Subject: Re: The wizards plus one; almost to Gully's

"I hope not. I don't ever want to see those things again, much less two nights in a row." Farron leans back and closes his eyes, glad of the fire and the warmth it provides.

Subject: Leaving the town behind; riding through the night

Rennik pushes his pony hard, and the group from Overlook make good time. Within hours, the sky turns a faint red in the East, and the air begins to take on a dim light. The cloud cover has lasted several days not, but it is impossible to get used to. There is an unnaturalness to it that defies acceptance. Garyth's mind wanders as the thud of his horses feet hypnotize him. Would the unnatural dark eventually begin to drive them mad? Would it kill all of the plants? Could the demon win by just starving them out? He wonders idly how many ships might be sitting outside the heavy cover right now, waiting for it to pass so they can make port, and cursing because the lighthouse has gone dark.

Robert rides up next to Osred. He is quiet for a while, then begins speaking in low tones. "Do you think Hieronious took Pickle to him? Pickle- I mean Kenneth, wasn't a very religious man. His church was whorehouses, I think." Osred laughs. He'd never met a man more obsessed with women than Kenneth. Robert continues, "But he was a warrior. He'd fight like a demon for his friends. He never prayed to any gods, I don't think. But might Hieronious take a man like that anyway? For being a warrior? For being true to his friends, and dying in battle?"

The Falcon rides quietly for a moment. "I don't like to think that the demon got him. Or any black gods for that matter. What happens to a good man who does not pray?"

Behind them, Pensive rides lost in thought. Or, something both less and more than thought. The tapestry of lives on the island. The thousands of connections and feelings that drift across him like spider webs. Men in east, filled with terror. Men in the west, hiding in confusion. And always, always the black and red throb to the north. Like a heavy weight of rage smashing down on everything. Pensive instinctively knows what the others do not. That the clouds, the army, the murders and burnings and ravaging are just symptoms of that rage. Anger like a terrible storm. Anger that abandons reason. The demon surely has plans. Surely moves to secure its power and its eventual release. But even if it did not, it would murder and burn and darken anyway. Just to make others suffer like it suffers. It is a reckless hate defying thought. It makes his head hurt.

His hand drops to his side, and brushes up against something hard in his pocket. He reaches in and pulls out a small figure in hammered silver. There is a leather cord on it, like a necklace. A charm? But holding it in his hands, he feels a warm peace radiating from it. The faint touch of something vast and divine. A holy symbol then. And one with power. But where did he come by it?

Elvira. She must have slipped it into his pocket when she embraced him. He is surprised at her hidden depths once again. He did not think a human would have had sufficient skill to plant something on him without his knowledge. And how did she come by such an obviously potent token in the first place? There is more to her than he knew. He feels something shift, with an almost physical click. A connection falls into place with her, and by extension her people, that locks him firmly into place. He is her champion now. She is sending him off to battle with the demon carrying her most potent weapon. He is surprised by how right it feels.

The day comes and goes, Rennik allowing the men to stop only once. By nightfall, everyone is falling asleep in the saddle. When they stop, no fire is built. A quick meal is eaten, and then men collapse into a sleep plagued by nightmares.

[stopping for RP or whatever. Everyone please check in.]

Subject: ok, both groups are on the same day at least

So, after the overlook group checks in, I will write turns for both groups for the following day.

Subject: ok, both groups are on the same day at least

Subject: Re: The wizards plus one; almost to Gully's

I don't have anything that needs to be said, Ty. If you want to put some words in Kasen's mouth that's fine, I won't be back online until some time on the sixth.