[Warning! This solo contains heavy religious references. Viewer discretion is advised.]
When Leucite awoke the next day, he took a moment to look over his supplies. He had more than enough water if he was careful, to ration it thoughtfully. He was a large man, and did need a lot to survive, but he could go for as long as was needed in order to see this through. For the sake of his soul, he knew he could face this trial.
Already the pangs of hunger were starting to gnaw at his gut, but he forced his mind to ignore the purely physical pain. Jesus had survived 40 days in the desert knowing naught but hunger, he too could make it the short fraction of that time it took to find the required materials for his rosary.
So it was that he ventured from his rocky perch, having sought a place that might keep him safe in sleep from the roaming youma who would care naught for his status as one of Metalia’s servants. They needed to feed as much as he did. He could not begrudge them that, but he did not desire to become their next meal.
He began his expedition out, hoping that he could keep his perch in sight. However, he soon discovered that finding suitable crystals was no simple task. Had he brought a hammer along, he might have cracked off plenty of small shards of crystal, but none that fit the almost round quality of the ones he had found.
Sighing, he summoned his weapon to him, not for the sake of defense, but, as a walking stick. Shouldering his pack back over his shoulders, he laughed a bit to himself. “Let us hope it does not take me 40 years of wandering to complete my task, eh?”
With a shake of his head, he ventured forth, stopping often to search the base of many formations for the specific shape of crystal he sought. Slowly, ever so slowly, he started to find suitable specimens. One here, two there. On the rare occasion three crystals fitting his criteria would appear. His supply was slowly growing, but it would still take time for him to gather enough.
He still had to find many more to even have remotely enough.
Tired, and quite far from his initial perch, Leucite stopped to rest in a small cave at the base of larger crystal formation. Tucking himself into the corner, he rested his head against the rough wall of the cave. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a bottle of water and opened it, taking slow sips from the bottle as he relaxed.
“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” He said to the silent cave, closing his eyes as he felt the calming warmth of the words wash over him.
“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen”
He decided that a break was in order, and so, he allowed himself to take a small nap.
He was roughly awoken by weight on his ankle, and something pressing up against his chest. His eyes shot open, and he found himself face to face with a vaguely humanoid looking thing. Sharp teeth bared and hand prepared to draw energy from his body. Knowing that he had very little time to react, Leucite lashed out with his free leg, kicking the youma off him with a ******** no you don’t.” He spat, grabbing his weapon and bringing it to bear in the cave. He jabbed the dull metal point at the youma, driving it back with a growl and a hiss. One arm looped around the strap of his bag as he drove the roughly human thing away from him. Pushing forward until both he and it were outside the cave. He kept his weapon pointed at the thing, ensuring that it would not rush him as he slowly stepped to the side.
Leucite knew it would leap on him the moment he turned his back, so he slowly began to back up from it. Keeping his weapon ready to smack the thing around some if it came any closer. It followed slowly, eyeless face following his every move with an uncanny accuracy. Leucite did not like this. He felt vulnerable and alone.
“Iucidael, I need you…” He murmured, reaching his will out to his own youma he knew was wandering the Rift. The youma appeared beside him, snarling and growling at the other youma, tail and hackles rising. Teeth snarled and snapped at the other youma, causing it to back off a bit more.
“Good Iucidael, good boy.” Leucite said softly to the youma. “On me.” He clicked his tongue, and slowly backed away from the other youma, which scuttled into the cave a few moments later.
Leucite reached down and ruffled the matted fur of his youma, sighing a bit in relief that the situation was resolved. “Good boy…” He murmured to the canine youma. “I think I’m going to keep you around for a bit…”
A second pair of eyes wouldn’t hurt. Leucite chided himself. He should have called Iudicael sooner. He’d of had more company then. The youma was a poor conversationalist sure, but that wasn’t what Leucite needed. He needed eyes to watch out for him as he slept, to warn him if danger was coming. He did not wish to harm any of the youma in the Rift unless he absolutely must. They were creations of the Lord, and were innocent. Angels of the Earth. Protectors of the planet set there by the Father to defend the Kingdom of Men.
He walked with Iucidael, finally finding another (hopefully abandoned) cave to hole up in to get some rest. Placing his weapon across his lap, Leucite rested against the wall of the cave once more, Iudicael lay in front of him watching the entrance of the cave, ever vigilant of intruders.
And so the second day of Leucite’s pilgrimage came to a close. He felt slightly better about things, but much still clouded his mind and heart. But he was one step closer, and that was all that mattered.
