𝙳𝚊𝚜 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚣: 𝙱𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝙴𝚒𝚗𝚜

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓

Preta – Of Indian origin. Said to be invisible, there are tales of Pretas being seen by people in certain mental states. They are described as being human looking with emaciated bodies and mummified skin. As added agony, it is mentioned that the moon can burn them while the sun can freeze them. The Preta is believed to be a greedy person in life whom fate inflicts with insatiable hunger in death. Whether it is riches or life's crimson fluid, the Preta spends eternity craving for it, giving its kind the generic name of "hungry ghosts".

A drip of rain from the darkening sky falls to the wet ground near the church. Another drop leading a rush of water as it starts pouring from the Heavens above.

A dull leather boot pressing into the wet mud, a man sways to a stop, his jerking figure halts at the edges of the church yard. When the creature sniffs through the rain drops at the church, another unsteady being comes closer. Sensing the creature's closeness, the first untoter curls its lips over its fangs letting out a loud growl the other reacts to with its own.

Slowly, their glossed eyes staring at the house of God with the scent of life inside it. More and more undead begin to show, their focus on the same smell of blood from the dead man with more snarls and low roars ringing out as more and more untoten flood through Hieb.

Outside the tavern, the first signs of the creatures in the village pass by the window Koza stands looking out of. He watches them spread through the streets, atop the buildings, down alleyways. Letting out a breath, Koza looks down from the sight. One of them comes close by the window, moving along down the boardwalk, bringing a scowl to Koza's brow. The creature doesn't look familiar, but what it wears does. The mangled face tattered by a harsh death. Koza turns to Ermanno and Thayer sitting miscellaneously at a table towards the front. "You were right, Sir, they are the undead soldiers who killed us in the mountains."

Eber sits at the table nearest the bar, leisurely rapping his fingers on the surface, not needing confirmation of his assumptions.

"They've moved across the land like a plague," Thayer says, fiddling with one of his close range daggers.

"How are we going to kill all of them?" Ermanno sits with hands between his knees, hunched over on the chair.

"Sir?" Koza asks, twisting his torso Eber's way.

The sound growing on her nerves, Lorelei stares at the raps of Eber's fingers whilst he answers the captain. "We will not." The men turn the way of the commander. "We will use them." They listen as Eber finally voices his thoughts. "These creatures seek living blood, not ours."

"So we could just walk out of here, down the main street at our leisure and get away without a fight with a single one of them?" Ermanno nods, glancing to Koza. "That is somewhat disappointing," slanting his lips.

"Yes." Eber raps on the table, Lorelei's focus still trained on the noise.

"Then let's go!" Thayer chirps happily, his young voice sounding of youth's ignorance as ever.

"We are not leaving." Thayer's delighted grin drops at the Commander's dead reply.

As Eber opens his mouth to add, he raps again, Lorelei's reddened eyes lifting to his. "Rap them one more time and I cut them off." He looks to her, her face lined with exhaustion, pain, and no patience.

His fingers aimed upward to come down in another rhythm, he lowers his hand flat to the table. "...How long do you think Berin will let us live as those things out there?" Koza glances over his shoulder out the window at the creatures with the same hungers as his fellow soldiers. "Berin loves power, to have inhuman soldiers with our inhuman strengths he would adore. However, if Kasimir dies the entire city of Loviturä will only see us as monsters, not powerful protectors. Without Kasimir to calm the public, Berin will face an uprising like no other, one he is not willing to lose wealth or resources over. He will have us killed to quell the riots." Eber looks to Koza. "No, we are not leaving without Kasimir."