Completed [Flashback] Edge of Obscurity

[Adrian]

Edge of Obscurity

Timestamp: 30th of Summer, 512 A.V.

It was another beautiful day on the Syliras Road, with clear blue skies stretching farther than his eyes could follow, allowing Syna to assert her presence freely and bathe them in her presence as the caravan traveled along the road. As dazzling as the sun was in the sky though, it sapped at his energy as he walked along, trying to keep pace with the rest as the day seemed to get ever hotter. Even the most trying day at the forge back in Syliras hadn't been as hard on him as traveling on the open road had been, the grueling pace, and summer heat getting the best of him so much so that when nightfall came he would fall asleep midway into his evening meal only to wake up aching all over to take up the pace once more. His father had said it wouldn't be so easy, but he certainly hadn't said it would be this hard!

That wasn't to say it was all bad though, for he'd managed to get to know some new people though whom were mostly tradesmen bringing along their wares in hopes of finding a fortune of some sort in Zeltiva. He'd even managed to get to know a few guards, yet for all this he'd not passed more than five words with Cedrick, a friend of his father's and the reason that he was able to make this arduous journey to Zeltiva. The beasts of the woods were more approachable than this man was, and so Adrian generally steered clear of the man until it came time to make camp. A time, that was thankfully fast approaching.

[Adrian]

As the sun began to sink below the tree line, everyone began to settle into the routine of making camp, with some going out into the forest to collect firewood, Adrian among them. A few guards kept pace around them, grim and wary of the dangers in the wilderness. Not that Adrian noticed, so exhausted was he from the days journey that he wanted nothing more than his supper, and to stretch out on his bedroll to let his weariness take him. At first being out in these woods had been a quite pleasant experience, the cooling shade, and the variety sights to be had entertained him, staving off the boredom of the road. Yet they trekked every few days into the wilderness for wood, and it was beginning to all look very much the same with the routine of it all settling in. Coupling that with the fact that he'd been strongly advised to keep his mouth shut on these trips into the wood further deepened his boredom and set his mind to wandering while his eyes kept focused on the center of his companions back, lest he lose her in the thickness of the brush and find himself lost in these woods.

At least, his duty was only to carry the wood, he thought as he watched the woman ahead of him swinging an axe after a pair of sizable saplings. His eyes unintentionally flinched at every harsh crack of the ax head on the sturdy wood, the noise joining the echo of other pairs hard at work. After the saplings were successfully separated from their trunk, Elyssa, as he'd heard others call her around camp, would set about chopping its' length into smaller more manageable pieces before moving on the the next approachable sapling in sight, leaving Adrian to the job of collecting the chopped wood before following along after her once more, and so the routine went till darkness began to deepen in the forest, the weight of the wood insistingly eating away at his strength.

Piling the last of the wood into his arms, Elyssa made for the camp, and Adrian wearily followed behind. Or at least he tried to, but pieces of wood kept slipping out of the bundle in his arms, forcing him each time to exasperatingly stop and pick them up, awkwardly managing the pile each time before having to stop again and readjust the stack. Frustrating him so, it reminded him of another reason he'd grown so tired of these trips into the wood. The mocking he'd no doubt receive when he arrived back at the camp for not keeping up with the others. It likely earn him another cuff on the ear from Cedrick, and a night absent of substantial supper to his disappointment, yet he continued to try with the bundle, managing to make some distance with them before the ache in his arms forced him to rest against a tree to catch his breath. The other pairs had been long out of sight, but he could hear the familiar sounds of the camp faintly ahead, or at least he thought he did. Whatever the case, he was quite late in getting back to the camp, something he knew he'd hear no end of from the tradesmen tonight.

Over his heavy mouth breathing, he heard the very clear snap of a twig, and snapping his head around to see what it was, he found himself immediately greeted by a hard cuff on the side of his head that sent him stumbling onto the ground to get a mouth full of leaves and dirt. Pushing himself up into a sitting position while simultaneously spitting out clumps of dirt and leaves, he looked up to take in a familiar form, and visibly relaxed at the sight of Elyssa.

"Ya didn't have to hit so hard" He grumbled, coming to his feet slowly while rubbing behind his ear tenderly.

"If you weren't so petching slow, I wouldn't have had to hit you at all" She quickly replied back, shoving the bundle of wood into his arms before taking back off towards camp. "If you don't keep up this time, I'm leaving you to the wolves"

Knowing that to not be an idle threat, Adrian followed behind with new energy.

[Adrian]

"Adrian!" Called a familiar voice, accompanied with a sharp kick to his side, rousing him from his tiresome sleep on the hard ground. The few seconds of peace that lasted over from his dreaming, vanished when he open eyes to the bright sunshine streaming into the tent, and his wakefulness soon brought back the dull ache of the bruises he'd earned last night. He knew the voice was Cedrick's though, a man he was fast getting to know as an impatient one, and so he hasted up to his feet, dressing as quickly as he could before rushing over to Cedrick who was preparing his horse to ride from the looks of things.

"Your to go out hunting with that group over there" He spoke, pointing to a fast assembling party on the other side of the camp before slinging himself over the back of his horse. "Perhaps they'll beat some sense of the wild lands into that thick skull of yours" He added before ridding off to the front of camp leaving Adrian with many questions to linger in his mind. The forefront of those in his mind being what was he supposed to do? He knew nothing of hunting after all, and hadn't any skill with a weapon.

Despite all the questions though, he knew better than to question Cedrick or earn another beating, and not relishing the though, he hurried over to the group looking like it was on the verge of departing into the forest. All around him people scurried about stringing their bows, or readying their packs, so not knowing what to make of it, Adrian decidedly stood there awkwardly, until a familiar face came into view to address him.

"Your here to help bring whatever we bring down back, so keep close, and above all keep queit. We don't want the whole wood to know we are here" Elyssa said impatiently before hurrying away. To that he simply shrugged and followed her to where she was readying her bag. After all why they where just now bringing him along didn't make much sense to him, but neither didn't much of life on the road, and so he thought best not to question it. This wasn't Syliras after all and much of this new routine on the road was wholly strange to him.

At least he didn't have to wait very long, for in that instant, the rest of the party seemed ready, and with a couple guards taking the lead into the forest, the rest followed suit. He kept behind Elyssa as best he could, but she was much more deft around the tangled roots, and gnarled brush of the forest, so he made much slower progress following her, even with making his own path through the woods. To make matters worse, fallen branches tugged and tore at his pants, causing tears here and cutting up his legs. He even knocked his shin against one them eliciting a loud yelp that earned him several dark looks from the men around him, and a particularly sharp crack across the head from Elyssa.

Through all this though, he managed to make it to wherever they had been heading he figured as he saw Elyssa stop ahead, and taking up a crouch behind her, he tried to peak over her shoulder to see why they might have stopped though nothing seemed immediately apparent in the quiet wood. With all the noisome moving they had been doing, the quiet seemed almost eerie, and the further it stretched the more tense she seemed to grip her bow Adrian noticed but shrugged it off. It stretched out so long in fact, that he was about to ask her what they where doing when a series of humming thumps interrupted the silence, and snatching the front of his shirt, she dragged him down to the ground behind the bush, clamping her dirty hand firmly over his mouth before he could instinctively yelp with surprise. More humming thumps echoed through the wood, closer now, and put off by Elyssa's strange behavior, he tried to shrug her off of him but she proved his match holding him firmly still against the ground until he stopped struggling against her and simply listened as the wood went quiet once more.

After what seemed like a bell but was probably only several moments, Elyssa withdrew her hand from his mouth, holding a finger to her lips as she slowly raised up to take a look around.

"Keep quiet and close, focus on my back" She at last whispered to him, and unquestioningly followed behind her after getting to his feet. Something was wrong in her tone, he could feel it, but he didn't precisely know why or in what way. His heart starting beating fast all the same, and out of the corners of his eyes he wondered if he saw movement. Perhaps, he hoped it was the guards sent with them to watch over the group, though because of Elyssa's pace and demeanor he wasn't so sure if that was the case. He didn't dare try and get a full look at the darting forms though for fear of losing Elyssa in this dense wilderness, or worse, finding the danger that had her tense. Suddenly his mother's stories of big, bad creatures in the night didn't seem so ridiculous. Except now this was broad daylight in the middle of the wild lands, and far, far away from the safety of his home in Sylrias.

With safety in mind, he noticed just how far Elyssa was outpacing him, and moved to take a shortcut between two trees, so that he'd come out right behind her, except he didn't make it past the two trees. Right as he cross the threshold between the two trunks, a broad branch swung out of now were to greet his face.

[Adrian]

Coming back to consciousness was a brutal awakening, his head throbbing with pain, and instinctively he moved to rub his temples only to find his hands firmly restrained behind his back. He struggled for a moment and then the fog of confusion lifted when he opened his eyes, and remembered that he'd been struck in the woods. It was night now, and he was surrounded by strange men. He wasn't alone either, Elyssa and a few others were tied up on the ground near him, though they were already awake, though he wouldn't have known it save for the occasional glances they would shoot each other before looking submissively back at the ground. Not that their captors seemed to notice, they looked too busy eating and drinking. Or so he thought, before a voice echoed out from the group.

"Ah, our honored guest has woken up. I thought you might have died from that nasty blow my men gave you" The man spoke, standing up from his spot at the edge of the gathering, and walking over towards him. Perhaps it was just his eyes, but the firelight against the man's scarred features made him look all the more ominous, and inwardly Adrian cringed at the sight of this monster made flesh struggling against his bonds futilely. He was bound well though, and couldn't even move his feet independently, only managing to inch away from this wicked moving man. The man only laughed at his attempt and made no move to stop him, just continuing that gradual walk towards him, the man's confidence filling him with dread. There was something about the way he continued to look at him, not like a man but something else. He had to do something to stop this monster of a man.

"I came with powerful man, and he will certainly kill you once he finds me" Adrian growled, finding some strength in the words. Perhaps this wasn't going to be as bad as it seemed. Instead of pausing though, the man laughed, the rest of his men following his lead, and he frowned with confusion.

Noticing this the man elaborated freely. "My boy, why do you think you are our honored guest" The man remarked with an evil grin, revealing more than one missing tooth. As if on cue, he could here the footsteps of others behind him, and still smirking the man looked behind Adrian to greet the arrivals.

"Cedrick, how faired the raid?" Ice ran cold through his veins at the mention of the name, and eyes widening as they settled upon the man, despair filled him, for among the marauders the man stood free. Silently, Adrian watched as Cedrick walked across to join the rest of the gathering, the men following him dropping of a few more bound men and women.

"What'd you think, your men are gathering the goods as we speak" He spoke grimly, Adrian managed to overhear before the pair disappeared on the other side of the fire. Not that he carried to track where they going, so filled with a mixture of emotions was he at this betrayal. His heart sank as he realized that he was truly alone out in this wilderness with no one to notice what became of him. Was father even alive, or had Cedrick taken care of him before they left the city? Why do this to him? What did he intend to do? The questions buzzed in his head, each one filling him with more despair, and in the dark, filled with increasing loneliness he curled up on the ground finally managing to find some sleep amidst such dismal surroundings.

[Adrian]

As terrible that night had proven the morning was worse, with the gravity of the situation truly sinking in, and despair firmly gripping him. Kicked until he got up, and then tied Cedrick's horse to be dragged along as they traveled forward, Adrian was more miserable than ever. He should have never consented to go to the wild lands, he wasn't suited for this sort of life. Already his wrists felt worn raw by the rough hems of the braided rope, and he ached with powerful thirst, it being well over a day since he had last had a drink of water. They'd liberated him of his shoes and exchanged his clothing for simple pair of sackcloth pants that irritated his skin, and forced him to keep a steady pace lest he be dragged along the dirt and rocks behind the horse. Occasionally he wondered if that wouldn't be such a bad fate, that perhaps he'd get lucky and fade from this life quick so he wouldn't have to bear the pain or the dark emotions swirling inside him that caused him to weep so openly. The other captured would grimace at him, or worse yet, spit and whisper curses when he looked their way as if this was his fault. As if he asked to be captured and they along with him. Sometimes idly he'd speculate what would happen if they happened to unbound and set about tearing him apart for his perceived guilt in their capture. At least he'd be free of this misery, but at last, the gods didn't seem to favor him so. No one did.

His only reprieve came when they stopped for a break, Cedrick taking him to a tree separate from the rest of the captured, and binding him securely there. To his surprise, held a water skin to his mouth till he had a mouthful of water before taking it away, and shamefully he found himself moved slightly with gratitude for the grace of it, though the feeling quickly diminished when he saw the wicked looks Elyssa and the rest gave him. Maybe this was all his fault.

He'd stopped struggling against the bonds for awhile, knowing them to be more secure than his strength could overcome, and so he'd taken resting defeatedly against his restraints, staring aimlessly at the ground to avoid meeting the eyes of anyone in the group. They only filled him with dread and further hammered in the hopelessness of the situation. Only reminded him of what he'd lost, and could never gain back, making him all the more irritable for it.

"And who are these Kline?"

Cedrick's voice stirred him from his dismal reverie though, even though it wasn't directed at him, because of confusion that colored his tone, and looking up, he found himself surprised as well to see a much larger group coming through at every angle of the forest, blades bared in their hands. Despite himself, he dared to hope that perhaps these men and women had heard of their hardship and had come to free them. Perhaps they were friends of the merchant whom had been leading the expedition. Kline's next words quickly dashed the fledgling hope budding in his breast.

"Friends, here to help us with our precious cargo" Kline said smoothly, with a dirty grin as he moved past Cedrick to greet a woman whom emerged from the growing gathering.

"You missed check in yesterday, Bram isn't too happy with you" She seemed to remark offhandedly, looking at the prisoners with no particular interest but if Adrian had been a better observer he'd have noticed she kept glancing back to a certain one in particular, a older guard from the caravan. "And who is this, a new recruit?" The woman gestured towards Cedrick, drawing a grimace from the man. Strangely she didn't seem too concerned, almost amused actually which only drew a heated glare from the man.

Kline, suddenly nervous now, spoke quickly to try and smooth over the situation, glancing back and forth between Kline and the woman.

"No Amelia, an old friend, and my reason for missing the meeting. Taking down the traders took a bit longer than I expected"

"And what do you have to show for it, a handful of prisoners that will all in all probably fetch coppers on the slave market"

"Hardly! We also got a several crates from the traders, as well as the mizas they carried, and I know men that will give me a favorable amount for these men and women back in Sunberth"

"No Kline, Bram knows men, and you know them through him. And we aren't going to Sunberth anymore. Bring me that old man over there" Amelia spoke, quickly changing the subject as she pointed to the grizzled old guard tied up among the rest of the captured.

Kline waved his men to do such work before addressing their previous line of conversation once more "But we had a deal, plans were made" Kline whined, rubbing his hands nervously through his greasy hair as the man was brought forth towards before the woman. It was only then that Adrian, noticed the dagger in her hand, though if the man noticed it, he didn't seem so concerned.

"Plan's change Kline" Amelia spoke briskly, cutting the bonds from the man without a moments pause, and slipping him the very same dagger. Not that Kline seemed to notice as he pressed on indignantly.

"And why wasn't I notified of this change?"

"Because you've been ousted, you failed us too much" She remarked immediately, turning her back on him in the process.

"You treacherous bitch" Kline spoke gruffly, lunging for her, or at least started to before the man she'd cut the bonds of intercepted him with a dagger to his chest before anyone could react. At this the Cedrick and the rest drew their blades, eyeing warily the men around them, but Amelia's voice quickly cut through the tension.

"You all now work for Daven" She spoke as she pulled herself up onto Kline's horse, and turning about she gestured to the man who'd just been unbound. "Hopefully you all have been good to him, he carries our full authority" Amelia added with a wicked laugh before turning about making back for where they had came. Stopping just by the tree Adrian was bound to, she turned around.

"Gather up the slaves and make for our original meeting spot, we will move from there. Oh and since that one is not of your band do take care of him will you" she remarked before riding off into the would, her men following close behind. Looking back towards the rest, Adrian quickly understood what she meant as before Cedrick could protest, men came up behind him and restrain him while others stabbed him in unison until he quit struggling. As much as he'd grown to hate the man, Adrian found himself looking away for fear of losing the meager contents of his stomach at the gruesome sight. He'd never seen men killed before, and on this day he'd already witnessed two slain, yet nothing really had changed.

Daven shrilled off a piercing whistle commanding the attention of everyone.

"Strip these corpses, and get these slaves ready. We've got a meeting to catch and if your not quick about it, you'll have a taste the whip" He spoke, his grim tone leaving no room for debate, as if the bared sword in his hand wasn't reason enough, and as one the men did as they where told, and in this Adrian realized that he was mistaken. Something had changed, for somehow now he was in worse hands, and this bloody day was just the beginning.

[Alric Wilmot]

Grades Adrian stealth +1 observation +2 running +1 Lores:Cedrick friend of my father's, Betrayed, Slavery in all its glory Notes Secret : Please delete your post in the Ravok Request thread or edit it to reflect the fact that it has been graded, thank you