Finding Ietus Part 1 - Tirel (solo)

[Ayithe Solete]

The thunder of the storm shook the night skies of the Tirel harbour, ushering the once calm shoreline of Salvar to strike at the docklands with its mighty land devouring waves. Yet, the re-enforced and sturdy built docks of Tirel had seen much worse, and it took on the stormy weather as it had been designed to, resisting the weathering waves efficiently.

The mighty stone sea wall took the brunt of the offensive, protecting the inner harbour from its perilous wrath. Allowing the now swaying boats and ships to float and rocking rather harmlessly within its confines. Yet it remained haunted by the loud banshee type howls of the blustering wind as it struck the town. Tirel while widely known as the harbour of the north was known by another more daunting name; Tirel, the city of lost souls. Many a traveller would venture here, be it by land or stormy sea. Yet few families chose to stay in such a cold damp place.

The docks were a tough hard working place to live, and the town itself bustled with trade income and temporary businesses that failed to make ends meet. Bars and whore houses flourish amongst the tradesmen and sailors to Tirel, and while currency and wealth grows in abundance, farmland is few and far between on this cold dirty land. If not for the strategic and convenient position of the harbour, this large growing town would be but a small fishing village.

But from humble origins to a reknown trading capital, the future is bright for Tirel. The harbour was the one key feature that defined this town, and because of the sea wall protection, the dockyard rarely shut down. Today as any other day, the many sailors and tradesman continued to work and prepare for their next journeys.

The flickering burning torches along the jetties struggled to cope against the violent wind. Yet as the night drew closer, the few remaining hard workers finished off their loading in advance of the next day's travel.

Ayithe, shivering against the cold and wet like a drowned rat, walked through the dank warehouses and along the soaking dock. Persistent in her search for anyone who could shed some light on the mystery that was Ietus. The question to where it was plagued her mind, it was a sailors legend and folks tale, with most believing it was simply a whisper to spread the fear of the far east continent.

Still, Ayithe had not given up all hope and had the desire and determination to ask throughout Tirel for its location. The docklands were huge, the largest on Salvar's east coast, and there were more than enough people to question. All she needed now was a lead to spur her on further.

She held her black cloak close, desperately shielding her long blonde and brown hair and determined face, the supposed water proof had done the bare minimum to keep her dry from the blustering wind and rain. It was thin and poorly made, the basic material for such a task, the result of buying cheap and Ayithe regretted it with a shiver.

"You're barking up the wrong tree, Miss! We're bound for Corone in the morning." The man shouted through the battering rain as it slapped against them with the every new gust of wind.

"Can you tell me who I could speak to at least?" She begged as they both held onto their coats against the sudden blast of wind.

"Look, Miss, I've a job to do, and unless you've got something worth my while, I'm busy." He pulled his hood back over his rough face intent on ignoring her pleading. "You're looking for a myth, a story to frighten the new recruits from heading to far east. Ietus, doesn't, exist."

It didn't matter how hard faced she stared at him, those dark eyes were not empathic, but careless. He simply turned away and marched back into the group of box carrying men - shifting their cargo from the nearby warehouse to the large ship down the jetty in military style operation, they worked in a single line like worker ants, unfazed by the pouring rain and battering wind. Though, Ayithe knew they were better dressed to endure the weather than herself.

It wasn't easy hearing that same line again, it wasn't the first time and it probably wouldn't be the last. Yet, every time she heard it, it hurt that little bit more. The underlining concern that they might be telling the truth and she had been lied to about this whole thing haunted her worries. She wiped her rain covered blue eyes and pulled the few hanging strands of her blonde hair to one side.

Bastard...

She scowled at him from afar before she turned away and looked down the less active part of the jetty that she was yet to travel. The burning torches that marked the jetty edge were mostly out, and the workers to the next pier had evidently stopped for the night. She walked anyway, like a shadow in the night, unnoticed onto the next pier. Her dark attire fit perfectly into the shadows of the dark alleys and night sky. but she was no thief or assassin - she was a fighter for sure, trained and as beautiful as she was deadly, but her desire to fight lay in adventure rather than that of miss-deeds. The boardwalk itself refused to even creak under her steps; she was a lost gemstone, caste aside and forgotten amongst the other grey rocks at the vast shoreline of Tirel.

Nothing acknowledged her in this place. She had felt rather lonely in pervious travels, but now she really felt it press upon her. With the pressure of her pursuer, though seemingly long gone, and her missing friends, she had not been around anyone for more than a few moments. Leaving her to move on to her next destination alone. Completely alone.

Another gust of wind wrapped around her as she walked by a large closed store. Her rain cover quickly displaced, forcing her to adjust as she tried to protect herself from the elements with the thin and near useless cloak. She tensed up her hand and closed her eyes, trying to take a deep breath to calm her frustrations, as she felt the rain spray against her already soaked face. She grimaced as she leaned against the store wall, there was no shelter over head and the raven black cloak flung about irritatingly in her faltering grasp, then she sighed.

I hate this... I hate this...I don't deserve it!

Ayithe let go of her wimpy cloak and allowed the next gust of wind to give it flight. It soared for a brief moment then sounded with a loud wet slap as it hit against the brick of the store wall. Almost immediately she could taste the salty sea as the rain poured down her face, it was revolting.

Ayithe shivered violently, her lips trembling and her skin goose bumped. She rubbed her uncovered arms in a futile attempt to try give some warmth back; but the cold sea inflicted rain would not let up.

"Fuck you!" She whimpered harshly at the cloak as it matted on harbour floor.

She looked around despairingly, the blurred lights ahead of her still highlighting the men on the adjoining pier, the thrashing water to her side splashed up with the waves and the pattering of the falling sprays masked the silence of her lonely journey. She wouldn't go back, and she didn't know why she even considered it for that moment. She had chosen this path and she would have to endure it - she knew that.

Grabbing the soaked cloak back off the ground, she shook the worst off, and unsurprisingly it was rain sodden and the same as it always was, worthless. Even if it was all she had, there were some things that just weren't worth keeping.

Sod it... She tossed it away frustratingly and continued on.