49 – An unexpected sound
You decide you should get equipped first. After that, the best course of action is reporting to the lord. That is, if the temperature is not dropping too much, in which case you'll still want to go to the manor, which is the warmest place in this village. And, unless someone attacks the village...
Your course set, you start to make your way to your lodging fast. But you want to try to calm down the villagers along the way as well. And so you decide to walk fast instead of running, and tell everyone you meet to go somewhere warm, and if possible safe. Most do not listen to you, but a few do and leave in a slightly more orderly fashion.
The sun is getting dimmer yet, and the temperature keeps dropping. Just a few minutes ago, it was a warm, bright morning spring. Right now it's like a rather cold autumn evening. You wonder what is going to happen here, but you try to stay calm in order to avoid spreading panic. You also meet a patrol of soldiers who seems completely disoriented. Hoping they will listen to you, you give them an order, telling them to help the villagers to some warm place. They are so confused that they seem grateful for the order actually. While you move away you see them ushering a few people into a nearby administration building.
The sky above you is now taking a slightly violet hue. It's almost like the sky just after the sunset... only the sun is still high in the sky. But it is so dim, so pale. You don't think you've ever been so afraid in your life before. As you reach the building where your lodging is, you feel cold deep within. Only part of this is due to the icy temperature....
Once inside, you do not have to pretend anymore. You run up the stairs, reach your room and quickly get in. You throw a quick glace to your desk where your books are, and notice that the water in your glass is starting to freeze... You hastily move to the cupboard and retrieve your heavy clothes. Luckily you did unpack most of your belongings earlier, and so they're here, ready to be worn. You quickly change into them and immediately feel better.
You throw a glance outside. It's almost as dark as night right now. A cacophony of noises still fill the air outside. You guess many people are disoriented, confused and panicked, not to mention the crazed animals. You don't have time to lose, you must wear your armor, grab your weapons and report to the lord's manor.
You grab your leather armor in the corner and don it as fast as you can. It's not perfect but you can adjust it later, while running or when you reach the lord's manor. You move besides the table in order to grab your sword.
It is then you realize there's a... sound in the room. You actually heard it before, but dismissed it as something coming from outside, since it was half drowned by the noise. But no, you realize it's coming from the room. A hissing sounds... where is it coming from? You lower your gaze, it's coming from just below the table!
You dive quickly, roll to the side and stop a few meters from the table, your sword drawn. You have no idea how you managed that without cutting yourself, but right now you're damn happy you did. You peer under your table... but it's so dark now, you can't see anything. You listen closely and realize just how regular this noise is. What kind of beast could make such a sound?
You grope in the dark for a torch, you know there's one in the corner near the door. You fumble with the flint and steel in your pocket, trying to ignite it, while your heart beats impossibly fast. You're being too slow, there's something there, you must be quick---
At last you manage to lit the torch, and the warm flame pushes back the darkness in the room. The sound is still going on, unchanged. You grab your sword and slowly advance in order to get a better look under the table. You realize with a start that there's only your backpack is there. The sound is coming from your backpack! It's a hissing sound... now that you're closer, you think it resembles very much the sound of hot metal being doused in water.... What could be the cause of all this?
What are you going to do Kyoss?
Another open choice, too many variables. As always, I will answer questions when I see them, if you have some.
Keep in mind that after this, unless you change decision or something happens, you would go to the lord's manor