08-18-2017, 11:08 AM
The cauldron of a plan churned in her mind once Regus took his leave to go rest. He was still wounded and weak, compromised. His magicks would take the time to coalesce. For what bubbled in her mind, he would need his strength. The climb to the world Above would be fraught with dangers, least of which came from the creatures of the tunnels, the animals they hunted for their survival: food, oils, fur, and contents of the Pits.
Valeriya stalked along a corridor. The bone beads braided into her hair clacked with her heavy steps. She needed to find Illarion and Matvei. For one of the men, she would need him at her side. For the other, he would need to be contained. The best method might be to take him with her, but he was too unpredictable. Despite Illarion's protection, he could end up sinking her into a pit rather than the other way around. No, he was too dangerous a beast to take. He needed to be caged.
"Matvei"
she smiled when she saw the very face hovering in her mind, as though the intense focus on his being conjured him before her. He was walking in his shrouds in the opposite direction as she, no doubt going off in search of Rasputin. He would cling to their Father if he could. Or more, Matvei would take his place as their patriarch. But Valeriya was the Eye of the Khylsty. She drew up her strength and her height, and planted herself before him.
"Regus has requested all his belongings be repacked into the trunks. He has requested you oversee this personally, as he does not wish any other hand but yours to touch them. See to it, yes?"
Matvei hid a smirk, but Valeriya wasn't sure if it was of pride of victory or if he saw straight through her. But she was the Eye. Yes, he was taking the bait. He departed to carry outyes, the mission she concocted.
Once Valeiyra located her twin, she bid Illarion to go to her chamber to retrieve a satchel and secure it to his back. She would meet him outside the throne room, waiting.
*~*~*~
"What are you doing, sister?"
Illarion whispered into the cowl of her hood. She pulled it low even as she wrapped a rag around her face. Only the whites of her eyes showed between the two layers of darkness. She hissed behind the mask.
"I am the Eye, my beloved. I will remove your tongue if you do not use it correctly."
Illarion nodded, accepting of the perpetual threat he'd endured since they were children. Otherwise, she offered him a rag of his own, "wrap this around your face and pull this shroud over your ears and eyes." Without question, he obeyed. The satchel on his back swayed as his arms expertly wrapped his bald head with cloth. With the paleness of his skin and eyes, he appeared ghostly as a burial shroud. Even the scars of the cross burned into his forehead were covered.
None questioned their adornments as they passed, although she felt eyes burning into the back of her head. As soon as Matvei was located, he was likely to hear of their strange behaviors and he would come investigate. Luckily, it would be too late by then.
Illarion's unflinching loyalty was being stretched, however. She could sense the anticipation in his stride. Where was she leading them? To what purpose? She carried a small torch in one hand and a vial of green liquid in the other. They walked a long time. All sounds of the Khylsty were gone. The only light that of her torch. As she took a rarely traversed tunnel, a sinking feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. The smell hit them like a rock to the head. His eyes began to water. "Eye, please tell me your thoughts,"
he whispered, nervous.
She stopped before a narrow crag in the rock wall and turned to him. From it wafted the bowels of hell. A smog of poisonous air that waved up from sheer darkness. The gleam in Valeriya's eyes made his stomach sink. "To go Above, we must descend Below.
" With that, she turned side ways and squeezed into the crack.
Valeriya stalked along a corridor. The bone beads braided into her hair clacked with her heavy steps. She needed to find Illarion and Matvei. For one of the men, she would need him at her side. For the other, he would need to be contained. The best method might be to take him with her, but he was too unpredictable. Despite Illarion's protection, he could end up sinking her into a pit rather than the other way around. No, he was too dangerous a beast to take. He needed to be caged.
"Matvei"
she smiled when she saw the very face hovering in her mind, as though the intense focus on his being conjured him before her. He was walking in his shrouds in the opposite direction as she, no doubt going off in search of Rasputin. He would cling to their Father if he could. Or more, Matvei would take his place as their patriarch. But Valeriya was the Eye of the Khylsty. She drew up her strength and her height, and planted herself before him.
"Regus has requested all his belongings be repacked into the trunks. He has requested you oversee this personally, as he does not wish any other hand but yours to touch them. See to it, yes?"
Matvei hid a smirk, but Valeriya wasn't sure if it was of pride of victory or if he saw straight through her. But she was the Eye. Yes, he was taking the bait. He departed to carry outyes, the mission she concocted.
Once Valeiyra located her twin, she bid Illarion to go to her chamber to retrieve a satchel and secure it to his back. She would meet him outside the throne room, waiting.
*~*~*~
"What are you doing, sister?"
Illarion whispered into the cowl of her hood. She pulled it low even as she wrapped a rag around her face. Only the whites of her eyes showed between the two layers of darkness. She hissed behind the mask.
"I am the Eye, my beloved. I will remove your tongue if you do not use it correctly."
Illarion nodded, accepting of the perpetual threat he'd endured since they were children. Otherwise, she offered him a rag of his own, "wrap this around your face and pull this shroud over your ears and eyes." Without question, he obeyed. The satchel on his back swayed as his arms expertly wrapped his bald head with cloth. With the paleness of his skin and eyes, he appeared ghostly as a burial shroud. Even the scars of the cross burned into his forehead were covered.
None questioned their adornments as they passed, although she felt eyes burning into the back of her head. As soon as Matvei was located, he was likely to hear of their strange behaviors and he would come investigate. Luckily, it would be too late by then.
Illarion's unflinching loyalty was being stretched, however. She could sense the anticipation in his stride. Where was she leading them? To what purpose? She carried a small torch in one hand and a vial of green liquid in the other. They walked a long time. All sounds of the Khylsty were gone. The only light that of her torch. As she took a rarely traversed tunnel, a sinking feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. The smell hit them like a rock to the head. His eyes began to water. "Eye, please tell me your thoughts,"
he whispered, nervous.
She stopped before a narrow crag in the rock wall and turned to him. From it wafted the bowels of hell. A smog of poisonous air that waved up from sheer darkness. The gleam in Valeriya's eyes made his stomach sink. "To go Above, we must descend Below.
" With that, she turned side ways and squeezed into the crack.
The Eye of the Khylsty