Arrival
5th of Frost, 120 AoS
Other than the light jingle of his chain in his ear, only the low gossiping of birds broke the silence. Even the steps of the three a couple paces ahead were light. Despite the rumors he’d heard of these woods, Sumerki found them to be surprisingly, yet pleasantly, silent. Then again, he had the benefit of being in the company of those more well versed in combat than himself. Perhaps that was the reason for his ease. Or maybe it was because there was still quite a bit of light left in the day. It gave his surroundings a near comforting glow. The Siltori stepped, toe first, over a protruding root, barely acknowledging it.
.
Second day in the wilds, and still, the wonder of them hadn’t lost even a trace of their wonder. Except for the night before, which was spent wide awake and still as could be under a partially hollowed tree. During the day, however, it had more tame quality about it. Frequently, his fingers stretched out of their own accord, dancing over the bark of any tree that leaned close enough.
“Fall too far behind, and you’re on your own,” Fonas called from ahead. The half-giant jerked her head back forward, light brown hair swishing; a sliver of gold shone as a ray of sun broke through the canopy. Her short blade shifted at her side with every step. It flowed naturally with her body, truly a part of her. The other two at either side of her cast a glance back as well, cuing him in at how far behind he really was falling.
Sumerki pulled his hand away, nails flaking off a piece of bark. “Ah, sorry, sorry.” He caught up with a few wide steps, leaping over another root, until he was a little over a foot behind. “So, fellas, if I may ask, how did the lot of you meet?” He waved a hand as he spoke, his gestures going unseen. For a few moments, none of them spoke. Which shouldn’t have been too shocking considering he barely even knew their names. It was a mere fortunate crossing of paths. To be honest, he didn’t remember if they even agreed to let him follow; he could only assume he was so little of a threat, they had little care in the matter. He bore no weapons and had approached them with exposed palms.
Again, it was the large woman who spoke, this time not looking back. “This is just for work,” she grunted.
Sumerki’s brow pinched as he glanced between the three of them. “Really? Because you all share quite a similar trait.” His words were soft before the stifling silence settled back between them.
‘Not much for conversation.’
He folded his arms behind his back and kept up his steady pace, making sure not to trail too far. Leaning his head back, he stared at the overhanging foliage, catching the occasional flicker of sky - still pale with the high sun. Every flash of unveiled light was like a spark of warmth cutting through the chilled air. But the last dose of that relief was cut short by another dense thicket. The shield of leaves blocked any attempts the sun made to break through.
A small shiver tickled down his spine.
It was quite a bit darker, appearing more like evening as opposed to midday, but the confidence of the trio ahead proved true as the shift in atmosphere didn’t so much as hinder their steps. Instinctively, the Siltori closed some of the distance between himself and the others. His hands pressed against his back with the tension building in his arms. Breath barely passed through him as all concentration was focused on his senses.
“You don’t get out much, do you?”
Sumerki failed to suppress his start. For the first time in hours, one of the others spoke; Barret, he believed the human’s name was. After staring at the man’s broad shoulders for so long, Sumerki had nearly forgotten what his face had looked like. All he could really remember was the permanent scowl the blond wore.
“I’m in the middle of nowhere with people I barely know, excuse me for being a tad wary.” He spared no forced politeness.
The man actually chuckled at that. So they were capable of some sort of humor, then. “Relax, there’s nothing to be cautious of. If there were, we would know.” His hand tapped reassuringly on the hilt of his blade. “And if there are unseen foes afoot, they’ll smell the reek of your fear from miles away.”
With a deep breath, Sumerki pushed his shoulders down and unwound his hands.
It was fine; everything was alright. True, this was the longest he had been out of some sort of civilization and was a little out of his comfort zone. Uncertainty didn’t immediately mean danger. ‘At least not this time,’ he reminded himself.
Sumerki jammed his hands in his pockets, a nervous habit of his as they searched for something to keep his tingling fingers occupied. Turning a coin in one hand and a cork in the other, he kept his eyes on the ground, eyes snapping from one footprint to the next, noting the difference in their sizes. Really, he zoned in on anything that kept his ears from picking up on every snap and rustle around them.
Hearing all this, he couldn't help but wonder: had those sounds been there the whole time, or was his heightened sense of vigilance just now making him aware of them? It had to be the former, he was sure, for they were far too loud for him to have missed before. His eyes rose to the others, finding no discerning differences in their demeanor. Completely unbothered by the bustle going on around them, they carried on with the same collected poise they had from the get go. He had to admit, he was a little impressed.
“If you’re this terrified of a hike through the woods, what persuaded you to take this route?” Fonas asked - a genuine curiosity.
Sumerki shifted his eyes and straightened his back. “Well, to be perfectly honest as well as imperfectly familiar with the area, I got lost. To put it simply. The more complicated explanation is I am directionally flawed. But, there is a bright side to such debilitations, you see, for I have met many interesting folk through such means.” He waved a hand to the three in front. “Surely makes things more interesting, I would say.”
“As well as stupidly dangerous,” the third member - Ruvan - replied. The Dratori cut his eyes back. The softness in his glare contrasted with his sharpened tongue. “We could have easily been deranged cultists ready to slit your throat before you could think to beg for your life. Hell, for all you know, we could be leading you far from Kalzasi.” He turned his head fully to witness the faint fog luminating from the Siltori’s gaze.
Ruvan sighed with a smile. “Calm down, I jest. If we wanted to kill you, we would have done so by now.” Sumerki’s focus momentarily zoned in on the mace at the man’s side. It was worn, bearing it’s numerous stories of battles and victories. There was little doubt in his mind that this warrior would lie about his capabilities, and he for one did not wish to challenge such claims.
“Point taken.” Sumerki moved his arms to cross over his chest instead, but his fingers continued to tap along his arms.
Ruvan nodded in one curt motion and turned back. “Just enjoy the scenery, if all goes well, we should arrive before the night.” From his tone, it sounded to be an announcement for the lot as opposed to Sumerki alone. He tilted his head from side to side, working out the last his nerves knotted up in his muscles. They continued to itch with his unshakable unease, but the ache of full on dread was gone.
“If you aren’t careful, your naivety will bring upon your death.”
Sumerki tightened his ponytail. “And constant distrust will lead to a lonesome existence,” he shot back with a low sigh. “I may be quick to trust, but I know well enough when to heed. I felt no hostility when I approached the three of you. Nor do I now.” And he meant it. Though he wasn’t known for making the most selective of decisions, this one he was fairly confident in.
They settled back into quiet travel. The shade of their foliage-lined roof covered them for a few hours more. Aside from blocking what little light they were provided, it completely hindered their sense of time. So, when they broke through at last, there was little difference in lighting. The subtle spray of orange through the leaves was the only sign of daylight left. That little bit of color faded just as the canopy thinned overhead.
“Just up ahead,” Ruvan practically whispered. He hummed as he swatted a branch out of the way.
Sumerki followed without a word as he ducked under the half broken branch. He stood back at full height on the other side. He stared, unblinking, at the mountain that rose in the distance. Sure, he’d seen drawings and heard descriptions, but none of them amounted to the actual sight of it. The sun, still peering from just behind it, only added to the splendor of his first impression as it bestowed the city with a faint crown.
“Welcome to the Jewel of Karnor.” The man heaved a heavy breath and continued on, the other two following close behind. Sumerki, entrapped in his own awe, stood for a few moments more as more distance was placed between them. “Wait for a little while before arriving; if you end up causing trouble, I do not desire connections to be made with me.”
The Siltori could only hum in response. He wasn’t quite sure for how long he stood there, but as the last remnants of light hid behind the mountain, he took a deep breath and took his next step.
