Goddard grabs one of the skulls he carries with him and after whispering a few words in elven, it begins to glow brightly. He puts his hand inside of it like a puppet and mumbles with a snicker, "I feel light headed..."
The fairly smooth tunnel begins to turn into more rough cave walls. Tiny glowing mushrooms grow all around them and strange glowing insects skitter about. Goddard stops occasionally to collect samples of the glowing fungus and any bugs that aren't too fast. The light from the skull disappearing when he lets it go.
As they continue walking on, the cave they are traveling through opens up into a massive cavern. Goddard drops the skull and it bounces off the others he carries on his belt making a hollow sound that echos. The light from it goes out as he looks up. "Wow..."
The cavern is as bright as if on the clearest night with both moons full and every star at its brightest. Countless points of glowing light shine from the ceiling and millions of long sparkling strands decorate it. Silhouettes of small flying creatures, maybe bats, silently move about above them and the tall thin stalagmites are reminiscent of dark tree trunks. The only sound they hear other than their breathing, is the distant faint drip of water.
Aara gasps, stunned by the sight. It's lovely. She steps up beside Goddard and points at the flying shapes above them. "Keep your head down," she whispers with a smile. "Bats seem to like you more than you them."
ReplyDeleteShe walks over, touching a stalagmite. It's such an ancient place she can't imagine there ever being any human- even the ancient bone priests- treading here. Putting out her lamp, she lets her eyes adjust to the darkness.
Goddard quickly throws up his hood over his head and crosses his arms. "Stupid flying rodents...with their little scratchy feet and weird furry bodies..."
ReplyDeleteMaster we are not so bad!
"Yes! Yes you are! Go take a break from stalking me...fly around or something..."
Thank you Master! You are the best!
"And you'll be the best when you hurry up and fly away..."
Oh but Master I already am the best!
Goddard rolls his eyes and finds an open space of ground to place down his backpack. He pulls the book of Nagash off from his belt and sits down with it. "This looks like a good place to rest after all that walking," he sighs.
Aara sets down her pack and stretches out on the floor. Pulling out her crossbow pistol and a bolt, she fiddles with it. She practices loading a bolt, working through the process the man had shown her until she feels comfortable with it.
ReplyDelete"I didn't know you had one of those lecai. Are you going to shoot people now? Where's the fun in that?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard looks at the page he is reading strangely, turns the book upside down, and then turns it right side up. "Oh ok I see now," he says to himself.
"I picked it up when I was getting supplies at the warehouse. I don't think I like it very much," she admits, continuing to load the weapon until she can do so without mistake. "I think I'd rather throw my daggers."
ReplyDeleteEglanor has remained silent through the groups travails and tragedies.
ReplyDeleteHe bore witness to the deaths of the human families above and the icy tendrils of fate that grasped the human Breton without showing any remorse, pity, or emotion. His cold and withdrawn presence is the mark of an outsider, not just to those around him but to his own people.
Upon entering the glowing cavern, his normally blank and uncaring exterior suddenly changes. His movement changes from that of careful grace to a slow and lethargic pace. He slumps his shoulders and sighs loudly.
He glances over his shoulder at the gathering group.
"The weight of emotions that you all carry is almost unbearable. So much pain, grief, and anger. It has been a long time since I've been in the company of those so troubled that their state of existence causes even cheerful Leoc to dismay."
He reaches behind the small of his back and produces a small wooden box. Opening the box it reveals a paint brush with some colored powders, dyes, and other more pointed instruments. He removes the paintbrush from the wooden box and gives it a long lick of his tongue.
He gestures up to the ceiling of the cavern with the paintbrush.
"Now that we have a moment to bask in Loec's presence, perhaps it would do everyone some good if we make the time to remind each other why we are here and why we continue on to our destiny."
He gazes over at the assembled party and makes a frame with his hands, as if trying to fit the group into a rectangle made out of air.
"Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way..."
He slowly circles around the group, keeping his hands in an 'box' together.
"The hard way requires a canvas. Since I don't have a canvas readily available, someone here will have to volunteer their skin from their back... we'll then have to cut if off and stretch it over a makeshift tanning rack..."
He stops circling and faces the group squarely.
"Or, we do this the easy way and I paint on your faces. Your choice."
He crosses his arms like a 5 year old human child would when they've decided that that they've made up their minds and there is no changing it.
Goddard slowly raises his hand. "I volunteer for the hard way..." He quickly lowers it. "Never mind," he grins. "I believe you would take me up on that, cousin."
ReplyDeleteAara sits up, setting her crossbow aside. "What good will painting on our faces do?"
ReplyDelete"It's what he likes to do," Goddard says. "When you like something as much as he does...with his little painting kit there, you find a way to do it. It's like all the writing on my arms."
ReplyDeleteHe pauses. "Or...my dear cousin is just crazy. Which is also fine," he laughs.
"Loec huh...I think I'm going to like you...or hate you...I think father was Loec," he grumbles.
He gives a wry smile to the group.
ReplyDelete"I was joking, though only partially."
He strides over to the group and twirls the paintbrush between his fingers.
"My society uses paint for many things. Mainly we use it in war for protection and in art for emotion. A stroke of the blush, or the stippling of a tattoo is necessary for us to control our emotions and to not let them get the better of us."
He dabs a color onto the brush, a bright pink, and slowly makes a swirling motions in the air.
"Seeing as we are favored by Loec in this moment, we should take advantage."
He gestures at Aara with the brush.
"Painting of faces is done in times of war... while I can do that for you, I feel that it would benefit you most in your grieving state for me to simply paint the back of your hand."
"So...when you get emotional we should expect to see rainbows everywhere? Gotcha. Just stay away from my books with that stuff."
ReplyDeleteAara stands and walks over to Eglanor, studying his colorful, disturbing eyes. He could be as mad as the rest of us. Or I just wash my hands when he's finished. In which case...what harm is there?
ReplyDeleteWordlessly, she offers him her left hand.
Katarina takes the pause to loose her gear and adjust her armor. She shifts the headpiece and veil to her waist and frees her hair. Watching Eglanor with a mix of curiosity and skepticism on her face, she leans back against a wall.
ReplyDeleteAs she watches the elf paint, she begins to braid and think. Why am I here? Curiosity? Seeing that much Dhar did take me off the road home and to Nuln. It also led to Goddard holding my legs while I hung into a sewer. She crinkles her nose at the memory of that smell.
Curiosity got me in the door to this. It let me meet the people I now know and those I care for. Why am I still searching for these books? The right thing in keeping these books from dangerous hands. A man that can command dark elves and try to sell us to some Sylvanian ghost thing... not the right person. In protecting Kislev, not all threats begin with Norsii invasions, hungry trolls, or green skin raids. The Widow guided her child, then...
"Since you are in a talkative spirit, Eglanor. For the uninitiated, could you tell us more of Loec?" she asks politely
(Was unable to say this cause of mikes turning to a vap.)
ReplyDeleteAs the group is watching Tannin vomit and babble nonsense Crow collects the jezzails the other Skaven shot at them with, even the one Eglanor cut in half. He also grabs the ammo and powder to go with them.
(In the cavern)
Crow walks around as if avoiding everyone watching the walls, his ears twitching, smelling the air, as if looking for something. Looking over his shoulder as if expecting someone to be there. He stops pacing after a good 10 minuets and sits at the entrance the group came in though watching the tunnel like he is waiting on somebody else. While sitting he looks over the rifles the other skaven where using.
"Loec is our happy fun god," Goddard says. "Master of tricks, laughter and dance."
ReplyDeleteEglanor gives Aara a beaming smile and takes her hand in his.
ReplyDeleteHe leads her over to a flat surface overlooking a section of the cavern and bids her to sit.
After she is comfortable he begins by give her an appraising look.
"I see... hmmm... well, that's interesting. Yes... hmmm... yes, I can work with that. Now THAT, well... I'll have to work around that. Yes... yes, this will do."
He takes the brightly colored dye and begins to paint in broad strokes across the back of her hand. The gestures used are sweeping motions, those normally used to paint a large canvass or other surface requiring such broad strokes. Yet the impact to the back of her hand, while having the desired effect, is barely felt.
"You see, the Winds tell me what to paint. They are as much a part of our society as is normal elven traditions."
A swirling pattern begins to emerge with each stroke. A soft melody can be heard on the still air of the cavern.
"Do you hear that?" He pauses the artwork and listens. As he stops, so does the melody. "You see? They whisper to everyone. You just need to know how to listen. What they told me about you is enough to reflect your inner self through my hand."
He continues to paint and the haunting melody continues. Eglanor begins to hum along with the song.
He continues to add more to the artwork, this time changing colors and making staccato jabbing motions. These start to form a pattern on the web of lines on the back of Aaras hand.
Eglanor pauses again and stares off into the cavern as if being spoken to. He nods silently and then connects the lines to the staccato dots on the back of her hand.
In a moment it all becomes clear.
He drew a perfect imagine of Goddards face.
"Now then, the next time your emotion begins to get the best of you, you need only look at the back of your hand whilst you draw your sword. Would you strike as easily if you were striking him?"
"Ive never had the honor of watching one of the fabled Fey of Loren forest paint, or do any other form of art for that matter. It seems the legends are true, that it truely is...magical." Tannin says, watching and listening in amazement
ReplyDeleteAara watches silently as he paints. It's soothing, feeling the soft strokes of the brush against the back of her hand. Even the haunting melody that floats on the air doesn't unsettle her as she watches. Fascinating. How does one learn to listen to the winds?
ReplyDeleteWhen he asks her about striking out with emotion, she looks away. He means the vizier. And he's right. Reckless, just like Master Koroush says. Looking back up at him, she meets his eerie eyes. "I think I understand. Thank you."
"Impressive doesn't even begin to describe it." Katarina says, eyes wide in amazement. "The image is so life-like..."
ReplyDeleteBut how is Goddard a reflection of Aara's inner self? My babushka always told me that I was what I always thought about. I can understand Aara thinking about Goddard, but odd for a reflection. Though I do think Goddard is right, there is much about the ways of elves I shall never understand.
Aara thanks Eglanor again and walks away from the group surrounding him. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stares up at the ceiling of the cavern. So Goddard is a reflection of my inner self? I'm not sure about that part, but I do understand what he said about striking out. And what about Koroush? If anything he and I are reflections of one another.
ReplyDeleteShe looks over at her protector, busily talking with Neeska. She was a servant, yes, but she was also a companion, and he was grieving as much as she. Ah, Master, I'm sorry for all this. We should have come home when that man approached you about the box.
Seeking out a flat space on which to sit, Aara folds herself into the meditative posture she had fought so much to achieve as a child and begins to empty her mind.
Looking around, Katarina sees something glow out of the corner of her eye. Making sure her weapons are on her, she edges closer to that passage. The flitting light goes farther down and around a bend. Narrowing her eyes, her sword glows white and she proceeds forward, leaving her comrades behind.
ReplyDelete"Craaaaazy," Goddard says softly with a smirk.
ReplyDeleteWhy paint a very good looking me on Aara's hand though?
He takes his writing book out and begins to scribble down what he can observe about the glowing bugs and fungus he has collected, along with what he can see of the glowing things on the ceiling.
"What is all this?" Tannin asks Goddard, looking at all the shining fungi. "Ive never seen anything like it"
ReplyDelete"I have no clue...I wish I had more books. Then I could cross reference all of this and maybe find out exactly what they are. They aren't magic or anything so the books I have now won't help with them." He takes a small mushroom and squeezes it until it bursts.
ReplyDelete"Ew...I hope it's not poison or anything..."he rubs the smashed plant off onto a rock and takes notes.
Going further down the passage way, the young witch sees a split. Pausing, she sees the glowing coral colored light in the path to her right.
ReplyDeleteThinking, she quickly scratches an arrow into the wall with her sword and heads to the right. The light moves further down the cave, twisting and turning. In a few places, Katarina is forced to duck the low ceiling.
Finally, she can see that the light has stopped in a small cavern ahead.
Tannin goes full vampire for a split second, and it slowly recedes. His cheek twitches a few times, and he slowly wipes the mushroom goo off the side of his face
ReplyDeleteLooking angryly at Goddard, he does the only thing he can do; he laughs. Tannin laughs like his old self for the first time, smiling and shaking his head
"That's a much better reaction," Goddard laughs. "That first reaction had me a bit scared for a second," he passes his hand over his neck.
ReplyDeleteMoving closer to the light, Katarina can see it is a tiny flat backed millipede whose shell is glowing a bright coral color.
ReplyDelete"Well, you're an interesting sight. Very pretty for a bug."
Tannin looks confused and embarrassed. "I still cant control it all... It will probably take days to not snap at everything"
ReplyDelete"Just try to aim it at other things...inanimate things and you should be fine."
ReplyDelete"I punched the wall earlier and it broke" Tannin says flatly
ReplyDelete"Maybe I should have just let Aara kill me. Ive honestly never felt the horrible in my life. I felt her leave me, Goddard....both of them..." Tannin says, suddenly on the verge of tears
"I know that feeling," Goddard sighs. "And you might never get over it but live while you are alive...well..." he scratches the back of his head. "Whatever it is that you do."
ReplyDelete"Speaking of...What is it exactly that I am doing? Am I living? and I dead and living at the same time? Did I ever really die? You're the deathmaster. You have to know SOMETHING about what happened to me!"
ReplyDelete"I do know...I don't know what you would call it...life...death? Are you sure you want to know?"
ReplyDeleteAs Katarina approaches a little closer and bends over the millipede scuttles off to a dark corner and under something. Its glow softly emanating from around the edges of the object.
ReplyDelete"Sorry little guy, its a little hard for you to hide here with that light you have." she giggles
Raising her sword and moving it forward, she steps forward to see what the bug is hiding under. The white light shows the grisly stripped bones of a Skaven. Looking around, she sees many more bones. Some human, some skaven, others look like humanoid lizards or some unknown race.
The millipede scurries out from its hiding spot and moves up closer to Katarina. She takes a few steps back toward the door keeping an eye on the bug.
Its out of the corner of her eye that she sees the room start to brighten with a coral glow, as hundreds of millipedes begin to pour out of cracks in the walls.
"Yes, I do want to know. I know all about my history, but I hardly know what I am"
ReplyDeleteGoddard sighs. "If you're sure...remember how I said Morr couldn't have your soul even if he wanted it? That's because it's gone...burnt away to fuel you now."
ReplyDelete"I'm sorry if you were expecting to have me here for dinner, but I'm afraid I've got to run." she says nervously before turning and sprinting down the passage she came from.
ReplyDeleteA quick glance over her shoulder glimpses a phosphorescent glow edging into the passage behind her.
Confused, Tannin asks "...so my soul is doing something useful now? I mean it never really did anything before...And I mean Im still me, right? I just...get angry some times and the other guy comes out."
ReplyDelete"It's not doing anything now because it's gone khaldah. You're soul is pretty much you. A part of you is infused into...this...but the rest is gone...at least that's how that book puts it...gone."
ReplyDeleteCursing in Kislevarian, at the cut on her forehead from grazing the low overhang, Katarina rounds the corner of the split. She feels something drop on her shoulder and immediately swats the bug off.
ReplyDeleteThe glow nearly surrounds her and is overtaking her very quickly. Stopping, she remembers a spell her aunt had taught her and she is barely able to pull in enough of Kislev's energy to fuel it. I only have one chance
Turning, she quickly casts the spell and a cloudy mist blows down the passage over the bugs. As the mist hits, bugs begin to curl over and die from the cold. Ones on the ceiling fall over and actually shatter into pieces on the floor.
Pride fills her at having cast the complex spell, but as more coral light begins to creep up she begins to run again.
"But you said it was fueling me! Gah, this is all so confusing. Am I alive or not!? I mean I feel alive..." Tannin trails off, thinking about the sweet taste of blood "...Ive never felt more alive, infact"
ReplyDelete"What you are is a vampire," Aara says behind them. "You aren't living or dying. You're existing in a state of undead." She lifts her hands simply. "There is no other answer."
ReplyDeleteRunning as fast as she can, she can see the glow of the lanterns and lamps of her comrades up ahead. She is starting to wind and feel a stitch in her side as she presses the last little bit.
ReplyDeleteA little further, Kasha! Just a little further!
"Not fueling...fueled...different tenses," Goddard says, wondering what on earth Tannin could be thinking about. "I still haven't figured out if you are alive or dead. You can't very well be both can you...hmmm"
ReplyDelete"I mean when you say it like that its just so simple!" Tannin says with a hint of sarcasm. "I just didnt expect being undead would feel like being alive"
ReplyDelete"It is that simple you great lout," she retorts. "Your existence is probably the simplest part."
ReplyDelete"Listen, I guess I expected it to..hurt or something. I just wish my current existence boiled down to something more then just wanting to kill everything and having the lady abandon me..."
ReplyDelete"She's an elven goddess anyway. Don't worry about her," he chuckles. "As for killing everything...please don't. I don't want to work too hard cleaning up the mess."
ReplyDelete"Its the otherguy that wants to kill everyone. As long as I can keep him in check, everything is fine."
ReplyDelete"And she might have been an elven goddess, but she was the one thing I could believe in. How would you feel if you woke up and suddenly you KNEW morr had no interest in you anymore? Or...was interested in you.... I dont get how he works"
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGoddard looks confused at Tannin and then shrugs. "Just believe in something else nice and shiny? Morr can do as he pleases and I would just accept it. Take me or leave me...it must be for a reason."
ReplyDelete"Who should I believe in? The bloody woman that I see when I close my eyes? The Dwarven god of fat arses? " Tannin says with a chuckle
ReplyDelete"Go with that dwarf one," Goddard laughs. "I think Katarina worships that one," he whispers.
ReplyDeleteAara shrugs and returns to her earlier occupation of lying down and fiddling with the crossbow pistol. Seeing Goddard's face on her hand is slightly disconcerting, especially when she realizes what Egloran did. In the process of getting her settled on the rock, he switched hands. I gave him my left hand, she muses. He painted my right. There's no avoiding the question he put to me.
ReplyDeleteSighing, she puts the weapon away in favor of toying with a dagger.
"I wasnt going to say it...." Tannin starts, and cocks his head
ReplyDelete"Do you hear that, Goddard? Some one is running toward us, from the tunnel" Tannin says, bearing his fangs
"Wait to see what it is before you think about eating it," he jokes as he tries to listen.
ReplyDeleteExiting the side passage, Katarina tries to skid to a stop, but slips on some mushroom goop on the cave floor. She slides past Goddard and Tannin, colliding with the far wall.
ReplyDeleteLooking back at the passage she left, eyes wide in fright, she points and tries to make the words through gasping for breath. "Buh... buh... bugs. Bugs!"
Sitting on the wall of the passage is a short flat millipede glowing a bright coral color. Nothing more.
Sheathing his half-cocked sword, Tannins expression softens. "Are you ok, Katarina?" Tannin askes, generally concerned
ReplyDeleteGoddard falls over laughing. "Oh...yeah...the big mean bug!"
ReplyDelete"More. There were more! They tried to eat me like they did Skaven, and Humans, and some lizard people, and other people I don't know!
ReplyDelete"Stupid glowing bugs looking cute then trying to eat me."
"Stop it," Goddard laughs. "You are indeed trying to kill me." He rubs his eyes. "Those were all probably long dead."
ReplyDeleteAara sits up, looking from the bug to Katatina. "Kasha, maybe you should rest and have some water. It's just a bug."
ReplyDeleteFrowning, she picks her self up and moves over to her gear. She pulls out a water skin and drinks a little, still giving the evil eye to the millipede.
ReplyDeletePicking up a small rock, Katarina throws it at the bug. It bounces off the wall near it, sending it scurrying back up the passage. "Get! None of us are your food!" she warns.
Sitting back down by her gear, she sips some more water. "I don't like these caves. Why does everything so pretty have to be dangerous? I definitely prefer the caves back home with the artwork and murals on the walls, which are just as pretty. Also pictures can't eat you."
Aara sheaths her dagger and sits next to Katarina. "I think it's the same way everywhere. Beautiful things attract, but kill. It's nature, isn't it? Hopefully we won't be down here much longer." She sighs. "I already miss the sun."
ReplyDelete"That's how nature works. The brighter the bug, the more likely it is to kill you if you eat it. The more bland looking animals are trying to hide so they don't get themselves killed."
ReplyDelete"I'm used to being in dark places so this is pretty comfortable for me."
Aara shakes her head and smiles. He's spent his life hiding in a basement while I've spent mine hiding behind a veil.
ReplyDelete"So what he's saying is: don't eat the bugs," she laughs. "Sounds like a plan to me."
"I wasn't trying to eat him. He was just a pretty color. It was them trying to eat me that..." she sighs.
ReplyDelete"I miss the sun too." Katarina pauses and looks at Tannin. "What about Khaladh? The vmapire we're chasing had a bad reaction when he hit direct sunlight."
Goddard laughs. "You understand what I mean though...as far as creatures being dangerous and gaudy."
ReplyDelete"And funny how you hate my kin so and yet you use our words," Goddard chuckles. "Khaladh has certain weaknesses and he will know what they are. He may burst into flames when the light touches him...he may be perfectly fine."
"I imagine we'll have to travel by night and take refuge during the day. Unless he and Goddard know more than we do. Which for me isn't much. I only know stories."
ReplyDeleteKatarina moves over to Goddard and leans down to look at his book. As she does, she whispers in his ear.
ReplyDelete"I can't bear to call him Tannin. The only other name I can use is the nickname you gave. After all, he seems more akin to that now than who he once was."
"It just means dragon," he says. "He's always been dragon and he's still Tannin. Call him Tannin...and definitely don't call him son anymore. That's weird."
ReplyDeleteGoddard looks down at the book again for a moment before he begins to undo the wrappings a little above his wrist. He gets his quill and ink and scribbles some "words" from the book onto his skin.
ReplyDelete"Nuur'eni, what are you doing?" Aara asks.
ReplyDelete"Instead of having to flip through books to look up something, I write the more interesting things down in the place I can get to the fastest."
ReplyDeleteAara scoots over to look around his arm into the book. All she sees is a mess of tiny pictures. "What does it say?"
ReplyDeleteKatarina frowns at Goddard, but starts looking over his work.
ReplyDelete"Wheat, wheat, bird, water, snake, owl, horned snake, arm, beetle..." she says squinting at the pages. "I wonder how this writing works?"
Goddard stares for a moment at the fresh writing on his hand. "I...I don't think I could actually tell you what this particular thing says in words you would understand."
ReplyDelete"Is each picture a word or are the pictures like letters?"
ReplyDelete"It's hard to explain. I'm surprised I figured it out, honestly," he scratches his head. "They are more like ideas than just simply words or letters. It's also written in magic. Magic has its own language."
ReplyDeleteAara nods, feeling out of place in a conversation about magic. Jumping to her feet in one smooth motion, she stretches. "I think I'll go explore Katarina's bug haven," she says, grabbing her lamp.
ReplyDeleteKatarina gives Goddard a disapproving look. "I understand arcane language, just fine, Goddard. The Sisterhood is not a bunch of barbarians in woad chanting around cauldrons naked. We do teach arcane theory, language, and practice in a civilized manner.
ReplyDelete"So what your saying is that the context is based on usage, not just a given meaning. So that this one that looks like a woman could denote feminine usage or tense. Correct?"
"Did I say any of that?" he claps the book shut, annoyed. "Aara was sitting with us too..."
ReplyDelete"Well, when you reply to my question; I assumed you were speaking to me." Katarina replies a little annoyed.
ReplyDelete"Though you are right, it is good for Aara and anyone else interested to learn a little about this thing to better safeguard it until we can find someone to help us with it. Aara, would the bone priests you mentioned be able to help us?"
Looking around, she does not see the other young woman. "Aara? Where did she go?"
"You aren't the only person here to talk to or who has ears to listen," he stands up and straps the book to his belt.
ReplyDelete"Lecai wanted to go look at your bugs...where did she go arha?"
Over here Master! I can see everything from up here!
"So you are good for something," he chuckles and walks off, knowing exactly where to go.
"Lecai," he calls out. "Did you find the big bad bugs?"
Aara follows the same passage Katarina had run from earlier, her lamp low. The air is chill and the floor littered with the carcasses of bugs, but otherwise seems harmless. Katarina must be having a harder time of all this than I thought, she thinks, her boots making a crunching sound. All these bugs are dead, and unless a necromancer gets them moving, they aren't eating anyone anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteShe soon reaches the pile of skeletons, taking the time to pick out the races as best she can. "I can't imagine you've been here too long," she says to them. "An outsider visiting the city can be in more danger than it seems."
Walking along the walls, she finds a crater in the wall. Interesting...
"Not big, just a lot. No telling if they are poisonous or anything. I wasn't going to find out."
ReplyDelete"What the heck did you do?" Goddard asks Katarina when his feet crunch on the dead bugs. "They're bugs...not druchii..."
ReplyDelete"It's called the Maiden's Kiss. And see there are hundreds here. I simply went into the room and they swarmed. Then I ran away. I've heard stories of small things hurting you all my life. See how you like Nippers taking your hand or foot."
ReplyDeleteKatarina points at the arrow. "This way, I was not going to get lost OR eaten."
"What a shame," he mumbles as he keep walking forward. "What's a nipper?"
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteKatarina recites several lines of an old poem.
ReplyDelete"Close the door, and lock the latch
Nippers like to cut and scratch!
Stay warm in bed all through the night
Nippers like to cut and bite!
"I used to think it was something my Babushka made up to scare me and my siblings. Then I saw these tiny inch high creatures crawl out of a soldier's blackened hand. We all thought he had frostbite, turn out the Nippers bit him instead and laid their eggs there."
Aara grunts as she squeezes between two walls of stone. There better be something worth it back here. Stumbling into another cavern, she bites back a squeek. Uzzaya save me...
ReplyDeleteShe gags on the smell, covering her mouth and nose with her shirt. She can't see anything, but the air smells of rotting flesh. Maybe the skaven burrowed their way into the catacombs?
"You could replace the word nippers with all manner of things in your poem and get the same affect," he laughs as he picks up a smaller, living glowing millipede.
ReplyDelete"In a manner of things, yes. But inch tall daemons that lay eggs in you if you fall asleep in the snow, to have the hatch and crawl out.. still a no thank you.
ReplyDelete"Aara!" she calls out as they near the small cavern.
"Why would you fall asleep in the snow?" he asks confused as he crouches down and pokes around in the bones.
ReplyDelete"Oooo, claws! And sharp teeth."
"That does seem counter intuitive, especially if you know there are deamons" Tannin says, seemingly from the shadows
ReplyDelete"Okay so in most cases you could replace sleep with pass out, but there are cases where people have to sleep out in the open during fall, winter, and spring, and parts of summer.
ReplyDelete"Aara? Do you think she missed the arrow and went the other way?"
Goddard looks up at Tannin. "You are awfully quiet..."
ReplyDeleteAara steps forward carefully, not forgetting her recent tumble down the incline into the pool. Certaintly don't want to fall into a pool that smells like this. Reaching out to the wall, her hand sinks into something cold and mushy. She groans and pulls free, the smell getting worse. "I think it's time to get back to the others," she mutters, carefully turning to go back the way she came.
ReplyDeleteAara squeezes between the wall and stone outcropping again, but this time she feels stone give way. Throwing herself out of the way, she gasps when she feels her boot catch. Lying on her stomach, she tries to pull her foot out from under the stone. All that happens is stones shift and settle her foot in more solidly. "Seven hells!" she shouts.
"Where is Aara!?" Tannin asks suddenly.
ReplyDeleteAara pulls harder on her foot. I swear to Uzzaya, if I don't stop being such a clumsy bafoon I'm going to lock myself away in a safehouse somewhere.
ReplyDeleteGoddard's ears twitch. "I don't know...did you hear something? Arha can you find her?"
ReplyDeleteI will go Master.
"We're looking for her. She said she was coming here." Katarina says looking around.
ReplyDelete"Aara?" she calls out "Where are you?"
Aara pauses, holding her breath and lifting her head. Was that...? She shakes her head, pulling on her foot harder. Wishful thinking, stupid. "Damn you, foot, come loose!"
ReplyDeleteHello Aara.
ReplyDeleteShe can see a small shadow land in front of her as she hears a voice in her head.
Are you in need of assistance?
Aara laughs bitterly. "Hello, little friend. Can you get help for me?"
ReplyDeleteOf course. That is what Master sent me to do...find you. He knew I could do it!
ReplyDeleteThe shadow floats away like smoke and moves through the wall as if it wasn't there.
Master! I have found her! You know a good scout when you see one.
"Yeah yeah sure...where is she?"
Follow me Master.
Goddard follows the hardly visible smokey shadow. "Of course she would squeeze into a tiny space," he groans. "I'll go Katarina...no point in you getting stuck," he snickers as he continues to follow his familiar.
Aara props her chin on her fist and waits. "This has got to stop," she mutters.
ReplyDelete"Leeeecaaaaiiii," Goddard says sweetly. "Where are yooooou? My lost lecai. No more running of for you! At least alone."
ReplyDelete"You were busy," she shouts back.
ReplyDelete"There you are," Goddard walks over to her and kneels down. "I'm never too busy for you...especially if Katarina is involved..." He scoots around her and finds where her leg is caught. "Ahh I see. I'll have you out," he says shoving rocks aside. "I'm sorry if this causes you any pain."
ReplyDelete"My hero," she sighs, fluttering her lashes at him. "Like I said, you were busy, and I can't read whatever it is you had."
ReplyDelete"Katarina can't read it either," he chuckles. He finally removes the rock that was holding everything in place. "You are free!" Goddard helps Aara get to her feet.
ReplyDelete"Is she okay?" Katarina asks into the crack
ReplyDelete"She will be more than ok when I'm done with her," Goddard yells back mischievously.
ReplyDeleteShe puts weight on it gently. "Doesn't seem worse for wear." Looking up at him, she hugs him tight. "Thank you, nuur'eni. Looks like I owe you two kisses now," she laughs.
ReplyDeleteKatarina rolls her eyes and steps back from the crack to let the two out.
ReplyDelete"That's where all the bugs came from. What did you find back there, Aarta?"
"Can I get them now?" he whispers. "We are alone...in a dark cave...that I don't think Koroush would dare try to squeeze through..."
ReplyDeleteAara smiles. "To the Victor his spoils, I suppose."
ReplyDelete"You give them. If I take them...who knows what else I might take," he says slyly with a grin.
ReplyDelete"Incorrigible!" Katarina mutters shaking her head. She heads to the other side of the cavern away from the crack to give the two some more privacy.
ReplyDeleteThere she pokes a few bones with her sword and looks around some more.
Aara raises an eyebrow. "If that's how you feel..." Only slightly nervous, she pulls him down and kisses him on the mouth.
ReplyDeleteHe sighs and tries his best to kiss her back and not hurt her.
ReplyDeleteGoddard pulls back. "If you don't want to give me the second one...I understand," he chuckles nervously.
Aara regards him, chewing her lip. "I think you think it's stranger than it actually is," she says. "But I have nothing to judge it against. All in all...nothing I can't get used to." She grins playfully. "With practice."
ReplyDelete"So...does that mean I can have the second kiss?"
ReplyDeleteAara shrugs. "Sure, if you're willing to take it this time."
ReplyDeleteKatarina shakes her head at that and heads back to the main group. "Incorrigible." she muttters.
ReplyDeleteGoddard grins and grabs Aara. He leans her back in a dip and takes his kiss.
ReplyDeleteAara squeals when he dips her, the sound echoing once his kiss cuts her off. When he sets her back on her feet, she holds his arms, steadying herself. "That's...um. Well. Yes," she stammers, a little breathless.
ReplyDeleteGoddard chuckles as he goes to lead Aara back to the exit into the other cave. "And that was just a kiss," he smirks.
ReplyDeleteAara smacks his arm, but can't control her grin. "Katarina's right, you are incorrigible. And so easily encouraged," she giggles. When they return to the main cavern, she puts her lamp away and washes her hand from her waterskin.
ReplyDelete"What did you get yourself into?" Goddard asks when Aara washes her hands. "Surely this isn't because you touched me," he laughs.
ReplyDelete"I touched the wall inside that second cavern," she explains. "It went squish."
ReplyDelete"Walls don't normally do that. Let's not adventure alone anymore," he grins slyly. "Who knows what could happen..."
ReplyDeleteShe slides close to him and flutters her lashes. "You going to escort me every time I get bored and want to look around, hero?"
ReplyDelete"Hero huh?" he thoughtfully rubs his chin. "I like it. Yes! I will just have to escort you everywhere."
ReplyDeleteShe laughs. "Well if you want to read, I promise not to go anywhere without you."
ReplyDelete"Right now I think we should have something to eat," Goddard pokes his stomach as it growls. "No exploring or reading."
ReplyDeleteawkwardly, Tannin asks "Does...does that include m-me?"
ReplyDeleteAara searches their food stores. "Nothing elaborate, but there's bread, a bit of fruit, and some dried lamb," she says, sitting on her cloak and spreading it out.
ReplyDelete"Of cour...oh yeah...I forgot...and how are you always so quiet Khaladh!" Goddard eats a bit of the dried lamb and thinks for a moment. "And you want to eat now?"
ReplyDelete"Uh... Good question. And I want you to eat first. You need to be at full strength for this." Tannin says, still a bit embarrassed
ReplyDeleteAara ignores the exchange. I'm still not sure I trust him. Especially after his show of temper earlier.
ReplyDelete"I was planning on eating first anyway," Goddard laughs. He starts to eat quickly and then slows down. He should save some for later too.
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ReplyDeleteHearing Tannin, Katarina rubs her bandaged hand. Beneath the linen strips, she can feel the cut from her sword and the two puncture marks on her palm. She gives a glance to Goddard's bandaged wrist before turning back to her own set of rations.
ReplyDeleteIt's been the better part of a day we've been walking, since the pool. Apparently, I am not very filling for him. she thinks to herself.