Chapter 1: Shadows of Herrod - Part 2
Sunlight creeps through the window shades, and lands on the eyes of Herr Johannes. His eyelids flutter a moment; he instinctively goes to turn on his side when a sudden twinge of pain reminds him he can't do that. But it does wake him up the rest of the way. He slowly props himself up on his elbows, careful not to strain anything he'd later regret. Feeling a weight on his stomach, Herr Johannes looks downward; Lady Jacqueline's head rests on top him, having fallen asleep crouched over him. Her legs rest on the floor while her upper body is sprawled over the cot – Herr Johannes tries his best not to wake her. He looks around the room, realizing for the first time they're back in the safe house. A snore from near the fireplace draws his attention, and he sees Dwalin curled beneath a blanket on the ground, next to him lies Marcus. Apparently they had started a fire in the night since a few wisps of smoke still rise from the charcoal. Only a few feet from them is a woman with white-hair Herr Johannes doesn't recognize; he must've not noticed her last night, understandably.
"Where's Adwonus?" Herr Johannes whispers to himself almost inaudibly. "I'm right here," replies a second whisper. Herr Johannes finally sees Adwonus at the table, his face in stoic contemplation. Adwonus seems to mentally put aside his thoughts, "Glad to see you're awake." "Yea, me too," he replies, "Apparently everyone got out alright." Adwonus responds, "Yea, everyone's alive, but..." "But what?" says Herr Johannes as he shift his weight gently, his elbows becoming stiff. "But we failed, our task is failed." "Perhaps," Herr Johannes looks intently at Adwonus, "God has a way of working these things out. I've got a feeling this is just the beginning." The half-orc pauses a moment, "I've never been one for going to temple you know..." Herr Johannes interjects, "I'm not asking you to. Just watch, things are about to change." Adwonus says, "I think you're right; things are about to change. But will it change for the better?" Herr Johannes and Adwonus hush their conversation as the others start to rise, the dawn in full bloom. It's a new day...
[Private to Marcus: The young man walks along the beach, his eyes hypnotized by the rolling waves. White foam rises to the top with each pulse and washes onto the shore. He always liked these walks on the beach; he liked being near the sea. It always sung to him in the most marvelous way. And then the sea sang, a woman's voice like glass...
Beneath the sea there are two hearts,
Both are the same as yours.
Only one can be lifted out,
The deeper of the two.
The young man listened, enthralled by the voice. Its perfection rang through him; the endless water rocked in harmony to the tune. When the last word was sung, the sea died, it's waves ceasing at an instant. And all at once, the ocean sat still, perflectly clear without a ripple. Then he saw it, a hand rise out from the water; from it echoed the only movement in the sea. The head of a woman breaks the glass surface, her auburn hair flashing off the sun. The young man watches, expecting her to sing, but instead she screams. She screams a blood-curling scream and plummets beneath the surface, and the ripple shatters the ocean, waves crashing upon eachother in a frenzied violence. She is drowning.
He dives into the water after her without a second thought. The waves thrash and threaten to consume him, but he continues to swim, his mind focused with intent. He dives once more upon the spot he saw her, his hand outstretched with hope. The sea is black, nothing can be seen beneath the surface. His hand grasps another's, and as he does, their hands start to glow, illuminating the black water. Floating in the blackness he sees himself grasping the hand of a small girl's corpse. Her flesh has rotted, exposing bone in some places. Suddenly, the eyes of the corpse open, their souless gaze upon the young man. It speaks in the whispered voice of countless dead, "Deeper. Go deeper." As it releases its skeletal grip, a tendril grasps the foot of the young man. He swims and thrashes to get away, but it is hopeless. He is pulled into the abyss...
You wake up. Marcus looks around in a brief panic, sweat dripping from his forehead - he realizes they're back in the safe house. He eases back down and thinks to himself, "Phew, that was some dream. Almost seemed....real."]
[Private to Herr Johannes: "How are your painting lessons coming?" the man rests his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Pretty well father, but I don't understand why I need to take them." The man replies, "A King needs to be skilled in many things, from the art of war to the arts themselves. There are important lesson in painting, such as patience and attention to detail. These lessons all too often go unnoticed." "I guess it's something I'll understand later?" says the boy, not quite a teenager. The man chuckles as he strokes his thick beard, "Well, not necessarily. You can notice such things even now. There are subtleties all around, a hidden world for the keen eye. One needs only to take a closer look."
Herr Johannes wakes up. Sunlight creeps through the window shades, and lands on his eyes...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:51, Wed 06 Aug 2014.