[center][h1][b]Reign:[/b] [color=yellow]Kingdom Come[/color][/h1][/center][center][h2]Chapter 3:B - The Stone[/h2][/center]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/i6fLcHF.pngp[/img][/center][img]https://i.imgur.com/T720ObT.jpg][/img]
Col successfully unfastened the man's chain mail with great speed. Bastian's voice was urgent and time was not on their side. This man looked to be one of the soldier's squires. He was younger and Col recognized his face to be that of Colley Thierri. He had trained with him on occasion. They had talked philosophy and the politics of the land multiple times. Col couldn't help but be relieved he was still breathing. 

Once the mail was removed, Bastian set to work on the man's chest. There were large puncture wounds that pierced the man's outer garments and stopped at the mail. There were small puncture marks on Colley's body, but the real injury was his broken rib cage. The bite was consistent of that of the wolfborn from earlier. Apparently its' bite was so strong that it crushed the rib cage. A dangerous beast indeed. Bastian wrapped the man's ribs with bandages. Then he tilted his head and poured a vial of herbal medicine down his throat. 

After the liquid had been swallowed, the man began to cough. His chest heaved with great strain. Once the coughing had subsided, Colley's eyes opened wide with terror. He struggled to speak for some time, but finally managed to whisper, [color=f7976a]"They came...at night...So many. The theater ma-"[/color] he began coughing violently. Blood spilled out of his mouth. He tried to continue, but with greater difficulty, [color=f7976a]"Found him...ran...there."[/color] He leaned his head to the side over in Marque's general direction. 

Marque faintly heard the voice of a wounded man. However, he was in such pain and anguish that he could not take another step to aid him. As he was backing up, he caught something out of the corner of his eye. There it was. The symbol. Etched into a another large stone that was halfway buried in the ground. Marque knew this was no coincidence. [i]A second key.[/i] Even in his weakness he ran his hand over the rock. It felt [i]warm[/i]. [hider=Gardevoir's Key][img]https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/01/04/14/3BD7BEE600000578-4087416-Alongside_the_engravings_was_a_key_carved_into_the_bedrock_pictu-a-36_1483539170439.jpg[/img][/hider]
Lorenzo found Martyrdom cowering and tried to soothe him with his shaking voice. His tears spilled down off of Merlin unto the cracking leaves below. Lorenzo began to hear the faint whistling of wind in the distance. He heard it get louder and louder. Then that breeze howled through the trees around Lorenzo. It kicked up the leaves which went spiraling into the air. It was [i]ice cold[/i]. His ears picked up on something else in the midst of wind. There was howling. The very same from the night before, only this was within the wind itself. 

Merlin whinnied in terror. His head swiftly turned in the opposite direction from the howls and he bolted away. Martyrdom followed as quickly as he could. They were not having any of this nonsense. Even when Merlin passed by his master it had no effect. It did not stop Merlin from continuing his flight. Lorenzo held on for dear life and tried to calm the horse. It took longer then he would have liked, but he finally managed to reign him in, stopping near the stone Marque was. Martyrdom followed soon after them. When the dog had finally calmed down he began to sniff the rock Marque was in fascination. He moved from it to a couple of feet away and back. Then he began to sniff Marque and the rock again. It was clear to Lorenzo that Marque's scent was in some way connected with this stone. How could that be unless he had been there before?

Col and Bastian felt the icy wind. They saw the leaves swirling through the air. They didn't know what to make of it, but they certainly heard howling within it. Col and Bastian shivered. When the breeze hit Colley, he had a much different reaction. He began to cough up blood. His chest heaved in great pain and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Within a few seconds, Bastian realized he [i]was gone[/i]. There was no way he survived that amount of blood loss. Suddenly, the howling winds intensified. The leaves whirled in a beautifully, terrifying display. Red, yellow, and gold colors danced around them brilliantly until it was all they saw. Whatever this was, it was [i]unnatural[/i]. They felt like it would freeze their very bones if they stayed too long within it. [hider=Howling leaves][img]http://www.robertneralich.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/aShelley2.jpg[/img][/hider]
From Marque and Lorenzo's perspective, the wind and leaves were isolated near Col and Bastian. Nothing was coming near them. That's when they all heard it. The sound of howls in the distance. Not just in the wind itself. The wolfborn knew they were there, and they were coming. The group heard at least a dozen howls all around them. There would be no running from this...
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/i6fLcHF.pngp[/img][/center]
[center][h3][color=forestgreen]Col[/color] & [color=39b54a]Bastian[/color][/h3][/center]
[b]1. [i]Attempt to retrieve an item before moving toward the group.[/i]
2. [i]Stand your ground and retrieve all you can from the bodies.[/i]
3. [i]Move toward the group immediately.[/i][/b]
[center][h3][color=skyblue]Marque[/color] & [color=a187be]Lorenzo[/color][/h3][/center]
[b]1. [i]Call out to the others and prepare for battle.[/i]
2. [i]Try to discern the symbol and its meaning.[/i]
3. [i]Something else.[/i][/b]