Graterras Chapter 4: Shattering Realities. [IC]

[Chim]

Sigurd was shocked when he saw Marcus. “This can’t be… Marcus… Who? What happened?” he mumbled, still in disbelief. He considered the Fire Templar a friend and rival more than anyone else in the group and his rage started to build up.

“WHO DID THIS?” he asked again, this time his voice was pure rage, “AND WHERE DID THE BASTARD RUN OFF TOO?” The Wind Templar’s saliva flew around as he tried to find a clue to where to go and unleash his fury.

((Not like Akuma’s berserker thing. Sigurd would probably get killed if he fought like that))

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

The ranger ran after her sister and, her hood coming loose to reveal her head, fell to the ground too, between Marcus, Cookie and her father. "Marcus, do you hear me? Don't you... Don't you dare leave! I'll not forgive you for it!" She had never seen Jupiter cry, not since the day the two girls met and grew to be quick friends. Even then, those were tears of joy; here, her sister was the epitome of despair right at this moment. Then...

"Then move me over to my daughter."
"Who? Her? You sure she is even a woman?"
"Yes, I would know my little Kestrel anywhere."

"Ad... Adther... Adther!" she half-cried and half-squealed practically in tears now. For a moment she sounded happy... Then, she cried out again, sorrowfully, looking as though she wanted to cling onto her long lost father. "Adther...!" At this point the half-Elf was at a loss for words, caught in between both happiness and grief.

[Flux]

Nero stepped through the treeline, a hand on the hilt of his sword as he glanced at the scene. A group of people were kneeling around something, while the rest were carrying an older man. Whatever trouble had been here earlier appeared to be gone now. He let the hand on his sword drop, trying to catch a glimpse of what everyone was focused on. It was... Marcus. Nero turned his gaze. The man was cut open and his insides were spilled on the ground. There would be no saving him. Nero stepped back towards the treeline. Rather than grieving the Templar's death as the others seemed to be, Nero could only wonder why he had even bothered coming. He hadn't arrived in time to be of any use in whatever battle had occurred, and he wasn't the type to console the dying. He'd seen enough death in his life... and this was nothing compared to what he had lost. When he reached the treeline of the clearing, he simply leaned back against a tree and waited for the Fire Templar to die.

[Notus]

Marcus raised his eyebrows when Jupiter fell over him, but soon the surprised look was replaced by a calmer, warm one. The young Templar passed his right arm over her back, returning the embrace, and put the Emerald Rose he was holding on the ranger's silver hair. There was now a crimson stain on the flower, a shame, though for some reason it seemed pretty all the same for him.

"It isn't anyone's fault... I would have come anyway if I knew what was happening. Besides, I did protect your sister right? That's good enough for me." Marcus said to Jupiter. He then looked up to the sky. It's been one hell of a ride, this life. And in the end, wasn't this a good death too? The dream of every warrior... It would have happened to him sooner or later, so better now that he had this company with him.

He looked back at Jupiter, striking her hair tenderly. "Stay safe, all of you. I'm happy I could meet you guys and it has been a honor to fight with you. Graterras is in good hands, I know it. I... am going ahead so... see you someday."

He finally closed his eyes and let his head fall to the ground.

[Supernovae]

Oarloff stood by silently watching as Marcus, his fighting master laid on the ground dead. He couldn't move, speak, or even breathe. Instead all the generally jolly ogre could do is stand, pale as a ghost staring at the bleak scene. Suddenly and without warning the ogre turned and ran off, tears obviously beginning to well in his eyes. "It's not fair..." the ogre muttered to himself as he ran.

[Jory]

As Marcus passed into the next life, Dru spoke softly. "May the Earth watch over you." He then looked over to Cookie and nodded, standing up and trudging over to Helzebeth's father. "I hope he was worth it," Dru thought to Dia. "We lost a great man today. And do not blame yourself. That you were able to disable the barrier at all was a miracle." He gently scooped the ranger up in his arms, feeling somewhat numb inside. "At least we were able to save him. Another step on the path to saving this forsaken world," he commented, trying to find the silver lining as he lay the man next to his daughter.

Dru then muttered a quick excuse and walked off after Oarloff, calling the ogre's name as he walked through the woods.

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

... And he was gone, just like that. Even though her father was alive, the ranger couldn't stop the overwhelming sadness that washed over her like a relentless flood. No matter what Jupiter or Marcus said, it was Helzebeth's idea to head to the Shattered Hills first so that they could find her father. Ultimately it led to the Fire Templar's death. Now she let her tears fall in silence, unable to look at the body of the man who charged into battle ahead of her just moments ago. A man her sister loved dearly, who put the beautiful, tainted rose in her silver hair just seconds ago. Despite the truth that she was innocent towards some of the world's ways, somehow, and it made it all the more tragic, she realized what was-- what could've been-- between these two. The hand that held her father's hand squeezed tightly, almost involuntarily as the half-Elf mourned.

[Chevaleresse]

Xavier stumbled to a halt as he arrived at the scene. It wasn't that he had never seen death before, but. . . he hadn't been there. He had allowed this to happen. This was not simply a fallen comrade. This was a person who had helped guard his back and had literally been to death and back, and now there was no divine intervention to save them once again. And where had he been? Languishing in the camp, idly pondering what implications the group of gnolls they had met had for the wider world. The elf fell to his knees heavily and stared blankly at Marcus's corpse, saying nothing.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Aeton, Helze's father, grasped his daughter's hand tightly. He didn't say much of anything. He had realized rather quick this man meant a lot to those gathered. Tears fell all around him.

Even The Crimson King began to cry, as a few tears streamed down the front of the book that Sigurd had on his hip yet again. Normally, Sigurd wouldn't have felt the emotion of The Crimson King pass between the bridge of communication they had. But this time he did feel the sorrow the guy was feeling. It was rather strange.

"We have to get those healing supplies back to Montebanke and Blue. They are still injured badly, and I have a new patient as well. I will be at the camp. Take your time." Cookie said as he began to shuffle off towards the camp.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

((just moving this along so it doesn't stall out))

The mood was very somber around camp. There wasn't a lot of talking other than Cookie saying prayers of healing. Curfew passed out a bowl of gumbo to everyone, hoping they would eat up, but he figured some of them wouldn't be hungry after what had just happened. The rest of the gnolls stayed away from the group, hoping to give them their space.

Jupiter stayed with Helze and her father, she had stayed her tears for the moment. She hadn't removed the emerald rose from her hair though. It stayed there, partly tinged in blood. It lay right next to the Aelia's Beauty she had put in her hair before. Even that flower now had a few flecks of blood on it.

***

Odin took the vial of ash he had given to Marcus. The vial that held the ashes of his son Magni. He broke it over Marcus's body and spread the ashes around him. "You go to wear my son rests. I hope you give him good company until the day the rest of us arrive to the door step of the afterlife. We have to carry out the mission still, we must end the Gentleman's reign of terror so that good men like you needn't die like this."

***

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

There was nothing to say. Her father-- and perhaps, she herself-- was saved by Marcus. A pair of bloodstained flowers, the memory of her sister crying out desperately, the helplessness the half-Elf herself felt... These things and so much more would never let her forget. Her head rested in the crook of her father's neck while she held her sister's hand.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

The time to mourn was over. It had been much too long, the tarrying... it was not becoming. There were things that needed to be done, and Ashnard was still at large. Somewhere out there, he was waiting for them.

Cookie and his runners made sure everyone was patched up before they sent them on their ways. Aeton's leg was patched up and worked properly. It was healed perfectly by Cookie's expert healing. It was still a bit stiff, but who's leg wouldn't be after being ripped to shreds by a Werewolf and being put back together?

With all the wounds healed, the Runners took their leave, Cookie leaving them once more with the Traveler's Prayer he recited once before. He threw the dust as he did before, but he added a new verse this time. A verse about the passage into the land of the dead. It was clear he added it for Marcus. It went as such. "And for those that have passed from this world, may the Lady of the Winds guide thine feet with her gentle hands. May she steer your towards the end of the ebon road unto the heavens that await. She shall led you to the hands of Mortimo where your soul may rest in peace. May she on the way, remind you that the journey into the afterlife is only a new trek. It is not the end, and it is not evil. It is the passage that makes life have meaning, and one that all life shall pass through. You enter the final door, the place those who have fulfilled their destiny go. Until our purpose is done rest, but know one day that your brother's and sisters shall follow you." He added something new this time as well. He removed another pouch, one full of a silver powder. He placed some on the forehead of each member of the party that would allow him to do as such. And then he dotted each with a red ink. "This silver, is your life-force, and the red is the Life-force of the passed. Each of you was touched by the deceased in a different way, and each of your have the lessons and the memories. They still swim in the ether of your soul, body, mind, and knowledge. They have touched the lives you have lead and they forever have changed them. In each of you part of Marcus still lives, and every life you touch, he touches as well. One never truly dies, unless they are completely forgotten. And with each of you, you carry a piece of he, and therefore, he is not dead in full. Only his body lies at rest, but his memory and the essence of his character remains."

Cookie then bowed, as he and the Runners went off about their business, the left the troupe of adventurers behind.

***

It was off to the Town of Farridge now for our intrepid Heros. Luckily for them, not much more of note happened on the trek. They reached the Giant Walls of Farreach, the town that defied the wilds it was known as. And it very much lived up to that name. It was the last bastion of civilization, as the looming darkness of the Forest of Knives could be seen in the distance. But yet, Farreach stood in the overgrown fields in stark contrast. The Stone rose up out of the green landscape and defied it. It looked as every bit as rough and tumble as the the world around it. It wouldn't budge and yet neither would the wilderness it was defying. They stood there locked in an eternal stalemate, just staring each other down, neither ever making a move.

A man stopped them at the gate, but who wouldn't? They were nearly a small raiding party.

"You lot look a bit well armed to be refugees, state your business please. I don't mean to be a bother but I am certainly not letting any bandit troops into the walls with the amount of refugees we 'ave. We also can't be housing anymore so we can't have ya stayin' here either. The Town of Wounded Knee was razed to the ground ya know. They say a bunch of Goblins and other brutes did it. They also said the ground rose up and attacked everything around, but I hardly believe those fairy tales."

[Zephyrus the Priestess]

"We're just passing by, sir. We too have lost much of our own, but we don't intend to crowd your town for long," Helzebeth said in a deep voice, her hooded head bowed down. It was really all she had the patience to say. Grieving had taken too much time from them and they were all far behind schedule.

[Jory]

Dru looked up at the gatekeeper, his eyes hard from grief and loss. "Fairy tales don't swallow up villages, friend," he said curtly. "As the lady said, we'll not be staying long. Just passing through." He gave the man a curt nod, waiting for his reply.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Whaddya mean? Where ya at Wounded Knee when it 'appened? Your not telling me that Earth swallowing people 'ole is true are ya?" The man seemed a bit distraught, like he couldn't believe it. It must have been different coming from this band in front of him then the refugees for whatever reason. He seemed more inclined to believe Dru, then the others that had passed through. That must have been strange, a man more trusting of a Half-Orc than refugees, maybe the world was changing.

[Jory]

Dru nodded briefly. "No, we weren't. But we saw something very similar to what you described." he said, thinking it ironic how near it was to the truth. "It was truly unsettling. The earth seemed to devour corpses. It fed off of their life force," he recalled, shuddering. "But the people who were devoured were already dead. At least that's a deterrent," he said hopefully.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Then where the bloody 'ell did you come from? Don't tell me another town was 'it." the guardsman said. He looked off to the side and hocked a big loogie. He wasn't spitting at the party, just out of frustration.

"What is this World commin' too?" he mindlessly added.

[Ragnar]

"We're travelers, we came from different places in search of something...our only guide here in this place is this half-orc and this hooded lady." Akuma steps forth and answers the question. "it's just strange coincidence that we are in the middle of these unpleasant events here in Shattered hills." the birdman said as he pause for a moment. "Anyways, like we said, we would like to seek shelter and stay here for the moment." the berserker requested. unlike Dru and Helze. Akuma was a bit intimidating with his gruff appearance as he towers over the man.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"That don't even answer what I asked at all, Was another town attacked? Kinda bloody important to know. I gotta know which direction the Scum are going to come floodin' ya know? Can't have another City getting scrubbed from the map ya hear? What's to say they aren't headed here? And if you came from another town that was attacked, what's to say they aren't headed here from there as well? You want all these lives on your heads because we were ill-equipped to deal with a problem you didn't tell us about?" The Guardsman was clearly not impressed. He was more focused on protecting his city than letting them trough, it would be best to give him the answer to what he wanted to know, rather than skirt around it. It would probably carry more favour with him just letting them trough.

[Ragnar]

"i see" Akuma solemnly said as he briefly ponders, clearly this man was only interested in protecting his hometown at all cost. "Yes it was, but i'm not sure how this foul earth magic thinks or operates, im not into sorcery and whatnot. my best bet is, it probably attack the next village or so. Either way, perhaps we could be of assistance to your city and prevent this from happening."

[Chim]

Sigurd’s patience was running low. He didn’t care about the man in front of him or his town. All the Wind Templar could think of was killing Ashnard. “Move,” he said hostile, “We’re hunting the bastard who’s responsible. I doubt you can stop him even if you’re equipped so let us through if you want to save your village.”

[Jory]

Dru looked at Sigurd in shock, then back to the guardsman. "I apologize for my friend's brusque manner. We have been on the road for far too long with naught to eat but travel rations. Add that to the fact that many here still grieve from the recent loss of one of our own and... Well, you'll get someone like him," the sorcerer said pointedly, using his head to indicate Sigurd was the target of that statement. "Hawk's Roost was hit as well. No survivors save those that assailed the village. And I would warn you once again of the Grave Earth. It is an unnatural thing like nothing I have ever seen before. Please, keep your people safe," he said quietly. "For the sake of those who couldn't be saved."

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"Alright Half-Orc, ya 'ave been most 'elpful. Probably moreso than any of those refugees louts in there. MEN OPEN THE GATES WE GOT PASSERSBY!!! AND REDOUBLE THE GUARDS!!! WE NEED EVERY ABLE-BODIED MAN READY TO FIGHT!!! GET MOVING!!!" The man shouted up over the walls. The gates slowly swung open, making way for the group. The town was packed with refugees most everywhere, it was clear the town was not built for this many people. At the very least, the fortications looked sound and well made. The stone defied the wilderness. They remembered how Passtrough survived the battle even with walls made from makeshift boards, this place had to be well protected.