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Post by Licht on Aug 24, 2016 2:28:41 GMT
Daeus sighs but nods at Lucia. He didn't understand her sometimes. They would be at a tactical advantage if only he were captured and she were following with the stealth power, ready to cut him free and they make their escape. And Vulira... he glanced at the fox lady curiously. Wait, was she... trying to flirt with bird dudeface? Daeus couldn't tell and that made it all the more amusing. Regardless, he wasn't sure at all where Vulira came from, but he was sure he didn't want her captured because of them.
Daeus agrees "Alright, we'll go peacefully, but like she said, you keep it civil and we keep it civil." He placed his arm on the ground, seemingly to push himself up into a standing position. Only the two closest to him, Lucia and Vulira, are close enough to see him pull at his own shadow on the ground. A piece of shadow seems to magically pull away, which he quickly folds into his fist as he stands and holds out both fists in front of him, looking like he is in a submitting.
"Right then, we'll be headed towards a camp where we'll meet with others." Hawin affirms, pointing to the north. Two other shifters come up and secure their wrists together with rope, tying it to themselves. Notably Vulira is bound less securely than the others, who also seem to stare. It's clear they seem to think she's one of them and are feeling awkward about having to treat her the same way. (Or in Hawin's case, Hawkward)
Hawin leads the way as they walk beside the stream. The two who bound them hold onto ropes attached to Lucia and Daeus, but they let Vulira walk on her own. The remaining 5 Shifters keep a perimeter, bows still out and watching both their captives and the forest surroundings as if worried about an ambush. The woman with bat ears walks in the back, watching. At some point she has pulled out a needle and thread and seems to be... sewing perhaps? She is doing something arts and crafty while they are walking.
They are led upstream for several miles, crossing a well worn path with fresh wagon tracks once. Vulira might wonder if a wagon or wagons on this path could be the other noise she heard when first arriving here. Eventually the smell of smoke and noise of people in the distance catch their attention, and they see signs of a village or camp ahead.
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Post by Vulira on Aug 24, 2016 3:01:29 GMT
Vulira took pains not to double take at Daeus collecting a piece of shadow. That seems more mystical than technical, to me.. she thought, bemused. She really hoped whatever he was doing wouldn't get them in trouble. She didn't think she could, or even necessarily should, protect them if they did something stupid.
Vulira was totally unconcerned with the ropes around her wrist, but she wasn't happy about Daeus and Lucia being treated differently from her. As they walked without incident, the fur on her tail slowly calmed, and her ears gradually lifted. She noticed the caution and unrest of their 'escort', and her ears began swiveling around slowly, listening for whatever had them on edge.
As they drew closer to their apparent destination, Vulira suppressed the automatic questioning of where they were going. Here, the answer would be totally meaningless. She had no idea where she was, so none of the town names were likely to mean anything to her.
Then Vulira remembered that Daeus had been having trouble with the oxygen levels earlier. They'd been walking for quite a while nonstop, and he was supposed to be taking it easy. She changed her pace to fall in step with him. She looked at him with concern apparent on her face.
"How's your head? Are you having any trouble breathing, now?" she asked softly, "Do you need some water? I can turn to the side so you can reach my waterskin if you need it," she offered.
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Post by Licht on Aug 24, 2016 4:05:03 GMT
Daeus looked surprised at the concern from Vulira. "Um, I'm fine thanks." He stammers awkwardly as they walk. After a moment he adds "I've lived through a lot worse, honestly. So Ixmael be damned before I'll let a reaction to some fresh air, or whatever's going on get the best of me."
Hawin swivels abruptly and stares at Daeus for a few seconds when he mentions the name, though he says nothing before turning back to the front and murmuring something about arriving shortly. Vulira's medical skill helps her to see at a glance that Daeus is accurate, his body has healed through some serious stress from what she can tell, though she's still not sure if whatever's going on is as simple as a reaction to fresh air or what have you.
Thinking on it, Daeus turns and asks "Yeah if you wouldn't mind, could I get some water? If that's alright with our hosts?" He raises an eyebrow at the nearest Shifter, who rolls his eyes but makes no motion to stop him. Daeus turns and leans toward Vulira. While he is reaching for the waterskin he whispers, barely a breath "look down"
At first Vulira might not notice what she's looking for, but then as they walk she sees it. Wherever Daeus' left boot steps. The shadow of a rock, then a root, then a leaf. It's so strange and faint you can't catch it unless you're watching the ground near his left foot. He's blurring the shadows. Forming words. A message, repeated over and over.
I... don't... think... they'll... hurt... you.... but.... if... they... try... something... I'll... free... you... and... be... distraction... run... for... it...
Their guards seem too busy watching the surrounding woods to take note. Daeus appears to be concentrating while he is delivering the message, almost meditative.
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Post by Vulira on Aug 24, 2016 4:22:43 GMT
Vulira found herself fascinated yet again. Such an interesting world!
She waited for Daeus to come out of his apparent trance and caught his eye. She shook her head slightly and reached out as if to pat his hand comfortingly. As she did, she carefully changed the density of just her fingers so that they passed through his hand a little. Changing just part of herself like that took extra effort and concentration, and she rarely did it. Then she withdrew, smiling slightly, hoping he got the point, and turned so he could hook the waterskin back on her belt when he was done.
Vulira reflected on the fact that Daeus was willing to risk his own freedom and life to protect her, and wondered about it. It seemed odd for a stranger to be so willing to do that, especially since it seemed apparent that the people here were generally assuming her to be a native. He could've turned on me the moment this band of warriors showed up, assuming I was in on it, but he didn't. I hope I successfully conveyed to him that I'm cooperating entirely by choice and not because I'm 'trapped'. I don't need or want him to take risks to 'free' me or protect me when it would be totally unnecessary. Vulira decided all signs pointed to Daeus being a genuinely good man, who was largely a victim of circumstance. 'Orders', they said. I guess that makes them military, since it's usually military that encourages such strict blindness when following orders. They obviously weren't given the freedom to make creative choices to accomplish their objective. But it looks like they're going to have to be creative now, and maybe I can help with that.
"What should we expect when we arrive, Hawin?" Vulira asked after a moment.
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Post by Taliyah on Aug 24, 2016 18:11:03 GMT
A lot of different things were going through Lucia's mind as they walked, and she kept a keen eye on their surroundings, so that she could remember them. Depending on how things went they might need to find their way back here.
Lucia also kept an eye on their escorts memorizing their features, what kind of shifter they were, and any other details she could gather. Information is power in it's own right,and could help them later. She was also mulling over how to explain who they were without causing conflict. Her eyes wandered to Daeus and she could tell he was doing something, though she couldn't tell what it was.
She was glad that they seemed to trust Vulira more, and felt relieved when she asked the question they had all been thinking, and was curious about how Hawin would answer.
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Post by Licht on Aug 25, 2016 20:19:41 GMT
As Lucia is watching, the bat-eared Shifter woman is definitely weaving something. Some kind of doll? It seems like a suspiciously out of place time for anything like it. The others seem jumpy and keep eyeing them with a mixture of curiosity and fear.
Daeus tried hard not to stare at Vulira's hand. What in Krilia had he just felt? Well, or wherever this place was, he forgot the name. Was that magic? No, it seemed more like a power activating. Specifically it seemed like a phasing power activating. But that shouldn't be possible even if she did have a Core she wasn't telling about... the person who had the 'Density' Core was...
Daeus bit his lip as he thought worriedly about this and continued to walk on.
Hawin turns and gestures to a small tribal settlement as they clear the trees. Tent dwellings dot the landscape around a central bonfire. It seems to be a small hunting type society to Vulira. More people walk about, including civilians and children from the look of them. They are going about their business of tanning hides, cooking, weaving baskets, though they do pause to stare for a moment at the procession heading towards the largest tent. The children that are nearby stop playing, and one runs over, pointing at Vulira's fox ears and tail. She concentrates for a moment, then manifests a bushy squirrel tail before she runs off giggling. They seem like a friendly sort of people to her.
"We obviously cannot trust those we are not sure about with the location of Dusk Glade" He looks at Vulira and clarifies "Our main city. However, this camp will suffice while we wait for the man above me, Kayin, to join us. We'll sort out what to do with..." He spares a dark glance for Daeus and Lucia "the three of you once he's here."
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Post by Vulira on Aug 25, 2016 21:05:31 GMT
"We're waiting for him? For how long? Are we to remain bound the whole time?" Vulira asked. She tried to keep her dissatisfaction with his answer out of her voice, but her tail twitched sharply from side to side a few times. She didn't feel like he'd really answered her question about what to expect, and she wasn't sure if it was intentional. She also didn't really like that they hadn't been told what their transgressions were. She expected it was trespassing, but she couldn't help but wonder if the true crime was simply that Daeus and Lucia were 'technists', whatever that was supposed to mean.
Vulira noticed the fear of the warriors around them and wondered about it. Have Daeus and Lucia's people visited these people before, with bad intentions? I really hope this isn't like that one dimension where a few somewhat more advanced cultures from one continent exterminated the less advanced cultures on another continent based largely on skin color. That world was not very demon-friendly! Though I guess I do like how later in their history, they started making a point of telling the people they apprehended for crimes what their rights were. That kind of speech would've been very informative in this situation right now. Vulira thought grimly.
Vulira was vaguely uncomfortable with the stares of the tribesmen. She wasn't really a fan of being the center of attention. She started to feel self conscious, and her steps faltered a bit.
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Post by Taliyah on Aug 26, 2016 18:45:36 GMT
Lucia felt slightly better when they arrived in the settlement. This place couldn't be too bad of a place for them to be give the civilians. She took note of their surroundings again, and the everyday tasks the people were performing, and the children playing. When she spoke her voice was soft. "This seems like a peaceful place."
All the while she was listening to Hawin speak. "I understand the precaution. When will Kayin be here?"
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Post by Licht on Aug 26, 2016 19:59:55 GMT
"He should arrive shortly." Hawin addressed Lucia's and Vulira's questions simply without revealing more. He ordered most of his men to make sure the perimeter of the village was secure, then turned to them. "Take those two into the tent and make sure they try nothing." They realized he was referring to the bat Shifter woman, who promptly paused her crafting and took the ropes for Daeus and Lucia, leading them into the largest of the tents.
Once they were out of sight, Hawin turned and removed the ropes from Vulira. "We must take precautions," he offered apologetically, without really explaining himself "I hope that things will be sorted out without problems. Feel free to look around the village if you would like while we wait, just please do not leave my line of sight if you would." He offers a half smile to Vulira. He clearly seems to be a bit of a gruff individual, but is trying to be courteous on some level at least.
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Post by Vulira on Aug 26, 2016 20:26:03 GMT
Vulira looked at Hawin with an expression of mingled confusion and concern. "It seems pretty clear that you dislike those two," she nodded towards the tent where Daeus and Lucia had been taken, "and it seems to me to go beyond the issue of trespassing. Why is that? And what is most likely going to happen to them? I mean, what are you expecting will happen?"
Vulira struggled to keep up with facts versus assumptions. She was having trouble putting together the pieces to get a rough picture of what this world was like. She was also very worried that a misstep by either party could end up in bloodshed, or worse, full-scale war. If Daeus and Lucia are military and here on orders, and these people harm them or go as far as executing them, then their land might retaliate. I guess that depends on how expendable Daeus and Lucia are to their government, and how eager that government is to find an excuse to start a war. I don't want to assume they're aggressive, though... maybe the reason they were told not to get approval from the local government was because they didn't want to interfere with the natural development of this other culture. But... that's not what my instincts are telling me.
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Post by Taliyah on Aug 27, 2016 16:36:04 GMT
Lucia went where she was told without saying a word, but she was seething a bit on the inside. She couldn't help wonder what had happened to make Hawin dislike them so much beyond them being in the area, because she had definitely never seen him before. That combined with the slang term for residents from Krilia make her ponder over how many krilians he'd met, and what his experiences had been.
Once in the tent she glanced at Deaus trying to gauge how she was doing. The damn fox ran in front of her and she tensed but didn't say anything.
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Post by Licht on Aug 27, 2016 18:12:47 GMT
The fox pauses and stares at Lucia a moment, as if expectantly. When the bat shifter steps close to the area the fox is in, it simply vanishes without a trace. Once they are inside the tent, the bat woman drops the ropes and points at mats on the ground at the far end. "Sit," she commands, then immediately goes back to weaving her dolls out of straw and cloth. She is staring at the companions in an eerie way as she does so.
Daeus stared at the woman for a moment before complying, flopping onto a mat with a huff. When Lucia is close to him, he turns toward her so his back is to their guard, then pulls at the shadows on the ground behind him, communicating with her in the same way he had done with Vulira, hoping she remembered them practicing this and didn't get freaked out by it this time.
The shadows form: Was... this... really... the... best... plan... ?... Do... you... think... fox... is... safe... ?...
Meanwhile outside, Hawin gives pause at Vulira's questions. "I do not know what connection you have to them, but... they are at best spies, at worst kidnappers or murderers. We can ill afford to not take every precaution. The fact you do not know about their kind would suggest you are innocent of their crimes, and I hope we find such to be true." He paused, taking in Vulira's ears and tail. It seems he wants to ask something but is not wanting to say it.
"I know you are not from these woods. One of the cities perchance? Are you simply a traveller or... were you by chance looking for us?" He says this as if it the answer he is expecting.
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Post by Vulira on Aug 27, 2016 18:35:41 GMT
Vulira wasn't fully satisfied with Hawin's answers. Spies, she could believe, but kidnappers? Murderers? She doubted that. It didn't jive with how they had treated her. And nothing he said indicated what would happen to them if they were found 'guilty' of crimes here. She wasn't sure if he was being intentionally evasive about that part or not.
"If you're talking about me with the kidnapping part, I assure you, that's not the case. I have no connection to them prior to today. I happened upon them, and they treated me kindly. I very much doubt they are murderers or anything so extreme! They could have turned on me, assuming I set them up for your ambush, but they did not. They showed quite a bit of concern for my safety when they had little reason to. I believe they are good people," Vulira said earnestly.
She pulled her tail around in front of her and began plucking at the silvery tip while she considered what to say next.
"I'm not from any nearby cities; definitely a traveler. It's possible I was looking for you. I don't actually know. I was... brought here... by..." she paused after fumbling, searching for how to describe it, unsure of what kind of higher beings this world believed in, "...some unknown being of great power. I was told I needed to help, but I wasn't told how." She looked at Hawin. "So it's possible I was meant to find you, but I didn't set out to do so, as I didn't know about you." She looked down and fidgeted with her tail again.
"It probably sounds hard to believe..." she said hesitantly.
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Post by Licht on Aug 28, 2016 19:31:48 GMT
Hawin starts to say something about the kidnapping statement, but pauses when Vulira reveals she had no connection to Daeus and Lucia prior to today. "If that is the case, this is happy news indeed." He listens to her statement about their intentions and replies "I do not mistrust your judgement of others, but whether they have personally committed these crimes or not, they are doubtless part of the same force that has. I am uncertain of what will happen to them, but I'm sure if they are innocent as you say they will be treated fairly, just..." He does not continue the train of thought but listens as Vulira explains her travels.
His eyes grow wide. "You were set my a trial by one of the gods?! Why didn't you say so? This may well be the entire reason you ran into those two, or it could perhaps explain our meeting, mayhaps you finding them allowed us to find them before their kind damages our world further! Of course, this all depends on who it is we're dealing with. If it is a trickster like Galvian, then that is another matter entirely, and of course there are some who may have darker motives but still. Do you know which set you on your quest?"
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Post by Vulira on Aug 28, 2016 19:47:25 GMT
Vulira's head spun at the sudden onslaught of enthusiasm. "Whoa!" she said, dropping her tail and putting up her hands. "Don't forget to breathe!" she said in a weak attempt at humor.
"I don't know who sent me... I don't even know if they were male or female or something else. They communicated via chalk on a slate," she explained with a rueful shrug. Her expression turned serious and she met Hawin's gaze squarely. "If I was fated to meet those two, and you, then there's a reason for it, right? If that's the case, then I think it's probably because of my... unique perspective," she said solemnly.
"The way you talk about Daeus and Lucia... referring to them as 'their kind', and judging them as guilty on the merits of their birth rather than their actions... that's wrong. You know that, right? A fair society lays down judgements based on evidence. If your only 'evidence' is their birth, well, that's not evidence at all. That's bigotry, pure and simple." Vulira gave Hawin a hard look.
"Have your people never faced such things? Have you never been persecuted for your birth? For just being what you are? Would you really do that to others, now that you have the upper hand?" she challenged.
Then suddenly something Hawin said penetrated Vulira's awareness, and she did a double take. "Wait, did you say, damage your world? What does that mean, exactly?" she asked, not wanting to jump to conclusions.
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Post by Licht on Aug 30, 2016 7:04:01 GMT
A few things begin to click for Vulira as she thinks on what she has seen and heard in her brief time in this world, drawing from her experience with moving through dimensions. The disparency between Daeus and Lucia and these people, the odd feeling she got when she met them, some of the things that had been said. A lot more would make sense if those two were like her, dimensional travelers in some way. She remembers some things Hawin has said and can take a guess that this runs more along the lines of crimes that other people from Lucia and Daeus' world might have committed here in this one if this is indeed the case. (SA)
Hawin listens calmly as he is berated by Vulira. When she asks her question he nods as if that settled something. "So you really don't know anything about the technists, well... their kind after all. Know that I am not at liberty to divulge details to you myself but I am certain when sir Kayin arrives he will be able-"
The man is cut off at a popping sound and a puff of greenish scroll appears over his shoulder as a scroll materializes from thin air. He catches the parchment instantly and glances at the seal. "Forgive me, I must attend to this." Before he walks off, he tells her "I wish that the peculiar method of communication whatever deity spoke to you used was more of a clue to me, but I am sure when current matters are more settled someone will be able to help you make heads or tails of that." With that he walks off to another part of the village leaving Vulira to her thoughts.
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Post by Taliyah on Aug 30, 2016 7:25:17 GMT
Lucia leaned down as if to adjust her boot, after sitting and responded back as they had practiced. It was the best way to avoid conflict and hopefully we can learn more. They seem to trust her, more than us anyway. If things go south we'll go from there, and get her out of here. I think she's safe for now.
She kept an eye on their captor, watching her weave. Were the dolls a hobby or did they serve another purpose?
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Post by Vulira on Aug 30, 2016 9:56:43 GMT
Vulira sighed, feeling a bit frustrated, and rubbed her temples. Nothing is ever easy, is it? Ever. Then again, she didn't really know what she'd expected to happen. It's not like she thought Hawin would just declare himself enlightened and run in the tent and free Daeus and Lucia! Even if he'd been so inclined, there were rules and procedures to follow. But even so, Vulira got the impression that he was blowing her off as just ignorant of the situation. The fearful always find a way to justify how they treat what they fear.
She paced around for a minute or two, trying to organize her thoughts and decide what to do next. Talk to some of the other locals and hope they are more forthcoming? I'm afraid I won't convincingly pass for one of their own if pressed too closely or if I ask the wrong questions. Until I know what kinds of demons this world has, if any, I can't really reveal my true nature. But I can't just ask about demons, because that would either be common knowledge or totally unknown! She also couldn't be sure if the bias against Daeus and Lucia extended to other offworlders as well. If they have limited experience with extra-dimensional visitors, there may be an unhealthy dose of global xenophobia at play... I mean, assuming my hunch about that is right, anyway.
Vulira stopped pacing and looked at the tent where Daeus and Lucia were being kept. No one had actually said she wasn't allowed in there, but the fact that they'd been separated kind of implied it. Plus, going inside any tent would be out of Hawin's line of sight. Not that she was sure she was actually still in his line of sight since he walked off, but still.
Not for the first time, Vulira found herself wishing she was more typical of her species. There was nothing keeping her here other than her own sense of responsibility. And guilt, don't forget guilt. They might well have avoided capture if not for me, especially since cooperating was my idea. She hated feeling paralyzed by indecision like this. She wasn't usually alone in new worlds, though! Her ears drooped a bit as she found herself missing Hallow; it had always been at least the two of them, hopping from world to world.
Vulira took a deep breath and tried to pull herself together. She pushed back the tent flap and poked her head in. If I'm not all the way in, I'm not out of sight! she reasoned. She noticed the bat woman first, making dolls while on guard duty. Vulira found that vaguely unsettling and hoped it wasn't for substitution magic. Then she saw Daeus and Lucia where they were sitting, seemingly unharmed, and slowly let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, relieved.
"Are you guys alright?" she asked anyway, "I'm not coming in, and I won't stay long," she added, looking at their guard, tone slightly wry. A bat's a good choice for a guard. Her hearing is better than mine, I'm sure! Definitely no open conversations in here, even quietly. "I just wanted to make sure everything was... alright... with everyone..." she said awkwardly. She peered around the tent, getting a sense of the layout and looking for any openings, no matter how small, in case she had to sneak in, or out, at a later time.
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Post by Taliyah on Sept 2, 2016 16:50:40 GMT
"As of now Vulira I think we're alright. Are you?" Lucia had a rueful expression on her face.
"Sorry to get you involved in all this. It would seem that meeting us has brought you trouble. Hopefully this will be resolved quickly, and without conflict." She gritted her teeth as her core caused a pulse to run up her leg again. That was not a pleasant sensation in the slightest.
Lucia glanced again at the guard. "I like the dolls you're making. Is it a hobby you've had for long?" She kept her tone light and pleasant.
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Post by Licht on Sept 2, 2016 17:49:18 GMT
Daeus was surprised to see Vulira but pleased that they were obviously trusting her to some degree. If these people turned out anything like he was expecting that only made it all the more easy for her to get out of harm's way. He and Lucia would be able to handle themselves, he was sure.
"Think everything's okay here. You?" Daeus said quietly in Vulira's direction.
Deija straightened her back as the traitor peered in the tent and was speaking to the murderers. Her skin crawled all the more when one of them, the woman, started speaking to her. Did they really think she would be that easy to drop her guard and catch her unawares? "It's not just a hobby Technist." Her tone is completely dripping with venom in contrast to Lucia's pleasant one. "As you'll find out if you don't behave yourself until the leader gets here. I'd execute you monsters myself if it wasn't for his orders!"
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