Lop desperately tried to put on an extra burst of speed as she ran on her ragged breathing ringing in her ears and over it the sound of doom gaining on her.

Despite the risk she took a chance and glanced over her shoulder.

[[OOC: Wisdom Save Lop Vetinari rolled 10 using 1d20+1 ((9)).]]
This message was last edited by the player at 08:39, Sat 09 Oct 2021.

You couldn't bring yourself to look, it was gaining on you too fast, but that's when you notice the fog. It had become so thick suddenly. You couldn't hear the sounds of the thing anymore.

Lop felt her leaden limbs slowing against her will as she glanced about the fog, when had it got this thick? She didn't remember any stories about thick fog affecting this area.

No matter she told herself, it gave her a chance to escape, not if only she could reach the monastery before that thing found her again.

She glanced about trying to pick out landmarks to make sure she was still on the the right track and forced herself to continue to run towards safety.

You continued running towards the monastery, but something feels odd, you should have reached it by now, right?

Lop staggers to a stop and looks around herself, she had to be there... maybe she'd gone the wrong way?

You can't tell, the mists have become so thick you can't see anything. There's seemingly nothing here but the ground.

The panic that Lop had been holding back so far threatened to overwhelm her as the chocking mist and fog blanketed every direction.

She moved slightly in one direction and then another, lost for what direction to move in. I still need to find somewhere to hide she thought to herself, even if it isn't the monastery.

I'll just pick a direction and continue, I'm bound to find somewhere she decided and strode onwards.

Eventually the mist began to lift a bit and you see a large metal gate in front of you.

Where is this? Lop thought as she reached out to try and open the gate "Hello? Anyone here?"

The gate opened, slowly with a horrible and loud creak. No one was around...well, no one alive anyway...it seems you've found your way to a graveyard.

A graveyard? was there one in this area? Lop thought to herself I guess there must of been she mused as she stepped through the yawning gateway and into the graveyard proper.

"This way...," a weak sounding voice called out, deeper inside the graveyard.

"Who's there?" Lop called as she walked towards the sound of the voice.

As you walk forward, you come to solitary grave with a rusted sword thrust into the ground.

Lop looked around confusion beginning to spread on her face, she walked around the grave calling out again "Hello? where are you? I need help!"

"The swooooord...," the voice said.

"I don't think a sword is going to help me all that much" Lop replied even as her hand reached for the hilt "Especially a rusted lump like this" she added as her hand closed on the hilt.

As you place your hands on the sword, the world begins to melt away, until you find yourself in a black void. Before you stands a black figure, even darker than the surrounding darkness, with red flames for their eyes.

"Greetings mortal, it seems you have found your way to me," the figure said. "I can give you the power you seek as long as you swear fealty to me, for the rest of your life."

"Where?" the words slipped out of Lops mouth raising an octave or two in fright and shock. Then her eyes locked to the strange figure before you, her throat was dry and it took an attempt or two before she was able to find her voice.

"Who.. what are you?" she asked instead I have to be hallucinating or something she thought as she spoke.

"I am the spirit of blades," the spirit said. "Now swear your vow to me!"

Lop hesitates not sure that dealing with a unknown entity was a great plan, but then her mind wonders back to the thing that escaped the book, how it pursued her and hunted her.

"Fine if you can help me, I'll serve" she said through gritted teeth and hoped she wasn't making a mistake.

"Excellent," the spirit said. Suddenly the world came rushing back and you found the sword in your hand, looking new.

Lop stared at the blade trying to work out what had just happened, perhaps it was just a hallucination brought on by the stress of the situation?

She rested the blade on he shoulder as she looked about her mind distracted by the event "This is getting to be a bit much... More like what you read in one of those stories than reality" she muttered to herself.

She looked about trying to pick out a landmark that could lead her towards civilization, as he aching muscles began to call out for rest.

At the entrance of the graveyard, you could see a sign pointing down the road, but oddly it was blank.

Lop looked at the sign for a moment and then sighed "Well it's better than nothing I suppose" she said to herself and then began to trot down the road in the direction the sign pointed.