Into The Rot

The group left their mounts and cart near the main road that led out from Donnel and proceeded towards the grove. As they went the forest became denser and darker, the canopy above blocking the sunlight from touching the wet mulchy forest floor. There were no traces of the corruption here but there was still something disquieting. Something was off about the bird song. Each fluting note sounding discordant and pained as they echoed between the trees.

"This feels like a trap." Verena whispered quietly to the others. Apart from the birds there was no sound around them. She could hear each of them breathing and the soft squelch of every step they each took.

"This is undoubtedly a trap." Ilia replied, staff held in both hands. "If it comes to it we must be prepared to make a hasty retreat."

"What's everyone so scared of? I can't see anything." Mimi peered around the forest. The demkin seemed to not notice the atmosphere around her. Her eternal good mood was unaffected.

"In places like this druidic magic is at its strongest. Who knows what has happened here and what it has done to the magic." Amelia's voice shook with fear as she glanced about wide eyed.

"Keep it together Amelia," Verena said sternly, "If anything is coming you are likely to be the first to notice. We need you right now."

Amelia nodded. "I understand, Verena."

The further they went the worse things got. The trees that surrounded them began to change as they got closer to the heart of the grove. They began to appear blackened as if by fire and their limbs twisted and bent at horrific angles. Ilia cut the bark of one tree with a small knife and what oozed out was a purple so dark it was almost black, glistening as it ran down the tree's trunk. There were no signs of the animals that congregated around druidic circles and all around the sick smell of death.

It was there that they first found traces of life. At first Verena thought it was more dead wood sunk into the muck that covered everything in this foul place. But it moved, a faint twitching.

Verena drew her mace from her sling by her side and approached cautiously.

“Pleaaase…”

Verena’s eyes widened when she saw that the source of the voice was a man, or at least what remained of a man. His head and one arm were the only thing above the filth and both were in a horrific way.

His arm had mostly been eaten away, bone exposed to the elements. His fingers were mostly intact and had only the smallest fraction of movement left.

His head was in much the same state. Part of his cheek and one of his eyes were gone, nothing but a grinning skull peering out from behind rotting flesh. His other eye was cloudy and grey and clearly the man no longer had any sight remaining.

“He must have been one of the villagers.” Ilia said approaching, her robe sloshing through the muck.

“Help…” The man said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“There is nothing we can do for him.” Ilia said. Verena knew from her time with Ilia that she pretended to be cold and uncaring, but as the mage turned away as if she was preparing to march on, she thought she saw tears in the dark haired woman’s eyes.

“I’m sorry I cannot save you, but I can offer you peace.” Verena said, kneeling down by the man and replacing her mace with her knife in her hand.

“Verena…” Amelia whispered as if she wanted to protest, but Verena turned and glared at the druid.

Verena shifted the thick gunk aside with one hand till she found the remains of the man’s chest. It was in a similarly ruined state but she could make out where his heart was, placing the point of her small blade above.

“Be at peace.” She drove the blade in and the man let out one final rattling breath before going still and silent.