From Beyond

It was the third day. He gathered, the moon had passed the hole in the ceiling three times now, and hunger made itself known once more. The rations.. where had he dropped them? He wondered quietly to himself. His pack..he could have left it anywhere when they'd scoured these ruins for artifacts, perhaps he set the pack aside when he'd found.. yes, yes that was most likely it, he gathered. His pack was just beside the crack in the wall that he'd forced himself through to get -here-.

The chamber beyond led into another room, and that was where he'd gone through the floor, down here, into this dungeon. The result of the ruins nearly falling apart from when the ground shook.. he still didn't know why, earthquakes where practically unknown out here. Perhaps.. perhaps the whole damn keep had fallen apart, and the rest of the team where dead? That was why no one had found him yet.

He buried his face in his hands. Why him, why now. His first damn sortie beyond the wall, and this was how it'd end, not in battle, not saving people.. no, he'd starve to death, alone, in a hole. They where on a month-long expedition, there would be at least three weeks before someone realized they where missing, another three before they'd -maybe- send someone off to see what had happened to them.

I told you, I can get you out of here. The voice was female, distinct and with an casual arrogance to it.

He just stared towards the corner, and then he covered his eyes. His pointed ears "Shut up, I've told you NO already! No!"

It's what we both want my dear. A way out of here,what do you have to loose my boy, your life? The voice laughed and it was like hearing water rushing down a creek during winter, pure, soft.. and frighteningly cold.

There's so many things still for us to do out there. Do you truly want to die, just because you fear something you don't know.. you will take the known death before the unknown fight?Very well then. We'll continue this conversation later.

His response was silence, rocking back and forth, covering his didn't know how much time had passed, nor how much longer he could hold out, he stared up at the ceiling, his stomach had stopped growling.. he figured that was not a good sign at all. It just.. didn't have anything left to work with.

His green eyes sought their way towards the corner. He saw something shimmer in the darkness there, and he shivered. Averting his gaze.

You think me ugly? She asked with an amused tone.
"What you are, yes." He barely recognized his voice It was the first time he spoke, and his parched throat made him sound part Kenku.

That hurts, my boy, Truly. Again that cold laugh. Do you not have anyone waiting for you, back home? I have no reason to harm th..

"They are better off without me!"He crowed, and the voice fell silent. For a while at least, and he could only murmur. "One less mouth to feed."

Fine then. The voice seemed, petulant, with an tone dripping of dismissal, as if she'd given up on him. Perhaps the one who finds your corpse will be more receptable to reason.

More time passed, he saw the sun, passing once.. or was it twice? He'd passed out more than once, he realized.. And when he woke yet another time, face down on that dusty floor, he was again staring straight towards the shimmering.

We both have purpose beyond this room, boy. The voice was calm now, alluring in its own cold way, like ice on a hot day. He moved before he thought he did. Half crawling like a child the first few feet.

Someone would come looking for him, she was right, perhaps someone with less scruples, someone more foolish than him. Easily duped.. perhaps.. perhaps he himself could control the situation. His parents, they would understand it, would know what to do. Yes, he -should- be the one to do this.

It felt like forever, and she remained silent, but the shimmer grew steadier, and he rose to his feet, stappled towards the darkened corner, just as the moon shone in above his shoulder, and he saw her for the first time.

Despite the room around her, she was beautiful, lying bare in the moonlight as she was. A sword. Three feet and then some of cold silvery steel, however the fuller almost looked like obsidian glass, and.. as he looked closer he realized he could almost make out the ground beneath it, behind the swirling icy stars that seemed to dance within the center of the blade.

He bit his lip, the curves of her hilt where unnaturally inviting, The stone on its pommel made from the same material as the fuller and it was smooth like velvet against his hand.

He realized he had touched it moments after that, when he had lifted her from the ground, and the faintest hum reached his ears. No, not his ears, his mind.

What is your name, boy?

"Talyrien." He murmured.

Well, Talyrien. Will you take me from here? Take me where I need to go, in exchange for setting you free."

"

Yes" His voice barely more than a whisper.

Good. She replied.. and he was standing by that crack in the wall once more, his arm had reached in and grabbed the sword. And he could -hear- the smile in his mind. Just as the sword dissapeared into a thin whisp

"Hey, Tal. Is there anything in there?" Shocked, he looked back. Larad, the goliath.. his squad captain was just behind him, he'd been to large for the hole, so sending the Half-elf Tal in to investigate had seemed like the logical solution.

"N.. No, captain, I think.." he looked inside once more, and was only met with darkness and silence, fallen debris blocking any sort of entrance.

".. Dead end."

"No need to space out like that lad, come on, we still have more rooms to cover."

He cursed, he'd been duped, fooled. It had been in his head, she'd found his weakest spot and gone for it.

Well of course I did. You where far to clever to agree to anything a talking sword had to say. If it makes you feel any better, there's only been two people who managed to hold out for longer.

"You tricked me." he hissed under his breath, the Goliath didn't seem to hear him as they walked towards the next room.

I did not, I set you free.. free from the illusion.. now I wont be making much noise, but.. well, do try to keep quiet about me for now, I need to get my bearings.. And I'm certain you will soon see that there's a beneficial arrangement for both of us in this. Should you get me to my destination

The tone was smug, but with an almost childlike joy in it as well.

I almost for got to introduce myself, I, am Myrrh, friend. And I am certain, we will have an adventure together.