on the doorstep

From the original group, only Harmond Stoneforge and Frey Nightblade were still alive. We decided to go see Harmond first, being the closest. He was just out of town, living next to his steel factory. It didn't took long for us to get there with our carriage. But things didn't look good when we arrived. The factory wasn't working and there was a lot of people outside.

Filiriel jumps outside and you follow her.

"What's going on here ?" you ask.

"There was an accident..." answer one of the men.

You scared for the answer, but you ask nonetheless.

"Harmond ?"

The man nod. Shit, Filiriel was right, you're targeted.

"Is he dead ?"

"Five hundred of melted steel fell on him, he is dead..."

you turn to your wife, who's passing her thumb under her eyes to dry few tears that melt her make up. you put your hand on her shoulder to lead her back to the carriage.

"Come, maybe Frey has been more lucky." You tell her.

She nods and enter the vehicle. You follow her and sit next to her before telling your driver to go as fast as possible to Hiercel.

Filiriel lay on the bench and put her head on your leg. You pass your hand in her silver hairs and she closes her eyes. Harmond may have been a dwarf, but you lived a lot together, his **** is a lot to take for her. Because you were just a player in your old life, not really attached to him, you can't feel the same or even understand the pain she is feeling.

"We maybe the lasts..." She finally says. "By killing the last monster, we should have live a peaceful life, and yet, it only took fifteen years to see our last brothers in arms die."

"Don't say that... Frey is smart and cautious, I may have seen it coming." You try to comfort her.

"We got really lucky..."

"We'll see in due time how he is."

You travel in silence after that and continue to comb her hairs with your fingers. The complex hairdo she made is a mess and you're not sorry. She doesn't seem to care either.

You arrive late in the evening and stops in front of his house, a mansion in a small town. The house is still in one piece and there is no one around, which is a good sign. But as you walk toward the house, a woman stops you.

"I highly advise you to not go further." She says.

Surprised of that sudden call, you look at the woman, a common people in her forties, and can see disdain and even hate in her eyes toward the house.

"Why ?" You ask.

"He has lost it, he doesn't want to see anyone and says that we want to kill him. He has put deadly trap around his house. Just this morning we have found a guy impaled on his front yard." She explains.

Frey as lost his mind ? He was a little bit paranoid before, but it was kind of part of his personality. Is it possible that he finally lost grasp of reality ?

You walk toward the house and feel a resistance under your feet... a trap ! Before you could react, a huge trunk of wood flies toward you. But luckily a spell of impact **** destroys it, thanks to your wife. Chips of wood flies everywhere and you decide not to take more risk by walking further.

"Thanks" you say, looking behind you.

Filirel nods with a serious face.

"Frey ! Frey Nightblade !" You yell toward the house. "It's us Dahl and Filiriel ! Can we come ?"

You wait a moment, in silence, and then a voice rise.

"You won't get me ! I protected my house from you, ghosts ! Go away !"

It's Frey's voice, but you can hear the madness in its tone. You should... Gahl should have looked for him more. It'll be difficult to get anything from him now.

"Ghost ? We are not dead ! What are you talking about !" Yells your wife.

"We are all dead, we all died that day ! The count killed us all and now he reclaim our souls !" He yells back.

You sigh. It's late and he's in a delirium, you should find a place to sleep, and maybe look at the dead body from this morning.