04-17-2018, 06:52 PM
The slight shifting in her stance was all Taloc needed for an answer. An ally was much needed right now, even one with so many unknowns. Still, how she held herself spoke volumes to one who knew what to look for, and perhaps the idea of a “master” who thought so little of her left her with enough malcontent to jump ship. Hell, just the thought of it was enough for him…
“So, does this… Master… of yours have a name?” Taloc asks.
Silence.
About what was expected. Not like he’d just go off giving out his employers information either, but a man who treats others that way often have a price along with their name… Another problem for another day. For now, that dot…
“What’s the fastest way to these, Ashen Steppes?” He glances back over his shoulder at Hayaidesu as he speaks.
“Horse, most likely.”
“Nothing faster? Hell, I can run faster than that…”
Taloc almost thought he saw a smile as she shakes her head. “Not here you can’t.”
“Right… So where do we find a horse then? Not exactly a stable at every corner in this sea of white.”
“Fountain Fresh indeed… Summon one, shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”
“Summon… Living things too? Well alright, worth a shot I guess.”
Taloc raises a hand tentatively, calling to mind one of the many mounts he had used in the past. Focusing on the image, a resplendent cocoon of rainbow light forms at his fingertips and rapidly begins expanding. Several minutes of silence pass as the light shifts and undulates across the bubble, slowly growing into the shape of the horse, until it explodes outward into a million brilliant shards of light. The shards faded into nothingness as the horse, a nondescript brown mare with several white patches across its body, rears its head and whineys. On instinct, Taloc reaches forward to soothe and quiet the animal, stroking its snout and whispering gentle words.
‘Certainly doesn’t matter any that the horse makes noise here. Not like we can hide or anything in this stark white void… Still, an ounce of caution could be the difference between life and death. Not about to grow lax now.’
Taloc frowns at that thought. ‘After all, what does it matter if I live or die? If that Omni figure is to be believed, I’ll just be brought right back. Should he be lying then I die, problem solved…’
For some reason that didn’t sit right. What kind of a death dealer would he be if he just rolled over and let some random plebeian kill him, after all… Then again, what kind of a death dealer kills his partners…
The horse nuzzles his hand breaking his train of thought. Apparently he had just been standing there staring into the void that is the nexus, his hands motionless on the horse. Sure enough, Hayaidesu was looking at him from the corner of her eye, likely wondering what kind of person she was helping if he just randomly loses all focus. Rather than meeting her gaze, Taloc reaches down to his waist and pulls free the mask resting there. Made of some kind of strange dull glass-like material, he donned the black mask with a practised ease. Turning to face her now, the eyeless mask reflected her own face back at her though none of her surroundings… Almost as if she was looking at herself wreathed in darkness.
The effect it gave was disconcerting.
"Neat mask." Her voice matching her listless face as she continued to stare. Unflinching.
Taloc turns away and climbs up onto the horse, gripping its mane with a sure hand. He shifts his weight slightly as the horse takes a few steps, clearly eager to run, but obeying the slight pressure applied to its mane and stopping. Taloc reaches down and gently rubs the neck of the beast, further soothing it, and hoping that the action would disguise his scattered thoughts.
‘What kind of person just joins up with a random stranger though? What does she get out of this? What choice do I have but to trust her for now, though… I need any and all information I can get despite the current risks. Besides, better a risk you know than one you don’t.’
“Thanks.” Taloc says softly, his voice not muffled any by the mask. “It was a specialty of my clan. We should get going.”
Bending down slightly, Taloc offers a hand to pull Hayaidesu up onto the horse which, much to his surprise, she takes without hesitation. Within a few seconds, she is resting comfortably behind him and grips a pair of his empty sheathes for stability. Glancing once over his shoulder to ensure she’s settled, and hopefully not preparing to hide a knife in his ribs, Taloc nods and gently boots the horse’s ribs.
Of all the things he was expecting… This speed was not one of them. The horse flew across the expanse of nothingness as if death itself was chasing them, and it took all his skill not to get knocked loose. Hayaidesu, on the other hand, didn’t seem all that phased by the extreme speed this horse was exhibiting.
‘Right… she did say that the horses were faster here. Wasn’t expecting this though. Hell, I can’t run half this fast…’
With a quick shake of the head, he starts timing his movements with the horse’s and rapidly regains his lost composure. While he didn’t dare look, he knew all too well that someone was grinning up a storm behind him. Better just to ignore it. Yeah...
“So, does this… Master… of yours have a name?” Taloc asks.
Silence.
About what was expected. Not like he’d just go off giving out his employers information either, but a man who treats others that way often have a price along with their name… Another problem for another day. For now, that dot…
“What’s the fastest way to these, Ashen Steppes?” He glances back over his shoulder at Hayaidesu as he speaks.
“Horse, most likely.”
“Nothing faster? Hell, I can run faster than that…”
Taloc almost thought he saw a smile as she shakes her head. “Not here you can’t.”
“Right… So where do we find a horse then? Not exactly a stable at every corner in this sea of white.”
“Fountain Fresh indeed… Summon one, shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”
“Summon… Living things too? Well alright, worth a shot I guess.”
Taloc raises a hand tentatively, calling to mind one of the many mounts he had used in the past. Focusing on the image, a resplendent cocoon of rainbow light forms at his fingertips and rapidly begins expanding. Several minutes of silence pass as the light shifts and undulates across the bubble, slowly growing into the shape of the horse, until it explodes outward into a million brilliant shards of light. The shards faded into nothingness as the horse, a nondescript brown mare with several white patches across its body, rears its head and whineys. On instinct, Taloc reaches forward to soothe and quiet the animal, stroking its snout and whispering gentle words.
‘Certainly doesn’t matter any that the horse makes noise here. Not like we can hide or anything in this stark white void… Still, an ounce of caution could be the difference between life and death. Not about to grow lax now.’
Taloc frowns at that thought. ‘After all, what does it matter if I live or die? If that Omni figure is to be believed, I’ll just be brought right back. Should he be lying then I die, problem solved…’
For some reason that didn’t sit right. What kind of a death dealer would he be if he just rolled over and let some random plebeian kill him, after all… Then again, what kind of a death dealer kills his partners…
The horse nuzzles his hand breaking his train of thought. Apparently he had just been standing there staring into the void that is the nexus, his hands motionless on the horse. Sure enough, Hayaidesu was looking at him from the corner of her eye, likely wondering what kind of person she was helping if he just randomly loses all focus. Rather than meeting her gaze, Taloc reaches down to his waist and pulls free the mask resting there. Made of some kind of strange dull glass-like material, he donned the black mask with a practised ease. Turning to face her now, the eyeless mask reflected her own face back at her though none of her surroundings… Almost as if she was looking at herself wreathed in darkness.
The effect it gave was disconcerting.
"Neat mask." Her voice matching her listless face as she continued to stare. Unflinching.
Taloc turns away and climbs up onto the horse, gripping its mane with a sure hand. He shifts his weight slightly as the horse takes a few steps, clearly eager to run, but obeying the slight pressure applied to its mane and stopping. Taloc reaches down and gently rubs the neck of the beast, further soothing it, and hoping that the action would disguise his scattered thoughts.
‘What kind of person just joins up with a random stranger though? What does she get out of this? What choice do I have but to trust her for now, though… I need any and all information I can get despite the current risks. Besides, better a risk you know than one you don’t.’
“Thanks.” Taloc says softly, his voice not muffled any by the mask. “It was a specialty of my clan. We should get going.”
Bending down slightly, Taloc offers a hand to pull Hayaidesu up onto the horse which, much to his surprise, she takes without hesitation. Within a few seconds, she is resting comfortably behind him and grips a pair of his empty sheathes for stability. Glancing once over his shoulder to ensure she’s settled, and hopefully not preparing to hide a knife in his ribs, Taloc nods and gently boots the horse’s ribs.
Of all the things he was expecting… This speed was not one of them. The horse flew across the expanse of nothingness as if death itself was chasing them, and it took all his skill not to get knocked loose. Hayaidesu, on the other hand, didn’t seem all that phased by the extreme speed this horse was exhibiting.
‘Right… she did say that the horses were faster here. Wasn’t expecting this though. Hell, I can’t run half this fast…’
With a quick shake of the head, he starts timing his movements with the horse’s and rapidly regains his lost composure. While he didn’t dare look, he knew all too well that someone was grinning up a storm behind him. Better just to ignore it. Yeah...
In battle it is important to keep a sharp blade
But it is by far more important to keep a sharp mind.
But it is by far more important to keep a sharp mind.