While we were in the process of leaving the room I was found in, the strange skeleton places the crate down momentarily and suddenly without a warning. Though its footsteps remain nearby, granting myself relief some from its sudden stop, I listen close. As it seems to be grabbing something nearby, which after some listening for a little bit for what it had grabbed, a familiar noise of the dragging metal rings out.
As I recognize it for what it was, that strange hunk of iron it held entering my room. It seems like, for whatever reason, it wants to take it with us, which it could mean that combat might be occurring when we get out of here or a possibility to keep in mind. Though by the time I start to think about what kind of foes might exist in this world, the skeleton returns and picks up the crate once more.
While I have spare time within the crate before we arrive outside of the place I was found in, (though I have no idea how long that will take). I think I'll try to sort through some of my thoughts I had when the skeleton appeared nearby. Though perhaps I should address something that is immediately present... with that being an issue that I'm having a difficult time seeing anything more than just what's inside the crate, with the lid of the crate shut tight.
Doesn't help that I'm stuffed among the items inside of the crate, though however little I need the space for myself. As I start trying to start my thoughts again, the skeleton stops once more, placing the crate down onto the floor. While I'm confused and a little annoyed at this point, it opens the crate lid somewhat wide.
As it then set's the hunk of iron called a sword inside of the crate, wrapping it with some of the cloth inside. It then shuffles some of the cloaks and items around to avoid any being damaged I presume. I personally avoiding being used for the sword's wrapping, hiding in one of the corners, however, just slightly I manage to avoid that fate.
Once it finishes with placing it inside the crate, it closes the lid once more, shrouding the contents of the crate back into darkness. Though the darkness is no issue to me, being unable to see outside of the box makes any active information gathering difficult, especially frustrating because my vision is omnidirectional now, and can gather information much more aggressively.
If I want to gather more information, I'll need some kind of hole in the crate to get my sight outside, though I should focus on making it on a side rather than a bottom or top portion. I mutter as I then sigh to myself as focus on the solution I could come up with. Though I was interested in testing this power first in a controlled space, I think this is a good time to try to use the only active skill I have, my Soul Arts skill to see if It can help me out.
Now how to go about using it..something to do with a soul, how to sense it, I state repeatedly as I recall and ponder how to interact with my soul, and how to draw upon that energy, I wondered. As I ponder and try to sense my soul, surprising myself as I can feel it, however faint.
While focusing on the sensation, I let the rhythm of the crate settle me into a soft meditative state. As I enter the state and let it settle, I try to draw any amount of power out, if only enough to do something from it, as I settle next to one of the walls of the crate.
Though not much of anything occurs immediately, I continue to focus all my attention on both the skill and my own body, the faint sensation of a core is held within my focus, and as I was about to finally stop trying after a minute or so. A small trickle of power leaks out of my soul, like a river stream from a lake.
Smashing into the crate wall next to myself, and transforming a small portion of the wall, turning it translucent, with a white-ish filter over it, allowing my sight to finally be able to see outside of the crate I'm in.
Though it is an exhilarating moment, that I succeeded in using this strange power I have now, it is somewhat dampened by how little I can see away from the crate as a result of my new sight. Though what I can see near the crate and close to the strange brick path with my vision as we are moving along, does make me wonder.
If the sight I'm seeing would make anyone with a stomach struggle consuming some meat for a while after seeing the frozen carcasses dotting the path and its edges, along with numerous zombies, roaming the remains of a town long since forgotten.
While I stare, I do notice that the skeleton who is carrying the crate I'm in is strolling around with an observant gaze, though it seems overall relaxed to the surroundings it traverses through. As all around us, numerous groups of what I can bitterly presume to be zombies are in clusters all around.
Among those clusters, is a peculiar zombie that follows our or more accurately, the movement of the skeleton as it moves along the path. Though the way jaw and gaze are somewhat unhinged makes it appear almost feral like the rest, if not for it looking more well-kempt compared to the rest of the zombies who dot the area within my sight.
Though there are other rotting creatures, I don't have any names that I'm aware of to attach to the rest of them that appear within my vision. What I can tell though is that most of them were former humanoids, at one some point in the past. Though I can recognize that what I'm seeing overall is definitely Undead, the kind you might see in those spooky and horror Halloween-themed movies. Though seeing them in the flesh really contextualizes many of them into horrible things to see, smell, and touch.
Many of them look like classical zombies someone might retell in old tales, though seeing them for real, with genuine rot and decay, is a bit disturbing. Even with my new form of vision and past life, it's slightly hard to not get at least a little sick at seeing the guts leaking out from many of them.
Though while observing I begin noticing a strange vapor spilling out from all of the undead presents, though the majority of this strange vapor disappears when it leaves them. The stuff that doesn't fade seems to be added to the air, with a dark and ash-like texture.
Though I am a little disturbed by its appearance, what made its existence worse, is that when it came into contact with my effect on the crate, it passed through it, making me jump from its entry. Before I could have moved away, however, it succeeds at touching my cloth body and when it does, what passes through my mind is no longer disgust or fear as I was experiencing before contact.
What passes through my mind is a feeling of familiarity, of exhilaration, of gentle comfort, though before long, the sensation quickly weakens, though its influence remains, however faint. As the cloth adjusts to the energy that just flowed into it and organizes its thoughts once more.
Now a bit confused and more than a little disturbed, as tries to understand why the sensations occurred in the first place, though in the end, I'm forced to shelf that topic, as once more, the skeleton is nearing somewhere that needs my immediate attention.
A large group of tents is blanketing the side of the town facing the forest, hidden amongst the foliage, snow, and debris. camouflaged from the passing glance of those nearing the town in all likelihood. By the time any visitor noticed the tents, they would have already been in the center of town, surrounded by zombies and other undead.
While I placed that thought to the back of my mind like the others I had so far, I look towards the one carrying the crate now and begin to think on the matter regarding it.
Though I am in part grateful for the skeleton for getting me out of the room with haste, it is hard to feel anything more than that, given its complete lack of knowledge regarding my existence. As for all I know, it would have a much more different reaction to me if it knew I was more than just some equipment it had found.
As I avoid thinking of that scenario as well, I come to the quick decision I should run away at the first opportunity I have or obtain enough power that revealing myself won't put me in any kind of danger. Commenting to myself in hushed tones, as I continue watching its actions.
As it carries me around in its crate, unaware of my existence, I return to watching the surrounding, as it walks towards a particularly large tent in the center of the encampment. As it gets closer, I begin to notice a peculiar quality of the tent, as due to the observed behavior of the undead in town, I recognize the tent itself as undead or something similar, as vapor flows off of it in large quantities.
Though I am still a bit worried and confused about all that has happened to me since I left my little room, I do know that I am grasping things little by little, and hopefully, soon enough, the ability to obtain an exit will be within my grasp somehow.
