The Shadow of the North (Accepting) - IC

LaVenia was in the middle of rubbing her face into the pillow when the man had come back in. She clinched the blanket that she was wrapped in tightly and panicked a bit. Her wings tried to expand subconsciously, but the sheet kept them bound to her back. This made her panic a bit, but she felt like the sheet was a bit of a comfort to her. It was up to her face so only her eyes and top of her head poked out from the sheet. She watched as the man crossed the room, speaking to her slowly and remaining distant from the bed and where she lay. He began to speak to her: "You don't really seem the type to attack people, or to harm them. You weren't trying to scare the people outside, and you didn't leap at me when I came back in. I don't understand. Why did you and whoever you were with kill all those people?" LaVenia looked at him, confused but then remember the events that had taken place with the werebear. She scooted up a bit, keeping herself covered in her sheet cocoon. Her clawed fingers held the sheet gingerly as she studied the man that stood in front of her. She knew she was in a dangerous position, but she did owe him an explanation. She stared at the man for a bit, not responding a bit. Her feathers slowly lowered until they were flat and smooth and a sigh escaped her lips. 


"I didn't kill anyone" she said, her voice a lot softer than someone would have imagined. Her eyes moved from him to stare at the wall a bit. "I was captured by the guards out front. It was my fault, I was trying to get food from the local tavern. After I was captured, they were attempting to sell me. A man helped me, but he killed the guards. As we were being hunted, he transformed into..." she shook her head a bit "a bear. He became out of control and began to attack...I don't know what happened to him because I went to go take some food" she said sheepishly. "That is why I was here. I was going to try to get into the tavern during the confusion" she sighed. 
 
Fjor closed his eyes and wiped at his face for a moment. A werebear...seriously? He'd read up on plenty of creatures, but men who could transform into bears were so rare that he hadn't spent much time studying them. He only knew the most basic of facts regarding the transforming creatures, but at least things were starting to make a bit more sense now. It figured that of all the nights a werebear could appear in the city it would fall on THIS night, the night of the full moon and the same night he arrived. Luckily, according to the captain's words someone had already defeated the werebear. So between the actions of this mysterious Skogna and Fjor himself, the threat to Valkyes was already averted. He let out a soft sigh and sheathed the sword he was holding in his hand as he kept his eyes on the harpy in bed. Cuddled up comfortably in bed beneath the light sheet while speaking softly made her seem far less intimidating as the dim light from his lantern spread gentle shadows across her feathered face. Less intimidating yes, but more trustworthy, no. He'd read up plenty about creatures that would smile in your face and then stab you in your back moments later, and although he'd saved her life, he didn't feel any more comfortable around her. Considering her situation it would be a bad idea for her to cause a scene, but that didn't mean she wasn't ambitious enough to try.


"Well...by tomorrow this should all die down a bit and you should be able to escape easily..." Fjor shook his head, placing the sheathed sword against the dresser. "until then, if its food you want, you can always have some of my bread....and since I slayed you earlier I'm sure the people downstairs wouldn't mind cooking something else up" He says, standing by the edge of the room cautiously.
 
LaVenia wrinkled her nose a bit as he spoke. She was a bit different looking than most harpies in the fact that she resembled a human pretty closely. Her feathers trailed from the top of her head to the spot in her forehead that would be between her eyebrows. The golden feathers pulled down her face in half moon shapes and feathered out around her jaw line. The larger feathers trailed down her neck, following her spinal cord and feathering up her shoulder blades from where her wings sprouted. Her arms were almost featherless except for her shoulders and some small feathers that followed down her forearm. Her stomach growled as he mentioned food, but she was focused on the sword he laid down. She kept a mental note of it's location in case she needed to grab it. Her green eyes fell back on him as she tugged the sheet against her more. "So..sir? Why did you request that I unclothe?" she asked. She didn't really care about nudity, in fact the harpies embraced it. She just wore the rags because it hid the most saturated blue part of the feathers and because it kept her warmer. She slid from the bed, still holding the warm sheet. She wrapped it around her tightly so even her head was inside the sheet. The warmth was enjoyable,  but she stuck her hand out gently to him. It was mostly human in appearance but she did have bird like claws that replaced her finger nails. Her bird like feet clicked along the floor as she slowly approached him, keeping her hand extended. "I have seen humans do this as a greeting" she said, looking at her hand. It wasn't in the proper position to shake hands, but she was trying. "I am LaVenia. I thank you for saving my life" she said gently.
 
Fjor watches her as she slowly rises out of the bed, keeping the covers closer to her and starting to very gently walk towards him. "If people believed you were a sleeping concubine they wouldn't come in here and bother you, and better, they wouldn't bother me either." He explains softly, his eyes narrowing at her approach as he cautiously moved back in response, examining her hand as she reached out to him and explained the gesture she'd seen from many humans. He looked from her feathered fingers up to her face and back. He looked up and down her covered body, sighing softly before moving forward a bit and reaching out to her hand. He shook her warm fingers, staying weary of her claws as he kept the bag against his back, adjusting it as he shook. "I am Fjor....And i'm glad I could help someone in need..." He said truthfully.
 
LaVenia felt his hand slip into her's and she let him shake it. It was such an odd gesture, but she tried at least. "A pleasure Fjor" she said. Her hand fell from his and she looked at her wet clothing. "I assume I should be leaving then" she said, noticing his sword was in her reach. Her instincts screamed to grab it and flee, but her honor kept her from doing that. She sighed gently and dropped the sheets around her feet. Her bare body was in front of him, but she didn't seem to mind. Chills slid up her body as the cool air replaced her warm cocoon she had made. She walked past him, un-phased by her nudity. She grabbed the wet clothes and held them in front of her body. She knew she wouldn't want to wear them, so she figured she would fly and find an abandoned home to make a fire in and dry them. She was used to wearing little in the cold anyway. "If you ever need my help, I would be more than happy to assist" she said, bowing gently. 
 
Fjor's hand slowly slipped from LaVenia's as she moved hers away. He watched her closely, noticing her eyes glance at his sheathed sword on the wooden dresser. He positioned himself a bit more defensively, taking heed of every word she spoke, expecting her to betray him at any moment. He kept an eye on her legs and her hand, watching to make sure she didn't move any closer to the sword. If she made too sudden a move he'd have no other choice but to last her with some sort of magic....but which kind? Fire? He'd risk setting the entire wooden room ablaze. Lightning? If there was anyone on the other side of the thin wall on the far side of his room, he might risk sending a bolt of electricity right through them...plus he was tired, especially after that display outside....too much magic would drain all that was left inside him. What a night for this turn of events.


Then as she she decided she'd be leaving he awaited her next move, holding his breath, but as she dropped her sheet he lost most of his composure, trying to be polite and turn away from her as he flinched slightly. He blushed furiously as he realized that this may very well be part of her plan, turning back to look at her uncovered body quickly. He had no other choice. The orange flame of the lantern at the door only served to complement the red cheeks on his face, which nearly matched his hair now. He struggled to keep his eyes on her face, as goosebumps formed on his skin and he realized how cold the room was.


too


"That wouldn't be wise" He finally answered, speaking to her about leaving and still trying to keep his eyes on her. "The guard may think you and your friend are taken care of now, but I have no doubts in my mind that they'll be bolstering the guard tonight...and.." He swallows. "...most likely for the next few nights. If you go out now, I'm almost certain that they'll kill you" He says, shaking his head and taking a couple of steps away from her cautiously. "Your best bet would be to just lay low for the night, eat some food, sleep" He couldn't believe he was suggesting that she stay here instead of letting what was almost certainly a threat leave him. If the men outside killed her its not like they'd connect him to her being alive. Harpies usually traveled in packs anyway, in fact, it was odd that she was all alone. He could just explain that it was probably a DIFFERENT harpy and then get on with what he had come here to do anyway, but he DID go through all that trouble to save her life. All that magic and lying he just did would be for naught if he let her just go out and get shot full of arrows.
 
LaVenia clutched the cold wet clothes in her hands. They weren’t soaked, but it was enough to cause quite a chill if she had put them back on. She watched his demeanor change from alert to flustered within a matter of seconds. LaVenia watched as he shifted uncomfortably before her. His face was flushed and he seemed bothered by her nudity. Her eyebrow lifted a bit as she studied his behavior. She had the regular genitalia of a human woman, but for harpies it was different. The matron of the group was the one that produced children. She would seduce human males and after they mated, she would sacrifice the male so that she would have a successful birth. 9 times out of 10, the child was a female. The rare time it was male, then it would either be sacrificed or raised for breeding/slavery later on. It was a pretty vicious cycle, but to the harpies it was normal. LaVenia had never witnessed a mating, nor even knew how it worked, so Fjor's behavior was very...different. "Are you alright, Fjor?" she asked, concerned. Her feathers raised a bit in the cold, making her look a bit fluffy with the gold and blue feathers that decorated her. Her concern was genuine, for he seemed to be as much of a predicament as she was. Her eyes scanned the sword again but she forced her eyes to go back to Fjor’s.


He began to explain why he disagreed with her leaving. His statements all held legitimacy but she felt like she was trapped. Harpies were meant to be locked in rooms, they needed the open skies to soar. She shifted a bit, feeling a wash of panic run through her body. She dropped her wet clothes once again. They made a thud and she bent to pick up the sheet she had previously dropped. She took the dry fabric and gently wrapped herself in it again, the thin sheet engulfing her once again in warmth. She shuffled across the cold floor and sat on the edge of the bed she had previously rolled around on. A sigh escaped her lips as she became immersed in her thoughts. A list of possibilities ran through her head as she thought of ways to leave, why to stay, if she should trust Fjor any further. She could pretend to be his slave and they could leave the city…no he needed to come back in more than likely. She could leave in the dead of night? No, it always seemed lit up through the town. “I agree…I will stay. However, I do not like staying indoors…” she muttered suddenly serious. Her stomach rumbled loudly again and she gently rested her hand on her stomach. “How will I get food?” she asked nervously. She had to eat something…the winter had been hard on her so far.
 
Fjor cleared his throat, keeping his eyes on her face as she asked if he was alright, clearly not used to his reaction. He nodded and stood up straight trying to appear more comfortable, in all his experience with wild animals and magical creatures he'd never really been exposed to the naked form of a woman before and it was truly a sight to behold. Still crimson from her blatant show, he responded to her question. "um yess, I'm fine.....you just....in our culture its very..." he paused for a moment to find the words. "very....intimate to reveal yourself like so...." He finished, realizing almost immediately that his explanation barely explained anything at all.  He forced himself to watch as she covered herself with the sheets from the bed once again, moving around he room and eventually finding her way to the corner of the bed. He slowly began to drop his guard, still keeping a cautious distance between the two of them as he watched her look down, deep in thought. He frowned, becoming acutely aware of the weight of the book in the bag against his back before she agreed to stay. His ears perked up as he listened to her speak, inquiring about food and how it was unnatural for her to stay indoors. 


"I understand" He nodded "We'll find a way to get you out of here, hopefully without having to kill anyone else....or any...thing else..." He added on, remembering the hide he'd thrown over the balcony just moments ago. "As for food I'm sure someone-" He starts before there's a knock on the door.


"Young master, um....the food that you asked for.." came the muffled voice of one of the women who worked downstairs as Fjor quickly rushed to the door, cracking it open slightly, so that only his face was visible in the dim light. She looked him over, smiling and blushing as she held a plate of what must've been a house specialty. Meat and bread and even vegetables were present on the platter. "may I....come in?" she inquired, looking at him before he reached out for the plate, subtly placing it on the dresser beside the door without revealing the room to her. "I'm very sorry ma'am but I am extremely tired" He said softly "I just wish to eat and sleep....."


The young woman, nodded a bit sadly as she began to walk away and he closed the door softly, locking it once again and looking over at LaVenia.


@Rainingsunshine
 
LaVenia listened to him as he tried to explain his suddenly shy behavior. She listened to him try to explain, cocking her head back and forth a bit as she let the words roll around in her head. "Intimate?" she muttered, hugging the sheet tighter to her body. LaVenia stared at the sheet that covered her. She could tell he was very uncomfortable by her behavior, so she figured we would try to make things easier for him. She took the sheet and tied it around her in a toga like fashion. The thin fabric was snug against her body but it covered her better than being nude did. She tied it haphazardly and nodded a bit as if satisfied. She had to fidget around a bit to be able to move it around her wings, just in case she had to fly. After what felt like forever for struggling, pulling, and tieing, she was satisfied. A blanket rested on a small chair by the balcony that now seemed pleasant despite the struggle that just happened. LaVenia gently picked up the blanket, unfolding it and fluffing it out. She gently rested it on the bed and admired her work. Not bad for a creature of the forest. She adjusted her toga outfit again and turned to Fjor. She was about to say something when a knock came at the door. 


LaVenia's eyes went wild and her wings expanded fully. Her feathers raised out of habit and her nostrils flared. Instinct began to push through her veins as she wildly looked around for a way to either sneak attack or to escape. Before she darted towards the balcony, she heard the small voice of a woman proclaim there was food available. As if on que, LaVenia's stomach wailed loudly from the lack of food she had. She watched Fjor rush to the door, her wings still expanded and her eyes wild. She forced herself to think clearly through the adrenaline that coursed through her. LaVenia saw that he had only cracked the door, so she moved quickly to a corner of the room that had the least amount of visibility. Her fists were balled tightly, causing one of her nails to cut her palm. She watched the exchange and then smelt the enticing aroma of food. It was as if the smoke wrapped around her taunted her to come get it. Instinct rose again, screaming for her to take the food first. What if Fjor ate it all? He couldn't...but she didn't know him. What if he did? What if she will never eat again! You need to eat! LaVenia shook her head, sinking to the floor and letting her wings fold against her back. She hugged her knees to her chest, watching between the exchange and the steaming food that sat on the dresser. The woman's voice was dripping with want, but in a way that LaVenia had never heard. She listened to Fjor's excuse and the heavy footsteps of the girl as she slowly left. She could hear her stop as if waiting for something, but then continue down the hallway. 
 
Roula was escorted to the center of town by the guards, the de-magicked werebear being carried not too far behind them. She could tell that the guards at each of her shoulders was nervous. This city was a port of entry of sorts for creatures of all kinds, so it should not be her stark special difference that left them uneasy. In fact, she was very close to the human race, at least in body and composition, and there were many who were far more unique. She had, in fact, passed many on her walk into the city - heard their shrieks and flutters, their clicks and ruffles. It must have been her proximity. Skogna were creatures of the forest. Guardians of the dead. They stayed hidden among the branches and moss whenever possible, and here she was, out in the open. They must have felt that something was coming, as she did.


They turned up a brightly lit cobblestone path that led to the short stone steps of Valkys Hall, the home of the High Baron Barstein. Long banners of gold and white hung on wooden poles that lined the entryway, ending with two that hung on either side of the door, the image of a bear's head billowing slightly with the movements of the weak wind. Roula found it interesting that the guards had led her here, most words between them left unspoken, thus not knowing that Valkys Hall was indeed her destination, regardless of the fact that she had never set foot inside these city walls before. The company passed through the canopy of dulled fabrics and Roula noticed how ironic it was that the symbol of their herald, the bear, was the symbol of what had only minutes earlier breached their defenses and slaughtered their guards. How would they hold up to what was to come?


The inside of Valkys Hall was dimly lit compared to the grandeur of lights that flickered just outside. It was relatively late, but the High Baron still sat at the head of the large, hollow room that opened up before them.

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No advisers sat by his side; instead he insisted they remain comfortable and attend to other duties throughout their shifts. His house was not a prison, he often remarked, and when asked about his safety he followed up with the unwavering position that he could very well handle himself. He looked tired, going over ledgers and accounts and histories as he sat at the head of the hall, but the look was permanent and quite natural. A lifetime of responsibility had given him that. A large, well-worn battleaxe leaned against the high-backed chair he sat in, its handle within easy grasp. A small but noticeable smooth notch in the arm of the chair was proof of the many years it had rested at its master's side in this very fashion. Roula began to feel that perhaps they would not be completely helpless. They continued moving forward, half of the guards taking an opening off to the right of the hall, carrying the werebear behind them. Roula remained before the High Baron with the rest. When all movement in the room ceased, High Baron Barstein placed a marker in his ledger and placed it on the table beside him, and looking at the group, placed a hand comfortably on his axe, reminding everyone in the room of his capabilities.


"I am told you stilled the werebear, young lady. You are Skogna?"


"That I am, though hardly a young lady, High Baron."


Barstein chuckled at this, his elbows loosening to rest on the arms of his chair. "Well, I suppose that is true enough. I thank you for your interference, though my pride encourages me to tell you that we could have handled it. We were merely taken by surprise, but I am sorry to have lost a couple good men as a result. You have my thanks. Please give my regards to the High Skogna of your forest." He turned to his book again.


Roula was being dismissed, but she hadn't finished yet. "Forgive me, High Baron, but I cannot relay your sentiments at this time. I will not be returning to Fjellmist."


Barstein paused a little as he looked up at her again. "Oh? And why is that?"


Roula did not miss a beat in her reply. "Because it is no longer my home, and the dead are no longer my burden. I have been released so that I may be of assistance to the rest of the inhabitants of the North, to defend against the Skullen, who are unwelcome visitors in our land."


The room fell into a deeper silence. Barstein did not take his eyes off Roula. After a few moments he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "And how do you propose we act in opposition to this threat?"


"The trees." Roula replied. "They are the gateway for the Skullen to make their way into your cities and your security." She paused for a moment, a semblance of tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "They must come down."


Barstein nodded gravely, looking down at nothing in particular, when a sound was heard outside, a slight distance away.


It was a scream.
 
Fjor sighed deeply as the woman left the door, traveling back towards the stairs at the end of the dim hallway. He closed the door slowly, turning back around to find the harpy curled up in the corner of the room, the flame from the lantern next to him illuminating her only barely now in her crudely fashioned toga. He closed his eyes for a minute, taking in the situation before opening them and noticing that her eyes were locked almost desperately on the food that was sitting on the dresser. "Right....food" He broke the silence, looking down at it. It certainly wasn't a meal fit for a king, but the plate was definitely made special for the hero of the town. A large piece of meat, grilled and seasoned with what must've been something they saved for special occasions as the scent of the spices was carried right along with the wisps of steam rising from the tender morsel. There was a baked potato with a bit of cream oozing from the center and a few slices of bread along with various vegetables that most likely had been grown in the city. The platter sat on the dresser enticing both the harpy and Fjor himself, who had been eating nothing but bread for the last couple of days.


Fjor's eyes moved back to the harpy, who stared hungrily. His face softened a little before stepping away slightly from the dresser "Yeah....um, go ahead and eat, I'm sure the people downstairs will bring me as much food as I want" He shrugged, adjusting the bag on his back again. 


@Rainingsunshine
 
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LaVenia watched as Fjor inspected the food. Her eyes wild as he looked at each little morsel that sat on the plate. Her nostrils flared, her fingers balling into fists. As soon as he announced she could eat, she rushed over to the food. She had never used utensils, so didn't really pay attention to them. She immediately grabbed the steak and inhaled it. LaVenia's teeth sunk into the cooked flesh as she tore a huge chunk of it off. She felt the juices slide down her throat and suddenly she was like a wild animal. Her claws were pierced into the meat as she tore at it. She hadn't eaten in days and she was overwhelmed with the sudden flavors that burst into her mouth. As she devoured the food, she froze. The sound of a scream rang in her ears. 


LaVenia's head whipped up and towards the balcony. The scream seemed to ring in her eardrums as if it wouldn't go away. A low growl rumbled in her throat. Her instincts were still flaming through her veins. Most didn't think harpies could growl or even make an animalistic sound, but they were actually quite vocal. Her face was covered in the juices of the steak and her pupils were constricted into pin points. Her eyes scanned the balcony as she held the steak in her hands still. The baked potato hadn't even been touched, but she no longer cared about it. Her wings flexed, stretching a bit and twitching. "Did you hear that?" she asked Fjor. Her eyes still glued to the door. @Edin @Mmetafour
 
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The young man stepped back cautiously again as LaVenia stormed over to the plate, wasting no time before she buried her teeth into the meat in front of her. At first he watched her in awe and saw her as a beast, the same way he'd been looking at her since she landed on the balcony outside, but the longer he observed her, the more he was convinced. She wasn't a beast or a monster, she was simply a young woman, scared, hungry and tired. She hadn't come here to hurt him or anyone else for that matter. He got a little closer to her as she continued to prey upon the meal in front of her, which, by the way she was eating, must've been like a feast compared to what she'd been eating for the past few days. Fjor moved a little closer to her, softly touching her shoulder "be careful or you're going to hurt yourself....the food isn't going anywh-"


He stopped mid sentence as the scream bounced through the air, and he moved his head to look up at the door leading outside. He noticed LaVenia look up with him starring out the door and saw her wings move defensively. "Don't worry" He said calmly, still looking out at the balcony and blinking slowly "Its probably someone, celebrating the death of you two...." He shrugs, his hand still on her shoulder as he sighed softly again. "This is going to be some night...."


@Rainingsunshine
 
LaVenia was gripping the meat tightly in her clawed hands. The juices that were held inside the meat ran down her arms and gathered at her elbows. Her nostrils flared as she tried to pick up any scent other than Fjor and the food. She currently could not. She felt something touched her shoulder and she flinched violently. Her wings retracted to the point that they were squeezed tightly against her back. Her back arched so that she was hunkered a bit as she looked up to him. Her eyes were no longer constricted as she stared at the man that had saved her. She stared at him for what felt like eternity, confused of why he touched her. She had only been touched by a few, and usually it was something aggressive. What did that mean? Was he trying to befriend her? Was this a threat? She was confused and it was obvious on her face. Her green eyes studied him for a second then she shook her head.


LaVenia uncurled herself for a moment and ate the rest of the steak. She stood, looking out the window and sighed. "I don't think that was a victory scream...that sounded...more like fear?" she asked, a question at the end of her sentence. She wiped off the residue of the steak from her arms and mouth and rubbed her eyes with her hands. A chill ran down her spine as she thought about what was out there. She now understood why humans felt the need to hide indoors. 
 
Roula's ears perked and her face tilted toward the sound, her eyes wide. Barstein jerked his head toward the window to his left, his axe in hand before anybody in the room noticed him reach for it. He ran to the window, along with his guards, and Roula stood still, gazing at the wall, beyond it, a hint of defensiveness and fear evident on her face. The silence thickened around them all, around Roula, around the group puddled at the window, and even around the few people that still wandered the streets before heading home to their families, their drinks and their beds. Silence was everywhere, and everyone waited, fervently searching for a source. Just as everyone was beginning to think that it was nothing - a miscommunication, a figment of their imagination, the same sound pierced the air again. There was no mistake, someone was in danger. A new voice joined in the eerie chorus, and another. Barstein, never having lost his warrior's spirit, recognized a threat when he heard one. He broke free from the collection of guards and was to the door, the rest right behind him. Roula stood still. "They are already here." she whispered.


Barstein and his guards were joined by more as they ran through the streets searching for the source of the screams. It wasn't difficult to do, as the sound persisted and grew into a cacophony of fear and pain. They headed east, toward the commercial section of the city, the petrified faces of various Valkys residents looking out their doors and windows, ushering their children inside, or running in the opposite direction. The screaming and shouting became louder as the party broke into the open square of the market, the rows of shops lining the outer wall of the city. In one corner of the section was a wooded park, with a small pond and a fairly large thicket of... birch trees.


The scene that unfolded in front of them was horrifying. At first, it merely looked as if the thicket was particularly pale and foreboding, and the people ran from nothing. Only a moment later, however, and it was apparent that the trees were moving. At least, what appeared to be trees. The thicket now consisted of not only trees, but tall, pale figures, a frightening combination of skin and branch, and they seemed to be coming out of the trees themselves. Barstein let out a short gasp followed by a low growl. He only said one word.


"Skullen."


They were here.

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The slow-moving skullen were rooted to the ground, their ability to move dependent on the presence of roots in the soil that they would be able to feed off and to move with. They were the leeches of the forest, and had found new feeding ground. Projections of the bodies, woody and twisted like branchy arms, shot out in various directions, bursting through the bodies of the people that tried desperately to escape their range. Several people had already fallen, but the reach of the skullen was great. Barstein and the group of guards accompanying him raised their weapons and began their advancement on the creatures, but one of the skullen turned its head to face them and, with barely a sound, a long, sharp projection shot out toward them, wrapping around the arm of the closest guard. He shrieked, the rough branch tightening around his bones and wrist. Suddenly, the creature let out a sharp cry, the branch going stiff and losing all semblance of life. Barstein lifted the head of his axe from the earth as the severed skullen arm retracted back to its body. He took off toward the thicket, axe and intimidation factor high, while the soldiers followed, all but the one who struggled frightfully to remove the dead, twisted branch from his arm.


Roula stepped into the square, eyes wide and senses alert. She looked at the chaos: the lifeless bodies on the ground, the struggling and desperation of those who still fought, the tainted beauty of the small grove of trees. Dread overcame her, and she wanted to run to Fjellmist, run to the safety she had known for so long. But she had just begun her new life, and she wasn't about to turn back now. She scanned the area around her for what she needed. She couldn't fail already. She fought for life now.
 
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With his hand still resting comfortingly on LaVenia's shoulder Fjor watched her eat for a moment before standing up with her and moving back toward the door, looking outside to observe if something else was going on outside, finally turning his back to the harpy for the first time. He frowned a bit at her question. She was right, it didn't seem like a yelp of victory or celebration, but whatever it was there couldn't possibly be another threat....right? His luck wasn't THAT bad....


He turned his attention to the sky to see if there was anything flying about that he hadn't noticed before, but the sky was calm. Clouds nearly covered the stars and the full moon that shown above. There was a light flurry of snow falling, but barely enough to warrant any extra covering outside. He took another glance back to LaVenia before opening up the door and stepping outside into the cold air. He shivered slightly as needles shot up his uncovered feet, the cold wood outside consuming his skin. He walked over to the railing of the balcony and looked over at the streets below. The people that were standing there before were now gone....which wasn't all too surprising. After the events of tonight guards probably weren't allowing too many citizens to walk around while they cleaned the situation up and returned the walls to a somewhat decent condition.


It was only after a second scream and a few guards rushing through the street did he realize something must actually be wrong. Was it another werebear? Fjor looked down and frowned a bit, he couldn't go check out the situation without putting LaVenia in some sort of danger....but maybe someone needed help? If that Skogna was still in the city then maybe they could help out....or maybe, it was the Skogna that was causing the trouble.....


He retreated back inside and closed the door behind him, looking at the harpy by the dresser. "somethings going on outside...." He said grimly.
 
LaVenia stood by the dresser, her body frozen. She was listening to the screams lift through the air, as if it were a chorus of Siren's. However, she knew better. Her years of training with the Siren's had taught her what those melodic voices could sound like and what they could accomplish. The screams suddenly...twisted. More screams were lifting their shrill sounds and she realized that the screams of fear were accompanying these loud screeches. Her breath caught in her throat as a barely audible whisper escaped her lips. "It's the Skullen"


LaVenia shook her head, trying to move logic through her frozen veins. She watched as Fjor walked the small balcony and him return. He moved like he had experience in these matters, but not many had dealt with a Skullen and lived to tell the tale. They were rarely seen outside the forest...so why would they be here? He returned inside to announce that the screams were indeed something negative. "They are Skullen. I know those screams" LaVenia said. Her voice was a bit strained and almost hard to understand. She cleared her throat and shook her head again. The feathers that decorated her skin were raised in alert as she listened to the torment outside. Her fists balled and she felt a bit of rage well inside of her. "We can't stay here. We need to help" she said, her voice stubborn. She was frustrated, and it was obvious. Her brain was whirling with thoughts and ideas of how to help the situation. She had never fought the Skullen before..but maybe they would fall to her songs. She had to try. She walked with determination towards the balcony door. Fire burned in her veins. She was ready to fight, even if these humans tried to kill her. No one deserved to die from a Skullen...nobody.
 
The screaming intensified as the soldiers entered the fray. Roula wasted no time by watching the terrifying scene before her, of branches darting in and out of her vision, of bones being crushed and armor being struck. Roula needed only one thing - two if she were to include bravery - and she needed to find it fast.


Barstein also wasted no time putting himself in the middle of the fight. The horrors he saw as he stepped into the market square were definitely nothing he had ever seen in his long life, but he had seen strange things of a different caliber many times. This would be no different. He had learned in his many years that there was nothing that could remain undefeated if his people had a sound mind and a strong arm and used them all together. So withholding nothing, he charged forward ready to face this new, but not unknown, danger. Luckily he was a spry man for his age. He dodged the woody spears that lunged at him as he ran toward the nearest monster, missing some only narrowly. His target saw him coming and was ready for him. Its arm stretched out in his direction, but Barstein was quicker, dodging the oncoming ferocity and striking down on the exposed limb with his axe. the monster shrieked, but was not defeated. Another limb sprang out at him, and another. He dodged, blocked, and struck with the prowess of the seasoned war veteran that he was. But the Skullen learned in battle as well.


Roula did not go into the square, but stayed on the edges. She found what she was looking for after only a minute or two of wandering the nearby streets: A torch. It was attached to the top of a pole lining the walkways, as so many others in the city did, and it had been lit recently with the approaching nightfall. It was fastened to the iron stand upon which it burned, and did not come off easily. Being Skogna, however, Roula was endowed with a kind of supernatural strength and she was able to simply pull the iron post out of the ground with a bit of effort and muscle work. Carrying the torch-post as carefully as she could to avoid its extinguishing, while remaining in haste, she made her way back to the square. When she reached the area again, the view sickened her. Many of the human soldiers lay sprawled upon the ground, large holes in their bodies, or their armor noticeably crunched to abnormal shapes. A few Skullen also lay upon the ground, visibly hacked to pieces. She looked for the High Baron, and found him at the feet of one of the larger Skullen, alive but with a useless arm and blood soaking the clothing that peaked out of his armor. One hand holding up the iron torch-post, she reached out her other, shouting at Barstein:


"High Baron, RUN!"


The Skullen above him, its sharp arm extended and ready to strike, shot down, but Barstein had rolled to the side and was up and running despite his injuries. He hadn't even looked at Roula to see who had shouted an order at him. He just listened. Something unseen had flowed from Roula's fingers toward him, covering and shielding him from the vision of the Skullen. He was hidden. But now the attention of the Skullen was on Roula. She ran, shielding the fire she held with her hand, toward the small forest. Winter had dried the thin fingers of the birch trees and Roula knew that they would catch easily. Some stubborn leaves still clung to the tips, and that would help along the flames. She made it to the closest trunk and, ducking behind it as best she could, she began to light the forest on fire. She whispered into the knots of the trunk her grief and apologies, and tears filled her eyes. Suddenly a large arm of a Skullen burst through the trunk of the tree above her. It was looking for her. Its arm had pierced the stiff trunk of a tree instead of the soft flesh of a human this time, however, and it could not get free as easily. Roula raised the torch to the Skullen's appendage and watched it erupt into flame. The creature shrieked and was able to remove its arm from its temporary prison, the bark still enflamed.


The fire would stop the Skullen from moving further into the city, and would either drive them away or kill them. She just needed to get to the rest of the trees.
 
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Fjor couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Suddenly, despite her clear fear of the situation, coupled with the situation they were already in, this harpy wanted to go out and face the Skullen?! And all in one night? The attack on the guards, the harpy, some rogue Skogna and a werebear?! and now this? He had only just arrived in Valkys, would he get the chance to search for what he came to search for? would he even get the chance to sleep?


He reached out and grabbed LaVenia's arm, preventing her from moving towards the door any farther "wait wait....look I know that sounds like a great idea, but we can't just GO out there and start swinging swords and talons...we don't have a plan, we don't know for sure if it IS the skullen....and don't forget this whole town thinks you're dead." He said seriously "I didn't save your life so you could throw it away in the same night, lets just cool down and think about this for a minute okay?" He said, but before he could get any further there was a frantic rapping on the door.


"YOUNG HERO! YOUNG MAN, PLEASE! SKULLEN I-IN THE MARKET SQUARE. Y-YOU MUST SAVE US!" The voice of a frantic man barreled through the door frame along with his continuous knocks. Fjor's eyes widened a the sudden sound and he immediately let go of LaVenia, moving toward the door to crack it open. Outside was a man who must've been downstairs when he first came in, he was sweating and shaking in fear, his anxiety pouring over in his voice as he tried to relay the situation to the town's most recent savior. "P-please young hero you must!"


"I...I understand" Fjor replied, trying to remain calm "I will...see what I can do..." He said closing the door again as the man ran back downstairs. The young man pressed his back against the door, looking over at LaVenia and sighing, his eyes trailing over to his sword and the remaining food on the dresser. His stomach growled and he realized he still hadn't eaten a thing since he arrived. He closed his eyes in defeat "I guess....we're going to fight the Skullen then..."


@Rainingsunshine
 
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