The Beast Within
Chapter Thirty-Six – Kuarra
"Spirit Eater."
The little girl, looked no more than the age of 7, stood by the brazier near the Mulsantir gate. As they drew near, she called out Leela's curse, instead of her name. Her eyes stared straight at the former knight captain, shimmering with something that surpassed her age. Her cropped brown hairs were smudged with mud and grass. Her battered cloth, if you can call that a cloth, were more like some barely treated animal skin hung on the child's tiny frame, were battered and torn along the hems. There was certain uneasiness circled around her.
They had returned to Mulsantir for a couple of days now. After thanking Vaszil at the docks, they headed straight back to the three wychlarans. The witches expressed their sincere apologies for mistrusting and misguiding her, sending her into a mess of hate and deception. In return, to show their gratitude, Sheva Whitefeather, their leader, promised them a fair treatment from then on, and had ordered everyone within the city to do the same.
They spend the next day resting and restocking their supply in the city, while deciding where they were going to next. With the Wood Man trail now come to an end, pretty much every clue they had gathered so far were open for interpretation and investigation.
"The Vault." The druid carefully moved a cherry tomato from one side of her plate to the other, separated it from the rest. They were having their lunch in the tavern, eating and drinking away what possibly one of the few decent meals they were going to have in the next couple of months.
"I seriously doubt it was relevant." Kaelyn shook her head: "It's my personal pilgrimage. There is no need to do it in a hurry."
"I suggest we talk to someone at the Temple of Kelemvor, the one in our plane, before we head back to the Shadow Mulsantir." Safiya waved her spoon slightly: " However, I agree with Kae, we won't find anything we haven't already known."
"You don't think anyone there will know anything about that vault in the Shadow Plane?" Leela arched her eyebrow quizzically.
"They are the servants of Kelemvor, not Myrkul." The Red Wizard arched her tattooed eyebrow: "I don't think so."
"Point taken." The air genasi moved another cherry tomato across the plate: "Humph…Sunken City?"
She cast a quick side-glance at Gannayev across the table and saw him straighten up from his chair a little. She knew he had wanted to do this for a quite some time. Since that night at the garrison, they were not having any chance to talk about what happened between them. They still talked, but their topics restricted to some mild daily greetings and their quest. From the occasional glance the blue hagspawn gave her and the sometimes soundless movement of his mouth, he was very eager to talk to her about something otherwise. Yet somehow the druid could not bring herself to do just that. How could she expect someone to understand, about her mourning over her lover who had already betrayed her prior to his dead? How could she expect someone to understand, about her doubt regarding everything and everyone around her that they wouldn't disappear at the drop of the hat? How could she trust her own feelings, when the last time she did so, it ended up nearly tearing herself into pieces?
No, she didn't think it would work.
"Now that's something worth investigating." She heard Okku comment: "Didn't those gargoyles say their masters went to the Sunken City before carrying out the deed of gutting you, then placing you in my Barrow?"
"Humph…" Leela cast another sneak glance at the dreamwalker again, but quickly looked away when she noticed he was looking back at her intently: "So… where is this Sunken City again?"
"Down the south." The telthor bear god cocked his head sideway: "In the Lake Mulsantir."
"Huh?" The air genasi's brow shot up: "But it's a city?"
"Coveya Kurg'annis, also known as the Sunken City." Safiya pointed at the location on the map rolled out on the table: "was once a major Imaskari City. These days most of the ruin was submerged underwater. That's where the Slumbering Coven is."
"In the water?" The druid frowned: "The last time I checked, the hags don't know how to swim."
"My sweet, there are still plenty of ruins above the water." Gannayev couldn't help himself but chuckled: "Perhaps they are somewhere around there, yes?"
Leela glared at the blue hagspawn half-sternly for a few second before opening her mouth again: "I suppose…humph, we will go to the Sunken City next."
"We should leave at dawn." Safiya finished the house red wine in her goblet and gingerly placed it back to the table: "From what I was told, it will be wise to arrive there during the day and wait for the night."
"Why?" The air genasi was curious.
"You will see." The Red Wizard pushed herself away from the table and excused herself from the room.
They spent the remaining day getting ready, stuffing everything to the enchanted rucksacks Safiya had purchased from the cleric in the market. The fine embroidered bags were exquisite. They were made by the Red Wizards of Thay and had several protective spells cast upon them. It could contain a whole room's weapons and potions without bursting. They also visited the priest in the temple of Kelemvor. But just like the Red Wizard had predicted, the priest merely told them what they had already known. When the sun once again climbed up along the treeline and soaked everything in golden light, they departed the Rashemen city at once. Just as they were about to head through the door, a strange looking girl stepped in front of them, with the oddest addressing Leela had ever heard in her life.
"What…my memory must have failed me, do I know you?" The air genasi could not believe what she had heard. She looked at the girl skeptically. Somehow the batter-clothed child did not strike her as a beggar: "What's your name?".
"My name is Kuarra. Forgive me for approaching you with such a vigor manner, Spirit Eater." The small child bowed: "But I have very little time. I believe you are searching for the knowledge of your gift."
"Huh?" The druid blinked: " My what?"
"Your gift." The girl inclined her head: "It is the power that you possess as the spirit-eater. Beings who possess the Gift are revered among the Hill tribe."
"Are you sure we are talking about the same thing?" Leela exchanged looks with her companions before turning her attention back to the little child: "I think you meant my curse. "
A hint of devilish anger suddenly flicked through her small face, made the features totally scrunched up and resembled something from the other Plane. For a moment, she did not look like a child at all. But that was only a brief moment, the girl's face soon returned to her usual otherworldly appearance again. The air genasi frowned slightly, unsure if she just saw what she thought she saw.
"Arh, you must had spoken to the Witches, have you?" The child snorted: "Pfft, of course they would have you to believe that, wouldn't they? They seek to control you like they have done with other spirit-eaters in the past, by either manipulating them or hunting them."
"You don't' sound like you are in the best term with the hathran, don' you?" Gannayev mused, rested one hand under his chin.
"No, sir." The girl shook her head: "Long have the Witches that rule Mulsantir hunted the Hill Tribe. If they caught me here, I would share the fate of my parents and so many others of my people."
"Hill Tribe?" Said Saifya and Okku in unison, whose eyebrows both nearly shot to the sky above them.
"Hill...what?" The druid was bewildered. It was indeed something she had never heard of. But judging by the reaction of her companions, she wasn't the only one.
"The Hill Tribe." Nodded Kuarra sternly.
"Right... So… you risk your life to speak to me?" Leela could not believe her ears.
"Aye," The little child gave the air genasi another bow: "I was sent by my grandsire, Headman Ujuk. He wishes to share with you the knowledge of your gift. Knowledge that the Witches of Mulsantir do not wish you to possess. I cannot tell you more, but my tribe greatly wishes to meet you, spirit-eater. Would you come to visit the Hill Tribe?"
The druid frowned: "Where is it?"
"You will find the Hill Tribe in the Wells of Lurue." Certain excitement beamed out of the little girl's face. She seemed couldn't help herself but hopping, while her hands were in tight fists: "Normally we stay well hidden, but I will keep watch for your coming, spirit-eater."
And with that, she ran off, quickly disappearing in the morning mist through the gate.
"What do you think?" Her glare still fixed at the gate, Safiya asked Leela skeptically:
"I don't know…" With one brow arched up, the air genasi was uncertain: "The whole thing…seemed a little bizarre…"
"Well, it's no harm in investigating." Kaelyn chew the bottom of her lips: "The Wells aren't very far from the Sunken City. We can check it out on our way there."
"I concurred." Grunted Okku: "Somehow that place sounds utterly familiar, yet in my entire life, as a mortal or spirit, I had never heard of such a tribe, perhaps we should check it out."
The druid glanced toward the remaining member, who gave her a non-committal shrug. Hidden thoughts and refrained emotions remained dancing behind his velvet eyes. However, he seemed masking them quite well.
"Do what you must do," Gannayev tilted his head and smirked: "or what you feel right."
Leela fingered the hilt of her sword absently as she weighed her options: "Right… I suppose we can go check it out. Though I seriously doubt they will give us anything new."
They passed through the huge gate and headed south. For the remaining day, and the morning that followed, they traveled past the Barrow, crossing rough terrains along the banks of River Mulsantir, rested only when fatigue and physical hunger took them. They encountered very little spirits, monster or otherwise, besides occasional farms and traveling merchants.
Strangely enough, they never encountered the Kuarra girl again on the road either.
"How fast could a little girl travel?" Kaelyn wondered out loud, as the group took a brief rest next to a small spring at the edge of a small forest.
"Gods know." Gannayev whistled: " But for a child, she certainly travel impressively fast!"
"Something to do with this strange Hill Tribe she mentioned, no doubt." Okku remarked.
"I sensed no magic ability on that girl." Said The Red Wizard of Thay as she filled up her waterskin: "Yet… she is a very odd child indeed."
"Humph…" Leela spat out the grass she's been chewing for a while and checked the map again: "She said she will wait for us there. Let's see, aye?"
They pressed on for another hour or so. Soon they arrived at a set of small valleys surrounded by high rock cliffs. There were small passageways and gorges connected to each of them. In some way, they did resemble the wells to certain degree.
Okku suddenly came to a halt as they approached the farmstead in the distance.
"What is it, Okku?" The air genasi arched her eyebrows quizzically.
"Wait…I…" The great bear spirit looked around and slightly bewildered: "I know…I know this place."
"Truly?" The druid looked around consciously. She noticed Gannayev stopped, too. His facial expression also became confused and anxious.
"Yes… I remember a pool... a gathering of beasts... water rushing from above..." The Telthor God frowned, deep within the distance memory: "The moisture on the air... it carries the scent of my clan. And their voices, too. They are neari, Leela, can…can you hear them?"
Leela tilted her head and listened for a while. Other then the gentle afternoon breeze and the sound of waters, she heard nothing.
"I'm afraid I hear nothing, Okku." She shook her head.
"I heard it, too." Gannayev came to the bear god's side and pat his hide.
"You…you do, too?" The telthor spirit's eyes suddenly became misty: "Do...do they live? I hear pain in their cries… and rage."
"They are…lost," The blue hagspawn hung his head: "they are the cries of those confused, the lost—the mad. We need to be careful, Old King Bear. I fear you might be in danger here."
"Did you hear that, little one?" A hint of joy burst through Okku's eyes: "They are here! My kin are here! Hiding among the rocks, perhaps. But why…"
"Okku, listen. Listen to me." The druid tilted the bear's chin up until their eyes met: "We will find them, alright? There is no need to despair. You are a Telthor god. Nothing can hide away from you. Nothing, yes?"
"Yes, Okku." Safiya's ebony hand also patted the spirit leader's fur: "We will find them. And we will seek the answers. We will help you."
"Yes…yes, of course." The bear god scanned around and looked at his companions determined faces, his rigid body seemed to relax slightly. He cast them an appreciated look: "You…your eyes are sharp, and my nose is keen. They…they won't elude us. Though…their voices are a little bit hard to catch…"
Gannayev chuckled and patted the Telthor bear god once again: "Shall we get in first, aye? Come on, you won't find anything by just standing here."
"Humph…" Commented Kaelyn the Dove: "Perhaps we can ask the farmstead about this area before we continue on?"
They approached the farmstead. Like any farmstead they had came across on the way, this one had put up certain defenses around the house. Sharp and large wood pins fenced around the compound. Leela could see there were a few hidden traps by the stream. There was a large blasting brazier by the half opened gate.
A middle aged man, presumably the farmer, stood just behind the gate. He stared at the vegetable patch with a certain wild and worried look on his face. Completely oblivious about his visitor, it took Leela several calls to jerk him back to the reality. He quickly assembled a friendly facial expression, ready to greet his visitor.
As soon as he saw who were in front of him, however, the smile just flew upon his weathered face disappeared.
"YOU!" He pointed at Gannayev, who seemed rather started at the farmer's rage reaction: "How dare you have the guts to return to this place? Have you come to spit on my generosity again, spawn of hags? I was a fool, ignoring the others that warned me, offering you my roof and welcome words the last time. I should have leaved you outside! Who cares about a hungry hagspawn, if all they care is sneak into my sweet daughter's dream and…did gods knows what to her!"
"WHAT?" The blue hagspawn's brows shot up, so was Leela's.