Civilized Jungle
Talim froze at the sudden break of sun light that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
The way she had taken from the heart of the forest turned out to be the right way, or at least so said the Goddess and the shard... the frightening part had been that the darkness was thick enough to nearly touch.
For most of the night Talim had struggled through thick rather dangerous grounds, blind to everything but too scared to stop. It was a stupid fear, or so she felt, but it was strong enough to keep her going straight through the night.
However, now, she burst through the last of the vines that barricaded her into the forest and froze, feeling her pupils shrink so forcefully that it hurt.
The light that exploded across her face was warm and light, glittering along with the dew that covered the road and the grasses waving along on the sides of it.
It was a simple dirt road, however, as she looked on she saw to her surprise a huge wall that seemed to cut it off, with gates made of metal.
Across the top walked warriors wearing full armour and carrying bows and arrows, along with katana blades strapped to their waists.
Grunting slightly, she shoved through the greenery onto the road, her muscles still complaining at the movement.
She blinked up at the warriors, rather amused by the fact that they hadn't realized she was right there, standing on the middle of the road... She truly hoped these weren't the watchers that the city or village seemed to depend on...
The thought had hardly formed when she saw beyond the gate, and much higher up buildings towering high, made of stone and wood, reaching towards the sky.
The bell in the distance began to ring, the flag on the pole above it swinging with the first breeze.
Talim let out a sigh of surprise, having never seen a place the size of this city.
There were temples and houses made not of wood like at home but of heavy stone and thatched with twigs and wood. And far far back, as if it were the backdrop to the enough scene stood what looked like a castle, it's gates made of a dark color, the tips sharp, she could tell even from a distance that climbing that gate would mean death...
"Oh..." she sighed, her voice tiny.
That was enough to make the walking warrior closest to her turn sharply, his bow and arrow aimed at her in the time it took her to look in his direction, blinking in mild surprise.
"Who are you stranger and what is your buisness!" he shouted, one eye closed as he held the bow up, aiming with care.
Talim frowned, but lifted her hands up slowly, away from the glittering dangling blades at her waist.
The other men on the wall ran towards her side of the wall, looking on at her with laughter.
"Give it up, she's just a girl, and a young one at that, you're paranoid." the soldiers laughed, waving their hands with nervous laughter.
The other warrior however did not lower the bow, his eyes flickering to his comrades with anger.
"Do you not remember the last woman with a weapon that came through here? The assasination on Lord Surkoi was almost completed. I'm not getting blamed for the death of a noble." He snapped.
Talim blinked a bit, surprised by the information he was giving. A woman had tried to assinate the lord of the city? She cocked her head. That was strange... what could one gain from that?
"Um...excuse me?" Talim began.
The focus turned sharply towards her, making her jump slightly with the intensity of all the stares, most of which had once more turned to suspicious glares.
"I... don't even know where I am." she admitted, holding her hands up higher, away from the blades.
The soldiers blinked down at her thoughtfully.
"Why is it you carry blades?" the one holding the arrow snapped, still not letting it drop. Young she might be, that didn't mean she could be some sort of sorceress like the other assasin.
"Uh... I'm aPriestess... My people tought me how to use it for...my defense." she said, wondering why that felt a little like a lie.
The soldier blinked and lowered the bow suddenly, earning himself confused stares by the other men.
"What are you doing?" one asked, the snap obvious.
"I know of the wind dancers... She's a bit young to be one travelling alone, but the blades do look of their kind." he stated, putting the arrow back in place.
"Are you planning on entering, Priestess?' He asked, leaning idly on the wall. She blinked steadily at him, wondering briefly if she did indeed plan to enter.
"I suppose so... I haven't been in a city befo-" she started, then decided. "I haven't been in a city lately..."
"All right then. Open the gate!" The soldier shouted, waving a hand at someone down on the other side.
The metal gate began to open slowly, allowing her passage. Talim cautiously made her way inside, nodding her thanks at the soldier, before turning to inspect the new enviroment she had suddenly found herself in.
As she walked away, the soldier smirked. "Cute thing, isn't she?"
His comrades grumbled to themselves about sweet talking and treachery and went back to their buisiness in silence.
The way people moved around the city was hurried and matter of fact, making her side step out of the way several times as old ladies and children ran or walked around her, grumbling at her dreamer's steps.
She started for the fourth time in the last ten minutes as a child shoved her from behind.
"Away, away!" was the only answer the child gave as she ran away, chased by older kids.
Talim cocked an eyebrow slightly, wondering where manners went once she entered the city.
Sighing, she started towards what she figured was the center of the great place, walking on the cobble stone streets, looking around in well hidden awe at the great buildings.
She actually dared to enter one or two of them to inspect them from inside, finding to her shock that they were as impressive and sophisticated within as they were outside, making her hurt her neck slightly as she looked up towards the great designs upon the roof.
Whoever thought to put art up on a ceiling wasn't thinking for the pleasure of the viewer...She thought grumpily, rubbing her neck as she walked out of the temple.
Soon, she found herself at what looked like a market. People had set up stalls and cloths on the ground, blocking the way of carts and the street was crowded and loud with merchants yelling out their deals, women talking loudly, musicians playing for money, children laughing, dogs barking...
Talim wrinkled her nose at the scene, her brows furrowed with distaste. Roughly, she felt someone grab her blades and spun around sharply, automatically bringing her elbow up with a cryto connect with their neck.
To her surprise she found her arm pulled sharply backwards, throwing her off balance and into a perfect position for choking, however she wasn't going down that easy.
With agrunt she entwined her leg with the attacker's and pulled, sending whomever it was downwards. She spun around sharply, her blades up and at the ready only to find herself looking down at a laughing Killik, sprawled on the ground with little kids running around him laughing and dogs yapping in their direction.
"I probably could accuse you of being paranoid right about now..." he said, shoving himself up.
Talim lowered her blades, frowning slightly. "Well, it's not exactly polite for you to grab someone else's weapons without even telling them you're there." she sniffed, strapping her blades back onto her belt.
Killik smirked. "Then again, running off isn't all too polite either."
The priestess blinked and found herself smiling weakly. "Sorry about that..."
"Uh huh." he said, dusting himself off. She shrugged sheepishly, dodging running kids anda man rolling a cart dangerously towards her, grumbling about brutality.
Another quiet laugh drew her attention back to the young man before her. "You haven't been in a city before have you." he more stated than asked.
She frowned at him slightly. "Well...actually-"
"I'll take that as a no." he interuptted, taking her arm and pulling her out of the way sharply of a pair of passing horses.
She sighed. "Why is it so bloody crowded." she grumbled, glaring at them.
He smirked. "It's called a city, the general definition is small, grand and yet oh so crowded."
Seeing her huff slightly, he smirked and tugged at her sleeve. "Come on, there are quieter areas." he said.
(A/N: Just thought I'd inform you guys reading that for some bloody reason my computer decided to close the window on me when I was continuing this update on the net and it took with it four pages worth of my writing...((is really really really ticked off)) Therefore I will have to rewrite four pages of interaction between the two characters. If i know my writing at all i can tell you this is going to suck, because I simply do not know how to rewrite something, so... forgive this bit of junk i have to post. I'll try my best.)
Killik turned away and began to walk, as if leading her to said places. Talim blinked after him, unsure of whether or not to follow. She had been tought long ago to trust everyone with a wary sort of distance until they proved themselves...
Sighing, however, she followed. As she took her first couple steps she felt a pulse at her pocket, where the shard was currently residing.
Blinking rapidly she reached down and took it in her hand, feeling it pulse again, vibrating with dangerous energy...
She froze, frowning slightly in confusion.
Killik stopped and looked over his shoulder at her, confused. "What's the problem? It looks as though you've seen a ghost-" his voice died sharply and he looked down, slipping his hand into his pocket as well.
The young Priestess winced, knowing well that a shard lay dormant there. He stood silently before her for a moment, then he said a tone much more serious than before.
"Ah. You just realized I have a shard..." He said slowly, his voice going soft and quiet.
Talim did not move, but looked on at him in silence, waiting for him to do something. She remembered the last time she had come across another shard..."Go ahead and kill me then..." Yung Seung's voice rang dully in her head.
"I don't want your shard, if that's what you're worried about. Is it that you want mine?' Killik asked, cutting sharply into her thoughts.
She blinked at him, surprised. Considering her last encounter she had figured he would want to take it the way Yung Seung had...
Well... to each his own, I suppose.
"No, I don't want your shard... It's just, I had an encounter with someone else looking for them. It did not end well." she muttered sullenly.
Killik nodded, rubbing his face. "Ah, yes. I know what you mean." he nodded slowly.
"So... we're okay then?" he asked, noting her lack of movement still. The shard had seized to pulse at her side and now lay like a very vibriant annoying piece of metal in her hand... She stared down at it with dislike and nodded.
"Yes, we're okay." she finally allowed, looking back up at him and finding him studying her thoughtfully.
"Do you even know what it is you're looking for, little one?" he enquired, turning to walk again, this time not ahead of her, but beside her, down a long street, not as full as before, but filled with life no less.
She frowned slightly. "I don't understand what you mean...' she replied, then added. "Don't call me little one."
He smirked and nodded. "All right. Well... you have a shard, but of what? I'm just wondering how much you know of this thing." he added.
Talim shrugged slightly. "All I know is that I am to find the source of it and fix what is wrong." she replied, frowning at him. "I follow the path it shows me..." she closed her mouth before she mentioned anything of her Goddess, determined to keep her out of it.
Killik nodded slowly. "How long have you been traveling, on this quest anyway?"
"About a month now." Talim replied and stopped beside him as they came to a large tall building made of marble and gray stone.
"This is the inn I'm staying in." he said, opening the door for her. "I know the manager here... Icould probably get you a room if you like.' he added. Talim blinked mildly and slipped insider, looking around at all the glamour with slight dislike. She didn't fit in here at all. All the women wore graceful flowing gowns of silks and kimonos made of expensive cloths.
However, she found herself saying. "That would be great, thank you."
Killik nodded and said. "Wait here, I'll go find him... Oh and, try not to kill anything." he added with one of his playful smiles. Talim cocked an eyebrow at him, unable to resist a small smirk as he left.
"...right." she mumbled, sitting slowly on a nearby bench.
People glanced at her as they walked in and out.They all seemed to wear expensive looking clothing, their personal space smelling strongly of perfumes, over all the room smelled like a toxic cave, all the different smells were making her head spin.
She watched them from her corner, glancing right back at those that looked at her, as if daring them to keep it up.
The foyer in which she sat was made of some kind of marble look alike stone. The smoothness of it was rather startling. Pillars of stone and rouch granite stood all around, lifting up the spiraling staircase that reached upwards towards the skylight in the middle of the foyer.
At each level of the staircase were doors and doors which Talim presumed was were all the rooms were. She frowned thoughtfully and glanced at her a pouch tied along with her belt. She had quite a bit of gold in there that she still hadn't touched. Glancing down at herself she decided perhaps she needed some new clothes...
And Goddess knew, she needed a bath... a real soap and shampoo and warm water bath.
She caught sight of Killik walking towards her, talking to a short stout man. The man was balding already, though he looked rather young. He was wearing just as expensive clothing as everyone else, but his looked to be more uniform than glamour.
Together the two of them stopped in front of Talim, the man smiling his rosy cheeked ruddy grin. "Hello, hello. You must be Talim." he nodded, extending a hand out to her.
She hesitated for half a second before taking it, and to her surprise finding him kissing it.
She pulled back, though not rudely. "Oh... Um, yes." she managed, sensing Killik's amusement beside her. Her eyes flickered up to him in warning.
I'll deal with you later...
He blinked innocently at her quickly before saying. "Anyway, Talim this is Cornelius. He says he has a room for you already."
She smiled at Cornelius. "Thank you." she managed. He nodded feverently and said. "I must go on, Killik will show you to your room. I have some rather haughty people coming at midday, I must be off!" he cried and indeed he was off at a run.
Talim blinked after the little man, amused. "He seems like a busy little bee, doesn't he?" Killik smirked.
The Priestess nodded slowly. "Very busy."
"Come on, I'll show you to your room." he muttered, turning towards the stairs.
They walked up quietly, avoiding all contact with the nobility that seemed to be swarming about in large clusters.
Talim looked out a nearby window and gasped at the sheer size of the city... she had by some unknow luck walked right around it during the night. Killik stopped beside her and looked out as well, amused by her wide naive eyes.
"It's so big..." she murmured, staring out at all the continous rooftops and the never ending sound of people below. The trees far out waved as if saddened by the rocky sight of the city.
"Yes it is. That is because this is the city which hosts Hwangseo Palace." he explained, pointing at the huge building that Talim had seen before with the deadly gates.
She stared at it thoughtfully, cocking her head.
"And what lies there?" she asked honestly, turning to look at him. He stared. "You've never heard of Hwangseo?" he stuttered, eyes wide.
The Priestess felt color rise to her cheeks at the thought that she might have sounded very much like a child, but she only glared at him. "Would I be asking otherwise?"
"No, don't take it that way... It's just... I'm surprised, it's Hwangseo and you're a warrior- it's just-"
"I'm not a warrior." Talim snapped sharply, though she didn't mean to. Killik blinked in surprise... as did she.
She put a hand over her mouth slightly, as if wondering from where those words had come out of.
"Well... I saw you handling those blades pretty well twice already." he pointed out, deciding to ignore her snapping.
She stared at him a moment, trying to compose herself, before finally saying. 'I am a Wind Priestess. I protect my people, I am not a warrior..." she said it so quietly and so tiredly that though Killik was bursting with questions he said.
"Perhaps you should rest..."
Talim covered her face with her hands for a moment, thinking, trying to figure out why she had reacted so sharply at a simple statement such as being called a warrior. She nodded with her hands still up.
"All right..."
"Come." Killik said, taking her by the elbow and leading her up another flight of stairs.
Talim let him lead her along, finally feeling the fatigue washing over her from the night before.
"When was the last time you slept?" Killik asked, glancing over at her before stopping at a door.
Talim frowned at the ground, thinking about it hard. "Um..." she murmured.
He shoved a key into the door and glanced at her again. "All right, the simple fact that you're thinking about it is enough to tell me it's been too long.' he stated, giving her a look.
The girl blinked at him innocently a moment before being dragged into the room.
He closed the door and turned to look back at her, but she was busy staring about.
The room wasn't huge, but it was bigger than she had expected. There was a large window at the far wall. The walls were a soft cream color and the floor was white marble, covered near her bed with a thick rug-like thing that looked as though it came from Persia.
The bed was bigger than she had expected as well, covered with heavy comfortable looking blankets and enough pillows to drown under, the color of all the material matching a cream shade.
She blinked and said rather quietly. "I really want to sleep."
Killik laughed and tossed the key down on a nearby table. "Glad to hear it." he walked over to the window and pulled the light blinds across it, covering the room with a light shadow.
"I was just wondering, you know... if you don't know of Hawngseo... why are you here?' he asked, blinking.
Talim sat at the edge of the bed and blinked at him for a long moment. "Well.. it led me here." she said calmly, taking her blades off her belt.
"I see." was his quiet reply, then he added. "All right... I'll be back later, I guess..." he shrugged.
Talim nodded, pulling her necklace over her head before asking. "What other thing would bring me to Hawngseo, Killik?"
He stopped at the door and laughed. "I still can't believe you haven't heard ot it. This is where all warriors wish one day to fight. There are tournaments held for the Phoenix court and it so happens that today is the first day of the festival, which means warriors from all over are coming to register to fight here." he said.
Talim blinked mildly and then said. "Oh i see..."
"You win a lot of money if you make it far enough." he added, cocking his head at her. "Why don't you try signing up for it... so long as you pass the first test you'll be allowed... Despite any age issues' he said slyly.
The priestess blinked sleepily,too tired to catch that direct jab. "I'll think about it." She mumbledbefore laying down.
Killik smirked and closed the door, shaking his head slightly. She was an odd one indeed.
Well there is the next update, hope you all liked it. I know that the timeline between her going to Hawngseo is a bit off, but that's okay, I never claimed to stick to the game timeline completely, that's very near impossible...
Anywho, please R&R it's what keeps me going.
Sacharja: Lol. What i kinda do is stick to one story for about a week and then I kinda ignore it for a week and concentrate on another one. (At least for fanfics anyway.) And no worries about any misunderstandings, to each their own. ((shrugs)). Thanks for the Raphael info, even though he's not coming in till much later, this is good info to have. before I bring in him i promise to do some good researching on it. Veronica the Mischevious prolly would like that too, lol.
As for the meetings with characters. That's a good point... I guess I have made them rather casual.. sort off... (goes to look up casual to see if it has anything about nearly killing people) However, I made an attempt atchanging that today, I'll prolly shove Yungsung in there next chapter too, and I mentioned also another woman warrior attempting an assination, soooo, that makes almost four, with a tad more background to each one.
And last but not least, the plot. ((looks sheepish)) Did i ever mention that I have absolutely no plot at the moment... ? lol, i usually work with the more vague plot possible, right now I have a lack of one. In my head the whole thing is. "Get Talim to find the soul age and deafeat it. Make it interesting along the way." and so, that's what I'm working on.
Keep sending in the advice, it helps mold my next chapter!
the. WINDcharmer: Thanks for the review, and it's realistic! ((grins happily)) thanks, I'm glad you like, keep reviewing will ya?
FireTeam Torch: Hmm... is it really the first one? Wow... that's great, at least I'm doing something a tad more original. Thanks. Lol, I'm gonna at a bit of naive stuff in there and some innocense here and there though, cuz she is in fact the youngest of them all, however that does not make her any weaker, if anything it might make her stronger, so, i'll keep at making sure she's a realistic character, not an innocent little child taking on more than she can handle...