27th of Ash, 120
He'd already gone too far by the time he reached the sewer grate that led to Outer Nivenhain. It was an annoying struggle that he had to push through, the fatigue, but it had to run its course. His body was weak because of the time he'd spent in a coma, and though it only took him a total of ten days to walk again, that didn't mean he could walk well or for very long. Carrying things wasn't an option in his state, so Asmodei, his guardian, did so for him.
"Keep your hood up," warned his stalwart protector as the lizard struggled with the ladder that led out of the manhole.
"But I can't see-" he grunted. His one set of claws gripped the cobbled street of the alley while his stump arm pressed into the stone ground. His hood was down and left his disfigured face exposed.
"Arkash..." Asmodei spoke sternly, it was the sort of tone a parent would use to scold their child.
Not only did Arkash recognize the embedded threat, but it also stuck. He was weak, tired, and worn. As such, his resolve buckled to Asmodei's pressure. "Fine..." he grunted, then lifted one of his foot claws to press into another one of the grimy iron bars that made the steps of the ladder, and lifted his body another foot or so from the darkness of the sewer. With his fresh stability, he reached up with his one set of claws and pulled the oversized hood over his head.
He wore Asmodei's clothes, and they completely covered him from head to toe. His tail wasn't even visible beneath the dark linen fabrics that shrouded all his features, and that was precisely what the avialae aimed for. Arkash was wanted on the count of murder, and because he was a rathari, he was easily spotted and easily recognized. A featureless cloaked figure was suspicious, for sure, but it didn't set off any alarms or warrant a call for the nearest Chevalier.
With a final push, Arkash sprawled out on the hard cobbled floor of the alleyway, and began to pant and breathe while he laid there. Ahead of him, on the bright, well-kept streets of outer Nivenhain were the common people. A few of them peered down the alley as they passed, but didn't otherwise spare the pair their time. Perhaps the shade hid them better than Arkash initially thought? All of a sudden, his legs were lifted aside, and Arkash strained to look behind himself as Asmodei moved the grate into place with one hand, then let Arkash's legs down atop it.
"We'll have to remember this alley; our arrows lead to and from this point," he spoke with a brief puff of air. Somehow, it comforted Arkash to see Asmodei tired, even if it was just a little. It was a reminder that even giants like the avialae had their limits, and that he didn't have to feel ashamed of being as tired or as weak as he was.
"Agreed," returned the lizard with a huff, then rose to his hands and knees before he clumsily brought one of his legs to press its foot to the ground beneath him, then carefully stood. He lost his balance part-way through and slumped against the wall to his right. It wasn't something Arkash took note of, but with only one arm, his body was out of balance. he laid slumped against that wall for a minute or so, and just breathed beneath the cover of his dark hood.
Asmodei shook his head and placed a hand on Arkash's shoulder once he'd given the younger male a chance to recover. "I know you're tired, but we can't hang around here all day; people are going to notice us."
Arkash nodded, but he could barely formulate a sentence. "I just... need some rest..." The climb had taken everything out of him; he was completely exhausted. "Az, please, can we stop at the next Inn...? I'm begging you..."
The false argent drew a deep breath, then exhaled audibly. With that tell alone, Arkash knew he wasn't going to be able to rest soon. "It's still light out, Ark," the avialae began to explain. "If you retire now, it'll be dark out when you wake up, and with all the Chevalier patrolling here, we won't be able to get any investigating done. If we start now and turn in a little later, we'll be up at the crack of dawn, and we'll have the entire day to look for Cojack. Sound fair?"
Asmodei was right, Arkash knew he was, but he didn't want to admit it. Everything hurt and his body cried for rest. After a long moment of silence, Asmodei finally spoke "I'll carry you when you can't walk any further. Take a moment to gather your strength, and we'll be on our way."
"Fine," he declared with a groan. There was always the chance that they would find Cojack that day, too, which Asmodei didn't mention as a possibility. On top of that, there was always the opportunity for Arkash to really push his weak body. He'd already eaten plenty of rats remains, which would support his muscular growth and recovery. "We'll hit a few Inns... Ask around..." He spoke his plan as it came to him. "And if we find him... we'll turn in at the closest Inn and rest. Fair?"
"Well-," Asmodei spoke with something of a frown to his tone, Arkash looked to the avialae with his one eye, then lifted the hood to get a better look of him. What was the problem? "It might be for the best if you let me do the talking. People are more likely to trust an avialae than a shadowy cloaked figure."
Again, Asmodei was right. He did seem a little suspicious, with how no one could even see an inch of him. Besides, he couldn't see all that well, aside from a few feet of the ground when he looked down. How would he gauge people? "Alright, Az," he spoke in affirmation.
So, Arkash took maybe ten minutes to gather his breath, and stretch out his worn legs, then the two took to the streets. He stayed hot on Asmodei's heels and followed the false argent wherever they went. It was the only way he'd be able to find his way around, but it still left him uncomfortable. He couldn't see anything, people probably stared at him. What if someone recognized him? No, not possible. He needed to calm down, there was nothing to fear with Asmodei so close.
All of a sudden, they turned sharply, and Asmodei came to a stop at the side of the road. Arkash, who had been walking at such a quick pace that it felt as though he was running, crashed into the back of the armored avialae and stumbled. Before he could fall, Asmodei turned and caught him with a firm grab of his arm.
"Sorry," spoke the Rathari as he regained his balance.
"It's fine," he returned kindly. "We're at an Inn now, I need you to wait here while I talk with the keeper, see if they've checked in any other rathari."
A nod of his head relayed Arkash's acceptance, though it was heavily veiled by his thick hood. Then, Asmodei stepped away, and Arkash was left in the hustle and bustle of the street. He could hear people talking all around him, the sound of hoofprints on stone, the creak of wagon wheels as they turned.
He was alone, Asmodei was gone. Though he didn't know why, he began to shake. His breathing picked up and his body became tense. It was hard to breathe; his lungs hurt. It was as though he was being crushed by the atmosphere. He had to hide, but Asmodei told him to stay there. His hand trembled like a leaf as it reached ahead of him to meet a wall, and he backed himself into it to keep himself steady. The beat of his heart was loud in his ears by the time his venom began to pour. It slipped from the gap in his lips in a long string of viscous drool, and broke free of his jaw to his the ground in an audible drip.
He was afraid, he recognized, but of who or what he didn't know. It was the first time he'd been alone since he woke up, was he just that dependent on Asmodei?
"Nothing, I'm afraid," spoke Asmodei's voice from his sighted side. Arkash looked to his direction sharply, then slurped hard to swallow his drool.
"Nothing?" He asked cautiously.
"The lady at the desk didn't even know what a rathari was, so no. Nothing." Arkash sighed. The news was disappointing, for sure, but he hadn't anticipated that they'd find Cojack immediately. He remained hopeful, and bowed his head in acceptance.
The rest of the day went more or less the same as it had. Arkash fought a panic attack while Asmodei spoke with the keeper of a venue, only to discover that Cojack hadn't been there at all. When it finally came time to retire, Arkash and Asmodei visited an Inn, where the avialae bought them each a room for the night.
He'd already gone too far by the time he reached the sewer grate that led to Outer Nivenhain. It was an annoying struggle that he had to push through, the fatigue, but it had to run its course. His body was weak because of the time he'd spent in a coma, and though it only took him a total of ten days to walk again, that didn't mean he could walk well or for very long. Carrying things wasn't an option in his state, so Asmodei, his guardian, did so for him.
"Keep your hood up," warned his stalwart protector as the lizard struggled with the ladder that led out of the manhole.
"But I can't see-" he grunted. His one set of claws gripped the cobbled street of the alley while his stump arm pressed into the stone ground. His hood was down and left his disfigured face exposed.
"Arkash..." Asmodei spoke sternly, it was the sort of tone a parent would use to scold their child.
Not only did Arkash recognize the embedded threat, but it also stuck. He was weak, tired, and worn. As such, his resolve buckled to Asmodei's pressure. "Fine..." he grunted, then lifted one of his foot claws to press into another one of the grimy iron bars that made the steps of the ladder, and lifted his body another foot or so from the darkness of the sewer. With his fresh stability, he reached up with his one set of claws and pulled the oversized hood over his head.
He wore Asmodei's clothes, and they completely covered him from head to toe. His tail wasn't even visible beneath the dark linen fabrics that shrouded all his features, and that was precisely what the avialae aimed for. Arkash was wanted on the count of murder, and because he was a rathari, he was easily spotted and easily recognized. A featureless cloaked figure was suspicious, for sure, but it didn't set off any alarms or warrant a call for the nearest Chevalier.
With a final push, Arkash sprawled out on the hard cobbled floor of the alleyway, and began to pant and breathe while he laid there. Ahead of him, on the bright, well-kept streets of outer Nivenhain were the common people. A few of them peered down the alley as they passed, but didn't otherwise spare the pair their time. Perhaps the shade hid them better than Arkash initially thought? All of a sudden, his legs were lifted aside, and Arkash strained to look behind himself as Asmodei moved the grate into place with one hand, then let Arkash's legs down atop it.
"We'll have to remember this alley; our arrows lead to and from this point," he spoke with a brief puff of air. Somehow, it comforted Arkash to see Asmodei tired, even if it was just a little. It was a reminder that even giants like the avialae had their limits, and that he didn't have to feel ashamed of being as tired or as weak as he was.
"Agreed," returned the lizard with a huff, then rose to his hands and knees before he clumsily brought one of his legs to press its foot to the ground beneath him, then carefully stood. He lost his balance part-way through and slumped against the wall to his right. It wasn't something Arkash took note of, but with only one arm, his body was out of balance. he laid slumped against that wall for a minute or so, and just breathed beneath the cover of his dark hood.
Asmodei shook his head and placed a hand on Arkash's shoulder once he'd given the younger male a chance to recover. "I know you're tired, but we can't hang around here all day; people are going to notice us."
Arkash nodded, but he could barely formulate a sentence. "I just... need some rest..." The climb had taken everything out of him; he was completely exhausted. "Az, please, can we stop at the next Inn...? I'm begging you..."
The false argent drew a deep breath, then exhaled audibly. With that tell alone, Arkash knew he wasn't going to be able to rest soon. "It's still light out, Ark," the avialae began to explain. "If you retire now, it'll be dark out when you wake up, and with all the Chevalier patrolling here, we won't be able to get any investigating done. If we start now and turn in a little later, we'll be up at the crack of dawn, and we'll have the entire day to look for Cojack. Sound fair?"
Asmodei was right, Arkash knew he was, but he didn't want to admit it. Everything hurt and his body cried for rest. After a long moment of silence, Asmodei finally spoke "I'll carry you when you can't walk any further. Take a moment to gather your strength, and we'll be on our way."
"Fine," he declared with a groan. There was always the chance that they would find Cojack that day, too, which Asmodei didn't mention as a possibility. On top of that, there was always the opportunity for Arkash to really push his weak body. He'd already eaten plenty of rats remains, which would support his muscular growth and recovery. "We'll hit a few Inns... Ask around..." He spoke his plan as it came to him. "And if we find him... we'll turn in at the closest Inn and rest. Fair?"
"Well-," Asmodei spoke with something of a frown to his tone, Arkash looked to the avialae with his one eye, then lifted the hood to get a better look of him. What was the problem? "It might be for the best if you let me do the talking. People are more likely to trust an avialae than a shadowy cloaked figure."
Again, Asmodei was right. He did seem a little suspicious, with how no one could even see an inch of him. Besides, he couldn't see all that well, aside from a few feet of the ground when he looked down. How would he gauge people? "Alright, Az," he spoke in affirmation.
So, Arkash took maybe ten minutes to gather his breath, and stretch out his worn legs, then the two took to the streets. He stayed hot on Asmodei's heels and followed the false argent wherever they went. It was the only way he'd be able to find his way around, but it still left him uncomfortable. He couldn't see anything, people probably stared at him. What if someone recognized him? No, not possible. He needed to calm down, there was nothing to fear with Asmodei so close.
All of a sudden, they turned sharply, and Asmodei came to a stop at the side of the road. Arkash, who had been walking at such a quick pace that it felt as though he was running, crashed into the back of the armored avialae and stumbled. Before he could fall, Asmodei turned and caught him with a firm grab of his arm.
"Sorry," spoke the Rathari as he regained his balance.
"It's fine," he returned kindly. "We're at an Inn now, I need you to wait here while I talk with the keeper, see if they've checked in any other rathari."
A nod of his head relayed Arkash's acceptance, though it was heavily veiled by his thick hood. Then, Asmodei stepped away, and Arkash was left in the hustle and bustle of the street. He could hear people talking all around him, the sound of hoofprints on stone, the creak of wagon wheels as they turned.
He was alone, Asmodei was gone. Though he didn't know why, he began to shake. His breathing picked up and his body became tense. It was hard to breathe; his lungs hurt. It was as though he was being crushed by the atmosphere. He had to hide, but Asmodei told him to stay there. His hand trembled like a leaf as it reached ahead of him to meet a wall, and he backed himself into it to keep himself steady. The beat of his heart was loud in his ears by the time his venom began to pour. It slipped from the gap in his lips in a long string of viscous drool, and broke free of his jaw to his the ground in an audible drip.
He was afraid, he recognized, but of who or what he didn't know. It was the first time he'd been alone since he woke up, was he just that dependent on Asmodei?
"Nothing, I'm afraid," spoke Asmodei's voice from his sighted side. Arkash looked to his direction sharply, then slurped hard to swallow his drool.
"Nothing?" He asked cautiously.
"The lady at the desk didn't even know what a rathari was, so no. Nothing." Arkash sighed. The news was disappointing, for sure, but he hadn't anticipated that they'd find Cojack immediately. He remained hopeful, and bowed his head in acceptance.
The rest of the day went more or less the same as it had. Arkash fought a panic attack while Asmodei spoke with the keeper of a venue, only to discover that Cojack hadn't been there at all. When it finally came time to retire, Arkash and Asmodei visited an Inn, where the avialae bought them each a room for the night.
