121 Vhalar 717
They awoke in a place that no one would ever want to be.
As they came to, the first thing they heard was the sound of a distant waterfall. It was like quiet thunder on the horizon, a low rumble that never seemed to crash, just the constant threat of noise and drowning. And then, after the noise, as their eyes fluttered open, the heat. It was strange for the end of Vhalar, but they nonetheless felt suddenly oppressed by the intense humidity. Bugs stung at their skin already, and their bodies felt like they were drowning in the heat of - the jungle.
For that was where they were. The Scaltoth Jungles.
Whether or not they had heard of them, the Jungles were immediately oppressive. Looking, the five that awoke could see trees and vines above their heads, and a lush and verdant landscape sprawled around them. But that was not all they saw. It was not just the jungle, but a village. And a terrifying village at that. Huts strapped together with vines and bamboo, and flesh hanging like curtains in the doorways. Spikes and red fabric adorned each hut, and a fire seemed to burn outside each, some with meat of unknown origin turning on a spit before them. Wherever they were, they were in a village, and the habitants clearly did not have good will to the outsiders.
The next thing they noticed: they were alone. More or less. But somewhere, they knew the others their Immortal had also chosen were close by... they just needed to find them - and get out.
Symbri
Suddenly, a palm shot out and covered Symbri's mouth, startling her awake. Any scream she made was muffled against the palm, and Symbri was pulled quickly into a hut. It was far too dark to see anything inside of her, but suddenly Symbri noticed the gleam of eyes in the room. As her eyes adjusted, Symbri could see a young woman - not more than fourteen arcs, perhaps - with her fingers to her lips. "Quiet!" the girl hissed. She had a long brown braid that was swung over her shoulder, and wore only a ragged dress. "Father is looking for you. What are you doing here? Why have you come? Don't you know about the war?"
Vincent D'Ordyn
Awakening suddenly, with a deep gasp, Vincent looked around with wide eyes. He was in a cage - a cage made of bones. Some human, clearly, and some animals. There was no lock on the cage, simply a rough vine wrapped around the bones to keep the door closed. He was still clothed, but his weapons had been taken - clearly, he could see his blade lying unsheathed on the dirt ahead of him, propped up against one of the huts. Around him, several burly men, shirtless and their torsos scarred from clear battle, wandered to and from busily, while others stood laughing, drinking a dark brew. No one said anything to Vincent. No one noticed him waking. What would he do next?
Tristan Venora
Tristan came to more slowly. His shoulders ached as he awoke, and he stuttered, looking around. It was unbearably hot, for he was inside one of the huts. There, it was more warm, for the slight breeze that rattled through the trees did not reach him here. He was in a bed, but the mattress was hard and lumpy, clearly filled with forest debris for a mattress. Naked but for his pants, he had nothing with him - except the flask Ilaren had given him in one of the pockets. Looking up, he would discover a rough rope had tied his wrists together, wrenching them above his head, and tying him down to the bed. His legs were free, but it was a small mercy, for the rope on his wrists was so tight that he could barely move. Looking around, he would notice a young woman - strong, with dark eyes and skin, her teeth stained yellow and gleaming.
"Pretty," she murmured, and stood up, approaching the bed. She sat down on the mattress, reaching out a hand to stroke Tristan's face. "Pretty boy."
Vivian Shiryu
Unlike the others, Vivian did not awaken restrained. Still clothed in her armour and with her bow strapped to her back, she awoke behind one of the huts. It was almost like she had been forgotten... or else crawled away to hide here before passing out. She clasped her sword, but found it missing. Where was it? She noted though that the flask Ilaren had given her was tucked into a pouch that hung around her neck. Peaking out behind the hut, she could see a gaggle of women, all talking rapidly in an unknown language, but they were laughing and smiling. They seemed ... soft. Light. But how could she escape unseen?
Elijah Ki'Ouj
Elijah jerked suddenly awake. He was standing upright, and his shoulders ached from where they had been supporting his weight while he slept. His wrists were tied above his head to the top of a course wooden pole, which left splinters in his back. He was shirtless, only in low hanging pants, with Ilaren's flask tucked secretly away in one of the pockets. Standing before him was a man who looked rather similar - tall, with wavy hair and a smirk on his face. "In a difficult position, aren't you?" the man laughed, a strange accent to his voice. "Watchu gon' do about it?"
They awoke in a place that no one would ever want to be.
As they came to, the first thing they heard was the sound of a distant waterfall. It was like quiet thunder on the horizon, a low rumble that never seemed to crash, just the constant threat of noise and drowning. And then, after the noise, as their eyes fluttered open, the heat. It was strange for the end of Vhalar, but they nonetheless felt suddenly oppressed by the intense humidity. Bugs stung at their skin already, and their bodies felt like they were drowning in the heat of - the jungle.
For that was where they were. The Scaltoth Jungles.
Whether or not they had heard of them, the Jungles were immediately oppressive. Looking, the five that awoke could see trees and vines above their heads, and a lush and verdant landscape sprawled around them. But that was not all they saw. It was not just the jungle, but a village. And a terrifying village at that. Huts strapped together with vines and bamboo, and flesh hanging like curtains in the doorways. Spikes and red fabric adorned each hut, and a fire seemed to burn outside each, some with meat of unknown origin turning on a spit before them. Wherever they were, they were in a village, and the habitants clearly did not have good will to the outsiders.
The next thing they noticed: they were alone. More or less. But somewhere, they knew the others their Immortal had also chosen were close by... they just needed to find them - and get out.
Symbri
Suddenly, a palm shot out and covered Symbri's mouth, startling her awake. Any scream she made was muffled against the palm, and Symbri was pulled quickly into a hut. It was far too dark to see anything inside of her, but suddenly Symbri noticed the gleam of eyes in the room. As her eyes adjusted, Symbri could see a young woman - not more than fourteen arcs, perhaps - with her fingers to her lips. "Quiet!" the girl hissed. She had a long brown braid that was swung over her shoulder, and wore only a ragged dress. "Father is looking for you. What are you doing here? Why have you come? Don't you know about the war?"
Vincent D'Ordyn
Awakening suddenly, with a deep gasp, Vincent looked around with wide eyes. He was in a cage - a cage made of bones. Some human, clearly, and some animals. There was no lock on the cage, simply a rough vine wrapped around the bones to keep the door closed. He was still clothed, but his weapons had been taken - clearly, he could see his blade lying unsheathed on the dirt ahead of him, propped up against one of the huts. Around him, several burly men, shirtless and their torsos scarred from clear battle, wandered to and from busily, while others stood laughing, drinking a dark brew. No one said anything to Vincent. No one noticed him waking. What would he do next?
Tristan Venora
Tristan came to more slowly. His shoulders ached as he awoke, and he stuttered, looking around. It was unbearably hot, for he was inside one of the huts. There, it was more warm, for the slight breeze that rattled through the trees did not reach him here. He was in a bed, but the mattress was hard and lumpy, clearly filled with forest debris for a mattress. Naked but for his pants, he had nothing with him - except the flask Ilaren had given him in one of the pockets. Looking up, he would discover a rough rope had tied his wrists together, wrenching them above his head, and tying him down to the bed. His legs were free, but it was a small mercy, for the rope on his wrists was so tight that he could barely move. Looking around, he would notice a young woman - strong, with dark eyes and skin, her teeth stained yellow and gleaming.
"Pretty," she murmured, and stood up, approaching the bed. She sat down on the mattress, reaching out a hand to stroke Tristan's face. "Pretty boy."
Vivian Shiryu
Unlike the others, Vivian did not awaken restrained. Still clothed in her armour and with her bow strapped to her back, she awoke behind one of the huts. It was almost like she had been forgotten... or else crawled away to hide here before passing out. She clasped her sword, but found it missing. Where was it? She noted though that the flask Ilaren had given her was tucked into a pouch that hung around her neck. Peaking out behind the hut, she could see a gaggle of women, all talking rapidly in an unknown language, but they were laughing and smiling. They seemed ... soft. Light. But how could she escape unseen?
Elijah Ki'Ouj
Elijah jerked suddenly awake. He was standing upright, and his shoulders ached from where they had been supporting his weight while he slept. His wrists were tied above his head to the top of a course wooden pole, which left splinters in his back. He was shirtless, only in low hanging pants, with Ilaren's flask tucked secretly away in one of the pockets. Standing before him was a man who looked rather similar - tall, with wavy hair and a smirk on his face. "In a difficult position, aren't you?" the man laughed, a strange accent to his voice. "Watchu gon' do about it?"
