Stench from the South Pt. 02

"Three above," breathed Jakobus.

"As for how we escaped the Outpost? We just ran," Gravin said, looking from Balthus to Jakobus in turn. "We'd managed to get back to the barracks and grab our weapons first, but we didn't have time to put on our armor. We made it out the front door to the yard after that. We couldn't take any of the horses; the madmen were already starting to spread throughout the compound by that point, and a few were actively following us. There was just no time." The trooper sighed, then looked at the floor. "The last thing I saw as we passed through and shut the main gate was...it was Sergeant Lowell, sir. I beheld him with my own eyes, Captain, plain as day. They...they'd torn his neck wide open, sir. He was stumbling out the front door; he locked eyes with me, and-and in that moment I knew he meant to kill me, sir. He was no longer himself; he had become whatever these people are."

Balthus, whose body temperature already felt as if it had been slowly dropping throughout the tale, suddenly felt his whole body go ice cold.

"My entire platoon...? Just...wiped out? All of them?"

"We don't know for certain, sir; we couldn't stay at the Outpost to find out, but seeing as all of us eventually either ran to the infirmary to help or investigate..."

"There were so many of them, sir," Maelee said softly, her voice wavering, "we could not hope to save everyone. It...it all happened so fast-!"

"It was a massacre, sir," Seilin said. "I still see the blood and hear the screams every time I close my eyes."

Balthus looked at the floor and sighed quietly. The others were quiet, unsure of what they should say or do (if anything at all). Finally, the Master Mage broke the interminably heavy silence.

"So, how did you end up here? Why did you not attempt to reach another Outpost, perhaps track down any other members of the Army or the Guard? That is not meant as an accusatory question, you understand-"

"Well, the nearest Rallean settlement was several days' walk from the Outpost," Maelee began, shooting a quick glance at Balthus. "We didn't have any provisions, and you'd been gone less than half a day; that was how long it took before Fessely finally expired and the insanity began-"

"You've been out here on your own all this time, then." Balthus was less incredulous than he was impressed, in truth.

"Yes sir," she continued with a nod. "We made our way south to the nearest farm, only a mile or from us. It...there were signs that it too had been attacked, sir. Empty house, place a shambles, everyone was gone. There was some blood, but we never found any bodies, so...perhaps they survived? I don't know. But after that, we just kept working our way southeast, hoping to find someone official or a safe route to head north again."

"I understand. You had no horses, not enough supplies-Trooper Maelee made it clear to me."

"Thank you, sir. Point is, this phenomenon-whatever it is that's causing people to change?-it's becoming widespread, sir. Almost every village and home we've come across, especially here in Nocturne, has been either abandoned, overrun by these lunatics, or the occupants have turned us away."

"We just came from Elksmore," Jakobus said gravely. "The entire town was full of them; we only just managed to get away."

"We know," Gravin said miserably, "we were there yesterday, we saw the devastation for ourselves."

"We'd hoped to head north via the Kingsway soon, as we didn't want to risk a pure wilderness path," Mosullah said. "But we just kept running into more of those crazy people, sir, barely getting away from them each time! Merely setting foot onto the pavement has become a life-or-death gamble!"

"Back to what you told me earlier," Balthus said, changing the subject, "when you said that Mister Fessely...died? You meant that? Did Strad really say that he'd died?"

"Yes, they all did, sir. Strad told us later that he'd checked Fessely's pulse and other vital signs thoroughly-same went for the troopers which the farmer injured; the ones who had only just slipped away. They were definitely dead, sir, and then they-they came back, and just...began mindlessly attacking everyone in sight who wasn't one of them."

"Did he ever claim to know what was causing it?"

"No, Captain," Seilin said, "in fact, the matter seemed to have been troubling him greatly. He flat-out admitted to us that he had no clue as to where he should even start."

"I think that that troubled him almost as much as the losses themselves," Mosullah muttered.

"We were pondering the subject earlier, after we'd gotten away from Elksmore," Balthus said, ignoring Mosullah. "Jakobus here wondered at first whether it might be some form of...I don't know, widespread necromantic curse, but he sensed no magical aura coming from these people."

"It is true," said Jakobus with a nod. "If these people are, in fact, dead, then their returning to life was not achieved through any form of magic that I can detect. Something else is at work, some other menace that recalls these people to life-but I, much like your former Healer, have no idea as to what it could be."

Everyone went quiet, Seilin swallowing anxiously upon hearing the Master Mage's words. At that moment, Mattison-who had just been talking to Kinley and Anila-rose from the floor and wandered over.

"I've explained what happened to us, why we're here, and what we think is going on with these people, for lack of a better word," he said. "They're...well, they're taking it about as well as could be expected."

"Please be gentle with them, I beg of you," Seilin insisted. "They've been through so much already."

"Yes, the siblings over there told me about it. They said that you found them in some little hamlet just over the border to the west, Dr-Dra-?"

"Dragomir," Gravin said, "yes, that's where we came upon them. Place was full of corpses and seemed entirely abandoned, but those two'd been hiding in the attic of the local trading post for a few days already before we arrived, and they agreed to accompany us; they know the area better than us four do, and they've been a massive help."

"What of the other one-what was her name, Bree? What's her story?" Jakobus nodded toward the lone woman's sitting, curled form.

"She...well, she wouldn't say," Mattison said quietly. "I-well, I decided to let her be."

"We found her wandering the roads a few days ago by herself, dazed and near-unresponsive. Might be shock," Maelee said, "but we don't know for certain; she's hardly said a word in the interim. Much like Mister Rhaeg here, we decided it was best not to pry."

"I'm glad that you were able to show some restraint, at any rate, Mattison," Balthus grumbled. The assistant shot him an angry look.

"Now isn't the time, Captain."

"An odd sentiment, coming from you, but I'll relent. Now," he said, looking at Maelee, "what do you know of Stonecairn Hollow? We were intending to visit the place, but decided it would be best to try to find someone nearby who might be able to tell us what we might find there beforehand-hence, why we came here in the first place. Have you been through it?"

"We were planning to investigate it in the morning, as a matter of fact" Maelee said quietly.

"We might as well go together, then," Balthus replied with a nod.

"By the way, sir," Mosullah said, "it seems that we all forgot to ask: what exactly are you doing down here in Nocturne? I was under the impression that you'd be heading back to the Outpost when your business in the Capital had concluded."

"The King and Queen gave me new orders upon my recounting of the incident at the farmstead," the Captain said, shaking his head. "The three of us were ordered to cross the border and head south to Grayspire, find Madame Tristessa and her leadership, and find out if they knew about what was happening here. Turns out that news of these people, these...dead lunatics, whatever they are? It had already reached the Crown by the time I'd arrived. Some incidents on the roads to the east of the Outpost-"

"Then it's spread further into Ralleah?!" Seilin gasped, her eyes wide as medallions. "Oh, but Captain, we must-!"

"You must let me finish, trooper," Balthus snarled, the lass blushing and averting her eyes from the Captain's piercing glare. "I'm still your superior officer, remember?"

"Y-yes sir."

"Good," he said with a nod, "now where was I? Oh, yes. So they knew that these people existed and that they were aggressive, but, well, we didn't know that they were as numerous or widespread as they are."

"So what do we do?" Maelee looked from Gravin to the Captain again. "Obviously, things have changed-do we abandon those orders, try to get back to the Capital, perhaps bring the whole Army down with us?"

"No, trooper-what we'll be doing is staying the course," he replied sternly. "We need to know for sure whether or not the Nocturnal leadership-or anyone, really-is still alive in Grayspire to even be saved. We cannot abandon the people here to devourment and death, Maelee, even if they are not our countrymen. The Nocturnals are friends to Ralleah-and friends do not abandon one another in times of great need. I don't think I need to remind you of your oaths, soldier."

"No, sir."

"There is plenty of need here, sir," Mosullah said with a nod, "of that, I have no doubt at all. I will accompany you, my Captain."

"We go south, then," said Jakobus, placing a hand on Balthus' shoulder. "I, too, shall continue to follow you every step of the way, as I was bid in Braelon."

"I suppose that means I will be as well," Mattison said, rolling his eyes as a wry smile formed on his lips.

"Best hope these crazies don't have a taste for vampire, then," Seilin quipped.

The rest of them group laughed, while Mattison only rolled his eyes again.

*****

Night had fallen, the rain returning with it. It pounded the rooftop shakes relentlessly, and as Balthus stared out the window of the master bedroom and into the yard below, he found himself grateful to not be roughing it-at least, for tonight.

"Someone had better keep watch all night," Mattison had warned before they'd all decided to turn in for the night, "because the last thing I need is for a horde of those slavering freaks to break down the door while I'm dreaming of my own home and hearth tonight!"

He had been right, of course. Balthus had volunteered to take first watch, while everyone else got their rest and tried to recover their strength. He sat on a small decorative bench now, one that stood beneath the front-facing window at the end of the second floor main hallway, his back against the wall as he stared into the hazy darkness below, his eyes straining to make out any sign of movement below. They had all agreed that it would be for the best if they kept no candles or lanterns lit, as anything seen from the windows would almost certainly attract unwanted attention-it never hurt to be extra careful, Maelee had pointed out. Of course, she too had been right, and so he would spend the next several hours in the dark.

The constant drumming of the downpour against the glass was almost relaxing to the Captain's ears, even though he couldn't afford to actually do so. His hand never left the hilt of his sword, nor his eyes the front yard. Like a hawk, he scanned the premises until, an hour into his vigil, he heard the door to one of the four upstairs bedrooms open softly. He glanced back to see Mattison emerge from the farthest left-side door, whereupon their eyes met in the gloom and the young vampire sighed.

"It seems we haven't been invaded yet," he said softly, so as not to wake those asleep in the bedrooms.

"On my watch? Never. Remember that your Master is waiting downstairs as well-I doubt anything could get past him."

The Mage's assistant chuckled softly as he closed the door behind him, then strode quietly down the hallway to where Balthus sat astride the bench. He stood in place for a moment and glanced out the window, staring into the same gloom that Balthus had been familiarizing himself with, then sat down opposite the Captain.

"What are you doing up, Mattison?"

"I don't require the same amount of rest that you do, Captain," he grinned. "I assure you, I will be more than capable of functioning tomorrow morning."

"My meaning was more in the vein of 'why are you pestering me on my watch'," Balthus grumbled. Mattison sighed, the grin fading from his hips like a dream upon awakening. He glanced out the window again, then looked back at the Captain, his lips pursed. Balthus cocked an eyebrow at him.

"What's on your mind, Mattison? Spit it out, already."

"I can't stop seeing it. Every time I close my eyes, it's as if the scene has been burned into the insides of my eyelids."

Balthus nodded slowly. "I did wonder where the actual homeowners had gotten to," he said quietly.

"I wish we'd never found out."

"Mosullah did try to warn us against going in there, I suppose," Balthus replied with a shrug. Mattison spared a glance back at the door to the room, just opposite the one he'd walked out of. Balthus' gaze followed, and they both stared the seven-foot tall piece of cedar before Mattison spoke, the hint of a waver just barely perceptible beneath his words.

"They even killed the children," he whispered.

"We don't know for certain whether or not it happened that way, Mattison. We didn't examine the bodies closely enough. They might have been overtaken by whatever this...madness, I suppose, is the word. The parents may have...put a stop to it."

"The way in which they were...laid out on the floor and the bed," Mattison whispered frantically. "It looked almost, I don't know-ritualistic, I suppose is the word...? How long did they sit in those rocking chairs, just...staring at them before cutting their wrists? Three above, I-"

"Mattison!" Balthus' voice rose to a low hiss as his arm shot out and tightly clasped the vampire's shoulder. His wide, fearful amber eyes met Balthus' steely grays, the Captain's expression as stormy as the weather outside. "Mattison, you must control yourself! Please, lad, we need you sane and stable! I need you sane and stable! I understand that the day has been harrowing, truly I do, but you must keep your head on straight!"

Balthus had half expected the lad to slap his hand away and storm off, but was surprised when he merely stopped, took a deep breath, and relaxed. His entire form seemed to sag just a little before he looked back into Balthus' eyes.

"You're right. There is too much at stake, the danger too great. Apologies, Captain, I did not mean to alarm or upset you; I merely...overreacted, I suppose. You must remember," he said with a humorless smile, "that I have primarily lived a scholarly existence, one that has been largely...unexposed to the horrors of the world. Yes, I have seen some unpleasant things in my time-seen death, even-but nothing like what is in that bedroom, Captain. I spend my time in libraries, laboratories, and training yards, not wandering wilderness roads avoiding insane cannibals and tripping over murder-homicide scenes."

"Not a lot of field work on your record, huh?"

"Some," the Mage's assistant shrugged, "though admittedly, not as much as I would like. Master Jakobus drills me extensively in the Keep, and occasionally takes me along on his travels when he believes it will serve a practical purpose for my training, but...well, none of it prepared me for seeing something-"

"Like that?" Balthus finished, and the assistant nodded slowly. Balthus sighed, shifted in his seat as he glanced out the window to see a slow-moving figure ambling across the gloomy front yard. He made a clicking sound at Mattison, then nodded in the direction of the unwelcome passerby. Mattison stared at it for a moment.

"Should we...do something?"

"No," Balthus whispered, his eyes never straying from the slouched, ambling form outside. "I had assumed that the commotion earlier would draw more. I've seen a number of them pass us by already; if we stay quiet, this one should too."

They watched for a moment as it walked past several of its' slain brethren, its' soft moaning only just audible through the glass. Suddenly, its' foot caught on a corpse and it fell flat on its' face, writhing slowly and awkwardly as it tried to stand back up.

"No," Balthus whispered, shooting a grin at the Mage's assistant, "I think we'll leave this one be...unless he decides to cause trouble.

*****

"When did Seilin and Mosullah start fucking, I wonder?"

"I'm not entirely certain, but it had to have been recently."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because," Maelee whispered to Gravin as she rolled over on the bed to face her lover, grinning at him all the while, "I didn't start smelling sex on either of them until just a few days ago."

Gravin chuckled. "I can see how she'd be charmed. Mosullah's a handsome, honorable, and kind-hearted fellow."

"M'zaeran men tend to be that way," Maelee replied. Gravin rolled his eyes and put an arm around the small of her back, grinning from ear to ear all the while. She giggled softly as he pulled her into his embrace and nuzzled her neck.

"And what of us Rallean men, my dear Maelee?" He whispered softly into her ear. "Do we possess enough charm for your tastes?" He slipped a hand under her tunic and found her right nipple, whereupon he began to rub it with his thumb. She gasped, biting into her forearm to muffle the sound. Immediately, her hands were beneath his trousers, massaging his rapidly-expanding erection. She felt the hint of wetness that leaked from its' head, matching the moisture which was already spreading within her loins.

It'd been almost two days since they'd last had one another, and now that they had some time alone while that Mattison fellow was off doing whatever it was that he was doing, they found that their desires were now coming on stronger than ever. The faint sounds of Seilin's muffled moans from the bedroom next door-as Mosullah's tall, lean body hovered above her, his shaft plunging into and out of her almost petite frame-seemed to vanish as Maelee and Gravin explored each other with eager hands. Soon, their clothes had vanished entirely from their bodies, tossed aside like trash as Maelee gently but firmly pushed him back. She peered back at the door to the bedroom, ensuring that it was still firmly shut.

"I'll make this quick," she whispered, "and then I will have you inside me."

"Hopefully we have time."

She smiled mischievously at him before engulfing him entirely. Gravin fought back the urge to gasp as he felt his head rub the back of her throat; her lack of a perceptible gag reflex never ceased to amaze him. Instead, he emitted only a hissing sound from between his clenched teeth as she began to travel up and down his length, never once wavering in her speed or intensity.

Her mouth was heaven made flesh, her tongue an instrument of divine power as she twirled it about his shaft. It very nearly sent him into sensory overload, his breathing becoming labored, irregular, and shallow while she moved with grace and consistency, unbothered by anything around her. Gravin could feel his mind slipping; he didn't even care whether or not Mattison came back in at that exact moment, that motherfucker could lie back down on the floor and just...wait it out, as far as he was concerned. He and his future wife were backed up with two days' now worth of stress and worry, and they needed this release.

Not wanted, needed.

Now, she was working the base of his shaft with one hand, while continuing to suck him as if her life depended upon it. Gravin could hardly take it; she knew exactly what motions to make and which buttons to push in order to send him over the edge. Despite his abilities as a fighter and his unquestionably masculine presence, this slight blonde vixen had more than one way of bringing him back to his days of being a panting, desperate teenager on the verge of a brutal climax. Speaking of which, Gravin could feel those very earliest tingling sensations within his loins now, the ones that meant his emission was beginning to build up. He began to breathe more loudly than before, hardly able to regulate his volume as Maelee sucked him.