Closed A Glimpse Below

Kamilla and Jehu investigate The Sunken Ruins

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Syka is a new settlement of primarily humans on the east coast of Falyndar opposite of Riverfall on The Suvan Sea. [Syka Codex]

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A Glimpse Below

Postby Kamilla on August 15th, 2019, 6:05 pm

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Kamilla Circe Gordon


Although, realistically, their stare off had lasted little more than a few ticks, it had felt infinitely longer. She was trying her best to decipher what was going on inside Jehu's mind but found that the pools of darkness that were his eyes made it nearly impossible. It was odd, to look at someone and feel as if you had absolutely no idea what they were thinking, she hoped she'd eventually figure out how to read the Chaktawe despite his inky eyes. She hoped she'd get the chance to try.

When he finally spoke, complimenting her, Kamilla let out a sigh of relief, not realising she'd been holding her breath the entire time. He wasn't terrified or enraged or some odd mixture of the two, he was simply impressed. In the back of her mind Kamilla wondered if Jehu had had previous experience with magic or perhaps he just wasn't easily spooked or intimidated by things he didn't understand. Either way, Kamilla felt her respect for the exotic mam grow.

Realising she hadn't said anything to his comment about wanting to see more of her reimancy, Kamilla fumbled to find her words before regaining her usual composure. "Uh, it's not just a party trick…" She began, wanting to make clear that she wasn't about to use her power for mere entertainment, but before she could say more she was cut off by the man's sudden approach.

Startled somewhat as Jehu neared her and knelt down, Kamilla stiffened ever so slightly as he took her smaller hand in his large ones. Was he going to worship her? Was that how mages were seen amongst his people? It took only a tick before Kamilla realised what he was actually doing as she watched Jehu turn over her hand to inspect her scar. So he did know something about reimancy and perhaps other magics as well, though, surprisingly, that was not where her current focus was.

His touch was warm, pleasantly so, she could feel his own heat warming her, still damp, cold body. She wondered if, being from Eyktol, he had ever really experienced cold. Deserts were just like sandy beaches that went on for as long as the eye could see, right? She was curious and needed to know more about Jehu, his people and his homeland. So curious.

She coughed in an attempt to rid her throat of the itch that begged her to voice the questions she'd just thought of. "You recognise the scars from my initiation? How much do you know about reimancy?" As she spoke, Kamilla awkwardly pulled her hand from his, inspecting the scar too. She hoped he would stand up, his kneeling made her slightly uncomfortable, though even at half his height Jehu was almost three quarters of hers.

Not wanting to fall back into another socially awkward exchange between herself and the handsome Chaktawe, Kamilla knelt down slightly to grab at the handle on one end of the crate and left it as an experiment to see if it would be easy to carry. It was. In fact, it only took a small amount of effort for her to lift up, instantly wincing as the contents clattered loudly, sliding from one end of the crate to the other. There was the distinct clang of metal.

Following her foolish mistake, came a heightened silence, one which Kamilla felt no need to break, though it was not only up to her.

Somewhere, nearby, came an unsettling set of noises, sounding like a few shrill shrieks interspersed with clicking noises, as if calling out cautiously, followed by what sounded like footsteps splashing in the nearby waters just outside of the ruined building they were in.

Brown eyes immediately went towards Jehu, searching their inky depths for any sign that he had heard the noises too and perhaps knew what rhey were. "Did you hear that? It sounded way too deliberate to just be random animal noises." At least, that's what her first thought was. Syka had attempted to kill her several times already, so Kamilla was beyond dismissing anything unusual.

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A Glimpse Below

Postby Jehu on August 19th, 2019, 12:53 pm

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At first Jehu did not see how his intent interest in her magic and the forward inspection of her hand had put off Kamilla. He was simply caught up in his fascination with her. While he was not going to worship her, his admiration and intrigue had spiked tremendously. The Chaktawe liked the feel of Kam's hand in his, even though her skin was cold, it was soft and supple. He looked closer. The scar on her hand was clean and well healed, as if made deliberately with a sharp blade. What did the scars have in common with that magic? His curiosity burned, but Jehu did not unleash his barrage of questions.

He allowed her cold hand to slip from his, coaxing the scratching in his throat again as he swallowed, It seemed Kam had a similar irritation as she coughed, maybe from swallowing saltwater. She asked what he knew about what she called reimancy. She said the scars were from an initiation.

"Reimancy, I don't think I know that word, or anything about initiation. But in Anhatep, that is in Eyktol, I saw a man who had scars on his hands like you. Stuff, like what you formed in your hand, would appear in his before turning to sand. He would form it into shapes and such. I was amazed. I guess at the time I just though it was a party trick. Obviously it is much more useful. Until now, I didn't know the scars had anything to do with it." He added, looking down at the chest she had drawn to her.

He watched her grab one end of the chest and lift, and Jehu began to stand to help. The contents clattered. Before the Chaktawe closed his hand around the handle on the other side, he heard the splashing outside. His gaze shot to Kamilla, meeting her sobered dark eyes.

"Yes. I've never heard those sounds before." He answered simply in a hush, his posture shifting to a crouch, the spear brought up with the cold iron head poised before him. Jehu carefully moved towards the building's exit, trying to minimize the splashing as his feet tread forward through the low water. Coming to the entrance, he peered out. The lighting was very dim, but the moonlight was enough to cast shadows. He saw a figure move around a corner. It was humanoid shaped, but the detail was lost in the dim illumination.

"Someone, or something, is out there, Kam." Jehu murmured, looking back into the room at the woman. "It sounded like it was...communicating, didn't it?" He added, looking out again. "I think we should check out the crate and move on." The sighting of the strange creature made Jehu uneasy and he found a strong urge to protect the mage from danger.

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A Glimpse Below

Postby Kamilla on August 21st, 2019, 12:55 pm

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It seemed Jehu did have prior knowledge of reimancy but not nearly as much as she'd initially assumed, considering his reaction. He'd simply put two and two together, linking the fact that both herself and the man who used sand has the same scars on their palms. She wondered about Jehu's other experienced in Ahnatep, whether he'd encountered any other magics, whether magic was a common thing, though considering he hadn't known the term for reimancy, she doubted it.

"The scars are from the initiation." She said casually as she searched for the entrance, the hovering light of the Explorer's Globe continuing to do its job well.

Jehu seemed to agree with her, the sounds had certainly sounded like some primitive form of communication, though she certainly didn't want to find out what was making it. Her hand closed more tightly around the crate handle, nodding in agreement with the Chaktawe's suggestion. "I agree, I've had enough near death experiences these past two seasons to know better than to investigate." It was true, Dhani, baboons, nandhai and now drowning, it continued to seem as of Syka had it out for her.

"Let's just take the crate and go…" It seemed to her like the better idea, opening the crate would probably be noisier than she'd prefer to be.

Before she attempted to make any moves, Kamilla froze in place, straining her ears for any sign of the source of the noises, though all that could be heard was the gentle push and pull of the waves. She sighed. Hopefully there was nothing to worry about, but she knew better than to not be cautious. "Hopefully whatever it was will try it's best to keep its distance just like we're doing." She turned her gaze on her Chaktawe companion for a moment, a reassuring smile playing at het features. Despite considering herself entirely capable of looking after herself, it was comforting to know she was not alone. The fact that it was Jehu, who had just saved her life chimes earlier, only added to thst reassurance.

Using her free hand, Kamilla casually reached up and plucked the floating lantern from the air, popping the side panel open with a press of her finger and blowing out the candle, which plunged them into darkness. She places the lantern into her bag and turned to Jehu once more, "The moon should provide enough light for us once we're outside… we'll be a less obvious target this way." After all, the light was the reason Jehu had been able to follow her too.

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A Glimpse Below

Postby Jehu on August 27th, 2019, 7:06 pm

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On top of the incredible impression Kamilla had made on Jehu with her display of magic, the Chaktawe was also impressed by the woman's lack of fear. He wondered if she were afraid of anything. The gifted mage certainly wasn't afraid to explore weird ruins under the moonlight, nor was she flustered by the eerie signs that they were not alone among the abandoned, sunken remains. Jehu was not alarmed, but wary of the potential danger. He was also curious, but the conditions were far from ideal for full exploration. Kam showed wisdom by dousing her floating lantern to help conceal them as they made their exit with the crate.

With his free hand, Jehu took up the handle on the other end of the crate to help carry it. The Chaktawe's gaze lingered on the woman for a long moment, snared again by her beauty and strong persona. He found it a thrill to be around Kamilla, and to be exploring the unexpected ruins with her was truly a great adventure. He stifled the sudden urge to cough.

Peering out of the open doorway, Jehu allowed his eyes to adjust to the pale, dim illumination bathing the broken walls and scattered stones. Then he looked back to Kamilla and nodded, leading them out into what was once a street. He tread lightly, to minimize the splashing of his feet. Casting a glance around, he turned back the way he had come when he followed her. As they began to move, Jehu thought again on the revelation of Kamilla's magic.

She said the scars were from an initiation. Jehu understood the concept, the Searching was an initiation of sorts. Jehu wondered what Kamilla went through during the initiation to obtain her magic. The dark-haired beauty was one enigma over another. There was enough mystery around her to keep him intrigued for quite a while, as he hoped to learn more and more about the mage.

There... he heard a splash and froze in his tracks, black gaze darting to Kamilla's to see if she heard it too. But his eyes lifted from her usually captivating eyes to something behind her. The faint outline of a figure appeared in the shadow of a building. While the details could not be seen, Jehu could see that it was tall and humanoid. There were many points around its head, but he could not make out what they were. It carried something long that ended in two tines tipped with what looked like arrow heads. And it appeared to be watching them.

"Kam." Jehu spoke in a sharp but hushed voice. "Its behind you."

The strange clicking and high pitched chirps sounded again from the shadows, somehow sounding menacing.


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A Glimpse Below

Postby Kamilla on August 30th, 2019, 11:40 pm

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Having agreed upon leaving rather than investigating the odd noises, though Kamilla couldn't doubt that she was curious about their source, Jehu grabbed the other end of the crate with minimal noise before they began to slowly make their way out of the remains of the building that had nearly succeeded in drowning her. Glad to be leaving the very fresh memory behind, Kamilla allowed Jehu to carefully lead the way, the duo stepping out into a nearby pathway.

As the two of them made their way towards the beaches of Syka and away from the ruins and whatever had made the odd sounds, Kamilla couldn't help but observe Jehu's tan form. As usual, he wore the bare minimum of clothing, almost all of his warm skin and muscles on display. Despite their situation, he didn't seem to be scared at all, instead his body language simple read as cautious, which was an appropriate response for the time being, in her opinion.

Brown eyes lingered on the spear held tightly in his free-er hand and she wondered how capable he was at using it. The combination of muscles and multiple weapons, as well as the self assured aura he gave off made her assume that he was at least competent at defending himself. She wondered where and how he had learned, what he was capable of and many more things related to the subject, all of which built up in her throat to the point of threatening to burst out of her mouth in a constant stream of questions.

The need to find out more about the handsome Chaktawe was so powerful that Kamilla had to consciously keep her mouth shut, red painted lips pressed tightly together in an attempt to stay silent. Slowly but surely, she could feel her resolve slipping, realising that it was unnatural to require so much self restraint to avoid asking a few questions depute how badly she wished to know the answers to. 'Just one…' she told herself, accepting the defeat on her own terms as her mouth opened to ask the man a single question.

'Where did you learn to use that?'

The words had already formed in her mind but did not make it to her mouth as her ears were greeted by the familiar sound of the unfamiliar noises from earlier. They were different this time, more agitated, though she could tell they came from the same type of creature from earlier. It was definitely communicating something, though she was unsure whether it was directed at them or something else.

Hearing Jehu's words, Kamilla offered the most subtle nod she could, already reaching within herself to start gathering res in her lungs as she cautiously turned her head in search of the creature, finding an unusual silhouette in the remains of a nearby building. It looked like a person wearing a large and unnecessary headpiece, though she couldn't be sure. She had a bad feeling about it.

A moment of silence passed by before more similar noises sounded slightly to the right of the first, two more silhouettes in the darkness of a bulging beside the first, one of which was holding what looked like a fork type staff, surely a weapon. "There's more than one." She muttered, gaseous lavender res pouring from her lips with each word and gathering in a small cloud in front of her, one she hoped she wouldn't have to use.

Unfortunately, the appearance of the glistening lavender cloud seemed to only agitate the creatures more, their clicks and whistles growing noticeably more intense before Kamilla's ears were greeted with the soft sound of something whizzing through the air from above. She looked up in search of it, but instead heard it frighteningly nearby, followed by the distinct ripping of material and a soft thud in the sand beside her, followed by another thud as something hit the crate between herself and Jehu.

Realising what happened, Kamilla's eyes darted quickly between the torn tail of her skirt and the objects embedded in the sand and crate, they resembled shells or coral but sharp and flattened out into what looked like a three pointed rock. The ease with which one had embedded itself in the wood, considering it had clearly been thrown in an arc, told her that the odd objects were very sharp.

Next came more whizzing from above, though this time her heart dropped, hearing numerous projectiles. She wasted no time, free hand swinging diagonally upward as she willed her res to both attract the air as well as transmuting it into a powerful gust of wind as the cloud spread out to cover a larger area. In response, her ears were greeted with the sound of multiple hard objects clattering against another nearby dilapidated wall, though she had no idea if she'd successfully deflected all of them. They were under attack. Despite the sudden change in circumstances, Kamilla's free hand, which was now held above her head, had already begun to emit small flecks of res which were quickly gathering into a small ball in her palm.

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Last edited by Kamilla on September 10th, 2019, 5:20 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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A Glimpse Below

Postby Jehu on September 3rd, 2019, 1:32 pm

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Adrenaline coursed through Jehu's body when the sound of multiple creatures drifted from the shadows. There was a tension in the salty air, as if threat or malice emanated from the strange things. His gaze shifted to Kamilla as she spoke, the moonlight catching what looked like lavender mist flowing from her mouth as she spoke. Even her breath was magic.

The din of the creatures rose as they too caught glimpse of the strange substance Kam produced. Then something streaked towards them. A darting glance spotted the shell-like projectile embedded in the crate. More could be heard cutting through the air and Jehu felt an impact against his skin and a sharp sting of pain in his shoulder. The Chaktawe grunted, only sparing the strange weapon stuck in his shoulder a quick glance. Then he watched the remarkable mage' suddenly sweep her arm, he felt the air suck out around him to instantly gather into a tight gust. His head turned to where the clatter of small objects could be heard against a nearby wall. She had deflected the first volley.

Three creatures stepped forward as Jehu started to withdraw, pulling Kamilla via the chest if she did not step with him. While he was a decent hunter with his spear, he had only basic training in using it in combat. Kamilla was unarmed, meaning he would have to fend them off. He only saw one with a weapon in his hand, the strange fork. Though he didn't know for sure where all the spinning shell things came from, or what else they may use to attack.

Jehu could better see the attackers when they walked out of the shadows. Strange and aquatic looking, the strange shapes of their heads were revealed to be like the fins on the back of a fish. Their eyes were very large and dark, like his, and their skin glistened oddly in the pale white light.

"What are they...." He questioned, suddenly halting his tracks and jabbing his spear out in a gesture of warning. Looking to his beautiful companion, Jehu discerned she was forming another sort of magic. She did not seem willing to drop the crate and run, which would probably be a bad idea, turning their back when the creatures had such nasty weapons. His eyes dropped for a moment to the one stuck in his shoulder, a trickle of blood running down his coppery skin. It hurt, the pain spiking with every movement, but it was tolerable.

He halted suddenly, jabbing his spear out threateningly. The creatures hesitate for a moment. Kamilla was doing it again, gathering that material from her body in her hand. What more was she capable of doing?


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A Glimpse Below

Postby Kamilla on September 12th, 2019, 11:05 am

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Being unexpectedly pulled along by Jehu via the crate the both of them were currently holding onto, Kamilla stumbled for a moment before willingly following along, though she didn't dare take her eyes off the the strange hostile creatures, lest they launch another attack thst she wasn't prepared for. It was during this half-hearted retreat that the attackers finally came into view, pale rubbery looking skin was illuminated by the moonlight, she noticed large unsettling eyes, tendrils and webbed spikes on their heads, though she also noticed the seaweed loincloths worn around their waists. Clearly, they were sentient and intelligent, somewhat humanoid, another face? Having lived om Sahova and seen all manner of experimental creatures, Kamilla couldn't help but wonder if these creatures were the product of something similar, a mix between humans and what looked like… fish.

Her curiosity ran rampant, she wanted to talk you them, to see if they could understand her, to know what they were and what they were capable of, as well as, what they were doing so near to Syka. The latter question unsettled her, it was certainly suspicious. It was a wonder that no one had mentioned spotting weird fish people since her arrival in the settlement, after all they were so nearby. The fact that their presence had seemed to go unnoticed only made their presence even more unsettling, what were their intentions? She would certainly need to have a chat with the founders to see if they were aware of their aquatic neighbours.

"What are they…"

It seemed Jehu wasn't familiar with the odd creatures either. She was not surprised, after all Eyktol was the complete opposite of the ocean, from what she'd heard at least, though the thought of a land if sand did give her an idea.

They stopped, suddenly, Jehu jabbing his spear in the creature's direction, his large stature making the action look even more intimidating than it would have been on its own. The creature's fumbled in their pursuit, somehow seeming to be both hostile and hesitant at the same time. "We just want to leave without any trouble…" She decided to take a chance and see if they could understand her, she figured it couldn't hurt, and moreover, she didn't want to attack or kill these fascinating new creatures without proper cause to do so. Then again, they had literally just attacked them, or tried to.

Thr ball of lavender res hovered patiently above Kamilla's free hand as she watched the creature's look at eachother, seemingly confused, as they whistled and clicked in their intelligible language, as if discussing what to do about the two humans. They seemed to genuinely contemplate their hostility until the third of the creatures, larger and more imposing than the others, the one holding the fork like spear, whistled and clicked in what Kamilla assumed to be an angry tone, the other two clearly following its orders as they drew their weapons, long curved looking blades that had clearly seen better days, they seemed to be made of the same material the projectiles from earlier had been.

Anticipating an attack, Kamilla willed her res to shoot down into the sand between herself and then willed some of it to rise in an upward vortex that would attract both earth and air. The result was a small eruption of twisting sand in the space between the each party. She maintained the spell with ease, hoping none of the creatures would be brave enough to pass through the vortex of sand as she cast a determined look in her companions direction, not sure whether they should run or fight. It was then that she noticed the blood trickling from Jehu's shoulder and followed the train to its source, one of the three pointed projectiles from earlier. Eyes widened in shock, he'd been hit and she hadn't even noticed. Suddenly, hurting the creature's didn't seem like such a bad idea.

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A Glimpse Below

Postby Jehu on September 16th, 2019, 3:21 pm

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The stand-off continued, the fish creatures hesitating with Jehu's threatening gesture. They seemed to see it as he intended, not offensive but warning. He had not desire to fight the things, they were outnumbered, though Kam wielded powers he discerned would even out the difference. But he would do his best to defend Kam and himself if it came to it.

The Chaktawe glanced to his companion, her features now only dimly lit by the moon. She was as unsure as he about their next move, but made an effort to communicate with them and disfuse the tension. The leader of the strange beings either didn't understand her, didn't believe her, or just wanted them dead. The leader appeared to command his comrades to attack. Jehu was beginning to wonder if he and Kamilla were the one's in the wrong, that they trespassed and were seen as the invaders, hence the attack.

Lethal intent was certain when the two advancing fish people drew their wicked blades. Jehu planted his feet and gripped his spear, ready to defend himself and Kam when she drove her magic substance into the watery ground before them. The desert man took a step back as a curtain of water spray and sand burst upwards, veiling them from the attackers. Now was the time to act.

"We need to go, now. They mean to kill us."
Jehu said with determination. If they could use the barrier to get a head start, perhaps they could beat the pursuers to dry land, where the things may not follow. He pulled on the chest, in turn tugging again at Kamilla. He didn't know how her magic worked, if the enchanted barrier would simply remain, or if she had to think about it. His shoulder still stung, and was beginning to ache as he held onto the crate. "Maybe we can outrun them, if not, at least we can find a better place to make our stand." He added, his gaze on the dark curtain of roiling water and sand, anticipating something coming through and hoping they wouldn't.

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A Glimpse Below

Postby Kamilla on September 20th, 2019, 3:23 am

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"We need to go now. They mean to kill us."

He did not need to tell her twice, nor did she have time to lead the retreat as she felt a tug from the chest, falling into step behind the Chaktawe who's legs and steps were much longer than her own. As they moved, Kamilla added thr other half of her res into the vortex, causing it to suddenly double in size, the screeching sounds from the creatures made it clear that they'd been startled by it's sudden expansion.

Ahead of her, Jehu was already speaking, planning, but that was only one of her concerns. Dark brown eyes went to the dark fluid oozing from her companions shoulder, thr crimson fluid appearing even darker in the moonlight, the projectile still embedded. "Shouldn't you pull that out? Are you okay?" She hoped it wasn't buried too deep. She thought about what effect it would have, hoping it wouldn't tarnish his perfect tan skin too much. He had come to save her life and had been injured because of it.

They continued to make their way through the ancient ruins, getting turned around now and then by the rubble of dilapidated buildings whenever it was too high. Kamilla was sure it she hadn't ventured that deep into what little of the ruins had been revealed by the tide, but then, the creature's had been blocking the direction she'd come from.

As they ran, Kamilla could feel herself reaching her limit, she was not one for physically demanding work, combined with the sleight weight of the crate, the run was causing her to lose her breath. Already her legs had begun the telltale aching of exhaustion. The torn lace tail of her damp skirt wrapped tightly around leg from time to time, adding to her discomfort.

Somewhere, behind or beside she could not tell, Kamilla could hear the creature's and their noises. She'd hoped they'd given up, but they didn't seem happy to have been discovered, what were they doing so near to the settlement? The question bothered her to no end.


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A Glimpse Below

Postby Jehu on September 20th, 2019, 2:07 pm

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The strange, sharp weapon embedded in his shoulder had remained mostly forgotten in the chaotic, high-adrenaline stand-off with the water creatures. But as Kam and Jehu ran through the broken ruins jutting up out of the low water, the Chaktawe could feel the object move, tearing more at his muscle as warm blood ran down his arm. Every step and every movement of his end of the crate sent jolts of pain through his shoulder. His companion asked about the thrown weapon, but Jehu shook his head and answered in a husky voice. "I don't want to take it out yet, it may be holding back the blood."

He was more concerned with Kam. They had to wander, their known path out blocked by the fish-things. Survival instinct had driven their flight at first, given a head start by Kamilla's powerful magic. But Jehu could see the mage struggling to match his strides, her smaller legs slowing, her feet dragging more through the sand and water. She panted, taxed by the hasty retreat. But they were driven on every time they caught the sound of their pursuers strange language. Yet neither seemed willing to drop the box they carried. It was the only clue they had about the mysterious city. Maybe even what the creatures were and why no one in Syka seemed to know they existed just off their shore. But if he and Kam didn't find escape soon, the beings might remain unknown.

Turning a corner, Jehu saw a distant light, a glimpse through the crumbled buildings of Skyak's beach. "There!" He exclaimed, pointing with his spear. He believed if they escaped the city, the sea beings would be content to leave them be. But it would not be a clear path. Around a corner came one of the things, a smaller, swifter one who had outflanked them. He held his strange, short blade in his fist, large black eyes glistening without a tell of emotion. Then the fish-like man charged them.

Jehu crouched to set his end of the crate down while coiling his muscles. From there, the desert man launched forward on long legs, his spear gripped in both hands. The hunter tried to ignore the searing pain in his shoulder, remembering that he was defending Kamilla as well. But Jehu wasn't hunting an animal this time, he was fighting an intelligent foe. The creature didn't seem to adopt any fighting stance, its approach a direct line towards Jehu with its weapon raised, a neophyte in combat, perhaps.

Jehu juked to the side, bringing the spear up and using it to deflect the thing's primitive blade aside. It quickly recovered and swung back. Jehu leaned back, the tip of the weapon grazing his neck, leaving a small scratch from which beads of blood gathered. The Chaktawe knew he had to get past the attacker quickly, before his pain over took him, or the other creatures did.

The Chaktawe didn't hesitate. Before the thing could recover from its strike, Jehu jabbed his spear forward, plunging it into the creature's side, and withdrawing it as fast. Jehu didn't want to kill it, not without knowing what they were and why they were hostile. In the desert, both people and animals were protective of their territory, using violence simply to turn away threats. Maybe these things were simply expelling intruders. Or, maybe they were like Zith, who just killed because they could.

The assailant sqeaked and fell to its knees, holding its side. Jehu snatched up his end of the crate and looked to Kamilla. "Come on, just a bit further, you can do it, I know you can." he encouraged her as they left the wounded fish man behind.


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