Chapter 16: Quarantine

Harrin

It was dusk by the time they reached the edge of Gillamoor.

The stables nearest them are partially burned down. Flies swarmed at the gaping holes in two dead horses lying on the ground outside the stable's doors. The stench wafts in the air with the cool breeze. Harrin instinctively puts his hand to his nose. The faint sound of moaning became clear as they passed through the gates. A mixture of smoke and fog taints the air. Distant lightning breaks through the sky, illuminating three zombies heading in their direction. Another one off to the side doesn't seem to notice them yet as it is partaking on a dead villager. Slowly, the group moves to the left where there was a little garden.

The vegetables rotted and maggots squirm on top. Harrin canvases the area as the three zombies near. Okami's hackles rise as she growls low.

Harrin hears Aluuna whisper something. A concentration of liquid spills, in a shower around them, to the ground.

"Hold one back, Flig," Harrin says.

"Yes," Flig responds. Green vines flick from his hands to wrap around one of the zombie's waist. Sticky brown goo oozes out of the vines. The undead woman is trapped within its grip. She reaches out her hands to grab at the air.

The other two undead men, both human, continue lumbering towards them.

A blast of ice shoots from behind Narrin to hit one of the men in the chest. Its movement slows and the other zombie continues its approach. Okami's growling becomes louder and she starts to move up slowly.

"Easy girl," Flig says to her.

After a moment Flig releases Okami. She tears up the ground covering the little distance between her and the uninjured zombie. She grabs hold of the zombie's arm, hard causing it to completely tear off. Okami shakes her head spitting the arm to the ground. She shakes her head again and licks the air a few times as if to get the taste out of her mouth.

Flig sends out a burst of energy toward the armless zombie. It misses and shoots over its head.

Harrin grunts and charges forward raising his blade but stumbles over the rotting vegetation.

Aluuna sends out a beam and hits the armless zombie in the stomach.

Part of it is torn off. A mass of rotting flesh and putrid blood lands on the ground in a heap.

The slowed male zombie continues to slowly amble forward. The armless one throws his fist at Harrin but he blocks it with his arm and retaliates with a backhand. Part of the zombie's face smears off on Harrin hand and he shakes it off, disgusted back at the ready. The halted female zombie continues to grab at the air, straining against the sticky vines.

Okami barks and jumps to attack its neck. He manages to graze his shoulder and then moves to Harrin's side.

Flig tries to lance the zombie again. This time it lands and hits the creature in the side of its stomach.

Harrin swings his sword to completely remove its head from the rest of its body. With that, Harrin crushes the skull under his foot. And turns towards the last male zombie. The noise seems to catch the attention of the previously engaged zombie who was eating one of the villages across the road. Moans in the distance get louder as does the thunder. Rain starts to cascade down and in a matter of seconds, Harrin is completely drenched.

His new target is making its way towards Aluuna and Flig. Its stench is stifling. Its tattered clothes stained with fluid Harrin didn't even want to think about.

Aluuna raises her hand and shoots out another lance of pure energy. The zombie no longer slowed, ambles forward in a rush, swinging at Flig. The zombie across the way with three others saunter in to join the fray.

"Thought it wasn't gonna get any worse once the rain started." She shouts. Thunder responds first.

"So it was you that gave us this bad luck" Harrin responds next. In one fluid motion, Harrin grabs hold of the zombie from behind and Okami leaps to rip its head from its shoulders, crushing it in her mouth before she even lands back to the ground.

"This reminds me of- " Flig starts.

"-Don't say it!" Harrin and Aluuna exclaim.

"It's gonna be one hell of a night." Harrin says cracking his neck. Lightning and thunder sound in agreement.

Kith

A spear of energy pierces the air hitting one of the two zombies stumbling for them. It fell to the ground and Kosh smashed its head.

Just in case. The party panting. They had barely made it into the village when 7 zombies noticed their presence. Lightning crackled through the air hitting a tree nearby causing it to ignite.

The last zombie was missing part of its shoulder. From an earlier attack thanks to Renimil. Kosh walks up to it and slashes at its head. It easily falls to the ground where he crushes it.

Kith breathing heavily states, "I think you're taking too much pleasure from that," indicating the crushed skull.

Kosh smirks. "Let's head in that building and clear it out." He pointed to a rundown two-story home a few houses down. The roof was heavily damaged and its windows are boarded up. The wind was starting to pick up and they are all drenched, freezing, and tired. "Harrin's team mentioned there might be survivors as well we have to be aware of that."

Kosh and Ren makes their way over to the house. Kith waits for Eris to come alongside him and puts his arm over her shoulders. She still has some warmth left. "After we clear the house we can only rest a few minutes," Kith says to her.

"I know," Eris says looking up at him with a smile. As they walk with him holding her he looks at the scattered bodies of those they had just killed. Some had been dead long before they'd gotten there. Holes from bugs and teeth marks from the undead mar the bodies. The smell was horrendous before but the wind and rain help quell the stench.

"Such a romantic place" Eris comments.

"We'll have to come back in spring. This time of year is always duller and… lifeless."

Eris giggles.

This trip is getting harder than Kith previously anticipated. Granted he never thought it would have been complicated by the addition of Eris. Things definitely took a turn when they decided to sleep together. Ranking top in his list of favorite things to do. Still, their mission was to now find 2 tomes and destroy them. One of them wanted the tomes. Badly. And if the time came would he be willing to kill his friend over it. His friend. Kith thought. When the hell did he starting thinking that arse was his friend.

They make their way inside the house without further attention from any other zombies. Furniture is piled high against the windows and the stairs leading to the 2nd story. There are bloodstains on the floor and the walls. Two rooms are to their immediate right. One room is separated by a step that leads to the kitchen. After a few moments of Eris and Kosh checking the house, they all gathered in what looked to be the living room. Kith rips down one of the curtains that looked better than all the others and places it on the floor. The party sits a few minutes and snacks on some Iron Rations and Quith-Pa. Iron Rations being the better choice, he gave his share of the Quith-Pa to Eris and Ren.

The Iron rations wouldn't be enough to fill him but his stomach welcomed it nonetheless. They were made with dried figs and dates, nuts, and a variety of dried meats. As far as these rations and the Quith-Pa this was as culinary as Kosh and Ren would get. Eris on the other hand was pretty good at making uncomplicated foods. She made a few pieces of Orc Bacon, which he had hoarded to himself. Kosh was the only one he had to watch out for as Ren ate grass and Eris wasn't a fan.

"This is the last of the tea. From here on out it's just good ol' water." Kosh said, handing the last bit to Eris.

They eat rather quickly, besides the fact they were in a hurry to complete this mission and rendevous with Harrin and the others7 but, the air smells rancid and reeks of fear and darkness. It is only about 10 minutes when they hear shuffling coming from upstairs.

Kosh peers up to see red liquid dripping from the roof where the noise occurred.

"Well there goes my appetite," Ren says shoving the remainder of the coconut rounds in his pack.

Kith scoffs. "No kidding."

The floor creaks and whines above. And they quickly get to their feet. Eris isn't so lucky as the roof caves in and a tub full of bloody water and two corpses crash to the ground and shatters. The water splashes the side of her and it takes all they have not to burst out laughing. The look of mortification displays on her face.

A small shriek comes from above, the tiny figure falls to the floor and scurries furiously toward Eris. "Is that an undead squirrel?" Kith asks. Before anyone else could comment, a ball of fire lands on top of the area.

Eris closes her eyes a moment, takes a deep breath and walks towards the front door.

Kith's heart swells with pride… he was also a wee bit terrified.

Harrin

Flig took care of the last zombie as the winds continue to surge. They made it to the end of the street where they were able to meet up with the other team.

They look just as tired and run down as Harrin and his party.

"You guys look like you had fun."

Eris nods and stretches in place.

Kosh walks off towards a battered church. The windows are heavily boarded as are the double doors leading into the church. "I think I can hear people in there."

He walks closer and is immediately thrown backward onto the ground. The party runs over towards him to help him up as 6 zombies, 4 imps, and a man/creature Harrin doesn't recognize walks out. He was heavily scarred on his torso which was bare and his leather pants are only slightly tattered. Chains wrap over his arms each end having hooks. He wears a bloodstained blindfold over his eyes. The blood also mars his cheeks. Spikes are impaled into his head. Out of the darkness behind the imposing creature appears two figures.

Neither familiar to him.

"Renimil, my brother," the dark-cloaked man states.

"How nice, it is to see you again." His smile is menacing and devious.

"Arix." Renimil mumbles. His voice is just as insincere.

The woman next to the Arix person is dressed in a purple gown adorned with a helmet of horns. Her sharp eyes, cheekbones, and nails give away her evil appearance. The zombies moved towards them slowly, imps jumping in place screeching and skittering "Let me at them, mistress."

"Have your fun little ones. You too" she says indicting the man carrying the chain hooks.

The creature nods and the imps run towards them.

"Don't take too long Ren. I'd hate to get there first." Arix states as he and the woman disappear behind the church.

The monsters move in closer.

"I don't know how much I have left in me, but here goes nothing."

Eris throws up her hands and drops a fireball on the all zombie's heads as Kith, Harrin, and Kosh clash with the chain hook man. The imps press in and Ren and Flig begins a barrage of divine spells and snares.

"Go help Aluuna and Eris!" Flig orders Okami. She barks and bounds her way to stand in front of the two women.

Harrin thrust his sword towards the chainman and pierces his arm. But instead of wincing, the man seems to relish it and smiles. "I can't wait to hear you scream, to beg."

Kith growls and lunges at the man just as Kosh sneaks up behind him. He looks wounded and tried. Blood dripping from a gash on his forehead. The chain creature easily deflects Kith but Kosh catches him by surprise and slices his back. "AH! Do it AGAIN" the chainman says turning to swing his chains around and catching Kosh around the ankles. He tugs hard causing Kosh to fall again but Kosh shields his head. The creature snaps the chain and Kosh flings forward and smashes into a tree, the chain no longer around his leg.

Kosh tries to stand but quickly collapses. Harrin sees no more movement from Kosh. His heart beating faster, anger swelling in his chest. He and Kith attack from either side but the chainman halts them with the swing of his hooks. Harrin grabs a hold of one. "Kith!" Harrin shouts. With a shout, Kith runs his sword into the creature's neck. The creature grabs him with a smile.

"MORE!" it bellows. And shoves Kith back.

Eris

Only one remained after the fireball. Eris pants, her sore muscles straining. "Aluuna, the wolf and I have this! Please help my friend."

Aluuna looks at her. "Okay."

The thunderclaps again quickly followed by another lightning strike that hits the large circular stain glass window high on the church wall.

The glass shatters and clinks to the ground.

This zombie was a little bigger than the rest. Its pace quickens as it gets nearer to them. Okami barks and springs forward slashing at the zombie with her paws, returning to stand in front of Eris. Eris was thankful for the she-wolf's help.

Grateful the other team was here.

She pushes herself past her limits pushes back her worry for her friends. And Kith. She always keeps pushing. She can't give up can't let this end with her running scared.

Eris raises her mace and swings it down in front of her. Four others appear just like it and slam into the zombie, one hit crippling the creature. Tired and tapped out of magical power she walks up to smash his head with her mace. It splinters open and the zombie falls to the ground. She looks back over to Kosh where Aluuna is healing him. He still doesn't move and a lump catches in her throat. She can't move forward anymore and sits with a hard thump to the ground. She falls back and the rain pelts her face as she slowly loses consciousness. Distantly, she feels Okami lay down next to her after howling at the wind.

Kith

His falchion was getting heavier. He knows that Harrin is reaching his limits too. The chained man is twisted, reveling in their fatigue but he looked just as messed up as they did. Kosh looks bad, with no attempt at movement. Eris was collapsed as was the wolf. Fury was the only thing that fueled Kith and he suspects it is also fueling Harrin.

"This ends NOW!" Kith roared as he chops the hand holding one of the chains. Harrin slices the backs of the creature's knees. Its tendons severed and spewing blood on the ground. The creature now in a kneeling position, both Kith and Harrin stalking their prey. Kith runs his blade through the creature's chest as Harrin comes from behind and displaces his head. It drops to the ground, a smile still on its face.