitable guards for the boy's life. It's believed he holds a cure to all of this madness. Who or what is controlling these undead causing them to hunt the boy specifically we aren't sure. What is known is that the Tothian Mage Guild, Acaetus Nimius, and Civil Agents of the Blood have been hunting Sarek for quite some time. And since you were all seen with him here in Greyshore it's no doubt that they know of you all assisting him. The longer we stay here, the closer we get to death. We need to return the boy to Medrath as soon as possible, and leaving now while this city is in chaos would be best to avoid any notice."

"Medrath? What do you intend to take him there for? Why not Peregren? Their walls are fortified, and the Knights of Tomath are there. If there was any chance for a cure, Zoei Fantasy would know how to pool the resources needed. And more importantly, the child would be much safer there. We'd be taking an unnecessary risk, don't you think?" asked Auer. His voice was calm and thoughtful.

Auer wasn't sure about this human. He wasn't sure who to trust and who was the leader. Onni never said... All Auer was told, was to protect the child.

"Unless you can give a decent enough reason as to why we should go to Medrath and not Peregren, I'll take the boy on my own. His safety is my biggest concern. Don't give me a death or torture threat either! I'm bound to this world for the boy only. You won't persuade me through violence!" said the lizard in a much harsher tone. He walked over and placed a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder.

His only hope was that the boy wouldn't be frightened by Auer's scaly physique.

Revek strode over to Auer and punched him square in the nose.

The boy took of running down the street, vanishing into a crowd of people not to be seen.

"YOU IDIOT! NOW WE HAVE TO FIND HIM AGAIN! Peregren has fallen! Zoei Fantasy no longer controls it! The Knights of Tomath.............you're a drunk and an embarrassment to yourself. Stay away from the boy," Revek finished.

He then turned and began walking the direction the boy went searching for him.

"Yeah, dummy!" yelled Poprurm, kicking Auer in the shin. Popurum then ran to catch up with Revek. Popurum soon became the human's shadow.

"Let's go get him, boss!" he said. He was important!


Auer stood there cupping his nostrils. A little blood came out. He was quickly sobering up. He looked at the others confused. What'd he do? The human was the one that scared the boy!

"Gods bless you Onni for putting up with this group," whispered the lizard. "But Gods damn you for getting me involved!" he hissed.

Revek found the boy hiding between two market stands, crouched down trying to remain unnoticed. People still ran about in a panic and the guards were trying to get everything under control.

Revek and Popurum walked up to the boy.

Revek kneeled down to be eye level with the boy.

"You know what we have to do?" he said softly but sternly.

The boy nodded.

"And you know, only you can end this?" Revek said.

The boy looked away scared.

"I know. I don't like it any more than you do. But we have to accomplish this huge task in front of us. If we don't this whole world dies. You don't want that do you?"

The boy glanced at his feet neverously. Then the boy shook his head no.

"Lets get the others then and get going," Revek said softly.

The boy, Revek, and Popurum walked back toward the others.