Dark Crow Rising

"Why can't you be like Apahthein and be unobtrusive?" I ask the Orbital-Halo with a groggy voice, drowning in its light. Unable to get back to sleep now that I am up, I slowly uncurl myself. I hope for a second wave of tiredness to come, but it never does. Straightening myself out, I stretch my body out further until satisfaction pops into my life.

Sniffing once, I look down at where the crate is to make sure I wasn't hallucinating it last night. Smiling at the fact it really is real, I move closer to the hole and adjust my ears. My smile remains thanks to the quiet out there and I crawl out of the hole. Returning to the grass, I cover my face up and trace my steps back to the camp.

With the smoke barricade behind me, I take in as much of the stale air as I can. Catching the scent of smoke inside the barrier, I cautiously approach the campfire as the younger slaver tends to it. Staring ahead miserably, I dismiss the foul smell of breakfast as there really isn't anything else to eat. Getting closer, however, I notice the thinly spread portions in everyone's bowls...

"I thought you said we had at least a week's worth left? This is barely anything!" I complain to the impromptu chef.

"Well, naw thaaat we haaave twa mare caaampmaaates. We needed ta reaaaraaange aur stack. Three arbits of faad left if we aaare ta staaay praperly fed." she explains as she recoils at the smell of her cooking.

Considering how badly two new mouths affect our situation, Vapooliar joins us around the campfire. Her face is dark and she moves about slowly even after sitting down. Her state reminds me of those within the transition houses of Undwote. Places where people go to live their final days before they die...

Returning my attention to the food, "So that means we will need to either scavenge what we can or, may Jaadagoren bless us with her illusions... Sneak or fight our way through the hive itself."

"Aaaye, fight ar die will be aur anly chaice. But, we dan't have enaugh weaaapans." the younger slaver says before sharp serration fills our ears. With another shower of sparks, Vapooliar once again scrapes the edge of her sword with a dwindling rock.

"Not enough food either." I say as I receive my bowl. Blowing at the steam coming from my horrible gruel, I watch as Vapooliar stands with two.

"I'll give Nin his lot." Vapooliar meekly explains before she abandons her weapon. Distracted by her departure, I sniff my food a little too well and fake-throw-up away from it. The smoke genuinely smells better than this foul concoction. Getting up, I head off to eat this filth in private.

Finding a tree, I slip down it and stare at my bowl as thoughts of grabbing the spoon elude me. Unfortunately, my bravery comes and I start to eat it with a distracted mind. Directing my ears to anything else I can focus on, they catch the sound of rustling sticks and leaves. It must be Vapooliar and the Ho back there.

"Nin, I brought you some food." Vapooliar informs him quietly as I shiver from another mouthful.

"Not hungry." he answers quickly as I hear the sounds of disturbed rolling about. I even feel slightly sorry for him, as that probably means he lost a night of sleep.

"What's wrong? Whatever it is, you still need to try and eat." Vapooliar explains before she thuds to the ground?

"I couldn't sleep..." the Ho admits with a long sigh as another thud sounds out along with a vibration.

"We've all had trouble sleeping, Nin." Vapooliar presumptuously explains. But, she's right for all intents and purposes...

"No, I literally couldn't sleep! I tried changing the position in which I slept in and I even tried trying to tire myself out but nothing worked... And now I find out I'm not even hungry..." he whines before a growl suddenly boils up. A bang rings out and something smashes away from the tree I am thankfully on the other side of. I stop my hands from rattling and adjust myself to the right. Snarling, I scoff my remaining food down and crawl towards them.

"I see... Well, I'll just leave your food here. See if you can get it into your system, okay?" Vapooliar tells him as she gets up and leaves. Waiting for her to vanish, I slowly get up into a preemptive position. I am going to claw those eyes of his out for what he just did. Charge with claws pointed up and he will be blind!

Before I can, though, he starts to pace about in a jagged manner and he mumbles incoherently. His fist goes straight through a tree. Backing away with a slight jump, I watch him pull his fist out of the tree as it falls. My vengeful desires simmer down and I make a point of hiding again.

"Why... Why aren't you breaking!?" he demands his perfectly fine hand to explain as he trembles. I leave properly and decide to find another time to rag on him. Returning to the campfire, I look at the others and ponder a question. I have some idea of what his people are like, but maybe these three know more.

"Why is Ho confused by his strength?" I ask no one in particular as I sit in my usual spot.

"He's nat fram aaa maaagic-heaaavy enviranment." the younger slaver answers as she forcefeeds her father. Vapooliar, however, is utterly surprised by this information. Enough so that she quite clearly retrospects her thoughts of him.

"Why... Why would you bring someone here from a magic barren region? It should be basic knowledge that such beings can't survive properly up here!" she reminds everyone as her grip soundly increases on her lodged sword.

Even though I lacked a magic-oriented education growing up, I know she is right. Having seen a normal amount of magic used in a no-magic environment, I know it isn't pretty. Magic is violent regardless of the caster's intent in places like those wastes and beyond. Strange fireballs the shade of blue, purple and white erupt in these places.

Someone from my village died that way on our way to the Ho's land...

"Ha. We keep safe!" the elder slaver goes in an almost mocking way as he smacks a broken tube.

"Quiet, yau." she tells her father with a gentle smack, "We knaw they caaan't survive ta aaa lat suddenly. It's why we pratect aur caaarga."

I huff quietly at that end remark, safe is one way to put it...

"Osibindah took survivors. He lucky." the elder of the two adds as he finishes gulping down some water. Smacking his wet lips, he spreads the moisture noisily around his mouth.

"He's suffering from Sudden Induction?" Vapooliar questions as her head turns towards his direction. She doesn't see her answer at first, as it is just a nod from the younger slaver. The elder one then grumbles.

"Use him soon. While he volatile." he explains callously to which Vapooliar takes her sword out of the ground.

I can see the logic, though, the Ho's lack of self-control makes him perfect bait. If not, then it will be easy for him to just rip and tear until it is done. Until we get out of this evil place... Maybe, with how awkward he moves as well, he'd still end up as bait.

Thankfully, I have a solution that is more palatable for everyone, "We can't rely on someone who struggles to walk, much less with the lack of weapons shared between us all. Thankfully, I know where we can find a whole crate of guns that can solve that issue."

"What good would guns do us in such tight and likely unstable tunnels? They would bring the caves down on top of us and if they didn't, they would slow us down immensely and-"

"Yes, we get it." I interrupt with as my eyes roll. What is she even thinking about? The guns are small things we can hold with our hands. Carry and shoot!

"She meaaans anes like this, nat aaartillery." the younger slaver explains as she presents her personal gun.

"Now about the guns..." I say so we can get back on topic as this is a rather important point.

"Type?" the older slaver asks as he battles his daughter for control of his gun. The daughter wins and she moves it beyond the grasp of his crippled backside.

Shrugging in response, I open my mouth, "I don't know I am not a soldier! I just know I found a somewhat intact crate of them out on the mountain drop or whatever."

"Where aaare they?" the younger one asks as they get up with their gun.

"Well, follow me and find out." I grumble as those two should understand what I am on about, no? I did find them cowering there, after all. Getting up, I lead Vapooliar and the wretched thing towards my bed of last night.

Arriving there, I gesture for the slaver to go on through first though Vapooliar refuses and stays within the mountain. Popping my head out onto the other end, I wait for her to say anything. However, I find myself pointing her in the direction instead which suits me just fine. That treasure chest of firepower is about to be very appreciated.

"Interesting." the slaver remarks as we make our way back to the other side.

"We need to either climb down there and set up a pulley system to get the crate up here or we need to widen the gap so we can try and climb to the guns." I explain just to deny the slaver a chance to sound smart.

"Maybe I can fly to them and pick them up?" Vapooliar goes as she touches her gut and floats slightly. Horrifyingly, me and the slaver shake our heads together but she alone gestures up at the smoke.

"Smake daesn't ga high enaugh." she explains as our collective attention follows her digit's direction. The cloud of smoke is protecting us for the moment, it's all we really have right now...

"No... You would be exposed to the bugs if you did that. Besides what's to stop you from running off once you are in the air?" I tell her as my suspicions get the better of me. I'm already sharing the camp with two vile, opportunistic creatures...

"You have my word as a Val- You have my word that I will not. But, I can't fit through the gap." Vapooliar answers with a strange shift in the topic. I find it quite amusing, though, as I have both a larger chest and a tail which one might think would make it harder to fit through.

"Then we make the gap bigger, your sword is pretty sharp and strong, no? We can just use it to saw the gap wider or just smash it open." I suggest as I turn my eyes onto the evidently magic-rich blade. It is quite a fancy one, as well, at least, in comparison to what I am used to.

Did she interrupt herself to stop her from admitting that she is a Valkinvar?

"It will take some time to do that, if you were to do it, anyway. A whole cycle at worst, perhaps, though, you might be able to within a few points-of-a-rotation." Vapooliar explains as she awkwardly digs away at the gap.

"Why can't you?" I ask as saying we should do it seems odd. It is -her- powerful sword.

"Nin will need my help getting used to his new strength. As I am the strongest one here I am best suited for it. I can take whatever he might be able to dish out in his uncontrollable state." she explains and my body starts to more acutely react to what power she is leaking out. Though, focusing on what I am about to say dulls the pressure-like feeling.

"Then I best get started, come on, get to it, useless human surely can do one thing, can't he? The slaver here, meanwhile, can go sit up in a tree again or something." I tell them as I move to pick up the sword, only to drop it when it becomes clear how heavy it is. It's quite embarrassing to go and pick it up again and I am quick to growl at the pair as they stare.

"I was able to escape the hive because of him, do not be so quick to dismiss him." Vapooliar tells me as I leave the sword for the moment. Catching her frown, I sneer.

"Did he? Are you sure it wasn't you who saved him as, you know, you are the one with the sword. You are the heroic Valkinvar in this situation, are you not?"

"H-How did you-" she stammers in disbelief as if she put up a good effort to hide it.

"You gave it away earlier and now you have just confirmed it." I tell her and she bows her head shamefully. Giving it another go, I heave the slab of sharp steel against the rock. It easily goes through as if just slipped right through it. If this blade touches skin and bone...

My grip tightens and steadies.

"Yes... That would be correct, but how much it is now I don't know..." she admits, ruining the relative silence. Quietly, she leaves.

"How good are you with guns, exactly?" I decide to ask the slaver as she is still here. Hopefully, the fiddling she is doing is a sign of something good, maybe.

"I aaam praficient in them, yaaah." she answers before putting on a flashy display. If she is trying to impress me, then I am happy to announce she didn't. I do not know how to handle a gun, so it means nothing to me.

"Well, I am not, and neither is Ho, most likely." I point out just so she is aware.

"I caaan try to teaaach, then." she remarks as she turns and leaves for the tree I mentioned earlier.

"I swear... If you fail us, Valkinvar..." I groan as I exert myself trying to make the bigger gap. I understand well that a sword isn't technically meant for this... But I really wish that this thing had a longer easier-to-grip handle!