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"You don't have to yell... I'm right here..." Indeed, Adri was only a few yards behind the young man, watching (Well, not really watching, since she can't see through the blindfold... but ya...) him rummage through the remains. As for his questions. "I wassss hatched from a reptile egg, given an unnatural form, and ssssold into sssslavery... I wassss with thissss caravan, but asss you can ssssee, it wasss attacked... And after running from the battle and wandering the dessssert for awhile, I sssseem to have wound up right back where I sssstarted..."

"Adrienne, oh Adrienne. Adrienne of the sands." Jin said, his voice lower now, though still much louder than what one would use simply to speak to another. "Fate can be kind, and fate can be cruel. To you, was she a harsh mistress?"

Jin turned back, over his left shoulder even though she was to his right. His right eye was blind and covered with a black cloth.

" 'Adrienne of the Desert'..."

"...they do say that Justice is... blind."

Jin leaned his burden against a stone that jutted from the earth at a turn in the road. His hands on his hips, his head tilted to the side slightly, he gave a good, long look at the only survivor of this caravan.

"Well, then, Adrienne of the Sands. Your salvation is at hand, your captors fled or dead, your future wide open, and your bonds broken.

"What, Voice of the Desert, will you do?"

"I... see..."

Jin turned back, giving another glance over the remains of the caravan. It looked as if whoever had attacked it left little to nothing... especially nothing worth carrying across the dunes. He stepped over a slaughtered horse, and walked back to where he had set his burden upon the rock.

"Two days walk to the south, there is a city by the name of Strata."

FlashBacks III

Eighteen years ago:

Day two:

When Red's hands went for the food on the plate directly she received a painful bump from the end of a long broom handle. She went for the food again and received an even more forcefull against the center of her forehead.

"No," said the white haired man, "Use the tools, like I showed you."

She growled at him again and went for the food with her hands, upon being bumped again she kicked her chair aside and came at him. With a single slap from the broom handle she was put out of commision.

"You stupid kid," he said, wiping the grime off her hands and placing her back in bed. "What am I supposed to call you, do you even have a name. Bright red hair, strange peircing red eyes, I suppose I'll just call you Red. That should work just fine."

Day four:

A thick tome, laden with dust, was slapped on the desk. She was sitting calmly enough today, so the white haired man thought it might be worth a try. His policy had been to talk to her non-stop in hope's that she'd pick up the language.

"Book," he said loudly, opening it, "Letters."

She picked the book up, examined it carefully, then bit into it deeply, coughing a hunk of dust from her mouth afterwards and pushing it away.

"Not food!," he yelled, "book. Don't eat the book!"

Day seven:

The fork was laid gently next to her dish, and once again he demonstrated the use of the eating implements with an empty plate. She laughed at him, who in their right mind would want to eat air. Awkwardly, she swooped her fork down and stabbed a small slice of goat meat, eating it.

"Food," she said, speaking her first non-velban words, "I Eat."

"Yes," he said, "Yes, you eat! Red eat! Finally! I thought you'd never get it, you little whelp you."

"You little whelp you,"she said, loading her fork with mushy vegetables and launching them catapult style with perfect aim. His right eye received the helping squarely. He pulled a pile of lukewarm spinach from the pot.

"So you want to play it that way," he said with an evil grin.

The spinach hit her squarely in the nose. Afterwards a food fight emerged that ended with everything being covered in that night's dinner. Red was about to cry when the old man busted out laughing, and they ended up laughing together before cleaning the mess.

Day Thirty-seven:

Red awoke with a bright smile, the old man was still sleeping in his chair, so she hopped out of bed and shook him awake.

"Hey mister old guy," she said, "What are we doing today, more letters?"

"Stop calling me old guy, Red" he said, "It's disrespectful."

"What should I call you then?"

"Okay, you've earned it, I'll tell you my name," he said, "It's Clarence, but don't ever call me that, just call me C."

Day Fifty-three:

Outside in the open air, the cool breeze blowing around the plateaus as the sun began its descent into the west.

"Alright, come at me with your best moves." he said

"I won't lose this time," she yelled.

"You always say that."

Her approach wasn't so careless this time, he blocked her first punch, dodged around her second, and went to knock her out with his finishing blow. But it was different this time, by the time he was ready to strike she was behind him. He caught her attack, but she used her speed to shift again, catching him from another angle. C stood perfectly still, putting his hands together and listening to her movements before striking, hitting her just below the neck and knocking her off her feet.

"You're getting good, but you still have a lot to learn, go back inside and work on your letters."

"Okay," she said, running back inside.

"Damn," he said, "I'm not near the man I used to be, but that's why I live here now."


Present Day:

Too many memories in this place, she thought. But still, there was on last place to visit. A makeshift grave of sorts.

"Two quessstionsss... Isss there any place nearby where I can ressst and get food and water? And, which direction isss sssouth?" Adri was tired, hungry, and thirsty. She had been wandering for a few days now and sleeping in the open. On top of that, she wasn't really sure which direction was which, it was somewhat hard to tell when you were unable to look upon the world.

Tellus' swirled various shades of blue and silver before inclining her head towards Raven. "Thank you." She looked up then at Vahn and smiled softly. "Thank you, uncle." gasping slightly for air as she sagged in his arms.

Tijae used this moment to speak to Sunstrike.~That is a most interesting power she weilds, lover.~ speaking of Raven's wind abilities. But the girl that was Tellus' body simply stayed against Vahn for the moment, trembling slightly, one arm clinging to her nagamaki and the other to her 'uncle.'

"We should probably continue on."

I know, Tijae, I gave her half of it...like she gave me half of hers.

He kicked the door open, which seemed to be the final straw for it, as it fell with a thump.

Shaking the blood off his arms and dragging a hand through his hair to dislodge most of the sticky liquid there, he stepped through blinking at the others lying down.

"I miss something?"