The Mist!

Amazement upon amazement. Cassie was slowly accepting the magic of this place as common. The guards carried weapons not unlike the flintlock muskets that they had made at the guild. These, however, were considerably better-crafted: smooth and sleek. There was a small boxlike object attached to the bottom. What could that be for? She sighed inwardly, wondering if she'd actually get the chance to learn how some of these things worked.

She dropped her staff into the pile of weapons, as well as her small knife. Her bag she still held. If they wanted to see the contents, she had nothing to hide, but she also didn't want be separated from it, if that were possible.

She stood waiting for the eventual outcome, looking around and eying each thing she saw with interest and curiosity. Faery sat silent on her shoulder again. She wanted to ask him about this place, about the angels and demons, but now wasn't the time. As if sensing her thoughts he leaned over and whispered reassuringly in her ear.

"Don't worry, toots. We'll be okay." She nodded, smiling just slightly.

 

Si looked around in amazement of their weaponry. They seemed like miskets, only looked a lot more advanced. She drops her long bow and her quiver of arrows into the pile. She cuatiouly looks up at the large man that seems to be their leader. "Um....I want to keep my bag if you don't mind. All I have in it is a flashlight; you can check it yourself if you want." said Si, as she proceeds to huddle close to her friend and Faery.

 

Greeting I am Captain Jamison," He said and paused for a second as the men who stood behind him slowly raised what looked to be muskets except that they had strange attachments to the bottom. They looked sleek and deadly. "please disarm yourself and I'll lead you to your holding chambers till I can contact the commander on what she wants done with you." He said in a rather monotone voice. He was a large black man with red eyes, his bald head seemed to add to his intimidation factor.

Soujiro was very reluctant to relinquish his swords. While the others were easily parting with theirs he couldn't bear the thought of not having them. They had faithfully been at his side fro a very long time. He held his swords close to his chest before dropping them into the pile.

"This is terrible." he muttered.

 

Ignoring any questions the captain waited until the last weapon touched the ground and waved his hand forward. Half the men who had been standing behind him rushed into the room, and began a rought and through search of everyone. Then they snatched up the weapons and left. He waited paitently for them to return, not saying anything to the group.

Once they returned he said something to someone, must have been his second in command and left. The man stepped forward. Again red eyes, smaller than the black man but still intimidating looking. He began seperating them into two groups, men and women and half the gaurds with each group sent them to sepreat quarters, in different directions.

Both sets of quarters where barrack like rooms. thirty by ten feet. Empty except small cots a fan, and a small vent. The doors where shut and the sound of a lock being closed clicked loudly.

"Well that went about how I expected it to." Dameon said to the other guys that had been locked in the big room with him.

 

Soujiro stood with his back against the wall, his eyes looking down.

Well that went about how I expected it to.

For the first time since he'd left the wall Soujiro's face showed genuine displeasure. He left that place to be free and now he was in an even smaller cage. His chucklled at the irony before looking up to Dameon,

"Do you also have a plan to get us out of here?" Soujiro tried to hide every hint of hostility from his voice but it was difficult and he only half managed the task.

 

Dameon said, "Well that went about how I expected it to."

Ben grabbed the shirt wrapped around his nose and mouth and pulled it away. He walked over to one of the cots.

Ben heard Soujiro say, "Do you also have a plan to get us out of here?"

After setting his pack beside the cot Ben sat down. He looked at Soujiro and then at Dameon and said, "I hope they don't hurt any of us. Now what do we do?"

While talking Ben stuffed his shirt into his pack.

 

I tried to ignore the hostility in his voice but it was obviuos. "We wait. She invited us here, and I'm sure that she didn't mean as prisoners." I replied. "What would be the point? Besides the mist was makeing everyone sick, Dora couldn't of handled to much more by the looks of her." I said and looked over at Ben for comformation.

"These people have masks that protect them from the mist, and medicine I'm sure that we might be able to get ahold of to help everyone out." I said and sat down on a bunk, worn out from the day's exertion. "Take advantage of the bed and peace, I'm sure we'll be out of here in no time." I said laying back, and closing my eyes. "Trust me a little." I commented hoping I was right.

 

Ben nodded when Dameon mentioned Dora's condition. He didn't know any way to stop the effects of the poison in the mist. He had simply treated the symptom as best he could.

"I do hope you are right Dameon. We certainly need help and answers and now that we are here I want the opportunity to ask some questions. And now that we know about the mist we will certainly be better off with masks if they will be so kind as to give us some."

Ben felt tired from all the walking too and decided a nap would do him good too. He laid down on the cot and closed his eyes.

 

These people have masks that protect them from the mist, and medicine I'm sure that we might be able to get ahold of to help everyone out. Take advantage of the bed and peace, I'm sure we'll be out of here in no time. Trust me a little.

Soujiro looked away from Dameon. He let his back slide against the wall as he sat down in the corner. He was feeling woozy for no apparent reason. The walls were closing in on him, the darkness taunting him. Voices echoed in his head. Soujiro get the food! Soujiro tend to the animals! the floor needs cleaning! mop the toilet Soujiro!

He cowered in the corner with his legs up against his chest and his chin tucked in between them so his eyes weren't clearly visible. His breathing became heavy, and his whole body began to shake intensely. He felt like he was back in that room again, back in the small box where they would put him if he wasn't a good boy. He remembered all the lashings they gave him and the punishments he endured and the sword. The sword was the reason he learned swordsmanship. The large scar across his back a constant reminder to stay alert and ever ready. The pain never went away.

All of a sudden he was back in the room, most of the guys were lying down or sleeping. He touched his face and saw that he was crying, he smiled. Crying is for the weak and you are not weak are you?

 

Dora turned and stared at the door when it slammed shut behind she and the other girls.

"Well, that was rude." she said, half indignant and half puzzled, "I wonder what their problem is?"

She turned to survey the room and the other women and shrugged as she folded away the shirt that had been acting as a mask.

"You wouldn't think it would be that big of a deal to answer a simple question."

The cough was softer now and less frequent. When one of the others asked in a worried tone if she was all right she answered breezily.

"Oh! I'm good. My throat must have been dry is all." Dora went to one of the bunks with dragging steps, "I'm probably just tired."

She half-sat half-collapsed onto the bed and didn't really notice if it was comfortable or not as she slipped her shoes off then curled up on her side.

"I'll get a little sleep and feel better," she said as she turned her back, "and by then I'm sure someone will pop around to explain that this is all for our own protection or something."

Dora found that she sadly missed Skraal and wondered what had happened to her friend. Then, with childlike faith that everything would work out okay, she went straight to sleep.

 

hortensio was healing as one would expect from such a wound. he spent most of the journey here seeping in and out of consciousness. When he was awake he was having a hard time distinguishing reality from dream.

he was on the streets, eating a pastry secure inside the walls when he would be flung into a world of low light and huge mechanical warriors.
he spun and threw a wafer knife, much like a shuriken missing the postage stamp sized target by half inch, the target and bored morphed into an orc, its ugly green and yellow mottled face first in a state of shock, then death.
the same immobilizing fear swept over him, crippling him making him weak and useless in the face of an enemy.

at one point he woke with a scarf around his mouth, another time he pulled his stitches and ben had to redress the would and stitch it back up.
more and more he was able to stay conscious although he never said much, he simply observed the people around him, and all the time had his hand on the orb, remaining inactive since the innitial fight...Hortensio just put it down to coincidence. his eyes always strayed to the back of Madeline, his rescuer. he wondered about her story and her life and why she had come on this god forsaken journey.

he woke again. this time in a room on a bed with his shirt off and his wound free of bandages. his whole body ache from the relief of strain and a raging fire still burnt in his chest but somewhat subdued thanks to whatever ben had been feeding him.

Soujiro and dameon talked softly to one side, Ben was rummaging around in his medics bag next to him, and skraal appeared to be no where in sight, he could only see the men....the others obviously wernt here.

ben noticed his eyes open and said "welcome back to the real world my friend."
"how is it" hortensio asked.

"straight to the point, it was bad and you did get a but of a fungal infection, delaying the healing process. but now that its all cleaned up i can try and seal it up for good. although its going to be bloody painful, chances are you will go into shock, which isnt a good thing. but looking at these other scars you are not a stranger to pain."

"im a knife thrower as an entertainer" he paused to breath "it took a while to be able to catch them too"

"ah well that would explain it...so to heal this nice long one up i plan to glue the wound together"

"how"

"well i remove the stitches and providing you dont move you shouldnt bleed. i will then fill the would with this resin" he pointed to a jar next to his bag. "then set it alight"

"what!" hortensio exclaimed, his dry throat making his voice husky, forcing him to cough.

"the resin will burn fast, along the wound and seal it for good. it will hurt, like nothing you have ever felt before. the chances of you dying are slim although it has been known to happen"

zoning out from what he was saying, Hortensio noticed that this room was out of the ordinary and asked "where are we"

"an army base of some kind" Dameon spoke up. "a lot has happened while you where out, it seems that there is an age old war raging on around us. and their magic is incerdibly advanced. the place is clean, ideal for Bens opperation."

"do it"

 

Madeline watched, incredulous, as Dora curled up and went to sleep. How could she be so calm about this? They were in prison!

Already her skin felt warm. Too warm. This room is tiny, she thought. And no windows. What if there was a fire? She fanned herself with her hand, trying to get a grip on the panic.

‘I call top bunk,’ she said, her voice oozing sarcasm.

She stomped across the room and threw her bag on one of the cots. Without breaking stride, she continued to the little grid set high in the wall. She hopped up and stood on one of the bed posts, perfectly balanced whilst she examined the grille.

‘Hmm,’ she said. It wasn’t big enough for any of them to fit through. A slight breeze ruffled her fringe. Maybe if it was connected to a ventilation system, there would be a similar one in the mens prison. ‘Hello?’ she yelled, hoping they could hear her.

 

Madeline's voice echoed down the long metal vent. Their was a slight pause before an awnser returned to her. "Um, hi their." Came the soft voice of a young boy, probably 8 to 10 by the sounds of it. "Who's this?" He asked nosily.

The Fairy had watched as everyone had been searched, he himself had been searched but then thrown back with the women, not that he minded so much. He looked down at Madeline ammused. If we were close enough to the prison wouldn't it be easier to just send him into the vent? It wasn't like they where sealed, this wasn't a prison cell as much as a barracks room.

He wondered how she'd react to the sound of the little boy. "Hey toots, If you want I can go and find the other group no problem, but you'll have to tell me what you want me to tell them." The he said, wondering what other sights he could see around this place. The bright lights hit his wings perfectly provideing him with constant energy. "and I can find out more about this place while I'm at it." I mumbled to himself, his programed curiosity kicking in.

 

The sound of the Horn echoed again, Skraal realised it wasn’t coming from the Orc’s. He felt a sudden gush of wind as if from nowhere yet it had blown across the wide river he stood by.
Skraal gripped the hilt’s of both swords tightly readying himself for the onslaught that he knew was coming. The lead Orc held up its crud sword and called out in some strange language as he brought his sword back down three other Orc’s emerged from behind him. The three were armed with smaller swords they came running at him.

Skraal charged towards them both blades swinging. He ducked missing the swipe of the first while dishing out a killing cut himself slicing through the brutes chest. The second swung low Skraal jumped back arms spread wide once feet down he brought both blades to bare slicing through the Green skins waist. The Orc stumbled forwards landing face down in the green grass dead. The third Orc rushed him with his blade swinging high. Skraal ducked slicing the warriors legs from the ankles then raising his right handed sword and stabbed the warrior through the face. Blood erupted like a volcano vomiting flames.

Another three Orc’s came from the group charging towards Skraal. This time Skraal raised both his blades and crossed them over as he took the first warriors head from the shoulders blood flayed across his face the second swiped Skraal chipping the chest of his armour. Skraal pulled back and lunged forwards killing the thing. The third sliced towards Skraal’s face. Skraal dodged the blade by bending back slightly then on his return head butted the thick skull of the Orc pain rushing fastly to his own skull. The Orc slapped Skraal across the face with the hilt of it’s sword. Skraal reeled with pain then stabbed the creature through the groin. It howled dropping its blade and gripping the blood soaked area. Skraal kicked it then ploughed his blade from its open mouth.

The Horn blew again catching Skraal’s attention once more he looked to see further back was a fallen warrior human the warrior was well armoured but seemed downed. Skraal released the Orc’s had come for that warrior. The Horn must have been a signal to bring help.

Five more Orc’s leaped to face Skraal. Releasing his grip on one sword he took his revolver and fired three shots. The first shot blew the back of the first’s head off the second blew apart one’s neck and the third hit another between the eyes. Skraal fired again. Two shots ploughed into One Orc while three shots killed the fifth.
The gun ran on empty the chamber clicked and Skraal found himself dropping the gun. The larger of the Orc’s came at Skraal the pole in one hand and the double headed axe in the other. Skraal took his second blade from the ground and backed off slightly. The Orc swung the axe low swiping down leaves flew from the ground like a hurricane had blown them. Skraal swung his blades in a criss cross then stood his ground in a firm stance. The Orc bellowed and charged. The brute was that large his feet thudded across the ground with each step taken. The axe head flew past Skraal’s face merely missing his nose. Skraal blocked the second attack with both blades crossing over into a X. The Orc applied pressure forcing Skraal down. Skraal suddenly lost his footing and stumbled on the fallen leaves tripping onto his back. The Orc raised his Axe with on hand and swiped down. Skraal rolled avoiding the deadly bite and sliced his first blade across the Orc’s ankle. The Orc used the pole to wind Skraal by slamming it hard into his stomach. Skraal winced in pain struggling to breath as he moved. The Orc went on the attack again bringing the pole to bare across Skraal’s face. Skraal moved swiftly knocking the pole from the brutes grasp. With both hands now clasping his Axe the larger Orc slammed it down across Skraal’s chest. Bright light’s in the form of dots flashed across Skraal’s vision the pain almost knocked him from consciousness. Using what strength he could muster Skraal raised his blades to a stabbing stance. The Orc’s axe came to meet the attack and knocked on of the swords from Skraal’s grasp. Turning in a full circle to dodge another of the attacks Skraal sliced his blade across the Orc’s neck. blood flayed down its chest like a flowing waterfall. The large brute dropped to its knees releasing its grip of its axe to hold its neck with both hands. Skraal raised his sword and stabbed the creature through the heart. It gurgled in pain then fell sideways in a heap dead.

Skraal looked back to see the fallen warrior about to blow his horn again when an Arrow pierced through the side of his skull.

“Noooooo.” Skraal bellowed. As he saw more wounded warriors with smaller children.

Raising his sword Skraal charged towards the Orc’s aiming his run towards the leading Orc. From Behind the main Orc archers appeared with large bows. The arrows shot through the air. The first hit Skraal in the shoulder knocking him back slightly, but still he charged another Arrow pierced his thigh. Skraal winced as he got closer a third Arrow slammed into his free arm. Another Arrow slammed into his back as he was spun from his axis. Pain gripping through him Skraal was determined to take down the leader of the group. Another arrow slammed into his back Skraal was now on top of the Orc’s when he heard more warriors from behind. With his last moment of energy Skraal raised his sword above his head another arrow slammed into his chest knocking him back slightly again. Skraal sliced down cutting through the large leader’s skull splitting it from the centre down.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG.” It cried.

Skraal dropped to his knee’s and then fell face down as the Orc’s began to retreat from the other attackers.

Skraal found himself been turned over one of the new warriors pulled the arrows from his back.
Skraal felt his vision darkening.

“Who are you and where did you come from. Your one of us but not from around here.” The other said.

“Sk…Skraal.” Skraal managed to utter.

“You. Your Skraal the Blood Angel.” The warrior said with surprise in his voice.

“Are th…they…a…li…ve.” Skraal uttered before the darkness claimed him.

“Quickly get a stretcher we need to get him back to the village.” The warrior Captain Lothian said gently laying Skraal’s limp head on the grass.

Another came across holding a large blade and picked up Skraal’s second sword and his revolver.

“Who is he?” The other said.

“It matter’s not he saved those children and our wounded. The chief is goping to want to hear about this.” Captain Lothian said.

“But who is he. He must have said.”

“The chief will want to know there is a Blood Angel left alive.” Captain Lothian finished.

 

Madeline blinked at the voice, but kept quiet.

She looked at the fairy. 'Um, I don't know.' It seemed wierd that it was asking her for permission. 'What do I tell them? Not much to update them on.' She rose on tiptoes and peered through the slats. 'But yeah, go and look around if you like.' She glanced back at the mage girls, but they didn't seem to have any objection.She looked back at the door. 'See if you can find a key or something, or who that voice is. Just don't get caught.'

Madeline hooked her fingers around the slats and pulled. The metal remained bolted to the wall. Gritting her teeth, she held on and placed one foot against the wall. She shoved backwards, throwing all of her weight into the movement, and one of the screws came loose enough for her to scrape the grille aside and allow the fairy through.

 

Skraal recived emergency aid on sight before being moved, his wounds already sealed, if only quickly. Captain Lothian arrived the moment the commander returned from her patrols. Skraal was mainly out of it while they ralked but he managed to cautch a breif statement prior to returning to darkness. "Bloodangel? So the angels missed one after all, thank god."Skraal was brought to the medical bay, strapped to a table and left to the expert hands of the healers.

Mean while the fairy had scowered the vents looking for the other group, finding it and getting their vent open only moments before the doors at both location flew open. THe men looked up, their vent slightly open the small fairy looking as inocent as possible to see the large black man from earlier. He had a slight smirk on his face of ammusement at the apparent planning to escape. "I've got an easier way out if you'll just follow me to the Commanders office." He teased.

The women looked up to see the commander herself standing in the doorway. She smiled around at the group. "Sorry for my men's apparent lack of manners but we are in the middle of a war after all." She said and waved for them to get up and follow her. "My men ran accross your bloodangel freind. He is hurt but should be fine shortly. My doctors are going to have him meet up with us shortly after they patch him up nice and good." She insured them as they followed her.

Both groups arrived about the same time, the commanders office seemed huge, big enough to easily accomidate them all plus. She sat down at her greyish wood desk, possible made from the mist trees and looked over the group. "I'm sure you all have lots of questions, but I'd perfer to wait for your freind." She said and sat quietly.

It took a half an hour for Skraal to arrive, banadaged and battered but alive. "Good." She said and decided to go into explaining what she knew. "First off I'll begin with an explanation of why we wage war with the angels. Many years ago, soon after the wall was constructed, we so called demons attempted to contact all of you in the wall. On our approach we met with the angels, who proceeded to slaughter our explorers in the namme of maintaining the purity of those who reside inside the wall." She said and looked rather disgusted. "Ingorance is bliss and all that bull. But due to Drake's appairent alliance with the Dragon, and our drive to free you from ignorance the war began." She statted, the group recognizing Drake's name, and wondering who this dragon could be. "Drake is the creator of the wall." She added so that her sentence made more since.

 

Ceri had not enjoyed being locked in the cell or moved from room to room; she walked and balanced precariously on one leg, putting at little pressure as possible on her now very swollen and painful ankle, the cut on her head had begun throbbing again, and her whole body cried out for a decent night’s sleep. Now, however, those complaints faded away as she became engrossed in Jacqueline’s explanation.

“Many years ago, soon after the wall was constructed, we so called demons attempted to contact all of you in the wall. On our approach we met with the angels, who proceeded to slaughter our explorers in the name of maintaining the purity of those who reside inside the wall.”

The commander’s voice was filled with disgust and contempt for the ‘angels’. Ceri couldn’t help but wonder how the commander of the angels would explain the reason behind the war.

“Ignorance is bliss and all that bull. But due to Drake's apparent alliance with the Dragon, and our drive to free you from ignorance the war began.”

Ceri started. Drake? The head of the mages’ guild? How was he involved in all of this? She looked round at the group and saw her own expression of of surprise, shock and confusion mirrored in the others’ faces, particularly Si’s and Cassie’s.

The commander picked up on this reaction and added, “Drake is the creator of the wall.”

“But that’s impossible!” Ceri cried out before she could stop herself. “That would make him, what, four, five hundred years old?”

She glanced at Si and Cassie for confirmation, then continued. “You’re saying you want to – to free those of us inside the wall from ignorance. About the world outside? But Drake is allied with the angels and this Dragon to stop you?

“I don’t understand,” Ceri shook her head and frowned, frustrated. “Who is this Dragon person? What was the wall built to keep us from? And why – why, if he wants to keep us there, would Drake let us – and the others before us – outside? It makes no sense!”

 

She smirked, "So the old man is still alive. Never actually met him, but we figured he might still be clinging on to life." She explained. "But you don't quite have it right. The angels fight the dragon, and keep the wall safe so that those inside are not drawn into the war, they fight us to keep those in side traped, we also fight the dragon and the angels. The dragon for her part stays rather well hiden, watching from the shadows as we hunt her and fight each other."

"As for the dragon, she is a monsterous relic left over from an age past. I guess you could say that she is the reason for everything. Did you purhaps face any of her minion in the mist, you'd remember, they'd be all metal." She asked, looking around at the group.

 

Skraal smirked.

“I have fought one of these bastard beasts. It took some killing too.”

Skraal rose to his feet feeling the aches of his battle.

“You said I was the last Blood Angel. What were my people. And what happened to them.” He asked. His voice filled with curiosity

 

“You said I was the last Blood Angel. What were my people. And what happened to them.” He asked. His voice filled with curiosity

She looked a bit worried about what she was about to say, paused for a moment and then spoke. "I've only heard of about twenty of you ever born. The children of an angel and a demon." She said and then sighed. "The angels habe rather strict rules on children born anything other than pure angel, strict enough that even the ones who had fallen under our protection ended up dead." She said and looked a bit embarised at their failure. "My father had been in charge of protecting the last child, which I'm certain was you, I had always heard he had failed, purhaps he was just more clever than I ever gave him credit for."

 

Skraal mused on her words.

"The Man who kept me alive and taught me everything from life to the skill of weaponry and fighting was named Cestus." Skraal paused a second.

"If these Angels are responsible for the death of my hybrid brethren. Then I shall show them what it means to be a Blood Angel." Skraal said allowed his voice ferocious with a feral and menacing tone.

 

Ben's mouth dropped open when Jaqueline told them about Drake being the creator of the wall. Ben thought about all her words. He realized his mouth was open and closed it.

It sounded to him like she was not on Drakes side and if the angels were defending the wall then it seemed to Ben they had been captured by the enemy. However she said the angels fought against the dragon too. Her words didn't seem to make sense. It sounded to Ben that she was leaving out some crucial details.

It sounded like Skraal was accepting her words about his origins and that his purpose would align him with Jaqueline's side. Maybe that is what she wanted, their willing cooperation.

He decided to ask a question that he hoped would help them all know where they stood.

He leaned forward and asked, "What are you going to do with us?"

 

She smiled widely at Skraals words. "Your demon blood is strong." She commented, and then looked over to Ben. "You are all free to do as you wish. You may leave, you may stay you can try and head back home, though the angels will surely attempt to stop you, or head deeper into the mist. I'll provide you with supplies if needed." She said and looked around to see what everyone was doing. "Take your time to decide."

 

Skraal rose to his feet.

"We left the wall to discover what it is that surrounds us and we have only learned of the surface. There is far much more to discover. I say we carry on with our mission." Skraal said allowed addressing the group as a whole.

 

Well, that was not what Ben thought Jaqueline would say. He leaned back and rested his chin in the palm of his right hand with his fingers stretched out toward his ear and resting along his cheek. He pondered her words. He still didn't trust her. If they were free then why did they take their weapons and lock them up? Ben thought to himself.

Ben heard Skraals words and then decided to ask another question. He dropped his hand away from his face and asked, "What else is there in the mist? Just your people, the angels, and the orcs? Or are there other people?"