She jabbed the wooden poker into the fire before her. A few sparks flew into the darkness, the fire briefly flared, quickly falling back to its lazy crackle. She leaned forward, grabbing a hastily cut log, tossing it on the fire.
Her eyes glanced up under her ridge, taking in the view of man who sat across from her, legs crossed. The sigh of a mule sounded from behind her, the light noise of hooves slightly adjusting themselves on the ground, shifting itself closer to the warm fire. She returned to her previous position, removing the poker and quelling the flame that lingered on its end.
A breeze picked up, moving the flames a bit higher in response. She glanced around the crumbling structure, taking in the minor details of decay. The roof had collapsed long ago, leaving the staggered remains of broken walls jetting into the black night. Vines and moss had overgrown most of the stone, sometimes hanging low in the partial archways which ran along the perimeter. A place of significance, no doubt, but to what exactly had been lost to time.
Her fireside companion plucked at the strange instrument propped over his bent knee. The delicate notes adding an odd sense of frivolity to the air, ceasing the dead silence that fell between them. Kale was a merchant who heralded from a place that he preferred not to speak of. "Cursed to forever wander", as he said. He adorned an odd set of red clothing; a fur cap which did an excellent job of covering most of his face. The rest of his outfit, frayed at the edges, but still portraying an aura of warmth to them.
She tugged at her patched tunic, chattering a bit as the breeze picked up for one last time before dissipating. Her eyes glanced to the yellow reflection on the ocean in the distance. She had made it, albeit barely. The cursed glimmer of gold in her eyes had doomed her to this course, a fate she did not seek nor want in the least.
She glanced back at the merchant, busily strumming along on his instrument. He had been in this very spot when she had stumbled upon him, soaked, bruised…barely able to keep each foot in front of the other. Kale had been kind, offering her some scraps of dry clothing and food, allowing her a place at the fire until she could regain her strength. It had been some time since that first moment; a few days, weeks? She was unsure, time moved at an odd pace on this forsaken land of the Gods.
There were nine others that came with her. Nine corpses lined the shore in the distance. Nine shallow graves, dug by her own hands, native flora strewn atop the mounds. Her eyes squeezed shut, the moisture dampening the layer of dirt caked on her face.
"What an absolute fucking nightmare."
Off key notes erupted; Kale looked up from under his hate with a questioning eye. The woman before him looked like an absolute wreck, her face expressionless, staring blankly into the fire. He shrugged, returning to his ministrations. It was not uncommon for these Tarnished to look worse for wear. He had taken pity on her when she first stumbled onto his camp. She didn't seem of an ill-sort, and besides, he had gathered quite a collection of not-so-worthy items from the others who would frequent his shop. Something flashed in the distance, and he slowly laid his instrument down, keenly following the motions of the approaching figure.
An audible shriek stumbled out of her mouth as a large bag crashed to the ground next to her. A black, gloved hand clasped the straps, and she slowly followed it up the mysterious stranger next to her. Long, greasy hair slipped out of a leather tie, covering some of their face. Cloth covered their mouth, hiding their expression; however, the glistening gold of grace betrayed the stranger's purpose. Their eyes met for a brief moment, before his returned to the other side of the fire.
"Are you open for trade?" A deep voice bellowed from beneath the mask. Lea scowled; she did not welcome the intrusion on her silent reflection of her piteous misfortune. A smell that could best be described as "musty decay" assaulted her nostrils. She turned her head to the side, becoming even more irritated.
"Why, yes, I am of a nomadic people, selling wares as I travel. It's only Tarnished like yourself who keep things from drying up entirely. Let's say you're a very welcome customer."
Lea rolled her eyes; she had heard this speech of Kale's one too many times. The stranger opened the bag and began shuffling its contents around. The decayed stench became even stronger, causing her to rise to her feet and move towards one of the crumbling walls, propping herself against it in a casual lean. Her eyes fell back to the open bag; bits of animal bone and broken daggers laid scattered before Kale, his eyes gleaming with excitement. She shook her head.
He's a hoarder.
After the exchange, the bandit collected his remaining items, placing them back into the 'Bag of Endless Stink' and tossing it over his shoulder. He reached out, running a gloved had along the sharp edges of the shattered grace before him. Lea watched the familiar burst of gold enshroud his body, his eyes fluttering in brief ecstacy. He focused on her; their gazes interlocked for but a few moments. Neither cared enough to inquire with the other, and he quickly turned, exiting towards the entrance of the crumbling structure.