Deny Nothing

Our Division sitting nestled upon mountain top woven through its heart. Keeping track of the passage of time has been hard. I already had trouble keeping track in my own world. Now faced with a mountain that doesn't seem to have the range of seasons I'm used to. I've started to give up comparing the days to my old understanding. Something like spring, was in full swing when I first arrived to this world. Perhaps with a title like 'Many Blossoms' spring being its starting point makes sense. Whether summer came and went while I've been up this mountain. I haven't the slightest clue.

 If fall has arrived the multitude of wonderful and strange plant colours, have given me no hints. I asked Xian the walking fall aesthetic if it existed. He seemed intrigued by my descriptions and agreed in his own birthplace such a season did exist. Sadly, my favorite time of year did not exist up this mountain top. Instead, a sudden drop in temperature and bitter wind and snow simply chose to surprise me. Though the inner keep was warm and avoiding the outside was easy. The chill still seemed to creep into my bones.

Suddenly the thought of leaving the safe mountain doesn't seem so bad. Winter hadn't really arrived so brutally outside the peaks. So, when Reign collected us together to explain our mission. I was eager to escape the cold.

I'm living the life of a peaceful side character; how hard can my first mission be.

"I want you three to investigate a rumour that's popped up not far from here. It's a ghost story of sorts and I'd like to find out where it started. Why and for what purpose. If there is any truth to the story, don't think you have to handle any monsters. Just report back. I'll send out some Moroseil branch members to deal with it."

This seemed like an easy enough recon mission. With only one loud mouth socialite in the group. My and Xian's lacking social skills were the only hurdles. I barley paid attention as Xian and Reign began discussing travel.

I was busy trying to decide what to pack. I've been taught how to wield a few weapons by Anora. I'll need a shield since I don't have the agility to dodge. Maybe something light like a sickle would be best. Simple and brutal when needed. I hadn't quite gotten the hang of magic yet even with Yuka tutoring me when he was free. Both Lise and I had been struggling in the magic category. Despite our divine heritage figuring out how to make magic listen to us was no easy task.

Perhaps while she's been away, she's unlocked a spell or two -I mean I know she will- I just can't help being worried my presence might change how things play out.

Our little trio is packed and setting off before noon. I suddenly feel like the slacker. Xian is in charge, and Ravan knows all the best routes and inns to stop at. What am I? The pretty boy chronicler apparently. I'm in charge of the field notes, having gotten experience with refining them. Now it's my turn to write them. How the turn tables.

Once out of the harsh winter atmosphere of the mountain peaks I feel my bones cry in relief. Down the mountain the snow hasn't begun to pile up yet. Melting with the afternoon sun. The town were heading to is called Ravloft it's a few days away. Though we can start collecting information along the way.

We don't even have to go looking it seems. A storyteller is talking about it the moment we step into an eatery for lunch. The old man is gesturing wildly as he describes a run-down old manor haunted from roof to foundation. That any fool who wander's too close to the place will have years of their life stolen. Scared to the point that all victims wake up the next day with grey hair. Haunted by dreams that will have them wailing upon waking.

Ravan raises a brow as he listens from his spot at the table. Note's bored looking expression never falters. As he writes down the old man's words. The haste of his pen the only tell he's working seriously. Xian leans over Note's shoulder peaking for a bit before seeming content. Turning his focus fully on eating.

Ravan squints at the two, they seem close. There wasn't much time between their introduction to being sent away on mission. He hasn't really bothered to speak to the tall beak face. Though anytime he went looking for Orion, the bird brain was always near by. Even after all his coaxing got Orion to show him around. He was sure he caught sight of that hawk watching on. He left his fox alone for a minute and the bird had become an even bigger pain in the butt.

"So do either of you have any experience with undead?" Ravan looks between the two.

The storyteller whose moved onto another story has lost their interest. Xian just nods his head at him. Note finishes his writing before looking up.

"Were just following a ghost story. Why do we need experience with undead."

"Ghosts are an undead class monster obviously?"

Ravan wonders if the pretty boy is playing dumb. Note's honest confusion shows with every naïve bat of his eyes. Ravan sends an accusing look toward Xian. As if asking 'what have you been teaching this one.'?

Note's brow furrows, "Wait. Is there a chance this ghost is a real threat? A real thing?"

Note feels his brain lagging as his past beliefs -or lack thereof- collide with the magic and fantasy rules of this world. He's slipped into old thinking again hasn't he. As if continuing his thought Ravan cuts in.

"Seriously? The big guy beside you can turn into a sky menace and your denying ghosts?"

Note relented to Ravan's teasing through the rest of the meal. Though at some point the jokes turn into a lecture. As Ravan begins listing off local creatures, beasts, and spirits. Even Xian sensing this information is truly a line of study Note is lacking in, begins adding information. Demons undead and cursed objects are added to the discussion roster.

By the time they've made it to their stopping spot for the night. Note feels his brain frying from overuse. He knew about some of the enemies Lise faced in the story. Apparently, the scarier things of this world hadn't gotten in her way. They'd been happily waiting for this humble scaredy cat to venture forth.

Tonight, they'd be camping out between villages. Ravan finds them a nice nook hidden between old stone carvings. Far off the road, safely tucked away from sight. The three towering stone giants' features have long worn away. Though in their shapes still lingered a vague sense. As if they'd been carved to be in mid disagreement for eternity. The stones and the three men beneath them seemed to suit each other.

Note with his basic rural survival skills and training hadn't been able to keep up with the others. Xian preferred setting everything up quietly himself. No wonder Note had never caught him during their first trip together. Ravan seemed to have no interest in chatting as he worked either. Fixing up his own bedroll and tent with his own deft efficiency. Note observed them, mimicking the things he understood. Trying his best to set up his own area for the night. The tent was technically standing, though set up slightly wrong.

Two sets of eyes softly looked upon the noble attempt. While his back was turned -busy collecting sticks to help get a fire going- Ravan and Xian wordlessly began bickering while fixing his mistakes. Note came back with a good bundle of kindling. He looked around a bit confused. His tent had been set up off to one side of the camp. How had it ended up in the center of camp, sandwiched between two other tents. Why had the whole set up changed? Had he done that badly his tent needed to be supported on both sides?

The night wasn't too cold with the fire going. Ravan even pulled out some powder that when added to the flames made the light dull so the fire couldn't be noticed past their hiding spot. Ravan sat down too close to Note. Nearly knocking him over as he settled in.

"I'm very prepared aren't I." Ravan smiled boldly complementing himself.

Note sighed as he adjusted himself moving a bit farther away.

"What do you want. If it's snack's I didn't pack any. You ate all my stash the other day and I didn't have time to restock."

"You owe me then." Ravan held no guilt; the bird had been allowed to eat the snacks why shouldn't he.

"Owe my foot- Why do you keep bothering only me. Go play with Xian."

Both Ravan and Xian looked at him offended.

Xian's, "No."

Ravan's "Not interested."

Came simultaneously. They seem to work together well, despite themselves. If anything, they equally worked and fought each other well. Note didn't consider this worth trying to fix. This felt more like a Lise problem. Her team work, friendship making abilities were its own kind of magic. Social failures like Note shouldn't get involved.

When Ravan realised his pouting act showed no results. He turned his attention back to talking. As Note stared into the flames indifferently ignoring him.

"Did you really not consider the ghost could be real?"

"Honestly, not at all. I'm not in the habit of believing… Well, anything." Note fiddled with a twig before tossing it into the fire.

Ravan chuckles, "That makes me feel a bit better about how we first got on then. You don't trust men and magic. The one with blood from some divine- just doesn't trust anything. Ironic."

"Well, I'd say I'm trying to be more open minded now. But habits are habits. This humble one doesn't change easily. I'm but a sheltered fool. Don't concern yourself with me."

Ravan looked at his face. It was damn hard at times to tell when he was teasing. There was faint playful glint in his eye's as he spoke. Easy to miss. He'd have to get better at reading him. Compared to the sour break face though. Orion's look of indifference was easily more pleasing to look at. The unblinking look of distain always coming from their team leader was an eye sore.

Xian let the two converses without interruption. Eventually though the normal conversation began to take a turn towards unpleasant. Note had asked about Ravan's past life and was learning a few too unseemly truths about both nobility and the criminal world. The two started to whisper, as if plotting possible new world orders. So, Xian sent them off to bed; he'd take first watch.

Though the three were supposed to take turns the two humans were of little use in the dead of night. The enchanted dagger though much to Xian's disdain was trained to sense danger. It would fly off and chase away anything that got too close. After watching it silently circle their camp. Xian relented and turned in.

The fire with no one to tend it died down. Early in the morning in his sleep Note's teeth began to chatter. When he woke that morning Ravan was snuggled up against his back. While a snoozing ball of feathers nestled comfortably on his other side. 

It was so nice and warm.

The next day of travel went by easily. Ravan would go up and gossip for a time with people along the way and report what he'd heard for Note to jot down. Before long they'd made it to the town that the haunted manor sat on the outskirts of. It seemed that ghost stories about the run-down home were not especially a new occurrence. The current rumour, was the only new addition to the story in years.

They found the origin of that addition easily, a young girl with a streak of startingly white hair had spread it. She admitted she'd been walking home alone from a friend's house. Time had gotten away from her that day. Usually, she had no trouble finding her way home but with the moonlight hidden that evening. She'd gotten lost and wandered onto that old property.

She couldn't recall clearly what had happened only that she was found by her father. He'd gone out looking for her when she didn't return home. She'd been found unconscious. When she woke the next morning, she began crying desperately telling her family to stay away from the house. Her hair suddenly going white had been enough proof, that her parents couldn't help but trust her. Her whole family had then gone about spreading the news around. That some kind of horrible danger now lived in the old manor. The villagers had been avoiding it since.

Taking the girl and her families accounts ate up the remaining daylight so the trio decided to go to the inn for the night. They'd check out the haunted location and make a map of it tomorrow. Leaving before nightfall to avoid taking any risks.