Open Chronicles The Lost Children

[Osha]

Tomorrow morni-heeeyup-ng then.” Osha glanced down as she hiccuped. A pink hue spreading across her pale, freckled face. She had so many questions she wanted to ask them.

Especially about her brother.

But she didn’t feel ready, yet. That color only deepening as Shiloh made his comment. Pale gaze lifted and went back to Os and Syb. “How long have you two been married?”

A very concentrated look.

“Oh, or is this a threesome union thing?”

She’d heard about that being more and more common these days.

 

[Osbert]

"A bath?" Normally Sybille hated water. But they had just spent weeks on the road and a bath sounded great to him too.

Shiloh had a different take though and Os couldn't contain the snicker that followed. "I don't think that's what she," shock colored his face at the next two statements Osha made. What the hell was happening tonight?

He cocked an eyebrow towards the pale girl and said, "why would you think we're married?"

Maybe she was just joking. Especially with the whole threesome comment which forced another short snicker from his lips.

 

[Sybille]

Sybilles faced flickered through a rapid succession of emotions as first she felt embarrassement, anger, indignation, and then outright confusion. Her eyebrows rose towards Osha, and she glanced at the two men in the room before empathically cutting off any answer that the girl might give.

"No!" She declared quite presently, her voice stern and strong.

"I want a bath, for myself." The ball of anxiety in her chest had grown spikes, pressing into her as she continued to prattle on. Clearly not wanting to address this topic of conversation. "Not with anyone."

Sybille glowered at both of the men, as though the confusion was both their fault.

Which of course wasn't even to point out that technically Sybille couldn't even take baths. Any water she submersed herself into would quickly bubble away to steam. Though she had long figured out that said steam worked just in cleaning herself and was even pleasant.

Not that it was a process she wanted to share with...lips thinned and she offered everyone another glower. "Forget it I'll find the tub myself."

Sybille continued, turning around and leaving in search of a bath.

 

[Shiloh]

Shiloh's face remained a blank slate as he stood up and stretched out. He reached out and snatched one of the bottles off the table with a sigh.

"Well, that killed it. I guess I will drink alo-...I mean rest up for the mission."

The sentence was punctuated by a quick opening of the bottle and down a large gulp of the liquid, accompanied by an elongated sigh. He was picking on her a bit, but Sybille did have a good point. A bath would be nice right now.

"I think I will find one of those too, but anyone can join if they want." He shot Os a wink jokingly.

As he neared the exit, he turned back to Osha and mouthed the words "It's a threesome thing."

 

[Osha]

why would you think were married?

Osha's pale, freckled face only pinked further. But she was confident she could blame it on the alcohol. Even as the black dog padded back toward her and sat, resting its head on her knees. Golden-eyes looking up at her with concern. Her hand lifted and began stroking absently at his fur. Her pale gaze locked on his because she didn't think she could face any of the rest of them. Hoping the chair she was sitting in might swallow her whole.

"You erm, seem so attached." Since meeting the pair, Sybille had been practically glued to Osbert's side. They'd shared so many silent looks between them. Shiloh had been more vocal about his opinions but he'd also shared some secret looks.

This is why even though she hated talking to ghosts, she certainly felt more comfortable talking to them. Living beings oftentimes made no sense to her. She glanced up in time to read Shiloh's lips and her face managed to redden an even deeper shade.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next morning, she was the first downstairs sitting at one of the few breakfasts tables spread out in the kitchens. An assortment of foods was prepared and out for whoever wanted to take them. Assorted pastries, hot meats, and a variety of eggs.

There were others of the house speaking in lower voices spread at a table by the fireplace. They gave Osha and her black dog a wide-berth, sneaking glances her way. She was, still a newcomer to them. But she didn't even notice them ogling her. She had both hands tucked around a warm cup of tea. Her eyes were closed as she fought back a growing headache.

 

[Osbert]

Well, he'd managed to piss off Syb. That wasn't ideal but she'd likely get over it in the morning. All he'd tried to do was ask why she wanted to take a bath. Normally that was the last thing she seemed to want based on her normal reaction to water.

Oh well. Instead he caught Shi's gaze and yelled at the man who retreated from the room, "don't get too tanked tonight. We've got a job tomorrow." He completely ignored the threesome remark and the wink. He didn't expect he had much to worry about, he'd seen Shiloh drink half a fifth of whisky and still rise in the middle of the night when thieves broke in. He wasn't sure how he did it but, well, no point in questioning the man's process.

Finally, he turned his attention towards the girl he'd just met. The way she stared at him felt almost painful. As if she saw something in him that she hoped he'd be. Maybe he just reminded her of her father or something, who could really say. "We knew each other at the academy and worked with one another after the revolution." He sipped at the last bit of his brandy and made a sour face as the alcohol burned at his throat. "She's the only person I trust with my life. I'd say we're more like siblings than lovers but," he stared off into the corner of the room, "you'd have to ask her if she thinks differently."

That would be a show. Seeing Sybille asked a personal question from a strange girl they just met? Gods, he hoped he was there for it. "Anyways, I'm off to bed. Big day tomorrow."

He didn't finish his drink, simply setting the goblet down as he scampered off to the first open room he could find, letting his mind wander for but a short time before slumber took him.

---

He'd checked on Syb in the morning and accompanied her towards the smells of breakfast. They'd have a long day before them and there was a half decent chance they could be babysitting a hungover Shiloh or a strange Dreadlord who talked to spirits. Os had to make certain that Sybille wasn't too lost in her own mind before they undertook the day's challenge.

Taking a seat opposite of the pale girl he scooped a pile of eggs and bacon onto a plate and raised a finger for someone who was refilling cups of coffee. "Cute dog, what's his name?" The black hound hadn't left the girl's side since he'd arrived.

 

[Sybille]

Sybille had assured Osbert that she was fine.

She had spent half the night screaming into her pillow and internally shouting at her own thoughts, but in truth the simple pleasure of a bed had been enough to bring her some comfort. She had taken her steam bath, scrubbed herself, and even managed to find some clean clothes for herself.

The only thing that really bothered her still was the surrounding strangeness of their situation. The rogue Dreadlords who roamed the halls. All of whom they knew next to nothing about. A problem which flickered constantly over her nerves, but was 'solved' by a chair jammed beneath the door handle.

A silly measure against any Dreadlord really, but it let her sleep at least.

By the dawn she felt rested, some of the stress she'd felt sleeping free simply by the waking dawn. Though it would surely be replaced before long. Still, she didn't lie to Osbert when she said she felt fine, though it was easy to tell she tensed when they stepped into the kitchen.

Her eyes flickering to Osha, but she sat herself down without saying a thing.

 

[Shiloh]

Shiloh descended the stairs the next morning looking like absolute shit. His clothes were in complete disarray, his hair was a mess, and he still smelled of liquor. Yet, the big smile on his face remained from the night before.

"Well, good morning everyone. Let's get mov...."

He trailed off as his eyes fell onto the table littered with breakfast food. They had not gotten to feast like this for breakfast since they had left Vel Anir. The assortment of smells was enough to make his mouth water. He nearly fell down the stairs as he made his way to the table.

"Well, I suppose we shouldn't do this on an empty stomach."

He did not wait for confirmation as he started stacking a plate high with food.

 

[Osha]

One eye cracked open and then another as Osbert sat down across from her. Fingers paused where they pressed into the freckled skin of her pale temples. A small wince across her face.

"Can you please," she took a breath, thin shoulders hunching in together, "lower your voice?"

The black dog licked its lips, its focus suddenly on Osbert's bacon. Its tail wagged, ears perked forward as it rested its chin on the table. Another wince on her face as Shiloh joined them.

At least Sybille came quietly.

Her eyes shifted to the dog then back to Osbert as she said very quietly. "Bes."

 

[Osbert]

Os gave Shiloh a nod as the disheveled Dreadlord took a seat and fixed his plate up. Osbert got his mug filled with coffee and he held the steaming cup up to his nostrils, taking in the scent before sipping on the blisteringly hot liquid.

It was good, far better than the swill they'd brewed on the road up to Syzemore. Tasting slightly of cocoa with cherry hints.

"Bes," he said swallowing his first hearty sip and ignoring Osha's first statement. If she was hungover she'd have to deal with that headache eventually (and he hoped it was a hangover headache and not some side effect of conversing with spirits). Os tugged off a piece of his bacon and tossed it to the black hound.

In a blur of motion Bes snapped the piece of meat out of the air mid-flight.

Munching on some of the bacon himself the auburn haired Dreadlord spoke up again, "we should eat quickly, would like to go meet our kivren friends before the afternoon."

 

[Sybille]

Sybille watched the small exchange between Bes and Osbert, a smile flickering on her features for a moment before she turned her attention towards Osha.

Lips thinned for a moment. Is she hungover?

The former Dreadlord asked herself, glancing over towards Shiloh as he stepped through the door. Her hand lifted in the smallest wave, and then she began to eat. Staying her usual quiet self until finally Os began to talk about the task at hand.

Her head tipped in a nod.

"How are we doing this?" She asked, presuming that they weren't just going to burn the whole place down. It was supposed to be their future home after all. Their section of the city. They couldn't go and tear it apart.

 

[Shiloh]

Shiloh dove into his plate of food with the fury of a starving man. Although he was a skinnier man, his height more than made up for it, so when it came to eating, Shiloh could put down some food.

After what felt like minutes, he came up for air and smiled.

"Alright, so the plan is simple. Osha is summoning a flock of ghost chickens to distract the Kivren. While they are distracted, we infiltrate and then proceed to wreck them. Os and Sybille doing their thing, but obviously, I take center stage as the most impressive."

This was all said in one breath before he went back to inhaling as much food as possible.

Osbert Sybille Osha

 

[Osha]

Bes looked back to Osha and licked its lips before nudging her hand on her lap with its nose. Osha moved her fingers to stroke the black fur, picking up her tea and taking another long, steady sip. Another slight wince as Shiloh still spoke in volumes that were too much for her sensibilities.

"Get us into the quarter and find us a quiet place to work." Bes wagged its tail and looked back to the others. "I should just need a few drops of your blood," pale eyes settled on Shiloh. "And we will all need to be marked...as part of the ritual. Then," she took a steadying breath, "prepare for chaos."

She could make requests of the dead. Of the spirits. That didn't mean they always did exactly what she wanted or as she wished.

 

[Osbert]

Osbert opened his mouth to answer Sybille's inquiry but Shiloh beat him to the punch. "Obviously, center stage."

Marked? Chaos?

This girl was beyond weird. "Um, sure, we can go with that." He wasn't sure he liked the idea of letting this person 'mark' him but if they were going to be working together he'd have to start trusting her at some point. Now was as good of a time as any.

---

Finishing his breakfast he rose and waited for the others to prepare their things before heading out. They reached the Kivren District just as the sun was getting to its apex, indicating it was midday.

The district was bustling with crates being hauled off trade cogs and carrier vessels at a rapid pace. The kivren did this interesting thing where they'd dive beneath the waves, anchor a ship into place, and then change out their fins for feet so that they could help move cargo into the harbor. It was clever, it'd likely benefit the Dreadlords if they kept the creatures in their employ.

"Alright," he said as they found a quiet alcove just a few blocks away from Ichthyes Manor, "you can start doing your thing whenever." He kept one eye trained on Bes and the other focused on Osha whilst he stood in a way that kept Syb and Shi behind him with the ghost-talker in front of him.

He didn't think the pale girl would accidentally harm any of them but he didn't want to leave that up to chance.

 

[Sybille]

Sybille almost immediately scowled when Osha mentioned being 'marked', though she didn't object in that moment. Despite the unsettling feeling that formed in her stomach at even the thought of such a thing. It made her entirely uneasy.

By the time the group reached the Kivren District, Sybille had settled her mind somewhat. Though she was still a little standoffish about the idea.

Yet in her head as they walked the young redhead held an argument with herself. That ever churning mass of anxiety screamed about how she didn't want to be trapped, about how she didn't want to be subject to anyone any more. Yet another piece of her, the more reasonable part, spoke back about how this was their chance.

Why they'd come here.

And the fact that Os and Shiloh both were trying their best to make it work.

Sybille knew she couldn't...shouldn't throw a fit. This was their chance at finding a home, a place for themselves. She could stifle her own need, and if Osha did try something, she could always melt the girl into a puddle.

With that assurance in her head, Sybille stood behind Osbert her arms crossed across her chest as she waited for the weirdo to get to work.

 

[Shiloh]

Shiloh was quick to grab another roll of bread before they left. The others seemed far more worried about this plan than Shiloh did, and he was the one giving blood.

Yeah, the marks were a little weird, but in his head, he could still probably kill Osha before she killed him if the marks were something so terrible. Besides, it was all going to be fine. No one that kept around a dog and summoned ghost chickens could be that bad.

When Os showed them the alcove, Shiloh took a comfortable position along the wall and relaxed, finishing off the last bits of his bread.

"So, no one said it out loud, but are we killing all of them once this goes down? Or just one or two specific people?" The other might have actually discussed this, but Shiloh probably wasn't paying attention...He did that a lot.

Osbert Sybille Osha

 

[Osha]

Bes eyed the other three dreadlords before trotting to the opening of the alcove and sitting down, keeping a watchful gaze outward. Fluffy black-tail curled tightly against its body. Ears perked forward. For a moment, Osha looked as if she weren't looking at Shiloh or the rest of them but somewhere other.

But she blinked and seemed to come back.

"Okay. Keep a lookout while I perform the ritual." It didn't have to be stated but she'd be vulnerable until it was over. And since she'd just met them last night...well, she didn't really have a choice but to move forward. Pulling a small, set of cloth wrapped tools out from inside the jacket of her dead brother she set them carefully on the cobblestones at her feet. She motioned for Shiloh to join her and asked him to hold out his hand.

Also before them was a black candlestick, silver needle, and a small bowl with some crushed herbs and ash.

The candle was lit with a basic spell. It's flame a sickly green. Reaching forward, she'd gently prick Shiloh's finger, if he let her, with an apologetic wince, before then letting 4 drops of his blood splash into the bowl with one drop over the green-flamed candle. Though it was a nice, temperate day near the water, the air around them suddenly turned frigid and a preternatural wind began to swirl within the space, picking at their hair and clothing like greedy fingers.

Osha began chanting in hushed, whisper tones. And her pale eyes would slowly turn all black. Her whispers suddenly stopped. A beat of silence. Then a command.

"Do not harm the marked ones."

Then a breath and the wind stopped. The cold lingered. Osha's eyes returned to normal. Quickly, she swirled her index finger into the small bowl of ash, herbs, and blood. First, a dot on her own forehead. Then she offered the bowl to the other three. "You need to do the same."

From the opening of the alcove, Bes began to growl, gaze still trained outward.

 

[Osbert]

"We should probably keep casualties to a minimum." If they were going to be lords of this city it would be nice if they actually had a city to lord over.

Osbert watched silently as the girl worked her magic. It was bizarre and unlike anything he'd ever witnessed before. Most Dreadlords had innate talents and required far less prep than this girl but rune-mages and alchemists weren't entirely unheard of.

Hell, his own class had a student who had to arrange idols and break his thumb in order to transform into a werebeast. Of course, the preparations meant he died easily in the arena during graduation but...

Thoughts became interrupted by the chill in the air and Os shook.

He could feel the oxygen around them get thin and for a brief moment he considered using his own magic to reverse the shift but thought better of it. He didn't know how Osha's magic worked so maybe it required a cold, thin, air to function. But when she offered the bowl he finally broke his silence, "that's pretty gross."

A sour look over to Shiloh followed as the idea of putting his finger into a bowl that had Shi's blood wasn't all too appealing. "Fine," he relented and followed suit, placing a single dot on his forehead.

 

[Sybille]

Sybille watched the creepy girl with a healthy amount of dubiousness, though her face remained that stark and impassive mask.

As the air began to thin and grow cold, steam rose from Sybille. A steady, though barely wisping fog that rolled off of her skin. Unlike the others she did not even seem to notice the cold, though her face did turn into disgust as a bowl of blooded was offered to the three of them. "Agreed."

She said as Osbert pointed out the nastiness of it all.

Though only shaking her head as she watched the other Dreadlord do as she was bade.

For a brief second she hesitated, glancing at Osha. Teeth sunk into the inside of her lips. You have to try. For them.

Sybille reminded herself, and then reached out. A single finger dipped into the tiny bowl of blood, and almost instantly the crimson mixture began to boil. The heat transfixed throughout her core transferring even within the brief second. Then she placed the dot of blood on her forehead. It bubbled for a moment, singing into place and smelling of burnt blood pudding.

A scent that made Sybille want to wretch.

 

[Shiloh]

Shiloh moved over to Osha for the ritual, letting off a sharp yelp as his finger was pricked, but he just grinned to show that he was only joking.

The temperature drop in the room did make him shiver as he rubbed his arms for warmth, but he did not seem as bothered. He had been around blood magic before, nothing this potent, but all of it was weird no matter what. That was just kind of the aesthetic.

He did not have any hesitations the others had as he dipped his finger into the bowl and marked himself. He had already given blood, he was too far in to start having worries now.

Satisfied with the mark on his head, he pushed himself to his feet and stretched.

"Alright, then we kill just the important people while sending a message. The best message of course. 'Fuuuuuck Yooouuuu'." He dragged out the words on the end with a smirk and then stepped out of the alcove like he was about to go on a nice parade around the district.

Osbert Osha Sybille

 

[Osha]

thats pretty gross.

And as Sybille echoed her agreeance Osha looked surprised. "Oh," was all she said, quietly. She'd dealt with spirits her entire life along with the costs and rituals that surrounded this preternatural world. To her it was just normal.

She supposed she'd never been what everyone else defined as normal. But were any of the dreadlords?

Stuffing the ritual items back into the many coats of the oversized jacket she wore, she quickly followed the others out, wondering if Shiloh had made a joke and if she should've laughed. They would find that the cold emanated beyond their little alcove and spread around the entire area they were trying to take over.

Bes remained at her side, hackles raised. Because they could see what the others couldn't. The spirits of the dead in possession. And strange things began happening. A shop to their right suddenly caught up in an inferno. A man screamed as he fell from a ladder that was secured only a moment before, both his legs cracking with a sickening crunch.

Fresh screams joined the chaos further up the street.

The spirits were at odd angles with grossly emphasized features as they moved before Osha and Bes' sight. Some had elongated nails. Others had sharp, pointed teeth. But they all had hunger in their deep, black eyes.

 

[Osbert]

Osbert flashed Sybille a fresh smile. For once it was a gesture not meant to comfort his old friend but to comfort himself as the longer this process went on the more uncomfortable Osbert became.

Luckily Shi was still cracking wise, though he wasn't having to dip his finger into someone else's blood.

"Should we," he started as he saw Bes' ears perk up. The dog was clearly watching something unseen, "be worried about," a scream punctuated his almost-sentence.

Os drew his short sword and a fresh whip of oxygen flowed around the group as he reflectively tested his magic.

"So much for limiting casualties I suppose," he grimaced and gave a glance to both Sybille and Shiloh, hoping that either of them felt more comfort than he did in the moment, "Osha's made our distraction, let's get to the manor quickly."

He was confident that he hated the "distraction" she'd performed but she did as she promised and the chaos would likely allow them to make their way towards their destination.

 

[Sybille]

The screams started, and Sybille couldn't help but flinch at the first one that echoed out.

It was a habit she had never quite been able to shake, no matter how much the Proctors had tried. There was something about the sound that made her flicker back to a moment, some long forgotten memory that had buried itself deep within the crevices of her mind.

Her breath stilled for a moment as the others talked, then she nodded her head as Osbert spurned them onward.

The four of them stalked forward with Osha's distraction still ringing out through the streets.

No one looked at them twice, too busy fleeing from whatever chaos those spirits were causing. Sybille kept them out of her mind, focusing her thoughts on the fight ahead. It was not long before the Manor came into view, a heavy iron gate barring the way for them. "I'll take care of it."

She said, stepping forward and reaching out with a single hand. Fingers wrapped around the metal, and within seconds the bars began to melt. Turning into naught but slag and opening a path for the others to step through.

 

[Shiloh]

Shiloh could not see any of the spirits, and as the old saying goes, it was all out of sight, out of mind. Shiloh casually continued down the street, quickening his gate as Os asked for them to hurry. For once, Shiloh's simple-mindedness helped him out as he was largely ignoring the disasters around them.

He stepped around a woman crying at a burning show and he just nodded, while offering a polite "Excuse me, ma'am."

It was not long before the group made it to the mansion, and there was no need for him to do any thinking when they walked around with a human skeleton key. Sybille made it through the door with little trouble.

"See, this is really going smoothly. A great plan."

Even as he said that with a big smile on his face, his right hand finally fell to rest on the grip of his curved wand, a relaxed yet prepared stance.

Sybille Osha Osbert

 

[Osha]

Oshas made our distraction, lets get to the manor quickly.

The strange girl couldn't help the small warm tick in her chest. Perhaps it was the sudden rush of oxygen. She'd never been part of a team or group before. And for a moment, she felt like she was. The proctors had always taught them that they could only rely on themselves. Otherwise, it'd be you dead at the end of graduation.

And this newish feeling from being among them was stranger than when she'd first been told her best friend on the swingset wasn't real and wasn't there. And it was right after that best friend slit her neighbor's throat that she ended up at the Academy.

Bes waited for Osha, remaining at her side as she stepped carefully through the melted gate. The dog bit at the air for a moment, sending a wayward spirit away from their group. Smoke raised to the sky from them.

"Through the garden or the main path?" Osha hesitated on the edge of both.