Searching for comfort [Satu]

[Sorian]

Day 4 Spring, 510 AV Verdant, lush and filled with all manner of exotic danger, the forests of the wildlands has become quite a nasty home for the vagabond Akalak Sorian, with its powerful monsters and poisonous plants. Many times he had gone hungry in his search for food, and hunting has been a rather poor exercise for him. When seen by hunters he became the hunted, not wanting to kill or injure them despite Navis' prodding for him to at least put up a fight. Forced to live underneath trees and inside abandoned Pre-Valterrian ruins, he had become even paler than he was before, and many injuries lined his once clear complexion. He was also nursing a very serious, recent wound--a deep crater in his abdomen inflicted by a massive Balicani, one which he was able to injure severely, yet was unable to kill. If he were to chance upon another one, he doubted his chances of survival very much. Yet despite his hardships, he couldn't find it in himself to return to Sanctuary and face Kavala yet. Nor can he simply travel to Taloba to search for Mao, a feat which would probably kill him in his state. He didn't know where to go, or who to run to, and he didn't know what to do either. He had retreated from civilization to make his peace with Navis, his tormentor and his inescapable half, to find peace within himself, to do Kavala's words justice. He simply hasn't found it yet. And frankly, it was starting to become a rather vain adventure for him. That day he hasn't found anything to make his existence a bit more happy than it was, and his fresh wound was hounding him to take cover somewhere safe. Unfortunately there was nothing good to be seen anywhere, just the endless canopies of trees and shrubs, and the cawing of birds in the distance. Even the sky was overcast, threatening to pour a thunderous rain down on him. Silently he wished what he wanted to find could be found soon.

[Satu]

Drainira was long gone, and Satu was far away from the cave in which she had been left by the Golem. She walked through the trees like an apparition, removed from the cares of the daily world. Nothing mattered but this curious feeling in her mind that she could not place. She had not felt it before Opportunity, this feelings of ‘differentness’. How strange that it had settled in her mind to distract her. Even here, in the forest, she walked unaware of the dangers that surrounded her. The plants and animals, and even the terror of the slavers held no concern for her. Satu walked with the luck of the crazy or the skill of the mad, and somehow managed, without thought to avoid the darker denizens of the Wildlands. But luck could only hold out so long… Packed earth under her feet, she continued on the small deer path, paying no mind to the noises that she made. Often flowers or spider webs snagged her attention for long periods of time. But small twitches running along her neck always returned her to the present. A leaf slowly fluttered down from the branches above to land upon her blouse. Satu followed its path, staring as it collided with her body. Carefully, as if she did not wish to soil her shirt, she plucked it from the fabric to set it free once more. But the carefulness was wasted; the garment was as blood stained as the rest of her clothes. Danna’s blood and the guard’s blood. Mixed together, where one began and the other ended, the Konti could not know. Her clothes refused to dry, so coated were they with the bodily fluid. It matted her hair, and streaked her face. A thin crust had formed on her hands, and in the creases it had dried and now flaked away. If she had paid attention, she would have noticed her wrists were still raw and hurting, and bruises turned black over her legs and arms. Also her disheveled hair was knotted badly at the back of her head. But the suvai at her side had been wiped clean, becoming the only pristine thing about her. Satu surprisingly though, carried herself with grace of a Konti who had not known tragic Heartbreak. With this regal composure, even in the light of how her outward appearance looked, she still appeared to be the same as she once had. But it was a lie, one she truly believed. She spied him, through the trees. An Akalak! His color gave him away and she was drawn to him as she was to the flowers and the air. She took no care to hide herself and her approach was not silent, even with her delicate footsteps. But it was his emotions that caused her to pause where she stood, Pain. Confusion. Desire. “I know what you are…” she said, without inflection, eyes sliding sideways to look at him and his wounds while thunder rolled somewhere in the distance.

[Sorian]

While his senses had been impaired by his pain, Satu's words were loud enough for him to pick up from the wind, and he turned his head quickly, eyes filled with agony and apprehension looking back into her own misery-laden soul. His face was a mash of many mixed emotions, the heartseer would have been able to tell instantly without even using her divine gifts from Avalis. And then there is the darkness in his soul, the balancing force of aggressiveness and confidence to his docile meekness, one he dreaded for anyone to see, for it had been the end of many countless souls. Gentle as he was, he was bordering on dropping into the void of Navis' control. It wasn't the dark half's time yet, for while it was overcast and lingering on breaking out in a deadly storm, it was still high noon. Perhaps it was the reason why he was still the one Satu found. Navis was being fair yet, but maybe, just maybe, if the Konti interested him... Blue eyes quietly broke down into a sad look as he gazed upon the regal form of the warrioress. "Please... Stay... Away..." he implored her with a struggling voice as he staggered away himself, not even knowing if it was for his own safety or hers. He was extremely vulnerable, and trusting anything or anyone to spare him death in the treacherous woods would make him as good as dead already. His feet crunched into the fresh brown soil and the leaves of the forest floor, but they were slow and unhinged, making him look like he was either drunk or passing out slowly but surely. He probably wouldn't even survive a thunderstorm out in the open. If he manages to catch a cold or an infection it would be the end of him. And for some odd reason, he couldn't bring himself to trust the glint in Satu's eye when she spied him; he missed Kavala that very instant, her tact, her wit, especially her care. Would this one be different? The same? It deluded him very easily, and he didn't care enough to find out. All he wanted was to get away, and what a pathetic sight he must have made. What could have the Konti seen in his giant heart, filled with such pain and torment? If she were to take advantage of him he surely would fold. Whatever it is she wished to do, even Navis couldn't have been able to resist her in their body's desperate state, whether it is her skill with the tongue, or by the bane of her blade.

[Satu]

The Akalak staggered away from her. “Stay away?” Satu repeated, not understanding the meaning behind the words. To the suvai fighter’s eyes, his footsteps were slow and unsure; there was no balance in them. Distrust! That was what his Heart radiated! Flashing with suspicion, the HeartSeer’s emotions silently matched the Akalak’s, and Satu began not to trust as well. He was hiding something! He felt weak. Weak! Not only physically, but mentally as well; there was a Gentleness to the Akalak that agitated her spirit. She had been gentle once, she had been trusting. She had been a Fool! No longer! The weak should follow the strong. That was what Drainira said. Satu frowned, a little crease forming between her brows, and took a step, then two after him. His emotions! There were so many at once! Her Heart was immediately inundated by the confusion of them all. She stared, as one emotion began to stand out prominently among the multitude. Agony! It flared as he moved and breathed, and the wound that caused it was ugly. How differently Satu saw the world now. The severity of the man’s injury did not even register in her distorted thoughts the way it would have in the past. Not understanding what the man needed, she appeared uncaring. Like a child who hurts another without thought, Satu assumed all would be well at a later time. Even with his Agony beating at her Heart, she forgot his pain and dismissed the injury, as if they were on an idyllic picnic and she had thought of a topic better suited for discussion. In truth, Satu was probably still in shock herself from the events of her recent past. “I have heard stories of the Akalak men. It is said that none can best you on the field of battle. It is said that you are mighty warriors.” She studied him carefully to see if he would speak Truth, “Are you this kind of warrior? For I can not feel it in you… Was it once there?” Satu pointed at the large, ragged hole in his abdomen, as if his courage had fallen out upon receiving the injury. She knew of his kind, all Konti women knew of Akalak men and the possible children such a pairing could bring. But this man did not fit the telling of those men. This one seemed almost… wretched. Perhaps Satu thought, he might be in some way inferior to his brethren? The wind picked up, blowing her hair with its small gusts. And she felt it again! The Hidden Thing! As his emotions flickered, her blue eyes widened as she felt the briefest touch of feeling that was not Weak or Vulnerable, but Strong and sure. The Akalak covered and protected it. Like a secret... From her! “You hide something!” Satu accused, inner resolve growing in intensity, “Something that is Stronger than you…”

[Sorian]

Sorian's face contorted into a mash of his pain, his apprehension, and now something else as he listened to Satu - an anger that was superseded by dismay. He stopped his struggling movements and began to turn around slowly, fighting to stand straight as if daring himself to ignore the pain and wanting her to say more. He stared at the HeartSeer with a very disturbed and confused expression, not knowing what kind of woman she was, or what she intended to do with him. The gaping wound stopped bleeding as his muscles bristled at her, heaved and convulsed and pressed tighter against his skin, showing that even in his wounded state he was still in possession of some measure of strength. "What... Do you... Want from me... Konti?" His breathing was haggard, and his words came out almost without air, dried and cold. She was staring at him with searching eyes, roving eyes that explored every bit of him, investigating and assessing him as if he was ripe for the taking. For some reason she even seemed to read through him; she even mentioned that he was hiding something strong. Did she mean Navis? Was Navis really that much stronger than he is? They were both halves of the same soul, it was unfair of her to consider him weaker. It was his time to roam; the sun had not set, and the trees still shone, even though they shook mightily against the threats of the storm to pass. "I... Do not... Want to... Hurt you. Stay... Away!" Yet he no longer budged. If she was to stay away, it was she who should walk away. His lungs was swept by the fierce wind, and bouts of cough made him tremble and fall to his knees. The rain was going to fall soon, and he had to make it to safety. But the woman was all too unnerving for him to even think about that at the moment.

[Satu]

The sky altered rapidly, clear blue giving way to heavy, ominous clouds. With her weather sensitivity, the Konti knew this would be no gentle rain; it would be a torrential storm. Already darker, the temperature continued to drop. She needed shelter. Her mind recalled that not far behind, she had passed an immense hollowed out rock. It was too small to be considered a cave, but it did host an overhang and would offer a crude refuge from the deluge that was soon to come. Satu frowned. She did not trust him! And if she did not trust him, how could she leave him when he might follow her path? Her misgivings intensified and her frown deepened. The Akalak had not answered her questions. The Akalak refused! And now he rose to his full height, almost a good foot taller than she, and much heavier. He threatened her! In self-defense, her hands drew the gleaming suvai. But between the Pain and Apprehension that radiated from him, flashes of Anger appeared also. Satu straightened, drawn in by the man’s Anger, as if she listened to an ancient song no one else could hear. It was beautifully powerful! The HeartSeer willed it to build and strengthen, and she almost cried out when the Akalak allowed Dismay to conquer it. In response to his carelessness, her temper grew. He taunted her with glimpses of inner strength, but all he would openly show her was his Weaknesses! During her stay at Opportunity too many heartbreaking emotions had beleaguered her fragile Heart and sensitive mind. Now free, Satu wished never again for those sorrowful feelings to touch her. She craved Strong and Powerful emotions like a drug. To live vicariously through another’s feelings was in essence, an attempt to build up her own poor Heart to what it once had been. Kill him now! Her mind shouted. He is weak! He is injured, so like a wounded animal. He will bite you if you do not do it. He should not live this way… It would be a kindness... But Satu’s HeartSense hesitated. The Strength and Anger she had felt stayed her hand. Was there more power within him? She must find out! The suvai lowered slightly, Satu raised her own voice, liltingly beautiful, yet full of wrath. “You have nothing I desire!” The Konti scoffed, though it was a lie. She studied him, blinking. Had she been mistaken? Where was the strength she had seen earlier? Unless… unless he tried to trick her! “But then, you hide it still! Why do you hide what is within you? That which is strong?” She asked again, as she watched him fall to his knees, trembling. “You say you don’t want to hurt me,” her grip on the white bones tightened. “But you would try… if you were whole. Do you fear I would take your treasure from you?” she questioned, not understanding the nature of what he truly held within. Was it even possible? Could she make that strength her own? Drainira had wanted her eyes – Memories flooded the Konti and with thoughts of the Golem, Satu’s head twitched twice. Satu would protect herself… as she had protected herself from Danna’s traitorous ways. She would be the meek one no longer! The trees shook and Satu’s clothes whipped about her in the fiercely, blowing wind. The Konti was not hurt, but covered in blood as she was, she was a strange sight. In the stormy light her naturally pale, innocent expression took on an almost ghostly glow. “Now you will come with me… Unless you wish my help to end your misery? I would not have you follow me unannounced.” She told the Akalak. “You must be watched, until it is decided if you are Strong enough to live…” And almost amiably she added, “Do not worry, it is not far.”

[Sorian]

Sorian's apprehensive face finally bristled with rage when Satu declared that he was to follow her, as if he had no say in the matter at all. He couldn't take why the woman was so hell-bent on torturing, questioning and egging him to give her something as if he owed her anything at all. But thinking it through more closely, he decided that he was more intrigued than angry; looking at Satu, he saw someone who was probably in even more mental pain than he was, as if she was conflicting her own desires with what she thought to be a necessity. It all resonated very eagerly from him, and his heart beat in heaving tones of such convoluted emotions for her to feel. His eyes darkened in readiness when she drew the shining blade from its scabbard; the normally docile and humble Akalak had been drawn towards the more negative emotions that Satu struggled with deep within herself, and as soon as he had finished coughing up blood, he glared at her with frustration and defiance, though his words were one that caved in to her whims. "Fine... Konti witch! I'll... Follow you." She called Navis a treasure, something which agitated him and made him twitch; even Navis tossed and turned deep inside his mind, begging for a crack at Satu, but Sorian merely shook his head and screamed inwardly for him to bid himself silent. This woman had called him weak, and he was determined to show her otherwise, even though there was a distinctive hole in his confidence that the seer would easily be able to see. "Go... Lead the way. Let us... Be done with... This whim... Of yours!"

[Satu]

Her gaze traveled upwards, through branches and leaves tossed about by the wind. The sky was dark and the rain threatened to start soon. As she looked skyward in wonder at the approaching storm, the hard lines about her face relaxed into something soft, and delicate. But the Akalak spoke then, breaking the spell of nature and Satu whirled back towards him irately. Her expression changed rapidly and any trace of the innocent Konti from Mura disappeared. Without pity or concern, she watched as he coughed up blood before her. “NO!” She shrieked at him with much more force than necessary. “You will not follow me! I will not have your treacherous blue Weaknesses behind me!” Then smoothing her blood encrusted hair about her head, she added more calmly, “You shall lead today…Though it would be more fitting should you be the Follower. The shelter is that way, through the trees, on the little deer path.” With a lift of her chin, Satu indicated the direction she wanted the man to go. And still the HeartSeer searched his Heart, it was a complicated and elaborate thing. Even reading it was difficult. Every emotion transformed into something else... Rage, Pain, Curiosity, Curiosity? Agitation. She felt them all, and one by one they touched her Heart and her mind. Agitation and its prickly shell stayed with her, as it was the most recent emotion she felt from the Akalak. “This whim, keeps you alive, Akalak.” She said, deadly serious, “You do not help by holding your secrets tightly. Go now, the path is there! If you have the fortitude.” And the thunder rolled overhead as she watched his confidence waver.

[Sorian]

He was going to roar in his quickly building tension and frustration, but instead held it into a quiet grumble. Sorian did not protest, nor did he run away, even though it would have been hard to imagine the konti having his prowess when it came to running. Following the arrogant and insensitive direction of her chin, he cast one faithless, threatening look at her before he went down the trail, breathing haggardly every step of the way. As he moved about, fearing that his intestines would spill with even the slightest jerk he made, he slowly looked back and cast a few calm words of wonder on the apparition of beauty behind him. "I wonder... You're the first... Konti I've... Encountered who... Seems to be cruel. At least to... Others." Without looking back to hear her answer him, he burst forward for a bit, trying to gauge if he'd be able to flee if he tried hard enough at all. The wound proved to be too great, and he somehow felt cornered; he had no recourse but to follow her--or lead her--as she pleased. He was like a condemned man seeking mercy from the executioner on the way to the block. Soon enough he saw the shelter, and with one last push, fell down on his back inside, just before the rain came. His eyes rolled down to look at Satu standing before him at the mouth of the cave, like a menacing ghost about to haunt him knowingly. "Damn it, Navis..." He breathed hoarsely, great beads of sweat marking how stressed he was as he spoke to himself. "She wants you... But I will... Not give her, nor you... The pleasure of... Meeting. Not... While I can... Help it. Not today. Its... My turn."

[Satu]

A grimace of disgust crossed Satu’s face as she followed in the wake of the Akalak’s Fear. He cradled his gapping midsection and she could hear his labored breath coming in gasps. “He thinks me Cruel...” The Konti snorted uncharacteristically. Speaking loudly, he was sure to hear her voice, though she spoke only to herself. “He is the Cruel one! I have done nothing. Nothing! Yet he lies, and keeps secrets, and threatens…” The man started forward at a faster pace and Satu watched his attempt to run. Unconcerned, she followed at her own pace, catching up to him without effort. Had he been able to run farther or faster, it was very likely the Konti would not have pursued him, being unable yet keep a focus for any length of time. As it was, her quiet footsteps fell softly behind his labored, larger ones. And his Pain beat at her, never stopping, Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. The HeartSeer walked to the rhythm of it. Satu felt no fear of him. He was of great size, yet there was naught in his Heart to make her tremble. Once he was inside the shelter, she watched him fall to the ground in exhaustion as the rains came. A smile crept upon her face as she threw in her pack, then stood just outside the edge of the covering, embracing the wetness of the falling waters as it dripped down on her to splash outwardly around her. She was Konti. And water was life, water was healing. Laviku! Water Father, you are missed! Water was her natural element; she let it run down her body and clothes in rivulets, over her hair, and face, and breasts. Tiny streams ran down her arms to drip from her fingertips. The dark red colors of what had once been the life blood of two separate people now pooled at her feet at the rock entrance. “I think you will tire soon.” She said dripping, but visibly pleased, whether from the thought of his exhaustion, or the blessed rain, it was hard to tell. “I wonder what will happen then…?” She questioned, turning to get some firewood, if there was any to be found that was still dry.