Black Eyes To Blue

- 7 -

"Why did that insufferable bastard have to go and die like that? Everyone should know their limits and what not to do!" Cursed Conrad Verner, "Working out in the cold like that at his age? Doesn't fucking matter if you're next to a hot forge, it's still bloody cold outside!"

Conrad, the blacksmith's apprentice turned de facto forgemaster after the death of the previous smith, continued to curse the frozen bones of the old man as he did every day when he closed up shop. Late. As always. Not being able to keep up with the workload demanded of him, and being the only smith in his hometown, it forced him to open early and close late. Leaving no time to do anything he wanted to, no time to nap, no time to sit by the creek, and no time to spend in the inn with his friends. Not that he didn't continue to do those things like he always had, but now there's just consequences. Now he had to work overtime just to keep up. As much as he hated working, and as much as he hated the forge work, the town still counted on him. So he would be there every day, hammering away, but he would continue to reserve the right to bitch about it every chance he got. So on he went, cursing the bones of his old master for leaving him with all this work.

The Blacksmiths shop, relegated to being on the edge of town due to the incessant hammering, is also the first building in Chult that travelers arriving from the direction of the recently abandoned Lisstion Falls settlement would see. So that's the direction the Shop faced, towards the road. Where the open displays of metal worked housewares and weapons advertised that friendly trade was welcome, while passing on a warning that the town was used to violence and expecting trouble from strangers.

As Conrad was rolling the large wooden door that opened the side of the smithy up to the outside air, he spotted a lone figure shambling down the road towards the town. Muttering another curse under his breath. He grabbed the halberd that he had finished repairing earlier that day for one of the bearded twins in the town guard, he couldn't remember which one, and started down the road to meet the figure.

"I was so close to fucking going home, now this fucking undead fuck has to be my fucking problem!" Bitched Conrad loudly, not caring who heard him complain, no one was going to do anything about his attitude, so who cares about tact?

"You couldn't have waited another twenty fucking minutes could you!" He shouted at the figure shambling towards him. "You ain't even worth the fuckin' walk out—"

"Help... Her"

The faint noise coming from the shambling corpse was barely audible, but unmistakable. A voice, and a sentence at that. The unexpected reply stopped the young forgemaster in his tracks. Looking more closely at the approaching figure, now close enough to make out details. He certainly looked like death, all coated in blood and shambling side to side like that.

"Help her!" Repeated the shambling figure. More forcefully this time, as if it was regaining focus.

"Oh FUCK!" Shouted Conrad as he ran towards what he could now make out as a pair of individuals. The small hand wrapped limply around the hulking man's left shoulder was more than confirmation that these two were very much still alive, but only barely.

As Conrad approached the towering man, more than a foot and a half taller than Conrad himself, he slowed down. Trying to process what was happening and what to do about it.

"Healer. Now."

"Right right! Uhm, we don't actually have a healer here." Conrad stuttered uncomfortably, "She just disappeared one day, like everyone el—"

His voice trailing off into silence as the look on the strangers face shifted from the thousand yard stare of a dead man, into a piercing look of cold fury. Thinking fast about what to do, as the figure continued his slow advance towards the town. He blurted out, "We have an enchantress though! She is smart! Maybe she knows—"

"Show me..." Whispered the colossus, as his slow shamble picked up pace into a rapid jog. As if the mention of the possibility of a healer filled him with a new reserve of energy.

Conrad rushed to keep up with the man's long strides, after an entire day of being on his feet, he wasn't ready for a run, and his relatively short legs didn't do him any favors. With an effort he was able to pull ahead of the large man and direct him towards one of the larger houses in the center of town.

Bashing the base of the Halberd against the door, a resounding boom echoed through the house. "Go away you worthless wretch! Don't you know the time!" Shouted a high pitched voice from somewhere on the second floor.

"But Lady Eir! I have someone who—"

Pushing past the young man, Mardston stepped up to the door, raised one foot and kicked the door in. Knocking the door clean off its hinges, it fell inwards with a satisfying clatter. Taking care to not bump Soris against the doorframe. He took one step inside, a second step, then the floor seemed to come forward to meet him before his eyes. Followed by darkness and silence.