Starless, Part Two

[Jack]

16th of Ash, Year 4621 and 49th of Searing, Year 4620

The sun rose, looming high in the sky. Looking out, he narrowed his vision, holding one hand horizontally over his eyes as a form of shade. The morning bustling of the town was in full force, people running around, pulling along their metal carts filled with gallons of Wurmblood and other commodities.

He heard the rusted roof squeak slightly beneath the footsteps of another, and Jack knew immediately that it was Lucas. He peeked back at him over his shoulder, regarding him with a tip of his head. "Mornin'," he whispered.

"Hey, Jack," the man said back. "So--what's the plan today?"

"Well..." he paused. "I've decided I'm not gonna try and see Misses Blanchet again. I... understand her anger, her grief, but... you were right, yesterday. My relationship with Daniel was... my relationship with Daniel. I don't need her approval, her validation, nor her love."

A triumphant smile grew over Lucas' features. "Good," he nodded. "Don't let anyone fuck you up like that, Jack. Your grief over him is just as legitimate as hers, and you don't need someone else venting that shit out on you. You've gone through a lot. You deserve a rest."

The Raider sighed, looking out across Rustbucket's bleak span, all the many buildings blended together in tight quarters, the slim corridors between those clumps of shops and homes. He understood the appeal of the Badlands -- that was why he himself had stayed, after all. But living like that... he couldn't understand it. Even Shitport had some virtues. Rustbucket? It was a collapsing mess, falling apart at the seams.

"Well," Lucas spoke up again, smoothing a hand over Jack's shoulder. "I repeat my question, then: what's the plan today?"

"Hm. Maybe we can just ride out. We're not far from Ardinoe, right? Couldn't hurt to check around there, right?"

"Jack... the moment they saw our Chariot and clothes they'd start flinging spells at us. You know us Badlanders aren't welcome in the Empire."

"We can just stick to the wild parts," he said. "Come on. How often are we this close to the border? I've always wanted to see this part of Daravin, but last time I was here my Dad practically kept me on a leash. Old man's not around anymore, though, so there can't be a better time."

He groaned. "You're going to get us fucking killed, Jack. But fine. Just as a gift to my grieving friend, I'll escort you to Ardinoe. Damn, I'm a good friend. Fuck."

"Yeah," he nodded, slinging his arm over Lucas' shoulder and pulling him in. "You are. The best friend a man could ask for. Seriously."

[Jack]

They rode out into the horizon, taking advantage of the early morning sun, the heat yet to fully accumulate in the air or on the sands. As they rode out, they spoke a lot, about a great number of things. Jack pondered on picking up a new instrument -- that 'Duduk' they had heard back at the bar, and Lucas offered to procure him one when they got back to Rustbucket. He was hesitant to say no.

"Do you think the Omen stuff is real?" he asked Lucas, pulling his hood down his forehead more as the sun kept catching in his eye.

"What part -- Ulen being a thing, the apocalypse that will herald in a better world, the Achra, Ratheran being some kind of prophet, the Entente of all fucking people being vessels for Ulen's will?"

"Ha," Jack chuckled. "Guess all of it. Let's start with Ulen, though. You doubt that he's real?"

"...I dunno," he sighed. "I try not to think about my life back in the Empire. You know -- I wasn't born into a fancy bloodline like you. My family worked to the bone in the fields, and all we got was heightened taxes and the unending scrutiny of the law. We lived like shit. Worse than in the Badlands, even. I remember days where I was so damn hungry that I almost ate some of our crops, only for my Dad to inform me that I'd probably get him beaten near to death by a Halamire if I did."

He curled his lips. "Isn't there a lot of food in Daravin? They've got flood plains and good arable land. Farms and fields everywhere. I don' remember it being that bad."

"It was in Ostigen," he grunted. "I'm sure you've heard lovely shit about our Fair Lady, Henrietta Challions. Bitch is a goddamn nightmare. Her military's beefed up, eats half the food in the goddamn Kingdom, and they throw their weight around because there are too many of them and shit-else to do. They just sit around all day while the serfs farm for their endless needs, and then they come to our farms and treat us like slaves. I'm tellin' you, Jack -- I know she's got us hooked on fear, of the Sil'norai and whatever-the-fuck else, but even with all that... there'll be a rebellion one day. I promise you."

"I believe it," he said. "And I'll be there with ya. Fuck that slag. It's time for this Empire to change. We, and people like us, will be the ones to do it."

[Jack]

"So... what about you, Jack? I don't know that you've ever told me much about you -- where you're from, all of that." The landscape gradually changed before them, from endless grains of sand to cracked earth, to arid drylands with even some semblance of botanical life. The edge of the Badlands was a beautiful place; mesas, desert savannah, all manner of critters roaming around. There were rattlesnakes, spiders the size of a man's hand, even mountain cats somewhere along the edges.

He took in a breath. The air was getting cooler, and more crisp. He loved this landscape -- Jack decided that if Scythe ever became prominent enough, they needed to settle somewhere like this. Become so strong that the Empire's authorities wouldn't mess with them anymore.

"I'm from Railón," he answered. "Levarin, specifically. I think you know that I was born Entente, right? Well... my mother convinced us to move here because she wanted to get away from that life; used my Dad's illness as her method. Told him some spirit healer would fix his broken mind. No such person existed -- she disappeared shortly after we got here."

"Really?" Lucas asked. "Ugh. Sounds like a..."

"I don't blame her," he whispered. "She wanted the freedom of the desert; to be unseen, to live open and surrounded by prospect, potential. All she had ever known was the life given to her. And... you know? She was a good mother when she was around."

"Takes courage to forgive something like that," the man replied. "Not sure I could, no matter the reasoning. I'd just be so full of... anger."

"Oh, I am," Jack chuckled lightly. "Trust me on that one, Lucas. 'Course I'm angry. She left me... her son. Could've at least brought me, instead of leaving me with the shambling wreck that was my Dad. He could've killed me, you know -- sometimes I really thought he would. He used to get... so violent."

"Yeah," he frowned. "So... is she still alive?"

"Don' know," Jack answered back. "Guess I'll probably never find out. Maybe she went back to Daravin -- got bored of all of this muck. Bein' an Entente isn't so bad a job; it's possible she realized she missed it. No idea."

"Well... erm, you know, I've never spoken to an Entente before. What was it... like? And what did your family do? They own any estates, farms, whatever...?"

"Yeah," he said coolly. "We owned some vineyards outside of Levarin. Sold wine. The Pereas were an old family, from before the formation of the Empire. We sucked off the old Treveyn of Couronne, House Courvagne, and got ourselves a nice heap of land in Railón. For a long time, we were one of the most influential families 'round over there. My grandfather, then my Dad, fucked that all up." He sighed, looking out towards the distance. He could... see a town at the end of the horizon. A town that was distinctly not Badlander. "Oh, shit, we're not far. Uh... do you think it's safe to get close?"

"I wouldn't," he cautioned. "Why don't we just set up camp around here for the night? We can chat, whatever. Maybe you can tell me more about all of that stuff. It's... fascinating."

"...Yeah," Jack exhaled. "Sure. Get the tent pitched, and I'll ramble on all ya want. Let's find a better spot; less open."

Lucas nodded, and pointed towards one of the mesas. That would be their destination.

[Alexander Cross]

XP: 5

Magical XP: N/A

Pieces of Knowledge:

• Survival: Generic Lore 1
• Survival: Generic Lore 2
• Navigation: Generic Lore 1
• Navigation: Generic Lore 2
• Navigation: Generic Lore 3
• Instrumentals: The Duduk

Loot: N/A

Injuries/Ailments: N/A

Comments:
Great thread! Loving the interaction between Jack and Lucas. Looking forward to their adventures if they decided to visit the town (And maybe buy a Duduk). If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, let me know. Enjoy your rewards!