NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6 - Pleasant Places pt 2
"BACCO, you can't mistake the LUNGBURN, there's another smell to… it could be SEEDAR lumber though I can't say FOR CERTAIN." Horace piped up. "You should all know, the voices have quieted as we got higher, so this is probably away from where questionable things are happening." Larry began to shake again as the fear rose in him.
The smell of the bacco becomes increasingly apparent as we reach a room at the end of the first hallway section. We also start to see the grey fumes of smoke passing under the rosa coloured door. Rhua doesn't wait and opens it, the smoke is very apparent and coming from a roll up burning away in the ashtray. "Yuck, I can't stand this stuff, it's burning everything, my eyes, my wungs!" Lucy said choking away.
"Brings back memories this stuff" as I take a big inhalation, the buzz hits me, and I remember the smoking rooms of the office back on Terra. Just one more roll up man!" Wardi says to me as I think back to the last time we worked in the office. "Always have time for another heh, won't be the same when they start recording our breaks electronically though ey." Despite being his boss, it was good to ignore the rules occasionally.
"Oi, wake up!" Larry says to me with a little shake, just to make sure I'm back in the room. I'm certainly feeling the buzz now, and a little rough. Damn it's been years since I've been around something like that.
"This damn system is a pain in my side, it's given me an increase to reaction times and energy output whilst dealing continuous poison damage from all the bacco smoke." said Larry, causing Lucy to use an art to try to help the situation: 'Ventum Cito Movebam'! A strong wind blew away the smoke from the room.
We quickly saw a man beaten and carved up, the blood had covered much of the floor. He wasn't breathing. The smell of seedar was strong in the air now that the smoke was gone.
"UH, loading The Green RAINER" Horace piped up and a shell burst into the air sprinkling green water over us, negating the poison and regenerating our health back.
"The effect won't LAST that long, and more IMPORTANTLY, what the HELL IS HAPPENING DOES THIS GUY SEEM OK?! Horace, I think he shouted for real that time.
"I don't recognise this man, he's far too underdressed to be anything more than a butler. What happened to their old butler… Hans Uwe was it, do you think this man has replaced him?
"The seedar wood smell is overpowering my nostrils. Like something a teenager would spray vigorously to have a quick shower… only less sporty and more lumbery ha!" Nobody laughed at Rhua's joke.
I used a soothing salve on the man, but it wasn't activating. I shook my head, looking at the others. Larry used a scroll of greater reveal, and a silvery wave of energy pulsed out and wide across the manor.
"It didn't do anything, there must be some sort of blocking spell or device active."
Lucy tried a healing spell and was caught off guard when an anti-arts sigil appeared, which was never around us before. It reduced the effect of the healing spell. The man's wounds recovered, but just barely; he's lost a lot of blood, I thought.
"You have to get out." a feeble voice came from the man on the floor. "They…they're cra-zy, go, please …not…saf-." his voice fell silent.
"He passed out; I'll hide him in a different room and … by the gods!" complained Larry to the rest of us as he tried to lift the man.
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The rest of the floor was empty until we reached what looked like the bedrooms of the von family members. Skankerella Vons had a baby blue coating with trees painted on the walls, and what looked like sandy beaches in the sun. She did always enjoy a hotter climate over doing any sort of work I thought to myself.
Scattered clothing strewn about, and various fine ornaments lay broken in pieces on the tables and stands. "Guessing they left in a hurry?" Rhua said
"The powerful barrier is still in place. It's more likely they never left." Lucy said, the fear in her words had been building up since we got here, becoming more noticeable now. Wardi wrapped his arm around her.
Rhua clipped a lamp on the table accidentally, which opened a compartment underneath with a loud slide as it opened. The book was white, plain, with the only distinctive feature being that it had the mark of Serilia on the front.
When she opens it up it's filled with various diary entries that all seem normal up until a month ago. Suddenly the style of the writing becomes less neat, fancy as if someone else has wrote it. and the tone was darker.
Augtem 6th 2048
Business has been well since we met the Yar Family, they had such marvellous trinkets from the old world and in such a phenomenal condition as well. I think if we play our cards right, we can marry Dilis & Rella before the month ends and merge the two families. Hans informed me that Master Hollow had arranged to visit and would be bringing guests. I'll ensure the cellar is well stocked, one can never have too many refreshments and delights when entertaining guests of this eloquence. I must remind Hans to take me and wifey clothes shopping, it's best to leave a lasting impression.
Augtember 7th 2048
I was glad to have met Master Hollow and his associates this evening, for Hollow to welcome me into the society was a joyous occasion. Sharing of the chalice was delightful as we watched the sacrifices squirm. Gifting them such a sweet release is something I could watch over and over! Gifts that shall be throughout the town; we can't have any unwanted visitors now, can we, Calder Grey? No, sir, I am grateful you included me in the festivities, I will live up to your expectations and more for the greater good!" He said to me so gleefully. The fool…
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These BLOODY CRETINS, shut up I say, SHUT…UP! I'm tired of hearing you screech and moan. They deserved to face the God Burn, I hope nobody noticed the manor when I used it; we do not need any troubles now. And Calder, you're a useless bastard. I keep having to say it: step up or you'll be gone. I'm growing tired of constantly beating him over his mistakes.
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YOU VILE WHENCHES! YOU BELONG TO ME, I WILL END YOU, PAINFULLY AND RELISH IN YOUR DYING BREATHS.
I gymdeithas y wawr sy'n codi.
"I don't recognise this language… can anyone else make sense of it?" Larry and Horace walked over to the book and shook their head. "Is that supposed to be a language?" Horace said, scratching his head. The rest of us walked over to have a look.
"Oh, that's Valisisk!" Rhua said with a surprised tone. "Wow, that's a rare one to see. Did any of you study it at school? I did not." Wardi said, laughing at his own joke but we thought he was serious. An ancient language from Terra, this was a real surprise I thought.
I shook my head, Rhua did too "I only know this word 'Mae'n,' it roughly means 'It is or its' if you translate it to common tongue but everything else is beyond what I know.
"Great so, now we have someone speaking a language that hasn't been around for 1000 odd years give or take" Rhua said, who begins to rub her stomach to help with the knots forming in it.
"Lucy, make a note of those diary entries and then let's clear out of this place, we just have the entrance hall left to explore now." Wardi says, quickly exiting the room and heading towards the entrance. Lucy recorded the journal entries using some spare parchment she had stored in her inventory and then we tried to catch up to Wardi and his rather speedy leave us all behind exit.
We reached the entrance hall and were surprised the front door slightly open, no air was coming from the outside, however. Larry noted that there was a faint trace of an Art here. and he looked around confused, he just could not tell where the voices if they were real were coming from.
He grumbled and slapped his head repeatedly. Having seen enough of him having a flip out I said to the others "Let's check in here it looks like the dining room." Pointing to the room on the left.