Soul and Stone (Miss Chantz and I)

[ArcturusV]

The sun pounded down upon the earth, pouring its full fury to the parched land below. The sweltering heat had been punishing him for days, leaving him a sticky, exhausted mess. He couldn't even summon up a bit of spittle, his clothing were stuck to his body, clinging tightly, seeming to choke the life out of him. The baked earth didn't seem to give a bit under his feet, just adding to his swelled, pained feet. He doubted that he could even get his boots off at this rate. His back had been hunched over for hours now, a hard knot forming there, keeping him bent over, hobbling ever towards the east.

Towards his reward.

It had been rumored for years, an ancient fortress, the home of a forgotten emperor. A trove of weapons and treasures. He was not the first who set out into the desert. He doubted he would be the last either. No matter how many people disappeared, never to return. No matter how many returned from the desert, maddened and rambling of strange horrors and torments. The rumors were too great, the history too sure. Everyone knew where it was. Everyone knew no one had come back, no one had yet looted it successfully. Everyone knew the Emperor died there with all his power at hand. A well known oasis, and the fortress that loomed near it, casting a heavy shadow over the spot of life.

Cale could see it ahead already. His steps quickened, making him recklessly scramble, stumbling several times, scrambling with his hands when he fell over. The mad dash pulled him closer to the oasis, the first few plants poking out of the ground. Small bits of desert blooms, the first shrubs and trees. He could smell the water ahead, and feel a quiet tingle travel up his spine. Ignoring that sign that in quieter times would have warned him of danger, he plunged ahead. He stumbled right out into the cool water, falling face first into his shallow pool, gulping down a full mouth. It was a cold, dead weight in the center of his stomach, sending a chill through him that cooled him off almost instantly, and served to remind him just how hungry he was.

He twisted back over, unwilling to leave the water, letting it soak into his clothing, wash away some of the grime, sweat, and muck that accumulated on him over the trek. A slaughtered pack animal, raiders who made off with most of his supplies. His guide running off in the night. But he was here finally. He stared up at the fortress as he floated along on his backside.

He could already imagine the treasures that lurked inside, waiting to be taken.

 

[Lucki Chantz]

There was never a sound when she walked within the walls of this fortress, it was always dead silent, which was the way it should have always been. People use to come in and out of this fortress often, but never liked such beings to touch these walls. Smooth fingers traced over the ancient walls, light blues eyes staring down the maze of halls and rooms. How long had she been here? She couldn’t remember how many moons had passed, but it had been the day that miserable emperor had decided to shed her innocent blood all over the walls of his own quarters.

It began with nightmares. She had tormented that man, made him scream in his sleep. Toss and turn. Never had she loved to watch such a sight, but that man deserved it.

The man had been driven to insanity, to the point that he had attempted several times to kill himself. He couldn’t do it though, every time he tried, she prevented it in some way. The day he died. She remembered it well, the events were played out often whenever some fool tried to come here for that treasure. She would always lead them to the room, promising them that they would finally get their hands on all the treasure they could imagine. They would walk into the room, the men and even sometimes women would be so excited when they saw the treasures. She would make her advances on them then, touch their lips with her fingers, graze their neck with her lips. She would wear them out sexually. None of them ever knew how long they were there. It would feel like minutes, but days could have gone by. Often they died of hunger and thirst. Sometimes though, things grew more violent.

She fed off their thoughts, those poisonous thoughts about money and wealth. A few had figured out that if they stopped being so greedy she couldn’t find them. This foul spirit could not find them if their thoughts tore away from the temptation of money and wealth. No one made it out alive though. Usually they would have thoughts of the money when they found the exit and turn back into the fortress, only to be confronted by her hungry eyes and her pets, rats and wolves which happily tore their victims a part.

Of course, this whole process never began without a little play. She would stumble across the poor victim as an innocent woman who had been lost in the fortress after losing her husband and his friends as they searched for treasure. She would try and help the traveler find the gold and slowly tempt them into wanting to have a little fun with her.

Her dark brown hair flowed back and forth as she walked, her clothing consisting of a pair of torn pants and a white shirt. Her luring eyes staring out of the fortress before she disappeared into the shadows to wait for that first step into the ancient fortress.

 

[ArcturusV]

An hour had passed since he first stumbled into that oasis. Cale had stumbled around, searching high and low, gathering a meager meal of water and what edible plants he could find. He stuffed himself on what was an otherwise humble meal, feeling a full belly for the first time in weeks. He had been dozing in the shade of a palm, letting the food and water help cool him down and regain a semblance of energy and vitality.

His eyes rolled up towards the fortress once more, the mission at hand coming back to him now that his immediate needs were filled. A large place, it would take weeks to search. At least the oasis here seemed to have enough to keep him fed, maybe his luck would hold out and an animal would arrive here, something to help cart off the lucre and loot. It was all coming together, all turning around. The gods were watching out for him.

The very thought brought a smile to his face. Not a religious man in the least, he was cautious enough to offer up a short prayer of thanks to whatever creature up there tossed him this good fortune. There never was telling who might appreciate it and hold off on the blights next time.

Cale, fed, rested, and hopefully blessed, dusted off his legs, finally standing up with a long groan, his legs already having started to cramp up after the short rest. He hobbled those first few steps, but soon enough the aches and needles were fading away, his stride becoming stronger as he drew towards the fortress. Doubt began to filter into his mind as he saw it ahead. The front gate was gone. A sure sign of looters from earlier days. No signs of recent damage or tracks in the windswept sands which had drifted inside the fortress. It had been that way for a long time, months, maybe years.

This place could already have been picked clean several times over. But that wasn't all. Wild beasts, who knows what sort of mongrels had entered the open building and turned it into thier den. Rats most likely, but it could be worse, a lot worse, and he knew it.

His hand went to his belt, his only weapon left after the misfortunes of his journey here, a single slender knife, more threatening to a stew rabbit than to any wild beast or would be looter. But its worn wooden handle in his hand was comforting, a familiar sense of false security as he crouched over, stepping into the few feet of the Fortress, his head swiveling around constantly, looking for that trap, that curse, that wild beast in the shadows.

 

[Lucki Chantz]

"Hello?"

Her voice carried through the fortress, it was distant but clear. A woman, an exhausted one, was speaking those words. Becca, dragged her left leg behind her a little, and the smell of blood flowed through the air of the fortress mixed with the scent of death and other things, which one would rather pretend was not the case. Soft scratches echoed in the ancient building, rats crawling around searching for their next meal.

"Is somewhere there? Johnathan?" the worn out woman called out. "Johnathan, is that you?" she repeated as she wobbled a little before falling to her knees. Blood and sweat poured down her body, a perfect body if one must say so. She was an average height, with well defined breasts, hips and legs. Her eyes sparkled, despite looking like something that had been dragged through the dirt for the last three days.

"Oh you're not John," she whispered when she saw this stranger. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she slowly lay down. Her heart pounding in her chest as she seemed hopeless at the sight of this strange man. "You shouldn't go in any farther. Please, help me get out of here. This place is nothing but a nightmare."

She heard what sounded like laughter behind her, though it could have easily been the wind. She looked backwards for a moment before looking at this man. He looked like a real man, unlike some of the thieves who had been too idiotic to turn around when she warned them to leave. "Please, I couldn't bare it if another person disappeared like my John," she pleaded with the stranger. "You must be after the treasures, like he was...his friends too," she drew in a deep breath as a rat scurried by, hissing at the two of them as it rushed into a crack in the wall.

"What's your name?" she asked as she rubbed her leg. The young woman looking away, as if something bothered her when it came to this man. "You seem like a tough man, surely you have an interesting name..."

 

[ArcturusV]

"Hello!" he called back as he heard the seeking greeting reverberate down the corridors towards him. He started moving quicker, heading down towards where he thought he heard the voice, relatively heedless of the dangers that might have been lurking around.

"HELLO?!" he called out louder as he came on. The scent assaulted his senses. He felt a lump building in his throat, bile bubbling in his guts. It wasn't enough to make him lose his meager meal, he was more acclimated to the stench than he ever wanted to be. It made him hurry even more, breaking out into a jog towards the voice as he heard a female questioning once more. He rounded a corner, nearly slipping across the stone as he came face to face with the voice in the ruins. His eyes froze on her, the words in his mouth dying off, nothing coming out of his lips.

John? A woman in distress, tears, a lost treasure hunter... Where did she come from? It was only then it registered that she had been favoring one of her legs before she started to lay down. He quickly scurried over towards her, keeping just out of arm's reach.

"Cale of Redwater," he spoke softly, trying not to alarm the woman. His eyes moved down her body, lingering over her curves until he finally looked down at her leg, "Are you injured?" he asked softly as he checked for a wound, "Can you walk?"

 

[Lucki Chantz]

Becca took in a shaky breath as she was questioned by the new comer. Her face pale as she looked over at him, she seemed to study him, as if wondering whether or not he may be a threat to her. "Only...minor injures," she said softly. "My leg has gone numb because of some spider bite," she said softly. "I know it isn't deadly though," she said softly. Of course, upon inspection, there was a purple bump on her leg, it was small but obvious it had been there for at least a few hours.

"I can walk, I think," she said softly. "I'm just exhausted, I've been going through this fortress for hours, looking for my husband and his friends." She shook her head lightly before looked away. "I'm sure they're gone now. You really should leave. The treasure, despite being something amazing, it isn't worth it...The minute you see it, everything crumbles."

"Please, sir, tell me you aren't here for the treasure," she slowly started to stand up, and she adjusted her shirt. She paused when she realized there was a rip over the left breast. She didn't care much at the moment though. A rip was a rip, it wasn't like she was baring all. "Cale..." she started to say.

"My name is Becca, my husband is Johnathan of Rosedale," she winced after she spoke, falling forward a little and placing her hand on his chest. "If you are determined for that treasure, let me show you what I know so you can escape quickly...Perhaps we can find my husband too..."

 

[ArcturusV]

When she fell, he caught her, just a natural reflex. His arms wrapped around her, holding her upright on her feet, letting her get her strength back. A damsel in distress, injured, torn clothing, supple and smooth, here, in his arms, feeling her touch on his chest, a reassurance that this wasn't just an illusion or some heat stroke hallucination. Her words passed into his head, barely registered as he focused on that sensation.

It had been a while, he had been alone in the desert for a long time.

Husband... mere hours? Something sounded off. But for the life of him, Cale could not put it together.

"Yes... I need the treasure, we need it," he corrected himself quickly, shaking his head. He shifted his body, trying to take Becca's arm and put it over her shoulder as he hooked around her back, holding her up similiarly to help her walk along and spare her injured leg.

"We'll find him, I promise, and we'll all get out of here, just fine."

 

[Lucki Chantz]

Becca blushed faintly as she looked at Cale before taking in a soft breath as she walked with him now and gazed at his face. "You're really something, a gentleman," she said softly before looking away for a moment and seeming to think. She sighed softly as she walked. "My lover would have left me to try and walk on my own. Never thought it was good to baby one another. It was always something I never understood."

She walked with him then, leading the way down halls and the like. "You seem tired, let me lead you to some fresh water. I think we could both use something to refresh ourselves with," she said calmly.

"You don't mind do you?" she asked as she looked at him, her lips close to his ears and for a moment she brushed them against his ear, only to pull away and whisper a quick apology.

She paused for a moment when a loud screeching could be heard down the halls, and she shifted uneasily. "It must be one of the rats being hunted," she whispered before she lead him to a small hole in the wall, on the other side was what looked like a pool, draining itself and filling with water that most likely came from an underwater spring.

 

[ArcturusV]

Cale could feel a tingle travel down his spine as her soft lips brushed his ear. A stirring deep within him, leading him to steal a glance at her even as she whispered her appology. His heart seemed to skip a beat, drawing a short sharp breath from him as his step faltered. He quickly recovered, nodding slowly.

"Yeah... maybe a break is in order," he whispered softly, speaking more to himself than to Becca. He could still feel his heart beating faster. A slick bit of sweat building up on his palms as he helped her guide him along. He could feel his fingers twitching slowly, yearning to act, to move, to caress.

Then the screeching noise. Even as she explained it away he could feel the mood dying in him. His hands relaxing, his heartbeat slowing down. He nodded slowly as she lead him through the hole in the wall, into the room with the pool. He guided her towards a place where she could sit at the edge before setting her back down.

"Let me take a look at that wound again, need to make sure it's not getting worse," he offered as he sat down near her.

 

[Lucki Chantz]

Becca smiled as he guided her towards a place where she could sit and she watched him for a moment. She looked away briefly as a soft blush formed on her cheeks. "Ah, I'm sure it is. It isn't as painful as before," she said softly before she looked at him. She brushed her hair back and tucked it behind her ear.

She showed him her leg, and located the spot of her injury, the spot seeming to grow smaller and lighter now. Most likely it would bruise but that was a small price to pay when it came to her health. "See, it's getting better. I'm glad. For so long I thought i might have to chop my leg off to save myself," she whispered.

"I'm pleased I could meet you, thought it may be foolish, I know had I not run into another person, I would have just lay down and allow myself to die," she whispered before closing her eyes and humming softly. A lullaby by the sounds of it. She opened her eyes as she looked at the stranger before him. He was handsome, was it bad to want to touch him?

"You're a kind man. I really do hope I can help you find the treasure. You're certainly a man who I think, deserves it."

 

[ArcturusV]

As she showed him her leg, he reached out, running his left hand over the wound carefully, softly, feeling for the bumps of the spider bite, any little bit that might have stuck in her during the bite. His hand lingered a little longer than necessary, feeling her skin, feeling the warmth there. His hand drew away all too slowly, "Seems to be healing up well enough. Good thing too, it'd be a real shame to see such a leg get amputated."

Cale nodded slowly as she mentioned the treasure once more. He took his knife out slowly, using it to saw off the bottom of his shirt, cutting a thin, long strip of cloth. He dipped it into the water, wringing it out, leaving it damp and cold, "Not much, but it might help control the pain and swelling, and stop infection," he said, holding out the makeshift bandage out towards Becca, he gestured for her to shift her leg, so he could tie it on.

"... This treasure, what is it?"

 

[Lucki Chantz]

Becca smiled when he looked over her leg, his fingers brushing over her own skin and a blush formed on her cheeks. She had to admit it felt pleasant, she wanted a little more. Her eyes gazed at the man's face when he bandaged her leg after she had shifted it so he could tie it on. "You're certainly something," she whispered softly. Her cheeks still a soft pink. She started to look away now, towards the water for a moment.

"The treasure?" she repeated for a moment. "The treasure from what I could see consisted mostly of gold coins, and objects made of gold. There were jewels as well. I didn't get to see too much though, so I'm not sure exactly what was there. I know I saw a few diamonds, sizes I never saw before and sapphires and emeralds. The gold was what stood out the most though, there was a lot of it."

"It was a rather beautiful sight though. You'll be amazed when you see it," she said softly before placing a hand on his own.