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Forbidden Temple of the Great Falls

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"I will have no more trouble seeing than any other scout. I will not stray far; if I am needed, I will hear."

With that, Swiftbeak limped out of the courtyard and spread his wings. His ascent was as sudden and effortless as ever; a leap with his hindlegs and a few flaps and he was well on his way to being a speck in the sky. The landing would be harder, but that wouldn't be for many hours yet- for now, he was a silent vigil in the darkening skies above the forest, circling endlessly in search of the slightest disturbance.
 
While those suffering extreme exhaustion went to sleep, those mostly intact and standing kept on working, Morr under them, dragging out the massive corpses of the attackers, for now striking a wide berth around the defeated demon, to the yard, where the well still stood, almost challenging them with its immaculate state.
Piling the corpses to a mound, they did their best to set them on fire, though the flames hesitated before the gold, thus making this process of cremation slow-going. They helped themselves via usage of vast amounts of oil in one of the storage buildings, soon filling the courtyard with the disgusting stench of scarred flesh.

Under this procession, the night soon lightened to the red of dawn, though the onset of the morning seemed rather ominous, considering yesterday's occurrences, the burning pile of corpses and the long line of their own dead and wounded back in the hall, the former arrayed, ready for a monk to speak their last rites, the latter carried to the hospice, much to private Selene's chagrin, who had been unconscious through the night.

Finally, the work done, Belatia and Elia went to sleep on the second floor in the barracks, too tired to notice Morr remaining in the hall of the first floor, leaning against a wall, keeping himself awake despite the utter exhaustion and the constant pressure in his chest, probably due to one or two at least slightly cracked ribs. He was on guard, ready to alert the others, just in case.
 
Vanessa found sir morr and asked "mind I stand watch with you". The fight with one of the madmen and what it looked like still hunted her. If she was ordered to bed then she would try but hoped to avoid it.
 
"Nay, sister Vanessa, if it is your wish to serve the others by standing guard, then I will not be one to deny you, though I can still only suggest you take some sleep for yourself." Morr permitted her request, stoically holding his gaze onto the open entrance.

"I must apologize for my indecency, sister Elia used all the currently-available bandages on those with more grave conditions." Morr gestured to the massive bruise on his chest where the indentation of his breastplate had almost choked him to death, barely concealed by the tattered cloth he usually used to keep his armor from scraping his skin off "Besides that, there is another matter. Sister Vanessa, you and the dark-skinned stranger showed great bravery, you went against an enemy who must have certainly been frightening to behold and most assuredly saved my life in the process. You have my thanks for allowing me to remain in this world and thus serve goodness further. If you wish for a service to be rendered, then I stand ready to assist, if you so wish it."
 
Vanessa smiled for the first time in a long time but only said "no Sir Morr there is no service you can give me then allowing me to be the cook and coming with you on this jernouy and you are right about the sleep and I should go get some after all I will be feeding a lot of people breakfast must be resting for that thanks sir Morr for being kind to me". she turned for she was feeling sleepy and knew she must at least try. she waved goodnight to Sir morr and headed off to bed.
 
Kaleed dozed contentedly for once, in the courtyard of the outpost. Laying back against a wall, and wrapped in a soft fur blanket, he drifted in and out of consciousness.

The only thing that made him recognizable from being wrapped up, with his hood on was his white hair sticking out of a small opening.

Suddenly, a soft bluish glow shone briefly from under the edges of the blanket and the small opening. The glow lasted for only a few seconds and died. Kaleed shifted in his sleep, momentarily regaining consciousness.

He inhaled a deep breath of the early morning air through his nostrils. Squinting through bleary eyes., he saw that most if not all of the work had died down for the time being. He closed his eyes and concentrated, near the corners of his mind he felt a small thread of the magic that suffused him, and followed it.

Gazing upwards towards the second floor of the building, he could feel the pulses that his control sphere gave off, unknown to anyone but him. The sensations he felt told him that his new master was probably sleeping, or meditating perhaps.

He stretched out again, and dozed off, satisfied that he had a gotten a somewhat decent master to be of service to. He would wake if the man needed him for any reason, but until then, he would catch up on needed sleep, unless someone came and woke him.
 
Several hours passed, allowing the sun to reach ever higher on its path. Soon, many of those still mostly uninjured rose again for the new day. Today, the funeral for the fallen would have to take place.
 
Zato woke slowly. Nearby, he was able to hear Mary's soft breathing, and below, the footsteps of the occasional Hellguard. The air was eerily calm. It occurred to Zato that he would probably have to engage in a funeral service today or tomorrow, and so soon after Vernasus....... He let out a sigh, and stood. From what he heard, the aftermath of a battlefield was disturbingly messy, though such a sight would have little effect on a blind man.... he made a mental note not to let Mary downstairs until he was sure it was cleaned.
 
Valetni awoke with a start, nearly falling of his stool in the process. He glanced around in confusion for several seconds, before remembering the events of the previous day. He stood, the action bringing with it a cacophony of creaking and cracking from his stiff joints. Dressing as quickly as he was able to given his conditon, he opened the door, peeking out to see if anyone was in the hall, before strolling out as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
 
Vanessa woke to a service cook telling her time to make breakfest. She got up some what sleepy before she said "okay coming". She soon rubbed her eyes and as she made her way to the kitchen she was fully waking up.
 
Throwing a weary glance at Valetni as he strolled out of the bathroom, Belatia, already dressed in her armor again, made her way down the stairs, to the hall where, as she saw now, sir Morr was standing guard. When had he risen from his sleep this night, she wondered... or had he even slept at all?

"A good morning to you, weibel Belatia." sir Morr greeted her.

"Same to you... sir. Sir, I must ask, when was the last time you slept?"

"The day before yesterday, while we were traveling, for about two hours. Not adequate, but fear not, I will go to sleep later this day after the funeral. I am aware of the fact that I can not allow my flesh to degrade so far as to impede my capability to lead and I have taxed that limit highly now. However, my purpose demanded that I stay awake, both to stand guard as well as provide a service for the fallen. A Totenwache, as it is called where I was born."

Belatia stared at her superior who was certainly suffering several sleep deprivation-induced insufficiencies by now "Sir, by all respect, it's highly disadvantageous that you push yourself so far, as it is without any true need right now. If you keep doing this, I will have to assume command for the duration of the mission."

"I understand and I would have it no other way. But, as I said, my purpose demanded and I had to accept, know that from now on I will force myself to sleep more often, but enough of this for the moment. Weibel Belatia, I counted fourty-eight of our fallen, more than half the outpost's standing garrison, one of the soldiers granted by Wolfram is under them, soldat Kestix. I have taken my time to watch over each of the fallen, but I understand if you wish for some time alone with one who was under your direct command."

Belatia declined the offer "I already made my goodbyes yesterday, the rest will be done as soon as brother Zato and... brother Valetni are ready. Those who are capable and without other duties at the moment will arrive here soon to prepare everything for the procession, I would suggest we have the burial-ceremony take place after the breakfast, to get everyone ready."

Sir Morr merely nodded, as he did often "A fine suggestion, so it shall be. After breakfast." Standing up, with a barely noticeable waver, Morr already set himself to work, carrying out the bodies of the Hellguards one by one, lining them up outside shoulder on shoulder. He was soon joined by Belatia and after that the rest of the Hellguards currently not busy, carrying the corpses and stripping them of their arms and armor.
 
Mary tried to roll over, her little form turning and falling. A small dull thud could be heard as it impacted with the floor, she sat upright having fallen on her side.

She stood up, using the wall she had previously been asleep against to lean upon.

The little girl moved, the bedsheets now draped around her shoulders and body like a shawl, they dragged behind her as she sought somewhere to sit.

Mary yawned and plopped down on the side of one of the beds, the creaking of the springs barely audible. Her still sleepy eyes registering naught but the most obvious things as she sat quietly, trying to wake up.
 
The work done, the corpses removed from the hall, their weaponry and armor stored in the armory, Morr ordered some of the men to contact the other inhabitants of the outpost that the morning meal would take place in one of the storage houses, for certainly no one wanted to consume one's meal in the devastated hall after yesterday's occurrences.

The rest of them moved the unbroken chairs and tables.
 
Vanessa and the cooks moved tray upon tray of food to the storage house were breakfest was served. She set up the table and with enoch chairs for every one.
 
Valetni wandered downstairs, cane clicking against the floor as he did so. The place seemed to have been cleaned, if you wanted to use that word. Valetni would describe the efforts as 'mediocre' at best and 'barely acceptable' at worst. The stench still hung in the air, the smell was always the hardest to get rid off.

Valetni paused a few steps from the ground, eyes focused on something a thousand yards off, something only he could see. The smell of burning flesh was one he was intimately familiar with.
 
Mary upon hearing the Hellguard's instructions disappeared beneath the sheet, the only sign of her a small mound in the centre of it. The lump wriggled and moved, after a short amount of time a small pale hand grabbed a messily folded pile of clothes from the night-stand, before disappearing again beneath the covers.

Eventually the young girl appeared again. This time dressed as she had been when found in the barrel, her sweater hood down and her hair out, flowing gently in the morning breeze which crept in through an open window.

The small one padded over to the door and slipped on her shoes. Before leaving she turned around to look at the blind Monk.

"I'm going to breakfast Mister Zato, I'll see you there."

She began clopping slowly and gently down the wooden stairs, one hand gripping the rail tightly as she made her descent.

Suddenly the small girl's head, (which was busy watching her feet,) impacted something.

"Unff" she let out, as she looked up to see what she'd run into and saw the back of a brown clothed figure.
 
Zato, still have asleep, took a minute to register what Mary had said, it wasn't until she was out the door that he stood up.

"Oh no"

He hurried out the door behind the girl, hoping that at least the corpses were gone by now.
 
Valetni grabbed the rail to steady himself, the impact bringing him back from wherever he had gone. He turned, and then looked down at the figure of Mary.
 
The large eyes of Mary slowly moved up the figure until she saw the face of who she'd bumped into.

"Sorry Mister Val, I didn't mean to, It's just early, and I'm not used to wearing shoes so I didn't want to slip..."

The sleeve of the arm that wasn't holding the rail was already being chewed in her mouth.

"Are you going to breakfast too?"
 
Zato came down from the top of the stairs, hearing their conversation.

"Ah, good morning, Brother Valetni. Would you mind telling me if that 'spill' was ever cleaned?" the old monk asked.

"I don't want anyone slipping in it." he stated, giving the other monk what he was pretty sure was a wink.
 
"You should try and be more careful." Valetni said somewhat awkwardly, his voice hoarse and scratchy from disuse. He cleared his throat before turning to the approaching brother Zato.

The elderly monk appeared to have some sort of facial tick. It was common among the elderly as their bodies and minds began to fail them. Valetni shuddered, of any fate that may befall him, from being buried alive to being burned alive to being dragged down to hell for all eternity, none he could think of gave him the same cold dread as becoming trapped in a body that was slowly becoming less and less his own, and a mind failing him when he most needed it.

"I'm not quite sure what you're talking about, brother Zato. Are you feeling alright, there seems to be something wrong with your face." Valetni said, diplomatically as he was willing to be.
 
Zato understood Valetni's codewords, the man was clearly a genius at this sort of thing.

"Yes, I'm fine. Come on then, I'm sure everyone is hungry for breakfast, yes?" the old monk asked, now making his own way down the stairs.
 
Mary looked from the old blind monk back to Valetni.

"erm, After you Mister Val." The small girl offered.
 
Mary followed Valetni down, stopping to wait for Zato at the bottom.

*sniff-sniff*

"Mister Val? What's that smell?"

The girl cough-sneezed slightly, spluttering for a moment before continuing.

"It's upsetting my nose..."
 
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