Whispers In The New World //CyanideDisaster & Lotherio//

There was a soft chuckle from Olar at Y’sanne’e suggestion that she would loose much sleep for the other two, but he didn’t comment other than a silent nod at her shifts. That being decided, he left them at the fire; Y’sanne to sleep and the other two to talk or whatever it was they were doing. He headed out into the darkness to find a good vantage point and make ready for his watch.

Back in the camp, Ramoli too settled down, taking his portion of meat from the fire. In pondering the question Naelan proposed. “I imagine a great many mysteries will be uncovered in Toronto. This one of their centers of civilization from before their ascension into heaven, perhaps we will find information on how to survive better in this world of theirs. For myself, I am hoping to find tomes of magic that tell us of their alchemical practices that we may better understand the magic of this world.”

In a silent moment after he said this, he turned to look where Naelan sat and offered then, “I mean no offense when I say this, but I am curious why the Human magics continue to work in this world they abandoned. Perhaps this is why the gods of old have forsaken us since our arrival. There may be clues there explaining why we cannot return to our world.” More quietly still, “I do not mean to return us, I seek to survive in this world. The Humans left much behind for us and I find it rather, fascinating.”

Y'sanne half saluted as she crawled into the darkness of the tarp overhang. She took no food fro m the fire, waiting til her first shift to take what she wanted. Unlike Naelan, Y'sanne had meat on her bones, so she could stand a day without food and be just fine, where as the taller, much thinner woman required pampering like a pet.

Said woman smiled over at Ramoli as she picked at the food offered. "From what I've recovered though, I don't believe the humans could use alchemy. I've read things on it, but they always have one thing in common. There is a 'fiction' label somewhere on it, as if it were a story!" She was excited again, his question didn't offend her, hell she wanted to talk about. So, waving her hand at him dismissively she got comfortable to explain. "The magic that the Humans left when they ascended still work because of the fact that they are not driven by inwards, the way our old magic was. I mean... any Human could use the magics, because they were not magical before their ascension, just the devices they created."

Naelan smiled again, before shrugging. "At least that is my theory, Taero would call me a liar and a whore or something equally wrong at that. He believes what most do; Humans were powerful beings that were blessed and given magic, then finally they outgrew their world and ascended with the one they called "God"." Naelan snorted, "But that is just straight silly."

Shaking his head, Ramoli seemed in agreement that it was just silly. “That raises curious questions. We know ourselves that some do not feel the ebb and flow of magic as once before, it raises curious concerns for the alchemist you know. It forces us to concentrate on elements that may be combined to advantageous affect knowing some of the kaluwa are no longer capable of working inwardly as once before. More that, when we do work magic, we must accommodate the individual most likely to use it now so that we may optimize the potential of the magic. Either it is made for those still in tune with magic and we use little supplies or we make it for the kaluwa that have lost that potential and we consume more supplies than necessary if it is to work properly.”

As if he need to explain it, but he looked more at Naelan than, in the light of the fire, “I am curious, if you are not so sure they outgrew the world and ascended to be with their one God, what may have come of the Humans?” It was a serious question, he amended his thoughts on the topic as they were talking quietly, “Taero is a fool if he would insist you are a liar and a whore. One cannot make a standard of thought and faith, even in alchemy we know one may arrive at the same solution by following different patterns of elements.” It was meant as a compliment, but still came out sounding intellectual perhaps, Ramoli could not help himself in that regard.

From his perch, Olar could overhear the discussion, he snorted and hoped they would just go to be soon. He was far enough from them that he could hear the noises of the night, but he would probably be more effective at watch if they would just retire. Instead, he sat in his own thoughts of what their journey might bring to them, listening to the insects and reptiles of the night as the serenaded one another. That was a good thing, if they were active, it meant there were few or no predators in their vicinity.

Naelan listened along, but she would admit to being a little lost if asked. Instead she put on her game face and nodded, humming in the right spots. "I do believe that they out grew the world, sorry for the confusion. I just mean that I don't believe they were magical, like we originally were." She chuckled a little, offering a gentle smile. "But is that not faith? The words of humans say that when one does not believe in what you believe, you are the worst of the worst."

A slight shrug was all she could offer. "Taero thinks we should follow in the human's footsteps, perhaps even try to mimic how they lived. Where as I believe we should build on them, and like you said, arrive to the same answer; ascension. Only perhaps in a different manner."

If any of the other three could read minds, they would know that Y'sanne was laying in the cover of darkness, sprouting curses mentally at how loud the two were. Half tempted to throw a stick at them and scream 'quiet down!' Instead she just groaned and covered her head with her hands, tightly screwing her eyes closed and praying to the old gods for sleep to come.

//Short! Sorry!//

CyanideDisaster said:

Naelan listened along, but she would admit to being a little lost if asked. Instead she put on her game face and nodded, humming in the right spots. "I do believe that they out grew the world, sorry for the confusion. I just mean that I don't believe they were magical, like we originally were." She chuckled a little, offering a gentle smile. "But is that not faith? The words of humans say that when one does not believe in what you believe, you are the worst of the worst."

A slight shrug was all she could offer. "Taero thinks we should follow in the human's footsteps, perhaps even try to mimic how they lived. Where as I believe we should build on them, and like you said, arrive to the same answer; ascension. Only perhaps in a different manner."

If any of the other three could read minds, they would know that Y'sanne was laying in the cover of darkness, sprouting curses mentally at how loud the two were. Half tempted to throw a stick at them and scream 'quiet down!' Instead she just groaned and covered her head with her hands, tightly screwing her eyes closed and praying to the old gods for sleep to come.

//Short! Sorry!//

Click to expand...

//You're good, don't apologize //

Ramoli was certain he agreed with her principles of philosophy, or more appropriately in her case, faith. However, the concept of ascension may not have been at the forefront of his thoughts, for in some instances he believed alchemy and magic was merely the tool of the Kaluwa to assert dominance over their dominions. Between her eyes, he as well concentrated on the fire, slowly dying as the food was cooked and had been eaten. There was a thud in the fire, where one branch had burnt to charcoal such that the weight of the branch above it cause it to collapse. Embers scattered lightly like lightning bugs on the winds of autumn.

“I find an intrigue in your belief Naelan,” he admitted cautiously, “But perhaps I do not fully share your faith. I admit this to you that we may better understand one another, for the success of our voyage.” Then he rose and was in the process of grabbing another piece of wood for the fire.

At that moment, Olar called out from the darkness above, “No more wood, either talk in the dark or retire.” It was a whisper, but louder amidst the ruined walls of Humanity around them. He said no more and kept to his watch.

Carefully, Ramoli let the stick lie back on the ground, but remained where he stood to retrieve the article. “I would stay longer at the fire, but I would say something foolish and sound like a youngling who has not begun training with the people,” referring to those pre-adolescent’s not yet considered adult, when they talk freely amongst themselves and are concerned with the differences between men and women, in an explorative sort of manner. “Though I am glad you were chosen Naelan.” Said thusly, he retired for the evening to the blankets and sleeping accoutrements he had brought with him.

Finally when 1st watch ended, Olar returned to silently stir Y’sanne. Knowing warriors and their ilk, he gave breadth to her as she wake, least she swing at an unknown attacker lingering in her dreams, and give him a good bruise. Only a safety precaution, “Everything is quiet in the woods, but I expect little else this close to the settlement …” Trailing off, he turned to lay himself on the ground, no additional requirements for that chore. Sleepily he finished, “I only worry what may come the next night when we sleep amongst the carved mountains of the Humans.” He was skeptical the tall structures were indeed buildings, and still called them mountains as others had as well.

The woman nodded silently, in agreement, mulling over his words. "And as you do not share my faith-- which is no problem, I do not share the same hope for our old magics." She admitted with a little shrug. "I hope you do not take offense. But as you might know, I'm one of those first few who were born completely without a link to our powers." She offered another shrug as she spoke, chewing on her bottom lip after she was done speaking.

Being born without powers, when she was, was considered the worst insult to a family-- as if Naelan had chosen within the womb to defy the kaluwa. Her family had continued to love her, against some people's wishes and grew up happily and healthy. Or so she believed she remembered.

When Olar spoke, Naelan nearly jumped out of her skin, yelping and clinging her hands to her chest, before huffing out a relieved sigh. When Ramoli attempted to joke (or so she thought) she just smiled and nodded. "I am glad you were as well, but I think I'll stay with the fire until it dies..." She waved a goodbye to the alchemist and settled down comfortably. She waited for quite some time-- until it was nearly pitch black and she swore she could hear Olar breathing-- before heading back into the shelter. It was then she realized she forgot to pack a blanket.

Y'sanne had barely gotten to sleep when Olar shook her gently, the woman flopped onto her back like a giant koi-- these kaluwa eating fish that were the symbol for death in many cases. Another soft groan passed through her lips, before she pushed herself up, blinking her eyes sleepily, "..kay.." She mumbled as she rubbed her eyes, smearing her face paint. She said nothing else before she left the shelter, and climbed on top, sitting where the tarp and the concrete connected, peering out into the woods. The younger woman could hear Naelan moaning in her sleep, speaking unintelligent words.

-----

The night had been silent all through to Y'sanne's last watch. A few rumbles had sounded further of, but it was nothing she was to be frightened of, hell there wasn't anything that frightened her. She cracked her knuckles as the first strands of sun began to pour over into their little campsite. Things should be frightened of me, she thought with a little laugh. Waiting in silence for only a few moments more, she let the sun glitter off her blond hair, setting little sparks of light out into the camp. With a little sigh, she moved herself from her post, landing in the ground with a heavy thump.

"Up!" She yelled loudly, kicking the side of the structure with her booted foot, making more noise than was necessary, but enough to rouse the three asleep. Y'sanne had no time for games, morning meant only a few things to her. Usually it was the time she spent making sure she'd have enough energy to make it through the rest of the day, and on the rare occasion it meant rolling out of somebodies bed to run along home. As she mulled these things over, she started a small cooking fire. But instead of pulling out meats, she pulled out an assortment of nuts to munch on.

Naelan-- having forgotten her blanket-- woke up with her face pressed against something warm, having seeked it out in her sleep. She hadn't the time to dwell on it though, when Y'sanne began to yell and bang, causing her to jump up wildly, her red hair curled and sticking up on strange angles. She only whimpered before noticing Ramoli was the closest to her, and fled the structure. She flattened her hair quickly, once outside into the damp morning air.

After panic settled, she took a seat beside Y'sanne and pulled her knees to her chest, pulling out some dried meats she'd taken from the settlement. She chewed on them. "Morning.." She squeaked at everyone from her position.

The morning began for Ramoli with a yell to get up and then, something warm that had been resting next to or even on him was pulled away, as someone yanking a blanket off him after his body had warmed it up. His reaction was to reach for it, but already whatever it was had moved further still. Sitting up he was left glancing about the structure to only see Olar rolling on his side and putting his back towards Ramoli. Suspicion there but there was also a flesh of red trailing near the entrance to their makeshift home. It would have to remain a mystery he thought, rolling back to start collecting himself.

It would happen that by the time he was turning to get up, prepared, Olar was gone too and he was the last out of their little abode. Olar on the other hand, was at the fire as well, putting meat on for those that wanted it. He himself preferred dry meats it seemed and only in a quantity to sustain his energy use, it seemed more of these little things, the fire, cooked food, comfort, were preserved for Naelan and Ramoli, and when finally the later exited the tent, he cleared his throat.

“Today we’ll going to the carved mountains,” deferring to Naelan in that moment, “Or these buildings as you call them,” a slight shrug at Y’sanne – tomato to-matt-o. “No hunter has gone there before. Some believe the ruins are haunted by Human ancestral spirits. I have heard strange sounds alike arising from the narrow valleys of this Toronto.” Most hunters have been a day or two out of the settlement for hunting purposes, but rarely beyond because of the bountiful game – dangerous game, but bountiful.

The rest was left for the group to surmise, he took another bit of dry meat and chewed at it before taking a quick drink and spitting it on the ground. This was done so he could put the chew stick into his mouth and freshen up some. His goal was to get all the gear packed up and be on their way.

For his part, Ramoli did not interrupt the hunter, but when done, he commented to Naelan quietly, “It appears you slept well.” He only had the privilege of seeing her after she straightened her hair and like most men, he just assumed she always looked that good (or that her hair was always this straight). The rest was small talk over the cool air, the interesting flora and fauna around them, the human ruins, and what might be done. Though Olar was seeing to that, so Ramoli thought it best not to interfere.

When things where under way, Ramoli took up the rear to start and Olar moved forward to walk ahead of the pairing with Y’sanne.

“I don’t know what to expect, but some believe the howls are not animals,” he had said, though no other intelligent life had been encountered in the time the kaluwa had been stranded in this world. “When I return to the rear of the group, I’ll skirt your trail by a few paces to the side, I should have clear sight on anything that may come up.” Then a smile, “Not to mention, meandering will put me less in ear shot of those two. Enjoy their conversations.” He was almost playful for the moment before he dropped back to the woods around them.

Nealan nodded to Olar, seeing the wisdom in his words. "We should make it to the site called "University Crescent" but night fall." She added as a side note, twirling the newly cooked meat in her fingers, too hot for her to eat just at that moment. "It was said that this area was a place for knowledge and learning, a school of sorts that only the smartest of the Humans were allowed to enter. I believe it may hold some sacred and interesting devices that may help us set up a new settlement closer to the core of this Toronto..." Naelan's green eyes were serious for the first time since they started this, the night earlier. A large yawn raked her body, and all ideas of serious were gone. She rubbed a hand over her eyes sleepily. "Did we really have to get up this early?" She complained with a whiny tone.

"Yes." Y'sanne quickly answered stoically, as she began to get to her feet, munching on the last of the nuts in her palm. "And we will leave in only a few moments. Pack what we must carry." Y'sanne waited but no one by Olar seemed to move, so with a little sigh, she moved towards the structure and the Tarp, quickly undoing it and taking it down. Folding it down to the size of her arm and placing it beside Naelan wordlessly.

"I slept okay.." She said softly, watching the movement around camp, rubbing her eyes again with another little yawn. Only a few streams of morning light were making it down to the forest floor. "I forgot to pack a few things. But survived otherwise." She smiled at him, trying to hide her flush behind a little cough, brushing her hair back with her fingers. He had to know it was her who had pressed up against him, she thought to herself, embarrassed.

The warrior listened to the Hunter's words silently, nodding her head only slightly to indicate she was indeed listening. "Bastard." She mumbled at him when he left her to deal with the other two-- again! "Perhaps you'll be attacked by a Musket Rat and I wont be there to help, a shame." She intoned after him, only allowing a little smile to grace her lips. A rarity. "Let's go." She called back at the other two and quickly stomped out the fire.

Naelan gathered her things and got to her feet quickly, offering a hand to Ramoli with a smile. "Shall we continue our conversation from last night?"

As Olar trailed into the growth around them, he spoke softly through the forest to Y’sanne, low enough the two chatter boxes wouldn’t hear him as he did so. “If I die, you’ll be stuck alone with them,” a slight chuckle himself, “I’ll take point after midday.” Perhaps striking a light truce in sharing the company of Naelan Ramoli.

This was new to Ramoli, at least new in that usually his days were spent at his craft but this journey was demanding. A smile came as he took Naelan’s hand, as if in relief. “I would gladly continue the conversation if just to hear your voice.” Half a grin, sheepish, but trying it would seem. Then he offered, “I apologize if anything I may have said sounded offensive. I wasn’t aware you were one of those born without the link to the old magic. I understand your fascination with the humans now.”

“I’m curious where you may stand on the idea – what if the humans ascension or their practices somehow restored your link. That is, what if magic has dwindled because they left, taking it with them, but if it is reawakened and you have that link anew … would you still hope for the ascension of our people?” He was trying to be delicate, his hand giving gentle squeezes to Naelan’s hand as he spoke, his words slow and measured.

The day was dawning well over Toronto and suburbs, that the group marched towards University center in a pleasant ambiance. The time of the stealthy predators had passed with the coming of the sun and the morning was filled with those gatherers that took the relative peace to go about their normal routines, most day time predators were less stealthy or so big as to not have the capacity of stealth. Olar though, kept a sharp eye, he wasn’t worried about those mega fauna they were aware of as the unknown out there. Something inside him was sure they couldn’t be alone like this. On an entire world devoid of other people, even if other kaluwa that had made the journey before them but were lost in time. No telling what was out there beyond the natural sounds of the world around them. Best he keep a sharp eye.

Y'sanne grunted unhappily. "That would truly be unfortunate." She noted as she crunched her boot down over top of a toppled branch. She tilted her head to his voice, pursing her lips. "It is not necessary. I can keep point while you do what you are both more comfortable doing, and better at." She admitted, waving a hand a little as a branch whipped out at her, catching her in the cheek.

As Y'sanne rubbed at the slightly stinging wound, Naelan was shaking her head and waving her hand at Ramoli with a wide smile. Only noticeable tired around her eyes. "Not offensive at all! No. No! Well, it does fuel my interest in them, but it's not the sole reason. I mean, it's interesting to learn new things and new--" She tripped over a branch momentarily, " cultures." She bounced back up though, easily. pushing the mounds of red hair over her head-- out of her face. "Well.. yes. I do still hope for ascension, because it must mean they moved onto bigger and better magics. I mean.. look at everything we've found already in just this one Toronto."

Naelan squeezed his hand back, before letting it fall so they could walk in a line. She nearly stumbled into Y'sanne who stopped for a moment to gaze over the broken city. The warrior looked on over the old structures that were dulled and broken. They continued out into the city where the trees were less and their were some of the fables "vehicular devises". "We should keep moving. There are things here even I don't know about." Y'sanne intoned, stepping on concrete for the first time. "Olar. When the sun is directly above us, we shall stop to eat, let me know when that is."

//Sorry it's a bit short. Don't know how to move us along. //

The day passed with Y’sanne and Olar keeping watch as Ramoli and Naelan walked, hand in hand, and talked quietly about things human, both with admiration and intrigue at least, depending on which it was. The sun rose until it was nearly midday. When they stopped, Olar commented quietly about going ahead to look into something based on a few things he had noted while they entered the ruined city. He left his own pack with dried meats should anyone want that for food versus nuts and berries.

Before lunch was over, Olar came back to find Y’sanne, asking her to come with him for a moment.

Leading her away from the tumble of building and the florish of green trying to overtake what once was human, he spoke with her, “As we came further into this Toronto, I noticed a few odd cuts in the vegetation.” As if that explained it all, but unlike his usual silent self, he continued as he walked. “There are certain bends when an animal passes,” especially given the size of the mega fauna that lived in this new world, but that went without saying, “But when we pass, there is a different break. It’s the clothes or our weapons, the way it catches at lives and vines, it’s more a ripping.”

He had slowed down and before he had finished, he halted to grab a vine, recently ‘ripped’ like he said that the sap could be seen running from inside of it. “I came through here before, when we stopped … this is a mark of my passage.”

Motioning up a head, he lead the way to a large, broad leaf, the size of a man’s chest. It was ripped similarly, not completely in half, but torn. The sap from within dried on it like flat bread, motioning to it, “That is not animal and its at least a day or two before we were here.” Looking at the growing buildings around them, he said more quietly, “No Kaluwa has been here or those that have … they are amongst the Kaluwa that have not returned home.” It happened, from time to time, one would venture out too far and not return, it was assumed an animal got them, or the large fish that stalked the rivers and lakes, or something else as deadly in this dangerous world.

Back at camp … time would pass as Y’sanne and Olar did whatever they must. Prior to the point of true panic perhaps, Ramoli would stop the pleasant conversation about humans, offering, “I think we should continue the voyage Naelan.” Just slight hesitation in his voice. “Whatever they are doing demands their time, as does our quest. The elders entrusted all of us with this task. We should continue on to this gathering center of knowledge you spoke of, they both knew our destination, they will come to us once they are done.” He put certainty into his words, not wanting to think about what ifs.

Y'sanne was happy for lunch. It was a break from the infernal noise the two she walked with made. For a few minutes she sat by herself, hands over her ears with her eyes closed, muttering quietly. Olar found her though, and she gave him a nod-- the most greeting he would ever get from her, he should be proud he got even that from the Warrior woman. She followed in silence, her arms over her chest, ducking under leaves and vines easily. Her body was small, perhaps she should have taken her life in another route, she noted as she followed behind the lean man. "Yes, I've been informed before I leave a rather nasty rip in the vegetation." She says, almost conversationally to him, before he continued.

"You are implying there are other people-- or beasts, for me to watch for? I can do this." She nods her head swiftly, before reaching up to grasp the leaf. She narrowed her blue orbs to look at it. "You do not think this is Kaluwa, do you?" She asks, the way the rip was... it didn't match the one Olar had made. She tilted her head, obviously thinking.

"What? No.. we can't. They are our protection!" Naelan said, her voice as skittish as her body. She chewed on another strip of dried meat, her eyes wide with worry. The other two had been gone for nearly half of an hour, completely disappeared into the forest. She peered back at Ramoli though, as he continued to speak, and heard the logic in her voice. Though she dealed with religions and faith, she was also a woman of logic and sound sense. So she finally relented. "You are right, I guess." She got to her feet in a fluid motion, her lanky body sometimes able to be graceful.

"Do you still have the directional stone? We need to continue to move south west... more west though... west west south." She waved her hands as she spoke, picking up what little kit she had. And in some forward thinking, she snagged some of Olar's dried meats, putting them in her own satchel. She turned to Ramoli, waving a hand. "Do you want me to lead? Or would you like to?" The woman was obviously nervous behind her curtain of hair.

Naelan and Ramoli on Their Own

As she took a moment to make up her mind, Ramoli but listened to the thoughts she shared. As she took some of the food from Olar’s selection, he found himself following suit. Not taking everything, but if there was no telling when the other might catch up to them, he was merely taking Naelan’s lead. He certainly couldn’t carry his own load and that of the hunter’s as well, but he would take what he could manage.

In a moment of clarity perhaps, when she waved a hand and pondered who should go first, he crossed to her, taking that hand. “We’ll go together,” as if giving her whatever semblance of confidence he’d mustered to decide they needed to go on. One might almost suspect he was ready to pull her into a hug, but perhaps his own awkwardness in the situation prevented him from doing just so. Rather, he took the stone from the pouch that kept it protected and, running his hands on the runes laid into its surface, he called forth the old magic.

Then, as he turned, the corresponding directional rune would light faintly so that they could follow the direction she had intended. “We will be safe,” he assured her, trying to figure out what south west … west west south might actually entail and heading in that direction. As they began though, he also offered, “We go on, but should anything happen to me, I think you should return to the settlement.”

Glancing at her, “Nothing will, but that is an agreement we should make for the logic inherent. Nothing is wrong with Y’sanne or Olar either, they are just handling their duties, but with no guarantee, one must return to the elders with what little we have discovered.” Which was nothing really when one thought about it, but if they were down to one, the knowledge would be that it was more dangerous than the kaluwa had presumed.

Occasionally he stole a look of her as they walked, as if, getting to know her more made her that much more appealing to gaze at. She was a looker already in his eyes, but now they seemed to share some interests. He didn’t talk much on this, now was not the time, but that didn’t mean he could look. If she ever noticed or caught him, he offered a simple smile as they walked, he following her directions to this center of knowledge, keeping track on the stone and looking for any signs that may help them reach their destination.

Naelan was somewhat taken back when he grabbed her hand for a second time-- and didn't let go. She stared at the hand for a long moment before she continued on her merry way. "Okay." She squeaked, her input to the situation at hand. She watched him with mild fascination as he drew the power from himself and onto the stone, pointing them in the correct direction. Her face drew to a sour note when he spoke for a second and third time. "We have no way of knowing if we'll be safe! But we can try." She shook her head stubbornly, refusing to accept that as a viable solution. "If either of us are unable to make it back, we must finish the mission-- it comes first."

She was the leader after all, and that stuck in her voice as she had spoken, her delicate eyebrows knotted as she told him as such. "We must finish the mission, if we do not return within a reasonable amount of time then we have failed. We are here to find a new place to create a settlement for our people, and I will do nothing less- we will do nothing less." She finished her spiel with a firm nods, before a little smile broke onto her lips. "But we'll do our best to stay safe, and we'll make it back home before we know it."

Though, they moved on. Walking 'silently' for their standards. Perhaps speaking every few moments just to hear the sound of their own voice, or perhaps to get a reaction from the other person.

Y'sanne led them back, her small form taking lead as she zig-zagged out of the way of tree branches and vines. She found it was awfully quiet when she returned to the camp, Olar on her heels. She stopped once they stepped into the small clearing they had been resting in. Her blue eyes narrowed. "Their bags are gone." She said, simply-- though the message was clear: they left on their own accord.

The smaller woman turned to look to where Olar would be, lips pursed in distaste. "A blessing in disguise?" She offers, before their minds could reach the same conclusion 'until we find them'.