(I own all the characters and places/situations ... prolly shouldn't have posted it in FFN - anyhow -
If you are after a good, long DnD-esque adventure do read and enjoy)
Blacksand : City of Thieves
Most senses had left the poor man, onward he stumbled knowing only that he had keep moving lest he die tonight "Nearly there, nearly there, nearly there..." he chanted to himself softly as he watched his feet willing them forwards, if he stumbled now it was over, that much was certain.
The red robe and cloak of his order normally offered ample warmth but tonight, with his boots soaked trough from the snow and his numb fingers barley being able to hold the folds of it together there was little comfort to be found.
His toes had tingled for a few miles now but now he couldn't even feel them anymore and the tingling was in his ankles - he had to watch his feet to ensure they stomped the ground without twisting, not, he thought, that I'd be able to feel it.
The thought gave him little comfort but was better than none, and onward he marched.
"One foot in front of the other." came the steaming breath from his cracked lips "Nearly there, nearly.." a gust of wind came, it seemed from out of nowhere and without warning.
He fell.
His arms reaching desperately for the ground to absorb most of the impact, but in his weakened and nigh on delirious state he could not unfold them in time and slammed hard onto elbows then ribs. The snow, barley an inch thick, did nothing to cushion the fall and he could feel every rock and tree root dig into his torso and legs.
He tried to get up once, his elbows straining and shaking with the effort but no - his body was spent.
There was no escaping this fate, the winter would kill him where he lay.
And doubtful anyone would find him here at least not until spring and even then there was no guarantee.
He had failed.
Part 1 - Company
"Nice going with the meat Tulithiel." praised Des taking another rather large bite of deer.
The elf stroked his palm length black goatee and leaned back against a tree rather smugly "Can't live off berries and roots forever." he smirked "And besides - I can shoot acorns off a tree at 300 feet so ..." he shrugged and let the sentence hang feeling he had sufficiently secured his masterful reputation also began to gnaw at the meat.
The steady scraping of a sharp blade against the deer hide was the only thing to be heard over the occasional crackling of the fire as the two devoured most of the meat.
Tulithiel leaned close to Des "Doesn't speak much does she?"
"Quite in comparison to yourself." came the steady reply from the dark figure hunched over the deer hide. A dark skinned had rubbed handfuls of snow into the underside of the skin to clean it and then rolled it up tight along with the small antlers, another handful cleaned the fatty tissue and blood off her hands.
"I don't know why you bother - it's only a deer."
The young woman's dark eyes briefly met the Tulithiel's, she sighed "A good deerskin will sell for at least 8 coppers in big cities and 6 in small towns, and the antlers will make good knife handles.
Des agreed with a shrug and a nod.
Regardless of logic Tuli had to have the last word "Maybe fifty years ago." he again leaned back against the base of the large, leafless oak and brought his thick cloak about his wiry shoulders and grasped it about his neck breathing on his fingers to warm them.
Des doing likewise turned to the dark clad figure "How long till the city Tulithiel?"
"Should be another few days walk if the map is correct, we go north east for two days. Then we should reach this farmstead.." he pointed to the spot map " ... and from there we go directly north then follow the coast to Blacksand."
Des unbound his long brown hair, for a bit of extra warmth about his neck and shoulders and then huddled further into the root system of his tree "Well may as well get some sleep then - it'll be difficult enough wading through this snow without being tired on top of it."
"I'll take first watch." volunteered Tuli, Des nodded and closed his eyes.
Satisfied that the deer hide was properly wrapped the woman moved to the remainder of the uncooked meat and cut it into palm length strips, no more than three fingers wide.
Tulithiel inhaled as if to speak.
"There is still two days ration here."
Tulithiel shut his mouth and contrary to his aforementioned intention was asleep within the hour whilst the other busied herself moving some coals away from the main fire pit and salting and drying the meat.
He rolled onto his back that he may leave this world facing the heavens. The effort of that alone seemed to take hours and gnarled tree roots, unseen but certainly not unfelt barred the progression in his work. For a few moments after his fall he could almost feel warmth on this knee and elbows and concluded that he must be bleeding.
Now that he had stopped moving his bodies inner furnace seems to have faltered also and ceased to struggle to warm him, lying on his back the cold snow soaked through cloak and robe and soon he could feel the numbing dagger stabs of cold about his kidneys and all up his spine. Every pore he could still feel seemed aflame now, the cold was creeping in and slowing freezing him alive. He had heard stories about travelers telling stories of other travelers that had frozen in their sleep, they always made it sound so painless, the truth was far from it. Never could he recall ever being in so much pain.
A breath escaped the mans lips, leaving his body in a cloud of steam. Despite the stinging in his lungs he took a deep breath and expelled it forcefully. I am a red robe in the order of the Inquisition.
I will not die like this.
Not afraid.
He tried to breathe evenly, to meditate through the winters needle fanged bites. Mere moments after he had resigned the body to its fate his mind seemed miraculously calm.
If my time is up then I shall not struggle any further. And I seek no return to this world. For that is our way.
A glint of light caught his eyes before he closed them in acceptance of his fate.
He blinked once, twice. Almost certain that he had imagined it, but no - there was something there. A pale glint in the trees.
For an instant his frozen limbs again worked. Numb now but still nimble, he turned onto his side and tried to focus on what he was seeing. A slivery shimmer flashed a few steps from him and beyond that what seemed the amber glow of a campfire bouncing off the trees.
Again the light shimmered, one last time, and the silvery moon came soaring out from under the clouds soaking the entire woods in a blue light, reflecting off the snow and ice making it seem bright as day to his tired eyes
Very well Kronos. I shall serve you a while longer.
Malachi was about to ask for the strength to get there from his god but thought the better of it.
This was his trial after all.
Tulithiel woke up with not so much as a start but rather in a daze, he blinked, yawned, stretched and closed his eyes again. The woman grasped his shoulder and shook again, this time his eyes flew open and a hand shot to his bow, the other to the small dagger at his waist.
Better. she thought.
He gave her a quizzical look, she motioned for him to be still and listen.
Tulithiel's dark eyebrows rose as he too began to hear the distinct sound of footsteps, he nodded to her.
She moved to wake Des but Tulithiels hand caught hers, he mouthed the word "Bait" and she nodded.
Both silently moved to opposite sides of the fire and hid - waiting for whomever it was to emerge.
Des finally woke as a red robed figure stumbled into the light and upon seeing another person fell to his knees breathing hard and muttering his praises to the gods.
"By Melikki!" Des exclaimed jumping to his feet and covering the ground between them "Come on closer to the fire friend." he helped the man to the fire and covered him with a blanket, the other two came out of hiding and also came to inspect this new arrival
"Gods be praised - I was certain I'd die this night." came the mans voice, weak and stuttering with cold.
"Who are you? What are you doing out here by yourself?" Des pulled the mans soaked boots off and wrapped his frozen feet in a blanket, rubbing warmth into the ankles through the wool.
"I'll make some tea." the woman offered and soon the delicious scent of crushed rosehips and chamomile wafted through the camp.
She poured a cup and added a small amount of snow to cool it enough to be drinkable straight away "I'm sorry I have no honey to sweeten it with." she apologized even though the new-comer barley noticed. He drank the cup dry with only a few swallows and was offered another which he gladly accepted.
"My name is Malachi, I have been traveling for a few days now - from Thirsk in the west. I need to get to the city of Blacksand and soon, a matter of great urgency." he began to explain.
"Well, Malachi, you are in luck. We also travel to Blacksand." came Tulithiels voice from his cozy spot by the oak.
"Bless you all! That is the best news I've heard in months." he grasped Des' hands shaking them vigorously "I am free to travel with you then?"
Des looked about, none objected, he nodded to Malachi who was nigh on weeping with joy at this amazingly fortunate turn of events.
"So new friends - will you not tell me your names?" Malachi prompted.
"Oh, of course - forgive me." Des stuttered awkwardly "I am Des, ranger come from the forest in the west, this is Tulithiel, and her name is Ebony."
Malachi narrowed his eyes at the woman "From where do you hail, if I may enquire?
"The south." she replied bluntly, then added "The desert city of Zaad." to which he nodded, his suspicions seemingly quelled.
She put the cook pot with the tea remnants next to Malachi along with a few strips of meat and some berries.
"Best you eat and then sleep as much as you can - we shall be traveling on tomorrow morning." Des patted Malachi's shoulder and offered him his spot nestled in the rather large buttress roots of a nearby tree. Malachi nodded gratefully.
"Your watch Ebony?" Tulithiel enquired.
Flashing a brief smile at the elf she bowed her head in acceptance of her duty and resumed her place on a fallen log, back to a tree.
Malachi slowly chewed the venison and popped the berries between his teeth individually savoring every bite of this rather humble meal, he washed it down with more of the tea and then snuggled into the tree roots. "You keep a diary?" he asked softly.
"Yes. For many years now, it keeps my handwriting neat." Ebony replied, finishing a sentence she set aside her ink and pen, she softly blew on the pages coaxing the ink to dry quicker and then closed the black leather bound book with a barley audible, muffled thud.
"Sleep now. Tomorrow we will slow pace for your benefit but it will still be a tiring day. The tea shall ensure a deep untroubled sleep."
"Sleep, yes. I have not slept well in many weeks." with those words he closed his dark eyes and fell asleep nigh on instantly.
Ebony studied his face a while longer, young, but wise and marred with worry lines of late. And for the first time in many years she was plagued by that sinking feeling in her gut that marked fear, not just for herself but those she cared about. Drawing out an animal tooth pendant from within her fur vest she silently climbed the tree and perched on a midway branch, gaze meticulously sweeping the area over and over for any signs of anything out of the ordinary until dawn chased away the shadows.