Chapter 9 - Shadows and Shades

I plan to work on this more often, so hopefully you'll get more frequent updates. Anyways, here's chapter nine: Shadows and shades. Chapter one is here if you were looking for it.

Warning - there is some swearing in this one, so if you're prone to being offended by it, please don't read this post. Thankyou.

AEgon awoke, instantly at the ready. Grabbing the knife from under his pillow he jumped to his feet, ready to confront the intruder. Looking around, he sees no-one. Jarrod sits still, silent and awake. Then Jarrod speaks "Relax. There is no-one out there. The knights have all left." Jarrod spat the word, like an insult. "Don't know what it is about them big fuckers, but they irritate me." Jarrod spat the insult, like a word. "Something ain't right about them armoured men, gives me the creeps."
"Golems." Iryl muttered, still half asleep. "They were golems. Told you last night."
"They could be ghoul-fuckers for all I care, they freak me out."

As Iryl tried to explain to Jarrod what golems were, AEgon started cleaning up the campsite, eavesdropping on them.
"No Jarrod! They arn't people. Or elves. Or anything! They're made from magic. To follow orders."
"So, they're like elementals, what they summon?"
"No, they make golems. Sometimes they summon elementals into them. . . "
AEgon stopped listening as he put out the dying embers of last nights campfire.

Bjorn walked back into the camp, and looked at the newly arose party. "See you're still sleeping AEgon." Perplexed, AEgon aked why "Why shouldn't I have been?"
"Ya don' need it. It's just a habit of yours, most ghosts lose it after a few years." Looking down at the sleeping 'form' of Marie he commented "Looks like she hasn't been dead long either. Old habits an' all that."

After some more conversation the group was ready to continue. Following the aged map the priests of Morr had given them, they continued westward. As the day wore on the trees began to thicken, the meagre sunlight becoming weaker and less available.

********

Weary from a long days march the group slowed, wandering the dark paths under a night sky they oculd barely see. The party stopped as one, unconsciously coming to the decision that they had reached the end of today's treck. They began to make camp, setting up a campfire, Iryl and Jarrod setting up small tents to protect them from the elements. The firelight flickered, sending dancing shadows against the trees. The party sat down, staring into the fire; each was silent, their own thoughts filling their mind. Wondering on their futures, their pasts and their present.

Jarred tiredly watched the fire, staring into the licking tongues of flame with the fascination mankind has borne with fire since they discovered it. He began to think about everything that had happened to him since he left the Schola Magus with AEgon and Iryl. The bandits, the inquisitor and the following run-in with the white order, the escape and now a quest. Just like the stories old Vrin used to tell, of knights and chivalry. Of oaths of iron, and swords of steel. And the shadow-plays he used to narrate for the troupe. Jarrod's eyes moved to the shadows shifting against the trees. Jarrod and Iryl were on the same side of the fire, and their less corporeal companions on the other - so nothing blocked the light of the fire reaching the trees closest to the clearing.

Jarrod thought about his experience with the reapers of Morr. Shuddering he recalled their grim forms, and how even afterwards, how he could see them walking beside the people of Romah. He remembered them in the battle - even though he was focused solely on saving AEgon, his hindsight recalled the grim reapers' forms perfectly. He watched them cut them down, even as he himself cut them down. Unseen by all but him they danced about the battlefield, striking down each warrior as they fell. Even now he could see them cavorting in the trees, waiting for the hour of their calling, waiting to take the souls of his dead companions. He laughed to himself, shaking his head clear of the figures of his overactive imagination. "I'm wandering around some forest in the middle of nowhere with a necromancer, three ghosts - one of whom is also magical, and I need to imagine that we're being stalked by the personification of death to creep myself out."

Jarrod chucked to himself some more, before being startled by a form moving in the trees. Wary that it could be his exhausted mind playing him the fool again, he decided to check it out before panicking everyone. As he rose he saw more movement in the trees. Aware now that this was not his imagination he gestured to AEgon and Iryl to be ready. Announcing loudly that he would be back in a moment, he calmly walked towards the movement. Suddenly AEgon and Iryl leaped to their feet, yelling "We're surrounded!" The camp became a flurry of activity, Marie jumping to her feet, uncertain what to do, Bjorn howling dire threats to the attackers, his voice a vicious and terrifying threat from beyond the mortal coil. AEgon gathered what mana he could into himself, ready and looking for the first to enter the camp. Iryl did the same, watching the treeline with a steely glare. Jarrod, all pretence abandoned drew his sword, slowly stepping backwards towards the fire as he watched for an assault.

No attack came.

Bjorn's threats lost momentum, and they all stood still watching in the silence. Tension mounted. They watched. Nothing continued to happen. The forest was still.

The awkward silence reined a moment longer before a nervous giggle broke the silence. "Guess they ran off" Marie suggested. Suddenly the camp broke into laughter. Jarrod smiled to himself - at least tonight the drama would be put on hold.

*********

As they settled down for the night, Bjorn and AEgon both volunteered for watch. They talked throughout the night, AEgon learning much about life after life. As dawn broke the pair were still talking amicably like old friends, or perhaps reunited relatives.

Want to continue? Chapter ten is here.