[Guest ST] A Night Among Rats (Hirem)

Journal · by **Alaia** on July 11th, 2014, 6:15 pm

50th of Summer, 514 AV

It had been a while since she had met Hirem at the Gilia Medical Center and since that day he had crossed her mind more than once. She hadn’t had the courage to go down to the Rat Hole yet to find him and talk to him but today she kicked herself enough in this direction, originally just planning on ‘walking by’. Nerves battered at her stomach at the thought of going to his place of employment but she had no idea where else to find him. That was what brought the Konti to a stop in front of one the seediest places in Riverfall that she could think of. Just when she thought nothing could ever bring her to this place she met a Benshira who kindled a curiosity in her that overrode her sensibility.

Alaia unconsciously smoothed out the lace dress she wore, her hands even fretted through the long pale tresses before she took a deep breath and reached forward to grab the handle of the front door and pull it open. Instantly she was greeted with the roar of men and woman of questionable natures as they drank and yelled across the room and across tables. The stale scent of ale and body odor made her wrinkle her nose and the lighting of the establishment took a moment to adjust to before she stepped in. The Konti was not ignorant to the fact the room quieted to see who was entering. Perhaps it was shock that a Konti healer dressed in white walked in or just that simple nosiness to see who was entering before the sounds drowned out her hearing all over again as if they never weakened.

Her eyes, once adjusted, began searching the room for Hirem’s tall frame. He was large and therefore should be easy to spot, the problem was her and her own lack of height as most people in the Rat Hole seemed to tower over her and make it hard to see through their forms. Instantly she was swallowed into bustle of the room and people pushed into the building from the doors she had never moved away from. One of the people entering shouldered past her though for once she wasn’t attacked by unwanted visions, glancing towards him she spotted the fact he was wearing a light weight, long sleeved tunic and she smiled to herself. Thank Rak’keli for that! The last thing she wanted was to see whatever was on the mind of the men in this establishment.

Shifting on her feet she headed towards the bar figuring it would be a good place to get a sweeping view on the room for Hirem. That’s when it happened, it was so fast she hadn’t had time to prepare – the table she was passing suddenly broke out into a full on bar fight and the chair closest to her was thrown into her gut with the sudden standing of its occupant. The impact staggered her back a step which lead her to bump into a surely man behind her, his hands coming up to grasp her by the upper arms though whether it was to steady her or shove her away she wasn’t sure. Instead her mind swelled with the bile of his life, she froze as she watched his hatred and tainted lust swim in front of her spurring on his next few days. He was a dark man, as dark of a man that she was sure belonged in a place like this. His coming 72 hours were filled with clouded violence she didn’t even want understand. Her heart pounded in her chest and her eyes widened before she tried to wrench herself from his grasp all the while the brawl on the table in front of her seemed to escalate and grow in the amount of people that were involved.

Her arms strained and she felt his grip tighten on her before both his body and hers jerked forward as the fight seemed to spill into them. His distraction loosened his grip on her and she pulled herself free and wormed her way through the other side of the fight doing her best not to run into anyone that was shuffling around. Her heart was pounding and she was pressing her back into the edge of the bar, her breath coming out in quick gasps as she looked around briefly forgetting why she had come in here in the first place. It took a few chimes for her to remember it was the desire to see Hirem that drove her here and when she remembered that she also remembered he said his specific job was as a bouncer. Through all the chaos she began to peer trying to see if she could spot him in the fight that began to break up as quickly as it escalated, anything to not focus on the darkness that clung to her mind from the man who had grasped her arms.

by **Hirem** on July 12th, 2014, 4:51 pm

I'm getting used to this, Hirem thought as he advanced purposefully towards the corner table. He made sure that every step of his pounded against the wooden floor of the tavern, letting everyone nearby know that a giant was approaching. His fists were bared and his face was composed into a tight mask of neutrality, hopefully concealing all emotion from other, discerning gazes. For once they see feeling in you, soft sentiments that make you human, they know how to exploit it. Better to become something they fear rather than something they are kin to. The men at the corner table, growing ever more drunken and rowdy, quieted down as he neared their table, silencing their obnoxiously loud conversation. Resentful eyes stared up at him from hooded faces, each of the men reaching for a weapon of some kind, be it a dagger, sword, or tankard. Hirem was undeterred. ""Quiet down," he quietly asked, staring at each man in turn. "Understood?" For a moment, all was quiet. Then, a chorus of mumbled agreements came back at him, and the Benshira nodded. "Good," he grunted, then turned back to face the rest of the tavern.

I'm getting used to this, he thought again, remarking just how far he had come in his workings at the Rat Hole. While he hadn't grown to like the establishment - he still detested the tavern with every fiber of his being, and wouldn't lift a finger to prevent its destruction - he had started to become more comfortable with his role in the business. My task is not to foster the corruption, but to stamp it out when it threatens lives. It's the only position I might be satisfied with in a place like this... and I might regret giving it up, were I offered the chance. Other employees wouldn't care half as much as me, to keep the Rat Hole's filth suppressed. Certainly, he was becoming more confident at handling the various catastrophes that threatened the tavern daily. Early on, Hirem had thought that the only way he could effectively bounce was to leap into every fray with fists bared and sort out the violence himself, a method which turned out to be messy, ineffective, and often stirred more chaos than it stopped. As time wore on, the clients of the Rat Hole became more intimately familiar with the Benshira's stinging blows and martial training, and began to grow frightened at his presence. They believed that he was far more skilled at unarmed combat than he actually was, granted, but Hirem used that reputation to his advantage, and soon learned that one stern gaze was worth ten blows to the heart. Bouncing isn't about being the toughest person in the room... it's about developing a relationship with the tavern, and making them understand what you will do if patrons end up toeing the line. While Ardan was still the more widely feared bodyguard, the owner of the Rat Hole, Tom Volus, had begun to trust Hirem with more solo shifts and busy nights. The Benshira knew that he could handle them.

But he also knew that, no matter how secure you believed the situation to be, disaster can always occur in a crowded tavern room.

He had just started to head back to the bar when the fight broke out, close to the entrance. "Hik," he hissed, spinning about on his heel and staring through the writhing mass of figures to observe the situation. The light in this tavern was always poor and thus made it hard to discern what was actually happening on the far side of the room, but the Benshira knew instinctively that this was a brawl that could eventually grow to envelop the whole tavern. He had to stop it, before it reached that point... otherwise, he wouldn't be able to keep an eye on everyone at once. "Move!" He roared, sprinting towards the source of the chaos. Many patrons stepped out of his way and head for the tavern's edges, hoping to avoid getting caught in the conflagration... others, either insensate to his shout or uncaring of his desperation, stubbornly remained in his path. For these men and women, Hirem had no pity; he rammed into them without a second thought, knocking them to the ground and out of harm's way. When the Benshira was bouncing, he worked hard to suppress his kinder instincts and adopted a far harsher persona than he was akin to, drawing inspiration from the stern-minded Yahalmen of Yahebah. He tended to cause far more harm to others when he was acting in this way, but still avoided causing them permanent injury at all costs.

When he reached the table that had given rise to the brawl, Hirem paused for a split tick to observe the violent circle of flashing limbs, hulking bodies, and screaming faces that lay before him. Then, instinctively, he shouldered his way into the fray, enduring the many blows that he received with grit teeth. Half a dozen errant punches and kicks found their way into his sides, but they were thrown with such little force, being misdirected rather than intentionally aimed, that it hardly made an impact to the bouncer. Once he was close to the epicenter of the battle, the Benshira, guarding his head with bared arms, began to shout for the battle to end. "Settle down!" He shouted, far louder than he had ever shouted before. "Stop!" A few men listened to his commands and backed off from the fight, but more still continued to fight. One Akalak, the uncontested strongest of the brawlers, turned to Hirem, raised his fists, and lunged in for a swing. Luckily, the man was dangerously off-balance thanks to a blow to the head that he had earlier received, and the Benshira was able to sidestep his attack at the last tick. Grabbing the Akalak's shoulders with both hands, Hirem used all of his strength and pulled, hauling the fighter off the ground and throwing him clumsily to the door. The drunk landed on the floor with a loud crash, his limbs getting tangled up around his head and his eyes firmly shutting as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Putting the Akalak's condition out of his mind for the moment, Hirem turned to face the other brawlers. They were all staring at the drunk with wide eyes, realizing that the strongest among their number had just been dealt a stunning blow by the bouncer. The Benshira pointed at the door, his gaze narrowing. "Get out." He said, and they obeyed. A rush of swaying men and women hurried out the door, leaving the tavern conspicuously absent a few tables worth of patrons. The rest of the Rat Hole, staring bemused at the carnage, used this opportunity to settle back into place, slipping back into their practiced, lecherous roles without a second thought as to the consequences of the fight. Hirem was about to return to the bar when he realized that the Akalak he had just attacked was still laying on the floor, knocked out and looking to be in a bad shape. I had thought that one of his companions would take him to the Gilia... or did he come here alone? Grimacing, the bouncer walked over to his fallen foe, reached down, and placed a hand on the man's head. "My friend?" He quietly asked the blue-skinned man, hoping that he might respond. Nothing came back to him. "Hik," he muttered, glancing around the tavern. Might I be able to leave this place, and take him to the Gilia? Unlikely. By chance, his gaze happened by the bar...

and there, unbelievably, he glimpsed Alaia.

At first he couldn't be sure if it really was the Konti girl; compared to the squalor that infected the rest of the establishment, she appeared to be nothing more than a mirage amidst the empty sands. But another look confirmed that it really was her, that his friend the healer from the Gilia had just stepped into this warren of sin and debauchery. His jaw slackened, and he stared at her in horror for a few moments. By all the gods, what is she doing here? This is a place that was never meant for one such as her. His first instinct was to run to her, ask her what she was thinking in coming to the Rat Hole, and shepherd her safely back onto the city streets... but her presence was actually a boon to him. Pursing his lips, he gave the idea a quick tick to simmer in his mind before deciding that it was his only option. Dropping down and grabbing the unconscious Akalak by the pits of his arms, Hirem dragged the man over to the door and shouted for Alaia. "Help me with him, I beg you." He took the drunk outside and leaned him against the wall of the tavern, waiting for the healer to come.

Journal · by **Alaia** on July 13th, 2014, 8:21 pm

Alaia didn’t see him at first, the crowd seemed to swallow anyone who moved near it as if it was a living swarm of insects devouring all in its path but finally her eyes found his and despite the brawling that was taking place between them she smiled. Her smile faded as quickly as it dared to grace her lips when she saw the horror on his face upon recognizing her and she felt her pulse speed up wondering if maybe she had been wrong to come here. She had never seen someone look so apprehensive when gazing upon her before that she didn’t know what else to do but dart her gaze away and look for the door. It had been wrong to come here, she could see that plainly in his features. Way to go Alaia, stalk the poor man outside of the medical center and scare him … that’s the perfect way to make a friend.

The Konti was about to move for the exit but Hirem seemed to get control over his shock at seeing her and now was asking her to help someone instead. Somehow his voice had reached her over the roar of the men and women in the Rat Hole. Who needed her help? The crowd of people was too much for her to see and so she did her best to follow the bob of his dark head as he seemed to be dragging someone with him out the door. The worries of a girl were lost in her mind now as she pushed through the crowd, finding small gaps between bodies to her advantage due to her size. Even though she asserted herself towards the door she still paused at brief intervals when visions overwhelmed her of those she touched. Her heart was pounding even more now and it was a full two chimes before she actually found the door and fell outside with a stumble and her hair mussed into a rats nest – very fitting of the chaos she just escaped.

With flushed cheeks and pale lips she felt queasy seeing what she saw in some of the patrons inside, some were darker than others and some didn’t really have any evil in their immediate future but it had been so much in such a short amount of time she wanted to throw up. Her whole life she did everything she could to avoid touching people unless it was to heal them and tonight she was on sensory overload after not being used to the onslaught. Her breathing was harsh and she paused where she stood to center her sense of gravity, she could handle the nausea and it would eventually fade she just knew she couldn’t move to fast unless she wanted to throw up her lunch.

Looking around she spotted Hirem with an unconscious Akalak slumped against the wall and she moved towards the pair. Kneeling on the ground she felt the course bite of pebbles and dirt in her knees but she ignored it in favor of looking over the unconscious one. “Did you see what happened to him?” There was no ’Hello Hirem I’ve finally gotten the nerve to search you down’ the Akalak was more important than her reasons for being there right now, they could go over that once the impromptu patient was taken care of. “Is he your friend?” She asked while she shifted her weight to get a better look without touching him just yet in case there was anything seriously wrong, if that meant nudging Hirem out of the way that’s what she’d do. She could see him breathing though the breaths weren’t as stable as she would have liked it was better than his airways being closed or there being no pulse at his wrist.

Stern concentration crossed her features as she visually examined him, and other then a few minor lacerations she could see on his knuckles she saw nothing particularly wrong with him other then the fact that he was unconscious and that made her a little more worried than if there had been a gash. Reaching forward she placed her small hands on either side of his face so that she could gently lift one lid at a time with her thumb and examine his eyes before she frowned. “This is beyond my abilities as a healer and I can only do so much for him out here as a physician ….” There was clear frustration in her tones as she accepted the fact she wasn’t favored enough by Rak’keli to do anything and while she would be able to help him in the setting of a hospital she didn’t have much to work with on the streets.

Taking a deep breath Alaia began to shift the large man “Help me lay him flat.” She spoke in a calm but unquestionable tone and if Hirem did as asked she’d continue to speak “It’ll help his throat stay open rather than him sitting up and his head falling forward.” Her eyes never left the Akalak and she picked up one of his hands calling forth her abilities from Rak’keli so she could at least heal the scrapes and bruising on his fists from the fight. “He needs to go to the Gilia … as soon as we can get him there.” She glanced at his chest to make sure he was breathing before looking up at Hirem “Will you get someone to bring him from in there? … Someone who won’t leave him worse off than he is now?” She didn’t know if there was someone Hirem trusted inside but sure as the sun rose every morning she couldn’t bring him herself. “I’m sorry we meet under these circumstances again.” She added quietly, chewing her lip as she turned her attention back to the Akalak so she didn’t get distracted by the dark skinned Benshira.

Picking up his other hand she began to heal that as well as she spoke under her breath in broken Tukant hoping maybe hearing what she could only assume as his Mother tongue would awaken him. “Up … Up, Up…” Tukant was definitely not a language she used often and in that moment she chastised herself to learn more of it. “Up …” When she was done with the second hand she would lean forward to listen to him breath just to make sure there didn’t seem to be any catches in the breaths taken. Lucky for him they sounded relatively normal if not a little shallow but slowly getting better. “Up.” She commanded in her whispers again and just as a frown was tugging her lips the man she was tending to began to stir.

First it was his brows wrinkling as if he was being yelled at in his sleep and then his arm moved with the slow creak of an un-oiled door, it wasn’t until one of his eyes fluttered did she stop fretting so much. “Up.” She spoke a little louder this time and finally he opened his eyes with a groan before trying to close them again as if he wanted to roll over and go back into the land of the unconscious “No.” She switched to Common next since it was likely he knew it and she didn’t know how to say what she wanted to say in Tukant “You can’t sleep, you must stay awake. You could have a concussion.” She shifted her knees to settle herself more by his head “You must stay awake … You need to go to the Gilia.” It was then that she once more tore her eyes from the fallen man and looked up for Hirem and if she saw him she would give him an encouraging smile. This was not at all how she planned this evening to go, she had hoped to walk in and have a wine or ale while waiting for him to get off his shift and then maybe she could actually talk to him while neither of them was working. Apparently the gods were laughing at her and her interest over the Benshira figuring it was more fun to create chaotic emotions when they saw each other.

by **Hirem** on July 14th, 2014, 11:44 pm

As Hirem bid his time outside waiting for Alaia to emerge, he kept his arms folded and glanced continually towards the unconscious Akalak. Part of him wanted to reassure himself that the poor man had just been knocked out, having suffered a great deal of nonlethal pain that would surely ease away in a matter of days. Atoll had managed to recover from his confrontation with the Benshira, and the kick that Hirem had dealt him had been enough to crack the Ukalas in half. But this was different. This time, Hirem could not help but cross his arms over and over again with worry, hoping desperately that the man was alright. Foolish, utterly foolish... I picked the man that could barely stand as my target. In my rush to quell the fight and end the violence, I only dealt more in return. Now there came a sickness to his bones, that made his knees quake under him and his vision grow blurry with a head-rushed daze. Bouncing... to think that I was getting used to this, he remarked to himself. At the end of the day, bouncing is just another form of violence, given justification because you are the authority in an otherwise lawless tavern. You can beat down anyone that you like and no one will complain afterwards, for you are only 'keeping the peace'. How many others, I wonder, have been crippled underneath my fists? I have always tried to keep the Rat Hole patrons safe, but in the murky haze of battle... Taking a deep breath and rubbing the bridge of his nose wearily, Hirem tried to take comfort in the beautiful night above.

When the Konti finally broke free of the tavern's mess and emerged through the front door, he stepped away from the wall and gave her plenty of space to observe the unconscious man. She asked him what had happened to him, and while it would be easy to lie and blame his injury on the brawl, convenient wasn't a word that tasted well on his tongue. "He's not my friend," Hirem answered, his voice low and purposeful. "I found him at the center of the fight, beating back opponents left and right. Dozens of strikes had reached him, and the drink was getting to his head, but that wasn't what knocked him out. I attacked him, threw him down to the ground. He must have struck his head on the floor." The explanation, even as he said it, troubled him, making him furrow his brow and adopt a sour look on his face. But what Alaia said next disturbed him even more: “This is beyond my abilities as a healer and I can only do so much for him out here as a physician ….” The idea was almost impossible to believe, that this Konti, one of the legendary healers that he had developed so much respect for, was unable to assist a man with as simple an issue as being knocked out. He felt... hopeless.

But he did what he could to assist Alaia, helping her with the Akalak and setting the hefty man, almost as big as himself, down against the ground. That done, he crouched by the unconscious Akalak and rested his arms on his thighs, staring down at the blue-skinned fighter and wondering how they were going to make it to the Gilia. Even if he managed to wake up from this state, it's doubtful that he'd be in a fit enough mind to walk through the city streets by himself. Alaia's right, he needs an escort to the Gilia... and I don't think that the Konti alone will be able to support him. Even though he agreed with the fact that the Akalak needed somebody other than herself to support him to the Medical Center, Hirem found that he had a hard time envisioning somebody in the Rat Hole that might be willing to lend a hand. For every patron that grew suspicious of the offer, there were another two that might be willing to take advantage of the situation. The truly awful thing about Riverfall, the Benshira reflected, is that the city is so filled with good nature that the scum of the earth find themselves drawn to each other for solace, infesting such establishments as the Rat Hole for their one truly safe ground. Pushing himself to his feet, the bouncer scratched at the back of his neck and collected his wits for another sojourn inside the bloody tavern, pausing only to listen to Alaia's last comment. “I’m sorry we meet under these circumstances again.” "The gods love their tests, Alaia... be thankful that they have chosen to test your goodwill today." With that, he nodded, smiled at her, and stepped inside the Rat Hole.

The tavern atmosphere had notably quieted down in the aftermath of the fight, the patrons falling noticeably silent as he stepped into the main room. Dark, secretive eyes stared at him from the many dark corners of the bar, whispers falling silent on spread lips and conspiracies growing deaf at the sight of the bouncer. Knowing that all gazes were directed upon him, the Benshira took a deep breath. "The Akalak that's fallen unconscious... is anyone willing to take him to the Gilia?" His voice was loud, booming, echoing from every corner of the tavern, and still the men and women gathered before him acted as if they heard nothing. Turning to each other, they once more resumed their quiet conversations. Gritting his teeth, Hirem posed the question again. "The Akalak outside. Is anyone willing to bring him to the Gilia safely?" Silence. He knew what they were thinking - What's in it for me? Sounds like a fun evening, taking care of a barely awake Akalak. Their attitudes infuriated him.

He was about to ask again when suddenly a man, with glittering green eyes and an easygoing smile smeared across his face, stood to his feet. "Yeah, I'll take him."

The Benshira's eyes narrowed, and he took a few steps closer to this individual. He's not a regular, or else I would have recognized him... and I don't trust that smile of his. "You'll take him?" He murmured, raising an eyebrow.

Chuckling, the human treated Hirem as if he was acting strange. "Uh... yeah, I will. It's not a hard walk, after all. Just to the Gilia and back. No danger at this time of night." Though the man didn't need to keep explaining himself, he continued to do so, his tone subtly growing more anxious the longer Hirem stared at him coldly. "I saw the guy earlier; he looked pretty big, but I think I can handle him. And it's not like I can expect trouble from him, right? So... yeah, I can -"

The bouncer had enough of the babbling. Lunging forward, the Benshira grabbed the man roughly by the collar and dragged him closer, until their feet were touching and Hirem could breathe down the man's neck. Green-eyes gave a sudden start and looked at him fearfully, wondering what on earth he might have said to offend the bouncer. "You will take him to the Gilia," Hirem commanded sternly. "And then he will come back to the Rat Hole within two nights of first arriving at the Medical Center. If he doesn't show up - or does, and claims that you robbed him - I will find you. Do you understand?" Green-eyes only shuddered. Grimacing with irritation, Hirem shook him by the shoulders. "No one in this tavern will protect you. This is the Rat Hole; you can only count upon yourself, and me. And trust me when I say that I will not have mercy upon those that lie to my face. Now get out of here, and take the Akalak."

The man clearly had no desire to be shaken further, and bustled for the door as soon as Hirem released him. Giving the rest of the tavern a stern look, and finding that the rest of the patrons were shooting him the exact same watchful stare they had given earlier, the Benshira followed in Green-eyes' suit. They hate me, he reflected, but also fear me. They know that I believe myself to be above them, and know that I will not second-guess myself before destroying vermin. Belief is a powerful thing, and they believe that I have never experienced doubt. Exhaling softly, Hirem left the tavern to find that Green-eyes was already lifting the Akalak to his feet and steering him away from Alaia, constantly, pathetically reassuring her that he had the best of intentions. "Worry not," Hirem spoke to the Konti as the pair was already heading down the street. "He will do as we have asked him to do."

"Now," he said, turning to Alaia and folding his arms. "It is good to see you, but you should not be in a place like this. The men in there would..." he found the words difficult to pronounce, not because he was unused to their evil but because he knew it all too well. "Would either abduct or enslave a Konti at the first chance available, and those options are not exclusive. I am - " and here the Benshira hit upon a difficult decision. He wanted to send Alaia away so that she might be more quickly rid of the Rat Hole's dangers, but he also relished her company on this most trying of nights. I have few enough friends that I can afford dismissing them at the first sight of trouble. Besides, I am only assuming that the healer cannot take care of herself. She left Mura on her own, she must be able to avoid danger at the very least. Shrugging his shoulders finally, he looked to her. "I am going to be finished my shift within the bell. Will you wait for me, at least, in a safe location? Or, if you do come inside, I ask that you stay by my side at all times." Knowing that the longer he stayed out here, the more likely it was that the Rat Hole would descend into savagery, Hirem turned on his heel and head back inside, unsure of whether or not Alaia would follow. Please don't come along, please don't come along...

Journal · by **Alaia** on July 18th, 2014, 3:50 pm

The explanation that Hirem had given her about how the man had fallen unconscious didn’t shock her very much; someone had to knock him out if he was one of the instigators in the crowd. She was more just worried maybe he was hit a little too hard by the strong Benshiran male. The time with the Akalak seemed to drag on; it was like waiting to see if a teetering pile of cups knocked over or not. Concentration on her patient was paramount but Hirem’s words did not fail to bring her eyes to his, a softness crossed her features as she took note of his expression when he spoke to her, offering him a returning smile “Lucky you were there to stop him from being stupid Hirem.” Watching him disappear into the Rat Hole she went back to the Akalak at her feet.

Soon the Akalak was awake and a man was coming out to help him up, the glare she gave him was punctuated by his frown and assurances that he was only there to help. Alaia backed up away from the unknown male and wrapped her arms around her stomach with her eyes narrowed even as the male tried to tell her everything would be fine “I will be checking on him tomorrow, he better arrive with no more injuries then he already has.” Her words of warning were calm but there was a cautious fire in her eyes. She assumed she should have confidence in him if Hirem sent him out to help, however that didn’t stop her from being suspicious of the man from the Rat Hole. Normally she wouldn’t have worried at all but considering where they were currently she doubted she could trust the new comer as far as she could throw him. When the pair began to walk towards the Gilia she called out after them “Make sure he stays awake; make him walk with you it’ll keep him awake.” Biting her lip she carefully assessed the man who was helping the Akalak she tried to memorize his appearance and was only drawn from her stare when Hirem spoke to her. “Yeah … Thank you for finding someone to help him.”

Looking up at him her chest rose with the deep careful breath she took almost as if she was waiting for him to yell at her for being there. His words made her wrap her arms around herself a bit more securely, a chill settling in her bones at the imagry that flooded her mind from the few within the establishment she had touched. They weren’t unexpected words, she would have been shocked if he didn’t say them, but he wasn’t telling her to go either which made the reality of his words easier to swallow. “I know.” It was the only response she could give; she did know she saw their poisonous thoughts when she had bumped a few but that didn’t make her regret coming here. She wasn’t entirely sure how to assess him, even as she watched his face she wasn’t entirely sure what he was thinking though she did see the brief flicker of decision behind his eyes. The options were laid out before her, go inside or find someplace safe for him to search for her when he was done. A tick later he was walking inside not waiting to see which she chose and the Konti found herself pausing not entirely sure which she would choose either.

Naturally she wanted to follow him, he was the reason she came here after all and if another fight broke out she might be needed to heal again. On the other hand she didn’t want to touch anyone else and see what their goals were over the next few days; those were things that should be avoided especially with the type of people inside the Rat hole. The Konti swayed on her feet staring at the door that Hirem had walked into and then finally she reached up to smooth out the hair that had been mussed her first time in the establishment she sighed. Outside, alone with her thoughts she realized that her nausea had diminished barely noticeable now and her pulse was quickening at the thought of going back inside. She had come all this way though; she had already been inside once – what could a second time hurt?

Finally after a chime of standing by herself outside she pushed open the doors of the bar and looked around for Hirem once more. This time she spotted him much quicker and moved over to stand slightly behind him so that she wasn’t in his way if he needed to move without warning towards someone. “Sorry I just … appeared at your work.” She spoke up loud enough to be heard by him while her eyes scanned the area to make sure there were no fights that would jostle her. “I was just walking by and remembered you had said you worked here …” drifting off she bit her lip softly and smoothed out her dress. It was a partial truth, she had just been ‘walking by’ but even if she was only going to admit it to herself she had already known that she was going to go inside. “…How are you Hirem?” The lame attempt at conversation made her blush and finally flick her eyes up to him not wanting to distract him to much she’d fall silent after her question.

by **Hirem** on July 19th, 2014, 11:42 pm

Please don't come along, please don't come along, was the mantra that continued to dominate Hirem's mind as he left the entrance of the Rat Hole and stalked deeper into the tavern. The thought of pushing Alaia away had been distasteful and left a sour note on his face, which the patrons of the Rat Hole balked upon seeing. He knew what they were thinking: what's that solemn-looking desert camel gotten himself into now? Usually, when the Benshira worked his shifts, a look of mild displeasure was etched into his face and little else. It was rare for the tavern to see him appear so truly distraught about something. A few men cackled as he walked past, muttering under their breath about how "the Konti turned him down, must not like sand in her cunt very much," and "poor babe's sad because he's all alone tonight". Hirem, in a rare flash of vindictiveness, desperately wished for some kind of barfight to spontaneously occur, just so could he throw the chuckling fools into the ground and press his foot sharply upon their necks. The more bones broken, the better. He snuffed out these thoughts for being unworthy and focused instead upon his duties.

Now that he had kicked the most unruly patrons out of the bar, the Rat Hole had grown as quiet as it was likely to get tonight. The tavern still fostered some of the rowdiest dregs that a city like Riverfall could possibly stand, but at least they had been pacified by the threat of violence and the comfortable seats that they were slouching deeper and deeper into. This gave Hirem a chance to ply his secondary duties at the tavern, meant to be accomplished if no situation was in need of his swift intervention. Heading to their supply of liquor in the back, the Benshira grabbed the nearby sheet of parchment and a quill and began to take inventory of their reserves, making frustrated scratches into the wilting page. He had little idea about what quality of alcohol the Rat Hole possessed, what types were available, and even what the difference was between ale and rum. To accomplish his task, he relied solely upon the little Common numbers that were scrawled in each section of the supply, for at least he could understand the basics of Common mathematics. Pushing the general din and raucous atmosphere of the Rat Hole out of his mind, Hirem let himself become lost in the monotony of counting up the bottles of alcohol, recording the sum and accounting for any changes in the store, and then moving onto the next category. He might have been able to find some peace in this boring, but harmless activity...

... had Alaia not said, “Sorry I just … appeared at your work.” Shyke, shyke, shyke. She came along.

Before he could stop himself, the Benshira muttered "Hik" under his breath and tossed aside the parchment onto a nearby counter. He wanted to rise to his feet, grab the Konti by the shoulders, drag her out of the tavern, and dispel her of this foolish notion that he needs her company inside the Rat Hole. Why is she even intent upon seeing me?! I enjoyed her company as well, but I would never want her to step into a forsaken pit like this for my sake! But he couldn't bring himself to rise and force the poor woman out of the tavern. Sighing and keeping his face turned away from Alaia, Hirem reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose, blinking away the fatigue that was biting at his weary expression. I cannot pretend as if I know what's best for Alaia, but I at least know that the Rat Hole is no place for anyone. The only reason I'm here is to save lives from getting chewed up and spit out by these monsters, the scum of Riverfall. What kind of failure would it be, then, if something happens to her under my watch? But... I suppose that if she is deadset on lingering in the tavern, she is safest at my side, and I at hers. Besides, the shift cannot last for much longer. Soon I will be released from my obligation to bounce at this horrible establishment, and then I will be able to enjoy the rest of the evening with Alaia at my side. That is far more agreeable than enjoying it alone.

Taking a deep breath, Hirem pushed himself to his feet, folded his arms, and glanced once around the tavern before giving the healer a tired smile. She's blushing again. She has a tendency to do that when embarrassed. Finding the quirk charming, of all things, the Benshira gave her question some thought before shrugging. "I am doing well. My days are filled with eating, sleeping, working, and contemplating mysteries. It is a simple life, but a good one. I am happy to live it after the last few years spent in Eyktol." He approached the nearby wall and leaned against it, gesturing Alaia to join him against the wooden support. "I told you before that I would be all the happier if this place burned to the ground, and I would still be the first to toss the brand if I had the opportunity. But I am getting used to the job. It is not a hard thing, to scare drunks and cowards into believing that you are somebody to fear... especially when your skin is dark as night and the room believes that you are some avenging warrior of a distant, exotic land. How disappointed they would all be if they learned that I spent my youth, not learning strange poisons and studying dark magic, but shepherding goats and cows. My future is..." Thoughts of Kavala and the Cytali emerged in his mind, prompting him to frown and stare listlessly into the distance. "Unsure. I feel as if something is coming that I will soon be called into action for, yet I know not if I have the strength to serve faithfully. I - "

Suddenly, the front door of the tavern was thrown open, and a tall man dressed all in black stepped into the Rat Hole. Hirem surged forward as if expecting trouble, but was relieved to see that it was only Ardan - the chief bouncer - that had arrived. Exchanging a reluctant nod with the intimidating bouncer, hating that he had established an understanding with the more pragmatic and ruthless monster that ruled this tavern with an iron fist, the Benshira glanced over to Alaia and nodded. "Let us be off." Gladly departing the Rat Hole and stepping out into the warm night, Hirem looked up to the dark sky and took a breath. "Later than I thought." Then, glancing over at Alaia, "Let me accompany you to your home. It is the least I can do, for you coming to check on me." The smile he offered her now was stripped of all the exhaustion from earlier, instead bright and happy in the aftermath of his fateful shift. Letting the Konti lead the way through the darkened Rivarian streets, Hirem contented himself with asking her a simple question. "And how are you, my friend? I imagine you have not gotten much rest lately, with this heatwave choking us all out."

Journal · by **Alaia** on July 21st, 2014, 12:47 am

.

Alaia kept her eyes averted from the papers that Hirem was scribbling on but the sound of her voice seemed to frustrate him, at least that’s how she took it and a frown crossed her lips. Outside her had spoken to her easy enough but just like when he first spotted her before the Akalak incident she wondered if she should have come in again. He was a confusing man to her, he didn’t tell her to go but his physical reactions to her presence were never welcoming. She didn’t go though, she had come this far and she was staying at least for a while longer. The Konti kept her silence while he talked, moving towards him on the wall not leaning against it like she had. She was wearing white after all and she didn’t know what was on the walls here.

Her head was tilted up, watching him as his disdain for the Rat Hole fell from his lips as well as uncertainty about the future. With a deep breath she reached out and placed a soft hand on his sleeve, a silent gesture much like she had done back in the clinic room but this time it was not between a healer and her patient, it was meant with more friendship then it had been before. Just as he was about to elaborate he cut off and moved forward, her hand falling away to nothing. Bright blue eyes followed his line of sight towards the large man in black that entered, naturally she took a step up behind him. Her petite frame would easily be hidden behind him but she stepped off to his side out of the protection of his shadow so that she could see what or who might cause problems. Plus Hirem had told her to stay by his side so for now that’s what she was going to do, no reason not to yet.

Alaia had no idea what happened, one moment Hirem was stepping forth as if to prevent a fight that she had missed and then he was telling her they could leave. That was faster than she had thought but she wasn’t going to argue, she wanted out of there about as much as she assumed he did. Lucky for her this time as he left the healer kept close enough on his heels so that she didn’t have to jostle anyone in the bar. Stepping outside into the fresh air brought a sigh of relief from her lips, she even smiled in response to his offer to walk her home. “Normally I’d politely decline, I like the silence at night…” She smiled wider then in response to his own grin “… but I searched you out and it would be a shame to waste the offer of your company even if I hadn’t.” Her eyes shifted from him and she glanced about for something else to focus on.

Shrugging at him she thought on his answer for a moment “I don’t sleep much anyways so it’s no bother, I tend to spend my days healing and things and my nights out by the water. I like the water at night, it’s quiet and peaceful …” She didn’t really know why she was sharing this information but it seemed friendly and conversational to her “The heat has been horrid on people’s moods.” She acknowledged as an afterthought. For a moment she let the silence fall between them, just enjoying the sound of their feet and relishing the company he was providing her. Leth’s light gave everything a silver aura and her eyes swept over the different images before her, Riverfall was gorgeous during the day but she found it absolutely breath taking at night. Especially the night sea, the Suvan was like black glass being shattered by silver fists every time the waves rolled in – it was poetic and calming.

Alaia paused in their walk only to stop by a few flowers that were growing on the side of the path they were taking. She loved flowers, they were one of the few things she took the time to really enjoy even if she was a rush. The sea was something she enjoyed more then everything but flowers were definitely close to the top. Glancing around she gave Hirem an apologetic smile for stopping and then she bent down to gently pluck the few small wild flowers from the ground, it would get stomped on soon anyways so at least this way someone could enjoy its simple beauty. “You didn’t seem happy when you first saw me in the bar.” She finally observed out loud while offering one of the wild flowers she had picked out to him, their pure blue matched her eyes under the moonlight. “I realize under the circumstances we last met it probably isn’t the most professional thing to do, to find you…”

She started walking again, her steps leisurely rather then rushed to get to her door step. Bringing the flowers between her fingers up to her nose she took in the scent before switching trains of thought so as not to examine her own actions to in depth. “You should do something that makes you happy Hirem, the Rat Hole doesn’t deserve you.” She kept her face forward, not looking at him though her cheeks darkened under the pale lighting “I’m just saying, I don’t know you really … but I believe you belong somewhere else so whatever it is, find the strength for your calling. My people believe in The Call … it guides some of us from Mura, it’s hard to leave someplace you’ve always known but it’s what each of us who step off the island are born to do ….you should do the same. Step off your island and follow your path.” Her words were full of certainty, touching him last time they met was enough to assure her of that in her mind and her touch was typically pretty good at letting her know what she should think of someone even if she hated it.

by **Hirem** on July 22nd, 2014, 12:13 am

It was amazing to think that, long ago in the past, Hirem purposefully avoided the company of others. It was strange to even reflect upon that time, to place himself back in those troubled days and imagine the reasoning behind his decision to forsake friendship and instead live as a hermit. For nine years he had wandered the desert mostly on his own, spending three days travelling by himself for every day he spent among the wandering camps and caravans of Eyktol. Oh sure, he lusted after companionship during his longest hours of solitude, and forced himself into the midst of other travelers in order to feel as if he belonged somewhere. And, for a time, he would live among them and be happy, eating and drinking and talking merrily. But there would always come a time when he felt the need to forsake his new friends, to turn away from their path and once more head off into the distance on his own. Sometimes, he did this because he felt that Yahal was calling out to him... other times, he did this because he felt a crippling anxiety in the presence of others. Thoughts of right, wrong, and guilt had exiled him from Yahebah; without taking into account his own worries, Hirem had no doubt that he would have lived a happy life in the city of the Benshira.

Now, all of that was starting to grow a little more dull, sting a little less keenly. Hirem still dealt with very difficult problems when it came to associating with others, but he was starting to get more comfortable with just relaxing and being at peace alongside his newly-discovered friends. People like Jek, Alyra, Edith, Caelum, Kavala... and yes, Alaia, gave him hope for the future. He no longer shunned the company of others and preferred a life of solitude - life in Riverfall had reinvigorated him. More than that... Riverfall had given rise to his rebirth, had changed every single one of his perceptions and made him grow dizzy with possibility. Here, the wind was not something to shy away from for fear of a storm blowing his way. It was soft, comforting, a kindly touch upon his brow that could only make him smile. There were things that he detested about this city - the Rat Hole being one of them, the Nakivak system being another - but he loved the people and he felt like they approved of him. He could feel comfortable here. Kavala's task to settle himself in this city no longer seemed so momentous. For a few precious moments, while Alaia busied herself with staring at the beautiful scenery around, Hirem turned his thoughts towards his dream home... a cottage by the beach, where the sand was always hot and reminded him of Eyktol, where the sea was only a stone's throw away.

“You didn’t seem happy when you first saw me in the bar.” Alaia then said, drawing the Benshira out of his reverie. Confused by the sudden comment, he turned to look at her, and was even more startled by the flower that she offered him. He realized instantly that it was a gift, but wondered why she was giving it to him. His first instinct was to pass the flower back and say that he couldn't accept it, but he quickly quelled that urge. Slowly, glancing down at the plant, he wrapped his fingers around the stalk and drew it closer to him, his eye lost in the brilliant blue of the petals. I haven't even begun to familiarize myself with the vegetation of Cyphrus... I can't say for sure that I know what this is. The plants of Eyktol are all prickle and thorns, more useful for sucking water from the roots than for adding beauty to a garden. Handling the plant gingerly, Hirem wondered where he could keep the flower, and settled on just holding it gently. Alaia continued to speak, drawing a sad smile from him. She thinks that I didn't want to see her, that I dislike her in some way. It's the furthest conclusion she can make from the truth, but I can admit that I have been acting strangely ever since she arrived at the Rat Hole. I am unused to people seeking me out, of all the foolish things to be wary of. He wanted to reassure her that it was no fault of hers for his odd expression when she arrived at the tavern, but the words were clumsy in his throat.

Without interruption from him, the Konti continued to speak. "Step off your island and follow your path.” She advised, making his smile grow into a more honest and cheerful expression. Her concern for my future is touching, as is the compliment that I am worth more than the Rat Hole. Walking lazily beside her, one arm behind his back and the other tenderly grasping the flower, the Benshira turned to glance to Alaia and wondered if she had ever found herself in the same situation he was in now, committing herself to a detestable cause out of some foolish desire to correct it. "By all rights, I should be free of the Rat Hole," he admit, shrugging his shoulders. "It is a horrible establishment and one that I am accomplishing no good at. I help save lives, yes, but no matter what I do or who I beat, there will always be another fight. I should go ahead and leave the tavern tomorrow. But then... where will I work?" He glanced over to her. "I have little in the way of skills. I am no tradesman, nor craftsman, nor artisan. I have nothing to offer Riverfall, besides my strength. And you know the laws of this city... I must be employed or else I will not be allowed to stay. Of all the options I was given for work, the Rat Hole pays the most. It is not much, but it is enough to get me by. One day, I hope to purchase a home in this city, and I will not accept charity in the matter. Every gold miza I earn goes towards building myself a new foundation here." He had never before confessed his troubles with money to another person; the admission brought some relief to his heart.

Stopping now in the middle of the street, Hirem turned to Alaia and shook his head. "I owe you an apology, and the truth. When you entered the Rat Hole, the first thing I wanted to do was to tell you to leave. But I wasn't angry that you had come to see me... the fact that you did fills me with joy. I am unused to such gestures of goodwill. In Yahebah, before I left the first time, people were very friendly and kind. But after my first trip into the desert, I was not given the same treatment." Waving aside the comment, the Benshira locked his eyes on the Konti's. She blushes a lot, he remarked to himself, and found that he liked that fact. It was endearing. For some reason he couldn't stop glancing at her cheeks, to see which shade of red they turned. "I wanted you to leave because I wanted to protect you. You are very kind, and sweet. I would be lying if I said that I didn't like you from the first moment I met you. And the Rat Hole is a very dangerous place for the unprepared. I thought that, by entering the tavern, you were placing yourself in harm's way, and I didn't want you to be in peril for my sake." Reaching out, he placed his hand gently on the side of her face, just barely bracing his calloused fingertips against her cheekbones. "I would not be surprised to find strength in you, just underneath the skin. Strength enough to snap iron in half. So do not let my worries concern you greatly, or make you think that you can't protect yourself. It is merely a... a need I have, to protect one such as you."

by **Caelum** on July 25th, 2014, 4:20 pm

Summer wasn’t doing Owen Locke any favors. The heat only worked to feed the disease crippling his father and was in that way worse than winter. Everything sweltered and stank. The exhausted gem mine that housed Rattling Chains was cool in comparison to the tight confines of the room he shared with his father; and though there remained a piece of Owen’s soul that despised the dispassion of slaving, he could not deny the gold. It made him a great deal more currying the favor of the cold eyed Haev Provedan than it had performing odd jobs around the city. Of late, however, Provedan had been particularly discontent and Owen, prone to mistakes, had borne the brunt of his anger.

The idea came to Owen on the lips of the green eyed Martin Fane. As Owen listened to the slaver explain his tardiness to Yakob, an idea rooted in the desperate soil of his mind and proceeded to grow like a weed – more downward than up. The three had come up the Kabrin and into town in order to deliver a small shipment of flesh to a particular out-of-the-way residence and were now watching an employee of the Zhongjie Warren finish loading half a dozen crates of supplies into the emptied bed. Yakob had handled the slave delivery and Martin had met up with a contact at the Rat Hole while Owen got stuck standing around in the swelter of the night, counting out coins to the Warren.

“How big a man, Martin?” Owen asked after the Warren’s employee disappeared back inside. The skinny slave child perched on the wagon seat, weathered lead reins knotted around his hands, looked over.

“He’s an Akalak. How big you think?” Martin snorted, slapping his crumpled hat against the thigh of his pants. Dust puffed pale in the dim and he twisted the hat back into place before snapping his teeth meaningfully at the child. Hastily, the slave scooted over to make room for Martin to climb up beside him.

Owen rolled his eyes. “Not the one you delivered to Gilia. The bouncer with the white seer, man.”

“Pay pretty petchin’ pennies for a taste like that,” Yakob opined. He slammed the tailgate shut and metal clanged as he locked it in place. Brown hair straggled into his face, only managing to half hide the horrendous burn scars dribbling down the flesh of one side. “Ain’t the only one either.”

Owen met Martin’s eyes and spiked an eyebrow.

Martin pushed out a sigh. “Big ‘nough. He weren’t wearin’ no blade though.”

“Guards at the gate,” Yakob mumbled.

“Can’t report what they can’t see.” Owen rocked up to his toes and shoved long fingers back through his hair, straw colored and flat. He might have been handsome had he led an easier life.

The three slavers looked at each other in a speaking quiet and, almost as one, their eyes turned toward the child.

* * *

“’Scuse me, mister? Hey –“ A skinny human child emerged out of the shrouded street. Worn trousers and an oversized tunic clothed him, marked with sweat stains and in serious need of a wash. “Hey, could you help me? Axle broke on my dad’s wagon n’ he’s hurt and I can’t fix it and it’s bad and I dunno but help me please?”

The words came out in a slurred string of hard chopped Common, anxiety sweating off every syllable. Youth and malnutrition made it difficult to discern whether the child was male or female even as it danced a few steps backwards toward the mouth of a narrow delivery road that wound through the cliffside.

“Please?”

OOC :

Journal · by **Alaia** on July 25th, 2014, 9:44 pm

.

Alaia’s words had drifted off, comfortably uncomfortable on her tongue. This was new territory for her, talking about things of substance rather then what others enjoyed on the surface. There were only a few people she really had deeper conversations with and they were Kavala and S’Essy, she supposed even Caelum could slide himself onto that list with how comfortable she felt talking to him. The Konti’s eyes finally turned to Hirem when he began speaking, her gaze settled on him steady as a placid lake. Lifting her flowers to her nose she breathed in their scent one last time before she tucked them behind her ear to sit there or fall out onto the wind when they wished to. She felt for him and his desire to work somewhere that would be suited for him, she understood what that was and though her own work in the clinic wasn’t dangerous it was still upsetting to want to be someplace that meant more to you.

It was the mention of wanting to buy a home that shifted the look in her eyes; they went from gentle understanding to sparkling with joy at his comment. She didn’t know why she suddenly felt as if she was a few pounds lighter but the idea that he wasn’t planning on leaving made a smile break across her lips. “We’ll just have to find you something or get you some more skills.” She looked forward again for a moment as she thought, her lips pursing slightly and concentration furrowed her brow. “We’ll figure something out for you and we’ll get you the home you want.” Alaia nodded lightly like she was punctuating the end of her sentence to not be questioned. “Everyone should be able to reach their dream, if having a home here is your dream then we’ll find you a job that pays well and makes you happy.” She wasn’t entirely sure why she was lumping herself into this task without asking, she was imposing really and the thought of how it might come across as pushy flittered across her mind like a dark cloud. She was raised better then to be pushy and she opened her mouth to apologize but he stopped walking so she closed it and took a couple steps back so that she was in line with him, curiosity pushing out the self chastising she was about to give herself.

Confusion crossed her gentle features as he began speaking again, and her head tilted slightly to one side. The words he offered were not what she expected and for a moment that only increased her confusion until the light clicked slowly into place. He wasn’t mad at her for finding him.Their eyes met and she held his gaze until she realized his shifted to her blushing cheeks as he spoke, it only made her blush deeper into a dark rose coloring, her bottom lip caught by her teeth. Alaia tilted her eyes away from his face when he claimed her gentle nature made him want to protect her. Protection, while nice, was not what she wanted. She could handle herself and had proved that in the forest, accidentally proved it, even though she was haunted by that day with Kel every time her eyes drifted closed or her mind had nothing to focus on.

Her jaw clenched almost stubbornly at the thoughts that were threatening to invade like a dark cloud but they were silenced just as quickly when his hand came up to her face. A rush of shock froze her body for a tick that seemed to last a life time to her. Unexpected touches were the worst; she had no way to brace herself against the flurry of images assaulting her brain. Thankfully the images she saw were very similar to when she had first met him only they seemed calmer now and less desperate in their strength. Hirem’s devotion and his strive to do the exact thing that fell from his lips made it easy for her to ignore her gift. He had already explained much of this to her just a few chimes before so Alaia fought and won against her gift for the moment.

After a slight hesitation her hand came up to his and covered it with a similar pressure that he was exuding against her cheek, her own hand was dwarfed in comparison to his. She looked up then, her cheek hot against his hand due to her increased heart rate and a faint tremor radiated through her body. Alaia had no idea what to make of him; even as his last words quelled her inner bristling she let out a slow breath to calm her pulse and try to make words form in her throat. “I-I … well I wasn’t coming to see you for your sake.” she paused; her eyes searched his face attempting to read what emotions were there “I went to the Rat Hole for my benefit. I would have gone to find you sooner if… well ... I wanted to find you sooner.” The words faded from her lips, unsure of where to continue so instead she’d gave his hand a light squeeze and then pulled her touch away.

What happened next was a rare moment where the Konti didn’t censor what she was going to do; instead she went with her initial desire and stepped closer to him. If he didn’t move she’d roll to the balls of her feet to get as tall as she could, considering their height differences, and with a feather light touch of her palm on his chest she’d brush her lips against his cheek. Just as quickly as it happened she’d step away from him and avoid eye contact. Evading his gaze was essential towards her yearning to run the rest of the way to her apartment and go into hiding for the next several days. She didn’t know how he would react to what she considered a bold move, bold for her at least, and she wasn’t about to acknowledge her uncharacteristic actions choosing instead the path of a coward in her lowered gaze. Deft fingers found their way to the lace of her dress, wringing nervously into the stitching and her cheeks darkened to a color that shouldn’t be possible on skin as pale as hers.

The sound of a child’s voice broke through the air cutting at the tension like a whip making the Konti jump slightly. Her eyes danced to the young human and then a frown crossed her lips, the child’s father was hurt. The healer inside of her perked up. A mask of self assurance fell over her gentle features and she was a physician, no longer a shy woman being walked home in the company of a man she felt interest in. “I can help.” She spoke and stepped after the boy, or girl, the child without indecision. Someone needed healing by the sounds of it and that was her life, the thought of walking down a narrow road she hadn’t been on before didn’t even cross her mind.

Closed [Guest ST] A Night Among Rats (Hirem)