Iiro
With a slightly uneasy feeling, Iiro watched Yveshin entering the murky waters. He hadn't even bothered with taking off his clothes, though he did remove his weapons before going in. The mill let out another creak, as the elf took a deep breath. Then, he dived down into the river, completely submerged in an instant.
“So... your kind can breathe underwater, right?”, Iiro asked and Thea gave him a downright confused look. “No... of course not?”, she replied, genuinely baffled. “Why would you think such a thing?” She shook her head. “But Yveshin knows what he is doing” Iiro wasn't an expert on elves, but he was pretty certain that was just something she told herself.
“That being said, the elders of my tribe can change their shape, assume the form of fish or seals”, Thea added. She clenched her fists, as she glanced at the miller. “What do you do with this strange building, human?”, she asked. “What use is there for a wheel in the water? Or is this... art? Your kind has a peculiar sense for it”
The miller raised an eyebrow. “Right now?”, he asked. “I don't do much with my mill, because it's about to break apart, unless your knife-ear friend saves the day” He crossed his arms, as he shook his head. “He's been down there for quite some time now. Phex be my witness, I don't want someone to die for this. Had a brush with death myself today”
Iiro narrowed his eyes, as he noticed that the man was pale, sweating and quite obviously unwell. “What happened?”, he asked and the man sighed. “Some assholes”, he mumbled. “The same who did that” He pointed at the burned patch of land. “Killed a bunch of folk, nearly did the same to me” He spat onto the ground. “Mages...”, he muttered. “One looking like the Nether Hells, some pallid, wild-haired madman. The other more well-groomed, like one of those fancy folk from the south” He narrowed his eyes, glancing at Vittorio. “Like you”, he clarified.
It was in this moment that Yveshin broke through the surface again, taking a deep gasp. He rushed to the shore, letting out a sound that was a mixture between a gasp and a scream. Immediately, Thea grabbed her glove, pulling it off, while Iiro's hand reached for his sword, without actually drawing it. “Yveshin!”, Thea exclaimed, as she rushed towards him, meeting the elf right at the shore, where he knelt in the shallow water, on all fours, while gasping for air.
She asked something in their native tongue and Yveshin replied in kind, coughing up murky water, while pointing at the wheel. With a final creak, it began to turn again and a wide grin formed on the miller's face. “I'll be damned, you did it!”, he exlcaimed, though he was the only one who was happy. Yveshin's facial expression was one of sheer terror.
“The dead man!”, he gasped, as he jumped up, immediately reaching for his dagger on the ground. He pulled Thea away from the water, as Iiro charged forward. “What happened down there?”, he growled, placing a hand on Yveshin's shoulder. The elf tensed up. “There is a dead man down there”, he revealed. “He... he...”
Something dark rose from the depths and with a new gasp, Yveshin pointed the tip of his dagger at the shape. He was not shaking and, in fact, regaining his composure quickly, despite what had to be a shocking experience, though his face was still pale. Iiro took a step closer to the water and the elf tried to stop him. “Don't!”, he warned him, as Iiro recognized the body of a man. He shook Yveshin's hand off, as he rushed into the shallow water.
The body was large and unmoving, as Iiro dragged him to the shore. Thea came a little bit closer, but Iiro noticed how Yveshin took a step away, as Iiro rolled the body onto its back. It was a man, deathly pale, with blonde hair, stained with blood and mud. His dead eyes stared blankly into the sky. There was a deep hole in his forehead and the broken piece of wood within his chest was easily identified as a crossbow bolt. A number of smaller cuts covered his arms and chest. And in this moment, Iiro recognized him.
“Brodar Landmarshes”, he revealed. “The leader of the Formidable Six” He looked around, at Vittorio, who was keeping his distance, together with the concerned-looking Mother Linai. “Seems like Delian of Plainsbridge got into some trouble on the way” He knelt down, as Yveshin slowly came closer again.
“He had his eyes closed”, the elf explained. “But as I touched him, he opened them...” He shuddered. “I... I think he looked at me. That's when I panicked. Had to get out of there” Iiro raised an eyebrow, as he touched the dead man's shoulder. “Doubt he opened his eyes”, he spoke. “That guy is as dead as can be. It's been dark down there, you sure you saw that?”
Yveshin hesitated for a second, before he shook his head. “It seemed that way, for a moment”, he admitted. “I... I remember this man. He seemed decent” He looked at the miller. “Why did he end up in your wheel?” The man stared wide-eyed at the corpse, visibly forcing himself to look away, before shaking his head. “I don't know!”, he stuttered. “By the gods, maybe it is right what the people said... that this whole place is cursed now...”
Iiro placed a hand on the broken crossbow bolt. “Strange...”, he mumbled, as Thea knelt down next to him, giving him a brief glance. “What do you mean?”, she asked and his gaze wandered from the bolt in Brodar's chest to the hole in his forehead. “The shot hit him right in the heart”, he explained. “Could have been a coincidence, but more often than not, such a shot needs a lot of aiming. Whoever did it, I think they shot to kill”
“So?”, Thea asked, as Iiro glanced at the forehead injury. It did not seem like the kind of wound caused by a crossbow bolt, but he had seen something similar once. Back in the Valley of Svelt, he and a few others got into a skirmish with a band of orkish raiders. One of his companions, an old, quiet man named Hilger, got hit by an orkish warhammer, a spike driven right into his head. The injury Brodar had suffered seemed similar and yet, something was odd about it. It had a similar size than Hilger's, but it went deeper, much deeper.
“This is another lethal injury”, he revealed. “Right in the centre of the forehead. Not even a little bit off, you see? Another aimed strike” He looked at Thea, who seemed to understand. “Why would anyone do such effort?”, she mumbled. “They killed this man twice and both times they took precise aim”
“My point exactly...”, Iiro confirmed. “Something foul is going on here...” He stared down into Brodar's lifeless eyes, as slowly, a feeling of terror rose within him. Something was off about the corpse, about this whole situation. “We should not dwell here for long” He pulled himself away from the corpse, noticing that Vittorio and Mother Linai were approaching them.
“You mentioned mages did this”, Vittorio spoke and the miller nodded. “Yeah”, he confirmed, suspiciously eyeing the Almadani's robes. “Two of them” Vittorio bit down onto his lower lip. “Then they didn't kill him”, he spoke. “Those injuries, they were caused by physical force, not by any arcane means. We don't use crossbows, nor whatever caused that hole in his head” He sighed. “If only we had more time, then I could properly investigate”
Mother Linai shook her head. “I think this man suffered enough”, she spoke. “And we have to move on if we want to reach the next village before nightfall” With a stern gaze, she stared at the miller. “You will bring him to the nearest shrine of Boron”, she ordered. “Make sure he receives a proper burial”
The miller gulped, before he nodded. “Of course, Mother”, he promised. Then, he turned to Yveshin, who was still eyeing the corpse with suspicion. “Here”, he spoke, as he handed the elf a handful of coins. “None shall say I don't pay for good work. I've added a little bit, for your troubles” He managed a weak, shaky smile. “You saved my mill and even though those ingrates up in the village don't know it yet, you likely saved them as well with this”
Carefully stowing away the coins, Yveshin gave him a nod. “It wasn't my pleasure”, he spoke. “But I hope there will be no more dead man within your wheel” He turned to the carriage. “And I agree with Mother Linai. We really have to get out of here” Without even making an attempt to dry up, he marched back to the carriage. The cold evening wind didn't seem to affect him at all in this.
With one last look at the corpse of Brodar Landmarshes, Iiro turned away. “Let's get moving then”, he spoke and with this it was settled. Within a minute, the five were back in the carriage and Mother Linai continued to drive them down the road, the sun already dangerously low. Iiro knew just why the priestess was in a hurry. He didn't want to rest on the road here in the barony of Easterley. As such, he was glad that they soon made progress, as they left Broonsgorge and that cursed mill behind.
Though Yveshin had calmed down, he was still pale and quiet. “He opened his eyes as I touched him...”, he muttered. “Almost as if he was still clinging to life... how is that possible?” Iiro shook his head. “It isn't”, he stated. “You have seen things” He looked to Vittorio for support, but the mage seemed lost in thoughts. “I wouldn't be so sure...”, he disagreed. “There is magic, the darkest type, which can have such effects” He shrugged. “It wasn't taught at Grangor and I've never been interested in it, so that's about all I can tell you”, he added. “A man needs to have some principles, after all”
“The Shurachai, the Ice Orks of the north, they sometimes use such spells”, Thea revealed. “To prolong the lives of those who should be dead, or to raise them into undeath. But never their own, only those few of their enemies whom they capture alive” She gulped. “Maybe something similar happened here”
“You mean the mages killed Brodar and then forced him to fight his own companions?”, Iiro asked, to which Thea nodded. “And we are travelling into the same direction”, she stated. “We need to find a safe place for the night, so that we don't risk running into the one who did this. I don't like your houses, human, but so far from my tribe, it seems they are our only option”
“Isn't Plainsbridge hunting a necromancer?”, Vittorio brought up, to which Iiro raised an eyebrow. “The same necromancer you are looking for”, he mumbled, so quiet that Mother Linai would not hear them up on the coachman's seat. Vittorio nodded slightly. “Korobar the Tobimora Shadow”, he agreed. “That's what Plainsbridge's decree called him. A necromancer of great infamy” He sighed and continued in a tone similarly quiet to Iiro. “Maybe I have to reconsider negotiating with the man. Not all necromancers are unreasonable. Folk down in Brabak or Mirham, proper guild mages, even if they belong to the black guild. But Korobar is a wild mage. He follows no code, has to answer to no one. If he is behind this, I don't think he can be trusted”, he added, before he shook his head. “I can only hope that Hamid ben Seychaban is a more reasonable man”
“Why are you whispering?”, Yveshin asked loudly. “Is that a human thing? You know we can hear you loud and clear, right?” He looked at Thea, who nodded. “If you want to, we can try not to listen”, she offered. “I find it hard to follow your language either way” She looked out of the window, as Mother Linai slowed down the carriage. They were now approaching a dense forest, the road getting a little bit more narrow. “How far is it to the next village, Mother Linai?”, she asked.
“About fifteen miles”, the priestess replied from the coachman's seat. “If we hurry, we can get there within the next two hours” Thea narrowed her eyes. “Then why is there a human standing close to the road?”, she asked. Almost instantly, Iiro reached for his weapon and Yveshin followed his example, as Mother Linai did her best to stop the carriage. “A bandit maybe”, the mercenary growled in a low tone. “Stay here, I take care of this”
He stood up and opened the door, with Yveshin doing the same on his side. “You might need support”, the elf offered and Iiro nodded, thankful for the offer. “Just don't expect me to pay you for it”, he joked, shooting him a sly grin, though it was clear that Yveshin did not pick up on it. “I don't expect you to pay me”, the elf replied. “Though I don't know what I should demand payment for. I thought that is something companions do for each other”
Despite the serious situation, Iiro had to suppress a smirk, before he pushed himself out of the carriage. “You over there!”, he yelled, pointing his weapon into the darkness beneath the trees. Yveshin gently grabbed his forearm, pointing it into the other direction instead. “He's standing over there”, the elf whispered and Iiro narrowed his eyes. He couldn't see a thing beneath these trees, yet what little light fell through the leaves seemed to be enough for elven eyes.
“We want no trouble, but we are armed and ready!”, Iiro continued to shout. “We have mages with us and we travel under the care of the Church of Travia. Come out and we can negotiate, or just stay where you are and let us pass!” He tilted his head, his eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness and indeed, he was finally able to see a little bit of movement from beneath the trees.
A single figure stepped onto the road, his arms raised. It was a man, wearing a hooded robe. A full beard covered his thin face, but the voice with which he spoke was young. “Peace, travellers”, the man said. “I do not come as your enemy and I apologize if it seemed that way” He slowly lowered his arms, as Iiro saw that he was unarmed, safe for a knife on his belt. He himself lowered his weapon, as the man came closer.
“Who are you?”, he asked and the man stopped. “I am Naeem Umer”, he revealed. “Student of Lechmar the druid” The moment he said this, Iiro felt an impulse to raise his weapon again. His uncle's family, they revered the druids of Meadows, as most did, but his father, who had been a soldier, returned from the war with bolder opinion on them, refusing to be intimidated by the self-proclaimed guardians of the land. And surely enough, the druids of Meadows didn't lift a finger to save his uncle, or the many others who had lost their lives during the Orkenstorm.
Nonetheless, he managed a barely polite nod. “What do you want from us?”, he asked. Naeem looked from him, to Yveshin. “I have awaited you”, he spoke, to which the mercenary gulped. “Yeah, that sounds not the slightest bit ominous”, he muttered. “I ask you again, what do you want from us?”
Naeem took a step forward, removing his hood and revealing a youthful face with long, dark hair and green eyes. “I mean you no harm”, he promised. “But I saw you, both of you and the others in your company, the elf and the mage, who both seek the same, the shadow with the red eye” Yveshin clenched his fists as he heard this and Iiro narrowed his eyes. “A red eye, you say?”, the elf asked. “Where have you seen this?”
“In my dreams”, Naeem revealed. “The Mother Goddess has granted me visions, fragments of her own sight. Master Lechmar had dreams as well, but in his case, they were violent nightmares. He awoke with physical injuries, weakened in body and spirit” Iiro's eyes widened, as his hand moved to the spot at his belly, where the skin was still irritated from the events of the last night. “Your master had nightmares?”, he asked.
Naeem nodded. “Repeatedly”, he spoke. “And he is not the only one. All around this region, perhaps in all of Meadows, we have felt a great disturbance within the world's order. A wound has been torn into Sumu's body and mankind feels it. We have spoken to many who have experienced disturbing dreams”
“Your own weren't disturbing?”, Iiro asked, reluctant to let down his guard around the young druid. Naeem shook his head. “They were disturbing, but of a different kind”, he spoke. “Mother Sumu never granted me visions before, but seeing them so clearly... it was unusual” He narrowed his eyes, as he carefully mustered the two. “I saw you, just as I see you now. I know where you are headed and I want to help you”
Yveshin smiled. “I think we can trust him”, he spoke and Iiro rolled his eyes. “Some guy shows up, claiming to be a druid, tells us a story and expects us to believe him”, he muttered. “Sorry, mate, but how do I know that what you just told us isn't a load of horseshit?” He eyed the man. “You look like a druid and you certainly speak the part, but for all I know, your gang could be setting up an ambush right now”
A thin smile flashed across Naeem's face. “A reasonable suspicion, Iiro Redal”, he replied. His comment caught Iiro off guard. “How did you...!”, he growled and Naeem's smile faded, though he retained an aura of calmness. “I told you, I saw you in my dreams”, he repeated. “It is only natural that you would distrust me, but I hope I can prove myself to you”
Slowly, Iiro placed the sword back in its sheath, before he crossed his arms. “Alright, what do you want then?”, he asked. Naeem glanced to his side, where a small path led deeper into the forest. “I want to help you”, he claimed. “I know you have many questions and though I am not my master, I might have a few answers for you. Furthermore, I want to support you against your enemy”
Iiro raised an eyebrow. “We have an enemy now?”, he asked. “For all I know, we're just meeting up with Mother Linai's friend over in Drakesfield” Naeem sighed. “Ah, yes...”, he mumbled. “Poor Laniare. They burned her alive and sinned against everything they held dear” He shook his head. “My master heard her pleas for help, yet we were unable to intervene”
“You know of Laniare's fate?”, Mother Linai spoke from behind them and Naeem nodded. “Not everything, but more than you”, he confirmed. “I will tell you, if you help me first” He glanced down the path again. “Earlier today, my master was attacked”, he explained. “He urged me to flee and I knew, I had to find you, the ones from my dreams. But what became of Lechmar, I know not. I fear for the worst”
“Attacked?”, Iiro growled. “Who would dare to attack a druid in these lands?” Naeem gulped. “Servants of the red-eyed shadow”, he spoke. “One of them serves two masters. He is a twisted, corrupted creature, barely even human” The druid bit down onto his lower lip. “I fear for Master Lechmar's safety and yet I hesitate to approach the clearing on my own. Together, we should be able to overcome the foes if they are still around”, he revealed. “They are your enemies as well. I have seen you clash”
Iiro gulped. “Very reassuring”, he muttered, before he looked at Yveshin, who seemed lost in thoughts. “The shadow with the red eye”, the elf said. “If we help you, I want you to tell us all about him” Naeem nodded. “Of course”, he spoke. “All I know, I swear it” Iiro remained reluctant, but behind him, Mother Linai took the choice from him. “If you know more about Laniare's death, I wish to hear it”
“Of course, servant of Travia”, Naeem agreed. “There is no ill will between your church and my kind. It will be my pleasure to tell you all I know as soon as we confirm Lechmar's fate” This seemed to be enough for the priestess, though it was nowhere nearly as reassuring for Iiro. “What about the carriage?”, he asked. “Can it go down that path? We won't leave it behind in these parts”
Naeem nodded. “With my guidance, the carriage will reach the grove and leave it again”, he promised. “Will this be enough for you?” Iiro shook his head, as he drew his sword again, taking a step towards the druid. “If you try to pull any tricks on us, if you lure us into a trap”, he growled. “Then you'll be the first to die” He gave him a nod. “Lead the way. I'm right behind you”
If the druid was worried by the steel pressed against his back, he did not show it, as he calmly and quietly lead them through the wilds. The path they travelled down upon was barely more than a beaten trail through the woods. As such, it was surprising that the carriage had no problem following. It seemed that every step Naeem took caused the plants to... almost crawl away from the path. Roots realigned, trees twisted gently and the path widened just enough for the carriage to follow the two men. It spoke in favour of Naeem being an actual druid. However, it still didn't tell Iiro a thing about his true intentions.
“For how long have you been living here?”, Iiro asked and the young man sighed. “Four years”, he spoke. “My brother is a guardsman over in Broonsgorge, but I always found myself drawn to a higher calling. Ever since...” He paused notably. “Lechmar saw potential in me. He took me in and taught me how to use Sumu's gift. Though my training is far from complete, I must admit”
This was all they talked during the walk down the path. Naeem was not exactly a talkative man, which by itself wasn't something Iiro minded. However, he was on alert. It could never hurt to be careful around a druid. Most of them lived so far removed from the rest of the world that they often forgot how things worked for other humans. The rest, as far as he knew, they lived a bit too close to the towns and cities and they had picked up on some of the less desirable aspects of civilization. They were schemers and manipulators and right now, Iiro couldn't be sure which type Naeem belonged to.
“We're here”, the druid spoke after a few minutes of silent walk. By now, the sun had fully sunken, but it was a bright, cloudless night, illuminating the scenery quite well. Behind the trees, Iiro spotted an opening, a grove, with a few rocks standing in a rough circle. The hairs on his arms stood up as he walked after Naeem, onto the clearing. Behind them, the carriage stopped and he heard a door being opened. All the while, he carefully watched the druid.
“Oh, Sumu...”, Naeem muttered, as he stared at something in the centre of the circle. Iiro narrowed his eyes and in the darkness, he spotted something, someone, lying right there. Carefully, the druid looked over his shoulder. “May I?”, he asked and reluctantly, Iiro nodded, as he lowered his sword. Immediately, Naeem began to run, rushing towards the figure.
Iiro followed closely and as he glanced at the carriage, he saw the rest of his companions following. “Master...”, Naeem mumbled, as he knelt down next to what Iiro now recognized as the corpse of an old man. He was pale, even in the moonlight and a deep gash over his throat made it clear what caused his demise. “My condolences...”, Iiro mumbled and the druid sighed.
For a second, Naeem looked devastated, but the stoic calmness of his people returned quickly. “Master Lechmar was a wise teacher”, he mumbled. “A good man. He did not deserve such a fate” His hand touched his master's forehead. “They desecrated his corpse”, he spoke. “These demons drank his blood, drained him of his arcane energy in the moment of his death” He narrowed his eyes, as he glared at Iiro. “It is what I feared, but they are still going to pay for it”
Iiro gave him a nod. “If they are our enemies as well, then they will”, he promised. “But what now? Will you leave with us? I think Mother Linai means to push on to Salthel” Naeem shook his head. “I will accompany you”, he decided. “But first, I need to give Master Lechmar the final rites. Make sure that his spirit reunites with the Mother Goddess”
“By Travia...”, Mother Linai gasped, as she noticed the corpse. “The people who did this, are they still here?” Naeem shook his head. “They have left to the east”, he explained. “Their destination is yours as well. The village of Drakesfield” He took a deep breath. “I will come with you after returning my master to Sumu”
“You're welcome to”, Mother Linai decided. “I don't like all this talk about enemies, but you still owe me some answers about Laniare” She glanced at the dark sky. “However, we have to push on. Salthel is not far”, she added. “We'll find a bed to rest there and Travia have mercy, I need this after today” Naeem nodded. “If this is your wish, I will lead you back to the road. Rest and do not worry for me, I will catch up to you before you reach Drakesfield”, he promised. “That being said, you are welcome to stay here for the night, rest while I tend to my master's last rites. This grove is safe from the dangers of these lands. I promise, you will have a safe night here”
“Yeah, that didn't work out for your master”, Vittorio mumbled, thoroughly earning him a glare from Mother Linai and Iiro. The mage merely shrugged. “What I mean is, I would prefer a proper bed, behind a proper wall”, he added nonchalantly. “So, if this is up for a vote, then I say we leave this place, give Naeem some space and rest in Salthel. Then, we meet up with him somewhere down the road” He smiled a forced smile. “I would like to hear some of what you have to say, druid”
“I would like to stay here”, Thea spoke, almost as if she didn't notice the bled out corpse on the ground. She touched the stone with the palm of her hand and a startled smile formed on her face. “This place is beautiful. I think we are safe here” This was enough for Yveshin, who agreed with a nod. “Then I vote to stay as well”, he said. “I prefer this over your cities, humans”
Meanwhile Mother Linai shook her head. “I think I made my point clear”, she muttered. “A proper bed, a proper meal, Travia favours these” She sighed. “But why not putting it up for a vote, alright”, she added. “Iiro, what do you think? A proper rest within Salthel, or... this?” She gave him a questioning look, as Iiro realized he had to break the tie.
[Stay at the grove] [Push on to Salthel]