The Haunted Voyage for Zazzum

Before walking back into town, Helier took a deep breath, muttering, "That was far too close! I don't have enough hands to keep this is a secret forever, but I have to for as long as possible. They don't know me, and you cannot just tell someone everything the day we just meet." He sighed and grabbed the tongue of the wagon, heading back into Xallum, waving to the others with the other wagon. "I have really made myself like a possible assassin. Keeping up secrets and acting like a really nice guy. I am a nice guy, but they don't know me, and I doubt any of these lot especially Grimm is going to trust me any time soon, but friendships don't really hold overnight," Helier muttered.
 
Cyrus nodded at Grimm's words and he squeezed the wood testing to see if it was not too moist and had not absorbed most of the downpour from the water, to his surprise it was fine but still wet,he was sure that it would dry eventually though so he shrugged and then responded to Grimm "Your being too cautious...if he is a doctor and has that toxin with him I believe he would have it for a very good reason..maybe it is an key ingredient to a medicine..who knows." Cyrus said shrugging as he spoke. Persephone later came out he looked back and gave a slight wave "Great lets load up quickly now..hate to be around here for too long..." Cyrus said looking around for any unknown faces looking our way luckily we were not spotted yet..or they just did not bothered. Cyrus gave a slight chuckle to the bickering of the two making him tilt his head "Them are some bold and harsh threats there Grimm..try to loosen up a little we have not even started the ride yet." He spoke kicking his feet up a little as he looked seeing that Helier was at an distance making his way back to us.
 
"Fine," He mumbled, not meeting Cyrus' eyes. He sounded like a downtrodden child in a candy store. "But if one of us endangers all of us, I'm not taking any blame for it." He added as he turned around getting impatient at the others.


"Where they hell are they?" He said to himself angrily. "Forget this, I'm going inside." He growled and marched back towards the building. He stopped in front of the door and turned to look at Cyrus and Persephone. "Stay here, the both of you. Helier'll be back any moment, and keep an eye around, we don't anyone knowing what we're doing." He said before disappearing into the building.


"Hey, ladies," He called out. He got everyone's attention. "You can leave with us any moment now, just so you know." He finished grumpily as he leaned on the glass window.
 
Persephone rolled her eyes from Grimms comment "You can tell Bysa that I've been looking for the right fur to make a hat and I heard monkey fur is the way to go." Persephone said with an innocent smile, she had already knew that this was going to be a long trip since there were already problems starting between him and her Cyrus laughter then snapped her out of thought "I dont know what his problem is." she said bravely as she leaned back into the seat she then watched as Grimm left the wagon to go back to the cafe she then sighed and looked at her crow who was eyeballing him as he walked "You can stop shadow." she said calmly to the crow as it focused its attention to it surroundings, honestly this trip was indeed going to be a very long and interesting one.
 
Helier waved to Cyrus and Persephone as he got closer to them and shouted, "Hey there. I didn't keep you waiting too long, did I?" He dropped the tongue of the wagon, and then took a knife from his pocket. He took a deep breath, and cut his finger and drew a spider design on the bed of the wagon. The spider was per his nickname The Red Widower, and this mark allowed him to keep track him of important things. "So Cyrus, what's the word on dear Grimm?", Helier asked, and also asked, "And what need I do with our extra wagon?"
 
Cyrus smirked and looked at Helier as he finally arrived "Ah so your back I hope that wagon did not cause you any trouble." He said watching as he cut his finger at first he sat up a little but then he relaxed realizing the he was just designing it a little. Cyrus scratched his head when Helier mentioned Grimm he looked over at where he left and then spoke "Grimm..he may be a little rough around the edges but I believe he will be a great ally on out journey...unless he does anything to change my mind on that..hes fine as of all of you too." Cyrus said looking at both Helier and Persephone.
 
What's the rush, she thought, rolling her eyes. Lysandra got up from her seat when she saw everyone file out of the old burger joint. She brushed her skirt off as she did. Naturally, she was in no rush to get out. So far, the rundown burger joint was the only shelter she'd had since they started travelling. Of course her sedan didn't count, she thought. She glanced at her mirror happy to see that it had turned back to its usual reflective surface. Lysandra sat back down, smiling slightly, not minding having everyone wait for her outside. Once the journey begins, her mirror would have the scene of the city plastered on it so she just had to grab the last opportunity she had to cater to her vanity. She held the mirror up and looked at herself. As she caught a glance of her reflection in the mirror, she groaned, seeing how her hair was tossed around in the wind. She looked at herself distastefully and pulled out a comb from her pocket. Once her hair was in place, she smiled and slipped the comb back into its hiding place. Then, she got up again, with a lazy, satisfied smile on her face and went for the door.


She could hear Grimm from the other side of the glass, making her roll her eyes. She gathered her skirts as she reached the door, not wanting them to get soaked in filthy little rain puddles. Then, still with her dignified stance, she walked out to meet them. "Oh, Grimm, don't get your loin cloths in a bunch," she said condescendingly as she looked at the silly-looking hunter. She frowned as she saw her mirror materialize the image of a city again. Then, she found it necessary t think up an excuse for her lateness. "I tend to have headaches after those sorts of visions..." she lied, without anyone asking her what took her so long.
 
"Loin cloths?" Grim was taken aback with that statement. "E-excuse me?" He was having trouble finding words to say. That was unexpected, things like these never bode well on Grimm. He glared at her as she walked out of the structure.


Grimm growled behind his throat, frustrated. "Whatever," He mumbled as Lysandra walked towards the wagon, careful to not let her clothes touch the mud puddles. Lysandra stopped beside the wagon, Grimm rolled his eyes. "What? Don't tell me you need help getting up on the wagon." He retorted as he made his way towards the group and noticed that Helier has joined them with the extra wagon.
 
"Oh Grimm, don't get you loin cloths in a bunch," Lysandra said.


With Lysandra's jibe and Grimm's reaction and impatience, Helier could not help but chuckle. "Honestly, Grimm. There is no method in all this impatience and sharpness of tongue. It's only a matter of time until your hair starts falling out," Helier said, holding his laughter in. Grimm started to remind Helier of his mother, and he could not contain his laughter for long, but he tried hard to keep from laughter. She would always huff and puff about how his father was not able to bring in the bags of gold coins he was able to bring in before all the chaos began. Her hair was thinning every day because she was more interested in chucking her husband's money as opposed to caring for her son. That's right, she was playing ball for the money, and her greed cost her everything. The very thought of Grimm with a shiny head was not as funny as his mother when she was losing her hair.
 
(Just a little bit more and we can end Day 1. After that, we time skip to another chapter where we arrive at the next city. I have a surprise for you guys!)


Grimm shot Helier a sharp look. "Don't talk to me like that," He growled, tightly gripping the ledge of Cyrus' wagon, a little bit too tight. He fought hard not to hurt anyone here, but it's proving to be a difficult task. His impatience and recklessness may just be the one that'll end his life. With a long and deep sigh, he released his hand off the wagon, leaving a small crack, and turned away.


"Cyrus," He called. "Do you have a horse to spare? The wagon that Helier brought will be useless without it." He added as he placed his crossed arm on his chest. The wind was still cold from the aftermath of the rain, it bit into his skin like tiny pinpricks of needles. His bare foot was muddied and dirt stuck to the sides of his nails, darkening the surface.


"The journey is a four-day trip when we walk, but I think we're going to reach there in three days. We move by day and rest by night, anyone who knows to hunt will hunt; the rest can gather wood for fire and raid the nearest buildings we see." Grimm explained to no one in particular. They were going to need a plan, and this one looks better than not having any. "When we arrive there, we should avoid being seen at all times, if ever-and I hope not- we get seen, Cyrus says he knows what to do. But if something happens, we shouldn't hesitate to defend ourselves." He paused for a moment. "We get there and get out of there fast." He finished.
 
Cyrus looked up seeing that most of the group had already made "Well then its about time I suppose.." He said patting one of his horses before he bagan removing its equipment and setting it up for the other wagon Helier found, as he did that Grimm spoke to him he nodded and smiled as he was setting up the horse "Oh don't worry none of you guys will be seen Grimm besides me..if you must know heres my plan.." Cyrus began as he adjusted his hat calming the horse before it moved too much. "See you guys not might know this but I..am an blacksmith...a pretty good one at that. And when your good at making weapons for the right price you tend to get your name thrown around...here and there." Cyrus finally setted up the horsed and patted it smiling before he began again "So were gonna use this as our advantage...if im as known as people say I am we should be able to ride through their village no problem and if my memory is correct I believe I have been to this village before and done business there so we should be fine!" He said as he went back to his original wagon and sat back down and kicked up his feet again "Though I will haft to talk to the guard before we can pass..like I said if things work out we will be fine...but if things go south...well me might haft to kick it in high gear and speed our way outta of there." He spoke as he turned to give Grimm eye contact.
 
"Kick it high gear?" Grimm said incredulously as he hauled himself up Helier's wagon. "Lemme remind you that we still have to find whatever it is we can find there to help us look for Zazzum." He added as he sat down on the ledge of the wagon.


"We need more time, Cyrus," Grimm sighed. "We can't just pass there, we need to search for anything we could find." He looked at Cyrus, mentally hoping that Cyrus has something up his sleeve.


Grimm looked away and watched the sun peek from behind the rolling grey clouds before it hides behind another one. A couple of sparrows dart from a ruined tattoo parlor to a rooftop of a looming building that cast its faint shadow over them. Face appeared and disappeared by the windows, giving them suspicious and timid looks.


"Mom... who are those people?" A child's tiny voice echoes towards them before she is pulled back into the shadows by a pair of arms. Grimm looked away pondering on how his fellow tribe members will get food without him. He needs to get back as soon as he can.
 
Helier looked and quickly jumped onto his own wagon along with Grimm. "For someone who really cannot stay in one place for long, saying we need more time was the last thing I'd assume I would hear come out of his mouth," Helier thought to himself, chuckling as he pulled out his grimiore and turned to the first page. Helier thought Cyrus had a great plan, and thought he could also benefit by using his publicity as a doctor. However, that may not be the best idea as Helier has been places these lot may have never been, and some people get very...unpleasant when someone else steals their thunder. Helier did not believe Cyrus was like that, thus far, but he was not taking ANY chances. Helier had his own objectives and some loose ends that needed to be tied up, but dragging these good people into his dread-ridden life was not on his list. In fact, he did not even plan on getting this far to be honest. Helier then looked around noticing the many faces that appeared and disappeared with fear and suspicion in their eyes. He then looked at the child was looking at the group with confusion in her eyes before a pair of hands pulled her back into the blanket of shadows. He looked at Grimm, and for a moment, he looked he was looking like he had people waiting for him, he was worried if said people would not get by. Helier simply shrugged his shoulders, and said, "No wonder you seem like such a grumpy gus. He has people he has to protect, as well everyone I assume. Everyone except him.....My poor assistant. It truly is a shame that he ran off after an experiment that went wrong actually went right. "Kumaraka.....Where are you? It is so lifeless with you." Helier guessed that in a way, he had someone he cared about as well, but Kumaraka was in fact just a business partner, and he doubted Kumaraka thought any different.
 
(Sorry for the late reply guys)


Grimm flinched faintly, almost unnoticeable, and regarded Helier resentfully. "What makes you think that?" He snapped, clenching his fists tightly; making his knuckles turn into the color of ghostly white. "Why don't you mind your own business and let's just get this done." He added and turned away.


"Cyrus!" He called out shortly. "Let's get going; we won't be safe when night falls." He looked to the distance where the sun was halfway setting itself behind the old and broken skyscrapers.


The horses started to lurch forward, its trotting clicked on the road like metallic footsteps. Soon enough, the outskirts showed itself in the distance-where a wide highway opened itself to them and cracks and debris were precariously showing itself to the group. Cars with missing parts, most of them empty, were scattered around the asphalt terrain and its doors and hoods were speckled with rust and dirt. The wind softly howled, singing a secret song, as it passed through Grimm's bare skin. Occasionally, the neighs from the horses broke the continuous silence among the group. It was going to be a three-day trip, and it was not going to be easy.
 
Cyrus yawned as he relaxed in the wagon occasionally looking side to side to get a view at the scenery,really was not much to look at besides the broken down buildings and the grey atmosphere but anything to do besides sit around in silence. Eventually buildings soon vanished and the trees took its place they we on the dirt road once again on their way to their next destination. Cyrus gave another yawn not from tiredness but outta sheer boredom,clearly he hate traveling to far places without having something to do. He reminisced on how his Master Victor would sometimes explain on how the world was before all hell broke loose,how they would travel by mechanisms called cars and other things too. He cleared his throat not trying to take that whole ridiculous trip people call memory lane, Cyrus tried to come up with a topic to get some sorta conversation going..anything to stop thinking about the past. "So...since nobody else will I guess ill break the ice huh?" Cyrus joked as the wagon drove on down the dirt road. "Anybody got any good jokes hm?" Cyrus asked looking back at the group giving a warming smile and then a chuckle.
 
(Chapter 1 ends here! )

The 17th day of the 9th month of the 3oth year since the End came

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Day 4: The Ringing and the Tick-Tocks




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Grimm opened his eyes to the sight of partly clear skies with cloud drifting on by at the ends. He sat up and placed a hand on the ledge of the wagon; it was his turn to watch the wagons and he must have fallen asleep whilst watching out for passing raiders that might steal their supplies. He jumped out of the wagon and landed on the ground with a thud, he turned around to look at their camp. The group has been painstakingly enduring the uncomfortable trip for three days now, so it felt like heaven when the city came into view yesterday late afternoon. It was just going to be a few more hours before they reach the outskirts of the city and it'll be time for Cyrus to do his magic.

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The Alpha Hunter started to leave the camp with his scrolls in his hand. He found a ruined church where wild vines have found the initiative to crawl on its crumbling and faded walls and a tree had made its way through the wooden floorboards of the church and sprouted vigorously. He stepped inside and started to do his rituals and a few minutes later Bysa and Tisme were beside him. The hunted and only took them an hour before they found themselves a couple of rabbits. Grimm returned to the camp where the group had been pulled away from their slumber. Today was the day. A voice in Grimm's head spoke.

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After eating they started to pack up and continued travelling. When the sun had reached its peak they had finally arrived at the bridge that connected them to the city. More than half of the bridge in the middle had been destroyed and the rest of it seemed to be unstable. Travelling with the wagon will be too risky. Grimm turned to the group and said, "We need to continue on foot,"

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"Wonderful. Now I can finally stretch these legs of mine," Helier said, his regular smile creaking on his face. He took out his grimiore to look over his many incantations in case someone or something came out of the blue to try and make a meal out of anyone, and jumped out of the wagon grabbing his giant jar which he did say that contained a very dreadful toxin. "I cannot believe I said that, but at least it is the truth," Helier thought to himself. So far, he knew none of the people he was travelling with, and in his mind, he assumed it was best it stayed that way for as long as possible. The only person he felt he actually knew was Cyrus, but even so it was soon to set that in stone.


The sun felt like an enormous lamp, bright and warming. He looked and saw the that mos of the middle of the bridge had been broken and the rest could break in a matter of split seconds. "I wish I could control time right about now," Helier joked, hoping to make at least one person. He put his giant jar on the ground, carefully removing the bandages and the tage with his spider emblem on it which was would cast the illusion, leaving the illusion in active until he sealed the jar again, he took out a small clay bowl and removed the jar. He moved himself over to a tree far from the group so that nobody would smell the toxin he mentioned a few days, the only way the poison could be of any threat is if it injected or if anyone mistook it for a beverage and drank it. He carefully took it a smell, and noted, "It smells sweet. Almost the belladonna it came from," He put the poison and grabbed the empty syringe from his pocket, and put the entire toxin into the syringe, and placed the empty pot back into his jar. "The toxin has smelled sweet for two months for two months, so it is still fresh. I'll have to test it along with the antidote later." He walked back over to the group as if nothing ever happened, and grabbed his back pack from his wagon.
 
Cyrus leaned on his wagon looking through his journal again as the others stood around taking their breaks he supposed. When Grimm mentioned them having to go on foot he sighed a little "You sure about that Grimm?" He asked as he patted one of his horses worried if he left them they would be attacked...or taken. "I can release these guys but until we need them again they will be there with this here!" Cyrus held up a small whistle smiling but inside he was very worried..you see the chances of his horses hearing the whistle was 50/50 so he really did not wanna leave them behind for very long but he was confident that they would be fine. Cyrus put the whistle away and grab a few things he wanted to take with like a few metals,liquids,and food. He looked over at the others and smiled "Well then I am ready to move out when you guys are...wont be long until we reach the city." He said looking out in the distance.
 
The sun shined on Persephones eyelids causing her to groan then turn her face as she slept on the seat of the wagon, she then opened one of her eyes and looked around she could not recall where they were but she could feel her body ache from their three day adventure and sleeping in a cramped wagon, Persephone then opened her other eye and slowly sat up not wanting to cause any more pain to her body, she was surprised that she had slept last night she would usually be awaken by horrible nightmares about her little brother, at first they would always be in a peacful feild near a river just sitting their, Persephone would ask what he was doing but he just wouldnt reply, he would just sit there and look at his reflection in the river then after time he would randomly say that Persephone killed him and that he was going to get revenge at first she thought it was some type of joke but then she would look at his reflection in the river, his skin was pale and almost looked blue, his nail were long and sharp, his teeth sharpee then razors and the worst part his eyes, his eyes were black tunnels that looked like she would fall into, Persephone shivered at the thought of falling into her brothers dark eyes it took her a moment to notice that a tear had rolled down her face and down to her chin she then quickly wipe dit off, cry was absolutely useless in this situation.Persephone jumped off of the wagon when they stopped infront of a bridge, she wanyed to complain about taking the rest of the trip on foot but that would have been childish, Persephone looked inside her bag only to see shadow in it hiding from the morning sun " You really dont like mornings." Persephone said with a little smile the crow cawed at her then cocked its head to the side and looked at Persephoes forehead meaning if she had a bad dream " No not today and hopefully never." she said to the crow with a smile she then closed the bag and looked at the other "Im ready." she said through a sigh" Hope this wont be a long journey." she thought to herself.
 
"Cyrus," Grimm called out. "If we ride the wagon, I'm not sure our weight will be fine with the bridge. Look at it; it's really unstable." He added as he gestured towards the distance where debris and the infrastructure of the bridge appeared.


He jumped off the wagon and started walking towards the middle. He stopped beside a rusty car, empty from its engines and wheels and turned around. "It's too risky," He shouted. "We need to walk." Just then, he placed his hands on the car beside him and started to push it towards the sides. He did the same to the other cars, making a path.


"Come on," He shouted. "We need to hurry." Although he wasn't sure why, there was something odd about the place that made everything else more urgent.
 
Cyrus only gave a slight smirk at the fragile bridge and then looked at Grimm "Let me take a look at this bridge first I think I can do something to make it more..stable." Cyrus said walking alongside Grimm as the made their way on the bridge. He was right it was highly unstable Cyrus began to wander how other travelers got around this there must had been another path somewhere..no matter. Cyrus watched as Grimm moved the scrapped cars so there would be a visible path he then called over the rest so they could come. Cyrus then waved for them to hold on so he could work on the bridge, "Don't worry this will only take a second." Cyrus said as he knelt down to check the materials. "As I thought it's old Cedar Wood." Cyrus said to himself before setting his hands on the wood and focusing, within seconds there was a loud crackle and flash and before his eyes the bridge was as good as new. "There we go now we wont have a problem with the bridge!" Cyrus said clapping his hands together.
 
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