Errrwin

In the depths of Tobaballe, Nin Urtuan is working as hard as he can to rise up. But with so much competition, it seems like only luck will get you a better life. One day, in a seemingly unfortunate turn of events where he runs into the voluptuous and mysterious Spire-Lord, Iishar Ho. Taking Nin with her, she shows him a secret within the Crown, a means to get ahead. The path of least resistance is so enamouring. 

Setting out for the shores of the Molten Sea, at the base of the holy Anvil-Peak Mountain, Nin loses himself in the wonder of it. Behind his back, another deal unfolds, luck not for him, but for those high above in the Crown. A slaver of an unknown, spine-quilled race shoots him unconscious. The slaver loads him up, ready to ship Nin and so many others off to Jherikra. 

A land of towering mountains, emerald winds, arcane beauty and monstrous horror!

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No rewrites going on right now.

(Multi-PoV, 1st Person)
For reference: (If a chapter is marked with a ---- before Base, Incline or Peak, it means it is being edited throughout the day.)

Dark Crow Rising

"Can I help you...?" I ask the wind-people thorns as they suddenly appeared from the sky to stop me.


"Sorry to bother you, Aelenvari. But our patrols picked up a recent conflict in the area. And, in the event it poses a threat to our war effort, we are bringing you in for questioning."


"No, I have places I need to be!" I tell them before I try to force my way through them. Their weapons, however, scared me stiff.


"Mama..." the sapling cried from within the bag.


"You'll be coming with us." the most pristine thorn told me after he acknowledged the sound the sapling made.


"Very well..." I mutter before I follow him onto the strange machine. However, the thorns he left it with did not come back on and instead just sprinted off. From the new airborne view I had now as well, I could clearly see it was to get to the ruins. Ruins which were now swarming with their thorns.


"Please take the child out of the bag." the wind-person thorn asked me after the sapling made another whine.


"I'm sorry, but I can't..." I admit meekly as this child hated me... I could not bare to touch this child knowing it did so.


"Then I will." the man said as it became clear he was letting his paternal instincts take precedent. And, I felt envious as I looked at him. He was the father of his own son... He had his own wind-petal...


And my envy only grew as I watch the sapling do nothing in his arms. He looked at me briefly with a glare before he then saw what the sapling was holding. He frowned at it before he then set the sapling down. His prior suspicion of me seemed to have vanished, but he still protectively held the child.


"Do you have a place to stay once we get back into Nahgart?" he asked me.


And I shook my head, somewhat annoyed now, "We were heading to our home before you came and reset our journey!"


He then seemed to make a note of some kind, "Very well, we'll arrange brief accommodations while we sort out that problem we left behind."


"I'd rather you just let me do my duty..." I remark quietly.


"And what is your duty?" he asks with a stern voice.


"Then you need to take better care of it." he tells me with words that just cut right through me. How dare he... I have been trying to but this sapling's immaturity was damning my efforts.


"Mind your ignorant mouth." I swear with my true-voice before I turned to the outside. That settled-flower we spent a day or so travelling away from was now back in our sights. But this machine seemed to make a point of heading towards the place these wind-thorns stayed.


"If you'll follow me, then, we'll sort out the tabletwork and then we'll arrange a place for you to stay." he tells me as he walks ahead of me with the sapling. Meanwhile I found myself sharply turning a glare towards the seemingly impatient, featureless thorns pushing at me.


Incline 16: Rose'lhia