The Ashes of Allmau: The Orfolk of Allmau

Chapter 32

Dyll turned sharply, as though sensing Ahna's shock behind him. The aethereal claw burnt away in the soft light of Rune, so quickly as not to concern Dyll. He turned back and eyed the door through which Rosalyne had disappeared. Now without the feeling of Ahna before him, he summoned the strength to follow, knowing that Rosalyne had taken with her the box that contained his best friend.

He ran on alone, with only Rune by his side. Stepping into the shadow of the old tower and starting up after Rosalyne. As soon as he entered the tower, the whispering began again, and with each step upwards it grew a little louder and clearer. At the top of the spiral stairway the doorway was open. He climbed into the tower, boarded up and abandoned, seeing Rosalyne kneeling where the table once was. There was little or anything left, though some ashes and debris remained against the walls. Amongst the rafters were more orfolk, all looking down at Rosalyne as she knelt over the box.

"You've been gone for so long," came the whispers, "You've missed so much."

Dyll looked to the rafters but saw none of the orfolk speaking, "You mustn't have heard." Came the voices once again.

He climbed upwards to get closer to them, sure it was them who were whispering.

"Heard what?" Rosalyne replied, while staring down at the ashes that were once her perfect world.

"War is returns to Eymier."

"War?" she said, aloud.

"The only thing these creatures know," came the voice, "Death."

Dyll moved from orfolk to orfolk, noticing their one mindedness as they stared down at Rosalyne. An odd flickers and flourish of black and gold aetherforms caught his attention as they manifest and swirled list smoke and ash between the orfolk.

"More fire, more blood," came the whisper, "Eymier, Etto, Allmau."

"What?" She closed her eyes and looked away, "No."

"Yes." it replied, "His bloodlust will not end, unless you end it."

Rosalyne frowned, "I can't." her thoughts escaped her mind, into the aether, through a web of ephemera as the black aetherforms seemed to settle near her.

Dyll looked on as they seemed to settle in the form of something, almost human, "You can." It replied.

"No," she said aloud, followed by her thoughts.

"Would you rather let it all happen again?" came a whisper, "Feel the fear, the anger, the cold of death."

"Enough of this." She said sternly, then rose from her place, the aetherforms burnt away, seeming to settle amongst the ash about the room. She dusted off her gown and told herself, "This is just my nervous mind, quaking."

With that she went to leave, sparing one last look at the box that now sat in the tower. There was a stillness in the air. The orfolk flickered and twitched back to life, a few looked at Dyll and seemed to jump in surprise.

"Hello?" he asked, waving.

They did not respond, their eyes were deep and dark, just like wild ones. They quickly scattered about the tower and made their way for the door, running down the stairs after Rosalyne. Dyll leapt down from the rafters, he'd never seen so many wild orfolk together in one place. The aether should have brought some sense to them, but something was very wrong.

Dyll approached the box and placed his hand against it, "I'll be back." He promised.

"I saw him," said Ahna, while Sybble tried to dress her.