Incline 47: Nin

I come to a stop, twisting my head back the way we came. Sniffles echo behind me. A woman and a man. I mind my chitters and stroke a claw along my split-jaw. Certainly an interesting enough situation to find myself in.

I defeated Atarifuge, spending all my magic in the process to the point of near-death. Quite frankly, were it not for this pearl bracelet from Motrtha, and this Feather of Ihtuntar... I think I would've probably died alongside Atarifuge's aelenvari pilot. No chance at all to get back to Liada or any of the others. There's no proof, but the divine certainly eases the worrying and the weedy thoughts.

My promise to Larishazza would've fallen apart right then and there, if not.

But, I lived. Got captured by these three and then they tried to sell me off. Whatever's been going on, I've kinda lucked out where Ivahstar has not. I can't say I'm going to miss the bastard, but he's certainly something I can respect. Having lived the life I have with all its trials and tribulations.

A father that was willing to lose his own life in order to save his daughter's. It's not even something new, this is something he's done for a while. Ever since I first met him when he tried to sell me all those years ago. He still looked near entirely out for his daughter. Heiya.

I glance back their way, noting how they've not so much as slowed down for me. My heart brushes aside the feelings of unwanted anxiety and I hop along to catch up. Neither the human nor the hwardgon offer me a glance. They're both too self-absorbed in the loss of a friend. A father.

My eyes go about the dark tunnel, having a far easier time about it by imagining things in place of shadow. Vadei, myself, even Liada. Einervaene, too. I'm surrounded by people who've lost family and have been changed by it. I've changed because of it. Indescribably so.

Regardless of how I feel about Heiya proper given our history... It's oddly easy to look past. Maybe it's my near-brush with death with Atarifuge or the firefight I was let out into. Either way, I can't really find it within me to hold on to such grudges any more or anything like that.

Whatever the reason, really, I understand what they're both going through. I've grieved in much the same way as Heiya has and I've helped and been around those like her. Someone she loves so very dearly is now gone from her life. Someone who's always been there for her and now he's gone.

"Larishazza..." I whisper, my long dead friend's voice and image echoing in my thoughts. The sounds of her dancing. Her laughter and joy. It's all up here, unbreakably engraved into my memories.

Heiya must be feeling how I do about Lari. Lost, broken. The person who gave us so much meaning is now gone. We did our best to save them, but a criminal took them both away from us.

The circumstances don't really matter, only the actions. You can boil the flavour out of meat, reduce it to a broth. But the meat will still be there, it will still have so much of its character remaining. Probably a comparison I should keep to my head, though.

I hurry along and catch up with them again, lingering a respectable distance. The human, Hrurim, he takes a sharp intake and comes to a stop. Weapon in hand. He turns my way, raising the gun. I take a back-step, unsure of if my body can really handle the danger of being shot right now.

He lowers the gun and shakes his head, a vengeful grimace all over his face, "You hear that?"

I blink and look around, uncertain of what noise he's referring to. The tunnel is rough and long. It's hard to focus on any of it. It's all sort of there for me now. But, given what happened before, I've got an inkling as to what might be his answer.

"The machines?" I ask and he nods, his gun hand almost begging for a reason to come up and fire. He knows I keep looking at it, he knows I keep wanting to avoid it. Only, there's nowhere to go, not now. Not while I'm so weak.

"We're heading back to the highway. You're going to make yourself useful. Get us a car and all. Then we get as far away from here as possible." Hrurim explains to me and I nod along, taking the details in. Heiya comes to a stop, her hands gripping her weapons tight. She turns around, utter malice on her head.

"AS FAR AS POSSIBLE!? THEY JUST KILLED POPS! WE'RE GOING TO FIND GAMTAMBO AND WE'RE GOING TO BUTCHER HIM!" Heiya roars in that strange tongue of hers. I blink and take a step back, uncertain as to what is happening. Hrurim forces a blink and some words seem to make it to his mouth. The stress keeps him quiet, and it boils right out.

"RIGHT NOW ALL WE CAN DO IS SURVIVE! RIGHT NOW ALL WE CAN DO IS RUN! IVAHSTAR IS GONE, HEIYA! WE NEEDED HIM TO GET ANYWHERE WITH THIS! I ONLY EVER ACCEPTED TO HELP YOU ON THE PREMISE THAT HE WAS HERE! AND NOW HE'S NOT!" he roars down at her in the same tongue, forcing his face up against her despite the size disparity. I glance down the tunnel, not picking up any oncoming cars from those criminals.

I frown and step forward, a quaking breath filling up my lungs. No guns come up at me and the truth reveals itself to me. I've just enough magic in my system to assert myself. Or perhaps it's because I'm a bug... It doesn't matter.

"Look! I can't understand what either of you two are saying right now. But we need to keep on moving. Get somewhere properly safe before throats start slitting open!" I tell the pair of them as they test how much force they can apply to my arms. Both shake, both bend inwards. But neither tries to slip off of my palms to get at the other.

Heiya's eyes quiver and break free with renewed water works. She vanishes, running off down the tunnel. Hrurim shows little concern for it and he steps back. His head can't find the strength to stop shaking.

"Whatever the problem is. I don't know. I at least understand what you're going through right now, Hrurim." I explain, putting my claws on my hips as Heiya's crying keeps her within ear's reach. The human throws a haymaker out, smashing his fist across my face. I gasp in pain, reeling at the feeling of a crack in my carapace.

"ALL YOU HAD TO DAMN WELL DO WAS NOT KILL THAT GIANT ON OUR DAMN ROUTE! ALL YOU HAD TO DAMN WELL DO...!" he swears, spitting out enough vitriol to deafen my ears to a painful ring. I put a claw up, showing a peaceable palm while the other strokes my tender mandible.

"Very well. Consider this a favour for you two, then. A favour in Ivahstar's memory, then. It's a weird bit of logic, I know. But whatever his grudge is with those men back there. It's now my grudge. Whatever your grief is, it's now mine, too. Whatever love Ivahstar had for you two, it's now my love for you..." I explain, throwing my thoughts and reason to the tunnel wind for who knows what.

I need these two to make it back to the surface or get anywhere around here. I've never been underground like this before and I am at an utter loss. Yet, somehow, it feels like it's the thing I should do. The right thing *to* do.

I understand what these two are going through. I understand it all too well. I understand what that kind of grief can do to a person. The Dark Crow only exists as an idea, let alone a person is because I get it. I really do, and I will never really be able to explain it to either of these two here.

Hrurim clicks his tongue, a glare narrowing his eyes to a sharp angle, "You really are something strange, Bug."

I flinch at his spit and rub a claw along it. A disgusted shiver goes through me and I rub it into my shell, hoping the magic within clings to my body. My head comes up and Hrurim's already on his way. Not with the speed to catch up with Heiya, but enough to keep us moving.

I match his pace and look his way, "I'm not too sure about the problem. But, you lot mentioned one word enough for me to get it. Gamtambo. Right?"

Hrurim nods, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one up, "Yep."

A cloud of smoke goes in my face and I cough and hack. Breathing it in anyway for those desperate morsels of magic in the embers and his breath. Hrurim snorts, denying his next puff to me. I try to make light of it with a forced smile, though he's having none of it.

"Well... I understand the feelings you have." I say, and he scoffs.

"Sure." he lets out right after, that light on the end of his ashy skeleton of a cigarette nowhere near as hot as his rage. It's only hotter the deeper down the tunnel we go. The closer to Heiya.

"Trust me, I do. I get it. I really do." I reiterate as softly as I can, hoping he at least gets it. He comes to a stop and so do I, a long sigh leaving his lips.

"Couple years we've been down here. Following along with Ivahstar's plans and ideas. Tough old bastard knew what he needed to do, and we were getting there. Then it all just went wrong..." Hrurim explains and I nod along, a hefty breath going through my nostrils.

"Ain't that the truth of it." I say, not really sure how else to put the last near-decade of my life into perspective. It all just going wrong really is the easiest way of explaining it. Though it's not particularly worth thinking about, anyway.

"Look... We've got no real qualm with you. So long as you turn over your feelings regarding your treatment 'til now." Hrurim lets out and I shrug, offering him a claw to shake his hand with. We clasp each other and let the force rise and drop.

"As I said, I'll do my bit in this regard. If we can find a suitable source of magic, I can more than handle this problem. After that, we can part ways and never handle or see each other again." I explain, knowing full well he's probably going to feel more assured about this with an all-powerful witch at his side. Well, all-powerful witch once I recover my magic properly, but I'm doubting the strength of the sources down here.

Even basic weapons made on the surface are powerful down here. It's no wonder, too. It really is no wonder. Winds don't really make their way underground!

"Works for me. Works for her," he answers, his voice practically solid with thin-patience and sternness. I nod and he nods and we walk, so much more rushing past us without a word being said.

"So... Any idea as to how long we got until we reach this 'highway' place?" I ask and he glances my way, a scoff lifting his brow right up.

"Not really, no. We get there when we do. You just focus on building up all the magic you can, Bug. I know my sources and I'm more than happy to make your blood leak like his is. Only this time, no one's going to mourn you. You'll die in the dark and alone, far worse than he ever did!" Hrurim snaps, storming off as I nod away most of the thoughts I got coming to my mind.

"Well. Keep my thoughts to myself while I recover. Certainly better now, though." I mutter, shutting off the feeling of anything resembling an aura or my external-magic flow. Got to keep what I can inside of me so it can build up and otherwise attract more magic. Can certainly go for quite the bite to eat as well, when we find the right place.

Am I going to have to become a criminal just to survive...? A raving lunatic devouring entire restaurants dry of their stock and goods. Probably going to be melting down utensils at some point. Maybe even drinking car fuel to snatch up what magic I can out of that stuff, too.

"Great... Though, just great." I huff, letting out the realisation of what I've signed up for. I'm now on another journey on top of the one I'm already on. Well, can't really go looking for everyone while I'm out of magic and underground. So I'll have to make do with the circumstances. Stick with the knowledgeable guide until I'm able to leap for the open sky again.

Just got to keep my head down or I'll be shot up by criminals and these two!