Completed Dealing with The Bone Collector [Catastrophe]

[Xen]

Spring 8, 514 A.V

“I’m going to sleep after all this is over. ”

Xen continues to drag the myrian across the jungle floor. He was unsure of the hours the myrian had been unconscious and wonders if he’d accidentally killed the myrian without knowing. Xen squeezes the myrian’s ankle, only to have the myrian pull away from his grasp. Xen had a look of disgust and disappointment. He was glad he hadn’t killed the man but was unhappy to find that he was awake again. Xen made sure that he had tied up the myrian’s hands beforehand—things would have gotten really hairy, if the constrictors discovered a myrian running close to their nest. He would become the focus or their frustration after they were finished with the myrian. Xen unsheathes his machete-sword and places the sharp tip on the back of the myrians neck, forcing the myrian to walk in front of him.

There was no resistance from the myrian; he knew his fate and the tortures that would follow. He walks in front of Xen, preparing his body and mind for death. The myrian looks up into the canopy, letting the sun bathe his tan skin and dark brown hair for the last time. A small bone served as his nose piercing and several scars from past battles marked his body. He knew he was going to die today but wanted to know the name of the first dhani to show him mercy.

“My name is Rak’shaktar—what is your name dhani?”

“I’am Ksssenjorissmunzdseis, you may call me Jörí.”

Xen saw no reason to deny another warrior his name; only a coward would deny their name to another after a meeting, loss or victory.

Xen was glad Rak’shaktar wasn’t the type to deny his name to others and regrets the fact that such a fine soul would have to die. However, his decision had been made and could not go back on it—indecisiveness was a poor trait to show in the jungle. Xen continued his quest towards the constrictors nest, his mind filled with the sweet image of his bed beckoning him to lie down in its sweet embrace. The cave entrance was reached within a few chimes. Xen grabs the back of Rak’shaktar’s neck and forces him to fall to both of his knees.


“Guards!”

Xen said into the entrance of the tunnel.

“ ”

[Catastrophe]

A guard had found himself pacing the rocky halls, ordered by queen Snhamtanabis herself. He didn’t fathom walking in a straight line, holding his weapon close to his heart in such an uncanny way, but he was proud to serve the woman he worshipped with a pure soul.

He was pacing the halls with one of his kind, another soldier with a mindset that of philosophical obscurities and delusions of grandeur. He desired to be the best he could be, but the first guard just rolled his eyes.

He was bracing himself for the rest of the day, scanning the walls as small droplets of water leaked from the porous material of mineral and clay. He was proud to be called a Dhani, and there was no use in denying that fact.

His people had salvaged, they had fought and they had won with some self-respect, crafting an underground world out of solid materials and various tools... if any. Those godsforsaken Myrians were treacherous creatures with hearts as cold as the rocky terrain they lived upon.

Speaking of the race, the guard noticed Xen whom was hovering slightly over one of the tanned beings. The captive’s hands were bound by what appeared to be a rope of sorts. It was fallible to assume that escape was probable, but the guard wasn’t deterred. His attention was diverted, concentration fully focused on the captor.

“Halt!” he announced, his voice ringing through the tunnels. “Boy, come here!”

He waited and watched as Xen sauntered over to him. His eyes gave away the truth without judgment- he was one of them. He wasn’t one to despise humans and other races instantly, but he had been bred, the words drilled into him to take caution and be wary of those who were not alike.

Once Xen had made his way so that he was standing directly in front of him, the guard leant over so that he was close enough for Xen to smell his foul breath.

“You,” he spoke gruffly. “What isss your purpossse taking ssomeone ssuch as him-“ he pointed to the Myrian- “anywhere elsse besidesss the dungeon?”

oocFeel free to explain what Xen is going to do.

[Xen]

Dealing with The Bone Collector

“ I was looking for food when a black panther attacked me during the hunt. I managed to win but nearly died doing so. I took the panthers head as a trophy but on my way here this myrian tried to ambush me. I won the battle and decided to bring him back to the nest, thinking someone would want to make use of his bones and flesh.” Said Xen to the Constrictor.

Xen figured the dungeon was a prison of sorts: a place that was dark and damp with low lighting. The air down there was probably filled with the scent of decay and blood from the prisoners had probably dried and stained the floors, dying them a dark crimson-red. Xen knew that the dungeon would be a place he would have to visit and hopefully, not as a prisoner. He looks down at the myrian: a life he was about exchange for a reward, and wonders if his deed was just. Xen fought against the doubt trying to settle within his heart, he did this for the constrictors, his nest.

However, Xen knew he did this for himself—for the sake of foolish pride. The successful battle with the panther had made him arrogant and fool-hearted; he didn’t consider the life Rak’shaktar lived and allowed the darkness within to lead him astray. Xen clinches his teeth, knowing that he could have done better. He should have questioned the myrian to see if he was a good person or an individual worry of Zinrah’s wrath. Instead he led a poor soul here, letting Zinrah’s century’s year old hatred overwhelm him.


“I ‘am a fool… I’m sorry Rak’shaktar. ” Xen thought


Rak’shaktar looks over his shoulder and into Xen’s eyes. He was a warrior: one that was raised to hate the constrictors of Zinrah, born solely to bring about their demise. Rak’shaktar knew Xen wasn’t a constrictor from the start; no constrictor would show him mercy or willingly tell him their name. He could feel Xen’s hands trembling from frustration and remorse. Rak’shaktar was familiar with this situation, he also had let pride and selfishness overtake him many times—to think it would lead him here: before death’s doorstep. Xen locked eyes with Rak’shaktar, who gave him a smug grin and a nod.


“ To think I would ever regret not knowing about a dhani, Jörímunzdseis huh? What a strange name for a dhani. ” Rak’shaktar thought

“Praise Myri—Goddess of War, Victory, and Battle!”

Rak’shaktar shouts this before Xen delivers a swift left hand to the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.

“ ”

[Catastrophe]

The first guard waited and listened to what Xen had to say. He took each word and every letter in as if it was his only food source. Apparently the other guard was hungry as well, for he had traipsed over to hear what the boy had to say too.

They both reacted somewhat taken aback by what he had to say. They were astonished by the truth of the battle he had won. It wasn’t that Xen was short or inexperienced or simply too weak, but the nature in itself of winning an attack from being taken by surprised as he said gave much feat away in itself.

For a moment, the two guards were doubtful. Listening to the viper apologise to the captive was most unnerving. He was warm blooded, and they were cold blooded.

The second guard had no true morals when it came to giving away leniency to the tanned beasts. He was all for praising the queen and the goddess of which he thrived under. There were no questions asked when it came to the commands he was given. He simply completed the job, usually succeeded without much difficulty if any at all.

However, the second guard was more or less composed of mixed feelings. He stood in the middle ground without much opinion about either side. As he witnessed the boy’s hesitation he scowled, but didn’t pose any other tentativeness in showing his concern.

All worries and dubious thoughts ceased as Xen proposed his announcement of praising whom should always be praised.

“You will do what isss needed to be done here, boy,” the first guard said sternly.

“You will put thissss… creature... where he belongssss,” seethed the other.

“Do what issss needed to be done. Be sssmart and do not causssse any trouble,” added the first before using his weapon to point in the direction of which Xen had previously been walking in.

Whatever his destination was, the guards had no intention of becoming involved. Xen was the least of their problems at the moment. He looked formidable and worthy enough to handle one simple Myrian. If anything wrong did occur, however, there had been precautions taken for anything. The Dhani were intelligent when it came to protection and they never skipped anything when it came to practicing their tactics.

“Move along before I change my mind,” barked both guards in synchronization.

And with that, they let the viper pass.

[Xen]

oocXen did not openly apologize to Rak’shaktar; his apology was said mentally not verbally.

Dealing with The Bone Collector

Xen looks at the constrictors and nods once in confirmation, as they spoke to him. He could see their lips moving but all he heard was silence—deafening silence. The decision he had made was wrong, truly wrong and he knew it. Xen sheathes his machete-sword and proceeds to drag Rak’shaktar pass the guards and through the entrance of Zinrah. This would be his sin to remember—the day he traded a man’s life for gold and self-gratification. Xen drags his prize through the tunnel which seemed longer, darker and more foreboding than usual. The darkness in the tunnel seemed to welcome him into its embrace—never did it obscure his way through the tunnel.


“Darknesss and evil understand my ssin, why can’t the consstrictorss?” Xen thought


Xen’s greatest fear was losing himself. He strives for goodness but he had succumbed to the temptation of pride, defied his own principal’s and fell into the arms of heresy. Xen traverses through the tunnels, dragging sounds following closely behind him. He felt like a harbringer of misfortune, carrying with him: sin and despondency. Xen felt Rak’shaktar’s body become heavier the more he dragged him across the cold tunnel floor.

This was only the works of his own mind, playing tricks on him: so that he wouldn’t go any further.Xen was going down slops and turns throughout the tunnels: for what seemed like an eternity; his perception of time had been distorted and he could no longer tell what hour it was. He pauses in the tunnel to catch his breath and looks around to check his whereabouts. Xen wasn’t familiar with this territory and believes that maybe he had gone too far down into the tunnels.


“Great, got myself losst in the tunnelss.” Xen thought

“ ”

[Catastrophe]

oocMy apologies. I must have completely skipped over that part! I just saw the apostrophes and thought he was saying it aloud.

The cavern’s walls grew tighter and tighter as Xen wandered throughout them. Nessorousslindyls was scouring the various bones scattered about on the counter near the back. He coughed, cursed to himself when he couldn’t find what he was searching for and slipped through a few hanging mobiles of femurs and ulnas.

He had been up late last night trying to concoct the perfect spell, experimenting with the vast amount of knowledge he held. He was trying to perceive things in a new way and had done so for only mere chimes before letting his eyelids fall over his glazy orbs.

Today he was doing nothing of the sort. He was cleaning, brushing up on a few things and wasting his time away by menial activities. He was immaculate and had always been, his mind succumbing to organized fashions. He was a man with a multitude of thoughts and ideas spurring out at the greatest moments of the day, but as of right now, he was waiting for something. He needed something- something… alive.

It was on a whim of wishes or some sort of acknowledgeable understanding that his desire was met. When he noticed how lost the poor viper was, he couldn’t help but question him.

He saw him pass his rocky corridor, the room that kept the dark secrets of death and the undead. The boy was carrying something, a man with tanned skin, around as if he were his prisoner. Lindyls couldn’t help but smile and lick his lips.

“Boy!” he called, hoping Xen could hear him. He wasn’t too late. He knew when he was wronged, he knew when he was outwitted and he knew when he was too late. This was not one of those times. The boy had heard him and he would come.

Lindyls stayed at the back of the room, the lumbar portion of his spine caressing the edge of his counter. When the boy would come, he would strike him with thousands of questions, all fitted with logic, all reasonable and without the ability to be rejected.

“Boy, thisss… creature you have here,” he spoke to him through the cavern walls. “Where are you taking him?”

Deep in the back of his mind a word was screaming at him. He knew where the boy was taking his captive. He was taking the Myrian to him.

[Xen]

Dealing with The Bone Collector

Xen did not dare to proceed into the darkness ahead of him; it was bad already that he did not know where he was and to go any further would only make matters worse. Xen sighs and lowers his head in disappointment, only to raise it again after he hears a voice call to him from behind. The tunnels did have a habit of causing sounds to travel but he was certain that the voice came from behind him. Xen drags his prize towards the tunnel he believes was where the voice originated from and peeks inside before entering entirely.

Xen’s eyes widen in amazement—there were bones everywhere. The bones decorated the ceiling, walls and littered the floors. He could see some were stripped of flesh—polished neatly; they seemed to glisten under the torchlight that lit the cavern. Xen steps through the entrance and had bones brush against his feet. There were bones he could identify, some he couldn’t and others were to strange for him to guess. Xen couldn’t imagine how long it took Nessorousslindyls to gather these multitudes of bones. He drags Rak’shaktar through the hordes of rattling bones and speculates that the myrian too would be added into this collection.


“ I’am Ksssen but you may call me Jori for short. I was searching for someone that could reward me for this myrian’s capture; it would be a waste for him to rot within the dungeon. ”


Xen clinches his teeth behind his lips, cursing the decision he made within his mind. He could not show the disdain he had towards his own words but if he could get this exchange done, he could go home and rest. Xen would ask for forgiveness but to whom, he did not know. The words he spoke were heavy—to think that things without physical form could hurt so much. Xen knew he deserved this, if he truly wanted to be rewarded for something, it should have been for something better—not something this painful.

“ ”

[Catastrophe]

Lindyls waited patiently as the young viper rounded the corner only to pause for a few moments at the entrance of his establishment. He was everything the Dhani expected him to be only more, for he was carrying around the Myrian like a dog on a leash.

As he walked, so did the bones that littered the ceiling, the strings that held them suspended in the air clattering against the little armour he wore.

Lindyls raised an eyebrow as the man approached him, tugging the slave around with every step her took. He finally managed to stop a few feet in front of him, their eyes connecting for a mere tick before he was introduced.

“Ksssen,” Lindyls said, rolling the words off his tongue with over pronunciation and mild ease.

“Why dwindle your name to nothing more than ssslang?” he asked, truly interested in the answer, however, that was not what was important at the moment. What was important was the captive Myrian held under the thumb of the young warrior.

He rushed on.

“You and I my boy, we have sssimilar mind ssets. I too agree with you to think it be a waste to sssend sssuch a beautiful ssspecimen to the dungeons. But-“ he stopped short, observing as the suspense lingered in the air like the mobiles of bones above him were- “you sspeak of reward. Why do you assume you will receive one?”

Lindyls patiently waited, narrowing his eyes and playing with the skull of a monkey he had found from behind his desk. This boy was intriguing and the riddles that were conjuring in Lindyls’s head gave him more ideas for fun in the future.

“Rewards,” he continued softly. “The word is full of them, but I assume you mean not what I think you mean. You wish for a longer nossse perhaps? Or your desires lie more within the sanctity of pleassssure per se?”

He scratched his chin and allowed a small smirk to escape onto his lips.

“What is it boy that you ssseek in return for your ssservices?”

[Xen]

Dealing with The Bone Collector

“You are right—I shouldn’t expect a reward without thinking. I apologize for thiss. ”


Xen sat down on the cavern floor to rest his legs. He hadn’t given this much thought and regrets being so unprepared. Xen went silent for a moment and thinks, allowing the thoughts within his mind to gain some form of structure. The doubt and disappointment he felt disappears for a moment, as he fumbles through the discord deep within himself. What could he ask for? Xen believed he should ask for money but then thought that may make him appear to be greedy and vain.


“No… I know, I can’t but thiss hass to go on. ” Xen thought


Xen couldn’t receive a reward like this! He wanted to feel some honor for his deed and know what he did was right. Xen releases Rak’shaktar from his hold and remained silent for another period of time, sulking at his indecisiveness. A man’s worth couldn’t be measured in gold or magic, could it? He ruffles his hair in agitation, he knew what the answer was but his pride refused to allow him to walk back home empty-handed. That's when Xen turns to face his myrian prize and notices that the panther’s head was still there.


“That will be my reward. No, it iss my other reward: a tesstament of my sstrength.” Xen thought


Xen stands to his feet after his sudden realization. He should have realized that his true prize had always been with him: in plain sight. Xen eyes reveal the quick change in his resolve yet a hint of sadness remained within them—he still would be giving up a life: a fact which he could not change. Surely, the consequences of his actions would come in the form of a myrian mob, seeking retribution for their fallen comrade. Xen knew he would need to be prepared for the upcoming horror but until then, he would need to finish this current deal.


“When a consstrictor ssmiless… ssomething weird will happen.” Xen thought

“Ah! Uh... money?”

Xen did a mental facepalm, didn't he just say he wasn't going to ask for money?

[Catastrophe]

oocHaha! I remembered this time, the way you describe Xen thinking.


Lindyls allowed his eyes to waver over the boy, taking in the sight, his smell, his taste, for if he were in his reptilian form, this act would come to him with greater ease, however this was not the case. He simply observed him through idle eyes, watching him think and allowing him to speak.

“Mmm,” murmured the maledictor. “You shouldn’t apologissssse for your actionsss. I do not seek to have mistakesss sssuch as thissss one to be looked upon with great sssorrow.”

He was hushed as Xen sat down and dwelled on his alternatives. Meanwhile, Lindyls stood and stared, hovering in the realm of curiosity and boredom. He had finished playing with the creature’s skull and had set it aside. It no longer contained his interest.

“Your mind reelsss with possssibilities, I assssume?” he asked through grit teeth.

He was a wise man with knowledge so vast it could cover the entire sea floor, yet he did not portray himself in such fashion. He admired the beauty in ignorance and curiosity and promoted the instability of bravery in uncovering such mysteries. He loved riddles and this was what he would give the boy when he had finally mentioned his desired reward.

It wasn’t surprising, his answer. Currency of any sort was a necessity in a world having fallen from the crumbles of its own weight. It wasn’t greed always but the vicious thought of needing something that drove men to succeed in mustering up all value they could.

Lindyls despised this.

“Money?” he scoffed. “Why couldn’t I have predicted this to be your answer?”

He snuck through the many bones that hung from the ceiling before appearing suddenly beside Xen. His breath was relatively devoid of any scent, yet his words hung in the air like a foul smell.

“I’m sssure this is not what you had in mind, my sssson, or is this truly what you crave? We all have passsssion, we all thrive under the influence of one thing or another. You do not sssstrike me as an individual who ssssuccumbs themssselves to deign to levelssss so low. Is it money you desire or sssomething more?”

He stopped quickly and rethought his strategy. What he truly wished for the boy was to become more knowledgeable of the world, but would he grant experience or simply toy with him until the time came?

He decided with an alternative opposition, yearning to raise turmoil in the young man’s mind. “But if it is money you so wholesomely desire, then I shall return momentarily,” he said before slowly walking to the back of his establishment.

He knew that Xen would retract his request. It was read in his eyes, in the words that dripped from his tongue. It was everywhere on his figure and it was certainly not the wish to own more coin.

He would play this reverse of psychology and hope it would pan out with relative decency.