A Dearly Departed Friend

The door to his house rattled on its old hinges as someone rapped their fist rather harshly on the wood, the knocking which Radulfer was sure could be heard by his neighbors. With quiet footsteps he walked to the door and peered through the peephole, eyeing the man dressed in a fine black suit before finally drawing away the chain and unlocking the entrance to his humble adobe.

The man in front of him was elegantly dressed in his pin-striped suit, but the thing that drew the most of Radulfer's attention was the letter hidden away in his gloved fingers. Without words, the apparent mailman handed Radulfer his letter and got some jewels in exchange for his troubles. The man in the suit's exit was of little importance to Radulfer however, his mind more focused on the mysterious letter that was just delivered.

Nudging the door to his house close with a foot clad in nothing but a sock, Radulfer made sure to lock the door before walking to his living room. Sitting down on one of the only chairs that furnished the simple room, eager fingers tore open his envelope before pulling out its desired content.

"Dear old friend," the letter begun, its cursive handwriting already familiar to Radulfer, "I don't know if you remember me but I need your help. A strange curse has swept across my home land destroyed most of the population." Green eyes narrowed in worry for his friend, whose curling-g tails and elaborate cursive was one that he identified as belonging to his childhood friend, "I managed to escape, and am now in hiding, but while I was escaping from those creatures one of them bit me." A quiet gasp escaped his mouth as he read how his friend had been bitten, his lips then pursuing together as white brows furrowed close. He wasn't sure if a bite would mean anything more than a bite, but a sinking feeling in his gut told him otherwise. "Within the envelope I have placed my current location I am currently at an old cabin in the cursed lands, please come as soon as you can as I am beginning to feel rather feverous. Yours Truly Maraek." Besides the impressive but delicate signing of his friend's name was a stamp that he often used to seal his identity as truth.

Folding up the letter as gently as possible, Radulfer got to his feet and begun to move from room to room. First, he gathered a sack and some provisions for his travel. He didn't know how long he would be gone, or if he would be able to get supplies during his stay in the cursed lands. Secondly, he made sure that he had a map packed securely away, for it would mean trouble if he got lost within its lands. Thirty minutes past with haste before Radulfer left his house and started his travels towards the cursed lands. His feet were swift, and it wasn't long before he found himself in the dreary lands where he, hopefully, would find Maraek.

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Details:

Monster roll; 1 of 3

The member 'LerotheRabbit' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Monster Dice' :

The day has begun to go dark ever since Radulfer entered the Cursed Lands, but he doubted that the landscape would have looked any prettier if the sun was bearing overhead. He felt dirty even walking within the woods, the constant sense of his skin prickling bringing the mage a sense of dread. But he wasn't about to turn back and abandon Mareak to whatever fate was looming ahead.

Mareak. The name drew up long past but still cherished memories. A time when they were almost brothers, hip to hip and as they practiced magic together. It was the time after Metalicana had disappeared from the white-haired boy's life, and it was thanks to Mareak did Radulfer get any semblance of stability back afterward. But one year, Radulfer made the decision to go on a journey to find his pseudo-father, and that was the last time he had seen the other mage. Of course, they sent letters when they could and tried to keep track of each other, but it would seem that fate did not wish for the two of them to converse with each other again. Each passing year saw the pool of water separating them turn bigger and bigger, from a pond and eventually into an ocean. Yet, Radulfer still remembered his old friend fondly and grew proud of Mareak's accomplishments whenever he heard of them.

It's because of his love for their friendship and Mareak did a sort of coldness chill Radulfer to his bones. He didn't want to think of the possibility that his friend's letter had come too late, or that the help that Mareak would need would be out of Radulfer's capabilities. The thought of it made Radulfer stop in his place, white hair falling into his unhidden eye as the mage lowered his head to think. Maybe he should've brought someone? A person who could heal Mareak in case he wasn't enough?

Radulfer bit his lip and shook his head free of the thoughts before resuming to walk. But this time his strides were longer and his pace quicker than before; a fire of haste to reach his friend burned nervously in his stomach, spurring him onwards. But this newfound rush hasn't stopped the keen senses that were naturally granted to Radulfer through his magic. The stench of a rotting body hit his nose full force, causing the Dragon Slayer to come to a come to another quick halt.

Turning on his heel, Radulfer lifted his head took deep breaths, almost gagging on the sharp scent. He could quickly tell that it was a beast of some sort, yet its body bore the stench of death and rot. Straining his ears, the Dragon Slayer could hear it walking, though its footsteps didn't seem to amber towards him. Looking around the area, he saw a tree; the oak was low-hanging and nearly dead like everything in the cursed lands, but it offered a hiding place. Running over to the tree, like a monkey the mage crawled to the top of it and hid beneath the dead branches. Laying on his stomach and bearhugging the limb, Radulfer was careful to not stray too far from its trunk in case his weight became his downfall.

It took some time, but out from the opposing side of the trail, something dragged itself out of the shadows. Its footsteps were heavy and burdened by its withering and staggering body. Radulfer couldn't quite tell what the beast was exactly due to how ruined it was from the land's curse; all that the Dragon-Slayer could tell was that it was a sort of canine. Its jaw was almost broken and hanging open, fluids dripping down its maw. From his spot in the tree, Radulfer could easily pick out the rotting spots in what had once been a beautiful coat. Bone was visible, along with muscle that barely clung to the beast's bones. As for the eyes of the undead creature, an eyeball was missing. The other was clouded with cataracts and death, in such a state that it was almost falling out of its designated socket.

Radulfer pushed his front body up, the limb below him creaking dangerously at the movement. The canine paused, apparently still able to hear with its devastated body. Before his chance could be lost, the white-haired Dragon-Slayer braced himself and launched himself out of his spot and towards the creature. In a "flying" tackle, he knocked into the undead beast's head, who howled in surprise, a noise that was quickly stopped when it made a disgusting crack against the ground. Scrambling away from the mess, Radulfer quickly used his pants to wipe off his arm as he felt sick.

He had to do it, the mage told himself as he stumbled around the now completely dead canine, averting his eyes so he would not have to see what he had done to the zombie. It was an act of kindness. Putting it out of its misery. If he hadn't done it, it would have attacked something else and further spread the disease of the land. And by now, the death of the undead canine was unimportant. He did it, and he had something else to worry about. Why did Mareak have to take shelter in such a desolate environment?

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MP: 100%/100%
HP: 100/100
Post WC: 886

Passives:

Monster roll; 2 of 3

The member 'LerotheRabbit' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Monster Dice' :

Final monster dice roll; 3 of 3

The member 'LerotheRabbit' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Monster Dice' :

The zombie now long behind him, Radulfer finally managed to keep his hands still. He had to keep his head clear, or something would take advantage of his distraction and attack him. What would happen to Mareak if he died on his way to help him, and what would Metalicana think of him? His stomach began to tie itself into knots at the thought, and Radulfer couldn't help but frown. I'm not going to die, I'm not going to die. Mareak is going to be okay. I'm strong. Those words kept on repeating themselves in Radulfer's mind as his fists balled at his sides.

As he continued to travel down the path, a new sound reached his ears.  A caterwaul that made a chill sprint down his spine. Radulfer couldn't help but freeze on the spot and shiver, his green eyes growing wide in a mix of shock and fear. Whirling around, he tried to see all about him at once but he couldn't sense anything. Desperately he scanned the tree lines, straining to spot something coming for him.

Moments passed as the echoes of the scream died down, yet nothing happened. Nothing jumped out at him, nor could Radulfer see or hear any sign of a foe approaching. Just as he was going to continue, another ear-scratching wail took to the air. But this time it had less of an effect on Radulfer as it did the first time. And this time, his eyes picked up the faint outline of two humans. But, their bodies were silvery and transparent. Their mist-like body easily went through the dead trees as they continued to wail, their arms rising as if they were going to scratch at him.

Ghosts. Even the word made Radulfer uncomfortable as he watched the pair of ghosts travel towards him. Their heads were the least transparent, which made it all the more frightening. Their teeth seemed to be rotting in their ghostly heads, and they had no eyes save for dark sockets and two pinball eyes that glowed. Their "skin" was pulled tight against their "skull", and few wisps of hair clung to their head. As one looked below their head, their body became even more transparent and transparent until it finally disappeared around their shins. Their "bodies" were elevated above the floor as they came closer and closer.

Radulfer raised his right fist as his arm glowed silver. With a flash the limb became metal, formed into the shape of a deadly sharp spearhead. Using his untransformed hand, Radulfer grabbed what should have either been his elbow or the place for a handle to grip onto. The Dragon-Slayer aimed the tip of the spear at the heads of the two closening ghosts before a Magic Circle flashed. It remained floating in the air as the true use of Iron Dragon's Spearhead activated. Seconds later, half a dozen miniature lances shot out of the Magic Circle, ripping through the heads of the ghosts who only screamed in response. After the spell's ammunition ran out, the Magic Circle flashed away as his arm returned to normal, the mage watching the ghosts twist and writhe away.

Wrapping his arms around his stomach, Radulfer quickly rushed down the path. He could feel goosebumps along his arms, and now his insides felt much chillier. While it wasn't as bad as hurting actual humans, the faces of the ghosts were bad enough for the Dragon Slayer.

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MP: 90%/100%
HP: 100/100
Post WC: 574

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Passives:

Spell Used:

Radulfer's body felt weary already as if he was a 50-year-old man instead of a 19-year-old teenager. To say that he was excited to go home and rest was an understatement, he thought to himself with a sigh. Looking at the forest, he could be grateful at least that there wasn't total silence. He could at least hear the wind rustling through trees and the shuffling his own feet had made.

But, that wasn't the most important thing at the moment. What he needed to concentrate wasn't the throbbing of his arm or how little noise there was; what he needed to concentrate on was the fact that Mareak needed help. Radulfer didn't want to think of the chance that the letter and his help had come too late for the man. There was no chance that his friend was dead.

It was on this train of thought did Radulfer think back to that moment, just moments prior, did he hear someone. He was certain that it was an internal voice rather than an external one. He hadn't noticed anyone else, nor did the voice sound like it was out in the air. The only reason he could currently explain was that it was Lyn. It would make sense, considering that the demon could take his body over. Why would he be unable to speak to him?

Shaking his head, Radulfer looked up from the spot he was starting at on his shoes to instead focus on his hands. They were back to normal save for the wounds that were the cause of the shakiness in his hands. He curled his fingers, their nails back to their short and blunt self.

"You may want to get your head out of the clouds," An eerily familiar voice barked, which resulted in Radulfer jumping in his skin and coming to an immediate halt. Whirling around, he tried to scan the area to look for the speaker. He was about to turn away when something with a shimmering and transparent body came out from a tree as Radulfer's green eyes widened in shock.

Now that he had actually spotted it, he could now realize that there was a pair of ghosts who seemed to have no legs. Backing up, Radulfer had the thought to try to activate Lyn's Body when the realization that physical attacks most likely would go through a ghost.

With that in mind, Radulfer closed his eyes and concentrated his magic before activating Lyn's Wings. With a flash of magic, a pair of demonic-seeming wings materialized from his wings. Stretching them out, the Takeover Mage shot to the air before the ghosts reached them, his wings throwing up leaves, dust, and twigs. Grabbing at his arm, Radulfer remained in the air as electricity began to cross and jump around his body. A side effect of the spell that he nicknamed Electric Wings.

Radulfer watched his enemies before dropping down, his wings tucking in as he dive bombed them. Knocking into the pair of them, while his body went through them, their hisses told them that the electricity did some damage. Before he hit the ground, Radulfer quickly spread out his wings and gained air, flapping his wings to create some room between the three of them.

As the ghosts floated towards Radulfer, he concentrated electricity that crackled across his body into his palms before releasing the energy in a wave around him. With an explosion of electricity, Lyn's Roar zapped the ghosts, causing them to release silent screams. They writhed in the air before their bodies became completely transparent, the air becoming silent.

Landing on the ground, Radulfer kept the spell active as he waited for some surprise attack. But when none came, he allowed the wings to melt away. Just as quickly as they appeared, they were gone and Radulfer was left with his human body.

He remained standing there for a good couple moments before turning around and continuing to walk. Luckily for him, he saw no more trouble for the rest of the trip. Though, that was the least of his problems, for when he finally found the cabin Mareak had taken refuge in he had entered to find his friend dead.

His corpse was already rotting, with its head knocked aside on the floor meters from where the body laid. The cabin was raided of its meager supplies, and with sadness, Radulfer had to admit he was too late. The only thing of benefit he could found within the pilfered cabin was a shovel, which he used to dig out a somewhat shallow grave. After giving his friend a proper burial in the resting place he had dug out behind the house, Radulfer turned his path to Oak Inn so he could get back home.

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Notes: