Return to Fonde SSique as Eddipus and Val venture to the ash-choked Crenith. Hilda must perform an ancient tradition called Exorpanning to defeat inner turmoil. Meet Rachel, Lebanon and Bramble. A vampiric race called Darklings, Spiderlings, Draugen...
Eddipus turned to a nearby wall. A yellowing burnt slip of wanted paper was tacked with a rusted nail.
"WANTED. Saul Josh, traitor of Crenith. Accused of Dark Gyromancy. It was thought that Saul was trying to summon the ancient king of death, Abbadoth. He has fled capture. It is believed that he fled for the hills somewhere southwest outside Crenith."
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They neared over to the paper. Saul's eyes gave them chills as the picture was that of a much younger elve they were sure they knew.
"What happened here?" Val asked. It was more a question of personal shock.
Val had seen spell books, demonic wishing eyes, and ghost pouches in the past. He never touched anything dark cultist in nature. He remembered a book that sat on his mother's desk at Huntsman's. The book had a face on the ash-ridden cover. It was for a customer wearing a dark blue hood. He had said he was a merchant himself who sold nick-nacks, elixirs, and housewares. Val now wondered if it would be used for more nefarious purposes. It was illegal in most places to perform such tasks for a reason. It was one of the few things Val feared. He never would have entertained the idea of communing with the dead.
By the looks of it, Saul Josh had been the cause of Crenith's current predicament. A lump formed in the back of Eddipus's throat as his eyes scanned the words on the wanted poster again and again.
He couldn't shake the feeling that he knew the criminal. A whisper from the Winds told him the truth. "You know him!"
Val could have never imagined the insanity someone could bring about through magicka means. He was baffled as to whom the loathsome elve was.
"Just some killer," Val said. "A maniac. A conjurer."
They wouldn't be needing much and there was no time for becoming unnecessarily over-encumbered. They forwent any extra bulky items. Eddipus threw some lighter armaments in an unassuming gray pack. Val stowed two rondel daggers, one with slight rust on the handle and a chip in the blade. Both were still sharp enough to do damage to any drawing near. Two tally marks had been etched into a gold pommel. Val added a hand full of arrows he found lying about. Just as they were ready to leave, closing the bag with everything ready to go, they heard a growl from behind them.
They turned to see a hideous draugen dog shakily stagger in. The creature groaned, saliva dripping from its eager teeth. For a moment, Val was reminded of the demon cur on the road. It crept closer. In an instant he reached for the gray bag and pulled from it an arrow, jumping frantically at the mangled mutt. Eddipus, seeing his friend battle the beast readied his weapon and stood back just in case Val went Berserkr again.
He jabbed the arrow in the thing's neck and wouldn't let go, struggling like a rider on a bucking wild horse. His arm was around its neck.
"Run!" Val yelled.
Eddipus hesitated. He would run but not without his companion. He thrust Teylavere forward at the mongrel, knocking Val off to the floor. Eddipus pulled out his claymore from the beast and sheathed her.
He grabbed Val by the arm, pulling him up.
They ran fast to a spiral staircase up the hall. The animal shot off a snarling cry behind and started galloping. They turned a corner, past a stone base. Above, supported a wooden loft behind a large door standing open. They ran in, only to be greeted by the drooling snout as they slammed the door in its face and slid a wood beam across.
Inside, along the walls were sets of double windows.
"We must jump!" Eddipus said, pointing above and running forward. Val objected, sweat dripping from his head.
"Thats insane!..."
The door behind them rattled as they heard scratching. The beast broke splinters of wood into the air. Val looked out the window and downward toward an open hey barrack. He shook his head and backed away. A piece of the door broke open. The creature's snout poked through and sniffed frantically, its mouth oozing blood mucus onto the floor.
"You can take your chances with the Draugen dog?"
"No.." Val said, lowering his tone and walking to the double-head windows. The gap was wide enough for them to fit through, perch, then leap.
"You ready?"
"No"
"You've climbed and perched on trees. You've even somersaulted mid-air, Val. Just let go as if in a tree."
"This isn't a tree." Val snapped.
Eddipus was calm.
"Suffering produces perseverance."
"I'm not suffering," Val said, shaking his head.
"Val, suffering comes in many forms. Fear is one. Persevere as you always have, my friend."
"It's just...I told you I trained in a king's court..."
"Of course, Val."
"It's a half-truth. A giant, big enough to be a king."
"...The giant trained you?"
"No. In my mind, I trained." He paused. Breathing heavily.
"The bit about my parents and the Rapha siege is true." Val became expressionless, an unreadable brick wall.
"I fight Galith mentally. I ready my arrows till the day I kill him. It will take one shot between the eyes."
Not wasting another second, Val snatched up the courage. 'Persevere' as you always have.' It stuck in him as Dante's words of wisdom had.
Through the window, he climbed and took a leap of faith.
"Val! Come to me." He heard and with those few words, Val silently slipped away.
