Sitting there with his still troubled mind, the young watchman tried listening to the words of Calagand and Duindos in the other room of the small and humble house, but he couldn't quite focus on them properly. It’s almost like he couldn't think. What was this strange and cold sickness that had entered his body ever since the cloaked figure whispered to him? Or was it partly the stone itself? For he had begun to feel something faint in the back of his mind since he took the stone. It was so faint at the time… but now, instead of scratching, it was starting to claw its way deeper into his soul. His power to think and move were weakening slowly, very slowly by the moment… he could barely notice it.
He closed his eyes but couldn't find rest and continued drinking his water with shaky hands until there was none left. That’s when the captain stepped back in and started talking to him about the situation (which he understood little about) while picking up a small bag and searching the cupboard for something. Agromnir responded slowly with a struggle and soon the captain was out the door. For what seemed like a small eternity he just sat there staring into his own mind. It was worse now. The mental picture of the red figure kept reappearing in his thoughts. He could almost hear the sound of the screeches it made echoing still in his ears. They just continued to repeat themselves over and over again, the picture and the memory of the sound, while very slowly taking more of his strength away.
Eventually, the wounded elf walked in the front room and said to the rather pale watchman that he was going outside for some…fresh air. Agromnir nodded slowly without thinking about it. The elf walked out the door and… did not come back. Though the young watchman did not notice until later. He just sat there while rubbing his head, hoping this strange and dark feeling was only his imagination or something. But it clearly wasn't, he found out, when it began to get worse faster than before. He felt as though a different will then his own was telling him to accept this darkness that was creeping in him, or else continue suffering from this quiet pain as it became louder and louder.
At last, Calagand returned along with a woman whose name the watchman did not remember. After a few words, he walked to the back room to speak with Duindos…but saw that he was gone. He turned around to Agromnir to ask about it as you might imagine, and he responded in a quiet voice saying he had gone outside, but never came back. The captain then started out the door with a grim face and the woman followed him. It was yet another long wait before the door opened again, but when it did, Calagand came in alone and began to pack various provisions in a bag. He told Agromnir what was happening and said for him to get some rest. For he saw that the young man was troubled, but he did not know the true extent of it. Agromnir only understood a little more than half of what he said and was about to tell him more of his problem to see what he should do, but the captain left before he could really say anything, for he was in great haste to leave. Calagand said that he was actually heading BACK to the barrows, now that he had the aid of the man Duindos spoke of, along with this woman. And he was to stay here and regain his strength until he could perhaps aid with something in the future. That much he remembered…but for now he didn't know what to do. He was now by himself with the darkness growing more and more. Deeper and deeper. What was he going to do?
