Strange Goings on at Cove

[Salick Kaysen]

(A little write up of some great spontaneous RP that happened last night.)

“Don’t do it Grazgorn! It’s not worth it!” Mela said urgently. She was on the barracks roof with Salick and Grimwar, and also the recently returned Grazgorn, who was totally insane.
   “Please come down Grazgorn, we can help, it’s not worth it, really.”
Grazgorn screamed in anguish suddenly, but instead of flinging himself off the roof, he ran past the three onlookers and down the barracks stairs. They pursued him quickly down the stairs. Mela and Grimwar checked the inside while Salick rushed outside the check the streets. Finding nothing, he returned inside to find Mela comforting Grazgorn in a corner. Grimwar was standing over them, looking concerned.

Salick approached, but then returned closer to the doorway to block it, should Grazgorn make another escape attempt. Grazgorn suddenly pulled a blade from his rags and began slitting his wrists, over and over, screaming “They should have ended it! THEY SHOULD HAVE ENDED IT!!”

Mela gasped at the sudden violence.  “Bandages! Now!” she called. Grimwar stepped forward and handed her some, before stepping back closer to Salick. Mela began wrapping Grazgorns wrists. He was losing a lot of blood and fading fast.

While Meal’s back was turned, Grimwar turned suddenly to Salick. His eyes had turned entirely black, and as Salick watched in disbelief, Grimwar slowly began to turn to smoke. It began with his feet, and worked its way up his body, until Grimwar was just a man-shaped cloud of black smoke. And inside this ominous cloud, his eyes were still solid and real, black globes staring into Salicks soul. He tried to call out to Mela, but she was busy with Grazgorn, he wasn’t even sure if she heard him.

Grimwar approached Salick slowly. “You should kill him”. His voice had changed, it was near demonic now. Mela seemed totally oblivious, Salick backed toward the wall of the room, looking from Mela to Grim war’s new form.
   “It would be so easy, just put him out of his misery. Shoot him!”
Salick began to panic and tried to call for Mela again, but he had lost his voice entirely. The room seemed to get dimmer, colours fading as Grimwar approached. Salick looked around the room with alarm, over to Mela, so distant now, still tending to Grazgorns arms, oblivious. Salick then made the mistake of looking back to Grimwar, and meeting his eyes.

In that gaze the room suddenly seemed to spin, the colours fading faster now. Salicks hand slowly went to his back, and drew forth his bow. He was still staring into the eyes as his other hand began to go for his quiver for an arrow.
   “It would be so easy…” a voice said, perfectly clear to Salick, through all the rushing air that seemed to fill his ears. He could barely make out the sounds of the fire, or Grazgorns moans, but this voice was crystal.
   “Kill him! KILL HIM!”
Salicks eyes widened as his fingers touched the feathers of an arrows shaft. With an effort of sheer will, he forced his eyes to look over to Mela. Grimwar’s stare broken, colours quickly flooded back into the room. Salick looked about, as if he had just woken. He stared confusedly at the bow in his hands.
   “Uhm…”
It was then that he realized that the figure of Grimwar was still standing in front of him, a cloud of smoke. Salick almost made the mistake of looking back into those eyes.
   “Mela..” he whispered. He was barely able to force the words from his lips.
   “You shall pay…know that, you shall pay for this…” Grimwars form growled as it floated another step closer.
   “Mela!” Salick tried to shout, the result a slightly more urgent whisper. Mela and Grazgorn were still oblivious to the scene going on behind them. Finally Mela’s ears twitched, and she turned sharply, still crouched. Grimwar vanished suddenly, the cloud of smoke disappearing instantly. A second later, Grimwar returned, eyes closed, before passing out on the floor.

[Salick Kaysen]

“What happened to him?” Mela asked
   “I didn’t touch him!” Salick said, looking to the bow still held ready in his hands. “He was…he was something else! He turned to smoke, and was talking different!”
Mela looked disbelievingly at Salick. Well, take him to the cells; he can sleep it off in there. Salick quickly put away his bow and dragged Grimwar to the cells. Dumping him inside, he quickly left and locked the door, and stood a few paces away, watching the sleeping form of Grimwar.

He did not watch for long. Grimwar soon stirred, and raised his head slowly.
   “Where…?” he whispered
   “You’re in a cell, wytch! In the barracks!”
   “Wher…wytch?” Grimwar groaned, holding his head and trying to steady himself. “I don’t remember anything…I…I was standing over Mela, and then I felt this cold feeling…”
   “Aye, how convenient! I SAW you do it, right in front of me!”
   “Do what?” Grimwar asked weakly
   “I don’t know! Turn evil! You were all smoky, and your voice was different! You said id pay, well not you’re the one that’s going to pay!”

At that moment, Kelly, Joey Lanai and Vince Valentine walked in.
   “So what’s all this this?” Joey asked.
   “He’s possessed sir! I saw it with my own eyes, he was all smoky-like, and his voice was different.”
   “What yer on about Sal” Vince asked.
   “Well just deal with it will ye?” Joey said, turning to leave the cells.
   “May I talk with him Sir?” Kelly asked suddenly.
   “Eh? I don’t see why not, just be careful..”

Kelly entered the cells slowly and began whispering with Grimwar. Salick turned and nudged Vince.
   “What?”
   “Vince! Theres something wrong! I’m telling you, he…he…CHANGED. He was just a cloud of smoke, and his eyes were pitch, and his voice, it was all different.” Salick said urgently, eyeing Kelly and Grimwar suspiciously. 
   “Hmm, that doesn’t sound too good.”
   “That not all of it….”
   “Eh? What else happened Sal?”
   “I looked into his eyes, like, met his stare, and…I don’t know…I don’t remember it. I just know that when I looked away, I had my bow drawn and was reaching for an arrow. I don’t even remember doing it. And he was just saying ‘Kill them! Kill them…it would be so easy’. So easy…” Salick whispered. Vince grabbed his shoulder, almost shaking him out of it.
   “That does sound bad. What should we do, hmm?”

Kelly suddenly exited the cell, and looked at Vince and Salick.
   “Well, what’s wrong with him?” Vince asked.
   “I need to talk to Joey” Kelly said, and began to walk to the door.
   “But…what’s…” Vince stared, but Kelly had already left.
Salick approached the cell door, bow drawn.
   “What have you done now? You’ve possessed her, haven’t you!?”
   “What? No..no I swear, I don’t remember anything of what you said, I don’t.”
   “Very convenient” Salick said, stepped away from the cells view.
   “Vince! What if he’s bewitched Kelly and now she’s off to bewitch Joey! This damn wytch could be trying to take over cove!”
   “By tha avatar! What if he has!?” Vince gasped.
Suddenly Grimwar was at the cell door, looking out through the bars at Salick and Vince.
   “Im telling you I haven’t. Anyway, if I had possessed her, surely I’d ask her to let me out of this cell?”

At that moment, Kelly and Joey returned.
   “Right, get him out of there. Were going to take him to the healers” Joey said as Kelly approached the door with a key. Vince and Salick looked at each other suddenly in alarm. Joey and Kelly slowly escorted a feeble Grimwar out of the cells.
   “SEE! He JUST said it! If he has possessed someone, surely he’d make them let him out! And look! Now he’s out!!” Salick said urgently. Kelly re-appeared at the cells door.
   “Could I have a hand please Vince?” She said and walked back out of the barracks.
   “Well, it’s going to be interesting, never being able to sleep again..” Vince said gravely, before walking out.

Salick quickly followed them down to Cove healers, sticking to the shadows. His ambitions to become a scout were coming in handy already. He slipped in through the door as Joey left. All the backs were turned, looking at Grazgorns arms, which had for some reason started bleeding again. Mela and the healer were fussing over him. Salick quickly slid along the wall and under one of the beds so he could see what would happen.

[Salick Kaysen]

Kelly walked over to Grimwar to see what she could do for him. He was still quite weak-headed. Mela suddenly stalked over to Kelly.
   “He’s in my charge, I’ll look after him.”
   “Fine! I was only trying to help!” Kelly said offended, and stormed out of the healers.
   “Urgh, go after her Vince would you?” Vince looked from Mela to Grimwar, who was still looking at his feet feebly.
   “Gladly”

Mela returned to help with Grazgorn. Grimwar slowly began to come round and regain his strength. He suddenly sat bolt upright, as if startled. Mela and the healer did not notice.
   “Salick is here…” He said slowly. “Inside I think…somewhere…”
   “What’s that Grim? Just a moment” Mela said, unaware of Grimwar’s sudden change.

Grimwar started to stalk about the healers, looking for Salick. Salick began to sweat, and noticed that the frame of the beds was empty underneath. He quickly tried to climb into the beds frame, holding his back and weight up with his hands and feet. It was a major exertion to keep still and out of the sight. Grimwar looked under the bed that Salick was in, and grunted. He did not see him. Salick let out a shallow sigh, but dared not lower himself back to the floor. Turning his head slightly, he could see Mela and the healer’s feet still over by Grazgorns bed. Turning over to look for Grimwars feet, his eyes widened as he stared straight into the bottom of a cloud of smoke.

   “I know you can hear me, wherever you are, Salick” The voice said. It seemed loud to Salick, but Mela and the healer with totally oblivious. Salick realized that only he must be able to hear the demons voice.
   “I know you’re here, and you won’t get away this time. You shall pay…” The voice said threateningly.
With a major exertion, Salick drew one of his hands from the frame and took his dagger out, readying it. He began to sweat and shake slightly at the exertion of keeping himself hidden inside the frame with only three limbs. The cloud moved closer to the bed Salick was hidden in, and he began to sweat even more. Salick was somehow aware that Grimwar knew of the knife, could feel the intended threat against him, and was smiling. Salick could not see Grimwar, except for his feet, but he knew somehow that he was smiling a callous smile.

The cloud was almost on top of Salick now, and he readied his dagger, to make whatever move came to him first, maybe he would go for the eyes. Yes, that seemed as good a plan as any.

The tension was suddenly pierced as Grimwar passed out. Salick saw the cloud flicker, and then suddenly return to the shape of two feet, which then slipped forward as Grimwar passed out on the bed. Mela had still not noticed, and Salick took the opportunity to lower himself from the bed, sneak to the door, and run.

When Grimwar woke, Mela was helping him up. He stared at the open door curiously, as did Mela, before falling asleep again.

Salick ran through the gates of cove, almost tripping over them he went through them so fast.
   “I’ve got to find Vince!” he thought as he ran as far away from Grimwar as he could get.