VG Rumble

Raven

By the time we arrived, half the cages were already open but no move had been made to handle the others. At first I wondered why and then I saw the cell at the very end and quickly averted my eyes. Deal with the living first and then mourn for the dead. Wielding my club, I moved to the last few cages and with the help of Warren and Luke, released the rest of the children. Those closest to the final cell were only too happy to hurry towards the other end of the vast cavern as the lock fell to the floor.

"What are you doing?" Luke demanded as I took the first swing, cracking the final padlock. I didn't answer. I swung again and the metal fell to the floor, fragmenting and splintering as it hit the base rock.

"Raven..." Warren hesitated, not quite sure what to say. I put my mace down and pulled the bars back, opening the cell as I tried to ignore the rancid smell of decay that hung in the air. The bodies were not arranged in any manner but instead piled unceremoniously one on top of another, crammed towards the back of the cage to make room for more. I picked the first up - a dark haired boy of fourteen or fifteen and almost dropped him. He was still warm. His corpse was so thin and so pale that the cause of death - starvation - was obvious. And by the look of the other bodies - mostly mutilated, some missing limbs, all splattered in blood - probably voluntary. Had he seen the fate the others had befallen and decided on a kinder path for himself? How tragic that it could not have been more than an hour or two earlier that his body was added to the pile.

Ilum helped Karana to her feet who clung to him. Sighing he said, "Raven, step out of there. I have an idea."

Slowly she replied and stepped from the cage. "What are you going to do?"

Ilum raised his hand. Slowly cold air began to blow from it hitting the bodies. Soon Ice began to form around the corpses. When he was done he focused for a bit and the ice crystallized. "There, I crystallized the ice with magic. Now time wont wither the bodies any more."

"Thank you." Raven gave him a huge hug only pulling Karana closer too.

"Why do you get the girls?" Asked Warren sarcastically. Raven giggled, but Karana only blushed.

Ilum kissed her forehead, "Lets get out of here."

Karana

I took hold of his hand as we all left that cave, trying to leave the memory of those dead faces behind us. I steadily wipes at the tears, but the flow wouldn't stop. I managed a small smile when Ilum squeezed my fingers; I guessed he was trying to be supportive.

I lost track of how far we had traveled, and then, suddenly there was light. We were outside, facing the village. The sun was slowly sinking towards the horizon; had we spent all day in the cave? Now that I thought about it, it was possible. We had just been too preoccupied to notice.

I waited for someone to break the silence, for I knew I wouldn't be able to. All I wanted to do was scream and cry some more, let go of the sadness of those children's deaths and the anger at the fact that I couldn't save them.

I hid my face in Ilum's shoulder as someone - I couldn't tell who - moved to speak.

Raven

Luke moved towards the crowd.

"The task is done," he announced, "the husks are dead and those we could save are free."

"Those you could save?" one woman asked, searching the huddle of children behind us. "What do you mean those you could save? Where's Jenny? Where's my Jenny?" Other parents rushed forward to greet their own children and I knew I couldn't face the few who had nothing but a body. And at the moment they didn't even have that.

I tried to slip away but then a tall, broad shouldered man grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me roughly.

"Where's Jamie? Where are the other children you wretched woman?" I began to cry silently and when I could produce no answer, he shook me harder.

"Stop. Stop that!"

Karana

I clenched my fist. This was too much.

"Karana?" Ilum asked, putting his hands on my shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Let me go a moment," I whispered, breathing slowly. "They have to know."

"What?"

"Just do it."

He reluctantly freed me, and I turned to the crowd. It had to be done. It would mean more crying, but I doubted anyone else would do it.

"I'm sorry for those who have no one to greet," I swallowed as the tears began to rise again. "It tears me apart to tell you this...Your beloved children are dead."

(Looks like you've all been busy. Just so you know, I don't post on the weekends.)

The man holding onto Raven's shoulder stiffened. "...My son is dead?"

"I'm sorry, sir," Raven said. "There was nothing else we could do."

The man's face began to fill with anger. "Sorry!? My son is dead, you witch!"

Luke took the man's hand and pried it off of Raven's shoulder. Raven hadn't seen him approach. When he grabbed the man's arm it caught him off guard.

"We are all greatly pained that we could not save everyone, but the fact remains that we risked our lives to save those who still draw breath. I understand the agony you are experiencing from the loss of your son, but do not take it out on us."

The man grunted and stormed away.

Luke turned to the Raven and the others. "We should leave."

"But, we just saved all these people," Warren said. "Shouldn't we get some sort of reward?"

"These disappearances have been happening weeks before our arrival. There have been many more who suffered the same fate as the corpses we saw in that cave. We may have saved these people from the Husks, but the number is outweighed by those we could not save. These people will mourn for their loved ones, demanding compensation will only make things worse right now."

What, now we're posting too often for you?

Raven

"I think we should go," I agreed quietly and Ilum nodded, taking hold of Karana's hand once more and leading her away. Warren began to follow us reluctantly, head down, shoulders drooped and clearly not happy with how the situation had developed. But then who amongst us was?

"Thank you, Luke," I whispered, wrapping my arms around my waist in an attempt to still my body that still shook with the aftermath of the man's rage and my own internal guilt.

"No. Thank you. Thank you all. You have achieved a great victory today," Luke responded.

"Doesn't feel like it," Warren muttered. "At least people pretend to respect my father, they fear him, they..."

"But you know you've done good," Ilum broke in. "You know you've done the right thing and that should be enough."

Silence blanked the world. No one said anything, no one moved, not even the wind blew. For a time it seemed like the silence would last forever until Luke broke in, "We should get back to the cave."

Everyone nodded and they slowly made there way back. Karana looked like she was going to cry, but Ilum pulled her closer, "Don't worry. It's over."

"I know, but..." She couldn't finish because she started choking on her own tears.

Ilum whipped them away and kissed her forehead, "No one said it'd be easy or enjoyable. Because of us people were saved. If we didn't stop those things this village would have been destroyed."

Karana didn't reply. She simply rested her head on his chest and slowly and quietly wept. He put his hand on her head trying to comfort her as best he could.

Karana

I felt ridiculous, crying for forever over something we couldn't help...but it was involuntary. I couldn't help but mourn over the losses, over those children.

But here, in his embrace, I could feel hope, reassurance, trust...a brighter future was ahead of us. We would not fail so miserably again.

I stayed next to Ilum as he sat down with me, keeping even one arm around me. I felt safe, I felt better as he spoke softly in my ear. Words of comfort with the occassional kiss on my forehead was all I wanted, all I needed.

"It's not your fault," was the last thing I remember hearing him say, for I fell asleep listening to his heart beat.

Warren, Raven and Luke were talking while Ilum and Karana were sitting quietly against the wall.

"So, what are we looking for?" Warren asked.

"Yeah," Raven said, "We've dealt with all the Husks, so what's left to find in this place?"

"We don't have any leads as to where the Dark Knight is attacking from. If we look around, we may find something that can lead us in the right direction."

"What about Karana?" Raven asked.

Luke looked over her shoulder at Karana and Ilum before saying, "Let Ilum comfort her. Right now, we have a job to do."


They searched the cave for almost an hour. They had turned every rock and stone and they still didn't have any leads.

Warren sighed, "This is pointless. At this rate we're never going to find anything."

"Over here!" Warren and Raven found Luke kneeling in front of one of the fallen Husks.

"What is it?" Raven asked.

Luke showed them a chunk of metal that was taken off of the Husk's body. "This."

"What about it?" Warren asked.

"This is no ordinary metal. It's serpentine rock mixed with trace amounts of jade and silver. This combination of materials can only be found in the mines north of Rabanastre, the neighboring nation of Arkadia."

"But I thought the Dark Knight only found these things and reactivated them," Warren said.

"He had to have found the Husks somewhere," Luke said. The mines are a good place to start. But, if he found some sort of factory for these things and got it up and running, Arkadia wouldn't stand a chance. If that happens, it's up to use to find that factory and destroy it."

Raven

"Then we know our heading," I said.

"Yes, we'll leave in half a day," Luke decided as we headed back to the others, Luke carrying the piece of the Husk.

"Shouldn't we let the king know of this first?" Warren wondered.

"We'll send a messenger," Luke said.

"Good idea. I'll go to the village for some supplies and some horses," I decided.

"Are you sure you can face them?" Warren asked. I nodded nervously.

"I'll go with you," Luke said. "There's a few things I'll have to sort out before I leave here. Some people I need to talk to."

Ilum held onto Karana even as she slept. Luke and Raven left leaving Warren behind. He quietly made his way over to the two.

"She sleeping?"

Ilum nodded as he slowly stroked her hair, "What's up?"

Warren took a seat, "How'd you defeat the husk, before the boss. Only thunder was supposed to work, right?"

"I guess it depends on why you're fighting." Ilum looked down at Karana. When she was hit he went into a furious rage even though he knew he couldn't do anything. "It would seem when you fight for one you care about, your power is limitless."

Warren gave a respectful huff, "You may be right, or just bullshitting. Either way, it worked."

They continued to talk in silence until Luke and Raven returned saying it was time to go.

(Come on people, I'm keeping it alive, but i need some help. Any one out there?)

I was hoping Kitty and Dynamo would write what they did in the village...I don't want this to die either!

I was sort of waiting for Dynamo to post but I suppose I could...

Raven

Once we reached the main entrance of the town, Luke gave me some coins towards the supplies and said he'd meeet me at the stables in an hour before hurrying off to complete whatever unfinished business he had. I approached the shops cautiously, well aware of the whispers that followed me down the road. By the time I'd entered the first shop, a small boy was trailing me and I felt terribly uncomfortable.

"Excuse me, could I get a few loaves of bread, please."

"You'll have to be a bit clearer than that my dear," the shop keeper grumbled.

"Oh. Umm. I think three should be enough." He nodded, packed them in some paper and then placed them on the counter. I carefully lifted them into the saddle bag I had with me and counted out the money.

"George?" A soft, feminine voice preceded its owner as a woman came through from the back. She paused as she reached the counter and I looked down, trying to avoid her gaze.

"You. You was one of them," the woman accused.

"I.. I..."

"George, you're not thinking of charging her are you? Shame on you!" The shop keeper took a second look at me and shook his head.

"No, of course not. Forgive me, I didn't realise... thank you. You saved my boy. I simply couldn't take money from you."

After that, things were a little awkward but in the end, they absolutely refused to accept any of the coins I offered them and I was met with a similar response in the next shop and the next. Those whose children I had not saved, knew of families who I had helped and by the time I reached the stables, I was so unbelievably happy and carrying a few small gifts as well as the supplies. Luke was late so I chose a few horses and when he arrived, he inspected them, nodded, paid a third of the price ('couldn't possibly ask for more') and together we headed back to the others.