Tis a Good Thing, My Feet are Sore.

"The Fold?" Grentyl raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Never heard of it before, I could smell the farmers, but nothing else. Are they human?" He looked around behind him, could they be hiding behind the trees right noe? It was unsettling the sort of things humans could do. "You say they're not dangerous, still I don't like being watched so closely. Now I know why deer don't like it." He shook his shaggy head of the thought. "Well since we haven't smelt or seen anything, I propose a little hunt. Might as well feed everyone while we're out here." He watched a flock of geese fly over head in a 'v'. "Follow me." His massive black shape slinked into the forest, following the birds to a frozen lake.

"Right." Resed said looking ahead. Perhaps Phoenix didn't want him to know everything. How such a creature managed to survive up here so long was confounding. Most demonic creatures who found themselves lost in the mortal world usually tried to find their way back. This world wasn't suited for them. Why hadn't this demon gone back yet?
He realized suddenly that Hazel was gone, he looked around to find her but she wasn't to be seen. "Ayden where's-" He was cut short, she came bounding from the trees and nearly charged into his horse. "Found a camp." She said gripping onto his black boot.
"Very good, not far I hope?"
"Human far or my far?" She asked pulling herself up by his foot, which gave him a moments discomfort.
"Human far my dear." He said grunting.
She sat herself behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "A half hour for a horseman. Twenty minutes on the road, ten in the woods."
"beautiful." He said, he wished he had known druids decades ago.
"How long for boarsman?" Ayden asked kicking Rett into a run. Pots and pans clanged and poor Shareth looked like an awkward rag doll bouncing around on the saddle.

Vasily dropped down from his position on the roof to the side of the inn, he stretched his arms with a yawn. "I should be getting some sleep, I need to start scoping out the area for hiding areas and nooks. He moved inside the inn, letting the door slam. He dropped down into a nearby wooden chair, leaning back, though making sure not to snap his bow on the ridge of the chair. Vasily emptied a few coins from his hand onto the table and shouted over to the barkeep "How about some ale, Aye?". He removed the bow from his back, dropping it down next to himself, leaning into a more comfortable shape.

"What have I told you?"
The voice had come from behind Shareth, from a tall man, with dark eyes and hair and a hooked nose. He didn't sound angry, rather benign actually. "You forget, and you forget, and you forget."
The living room became clearer, details formed and the dream became real. It wasn't a pleasant cozy kind of living room, but it was large, obviously he was in the home of a nobleman. The room was cold and no fire blazed in the hearth, but candles were lit and flickered with a pale light. The room was adorned in books, leather bound tombs, all of them with their pages turned many times.
At Shareth's feet lay a dead cat, it's eyes open and glossed over.
"If you can't handle the basics, whatever makes you think they'll accept you at Lammer my son?"
Shareth's mouth moved and he could feel someone else's voice verberate from his throat. He was a child.
"I didn't forget, It...It makes my head hurt when I try father."
"They should have chosen me!" A young girl shrieked. She stood in the doorway, her hair and eyes as dark as her father's and her skin as pale as the candle light. "I would have done it father. They only chose him because he's a boy!" Her lips quivered. "I should be the one to go to Lammer City, not him!"
Father placed a hand on Shareth's shoulder and squeezed gently.
"If Resed continues to fail like this, than yes. Yes I think I shall send you in his stead."
The cat remained rigid, starring into oblivion, it's soul long since passed over.

"Oy I'm busy you impatient lot!" the Barkeeper barked. "Maggie go 'elp our customers you lazy woman!"
"There's anotha one. Ginger go serve 'im will you?" The innkeeper's exasperated wife pleaded, as she bustled into the kitchen with dirty dishes.
"Yes Auntie." Ginger said nervously as she looked around the inn oblivious as what to do (it being her first day). She was a sweet round faced girl with auburn locks the other girls envied.
"Don't be lettin them hassle you now, They give you any trouble let me know and I'll handle 'em for you." Maggie gave her a stern look. She was a sturdy woman with a scornful face. Indeed Ginger believed she could handle them.
The girl stumbled over chairs and people to get to the barrels to fill a mug with ale. As she did, she she looked over two other girls who must have been close to her own age. One was rather curious looking, with red eyes and hair. She found her self starring, as she did so, ale poured over the rim of the mug and down her wrist, sloshing onto the floor.
"Oy don't be wasting me good ale!" Her uncle bellowed. Ginger nodded submissively, then scuttled over to the strange gentleman's table.
He was even more curious, she couldn't get a good look at his face under his hood. She then thought it rude to try, and looked at his feet instead. "H-here is your ale, good sir." She placed the frothy mug onto the table. Her eyes wandered over to his bow. "W-would you like anything else. Auntie has sweet bread being served this mornin', best in town it is." She smiled faintly.

"The ale is enough, thank you." Vasily pulled down his hood, showing his disturbingly pale skin. His other features where morbid at best, his face was covered in scars, but the worst as it seemed was his Red-Orange eyes that shined so brightly. "The people here dont bother you here, do they, If so, I could Help." He spoke with a nod and a more a less warm smile. Vasily may look gaunt, but he was a very capable.

Tym jumped back a little to avoid being pushed away. She was fuming at the wretch's comments about Esmeralda and herself,not to mention his overt...advances. However, making a big scene would only cause problems. "Well I'm glad she was wrong, who'd want a wretch like you for an uncle anywa? Good day, 'sir' ". She departs the table and gestures to Esmeralda they should be on their way, "c'mon sis, let's go. " now to see if her plan would work. Somehow, she had a feeling things were gonna get complicated.

"Oh..." Ginger's eyes widened in surprise as the stranger pulled back his hood, realizing she was being rude, she averted her eyes to her hands. "No I'm alright, My Auntie does a fine job of that." She fumbled with her apron. "This is a safe town, My mother sent me to live here because she believed it would be better than Einterdale." Ginger overheard the conversation behind her as voices elevated. "Those girls might need your help though."

Hazel's campsite was simple, a rocky outcrop from the side of a hill, surrounded by large pines. Resed nodded. "It'll do."
Ayden, who had charged past the location, came trotting back to the group after about twenty or so minutes. "Haha sorry! Guess we went too far, forgot that I didn't know what I was looking for!"
"Well no more of that Ayden. You can't be running off alone where I'm taking you." Resed warned as he unloaded a leather bag from Rundy's saddle bags. "Phoenix, do you mind gathering dry wood for a fire? On second thought, I think I will go with you. Right after our tent is set up. I'd like to talk with you."
setting up the tent didn't take long at all. It was a simple black tent, and although it looked old, warn and small (too small for the amount of people in the party) It was magic, and the inside was spacious enough for a village. Complete with books shelves, several feather beds, carpeted floors, tapestries and a kitchen with a hearth. which suited a traveling necromancer fine. He even had a second room, a mini stable for the horses. As soon as it was set up, Hazel and Ayden dashed inside, both of them looking for Resed's hidden jar of sweets.
It made Resed happy to see them enjoy his magic, unlike Grentyl who thought it a bit opulent.

Rukruk had flown off to find Grentyl and Tigirid. He found them stalking a flock of geese who planted themselves on a frozen lake. He thought he should stop them, tell them that Resed wanted them back, but he wanted to watch. There wasn't much daylight left to hunt by...

"Alright, so you run out and scare them at me and I'll catch one alright?" Grentyl scratched his chin with a claw. They were hiding in the trees, out of sight from the honking geese. "Course it's slick...not sure how frozen the lake is."

"Oh by all means, better to be warm than freezing your buns off." He took a look inside the tent, "My and you call 'this' roughing it? One thing I do remember from when I had a family was going on trips to other towns for many different reasons with just a regular old tent and sleeping bags on the ground." He chuckled at the thought that Resed had sounded like they would actually be roughing it out here in the forest, only to pull off a trick like this in the end.

"Well If you're all done setting up the tent then by all means lead the way on our quest for the Holy Wood of Warmth!" Again he couldn't help laughing at his own joke,sometimes he simply had too much fun being him.

Vasily looked over to Tym and Esmeralda, "Aye, so it seems, anyway, thank you for the ale." He gave another smile, dropping a few extra pieces of currency as a tip as he moved over to them. "Hello, It seems you two had a problem with a few other patrons of this pub." Vasily made sure to pull up his hood ahead of time, he didnt want to scare away his customers before they even replied. "You see, I offer... Unique services to people in need of help with, unfriendly aquantances." He wasnt sure to be direct with the job, if this WAS a "good" town, then he was sure he would be reported to the guards, not that he was too worried.

Tym raises an eyebrow at the unexpected offer. "Oh, that? No need to concern yourself with them, unless you're offering to teach them the proper way to treat a lady, in which case I doubt i could afford the help. But I doubt that's what you meant," she says, appraising Vasily. Tym was wary, but was willing to hear him out.

"Well, If thats what you have in mind, I can do so, I accept a variety of jobs." He said so with a smile, he was at the very least glad to see they where interested. "I can rough them up, Get rid of them, depends on how you define, Treat a Lady. Free of charge too." Vasily would hope the Free of Charge would get them to give him a job, he usual didnt charge anyhow, he loved what he did, that was the payment he needed.

"Good." said Tigirid and slunk into the forest. They were on the higher point of land, and every bit would help for Grentyl to get high enough. Catching birds was never easy. Perhaps, if Tigirid was careful enough, he could get close enough to catch one before they took off. If they were both lucky, they would each catch one. If they were both doubly lucky, they could, concievably, catch two.

Chances were, they would both catch none. That's just the way hunting went.

Tigirid could see Grentyl's eyes peering through the foliage when he got to the other side. He was only barely visible to Tigirid, knowing what he was looking for. But this maneuver was proving its fallibility: the geese were already getting nervous. Tigirid had needed to circle around, and he tried to say downwind, but they were flanking the flock. It wasn't wholly possible.

There wouldn't be enough time for complete caution. They would fly away before Tigirid got near enough. Waiting would not work and Lady Luck was already their enemy today.

But the little guy gave it his best. Moving quickly, but as stealthily as he could Tigirid slid out onto the lake, running and skating toward the geese. Holding his breath to get closer and closer. Sprinting faster and faster he got to within fifteen yards before they began to take off, flying away from the charging Tigirid and right toward Grentyl as the plan was intended.

Tigirid put on his utmost speed, closing the distance to the birds, who were just starting their sprint. The gap closed and Tigirid lunged himself at the closest bird.



The boy led Aled to the 'dig'. The hideout for the Fold in the region. It would take a while for the news to spread, and for anyone to come that knew anything Aled wanted. But it would come. The Fold knew all.

Well, almost. They weren't actually the most knowledgeable group in the whole world, but they had a monopoly on the type of information they gathered. Seemingly innocuous movement of people, things, little snippets overheard. Trash for most people, but useful to those with a rather good memory for putting it all together.

Sigh. Again, that had never been Aled. He could get himself in situations, and get good information, but he always passed it along before it slipped his mind like so much more useless crap.

As they traveled, they left signs for other Fold to come. Especially if they knew about the rat man, or the giant horse, or the giant boar. Each was a little different, a different metaphore, a different pattern, and hidden so that most people wouldn't know what they saw.

The dig wasn't far. Soon the boy led Aled into it. Here, it was a deep, dark tunnel. An old fashioned 'dig' from where they all got their name. It was a crapped, dirty little hole in the ground, barely big enough for four people.

They didn't make any small talk. Fold on the move didn't want to be seen, heard, smelled... anything. Even after they were in the cavern, they were in silence. And waited.




Variety of jobs he had said. Rough them up. Get Rid Of Them.

What was the world coming to? Blackmailers, Thieves and Vagabonds. Now some assassin like creature offering his services to them. Esmeralda couldn't help but believe that hiring his services would get them indebted in a way they would not like to be indebted. His was a cloudy person. Didn't really hold himself like a person. His posture, his stance, they felt almost other-worldly. They reminded her of a crow, for some reason. And his suspicious hood did not make her feel any more at ease.

Esmeraldas' brain fired off all its cylinders and came up blank. What could she do. The limping man was still watching out of the corner of his eye: suspicious beyond normal behaviour. Tym was talking to this cretin.

Cretin. Perhaps Esmeralda should relax on her judgements. She saw so much detail in the pub. But she couldn't put it together in a comprehensive way.

free of charge....

Her calm broke and Esmeralda ran screaming from the inn.

Tym stared wide eyed as the girl stormed out of the inn like a banshee. She shook her head as she realized just how far out of her comfort zone Esmeralda was. In the confusion she leaned over and whispered to the Vasily. "Those men I was talking to, something they said or did has scared my companion really badly. If you can gather information on them, bring it to me tonight. I'll be on the northern end of town, along the outskirts. We'll figure out what to do then. Meanwhile, I have to check up on her."
And with that she gave a sheepish shrug to the onlookers who turned her way. "She's deathly afraid of spiders, she probably thought she saw one." Not waiting to see if they believed her, she chased after her friend. Deep down though, she began to wonder why she was bothering with the affairs of another...

Shareth wasn't sure what to make of the scene. Obviously it was one of Resed's memories. To think he had turned out so great...or had he? Perhaps he hid his scars...

"Alright then, i'll see what I can do." Vasily gave a smile, staring at the men. The girl never said how he got the info. He walked to their table, keeping his friendly smile. "So gentlemen, I saw your confrontation with those women, frankly im unimpressed with your manners." He gave a slight pause as he just looked at the man staring at him. Vasily gave began frowning, going to his buisness attitude. "So, please hand over any documents or information on your time here, that would be nice." The old man was being robbed and he knew it. "Im not handing over anything, you rouge, I should report to the town guard for this." The old man said to Vasily. He wrapped his hand around the old mans head, bringing it down hard on the edge of the table, splitting the skin. The old man fell onto the floor rolling around as Vasily emptied the old man's coinpurse into his own and took whatever the old man had on him. Everyone in the bar looked at Vasily in shock at the turn of events. Vasily casually walked to the innkeeper, "I'll need one room, only until the evening."


Later in the evening, Vasily paid off the room using the Old Man's money and left out the outskirts of town with the Old Man's belongings.

Shareth witnessed a few more foggy memories, but once they had passed they were easily forgotten. All the same, certain feelings lingered on like a bad taste in the mouth. A residue of shame, pride, and discontent. After a while the darkness faded, and a dismal landscape formed. A grey barren plato stretched out for miles under a roof of turbulent storm clouds, churning above like a living creature tossing in turmoil. Flashes of lightning lit up the insides of the massive clouds every few moments, and thunder shattered the silence then rumbled on to eternity.
"What are you doing here?" A little boy was standing behind him. He looked to be younger than six at least. But he starred at Shareth with dark and suspicious eyes. He had the demeanor of a nobleman but his clothes were as black as soot and simple for traveling. Even his little boots looked well worn. In fact it seemed he was wearing the very same outfit Resed had been wearing the last time Shareth had seen him.

Grentyl's ears twitched, His muscles felt like tightly wound springs. He watched Tigirid run across the ice and after the geese. Alright this was it, his turn. He bounded out from the brambles and tore across the ice, the birds were flying right at him. His senses fixated on one particular goose, the closest to his jaws, he watched the bird panic and try to manuover out of the way as if in slow motion.He pushed himself as hard as he could when suddenly,
Zing! An arrow buzzed past his face, nicking off a tuft of fur from his nose. He watched as another arrow buzzed past Tigirid's hindquarters, and before he could to do anything, Thwack! An arrow hit him in his shoulder.
It was a little arrow but it hit him like a horse cart and he was thrown onto his side. The ice was hard and he landed with a thud.
He didn't have time to yelp or cry out. He forgot about the geese and about his shoulder. His adrenaline was pulsing through him, and he found himself charging across the frozen lake to the other side, using his nails to rip into the ice like cleats.
"Run Tigirid! Hunters! RUN!"

Resed let himself smile. "No I suppose it's not really roughing it up. But when you live out of a tent for most of the year you might as well do it comfortably." He trudged through the snow keeping an eye out for dry wood, which was hard in winter. "Well Phoenix I um...well how do I say this? I guess I have a couple of favors to ask of you, maybe a question or two. The first well, if taking Shareth to Lammer city doesn't work." He sighed and looked up at the darkening sky, "I...I'd be... I'm willing to let you...er try your plan to bring him out of it. I don't know what it would do to you, but at least in Lammer city if anything happens, there will be the high Necromancy Priests to help control the situation." He looked at Phoenix from the corner of his eye. This meant two things, one if Phoenix were to become too powerful and deadly after the procedure, than the necromancers could dispose of him before any damage was done. This also meant that they could save him if the dark residue were to have any negative affects.
"Another thing, I'm planning on going through the Ether Roads. Perhaps you know of these roads considering your age. But uh well, It's not a friendly place, and I'd hate to take my family through it. But It's the fastest way to Lammer City. I know My friends can handle themselves but, I guess I'd like to ask if you wouldn't mind helping me keep an eye out, while we're in there. If you could use your senses and your understanding of whatever magic to help me. I'd be grateful." He stopped walking and looked at Phoenix with a bit more respect than he had shown before.

Shareth's body was placed comfortably on cot. Hazel made sure to cover him with heavy fur blankets Resed kept in a large chest. Once he was tucked in and safe, she joined Ayden in their investigation of Resed's things. Although she was more interested in the sweets he hid in random places, she also kept an eye out for an old, worn out, water damaged trunk. Ayden was digging through things looking for it too.
The inside of the tent was nice for sure, but it had a lot of junk that Resed kept piled in the corners and around the furniture. Ayden double checked under the hay in the stables, where Rett Grunted at him. "Stay out of trouble boy." He knocked on the floor boards looking for a hollow space.
"Found it!" Hazel tapped on the chest. Ayden came in and sat next to her as she pulled it out from under a cot.
"Is it locked?" Ayden asked her, trying to pry it open himself. The old rusted lock wouldn't budge.
Hazel shoved him out of the way and gave the lock a lick. It popped open and she lifted the lid.
"Well that was easy!" Ayden threw his hands in the air. "How did you know to do that?"
She signed with her hands, "I watched Resed do it once."
"Well that's not a very secure lock."
"Would you think to lick a lock?" She signed.
"Good point.."
They looked inside the chest together and gasped at the same time. Ayden reached inside and pulled out a massive broad sword, the hilt was engraved with skulls, while the blade let off a red glow. It was too heavy for him to wield properly so he dragged it across the floor.
"Would you look at this thing?!" He smiled and tried to swing it, but it threw his body backwards instead.
Hazel pulled out jewels, skulls and rings, all radiating magic. There were also staffs, and potions and artifacts from ancient ruins, even a magic pipe.
Ayden scratched his head. "I think Resed has a thing for treasure."
Hazel nodded in agreement as she placed a golden helm on her head.

Phoenix leaned over and picked up a decently sized dead tree, focusing wind magic around his hand in a spinning motion and then proceeding to chop through the tree, cutting it into smaller logs to be used in the fire. Ahh he gave his consent for that sooner then I had expected, no doubt he's got a back up plan should it have too extreme an effect on me either way. He produced a good sized bag from under his cloak and started stuffing the logs into it to carry them all in one go. "Family, eh? Oh I suppose you mean the whole group minus me and the boy of course, probably minus the other new addition. Quite the.....unique....family but I suppose as good a family as any. Yes the Ether Roads certainly aren't a place for the meek or weak of will, I have happened upon them before roughly a century and a half ago for those not used to them or possessing a certain disposition they can range from being anywhere from simply disturbing to near fatal. Well since it would be the shortest route to your Lammer City I suppose it can't be avoided, and I'll have to keep them protected in order to protect myself anyway, so yes you shall have my support in there."

While they were walking around he happened upon an apple tree taking out a smaller bag from his cloak, he filled it up to feed his new horse servant.

Had he been awake, Shareth would have made sure to mention what a BAD idea it was to rummage through a Necromancers hidden trunk of goodies. But he was not awake. He was deep within the depths of his mind talking to Resed(?).
"What are you doing here," the boy had asked him.
"I guess you could say I'm sightseeing," Shareth remarks sarcastically. His demeanor softens a little, "actually, I'm lost. I drank this nasty sludge and I've been trapped here since."

Tymaril frantically searches for Esmeralda, shaking off the sinking feeling she had. Actually, it would be more accurate to say she was shaking off the cold air. For some reason, she couldn't stop shivering.

The large Raven and its flock flew over the town from the inn to the northern outskirts. The large group of birds, perched in surrounding trees, watching the town from thier elevated position. They began to combine with the raven to what would become Vasily, Once the transformation is complete, he hop's down into the clearing. Now looking to the farmers on the edge of town he would give a wave and a polite hello as he waited to conclude his deal.

"Yeah you must be lost." The kid cocked his head. "You're not supposed to be here you know, but it doesn't look like you know how to leave."
Lightning tore across the heavens above them. "He's always getting himself into shit. Let me guess Resed made the 'sludge'? Oh and it's not really sludge, it's Dark Essence. Father had a theory that one could simply wash away dark essence, revive the soul. A simple theory, but in practice it proves to be dangerous. Even if it is a negative essence it's still apart of one's self. Resed in his curiosity washed away a part of himself and you drank it." He looked at Shareth with a grin. "Well since you don't know where you are let me tell you." He opened his arms out to the expanse in front of him. "Welcome to Resed's subconscious mind, or soul or whatever you want to call it. I am a figment of your imagination, conjured so that you may better comprehend the magnitude of how deep of shit you are in." He laughed "No okay not really, You could say I'm Resed's inner child, who he used to be anyways. Hence the black hair." He tugged on a lock "He buried me a long time ago and since then this place has become a hell hole. See those clouds?" He pointed up "That's from years and years of sacrificing your soul for unlimited power. It's always like this because Resed is constantly fighting for control over himself. Those clouds, the storm, that's necromancy, that's magic and power, and there is a lot of it. And now you have it too, the storm inside is beginning and there's something else inside you stirring."
A bolt of lightning struck the ground a mile from them and shook the rock under their feet. "But you have something on your side, You have a deep connection with Resed now and he can help you. Help you keep your own storm in tact." He sighed and started walking away with his hands behind his back. "Question is how do we get you out of here so that you may begin your own dark journey? I don't think he even knows you're here."
Thunder rolled and echoed across the arid landscape.

A small glimmer of Shareths own inner child marveled at his surroundings. He had seen something in this world that most likely no one else ever had, or ever would again. The inner workings of anothers soul. However, he quickly sobered up. The voices in his head had fallen silent, and now he was pretty sure why. He was no longer in his own head. He was trapped here with Reseds inner child.
"What an unpleasant place to be stuck. I swear, if I get out of here, I'll try to get you out of here, or at least, help Resed recover you," he says to Reseds inner child, falling behind him.
"Do you think I can communicate with him? If this is his soul, I imagine contacting him would be easiest here..."

The kid turned around and rubbed his chin. "I suppose you could communicate with him. Though it's different here, our voices are tiny in this vast expanse of his mind....but maybe." He shook his head "No I don't think it would work." He squinched his face and thought hard. "But I have an idea how we can pull you out of here and bring you back to your own body, but if it doesn't work then you may be stuck here forever and your body will eventually die without you in it. Are you willing to try it out?"