The Adventure

Etta hears a faint call drift through the forest. Gevin again, trying to draw the Broken towards him?

But either the feral beings don't hear it, or they don't care, as their rustles, stomps, and snarls get ever closer to her....

Bastards! They don't have special senses, do they? Usually, no, I don't think so...but with that foul red magic...?

She tangles herself up in the undergrowth even more, and rubs dirt on her hands and face to camouflage herself better. But it's all for naught, as the Broken roar around the oak tree, and almost instantly spot her! Waving their axes and hooting, they surround her, then start hacking at the undergrowth to draw her out.

What now, Etta?! Fight or flight?!

Though prideful and obstinate, taking on three Broken controlled or powered by unknown magic by her lonesome isn't something Etta wants to tackle. So after one of them slashes an opening in the undergrowth, she jumps through it, and runs as swiftly as her feet can carry her. No trickery, no arrow shots, no shouted warnings...just a flat-out sprint away from danger.

Which, it turns out, is plenty swift. Though the Broken shriek and scamper after her, with one even throwing his axe in her direction, Etta is like a deer, bounding over or dodging around every obstacle in her path.

Soon the Broken's cacophony fades, but Etta keeps running, though her legs ache and sweat pours from her. Finally, she stumbles over a root and crashes into a bush, which is a strong signal to stop and get her bearings.

Crouching and readying an arrow, she listens closely for about a minute, but can hear nothing but the wind moving through the woods.

Think I've lost 'em. They'd be raisin' a ruckus if they were near. By the gods, I haven't run like that since I was a girl! I need to rest a bit...but where's Gevin? Wonder if I can signal him somehow....

Gevin slowly gets up, he's in some pain, but it'll wear off soon. The odd thing is that he's still not hearing anyone nearing his position. That must mean... Etta could be in danger!

He hurries back to the camp whrre they found the broken. Making sure that he doesn't make too much noise as he gets close. To his surprise and confirming his worries, the pack is still there, but the broken aren't.

Would it be safe to grab it? The opportunity might not present itself again.
He decides to take just a moment to make sure nobody is near.

Is that Etta's arrow? Gevin's focus is pulled to an arrow he noticed while looking around. It definitely looks like one of Etta's. That must mean she was in a fight! But where did she go?

This news worries Gevin. He needs to find out more.

Etta slips cautiously through the forest, occasionally making Rackon's hunting sound, but she doesn't hear any reply. Luckily, neither does she see or hear the Broken. The relative stillness doesn't cause her to relax, though.

Suppose those feral beasts found Gevin and killed him? Will I be able to avenge him? And what about my vow? Do I dare continue alone, if he's lost?

Suddenly, a yellow-blue spectral form appears in front of her! It's human-like, but she can't determine the gender; the shapes and colors bend and flow, like dye poured into clear liquid.

It doesn't attack her, or even move in her direction. Instead, it beckons her to follow.

A ghost? Spirit? No, I think it's a glimmer. I've heard tales. They appear when someone is lost, and either help one find their way...or lead one further astray.

Not wanting to alert the Broken (or any other dangers) she steps a few feet closer and "loud whispers":

"You there! What do you want with me?! Can you help me find my sworn ally, or are you intent on trickery?!"

No answer. Not surprising, as glimmers weren't known for their conversational ability. The being only continues beckoning.

It hasn't tried to harm me, and I don't feel in danger. I feel...like I'm on the cusp o' something. Strange...I'll notch an arrow and follow it for a few steps, see what happens....

She does so. The being floats away, continues to beckon. So she keeps following it....

And suddenly, she's not in the forest at all, but in a village...Rackon's Bluff! But not the one she knows. Huts have been moved around, vines are growing on the palisade wall, and she doesn't recognize anyone she sees.

"What is this?! You there, what's going on?!"

But nobody answers her, or even acknowledges her presence. In desperation, she rushes up to a stooped old woman and tries to grab her by the shoulders...and passes right through her!

What...?! Is this an illusion? Or...have I been transported through time, and exist now as some sort of wraith? Glimmers are capable of such things....

As she whirls about, she notices everyone is heading out of the village. They all seem despondent, beaten...not the proud, boisterous people she knows.

She follows, not knowing what else to do. Just outside the walls, everyone has congregated around some sort of mound. A bloody mound, with torn clothes...dead eyes...and swarming flies. Human bodies! At least ten of them, stacked haphazardly on top of each other!

On the other side of the mound stand ten fierce warriors, both male and female. At the center stands a redheaded woman with facial tattoos...holding a bow...a triumphant sneer on her face.

Is that...me?! It has to be! I'm older, a bit heavier...but such arrogance! Such scorn! I'm...I'm terrible!

Before she can call out, her doppelganger clears her throat and speaks, and now Etta has no doubt it's a future version of herself:

"People of Rackon's Bluff! I've called you here today to witness the end of tyranny! No longer will the Thalken bloodline lord over this village! No longer will people who aren't descendants of Rackon be treated like second-class citizens!"

She points at the mound.

"There lie the last of the Thalkens. For months, they've hounded us from their secret camps in the wilds, not content to surrender this village, though we've made it clear their time is done! No, they'd rather destroy everything than give up what they perceive to be their lordly rights!"

"But my warband and I finally found them...and we killed them. The loremasters have confirmed it: all the Thalkens are dead. Well, all that matter...there may be a Thalken in some far-flung wasteland, but they're no threat to the Bluff."

"And so I rename this village...to Hope Bluff! All who believe in equality and comradeship are welcome! But the power-mad, the underminers, the rogues, the thieves...those are our eternal enemies!"

"Now let the last Thalkens burn! Let the gods, the spirits...let Rackon himself...witness these last betrayers turned to ash!"

She nods, and one of her warband empties a jug onto the mound. Oil, as "past Etta" sees as she steps closer. Then with a quick motion, the other Etta lights a torch and tosses it onto the mound. The bodies erupt, and a crackling, horrible bonfire sends its ghastly light onto the bystanders.

Overwhelmed, "past Etta" runs past the numbed bystanders, until she's right in her counterpart's face, though as before, nobody can apparently see her. "Future Etta's" face is in rapture...seeing such demented joy makes "past Etta's" skin crawl.

"What are you doin', you stupid bitch?! Hope? Equality? Comradeship? Fuckin' hypocrisy! How many have ya killed to put yourself in charge?! And where are you at, you gods-damned glimmer?! What, you think I actually believe that this is my future?! It's a trick! Why would I destroy the Thalkens, when they've...they've...take me back now, or I swear I'll...."

Then she feels queasy, and as if she's being sucked through some kind of vortex...and then she's back in the forest, and Gevin is standing only 30 feet away!

"Gevin?! Am I...really back?! I...I...."

She drops to her knees, and begins sobbing.

Gevin hears Etta not far from him before he sees her. He was pretty sure she wasn't there a second ago, though it looks like Etta has also camouflaged her skin so perhaps he overlooked that spot in his haste.

He hurries to her as she starts to sob. "Etta, what happened? Is it your leg again? Are the broken nearby?" He has a million questions about their plan but safety first. He grabs his axe just in case danger lurks near them.

"They didn't come to me. I suppose my shouting was unsuccessful." He lets her know, still scanning the vegetation closely.

It really was Gevin! She was back in her own time! This comforting revelation causes her to laugh, which mingled with her tears is probably even more confusing to Gevin.

Finally, she composes herself enough to rise and speak:

"I'm fine, Gevin...physically, at least. Mentally...well, that's a bit of a tale."

"So, our plan: all three of the Broken rushed towards you when you began calling. I got worried, so I fired an arrow to distract them. It didn't work; they all came after me instead, and found me without much effort. And I didn't even get that pack. I'm sorry, Gevin...I should've trusted you to handle your part, and kept that arrow in my quiver. I'll make it up to you...somehow...."

"But I managed to elude them...rarely have I run that fast...and then...."

Should I tell him the truth? No, I can't! He'll start asking questions...lose his faith in me...but if I lie now, and he finds out the truth later....

"I saw...something. I believe it was a glimmer. I questioned it, but it only beckoned. I didn't feel in danger, and I didn't know where you were, so I followed...foolishly, perhaps, because yeah, we're reunited, but what I saw...."

"I was taken somewhere. The future? An illusion? No idea. I was back in Rackon's Bluff, but it was under siege...by a terrible army of these red-eyes. Broken, all sorts of animals, even some Elves and rare beasts. They rampaged through the Bluff, slaughtering without mercy. And I...I could do nothing. I was some sorta ghost or wraith...I couldn't touch anything, and nobody could see or hear me. So I had to watch...while it all ended...."

She lets out a mix between a sigh and another sob.

"And then that glimmer (or whatever it was) dropped me back here. Sorry for the waterworks, Gevin, but I'm telling you: it felt real. I don't know if the glimmer was trying to motivate me or break my spirit...but...."

"It looks like you're favoring your left side. Did something happen? Lemme have a look. It'll take my mind off...all this."

Hopefully, Gevin won't detect she's lying...but Etta still feels an emptiness inside her. Shouldn't she trust her Ironsworn companion with the truth?

Alas, it's too late now....

Etta probes Gevin's left upper body with her dexterous fingers, while also telling him to move or stretch at certain intervals. This combination of massage and workout causes Gevin's pain to slowly fade away.

Once finished, Etta smirks and twirls her hands in front of Gevin.

"All better, eh? These hands are magic!"

But then her expression darkens as she once again examines her surroundings.

"Let's get outta here. Too much danger 'n weirdness about. We'll be pushing our luck if we stay. We can talk more as we move."

"Woaw, woaw, woaw. Backup a second." Gevin says while Etta is looking over his injury. "You saw a glimmer and it showed you the future?!?" He says incredulously.

"I'm glad I found you, but that's serious. And you're going to tell me everything again... Slowly... As we walk." He pretty much orders her. "But, you're right. We should move. I also didn't manage to grab the pack, unfortunately. We'll have to manage without."

He thanks her for tending to his wounds, gets his things and gets ready to set off.

Gevin finds out more about the 'vision' from Etta on their way. It's hard to believe all that she tells him, but he wasn't there so he can only accept it for now. "We'll have to make sure that doesn't happen. It's our vow after all." He simply concludes.

After hiking another couple of hours and using much of what's left of their food supply, they reach a glade. A stream trickles down between the small hills of lush grass. It doesn't seem like the kind of place where evil creatures come from. "I think we may have gone the wrong way." He says to his companion.

That's when they hear a voice from behind a large rock. "No! Don't. I created you. You must obey me! Back off! Down!" followed by the snarling of wolves.

Gevin looks at Etta and motions for them to split up and go around the rock.

As they walk, Etta explains everything in detail again. Thankfully, Gevin seems to take her tale at face value.

I'll have to memorize everything I've told him, because I'm sure others will question me when...if...we return to the Bluff. Gods, I've never been good at lying...but it's for the best....

Then they hear a human voice along with the snarling of wolves, and Etta goes into stealth mode. Creeping around the rock, she peers out....

A woman in a cloak and well-designed leather armor stands in front of three wolves. Though she tries to stand tall, Etta notices that she's swaying gently. She wields a staff with a large red gem set in the top. Oddly, she also wears a carved wooden mask; Etta can see nothing of her face, and the mask's eyeholes are deep shadows.The wolves are normal sized wolves, and they advance slowly, snarling and slavering. Their eyes flicker between the tell-tale red and their normal color.

The woman holds out her staff, and the red gem glows like fire: "Down! I won't say it again. I am your mistress, and you will heed me!"

This must be the witch behind all this! But why is she having trouble subduing these animals? Has her magic over-strained her? And what's hiding behind that mask?

The wolves won't be cowed, however. Howling balefully and tossing their heads, they seem to shake off whatever the woman is doing. All three lunge...and the woman lets out an equally baleful shriek. Not of fright, it seems, but of frustration and confusion.

"Betrayed!! Destined to be alone! So be it, you mongrels!"

With a wave of her staff, an arc of red light or magic hurtles towards the wolves. It slams into them like a magical scythe, dropping them instantly. The wolves whimper for a few seconds, and roll around in the grass futilely, until death takes them.

The woman, however, is no longer standing. She's dropped down to a knee, and is panting heavily; the hand that holds the staff trembles. Etta isn't sure, but she also thinks she hears...sobbing?

Looks like that fatigued her even more. Should we strike now, or wait and gather more information? There could be more to this situation than meets the eye....

She slips back towards the center of the rock, hoping to catch Gevin's attention.

Gevin watches things unfold from the other side of the rock. Luckily the woman is too preoccupied to notice them. It looks like they indeed found the source of the red eyes. But it seems to not be infallible. That's already a good sign. He thinks about their next move. Should they regroup with this information and find a plan of attack? He considers it but changes his mind. If this witch manages to get away they'll be back to square one. Best to take advantage of the initiative they have.

Knowing that Etta will have his back, he steps forward from behind the rock. Shield raised, just in case. "You there. What is the meaning of all this?" He simply asks. "Are you the one who has been causing animals to turn feral and vicious in these lands?"

The woman is startled and quickly recovers her composure, not allowing another to see her in a weak state. "What's it to you?" She replies.

"I live in these lands. My village forages and hunts in its woods." Gevin tells her. "If this is your doing, then you are causing us great harm." His voice sounds stern but just. "We will not sit idly by." He waits for a few seconds but gets no answer. "What is your business here?"

The "witch" was uncooperative when faced with Gevin's stout challenges, which is just fine with Etta. Battle was probably inevitable. She reaches back into her quiver for an arrow....

But then she pauses. The woman was evidently sobbing after slaying the wolves, and she mentioned "destined to be alone." And that mask...why hide her face? Had something happened to make her alienated and bitter?

Etta also considers her glimpse into her own future. This woman reminded her of the "conqueror of the Thalkens" Etta. It seemed shameful to simply attack this "witch," when she could be just a miserable wretch in need of guidance and compassion.

Ugh, these thoughts o' mine...just last week, I would've attacked this woman instantly. But after what I've seen....

"My ally speaks true, stranger. If you are behind these red-eyes, you have much to answer for. But we both saw what just occurred with these wolves. You mentioned loneliness, and I thought I heard you crying. You also appear weak from your exertions. And I'm sure there's a story behind that strange mask o' yours. Tell us your tale, and your goals, and maybe this meeting won't end in bloodshed."

The woman looks in Etta's direction, but since she's masked, it's impossible to read her facial expression. Her hands, however, do clench tightly around her staff.

The woman: "Are you daft, Etta?! Yes, I know who you are...and you as well, Gevin."

She cackles, letting her revelation sink in.

The woman: "It seems you want me to surrender without a fight. Do you think me a complete idiot?! You care nothing for my tale or my goals...you fear the power I wield, and only seek to stall in the hope of gaining an advantage. But you should've struck earlier, when I was on my knees! Now it's too late!"

The woman points her staff at the Ironsworn, and chants strange, bitter words. Red magic surges out from the gem and surrounds Etta and Gevin. Though red, both feel a bone-chilling cold, worse than any winter they remember.

The magic also stabs into their minds, filling them with an overwhelming sense of loss, alienation, and futility. They also notice images swirling within the red storm: a beautiful woman staring at her reflection in a pool of water, cruel laughter from unknown villagers, a shifting figure cloaked in shards of broken glass, dreary campsites in desolate places, deep tombs filled with shadow and cobwebs.

Gods! Is she assaulting us with her rage and madness?! Are those images her life story?! I can't take much more o' this. Got to...do something...!

Etta summons all the resolve, courage, and spirit she can, but it's all for naught. The red storm keeps battering her, mind and body, until she feels like she's no longer a person, but some hopeless disembodied wraith, doomed to suffer endlessly.

"Gevin! Can...you...hear me?! Stop her! Ugghh...."

She collapses into a fetal position and begins howling in agony.

"Too much! Too much! TOO MUCH!"

Gevin raises his shield, but it's no use against the magical essence that comes from the woman's staff. Images start to appear in his now bitter-cold mind. Things that may be the past, present or the future. He sees a man dressed in black with a greatsword in hand, an image of himself covered in spiders. Flashes of images keep popping up. He tries to block it, regain control over his own mind.

He manages to open his own eyes again for a few seconds and sees the woman pointing the staff at them. He hasn't broken the spell, but perhaps if he can just distract the woman long enough for them to get the upper hand.

It takes him a great amount of effort but he manages to get a few words out loud enough for the witch to hear them. "Wolves ... Behind ... You!" He says as if warning her of an incoming attack from behind. Sometimes the oldest trick in the book is famous for good reason. Let's hope this is one of those times.

Somehow that silly little trick worked. The woman stops chanting and faces the other way to brace herself for pouncing wolves.

Gevin and Etta a released from their mind-prison. However it takes a second for Gevin to get his bearings again after this barrage of thoughts.
While still a bit dizzy, he grabs his axe and runs towards his foe.