“Meet at the ruins they said, we'll be there by midday they said. Bunch of damned morons.” The mercenary grumbled to herself as she sat upon what was once a wall to a building, now covered in moss, vines and dust. “I swear to whatever gods are in these lands if they stiffed me and I'm stuck out here alone all night I'll gut them when I see them again.” She spat out angrily as she waited. Larka had been out here for hours now waiting, it was well past midday, in fact it was starting to get closer to early evening, the sun heading towards the horizon off in the distance.

Standing from her place Larka paced around the place a little as she thought on what to do. She had been hired to meet people here to help them explore some of the underground ruins for treasure, she had left from Adeluna and headed north until she found the ruins. Once there it was her job to make sure things were clear before everyone else arrived, and she had been lucky that there was nothing out here waiting for her. However, from what she had heard of the place, whatever lurked underground during the day sometimes surfaced at night to hunt, and she really didn't want to be out here alone at that time if she could help it. And while she'd like to leave and head back to the city, though she wouldn't get there by nightfall at least she could follow the roads there, there was a good bit of coin on the table for this job.

Larka sighed and took a drink from her canteen, it was rum, not water, and she had another bottle of it in her backpack. Her last job had allowed her to afford some good leather armour for her chest, arms and legs, light and flexible, it's what she liked about leather armour. She had her sword in its sheath at her left hip as always, and on her right hand she had three wedding rings, one on her ring finger and the other two, that matched each other, on her middle finger. She had been happy to get them back once the ship she had come over on had fully unloaded and she was able to retrieve them from a safe below deck.

The tall blacked haired woman sighed as she drank again, finding another place to sit, she was about ready to call it quits and just leave. But she needed that cash so for now Larka stayed, now getting upset that she hadn't bought some way to start a damned fire now that she might be out here until dark or afterwards alone.

There were always bad ideas mixed in with the good, but Harmony seemed to always find the bad ones first.  She had been exploring the ruins, since she had heard rumors about some interesting artifacts here.  And she had been quite startled when she heard other voices, since she had thought herself to be quite alone all the way out in the ruins.  The young woman had ducked into a small alcove, and once she could hear their words, Harmony was quite glad she had.  They were talking of another woman who would meet them here, and how she would be a scapegoat for the stolen good that were hidden further in the ruins.  So someone else was coming, Harmony decided right then and there to warn this other person. 

Following them deeper into the ruins, Harmony wanted to know more about these people so eager to scapegoat a stranger.  They went around the ruins, retrieving different caches, and Harmony was silent as a ghost behind them.  There were times she was grateful to her father for teaching her to be fast and quiet, and this was definitely one of them.  Dusk started to fall before they decided to head back, but one man pointed out there was one last cache they needed to retrieve.  They all went, and she followed again.  It was growing dark, and Harmony wanted to go back to find the stranger to warn them.  But when she looked back to the sunset, then to the men, there was someone else.  Something horrible.  She stifled a shriek, and fled back through the maze.  But she heard men screaming behind her, and incantations, and knew what was happening.  She had to get some distance, then had to formulate a plan.  She would know what to do once she had a plan.

Turning a corner, most of the planning she had already done flew out of her mind as Harmony almost ran over a woman by a fire.  She could hear shambling behind her, they probably had about two minutes before the corpses would emerge from the ruins.  "If you're here to meet people, they're dead.  And either way, run!  They're following me," Harmony said quickly, pulling out a delicate wand of silver metal tipped with a blue gem.  It glowed softly, and Harmony stared in the direction she had come from.  Glancing at the woman, Harmony wondered just what her reaction would be once the walking corpses emerged from the ruins.

[OOC:  Oh, good twist! :D]

Larka was getting very upset by this time, it was dusk and there was no one here to meet her as planned.  Little did she know what was going on below in the ruins, that she had been duped, though not for the first time in her life, and would have been used as a scapegoat for what the real plan had been.  The merc was taking a drink again, in fact she was rather tipsy by this time her drinking having become a problem again since Celeste had disappeared over two years ago.  Larka was deep down thinking that she'd not find her wife again, but she was far too bull headed to stop looking until she found out what happened to Celeste, or died trying.  She had nothing else to live for.

As she sighed heavily sounds started to echo from the ruins and she was on her feet when she recognised them as screams of pain.  What was going on?!  Suddenly a young woman rushed out of the ruins, and, spotting Larka standing there, came towards her.  Larka's hand went to her sword hilt and she half drew it, but the woman didn't present a threat, instead she quickly spoke a warning while pulling out a wand.  Who was dead?  What was following her?  Larka drew her sword fully and took a step back from the stranger and eyed.  "Wait wait wait, what are you talking about?  Yes, I'm here to meet people but they haven't shown up yet.  Who are you and what… is.. ah fuck."  Larka swore as she heard the shambling now as well and looked over to see the walking corpses walking out of the ruins towards them.

As they came closer Larka was slowly back stepping at the same pace as she assessed the situation; walking dead, a stranger that could use magic, not two things she liked to have at the same time, not that she ever wanted undead.  As Larka examined the undead she swore again.  "Great, I think the one looks like the guy who hired me, son of a bitch was already here, so what did they need me for?"  She grumbled.  "How many are there do you know?  I don't like the idea of running and leave them to wonder around and kill some other poor fool."

She wasn't given much of a choice as one of the zombies decided to try to make at a run at her.  Larka stabbed forward with her sword and it broke against into connected segments giving her a great deal of extra reach.  It stabbed into the corpse through the chest which stopped its forward movement long enough for Larka to pull her sword back around, it was now more like a whip.  She lashed out in a fluid motion and lopped the thing's head off cleanly, and that was when the rest decided to move against the two females as one.

The dead men moved a bit faster than she had anticipated, but Harmony had been able to find help and get out a warning in time at least.  "There's something in the ruins, something worse than thieves," Harmony quickly added as she moved closer to the fire.  The woman was a warrior, that was good.  She would be very helpful for this situation.  And once they started killing minions, Harmony knew that the thing that had created them would come soon as well.  Hopefully she could prepare them both for what was to come.  "It's simple, they were going to steal everything and pin the blame on you.  I overheard them," Harmony said with a shrug.  It was commonplace and rather sad, something she had never quite been able to wrap her head around.  Humans seemed so eager to blame each other for everything.

"Oh don't worry about that, they're all coming.  I think I saw ten total.  And then there's the thing that raised them after it killed them.  It's going to know where we are now," Harmony quickly explained, starting to weave a protective spell.  An intangible shield surrounded them both, and gave Harmony time to work on other things.  Stepping behind the woman as she started to slash through the undead, Harmony chanted in her native tongue, quickly raising a wall of stone between they and the undead.  It filled the passageway out of the ruins, and it would give them a few moments of planning.  "Anyway, I'm Harmony.  And that thing in the ruins, it's not going to rest until we're both dead, or it is.  Ever heard of a lich?  This thing is worse," she explained quickly, listening to the scratching of hands against the wall. 

They would have to work around her barrier, and Harmony flicked her wand impatiently, waiting for them to come.  She couldn't help but talk aloud as she planned.  It was something she did even when she was along, but it would help for the other person to know exactly what she was going to do.  "I think they're either going to come over the wall once they notice they can climb over it, or go around.  Either way, I'll throw some ice at their feet.  They can't chase us very well if they can't get to their feet," Harmony said with a grin. 

”There's always something worse.” Larka sighed before the other woman explained what Larka would have been set up for if the men who had hired her hadn't been killed. ”Ah, well, can't say I feel bad for them then.” She commented keeping her eyes open for an attack from the approaching zombies. One of them attacked and Larka killed it and the young woman raised up barrier to protect them for now. She watched as a wall of stone filled the passage way and then blocked the path to them mostly.

Harmony introduced herself and Larka groaned a little when she heard what it was. ”A lich, but worse? Damn it, I don't have any way to protect myself against magic.” She was kind of hoping that Harmony could. ”I'm Larka, by the way, thanks for, well, thanks.” She grinned as she listened to Harmony's idea once the undead started to come from around the wall or over it. ”Works for me, put them off balance, I don't need to get that close with my sword.” Larka explained before she heard a clamouring at the wall and turned to see the first couple start to make their way over it.

Larka's grip tightened on her sword as she stepped forward getting the whip blade in motion and lashed out, catching the one on the side of the head and leaving a nasty deep gash, but the blade didn't get through the skull. It screeched at the wound and continued forward as Larka brought her blade back around and built up momentum again going for another strike. Larka aimed for the same place and with the wound already open she got her blade to through the skull and into the brain, not enough to go clean through but it was enough to drop the thing.

The other one moaned as it got closer and more of them started to come around and over the wall. Larka hoped Harmony could kill a few as well, as the Reaver kept her sword moving and started to attack the next closest one to them.

She was glad to see that the woman was a warrior, Harmony had a feeling they'd come out of this more unscathed than she anticipated.  She nodded, a sad tone when she spoke.  "A pity, you seem nice.  I don't think you're the type that should be made a scapegoat of.  So lets be friends," she said, her mood shifting quickly, shown by a grin.  The battle against the creature would be something new for her, and Harmony looked forward to it since she would face it with a new friend.  "It's… oh, you know how liches use necromatic energies?  This thing mixes necromancy with force magic, and it basically sucks all the life and energy out from wherever its at.  They're nasty creatures, and thankfully rare.  My father called it a… fext.  I think that's what it was," she explained quickly.  Harmony was wracking her brains, trying to remember every detail Killian had taught her of those creatures. 

Then they started to climb over the wall, and Larka was quick on the draw.  Harmony drew an arcane sigil in the air, then shattered it by slashing her wand through it.  Her eyes shimmered bright with energy, and she smiled.  It had been awhile since she had fought anything, and the undead did not count against her vow to not harm the innocent.  Especially these undead.  A ball of force, silver-blue and glowing, erupted from the end of her wand and into the chest of the closest undead.  It went through the chest and slammed into the next one behind the shambling corpse. 

While they would keep coming, they were still slow creatures, and clumsy.  It made them easy prey for the pair.  "You've fought a lot before, I can tell.  I didn't used to, but I realized I can't keep running away," Harmony admitted with a rueful grin.  There had been a time when she would never hurt another being, no matter what.  But times had changed, and Harmony knew that she had to take care of herself.  There wasn't anyone else anymore.  Another ball of energy slammed into the head of a zombie, and she glanced back to Larka to see how her fight was going.

Larka glanced to Harmony at the sudden want to be friends and grinned. ”Uh, sure, and thanks, I try and be nice when I can. And thanks again for warning me by the way.” Larka replied as Harmony went on to further explain what they would be facing besides the undead corpses attacking them. ”Fext? Never heard of it, but if it can and should be killed, I'm in.” Larka smiled a little at the idea of killing something that powerful, her, just a normal human being with little power, could help take on such a force of power. What a great story to tell in a tavern!

The attack started and Larka was quick to bring one down and she followed up by attacking the next one. At the same time she caught site of Harmony using her magic to destroy a couple more and then spoke of fighting. ”I have indeed, Harmony, more than my share I believe. And, no, you can't keep running, since whatever it is you're running from will probably never tire of the chase.” Blunt, yes, but it was the way that Larka felt. Problems needed to be dealt with not ran from, if it was the wrong maybe then leave it for another day, but never run from something for too long.

Another zombie's head popped off from magic and Larka ducked under an arm swing at her and rammed her blade into the face of one. She drew it back and danced away from her, her movements fluid as she kept his whip sword's momentum going, spinning the complicated blade around her and above her. ”Oh, if I had even the littlest of magical control, the things I could do with this blade, always have wondered what I do could do with it if I could control it with my mind.” She commented bring the blade back together again normally and slapping an arm away before taking the head off the owner of said arm.

She felt a raking pain crawl its way down her left side as a zombie managed to slash at her with his sharp nails. Larka grunted as the blood started to leak out but her Reaver abilities kicked in and her muscles tightened with added strength from the wound, not a whole lot but noticeable, and if she continued to get wounded she's only grow stronger. Larka's blade swished through the air and another zombie head dropped to the ground along with its body a moment after. Larka's eyes started to get a little red with her powers kicking as well.

When the woman agreed to be her friend, Harmony relaxed.  It meant she wouldn't have to worry about watching her back with Larka around.  She also wasn't surprised when Larka hadn't heard of a fext, they were not very common creatures.  "Fortunately, they can be killed the same way liches can, destroying the phylactery.  Unfortunately, we have to find it first.  Sometimes they wear it on them, lets hope this is the case here," Harmony explained.  It was a small blessing, given the entire situation.  And there were only so many dead the thing could raise, the ruins had been long abandoned, and the looters were unfortunately convenient.  They worked well together to destroy the minions, and Harmony nodded at the mention of things chasing her.  "Memories never stop chasing you.  The only thing I've found I can do is to make peace with them," she said when there was a lull in the zombies.

They seemed to gather for a final assault, and Harmony could smell the blood from Larka's wound.  But the woman kept fighting.  And so did Harmony.  She froze one and used a pulse of energy to shatter it.  Another was thrown against her stone wall, hard enough to break the bones so it couldn't move after them anymore.  After a few long moments, it was over.  Pieces of zombies lay all over the place, some still twitching but no long of any danger to them.  "Do you want me to heal that?" she asked as she gestured to Larka's wounds, once Harmony was certain that it was safe for a few moments.  And she had learned it was better to ask than to assume.

Once that had been settled, Harmony looked back into the ruins.  "The fext knows we're here.  I don't know what all it can do, but all I can say is to be careful.  And I at least know we took care of all the minions.  I think I remember the way back to it.  Ready?" she asked, putting on a determined face.  Gods only knew how long the thing had been here, and how many had fallen to its machinations.  It was as good of a time as any to put an end to the thing.  They just had to get to it first.

Larka nodded to the explanation of how to kill the fext, she didn't know what a phylactery was, but Larka figured she's figure it out as they went along. When the topic of memories came up Larka nodded again, such a sage thing from one that looked so young. ”Indeed, and I've made peace with a lot of memories.” Larka replied before the final assault of the undead began.

Once it was over Larka looked around the wound on her side was painful and she was thankful for Harmony to ask if she wanted it healed. ”Please, and thank you.” Larka replied and watched as Harmony healed the wound. Undead blood was no good for Larka's healing power to work with, since there was no life in it to draw out, not to mention the aura that caused fear wouldn't work on them either.

Once that was finished Larka listened to what Harmony had to say, happy to hear that they were done with the minions. ”I'm ready, you wouldn't happen to have a way to make some light would you?” Larka asked, not having a way herself to do so.

Once on their way Larka took point speaking quietly. ”My powers, what I am capable of, is that I get stronger with each wound that I take.” She explained. ”So if it somehow stabs me in the leg or arm it will just add to my strength and I can ignore the pain. There's no need to heal my right away when I get hurt then, otherwise my strength will return to normal.” It was a more simplistic explanation than she could give, but time was short and the fight possibly long. ”Also, if I tell you to plug your ears, do so.” She warned.

As they continued on until a low wail echoed through the air and a mist formed around them as a tall figured appeared about twenty feet in front of them. ”Huh, uh, what, uh, what's a phylactery anyway?” She asked, the thing stood taller than Larka did, dressed in, at one time was, fine clothing, in one hand it clutched a candle stick with a black flame on the end of the candle, in the other a nasty looking dagger.

It was a comfort to Harmony to find someone that understood her when it came to troubling memories, and she nodded.  Once the minions had fallen, she was more easily able to heal Larka's wound, given that she had a much easier time healing those she considered friends.  She grinned at the question of light, and conjured a small globe of silvery light, making it look akin to moonlight.  "I'm fortunate, I was born gifted with magic, and I had several teachers that helped me hone my talents.  It was a very long time ago, but I've kept those lessons close," she said, her voice soft as to not attract attention.  Larka's mention of her powers was interesting, and Harmony found herself curious, but for once she was able to restrain her questions.  This was not the best time for those things. 

Her brow wrinkled in curiosity at the mention of plugging her ears, but Harmony figured there was a good reason.  And the mist started appearing around them before she could really answer the question well.  A quick answer came to her mind.  "It holds a soul.  Usually something valuable or magical.  Have to-  GAH!" Harmony found her explanation cut off by a skeletal hand around her throat and found herself lifted off the ground.  The fext peered closely into her eyes for a split second before teleporting with her to the other side of the room and away from Larka.  There was no peeling that hand away from her throat, though Harmony certainly tried.

Then its ghostly purple eyes started to glow.  The candlestick was glowing more brightly too, hovering behind her and she could see the dagger glinting in the weird glow.  THe fext slashed her arm, and Harmony felt immediately dizzy as silvery essence started draining into the candlestick.  She knew why it had chosen her over Larka, given her talent for magic.  She could only hope that Larka was strong enough to overcome the fext before it sucked her dry.