The Curse of Outpost 7

The streets of Barad'Dun were definitely getting more chilly as time progressed further into the winter season. 'Although the temperature may change, the shadows never will.' Strider thought to himself. He knew of the different workings that Barad'Dun's nights kept under wraps, the silent exchanges and forbidden acts. The laws of equivalence made sure the greater a city becomes, the darker the unknown grows. Strider had lived with this reality his entire life, and he had held perfect balance on the thin line between the darkness and the light. But as he walked the cobblestone streets this night, he felt tranquility. It may have been the calm before the storm, or perhaps he was just lazy from the excitement this day. One thing was certain, as soon as he came through the alleyway and spotted the door to his home, he felt relief. He turned the knob and stepped inside, peering in at the furnace at the back, the coals still glowing orange from a day's workings.

"Strider?" He heard a weary voice call out. "Yes, it's me." He responded and walked in through the main room closing the door behind him.

The worn blacksmith put down his pipe and heaved himself out of his lofty, red chair.

"How do you fair, boy," he scratched his grizzly chin,"had enough to drink?" He smiled easily and wrapped his left arm around the tired rogue.

"I'm only disappointed that I couldn't bring home a keg!" Strider said, emphasizing his grandeur by waving his free arm. Beren laughed and lead Strider to the still lit furnace to stay warm. "So much of your father I see in you, boy. You both had an eye for adventure. And you share your compassion with your mother's own." Strider thought about this and gazed into the bright coals, finding shelter in their warm embrace. He sat down and sprawled out on the floor, staring up towards the ceiling, lost in missing memories of his late parents.

"I'm sorry son, I didn't mean to bring it up. I'm sure they would be proud of you." Beren said sympathetically. "It's alright," Strider sighed out," I like to think they would be." For a few minutes neither of them moved, both pondering lazily without much thought of anything.

"I'm going out tomorrow." Said Strider, breaking the silence. "I knew you might," The blacksmith retorted,"You seemed quite accomplished when I saw your expression." Another pause. "What is it this time? More back alley jobs, or possibly a Royal Army mission?"

"Close, it's more of an adventure of my own. Although Shepherd Konradr will be heading this quest." He said glancing up at Beren. The man's face seemed to perk up at the name. "Oh? Konradr's making another headline eh?" He chortled. "Does this mean you'll be arming yourself?" He seemed to become more serious.

"Well, I will need to protect myself I presume." Strider said. "I was thinking I could borrow a shop blade?"

Beren thought about this for a moment. Then he decided something quietly to himself. "No, I have something else in mind." He then quickly made his way up the steps to the second floor, where the bedrooms and storage presided. Strider rolled over and glanced over at the staircase, listening to Beren's footsteps as he made his way around the house. A few minutes later he came back down the stairs with a cloth wrapped package. The blacksmith came over and sat in the chair and started to unravel the long object. Slowly the final flap unfolded, revealing a shining blade. Strider got up on a knee and stared at this magnificent sword which Beren had bared before him. As Strider remained in this knighting pose, Beren held the sword out to him.

"This is Notte." He exclaimed regally. "This, boy, was your father's sabre." Strider took the sabre resting on the cloth in his two hands, and couldn't muster a single word to say. His eyes teared slightly while marveling at this precious jewel. The blade, dark silver in the light, was hued black at certain angles. The large, black hand guard was emblazoned with a gold crest and trim. The handle and pommel were a deep gold with a blue pattern on the handle. "I think it's about time you take up your heritage. This blade will serve you well."

"I.... don't know what to say, Beren. This is unbelievable." Strider said breathlessly. "Where did you find it?"

"They retrieved it from the battlefield when they brought your parents home, and I plucked it from the Army's grip. I thought it would be of more use in my possession then to rot away in a memorial." He explained, while stretching back into his chair. "You'll use it won't you, son?"

"Of course!" Strider announced. "But where is the scabbard?" Beren shifted in his chair uneasily. "Unfortunately, they couldn't find it. Dirhael must have lost it gutting those damn Uruk' Hai." Anger took over his person. He regressed and sighed, returning to face Strider. "But, by your leave tomorrow, I'll have made one that will suit Notte just fine." He and Strider both smiled. "Now, I'll need Notte back." He said, finally relinquishing it from Strider's hands. "You need as much sleep as you can get, as far as I understand."

"You're right." Sighed Strider, heaving himself upward. "I can never thank you enough, Beren." He conveyed, and bent down and gripped tight around the man's body. "There is no need to thank me, son. Your father is the one who gives this gift to you."

"Now head upstairs and sleep. There isn't much time left to restore your strength." With that said, Strider nodded and made his way to upstairs to his bed, only stopping for an instant to see Beren staring deep into the sword's gleam.

it had become very late at least a few hours past midnight as edgar lay on demies floor in deep thought.half thrilled at the prospect of an adventure but yet somehow uneasy,he didnt like the idea of traveling with others as sorrow seemed to follow him where ever he went,but yet again he had become part of a group.surely it would turn out better than the other times the death of his father when he was a young boy of twelve as he watched from the city gates helpless,after that day he vowed to never be forced to sit back and watch his loved ones suffered and die.

he trained night and day and sucssesfuly joined the rohirin army by age 13 and by 16 he was leading his own unit,but then in a bitter twist of fate he was unjustly exiled for wronges he did not commit,he was forced to leave his mother and the women he loved behind.he traveled most of middle earth befor he was 19.then one day at the age of 22 he recieved word from rohan sayin he had been exonerated and that they requested his return as soon as possible to help deal with the increasing problem of goblin raids,at that time he found himself in a far eastern land liveing in the house of the shura clan they had cared for him for the past 3 years.

when he told the lord of the house he had been called home the man sat him down and presented him with the beautiful sword he now carried with him at all times.but leavein that place was not easy edgar had meet and married a beautiful young women and had a child by her but he could not ignore his country he also wondered what had become of his mother and old flame, so he decided he would go alone but he would return no later than a year from nowand with the word i love you and shall always be by your side he left never knowin that he would not see his new family again.

the trip to rohan had taken longer than he expected and as he entered his country he didnt even realize he was there the first village he saw was rubble and ash,at the sight of this he quickend his horses pace,as he neared fammilar terrain he saw a sight that stoped his heart cold,his village off in the distance was too in ruins attacked and sacked mabey no more than a few days earlier as he entered the town he saw no one he recognized and no one seemed to know him,the unit posted there had been a compleate loss.

as he rode on he saw his old home come into view or what was left of it,with tears in his eyes and fear of the worst in his mind he dismounted his horse and ran inside to find his mother and who he assumed was his younger sister no more than 2 years old a sister he had never meet or known about and who he would never know.at the sight of this edgar let out a mornful cry that shook the unfallen timbers of his now ruined home.then his next thought what had become of his old love,to her house he ran hopeing to find it untouched but strangly the house wasnt even there,he was dumbstruck when suddenly a passer offered up info sayin that family left years ago and the house had been torn down,thank god at she had avoided this misfortune.

edgar spent the next 3 months either in the ruins of his old home curseing himself for not bein there sooner, or training new recruits for the military he never spoke to anyone about anything private or personal and was basicly closed from the world.he had done the math it took him 2 and a half months to return home and would take at least that long for the trip back.his home here was gone but he had found a new home and he did intend to return to it just as he promised,but 3 months later he recieved word from the east that the house of shura had been burned to the ground and all within killed for reasons yet unknown the shock of this was to great and something insdie him snaped.

overcome by his griefe he snaped at the ineptitude of one of his trainies and in a flash cut him down without thinking and was imprisoned he however was shown mercie and this time exiled with just cause not sentenced to death because of his excelent serviece to that point so he left and now several months later he now found himself in this place since that day when he killed an inocent man he had decided to never stay in one place to long and such an incident had not acured since,though he still was greatly torn by his grief.

as he lay there on demies floor these thoughts raced through his head until demie suddenly emerged from her room.she looked at edgar and said "whisper has been out far too long and i am worried about her would you mind helping me find her?edagr thought to himself "id rather not get to involved"but as he thought that he saw in her eyes something that reminded of his past and he decided to help"yes i shall assist you i will search the west side of town first"demie with a smile noded and left on there way.where would this night lead it seems that they would not be getin that rest they knew would be sorely needed later that day......




lol that one draged on srry decided to throw my character history in there srry

A few hours later, Demie and Edgar found themselves back where they started, completely unable to find the missing little girl.

"I'm worried," said Demie.

"I'm sure she's fine. If she's anything like you, she'll be home safe and sound. Get some rest. You'll need it. I'll watch for her."

"You get rest too. She's strong. She'll come home." The pair, tired and worn, welcomed their warm beddings and dozed off.

The door slid open quietly, barely making any noise as Whisper snuck back into her home. She scanned the room for any signs that her sister was still awake. She wasn't, however, there was a man asleep on the couch in the main room. Whisper tiptoed closer in order to get a better look.

"Good God," she mouthed. It was the man from the Dragon's Brew. What was the fool doing sleeping in her home? Right now, it did not matter. She would deal with him in the morning when she was not so tired.

Whisper crept stealthily toward the door to the chamber she shared with Demie. She was like a thief, moving ever so silently across the floor. She peeled back the black curtain expecting to find Demie asleep.

She was wrong.

"Whisper. Why are you so late tonight?" asked the older sister.

"I had difficulty selling the cloth. The market was full of only soldiers and drunks tonight."

"It does not matter. Come here. I have something to tell you." Whisper sighed in relief. She, like most children, was afraid of being reprimanded, but this did not seem like the kind of punishment she imagined. She'd imagined being fiercly beaten with the scabbard of her sister's sword. Demie was, after all, in the Royal Army. A stern talking to was nothing. Whisper stepped into the bed chamber confidently.

"Whisper," said Demie, "I am leaving tomorrow morning for a while."

"What for?" Whisper replied.

"Army Business."

"Oh. Well, when will you be back?"

"I do not know. I may not come back. But you cannot stay here alone." There was a hint of worry in the girl's voice. Whisper sensed it.

"Then I will go with you." Demie's face went from a worried concern to an anger.

"No. You will not. I will make arrangements with James' father. You will stay with him." This time, it was Whisper who got angry. She was not a child. She was not a weakling either. She was going to go on this "adventure" one way or another.

"Why must I stay home? I am strong. I can come with you. What are you trying to protect me from?"

"It is simply too dangerous for you, Whisper!"

"Stop trying to protect me. You are not mother!"

"I am not trying to be mother!"

"Oh. That's right. You're trying to be Syphen! You're trying so hard to rank with the Royal Army. You try to fight like he did. You try to talk like he did. You try to be exactely like him! Well, take a look at yourself, Demie! You are not Syphen! You will never be anything like Syphen and you are a fool for trying!" Demie was speechless. Whisper's words stung like ice-cold metal on bare skin. Whisper glared at the woman who was trying so hard to be her dead brother, and spat on the ground.

"You are just a pathetic girl." And with that, Whisper stormed off. Demie wiped a tear from her eye before looking up to see the Edgar standing in the doorway.

"You should let her come," he said calmly.

"She could die."

"So could you."

"If I die, why should she die too?"

"It is hard to lose someone you love. Especially if you know you could have been there with them." Edgar held the amulet around his neck in a tight fist.

"You could never understand," he said. Demie stared at him, her eyes squinted in anger, her nails digging into her palms. She grabbed the dagger from her pillow and took a few steps closer to the ronin.

"Do not tell me what I can and cannot understand. I do understand. I've lost one of the most important people in my life. I could not bare to lose another."

"Neither could Whisper."

"Enough," said Demie, feeling threatened and unwilling to admit defeat at Edgar's logic, "One more word from you, and you'll be sleeping on the streets." She closed her curtain, replaced her dagger, and dove into her cot.

The night was cold, but Whisper didn't care. She needed to be away from Demie for a bit. Insulting her was difficult, but she needed something to keep Demie from caring as much as she did. She needed some freedom to get things done. Then, she could stop lying to her dear sister.

Whisper, contrary to her sister's belief, didn't come to Barad'Dun simply to lift the burden from mother and father. The reason was a much more hell-worthy one. The lies began years before.

Whisper had been conning people out of their money for years. It began with a lie to a villager here or there, then escalated. Soon enough, Whisper had found herself buried in a hold she could not dig hehrself out of. She had begun to con the Teleri elves, eventually reaching one of the stronger ones. His names was Malrah, one of the Teleri's best builders. His hands were skilled and strong.

Whisper, for reasons unknown, felt the need to take from him, as if he deserved it. She managed to trick him out of more money than she could now fathom. But she slipped up. Malrah discovered her trickery and fell into a great rage.

Whisper left with Demie out of fear; the fear that Malrah would find her and kill her for her deeds. She shuddered remembering Malrah's intense eyes and bulging muscles.

"Are you cold miss?" came a voice from an alley a few feet away.

"Who is there?" Whisper gripped a dagger she kept at her waist.

Out of the shadows stepped a woman in a dark cloak. She pulled back her hood, revealing a young, pretty lady with golden hair and beautiful green eyes. Her gentle smile was comforting in the harsh night.

"Who are you?" Whisper asked, much more relaxed.

"My name is Stefanopolis. You may call me Stef.

"What are you doing out by yourself at night, Stef? These dark alleys are dangrous in the dark, especially for a woman."

"I could ask you the same thing. You never answered my question. Are you cold? You're so thin. You look cold."

"I am not cold," Whisper retorted. It was no stranger's business how thin she might be.

"Just trying to help," said the stranger, "I know I could have used a kind hand when I first got here. But, you see, the people you meet at night are usually drunken men."

"What about during the day?"

"I do not go out during the day."

"Why not?"

".....I am hiding."

"From?"

"I would rather not say. Where are you headed, lady? I should like to walk with you. It is nice to be in the company of a sober woman." Whisper nodded. She could trust this woman.

"I am out for information. See, I'm going on a little trip tomorrow. I hear there's gold somewhere in the mountains and I intend to find it. I owe a little money....."

"So, you're going on a treasure hunt?"

"Yup. Now to find out where to look. I know just the person to ask."

The two girls walked for a while before finally appearing before a set of heavy oak doors.

"James!" called Whisper, "I need your help!"

The young, curly haired man poked his head out of a window. "What are you doing here, Whisper? It's late."

"I need to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"Where is my sister travelling tomorrow? I wish to know where to look for her if she takes too long on her journey."

James took a furtive look around. A moment later, he opened the oak doors and motioned wht girls inside. He did not question the other woman in his presence. She was a woman. It was reason enough to be kind to her.

"Do not tell Demie that I told you," the man said pulling out chairs for the girls.

Some slept, some caroused and some stared at ceilings, kept awake by thoughts of adventure and of red gold. Soon two fellowships would set out on a quest to the distant mountains, a quest that could bring glory, riches or death to either.

The sky began to lighten in the far east and a mist rolled in from the cold sea. Fishermen, with hands holding clay mugs of steaming brew, began to saunter down towards the docks.

Tired guards pulled their woolen cloaks tighter and prayed for the light of day that would end their night long burden.

Dawn was coming to the city. The tower began to gleam as the faintest rays of the coming sun began to dance across its amber colored stone.

The big fat rooster that lived on the grounds of the Tower church hobbled its way up to the top of the wall and began to do his duty. The city would soon be awake and humming with activity.

For some it would be a day of destiny.

James slowly closed the oak doors as he ushered the two woman inside the large hall. The candles had long been extinguinshed, the small slivers of smoke still visible from each one. Long rays of moonlight splashed multiple colors from the glass windows, creating a bizzare rainbow of angels and various saints. He led the two to a back room which was located on the other side of the hall, across from the bedrooms.
The large room was lit dimly from the low fire in the fireplace. The sounds of crackling ash and cinder broke the silence in the air as James grabbed a chair from a nearby table and set it a bit across from the old couch. He motioned the seat to both girls as they sat down comfortably.

''Well, before I tell you, would you want anything to eat? drink?''

''No thanks.'' Whispered said kindly

''What do you have? It's been awhile since i'v had a good drink.'' the new girl said as she slumped in the seat. He moved back to the cabnet and looked inside it, before blowing the cobwebs out. He took two small wooden crates and a tin can.

''I have ale and clear ale. They call it 'Vodko' or something like that. My dad doesn't like it, but you never know who likes exotic tastes.''

''You have Vodka?!'' she said excitedly

''....I'll take it you want that then.'' He poured the clear liquid into the tin and gave it to her before sitting down on the chair, the back if it facing the two girls.

''Ok Whisper.....now I have to repeat this; DO, NOT, TELL, YOUR SISTER, I TOLD YOU.'' he said matter of fact as he looked at her dead in the eye. She mearly nodded innocently in response.
"Ok, good. Now.....Me, her, and some other people are leaving tomorrow for a....quest of sorts.''

''A quest?'' she asked curiously.

''Yes....sorta. I guess awhile back during the war the Desert elves gave us, Barad'dun, about ten chests fulled to the lid with red gold coins. But because of the war and all, they were lost. Today we found a group of shady people, including a large troll, who had a red coin. They think that the gold is in the old montain mines. So, Konradr wants us to be the ones to find the gold first.''

''Ooooooooo, red gold?!'' squelled the new girl as she took a swig of her drink. Whisper also looked at him, her eyes filled with the same excitment he had when he first heard the story.

He was about to go into detail about their plans, but as he looked up at the small window he began to see the black night sky turn into a light blue.

''.....Morning will come soon. Whisper, you should go home. And you.....uhh...''

''Stefanopolis''

''....Ok. Can you walk her home?''

"Sure thing cutie.'' she said happily, the alcohol coursing through her veins.

''Thank you James. I'm sorry for keeping you up.'' she bowed down as she went to the main doors. He followed them, pressing his palms in his eyes.

''It's ok.....I couldn't really sleep much anyway. You know what adventures do to you.'' He waved them goodbye as he began to dress for the new morning.

"Do you not think we should find your sister before heading off?" Edgar asked his cloaked companion as he rubbed his eyes.

"She'll be fine. She's grown." replied Demie, still bitter about the fight from the last night. She kicked dirt on the road with each irritated step. The sky was still a light, calm shade of gray this morning. It would get brighter and bluer in a few hours.

The southeast gate was deserted this morning, as it usually was.The sleepy city did not tend to liven up until the sun got a little higher in the sky. Demie yawned. The two companions were tired. Neither of them had gotten a full nights rest, which might make things harder for them today. However, they were both fine for the morning and ready for the adventure that lay ahead.

They placed their packs on the ground and waited for Konradr, Natooka, Templar, and Strider to join them.

He became alert with relative quickness, getting out of bed and dressing into his light tunic, brown pants, black belt, boots, and over coat. Strider was ready. 'All I need now is Notte...." He thought. Thinking of his sabre gave him the chills. He headed down stairs and looked around, but no Beren. 'Must have gone to bed.' He passed by the hallway table and found what he was looking for; Notte and his newly made sheath, black as night with the same gold emblazoned emblem all neatly fixed with a belt ring. There was a note from Beren attached:

Strider,

Good luck, son. Kick some ass for this old man, will ya?

PS. I'll be expecting that barrel of honey mead!

-B


Strider smiled wide and equipped his new gear. He said his good bye's and left for the South East gate, and for what may lie in store.

And so they gathered. The guards at the southeast gate barely paid attention to them. They were busy trying to stay warm while awaiting their morning relief. It was Konradr's intention to be out of the city before that relief took place. Tired eyes and ears would soon forget what they've seen once their heads hit pillows or the soft bossom of some lucky wench.

Demie, clad as always in her thick, blue cloak, and the Last Shuratai were already there waiting when two more figures arrived. One, wearing a ratty gray wool robe with a deep hood that covered his face. His gear was unmistakable though, A pack, rope, a round shield hung over his back, covered for the moment by a hide bag, a short sword, a dagger, and in his left hand, used as a walking stick, a well worn Danish war axe called Astaroth, named for a demon from hell. Behind him, a man in a monk's cloak and hood with a pack and a quarterstaff.

Konradr pulled his gray hood down and smiled at the two.

"And I thought I would be first." He said.

"I had a hard time waking you up Shepherd." Natooka said. "City life is making you a sloth."

"Demie, how are you?" Konradr continued, ignoring Natooka's remark.

"Fine Konradr, ready to go."

"Good, and how's our last Shuratai?"

Edgar nodded he was ready, he was wearing a blue cloak with a sliver and gold dragon emblazoned on its back, and a bed roll tied about his shoulders.

"Keep your blade warm last night?" Konradr asked.

"Let's keep it clean Shepherd." Natooka said.

"Oh, yes, I forgot I'm bringing my mother with me." The older man said, patting Natooka on the shoulder.

Two more figures appeared, James, clad in a thick wool tunic but with his usual tabard of white with red cross on the chest. He wore a thick wool cap as well. He too had a wonderful walking stick, a 6 foot dwarven war hammer. His glasses fogged with the excitement.

Strider was with him, his gate calm and lithless, as if he was strolling through a field of flowers on his way to Grandma's house.

"A good Morning to you all." Strider said as he joined them. "Are we all here then?"

Konradr studied each alley that entered the plaza in front of the gate.

"I'm expecting at least one other." He began to grimace. "Late as usual."

Suddenly raucous voice could be heard singing merrily. The giggles of ladies, and the hum of a deep baritone. Dogs barked as the noise makers appeared.

First came Big Daddy O in his huge bearskin cloak, followed by several of his working wenches, and a somber, but singing, Kilanos.

"What, a circus?" Strider asked "led by the dancing bear himself."

Oddvar wore a pack as large as Templar, bulging with all sorts of odds and ends no doubt, maybe even a girl or two. He had a small buckler strapped to one arm, and over his shoulder was his 50 inch two handed sword with it's strange name etched along the blade "Mine is longer than yours."

Kilanos was clad all in black, he carried two swords, one sheathed on each hip, with a buckler strung to the longest sword, and over his back, a bow and quiver filled with yellow arrows with black striping, his "Wasps stings" as he liked to call them.

"Kiss them goodbye Oddvar, and send them home." Konradr said.

"What, you are always cramping my style Konradr." Oddvar said with a chuckle. He told the girls to remember their pledge to keep working and "If they don't pay, pick their pockets."

Off they went, with a nudge and a hug or a swat of "mine is longer than yours".

"Now we are all here." Konradr said.

He looked beyond the Southeastern gate at the distant mountains.

"Let's be off." And he took off, straight for the gate, and setting a fast pace. The other's scrambled to catch up.

"Any final words Konradr, plans, anything?" Strider asked.

"When we are clear of the city, I'll let you know more of my plans." Konradr said, breathing deeply as he began to move. "Strider, you're my scout, once we're clear of the city."

"Yes sir, I figured as much." He smiled. "It's what I do best."

"Not stealing?"

"No, that's only a hobby."

They all passed through the gate and started up the long, long rode towards the mountains.

Natooka tightened his pack and checked the steel spade strapped across his back. He stood at the back of the group by Demie and Edgar, and made sure he kept everyone in his sights.

"You shouldn't make your emotions so Obvious, Demie." He said as the thief like girl continued to kick up dirt along the road with an unresting tension beneath the surface.

"Its nothing." She responded stubbornly pacing ahead.

Natooka gave a puzzled look to Edgar, who simply responded with a shake of his head to the monk.

"Women..." Natooka sighed.

Back in the monastery Natooka spent six hours a day in combat training and six hours studying the monk way of life, and they couldn't devote ten minutes to understanding the mind of women. 'I guess that explains why all Monks are virgins..' He grinned to himself. This life in the west had no rules, no caste, and things were not how they used to be. Natooka had two options, adapt to this new way of life, or try to change it and the people inside it.

Four hours passed with the group trudging down the dirt road with its well worn wagon ruts heading SouthEast. They walked in a column, each to himself, none speaking. Strider lead the way a good thirty paces ahead.

Soon they entered an area known as the Sea dunes. Sand hillocks topped by patches of grass lined both sides of the Road. The only thing of the city that could be seen was the top of its Amber tower. To the East, if one went that way, you would walk into the Ocean. A salty taste was on the breeze that blew in from that direction. To the west, once one passed through the sand hills, they would come across good pasture and farmland in the river basin's. These rivers were swift and cold, coming as they did from the Western mountains.

"Halt!" Konradr called out. He stopped and pulled a leather and skin water bag that was slung over his shoulder. He drank and handed the skin bag around as everyone gathered with him.

"Here's where we leave the road." He said, wiping stray water from his whitish gray whiskers. "As you know, the SouthEast road leads along the coast, not to the mountains." He gestured to the trackless stretches of sand to the west of the them.

"So we are going to head that way." Demie gasped. She knew they were in for a workout on those loose sandy hills.

"The good news is this route is actually a shorter one to the beginning of the Tok pass than the Eastern road. The bad news, we will have to move faster and work harder to get there."

He patted Strider on the back. "Still good."

"Always." The Golden shadow said with a sly smile.

"Go ahead, lead the way. Straight west." and so Strider was off, stepping off the road and up to his calves in loose sand.

"Shit!" Strider said, pulling his feet free and stepping more gingerly.

"No," Templar remarked "Not shit, just sand."

"Yeah, as far as the eye can see." Oddvar said. Switching his sword from his left shoulder to his right.

"It's okay Oddvar." Kilanos said wryly "You're short so that's not too far, from where I stand, its not too bad."

"hahaha, okay, we'll see." Oddvar said with a smile and a wink to Demie.

"kilanos, you're second man." Konradr said "30 paces behind strider, keep your bow ready. You're arrows the fastest way to help him in a bind."

"Next best thing to being there." Kilanos said, placing his bow against a foot so that he could string it. When he was done, Konradr handed him a small bronze whistle on a leather thong. It was a Royal Army squad whistle.

"Blow this to warn Strider if you need to." Kilanos took it and hung it about his neck before heading off.

"Okay, lets go, stay in column so we pack down a nice trail through this stuff." And off they went. Konradr followed by Natooka, Oddvar, Demie, her ever present shadow, Edgar and then Templar.

The cool, salty breeze that had been so pleasant on the road, was now laced with stinging grains of sand and everyone pulled a rag over their noses and mouth, or a hood over their head. They continued on, up one sandy hill, back down again, and up another.

Finally they reached a stretch of more open sand with small dumpling type hillocks and bushes instead of just grass. Animal trails left some hard packed area's that were easy to walk on and they followed these as much as they could.

"Hey Konradr, are we going to break for lunch anytime soon?" Oddvar asked, sweat beading his forehead despite the cool air of early winter. "My stomach is talking to me." As if on a cue a loud grumbling could be heard from somewhere below the man's leather armor.

"Not too much longer Odd, I just want to clear the sand." Konradr said, not breaking stride.

"Okay, but Natooka better move a little faster or I might start snacking on his skinny ankles. Hahaha"

Natooka shot Oddvar a worried glance.

"Only kidding, I swore off eating monks years ago."

And so they continued on for another hour. Sand got into every fold of their clothing and backpacks. Templar, bringing up the rear, kept kicking his feet trying to shake the sand out of his turnstyle boots.

Strider began to notice more bones along the route. First they were loose bones, then he would see the whole skeleton of a beast of some sort, mostly desert goats or dogs. They lay in a heap, no flesh on them at all, and no marks as to how they died. He turned back to signal to Kilanos about the carcasses and Kilanos nodded.

"What's up?" Konradr said hurrying up to Kilanos after witnessing the exchange.

"Lot of bones around here. Whole carcasses gleaned white." Kil said.

"Summer die off maybe?" Konradr said, eyeing some of the remains.

"Maybe, but the dunes aren't as far away from water as the high desert is. I've never seen this before."

Konradr waved to Strider to keep moving.

"Keep your eyes open." He motioned to the others who had stopped. "Lets keep moving."

Templar had had enough of the sand in his shoes. He sat down a moment to take them off and shake out the sand. The other's were moving on, but James knew he could catch up pretty quickly. He put his shoes back on, shouldered his six foot hammer and then took a step into oblivion.

"Ahhhhhhh!" He yelped.

Demie stopped and looked back, but Templar was no where to be seen.

"James?" Demie said, then shouted "Templar!!!" The line stopped. Konradr and Oddvar hustled back towards demie. Kilanos blew his whistle and Strider hurried back to join the group.

Konradr, Oddvar, edgar and Demie reached the spot at the end of the line where Templar had been and found a large sunken pit in the sand. Templar was at the bottom, lying half buried in sand and a bit dazed. He was reaching for his glasses.

"Sorry, I guess I wasn't watching where I was going." He said sheepishly. He dusted off his glasses and put them back on.

Demie and Oddvar chuckled.

"What do you do for an encore, twinkletoes.?" Oddvar asked. Konradr and Kilanos however looked puzzled.

"That's the same spot we all just passed..." Konradr said, studying the ground.

"Yep, and that wasn't there a few minutes ago." Kilanos said as he nocked a yellow arrow and pulled it to full draw.

Demie and Edgar were about to go down into the pit. "Wait!" Konradr said eyeing the pit carefully as Templar pulled his pack back on and grabbed for his hammer.

The sand suddenly shifted and Oddvar almost tumbled in, but strider pulled him back.

"Be careful big guy, if you take a tumble down there we may never get you out." He stared at the pit. "What is it?"

"Ant lion?" Konradr said quietly.

"I hope not, because that would be the biggest one I've ever seen." Kilanos said quietly aiming his arrow down into the pit.

"Templar, slowly boy, get your gear and move very quietly up to us." Konradr said.

James grabbed his hammer and stood, dusting himself off. "I'm okay Konradr, honest." With that he took two steps and suddenly sand funneled out below his feet and he fell face first.

Two three foot brown pincer's emerged from the sand, followed by two black eyes on a head as big as a dog. The Ant lion's front legs shoveled dirt so fast that Templar was being vacumed back down to the center of the pit and towards the snapping mouth of the beast.

"Holy fuckamoly!" Oddvar hissed.

A yellow arrow flew with a loud TWANG of Kilanos horseman's bow. The arrow flew straight, but merely ricochet off the Ant Lion's armored hide.

"Double fuckamoly!" Oddvar hissed again.

Templar's eyes got big as lemon's as he slid with the sand towards the giant insect. Desperately he clawed at the ground trying to reach his hammer.

"God, I hate to bother you, but surely its not in your plans to let one of your faithful Templar's be eaten by a bug!" Templar said as he kicked and clawed to keep from sliding to his doom. His hammer was so close only mere inches from his desperate fingers.

TWANG! Another arrow bounced off the Ant lion's head. It's pincers sliced at the air, but it kept shoveling the sand and the pit grew larger so quick that Demie and Edgar almost tumbled in.

suddenly edgar drawing his blade slid down the side of the pit pushing templars hammer to him and then jumping onto the ant lions back and forced the long blade stright through its head the ant lion flailed around wildly with edgar holdin on best he could when templar stood to his feet and with a mighty swing and superb aim landed a crushing blow to the ants head,the ant landed in the sand with a thundering crash.

edgar then looked at the others and said"i believe it would be best if we leave soon wouldnt want to run into anymore of these guys"as he sheathed his blade."but hey im not realy good with sand anyone got a line they could throw me....then konrad said"hey guys nice work guess its to be expected from the last Shuratai and our brave knight".


then oddvar chimed in"hey edgar why jump in a hole you cant get out of not to smart we could just leave ya there dont need someone that jumps in half cocked.......hahaha just messin with ya"as he pulled a rope out of hes pack and threw it to edgar."thanks man"edgar said with a smerk.as he reached the top templar look to edgar as though to thank him but edgar shook his head"its what im here for i will put myself on the line for any of you without thought i hope youd all do the same we are a team after all and also you kinda saved me there in the end"he said with a smile.


"now lets get the hell outa here id like this to be the last time i have to fight something like that"he said with a very serious look.konrad then said yes lets keep movein everyone from now on be more careful and with that they treaded on off into the vast open desert what other misfortunes would befall them would they reach there destination unscathed.

"Show off.." Natooka said toward the man who killed the Ant. "Come here big guy." Natooka said. He hoisted Templar out of the pit.

"Naturally if one was going to fall into a pit, it would be you." Natooka said teasingly brushing the sand off Templar's broad shoulders.

"Ha, your funny." Templar grinned. "... for a monk."

"I have my moments, friend." Natooka said. "Lets keep up with the group, I'd hate to get stuck in another pit with you... no offense."

Natooka and Templar brought up the rear of the group while Natooka took a quick mental head count. Something seemed off, the group stopped and looked around cautiously. "Something isn't right here." Konradr said eyeing the scene around him.

"What happened to the wind?" Demie's voice chimed from amid them.

As if queued by the girl's voice, a wall of sand began to flow over the horizon.

"Sand storm!" Strider yelled.

"This is not good!" shouted the Templar, still shaken from his encounter with the giant ant. Apparently, sand was not his ally. All eight sets of eyes widened as the group began to see an immense cloud of golden sand rushing towards them.

"We need to find some sort of shelter!" shouted Strider, searching frantically around him for some sort of rock to hide behind.

"There!" Oddvar pointed to a large stone about a hundred and thirty yards from where the group stood.

"We'll never make it," said Demie, afraid that her short legs would not carry her so far in time.

"We will if we start running now!" shouted Oddvar as he shot off toward the stone. The rest of the crew followed shortly, sprinting their fastest, as their lives depended on it. The warm air rushed by as they ran, a few people dropping some heavier items from their person. Edgar dropped his bedding, Demie left behind her small buckler to be lost forever in a sea of desert sand.

As the group got closer, they noticed a large crack in the side of the large stone. It became bigger and bigger as they came nearer. In fact, it was large enough to be a small cave. Templar ran straight for it, climbing inside. He sighed relief as Konradr entered shortly after him. Then came Kilanos, Edgar, and Oddvar. They each dusted themselves off and sat against the jagged stone walls of the cave.

"Wait...," said Konradr, quickly scanning the inhabitants of the cave, "Where are Demie, Natooka and Strider?" He poked his head out form the caves opening to find two of them some twenty yards away. Demie was having trouble keeping up, her short legs unable to carry her as far as the others. Strider was next to her, running slower than he normally could, trying to get her to run faster. Natooka stood a few yards from the entrance to the cave, waving them inside.

"Hurry! Get inside!" shouted a weary Kilanos as he heard the sand beginning to hit the backside of the stone. Soon, the sand was swirling around outside like a blinding blizzard of harsh grains. The group within the cave curled up and shielded their eyes from the bits of sand that managed to make its way past the entrance, wind howling like hell's most fierce demons. But just as suddenly as it began, the wind died down. The sand settled, and the group within stood up. Templar rand outside quickly in search of the missing trio. They were nowhere to be found.

"They must have been caught in the storm. They could be buried in the sand. We have to find them, fast!" yelled Konradr, rushing to the spot where he'd last seen Natooka. "We have to find them....before they die..."

As Strider was helping Demie to the shelter Natooka ran up to help as well. But they all knew they wouldn't make it to the rock. Luckily a dune was but 5 yards to the right and Strider acted fast. He pulled Demie towards the dune and Natooka caught the general concept. They rolled down into the pit and Strider pulled a large cloth blanket out of his travel bag. They parachuted it over themselves and sat on the corners, ducking in to stay low.

"Oh gods." Strider exhaled, and taking a breathe of stall hot air. "I think it stopped.... Are you two okay?" He finished, and tried to make out Demie and Natooka's shapes in the dark. They seemed to nod, and Natooka reassured him with a grunt.

Strider lifted the large cloth covering a bit and looked around, shaking the sand hill that had formed on their heads. The worst of it had seemed to pass, only a few small dust devils could be spotted on the coming horizon.

"I'm really sorry." Demie said, feeling like a hassle. "It really wasn't a problem Demie, we all knew there would be risks, and we all came prepared." Strider retorted. "Really quick thinking, Strider." Natooka added. "I would really have hated to be a sand decoration." They all made their way up the dune and over to the rock where the others took safety. Konradr was the fastest soul to rush up.

"Are you three alright!" He asserted, checking each soldier forcibly for injuries. "We are all fine." Demie said as konradr huffed out in relief. Then all party members grouped together near the rock, shaking loose sand from unwanted parts of the body. Once self examinations were complete Konradr stepped out in front out the group.

"What now, Shepherd?" Strider put forth. "We continue trek west, is what. Party move out." Strider gained his directional bearings and stepped out, kilanos in pursuit. Everyone fell into place as they continued on into the west.

Meanwhile on the Eastern road, another party travelled together. This one dressed in identical black, wool robes, trying to hide their menacing looks, leather or chainmail armor and weapons of war. This road was well traveled and many a farmer was heading for Barad'Dun to sell goods at the market.

M led the way with his keen eyes scanning the road and the pastures and farm plots to the left and right of it.

Dorak and Fangorn were next, followed by three newcomers to the fellowship. Stefanopolis with her long, golden ponytail and ever present smile, was a city working girl by night and stealthy thief and con artist. Lago, the huge, potbellied Orc, had been one of her first customer's and ever since had been a faithful bodyguard. Whisper, Demie's sister, had decided to join this group and become Stefana's thief apprentice.

Taco brought up the rear. His black cloak hung down only to his waist as they could not find one long enough for him. No matter how hard he tried, he could not avert attention. Farmers herded their livestock away from him, and farm maid's hid their children behind them as they passed.

"How long we wear disguise?" Taco asked grumpily.

"Not too much longer Taco, after the next village we should be in the foothills. We'll get rid of it then." Dorak said.

"Village? Good, Taco thirsty."

M spun around and waved the warning sign to the group. They immediately pulled their hoods over their heads, bowed like monks and stepped off the road and stood about as if in prayer. Taco went to his knees and slid inside the circle.

A cavalry troop of the Royal army road past heading east towards the city.

After they had passed, Dorak walked up to his scout.

"Any sign of our competition?" He asked.

"Not yet." The wood elf said, "But I know they are out there. They did not take the East road."

"Good" Dorak said, "Then they will have a harder walk than us."

Dorak waved for his companions to continue back on the road, and they continued West towards the distant twin, snow covered peaks that marked the Tok Pass.

Konradr's group trudged on at a brisk pace. They had eaten quickly and then moved out, once again strung out in a column, quietly, each to his own thoughts, moving as fast as they could.

The sand had given way to a hard, level plain of red earth and sparse, desert vegetation, including orchard like patches of tall, cactus. Here and there, hills, as red as the earth, arose with flat tops. More and more scrub vegetation began to cover the land a telling sign of underground water. Yet there were still many an animal carcass strewn about. Not just your normal desert animals either. Cattle, goats, sheep and a horse. They were just piles of shiny, white bones, but it was strange. There was no sign of how they died or why.

"This is strange." Edgar mentioned to Demie, whom he followed as always. "No sign of drought here."

Demie agreed. "Maybe disease?"

"Maybe the gods punished them." Natooka said grimly.

"Why would the Gods punish them?" Oddvar said, examining the bones of a what was once a young sheep. "There punishing us, though, look at that, perfectly good lamb chops wasted."

They kept on.

They came upon a cow that must have died more recently for it still had hide on it's bones and its skull was mostly intact. The smell drew a thousand desert flies to its bloated remains. Strider had stopped to investigate and Kilanos joined him, first scanning the nearby mesa for any threats.

"What do you think?" Kilanos asked.

"I don't know." he said, pulling his dagger 'Gut ripper' from its sheath and pushing it into the cow's dead mouth to pry it open. A wave of stench and irritated flies escaped from the maw as it cracked open.

"Phew!" Templar yelled. "We can smell that all the way back here."

Strider looked at the beasts swollen tounge and shook his head. "I'll be damned." He wiped the blade of the dagger off in the red sand and stood, putting it back in its sheath.

"They died of thirst." He finally said.

"How is that possible? There is plenty of water in this area." Konradr said as he neared them. "The village we are heading too has a natural spring that forms a sizable creek."

The other's joined them.

"I'll tell you what would keep an animal from water." Kilanos said, once again eyeing the surrounding desert. "Fear."

"Fear?" Demies asked. "Fear of what?"

No one had an answer.

"Let's go." Konradr said. "It's getting late and we'll sleep in the village of Eldina tonight. Maybe they will have some answers for this strangeness."

Konradr headed west again.

"I'll lead the way to the village Strider. You and Kilanos stay with the group."

Shortly they came upon a wagon rutted track running through the desert. They followed it. The shadow's behind each were getting longer as the sun began to dip down into the crevices of the Western mountains.

"Will we make it before nightfall?" Natooka asked, almost strartling Konradr as the monk had again paced himself right behind him.

"Just behind that mesa to our front." He said. "See how the track curls behind it."

Moments later came the feint, unmistakable trickle of a stream. To track now followed a line of tall grasses that lined a narrow swift flowing stream. Mixed with the grass were patches of Cat tails that seem to dance in the air despite the fact that there was no wind. The salty breeze of the coast never reached this far inland.

As they passed around the steeply sloped mesa, the first buildings came into view. The village was circular in design, and like most farming villages, had no wall. The buildings were of dried mud brick or red sandstone, with thatched roofs. All seemed alike, single storied, family homes.

"aha!" Konradr said, "There she is. Don't worry, there is a nice inn in the center of the village."

"How do you know?" Natooka asked.

"Tax time, a few months ago. I led a troop here to collect Tribute for the Adunakhor. The people do well here, growing beans, cabbage, potatoes and raising sheep, goats and cattle." He pointed beyond the village. between a long row of flat topped mesas and the grass lined stream, was a long stretch of pastures and plowed fields, all fenced off by tall, thick hedgerows.

"Tormac is the innkeeper, and his son is a Royal Army initiate in Barad'Dun. He will not refuse us rooms for the night."

Konradr hurried his pace, excited by the thought of a warm fire, a roast, a mug of wine and bed to sleep in. So excited that he failed to notice the obvious. But strider and kilanos noticed, and Kilanos notched an arrow into his bow.

"No chimney smoke." Strider said, he placed his hand on the haft of his finest sword. "Not good. My strider senses are tingling." (sorry, I couldn't resist)

"No people moving about either, or animals." Kilanos said. Strider nodded back to the others and pointed to the village. He gave the Royal Army hand signal for being on alert, something isn't right.

They formed a V behind them, Demie, and Oddvar in the center, Edgar to her left, and Templar to there right. Each put a hand on their weapon grips and studied the village and surrounding pasture and farmland as they neared.

"That's strange." Konradr said as they got closer.

"What?" Natooka said, "That fact that there's no sign of life."

"No, those!" He pointed to the field to the left which had been hidden by the Mesa. Three long earthern mounds, freshly dug, lay side by side in one of the plowed fields. "They look like burial mounds."

Konradr now drew his axe from his belt as they entered the silent streets of the village.

Every house was dark and quiet. Every open window was menacing. Nothing moved, nothing stirred except for the footfalls of Konradr's group. There was a squeal from a wooden door of one house that first drifted open, and then drifted shut, never once touched by anyone's hand. There was no sign of a battle of any kind to explain the emptiness. No bodies, no charred ruins, no barrikade's thrown up int he street's, no busted doorways or rummaged loot lying in the street, nothing. The town was just...dead.

Soon, they came to the inn which was in the center of the village, sitting to the side of a great square dotted with the town well on one side and a row of communal, earth domed baking ovens on the other. The Inn was a two storied affair with the first floor being made of mortared red stone, and the top being of mud brick infilling timber frames. There were six windows on the upper floor, four closed and two open. Nothing but empty blackness shown from within.

"Do we search the village?" Strider asked.

Konradr looked around the deserted town square. "We should, but that is not our mission. When we get back to the city, I will inform the Adunakhor and send a detachment here to investigate."

He motioned to the solid, double wooden doors of the inn. Kilanos pulled one open. Blackness inside.

"The inn is made of fine, mortared stone and will be a good place for a defense if we need one." Konradr said. "Let's get a fire going and hunt up some food. We'll post a guard and get some sleep."

Kilanos looked up at the inn's chimney.

"Smoke might draw attention." He said.

"We'll make it a small fire." Oddvar said moving inside the darkness. "Let's see what's for dinner. hahaha."

"I hope its not us." Demie said as they all filed into the Inn. Kilanos took another look around the quiet streets. The sun was fast setting, every building now cast long, silent shadows. He pulled the door shut and from within could be heard the grinding of an iron bolt, and then another.

Strider found his way to the large, brick fireplace and, after taking some of the wood out to keep the blaze small, he had a fire going. The room warmed up immediately and was bathed in an orange glow, much like the light of the setting sun that filtered in through the shuttered windows on the ground floor. Kilanos ventured upstairs, quietly. Konradr motioned to Edgar, and the last Shuratai followed him up the wooden steps into the darkness above.

Demie put her hands over the fire and smiled. "Now that feels good. Of course a hot bath with lots of bubbles would feel better."

"Don't forget the rubber ducky." Templar said with a smile.

"That's your toy Keefy, mine's a cow with utters that squirt bubbles."

Konradr sat at an old, leather lined chair in the corner near one of the windows. He unlocked the wooden shutters and slightly opened them so he could see the street outside.

"Oddvar, take Demie and look around in the cellar for something to eat." He said, not taking his eyes from the darknening street outside.

"Okay boss." Odd said with a smile, "That's my kind of assignment."

"Try to bring back something for the rest of us to eat too." Natooka said as he squat next the wall below Konradr's window.

"Me and Natooka can check the other rooms here on the first floor." Strider said. He motioned to the black robed monk to follow him. Reluctantly, he got up and did so.

"The back door should lead to a yard with a well. Lock it strider, and block it off if you can. Just in case."

Strider grabbed one of the empty water skin's they had been carrying. "I hope there's still water in the well."

"Don't waste too much time out there. It's getting dark fast." Konradr said, this time looking at his ranger, come thief, come Royal Army Initiate.

Strider and Natooka left.

Konradr stared out at the street and waited.

Kilanos, with his bow now unnotched, came down the steps followed by Edgar.

"Nothing." he said and then he plopped down onto a well stuffed couch and threw his foot up onto a padded foot rest. He rubbed it and groaned.

"Foot bothering you?" Templar, the white clad dwarf asked.

"A little." Kilanos said.

"I thought it was the other foot." Konradr said with a sly wink.

"Oh, yeah." Kilanos smiled and put his other foot on the footrest. "Ah, now that's better."

"I know what can make it better." Demie said coming up from the cellar door. "Here's an amphora of wine all the way from Bree of all places. Good stuff."

"Where's Oddvar?" Konradr asked.

"Hey, there's mugs over here behind this counter." Edgar said, moving behind the innkeeper's counter. He pulled several out and blew the dust out of them.

"Big daddy O found several Ham's hanging in the rafters and is spearing them down as we speak." Demie said moving towards the counter where she placed the wine jug.

Suddenly Oddvar scrambled up from below, breathing quickly and hamless.

"Konradr, There's something down there."

Konradr got up quickly. "Demie, watch the window, Templar you come with me." and he followed Oddvar down the ladder into the celler. Kilanos thought about going to, then rubbed his legs and decided against the ladder. Edgar, however, did go.

The cellar was dark, lit by one candle that Oddvar had found. Its light flickered on dusty rows of ceramic jars holding all manner of foodstuffs, rice, wheat, barley, oats, pickles, jams and of course wine. Moving through the rows of wooden shelves, they came to the far corner of the earth walled room. Here in the darkest corner was a doorframe of stout wood. The door within was of solid oak with heavy iron hinges.

Edgar brought the candle to the door and the light glowed on it.

"It's locked from within." Oddvar said, pointing the bolt on the outside that was not pushed in. Oddvar tried pulling it open and it wouldn't budge.

Konradr stepped forward and put his ear to the door, listening for any sounds of life within, but he heard nothing. Finally he pounded on the door. No reply. He pounded again.

"Anyone in there?" again, no reply.

Konradr looked at oddvar and then at the door.

"It's pretty massive, more than me, I can't budge it." Odd said.

Konradr then pulled out his hand axe and looked at its puny blade then at the wood door. He sighed.

"That door will eat your axe alive." Oddvar said.

"Let me try." Templar said as he stepped before the door with his mighty dwarf forged and blessed hammer. Konradr and Oddvar hustled out of the way. Templar's face contorted into rage and he began to pound against the door. Wood began to crack with the first mighty blow. The dwarf swung again and the door trembled, cracking even more. He uttered a curse in his dwarven tounge and splinter's of wood flew in all directions as the hammer punched a cat sized hole right through the door. Oddvar laughed.

"Good job Templar." He slid his hand into the hole and groped for a moment and finally, with a smile came the sound of an iron bolt sliding. The door swung freely as the men pulled it open.

The door opened onto a small, brick lined room. Many shelves lined the walls, these carrying chests and sacks on them. The room was lit by many candles, all burning and all melted down to the knubb.

Against the wall, sitting on a wooden bench, hair a wild, uncombed sponge of gray, eyes burning red like a crazed demon sat Tormac the Innkeeper, pointing a loaded crossbow at the door.

"Whoa boy!" Oddvar said, ducking to the side.

"Tormac!" Konradr said, stepping calmly into the line of fire. "It's me, your friend Konradr, Shepherd of Barad'Dun."

Tormac's crazed eyes never blinked and his finger squeezed ever so gently on the trigger.

"Is this how you greet old friends?" Konradr said, holding his arms open.

A moment later the old man's dry throat croaked. "K..k..konradr?"

"Yes, yes, Konradr, I was here just a few months ago, remember?"

The crossbow wavered and then dropped. Tormac slumped as if so weary. "konradr." he said softly.

Konradr slowly moved across the room and gently sat on the bench next to the disheveled innkeeper.

"What has happend here old friend?"

Tormac trembled, his sleepless eyes watering. "Terrible things Shepherd, terrible. The gods have forsaken us." He shook his head and ran his dirty hands through his wild mane of gray hair.

Those eyes now looked past Oddvar, Edgar and Templar, and stared at the cellar ladder in the other room. It was dark, no light came from above.

"By the gods!" Tormac yelled. "What time is it?"

"Dusk, nay, by now its night old man." Edgar said.

"N..n...night." He said mournfully. "Not night, not night." He began to wail. "Oh, we are doomed, doomed." His eyes teared up but then looking at Konradr, the crazed look overcame them again.

"They will be coming for us!!!" He yelled.

"Konradr!!!" Came the yell from above. It was Demie.

Everyone except for Tormac ran out of the room. The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind them and the iron bolt was slid home with a loud THUD. Tormac's tortured eye's stared out through the hole Templar had pounded through his sanctuary.

"They're coming! By the God's we are doomed!"

Konradr, Edgar, Oddvar and Templar all scrambled up the ladder.

Demie was kneeling beside at the wall, barely peeking over the window ledge out at the street.

"The street suddenly misted up. I don't know where they came from, they were just...there, in the mist." She said, nervously.

Konradr peeked through the window shutters above her. Oddvar and Kilanos went to another window and slowly opened the shutters enough to look out.

The street was indeed shrouded in a waist high mist. A strange, blue, cold looking mist, and in the mist, at both ends of the street were several hundred shadowy figures. They began to move forward silently. Each moved with a distinct jerkiness which gave their identity away before they got close enough to be seen more clearly.

"Shit." Konradr muttered.

"What?" Kilanos asked, all eyes turned to him.

"They're Dragr." He groaned. "The Walking dead."

"That's Norse mythic bullshit." Oddvar said, his usual cheerfullness suddenly gone. "Stories our dad use to tell us at night to spook us."

But as the line of people moved closer from both sides of the street, they began to take shape. Men, women, children, farmers, monks, and soldiers. Their faces were a pale gray or black, rotted in death, but their eyes were a burning red and their mouth's drooled with froth.

"Forget those stories Dad told us." Konradr said grimmly. "That was theater. He left out the real stories, the truth."

"I don't know if I want to hear the truth." Oddvar said, unslinging his great two handed sword. "I just want to know if I can send them to hell, again."

"They are dead. They have only one instinct burning in their black hearts, and that is to eat every living thing." Konradr continued, placing his axe on the door frame and throwing his cloak to the ground so his swords and dagger were accessible. "They will come at us and keep coming until they have eaten us or the sun rises again."

The line of dead, now numbering in the hundreds, swayed and jerked as they walked closer.

"Do we have time to eat before they get here?" Oddvar chuckled.

"No little brother." Konradr said. "They can run and they can run all night. They never get tired."

Kilanos nocked his bow and pointed it out the window. "Can we kill them."

"Destroy the head." Konradr said, looking to each of his soldiers as he said it. "Actually the only way to really destroy them is to burn them to ashes. For, if you chop one up into little pieces, all another Dragr has to do is carry one piece back to their Barrow, and the dead will rise again, a new."

"These things regenerate?" Templar said, his eyes beginning to get bigger as the adrenaline began to course through his body.

"All night long." Konradr said.

Everyone jumped as a door slammed behind them. Strider and Natooka rushed in.

"I've bolted the back door." Strider said. He was calm, but Natooka had a frightful look about him. "It seems, my dear shepherd, we are surrounded."

"The pasture in the back of the Inn. Hundreds of them." Natooka said, trying to calm himself. "By the Gods, they looked..."

"Like the walking dead." Oddvar said. "Yeah, its old news partner."

Suddenly there was an earsplitting growl from outside as several hundred dead throats barked out a battle cry, and on they came, in a steady, jerky sprint. The dead charged towards the inn.

Looking around at his comrades he thought 'This is a bullshit ending to our epic adventure.'

"So take some headshots and burn the bodies, right?" Strider asked Konradr, who confirmed. Strider looked around the large tavern front room, and at all the large windows. He eyed several large chairs and couches.

"Move the furniture in front of the windows!" He screamed as he rushed to the nearest lounge chair and shoved it against the window sill so only a few inches of glass remained visible up top. Everyone quickly followed suit and grabbed the nearest objects of proportional size to cover the inn's weakness. Unfortunately, one window remained free of a barricade.

"This doesn't look good guys." Templar said shakily, his adrenaline soaring to new heights. He gripped his hammer and prayer beads, giving a prayer silently to all his fellows. Natooka also prayed but in his head as he meditated in a corner by a covered window. Kilanos mounted himself up on the bar against a wall to rest his leg and give him a wide range to all windows with his bow, though he kept most of his attention on the empty opening. Oddvar and Edgar stood back to back with swords drawn, focusing on the upcoming battle, with Oddvar running through the funniest deaths he could think up for a zombie bastard. Demie sat against the bar, closest to Templar, thinking of her sister and the things she would say when she made it out of this, no time for pessimism. Strider stood with Konradr near the uncovered window conversing quietly.

"So we make our stand here then?" Strider asked the sea dog, "I couldn't think of a better way to stand then with my fellow soldiers." Konradr confessed and smirked at Strider, who grinned while adjusting Notte in his sheath.

As the undead horde made their way closer and closer to the inn they all braced, some with fear and hope, some with battle hardened adrenaline. They all shared a final gaze and nodded as they equipped themselves and stood ready for the barrage.

"This is ludicrous. When we get out of here, I swear, I am never leaving the city again," said Demie, reaching for her sword on her hip. She waved her hand around feeling for it, however, could not seem to find it. She finally looked down at her waist to find that it was not there. She turned about and looked at the floor, hoping it might have just fallen. No such luck. then, she looked back at the cellar door.

"DAMN!" she shouted, realizing that she'd left her sword in the cellar with a man who was less than half sane. There was no time to get it. The first dead, half-rotten hand was already reaching through the unprotected window.

Templar gripped his hammer, thanking God for the blessed weapon. There was nothing better for re-killing the undead than a giant warhammer. He made his way to the side of the open window and raised the hammer, to bring down God's might onto the first corpse to make its way through.

Natooka stood motionless in his corner still.

"Natooka," said a cautious Konradr, "Are you forbidden from re-killing something that's already dead? There is no blood left to draw!"

Natooka blinked. He wasn't quite sure. Fighting the walking dead was not a common occurence for him. His hand found his weapon anyway, and prepared itself for defense. In the meantime, Edgar had made his way to the upper floor. He quickly searched each room for something to help kill large quantities of reanimated corpses. All he could find was a small knife or a bottle of alcohol here or there, left by previous guests no doubt. Finally, in the second room to the end of the hall, he found it. There, against the foot of the cot, was a large wooden bow. A quiver next to it contained some twenty arrows. It would not eliminate every single corpse, but it would certainly help. He positioned himself by the window and proceeded to assist Kilanos in his projectile kills.

Downstairs, the undead were growing in numbers quickly. Each member of the group had three or four zombies to fight off, and counting. Templar swung his hammer mercilessly, sickly addicted to the sound of skulls crunching beneath his force. Natooka focused more on keeping the undead at bay than actually killing them. Oddvar was on an all out death-fest, shoving "Mine is longer than yours" into countless eye-sockets and throats, scattering rotting bits of flesh in every direction.

Demie had managed to create a makeshift weapon with some rocks on the floor and a strip of fabric from her skirt. She had wrapped the cloth around her fist a few times, adding the rocks in between the layers. She punched one corpse underneath the chin, knocking its head backward farther than it should have been able to go before she dug her dagger into its cold, stiff neck. However, fighting close combat against such creatures was bound to have its consequences. Before she could realize it, one of the walking dead made its way behind her and held her shoulders as its teeth ripped into her arm. She screamed loudly as she struggled.

Edgar was watching zombies fall in their tracks due to Kilanos' arrows, accompanying with his own shots. He had four arrows left when he heard the scream, stood up, and rushed downstairs to assist his commrades. He looked in horror at Demie's injury, Natooka overwhelmed, Strider's back against the bar, trapped in his place as he swung Notte recklessly. But, he did not see his commrades. Instead of seeing Demie, he saw the face of his sister, dead as he remembered. Instead of seeing James, he saw his friend and neighbor, Kenji. Instead of Oddvar, he saw his fellow soldier, Samanosuke. He watched as his friends were attracked again and again, and could no longer take it. He ran into the fray, sword unsheathed, and twirled like a madman, rekilling the dead left and right in a crazed trance.

Kilanos shifted his focus from the undead outside to the ones inside as their numbers grew unbearable. He reached back for an arrow, but could no longer find one. His quiver was empty. He eyed the alcohol behind the bar and prayed for a miracle.

Natooka came running over to where Kilanos sat at the bar.

"You called?" He asked, gasping for air from the run.

"What?" Kilanos asked bewildered, as he drew his twin swords from their sheaths.

"You were just praying for a miracle and the Gods sent me over to you."

"That's crazy. What we need is to kill these Dragr before they overrun us!"

Already the dead were squeezing in through several windows and forcing the group back. Wounded and hobbled dragr were leaving the house, taking bits and pieces of their fallen with them. Once they made it back to their barrows, these dead would regenerate and come again, a never ending horde of flesh eating demons.

Konradr hacked with his axe in one hand, and thrust with the sword he held in the other, here a rotten head shaved in two by an axe blow, and there, a skull was skewered, and yet, it was not enough. The dead pushed the barrikades away and swarmed in. Some crawling, gnashing their black teeth for want of warm salty blood.

Demie sat crying on the floor. Templar stood above her, bowling over the dead in three's and fours, with each swing of his hammer.

"Demie!" Konradr shouted. "I know it hurts, but shake it off and fight!"

"B...b..but you have to.....KILL ME! I will become one of them!" She sobbed uncontrollably.

"That's nonsense! You've been listening to too many storyteller's girl! You don't turn into a dragr until they kill you, not bite you. Get up!!!" Konradr said, kicking a dead girl to the ground, appologizing to the Gods, and then smashing her skull to bits with his axe.

"What the hell you appologizing for Bro?" Oddvar asked as he cut three Dragr in half with a swing of his long, long sword. The top half's of each dead started to crawl towards him.

"These were good people once, Oddvar. Good people. Damn the Gods that brought such a curse on them."

Strider spun this way and that, his sword becoming a single running blur of silver, everywhere, rotted, stinking heads flew.

Edgar did the same with his beautiful, curved shuratai sword. The two of them looked like deadly fans of steel.

"Fall back!" Konradr urged as a sea of the dead, some of them having recently regenerated and coming back with more hunger than before, surged in through the shattered windows and into the melee.

Demie was on her feet swinging her homemade 'bolo'. The heavy stones cracked old, yellowed skulls like they were coconuts.

Natooka was surveying the scene, deep in thought. The Gods had called to him, had told him to go to Kilanos side, but had not told him why. Kilanos was now hobbling near the counter, swinging his two swords with a vengence.

Oddvar stepped back and, breathing heavy, looked to Natooka.

"Hell padre, as long as your at the bar, how bout given a thirsty man his last gulp of the water of life?" He said.

"The what?" Natooka asked.

"A last swig for the condemmed." He pointed at one of the mugs of ale. Natooka picked it up. It was full. He uncorked it.

"Have a drink yourself, the Gods won't punish you in your last hour."

Natooka smelled the contents and his nose wrinkled.

"Don't smell it, take a swig. Oh, pardon me, I'll be back for that." Oddvar suddenly hurtled across the room as two Dragr had latched on to Konradr and were attempting to bite him. The huge man tackled all three to the ground and then started stomping on the writhing bodies.

"Not me!" Konradr shouted.

"Sorry." Oddvar chuckled and then stomped on the Drag and smashed their heads to bits.

Natooka took a sip of the brew and spat it out.

"Yuck! It burns like....." His eyes suddenly opened five times wider as it dawned on him. "It burns!"

He grabbed the jugs and threw them at the walls above the windows. The clay shattered and Ale drenched the wood, the wool curtains, the floor and many of the Zombies. Natooka was laughing as he emptied the shelf of the innkeeper's ale, wine and whisky.

Oddvar cried and took the pain out on the nearest Dragr. "What are you doing you crazy monk, that's good shit!" He hit the Dead man in his jaw and the jaw popped open at a odd angle, it almost looked like the Dragr was smiling. "What are you smiling at puss head!" The pommel of his sword smashed the thing's jaw off and then cracked his skull into a jigsaw puzzle that oozed onto the floor.

Dragr suddenly crashed in through the bolted back door and they too surged into the room. Templar and Demie went in that direction, holding the hallway from the back as best they could. Several of the dead made their way down into the cellar.

"No, no, noooooo!" came Tormac's scream. A crossbow bolt sang, followed by a wet THUNK. Then a door could be heard being smashed in over and over until it cracked. Another crossbow bolt Thunked, and then the man screamed one last time before everlasting silence filled the cellar.

After tossing the last few bottles into the hallway, above Templar and Demie's heads, Natooka then jumped down to the fireplace. The log was barely smoldering.

"Uh oh." Natooka cried. He began to pray and in between each silent word, he blew on the embers. They glowed red, but did not catch.

"Form circle!" Konradr yelled. "On Natooka!" The desperate warriors moved until they were at each other's backs.

"If you're trying to start a fire, you should have doused the wood with some oil," Kilanos muttered as he drew in breath with heavy gasps, "or...." Then it came to him. "Or..."

"Alcohol!" They all said in unison. The Dragr charged and each began to hack and slash and thrust, buying Natooka time.

Natooka breathed harder and the embers almost blew out. He crossed himself. "Relax Natooka." He took a deep breath, and then blew softly. The blackend wood glowed red, then began to smoke, then POOF a small blaze started.

"Yes, yes. Thank you my Gods, thank you."

Natooka pulled the burning log from the fireplace and stood with it above his head in triumph.

"Aha, back you demons from hell." He shouted.

The Dragr knew fire, and they seemed to cringe. Natooka took a step forward.

"That's right, go! Go back to your barrows! Go before I burn you to nothing!" Natooka waved the fire that was burning above his head. The fire had caught good and now consumed the wood. Suddenly it burned his fingers and in pain, Natooka dropped the wood.

It fell. All eyes watched it float through the air, Live eyes and black, dead eyes. It fell and hit the ground. At first nothing happend. The dragr growled and moved back and forth, steeling their courage for another, final charge.

WOOOOOSSSHHH! The floor went up in flames, the fire spreading across the floor towards the walls and the curtains. Dragr began to howl, some jumped up and down in a rag doll dance, other's began running for the windows. They fought one another to get out. Several began to burn, as did the entire front wall of the Inn. Sparks floated in the air along with the stench of burning rot.

Soon the back hall and the ladder to the cellar was onfire as well. Dragr rushed out the back door, all but one. Tormac's body, on fire completely, made it to the top of the ladder, then toppled back down. Flickering flames soon shown from within the cellar too.

"Great job Monk!" Oddvar said. "You saved us from the walking dead, but how are we gonna keep from being burned with them?!"

They all stood motionless for a moment as a wall of flame and burning bodies surrounded them.

"The stairs!" Kilanos said. "We have to make it to the stairs. We can get out through one of the upper floor windows!"

But the stairs seemed a mile away through a dense wall of flames that would soon work their way onto the wooden steps and set them afire too.

Almost in an instant, everyone rushed towards the staircase. Oddvar and Konradr were the first to runb up the stairs, soon followed by Strider and Edgar. Both pairs quickly went up the wooden steps to the upper level.

''C'mon bro, stop holding up the line!!'' Oddvar yelled as he grabbed Konradr and pulled him up from the last step, almost causing him to trip. He staggered slightly before regaining his footing. Strider patted him on the back as his quick eyes scanned the second level.

There were about three windows on the left wall and two on the back wall. He was just about to go to the left side when a burst of flames overcame the whole left side of the inn, causing the windows to shatter outward.

The injured Demie was helping Kilanos up the stairs, his bad foot causing him to go slower then the whole group. Templar waited a bit before he proceeded to go up the first step, before a wave of fire interuppted his plan. The steps began to catch on fire, only a few from where Demie and Kilanos were. With a lump in his throat, Templar lifted his hammer and swung down the open space, leaving a gapping hole in the staircase.

''Templar, what are you doing?!'' Natooka yelled behind him. He let out a slight scream as he turned around.
''Natooka, What the hell?! Why didn't you go up the stairs?!''
''Well I was just about to when you just broke them!'' The flames slowly crept toward them, making a large circle of death and heat.
''Tell me Monk; Are you fire proof?'' he said as he looked behind him as he spied an open window.....which was entirely engulfed in flames.
''Probably not; are templar's fire proof?''
"I don't know; I'll let you know in a bit.'' Fear filled every pore in the young temlar's body as he swung his mighty hammer out of the window as it made a loud thud against the dirt ground outside.

"James, don't be a fool!!!'' Demie yelled from above. James looked up and saw the entire group look down at him and Natooka.
''There's no other way; If I didn't break the staircase you all would be dead right now. Don't worry about us, just get out!!!'' Natooka nodded at them as he huddled his arms around his face as he ran with godlike speed towards the flame. Templar put his hood over his face and copied the monk, forcing his legs towards the wall of fire.

The group saw both men run into the fire before a huge burst of flames overcame their vision, causing them to lose sight of their friends. Demie began to cry softly as Kilanos grabbed her shoulder, forcing her to the task at hand. The Flames had begun to rise upward toward them; Kilanos reckoned they had about five minutes before the upper level would resemble the floor.

''Over here, quickly!'' Strider called out as he broke a window against the wall. Both he and Kondrar looked down to see a small patch of hay below, with what seemed like a stick inside the large pile.

''Seems the gods have smiled upon us.'' Konradr said with a small grin as he jumped out, landing safely in the hay pile. As he got up, he took the the stick out to reveal a trident-like spear, with three sharp ends.

''Bring everyone down, hurry!!'' Konradr yelled before a howl caused him to look behind him. A couple Dragr were standing a few feet from him, apparently unpazed by the fire in front of them.

"Aww shit!!!'' Strider yelled before he jumped out of the window. He fell gracefully on his knee in the hay before he rolled, then stood ready, his sword ready for battle. Edgar went next, taking a small running start before he jumped out the window, landind dead center into the pile.

''Leave some for me bro!!!'' A large thud was heard as Oddvar's large frame landed in the poor pile.

"H-hey!!!'' Edgar yelled as he tried to push the large man off of him. Both of them awkwardly got up, their sword pointed straight at the undead.

''You go first Demie; I'll be fine.'' With tears still pouring down her soft cheeks she leaped from the window and landed softly into the pile. As she got up to join Oddvar, Kilanos stepped out awkardly, landing on his back into the hay.

As Kilanos tried to get up, the small group of Dragr let out a shrieking cry as they ran towards the adventurers.

The Dagr fell in front of the adventurers. One, then two, then three. A path of Dagr fell to reveal the biggest creature they've encountered so far.

"Wha-?" Demie gasped, turning to the massive thing.

The entire group turned, preparing their weapons. They watched the giant ant approach them, it's speed slowing. Demie, still crying drew her weapon and headed for the ant. Before she could reach it, a short cloaked figure fell from it, landing gracefully on her feet. A taller figure followed suit.

The first cloaked figure walked toward Demie and pushed her to the floor. "Stop crying, stupid." Her hood fell revealing Whisper's cold face. The second figure remained by the ant, unmoving.

"Whisper!" Demie shouted. "What in hell are you doing here?! GO HOME!"

Whisper ignored her and scanned the group. "Ah, Konradr." She approached the confused man. "I have a message for you."

"A message for me?"

Whisper tiptoed to whisper in his ear. (Ha!) "The mountain troll, Taco, would like a word with you." She told him the location and walked back to her ant.

"How did you tame this thing?" Kilanos asked in awe.

"That was simple. I told her I would avenge her baby's death if she gave me a lift." Whisper said with a shrug.

Edgar looked away. "She even cons animals!" he muttered.

Whisper, though, knew what he had probably said and shot him a pleading glance. He nodded understanding that he shouldn't tell anyone about her bad habit.

The other cloaked figure motioned to Whisper who nodded. She patted the ant who lowered itself enough for the two to hop on.

The Dagr who had gone unnoticed for a while were coming up fast. "You should continue killing your undead friends." Whipser told them calmly. She patted the ant again and it went back the way it came.

Demie stood for a second, unmoving. She blinked a few times. "What the hell?" she said angrily as she punched the Dagr next to her.

Natooka and Templar stood back to back in the flames that slowly engulfed them, drawing the last breathe from their lungs. Natooka fell to the floor in hollow thud against the wood flooring, a hollow and echoing sound that struck into Templar's mind an idea.

Templar grabbed Natooka's spade and with all his strength the smashed it into the wood to reveal the Inn's cellar, the blow snapped the weapon in half. He nudged Natooka's lifeless body into the hole, and dropped down just the same.

The second smack against the cellar floor awoke the monk, dazed momentarily he quickly gained his footing and looked at Templar in confusion.

"What the hell, Templar?" Natooka rubbed his face and glanced around the cellar, expecting to see golden gates or green pastures when he awoke. Instead, the flooring above them radiated heat and embers trickled down upon them, they seemed only be delaying the inevitable end of this adventure.

"Now what?" Natooka looked around at the solid foundation around them.

"The roof is going to cave in any minute now, we have to find cover!" Templar yelled above the crackling flames.