The doctor saw his opportunity to help, and with a familiar incantation, all the men in one tower simply slumped over, fast asleep. With another spell, he made a stone wall block off the other tower's entrance. Casting magic like this without his cane was exhausting, but he couldn't have it giving away his position.
Posts archived: 323 / 323 posts (100%) · the total is Torn's reply count + the opening post at the last fetch
Mary jostled along on the bumpy ride, sitting next to the troops who were injured. Some had been improving, others not, and she was hopeful they might find a more metropolitan area in which to treat them. She thought about the mystery medicine man, and his bag of tricks. The odd potions and tools she didn't recognize as medical equipment. Yes, they were in a new world, but these men weren't guinea pigs to be tested on. She had grown fond of the young man with the chest wound. He had chatted with her on the journey, saying how grateful he was not to be left behind with the dead. How sad they didn't get a proper burial, she thought. But she understood that the focus was on the living, and making sure we survived with the majority head count we were currently carrying through the unknown territory.
Juliette couldn't take her eyes off the man with the chest wound. It was so familiar. Too familiar. A flash of Charles' dead body danged before her eyes. She shuddered and shook her head to clear her mind. She needed to focus if she wanted to go back to France and help her country again.
kelly sighed and said nothing.
---
following the convoy, she realized that there may be a chance she wont be leaving the islands.
but then she thought she was going crazy.
she goes to speak but sighs again.
before then stopping to check something.
she left the reciever on the plane.
the radio. it was way too late to go
back and get it obvously. but then...
no... she carries on walking but then
stops again, looking back down the road into the dark forest.
slyly, kelly manages to slip into the trees without anyone noticing her gone.
i have to go back... no...
realising, she quickly hops out from the trees and catches up to the convoy.
it was moving slowly so that wasnt a problem.
the problem was her experience with the creatures.
had her... on edge...
the uniformed humanoid creature from before dived onto the road behind her, by the time she
turned around, it had knocked her to the ground.
"damnit! its back!!"
she shouts managing to break free.
then quickly runs to her rifle and grabs it.
after, points it to the entity then shoots it.
but that only seems to anger it more.
"HELP!"
she shouts as its claws rip into her hip
(it doesnt go too far. any further & it would've been fatal)
she cries out in pain and loosens her grip on the rifle, it drops to the ground
and the trigger goes off, the bullet pings off the truck gaining the attention of the soldiers.
as a last attempt, she quickly takes out her pistol from the bag and empties the mag.
all of the 7 hollow point rounds being shot into the monster's neck.
it fatally drops to the ground making strange chortling sounds as the claws escape her chest.
she then drops to the floor in agony, clutching onto the gun.
---
following the convoy, she realized that there may be a chance she wont be leaving the islands.
but then she thought she was going crazy.
she goes to speak but sighs again.
before then stopping to check something.
she left the reciever on the plane.
the radio. it was way too late to go
back and get it obvously. but then...
no... she carries on walking but then
stops again, looking back down the road into the dark forest.
slyly, kelly manages to slip into the trees without anyone noticing her gone.
i have to go back... no...
realising, she quickly hops out from the trees and catches up to the convoy.
it was moving slowly so that wasnt a problem.
the problem was her experience with the creatures.
had her... on edge...
the uniformed humanoid creature from before dived onto the road behind her, by the time she
turned around, it had knocked her to the ground.
"damnit! its back!!"
she shouts managing to break free.
then quickly runs to her rifle and grabs it.
after, points it to the entity then shoots it.
but that only seems to anger it more.
"HELP!"
she shouts as its claws rip into her hip
(it doesnt go too far. any further & it would've been fatal)
she cries out in pain and loosens her grip on the rifle, it drops to the ground
and the trigger goes off, the bullet pings off the truck gaining the attention of the soldiers.
as a last attempt, she quickly takes out her pistol from the bag and empties the mag.
all of the 7 hollow point rounds being shot into the monster's neck.
it fatally drops to the ground making strange chortling sounds as the claws escape her chest.
she then drops to the floor in agony, clutching onto the gun.
Pyter took the binoculars and looked at the two towers. He looked at them for a few minutes before responding to Strange.
”Well, we could try and send men up the cliffs, but I feel like that might be too challenging. We could send a sniper or two to take care of the men, but I’m sure we’d suffer some return fire of some sort. At the moment-“ Pyter continued, before he saw a giant wall spring up in front of one tower. Looking through the binoculars, he saw the men in the other tower slumped over the battlements.
”No time like the present-“ Pyter began, before he heard shouting and screaming from behind. Pyter turned to see the sniper engaged with some sort of creature behind them. Pyter gestured for Strange to push through the gate while it was unmanned. They’re window to escape was limited. Pyter ran over to Kelly, pausing to put one round from his Garand into the head of the choking creature. That stopped it. Pyter bent down and picked the sniper up, letting her use him as a crutch as he quickly stumbled back to the truck. The truck was advancing quickly on the gate, and Pyter needed to get this woman into the truck for Mary or Juliette to take a look at.
”Well, we could try and send men up the cliffs, but I feel like that might be too challenging. We could send a sniper or two to take care of the men, but I’m sure we’d suffer some return fire of some sort. At the moment-“ Pyter continued, before he saw a giant wall spring up in front of one tower. Looking through the binoculars, he saw the men in the other tower slumped over the battlements.
”No time like the present-“ Pyter began, before he heard shouting and screaming from behind. Pyter turned to see the sniper engaged with some sort of creature behind them. Pyter gestured for Strange to push through the gate while it was unmanned. They’re window to escape was limited. Pyter ran over to Kelly, pausing to put one round from his Garand into the head of the choking creature. That stopped it. Pyter bent down and picked the sniper up, letting her use him as a crutch as he quickly stumbled back to the truck. The truck was advancing quickly on the gate, and Pyter needed to get this woman into the truck for Mary or Juliette to take a look at.
she whinces in pain
"thanks"
she then looks back at the creature.
"i wasn't lying. i hope you..."
she breathes heavily
"hope you know that..."
"you go."
she takes her sniper and walks.
limping.
"i'll catch up..."
she then takes a shot at the guard in the left tower,
pulls back the charging handle then hits the one on the right too.
"get with them sir... they need you up there... i have it... from..."
she kneels onto the ground.
"mer... damnit..."
she gets back up and limps in the direction towards the gate.
"go! im right... behind..."
her vision blurrs
"goddamnit... italy... why... did we have... to go... italy..."
"thanks"
she then looks back at the creature.
"i wasn't lying. i hope you..."
she breathes heavily
"hope you know that..."
"you go."
she takes her sniper and walks.
limping.
"i'll catch up..."
she then takes a shot at the guard in the left tower,
pulls back the charging handle then hits the one on the right too.
"get with them sir... they need you up there... i have it... from..."
she kneels onto the ground.
"mer... damnit..."
she gets back up and limps in the direction towards the gate.
"go! im right... behind..."
her vision blurrs
"goddamnit... italy... why... did we have... to go... italy..."
Mary heard the commotion outside the caravan as Pyter went running by their truck. A few shots later, and she saw him escorting a female gunner towards their vehicle. No... wait... she's waving him on. She's firing again? Oh damn... "Davidson! Man down! I mean, woman down, woman down!" Mary pointed out the back of the truck. Davidson hopped out and ran to the soldier, escorting her the rest of the way back to their slower moving vehicle. She seemed a bit resistant.
"Please get in here, ma'am, we'll get you hydrated and checked out. You're not looking very well." Mary extended her hand to assist her up. . "What's your name, and where are you from? You don't look like an American." They continued to bump along the road, but it felt like they were picking up pace.
"Please get in here, ma'am, we'll get you hydrated and checked out. You're not looking very well." Mary extended her hand to assist her up. . "What's your name, and where are you from? You don't look like an American." They continued to bump along the road, but it felt like they were picking up pace.
"fine..."
she climbs onto the truck with the help of the other soldier.
"that... thing... i saw it back... back at the ridge when i was going to scout..."
she seems hesitant
"kelly.... french... and i can still walk... so the damage isnt that bad..."
she lays the rifle down and lays down on the seating.
"fu... it was... following me..."
she says trying not to close her eyes.
"watch out... there was... four... that i saw... but i dont know...
if... there's more... hidden... somewh- somewhere..."
she breathes heavily and goes to speak again but passes out.
she climbs onto the truck with the help of the other soldier.
"that... thing... i saw it back... back at the ridge when i was going to scout..."
she seems hesitant
"kelly.... french... and i can still walk... so the damage isnt that bad..."
she lays the rifle down and lays down on the seating.
"fu... it was... following me..."
she says trying not to close her eyes.
"watch out... there was... four... that i saw... but i dont know...
if... there's more... hidden... somewh- somewhere..."
she breathes heavily and goes to speak again but passes out.
*Strange watched, dumbfounded, at the events that unfolded. First the guards in the tower seemed to fall asleep out of thin air, as though a god was on their side, followed by commotion around some sort of beast that no one seemed to be able to describe, followed by a wounded madwoman shooting a now completely defenseless guard in one of the tower, continuing to fire off her weapon willy-nilly before passing out. Not only was this a war crime against people who may have not even been hostile to them, but it alerted everyone in a several mile radius to their position. His initial reaction was to shoot her, but he doubted the yankees would let him get away with that. Instead, he pushed his way past the nurse tending to her, took the woman's rifle. He checked her gear and eventually found a customized American pistol. He presented both to the nurse treating her. *
"Keep these safe, but don't let her have them back. She has likely started a conflict between us and whoever lives in these lands by picking off that sleeping guard. Our only option now is escape. "
*They then arrived at the gate which had seemingly sprung from nowhere. It was locked, but with no one to defend it, and them being inside on the inside, getting it open was no trouble at all. They were soon wheeling through the pass. Indeed there was a steep roadway on the other side of the fortifications. It wound down through the mountains and foothills, and soon offered them an entirely different vista.
Below them stretched a vast plain. It was like a sea of farmland. Some was pastures for cows and horses, grains in several different shades of gold and yellow dominated, dotted with little farm houses, distant villages, crisscrossed with roads paved with cobbles, and even some large towns further out. Haylofts, beehives. orchards, and corncribs dotted were around intermittently. Islands in the sea of agriculture were occasional small woodlands, clearly managed and harvested. The land only seemed to get denser and more utilized as it got further way from the mountains. There were also no defenses to be seen on this side of the pass. The farmers of the plains did not seem to fear to people of the forest.
Strange stood in awe of this rapid change of scenery for a moment, he then barked orders to the driver. *
"Lorenzo, do you see that little forest there? The one that looks like french pollarding? "
"Yeah boss" *Lorenzo said, craning his neck to see over the armor of the SPA. *
"Head for that with haste, we will be able to set up for the night there and have some cover. I don't want our presence to be know here til we know what we are dealing with. "
"You got it" *Lorenzo said, putting the SPA in gear.*
"Keep these safe, but don't let her have them back. She has likely started a conflict between us and whoever lives in these lands by picking off that sleeping guard. Our only option now is escape. "
*They then arrived at the gate which had seemingly sprung from nowhere. It was locked, but with no one to defend it, and them being inside on the inside, getting it open was no trouble at all. They were soon wheeling through the pass. Indeed there was a steep roadway on the other side of the fortifications. It wound down through the mountains and foothills, and soon offered them an entirely different vista.
Below them stretched a vast plain. It was like a sea of farmland. Some was pastures for cows and horses, grains in several different shades of gold and yellow dominated, dotted with little farm houses, distant villages, crisscrossed with roads paved with cobbles, and even some large towns further out. Haylofts, beehives. orchards, and corncribs dotted were around intermittently. Islands in the sea of agriculture were occasional small woodlands, clearly managed and harvested. The land only seemed to get denser and more utilized as it got further way from the mountains. There were also no defenses to be seen on this side of the pass. The farmers of the plains did not seem to fear to people of the forest.
Strange stood in awe of this rapid change of scenery for a moment, he then barked orders to the driver. *
"Lorenzo, do you see that little forest there? The one that looks like french pollarding? "
"Yeah boss" *Lorenzo said, craning his neck to see over the armor of the SPA. *
"Head for that with haste, we will be able to set up for the night there and have some cover. I don't want our presence to be know here til we know what we are dealing with. "
"You got it" *Lorenzo said, putting the SPA in gear.*
Pyter managed to catch up with the truck as it pushed its way through the gate. Pyter made sure to close the gate behind them, and using one of the spare shovels located in the truck, he shoved it through the locking mechanism. If anyone or anything wanted to get through that gate, it would have to scale the mountains themselves. An impossible feat. Pyter kept his eyes on the towers behind them, until they turned a corner and vanished from sight.
Up ahead, he could see the mountain hills growing smaller and smaller until they disappeared entirely. Ahead of them lay the golden fields of some foreign land, mostly dotted with farms, but Pyter could just make out a few small villages within a few hours travel, at least by vehicle. They should make it a priority to visit there, for food, medicine, and most importantly, knowledge. Pyter walked slowly with the SPA as it descended the hill towards a grove of trees, but these were more similar to the ones he was use to seeing. Deciduous trees, similar to maples or oaks. This is a little more like it he thought to himself.
Davidson, meanwhile, was in the back of the truck with the nurse Mary. He had confiscated the sniper's weapons, since she seemed to be a little trigger happy and didn't have a full grasp on their situation. He locked them in a nearby gun box and tucked the key inside his pants.
"Mary, we'll probably be settling down soon. We can let these gentlemen outside for some fresh air, right?" Davidson inquired. "Also, perhaps provide a list of the wounded and their conditions. Sergeant Pyter would probably like to know how we stand." Davidson added.
Soon, the men were nestled inside the trees, and began to set up fires for hot meals. The food was far from plentiful, but Pyter estimated they hade enough for 4 more days, a little longer if they started to ration. After getting his dinner, he decided to sit with the Italians, to discuss things.
"Strange, how do you think we should go about getting food from the men? I'm sure we could use brute force, but there's not enough of us to really fight off a large army, which I'm sure they'd send after us if we made ourselves a nuisance. I want to try and trade, but we don't have anything of value for these people. At least not by my reckoning." Pyter paused to eat, before asking Strange in a more succinct tone,
"How would you proceed?"
-----------------------------
Jorah sighed as he tugged the bridals of his horse, leading it outside the makeshift wooden walls of the village. These farming villages in the north of Kharul offered him decent business, if not lackluster. Most of the villagers were willing to sell flour, milk, seeds, or simple wood crafts for the ironworkings he had picked up farther south. Of course, at every village he had to present his Guild card, a slab of bronze with an intricate design on it. It absented him from local tariffs and offered him a level of protection within the walls of the city. He showed the card to the guard at the gate now, who opened it for him.
"Be careful, seram," the guard said, using a term of respect, "I heard some strange noises while on patrol today. Something like the crack of thunder, but farther off, towards the woods. Not sure what to make of it."
Jorah shrugged. "It's probably farmers trying to steal a little lumber from the baron, if I could guess. Chopped down a few of the smaller trees hoping no one would notice. I'd send a few guards out to check if I were you." Jorah replied, nodding in thanks at the information.
"Heh, like the baron will authorize that. He wants us here protecting the harvest and the town. He couldn't care less about a few small time thieves." The guard said.
Jorah continued out into the country, and finally made camp on an empty stretch of plain between the town and the nearest forest. He set a fire, fed and watered his horse Damien, and laid back against the wheel of his cart. He propped his sword up nearby. He doubted bandits would attack this close to the town, but he wanted to be sure. He set at the fire cooking a hunk of beef he bought off the butcher, watching the juices splutter as they fell into the fire.
Up ahead, he could see the mountain hills growing smaller and smaller until they disappeared entirely. Ahead of them lay the golden fields of some foreign land, mostly dotted with farms, but Pyter could just make out a few small villages within a few hours travel, at least by vehicle. They should make it a priority to visit there, for food, medicine, and most importantly, knowledge. Pyter walked slowly with the SPA as it descended the hill towards a grove of trees, but these were more similar to the ones he was use to seeing. Deciduous trees, similar to maples or oaks. This is a little more like it he thought to himself.
Davidson, meanwhile, was in the back of the truck with the nurse Mary. He had confiscated the sniper's weapons, since she seemed to be a little trigger happy and didn't have a full grasp on their situation. He locked them in a nearby gun box and tucked the key inside his pants.
"Mary, we'll probably be settling down soon. We can let these gentlemen outside for some fresh air, right?" Davidson inquired. "Also, perhaps provide a list of the wounded and their conditions. Sergeant Pyter would probably like to know how we stand." Davidson added.
Soon, the men were nestled inside the trees, and began to set up fires for hot meals. The food was far from plentiful, but Pyter estimated they hade enough for 4 more days, a little longer if they started to ration. After getting his dinner, he decided to sit with the Italians, to discuss things.
"Strange, how do you think we should go about getting food from the men? I'm sure we could use brute force, but there's not enough of us to really fight off a large army, which I'm sure they'd send after us if we made ourselves a nuisance. I want to try and trade, but we don't have anything of value for these people. At least not by my reckoning." Pyter paused to eat, before asking Strange in a more succinct tone,
"How would you proceed?"
-----------------------------
Jorah sighed as he tugged the bridals of his horse, leading it outside the makeshift wooden walls of the village. These farming villages in the north of Kharul offered him decent business, if not lackluster. Most of the villagers were willing to sell flour, milk, seeds, or simple wood crafts for the ironworkings he had picked up farther south. Of course, at every village he had to present his Guild card, a slab of bronze with an intricate design on it. It absented him from local tariffs and offered him a level of protection within the walls of the city. He showed the card to the guard at the gate now, who opened it for him.
"Be careful, seram," the guard said, using a term of respect, "I heard some strange noises while on patrol today. Something like the crack of thunder, but farther off, towards the woods. Not sure what to make of it."
Jorah shrugged. "It's probably farmers trying to steal a little lumber from the baron, if I could guess. Chopped down a few of the smaller trees hoping no one would notice. I'd send a few guards out to check if I were you." Jorah replied, nodding in thanks at the information.
"Heh, like the baron will authorize that. He wants us here protecting the harvest and the town. He couldn't care less about a few small time thieves." The guard said.
Jorah continued out into the country, and finally made camp on an empty stretch of plain between the town and the nearest forest. He set a fire, fed and watered his horse Damien, and laid back against the wheel of his cart. He propped his sword up nearby. He doubted bandits would attack this close to the town, but he wanted to be sure. He set at the fire cooking a hunk of beef he bought off the butcher, watching the juices splutter as they fell into the fire.
*Strange poked at the little campfire the italians had made. There was still enough animosity between them and most of the Americans that a different fire happened without anyone really saying anything about. They pooled their resources and effort, certainly. They just weren't quite friends yet. There was fortunately a small spring in this small woods, probably why it wasn't pulled up and cultivated like everywhere else here. Strange recognized the woods as being coppiced or pollarded, probably for making charcoal. There was a charcoal maker in his village that did the same thing. The spring was allowing them to stretch what they had into a soup, which was bubbling on their little fire in a little pot. Strange was enduring a bowl of the weak brew when the Sergent came over and asked him for his thoughts. *
"Cut down the rations now and we can make it last a week, longer with all the grain out here. That's what we did in Sicily when you all cut off our supplies. " *Strange stated matter of factly. He then seemed to think a little longer.*
"I definitely don't think we want to start waving guns around. We know nothing of this land, and could get ourselves into more trouble than we already are in. *he paused for a moment.* I cannot believe what happened back there, sergeant. If we keep acting like that, shooting guards without even knowing if they are hostile, we could be hunted down like dogs. *He then sighed and shook his head. * But it is done, so we must move on. I don't think we can make any reasonable choice until we know more. We need to scout out the area, know the lay of the land. Then we need a local informant. Then, maybe, we can come up with some kind of longer term plan. "
"Cut down the rations now and we can make it last a week, longer with all the grain out here. That's what we did in Sicily when you all cut off our supplies. " *Strange stated matter of factly. He then seemed to think a little longer.*
"I definitely don't think we want to start waving guns around. We know nothing of this land, and could get ourselves into more trouble than we already are in. *he paused for a moment.* I cannot believe what happened back there, sergeant. If we keep acting like that, shooting guards without even knowing if they are hostile, we could be hunted down like dogs. *He then sighed and shook his head. * But it is done, so we must move on. I don't think we can make any reasonable choice until we know more. We need to scout out the area, know the lay of the land. Then we need a local informant. Then, maybe, we can come up with some kind of longer term plan. "
"Salut, Kelly," Mary addressed the woman. "I only know a little French, so I'll stick to my native English." She got the woman a blanket and folded it like a pillow for her head. Taking a small cloth, she dowsed it with a bit of water, and applied a compress to her forehead gently. "That creature you describe sounds terrifying. I'm glad I didn't see it, but I do believe you." Mary looked to Davidson as he secured Kelly's weapons in the gun box, slightly nodding to him about the requested injuries list.
Checking Kelly's pulse, which was definitely elevated, she propped her head up a bit more, as well as her legs. "Just rest here a bit with us. I know you are eager to serve, and wary of the dangers out there, but Sergeant Pyter will give us further instructions as soon as we get our bearings.
Juliette, who was also helping tend the patients, was rather silent. Mary was curious about her, but grateful for her help. She sensed the woman may be in a mild state of shock, but didn't press for more details. Hell, we are all in a state of shock to some degree.
Checking Kelly's pulse, which was definitely elevated, she propped her head up a bit more, as well as her legs. "Just rest here a bit with us. I know you are eager to serve, and wary of the dangers out there, but Sergeant Pyter will give us further instructions as soon as we get our bearings.
Juliette, who was also helping tend the patients, was rather silent. Mary was curious about her, but grateful for her help. She sensed the woman may be in a mild state of shock, but didn't press for more details. Hell, we are all in a state of shock to some degree.
"So uuuh.. Mary, right ?", Juliette asked, focusing on the soldier she was looking after. "Erm, everyone here seems to follow a specific route that was selected before I got here... Can you tell me where we're going ?"
She needed to keep her mind busy. She couldn't lose it. She had to stay strong. Maybe by some miracle they would go back to their world and she could give Charles' body a proper burial. If it was still there when she got back...
The thought of the German officer stealing her husband's body was too much. She rushed outside and threw up her latest meal.
She needed to keep her mind busy. She couldn't lose it. She had to stay strong. Maybe by some miracle they would go back to their world and she could give Charles' body a proper burial. If it was still there when she got back...
The thought of the German officer stealing her husband's body was too much. She rushed outside and threw up her latest meal.
Mary was startled to hear her name called by Juliette. "Oh, yes, that's right. Rosemary Williams," she said, offering her hand for a shake. "Most just call me Mary. As for our destination? Well, I don't think anyone really knows where we are, or where we are heading. Sergeant Pyter took charge of things when we... landed." She couldn't think of a better term for how they arrived in this unknown terrain. Just as she was about to say more, Juliette suddenly darted from the vehicle and could be seen heaving on the ground. Wow, Mary thought, Is she pregnant?
Davidson stepped outside of the vehicle and offered this woman, Juliette, a hand.
"Miss, you ok? Is something wro-, well, I guess a lot is wrong. But did you eat something bad or get sick from the car? We're stopped for the evening, so if you want to camp outside in the fresh air you're more than welcome to. To answer your question, I suppose we're going wherever Sergeant Stella wants us to go. Oh, but uh, don't call him Stella to his face. He'll think you're making fun of him. I think the current goal is to try and get some more medical supplies or a better treatment center for the wounded. Some of these men will heal over time, but others..." Davidson trailed off, looking back at the man with the chest wound. He was breathing raggedly and was sweating profusely, a sign that either a fever was coming on or his body was fighting off infection with all he had.
"Well, the unit will probably camp here for the night and in the morning, we'll figure out what to do from there. But we need some sort of serious doctor or surgeon of some sort. Or maybe even some sort of magician, if there are others like that man here." Davidson commented, referencing the crazy magician from earlier.
"Sergeant Pyter will find a way to get us home and keep us safe. Of that much I am certain." Davidson finished, before he went off to help a few soldiers stake down a tent.
--------------------------------------------------
Jorah watched the campfire carefully, and while he waited for the food to cook, he glanced down at his leg. While he had been at market, he had gotten a little to careless near a blacksmith's forge and sliced his calf on a, luckily, semi-blunt grain scythe. Still, the blade had left a shallow cut that Jorah had covered up with a spare cloth. He peeled the cloth back. The wound had closed by itself, but with all the riding he did on his horse, it would likely open up again and again, which could cause infection. He sighed and looked about. He had about 15 minutes before the food would be done. He should be able to find something nearby. Jorah stood up, taking his sword, and began to make his way toward the forest.
Jorah spent a few minutes checking under rocks, looking at holes and the ground, and more, as he made it closer and closer to the forest. Finally, he found one of the taller trees, clearly one going to the Baron or its quality or size. Jorah placed his hand against the tree.
"Veheit Dai" he muttered, and a bright glow of energy came from his hand, illuminating the darkness for several feet around him. The wound on his leg slowly came together, and the red scabby line was replaced slowly but surely by fresh skin. Finally, the cut was gone completely. Jorah paused only then to look up at the tree. Where his hand had been, a brown patch stretched halfway up the tree, with some of the leaves turning a sickly green. Trees were the least effective, animals made the transition much easier, but Jorah hated when he messed up and they died. Still, it was one of the most useful waymagiks he had learned. He wiped his brow from the concentration and started to make his way back to his cam.
"Miss, you ok? Is something wro-, well, I guess a lot is wrong. But did you eat something bad or get sick from the car? We're stopped for the evening, so if you want to camp outside in the fresh air you're more than welcome to. To answer your question, I suppose we're going wherever Sergeant Stella wants us to go. Oh, but uh, don't call him Stella to his face. He'll think you're making fun of him. I think the current goal is to try and get some more medical supplies or a better treatment center for the wounded. Some of these men will heal over time, but others..." Davidson trailed off, looking back at the man with the chest wound. He was breathing raggedly and was sweating profusely, a sign that either a fever was coming on or his body was fighting off infection with all he had.
"Well, the unit will probably camp here for the night and in the morning, we'll figure out what to do from there. But we need some sort of serious doctor or surgeon of some sort. Or maybe even some sort of magician, if there are others like that man here." Davidson commented, referencing the crazy magician from earlier.
"Sergeant Pyter will find a way to get us home and keep us safe. Of that much I am certain." Davidson finished, before he went off to help a few soldiers stake down a tent.
--------------------------------------------------
Jorah watched the campfire carefully, and while he waited for the food to cook, he glanced down at his leg. While he had been at market, he had gotten a little to careless near a blacksmith's forge and sliced his calf on a, luckily, semi-blunt grain scythe. Still, the blade had left a shallow cut that Jorah had covered up with a spare cloth. He peeled the cloth back. The wound had closed by itself, but with all the riding he did on his horse, it would likely open up again and again, which could cause infection. He sighed and looked about. He had about 15 minutes before the food would be done. He should be able to find something nearby. Jorah stood up, taking his sword, and began to make his way toward the forest.
Jorah spent a few minutes checking under rocks, looking at holes and the ground, and more, as he made it closer and closer to the forest. Finally, he found one of the taller trees, clearly one going to the Baron or its quality or size. Jorah placed his hand against the tree.
"Veheit Dai" he muttered, and a bright glow of energy came from his hand, illuminating the darkness for several feet around him. The wound on his leg slowly came together, and the red scabby line was replaced slowly but surely by fresh skin. Finally, the cut was gone completely. Jorah paused only then to look up at the tree. Where his hand had been, a brown patch stretched halfway up the tree, with some of the leaves turning a sickly green. Trees were the least effective, animals made the transition much easier, but Jorah hated when he messed up and they died. Still, it was one of the most useful waymagiks he had learned. He wiped his brow from the concentration and started to make his way back to his cam.
two people were speaking in unison when kelly awoke.
"its going to be okay... Toroki... stay away... from the light...
we dont want you to join us just yet... your needed down there...
loved..."
she realized the voices.
"father? mother?" she says faintly.
"find... your friends... get out of there... but save the others..."
she then realized and called out for them but they had gone.
just darkness. then she saw the burning plane and started trying to get
closer to it
"jameson... alex... rocco!"
she calls out seeing the three soldiers enclosed in a ring of flames.
"KELLY... HELP!"
theres an explosion that then wakes her up.
"no..."
kelly woke up at somepoint near midnight, in the darkness...
near a... campfire?
"agh... damnit..."
she says with a catch in her voice, waking up with a
headache and slight pain to the chest.
she manages to sit up.
then putting her hand on her head she looked around.
"no..."
she looks around not seeing her rifle or the feel of the gun in her bag when she picked it up.
"where in the... i need to get out of here..."
kelly then gets up and takes out the pen and paper.
i have to find my division. i am sorry that i wasn't around for long but... thank you. all of you.
for helping me. i will find you all. and help you get away from this damned land. but first my goal is to find my squadron.
then she rips the paper off and places it on the spot where she was resting then got up and snuck past a few
of the guards. one of them almost caught her but it was too dark so she had only just gotten away with it.
she finally found a box with a sleeping soldier just nearby.
"im sorry... but i have to get my guns before i can leave"
she whispers to herself but aiming her words to the soldier.
she carefully snuck up to him and took the keys, unlocking the crate
and opening the box.
"damnit... i have to be quick..."
she looked through the box cautiously taking out her rifle but couldn't find her pistol
"where on earth..."
theres a few footsteps, heavy boots. an officer for sure.
emmitting from behind her with a lantern. she quickly locks the box and puts
the keys on the table, then hiding behind some supply crates.
"hey! wake up you idiot!"
the officer says.
the sleeping soldier then wakes up quickly
"damnit! what happened!"
"dont sleep on the job. who knows whats out here.
i mean look at that french woman that got cut to sh-t
by that creature back in the woods. anyway give me those
keys. i'm putting this in there. its heavy. dont know how
she's able to use it anyway."
the officer then takes the keys off the table, unlocks the box and puts
K's silver gun into it"
"this time. dont fall asleep again"
the officer then throws the keys to the soldier and walks off.
kelly then comes back over to the box.
didn't lock it... some people...
she then opens the box and takes her gun from the top and sneaks back off after closing it.
having a quick look around, they were clearly away from the forest but not in a city.
seriously? near a village? well... reminds me of home...
she sighed then whinced in pain. and started walking normally
past the soldiers. then knew she wasnt ment to be carrying her guns.
obviously. probably from back when i shot the two in the tower.
although i clearly alerted them. when i tried to kill that fu~~ing beast.
anyway she couldn't dwell on the past. the only thing on her mind was
to get out of there, to the village and try find a lead on where her squadron had gone to.
"its going to be okay... Toroki... stay away... from the light...
we dont want you to join us just yet... your needed down there...
loved..."
she realized the voices.
"father? mother?" she says faintly.
"find... your friends... get out of there... but save the others..."
she then realized and called out for them but they had gone.
just darkness. then she saw the burning plane and started trying to get
closer to it
"jameson... alex... rocco!"
she calls out seeing the three soldiers enclosed in a ring of flames.
"KELLY... HELP!"
theres an explosion that then wakes her up.
"no..."
kelly woke up at somepoint near midnight, in the darkness...
near a... campfire?
"agh... damnit..."
she says with a catch in her voice, waking up with a
headache and slight pain to the chest.
she manages to sit up.
then putting her hand on her head she looked around.
"no..."
she looks around not seeing her rifle or the feel of the gun in her bag when she picked it up.
"where in the... i need to get out of here..."
kelly then gets up and takes out the pen and paper.
i have to find my division. i am sorry that i wasn't around for long but... thank you. all of you.
for helping me. i will find you all. and help you get away from this damned land. but first my goal is to find my squadron.
then she rips the paper off and places it on the spot where she was resting then got up and snuck past a few
of the guards. one of them almost caught her but it was too dark so she had only just gotten away with it.
she finally found a box with a sleeping soldier just nearby.
"im sorry... but i have to get my guns before i can leave"
she whispers to herself but aiming her words to the soldier.
she carefully snuck up to him and took the keys, unlocking the crate
and opening the box.
"damnit... i have to be quick..."
she looked through the box cautiously taking out her rifle but couldn't find her pistol
"where on earth..."
theres a few footsteps, heavy boots. an officer for sure.
emmitting from behind her with a lantern. she quickly locks the box and puts
the keys on the table, then hiding behind some supply crates.
"hey! wake up you idiot!"
the officer says.
the sleeping soldier then wakes up quickly
"damnit! what happened!"
"dont sleep on the job. who knows whats out here.
i mean look at that french woman that got cut to sh-t
by that creature back in the woods. anyway give me those
keys. i'm putting this in there. its heavy. dont know how
she's able to use it anyway."
the officer then takes the keys off the table, unlocks the box and puts
K's silver gun into it"
"this time. dont fall asleep again"
the officer then throws the keys to the soldier and walks off.
kelly then comes back over to the box.
didn't lock it... some people...
she then opens the box and takes her gun from the top and sneaks back off after closing it.
having a quick look around, they were clearly away from the forest but not in a city.
seriously? near a village? well... reminds me of home...
she sighed then whinced in pain. and started walking normally
past the soldiers. then knew she wasnt ment to be carrying her guns.
obviously. probably from back when i shot the two in the tower.
although i clearly alerted them. when i tried to kill that fu~~ing beast.
anyway she couldn't dwell on the past. the only thing on her mind was
to get out of there, to the village and try find a lead on where her squadron had gone to.
Juliette watched Davidson walking away. He seemed like a decent guy. It made her chuckle sourly when she recalled his words: "eat something bad or get sick from the car"... Hah. If he knew...
Turning around, Juliette spotted Mary, observing her and looking a bit worried. The French woman figured she owed her an explanation after running outside like she had.
"Hey, can I talk to yu for a second ?", she asked the nurse, forcing a smile on her face.
She wasn't a fan of reliving her last night but talking about it might help her taking some wight off her chest.
Turning around, Juliette spotted Mary, observing her and looking a bit worried. The French woman figured she owed her an explanation after running outside like she had.
"Hey, can I talk to yu for a second ?", she asked the nurse, forcing a smile on her face.
She wasn't a fan of reliving her last night but talking about it might help her taking some wight off her chest.
Jorah had returned to his camp outside the forest when he heard some noise coming from the forest. He grabbed his sword and drew the blade, holding the scabbard in his right hand as he looked out into the darkness. He wished his mentor had time to teach him more waymagiks. If it was a small beast, he could probably use the befriend beast spell. Jorah watched as some human with some sort of cudgel stumbled out of the forest. Whoever it was kept looking back at the forest as if they expected someone to come out of it. Jorah took one of the nearby sticks and stuck it into the fire, until it caught. He held it over his head as he approached the figure.
"I should warn you the Baron doesn't look to kindly on thieves in his forest. Where do you hail from? If you seek entrance to the village, the gates are barred and guarded during the night. You'll have to wait until morning to get inside." Jorah commented as he continued to approach the figure with their weird stick.
------------------------------------------
Pyter was inspecting the camp as many of the men began to head to sleep. All of their supplies were locked up and guarded, the wounded were warm and comfortable in a nearby tent, and his squad was hunkering down one of the nearby trees. Pyter walked over and sat down with the men. Thane looked at the other squads camped nearby before he pulled out a small tin from his rucksack.
"Not sure if they have it here, but I figured you gents would like one more cup of coffee. We can have it now or in the morning. Your call." Thane said with a smile.
"In the morning, when we don't want to move. It'll help shake the cold of the day off us." Pulowski commented, pulling a wool blanket up over his shoulders. The rest of the squad mumbled assent, and Thane tucked the tin back into his rucksack.
"Sergeant, I thought you'd want to know how the wounded are doing. We have three walking wounded, two non. The three walking wounded seem to be healing as well as can be expected. In a few weeks they should be back in action. One of the non-walking wounded has been triaged and has a broken leg. He jokes enough, but I can tell it's paining him. Luckily the nurse can set bones well enough. The last man though... Clark Johnson... he's got a bad gunshot wound to the chest. The nurse extracted the bullet and sewed the wound shut, but without more extensive care... infection or blood poisoning may take him." Davidson said, reading the notes nurse Rosemary had left him.
Pyter sighed and nodded his head. "The plan is to find someway to barter for medical aid in the nearby village. I might have to pull some resources from the men gathered here, see if they have any kind of trinkets or valuables. Otherwise I'm not sure what we'll do." Pyter said as he leaned back and got comfortable. He and his men dozed off.
A few hours later Pyter was awoken by one of the other soldiers, a NCO of slightly lower rank.
"Sergeant, the weird French woman, the sniper one. She vanished! She is nowhere inside the camp and her weapons are gone from the locker they were stored in. Should we hunt her down?" The man asked, but Pyter shook his head.
"We don't have the manpower for that. I trust that, in short time, the full gravity of the situation will hit her. Unless we find out otherwise, we are the only people like us in this entire land. I just pray she doesn't do anything stupid while on her own." Pyter grumbled, before taking his turn at camp watch.
"I should warn you the Baron doesn't look to kindly on thieves in his forest. Where do you hail from? If you seek entrance to the village, the gates are barred and guarded during the night. You'll have to wait until morning to get inside." Jorah commented as he continued to approach the figure with their weird stick.
------------------------------------------
Pyter was inspecting the camp as many of the men began to head to sleep. All of their supplies were locked up and guarded, the wounded were warm and comfortable in a nearby tent, and his squad was hunkering down one of the nearby trees. Pyter walked over and sat down with the men. Thane looked at the other squads camped nearby before he pulled out a small tin from his rucksack.
"Not sure if they have it here, but I figured you gents would like one more cup of coffee. We can have it now or in the morning. Your call." Thane said with a smile.
"In the morning, when we don't want to move. It'll help shake the cold of the day off us." Pulowski commented, pulling a wool blanket up over his shoulders. The rest of the squad mumbled assent, and Thane tucked the tin back into his rucksack.
"Sergeant, I thought you'd want to know how the wounded are doing. We have three walking wounded, two non. The three walking wounded seem to be healing as well as can be expected. In a few weeks they should be back in action. One of the non-walking wounded has been triaged and has a broken leg. He jokes enough, but I can tell it's paining him. Luckily the nurse can set bones well enough. The last man though... Clark Johnson... he's got a bad gunshot wound to the chest. The nurse extracted the bullet and sewed the wound shut, but without more extensive care... infection or blood poisoning may take him." Davidson said, reading the notes nurse Rosemary had left him.
Pyter sighed and nodded his head. "The plan is to find someway to barter for medical aid in the nearby village. I might have to pull some resources from the men gathered here, see if they have any kind of trinkets or valuables. Otherwise I'm not sure what we'll do." Pyter said as he leaned back and got comfortable. He and his men dozed off.
A few hours later Pyter was awoken by one of the other soldiers, a NCO of slightly lower rank.
"Sergeant, the weird French woman, the sniper one. She vanished! She is nowhere inside the camp and her weapons are gone from the locker they were stored in. Should we hunt her down?" The man asked, but Pyter shook his head.
"We don't have the manpower for that. I trust that, in short time, the full gravity of the situation will hit her. Unless we find out otherwise, we are the only people like us in this entire land. I just pray she doesn't do anything stupid while on her own." Pyter grumbled, before taking his turn at camp watch.
"Sure Juliette, of course." Mary stood from where she was eating a quick ration. "Are you feeling better?" Mary, herself, was feeling a bit grubby, having not had a shower, and having slept in her uniform. She was really hoping they'd find some sort of welcoming civilization where she could wash up, and possibly get a change of attire. As she walked with Juliette away from the campfire, she wondered what the woman was going to tell her.
*The night was long, and sleep came hard at the Italian campfire. Strange sat leaning against the wheel of the SPA, while his men made abortive attempted to get some shut eye. The young one was on watch again. Strange called out to him.
"Hey Soldat, what's your name?"
*He looked at strange, surprised to be taken notice of. * "Teodoro, si-uh boss. "
"You smoke Teodoro? " *Strange asked, proffering an opened pack. The boy took one, and they were together in silence for a moment as he lit it in their campfire. Strange then spoke again. * "Where you from Ted?"
"Uhh...Sicily. Agrigento. "
*Strange let out a small groan, then simply said. "I'm sorry."
*Teodoro nodded, "Bombs were bad. Got my mom, and my dog.I signed up after that."
*Strange responded after a moment of contemplation. "Fool thing to do, but I understand."
"I was feeling foolish" *Teodoro responded with a shrug. * "Like you, when you shot that German. "
*Strange nodded.* "I don't regret it yet. Half those Yankees dads are from Sicily anyways.You've probably got more in common with them than with me."
"You're from the mountains right boss? You sound half french. *The soldat responded teasingly. *
"Yeah, from near the sacred mountain of domodossola. Which is why I will be speaking french to my shepard forefathers in heaven, and you will be speaking something very nearly Italian with your mafia brothers in hell, young Teodoro. " *Strange said, his banter hard and fast, but not with ill will. *
"Have to see what God thinks about your goats defiling his sacred mount."
"He made them to poop." *Strange said, shrugging.* "If he did not wish them too, the they would not. "
"Does he wish us to be here then? " *Teodoro replied, throwing the butt of his cigarette into the campfire. *
"Ask the pope when we get back, or maybe a general. I know I am too low rank to answer questions about the Lord."
"Hey Soldat, what's your name?"
*He looked at strange, surprised to be taken notice of. * "Teodoro, si-uh boss. "
"You smoke Teodoro? " *Strange asked, proffering an opened pack. The boy took one, and they were together in silence for a moment as he lit it in their campfire. Strange then spoke again. * "Where you from Ted?"
"Uhh...Sicily. Agrigento. "
*Strange let out a small groan, then simply said. "I'm sorry."
*Teodoro nodded, "Bombs were bad. Got my mom, and my dog.I signed up after that."
*Strange responded after a moment of contemplation. "Fool thing to do, but I understand."
"I was feeling foolish" *Teodoro responded with a shrug. * "Like you, when you shot that German. "
*Strange nodded.* "I don't regret it yet. Half those Yankees dads are from Sicily anyways.You've probably got more in common with them than with me."
"You're from the mountains right boss? You sound half french. *The soldat responded teasingly. *
"Yeah, from near the sacred mountain of domodossola. Which is why I will be speaking french to my shepard forefathers in heaven, and you will be speaking something very nearly Italian with your mafia brothers in hell, young Teodoro. " *Strange said, his banter hard and fast, but not with ill will. *
"Have to see what God thinks about your goats defiling his sacred mount."
"He made them to poop." *Strange said, shrugging.* "If he did not wish them too, the they would not. "
"Does he wish us to be here then? " *Teodoro replied, throwing the butt of his cigarette into the campfire. *
"Ask the pope when we get back, or maybe a general. I know I am too low rank to answer questions about the Lord."