Jurgen was dead before Brandt could complete the sled. It had been a painful way to go, but mercifully quick. His throat had swollen, his heels drumming on the forest floor as he slowly turned blue until he stopped breathing altogether and slumped to the forest floor. There was a strange silence as the horrible gaging sound he had been making finally faded away to nothing. 

"Is he dead?" Priska asked as she shifted nervously from foot to foot several feet behind Roderick. His initial reaction was to snap at her but a kinder part of him stopped the retort, it was clear that the girl was well outside her area of comfort.

"Yes." A simple answer. He always marvelled at how everyone, wealthy, poor, powerful, weak, regardless of their social status, looked the same in death. 

"We can't stay here." Brandt had returned with the beginnings of a sled, all of which he now dropped in a noisy pile next to Roderick.

The priest stood, stretching his back as he did so. This was not good. Neither he or Brandt were warriors, nor was Maria for that matter. So far Jurgen had brought them this far, it would be a great bit of luck that to see them past this point. He shifted his foot and felt his toe strike metal. He looked down and realized he had been kneeling on the dead mans greatsword. A good sign his luck was good since he'd managed to do it without cutting himself. He reached down and took the heavy blade by the hilt, lifting it from the grass. It was still stained black with goblin blood. He didn't hesitate as he turned and offered the heavy weapon to Brandt.

The smiths exhausted eyebrows rose as he regarded the weapon for a moment before taking the blade from Rodericks hand. The priest smiled and let the leather wrapped handle go as Brandt hefted the weapon.

"Better you than me, I think." Roderick said as he reached down to pick up his hammer. He caught sight of Lord Waldo watching them closely but the younger man didn't say anything. He had a haunted look in his eyes now and Roderick suspected that the young lord, as much as he and Brandt, had never seen so much death in their lifetime. It seemed some handled it better than others.

"We should go." Maria spoke for the first time since they had learned Jurgen was poisoned. She had recovered a small goblin short sword that she'd tucked into her belt. She had abandoned her crossbow after not being able to recover any useful ammunition. 

"What about him?" Priska asked quietly, staring at the dead man on the ground. 

"We will have to leave him." Roderick replied, regret in his tone. "But we don't have time to bury him, or the tools for that matter."

"Oh, okay." Priska was trying to pretend indifference but Roderick detected something more. Was it possibly she had liked this man? It wasn't strange he supposed. Life could be brutal and short for humans of the empire. Jurgen was a prime example. She turned away before he could say anything to her. 

"We should head east." Maria again. "The main road is somewhere over there and we need to move quickly. Night is coming."

Roderick nodded and glanced to Brandt who was still admiring his new sword. "Shall we?"