Trials of the Forsaken - IC

[Highland Sniper]

welcome to the
Path of the Forsaken
The caves where all the forsaken criminals go.

You rumble along in an armored, prison carriage with a few others. all the guards are out on horses and other wagons. it's only been a few minutes since you were shoved in there with the other strangers.

A girl with a bag on her back, red hair tied back in a ponytail, ears slightly pointed to make her look like a half-elf, still in a barmaid's dress. She stared at her hands as she flexed them. she seemed to be thinking more than anything else, her face was taut with concentration. needless to say, she paid little attention to everyone else.

[Minkasha]

'Within the unknown, the unsuspected, and the unseen rests the Night Mother's vision. The darkness is the heart of Her compassion.'

Qal'talis' mantra ran though his mind in a third wave of self soothing promise. The priest of Morinda, hands bound, curled shaking fingers. A brown cloth hood shrouded his face, leaving only the sight of kindly creamy pink lips, a diamond cut jawline, and sunlight colored hair. While the inviting mystery of his face remained, the shrouded Half-Elf was unable to conceal his heartache. With his head hung low, hands holding tight to his backpack resting on the floor between his legs, and shoulders rising and lowering prominently, the prisoner's emotions were an open book.

His mind was focused on the bewildering developments of his life, the Lioncrest Pendant glinting in his memory. Had he been a fool to chase after that family dream? How was he to know that the pendant's reunion was to be his ruin? 'My father lost his heart when the Linoncrest Pendant was broken apart, now my heart sinks reuniting it' The corrosive feelings, the diverse pallet of his internal woes were a struggle to understand. The Half-Drow, Qal'talis was aware she too was in the damned carriage, but chose to keep his eyes away.

The weeks he pondered her existence didn't shelter him from the resentment he felt for her now. Among his self-pity there was that pointed agitation towards her, that she ruined his life of service. But life had taught him better: he chose to serve her - as Morinda would. 'I am being thrown into the Forsaken darkness, Morinda's love is in every shadow. I must continue to serve' The weight of being condemned, the turning of the carriage's wheels distancing him from Lionhearth, the true loss of his mother and father. This was goodbye, though his mother and father wouldn't know: they believed they lost him almost two decades ago.

The priest gradually raised his hands, pulling them under his hood to cover his wet eyes. Settling to a still depression Qal'talis let the fateful ride continue in silence.

[Enigma]

Foolish girl, did you really think you could get away?

Caitlin shook her head to clear it, then glared over at the brown robed priest with his perfect skin.

"Siffi," she muttered. "Why did you choose my room to burst in, eh? Why am I in this with you?"

It wasn't fair... but then, when was it ever fair? She should have known she couldn't escape. That morning she had, thanks to her mysterious friend who kept leaving money for her, finally had enough to purchase passage on a ship! She could have been out on the glorious sea if not for that!

Sure you would. I'm sure the captain never noticed your wanted posters....

"Where are they taking us?" the half-drow girl grumbled, hanging her gray head.

[Highland Sniper]

you know well enough, you week excuse for a host. the demonic voice seemed to echo around the half-drow girl, though she was the only one who could hear it. you will rot like the rest. but... you could escape. it said. you held my power once. you could do it again. did it not feel good to punish your ungrateful master? he never loved you. he rarely noticed you. you were no more noticeable than the carpet under his feet.

The girl's talking seemed to snap the other woman out of her thoughts
"The Path." she said grimly. she felt so helpless as she was now. she never thought it would end up like this.
but she couldn't get the doubts about her true identity out of her mind.
her blue eyes still seemed distant, as if she were trying to look at something far away.

how about it child? allow my power to flow through you, and no one will be able to hold you back. the voice sounded almost inviting. all hope of true life will be lost besides. it almost felt as if the voice had a sly smile as it spoke in her head.

A man of about average hight sat there in a stained leather apron with leather-gloves shoved in the pockets let out a loud snore. seeming too lax considering the situation, slumped over his bag like a sack of potatoes with his messy brown hair hanging above his closed eyes.

[Minkasha]

Cailín's jutting, outright selfish comments strained Qal'talis' patience. The shadowy cleric lowered his hands, lips pressing firmly together while he raised his head only to allow sight of her lower half. He had no desire to look at the woman in the eye. "I-" 'No, this isn't about what I did, She does not show her virtues' "You were not as clever as you thought. Put too much attention on yourself" A thumb brushed across the knuckles of the other hand thoughtfully, tone of voice irritated.

Disengaging with her, Qal'talis moved his hidden eye to the man snoring beside him. The carefree behavior was soothing to see for the religious man, 'He masters a peace I cannot find...'. The umbra devotee let his shoulders relax, following the sleeping man's example. The emotion showed by the fay lips changed gradually to a small smile while he continued to keep his head turned to the loudest among them.

[Enigma]

The cleric's rebuke stung. She wasn't supposed to be noticeable.

Caitlin just clamped her jaw for a moment, then turned towards the girl. "I'm not from here. What is this 'path' you're talking about? Oh, my name's...."

Idiot, why should she care to know your name that's not really a name?

"Sorry. What are they going to do?"

[Highland Sniper]

that's right. you have no name the demonic voice said. why should anyone care about a loathsome worm. it seemed to laugh.

the woman curled up a little, looking lost. "they're going to throw us into some deep caves where we're never going to be heard from again." she said in a voice that sounded uncaring, but almost sad. "we'll have all the time in the world to work out our personal problems."
she went back to looking at her hands with those lost, blue eyes. you could almost see something else if you look closely enough.
"I don't even know what I am," she muttered sadly.

[Minkasha]

The atmosphere was weighed down by justifiable defeat. Qal'talis couldn't retaliate against it, empathizing with the same gloom the redhead expressed. Though their words would be different, their woes tearing at various parts of their lives they were all in this carriage - certainly losing everything they had before this moment. From youth, within the walls of the Lioncrest castle he was taught that this punishment, to be forsaken, was the just punishment for the cruelest hearts in the kingdom. Now he himself was forsaken, his father would be ashamed.

Qal'talis looked up briefly to see the Half-Drow's face. If the others were quick enough they would see the midnight eyes with their rare glints of sunlight in their hues. But the moment was a fast one, the Half-Elf returning to holding his head in a deeply low bow. The hands returned to his face and in this way he remained, grieving.

[Enigma]

That voice was in her head again. Not that it ever left.

"So they're throwing us inside some deep caves?" Caitlin said, glancing at the sleeping man in front of her. Was he a jailer that he could sleep so soundly? Or did he know more about these caves?

"So why is our stuff here if they're throwing us off some ledge?"

[Highland Sniper]

"From what I know, it's not like a prison." she said with a sort of sad resignation. "it's more of an exile. since no one knows what's down there, they assume you die at some point or another for why knows what reason. I mean, why do you think they were kind enough to allow us to take everything we could carry but our gold. they want us to struggle, to break us in our final moments."
she gave a cynical laugh. "I'm already broken." she cried, tears starting to run down her face. "I'm a monster, and I never knew it."
she looked like she desperately wanted to laugh. but, she put her head in her hands and shook as she cried.

you see now, you pitiful child. there is no hope. It spoke to the half-drow. you can take my power and run. you can be free like you were when I first came. free to live a life of your choosing. all you have to do is let me in. it coaxed.