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Entry tags:
Writing Practice
Prompt: Fierce
Word Count: 434
The road to Noiren would be, Kalla knew, a long one. But for the time being there was no better place to head towards. She was a fugitive of sorts, having halfway reached her goal of vengeance, and the journey to the distant city would not be ill-served by being called a judicious retreat. And from Noiren, it was only a matter of weeks rather than months to the coast. By ship she could be back in the black and ruined capital in a matter of days if need be. Her path now would be the winding old trade route that currently served as little more than a curiosity. If anyone were to come seeking her, she doubted they would think to look for her hiding in the open. And if they used magic, well, there would be little she could do about that.
Taerythos grumbled as she made her final resolution, watching the sun disappear over the snow-covered peaks of the Rist mountains. He would go without as much food as he had become accustomed to in the past year but there was little Kalla could do about that. The spirit had gorged himself in any event and he couldn’t, and wouldn’t, starve. If she had to feed him herself from time to time that would be nothing out of the ordinary. They’d both survive that. The griping and sniping, however, would be another story. Kalla just hoped she didn’t become too used to answering the voice in her head out loud. It was a hard habit to break and one that would label her queer when she finally reached Noiren.
The last rays of light vanished, as if swept away by the fierce and bitter wind that came racing down from the mountaintops to shriek across the barren plain spread before her. It caressed her cheek and tugged at her short tufts of hair, carrying a smell of purity and cold. The crossing would not be without its difficulties but at least the taint of pestilence and vile corruption that had surrounded her for far too long in this city would be gone. Kalla was ready to get away from it all, chase after a new puzzle for a time while her strength renewed itself. She would need knowledge and allies for what lay farther ahead. Not even Taerythos would be enough on his own to bring down the evil that still lurked at the heart of the continent. Too, after some time alone on the traders’ road, the sights and sounds and amenities of civilization would be that much more welcome.
Word Count: 434
The road to Noiren would be, Kalla knew, a long one. But for the time being there was no better place to head towards. She was a fugitive of sorts, having halfway reached her goal of vengeance, and the journey to the distant city would not be ill-served by being called a judicious retreat. And from Noiren, it was only a matter of weeks rather than months to the coast. By ship she could be back in the black and ruined capital in a matter of days if need be. Her path now would be the winding old trade route that currently served as little more than a curiosity. If anyone were to come seeking her, she doubted they would think to look for her hiding in the open. And if they used magic, well, there would be little she could do about that.
Taerythos grumbled as she made her final resolution, watching the sun disappear over the snow-covered peaks of the Rist mountains. He would go without as much food as he had become accustomed to in the past year but there was little Kalla could do about that. The spirit had gorged himself in any event and he couldn’t, and wouldn’t, starve. If she had to feed him herself from time to time that would be nothing out of the ordinary. They’d both survive that. The griping and sniping, however, would be another story. Kalla just hoped she didn’t become too used to answering the voice in her head out loud. It was a hard habit to break and one that would label her queer when she finally reached Noiren.
The last rays of light vanished, as if swept away by the fierce and bitter wind that came racing down from the mountaintops to shriek across the barren plain spread before her. It caressed her cheek and tugged at her short tufts of hair, carrying a smell of purity and cold. The crossing would not be without its difficulties but at least the taint of pestilence and vile corruption that had surrounded her for far too long in this city would be gone. Kalla was ready to get away from it all, chase after a new puzzle for a time while her strength renewed itself. She would need knowledge and allies for what lay farther ahead. Not even Taerythos would be enough on his own to bring down the evil that still lurked at the heart of the continent. Too, after some time alone on the traders’ road, the sights and sounds and amenities of civilization would be that much more welcome.