Days 278-297, Year 437
A fish, on the end of Rondar's pike, still glimmers in the red light of the plane surrounding you, its red rock yielding only to the great clockwork machine's axe and the fresh torrents unleashed from some distant lake, one increasing in its distance as your guide stubbornly insists following the giant's canals downstream, to what he has only called "the exit, for some". Rondar has been a guide in only a loose sense — aside from how best to prepare perch, he has maintained silence; sleeping, mostly, but always aware of the course of the river. It has been deep and steady, as if the entire plane were on a downhill slope, dumping those at its mercy to some more desolate rock.
The fish have been plentiful, enough so that you have stayed satisfied with Rondar's fumbling attempts at meals accented by curses in an unrecognizable tongue. The fish, also, have been the only comfort to find on the plane — hell, if Rondar were to label it, and if another man were to have seen its endless nights and crimson glow and walked its dry sandstone, there is not a trace of their passing.
When asked once of other travelers, the old guide gazed long into the black sky, and when his thoughts returned to the question, he muttered, "ne'er a lord but Lokos, we were hardly travelers but lost, like you sires. If he still collects dust in your world, then perhaps there is hope for you yet."
Today, however, Rondar has a look of anticipation in his eye as he cleans his pike, an energy not yet seen from the timeless relic that has shepherded you for what seems to have been days. Your companions linger about the boat, barely leaving space for gear as they attempt to keep from becoming too weary, occasionally stretching or attempting to skewer the unfortunate fish wandering too close.
Everyone is jostled alert, however, by the scraping of the boat against the shore — the first time it has made landfall since you set out on your journey. Rondar stands tall, now, of a height one would not think possible having seen his lazy hunched form at the bow, his straining to keep from stiffening in the tight riverboat. The river stretches out to the horizon ahead of you, yet Rondar has already thrown one of the lighter packs ashore, meeting only miles more featureless rock. He gracefully hops onto land, guide-oar and pike still by his side, barely disturbing the boat. He seems expectant as he stares at you.
Kevkul leaves the boat taking all of his belongings. |
Aidyn asks, "So why did we stop here!? This looks exactly the same as everything else," staying in the boat and waiting for an answer. |
Zairyn gets out of the boat, expecting the barbarian to take his belongings out like a common slave. Looking around, he too sees nothing of worth and nods his head at Aidyn's inquiry. "You better not be hustling us, old man," he says with a growl, moving his hand meaningfully to the hilt of his sword. |
The old man looks over Zairyn dismissively, but otherwise pays the threat no attention. "Stay in the boat, if you so wish, but it will do you none. The fates spend little time with the idle." He looks at Aidyn amusedly. "Unless, of course, you enjoy the water more than your heritage would suggest."
Not expecting a reply, however, Rondar immediately continues, turning and walking away from the bank. "Come. From here on we walk, and then my journey will be at an end."
Kevkul, silent as usual, follows Rondar while constantly thinking of the Magical Tiger he wants so badly. |
"Well, Aidyn doesn't care what we do. If we're walking, we're walking. Aidyn just thought... Well, Aidyn doesn't know what he thought. Aidyn's just got to find Solammand'Ra! And since Aidyn's map doesn't even have this land on it Aidyn suspects he should listen to ol' Rondar." Aidyn gets out of the boat and starts to follow Rondar. |
For hours, the old man leads you on, pausing occasionally, seemingly to navigate the endless red rock with barely a landmark to break the monotony. The air and the rock are hot under an unseen sun, and the memory of flowing water already seems distant. The guide is silent, leaving only a coarse remark from Zairyn or Aidyn's friendly banter to keep the area from seeming entirely desolate.
It is due to these hours that at first, the party does not spot the Imperial, laying sprawled on the waste, face up to the red sky. At first, even Rondar seems surprised, although he only barely shows it, and but for a moment. He approaches the man without caution.
Aidyn seeming to hear a strange voice from somewhere distant goes up to the Imperial and kicks him. |
Kevkul, seeing Aidyn kick the Imperial, rushes over to the Imperial to help out. |
Zairyn's eyes narrow as he recognizes the buffoon laying around as an Imperial, though whether or not he's a soldier remains to be seen. Showing more caution than the rest of his comrades, he draws his sword before slowly approaching the still-being-kicked Imperial, not sure if he simply enjoys being kicked or is knocked out. Whatever the case may be, Zairyn thinks, I won't be caught off guard this time! |
Khonsu rolls over onto his hands and knees, glaring at Aidyn. He turns to Kevkul, approaching from the side. "If you're here for a fight, you'd better wait a moment for the rest of my party. You'll find a few of them more anxious to brawl than me." Khonsu rises and brushes himself off calmly. Turning to Aidyn, Khonsu asks "Do you by chance know the way to the nearest road?" |
Aidyn stops kicking the Imperial. Confused at the Imperial's question Aidyn raises an eyebrow. "The rest of your party!? There's nobody here but us!" |
Zairyn clears his throat, thoroughly irritated at being ignored by the Imperial. "There aren't any roads, but I know of a great river you can swim in," he growls, a small grin appearing on his face. I should write that one down for later, Zairyn thinks to himself. |
Kevkul says, "I don't want to fight! I'm just trying to help out my buddy over here! By the way, do you know happen to know of any magical tigers?" |
"Magical tigers?" Khonsu stares at Kevkul. "Hm, yes, I may have an idea of what you're looking for. Sounds familiar anyway. Where are my manners?" Khonsu brushes the dust off his clothes. "I haven't given you all a chance to introduce yourselves." He turns and bows at Zairyn. "Please go ahead, sir." |
Ignoring the Imperial idiot, Zairyn turns to Rondar. "I thought you said you hadn't seen *anyone* except us in ages? So where'd this doofus come from? The Doommarch just happened to swallow both us and him in the span of a few days?" Zairyn's eyes narrow as he glances back at Khonsu, still in the midst of bowing profusely for some unfathomable reason. He moves in closer to Rondar and whispers, "Are you sure this isn't some demonic trick? Shouldn't we dispatch him now?" |
"Oh, I bet you know where there are magic tigers. Probably the same place you Imperials are keeping my Solammand'Ra!" Aidyn takes his map out and shows it to the Imperial. "Now what one of these places is he being held!?" He then draws his sword and holds it to the Khonsu's neck. "Well!?" |
Kevkul says, "Sweet! Really? Hey guys, I don't think we should be too hard on him. I mean he knows about the Magical Tigers! Maybe if we're nice to him he'll show us where they are." Kevkul looks very excited, which is strange since he usually isn't even talking. |
Aidyn, still holding his sword to Khonsu's neck, looks towards Zairyn, then looks back to Kevkul. "Do we really strike you as the nice type!?" |
No sooner than a moment after the words left Aidyn's mouth, Khonsu strikes the Strange One in the wrist, disarming him and snatching the sword from the air in one fluid motion. Aidyn, slightly taken aback, growls a curse in a tongue understood by none — "krryrfarn!" — and within a moment the encounter has defused itself, the lost rogue returning a blade, calmly, as the party relaxes slightly. Rondar, leaning against his pike, speaks as if distracted by the empty.
"No, no roads, lest you follow the path of wandering clocks... You are fortunate we found you."
Rondar tosses a dagger, floating through the air end over end, to Khonsu who, slightly confused, plucks it from the air.
"I hope to not regret this gift, or at least live past the day I do. Come. We have little time to waste, and if your party still fills their lungs with air, they do not have long alone." He pauses, for a moment.
"I would abandon hope now, however. I am Rondar, and it apparently has been longer than I imagined since I last set foot on your world."
Zairyn raises an eyebrow at Rondar, surprised at his overly trusting gesture. Had he finally lost his marbles? "You will almost certainly regret it, old man," Zairyn says, shaking his head. Turning to Khonsu, he says derisively, "And if your companions are anything like YOU, they're probably long dead. Probably sticky goo in the cogs of one of those... things." Not trusting the now-armed Imperial, Zairyn waits for him to start moving ahead of the party. "After you, wretch." |
Aidyn places his sword back in the sheath. He turns to look at Khonsu. His eyes light up like embers but quickly fade out. He then turns his attention to his map, which ended up on the ground during the confrontation, and places it back in his pack. |
Khonsu twirls the dagger a few times, then sheathes it at his side. "I humbly accept your invitation! Since we're traveling together, we may as well forget my party. 'fraid I made them up. Sorry." |
Kevkul starts to walk behind Rondar in deep thought... about the tigers, and about the new party member. |
>_