The Edge of Madness [Sira]

by **Raif** on June 19th, 2013, 8:48 pm

1st of Summer, 513 AV

Dawn broke soft and gentle across Kalea in a manner that seemed to contradict the savage landscape. To an outsider its verdant forests nestled within imposing valleys, jagged gray rock peaks that rose above them, and endless miles of deep blue sky pock marked with white clouds would have seemed something drawn from a tale of fantasy. But to those who knew its dangers, it was only so beautiful as staring into the eyes of a viper poised to strike. A perfect habitat for a race whose ego far surpassed any obligation to common sense.

For Raif the day marked more than just the beginning of Summer. It was one of the precious few he had where his will was entirely his own, a boast only a handful of Inarta could rightfully claim. However, with trade routes opening to the rest of their world in light of recent events, a journey like never before awaited him just over the horizon of the next day.

It had filled the Endal with a restlessness he could not shake by lying in bed, mind grappling with a mixture of both excitement and concern. And so while the sky still bathed in the predawn of the coming day, Raif had fled from his aerie and walked the treacherous path to the Edge of the World to find himself standing now at its zenith a half bell later, gazing into the forested valley below.

The wind was calm enough that it only teased the loose fabric of his bryda against his calves, chest laid bare as Syna’s first rays kissed his skin. With no one climbing the Edge this early in the morning, he had the picturesque location all to his own, a treat that could have only been made better with a cup of warm tea pressed between his palms.

The chill of the morning air sent a shiver up his spine, regret for not bringing his katinu no more than an idle thought he quickly brushed to the side. To get warm outside of Wind Reach one needed a bit of creativity, and nothing seemed to suit the Endal more than a bit of aerobic exercise to get the flow of his blood steadily pumping through his veins.

Absolutely fearless of heights, Raif turned his back and bent down over the very pinnacle of the Edge and placed his fingers into areas he felt would offer the greatest purchase for his hands. Then, slowly lowering himself off onto the cliff‘s wall, he suspended his body over a sheer drop where his feet found nothing but empty space. Hundreds of feet below, jagged rock gazed thirstily up at him, waiting for one minor slip.

Comfortable that his grip was assured, the Endal began lifting his body up to where his chin crested the edge where his hands lay, then lowered his body back down. Each muscle in his upper body flexed to the task, blood rushing to warm his skin as the action became little more than slow repetition, resting and readjusting his fingers when he saw fit.

Yes, there was nothing like a little suicidal workout at the Edge of the World in the early morning bells to let you know you were alive. He just hoped there would not be any distractions.

by **Sira** on June 19th, 2013, 9:27 pm

Sira was up with the dawn, but that was nothing unusual for the eagle kelvic, who preferred to hunt in the early hours of the morning while the night time critters were still awake, and the daytime critters were just rising. She was not hunting critters that morning, however, or at least not in the traditional sense. It was the day before the big journey. Only once before had Sira left Wind Reach, and that was in pursuit of the god of birds who, for whatever his reasons were, had kidnapped Aidara. That journey had been far from pleasant, and her return to Wind Reach was as immediate as possible. The journey she would be taking the following day was a different type altogether.

Sira had never even heard of Ravok before. Supposedly it was a city in northern Sylira, a region Sira only vaguely knew of. The strangest part of the accounts involving the city of Ravok was that it was floating in the center of a lake. Sira found this hard to believe, and assumed the foreigner who told her so was lying. Even despite the beating she had given him with the flat of her talon sword for lying to her had not been enough to convince him to speak the truth. But Sira was still excited. There was a time in her life, long ago before Aidara, when she had considered traveling. Her brother, Toby, was one of the few traveling endal before the Djed Storm. He had seen much of the world, though not so much as that which the endal setting out on their trade routes after the storm would see.

None of that was on Sira's mind at that moment, however, or at least not at the forefront. The endal was hunting, and her prey was not far away. She had seen Raif leave his aerie and followed him all the way to the Edge of the World. It was actually quite convenient. There they would be alone, and Sira could talk without interruption. It was even more convenient when the endal decided to do his workout dangling off the edge of the cliff. After Raif had completed a few repetitions Sira strolled out of hiding and casually strung up her bow.

It would be a testament to Raif's physical prowess if he did not fall to his death when, after she nocked an arrow to the string and took aim, Sira released the projectile at the empty space between his two hands. The arrow embedded itself into the earth, showering Raif with dusts and small rocks. Sira was right behind it, appearing over the edge of the cliff and looking down at him. If he tried to climb back up, he would quickly find an arrow pointing at his face.

"You are Raif, correct? I am Sira. And I think you and I need to talk."

OOCOf course.. if Raif falls, that will change things drastically and Sira will have to dive after him. But that's entirely up to you.

by **Raif** on June 19th, 2013, 11:08 pm

Straining muscle was a welcome relief to the thoughts of an afflicted mind, brushed away by purpose and the inherent desire not to die. The steadily building ache in both arms and the blades of his shoulders gave Raif a sense of accomplishment, encouraging him to push himself until the sensation was absolute and he had just enough strength to pull himself back up. But as with many laid plans of men who challenged Lhex‘s design, even if this particular one just wished to pour a little warmth into his skin against the chill of the morning, things so often went awry.

The hiss of air from the arrow’s path was missed by eyes and ears which were blinded by the bank of rock his body was descending. Such that when its speared tip dug into the earth between his hands with violent surety, Raif was forced to deal with the precise moment and its aftermath. Nothing more.

First came the sharp inhale that froze his lungs in panic, followed by his left hand defying all sense of mortal logic and pulling away from his hold entirely as gravel bit into its side. Dust and pebbles also kicked over Raif’s scalp and found their way into gaping eyes that were fool enough to look up, tears drawn instantly to the skin as he instinctively tilted his chin down to escape further reprisal.

His right hand, still clinging to a thread of rock and simply refusing to let go, found that initial momentum willed his body to sway from the point where he’d lost purchase on his other side. This made it such that, as his right eye cleared itself of the debris, he was given a broad vista to gaze upon when his body naturally twisted counterclockwise.

Dira’s kiss became a difficult event not to consider as the Endal hung there for a moment, the fingers on his right hand stiffening until his knuckles became bone white. The one small saving grace he was afforded was that his legs chose not to kick out, a shift which would have otherwise unbalanced him and left a feeling of nothing more than the swift whip of air consuming him before the rocks beneath took care of the rest.

Twisting his body back around slowly, Raif was forced to reach slightly lower than the lip of the cliff he’d once held before, small but bold lines of crimson forming from where the gravel had struck him. Clawing at the impassive rock, his left hand once again found a razor thin edge which allowed him to regain his hold and some semblance of sanity. If he didn’t climb soon, however, things would once again look dire.

It was then, in looking up to the sky above him, because he simply refused to look below, that Raif noticed a hovering presence which had not been there before. Her bow was poised close by like she had planned for this event all along, no arrow drawn but nonetheless close at hand should he make a sudden move. If she’d meant to kill him, she’d missed her mark.

A sneer quickly crept onto features that had otherwise retained their look of concentration, nose wrinkling in disgust at the treachery of it all. Sira was a name that held a vague familiarity that had since been forgotten in the fabric of time. But it was less her name that concerned him than the advantage she now held. His life was within her grasp, and by the sound of her voice, she did not appear to be in a compassionate mood.

“Then you’d best make it quick!” he spat, voice trembling as he dangled there with the end of the world beneath him. ”Because if I make it up there, talking will be the last thing I’ll have interest in!”

A hollow threat that was no less filled by his ire, the taut skin about his enraged countenance shuddering. Calling Zibas crossed the Endal’s mind, but his thoughts were too chaotic at the moment to open the link required.

by **Sira** on June 20th, 2013, 6:33 pm

"Tomorrow you are going on a trade flight to Ravok," she started. If there was any hint of concern for his life in her voice, Raif would be hard pressed to notice it. His own threat was ignored. Sira had her bow, and her sword, and even if he managed to somehow disarm her, she could always shift. But.. she was not there to kill him, just to talk. "Aidara and I have been assigned to go with you. I think you know her already."

Sira glanced at the tentative hold he had on the mountainside. He could fall at any moment.. and that would be annoying. Plus she would have an angry wind eagle, and probably an angry Valintar to deal with. Not to mention she was supposed to be on good behavior. It was her first day without the collar since the incident, and she couldn't risk screwing things up by allowing him to die. Sighing, Sira lowered her bow so that he could grab hold. She doubted he actually would, though. Like most endal, herself included, he was probably too proud to accept the help of someone who had just nearly killed him.

"Why don't you climb up here. You can fight me if you want, but then we are going to talk. "

If he accepted the help, Sira would pull him up. If not, the kelvic would back away and let Raif climb up himself. Neither option would involve her nocking another arrow. She was more than willing to give him a chance to fight her if he wanted, and shooting him in the face with an arrow just would not be fair. As far as Zibas went, Sira was largely unconcerned. Like most birds of prey, he was likely out hunting for his breakfast. Sira would have been doing the same, if she hadn't had other matters to attend to.

by **Raif** on June 21st, 2013, 4:49 pm

The moment the name Aidara was spoken, Raif’s querulous disposition lightened, and then twisted into something far more depraved. Memories of the scuffle within the Unforgiving that day had continued to retain some of their savor, watching a girl plead for her life as the Endal had towered over her, contemplating whether or not to grant the wish. Now it seemed to make perfect sense why he was being ambushed, and just who Sira truly was.

With recognition came a lack of distress, though his arms still grew weaker by the moment. At least if he died, there would have been a reason, and that was all that seemed to matter to Raif. A wasted death on a fanciful flight of trying to instill some fear in him seemed a pathetic way to go, but her intentions now had motive. The Endal liked motive. It was something he could use.

The invitation to climb back up was an event he had no choice but to accept, though the bow she offered was gazed at as if it were the very last thing he wanted to wrap his hand around; the woman’s neck being at the top of that list. But instead, Raif’s fingers scraped along the surface of rock until he found a wider ledge where his weight became less of a burden.

Anchored in place as much as both rock and body would allow, it became a moment where there were only two real options left for him: fall and die, or ascend and live…at least for a while longer.

Straining each muscle within his abdomen, Raif hoisted his lower body up and lifted his right leg above his chest, bringing his spine nearly parallel with the earth below. He could feel his shifting weight altering which sets of muscles were being used, as they too joined the chorus of parts which sang for sweet relief. He largely ignored them, if not for the fact that he could feel in his gut he really only had moments before his hands gave out all together.

At the tip of the wedge shape that gave the beloved location an aesthetic appeal, Raif’s heel swung up and dug into the surface of rock, planting with such intensity that it almost shook his hands free. But now with a third grip in place, and one that was much stronger than either two combined, the Endal felt the tension in his arms relax, bending to the momentum he used to bring the rest of his body up.

It was like mounting a Wind Eagle for the first time, awkward and defeating of one’s agility given it was the first time their body had ever been asked to twist in such ways. But at least now he was safe, for the time being, a gasp of relief broadening his chest as he rose to his knees, paused, and then again to his feet on the sturdy flat surface of their mountain home.

Back turned to Sira, she could have just as easily lanced a kick anywhere along his legs that would have seen him at the mercy of the winds screaming past an unhindered descent. But she had stayed her hand thus far for reasons still eluding him, so Raif felt no immediate danger why she would wait until now. Turning around to meet with her apathetic citrine eyes, the Endal knew his body simply did not have within itself to engage her in combat. Not when she held each and every advantage.

Casually massaging some feeling back into his wrists, as though none of that which had transpired had ever taken place, Raif gazed down at his feet and noticed the arrow embedded into the ground just to his left. Her aim must have been good to make a shot like that, no more than a foot of space having separated his hands from the moment she’d let go of the string. She was good with a bow. Probably quick, too.

“Yes, I remember Aidara fondly,” he began with a cold smile while ignoring the threat he’d made earlier. “I can see now why she was so easy to defeat. You fight all her battles for her, it seems. And none too honorably, I might add.”

by **Sira** on June 21st, 2013, 5:54 pm

Sira watched as the endal worked his way across the ledge to a more favorable spot. She was not surprised at all that he had refused the bow, few Inarta would have accepted the help in that situation. It was impressive to watch him climb back up, his arms were clearly straining and he was nearly to the breaking point. Sira was almost disappointed when he did not try to fight her.. but he was smart. She was armed and ready, he was not. It would have been suicide to attack her. She laughed when he mentioned the bit about honor, though.

"Honor? I don't care about honor. I hunt to eat, I fight to kill. I am here for a reason, and honor has nothing to do with this."

Sira's golden eyes, so very eagle-like, fixed upon his. Most people of lower case could not withstand her gaze, but Sira had no doubt that Raif, or any other endal worth their feathers, would be intimidated by it. Her bow was lowered, her stance was non-aggressive, but he was right. Sira was quick.. she might not have time to fire an arrow before he attacked, but she could easily drop the bow and draw her sword.

"Aidara is a healer. Fighting and killing isn't in her nature. I am a wind eagle, and I have no problem killing."

Sira eyed Raif a bit longer. She had no idea how skilled he was, or if she could actually beat him in a fair fight. She knew very little about him. Only that according to Aidara he was crazy, and had hurt her. The physical evidence was obvious enough that it was true, and Addy wouldn't have bothered to lie if it was from some other source.

"We're going to be traveling together, camping together, hunting together, eating together. The Unforgiving is dangerous enough, but I have never been to this Ravok place, and I don't know what kind of dangers might be waiting for us there. I can't have you causing trouble for us and then we get caught off guard by Priskil knows what. If you cause trouble, if you harm Aidara again, I will kill you."

by **Raif** on June 21st, 2013, 7:05 pm

"Honor? I don't care about honor. I hunt to eat, I fight to kill.”

Almost instinctively he found himself laughing breathily, condescension dripping from his tongue as he mumbled loud enough so that she might hear, but quietly to the point where the rest of her words were not interrupted. “And you do neither now, so get on with it…”

An inattentive look befell his features, though her gaze alone left an unsettling knot tied in the pit of his stomach. They were the eyes of a natural killer, and that was not something to be idly trifled with. Upon his exterior, however, not a trace of Raif’s discomfort could be found, eyes subtly wavering with hers in a match whose purpose he could not fully ordain. He was tirelessly arrogant.

Without a sense of honor, she was as nothing to any sense of respect short of an obligatory reverence to the avian creatures his people worshipped. Not that he imagined this bothered her, but neither did it trouble his own mind. Two sides at careless odds with one another.

"I am a wind eagle, and I have no problem killing."

Zibas proved as testament to that statement, though calling herself a wind eagle in Raif’s mind begrudged her the sort of consideration one of his caste might give a Dek. To him she was a half breed, a djed infused abomination that the Inarta should more tolerate than welcome. Her very existence was as close to sin as the Endal’s puritanical beliefs went. But there was still law to be upheld, and he knew Wind Reach did not foster his same belief in that regard.

Her long and monotonous speech left him with a host of sighs followed along by the folding of his arms against his chest. He might have tapped his foot impatiently if it hadn’t been for the end, her threat to kill him narrowing his eyes in a manner that showed his disgust. It was but a mask for the unrest she naturally imposed.

He thought to call forth a bit of djed to his aid, twisting it around a raw emotion to imbue his words with something his voice alone would not accomplish so easily. But if she was a wind eagle, then her manner of thinking did not entirely reflect his human one. He’d need to pry a bit more from her before resorting to something like that.

“Doubtlessly she lied to you to play the victim, but it was not I who threw the first punch that day. Perhaps your bond is not as strong as you think, wind eagle.”

Sarcasm flooded from his mouth so freely that he could have bottled it and stored the excess for later. It was true that Raif had antagonized Aidara enough that she saw fit to strike him, but he had found the gesture more something to incite her words than draw forth an act of aggression. A way to toss her off the high eagle she so smugly rode.

He had been wrong, of course, and it all had quickly digressed from there.

by **Sira** on July 16th, 2013, 5:01 pm

In truth, what Sira said about honor was likely not entirely true. Honor was not a sentiment she had ever considered, but even Sira could not deny that she at least had pride. Raif was an insult to her pride. His every word dripped with sarcasm and arrogance.. but then again, Sira was just as arrogant, though in her own way and different from his. She did consider herself a wind eagle, but it had not always been that way. At one point in time Sira herself had doubted who she was, but it was the wind eagles themselves who decided that she was one of them. Since that day Sira had considered herself one of the eagles.

Sira could understand how Aidara could have been driven over the edge. Raif purposely insulted the kelvic, and purposely tried to bring out more anger in her. She tried her best to maintain her composure, but Sira was as fiery as any Inarta, and it was no easy feat. Anger clearly crept into her words.

"Our bond is stronger than you might think. And I don't care who threw the first punch, you and that mouth of yours are what started it. Don't cause trouble for us, or you'll regret it."

Sira almost hoped that he would say something, that he would give her a reason to prove her point. She wanted, more than anything, to give him the beating he deserved for what he did to her bondmate. But Aidara would be happy if she did. Of course.. if Raif gave her a reason, well, then she would at least have an excuse to give the healer.

OOCSorry for taking so long and coming up with only a short post. The RS life has been busy.

by **Neologism** on November 16th, 2014, 3:36 pm

Raif :

Sira :

Closed The Edge of Madness [Sira]