Young Writers Society

The afterlife was even worse than her first lifetime.

Ky was absolutely certain of that. She wasn't sure when she'd died. But she knew she must have. It wasn't physically possible to feel as utterly terrible as she did right now and still be alive. She was frozen clear through, every part of her numb, and yet in more pain than was imaginable. Each breath was a hard-fought battle.

They'd been doing this for at least fifteen years now.

They'd... they'd left... Tarr? Lord Tarr's Keep. He'd... they'd... Aleth. Aleth thrashed her within an inch of her life. Tarr had gotten bored of watching, she guessed, and took her even closer. Then he'd given Aleth a thorough thrashing as well.

Then... horses...

Now walking.

They hadn't stopped walking in a decade.

When she closed her eyes she was walking.

When she opened her eyes she was walking.

And yet they weren't going anywhere at all. Just. Snow. Ahead. Behind. Beneath.

"We're here little one," Tadaaki murmured.

Ky looked up, realizing that she was slumped against him as he supported most of her bodyweight. Right. Him. Aaki. Her friend.

They were where?

The gates of hell?

Why was it still so cold?

(I am just assuming Tarr would beat them all to a pulp but I'm totally good to edit this if it's ooc @GrandWild)

(Tarr definitely did)

Captain Bay patrolled the walls each night between the hours of ten and eleven. It was at that time the wolves usually started up, and it was at that time he most liked to hear them. There was a strange peace that came over him when he stared out at the lonely trees and listened to them sing. The Northern Realm had always seemed so empty to him, though he'd been born there and grew up sleeping in the same bed as six siblings with countless travelers lodging in the loft of his father's cottage throughout his childhood and well into his teens. There were plenty of people under his roof, but the village rarely had anyone in the square; everything was wide open but closed off at the same time.

The wolves brought some substance to the world from up here. Bay could almost see them bounding through the trees, kicking up snow in their wake as they bolted after a deer, or perhaps an elk. He had no doubt they appreciated just how alive they were, just as he did. They made sure the whole world knew it.

Bay was currently watching the front gate at his favorite spot, which was near one of the many fires spotting the walls but far enough away that his men could chat idly without feeling uneasy. He knew he was unnerving to some; he was sure none of them had ever seen him smile and he'd been told more than once that his eyes held nothing in them. He didn't mind that; he knew what he felt and who he was, even if others didn't. Those who mattered did know, though, and most others respected him even if they didn't.

The wolves had just begun howling when one of his guards shouted something, pointing down just below the gates. Bay peered down, blinking as he saw three tattered shapes huddled in the snow. "Who goes there?" he called.

(Let me know what their injuries might be so I know if I need to be chopping toes or something!)

(omg we getting more Bay this time around let's goooo)

Ky had lost all language skills. The words simultaneously felt like they held a knife to her throat and like they were ten thousand miles away at the same time. She tensed and shrank.

Tadaaki had his left arm hooked under her armpit to have her hefted unceremoniously off the ground. She'd faceplanted more than once and he was doing his best to keep her from doing it again, though Aleth was demanding even more support from his right arm. Right. Because he was the big man. The one who carried others.

Aleth straightened as he heard the voice. Right. This was his job. The fucktards he was with wouldn't be able to get them through these gates. "Please, sir! Mercy. We... we need help. Please."

(Hell yesss)

"Who are you and what is your business?" Bay asked. They certainly looked like they needed help, but policy was policy. Lord Ash wasn't the sort to compromise on security. He tried to get a better look. It seemed there were three men of varying ages down there, all emaciated and, from the looks of it, quite badly beaten. He turned to the guard who had yelled and ushered him over. "Run and tell Sera we have three unfortunates coming in. Bruising and possible frostbite, definitely starving. Get someone else to inform Lord Ash posthaste. If he's sleeping then wake him up. Understand?"
"Yessir." The young man dashed off, and Bay turned back to the trio.

"A-Al, sir," Aleth managed. He'd been planning on making his voice weak and pitiful to garner sympathy, and wasn't amused to discover that it was genuine. "We-we escaped a-- please, sir. We-we need-please."

(I am trying to Google to see what is feasible injuries lol I don't mind making Aleth loose a few digits but I'd prefer not to permanently maim the others)(they say, hypocritically, and tug a shirt over the scarred murals lol)

(Okie dokie)

"Open the gates," Bay said to another guard, who hurried to get them open. He himself descended the stairs to meet them. "Bring stretchers from the barracks," he ordered yet another, who also dashed off. They looked to be in terrible shape and likely couldn't walk much further, let alone up all those stairs.

Aleth strode forward as the gates began to creak open. Well. Stumbled. He couldn't feel a single inch of his body, either. His brain was the only thing that felt alive. And even that was questionable. It was as frozen over as the rest of this godsforsaken region. Why had he taken this damnable job? He should have told Tarr to get fucked and went back home.

But he hadn't.

And now they were here.

Ky wasn't sure why this sudden change was making it so much harder to stay upright -- but it was. Maybe the two brain cells left in her head were trying to remember what words meant rather than paying attention to standing upright.

Tadaaki's entire focus was on getting himself and Ky inside the gates. He hoped to god it'd be a -- he didn't even need a friendly reception. He just hoped it wasn't an aggressively hostile reception. For the love of the gods let them sit down and lend them a blanket for an hour or two. He'd sell his soul for a bit of warmth.

He staggered forward, dragging Ky along with him, as she did progressively worse and worse at staying upright.

The stretchers wouldn't be here in time to keep them from falling in the snow, Bay could see that. He strode toward the one who was struggling most--the little one--and walked alongside the big man in case he needed to catch the small fellow. "We'll see to it you're warm and fed for the night," he informed them. "Lord Ash can question you in the morning."

"T-thank--" Tadaaki turned his head to look at the man, feeling vaguely unsettled. But he didn't have time to think through that, or even finish his thanks, because his distraction had let his grasp waver ever so slightly. And Ky had gotten suddenly so much heavier. She crumpled instantly, having no energy to even make an attempt at catching herself; and Tadaaki was too slow to do anything about it, no matter how much he wanted to. He grunted as he grabbed for her but missed.

Bay caught the young man before he hit the ground, hoisting him into his arms. As he did so, his brow furrowed. Skinny as the boy way, his hips were oddly wide... He looked down, studying the face of the person he held as he walked. How strange...it seemed this wasn't a boy at all. He supposed they could be, though, the same way Lord Loquitur's brother in-law had become a man. Bay looked toward the big man and the other one to see if they needed help as well before saying to the little one, "You're in good hands; don't fret. I've got you."

Who had her? She couldn't see anymore. It took too much energy to open her eyelids. Made her eyeballs too cold when she did. A tremor ran through her, but from cold or fear was anyone's guess.

Tadaaki's entire body was heaving with the effort of staying upright and he watched as this ominous man scooped Ky up. He hoped she'd be okay. The man's face showed no hint of emotion, but his words were kind.

But. Well. There wasn't anything at all he'd be able to do to help her if the man wasn't friendly. So. He supposed he just had to hope.

Aleth watched this. He was also shivering with shudders that ran to his very core and hurt his ribs they were so deep. And yet he had a smug sense of superiority that he was still upright when the little bitch was introducing herself by collapsing. How embarrassing. He'd make sure to rub her nose in it tomorrow.

(Wow what an actual piece of human shit on the bottom of a boot this man is)

A few soldiers came out with three stretchers. Bay laid the little one gently down on one of them, and gestured for the other two refugees to lay down on the others. He'd accompany them to the infirmary and then speak to Lord Ash.

(hahah no arguments)

No.

Wrong.

Bad.

No - no down - down bad.

Up. Had to be up.

Down... down bad.

Ky didn't understand what was happening. Her brain just remembered her one job. Staying upright. Tadaaki said she had to stay up; not down. Never down. She struggled to push herself upright, but only managed to get herself an inch or so off the stretcher before she collapsed on her face and tried again.

"Ky," Tadaaki croaked. She had to stop. He bent down to put a hand on her shoulder to make her stop struggling, but lost his balance and ended up landing heavily on the ground.

Aleth watched them both, barely resisting the urge to snort at how pathetic they were, and sat down on the stretcher.

Bay bent to help Tadaaki up onto the stretcher. "Easy, big fellow," he said. "They're going to be alright. Sera's the best of the best." He grasped Tadaaki's hand. This group really was a mess. He wouldn't be shocked if one of them died within a few days; it had been a long time since he'd seen people come in looking this terrible.

Tadaaki tensed, looking at the man. He was too cold to think. But... but... this seemed? right? At least, he thought it did. He couldn't remember where they were going. But. They were here. And he was... being nice. He was helping. He was... helping. Tadaaki grasped his hand as well and accepted the help onto his stretcher.

"Down bad," Ky slurred, still struggling, but her attempts were getting weaker and more pitiful with each passing moment. "Up."