Fantasy Enical High (Open)

[MintyMaskedGhost]

A bird, strikingly red as blood, soars gracefully through the open sky, its sharp wings slicing through the air with an elegant precision. The sunlight catches its feathers, illuminating them like flames dancing in the breeze, making it a breathtaking sight to behold. It dives and glides through towering trees, effortlessly maneuvering around branches and leaves, it almost as if it has lived in this forest for centuries.

This majestic creature is unlike anything anyone has ever seen. From a distance, its vibrant color seems to radiate a brilliant glow, so vivid and intense that it appears to blind those who gaze upon it in the light. However, upon closer inspection, the illusion shatters; the bird’s feathers are delicate and thin, resembling intricate sheets of paper folded and shaped into an avian form. Each feather seems meticulously crafted.

As the bird approaches its destination—a place that holds significance, its very essence entrusting a secret meant to be delivered—it shifts from a leisurely glide into a purposeful flight. It understands the importance of its task and begins to prepare for an extraordinary transformation. Its form begins to shimmer, and with an elegant twist of its body, it morphs from an exquisite bird into an envelope.

This transformation is seamless and magical; the envelope, still tinted with the red hue of the bird, captures the essence of its former self, carrying the weight of its purpose within. Even in this new form, the envelope continues to fly through the air, gracefully navigating obstacles until it reaches the intended location, where a person lies at rest.

Finally, it arrives at its destination, hovering momentarily as if to gauge the right moment before settling gently onto the surface of a desk or a tabletop, perhaps by a window or near a bed. Here, the envelope patiently awaits, a silent messenger ready to reveal the message it carries.

 

[Gears]

• Charlie

• 
  Charlie didn't sleep that night- like the usual. His world shifted and rocked as he lay on the bed- dagger in hand as he hid under the covers. A stair creaked as he listened, smiling a bit as he heard heavy footsteps approach. Too heavy for an imp, not cloven- maybe just a humanoid.
  
  The door groaned as something got closer- approaching the king sized bed. Charlie had turned out all of the lights so the thing couldn't see him waiting. He gripped the knife- one of his belt knives styled to mimic a leaf in its shape. He waited as the figure got closer- easily a head taller than Eddie. Most things where taller than him- even most Harrengon where bigger.
  
  Long sinuous hands reached for Charlie, oily black. A talon emerged from the index finger as it got closer, reaching for it's prey.
  
  Charlie let out a battle cry as he threw the blanket off of him, the disguised net wrapping around the thing as it screeched in surprise. The claws quickly shredded through the trap- it's head illuminated by a light spell- a creature of pure shadow, only a gaping maw on it's face, filled with needle like teeth. Before it could let out another cry, Charlie heaved his warhammer into it's skull, feeling the clay-like flesh crumple as the carrot styled weapon tore through its form until it crumpled to the ground.
  
  Oily blood now covered the Rabbit Kin- he kicked the body before using tweezers to extract a few teeth that had fallen on the ground in lumps of flesh. The thing began to bubble before dissolving into smoke- Stupid things never stayed long enough for a good harvest. He stretched for a moment before opening the door to an impossible tower.
  
  Blackstone walls where lit with lamps, showing the impossible construction. Doors stood high on walls without stairs to reach them, while some staircases led to nothing. A few objects floated in the air- he could hear demons scream from the basement, wanting to escape and eat him like the Shadow that had escaped last week- now dead.
  
  He appreciated his home- it had plenty of space for testing new spells, for fighting- and sure the demons where fun to hunt, but the fact that they could randomly escape and kill him was a tad annoying. Lepus had left more papers on the desk in the study- a room combined with the sitting room. Charlie picked up the papers and pretended to read them- he didn't understand demon speak; just something about owning him and holding him there forever- an image of an anatomically correct heart at the bottom.
  
  Charlie tucked the letter in his pocket- he couldn't read the words but liked the picture. He paused when he saw another letter. Odd, since most magical messengers avoided his home with all of the demon stuff. After reading it, a smile appeared on the rabbit boys face. He gathered a few things before hopping out of the hat that his domain was contained in- flipping the hat on his head, comfortably between his ears before dropping off the cart he had stowed on- now to walk too this strange school. He summoned his staff and began the long trek.
  
  

 

[Lost Martian]

The sun was setting on this part of the Realm of Erda, the few young Eladrin that were out and about preparing to return to their homes for the night. The Eladrin known as Pan would be sitting on the roof of his house, watching the orange ball that was the sun slump down among the forested hills that dotted the landscape outside his village.

While his fellow Eladrin youths played in the street below, experimenting with their burgeoning magical powers, Pan was rather solitary, lost amongst his thoughts and ideas that separated him from his peers. Most of them looked off into the distance and just saw a sunset, but for Pan he was imagining what other Fae in other parts of Erda were doing as the night approached.

Already considered weird by his peers, Pan didn’t mind his outsider status, being much more invested in his hobbies than making friends with the few teenage Eladrin in the village. Honestly the only time he interacted much was when he had to go to school, making nice with his classmates but not caring much for them.

In fact school had become quite boring, Pan uninterested in the few new concepts brought up in recent lessons, not having a particular connection to the magic that he possessed and was being taught to control. In fact this whole final year of the education system here in Erda had been quite boring. While his peers were preparing to take jobs around the village, Pan had no clear goal in life.

This lack of purpose was quite bothering to Pan, as he felt left out from the growing up going on around him. So he would retreat into his own mind, where he was content, comforted by his dreams and stories that he knew. And sitting here watching the sunset was comforting.

As the sun descended closer to the ground from where it would soon disappear, Pan would spot something out of the corner of his eye. Initially ignoring it as some kind of bird returning to its nest for the night, Pan would then notice that the thing in the sky was heading straight for him.

The thing glowed with a bright light, somewhat blinding Pan as he tried looking directly at it. Shielding his eyes, the glow would then fade from the thing, revealing it to be a bird, apparently made of paper.

Pan would try to make sense of this enchanted item, wondering if one of his more magically inclined peers were messing around with some paper. But the paper bird was definitely coming towards Pan, the air currents putting it on a direct path to the Kornn family home.

Once within about ten feet of Pan, the paper bird would stop moving. Before Pan could reach out for it, the bird transformed into an envelope. Fluttering in the breeze, the envelope would float over to Pan, landing on a piece of roof tile next to him.

Tentatively reaching out for the envelope, Pan found that it wasn’t booby trapped or anything dangerous like that. Figuring that the letter was important, Pan would slide it into his pocket before sliding off the roof and onto the cobblestone street.

Entering the front door of his house, he would see his mother Theia preparing dinner. His father Jorvin would then walk into the kitchen, greeting Pan.

“Mother, Father, I just received an enchanted letter,” stated Pan, “If this is what I think it is, I believed it best that I open it in your presence.”

Pan would pray that he was correct about the letter, as it could be the key to him getting out of this village, and from Erda as a whole. He knew he was destined for things beyond this simple life, and Pan was ready to start the next stage of his life.

---

---

Like always the city of New York was bustling with so much movement, people moving over every square inch of it. In the many years since Barb had come to the city, she had gotten used to never really being alone. It was in stark contrast to the small town of her birth, where almost everyone was always alone.

Grabbing a sandwich from a bodega, Barb would munch on it as she walked away from the neighborhood where her Coven had just met this morning. Having been welcomed by them when she first teleported to New York, Barb had grown to be a key part of her Coven, one of several located across the vastness of this city.

Barb had brought up the idea that she might need to take some time away from the Coven, as she explored alternative ways of living than staying in the city. While she was eternally grateful for being taken in, Barb was getting older and felt like she could be doing more with her life.

As she finished her sandwich, Barb would inadvertently get a reading off the bread, her psychometry kicking in automatically. A recent memory from the man who made the sandwich would inform her that he had been sleeping around. While in the past she might have spread this knowledge, Barb’s gossiping days were over now.

So she pushed the memory out of her mind as she entered her apartment building. While appearing like a normal building from the outside, it was secretly the home to many other witches, Fae, Elves, and other supernatural creatures. Barb lived on the fifth and final floor, the action of climbing all those steps being good exercise.

Once on the top floor, Barb would notice a frog sitting in front of her door. While that might be an odd occurrence to other people, Barb had long known Dmitri, a Warlock cursed into a frog, and also being her landlord.

“Ms. Bouchard, this is my third time reminding you about the rent,” said the frog, “Be thankful that I don’t operate on a baseball system.”

Barb would cringe at the joke, “I’m sorry, Dmitri, work has been… spotty.”

“Well that is no excuse. You know I’ve been talking with a very nice Werewolf couple who would love to have your apartment.”

“And I thank you for indulging me. But I definitely will have the rent by the end of the week.”

Dmitri would sigh, “Very well. I’d advise you to best shape up with your life.”

The frog Warlock then hopped away, off to go bother some other tenant. Barb would try and push her money issues from her mind, entering her apartment. Besides having trouble paying for her apartment, Barb also had trouble cleaning her apartment, various clothes and other assorted items covering most of the room.

Sighing at the mess, but doing nothing to fix it, Barb would slump down on her couch. She didn’t bother turning on the TV as Barb now found mortal television to be terribly boring. Instead she would flip through an old spell book just poking out from the corners of the couch.

It was all things that Barb already knew, having mastered these spells years ago. All Barb really accomplished was making her yearn for something new. While living in New York City wasn’t bad, it had become very humdrum. Barb had been serious while meeting with her Coven about wanting a change.

Barb would then notice that it had begun to rain, the petter patter hitting against the windows of the apartment. Unfortunately she had left a window open, water landing on the desk in the corner of the apartment. Walking over to close it, Barb would see a blood red envelope sitting on the desk, one that had not been there before she left this morning.

Picking it up and wiping off the few droplets of water that had landed on it, Barb’s psychometry would kick in, getting a brief memory of who sent it. Filled with excitement, Barb realized this could be her chance to finally do something different, something worthy of a witch of her caliber. With great anticipation, Barb would begin opening the envelope.

 

[MintyMaskedGhost]

Josh's alarm blared obnoxiously, piercing through the haze of his dreams and jolting him awake. He groaned, instinctively reaching for the pillow to cover his ears, wishing to drown out the relentless sound. After a few more agonizing moments lost in the chaos of his wakefulness, he finally managed to slam his palm down on the alarm clock, silencing it and banishing the cacophony to the recesses of his mind.

Just as he was about to slip back into the comforting embrace of sleep, the door to his room swung open.

“Joshua, what are ya doin’ still sleepin’ at this time?!” his mom, Alison, exclaimed, her hands on her hips after she stepped into the room. In one swift motion, she yanked the sheets off him, leaving him exposed to the cool air.

Josh shot an exasperated glance at his mother, his tousled hair standing on end from sleep. “Ugh, it’s too early for this!” he protested, pulling the covers back toward him in a vain attempt to reclaim some warmth. “Plus, I’m on Fall Break! Can’t I take an actual break for once?” His voice dripped with the mixed annoyance and entitlement of a seventeen-year-old teenager.

Alison rolled her eyes, a familiar gesture born from countless mornings spent awakening her son. “Boy, ya get plenty of breaks! You also need to keep a good sleepin’ schedule,” she replied with authority. Her tone shifted slightly as she continued, “Now get up and help me with breakfast.”

As she turned to leave, her eyes caught a glimpse of something unusual tucked beneath the edge of his desk. The glimmer of a blood-red envelope drew her back.

“Where did you get this?” she asked, her curiosity piqued as she approached the desk and picked up the envelope, turning it over in her hands.

Josh ran a hand through his disheveled hair, raising an eyebrow at his mother. “I don’t know? I didn’t even know it was there until you said something,” he grumbled, still half-heartedly attempting to gather himself from the tangled sheets.

Alison opened the envelope, the sound of ripping paper mingling with the faint rustle of confusion. She pulled out an invitation, scanning the words inside as a frown began to bloom across her face. The sight of her son’s mixed expressions of curiosity and concern prompted him to ask, “What? What is it, ma?”

“It’s an invitation to a school,” she said, her voice turning dark as reality settled in. She had been dreading this moment, knowing it would eventually come—the day her son would be exposed to the supernatural world and, in turn, learn about what he truly is. Her heart ached with the weight of the decision that lay ahead. She didn't want to send him off to a place filled with monsters, but she understood that this school would be beneficial in helping Josh learn to harness his powers and navigate the world he belonged to.

“An invitation to a school? Really? Ma, you sure it’s not some prank? I mean, one of my friends could’ve easily snuck in and left it here as a joke,” Josh shot back, skepticism lacing his voice. “I have the worst grades in history; I didn’t sign up for anything, and so on and so forth. It’s gotta be some kind of joke or somethin’.”

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, finally deciding to stand up and join his mother in examining the invitation.

“Josh, it’s not the type of school you think it is,” Alison interjected firmly, folding the paper away before he could catch a glimpse of the contents. The protective look in her eyes conveyed that she was withholding more than just the invitation.

“Pack your bags. You need to be prepared for next week. Halloween is next week,” Alison announced, tucking the invitation into her pocket as if to bury the topic for now.

“Wait, what does this have to do with Halloween?” he asked, confusion tightening his features.

“That’s when you’re going to start your first day at this school, Joshua,” she replied, her tone resolute as she began to leave the room, casting one last glance at her son.

A frown deepened across Josh’s face as questions surged in his mind. The prospect of a Halloween debut at a new school felt surreal, as if it were a plot pulled straight out of one of the fantasy high school novels he had been reading. He tackled the confusion that brewed inside him, now left alone in his room. Picking up the abandoned, now empty envelope, he noticed the faint initials E.H. embossed on the front. “Must be the initials of the school,” he mused silently, a whirlwind of possibilities and uncertainties flooding his thoughts.

He let out a heavy sigh, still puzzled by the situation. How did this invitation find its way to his home, and why did it arrive now, at the cusp of Halloween? Was that merely a coincidence, or did the magic paper bird possibly get lost when it was trying to get to its destination and just now make it months late? And more crucially, how could he possibly be accepted into a private school when his mom had always struggled to make ends meet? As he paced his room, the questions multiplied, dancing like shadows in his mind.

---

Lucinda was sitting at the wooden table, idly playing with her fingers, the tips dancing over the smooth surface as she and her brother, Victor, waited for their instructors to return. The morning sun filtered through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow across the room and creating a cozy atmosphere. Yet, for Victor, the ambiance was less captivating than his growing impatience. He leaned back in his chair, letting out a dramatic sigh that echoed off the walls.

“What’s taking them so long?” he exclaimed, his voice tinged with exasperation.

Lucinda looked up from her absent-minded fidgeting, her brow furrowing slightly at her brother's tone. “They are probably attending to more important matters,” she suggested, trying to maintain a level of calm. She paused, slipping her fingers down to the table, her curiosity piqued.

Victor rolled his eyes, crossing his arms defiantly over his chest. “Like what? Do they just expect us to do this all by ourselves?! We’ve been waiting forever!”

Before Lucinda could respond, a dark-haired woman named Shivani entered the room with a purposeful stride. She wore deep blue sunglasses that obscured her eyes, yet Victor could almost feel the weight of her stare pressing against him, a disapproving chill. “We were making sure the last invitations made it to their destinations,” she explained, her tone firm yet calm.

Surprised, Victor arched an eyebrow, leaning further back in his chair as he put a foot on the table, an act of rebellion. “There were still some invitations left?” he asked, a note of incredulity creeping into his voice.

If Shivani had been anything like Principal Contessia, Victor imagined, she would have smacked him into oblivion for his disrespect and then launched into a long lecture about propriety. Luckily, Shivani was one of the more relaxed adults.

“I thought all the invitations were supposed to be sent out months ago?” Lucinda tilted her head slightly, her voice edged with curiosity and concern.

Shivani slid her hands into the pockets of her black leather jacket, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her lips as she approached the table and took a seat in a nearby chair. “They were, but a few invitations got a little... lost in transit. Me and some others had to help redirect the little birdies.”

Lucinda hummed in thought, the gears in her mind turning as she considered the implications. “Do you think someone misdirected the invitations somehow or interfered with them going to their intended location?” she asked, her voice becoming more serious. The possibility intrigued her; Lucinda had always had a knack for solving little mysteries.

“It’s possible,” Shivani replied, her tone more somber. “We’re looking into it at the moment to figure out what happened, but it may take some time.”

Victor leaned forward, his body tense with impatience. “Well, until you figure it out, can you help us do this stupid welcome banner stuff and whatever this paper said?” He glanced at the crumpled sheet of paper they had been given, an air of dismissal around him.

Shivani’s eyebrow arched at Victor's nonchalance. “Did you even read the paper, Victor?” she asked, her tone laced with amusement.

“Nah,” he grinned, shrugging as if it were no big deal. “But I’m assuming it’s nothing too important.” He leaned back again, placing his hands behind his head in a relaxed posture, which did little to conceal his lack of seriousness.

Lucinda sighed deeply, shaking her head in disappointment at her brother’s attitude. Sometimes, it felt like she was the responsible one in their sibling dynamic, an oversight that she found increasingly frustrating.

“Where’s Ella?” Shivani asked, getting back to the matter at hand. “She could help out with setting up the entrance for the new students, too.”

“She’s outside,” Lucinda replied, her voice a mix of irritation and resignation as she handed the paper to Victor.

Victor took the paper and glanced at it for all of two seconds before placing it back onto the table. “I’ll go get Ella,” he said, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. The thought of wandering outside seemed far more appealing than dealing with the welcome banner logistics in the moment.

With a resigned sigh, Lucinda watched as her brother got up and ambled toward the door, his demeanor carefree. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment at his lack of responsibility, but deep down, she knew he meant well.

“It’s fine, Luci,” Shivani said, sensing her frustration. “I think you’ll be able to figure out what happened with the invitations and why they went off course anyway. We can worry about this later.”

Shivani stood up, a graceful wave of her hand inviting Lucinda to follow her lead. Lucinda nodded, steeling herself for the work ahead.

---

Ella was perched on the edge of a stone wall in the courtyard, her eyes wide with wonder as she gazed at the bright sun blazing in the cerulean sky. The sun's rays cascaded down like a waterfall of gold, illuminating the clouds that flitted lazily across the heavens, transforming their soft, cotton-like shapes into a magnificent canvas of white and shades of orange and pink. Ella's skin seemed to radiate a warm, ethereal glow, the sunlight wrapping around her like a soft blanket, enhancing her already enchanting presence.

As Ella floated upside down, lost in her reverie under the sun's spell, Victor emerged from the inside of the school. He squinted, his dull purple eyes adjusting to the brightness, and caught sight of Ella, her white hair spiraling around her as she hovered effortlessly.

Victor approached her with amusement. “Whatcha doing, hun?” he called out, his voice playful.

Ella, still upside down, tilted her head, their eyes meeting. “I’m just staring at the sun!” she declared, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm. “It’s very bright and pretty! Look at all the colors!” She swung her arm dramatically, pointing toward the horizon, where the sun spilled its brilliance across the sky, painting it in hues of deep gold and fiery orange.

Victor chuckled softly, letting his gaze wander from Ella to the expansive sky. His hands found their way into the pockets of his worn jeans as he leaned against the stone wall. “You excited to meet the new students that are coming soon?” he asked.

Ella reoriented herself, floating upright beside Victor. She shrugged lightly, but her eyes sparkled with anticipation. “Yes! How many ghosts do you think there will be this year? Do you think there’ll be more or less? Oooo, what about vampires? Maybe some Fae?” Her laughter rang like a gentle chime, filled with the joy and excitement that seemed to bubble within her.

He chuckled once more, a warm sound that filled the air as he contemplated her enthusiasm. “It all depends on who all got the invitation,” he replied, his voice thoughtful. It was a ritual, it seemed, every year they would welcome new beings to their school, a whimsical gathering of creatures from beyond the ordinary world.

Ella's eyes widened at the thought, and she began swinging her legs back and forth, her toes barely brushing the ground as they dangled over the edge of the wall. “I’m sure a lot of monsters got the invitations like every year!”

They continued to watch the sun’s descent, the colors of the sky shifting magically as the day wore on.

 

[ThatOneDudesPizza]

Erend "Thomas" Filavandrel


The morning rises onto his humble cart, ever since the incident Thomas hasn't had anyone to wake him up for breakfast nor has ever woke up when they did. He was still asleep on the floor of his cart, no shade to cover him, no nothing, he did however have a blanket and pillow at least. The morning rays shined onto his sleeping face and the loud sounds of birds enter his ear...One special bird however began to peck his forehead forcing him to open his eyes in a more annoyed way

" Jeez man...you trying to end up as today's lunch or something?... " He angrily said as he sat up straight, tossing his hands in the air to shoo the bird away. While shooing the bird, he watched as it landed to the side of his cart, it had turned into a letter. Noticing it, he takes it . " Looks like the chicken is lucky today. Though you aren't any kind of bird i've cooked before- " while opening the letter up, he reads it carefully, squinting and tilting his head occasionally " Hmph, as if regular school wasn't enough. How did this get to me anyways? It ain't like I ever went to school...Honestly, the people who run this program must be delusional inviting nobodies like me. "

He gets up and stretches , after which he walks off of his cart and lands on the dirt beneath it, looking back at it and then himself " Then again, this isn't the ideal place to live in.... " He takes the letter into his eyes once more " Maybe I'll just take few months there until I get back on my feet. "

He takes the letter and stuffs it in his pocket, walking over to the front of the cart where he had his donkey from his village sleeping on the floor. He gently pats the donkey awake " Hey, its been enough days resting, lets get going. " its not like the donkey understood what he was talking about but can you blame Thomas? No social interaction in weeks! The donkey gets up and shakes its head before taking a few steps without Thomas. " I see your ready to go then! " He hops back into his cart, which was filled with 2 bags of his random items, one crate of fruit and of course his pillow and blanket

" Onward! You wake me up when we hit the school! Or....You don't know where the school is huh? Never fret, I shall lead you! After this quick power nap! " He then slumps into his cart once more as he heads back into slumber, the donkey grunting while continuing to drag the cart along out of their resting area and onto a dirt road, and so the journey begins.

 

[Daylight Fantasy]

Aelius Agrippa

The great, heavenly gates of Naevskii stood tall and gentle; a perfect mix between authority and gentleness. The angels residing there travel through the realm were both beautiful and bizarre at the same time. Sitting near the gates was a guardian angel with flowing, ginger hair and olive green eyes that complement his eyes perfectly. Bright, shimmering and outstretched wings flap lazily, showing everyone the beauty of it's feathers.

A bird of blood coloured feathers flew down to the angel, a letter clamped in between it's beak. His eyes barely moving away from his stoned structure, the angel plucked the letter from the bird's beak without a word. Silence bounced off the gates and invisible walls as he read it's contents.

Finally, after what took a really long time to read, the angel stretched his wings and arms before standing up to stretch his legs too. Opening and closing his wings a few times, the angel prepared to fly up into the heavenly skies of his realm. Fixing his clothes from the rest before dashing out and took off into the skies, clutching the letter in his hands.

His destination wasn't too far from the gates. Buildings as pure as the wings of doves who fly around Naevskii, the residential district was one of the most peaceful parts of the realm. Landing to one of the more larger houses, the angel didn't bother to knock on the door. Walking in with the barest minimum of respect that was allowed, which was a lot, he strolled into a small tea room. Two angels seated near the window, teacups in their hands and silence echoed between them. "Yo, mom and dad," the young angel greeted the elders with a tone far too casual, "I'm going back to school."

Nothing was muttered between them, just a simple nod acknowledging the words spoken from the youngster. The angel didn't need a confirmation though, as he walked straight into his room to get his stuff. "Well, this Aelius better be going then," he sighed with defeat, knowing that his parent would force him to go if they find him around after he said that. The beautiful wings of his flapped again, and kickstarted his journey to school through his window.

 

[ThatOneDudesPizza]

Erend "Thomas" Filavandrel


A good three hours has passed for Thomas's journey, the donkey continued to go onto a steady pace with the cart. and he remained in slumber with the occasional loud snoring here and there as well as the bumps over the lumps of the road. After a few more minutes of his nap he finally awoken, the first sight his blinking eyes caught was the sky, he began to smile at it, enjoying the kisses of the sun that touched his face,

" Donkey! .... " He mutters into the air, sitting up and stretching. " How do you think school is? I've heard rumors once from the older kids in our old village, witches for teachers and devils as well! " The donkey let out a soft grunt in response " You're right! I don't even need school, well, not for education that is. " Thomas made a fist, he then knocked on the side of his head

" I was always told I had natural smarts, have you seen my inventions? ..... Again, I have to remind myself- you are but a donkey. " He scoots himself to the edge of the cart, his feet hanging off of it and he sighs " Boy, what I would give for something to build or some action! I know sleeping is my whole gig but jeez I can't do it alwa-... Well speak of the devil, a big old flying chicken! "

It wasn't really a chicken, it was a giant hawk, he just calls anything with feathers and wings a chicken. Thomas reaches behind him to grip his bag, the shadow of the giant bird hovers over him, his donkey, and his cart as they kept moving on the dirt road. He finally pulls out his customized harpoon gun as he aims readily. " You're going into the food pile pretty thing. " He shoots the harpoon, it scratched the hawk but it misses, now seeing the mistake he palms his own face.

The point of the harpoon falls down from the sky, getting itself stuck into the dirt. With Thomas still holding the handle and the cart still moving, he was yanked off of the cart, then he rolls onto the dirt road, leading him further and further away as he grunts in pain.

After falling, he quickly gets back up to try to run back into the cart " DONKEY! DONKEY WAIT! " He shouted but the giant screech of the hawk was heard, it swoops down and takes his donkey along with his cart! His food crate and his bag of inventions falling down from the sky and onto the ground with a giant crash. He fell onto his knees, watching the chaos unfold " Maybe I shouldn't have bothered that hawk- "

He sighs as he gets back up, dusting the dirt of and shaking his head with a moment of silence that lasted a good 30 minute " You've done me a good service my great steed...I'll honor you with a grave later- Maybe when I get to the school. " He reaches into his pocket and pulls back out the envelope, having to walk on foot now, he groaned " I guess this is karma.... " He then begins the next half of his journey without anything in his head except for regret down the dirt road.

 

[Gears]

An arrow thumped against flesh, followed by the sound of a chain dragging across the ground. Four shadows fled leaving the third as they tried to escape the wraith that stalked them. Once creature dropped his bow as he ran, screaming as the chain was whipped toward him, the sharpened chain sinking into his chest. Surprising strength pulled him back into the hunters embrace- followed by the song of a swung blade. Three wretches fled as the last one's cries were silenced.

Once's leg moved unnaturally, long since broken- now she lagged behind as the others fled, now knowing the Doctor's violence first-hand. She hit the ground with a thud as she tripped on a crack in the stone. She looked up in horror as the masked figure stalked forward, swinging the hand scythe he carried. She barely let out a single prayer before the sharpened blade sheared her head off.

Eo uttered a silent prayer as he moved on, noting the location of this body so he could burn it once he nest was confirmed clear. 238 Infected had started in this place, these dank catacombs. The burial site of ancient heroes was tainted by their presence- and he was here to remove them. The final two decided to stand together, raising weapons as he kept to his usual slow pace. The ground was dark, and if he fell he would be overwhelmed by the monsters.

An arrow flew past him as Eo dodged, senses honed to avoid such attacks. He became a shadow of vengeance, punching the first thing in the gut before ducking a blow from his partner, kicking at him as his own shadow watched- somehow clear in this dark place. Where everything else was in deep shadow, his own appeared to be as dark as the void itself- somehow more clear, especially for the strange eyes that glowed white within the shadow. Eo caught a swung cudgel, twisting the owners arm before drawing his crossbow, firing a bolt in the skull.

The final demon rushed him, knocking his weapon aside as he tackled the hunter, rotting flesh bleeding onto the black robes he wore. Eo held the face away as the undead creature snapped his jaws at him, now savage from it's injuries. A moment later, it stilled- falling down. Eo's shadow stood above the pinned doctor, blade extending from her hand, before disapeering.

"You did well Eo. This place will not suffer the taint of undead flesh for many years."

She did not offer a hand to help the doctor up, simply walking away and looking at the tombs inscriptions, not noticed in the heat of battle. She remained in this room while Eo dragged each body to the surface- he had counted each carrier before attacking, confirming he had cleared the infestation. He muttered a few more prayers before burning the bodies, kneeling before the pyre before removing his Doctor's mask.

Under the Avian-like mask was a boy. His face surprisingly youthful, one eye covered by a patch while the rest was unmarred. He had lost his eye when he hunted the Necromancer last year- a brash and desperate attack. One that had nearly left him dead, and he had failed. Once Nyx returned, he made his way to the cart that stood outside the catacomb, checking the horse that pulled it before climbing ontop. He rode the entire night as Nyx hummed a haunting song, staring at the stars and the distant warmth of villages. He soon reached his home- the dreary cottage he spent his days in when he wasn't hunting or training. He collapsed into his bed, eager to rest from the killing of the day- before noticing a letter.