11-14-2016, 03:09 AM
"I am sorry that I am so late, dear," Zarniya says, pushing open the door of the small, re-purposed steel building the Slewhas had been calling home for the past few moons. The town, if you could call it that, was built from ramshackled, salvaged supplies from the aftermath of the terrible conflict between the XIVth Imperial Legion and the ancient wyrm, Midgardsormir, in old ruins near the obliterated camp of Revenant's Toll. In its wake, those who were displaced by the explosion of the Agrius, the terrible flagship of Gaius van Baelsar, fled wherever they could reach. Enough refugees stuck here, because at least the place had a few ammenities, and the startings of a livable locale. Plenty to scavenge off the bones of the dead, and plenty of scrap to build rough housing. There was even an ancient well and an aethyrite, though neither worked when they had first come. That was what led to the Slewha's presence here. First, they fixed the well. Then, they constructed rough shielding devices to protect the shelters from the roiling aetheric storms in the area. They started project after project, doing what they could to help these poor souls survive. They should have left a long time ago, but Peche'ra insisted that there was more to do.
Zarniya sighs and tosses her satchel on the rough chair near the door. Certainly not half as comfortable as their home back in Sharlyan... but at least they were doing good for those who needed it.
"I thought those stupid oafs would never-" She pauses. Strange, Zarniya thought. The lamp dark, and she didn't hear Peche'ra or Twila, let alone her little Niyah'a. "Darlings?" Zarniya lights a lamp absentmindedly and takes a few more steps into the shelter.
Something is not right.
Zarniya's heart freezes as she grabs the lamp and searches the shelter, calling out for her husband, her children. She would have seen them if they were in town - there were not many places or faces that one could hide in around a cobbled-together refugee camp.
"Mother!" A terrified, small voice pierces through the darkness. Niyah'a darts out from the nearby closet. "Mother, I was so afraid. They came for us, but I hid but they saw Twila and took her and I didn't know what to do and I-"
"Niyah'a," she said through the pit in her throat. "Dear, I need you to calm down and tell me what happened from the beginning. Please. Can you do that for me?"
Niyah'a manages to calm himself sufficiently, and begins. "Some bad men came and took Twila. I hid until Father got back, and he found a note and went after them. He told me that I should be good, hide, and wait for you to get back, where I would be safe, but I'm so scared, Mother. What if they hurt Father? Or Twila?"
"They won't hurt your father, Niyah'a. Don't worry, Mother is here," she says, wrapping her arms around the terrified little boy, stroking his hair gently. After a moment, she pulls away and looks him square in the eye. "Now, my dear, I need you to tell me where the bad men took your sister. Can you do that for me?"
Niyah's ears twitch, still folded straight back. He sniffles and nods. "T-they went to the big building with all of the big crates and things. The depot."
Zarniya swallows hard. "Thank you so much, Niyah'a. Now, I think we should listen to Father's advice once again. Can you hide for Mother? Don't say a word until me or Father comes back for you, okay? It will be just like a game of hide and seek. Can you do that for your mother?" It takes all of her willpower to keep her voice calm and even, but Niyah'a nods and throws his arms around Zarniya one last time.
"I'm scared," he says, starting to sniffle once more.
"Don't be scared, my dear. Mother's here. Be strong for Mother, okay? I promise I'll be back very soon."
He pulls away again, sniffling, nodding, and turning back to hide once again. Zarniya stands back up again and turns towards the door. She grabs her tool bag again and heads towards the supply depot, her chest pounding out of her chest.
Peche'ra. Twila. Please be okay. Please.
Zarniya sighs and tosses her satchel on the rough chair near the door. Certainly not half as comfortable as their home back in Sharlyan... but at least they were doing good for those who needed it.
"I thought those stupid oafs would never-" She pauses. Strange, Zarniya thought. The lamp dark, and she didn't hear Peche'ra or Twila, let alone her little Niyah'a. "Darlings?" Zarniya lights a lamp absentmindedly and takes a few more steps into the shelter.
Something is not right.
Zarniya's heart freezes as she grabs the lamp and searches the shelter, calling out for her husband, her children. She would have seen them if they were in town - there were not many places or faces that one could hide in around a cobbled-together refugee camp.
"Mother!" A terrified, small voice pierces through the darkness. Niyah'a darts out from the nearby closet. "Mother, I was so afraid. They came for us, but I hid but they saw Twila and took her and I didn't know what to do and I-"
"Niyah'a," she said through the pit in her throat. "Dear, I need you to calm down and tell me what happened from the beginning. Please. Can you do that for me?"
Niyah'a manages to calm himself sufficiently, and begins. "Some bad men came and took Twila. I hid until Father got back, and he found a note and went after them. He told me that I should be good, hide, and wait for you to get back, where I would be safe, but I'm so scared, Mother. What if they hurt Father? Or Twila?"
"They won't hurt your father, Niyah'a. Don't worry, Mother is here," she says, wrapping her arms around the terrified little boy, stroking his hair gently. After a moment, she pulls away and looks him square in the eye. "Now, my dear, I need you to tell me where the bad men took your sister. Can you do that for me?"
Niyah's ears twitch, still folded straight back. He sniffles and nods. "T-they went to the big building with all of the big crates and things. The depot."
Zarniya swallows hard. "Thank you so much, Niyah'a. Now, I think we should listen to Father's advice once again. Can you hide for Mother? Don't say a word until me or Father comes back for you, okay? It will be just like a game of hide and seek. Can you do that for your mother?" It takes all of her willpower to keep her voice calm and even, but Niyah'a nods and throws his arms around Zarniya one last time.
"I'm scared," he says, starting to sniffle once more.
"Don't be scared, my dear. Mother's here. Be strong for Mother, okay? I promise I'll be back very soon."
He pulls away again, sniffling, nodding, and turning back to hide once again. Zarniya stands back up again and turns towards the door. She grabs her tool bag again and heads towards the supply depot, her chest pounding out of her chest.
Peche'ra. Twila. Please be okay. Please.