The Eye of Anubis: Book Eight

[NeoTiamat]

The West Guestroom, The Monastery of Stilled Nightmares, Sebua
July 16th, 761, 7:11 PM; Day 121 of the Menetnashte Expedition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I won't sleep much," Charles volunteers. "I'll just catnap a bit, and keep an eye out for, uh, nocturnal visitors. Which I gather we can expect."

"I'll take a shift too." Dieter volunteered, the tousle-headed Lamordian youth snagging a bunk near the door for himself. "I managed to get some sleep in the infirmary, so I can keep an eye out for things."

"Now then, Devereux, if you would be so kind, I need to chat with you in as much privacy as we can manage in our current lodgings." His voice didn't waver, but as Andre picked up his cat, it was obvious that the attention being paid to the orange feline was as much for Andre's comfort as the feline's own.

Professor Devereux had not even bothered to contest the beds, instead grabbing a pallet and dragging it over to the farthest corner of the room. There, the long-limbed professor huddled with his back to the wall, scribbling in his book in spasms interspersed with extreme watchfulness towards the door, the window, and a point on the opposite wall which was utterly identical to the rest of the wall, as far as you could tell.

"Er... huh... oh.... um.... certainly." Devereux said with a very distracted air, gazing at the spot on the wall for a few more moments before turning to look at Andre. "Um... yes?"

The West Guestroom, The Monastery of Stilled Nightmares, Sebua
July 17th, 761, 1:02 AM; Day 122 of the Menetnashte Expedition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The difficulty with expecting something is that when it doesn't show up, one is often left somewhat disgruntled by the events. Of course, when what you are expecting is mind-rending monstrosities from the netherworld, the disgruntlement at their lack is somewhat lessened.

Thus it was that after midnight rolled around, more or less only Dieter and Charles were still up on watch, as the moon moved along through the night sky, and the only bit of movement outside the window was the occasional shifting of the black crow in the distance, by now virtually invisible as anything but a black smudge.

scritch. scritch.

Dieter's head lifted up from the half-doze he'd been in. Before the young Lamordian could say anything though, a high-pitched, canine whine pierced the air and the sound of scratching.

"Loup?" Dieter asked perplexedly.

[Kaitou Kage]

Kuzan's eyes fluttered opened at the first scritching noise, and when the keening howl carried through the night, he sat upright in bed. The priest had become a very light sleeper over the time since leaving Dementlieu, for reasons he himself wasn't sure of. Part of it, he concluded, was he'd never get completely used to sleeping on land, where the sway of the ocean doesn't continually rock your hammock at night. Frowning, he swung his legs off the bed and reached for his sandals and uttariya.

"He should be okay, right?" Kuzan offered, "I doubt Guy would let him out, and even if he's asleep --" and he better be, Kuzan added to himself "-- I doubt the others would let him out either. Probably, it's the strange sounds the others mentioned before."

The priest said it all more like he was trying to reassure himself of the ideas rather than convince others. Uncertainty glimmered in his golden eyes and he walked closer to the door to listen, to see if he could catch anything more concise.

Listen check of 38.

[Nathan of the FoS]

"You see," Charles says quietly, standing and moving to the door, then crouching to listen as well, "this is where it would be nice to be one of those magicians who can send their mage eye out to look at things while they stay in bed. I'm quite sure it's not Loup...but what is it?"

[lostboy]

Khalil had twitched only slightly at the first scratching noise, but sat bolt upright at the howl. Looking bleary eyed for a moment he listens to the others. "I do not think Guy would let him out either" he nods in agreement.

With a now curious expression on his face he rummages in his pack and then heads towards the door, making a questionign face at Kuzan as to what the priest may have heard.

Listening carefully himself he crouches down and places a small mirror in the gap below the door and uses it to peer outside at who or what might be scratching.

[OOC: Knowledge nature: 26 to idetofy if it really is Loup or a dogs howl and Listen Check: 27 cos it involves using his ears

OK NT if you rule there isnt a gap at the botom of the door let me know and I'll edit the post. Khalil will instead cast speak with animals and try and contact Loup or whatever it is outside]

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia mutters something unintelligible -- and probably uncouth, as well -- in her sleep and rolls over, turning her back on the sudden noises.

(OOC: I'm keeping Lia asleep until something actually happens or someone decides to wake her up. Me, I think something's trying to sucker us into letting it into the room, which Herr Elf warned us not to do.)

[NeoTiamat]

The West Guestroom, The Monastery of Stilled Nightmares, Sebua
July 17th, 761, 1:05 AM; Day 122 of the Menetnashte Expedition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The priest said it all more like he was trying to reassure himself of the ideas rather than convince others. Uncertainty glimmered in his golden eyes and he walked closer to the door to listen, to see if he could catch anything more concise.

The dog whined again, scratching at the door with a stubborn concentration. The canine message was quite clear. Open the door and let me in already. It certainly sounded like Loup's whining and scratching.

Of course, as Kuzan and Khalil gradually realized... that was all it sounded like. They could hear the scratching, they could hear the whining, they could hear footsteps approaching.... they weren't hearing anything else. Little things like the shifting of weight on the creaking boards, or the rustling of fur.

Or, for that matter, any heartbeat.

Knock. Knock. Knock. There was the rap of heavy knuckles on the door, slow, measured, and oddly familiar. Then a voice spoke, and you realized that it was Guy. Or, well, it sounded like Guy.

"Something's happened." Guy said simply and swiftly, before there was a sudden rustling of fur, as if Guy was dragging Loup away from the door. "Quite already, you ham, they know we're here."

"Samael said to get you, it's important."

[Kaitou Kage]

Kuzan held up a hand. Wait, his expression said. If Sam wanted to contact them in the darkness like this after the warnings about staying put, why hadn't he used the sending stone?

The priest fingered his earring.

Sam, are you trying to contact us? What's going on?

Using my sending stone.

[lostboy]

Khalil thows a quick glance at Kuzan, or more precisely the priests earlobe where the sending stone earring was, having the exact same thought as Kuzan.

As the priest contacts Samael, Khalil tucks away the useless mirror and closes his eyes for a moment. "Idrak min Sheen" he mutters in akiri before whispering low in Small stars ear.

What do you smell beyond this door my friend?

[OOC: casting speak with animals]

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia makes an unladylike noise, then slowly sits up. "Wha'ss going on?" she slurs, sounding grumpy. "Why're you people making noises? Tryin' ta sleep, here ..."

[The Whistler]

Otto stirs briefly on his pallet, then levers himself up groggily on one elbow and pushes up his cotton travel eyemask with his other hand. (One thing that sleeping in the same room as Otto has taught you, incidentally, is that he actually *owns* a cotton travel eyemask--and that, judging by the condition of his nightshirt, he must logically be ironing his sleeping clothes when nobody else is looking)

The gunsmith blinks twice, reaching for his spectacles. "Vas ist?"

[NeoTiamat]

The West Guestroom, The Monastery of Stilled Nightmares, Sebua
July 17th, 761, 1:09 AM; Day 122 of the Menetnashte Expedition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sam, are you trying to contact us? What's going on?

Kuzan...? What are you talking about? It's the middle of the night, everything--- There was a short pause as Samael trailed off, a space of a few short beats as the sending stone's magical timer ran down. Samael finished firmly. All is well.

And with that, the magic wore off and the earring grew cold and still once more.

What do you smell beyond this door my friend?

Nothing. The wolf answered with a low growl, looking at the door in bewilderment. She heard her playmate and companion. But where was he? It was all very confusing for the wolf.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Do you hear me in there?" Guy's voice carried through the door as he rapped against the heavy wood once more. "Come on, it's cold outside, let's get moving."

Suddenly, you heard a canine snarl from the other side of the door, and Guy broke off his knocking. "What do you hear, Loup?"

There was a short pause, broken only by the sound of Loup's steady growling, before the ex-militiaman spoke again, voice calm, tense, and quiet. If it wasn't Guy, then it was certainly a dead ringer for him, with the ex-militiaman's simple tone and mannerisms down perfectly. Then you heard just what the ex-militiaman had said.

"There's something in the garden with us..."

[Kaitou Kage]

"Sam must've been asleep," Kuzan murmured quietly to the others so that the...whatever on the other side of the door couldn't hear, "He was confused, but he said everything is well. I'd hate to get Guy killed because we didn't open the door for him but I am pretty sure this isn't Guy."

The priest stood up again from where he'd crouched by the door. "Guy?" he called, "Are you okay? From what happened before, I mean."

With any luck, they could trap the...whatever in a more concrete lie.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia yawns hugely, then grumbles: "I learned my lesson in Ravnika. I'm sure you heard me, Guy," she says with a slightly raised voice, "so sod off. It is the middle of the bloody night and no one wants to go play hide-and-seek with you." With that, the Wizard lies back down and turns a bit to get comfortable.

[lostboy]

Khalil loks at Small-star in confusiion for a moment, "She smells nothing beyond the door."

Listening to Kuzan he nods "I agree but I would like to know what that is outside" Placing he mouth close to the door he calls out in an odd barking voice

Loup, what is wrong, what do you hear?

If that was indeed an animal out there it should be able to understand he thinks as he listens carefully for a reply.

[NeoTiamat]

The West Guestroom, The Monastery of Stilled Nightmares, Sebua
July 17th, 761, 1:13 AM; Day 122 of the Menetnashte Expedition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I learned my lesson in Ravnika. I'm sure you heard me, Guy," she says with a slightly raised voice, "so sod off. It is the middle of the bloody night and no one wants to go play hide-and-seek with you."

The priest stood up again from where he'd crouched by the door. "Guy?" he called, "Are you okay? From what happened before, I mean."

"Lia, you're an idiot." Was all Guy, or faux-Guy, had to say about that. Which, admittedly, was almost exactly what the real Guy would say in such a situation. "And aside from a raging headache, I'm fine."

There was a sudden outburst of barking from Loup, and you heard the ex-militiaman swear sulfurously as there was a soft rustling, like velvet, from the other side of the door. Small-Star tensed, hackles rising and lips curling to snarl. There was a rush of sound from the other side of the door, a sudden, sharp crack of wood, and the velvet rustling of something or other. Guy was muttering under his breath, even as the rustling grew louder, and then two more sharp cracks.

Loup snarled and barked, as the rustling grew louder still, before giving a sudden, startled yelp. The huge Alsatian whined pitifully, and the rustling grew louder, and then with another swift yelp. Then Loup was silent.

"Loup! Damned hellspawn, leave him alone! I need some help over here!" Guy yelled, and all of a sudden you heard a dull whump, and before your very eyes, the wood of the door cracked inward, as if a heavy object had just been thrown at it with incredible force, splintering the door slightly and leaving an indentation, though not enough to break the heavy oak.

You heard a dull moan coming from the bottom of the door, and as you still looked, you saw a pool of viscuous, dark crimson liquid spread into the room.