V2 Incline 15: Champion Nin

"Can you speak?" I ask one of the aelenvari bathhouse workers. They stare at me, their bulbs adjust their brightness and then they shake their head. I sigh a little at how difficult this has been.

I gesture for Vadei to keep on going into one of the private baths so she doesn't have to put up with anyone bothering her.

"Can you understand me?" I ask and the aelenvari nods. I breathe a little bit in relief as at least I can clarify something for them.

"That's right, out of my way!" Vadei laughs as she goes through the door.

"Do not bother her at any point, leave her be. She's going to have a nice long bath, then, she'll get changed and leave. Ok?" I firmly state to the aelenvari. They look between themselves with frowns and glares. Their bulbs shift about in colour, but, they start to nod.

They nod in understanding towards me and I put my thumb up as I leave.

"Good... Good..." I mutter as I shuffle out the main door. Coming back outside, I frown as Vadei's words repeat themselves to me again and again. My nose twitches a little and the thumb on my right hand spasms between the hand's two fingers. I make a point of staying away from anyone and everyone I can see.

Carelessly bashing my right arm against the few remaining trees, I half-heartedly try to destroy the arm. Nothing comes of it no matter how hard I try to swing my arm against them. Bringing one tree down with a violent snap, I sigh heavily. I cover my mouth and force my rear onto the jagged bark.

It cracks under me to a fine, blunt stump.

"Coward, huh..." I repeat to myself as I think back to the hole. I never tried to save anyone, they just followed me. I never tried to help them even after they got out of the hole, I screamed at them. Roared at them.

Get back in the hole! Get back in there! They'll find us! Get back in before they find me!

Damning them all to Undwote if they just listened...

I groan as my face slips down my hands. Looking up towards the flower, I grumble to myself as I get back to my feet. Scraping my arse clean of woody bits, I walk into the open. Carrying on into the area filled with leather tents and leather-drenched aelenvari.

"I have the strength to change things but don't do it..." I repeat to myself as I flex my left hand. I look around at the aelenvari as their dim bulbs lighten up at me. Many of them are just excited to see me and some are quick to walk up to me. A few of them start to touch me, they hold those fingers as if they became treasure.

I just sort of smile and wave at them, too taken aback by all of it to really do much else. I make my way through the crowd and some of the armoured ones spot me. They rush towards me and the leather-covered aelenvari break away hectically. I raise my hand up at the armoured ones and shake my head.

Shooing them off, the armoured few become increasingly confused. They can't understand that these are things that do not bother me. I don't care if these leather ones lack magic or whatever it is they judge them by. I don't care.

"Bravery, huh." I go as I think back to how uncomfortable the treatment of these aelenvari makes me. I rub my face once again and then sort of walk around to the loudest spot. I pick up on teary-eyed screams and my pace quickens. Turning a corner, I spot a sobbing woman as the guards viciously beat her.

I watch at first, unsure of what to do...

"H-Hey..." I go at first before I notice the fact her bulbs are completely destroyed.

She can't even beg for help...

"HEY!" I roar as I march up to the armoured aelenvari. One of them turns to me, seemingly to gesture me away. To give me some act that everything is okay... I raise my left hand at them.

Stepping right up to them as they come to me, I shove the armoured woman away. They fly briefly and roll across the ground and everyone stops to look at me. The guards turn jittery and I heave with frustration. My hands flex and an invisible wire nooses around my mind.

"ALL OF YOU, GET! SCRAM! GO AWAY!" I roar right up against the terrified faces of the armoured aelenvari. Their eyes don't focus on me directly but on the air around me. Many bow their heads again and again and they run off. The one I shoved away picks herself off of the ground and limps after them, clutching her caved-in chest plate.

The crying aelenvari below continues to sob as she falls to the ground.

"Are you alright?" I ask her once I have taken a calming breath.

"H... H-H... Pl... Hel..." she can't even get out as I kneel down beside her. Looking at her purple hair, I peek through the slot on her leather headdress. I frown at the scars she is covered with. All these bruises alone make me uncomfortable.

I look around at those staring at me then my eyes lock on the distant cliff. I put the aelenvari's head on my left side and my right carries her lower half. I shake my head at the idea of looking for Rose-sweerui for help, I know she won't. But, maybe Vapooliar can...

Soldiers know some first aid naturally, right?

Carrying the injured woman, I take her away from here as she tries to urge me to go the other way. She seems desperate to try and go towards the place where those who hate her live. I ignore her pleas and watch carefully as she grows weaker and weaker. I can't really tell a thing with all this thick leather on her.

So, carefully, I take the headpiece off and toss it aside. I look at her carefully and pay close attention to all the blood, bruises and the peculiar scars. Her breath is coarse and rough like she hasn't had a glass of water for years. Her eyes start to close but I can still tell that she is breathing.

Sensing some danger, I recall a prayer just in case...

"Loyal Pack of Seven I tell you begone. God of Death, I tell you to remember your other calling, that of Friendship. So please, I extend to you my friendship so that you may understand why you cannot take away the person I hold so close right now. Loyal Pack of Seven, I tell you once more begone. Heed your understanding Master and seek another soul truly in need of your ever-skilful nose..." I pray quietly as I keep making sure she is still breathing.

Crossing the field, I get closer and closer towards the extensive camp. Many aelenvari look at the one in my arms with confusion, but most settle on disgust. I look up in the sky and across the ground. I can't find Vapooliar anywhere, why is she suddenly so hard to find?

I glance down to my left and spot a group of three human men. I blink a little, surprised to see them and I move a little closer. They're dressed partially in the uniforms those prisoners from back in the hive had. Before I was unfortunate enough to get stuck in the hive for a little longer...

One of them looks up at me as he rattles his mail coat over the back of his chair. He grabs the attention of the other two with gestures and shakes and they look at me too. One continues to carve something with his knife without even looking down. I stare a little at this as the thickly-beared one huffs bemusedly.

"Well, well, look who it is, what'cha got dere, Log-Puller?" he asks as I try to remember his name. I think Battcomm at first then land on Rohlant as that mildly embarrassing conversation passes through my head.

"An interesting pick..." one laughs uncertainly at as I check the aelenvari's life signs.

"Did he do it?" one asks as he spins a three-way hat between his hands.

"No blood on him, Aarut." the unknown one comments as he carves a bit more. Aarut smiles a little and he slips the knife.

"Ha! Pay attention, Envo!" Aarut goes as the other flicks his now-cut thumb.

"Cunt." he puckers as he sucks his thumb which only results in baby jokes being made about him.

"Have any of you seen Vapooliar?" I ask as I look back at the sky. They seem to ignore me initially.

"Still, why a leathered one?" Aarut ponders as he drops something.

"Maybe he thinks she's pretty." Envo mutters agitatedly as his thumb pops out of his mouth.

"Ignoring the scars, actually, considering them... But why? He has the, you know... Ivy-Mother! Ivy-Mother, she's always fussing over him." Aarut says as he points a gloved finger my way.

"Greedy one, ain't he?" Rohlant remarks to his compatriots. My lip curls up slightly in annoyance and I start to walk away, shaking my head as I do so. I start to attract the attention of more aelenvari and the scarce men amongst them watch me curiously. A few seem to hold back their women a bit but many just watch as I handle this purple-haired woman.

The cautious ones, though, have no need to be, I'm not after their women.

The one I want is right in front of me, "Vapooliar!"

Catching her attention, she abruptly stops what she is doing and she turns to me. She hands an aelenvari this weird, chain-like weapon and comes up to me. She looks at the aelenvari in my arms as I try and present them to her. Our nearly matching eyes meet.

"What happened, Nin?" she asks just as she delicately holds one of the destroyed bulbs with a glowing hand.

"Can you help them?" I ask, ignoring her question. This light might be helpful to some extent, I don't know... She stares at me quietly, then she nods. I pass the aelenvari into her arms and follow Vapooliar as she starts to walk.

"I'm not a healer, Nin. But, with my magic, I should be able to do something. I can try to find a healer later if it's needed." she explains as a quiet sigh leaves my lips. We close in on a tent and I hold it open for her so she can get in. She places the aelenvari down on a bed and she starts to glow brightly as she leans close, holding her hand. I blink at the act and the apparent intimacy of it.

"Is this why I woke up with no injuries?" I ask as I look at myself. I fell down a mountain, spent days and nights fighting in the deep dark. I escaped the mountain and fought that armoured bug. Got bruised, bloodied and beaten, but, I woke up and it was all gone.

It's all only in my memories now.

"Yes, Nin, the Ivy-Mother tended to you while you were unconscious." she answers quietly as her mind becomes occupied with something else.