Re: I'll think of a clever title for this at a later date.

[Dominic A. Gardella]

He saw through her veil. He sat up a little straight, and tried to look her in the eyes. "Which did you prefer, the Winter Cabbage, or the beats?" He smiled. "You're a sly one, I'll give you that. Don't feel bad about taking the crops. It's been an overabundance of yield for a while. Couldn't even sell all of it off if I wanted to." He leaned back in his chair.

[WalrusFaces (Layla)]

"I didnt take any beets." Azazel said grinning slightly. The smile slowly shifted to a very confused face when the walls began to rattle. Her ears pricked up and she rushed to grab her hood. She placed her back firmly against the wall as she checked out the window. Just then the rattling stopped, the house settled once more. She looked over at Winston as if searching for answers.

[Dominic A. Gardella]

But Winston's chair sat vacant. He'd already made it across the room, and latched his sheathe to his belt. Drawing the sword, he, doused all the candles in the room quickly. Glaring out the window, Winston seemed tense and twitchy. Staring into the now darkness, his eyes rested on the treeline. An odd curvature in the trees shone with the moon resting behind it. The house shook again. He pressed his ear against the floorboards and closed his eyes. "Whatever's out there, there's more than one, and something that's really big. I think I know what this is." He ran to the side of the room, and drew a ladder from the ceiling. "Help me, and I think we can get out of here alive. Grab that lantern and follow close." Another tremor causes a few oddities from around the house to crash to the floor.

[WalrusFaces (Layla)]

Azazel scooped up her bag anf the lantern and stayed right on Winstons heels. She followed him up the ladder as the shaking stopped again. Her mind raced trying to figure out what creature could cause such terrible quakes. She had almost reached the top of the ladder when the house began to shake much more violently than before. She lost her grip and fell off the ladder and hit the floor with a solid thud. She gave a groan and halfway sat up. She had hit her head pretty hard against the wooden floor.

[Dominic A. Gardella]

Winston shot her a look of concern, but dove into the darkness of his attic. There was a lot of noise as he fumbled around in the darkness. However, he reappeared, the shadows casting long tendrils across his face. He now had a backpack slung over his shoulder. Clutched firmly against his chest, a brown skinned book, with withered pages. He frantically slid down the ladder, and stood near the window. "I'm sorry, but you've got to get up now." His knuckles were white as he held the book as tightly as he could. Another thunderous rattle sent some of the timbers of his house astray. A few boards from the roof fell loose, and the windows cracked. Winston stopped dead. There were whispers. Indecipherable, and low, but they were there. Everywhere. In the house, outside the door, in the attic, under the floorboards, right below Azazel's head. Winston shuttered and pulled her up. The house was completely dark, and there was yet another thunderous crash. This time, the snapping of trees was prevalent. The moon cast a light over the distant forest. Trees bent to the ground and snapped like twigs. Ancient, thick, tall trees, bent and broken like the playthings of a rowdy toddler. Then, everything stopped. There was nothing. No wind, no chirping of insects, not a sound, except for the frantic beating of the two's hearts. Then, there was a single call. A whippoorwill. Then, another. Soon, the sound was deafening. Winston shook, and his face was stark white. He quickly pulled the door open, and stared into Azazel's eyes. "Don't leave my side, and whatever you do, stay in the light." He struck a match and lit the dented lantern, and turned to exit the house.

[WalrusFaces (Layla)]

Azazel stumbled along behind Winston. The world swayed beneath her feet and she was struggling to catch her breath. The ladder fall had knocked the wind out of her. "What're we running from?" she slowed down in order to bring some air into her swelling lungs. She didn't think she was going to be able to run anymore. Her heart was beating hard, pounding against her ribs. Her head felt like it was about to roll of her shoulders. She started to fall behind as her pace weakened. her chest was heaving and her eyes began to water. "Winston..." she called out, yet her tone could not rise over that of a whisper. He probably wouldn't have herd her over the deafening sound of the forest anyway. Her feet started to fail her, and she stumbled.

[Dominic A. Gardella]

" />

Azazel fell to the ground. Winston saw that she could not go on, and became even more worried about the current situation. He heard the all too familiar chanting echoing from the woods, and knew what he had to do. Casting his back to the ground, he pulled forth a bag of various items and a bowl. Upon the rim of this bowl, there were three distinct symbols inscribed. Winston set the bowl on the ground, and quickly began to work. He tore open the bag of items, and removed each. First, he placed a hunk of freshly made bread into the bowl. Second, pine resin. The third and final ingredient, Olieribos grass, into the bowl. Quickly, he muttered a strange, and timeless chant. One older than wind itself. Winston checked the stars, and quickly made two flour circles on the ground in a spot swept clean by his feet. Placing the bowl at the Northeastern edge of the circle, he again muttered the same, timeless chant from before. The bowl burst into an oddly red flame, and the symbols glowed a sickly orange colour. Winston drew his sword, but quickly pressed his fingers against the hilt. The original blade detached, with many locks coming undone. Winston then drew another blade from the bag, and locked it in place. Winston quickly kicked the lantern far into the distance, making the whole area almost pitch black, save for the curious fire bowl. Winston stood steadfast, as the evil lurking in the shadows grew closer. With a cold and almost inhuman tone, he began to speak.

"ISS MASS SSARATI SHA MUSHI LIPSHURU RUXISHA LIMNUTI! IZIZANIMMA ILANI RABUTI SHIMA YA DABABI! DINI DINA ALAKTI LIMDA! ALSI KU NUSHI ILANI MUSHITI! IA MASS SSARATI ISS MASS SSARATI BA IDS MASS SSARATU!"

With the final sentence of the chant, Winston drove the sword into the earth behind the bowl. Both Azazel and Winston were well within the circles on the ground. Soon, the ground began to stir to the Northeastern corner of the circle. All the earth in that area began to form into a slimy, dark liquid. Rising from it, a hooded specter on horseback. The only visible feature upon him was great and steadfast armor, and two piercing red eyes. He reached out towards the forest, and his horse from Hell dove into the darkness to transport wicked death to those who lied in wait.

" />

Winston wearily looked down to Azazel, and smiled. "It'll be okay, just don't leave the circle until I say." With that, he collapsed to the ground, in a shivering, cold heap. The sounds of blood-curdling screams rang from the veil of the night forest.

[WalrusFaces (Layla)]

Azazel sat up, her strength returning to her as she cast a simple restoration spell of healing upon herself. Her head cleared and her breathing became lighter, less labored. She crawled over to where Winston laid, she placed a hand on his shoulder, his skin was cold through his shirt. She took off her hood and wrapped it around him. She tried rubbing his arms to create friction which would in turn generate heat.

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