Reconvening

The fires continued to rage in the background as guards rushed trying to deal with as many problems as they could. Some were fighting the fires that continued to rage in the background while others hacked, slashed, and shot anything that emerged from any collapsed buildings. It was a horrible event for all involved and it didn't help that the many thieves and lowlives used the fire as an opportunity to loot all they could before escaping through the many walls of smoke and ash that decorated the once blue morning sky.

Dismas continued pushing through the crowd of people until he was eventually stopped by an old man dressed in white and gold ceremonial robes clutching a crucifix tightly in his hand. Dismas recognized this man as the friar for the local church, a nearly senile old fellow that can be seen giving sermons every Sunday. "You there young man, have you seen my apprentices anywhere amongst these people?" Dismas was going to ignore the man but the man looked like he was on the verge of tears. "Fine but make it quick. I have my own people I need to find, give me their descriptions." A wide smile spread across the man's wrinkled face, "Thank you so much the lord will bless you for this!" "You're wasting our precious time here, start describing before I lose my patience." Dismas sighed, slightly annoyed with the old man's antics.

"Oh yes, descriptions." The man fumbled around in his robes pulling out pieces of paper with two similar faces drawn on them. "They're twins named Their names are Juina and Olivia they are both in their early twenties dressed in clothing similar to mine but the colors are different Junia's is green while Olivia's is blue. We got separated when the fires started during the initial panic." Dismas took the papers from the man and continued running in the last direction he saw his friends go making sure to stop and ask about anyone who matched the friar's descriptions.

I tilted my head at what Audrey said "What do you mean no 'people', why did you say it like that?" Audrey walked beside us while Reynauld continued to help me walk. "When the leather shop collapsed I saw something come out of the rubble. It looked like a severely burned human but it had bits of stone connected to its skin and it could make these sounds that attracted you to it. I of course tried to investigate ced sounds but the thing lashed out at my legs almost pulling me to the ground. I threw a couple of my daggers to distract the thing while I ran and by the time I made it to you two it was gone." Audrey pulled out a pipe and lit it and inhaled deeply, "if you ask me we shouldn't let it get too far but we're gonna need more than the three of us." "I second that thought," Reynauld said while I just nodded my head.

I looked at the cut on my arms that were still slowly healing themselves and looked back at the empty vial on Audrey's belt. "I needed the help Audrey and I thank you for it, but what was it that you gave me exactly?" Audrey exhaled letting trails of smoke flow out of her mouth, "It was something I got from the herbalist a few days before I met up with you guys. It's supposed to help speed up the healing process for cuts and bruises. Thought you could use some help after fighting whatever the hell that thing was and winning." Audrey flashed me a quick smile and continued with her smoking.

Reynauld helped me walk until we made it close to the entrance of the market. Whatever was in that vial also helped my leg to the point where I could walk again. When we finally made it out we found Dismas talking to one of the vendors from earlier holding a piece of paper with a woman's face on it. "Have you seen a woman who looks this dressed in either green if blue church robes?" A shake of the head was all he got from the ash-covered man as he handed the paperback and went on his way. "Looks like the old man's run out of luck I can't find a soul in this crowd."