Within the dining hall sat alliances and friends of the Master and the Lady of the house hold. With fine food prepared for the guests and elegant decoration place around the dining hall everyone was feeling relaxed and ready for the meeting to begin so that the eating could begin. The sun had not yet set so it was going to be a while before the meeting could commence, but there is always that rule that if you're early you're on time and if you're on time you're…
*pant pant pant* "I'm here!" exclaimed Charleen as she leaned on the door way partially out of breath. Surveying the rest of her guests she realized that they were all staring at her with uncertainty. Quickly brushing herself off, thinking that maybe it was what she was wearing, Charleen spoke hoping to distract the crowd from her looks. "So, where do I sit?"
"Here dear," answered the Lady.
Charleen then quickly took her seat towards the head of the table, then darted her eyes towards her father, hoping that he would begin the meeting so that the awkward silence would end.
"Well, since my daughter has finally arrived, let us begin." The Master stood at the head of the table ready to give his speech—
*BARK BARK!*
*Groan*
Both the Master and the Lady of the estate looked to their daughter with disgust.
Unsure of the problem Charleen shrugged, "What?"
"Please go silence Zarok, Charleen," sighed the Lady as she rubbed her forehead.
"Yes ma'am." Charleen then slowly stood from the table and left to find Zar.
"Zar!?"
*Bark Bark!*
"Zar!"
*BARK BARK!*
"Zar!" As Charleen turned the corner to one of the more recluse locations of the castle, she saw her mabari barking at a window. The mabari kept jumping =and scratching at the window pane as if he was trying to get out. Charleen knelt down to calm her hound, only wondering why he was acting so oddly. "Hush. What's wrong with you boy?"
*Whine* Zar slowly back up from the window pane.
"What are you—" But once she stared into the window she immediately saw her answer.
Before them stood an army of floating black ghost like figures now surrounding the castle. Their faces were covered by hoods, but only one red eye could be seen from the left side of the face. Four of them were heading for the window, but once Zar stopped barking they began to charge at their two victims.
"Run!" the young lady yanked on Zar's tail to allow him to give him a hint to follow her. As Charleen ran towards the first decorative sword she could find, she turned and slashed one of the creatures into pieces. "Why are there Shades around the castle?"
*Whine* *Bark!*
Mother, Father… "Oh by the Maker! Mother Father!" Charleen dashed pass Zar, and sprinted to the dining hall. Within seconds she arrived at the door way, "Mother Father the castle's—"
Charleen stared into the room with horror upon seeing once appetizing food now taited with pools of blood. It looked as if no one at the table had moved, almost as if they were all just sleeping. With everyone's body's just leaning forwards so that their heads were resting on the table, it almost appeared as though you could tap one's shoulder and they'd awaken.
Charleen scanned the table in fear, What happened here!? and at the far end of the table sat a person in a black cloak with his back towards the two. Charleen lifted her sword and pointed it directly at the intruder. "You there! What the fig have you done?! Who are you?! And what are you doing here?!"
*Whine…* Zar slowly crept up in front of Charleen and stood his ground before her, *BARK!*
"It must be more difficult to recognize me from the back?" The intruder then stood and slowly turned to face Charleen and Zar. "Or maybe it's just been too long… wouldn't you agree, little sister?"
Not even waiting for the intruder to lower his hood Charleen knew who was standing before her, "Ben… but why? Why would you kill your parents, our parents? OUR FRIENDS?! EVERYONE?!"
The hooded figure glanced away, "You wouldn't understand."
"I don't sodding care if I would understand or not, why in the void would you do something like this?!"
"Well," paused her brother, "what if I told you it had something to do with today's conference?"
Shocked by her brother's statement Charleen filled with rage, he killed everyone for this piece of dirt?, "What? The sodding land?! And the city?! Is that what you wanted?! Because I didn't want it you could have had it for all I care!"
*BARK!*
"But no you go and kill everyone just because the estate wasn't going to fall to you," she glared into her brothers eyes, "I wouldn't even think of giving this estate to you now. No. I wouldn't even consider the idea! How dare you kill EVERYONE out of your own greed?!"
Calmly rising from the table Benjamin started walking towards Charleen, and with each step forward Charleen inched slightly backwards. Without saying a word Ben then quickly lifted his hand and cast a spell pushing Charleen and Zar into the back wall.
Slamming into solid rock with such force Charleen and Zar were both knocked out. They both fell onto the cold floor and into a deep sleep.
The mage moved forward leaving only a small distance of space between his foot and Charleen's body. Turing away from his sibling the mage summoned a ball of blue fire into his hand, "Damn it."