[Flashback] That's So Hot

by **Jaeden Kincade** on February 24th, 2011, 5:01 am

Jaeden smirked as he watched the Sister send some banter back his way, her whole display suggested a hint of playfulness. Considering the position they were in, it gave Jaeden a little confidence that he wasn’t entirely the only one who didn’t give up. “Here’s hoping we don’t roll snake eyes.” Jaeden replied to Sister then before what came next.

Jaeden’s brow rose for a moment in confusion as it all started as a glow, and finally his eyes slammed shut in reflex when the explosion of bright colors came. It didn’t seem to take long before Jaeden started to hear screams and then finally feel something not quite metallic moving over his ankle. When Jaeden finally opened his eyes, seeing the snake coiling around his ankle, he quickly reached down, grasping the snake by the back of its head and picking it up. “Okay, I know I said snake eyes, but I wasn’t being literal.” Jaeden said as he looked to his captors for a moment, seeing them move around with surprise and anxiety as snakes wriggled around them as well.

“This is your chance!” Jaeden then suddenly announced to the others that were captured as he began running forward. “Your hands may be bound, but your legs are free.”

“Even bound by the hands, we still outnumber them, and they are confused, surprised.” Jaeden continued as he narrowed his eyes, searching around for where his captors had stowed his longsword. Then his eyes narrowed again, spotting the women and what they carried, or more importantly now, what they didn’t carry. “They’re also unarmed. Capture them, subdue them. Don’t kill them.”

Jaeden, at no point, stopped in his charge of his Eypharian captors, realizing that this opportunity and his words might fall on others who’s spirit may be to broken down at that point to put up any resistance at all. He had hopped that some would rise and join him, but he was resolved to consider that he may have been the only one. Still, he hadn’t lost his will or enough of his strength quite yet to give in. So he charged, taking his opportunity provided. He began by adding to the Eypharian’s surprise as he threw the snake in hand at the nearest one first. He kept rushing forward, throwing his shoulder to any of the Eypharian women who barred his path as he made a strait line for Nebitra, as he laced his fingers together, gripping his ands tightly. If he was able to get into reach, Jaeden then swung both of his fists around as hard as he could, hoping to strike Nebitra in the side of her head. The strike, if successful, would hopefully rattle Nebitra’s brain around in her head, forcing her to lose consciousness for a short time and wake up concussed for a little while longer, allowing him to focus on the remaining three.

Me · by **Colombina** on April 1st, 2011, 1:43 am

Captives were kicking up sand, yelling, twisting and experiencing a full range of emotions between shock and idiotic glee. A few were staring, dumbfounded by the chaos around them. Jaeden’s rallying cry began to make the wheels turn in the captives' heads. He was the newest of them and his will and body were still strong.

Slowly the others began to gather together in packs, running headlong towards the unlucky sisters. The two unnamed sisters were clamoring onto camels. One successfully outraced the mob, choosing her fate in the desert. The other made it atop the camel only to be pulled down into a wild circle of angry captives.

They circled the Eypharian yelling and stomping their feet. She screamed as if they were tearing her to pieces, and they might have been.

Seshafi was struggling with a camel that was going wild amidst the clamor. Her sister’s screams stole her attention. In the hot seconds she had to make a decision whether to tame the beast or attempt the impossible for her sister.

The camel broke free from her grip as she chose the latter. With nothing more than a riding crop she broke into the circle trying to drag her sister away from the volleys of kicks, only to succumb to the press of bodies.

There was a sudden flare of light from the center of the riot and all stood uneasily still. Jaeden could see nothing but a nervous circle of bodies should he glance over.

Nebitra saw Jaeden coming instants before the blow came. She was able to maneuver to the side, lessening the hit, but not avoiding it entirely. She spun and hit the ground stunned.

Suddenly, other captives came to Jaeden’s side, surrounding her and casting an ominous shadow.

Looking at her odds, Nebitra growled. Her options were magic or cunning. Still reeling, she reached for the latter first.

“Hurt us and you get no antidote.”

by **Jaeden Kincade** on April 14th, 2011, 1:09 am

Jaeden’s body nudged forward slightly as others slowly gathered around, bumping shoulders and surrounding Nebitra. Jaeden slowly took a look around, making sure there were no other threats that would have to be dealt with. Jaeden’s gaze soon fell down to Nebitra as she spoke, her words hinting at power yet, but her tone still carrying that sound of defeat and negotiation.

“You think you’re still in control?” Jaeden said in an eerily calm voice now, far from the whimsical and playful one he used while they were dragging him around, pointing a sword at him, or digging their heals into his back. “If you expect to live, you shouldn’t make ultimatums. You’ve put most here through enough of a hell that to some of them, it won’t matter if they die from the poison. As long as they take you with them.”

Jaeden looked to the others in the group for a moment, searching their faces and trying to get a feel for what they really wanted at that point. Before long, his gaze settled on the scholar looking one of the group as well as the Benshira. “Mira, wasn’t it?” Jaeden then said, his hands falling in front of him. “Take the scholar, start going through what supplies are left her, see how much we have left, how long it will last when rationing, and if you know, begin planning to take the lead as guide to the nearest water source.” Jaeden then looked to the scholar looking individual. “If you know poisons, when you’re searching with her, see if you can discover what the poison is, and the antidote to go with it.”

Jaeden the slowly crouched down, his elbows resting along his knees as he kept himself eye level with Nebitra. “So,” Jaeden then said, rubbing his hands together as the cords that bound his hands, stretched slightly along his wrists, “where’s my shirt? And for that matter, where’s the rest of my gear? We’ll see how much good faith you can build. If you play your cards right, you may find yourself walking out of here alive with your sisters.”

Jaeden then laced his fingers together, his grip tightening slightly as knuckles popped loudly. “I will say though, that right now, after seeing what you’ve been doing, and heard what you have done? I want to begin breaking your bones, one digit, one limb at a time. And I want to do so slowly, and make the pain last.” Jaeden then said, his voice still that almost threatening calm. “I don’t much like slavers.”

Me · by **Colombina** on May 5th, 2011, 6:32 am

Mira nodded numbly at Jaeden's request, still baffled by the situation they were in. The scholar was roused and pulled to the burdened camels that had not been run into the desert, or spooked by vipers.

Jaeden's darker tone, made Nebitra stiffen. Her eyes briefly widened with fear then flashed with resolve.

"Will they die just to spite me?" Nebitra needled, "We shall see. I believe men are spiteful enough to do such things, but I will not be so foolish as to relinquish the miza that will buy my sisters' lives at any cost. I also doubt those who live would like bound hands for the rest of their days."

She sniffed at his request for his clothes, turning her face away.
"You seem to prefer wearing less. They will be among the red bags if the beast who carried them did not careen into the dunes."

The women held up her palms, showing she would not do any harm.
"I will bargain, human."

"I'm sorry," a familiar voice burst into the palpable tension, "Did you just totally miss the light show and such? I'm uh, used to you know, some sort of a reaction. I mean unless shyke like this happens to you all the time."

The sister had her arms folded across her chest, as she looked Jaeden up and down.
"I'm sure you get into some weird stuff, but the whole metal into snake thing... And you're over here worrying about where your shirt is and rations, like there's no one to help you."

She called over her shoulder to where her brother was within the circle of dumbstruck prisoners.
"Are you getting this Wyn?"

Wyn couldn't be seen but his voice was heard.
"Yeah. Weird."

The sister kept going, "It's like we're forcing ourselves on people. Nobody even asked for us."

"Nobody," echoed Wyn.

"Anyway," she continued, "We're gonna go laze around a nearby oasis we can make with our thoughts, since you don't seem to need anything."

by **Jaeden Kincade** on May 28th, 2011, 10:38 pm

Jaeden slowly stood up at the sister’s interruption, an amused look on his face as she went over the events that had led them to their current situation, remaining silent for the moment before her and her brother began making their way over towards an oasis. Jaeden then looked to the others of the group that had surrounded Nebitra. “Keep an eye on her. Don’t hurt or kill her.” Jaeden requested of the others before he began making his way towards the twins.

He eventually stepped up beside them, walking in pace with the as he lowered his head, looking over his bonds. “It’s not that I didn’t notice,” Jaeden said silently, looking over the sands as his feet sunk deeply into them with each step, “it’s that I didn’t want the others in the group to realize who you two were. In the reality of it all, the moment they did they would have dropped to their knees and began begging and praying for the two of you to make everything all right with the snap of your fingers…………….. Kel.”

Jaeden then slowly looked up to the sister, pausing in his steps as he faced both of them now. “I won’t say stuff like this happens to me all the time, but I’ve experienced enough to know that what you did was not of the normal magics that I’m aware of.” Jaeden said as he gave a slight shrug. “Admittedly, I haven’t experienced a wide variety of the magics out there in the world practiced by mortal users, but I don’t imagine any of them change chains into snakes within the blink of the eye. Which only leaves divine powers. I had my suspicions when it was all going down, you mentioning your brother’s name only confirmed it for me.”

Jaeden then slowly dropped his hands in front of his waist. “So, as it stands right now, our lives are in your hands, so to speak.” Jaeden said, his gaze shifting back between the twins. “I am grateful for your help, but after all that the others have been through, I wanted to keep things as calm as possible. As you know, they’ve been dragged through the desert, poisoned, malnourished and dehydrated. The fact that they have the current freedom they do right now is the only thing that has given them energy. But some of them are still likely poisoned, and we’re still in the middle of the desert with likely a finite supply of rations that might not last us for the walk to a nearby city. If they learned that a God and Goddess traveled with them, what do you suppose they would do?”

Jaeden gave a moment of silence, the question being rhetorical for the most part. “Half would likely drop to their knees, give worship and beg the two of you to return them to their families and home with your power. One or two would likely feel resentment at the two of you not having helped them out sooner, and then there would be those who would be just to awestruck or dumbfounded to do anything.” Jaeden explained, letting out a slow exhale. “Surviving out here is difficult as it is, and you’ve already helped us out of one last cause. Would you give them salvation for another if they now started begging for it? Or would it be better for them if they found a little self reliance in making their own way back home, and then paying the two of you homage and worship for the help you gave us in escaping when I do reveal to them once I know we’re all safe and alive?”

Me · by **Colombina** on June 9th, 2011, 12:19 am

“He makes some sense, Kel.”

“Shut up, Wyn. You know how I get when I don’t feel useful or appreciated.”

Where other gods were heavy on smiting and broached no challenge, KelWyn were fairly good-natured.
At the moment, the sister had to be won over. She had been itching to help this group and was antsy to do more with the narrow opportunity.

“You’ve got something right,” she announced, “We’re called meddling if we do, neglectful if we don’t. Thing is we have a list of priorities and we can only pop in where there’s a bit of faith. Not necessarily faith in us, though that’s stronger, but in our ideals.”

Wyn tried to elucidate, “We do need a dose of attention from time to time.” He looked at his sister sidelong, “Some more than others.”

Kel’s mouth was finally coming out of its knot.

“Fine, we’ll leave the oasis for a bit. If the water comes out tea flavor, I’m sorry. It’s a quirk Makutsi put in.”

She took a deep breath as she scanned Jaeden. Finally deciding something, she shouted over her shoulder at her brother, who was currently trying to shake dates from a palm.

“Wyn! Over here, we’ve got places to go.”

The brother glanced into the palm longingly before joining his sister.

“Right, hold still,” Wyn instructed Jaeden, “This will either tickle delightfully,”
“Or feel like your colon is on fire.”
“We work in chance a lot, so you never quite know.”

With little more between them, the siblings pressed their left hands together.

Between their palms, pale green light began to stretch and shake. It took the consistency of smoke, slipping out between their fingers. A wisp neared Jaeden lazily. It suddenly roared into a massive shape, a chimera of creatures and concepts too disparate to be paired by nature. The shape reared then collapsed on Jaeden. He felt a delightful tickle (someone was fortunate today) and the thing vanished in an anticlimactic puff.

“Alright, speaking of self-reliance, our time here is up,” Kel announced.
Wyn smiled, “Best of luck with the gnosis and all.”
“And a special warning for you…”
“…Beware of bow-legged women,” Wyn finished.

With a collective nod, the siblings slipped back into the Ukalas with a quick popping sound.

by **Jaeden Kincade** on July 12th, 2011, 3:06 am

As the whisp of energy wrapped around Jaeden, the sensation causing a giggle to escape his lips and Goosebumps to rise along his skin, he wondered what it was they were doing. His interaction with divine power at that point had been next to nothing. Other things, yes, the Gods, not so much. When the light had stopped, he looked over his body, seeing that image of indescribable creatures lining his the scapula of his left back, and rounding over his shoulder to his chest, the image moving slightly still as he continued to stare curiously at it.

It was the twin’s voices that brought him out of his trance then, his hands resting along his waist as the spoke their final words. Finally, a slow bow was given to the pair of them, a smirk crossing his features. “My your celestial travels be free of any sort of difficulties, and I thank both of you wholly for your assistance.” Jaeden then said as he slowly stood back up strait. “Though I must confess that I pray not to encounter another situation in which I will need such assistance again. Life is exciting enough, after all, without near death or slavery to further add to such.”

As a quick pop echoed into the air, Jaeden’s smirk remained as a chuckle escaped his lips. “Heh, bow legged women.” Jaeden muttered before his feet circled in the sand and he began to move back towards the camp.

He soon came to a crouch once again before Nebitra, his face resuming that emotionless expression and that steely gaze as he stared into her eyes. “So, where were we?” Jaeden then said, his tone still flat as he laced his fingers in front of him. “That’s right, terms. I will make this easy. Remove the magical bindings, give us the antidote to your poison . My gear I guess I can root around for and find so we can avoid being picky and overbearing, which in the long run is way more than you would give us. So, see to those first two and we can let you go. I’ll even be generous and give you enough water enough to make it to another source before you die from dehydration, though you will be on foot and leaving your weapons behind.”

by **Jaeden Kincade** on July 12th, 2011, 3:07 am

As the whisp of energy wrapped around Jaeden, the sensation causing a giggle to escape his lips and Goosebumps to rise along his skin, he wondered what it was they were doing. His interaction with divine power at that point had been next to nothing. Other things, yes, the Gods, not so much. When the light had stopped, he looked over his body, seeing that image of indescribable creatures lining his the scapula of his left back, and rounding over his shoulder to his chest, the image moving slightly still as he continued to stare curiously at it.

It was the twin’s voices that brought him out of his trance then, his hands resting along his waist as the spoke their final words. Finally, a slow bow was given to the pair of them, a smirk crossing his features. “My your celestial travels be free of any sort of difficulties, and I thank both of you wholly for your assistance.” Jaeden then said as he slowly stood back up strait. “Though I must confess that I pray not to encounter another situation in which I will need such assistance again. Life is exciting enough, after all, without near death or slavery to further add to such.”

As a quick pop echoed into the air, Jaeden’s smirk remained as a chuckle escaped his lips. “Heh, bow legged women.” Jaeden muttered before his feet circled in the sand and he began to move back towards the camp.

He soon came to a crouch once again before Nebitra, his face resuming that emotionless expression and that steely gaze as he stared into her eyes. “So, where were we?” Jaeden then said, his tone still flat as he laced his fingers in front of him. “That’s right, terms. I will make this easy. Remove the magical bindings, give us the antidote to your poison . My gear I guess I can root around for and find so we can avoid being picky and overbearing, which in the long run is way more than you would give us. So, see to those first two and we can let you go. I’ll even be generous and give you enough water enough to make it to another source before you die from dehydration, though you will be on foot and leaving your weapons behind.”

by **Colombina** on August 5th, 2011, 4:21 am

Nebitra knew luck when she saw it, other’s would call it mercy but her heart was still too hard to recognize such a thing. What Jaeden offered was a meager chance in the cruel sands, but it was a happier state then being left to the vengeance of foyshas. Would her poisons and torments be any consolation when she stood before Lhex?

“What about my sisters? If I leave them to die, I am not worth my water.”
She pointed her chin towards Seshafi and the unnamed sibling. A hungry circle surrounded them, tensely waiting for Jaeden’s word.

“With the antidote dozens of lives will be saved. You can spare me those two in exchange, yes? You are still the victor in this bargain.”

Nebitra had nothing to lose. Before her was either death or a shame that would make her wish for Dira’s company.

The Eypharian sisters sold weaker men into servitude to earn their bread, among their own this cruelty was not uncommon. Nebitra was not a single foul feeling or behavior so overcome with wretchedness to abandon her blood.

Her voice threatened to break as she continued.
“I will not leave without them. If you ever loved, you would know that there are things of more value than your own hide.”

by **Jaeden Kincade** on October 28th, 2011, 4:23 am

Jaeden’s fingers laced together, a slight frown forming across his brow. “You’re words of love ring very hollow for someone who steals lives.” Jaeden said, once again slowly standing. “Rest assured though, I am not like you. I have actually loved others than myself.”

Jaeden took a couple of steps back, allowing Nebitra to stand. “Free all of us from our bonds, give us the antidote, and you and your sisters are free to leave unscathed.” Jaeden replied, before adding, “But you will leave on foot, with no weapons, and only one skin of water.”

“That is the offer. Feel lucky that I am letting all of you keep your shirts on in it.” Jaeden then said, awaiting Nebitra’s answer.