The Scalding Sands of Home

[Izvilvin]

Izvilvin's first steps onto Irrakam's familiar ground had him reminising. The region was the same, after all, virtually unchanged since the last time he'd felt the sand beneath his feet.

The sun still shone bright, lighting the grassy shores of the island, setting the yellow bricks of the buildings ablaze. He would squint perpetually here but never complain about it. The docks were a ways away from Jya's Keep for security and aesthetic reasons alike, and what lay between was a small city Izvilvin had defended more than once before. He could recall the harpy invasion some years ago, even a particular moment when he'd strangled one lifeless on this very shore.

He was surrounded by tourists, for that was the nature of the boat he'd taken. Izvilvin's two weeks in Alerar had been eventful, but not in a way that could grant him personal ship voyages from the military or from an aristocrat. It was a familiar homecoming, one far more pleasing than his return to Ettermire.

He walked with purpose toward the gates of the Keep, his feet light and easy, his swords bouncing against his hips. He passed between a pair of familiar guards walking the road in the opposite direction. They nodded. Izvilvin didn't recognize them.

His journey past the gates and into the splendor of Jya's Keep was a short one. He was remembered well, and given permission to explore the grounds as he pleased. Jya's chambers was his first stop; he passed courtyards filled with flowers, ceramic and glass sculptures of warriors and decoratives, ivory floors and staircases, and eventually came to his old chambers just outside of the Jya's. He'd been her personal guard, after all, after Laix and Palmer had been killed.

She greeted him with a hug - highly informal of someone of such stature. She'd seen his heart, however, and knew it was the most appropriate way to make him feel welcome and vulnerable all at once.

Her words to him were in drow. "It has been too long, dear Izvilvin. I know it is a long journey to come here, and so I appreciate the chance to look at your face once more."

She smiled, knowing he'd been disarmed. The raven-haired, olive-skinned woman seemed to relish in their friendship. She knew more about his history than just about anyone the world over.

His response was also in drow. "The pleasure belongs to me, Jya. I remember a time when my face was in here far too often, as your guards and advisors used to say."

There was a silence between them, a mutual happiness to be in one's presence again. Years had passed, but their relationship hadn't changed.

A time passed in the Jya's chamber, where they spoke and caught up. He was given a bed in an unused chamber downstairs, and it was there that he slept for two days.

On the morning he was supposed to meet Sei Orlouge, Izvilvin had horses ready, provided by the Jya from Suravani's Oasis. They were of the finest breed available, strong and capable.

[Silence Sei]

Sei stood at the towering facility known as Jya's Keep. He had remained in the shade of the trees surrounding the building for over an hour or so. While the mute had heard of the beauty of the castle, and even 'pushed' Izvilvin towards this second home in the past, this was the telepath's first time actually seeing the establishment. The sound of neighing horses could be heard throughout the gates of the keep, as well as idle chatter here and there.

Sei had spoken briefly with Izvilvin in Alerar, convincing the drow to join his covert team of assassins as a sort of 'safeguard' for Cassandra Remi. While the drow agreed with a few conditions, the two warriors had each decided that taking a more formal route to 'introduce' themselves than the shady bar where they had first met. Jya's Keep was that place.

Sei approached the gate, being careful to not meet anybody in the eye. While Sei was a famous hero in both Corone and Alerar, Fallien was a foreign territory to the young telepath. Furthermore, if Sei's wings were to make an appearance here, then there was a chance the mystic would be accused of being a monstrous harpy, and be shunned from the country forever. Sei had to keep his composure here, something he was typically very good at.

As he passed several people, he noticed that he seemed to have special permissions in the keep. He found that desolate areas were free range to one such as him. Perhaps these people had heard of his exploits even as far as out here? That, or Izvilvin had arrived first and sent word to the people to not fear the orange haired man.

Sei had originally come in search of steeds for the Ixian Knights, as every good army needed a cavalry. The mute had also thought of finding himself a mount. After all, his daughter Anita had impulsively bought a lance for the mystic to use, without thinking that such a pole arm would require a steady structure to ride on. Sei dipped and dived through Jya's Keep, making sure he didn't arouse any unwanted attention from the locals. He had been following the increasingly loud sounds of the horses. When he finally found the source, he was stunned to see his drown employee had already prepped the animals. Sei smiled, nodding to the man. They had to act as if this was there first meeting, after all.

"Seems you have a pretty good lot of stallions and mares, good sir," Sei spoke with a smile across his lips.

[Izvilvin]

A hero in the desert country, Izvilvin's word that Sei Orlouge was not to be bothered was taken to heart.

A xenophobic community, it took several months for Irrakam to accept Izvilvin's role as a soldier in their military. A defense comprised mostly of female guards native to the land, versed in traditions that ran deep through the Fallien people, the sudden appearance of a drow among their ranks was a tough pill to swallow. He'd infiltrated the Keep and spied on its people, but the Jya's ability to sense him brought the drow out of hiding.

She was into his head and heart very quickly, for Izvilvin had never been skilled at hiding his thoughts from those with the ability to pry. She convinced him to abandon Step's instruction and work for Jya's Keep as a guard, a job that gave him a sense of purpose and goodness that he never had before. No agents of Step hassled him for two years, unable to reach him, but eventually the call to return home to Alerar drove a wedge between himself and Fallien. Step reached out to him again, with a new bargaining chip that kept him loyal: the Jya's life.

It was the harpy's seige on Irrakam and Jya's Keep that solidified the drow's reputation in the desert. He was a hero then, saving many lives and organizing defenses, fighting with fury and energy unlike any the Fallien people had ever seen. It was this reputation that gave him such clout in the region.

Sei's arrival was right on time. The psychic's ability to speak into his mind in a language he could understand was uncomfortable, but Izvilvin had to deal with it in order to work with the man.

Izvilvin nodded in response, and the jagged words of the drow language flowed out from his tenor voice. "The finest from Suravani's Oasis. Horses so strong they can run from here to Suravani with only one night's rest along the way. I assure you that that is very good time."

[Silence Sei]

Sei smiled. Apparently, Izvilvin had been hard at work making sure that the telepath got just what he wanted out of Fallien. It was a good sign that the drow would make one of his best soldiers. Sei reached out to one of the mares, a chocolate creature with caramel eyes. It had several lighter brown spots splattered all over its otherwise perfect mocha coat. The fur of the animal felt majestic, as if the mute was petting a well-groomed dog. Even better was the fact that the mare never flinched to a stranger's touch.

He had found his horses.

Looking to Izvilvin with a smile, the mute nodded. "All of them. I will take them all," Sei said speedily, his hand still upon the strong neck of the horse. His eyes shifted to all of the beautiful colored beasts. His army would soon have one of the mightiest clavaries in the land. He just needed to make sure he found the proper trainer for the job.

"Which only leaves me with two questions, good sir," Sei said, removing his hand from the steed and reaching for his money pouch. "First, can you train these horses to be ready for war in a couple of weeks? Nextly, can you tell me how much stronger the wild breeds are compared to these domesticated mares?"

[Izvilvin]

"War?" Izvilvin questioned.

He had made the leap of faith to trust Sei Orlouge, but the idea of war filled him with trepadition. The warrior recalled well his experiences with Letho Ravenheart and Christina Bredith in Corone, when the region was in the throes of war. The death there was far and beyond what Izvilvin had seen both in Kachuck and in Fallien during the harpy seige.

He let the detail slide for just the time being. "Wild horses are always stronger, for they roam the sands freely and have stronger legs from constant usage in the sands. They have better endurance as well, but must be broken by a capable rider. Even then, their attachment to humans and elf alike are tenuous."

His words carried softly through the air between them, for Izvilvin was careful to keep their conversation limited to only himself and his ally. Lying to the Jya about his purpose with the horses was one thing, but if the entire island of Irrakam were to find out he was acting strangely with a strange man, it could be bad for him.

"Taming a cavalry's worth of wild horses is not beyond my ability, but it would take most of my time each day for the next two weeks or more. Very tiring, very costly work."

He paused. "As for these, they can be ready for war by this week's end. Suravani's Oasis breeds only the finest."

It was a comfort to speak to the human in his native drow, but what he said next filled him with no such comfort. "War approaches?" he quizzed.

[Silence Sei]

"I have learned that Radasanth will soon be under attack by, well, the rest of Althanas. I have no idea why one town would be the target of such hate, but I know that I must defend my home land, through any means necessary." Sei hoped that Izvilvin of all people would understand the Mystic's plight. Sei had informed the drow that he had wished him to be part of his secret hit squad, but had not informed him of the entire reason the Ixian Knights were formed.

Taking the reins of one of the mighty steeds, Sei looked over to his 'salesman'. "I wish for these mounts to be taken to my home in Radasanth. My men will know what to do from there. However, none of these mares seem to suit me+. I feel no true connection with them. Would it be too much to ask that you accompany me to find a suitable horse for
myself?"

Sei hoped that talks of war had not caused Izvilvin to take back the deal he had made with the telepath. Sei needed his skills to make sure Cassandra Remi did not destroy an entire village when sent to assassinate one person. Given Izvilvin's unique physiology, he was the perfect anti-Cassandra, as it were. Even if he no longer wished to be Sei's assassin, the mute was surely hoping for a guide through the Fallien desert.

Sei had heard from his friends Laconic and Stark that once you found certain creatures, you could make a sort of 'connection' with them, provided they were right for you. Sei had hoped that he would find some sort of mount that could be as loyal as Laconic's bear, Kuma. Surely, they had the bond of best friends, something Sei was severely lacking in since Kylin Rogue disappeared.

Sei kept looking to his salesman, awaiting an answer and hoping he would not be in this alone now.

[Izvilvin]

Izvilvin's lips curled into a grimace. Sei was speaking into his mind, but Izvilvin didn't want to speak out loud his doubts about the psychic's information. How could Radasanth be the target of an attack from all of the rest of Althanas?

He decided to let his questions slide, for now. It seemed that they would soon be secluded and free to talk soon.

His answer came in the form of a mere nod, and Izvilvin kept silent. He mounted his steed effortlessly, before motioning for Sei to do the same. Soon, they were trotting to a small ferry that would take them across the narrow river and off of Irrakam. They were able to simply guide their horses aboard, as the transport was designed to carry horses and unmounted passengers alike.

It was a smooth ride that carried them over the still waters, and the pair soon dismounted upon a sturdy wooden dock that presented to them the vast desert. It was already warmer here, though they were still on the shore. No trail presented itself, but blue flags planted in the sand every 10 meters or so indicated the way to Suravani's Oasis.

Izvilvin guided the psion, showing him the proper method to direct a Suravani steed. They were noble and proud creatures, subservient only to those who could show their superior strength and will. A strong hand was necessary upon the reigns, and just the right amount of force was needed to steer their direction - too little and they wouldn't listen, too much and they would rebel.

Soon their hooves were pounding relentlessly against the Fallien dunes, digging deep into the sands but slowing not a bit as they traveled. The strength of their legs was matched only by the unending heat of the sun, which punished the two travelers with heavy rays of humidity and heat.

When some time had passed and they had traveled north for an hour, Izvilvin finally spoke. "War approaches Radasanth from all directions, but why?" he called, his drow dialect carrying over the steady pounding of hooves. "What is the source of the strife?"

[Silence Sei]

The unrivaled speed of the horses was amazing. Sei had merely thought his newest recruit had been exaggerating when he talked up the sheer agility of the beasts. He was pleased to see that the steeds of Fallien were every bit as quick as people made them out to be. As clouds of sand kicked up beneath their mounts, the mute could feel the hot sun beating down on him, threatening to give him sun burn.

Izvilvin's question came as no surprise to the Mystic. Sei had expected the inquiry to be asked sooner, actually. The fact that his assassin had held his tongue for so long before interrogating his leader impressed Sei. Though the mute himself did not have all the answers, he had heard rumors of the things that were to come, rumors that his own prophecy had spoken about.

"I am not a translator of the prophecy that foretells of Radasanth's plight. That is my daughter's sole ability. She tells me that Salvar will be the first with hostilities aimed towards Corone, and Alerar will be the last. How they plan to go about this, I have no idea. I just know that I need an army to help me defend Radasanth, and I want you as part of that army, Izvilvin."

Sei began to slow his horse as his eyes came across something rather strange. It seemed to be an oasis of sorts. The crystal clear water was slightly blocked by two amber colored wings. Though Sei couldn't quite make out the form with the sun high over his head, he could assume that the winged creature was a harpy. Fallien was surrounded by the accursed bird-men.

Sei's eyes shot over to Izvilvin as he completely stopped his horse. The palm trees that surrounded the oasis gave the beast a clear advantage if it sensed an oncoming attack. Sei knew that the two warriors would have to be very careful approaching the creature, as it could quite possibly have the strength to tear them both to shreds.

"Izvilvin, we'll continue this in a moment. If you'd be so kind as to distract that creature while I subdue it, we could quite possibly give Fallien one less harpy to worry about. What do you say?"

[Izvilvin]

Izvilvin had to consider the notion of war, once again.

He was once a small part of Corone's civil war, aiding Letho Ravenheart and Christina Bredith in their plight against the empire, but he was also a sort of double-agent for Corone's elite. Step had been, after all, a branch of the Corone government.

Now he was a soldier of Alerar, his homeland. The warrior could not promise to turn his back on his new life in order to defend Corone, at least not without understanding the reasons behind the war. He tried to explain this to Sei as best as he could, but wasn't sure he did his own feelings justice.

They came upon the oasis before he could properly convey his thoughts on the issue. There was a pool of inviting, cool-looking water laying among the dunes, a creature standing between it and the two travelers. It was unmistakably a harpy, one of the winged inhabitants of Fallien's desert. Izvilvin recognized the shape of the creature, knew it to be an adult, knew it to be fierce and powerful.

"That may not be necessary," he said nonetheless, and the sound of his voice caused the harpy to turn and regard them. Its face was like that of a female human, but with whiskers, fangs, sharp features and eyes that were entirely black. Her wings fluttered, but she made no move to strike.

"Harpies don't attack when they're alone, they run in packs when they hunt or make a plan to strike."

Izvilvin didn't mention it, but the harpy also wouldn't attack because it knew who he was. Harpies were intelligent creatures, and tales of Izvilvin's impact during the siege of Irrakam and his encounter with the harpy leader so many years ago, alongside Rheawien, were well known among the winged community.

The pair of travelers and the harpy regarded each other for a moment, with noone making a move. Slowly, the harpy began to move away from the oasis' edge.

[Silence Sei]

"From the looks of things," Sei said, eyeing the harpy as it slowly made its way from the water's edge, "I think this one thinks its friends are coming." Sei began to reach down towards his weaponry, the harpy slowly widening it's wingspan as if it were getting ready to summon it's brethren to the field. The beast cleared its throat, it seemed, and began to sing a hauntingly beautiful tune.

A large shadow loomed over the form of Sei and Izvilvin, and then quickly over their opponent. The mute imagined that this song was what had been used to summon other harpies to battle. However, as the shadow began to descend to the ground, Sei noticed something peculiar.

The shadow wasn't splitting up, just getting bigger.

The mystic widened his eyes and prepared to be assaulted by an entire battalion of bird men. Surely one song couldn't have attracted this many of the harpies allies, could it? Luckily, it had not, as two massive yellow talons fell to the ground, the harpy looking to the owner of the huge shadow with fear in its eyes. The fiery feathers of the much larger beast gave off a heat that made the telepath sweat buckets.

A large red beak came down upon the single harpy. The points of the beak piercing the creature straight through the chest. The bird monster struggled to get away from the clutch of this new threat, to no avail. Crimson liquid stained the scalding sands in whatever quarts weren't lost to the new beast’s mouth. Once the prey had gone limp, the larger creature wiggled it off of his beak, chomping down on the harpy as it fell in mid air. The new threat now looked to Sei and Izvilvin.

It spread its wings in a threatening manor, a good fifteen feet on each side. The blood on its beak was well hidden due to the already red hue of the creature. It let out a roar, but a much less threatening one than Sei would have imagined. The feathers of the giant bird appeared to be radiating not just heat, but pure fire itself. Sei and Izvilvin were standing before a fifteen foot tall Phoenix.

Sei looked to Izvilvin, hoping the drow had some experience with such a menace. However, as Sei looked back to the giant bird, he gazed into its blue eyes, the beast almost challenging Sei personally to try something against its massive self.

"Izvilvin," Sei said, a smile spreading across his lips, "I think I just found my mount."