[Sierra] It's A Jungle Out There! - Jygust 30, early/mid TT

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Business was finally finished. Viviana watched the last customer walk out the door and sighed in relief. Although she loved sewing for the people of Realt, on this occasion she had something else on her mind. She wanted to get out in the jungle and follow her map.

She had arranged for an experienced guide the previous day at the Explorers Guild and he ... at least she assumed it was a he since not many females ventured into the jungle ... was supposed to meet her here at any moment. Closing the door of the small hut she had appropriately named “The Sewing Shack,” she drew the curtains and changed from her customary choli and sarong into clothing more suitable for adventuring: a long sleeved light green shirt tucked into brown leather pants and topped with a dark green corset vest. Wearing the colors of the jungle would help her blend in if her guide turned out to be untrustworthy and she needed to escape. Having lived so long on the street, Viviana trusted no one.

She had not brought the original map with her either. Not only had she memorized it, but she had made several copies, including a special one for her guide which did not have the symbols on it. He would know where to go, but not where anything of interest was, therefore having no reason to steal it from her.

She strapped her knife belt low on her hips. It only contained four of her six daggers. She had other plans for the remaining two. She tied them to a leather thong, one quite a bit lower than the other. She tied one end of the thong securely around her hair, forming a ponytail, and pushed the knives into the center of her thick mass of curls so they could not be seen. She tied a second thong around her hair and the hilt of the first dagger and a third close to the bottom of it. She did the same with the second dagger. They wouldn't be easy to get to, but they would assure that she had weapons in case her guide tried to rob her.

The young aspiring sorceress also had her magic to rely on, but she was quite inexperienced, and wasn't sure how well she would be able to form spells under pressure. Thanks to the game of magical tag she had invented shortly after she arrived at the University, she would have no trouble throwing up a shield, but she wasn't sure about anything else. It was good to have another plan in place just in case the magic failed. Hence the hidden daggers.

She tied green ribbons around each of the thongs to hide them, securing the ends so that they wouldn't flap around and get caught on a tree or vine. She had filled a bag with some food and a couple of waterskins, and into that she dropped her choli and sarong. Sarongs could come in handy in many different ways. She also had waterskins tucked into the pockets she had sewn into the lining on the legs of her breeches, and dried food in the pockets sewn to the underside of her vest. The vest was tight and she could feel the food packets pressing into her stomach. It was a bit annoying but she could live with it. Although she planned on being back before dark, she had enough food and water with her for two days if she used it sparingly.

Finally ready, she looked around the shack to make sure she had not forgotten anything. The clothing she had taken in to repair sat in a neat pile on the long table, which was the only furniture inside the shack other than a rather rickety chair and the chest that held her sewing supplies. Satisfied that everything was in order, the pretty achadhiel opened the door. A stray cat walked in. She picked it up and sat on top of the table, petting the purring feline as she waited for her guide.

[Brytan]

OOC: Be mindful of NPCs young padawan

"Hello?" A knock on the door post was quickly followed by a greeting which in turn was shortly followed by a strapping young man dressed in leathers. His adhiel features were clearly present, the high cheekbones and pointed ears. His skin however bronzed by many marks spent in the sun of the isle. He was slightly shorter than Viviana, his blond hair cut short under a large tan hat. He carried a small pack on his back, his belt sporting a small axe, a machete and some pouches.

As he noticed Viviana sat on the table with the cat on her lap, which jumped off as the man entered, he looked her up and down once and smiled. "All ready to go I see? Jamail said you were eager to go exploring." The cat walked upto the man and started purring again when he stroked it. "My name's Dorian, I'll be your guide for today." He made a short bow, tipping the end of his wide brimmed hat to her as he did.

"So, where do you want to go this fine jygust tradetide?"

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Viviana looked him up and down as well. After all, it was only fair. He was quite nice-looking; then again she had never met an adhiel who wasn't. He also wasn't the least bit intimidating. And the cat liked him. Cats were usually good judges of character. She concentrated on the cat, trying to sense its thoughts, but all she got was a vague feeling of contentment. For all she knew, the feeling could have come from her imagination instead of from the cat, for all cats were content when they purred.

Her attention turned to Dorian. He might be good-looking and charming, but she still didn't trust him. The man who had tried to rape her had been the same. Assuming he had lived, he was now missing an important body part and probably spoke in soprano.

Pushing those unwelcome thoughts from her mind, she jumped off the table and walked over to her guide. “Hi Dorian. I'm Viviana. And yes, I'm quite eager to go exploring, You see ...” she reached in her bag, pulled out the copy of the map, and held it out to him. "...I found this map and I want to know where it leads. I just can't resist a good mystery. Do you think you can help me discover where it goes?”

[Brytan]

Dorian took the map from her and looked at it briefly, then back at her, then back at the map.

"Looks like it goes into the jungle..." he smiled. "Not a lot more to it than that from the look of this thing." He looked at it some more, his left index finger trailing along the lines she had left for him. "Hmm, you sure you want to go here? Along this way round we might run into a little trouble. Couple of caves along that way that have a reputation for not being all too friendly on passers-by."

He handed the map back to her.

"Up to you ofcourse. Far be it from me to say no to such a lovely young lady."

[Viviana Kaleyis]

The pretty achadhiel smiled, that innocently seductive smile that most men found irresistible. “Flattery will get you everywhere,” she said. She thought for only a brief moment about his words. So there might be a little danger out there. She already knew that. There was an ever-growing stack of clothing in her room that their owners had never returned for, having gone into the jungle and never returned. Like most of nature, the jungle was harsh and unforgiving, devouring the foolish and the unprepared. Viviana considered herself neither. She had been forced into dangerous circumstances every day she had lived on the street. She was always aware of everything around her and quick to act in a crisis. It might not be easy, but she was pretty certain she could handle anything the jungle threw at her.

It always helped to know what you were up against, though. “What do you mean by the caves being unfriendly?” she asked, leaning down to pet the cat. “What sort of danger lurks there?”

[Brytan]

"Well, can't say I've gone close enough to find out." Dorian smiled. "That's probably also why I'm still standing here." But people that have gone that way and returned tell of caves from which no one ever returns. Caves that, if you have to believe the stories, are filled with dragons and tempests of the jungle. People say they can hear the growling of the beasts at gravetide, coming from deep within the caverns."

He smirked.

"Personally, I wonder how anyone can know that if no one ever returns from the caverns. But...it is true that a lot of explorers that venture out there do not return. And many a guide will not venture near them. Me, I might just be foolish enough to try if you are truly intent on going there. provided you tell me what it is you are seeking...This map of yours is not very clear on the purpose of your trek, and no one goes into the jungle without purpose. Not unless they have a death wish."

[Viviana Kaleyis]

No one walked alone after dark in the Citadel's seedier areas without having a death wish either. Yet Viviana had survived four yahren there as a mere child. She wasn't afraid of whatever lurked in the caves. Wary, yes. But not afraid. She didn't intend to go inside them anyway. Generally, if you didn't bother a person or animal, it wouldn't bother you. She hoped this rule held true in the jungle.

Inwardly she sighed. If she didn't want to go into the jungle alone, it looked as if she would have to trust Dorian at least a little. He looked quite harmless, but so did she. If he did try to betray her, they seemed to be evenly matched ... and she did have her wits and her magic, even though the latter was quite limited.

“This map is a copy of one I found in the pocket of a pair of pants that was given to me to repair. Their owner never returned for them.” She moved closer to him so that he could see the map again. She held it in front of them with one hand and pointed to certain places with the other. “The original had a drawing of a face here, and a drawing of an animal claw here. Perhaps that means more to you than it does to me.” She smiled disarmingly as she lied to cover her initial distrust. “I'm not a very good artist so I left the drawings out. At the end of the map, there was a drawing of a coin.

“I suppose I am hoping there might be something of value at the end of the map. I have this dream of opening a shelter for the street children of the Citadel ... a place where they can be safe and also learn a trade to better their lives. So many of them never reach adulthood. If I do find something of value, perhaps I can make this dream of mine come true.

“If you are willing to guide me, Dorian, I would still like to go. You will find that I do not scare easily and I can take care of myself. I am not as naive and inexperienced as I look. I will not be a burden. In fact, if we do run into trouble, I am more concerned about you.” She gave him a cheeky grin. “But I suppose I can save you if I must."

[Brytan]

Dorian smiled.

"Well then, what are we waiting around here for? With you here to save me, let us go find that fortune of yours." Truth of the matter was that Viviana could probably tell he wasn't entirely sincere. As she had shown him the map and indicated the places and the locations of the drawings he had not reacted particularly surprised nor intrigued. The thought of this girl saving his life in a pinch seemed amusing to the man, who's voice hinted at the obvious impossibilities of such. But he did seem sincere in wanting to take her along, and stepped partly out through the doorway again, waiting for her to follow.

The jungle lay only a short while away and the map indicated a trek eastward and north from Réalt.

"Come Viviana, adventure awaits!"

[Viviana Kaleyis]

The aspiring treasure hunter narrowed her eyes. She did not like to be mocked. It had happened all too many times on the street. If he got into any trouble on their journey, he could just get out of it himself. He wouldn't be getting any help from her.

Perhaps she should ask for another, more amenable, guide. No, that probably wasn't such a good idea. Anyone too docile wouldn't make it very far in the jungle. She supposed a little attitude was actually a good trait in a guide. She could forgive him ... once. But she trusted him even less than she did before. She would be constantly on her guard, making sure he was always in front of her so she could keep an eye on him. Attitude wasn't always a good thing.

“Why, of course, we must go at once!” she said, echoing his melodramatic tone. Only the barest hint of sarcasm was detectable in her voice. “With a wonderful guide such as yourself, I know I will find my treasure!” She flounced out the door, “accidentally” treading hard on his foot as she passed by him. She hoped it wouldn't cause any damage since the top of his boot looked stronger than the worn-down sole of her own. She just wanted him to get the general idea that she was not at all pleased with him at the moment.

“Now if you will kindly step out of the doorway, I can lock up and we'll be on our way.”

[Brytan]

Dorian took the step on his toes well. He flinched, but he did not speak of it further. As Viviana asked him to move, he did, stepping out into the sunlight and waiting for her to close up before taking his bearings on the beckoning wall of jungle green.

"This way then."

He started walking in the general direction Viviana had indicated. This went rather well until they hit the jungle, which was, as it should be, very jungle like. Stepping into the densely moist thicket of trees and shrubs, even for a few steps only, made it feel like they had entered an entirely different world. Birds scattered overhead as Dorian took out a machette and started hacking away at the undergrowth to clear a path through the plantlife which almost grew back a flicker after it had been cut.

Such started a long, hot, tiring trek through the jungle of Sierra. Dorian did not seem particularly inclined to stop, keeping the pace rather high as he hacked a path for the two of them, leading east and north towards destinations (slightly) unknown.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Big city girl that she was, Viviana found the jungle alien and fascinating. There were new sights, new sounds, new smells ... even new energies. It seemed to her that everything native to the jungle had a different essence than what she was familiar with in the Citadel and the University. It was even different than the essence of Realt, and Realt was a part of Sierra. Perhaps it just seemed different because it was so very new to her. Yet it seemed that the jungle had a magic all its own ... and it was calling to her.

Or maybe all that was calling to her was her own overactive imagination.

She enjoyed herself thoroughly though, looking all around her, occasionally stopping to observe a particularly interesting plant or animal. Once she nearly got left behind when she stopped to observe a brightly colored lizard lounging on a branch. Dorian moved quite a ways ahead of her and she had to run to catch up. She did not want to get lost in the jungle. That would most likely be certain death.

His pace didn't bother her at all. She walked everywhere she went, sometimes going back and forth from the University to Realt twice a day. Not only was she young and strong, but she was used to hardship. Occasionally she became thirsty or hungry and would take a drink from one of her waterskins or a few bites of dried meat from her food supply. It did get a bit tiring stepping over the bits of plants he left behind, though.

The heat did not bother her either, at least at first. Viviana loved intense heat. She loved to walk out of a cool building and have the heat rush over her all at once. She liked the sun when it was at its brightest, it's heat bathing her in a golden glow. The sun was not so visible above the jungle's canopy, but it was still very, very hot.

Eventually, though, once the novelty of the jungle wore off, she began to feel it ... just a little sweat trickling into embarrassing places. It wasn't worth mentioning although it did make her a bit uncomfortable. She wished she could throw off her clothes like she did when she was a child, but she knew that wouldn't be a good idea.

It wasn't the fear of insect bites that stopped her. She had no idea why, but the annoying creatures would not touch her. Perhaps it was her skin; perhaps it was her blood. Whatever it was, she was safe from insect bites.

But she wasn't safe from getting scratched by the unfamiliar foliage, and she wasn't safe from Dorian. Not that she thought he would try anything. She just didn't want to give him any wrong ideas about her. It wasn't that she cared what he thought, it was just ... just that she wasn't a child anymore and had to consider certain things she wasn't really ready to consider yet.

Shaking her head to clear it of unwelcome and quite embarrassing thoughts, the pretty young achadhiel trudged on behind her guide, a bit tired and uncomfortable, but not willing to show any weakness in front ... or rather in back ... of him. After all, she had said she would not be a burden, and she was determined to keep her word.

Whatever awaited her at the end of this trek would be worth the trouble ... she just knew it.

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

Dorian was pleasantly surprised with the girl. She had not dictated the pace, instead keeping with the one he set. And she either knew or surmised enough to eat and drink as they walked, snacking on things she had secreted about her person. Whats more, she neither tried to fill the silence with empty chatter when the energy and breathe could best be saved for the hike, neither had she once complained about the heat. Dorian counted himself blessed. For all the pretensions in claiming that she would rescue him if trouble arose, she was a low maintenance client. Which in contrast to guiding effete scholars, who complained with every step and demanded concessions to their egos, was as refreshing as a swim in a spring after a long days hike. It'd almost be a shame when he had to kill her.

The one concession the girl made to this being, apparently her first foray into the jungle was an insatiable gawking. Once, she was so fascinated by a common lizard that he nearly left her standing there like the little girl she was, watching it. She'd have been easy prey for any number of the jungles creatures. Fortunately for her she caught him up, the sound of her running and ragged breathing the only thing to betray that anything was out of the ordinary, or what had become ordinary on this particular foray, though Viviana was certainly not his typical clientèle.

Though Dorian hadn't kept a copy of Vivian's map, he was a professional jungle guide, and so had committed what she had permitted him to see to memory. They were closing in on where she had indicated the first marker had been on the original. “A map i'd very much like to see again.” The adheil thought as he continued to carve their path from the jungle. Dispassionately hacking the plants apart and discarding the detritus their bodies became in his wake. “At least the plants don't scream.” he thought as with breathtaking suddenness, the jungle parted before him revealing a sight that the maps marker, no matter how elaborate could have done no justice.

The path they had been following had been, almost imperceptibly climbing. Dorian had taken the ascent straight on, cutting through game trails which crisscrossed the hill with familiar and predictable regularity, and now found himself standing on an unfamiliar hill, gazing down into a valley which he hadn't even known was there. As slight as the rise had been, the descent on the other side was precipitous, falling probably three or four feet down for every one it advanced. It would have been dangerous, perhaps even prohibitively steep where it not for the broad smooth stone steps which were laid arrow straight into the earth it's self and descending into a heavily forested valley. Rising from the center of the valley was a massive statue. Dorian could not easily identify what it was intended to represent, but it's sheer size astounded him. It was he guessed forty paces tall, if he were judging the level of the valley floor correctly that was. So taken was he by the sight of the statue and the abrupt appearance of the valley, that he made no further move or sound for long marks, waiting unintentionally for Viviana to catch up. Any grandiose words he had been preparing for her temporarily forgotten.


OOC: New Mod-ish! Trainee, bear with me please, and I apologize for the ungodly long time it took me to get to this. Real life and technical issues prevented me. But rest assured i'll do better in the future. Enjoy! Lets make some magic.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Viviana was growing tired of stumbling over Dorian's handiwork. She stayed far enough behind him to avoid being hit by the plants he hacked to bits and carelessly tossed aside, yet she couldn't avoid stepping over them as they were directly in her path. The jungle was too dense for him to toss them anywhere else, so she couldn't really blame him. She did wonder if he took a perverse satisfaction in the fact that she had trouble picking her way through the debris.

Or perhaps he didn't even notice. Not once had she seen him look back at her; but then again, when her attention wasn't caught by an interesting plant or animal, it was focused on the jungle floor, trying to avoid being tripped up by the discarded foliage. She really wasn't able to observe him as carefully as she wished, although she supposed as long as he stayed in front of her she was relatively safe.

She stopped, stretched, and pushed back the stray ringlets that had escaped the constraints of the leather band that held back her hair. They were damp. Her clothes were damp. She rolled up the long sleeves of her shirt, and unbuttoned it to the point that it disappeared inside her vest, but it didn't help very much. Tiny rivulets of sweat still snaked down her arms.

Dorian was directly in front of her, standing still as a stone. Why had he stopped? And why was there nothing directly in front of him but sky?

Curious, Viviana hurried forward, only to be stopped short by the same scene that had apparently captivated her guide. “Ohhhhh!” she breathed so softly that she doubted he even heard her. The heat and her discomfort were all but forgotten.

Heedless of her determination to keep him in front of her, she moved beside him, taking in the valley and the enormous statue with wide blue-violet eyes. She glanced sideways at Dorian. They might have their differences but for these few flickers, it seemed to her that they were unconscious allies, united by the breathtaking milieu stretching out before them, all animosities momentarily set aside.

So the map truly does lead somewhere, she thought. The unidentifiable shape of the statue dominated the vista. Why was it there? What was its purpose? Could it possibly have ...?

Acting on the half-formed thought, she slipped silently into the Aether, searching the statue and its surroundings for any sign of magic. On a whim, she turned her aetheric sight on Dorian as well.

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

When Viviana opened herself to the Aether she was hit with a tidal wave of sensation. In addition to the energy emitted by the surrounding vegetation, the statue was awash in residual magical. It was striated in a veritable rainbow of colors, all sorts of stripes and spots and whorls. It had obviously once been either the receptacle or focus for massive amounts of magic. Tendrils of it still crept down the sides of the massive stone column to twine through the canopy of the surrounding jungle, but they did not extend beyond the lip of the valley for some reason. Dorian was, unsurprisingly devoid of any vestiges of aetheric influence.

“Will you look at that?” He said softly, almost to himself, as he stood for a long moment lost in the grandeur of the ruin, and contemplating what it would have looked like during it's glory. He suddenly shook his head, once and violently, as if shaking some enchantment. “What now Viviana?” He prompted. “Do we go down?” he gestured toward the stone steps, “Or do we follow the lip of the valley around before we continue onward to the north-east? My machete hasn't even started to dull yet, so that route is still open.” He hefted the tool/weapon with a humorless grin and watched Viviana expectantly.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Viviana was fascinated by the remnants of magic surrounding the statue. How old was this magic, and for what purpose had it been used? Who had used it? What had happened to them? So many questions ran through her mind. Questions that wanted immediate answers.

She wondered about the tendrils winding through the jungle. Could that mean that the statue still held some latent magic? Would it awaken when disturbed? Or was it already being used by someone living beneath the green canopy below? She could not feel the familiar tingle of magical energy, but that in itself meant nothing. She could simply be too far away to detect it yet.

Of course she must go down there. If nothing else, perhaps she could glean a bit of knowledge from it, something to take back to the University to be turned over to those more experienced than she, mages who would be able to study it more thoroughly. She knew her own limitations but that didn't mean she couldn't discover something useful. She was aware of the dangers of dealing with unfamiliar magic.

But what else lurked down in the depths of the jungle? What else could be lying in wait for unsuspecting explorers? Something had happened to the man who had previously owned her map. There was a reason that adventurers went into the jungle and never returned. Was this part of it?

It looked so abandoned, as if she and Dorian were the first to have come upon it in countless yahren. Yet that is exactly what it would look like if it devoured those who breached its boundaries. Nothing would be left to tell of those that came before.

I really do have an overactive imagination, the young achadhiel thought. Yet it is better to imagine what dangers you may be facing than to be caught by them unaware.

She would just make certain she stayed in constant contact with the Aether in case there were any magical traps set for unsuspecting trespassers. Ever since she had learned to see into it, she had practiced staying connected. If she expended no energy, she was capable of staying in tentative touch with it for many marks. It was only when she manipulated energy herself that she became fatigued and had trouble holding onto it Her long-running game of magical tag had helped her endurance as well.

“Of course we must go down there,” she told Dorian, brimming with excitement. “We can't let such an opportunity pass us by, can we?”

She wanted to go bounding down those steps as fast as she could, but she curbed her impulsiveness. She still needed him to stay ahead of her, where she could watch him. It might be a bit difficult to keep an eye on both him and the Aether, but she believed she was up to the challenge.

“Lead on,” she said, smiling sweetly. “And be careful. We don't know what might be down there waiting for us."

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

“Actually we could,” Dorian said flippantly, looking away from the statue and to his client for the first time since they had left Réalt. “quite easily in fact, all we have to do,” he continued as he wiggled the index and middle fingers of his left hand to imply walking, “is walk on by.” The guide then flashed one of his usually winning smiles, but felt immediately that the reception to it was, to say the least, chilly.

“Not going for that one huh?” He said, almost to himself. With an almost negligent flick of his wrist, Dorian stuck his machete in a nearby try and pulled his hat from his head with the other hand, scrubbing the fingers of his now free hand through his hair before he stuffed the hat back onto his head and reclaiming his machete.

“I'll keep your warning in mind.” Concluded acerbically as he started down the stone steps, mumbling to himself. “Not like i've been here before or anything.” The steps were a deceptively difficult to descend. Despite being broad, smooth and level, they were steep, only slightly less than the hill, and after only a few burns both the adventurers legs were protesting. Nevertheless, the pair found themselves shortly descending once more through the velveteen lushness of the jungle.

Here however, Dorian found no use for his machete, as the undergrowth did not intrude over the steps, stopped as if by an invisible barrier at their edge. Thinking that just too convenient, he kept a tight grip on the weapon all the same as they descended. It took over half a mark to descend the stone stairs and find the valley floor. What they found there was a truly mammoth cyclopean ruin. From their new vantage, they could see that the statue wasn't in fact standing on the valley floor. It was standing atop a step-sided pyramid at least as high. Once again, Dorian found himself at a loss, and once again he stood, agape and wondering what it was he, and this girl with the strange map, had discovered.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

The pretty achadhiel rolled her eyes at the suggestion that they walk on past the statue. What was he ... scared? She nearly said as much, but stopped herself just in time. It wouldn't do to anger him. While she hated to admit it, she needed him. Her sense of direction was quite good, but she doubted she would find her way out of the jungle alone, even if she did follow the path he'd hacked through it. So she gritted her teeth and said nothing.

The trip down the steep steps was grueling and she found she could not hold onto the Aether and concentrate on where she was stepping at the same time. Despite her uneasiness at doing so, she had to let it go. Magic was definitely at work here, though. Something was keeping the jungle from overflowing their precarious pathway, and she didn't think it was a clever gardener. It was a force of some kind. Yet she still didn't feel the tingle of active magic.

It seemed to take forever before her boots touched the valley floor. She sighed in relief and finally lifted her eyes from the ground. “Ohhhhhh!” she breathed again as she took in her surroundings. What was this that they had found? Her customers often regaled her with stories of the ruins they discovered on their frequent trips through the jungle. Was this one important or just one more reminder of a time long past?

She longed to explore around the pyramid, but at the moment, she didn't think she could. Her entire body was aching, and she needed nourishment. “Dorian, do you mind if we stop here for a bit? I think I could use a little snack. Then we can see if this place holds anything interesting. If not, we'll continue on and you'll find plenty of use for that machete.”

Wearily, she sank down on the grass, keeping all her senses alert as she opened her bag and took out some of her dried food and a waterskin. Opening her mind to the Aether once more, she checked it for any magic that was still active. If there was any, she decided that would be the first area she checked out once she had rested.

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

“Dorian, do you mind if we stop here for a bit?” Viviana's query jolted her adheil guide out of his revelry, and he shook his head to hide the embarrassment he felt at his lapse in concentration. He had a job to do, and he was supposed to be a professional. That he had been caught staring, open-mouthed like some sort of greenhorn and by one of that stripe no less! It was embarrassing. Dorian abruptly realized that the girl was still speaking and hurriedly tried to catch what else she had to say.

“...if not, we'll continue on and you'll find plenty of use for that machete.” Turning on the spot, he found her already seated and eating. His scathing retort died on his lips, for he secretly had to admit that he would be glad of the repast since his own body was protesting the exertion he had made quite loudly. He certainly could have gone on, but the rest would be nice, and the tree shaded valley was quite inviting. Shortly he too was seated, back against a tree, and taking a light meal from his own provisions. It was the same jerky he had been munching on the entire trip, but at least now he could eat several pieces, along with a heel of bread he had stashed for this very eventuality. Throw down a few gulps of water and it was almost passable. It was the best he was going to get at any rate.

“So,” Dorians tone was questioning as it reached across the several paces which separated the pair by mutual, albeit silent accord, “what makes it your job to look out for the street children of the Citadel? Being, as you may well know, a good deal away from there? What do you owe to them that you are out here traipsing through the jungle with naught more than a map and an idea?” As he finished, Dorian silenced himself with the last of his bread and another long swig of water. “And let me know when you feel you've lazed enough, the day is getting older and we have far to go.” The remark was of course intended to goad the girl. Dorian had plans, and sitting around in a tree dappled valley sipping water and snacking on jerky wasn't getting him any closer. Little did Viviana know how much work he already had in store for his machete, as soon as the time was right.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Don't tell him you're a magic student.

Yet another of those strange compelling intuitions, like the one she had had earlier in Profesor Peckerton's office. Where were these odd feelings coming from? She'd never had anything like them before. And once again, the thought was too irresistible to ignore.

“I'm originally from the Citadel,” she said. “I came here because I heard that there was work for someone who could sew. It's difficult to find work in the Citadel when you're as young and inexperienced as I am. I'm doing pretty good here. I have my own little shop. If I had stayed in the Citadel, I would probably be slaving away for somebody else making only a fraction of what I am making on my own.” The former street child was so used to fabricating stories about herself that the lies spilled easily from her lips, even though she had to make up this particular story on the spot.

“I saw the street children all the time at home. They were dirty and wild, and always begging for food. Most people just pushed them away or kicked them, but sometimes I gave them a few banners when I had them to spare. I'd look in their eyes and sometimes I would see a keen intelligence there. I think if someone gave them a chance, most of them could get off the street and make something of themselves.” She shrugged. “I guess I would like to be that someone.”

Viviana ate sparingly, just enough to take the edge off her hunger. Her mind and reflexes were sharper on a half-empty stomach than they were on a full one. She didn't want to get sluggish and let down her guard. Hunger was so common to her it was almost like a friend. All she needed was enough to keep up her strength. She'd eat more as they walked.

“So what about you?” she asked, completely ignoring his thinly veiled insult. They would leave when she was good and ready, and if they had to turn back to make it home before dark, they would. She would just set out again tomorrow morning ... with a more amenable guide. But she was stuck with him now, and she had to admit she was a bit curious about him. Now that he was asking questions, maybe he wouldn't mind answering a few. “How long have you been in Sierra and what made you decide to become a jungle guide?”

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

“I was born here,” Dorian said irritably. “and have been here all my days. I became a guide in this jungle after my father, a man of great ambition died here, and my mother wasted away for his memory and want of word of his fate. I lived in the wilds after that, seeking my fathers last resting place, wondering where he was or what he'd found that had had been lost again when he died.” With an sound of agitation and disgust the adheil guide hitched his pack higher on his back and adjusted his belt. “The day wears on Ms. Kaleyis.” He said. “We've a good deal further to go and much more to see ere we reach your marker. Shall we continue?” He figured that it didn't cost him anything to try the gentle approach, as they were alone and no one other than she would ever know of it, for she was not long for the world whether they got where she wanted to get or not, she wouldn't get back to the city. He would have that map. He would succeed where his father had failed. No woman, least of all this one, was going to hold him back from his destiny.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

“Oh, I am so sorry about your parents,” she said. And she meant it too. She might not like him very much, but she knew quite well what it was like to be alone in the world, and she didn't wish that fate on anyone. “My parents died when I was quite young, so I know how it feels to be an orphan.” Actually, she didn't know if her parents were dead or alive. She hadn't seen her mother since she was about eight. She had no idea who her father was. So whether they still breathed or not, they were ... at least until she found out any differently ... dead to her.

Viviana stood up and stretched her arms up to the sky. “You're right, of course. We need to be moving on. But aren't you curious about this place at all? At least let me explore it for a bit. I won't be long. And while you're waiting ...” she reached into her bag, drew out the map, and tossed it at him. “Familiarize yourself with this again. You only looked at it briefly, and I want to make certain that you know where we are supposed to go.” Although she didn't mean to imply that he was too stupid to memorize it, she wondered if that was what he would think anyway. Whatever.

She had thoroughly memorized it herself. She'd had the map for quite some time, so she had had plenty of opportunity to do so. Her sense of direction was excellent, so she would know if he veered off track. Still, it was better to let him see the map again rather than for her to bring up the fact they were going the wrong way. They barely tolerated each other as it was and she did not want to make the situation worse.

Leaving him with the map, she took off in the direction of the statue. She explored all around the pyramid, looking for openings, inscriptions, or anything that might tell her more about the magic, the people who had used it, and what had happened to them.

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

Dorian stifled a groan and a flash of agitation when Viviana demanded time to explore and then, after throwing the map at him, practically ran off. The adheil started to yell after her but stopped when a sudden and blinding realization hit him. She had given him the map. The words he had been going to say, (had they been warning? Condemnation? Some retort for her sideways comment about his ineptness?) whatever they had been, died in his throat. His fingers trembled slightly as he picked up the scrap over which so much blood had been spilled, even if this was just a not particularly well rendered copy.

Dorian ran familiar eyes over the prescribed path, making a change in his mind one spot where he remembered the path got particularly treacherous, down near those caves Viviana had been so curious about. He didn't want to relive that climb again, so they'd just go around. Viviana was off who knows where doing who knew what so Dorian slowly sank to the ground, eyes glued to the map the way a starving man looks at a buffet. All this time searching, all those weeks since he'd lead that last bunch out here, and it was within his grasp again. He just needed the original, and Viviana dead. Dorian began to plot in earnest...

[hr] [/hr]

Meanwhile...

[hr][/hr]

The statue was unsurprisingly impossible to miss, and therefore incredibly easy to find. The stairs which had brought the pair into the valley lead to a broad flat expanse of verdant green ground cover reminiscent of a boulevard. That lead, arrow straight and unceasing to the foot of the step sided pyramid atop which perched the statue. On the whole, it was an imposing edifice, seventy or eighty paces from it's base to the very top of the statue, and probably half that wide. The structure also served to give scope to the trees surrounding it, which showed to be truly behemoth given how closely they grew along side the temple, each one fifty to sixty paces to it's topmost branches. And the air, for some reason seemed to have thickened incredibly. The jungles humidity was memorable enough, but there was something, special about this place...

The pyramid was cunningly constructed of worked stone, if Viviana got close enough she would be able to see how tight the seal of the stones was. Though the sides of the stones had been meticulously polished and fitted, their faces were practically untouched, and an ascent up them would be easy, even without the presence of the four sets of identical broad steps running up the temples sides to it's apex, each coming off an expanse of green which mirrored the one Viviana had come along to get here. The architecture of the pyramid was severe, simple block stone, but there were intricately carved relieves all over, most reflecting the jungle in which the temple sat, but also prevalent were images of gigantic serpents, stylistically represented in a square motif. It was all very impressive, but besides the gargantuan statue which cast it's shadow over the entire scene it was only window dressing, that feeling not withstanding, even a casual inspection of the carvings would indicate a trend upward, obviously if one got as this far, they were expected to continue to the pyramid's summit.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Viviana tripped happily up the boulevard toward the pyramid, eager to satisfy her curiosity and to get away from Dorian's attitude for a bit. Hopefully the map would occupy him for a while. There was something bothering her about that map, but she would take that up with Dorian when she returned. Although she hated to admit it, she still needed him; it would be impossible for her to pick her way through the jungle by herself.

The strange heaviness in the air pressed in on her. She slowed her pace and proceeded with more caution. The sheer size of the statue and its pyramid awed her. How much time had it taken to build, and how many people were involved? Had they used slaves to do the the heavy and tedious jobs? The young achadhiel shuddered to think of anyone forced into slavery, but perhaps long ago when this place had been constructed, it had been quite common. Her imagination was running away with her again. She couldn't help herself, though. She was intensely curious about the culture of the people who had built and used this place for some magical purpose of their own. Where were their descendants now? Had they been annihilated by some enemy? Or had their practices changed over the yahren so that they no longer needed this place? Her questions were endless.

She pondered all this as she inspected the pyramid. The serpent carvings especially fascinated her. Had they worshiped snakes? There were certainly worse things you could worship. Viviana liked snakes. She remembered the old snake charmer who had entertained on the streets of the Citadel. A lot of the urchins had been fascinated by him and his performing serpents. Viviana had been the only girl among them, although that had not been apparent in the ambiguous rags the children wore. If a child caught rats for the snakes to eat, the old man would let that child hold one that was not poisonous. The little girl had thought rats were rather abhorrent, but she had caught a few just for the privilege of feeling the reptile's cool scales against her skin. It was an interesting rippling sensation, as the snake was always moving, twining its body around her limbs and lifting its head to look all around. Once, her favorite snake had kissed her with its funny darting tongue. It had been albino, with bright yellow patterns on its white skin and beady pink eyes. She remembered wishing that her own eyes were pink as well.

She smiled at the memory as she reached out to touch the engravings, but stopped herself before her fingers made contact. It wasn't a good idea to touch something potentially magical without protection. Slipping into the Aether, the young mage centered, grounded, and shielded herself, taking special care that her shield was quite strong. She had no idea what kind of magic had been ... indeed might still be ... at work here. It would take a little more of her strength to hold such a shield, but not much. Viviana had practiced the process religiously in the two months she'd been at the University, gradually building up her strength and endurance within the Aether. She was much more proficient than students who took their magical training more casually.

Her fingers traced as much of the carving as she could reach, wondering what it meant. If snakes were sacred to the people who had erected the pyramid, Viviana would probably have been a priestess if she had belonged to their culture. She would love to feel the ripple of scales against her flesh again.

She looked upward. It seemed as if the pyramid was meant to be climbed, and her curious mind insisted that she do so. Leaving Dorian alone with her map so long didn't really seem like a good idea. Thinking of being subjected further to his mocking words and impatient attitude so soon, made up her mind for her. Strengthening her aetheric shield a bit more, she began the trek up the nearest set of steps.