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Ambush
It was a fact of life in the Hamlet that very few things were free. Room and board was one of them, though the barracks reflected their low cost. Vesli had fallen out of the tattered bed feeling his knotted muscles protest the abuse. Basic meals were another 'free' addition to their life as soldiers in the Hamlet. Even It gave a sideways look at the offerings today and wondered if the 'food' would suddenly skitter away. They'd had to work together to gather enough strength to eat breakfast, but a full belly was not something passed up lightly. The training grounds were the last of the free offerings in this decrepit town. Vesli really didn't feel like dealing with Face again at the moment. He could always spend the percent he'd earned from his few expeditions to use one of the marginally nicer activities, but the Heir's steep 'taxes' on adventuring profits had Vesli rather attached to the few coins which remained in his pocket.
What then was he to do with himself? He could take the initiative and slate his 'team' on the roster for the next dungeon that looked promising. Chances were Bird had already signed them up. Checking was at least something to do that didn't involve money or 'free' amenities of suspect virtue.
In the center of town, there was crumbling rock of what was supposedly once a statue of the Heir's Ancestor. A much newer addition than the rubble was the board next to it that sported a large map of the surrounding Estate. On this board was a maintained list of what errands the Heir wanted done where. The errands had started as just the Ruins – remnants of the Ancestor's seat of power supposedly. The Heir had wanted this to be the focus in the beginning, then decided time was better spent if the three other areas were dealt with as well. Now errands of varying import and difficulty dotted the board for not only the Ruins, but the Weald, Cove, and Warrens as well. There was a fifth area yet untouched by adventuring parties. The Heir had made it clear that the Dungeon was to be attempted only with explicit permission however. So, Vesli focused his attention on the open roster sheets instead.
Ah. There. Bird had atrocious handwriting, suitable for being a Doctor, but it was legible enough. She'd slated them for the Ruins tomorrow. Yet another camping quest, it seemed. This time to retrieve Holy relics of the Light. Bird's sadistic sense of humor was showing itself. It approved.
The familiar rapid listing of observations had Vesli's ears perking. Think of the Bird and she shall appear. Bird was chattering away to herself scribbling notes so quickly the man almost wondered how the pen didn't catch fire. Vaguely wondering what had her attention, he followed the glinting gaze of the lenses. A… flower? Why? It looked like any other weed so far as Vesli was concerned, but Botany had never been his subject. Might as well find out what this was about and discover if Bird understood just what she was about to subject them to. "Alright, I'll bite. Why are you staring at a plant?" This is what he would've said. He'd reached the word 'are', his tone about as friendly as Vesli could get – after all friends were in short supply in the Hamlet and he really should try to fix that – when a sound a retching disgust interrupted him.
"Look how the creature tries to act like a person," this came from the very same Vestal that he'd had warned about the moon.
"I know Sister. It truly is a pathetic show," the blue vestments of Raynauld made Vesli's slightly clawed fingers clench momentarily.
"Rude. Accusing. Signs of psychological weakness," Bird's mask indicated that she was staring at the two intruders. A small part of Vesli's mind was curious if that stare would be as intimidating without the lenses flashing in the light. "No sense of social proprietary either. Interrupted a conversation that you were not involved in. Must be raised by wolves. Wait. No. Wolves have clear ordered social structure. Insulting to wolves. Apologies. Raised by maggots then". The man's mind finally decided to realize that Bird had just stood up for him. One blink. Two. Huh.
The religious duo were almost as surprised as Vesli was. Raynauld stepped forward. Vesli intercepted with a serpent's smile on his face. "I'd be careful if I were you friend," he said. His tone was polite but carried a cold sense of warning, almost like a knife. It helped by adding the faintest hint of a rumble to the words. "You two may be two of the Heir's favored tools but how likely is that to stay if you go around attacking other agents? Such unreliable tools are oft... discarded."
Raynauld and the Vestal glared but looked at each other. Then they stormed off together, not wanting to risk the Heir's infamous temper. "Those two are not even worth knowing their names," Vesli was certainly not going to bother learning the Vestal's now.
"Hmm. Plausible. Suggestions?" Bird tilted her head at him.
"His Holy Bastard and Her Holy Bitch." Vesli's mental addition to the list was the resident Leper now dubbed His Holy Hypocrite. It decided those names were too long. It would call them Bastard, Bitch, and Cur instead. Vesli gave It a mental pat of encouragement.
"HHB 1 and 2 if they are in ear shot then? Agreed. Must pity Dismas and their Plague Doctor Tirel though. Hear they are actually acceptable examples of homo sapiens." Bird returned to sketching the flower.
"Hmm. Let us hope the poor souls retain their sanity around His Holy Bastard and Her Holy Bitch then. Now, what in the name of the Light is so fascinating about the plant?"
"Oh, it is most fascinating. You see the petals-" And so Vesli learned just how terrifying flowers could be. Both he and Bird appeared quite content to not discuss the incident any further.
* / * / *
The morrow dawned with a ray of sunlight filtering through the perpetual gloom of the Hamlet. Both Bird and Caillot had gotten to be better at camping through training with the Survivalist, though neither was an expert at it. Caillot's ability to prevent ambush and allow the party to sleep the night without needing to assign watches would also be useful again, even if the trick made both Vesli and It uneasy. Vesli decided to watch the two scholars and hopefully this expedition would just be more routine. He didn't dare think the five forbidden words, but he was confident that they'd be able to handle a bunch of shambling skeletons.
Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer.
It started as a couple normal skeletons and one shield-wielding bastard. Nothing they hadn't seen before. Then the ground started to shake, loose stones falling from the ceiling. Then a very VERY large skeleton that wore something similar to Face's armor lumbered in to smack the ground with a mace about the size of a cannon ball, causing them all to stagger.
Regaining his footing Vesli cursed, It growling in agreement. This thing was strong and clearly wasn't going to sit idly by while they fought the smaller bastards. "Aela!" he growled, his feral instincts showing with the danger "With me! Caillot, Veci handle the tiny bastards!"
Ignoring the sound of the sky-ghost tentacles attacking the regular skeletons, he and Aela charged the Giant Tremor-Bastard. Letting loose a savage growl he swung his chains at the feet of the asshole. Thanks to his footwork being almos' dec'nt as Face would put it, Vesli managed to stagger the behemoth as Aela gave a scream and struck it with her glaive, cleaving through a great deal of bone. Noticing the shield-wielding bastard of bone preparing a strike on their more fragile allies, he yelled "Aela! Kick it!" Not even questioning his order, the hellion kicked the Goliath skeleton in its armored torso, sending it back and into the strike as the giant crushed its own ally. Caillot and Bird rushed to join them, the smaller enemies bested. For a moment, Vesli dared to have hope, to feel confident once again.
The foolish thoughts were crushed as brutally as any hope in these cursed lands.
Giving a guttural roar, the giant slammed its mace down in front of them, stunning Bird and Caillot while Aela looked gravely injured, her arm dropping her halberd as she clutched the injured appendage. His frailer companions struggled to get off the ground as they had several injuries from the attack. This bastard had attacked his Team, the only ones who treated him like an actual fucking human being besides Face.
It saw red and wanted blood. For once, Vesli chose not to argue.
Giving out a primal scream of rage and hatred, he threw back his head as he let the change take place, chains shattering with near explosive force. Muscles and bones ripped themselves apart before settling on the shape of It, of the Abomination. It could smell the spike of fear and adrenaline from the others. That just made It angrier. Glaring balefully at the, apparently surprised, skeleton It charged, lowering Its head and ramming the skeleton with Its horns. Letting out a roar that shook dust from the ceiling, Vesli let It rage, ignoring the resulting mental strain of letting It off the leash. It raked Its claws up and down the colossal undead, idly noting a strange smell and how he seemed to be hitting harder and faster than normal.
Finally, the giant skeleton toppled to the ground, having been caught off guard by the transformation and Its brutal attacks. As his opponent fell, It dropped to Its knees, shrinking until It was back in his mind and Vesli once more was in control. Rustling, the shards of his chains shook before flying to him and reforming around him, the locks clicking into place as he panted, fingers digging into the soil and stone of the Ruin's floor.
Vesli couldn't bring himself to look at his companions, even if Bird's mask would spare him at least one horrified expression. "We should camp in the next room." The words didn't even feel like that left his mouth they were so bland. Even as Vesli scouted their destination, setting up blockades to help dissuade night-time ambush in case Caillot's trick didn't work this time, he didn't look at his fellows. They got a fire started. Caillot did his chant that had the hairs on the back of Vesli's neck standing up before the Occultist tended to Aela's arm.
The crackling flames were that only noise that dared disturb the silence. Inhale. Count… count to… Count to something. Shuddering exhale. "I would imagine you want answers. I only ask that you not interrupt me. I… I admit that I do not know if I would have the capacity to finish the explanation if you do so." And so Vesli told them what he could remember of his past. And about Its presence forever lurking in his mind since his time in the Tower. Then he waited.
"How curious. May I trim a claw for study? A horn as well perhaps? Those chains must be observed as well. Ah! How did the Vapors react with the transformation? Any side-effects? Nausea? Headache? Loss of limb use?" Bird's chatter was the first to sound off, because of course she would. Wait. What?
"Backup and slow down Bir- Veci. You want to trim a claw. And a horn. Off of It."
"Only a small sample, I promise. Nothing that would impede on attacks or movement," Bird nodded.
"You also want to study my chains."
"Yes! Most fascinating how they reformed themselves!"
"And what's this about Vapors and side-effects?"
"We Plague Doctors call them 'Emboldening Vapors'. I have a revised mixture I was testing. Noticeable effects in your hits. Both visibly faster and stronger. Will take your confusion as a lack of noticeable immediate side-effects. Will also keep observation on your behavior for the next twenty-four hours to ensure positive result."
"You are not afraid? Disgusted?" The desperate plea of a drowning man made his words waver slightly.
"Of course not! Will need to study It up close. Take measurements and-" Vesli turned from Bird's ongoing flood of dialogue to look at Aela and Caillot.
The Hellion grinned at him savagely. "I'm sure that It would just make things in bed that much more interesting! Door's wide open if you change your mind!"
Caillot simply continued to polish the skull he carried. "My good Vesli, I have made a pact with a creature far beyond mortal understanding. I am afraid you'll have to do much more than change into an Eldritch were-beast to shock me." He did however look over at Aela. "I did not realize horns could be erotic."
"What? They're not," she frowned.
"Then why suggest sleeping with It?"
"What?! I meant I thought It would affect performance! Not bestiality you pervert!" Aela nailed the Occultist in the head with a small rock. The next few minutes were spent having to attempt to rouse Caillot from unconsciousness.
It was not used to having a pack. It found It rather enjoyed the foreign sensation.
As for Vesli, he just gave a wry chuckle. "Thank you."
