The Necrostone

Joseph sat in the carriage with his arms folded around his chest. He was very annoyed with his master who was sitting next to him driving the cart. And he made it quite clear. Joe was an average sized young man with long brown hair flowing crazily down to his back. He had blue eyes and was wearing a white shirt with folded sleeves and a brown vest over that. His master was an older man who had a full head of short gray hair, he was clean shaven, and has misty green eyes. His name was Master Irakis
“OK,” His master finally said, “You’ve been sulking since we started this trip. What’s up?”
“I am starting to question how you go about doing these trips” Joseph said without even looking at Irakis.
“Oh? How so?”
“Well for one thing there’s a highway right over there that leads to all of our destinations. And we’re driving a cart. Nobody drives carts anymore. We could have been done delivering these weapons last week”
“Nothing beats the old fashioned,” The old man replied
“Master, the customers were angry at how late we were. They lost money because you’re stuck in the past” Joseph was getting more annoyed as this went on.
“Yet they always, come back to buy more.” This was true. Joseph had to admit that. Irakis was a master blacksmith. His weapons were second to none in Bashdagar. “Besides, the last one wasn’t angry.”
“I doubt there even was a customer in the last village. You went drinking” Joseph accused looking at his master.
“I did not!” Irakis complained.
“Then why did you come back to the inn smelling like whiskey?” Joseph questioned
“I told you! I escorted a drunken pirate captain back to his ship!”
“Do you seriously expect me to believe that!?” Joseph started to shout. “Are you even trying to make excuses anymore!?”
Irakis sighed “You can believe what you want Joseph. Let’s just be quiet now. We’re almost back to the village and this is getting us nowhere”
“Fine” He looked away from him and sulked. This had only worsened his mood. He couldn’t wait to see his sister again. He knew she would make him feel better.
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Joseph jumped off the cart as soon as it stopped, and immediately started walking to the stone steps. “Where are you going?” Irakis asked.
“To see Elise!” Joseph said sourly. Irakis sighed and began to unload the cart. Meanwhile Joseph began to climb the stone steps that led to the monastery to the goddess of healing Sanatium. It was unique to his village. The village of Rusicone. His sister Elise was a priestess in training. She was learning to heal people at only 12 years old. Most girls her age would quit after seeing such horrible wounds. This is why it was perfect for Elise. She was blind. She could not fear what she could not see.
Joseph slowly walked up thinking about what had occurred, with his master. ‘Drinking on the job! Does he have ANY work ethics!?’ Joseph thought angrily. If he took over the delivery trips things would go much smoother. And they wouldn’t take weeks to complete.
“Who’s there?” said a soft voice which brought Joseph back to the present. He looked in the direction where the voice came from. There was a girl standing there staring in his direction. She was a short 4’ 5” with wandering icy blue eyes. She was wearing a white habit with red streaks on the edges.
“Hey Elise. It’s me.” Elise’s face immediately brightened and she started running at Joseph. “Whoa… Hold on wai- OOF!” He grunted as Elise tackled him full force and knocked him down.
“Joseph! Yay! You’re back! I missed you so much!” Elise cried as she jumped up and down on his chest. “Joseph? Are you OK”?
‘How is something so small so strong?’ He wondered “I’m fine. But it would be nice if you got off me.”
“Oops! Sorry.” She got off of her brother and Joseph got up again.
“Guess what. I was in Capitis last week.” He said to her as he dusted off his clothes. Capitis was the capital of Bashdagar, and the largest human Capital in the world. It was very far away from the village so not many people here have ever seen it.
“Wow! Was it big!?” Elise asked
“Huge! I must have gotten lost a dozen times!” He laughed “Do you remember those really good strawberry sweet buns mom always said was her favorite thing about Capitis?” She nodded. “Hold out your hand” She complied and Joseph pulled out a bag from his satchel. He opened it and pulled out a bun covered in sugar. He placed it in her hand.
Elise’s face got even brighter (If that was even possible). “Is this!?” she squealed, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.
“Yep! It’s the Strawberry bun. Don’t tell the priestess! She’ll tear me a new one,” Joseph half joked. He knew that the priestess wouldn’t care that much because it was him. “Come on Let’s go to the back.” He began to walk towards the back of the monastery. But Elise grabbed his arm before he could move. “What is it?”
“Could you do what you usually do?” She asked pleadingly.
“Ha ha. Aren’t you a little old for that?”
“No!” She blushed as she went on. “Never mind. I can walk there” She said matter-of-factly, and with a hint of disappointment. She started walking towards the back with her chin lifted up. Smirking Joseph ran up to her and grabbed her around the waste and hoisted her onto his shoulders and continued to run towards the back. Elise’s grunts of surprise quickly turned into laughter, as Joseph ran full speed. When they got to the back steps he let her down. She walked to the steps and felt for a good place to sit. When she did Joseph sat down right next to her.
“Go on, try it” Joseph pushed, wanting to see her face when she tried it.
“What about you?” Elise questioned. “Don’t you have one?”
“Of course,” Joseph lied. The truth was he could only afford one. And he would much rather see his sister as happy as she is now, then enjoy a sweet snack. But he didn’t want her to feel bad. He got a piece of bread ready to eat, to make it seem like he had one. “But you take the first bite.”
She nodded and took a large bite out of it. Her face looked shocked. “I-It’s amazing!” She exclaimed as she went to work on it. Joseph felt so much joy as he watched her enjoy the bun.
Suddenly the atmosphere felt unexplainably dark. It felt like pure malice was trying to choke the life out of everything good. Elise froze. She dropped what was left of the bun and began shaking. “So… Evil. There’s something very evil very close!” Suddenly she looked as if she wasn’t on earth anymore.
“E-Elise?” He reached towards her. Suddenly she got up. She started to speak, but she had two voices.
“It is awake!” After that Elise started screaming. Finally she collapsed. The atmosphere seemed to return to normal. “ELISE!” Joseph caught her before she fell. “Mother Missa! Mother Missa! I need you!” As if on cue a portly priestess ran out the back door and ran to the siblings.
“What happened?” Missa questioned.
“I don’t know she said something about evil, then she screamed and collapsed” His voice cracked as he spoke. “Is she OK?” He asked while Missa checked his sister.
Finally Missa sighed. “She’s fine, she’ll wake up soon” Joseph was so relieved that he dropped to his knees. “She needs bed rest. I hate to do this but I need you to leave. She needs to focus on sleeping.”
“I understand. Thank you,” He got up rubbed Elise’s head. “I’ll see you soon”
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He slowly walked down the stairs. He was greatly disturbed at what just happened. One second everything was fine the next everything became dark. The darkness in the air almost seemed to take form.
It started to rain as he reached the forge house. Irakis was standing outside the house looking out at the coming storm. “Wow!” He exclaimed. “That is a lot of lightning” Joseph looked in the direction the smith was looking. He was right, there was a lot. But it looked off. Realization hit Joseph.
“That isn’t lightning!” Irakis looked at him curiously. “Those are magic cannons!” The old man looked quickly in the direction again amazed. There was the sound of an explosion cracked through the air. Seconds later a burning airship fell from the sky.
“Great goddess!” Irakis exclaimed. “Joseph it’s going to land in the plains. Take the hovercar and help any survivors. I’ll get the tools to help anyone trapped in the wreckage!” At that Irakis ran inside
‘First Elise and now this?’ What the hell is going on!?’