Chapters The Sleeper, a strange anomaly from the stars, only a child by its age. Dismas the Highwayman would rather not imagine what it would be if it were full grown. Or else he might accidentally allow the anomaly to corrupt his mind. He glared into the eye of that crystal being of terror, his grip with his dagger tightened. He had already faced death a dozen times, this is no different than before. Dismas was even one of the lucky ones to say that he stared down god in the eyes, right before burying every bullet he had into their skull.
With the Highwayman was Reynauld, a man of God and faith, the Crusader of Hamlet and a man not to be trifled with. The knight was also there when they vanquished the eldritch being that resided in the Darkest Dungeon, and now he's with Dismas to defeat this one-eyed demon. The two may not see eye to eye in some moments throughout their adventures, but both understood that they had a duty to fulfill. Next was Paracelsus, an intelligent woman who was smarter than her peers or anyone on Hamlet, a Plague Doctor who had came to Hamlet seeking work and- to Dismas' disgust- to use the bodies of their fallen foes to continue her research.
Lastly was Junia, a Vestal Virgin who swore an oath to keep their purity. From what Dismas had learned, she was kicked out of the temple of Vesta for ignoring her duties and letting the flame die out. The Highwayman doesn't really know why she allowed the fire to die, but what he does knows is that she had always watched everyone with a strange look in her eyes, it was as if she desired something that she cannot have. There was also Dismas himself, a criminal with regrets who had found himself accepting a simple escort job that somehow brought him here. Oh, how strange his life truly was.
These four, these random four of fighters. Ever since he and Reynauld had retaken Hamlet for the new Master, the four of them had been there from the start. They fought many creatures that are not for the faint of heart, and even the bravest soul would become doubtful of their skills against said creatures. And now they are here, fighting the being that caused the return of Miller and his damned workers.
Dismas was actually happy that he was not sent to face the farmer, because he would have been like Reynauld, overworking himself. Though he had to give it to the Crusader, that man always volunteered to fight unless the Master says no, no one on Hamlet ever volunteers but Reynauld.
The monster screeched and dozens of tentacles sprouted from it, the limbs shot towards them. Reynauld held up his sword to block it while the rest jumped out of the way. Paracelsus took the chance and swung her dagger at the offending limb, the Sleeper screeched once again but in pain. The Vestal followed by casting Judgment upon the eye itself, it screeches once more as a pillar of holy light slammed on it, the solid stone surface burned upon contact with the light.
Reynauld grunted and charged forward, sword ready to impale the eldritch monstrosity. The Sleeper tried to stop him, but every tentacle that even get an inch closer to the Crusader was met with bombs filled with blight from the Doctor, and the hard metal pellets from the smoking barrel of Dismas' gun. Reynauld was halfway there, only to be stopped in his tracks when the Sleeper roared, the knight was stunned and attempted to cover his ears, giving the monster a chance to strike. A tentacle slammed into the Crusader's chest and threw him off his feet.
"Reynauld!" Cried the Vestal.
"Damn it!" Cursed Dismas.
The Highwayman quickly sprinted over to the Reynauld's side, dodging tentacles along the way.
"On your feet tin man!"
"Bite your tongue and save it for after!" The knight growled as he was pulled back up. "We still have a monster to slay." And once again he charged, he was only armed with a sword and his holy trinkets, so it means he is needed to face down the eye up close and personal.
Dismas chuckled at his bravery, most people would cower before such anomaly, unlike the men and women of Hamlet. He and the Crusader have already went through hell itself, this creature is like a little bunny compared to the horrors they've witnessed. So with a smile under his mask, he dashed forward, following the Crusader's trail towards danger.
And being lighter and limber than the knight, Dismas easily dodged every tentacle that the monster sent after him. Only standing still for a second just to take a shot at the eye as he moved forward. The Doctor didn't just do nothing, every chance she gets she would toss her blight filled bombs at the Sleeper, all those battle experience had given her a great throwing arm.
"Begone foul demon, return to the darkness of whence you came!" The Vestal by her side spoke as she cast Judgment upon the monster.
"Keep calm Junia, let the men and I take it from here. We may need your blessings soon."
The Vestal nodded. "Very well Doctor, I shall reserve my energy for now."
Back with Reynauld, he was already close enough to thrusts his sword forward right into the stone surface of the comet. The Sleeper howled in pain and tried to swipe the knight away with a tentacle. But Dismas was there to sever the limb in two with his dagger. The Crusader took a step back to allow himself some room to swing his sword down. And Dismas jabbed his dagger into the floating rock dozens of times. The Highwayman would also chop off any tentacles that attempted to strike them both, he would not allow this monstrosity to harm a soul, not him or anyone in the party.
The Sleeper let out a roar to deter them, but the two were relentless and determined to finish it off. With the combined strength and faith of the Crusader, and the Highwayman's skills with the blade, as well as the support of the Doctor and the Vestal, the Sleeper stood no chance. Reynauld pulled back his sword, and pierced his blade into its eye, up to the hilt of the sword, and he gave it a twist for good measures. With one last howl of pain, the creature was no more but a rock. Thus ending the nightmare on Miller's farmland, and putting the farmer to rest, freeing his soul from this creature's grasp. The comet fell down onto the ground, it's essence dripped from the wound the sword had inflicted.
Reynauld pulled the sword out of the fallen creature, he scowled just from the sight of it. "Foul eldritch spawn, do not return or else you will taste my blade a second time!"
"Woo! Damn, now that was tiring. Can't wait to go back, there's this barmaid that's been calling my name." Said Dismas.
"You do realize that premarital sex is a sin." Said Junia as she and Paracelsus walked over to them.
"Calm yourself, it's not like I'm going to heaven."
"A sin can be forgiven if you admit all of them to me." Said the knight. "I jest, I jest." He chuckled.
"Hey, look!" Called the Doctor, everyone faced the direction her finger pointed.
Her finger pointed behind the Sleeper, and over the edge. There down below was a black obelisk, it was only as tall as Reynauld.
"Looks like there's still one more thing to investigate. Let us descend!" Reynauld gave out his order and hopped off the edge and land in front of the obelisk. The others followed but with caution when they descended the short gap.
Upon closer look, the black obelisk was darker than they have ever seen, the torch in their hands had a strange effect, the light from the fire didn't bounce off the black surface even when it was a few inches away from the flame. Not even a reflection could be made from it, only a pitch black abyss in the form of an obelisk.
"Well," Paracelsus spoke, a bit of irritation in her voice. "It looks like a certain man had already been here."
The other three shared the same irritated feeling the Plague Doctor had. The source was a satchel bag covered in cobwebs and dust, it was placed right in front of the obelisk for anyone to find.
"God damn it. Couldn't this guy get a hobby?" Complained Dismas.
"So what do we do?" Asked Vestal.
Reynauld didn't answer, he only stared at the satchel bag in front of him. Paracelsus groaned upon seeing his state, the Crusader always had kleptomania, a trait that the mercenaries of Hamlet didn't like. Even if Reynauld had proven himself as a capable leader, he had always taken things before the others could get their share.
"Seeing that our knight is busy, I'll take lead." Said the Doctor. "Dismas, you and I stay here and make sure nothing happens, while Reynauld and Junia go back to Hamlet and bring in some help. Junia, do not forget to call the Master, they will want to see this and learn more of what their dear Ancestor had done."
Then they heard it, a hissing coming from the obelisk. When the three looked over to the anomaly, they discovered Reynauld standing there, hands lifted up to the level of his chest, fingers moving rhythmically in anticipation of finding hidden bounties. They could see that the obelisk had a hidden hatch that the knight somehow opened, inside had revealed to be a puzzling trapezohedron , a strange crystal that changes colors in the light. A very pricey loot that could sell for 3k worth of gold, you could buy a lot of mead with that gold.
But sadly, none of them will have any gold from selling it, especially when Reynauld whistled his tune. The knight quickly grabbed hold of the trapezohedron before his friends could object, this proves to be one of his many mistakes, for this wasn't a regular crystal to be used as a decoration, it was a trap.
It happened quicker than the Highwayman himself, red circuits appeared on the surface of the obelisk as well as a red ritual circle below their feet. The trapezohedron flew off of Reynauld's grasp and began to hover above the pyramid of the obelisk, now glowing in all shades of red.
"Damn it you imbecile!" Cursed Paracelsus.
"By the damnable Ancestor Reynauld, couldn't you just keep your hands to yourself!?" Dismas scolded the knight.
"It was a mix-" Reynauld couldn't finish his words, a black arm coming from the obelisk itself had wrapped it's hand around his face and began pulling. "Gah!"
"Look out!" Junia tried to warn the others, but it was too late, hundreds of arms shot out of the obelisk and took hold of the adventurers, pulling them closer to the anomaly.
"No! Not now!" Cried Paracelsus before the hands managed to pull her towards the obelisk where she was slammed on its surface, a second later, she sank into the obelisk and was soon consumed by it, a fate that the others will soon receive.
"Accursed crystal! I'll shatter you for tricking me!" Reynauld threatened the object as he struggled, but the arms proved too strong for him and he could not break free of their hold. He threatened the crystal some more before sharing the same fate as Paracelsus.
"R-Reynauld, no!" Junia tried to save the knight, but that only quickened her end, and now she was one with the obelisk.
Dismas was left alone, being slowly dragged towards the obelisk to experience the same fate as his friends. "Hmph, guess this is it...sorry Reynauld, everyone. But it looks like my bar tab ain't getting paid..." He said right before being pulled into the darkness, never to be seen ever again.
Death is what Dismas had expect when he was pulled into the obelisk, he would have never thought it was like this, a forest with red autumn leaves as far as the eyes can see and a dirt road that led to who knows where. He guessed that this is where death picks you up, so he just stood there patiently for what is to come. And as expected, the sound of hooves on the dirt road came from his left. Though it was still far, years of training had polished his senses, it helped him evade all those who wanted him gone.
When the stagecoach was close enough to describe, Dismas was actually impressed for guessing right, it was definitely death. The stagecoach was being pulled by two skeletal horses, bones whiter than snow, and their eyes glowed crimson red. And the one who had the reigns was Death himself, but his face was hidden under the shadow of his hood. But it was clear that he was a skeleton like everyone claimed.
"Took you long enough," Dismas said as soon as the stagecoach stopped right in front of him. Death's head swiveled towards him to meet his stare, no word came from him. "Well?"
The Grimm reaper only answered by pointing a boney hand at him.
"Right, it's my time. Let's get on with it." Dismas then walked over to the door, his hand grasped the handle and he pulled it open.
But he soon regretted doing so, as he was met with two faces, a mother and her child. Both staring at Dismas with cold empty eyes.
"N-no!" He cried out.
The child lifted a hand towards him.
"It was a reflex, I-I didn't mean to!" He took a step back, away from them, only to bump into something. Dismas looked behind him to find Reynauld looming over him. "R-Reynauld! This isn't what it looks like!"
Instead of speaking to Dismas, the knight only reached for his helmet, and with a single swipe, his visor was ripped off to reveal an eldritch abomination hidden beneath. The monster released a soul-chilling howl before impaling his claws through Dismas' chest.
And with a scream, Dismas now found himself in a different and greener forest, with his back on the ground. It was dark, indicating that it was night time, and the only source of light was the crackling campfire. His eyes and hands wandered to his chest to find no hole, it all felt so real, the pain was unbearable just for a second. But then there he was, somewhere that he had never been before. He sat right up and glanced around himself. It looked like he was in a camp of some sort, with a certain flag planted down right across the campfire. It was Reynauld's, the flag that depicted a lit torch was a sign that he is nearby.
"Well, look who's awake!" Dismas turned his head towards his right to find the knight and the doctor coming back from what Dismas could guess was foraging with a torch in the knight's hand. "Sleep well sunshine?"
"Not now, I'm having a terrible headache." Dismas rubbed his forehead for a second. "Where's Junia?"
"Looking for landmarks, we have no idea how far that thing brought us," Paracelsus explained. "Sadly, this forest is like a maze, and she would always find herself back here where she started."
"Hmm, sounds bad."
"I'm back!" The Vestal told them of her return, she stepped out of the bushes and took a seat next to the Highwayman. "I got something."
"Well, spill the news." Said Dismas.
"I found a dirt road from the direction of where I came from. Surprisingly, there were no brigands or monsters, but keeping an open eye wouldn't be a problem."
"But we don't know which way to the nearest town is," Paracelsus spoke. "It'll be days, maybe weeks before we even find a settlement."
"Have some faith," Reynauld began. "we are bound to find something."
"Well if it weren't for you, we wouldn't be in this place," Dismas commented.
"It was a mistake, I let my urges get the better of me."
"Yeah, yeah, alright. Any idea on which part of earth are we?"
"Where ever we are, it feels more...peaceful here..."
Now that Dismas noticed it, Reynauld was right, it was strangely peaceful. And it makes the Highwayman uneasy, especially right after that nightmare he just had. Dismas didn't like the serene feeling, and the calm sound of nature, especially the crickets that play their tune in the darkness. Something was definitely wrong.
"Yes, it really does feel calmer here. Must be some kind of pheromones that affects our brains. But how does it affect me when my mask is sealed? No, it must just be the lack of danger..." The Plague Doctor spoke, mostly to herself.
"I-I like it, for once I am at peace. And the shadows felt as if they no longer watch me..." Said the Vestal.
"Something's wrong," The knight finally pointed out even though Dismas was already suspecting. "nowhere on earth is safe as this, even if it's far from the Darkest Dungeon. The planet is no longer the same when that damned Ancestor opened the gates, no matter where we go, the shadows have had always watched us."
"What are you trying to say?" Spoke the Doctor. "This could be a place where the terrors have not yet corrupted."
"She's right Reynauld," Dismas agreed with Paracelsus. "Hamlet was always the heart of corruption, and all cultists flock there like a hungry rat king to the nearest corpse."
"I suppose you are right, but still, we must return to Hamlet, our duty is not over."
"Right. Got any food? I'm kinda hungry."
"Yes," Paracelsus nodded before showing him the handful of wild berries. "these are edible, Reynauld and I have already tested."
"Just give me a few and give Junia the rest."
Before the Vestal could protest, Reynauld raised his hand to stop her. "You've done enough Junia, just take your share. As for you Dismas, both of us will be looking for some food first thing tomorrow. Get some rest."
After Paracelsus handed them their share of berries, the Doctor soon sat down near the fire. All sat silently, watching the flickering flames in the middle. Each having different thoughts on their current situation, Reynauld thought about how much regret he had for letting himself near the trapezohedron, in his defense it actually did look like a simple puzzling trapezohedron. Junia for once was at peace, she no longer felt as if she needed to keep watch of her surroundings, unlike the dangerous place that is Hamlet.
Paracelsus was still mad of Reynauld's mistake, because of him her research is all the way back home, and worse, the Jester might break in to make a mess of all her files just to spite her. She needs to get back soon before he does.
As for Dismas, his mind lingered back to the faces of the mother and child. Years of keeping that memory away had returned to him just like that, and worse, he does not know what that dream means. Especially when the monster in Reynauld's armor killed him at the end. Dismas looked up towards the knight, he was busy reading some verses from his bible. For now, Dismas' questions shall be left unanswered, and though he is reluctant to return to sleep, Dismas has things to do in the morning.
Author's Note
Reynauld: *Sees your green thumb.*
A special thanks for mrkillwolf666 for giving me the idea for this fic and helping on making the plot for the story.
Barristan, also known as the Man-at-Arms, was sitting in one of many tables of the tavern. The only place in Hamlet to relax, and have a pint of rum, or maybe enjoy some company with a number of beautiful ladies. Few even prefer to try their luck on some gambling. But not for this old man, Barristan was just there, no drink in his hands or a pretty girl by his side. The only company he has tonight is the ever so silent Bounty Hunter, Tardif.
Now that Barristan thinks about it, Tardif's silence is strangely deafening, as if the whole world was mute. He now noticed the lack of music or the usual shouting and talking. Barristan was not going insane, the tavern was indeed quiet with the occasional thump of a man's mug against the table. He suspected that the disappearance of Reynauld and his group was the cause. The Crusader and the Highwayman were honestly the ones that lasted the longest. Both were present when the Heir had taken their first step into Hamlet.
They set an example to everyone. Reynauld with his persistence and faith, and Dismas with his cunning techniques. Both stood side by side, even though they were the polar opposites. When Dismas wanted to drink, Reynauld would simply scoff at the thief's direction. A man of God and a man who had given up on the heavens. And now, they along with the Vestal and the Doctor are gone.
Many had expected for Dismas to kick open the doors and continue building his debt, but when the Occultist returned with the thief's belongings as well as the rest, they feared for the worst. Alhazred was his name. And the man who speaks with the unknown was currently in one of the many rooms of the tavern, speaking with the Heir in private. Far from unwanted attention.
Barristan had been waiting for an hour now, Tardif was also. Waiting for the Occultist to step out of the room with whatever news he would bring. And when he finally did exit out and into the scene, every living human who was sober enough had focused on Alhazred. They followed him as he descended the stairs, then he silently moved towards Barristan and Tardif. Once he was seated, Alhazred's shoulders sagged and the onlookers would return to their drinks. Both warriors could only watch as the Occultist swiped another man's drink from the neighboring table and downed it in one gulp, none dared to complain after the fact that they could possibly be mourning for those who are lost.
The Occultist slammed the mug on the table once it was empty. "They want us to go back, search the farm." He spoke, tired, it was obvious.
"I expected this..." Barristan eyed his surroundings. "I knew they wouldn't just simply let go without any evidence."
"But there was nothing else on the farm," Alhazred explained. "all I could find is the bags, food, and private belongings."
"But where would we even start?" Barristan questioned.
"I don't know, but we should split off and-"
The Occultist was cut off by Tardif who raised a hand just to speak his thoughts. "That would be unwise," His voice was monotonous, as if he had no emotion at all. "the brigands are starting to be a pest, especially when winter is near."
Barristan dipped his head. "He's right, our troops are spread out too thinly. Half of us are patrolling the main road, few are out scouting for any signs of the blasted Fanatic, and the rest are guarding the town. Even then, we are outnumbered."
Alhazred frowned. "Then what must we do? The Heir is intent on finding Reynauld and his team, or whatever remains... No doubt they will spend our resources looking for them, especially for the thief and that knight, so we must make haste. I also believe that we must form a party, at least a total of four."
"Then we shall send out anyone who can help. Or else Hamlet will suffer in the near future." Barristan spoke, but he paused for a second. "But where do we start?"
"The farm, obviously, I will volunteer to form and lead the group."
Barristan nodded. "Then hurry Alhazred, we must not falter in these trying times."
With that, the three separated, there was much to be done. And they needed to hurry or else history would repeat itself.
Dismas was bored, there was nothing that really interested him. He was already tired of seeing green. Everything around him was practically the same color. The trees, the tall grass, the bushes. Everything. He had been trudging through the forest with Reynauld at the lead while the ladies were just behind him. And throughout the whole thing, Dismas was bored.
He had no idea how long they have been walking, but it sure has been hours since they left their camp. The four had one destination in mind, it was the road Junia had discovered in one of her scouting runs the night before. And hopefully the four would find a way back to Hamlet, they would rather not lose their pays just because of some obelisk under someone's farm. Really unlucky.
The group came to a stop, Junia gasped and pointed out that the road was just a few more steps ahead. Dismas peered over Reynauld's shoulder and could see a light in the distance. With their goal just an arm's reach, the four hurried through the thicket as quick as they could. Being extremely bored, Dismas had decided to run at a faster pace. He tapped Reynauld's shoulder as he ran past the knight and dared him to a race.
Reynauld would usually ignore Dismas' silly challenges since he had better things to do, but today was different. The knight lifted up his sword as well as his banner with one hand and leaned both of it against his shoulder, then he ran after the thief. Paracelsus groaned loudly, obviously displeased by their actions. Junia only gasped when both men had decided to bolt away. She attempted to run as well, but the doctor held her back.
Dismas did not wear armor, which meant he was faster than most mercenaries back in Hamlet, but Reynauld was another subject. The knight was slower thanks to his gear, sure, but he lugged his armor like it was made of lighter materials. He was slowly shortening the distance between him and the thief. Dismas grinned under his scarf and quickened himself even more. But the knight did not relent, he too increased his own speed. But it was useless, he was just too slow.
Then from out of nowhere, Reynauld started to close the gap with new-found resolve, Dismas was unaware of this, his eyes were glued towards the clearing just up ahead. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder, when he looked over, he was met with a ghoul wearing Reynauld's armor, his disfigured face glared at the thief with a burning hatred.
"Gah!" Dismas yelped in shock as he stumbled on his own foot. Before he even knew it his world started spinning, what was once green was now replaced with blue. He laid sprawled out on this new environment, his heart pounded in his chest both due to the race and that sudden scare. He was seeing things, Dismas feared for his sanity, the thief needed to keep calm and hope that it would be the last time he'd see things. He did not move, even after Reynauld had eclipsed over him.
"What was that?" The knight asked as he planted down his banner.
"N-nothing..." Dismas hissed as the pain on his back hits him just now. "God, both my head and back ache..."
"Well you had a nasty fall, so it wouldn't be a surprise." Paracelsus commented as she and Junia entered the scene. "Honestly, I feel like your brain is the size of a walnut and it bounced around that empty skull of yours."
"Yeah, whatever, but it feels like I'm sleeping on a rock."
"That would be the poor animal you've crushed under you." Junia pointed out.
Hearing this, Dismas quickly accepted the hand Reynauld had offered and pulled himself back up. Now that he was no longer obstructing the picture, the group finally could see what Dismas had landed on. And much to Reynauld's disgust, and Paracelsus' curiosity, it was an odd looking equine. A monstrosity of a horse. The head was much bigger than the body itself, the color was not natural that's for sure. The eyes were also oversized, giving Paracelsus the idea that this creature had a very small brain. This thing was an abomination, and Reynauld wanted to help the world and rid it of this beast.
Then it stirred, the plum like colored horse was beginning to recover. The raspberry pink mane on this equine shifted as it rose its head. Dismas was honestly glad that he didn't accidentally kill it, but he did not let his guard down, he took Reynauld's example and drew out his dagger. Junia followed suit and prepared her mace, Paracelsus was too occupied to even notice her companions reaction to this creature. She was completely intrigued by this equine that she herself brought out a notebook and a pen. The group kept their distance, there was no way of knowing if this beast truly is an ordinary but deformed horse.
"Oh... my head..." It spoke, Reynauld wanted to pierce it with his blade, but the fact that it spoke prevented him from doing so. And what's worse, it had a woman's voice. The horse then glanced over to them and stared. From the angle, Dismas couldn't help but notice how this horse was human-like, the horse wore a face of confusion as it stared at them which sent a shiver down Dismas' spine. "Woah... Am I still drunk?" She asked the obvious, it was clear with the way she spoke and the way she smelled.
"Hopefully I am as well, and right now, I wish the beer was talking instead." Dismas wanted nothing more than to drown in some rum, maybe some good old fashioned ale.
"Mutant." Reynauld hissed.
"Woah, now I must be super drunk!" She chuckled softly. "Because I wouldn't think that some monsters are staring at me if I'm sober."
"I am afraid that this is real." Paracelsus told her truthfully as she scribbled down on her notes.
"You sure?" The mutant paused for a second, her head swiveled left to right before stopping once her eyes landed on a bottle just a few feet away, just right next to Dismas' foot. It must've fallen out of her hoof when she crashed down. Dismas followed her eyes and noticed the bottle as well. He was cautious, but against his own self preservation, he decided to pick up the bottle with his free hand and took a whiff. It smelled like ale, the scent that reminded Dismas of vinegar was apparent. Then he did the predictable, he drank from the bottle much to Reynauld's disgust as well as the horse's disapproval. "Hey, that's mine!"
"If you know what's good for you, then it would be better if you just let go." Dismas warned her, he waved his dagger in front of him to show that he was armed.
"Hay no!" She cursed, now standing on all four of her hooves, she glared at the thief. But she swayed a bit to the side, her balance was certainly off. "I bought t-that bottle fair and square! Give it back or else!"
Reynauld scoffed. "Honestly, the sun is barely up in the sky and you two already decided to drown yourselves." He did not lower his guard, his hand was still holding his sword in case the beast would finally show her true colors.
Junia was unsure what to think, she simply waited for a battle that might come, while Paracelsus was still on her notes with this newly discovered abomination. It spoke and acted like a person, Paracelsus wanted nothing more than to open the horse up and see the inside. "A possible horse and human chimera..." She muttered aloud, which earned her a glare coming from the beast
"I'm a pony you weird looking griffin!" The beast corrected. If Paracelsus was paying attention, she herself would also correct the pony.
"Pony, horse, either way, you are an abomination!" Reynauld said with his blade raised towards her.
"You want a p-piece of me?" She hiccuped. "Then let's go tin can!"
Dismas sighed. "Easy Reynauld, I think this thing is really drunk. Probably been drinking since sunrise. Especially with that smell on her."
"You think I smell? Well buster, you got another thing coming to y-you! Prepare to-" With that, the pony emptied her stomach onto the dirt road. Reynauld stared with greater disgust than before, Paracelsus waited for the pony to finish so she could take samples for science. Junia looked away after feeling her own stomach churn. Dismas, he simply chuckled as he watched, he found it entertaining. And once the pony was done, she collapsed over to the side, thankfully missing the off colored puddle besides her.
"Now what?" Dismas asked the others as he took another swig of ale. In truth, the thief would rather have some rum right now, but the bottle in his hand would do.
"We need her alive." Junia said before tending to the pony. She moved her away from the mess and brought the pony over to the grass just next to the dirt road. "She could perhaps lead us towards town."
Paracelsus agreed. "She's right, she must've come from a settlement. Where else would this equine acquire a bottle of alcohol?"
"I'm on board with that idea if I can get my hands on more drinks!" Dismas was eager to go. Reynauld would have voiced his opinions, but it would seem the group unanimously decided for everyone. So he opted to remain silent instead. There was no point in arguing, so it was better to follow their lead.
"But first we would need her to be sober." Junia said as she eyed the pony. "But I believe that she won't be waking up any time soon."
"Allow me!" Paracelsus chimed in, she fished into her satchel for a second then produced a bottle of a mysterious grey liquid. "Seeing as many of us are always drinking their own brains away and suffering because of it. I had been trying my best to create something to cure hangovers. Sadly this is merely a trial run, and I cannot predict the outcome when this bottle is used on a creature that is not human. If that does not work, perhaps some leeches will."
"Very well," Reynauld took a step closer in case the situation turns sour. "proceed. The quicker we find a settlement, the quicker we return to Hamlet."
With the rest of her party waiting, Paracelsus kneeled down next to the unconscious pony and brought out a syringe to use. Once she had the pony ready for injection, Paracelsus began her test run of her project. Then she took a step back and waited with Reynauld. Dagger in hand. The pony's eyes snapped open, she gasped and inhaled some air as if she was suffocating then she began coughing shortly after. Once she was done, she groggily pushed herself back up with half lidded eyes, someone feeling both fatigue and out of breath. Yet she had enough energy to go through her day, even though she had a mild headache.
"Ugh..." She moaned. "Why do I feel like I'm dying?"
"It worked! She lived, I mean... I honestly expected her to have a seizure and die!" Paracelsus smiled under her mask, the results were far better than she expected.
"Gah! Please shut up, your shrilly voice is beating my brain with a bat..."
"Shrilly!?" The doctor shrieked, offended by the pony's basic observation.
"Ah! I'm sorry, just shut up!" The beast pleaded as she cupped her ears. "Why am I feeling this killer hangover?"
Junia hummed. "Perhaps some more of your strange potion would be helpful, isn't that the purpose, to help them recover?"
"That was simply a trial run my friend, we are lucky that she is breathing. But I'm willing to give her another shot." Paracelsus brandished another syringe with the potion ready for injection.
"What are you guys talki-" The pony was cut off as she felt a sting on her rear. She yelped in surprise as the pain lingered. "What the hay was that!?"
"Progress." The doctor said ominously.
Before the pony could give the beaked human a piece of her mind, she noticed that her headache was gone. And plus, she felt better, hungry, but still much better. "Woah, what happened? I feel like I just woke up nice and fresh!"
"Enough, beast!" Reynauld boomed.
"W-woah, what in Equestria are you guys!?" She finally saw who she was dealing with, her mind was cleared of her hangover and the pain faded away in a blink of an eye.
"Lost," Reynauld answered. "we are in need of assistance!"
The pony couldn't help but gawk at them, never in her life had she seen anything like these four. Armor, scratched and dented, a sign that it had seen combat. Their clothes, stained and damaged, faces with light scars that told a story. But the thing that really caught her attention were those who wore no masks, something about their faces was sending chill down her spine.
"Oh... Sure, why not?" The pony shrugged her shoulders as she rose to her full height. "Names Berry Punch, you guys are?"
"Heh, friendly aren't ya?" Dismas was amused with her arrogance and lack of self preservation, if it was him surrounded by strangers then he would make sure that they don't get his name just yet. But since he isn't, then there was no harm in introducing himself. "They call me Dismas, nice to meet you."
"Junia, it is a pleasure." The Vestal bowed.
"I am Doctor Paracelsus, you may address me as Doctor if you wish."
"Reynauld." The Crusader followed their examples. "Now that is out of the way, we wish that you lead us to your town so we can gather our bearings and find a way back home."
"Oh, sure, I can do that..." Berry paused for a second as she scanned her surroundings. "But first, I need to remember where I came from..."
"You are lost?" Reynauld feared for the worst.
"Hey, I honestly have no idea where I am, I just woke up here!"
"And she did not question everything?" Dismas tried not to laugh, but it was just so hilarious. "How about a drink? Maybe that'll jog your memory."
"No thank you, I don't... Wait, I think I know where I am!" She raised a hoof towards a mountain in the far distance. What really surprised the four humans was the castle on the side of it. "That's Canterlot! Which means that Ponyville is just that way!" With that, she trotted towards town.
"Ponyville?" Dismas repeated to the others. They could only share his confusion before accepting it, and then chasing after the pony.
But something else was bugging Dismas as he and his group followed the strange creature. Why was his eyes tricking him, where did this horse creature come from? And why does this place feel so weird? All of these, yet there were no answers. He could only hope that they find a way back to Hamlet. And perhaps they could get a proper rest after reaching town. The Lord above knows that they deserved it.
Equestria was such a colorful place, everything was so bright and lively, enough to make Dismas feel something in his guts. The animals were much friendlier than the rodents back in Hamlet.
Wild dogs inflicted with the plague and other diseases, all rabid and beyond saving, venomous snakes who thirsted for blood, and rabbits corrupted by vengeful spirits. Pigs. All of that did not prepare Dismas for what he encountered next.
Just before he entered a town, a kind and lovable cow approached his party. It was attracted to him for some mysterious reason.
Though there were many bovines such as this cutie patootie, something about it was different. He looked into its eyes and saw something he lacked, it was light. This animal in this strange land had more soul than him, perhaps he lost himself a long time ago, it would be saddening if he was not a cold-blooded killer.
This bright and wonderful land felt so warm and welcoming. It was as if he was once again a child filled with hope and no care in the world.
And yet, this town reminded him of his own reality.
This place felt grey, especially the inhabitants. All of which were ponies just like Berry Punch, but there was an odd aura around these ponies. Something that reminded Dismas of home. Though seeing unicorns and pegasi would be surprising to most, the humans were more curious than shocked to see such creatures. What bothered them was the lack of any fellow humans.
As his party followed Berry through town, the ponies would send a fearful glance their way, a few ran and hid which only added more questions to the pile.
As he walked further into town, a strange stench reached his nose, the others sans Paracelsus noticed it as well. A coppery stench, though it was barely there, none of them could ignore it. That's when they saw it, an alleyway just next to the farmer's market blocked off by yellow tape. None of them understood why there was tape at all, but they simply guessed that it was meant to keep civilians away. There were some ponies in golden armor, they gave Dismas and his group a glare as they passed by.
This was odd, outside the town they were met with nothing but colorful joys of the world, but here, they came across something that's all too natural to them.
Opting to focus more on their own business, the humans remained silent as they continued following Berry Punch around.
Again, he questioned even more. This town acted as if they had just received their first murder. That scene replayed in Dismas' head, he remembered it so clearly even though it was just a passing glance.
A body, torn apart by some kind of animal leaving a corpse that was beyond recognition. But in truth, it wasn't an animal, the way it was done was far more careful from the way the pony was killed. Amateur at best, if it was him he'd make it clean, then he would dump it somewhere no one could find. He had seen such gruesome sights before, but somehow this one stayed in his mind.
Soon, Berry brought the humans to a small house, it looked like the ones they saw during their walk through town. Nothing about it was notable, except for the smell. It reminded them too much of the tavern back at Hamlet, and somehow it got the Vestal all flustered just standing.
"Welcome to my humble abode!" Berry kicked the door open and gestured them in.
"We asked you to take us to the town hall, mutant, not your home." Reynauld sneered.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that the town hall is closed for a private meeting!" She informed them.
"What for?"
"Is it that murder back at that alley?" Dismas questioned after Reynauld.
Berry tilted her head to the side. "Murder? But they said it was a timberwolf attack. The second one to be in fact."
Dismas wanted to laugh. "Guess they don't want you all to panic, I know a murder when I see one, the Houndmaster would say the same, and he's as good as a detective as Tardif."
Paracelsus hummed loudly. "Is this perhaps the first two murders in this town?"
Berry shook her head wildly. "Yes... But, no... It's a timberwolf attack, the mayor would never lie!"
"Denial is natural, but if what you say is right, that this murder is indeed the second. I fear that it won't be the last." Paracelsus turned on heel and walked back towards where they came from. When the others questioned her, she simply told them that she was just looking for the hospital.
Reynauld, not wanting to waste his time in someone's house decided to follow the doctor. He told the others that they would stay there and wait, while he looked for a map.
Dismas shrugged his shoulders, he cared not what they do, he wanted to relax and nothing more. So without further adieu, Berry ushered her two guests into her home. As expected, there were bottles everywhere, and the smell was just as bad inside, so much that Junia opened the windows without asking permission. She had to go through bottles that were either empty, full, or between.
He ignored the Vestal and went straight over to the couch, he let out a sigh of relief as he plopped down and finally relaxed after a whole morning of walking. He grabbed a random bottle and popped the cork, he pulled down his scarf and drank to his heart's content.
"So, I never had humans over before! What do you guys want to eat?" Berry asked.
"Got any meat?"
Berry froze once Dismas asked that question. "M-meat, you guys are carnivores?"
"Omnivores," Junia corrected. "but our kind has leaned over to meat for sustenance, mostly because we have thousands of livestock, and pigs are easy to care for since they mostly eat scraps."
"Yeah, and beef is far too expensive these days. Prices are just getting higher, I'd be surprised if I have to pay a limb for a single cut." Dismas joked.
"W-we don't have meat here, I don't know anyone who would sell such things..." Berry explained nervously.
"But you're lying," He began as he eyed her up and down. "there is meat around."
Berry noticed that strange look in his eyes, and it was far worse than before. Her body froze under his gaze, she could only shiver in fear as Dismas brandished his knife.
"Dismas!" Junia quickly scolded the Highwayman. "Don't scare the poor thing, after all the help she gave us!"
The thief laughed as he returned his knife to its place. "Joking, joking!"
"Oh, you were just joking!" Berry laughed awkwardly with him. "Y-yeah, I was totally not scared or fooled!"
Junia waited until the two to stop their laughter, once done, she turned towards their host and smiled warmly. "So, what do you ponies eat?"
"Well, I'm not sure if you guys can eat what I have, so I think you two should follow me into the kitchen." Berry said.
The two agreed, Dismas was sure they wouldn't have a problem, but it was best to check, nothing wrong with that. The two followed the pony and found themselves in more mess, bottles of alcohol, just like the living room.
"Junia!" Dismas gasped, his eyes bulged out of their sockets.
"I-I see!"
Berry looked at them both confusedly, she couldn't believe what she was seeing, the two humans were astounded by a refrigerator. The two approach it as if they are fearful of it, their every step was slow and careful. Once they reached the machine, they both froze before it. That's when she realized it, it wasn't the fridge that got them acting strange, it was her spice rack next to it. They were completely enamored by her collection, the two couldn't stop themselves from examining the spices as if they were gold.
"Berry, are you a duchess of sorts!?" Junia exclaimed as she presented a bottle of dried bay leaves.
"To think we got the blessings to meet not only an alcoholic but someone who's loaded!" Dismas smiled from ear to ear. "To think our host is so generous to allow us into their home, not only that, but she's so humble! I mean, look at this place, no servant to clean up, such an independent woman!"
"Bet Audrey would be jealous!" Junia giggled into her palm.
"Just what I was thinking!"
"Um..." Berry shuffled awkwardly on the spot. "I'm not rich or anything, I just have spices..."
"What do you mean?" Dismas was in denial. "No one could have this much spice without spending a limb or two!"
"It's common for every household to have spice racks. Pepper, salt, paprika, and more. You can buy these anywhere, and for cheap prices as well."
The two couldn't believe what they were hearing, back from where they came from, salt was the only thing anyone could get their hands on. Spices were expensive due to the fact they're mostly found in other countries, such as India. Transport and delivery are one thing, but safety is important. Bandits would prey on these caravans that carried valuable exports, many companies that were involved had to resort to hiring guards to protect their products. In the end, spices are expensive, and one would be lucky to find a good deal.
So once they heard that it was a different story in this town, Dismas and Junia were in a state of denial. The only times they had the privilege to endure themselves on meals blessed by the best chef on Hamlet, was when they found the Ancestor's secret stash. The feast that day gave strength to the mercenaries and allowed them to take on the horrors of the lands.
"W-where are we?" Dismas couldn't help but ask.
"Have any of you guys heard of Equestria?" Berry said.
"No, where is that on the map? Europe, Asia, or America?"
Confused, Berry furrowed her brows. "I have never heard of those before..."
The two looked at each other, their denial became distressed as they began to fear for the worse. Gone was their enthusiasm for discovering the spices, Dismas wanted to believe that he could possibly be wrong. There was still hope within the darkness.
Though everything wasn't right, there was still the odd feeling that stuck with him ever since he first took a step on Hamlet, and that was the uneasy feeling of dread.
There was only one way to know for sure, a single question that would decide their fate.
"No, we cannot let you through!" The guard prevented Reynauld and Paracelsus from entering the morgue.
The two had followed the guards to the funeral home where they brought the corpse in, there were guards around the entrance but the humans simply barged in without question. Paracelsus wanted to take the chance to examine the pony biology and could not wait for another, the best part was that there were two inside. Now against one final door to new discoveries, the two were surrounded by guards in gold.
"I assure you all, as a professional doctor I am also a coroner. With my help, this case of yours will be solved before you even know it!"
"You griffins and whatever that guy is have nothing to do with this, don't make me use force!" The pony threatened them.
Reynauld had enough of their squabble, he grabbed the guard by the throat and slammed them against the wall. The others froze upon his aggression, his appearance helped with that as well, Reynauld was armored head to toe. And he carried that large sword around like nothing.
He was taller than them too, the Crusader could crush them easily. As for the Plague Doctor, she was the most intimidating one of the two. The lenses of her mask were devoid of any light, to them, she was like a soulless creature that lurked in their nightmares.
"We were sent here by the crown to investigate this murder, and my colleague is qualified for the job. She was handpicked by their majesty among many others who were not so lucky. Allow us entry, or I punish you, heathen." Reynauld's grip tightened causing the guard to squirm. And to show that he was serious, he flashed a badge before pocketing it.
Left with no other choice, the ponies relented and gave way to the two humans. Happy and prideful, Paracelsus marched through the doors with Reynauld on her tail, she gave the ponies a boastful glance before closing the doors behind them.
"Nice work, Reynauld! Good call on using the crown as an excuse!"
"These ponies are called the Royal Guards. I was inclined to believe that they worship someone with royal blood, but I was unsure if it is a king or a queen. We must look into it, perhaps some conversation pertaining to the subject." Reynauld suggested.
"And what about the badge?" She wondered.
Reynauld showed it off to Paracelsus, it was a badge that belonged to someone named Iron Shield, and if Paracelsus had to guess, it could be that pony Reynauld nearly strangled.
"Dismas' stories had a few interesting parts that just stuck with me."
"A man of God such as you should not be easily influenced by the drunkard."
"And you shouldn't be investigating a murder that does not concern us." He shot back.
The Doctor crossed her arms. "This is beneficial for everyone! I get to cut through a corpse while also learning the cause of death!"
"I'm curious," Reynauld began. "this town does not look like there are any humans around, and yet these... ponies, don't seem to be cornered about what we are."
"Well, they believed that I am a griffin, while they are unsure on what you are. To them, we are just strange creatures from a far away land."
"We must make haste, who knows how long before they discover who we truly are."
