Bucren did not doubt that Teo was capable of doing a lot of damage with a small blade, though he didn’t want to argue with her the difference between single combat with knives versus a group affair between many foes and opponents. At first, he wasn’t sure what<i>hopes</i>Ismark might have that Teo was referencing. He meant to ask her about it after his window inspection, though it eventually dawned on him what she meant.<i>Ill! Unsavory, girl. Don’t tell me that stuff.</i>He shook his head. Gypsies. As he checked the window, he heard the faint murmur of raised voices below, no doubt arguing the course of action that was to come.<br/><br/>It should seem obvious, being sieged within this hovel after all. He glanced outwards. The foul zombies were dispersing as if their prey had evaporated rather than taken shelter in an immobile fashion, where they could be waited out. It seemed the beasts didn’t have the patience for that, going off in search of different prey. Only a handful remained. He noticed too there was absolutely…well, nothing, where Xavier had fallen. Not a body, not zombies feasting, nothing. So there was indeed a chance he had been taken, though dead or alive he could not tell. Dead most likely. But if he was alive, even if the chances were small, didn’t he owe it to the man to try to rescue him?<br/><br/>And who knows what other answers they might find in the castle. Bucren had never been inside one before. He thought carpets, statues, and treasures beyond reckoning. But as he raised his eyes from the streets to the dense mists about, in the direction of the castle that had long haunted Boravia, he knew such a fantasy would never be true in this regard.<br/><br/>The remaining three zombies eventually gave up scratching at the door, destroying what stubs remained of their rotten fingers upon its wooden surface. Bucren snorted in disgust but kept care to keep the window open only a slightly, with even his low breathing controlled as if they might hear it and come back in all their fury and savagery. They were going, away, and seemingly pulling the mists with them, as the castle became visible for a time within the fog, looming above as it always had. Bucren eyed it down, knowing his fate lay there, just as much as Xavier’s might.<i>Oh hell, why wait another decade or two for something to happen. If you don’t do something, it’ll never happen at all. You control your own destiny in this, to go there, or to sit here forever…until you are eaten.</i><br/><br/>Closing the window slowly and as quietly as possible, wincing at the single creak that emitted, Bucren turned and bound down the stairs again. “They are leaving.” He said to the group, waving his hand towards the door. “The zombies I mean. They are moving off in different directions, so the road will be clear soon, if we want to sit here or…go.” He didn’t specify where, as he was sure not everyone was in accordance with that plan.<br/><br/>“But they took Xavier. And it doesn’t look like they harmed him.” He said to one of the girls, Esperanza he reckoned. “Well, there wasn’t a lot of blood where he last was. And it doesn’t look like they…you know, maimed or mauled him into bits. So he might still be alive. If we want to make a move, we should do it soon, eh?” Bucren said, giving a side glance towards Ismark’s bottle, before shrugging and going towards it openly. He popped it open and took a deep swig.<i>Well if this was the time to decide his future…</i>