One of the Dark Places of the World: Intro

[Hirem]

So they were to sneak into Hai through a secret passage. At least they were taking the way that would be most successful; he could imagine that the criminals would watch the main entrance ravenously, just waiting for new flesh and blood. The others were just waiting for the hour to come, but he would relish all the time he had to prepare. If he stepped into Hai, he doubted that he would return. These might be his last days in this earth.

Hirem pushed himself back up, and breathed deeply. "One last day in the sun sounds wonderful." He kept his head bowed as he left the tent, offering nothing for the rest gathered inside. They definitely didn't seem like the companions he would go to die with, but time would tell for that. Would they risk their lives to help him? More importantly, would he help them? There was no telling what would happen in the darkness, but right now there didn't seem to be anything valiant about them.

He wiped his brow as he stepped out into the sunlight, and squinted in the bright glare of the noontime sky. After staying in that stuffy tent for who knows how long, it would have been nice for a refreshing breeze. No such luck. The Benshiran man sighed, and grabbed his iron staff that had been set down beside the tent entrance. He didn't think it was necessary to drag it inside with the others, but everyone else had kept their weapons. Then again, his staff wasn't just a weapon. It was too valuable to him for that.

He walked a good deal away from the tent and sat down, closing his eyes and laying the iron across his knees. The metal was warm to the touch, but his comfort wasn't a concern for him at this point. Any measure of peace was comforting at this point. He sat for a few moments and let out a pleased breath, relaxing in his position as he drew his thoughts to things far off from this mortal world.

He was normally quiet when praying, but he didn't much care for keeping quiet at this point. He slowly spoke his thoughts out, keeping his voice controlled and even. "Yahal... my beloved yah. I have sinned greatly in the past. I have offended you, insulted you and disrespected you. My life is stretched out in front of me, and I know that nothing I say can excuse my actions. But today I offer myself up as a kiban, for I step into the dark eba to secure the depths of that place. I was too late to save my father, but I am not too late to save all the future victims for those monsters. Guide my path and my hand, Yahal. I do this in your will."

[Miharu Mindi]

Miharu actually listened when the old man spoke - her father's bondmate had at least managed to pound that particular social construct into her animal brain. Those who'd survived that long should be respected, and their words heeded as wisdom. But that didn't stop her from turning those unnerving eyes on him when as he finished, and pining him with an unblinking stare.

"Even the gods can be killed," she said quietly, nostrils flaring a bit as she took in John's scent. "Don't mistake fear or mercy for punishment. They should have been returned to the cycle, and let the next turn of Lhex's wheel teach them."

It was likely the only time Siiri had heard Miharu speak of the gods - religion was yet another in a long list of human concerns that she didn't bother trying to understand most of the time. But even an animal understood the cycle of life; birth and death and rebirth, they were imprinted in her instincts, not her thinking mind.

She blinked once, as if something had caught her attention, then turned to lock gazes with her bondmate at exactly the moment the Myrian looked towards her. A smile quirked on her pale lips. Of course I do. Kill everything that stands between you and me, she sent across the bond, a ripple of amusement coloring her thoughts.

As Siiri settled in to sharpen her weapons, Miharu pulled her pack from under her seat and ensured that her supplies were in order. She eaten her fill of meat before coming here, which hadn't exactly been cheap considering how much she was capable of eating, but if nothing else she could likely take down a few prisoners for food and no one would complain too loudly. She had enough basic dried rations to last her a week, maybe two if she could supplement them with criminals, plus a few extra things she always carried around with her.

She pulled out a chunk of bread about the size of her cupped hands and tore it in half, setting one on each knee. Then she dragged out her little jar of honey and drizzled it thick upon each slice, uncaring that some was dribbling onto her pale skin. She handed one to Siiri and lifted the other to take a bite - and caught John's dog staring at her. She knew she made animals nervous, that they could smell the wolf on her skin, but she'd no desire to go into the bowels of the earth with a potential enemy just behind her. She remembered too-well the lesson of the Riamm. So she broke off some of her sticky bread and carefully offered it to the dog, setting it on the ground between them as a peace offering. And then went about devouring hers in a noisy, slurping sort of mess, even going so far as to lick the escaped drops of honey from her knees.

[Koa]

Caution. Wisdom. Who was to say Koa had none of this? In truth, she felt mildly irritable in the face of so many foreigners, to be among them in this city, freakishly tall for a woman by their standards and scantly wearing much in terms of clothes. The Myrian had begun to feel appreciative of having Siiri and Miharu here, fellow Myrians, someone to at least cuss to in their own language whilst they waltzed into a criminal infested shyke-hole.

That is, if they were even placed together.

Ah, she hadn’t considered being parted from her kin. Now she looked over the two benshirans, as well as the one old, drykas man, and scrunched her nose up in disapproval. What a petching bother. Even so, her attention was still trained on the Benshiran mage, listening to the rest he had to say in regards to their quest.
There is a chance these criminals escaped, what then, she wondered, a shadow of a smirk on her lips. But the mage soon exited, leaving the rest of them to brood and contemplate over their fate, only Koa had taken the chance to approach the Snapping Jaws and the Kelvic and clasp hands with them.

“One final greeting, my friends.” Koa pressed a fist to her heart, closing her eyes, she spoke in the Myrian tongue, “Goddess-Queen, guide our steps and instill in us your strength and your honor, allow us to show the criminals of Hai who it is that truly rules over this world.”

When she opened her eyes, she neither grinned nor smiled, her gaze traveled toward the exit, “If you two go in first, I bid Myri be with you. I swear to you I will find you both, and kick some ass on the way.” She then looked down to Miharu, watching for a moment, as she ate almost ravenously and then uncharacteristically bent down and pulled her into what one would assume was a hug. “Destroy our enemies, Miharu, always come back, for Siiri, for the Myrians. You are one of us, even if you do not look like it outwardly.” She murmured, not 30 seconds it had been, and she had released the Kelvic. She stood back, hoping the girl wouldn’t be so shocked or furious that Koa had the audacity to be so utterly close to her without being her bondmate, but the Myrian was too reminded of her own.

The warrior then turned, settling into a seat slightly apart from the two and crossed her legs in front of her, waiting.

[John When]

John huffed, wondering at how it had come to pass that he was the one being cautious and humoured, rather than the one doing the humouring. Still, he was sure he was right. If this prisoner were so easily killed, it would be dead. Of all that he had lost, all his years and youth and friends, he had yet to do away with all his arrogance. Perhaps he would be proven right and die. That would be a worthy story.

He nodded at the Myrians as he left the tent, though they were talking amongst themselves and paid him no mind. So many women on this trip, even if they were from Taloba. He wasn't entirely used to fighting with them.

He wondered what the body count would be, he guessed three, though that was not including himself. Perhaps two, perhaps none. Most likely all. He wondered if he should leave Ugly behind but she was far too useful to keep at the door. He looked up at the sky and found no metaphor for it. It was just sky, like it always was, every time he looked to it and hoped for something more.

He heard Hirem speaking to himself, heard him speak of Yahal though the rest was lost to the wind.

"He's not listening, son." John said cruelly though in a kind voice.

The gods didn't give a fuck. Never had, never would. John considered that they thought their occasional gifts to chosen ones counted as such but the gods had never fed him when he was young and hungry and all his prayers throughout his life had gone unanswered. He prayed out of habit and some perverse interest. They were still greater than any man he would ever meet or any person he could hope to become. He could pray to the uncaring, just as he could appreciate a competent, bored leader.

He sat down, wondering if Hirem would respond to his barb. He drew his falchion and proceded to sharpen it with the wetstone he kept at his belt. It was already as sharp as he could get it but he wanted something to do with his hands.

Inside the tent, Ugly sniffed the bread tentatively, then darted forward to grab it and ran outside the tent. The Kelvic still made her nervous and confused but she was not one to turn down food when it was offered. She dashed to John's side, where she felt safer, looking to him for directions. He released the stone for a moment to rub her ears.

[Miharu Mindi]

OOC NoteI know it's not my turn, just wanted to get this out before they head to Hai!

Miharu blinked as Koa pulled her to her feet - she knew the warrior woman capable, had seen it on their hunt together, but she hadn't seemed at all sentimental. But she closed her eyes as the prayer was uttered, trying as hard as she could to commit the words to memory. It was a hard thing for her; remembering anything other than muscle memory took a lot of work for her, but for this she put forth the effort.

When Koa hugged her, she froze for a moment, unsure what was happening at first. But when the woman whispered her blessing, Miharu wrapped her arms around Koa and squeezed her tightly. "May you taste our enemy's blood," she murmured back, "and clasp our hands in victory. We'll see you inside," she said, releasing her to give her a bloodthirsty grin before the girl drifted away.

Siiri, at least, would be able to feel an immensely complicated pulse of emotion - pride, acceptance, a bit of confusion over how it'd been achieved, but mostly a beaming happiness to be confirmed as a Myrian.

[Hirem]

The Benshiran man opened his eyes and cast a glance towards his side, running his gaze over the man that had dismissed his god. The first impression he got was one of experience. His face was weathered, with hard lines set into a tanned and kind countenance. Hirem wondered what this man had seen, what this man had done to make him say such things. Everybody had a reason for their actions, and this old Drykas was no different.

And Hirem couldn't just dismiss what he had said as bitter mumblings from a cranky old man, after all. Perhaps Yahal wasn't listening. Perhaps there was no Yahal. They were all valid points. The Benshiran sighed, and tried to get a smile for the benefit of the Drykas man. "I have to believe that someone's listening. That way, I'm not the only one watching my back." He shook his head, and rested both hands on his staff. "We'll need all the help we can get in Hai."

Hirem fell silent as the dog approached them from the tent, and he glanced off into the distance to avoid staring. After the past few seasons, he didn't trust dogs any more. Not only did jackals hunt him through his days and through his dreams, but he still could see the open jaws of Savra's wolves whenever he closed his eyes. There was no reason to mistrust the man's friend, as he doubted it intended harm for the Benshiran, but there were just painful memories when it came to animals of any type.

After long moments of staying silent and listening to the Drykas sharpen his blade, Hirem grabbed his staff and planted one end into the ground, hauling himself up to his feet. Leaning upon the warm metal, he took in a deep breath of air as he looked about the area outside the tent. This might be the last taste of civilization he ever got before delving into the depths of hell itself. It wasn't much, and the Benshirna had long gotten used to being on his own in the wilderness.

He looked down at the metal staff, and a look of determination crossed his face. He tossed the shaft up into the air and caught it with his right hand on the lower part of the quarterstaff, holding the staff more like a sword now. He didn't know how to use the weapon in a fancy, artistic way, but he knew how to swing a large stick. At least, he knew enough to use it like that. He swung the staff like this once, then twice, testing the weight and the balance of the weapon. It was a bit awkward at first, but if he swung it hard enough it was guaranteed to break something. It was a start.

[Colombina]

OOC

Would Siiri, Hirem and Savra please post here.

A thread is coming for the rest soon.

[Colombina]

OOC

The second part of the adventure begins here.