Thrown Into Madness - Lord of the Mysteries

Time

"Miss Darmine, we've arrived."

The short-furred cat's ears perked up as she stood up.

She stretched after lying down for hours and jumped down the carriage.

Through her travels during this past half a year, Darmine's Scout Patrol spread in numbers.

There were even two humans amongst the ranks who were able to handle many tasks which animals couldn't.

She also figured out that being constantly called by her title was annoying for all parties involved.

A large brown owl was perched up on a nearby tree, cautiously observing the surroundings.

Darmine looked around, the gray environment reflected in her thin pupils.

The air was damp, but also disgustingly dry.

It was the kind you'd expect in a subtropical forest or a jungle.

Darmine kept her tail to the ground.

After slowly moving forward for a few minutes, a small village entered her view.

Immediately, she noticed the signs of corrosion and death.

The plants around the village were dried up and the stone walls were cracked, ready to crumble.

The villagers looked even worse than described.

Their bodies were thin, outlining their skeleton and veins.

Darmine blinked but didn't waste a single second.

She moved onwards and easily sneaked into the village.

She turned into a nearby alley and-

She froze.

Through the dark alley spread a foul odor, the smell of rotting flesh.

Darmine's eyes constricted.

A dead child with busted head and twisted legs hung out of a metallic container.

Next to the overflowing container lay a sewered head and multiple bodiless limbs.

Darmine's body was rooted in one spot for a long while.

Her breath was steady but her heartbeat loud.

Slowly, and with clear uncertainty, she turned away.

With a few swift jumps, Darmine appeared on a rooftop, away from the nauseating scent.

She sat, her fur was standing up and her ears were tilted downward.

Her eyes were closed as she rested stiffly on the uncomfortable roof.

After a few minutes of complete stillness, Darmine stood back up, her eyes opened.

She didn't bother looking back, moving and jumping over the different rooftops.

Aeron stayed back, watching the two humans, a man and a woman, entering the village.

They left their carriage a few minutes of travel away, leaving the horses enough food for a few days.

Immediately, all surrounding villagers turned to look at them.

Their eyes were wide and bloodshot, almost falling out of their eye sockets.

Most gritted their black teeth or even growled.

The younger woman, Muiry, froze at the zombie-like gazes.

She stepped back, grabbing the older man by the arm.

The man didn't flinch, he instead glared back.

Halter was a very intimidating 35 year old man, so many of the half-dead villagers turned away, or just silently observed.