85th Day of Fall, 516 AV
10th Bell
It just. Wouldn't. Stop. Not when she slept or when she walked dazed through the waking world. No solace was given when she was alone or beating her fists against the face of an adversary. Kaie was a prisoner to the burdens that came with her bond to Skyard. As much as she loved the Kelvic lion, there was no sugar-coating the agony that plagued her night and day since he disappeared without warning from her life. The Myrian had searched Riverfall high and low for her lover to no avail in the days that had followed. When she returned the third night empty-handed, she moved onto Syliras where she knew he had a past. The desperate search had brought her as far as the far eastern coast of Mizahar to the most miserable, chaotic, deadly city she'd ever known. And still there was no sign of him.
In the absence of their bond, the answer would've been obvious that he'd simply up and left her. Perhaps he'd gotten bored of her. Maybe he found someone else. Those were the types of rationalizations Jeida had parroted in her ears since their departure from Riverfall. However, despite their physical separation, the Myrian woman could feel Skyard. Somewhere out there he was suffering, too. His pain, hopelessness, anger, and depression were hers to share without reprieve. The emotions felt more intense with each passing week, and they were taking their toll. Years living among the barbarian people had conditioned Kaie to understand certain sets of acceptable norms and behaviors. Yet the psychological anguish had beaten her down like a seal beneath a club. So much as a wrong look could send her into a frenzy, gladius drawn from its sheath and all. Sooner or later it was going to get her killed. Perhaps this second time she'd see it lucky if she remained dead.
The Myrian woman wrapped her cloak tightly about her body, cursing in her native tongue as she strolled up the street toward the Sunset Quarter against the cold fall wind. A thick fog had rolled over parts of the city, somehow making her foot travel even more miserable. Bloody petching bastards, her mind reeled when another gust of wind sent a shiver across her skin. The bloody pit tournament she'd sold herself to shackles to get into had certainly lived up to its hype. For a tournament mostly enrolled with amateurs, the matches were well-set. Each of her own victories were hard won, and when the fighters weren't enough of a challenge, fatigue stepped in as a formidable adversary when hers battles ran back-to-back. Bruises spotted here and there upon her flesh. Soreness crept quietly into her muscles.
It had been a couple days since she'd left the pits. When she exited the Blood Pits to receive her share of Mizas to ensure upkeep of her sister's apartment, she was greeted with refusal from that shyke-eating, low-level loan shark she'd shackled herself to. That two-faced petch had screwed her out of their agreement, and after a lengthy argument, the Myrian walked out on him. Kaie procured a rusted key from her cloak pocket and jammed it into the keyhole of the apartment she shared with Jeida. After a bit of play she finally managed to get the damned thing open. Hasty to get out of the cold, Kaie stepped inside and shut the door firmly behind her. Another turn of the key ensured it was locked. She tossed the key upon the small, molded table awkwardly placed in the center of the room. The bed across the room all but cried out for her.
Finally!
Just as she began to make her way for the comfort of her sheets, a shadow emerged from the darkness to rush her. So numb had her mind become with the day that her ability nearly warned her all to late. Feeling the malevolent force, Kaie pivoted just in time to back-step from the swing of a dagger slicing through the darkness. Shyke! Gnosis on her neck burning to life, the Myrian sent a front kick into the attacker that slammed them against the near wall. Her brow furrowed. Another. Foot steps echoed behind her back and already did her body feel the inclination to move from it's place. She unsheathed the gladius at her side and turned to swing the blade. The ambushing figure dropped when the edge drew a thick line across their torso.
The first attacker had recovered from the wall and moved against her once more. The Myrian danced backward, body moving this way and that to avoid the aggressive cuts of the blade that diced through the shadows. Her back bumped against the far wall. Shyke, shyke, shyke! The gladius-wielder went on the offensive to avoid the corner. With the much bigger blade, the attacker was easily backed up by her wild, deterrent swing. A body tumbled over the table she'd tossed her keys. Kaie curled her lip. "Alright, you petchs! Come get me!" She challenged with a snarl in Common. The two shadows seemed to glance at one another before they rushed.
Kaie chose to commit the the dagger-wielder first. He swung his dagger high from above, only to find the attempt blocked by Kaie's free forearm at his wrist. Then she plunged her sword deep into his middle, backing him up to the wall again while he sputtered blood. The other! The gladius refused to slide from the man's body as swiftly as required. The shadow approached the back of the Myrian with rapier held high. Then they crumpled to the ground with Kaie's neighbor Damon standing over them with a club. With a yell he brought it down once, twice, three times upon the skull of the potential killer. Kaie blinked and pressed her foot against the wall as leverage to tear her gladius free.
Damon's chest heaved and he looked up at Kaie in the dim light. The Myrian stared at him with wide eyes. "What? I saw some assholes break in so I came to save your sorry ass," he explained with a shrug. He watched her eyes waver over to the back door of her place, which had at some point been forced open during her scuffle. "You locked the door!"
"Petch the door, Damon. Where's my sister?" Her neighbor's lips pressed into a line, and before he could make so much as a guess, Kaie was shoving past him and out the back door into the fog. Damon hustled after her with his bloody club.
10th Bell
It just. Wouldn't. Stop. Not when she slept or when she walked dazed through the waking world. No solace was given when she was alone or beating her fists against the face of an adversary. Kaie was a prisoner to the burdens that came with her bond to Skyard. As much as she loved the Kelvic lion, there was no sugar-coating the agony that plagued her night and day since he disappeared without warning from her life. The Myrian had searched Riverfall high and low for her lover to no avail in the days that had followed. When she returned the third night empty-handed, she moved onto Syliras where she knew he had a past. The desperate search had brought her as far as the far eastern coast of Mizahar to the most miserable, chaotic, deadly city she'd ever known. And still there was no sign of him.
In the absence of their bond, the answer would've been obvious that he'd simply up and left her. Perhaps he'd gotten bored of her. Maybe he found someone else. Those were the types of rationalizations Jeida had parroted in her ears since their departure from Riverfall. However, despite their physical separation, the Myrian woman could feel Skyard. Somewhere out there he was suffering, too. His pain, hopelessness, anger, and depression were hers to share without reprieve. The emotions felt more intense with each passing week, and they were taking their toll. Years living among the barbarian people had conditioned Kaie to understand certain sets of acceptable norms and behaviors. Yet the psychological anguish had beaten her down like a seal beneath a club. So much as a wrong look could send her into a frenzy, gladius drawn from its sheath and all. Sooner or later it was going to get her killed. Perhaps this second time she'd see it lucky if she remained dead.
The Myrian woman wrapped her cloak tightly about her body, cursing in her native tongue as she strolled up the street toward the Sunset Quarter against the cold fall wind. A thick fog had rolled over parts of the city, somehow making her foot travel even more miserable. Bloody petching bastards, her mind reeled when another gust of wind sent a shiver across her skin. The bloody pit tournament she'd sold herself to shackles to get into had certainly lived up to its hype. For a tournament mostly enrolled with amateurs, the matches were well-set. Each of her own victories were hard won, and when the fighters weren't enough of a challenge, fatigue stepped in as a formidable adversary when hers battles ran back-to-back. Bruises spotted here and there upon her flesh. Soreness crept quietly into her muscles.
It had been a couple days since she'd left the pits. When she exited the Blood Pits to receive her share of Mizas to ensure upkeep of her sister's apartment, she was greeted with refusal from that shyke-eating, low-level loan shark she'd shackled herself to. That two-faced petch had screwed her out of their agreement, and after a lengthy argument, the Myrian walked out on him. Kaie procured a rusted key from her cloak pocket and jammed it into the keyhole of the apartment she shared with Jeida. After a bit of play she finally managed to get the damned thing open. Hasty to get out of the cold, Kaie stepped inside and shut the door firmly behind her. Another turn of the key ensured it was locked. She tossed the key upon the small, molded table awkwardly placed in the center of the room. The bed across the room all but cried out for her.
Finally!
Just as she began to make her way for the comfort of her sheets, a shadow emerged from the darkness to rush her. So numb had her mind become with the day that her ability nearly warned her all to late. Feeling the malevolent force, Kaie pivoted just in time to back-step from the swing of a dagger slicing through the darkness. Shyke! Gnosis on her neck burning to life, the Myrian sent a front kick into the attacker that slammed them against the near wall. Her brow furrowed. Another. Foot steps echoed behind her back and already did her body feel the inclination to move from it's place. She unsheathed the gladius at her side and turned to swing the blade. The ambushing figure dropped when the edge drew a thick line across their torso.
The first attacker had recovered from the wall and moved against her once more. The Myrian danced backward, body moving this way and that to avoid the aggressive cuts of the blade that diced through the shadows. Her back bumped against the far wall. Shyke, shyke, shyke! The gladius-wielder went on the offensive to avoid the corner. With the much bigger blade, the attacker was easily backed up by her wild, deterrent swing. A body tumbled over the table she'd tossed her keys. Kaie curled her lip. "Alright, you petchs! Come get me!" She challenged with a snarl in Common. The two shadows seemed to glance at one another before they rushed.
Kaie chose to commit the the dagger-wielder first. He swung his dagger high from above, only to find the attempt blocked by Kaie's free forearm at his wrist. Then she plunged her sword deep into his middle, backing him up to the wall again while he sputtered blood. The other! The gladius refused to slide from the man's body as swiftly as required. The shadow approached the back of the Myrian with rapier held high. Then they crumpled to the ground with Kaie's neighbor Damon standing over them with a club. With a yell he brought it down once, twice, three times upon the skull of the potential killer. Kaie blinked and pressed her foot against the wall as leverage to tear her gladius free.
Damon's chest heaved and he looked up at Kaie in the dim light. The Myrian stared at him with wide eyes. "What? I saw some assholes break in so I came to save your sorry ass," he explained with a shrug. He watched her eyes waver over to the back door of her place, which had at some point been forced open during her scuffle. "You locked the door!"
"Petch the door, Damon. Where's my sister?" Her neighbor's lips pressed into a line, and before he could make so much as a guess, Kaie was shoving past him and out the back door into the fog. Damon hustled after her with his bloody club.