Into the Woods [Ora, Leviathan]

by **Rhuryc** on August 8th, 2010, 7:37 am

Bronze Woods, Dusk
42nd of Summer, 510 AV

If he were alone Rhuryc would have just kept on. As the sun began its descent into darkness the young man called a rest for the night. A suitable clearing was found for both himself and Ora and Rhuryc set his gear down, that which included his sword, attire, and a pack that contained most of his week-long supply of rations, a sharpening stone, and a hefty, iron shield strapped to the back. He was always one to over-stock. Better to be over prepared. He dulled out what he considered to be a generous helping for a meal, some semi-stale bread, two slices of jerked beef, and a small cheese hunk and consumed his own helping in the form of a make-shift sandwich. Ora received the same amount and, while the dinner was no stranger to Rhuryc, he hoped the woman would take well to the allotment. Most of his own meal was spent in silence. When finished the man found it within his best interests to keep his blade out, ready, where it rest on his lap as if he intended to use it.

Who knew what lurked in the wilderness. The immediate area was surrounded in low brush and thick threes, the canopy over head allowing for just a small degree of light to pour through to the floor below. Various fauna called out into the night air, complete with the constant tick of nearby insects and owls in search for their breakfast. So strange how the wilderness different from the city. The music was all its own, a softer, steady tone that beat with a gentle, constant rhythm. The man decided that he much preferred the song of his home.

Despite the open area Rhuryc had chosen a spot some ways off from the center. His back was pressed up against the base of a tree and his legs were sprawled out in front of his torso with a slight curve to his knees, willing at any moment to spring into action. His pack was put to the side and he kept both his coat and boots on, sacrificing any sort of comfort for his state of constant readiness. Not a bad person to be traveling with when all was said and done. A little more conversation could not have hurt, but then again Rhuryc did not seem to be the type to initiate. Respond, sure. Though there remained momentary points of phenomenon.

"We should be close." He said, having followed the path his uncle outlined for him years ago. It was nigh impossible to forget this clearing. "If you want to get some sleep I'll keep watch for a while, make sure it's safe. We can start early in the morning and reach the falls by noon."

by **Ora Sa'vina** on August 9th, 2010, 1:27 am

It was still warm even though the sun was on its descent. As it started to darken, Ora's guide decided to call it for the day, they had made it far enough for the day. The young woman watched Rhuryc as he dished out food, enough for the both of them. There was a sizable portion of food before her, which she thanked Rhuryc for as she looked it over. The small woman made quick work of the food, oddly chewing the jerked beef, her mind wandered to the thought of octopus, it was chewy but in a different sort of way, but the taste was entirely different. The Konti finished her food and thanked Rhuryc again. Ora had quickly come to the realization that Rhuryc was not one to begin speaking unprovoked.

Ora stood up after her finished eating her dinner, she removed her cloak and laid it out on the ground a few feet from Rhuryc. After the sun had fully set, Ora would try to rest, till then she would remain awake, she did not feel the call of sleep yet. Her fingers rested on twisted horn weapons, identical, three pronged weapons rested on either side of her waist. They were held by the white and blue cord around her waist, the middle prong on one side, the other two on the other.

"I will stay up for a while, if that is alright with you." Ora said calmly, taking one of her weapons from her waist to look it over. She hadn't used the sai's in a long while, not sense she had left the island and training behind. Ora sat down on her cloak, taking both her weapons and setting them down next to her. "How did you find this place?" Ora asked, her eyes were looking up at the canopy, she watched the colors of the sky, vibrant reds and oranges fade slowly.

by **Rhuryc** on August 9th, 2010, 4:15 am

Rhuryc followed Ora's gaze to the sky. He watched the colors meld and change through the sparse holes of the tree tops, the sun on its final descent into darkness. The man mused, as he often did, on the gods of the sky and their conflicting auras. Lovers he heard them called once. Sad how they never shared the same space. In his mind, such a life was one to be ignored, yet his knowledge of the deities lacked in even the simplest fashions. A long, drawn out breath brought his attention back to Ora and he found himself gazing at the woman's peculiar weapons. Short in reach, he eyed them suspiciously not all to sure how combat effective they would be. Lately, though, Rhuryc found himself locked between several unique forms of defense. To each their own, he supposed.

"Find?" The man blinked and turned his attention around the clearing. "Oh. My Uncle use to take me to the falls, this was where we would camp on our way. To be honest I don't know much about traveling through the wilderness." Rhuryc admitted with a shrug and bob of his head. "But the path to the falls is pretty much ingrained up here." His words were met with a tapping gesture on his forehead.

With some shifting Rhuryc reached beside him and produced, with an effort, fist-sized, shaped stone, its surface polished to a smooth finish. He set the item on the blade of his weapon and slowly began to draw the side ever the sharper points of the sword. A strange 'shlack' accompanied each length, those of which he seemed to repeat with a steady, patterned hand. If Ora was going to stay up, he might as well make use of the time for some maintenance. A dull blade would not do much against bandits.

"Ingrained is the nice way of putting it. More like beaten with a hammer." He chuckled.

by **Ora Sa'vina** on August 9th, 2010, 5:57 pm

The young woman's eye caught glimpse of Rhuryc eying the sais with a peculiar expression. She did not think much of it, to her, she found swords awkward and uncomfortable, too heavy, long and unwieldy. The sais allowed quick, small movements instead of grandiose ones. The woman's eyes moved from the mans face back up to the sky, her mind wandered for a moment, the Isle would be in total darkness by now, women resting before continuing their training and jobs the next day.

Ora nodded slightly, leaning back to lie down on her cloak, her hands resting on her stomach. "I have never been camping," Ora admitted, her eyes watching the leaves of the canopy rustle in the wind. Violet eyes remained on the greenery above them while she continued to speak. "You came here with your Uncle," Ora paused a moment, trying to construct her thought into the utmost polite phrasing. "Did you enjoy coming up here with him?" Her eyes moved to Rhuryc, speaking quickly before he could open his mouth. "No need to answer me if it is not within your own desire; the last thing I want to do is cause you discomfort." Violet eyes moved back to the trees.

The sound of Rhuryc's blade sharpening mixed oddly with the sounds around them. The Konti closed her eyes, focusing on the noises that surrounded her, the birds, insects, leaves, the sound of her own breath, and the sound of his blade against the stone. The sounds were strange, alien, to the woman, she was one who enjoyed nature, but the noises here were quite different from the noises she had come from. The trees sounded odd, she was use to the noise of coniferous trees, not deciduous. While her isle might have had a few deciduous, it was made up of mostly coniferous trees.

by **Leviathan** on August 10th, 2010, 4:26 am

The night was wild with insects, beetles crawling across the floor of Mizahar's fertile soil. Crickets singing out of tune, out of rhythm, yet altogether in one beautiful chorus, made an extravagant ballad, wondrous indeed. In the dimming light of the faded day, there were birds of browns, reds, blacks, and even the occasional midday blue that was seen, yet at each stroke of Rhuryc's stone against his sword, all life stopped, only to resume moments later, once they all assumed the coast was clear for their personal chatter, they'd begin again.

That was until the sounds halted altogether, and it wasn't the grinding of stone to steel that startled the life, but rather something not yet picked up by Human nor Konti ears, something, however, that was not stealthy enough to escape the ever present watching eyes of the wilderness. Several moments passed, perhaps what felt like minutes to those of more shakable nerves, perhaps hours for cowards. But, eventually, the manifested sounds that halted the very wild's voice became known, foot steps. It wouldn't take long until a man walked straight into Rhuryc's small makeshift camp. No, not a man, an Akalak Male. Only two inches short of a whopping eight feet, the man, blue skin from shaved head, to clean cut face, to calloused and boot-clad feet. Without so much as glancing at either petite Konti woman or Rhuryc himself, the Akalak man continued his path, stepping directly in between the camping pair, and off continuing the trail. It was apparent his destination was the same as Rhuryc and Ora's, except the man was determined to reach said location tonight, rather than noon tomorrow, and judging by his massive steps, though not uncommon for such an enormous figure, he could do just that.

An eerie silence followed in the man's footsteps. Even the wilderness felt it awkward to make noise.

OOCWould you mind adding my name in the Title next to Ora please? It makes me feel better so that everyone knows I was invited rather than interrupting your thread. Please and thanks.

by **Rhuryc** on August 10th, 2010, 6:48 am

Thas was strange. Rhuryc grinned as the fauna returned to its chattering chorus and he took to the maintenance of is weapon. He never noticed how the wilderness responded to civilization before, but the lack of noise was almost deafening in its absence. The man discarded the idle observation and slid the sharpening stone once more, catching the words of his companion in between each stroke.

"Not really." He started, glancing up from his work to give Ora one of his stoic glances. "My uncle was, ah. Crazy. He never," The man's eyes narrowed. He cut himself off and looked around the small hovel of a clearing the two occupied, his shoulders and muscles tensed to a state of alert. Where did the insects go? One hand grasped the hilt of his sword and Rhruyc was on his feet in seconds. With the motion he reached back and brought his shield along for the ride, the two armaments raised in conjunction with one another in a trained, combative stance. To remain idle in the face of such a warning would be blasphemy. At least that was what the man's training said.

An explanation soon followed. Rhuryc quirked a brow at the oncoming individual and gave him a brief once-over. Large, damn large, the Akalak were the most physically imposing race the man had ever come across and this one gave him pause. Loaded with muscle and no doubt knowledge of how to use it the stranger held himself with a regard for violence, existing in a state of total disregard for any that might have appeared his lesser. He made no motion of hostility, though, and Rhuryc felt his shoulders relax. Both the sword and shield came to rest at his sides but he was not about to discard them entirely. There was no trust for a traveler that did not announce himself.

"Hail, stranger." The man's thick baritone cut through the silence like a knife. His words were spoken in Tukant so that the Akalak might catch them better. Common, as Rhuryc figured, would just be ignored.

by **Ora Sa'vina** on August 10th, 2010, 9:08 pm

The rhythmic shlacking of the whetstone brought on silence, as if the noise was a solo in the midst of a concert. The rest of the choir soon picked up between the soloists verses, Ora had adjusted to this change in noise, it was seemed normal after a few moments and the young woman seemed to disregard the sudden silence the stone brought on.

The young woman would have continued to lie on her cloak, relaxed with sleep creeping up around her in brain if Rhuryc hadn't cut himself off. Violet eyes shot to the tense man next to her, his hands tensing on the hilt of his blade while the other moved his shield forward. This was when Ora's ears picked up what she was missing, nothing, she was missing the sudden, deafening silence. Her fingers gripped the Sai's next to her, the woman moving slowly and as quietly as she could to her feet. Her small heart was pounded so hard her ears were full with it's pleas for her to run, it seemed that minutes passed before her eyes settled on the cause.

When the cause of the silence was shown, the woman felt herself stare. So this is what an Akalak looks like? Ora hadn't seen one before, her knowledge of them was limited, only knowing what he Mother had told her. She knew their skin was the color of the sea, they were strong and brave, one thing her mother left out was their staggering height. Ora found herself wondering how her mother could be with someone so tall, San would look like such a child if compared to her father.

Ora found herself stepping away a few steps as he walked between Rhuryc and herself. The woman barely came up to his elbow, never in her life had Ora seen such a tall individual. Her eyes continued to follow him as he passed, her body taking a few steps in his direction once he was several of his large steps away.

The young woman wanted to ask the man so many things, she knew so little of what she was looking for in Riverfall, perhaps this man would be able to help her? Perhaps, but he did not seem interested in frivolous conversation, let alone any sort of company. Violet eyes shot to Rhuryc as a familiar language was spoken. Ora understood very little of Tukant, but enough to understand that Rhuryc said a greeting of sorts, the woman found herself struggling with remembering what sort of greeting her had said, the other word that left his mouth was entirely foreign to Ora. Her eyes remained on Rhuryc for a few moments before quickly moving back to the Akalak a few large paces away from them.

by **Leviathan** on August 10th, 2010, 10:57 pm

It was fairly obvious that the Akalak man, a hulking monster of raw muscle and a fierce gaze that didn't even dub the human or konti worthy of its notice, had no intentions of conversing. His footsteps, though naturally long strides, were also slightly hurried, and if one was to look at him they would recognize a few details that the growing night went to great lengths to conceal, such as the blood dripping down his right arm, the beads of sweat glistening across his face, and perhaps a twinge on insanity. If anybody knew about an Akalak, they'd know their lives were a constant battle between their true nature, and their second and genuinely evil, violent, darker nature. This man, the Akalak, was struggling in such a battle right now. Whether he was fighting to keep control, or to regain it, was unsure.

The man didn't take long before he was around the bend and hidden by a wall of trees and over a slight hill, though it would take long before a little more light was shone on the situation. The barking of dogs, the shouting of men, it all came from the same area that the Akalak mysterious traveled from.

"The Petch are you?"

A voice called out as three men, Humans most likely, stampeded into Rhuryc's camp, their two dogs, which were probably close to two hundred pounds of raw ferocity, sniffing the ground madly, obviously following the Akalak's trail. Not that it took the dogs to follow a trail of blood droplets. "Leave them be, we don't have time. We can't let that blue bastard get away again. Sir, missus, did you see a Blue Giant storming this way? He's a murderer, killed my brother in cold blood." The man quickly rubbed his face, mostly the eyes, with the back of his wrist as his companions circles the camp impatiently. The leader of this hunt, a man obviously seeking revenge, fought back fresh tears of an obviously recent sorrow as he revealed his face once again to face Rhuryc. "You look strong lad. Help us find and kill that Akalak and I'll pay you. Ten gold-rimmed Miza, even if he gets away, just give me until morning and you'll be paid."

The man wanted to stay and convince Rhuryc, but he was obviously too afraid that the Akalak would escape, thus he and his two human companions, along with their hunting and war dogs, began traveling again as the dogs led the way with their noses. Their pace wasn't that great though, enough for Rhuryc to catch up if he felt a need for justice, a nagging of unsatisfied curiosity, or hunger for gold, to help them, or at least learn of the situation.

by **Rhuryc** on August 11th, 2010, 6:10 am

Damn it.

Rhuryc scanned the Akalak as he ignored both himself and Ora. Strange. The fellow appeared distracted rather than rude and although there was no definite evidence, the blood was as good a reason for such actions as any. With no intention to stop the stranger Rhuryc lowered his weapons and spoke no more. His shoulders relaxed, visibly, and the man released a sigh from the loosened tension. Combat with an Akalak, on obviously well trained one, was not a venture he wanted to pursue. Even without weapons he knew the devastation one of the warriors could cause with their bare hands, and then there was Ora to think about. He doubted the Konti had ever so much as seen combat let alone killed a living being.

"Well." Rhuryc started, moving to sheath his blade. "Looks like they're be no-oh son of a bitch." The man narrowed his gaze as more came through the brush.

These men were different. Armed and dangerous, they sought blood. Even without their explanation Rhuryc knew what they wanted, driven by passion and revenge. What had caused the conflict? Despite the accusations of murder and the offer of payment, the young man found himself curious to the origins of the scenario, so it was that he mused on the subject. He kept his tongue while the 'leader' of the group spoke and he gave a quiet confirmation in the form of a curt nod. Ten gold Mizas would be a suitable payment for services and he would be able to repay Ora for her own part of the rations. As the group departed Rhuryc replaced his sword in the scabbard and turned about, gathering the sharpening stone and his pack in one fell swoop. There was no way he was going to sit back and allow for his hunt to take place without knowing more.

"Ora, this might end badly." He spoke as the men ran out of earshot. "I wouldn't suggest you follow, but the choice is yours, but I'm going to go," Rhuryc cut himself off with a bit of a grin. "Seek the truth, I guess." He flashed the smile in the woman's direction as he slipped the bag around his back and started off, following in the wake of the hunters.

"My sword is with you men until I see reason otherwise." Rhuryc's voice called out as he jogged to catch up. "Someone want to explain a bit more, though, before I find myself at odds with an Akalak?"

by **Ora Sa'vina** on August 13th, 2010, 2:47 am

Ora felt a sudden concern for the Akalak when here eyes landed on the trail of blood that dripped down his arm. Her concern was set aside as her ears picked up the sound of dogs barking and men yelling not far away. Violet eyes turned in the direction of the new noise only to land on the sight of three men and two large dogs which easily could weight twice that of Ora. Before the young woman could answer one of the men quickly spoke up, his voice was serious and harsh. His words tingled in the back of Ora's mind, truth, the Akalak had killed this mans brother. A small hand pointed in the direction in which the blue man had gone, her other hand gathering her things up slowly, this was not the best place to camp it appeared.

The Konti found herself standing still, holding onto her things. Staying alone in the forest could be a bad idea, and at least with these men she could be safe? Or it could be worse if she did accompany them, if that Akalak man had killed someone in cold blood, what would stop him from doing it again? Doing it to all of them? Ora wouldn't be able to just sit in the clearing waiting for the men to return, what if they were hurt? Who would help them then?

Her mind moved quickly to the thought of actually killing someone. The most she had killed was the occasional fish for dinner, she hadn't even so much as slapped someone in the entire life let alone stabbed them. You cannot just leave Rhuryc, Ora bit her lower lip as she clung to her things, running to catch up with the four men. It took her a few moments of sprinting to catch up to the men and their long strides. "I am coming with you," Ora said quietly once she was next to Rhuryc, her eyes were focused on the path in front of them, her mind fighting with her own morals over this situation.

The woman's attention and voice moved to the leader of the group, the one whose brother had been killed. "Why would this man want to kill your brother?" Ora felt the need to assure that the Akalak was at fault before they went to kill him, killing for the sake killing was no better than killing someone falsely accused.

oocSo, I am still drugged up, but I cannot sleep anymore and the pain meds are not working as well as I would like. :/ I hope this post made sense, if not, just send me a PM and I'll try to clear it up.