Black Seeds, Black Hearts - Part 1

[Clover]

[Note: Since this is mostly private RP, we've taken some liberties for the sake of telling a story. Also, by the time we're writing this, not much is known about Othard. I apologize for any inconsistency that might occur if Othard's lore is released in the future!]

[K'nahli]

[snowstorm detail omitted due to uncertainties regarding Othard weather. Now it's just a normal one! ww]

[i sincerely apologise to anyone with the patience to read any of this for my terrible writing skills (_ _) ;;;;]

 

With each step he took through the thinning woodland, he could feel his body growing increasingly heavier and vulnerable to the storm's battering winds. His rasping breath was caught amidst a senseless battle between the survivalist within him that desperately sought to gasp for the ever-fading lifeline of air, and the honour-bound traditionalist holding tightly to the self-imposed façade of stoicism. Never, after all, was an audience necessary to hold true to one's dignity; such was the stubborn way of a Tumetan warrior, such was the way of Nhogai - even now, as the looming shadow of death crept ever closer in on him, much as a hunter would it's wounded prey.

 

"Nnngh....."

 

Self-loathingly, Nhogai found himself absently glaring out into the grey swell that consumed the forest around him, grossly frustrated with himself as he was, for simply failing to stifle yet another grunt of agony; this time unprovoked, and even louder than from moments earlier when a low-grown, tree branch had grazed against the messily, wrapped wound that defiled his ashen flesh.

 

A large hand would instinctively reach down at the same time, quickly yet delicately moving to cover the telling gash that slithered around the right side of his abdominem in a futile attempt to soothe the piercing pain it gifted unto him with the lightest of touches. His eyes drew to a momentary close as a sharp, sliver of breath escaped past his trembling lips before he soon after brought his hand along with the dark film of crimson that now coated it away again a moment later.

 

Nhogai grimaced fervently as his dark eyes locked upon the inauspicious shade of red that tainted his palm. What little time his makeshift bandaging had afforded him since when he had begun making his way through the abandoned caverns had long since passed him by now, possibly even before he had made it back out on to the mountainside. The normally insulated and durable fabric he had purposely torn from his clothes had now grown weak and wholly permeable having now being completely soaked through with his own blood. In addition, the tender sensation of it's tepidity as it trickled further down across his skin only further reminded him of the freezing, mountainous wind that hammered through the fragile woodland and smashed mercilessly into the unusual fragility that had overtaken his large body.

 

 

"....eenngh..." he groaned once again, this time with a weaker, more dulled voice as his heaving lungs were sucked dry by a spontaneous flash of pain that shot through his body and saw him forced down onto one knee.

 

The tempestuous wind whistled and roared around him, carrying with it an even thicker current of obscuring mist. Like the waters on the floodplains, it swiftly flowed throughout the lower reaches of the forest and in no time at all, rose above eye-level until it impeded the Xaelan's already-darkening range of sight.

Another flash of pain saw the man agonizingly reaching down across his stomach to once again protect his wound from the elements. In spite of everything, the Xaelan's could think of nothing other than how it didn't bear imagining just how pitiful he must have appeared right now.

 

 

Shallowing breaths.

 

 

Though having successfully held off against the desire to simply crumble on the spot until now, it was for perhaps the first time in his entire life that Nhogai now found himself coming close to submitting; remaining there alone on the spot, silent and still like an obedient, little mutt. Though it was not the pain that had finally brought him to this standstill, but rather a sudden and resolve-collapsing thought which almost seemed as though it had been carried in along with the rolling winds.

 

("Why do you remain in this world?") a voiced echoed within his mind.

 

He blinks slowly, his pained expression fading and falling neutral as his mind becomes consumed by this single question.

 

("For what reason do you flee death's embrace? Is there not nothing left for you?")

 

Slowly, his eyes draw to a close as those words haunt him with the bitter reality of his own failure.

 

("There is nothing left") he resolves with a reluctant breath.

 

 

 

 

............

 

...................

 

...........................

 

.................................

 

 

 

 

(........?)

 

Though unsure of what his eyes were searching for, the warrior suddenly found his faltering gaze reaching into the darkness that lay beyond the blustering haze before him. The wind's incessant howling dominated all other sound into submission, and this otherworldly haze had completely enraptured the forest to the point that the warrior could see no more than ten fulms in front of himself - and yet, almost like a sixth sense, he was certain that there was something else was out there. Straining to push his growing sense of agony aside for a moment, Nhogai's eyes narrow with both intent and focus as his gaze set upon the dark abyss that lay directly ahead of him.

 

Only a few moments later would this mysterious presence finally draw into view from behind the swirling veil.

 

 

A wolf.

 

 

Curiously, though he would not normally dare underestimate the cunning of a pack of wolves, a short moment of eye contact between the two had immediately dispelled any such concern.

 

There was no mistaking the matter. It was alone.

 

 

Nhogai's dark stare narrowed even further, though moreso out of curiosity than apprehension. This animal... was like none he had ever seen. The dazzling purity of it's white coat was wholly unnatural - with not so much as a faint splotch of dirt earned from the mountain's rugged landscape to mar it's pristine perfection. And beyond that was it's unfaltering stare, a stare which lacked the reputable, predatory malice for which such creatures were both feared and greatly respected. 

 

From the very moment the wolf had drawn into view, Nhogai's intent focus had been fearlessly met by it's divinely, icy-blue gaze - the creature apparently unphased by the Tumetan's intensity. It was a surreal experience, one which left Nhogai speechless and in awe as he watched the creature's immaculate, snowy-white coat blend and haze restlessly against frosty mist as though it were merely a vision, a spectre conjured up by the swirling winds themselves. Were it not for the sharpness of that azure gaze that returned his curiosity with a piercing stare, Nhogai might not have even believed his eyes.

 

When the warrior finally allowed himself to blink once again, however, the wolf had already seemed to lose interest in him, it's back now turned upon the wounded curiosity as it slowly began it's silent retreat through the swirling mist.

 

"............."

 

Though having briefly found himself stunned to complete silence, it wasn't long before Nhogai was on his feet once more and, for reasons beyond his understanding, began pursuing the creature through the thickening haze - one burdened step at a time.

The true severity of the storm had become more apparent now more than ever, with his surroundings no longer appearing discernible to him. The mountainous fog had now consumed the entire forest, with the wind drawing innumerable currents throughout the air until little else could be seen other than a swirling sea of grey channelling through and between the towering silhouettes of the surrounding tree trunks.

 

The new task he had suddenly assigned himself was made none the easier for the fact.

 

Though why he was even moving again he could not say. A few moments ago it almost seemed as though he were seriously contemplating the idea of forfeiture, to merely sit and wait for death to come to him instead... but something inside was urging him to follow the mysterious creature that led on ahead - though he knew not why. Curiosity had never been a vice of his, so why now?

 

 

The wind was growing increasingly more fierce as he continued forth, so much so that even a man of his stature was finding himself reaching into the air adjacent in an attempt to shield his face from it's incessant bludgeoning and preserve what little remained of his failing vision. The wolf ahead of him just barely continued to remain within his range of sight, a thinning white silhouette slowly stepping deeper and deeper into the dark abyss that would see it consumed. No matter how much more quickly he managed to force his pace, it always seemed as though the wolf was only moving further and further away from him, little by little.

 

~

 

Several minutes must have passed by the time the wolf had completely escaped into the concealing darkness. Stubborn in his nature however, Nhogai pressed on in the same direction regardless, his eyes only panning occasionally to make sure the creature hadn't suddenly deviated from it's course, though there was little to suggest that this was the case. He needn't have even allowed that occasional, naïve glance toward forest floor either, for naturally, it was of no help, not in this weather. Tracking anything like this would be damn near impossible for even the most expert of scouts - even ones whom weren't bleeding out at the same time.

 

Cursing all rational thought, Nhogai swore beneath his breath and continued pushing forward regardless, all while ignoring the fact that what little of which remained of his strength continued to bleed dry from the deepening wound that this exertion was only worsening.

 

~

 

Unrelenting, the darkness was quickly enclosing even further upon his vision, reaching the point that he could only just barely make out what was directly ahead of him. It was a worrying sign when Nhogai was able to notice the cold. And it was cold.... very cold and only becoming colder, but still he would not relent.

 

~

 

Several more minutes had passed before Nhogai had finally reached his limit. Taking but a single step forward now demanded all his strength and will. His expression contorted with both agony and determination as the pitiful thought of stopping sought to seduce his mind once more into submission. 

 

He would not, could not stop like this.

 

With a heaving grunt, he could feel the crunching snap of rotten sticks under foot as he took one more heavy step forward.....  and then another....... and another.... and finally another - only this time there was no crunch to greet him.

In fact, there was nothing at all.

 

 

Brief was time it took for his large body to lurch forward over the unseen edge, and brief was the time he could feel the wind's unbridled ferocity as it swallowed his entire form whole for the short-lived moment he had fallen prey to the open air before all was returned to darkness.

[Clover]

There were no sounds, no lights in the black world. No reason to move, not even to breathe. Oh, but suddenly he was moving, why was he? The wolf; it ran in front of him like an impossible dream, luring him to follow through its path of nothingness. In a world devoid of anything else, the warrior just ran. And ran, and ran, and ran… And then, little by little, there were sounds, there were lights in the black world. He never got to catch the animal before his real eyes opened—though they hadn’t opened enough.

 

[…]

 

An unfamiliar roof greeted him first, followed by an equally unfamiliar Raen face.

“Ah… you’re finally awake…!” The girl of white horns and short hair said, sounding more wary than relieved despite his weakened state. She was sitting on her knees, at a certain distance from the futon he’d been lying on, and didn’t give him any time for questions before she stood up quickly. “I must call master Unzan, he wishes to speak to you!”

 

This said, the girl ran from the room like a little hurricane, leaving the well bandaged Xaela warrior alone with his confusion.

[K'nahli]

The burning light of the setting sun greeted the Xaelan's eyes mercilessly as he awoke from what felt like a long slumber. Blinded by it's dazzling brilliance at first, the warrior retreated his gaze to the darkness once more before returning a more adjusted gaze toward a most confusing sight. What he saw was anything but what he had expected to see, for neither was it the open sky that greeted him, nor was it even the inside of a tent, but rather the interior of a very particular structure. A particular structure which he had up until now been aware of, but was otherwise very unfamiliar with.

 

("A... building..?") he asked himself, perplexed.

 

Grunting lightly as he had now begun to stir, his sudden waking had quickly earned the attention of a feminine voice - something which also sounded to be very unfamiliar.

Perturbed though he had been, lethargy soaked through him like a biting poison - stinting his movement and initially rewarding any attempts with a throbbing headache. Regardless, the man forced his gaze in the direction the voice has sourced from, until finally, an even stranger sight had entered his vision.

 

An unfamiliar face...... but not only that, there was something even more unusual about this particular girl, something that, in his current state, took Nhogai a few moments to fully understand - long enough, in fact, for this girl.... this Raen girl, to exit the room.

Astonishment and skepticism both quickly washed over Nhogai in that moment. Sheer awe from the encounter bled out through his expression and prompted the warrior to hurriedly force himself upward from the futon into a sitting position - only to quickly see himself drawing to an immediate halt.

 

"...aggh..."

 

A weak and uncontainable groan escaped from the depths of his throat as weariness proved an unrivalled foe and challenged his attempts to move into submission. The man grimaced this time as he caught his breath and reached a hand down toward the ground for support. He breathed deep yet silently as his demanding gaze threw itself across the room in search of the fleeing stranger. She had said something to him... he was sure of it, though little of it had actually processed with him.

 

Though in reality only lasting a few seconds, the warrior's eternal glare searched out through the empty doorway for what felt like the longest time before it would finally be torn away once again to then turn it's attention upon the unfamiliar sight of his now, heavily bandaged body. Perplexed by the situation though he was, a dark expression akin to cynicism was all that his features revealed as he carefully applied pressure across his arms and chest over where the bandages had been wrapped, inspecting the damage that they otherwise concealed. Surprisingly, it would appear that most of the pain had subsided, even while purposely prodding at the wounds. In fact, the fading headache that he suspected merely came about from being out cold for so long seemed to be the worst of it - however long that may have been.

 

".........."

 

Residing alone in the room's silence, the Xaelan's mind quickly became swamped with questions in his idleness. His gaze reached into the abyss beyond the room surrounding him as he eagerly searched through the foggy remnants of what he felt to be his freshest memories, though to little avail.

One thing was for certain at least, though he was burdened by neither the company of restraints nor any apparent guards, he yet lacked the energy to do very much more than sit upright, something which didn't lend much toward earning him a sense of ease for what was yet to come.

 

Frustrating as it was for a man of is nature, all that he could do for now was sit and wait for the answers to come to him.

[Clover]

((Once more, I apologize for my English ;_; ))

 

 

A long moment passed before the faint sound of steps against the wooden floor could be heard from the corridor. As they grew closer, a Raen man of strong figure and black hair emerged at the door, his eyes piercing the wounded Xaela from his standing position. The one named Unzan stared at the warrior for another moment, observing him, assessing his state. He could move, that much was obvious. That he hadn't tried to stir trouble so far was a good start.

 

 

Finally abandoning his position of advantage, the man took two steps inside the room and sat down on his splayed knees, every movement filled with discipline. Now that the two of them were at the same height, he continued looking at the stranger with his naturally severe eyes.

 

"Welcome to my house. I am Hagane no Unzan, patriarch of the Hagane clan. May I know your name?"

 

Introductions should always come first, no matter how many answers each of them sought.

[K'nahli]

Nhogai's expression immediately turned feral at the sight of the other man. Given his current state, it wouldn't have even taken a man as fierce in appearance as the one that now controlled his attention to throw him on the defensive like this - though it certainly had not gone without note. Though missing the advantage of youth, the black-haired individual cut a powerful figure as he occupied the doorway and watched Nhogai with intent before, after only a short pause, he then dared to enter the room and approach Nhogai with a sense of calm that did little to earn any sense of ease from the warrior in return.

 

("Another Raen...") was his foremost thought in that moment - his every muscle tensing while his eyes, though not daring to venture away from the other man's cryptic gaze, unable to help but note the distinctly, unusual colour of his scales. Though he had been aware of other tribes that recruited or at least affiliated with this estranged breed of his own kin, this was the first time he had ever encountered one first-hand.

 

'Docile, at least by the majority' as they were once described to him by a member of his tribe. 'Though just like any other outsider, never to be trusted'.

 

Nhogai found himself reaffirming his grip on the ground with the one arm that allowed him to continue sitting upright as the man drew to a controlled and confident halt nearby before seating himself upon his knees, daringly close, though cautious enough to just barely remain out of reaching distance.

With subtle though perhaps not unnoticeable movements, the warrior responded by withdrawing a couple of ilms and adjusting his posture so that he may more easily lunge at the older man should he be given any reason to do so.

If the situation should call for him to fight, then hopeless as it may prove to be, he would at least give himself every opportunity to make it difficult for his foes.

 

 

"Welcome to my house. I am Hagane no Unzan, patriarch of the Hagane clan. May I know your name?".

 

 

Both the Raen's voice and his choice of words seemed to perfectly match the body language which he had shown up until now. Confident and carved-through with discipline. 'Respectful' one might even call it, not unlike how he and his fellow brothers would behave in the presence of the tribe's elders, though what manner of respect would one possibly wish to offer their enemy? Countless times were such things preached about within the Tumetan tribe but little had they been offered in return by those who would bear steel against them. It was only inevitable that some would eventually grow weary of such one-sided treatment, and for Nhogai, 'respect' had long since been a word that had lost it's meaning - one that had been sullied and spat on by most all of whom he had warred with.

 

No, this was pride he was looking at... perhaps even arrogance borne from his indisputable position of control over his wounded captive.

 

From the moment his steps had begun echoing from out within the hallway, Nhogai's expression had not once faltered in ferocity, with him only continuing to glare at the man with the utmost suspicion. As far as Nhogai was concerned, the Raen was lucky if any of his mannerisms up until now didn't come off as wholly antagonistic. Even daring to trust in what he had been told and believe that these Raen were docile - at least comparatively - there's still no doubting the fact that his presence here was merely a result of them seeing profit in keeping him alive. What other reason could there be?

 

"The dead have no need for names" Nhogai responded with a sharpness that dared to sever the hand offered him by Unzan.

 

"If you think dressing my wounds will earn you my cooperation then you are sorely mistaken. I would rather you cull me now than see myself serve toward anyone else's gain."

[Clover]

The Raen man's eyes didn't leave the wounded warrior for even a moment. His gaze remained firm and sharp, immovable like his presence. His voice still hidden, together with his thoughts, as the Xaela spoke-- no, spat on his hospitality. Nothing he wouldn't have expected. This Xaela wasn't a Kha, that much was evident by now.

 

Moments of silence passed between them, just mistrustful gazes and judging thoughts. When Unzan spoke again, his voice displayed the same confidence as before; respectful, yet commanding. He was a warrior, and this was his house.

 

"The dead have no need for such a sharp pride either," he stated. "We need nothing from you, nameless warrior; you may return to your people as soon as your legs find the strength."

 

There was another sound on the wood. A single step, soft like a bird's. From the door, the figure of a different female could be seen, opposite to the girl Nhogai had met as soon as his eyes opened. This one's hair was long and pale above a calm gaze. Like a lifeless, fragile doll, she barely moved. Only her eyes did, burning ice and cold flame on him, on the warrior she'd observed before. This time, however, he could see her as well.

 

 

"Do the dead have a home? I wonder..." She spoke from the doorway, her tone soft, calculatedly delicate.

 

The patriarch's frown deepened slightly, albeit it was barely noticeable.

 

"My daughter Yura is the one who tended to your wounds," he introduced her. "She is the one you must thank-- or perhaps blame, for you seem eager to leave this world."

[K'nahli]

It was perhaps with the appearance of yet another stranger within the doorway that prevented Nhogai from pushing his luck even further with Unzan. The owner of the soft voice now commanded the warrior's attention as his sharp gaze quickly shifted away from the seated male to fall upon the form of a rather curious-looking Raen girl - different from the one he had briefly glimpsed earlier. Dark eyes fearlessly confronted those of ice and flame, which returned his curiosity with matching intent, neither one seemingly lacking any more than the other in their intensity.

He watched her closely for a few moments after that, searching deep through her mysterious eyes for any answer that might make more sense to him than these absurd suggestions of altruism — before Unzan would speak again and steal his glance once more.

 

"I wouldn't expect your kind to know the difference between embracing the inevitable and seeking it out" he soon after retorted his comment with a dismissive hiss, his eye lingering upon him for only a moment before returning back to the girl.

 

"For whatever reason you saw fit to aid to me, that was your own doing. I neither expected nor asked for it. I am in no-one's debt".

 

 

Little though was it his concern, it hadn't escaped his notice that this girl was significantly different from those he had known all his life. Unlike her father, a male whose biology had him naturally appear almost as intimidating as any Xaela, this girl had an unusually delicate and refined air about herself - greatly unlike that of those found on the plains whom know nothing other than a life of warring and scrapping for survival.

No, rather it would seem, she resembled something more akin to that of a figure of glass; something so delicate and pampered that could only be found in a place away from such dangers and hardships. Considering this alone, Nhogai might not have even awarded her nor her words a second of his thought for being so unworthy of respect, though in spite of her shatterable appearance, this particular girl had a very distinct aura about her... a fearless and knowing look that burned deep from within her unfittingly, vibrant eyes.... a look that would see Nhogai watching her closely with just as much mistrust and vigilance as he had with Unzan - perhaps even moreso.

 

However, most alerting of all was the manner in which she spoke. Merely watching her as he was now saw to it that her words continued echo'ing within his own mind; a question that, though on it's own was perhaps nothing out of the ordinary, to Nhogai however, carried with it a very, strange power, something which would strike him with both a crushing feeling of nostalgia, but also the feeling harboured animosity held against this one healer in particular.

 

This girl, Yura, something about her was off. It almost sounded as though she somehow knew of something that even Nhogai himself was struggling to recount... and the tone upon which her voice was carried, it reeked of intent.

[Clover]

"Enough! I will not tolerate any further disrespect in my house!" Unzan raised both his voice and himself. He stood up, his corpulent shape towering above the Xaela. A hand moved quickly to one of his daggers, which he used to point in the direction of his unarmed guest, menacing. “You dare to despise the kindness we have offered by saving your life. Were you not still recovering, I’d gladly grant your wish and undo my daughter’s gift with a single cut in your throat.”

 

Behind him, Yura didn't move from the doorway, nor did her expression change even slightly. She was a mere spectator, submissive and respectful to her father.

“However, unlike you, ‘my kind’ knows of honour,” Unzan added, lowering his weapon. Albeit anger hadn’t disappeared from his features, he was clearly in control of his emotions, no matter how ungrateful the other male had been. He turned his back to their guest, ready to leave, and gave his daughter a last glance. “You asked for three suns; I’ll give you two. I want him gone by the third.”

 

His measured steps could be heard next as he walked away from the room. The female remained there for another moment, her body half turned away with a hand holding her other arm. As she stared at the now empty corridor, she might have even looked melancholic-- almost wounded.

 

There was a moment of silence between them, perhaps the first of many. Then, a soft voice, still unfamiliar to the Xaela.

 

“…Do you believe in fate?”

 

She asked as her eyes stared into nothingness, away from him.

[K'nahli]

Nhogai didn't so much as flinch, even as Unzan began reaching for his daggers. Instead he just glowered right back at the male with the same fearless eyes that had been studying him all along, watching the Raen's every movement closely as he angrily spat upon his guest's ungrateful presence.

Though he had expected little else from neither him nor anyone else for that matter, Nhogai surprisingly found his own antagonism quickly subsiding as Unzan spoke. Strangely, both the fury behind his words along with that of his apparent arrangement with Yura had succeeded with stirring a certain degree of doubt within the Xaelan, bringing him almost as far as questioning his own hastiness - although not quite.

 

Having seemingly exhausted all patience he was willing to offer the warrior, Unzan wasted no time with excusing himself from his presence, leaving only a heavy air behind him. Nhogai's dark gaze followed along behind him in silence - lingering for a few moments upon the empty doorway even after he had disappeared from view.

 

("So this was your doing...") were the warrior's thoughts as a mildly softer gaze travelled back toward the girl who yet remained in the room with him. Oddly, though far from being the most expressive of changes, there definitely seemed to be a different air about her this time around - something... a little less cold. Curious, he continued to watch her in silence for a few seconds before the same soft voice from before interrupted his thoughts.

 

“…Do you believe in fate?”

 

A sudden and unusual question indeed. Nhogai's brow would furrow slightly, his eyes still locked upon the girl.

"....what are you talking about?" he responded after only a short delay, his uncertainty as to where she was leading with such a question taking precedence over the actual answer.

[Clover]

Yura's eyes remained lost on the corridor, her head turned away from the confused Xaela. The reply he'd chosen was still as aggressive as every other word he'd pronounced, dispelling any doubt. It was too soon for this.

 

A question for a question. It seemed that neither of them would obtain an answer that day. But it didn't matter; not yet. So she simply shook her head and stepped away, willing to rid the warrior from the Raen presence he so despised. Or at least, until her father's servants came to guard the room's entrance.

 

"Please rest."

 

That was all she said, all she was willing to say for the time being. She didn't look back at him even as she carefully slid the door close, disappearing behind wood and paper.

 

Soon, Nhogai might have noticed that he wasn't left completely alone with his thoughts. Half hidden underneath the futon he was sitting on, there was a strange and beautiful card. The image of a big tree could be seen above one word: 'Bole'.