6. Thomas

When Thomas arrived back at the group he was met with 3 very expectant faces.

Helraugh spoke for them all,

"You feel like explaining yourself yet?

"Sure, I will, let's start walking towards where we need to go, staying out here in the dark is NOT a good idea."

Helraugh nodded and the others grunted a sort of assent along with him,

"Fair enough, let us march!"

And so off they marched, they decided for safety's sake they should march in a line, Helraugh at the front with Luxor at the ready; highwayman behind him with pistol drawn and loaded; Thomas brought up their rear wielding a grimace that would make a baby laugh; and the vestal took the rear with her mace drawn.

Thomas decided now would be a great time to break the silence.

"Sooo, I think we should all start with introducing ourselves, I'll go first, my name is Thomas Rath, and I have a gift of future sight."

This elicited a common "ooooh, that explains a lot" except from the highwayman,

"Well, my name is John Day, and I rob people for a living."

Helraugh turned around abruptly,

"Are you kidding me?"

John laughed and spread his arms wide,

"What else would this getup mean? Right now y'all are my only chance of survival though, so I'll fight for you guys."

Everyone with a purse string reflexively clutched it closer, luckily not a problem for Thomas since Shirone had neglected to give him any money. They started once more to march onward.

The vestal was next to speak up while they were continuing along the path,

"Hello everybody, name is Haven, and I am a vestal of sorts, trained but the finest priestesses in Lessa."

This piqued Thomas's interest,

"Where's Lessa at?"

This took Haven aback,

"It's across the sea, didn't you take geography in school?"

"Hell, I didn't know where it was myself."

John chimed in.

"Hmmm, well for those of us who DON'T know, it's a prominent town in the Laran countryside, well renowned for its piety and beauty."

'Mental note for later, this was not a part of Darkest as far as Thomas knew.'

Helraugh cleared his throat for a grandiose introduction,

"And I am the great Helraugh, warrior of light and all that is holy!"

Thomas heard a groan from Haven,

'Possible man-kind hater, good.'

The group finally happens upon a big iron gate leading to a courtyard beyond and after some deliberation, it was decided that Helraugh should open it since he is clearly the most pumped up among them.

"Alright here goes!"

Helraugh took a few paces back and then shoulder charged into the gate, throwing the doors wide open.

The first thing they noticed was a fancy chest in the center of the room. A standard heirloom chest if Thomas's memory serves him right.

Following Helraugh's lead everyone spilled over each other to fit into the room and investigate. Suddenly there was a loud cackle as a few shadows stepped out to confront them.

Everyone immediately drew their weapons and assumed aggressive stances. In Thomas's case he just drew his fists to meet this group of humans. From what Thomas could see, it was a group of 2 bandits and a stress witch in the back. The bandits each wore a banded leather armor complete with a good and dual long-knives. The stress witch in the back was quite a sight to behold. She had an iron mask/headdress that was reminiscent of the darkest dungeon stress symbol and a skull. She wore a very tribal gown that obscured her feet and made her appear almost floating. And her weapon was a wand that seemed very similar to a dark souls catalyst.

Ironically it almost seems like they were surprised that the party had arrived in the clearing, giving a moment to think and attack.

"Behold the sword of evil's bane, Luxor!" Shouted Helraugh, upon saying it's name the sword gave off a bright light from its runes. Clearly enjoying his sword's new name he brought it down with a brutal chop to the front bandit's base of neck. It connected beautifully, reducing him to a bundle of limbs on the ground.

"Aye mate, but my trusty pistol wins every day" John shot the other bandit in the throat, and it collapsed into a pile of limbs on the ground as well.

Finally Haven raised her mace into the air and a flash of light connected with the stress-witch's face. The stress-witch recoiled and seemed blinded from the blow temporarily.

"Alrighty, my turn!"

Thomas charged in and gave the stress witch his best right hook. Sadly it only staggered back a little and kept its footing very well.

"Try to keep up boy"

Jeered John as he took out his knife and slashed it across the witch's neck. The witch then collapsed to the ground in a jumble of limbs.

"I'm doing my best! I really need a weapon." Laughed Thomas.

"Don't worry, we're heading to a place known as the Hamlet right now, when we arrive I'll have some words with the blacksmith."

"Alright kid, whatever you say, let's break open this chest!"

John walked over to the chest and punted the lock with his boot, causing the chest to fly open.

'Shit, I hope he doesn't have the kleptomaniac negative quirk too.'

After rummaging around John replies with his report,

"Well that's disappointing, other than the gold coins in here there's only a few pieces of parchment and rock-heads in here."

Thomas spoke quickly,

"Pick those up! We will need all the deeds and busts we can get later on!"

John looked back at Thomas with an annoyed look,

"How about YOU pick them up, after all, you aren't exactly doing much damage as is right now."

'Fair point'

"Sure thing!"

Thomas walked over to the chest himself as everyone else examined the room further.

'Hmm, I don't quite have a backpack, I wish I had some way to store items.'

Suddenly Thomas felt static in his brain and his hand seemed to gain a temporary life of its own. He raised his right hand upward and made a chopping motion in the air. To his great surprise he now saw a thin blue line where his hand just passed. Some instinct compelled him to reach toward that line with both hands and pry it open. Once open Thomas was staring into a black void in front of his face.

'Is this...'

Using his game-sense only Thomas grabbed the busts and deeds out of the chest and put them into the rift. Just for science Thomas walked around the rift and discovered something interesting, it was completely invisible from the other side, so nobody else has been freaked out yet.

'Good, that's less I have to explain later to John at least.'

Reaching out with his right hand Thomas made a pinching motion at the rift, willing it to close, and sure enough it did close.

'Well, at least I have an effective inventory, I'm not complaining, that makes life much easier.'

Helraugh called out,

"Hey guys, I think I found an exit!"

Clearing away the bramble there was another gate, that the group followed through to the pathway. Just wishing to be out and done with this place the party was quiet absent a few grumbles at the encroaching dark.

'Shit, we don't have any torches, this is gonna suck in the next room.'

By the time they reached the end of the pathway the only illumination available was that of the moon. In the sparse moonlight Thomas and crew could barely make out a wooden door attatched to a ruined courtyard. Thomas decided he would open the door since he was incredibly eager to get to the Hamlet that he knew would be within sight soon.

As soon as Thomas pushes the door open slightly a giant, meaty hand grabbed his arm and yanked him in with a loud laugh.