• Mature • (Viden Wilderness) Tales of Blood II

[Sybil Malach]

VI

31st of Vhalar 719

As Wald lurched for his meal, Sybil's pupils traced him.

He was far more bestial than before. He was behaving much like a wolf, rather than a person. Though Sybil had very minimal exposure to such beasts, it was somewhat clear in not only his appearance, the man's eyes clearly had the glow of a mutt, but as well as the behaviors that they had seen. Sybil made no effort to restrain the man, nor any effort to guide him. He went from twisting pain from moving too quickly, to dashing to the campfire for his next meal within an instant. This was something that was, in the end, a basic need and desire. Getting between him and that would be the same as them trying to pull a steak away from a starving mongrel.

... But was this not the nature of all living things?

The thought was banished from their mind, as they rolled their shoulders back. The two prior standing men were now sitting cross-legged by the fire, eyes trained on Wald. They were strangers, wrapped in cloaks. Both were men, but neither looked to be of the same breeding. Their watchful gazes matched though, as though they could communicate with glances of the eyes. Both did not know what to make of Wald, but were following orders as instructed. That's just how things were, in the end. They had orders, and distinct warnings of the potential outcomes if they tried to intervene.

As Sybil approached Wald, their eyes glanced towards the meat. Salted, boiled, it probably tasted like the soles of a leather shoe; likely even having the same sort of strength binding the strands of flesh.

"Eat your fill. We have more than a few days rations with us in the carriage." Sybil finally offered, breaking the silence shared between the encampment. As Wald ate, however, Sybil pinched at the wool of Wald's tunic. Pulling back the collar, they simply glanced down the garment, and down the larger man's back. They had seen the mark before, when he was asleep, but now the man was clearly awake. Though, they knew better than to ask any questions about it. As he ate, they merely made a mental note of the man's marking, whatever his reaction.

[Wald Lowca]

Wald continue to eat the meat, despite the toughness, his teeth ripped in with sharp fangs. Sybil moved behind the man it would seem, as the feeling of pulling fabric could be felt on his shoulder. He slowly moved his hand to grab the smaller one of the student. His hand wrapping around their's, stopping the fabric from moving to far. Wald's head slowly turned to look at the student, a chunk of hard flesh working its way down his gullet. His eyes giving a nonverbal warning to Sybil. Slowly he looked around the camp after, and gave a slow sigh.

His lips slowly began to move once again, the cracked skin of his lips blistering from dehydration. "Medical supplies... How do they look?" Wald gave his question, as he looked for some liquid to drink. Soon he found a water skin, as he took it a back, forcing all of its contents into his body. The feeling of finally being filled pushed through his body.

He may not of given a reason for his question, but it was obvious to the ones who saw the mark. He needed ride of the mark, even if it were to leave a new scar upon his flesh. What was one more to add to the many scattered on his back. Wald may not be able to see the marking, but he knew what it represented. The thought of being owned by anyone was sickening to the hunter. Wald was ready for it to be burned away, or sliced from the flesh, anything to be free from such a marking. He was a run away now, if the wrong people saw it, he would be dragged to be punished. It would be best to rid the evidence even if it is painful.

[Sybil Malach]

VII

31st of Vhalar 719

"Right now? Enough for emergencies." Sybil offered, eyes glancing down at Wald.

It made enough sense. There was a mark on the man's shoulder. It was clearly intentional. There was a bill of sale in his hands. To Sybil's mind, though it was slow on the uptake when it came to actually accepting this truth and eventuality, the reality of the situation was not able to be ignored much further. Wald had been branded as property. There'd likely be no other way of making it known that there was an owner to this specific individual. The practice was common. Even Sybil's own slave had such markings.

"Not enough to keep you alive during it." Was the only other followup the Exorcist gave Wald. There would have to be more preparation done. His body was too weak to survive a flaying. And while they head a virtually endless supply of clean gloves and surgical thread, it would do very little to stop the shock. While Sybil was abjectly horrid at diagnosis of the body in comparison to more trained contemporaries, they knew enough about the limits of the body. And Wald, despite everything he had been through, was still beheld to he limitations of his mortal flesh.

So instead of the immediate option, Sybil's lips merely pursed, flatly, into a straight line. Even as Wald's hand gripped theirs, they simply slipped their fingers out from his shoulder, once the pressure let up, and lowered to a sit, next to the boiling pot, reveling in the awkward silence of the camp.

Then again, everyone here was complicit in some form of murder.

Legs crossed upon the snow, Sybil let out a slow breath, and their gaze turned to Abbot. The older man bringing a ladle of the partial-broth to a cup, before sliding it in the direction of Wald, the bottom of the cup scraping against the rough plank of wood being used as a makeshift floor-table.

[Wald Lowca]

Wald listened to Sybil for the brief moment. He gave a slow sigh, as his body bellowed the heat from his body. Slowly he was given the cup of broth, he did not bother with letting it cool down. The hot water slid easily down his throat, as if it were room temperature. He looked over to the student who had sat down, his eyes narrowed slowly to them.

Placing the empty cup back down, he cleared his throat. The scratching of the cold removing itself from deep within his throat. He spoke firmly to the student again. "You can burn it." He looked to the fire, the raging flames of which keeping the rest of the people warm.

Wald placed his hand to the flames, the wisps dancing just under his palms. His face giving a blank expression, as he kept his hand there for a few moments of time. "Heat... Along with cold have lost their effects upon me." He moved his hand away, and place snow on the hand that was just over the fire. The snow melted slowly on his hand, no different then it would of before. "Though... The pain of burning metal will still be there, the shock will be... bearable. Just like last time." His expression did not change, he knew the pain was needed, and he knew just how it would feel.

Wald was ready to let his flesh cook again, it was the easiest way to clear the mark. As long as the student kept steady a hand, it would be a simple matter. Though the men around the fire would have to keep Wald pinned. Normal reactions would cause him to squirm to get away from the pain.

[Sybil Malach]

VIII

31st of Vhalar 719

"Wald, you're skin and bones at this point. You've nothing to gain by having your body burned while you're barely even in the right mind." Sybil's brow cocks, just a bit. It was a reality that it was going to happen, but there was one simple choice that Sybil had with this. The timing of just when the burning took place, unless the man decided to do it himself. And as the exorcist glances between him and the flames, there just wasn't enough of a rush for them to risk it, right here and now, "Eat, drink, and we'll talk about it. If someone's hunting you, they'll be using far more than just a mere mark to find you."

It was callous to say, but someone like Wald wouldn't have been captured and handled like this if they were after the ordinary slave. The man had killed necromancers, and ambushed an entire encampment of slavers. In Sybil's mind, there was something far greater at play here, even though it was a simple Videnese matter. Placing their gloved hands on the snow behind them, they simply shift their weight back.

A slow shake of the head is given, before they simply say, "Tell me where the child is. The pain will wrack you. You may be resistant to the effects of nature-- But that will simply mean we will have to burn the irons hotter. Keep you pinned for longer." Their eyes level with Wald, as they slowly cant their head. He was a reactionary, but there was still some logic in Wald, something that they could clearly see. With nothing but the tundra behind him, there was only him to focus on, as they looked in his direction, "Tell me what you know. And I'll consider doing it once you've had your fill. If you fall unconscious before we can get the information, you'll end up with more problems than where you started."

[Wald Lowca]

Slowly Wald at some more of the food that was available, though his body could only handle so much after the near starvation. He knew he should not gorge or he could die from digestion problems. His body was not use to large quantities of food, so he focused on just feeling satisfied with the meal. Finishing it off with some of the water from the pot.

Sybil seemed to understand at the very least, though Wald would have to pay with the information he knew. Slowly Wald sat back, pulling his memories back. Flipping through the scenes to find where it should be started. "They caught me near Black Peak, I was tending to a grave site at the time." Wald's limbs slowly moved into his body, as he thought of what happened. The grave marker was knocked over just before he was knocked out. "They surrounded me with at least twenty five men." Wald gave a slow sigh, as he looked over to Sybil. "After that, I had Ylfa take my bow to you, as they took me into the mountains." From that point on Wald's memories of the events were fuzzy at best.

Wald gave slow blinks. "I was not quite able to speak to Ylfa, likely due to them keeping me one foot in the grave." Slowly he started to string things together in his mind. "They kept forcing me to fight in an arena. I noticed some upper classes from the Empire and Viden there as well." Wald slowly continued. "One of my fights, involved that child. I refused to kill the boy, so they eventually caved and let him live." Wald's eyes gave a blank stare forward for a moment. "A few trials ago, I was sold off with the child. To a Biqaj woman, I was likely going to another arena, one more public." He gave a slow sigh. "I managed to get away from her with the child, who I then got the child to go to the walled campsite. They should be with my animals by now." Wald's gaze went back to Sybil. "Once the deed is done, I will travel to the camp. It may be best to not follow for a time. I can hide from prying eyes easier alone."

[Sybil Malach]

IX

31st of Vhalar 719

... The Aristocracy?

Wald's story was something out of fiction. What he was proposing, was that the upper classes of two sovereign nations would be involved in... What, a non-sanctioned gladiatorial ring? Something about this didn't sit right. Wald was able to pin them down by race, as well. They hadn't been the greatest in discerning the difference in humans, it was a task that was far too annoying to get into, what with the idea of phrenology and among other things. But for him to be able to simply rattle off their ethnicity without even hesitating, there was something that clearly made them stand out.

But at the same time... What did Wald know of the ruling or wealthy classes of either nation? Their brow furrowed, as they considered exactly what was being asserted.

The Biqaj aren't native from here, however. Sybil glanced to Karlsson, as their mind worked to make sense of it. The older man only returned a blank stare, face unreadable. Would that mean that he was going to be shipped overseas? Would that not mean it was the wealthy caste of some other place? Their mind churned with potential. It made no sense. What was being asserted would be a scandal. Though Wald was a man without ethnicity to stake a claim to citizenship over, certainly there was something that bound him to some semblance of freedom. But being held on death's door...

"Did you hear any names? Any phrases?" They ask of Wald, finally. Their body leaning forth, towards him, "Any banners? Do you remember what their colors were?"

[Wald Lowca]

Wald slowly shook his head. "No, they seemed careful with giving names around the prisoners." Taking a slow breath out he thought of what else he could tell about the people. "There were two kinds of people there, the slavers, crudely dressed and acting. Then the higher classes, well dressed and well kept. Both would bet on the matches before they started." His eyes slowly glanced at the cloak on Sybil's body. "Some wore thick furs, similar to the judge from the trial and the spectators from there." Wald gave a shake to his head. "Anything other then where they came from or race I can not tell you."

Setting everything he had for a moment, he looked over how much he had eaten. The stomach cramps were gone, his body felt better. He had more energy then when he awoke from his slumber. Though his mind still felt clouded by a fog, he could not see everything properly. Despite this, he placed his hand on his shoulder. "We should get started on this. If I were to eat anymore, I would become ill." He gripped the fabric, going over the pain in his mind. It would be the second time in the same spot. "It is not people that look for me specifically I am worried about." Wald gave a slow nod. "Yes, it is the lawmen who could see this, and only know that I am an escaped slave. Which is not a legal option outside of Scalvoris." Wald was not afraid of killing someone, it was the fact doing so would lead to more trouble. Especially if it were someone trying to enforce the law.

[Sybil Malach]

X

31st of Vhalar 719

The whistling, biting wind of the winter was enough to make their skin crawl. Something about this was wrong. Yet, there was nothing that they could do to help get anymore information. Letting out a light sigh, as their gloved hands sank against the snow, there was just... Nothing that could possibly be done in the now, to deal with the lack of information they were dealing with. Their eyes eased, as Wald explained himself more. It was an assumption, based solely on dress, rather than actually knowing that either was from Viden or the Eternal Empire.

But that didn't make things better.

If anything, it had the chance of making things worse. The wealthy, enjoying a non-endorsed bloodsport without the blessing of the country it's held in? Such an implication would be tantamount to treason, would it not? To undermine another country's laws in such a way. They shook their head however, as the fact settled in their mind. There was, simply, nothing to be done with it. Sybil was neither a noble nor a lawman. Any influence they would start to gain, came down to the fact that they knew powerful people, rather than possessed genuine power.

There was only one way forward now.

As Sybil's eyes looked to Wald, their gaze hardened. He was insistent. Foolhardy. They had more than enough wits about them to dress Wald down for trying to force such a decision so hastily. The logic wasn't sound. But the truth was, the brand would have to be dealt with regardless. Their eyes softened, slightly, but were more harsh than when they started. It had to be, for what had to come.

"Wald. It'll take them around-- Seven days time? Just to try and track you down at this rate." Nothing had to happen this instant. And Wald was beginning to overplay their skills, "We'll get it removed, when I feel you're ready. That's the simple fact of it. You're asking to be maimed. Something that will have to happen regardless, but I frankly will not have you be making demands of me when I know we have time."

"You'll have half a break." They say, easily, as their eyes settle on the source of light on the horizon, "When the light dips down beneath the horizon, you'll get your wish. But we'll wait for your body to have some time. There will be no further discussion of it. It'll happen."

[Wald Lowca]

Wald placed his hand on his cheek, he looked towards the people that surrounded him. "I see." The hunter gritted his teeth for a moment, he seemed to be thinking for a few moments. Slowly Wald rose from where he sat, getting to his feet with minimal shaking of his body. "A week is what you believe I have." Wald slowly shambled to the tent where he was set to rest. Slowly going inside, he began to search the place for a few moments.

A few moments go by where Wald searched the tent for something. Soon he emerged back out of the tent carrying a knife, it was covered in blood that stained the blade. He walked slowly over to Sybil, moving a hand out into the open. "May I borrow the bandages." Wald said this with a blank face, the blood was not his and it was very unlikely he would use a bloodied knife on himself.

Sybil would hand the bandages over though, with whatever reactions that would follow. Wald though took them, and proceeded to bloody them on the knife. Before removing the shirt, and placing the bandaging upon himself. It would look as if he was injured from some source, and no one would likely question the wound. What was left of the wrapping he gave back to Sybil, before walking to the edge of the camp. "I am sorry for bothering you Sybil. Please come to my camp when you are ready." He began to leave the camp, heading off deep into the forest. "I doubt a wolf and a child know how to cook."