[IRP] The Dead One Calls

[Swift_Assassin]

As Paige helped Maisie to her feet, Shad realized that there were probably some questions that needed to be answered. So, he decided to preempt them as she calmed down. "Everyone, this is Maisie. I hired her to serve as the personal healer to myself and my cousin Lennox, when I was eight. So, uh. That little...uh, 'mom' comment...well, she took on the unofficial role as our guardian and mother figure. Coincidentally, her daughter was the sister in the Tanian church where I got fixed up. She was the one who warned me about the missive concerning out Santaruz breakout."

Maisie had calmed down enough to hear both Cecily and Ambrose's suggestion, and immediately shook her head. "No. I'm not going there. I-I..." She looked down trying to keep composed. "You need someone useful, and my staff is not with me. I wouldn't be able to heal you."

Shad was oblivious what exactly was going on. "What, is the village not safe?" He asked.

"No it's safe, for now," She replied. Then it dawned on her. She let out a small chuckle. "What did he say to call you? Young pup, was it?" Shad's eyes widened, hearing that nickname from her was completely alien to him. Was it Wolfram or Marcus who told her that? "Your safehouse isn't in the village. It's Burg Castle."

"Oh. It's the castle." he paused. "I own a castle." He looked at the sign and saw the sign pointing out the castle aiming the same direction as the fork in the map. "What."

"And...a band of brigands seized the castle." Shad turned his head towards Maisie, staring at her as if she grew a second head. "They...they have Maria, Lowell, and some of the servants." He looked back at the path and began walking down in, absentmindedly. He sniffed the air shortly after to find a rather horrid stench. Before Maisie could speak the last bit of bad news, he turned his head towards the source. "And they slaughtered the soldiers. And..."

Shad took two steps forward and dropped to his knees. In front of him was a mutilated torso, severed at the midsection. It was wearing teal armor plates that were very damaged. The face on the head attached to said torso bared a variety of bad scars, one on the cheek, across the bridge of the nose, and one just adjacent to the now empty left eye socket. The other eye was covered up with a grey wrap. The hair was a similar shade to that of Maisie, but the exact same shade as his spymaster Cassandra. He looked back down from the face, only to see a mass of insects working their way on his body where he was split it twain. He turned his head away and vomited in the ground next to him. Death was something he dealt with before. The man scorched to death by Dyrnwyn in Tania was disturbing and unsettling. But he never had a personal attachment it. He felt some warmth dripping down his face. He was crying. "Why Marcus? You said we'd meet again here? Why did you have to go and do this?" He began pleading, punching the ground next him. His eyes shot back open when he recalled Maisie's words. He jumped back up and darted towards Maisie. "These BASTARDS" he shouted. "They have my sister?! When did this happen?! Maisie?!"

"They took over the castle four nights ago. Marcus and I were stuck in town overnight, so we were spared, initially. Marcus noticed...the bodies on the way back the following day and told me to return to the village. Later that day, he...well," She said, alluding to his sorry state. "This morning, or perhaps last night, I don't know. They...they posted a ransom about two 'noble brats' and that if it wasn't paid by the end of the week, they were going to sell them to the highest bidder...along with the staff." Shad's eyes flickered with a reckless gaze, and he quickly turned away from her. But Maisie grabbed his hand. "Don't start running off now, you have people to help you. Have them HELP you."

Shad turned back towards Maisie for a second and then towards his companions. He looked at Taika, who shook her head. "I'll stay behind. Not that I don't have confidence in you, but I'm going to try to get some money together in case a ransom is needed."

He turned towards the others. "This is my fight, so I won't look upon you poorly for refusing. I'd probably end up killing myself unless someone can deter me from my bad ideas. But I think it's time we kill someone who deserves it instead of someone doing their job." Unless it's only Paige. Her ideas are as bad as mine.