M3:54 Coterie
Rumors of a town with plague and on the tenth day Braden and his band enter its environs. Of the rising unrest, among the few still conscious and conscientious share blank stares of a grim deceit of patient calmly survival, townsmen offering silver pieces by hand for visiting warriors to stay and hunt allures Braden’s crew. They pay for pact to kill those white of eyes in exchange for a fistfuls of silver. As the jotun Agnar reaches the councilman withdraws with some hesitation. Most wandering the quieted streets, slowing at the points to be robbed and Braden doesn’t care to do much else, but finds the pub to his welcome. /
In an hour, Braden and his bandits rally at the inn and decide in coveted whispers to steal it all. On the sunset they plan their reconnaissance, as Ophidian listens secretly.
Digr: Drive up a wagon, I take down the wall.
Agnar: That is every plan to.
Digr: Years, years and he still ‘be make words’ like that? We should stand him in the street while, they, try to teach him.
Kat: Shut your face, mudfish.
Agnar: Is simple, and fight is rude.
Braden: Alright, alright, drinks before we argue, lest we look out of place, and rude. Get us some wine, sir.
Bartender: That keg there, now for emergencies, or for 100 libras silver.
Jonak: Too much.
Kat: Silver?
Braden: It’s barely worth 200 iron anywhere else.
Bartender: True, but no one trusts the water, they say it makes the demons fill the men, I boil it and still they won’t have it. 200 silver, take it or leave it.
Kat: Bring us water. We must see danger water. Table here, yes?
The bartender brings the water, to him, Braden, Katyenka, and Agnar, forward they lean and water seems clear, to Digr it teams with tiny corpuscular larvae. Digr puts his elbows on the table thinking that they see the infected water also, but they talk and Braden takes the first glass, almost drinking and thusly prevented.
Digr: STOP! DON’T TOUCH THIS WATER! Water bad sick, not for the drinking.
He knocks the glass from hand, the clear water spills and Digr takes his knife and sorts thru the larvae.
Digr: Don’t touch it, electrocute the water.
Braden begins to shock the table and the water begins to bleed, soon they can all see the infestation. Kat takes the glass and shocks it, her magic whiter and foremost electric kills the creatures in the cup, quickly turning the once clear contents slimy and dark and pours like mud. They all slide themselves in their seats back from the table, the bartender cautiously puts pitcher on the table.
Braden: This town has demons; a cemetery has no need of fortune. /
Ophidian sees their discovery process and exits, Agnar does not like the way he left so decidedly exits and follows. At the alley end he stands, his nape looks as scales early forming, he turns to view Agnar with narrow pupils of serpents’ eyes from the dimly-lit corner. Sino wrenches his knuckles of his black-tarred hands and punches Agnar in the neck, the giant stomps his foot in almost falling finding balance, but Sino grabs his throat, pressing him against the wall.
Sino: You have come to the cemetery of your will, I see.
Jotun: Unhand me.
Sino reinforces his grip and wields the nightmare blade.
Sino: We had a deal, for your revenge, and for my revenge. With neither happening, one of us has exceeded their lifespan.
Agnar: The mage did not-
Sino: (thru teeth) Excuses.
Agnar: (the blade close to his face) In battle the vial was dropped, as I found it I was seen, it was destroyed to save my identity.
Sino: Do you feel your stomach rotting, your bones bleeding, this is how you will die a thousand fold if you again fail me.
Agnar: He is wise and powerful.
Sino: Cut him in the water, the infection kills any host while the ophidian demon lives.
Merlin hears the nightmare blade, not knowing its form, unknowing its purpose, like a subtle bell losing pitch and gaining depth. The tavern with patrons, soon voices he recognizes, turning and smiling from talking and stylings to dancing and violence of drunkards oft before, but he follows the sound thru the room.
Merlin: Don’t drink the water.
Footsteps.
Braden: All but true I kindly know, where are you going? Where are you going, Merlin?
Sino snaps his eyes aside, his volition to hearing all that makes sound, quickly acting spins the glowing blade into his hands and sheds his form as a spell of camouflage and away into thinning black smoke.
/ch