Ackrland

[SunnyLore]

Idina was all too happy to slip down from the phisket's back onto land. Unfortunately, after so long in the saddle her legs needed time to steady before they were ready to hold her weight. The result was her comical descent to the ground and then her knees automatically giving out on her.

She managed to catch herself with her hands but the damage to her fraying dignity had been done. It seemed that her whimsical trip was going to be a terribly humbling experience.

She shrugged it off, knowing that she had no need to hold her pride in high regard. It was good to be reminded that she was still human and get her hands dirty for a change.

Finally her knees seemed strong enough to cooperate and she climbed back to her feet and dusted herself off, not that the action did much. Looking at their location she frowned and then turned to Fahim expectantly.  

[SunnyLore]

"I was standing around waiting for you to finish cuddling your pet and start leading the expedition" Idina snapped back, stomping her way in the sand behind him to catch up and nearly tripping twice.

She lugged her pack up onto her shoulders and adjusted her wrap since it had fallen loose. "Sorry, I didn't mean to loose my temper. I don't do well with heights" she confessed as she brushed her bangs out of her face.  

[sidenar]

"Ugh, it's hot." A young looking boy felt the top of his head and ran his hand through the black strands, wincing at how hot they already were. "I shouldn't have come. And I wouldn't have come but..." A small grin wormed it's way onto the boy's face. 'Magical items and treasures~' He looked around, excited, but then remembered he didn't know where he was. 'Right. Knew that.' He sighed, spirits once again dampened, as he dragged his feet along the sand. "Where's the nearest townnnnn?"

 

[SunnyLore]

Idina followed him, gingerly folding herself in to fit through the small opening. "How did you even find this?" she asked in awe. Her voice was muffled by the bit of her wrap she held over her nose and mouth.

Once they were inside she squinted as her eyes adjusted to the poor lighting and she looked around expecting to see something of interest. All she was rewarded with was faded painted reliefs on the wall.

Still, the art was interesting so she lit up her own lantern to get a better look. She marvelled at the blocky art style and the richness of the depicted persons and animals. From what she could see there was certainly going to be things of interest further inside.  

[sidenar]

As the merchant boy dragged his feet along, he wondered if he was imagining things, or if he was really seeing a small camp nearby. 'Oh please please please! Be real! Be real!' He began to walk toward it, repeating the phrase in his head like a mantra, sometimes accidentally saying it out loud. The boy was so focused on the huts, he didn't notice a hole in the ground and fell into it. An immediate curse was launched from his mouth. "Damnit! I was so. Close!" Of course he wasn't, but from what he believed, the more you said something, the more you believed it.

The boy scowled and pushed himself out of the hole with ease. Thankfully, it wasn't too deep. Normally, he would have questioned why a hole was dug in the ground, but he disregarded it as he once again trudged towards the hut, the same mistake repeating itself again. "Damnit!" He pulled himself up, walked a few steps, and fell again. "DAMNIT. This isn't funny!" In the end, it was near noon when he finally made it to the huts, tired and worn out, irate at how long it took to get there. The boy fell forward onto the sand and rolled over onto his back. Now that he was here, he was thankful the huts were real, but damnit! Why were there so many holes?!

 

[SunnyLore]

Idina followed him closely as commanded but kept raising her lantern to look at interesting bits of art. Due to her fascination she managed to walk into his back every time he stopped or else stepped on the back of his shoes. "Sorry" she would offer every time, but her attention was rivetted to the walls and the fantastic art on them.

"It is incredible... I feel sad for you that you are no longer dazzled by this. You seem jaded and greedy now. I am sure when you first started you were as amazed as I am now" she said, finally bothering to look at him instead of the painted stone.

"You were probably so cute with your eyes widened by wonder and your jaw agape with awe" she chuckled softly. The humor left her slowly and she looked back to the walls again. "It is a shame when we are no longer humbled by what we do" she sighed.  

[SunnyLore]

She didn't rush to obey his orders, too fascinated by the skeleton and wall reliefs. She could hear him shifting impatiently but ignored him in favor of soaking up what she could with greedy abandon. He may not have felt anything bust she did and it was invigorating.

Finally having her fill she did as instructed, grunting from the weight of the stone slab. Her foot slipped and she stumbled, scraping her knee on the rough stone floor but otherwise fine.

She didn't complain, just got back to her task even though she was fairly certain the scratch was bleeding. Fahim didn't seem like the kind who would stop so she could bandage herself so she didn't bother to bring it up.  

[sidenar]

'Anyone want eggs? I sure as hell do.' The boy lazily rolled over as someone shook him and looked up to see an extremely pale girl. In the desert? Well this wasn't very normal. He took a few seconds to digest the information she gave him, before nodding. "I'd like that..." He blushed in embarrassment when the girl told him to keep himself hydrated. He knew that, but hadn't brought enough food to keep himself healthy, and had run out the day before. He pushed himself to a sitting position, and from there pushed himself up to stand before sticking out his hand. "I'm Alphonse."

 

[SunnyLore]

Idina looked up at the sound of a hiss, her mind automatically fearing snakes. She looked over at Fahim to see if he'd heard it too but his attention was diverted elsewhere.

She looked beyond the glow of her lantern and squinted, trying to make out the sound's origin. What she saw were floating little lights that danced and bobbed near the ceiling.

Her brow furrowed with confusion. "Fahim... Can fireflies live in tombs?" she asked, trying to make out more of the lights that were coming closer. "Because I think I see fireflies"  

[sidenar]

Alphonse opened his mouth to politely decline, but decided against it when his felt his knees shake. "...I'd like that." He leaned on Isra and murmured his thanks before responding to her questions. "I heard there were rare goods here. It struck my interest as a merchant, not as a robber. I don't do robberies. I'd like to think I'm a pretty fair and honest person." '...That sliced a girl's eye by accident.' He grimaced slightly before smiling at the woman.