5 Ymiden 720
Inside the mountain, a woman sat alone, in a cavern that diverged into a shadowed fork. Neither path was well lit, and the ceilings were tall, so much so that even her light stone failed to illuminate the space fully. And on a boulder which she perched, bundled in a cloak which shifted in its coloring. Cerulean and then emerald green, and blue once more, Yeva's wild hair remained tucked into her drawn hood, she listed to the sound of water dripping and scratching of her pen against parchment. On one leg she balanced a linguist's primer and on the other, her journal, with its bruised leather covering and smooth vellum pages. But more interesting than her own equipment, was the ancient writings of forgotten civilization, painted across the wall and decorated with crude but well preserved images, forgotten and overlooked by men inhabiting the surface.
But for how long?
Yeva tried to copy each symbol as they appeared on the jagged wall, honey brown eyes flickering back and forth across the page and upwards in an effort to follow the curve of lines and spaces. The reference book, while helpful was thick and heavy and the more she cross referenced the information, the more confident she felt in this discovery. These words were of the Shay; the words she recognized as Shay'ava, although she was far from an expert in its workings. In fact, her only knowledge of it came from children stories and a rare reward in the form of a five book series she had received in an awards ceremony.
She could have spent trials hoping to decipher the text, and perhaps would if she wasn't mindful of the time. It wasn't until her hand began to cramp and her leg was alight with pinpricks that she realized how long she must have been studying. Yeva leaned back, and stretched out her legs, wiggling her toes in soft soled leather boots. Each shifting of her weight seemed to resonate in the space and when she rose to grab her satchel and canteen, something sharp scrapped against stone.
"Hello?"
Yeva froze, a deer in the sights of a predator, her mortal eyes staring in the two darkened paths. She waited for a response, her breath loud and suddenly fearful, "I-I'm a researcher," she added, taking a step back and slowly crouching, eyes still fixated on the unknown. There was this pressing feeling of being watched, and she didn't dare look away, "H-h-h-hello?"
Her voice was now meek, nervous. The hairs on the back of her neck rose and the notion of leaving became more persuasive.The room felt smaller. Growing tighter.
Then, a clanging metal rang from the opposite path. Once, then twice, Yeva jolted in her skin. Whatever had been lurking on the left path, scurried deeper into the cave, never revealing its face. More beating echoed from the right, and without reason, a light illuminated in the distance. The rumbling sounds of men speaking. The growl of rocks being shaken through sifters and erecting of wooden beams danced to where she stood. Miners?
Yeva gave one more weary glance at the other pathway and hurried to shove her things in her bag. Books and papers tucked under one arm and pressed against her buttoned up blouse, she raced towards the sound of civilization, as if that had been her goal all along. But something kept her looking over her shoulder, niggling in the back of her mind.
Danger.
"What are you doing?" she asked in breathless manner, emerging into the light of the men to search for a familiar face. None of the workers seemed to notice her, and their outfits were different from the designs she had come to recognize in Scalvoris and Rharne. The people carried themselves in a way that felt foreign, as if she was not in a land she had ever been before, "This... This is sacred land," Sacred was a subjective term, but she knew its rarity. It was to be preserved! Searching one of the workers faces, she pushed her plea, "There's history here. Look-"
Yeva stood before a man who appeared to have some authority. He looked to be instructing others, sharing ideas, and it was to him she reached out for, looking over her shoulder and pointing. But where she came from was no longer. Instead, there was an ominous mine shaft that seemed to lead deeper into the cave. Unsupported, it was not reinforced and looked to be a tighter squeeze than the gentle path she had walked to arrive. How odd, "There's was a room..."
Confused, the healer hesitated, wringing her hands and then glancing down at her notes. At least they were still in her possession, "I'm Yeva of Rharne, this place... it's important," she looked back up, at a man who appeared to be in his early thirties, "Please don't destroy it."
But for how long?
Yeva tried to copy each symbol as they appeared on the jagged wall, honey brown eyes flickering back and forth across the page and upwards in an effort to follow the curve of lines and spaces. The reference book, while helpful was thick and heavy and the more she cross referenced the information, the more confident she felt in this discovery. These words were of the Shay; the words she recognized as Shay'ava, although she was far from an expert in its workings. In fact, her only knowledge of it came from children stories and a rare reward in the form of a five book series she had received in an awards ceremony.
She could have spent trials hoping to decipher the text, and perhaps would if she wasn't mindful of the time. It wasn't until her hand began to cramp and her leg was alight with pinpricks that she realized how long she must have been studying. Yeva leaned back, and stretched out her legs, wiggling her toes in soft soled leather boots. Each shifting of her weight seemed to resonate in the space and when she rose to grab her satchel and canteen, something sharp scrapped against stone.
"Hello?"
Yeva froze, a deer in the sights of a predator, her mortal eyes staring in the two darkened paths. She waited for a response, her breath loud and suddenly fearful, "I-I'm a researcher," she added, taking a step back and slowly crouching, eyes still fixated on the unknown. There was this pressing feeling of being watched, and she didn't dare look away, "H-h-h-hello?"
Her voice was now meek, nervous. The hairs on the back of her neck rose and the notion of leaving became more persuasive.The room felt smaller. Growing tighter.
Then, a clanging metal rang from the opposite path. Once, then twice, Yeva jolted in her skin. Whatever had been lurking on the left path, scurried deeper into the cave, never revealing its face. More beating echoed from the right, and without reason, a light illuminated in the distance. The rumbling sounds of men speaking. The growl of rocks being shaken through sifters and erecting of wooden beams danced to where she stood. Miners?
Yeva gave one more weary glance at the other pathway and hurried to shove her things in her bag. Books and papers tucked under one arm and pressed against her buttoned up blouse, she raced towards the sound of civilization, as if that had been her goal all along. But something kept her looking over her shoulder, niggling in the back of her mind.
Danger.
"What are you doing?" she asked in breathless manner, emerging into the light of the men to search for a familiar face. None of the workers seemed to notice her, and their outfits were different from the designs she had come to recognize in Scalvoris and Rharne. The people carried themselves in a way that felt foreign, as if she was not in a land she had ever been before, "This... This is sacred land," Sacred was a subjective term, but she knew its rarity. It was to be preserved! Searching one of the workers faces, she pushed her plea, "There's history here. Look-"
Yeva stood before a man who appeared to have some authority. He looked to be instructing others, sharing ideas, and it was to him she reached out for, looking over her shoulder and pointing. But where she came from was no longer. Instead, there was an ominous mine shaft that seemed to lead deeper into the cave. Unsupported, it was not reinforced and looked to be a tighter squeeze than the gentle path she had walked to arrive. How odd, "There's was a room..."
Confused, the healer hesitated, wringing her hands and then glancing down at her notes. At least they were still in her possession, "I'm Yeva of Rharne, this place... it's important," she looked back up, at a man who appeared to be in his early thirties, "Please don't destroy it."
