Journey To Hellspost (TXT X READER)

The sky grew darker as they drew closer to Bleakwick, as if the smoke and ash from the massacre still remained, floating through the air purposefully. A damp smell hung in the air, as if it had just rained, although it had not. The atmosphere grew dark and an overlying anxiety crept into the hearts of the company as the sky grew darker. Lands to the south were known for their warm climates. Everyone who had once lived in the south could attest to that, for their bodies would always adapt back to the warmth of the south. When (Y/N) thought of the south, this is not what she had envisioned.

The smell of charcoal was still fresh, and the smell of death lingered in the air. If Beomgyu's queasy stomach wasn't already empty, he would've heaved once again. His wounds had healed over nicely thanks to the elvish healing of the rogue, who whispered sweet nothings into his ear each night. He dreaded the day they would end up here. They planned to stay for no more than a day but even a day felt like too much. When the first building entered his sights, he chose to close his eyes rather than confronting the sight.

"After they escape the elven kingdom in the barrels, they are confronted with a choice. They cannot float through the lake in barrels, but if they go around, they will surely be run down by a pack of orcs. Luck would have it, a bargeman had come to pick up those barrels and take them to his town. As infatuated as I am with the bargeman, I believe this is a good place to stop for today," the rogue nodded surely.

"You're infatuated with the bargeman?" Yeonjun asked, quirking a brow.

"Very much so. Of all the characters I speak of, I speak of the bargeman with bias. It is most difficult to remain impartial when I speak of him," the rogue sighed with the eyes of a daydreamer.

"What is so good about this bargeman?" Taehyun asked with genuine curiosity.

"To tell you would spoil the story," she began. "But one time, I was with the little boy who told me this story. He is quite the artisan. He drew a picture of what the bargeman would look like, and might I say, he has maintained his youth well for being a father of three."

  "You are enamoured with a fictional bargeman?" Yeonjun chuckled out a scoff.

  "That seems to be the case, but I digress. Bleakwick is almost upon us. It would be foolish to believe that foul creatures have not taken refuge in the kingdom."

The kingdom was easily in sight now and the ruin was evident. Buildings still stood tall, wood rotting away, the structural integrity of the roofs no longer as good as it once was. The grey sky cast a grey light over the kingdom, making it look all the more ominous. The leaves from any vegetation had been singed away long ago leaving only twigs and sharp sticks. The crows cawed overhead as you entered an avenue of the kingdom. The castle was in sight now, a broken down spectacle, but what caught everyone's eye was the still rotting corpse suspended from a beam, being held up by its shoulders and arms to form a cross. The smell was egregious, reaching the group from where they stood, a house away from it.

Beomgyu covered his mouth and looked away, glad he had chosen not to eat anything that morning. His queasiness had increased tenfold. His eyes remained squeezed tightly shut. He had not seen anything, but he knew what the kingdom would contain before he came here.

The unkempt cobbled pathways had weeds sprouting in between the stones and there was a thick layer of mud covering the road.

The company decided to stop when they found a house with a small pen beside it, to keep their horses. The house was relatively untouched, only a few holes in the roof, but not enough to let any water leak through. The floor was mostly dry, only a little wet from the moist atmosphere. It was a dream compared to sleeping outside.