Rise Of Pandora

Rise Of Pandora: XIX. Moontown

"We're always given things that we come to enjoy, but of course there's always that individual who wants to take it all away."

-Baccus

V. Poet

Now with Maddard firmly placed over his right shoulder, he stood tall. But before he exited the cave, he vociferated sternly, "Now remember what I told you. I'll get you to your brother, but it depends on you. You'll be free any time now so just bear with it, for now, understood?"

Knowing he would not receive an answer, he trudged out of the cave and into the daunting rain.

Just the feel of the cold rain alone annoyed him. He rushed past clusters of trees near the cave. He hopped, sprinted, and tromped, he did whatever it took to arrive at his destination quickly but safely, too.

Judging by his peculiarly frantic movements, he looked as if he was late for something pressing. He began to sneeze and his nose was a light red and running. He did not care. He had overpowered the dense cold but the nippy breezes irritated him.

He stopped and peered just ahead. He looked to the right and studied that direction. He rotated his body to the left and scrutinized it. Panting extremely, he appeared lost. He became increasingly agitated.

"Damn," he complained.

He grabbed Maddard harder as he committed to a direction. He continued straight ahead. He wanted to make out at least just one recognizable landmark or tree, anything he could use to show him where he was.

With the weather now merely sprinkling, he could see much better.

He trekked on. With the way he looked around, it was apparent he was becoming more in tune with the route he was walking down.

Feeling a poking at his back, he stopped and breathed lightly. He felt him moving on his shoulder. He gave a breath of relief. The paralysis was wearing away.

While running, he said, "I hope you heard what I told you."

"We're going to a little village on the outskirts of Aeryngrave. It's called Moontown. That's where a group of soldiers on a carriage will ride you to your brother. You'll be taken to his family on Peliper Island from there."

He huffed, his body feeling drained.
His chest felt tight and heavy. Just beyond the dwindling trees was the place he spoke of, Moontown. He could feel it now: the relief and ecstasy overcoming him all at once. This sudden surge of relief caused him to move faster and more carelessly.

Approaching the village, he picked up a foul scent. It was awful and unexpected. He lifted up his hand, adjusting the handle of his sword, and squeezed his noise together.

He approached slowly and stuck close by the trees to conceal his presence from any creature that could be lurking ahead and nearby. The odor was awful. It distorted his sense of smell with each step he took closer. With Maddard still on his shoulder, he removed his other sword and placed it between his teeth, biting hard on it.

He tasked his eyes with scavenging the area. He tried to stay low but his legs were already tired from the strenuous journey.

He drew further from the dense cluster of trees and towards the open expanse where the small village awaited. The closer he got to the village, the more prominent the smell became. He looked worried. His legs began to quiver some. He knew this smell. It was the smell of fresh gore. He walked more and more. He tightened his grip on the sword with his hand so hard the sound of the leather glove could be heard squeezing against the material of the sword handle.

Then he saw it.

His legs were compelled by a force stronger than any physical weight. He could hardly muster the courage and strength to propel himself forward. He was trembling and felt so bewildered. Walking further into the town, he beheld a scene conjured only within the void of a nightmare, a faraway netherworld he never declared to venture to. He beheld a badly destroyed tavern amongst a flood of other battered buildings. Piles of the dead littered the ground some many yards beyond where he stood. The bodies were scattered, their blood spilling out and conjoining into small puddles. Most were lifeless on the ground, others were lodged in the sides of buildings.