Nostrum: Tales of Valor

Bloom

As the group arrives at the rear of the manor, they are met with a not-so-familiar sight. Outer walls covered in vines and spores present themselves to the party. Shattered windows whistle with gentle winds that pass through them, and a curious red glow still illuminates the area, but not from the heavens, as it did when the touchdown first occurred. Instead, the glow presents itself from within the manor walls. Somewhere deep within the carcass of a once luxurious home. The overall atmosphere is enough to make them shiver, but they press on. Knowing that if there is ever to come an end to this, the answers await them only here.

Hael is the first to plant a foot onto the lower step. Then Lee, then Marne, and finally Yuler. With caution, Hael opens the back doors, allowing a large gust of wind to sweep over them as she does so. Once the interior is exposed, it becomes clear that the situation is far more dire than any of them could have expected. Tile floors and birch walls rest in ruin, as the vines they had seen outside have managed to grow even within. No surface has gone untouched by the curious plant, and nothing seems to have survived its wake.

Marne is careful to step over the bodies of what was once the manor's staff, attempting to not disturb their grave, or become part of it. As he does this, Yuler studies all that she sees, as if to be looking for a source of the vines. Yet, none can be found. Still, she can't help but feel as if they have seen them before. Lee partakes in this, but there is no question in his mind as to what this is. He knows what the source must be, but, like Yuler, not where it is. Hael, disenchanted by it all, continues to press forward. Ensuring that her torch is not extinguished by the haunting breeze that lingers within these corridors.

"Search for any signs of life." She commands, waving the torch from one side to the other. "Let the rest of us know if the Decwicks are spotted. Dead, or alive."

Marne and Yuler nod, then split off from Lee and Hael. Allowing them to explore one end of the manor as they explore the other.

"Do you think it's possible that they made it out alive?" Yuler questions with concern in her voice.

"I think not, by the looks of this place." Marne's response is met with silence, so he continues. "I mean, what are the odds? It seems no one else managed to do so."

"I suppose you are right, but still, we should continue with our search. Here." Yuler pauses in the main hall and crams her torch between a few of the vines at their feet. She then takes her blade and begins slashing at those on the nearest wall.

"What are you doing?" Marne questions in a demanding tone.

"Look where we are." Yuler says in an oddly hushed tone. "Just beyond these vines is the dining area. If we can make our way through them, we can be sure that no one is trapped on the other side."

"I suppose a larger area such as that may be a good place to start." Marne says, taking his own blade from its sheath and placing it between two bulky vines. "Help me."

Yuler nods and the pair of them grab at the hilt of the blade. With several hard tugs, the vine breaks free and awkwardly hangs in the air. Marne resheaths his blade and the pair of them squeeze between the stalky fingers that entangle the room beyond. Once they have found their footing and Marne manages to not trip over another vine, they raise their torches and study the room.

"Nothing in here but a bare table."

"Curious." Says Yuler, who approaches the grand dining area.

"What might that be?"

"The Decwick's always had food on this table during our visit. Remember?"

"Indeed." Marne states, his mouth salivating with just a memory. "What of it?"

"Well, I would doubt this all happened without a meal being prepared."

"Perhaps the kitchen is where we should check next then."

Returning to the hall, the pair moves on across it and into the next room, where they find empty pots and pans, and stoves that remain untouched. Not even debris in a nearby sink to suggest that there was ever any cooking done.

"Odd, is it not?" She asks, trusting her gut on there being something wrong with the scene.

"Odd it is." Marne replies, stepping further into the room. As he does so, he manages to find a soft spot in the floor and breaks a board out. Tumbling to the ground, he manages to drop his torch against the many vines. Each hisses as the fire makes contact and they begin to disperse from the area. As this happens more of the floor gives way.

"Get up. Get up!" Shouts Yuler, attempting to pull Marne free before the room as a whole collapses. But her efforts fail and the two of them fall into a shaft beneath the kitchen. Once they slam into the earth below, Marne is quick to get back on his feet and unsheath his blade. Following him, Yuler does the same, but not before giving him a swift jab in the shoulder with her fist. "I said get up!"

"I didn't mean to trip." Marne states, shrugging off the pain in his shoulder as best he can while they look amongst themselves.

"Marne? Yuler?" Comes a voice from somewhere ahead of them. "Where are you?"

"We're down here Hael. We fell through the floor. Where are you?"

"Further on ahead. Come to me."

Marne and Yuler look to one another, then into the darkness before them.

"Can you come to us?" Marne asks, now suspicious of the voice.

"Come to me." The voice speaks once more, holding the same tone of voice as before, like a recording.

A shiver runs down their spines once more and the vines begin to make sense to each of them.

"Roots." Marne whispers.

"The congregation." Yuler whispers back.

"Yuler? Marne?" Comes Hael's voice once more, but this time from above them. Turning to look back up in the direction they had come from, they see the faces of Hael and Lee. Each of which looks confused about their current situation.

"Lend us a hand back up, please." Marne asks in an eager tone of voice and with his arm outstretched.

"Nevermind that, boy." Lee says, sitting in the doorway of the kitchen before dropping himself to their level, followed by Hael. "The roots lead this way."

"Do you not remember what happened last time we attempted to take down something like this? A flower of Dabria?" Yuler grips at the hilt of her sword as she sticks the tip of the blade into the ground.

"'Course I do." Lee states bluntly. "We nearly failed then and we've learned from it. Now, come." Taking his own torch, he waves it against what roots still remain and cause them to stir about.

"It truly is for the best that we proceed forward." Hael offers. "This could be the answer we've been looking for."

"But, the congregation-" Begins Yuler.

"We will handle them as we have in the past. All that we must do is burn the stalk."

"Hael? Lee? Marne? Yuler?" Comes the voice once more, now changing for each name that it calls to. "Where are you?" It questions in unison. 

Moving forward, the group is met by a distant red glow that continues to grow brighter the closer they get to it. As they come into a clearing, they are met with an even larger flower than before, but there is something different about this one in particular. Though its scale is much greater, the flower itself has not yet come to bloom. They approach the stalk with their torches out before them as the whispering begins to set in, but as the torches touch Dabria, nothing happens. Lee presses his torch into the stalk a few times, then begins slamming it against the flower until it is extinguished.

"What in the hell is this?"

"It's enchanted!" Hael exclaims, noticing that her torch is not truly touching the stalk after all.

Yuler moves nearer to it and notices a small gap between the burning cloth and the stalk. She then attempts to touch it and finds that something repels her hands and a slight burning sensation sets in.

"Who would do such a thing?"

"I'd highly doubt that any man would." Lee spits. "Likely that we're simply up against something... other."

As they continue to look upon the flower, a distant screeching is heard coming from the tunnel they had come through. Each of them turn on their heels and look back from whence they came. The screeching continues to grow louder until the head of a curious beast shows itself in the red light surrounding the party. A beast they have already fought once before. It's pointed ears and human-like face tell them all that they need to know.

"Samuel, you bastard!" Lee shouts before angling his blade for the creature's heart. But with a deafening shriek, the beast causes him to lose his balance and Lee covers his ears.

"Charge it!" Shouts Hael, taking up her own blade and rushing the creature. As she does so, talon-like fingers swat at her, but fortunately miss. Passing beneath the beast she takes a swing at its ankles, attempting to bring it off balance. Her blade cuts through exposed flesh and the creature squalls with pain, but does not go down. Yuler is the next to strike, slashing at the chest of the creature, but to no avail. "The fur is dense! Remember!"

Yuler nods and pulls her blade back as the creature extends both arms forwards, but before it can strike at her, Marne severs one of its paws. Caught off guard by the blow the beast stumbles back and Yuler thrusts her blade forward, penetrating the chest cavity. The sound of air flowing out of the creature's lung tells her that she hit her mark and she quickly pulls herself back, attempting to dodge yet another thrashing blow. With great fortune, all that the beast manages to do is swipe her tricorn from atop her head. Hael proceeds to take the advantage and swipes for the legs once more. This time, the beast goes down. As it turns about on the ground, Lee approaches and plants his blade in the creature's back. Still, it does not die. Yet, with a quick motion, Yuler manages to pierce an eye with her silver and the shrieking stops. The creature stirs for a moment, attempting to move, but inevitably falls limp. Stepping back and admiring their work, Yuler shoots Marne a smile.

"Something I'm sure we can now say we've mastered." She adds.

"I can't believe that boy really allowed these abominations to live! What was he thinking? Did he truly believe he could tame such a-"

"Silence!" Hael shouts, raising a hand and pressing a finger against Lee's vicious lips. "Do you hear that?" The group remains oblivious to what it is that Hael speaks of, and no one says a word. "I can hear a faint whisper. Follow me."

Hael guides the others forward, beyond the flora. As she does so, a small wooden door comes into view.

"There!" She says.

"Careful, Hael. It may be nothing more than a member of the congregation." Yuler looks about herself, still awaiting the arrival of more threats amongst their small window of peace.

"No, this is... something else." Hael continues to move towards the door, but finds it to be locked upon arriving. Stepping back she pulls up her foot and thrusts it at the handle. Noticing that the whispering has stopped, she continues to go for another thrust. Then another, and another. Finally, the door breaks free and the contents within are exposed. Bright lantern light spills into Dabria's glow, clashing hues of yellow and red together. As Hael leans forward and peers into the opening, she is met by the faces of Samuel and Samara, who look to her with fright in their eyes.

"Oh, thank the gods!" Samuel cries.

"Don't thank them just yet." Lee suggests.