Something Wicked This Way Comes

[Darastrix]

(Summer 1022, Talen'sul, Elysium)

The task was supposed to be simple: deliver her master's new compound to a potential buyer in Skyheort.  If it didn't go over well (or even if it did), she was to go from there to the mining village of Bellima for a similar pitch.  Kamael was no Mind with the ability to teleport, but she had the speed of Winds and had been looking forward to "flying" her way through the open air again after so many month in the caves.

First, however, she had to make it out of Elysium.

I don't believe this, she thought, chancing a peek over her shoulder as she raced through the tunnels leading to the surface.  She couldn't see who was chasing her, but she could hear the steady thud of hard-soled boots striking the stone some distance behind.  This would happen once she'd gotten past the more populated area of the caves.  Of course, they - whoever 'they' were - had likely planned it that way.

Shifting the pack on her back, Kamael risked touching the Wind sign on the back of her neck to gain some speed and widen the gap.  She didn't like using her sign underground; the illumination in some areas was lacking, and she was liable to trip or slam into a wall if there was a sharp turn.  Walking (or, more appropriately, running) on the wind wasn't much better, what with the ceiling sporting its own hanging obstacles.  An athlete, Kamael was not.

Oh, and people.  People-shaped obstacles were even worse.  Even if they'd probably be less harmful to run into, most people didn't like it when you did.  Kamael let out a short yelp and changed course to avoid said obstacle, tripping in the process and coming down painfully on her hands and knees.  Her limbs buckled with the pain, and she lay there for a moment, trying to force air back into her lungs. 

"H-help me!" she finally gasped out, struggling to her feet.  "They're after me!"

[Northen Light36]

Mat had been making a brief visit to one of the guild's contacts. It was a task he could have assigned to anyone, really, just dropping off one package and collecting another, but he liked to keep busy now days. It was easier then thinking about the two women he'd now lost and loved, or facing his children. Besides, Lillian was happy with her friend in Naurorod, Bas and Pas were busy with the mercs and his remaining three were deep in guild activities.

Though that had made it harder for him to conceal the three attempts on his life that had occurred since Acqua's death. Someone clearly thought it was time for another shift in leadership, but hadn't yet gained the courage for an open fight. In fact, the sound of running feet in this almost empty tunnel had caused him to draw a dagger and whirl around, ready to face a fourth attempt at murder.

Seeing only a woman fallen on the ground, he blinked twice before forcing his paranoia down and letting her words make sense in his mind. Swearing, he hurried over to her and held out a hand. "What's happened? Who's after you?"

[Darastrix]

Kamael took the offered hand, clamping down painfully (well, for her, at any rate; her grip wasn't strong enough to cause most other people pain) to use Mat's support to get the rest of the way up. "I--I don't know," she stammered, looking back fretfully over her shoulder. She wasn't sure she could hear them anymore, but she certainly knew what her fellow Winds could do to sound.

"Two people, maybe three," Kamael added, looking back at Mat. "I was too busy running to get a good loo--eep!" She'd caught sight of the knife Mat had drawn and jumped back, eyes wide. Was he one of them, too? There wasn't time to think about it (or to realise that most people would probably draw a weapon when someone came running by shouting for help). She stumbled as the weight of her pack threatened to tip her and she instinctively reached out to grab onto Mat for balance once more.

[Northen Light36]

Mat caught hold of her, reaching out to steady the girl, his eyes scanning the shadows of the tunnel. "Take a deep breath and calm down," Mat hissed. "I'll get you out of here, okay? But you need to calm down. That pack looks heavy. Anything in it that you can't abandon if we have to?"

[Darastrix]

As Mat looked around the tunnel, there was no shifting in the shadows to betray the presence of anyone, nor any sound of footfalls.  There was only the sound of Kamael's quick, nervous breathing and their own movements.  If anyone were there, they had stopped out of sight, or were excellent at hiding, either by skill or element.

Oh.  Okay.  So, the knife wasn't for sticking somewhere in her.  That was good.  She took a breath as instructed, but was still fidgety. "Aside from everything?"  Kamael gripped one of the shoulder straps tightly with her free hand.  "I need the supplies to get to Skyheort, and Bellima after, and the rest is the reason I'm going there."  It wasn't just a quick walk to the capitol, after all, though her element would probably shave some time off of the trip.

[Northen Light36]

Mat sighed. "Fine, fine," he murmured, then gestured for Kamael to be quiet while he listened. "Can't hear anything," he said softly, "But if whoever's chasing you is a wind, that might not mean anything. Okay, the first thing we need to do is get out of these damn tunnels. Go ahead of me, okay? I'll watch our backs in case your 'friend' gets bold. Walk, don't run, and keep calm, all right? Panicking won't help anything, and I give you my word I'll get you out of here safely."

[Darastrix]

Calm?  He wanted her to keep calm?  That was easy for him to say.  He had a knife; he was probably at least a little used to conflict.  Still, she had to get out of there.  Fidgeting, Kamael nodded and moved in front of Mat, wishing she had time to dig in her pack.  But if they were trying to scare her until she opened it to lighten the load.... 

Wait.  He'd suggested something similar, hadn't he?  Swallowing, she started walking ahead, hands gripping the shoulder straps of her pack tightly.  Step, step, step....  He had a knife, and now he was behind her.  Step, step, step....  He'd asked if she could leave anything.  Step-step, step, step....  Kamael walked a bit more briskly, cutting her eyes to the side as far as she was able, as though that would somehow let her see what Mat was doing.  Was he really helping her?  Or was he just staying close until he could rob her?  Or even kill her? 

Panic might not help, but since when did knowing that ever keep anyone from doing it?  Without realising, she began moving faster as the steps of the person behind her who'd said he was going to help made her heart speed up.  Was he the only one she was hearing?  She couldn't tell.  Her blood was pounding too loudly in her ears.  Step-step-stepstepstepsteprun!

She took off like a shot once more, consumed by the overwhelming need to get away.  She didn't use her element yet, but she was clearly bound and determined to reach the outside as fast as she could.