It was the best sleep he had gotten since he entered the city, Arthur thought as he woke up. Els was still sleeping soundly, the morning light shone through tiny gaps in the thatch roof. Arthur pulled a pot of water and began to rinse his face, soon the water was brown with grime. It had been too long since he had a real clean he thought looking down at the water.

"Els, Els wake up," said Arthur, poking her with the toe of his boot; Els grumbled as she turned away from him.

"Up woman, we cannot stay here all morning," said Arthur, putting more power into his voice.

Els slowly raised her head, "Why at this ungodly hour." she moaned.

"It's long past dawn, we should have been gone before first light," said Arthur, his armour still hung loose around his body and he hadn't a chance to clean and sharpen his sword.Arthur cursed himself in his mind, he was getting sloppy if he were still a mercenary he would get twenty lashes. He could feel faint aches at the memory of lashings, they had been common when he was a boy, the young got blamed for everything before they learned to defend themselves.

"I need to wash, where's the water," said Els between yawns, Arthur thumbed at the door.

"Outside in a rain barrel."

Els's brow furrowed and Arthur saw he begin to mouth a question, "Turn right out the door, the barrel has a large cone on to collect water" he explained.

"OK," said Els walking to the door.

"Don't forget to bring me some," said Arthur tossing the small pot at her. She caught the pot in sleepy hands, nearly dropping the crude pottery. She pushed through the front door wordlessly, Arthur was surprised at the obedience he'd expected some resistance from a noble asked to act as a servant. Arthur gathered his few things from the small house and set about sharpening his sword, the repetitive motion soothed his mind. Once done with his sword he looked up and realised Els had not yet reappeared, were was his water thought Arthur. He marched out of the house whipping his head around to find Els. She was stood over the rain barrel her braid had been undone and she poured water through her glossy brown hair. Arthur was taken in by the simple action, the care and concentration she showed reminded him of his sword and his obsession with sharpening it.

"Enjoying the view," asked Els snapping him out of his trance, Arthur realised he had rushed out of the hovel to gawk at a half-dressed Els.

"Usually you get another's water before bathing yourself" said Arthur after taking a moment to compose himself.

Els was standing covering herself. "Thank you I'll remember that" she said. Another moment passed.

"Some privacy perhaps," said Els.

"Yes sorry" said Arthur before rushing back into the hovel. He still hadn't gotten his water.

After Els was finally ready to leave they set off further into the city, their short sail down the river had put them in the lower city. Arthur had decided to follow the river, Els mentioned a bridge needed to be crossed in order to reach the bank and if they followed the river the bridge would appear. They made little progress during the morning, the city's road did not follow the river exactly and many times they walked in circles. The journey was gratifyingly uneventful thought Arthur after the chase through the city the day before Arthur was glad for the quiet. Els's mood only became worse as the day went on, she complained about her aching feet, their lack of progress and the grey sky. Arthur didn't let her constant bemoaning ruin his good mood, only the thought of Pyp brought him down. He looked out into the city watching the low clouds descend and cover parts of the city in a thick fog, somehow he knew that Pyp would be in there somewhere.

They continued down winding streets, boots clattering on the hard stone roads. Soon the fog had descended around them and Arthur could hardly see the road in front of him.

"Stay close, or else you'll get lost in this fog," said Arthur.

"What," said Els from far behind him. How could she have gotten so far away, she was right behind him only a moment ago.

Arthur could not see Els behind him. "Stay where you are, I'll come to you," said Arthur walking directly the way they had come. He quickly pressed forward when suddenly he crashed into a wall, there could not have been a wall here thought Arthur, behind him was only an open road.

"Els!" called out Arthur.

"Arthur!" he heard Els say, her voice even fainter than before.

The fog seemed to get thicker in front of Arthur's eyes, he'd never seen fog this thick before; his whole body seemed to vanish in the grey cloud. The witch thought Arthur, she rears her ugly head again. He could feel his longsword in his hands as he swung it at the fog, he heard a scream very close to him.

"Els," said Arthur, as soon as he said the words all screaming stopped.

The fog began to churn like a river after heavy rain, Arthur could see a face forming in the swirling mist.

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"No," it said, Arthur charged at the face swinging his sword.

His sword sailed through thin air as the voice began to laugh, "Did you really think that would work," the oily sensation crawled up Arthur's spine as he heard the sickly sweet voice. "You are not him, but I cannot find him. But you will" said the witch her voice coming from all around him.

Arthur kept swinging his sword around not knowing what else to do. He spotted a figure in the fog. It was a woman. She was dressed in a long black dress. Arthur held out his sword, "Stay back," he said backing away from the advancing noble. Her face was masked by the smoke and despite Arthur's warning, she kept advancing.

"Arthur, Arthur." He heard his name being called.

"Is that you witch, show yourself," said Arthur.

He froze as the black clad women stood right in front of him. He couldn't bring himself to swing the sword, he could feel doubt tugging at his mind.

"Arthur snap out of it," came a voice from behind him.

The fog immediately vanished before Arthurs eyes. "Did you see her, the witch," said Arthur, his voice nearly quivering in panic. "A witch, there's nothing here you just stopped and started shouting and swinging your sword," said Els taking tentative steps forward. Arthur simply stood rooted in the spot staring disbelievingly around the street.

"Nothing, you saw nothing," asked Arthur.

Els gave him a strange look, "No there was nothing," she said.

"Well then lets keep moving," said Arthur pushing forward on stiff legs.

"Arthur are you sure you're alright, you seem a bit shaken," said Els, she grabbed Arthur's arm and tried to gently turn him to face her.

"I'll be fine, the witch is trying to get into my head," he said brushing her hand away and continuing on. He wouldn't let the witch distract him from finding Pyp.

The encounter with the witch had shaken Arthur, she had spoken to him directly in his thoughts, why was she so interested in him and why was she so set on finding him? Arthur pushed these thoughts from his mind, they would only distract him from his goal. Els kept shooting glances at him, if what she said was true and she saw no fog then he wasn't surprised; he must have looked insane suddenly shouting and swinging. Arthur did not slow his pace, he pressed forward up the river sword remaining firmly in his hand. He looked out into the city searching for any signs of the fog that engulfed him before. They had all vanished from Finepoint as quickly as they had fallen, up ahead in the distance Arthur could see a large bridge.

"Is that the bridge," asked Arthur.

"I think so," said Els, the bridge was of solid stone construction and was large enough to have four carriages cross simultaneous.

"Think?" asked Arthur.

"Well they all look very similar," said Els.

They would not be able to get to the bridge from where their position was, a separating wall ran all the way to the river bank. "We're going to have to go around" said Els gazing up at the wall, Arthur grunted in response and turned to follow the wall along further into the city.

Arthur was beginning to get unnerved by the sheer emptiness of Finepoint, before he had been distracted by constant action and running but now he jumped at every small sound.

"Arthur if you're going to be so jumpy can you sheathe your sword, I'd rather not get suddenly decapitated," said Els.

Arthur snapped around to look at her. "Alright," he said realising he had been trying to kill sounds for the past half hour.

Arthur slid his sword back into its sheathe feeling sheepish for being so twitchy. The inner wall of the city was less impressive than the outer wall, it was shorter and thinner with less guard towers. No possessed manned the wall, it seemed the witch had pulled all of the fighting men in the city away from their normal posts. The thought wasn't a pleasant one... He pushed it from his mind as he heard voices from up ahead, he nearly drew his sword again until he saw who was in the distance. A small band of ragged figures staggered into view, a number of them were injured and the others were shakily holding pole arms. Arthur recognised them as Mira and her group of escapees from the dungeons, he couldn't see her among the weary figures and for a moment he was worried she hadn't made it until he saw her jog up from the rear of the small group. They had all seen better days, bandages made from torn clothing covered fatal wounds, Arthur could see many of the wounded wouldn't survive for much longer. Arthur stepped out into the middle of the street in full view, a shout went through the women and a number rushed forward weapons down.

Raising his hands Arthur called out, "It's me Arthur," a familiar figure broke from the crowd, her short dirty blond hair was matted with sweat and a number of small cuts bled down her face. It was Grace, she had a mad grin on her face, it was a sharp change from the parade of despair that hung on the rest of the women.

"Great to see you again and my don't you look martial in all that armour," said Grace. She seemed to have acquired some armour of her own, she was dressed in a short buff coat with armour around her collar. Most of the other women had acquired odd pieces of armour all of it was scuffed with hard use.

"Looks like you've all been through hell," said Arthur.

"Near enough," said Grace as the other women lowered their weapons.

Arthur walked past Grace and moved toward Mira. She was leaning over tending to a critically injured woman.

"Arthur, its's sad to see your still in this hell hole," she said, wrapping fresh bandages around a head wound.

"What happened to you, I hoped you would be out of the city by now," said Arthur.

She stood up next to him, Arthur saw she had changed as well. Her white robe had been replaced by a thick leather coat with a high collar with an armoured plate around her midriff. "So did I, but Finepoint had other plans. We were attacked by possessed after you left, we lost lots of girls to those monsters," she said her lips curling into a snarl.

"Arthur." Els's voice cut through the air as she stormed past Grace who had tried to engage her in conversation.

"Lady Weimaer," said Mira as she stood up and bowed, Els waved at her to stand.

"Arthur maybe tell me before you rush off" she said.

"Sorry" he said not moving.

"What's your name," Els said to Mira as she pulled her self off the floor.

"Mira my lady, I was healer for the Peace before all this," she replied.

"Were did you come from," said Els.

"The dungeon, Lady, Arthur helped us escape,"

"Escape?" asked Els "I thought you were the wives of the soldiers or staff for the dungeon."

"No my lady, we weren't" said Mira. Els bristled at the bluntness of Mira's tone. "Were you the one Arthur had to save when he escaped?"

"No," cut in Arthur, "She's the one who put me in that cell."

He was still bitter about that imprisonment but what angered him more was the ultimatum she gave him. In a flash all eyes were on Els, some were harder than others. Els didn't quail under the pressure and calmly spoke.

"The sergeant insisted, he tried to strike one of the city watchman. The cell was the safest place for him."

The crowd of women had lost interest in Els and returned to tending wounds and resting. "I'm sure that was the case lady" said Mira moving on to the next injured person.

"Somethings coming" said Arthur drawing his sword, Grace rushed to his side pole axe thrust in front of her, Mira began calling out to the other women who slowly began to form a shaky line. Els drew her short sword and stood in the battle line, a small patrol of possessed charged down the street.

"Brace."