Zion: Light of the New Moon Part 2, Ch 1.5 Doen
Zion - Light of the New Moon, Part 2 Chapter 1.5
Doen Fairview
Based on the votes from last post, Lord Rust will attempt to protect the city with Faith (and Zeke will exert willpower just in case the Fey try their Glamor. With any luck this was the best option. The Doenian party will be receiving +++ Delay and + Luck for this event arc.
The party split up, having little time for the luxury of remaining together. Lord Rust gathered up Zachary in one arm and went straight to the statue in the middle of town with the priest's staff. Narissa collected everyone at the inn and the surrounding buildings to move them to the center of town, meeting up with the echndia. They made up the central group around which all others were to form for what would probably be the biggest ritual of protection of their lives.
Haldyn ran to the feeble fortifications that blocked the outer streets of town, pulling everyone away from them and drawing them to the statue as well. Jasper, Zeke, and Dillan gathered up whomever they could from the streets and the residential buildings, urging them to join the rest of the populace in town square. By the time they had the majority of the townsfolk around the statue, the mist had grown even thicker, and the rays of the dawning sun illuminated it as if it were liquid fire floating through the Wayside's streets.
The townsfolk huddled as close to Lord Rust as they could while maintaining a healthy distance from his spines. The mists continued to swirl through the town, tendrils reaching out from the streets and into any and all open homes. The echidna managed to slide the moonstone staff into the statue's hands, balancing the Divine Shield evenly in her stony grasp. Suddenly, the mist surrounding the square pulled back, immediately flowing away from the statue before pooling just at the edge of the open streets.
"Well, that's a good start." noted Dillan from his place amidst the villagers.
"Not good enough." remarked Haldyn, drawing out his sword as sections of mist began to billow and mass, flowing a few feet into the square before being forced back... but it didn't stop there. The eruptions of the fog grew more common and pressed deeper each time until, suddenly, a female scream sounded out from several streets away. All at once the fog pulled back and seemed to disappear altogether... but, as another scream sounded, this one cut-short, the fog returned... albeit, tinged with red.
"This, I'm not liking..." Jasper commented, "Not liking at all."
"Stay close to me." noted Lord Rust, "It can't enter the square." He kept his back to the granite statue so as to keep his spines from harming anyone, "Tah'aveen will protect us."
"...but for how long?" murmured Zeke.
"The stories tell that the fey hunt until the morning dew disappears from the leaves." Narissa spoke from her place at Lord Rust's feet, "If that's the case, we just need to hold our ground for a few hours."
"I don't think it'll be that easy." Dillan offered, motioning to the swirling cloud of mist. Moving within the veil of vapors were several, non-distinct shapes and, as more and more eyes fell on the ominous figures, soft, insane chuckles began to emerge from the fog.
"What are they?" came a murmur from one of the villagers.
"Are they Fey?" whispered another.
"No..." noted Haldyn, lowering his sword just an inch as the first of the figures emerged from the mist. Two dozen children, from toddler to pre-teen stepped out into the square. "They're children." the lion spoke.
"Paddyn?" gasped one of the villagers, standing up as he looked to one of the children stepping out from the fog.
"Rei?!" called another one of the townspeople, an older beaver, "That's my granddaughter!" he pointed toward one of the crowd of kids.
Gabby!" cried a woman, standing up amidst the crowed as she jumped over those nearest her to run to one of the little girls in the lead of the children emerging from the mist.
"Wait!" called Zeke, standing up, "It's a--" the words froze in his muzzle as a dozen of the children snarled, their eyes glowing greenish as they jumped upon the surprised women. She screamed, the very girl she reached out for bringing a large rock down on the villager's head; the screaming stopped. "--trick." the fox finished, far too late.
The sound of frightened voices began to increase in volume around the statue as the townsfolk rose from their cowering position, inching back away from the children, which rose from the dead body and began walking purposefully toward the statue, eyes glowing, mouths and nails dripping blood.
"Why won't the statue stop them? Why won't Tah'aveen do something?" Dillan demanded of Lord Rust.
"They're not Fey." the echidna answered, "They might be under the Fey's control, but Tah'Aveen doesn't turn away her children."
"Well... then it looks like it's up to us." the merchant noted simply, drawing a knife.
"Put that away!" Narissa objected, batting the ferret's arm down, "They're children, not monsters."
"Doesn't seem to be much difference right now." the ferret snorted, but complied.
"They aren't Fey..." Taggart mumbled to himself as he walked toward the front line of villagers. He had no trouble passing them as they all withdrew even as he advanced. Once he was at the forefront, the dog glanced back at everyone only once, then turned to address the mist, "Thank you for returning the town's children!" he called into the mist, "The town considers the contract complete!"
"Taggart..." Dillan bit the whisper out frantically.
In unison, the bloodthirsty army of kids came to a halt. They didn't speak, they didn't comment, and they didn't advance; they stood in place as if they were inactive golems, and everything fell completely silent... until a single voice spoke up from within the mist, "You are a fool to misinterpret our intent... these thralls are ours."
"The children are back in the city..." Taggart shrugged, "So you returned them."
"They--" the voice paused for a moment, "You are an imbecile!" the voice chided, "They are ours!"
"Yours or not," the dog noted, ears raising slightly as the conversation continued without violence, "you returned the children, so you're obviously looking to end the contract."
"No." the voice spoke with all the certainty and chill of a northern wind, black tendrils of mist swirling around with ire, "The contract remains in force." the speaker's tone became iron-clad, "The contract will be maintained."
"Taggart..." Dillan murmured.
Taggart shrugged, "Okay... if you say so."
"We do." the voice boomed, echoing throughout the street, causing the villagers to cower even more.
"Well... thanks for coming then." the dog waved into the mist, "You keep protecting the villagers and you keep calling the children yours."
There was a pause, "...wait..."
"No... I'm sure that was it." Taggart confirmed, "The villagers want to upkeep the contract, and you're going to keep protecting the town." he smiled confidently.
"Taggart..." the ferret pressed.
The mist swirled angrily as the voice roared, "YOU CANNOT TRICK US!!!" it bellowed, causing everyone to cover their ears against the sheer power of the ire, "These people will be taught the folly of their ways!"
"So...." Taggart paused, smirking, taking another step forward, "You're going to attack the town and NOT keep your part of the contract?"
"Taggart." Dillan called.
"Is this stupid mortal attempting to best us at our understanding of the contract?" the voice rumbled, causing the ground itself to quake with the tone.
"You know your contract better than anyone, I'm sure." the dog nodded, "Which is why I figured you were here to return the children... because, obviously, if you were to attack the town that would be breaking your part of it... right?" and Taggart stepped closer yet to the mist.
A jet-black blade emerged from the fog, sliding straight into Taggart's abdomen, "Wrong."
"b-but..." Taggart murmured, slumping to his knees, "...the contract..."
"The town will remain unharmed." the voice spoke, "...but everyone within it who does not bow knee to us will be destroyed." the voice chuckled darkly.
"You're right..." Taggart wheezed, pulling at his tunic as he writhed on the ground, "I... don't know contracts..."
"...and you are not even OF this town..." the voice declared victoriously, "Nothing will keep me from destroying you, foolish mortal." the black blade, dripping blood, rose up for the killing blow.
"Your pride will." the dog smiled, mouth filled with blood.
"What?" the voice demanded, "You impudent--"
"You say nothing protects me?" Taggart demanded, rolling onto his side as he pulled a thin metal chain from out from beneath his tunic, "Well what about her?" and, as he rose to his knees, the dog presented his holy symbol.
"No..." the voice from the mist chuckled, "Your statue can do nothing to me at this distance... what makes you think your pitiful charm can do any better?"
"Something that I heard somewhere..." the dog noted, blood dripping out of his stomach and his back where the blade entered and exited him, "I'm just a poor street urchin... I can't afford silver."
"Enough with your stalling." the voice declared, and the blade descended.
Taggart pivoted and pushed off of the ground, wrapping the necklace around the blade as he moved out of the way. Adjusting his stance, the dog thrust his legs out straight, launching himself into the mist. The black blade was torn from the mist and skidded into the square even as Taggart threw his arms out before himself with the chain held like a garrote, "I CAN AFFORD IRON!" he screamed.
I don't know how long I had been unconscious, but, from my place resting on the cot I could see that the sun had nearly set. Suddenly remembering the events that led to my unconsciousness I bolted upright; it turned out to be a bad idea. Grabbing my head, I shut my eyes and waited for the throbbing pain to abate... and that's when I heard the soft sound of breathing near me.
Looking to my right, I saw Taggart laying beside me on the cot. He was curled up, one arm under his head, one arm resting across my waist. The bandage wrapping his midsection seemed strangely out of place; he hadn't been injured that morning... so what had happened?
Everything did finally get explained when I found my way downstairs. Once the rest of the group noticed I was awake they certainly had quite the story to tell me about how Taggart won Fairview its independence. Apparently, his heroics also won us quite a few supplies for our journey. When I asked them what he was rewarded with, Haldyn gave a knowing smirk and simply replied, "He said he wanted to look after you..." and he followed it up with a hidden wink, "and made me promise there wouldn't be any interruptions." I had a feeling that his words meant more than he was saying.