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| The Maze and the Monster [Complete]; Inky! | |
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| Topic Started: Mon Jul 4, 2011 4:44 am (697 Views) | |
| Rin | Thu Sep 8, 2011 2:09 am Post #31 |
 
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The construct did not even seem aware of the conversation taking place behind her, running her fingers over the space in the wall and painting it red with the minotaur's blood. When Nkiruka instructed her to step back the girl obeyed as if she was in a daze, stumbling back from the wall and staring at it with such yearning that it was almost heart-wrenching. She was only brought back to the world of the living when Zaman stepped forward, slamming an open palm into the wall. The attack blasted a crater into the marble, sending chunks of alabaster stone spiraling across the floor. With each subsequent blow the captain drilled further into the wall, although the effort was clearly tiring her. Rin did not even seem aware of her own injuries, Nkiruka's fragile physical state, or Zaman's encroaching exhaustion. All she had eyes for was the widening gap in the wall. As soon as the Istani stepped away from the small hole she jumped forward, flashing a bright smile at the woman. "Thank you Zaman! That was much easier than continuing through the labyrinth!" The girl stopped right before entering the gap, pausing to draw in a deep breath and collect her thoughts. Excalibur was the only weapon left to her; the rest had been used in order to successfully navigate the deadly maze. She could usually banish her arsenal and conjure it once more at will, but something about the construction of this giant mechanical monstrosity impaired her Grimoire-given abilities. Slightly more composed, the girl crawled through the gap and landed on the other side. She walked away from the hole with wide eyes, staring around her. So far the corridors of the maze had been utterly featureless, with each hallway the same dimensions and no trace of decorations. This area was much wider, a circle easily fifty feet in diameter. Every inch of the walls was covered with scribbling. Rin turned around and looked at the wall behind her to see that it was adorned similarly. She ran her hands over the patterns, feeling the indentations in the white stone. These were no mere written words; they had been carved into the rock itself. The script was slanted and almost indecipherable. She was shocked to realize that she could not actually understand the words; although the individual letters looked familiar, the words they were formed were mere gibberish. Her fingers left bloody trails down the wall as she traced the carving, wondering at their meaning. "Greetings, Guardian of the Grimoire. For a while I worried you would fail in reaching me." Rin whirled around bringing the legendary blade down and holding it in front of her in a defensive posture. At first, she had missed the small figure amidst the monolithic walls of the labyrinth. The crown of his head was completely bald, while tufts of milk-white hair stuck out crazily from his chin and eyebrows. He was dressed in a white shirt and dark green leggings, but over this he wore a thick leather apron and gloves that covered over half the length of his arm. He wore a small set of spectacles, behind which were eyes that appeared to be entirely black. Rin instantly knew that this man was the architect of the labyrinth. Even from this distance she could sense the power of the Grimoire beating in his wrinkled frame, so powerful that it set her teeth on edge. He was clearly an expert of manipulating the book's essence if a single page had given him this much strength. She pulled her lips back in a fierce snarl, her blue eyes as cold and merciless as ice as she took a step forward. "No no no, please do not speak yet. It would be rude not to greet your companions." The wizened man rose from behind his desk, leaning heavily on a small, gnarled walking stick. His words were very short and precise. He watched as the Istani soldiers entered through the hole in the wale, absentmindedly tapping the end of his walking stick against the stone floor. Only when Nkiruka, Darzi, and Zaman had all entered the wide chamber did he speak again. This time he did not speak the common tongue, but rather the lilting and rough Istani language. The words rolled off of his tongue with no discernible accent. "I know the reason for the Guardian's presence, but the three of you are quite the enigma, I fear. I did not expect her to have assistance. I fear it made my traps much easier to circumvent." The old man smiled at them warmly, as if he had not just revealed himself to be the inventor behind the nightmarish contraptions contained within the maze. Rin's face was still contorted in a wild grimace, but she did not charge at this odd individual yet. Instead she began to walk around the perimeter of the room, gripping Excalibur's hilt so tightly her knuckles turned white. It took all of her focus to listen to this man's words and not attack him directly. Every syllable he spoke was almost drowned out by the roaring sound in her ears, but she managed to refrain from charging the mysterious architect.
Edited by Rin, Thu Sep 8, 2011 2:21 am.
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| Nkiruka | Thu Sep 8, 2011 2:58 pm Post #32 |
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They must have looked like a pitiful bunch in front of the labyrinth's architect. At this point Nkiruka couldn't even open her eyes, lest a wave of nausea and vertigo overpower her completely. She let locks of hair fall in front of her face again, hiding this sign of weakness. Darzi had a look about him of unabashed concern for everyone else in the group: Rin's injuries, Zaman's exhaustion, Nkiruka's slow death by poisoning. The Guard-Captain was the last to squeeze through the hole in the wall, leaning heavily on her killij like it was a walking stick. Only when all four of them had arrived did the old man continue speaking. Nkiruka listened to his fluent, accentless Istani. Surprisingly, it was Darzi who was the first to speak. "We belong to the town guard of Hashem and the Army of Istan." The usually somewhat timid and hesitant man looked the architect directly in the eye when he spoke. His friends' injuries were upsetting him. "This labyrinth is in the middle of a planned trade route. We came to investigate its origins, to see if it was dangerous." It was pretty evident by now that it was. "Rinrae, kill him," Nkiruka said in a softer voice, her own speech overlapping with Darzi partially. "Why did you do this?" Zaman asked, trying to straighten and look more intimidating. Nkiruka actually looked up at the bloodstained girl this time. The whites of her eyes were a creamy yellow color. Her voice retained the firmness it always had. "Rin. Kill him now." She needed to end this fight. Why was she hesitating? The soldier was forced to tightly shut her eyes, almost dry heaving from the sudden infux of sights and colors. |
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| Rin | Thu Sep 8, 2011 6:59 pm Post #33 |
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The girl continued to stalk around the circumference of the room as the Istani soldier spoke to this man. With every step she took her vision seemed to become more focused, until all she saw was this man. He might look old and feeble and kind to the others, but the girl could sense his inherent wrongness. This was a being that had no right to exist. The architect was completely unlike any other individual she had encountered that was using the power of the Grimoire’s pages. His very flesh had been exposed to its influence for so long that it seeped out of him, a malignant aura that assaulted her senses and literally made her quake with rage. She was so incensed by his existence that she barely noticed he was still speaking to the Istani guardsmen in their native tongue. ”Ah, I thought that might be your concern. Never fear, this structure is no longer required. The objective nature of the test was ruined by your involvement. I had hoped to achieve a better understanding of the Guardian’s abilities, but I had not accounted for your interference. It is quite frustrating, to be honest.” The first time that Nkiruka spoke she responded as if in a daze, slowly craning her neck to stare at the berserker with her fierce blue eyes. She did not respond to the command immediately, staring at her companion as if she had not understood the two short syllables. "Rin. Kill him now." And Rin obeyed. The girl dashed across the chamber without warning, completely ignoring the injuries she had sustained in the labyrinth. Her war cry was completely unintelligible, a guttural roar that needed no translation. The architect blinked in surprise at the outburst but made no physical attempt to defend himself. Instead he gestured at the floor, which began to whir and click all around them. Mechanical platforms shot out of the ground in Rin’s path, obviously meant to stall her. The construct barely seemed to register their presence: she jumped directly towards the first platform, vaulting over it with both feet. She landed in a roll, haphazardly darting around the next platform and lunging forwards. The old man made a soft tsking noise and gestured again. This time blades sprang out of the platforms, transforming the obstacles into deadly weapons. Rin’s eyes narrowed as she continued forward, contorting her body as she flew past the machines. Her movements seemed completely different from earlier, each jump and crouch and twirl flowing smoothly together as she inexorably pressed towards the architect. One of the spikes caught her shoulder, digging deeply into her flesh before she spun away. Another contraption slashed across her back, piercing the cotton sundress and sending her own blood splashing on the marble floor. Still Rin pressed forward, forcing herself to ignore the pain of each injury for just long enough to attack this abomination… The elderly man shook his head in annoyance as she zipped past his final defenses. ”Oh, for the love of-“ His complaint was abruptly cut off when the girl slammed into his wizened frame, ramming the elderly man with all of her considerable momentum. Rin snarled in success as she thrust the glowing blade of Excalibur directly into the architect’s chest, her eyes wide and triumphant as the tip protruded from the center of his back. In her frenzied state it took the girl a few moments to realize that the attack had not been accompanied by any physical sensation or the sickly-sweet smell of burning flesh. Her rage-addled mind was incapable of understanding what was happening, leaving the girl completely defenseless for a few pivotal moments. ”Please, Guardian. You insult me.” A flash of movement was the only warning Rin was given before the man’s fist slammed into her stomach. The construct’s eyes went wide as she was lifted from her feet and sent flying backwards through the air, all of the air slammed out of her lungs so she couldn’t even scream. The architect watched as she was blown away, rolling and tumbling to a painful-looking halt at least twenty feet from him. An arrogant smile crossed his wrinkled features as he withdrew the blade of glowing energy, revealing that it had not affected him in the least. ”Excalibur, the sword of legends… A holy weapon so powerful it can pierce any armor to smite the flesh. It is rather fortunate, my dear Guardian, that I possess no flesh to smite.” He contemptuously threw the sword to Rin, who was clutching her torso and groaning quietly. The attack had easily broken ribs, and every time she attempted to stand a wave of agony swept across her body. The architect sneered at the girl, completely ignoring the Istani soldiers and taking a step in her direction. ”You do not even understand why you hate me so much, do you Guardian? It is because I am the same as you.” Rin glared at the old man but did not speak, still clutching her stomach with both arms. He shook his head with feigned sadness and slowly removed his gloves. ”The Grimoire created you… Why could its pages not create their own beings, with their own talents?” He pushed the spectacles further up the bridge of his nose, smiling toothily as the girl stared at him in obvious shock. There was a hint of malice in his voice now, although he made no move to further attack the girl. ”That’s right, Guardian. I am also a construct of the Grand Grimoire, although my origins lie within a single page rather than the entirety of the book.” He reverently pulled out a thick sheath of papers loosely tied together. Each piece of parchment glowed with a soft light, and from this distance Rin could see the spidery script on the pages constantly reforming into the different words. She growled savagely, which elicited a dry chuckle from the man as he flipped through the sheets. ”Oh, of course I possess multiple pages. How else do you think I created this labyrinth? It was quite a difficult project, even with my considerable expertise in the field. It was specifically designed to test your abilities, you know. A useless test, in the end, but elaborate all the same. I don’t suppose you’ll simpl let me leave in peace?” The girl struggled to her knees, spitting blood in the architect’s direction in an expression of blatant disdain. He stared at the crimson blotch for a moment before turning back to regard the Istani soldiers, each still standing near the portal they had smashed through the thick wall. He switched back to Istani flawlessly, smiling warmly at the trio. ”I don’t suppose you three would be kind enough to look the other way while I eliminate this nuisance? I promise I will remove the labyrinth afterwards…” |
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| Nkiruka | Fri Sep 9, 2011 2:53 pm Post #34 |
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Darzi handed Nkiruka over to Zaman, who struggled with even the simple task of holding her up. He stepped forward, his footfalls reverberating against the walls of the now-silent room. The guardsman's response to the old architect's request was simple. "No." He unsheathed his longsword and slammed the flat of the blade against his buckler. Arcane energy erupted from it, folding out once more into the translucent outline of a tower shield. Darzi stepped forward, chanting in a tongue even more ancient than his native one. His sword glowed faintly. White lightning formed at the guard of his weapon, arcing up and down the length of the blade. It picked up momentum until excess energy crackled every which way, finding paths to the ground. The Istani lifted his sword and slashed through the air in a wide arc. The sheer amount of power summoned by the battlemage created a deafening sound like thunder. His efforts were futile, though: just before the spell would have hit the old man, a wall of twisted metal and mechanisms rose from the ground to absorb the white lightning. Darzi growled in frustration, following through with another slash. It was absorbed just as easily. When it was apparent he wouldn't be able to get close or strike the rogue page without risking himself, Darzi sprinted over to Rin. Positioning himself with his shield so that the girl was completely protected, he sheathed his sword to free one of his hands. "Rinrae, I can heal. A little," he said, fumbling through the pronunciation of some of the Common words. The guardsman whispered an incantation that took several seconds of concentration. When the spell was ready, Darzi placed his hand lightly on Rin's forehead. [OOC: I... I kind of indirectly bunnied the Tinkerer to give myself more material. If you want me to change it, let me know. Also, the healing spell Darzi cast can be as effective as you want it to be, I couldn't decide if it was Heal or Greater Heal.] Edited by Nkiruka, Fri Sep 9, 2011 2:54 pm.
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| Rin | Fri Sep 9, 2011 11:52 pm Post #35 |
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The elderly man frowned at their refusal, although he was obviously not surprised by their exclamation. "How droll." He turned his attention back to Rin, starting towards the girl at a leisurely pace while leaving heavily on his walking stick. Darzi reached her fist, however, lashing out at him with the magical sword. The architect did not even deign to gesture this time, the floor around him rippling upwards and interposing itself between the attack and the rogue page. None of the strikes came even close to striking the man, although they did leave deep gouges in the marble surface. When Darzi gave up thge assault the floor tiles folded back into the ground, the gashes on smoking. Rin smiled weakly at Darzi as he laid a tender hand on her forehead, a soft glow forming on his fingers. A sensation like cool water spread from his fingertips, washing through her battered frame and congregating on the most serious injuries. The ache from the gash in her shoulder faded, while the scrape along her leg scabbed over. She gasped as she felt the broken ribs re-align in their proper position, although the pain only barely diminished. She knew that the healing spell had not been strong enough to completely mend her injuries, but it was enough for her to regain her feet at least. She stumbled up from the ground, grinding her teeth together. ""Give... me... the pages..." The architect arched an eyebrow, tapping his walking stick on the ground in front of him and shaking his head in a dejected manner. "You do not learn, Guardian. I will remember that." With a final tap of the cane the floor began to ripple outwards from the point of impact. The girl almost lost her feet as the wave spread out from the architect, speeding towards the outer walls of the chamber. When it struck the walls they began to groan and shake, the entire structure beginning to tremble. With a cacophonous clatter the walls began to collapse, the marble crumbling and the machinery within tumbling out. The architect continued to speak calmly as the labyrinth continued to fall to pieces, his words barely audible over the tumult. "It would be rude of me not to introduce myself, I suppose. You may call me the Tinkerer." A platform began to rise out of the floor, a perfect circle. There was a loud whirring noise as it rose higher, revealing a complex piece of machinery that somehow allowed it to defy the pull of gravity. "You did manage to survive, so you deserve a consolation reward. A single page, perhaps? I have no shortage, after all." He peeled one of the glowing sheets of parchment from the stack, letting it float out of his hands and slowly drift to the quaking floor. "Goodbye, Guardian. The next time I see you I will kill you." The circular platform floated upwards, soaring away from the collapsing maze. Rin stumbled past Darzi, groaning softly as she limped across the shaking floor, barely aware of the walls crashing down across the entire labyrinth. Her eyes were focused directly on the glowing page resting on the floor. When she reached it the girl fell to her knees, picking it up and cradling it against her chest. Once she was sure it was safe she stared upwards towards the platform disappearing over the dunes, already almost lost to sight. A look of pure rage crossed her features, but it faded quickly. For the first time she seemed to realize that the labyrinth was collapsing, and she managed to force herself to her feet once more. "Let... Let us get out of here..." Her words were accompanied by the last rumblings as the walls fell to the ground, leaving the four of them standing in the middle of a rubble-strewn field. |
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| Nkiruka | Sat Sep 10, 2011 2:50 pm Post #36 |
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While Darzi managed to entrench himself in time and "ride out" the huge ripple that initiated the destruction of the maze, his Istani allies were not as lucky. When he looked up, they had both been thrown into the wall behind. Zaman growled and clawed her way back to her feet despite her shaking legs, but Nkiruka didn't even look conscious for several seconds. Her wings draped over her like a sheet, the form underneath only barely moving at this point. Now that Rin was well enough to walk, lurching across the room toward a magicked piece of parchment, Darzi ran back over to the other two. By the time he reached them, fumbling occasionally from the shaking earth, the walls were coming down. With Zaman's help, he dragged Nkiruka away from the crumbling marble just in time. An eerie silence settled in. For several seconds all Darzi could hear was his own tired breathing. Nkiruka emitted an odd noise -- halfway between a groan and a frustrated growl -- but was completely still. Zaman almost buckled under her own weight, but held herself up with her curved blade. It took a few moments for what they all had accomplished to really sink in. "Stay with Nkiruka," Darzi told his captain. His tone was more like an offer than an order. "I'll bring over the camels." So began the process of breaking camp, packing it all up and bringing over the animals. In this sort of urgent situation, it felt painfully tedious even when making haste. They had left the camp in a hurry back when Zaman realized the other two were gone, leaving everything somewhat haphazardly strewn about. By the time everything was ready, Darzi was in such a hurry he urged his mount into a full-blown gallop down the dune, racing toward the white wasteland where once there was a great labyrinth. Zaman, thankfully, was recovering, but Nkiruka was still getting worse even in the ten or so minutes he was gone. They helped the poisoned soldier onto Darzi's camel so he could keep her from falling off during the ride; Zaman mounted the second. They both looked expectantly at Rin. "Come with," Darzi said to her in Common, looking concerned. He pointed to the third camel, which had no rider. After a certain point, what happened in the labyrinth was a haze in Nkiruka's memory. No loss of memory, per se -- more like a confused mess of pain and frustration. If there was one thing she hated most, it was not being able to do anything to help her allies. Once they had returned to Hashem, Nkiruka was in critical condition. That she definitely didn't remember. Maybe she had lost consciousness by then. She awoke inside what appeared to be a run-down hospital, sweating from all the sheets they had tucked her into. She felt much better now, able to keep her eyes open and look around without any dizziness or nausea at all. The soldier was rather happy to be alive. She slid off all the blankets and quickly changed into her uniform, which was folded nicely beside her. One of the nurses here must have been considerate enough to wash all the blood off for her. All geared up, she left the room, looking for familiar faces. After asserting to her healer that she was alright, Nkiruka left the muggy hospital and emerged into the streets. Wandering around, the soldier passed a guardsman or two, but none of them were Zaman or Darzi. Rinrae wasn't anywhere to be seen, either. Nkiruka leaned with her back against the side of a building, sliding down so she was sitting on the ground. She hoped Rin was alright, at least; it sounded like she was taking a beating from the architect of the maze. Her mind tried to piece together what she heard and felt during that tense fight. The old man only called her "Guardian of the Grimoire" -- a strangely formal title for someone like her. There was something else about how a book created her, or something? Nkiruka leaned the back of her head against the wall, looking up. It was useless to try to make sense of it; she probably wasn't even hearing them correctly. [OOC: Your call whether you want to join the guardsmen back to town, and whether you want to actually run across Nki at the very end here. I suppose it depends on how soon you want the topic to end, haha.] |
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| Rin | Sat Sep 10, 2011 10:24 pm Post #37 |
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Rin turned to watch Darzi run back to his companions with a dazed grin. For the first time she seemed aware of the injuries she had accumulated throughout the maze. There was still blood oozing from the deep gouge in her left shoulder, two painful cuts along her right shin and left thigh, a bloody gash on her right shoulder, and a crooked line scratched across her back. When she began to walk towards the Istani soldiers it felt as if all the energy had left her body. Every step sent another flash of pain screaming through her skull, and with the fractured ribs even drawing a breath was agonizing. By the time she had reached Nkiruka and Zaman she was limping heavily, with sweat dripping off of her brow. She absentmindedly waved her hand at the surrounding rubble, mentally banishing the weapons she had summoned over the course of the evening. She slumped in place as Darzi rode his camel back to them, dismounting and helping Zaman and Nkiruka into the saddle. When it was her turn the girl was forced to ask the guardsman for help to mount herself; with every passing moment it was harder to move her exhausted limbs. The construct only allowed herself to relax after she was in the saddle and the camel's hooves were pounding against the dunes. She closed her eyes, leaning against the creatur'es long neck and breathing in deeply. I found it... It's over... Indeed. You did excellent work today, Rinrae... The girl smiled absentmindedly. Those were the last words she heard before the rhythmic gallop of the camel lulled her to sleep. A day later Rin stood across the street from the hospital, her hands folded behind her back and leaning against the sun-warmed stones of the restaurant behind her. She had tried to leave earlier that morning, but Darzi and Zaman had both insisted that she remain at the outpost for at least one more day in order to fully recover. The girl was wrapped in enough bandages that she looked more like a mummy than anything else. Both of her shoulder blades were swathed in thick cotton bandages, the wrappings extending all the way to her elbows. Her legs had been similarly treated, and her waist was noticeably thicker from where a healing poultice had been wrapped around her broken ribs. Although her accelerated healing factor had impressed the healers here, they still refused to believe she was fit enough to travel through the desert on her own. She had to admit, the wound on her left shoulder and across her back was still painful, but she yearned to be on her way once more. There were still more pages lost in Imythess. The construct stretched languidly, extending both arms towards the sun above. Her sundress had so bloody and torn by the time they reached the hopsital that the nurses had declared it hopeless and thrown the garment away. It had been replaced by a soft blue dress that matched the color of her eyes, with a pattern of white thread sewn around the hem. Luckily, the healers had not thrown away her silver ribbons. They were wrapped around her forearms and shins once more, the recovered pages of the Grand Grimoire hidden underneath the metallic fabric. Rin looked up just in time to see Nkiruka leaving the hospital at a quick pace. The Istani woman continued to stride through the crowd, peering around but either not seeing the construct or choosing to ignore her. The girl smiled and began to follow the soldier, who turned around the side of the hospital. When Rin rounded the corner she saw the woman sitting on the ground with her back pressed against the building. Without a word the girl skipped over to her and sat down beside her, folding her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She smiled brightly at Nkiruka, her blue eyes shining in the sunlight. "Thank you!" |
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| Nkiruka | Sun Sep 11, 2011 3:08 pm Post #38 |
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Nkiruka's eyes flicked to an anomaly in her peripheral vision. Standing out from the crowd in more ways than one, Rin practically bounced over to the soldier and sat down. Despite what happened, she was still as cheerful as ever. "It's my job," she replied simply. There were a lot of things Nki wanted to ask her. What the hell happened with that architect? What was he? Why was she called Guardian of the Grimoire? Or, branching out from that: Who was she? How did she survive the desert crossing with almost no gear? How could she summon immensely powerful weapons from practically thin air, and how did she have the strength to wield them? Her last thought flowed into the one that actually made it into words. The soldier finally spoke after a long pause. "Your fighting..." At first she trailed off, trying to line up her ideas coherently. "In the maze, I noticed something. You don't fight like most people do. People like Darzi and Zaman -- they put their emotions aside so they can focus." She took a breath. Maybe she hadn't fully recovered yet; just talking this much was tiring her out. "You throw yourself into battle. Does that make sense? I hear you screaming and growling and doing everything you can to win. There's a grin on your face in the heat of combat." Nkiruka pressed her hands into the wall behind her and slowly rose to her feet. "If you could learn to channel all that emotion and gain strength from it, I'm sure you'd be one of the most powerful warriors in the country." Resting her hands on the sheathes at each hip, Nkiruka looked down the street. She let her last comment sink in before changing the subject. "I'll be in Hashem for one more week. If you need transportation, I can provide army horses or camels." She turned back to her, dull gold eyes trained on Rinrae. "Where will you go now?" |
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| Rin | Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:06 pm Post #39 |
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Rin shook her head at the woman's insistence that helping her was simply her job. The construct seriously doubted that the Istani would have put up with so much pain and struggle simply to earn a paycheck, but she personally possessed no desire for money so the concept was relatively foreign to her. She did not speak as Nkiruka stared at her, simply bobbing her head back and forth and humming dissonantly as her companion gathered her thoughts. Only when she began to speak did Rin lapse into silence, watching the soldier with a thoughtful expression. When Nkiruka had finished speaking the girl turned away, staring at the ground in front of her. She lowered one hand into the dust and absentmindedly began to trace patterns in the dirt, her brow wrinkled in obvious contemplation. The girl had noticed that very few individuals on Imythess shared her fighting tactics, but she had always assumed it was simply because they did not have the correct movements downloaded directly into their muscle memory. Perhaps there was some merit in what the Istani was saying. "I... operate differently than most people. When my goal is in sight, there is nothing else I can see, nothing else I can focus on. Fulfilling that duty is... intoxicating. It is what I was made for." Her words were soft and hesitant, as if this was the first time she had actually put this concept into words. She did not look at Nkiruka as she spoke, steadfastly staring at the patterns she was scratching in the dirt. "Pain will fade and wounds will heal, but my task is not complete until I hold the page in my hands." She wasn't entirely sure what the soldier meant in regards of harnessing that focus. Isn't that what she was doing already? The girl was about to inquire further as to her meaning when she recalled the events in the labyrinth. Nkiruka had been poisoned, battered, and cut much more grievously than the construct, yet she had still managed to fight that minotaur with a level of strength and speed that seemed improbable. Perhaps she was utilizing some brand of technique that transformed her emotions into battle skill? Rin mused on this information for a minute, wondering if the Grimoire had heard of such a practice before. You have experienced this before, Rinrae. Remember Vyse? He entered a berserker rage, although he lacked control. Perhaps this woman is simply more adept at wielding her emotions. The consttruct barely managed to suppress a shudder at the memory of the mercenary. Now that the tome had reminded her, what Nkiruka was suggesting did sound awfully familiar to his bloodwrath. However, the Istani had clearly been in complete control when battling the minotaur, focusing entirely on their opponent. If what she said was true then perhaps Rin could fight in such a manner. Before she could press the woman for details she stood, asking where she planned to go next. "Let me see..." The girl stood, closing her eyes and focusing on the kernel of her being devoted to the Grand Grimoire. Its essence infused her, its lost pieces beckoning to her from a great distance. She lifted one hand, the limb swinging back and forth as she drowsed for the location of the next page. "I wi- I'll be going... that direction!" Her eyes shot open, her hand pointing almost directly south of the town. Rin smiled birghtly an Nkiruka, her blue eyes glimmering. "I do not know how to ride a horse or camel! But the offer is appreciated!" The girl did not seem dismayed in the least by the fact she had no equipment for traveling through the desert or the fact she lacked even the name of her destination. |
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| Nkiruka | Tue Sep 13, 2011 3:22 pm Post #40 |
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As Rinrae gave her own description of her thought processes while she fought, Nkiruka nodded slowly. She knew that the girl had the potential. In a fighting style that was all about turning an explosion of emotions into a precise set of actions, Rin was already halfway there. All she needed was a little push in the right direction. Nkiruka considered offering to teach her, but said nothing. She had traveled to this town all the way from Istan City with her previous student: a girl who got so lost in her own emotions that it often became dangerous. The soldier was not prepared to teach someone new; she had her own goals. Presumably using her innate sense of her target -- or just to make a joke -- Rin pointed randomly in the direction she wanted to go. Nkiruka's eyebrows raised incredulously. "Fair enough." She supposed that if the girl had crossed the dunes on foot, all alone and without any apparent supplies beyond the small trinkets in her satchel, she could make it to the south of Istan without much issue. That reminded her. "Do you need a new cloak, at least? Blowing sand can get painful when you aren't covered." Unhooking the clasp at her collarbone, Nkiruka let her cloak slip down before she deftly caught it in her fingers. She held it toward Rin, offering it to her. "Take it. I have a couple others." The piece of cloth managed to look both beautiful and practical. While predominantly white, the edge had a stripe of red just before the hem. Its hood was small enough to fit snugly over the wearer's head, so it would be less apt to blow down if they're facing the wind. That done, Nkiruka unceremoniously turned to leave. "Goodbye, Rin." Her wings folded and settled behind her as she turned a street corner and disappeared. Edited by Nkiruka, Tue Sep 13, 2011 3:24 pm.
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| Rin | Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:46 pm Post #41 |
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Rin's eyes widened at the gift. She took the cloak from Nkiruka almost reverently, the fabric flapping as she threw it over her shoulders. The garment had been purchased for someone half a foot taller than the construct, so the tail ends of the cloak trailed against the ground. The girl did not seem to mind; she twirled happily, holding the cloak on her shoulders with both hands. "Thank you Nkiruka! I did need a new cloak." The girl turned to the task of fastening the clasp, which was made more difficult by the fact she had never seen such a device before. After a few moments of fumbling with the mechanism she managed to lock it into place, lowering her hands and beaming at the Istani soldier. "Thank you. For everything. You have been most helpful" When the older woman said her goodbye and began to walk away Rin simply waved. Now that she had thanked the soldier for her assistance it was time to get going. The girl turned in the direction she had pointed, shading her face with one hand. The main road continued in that direction for a whiles, but it turned away before the edges of the town. She would be forced to walk through the desert again, most likely. She reached up and pulled the hood of the cloak up, smiling as she ran her fingers over the red strip lining the edges of the garment. "I am glad I met Nkiruka. She was a good... a good..." I believe the word you are looking for is friend, Rinrae. "Yeah! A good friend." The girl began to walk down the busy street, beaming wildly. She doubted that the healers at the hospital would approve of her departure, but her injuries were already healing nicely. Within a week not even scars would remain and the wounds she had acquired in the labyrinth would remain only in her memory. Rin began to hum as she neared the edges of the town, the crowds thinning out as the number of buildings began to diminish. She paused on the furthest outskirt of the village, staring back over one shoulder at the bustling people filling the streets. These people seem so... So carefree. As if they have nothing important to do. They merely exist. Few beings have such a clearly defined purpose as you, Rinrae. You are mortal... But you are not human. Her eyes softened almost imperceptibly, and she frowned slightly. I pity them... Without another moment of hesitation she turned and began to walk towards the desert, wrapping the fine white cloak around her body as she walked. Soon she was nothing more than a blotch of darkness on the shimmering dunes, and soon after that she was completely gone from sight. |
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2:11 PM May 19
