The ride was far easier than expected. After a while, the balu did the work for her. Tsubael barely had to steer it at all, and just used her legs to grip the animal and nudge it in the right direction. She took out her black tome and began to write an encyclopedic entry on the Ingrid Balu, recording everything she noticed about its behavior: "These creatures display a herd mentality," she wrote, "willing to move in large groups with minimal human intervention…" she went on like that for many pages. When she ran out of new things to write about the balu, she began to transcribe Jakem's lectures, but that didn't last long either. The heat seemed to get the better of him after an hour or so and he stopped yapping. His words seemed to dwindle along with Hessa's clothing. Tsubael, the balu, and the chicken-thing were the only ones not sweating. Once they arrived at the skeletal den, Tsubael disembarked and tethered her balu with the others. She retrieved her book and a huge scroll before heading inside. The inn was filled with rough-looking men. Tsubael's eyes scanned the room as she entered, with the book tucked under her arm and a scroll in her hand. A hooded man tracked her with his eyes and she tracked him as well, without blinking. Tsubael stopped, wondering if this man had a query or request. She was about to ask him as much when Hessa spoke up first. "You want something?" the priest's daughter asked. But the man looked the other way. Subject unresponsive. Query denied, Tsubael concluded, and thought nothing more of it. She took a seat at Hessa's table and set down her book. Then she spread out the big scroll, which took up nearly half the table. It was a map-in-the-making and already had some things sketched on it: a mountainous region, marked 'Azi Khaliya.' A string of sand dunes and small settlements she'd passed between Azi Khaliya and Pia, which was also marked on the map. The rest was still blank, but Tsubael would fix that. Without a word, she began to sketch the expanse of desert between Pia and the fishbone settlement. "Query," she said, as her finger filled in the features and landmarks they'd passed. "Hessa, daughter of Jakem, this one would like to know if this settlement has a name, such that this one might add it to the chronicle."
"You can just call me Hessa, I'll ask the bar tender." Hessa turned to her right and barked. "HEY! what's this places name?" Gon chuckled, "We'll call this little home the drunken skipper, cause you know a fish in a desert gotta be doped on something." he and a couple of men laughed at the joke. "You got that foxy?" Hessa said drinking some cooling ale. Suddenly the man who watched them got up, and simply left. Hessa watched him go, "Hm..." Throwing a bit of coin on the table she too got up and left. but not before grabbing her blade.
I got off of the Balu as everyone agreed to rest at the inn for a while, I walked inside and immediately noticed the man that was studying us, I pretended not to notice him and found a quiet corner to relax and begin reading in, I didn't really pay much attention to anyone's conversations, but when I saw the man leave and the woman, Hessa I think her name was, leave soon after, I got up and followed to the two curiously.
"It's just me." Ra'if sighed deeply, the chicken thing had turned itself into a crocodile and was now behaving like it was his pet. He tried to think of a friendly way to express that he thought the creature was a strange, unnatural form, that he didn't want anything more to do with it than strictly necessary and that it should man up and stop hiding behind Hessa's skirt, dress or however little she would be deciding to wear. "you are being very stealthy," Ra'if replied sarcastically. "How comes a stammering coward like yourself thinks that by making himself large and frightful, he won't be hit the hardest? Soldiers always take out the big guys first, so if you want to keep on hiding I suggest you transform into something small, fluffy and innocent." he added with a slightly venomous undercurrent. He permitted himself his harshness as the heat had made him somewhat touchy. "You want something?" "You!" He mimicked Hessa's voice, "you're quite obnoxious if you think making demands is going to keep us out of trouble," he mocked. He then turned his attention to the man in the corner, ready to offer the man a drink and apologize for Hessa's rude, demanding attitude, but he'd already left. "Was that really necessary?" he inquired from Hessa, unmoved by her bold attitude. He noticed she grabbed a blade a went after the man. In a flash he took hold of her wrist and forced her to stay for at least another moment. "Only a threatened viper bites, go after him if you must but if there's any blood shed because of it, it will be your responsibility." He looked Hessa straight in the eye, she probably wanted to murder him, but Ra'if was not intimidated by her.
Hessa called to the bartender, who replied that this establishment was known as the "Drunken Skipper." Tsubael found such naming conventions quite odd, but added to the map nonetheless. Who was she to question the establishment's owner? "You got that, foxy?" Hessa asked. "This one is grateful," Tsubael said as she continued the sketch. Within seconds, she was done and had added their travels to the map. Her task complete, she rolled up the large scroll and secured it with a piece of string, until later. The strange man got up and left. Hessa followed him, taking her blade with her. Tsubael was still learning how to read people, but she knew enough about body language -- and Hessa's attitude -- to see history was about to be made… in the worst way. She needed to see this. The fox-faced automaton stood, leaving her map on the table, but took her thick black book with her, clutching it to her chest as she followed Hessa toward the door. The thin, young human male came with them as well, also carrying a book. But the train stopped short when the brash human warrior known as Ra'if snatched Hessa by the wrist and pulled her aside. "Only a threatened viper bites, go after him if you must but if there's any blood shed because of it, it will be your responsibility." "Fact: vipers also bite when they detect prey," Tsubael added helpfully.
Hessa stopped short of the door. "Your an idiot you know that? just sit down, shut up and mind you own business." "Ouch that was a little harsh don't you think?" Jakem said calmly. He knew his child, his daughter was not really angry at Ra'if, she was unnerved by that man. "Something troubles you?" Jakem asked her calmly. "nothing." With that she left. She soon caught up with the man who was heading to a tethered Balu. "Hidan, your Hidan." The man looked at her, "How did you know?"
"Hidan the hidden blade, seven accounts of mass homicide, convicted of killing 5 Varian royals, the ambassador of Fang pass and six Pia officials. What the fuck are you doing out of prison?" Hidan chuckled. "Wait...your Hessa leader of Bahamuts temple guard Ahhh I get it now, you help in my capture. well you'll be happy to know that I have been released by the ever so merciful king." "What!" Hessa drew her blade, "Liar! you escaped!" "Nice rack." Hidan replied, and at that Hessa lunged for him, steel met steel sending a sparks bouncing across the desert. "My apologies, that was rude, but there is no reason for violence, I was released for a good reason." Hessa spat, "And what reason would that be?" "To help find the God speaker of course, by the way, that's what your group is doing right?" He pushed his blade back against hers with a good amount of force forcing her back, she staggered but managed to keep her footing. "there is a spell on me you see, a curse, it will kill me on the day I was to be executed, but Pia's royalty have promised that if I find the God speaker first I will be set free. hence they turned me loose. as fellow hunters then should we not work together as partners? Hessa daughter of Jakem?" He extended a hand to hers friendly like. Hessa glared at him, the scuffle had unveiled his hood, red spiky hair and strangely pale skin, coupled with mischievous eye's and a wolfish grin. "if we worked together, I'm sure we would have no problem finding the God speaker, I'm sure your friends would agree." Hidan looked over at the ease droppers. "You can come out now, I won't hurt you."
I was certain that I had remained out of sight, but I knew there was no point in pretending that I wasn't there, I walked out in plain sight and pulled my hood back. "I had a feeling that something like this was going to happen, so I came along in case you got yourself injured." I said, looking at Hessa, I then turned my attention to Hidan, I bowed politely. "My name is Joe, it is... interesting to meet you." I said, not exactly sure how to classify meeting this man as a good or bad thing.
"if we worked together, I'm sure we would have no problem finding the God speaker, I'm sure your friends would agree." "What if you try to like......you know? Cut off our heads at night or something?" Ishmael asked in a buzzed voice sipping from a whiskey bottle as he stepped up to Hessa and Hidan. He'd been quiet for sometime. Once you have a constant companion crawling around in your mind and look like as he did. Being a loner a is thing you get used to. Most of all when you can't really feel. All he'd done so far was watch Sylvia cry, get mocked at by a priest and of course take the lovey bird chicken man hostage. He'd been listening to the coversation......or more accurately Samael had and had been feeding his host the conversation live. "Don't trust him." Samael said. "But he could be of use." "So...wait? You want me not to trust him but ally up with him? They said this guy was that murder right? Hidden blade?" "Correct." "You think we should trust him?" "No not at all. I said could use him." "But he'll probably double cross us." Ishmael said giving Hidan a worried glance as he waited for the killer's reply. "Yes likely. That is why I expect more creative ways of to counter him on our part" Samael let out a thoughtful hum. "Counter everyone." Ishmael bit his lip. "So you want us to double double cross if it comes down to it?" "If that's what you humans are calling it these day then simply put, yes.." Ishmael sighed and went back to Hidan. "Well come on answer my question." He snarled out.
Ra'if had followed Hessa from a distance, all the while trying to come up with a good comeback punchline. He was roused from the darker corners of his mind however, when steel clashed with steel. He overheard Hessa's voice and that of a man who -evidently- was called Hidan. Cursing silently to himself for leaving his sword at the table, Ra'if instead grabbed a dusty broom, broke off the broad end and darted outside, standing next to Hessa, "Hello sweetheart," he breathed, "Still want me to mind my own business?" Clutching his broom with both hands, Ra'if kept his eyes trained on the man in front of him. His right knee was bend ever so slightly, his feet a perfect four inches apart, his make-shift broom was leaning slightly forward, ready to land anywhere on Hidam if Ra'if deemed it right. "I might've been wrong on the chicken, but this man is giving me bad vibes," Ra'if said, keeping himself just out of Hidan's reach.
"If we worked together, I'm sure we would have no problem finding the God speaker, I'm sure your friends would agree," Hidan said. "You can come out now, I won't hurt you." "Fact: Hidan the Hidden Blade is incorrect," Tsubael said to the man's offer. She had not been hiding at all. In fact, she stood near the doorway, staring at him for the entirety of their little sparring match. "Hidan the Hidden Blade says the friends of Hessa, daughter of Jakem, will agree. This one does not. Therefore, Hidan the Hidden Blade is incorrect," Tsubael said. "This one fails to see the logic in allying with that one." She pointed at Hidan. "That one is a killer. This one already sees many killers. This one sees no statistically-relevant advantage in increasing the kill potential of this party, at the cost of the stability and security of said party. This one does not approve."
"So the big bosses send us a serial killer to help us in our quest?... fiiiuuuu I'm relieved...." said Kyra with a facepalm. Just what's going on in the head of dynasty? thought the young. Well I guess there is no use now. "Ok, let's cool our heads. The guy is dangerous FACT. The guy is of not trust, FACT... So we just tie him on night time and travel with him always keeping an eye, in fact I suggest him to be put in front of the formation.." suggested Kyra, it seemed it was over, when the young suddenly went close to the man and said "Oh right... you seek the God Speaker as an order and chance to be free or somethign around those lines no?, yet this is also a nice chance to obtain info, I propose you to reveal what would you ask the God Speaker for?..." asked th young to the man.
"What if you try to like......you know? Cut off our heads at night or something?" "Why would I do that? And diminish my chances of finding the God speaker? I kill for money, not sport. I have no reason to take your lives" Hidan said with a chuckle. "That one is a killer. This one already sees many killers. "Has this one known Hessa, she has killed many as well." "I do not kill, I purge!" Hessa, corrected, "there is a difference. I put down the evil doers in the sight of Bahamut you kill innocent people" Hiddan shook his head, "You kill in the name of your God, criminals and street urchins desperate men. I kill in the name of money greedy politicians and corrupt dignataries selfish kings, we are the same Hessa, and I a no more a threat to your marry band then you." "Oh right... you seek the God Speaker as an order and a chance to be free or something around those lines no?, yet this is also a nice chance to obtain info, I propose you to reveal what would you ask the God Speaker for?..." asked the young to the man. "Nothing only my freedom do I seek." Finally he turned to Joe, "Well at least you have some manners." "Leave Hiddan, nobody wants you here." Hessa hissed. "Or else what? Your play boy will spank me with his stick?" Hiddan snickered at the young man holding a snapped broom.
Many of the group had decided to go outside to chase one man, so Shae sat and drank at the bar thankful to finally find some mead. The shortage of water had created an unspoken ban on alcohol in Pia and clearly Gon had taken matters into his own hands, creating a bar in a fish’s skull. And a rather large fish at that. She sipped her drink and smiled. Gon edged up to her as she drank, wiping down the sandstone bar as he went. “So, where do you hail from little lady?” He said. “My hometown is Azreal.” She responded. His eyes widened and he began to frown as if he had done something wrong. “I am so sorry to hear that, I heard it was a beautiful pla–“ “Ah you must be thinking of Azreal the Burning City! No I hail from Azreal the Travelling City.” She said happily. He didn’t quite get it. His face contorted into a grimace and he tapped his fingers on the bar at her. “Is that some kind of joke? I know folks that lost people in its sacking, the once luscious City of Azreal torn asunder by Y–“ “By Yazan the Wise, I know. I was there!” She said in a bubbly voice. “Well I was a babe when the massacre happened, but the survivors banded together and started travelling behind Yazan’s armies, picking up the casualties of war each time. I tell you this convey was two miles long last time I saw it, and had everything from armourers to tailors, swordsmen to musicians… hell, they even had a roaming bar.” Gon blinked a few times in disbelief. Firstly at the Travelling City. And secondly at this woman’s complete lack of empathy towards the bloodbath that was Azreal. She almost seemed to laugh about it. “Well that’s a mighty fine story… but doesn’t that affect you?” He asked. “Does what affect me?” “Your birth town. Like, it’s gone. People murdered. Whoosh. Dead.” “Death comes for us all. The man that fears it fully leads a stunted life.” She finished her mead and leaned in close, placing a few scales on the side. “Now Gon, you seem like the type of bartender that knows a thing or two.” She whispered. “I want information. But I don’t want others…” She eyed the mercs at the back of the room. “...finding out.” His eyes lit up at the sight of the coins and he snatched them into his pouch like a greedy little goblin. “I am all ears little lady.” “I want to know about the Sky Line Pyramid. And I want all the details.”
"Or else what? Your play boy will spank me with his stick?" "You people talk too much," Ra'if said with a sigh, then took a step forward, "Oh, and it's a broomstrick," Ra'if explained, lifting one shoulder in a careless shrug. Without warning, he lunged forward, lifted his makeshift sword in the air and swooped his weapon down, ready to hit the man straight on the shoulder. Ra'if expected a dodge or parry and, at the very last moment, altered his direction, shifting his weight slightly to the right his weapon would now smack Hidan straight across the face. If not, he'd just lash out a few more times, and let the others deal with Hidan whilst he was distracted.
Ishmael cocked his head at Hidan a smile of equal joy spread across his face and a laugh boomed from him. "Hahahaha!" He began clapping. "Bravo Hidan. Colorful counters to all our statements." Ishmael inclined his head towards Hessa. "He has a point. You aren't much better then him. In fact a friend of mind would probably find that entire sentence idea disgusting....killing in the name of Bahamut." Ishmael was not trying to provoke anyone but Samael's traits were starting to bleed through into his own personality. He knew the feeling well from living with it for so long.....it was a lack of something. Humanity likely. A feeling were you begin to loose fear, joy and other basic emotions. Ishmael did his best to shake that thought process down and tried to relate better to Hessa's feelings. But then the young man attacked Hidan. The sound of the broomstick whistling through the air was almost over as it had begun and...... "WOW!"
She was in a bar. A bar. With drinkers of alcohol, sinners who shall be condemned! Sylvia clasped her hands in her lap and kept her head down, focused on the wood grain of the table. The journey hadn't been long, but while the rays of the sun beat down, it had felt like ages. Even in the bar, sweat beaded her brow and her many robes stuck to her body. A hazy headache knocked into her skull as her breath grew shallow. The heat seemed to constrict her like a boa, squeezing the breath out of her. Sylvia slowly lifted her head and scanned the room, smoke clouding her vision. Besides a drink of water, she could think of one thing that could ease her pain, to remove some clothing. But she could not...that would be sinful, what blasphemy to think of such! No, she could not lead men into sin; to thoughts of lust. Sylvia took another deep breath as a droplet of sweat fell into her eyes. Several minutes passed while she blocked out all sound, desperately fighting against temptation. Finally she could suffer the heat of hell no longer. "O Holy Bahamut, forgive thy servant." she whispered and rose to hide herself in a corner. First Sylvia removed her head covering and a loose strand of chestnut hair brushed against her cheek. Next came the thick layers of robes, revealing underneath a modest blue dress that reached to her knees. Her sandaled feet were also brought to the surface. A blush crossed Sylvia's cheeks as she wrapped up the garments and placed them in her satchel. Walking back to her seat, she sent up another quick prayer; a promise, to replace her coverings once her body temperature was back to normal.
"This one is unconvinced," Tsubael said, but said nothing further because 'this one' was not in charge and she'd already interfered enough as it was. If they wanted the man to come along, that was how history would play out. Whether he proved to be a virtuous man or a snake who slit their throats in their sleep, that was history's chosen course. Tsubael was slightly surprised to discover she didn't like how history was playing out. The man made her uncomfortable. Though she doubted he could do any permanent harm to her, she feared what he might do to the others. Fear, favoritism, and compassion? What sort of nonsense is this!? She smothered those errant thoughts. It is not this one's place to judge history, only to record it, she warned herself. Instead, she took out her book and recorded what had happened. It hardly took ten seconds for her pen to write down all that was said. She wrote a fair, accurate account of the group's first encounter with Hidan the Hidden Blade, outside the Drunken Skipper. But, just as she finished, Ra'if lunged at the newcomer and rekindled Tsubael's pen. She began to write every movement. Perhaps history would have Hidan the Hidden Blade resting face-down in a pool of his own blood.
Altair He had kept a good distance from the confrontation, listening. It seemed that there was neither nothing to be gained, or lost, by letting this man into the party. It was certain though that there was nothing to be gained by attacking him. His robes swished as his polearm reached out and intercepted Ra'if's broomstick. The boy attacked with all the precision of a viper, and all the grace of a baby bula tumbling down a dune. Unrefined. "That was uncalled for," Altair said to Ra'if. "Spilled blood is a waste of water."
Hiddan felt the broom stop short of his face. He didn't budge. "Hmm. So let me get this straight." he said, "You would rather we be rival competitors then allies?" He put his hand on his own blade. "Choose your next actions wisely boy." He said a darkness beginning to settle in his eye's.
"Lets bring him." Ishmael said with relief giving a thanking nod to Altair. "He seems on the level.......well level enough for us. I mean look who else we got hanging around." He said speaking on everyone in the group. "Besides a man of his talents could be valuable. Besides if he tries anything funny, how many of us could he really kill or fool before we all caught on and returned the favor? I'm willing to take the risk." Ishmael was hoping they'd agree with him. But he doubted it. As they had looks on their faces that made a small weight settle in his stomach from tension.
"You would rather we be rival competitors then allies?" "I harbor you no ill will brother," Altair said. He had a feeling that the others here did not understand doing whatever it took to survive. He had done things that he was not proud of, and even now, he was indirectly working for a terrible warlord, all to save his family. This man seemed to be of the same sort, willing to do whatever it took, unhindered by the morality of it. Bahamut be damned, and damn in return, Altair though. "Lets bring him." Ishmael said with relief giving a thanking nod to Altair. "He seems on the level.......well level enough for us. I mean look else we got hanging around." He said speaking on everyone in the group. "Besides a man of his talents could be valuable." Altair returned the nod. "I agree. He seems a man of talent and prowess, and willing to do what is necessary to accomplish his goals, which seem to be yours as well..." he said, speaking to the group.
I agree. He seems a man of talent and prowess, and willing to do what is necessary to accomplish his goals, which seem to be yours as well..." "Pff," Ra'if snorted, "he is a killer. Killers can't be trusted." Ra'if's eyes flicked from Altair to Hidan and back again. Carefully he lowered his broomstick a few inches, letting it hover straight in front of his face. He planted on foot in the small space that existed between Altair and Hidan. A smirk crept across his face. "I'm not killing him," he tried to reassure Altair, "just...what did you say again...?" His eyes rested on Hidan, then he clicked his tongue as if he suddenly remembered. "Spanking him," he smirked. For a moment it seemed as if he was about to lash out again, but then he withdrew, raising one eyebrow at Altair. He whirled his stick a few times around his wrist, enjoying the swooshing sound it made. "Thanks for pointing out I was on the wrong side of him though," he added, nudging his head towards Hidan. Then he dashed past Hidan, leaving Altair well out of reach, twirled the broomstick in his right hand and attempted and uppercut blow at Hidan's backside, anticipating it to fail he prepared to spin around and dash out of Hidan's reach.
Idiot child. He had clearly never faces anyone with a lance or halberd before. Nothing was out of reach. Two quick steps forward, and then the blade came whistling down behind Hidan, and along with it, three quarters of Ra'if's broom stick. It was cut off just above his hands, the severed end falling with a dull thud to the sand. "Enough!" Altair exclaimed, then moving close to the boy, faster than he had time to react, Altair got his leg between the boys and knocked him to the round, then kicked the emasculated broomstick from his hands.
"Enough!" Ra'if grunted as he smacked into the ground, he chuckled from his position, he liked the ferocity that Altair had used against him. "Enough?" he panted, his lungs almost devoid of air, "not nearly," he added with a smile. He hooked his right foot behind Altair's ankle and pulled his leg in, sweeping the ground underneath the man's legs. He used the very same momentum to raise himself. A few bones in his spine cracked as he straightened up. He threw the useless end of his broom at Altair's face then jumped straight on top of the man and attempted to slam his elbow in Altair's exposed throat. But some force kept him from hitting, the two inches of air between his elbow and Altair's throat seemed to buzz. "Ra'if!" A voice shrieked. It was Asrar, and judging by her intense, furious stare, she was preventing Ra'if from performing poor plastic surgery on Altair's face. "Leave him," she demanded. He obeyed instantly and hopped off Altair, then sauntered towards Asrar like a child who'd been stripped of his candy. "Stay put and keep your trap shut," Asrar hissed, locking Ra'if into place with a simple eather spell for good measure.
