Myths of Power

Episode 37: The Physician is in

2010-08-14T23:35:00.000-04:00

Richard entered the Physician's building. The door had been rubbed thin by the sheer number of his patients. The hinges were barely holding on to the wood strapping that made up most of what was left. Scavenged pieces were attached where they could be to give it some more life. To Richards surprise, there was no noise as it opened.

"Hmm. I guess not everything was left to rot away." he thought.

It seemed as if the entire refuse of the city's population was either sleeping of dieing in his waiting area, which admittedly, took up most of the ground floor. People were shifting and moaning and Richard could smell the decay and death that was hanging, curtain-like, in the air.

A small frail girl wondered around the menagerie, handing out wet cloths to whoever needed them. Richard motion to her and she slowly worked through the maze of bodies.

She was thin, too thin for such a young girl, although her face had seen enough pain and torment for many lifetimes. Her blond hair hung limp from her scalp and her skin had a sickly yellowish complexion.

"You'll have to wait your turn sir..." Even though her voice was harsh and croaky, Richard could still hear a faint echo of the life that she once knew.

Richard reached into his cloak and pulled out a small box. He placed his hand on the girls should and handed it to her.

"Go tell him I have arrived and give him this..."

She gently caressed the box and looked up at Richard with a small excited smile. Her face bubbled over with suppressed emotion. Richard was sure he heard a slight girlish giggle as she ran up the ramshackle stairwell. The sudden change in her attitude did not go unnoticed by the others waiting in the near vicinity. Curiosity was peaked in a few, who managed to stand and make their way to Richard, trying to recognize in him what the child did.

Not wanting to draw too much attention, he pulled his hood past his face and slowly made his way closer to the stairs, when the girl bounded hallway down and started beckoning him to her.

"Come, come. He's been waiting for you." Her eyes seemed to be brighter and full of life.

Richard carefully climbed the stairs, taking care to miss the questionable ones. The second floor was quite brighter and, relatively speaking, much cleaner. In the corner, behind an examination table bound together with spit and hope, was the Physician.

Episode 36: Explanations

2010-08-07T00:47:00.000-04:00

"Coltan, where is..."

Coltan raised his uninjured hand. "He's fine Catherine, he's fine. Your friend from last night took him to the physician."

Catherine's face strained with worry. "I should go to him, help him..." She moved quickly to the door before Coltan grabbed her shoulder.

"What he has to do, he must do..alone, Catherine." He moved her to the bed and she sat down.

"I'm so confused! What happened last night? What happened to me?"

Coltan sat beside her. "I'm not sure if I could, or even should tell you. It's a complex thing and I'm not even..."

Catherine turned and held Coltan's injured hand. A slight twitch caused her to to let go.

"Sorry. I NEED to know Coltan. With Richard off on his own thing, he's left me here all alone..." Tears start to well up in her eyes.

"Look child, I'm not...really...good with emotional people..." He nervously gave her back a half-pat.

"Here's what I know about your kind. You are creatures of the earth that are sustained by the earth. Beetles, worms, and other...things..." He shivered visibly. "Newly reborn rev's like you only have a small reserve and when you got upset, it almost got used up."

"So I could have...what...re-died?!"

"Not sure if you could call it that, but a bigger problem occurs when the reserves get used up beyond a certain point."

"Then what?"

"Wildlings. Uncontrollable, devastating, and damn near unstoppable."

They both sat silent for a few minutes.

"I don't remember anything like that..."

"Be glad about that. We got you up into the room and Richard performed a type of ceremony that transferred some of his reserve to you. It took a lot out of him."

She turn and stared at Coltan through her tears. "But he'll be alright though, right?"

He couldn't look at her. "I'm told that a rev's reserve can only be filled a certain number of times. Richard is VERY old. I don't think..."

Catherine stood up and slapped Coltan's face. "Don't you even DARE think such a thing..." Realizing her reaction, she turned away and sobbed in her hands.

Coltan stood up, rubbed his cheek and embraced her softly....

Episode 35 Awaken to the New World

2010-07-14T00:56:00.000-04:00

Catherine rubbed her eyes as she woke. The room was bright but her vision was blurred.

"hmmm.. What happened? Joseph?..."

She grabbed her head. A dull thud kept repeating in her ears, like approaching thunder. She closed her eyes tight then opened them again in an attempt to clear her vision. She was in the bed, the blankets covered her haphazardly and were partially ripped and rotted.

"Were they like that when we got here?" she thought, unsure of herself still.

She stood up and started to walk to a water bowl that was across from her. As she walked, she tripped slightly. Looking back, she saw that there was a large area of floorboards that had half-softened with decay.

Ignoring that for the time being, she washed her face and looked into an adjacent mirror. Everything seemed okay. But she felt...

"..lighter. I think that's how I feel. What did he do last night... and where is he now?"

There was a faint tapping coming from the door. Panic embraced her and she glaced around, picked up a dagger that Joseph must have left behind and held it tight to her side, fearing whoever it was on the other side of the door. As she stepped cautiously, the door knob turned and the door opened slowly. Heavy fingers wrapped around the edge of the door.

The fear now rising to her skin she quickly lashed out and caught the tip of one of the fingers. A low muffled yelp came from the hallway as the door burst open and Coltan stepped in to the room, sucking on his index finger.

"WUF DE HELL WAF DAT FUR?!"

Catherine dropped the dagger and pulled Coltan in towards the wash basin.

"Oh ...I am.. I am so sorry, Coltan. I...I didn't know it was you!"

Catherine quickly rinsed and washed his wound.

"That's...ow...okay...ow ow, watch it, ow... I'll be fine...ouch." Coltan tried to pull his hand away as she was causing more pain trying to help than the wound itself, but she had become very strong overnight.

"Hmmm, looks like it worked."

Catherine looked up at Coltan. "Looks like what worked?"

Catherine released her grip and he managed to rescue his hand.

"Hm? Oh.. nothing, nothing......" He held up his hand. "My hand..see.. all better... no blood."

He dried his hands with a towel that was under the wash table and thought to himself, "Well what do I do with her now?"

Episode 34: The Unsettling Truth

2010-02-26T22:31:00.000-05:00

Joseph quickly backed against the wall.

"Come out where I can see you then." His eyes darted from one side of the room to the other. There was still nothing there.

"That would be a little hard."

"What's so hard about showing yourself?"

"Firstly, keep you voice down or the guard will hear you. Secondly.." the voice trailed off a bit.

"Secondly, I can't come out because I'm not really here, per se."

Joseph started turning his head trying to pinpoint the source." What do you mean 'Not Here'?"

"Tell me...What do you know about Vampyres?"

" 'pyres? Blood-sucking, pretty strong, can take a lot of damage...look look...what does this have to do with you 'not-being-here'?"

"Calm down Joseph..."

"And how do you know my name?" Joseph began to scratch at the bricks in the wall looking for some type of hole.

"Here's the thing Joseph. Most of those things are true. However..."

Josephs eyes tightened. He knew something bad was going to come out.

"In every clan there are two or three that are, shall we say, different."

Joseph managed to place his head in his hands and shack it. " You're really starting to get me mad and this damnable collar will kill me if that happens so ,please, just explain yourself."

"My apologies. These 'special' vampyres look act and have the same abilities as the others except for them to survive, they don't just drain a victim of their blood."

"I don't understand...."

"Normally blood draining can keep a vampyre alive forever. That's not enough for the others. It may keep them alive for a longer time than a normal human, but not much more. At some point he needs to perform a blood-transferance."

"What, by the gods, is that?"

" They tranfer all of their blood into a new host body, which is then transformed into a new 'special' vampyre."

Sweat began dripping down Josephs brow. "What are you telling me?"

"I'm so sorry Joseph, I never intended this to happen." The voice slowly changed to a more familiar one.

Joseph's eyes widened fully. "MEYLISS?! What the HELL?!?"

"Some of my blood must have mixed into your body during our first fight...turn away from the bucket."

Joseph quickly turned to his side and vomits anything that was in his stomache, and spits. "What have you done to me?"

"While my host body was still alive, i was surpressed, but after those wilds...I started becoming aware."

Joseph laughed. "So your timing is just great! Maybe you can take me over before they hang me!"

"That's another problem."

"Oh fantastic...what's next?!"

"Well, none of my kind have ever been able to take over another faerie kind. Just humans, so this is new to me as well."

"Well I'm glad to be the first." he said sarcastically.

"The good news here, Joseph, is that only a small amount of blood-transferance was done. I don't think I COULD take over your body, even if it was possible."

Joseph falls back onto the cell wall, drained by the realization. With a flick of his leg, the bucket is thrown across the cell.

"I'm sorry Joseph, I'm so sorr.."

"Just shut-up...just shut-up and let me sleep."

".....sorry....."

Episode 33: Prisoners

2010-02-23T21:55:00.000-05:00

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wasn't liking the style that I was using so I have switched to something more common.**

--The Dungeons of Haladan--

Pain shoots up and down Josephs arms. The darkness was deafening.

"Wake up" the voice echoed in his ears. "Wake up, now!"

Joseph head slams against the wall as he bolts awake.

"Arg!" He tries to raise his hands but is stopped by heavy chains." Well that's one way to take my mind off my arms."

He squints and looks around trying hard to take in any light.

"Who's there? Leland?"

"No." the voice sounded close. Joseph leans and looks around into the room.

"Where are you? I can't see."

"Don't worry about that now..Do you still have that collar on?"

Joseph felt up towards his neck and his fingertips met up with cold, hard iron. The pain shooting through his body was stopping him even feeling its' dead weight. Before he could answer, the voicemused, "Well, I guess that will stop you from changing."

Josephs eyes were slowly begining to soak in some excess light. He couldn't make out much, but he was aware that he was in the dungeons. He looked around for the source of his new found friend but there was still much hidden in darkness.

"You seem to be able to see well enough in this bleak...I presume, dungeon. Who are you? Where are my friends?"

"Who I am is not important right now. You must find a way to remove your shackles and collar.The guards here don't take well to your kind."

The comment made the hairs on the back of his neck stand and he could feel the collar tighten. "MY kind, huh." Joseph had heard this comment all through his life. It was as if the person saying it was treading him under foot.

With this the voice took on a more apologetic tone. "I'm sorry. I did not mean it in that way."

Jospeh turned and grabbed one of his shackle chains in both hands and began to pull.

"I'm used to it, unfortunately." he pulled the chain taught a few times and released it.

"Doesn't look like these are coming out of the wall any time soon. You didn't answer me, you know."

"As I said, My name is not.."

"I mean about my friends. Have you seen them?"

There was an uncomfortably long silence. "I have not."

Joseph sniffed the air. "Hmph. Hiding your answers like you hide in the dark huh?"

"I'm not hiding Joseph. At least not..."

Before the voice could finish, a lid at the top of the cell slid open. A guard leaned over the top.

" Quiet down there you animal."

Sounds of pouring liquid and solids echoed above followed by the banging of block and tackle. Joseph eyes were half blinded by the light but through his squinting he could see a bucket being lowered.

Laughter screamed from the opening. "Ha ha ha...enjoy you dinner, dog!" The cover slid across but the lowered rope prevented it from fuly closing alowing light to stream in. As Joseph's eyes became used to the light, he took a look around for his cell mate. And found no one there.

"I told you I wasn't hiding Joseph."

Episode 32: Princes and Plans

2009-10-15T23:10:00.000-04:00

The air in the abandoned dungeon was cold, stale and smelled of mold and mildew. The skeletons of forgoten prisoners lay sprawled in the corners of rusting cells, flesh and muscle long since stripped from the bone. Most are human but a few have odd animalistic looking skulls. Sounds of lightly placed footsteps come from a stairwell to reveal a tall, slender man in leather armour and helm, gripping his forearm.

"Damn you Argus, that hurt."

He walks to a small table that has some supplies underneath it and pulls a large satchel. He reaches in and pulls out a glass vial with what appears to be a thick grey cream inside.

"This little 'reminder' will make me use the last of my poltice. I swear one of these days, I'm going to break you for good."

As he spreads the cream over his burn he grits his teeth in clear pain. Blisters and burns quickly reduce and fade, leaving only a strange hand shaped redness as a marker of thier existance. He throws the empty vial against a wall, shattering it in anger. He leans back in the chair, breathing heavily. Still in pain, he slowly removes the upper portions of his armour. Intricate beading and jeweling glint in the torchlight, betraying its true age. It falls to the ground in a heap and he takes some deep breathes to regain composure.

The lightness of his skin is pot-marked with scars and other battle wounds, making him appear to be a kind of living puzzle. Scars from swords, axes an other blades cover his back and chest. Other wounds, healed through the passage of time, resemble bite marks from both man and animal.

He leans forward with his hands braced on his helmet. He turns quickly to an abandoned cell, peering into the darkness.

"I've told you before not to come to me like that. Your incessant buzzing and crawling annoys me."

As he reaches for the cell doors, it opens on it own accord.

A voice from inside answers. It has the sound of a thousand voices all speaking ever so slightly out of sync with each other.

"I am zorry, my lord..but it waz nezzezzary to conzeal myzelf from the otherzz..."

As the figure steps into the light of the torch, its form shifts and waves within itself, there, but not quite there. It kneels on one knee in subservience, not quite touching the floor. It keeps what can only be defined as it's head, lowered.

" You requezted my prezzenze Prince Aranhil?"

The prince step forward and removes his helm revealing cropped red hair and the unmistakable points of Elvish ears. Piercings in each ear designate the Princes status in the kingdom of the Elves, what little was left.

"I did at that my servant. Have they arrived in the city yet, Mallus?"

Mallus rises from the ground.

"They have my Lord. There was zome trouble actually getting in, but it waz minor. He iz very adept at what he doez!"

Mallus puts his hands together.

"May I have zome payment now, zire?!"

Aranhil turns and walks back to the satchel. He reaches inside and pulls out a small cut of meat. Steam rises from it in the cold air. Mallus' form wavers and almost looses it consistency in apparent excitement.

Aranhil looks at Mallus in disgust and tosses the meat on the ground in front of the servant. Buzzing and chatter fill the air as Mallus engulfs the reward, his body swarming in several impossible directions.

"You've done well so far Mallus. Go back and keep a close eye on our 'friend' until you hear from me again."

As Mallus rises again, parts of the meat can be seen being absorbed into his body. "Thank you my Lord, thank you!" In an instant his body flies apart and heads for various cracks and openings throughout the cell.

"Yes, I do believe we shall be meeting quite soon. Quite soon indeed." Aranhil heads to a heavily locked door on the opposite wall. He opens the locks and enters a small room with a large chair facing away from him.

"Our plan is falling into place father..."

Episode 31: The Truth

2009-09-24T20:49:00.000-04:00

Richard stops abruptly.

"Truth? What would a child know about the truth?"

Gailin looks at the sky. He raises his hand slightly to cover the morning sun. "The truth is..." He pauses, turns and grabs Richard by the shoulder. He looks around nervously and casually moves Richard to the edge of an empty alleyway. Richard slowly reaches inside his cloak and caresses the hilt of his blade.

"The truth is, William..." He looks around one more time and leans toward Richard. "...the physician is a fraud." Richard releases his blade. "I'm sorry, old man, but that's what he is. He's just some quirky, ancient, dust ball of a man, who has some knowledge of medicine, but nothing more than that"

Richard looks at him with worrisome confusion not sure of what this boy knows "Does he know what I am? Did Catherine say too much last night?"

"What are you saying Gailin? Do you think I'm.." Gailin places his hand on Richard's shoulder.

"No.. no, of course not. I'm just saying that I saw what the man was like. He would take every coin my father had if he could have. I just don't think you should get your hopes up, for Catherine's sake."

Richard sighs heavy, relived with what Gailin says. "Oh, my boy..." Richard grabs Gailin's arm and continues on. "I've tried all kinds of tonics, snake oils, concoctions and philters in my pitiful life. Having another fail me can't do any more harm. Catherine is strong and she will outlast me, in the days to come."

The two shuffle down the next few streets in silence.

"What became of her?"

"Not sure, to tell you the truth. I was in another room at the time. I heard father yelling a lot about him not being able to do anything and then nothing...for quite some time. When he came out, his face was wet."

"Wet?"

"At first I thought he had been fighting with the physician and was sweating. As her got closer, I could see his eyes. It was the first..and last...time I saw my father cry"

"But what of your sister?"

Gailin points down the road to a building that was in slightly better repair than most. It had 3 stories and most of the brickwork was still attached, although Richard could tell, it had degraded to a point to which it should have been condemned. "That's where you need to be, William."

"Thank you corporal." Richard pulls out a coin but Gailin holds up his hand in refusal. "You're a good man, Gailin and I'm sorry for your troubles."

Gailin gives Richard a small bow "I'm sorry myself for placing my troubles on your shoulders. I'll be off to my duties as I'm late as it is. Give Catherine my best." He turns and walks off at a soldiers pace.

Out of earshot Richard whispers "We'll meet again lad. I'm sure you'll come in very handy in the times ahead... for both Catherine and me." He turns around and sees a figure standing in a second story window starring back. "And now for the hard part."

Episode 30: Towards the Truth

2009-09-14T23:46:00.000-04:00

As the two leave the Sickle & Scythe, Gailin looks around nervously for others who might see him with a leper. Seeing no one other than the normal rabble of the area, he steps out at a brisk pace, only to be pulled back by Richard. Gailin is forced to stop and looks back.

Richard shades the morning sun from his eyes with his hands. "Whoa there my boy. I'm not as spry as you are. I could have given you a match in my younger, healthier days but now..."

Gailin realizes who he is with and reluctantly resigns himself. " I'm sorry, I just.. just..."

Richard pats his hand again. "I know. Few people want to be seen aiding a man in my condition. I must say, you are being very brave by helping. You're risking any reputation you might have made."

"I'm not too concerned with reputation."

"Oh really? Your expression betrays you young man. Why are you helping? Does this have anything to do with...my daughter?"

They start down the street as face as Richard is willing to go.

Gailin lets out a sigh. "I suppose so. She's just so beautiful and yet so strange..." Suddenly aware of what he has just said, he pauses and looks down at Richard, embarrassed. "..I didn't mean... It's just that she..."

Richard laughs, a low grinding laugh that sends a slight chill down the spine of anyone in earshot. "Don't worry! It most likely comes from taking care of this old fool for so long." He smiles large enough for it to be seen through the bandages and thinks to himself; "What did that girl say to him last night?"

"So tell me sergeant.."

"Corporal..."

"... How is it you know the physician?"

Richard allows the pace quicken slightly. Gailin's face drops into sorrowful thought.

"My sister....When we were just kids, our family owned a small plot of land. We would sometimes wonder down to the river that ran though a small wood close by."

As they pass by a rather decrepit fruit stand, he grabs an apple, for too old to be placed for sale. The stand owner starts to object but then backs down when she sees Gailins insignias. With a deft and unseen manoeuvre, Richard grabs a coin and flips it backwards to be caught be the shopkeepers child. Richard turns his head and presses a finger to his mouth in a sign of silence.

"Did something happen?"

"We should have known better, I guess. But we were just kids." Gailin releases Richards hand and walks slightly ahead of him. He takes a bite of the apple on one the less rotten sides. "There had been a skirmish a few nights before. No one really knew what had caused it, or even who had been fighting, really. Our father had told us to stick close to home, just in case, but we want to do some swimming."

He finishes off the better parts of the apple and throws it to the ground. Children come racing out of the woodwork to scramble and fight over the rotten leftovers. Gailin turns around once again, ignoring the ruffians. Richard quickly grabs a few stale loaves of bread nearby and, again, exchanges them for payment in a few hardly seen moves. He breaks them up and quickly tosses the peices the the children.

Quickening his pace, he catches up to the corporal and grabs his hand once more. "Oh, sorry, William, I'll slow down."

"Please continue."

"While we were heading through the woods, we heard a strange noise and went to investigate. There were only small animals that lived there, so neither of us were scared. We should have been terrified."

Gailins grip tightens.

"Hidden behind a bush was a Wild. It attacked so fast, I didn't have time to react."

"Hmm.. Wilds attack on instinct alone. It must have wandered away from the battlefield afterword and wandered into the woods." Richard thinks
"It caught your sister?"

Richard can see a tear well up in Gailin's eye, although its clear that he was holding back his emotions. "Father heard our screams but it was too late. He dispatched the Wild but not before it did atrocious damage to my sister."

"She survived the attack?"

"Only just. Father was afraid she was going to turn, so we came to Haladan to see the physician. There were, and still are, rumours that he can cure revenants. I know the truth..."

Episode 29: The Morning After

2009-09-09T23:32:00.000-04:00

Morning: The Sickle & Scythe

"coltan...Coltan..."

"zzmmph.. oh yeah honey.. that's nice."

"Coltan..."

"Hmpphh ya, prance around some more, i like..."

Coltan is woken by a splash of cold water. "Phphaaaahh.. Wazz goin on..." He looks around frantically and falls back on the floor. "Ow!" He rubs that back of his head

"The boss didn't mind you sleeping it off at the table overnight. You've helped him out enough over the years and there wasn't anyone left..." It was the innkeeper's wife. "...but people are going to be coming in soon and your snoring could wake the dead."

Coltan does a double take with the last comment as he pushes himself up. "Did anyone...?"

"No. They were left alone, but I must say there were some strange noises coming out of there all night."

She hands him a damp towel to clean himself off with and returns to her work. Coltan looks up towards the door and mutters. "You haven't got a clue..."

He wipes his face down, keeps the towel close and walks to the room. He starts to unlock the door but pauses and listens for any activity inside. "Nothing. I wonder if..."

To his surprise the door opens quickly. Richard stands before him, half covered in his bandages.

"Coltan! Come in, I wasn't expecting you to return."

"Actually, I.."

"Catherine's going to be in bed for most of the day, recuperating. The exchange can be a trying process."

Coltan looks Richard over. "Something's changed...you look..older somehow."

"Well, you didn't think it would just be hard on her did you? That was most likely the last time I'll ever be able to do that. It takes a lot from me...literally."

Coltan gulps. "I don't want to hear it. I don't think my stomach could take it." He looks over at Catherine. She's covered in the bed, tossing and turning, but asleep.

Richard grabs Coltan's shoulder and moves him out of the room, locking the door behind them. "We should get going. The monk will be getting more visitors today, and I would like to keep my business with him as private as possible."

Coltan stops Richard from moving to the stairs, standing stock still. Richard looks at him questioningly.

"What's.."

Coltan puts his finger to his mouth, then his ear. "That guard is downstairs, Gailin."

Richard looks around the corner down to the bar. Gailin is speaking with the innkeeper who suddenly points up the stairs, forcing Richard back. "Damn. He did say he was coming back this morning."

Coltan looks nervous. " He can't see me with you." and he walks back to an open window. "I meet up with you later." and he jumps out. Richard runs to the window but sees nothing but an old horse and cart.

"Ah..William isn't it?"

Richard pulls up the hood on his cloak and turns to see Gailin at the top of the stairs. " Ah Corporal..." Richard rubs his head. "umm...oh sorry. My mind is not what it used to be."

Gailin steps up too him, offering an arm for support. "Gailin, sir. Corporal Gailin. And where is your loving daughter this morning, sir? I was hoping to speak with her."

"Oh I am sorry Captain.."

"Corporal."

"Corporal, but she has become quite ill overnight. She does spend so much energy doting of this frail old father of hers."

"Oh.. I hope she will be all right."

Richard looks up at him. "Hmm this boy seems to be genuinely concerned for her..."

"Oh she will be fine after a nice long nap, Gillum..."

"Gailin"

"That's what I said..Gailim... but you seem to know about the physician. Could a frail old body ask for an escort?"

Gailin looks shocked and nervous, obviously not really wanting to be seen in public with a leper. " Oh..Um.. Well I guess I could take you part of the way. He does live close to my rounds."

Richard grabs his hand i n an firm but elderly embrace and pats it hard. Leading him away from the room and towards the stairs, he takes a look back at the room door. "You're so kind. I'll be sure to tell my daughter all about you."

As they start to go down, a flash of darkness catches his attention. "Yes I'm sure she will enjoy that immensely."

Out of sight, the light coming from under the door fades as the shadows of few dark insects crawl underneath it and scatter in the light of day.

Episode 28: Captured

2009-07-20T23:43:00.000-04:00

Joseph runs after Leland, occasionally looking back into the darkness.

Cracking of bone and rending of flesh echo off the walls mixed with the ever increasing laughter of Meyliss, until all goes abruptly silent.

Joseph stops and strains to listen. Groans and shuffling feet again start towards him.

"Oh Meyliss...it was an honour knowing you." He pulls his arm up and pops his shoulder back into place, wincing at the pain. The shuffling quickly starts to become heavy footsteps.

He takes a deep sniff of the air to track Leland's scent & as he starts after the others he shifts back to his human form.

After a few minutes he sees and opening above a wrecked grating. Can't do anything the soft way, can you Leland..

He takes a running leap at the hole and grabs the edge of the opening only to be grabbed himself, by multiple hands and dragged into the light and thrown back down to the ground.

Blinking against the light Joseph tries to regain his vision, when a sharp blast of pain against the side of his head sends him flat to the ground again.

"Bind his hands and place a collar on this...thing!" Josephs hands get wrenched behind his back and a collar is placed tightly around his neck. Small spikes on the inside dig into his skin. A man with heavy leather armour and helm pulls on an attached chain to bring him face to face with Joseph.

"You even try to change, 'thrope, and this collar will kill you quicker than.."

Joseph looks directly through the helms slits into the mans eyes. "..Faster than one of those?" Joseph looks into the hole where a wild manages to reach out and grab another armoured man and drag him down.

The wilds' grip is tight enough to crush the mans ankle and he screams as a half dozen hands come out to drag him back into the sewers, bloody gurgles filling the air.

"COVER THAT UP,NOW BEFORE ANY OF THEM GET OUT!"

Four men drag a large stone cover over the opening even as more hands start protruding out.

The man points at several others. " I want all openings covered up and a squad of armed men sent down the either destroy them or capture them."

A subordinate chimes up "But sir.. the orders from the Regent.." A heavy slap across the face quickly ends any arguments.

"I'll be damned if any of those creatures escape. To hell with Argus and his orders. NOW GET IT DONE!"

Most of the men disperse to their duties. The man then turns back to Joseph and slowly removes his helm. Half of his face is scared and disfigured, an ugly story to his obviously violent past.

"What?" Joseph asks sarcastically. "Was that done by one of my kind and now you're out for some kind of sickening revenge?"

The man strokes the scarred side of his face. "This? Hardly. This is simply a case of getting too close to the burning house where I was exterminating 5 of your kind." He grins wide with fond memory. "It is a pity that I had to capture you here. Now I can only bring you to the public gallows instead of burning you alive."
He stands up straight and hands his helm to a subordinate. "Ah well, such is life. And what do we have here?" As he strolls over to the limp body of Lady Harens, he unsheathes his sword. "I knew she was somewhere here, but could never quite pin her down. Looks like now, " He pushes the sword through her heart and what was left of her life ebbs away. " I'll never have too."

Joseph snarls, but a quick pull on the collar shuts him up. "Just be glad your friends here are still alive."

A horse and cart stop beside them and more guards pick up the others and place them none to gently into the cart.

"My name of Captain Haresh and you & I are going to get to know each other a lot better..." The captain forces Joseph to stand and walk beside the cart.

In the back of Josephs mind an unfamiliar voice says "Well, this isn't going to be very nice."

Episode 27: Escape

2009-05-11T23:53:00.000-04:00

Joseph bears his fangs and growls with an internal ferocity the makes Karen take a step backward. He turns to look at her, his expression and fury unchanged. "GET THEM OUT OF HERE KAREN. I WILL HANDLE THESE THINGS."

She steps forward and peers around the edge. Her eyes open wide and her stomach begins to turn at the site of a dozen half decomposed bodies shambling from the darkness. Each one grasping out, as if to rip the essence of thier former lives from the air itself.

The things eyes varied from scarred white to the blackness of dried blood. Flesh, muscle and sinew grey and rotten fall limp from the bone. Thier mouths, filled with teeth, sharp and gnashing, open only to let out a soul shattering moan of lifeless hunger. Those pressed against the walls, reached out and tore at the brickwork, pulling mortar and stone with razor sharp fingers.

"GO,KAREN. GET OUT NOW!" Joseph leaps forward and claws the chest of the closest wild. Gray flesh and thick blood spray against the wall. He slams another wild into the wall, and bones break and pierce it's thin festering flesh.

Karen screams in fear as a wild tears into Joseph's back. He turns with stunning speed and throws the creature against the opposite wall. "I SAID GO!"

She turns to run and suddenly stops, mere inches away from Meyliss' face.

Meyliss caresses Karen's cheek. "I've known you for some time now Karen." Karen face is frozen in surprise and panic. "Don't think ill of me.." Karen begin to fall from a heavy uppercut, blackness filling her vision. Meyliss grabs her and tosses her to Leyland. "I trust you can take them somewhere safe?"

Leland slings all three bodies over his ample shoulders. He looks confused but says nothing. Meyliss answers an unsaid question. "She would never have left me to do what I have to do." The colour fades from her skin, eyes turn a bright blood red. Her fingers sharpen and extend to more than twice their length and her mouth widens into a malignant smile of death and carnage.

Leland turns to escape as Meyliss rushes toward Joseph. As she gets to his side, she rakes a wild about to clasp down onto his arm. Her blow rips the things head in half and brain matter slips out of it's boney housing, body collapsing to the floor.

With another blow to the chest of the front wild, she pushes them all back 20 feet.

Joseph looks down at her, his arm limp from multiple wounds. "You're strong!" he lets out a small chuckle before Meyliss backhands him in his gut, sending him staggering back. "You won't survive this, but I might. Follow your friend, quickly. If I don't follow you, tell her I enjoyed it all"

Joseph looks puzzled, but starts down after Leland. Meyliss stands watching the darkness and whispers "I enjoyed it all." as a split skulled wild grabs her and pulls.

Episode 26: Beware the Wilds

2009-04-12T11:21:00.001-04:00

The Sewers

"Karen... did we really have to take the sewers? This place is playing havoc with my senses."

"You would rather we walk through dozens of guards? Keep your voice down though, there are still plenty of ways they can hear us from down here."

They get to a corner and Karen holds Joseph back with her hand. She looks carefully around the corner and turns back to Joseph. "Meyliss is going to check ahead, it'll be a few minutes."

She pulls out a canteen and offers it to him.

"So what's going on here Joseph. Shouldn't you be with your clan?"

Joseph takes the canteen and takes a long drink.

"Yes, I should be. I've sent most of them away, somewhere safe, I hope. It's just Celine, Leland and myself."

"I understand that, Joseph. What I want to know is WHY you're all here."

"A few months ago I got a hold of some dark info. It could very well be the end of my kind, if I fail on my mission here. Someone named Argus is hatching a plan that can cause problems for all of us, human, lycanthran, revenant, maybe even Meyliss and her kind. I know he has others helping him, but the information on them is a little hard to find."

Karen takes the canteen back. "So what do think you can do about this 'plan'?"

He looks down at his feet in thought. "The way I see it, either i convince him his plans are wrong..."

She pinches his chin and raises Joseph's head. "Or?"

Joseph pulls his head away from her hand. "Or I convince him he life is wrong."

As Joseph wanders back down the tunnel, a high pitched roar is heard further ahead.

Joseph looks to Karen. "Meyliss?"

"Are you kidding?"

The two look around the corner to see Meyliss and Leland running towards them. Leland is carrying Celine and another limp body over one shoulder.

They run around the corner and Leland places his two unconscious companions on a ledge. Meyliss grabs Leland and pulls him down to her face with a strength of someone much larger than her size.

"We can't stay here long." The calmness of her voice catches Leland off guard. "They may be slow, but they will NOT stop" She lets him go and he falls backward, off balance.

Joseph looks around the corner but can't see anything in the darkness.

He turns back and grabs Meyliss and gets the sensation of grabbing a very large boulder. He ignores the feeling. "Who's there? Who won't stop?"

Celine starts to wake up. Her voice cracks with an uncommon twinge of pain. "w..w..wilds. we..we gotta...gotta go..."She shrinks back into unconsciousness.

Joseph's eyes widen in fear and he completes his change into his wolf form. Karen looks at him, never seeing an expression on his face like that before. "Joseph...what did she mean by 'wilds'?"

Meyliss places a hand on her shoulder. Joseph steps out, around the corner. "Wilds are Revenants that have lost their control."

He takes a deep breath and extends his claws as groans and shuffling feet make their way out of the darkness.

Episode 25: Plans and Problems

2009-03-14T23:44:00.000-04:00

---Later that night---

"Who does that old fool think he is?" The guard continues to fix his polearm. "He didn't need to do that. The Sargent 's gonna 'ave my hide"

His friend looks over, ignoring his own slashed weapon. "Don't worry. You know they're makin' hundreds of these things down below. As soon as our shift is over, we'll run down and grab a couple o'new ones. Sarge won't be able to tell the difference."

He gives up on the repair and lets the head fall to the ground. As it comes to a rest, he kicks it behind a column. "Ya, i suppose yer right. I just wish that old bastard wouldn..."

The guards face bleaches white as he comes to notice that the large oak doors are wide open, the cloaked figure, despite its hunched nature, seemingly taking up the entire doorway. Both take an audible swallow of pride and fear, and come to attention.

The figure walks forward with a load grumble, ignoring the two. He walks down the hallway and around a corner. Another figure walks out of the shadows to join him.

"I take it the Regent is well?"

"Bah! What do I care for the health of that snivelling whelp!" He taps the man should with his staff

"Careful Argus. He is central to our plans. His army alone can turn the tide!"

"Yes, but you are not the one that must listen to his constant stories. He thinks so highly of his own kind. It is all I can do not to rip out his throat!"

"As long as he has not become suspicious, we will leave him to his own devices."

The two continue down a hallway, turn into a small room and lock a steel strapped oak door behind them.

Argus sits down in a heavily padded chair and rests his staff against the wall. "Tell me, have our spies intercepted their targets yet?"

"They came in contact a few days ago, nothing significant to report as of yet."

The man opens a large cupboard and pulls out a large glass and a decanter of liquid. Opening the decanter, he sniffs strongly.

"An agreeable year, Argus. Would you care for some?"

Argus waves his hand in refusal and the man continues to pour his refreshment.

"What of the assassin?"

The man stops in mid drink and sets down the glass. "We...lost him some time ago."

"YOU LOST HIM?" Argus bolts forward and slams his fist on a table in front of him. Small particles scatter where his fist lands.

"Calm down Argus. He's still out there and I've sent one of our best men to track him down. When he finds him, it will be over quickly and we can start on the second phase."

Argus quickly gets up and hobbles over to him, clearly in a rage. "You had better hope he gets found before any of our men, or worse yet, one of us. If that happens, we can all pray to our gods!"

Argus grabs the glass and throws it across the room, smashing it against old tattered books and scrolls.

"Get out of my sight and make sure our plans are carried out!"

Argus grabs his arm and the man pulls back in pain. He is dragged towards the door and almost thrown into the hallway.

"Don't you DARE come back here without that assassin head.... otherwise you better ensure someone else come back with yours" Argus slams the door to leave him alone in the hallway.

The man brushes himself off and looks at his arm. A distinct burn mark surrounds the area that Argus grabbed. He quickly covers it before any can see and rushes down towards the exit.

Episode 24: Trial of Exchange

2009-02-05T21:07:00.134-05:00

Coltan keeps a wary eye on Gailin as he leaves and once assured that he was on his rounds, takes his drink to the table.

"Your 'daughter' here isn't all that smart..Is she new?" Coltan smirks under his drink meaning the second part to be a joke.

Catherine's smile quickly fades to embarrassment. She lowers he head. "Yes, actually, I am."

Coltan stops in mid drink and lowers it to the table. "Oh...uh, sorry, I didn't know."

Catherine looks up in sudden anger and frustration, tears welling and falling from her eyes, and yells at Coltan. "I'm trying my best! It's not my fault that I just don't know what to do!"

Richard, quite taken aback by Catherine's outburst looks down and quickly places a hand over hers.

"Get a hold of yourself child. Coltan, come with us to the room, quickly."

The three move towards the upstairs where Catherine points at what room is theirs. They enter the room and slam the door.

"Coltan, keep guard on the door." Catherine falls on the bed, still crying.

Coltan braces himself against the door. "What's the matter, what's wrong?"

"Catherine. Come here." Richard starts pulling off his cloak and bandages again. "I didn't expect to do this for at least another week, but you're progressing too fast. Womanly emotion I'd guess."

At this comment Catherine storms over to Richard and raises her hand. As she brings down her fury, Richard catches it, twists her wrist around painfully, then brings it up to her face. "Look...LOOK. THIS is what happens when you lose control."

Catherine's face turns to horror as she is faced with her partial skeletal hand, flesh rotted away, muscle and tendons shining in the candlelight. "Oh gods.. what do I do? What do I do?"

Richard turns to Coltan. His face has turned ashen "Are you going to do...hrmph...what I THINK you're going to do?"

Richard smiles vindictively. "You seem to know a lot about revenants Coltan. Yes, I am. You need to come here and hold Catherine still." he releases her hand but Catherine continues to stare in fascinated horror at what is happening to her, the removal of flesh and sinew progresses further down her arm.

Richard tears off his shirt. His body is ravaged. Scarred, burned, blistered and broken. Coltan holds onto Catherine and sees Richard. "How old are you Richard? Can you still do this?"

Richard takes a deep breath. "Too old..too old to be playing father, teacher, AND healer. Have you seen the Trial of Exchange before?" Richard breathes even deeper and the flesh on his torso peels back.

Coltan takes a gulp of air. "Once..when I was in training. I have to tell you...I didn't last through the whole process...made quite a..hmmpp..MESS afterward."

Coltan starts to see the bodies of dozens of insects and larvae squirm to the surface of Richards chest. "Don't worry Coltan. Once it starts, I want you to leave and lock the door. Take a small bag of coins and pay the inn keeper to leave us alone. It should be enough." Richard grabs Catherine's hand softly, her fingertips start to fall as the last of the cartilage and tendons shrink away. "Come back in the morning. We should be good then."

Sweat drips off of Coltan's face. "Are you ready for this?"

Richard places the tip of Catherine's hand at his chest like a spear. Insects reach out and grab the remaining bones, keeping them in place "Now or never!!" In a flash, Richard impales himself on her hand and arm, causing her to scream for an instant.

Coltan releases Catherine as the two fall to the floor. Bone, blood, and flesh become one around Richards chest and Catherine's arm. Small, black insects shift under Richard's skin, moving toward Catherine. Both lay silent.

Coltan reaches into Richard's cloak and pulls out a small purse of coins, tosses them in his hand, takes one final look back and leaves.

He locks the door and wipes the sweat from his brow. "I need a drink....and a bucket....."

Episode 23: Complications

2009-01-17T22:16:00.004-05:00

Coltan and Richard slowly walk to the Sickle & Scythe, Richard re-bandaging himself along the way.

"Tell me Coltan. How did you know Catherine had gotten a room?"

"Training...that and a good set of ears. I guess you wouldn't recognize me."

"Why? Have I seen you before?"

"Not looking like this you haven't."

"Then again... all you 'thropes can look like any animal..." Richards voice trails off as they enter the tavern.

Sitting in the middle of the room, at a table so misshapen a blind monkey could have cut straighter boards was Catherine. The thing that made Richard nervous was the fact that she seemed to be having a rather humourous conversation with the city guard from the southern gate.

Coltan pushes past Richard "Out of my way old man!" he whispers as he passes. "You don't know me."

Catherine looks to the doorway. "Father... come and sit. Did you enjoy your walk?" She places too much stress on the end, trying to convey some previous conversation.

Richard, having far more skill, simply plays along. "Yes, yes, but I told you to go into our room, not take this busy man away from his rounds!" Richard slowly pulls a matching misshapen chair to the table and sits with all the grunts and groans of an old man.

The gaurd stands. "Please sir, do not chide the girl. I saw her enter as you left for your 'walk' and wanted to ensure her safety. I am corporal Gailin. I'm sorry for the rude entry procedures but we must ensure that no..'un-wanted' enter the city."

Richard looks at him with surprise. "So you're saying that an old leper is 'wanted' in Haladan?"

"oh, um no, ...I mean yes... I mean we must keep non-humans from entering."

Richard nods and thinks 'hmm, of course..even though most of us are completely harmless and most humans would kill us on sight if they had the chance.'

Gailin grabs Catherine's hand and kisses it. "I will take my leave of you, fair lady, and place you into your fathers kind hands." Both of them stare into each others eyes as if no-one else in the world were around. The kind of stare that makes seconds become minutes and minutes into hours. where sight and sound vanish and the two become a reality unto their own.

Richard coughs.

Gailin left Catherine's hand fall. "Yes, sorry. I will see you tomorrow?"

Richard coughs hard. "hmm? tomorrow?"

"Yes, I offered your daughter an escort to the monks lodging in the morning. He can be quite busy sometimes and the people he sees are not always, shall we say 'hospitable' as others."

Richard remains silent as Gailin dons his helmet and walks out.

Catherine looks at Richard sheepishly. "He's very friendly."

Episode 22: Followed

2008-12-07T23:31:00.003-05:00

As they walk down the road (it could only be called a 'road' because it lay between buildings),Richard keeps looking nervously down side streets. As they get closer to the Sickle and Scythe, Richard pulls Catherine up by her arm. They stop just outside the entrance.

"Here Catherine, Take this..." He hands her a few coins. "Go in, Get a room and head straight to it. Lock the door and wait for me. Don't let anyone else in. I mean ANYONE."

Catherine looks confused by this, but does as he asks. Richard heads back up the road and turns into an alley. He removes the bandages covering his face and hands, lowers his hood and stands up straight. As he does, the sound of slipping and cracking vertebrae, echo in the general area. He stretches his arms, twists his neck and stands against a wall.

In a flash he whips his arm around the corner, grabs a hold of cloth, hair, flesh and muscle, pulls with all his strength, twists and pins his quarry against the wall. A tall, yet stocky man, clean shaven and wearing light leather armour. His face has a curious, long look to it.

With Richards forearm pressing against the man's throat and his other holding a sword to his belly, Richard leans close to the man's face. "Who are you and why are you following me? Who do you work for?"

The man lets out a few gurgles as his face starts to turn blue. Richard lets some pressure off the man's throat and he takes a gulp of air. "I.. I don't know...cough... what you're..."

As Richard grows angrier, his facial features start to deepen. His eye's become deep-set and the colour fades from them. His nose shrinks back to it's bridge and his lips curl over his gums. Even in the low torchlight, the man can see Richards skin lose it's pallor and turn gray. Small pieces of skin fall off, exposing muscles and tendons.

"I'll ask you once more," Richards voice becomes low, and half filled with gurgling noises. "WHY ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME?"

Strangely, while the man is having trouble breathing, he is not showing any shock over Richards sudden change. Richard gives the man room to breath, but keeps him pinned.

"Are you mad? Get a hold of yourself and turn normal?"

Richard, unsettled by this turn of events, releases him and steps back. "Obviously you're not human. What are you? 'Thrope? 'Pire? Did the elders send you?"

The man rubs his neck. "I'll tell you anything you need to know, but for the gods sake man, change! If anyone sees you.."

Richard takes a quick step forward, prodding him in the belly with his sword. "If anyone sees me, we're both dead."

Richard takes a deep breath and starts to calm down. Insects and beetles crawl out from the gutters, and like tiny carpenters, they start to repair Richards face and body. Within a minute, Richard looks normal again.

The man's face looks like he's about the vomit. "Urrmm, I will never get used to you Revs doing that. My name is Coltan. I'm Lycanthran working for the elders of the White Wind cadre."

"White Winds? They're a cadre of information gatherers, spies?"

"Yes, I suppose you could call us spies. Look," He beckons Richard to leave the alley. "I know your companion has gotten a room. Perhaps we should talk there. I'm sure the information we can exchange would best be said in private."

"Agreed."

They head toward the Sickle & Sythe. Where Richard was standing lay the empty, withered remains of the beetles and insects, blowing softly away in the breeze.

Episode 21: Entering Haladan

2008-12-04T22:16:00.007-05:00

With some effort, Catherine walks with Richard to the Southern Gate.

"I'm having some trouble with this, father." The word came out cold, unfeeling and forced.

"Good, Catherine, it will make it all the more believable. And, perhaps you should just call me William. 'Father' just doesn't work for you." Richard slows his shambling down so Catherine can catch up.

Two guards, who were quietly passing the time, stood and lowered their weapons to point at them.

"HOLD THERE! Who are you and why are you here?"

Richard holds his hands outward in a surrendering gesture. "I am ...William...This is my.... daughter...Catherine." Richard's speech is laboured and throaty. He pulls Catherine lightly forward. She lowers her head in embarrassment. "Greetings kind sirs."

"What do an old leper and lame girl want in the great city?" Most of the city guard were known to call Haladan 'The Great City'. This gives Richard some confidence as the formal military who normally guard the gates would be more exacting in their questioning and searches.

Richard shambles forward but the guard steps forward himself, his weapon becomes even closer to Richards head. "Just stay there and answer the question, peasant!"

Richard places his palms together in prayer. "Yes, yes. I am sorry." He takes a step back. "We are here... for the services.... of the physician. Does he.... still reside in... mighty Haladan?"

The man raises his weapon. "Of course fool. Were else would he be allowed to ply his 'trade'?"

Richard raises an eyebrow under his bandages and thinks to himself. 'Hmmm. This boy knows something about the monk. This may be advantageous for us.'

"Of course, of course. This... cursed malady often plays tricks.... with my senses. It is ...only... due to my daughter here ....that I don't wonder aimlessly to my ....death."

The second guard mumbles to himself. "death would be better than being cursed you vermin."

The first fires a look back at him that causes him to go back into the guardhouse. Seconds later he comes back with a scroll.

"Can either of you make your mark?"

Richard laughs and pushes Catherine forward. "My... hands are not what they used.... to be, but Catherine.... here can."

"Come this way then..." The guard ushers them toward the gate and a small table. He brushes some wastes of lunch off the table and hands a mug to his companion. He unrolls the scroll which has some almost illegible writing on it. He then supplies a pen and inkwell to Catherine and points at the bottom of the scroll.

"Sign here girl, both of your names."

Catherine leans over the scroll, writes her name and then begins to write 'Richard'. Richard notices and grabs her hand. "No no you ...stupid girl... MY name... your brother ...couldn't make the trip...remember?!"

Catherine starts to panic, but manages to continue. "Oh...yes...sorry father..." Richard looks at the guard and begins to worry. 'damn it, this isn't going well...'

"...I do miss him so, father. Do you think he will be fine without us?" Catherine leans over again and writes 'William of Balantine'

"Yes, daughter, he will be.... fine." 'just finish up will you girl!'

The guard takes the paper and hands it to a small boy in the guardhouse. "Do your job...quickly now!" and in short order the boy comes back with two bracelets.

"Hold out your left hands." They do as ordered and he tightens the bracelets around their wrists.
"These will tell any guard in the city when you came in, and from where. You will stay in the South Quarter at ALL times. You will present these to any city or military guard when asked without delay. By the Regents order, you may stay in the city of Haladan for no more than one week. Failure to follow ANY of these rules WILL result in your death."

Richard looks at the bracelets. 'this may change things a bit...' He looks up at the guard. "Go on your way...Long Live The Regent!"

The second Guard repeats the call. "LONG LIVE THE REGENT!!"

Richard looks at Catherine who gives a half-hearted "long live the regent."

They both turn and walk into the Southern Quarter. A squalid section of the city, were most of the areas poor and unwanted end up. The streets are littered with filth and dog muck.

"What do we do now Rich... umm William?"

"I think we need to find a place to sleep and eat, don't you?" She smiles at him and nods "Nice recovery back there with your 'brother'"

Catherine looks around, fearful of everything "Thanks...it just popped into my head and I decided to use it."

Richard stops for a second and lets Catherine move ahead. 'really?...I must remember that...'
"Come on, 'daughter'.. I see a perfect place just up ahead." He points down the street to a run down inn at the end of a row, 'The Sickle & Scythe'

Chapter Three, Episode 20: The Shadows Move

2008-12-01T22:31:00.001-05:00

An old, hunched man walks slowly down a stone corridor, the sound of his staff, cracking against the marbled floor, fills the hallways. He wears meagre clothes and a cowl, obscuring his face. He approaches a set of large oak doors, guarded by two soldiers in light armour.

As he stops, the guards lower and cross their pole arms.

"What business do you have here, old one. You were not summoned by the regent?"

The old man makes a swift upward movement with his free hand and the top of both the weapons fall, cleanly cut, to the ground.

"Nor will I ever BE summoned, you brainless ape!" His voice is low and harsh, with strange background clicks. "Now stand aside."

The guards move back in terror as he easily opens the doors.

"I have information for our...regent...."

Episode 19: A Little Healing

2008-11-24T23:25:00.005-05:00

Joseph opens his eyes. He shakes his head trying to remove the mental cobwebs after the previous skirmish. He is laying on a small bed covered in roughly made quilts. He starts to get up but is blasted by a wave of pain coming from his ribs. "nmph.. oh, that's going to last a while."

"Yes, it will." comes a voice from a darkened corner. Joseph flitches in reaction causing another wave of pain. "Careful. Your ribs are only cracked, but if you keep moving like that, they will become worse."

The voice was soft and soothing, but somehow also had a hint of coldness around it. "Who are you? Come into the light were I can see you."

A woman walks out of the shadow. Joseph was expecting it to be Karen. "My name is Meyliss." She is thin and pale skined. Her blonde hair lay long agaist her side and waves with her movements. The most striking part of her is her eyes. As she stepped into the light, Joseph could see, even in his current state, that they changed from pure white to sapphire blue and were quite striking in their own respect. "Was this the same woman who beat me senseless?" he thought. She didn't appear strong. In fact he wouldn't have guessed she could take on a child, let alone a trained lycanthran warrior. "I must keep an eye on this one."

"Who you keep your eye on is you own business, Wildmane."

Joseph is stunned for a moment before realizing her true nature. "Stay out of my head Vampire and I'll make sure...nmph...not to take yours off." Joseph forces himself to a sitting position. "You're quite the fighter, although you don't look it."

She smiles and assists him in standing. "It helps when my kind has a minor telepathic ability. I could counter your movements as soon as you thought of them."

He looks down at his bindings. "Let me guess...Karen did these bindings? She never could get them right."

"I'm sorry. I haven't treated injured ribs for some time now..." Karen stands in an open doorway. Joseph looks at her and then past her.

"They'll need to be redone. As always, you never make them tight enough."

"I'll take him from here, Meyliss. Why don't you get some sleep." Karen starts to unravel the bindings and Meyliss disappears into the shadows.

"So where have you taken me, Karen? We aren't in the tavern anymore?"

"The 'Anchor' isn't going to be safe for a while thanks to you."

Karen rebinds his chest. "Tighter...Your bodyguard..what was her name?"

"Meyliss."

"Meyliss... didn't exactly calm things down. How, and why, the hell did you get yourself mixed with a VAMPIRE bodyguard?"

"It's a long story that we don't have time for..Is that better?...Suffice to say that we owe each other our lives."

"Yes, thanks. You didn't answer my first question.. Where have you taken me? I did have others with me, you know...Do they know where I am?"

"Stop worrying." Karen opens a foot locker and pulls out some clothes. "We are safe and yes... I did know there were others. Leland is kind of hard to miss. " A sarcastic grin crosses her face. "Who's the other one? I don't think I've met her before?"

Joseph measures himself up to the clothes placed before him. "No, you wouldn't. (where did you get such ugly taste in clothing?) She's his daughter."

"Daughter?! Hmm, I never thought Leland would be up to being a father."

"Personally, I don't think he is up to it. There's some very bad, very old blood between them. He tries his best."

"Really? Why's tha..."

Meyliss steps into the room from seemingly no where and cuts Karen off mid question. "There's been a disturbance in the marketplace, near the dock...a dozen guards going after a lycanthran..."

Joseph turns to Karen in anger. "Karen.. if they've done anything to Leland or Celine I'll..."

Meyliss steps between them and ,relatively gently, pushes Joseph back with a hand. "Your friends are safe. It was not them that the guards were chasing."

Karen places a hand on Meyliss' shoulder. "Are they safe, Meyliss?"

"Yes. Our contact saw the large one rescue the lycanthran and she gave them shelter before they could be seen."

Karen places both her hands behind her head in thought. "Let me see. Our only contact down that end would be.."

Meyliss interrupts. "Old Lady Harens..."

Joseph looks shocked. "Lady Harens... she's still alive?!"

"Hard to kill a noble of the clan, Joseph. Follow me. We'll take the sewers to her house, it'll be safer.

Episode 18: Funeral Rites

2008-11-22T18:45:00.006-05:00

"What is it Leland? What's happening?"

Leland grabs Celine and lifts her over his shoulder. "Hey, Hey! What are you doing?" He runs to an entranceway of one of the buildings and lets Celine down. "Stay down and out of sight." He remains in front of her to keep her hidden and looks towards a clearing to see what is happening.

Running quickly through the crowd appears to be some kind of small creature with something in its mouth. From What Leland can make it, it is injured and running with no clear plan, just trying to stay away from the guards. "Celine, you stay here. I'll return shortly."

"What are you going to do?" Before she can get an answer, he runs off towards the creature, trying to head it off. Although Leland's size give him a disadvantage when it comes to speed, he is faster than one would expect and he soon finds himself directly in line with the creature's escape route.

The creature skids to a stop trying not to slam into Leland. He recognizes the creature as a canine lycanthran. It's young, in a panic and badly wounded. Thankfully the people in the vicinity are also in a panic which causes the guards to be slowed. The small lycanthran looks up at Leland in absolute fear.

Leland opens his vest. "I'll take you to safety, quickly!" It looks behind itself towards the guards and then back at Leland. Sensing that it stands a better chance with Leland it jumps for Leland but doesn't have enough strength and falls at his feet. Leland gently picks up the creature, places it in his vest and quickly moves back to the entranceway.

Celine looks up at him with anger. "Why the hell did you do that? You could have gotten us caught!"

The door to the entranceway opens and a small old lady stands behind them. "That's true dear, but he did the right thing. "

Both are caught by surprise. "Um...I'm not sure...I mean... I don't know..." Leland starts to sweat.

"Get in here before the guards arrive." she ushers all of them into the building and shuts the door. "I know what you did and what you are. What I don't know is, why are you here?"

Leland finds a bench to place his charge onto while Celine follows the woman. "Listen, old Lady. I don't know who you think you..."

The old woman spins around in a flash and smacks Celine in the forearm with a cane. "OWWW! ARE YOU CRAZY!?!?"

"You'll pay you elders some respect, girlie. I may not be as agile, but I can still show you a thing or twelve."

In a sudden state of extreme confusion, the only thing Celine is able to do is rub her arm. Leland quietly calls out. "Do you have any bandages? This little one is hurt badly."

The woman goes into a dresser and pulls out some old sheets. "These will have to do. I don't usually have wounded in my home." She comes over to the bench and takes a look.

The small body of a canine lycanthran lays helpless on the bench, stuck halfway through its transformation. Both of its arms have severe lacerations and whip marks are scattered over its body. Leland tries desperately to keep it alive. "Water..Get me some water...you'll be ok little one...you'll be ok...what happened?"

It's voice is sore and cracked. "Mother...had gone to battle...I just...i just wanted to see it for my...myself.."

"Take it easy...take it easy." Leland's hands were starting to visibly shake. "How did this happen, Who did this?"

"I followed mother here.. please don't...don't tell her...she'll be mad." It's voice was becoming weaker and trailing off. It's tiny paws grip hard onto Leland's shirt. "They got them... they caught...them...all....mother..." The body goes limp as the child dies. Streaming tears fall onto the body from Leland's face. He picks the child up and holds it tight, rocking and humming a long forgotten tune.

Celine looks at her father, not knowing what to say or how to feel. He hadn't known this child. Why did he feel such emotion over it. The old woman gently pulls Celine away and into a back room. "Leave him for a moment, child. You look confused?"

"That man is my father and I've never seen him react to a strangers death in such a way. What was that song he was humming?"

She holds Celine's hand in hers, patting it like a grandmother. "I'm not surprised you don't know it. It's an old lycanthran funeral rite. I haven't heard it sang in some eighty or ninety years. Not many lycanthrans practice it anymore."

Celine looks at her. "Eighty or ninety years? How do you know of our funeral rites?"

The old woman grins. "It's been over fifty years, but..." Celine backs away as the old woman slightly transforms, small feathers coming out of her old wrinkled skin. It lasts for only a moment, but long enough for Celine to get the point. "You were banished, weren't you?"

"Long ago, yes. I've lived here, in this village since that time, remaining in human form. What you just saw is about as far as I can go into my true form." Leland walks into the room, eyes red from the tears.

"Something must have happened to the others. We must get Joseph and head to the Lazarus."

"Well, find your friend but it will do you no good to go to the Lazarus. That ship was impounded two days ago."

The Markets the place to be

2008-11-19T17:32:00.015-05:00

--Back in the marketplace--

"Wow, Leland! For a fishing village, this place has a damn good marketplace." Celine walks through the stalls with a smile from ear to ear. Leland follows behind her, happy with the fact that his daughter can find joy in something for once.

Celine starts looking through a cart filled with dark coloured clothing and boots. She picks up a large black shirt with leather trimmings and holds it up to herself. "So.. um.. what do you think of this?"

Leland had always grown up within the clan and had never really ventured too far away, close to humans. As such he never had any real need for much clothing. It left his fashion sense a little lacking.

"I suppose it's good... but I'm not really any good with these sort of...What are you doing?!?!"

Celine is halfway through undressing herself from the itch filled cloak. Mothers in the area quickly cover their children's eyes, while the merchants who aren't quite sure what to do, continue to enjoy the show. Leland, knowing better, and remembering that they should be keeping out of the attention of any guards, pulls the cloak back onto Celine. "You can't do that here!!"

"Why not?!" Celine looks around to see at least a dozen amorous and lecherous eyes fixated on her. "Oh.. I see..." She grabs the cloth merchant by his scruff and, with little effort, pulls him over the his cart towards her. She tries to put on her best smile, but even then, then merchant wishes he hadn't gotten up this morning. "Got anywhere I can try this on? Hmmm?"

She releases him and he staggers up to his feet, wipes the sweat from his brow and points behind the cart to a small tent marked 'change'. "Th..there miss...y..you may change there."

Celine brushes the dust from his shoulders and the man clenches his eyes shut expecting the worst. "Thank you." As Celine heads to the change tent, Leland stares hard and growls at the men leering at her. They quickly, and wisely go back to their business.

Moments later, Celine emerges from the tent in a long black shirt tied at her waist, some grey, form fitting pants and black knee high boots. "I say this is perfect! well anything would be perfect next to this damn awful thing. Here merchant..." She tosses the cloak. "do what you will with that."

The merchant picks up the cloak (which he had deftly dodged for fear of attaining some rare plague) with a few fingers. "Thank you miss. I'm sure there is a fire going out somewhere that this will keep lit for ages." He quickly looks at the clothes she has taken, and tries to mentally calculate how much he can take this newcomer for, and then notices Leland. "Err.. that will be 15 coppers."

This price was, of course less than what he paid for them, but he didn't see the need to argue with a man almost twice his width.

Leland pays the man and they start to wonder deeper into the maze of carts and stands. Celine scratches her ear and looks up at Leland. "M..must be bad memories?" Leland chuckles.

After a while, they manage to find something in Leland's size, barely, and something to eat.

"Well Celine, I think we still have enough money here. Maybe we should think about picking up a cheap weapon. Maybe a nice dagger?"

Celine looks at him in surprise. "You? You want a weapon?! What happened to 'Mr. Let's-not-fight'?"

Leland tightens the purse-strings. "I just think that, as we are going to be around humans, and Joseph doesn't want us transforming back while we're here, it might be a good idea to have something we can defend ourselves with."

She looks at her father with astonishment. "Very well.. But I get to choose. You haven't been in a fight since I was little."

The weapons dealer had set up shop at the far end of the market near the docks themselves, figuring any sailor worth his salt needed a weapon. It was a decent sized cart, with a few rather nice looking weapons.
Celine however was an expert at catching out decent weapons from bad ones and knew that if a weapon looked really nice, then it was mostly just for show and would just as much snap in battle and kill the wielder then anything else.

"Ah the lady wishes to purchase today?" The accent on the man is thick and boorish. Every word, said in hopes of a sale. "Perhaps I could show you something in a beautifully jewelled stiletto?"

"No.. I'm looking for something I can actually use in a fight."

With this, the merchants accent completely vanishes, along with hopes of a high priced sale "'al right 'den miss. 'ere's wot I got..." Celine picks up a hefty dirk and Leland picks up a slightly used but very capable short sword, which in his hands looked almost like a dirk.

Just as they pay the man, a high pitched yelp comes from within the market headed towards them. Leland looks over and sees much of the crowd scattering to one side, fearful cries in their wake. Behind the spreading mass, he can see the tops of guard helmets and drawn swords. "Stop 'im! Don't left 'im get to the docks!!"

Introductions

2008-11-18T23:17:00.013-05:00

From within the shadows a door is opened up to a back room. Two figures walk into it and out of sight.

"Come in, Joseph. We can talk in private in here."

Joseph moves cautiously toward the room but pauses for a moment. He turns his head slightly. "Thanks for the ale, keep the coin." As he continues to the room, he can hear an audible gulp from the man. Joseph rubs his hands on his cloak, not knowing what to expect.

"Is this Gefra? It doesn't sound like her, but it's been some time. Who was that other figure? Maybe I shouldn't have sent Leland away." He shakes his head, suddenly realizing his own thoughts. "Get a grip, man. You're a warrior. You've fought in countless battles. Okay, maybe not any in enclosed tavern rooms, but regardless..."

He walks into the room. What little light coming in through shaded windows, shows a sparse room, with only a single table, two chairs and a small cot in the corner. Sparkling dust, hanging in the air, only adds to the foreboding feeling that encompasses Joseph. He sees a figure reclining on one of the chairs, feet braced on the table edge, a large brimmed hat covering its face.

"Well, well well. Wildmane of the Red Dust cadre. What brings you to this small fishing hovel? And in full human form, no less!"

Joseph is caught off guard slightly. "You're out of date, it's now the Red Sand cadre."

"My apologies. I will have my records updated."

Joseph scans the room with all of the senses his human form can muster. "Where is the other one? I definitely saw two figures enter. There are no other doors and the dust on the window isn't disturbed enough to have had someone crawl through it."

"It seems the rest of the patrons here offer you a great deal of leeway, Is that you Gefra? You don't sound the same. Why the subterfuge."

The figure removes its feet from the table and leans forward. "Maybe I've changed over these many years. Maybe I'm not Gefra at all."

Irritation starts to fill Joseph's body. The fingers on his right hand grow long as fingernails turn to claws.

The figure raises a hand. "I don't think you want to do that. I haven't introduced my bodyguard, Meyliss. She's VERY protective of me."

He hears a shuffle of movement behind him but before he can turn, Joseph is lifted off the ground and thrown across the room onto the cot, which snaps under his weight. Joseph can feel a trickle of blood running down his back. He frees himself from the broken cot, readies himself but can still only see the figure seated in the chair.

Anger, quickly welling up inside, instinctually causes Joseph to semi-transform back into lycanthran form, claws now fully extended, awaiting another attack. He takes a large sniff with a now much improved olfactory sense. He spins around, arm raised for an attack but is once again thrown across the room with a single pound to his chest. He hits the wall hard and crumples to the ground.

"I would suggest calming down and transforming back to human. Meyliss isn't really fond of you right now, and I'm not sure if I can, or even should, make her stop."

Joseph coughs and spits out some blood. "uhhn.. I think a few of my ribs are cracked. I've got to end this fast." Joseph turns fully lycanthran and bolts straight for the figure in the chair. He snarls as he gets close. "This Ends N..."

Before he can get halfway to the figure, he spots Meyliss out of the corner of his view. Too late to shift, she pummels him against the wall, lifting him a good foot off the ground and grabbing his left arm, forcing it up his back to a near breaking point. Joseph resists with everything he's got but can't move at all. Finding himself in a perilous situation he concedes and transforms back to human, coughing up more blood.

"Let him go Meyliss. I don't think he's going to be any more trouble."

Meyliss releases her hold and Joseph slumps to the ground. The figure stands in front of the window, light obscuring Joseph's view. She kneels down to Joseph and removes her hat.

"Huh... I expected more from my former protectorate and lover."

Joseph looks up, his vision blurring. “Karen?!...” Then all is darkness.

It's been a long time

2008-11-16T20:13:00.007-05:00

Eventually, the three catch up to each other in a small clearing, some minutes later.

"Look," Joseph points ahead of them. "Do you see those people?"

Celine peers ahead, straining to see what Joseph was looking at. "Ya, barely. What about them?"

"That's the docks. They must be some fishermen heading for the boats. It's almost dawn. The sun will be rising behind us by the time we get there so that can help us with our cover."

Celine continues to scratch. "Can we just get there so I can do something about this. I'm going crazy!"

Leland leans over her shoulder. "Must be fleas."

"I've never had them, and never will. The human I took this from must have had something."

Leland steps back quickly.

"Okay you two. Let's get going. and keep things as human as...on second thought, Celine, just keep quiet and follow my lead."

The port town of Sandry was built up from a small fishing village and, other than a fair bit of expansion, hadn't changed all that much. The townsmen set off early in the morning in their fishing boats and came back late at night. During the day, the market, which was set up close to the docks ended up being a gathering place for dock workers, wives, children and others whom most would call, "unreputable".

It was these others that were coming and going from a dock tavern by the name of 'The Maiden's Anchor'. A rather seedy little hole whose patrons consisted mostly of drunkards, thieves, women of ill repute and, most importantly, traders. Traders of various goods, notably not their own, silks, weapons, spices, the occasional slave, and perhaps the most valuable and rare of all... Information.

As Joseph and Celine enter the tavern doorway, a dozen or so heads turn and look at them with cautious stares. As Leland fills the doorway they all, quickly, stare back at their drinks.

"Celine, Leland? You two stay outside."He hands a small purse over to Celine. "Here. Look through the market and get something to stop that scratching. Leland, you make sure she doesn't start any trouble."

Celine grabs the purse. "You're no fun, do you know that?" They turn and start into the market.

Joseph heads into the tavern and mumbles under his breath. "And you're just a barrel of monkeys, Celine."

"I heard that!"

Joseph winces and heads to the barkeep.

He tosses a coin onto the counter. "Ale."

The old man behind the counter was rough and well aged. He had obviously seen more than his share of war and strife. A face full of small scars, only half of a right ear and missing a few fingers on each hand. Joseph thought to himself how this human could hold a drink, let alone serve one.

The barkeep reaches down, grabs a dirty tankard and fills it with a putrid yellow ale that Joseph could smell, even with a human nose, half a league away. "Yer new 'round 'ere?"

Joseph ignores the question. "I'm looking for information."

The barkeep starts to pick up the coin and Joseph grabs his hand. "Special information..."

The old man pulls his hand out of Josephs grasp. "Not sure I can helps you there, mister!"

Joseph hears chairs scrapping against the half rotted wooden floor.

He readies himself for a fight and turns to see that all the patrons have moved aside. From a darkened corner a voice speaks.

"Joseph Wildmane...It's been a long time..."

Crimes of the clan

2008-11-10T22:19:00.006-05:00

Celine runs up to Joseph. "Wait.. So what is a clan battle master doing in a dock tavern, and why would she now be a trader of information?"

Joseph continues in a light jog to catch up to Leland. "I never said she was a battle master. I said she was an apprentice when we were young. She became quite skilled over the years, a lot better than I could ever be. Later on, after she had attained a few levels of mastery, there was an...incident. She had been blamed for a clan crime."

Celine grabs his arm, forcing him to stop. "A clan crime? But thats usually a death sentence if you're found guilty!"

Jospeh camly removes her hand. "She had a good protectorate. He managed to convince the council of some questionable evidence and some mitigating circumstances. That was the only reason why she was just cast out of the clan instead of being put to death."

Celine looks surprised. "Must have been one hell of a good protectorate for that! Clan crimes almost always end up with someone being killed."

Leland suddenly stands out from behind a bush. "Well, Jospeh here was quite the orator when he was young."

"You were her protectorate?!"

"Yes, and sometimes I think it might had been better if I had let her die. I didn't really believe what I was convincing the council of. We were...friends...and, at the time, I felt that I had to do something to help her."
Joseph tosses the stick into the brush.

Leland places a massive hand onto Josephs shoulder. "You did the right thing, my friend. No-one deserved the fate that awaited her."

Joseph turns to face Leland. "What fate would that be, friend? Death, or eternal banishment from your own people?". He pushes his way past Leland and starts into a heavy sprint down the path.

Celine begins to run after him but Leland holds her back. "Let him go daughter. Telling some histories can open up ancient wounds. I know the way, we won't get lost."

"I've told you before not to call me that," Celine transforms slightly and growls. "Father." She reverts back to human form and starts scratching behind her ear.

Leland looks dejected. "Isn't it time we started getting along... for your moth.." Celine pounds him hard in the chest, but with very little effect.

"Don't you even DARE mention MY MOTHER. You have no right. not anymore!"

Celine starts running down the path.

Leland looks up at the night sky and lets out a sigh. "Oh, this is just going to be a wonderful time isn't it Helena, my love?" He sets out after the others.

A Long Detour

2008-11-07T21:59:00.005-05:00

Celine grabs a few cloaks and tosses one to Leland. "The docks? So we are going on the sea."

"No, just to a dockside tavern. I've been told that Gefra, or someone who knows Gefra, can be found there. We're also going to take a slightly longer route. I don't want all of us to get there together." Joseph points to the others heading to the dock. "We'll take it easy. I don't believe that she is going anywhere. Once word of this little 'meeting'" Joseph points to the bodies. "comes to light, everyones movements will be suspect and our job becomes that much harder."

The three walk towards a rocky path away from the others. After a half hour of silent walking, Celine speaks up.

"So... How do you know this Gefra?... Were you and her...?"

Joseph pauses. "For a time, yes. It was long ago, before the elven war."

Celine looks shocked. "Before the war? I had no idea you were so...old!"

Leland snorts. "oh, um..sorry." he makes he way past them, nearly knocking Joseph into a small bush.

"Did you want to hear about Gefra, or just deride me on my age?"

"Can't I do both? Sorry.. continue."

Joseph leans down and grabs a long stick. He begins to swing it around at the bushes. " At the time, we were very young. She had just become a battle master apprentice in my clan. She was one of the best. The others said she was going to become clan elder one day." Jospeh looks up at the night sky. Clouds lit by the moonlight drift past. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "If I concentrate, I can still smell the exotic oils and flowers she used to wash with."

Celine scratches her backside. "Oils and flowers? Sounds kind of prissy to me. That kind of scent would just alert your enemies."

Jospeh opens his eyes and shakes his head. "You have a lot to learn about being a woman, Celine."

Celine looks at him with mild disgust. "Just because I'm one of the fiercest warriors in our clan, doesn't mean I know nothing of womanhood." She continues scratching at her shoulders and sides. "Arr, how can these humans stand wearing these things. I itch all over!"

Joseph laughs. "Once we get the the docks, I'll see if we can't find something that suits your 'warrior' taste better. Let's catch up to Leland before those giant strides of his, make him uncatchable."

Celine laughs in agreement. "You've known Leland for a long time as well right?"

"Since before you were born, why?"

"I was just wondering. Has he always been so...so..."

Joseph interupts. "Peaceful?"

"Yes. It just seems odd for a man that size and with his heritage to be so against violence. Lycanthans are a warrior race. We're bred and born for battle, yet this...this.. this tree of a badger avoids battle whenever he can. What was he even doing back there?"

"It's true that most of our kind are warriors, but not all. I'm sure you saw me taking to that other figure while everone was dancing?"

"I saw something, smelled something actually. Who was that?" Celine scratches her nose.

"It was an old, old aquaintance. If you think I'm old, let me introduce you sometime." Joseph puts on a large evil grin. "Anyway, This aquaintance has a lycanthan companion named Valerie. A very young squirrel, sorry, Fox-squirrel. For obvious reasons, she's not one for battle, but she does come in handy for scouting missions and even a little bit of thievery."

"Scouting and theft?!" Celine looks at Joseph in disbelief. "That's hardly worthy of a lycanthan."

"Look Celine, if you want to become the leader of a cadre, you're going to have to learn that there are other ways to win a battle. Take your finger out of your nose.. now that's unworthy of a lycanthan." Celine stops and Joseph continues down the path.

"What? ...What? I'm just trying to look human!...Wait up..."

Information of Value

2008-11-03T19:12:00.006-05:00

As the cadre disperses, Joseph, Celine and Leland walk toward an area that has been cleared of debis and bodies.
Jospeh turns to the others, hands behind his back. "Have either of you heard about the lycanthran known as 'Gefra'?"

Leland looks down at Celine and shrugs. Celine walks in a circle around Joseph. "I've heard a few things, whispers mostly. He, or she, is an information dealer that likes to stay in human form. I find that unlikely and disgusting. Gefra is just a story..."

"She.. is real, and, while it is true she tends to stay in human form, she is still one of us."

Celine places her hands on Josephs shoulders and whispers into his ear. "And what does this little tidbit have to do with us?" Her claws slowly start to extract.

Joseph grabs her left hand and in a flash twists her arm to a point of breaking, causing her to wince in pain.
"Gefra has information about a mission that we three will be undertaking." He releases Celines hand and she falls backwards. "This will not be a warrior's mission and it will require that we stay in human form for the most part..." Celine spits "But it is something we need to do to accomplish our goal."

Celine Gets to her feet. "And what goal would that be?"

"I intend to guarantee the future of the lycanthran race. To ensure that our children, grand-children and great grand-children will survive well beyond the other races. To ensure that the humans will , once and for all, leave us in peace!"

Celine takes a few steps backwards, unsure how to take these statements. She steadies herself and a vicious grim crosses her feline face, fangs glistening in the fire-light. "The only way to ensure that, would be to wipe them from existence."

Leland steps forward, a painfull worry across his face. "That's not what you want.. is it, Joseph?"

Jospeh approaches him and raises his hand to Lelands shoulders, only to reach his upper arm.
"Hold your fears Leland. That is not my goal. No, we accomplish our goal with as few casualties as possible. I'm sorry Leland, but I can't say that no one will suffer."

Leland drops his head in thought. He takes a deep breath as he shrinks in size by a few feet. Leland human form is that of a man in his 40's with a still massive build and large salt and pepper mutton chops.
"I believe in you, Joseph, and if you say as few people will suffer as possible... then I'll gladly aid you in this quest."

"I knew I could rely on your help, old friend." Joseph walks over to Celine who changes to a more aggressive stance. "And you? Are you coming with us? Are you willing to become something better than you are currently are?"

Celine snarls. "I'm happy with who I am. But I'm curious about this 'Gefra'. She might have information that I could use for my own purposes. If I need to help you with your mission to advance my own, then so be it." Celine relaxes slightly and shifts into her human form, a beautiful short black haired woman, with smooth features. Her small build would distract most people from the strength that hid within her.

Joseph smiles. "Very well. Perhaps I will be able to change your mind as we progress to our ultimate goal."
He breaths heavy and his own lycanthran form shifts. His hair goes short but unkempt. Multiple, strange tatoos are all over his arms. A large scar can be seen crossing his face from the right side of his chin to just above his left eye. Joseph grabs a torn cloak from one of the bodies just inside the battle area and puts it on.

"I would suggest each of you grab one of these as well. We're heading to the docks!"

Chapter Two: Howls in the Night

2008-10-26T21:17:00.009-04:00

Both men stand in silence.

"Will I see you on the continent?"

Richard steps forward.

"I don't know my friend. I have some business to take care of here and I don't know if i'll make it out in one piece."
"Hrmp. One piece, ten pieces, or a thousand. I know I'll see you again, you bastard!"

Joseph bolts off into the distance, fur and claw once again asserting themselves. "Be safe, my friend. There are many dangers in Haladan that even you don't know of."

He covers the distance between Richard and the dancers at a speed that could outpace a race horse and claws to a stop in front of his bretheren.

"Sisters..Brothers... Today we have won a small battle, but I fear that this too will cause an even greater harm to our kind."

The dancers cease and listen intently.

A tall, slight form steps forward. Part human and part feline, black fur and bared silvered claws. Her voice as sleek as speed and as cold as death and bloodshed.

"Why do WE need to fear these humans, Joseph? Did this battle not prove that we can defeat them with ease?" She rubs a paw over her head and ears, her fur matted with blood and dirt.

Joseph bolts forward, barely able to be seen. He grabs her neck and lifts her into the air. Josephs lips curl back and he bares his long yellow fangs, many have been broken in battle. He screams with the authority of an old a battle-hardened warrior.

"DO NOT ENTERTAIN THE THOUGHT THAT YOU HAVE ANY SAY AROUND HERE, CELINE!"

Joseph throws her a few yards to the ground. Celine slides to a stop and begins to bare her own fangs, still bright and unfettered with age.

She stands and readies herself to fight only to find her shoulders in the grip of an extremely large lycanthran with a badger form. She struggles but can not move. "Let me go, Leland, let me go!"

With little perceived effort, Leland pushes her down to her knees. "Joseph is our leader and you will remain calm and quiet while he speaks." Leland's voice denies his size and is calming to all around him, although gruff and very low-toned.

Joseph ignore the commotion of Celine and Leland. "We have been offered passage to the continent. There are too many of us here to all make it to the docks without being noticed. I want all the of those who are without wounds to make their way there, in HUMAN form. Do not make yourselves noticed. Head for the Lazerous, the captain will be expecting you. All others can find safety in the woods. We are all survivors and will long outlive this night."

Joseph walk to Leland and Celine. "Let her go Leland." Celine stands, well aware that Leland could stop her in an instant. "You show great promise, Celine. Even enough promise to lead your own cadre one day."

Celine bears her fangs slightly. "I could lead one now, if I wished it."

Joseph leans forward into Celines face. "Not with the arrogance that you showed earlier. It will gain you no respect."

Celine begins to calm down. "So what will you do with me now. Have me cower like a frail kit on the seas?"

Joseph smiles. "No. You & Leland will be coming with me."

The Southern Gate

2008-10-25T22:03:00.004-04:00

"I'm sorry. It's very boring just sitting in the branches, you know."

Richard turns back to the hill. "But it IS much safer, isn't it? I wasn't planning on making contact with anyone until we were inside the city walls. Now I'm going to have to be carefull about running into those idiots again."

Valerie climbs up Richards cloak and sits on his shoulder. "What? You mean you weren't impressed by the 'Hero of the Four Walls'?" She lets out a small chuckle.

"Oh he was most likely at the battle. It just wasn't as big as what he thought it was. The Four Walls was merely a diversion for a larger battle that was happening elsewhere."

"You talk as if you were there? When did this happen?"

"About twelve years ago and I was there, just not on the front lines. I'ld rather not talk about it just yet, if you don't mind. Some very painfull memories are still burried there. Let's just go get Catherine and make our way to the south gate."

Valerie jumps off Richard and transforms. "Richard?"

"Yes?"

"What did you mean by 'trophies'?"

Richard pauses and closes his eyes. "I keep forgetting, you haven't been in any real battles have you?"
He opens his eyes and continues up the hill. "During many battles, the humans who are in charge or of a moderatly high rank sometimes like to retain 'reminders' of the enemies they have killed. Sometimes its just a piece of armour, sometimes it can be something more... substantial."

"I don't understand. More substantial, like what?"

"It's not uncommon for bodies to be found without their heads or limbs. I've even been unlucky enough to see one human who had at least three revenant heads in jars. They say we revenants can exist forever, if we wanted to, but who wants to spend eternity in a jar?"

"Okay, I'm sorry I asked."

After a long and silent climb, they arrive at the boulder. Catherine is still resting on the tree, trying to regain the use of her leg.

Richard kneels down beside her and examines her work. "Well, this will have to do for now, Catherine. Valerie, go find something we can use as a crutch." Valerie wonders into the woods and starts pulling down small trees.

"I'm sorry, I just can't get it right. Every time I try, it just keeps breaking." Catherine lowers her head in frustration.

"Don't worry for now. Valerie will get a crutch, I'll wrap up your leg and we can make our way to the city."

Catherine looks up at Richard, fear filling her eyes. "Is that safe? I mean, won't it be dangerous for us?"

"Catherine, the entire world is dangerous for us. This is someplace I need to go and I can't leave you here. You're going to have to come with us."

Valerie steps out of the woods with a large branch. "US? No. I don't do cities, you know that. I have to stay in human form all the time, even when I sleep. It's just not something I'm going to do. You go in and do what you have to. I'm staying out here."

Richard takes the branch at trims it down for Catherine. "Well, I know better than to argue with you on this subject. Catherine and I will go and meet the monk. When I need you, I will try and get some kind of word out to you, so be ready."

With each giving a nod and Catherine now able to walk with a crutch, they part ways.

After an hour, They find themselves on a pathway heading for the south gate. Richard stops as they start to see the gate. "If the guards ask about us, I'm you father, William of Balantine and we've come to see the physician about our circumstances."

"I thought we were coming to see a monk?"

"We are, but outside the city, he's known as the physician. The guards won't want to get close to me, but you'll have to. Try not to react to the smell..."

"What smell... oh that is terrible."

"Sorry... Well Catherine, welcome to the Walled City of Haladan!"

The Four Walls

2008-10-23T23:08:00.006-04:00

The captain holds his hand up to his nose.

"That's all well and er.. good, old man, but what do you want in the city?"

Richard shuffles closer to the weapons causing two of the soldiers to rush around the cart in protection.

"I hear tell, there's a physician in there that can help an old poor man in my condition." Richard swivels back toward the captain, holding his hand out in putrid want. "Do you know of him?"

The third soldier starts to think. A process that, by his facial appearance, is not done very often. "I think he means the monk who lives in the southern quarters, captain."

The captain looks back in irritation. "I know who he's talking about! Do you think I'm an idiot?" The two soldiers at the cart nod silently being out of their captains view.

"Unfortunately for you, old beggar, we are outside the Northern Quarter. I can't just let you in and let someone in your...condition... go wandering the streets. Besides I am currently occupied in more important matters."

Richard feigns impression. "Yes, I can see that. Off to arm the war effort are you? Have many 'trophies'?"

Valerie questions herself. "Trophies? What does he mean by that?"

The third soldier steps around his captain. "Watch your tongue! You speak to none other than Captain Bretarian. Hero of the Four Walls. Scourge of Faerie kind." The captain's chest becomes inflated with the praise.

Richard takes a step back and lowers himself. "Really? Hero of the Four Walls? Such a terrible battle that was. So much death and destruction. I'll wager you have some stories."

Captain Bretarian wells up with pride. "Let blood and bone rain over the battlefield! Let none enter these four walls! Let no man stray from his duty! Monsters are the stuff of nightmare and we are the light that shall extinguish them all!"

A tear wells up in Bretarian's eye. "I said that on the eve of battle and not a man faltered."
"But enough of that, beggar." The captain pulls out a coin from his purse, making Valerie perk up and take note of exactly where said purse was on the captain. "Take this coin and make your way to the southern gate. You can enter there through the lepers entrance."

Richard takes the coin with haste "Thank you, oh thank you great hero of the Four Walls. I shall not forget this day."

As the soldiers carry on their way, Valerie cautiously comes closer to Richard, holding her paws to her nose. "Is it safe?"

Richard looks down. "Hmm? Oh, yes, sorry about that. It was a bit much but it got their attention away from 'someone' who was just meant to 'OBSERVE'!"

2008-10-22T22:44:00.011-04:00

As the three soldiers continue to fix their cart, The captain walks further into the woods not turning back to look at his underlings.

“We have to get this weapons cart up to the forward garrison. I hear tell that there was an attack a few nights ago.”

One of the men stops working.

“The garrison was attacked?”

The captain makes a face of utter contempt.

“No, you fool! A militia was attacked over on Verdons field.”

Valerie moves to a lower branch straining to listen.

“Hmm, I wonder if that was where Richard was?” She thinks to herself

The soldier moves closer to his captain.

“Sorry sir, but do you mean the Patron’s militia? My cousin marches with them.”

The captain turns.

“Sorry lad, but the way my spy..er..source tells me, all who were marching that night were wiped out.”

“Killed sir?” The soldier swallows hard. “Who attacked them?”

“Can’t really say. He said it was hard to see, what with the heavy rain, but he walked around afterward and didn’t see anything alive.”

He places a hand on the man’s shoulder.

“We’ll find out soon enough, boy. Don’t worry. You’ll have your vengeance.”

The other two soldiers complete the repairs and push the cart out of its hole with the help of a large old work horse.

Valerie moves down to the ground and scurries over toward the cart. The two men see her and one pulls out hunting knife.

“Looks like we’ve found dinner.”

Valerie freezes in mid-stride. She now sees that she has placed herself in between the three soldiers and the captain.

Another soldier pulls out a sling and bullet. "Don't worry this won't hurt at bit!"

Her legs now frozen in terror, she looks around for an escape and with a push of adrenaline she makes a jump under the horse and towards the cart. A bullet whizzes pass as she darts in between legs and wheels.

A voice booms out from the trees. It's sickening undertones of rot, recognizable to only a lucky few.

"Help a old leper to the city gates?"

Richard places one of his wrapped hands on the captains arm. He reels back in sickening repulsion.

"Don't touch me you filthy beggar. How did you get behind me so quietly? Where are you from?"

By this point the captain is trying to hold back whatever was unlucky enough to have been in his stomach from breakfast. The other soldiers cease their hunt and form up behind him, swords drawn.

Valerie takes this as her chance and starts to circle around to get to who she hopes to be Richard.

"Ay, sir, a beggar I am. But that is because life is what it made this poor, decrepit body to be."

The soldiers relax somewhat but keep their swords at the ready.

Richard takes a few steps towards them. As he does, then soldiers step back and keep their distance.
Valerie, now standing just in the treeline, out of view, takes a sniff to the air. She soon realises that this was a bad idea.

"Uh.. what a stench." She thinks as little paws rub her face and nose, trying to clean the almost physical smell Richard has created. "I'm impressed, the old bastard's good at this. Keep the disgust high and no one wants to bother with you for fear of becoming ill."

Leper-man

2008-10-19T01:02:00.000-04:00

"Valerie, While I help Catherine, I want you to go scout out what they're doing down there. Don't be stupid. Don't try anything. Just observe and report back."

Valerie starts to transform. " But what if..."

Richard cuts her off. "Just... Observe"

Valerie scurries down the hill side while Richard pulls Catherine to the tree.

"Look, Catherine, This is going to be like before but you must concentrate harder."

"Why? My wound earlier didn't take all that long?"

Richard places the kneecap back on her leg. "And it took at least twelve hours before you could talk again. We don't have that kind of time right now. I know this seems unfair and I will explain things better when I have a chance, but for now you've got to trust me and do as I say." Richards face is that of someone with little sense of humour.

"Okay, I'll do my best" Richard moves away. "Wait.. where are you going?"

Richard pulls out a long black cloak and some wrappings from his pack. "I have to go down there and help her."

"But I thought you told her to observe and report back to you?"

Richard wraps his hands and head. The wrappings are old, bloody, torn and very dirty. "I did. And that's why I don't trust her to obey me."

Just before he finishes wrapping his head and face Catherine can see Richards skin turn pale yellow and rot. He puts on the cloak.

"Why are you doing that?"

Richard walks to the boulders edge and peers over listening intently. He turn back to Catherine his voice altered by rotted body parts. "Well... no-one likes to be around the old leper-man!"

He moves over the edge and starts to make his way down to the valley floor.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE VALLEY FLOOR

Three men dressed as soldiers are moving around a small cart filled with pikes and spears. The wheel has broken in a small depression.

A large man dressed in a higher rank moves around the cart. "LIFT IT UP THEN! GET THAT WHEEL FIXED!"

The three other men speak as one. "Yes sir!"

From a dozen feet above them Valeries observes them from a branch.

"Just observe them... Don't do anything Stooopid. One of these days, I'll show him who the stupid one is. The rotting corpse bastard."

Dreams

2008-10-13T22:36:00.000-04:00

"Nevermind her. Like I said, she's irritable in the mornings. Lycanthropics can be found in all manner of creature form."

Catherine tightens her grip. "For some reason I thought they would just be wolf like."

Richard looks at her a little puzzled. "Really? You've only been reborn for a little over a day. You've never run into any lycanthropics. Why would you think that?"

"I don't know? It just seemed to be in my mind that that's what they should be." Catherine looks at Richard.
"Is that bad?"

"No. Not 'bad'. it's just that, when one us becomes re-born, our personal memories vanish almost completely. Some say it's something our bodies do to prevent us from going insane."
Catherine holds Richards arm tighter. "There are a few of us that retain some vague memory, but they usually only show up in our dreams. And even then, nothing can really be understood."

"Do you have any?... dreams I mean?" Catherine bites her lip.

"No" Richards states abruptly. He pulls his arm away from Catherine and moves forward the Valerie's position. Catherine looks upset.

"Valerie..." Richard whispers to her as he kneels down. Both are on a boulder looking down into a small valley. " You stopped. What is it?"

Valerie stoops down further, her ears now partially turned animalistic.

"Humans... a small party. From the sounds they're making, heavily armed. Maybe they were from that group you fought with a few nights ago. Someone escape?"

"Not that I could tell. I was...um..." Richards voice grows shallow as Catherine comes closer. "out of sorts."

Valerie growls as she comes closer. "Get down, you stupid woman. Do you WANT them to spot us?!"

Catherine drops as fast as she can, landing on her knee.

"Ow.... Sorry, I didn't know" She rubs her knee hard.

"Try to do the same thing I tought you earlier. Visualize and concentrate." Richard says while not turning to her.

Valerie turns to look at her. "Oh, that's just disgusting. Go over by that tree and do that. I have a sensitive nose you know."

Richard turns to see. "What's the matt... oh..."

Richard looks to see that Catherine has ripped a knee cap right off and has obviously broken her leg.
"Come on, let's move to the tree & i'll try to help you out."

A New Companion?

2008-09-18T00:08:00.004-04:00

Catherine is woken with a strange sensation on her chest. She looks down and lets out a scream.

"Aaaahh, get it of..get it off!" she sweeps at a small animal sitting on top of her. It deftly dodges her blows and scurries around Richards feet.

"Well, that just fine of you.." The creature says as it scampers between Richards feet. "...after me bringin' you breakfast and everything?"

Catherine looks down to see a pile of nuts and berries arranged in a large leaf. She shuffles back and bumps into a tree.

"I'm sorry...I just wasn't..." She says nervously, noticing that the creature is a small squirrel.

The squirrel slowly moves towards her with what appears to be it's best angry look.

"Just wasn't.. WHAT?? Ready? Thinking? Being DAMN respectful?!"

Richard moves in closer and bends down to help Catherine up.

"Shut-up Valerie, I told you she's new." He holds Catherines hand gently and pulls her to her feet.
"Sorry about that. Valerie can have a bit of a temper on her in the morning"

Richard turns to Valerie. "Let's make this easier on her, ok? Change into something more suiting."

"Suiting to her, you mean. All right, give me a minute."

Valerie runns behind a small bush. Noises similar to cracking bones and ripping leather come out, making Catherine wince.

After a minute a small girl comes out.

"There. Is. This. Better?"

Richard suffs Valerie's hair. "Yes, thank you. Catherine, grab your breakfast and let's get going. We need to make up the ground we lost last night."

"And WHO'S fault was that?!" Valerie chimes in

"You know very well, that is our law that we can't leave a new one behind. It will..."

Valerie raises her hand. " Yes, yes, I know... Leaving a new one behind could compromise our exsistance to the Humans."

Richard looks down at her with a smirk. "I did the same thing with you, if you recall?"

Valerie shuffles ahead of them with less than silent grumbles.

"Richard?" Catherine grabs his arm."She's a lycer..lycan.."

"Lycanthropic"

"Thanks...but she's a squirrel?"

"Fox-squirrel if you don't mind!" Valerie shouts back at her. At this point, Valerie is a good 30 yards away from the two and always looking around before seemingly waving them forward. Richard doesn't appear to be paying any attention to her motions.

A Brief History

2008-08-06T23:34:00.002-04:00

"For ages now, children have been told all sorts of faerie tales about witches, goblins, elves and trolls. What almost all of the world doesn't know is that most of those tales... were true"

Catherines face wrinkles in disbelief.

"It's true. Since the dawn of mankind, there have also been faerie kind. Creatures that took a different path from human-kind. The most powerful were the Elves and the Trolls. However, being the most powerful isn't all that it sounds like. Wars between the two were common enough to get the attention of the human's fear."

Richard stands and walks around the fire. He looks deep into the night trying to see the unseen.

"Ages ago, the Humans decided that the Faerie folk were too powerful..too strange to live with them, even on the outer edges of civilization. They banded together and wiped out many of the elves and troll. Eventually, there were only a few left of our kind. Mostly just the ones that could more easily blend in with them."

He picks up a rock and throws it into the bushes. It lands with a thud and animals can be heard running away.

"Now, we are down to only a few clans. Ours, the Revenants, the Lycantropes, and the Vampyrics. There are a few other, small clans, such as the goblins. But their time is also almost gone. They are too few to survive."

He turns and sits down to find Catherine asleep.

"And so we find ourselves living in the human's shadows. Trying not to get caught..."

Reasoning

2008-07-31T23:12:00.005-04:00

3 Hours later, in Harrings Wood

"To put it simply... we're dead...well not living at least."

Richard and the woman stumble through a densly forested area, the sounds of where they were hours behind them.

"You've most likely noticed that even though we're trampling our way around this forest, you don't seem to be out of breath."

Richard stops and places a hand upon the womans chest.

"Keep noticing, and you'll find that you aren't really breathing at all."

The woman face becomes puzzled.

"If you aren't living, then why breath? It's simple, once you think about it."

The woman still looks puzzled and shakes her head, not fully undersatnding.

"Look.. why don't we stop here for the night. I don't want to accidentally run into.. 'unfriendly' people in the dark."

Richard removes a small satchel from inside his cloak and pulls out a flintbox. He gathers up some wood from the surrounding area and lights a small fire.

"There. That should keep away any unwanted creatures."

The woman turns to him with a look of panic.

"No, no.. I meant, wolves and animals like that."

He thinks for a minute.

"I suppose I'll have to give you a name... How about.. Catherine? Does that sound good?"

Catherine thinks for a second and then nods approvingly.

"Ok then Catherine... I guess I'll start at the begining..."

A new member

2008-07-29T14:06:00.012-04:00

"Thank you Richard. You've been a good friend through these hard times."

Joseph turns and starts to walk towards the dancers. He stops and looks slightly back to Richard.

"And... I'm sorry for striking out at you. Karen was.. special to me."

Both men stand in silence.

"Will I see you on the continent?"

Richard steps forward.

"I don't know my friend. I have some business to take care of here and I don't know if i'll make it out in one piece."

"Hrmp. One piece, ten pieces, or a thousand. I know I'll see you again, you bastard!"

Joseph bolts off into the distance, fur and claw once again asserting themselves.

Richard stands, watching him go.

"Yes, my friend. I'm sure you will."

He pulls the hood of his cloak up to cover his face and turns away.

"I'm just not sure you'll like me when you do."

He climbs back up the embankment and carefully starts to cross the bodies.

As he passes a rather small looking corpse, a hand jolts out to grab his ankle. Richard bends down, grabs the hand and forces it to release. He moves debris away to find the corpse of a young woman.

"Well my dear, you're not looking all that well."

The woman makes some gurgling noises.

"No, don't try to speak. Most of your throat is missing."

The womans eyes widen in fear.

"Don't worry. I'm here to help. What I want you to do is just concentrate. Visualise...stop grasping at your throat, you arn't breathing anyway.."

The woman stops. She grabs Richards arm, shaking.

Richard speak calmly and slowly, trying to take away her fears.

"Now do as I say. Close your eyes and visualise yourself as a broken vase. Now think about all the pieces coming together to reform itself. Concentrate hard. This will most likely take a few minutes."

As minutes pass, pieces of flesh and bone inch thier way to the woman from the surroundings.

"Good, that's good. Can you speak?"

The woman rubs her throat, shocked that all seems normal.

"i..iitsss.. harrrrd..."

Richard raises his had to stop her.

"Give it a day or so and your voice will come back. I the meantime, i need to check on something."

He looks her over and finds a small symbol on the back of her knee.

"Well, that's not mine. I wonder who else was here today?"

Richard stands up and offers the woman his hand.

"Come with me. If you stay here, you're going to cause far too many questions. I will explain your..or rather "our" situation, along the way."

Chapter One: A rough start

2008-07-26T01:30:00.004-04:00

June 5th, 1563

A darkened figure sits slumped over on top a large piece of ruin.

"Rain. It's always raining. Can't remember the last day it was dry."

The figure sits up straight and holds his hand to the sky.

"At least the blood has finally washed away..."

He stands up. Around the figure are dozens of dead bodies clad in medieval armour. No wounds or blood can be seen. In the distance, a large fire can be seen with strange figures moving around it.

"Damn 'thropes. They never know when to leave things well enough alone."

He wraps a bloodstained cloak around himself and starts, half-sliding down a muddy embankment.

At the bottom, he spots a broken shield. Bits of white and brown fur clinging to the edges.

"I know you're there Joseph. You never were one to celebrate. I would suggest you get your 'people' and get to safe harbour."

A russle comes from a nearby bush. A low gruff voice whispers out.

"I'll get them when I'm damn well ready. They deserve to celebrate, given what's been happening to our kind!"

The cloaked figure turns around wielding a small sword.

"You know very well that this was Karen's fault. Had she just.."

A flurry of fur and claw whip by the figures face, bits of cloak and flesh trailing after.

"Mention Karen one more time and I'll make sure you never speak again!"

The figure raises his hand to wipe his face. A face pot marked with scars and open wounds. Small insects can be seen crawling in and around them. He wipes his face and sheaths his sword.

"Yes. I suppose I deserved that. What will you do then, Joseph? In a few hours, an army of them will arrive and wipe you out. We can't afford to lose another race."

Joseph stands from his hunched position. Long fur quickly retreating to bare flesh. He turns to face the figure. A worried and sorrowful gaze fills his now human face.

"I'll let them be for 30 minutes. It's been a long time since they last danced."

The figure put a hand on Josephs shoulder. Beatles escape from the cloak to fall to the ground.

"It will be a lot longer if they are caught. Take them to the docks. I have a ship there, the Lazerous..."

A smile crosses Josephs face.

"Your humour stinks..."

"I know. But it seemed to fit. The lazerous will take you to the continent. From there you should be safe... for a while."

Welcome to Myths of Power

2008-07-25T23:22:00.000-04:00

Hi all..
This is my first attemp at a blog of sorts. I've gotten an idea for a storyline that I'm going to tell in various parts from various points of character view.
I hope to put a new story/viewpoint once per week and welcome any comments.