Colony Zero

Colony Zero

Alexandra A. Cheshire

Published by Howling Wolf Books at Smashwords

Copyright 2020 Alexandra A. Cheshire

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All characters, events and places in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual people or places past or present is strictly coincidental.

Table of Contents

Ghosts in the Sand

Wolntyff Mystery

Alsdotter Uncursed

About Alexandra A. Cheshire

Other Works

For Goblin & Bunny

Because I can just picture you two breaking this one

Ghosts in the Sand

One

Silence reigns over the cluster of empty wooden buildings and surrounding sands. Silence broken only by the occasional wind stirring dust around. Silence disrupted by an unnatural whine.

In the middle of the sand flooded main street, in the middle of empty air, a smooth white door slides open. Three women step through and the door slides closed before vanishing. The women look around, shielding their eyes from the glare of the midday sun and their faces from the blowing dust.

The smallest of them, no taller than a small child despite having a woman's full figure, darts across the street and through double half doors which swing in the wake of her passing. The other two exchange a glance and a shrug before following.

The inside of the building is as dusty as the outside and sand has blown in to nearly cover the floor. Tables surrounded by chairs are set haphazardly around the room, some littered with tankards and bottles, as if the last people to frequent the room had simply gotten up and walked away. Across the room is a bar, behind which the wall is lined with shelves displaying all shapes, colours, and cuts of glass bottles. A set of stairs to one side leads to an upper walkway lined with open doors, although it's impossible to see into any given room from the floor below.

The tallest of the three, a slim woman with a long blonde braid, distinctly pointed ears, and light brown-green eyes, looks around and shakes her head. A tavern by any other name...

It's out of the wind... mostly, The diminutive woman sets her pack on an empty table, So we're here. What now?

Now we hope they honour their word and leave us be, The third woman, only slightly shorter than the tallest and somewhat more muscular, looks from one of her companions to the other, We've gained a home of our choosing. What more could we ask after everything?

Neither of the other two makes any response as they study their surroundings.

Eventually, the third woman speaks again, We ought to form a general plan... where and how to live and what we'll do without close neighbours.

The smallest of the women quickly stifles a grimace, From what I read, they called this a saloon, but it isn't really a place to live. There should be a boarding house... or, better yet, private houses... here somewhere.

The boarding house might be better, The tallest of the women offers, We don't know what caused whoever lived here before to leave without finishing their drinks.

Then let's go. The third woman leads the way outside. She pauses in the street, shielding her face from the sun and dust, before crossing to a building slightly larger than the saloon.

This one has a proper wooden door, which turns out to be locked. The smallest of the women immediately produces picks and sets to work on the lock. Within seconds she has it open and the three are able to escape the outside elements.

Immediately inside the door is a small writing desk. On it is a faded ledger beside a quill pen and dried up inkwell. Beyond it is a dark hall lined with doors, some closed and some standing open. A silent survey of the rooms reveals them to be nearly identical in size, shape, and furnishings. However, some were obviously occupied, from the personal belongings scattered around. At the far end of the hall, a steep narrow staircase leads to another dark hall and more rooms.

At the far end of this hall, the three discover another set of stairs. These ones lead down to a dining room containing a long table set for a meal. There is no food in sight, but there is a swinging door which leads to a kitchen where a meal had been abandoned early in preparation. A door across the room leads to a pantry containing a trap door at one end.

Cellar, probably, The diminutive woman shivers, Might be a source of supplies.

Maybe, The tallest of them shrugs lightly, Do we want to stay here or find a house?

At least here, there're rooms which didn't belong to anyone, The third woman points out, I think we should just pick some and settle in.

There are three together on the first floor, The tallest woman recalls, I don't think getting too far separated would be a good thing right now.

Her companions nod. Then all three return to the first hall in the boarding house and find the three side by side rooms which don't look like they had been previously occupied. Each woman chooses a room and goes inside, closing the door. After that, a faint rustling makes its way along the hall before silence falls again.

The wind has picked up and is roaring around the building when the middle door opens and the diminutive woman steps into the hall. She pauses, one ear cocked, before making her way to the kitchen.

Inside, she clears enough space on one table for a small trunk. After unlocking it, she opens the lid. From there, she can open out the sides and set up several pieces of equipment, including a small burner. She checks over each piece carefully, first as she sets things up, then again to make sure she hasn't missed any potential problems.

When everything is to her satisfaction, she begins sorting through numerous tiny vials. Some contain powders. Others contain liquids. Still others contain crushed rock or plant material. Once she has selected a handful of vials, the woman begins meticulously measuring and mixing, heating and cooling, distilling and bottling. Each newly bottled creation is carefully labelled and set aside.

The woman continues working until her eyes hollow and her fingers begin to fumble. She gives up on discovering the vial she has just picked up is empty. Cursing under her breath, she cleans up the area and repacks the chest. As she is locking the lid in place, a shadow at the doorway alerts her to barely audible footsteps. Then the tallest woman appears.

Lana? Shouldn't you be asleep?

The diminutive woman shrugs lightly, New place... new bed, A grimace flickers across her face, That wind... Elle, don't you find it eerie?

This whole town is eerie, The tall woman eyes the now locked chest, Augmenting your bolts?

That too, Lana picks up the chest, Also some substances for my trade and a few for healing. Who knows what we'll need until we can establish either a greenhouse or trade with neighbours... if anyone else lives anywhere near here.

They did warn of indigenous humanoids, Elle shrugs lightly, Hard to say what we'll encounter. She studies Lana for a moment, You look half dead.

It's Lana's turn to shrug, Maybe now I'll be able to sleep. What disturbed you?

The wind... I think. Sounds like quite the storm outside. I doubt we'll be able to do much until it ends. Elle turns and leaves the kitchen. Lana follows, carrying the chest.

Once the women reach their respective bedrooms, they go inside, closing the doors.

Complete and utter silence has overtaken the town when the third woman softly opens her door and steps soundlessly into the hall. She notes how her companions' doors are closed. Rather than disturb them, she leaves the building by the front door.

The wind storm in the night had completely rearranged the sand rapidly overtaking the town. Some things which had been clear the day before are now buried and others which were hidden have been swept clear. The woman takes all this in before walking to the middle of the street.

She plants one end of the wooden staff she has with her in the sand, leaving it standing straight up. Then she closes her eyes and begins to move very slowly, each movement carefully controlled and cleanly executed. The sun, which had barely been on the horizon when she began, is nearly a quarter of the way across the sky when she opens her eyes.

As she plucks the staff from the sandy street, the boarding house door opens and her companions step outside. The third woman turns to face them as they approach.

Lana's eyes are still hollow as if she hadn't slept well. Elle appears more rested, but slightly uneasy.

Kait, isn't it? Elle's voice carries across the distance between them, Why leave the monastery if you're still in training?

I needed the world experience. Something in Kait's expression suggests there is more to the matter. However, she doesn't elaborate and her companions don't ask.

We should look around, Lana glances up and down the street, See what's left here and what we'll need to survive for a while.

The other two nod and follow her to one end of the street where there are several smaller buildings in clumps on either side. Each one turns out to be a private residence. Some are locked and some aren't. However, all appear to have been abandoned as hastily as the saloon and boarding house.

Most of the houses only contain a room or two and very basic furnishings. Each one also contains many personal effects of the previous owner. The three women look without disturbing anything.

The next building they come to is unlocked. They enter what appears to be a cross between a shop and a laboratory.

An alchemist? Lana frowns.

Kait glances at a sign on the cash register, Apothecary. Isn't it about the same?

In a way, Elle also frowns, This may prove useful indeed.

Lana nods as she looks over the labels on the jars on one shelf, Very.

When they leave the shop, Lana locks the door. Then the companions move onto the next building, which had also been left unlocked. This one is clearly another shop with a counter and cash register. Almost all the stock is in place on the shelves and floor and the variety of items surprises all three women.

General goods? Lana glances around.

Looks like it, Elle nods to herself, Certainly something else we'll need.

Again, on their way out, Lana locks the door.

A breeze picks up as they move past the next building, which is the saloon they had already seen. Next to it is another small clump of private residences, all very similar to the ones they had seen previously. Leaving those alone for the moment, the three women cross the street to a partially enclosed building half buried in sand.

Elle surveys what can be seen, They had their own smith.

Blacksmith, Lana grimaces, Looks like mostly horse shoes and nails.

Elle shrugs it off, Probably the two things they needed most here.

Beside the smithy is another partially enclosed building. It isn't quite as buried in sand so the women can see stalls and troughs.

No animals, Lana nods to herself, Maybe taken as well?

Possibly. Elle shrugs it off.

Next to the stable is the boarding house. The three go around to the next building which is the most elaborate, official looking building along the street. The double doors are unlocked and lead into a foyer lined with carved benches.

Town hall. Kait's eyes go to the patterned glass window near the ceiling.

Several doors off the foyer lead to offices, all of which look as hastily abandoned as the rest of the town. Papers are strew all across desks and tables. Inkwells have been left open to dry out. Books rest haphazardly on shelves and flat surfaces. The three women glance over the various papers and ledgers, but all the information they can find is on a reasonably prosperous mining town. There is nothing at all to indicate what happened to the residents and their livestock.

The last building in town is divided into two parts. One contains half a dozen iron barred cells, each furnished with a cot and bucket. The other part is another office.

Local law enforcement? Lana studies the room with a raised eyebrow.

Maybe a sheriff, Elle shrugs it off, This's just like every other building here.

I wonder how far out the mine is, Kait frowns thoughtfully, Maybe there're actual people there... someone who knows what happened.

Maybe there'll still be ore there, Lana sounds hopeful, We could use the resource.

Kait raises an eyebrow, Would you actually know what to do with raw ore?

Elle is also frowning thoughtfully, Weren't there maps in town hall? The mine should be on one somewhere.

Lana nods.

Returning to town hall, the three carefully search the offices for maps of the area. They find two. The first map is the townsite and shows a much larger area than just the buildings along the main street.

This can't've always been desert, Lana frowns, If you look at some of what's marked here compared to what we've seen.

Unless this is for town planning, Kait is studying the map, We'd have to dig to know for sure.

Lana shivers, I'd really rather not. Whatever is under all this sand can stay buried.

The second map shows the larger area surrounding the town, including two mines and a second small town. There is also a directional arrow pointing off the western edge.

Maybe a larger town... or even a city, Elle figures, But I guess now we know what we could have for neighbours.

Well, Kait is studying the second map critically, Someone will come looking sooner or later... if there's anyone left to look. One of these mines is gold and the other is diamonds. I wonder how long it's been since a shipment was made.

Lana shrugs, We'd have to see if there's any paperwork here.

And a date would mean anything? Kait shakes her head, Unless you know the local calendar and where we are in it.

What we should do, Elle recalls their attention, Is inventory our supplies and set ourselves up for a while. Make sure we have a base of operations to work from here. Once we have that, we can explore and poke into things. Maybe set up in the boarding house?

Lana considers briefly, Let's go back and look over the apothecary's shop again. If there are living quarters attached, it might make a better base.

Kait frowns, but keeps her thoughts to herself. I'm going to go back to the boarding house... see if there's anything left in the kitchen we can salvage.

If you want. Lana shrugs it off.

The three leave town hall. Outside, Kait turns left to return to the boarding house while Elle and Lana cross the street to the apothecary's shop. None of them notices an extra active breeze dancing around the sand behind them.

Inside the shop, Elle and Lana spend a few minutes inventorying the contents of the shelves and counter. While many of the labels list familiar names, several are unfamiliar to both women. However, they leave the various boxes, bags, and bottles where they are.

Set up a proper lab in here? Lana queries, I don't have much for supplies left after last night.

I think so, Elle nods, That way we shouldn't need to pack so much around.

Even with this, we'll be missing things, Lana sighs, We'll have to make due, but I'm betting we'll need everything we can make.

Elle nods again, looking grim. This place feels as eerie as ever.

Let's see what else is here. Lana opens a door behind the counter.

There are three small rooms behind the shop. The first is a kitchen dominated by a solid wooden table. A wood burning stove sits in one corner and a wash stand in the one opposite. There is just enough space for the two women to get around the table.

The second room is occupied by an extra wide bed stripped of bedding. The top drawer of the dresser tucked into one corner is spilling dirty fabric. The only other furniture is a tiny night stand jammed between the bed and the wall.

The third room is not really a room so much as a back entrance to the building which contains a door and a ladder. Elle tests the ladder cautiously before climbing up to an empty loft. Lana waits until she is at the top before following.

There should be just enough space for the three of us, Elle nods to herself, If we move some furniture from somewhere. We can divide this space into two rooms easily enough.

Lana also nods, Doesn't even look like anyone was living here. Maybe the apothecary had moved to a house.

Maybe, Elle shrugs, Doesn't feel like we'll be taking another's space. But we should check on Kait. I don't like us being too far separated here.

I guess, Lana heads back down the ladder, She's stiff.

She's of the Order of Aluin the Staid. Elle follows her diminutive companion, Of course she's stiff.

Really? Lana looks skeptical, Did you ask her or some-thing?

It's carved into her staff, Elle leads the way back through the bedroom, kitchen, and shop to the front door, Not sure why she carries the thing... she shouldn't need it.

Lana shrugs, Her problem.

Outside, a wind has picked up and sand is blowing into their faces as the two women cross the street diagonally towards the boarding house. Inside the door, they pause to shake off the sand before heading for the kitchen. There they find Kait seated at a table, her eyes fixed on something beyond the wall she is facing.

Kait? Elle frowns in concern.

Kait blinks, shaking her head to clear it, I thought I heard something. Just the wind, I guess.

It is blowing again, Elle continues to frown, How far did you get? We found more than enough space for us to live behind and above the apothecary shop.

Kait shakes her head, It's like something got into all the food... even the things which should have stayed good for a while.

Lana frowns, You mean like salt or smoked or dried goods too?

Kait nods, I can't find anything here I would risk eating. Hopefully the general goods store supplies are better.

Hopefully, Elle agrees, We should figure out what we'll need and get moved before dark. There's one bed, but no bedding and a loft space which will have to be partitioned.

Why not just take mattresses and bedding as well as our stuff? Lana suggests, We can raid the general store for anything we're missing.

Kait frowns, but accompanies the other two to their rooms from the previous night.

The three make one trip to the apothecary shop to take their belongings over. It takes a second trip by Kait and Elle for one mattress while Lana gathers up all the clean bedding she can find. Kait and Elle have to make a third trip for another mattress while Lana makes up the beds already in place. While Elle assists Lana in making up the third bed and hanging a sheet for a partition in the loft, Kait goes in search of wood for the stove. She ends up having to split some logs which had been left out behind the boarding house and it takes several trips to haul enough firewood for a day or two.

Elle is in the kitchen, examining the food supplies which had been in their baggage when Kait enters with enough firewood and kindling to start a fire for cooking.

We'll need a source of food, Elle is shaking her head, Even if we eat lightly. I sent Lana to see what the general store has.

Kait nods as she sets to work sweeping old ashes out of the stove. Once it's clean, she lays tinder and kindling. Then she frowns and turns to Elle.

Do you have flint and steel?

I can start a fire, Elle comes over as Kait steps back. Within seconds, Elle has a tiny flicker of fire gobbling up the kindling, Go get settled in. I'm taking the room down here, so you can have one of the loft beds... which ever one Lana hasn't claimed.

Kait nods curtly before leaving the kitchen.

Elle coaxes the fire into burning brighter before adding a log and closing the stove door. Then she turns her attention to putting a meal together out of what they have for food. While she is working on that, Lana comes in, looking grim.

There's some dried food which looks okay, Lana watches Elle work, But everything else is just like at the boarding house. We're gonna be in trouble.

Elle sighs, We'll make due. We knew we'd have to when we chose to leave and come here.

I guess, Lana makes a face, Now where's Kait?

In the loft, sorting out her stuff.

Lana snorts, shaking her head, She barely owns anything.

Elle doesn't respond, her attention focused on her task.

For the second day in a row, Kait is the first one awake. Taking her staff, she leaves the apothecary shop and goes out into the still, silent street. She plants one end of the staff in the sand before beginning her daily training exercises.

When she finishes, as she is opening her eyes, Kait shivers. A glance around her reveals only the still quiet street. She picks up her staff and holds it loosely, her eyes carefully scanning the buildings around her. She shivers again as she hurries inside the apothecary shop.

In the kitchen behind the shop, she finds Elle fixing a meal and Lana halfway through a hot drink. Both of them give Kait wary glances as she passes through to leave her staff beside her bed in the loft. She returns to the kitchen as Elle begins to set out food for all three of them.

So what are we doing today? Lana glances from one of her companions to the other and back.

What more do we need to be established here? Elle responds.

Lana considers the question for a moment before shaking her head, I think we have everything except a source of food. For that, we'll have to see what kind of neighbours we have... if any.

So try to find the other town on the map? Kait frowns.

The gold mine is closer, Lana recalls, We'll try there first. After we clean up and secure this place.

Her companions nod.

Little else is said while the three of them eat and clean up. Each of them makes sure she has enough gear and supplies to survive a night or two in the desert in case something goes wrong. Then they lock up the apothecary shop and go to town hall to retrieve the map they need.

Before they leave the building, Lana takes a minute to study the map. A frown appears, deepening rapidly.

There are no markings on here indicating desert and no real landmarks noted. We'll have to take care.

Elle nods, Either we find something or we slowly starve. Let's go.

The three of them leave the building and set out along the street. As they walk, a breeze picks up, gently stirring the sand beneath their feet. Kait half pauses, her eyes studying the patterns in the sand. Then she shakes her head and hurries to keep up with the other two.

Once the main street of the town ends just past the last house, there is no road. Only silent, wind blown sand as far as the eye can see. Lana is using the map and the sky overhead to keep them oriented as well as she can.

Two

As the sun comes directly overhead, Elle spots something in front of them. She gestures with one arm, drawing her companions' attention.

Think that's the mine?

Lana glances at the map, Could be. Long as it's something more than a mirage.

All three keep walking and the object on the horizon gets larger, eventually resolving into a cluster of objects. As they get closer, the companions can see several buildings, most of them small.

All the buildings are constructed from weathered wood and there is no one to be seen. Once the companions enter the cluster of structures, they find a wagon and harness which look as hastily abandoned as everything else they have seen. The back of the wagon is covered with a heavy cloth. Elle loosens a corner to lift. Row on row of gold ingots gleam in the midday light.

Looks like the last shipment was never made, Lana shivers, We're being watched from somewhere.

All three slowly survey the area, eyes scanning windows, doors and the open desert. However, there is nothing which bears even the slightest resemblance to a living being.

Finally, Lana shakes her head in an attempt to clear it, Let's see what else is here.

Kait secures the cloth over the wagon before following the other two into the nearest building.

The inside looks like an office. There is a desk littered with papers and an open ledger. As in town, the inkwell hadn't been closed and is dried out. Lana glances over the ledger, then pulls the book into her arms to look more closely.

This almost looks like they were sending gold to several settlements. This gives names, but without knowing more about this world...

Elle looks for herself, A shipment a day? In ingots? That's a lot of work... and a lot of gold.

The last entry is incomplete, Lana frowns, The shipment sitting outside maybe?

Elle shrugs, That much gold would take a team of oxen or some equivalent. Let's see what else is here.

The three leave the office, not noticing the breeze which springs up to stir the loose papers on the desk.

The next building they try turns out to be a bunkhouse with half a dozen untidy bunks. Personal possessions are scattered everywhere, but there are no people in sight. A small room on one end turns out to be a small mess hall. There are three tables, all covered with half eaten meals.

Just like in town, Elle shivers, What in the world happened here?

Lana shrugs, Let's keep moving. The wind is picking up again.

It's a daily cycle, Kait glances at the sky as they exit the building, The wind increases through the day until it becomes a storm. Then it dies and builds again the next day.

So if we aren't done here soon, we'll have to spend the night, Elle nods to herself, It would be far too easy to get lost in a storm here.

Kait nods.

Lana shivers again.

The third building is only partially enclosed and turns out to be the smelter. It's half buried in sand, but what is visible looks like it was abandoned mid operation.

They must've been working around the clock, Elle glances around, To have a shipment out each day.

Lana shrugs, I wonder where the actual mine is?

Might be a shaft, Elle leads the way to the smallest of the buildings, And the mine proper is completely underground.

Which turns out to be the case since the building contains the shaft and the upper end of the lift for transporting workers and ore up and down. However, the lift itself isn't visible.

Could someone be down there? Elle frowns.

Kait peers down the shaft, although it's difficult to see any distance in the half light of the enclosed building. Then she frowns as well.

I can hear something.

Almost before she finishes speaking, the machinery creaks to life. All three women shift to defensive positions. Elle reaches for her refurbished pistol and Lana a crossbow small enough to operate with one hand, both quickly ensuring the weapons are ready to fire. Kait holds her staff loosely. All eyes are fixed on the shaft opening.

When the lift finally comes into view, all the women can see is a cart full of ore. Gradually, the lift creaks to a halt. The cart rolls forward on a half hidden track until it encounters the sand at the building doorway. Nothing else moves and a tense silence falls for a time.

Finally, Lana takes a deep breath, Could the whole operation be automated? Or could someone actually be down there?

Elle shrugs, Only way to know is to go down.

A creak from the machinery recalls their attention. The lift begins a slow descent into the shaft.

Now or never. Lana hops on board.

Elle and Kait exchange a wary look before following. The lift has already sunk a little and is still moving, making the step onto it slightly precarious. Kait manages without a problem, but Elle stumbles. However, she quickly regains her balance. All three settle in for what turns out to be a long descent.

Kait braces herself using her staff and slips into a meditative trance. Elle settles herself cross legged, her fingers absently toying with the pistol she is holding. Lana taps her foot impatiently, making no attempt to disguise her boredom and frustration with the long ride.

Finally, the lift creaks to a stop. All three women are instantly alert, weapons coming to the ready.

There are earthen walls on three sides of them. The fourth is an iron barred door. All that is visible beyond the doors is a mass of grizzled white hair. A voice barks out something none of the women understand.

We didn't know what to expect, Elle uses the most common language she knows, We won't hurt you.

The voice barks out the same command.

So much for diplomacy. Lana mutters, sounding irritated.

Weapons away. Elle holsters her pistol, although she doesn't fasten the holster. Lana also tucks away her miniature crossbow and Kait rearranges her grip on her staff.

As soon as they have done so, the door opens. As the women step off the lift, the mass of hair appears to study each of them. A knotted, gnarled hand appears and gestures as if comparing their heights. Lana makes a face, but refrains from commenting.

The next gesture of the hand is a beckoning and the mass of hair starts along the tunnel. The women follow, hyper alert and hands ready to go for weapons. A short way down, their guide turns right and they enter a chamber reinforced with thick timbers.

The room is furnished with a cot, a nest of rags, and a table with two chairs. On the cot is a man who looks far too pale to be healthy. Elle glances around quickly before going to the cot.

Sir? Again, she uses the most common language she knows.

Eyelids struggle open, the eyes turning to the point eared woman, Who...?

My name is Elle, She keeps her voice soft, What happened to you?

Cave... in. The effort of getting two words out is almost two much.

Elle nods to herself, I know something of healing. Will you let me look?

He manages a weak nod.

While Elle examines and treats his injuries as well as she can, Kait and Lana take a closer look at their surroundings. The mass of white hair sits in one of the chairs at the table.

Wow! Lana shakes her head, No wonder they were getting out a shipment a day. They could've kept it up for years... decades maybe... if the whole mine is like this.

Kait doesn't comment.

Once Elle has done as much as she can, she repacks her bag before getting up and stretching. Her patient closes his eyes and is soon breathing evenly.

Will he survive? Kait studies him.

He should, Elle draws a deep breath, The worst was a broken bone which led to an infection. Not much I can do about the bone, but infections aren't too hard to treat.

He needs sleep? Kait guesses.

Elle nods, I'd like to stay 'til he wakes. See how he's doing and if he knows anything about what happened.

Long as his companion doesn't get twitchy. Lana grimaces, watching the mass of hair cross the room to examine the now sleeping man on the cot.

After a moment, there is a nod. Then the mass of hair turns to the women and beckons them again. The three exchange wary looks.

I'm staying with him. Elle indicates her patient.

Kait nods, We'll be back as soon as we can.

Elle nods as Lana and Kait hurry to keep up with the mass of hair.

Their guide leads the way back to the main tunnel and away from the lift until they encounter the partially cleared remains of the cave in. A hole has been dug near the top, through which they can see into another chamber. The mass of hair sets to work digging out more of the loose dirt and rock. Kait assists as much as she can until the hole is large enough to crawl through. Lana merely stands back and observes, if somewhat impatiently. The mass of hair goes first, followed by Kait, then, reluctantly, Lana.

This new chamber is definitely not part of the mine. Neither woman has any idea how old it could be. All they know is what they can see. The walls are solid stone and covered with runes and engraved pictures. The mass of hair stands still, watching as Lana and Kait pick different spots along the walls to study the pictures.

Are you getting anything from this? Lana makes a face.

Kait shrugs, "I'm guessing whoever disappeared from the town didn't do this. Without knowing anything about runes or runic languages... It's kind of interesting in its own weird way, but there's no way to know if there's anything here which could