FateGuard: Darker Nights

Inside the shadows, hiding and staring at the house, an old man was enjoying himself. As if he could watch the scene inside play out before him, he grinned and patiently awaited the signal to finally come. A single candle faintly lit up the windowsill, the signal of an accomplished plan. Not a moment passed between the light and movement in the shadows. Derek and Arias moved in, and Maulnar followed as closely behind them as his legs allowed him to.
Now they were inside. Inside a house somewhere. What was so important about this place again? Maulnar couldn't remember. Oh, but there was a hole in the ground, quite a large one, even. Corben was staring into it, and Derek descended into it. How quaint, are they supposed to do that? Maulnar could only hope that he wouldn't suffer from claustrophobia down there, even it wouldn't change much to his level of sanity.

"Hmm?" Maulnar snapped back to reality, when Arias spoke up. "Right. Fateguard, protection, illegal activities. Old boy, what have you gotten yourself into?" He thought to himself, then turned towards Corben, inspecting him for he didn't seem to be at his best. "Corben. Are you feeling alright?"
 
Malwin had spoken little as the party had moved to the ruins of his home. Wracked in memory, he was left to his quiet reverie. From a distance he watched Corben knock Tahan into the Rove Maw. And when the last of the legionnaire guards were handled, Derrick moved forward to speak with Corben.

Malwin was not so content to palaver with their former leader. He had been kind enough to give the former poisoner sanctuary in his home, and indeed they had grown a bit closer over the last few evenings...but it was Corben's responsibility...all of it. He did not sense the evil in Malwin, dispatching him to save the lives lost in the Rove Maw. If he had been stopped sooner...his wife might have lived, perhaps his daughter would have found a better fate than that endless forest.

Tamoldes would have remained imprisoned.

No. Corben was a flawed man trying to do right with the odds stacked against him. His command was slipping, but the rest of the guard saw fit to kowtow out of respect.

Let them.

Malwin slipped around Derrick and Corben, utilizing the shadows of darkness to mask his approach. He was the first into the hole, following Tahan's descent. The rest were so focused on Corben that they had not seemed to note the poisoner slip suddenly into an agile descent.

Above him, Derrick was on the ladder...heavy foot falls as was his way. The knight was brave, certainly, but there was no subtlety to him


First at the bottom of the shaft, Malwin was reminded of how far the journey down at been. Tahan had tumbled down in a clatter of armor, and that is where he lay, entombed in bent and twisted metal. The ligther frame which should have allowed for Tahan to move more naturally in combat was less heavily defended against taking blows.

The armor moved, scraped, as the warrior inside tried to move the twisted joints.

Malwin was over him in a moment, his long blonde hair coming loose and draping around the both of them, a shroud of privacy for the two to talk as Derrick descended.

"Listen and do not speak," Malwin whispered harshly, "I know you and my brother, Leonardo were friends. He looked after you...and for his service the Church destroyed him. I also know you were the victim of Tamoldes as well...it took your armor from you, stripped you of your weapon, but not the ability to fight. I failed to keep the darkness at bay once, and if the Church is in command...it will fail again. Trust me as you once trusted my brother. I will look after you." Derrick descended closer and Malwin's voice took on a harsher desperation, "They may see you dead for this. We all dance with treason...but our goals now are no different from what they were when you fought beside us. The defense of Gothenheim, the vanquishing of darkness. We are the offense. We take the fight TO them. Ask yourself this, Tahan, before you decide your loyalties."

Derrick stepped to the cave floor and tore a lantern from the wall, holding it out to seek Tahan.

"Are you a shield to guard the holes in our walls? Or will you be the sword that vanquished our need for walls?"

The light fell upon Malwin, who drew up from Tahan, holding up both hands to Derrick.

"He's one of us...in this shell or the last. Let him choose which side he belongs to before we delve any farther."
 
Kaede was quiet with her footsteps as she moved. When she stepped inside the ruined house, she paused for a moment to glance around. She took in the sight of the place and then to the others who where there. Whatever had happened to the Legionnaire, Kaede was not sure she wanted to know. As long as their path was easier and safer than it was before, the woman did not think to ask questions. She trusted Corben and the others enough to go along with what was happening. Still a deep unsettling feeling sat in her chest. Kaede could not deny that she was not afraid still. Nor that she would not continue to be afraid. In her mind she felt this fear would be a good thing to have.

Kaede looked into the hole into which they would be descending into. She was not a fan of underground places especially small ones. She gave it a wary look noticing that Derrick had already taken to going down. She hesitate, choosing to wait first before doing anything else. She assumed that it'd be better to make sure that they would not face any trouble.

The woman moved uneasily on her feet though, wanting to speak but having no words to actually say. So she waited quietly instead.
 
How long had the voice been silent? for so long it had been constantly whispering- yet, now, as she made her way down, it was quiet beyond any reason she could figure out. She was growing wary of everything with each hour of every day, with every second that ticked by, it was another glance, another check to make sure that she was safe.

"Safe." What did that mean?

Left in the silence of her own head, she followed on. She watched the exchange between her leader and Tahan, and something jerked at her slightly- the boy could be rude... and his attitude was only slightly better than a disgruntled boar; He obviously followed the orders of his superiors quite well...

Another damned memory of that swinging body came into view and she paused for a moment, closing her eyes. Fear was something she lived by, she was growing used to it- she just never had expected something like that. Fear, the things that paralyzed some- drove others to action. The fear of the unknown that had shocked her to panic the last time that they had been in the Rove Maw, the fear of being alone, brought on by the truth of Malwin's condition, the fear of truly being a monster. The things that froze her in her place and dwelled in her nightmares. Then there was the fear of her position in this place, in life, in Fate Guard- the fear that she'd never be happy where ever she was, the fear that Fate Guard would some day be dashed away from existence, the fear that she couldn't truly have a family. These things drove her to action, kept her searching for some way to make her life the way she wanted it.

The fear that accompanied the memory of that swaying body held reasons from both sides. It made it confusing and she didn't know how to sort it just yet. Let it go, focus on what's at hand. Focus on what you can change and affect.

On the move again.

She followed the rest, Her pace slower than before, though an anger glimmered inside her. This wasn't exactly a place that bore happy memories. This was the place where everything had really hit rock bottom. Her heart thrummed a little faster in her chest and again, her fist tightened on the daggers as she climbed down.

She could blame a good number of things and people... but in the end, the anger was pointless- but she couldn't seem to let go of it. If they had never... If Malwin had just... no... Again, nothing was productive with that line of thinking. Nothing at all helped.

She looked to Malwin, then shook her head slightly, nothing was productive with anything regarding that situation, might as well let it fall where it may. It was a mess that she made mistakes. He had family out there still, and at this point, it was easy to see that there was really no place for anything of the lustful sorts. Even without that, what did she expect from the man? He owed her nothing.

Why had she listened to primal instincts over her head when this had all begun? Just bury them away, they're not of any use. Let it all go, just focus. Take advantage of the silence and focus.

Alyss watched as the situation continued on. Malwin and Derrick and Tahan. Derek never had seemed that fond of the boy, and she, herself had always felt wary of him... but if he chose their side again... proved his trustworthiness... no, there's no real way to do that, they'd have to trust him in blind faith. What was their course of action in either result? If he didn't join them, or even if he did... how would this day end?

With every piece of emotional and traumatic baggage that every person in this group seemed to own- who among them could really say that one person belonged less than another? Just the fact that they were banding together like this meant that they couldn't walk away from it, and that in itself wasn't all that much of a good thing- how many of them had a death wish?

No, that's not a good way to think, change it... positive thoughts.

Wait. Her mind spun again, something was not quite right...

Something was wrong... Was her paranoia twisting her thoughts against herself? What was there to fear? She shook her head

Still, she walked closer to the rest. She wanted to just get through this damned thing, The sooner they got out of the Rove Maw for good, the better.

Second they got done with everything today, she'd have to go through the book again, check her methods, maybe there were some side effects that she hadn't noticed before, maybe she required something additional. The frost was still a little apparent on her at times- surely that could be fixed... And the headaches... She'd have to check the passage again, make sure everything was correct.

Normalcy. That's all she wanted.

She remained silent as she watched everything take place, though her eyes were drawn back to the poisoner again and again, each time, she quickly looked away the second she realized her view included him.

Maybe she should talk to someone about the book, check her process... She looked to Derek and then shook her head again- maybe it was best to keep it mostly out of everyone's view and thoughts.
 
Alwyn stared at the hole in the middle of the ruined home, his mind filled with dread and fear. Every fiber in his body did not want to go down into the hole. In his mind raced a dozen thoughts on what could go wrong. He could get separated and lost, even worse they could get attacked. In the tight spaces of a tunnel he'd be useless. He'd have no room to maneuver. Quietly he swallowed and mentally corrected his last thought, no room to run.

Glancing at the others still remaining on the surface his eyes connected with Kaede's. Quickly he gave her a weak half smile of confidence that he didn't feel in the slightest and redirected his eyes back to the open silent maw.

He was doomed.

Pulling his scarf up tighter on his neck he double checked his quiver, sword, and bow. Then without further ceremony he mounted the ladder and climbed downwards, all the while paranoid that the walls were going to close in on him. To his surprise there was a bright light at the bottom of the hole. Dropping the last few feet he turned to see Alyss, Malwin, Derrick, and...

Alwyn froze in mid step. At the edge of the light that Derrick held laid the wrecked legionnaire. Malwin stood between them, arguing with Derrick. Quietly, and seeking some protection Alwyn stepped to the side of the ladder and retrieved another lit lantern holding it nervously in his right hand before moving to the side of Alyss.
 
As the others argued over Tahan, Ferrick just stood over the body and looked at him with a somewhat odd look in his eyes. The wolf wanted to fight. All that the wolf saw was something that could challenge it, and therefore something that needed to be fought. Ferrick eventually had to close his eyes, his face contorting somewhat he fought to keep the beast under control. He started to take deep, long breaths, and his hands clenched tightly at his sides. The most that escaped his control was a small, not-entirely-human sounding growl.

After that he quickly turned away from the Legionnaire and looked down the rest of the tunnel. The wolf also knew what this was. Escape. Outside. The beast could even half-pick out the direction, where it needed to go. Then there was a new feral longing, one to simply run and leave all these people behind, just to get outside again and gransform and be free. But he fought that down too, he was in charge tonight.

"We will wait," He declared internally.

When he opened his eyes again he looked over to Alyss, saw her standing silent and away from everyone. He swallowed in a dry throat and looked from her to the tunnel again. After a moment he spoke, "I don't know how much I'm looking forward to being outside the walls again at night... It's a different world out there."
 

As the others had descended, Corben had remained against the wall, head hung as Derek's words sunk in. Finally, he uncurled and, gripping Maulnar's wrist, pulled to his feet. The old man's arm was wizened but strong - a grand age to which they all, gods willing, would come.

He nodded to Maulnar then drew up, shoulder-to-shoulder, with Arias at the edge of the Maw.

"No turning back now," he murmured. "We'll have the night before they notice Tahan is missing, or till the other guards return. We must hurry."

And with that he led the rest of the FateGuard down into darkness. A half-smile was shot to Arias as he gripped the first rung. "Don't fall this time."



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Here was the hole that had swallowed Eric and Dimaethordis, the hole in which Leonardo's fate had been sealed and in which Malwin's daughter had been ravaged. Here was where horror had hastened the retirement of Erilyn, Jenra and Bjeorn. Beyond the Rove Maw were things that so many had not come back from. The walls seemed closer than ever, even painted with sigils and hung with lamps from the Eldritch Guild. Even the ladder rungs bolted to the rock were deathly cold. It was an excavated tomb... no more. The ghosts had not departed.

Dropping down the last few rungs, Corben landed in Alwyn's lamplight. And no sooner had he straightened and drawn his sword when he saw the slow-twitching figure by the feet of Ferrick, Malwin and Derek. The marshall's eyes widened.

"He lives?"

Nearby, Alyss nodded then looked at her feet. Corben approached and held his sword low, scraping the ground near Tahan's armoured side. By his stance Malwin was protecting the boy, while Derek stood in mirrored antagonism. Ferrick, meanwhile, had divorced himself from either viewpoint and was looking to the first tunnels leading into darkness.

"We cannot spare him..." Corben whispered, and looked between the poisoner and the lieutenant.
 
Severin had made his way down sometime after Ferrick and before Corben, he stood off to the side simply watching as the other dabted the legionnaires fate. Part of him wanted to kill the thing it was a drone designed by the church to turn the masses against the Fate Guard, an unfeeling and monstrous being. But part of him also wanted to spare him, there was a person inside after all someone who believed they were doing the right thing by taking on this role, that by becoming this they were protecting the city from danger. But this was not up to him...he'd obviously had some history with the other seeing how they flocked over his body, it would be their decision as to what would happen to him next. Corben made his way down soon after, it seemed he'd finally got a grip on his actions. He made his way over to the legionnaire next, Severin watched in anticipation as their leader decided what to do with him.
 
Derek nodded at Corben's words; they were words he had been waiting for a long time to hear. The otherwise silent tunnels were filled with the scrape of a sword leaving it's sheath, "When I started to think he was one of us, Malwin, he proved just the opposite. If he was one of us Malwin he would not have just run off back to his bishop with that same blindly obedient smile."

Derek advanced a few steps and paused when Malwin didn't move. With no more than five feet seperating them Derek removed his helmet with his free hand, "I will NOT let another threat to us get away. When I protected the queen from Kael he got away and because of that your brother died. In these very tunnels I cut off the Black Prince's arm and I'm certain I could have stopped him if I hadn't lost my strength when I did and again, a threat escaped from us. This...whatever the hell he is anymore...with one sentence to the bishop he could end us. We would not simply be arrested. We would be hunted down and killed. I will not let another threat to escape us! To escape me! I refuse to risk the lives of the people I care about again for someone who has shown that is true loyalties lie with our enemies!"

Derek advanced a few more steps.

"Without us Gothenheim has no chance against the Wounded Hand much less the political power plays that are taking place right under our noses! You would risk all of that to protect something that would threaten this city's only chance!?" Derek put his helmet on once again as the space between he and Malwin was no larger than two feet. Where Corben's words had been softer and carried more a solemn implication Derek's were firm and resolute. Derek took no love in pulling rank the way he was about to. No love in coming off as cold and uncaring when in truth he was just the opposite. The simple fact of the matter was no assurance that Tahan would not speak of them and he cared about the FateGuard and stopping the Wounded Hand more than he did one boy who had been nothing but trouble since he arrived. His voice regained it's metallic echo with his next words.

"Get out of my way, Malwin. That is an order."
 
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The Legionnaire stumbled at the precipice, dangled, trembled .. and tumbled into the maw belly first. It bounced off the hard rock walls like a soft piece of meat, each impact twisting and contorting things inside its body as it traveled a very noisy route to the hard bottom.

But it didn't go down quietly.

After the third or fourth impact, something stirred in the sinews and dried out flesh in its carapace. For each successive blow, joints were braced, limbs rotated into protecting positions, and the Legionnaire contracted itself into a fetal position, eventually landing on its side at the bottom, fracturing bones along its side - but still alive.

It lay there for a long time. An eternity ticked over, and words vaguely floated into its head. Malwin had dropped down and was urgently whispering words into its ear - but it only the vaguest wisps of meaning could it understand.

The din grew louder. More voices - some recognizable, some not, joined the murmur.

It opened its eyes - and suddenly everything came into focus. It - he, him, me, me, was face down, looking into the dusty stones.

"Get out of my way -- "

Tahan heaved. The armour responded, flexing, realigning the joints in his left broken side with painful cracks and tears, and he stood up. The front of his skull helmet was shattered, and half of it was gone. Through the broken half, his familiar face showed, eye blinking under a small trickle of blood from a head wound.

"I only do what I believe is right." His voice came out clearly, so unlike before. "I play my role so that others may have a choice about what to do with their lives. Their fate was to be born and die in Gothenheim, but I ensure that they have the freedom to make what they can of it."

"You are no more right than I am. What good will your actions bring to the people?"

His shield and sword laid scattered at the far ends of the room, but the lack of weapons did not seem to scare him.

Up top, the Legionnaires were returning to the house.
 
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Derek's advance came to an immediate halt when Tahan spoke. There was a hanging silence for a moment before Derek lowered his sword and spoke again, "Well now...this is an unexpected development," Derek sheathed his sword and removed his helmet so he could at least speak to the boy eye to eye. Derek was almost certain this is the most Tahan had spoken in...ever. Up until now the boy seemed almost mute and in his own little world. This was a chance to perhaps get some answers out of Tahan instead of relying on what little they could gauge about him. Pausing to think Derek looked the boy in the eye.

"I cannot say what ultimate good the actions we take will have. I have however seen our enemy, the Wounded Hand's prophet, first hand through the last lingering memories of the people who defeated him the first time. Visions of Corben, Eric, Erilyn's parents, my own, and more. I know that he is an enemy that cannot be left alone and I know the FateGuard is capable of defeating him. We fight to survive. To defend against an onslaught of never ending darkness from the outside and the misguided on the inside. I believe the FateGuard can make the difference Gothenheim needs. But with the church and the mages have made this increasingly difficult...and so here we are."

Derek turned to look over his comrades for a moment before walking over to the end of the room. Picking up Tahan's sword and shield he only just now was able to see the wear and tear. It had only been a week yet it was already this beat up. Was it a testament to how hard he had been fighting or signs of shoddy craftsmanship by the church? It mattered not for the time being. Returning to his place he did not hand Tahan's equipment back to him. It would be the answers he received that would decide what he would do with them.

"And now that I have answered your question I would have you answer mine. Why do you trust the church after all you've seen? They're toying with power they don't understand. Cobbling armor together from monster parts sending boys barely of age to hold a sword into battle. Armor that the Black Prince ripped from your possession like a bottle from a babe's hand. The things Wallstein is creating is susceptible to the darkness of the walls. After all you've seen why do you trust him? Not as some holy figure, but as a man!? Make me understand! And if you can't do that give me, give us a reason to trust you because right now no matter how distasteful anyone among us might find it as things stand now we CAN'T trust you! What...no, who are you, Tahan?"

This was no longer a matter of the FateGuard against church as far as Derek was concerned. All that mattered now was the motivations of the people in that tunnel.
 
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Alyss tilted her head as she heard the voices in the tunnel, each with different tones and thoughts and motives. Tahan's words hung heavy in the air, a firm reminder that he was alive, awake, and aware- Derek reacted, his voice seeming to drift away. She watched his lips, but it was like she was trying to hear him from far away. His body posture and her focus on his lips helped her make out what he was saying, but the edges of her sight were blurring, darkening.

After a few seconds, everything was fine again, in time to hear Derek's final words against Tahan.

"This could benefit us," She spoke softly. "If he has any feelings towards us beyond what he's ordered to, he could help us. He could give us information about the church." She continued, looking to Derek, then to Corben.

That was about all she could offer, resuming her silence. Her mind wandered and for a moment, her eyes flicked to Malwin again, her lips pressing together in a thin line before she looked away, sheathing one of her daggers, freeing up a hand. Her thoughts were turning sour- but on the topic of the book resting on her bed. Surely there was something she missed, something still yet to be done. Frost laced over her lips, her breath came out in a visible fog until she wrapped the hood over her mouth and nose so that it wouldn't be noticed. It felt like she had nothing but ice inside her body, everything felt freezing.

Could she have not used the proper amount of each ingredient? She translated it herself as best she could, but Ulric had already transcribed it for her in notes fled between the pages, both of their translations matched up. Stil, maybe there was a mistake- perhaps she had read the inscriptions wrong... No...

It was no matter, she'd talk to Derek about it later if it got worse. He had damn-near thawed her that one time- this wouldn't phase him, would it?

But still, the worry remained branded into her skull. The fear. It was ok, this could be remedied- one or two drinks would make this all seem trivial, she was sure. Just get the edge off, calm down. Think clearly. Right now, she was ok, everything was just limited to her lips, and her internal temperature was a bit low, that could be fixed easily.

Her hand tightened on the dagger again. Tonight had to work in their favor. Luck wasn't one to deal them an easy hand, but still, they pulled through missions as best as possible. Her eyes moved to the trio again- Malwin, Derek, and Tahan- then swiftly she looked to Corben.

Her words about Tahan's use to them eerily brought back memories. She brought up a hand to wipe the sweat from her brow.

"We need him." Alyss spoke up, giving a glance to Malwin before she continued. "He may have had a hand in this- he could be a great help to us in this." She added, trying to find her words carefully.
Click to expand...

What made her think that results would be better this time around? She didn't even know Tahan. Be that as it may, she didn't even really know Malwin, for what it was worth. She knew the body, not him, it wasn't him that she had...

She took a breath, calming herself. Getting upset was bound to only make her worse, and she didn't need any more problems right now. No, keep the frost and ice under control.

"Tahan has worked with us for a time, does that not mean anything? We know of him, perhaps not as well as others, but we are familiar to him. He is human under all that armor- if you cut him, he would bleed as any of us would bleed." She spoke, her eyes were cold, Emotions weren't hindering her choice this time at least. It was the truth. She believed that Tahan could be of use of them.

She felt hot- though she was sure that if anything, she should have felt cold... Instead she felt as though she was outside in the summer, her skin prickling against the harsh heat.

Perhaps, even in her efforts, she'd have to go to Malwin once more...

Results were lackluster and she needed a plan if hers failed. A frown crossed her features as she finally relented to her body, unwrapping her head. Her white hair spilled out, strands sticking to the sweat on her face. The frost had dissipated from her skin at least, and her breath was not fogging the air. She looked around slightly as she stowed the shawl, her sight settled on the poisoner.
 
"I don't, I don't trust him," came a small piping voice from behind Alyss. With a nervous fidget Alwyn side stepped so he could get a better view of Tahan. He was also distinctly aware of the attention now focused on him and clutched the lantern tightly in hand for support. With a sharp inhale, Alwyn continued.

"I mean, I know I didn't, don't really understand or know what happened to cause the, king or the church to turn against us. It really wasn't my place. My place was on the walls but…" Alwyn paused, avoiding eye contact with everyone, especially the legionnaire, his eyes instead leveled on the rocky cavern floor.

"But, Lieut- erm, Derek is right. When he was, given… had the chance he returned to the Bishop, to the church. He's a legionnaire first, not…" His voice wavered and he took a second to pause and compose himself.

"He, he's doing what he thinks is right sirs, but… what he considers right may be, may run counter to the interests of Gothenheim, and ourselves. We… probably need him as Miss Alyss says but… he's done nothing as so far to… prove that he is trustworthy. Just, because he's worked with … us in the past does not mean he would not, turn us in given the opportunity and if he believed it to, to be the right course of action."

With a small frown Alwyn shuffled his feet on the rocky ground.

"That, that's all I have to say sirs…"
 
Three sounds was all it took. Three creaks. First, the door of Malwin's house, opening above and bringing night chill to the sewer stale. Second, a floorboard, warped by the weight of an armoured boot as it crossed the threshold. And third, a near-inperceptible shift in Tahan's posture, a refocus, a recognition that played through his beaten joints.

Three creaks. And while the others looked up, Corben surged forward.

"Lantern!" It was a whisper, hissing and urgent, fired at Alwyn. And as the recruit fumbled to snuff the flame Corben had crossed the chamber, sailing past Malwin's left. The Poisoner was focussed on Derek, the closer of the executioners. He was too late to intervene. The lamplight went out at the moment Corben made contact with Tahan. There was a crunch of armour. And darkness fell.

In the thirty seconds it took them to gain their nightvision, they had only silhouettes. Corben was on top of Tahan, holding him to the ground. Other FateGuard had put their backs to the walls, by choice or force, the latter true for Malwin, who Derek had pinned. The light came from the shaft above, disturbed at moments by the motion of the returning Legionnaires. There was two of them, if shadows told true. The air was taut with held breaths and half-drawn weapons. Eyes that could see each other exchanged questioning glances.

More floorboards creaked. The Legionnaires were moving to the corner, to puzzle over the candle, to wonder why the wax still dripped. And as their shadows receded Corben's whisper cut the air again. "The tunnels. Follow Ferrick." On cue the wolf-man took the lead. One by one the FateGuard peeled away from the walls and hurried after the scout, the only sound of note from Malwin as Derek shoved him.

They were jogging, stooped low and silent, losing light with every step. Soon those up front had only Ferrick's breath to follow and when a corner was turned the light from the Maw was gone entirely. Some stumbled, panic mounted, but at the moment of utter desperation a flint was struck. Light blossomed in the darkness and Ferrick's face was painted in yellow. The Werewolf waited for them in an alcove, his chest heaving from the run.

The FateGuard formed up again, slipping one-by-one into the alcove and lighting torches, counting heads. There was another thud as Derek pushed Malwin against the far wall. Lieutenant and Poisoner eyed one another, an equal daring, but made no further sound or motion. Their confrontation would have to wait.

And wait they did... all of them... for the last of their party. The Marshall had taken up the rear; he had held down Tahan until the others were out. And now, as he caught up to the alcove, he did so slowly, in little more than a tentative walk.

His slowness made no sense. Not until he came fully into the light... not until they saw what he held... and realised why Tahan had fallen so quickly and lain so silently beneath the Marshall's hold.

Corben's eyes looked to each of them, wide and unblinking, almost lost. And though his face was frozen his right hand trembled, holding up the weight of his sword. In lamplight the blood was black, like a fleck of ink from a heartless writer. It covered Corben's hand, the hilt, and the blade that had impaled the boy.

It was Tahan's blood. The Legionnaire would not be coming with them.
 
The passage in which the FateGuard had dodged into was dead silent. As Corben came into the light Derek's eyes were drawn to his sword, but even after a moment of his eyes shifting between the sword and Corben he did not say anything. Yet again Corben had made a choice that Derek doubted he's be able to ever truly live with even though Derek himself would have done so with little if not no hesitation. Tahan had chosen the bishop over them once already and there was little doubt he would do so again. He couldn't be allowed to live once he had seen the FateGuard assembled again. Though this was the first dead legionnaire Derek suspected that it probably wouldn't be their last. It was that thought that bothered Derek more than anything, "We've just crossed a terrible threshold. So long as the people believe in the bishop as they do there will be no avoiding the consequences of this if we are found out. We now only have two options to choose from...we either live the rest of our lives in secret as FateGuard, or we bring the bishops atrocities to light and make him answer for his heresy..." Derek paused for a minute before correcting himself, "No...no, not heresy. We make him answer for his crimes."

Derek was not a man of God. How could he be after everything he'd seen in the FateGuard? God would allow such overwhelming evils to besiege a city from all sides for so long like Gothenheim was. No God would allow a holy man to encase his followers in that evil.

"Corben," Derek made sure the marshal was looking at him, "This is not our fault. This not your fault. This is Wallstein's fault. Without the FateGuard there is no one to stop him from doing whatever he pleases now. The mages don't care that he's doing this and Ganthor doesn't have the pull to stop him so long as the church has the adoration of the people, but he has his own problems dealing with the ramifications of the Wounded Hand. We have to stop him. We're the only ones who can."

Derek looked to his comrades scattered throughout the alcove, "Ganthor made a mistake with the Wounded Hand. The mages are misguided, however to what end I'm not sure. But Wallstein is doing horrible things as we speak. We are beyond trying to reason with him. The monsters he arms his soldiers with were felled by our hands. Monsters that took the lives of friends and loved ones of the people in this city! They would never allow this to happen if they knew!"

In his hands Derek still held Tahan's worn sword and battered shield. He had been unable to discard them without making noise during their escape. Under his feet was a loose slab of stone broken from the floor. Derek removed the slab and plunged the sword and shield into the earth.

"Wallstein is beyond redemption. If we are to ever return to the good graces of Gothenheim, return our blessings' power, or even garner the support we need to battle the Wounded Hand openly there is but one solution: Wallstein must face justice...now let's go find these artifacts so that we might take the fight back to our enemies."
 
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Everything happened in a blur under the cloak of darkness that enveloped them. The sky would not be seen, and only the daunting shadow of a place of horrors remained to comfort them in some misguided sense of sickening familiarity. Arias was quiet now, watching the leader, and the general underneath him take first head upon the threshold. The things that would happen this night would shape him, mold him to be what he had to be for the Fateguard, and the pseudo justice they all claimed to strive for. The Bishop was an evil man, even one such as himself could see that with little difficulty when he looked down at the pinned creature beneath Malwin, and then to be held by Corben, but the discussion that followed, the hush of whispers that spoke of murder, of a deranged justice, a slight betrayal, left him with a horrible stomach rot, that part of his innocent and young mind still had yet to adjust it seemed.

Some had begun discussing the fate of the legionnaire; a former member of their own group. Alyss was a bit different now, she seemed kinder, less of the frozen beauty that she always seemed to be. It was a different vision for her to have, one that Arias liked. he had always considered them all to be human and in that regard he wasn't surprised that she could be like this, but seeing her speak out, and talk of mercy when she was normally cold and steadfast; it opened her heart to him which was enough even in that grim situation to at least tug a small smirk from his lips. However; where did he stand when it came to the situation, to kill off Tahan would be a choice that would seal their fate, and maybe that was what need to happen for it all to hit home and to weed out those that would betray them eventually anyways. The downfall to mankind remained the same for every soul, power would taunt the most steadfast of heart and that would be enough to ruin them again, like it had before.

"I think that we have no choice but to take the measures we must to secure us. Tahan has betrayed before and to give him chance after chance only contradicts the very power that a leader must have in order to lead.." he was to say more but the next moment left them all silent; as the legionnaires appeared at the top of the hole and began to move around; there was no more time to wait they had to move.

The shadows were just as perilous as they had been so long ago, but the Fateguard rushed onward through the tunnels, trying as best they could for caution under limited vision but that in and of itself seemed useless. there was no light to guide them but listening carefully enough some of them found it easier to move in correlation with the footsteps of those that lead, surprisingly none of which were the preferred subject. Corben lingered to cover the rear. it didn't make much sense, but in its own way it did, Corben felt responsible for all of them and so staying behind them all meant that if the Legionnaires moved in he would be the first to intercept them. It inspired Arias to do what he could do for that moment, and he began to try and recall as much as he could where the tunnels might lead them, tried his best to think of a way to be useful and map out an escape option, he let his tactical genius play in full resound and waited for the entire unit to come to a halt quite a ways from the entrance to the maw, what he seen their as their leader entered from behind was not what he had expected, not what he thought it would be, but as the corpse of the betrayer, of the Legionnaire Tahan fell to the ground, Arias was forced to accept the truth.

No one spoke, not at first, but as expected Derek was the first to approach the marshal. Blood fell from the sword that he held, and Arias couldn't help but find himself transfixed on the murderous weapon. it was stupid really, had he been so stupid and naive to believe this job, his time with them would be bloodless, he almost felt like slapping himself, forcing himself to man up in that moment. Corben looked to them, broken like he had been before, but colder, as if his duty as their leader had been enough comfort to wrap him in a cloak of cold, heartless, detachment from the situation. Derek was speaking now, taking the light from Corben to allow him to settle, Arias could tell that from the very slight hesitation in Dereks voice, and the cold tone he used to mask his true feelings on the matter. He was right though, they had crossed a threshold they would never be able to step back from now, everyone here had one choice, and one choice alone. Either they were with them now, as they had pledged they would be before seeing the bloodied sword, or they would have to vanish, they knew too much now, and for them to leave it would ruin everything that had already been done, and what was to come without a doubt. They were in now, or they were dead, no other options, and that he presumed was what forced Corben's hand by that point. "No more turning back for anyone now." he murmured.

Arias found himself looking around, to see each of their faces, he was trying his best to read them, to see where their thoughts lied, for he knew the task now, he knew what had to happen, and the moment any one of them turned to run away he would be the blade that stopped them. Little skill but it didn't matter his resolution would allow him to do what needed to be done, just like what Corben had done for all of them now. Derek was consoling their leader, as well as making their goals clear, the artifacts they sought to allow them to take justice once more into their own hands; that was the ultimate goal now. His grip barred strongly along the hilt of his weapon as he prepared for the chaos that could happen, they had all been bled now, each of them had witnessed murder, just like he had on his very first mission, they would hold that cold realization deep in their mind for a time to come; if they stayed, ti would mold them in one way or the other. it was sad, sickening but to some extent just like he had, they would come to realize this was their initiation into the Fateguard, and the hardest part of their job. "We continue for what we have to do, no time to wait for them to catch up with us, the job is done and the journey lies ahead no more waiting lets go." He sounded bold even though he was terrified, but hopefully it would be enough they would continue to their goal and he would protect them as best he could. They all had been bled into the Fateguard already, there was no need for anymore blood unless it could not be helped.
 
Everything changed in the frame of a few moments.

They were all a pile of reactions- quickly trying to get out of the range of noticing glances.

Before that, the lantern had been snuffed, per Corben's orders. In the darkness, she heard the telltale sign- the armor. Her breath caught in her throat and it felt as though dust had gotten into her eyes. A knot was slowly forming in her stomach, growing heavier with every moment. No, this fear was finally justified, wasn't it? There was no use fighting it.

As they followed after Ferrick, she tried to find her bearings, let go of the emotions coursing through her, but it seemed to be for naught. This was the downward slope, wasn't it? The point where any group like theirs has a chance to turn sour in this situation. The point where they start suspecting each other... like a snake eating its own tail. It would all be so simple and understandable at first... Tahan was a risk... but who was next?

She trembled, and as the light splashed onto Corben, and her fears were found to be legitimate. Her eyes glanced quickly to Malwin and Derek while her mouth moved, as if uttering something under her breath. And then Derek spoke. The words did nothing to help her anxiety, they were merely words- not actions.

Words paled in the wake of a blood-splattered sword.

Who was next?

No, this was their leader she was talking about- he had led them through plenty of bad times and they had survived. He was just stressed from everything, everything would be ok...

Her eyes found Malwin again, he had stanced himself to protect Tahan just moments ago... was he going to be next? No. No, don't think like that. He did what he thought was right- they were all human, with their own thoughts... that was what a group needed- different thoughts and opinions. To have just one unit thinking in unison, they'd be nothing more than the Legionaries.

Your fear is completely justified, you know. You could be next if you slip up- what if some one slips on that icy patch you're making right now?

That was unreasonable, obviously she wouldn't be in danger just for... Alyss took a moment, looking to her feet, and bit her lip, frost laced around her, though it was only a small patch, and thin. Just calm down and it will melt. It'll be alright. She looked around herself, her eyes shined with withheld tears. Frustration was beginning to take hold, it seemed like if she wasn't paying close attention to how she felt, everything went to hell. For a moment, she almost stepped back, needing a moment- but something steeled itself in resolve inside her. The knot in her stomach hadn't dissipated, but the breath caught in her throat was finally free.

Give it a moment.

She took a breath and held it, closing her eyes for a second. Relax... everything will work out, this is just a small hiccup. Think of something pleasant... Something good. A bittersweet smile crossed her features for a moment, and there it was- the frost faded bit, inch by inch. Without her powers, it faded from ground quickly, though it was slightly chilly with an unnatural air down here, it still seemed too warm to hold to the ice she had inflicted. Just keep that memory going for a little longer- long enough for the feel of it to sink in for a while. Focus on it. Don't look at anything upsetting, control yourself.

She took a glance up at Corben. Was he well? Had the toll of the previous events been so much for him to bear?

Who else among them had a heavily-burdened heart among all this?... no... the question was, who didn't?

Thinking too much is probably the reason why you're not the most dependable archer. You waste too much time instead of just doing your job. Listen to orders, follow through, wait for more orders. That's all there is to it- is it so hard to just turn off the inner cacophony? You used to be able to master that- now you can barely raise a finger to the whirlwind of emotional frustrations in here. You've gone soft. Just focus.

Alyss took another deep breath. This was different. This was her team- a family of sorts. Though Tahan was not seen as a friend, he was seen as an ally... someone to be respected, given a chance to defend himself, and yet... No, let that go, it's ok. This'll work out. It has to. Don't get emotional. Don't respond to it. She hadn't even known him beyond FateGuard, and honestly, at most points, she had detested him. He's not that much of a loss. Move on.
 
Ferrick was silent as he saw the bloodied sword. How could he condemn Corben for his decision? Just a short while ago, he had been telling Derek to kill him if he ever became a threat to Gothenheim- A warning he hoped hadn't fallen on deaf ears. As a Fateguard, he knew that if it was a question of his live against Gothenheim's safety, he couldn't forgive himself or the others for choosing his own life. It wasn't worth risking the city to save himself, especially not now. Not with the wolf clawing at the back of his mind, clawing for attention and freedom.

So he needed no reassuring or motivating speech in light of this act of violence. Quite the opposite, he saw what possibly awaited him with a grim acceptance.

He reached up with one hand to scratch his cheek, feeling the growing scruff. He'd spent several days outside the wall, and was thinking of keeping the beard he had started. Easier to hide from the people who might remember that he should be dead. He cast a glance down the tunnel, towards the exit, and felt a dark sense of pride that he was the living Fateguard who'd spent the most time outside the walls now.

He did feel the need to say something though, but it was not something about what was behind them, but what lied ahead.

"It's a different world outside the walls at night. Trust nothing." He swept his gaze across them, but it seemed unfocused. He was instead focusing on what he remembered. "Stay low and stay quiet. There are many things that will hunt you and hurt you given the chance. And..." He trailed off, his voice wavering as a note of fear crept into it, as he remembered just what could make a werewolf feel fear. "If you hear whispering, don't keep it to yourself. If you hear whispering, we must run or hide."
 
[dash=brown][bg="#330000"]"Wait, Grandmother, wait!" Helga flung down the pillow she had been grasping and frowned. "Why did Ferrick say that? They all knew it was dangerous. FateGuard get taught that. And three nights ago Ferrick was the one who saved them all when they went outside the wall!"

The old woman chuckled and turned another page in her storybook. "Well, dear, he was just trying to move everyone along."

Beside them, Finn sat up beneath the sheets and rubbed his eyes. "And it's silly how the fall didn't kill Tahan, but Corben's sword did. Daddy says if you fall down a well you die."

"Legionnaire armour, dear. It's very different from--"

"And!" Helga interrupted her grandmother's explanation, "And where did the others go? Maulnar and Lyon and Dirk and Mel... Melanie...Melanew..."

"Melaleuca," the old woman corrected Helga while holding the storybook a little tighter. "She was the one who worked at the tavern."

"But I thought Sayra worked at the tavern."

"No... she was..."

Now it was Finn who interrupted, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. "I don't like Alyss. She thinks confusing things."

"And why did Malwin's daughter vanish? I thought Corben saved her."

As Helga flung down another pillow, her grandmother's eyes narrowed, the first hue of anger encroaching. "You both need to settle down now. This is a very grown-up story and I won't be finishing it if you keep asking questions."

"Malwin's hair keeps changing!" whined Finn as her sister crossed her arms.

"It's a stupid story. The Legionnaires would have heard them."

The book closed with a loud snap that echoed in the bedchamber. The old woman came out of her chair. "You watch your mouth, child!" Her voice wavered and the strain of age became something else, something deeper. "A lot of dear, dear people died in the FateGuard. They sacrificed everything, for children like you. That's why your parents have gone to the Vigil. That's why we honour them. If they could see you now, throwing these tantrums! For shame, girl! For shame!"

Finn started crying, and he curled under the bedsheets Helga remained defiant. "Mummy tells better stories!"

The old woman bent down to meet the child's gaze. "Well perhaps I should get your mother! Perhaps I should march right out to the cathedral and tell her how naughty you're being!"

Silence followed this threat. Finn stopped crying abruptly beneath the covers. But this was not a silence of fear. The children had not been cowed. As much was evident in Helga's frown.

"Why is Mummy at the cathedral?"

The old woman's features twitched again. "I meant the standing st-... the Vigil... I... be quiet!" She reached out and struck the girl's cheek.

"Stop it!" Finn kicked from under the bedsheets and sent the storybook tumbling from his grandmother's hands. It made her recoil, straightening up in the lamp-light, and as she did so her shadow shifted, taking impossible forms, weird and geometric shapes disturbing her outline. Helga gasped and scrambled back on the bed while reaching for her brother beneath the covers.

"YOU BEASTLY LITTLE----! [/bg][/dash]

----RATS!"

The wall behind the old woman crumpled. Wood, thatching, glass and metal - all became dust as the explosion enveloped them. Finn screamed but Helga kept her eyes open. She saw a shape smash through into the bedchamber, a creature of fur and muscle, animated with nightmare fury. It landed hard upon the Grandmother and pulled her down with claws and fangs. The old woman fell, and from her lungs came deep and thunderous shrieking, washing over what once had been. Her skin twisted, her hair grew out in long and silvered black. Her fingernails blossomed into claws, her matron clothes became hemp and eldritch rags.

She tried to turn, but the beast was upon her.

Now, finally, Helga screamed. The explosion was eclipsed by blood. Her grandmother's arterial spray slashed her face and spattered the bed covers. As the old woman's throat was ripped apart, a head that bore a stranger's face went lolling on her torso. A cruel face, sharp with dirty, haggard features. She was slaughtered in seconds and the beast reared up with a triumphant, wolf-like howl.

"In here!" yelled a voice. "The last witch!"

More shadows spilled into the room - one man, decked in armour, dropping another who had been leaning on his shoulders. The injured man slumped in the wreckage and caught his breath while cradling one arm. "Did you find her? Is she dead?"

The wolf man turned and snarled at the armoured man, who in turn knelt by the injured one. He gripped his friend's bloody, scarred shoulder. "We did it, Sir. The Shadow Weaver's servants are gone. Rest now! Breathe!"

The smoke cleared. Through the massive breach in the wall, Helga and Finn peered out upon the streets of Gothenheim's outer ward. There were children there, dozens of them, crying and bewildered. And through their ranks came adults. Stricken parents and elders were returning from the cathedral, where mobs were dispersing. Sons and daughters were snatched up, infants kissed and cradled. It was a scene of flooding relief. And Finn and Helga could hear their parents calling as they ran closer.

Meanwhile, in the distance, where the great wall of the city rose, a hole dug beneath it was being sealed by Mages. Rocks and fire-sparks buried the excavation, and from there to here a trail of retreat could be traced.

It was heavy with werewolf footprints... and littered with wounded, exhausted watchmen.

The wolf stepped back into the shadows, while the armoured man removed his helmet and looked to the terrified children. "It's alright, young ones. My name is Derek. You're safe now. The FateGuard are here."

Finn and Helga looked at one another in surprise.

And by the breach, Marshall Corben picked up the witch's storybook from amongst the wreckage. "Someone burn this shit," he gasped before slumping into unconsciousness.



END OF CHAPTER SIX​
 
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