A Means to an End

[Verus]

TS: Third Cycle, Forth Brightening of Junctior. Era XIII PF.

It had been a rough ride. The first time that Temujin had ridden a horse, and he had been on it for the better part of the last cycle. But, thankfully, they were nearing their destination. They had been travelling within sight of the Arium Mountains the whole way, last brightening their course had changed, bringing them around to the southern ranges. Closer and closer to the goal of this quest... a soulstone.

He was not alone in his quest though, he had the company of two. A friend and a mage. Having company for this journey had been nice, it was a change. By nature, the rhagrhnd was a loner, but once and a while he must admit to enjoying the company of others.

Fumbling to get his horse to slow down, Temujin dismounted rather gracelessly and massaged a bit of feeling back into his legs before he let go of the pommel. Hobbling round to his saddlebags, he fished out a map he had purchased back in Nexus. Unrolling it, he looked it over. He was by no means skilled at reading it, but he could tell they were getting close to the forge. Hopefully they would reach it by the darkening.

Even with the risk of death well known to him. Temujin found himself kind of eager to undergo the ritual to become khazer-druei. Before he had made his decision he had weighed out the risk versus the reward and had found the reward to be the heavier side. If the ritual caused his death, it was a consequence to his own actions and he was willing to accept that. Hopefully though, it would go well, and the rhagrhnd would have his means to an end.

Roughly pulling himself back up and into the saddle of his sandbred horse. He convinced it to move forwards at a walk, his sores irrated every step. "We should reach the Forge by sunsdown," he said simply.

[Viskyia Crow]

Viskyia had to admit it... Temujin was one tough man. She could tell every muscle ached, yet he never complained once. That impressed her. The ride had been rough, far rougher than she'd imagined. It was the first she'd traveled outside of Arium the whole of her life. And it had been a great experience, one she wouldn't soon forget.

Her companions were amiable, and she was grateful they never complained on the trip. It was a vast change over the people in Nexus Prime that she knew. They wouldn't be so hearty at all on such a journey. But living like this, camping out, traveling, all moving towards a set goal, was something she enjoyed. Enormously.
And though she didn't truly realize the risk to Temujin's life, she was glad that someone felt strongly enough to do something about mages who were out of control. It was never quite far from her conscious that someone was behind the orc uprising, controlling them. And that Verus had said a mage leveled most of Paxia with a single spell.

And she was curious about soulstones. She wanted to see where they were formed, and understand a little more about them. It was the jeweler in her, the one impassioned by the call of the language of rocks. All rocks, not just gems...

She moved forward, urging Mirrow to follow the sandbred. They were almost to their goal, even if Temujin didn't realize it. Viskyia could see the lumbering volcano in the distance, and suspected that its smoldering depths housed the forge.

[Labyrinth]

OOC: And foward this goes, finally.
IC:
'The Mage' had been silent for the entire trip, sitting with her hands on her knees covered by her long travelling cloak, rocking back and forth in the saddle...with her eyes closed. She looked young but not overly so...albeit 17 was still young with a horse that, despite her proclamations of being a student, appeared used to her. Not only that but her saddle bore a hoop especially made for the long, blackened staff that she had brought with her on the trip. It was about as tall as she was and possessed of a pattern about its circumference that wound up and down it with smooth spots for two hand holds that looked sculpted to fit her own small hands.

Her name was Jen. And she hadn't said much ever since meeting Verus at the tavern. It was only now that she spoke, bright green eyes flashing open as she shook out long, fiery locks of hair. Not exactly attractive with a face that was far severe to ever be lusted after by the type of men who preferred beauty over intelligence she none the less seemed sharply attentive and intelligent. Although admittedly this might be exactly why she seemed unattractive, there was the feel of a coiled spring to Jen Colian.

“Then we should stop before we get there and take our rest so that we can approach fresh in the morning.”

She suggested simply, looking across at Temujin, her voice straight forward.

[Verus]

No sooner had Temujin mounted his horse, when Jen spoke up, her first words since they had left Nexus Prime a few brightenings before. WHile the rhaghrnd would like to complete his goal as soon as possible, he listened to the mages words. He himself knew what danger's the mountain could hold, and adventuring into them tired and weary may not be the best idea... there was also the fact that he could use a break from the fething horse he had agreed to ride.

"Perhaps that would be for the best," he answered, shifting his weight and carefully dismounting his horse. He found a tree and tied the sandbred's reins to it. {B]"How are you faring Visk?"[/b] He questioned his friend, curious if riding a horse was as discomforting to her as it was to him. If it were, she surely hid it much better then him.

[Viskyia Crow]

Viskyia still hadn't grown used to the silence of the mage Temujin had recruited. The woman, Jen, seemed either personalityless or very very angry. The half esh hadn't quite decided which yet. She was pretty enough, but since Verus hadn't shared any details of how he'd convinced her to come, she had no idea the girls motivations for being here. But, then again, the jeweler never had been one for reading people. If the girl served her purpose, then that was enough for Viskyia. If she didn't... well, then Skay would have probably been the better choice. But she didn't question Temujin's judgment. This was his quest, his life... and very important. If he didn't know what was best for it, then he had no business being here. None of them did.

Viskyia swung from the saddle and went to work offloading Mirrow's gear and making the mare comfortable. She set up a highline for the three horses to be tethered safely too, and fed all three.... having somewhat taken on the role of a servant during the journey. She used twists of grass to groom both her plainsbred and the sandbred Temujin rode. But his question surprised her. Jen wasn't the only one that had been roughly silent the whole trip. "I'm fine, Temujin. Don't worry. I think the mounts are tired though.. its good we are stopping earlier than usual." She said, picking up hooves and digging out stones, before she left them to their dinner. Then she quickly set up her own tent, and went to gather firewood while using the task for a chance to scout the area, making sure they weren't anywhere close to another campsite or any obvious dangers. She scouted in a mile circle of the camp, bringing back bundles of wood as her arms got too full. If no one started dinner, she'd simply sit down and work on a ration to satiate her hunger before watches were assigned and she'd either stay up to guard or hit the sack to sleep.

[Labyrinth]

Without being asked Jen lit the fire without seeming to really pay attention to the activity. She then settled down and removed some food from her saddlebags and began to prepare food.

“My turn.”

Was all she offered, again sparse words, yet more action than had been seen from her the entire trip. Once the meal was finished however she simply set up her tent and curled up in it, leaving the other two to worry about assigning watches and so forth.

And so that was it for the night.

Next morning whenever the other two awoke they would find Jen ready, her saddlebags packed and her tack off to one side; her horse no-where to be found.

“I suggest we walk from here and leave the horses, they won't be able to come down with us and to my knowledge we have no idea how long we'll be down there, did either of you think about how we plan to mark our way once we enter? Or indeed where we are entering...” At this she glanced at Verus in askance for his leadership or plans...or just some kind of answer.

[Verus]

Temujin watched Viskyia take care of her horse and his and was grateful. He didn't know the first thing about caring for a horse, and hadn't planned on riding one to the forge in the first place. It had been her suggestion.

As Jen settled down and lit a fire, preparing the evening meal, the rhaghrnd wondered into the wilderness. His intention two things, scouting like Viskyia, but he also needed to stretch his sore muscles.

He wondered the wilderness for some time, enjoying the scenery but alert for potential dangers, unlike Viskyia he didn't retrieve any wood, he just widened the radius of his scouting. By the time he returned, the meal had gone cold. Taking a portion for himself, he sat silently and ate quickly. His mind seemed to be wondering more and more the closer they got to the forge. About what becoming a khazer-druei could accomplish, and about the dangers.

When he finished his cold meal, he simply said, "I'll take first watch." Wrapping his cloak around him, he dissapeared into the forest, opting not to simply sit at the camp and listen for out of place noises, but to roam in circles around it.

Not tired, Temujin stayed up most of the darkening... eventually returning to camp to sit and stare into the darkness towards the forge and his goal. It was only a couple candlemarks before the suns rose that he woke Viskyia up. "Your turn to watch," he told her. They curled up in a blanket by the fire, his hand on a bared shortsword... ignoring his tent on the packhorse.

Rising only after a few candlemarks of rest, Temujin found Jen all ready to go but without a horse. He was curious until Jen suggested they went the rest of the way on foot. Her logic was good and Verus readily agreed, not to fond of the horse he had been riding for the last few brightenings. "We should find an inn to keep the horses at until we return," he said, half heartedly. He himself wouldn't mind stripping the saddle off his own mount and setting it free, but he figured Viskyia wouldn't be too fond of the idea. "Afterwards, I plan on beelining it to the forge," he told the mage. Born and raised in the Arium Mountains, he felt himself able to overcome any obstacle that sat in the way of him and the forge. He had knowledge of the mountains and some climbing gear in his pack if needed. As to the second part of the mages question, he figured that once they found the soulstone, they would simply turn around and climb back down the mountain. Markers weren't too valuable to him, in his own logic, as long as they traveled down, they would make it off the mountain, perhaps not the same place they had started, but they would still make it down.

"Let's be off at least, we'll figure out how to mark our way once the time comes unless either of you have a suggestion?"

[Viskyia Crow]

Viskyia nodded when he woke her and rose easily to take the watch. She roamed around the camp quietly getting her things together and keeping an eye on the perimeter of the camp. She put on a camp porridge for breakfast which was ready when everyone else was getting up. Then she quietly cleaned up the mess and loaded her horses. Viskyia nodded at Verus' suggestion and responded very simply to him.

"I'll go find an Inn for them and leave enough coin for their care for a time. I will meet you up at the volcano on the north side, since that seems to be where this upward climb will take us." She didn't say anything else or give Verus much of a chance to respond or worse yet argue. The trip itself was already starting to feel awkward, Verus being far more reserved than she was used to in front of the mage. The half-esh simply swung onto Mirrow and gathered the leads for both the packhorse and the sandbred. She had no idea where an Inn was, but figured if she headed back to the main road she'd find one sooner or later. It also gave the mage and the warrior a chance to speak freely before she met back up with them on the north face, if they would be there at all.

Viskyia figured she was enough of a runner that if she had to travel light she could probably catch up with them sooner or later on the way up. Still, it would have been more convenient for the mage to have made the suggestion a bit earlier on. Nonetheless, she thought she could catch them. That is, unless the mage had some other means of movement. Regardless, she rode towards the last road they'd crossed, looking for an Inn.

[Labyrinth]

OOC: I have no urge to deviate for several posts finding an Inn if everyone else is happy sticking to the story.

IC:

How did one enter a volcano and find what they wished to find within? Ah the questions that lay before the trio...admittedly helped by the fact that an Elementalist had abilities that the others did not and Verus was far from ignorant of mountain landscapes. As a result of these factors and Viskyia's native intelligence they did not encounter any problems in their plans to move around to the north side of the volcano and meet Viskyia there. She found an Inn several hours back in the direction they had come and successfully negotiated keep for the horses, the Innkeeper seeming honest, for all the difficulty of leaving horses in the care of a stranger.

But then Innkeepers didn't keep their Inns for long if they were liars and relied on honourable custom.

So, very soon with the suns rising toward their mid-brightening zenith the trio found themselves staring up at the volcano, prepared it seemed to venture forth.

“First I believe we need to climb before we find an entrance or approach the rim of the crater.”

Commented Jen absently, a hand on her mage's staff, tracing the ingrained curves. Gesturing with it she looked around at the other two, her green eyes squinting at them.

“So we should proceed, unless you know where you think we need to go on this edifice?”

She inquired of Verus before leading off with her staff for support up the rocks. So far despite the black bleakness of the volcano it did not appear they would need the climbing equipment. The volcano's edges were gradual enough, despite the profusion of volcano rock, ash and other debris that they could initially proceed upward without interference, of course where they were headed except for 'nearer to the source of all the trouble' lay for Verus to decide.

[Verus]

Temujin watched as Viskyia rode off with the horses, he hadn't said anything when she offered to find an inn. She had been keeping to herself for the most part of the trip, or perhaps it was him that was keeping to himself. He had a lot on his mind and he more often then not found himself keeping company with his own thoughts, not to mention that he did not trust Jen, the elementalist. It wasn't really her he didn't trust, more so her magics. He had been witness to the destructive power of arcana at Paxia, and since then it had left a foul taste in his mouth.

Watching as Viskyia disappeared into the distance, Verus set the pace for him and the mage, traveling at a slower pace then he could maintain so that his friend would easily be able to catch up to them.

When Viskyia did catch up, it was about mid-brightening and she found him and Jen silently sitting at the base of the volcano, a fire going and Temujin warming a small meal up for the trio. Welcoming her back with a nod, he handed her a portion of the meal then sat down and ate his own.

When the meal was finished, Temujin kicked some dirt on the small fire and stomped it out. Listening to Jen, Temujin nodded in agreement. "Yes, we'll climb up and enter at the summit. From there, well we'll see how things go," He said, pulling his pack up onto his shoulders and adjusting his sword.

He let Jen go first, letting her get a fair ways before turning to Viskyia. "Before you go any further, there is something I should tell you," he said her simply. "One of the risk's of the ritual to become khazer-druei is death, it is a rather common effect of it actually." The rhagrhnd informed his friend of this without a hint of emotion crossing his stone face. This was a fact that he had accepted long ago when he had first researched this in the library at Nexus Prime. "If you do not want to help me any further, you are more then welcome to go back now. But it is a fact I felt you should know rather then unknowingly help me towards suicide."

His piece was said. He had grown close to Viskyia over time, and he believed she would not like this fact. But it was not fair for him to keep it from her, especially if he died in the process. Standing there, a pace from Viskyia he waited for her to think it over. Once they finished the conversation, he would begin the climb up the mountain.

[Viskyia Crow]

ooc: Laby, You're kind beyond belief. Thanks for sparing us.

Viskyia rejoined them, a bit tired, but otherwise fine to continue. She studied the volcano and simply nodded to Jen's decision. She wasn't unfamiliar with the geology of the Volcano, but had no idea about entrances to this particular one. She took out a small pick axe, and a collection bag which she hung on her belt, feeling confident that she could pick up a few specimens along the of obsidian and other more unusual stones within.

When Verus stopped her, revealing the truth of the search he began, Viskyia frowned. Then she lifted her hand, laid it on his shoulder and smiled. "If there is any chance that my being here will help you, my friend, fufil your dream even in the face of a risk of certain death, then it is a good thing. I wouldn't want a friend to go to his death alone. And this would be a good death, regardless, because your doing something you believe in, something that if your successful will be very important to all of us. I wouldn't be anywhere else, Temujin." She said truthfully, then released her touch, and turned, following Jen up the mountain.

[Labyrinth]

When death was spoken of Jen simply watched, curled up as she was on a rock. She watched and said nothing, simply nodding once in acknowledgment of having heard what was said. What she thought of it, remained a mystery.
Her eyes did however wander to Viskyia as the other woman replied, narrowing slightly at the words spoken and clearly making note of them, that childish face possessed of a strange worldliness that didn't belong there and hadn't been there before she had accepted the request to go on this quest.

She simply rose from the rock and walked onward and upward.

Going was slow and a little arduous at times because of the uneven terrain and the unstable nature of the Volcano but not particularly uncomfortable – yet. Heat was increasing but not incessantly so. They had travelled for several hours before Jen gestured them to a stop.

“The higher we go, the warmer it gets, the summit should just be bearable but I warn you that I have no idea what state this Volcano is in. I am just warning you that I may have to do something...unexpected if I find that things are unstable and I apologise in advance if it seems...strange or hurts, I assure you it won't be intentional.”

The girl glanced from one to the other and then headed upward. The next stop however was far less pleasant than a little chat, above them there came a scream, a shout...a second scream, then one figure fell from an outcrop and tumbled down around a hundred meters to their right, landing with an unsettling crunch just out of sight. Meanwhile from where the shouting had occurred came the vision of someone in a cloak, holding something in their hand that glinted in the vague sunlight.

The figure turned away as if nothing had happened.

“What that...”

Was all Jen found it in her to say. But the point was made, they weren't the only ones on this mountain.

[Verus]

The hand on the shoulder seemed somewhat of an intimate touch to the rhaghrnd, and while he didn't shrug it of, he had no wish to provoke anything more, perhaps what he was feeling was uncomfortable. He listened to her answer and gave his friend one of his rare smiles, "Thank you," he said, then turned and saw Jen nodding. He hadn't really meant for the mage to hear him, but the fact that she did didn't really bother him.

That was it for the conversational moment. Now, back to the task at hand. The heat was beginning to get to the rhaghrnd, a man that was born and raised in eternal snow and found winter in Nexus nice weather. It was not moments afterwards that Jen spoke up. Glaring at the girl, Temujin retorted. "Weave whatever magics you want upon yourself and Visk if she agrees, but do not involve me in them," he told her, perhaps a little harsher then what he ought to have. Even though he was going to have to submit to the magics of a couple mages to perform the khazer-dreui ritual once he obtained the soulstone, he still didn't trust them.

Wherever their words could have continued to was halted though, a commotion further up the volcano sent a body crashing down the slopes. It was a body. Gender, race, creed.... none of that the rhaghrnd knew, but none of that the rhaghrnd cared about either. Whoever had taken the fall, well, they would be lucky to be alive. "Jen, check them out, help them if you can," he said as he drew a stylet dagger from his boot, then running up the mountain side as fast ashe could, hunched over for balance and using his free hand for support. Whoever he met at the top had better be fast talking and have a good explanation... else they would have the rhagrhnds wrath to deal with.

[Viskyia Crow]

Viskyia tried not to return his smile. Temujin was one of those difficult friends. She'd once kissed his cheek just to get a rise out of him, and touching his shoulder was no different. The man was nothing else if not predictable in his stubbornness and in his bold rhaghrnd ways. That was perhaps the reason he and Viskyia were friends. She'd taken to him immediately when she'd discovered his heritage, and found that by simple non-intrusive questions strategically placed, she could learn a tremendous amount about his secretive people. Her mother was among his kind, though dead to him because she'd failed her childhood quest into adulthood. Viskyia was careful never to mention Maria to Temujin, though he knew of her and knew the reasons behind the way she sometimes asked him about his people. She was half rhaghrnd herself.

And his reaction to Jen was not unexpected either. The half-esh only nodded at the mages' words, but she couldn't say she blamed Temujin one bit. She'd had ... unpleasant experiences with mages in the past as well, though lately her friendship with Skay and Amelia had changed that somewhat.

When the body fell, Visk reacted as she always would. Once the mage started up with Temujin close on her heels, Viskyia took a minute to jog the 100 meters and examine the decidedly crunched corpse off ot the right. It helped, she figured, to know if whomever was above them were killing humans, elves, or something else.... something more dangerous. The half-esh wasn't someone to rush into a battle or situation without forewarning.. and this was definitely one of those circumstances. So, if she could find it, she'd carefully examine the body and see what it told her.

[Labyrinth]

Jen paused a moment to watch Verus depart, an expression on her face that would tell Viskyia at least that she thought there wasn't much wisdom in running after a completely known person that had just killed someone and leave the mage behind...but equally she wasn't about to disobey, this was his journey – not hers.

As a result she followed Viskyia in the direction of the fallen corpse. For it was a corpse when they found it, the neck twisted at an awkward angle and blood spilled and pooled beneath it that had nothing to do with the fall and everything to do with the slash across the figure's chest. It was a Vysstitchi by the looks of it, a white haired one that had possessed green eyes in life that were now dull and staring blankly at the sky. Dressed in warm but finely tailored clothes the dead figure even had a dagger sheathed at its belt and an empty sheath over its shoulder for some kind of sword.

As to whether the sword had fallen with the figure or been obtained by it's killer remained to be seen.

The last important point about the corpse unless Viskyia wished to make a more detailed study was the silver necklace around it's neck. It bore a strange symbol, crossed blades.

Far above, Verus had reached the right level for the killer and saw a brown cloaked figure with long black hair crouched over a pack, it was picking through the contents, face shaded by rocky outcroppings. Nearby a fine long blade lent against stone, along with a bow and a quiver of arrows.