The egg

He heard her mutter and took it as a complaint. He kept looking forward ignoring her mistaken tantrum and plight. He zoned out the rustling and her slight fall. He watched the horizon and the birds fly in the air. He figured in a couple hours they would need to stop and rest... Moreso for her than himself and his mare. He also had to remember she was of the human Alliance and affiliation... There is no reason for sympathy, no matter of gender or melee quarreler. He felt the need to ask more questions... Understand his complicated enemy.

"What do you call yourself?" he asked for her name, tone almost mono but firm, hoping she could hear him without turning to face her. He didn't want to even want to bother looking at her... Giving off any tint of positive attention is out of the question for him. He knew how to talk to people neutrally, it was his job. Aggression was never his thing, being passive is a trait that is not meant for a warrior.
 
She heard him ask her name, she wondered if that would give away who she was. She didn't know any of the families names in the demon territory so it would be unlikely he would know her name. She decided there was no harm in it.

"Kami." She said, she wasn't going to bother asking him, he didn't seem the type to fraternize with humans or their allies.

She looked around and saw the birds fly off, she wished desperately that she could join them, fly away, maybe she could fly past all the known lands and get away from all these prejudices.

Provided she survived this little excursion. She wished she had paid better attention when her father had talked about the demon lands, then maybe she would understand where she was going and what it meant. Or she would at least know where she was going, and through what type of lands, because they were changing around her, there were far more trees here then she had seen in a long time, it was starting to make her nervous.
 
Egle took the name into consideration... If she isn't going to tell him her duty of the house Murati he will just have to try and find out for himself.

The hoofs of the equine echoed for a little while as the road of rock turned into grass and marsh land. The sun was slipping away farther and farther as they got deeper into the woods. Streams of faded light beamed here and there in the shallow clearing and path way, not covered in brush or small growing trees. The smell changed along with the surroundings, it smelt musky and fresh for such a condenced area. Breathing was much easier as you kept moving along. Trees got bigger and thicker as the path kept going. Egle knew that they were going into the darkest parts of the forest. He grabbed the rope without a warning and tugged it harsh towards the horse.

"Stay close to the horse... That way you are less likely to fall into a hidden pit." he warned not looking at her but keeping his eyes on the path way that got darker. He could not afford to loose a prisoner, especially one that he had traveled so far. A prisoner he was rather disappointed with. Tugging and raveling the rope in his one hand the other at his rign. The sun was now gone only dim lighting showed the path and green in front of them. Silence was more apparent between them, besides the rustling of hoof and feet in grass... Suddenly not far ahead the sound of singing and humming could be heard ahead. A glow of a green bouncing orb could be seen ahead of them. The humming became louder and louder as they came closer to the light. Soon enough the light had shone a figure below it.... It was a Implin, a small man, of only 2 ft, of blue skin and nostrils that makes up most of his face. His small body is carrying a huge sack of goods, pots and pans dragging behind him. He was a very common merchant of the Demon people, possibly just passing through to see if woodland animals will give him food for particular objects that most redeem useless.

"Ohoyo!" the little man greeted, tone of a squeek and a giggle. Egle nodded and kept moving forward. The merch creature watched the girl walk by. Something had caught his attention and he waddled to catch up with the horse.

"My si! My Shifter!" he tried to get his attention but Egle would give him none.

"My si! I have something to tell you of interest, wonders behold! My si!" he almost skipped in a dance clanking of metal and pans creating a beat. This still did not make him look over or give any sign of intent.

"My si, what if I told thee of a great stone?" there was a pause before he started skipping again to keep up with the horse's hoof. "A stone that will make thee shift, past o' age of 21 moons and 21 suns?" he added on.
 
It was getting darker and darker and Kami had no clue as to what that meant, the trees got thinker and thinker and she was starting to wish she had done something stupid and maybe gotten away. There was a sudden tug on the rope and she nearly fell again. She glared at him as he gave her some sort of warning.

After a bit a small little blue man walked up to them and started yelling to the warrior. She saw him stare at her for a moment and start calling to the shifter. Kami jumped slightly as the little man started dancing to catch up to them, his metal things clanging.

Then he spoke of a stone that could make them shift after 21 and she stared awed for a moment before finding her voice.

"Wait." She said to the warrior, she looked at the little man, if he could offer her flight for the rest of her life she would do anything, she couldn't ignore an offer that perfect.

"Stop, please stop." She said a bit panicked. Her true emotions spilling out, she spun around and slipped on some wet leaves. "Bugger all, just stop!"
 
Egle with annoyance stopped his horse, Calypso flared her nostrils in response. Egle glared at the girl with pure anger, making the trip more dififult than it should. He had noticed her intrigued by the imposers story... The little man jumped on to a stone in front of them his green lantern wobbled above him.

"It is an ol' tale I was told when I was young..." he tried to impose the little mans theory."It ti's nothing more..."

The Imp almost scowled and crossed his arms.

"But Shifter, thy tells nothing but truth!" the little man waved his hands in a gesture. The blue creature grabbed a sack of dust and threw it in the air it sparked of purple and red turning into shapes and mist. One spark formed into a man walking and slowly turning into a bear. The light reflecting on to the Imp's big eyes.

"Thy, a Implin of a mountain, has seen for thy-self of this magical stone-" he waved his hand and soon the imagery turned into the shape of an egg. "But, this stone is no 'stone'. It ti's an egg of stone." he said in rhythm of his hands the figure fading into the air. Egle stared blankly at the little side show happening, glancing at his prisoner Kami and back at the Imp-merchant. The silence of Elge made the little dancer feel he could keep going with his story and explanation.

"Thy has seen the egg-" he nodded "Mhm, the egg as big as my palm but smaller than my feet" he had added with gestures, pointing at the body parts he had mentioned.

"The egg has this power because of a curse... A curse upon thee." he pointed to both of them. Egle now felt a bit interested... The part of the story he was never told as a child. He squinted at the Imp with caution. Knowing that Implins, not like their former relatives of Imps, are more pure heart and is rare of them to lie... He still had to be on guard. A Implin used as a trick could be one of the possibilities for this.

"Where did you see this egg?" He questioned more warily than curious.

"So thee does believe me?" there was no response other than a formidable look from Egle.

"Well..." He began. "Thy has seen it in the hand-lands of humans... Thee were the race that started your formidable fate, my shifter."
 
Kami listened with intense attention to what the little blue man said as he told his story about when he saw the stone that could end the curse. His formal speaking lost her a couple times but she managed to get the just of it, there was a stone that would give her the power to fly for the rest of her life. She felt giddy at the idea and couldn't help but be excited. When he spoke of a curse she nodded, the curse was why they could only shift until 21.

The guard asked the little man where he had seen it and she turned to him, he didn't look interested but who's to say. The little man mocked him and she stifled a giggle.

Then the man spoke of humans and how they started the shifters fate, she couldn't help but interrupt him.

"Wait, what did humans do?" She asked, humans had no powers, they couldn't do anything magical without making a bargain that usually ended badly for them, how could they possibly be responsible for shifters fate?
 
The blue man glee'd an expression of enquirer happiness when she asked a question. He began with his dust once again, flung in the air it sparked like a mini fire work of purple. It turned into shapes of men with helmets of horn and one with helmets of a wing.

"Thy is forgetting about the war... The war between the powerful races; Demon and human." he nodded his head in a fidget as he waved his hand and the cloud of whisp turned into shadows of cloaked men. "Some humans... Called Warlocks, were masters of thee's own magic, the deepest of dark arts. Thee were sent to be-rid of the shifters the original race that had helped won the first duel. Warlocks and Witches a like had tried everything to rid them, but nothing had worked"

The hue of colour turned to a red and shapes of shadows turned back into the egg. It flickering into different colours here and there made it even more hypnotizing to Elge and possibly Kami.

"-During the 2nd moon of war, the Warlocks of Alliance had found an egg, a egg of a creature dead from' time. It was the perfect blank slate to cast a curse... A curse that would have all thee's Shifter element drained at thee's age 21. It took 21 days to complete the spell... 21 days of ending the war." The intensity in the high pitch and now slightly raspy voice made it much more intense. The smoke and shine had faded into a colourful mist everything was back to becoming dark and normal.
 
Kami watched with rapt attention as the little blue man threw his dust again making shapes and telling his story. The story of how during the great war humans had magic and cursed the shifters, the story of why shifters couldnt shift after 21.

"if humans had enough power to curse us, what happened to it?" she asked. She could believe the humans might want that, they had never particularly liked shifters and probably would have jumped on anything that would get rid of them. They only put up with them to their face, being good at playing people Kami could generally tell when she was being played. The humans who came to the palace were always playing everyone, they never wanted to be there yet they kept comming pretending to be nice for some stupid reason.
 
The Imp did a dancing of feet and shifted his warily gaze at Kami, eyes insightful and interested in her. He waved his hand one more time, but this time there was no flash of dust.

"Humans- the Alliance of thee, threw away their magick ways... For they saw fit that blood-lines of shifter have come to defend them, unaware of what thee has done to their power." he went on rhythmically like every statment, pots and pans galloped about behind him.

Egle sat on his mare in silence, if anything becoming a bit more curious but tried his best suit to not show it. The man in response looked to both and folded his arms eyes down.

"Humans... For long have been keeping the stone in secret... Hiding it, for non to see, not even their own people.." he almost said in a sorrowful whisper, as if to show pity to something, possibly the shifters. "For so long, your kind has been drained, because of this stone... Warlocks too already are non existent to this parrol, because of the birth of the stone had too drained thee's magic..." he went into an almost grumble, the kind of sorrowful look one has when they remember a lost one. The man glanced up slightly to the two waiting eager and close.
 
Kami bounced on her heels excited, if the stone was real she could find it and restore the power of the shifters. Then she could fly forever.

"where is it, this stone egg?" she asked, if it was in the human territory she could find it, she had been upset when she had left the palace, she hadn't been paying attention. If she knew where it was then she wouldn't get lost and technically that's where she belonged, among the humans. No matter how useless she thought they were.

She watched the little blue man hoping he would tell her, hoping he would give her the key to her freedom. Her overal freedom, she thought belatedly and glanced at the warrior, provided she didn't end up in his city and probably get executed because of her human alliance. Wouldn't that be ironic, to be executed when she had found a way to help all the shifters, including those who wanted her caught and dead.
 
The warrior Egle had stared at the Implin in silence before he turned away, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"Thy does not know of where it lies..M' dear. But Thy knows of somebody that does." Implin had replied sad eyes distant to the woman. He jumped from his rock and walked close to the woman, the one that was paying more attention.

"There lye a man on his death bed... A man that knows of it be. And where it lye." he said in sincere and slow tone. He inhaled deeply before explaining on. "He lives on the same mountain where my people are. A clan that had found his frozen body in the snow... Thee resides in a shed, ill of movement and most tongue. Thy has over heard him speak of the egg. Thee not saying non but truth of the egg." he seemed to try and connect with Kami, to make Kami understand what the warrior is obviously paying no mind about, though still listening.

"Thee must go to him. He will listen to only those that truly care, let it be a race that fell a anguish fate." he had added. The blue man took a hand into the backing of his big bag and pulled out a withered paper. Egle turned his head to look down at it. It was obvious it was old and had seen better days. The little man pointed it to the rider, Egle for he had free hands. Egle bent down to grab it, and opened it... It was a map. A map of mountains.

"Thee must follow the mountains. Follow the mountains to the other side...There into the human turf you will find my clan."

"Why have you come so far? Why us?" Egle has asked tone almost in demand towards the little man... He still did not want to believe this, but, the likely hood of this was above par.
"Because no shifter of demon would listen... Nor did non catch Thy's eye as thee. Shifter of both Human and Demon together... Let it be not in kinship of ways, but, still side by side." he looked at the two, Kami and Egle. The man waved and soon walked off cling and clang following behind.

"Do not let the ones that are peculiar or dark over hear your mission! Do not let human or demon know of this! They mustn't!" he had echoed to the both.

Egle watched as he walked away looking back at the map.
 
As the little man told her she had to align herself with the warrior she nearly laughed, he wouldn't even let her on his horse to take her back to his city, however she knew this was her best hope to live past tomorrow. She had to take the chance that this was true and it seems it would be, why else would he tell them to be careful,if he was just telling a tale then them repeating it would hardly matter, however if he was telling the truth then they indeed had to be cautious.

"can I see?" she asked the warrior about the map as the little blue man walked away. If she could see it then even if he didn't want to take her she could get there on her own. Besides, the little man had said it was on human territory, that meant she would know her way around, she had seen maps of that area her whole life.
 
Egle glared down at Kami his prisoner. He did not want to work with the likes of a traitor, even if this was all true. Egle wasn't even sure if it was worth it. to be a shifter for life would be the greatest gift. He had enjoyed the power and stability it gave him at his house. He turned to her as she asked for the map. He gave a high brow to the girl. He glanced over the map not giving a immediate response. He noticed the crinkles had covered up paths and lines that were to represent trials.

He turned and twisted it around until he gave up, he had not recognized any of this map... he turned to Kami and handed it to her, although her arms were tied behind her back he eheld it infront of her face.

"you look at it..And tell me if it is of familiarity to you"
 
Kami glared slightly as he ignored her and flipped it around, clearly not understanding it in the least. Finally he gave up and handed it to her, although how she was supposed to hold it was a mystery to her. He asked her if it was familiar and she tilted her head to see it better.

It was sideways but it was obviously the border between her fathers lands and the demon territory, not the border she had crossed but the northern border, very far away and very cold. She saw the mountains on the page and shivered even though she wasn't cold yet, she had once heard tales of men who had frozen solid and been brought to their families as ice cubes, still not melted. It was rumored to be the most dangerous terrain in her fathers corner of the human world.

"I know where this is." she said straitening. "it's the northern border of my families land." she had almost said 'her fathers land' and had barely caught herself. Being free of political power was making her be careless. She would have to be careful, if he learned she was a princess he wouldn't bother taking herto his city, he would just behead her there and let the birds feed on her. That had a kind of irony about it, she supposed but turned to the warrior and stared, praying he would at least be open to the idea of going to find this dying man how held such a large secret.
 
He brought the map back to himself looking at it a bit closely. He glanced back at the girl... She had mentioned her families land. He became more curious, not knowing that humans were so generous to their shifters. Egle rode on slowly for the girl to realize they were moving. He thought for a while before speaking again.

"I don't know if this is true... And if it is.." he paused for a moment, pondering, he still did not understand his feelings towards this. All he knew it was a folk tale to give hopes to young shifters. Stupid dreamers dreaming of something that could never be. But, in the end it turns out an old' tale has a possibility of becoming truth. He glanced at the girl, seeing her obvious determination for this stone.

"It is foolish to go alone..." he had finally added, changing the subject. "A journey to the mountain is no fit for a woman, even if a woman is blood of a cold traitor." he had said in a smooth tone, avoiding her face knowing it would be in offence.
 
Kami bristled when he called her a traitor. She couldn't really deny it, she had left them without a word, resisted every command they had ever given her and now she was probably going travel with someone in alliance to demons. Those where some pretty compelling reasons to call her a traitor.

"I want to try." she said, "And my blood has little do do with it."

If she didn't try and get this stone then she would feel like a traitor to herself and she thought that would be far worse then anything.

"besides, weren't you going to kill me, this would save you the trouble and give you a chance to find out if it's true or not." she shrugged, "it seems like a valid story and we would be fools to ignor it." she didn't know how much pride he had but if he had any she had just stabbed at it and twisted the knife in a bit. She smiled, this might just work.
 
"I have no reason to kill you." his tone was strict as what a disciplining father would to a child. He stopped his horse.
"My kingdom has a reason to kill you... My people have a reason to kill you. To me... You are a shifter that betrayed their kin... Their original mark on this world. To kill you on the spot for that is only pety to no good logical reason. Until I know the reason why you were at Drakul, than perhaps... From sense of wind you are just someone that did no harm... Will get nothing more than a prison cell." he almost snapped at her, giving her more insight into what he is thinking, almost wanting her to understand. Not sure why he even wanted to... But it was his best way to put her in her place. She did hurt his pride but he tried his best not to show it. He looked at her without an announce of emotion or flinch just determination.

As for the idea of going off on a journey to find a man, that is basically dead. He fell silent and breathed heavy with annoyance, eyes closed and hands at ease. This woman was giving him more heave than ease.

"We probably are fools..." he made a last remark glancing back at her. "But... How are we to do such a thing." he went into a whisper in hopes she could not hear him think aloud about it.
 
During his tirade Kami looked at him with wide eyes, telling him she had no idea where she was would probably be the best course of action, aparently this 'Drakul' was important and being near it was an insult or perhaps he thought she was a threat. She looked up at him, had thought she was a threat, he obviously didn't anymore. The idea of a prison cell didn't apeal to her, except for the fact that it meant she was still breathing. Maybe she would get lucky and the window bars wouldn't be too close to one another.

"I have no idea where I am, I got lost." She said thinking, if they were going to follow the map she would have to know where she was in refrence to her fathers palace, all she knew was it was west of here. That wouldn't be good enough to start a journey, that wouldn't be good enough for anything. "To follow that map, I would need to know where I am."
 
Egle looked forward, still darkness to truck through. He knew that he was at the valley of bone, the foothill leading to his capital city. He had been through and all around the forest, knwoing every cave and stream that runs not that far. He could tell you a mine of useless pety gold, to a cave of rock and molt. He knew nothing of the mountain range, there was no need for warriors to go up there. Only those that did buisness with Imps or Ground diggers, and to those that could resist the harsh cold and snow. Egle narrowed his eyes in thought. He did not want to go on the silly quest in search of a dead man. He thought it was foolish to even try... If they didn't die trying to get to the mountain point, the point that devided the lands, they would from the terrible blizzards.

"We are at the Valley of Bones... The beginning of the Ever-Dark forest." he had replied to her comment.

"We are going to the city, as I've said, there me and others will know what to do with you.." his tone was strict and rash again. Egle made a prompt stare down at the tied girl. He started the walk on his horse, tapping the reigns for her to go. Calypso did not walk steadily or slowly like before, out of pure annoyance from the repetitive going and mending she skipped with her step. The rope had pulled harshly at Kami.
 
He told her where she was, not that it meant anything to her, she had never seen a map of the demon territory, those were generally all in her fathers war room along with books that she wasn't allowed to read and information conserning the war. She pursed her lips, to say that would imply she had been in the war room and that she had access to it. Which she didn't. She had thought that didn't matter, and it didn't as long as you were smart enough to stay in the human territory.

He said she was going to be taken to the city and she wondered if she couold make him listen, getting that stone might be her last chance at pure, unhindered freedom.

"But, the stone, it could be the salvation of all the shifters, not just us." She said as the horse pulled forward. She twisted around so that the rope didnt dislocate her shoulder, just in time, a second later and she would of been in immence pain, as it was she landed on the ground in a pile of sticks, which poked her so hard she knew she would have bruises all over her back. "Owww."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back