Ghost Stories

We started forward, on forethought I pulled my cloak closed. "I'm scouting ahead, you three walk slowly." I started forward swiftly and pulled my hood up. Free of my burden I was able to look inside of the small dilapidated buildings leading up to the fallen Monastery. They were full of rubble, a corner of the ceiling fallen in here, part of a wall missing there. Four building in all, two on each side. Each building looked as if it was once a lecture room. Broken benches in rows, battered bookshelves along side the same respective walls. There were pillars outside, destroyed, some writing still survived, but useless to me, a few lone letters. Nothing that could be pieced together. There was one oddity on a pillar. It looked like claw marks. As if a giant claw tore through and slashed this pillar. 

Stepping back I turned my head toward the Monastery, looking for something, anything to give further clues. It was at that moment I saw something. Pure whiteness on a green stem, resting on a cut slab of stone. I quickly checked for movement, and sound other than the approaching incessant chatter of Lim and Alloriah, sensing nothing I ran to the slab of stone, and the whiteness.

I knelt down and stared. What was this flower doing here? Freshly cut, and very hard to find, in a climate such as this it must be cultivated carefully. It is only known to grow around graves as well. Mayhaps another clue to what has happened here? 

There was an inscription on the stone was well. Battered by the weather, and covered with grime it was nearly impossible to read. I tried though, very hard. Without cleaning it was not possible. With a sigh I looked around the ground searching for a trace of a footprint, or for all I cared a paw print. Nothing, and I had already mauled a portion of the ground with my own boots. Silently chastising myself I arose. These were the kind of mistakes Master Crow spoke of.

I made my way back toward the group as they were coming to the crest of the hill. Walking alongside Lim for a moment I listened to him, apparently I was sneaking around leaving them open for attack. I suppose I should be flattered at his opinion of me in a fight. Though I feel the true meaning behind his words. Taking off my hood I told them of what I found, and warned them not to touch the flower. It was a private pleasure in watching Lim jump sideways, and the others startle back.

We made our way to the Monastery, and inside. The outside was horrendous, but inside; inside was worse. It was also full of despair. Rubble filled every corner, there were stairs leading up to the bell tower, they seemed sturdy enough. There were also rooms off shooting to the left and right. Looking around the main area it was apparent where an alter once stood, no more...pews, some of them still stood,while most were crumbled. Windows lined the walls devoid of glass. But most obvious of all, a huge bell lie on the floor directly under its tower, a fine crack running up its side. Larger than even Lim's massive size it drew our reverent attention for some time.

But reverence can only go so far. It can not protect us from what might be lurking in the shadows. I pointed that out to them, and we continued our exploration inside. One side led to a smaller private prayer room, also in ruins, nothing of use to be found. The other side seemed to be similarly devoid of clues, a teaching room though, with plant life taking over. Upon closer inspection there was a door hidden behind a bookcase. Warding were scraped into the wood.

Alloriah and Lim were able to ascertain that they were protective, something about keeping spirits in, but nothing more than that. We decided to open and explore inside, but not before Alloriah summoned Demeterious by her side first. I checked the door for traps, and upon finding none, nodded toward Lim to open it. It did not swing open but fell off its hinges. Another slab of wood was placed behind where the door once stood closed. Demetreious growled as Lim lifted the door and placed it to the side.

Taking a moment to discuss if we were all ready, and still willing to go down, we agreed. Demeterious was to stay at the top of the stairs for he was unwilling to ascend with us. Lim would move the wooden slab, and I was to take point. Alloriah and Vernin would be in the middle with torches. Upon reflection it may have been wiser to have payed more attention to Demeterious' reaction than explored further in.

Lim lifted the wooden slab, which turned out to be a table. Scratch marks raked the underside of it, hundreds of scratch marks. Looking back at the others, trepidation began to knot my stomach. Stairs led down. As I started down a gust of air rushed up to meet me. It felt of death, old death. The walls on both side of the stairs were gouged with scratch marks, much more than on the underside of the table. Taking a moment to examine them, they were made by someone, or many someones going down these stairs. I told the others, and continued down. It took only moments but soon the stairs ended and a room opened.

In the torch light there were skeletons literally encasing the walls of the room. Hand raised to my mouth, and I uttered a small prayer. Alloriah let out a cry, and Vernin's torch began to shake, Lim let out a low whistle. The center of the floor seemed to be dirt. Looking over my shoulder I told Vernin to go back upstairs with Demeterious, he handed the torch and literally fled the scene. Alloriah and Lim refused to enter further, seeing that there was nothing to be gained from standing here looking in, I took the torch from Alloriah, and stepped down onto the dirt.

Fully expecting something to reach up and grab my ankle, I stepped lightly as possible. Hand on the hilt of my dagger, and walked closer to the bones. Most of them were in a sitting position. Children of every size were once here, as well as a few adult skeletons. Fifty children, easily, were here. Five, ten adult bones, mayhaps they were only older children brought down to tend to the smaller ones. the walls here were smooth, not a scratch mark. As I stood in the center of the room I closed my eyes for a moment. Where I come from fifty children could be the entire new generation born in over a century.

I moved further in toward the bones, it was easier to think of them, to remember them, as just some bones. Looking for anything, jewelry, parchment, a journal. Anything to shed light on why this had happened. Nothing. I searched for a entire half hour, with nothing to learn from it. Disgusted with the lack of information. I told the others that there was nothing to be found here. Lim was becoming nervous, as was Alloriah. I conceded, and followed them back up the stairs. Walking up the stairs I looked down and saw a fingernail lying on one of them, a shiver went down my spine. It became apparent just what made all the scratch marks now. Shaking my head, I continued up. Once outside, the table was replaced, and the door was set back over it. Alloriah said a prayer for the souls inside.

I turned my back to the door trying to calm my rising emotions.

After she was done, Lim brought up the fact that we were here to fortify this place. I nodded to him, agreeing. Vernin seemed calmed at the thought also. After some discussion, and examining the whole Monastery, we had a rough plan. Cover for the front windows could be made from boards found around the backside. Broken pottery with growth would be placed around the inside. I would set up caltrops inside the front windows and in a semicircle thirty feet outside the entrance. A rope trap would be set inside the entrance way as well. Lim also got it into his head that pointed sticks inside the windows behind the slates was a good idea. Time consuming, and he was left to it alone.

It was soon made clear to us that the boards were far too heavy to move by hand, mayhaps dragged with some animal help, but by ourselves it wouldn't happen. After a brief discussion Alloriah and I went off back down the hill into the woods where we last saw the herd of horses. A short search led us face to face with the herd. Alloriah enlisted the aid of the stallion. I looked him over for a owner mark, and found one. I assumed that it belonged to the Countess. Alloriah was worried about using her horse, but I assured her that after we were done with his assistance he would be set back to the herd. My assurance worked, and she rode him swiftly back to the Monastery, leaving me to sprint on my own two legs. Lim greeted us at the entrance with warnings of angering the Countess.

"You stole one of her horses?!? You can be arrested and put to death."

Alloriah laughter and happiness immediately left. She looked to the ground, silent, as usual.

"No. We did not steal anything, nor shall we steal from the Countess, Lim. We are borrowing the use of her horse. Alloriah asked his help and he apparently agreed. After we're done he's to go back to his herd."

"You can die if she accuses you of stealing. Hell, you can die if the horse gets hurt!"

Aloriah voice whispered in, "But we're not stealing Lim."

A few more minutes discussion left Lim throwing his hands up, and a grin passing between Alloriah and myself. I made a harness for the stallion and with his massive assistance in a few hours the boards were in place and the sun was moving across the sky turning it a fierce auburn. Untying the rope harness I checked the stallion for wounds, with none found I gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. Alloriah spoke to him again and he was gone with a whinny.

We set up camp that night in the center of the Monastery a small fire flickering. Over dinner and shortly into the night I began to tell ghost stories. Feeling it was only fitting in such a area. Also, mayhaps unnerving Lim would shake him from waggling his tongue. It is only fair to mention the stories I spoke were ones I found fascinating as a young child.

Sleeping in shifts keeping watch at the top of the bell tower the night went on. Morning came to pass and we continued fortifying the Monastery. I took some time to scrub off the grime. And eventually the words came to life again. It was a inscription about a battle here, forgiveness about a misunderstanding, and honouring of a man by the name of Darkcrow. The flower left here still caught my attention. Where did it come from, whom brought it, and how soon would they be back? By noontime our meager fortifications were complete. After some discussion over our meal we decided to pay a visit to the Countess. For mayhaps she would be able to tell us some more information on what had happened here.