JMaytr wrote:"It is time for us to look then Wat! These woods have held your people prisoner for too long. The witch no longer holds you here, but now this creature has you just as jailed. Let us travel beyond the woods. Lead your people to safety Wat! deliver them from this darkness!"
''What, all of us leave the Wood? But...but...what is beyond the Wood? We know little of the Outside. Where will we go? ''
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.
"Someplace safer than this. There are places Wat, large towns where your people could live in peace. Let us try to save everyone instead of waiting here like rats waiting for the cat to come in."
"Seven Seals...Seven Rings...Seven Brides for the Scarlet King..."
JMaytr wrote:"Someplace safer than this. There are places Wat, large towns where your people could live in peace. Let us try to save everyone instead of waiting here like rats waiting for the cat to come in."
''I...uhhh...let me think...''
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.
Some of the local men [without their angry dogs!] approach Wat and confer with him, speaking hurriedly in that odd, old-fashioned dialect of theirs. Jon and his freinds nearby may overhear snatches of the conversation:
Flee!
Blood-drinking wolf-ghosts!
Tinkers!
Beyond the Wood?
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.
"Ahhh," Benn's eyes light up. "It seems it is I who was too close to the woods, and could not see the forest for the trees. Van Deicks killed Buckman, you'll recall. One wonders if it is not him who left that here for us to find." He laughs, sheepishly. "It is odd that I am relieved that this nightmare creature is the likely cause, but at least it means there is not a NEW monster on our trail."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
"Yes, perhaps it is Van Diecks. I took all the weapons from his body, though, and I was not noticing any scalpels. But he could have been keeping the Doctor's tools somewhere else. It is still possible he is some form of undead, so perhaps we are facing a new kind of beast after all. What do you know of the creature that Renault turned into. Another form of vampire, yes?"
Dorgio looks around carefully before continuing in a low whisper. "There is another possibility. Van Diecks was not the only one on the loose when Buckman was killed." He pauses. "The boy, he was was dealing with his new affliction, and even before that, he was clearly disturbed." He lights yet another cigarillo. "I am trying to keep an open mind. Innocent men have suffered because of me before, and I am not eager to accuse him. But we should be careful."
"You said I killed you--haunt me, then!...Be with me always--take any form--drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you!” -Wuthering Heights
Bennedict nods, grimly. "He does seem a bit...excitable of late. But the scalpel would seem to be evidence against him."
"My understanding of this Druagr, the cretaure Renault became, is that he is more akin to an extremely powerful Wight than a Vampire, though with some of the same bizarre weaknesses. In particular, fire seemed abhorrent to them. They don't share the Vampire's thirst for blood, to my knowledge, rather preferring to drain the life from a body by physical contact."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
"I am thinking you are correct about the scalpel. At least, I am hoping."
Dorgio nods as Benn explains his theory about Renault. "Yes, that would be explaining Cirdan's condition after the battle. But still, that raises questions about Lothar. If somebody moved the body, why? What had he seen? Or, if somebody collected the blood, for what purpose? Are you knowing any rituals that require blood?"
"Come, we had better join the others," he says, looking towards where Wat stands talking with the local men. "If we do hunt something foul, it may be best to send some of the locals home. If things become dire, we will not be benefiting from a panicked crowd."
"You said I killed you--haunt me, then!...Be with me always--take any form--drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you!” -Wuthering Heights
Fired up by Jon and egged on by Alain, Wat now argues with the other locals, those that have gathered near the site where Lothar's body had been found.
''Jon says that we would all be safer away from this place. I believe him. The monster that killed Lothar- it is not human. Our spears and bows will not be enough to stop it. We should take our womenfolk and young ones, and leave the Wood. Jon is wise, though he is yet a boy. He has travelled in the lands beyond the Wood. He can lead us to a safe place. ''
Some of the locals, including Lothar's sister, vociferously disagree.
Others, though, nod to each other and murmur approval at Wat's words.
The split seems to be about half- and half.
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.
Norzak moves forward, facing the Wat's people. He'd heard everyone speak and now it was his turn.
"Awright, lissen up you peoples! Ye called us heroes fer a reason, no? We getted rid o yer ghost queen, no? We dun ya right so far an only helped ye's.
Now, I think if we want yer ta follow us to a new and better place, we wanna do it fer the right reasons, no?" He clears his throat and continues.
"We only want what is helpful ta ya's all. It ain't no trick. Now I know ye lived here all yer life, but sometimes change is good fer a person. Lookit me, fer instance. I lived with me peoples alla me life an one day decided I wanted ta see new places and learn new things. I came ta meet me companions here," and he punches Jon playfully on the arm with a wink before continuing his tirade. "So I is askin ya as a person ta a person, to trust us, follow us to a new place and a better way of life. Well I said me piece, decide what yer be wantin to."
The people from the Moot have begun to migrate towards the verge of the forest, attracted by rumors of a grisly discovery, or just curious about the gathering.
After Norzak finishes speaking, several men walk over to join Wat. One of them is Ottokar, the big, bearish trader.
''I am not afraid to go with you, Wat. ''
The big man claps Jon on the back.
''You know, boy, the old folks say that red hair means good luck!''
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.
Bennedict nods and turns towards the group. "I would love to send all of them home, frankly. This is above their heads. However, Van Deicks really crippled us by killing our tracker."
Seeing the commotion from Wat's proclomation, Bennedict puts a hand over his eyes as he realizes they're now responsible for all these people. "Aagh, mein gott. That boy is going to be the death of us..."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
''Yes, I am coming with you. I don't want to stay here now. It's been a long time since I had travelled beyond the Wood, but I would like to go and see what I can find out there...''
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.
