Roadside Machinations [Callisto]

[Rhuryc]

64th Summer, 510AV
Near Syliras, Kabrin Road. Late Evening.

Clear skies. Rhuryc enjoyed such nights. The waning moon came with the fall of the sun, flanked by a blanket of speckled lights, the stars all arrayed in their glorious patterns that even the layman could appreciate. A soft, persistent summer breeze ruffled the trees of the flanking trees, leaves ruffled in a chorus not unlike that of waves crashing onto the shore. Creatures of night called and cried into the darkness, hidden as they were, nestled into their places of habitation. The world was at peace, for once. The Kabrin road drew a strange breadth of civilization within the natural landscape, spots clear that should have held foliage and fauna. Only beings of an unnatural disposition walked the dirt clearings, ones like the silhouetted form of a young man, a lone traveler that trekked the land so close to the realm of Knights, yet far enough to seem a stray, a stranger to the very city marked as home.

A walk. That was what brought him this far, a walk that seemed to know no end. How far from the gates did he tread? No matter. Clad in his usual attire of long, leather coat, dark tunic, and heavy-set boots, the man had no such place wandering the road at such an hour. While armed - for he possessed a belt with both a knife and a scabbard - the strange did not appear to be much a thread. His posture was not one that sought violence, his shoulders slouched and pace sluggish; even his hands, drawn into their respective pockets, were nowhere near that of an alert, trained combatant. For one that traveled as such there was an assured danger, almost as if he asked for conflict. His eyes, though, they remained vigil. While his thoughts were elsewhere, Rhuryc's sense of readiness rarely faulted. He was honed into the atmosphere, the subtle nuances of the background not lost upon his senses. Stealth, of course, had a strange way of bypassing even the most aware of observers.

Such proved to be the case.

With a grumble Rhuryc withdrew the blade from his hip, the scratch of iron on leather shrieking into the night air. His attention was drawn to the side of the road which he traveled, the rustle of nearby flora cause for concern. What manner of beast stalked in this night? What strange, foul creature? Once before he had encountered a queer being on such a venture, and this occasion he would not be caught off his guard. With his sword raised high, for Rhuryc had brought the blade up over his shoulder, ready to strike, he approached the bush in question, the constant rustling only growing in violence at his cant. Why did he come so close? Surely, to run would be a better course of option, but no; how could he face himself with such cowardice? As he neared Rhuryc's brow furrowed and he gathered his resolve, his last leg taken to a leap. The sword came down into the brush and his talker emerged in a glorious display of speed and dexterity. The vicious rabbit ran in utter fear. A sigh escaped his lips and Rhuryc found himself in a relaxed poise, the shoulders - which he only now noticed were tense - shifting to a relaxed state once more.

Such silliness. His blade lowered and the man glanced about the wood, a smile forming over his countenance. What strange things the wilderness did to a man.

[Callisto]

What a silly idea this was, treading through roads and wilderness in search of a suitable meditation cove. Callisto often enjoyed solitude and quiet, as then the Ethaefal could properly focus on what was more important in her existence on this world; to remember her lives as they had once been, and to learn from them and expand on her array of knowledge. She needed to work, and learn and practice, and from her experience meeting a variety of colorful people in the city, Callisto had decided on heading to the fortress of Sahova to become an apprentice. And rightly so, she believed she would learn a great deal amongst the undead… That is, if they didn’t have any troublesome plans for a person such as herself. Either way, the woman was not worried.

Leth had been reigning over the sky this night as Callisto began to make her way back to the city of Syliras. No longer did she retain the divine form bestowed upon her by Syna, but instead, a flash of shockingly white hair seemed to distinguish itself from the shadows of the forest around her. Alabaster skin was prominent here, as were her wise, turquoise eyes as they roamed every corner that surrounded her. It was a Konti, far from Mura, but she held no appearance of a damsel. Perhaps a maiden, but one that emanated aloofness and inapproachability. Of course, this didn’t stop people from pestering her from time to time, which was why her knack for ignoring others came so handy. Blocking the lesser races out was as natural as her breathing.

Now Callisto simply traveled as gracefully as was inhumanly possible (in her case), alert and yet nonchalant. She was a white on white, with her tight tunic sporting nearly the same color as her pearlescent hair, and her scales glinted under the light of Leth, but even more unusual was the horse she rode. Glo was his name, and for good reason, his coat glowed as magnificently as was possible for any creature such as he. He shone a light for them to follow along their little journey toward Syliras, comforting, like a beacon to bring calm to the darkness that threatened to envelope them. But of course, even when there is calm and quiet, someone always has to go and petch it up.

Callisto heard the racket before she even came upon the man that seemed to be about as paranoid as a squirrel surrounded by wolves. The konti kept her distance, however. It was not lost on her the dangers that traveled the road under the cover of darkness. A small smile tugged at her lips as she wrapped a slender hand around the curved hilt of her suvai. She gripped it tight as she spoke, “What is this? A bandit frightened of harmless critters? A merchant, or perhaps a fool? What say you, sir. What brings you into the woods on this fine night?”

To be quite honest, Callisto didn't know herself why she had paused to speak to this man. Perhaps curiosity was beginning to get the best of her.

[Rhuryc]

Grahalakabasonofawhat?! Such were the thoughts one, Rhuryc.

How did he not hear the horse? Hooves were loud. People were louder. In his focus the man lost his attention to detail, set as he was to defeat the vicious demon that lurked in the darkness. His pride suffered a mortal blow in the hunt, and worse yet, someone was around to witness it. He felt his cheeks burn red. The sword lowered, the angle of the blade allowed to hang just above the wilderness floor, and the wielder turned, his eyes now set upon the form of his addresser. Not what he expected. The mount? Sure, the only interest that creature held was in its own armaments. Should hostilities break, Rhuryc was sure to mark a quick, painless kill on the animal. His gaze lingered below only for a moment before it swept up the flanks to the rider herself. A Konti. Not too strange these days, it seemed. A quick examination took the woman to be one of a commanding nature, her tone expecting every facet of Rhuryc's own respect. His expression changed from one of focused observation to genuine curiosity. There was no irritation or anger from the words, instead the man appeared to be quite content now, despite his recent performance.

"Neither a bandit nor a merchant, but I do suppose fool hits quite nicely." Rhuryc's thick baritone covered more ground than it should, fit for no less than the field of battle. Before he continued his sword returned to its scabbard, the scrape of metal on leather echoing after. "A walk. I left the city in the hopes to find some kind of peace. Seems I'm not so fit for such meandering." A single hand rose to rub the back of his head, scuffling about the mass of blond that lay there. For a moment wanted to scratch his chin to, but as usual in the presence of a beautiful woman Rhuryc felt himself unable to decide on what exactly he should do with his hands. The other - the one not involved in the scratching - remained on the hilt of bastard sword, ready as ever to draw. His previous inspected included the fact that his new found companion held the same precautions.

"I didn't mean to disturb your travels, m'lady." For surely a being of such disposition warranted a station above his own. "But you've no need to worry of me."

[Callisto]

oocI'm sorry this is so incredibly late, I lost track of time!

There was a devious smile playing on Callisto’s lips as the human spoke. He seemed the type, at least from what she could detect from her position several feet away that he was a man that enjoyed the company of women, or something to that effect at least. Solitude was was a state the konti enjoyed, unless she came upon one of her own kin, then she would gladly make conversation, and converse about mostly anything in general. But now, now she had been the one to come upon this mortal. She had been the one interested in him! Not the other way around, and to be frank, it startled her. She had strayed from what was characteristic of her nature, she was taking notice, gradually of the world around her. Or perhaps she was merely being cautious.

“Just a walk,” Callisto repeated, “You’re lucky that rabbit didn’t leap at your throat. Always be aware.” The konti pressed her heel against Glo’s side, nudging him forward until she stood beside Rhuryc, glancing down at him with an expression that implied amusement. “You didn’t disturb me, I was on my way back to the city, anyway. Since you’re headed there, I suppose I could use the company. Rarely do I get the chance to converse with humans such as yourselves.”

The hand that held the suvai eased, but there were other abilities the woman was capable of, which only further added to her confidence in this chance encounter. Callisto pressed her gildling on once more, and whether or not Rhuryc chose to follow, she didn’t particularly mind. Either way, she spoke nonetheless, “What is your name, stranger? If we’re to speak so casually, I suppose we should introduce ourselves. My name is Callisto.”

[Rhuryc]

Rhuryc felt irritation replace his bashful demeanor. First she called him a bandit and now she instructed him like a student. He was half inclined to to punch the woman. No matter, the man accepted the invitation while a smooth countenance, his emotions checked behind a stoic mask. In time his grasp loosened from the blade at his hip and his arms fell to his side, content for now to drop the hushed hostilities. Better that than try to kill each other. His footfalls fell in between the shod of the horse, each clack separated by a crunch of boots on unsteady ground. What was there to say? Not only did Rhuryc find himself in the presence of yet another, beautiful woman, but she held herself in such high regard that he could feel the gap between their stations. How fitting, he mused, that she rode while he walked, like a commoner onto that of a king. With a bit of effort he pushed those thoughts aside and instead focused on the task at hand: conversation. How harrowing.

"Is there another way to speak?" He asked aloud, his thick baritone bereft of an emotional tone. The calm, directed approach to his voice was an obvious clue to his derision, but at least he was civil enough to not act on his malcontent. The idea of formal conversation was a strange one. To the blacksmith, anyway. "Rhuryc." He continued, offering no actual time for a proper response to his query. His true curiosity was directed elsewhere.

"The luck doesn't come from the rabbit," His voice lifted once more. "But rather from you. This is a fine creature," A hand came about with the observation and gave the horse's back flank a good, strong pat. Rhuryc grinned, content to abuse the animal with niceties. "I would have not enjoyed seeing to his, her? Demise." He said no such thing about Callisto.

[Callisto]

Callisto couldn't help but smirk. Rhuryc seemed so easily bothered and angered, was this what happened with most mortal men? Driven by their own desires and vexations that they wish ill upon others? What a pity. She would humor him though, and as such, she dismounted her Gildling and promptly stood beside the man, unfazed neither by the fact that he was also armed nor that he easily towered over her. The Konti gave him a sidelong glance.

"Is there something bothering you, Rhuryc? You seem rather cross, have I done something to cause this reaction?" Her visage was devoid of any expression then, as he spoke of her Gildling, who simply whinnied at the stranger, either in approval or hatred, one could only guess.

They continued to walk, unhindered, and her attention was directed to the winding road ahead.

"I think we came off on a bad start." Why did she even bother trying to rekindle a potential acquaintance? Perhaps it was far more important for the Konti to gain as many allies as she can. As many people that knew about this world far more than she. Knowledge is what she sought, but when one is sheltered from the rest of the world, knowledge did not come by so easily. "Let's start again, shall we? I come from Mura, a long ways from here. Do you live around here? Are there much dangers?" She was curious, and she supposed, seeing him without a mount and lugging himself across the road with only his weapons, she assumed he would know something.

Far off, she heard a distant rustle. Something was crawling through the darkness ahead, shielded in shadows, watching them.

[Leviathan]

There wasn't a single sound, not the slightest of evidence to foretell of the events about to occur. The first sign of any new presence nearby was a powerful brain numbing blow to Rhuryc's jaw. Whatever the object was, it moved so fast that no eyes could catch in its motion. Rhuryc, in surprise, in pain, in extreme confused water-blurred vision, would stumble to his knees, if not collapse completely. The second indicator of a presence was a light tenor voice from behind the trees nearby, chuckling in some victorious glee. It was a stone, after a few seconds, Rhuryc's vision clear enough to recognize the feeling, as well as find the smooth object, which was probably smoothed by some river, stream, or other long term life in running water. Rhuryc's face would definitely have a bright purple splotch by the time he reached Syliras. The stone however hit much too hard to have been thrown by hand. Likely a slingshot. "Ho' there travelers! What brings you around these parts?" Again the tenor voice, arrogant, sly. Whoever this person was felt sure that he had this battle, or whatever it was, already won. "Nearly lopped off me arm back there yah know. Honestly, I can't imagine what crazy of a man randomly hacks a sword at a bush."

[Rhuryc]

Rhuryc's shoulders reared back in an almost melodramatic sigh. Something was bothering him. Whether it was the Konti, her horse, or that damn rabbit he did not know, but his manner had been less than cordial. Maybe she did have some right to be upset. Or whatever she was. Their interaction was so strained to begin with that the man was incapable of getting a clear reading on his new-found companion. First impressions be damned. When Callisto dismounted her horse Rhuryc waited eyed her patiently, his gaze kept proper - on her face to say - and his hand away from the hilt of his weapon. There was no need to go starting fights where they could be avoided.

"I'm paranoid." He remarked at the woman's first line of questioning. "I've dealt with more than my share of trouble on this road before, trust is hard to come by in the black." His manner seemed to lighten, even if his tone was still cold. Rhuryc was not much for competent conversation. For one, he was terrible with small talk, and for two he did not much trust the Konti. Something just struck him the wrong way about the woman.

"And there's plenty to be- PETCH!" He roared as the stone struck his jaw. Rhuryc was not one to recoil in pain; in fact, when his adrenaline pumped it ran like a drug, dulling his senses to the point of fighting through damn near any impact. But that stone hurt. Wracked by pain, Rhuryc found himself caught between surprise and blurred vision, the dull, aching throb in his face enough to force him to a knee with one hand clutched over his cheek. The laughter and even Callisto were lost as he mind grasped the situation. An amubsh? Petchm, that hurt. Were they under attack? More pain. He had to get up. But the pain was too much. Rhuryc grit his teeth (an action that caused far more ache than it should have?) and forced himself up, if slowly, his still-flaked vision twitching to the voice that sprang up from the darkness.

He barely caught the words as they came, his mind still in a state of confusion. Nevertheless he found the wherewithal to remove his sword from its scabbard, no longer concerned with Callisto's possible loyalties. The blade rang out among the trees with the scrape of metal on leather, brandished for what was assumed to be an unavoidable battle. Or something like that. When Rhuryc opened his mouth to speak he found the pain acted as a deterrent. Instead he turned toward his assailant, brow narrowed, but he was not one to be so single minded. While he kept a vigil on the sling-wielding bastard, his eyes flicked to and fro, from one angle to the next, eying bushes, trees, even the canopy for a second part to this little ambush. Where there was one bandit, often there was another.

[Callisto]

Callisto was well aware of the brewing animosity in the human male, but it wasn’t as if the Konti took it to heart. She generally did not go out of her way to show a man that she could be kind, but she was feeling particularly generous that day, something that should be taken with caution, as Rhuryc was wise to assume. A faint smile graced her lips as she listened to Rhuryc, who seemed, for the most part, out of things to say. “The dark may hold many dangers, but it also is home to many wonders.” Callisto’s gaze settled on the inky black ahead of them, taking comfort in the dim glow of her Gildling’s pelt.

There was nothing particularly wrong with the scene. They walked in silence for a time, before the man began to speak, only to be abruptly interrupted by a loud yelp. Callisto neither flinched nor jumped, although her brow quirked at the sight of Rhuryc and the ensuing laughter that followed. “Now, now,” she chided, a slender white hand falling to rest on the hilt of her suvai, “Is that any way to greet a man properly amidst the Wilds?”

Callisto was not in the slightest bit concerned for the well-being of Rhuryc, but the stranger, she had to admit, amused her, albeit in the wrong ways. “If you will, who are you? And why have you decided to throw rocks at this poor gentleman, he certainly didn’t deserve it.” Whether she was teasing him or not was nearly impossible to discern. She was careful with her words, and even more careful with her placement between the man beside her and the man standing before them. “Will you be throwing any more stones, or can we be off on our journey back to Syliras without any more interruptions?”

[Leviathan]

The bushes rustled as Rhuryc's assailant stepped out into the dim light. The man actually wasn't so much a man as he was a boy, probably sixteen, maybe a year or two older. He was tall, certainly looked like a maturing lad, but he was still a boy. Grasped in his hand was a slingshot, the weapon that was used against Rhuryc's poor jaw (which explains well why it hurt so damn bad). He shrugged his shouldered lightly as he looked at Callisto, not bothering to so much as look at Rhuryc, let alone apologize. "What this wildlife-thrashing buffoon doesn't deserve is to be within a thousand yards of your wonderful presence M'lady! Nay, no more stones, lest this thing requires your presence further. M'lady! Let me escort you to Syliras in safety, I could not bare the thought of this pathetic boy (as if Rhuryc was a child instead of he himself) claiming such a task. My name is Harren, might I ask for yours?" The boy's language was fairly poetic, and his voice was almost musical, surely a regular swooner of the young girls. As he stepped closer to the pair, or more towards Callisto that is, he couldn't care less if Rhuryc died or not. Then he changed! "I suppose I do owe an apology. M'lady wished a different entrance of myself, so I apologize I did not introduce myself in the correct manner (not that I nearly knocked out your friend though, of course)." It had appeared so at first, but it was clearly obvious, even to the most simple minded of people, that Rhuryc was not only ignored, but blatantly disrespected by Harren.