[Memory] Carry On or Carrion pt III

[Thomas]

It was Velx's turn to lean on him for support. Evidently this magic took a lot out of her. Frankly, that reassured Thomas. Mages were terrifying to him. Any demonstration that their abilities were taxing for them to use helped make him feel a bit less vulnerable to their abilities. Not that he had any intention of taking advantage of her in her vulnerable state. They needed each other out here and she'd proven herself a worthwhile comrade in arms. He was open to betraying her or being betrayed later, as he knew the bond between travelers could be transient and change on a dime, but he had no intention of being the one who changed their relationship for the worse.

He watched with some satisfaction as the second incendiary found its mark. "Good shot, Doña!" He saiid, and meant it. If she weren't leaning on him for support, he would have slapped her on the back a few times. He still had enough adrenaline jangling around in his system that he wanted to dance around or run a marathon or fuck, but he knew that it would run out soon, so instead he ascertained that she was okay before helping her to a makeshift perch on some boulders.

Then he set about scavenging from the dead, methodically going through their pockets for things like weapons, loose money, and other curios. Other than the expected combat items and cheap jewelry, he didn't find anything all that interesting, but one never knew unless one looked. The people who weren't dead, he approached cautiously, but they appeared to be incapacitated. A few more bullets and they were gone, permanently. Waste of bullets, but he didn't like getting close to people and he didn't want to get blood on his clothes by using a knife to slit their throats. He wasn't a killer, besides. Just a traveler. He cleaned the blood off of his boots with a handkerchief and re-joined Velx with a jangling bag stuffed full of trophies and trinkets.

"I think, m'Lady, that you have earned your rest, no? We can split their belongings, if you wish. I could not have survived this without you, so it seems only fair to split our ill-gotten gains." He assessed her weakened state. "I am also happy to assist you back down to our camp," he said gently. Maybe it would be easier for her to take him up on it if she didn't have to ask.

[Velx]

He helped her rest against the rocks before going about putting an end to those who initially missed it. He seemed very methodical in his approach, killing and pillaging at the same time, without getting his hands dirty. There was a killer in him after all. She found comfort in his detachment from the situation. She was tired and her mind kept wandering away from the aftershocks of their present situation. Each consecutive shot pulled her back into the present. Like a trusty clock, Isidro had gotten into a rhythm.

One two three – one two three – one two three – walk shoot pillage.

When he came back, he was changed to his more usual and soft self. He talked about the loot and how they could split it. She took his offer without hesitation. Perhaps help back to the camp wasn’t necessary, but appearing weak was better after the show of force they’d both just been a part of.

“You can keep all of it, Isidro” she had already taken too much. Even if it was his hand which quieted some of them, she felt a certain responsibility for all their deaths. Had she not pointed them out and advised an aggressive approach, they would likely still be living. This supposed life would probably end just as horribly had the two of them waited for the group to close the distance themselves – but they hadn’t. Not wanting to sound offput by his offer, she added “To recompense for the perfumes you lost”. The words came too late and out of tune, but they were a comfort as she used him like a crutch.

“Thank you for watching my back” she expressed, partially understanding why he was able to venture out alone. She made no effort to grab back her arrows, wherever they lay. Those tools were stained with violence and she wanted no part of them. She looked at her hands and couldn’t part from those.

[Thomas]

He helped her to her feet and put a gentlemanly arm around her waist, encouraging her to lean on him as they made their back to their campsite. The bodies of the would-be raiders and their strange vehicles could rot and rust in the sand, for all he cared. Thomas was skilled at picking up on what people were thinking and feeling even if they did not share it with him so directly, but in this case, he did not really have to be.

"The alternative was us being killed and our belongings taken, my friend. And that would be if we were lucky. Even others in Daravin know that badlanders do not mess about. We could have been sold as slaves, raped, butchered, tortured, or eaten. I cannot say what their intentions were, but I am positive they were not positive." He looked up at Velx, giving a sincere smile. "We did not choose the rules of this engagement, only the terms. You saved us from them with your senses and your magic. Thank you."

As they got further away from the battlefield, Thomas' energy began to fail him. It had mostly been adrenaline anyhow. Still, he knew that he would be unable to get much rest in the aftermath of the attack. His mind would only conjure up unlikely but terrifying scenarios: the bodies attracting some kind of horrifying badlands corpse eating monsters that hungered for living flesh, as well, or the buddies of the people they had just mowed down coming to look for them. So in deference to that and to Velx's seeming weariness, he made her an offer:

"I will take watch until sunrise, if you like. I know I will not get much sleep between now and then anyhow. I'd just need a few minutes to put away my supplies and my souvenirs from our would-be bandits, and I will be ready to take my turn at watch."