Cauldron and Sword

[Legens Legentis]

1670
Norfolk County, England​

Cornelius had little trust of his current surroundings, with a heavy fog concealing the one true path that he intended to follow. Galena, his horse, was equally disturbed by the ominous mist. The former knight had made the journey all the way from Sussex to come here. Despite numerous misadventures along the way, he trusted his client, and that would never change. He heard stories of other hunters falling prey to some demonic presence in these woods.

It was time to see if they were true.

The occasion of when Cornelius arrived in the village to investigate, the people were already stricken with fear. They hid behind their walls under the false pretense of safety. The countryside had been ravaged, they said. The dead were enacting their revenge. With a mind like his, the assassin had pieced together that the graveyards were cursed, thus explaining the infestation of ghouls. It was up to him to discover the true source before their numbers grew.

Suddenly, he could hear a faint groan from behind the bushes. The road became narrower. Cornelius dismounted his steed, and waited to hear anything else. For a moment, all was silent. He breathed in deeply. This vile, sickening fog would be the death of him! It was still very early in the morning. Of course, only an absolute fool would hunt the undead at night. They were stronger at night, and much more bloodthirsty.

Another groan sprang forth. Then, yet another. From all directions, encircling the knight completely. Armored corpses dragged their stench-ridden bones forward. Unsheathing his sword, Cornelius did not bother in giving a warning to his foe. Ghouls were incapable of reasoning. They only knew to kill. "Aaargh!" he slashed one down. However, there was a dozen more ready to replace it. Each one carried broken blades in their torsos, and arrows everywhere. Inside their eye sockets was a pair of eerie blue orbs.

And so he cut down another beast, and kicked a third before it could grab his neck. A single bite meant certain death. Their groans became louder, and Cornelius was almost deafened by their horrible screams. Ghouls carried the misfortune of having their souls trapped in their rotting bodies. Galena started to panic and kick randomly, giving her rider ample time to defend himself. However, her terrified neighs summoned only more ghouls. This was going downhill very quickly.
​

 

[Levy]

"Oh, are they at it again?" June clicked her tongue.

An exasperated groan escaped her as she approached the window, while a cat with a coat of midnight trailed behind her. "I know they've got souls trapped inside them, but really! They act like they're the only suffering souls on this planet." She said, unlatching the locks before pulling the glass pane up. The feline only tittered behind her, deciding to leave it to her owner to deal with whatever obnoxious din was disturbing their daily activities.

"Is that.. oh, goodness, Pearl. T- there's a human. It's.." June squinted a little, "It's a man, and he- he's trying to fighting them! Oh, that idiot. Pearl, why do humans have to be so stupid?" She ran an apprehensive hand through her hair. Should she? Should she not?

"Oh, to hell with it." She grappled onto a nearby broomstick, half nettled and half concerned. The cat metaphorically raised a non-existant eyebrow, but stretched and followed her seemingly frazzled owner out the door.

Ghouls were pitiful creatures. Their minds were operating on the most primitive of functions, thus they didn't exactly have the capacity to settle and have some tea with a guest. Still, June didn't have the heart to kill one. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew it was the right thing to put them to rest, but every time she came close, she'd falter. She healed, not killed. Pearl, of course, had much bolder opinions on the subject, but June would wave her off, laughing.

June shook her head as she navigated through the fog. There was much more than usual, but she had bigger inconveniences to deal with, such as a man and his horse trying to fight off a pack of malicious spirits. They didn't look like they would hold up any longer. It was hard enough to fend off one of them, but a pack? Out of the question. First, she would have to do something about the man.

"Pearl?" She gestured to her familiar, who was already racing for him. The cat swiftly slipped past the ghouls and grappled onto the man's legs, working her way up to his face. June continued to flounder the broomstick about, which surprisingly deterred the spirits. Their cries were deafening and the stench was absolutely nauseating, but after a century, you get used to it. She attempted to calm the horse to the point where she stopped thrashing, and quickly grabbed her reins.

"Shoo! Shoo! Go away, you are being extremely rude!" June hissed, waving her broomstick in a dismissive manner to the creatures that surrounded them. Pearl succeeded in blocking the man's senses for a good while, simply to keep him from seeing June shooing away the ghouls, but eventually she was ripped off.

"Please come with me!" She had to yell over the din of the ghouls, but she earned his attention. Hastily, June threw her broomstick in the general direction of the ghouls and grabbed the man's hand with her only free one, and immediately booked it home, giving a small nod to her feline. He would have to wait for questions.

Pearl, on the other hand, seemed a little more than annoyed at her reckless owner. She would have to divert the attention of the ghouls, lead them in the other direction of the cottage, and then walk all the way home. June knew this, but she hoped her familiar would forgive her after a few sardine tins and a back rub or two.

 

[Legens Legentis]

The battle raged on between Cornelius and the horde of ghouls, yet with each passing moment his strength began to falter. There was so many. In defiance of death itself, he didn't give up. It was never in his nature to quit, especially on a contract, always sealed in blood. The assassin drove his fist into the skull of an ambling monster. The lower jawbone detached utterly and fell to the earth below. He cut off the arm of one and head-butted the fiendish thing. An individual ghoul wielded a massive claymore, a weapon that was magically fused to its hands. The enemy blade was swung outward, forcing Cornelius to jump back to avoid disembowelment.

However, the very tip struck him, cutting through the chain mail around his stomach and grazing his skin. Cornelius knew he was bleeding profusely. Tired and wounded, his attacks had far less power in them. Everything was becoming hazy. He dashed for the creature's legs, knocking it off-balance and giving him an opportunity to remove its only form of mobility. The assassin hardly even noticed the odd feline approaching him until it was too late. It jumped onto his face, blocking his vision completely. "Gah, what is this?!" he cried out in surprise. This was not the ideal time to have a cat around.

Although the sound of groans permeated the air, Cornelius could still hear a woman's voice originate from somewhere. He nearly stumbled over while trying to remove that damned cat. The situation was too bizarre to ask questions in any coherent manner. Nevertheless, he resisted little when he felt a hand grab his own, dragging him off to who-knows-where. It was difficult to keep up on account of the blood pouring out from his body.

 

[Levy]

"Damn it, that was a good broomstick, too." June griped. She was guiding the man in one hand and pulling along his horse in the other, so she had to make the decision to leave the broomstick. Nevertheless, the moment they arrived at the cottage, June released the death grip on the two she wasn't even aware she was holding, before doubling down on her own doorstep, panting.



"I'm- oh lord, I'm sorry, give me a moment. I haven't ran like that in ages." She huffed, before taking a moment to right herself. "This uh, I know it's a bit late for formalities, but my name is June, Sir. I live here, and I saw you were in a bit of a pickle, and-" Her eyes suddenly fell upon the man's waist, or more importantly, the gash on it. "And oh my god, you- you're bleeding, and oh, you're bleeding a lot. That's- that's not good." June in a bit of a frazzled state, nervous and jumpy and very sweaty. This was, after all, a human she was dealing with. Humans were a gamble, really.

She could only hope luck was on her side.

"Please, come in. Have a seat, I'll get some, um, first aid. Wait, tea, also. Humans- er, the English like tea, don't they?" She laughed nervously, before disappearing into the next room. She'd have to be careful not to let him see any spellbooks or flying broomsticks. Hopefully, he would be too nosy. Or bright. The fact that she had a house in the middle of the woods was suspicious enough. Still, she hadn't had a guest in years. The last one tried to eat her.

She emerged only a second later. "What am I doing? Here, use this to stop the bleeding." The woman tossed him a clean rag, before leaving for the second time.

 

[Legens Legentis]

Cornelius was mere seconds away from fainting as he raced through the forest, yet even with his obscured sight, he caught a glimpse of the cottage that he was being brought to. He assumed that he had become delirious, as if he were hallucinating the odd house that stood in the middle of nowhere. Was he dying? The assassin could barely think while he sat down, holding his wound and writhing in pain. There was a voice penetrating the air, one that clearly belonged to a woman that was frightened. The mention of tea made him smirk. Every proper Englishman had a liking for tea.

"Thank you," Cornelius muttered as he grabbed the rag, using it to stem the bleeding. His breathing was slow. Sweat trickled down from his forehead, and the assassin found himself mouthing prayers, either in hopes of forgiveness or survival. It was an act of desperation, sure. As he rested, the former knight looked at the room he was in. It was more spacious than the house he was born in. It was a quaint, cozy little place. One could only wonder why a hermit would own such a welcoming cottage.

 

[Levy]

Unbeknownst to the man bleeding in her living room, June was scrambling about in the next room. There was a kettle on the stove and she held a stirring spoon in one hand while a container of earl leaves was shakily clasped in the other.

"I think I forgot how to make tea. Does he like black tea? Milk? What do the English like? Ah! What about sugar?" She paced about the kitchen in a panic. "No, no, no, hold on, he's bleeding! Medicine comes first. Oh, Pearl, I wished you were here." She set the water to boil and left to gather whatever needed for first aid, and then some. He was sort of wobbly now that she looked back, and that gash looked really bad, though hopefully it didn't damage any internal organs. Then, she'd have a real case on her hands.

After a bit, the woman emerged, balancing a handful of bottles and rolls in her arms. As she sat beside him, she set them on the table and turned to the man, gesturing for the rag held to his stomach. "I'm going to need you to disrobe, please. Just the waist up." She paused. "Sir." It had been so long since she'd ventured to the human world, she wasn't sure how to properly address what kinds of people. Hell, she didn't even know his social standing--the human concept of hierarchy was endlessly confusing.

"Oh my dear lord, what on earth happened to you?" She held an alarmed look on her face as her eyes fell upon the man's body.

 

[Legens Legentis]

Trembling and parched, Cornelius felt oddly secure in this environment. There was little chance of the ghouls finding their way here, and this woman, whoever she was, appeared to be kindhearted. He almost felt ashamed for making her worry so much, but that was hardly in his control. No, the assassin was quite helpless. Truly beyond the capacity to save himself. If he survived, it would be a task of honor to repay such generosity, but that was a big 'if'. The former knight obeyed as he was commanded to disrobe (as scandalous as it sounded). This wasn't his first time on death's doorstep, not by a long shot.

"That depends," Cornelius smirked upon being asked what happened. There were far too many incidents to count. His continued existence could only be attributed to pure luck, or if one preferred, destiny. "But in this case, I was cut with a sword." He coughed up blood. The assassin removed the cloth from his wound to give June better access to it. Normally a soldier would be provided alcohol during surgery, but that was a luxury that was unfortunately missing. He would have to endure this the old-fashioned way.

 

[Levy]

"Oh, goodness. Please hold on, I'll get water."

June was, understandably, baffled. She had never seen so many scars on so little skin in her life, burn marks, battle wounds, cuts and scrapes and scratches--she was beginning to wonder if there was a man in her living room or an industrial hunk of metal. Nevertheless, she came back with two rags hanging on the side of a tub of water, along with a glass of one.

"Drink." She set down the tub and handed him the glass. "Ah, I'm sorry, I don't have any alcohol with me, so you'll just have to bite onto a cloth." June, of course, had other methods of anesthesia, but she wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to administer them. Still, she soaked the two rags and gave one to the man, then started cleaning the wound with the other. She was sure modern surgeons and barbers didn't clean the affected area or themselves before surgery, so it was a good thing she got to him first.

"I know this sounds like a silly request, but could you please close your eyes? The sight of blood and needles, uh, tends to scare people, so, if you would." June wasn't sure if he would buy it, but when he complied, she was beyond relived. Slowly, she pulled out a miniature spell book from under all the bottles, along with needle and thread. First, she administered the standard spell for anesthetic, whispering the enchantment under her breath. Not enough so that he wouldn't feel it at all, but enough so that he wouldn't pass out from the pain.

Then, she began. Somewhere along the way, Pearl had entered and stuck a bitter tongue out at June, but she was too busy concentrating on the rather gruesome task at hand. Stitching a wound this severe was tricky, but June had the experience of three surgeons combined, so her nimble fingers worked swiftly.

"There, and... done!" She turned to the man and smiled, sliding the spellbook under the couch with an inconspicuous hand. Pearl glanced at her, before returning to groom herself. "I hope it didn't hurt too bad. Well, the worst is gone! Now we just have to bandage you and patch up those scrapes."

 

[Legens Legentis]

Cornelius drank from the cup like a wanderer in the desert, shivering as the cold water travelled down his throat. There was relief in being hydrated. Still, he prepared himself mentally for the oncoming procedure, ready for the anguish that no man could ever truly be accustomed to. The assassin took a moment to remember his comrades that perished under the surgeon's knife rather than the enemy's sword. It was a fate that he never imagined for himself. Ultimately, he looked amused at the suggestion to close his eyes. He had seen worse. But, not wanting to bring dismay to a woman, he complied.

Soon he felt the needle piercing his skin, yet not a trace of pain. It was truly a bizarre phenomena. He opened his eyes and was elated to discover that his vision had returned. Finally, he could look at the person who had saved his life. And... her appearance made him smirk. Cornelius hadn't seen very many women with hair so short. "What should I call you?" he directed at June with a slight smile. "W-where are my manners? My name is Cornelius, and I owe you greatly for saving me."

 

[Levy]

The man's wandering eyes and conscious smirk brought a bemused smile to June's face, though Pearl in the corner was brooding. She glared at the pair, scoffing as if to say, 'What are you thinking, healing a human man! It's absolute madness.' June was immune her familiar's criticisms, however, and simply continued on to unroll bandages. The anesthesia wouldn't wear off for at least a few more minutes, so she would simply have to refrain from touching him. He might begin to suspect something, and that would be nothing but trouble.

"Oh, dear." She laughed a little, which prompted the suspicion of her feline. Laughing? At a human? Is this man some sort of charmer? She's not being seduced, is she?

"You must have hit your head on the way here. I told you my name at the door. It's June, Sir- er, Cornelius. I'm just glad I noticed you in time. Now, I think the tea is ready.." She stood and walked over to the kitchen, while the black cat situated in the corner of the room slowly pawed her way over to the man on the couch. First, to earn his trust, she purred and nudged her forehead against his forearm as a gesture of affection. Proceeding her reign of mischief, she curled up to one of the scratches on his arm, gave it a nice lick, and then hopped down, prancing away.

June, still in the kitchen, nearly burned herself twice in the span of one minute, before she decided she'd simply do it the old witch way. She carried out a kettles and two cups of steaming earl tea, alongside a pot of sugar.

 

[Legens Legentis]

There was partial confusion at the way June laughed, however slightly, but Cornelius was unable to describe it. It was like she hesitated to do it. Perhaps there was truth to her theory that the assassin had hit his head while entering, yet there was only so much he could focus on while injured. Sometimes he had... difficulty with names. He found the notion to be humorous. Tossing out his own forgetfulness, he lightened up like a candle at the mention of tea. It was the go-to cure for post-surgery ailments, as they always say. The former knight took special notice of the peculiar little cat that bundled up next to him. He stroked its back softly, almost automatically.

Cornelius took one of the cups of tea, trying to suppress the burning sensation in his arms. He blew on the piping hot liquid in a vain attempt at cooling it down. The scent was pleasing enough, adding to the feeling of safety all around in the cottage. The assassin permitted a few droplets to pass his lips. "Ah, this tea is splendid!" he asserted. "You've outdone yourself, June." There was still the question as to what she was due for her charity. Firstly, she deserved a full explanation as to what he was up to, although she would have to ask before he gave such sensitive information.

 

[Levy]

"Oh, no, but thank you very much. I haven't made tea in ages, so I'm glad it doesn't taste like horse-sh... Oh, dear, that reminds me! Your steed is outside, isn't she? Would she be needing hay? Apples?" She asked, and took the tea from his hands to set it down. There was a soundless gesture for him to sit up, before she began to dab away the bloodstains with a soaked towel. She was, oddly enough, growing slightly accustomed to the human man on her couch. Such composure and lack of tension in the presence of one was a rarity.

But even as she continued to patch him up, she couldn't help the looming questions in her mind.

"Hey, uh, Cornelius? Do you mind if I... ask you what you were doing outside trying to fight those, erm, things?" Her question came out hesitant, as she wasn't sure how much she wanted to let on that she knew. He hadn't shown any signs of suspicion thus far, though it might simply be the the influence of injury, but she would generally like to keep it that way.

 

[Legens Legentis]

A look of total perplexity surfaced on his face as June revealed her vulgar side. His eyes were wide in shock, baffled that a woman could use such language. Cornelius was hardly a man of good morals but he kept his manners intact like any Englishman would. It took quite some time for the feeling to subside. When it did, however, the assassin responded well to the offer of feeding his horse. To be frank, she had done more than enough already. It would be criminal to take further advantage of the situation. "Oh, that won't be necessary. I keep Galena's feed in my satchel."

It was mildly discomforting to be asked about his purpose in these woods. Still, the former knight was a man of his word. "I was hired by Horatio Townshend, the viscount. He requested that every ghoul in Norfolk be exterminated before panic set in. Unfortunately, my task remains unfinished." Cornelius chose to omit the reward that his fellow hunters were due. Every ghoul skull was practically worth its weight in gold.

 

[Levy]

A tremble eased its way onto June's fingertips, along with a restless sense of dread that defiled her chest. Of course he would be a hunter, of course! That was just her luck. Even though she wasn't looking, she knew Pearl was off in some corner, likely snickering at her. It hadn't been explicitly stated, but she knew the feline hadn't approved of herself trying to rescue a human, and soon she would be barged with the onslaught of Pearl's smug glances.

"Oh, I see." Her hand slipped on a piece of bandage, and she had to re-wrap a good portion around his forearm. "Do you... well, do you plan on finishing the task?" She bit her lip. "There's a lot of ghouls out there, you know. And you really shouldn't be fighting after such an injury, you'll likely rip the stitches and die of blood loss. I think it would be best to just chase them away, down the river or further into uninhabited land." June's voice waned with worry as she spoke, until she had to retract her hands to wipe them on the sides of her dress. The source of such concern could be rooted in a number of things. The fear for his life, a man she met only an hour ago in the forest. The unease that came with the slaughter of a ghoul. The looming threat of her own life, if he were to ever discover that she broomed around town every once in a while.

"I know this is your job, I know that." She cut in before he had a chance to speak. "But... oh, I don't know. I sound like a worry-wart, don't I? Kind of foolish coming from a random woman in the forest."

 

[Legens Legentis]

Cornelius grimaced at the idea of not completing his task. Only fates worse than death awaited hunters that violated their oaths. Worse than becoming a ghoul, in fact. He would never dare cross the viscount. Nevertheless, June had a point. It was the cold, hard truth that he would die if he put his body under further strain. The assassin begrudgingly nodded as he came to terms with that basic fact. "Foolish? No, not quite." He dwelled on this frustrating change of plans. Chasing the ghouls off was nothing if not tricky, especially if their necromancer was close by. Killing him would be the fastest way of defeating the undead scourge permanently.

"Madam, I must inform you that I value my life, despite my profession. I mention this because whether I go out there and fulfill the contract, or return home empty-handed, I'll die. I appreciate the concern, however." For as grim as his prospects were, Cornelius made sure to smile. It was not sincere by any means, but it made speaking easier. "On the probability that I survive, I believe that a portion of the bounty may come your way." While he was incapacitated in this moment, the former knight chose to rest. The day had made him weary. Before he could say another word, he drifted off to sleep.

 

[Levy]

If he returned empty-handed, he would be killed? What kind of blasphemous nobleman decided that? June was about to go off on a spiel in protest of just about every word he uttered, before her gaze fell upon his closed eyes and the softer rise and fall of his chest. "Oh, my." She ruffled the hair on her neck with exasperation. "You sure were tired, weren't you? Oh- crap, I forgot to give you the medicine!" She turned around to the table flooded by various bottles and flasks, before finding one with an indigo liquid. Carefully navigating to his mouth, she held his lips with a light thumb and had him drink about 5 drops.

At the same time, a dark feline navigated her way to June, and hissed at her with low eyes. "Ah!" She fumbled with the bottle, before shooting her foot tall gremlin a dirty look. "I know, I know! Geez, Pearl, you can be so unreasonable sometimes. I'm just keeping him from dying in the middle of the woods. You- you know those humans, they'll have search parties everywhere, and that won't go well for us, now would it?" She raised her brow at the cat, who only looked to roll her eyes.

Silence ensued for a good while. June looked to Pearl with soft eyes. The cat looked to her as if to say "no".

"Oh, come on, Pearl! He's going to die! Oh, hush, you know he's not that bad." The cat lifted herself and strided to the man, hopping to him with the most disgust she's seen in that cat's eyes since the Black Death. She strode around the edge of the sofa, barely, delicately, and she held onto the pause in the room for what seemed like an unnecessary eternity. A slight drop and she was striding towards the door, huffing.

"I knew you'd come around. Now, hold on, let me get some stuff." June swooped around the house to gather a broomstick, two spellbooks, one regular research paper on ghouls, and of course, the usual self defense tools. "Shall we?"

 

[Legens Legentis]

The solace that Cornelius had found in sleep was obscured by a dream, one that was weird and well beyond his capacity to explain or understand. He stood in an empty nothing, devoid of light and warmth and touch. Comprehension was crushingly absent. At least, that was the case until a candle appeared in the middle of the blackness. The flame was thin, reaching far higher than the assassin could behold. A bony hand grasped the holder, causing the towering blaze to shrink to little more than a meager spark of orange. The hand belonged to a figure wearing the uniform of a plague doctor, with their wretched avian beaks and lifeless goggles.

"Who are you?" Cornelius demanded to know.

"I am the Mare," replied the ominous being with a guttural voice. "Or nightmare, if you prefer."

"Away demon! I have no time for you."

The Mare held the candle closer to his hideous mask, bit by bit. The embers shone brightly as they reflected in the glass covering the spirit's eyes. "Mortals have such limited vocabularies. Time is quite baffling to me, you see. It passes with little regard for either of us. However, you will wither into dust shortly, whereas I will persist for eternity."

Wishing he had a sword to cut this blasphemous thing down, Cornelius was without any method to awaken from this experience. There was nothing to do but talk. "What have you come here for? My soul is not yours to take, nor is my mind."

Tilting his head in slight confusion, the Mare struggled to think of an answer. "Your soul is much too ugly to take. Too many sins weighing you down, and surely they will pull you straight into Hell. Until that time comes, and of that I am certain, there is much work to do! Important work! But... it will have to wait. It seemed appropriate to warn you beforehand."

 

[Levy]

"Well, says that the most efficient way to expel them is to find the necromancer controlling them." June waltzed along the beaten path alongside her familiar, whom she promptly looked down at. "Have any ideas as to where this ass might be?" The cat came to a stop with one paw thoughtfully raised. She gave a heavy leap and continued to run off in the direction of what June could only assume to be their target.

"Hey! Slow down!" June fumbled with the book, before quickly equipping herself with her preferred method of transportation: broom. It followed the cat diligently, while its rider had a spell book glued to her face, which tended to distract the mind from the road. She mumbled a chant under her breath with concentrated brows, as though practicing. Only a madman would stride in to disarm a necromancer unprepared. She'd be lying if she said she had a whole plan entirely thought out, but she'd made it this far and was certainly not about to let some bumbling warlock with a thing for dead men toil with the peaceful life she'd been living.

Yes, of course. She would simply defeat the necromancer, go back home, and see the bounty hunter off, then return to her daily life.

Pearl began to slow as they approached a patch of forest plagued with bad omen. Burnt brown grass, no woodland animals in sight, and a fog that was consuming. Death was ridden in the air. Hasty, June hopped off her broom as she and her cat reared a wooden shed. There were no safeguards in place, which was odd, considering the nature of the area. She was able to touch the shed, too. Her familiar strode in first, careful.

A foot shot out from the darkness and sent the feline reeling back, a mop of dark fur on the ground. "Pearl!" June's first instinct, of course, was to run to her. This was not a very thought out course of action, as a hand clamped over her mouth and an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into the darkness of the shed, struggling.

 

[Legens Legentis]

The first thing to catch the former knight's attention when he opened his eyes was June's absence. He grappled with soreness as he stood up, and as he began to walk, he nearly tripped over the spinning wheel in the center of the room. Cornelius threw his weight around to catch his balance. Afterwards, he exerted his newly-restored strength to reach the door. The exit, the gateway to freedom and familiarity. Taking in the outdoor air in stride, he saw Galena looking out to the forest with an unspoken trepidation. The proud steed was watchful. Yet, despite her immense stature and bold features, her silence only echoed the quiet, deeply-buried fear that her rider carried on his shoulders.

"See anything?" Cornelius said facetiously. Galena, who was an exceptionally skilled listener, replied with nothing.

The assassin was pleased with this overwhelming nothing, and reached into her satchel to withdraw a handful of oats. He fed the horse absentmindedly. They had known each other for years, ever since Galena was a young foal. A foal that pranced with no shortage in either heart or soul. Few others shared (or even appreciated) the kind of bond that exists between steed and rider. Cornelius never dared forget it.

 

[Levy]

"Get your- mfffh- off of me!" June was just about wrestled further back into the scrappy-looking shed, cornered to the back wall, and she was most certainly not pleased with it. She was supposed to get the jump on him, not the other way around. Squinting proved to be of no help, as the only current source of light was blocked by a ghoul standing in the doorway, scythe in hand.

"State your business." Her attention was drawn back to the cloaked figure that stood in the center of the room, a position of control. June clicked her tongue. "I- come with a plea of help. Would you be able to bring family member back from the dead? Please, it's my sister, she-" June wasn't sure if it was convincing, but the sudden snap and the ghoul that came charging for her told her all she needed to know. She was most clearly not in control, so her plans would require a bit of altering.

"Wait! Please listen to me before making haste. I have something that might be of use to you, good sir." June dug a hand into her coat pocket for emphasis. The necromancer seemed intrigued at the very best, so he held up a halting hand for the ghoul. She was careful to not allow any sort of mockery play on her face, as feigning ignorance was a common practice as both a lady and a witch. "It's a family heirloom," she started, stepped carefully past the ghoul, her hands slowly pulling out of the pocket. "I would be in so much trouble if anyone found out. Be careful, it's very small, but extremely powerful." She held out a closed fist, and waited for him to draw his hand near. Of course, when he did, she grappled onto him with the grip of an Iron Maiden and refused to let go, uttering the words of a long forgotten tongue under her breath.

A thievery charm.

"You blasted wrench! Release me at once!" June had to smile a little as the ghoul attempted to help his master, though the slowness of the creature wouldn't have it so. Her wrestling with the man and using him to fend off the ghoul was quite a sight. The spell required her to be maintaining physical contact with the subject throughout the entire incantation, which most certainly proved to be quite a pain in the hind. Once the last breath of the chant left her lips, the man suddenly let out a cry, clutching the fabric of his cloak. Simultaneously, the ghoul who was only inches away from slicing her head off was reduced to a pile of bone and ash.

"I must be leaving now. Toodle-oo, it was nice seeing you!" She yelled as she ran out, scooping up the flab of fur that constituted her familiar, and she was about to pick up the broomstick as well, but she noticed movement in the corner of her eye. Glancing up, she could see the bounty hunter and his mare as a clear as day, even in the current state of fog.

"C-Cornelius?"