The Labyrinth

[MWalton]

Rorik stiffened. "I've been protecting my sheep ever since I was eleven summers, and I've lost nary a one. Don't be worried about me." He knew himself to be slight of build, but did not like being reminded of it by the pretty red head. He gave a speculative look at the slave girl hovering protectively over her dinner. Now there was one to be worried about. She was like a scared rabbit.

"My name is Rorik." He held out his free hand, though it was not clear if he was looking to shake hands, or to retrieve his canteen.

 

[MWalton]

Kona lay backk in the arms of his companion, enjoying the feel of her naked flesh along his back. He had made it clear that he did not expect carnal relations and she had made it clear that she did. He lay aHendrick lay back in the arms of his companion, enjoying the feel of her naked flesh along his back. He had made it clear that he did not expect carnal relations and she had made it clear that she did. He lay against her, unclad, save for a towel over his lap, as the steam circled around them, emanating from the hot rocks in the center of the room.

He was a lean fellow with lanky muscles and skin the color of old leather. His pronounced nose rose above a strong chin. The long, black length of his hair was twisted into twin braids. Across his abdomen was a nasty scar, let by a serrated blade. There were whip marks on his back, which his companion had traced with her fingertips. Against her, unclad, save for a towel over his lap, as the steam circled around them, emanating from the hot rocks in the center of the room.

Kona hummed a tune under his breath of hunting for whales and chasing mermaids. He was of the Asher Folk and had grown up in the cold North coast of the Empire. His was not a search for glory, or riches, but something more personal, though he would share it with none.

The white flesh of his plump companion contrasted with his deep tan coloring. She was like the women of his tribe, with the right sort of padding to keep one warm on a long Winter's night. In the North the nights could last for weeks. She shifted behind him and he felt her warm mounds move. Kona sighed and lay his head back between them. How he missed his own dear Kora, whom he had not scene in nine long months. She would be sharing her warm with his brothers, while he was away, as was her right. His companion kissed his forehead.

"Yer a dear sweet man, ta be sure an' a pity it is that that the mornin' must come." He thought her name was Rose, but he was not sure. For tonight he pretended that she was Kora.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle nodded in aknowledgement of Rorick's claim and his pride-wounded expression. ''Alright then. Good to know.'' she said finishing her plate and quite pleased that there was also some half charred (therefore not good enough to serve to the royal court) cherry tart to pass around and she made sure she got a decent sized slice for her first dessert course in years.

 

[KytttheKyttenn]

Looking up and speaking ,her voice soft.
I'll do fine just habits are hard to break and this is how I am used to things or well not used to things as the case well is.
Smiles softly then before lowering her head back down realizing that was the most she had said or that she could recall saying for quite sometime without being prompted to answer or being afraid of something worse happening to her when she forgot her place and spoke without being prompted.

 

[MWalton]

Rorik walked over to the slave. "I don't think we meet properly. I'm Rorik." He glanced down at her. "I know why Red and I are going but what about you? What is worth risking everything for?"

Mistress wandered over. "It is all most time for you lot to enter the portal. Eat up because you only have a few minutes left. Fools the lot of you."

 

[KytttheKyttenn]

I'm Elle and I do this to buy my freedom in hopes of seeing my Mother again before she passes.
Hearing the Mistress's voice Elle rose up then out of habit speaking.
Yes, Mistress as you wish.
She then turned her attention back to her plate which still had a roll and a pastry upon it eating the pastry and placing the roll into her pocket as she had seen the others doing.

 

[MWalton]

Rorik nodded. It only made sense. Family was, in the end, the only treasure he desired. He understood risking everything to see one's mother one more time.

He started stuffing his pockets also, not knowing what they would face. Soon the page was back, and spoke. "It is time ladies and lad. Follow me."

 

[KytttheKyttenn]

Elle nodded seeing a half eat roll still on the ground which had been missed somehow she bent down as if to scratch her foot and picked it up, it was food after all and then quickly caught up with the others.

 

[slippedhalo]

As they walked to the portal Avrielle commented, ''I'm not 'Red'. I'm Avrielle.'' to Rorick. She then turned to Elle and said, ''Not a problem, Elle, since nobody ever shortens my name. We won't get mixed up, you and I.''

 

[MWalton]

Rorik simply nodded. They backtracked through the corridors coming to wider and less busy ones until they were near the throne room again. He felt his stomach starting to hurt and took a swig of his canteen for courage.

 

[KytttheKyttenn]

If I where to shorten your name Avirelle I think it would be to Av or Avi but I won't.
Elle would smile softly for the first time since being there but then quickly lower her head and become quite again.

 

[slippedhalo]

The presence still waited inside. Avrielle felt it strongly, the tendrils reaching out for them again. Mentally, she had to focus on putting up some protective boundaries between herself and possibly dark spirits waiting to hurt her and the others. She looked to the throne where the pampered leader of the people regarded them. ''You lot are still anxious to face the labyrinth?'' he asked incredulously.

Avrielle nodded, '' Your Majesty, if you'd pardon my brother and let me alone pay for the crime I don't deny committing (although driven to it only by hunger and a worry for my brother in the first place) I would not feel the desire to do this at all.'' She admitted frankly.

 

[MWalton]

"Your petty little crimes are of no concern to me. That is a matter for a lower court and you may take it up with them." The king gestured at her dismissively with one big paw. "Well if you are determined, we will begin."

Two other figures stood in the throne room, kitted out for the journey. One was the tall, avocado skinned man. He looked rather drunk, but was still walking without aid. The other was a tan skinned man with long, braided hair. He wore seal skin leathers and carried a bow and a short stone club, made from shiny black rock and sharpened along one side.

"There are still two more of you waiting until the morning, but you five have elected to leave now. May the goddesses preserve you."

The king leaned forward and gestured to his chancellor. The thin, ancient man walked forward and directed slaves, who lifted the floor away from the front of the throne, to reveal a flat blue disc some ten feet in diameter. It was carved metal, painted and inlaid with golden writing in three ancient languages.

The king stood and walked forward, before bending down and placing his hand on the disc. "Talak lotham nectu. May the portal be open." Cracks appeared along disc and it started to open, slowly, like an iris.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle stepped forward, she didn't resist the tendrils of the spirit seeking contact with her, only she winced at its directness and power. It was curious but seemed mostly neutral in its intentions toward the group. Not all within would be this benign. She checked on the little woman beside her who had felt the spirit touch her earlier and whispered, ''There's spirits here. This one is cold and scary but will not harm us unless we do something it doesn't like.''

Avrielle could see Rorick and the braided haired man had heard her as well and she shrugged, ''I hear them, the ghosts, there's more coming. Stay calm. They like fear.''

 

[MWalton]

Rorik had never seen a ghost, and he hoped that he was not about to. The other wordly was not as immediate a danger in his world, as were lions, wolves and snakes.

It was good that he could not see for out out the opened iris came hundreds of spirits; the fallen of the failed quests. Many had died disappointing the hopes of loved ones and so compounding their eternal debts. The spirits were of men and women of all ages and even a few foolish children. Some wore ghostly armor and bore arms and others were simple peasants. They all bore the marks of their deaths, whether from decapitation or burning. A few looked free from defect, having died for lack of water.

The king spoke. His face was white and his eyes twitched from side to side. "Once the portal closes behind you, there will be no turning back. You must find the exit to escape."

The spirits snaked around the choosen, urging them wordlessly to turn back. A woman with the braided man's features clung to him, trying to pull him back.

 

[KytttheKyttenn]

I will not fear.
Elle said silently to herself as she stepped inwards more near instantly feeling the icy coldness snake around her body.
To her she was alone, and maybe she was but she knew here and now she had no intentions of dying during this trial.
Standing there a few moments more adjusting to the darkness a shadow of a light would be seen but as it was seen a voice crept into Elle's head.
~~don't believe the light.~~
All anyone would maybe see then was Elle nodding her head at well nothing.

 

[MWalton]

Kona could not see the spirits, but he sensed his grandmother's presence. She had been lost when he was still a small child and he missed still. He could almost fell her pulling him away from the portal. He glanced at the red headed woman. Could she see her?

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle looked to the vague image of the woman as she projected herself. ''Good. Family are present here. This bodes well. Family do what they can to be helpful.'' she said, smiling at the woman's image as the woman tried in vain to grip the man...possibly her son or grandson?...and push him away from the interior of the labyrinth, toward the portal. ''No, Madame, sorry, he's intent on joining us. Will you help us?''

The woman looked surprised that Avrielle could see her and then, hesitantly she spoke to Avrielle's mind, ''There's danger. Deadly danger. Please, all of you should not be here.''

Avrielle nodded, ''We shouldn't.'' she agreed. ''But we are here and we must continue, Madame. Will you make sure we are not surprised by any malevolent creatures?''

The woman shook her head, ''I can try But, sometimes I cannot manifest so easily. I'm surprised you can even hear me.''

Avrielle hoped her mother would join them too as she had when she and her brother had nearly starved to death two winters ago, and the time he was almost mauled by a bear, and the time she'd nearly drowned...But, as if the thought was as easy to read from her as a word on a page the transparent form before her shook her head, ''Noo, I saw a woman like you in many ways and she comes and goes. She isn't here right now because she now divides herself between two loved ones in need. There is another...''

''My brother?''

''Yes. Yes, she is with him now. I don't know when she'll return. She doesn't announce much to the rest of us who are worrying about all of you.''

Avrielle nodded, biting her lip and trying not to think of why her mother might have felt Kieric needed her at this moment. ''Thank you.'' she said simply. The image of the woman wavered and she said softly, ''I grow weak. I will return later. I am always watching. Please tell him I watch, always.''

Avrielle nodded as the image faded away and she said to the man who stared down at her in bewilderment, ''Your grandmother is here. She is not a very strong spirit, energy-wise, but she is very concerned for our safety. She's always watching even when she can't be strong enough to help in the physical world.

 

[MWalton]

Kona's eyes grew bigger. She was a spirit walker to be sure. Such ones were rare amongst the tribes. He touched his forehead and bow slightly. "Spirit walker. Please tell my grandmother that I've come to free her spirit."

The truth was that her spirit totem had been lost with her. Unless it were return to the tribe and burnt, her spirit never would be free. She would be trapped, walking this world forever. Such were called the world walkers. The gravest punishment that his tribe could offer was to refused to burn a spirit totem.

The tall, dark man frowned. "There's nothing here!" He looked around in annoyance. "This is a complete waste of time. I'm going in!" He strode forward toward the iris, almost knocking Elle over in the process. "You are all fools to listen to this... girl. There is nothing beyond this accursed life!" Rorik reached out to steady her.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle passed the message along as best she could from Kona to his grandmother. She warned, ''She fades. She's tired. Hopefully later she'll be able to talk more to me.'' she said as the other man rudely interrupted and strode for the iris and nearly toppled the little woman, Elle. Avrielle stepped forward but Rorick steadied Elle first and so she only placed a hand on both of their shoulders and looked at the entrance waiting for them as the cocky idiot strutted through...

...The nameless, shapeless spirit she'd first felt in there wrapped itself around the tall warrior and Avrielle cried out and held her head as she heard it's nearly deafening scream. It squeezed him with it's cold energy and she watched his skin change color with the temperature change. ''Let him GO!'' She called out.

The energy pulled back from him as quickly as it had attacked. It was confused. It knew she did not like the guy and it thought it had been helping her.

Avrielle shook her head, ''No. No, I don't like him very much but I don't want him dead. He's with us and we all need to stay safe. Don't attack any of us any more...no matter how much we may quibble amongst ourselves.''

Feeling shame and confusion the shapeless entity moved away from them. She sighed and took a step toward the man now on his knees taking huge, grateful gulps of air. She offered him her hand to help him up. ''No more grandstanding. It confuses the spirits.'' She said.

 

[MWalton]

The man spat on her feet. "Don't touch me witch." His voice croaked out as he stumbled to his feet and stared at Avrielle with fear. He stumbled backward and put his hand on his scimitar hilt.

"Enough!" Shouted the king gesturing to his guards. "Draw your sword and they will kill you!" The guards brandished six foot tall halberds and advanced on the tall man.

 

[KytttheKyttenn]

If not for Rorik Elle would have fallen flat on her face when pushed nearly over by the man nearly twice her size.
AS she steadied herself clearly a touch more then shaken she looked into Rorik eyes and saw something there she could not place, but whatever it was made her feel calm and less scared.
Thank you, Sir.
All the while she was hearing the talking, and commotion going on, and thinking to herself.
~~oh boy he won't last long if he keeps this up,(the one who knocked Elle over) followed by ~~why am I even here all I want is my freedom so I can see my mother one last time before she passes all these others have more on the line then even that.~~
As Elle sat and thought this another cold feeling went through her body making her shiver this time which since she was still holding onto Rorik he likely felt too.

 

[MWalton]

Rorik did not know what to make of all that was happening around him. He did not feel, see or even believe in ghosts, but it was hard to ignore the evidence that something had choked the big man. "Steady on," He said to Elle with concern. "Are you alright?"

When the king shouted he nearly jumped out of his sandles. He was starting to think having the big man along was a bad idea. He seemed more dangerous than the labyrinth, just now. Rorik quickly decided he would stab him in the back, given half a chance.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle didn't bother helping the ass to his feet after he spat at her and called her a witch. She did, hiss and walk away, but not before smearing her boot against his own before she bodily bumped his shoulder with her's and brushed past him to move forward. ''Fend for yourself if you wish.'' was all she said.

She pulled her long hair back from her face and tied it into a ponytail and added, ''Your grandmother speaks to me instead of you. It should make you wonder at your unworthiness.'' Avrielle tossed out the insult easily even though it wasn't true. She heard the ghosts because she was strange and always had been. Hearing and seeing the dead had nothing to do with how worthy one is but she decided he didn't deserve her help so she'd do what she pleased with his emotions. The spitting was dirty and insulting, even more than the witch dig and it made her anger flare up when people disrespected her for no reason. She knew she was a good person and deserved better.

With a cursory glance over her shoulder she said to the others, ''Are you following or shall I go on alone?''

 

[KytttheKyttenn]

Deep breath and soft voice.
I am coming.
Looks to Rorik.
You?