Foggy Revenant [October 2999] [Runa]
Feb 4, 2019 0:43:40 GMT -5
Post by Ceolmund on Feb 4, 2019 0:43:40 GMT -5
A low lying cloud hung on the air outside the healing hall, enveloping the whole of the hill city of Edoras while a steady wind blew. When the great double doors of the healing hall were flung open the fire in the hearth danced wildly from the strong wind blowing across the land, while candles were extinguished in a gust, dimming the room.
The men had returned in the night and in the wind, dawn not yet breaking over the land. They might have missed the hill city in the fog if not for the muddy hoof prints guiding them. Late to return, the party of two had been… waylaid…
The fogs stretched across the plains, hanging heavy for the past weeks. Ceolmund and Gerlaf had been taken a routine circle of the Eored encampment, only to find themselves sprung upon in the dark by goblin which had crept down from the mountains and used the heavy cloud for cover. Jumped upon by a pack of only three, the skirmish had been quick, and nearly painless for the men, aside the moment Ceolmund’s sword had struck an iron tool the grotesque creature had held and shattered; broken sword tip flying back at him right into his eye guard, cutting his brow. With the broken hilt, Ceolmund had killed the creature, and Gerlaf had taken the other two.
And then it had been silent; the mist presiding again over them as their breaths heaved from the shock of battle so swift and unexpected, and blood dripped down Ceolmund’s brow, clouding his vision in one eye.
What came worse than the broken sword was the howling of wolves in the dark. Wolves which had spooked the horses while the two young men had dismounted to tend to Ceolmund’s injury, and to try and mark the direction of tracks taken that would lead them back to the encampment.
They were not upon the horses when they bolted, and despite their cries for the geldings, the two men found themselves quite abandoned by their mounts. When the horses found their own way back to the camp and Ramm saw the glistening goblin blood upon their flanks, he accounted for the worse. The two young men had fallen. Their bodies had likely been laid waste by their attackers now, or eaten by the wolves and carrion of the fields. There was no need to send another party into the mists to become lost as the young fools, and thus they moved onward, still two days hard ride from Edoras. When day broke and the orb of the sun could faintly be seen through the cloud and they marked their direction, a straight shot.
The Eored had returned to the city a full two weeks past without the two young men who had been proclaimed dead, but Ceolmund and Gerlaf were hardy and hale, and as the sun had risen they too had made haste to follow it on foot. On foot for leagues and days the two had traveled. There were enough fens and marshes upon the plain and with their horns at their side they did not lack for water, nor was food scarce when one could spear a rabbit. The two had even held some form of enjoyment as they made their way by the sun back toward their home, sleeping under the dark sky in the pure quiet on nights when the mists would clear and the stars would shine overhead, and when the moon rose they would keep their own time and walk some more. The mountains to their right always, they could not lose their path even when the fog would again settle, and they would wait.
October rippled onward, and they were as boys experiencing a new freedom, though Gerlaf worried for the state Drifa would be in when he did not return with the others, and Ceolmund left his own cares of his loved ones unspoken. They were not lost, persay, but by those who thought they had lost them. Ceolmund and Gerlaf knew their place on the plains, and when the hills of grass led to a familiar road and the crossing of the Snowbourne, they did not care that it was dark and that the could barely see their hands if held out in front of them. The road was known and the ground began to rise, and eventually the wooden gate was before them; the guards calling down in defense, and then in glee to see the two who had been taken for dead.
Ceolmund had needed no prodding to seek the healing hall, his companion aside him and those on the cots could not help but be disturbed from their slumbers they had entered in a gust of wind and mist; the torch of the guard who had come with them from the gate blustered out the same as the candles. Gerlaf’s laugh had ricocheted like the snap of the whip through the healing hall as Hildred had been near the door and seen them first. Like a sunbeam her face as both men were hugged and kissed at once by the wheaten haired woman. Ceolmund’s eyes had had seen beyond her though; the ghostly pale young woman staring from the back of the hall.
The men had returned in the night and in the wind, dawn not yet breaking over the land. They might have missed the hill city in the fog if not for the muddy hoof prints guiding them. Late to return, the party of two had been… waylaid…
***
The fogs stretched across the plains, hanging heavy for the past weeks. Ceolmund and Gerlaf had been taken a routine circle of the Eored encampment, only to find themselves sprung upon in the dark by goblin which had crept down from the mountains and used the heavy cloud for cover. Jumped upon by a pack of only three, the skirmish had been quick, and nearly painless for the men, aside the moment Ceolmund’s sword had struck an iron tool the grotesque creature had held and shattered; broken sword tip flying back at him right into his eye guard, cutting his brow. With the broken hilt, Ceolmund had killed the creature, and Gerlaf had taken the other two.
And then it had been silent; the mist presiding again over them as their breaths heaved from the shock of battle so swift and unexpected, and blood dripped down Ceolmund’s brow, clouding his vision in one eye.
What came worse than the broken sword was the howling of wolves in the dark. Wolves which had spooked the horses while the two young men had dismounted to tend to Ceolmund’s injury, and to try and mark the direction of tracks taken that would lead them back to the encampment.
They were not upon the horses when they bolted, and despite their cries for the geldings, the two men found themselves quite abandoned by their mounts. When the horses found their own way back to the camp and Ramm saw the glistening goblin blood upon their flanks, he accounted for the worse. The two young men had fallen. Their bodies had likely been laid waste by their attackers now, or eaten by the wolves and carrion of the fields. There was no need to send another party into the mists to become lost as the young fools, and thus they moved onward, still two days hard ride from Edoras. When day broke and the orb of the sun could faintly be seen through the cloud and they marked their direction, a straight shot.
The Eored had returned to the city a full two weeks past without the two young men who had been proclaimed dead, but Ceolmund and Gerlaf were hardy and hale, and as the sun had risen they too had made haste to follow it on foot. On foot for leagues and days the two had traveled. There were enough fens and marshes upon the plain and with their horns at their side they did not lack for water, nor was food scarce when one could spear a rabbit. The two had even held some form of enjoyment as they made their way by the sun back toward their home, sleeping under the dark sky in the pure quiet on nights when the mists would clear and the stars would shine overhead, and when the moon rose they would keep their own time and walk some more. The mountains to their right always, they could not lose their path even when the fog would again settle, and they would wait.
October rippled onward, and they were as boys experiencing a new freedom, though Gerlaf worried for the state Drifa would be in when he did not return with the others, and Ceolmund left his own cares of his loved ones unspoken. They were not lost, persay, but by those who thought they had lost them. Ceolmund and Gerlaf knew their place on the plains, and when the hills of grass led to a familiar road and the crossing of the Snowbourne, they did not care that it was dark and that the could barely see their hands if held out in front of them. The road was known and the ground began to rise, and eventually the wooden gate was before them; the guards calling down in defense, and then in glee to see the two who had been taken for dead.
***
Ceolmund had needed no prodding to seek the healing hall, his companion aside him and those on the cots could not help but be disturbed from their slumbers they had entered in a gust of wind and mist; the torch of the guard who had come with them from the gate blustered out the same as the candles. Gerlaf’s laugh had ricocheted like the snap of the whip through the healing hall as Hildred had been near the door and seen them first. Like a sunbeam her face as both men were hugged and kissed at once by the wheaten haired woman. Ceolmund’s eyes had had seen beyond her though; the ghostly pale young woman staring from the back of the hall.