Iorrjaer

Chapter 21

The party came back to their senses just as they reached the obvious house that had been prepared for them. They all noticed that while they still felt, more or less, worse than they had on the road. Whatever that ordeal had been and whatever that rainbow light was that pulled them out of the mist, had given them some resilience. Together and sharing a glance around with each other, they all recalled the last thing that they had heard from the rainbow woman that aided them: Find me.

The wooden house that the party found to rest in was a small two-story home that looked like two square boxes stacked on top of each other. Very crude and very quickly constructed. It was obvious that it was for them because it was the only place that looked like it had been built yesterday and it was out of place for the rest of the town.

The first story was four walls of unfinished maple timber that measured equally in all dimensions but was maybe, at best, six-hundred square feet. A small staircase of only eight wooden steps led up to a space that was three-hundred square-feet and so low that Bethar would need to be on his knees to properly fit.

Around the door were multiple "windows" - openings that were uncovered. The walls and floor was just bare rough-cut timber that did not fit together or cut to the same length. The only thing that was proper, purposeful or accidental, leaning more towards accidental, was that the ceiling was nine-feet tall. Even still, it was a crowded space for all to be in. Häsmæl took up a considerable amount of the space, so the others felt even more cramped.

The second story was so much shorter and smaller than the first that the roof sat awkwardly atop and looked flimsy enough to blow off in a windstorm... The roof was fresh maple and seemed to be leaking sap with some parts showing a crusty residue. The inside of the little house was completely barren. This caused Bethar to venture the statement: "Good thing we're only here for a couple of hours."

There was surprisingly a second space on the first floor that led to a third. The room to the right was void of any material, like the first and mirrored the inside of a rough wooden box look. The room beyond was boarded off, but had enough space between the boards to see into, what looked like a kitchen, with a pot. Sorâth tested the strength of the boards and found them just about ready to break due to rot. Despite their fresh, green look, moistness and leaking sap. Upon further examination, Sorâth noticed that the sap seemed to be escaping, The sap was reddish and had a pungent, foul smell. Sorâth called for Malka and he stumbled in, supported by Graphiel and Barsabel. He was not looking well but was doing his best to stay awake and keep his concentration.

"What do you think of this?" Sorâth asked, nodding to the sap.

"Get me closer, mules." Malka said to his supporters.

They obliged with dishumoured laughs. Graphiel seemed to be the most displeased with having to carry Malka around but Barsabel loved Malka's humour despite his weakened state. They placed Malka down and he found a good spot where there was no sap to place his hand to support himself. Sorâth noticed that he was looking worse.

"What we got?" Malka was in such a mode of conservation that he had lessened his vocabulary,

"The sap is red," Sorâth said. "Looks like it is escaping. It's clear as it drains, but look at the base, it's red."

"Like blood," Malka said. "Smells coppery too."

"Can wood bleed?" Graphiel asked.

"Normally a comple... compl... a silly, question. But! I don't think our conditi....conditishions?... are normal." He laughed at himself.

"What's more," Graphiel added. "The wood is still green. And look here, it's rotting."

"Shouldant be doing that," Malka said with a hiccup. "I'm sorry. I can't be... more of... of more... help. Me up. Help me up."