Merrique "And a thank you for saving your miserable lives would suffice." Merrique nodded as Jade spoke, a beautiful smile on her face. When Jade was finished, Merrique clapped her hands loudly, as she had once done back home to get the attention of her siblings when they were playing. "Alright, I think it's settled," she called out. "The fierce warrioress is correct, staying here would be foolish. We should at least move somewhere less open. Setting up camp outside the City gates is not a bad idea at all." She turned back to Jade and gave her a friendly wink. "I got your back," she said, still smiling.
Vetiver Vetiver had not been paying close attention to what the others were talking about. He had been focused on brushing Nightbird; any good horse rider knew that it was important to brush your horse, to clean away the dirt and grit from riding as well as to relax their muscles. When Vetiver was done with that, he gave the horse another apple and laid a thick gray blanket over his back. His snake returned while he was working, slithering between the legs of the horse. There was a small lump in the middle of Xibalba's body. A rabbit? Vetiver thoughtspoke, grinning to himself. A very silly rabbit, Xibalba answered. It practically hopped right into my mouth. Finally, Vetiver heard the others talking about leaving. Marcus did not look like he was in agreement, but the annoyingly upbeat sorceress and the pint-sized swordswoman seemed to think moving on was the best option. Vetiver had to admit, the girls had some good points. After Merrique clapped her hands and ordered them about, as if they were children that needed herding, Vetiver said, "I agree, moving on to the City is the smartest course of action." Then he gave Merrique a dark look and added, in an icy tone of voice, "And I don't need to be clapped at, thank you very much." With that, he turned and pulled the blanket off of his horse and put it away, then set about putting Xibalba back in his basket.
Mahtr walked alongside Mixine silently for some time, pondering her words. He had never thought of enchantments causing people harm. Perhaps the people who hsed them, but surely not the magic itself? How had Mixine lost her sister? What brought her on this journey? "Erm... No," He finally replied, mulling over everything slowly in his head, "Not'a mage, er noth'n. Jus' one small spell. My people ain' s'good at us'n magic, y'know." He gave her a sidelong glance, "s'prob'ly why we're d'minish'n s'quick." He added sadly. He continued walking along in silence, deeply concentrating, his lip jutting out furiously. A vein began throbbing in his temple. To an onlooker it may have appeared as though he were about to go berserk. His body trembling with effort, he finally felt a small warmth as a feint orb mirroring the moon in the sky flickered into existance beside him, illuminating the path ahead with a dull blue light. "S'we don'trip, y'see..." He muttered, exhausted.
"Count the amount of people we have here... Twenty, a maximum of thirty. I was held by a party of two hundred, Scaled Empire men." The woman turned to Dart, who had returned with her sword. "You got lucky here, you had the element of surprise, but I won't be surprised if they're sending scouts after you this very moment. So yes, I suggest you change location, maybe camp at the city gates. And a thank you for saving your miserable lives would suffice." Dart smiled, then motioned towards Kent. Marcus frowns, his arms crossed. The sass of this woman was getting to him. She did not respect him. They had killed most of them. Merrique speaks first, "Alright, I think it's settled. The fierce warrioress is correct, staying here would be foolish. We should at least move somewhere less open. Setting up camp outside the City gates is not a bad idea at all." Vetiver speaks up after her, "I agree, moving on to the City is the smartest course of action. And I don't need to be clapped at, thank you very much." Marcus sighs, turning to Kent, by his side. "Thank you, Harriet... Kent, would you say that was right?" "Yes... I was going to bring it up with you later before we finished talking. We killed maybe 40 or 50, I'm not sure, but they still have a dangerous number of people with them." Marcus's shoulders slackened. "Well... okay. I thought we killed most of them, like usual?" "I ordered the others out as soon as they decided to surrender, and they concentrated in one of the latter vehicles. I'm not sure if they've turned around yet, or if they have yet to do so." "Well, that changes things." Marcus sighs. "Alright, so we won't set up camp. Full speed on to the gate, men. We'll reach it in two hours, maybe an hour and a half, if we go quickly. Vetiver, Merrique, Harriet, feel free to tag along." Marcus turns around, letting Kent take the wheel. Kent orders men to their positions, Soon, the three caravans started rolling at a quick speed towards the gate within minutes. Marcus clambered into a caravan with Kent and Dart. "The others think that you are the leader of this group, Marcus." Kent smiled at Marcus with an inquisitive smile. "Surprised me when you started talking like you were." Dart chuckled. "Sorry." Marcus shrugged, raising his hands. "It's fine. I think you need exercises in leadership... your speech was not confident, and you were uncertain and in the unknown. You let yourself be seen as somewhat weak. The others don't respect you because of that." Kent smiled, a pleasant smile stretched across his face. "I know." Marcus sighed, sitting butterfly. "There are those among the crew who don't think that it is a good idea to go into the city. I want to let you know that we will be separating with them. We are in the minority, I am afraid." Marcus thought for a minute, silent. Dart watched his face, smiling. "Well, whatever you choose, I'll go with you." Marcus turns to Dart. "Thank you." "Tis what friends are for, right?" Kent sighed, a hand breezing through his roughly-cut blonde hair. "I will say this: I want to go in the city. I want to confirm for myself some questions and rumors I've heard. When the others talk of an uncomfortable feeling, I am confused, for I don't feel anything pushing me away." Marcus sits silent. "I will go in." Dart and Kent lay a hand on one shoulder of Marcus's. "We'll be there too, with you." Marcus nods slowly, then clambers out into the evening. Marcus sat on the top of a caravan, looking out at the gate, seeing the emptiness of the desert, shrouded in a black veil, surrounding Para'ven. He feels the urge to turn back, to jump off the caravan, and walk away. However, something else drew him in. Curiosity. Also the logic that going back would put him in the hands of the warriors Harriet had described. That was not as primal a concern as this instinctual push and pull... the pull being stronger in his mind. So he flies forwards.
Jade sat at the back of one of the latter caravans, and settled to sleep, not before telling everyone around what had happened to the guard who thought he could use her for his own. A lone woman, let them try to do anything amusing. She held her grip on a dagger she stole from one of the mercenaries and closed her eyes. Sleep evaded her at first. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts. While great wonders were told about the abandoned city, so were infamous horror stories, and of course the cynical tones which dismissed these tellings as some old legendry garbage. There was also the matter of the raiders she was travelling with. While they took her with them, she had a feeling that it was out of nessecity rather that a good heart. They knew she could perform magic, and non of them seemed very adept with it. And then there were the two sorcerers. She liked the man, with his natural distance and aloof atitude. He was much like her. The girl, however, was annoying. Jade had a feeling that if the situation got dirty, as it probably would, she would kill the sorceress first. With these pleasant thoughts, Jade gradually drifted to sleep.
Mixine followed Mahtr closely, "I will come with you, but if you blame for everything magic then we may end up parting ways. True magic is how a woman carries a child and creates new life... it is not the domain of the mind, but of the loins." After walking for a bit, Mixine asked, "How long to this city of yours and when do I get a drink and tinkle break?"
Vetiver & Merrique Vetiver rode alongside the caravan on Nightbird at a quick trot. It was dark and gloomy, but he didn't want to risk casting any light spells for fear that they would attract unwanted attention. He kept his left hand resting on the brass handle of the Black Wand, just in case they were ambushed. Then he thought about all the tough-looking mercenaries, the fierce swordswoman, and the giggly sorceress. He felt sorry for anyone who attempted to battle them; they would be in for much more than they could handle. "Whatcha thinking about down there?" Merrique called from above. She had opted to jump from tree to tree instead of riding in the caravan. Her dark crimson cloak billowed like huge silent wings and her dark ringlets streamed behind her. She landed so lightly on the tree branches that she didn't make even the smallest sound, except for the soft rustle of her clothes. As she smiled down at Vetiver, her hazel eyes flashed with inner light, like two golden suns. Vetiver frowned up at the sorceress, slightly unnerved. Merrique very much resembled that owl broach she wore, perched up there in a tree with those big golden eyes. "I was thinking about how I'm probably going to have to protect you all if we're attacked, since you're such an incompetent bunch," Vetiver snapped, avoiding Merrique's uncanny eyes. Vetiver didn't know why he lied; probably because he was annoyed that she had startled him and he wanted to get back at her. Merrique merely giggled and jumped to the next branch, landing just as quietly as before. "You guys are such a prickly group," she observed cheerily. "You, Jade, Marcus...you're all constantly on edge. When did you lose your joy for life, I wonder?" Before Vetiver could object, she went on. "And sorry if my eyes startled you. Sometimes they glow, when I'm using magic or just when I'm emotional." She shrugged and jumped to another tree, this time doing a twirl in mid-air, just for fun. Vetiver decided to ignore her comment about "when he lost his joy for life", because it hit too close to home. Instead, he chose to focus on her glowing eyes. "And why are your eyes glowing right now?" Vetiver asked moodily. He was curious, despite himself. "Because you're emotional, or because you're using magic?" "I cast a spell to see in the dark," Merrique answered. "I have this oil that's made from a rare plant. If it's prepared properly, all you have to do is apply it to..." She trailed off and gave Vetiver a suspicious look, grinning wryly. "Hey, are you tryna steal my magic secrets?" "As if!" Vetiver retorted, barking out a laugh. "Tell me yours and I'll tell you mine," Merrique proposed. "In your dreams, you second-rate witch," Vetiver growled. Merrique let out a bubbly laugh and shook her head. "I will figure out what made you this way, Vetiver Longhand," she said, smiling down at him. "I swear it." With that, she winked one golden eye and soared to the next tree, as graceful as a song. Vetiver grumbled darkly, thinking evil thoughts. Xibalba suggested that he eat the annoying sorceress, but Vetiver told him that wasn't a good idea because it would take him days to digest her and he wouldn't fit in his basket anymore. Xibalba sulked.
As the caravan draw's closer something about the horses' gait changes. A certain reluctance seeps in, a hint of unwillingness and a certain fear in the eyes as they seem to stare at single point, the many towered citadel at the heart of the city. Every so often there'd be a gentle tug of the reins as a horse attempts to veer off path, into the tall grass and away from the place. When roughly half a mile away from the city, all the beasts stop in unison, some imperceptible force filling them with fear enough that they shall go no further, rather the lash than whatever lies in that place. Further ahead on the path, two figures can be seen, a small one clad entirely in black, and the second a much larger figure.
Marcus stands by Argon, the brown stallion he had always loved growing up. The horse whimpered, snorting out breath, motioning his head towards the city. Marcus gently pet him, and the horse calmed down somewhat. "Marcus... the horses don't want to go in." Hawthorne, the driver, said. "I've tried lashing them, but they won't budge." Marcus frowned, sighing. "Well, I guess that leaves only one possibility." "I guess it's that time, isn't it?" Kent crossed his arms. "Hawthorne, you know the deal. Have everyone split the goods up, take the horses, then burn the caravan. Meet at Malcolm village, and I relinquish temporary leadership to you. You know the deal. Just survive." "Same to you, Kent. I wish you well." Hawthorne grinned. "I may or may not take your horse." "She'll run away before you even get a meter close to her." Kent smirked, and Hawthorne replied with a robust laugh, getting off of the caravan. Within a few minutes, everyone except Dart, Kent, and Marcus was headed off into the desert, leaving behind a burning caravan. There were plenty of packaged of food and canteens of water that they had left behind for the adventurers. "We'd better get going if we don't want to get caught by those soldiers your new girlfriend mentioned." Dart chuckles. Marcus shook his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. He spots the two figures ahead, and quickly points them out to Kent and Dart. He runs towards them, drawing his bow out, with Kent and Dart in close pursuit. Another set of travelers. They would catch them... and possibly have two new allies in their midst. "Excuse me!" Marcus shouted, addressing the two figures ahead of him. "We are a group of travelers heading to Para'ven! Would you travelers perhaps want to join with us?"
Jade stared at the two figures, annoyed. She was already cranky from being woken up and told that they would have to continue by foot. Now a foul smell filled her nostrils, a smell that seemed awfully familiar.
Surprised, Mixine spun to attention, her black cloak swirled around her body as her hand retrieved her rod from its sheathing on her right leg. Entirely concealed under her thick cloak and heavy clothes, Mixine caught sight of the drawn bow and tried to gauge the distance necessary to defend herself. Mahtr looked peaceful in comparison to these three figures which had closed the distance upon them. Mixine let out a cough and said in a masculine baritone voice, "Para...Van... Is that what you call this city of yours? I bring medicine and care. Are you at war? I hope it is not customary to draw back the bow upon greeting two unarmed gatherers." She pulled behind Mahtr for added safety and said only to him in the same masculine voice, "If you know them, protect me. If not... trust me to protect you. Mix will protect his friend if need be. Just do not touch me, I will not be able to control myself again." There was difference in the air around Mixine and from her position behind Mahtr, the disguised woman was running through her options. The front gear on Mahtr could withstand arrow attacks and Mixine's thick cloak and clothes would certainly lessen any damage, but she was at an immense disadvantage at range. Clenching the rod underneath her cloak, she knew it was terrible to use Mahtr as a shield. She did not want to die and she did not want have to kill humans. A softer fresher scent started to emanate from Mixine's body as something built up within her - causing the air to become lighter.
Marcus quickly drew back his bow upon seeing the strangely-dressed figure hide behind its male companion, and Kent and Dart put away their weapons too. "We mean you no harm. Yes, this city is called Para'ven. It is a mystery, and we are explorers. What is your name?" Marcus turns to eye the bigger figure. "What are your names?"
"My name is Mix, son of Elern and Rose Plumreed." Mixine continued to conceal her identity while still being truthful, "I am a Salvemaker trained by the esteemed and late Baba Lotus. The long road led me here, but I know nothing of this Para'van." Only now did Mixine realize this city was nothing more than an abandoned husk ripe for "explorers". Though the men lowered their weapons, Mixine kept her guard up. The men were exceptionally dangerous and sheathed their words as benign despite appearing as brigands. They could not be trusted and her head had been filled with vague notions that they preyed upon females. Swooping down like hawks and whisking cute mice away only to devour them. Reluctantly, she decided to slip the rod back into its sheath so it would not be discovered if she had to show her hands. Mixine said softly to Mahtr so as to not to be overheard, "Careful, they are brigands."
Jade stared at that new Mix person, what he revealed, in any case. The smell, the slight accent, the names, she had a good idea who that man might be, where he might come from. Then there was that silent giant of a figure, probably a bodyguard of some kind. He might be dangerous, she thought, though defeating bigger, stronger men was what she was doing ever since she entered the assassination business. She moved to the front, where the archer named Marcus stood. Later, she would have to talk to that Mix.
Vetiver When they reached the gates of Para'van, Vetiver's horse refused to go any further. In fact, all the horses were sending out telepathic waves of fear and panic, but Vetiver was surprised that Nightbird felt the same way. Nightbird had been with Vetiver since he had left home on that fateful day when the Witch Hunters burned his entire family, just like Xibalba. They were his familiars, his steadfast companions throughout all the trials of his life. Nightbird had witnessed Vetiver do great deeds with his magic, as well as evil deeds, and if the horse was scared then Para'van must really be a bad place. Nevertheless, Vetiver was determined to go forward. So, Vetiver jumped down from Nightbird and stroked the black horse's broad neck. "You will go back home, Nightbird," he told the horse out loud and with his mind. The horse whinnied and bobbed its head, as if it was nodding. Vetiver dug inside the saddlebags attached to the horse and took out the relics he had brought with him: a large brass bell, a silver-framed black mirror, and a small wooden statue of a robed woman. He reverently placed these sacred objects inside his belt, except for the statue, which he wrapped in black silk and tucked away in a hidden pocket inside his cape. Lastly, Vetiver waved his hand and Xibalba's basket lid magically flew open. Xibalba slithered down and Vetiver bid his horse good-bye, but not before taking off one of his rings, whispering a spell over it, and slipping it into one of Nightbird's saddlebags. The ring was set with a large onyx stone for protection and Vetiver had given it to his friend in case the horse ran into any unforeseen trouble. Nightbird neighed one more time before turning and galloping in the opposite direction. Vetiver was crying on the inside, but as always, he kept his emotions hidden behind a cold, haughty expression. Xibalba hissed up at him and Vetiver leaned down to stroke his diamond-shaped head with one long finger. When the strangers approached, a wall-sized behemoth and a tent-like figure that called itself Mix, Vetiver simply watched as Marcus and Jade went on the defensive. "It takes more than a giant and a tent to scare me," Vetiver grumbled to himself. He crossed his arms and scowled, waiting for the whole charade to be over so they could continue on their mission.
Merrique Merrique watched curiously as Vetiver set his horse free. He talked to the horse as if it could understand him, took a few relics out of the saddlebags, and let out his pet snake. Next, Vetiver whispered a spell over a ring with a shiny black stone, but even though Merrique leaned closer and strained her ears, he was speaking too low for her to catch it. Then the horse galloped away and Merrique pretended to be very interested in her nails, so he wouldn't know that she had been spying. She was distracted when two strangers approached in the distance. One of them was pretty big and fearsome-looking, but the other one...was that a walking tent? "Oh my stars!" Merrique squeaked gleefully. "I've never seen a walking tent before! And it can talk, too? Wonder of wonders!" Merrique listened raptly as Marcus and the talking tent, which revealed itself to be a Salvemaker named Mix, exchanged words. She was slightly disapointed to learn that there was someone inside the tent, but she was excited to meet him nonetheless. Without any fear, Merrique skipped forward like a little girl, holding up her flowing crimson skirt. Then she took one impossibly long jump and landed gracefully right in front of the big guy. She peered around him at the tent-toting traveler and smiled broadly. "Hellooo?" she trilled, twiddling her delicate fingers in greeting. "I'm Lady Merrique! My stars, you have quite a musk!"
Acai Blackwood came walking up the road to Para'ven with nothing but a potato sack flung over his shoulder and the dirty brown clothes that he wore. He was small for his age and as skinny as a twig. His shaggy black hair fell in his eyes and his skin had a dark olive complexion. His lips were dry and cracked from dehydration and his stomach was caved in from lack of food. He had long ago run out of food and the last time he had drank any water was two days ago, when he happened across a spring. He stopped in his tracks, swaying a bit, when he spotted a group of strangers at the gates to Para'ven. They were all much older than him, none of them looked like they were starving or thirsty, and they were much better dressed. Acai looked down self-consciously at his own peasant garb and tried to brush off some of the dirt, but it didn't do much good. There were also a few rips and blood stains, from when he was attacked by wild animals. The worst had been a wolverine; Acai had barely escaped with his life, casting a basic stunning spell that made the wolverine screech and run away. "Ah, fuck it," Acai cussed irritably. "I don't need ta look fancy for these folk." Standing tall and adjusting his potato sack, Acai stomped forward to meet the group. When he was only five feet away, he stopped and called out, "My name is Acai Blackwood and I seek entrance into the Tarnished City." Then he scowled at them and waited for their response.
"My name is Mix, son of Elern and Rose Plumreed. I am a Salvemaker trained by the esteemed and late Baba Lotus. The long road led me here, but I know nothing of this Para'van." The figure spoke in a strangely masculine voice that set of warning signals throughout Marcus's brain. This figure... man... he wasn't sure... was someone who could also... use supernatural powers of some kind. He was sure of it. The figure besides the mystery was huge, but Marcus could sense no ill will from him. He seemed somewhat straightforward... Marcus noticed that Jade walked up beside him, and tensed, what he was going to say jettisoned to the dry air around him. He felt like he was a little mouse in a room covered in mousetraps. "Oh my stars! I've never seen a walking tent before! And it can talk, too? Wonder of wonders!" He heard Merrique's now familiar cheerful voice, then saw her skipping near enough to him that he noticed the lithe legs underneath her skirt. She lept in front of the bigger man, her voice jumping up and down like a kid. "Hellooo? I'm Lady Merrique! My stars, you have quite a musk!" Marcus grimaced. This woman would get herself killed at this rate. "My name is Acai Blackwood and I seek entrance into the Tarnished City." He heard a somewhat regular voice untainted by an accent from behind and him, and he was twirled around in a second, standing a bit of a distance apart from the newcomer. He seemed to be dressed somewhat... modestly... compared to the others. He carried a potato sack... and for once Marcus thought that maybe he had found someone not tainted by the dark arts on this path to uncertainty. "Well... of course you can come in... We are a group of travelers..." Marcus thought to himself that he had probably given this talk at least 10 other times. He was getting of tired of it. "going to explore the lost city. If you want, you can come with us."
Vetiver Vetiver narrowed his eyes as Merrique skipped forward to greet The Tent. That's what Vetiver decided just that second to call Mix, 'The Tent'. You don't get to walk around wearing a tent and not get called out on it. That's just too ludicrous. He was silently debating whether or not he should set The Tent on fire, just to watch him run around screaming, when Xibalba hissed to get his attention. I've been trying to tell you, but you were so absorbed in that fabric-covered person... Before Xibalba finished, Vetiver saw what the snake was talking about: a skinny peasant boy stumbling up the way that they had just came. Vetiver barely listened to him as the peasant boy introduced himself and Marcus gave him the 'Ole Welcome to the Gang' speech. He merely scowled and tapped his foot irritably. Did they really need another person in their group? Especially a weird-looking kid with no possible talents to lend to their... Vetiver stopped mid-thought and raised his eyebrows by a fraction. He was noticing that the peasant boy looked terribly thin, practically starved, and very dehydrated. Without thinking about it, Vetiver strode up to Acai and offered him an apple and a canteen of spring water. "Eat this, drink this," Vetiver ordered. "We simply cannot have people dropping like flies."
"Eat this, drink this," Vetiver ordered. "We simply cannot have people dropping like flies." Acai took the apple and the canteen, but he didn't partake of them right away. "What's the catch?" he asked gruffly. In Acai's world nobody did favors for strangers without expecting something in return, especially noble-types like this tall, learned man in his fancy clothes and fine leather boots. Acai tried to wait for Vetiver's response, but he couldn't resist: he took a huge gulp from the canteen, half of it going down the front of his shirt, and then bit off two-thirds of the apple in one bite, munching like a horse. "I will pay you back, whatever it is, I will do it," Acai said around his mouthful. "I don't like owing nobody. I got honor, even if I wasn't born rich like you."
"Hellooo?" she trilled, twiddling her delicate fingers in greeting. "I'm Lady Merrique! My stars, you have quite a musk!" Mixine stepped backwards in a bit of shock, had this Merrique seen through her disguise? "Six months of traveling does that..." Mixine chuckled heartily, "Cleansers are not something I can make." Mixine turned her attention to Acai and stooped down to stare at him. Her white smiling wooden mask revealed itself to him, "Rude, foolish and wasteful. An ingrate and a man-child. Are you normally like this or has hunger turned you back into the beast you truly are?"
Jade walked up to that Marcus archer. she was still tired, and if they were lucky, they had just over an hour to dawn. "Well, we reached the gates of the city," she said. "I suggest we set up camp." The man standing next to the archer nodded. Ignoring the chatter behind her and the group's newest reqruit, Jade found herself the most cofotable spot she could find, and lay down.
Vetiver "Rude, foolish and wasteful. An ingrate and a man-child. Are you normally like this or has hunger turned you back into the beast you truly are?" Vetiver stepped between the little boy and The Tent. "Excuse me, talking thing," Vetiver said in a low voice that dripped with icy venom, "but the child is dehydrated and obviously hasn't eaten in days. I don't know what foul cesspool you crawled out of, but where I'm from, we do not speak to children in such a manner. He was only asking me what I wanted in return for the things I gave him, even if he was a little rude." "Now, Young Master Acai." Vetiver turned his back on The Tent and looked down his nose at the peasant boy. He rubbed the large moonstone ring on his middle finger and it immediately started to glow fiercely. With a wave of his hand, all the dirt on Acai's clothes and skin simply vanished. "There, I can't stand dirt," Vetiver grumbled. "You asked what you owe me, and I think I should like it if you became my assistant. My name is Vetiver Longhand, I'm sure you've heard about me back at your potato farm, or wherever you're from. I need someone like you to fetch things and help me perform rituals and other such chores. What do you say?" As he waited for Acai's answer, his snake slithered up to him and raised its head to stare at boy, as if it was waiting for him to speak, too.
Merrique "Six months of traveling does that..." Mixine chuckled heartily, "Cleansers are not something I can make." Merrique laughed and was about to make a joke, when Mix completely turned away from her and started talking down to the little peasant boy. "Hey, hey, lets all be cool," Merrique started, but Vetiver stepped in and diffused the situation with his signature cold attitude. Merrique grinned as he went on to clean up Acai with a thorough cleaning spell and offered the child a job as his assistant. Who woulda thought Vetiver Longhand would take a liking to a grubby little boy? she thought wonderingly. "Can we share him?" Merrique interrupted Vetiver. She smiled at Acai and clasped her hands over her heart. "He's so precious! Surely all the girls were all over you in your home village?" She bent down to pat him lovingly on the cheek. "I am Lady Merrique," Merrique told him. "I am a sorcerer, like Vetiver, only less stuck-up." She giggled at her own joke before continuing. Maybe you can help me out with some chores too, if ya want. I can tell you have a little magic, maybe you can learn a thing or two from watching us."
"Well, we reached the gates of the city... I suggest we set up camp." Jade walked up besides him, somewhat gingerly, her feet slower than they were before. He couldn't blame her for being tired, he was too. He lightly nodded, noticing the exchanges between Merrique, Vetiver, and the boy Acai out of the corner of his eyes. If they had one more person with them, so be it. He was slightly relieved he looked somewhat normal, and not the dark, brooding, and mysterious looks of his other companions. He found comfort in the fact that he still had Dart and Kent with him. "We should probably... set up camp inside the gates. That way we can hide better and have the upper ground if your... kidnappers come back." Marcus sighed, feeling the pressure of the wind; its desperate hands trying to push him back. "Come on Dart... Kent..." He eyes the massive gate in front of him, open to all. With a touch of hesitation, he is the first one to step inside the city. He feels the presence of something powerful. An energy infuses the air, and in that void of sound he could almost hear Latin whispers worried of warning. One of the many languages his father had taught him at his mahogany desk. Quiet, rich words that carried the same meaning... but sounded so different. The language of the Germanics and French. The ancient Soviets and their Mandarin neighbors. "Marcus... you stopped." Dart laid a hand on Marcus's shoulder, gripping it, lightly shaking him. Marcus breathed in and out, then started to look around in the dry darkness of the depths of a city unknown to him. Kent spoke next, "Your choice now... leave them, and embrace ourselves... or go in danger's company into that goodnight." Marcus knew the quote... Kent knew the meaning it had for him, which is why he had said it... Despite the danger in his new 'friends', Marcus knew that a common interest would keep them together. He hoped. His father had always spoken against the act of betting and dangerous speculation... yet spent Sundays with his coins and tokens. Lead with words, and not actions. For people tend to believe words faster than they do actions. "Everyone, we'll be camping tonight in the city... we'll find a place to go that's out of sight." He spoke loudly and clearly, turning around, facing the others behind him. "In Para'ven, not out of it."
