Walk the Fading Line [Elerakith]

[Xen]

Summer 17, 514 A.V.

Xen slowly opens his eyes just as the rays of the morning hour graces his cavern and watches the darkness that laid claim to his home during the night as it flees from the sunlight. Yet knowing that few things were perpetual in nature and that this was all a part of the cycle—he knew that this retreat was momentary and the darkness would return. Xen sat up from his bed tired and downtrodden; he would not work this today, for the need to do so was absent. The round pupils within his eyes collapse and form into dark, narrow lines as he focuses his sight upon his familiar surroundings.

Xen looks around expectant of someone but saw nothing, only the hollow cavern he loved and the dank rocks he'd grown accustomed to. The sheets rustle as he stretches his body and yawns. He didn't want to move today: a feeling of reluctance gripped him. Xen did not want to face the truth he vowed to seek after—the truth of his missing, beloved Aka. He had no proof, besides a feeling, that could prove that his mate was actually missing. However, it bothered him deeply even in his dreams the specter of worry and doubt haunted him.

Xen turns his body and beneath the sheets his legs moved with a subtle hiss. He would leave his cavern and check the home of his mate. Xen forces his body to move and stumbles from his bed but he quickly regains his balance and manages to avoid falling onto the cool cavern floor. This was going to be a hard journey yet he needed to know—closure is what he sought. Xen grabs the old ash black shirt from the bottom of his bed and grabs his leather backpack resting beside a stone. He then takes his dagger and machete-sword as he would venture into the jungle and spend a day and a night out on the shoreline.

Xen walked out from his home and ventures down the long passage way. The tunnel, seemingly endless, stretched on before and beyond him as he walked but Xen pressed on into the inky blackness until his eyes could no longer see into the dimness. Inside the inky blackness he felt his legs and feet become heavier with each and every step he took: it was like he was treading through floodwaters which threatened to rise, drown and sweep him away.

Xen had moved down these tunnels countless times, as fluidly as a fish would in the ocean. There were moments when he lost his way but these mistakes always led him to some place new, which filled him with joy. However on this day; one of so, he was outside his element—a serpent that had lost his way out at sea. Xen spent a series of chimes in nigh complete darkness before a faint torchlight shines on his somber form. He could see a bend in the tunnel ahead and would turn to the left once he finished his approach. Xen walks towards the corner expecting to see the infamous red glow of his mate’s home, yet when he turns the corner, there was nothing.


" I see...you really are gone. "


In this moment there should have been an outburst of emotion pouring forth from Xen in the form of heartfelt tears and yelling. Instead, there was nothing—he simply turns around and walks away. A series of throes went on within Xen; he did not know what to feel. The heaviness that plagued him before had perished, strangely, and what remained was acedia. Xen simply walks through the tunnels of Zinrah and continues to walk until he was far in the jungle: where birds chirped in the canopy above and beasts lurked within the brush below.

Thoughtlessly he pressed on through the jungle, only the sensation of sand upon his feet stops him. In the moment where his movements ceased, Xen stares out into the ocean, embracing the self-imposed quietude.

[Elerakith]

Elerakith stumbles through the thick jungle, unknowing of any threats she may face. She was traveling from Taloba and at some point had gotten lost in.

She had left without buying any supplies, even when she had just left her home in Wind Reach. It was a mystery on how she had gotten this far. She was foolish for even leaving her father with such little knowledge. She hadn't even purchased a map.

Thinking back on this now, she felt very dim. This was mostly because she was now trekking through a jungle that she knew nothing about. The little Elerakith knew about this jungle was that it was dangerous to be going about it alone or by herself. Not to mention the fact she barley had anything on her.

This itself was an issue and unless Elerakith could find the next city, she was doomed. She had heard about a city called Zinrah and figured that it couldn't be any worse than his forsaken jungle.

So she continues; slowly ducking through the thick plant life that surrounded her. It was miserable. At this point, all that Elerakith could do was hope that she found her way to Zinrah.

OOCHaha. My post is so shrimpy. Oh well.

[Xen]

He should be searching for his mate at this moment, scouring the jungle and Zinrah for her whereabouts. Instead he was here, looking out into the sea, knowing that if he went out to search in his current condition, it would lead to misfortune and further heartache. A clear mind is what he needed; one devoid of distracting emotions and naiveté. The ocean would help sooth his discontented heart with its cool, misty breathes. Xen was going to step forward into the seawater and allow the waves to caress his feet but a sound captures his attention. The constant movement and snapping of twigs within the brush causes Xen to immediately assume that an enemy was near.

He places a hand onto the handle of his machete-sword and looks through the opening he had made to see if anything would burst through with fangs and claws ready to tear at his flesh. However, when the shuffling continued without pause, it made him believe that he was either being ignored or he hadn’t been noticed yet. The element of surprise was valued a great deal within the jungle; many predators took advantage of camouflage and the thick jungle brush. Xen was no exception.

There was going to be another bone added to his collection and he would be quick to claim the flesh of his target, as he was hungry. Xen crouches and quietly moves across the sand, his movements being subtle and quick. Once he was close enough to the tree-line, he sits up and peeks into the jungle. Xen didn’t see anything at first but as he listens and observes the lush green environment, something captures his attention.

A tall person with tan skin walked through the brush. It seemed as though this person was having a difficult time navigating through the jungle. Xen had to glance at the person a second time, as his first glance had him believing that what he was seeing was a myrian. Yet her thick brown hair and well kept clothing did not fit the appearance of a myrian. There was something different about this person and he would definitely inspect her.


“Hey, are you lost!?” Xen shouted

[Elerakith]

Elerakith looks up as she heard the sound of someone speaking. She took a moment to think about what he had asked her.

He was shorter than her, but wouldn't be called short by anything other than a Kelvic. This was common for Elerakith. Aside from this, he wore a black robe that made it impossible for Elerakith to decide what type of body type he had. He had black hair, as far as she could tell.

Then she had thought to answer his question.

"Umm..." She thought about answering the question. She didn't want to admit that she was lost, but it wouldn't help to say that she wasn't.

"Yes. Yes I am." It made her sigh on the inside and it hurt her pride a bit to say it, but her hands were tied behind her back.

[Xen]

This person was probably a traveler.

Xen could not fathom why an individual would want to come to Falyndar alone. He would recommend a person to have at least three or more people with them, if they sought to explore the jungle and absorb its beauty. However, he did not know this person’s circumstances and was curious of her, why was she so far from the mountain region; Kalea? This question would find itself accompanied by Xen’s lingering sorrow and his desire to find solace. He would help this stranger and then proceed with what he was doing—cogitation.


“Where are you headed, if you do not mind me asking?”


If she continued to walk, she would find Zinrah in an hour but she did not appear to be a dhani. The distance between them both made identifying her features quite difficult and would require a closer observation. The constrictors would definitely want to consume her, were she to be something other than a dhani. That would spell trouble for Elerakith unless she could persuade the giant serpents from their hunger. Xen did not wish to have regret on his mind; telling him of how he could have saved a life, if he decided to guide Elerakith to Zinrah and allowed her to go on alone.

It was better to save and preserve a life, as it would probably save yours later on.

He would escort Elerakith to Zinrah and that‘s if she was going there. Xen didn’t know and assumes she was walking to it since she was heading in the direction he had come from. For him to return home, he wasn’t ready to face the emotions abandoned in the darkness of those caverns, nor did he wish for a maiden to see his tears—it was too early. Nature would help him sort out his emotions and comfort him.

[Elerakith]

"Zinrah. Would you be able to show me how to get there?"

Elerakith replied after a moment of thought. During this moment, she considered the fact that this person might capture her and sell her as a pet.

Her father had warned her to be careful of other races that would take her in captivity. Elerakith often thought this was strange. Who would keep a person as a pet? Especially a person who could turn into a massive lion.

But this was no problem; this person did not know of Elerakith's heritage, so she figured it would be alright to trust him. For know at least.

[Xen]

So, she was going to Zinrah. That was not a very good thing to do, right now. There was a strange affliction in Zinrah at the moment and it was affecting everyone and seemingly everything in the underground city. This compels Xen to tell Elerakith of the danger ahead but he hesitates; especially, since he had no idea who or what she was. The constrictors would interrogate her the moment she approached the nest, as they were curious and cautious creatures much like Xen. However, the creeping sickness within Zinrah’s walls would probably grant Elerakith passage into Zinrah, as the guards would be too tired and hindered to investigate her.

That would make matters worse later on. The constrictors in time would discover that he was the one that showed an outsider to Zinrah and there would be a price to pay for that. Torture was a possibility and the constrictors were fond of that. Xen shudders at the thought; he did not want to be at the mercy of the constrictors. Honesty would save him at this point, yet a hint of cautiousness and suspicion would preserve him in the long run.


“A strange sickness plagues the place; it would not be wise to go there now.”


The more time he spent in Elerakith’s presence. The less he felt that she was an enemy. Xen wasn’t going to allow Elerakith near Zinrah, for both their sakes. In a sense he would be able to save Elerakith from the sickness, preserve his hide and keep away from the place altogether—he had not overcome his sadness. Hopefully, his guest would take heed to his warning and have a change of heart. There was still time to go to Zinrah but Xen would need to overcome his sadness and he’d try to overcome it, before the next day.

[Traverse]

Elerakith

Elrakith if you return and are seeking a grade first you need to update your ledger, then let me know and I'll get one out for you. I want it to be stated a ahead of time your XP yield will be very small because of the lack of detail in your posts.

Xen

Experience:

• Investigation XP
• Observation 3 XP
• Socialization 1 XP
• Stealth 1 XP

Lore:

• The Sorrow of Losing Aka, and Not Knowing Why
• Finding A Foolish Lone Traveler in the Jungle Wilds

Additional Notes :

Well this was a pretty uneventful thread, Xen I was extremely perplexed about how your PC knew Elerakith was from Wind Reach when she definitely does not say that verbally and this seemed to be their first meeting. Despite the shortness of this I awarded what XP I could find.

If you have any questions, concerns, accolades, complaints, etc about your grade, drop me a PM and we can most certainly talk it out.

As always, Safe Travels!