Qubel/Qubel's Folly RP two
The End of the Adventure in Qubel's Folly
Sorsha:
When she regained consciousness, Sorsha was extremely disoriented. She heard a pop, hiss and crackling from somewhere and she vaguely associated the sound to a fire. She could feel as if it seared one side of her body. Her long brown hair was damp and her body a mixture of cold and heat. Then she took note of a different type of warmth, a delicious heat that made her want to stay there to indulge in its comfort. A trembling shiver made her slightly jerk, and she moved closer into the warmth, to chase the sensation away.
Then a feather light sensation brushed against her forehead. She tried to make out what it was and leaned into it. Fingertips lightly brushed the hair off her face and the impression trailed down the side of her face. It traced her jaw line then her lips and she let out a soft moan. There was movement beside her and she opened her eyes only then realizing she wasn’t dreaming. All of it was real.
When she turned, Mathias was watching her intensely, but there seemed something different about him. Something in his eyes, they shone with fervor and concern but there was a softness there she had not seen before. “Mathias…” she softly whispered his name and closed her eyes with relief. She vaguely recalled the fall and a chill returned making her desperately reach out. Just to know they were real and alive, and she wrapped her arms around him burying her face in his neck.
She breathed him in and sighed, the sensation of protection returning to her. “You saved me,” she breathed emotionally, holding on tighter and his hand reached out to lightly brush her back. She looked back up at him and everything moved slowly. Her heart began to drum madly and it seemed to be the only sound she could make out. She felt like she was falling again. Hands tightened behind him at the emotion that came out of nowhere
He groaned and she stopped, every emotion moved to the back of her mind. “Are you alright?” she asked and put her hand to his face again, to examine him closely. He looked pale. Then she realized something else, he had removed his clothes to keep her warm and safe. She looked around, and quickly sat up. Covering herself, she was torn between moving away and staying near him.
He had made sure she would be safe risking himself. Her senses returned to her, her cheeks colored to a furious red and she bit her lip. “I’m sorry, I should have followed you. This is my fault,” she said quickly, guilt filling her. Looking around, she could see the water surrounding them, assuming that’s what had broken their fall. Further up, she could see they had taken quite a drop and more guilt was added.
“How long have we been here? Now we will never see what you were searching for… I’m so sorry,” she apologized and found her clothes, they were still somewhat damp, but quickly began to dress anyway. “Our men are probably mad with worry,” she rushed out, forcing herself not to look back. “I’m sorry…” she said again, not knowing what else to say.
Mathias:
Noticing that the lady was up. Mathias got back in his now dried armor. The looking at Sorsha he said, "My Lady, it does my heart good to see you in good shape." Noticing that she was still shivering, and her face flushed, he then said, "My Lady please keep the surcoat, though it does not provide much warmth it does at least provide some.” With that he stood up, and finished arming himself. Then trying to step towards the lady to aid her in getting up, he noticed that he had a very bad limp in his left leg. Slowly stumbling closer and closer the pain grew greater, but he would swallow it, and continue on his way.
“My Lady,” he said. “We must continue on our way. We have no idea what might make this cavern their home but I don’t intend to find out if anything does.” Then grabbing her by the hand he helped her up, and halfway carrying her started towards a stair spiral staircase he spotted earlier while exploring the cave. Upon reaching the stair case he noticed a bookcase, along with what must have been a guards chair next to it, seemingly untouched by time and war. Opening it up he found a book called, “The Book of the Immaculate.” Then he realized. “My Lady those people in the pub. They called themselves the immaculate. Though they would never say so themselves, I know it must have something to do with this book.” Mathias then took the book, and hid it under his mail.
Having stored the book, the two continued their way up the stairs, slower than last time. BUT halfway up the stair case they became calmer having noticed that these stairs were built much sturdier, and they were able to relax as they climbed.
Thirty minutes would pass before they finally reached the top, only to find it a dead end. “Damn now what, “said Mathias taking a seat on the top stair.
Sorsha:
His limp had not gone unnoticed and she visibly winced. He seemed to want to press on and she didn’t argue with his logic. She did not want to find out what crawled these parts either.
At least they had found something, he seemed intrigued enough by the book and that satisfied her, at least it wasn’t all for naught. She kept giving him sidelong glances but couldn’t say anything else for fear she would ramble on, like she always did when she was nervous. Then he would see right through her bravery. Shivering, she tried to clamp her mouth shut and hide that from him as well. When they reached the top of the stairs, he sat and she was grateful for a bit of a rest, at least for him. It took some weight off his leg and she tried to busy herself with looking for a way out.
Had he noticed her odd reaction? She must have appeared so insensitive to him, especially after he had saved her life…now she felt like a complete ungrateful idiot. She groaned miserably at the thought and he looked up, wondering what was wrong and she shook her head as if telling him nothing and continued looking. There came an awkward silence on her part. Examining the wall, she tried to feel her way around to see any abnormalities in the surface – Which was almost impossible every part was abnormal. She gave up and leaned on the wall. Then her gaze wandered and she watched him.
Despite what Mathias said, how could he not realize how unselfish he was? He had literally jumped in after her, when he could have just let her go and save himself instead. Then if that had not been enough, he had made sure she was warm and well, without a care to how he was. The image returned as they lay there by the fire and her cheeks reddened so much, her face grew hot and she could feel it creep to her ears.
Suddenly there was a grinding noise and she slowly slid to the wall. She moved away quickly skittering to the other side and he looked up at her with a bit of surprise. The wall slowly rose to reveal an opening. “I think I found the door, only I have no idea what I did,” she admitted at a loss and shrugged.
Mathias:
Turning around to see the wall opening up, Mathias couldn't help but try and jump up in surprise. Then grabbing her hand yet again he drags her inside the room.
Looking around the room he noticed that they had wandered back onto the battlegrounds. The floor once again stained with blood, though this room not nearly as bad as the rest of the castle.
The bodies seemed to be placed in a defensive stance around a central body. Perhaps this Lord Qubel we read about. The bodies littered with decaying arrows, they must have fallen were they stood before anything retaliation could happen. These bodies however lacked the all seeing eye, realizing this those were the symbol must have been the attackers.
Moving closer to the center body he realized that it was holding a book. Mathias then tried to pry the book from the body, and after a few minutes of constant tugging he succeeded. Dusting off the cover he read the name Lord Qubel.
Then walking back over to Sorsha he decided to pull up two chairs for each of them to sit in, and read this book. In order to see the contents.
Sorsha:
She waited a distance away as he dragged the chairs closer to her. When he was satisfied, he motioned for her to sit but something caught her attention and she looked ahead, over his shoulder. Directly behind him stood an extremely handsome man, he stared at her and smiled sadly. Then he held out his hand out as if trying to reach for her. That’s when she noticed it. She could see clear through him to the wall in the back of the room and her eyes grew as wide as they would go and her mouth dried up. Blanching, she paralyzed on the spot and only had enough sense to tug on Mathias’ arm. She was tugging hard, and he wasn’t even paying attention. She managed to tear her gaze away from the see through being to Mathias but he wasn’t moving.
It was as if he stood frozen by time. Gasping with shock, she swallowed hard and dropped her arm. The apparition approached her and she took a step back and moved into the chair. It fell over to the ground and she kept backing up with fear.
“My love…” he spoke hoarsely, his voice like rustling dried leaves. “You have come back to me.”
Sorsha panicked and shook her head to say no, she looked again but Mathias was not moving. Her palms clamped into fists and she prepared to defend herself, only she had no idea what it was.
She couldn’t move anymore and was pressed against the wall, the entire time this thing had only closed the distance between them. He attempted to touch her, and when he neared her face, his hand passed right through her cheek and she whimpered closing her eyes. Then he dropped his hand with obvious disappointment and let out a mournful wail. “Forgive me…” he pleaded and she opened her eyes again. “I fought to protect what was important. I thought I was successful… but I that is proven to be untrue. You are here and I am not.”
She was confused by his words and slowly started to look back at him, there was no recognition in her eyes. She had no idea who this was and why he thought he knew her, his love? “Wh…who are you?” she managed to voice with a tremble and he smiled. “I will make you remember,” he said cryptically and passed straight through her. She felt her entire body freeze and then it warmed. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, Mathias was standing directly in front of her. He appeared confused, asking questions and looking extremely concerned. She couldn’t really hear his questions all she could see was a perfect blending of the apparition’s face into Mathias’ face. She moaned with fear at the occurrence and abruptly fainted.
Mathias:
Barely managing to catch Sorsha before she hit the floor he decided to lye her up against the wall next to him. Mathias then took out the book and began to read. As he began to skim though the book he began to realize that this was the personal journal of one Lord Qubel.
It told of how he and a group of colonist had left the island of Raviel, and went to the northern part of the larger island to the north. There he and his 1000 follower built a prospered for nearly a decade. It continues though that about 15 years after the initial founding of his small city of Qubel, he and his entire city lost contact with the rest of the world. Thinking about it, Mathias realizes that this time coincides with the abandonment of Dwilight in the past. The mysterious invasion of the continent, and the shadow that would cover the islands until the recolonization effort.
Having gone back to reading the journal it continued. Apparently Lord Qubel commissioned the building of a great lighthouse that would be garrisoned at all times so that they may single down any passing ships that went by. The funny thing though is that the book says that about 2 years would pass without any ships coming near the island. However it continues; he speaks of a dark cloud approaching the island, and then of a small ship washing up on shore near the lighthouse. The ship containing only a decaying corpse with strange marks on it. Apparently the Commander at the lighthouse ordered the body buried on the island near the lighthouse. Lord Qubel then speaks of weeks passing without any other signs of life outside the island, and also of how the dark clouds only got closer and closer. But then he says in the 20th year of the founding of Qubel that a small fleet could be scene approaching the island. He says that the celebration that had been called for the day were called off, and he ordered the people prepare for a possible attack. And indeed an attack would come.
Strange nameless creatures would come off the boats, horrors, undescribable, he says that these thing can only be seen in ones nightmares. Skipping ahead a few pages Mathias continued to read about a battle brewing between him and the creatures. Apparently fearing for both his wife and son he sent them ahead to the lighthouse believing it to be a much more defensible area. He then speaks of the fall of the outer walls of his city, and the slaughter of the soldiers, and then the unspeakable. They returned to life slowly becoming the monstrosities that had slayed them. For some reason though, he writes (clearly in a hurry as if it wouldn’t be long before the creatures would reach him) that the creatures ignore the population around them and only went after the soldiers and the castle itself.
He then writes that this will most likely be his last entry. It says that he has entrusted his most loyal subject with his journal, and an order for his son. And finally he speaks that he failed his people. He has failed to protect them, and is most horrible folly was that he sent his wife and son with the army. If they were caught, he fears, with the army they too might become these horrible beasts that had attacked.
The book then continued though. Apparently it had reached his son. It read, I Lord Nebel, son of Lord Qubel have been given full control of the army, my father last request however was to flee south and rebuild there, and I shall do as I was asked. There have also been some refugees arriving from Qubel. They speak of the good lord being possessed by some spirit, he apparently ordered a draft, and said all those who avoided it would be killed. They speak of their neighbors going to the castle and coming back completely different people. They look the same, but are somehow different. Like they aren’t really themselves anymore. He then speaks of rumors of how the monsters had already left for Port Raviel, and were far from the island by this time.
Skimming over the next pages it speaks of how he had lead the army south along with the refugees, and founded a new city in the farthest south point on the island. Naming it after himself like his father did, it was called Port Nebel. Years would go by, and Lord Nebel would rebuild his father’s city, and build up the largest army he had ever seen. Apparently the entire populace, both male and female had been trained to use a weapon be it bow or sword. He speaks of the invention of the ballista, a large siege engine which could shoot 5 foot bolts over 1000 yards.
He speaks of a plan to retake his father’s city, and how he had started to send spies to infiltrate the city. Nebel then speak of how few spies ever returned, and the one that did were never the same. Some evil had taken hold of the city. The ones that were still sane spoke of how Lord Qubel had not seemed to age over the past 10 years that they had lived in the south. He had apparently the entire populace under his direct control. How they almost moved like a hive mind one would describe to Nebel.
Nebel writes that he knew it was time to retake his father’s lands. He ordered the creation of thousands of cloth emblems carrying his father’s seal be made and attached to the armor of his soldiers. However the worst then happened. The death of his mother, the Lady of Qubel, wife to Lord Qubel. His spirit was crushed, he had dreamed he wrote that he would be able to reunite his mother with her husband, and when the day came everything could go back to the way it was. A year of mourning would pass by before he finally decided that it was time to attack.
Looking up Mathias noticed that Sorsha was still sound asleep. He laid his head on her and continued to read. Skipping over the next few pages containing information on the siege, and the attack. HE had already seen the outcome, the death, he had no desire to read about it either. The final entry contained only a few lines. “I reached my father to find him guarded by 5 of his most loyal body guards. I ordered them shot with crossbows, and they immediately fell. I then approached my father, who had the most evil smile on his face. He said that he would return one day, that through this vessel he inhabits will be destroyed he would not be. He would return. I then stuck my dagger into my father body, and watched as the evil had been lifted from his body. Though my father stood dying I had the chance to say my goodbyes. He told me that I was now lord of the island, and that it was my duty to make sure that this evil never appeared again. He told me that the only way to lock the evil here forever was to burn the city to the ground, and leave it never to return, and so I have ordered, I have ordered the burning of my father’s city. By the time the night is over nothing shall remain, but ash and ruin. To those that may find this book know. Though you may sense an evil within these halls, it cannot harm you. It has been locked away forever. But please leave this place at once if only to honor my father’s sacrifice. The book then ends.
Mathias then turns back to Sorsha, and begins to shake her. It was time to leave. As Sorsha slowly began to wake up, Mathias decided to take this book along with him too.
Sorsha:
She stirred and the smell of the ruins returned to her and she became very still. She slowly opened her eyes and noticed she was now on the floor. “What happened?” she touched her forehead, she remembered Mathias bringing her a chair, but how did she end up on the floor? Closing her eyes, she tried to recall something, but there seemed to just be a gap in her memory. Mathias started to rise and she followed. Holding herself up onto the wall, she tried to fight back the sudden nausea and she looked around confused.
Looking back to the arrangement of bodies in front of them, she felt an immense sadness fill her and a lump formed in her throat. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears and she wiped her cheek, stunned. “Can we get out of here now?” she asked softly. This was an adventure she was sure to never forget, so much seemed to have happened but it wasn’t like any adventures she had imagined. “We need to take you to the nearest healer” she said firmly, making note of his injured leg. She wrapped an arm around his waist forcing him to lean into her so he could walk easier.
Mathias:
The two left the room through the main entrance to find themselves next to the stair case that they had fallen through earlier. Taking more precautions than the time before the two descend from the top, and quickly exit the castle to find that their men were still outside waiting for them. Looking towards Dame Sorsha, Mathias whispered, "I bet you never expected something like that to happen eh?" With that Mathias mounted his horse with the aid of Sorsha and the two rode off with their units towards Qubel Lighthouse.
The feelings for Sorsha that Mathias felt grew stronger that day, and he knew that this woman one day would be his, it seemed to be destiny in his mind. He only wondered if she yet felt the same way about him.
Sorsha:
After making sure Mathias was taken care of, Sorsha continued on her way to the Lighthouse with her men. She had been there several times, but a part of her felt a fascination for everything around her, as if seeing them through different eyes. Trying to ignore the sensation, she concentrated on what she was going to do once she arrived.
She would settle in and seek out Sir Colin. After the ‘adventure’ she just went through, she figured what she was about to do should be easy but she still felt uneasy. As if she was betraying her cousin Kaylan. Reuniting her with Malcolm wasn’t exactly betrayal was it, well at least she would attempt to.
This made her think of what had happened and she visibly shivered. She wrapped her arms around herself and realized she still wore Mathias’s coat. Rolling her eyes at her inattentiveness, she made note to have it sent to him as soon as she could.
She replayed all that happened, but she still had a hole in her memory, a blur. Mathias had retrieved the journal from Lord Qubel’s remains, but how had she gone from the chair to the floor in a fraction of a second? And why did she feel such an immense sadness for the place when she virtually had no idea what had happened there. The next time she saw Mathias she would ask him for the book, to see what was written inside.
She neared the main area and noticed other camps. Ordering her men to set up similar camp, she began to survey the area and found a runner. Giving him a silver coin, she instructed him to return the clothing to Sir Mathias and to extend her gratitude.
When the men were done, she slipped into her tent and found her cot. She quickly fell into a deep sleep. Her dreams were filled with a beautiful castle and a handsome man who smiled at her adoringly. Quickly the image turned to ruin, the castle filled with blood and the man’s face faded into nothingness until she woke screaming. When she realized she was back in her tent, she slumped to the blankets in defeat and blew air out of her mouth feeling mortified, hoping Jorg wouldn’t come running to see what had her in a panic. He never showed and she relaxed. Then she was shocked at how everything had felt so real. She tossed and turned the rest of the night hoping to find some rest but she unable to find sleep again.
