Thank you all for reviewing! This is proof that it makes me post faster. So... REVIEW!
MidgetX: Thanks! I got the feeling that I was kinda... getting more into it, you know? I hope this chapter's good.
Hope(): Thank you!
Piraticaly-Insane: Thank you very much! I really appreciate the fav and the watch! And so, little more than an hour after your review, here is your update, my dear! :D
A strange hush lay over the scene. Peter gripped the hilt of his sword nervously, while Sparrow started off. He followed closely, looking around.
The entire place was covered in a thick, unnatural fog. As they trudged through swampy terrain, Peter noticed flooded houses all over, and fences.
"Is this…?"
"Yes. This used to be Oakvale." Sparrow answered softly.
As if on cue, small, pure white orbs of light descended from the sky. They burrowed into the earth, and skeletons with wicked cleavers and tattered rags burst from the ground. There were three in all, and their eyes glowed with the light from the orbs.
Sparrow drew her sword, and Peter followed quickly. As she hacked at the skeletons, Peter stood back, wondering what to do.
One got past her, and rushed at him, cleaver held high. Peter's heart skipped a beat, and he swung the sword at the thing. It sliced through the bone, and the skeleton crumbled, becoming dust.
Sparrow smiled. "Good job! Come on!" And they continued through the marsh.
They encountered horde upon horde of Hollow Men, but they only encountered one banshee, for which Peter was thankful.
As they passed a cul-de-sac with a well in the center, filled with fog, the fog suddenly became much thicker. A strange, floating, robed woman rose from nothing. Sparrow quickly took out her pistol and shot at it, but before Peter to follow, the banshee covered her face. Small black shadow-like creatures sprouted from the ground. Peter hacked away at them, but suddenly the air was filled with strange whispering.
Hero… you're a Hero…. You're family is dead. They would have been better off without you…
Peter couldn't look at his mother, or the banshee as she whispered dark thoughts, but the ankle biters, were soon gone. The banshee continued to whisper.
He didn't understand why his best friend was murdering him! Did you even try to save your sister? You're weak!
Sparrow shot at the thing, but the pistol was too weak to do much damage. Peter took out his rifle and aimed for the banshee's face.
And fired.
It shrieked at an ear-piercing octave. Peter winced, stepping back several steps. The banshee wailed and simply faded away. The fog lifted slightly.
Sparrow stood stiff in front of the well, biting her lip.
"It gets to me every time." She muttered.
"Feh. It was a liar anyway." Peter said dismissively. Sparrow shot him a questioning glance. "It said your family was dead. We're your family, me and Dad. Right?"
Sparrow stared at him, then started to say something. However, she seemed to think better of it, and smiled, nodding. "Right. Bloodstone is just up there." They started off. But Peter couldn't help wondering…
What if it wasn't lying?
--
Bloodstone made Peter uncomfortable.
Whores were on every corner, and the people were ragged and frightening, in his opinion. As they trudged through the streets, Peter asked what the Heroes were like.
"Well, Hammer's the only lady other than me. She's one of my best friends; we're the only two who've kept in touch. She's really nice; I'm sure you'll like her."
"And the guy with the tower?"
"Garth. I don't really know him very well, but he seems okay, I guess." She said absently.
"And Reaver?" He asked, looking around awkwardly at the grungy houses.
"I hate him." The statement was so dead-pan and matter-of-fact that Peter stopped in the middle of the street and stared at his mother in shock.
She turned. "What? It's true. He's a bad person." She said. Peter shook his head and started after her.
They approached what was undoubtedly the largest place there. A large statue of twin dolphins, and flowers, which double doors and two staircases leading to them.
They stopped in front of the double doors, and Sparrow knocked sharply.
"Come in, come in, it's open." A urbane, clipped voice called out from inside the house. Peter hesitated. Sparrow shot him an encouraging glance and went in. He followed, glancing around the foyer.
The place was big and rich, and full of expensive furniture. They walked up a small hallway, and Sparrow opened the door.
Three people stood in the room talking, and they were a study in contrasts. One was tall, pale, and handsome. He wore fashionable clothing, and when he saw Sparrow enter, he grinned. For some reason, he reminded Peter of a snake with very beautiful scales. This was obviously Reaver.
The other man was tall, but not as tall as Reaver. He had dark skin, white hair, and strange blue markings all over his person. His clothes were strange robes that were made to be cool. He nodded to Sparrow, and then glanced at Peter with raised eyebrows.
The third and final was a woman. She was short and stocky, with hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her clothing was strange; blue and white baggy clothing made of a strange fabric. When Sparrow and Peter entered, she gasped and practically tackled Sparrow in a hug.
"You're here! Oh, it's great to see you!" She said happily as they embraced. Sparrow grinned.
"Ah…" Reaver said sadly, eyeing Peter. "You remarried." Peter's eyebrow raised sharply. Sparrow smirked.
"Actually, he's illegitimate." She said with a straight face. Reaver gasped with a grin.
"Really?"
"No!" Sparrow and Peter snapped in unison.
"Don't worry too much about him," a deep voice said from behind Peter. It had the same accent as Hammer, and it was just as thick. Peter turned and saw a young man about the same age as himself, of medium height and build with thick red hair and a handsome face. He grinned and held his hand out. "Pelicrovol. Nice to meet you." Peter shook his hand. "The girls are getting ready upstairs. In fact, they should be done…"
"Alright!" A clear, high voice called from the stairs. "They're presentable now!" Just as the door opened, Peter realized that it reminded him of Reaver.
Three young women walked into the room. Two were obviously twins. They were dark of skin and hair and grey of eye. They weren't tall, but they were lithe and willowy, and glided across the floor in unison, wearing identical silver dresses.
The other was tall, like Reaver, with golden curls that brushed her shoulders and bright blue eyes that were flecked with gold. Her heart-shaped face brightened when she saw Peter and Sparrow. She went over in her blue dress and curtsied gracefully.
"Hello. I name is Asineth. It's wonderful to meet you." She said. Peter felt a powerful urge to bow, and gave into it. Asineth beamed, and Peter saw, out of the corner of his eye, Reaver's look soften. To Peter, it seemed like it was more than just a fatherly thing. It seemed like he was almost sad. Peter decided not to ask about it. He had to strange feeling that if he asked about it, he'd get shot.
"Wow, Asi. You clean up good." Pelicrovol said glibly. Asineth glared at him.
"I wonder why you're talking, Pelicrovol," she said disdainfully. "Nobody's listening."
"Ah, Miss. I-Don't-Like-You, aren't you dead yet?" He snapped back.
"Don't worry about them." The others in the room jumped as the twins spoke in unison. "They've been like that since they met. By the way…"
"I'm Whisper." Said one with a smile.
"I'm Briar." Said the other with a smirk.
"Um, nice to meet you both. I'm Peter." Peter said with a polite smile, trying to hide the fact that they were kind of eerie.
"Peter!" Asineth cried teasingly, grabbing his hand. "Pelicrovol's not being a gentleman like you!"
"Oh, shut it!" Pelicrovol laughed, grabbing her other hand.
In a flash, Whisper grabbed Pelicrovol and Briar's hand, and Briar grabbed Peter's other hand. Then they spoke softly together.
"And so we are Four."
"Wonderful." Reaver quipped. "They can count." Garth glared at him. If looks could kill… Reaver'd probably be dead five times over. He ignored Garth's glare. "However, since I have no earthly idea why you all are here, it seems only fair that you all leave."
"Oh, NO! I did not just walk through Wraithmarsh to turn right around! We're staying the night at least." Sparrow snapped.
"You walked through Wraithmarsh?" Reaver asked incredulously.
"You know what I mean." Sparrow snapped.
"Look, I'm sorry, really, but you have to leave now, okay, bye bye!" Reaver snapped. He and Sparrow glared at each other, and then Asineth cut in.
"Papa, I don't think it'd be that big of a deal if they spent just one night here. Please? Just one night?" Asineth asked, batting her eyelashes at him. Reaver frowned, then sighed.
"Fine." He relented. Hammer grinned.
"Aww. Lookit. His hearts wandering for his daughter!" She said with a laugh.
Reaver glared. "You wanna go wander outside?" He asked darkly.
"His hearts wandering" means that he'll bend over backwards for her. He dotes on her. Which is true. In this, his heart kinda softens up for her, and it's more than just because she's his daughter. Anyway, I'll try and update tomorrow. ... No, I'll update tomorrow.