Private Tales A Fallen Knight

[Talus]

Talus followed behind Finn.

He made sure to watch the walls this time. The Shadows were still moving, but none of them actually jumped out at him. The two travelers found themselves stepping through a tall wooden archway into a grand library.

In the center of it was a small reading chair turned towards a fireplace, a table sitting next to it. For a moment the chair seemed to blur, Talus blinking and rubbing his eyes as he tried to clear his vision. Then suddenly the chair was turned around.

In it sat a man...or an approximation of one.

He was well dressed, a tailored suit after the Allirian fashion. His eyes were red, and two great horns rose from his forehead.

"Welcome."​

The man said, his voice like grating steel.

 

[Finn]

Finn froze. This was something different than straight up magic. This was something darker.

"A demon?" Finn whispered, head turning back to Talus. Did he have more experience with something like this than the inventor? She thought these beings were all but gone from the world. This was something of legend.

And kind of ugly. An ugly and scary legend.

 

[Talus]

Talus had never seen a demon before, well, not one like this anyway.

There was an Apprentice back at the Academy who studied conjuration. She was powerful, but had never shown him she could summon someone like this. The sort of creatures she pulled from the Abyss were often more monstrous, dangerous and…well, certainly not as human as this thing.

"Demon? Wretched word."

Talus tensed as the creature spoke, his blade shifting forward slightly.

In his head he debated lashing out and trying to kill the thing before it could say or do anything else. Yet as he took a step forward he felt something pull on him. It was not physical force, no, something in the back of his mind told him to wait. To let the monster speak and have his say.

"But close enough I suppose. You two are an interesting little conundrum, and I see you're intent to kill me, but…well that's not exactly the best solution for this."

The demon smiled, and Talus felt a chill slide down his spine.

"I have a better one."

 

[Finn]

Finn didn't like touch. Not usually from anyone. But in that moment, she wished she could reach out her fingers and wrap them around Talus' hand. To be reminded that this moment was real. That she wasn't alone. And that he was real.

Pinky twitched at her side but didn't move beyond that.

"What do you want?" She managed instead.

 

[Talus]

Almost as if sensing the need Talus reached up and put his hand on Finn's shoulder.

It was an unconscious decision, made to ensure that Finn would steel herself. Yet as soon as his fingers touched her skin he felt something change. It was not like his magic left him, no...it was more like it was just out of his grasp.

A breath filled his chest, and his pupils dialated as for the first time in his life he felt an absence of...his entire spirit. His fingers tightened on Finn's shoulder slightly, and he peered at her in a mixture of confusion and fear.

What the hell was she capable of?

Before he could get his answer the Demon spoke once more.

"Nothing much really. I've seen what you can do, especially you..."​

He spoke to Finn, not Talus. Though when he looked at the Dreadlord Apprentice he simply frowned. As if he did not like what he'd done to his servant.

"The deal is this; Walk away. Leave this village with what you came for, and tell no one of my presence. Do that, and you shall be let go."​

Talus narrowed his eyes. Could they trust a demon?

 

[Finn]

Talus' hand was massive on her thin, skinny shoulder. She flinched. She understood the gesture. But couldn't help only being able to maintain the touch for a few seconds before slipping away.

She offered Talus a quick, surprised, grateful look.

Blues snapped back to the demon as it spoke. "That's it? Just let us go as long as we don't talk?" Eyes panned to Talus. She was scared. Either way. There was a silent question behind her gaze.

What did he want to do? What did he think would be best?

She wanted to run but didn't know if that was a good idea. Mostly because she always wanted to run.

 

[Talus]

Talus was stunned, but in all truth he couldn't help but consider the offer.

He wasn't exactly in fighting shape, and Finn wasn't...well the best combatant either. The Dreadlord Apprentice glanced briefly at her, then looked towards the Demon who was still lounging in his chair. "How do we know we can trust you?"

The Demon smiled.

"Magic, of course."

He mused out loud, then glanced over to Finn. His gaze narrowed slightly on the girl, and Talus could swear that there was a hint of fear in his eyes.

"I don't care about you. All I care about is staying here. My plane is...not as pleasant as here. All I want to do is stay."

Fingers tightened on his sword for a moment, and he lifted a hand as if to tell the Demon to wait. Then he slowly leaned into Finn.

"What do you wanna do?" He whispered.

 

[Finn]

She looked to Talus, not quite trusting to look away from the demon completely. Blues searched his. Funny. In the last few hours she felt like she could trust the ghost boy more. She supposed adventuring did that to people.

And in answer to his question.

She didn’t know.

Her stomach twisted, thinking about the people they’d run into. Were they trapped? What if she’d been one of them?

Head shook.

And in a rare moment of bravery. Or stupidity, she closed the distance between herself and the demon and snatched up its wrist, her fingers tightening. There was malevolent magic here. And she intended to end it.

 

[Talus]

Talus' eyes popped open as Finn hopped forward and grabbed after the Demon.

Surprisingly it was the same reaction that the creature itself had. His eyes bulged, both pupils turning a dark red. His left hand raised itself, but he could not stop Finn from reaching him. Her fingers wrapped around his wrist, and then a howl ran through the room.

Everything seemed to burst and shake. The walls themselves bent and twisted, the room shifted, everything turning from new to old.

Talus stood stunned for a moment, and then lunged forward. The Demon was writhing in pain, almost as if Finn's touch was as burning as a torch. Talus took the opportunity, take his blade and stabbing it through the Demon's chest.

The blade sunk through his heart, though it hardly seemed to do anything.

He reached up, striking Finn across the face in hopes of sending her flying across the room.

 

[Sierra]

Ahhhh. Mobile post. Pretend I’m Finn.


Teeth clenched as the demon howled. It felt like every bone in her body was about to shatter. But she didn’t let go. Couldn’t let go.

Other hand came up on instinct, catching the demon’s backhand before it struck her face. Thin fingers clenched down even as she felt her feet being pushed back. Her hand jarred with the force behind his intent to hit.

But she held on.

Finn could feel his magic and she could feel herself sniffing it out. Just like with those harpies that attacked herself and Wes. She was turning the demon’s power off. And she noticed, the longer she held on, the more affect Talus’ sword had on its strike. It was as if she was turning the being human. No. Mortal.

 

[Talus]

The Demon lashed out again, but this time Talus managed to catch it's claws before they could strike Finn.

He could practically feel the creatures rage in the air. The entire building around them seemed to shift and change. The walls, so ornate and beautiful decorated began to fall apart and lay to ruin. The floors began to creak, the books were replaced by ash.

It was like reality itself was shifting the longer Finn touched the Demon. The creature's face contorted, and Talus could see black lines etching in his flesh from his blade.

The Demon tried to wrench himself free, his eyes burning with hatred as he lashed with his free hand and cut three long bloody strips over Talus' cheek.

"YOU WILL DI-"

Monstrous words were left hanging in the air as Finn's touch quite literally began to burn the creature away. The Demon's flesh peeled away, and as though it were being rent from being it disappeared. Whatever connection it had to this world cut off by Finn's magic.

 

[Finn]

Nothing but ash left her hands. Fingers trembled as she clenched nothing but air and heat. She stumbled back. Wide-blue eyes looked around. The place they were in was now run down. Crumbling. All senses of any ghosts or other such creatures were gone.

They were alone.

She moved, then folded in on herself when she felt sharp stings and something warm trail across her chest. Slashes.

When had that happened?

Perhaps when she'd stopped the demon's other arm the first time. Those claws had been longer than she thought. She'd underestimated them. The girl wobbled on her feet. Feeling those fresh, bleeding wounds beneath her torn shirt and feeling suddenly very, very drained.

 

[Talus]

His sword clattered onto the ground loudly.

It rung out within the now empty ruins of the building. Walls were half torn, the ceiling was missing, bookcases were scorched and overturned. The Demons illusion had been broken, the small wisps of life that had been here gone.

Talus looked around himself, lips thinning as he realized the entire building had been a lie constructed by the Demon they'd slain.

His eyes wandered, and then settled on Finn as she wobbled and nearly fell to the ground. "Are you okay?"

Talus said as he scooped up his sword and stepped towards her.

 

[Finn]

Hand pressed above her chest. She began sinking to the ground as her head shook. Warmth and crimson leaked out.

Her other bloodied hand lifted to him.

“Ouch,” the girl shuddered. She felt cold. Was feeling colder. Tired. Weighted.

 

[Talus]

Talus took three quick steps forward.

The sword in his hand was quickly replaced into the sheath on his sword. Before he reached Finn he ripped the tunic of his shirt and caught her, lips thinning slightly. "Hang on."

He cut her off before she could say anything else.

Hand pressed against the cuts on her shirt. There wasn't really much he could do about them aside from stem the tide of the bleeding. He knew very little medical runes, and college magic wasn't the best for this sort of thing.

"I don't know how to fix this." All he could do was stop the bleeding.

 

[Finn]

Finn sagged against him. Head lulled against his arm.

“I dunno either,” she muttered against him. Her eyes just wanted to close. It was getting harder to stay awake.

“I need a healer,” and she wondered if that would even work. Could she turn off her magic long enough to get magic help? Or could they find a traditional healer? Would she last long enough for them to find one?

 

[Talus]

A healer. Talus cursed in his head, not wanting to send Finn into a panic. He knew basic battlefield medicine, but this was far beyond that. He could bandage her wounds and stem the bleeding but anything more would require someone with actual skill.

Briefly he wished he'd paid more attention to the fourth levels. "Alright. We'll see what we can find you."

Talus offered her the rag of cloth he'd used to hold against her chest. For now she was the one who would have to apply pressure. Before she could rebuke him or say anything at all the Apprentice bent down and scooped Finn off the ground.

Then he quickly turned towards the ruined front of the building.

He had no idea how to help Finn, but he knew that he wouldn't find anyone that could here. They needed to see if anyone in the village was alive, and if not, they needed to find another.

Quickly.

 

[Finn]

She pressed down. Finding it hard to concentrate. She was too weak to squirm in his grasp. To protest.

“I don’t usually like being carried. Or touched,” she admitted with up to him with a chagrined expression.

A shiver went through her.

But also a warmth. In that moment he reminded her of Gristle

“You remind me of my friend,” she murmured, becoming less lucid by the minute.

 

[Talus]

"Well, I don't think you'd do all that well walking right now." Talus said as he crested the odd fence at the edge of the property.

From their place atop the hill he could see the rest of the village, and the sight made his heart fall into his stomach. Just like the manor that lay behind them, the village they'd left behind was nothing but ruins and ash.

There would be no healers there.

Lips thinned. "I'm your friend."

He told her, trying to direct Finn's attention so that she would not see the sight in front of them and begin to panic.

"But you're going to have to tell me how to work your machine." The Apprentice said softly. "Then we can get you to a healer."

There had to be a village nearby, there had to be.

 

[Finn]

"I don't know," she whispered. Head lolled over his arm. Blues began to close. And for a moment, she was dragged under. But just as quickly, she stirred quietly and came to.

Perhaps it was the burning pain above her chest.

She winced, curling slightly into Talus.

"The wind will...," she struggled to keep talking. "Have to take us. I can't...can't...walk you through rigging it." She wouldn't be able to. It was too complicated to walk him through what she'd planned to do for a sail. He'd have to use the fire mechanism and they'd both have to hope they found a friendly village.

Or she wasn't going to make it.

"Perhaps it's better to walk away from a demon after all," the girl mused quietly, eyes closing again.

 

[Talus]

Hope was a scant thing to count on. Many battles, sieges, and wars had been one on the thin line of hope. It was what most soldiers depended on, the thing that they clung to when a situation looked nothing but abysmal.

Talus wondered if it would help them here. "Maybe."

He had no doubt in his mind that whatever Finn needed to do with her ship was far too complicated for him to replicate. On a good day he could barely read, and something like that took more know how than he could care to admit.

Hope was still there though.

The airship was fast, faster than any horse or carriage. Maybe they would find a village. Maybe they could find someone.

Talus clung to that, stepping quickly as he walked out of the village and crested the hill where they had moored Finn's vessel. "No time to think about that now, we got to get going."

Otherwise she wouldn't survive for long.

 

[Finn]

Finn muttered in her sleep. She weakly told him about the fire. The level. Untying those ropes. The heat to fill the balloon. But she couldn't lift her head.

Couldn't open her eyes.

Couldn't keep the pressure above her chest anymore.

Her hand sagged limply to her side and this time, she didn't move or speak as a shiver ran through her small form. Unconsciousness finally pulled her down.

 

[Talus]

Four days passed.

Four days of a mad scramble that saw Talus nearly crash Finn's airship three times and unsuccessfully land it twice. He'd used rune magic and the small bit of college magic he knew to keep Finn alive. He transmuted blood, fed her soup, barely kept her on the cusp of life until on the fourth day he finally managed to find a place with a healer.

It wasn't a peasant village, at least not by his standards. Instead he managed to find a Dwarven hold. Carved into the very Spine itself, marked with a great gate and a huge statue the size of a battlement.

The Dwarves had welcomed him and Finn with open arms, showing more concern for the injured girl than Talus would ever have expected from non-humans. They had ushered him inside, offering shelter, food, and most importantly a healer.

Talus had no idea if Finn would yet survive, but he sat quietly in the carved building of a Dwarven hospital. An oddly advanced place, and not at all familiar.

 

[Finn]

Finn was on a small bed. One that made even her feel big. The last few days were a blur of fevered sleep and pain. She'd lost a lot of blood and there was something about those demon's claws. A poison that had lingered in her veins.

The dwarven healer had a long, grey beard. And vibrant green eyes with gnarled hands. He changed the dressings on her wounds and gave her plenty of syrups that tasted like charcoal and other things Finn didn't want to remember. The girl was even able to withhold her own magic long enough for his healing touch to work and dig deeper at eliminating the demon's tinge.

After a few days, the healer finally allowed Talus to see her. Finn was propped up in bed, eyes clearer and more awake than she'd been. Her skin had gotten some color back to it and she had a tray over her lap with a steaming bowl of soup on top.

 

[Talus]

"I'm impressed." Talus said as he saw Finn. "They really know their healing here."

Such things were not exactly the specialty of most Dreadlords. There were a few with such talents, but most of the time they weren't as good as others. No one to teach them.

The Dwarves though didn't seem to have that problem. As far as he could tell they had patched Finn up quite effectively. He could hardly tell if there was a piece of her missing or not. He smiled, walking up to the small bed. "I didn't think you'd make it."

By the time Talus had landed the airship Finn had lost a lot of blood.

So much so that she'd no longer been conscious.