Silence rattled in the air; the Inarta before him had very few questions, something that surprised the Valintar. He viewed the group with raised eyebrows: faced with a potential disaster so soon after the Djed Storm of seasons past, they were uncharacteristically silent, morbid, even. But the Konti opened her mouth and addressed not just the Valintar but the group.
"No, Konti - Iosha, if I recall correctly - no reports have reached us just yet regarding any kind of tidal wave. The comet seemed to hit far out in the bay, but no build up has reached Thunder Bay just yet: and as nothing has hit thus far, I'm doubtful something will. But we must be prepared for any eventuality." As several were thinking, it was strange that the Eagles were not sent to scope out the wreckage, if any... but with those that died in the storm, the Valintar was reluctant to lose any more of that precious caste. Not when their city's survival might be threatened. Not again.
In the strange silence that followed, a rarity amongst the boisterous redheads of his city, Kaden waited, and then left, his footsteps watched by the silent and scared Inarta in the Courtyard of the Sky. He knew that he could not fail the many watchful eyes of his people. He would not lose any more of Mt. Skyinarta to the strange wonders and dangers of this world
Just a short walk past the Sanikas Gates, wide open in the Spring that swiftly approached the glory-filled and sun-warmed Summer, there lay a wide part of the road before it began to wind down the mountain through the Pass. Broken rocks and pieces of rubble littered the clearing; perhaps left over from a rockfall or from the construction of the gates long ago, but nevertheless, they added grey colour to the clearing. It was here that the Valintar of the Inarta would meet his brave adventurers, facing the unknown in a world that changed bell by bell.
Striding into the clearing at exactly the time he said he would arrive, his cloak billowing behind him in the spring sun, Kaden commanded a silent respect as soon as he arrived. He stood silently, as strong as a statue, the weight of a city resting on his back. Some of his people already lay in wait, others straggled in just past the time, but they all arrived swiftly. None were brave enough to risk the Valintar's displeasure. There were some sitting alone, others making quiet small talk, but none of the joy and revelry that usually accompanied his people was present. This was a trip of tension.
"If you are all ready," he said, his voice hardly raised but still carrying authority, "we will begin our trek down the mountain. It should not be too difficult. It is Spring and we will be taking the wide road for merchants, as some, I see, have brought their horses." He said nothing of the fact that these 'some' were all foreigners: different and apart, no matter how useful to Skyinarta they were. Kaden himself had with him his talon sword, hung from his hip, and his cloak, but nothing else. It seemed the many members of his party would come in useful. "The trip through the Pass, if all is well and we meet no unwanted events, should simply be an overnight trip. The men with me,"
he said, gesturing behind to two Dek carrying sleeping rolls for all and sundry, as well as food provisions needed, "have the provisions we need."
If there were no objections from the party, Kaden would turn and begin the long walk down the pass. He kept a swift pace, and the cobblestone of the Road slowly became less and less steep. It was proving to be a sunny day, the group having left around midmorning, Syna's rays beating down on them. Usually the light was something those in the mountain cherished: light was life, and night brought dangers. But as the group slowly, with aching feet (those with their steeds envied greatly), made their way down the Pass, they began to resent Syna. More a slave driver than a revered goddess on this hot Spring day. Nevertheless, the first few hours were smooth. Kaden was silent, the Valintar weighed with decisions and possibilities, but there was nothing to keep the party from doing whatever they needed to keep their spirits up and their hearts lively.
Oh, but it was poetic justice, the expectance from stories of epics gone by, that the group should not have such a successful trip down the Pass. The midday sun had passed, and the afternoon light was drawing to a close, when the group hit trouble. Halfway down the mountain, the group had not yet escaped the stone walls that surrounded them on all sides, cut through only by the rushing Sanikas River. And with stone cliffs and mountains came a deadly surprise: a rockfall.
The rocks had tumbled down the cliff that morning. None of the party were hurt, as they only came across the result, not the event. Boulders and rubble covered the Sanikas Road: huge boulders, not impossible to move and shift without extraneous effort, but there were tens of them. The rocks were piled high, ominously so, too high to climb for the unskilled.The Dek bringing up the rear could not help but let their shoulders sag; their backs already loaded with weight, they would become even more exhausted with the manual labour they would undoubtedly be pressed into doing. The Valintar held up a hand, his authority holding sway. Silence reigned before he spoke.
"Shyke," he muttered, and only the very closest to him would hear his curse. Even Kaden was not perfect. With the tension of what lay in weight of the group at hand, this was something he did not need to deal with. Something extra for Atlas' shoulders. Perhaps this would be what crushed his knee.
Turning to the group, he began to speak quickly, all too aware of the limited daylight hours they had: strange beasts lay in the mountains, and the tired group simply wanted to rest. "Sira," he began, barking orders, "fly over the rubble, see what lies on the other side: how thick is the fall?" Assuming the Endal obeyed his orders and shifted, he looked to the rest of the team.
"Have at it, folks." A grim smile was on his face. The first test for the team. What would lay on the other side ... and how would they get through?
.
"No, Konti - Iosha, if I recall correctly - no reports have reached us just yet regarding any kind of tidal wave. The comet seemed to hit far out in the bay, but no build up has reached Thunder Bay just yet: and as nothing has hit thus far, I'm doubtful something will. But we must be prepared for any eventuality." As several were thinking, it was strange that the Eagles were not sent to scope out the wreckage, if any... but with those that died in the storm, the Valintar was reluctant to lose any more of that precious caste. Not when their city's survival might be threatened. Not again.
In the strange silence that followed, a rarity amongst the boisterous redheads of his city, Kaden waited, and then left, his footsteps watched by the silent and scared Inarta in the Courtyard of the Sky. He knew that he could not fail the many watchful eyes of his people. He would not lose any more of Mt. Skyinarta to the strange wonders and dangers of this world
* * *
Just a short walk past the Sanikas Gates, wide open in the Spring that swiftly approached the glory-filled and sun-warmed Summer, there lay a wide part of the road before it began to wind down the mountain through the Pass. Broken rocks and pieces of rubble littered the clearing; perhaps left over from a rockfall or from the construction of the gates long ago, but nevertheless, they added grey colour to the clearing. It was here that the Valintar of the Inarta would meet his brave adventurers, facing the unknown in a world that changed bell by bell.
Striding into the clearing at exactly the time he said he would arrive, his cloak billowing behind him in the spring sun, Kaden commanded a silent respect as soon as he arrived. He stood silently, as strong as a statue, the weight of a city resting on his back. Some of his people already lay in wait, others straggled in just past the time, but they all arrived swiftly. None were brave enough to risk the Valintar's displeasure. There were some sitting alone, others making quiet small talk, but none of the joy and revelry that usually accompanied his people was present. This was a trip of tension.
"If you are all ready," he said, his voice hardly raised but still carrying authority, "we will begin our trek down the mountain. It should not be too difficult. It is Spring and we will be taking the wide road for merchants, as some, I see, have brought their horses." He said nothing of the fact that these 'some' were all foreigners: different and apart, no matter how useful to Skyinarta they were. Kaden himself had with him his talon sword, hung from his hip, and his cloak, but nothing else. It seemed the many members of his party would come in useful. "The trip through the Pass, if all is well and we meet no unwanted events, should simply be an overnight trip. The men with me,"
he said, gesturing behind to two Dek carrying sleeping rolls for all and sundry, as well as food provisions needed, "have the provisions we need."
If there were no objections from the party, Kaden would turn and begin the long walk down the pass. He kept a swift pace, and the cobblestone of the Road slowly became less and less steep. It was proving to be a sunny day, the group having left around midmorning, Syna's rays beating down on them. Usually the light was something those in the mountain cherished: light was life, and night brought dangers. But as the group slowly, with aching feet (those with their steeds envied greatly), made their way down the Pass, they began to resent Syna. More a slave driver than a revered goddess on this hot Spring day. Nevertheless, the first few hours were smooth. Kaden was silent, the Valintar weighed with decisions and possibilities, but there was nothing to keep the party from doing whatever they needed to keep their spirits up and their hearts lively.
Oh, but it was poetic justice, the expectance from stories of epics gone by, that the group should not have such a successful trip down the Pass. The midday sun had passed, and the afternoon light was drawing to a close, when the group hit trouble. Halfway down the mountain, the group had not yet escaped the stone walls that surrounded them on all sides, cut through only by the rushing Sanikas River. And with stone cliffs and mountains came a deadly surprise: a rockfall.
The rocks had tumbled down the cliff that morning. None of the party were hurt, as they only came across the result, not the event. Boulders and rubble covered the Sanikas Road: huge boulders, not impossible to move and shift without extraneous effort, but there were tens of them. The rocks were piled high, ominously so, too high to climb for the unskilled.The Dek bringing up the rear could not help but let their shoulders sag; their backs already loaded with weight, they would become even more exhausted with the manual labour they would undoubtedly be pressed into doing. The Valintar held up a hand, his authority holding sway. Silence reigned before he spoke.
"Shyke," he muttered, and only the very closest to him would hear his curse. Even Kaden was not perfect. With the tension of what lay in weight of the group at hand, this was something he did not need to deal with. Something extra for Atlas' shoulders. Perhaps this would be what crushed his knee.
Turning to the group, he began to speak quickly, all too aware of the limited daylight hours they had: strange beasts lay in the mountains, and the tired group simply wanted to rest. "Sira," he began, barking orders, "fly over the rubble, see what lies on the other side: how thick is the fall?" Assuming the Endal obeyed his orders and shifted, he looked to the rest of the team.
"Have at it, folks." A grim smile was on his face. The first test for the team. What would lay on the other side ... and how would they get through?
.
