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 Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:35 pm
((Attention!
The following RP has been planned out by both myself and Akki and involves several of our drow in a very complex and lengthy plot, which recently shall be including but not limited to scenes of graphic torture, mild to moderate sensuality, Hannibal Lector-esque behavior, and various other acts of unpleasantness which some with more sensitive natures might find disturbing. Should you be such a person, we recommend you find a different RP to read, or at least sit tight until the warning goes away in the title.
Thankies, and should you stay, enjoy the senseless drow violence! twisted ))
Mikaril sat at the entrance of the cave he and his friend Kyil had come to call home for what had seemed like a happy couple of weeks. Kyil had proved to be a fast learner, in spite of his reluctance to pick up a weapon, and he felt that soon they would become an infamous pair throughout the city's underground, and their idea of starting a gang of thieves would come to fruition. The owner of the magic shop they had robbed was convinced that the criminals had been apprehended, never mind that his missing stock hadn't been found, but those in the 'special trade' had seen some of them being sold in the right places, and talk was slowly circulating of a pair of drow with abilities that allowed them to bypass magical wards. Just the sort of chaotic undertones that Mikaril had hoped to stir.
And yet...... He found himself sighing and staring out the cave mouth and down at the road, stretching off away from the city and deep into the wilds of the Underdark. Too often his mind had begun to travel down that road, through the tunnels, skimming along the endless inky expanse of the Glimmersea, all the way to Undrek' Thoz, and his house. It had seemed so long ago when his mother had ordered him out of the city to shield their house from blame for his mishap. He would expect her to forget about calling her youngest son home, but there were other things on his mind that turned his mother's apparent thoughtlessness into cause for worry.
Not so very long ago, he had found himself in the grip of a poison-induced fever. Being no stranger to hallucinations, he had experienced many that he could not recall even now, but one had stood out so clearly, so vividly; the one of his mother gesturing to him, beseeching him in a way she had never done before, and he had watched in horror as her mouth had stretched down past her bosom like melting wax, scores of bright pink mushrooms blossoming from her mouth, the kind Mikaril knew were deadly. Then as her eyes were replaced by red msuhrooms, poking out of her sockets like ghastly red worms, his sister Haellara loomed behind her, laughing an ugly, gutteral demon's laugh as she brought up a monstrous hand and crushed the ailing matron to powder.
He would have shrugged it off with the other fever dreams, but something about it continued to bother him. What if the dream had been a sign? Had his sister really overthrown Matron Dilayne, and assumed the position of matron mother? He worried for his sanctuary; his secret room hidden deep inside the house and protected by powerful wards set by a house member who had lived there long ago. Most of the spoils that he had gathered since the beginning of his profession were in that room, along with one of his most prized possessions: a thriving rosebush. The thought of his sister finding that room made his stomach turn.
Perhaps it was time to pay his house a visit. It would put his mind at ease to see his mother assuming command of the house and everything being as it was. He could see what had come from his incident in the bath house, and possibly even sneak off with some of his secret stash kept away in his hiding place. No, he thought suddenly, not some. All. Whether his mother was still there or not, he realized that now that he had Kyil, and a place to stay and practice his profession, he had come to feel more content than he ever had at House Torlyl. That would be the ultimate purpose in going back; he would remove all trace of his presence, and simply leave. He was just a male, after all, and a thief at that; less useful than his warrior brothers. His mother would not miss him, he was certain.
But then there was the matter of Kyil. His friend would never let him take such a dangerous journey alone, and yet how could he ask his only friend to follow him into the very demon's den? He knew Kyil would follow him all the way to the Demonweb Pits, or even to the surface if Mikaril went there, but he worried that such loyalty would land his friend in trouble he could not handle. Then again, Kyil had surprised him immensely these past weeks with his newly found spell-thieving abilites. Perhaps.......
Sighing, Mikaril stood up, mentally rehearsing what he was going to say to Kyil. What he would have to say to convince him that this needed to be done; he had to return, albeit temporarily, to House Torlyl, sixth house of Undrek'Thoz, his home only in name.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:01 am
SO much to learn! To practice! To master! In the days that followed the successful heist Kyil had discovered a burning and overwhelming desire to learn. Both from Mikaril and from his books. His pink eyes often looked with awe and eager admiration upon Mikaril, who seemed a font of new and exciteing information. Not even his lessons at the Black had he pursued with so much interest!
His Mistress Zari would be so impressed and pleased with him! Kyil's heart pounded eagerly every time he imagined her catching wind of a rumor about Mikaril and himself. Once Mikaril had a good reputation, he would be certain to recieve word from his Mistress that she wanted him back. Now... while Kyil's heart glowed eagerly for this day to come, he also felt a subded grief at what he assumed would be his eventual parting from Mikaril.
Perhaps if he became skilled enough with magic they could use magical means to keep in touch. As a thief he was sure his Mistress would want him to use his skills on her behalf, right? These thoughts Kyil kept to himself. It was only during the lonely hours when he was taking a break from his studies that he would gaze with a heart ached expression towards the single spire of Zari's House that he could glimpse from the cave.
Today though, Kyil was busy advanceing his knowledge of magical properties and their relative nature to other elements. It was...a touch confusing, but simple at the same time. Such as the basic four elements of wind, fire, water, and earth. But then when one broke down other elements...that got more complex. Such as shadow being a element in alignment with wind and water. Yet the element of light, opposite of shadow, was also a element of air. It made Kyil's head ache a little. While he did not know if it was important to truely have a wizards knowledge to use his abilities, he knew it would not hurt.
And AH! His abilities! Kyil had glowed with such pride when he had come across the knowledge concerning a Spellthief! The insert in the tome he had read had scathingly referred to Spellthieves as spell casting hacks, but it had also grudgingly admitted that such individuals with powers of this sort were extremely rare. It was enough to fill Kyil with a strange sense of achievement. he had a rare ability! Not only could he now claim his eyes as a personal acknowledgeble trait, he had this power that would surely make him more desierable to his Mistress!
Kyil had also discovered something wonderful as well. The more he studied, the more he retained. While he still needed to steal magical energies in order to cast spells, he could now choose to convert that magical energy and cast a spell other then what he had stolen. Of course, he could only do so with very weak spells. He would have years of study ahead of him before he could really weild his power effectively. In the mean time..he would make do with what he had. Enhanceing Mikarils and his own garments with enchantments stolen was a wonderful way of feeling like he was contributeing. Soon Mikaril would be ready to start his gang, and Kyil wanted to find a way to better secure their cave.
At the moment, Kyil was loungeing on a neatly folded pile of blankets and propped against a pillow. His extremely prized magic books were stacked neatly beside him, save for the one he was currently reading. From the heist, Kyil had found it very difficult to part with the jewelry he had taken himself. The wands and such he had passed on easily enough to Mikaril after having seen what that one particular wand had done. The jewelry though...Ah! Kyil wore most of it often when they were within the cave. Decorated and shined so it glimmered prettily. Dangling objects that he could twist and worry between his fingers as he happily pursued his studies.
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:11 pm
As Mikaril walked toward his friend with hesitation, he couldn't help but let his eyes wander to the stack of books beside him, and he let a small smile grow on his face. Most of the items he had stolen were long since sold; the wands had all been sold, as well as most of the jewelry. He had offered much of it to Kyil, and sold the rest, all but the strange round pendant with the sword engraved in the middle. It was pure silver, and didn't seem to have any magical properties, but the pock-marked surface of the disc fascinated him, having never seen the surface moon. He intended someday to present it to a jeweler and see if something could be done to hammer the 'flaws' out; he might be able to ask it be shaped any way he wanted. Something like that was just too tempting to sell off. Besides, in its condition, he doubted anyone would be particularly eager to buy it, never mind it's value in silver.
In spite of his selling almost everything he had stolen, he felt as though he had gained a great deal. Kyil's spells that he had stolen from the shop's magical garments had transferred well to his own clothes, so now his cloak was not only more durable, but when draped over him a certain way, it would render him invisible; something that he thought in itself was worth the entire sackful of goods he had taken. He also had a levitating enchantment on his boots, enabling him to levitate without using his house insignia. He had deliberated on giving his insignia to Kyil so that he could also float, but fearing the worst from his malevolent sister, he had decided to keep it to himself, that way any unfriendly spells that might be sent through it would not befall his friend. Of course, he had his suspicions that much of the jewelry Kyil was wearing even now (just because they were pretty) had enough magical energy to thwart anything up to moderately mischevious that his sister would think to send his way.
He reached Kyil quickly despite his hesitant walk, and waited until he could see his friend's pink eyes leaving the book before he sat down cross-legged in front of him. "I have something I need to tell you," he began, "and I beg you to let me finish before you say anything. I know how badly you wish to return to your mistress; I've seen how you glance back at the city sometimes. Well, I have a place also that I long to return to. Ever since I've had that horrible vision that came with that poison, I have wondered time and again what has befallen my house. I have no love for the place itself, nor the drow residing there, but I still have things there that I care about, and I know that the cache I have stored there would easily double the amount we have gained from the jewelry store heist. On top of that..." he cleared his throat; this he knew was the second most difficult part of what he needed to say. "On top of that, I still care enough about my mother to check in and assure that all is well and her house still stands, in spite of all the things she let Hael do to me."
And now came the hardest part of all. "I feel as though I'll never be at ease again unless I find all of this out. Which means that I'll have to make a trip to Undrek'Thoz. I know that you still hope your mistress will find you again, and....well, if you would rather remain here and await her, I won't ask you to come with me. It will be dangerous regardless, and I know you hesitate to brave the wilds, even with your newfound powers. I won't ask you to choose between me and your mistress. I just want to make sure that if you do stay here, you will be safe. No matter what I find in Undrek'Thoz, I fully intend on returning here, and I would hate to come back to an empty cave and a vanished friend." He tried to keep his gaze steady, and he stoically reminded himself that drow did not cry, but that didn't stop him from leaving nail marks in his palms. The thought of going out alone again after getting used to having Kyil always there filled him with dread; he had grown to love him like a brother, in spite of the teachings that had been drilled into his head about the evils and folly of attachment, and he would find it a lonely trip. Still, it would give him the ultimate incentive to hurry back the instant he knew all was well.
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:29 pm
Mikaril's hovering presence was noticed immediatly. Kyil finished the small paragraph he had been re-reading for the sake of memorization, then he marked it with one of the necklace chains he had been unable to give up.
In a way Kyil felt greatly ashamed. Completely disreguarding the fact they had magical properties, Kyil felt a fulfilment of a unspoken desire when he wore his jewelry. They were remenants of the life he had enjoyed after all. Pretty sparkling things that made him feel a bit more complete. It was almost agony giving up the bits that he had. He once had boxes full of accessories, and he could have spent hours selecting the perfect sets to make a striking appearance with his clothing. Now he just felt warm and pleased over the fact he could decorate himself once more. He hadn't even determined what magic properties they had! That hardly mattered in compare with how pretty they looked.
Now though he looked across from him, to see Mikaril looking rather how he felt. Uneasy and nervouse. Whatever could it be? The solominity with which Mikaril began speaking made Kyil's heart flutter with alarm. Was he telling him he really wasn't a good thief? Maybe he was a bit hopeless? He didn't think he had done anything that was really too wrong. Was he upset that Kyil had not given a fair share towards the sale of the items they stole?
His heart was beating as quickly as a bat's wing, and he felt the unpleasent sensation of lightness in his head. Kyil attempt to keep himself from over reacting. Even as Mikaril began to speak, his heart was jumping from his stomach and to his throat like some deranged frog.
At least it wasn't about how bad a thief he was.
At least he wasn't upset over his childish attachment to the pretty baubles he scooped under his pillow every night like a dragon sleeping on it's hoard.
At least he was not saying they needed to part ways.
Well...not in so many words. Kyil's eyes drifted to the mouth of the cave. His Mistress was here, and soon he just knew she would be looking for him. All he had to do was wait a little longer. Of course...the reputation thing would really only start to work once Mikaril began his gang. Then more recognition would arise and then he would be noticed.
To his credit, Mikaril had a very good reason for wanting to return home. However...this really did place Kyil in a predicament. Mikaril was her Master, and as such he would follow him eagerly where ever he would go...but Mistress Zari was his Owner. And he felt uneasy wandering too far from her presence. Anywhere in the city was fine but...to another part of the Underdark entierly?
But without the reputation and training from Mikaril, he stood no chance of gaining recognition from Zari anytime soon. And... she seemed to want him to...learn more. To brush away the thin veils of nievaty. How was he supposed to serve her well if he was still a meek and useless mouse? Still...what would he do here by himself save read and hide?
"I... I couldn't let you go alone Master. I just..." Kyil's pink eyes fell slightly to the floor of the cave and a small twist formed on his lips.
"I am just worried I would be a burden on your trip. I have so much to learn...but I learn fastest when I am with you. I would not feel right if I stayed here and just waited for you to return. I would miss you terribly. Besides... My Mistress will not likely accept me back until I have proven myself more...well...useful. Staying here in this cave would only be proving I am the same slave she picked out of that other cave. Granted it was a much nicer one with my own private bath..."
Kyil's lips untwisted from their sour expression and changed into a lightly humored one as he spoke of the Black Bottom. "So then, if you will allow me to accompany you... I would certainly like to make the effort. Perhaps such a journey will help me become stronger or...I do not know... Learn more useful skills?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:58 pm
Fighting to maintain his steady gaze and posture, Mikaril felt as though a fountain of relief was bubbling inside of him and threatening to find a place to leak out, and what a spectacle that would make. He fought to keep the emotion down; all the things that he wanted to say just then. That it meant the world to him that Kyil would set aside his longing for his mistress to come with him and ensure he wasn't lonely. That even if he carried him the whole way, he wouldn't be considered a burden. That his missing Kyil would even interfere with his concentration and make him even more prone to making mistakes. That there were some really wonderful things about the wild Underdark that he would love to show to him, and that with his friend by his side, he might be able to face any unpleasantness he might find at his House. Of course he'd have to keep Kyil away from Haellara; she did love soft-skinned drow.
But just the thought that he wouldn't be alone after all caused him to look at Kyil with ill-disguised hope in his red eyes. "You'd really come?......." Unable to keep all of the excitement down, Mikaril reached out and put a hand on Kyil's knee. "You won't regret it; you'll see! I'll show you all the things I see when I travel, and teach you some basic survival skills, and I'm sure your skills will come in handy too, like preparing fish and seeking out magic sources; just because the wilds are full of animals doesn't mean we ought to disregard the more dangerous two-legged ones out there." Suddenly aware that he was babbling, he shut his mouth. And there it was, he thought, but he felt so much better at the thought that Kyil would be going with him. Now that he had a taste of what real friendship seemed to be like, he had less of a desire for solitude. Even when one was alone and finding some measure of peace, you still ahd to watch your back. Having a loyal friend there to help brought a sense of peace that was so much better and still so foreign that it seemed almost....unallowed.
Mikaril gestured to the sack that they had used for their heist, which was folded neatly over by the table. "You can use that to carry your books if you wish to being them, to continue learning. That way when we do return, you will have learned so much more; then word is sure to reach your mistress." He felt a selfish little pang of guilt as he spoke; he knew that Kyil would be happy with his mistress, but he felt that once Kyil was accepted back into the Black, his own adaptation would be so much harder. He wouldn't see him as often, if at all, and he would lose a valuable partner. At least he could stay in the cave and be close to where Kyil was, if it came to that. He just felt saddened whenever he thought of the day that a female would come and take his only friend away. Such was his life; everything he ever wanted, a female was sure to take from him.
Pushing the brooding thoughts away, Mikaril rose and began to gather a few things from the cave; a blanket, a bit of food and some spices (they could find more food along the way), a waterskin. As he began to form a pile against the wall, Mikaril turned to Kyil. "How much time do you need to prepare? I think the sooner we leave, the sooner we shall return. I know I promised you some scenery, but believe me, no matter how fast we hurry, the best site will be impossible to overlook."
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:22 pm
"Well...of coures Master." Kyil slowly replied. His faint smile remained upon his lips. He felt the urge to say more...but..he stopped himself. It was more out of concern for embaressing Mikaril really. He could detect a un-usual shine to the other drows eyes and he did not want to do anything or say anything that might make Mikaril feel self conscious. So, instead he bobbed his head at the other.
"I am sure there is much I can learn Master. It will...I am sure it will do well for me to get out of the city too and learn a bit more the way a drow ought to." Kyil shifted a bit d, and he watched with a mildly surprised expression as Mikaril began to gather items for the trip. Did he mean to leave now? Perhaps he was afraid that he would change his mind if given enough time to consider?
Kyil glanced at his pile of books, and nodded his head again as he began to gather them up in his arms. "I definatly would like to bring my books. The more I learn the more I find out I wish to know. Hnnn..." Kyil paused and looked at his own possessions. "I suppose I do not need much time really. I do not have much that is important to me. Just my jewelry and the books. Is there anything you would suggest I bring? My cloak will keep me protected and warm when it is time to sleep. So there is no need to bring any bedding...."
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:50 pm
Kyil's thinking out loud of what he should bring gave Mikaril pause for thought. It sounded as though Kyil already had a pretty good idea of what he ought to bring, and really, with his own cloak, when was the last time he had travelled the Underdark with a blanket? He was used to roughing it, but Kyil needed to learn the same if ever he was to survive out there the way Mikaril had. They both had cloaks now, so there would be no need for blankets. It wasn't as though they would run into any hindering weather where they were going.
He pulled the blanket from the pile and cast it aside, looking critically over the remaining items. They would still need food in case they had difficulty finding any at some point, he had his armor and cloak already, he was already moving to strap his dagger to his side, and his satchel hung ready, though he wasn't planning on using it hardly; what would be the point of sending spoils to his sanctuary when it would end up being more to carry out? He already knew that he wouldn't be walking out with everything that room contained, though he could bet that most of it would fit in the magically enhanced sack. It was a good thing the satchel's magic often had him hoarding smaller items, ones that had been able to fit inside of it. Hopefully he would manage to save everything, even his precious rosebush, though how it would hold up in the sack he could only guess, and hope for the best.
After giving the small pile one last look, Mikaril gave a nod of satisfaction, picked up the sack, and began to pile the items inside. "Go ahead and bring your jewelry, but I would also bring something to wrap it in when we are around others; it's never a good idea to wear much finery in public like that. But don't worry; there will be one large part of our journey where our odds of running into anyone are slim and you will be able to wear it all you want." He could already smell the salty tang of the Glimmersea and hear the gentle lapping of the ripples as they struck the sides of his rowboat. How he had missed that!
Leaving the sack on the floor and wide open for Kyil to add whatever he wished, Mikaril finished preparing and stood there in full armor, his cloak on and hood meticulously covering his head. He walked carefully over to the mouth of the cave and peered out, making sure that no one would be about to witness their departure. His next words were spoken in a whisper, just in case. "Bring the sack once you've put your own things inside; we can take turns carrying it once we're on the road."
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Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:27 pm
Hmm. Now this was a problem wans't it? Kyil looked at the amulets and necklaces he currently wore as he began to gently slip his books into the magical bag. They needed another one. he needed to enchant his own satchel with the same enchantment....
"Master Mikaril, will there be other cities in which we will be passing? I would like to obtain another enchantment, like the one you have on your bag, to place it on mine. Then we will have much more space to store our things in." Kyil paused in his packing and began to remove the over abundance of accesories he was wearing.
"I think.... I think I had best keep my jewelry close while we are out traveling. I need to use the magical essence of pre-exsisting spells in order to use my own power. So these rings and necklaces are neccessary if I want to be able to help protect us while we travel..But I can wait until we are out of the city to put them back on."
Thus explained Kyil sadly reduced his glittering arryment to a single pendant and two plain looking magical rings. He felt a little naked, after being able to wear all that he wished. of course..as he stod in his mended pink garments. he probably did not look like a serious traveler into the wilds...
Kyil shrugged his bag onto his shoulder, and turned to follow after Mikaril. A faint frown upon his lips. "I wish I had learned more magic before now Master. i would have liked to have put a protection up to ensure the cave remained ours while we are away. Ah well...nothing to be done for it I suppose."
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Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 7:30 pm
"Other cities?" Mikaril lightly tapped his chin with a finger as he considered. He went into cities on occasion when he had been travelling alone, but mainly to do some light thievery or add a bit of variety to his diet. He had always preferred the solitude and absolute quiet of the wilds, but Kyil's mentioning of another city where they might purchase another magical enchantment brought to mind a fairly large city that he had passed by several times on his way to the upper Underdark. He had never stopped to rob there because the main trade and profession of the entire city was sorcery; too many enchantments on money, pouches, and windows. The only way to succeed there as a thief was if you had equally magical thieving items, which aside from his armor, he didn't have. But buying there......
He turned and smiled at Kyil. "Between here and the Glimmersea is a large drow city called Sshamath that is run by wizards and specializes in magic items on their market. That would probably be the absolute best place to find something magical, since it would be so commonplace there. But I would advise against staying there long; all that magic makes me uneasy, not to mention the surprisingly slim pickings for thieves. We could just go right in, get the necessary enchantments, and get back out, unless you saw something else you might like or think that we need." He always thought that was possible, even though he knew so little about the place itself; he figured even he might find a few things that he would really want; if the selection was as universal as they bragged about, it was almost unavoidable.
He nodded as Kyil explained about his jewelry before putting most of it away. He knew somewhat about magic-channeling jewelry; he was certain Haellara had at least one of those. He smiled as he saw his friend stand there in his mended pink clothes; doubtless he thought himself ill-suited as a traveler, but for most of the way they were going, the only ones seeing them would be each other and (hopefully scarcely) a few Underdark predators, and to either, clothes hardly mattered.
He paused a moment and looked first at the cave entrance, then into the cave itself. It did seem a shame to leave the place unguarded after calling it home. It wouldn't sit well with him to leave the place without at least a satisfactory means of camouflage. He scratched his head and thought for a second. "I do agree; this place needs some sort of protection. Do you know of any illusion spells you might place on the entrance? If not, I can help you search through your books and see if one of them holds the words for an illusion or barrier spell. I don't think it would be very wise to go into a marketplace we just robbed from to purchase spells, especially since such things will undoubtedly be guarded well by the other shopkeepers, and they could be watching the purchasers carefully."
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Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:09 pm
Kyil shifted the bag upon his shoulder and listened with a curious expression to the discription of this other city. Sshamath? He had never heard that city spoken of before. The very name sounded interesting. Plus, the fact Mikaril informed him that it was a highly magical place brought a faint smile to his face.on a whole now greatly appealed to Kyil. The concept of being able to steal something so useful and special, yet that it really cost the caster little to lose it, seemed perfect for the pink eyed thief.
"I would not think we would need to stay or linger long Master. Just long enough for me to pick up a enchantment such as the one you have on your bag. I am sure then, with me able to carry a equal amount as you, our travels would be much more enjoyable and less tireing really on my back. Books and such can be quite heavy!"
When talk turned to protections, Kyil gave a lingering and unhappy gaze upon the cave itself. "Sadly I am not skilled enough yet to cast any spells I want Master. I can only manage the practice spells on my own. If we could manage to steal a spell from the city, I could recast that easily enough..but that would require a long search and..well... by the time we'd find it I'd probably be weary and need rest after the casting. Our cave has gone a long time without discovery though...the odds that it will remain undiscovered are in our favor is it not Master?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:36 pm
Mikaril's face fell a little when Kyil said that he had no adequate spell to protect their cave with; it was really a shame that he hadn't thought to grab such a thing when they were robbing the store; he seldom thought to get practical items when faced with so many other shiny, valuable, easily-sellable items. That was something he really should work on.
"That's true; this cave is just out of the way enough to not be as noticable by anyone travelling the main road, and chances are the gangs that exist in the city already have hiding spots. Still, most of the valuable items we are taking with us, and anything else can be placed into a back corner and covered up; with no heat signature, it would easily appear as a pile of rocks, or not seen at all. We can only hope, but once we've returned, I am not above fighting anything or anyone that may have moved in during our absence."
He walked to the back of the cave and gathered up items that they had left; blankets, a few tools, and rolled up what served as a bed and carefully placed them in a corner of the cave, saving the darkest blanket to cover the entire pile up. Mikaril stood back to admire his handiwork. The faint traces of heat his hands had left were already fading fast, and the floor itself was virtually dust-free, so no footprints woukd encourage anyone venturing in to look there for anything. It was hardly adequate, but it would have to do. Besides, if all went according to plan, they should be back before anyone had the proper time to settle into their cave.
Mikaril walked back up to the mouth of the cave, pausing to clap a hand on Kyil's shoulder. "Thank you, for accompanying me. I know this is something I must do, but I feel a lot better knowing you will be there with me."
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Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:59 am
So then... it was time. Right? Kyil had watched Mikaril gather their items and conceal them to the best of his ability. As Mikaril had done that, Kyil had taken a moment to inspect the mouth of the cave for any tell tale signs a passerby could pick up on that would encourage them to inspect this seemingly uninteresting area. Aside from needing to scuff out a partial footprint from a sweeping that Kyil had done of the cave, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. So now it was that he found himself with Mikaril's hand clasping his shoulder.
Braving the wilds was a lot easier to do when one was utterly unaware of just how dangerouse or hard the journey could be. So it was that Kyil was able to smile at his friend. "There is no place I would rather be then at your side Master. I would not be happy waiting here alone until your return." Kyil paused and readjusted the satchel before he took a cautious step out of the cave. he paused, looking down the way and towards the road. Tilting a little to look at his friend, Kyil's lips curled into a warmer smile.
"Come Master. The sooner we go, the sooner you can take care of what it is you must. Then we can begin working on your gang in earnest. By the time we get back I am certain I will have learned much more and will be able to help you better. I am very eager to impress Mistress Zari, I am sure she will even allow me to continue my service to you once she see's how effective you've helped me become."
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Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:10 pm
Setting his gaze determinedly on the road, Mikaril nodded once and strode forward, letting his feet carry him to the road. He was almost afraid to look back. When he had traveled in the past, he had never had to feel the pang of leaving a place that felt like home behind. But he realized more with each new step that that humble cave had been more like a true home than any other place he had ever been. Then again, he thought to himself as he heard Kyil's all but silent footsteps behind him, what had made that cave a true home was right behind him, trying his darndest to be quiet. As long as his friend was with him, anyplace would feel like home.
At first Mikaril's eagerness sped them along at a rapid pace, but before long, he remembered that he wasn't alone this time, and sought to make his pace slower. Out here he had little concept of the passage of time, and quite frankly he didn't care. So long as he kept going, he knew he would get there eventually, and though he couldn't claim to know the entire Underdark like the back of his hand, he knew just enough of the passages to get him to where he wanted to go.
At first, the delay bothered him a little, though he knew that he would rather have it than have Kyil get overly tired. As luck wuld have it, right when he decided to slow the pace, they came across the subtle signs that a caravan had passed that way about a day ago. Mikaril was grinning widely as he showed Kyil the faint tracks of the wagons and the barely perceptible campsite. "If we follow them until we reach the city, they can pave the way for us; clear the monsters out, or draw their attention, and they'll be just far enough ahead so that if all goes well, they won't know we're here."
Now some time later, the pair had stopped along with the caravan, their barely perceptible vibrations telling them that they had stopped for a rest. Mikaril leaned against a large stalactite, picking his fingernails with his dagger and brooding about Kyil's last words before they had set out. Kyil seemed so eager to return to his mistress despite all the time they had spent together, and after all the things he had put his friend through, Mikaril wasn't about to begrudge him that, but a part of him couldn't help but wish that Kyil's mistress would never take him back. He wanted his friend to stay by his side and fill the gap that his older brother had left behind, which in turn caused him to feel bad for wishing such a thing. Sometimes he found himself wondering if he would ever NOT feel bad about anything.
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Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:40 pm
If he were to tell the truth, behind his happy smile Kyil was a wreck of fear and anxiety. It did not hit him until it was they left the city. Suddenly it seemed as if the world around him had expanded into a unfantomly large place. Though there were walls and ceilings all around him, and tons of stone to surround him, there seemed to be a infinity to the world that made his head spin. Kyil tried his best to mimic Mikaril's silent steps. Focusing on mastering this seemingly simple skill helped him subdue this anxiety he felt. In a matter of hours though the weariness of constant travel was making itself be known to him. Truely, Kyil marveled at the easy and soft life he had led even up until now. He would say no word of complaint, but he would be silently grateful when Mikaril choose to slow their pace.
Until now their passage had been one of silence. In the wilds it seemed prudent not to speak out of concern of being discovered by one of the nasty wild beasts that roamed the stone ways. When it was that Mikaril drew his attention to the subtle signs of the passed caravan, Kyil marveled at how adapt Mikaril was at picking up these tell tale signs. Sure, if it had just been him he would have utterly missed these signs! Of course, if it was just him he'd probably still be sitting on that street across from Zari's House awaiting her favor like a discarded pet.
Each rest that they took, Kyil made good use of his pressure point knowledge to force the knots and aches of his muscles to ease. He was certain he only needed time to overcome this obvious softness and weakness. Mikaril hardly seemed to be showing any signs of weariness, and for this Kyil admired him even more. Sadly there was really hardly any time for him to study his books as he had thought. After a day of travel all Kyil wanted to do was wrap up in his cloak and sleep a deep dreamless sleep until it was his turn to watch for dangers while Mikaril rested. Of course, that was the time when he could read, and sometimes he managed to study well. Learning the most basic cantrips was coming easily enough to him, though he still needed to steal the magical energy from one of the rings or pendants he carried.
Now though they were at rest. Mikaril appeared to be in thought, and Kyil was debating reading his books again or working the ache from his feet. Instead he chose to seat himself besides Mikaril and lean against the same rock formation that his master was. "It is a long way isn't it Master? It seems like we have walked for a long time, but I can not tell exactly how long it has been."
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Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:10 pm
Mikaril felt less of the awe that Kyil felt as they meandered through the endless tunnels and wide expanses of the lightless realm, but he still held a small measure of the wonder he had felt as he had made his first trip out here. The whole of the Underdark was eerie and beautiful in its quiet and infathomable darkness, but it held so much danger and peril; monsters that could catch you unawares, crush you like a bothersome flea, even some he had heard could pass through solid stone and take your head off before you even knew you were dead. These he had been the most mindful of at first, but as he grew steadily more adept at avoiding these, he had found time to admire what sites the Underdark had to offer.
He wasn't quite fatigued enough to drop off into a dreamless sleep, but his body was sullenly reminding him of just how long it had been since his last venture. It was one thing to stay limber sprinting through the city streets; it took stamina to maintain a pace in the wilds that would actually have them making good time. It had been too long since he had called upon such stamina, and in truth he was as grateful for the brief respite as his friend Kyil was. He found himself cat-napping more often than actually sleeping; another habit he felt himself lapse into as a result of his surroundings. A deep sleep could be quite dangerous in the Underdark, and even though he had an extra pair of eyes and ears, he still found a measure of comfort in the old habit.
As Kyil sat down beside him, Mikaril shoved the brooding thoughts away and turned his head to look at Kyil. "In honesty, I cannot tell either. Every time I go out here, I lose track of time, however we keep it. I have no sense of days passing, or how many miles still lie ahead of us. All I know is the way there." He sighed and leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling, so high that the top was bathed in shadow. "Honestly though, what would the point be of tracking time? What's a day to a week; it's all the same out here. Watching your back, avoiding treachery and keeping out of trouble, never mind that just being what you are is trouble enough. To me, keeping time here would only remind myself of how many days, weeks, or even years I have spent far from my house, avoiding my family and wishing I could find a place where for just one day I could cease worrying about being preyed upon."
With the back of his head still touching the stalagmite, Mikaril turned his head to the side and looked at Kyil once more, a smile on his face. "I'm sorry Kyil; I don't know where all that came from. I guess the constant gloom out here can lead to depressing thoughts. But no matter; it was all meaningless anyway. You should get some rest while our caravan does; I'll keep an eye out and alert you when they're on the move again."
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