The ground is covered with snow. About 2 foot on the roads. There is no one here and no tracks in the snow.
Cordelia says the Mortars are here. She gets out of the truck taking her Sword.
Oh and I have Captains stripes on my uniform. Nice promotion. As we make our way to Goods Out. Mikato stopped and sniffed. He says he thinks there is a body under the snow. I tell him to dig it out. He say why don’t I did it out. I said because he’s the dog. Not sure he liked that. But anyway Cordelia said we should leave it there so we do. It’s very dark in Goods in until Cordelia turns her torch on. I could do with a torch, but she only has the one. Or though she says there may be one in her pack which she left on the truck. I’ll check later. Nothing in here so we head to the main area here. There is one of those fork trucks that loaded our truck last time. It looks like someone was using it to try and get into the rooms to the edge of the main room. Cordelia says they are vaults and likely to hold the black powder needed for the mortars. Cordelia mutters something about finding dispatch so we head towards the main building. The sign says security. But again no one here. There is a map that shows us where we need to go. I say we need to go careful as it looks like some people were here trying to steal stuff. So Cordelia asks Mikato if he can sense anyone about. I guess its ok for Cordelia to ask him not me, oh well. Anyway he finds two people in a cupboard. They are bound with these strange cuffs. Whatever they are I can cut them easily with my nails. The people say they were attacked Saturday and its now Tuesday so they have been locked up for a while. Lucky they are alive. They don’t know what they were after.
Cordelia puts her hand on the woman’s head and stands there a few seconds. Then she says she knows where the power room is. And that there should be another person here called Eric. He’s the maintenance guy.
Cordelia says we need the power on so that she can access a computer. Not sure what a computer is Allanon says ask later. I will have to. Anyway we head towards the power room and Cordelia gets the power on. This brings the lights back on which is good. From there we head to the main warehouse where we find Eric hanging from a ceiling. I manage to find a ladder and get him down. As we talk to him he starts to get cagey and make a run for it. Cordelia puts her hand on his head too and then says take him to the others.
I guess Cordelia can read minds or auras when she touches people. I wonder if I can I will have to try when I get the chance. It should help with my aura shifting.
Allanon takes Eric back to security while Cordelia and I got to dispatch.
Cordelia finds what we have come for
While Cordelia loads the trucks I have a look around and then when not finding anyone I take Allanon with me to guard the main gate. Nothing appears. Once Cordelia has finished loading she gets out some chains and starts butting them on the trucks wheels. They will give better grip. I ask if I can help and she says yes. Allanon wants to help too, but I order him to keep guard on the gate with Hou-Jin. I help carry the chains to each wheel while Cordelia puts them on the truck. It does not look to hard just wrap them round the wheels and connect together. Once we are done we head off to get the ammo which Cordelia hopes she left enough room for.
I say we need a rest but Cordelia says we can make it without. Driving is easy it’s the shadow walking that takes it out of her.
As Cordelia and Allanon are wearing armour that protects them from the cold and I don’t feel the cold we go in the damaged truck while the rest including the dog go in the warm truck.
Just before we left I follow Cordelia into the security office where she gets some disks she says the power turned the cameras on and she does not want people to know we were here. I notice that the 2 awake people in here do not seem to even notice us. Cordelia must have done more than read their auras. A skill like that would be good for when I feed as a vampire. Then Cordelia hits 2 buttons. And says the police will take about 15 minutes to get there so we will be miles away by then. I guess the buttons called the police.
We drove out heading towards Lucerne, well Emmen. As we travel they roads become cleared of snow. There is still snow about but the people he seem to know how to clear it away better. We get to the warehouse in Emmen and load up with the Ammo. As this place is fully staffed it take a lot less time.
Oh and the small trucks are called cars. Allanon say they are just for small numbers of people to travel together in. I guess like the bus but for less people as they are smaller. Then again even the big trucks are smaller than our truck.
We drive for a while longer heading towards the Castle at Carnellian. While we travel I use the time to practice my aura shifting. I seem to be getting the hang of it I can start to see the different parts of my aura and can change them slightly. It looks like I can definitely change my aura. Which is good.
We stop as Cordelia says there is another incursion due, she says she will sleep if we can keep a look out. Allanon, Kohaku and I go outside as don’t want to be caught inside if something does appear. I’m not sure what time this is but I guess as the incursions happen once a day It must be a new day by now.
While we are watching we all notice something is not right. And then we spot some demons coming out of the forest. I attacked and killed 2 demons while Allanon takes out one and Kohaku kicks another. Nice kick maybe she can teach me that some time.
Anyway I spotted a demon that looked different and went to attack it. It said something and I felt some pain all over. But not enough to harm me. I then stuck my hand into the demon and pulled out its insides. It seems shocked. Not sure if it was how I had killed it or that its words that cause pain didn’t affect me much. I rip its head of to make sure it’s dead.
I order Allanon and Kohaku to set up a protective watch. So we can cover all views of approach. Allanon seems to no want to take my orders. Well I guess as Allanon was a captain before all this happens so he sort of out ranks me. But I have assumed second in command under Cordelia and as no one has actively challenged that then I am. And I even have the captain’s rank now to prove it. So as long as he takes orders all is good.
Once the incursion is over we tell Cordelia what happened but the bodies have gone. She interesting and that the demon used a power word on me but she seemed surprised or impressed that it had no effect on me as it broke her armour. I guess I am quite powerful as a vampire.
We carry on driving then we stop. Cordelia say we are close to the castle but until we get to the castle she does not know how to get the trucks to the castle. So we will have to walk.
Cordelia, Allanon, Kohaku and I
We walk for an hour or so and then we arrive at a cliff. At the bottom of the cliff is a town that looks to be on fire and partially destroyed. Along the cliff is the castle.
We climb down the cliff, well I fly. And then walk to the base near the castle where we have to climb back up into it.
The castle looks impressive. We are met by a guy called Luke. I find out later he is an Amberite too as he can and has walked the pattern.
Luke shows us the tunnel to bring the trucks in. Cordelia goes down the tunnel to find where it leads while we head to the Mess. As we walk around the Castle go into this big dome. With a pattern on the floor. I guess that’s one of the patterns that Cordelia has talked about. There is a woman standing in the centre I guess its Fiona as Luke said that’s where Fiona was. Luke says he will not show us the pattern yet till Cordelia is back. She wants to do it.
We have a drink and relax until Cordelia comes back.
Allanon suddenly casts a spell. About time the mage can cast spells. I was beginning to think he was lying about that.
When Cordelia comes back I go with her and Kohaku to get the trucks. By the time we get back to the trucks Isocrates is back up and fully fixed. Not that I ever saw how bad he was injured but the others said it was bad. So whatever machine fixed him must have been powerful.
Cordelia tells us to go to our room and in the morning we will walk the pattern. Well at least the others will as it appears I’m not an Amberite I will not be walking it.
I get woken up and then after a quick shower I head down to the pattern with my guide.
Cordelia welcomes us to her father’s pattern. It looks ok to me. The other seem to see more when they look at it, but I guess that just confirms I’m not Amber.
Cordelia explains that once you start on the pattern you must continue till the middle. If you stop you die. And when you get to the centre they have to think of their rooms and they will appear there. They must think of their rooms or they could go anywhere and Cordelia will not come looking for them.
Then she goes on to explain about the veils or thirds of the pattern first is easy second hard last even harder. Oh and another thing don’t cross the lines. She throws some shot from a gun over the lines and the shot is destroyed as it hits a line.
Oh and if anyone not of Amber walks it they can get 2 steps before they die. Nice I’m not going anywhere near it.
Kohaku goes first. Allanon and Isocrates say they can see fire as she walks the pattern. I see nothing. So yep not Amber.
Kohaku makes it and disappears.
Allanon goes next. He makes it too and disappears
Then Isocrates goes. At one point it looks like he was about to stop. But he makes it and disappears.
I hope they all made it back to their rooms or it will be lonely here. I guess I should check on them at some point.
I ask Cordelia about the Logrus but she says she know nothing as not of the courts and I will need to find someone who is off the courts to find out. I guess she is telling the truth.
As I head to the mess hall for breakfast I see Cordelia start to walk the pattern.
As I’m eating my breakfast all hell breaks loose. I grab a guard and find out someone has collapsed on the pattern. So I run out to the pattern to see what’s going on.
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| Hero of the Hour - Fane | The Keep of the Thirteenth Hour |