A Day in the Life [Miharu]

[Crush]

34th Day of Spring, 510 AV Resupply and rest were things not so easily found in Alvadas. The City of Illusions was a fickle place, full of twists and turns as its God saw fit. Ionu was not an evil God, if anything he was as true neutral as one could be. He simply sees the joy in his works and believes that everyone else should as well. Unfortunately, this could be completely frustrating for those simply wanting to find a bed to sleep in and a hot bath to wash away all the strains. As Miharu turned to wander down the street, she was able to take stock of everything that was happening. Not all of it could be explained. Alvadas itself appeared like most modern cities on Mizahar. The houses appeared to be relatively simple constructions and there was nothing that really stood out about them. But the water that ran a few inches deep around her ankles was utterly strange. It seemed to flow through the houses rather than around or under them yet it felt completely real. On a street corner ahead of her she could even see a haggard middle-aged gentleman drinking from the water. As Miharu continued to explore, she came across a sight that would look completely out of place anywhere else, even in the dusty halls of Sahova where magic ran ripe and free. Usually, it was the horse that pulled the cart. That was simply how it worked. But this sight was different and yet nobody around her gave it a second glance. It was a human, tethered to a cart driven by a horse. Riding in the back of the cart, sat two small fur trees, giggling like schoolgirls as they passed by the Kelvic. As the cart cleared the Kelvic’s view, a large tavern, which may or may not have been there before seemed to call out to her. Even odder was the fact that this tavern bore the name, The Wolf’s Cave. Surely, a perfect spot for a Kelvic.

[Miharu Mindi]

By the time poor Miharu found the inn, she was nearly stiff with panic. There was a horse riding in a cart and it had trees that laughed. This wasn't simply a matter of different cultures or something - this entire city was unnatural, and if she ever again saw the ship captain who'd conveniently forgotten to share this information, she was determined to rip his throat out.

She'd been simply standing in the middle of the road, boots foolishly in her hands and tears in her eyes, when the tavern finally made itself known. The girl wasted no time - she sprinted towards it, terrified suddenly that this was just a mirage, and would vanish when her fingertips brushed the doorknob. And so she closed her eyes as she slammed through the door at full speed and sort of tumbled into the tavern, shoving the door closed behind her and leaning against it as if she were being chased by some monster and this room was her refuge. She panted a moment, fighting down her panic, before finally opening her eyes to see if this really was a tavern, or if she'd been tricked into a slaver's pen or something.

[Crush]

The Wolf’s Cave is one of the three competing taverns in Alvadas. Each one of the Inns provides and promotes its services to a different type of patron. The Wolf’s Cave is none to promote towards Kelvics, Symenestra, Zith and other races that are more at home with a wilder type feel to their lodgings. The main communal area of the inn was effectively a large cave complex. In the very centre of the room was a large fire pit, which kept the place warm despite the cold undercurrents provided by the cave and its inherent dampness. Scattered around the spacious cavern were large, round, flat-topped boulders vaguely reminiscent of tables. Fur covered stools littered the room and provided comfortable perches for many of its patrons. The General Atmosphere of the Wolf’s Cave is that of an ambient neutral. It tends to attract a good balance of the jovial and the moody and is generally a good place to rest for a few days. It tends to be about as normal as most things get in Alvadas. The Inn itself bustled with life as it normally did. A pleasant hum of conversation hung in the air like a bad smell. A woman slightly taller than Miharu with jet-black hair and strangely familiar golden eyes asked, “What can I get you, miss?”

[Miharu Mindi]

Miharu stared around her, not quite understanding how she'd gone through a door and ended up in a cave. But it was better than being on the street.

Her gaze snapped to the woman who spoke to her, a little wild, and considering that this was Alvadas it was likely that the barmaid had seen that look before.

"Um," she said, carefully licking her lips. "Is this... I was just looking to stop for the night on my way south. I don't really... I've not gone mad, have I?" she asked suddenly, as if that were a real possibility.

[Crush]

The raven-haired woman giggled like a school girl at Miharu as she tried to work out what in the world was happening to her. “Sit down, I’ll get you some water and explain,” the woman smiled and gestured to the stools closest to the bar. Miharu received some stares from the various patients. Most appeared to be human of some descriptions as the bar lived up to its reputation of housing many Kelvics. It was clear that at least one was sizing her up as she caught his particularly enthralled gaze. The woman pulled up a stool placing a wooden goblet of water in front of Miharu along with a small piece of fresh meat on a similarly wooden plate. “Eat, drink. On the house if you want a… room,” she smiled sweetly at Miharu before continuing. “I’m Alanis, one of the pack that runs this Inn,” she let Miharu introducing herself before continuing. “Most people are aware of the Alvad charms before they arrive here. My guess is that you haven’t.”

[Miharu Mindi]

Miharu followed Alanis to the bar - though when she saw the man giving her the eye, she bared her teeth and growled lowly at him, enough terror still in her eyes to make her fierce and a little unpredictable.

"A room, yes," she said as she slid into the seat, keeping her pack balanced on her knees in case anyone got an idea to try and steal her things. "I am Miharu, of... of Taldera," she said, though the hesitation said she likely didn't consider herself from there anymore.

The meat was snatched up and wolfed down quickly, though more for the taste of something familiar and innocuous than because she was hungry. She was hungry, but that little bit of meat wouldn't satisfy her, and she had supplies in her pack. "No," she said, swallowing and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "No, I hired with a ship from Syliras. I am traveling to Falyndar, and this seemed like a better choice than sailing from Riverfall. I didn't... the man who booked my passage didn't tell me," she said lowly, and made the decision right then and there that if she ever saw a man from that ship again, she would eat his heart. Slowly. "What... what is this place?" she asked, picking up the mug of water and taking a careful sip.

[Crush]

“Miharu,” Alanis tested the word on her tongue before responding to the woman’s words. The Kelvic listened intently to what she had to say. Almost as if she was an old friend that Miharu had not seen in a long time. “Well, Miharu, a room we can get you so long as you can pay. As much as I would like to take the wanders in off the street, we have a business to run,” Alanis was sincere but her loyalty to her pack was clear and she would not fail them. “This place is The Wolf’s Cave,” she proclaimed proudly. “It’s a place specifically for people like us, Kelvics. Kelvics are quite liked here. In more ways than one.” She gestured briefly over to the man that was still eying Miharu. “Alvadas is the City of Illusions. Home of the god, Ionu and his followers. Nothing here is what it appears to be. Everything you touch, smell, see, hear could all be fake or real. Acceptance is far easier than questioning.” “Why would you want to travel to Falyndar? Surely staying here would be better. It takes a while to get used to but it is enjoyable. Nothing is ever the same.”

[Miharu Mindi]

Miharu glanced to the man again, and felt some crawling suspicion close her throat at the way he looked at her.

She glanced back at Alanis and shook her head vehemently, and then thought better of her manners, hackles still up, and cleared her throat. "I'm sure it's... a very nice place for you," she said carefully, staring down into her water cup and wondering if she was actually drinking it or if this were an illusion too. Everything could be fake? She couldn't force her brain to comprehend it, so instead she simply did as Alanis suggested - she didn't question it, accepted that she was here and that was that, and went about doing her best to ensure that didn't last. "Ahem. Very nice for you, but I prefer knowing that everything I touch and see is real. I find the unchanging ways of the world a comfort," she said, and hadn't really understood the truth of that until she spoke it aloud.

"I have a little coin," she continued, only half a lie since she knew she'd a lot of coin compared to some, but she'd had a good hunt this winter. "How much for a night's stay, and directions out of this city?"

[Cadence]

Alanis clucked her tongue in mock disapproval, her eyes crinkling at the edges as she observed Miharu’s obvious discomfort. “Yes, yes, so many vie for reality. You never know how much you miss it until it’s gone.” A wistful shadow passed across the woman’s eyes and for a moment it seemed as if she was going to say more. But the moment passed and Alanis was back to talking business. “One silver miza for a night, unless you’d like the luxury suite?” the woman said in what sounded like a cross between a statement and a question. “As for directions out of the city… I’m afraid that may prove to be difficult. You see, Miharu, the streets of Alvadas evolve all the time. If you walked out the door right now, you would not be in the same place as where you have entered. Take a few more steps and you’re next to a house that was previously miles away.” “But we can arrange for someone to guide you. Perhaps someone who knows the ways of Alvadas…” She appeared to be deep in thought for a chime, probably reviewing a list of possible guides in her mind. “Barry!” she suddenly exclaimed, her lips breaking out into a delighted smile. “I’m sure Barry would be happy to show you to the gates. He’ll be waiting for you in the morning when you’ve had a good night’s rest.” “You can pay me now if you have the mizas and take the first room down that hall,” Alanis added, pointing to the leftmost tunnel where six heavy wooden doors were set into one rock wall. She fished around in a large pocket of her dress and produced a crudely-made metal key, which she held out to Miharu.

[Miharu Mindi]

Miharu gave an audible sigh of relief to find that it could all be worked out - and she dug into her pack until she got a good grip on the right coin and pulled it out. "For the room," she said, pressing the gold miza to the bartop, "and enough fresh meat to fill me up, if you'd be so kind as to send it to my room. Whatever's left is yours," she said with a grateful smile.

She lifted her pale finger from the coin and reached for the key, simultaneously slididng off the barstool and slinging her pack over one shoulder. She gave a quick glance around to be sure no one was going to give her any trouble, and slid towards the hallway and the relative safety of her (possibly only perceived) room.

* * *

Not long after dawn, the pale girl emerged from her room, honey-gold hair braided back out of her face and her pack fitted on her shoulders once more. Her shapeless dress looked just as disheveled as it always did, though she had her specially-made belt around her waist and the little dagger buckled to it. Golden eyes swept the room in search of this Barry person, more than ready to be quit of this place.