Quest [Seasonal Event] Search and Rescue (Alori, Kovac, Turrin)

[Turrin]

Not wanting his fellow Endal to fall face down on the floor, Turrin reached out and grabbed the lifeless shell of a once great man. When he caught him, he noticed the two holes in the back of his head. He looked into wounds and saw the fleshy spongy surface of the man's brain. He was truly dead. Dragging the body to the wall, he sat the man up against the wall, ran his hand over his eye lids to close them, and said a prayer for him to Dira in common, “May you find peace in the arms of Dira, Brother. Please save a space for me at your at Dira's table when it is my time...” Turrin knew most Inarta didn't share his respect for the gods as he did, but he knew that every soul sometimes needed guidance by greater powers in the afterlife. He put his hands behind his head, stood up and realized to himself that he made a mistake in assuming the man was coward for not helping his daughter. Turrin knew if Endal could muster the strength, he would have gone into the aeries without a second thought. Turrin silently turned and walked to the entrance and noticed the aeries was completely cut off by smaller rocks. He knew it would take bells to clear enough of the rumble to venture into the aeries to look for the man's daughter. Putting a hand on the rock, the Myrian closed his eyes as a bout of helpless filled his heart. Turrin leaned his forehead up against the smooth part of the rumble and thought to himself, “Once again, I am to late to help anyone. Mother. Father. Kaya. Will you forgive me?” He clenched his jaw and pounded his fist into the wall. He knew that he needed to be strong for everyone, but today reminded him of the spring of 512AV. Suddenly, he heard his name called from the darkness, and he turned his head to see Syveris standing in the cloud of dust. She looked terrible just like the rest of them, but she was alive. Pushing himself off the wall, he walked over to her with a warm smile on his face, put both his large hands on her shoulders, and said in Nari with a hint of relief in voice , “It good to see your face, Syveris. Are you good? Nothing hurt?” Turrin started to look over her to see if she had anything physically wrong with her than he answered her question, “Honestly, know very little about situation, but I think earth..shakes through season and bad storm err..caused cavern collapse. We...” Waving at Kovac and Alori, and continued speaking in bad Nari, “..are looking for safe err hallway to save many people in aeries. You understand, yes?” Turrin wished the Syveris could understand more common, so he didn't have to speak like a drunken bird. Maybe Azira was right in their fight at the kitchen that he did sound like he was strangling a bird when he talked in Nari. However, he didn't want to admit that she was right, so he banished the thought of her smug smile from his mind. He knew Syveris was understanding about his language difficulties, so he didn't have to worry to much about her reaction. Realizing that he was still holding Syveris shoulders longer than was proper. He blushed for a moment and withdrew with a quiet apology to her in Nari, “Sorry I will stop touching you now.” Turning back to the other two, he asked in Nari, so Syveris could understand, “Everyone I want you to meet, Syveris. She is my friend. Sorry, Nari not my best language, so err bare with me.” Looking at the collapsed aeries, Turrin said somberly, “Err...I don't think. We have time.. to rescue or recover body of daughter of dead Endal. Me think we should move on, but what do you three think about everything?”

[Alori Sai]

For a brief moment, Alori stood there looking between Kovac and Turrin. Emotions were running high, and she could see it more than anyone. The teen wanted to say something, but inside her mind, she was screaming. It was as if a part of her heart was on the other side of the rubble. Kovac was in pain, and all she could do to comfort her friend was to hold his arm.

Turrin had a commanding presences, and the young Endal wondered if he was too calm. Having a calmer mind did help deal with situations like the one they all found themselves in, however having too calm of a mind, might lead one to underestimate the situation. Alori's mind was racing and flowing with thoughts beyond her control, and for as fast it raced, their legs weren't moving nearly as fast. The teen was finally drawn from her thoughts when Kovac held and kissed her. He was trying to be strong for Lavira and for her, and she knew she needed to do the same.

Alori took the torn scarf and wrapped it around her head, using most of it to cover her mouth and nose. She felt a bit helpless as she stood there watching as Turrin and Kovac took the lead. There was a lot going on, and with the massive storm attacking the mountain side there were a lot of people in trouble and in need of help. It was a hard choice to make, and Alori was a selfish girl. She missed her best friend and didn't want to lose her, no matter what it might cost others in the process.

There was something wrong with the scene before her, the Endal seemed desperate to get his daughter free, but he wouldn't go in himself. She watched, listened while Turrin and Kovac helped the dek up and sent him off to get help. What happened next was shocking, and would change the course of events at once. The Endal continued to yell even though there was no one to yell at. Alori took a step closer and quickly jumped back with a gasp as the man spat up blood. "Oh Gods....he's..."

The moment that she stepped closer again, she wished that she hadn't. The wounds were ghastly and gruesome, and the amount of blood spilling out was enough to make her feel faint. The young Endal watched speechless while Turrin placed the man's body again the wall and prayed for him. It was in that moment, that she saw a horrific flash, and it was Lavira sitting on the ground instead of the man. Everything changed in that moment and her mind was made up.

"I'm going to find them...."

The teen said nothing else and stormed off from the group and if anyone tried to stop her they would get a very hard slap in return for their trouble. Alori moved into the nearest tunnel, the one closest to them and moved inside. She paused a tick, spotting the dead Endal, but continued on into the tunnel without further thought.

"I'll find you, please..don't you die on me."

x

[Kovac]

Kovac's head ached, his stomach queasy. Turrin had managed to quell the panic the Avora felt at the separation from Lavira by the tunnel collapse. But the half-vanthan's sense of urgency did not simmer for long. He tolerated the delay as they stopped by the Endal and Dek, but when the rider collapsed, dead from the hole in his head, Kovac was ready to move on. He leaned on Alori for support, impatient as the Endal went through some vain sentimental blabber over the dead man.

"Go, we have to go..." He muttered, unconcerned with the lost rider's daughter. But the rescue was only further detained by the arrival of another Inartan, one Kovac did not know. As Turrin and the new arrival conversed, Kovac heard Alori huff in her own frustration with the delay, and slipped from the Avora's side to storm down the tunnel.

"Petch no, not without me..." Kovac sputtered, trying to catch up to Alori. "Alori, petchin' wait for me." He called after her in frustration, the pain in his head pulsing with every footfall. Turning back to Turrin, Kovac spoke. "Do what you want, save whomever, we are going for Lavira and Azira...Dira damn the rest." Kovac meant it. Life in Wind Reach was harsh, they only survived by working together. But the half-bred Avora had one light in his life now, and at the moment, his greatest fear was that she had been extinguished. The very thought made him want to wretch, threatening to drive him mad. He added a more plaintive plea. "Please Turrin, help us."

x

[Harrier]

There was no time for frivelties and socializing. People needed to be helped! Turrin and Syveris could catch up later. That they were both alive and relatively unharmed was good enough.

Alori had taken off down the closest tunnel, the man that lay dead at the entrance looking suspicious and out of place for a corridor which had just suffered severe damage. The moment Alori set foot in the tunnel, she would feel the change. It was harder to breathe in this tunnel to the point that within a few steps she would be gasping.

The first few breaths, however, would elicit a strong headache and powerful wave of dizziness that threatened to knock the woman unconscious. Her legs and arms and back would even begin to spasm as the muscles contracted beyond control, forcing her to either stop, fall, or turn around. The lack of odor in the air made it very hard to detect, but living in a volcano, such threats as toxic gases were always out there and usually any tunnel showing signs of such were cordoned off until a mason or reimancer could get in there and redirect the airflow. Living as high as the Inarta did, low oxygen levels were normal, but such a high concentration of the odorless gas made it extremely difficult to breathe normally.

She had one option: Get out before she lost consciousness. Kovac being several steps behind her would have the benefit of witnessing this behavior before he could actually enter the tunnel. However, he was going to have to have Turrin and Syveris' help to get Alori out; with that head injury, it was going to make it hard enough for him to focus!

x

(c) Phoenix

[Alori Sai]

Perhaps it had been because of the first cave in, and exposure to the gas that caused the teen to act so rashly. Maybe it had been fear, the fear of losing the woman she thought of as a sister. Or maybe it was just Alori, the fiery spirit of the tiny Endal that overtook her when ever she felt pinned against the wall. Some might say that Ivak was strong with her, and although she didn't completely understand what his mission was, she seemed to mimic his desires just the same.

Alori could hear Kovac calling to her, pleading with her to wait up for him, but she couldn't stop her forward movement. She could feel the hopelessness, the sadness, the fear, and it was slowly choking her. The trek into the narrow tunnel was short lived as something invisible attacked her, and before she realized it, the tiny huntress was on the ground gasping for air.

"Ah-ahh..P-petch.. W-What..what is this?"

She was sure that a rock had hit her, something powerful enough to cause such an intense headache and knock her off her feet. Still gasping for air, Alori rolled on her side and forced her body to turn around by kicking her feet against the wall beside her. Her vision was already becoming blurry, shifting from the fading entrance into total black. Gasping louder, fingers grasping for the stones below, she crawled back towards the tunnel opening. The panicking Endal tried to call out for help, but all that came out were sharp gasp and coughing.

Finally she found her voice, and Alori pushed herself up enough to call for help, but all she managed was a half dried scream before she whimpered and collapsed onto the ground. The teen laid still for a few ticks, before she started to move again, slowly crawling towards the entrance that she had just come into. It was hard to see, her head pounding harder with each movement she made. The teen was soaked, her party clothes ruined, dizzy and running out of fresh air. However, the fire inside wouldn't be put out, and Alori willed herself back to the entrance before the darkness took her.

x

[Syveris]

Before Syveris could even think about answering Turrin, the girl who was with them stormed off. The other man called out for her. Alori. So that was the teen's name, or at least that was what Syveris heard. But then the man spoke again, and another name caught her attention. Azira.

Syveris felt dizzy, panic rising inside her once again. Was Azira in trouble? Why? Why was she even in the Aeries? When the man asked Turrin's help, she knew for sure Azira was in trouble. Syveris wasn't even sure if she and the huntress were friends or not, but that didn't make any difference. It took a few seconds for her to understand what she just heard. And then, without a word, she ran after Alori, thinking the other girl would know the way, since she had run without hesitation to the closest tunnel.

However, when Syveris reached the entrance of the tunnel, Alori was in the ground, crawling back. Her eyes widened, and her body became unable to move. Syveris couldn't understand what was going on, her mind completely blank. After a while, she saw the Endal, dead. Then, the realization hit her. The air. It was the only explanation she could find. When the girl stopped moving, near the tunnel's entrance, Syveris looked at the man she didn't know, the closest one to her, feeling lost, before she hurried to the girl's side, holding her breath as a precaution.

The other teen was small, and she wasn't heavy, so Syveris managed to drag her away from the entrance, although her mind had been so completely dominated by fear that she didn't know if someone was helping her move Alori or not. She also didn't know if it was necessary, if whatever was in the air of the tunnel would reach Alori where she had been, but Syveris wasn't willing to wait and see. When she reached a distance she deemed safe, she laid the girl on the ground, and sat besides her.

"Hey, Alori! Can you hear me?" she asked, her voice trembling again. She wasn't sure the girl's name really was Alori, but that didn't matter right now. "Alori?" she tried again. Her panic grew, and she felt difficulty in breathing normally. She had no clue about what to do.

x
x

[Kovac]

Kovac did his best to catch up with Alori, his head pounding with each step. "Petch woman, wait up." He murmured, knowing she couldn't hear him. But he understood the young woman's urgency. Lavira was like a sister to Alori, in fact, they considered themselves so. Kovac was sure she loved Vira as much as he. If the Avora had the strength, he would be running to find a way to Lavira and Azira, dragging Alori along by the hand.

The girl took a bend into a tunnel, where Kovac began to gain on her. He saw Alori falter in her steps, then topple. Kovac skidded to a halt. A quick assessment lead him to conclude likewise that it was gas, and he cinched the makeshift scarf around his mouth and nose. Alori was crawling her way back towards him, the determined teen finding some inner strength to make her escape and Kovac took quickly the steps to meet her.

Then the woman who stopped Turrin appeared at his side, the two of them sharing a quick, understanding glance. Though his head ached as he bent over, he joined the stranger in dragging Alori further from the entrance to the contaminated tunnel. The stranger started to panic, but Kovac simply stroked Alori's blond-streaked red mane. "Its OK, she will be alright, she just needs some breaths to clear the toxins." He encouraged to both women. Looking up, he saw Turrin standing with them.

"Alright, Turrin is right, we need to approach this with clear heads." Kovac's head was, in fact, not clear, it hurt, and only the need to find Lavira and Azira drove him to try to think clearly. "And we need to stick together." He looked at Alori, his firm gaze sharing the promise that they would find their loved one. Then his emerald eyes shifted to the girl who had helped him aid Alori. "Sorry, I don't know who you are, but your help is needed."

With another look to Alori, he asked. "Are you ready to move on?"

x

[Turrin]

Turing his attention to the Avora, Turrin glared at Kovac when he started to go off on him for trying to help the Endal's daughter. However, Kovac's plea at the end confused the Endal, so Turrin decided to unclench his fists. The half-Myrian knew Kovac was frightened for Lavira and Azira's safety, but the man wasn't clearly thinking about the whole situation. He cared only about himself. Fine, he was entitled to his way of thought, but Turrin lost a little of respect for him. He had gained for the hot headed Avora. Shaking his head, Turrin gave the Kovac a disappointed look and said bluntly, “What do you think I am doing? We need people to move the debris unless you know a reimancer?” Suddenly, Alori stormed off and muttering something about how she was going to find them. Turrin was about to call out to her, but she turned the corner before he had time to say anything to her. The Endal knew that he was starting to loose control of the situation when Kovac ran off after her too. Turrin put on a stone look of frustration on his face as he followed the two impulsive Inarta down the hallway. Turrin looked at Syveris for a moment and followed the two for them towards the corner. When he made it to the intersection, he saw Alori collapsed on the floor and body of a dead Endal at the entrance of the tunnel. At the moment, he figured the air was toxic, so he was about to go in after Alori, but Syveris darted into the tunnel after the fallen Endal. When Syveris dragged her out, Turrin could tell the young woman was in a near panic, so he rest a hand on the back of her shoulder and said softly, “Syveris, Kovac is right. It will take a few chimes for Alori to recover.” He looked at the younger Endal and took out his water skin from his backpack and said out loud, “She will need water when she wakes up.” The half-Myrian raised an eyebrow at Kovac when he told Syveris that she will be needed. A rational thinker after her heroic rescue would assume that she would help them all the way through to the vary end, but Kovac was starting to repeat the same thing over and over again. It was odd behavior, and he was starting to wonder if his last comment of not helping people was actually what he truly meant at all. He decided to give the Avora the benefit of doubt. Offering the water skin to Kovac, Turrin said with a reassuring smile, “Kovac. I will not abandon Lavira, Azira, Alori or you in your moment of need. I promise you on my undying love for my Goddess Myri. You will be holding each other tonight.” Shaking the water skin at him to gain his focus, Turrin said slowly, “When Alori wakes up, I want you to give her some water. However, why don't you drink, first? I am sure that your thirsty, and we have a long journey ahead of us.” Hearing the laboring breaths of his friend, Syveris, Turrin gave her a reassuring smile and said calmly, “You did a brave thing, Syveris, but I need to calm yourself. You are safe, and because of you, Alori is also safe.” Putting both of his hands on the top of her shoulders, the half-Myrian asked with a smile, “I want you to start taking deep slow breaths, OK. Just remember you are safe with me.” Turrin knew that he needed to be strong to get the group through it all, but the current disaster was bringing up painful memories of a the djed storm of 512AV, so he was starting to feel alone even in the group of four. Looking at Kovac, Turrin said softly, “Let her wake up than we will find your Lavira.”

[Harrier]

It was going to take several chimes for Alori to awaken and when she did, her head would probably feel worse than Kovac's. At least they were united now under a cause to get through the wreckage of the Endal aeries and reach the girls trapped on the other side (helping who they could along the way).

As they waited, the familiar face of the kind-hearted Yoletta appeared. The Tavina looked a bit bedraggled, but otherwise alright. Her short, age-whitened hair was muddy and soaked and she had a blood patch on one shoulder (small and unimportant). She appeared to be looking for something or someone maybe as she hastened along the corridor, stopping at some on the floor to speak, squeezing a shoulder or cupping a cheek in comfort. Eventually she made it to the four men and women.

Her gaze went past them to the tunnel they were by and frowned. "Another one? That's not good." She made a note to send a Dek to the masons for them to ventilate and find the leak so it could be stoppered or redirected. "Are all of you ambulatory?" She asked, waiting for the response though guessing by their looks they were well enough. "A landslide look out several caves on this side and another section near where it started is weakening. We need assistance stabilizing it until the masons can get up here to erect a column. I can see by the looks on your faces that you would rather keep looking for your loved ones, but please, help this now and we may be able to help them after."

"If you will, follow those Dek to the end of the fissure. They are clearing water from a flood in an adjacent corridor." The gestured to the Dek they had seen moving in and out of the tunnel earlier, the splashing water they'd heard before now explained. Yoletta reached to touch each of them, smiling confidently at every single one. "Be strong. It's a bad storm, but the Lookout says it should be over by nightfall. We'll make it through."

x

(c) Phoenix

[Alori Sai]

Alori woke with a start, gasping for air as she sat up until a massive headache attacked her, and the teen took another dizzy spell as she collapsed back into the arms, or lap of whoever had been holding her. She had passed out completely, and her last memory was of crawling passed the dead body and hoping that she wasn't about to meet the same fate.

The young Endal remembered nothing about being saved, nothing about the woman who rushed to her aid and pulled her out along with Kovac. While she was slowly coming to, she heard muffled sounds, voices talking around her, but she couldn't make out what was said. Finally she opened her eyes again and looked up at the three above her.

There was another, a fourth person standing near them now. The Tavina looked on at the scene around her with what appeared to be less caring eyes than one would have expected. The request that the woman made didn't do anything to soften Alori's thought about her either. No one had any idea how Lavira, Azira, and whoever else had gotten caught when the tunnel collapsed were doing and they needed to do something. But the Tavina in all her wisdom wanted them to abandon all that to help dek clear out water.

What the petch? Is she serious?

It was unthinkable, the old woman was more worried about clearing a flood than helping her people who were likely wounded. The teen realized that she was probably thinking rashly, but she didn't care. The Tavina was wrong if she thought the mountain was more important than the people who lived in it. This wasn't a job for Endal, it was a job for dek, like the ones who were already doing it. But Alori didn't see herself having a choice, she had to do what was asked of her, even if she didn't want to.

This shyke is stupid...stupid.

Slowly she stood up, leaning on whoever was closest to her as she tried to find her balance. Once she was standing, she looked to each in the group to see what they would do before she started off in the direction she had been given. Alori imagined that Kovac would want to keep looking for Lavira, and she didn't blame him if he did.

x