23rd of Ash, 120
It was the twenty-third of Cinderfall. In just two days, it would be Arkash's birthday. He hadn't originally thought he'd be able to walk unassisted within a month, but his body metabolized his meals quickly, and his muscles constantly ached with fatigue and exhaustion, due to his training sessions. It was because of Asmodei's help and dedication that Arkash strived to walk again before his next birthday. Every day, he grew stronger. That goal looked more and more achievable.
His claws gripped the iron railing with nigh-white knuckles. His whole body trembled while he stood there and tried to gather his breath, but the longer he held on, the more his energy depleted. He pressed his jaw hard and bared his teeth. Everything hurt, but it was just a few more steps. He could do it if he really tried.
"Almost there, you can do it!" Cheered Asmodei with a clap of his gauntlet-wrapped hands. Arkash grunted, then leaned more of his weight into the railing, which made both his arm and the metal shake under the strain. With the pressure on his feet partially alleviated, he lifted his left leg to put all his weight on his right, then slid it forward a step. His right followed, and he moved his arm to keep up with his body as he progressed. "Just two more of those!"
The rathari's arm couldn't continue to hold his weight, he wasn't sure he had two more of those in him. Nonetheless, he shuffled his left foot claw across the ground, then followed through with his right. As he moved his arm, his whole body weight crashed into the railing as he gripped it with unparalleled haste. The end was just ahead of him. Before Asmodei could cheer him on, Arkash steeled his will and fought the burning fatigue in his legs. With a deep, aggressive hiss, he willed his left to move, then paused for just a second before he followed through with his right. That was it. He'd done it again.
Asmodei quickly closed in behind him as Arkash dragged his arm across the railing to steady himself. Just a moment later, he found the weight of his body removed from his legs as he was lifted from the stone ground with ease. "You did it, Ark! Good job!" Called the winged protector while he carried the Rathari. Arkash grinned while he panted and heaved, exhausted. His eye traced the surrounding interior of the abandoned wood processing factory as he was carried effortlessly through to the wooden-floored area. It was midday, so the crumbling building was visible in all its detail. One of the corners had collapsed into a pile of rubble and a large, eroded hole in the ceiling dripped with accumulated condensation as it met the warm interior of the ruin.
There weren't as many rats anymore, as Asmodei and Fayeth had, against their better judgment, been feeding them to Arkash in place of the chicken he'd ate toward the beginning of his rehabilitation. By the time they made it back to his bed, Fayeth had gathered and killed a number of the vermin. Arkash waved to her when she entered the sighted side of his head, then smiled a little. She didn't smile back, which left a sour taste in his mouth.
"He made the whole length four times!" declared the avialae as he put Arkash down on the primitive mattress. When he turned to face Fayeth, his proud smile receded and gave way to uncertainty. What was the problem?
A smile finally broke her frown, and she looked to Arkash. "That's double what you did yesterday. Well done." She spoke sincerely. Arkash returned a polite smile, then rubbed the back of his head. "It's time we spoke with you, Arkash. Lorien is not as you left it, not at all."
Asmodei frowned. "Can't this wait until-?" he paused as he caught Fayeth's glare. No, it could not wait.
"We were going to wait until you were walking again before we told you, but the tides of change reach even Lower Nivenhain." Fayeth reclined in her seat, and Asmodei took to Arkash's sighted side beside her. He looked between the two of them in silence and anticipated their next words. What could have possibly changed in Lower Nivenhain in two months?
Fayeth drew a deep breath, then looked to Asmodei a glance before she returned her sights to Arkash. "Let's start with the kindred. What do you know of them?"
Arkash shrugged. That seemed a bit random. "Big nasty birds 'at bother rich people." That wasn't the full truth, he knew they were related to the omen in some way, and that they served Von Rabe, but he'd never seen one. The creatures didn't often venture into Lower Nivenhain.
Fayeth chuckled at that, and her grin persisted through her next question. "And what about the omen?"
Arkash paused in thought. "It's th' faith. My Mom used t' tell me not t' talk about 'em an' not t' get involved."
The pale siltori smiled warmly at that, then bowed her head. "Your mother was a wise woman," was all she spoke in reply, then proceeded to explain. "The Omen is the faith that worships the kindred. It has eyes and ears all across Lorien, so it's not wise to talk about them." Arkash nodded. He followed. "Lady and Lord Galbrecht have allied with the Pact, which was once a facet of the omen, and are now at war with the Kindred; they've made a weapon that can kill them, supposedly."
The Rathari widened his eye, then furrowed his brow with a squint. That didn't make sense.. did it? House Galbrecht was big, powerful, too. "Why?" he asked with a tilt of his head.
"It's like you said; the kindred bother rich people." She grinned as she held for a moment. Arkash laughed a breath. "It's that, and the fact that the kindred are genuinely an oppressive force, lead by a tyrannical spirit." Arkash nodded, then took a mental note of such. "They take great pleasure in the turmoil they create by whispering lies and manipulating the dominant powers of Lorien. The games they play do sometimes meet the gutters with the waves they make. It does impact us in some way."
"How? I dun see it," Arkash replied. Fayeth hummed, then continued.
"For one, the King has commissioned a wall to separate Lower Nivenhain from Outer Nivenhain. I'm sure it'll have gatehouses and guards when it's done... Its construction is why we're unable to bring you real food. It's not complete yet, but the walls are already high enough to halt most traffic." That... was bad. Arkash visited the outer district whenever he needed something he couldn't get in Lower Nivenhian, like clean water, medicine, produce for Cojack. As soon as he found the old horse, they had to leave. They couldn't survive without access to that district.
Arkash nodded briefly. If he knew hollows and the pace at which they worked, they'd be done some time early in the month to come. "Tha's bad," spoke the rathari. "I ge' Cojack's medicine in Outa Nivenhain." Fayeth and Asmodei looked at one another as Arkash continued. "What does it 'ave to do wiv th' kindred?"
The siltori's crimson eyes fell upon Arkash once more, and a gentle smile graced her lips. "The reason they're giving for the construction of the wall is that the king wants to slow immigration into Nivenhain. It could be because the nameless might revolt against the kindred when the king bows to house Florent's proposal; they wish to name the Kindred as angels of the Returning King, which would strip those that act against them of all their titles. He's sitting on the idea at the moment, but rumors are quickly spreading about him. No doubt he'll cave soon."
Arkash tilted his head. "What's 'at got to do wiv th' nameless?"
"It's just speculation, but a faction of mages was quick to join the fight at the pact's side just a couple of days before they began to build the wall. If mages are coming to Lorien to help in the fight, it makes the nameless just a little more dangerous; it makes sense to segregate everyone that doesn't have a caste," added Asmodei, who'd otherwise been quiet through her explanation. Arkash nodded, though it was a stretch to imagine that the king of Lorien was afraid of a few dirty, ragged thugs and some magic. There was probably another reason for its placement, though none of them knew what.
"Thanks f'r lettin' me know, Fay," he spoke at last, and bowed his head in gratitude. "Hey, with ev'ryone fussin on the war, there's less chance I'll be noticed," Arkash spoke with a breath of optimism. Fayeth smiled and nodded at that.
"That's true. Well spotted, Ark."
It was the twenty-third of Cinderfall. In just two days, it would be Arkash's birthday. He hadn't originally thought he'd be able to walk unassisted within a month, but his body metabolized his meals quickly, and his muscles constantly ached with fatigue and exhaustion, due to his training sessions. It was because of Asmodei's help and dedication that Arkash strived to walk again before his next birthday. Every day, he grew stronger. That goal looked more and more achievable.
His claws gripped the iron railing with nigh-white knuckles. His whole body trembled while he stood there and tried to gather his breath, but the longer he held on, the more his energy depleted. He pressed his jaw hard and bared his teeth. Everything hurt, but it was just a few more steps. He could do it if he really tried.
"Almost there, you can do it!" Cheered Asmodei with a clap of his gauntlet-wrapped hands. Arkash grunted, then leaned more of his weight into the railing, which made both his arm and the metal shake under the strain. With the pressure on his feet partially alleviated, he lifted his left leg to put all his weight on his right, then slid it forward a step. His right followed, and he moved his arm to keep up with his body as he progressed. "Just two more of those!"
The rathari's arm couldn't continue to hold his weight, he wasn't sure he had two more of those in him. Nonetheless, he shuffled his left foot claw across the ground, then followed through with his right. As he moved his arm, his whole body weight crashed into the railing as he gripped it with unparalleled haste. The end was just ahead of him. Before Asmodei could cheer him on, Arkash steeled his will and fought the burning fatigue in his legs. With a deep, aggressive hiss, he willed his left to move, then paused for just a second before he followed through with his right. That was it. He'd done it again.
Asmodei quickly closed in behind him as Arkash dragged his arm across the railing to steady himself. Just a moment later, he found the weight of his body removed from his legs as he was lifted from the stone ground with ease. "You did it, Ark! Good job!" Called the winged protector while he carried the Rathari. Arkash grinned while he panted and heaved, exhausted. His eye traced the surrounding interior of the abandoned wood processing factory as he was carried effortlessly through to the wooden-floored area. It was midday, so the crumbling building was visible in all its detail. One of the corners had collapsed into a pile of rubble and a large, eroded hole in the ceiling dripped with accumulated condensation as it met the warm interior of the ruin.
There weren't as many rats anymore, as Asmodei and Fayeth had, against their better judgment, been feeding them to Arkash in place of the chicken he'd ate toward the beginning of his rehabilitation. By the time they made it back to his bed, Fayeth had gathered and killed a number of the vermin. Arkash waved to her when she entered the sighted side of his head, then smiled a little. She didn't smile back, which left a sour taste in his mouth.
"He made the whole length four times!" declared the avialae as he put Arkash down on the primitive mattress. When he turned to face Fayeth, his proud smile receded and gave way to uncertainty. What was the problem?
A smile finally broke her frown, and she looked to Arkash. "That's double what you did yesterday. Well done." She spoke sincerely. Arkash returned a polite smile, then rubbed the back of his head. "It's time we spoke with you, Arkash. Lorien is not as you left it, not at all."
Asmodei frowned. "Can't this wait until-?" he paused as he caught Fayeth's glare. No, it could not wait.
"We were going to wait until you were walking again before we told you, but the tides of change reach even Lower Nivenhain." Fayeth reclined in her seat, and Asmodei took to Arkash's sighted side beside her. He looked between the two of them in silence and anticipated their next words. What could have possibly changed in Lower Nivenhain in two months?
Fayeth drew a deep breath, then looked to Asmodei a glance before she returned her sights to Arkash. "Let's start with the kindred. What do you know of them?"
Arkash shrugged. That seemed a bit random. "Big nasty birds 'at bother rich people." That wasn't the full truth, he knew they were related to the omen in some way, and that they served Von Rabe, but he'd never seen one. The creatures didn't often venture into Lower Nivenhain.
Fayeth chuckled at that, and her grin persisted through her next question. "And what about the omen?"
Arkash paused in thought. "It's th' faith. My Mom used t' tell me not t' talk about 'em an' not t' get involved."
The pale siltori smiled warmly at that, then bowed her head. "Your mother was a wise woman," was all she spoke in reply, then proceeded to explain. "The Omen is the faith that worships the kindred. It has eyes and ears all across Lorien, so it's not wise to talk about them." Arkash nodded. He followed. "Lady and Lord Galbrecht have allied with the Pact, which was once a facet of the omen, and are now at war with the Kindred; they've made a weapon that can kill them, supposedly."
The Rathari widened his eye, then furrowed his brow with a squint. That didn't make sense.. did it? House Galbrecht was big, powerful, too. "Why?" he asked with a tilt of his head.
"It's like you said; the kindred bother rich people." She grinned as she held for a moment. Arkash laughed a breath. "It's that, and the fact that the kindred are genuinely an oppressive force, lead by a tyrannical spirit." Arkash nodded, then took a mental note of such. "They take great pleasure in the turmoil they create by whispering lies and manipulating the dominant powers of Lorien. The games they play do sometimes meet the gutters with the waves they make. It does impact us in some way."
"How? I dun see it," Arkash replied. Fayeth hummed, then continued.
"For one, the King has commissioned a wall to separate Lower Nivenhain from Outer Nivenhain. I'm sure it'll have gatehouses and guards when it's done... Its construction is why we're unable to bring you real food. It's not complete yet, but the walls are already high enough to halt most traffic." That... was bad. Arkash visited the outer district whenever he needed something he couldn't get in Lower Nivenhian, like clean water, medicine, produce for Cojack. As soon as he found the old horse, they had to leave. They couldn't survive without access to that district.
Arkash nodded briefly. If he knew hollows and the pace at which they worked, they'd be done some time early in the month to come. "Tha's bad," spoke the rathari. "I ge' Cojack's medicine in Outa Nivenhain." Fayeth and Asmodei looked at one another as Arkash continued. "What does it 'ave to do wiv th' kindred?"
The siltori's crimson eyes fell upon Arkash once more, and a gentle smile graced her lips. "The reason they're giving for the construction of the wall is that the king wants to slow immigration into Nivenhain. It could be because the nameless might revolt against the kindred when the king bows to house Florent's proposal; they wish to name the Kindred as angels of the Returning King, which would strip those that act against them of all their titles. He's sitting on the idea at the moment, but rumors are quickly spreading about him. No doubt he'll cave soon."
Arkash tilted his head. "What's 'at got to do wiv th' nameless?"
"It's just speculation, but a faction of mages was quick to join the fight at the pact's side just a couple of days before they began to build the wall. If mages are coming to Lorien to help in the fight, it makes the nameless just a little more dangerous; it makes sense to segregate everyone that doesn't have a caste," added Asmodei, who'd otherwise been quiet through her explanation. Arkash nodded, though it was a stretch to imagine that the king of Lorien was afraid of a few dirty, ragged thugs and some magic. There was probably another reason for its placement, though none of them knew what.
"Thanks f'r lettin' me know, Fay," he spoke at last, and bowed his head in gratitude. "Hey, with ev'ryone fussin on the war, there's less chance I'll be noticed," Arkash spoke with a breath of optimism. Fayeth smiled and nodded at that.
"That's true. Well spotted, Ark."
