Fire Dreams (Leo Varniak)

[Taln]

The large Dek fell to his hands and knees at the sudden release and an inarticulate cry ripped through him. He laughed as tears coursed down his face and it took more than a few chimes to catch his breath. A feeling of ultimate emotional and physical freedom took hold and he finally stumbled to his feet, exhausted but elated as never before. Taln stared at Leo with startled green eyes and a wide smile on his face. For the first time in nineteen years of life, the young man was completely relaxed and at peace. He watched the others' reactions, and shared the instant camaraderie between them. They'd felt it too! He saw Glav's tears, the joy, and the almost painful moment of total release. He reached up a large a hand in surprise and found his own face wet from unheeded tears. He wiped them away and simply exhaled. When Cedar spoke, Taln was able to listen clearly, freed of every worry that had every plagued him. Akvin spoke quietly, but he heard the words with ease, his mind and body fully relaxed but alert. The chime he mentioned the Underground Forest, the Dek remembered its moist greenery and rich, earthy scents. Although he and other drudges were sent there frequently, food production was poor to middling at best. It was an eery place and no one was fond of going there unless ordered to do so. Normally he'd worry about the prospect of going anywhere near it, but right now, he couldn't care less. He felt great, fantastic even and the strange, otherworldly feeling of it didn't matter in the least. There was nothing Taln couldn't do right now. When the drummer pointed at him, he took no offense at the term 'his kind' because he simply spoke the truth without a hint of malice. He nodded in agreement, for there wasn't a drudge around that didn't know the Forest. The tall man beamed broadly at Leo and it was a rare, open and friendly smile. If this man could accomplish all this in people with a single word, there was nothing he wouldn't do for Leo. It was apparent now that this was no ordinary mortal man that stood before him. For the very first time in his life, he felt no restraints against speaking up and being part of the conversation, even if only for a single comment. "The drummer is correct. I know the place well."

[Leo Varniak]

He just stood there for several long chimes, his gaze shifting from his companions to the palms of his gloved hands as if they'd been the cause of this. He watched the others, studying their reactions with some kind of morbid, detached interest. He pivoted on his feet to see the scene in its entirety. He had felt the power all too clearly, and it had surpassed his wildest expectation, but he could only look at them and see the abyss that separated him from them. For amidst all the release and spiritual celebration, there was one man who had released nothing at all, and it was Leo Zaital. He stood in the eye of the storm, devoid of wind. If anything, he felt like a part of their previous burdens now lay upon his shoulders - just like a man would think the dark worse when coming in from bright light. Such was the tragedy of the Azenth, and the reason they operated in Triads whose members supported each other. If they remained alone, they would succumb like Ivak had. He waited patiently for the others to regain themselves and their composure. There was no place for self-congratulation in his heart. Whatever power he may hold came from another, and this had made it all the more evident. Was it something he could take pride in? He may have lifted a city's spirits, but he would have felt more satisfaction from relieving it of a single villain. He shook his head lightly. He didn't understand this and it made him just a little sad. He looked at their transformed faces, glowing with epiphany, and he failed to understand. How could he possibly replace Ivak in any capacity? He saw the importance of what he'd done, but his heart had different cravings and all those smiling faces made them look so weak. Naked, unprotected, soft. It was only when things burned that Leo truly had his release. "I see," he responded slowly, his voice sounding dry and dissatisfied in contrast to those of his companions. "Then maybe I should set myself to the task immediately. In fact, I probably should have been called to do this months ago. I shall find the entrance if one exists." He stepped off the dais and cast a glance at the maps Glav and the Dek Taln had brought. He turned to face the slave as he spoke. He didn't have the eyes of a Dek, Leo noticed. They still had life in them, a spark that all the punishment hadn't been able to extinguish just yet. This one would be perfect, though Leo wouldn't issue any orders. The matter of caste was of no importance to him - status was just an illusion, as were most things in life. "If you could take me there, I would be in your debt," he spoke to the man, somber as ever. "I don't know how much you've grasped of what is going on here, but the task is not without danger. I would have my guide come of his own free will, if at all possible." If this was a prison, it stood to reason that there might be guardians. He just hoped his attempt wasn't going to trigger some ancient spell in the minds of the Inarta and their Eagles, perhaps driving them all against him. With the power he wielded in this place, he hoped so for their sake.

[Gossamer]

The three men - if one could call them that - on the dais nodded. Cedar moved and withdrew a sturdy backpack filled with supplies. He set it down on the edge of the dais. Glav moved as well, digging through the piles of maps and pulled forth a second pack, smaller, but made of fine leather that could wrap around one's waist like a belt pouch. Cedar nodded, grinning at Glav. "You were correct. He doesn't want to linger or plan or discuss any longer than possible. He wants action. Good. I'm glad I got the supplies ready." Glav nodded to him, offered him a crooked smile and gestured to the smaller pack. "I brought the other item as well." Glav acknowledged. Both packs were offered to Leo. "Everything you need should be in there including food and survival gear for the depths. Is there anything else you'd both like to request before we withdraw and let you plan?" Akvin said, still smiling, a drumstick being gently twirled through his fingers seemingly unaware. His smile was genuine as he met first Leo's eyes then Taln's eyes. "I doubt you need anything other than what we've already thought of though. We've done as much planning as we could think of for you." He said, gesturing towards the pile of maps. "Take whatever you'd like from those and the Dek too if you want him." The magecrafter turned drummer said. And with that, if Leo had no more questions or needs, the three of them would withdraw, leaving him alone with the dek. They'd be free to rifle through the maps and then start on the trek down to the Underground Forest. Taln knew the way and could get Leo there without much preplanning. Dek were sent to collect food there, more often than not as punishment because the forest was rife with life - both flora and fauna - and seemingly endless beneath the bowels of Wind Reach. Once they started, the trek to the double arched cavern entrance to the forest would take them two hours of negotiating the corridors and heading downward in Wind Reach. The sight, once Taln had the chance to guide him to it, would be unlike anything Leo had ever seen or suspected. Underground Forest : Description: The Inarta found the cavern long ago upon a mining venture. A vein of iron had come down on off if walls and as they broke through they were greeted with the most unusually sight. The Underground Forest wasn’t just some simple mushroom forest in a cavern. Nay, during the Valterrian the forest had been on the surface of the world, mightily elms and pines had grown hundreds of feet in the air, then one day the world went mad. Hundreds of tons of rock came sweeping over the forest burying it deep within Mt. Skyinarta. The trees died without sunlight and fell to the great cavern floor, the massive upheavals of Djed began petrifying the trees turning trunks, limbs, and leaves into stone. The small mushrooms that had survived at the base of the trees fused their essence with them, and began to grow in the underground cavern. The fungi began to have hard shells and fibrous tissue that could support their massive weight, the spores became luminous light in the dark cavern. Slowly the forest was reborn upon stone remains of forest giants. Now the Underground Forest is used as the main pathway for deep miners. They go under young mushrooms and shake its trunk to cover themselves with luminous spores. The spores cover their bodies for several days, and provides them light. While the miners help spread the fungi to new caverns, sadly the forest has only be partially explored by the Inarta, as the mushrooms seems to break apart the stone and from new caverns. To compound the confusion of tunnels and thick vegetation, miners have opened numerous mine shafts in the ways to bring back metals. Slugs, leeches, bats and other strange creatures live in the forest, feeding off the undergrowth. Many of the insects and slugs are dangerous beings, hosting many diseases and toxins for defense. The large cave bats seem immune to the toxins and eat them readily, sadly they have been known to eat the occasional miner as well. The bats are as tall as half a man’s height and their mouths contain multiple diseases that will kill a full grown man in a few days. Large ammonia pools will often tell people where the bats live, along with piles of bat guano. Knowing that mining is dirty work, Chiet miners will often cover themselves with guano and ammonia to survive the forest to get to a shaft. Insects and slugs take it as a warning sign that bats are close, while the bats believe the miners are something they have already digested. Sadly for the miners it means they are often not welcome characters in Wind Reach. However, even with all its dangers the Underground Forest provides a secondary food source for the Inarta. Bats provide stringy meat without venture into the cold, the fungi and mold that is everywhere can be harvest for horrible tasting meals. While the slugs and their slime can act as a thickening agent when cooked. The giant mushrooms are also used as source of paper Wind Reach. The harvesting of the forest is carefully controlled for fear of destroying the food that has saved the city more than once. Should Thunder Bay have its crops wiped out by storms the forest can provide enough relief to hold out the winter eating blue mold and thick gelatin mushroom bread. For those adventurous enough to search the caverns and forests, it is rumored that hidden ancient treasures lay within. However, for those treasure seekers, many of them have never come back.

[Taln]

With the years of accumulated burdens and heavily clouded prejudice lifted from him, Taln could think with amazing clarity for the first time in a very long time. This strange man was asked, no, almost coerced into taking this course of action and he didn't have to do this alone. His keen ears caught the off note in Leo's voice and he responded with stark honesty. "Do you really see? They're not saying to do this because you should. They're saying to do this because you can, where no one else has this gift. To step outside of your own perspective, stop questioning your self worth, and accept an enormous responsibility that no one else would be able to. You -do- see the heavy consequences of failure that might happen and that's exactly why you'd be the only one not blinded by so much power. I'm just a Dek, and even I can see that." The copper haired man stood tall and confident under Leo's scrutiny, ready and willing to do what needed to be done. He'd never had the opportunity to just be a person like anyone else. The implied permission to freely speak his mind was a gift he'd never forget. Taln gave a lopsided grin at Leo's debt comment, but he answered firmly enough to show that he was dead earnest in what he wanted to convey. "There is no debt to consider in helping you. If we do this thing, we do this together, with both of us willing." He emphasized the word 'both' and looked the other man squarely in the eyes for a brief chime. Taln chose his words carefully, now that he felt the self assurance that he could use them without punishment. "Considering everything that has contained him here for so long, and the size and strength of your capabilities, this trip is bound to be far more than a little dangerous. But this is no time to second guess your words or decisions. I will take you to the Underground Forest, and beyond when needed. I can't do what you can, but I can offer my assistance with the little bit that I do know." Taln stood solidly and nodded to Leo, reinforcing the sincerity behind his words. Come death or glory, he was adamant about helping this man to the fullest extent.

[Leo Varniak]

Yet another challenge to keep eating at until it was no more. Leo had found a new target for his drive to pursue, and it was a good thing, as he always threatened to consume himself in the absence of one. For all the anthropological charm of the inbred redheads, he had no wish to spend the winter in Wind Reach amidst the cold and mounting drama of diminishing supplies. It was best to do the deed and move on to the next. That and there was the matter of Alvias - his father. A reunion was in order, as was the act of punching pops' lights out for abandoning Leo's mother to a life of pain and suffering. "And I thank you for that," he replied to Taln's words, impressed with the slave's speech. It was uncommon for a Dek to be able to string three sentences together without a major grammar fiasco. He wondered how the man might have slipped between the cracks in the system, for he did not seem to belong where he'd been placed. "I make no promises that we'll come back alive, but I do promise that we will be magnificent every step of the way." He looked thoughtful for a moment when the Magecrafter asked if they needed anything else. He certainly required nothing tangible: he barely had any worldly possessions to speak of and it suited him just fine. He could, however, use a gift of ears and memory. "If you'd do me this kindness, just hear my will in the event that I should fall in the pursuit of Ivak's prison. It won't take long. If I fail, and I won't fail, you are to burn any of my possessions you may find in Wind Reach, or in Syliras if you ever make your return. No tomb or memorial is to be made in my name. Burn everything. I wish for nothing to remain of a loser. Forget my name, forget I even existed. I leave nothing, and I keep nothing. That is my only will." He nodded with a certain sense of relief on his face. Making his testament clear had further steeled his resolve. "Thank you. You've done more than enough. It's our turn now." He took the backpacks, figuring that the smaller one contained the key Glav had been talking about. He looked at the maps once more, and noted the size of the place they were about to descent into. Hello needle, meet haystack. No, he decided, the maps were not the right way to go about this. What he needed to locate was beyond the scope of paper and parchment. If it was mapped, then Ivak's prison wasn't there. He dropped a scroll tube, dismissing the items. "I am going to just trust your directions and my intuition. That's all we are going to need down there... and you know my name but I do not know yours."

[Taln]

The moment Taln shifted his weight, the firelight shone on his features from a harsh angle. In this dim lighting, his gaze gleamed dully with an eery, opaque white film, completely obscuring the normally bright green eyes. When he moved forward to nod his agreement, the unusual lighting altered and his look appeared perfectly normal again. His smile couldn't contain his elation at not being stuck in the warrens for the winter, huddling in an icy corner and trying not to starve to death. "I'm a Dek sir. A great adventure is a better way to die than anything else I've been offered lately." He replied with wry humor. The tall man became pensive, considering exactly what would be needed for the excursion. It was not a summer picnic down there and some protection would be necessary. If he offered, then he must be willing to give. His thoughts were as swift as he was ready and eager to start. 'Possessions? Was the offer extended to me as well? I have my clothes and Leo has his supplies so that's settled easily. Wait-we're going to the Underground Forest indefinitely. I'll need to ask for a few things then.' Keeping his voice respectful, he inquired, "I'll need to request sturdy boots if we're down there more than a bell, a rope, and two double layer, empty water skins. Thank you for this opportunity." While waiting for the answer, Taln moved to the table and picked up two of the protective map tubes. He upended each one, dumping the scrolls on top of the already displayed maps. With deft hands, he closed the tops on both of the emptied vessels. The Dek attached the thongs at his waist, and secured them with a final tug. He stopped himself just short of grabbing the backpacks when he saw Leo reach for them. The man had spent his entire life as a pack mule and most Inarta would wait impatiently for -him- to pick up anything heavier than a feather or bigger than a pebble. Leo's simple statement of trust made him more proud of this moment than anything he'd ever done in his life. Come hell or high water, this man had earned himself a loyal friend for however brief their lives might be. "I won't let you down sir. My name is Taln."

[Leo Varniak]

"Just 'Leo' will do," the Azenth said, not really expecting Taln to start addressing him that way, not right away at least. Servile speech must have been ingrained into him like nails into wood, and such things did not change overnight. "Your 'castes' have no bearing where I come from, nor where we are going." Never mind that Leo's family had a claim to the eastern half of Mizahar by way of Queen Kova. Illusions, all of them, so good they could have sprung from Ionu himself. While Taln expressed his own requests for the upcoming trek, it occurred to Leo that he had a few things in his room that could come in handy soon enough. "I'll be gone a few chimes while you get those sorted out. I have a few items of my own that I'd like to bring to the table." And with that, he began to stride towards the doors of the Inclement Weather, stopping halfway to turn back and dispense a piece of advice to the Dek. "Taln, make sure you carry nothing that catches fire too easily. You'll be glad you did." He was out of the club soon afterwards, easily remembering the way back to his chambers now. He stood in front of a chest in the Avora Varniak's room and swiftly opened it. A scroll sat on top of everything with a big circular glyph looking at him like a manic eye. "Ashes to ashes," he murmured, and rolled up the scroll after speaking the password. If someone were to do this without the secret words, they would trigger one of Leo's trademark firebolts straight out of the glyph. Perhaps not enough to kill an overly curious Yasi; then again, he wouldn't exactly bet on that. He retrieved four wooden stakes, topped with carved skulls, gemstone eyes glowing in the sockets: a parting gift from the Windoak to grant safety to his camp. They were tied neatly with a piece of string. What followed was an ominous-looking leash that bore the name of the goddess Nikali. A gift from Glav, this one, though the man had been all too happy to get rid of such a thing. Something that could apparently sever a bond of servitude to the gods. Leo himself had dismissed it more than once, and yet it had served him before. Even the leash was in for this - even if it meant some pride swallowing. He saved the best for last, though he didn't need to come here for it. The ornate dagger, with flames intertwined with two clasped hands, sat on the bottom of the chest. Ivlir. Leo closed his eyes and focused on the thought of having the dagger in his hand. No sooner had he done this that the hilt rested firmly in his grasp. What had the Windoak said? That his issues were faith and rage? Leo had overcome the former. Rage still beat in his heart, though under a thicker layer than before. But he was going to need it later on. The feel of Ivlir in his hand comforted him, but then he laid it back in the chest, only to be called upon as necessary. It was a symbol, and like everything else a means, not an end. Without the things it stood for, it was but iron and fire. He redeployed the protective scroll and closed the chest. He walked back into the Inclement Weather with the creepy-looking stakes in one hand and the leash in the other. "Let's do this."

[Taln]

Taln nodded respectfully and wondered at the strange advice when the man left the room. There was only one flame retardant thing he knew of and it would have to do. He grabbed the courtesy bowl of fruit from the table and removed all the citrus fruit he could find. He peeled a lemon and made a neat yellow pile of its leavings. Thoroughly, he rubbed down the scrolls cases and water skins with the oily, pungent peels. He ate the lemon in a few bites and rolled the oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit into the scroll case. The Dek didn't know why Leo warned him about fire, but he certainly wasn't going to ignore the caution. He ran his lemony fingers down his lontev, as his thoughts ventured ahead. 'Those glowing mushrooms don't burn easily so when we get there, we should be all set. Why is he so worried about fire? It was always difficult to start or keep any kind of fire in the Underground Forest.' Taln didn't know the scientific or chemical properties of bio luminescence. He just knew that the abundant amount of phosphorous laden fungi were a natural flame retardant. He'd been down there often enough to use a few of its own defenses and hoped that Leo could trust him in that. As a Dek, what caste would ever trust him with more than stacking dirty dishes or fetching a message? Leo was that man apparently. Taln knew of a certainty that not much was burnable down there and he chalked it up to the supernatural aspects of the creepy place. He knew what worked and he didn't need to be a scientist to appreciate that. The forest provided plenty of natural protection from its dangers as long as one knew where to look and how to use it. He knew the place about as well as any other Dek. Which is to say he knew more than the higher castes and a bit less than some other Deks. The tall man waited patiently for Leo's return, recalling his words. Now that he was far more relaxed, the disregard for caste felt right. If Leo had said the same thing two hours ago, Taln would have laughed out loud at the ridiculous notion. But now, he believed what he was told. There was a powerful conviction in the man's words and he fully believed him. When Leo returned, Taln answered simply, "Ready when you are Sir--Leo."

[Gossamer]

The items that Taln had thought to ask for were delivered. Sturdy boots and climbing gear was included. There was a pack full of food and waterskins, full though not empty as the Dek had requested. There were a handful of scrolls as well, two charged with glyphs of very serious healing, two of burn removals, and several that would produce light and water in an empty vessel. The trigger words were written on them in Common and Nari. Torches were also included, backups to the magic, flint and steel, and a crossbow that looked suspiciously magical wrought with silver runes that Akvin had obviously thrown in. There were no bolts with it, which seemed unusual. Glav himself delivered the packs and then left the two to continue on their way. Taln had no problem finding the entrance to the Forest, nor leading the way through it. Dek frequented here, often assisting the Chiet in both mining and the hunters in dressing out the bat kills they made within the caravan. Endals rarely put in an appearance for the cavern was no sane place for an eagle. Trails were numerous in the forest initially, but as people penetrated deeper into the fungal depths, they trickled out or disappeared down side caverns that had been carved out harvesting metal. A cleared main path ran for proximately five miles through the center before splitting into three forks, one of which continued on while the other two headed down side caverns that also looked to be forested. While both Taln and Leo hiked they'd get spores on them, ones that glowed and gave off enough light for them to see by. If they stopped to shake a giant mushroom, more would trickle down from the glowing undersides and coat them well and true for the journey. The spores lasted a day or two, Taln would know, though Leo would be less likely to have heard this fact. The torches and glyphs in their packs were backups, for no one knew exactly where Ivak's prison was or where to begin looking for it. The pair would have to plan or spread out their maps and look for a likely place to imprison a God. The best map they had was of the Underground Forest, but it really gave no clues where Ivak's prison could be.

[Leo Varniak]

Leo was far from a jovial travel mate. He had always believed that if you have nothing to say, then nothing is exactly what you should say; and as such he had no problem with lengthy stints of silent underground hiking. He didn't mind hearing silence, either, and in fact often preferred it. If asked a question, he would likely answer - and speaking truly, but as curtly as possible, for energy was precious and time even more so. For the rest, the way he walked with his head slightly bent forward, as if advancing in the face of a strong wind, told miles about how driven he was right now. Satisfied with the items he and Taln had been granted, though hopelessly untrained in the use of weapons, Leo followed the Dek through the depths of Wind Reach, down to levels where the baser castes, with their heavier souls, naturally tended to gravitate. The Andals soared, and the Deks precipitated like some residual powder from a Philtering session. In the end, it was a bird who told one from the other. It was somewhat queer - just like what he'd heard about the Drykas, who got chosen by their horses. Leo thought it bad enough to breathe at the whim of a man, but an animal? He'd never understand all these tribes (for they were all tribes to him). All the problems he'd loathed in Syliras were here as well, so what was the point in living this way? "So this is what a fungus cave looks like, hmm?" he broke his silence to gaze upon the walls of the cave as they entered. I could have lived without the knowledge, he found himself thinking. "And they seem to be... shedding some... pollen... dust thing." Was it poisonous? Probably not - for an Inarta, at least. Then again, no-one really knew anything anymore these days. Maybe this fungus dust caused someone's lungs to glow in time. You just couldn't help breathing it in. And if it killed the drudges in the long run, well, chances were the redheads wouldn't even notice. Deks didn't die, they were consumed and ran out as far as the average Wind Reachese was concerned. (Maybe it wasn't so bad, but Leo's judgment was still heavy with city-bred bias.) As they came upon the first intersection, it occurred to Leo that they had nothing to go by. Any road was just as good as the next. 'What is it that you do to keep from getting lost in a maze again? Always stick to the left wall? Something like that.' He wasn't getting any particular vibes from any of the routes laid out in front of them. He had been hoping against hope that something would happen when they got down here, some trigger. Even an enemy would have been welcome. An enemy means an obstacle, which implies a path towards a goal - progress. You killed the bad guy, then moved on to the next bad guy, et cetera. The buck had to stop at some point, and then you won. But what he found in this cave was neither friend nor foe - just dark, slightly glowing indifference. "Let's check the map, Taln," he said at last, even though he had no idea what good it could do them. Ivak wouldn't be held anywhere that was mapped. Still, what else could they do? If he tracked every passage and marked each as passed, they'd know what parts of the Underground Forest they still had to visit. And it occurred to Leo that it was best to mark these things on paper, for he couldn't exactly trust Taln's memory. The Inarta forgot Ivak-related things too quickly to be relied on. With a sigh, the Azenth unrolled Taln's map of the Underground Forest, and just as expected he was rewarded with a big nothing. Just cavern after cavern, a sequence of unremarkable alcoves of rock and fungus. Would he really have to stick to the left wall and walk through the whole thing? It could take any number of days. It may take a season for all he knew, and it definitely wasn't what he had pictured in his mind when he'd imagined the quest for Ivak's release. He bit on his lower lip and regretted it instantly, because he tasted the fungus spores on the tip of his tongue. He spat out right away, and his eye chanced upon one of the nondescript caverns mapped in ink. He looked at it for several seconds, unblinking, and then he frowned. Deeply. "Taln," he said, and let the silence stretch out for a while. Then, when it seemed that he wasn't about to speak after all, he continued. "All these caves seem to be named after ores or geographical features. All but one. This one." He was pointing at the space labeled as 'Lina cave' on the map. Taln could easily perceive how much the thing seemed to be troubling him. It really was a minor detail, wasn't it? But Leo Zaital's finger had the slightest hint of shaking. "Do you know why it's called that? Regardless, it stands out enough to be as good a place as any to start off." 'A cave named after mother?' he thought. He could scarcely believe it. A coincidence? Possible, but unlikely enough. His mother hadn't been an Inarta, though the name might have been Nari rather than Benshira. Too short and perhaps plain for the Benshira. She'd had Benshira blood, at least some of it, or so she claimed. She'd come with the Benshira anyways, a mere potter apprentice from a far away land. Pretty much from the other side of the known world... but maybe it wasn't about his mother, per se. It was entirely possible that his mother didn't even know about the cave - but her parents did, and named her after it like some kind of road sign. He wouldn't put it past the Azenth to think of something like that. What better way to encode knowledge than through someone's very name? And if it was true, then it had worked.