Private - Lacrimosa

Floral incense suffused with oxygen, melting into the cortex with each breath as the single adventurer parted the beaded curtain that separated the impure from the pure. Despite whatever objections they may have had, they too were put through the cleansing ritual before allowed within this sacred temple. Perfumed oils were slathered upon their immortal body while a withered old woman, the shrine maiden of a past generation, treated them with sacred mantras, repeated to the strikes of a long, jade pipe against a copper bowl.

All this, so outer contaminants would not interfere with the consecrated ground.

Within this large yurt, the sacred resting place of the holy man of Liega, a myriad of sewn paintings assailed the senses of @Destiny Divebird. It was a testament of generations of history, stretching far past the history of the nation of Falderen. Gold-bound champions clashed against dark purple menaces, while both paradise and perdition expanded from a multitude of patterned works. But there were no statues, no relics. Living in austerity, a withered elder sat cross-legged on the floor, clad in undyed linen cloths. Before him, a copper bowl. Beside him, a young woman kneeled, her own robes gilded with red threads, a translucent veil shrouding her face. Sharper senses would have picked up the different scents they held. The holy man, of sweet tobacco and almonds; the shrine maiden, of lilac and rust. He motioned for the sharp eyed huntress to seat themselves however they wished, before he let out a slow, rasping breath.

The haze stun their eyes, the incense smoke more pungent than aromatic.

“If these were times of less dire instances,” he began, voice strong despite his age and emaciation, “The two Unclean and the Twin-Souled would not have been contracted as guardians for this journey. But here we are still, and I thank you for your presence and your assistance. There is no payment but our gratitude and the continued sanctity of this village, but I am sure you are all aware of that. Though Falderen may have seen you blessed immortals as a threat to their own conquests, know that the people of Liega trusts that your blessings will carry you through the task at hand.”

A pause, as he sucked in more of that stagnant incense.

“The ox knows the way up the sacred mountain, and if left undisturbed, the maiden will be able to perform her task to appease the Lord of the Mountain once more. I only ask that you and your cadre of…fellow Blessed to shield her from harmful influences.”

The same incense billowed out of his mouth as he exhaled.

“It would be most auspicious if you were to leave immediately, while the sky remains blue and unfettered, but if you have any concerns, now would be a wise time to raise them.”

~~~​

The first rays of the sun had shot over the grassy plateau, but it did little to chase away the stubborn nighttime chill. Though the holy man had not vocalized his disgust for the trio, it was clear in his refusal to allow them to enter that their kind was not all that welcome here. Between Ashiore Evretto’s decaying form, and Cain’s two-faced nature, it was as clear as the sky why a village as devout as Liega would rather have nothing to do with them. But they were the ones to answer the call, and despite the stalwart beauty that composed the village, it was clear that they had seen more fruitful times.

A ritual to be performed on their sacred mountain, by a maiden they deemed as pure of soul. An expedition through the white-capped peaks, fending her off from miscreants and monsters. An escort mission, ultimately. It was something he had grown out of as an adventurer, but…

White breath rose up. A cold wind cut it down.

…Cain felt like doing something more relaxed after recent events. The two feathers pinned in his hair billowed in the chilly breeze, and he chased off unpleasant memories with the chattering of his teeth. It really didn’t look like there were too many people here who wanted to say ‘hi’, hm? On the outskirts, a group of thickly dressed hunters saddled up, before riding northwards into the mountain range, while in a far corner, a couple of kids bounced a beautifully colored leather ball between each other. He smiled at the little tods, but upon noticing him noticing them, they scampered away.

“Guess ‘stranger danger’ is a real thing for them, hm?” the Flagbearer spoke, his arms crossed. “Got a story for your whole deathly makeup thing, Ashiore? Coulda sworn you were rocking a completely different style a couple months back.”

…

He turned his cheeky smile to her.

“Wait, don’t tell me, you’ve jumped onto the Black Magic bandwagon as well?”

 

Even if she wasn't in a village as superstitious and pious as Liega was, the reaction to her appearance wasn't a surprise. It still stung a bit, but that was only to be expected, after all.

What was a surprise was the fact that she wasn't the only one who had been denied entry into the temple. Given the mistrustful stares she had received throughout the village, she was thankful for the company while waiting for @Destiny Divebird to emerge once more.

"It seems so," Ashiore said when @Cain Darlite commented about 'stranger danger', with a glance at the retreating children. "Though I'd guess it's not as much to do with you, as it is with me," she added as she looked to her own hands with a self-deprecating smile. She really wasn't sure why Cain and @Seigi weren't allowed to enter, actually, but the more the merrier she supposed. For a certain definition of 'merry', anyway.

Ah, and of course, the topic of conversation turned towards her current appearance. Fair question, given that she didn't look like a walking corpse the last time they had met.

"Ah. Well... if it is some sort of magic, it definitely isn't mine." She tried for a laugh, but it came off as rather hollow-sounding. "I first noticed that something was wrong after, ah. After the whole prison thing. But it's only gotten this bad since I went looking into the disturbance at the canyon in Astorea."

"But, well, it isn't contagious as far as I can tell," she said with a weak smile, looking to both Cain and Seigi. She wasn't sure what kind of first impression she had made on the red-headed girl or the currently absent Destiny, but she hoped it wasn't too bad.

 

"Hmpf..." Seigi hmpfed as the three of them were waiting in front of this Shrine Place! The red-head had a lot going on right now, enough that she actually felt like anything but smiling and putting up a light-hearted front, but it was what it was.

Despite the things she had gone through the past week, it was ultimately important for her to not lose sight of the cheerful, positive, smiling girl she once was. Yeah, she had a few days going all gloom and emo but... even if she felt like doing that now... it'd only give her wrinkles! And as such tender age. No can do. Not to mention Cain was here. Cain Darlite, who was sorta like a teacher for the hero-to-be. Cain Darlite, who had sinned himself unbeknownst to Seigi.

"HMPF!" The red-head hmpfed twice! There was also this zombie-girl person. Maybe, if not for her own bandaged-up arms, Seigi would have been more creeped out, but she was well aware that dying in this place could do a lot of weird things to you.

"They're just clearly afraid of how awesome WE are if we'd enter this place! Yeah! Me, a Hero. Cain, the Herald of Miracles and Ashiore, the trusty Zombie... pet! See, you're a zombie, but a good person! Clearly, they're too stuck-up in their beliefs to accept modern standards and zombie rights and stuff. It's... it's like entering a church while dressed as a... a skater girl, yeah!" Wow, she kinda sounded like Alphabet to an extent, huh? That wasn't completely the good ol' Seigi, but pretty close, guess she had to try a bit better. Though Alphabet did help her get a bit back on track, actually.

"Eh... you don't mind being called a Zombiegirl, right?" It was like calling a black person, well, black. So maybe...

 

Destiny sneezed. No one said ‘bless you.’ That should have been her first indication that the people of Liega didn’t actually give a damn about her, or anyone whose origins didn’t already lie with the hidden village.

Why Des alone out of the four outsiders had been permitted passage to the sacred yurt complete with spa treatment and a peace pipe was a mystery; but it was the black-haired, blue-eyed ranger regardless who found herself accosted by the cloud of rich perfumes in the holy man's chamber. She felt the strong urge to sneeze again and covered her nose, breathing through her fingers. The warning sense of taboo all around her was more stifling than the incense—nothing so imperfect, so human as a sneeze, could be more obtrusive here.

Lookin’ forward to getting’ this weirdness over with and getting some travel in, she thought longingly as she awkwardly folded her spidery limbs into a cross-legged position, glancing at the array of tapestries which lined the circular hut. Haven’t had a chance to see the Hylands. Oughta be beautiful this time of year.

The landscape in her mind’s eye was vivid enough to blot out her confusion at the elder’s words, his strange turn of phrase, the terms he chose to describe them. Unclean. Twin-Souled. Blessed. “Immortals?” Destiny echoed faintly. Her low, gravely drawl seemed out of place here and she cleared her throat, rubbing at her stinging eyes. “Mm. We’ll keep her safe so she can do her thing, promise. Why so dire, though? Only question.”

The lean woman stretched, feeling like she’d been sitting for a long time, and sat up to a kneeling position. She gave a nod, already looking forward to gettin’ out of this cooped-up space. Any more nosy questions or concerns would seem like prying into secrets, and Des was a gal who didn't like to cross that line. “Blue skies are all right with me. We’ll get goin’ straight away, no sweat.”

---

Just outside Liega, three people were waiting. Emerging from the beaded curtain, skin still glistening with ceremonial oils, Destiny stopped. “Y’all again,” she said mutedly, brows raising. Despite a three-day winter wagon ride on the way to the Bandit King's fortress, she’d learned almost nothing about Cain and Seigi but their names, their taglines, and a hell of a lot of catchy road songs.

Her expression seemed frozen in neutral for a moment before her lips quirked and an easy smile spread across her face, light eyes crinkling. “No kiddin'! Aw, that’s just askin’ for trouble, travelin' with you two. How’s it been goin’?” Despite her words, the elf seemed relaxed and amiable. Her eyes transitioned smoothly to the stranger among the three. “Hey there. Destiny,” the long-limbed woman introduced herself, shouldering her bow. She took a closer look and squinted in alarm. “Jesus, you all right? You look like hell.”

It wasn’t meant as an insult—she sounded more concerned than anything, taking in Ashiore’s alarmingly ashen complexion. She gave a quick stretch, loosening up her muscles, and glanced back at the village. “Just waitin’ on the gal and her ox now,” she said easily, shielding her eyes from the bright morning as she looked up at the mountain peaks. “Beautiful day. Can’t wait to get out there.” Damn. She should have been practicing her road songs, shouldn't she?

 

That ‘only question’ gave the holy man some pause. For a moment, he sat in silence, as if deliberating on how much the adventurers truly needed to know in order to complete their task. Seconds stretched to minutes, before the white-veiled woman beside him nudged his shoulder, as if reminding the holy man that time was of essence. With a shallow sigh, the withered priest struck the rim of the bowl. A clear ‘pang’ resounded through the haze of the perfumed fog, as if clearing away hesitation and doubt.

“The Lord is declining, young adventurer. It is for that reason that the ritual must be completed.”

He refused to elaborate further, and as Destiny left the yurt, she could still see is muddied eyes, gazing at the bottom of the empty bowl.

For answers? For forgiveness?

The beaded curtain twinkled as she stepped back into the clear mountain air.

~~~​

“Hey, don’t beat yourself over it,” Cain replied, slapping the zombie druid on the back, “You may be all green and such now, but you’re definitely still gold on the inside, Ashiore. Those kids will be learning a valuable lesson in not judging books by covers once we come back with a completed mission and all.”

Seigi’s certainly got the right idea there, with her continued ‘hmph’-ing and general defiance in the face of prejudice. Geez, a pouting Hero of Justice was simply not fair at all. With her cheeks puffed up like that, it really made Cain want to poke it and tease her about her chipmunk cheeks. But such opportunities slipped through his fingers just as easily as lives did, and in the end, the Flagbearer of Miracles just jerked a thumb in the Sunset Sage’s direction instead. “See? Seigi’s got the right idea here,” he said, “Many adventurers can claim to be immortal or invincible, but only you, the Alpha Rafflesia, may claim true conquest over the realm of death! When the adventuring business becomes oversaturated, I’m sure this will be a wonderful competitive advantage for you.”

But if it had worsened in the Naryu Canyon…he chased such thoughts away. This wasn’t a roundtable discussion for what they had witnessed within that box of horrors. This was a wholly separate mission, and should stay as such as a result. The rattling of beads caused the midnight haired muse to turn around, seeing the fourth member of their party finally leave the confines of that large yurt. Vespers of smoke clung to her frame as Destiny greeted them, and Cain waved in return. Definitely was wild, huh? Even at this distance, the pungent aroma of flowers and tobacco could be smelled, while the bright sun served to only accentuate how shiny the ranger’s skin was now. Having never had the luxury of using such…beauty supplements before, Cain couldn’t help but make a bit of a face at how excessive it all was. Liega was going through such hard times, and yet they still had time to anoint an adventurer with such thick oils? Ugh.

“Been pretty great,” the flagbearer replied, his fingertips brushing the two feathers that pinned his hair back, “Survived a scrap with another legend in Crystallized Zalra, did some other fighting jobs, and thought I’d try some non-combative stuff for a change, yah know? And the weather’s so oddly nice today as well, so camping would be hella great! You? Certainly look a little more like an adventurer now, compared to the Bandit days.”

His piece said, the flagbearer leaned back once more, comfortable with just soaking in the conversation. The shrine maiden and her consecrated steed, hm? If nothing else, that would mean that none of the adventurers would have to worry about having to carry the maiden up themselves if the journey became too difficult for her. And if supplies ran short…emergency provisions.

That thought brought a smile to his lips, but as if on cue, the clattering of bells caused him to turn once more, dark eyes gazing westwards.

To call it ‘gaudy’ was an understatement. A thickly built ox, wreathed in scarlet silks, was lead into the center of the village by a procession of beautiful men and women, their skin glistening with the same purifying oil that was slathered on Destiny’s body. Strings of rainbow-colored beads spiraled around the beast’s proud horns, while the carriage that it pulled did not fail to impress either. Though the basic foundation, the wheels, were left largely unadorned, the box in which the shrine maiden would be staying in was many, many times more decorated. Gilded with real gold and inset with precious jewels, it must have cost a fortune to make. Fresh flowers and thick, water-drenched rope hung around the outside as well, while one large bell rested on each of the four corners of the construction. The wood itself was painted a rich red, while the singular door to the interior of the carriage was adorn with ivy.

And yet, there was not a single window within that carriage.

And thus, there was only one remark appropriate.

“Wow, no wonder they need guards on the outside.”
@Ashiore Evretto @Destiny Divebird @Seigi

 

If only she shared the attitude that @Cain Darlite and @Seigi seemed to have. That would certainly be a nice way of looking at things, but Ashiore found it difficult to keep trucking along with no care for what others thought. "I guess that's all we can do," she said quite unenthusiastically. To Seigi, she added, "'Zombiegirl' isn't inaccurate, to be fair. It's all the same to me at this point." She'd almost been sliced into pieces by someone mistaking her for a monster, after all. Being called Zombiegirl was hardly the worst thing that could happen.

Luckily, it looked like @Destiny Divebird's business inside was finished. The elven lady emerged from the tent amidst a thick cloud of fragrance. Ah, and it looked like she was fourth-wheeling here, if Destiny's greetings to Cain and Seigi were any indication. Hmm, it sure sounded like the three of them had gone on some adventure together. Still, it wasn't much of her business. While they caught up a bit, Ashiore just tried to calm down, steel herself for whatever was coming ahead.

"Nice to meet you, Destiny. I'm Ashiore," she said with a faint smile. "And, uh, I'm fine. It's nothing."

The sound of bells caught her attention, and Ashiore leaned over to peer at where the noise was coming from. That was quite a... loud entourage, and she wasn't just talking about the dozens of bells that clanked together with every step the ox took. Visually, the procession looked like an incredibly elaborate mess as well.

"So, I suppose we're going to be leaving now?" she asked, looking back to Destiny, her being the only one of the four of them to speak with whoever was in charge of Liega. "Do you have a map or something like that so we know where we're headed?"

Her eyes flickered between the villagers and the ox-drawn carriage that was slowly beginning to roll on ahead. There was no way to peer in or out of the wooden box, which she found rather odd. She wondered if there really was anyone inside at all. But, well, this was important enough to the people of Liega that they had to find four guards. Ashiore would just have to go along with it, she supposed.

 

"Yeah, as some say. It's not easy being green! But... it could be totally awesome! Just gotta make the best out of it, Zombiegirl!" Seigi tried to encourage @Ashiore Evretto who didn't seem to share their enthusiasm at all. "Mhm, try looking at it like this: The people who can't look past the bad smell, rotting skin, and so on, wouldn't be worth your time anyway!"

With these words, @Destiny Divebird finally joined them in the bad-people-waiting-room, looking like —"Wow! Did they turn you into one of them?!"— now the crimson-hair could actually be happy she wasn't allowed into the inside, huh? Especially because there was a high chance to reveal things she wouldn't like to.

"Ah..." When Des asked how the two of them did, they did share some common history, after all, Seigi would have liked to simply ignore it. In fact, Destiny probably didn't mean much by it anyway! But then Cain was pretty detailed about HIS adventures, huh. "I did this and that... I..." Right, she could just mention the positive things. Actually, saying something like. "I delivered JUSTICE onto those in need! With Guts and Effort. What about you?" Was fine, too, right? It wasn't even a lie! She had beaten up the Tyrant Snitch Trizzaldi!

Before anyone could pry further, to her luck, the Ox with the Carriage introduced now, too! Signaling that, very likely, they were about to start the journey. Just that... "Really? Why not have a shield on top of it saying 'RICHES HERE! BANDITS PLEASE COME'? I mean, that's what we're here for. But does that also mean the Shrine Maiden person will just sit in her box all day?! Is she even in there?! Maybe we're just a decoy! And the weather is so nice too!"

Goddamnit, she hated this reserved shrine maiden stereotype. The silent, boring, reserved, kind of people! Nudging @Cain Darlite with her elbow she whispered. "We're gonna show this girl how to party, right?!" At the end of this, she would practically be reborn! Ah, now this actually felt more natural.

 

Destiny wiped a finger over her forearm as Cain spoke, hitching her mouth to the side. Suppose there ain’t time to wash this all off, she thought ruefully. Not before the journey began, at least. Besides, what if she needed to run back in and ask the holy man somethin’ else and had to go through the whole chanting, pipe-beating purification process all over again? Better safe than sorry for now. She felt another sneeze coming on and wondered, for the first time (because it was the first time it was applicable) if she was allergic to ceremonial oils. Sure. That’d be about right.

Rubbing the sheen into her arm, hoping the skin would just absorb it given enough time (and hell, maybe even score her a tan!) Destiny looked up with a wry smile at @Cain’s comment. “Aw, thanks! And sure I know, thought this sounded like a great gig myself! You prob’ly remember I ain’t the biggest fighter around, not like some of us.” She inclined her head at a certain Seigi, lips quirking, and answered her as well. “Mm, not so much justice on this end! Cleaned up my act a little though, that’s for sure. Ran into a couple things I… well, couldn’t run from! Figures.” The long-legged ranger made a ‘what can you do?’ sort of shrug.

Meanwhile, the distant jangling grew nearer, a chorus of bells which chimed with every step of its bearer’s hooves. Destiny stuck a finger in her ear, screwing up half of her face as the ox and the procession drew near. “Achoo!” She couldn’t hold back another sneeze—that damn fragrance was slathered all over the pall-bearers, too. Anyway, @Seigi brought up a fair point. “Whew! It’ll scare off the wildlife, that’s for sure. I did see the gal earlier, come to think of it. Let’s see—you in there, shrine maiden ma’am?”

Still shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight, Destiny moved in as close to the ornate, crimson-painted box as the men and women would let her. Maybe she could use her slipperiness to her advantage and weasel past ‘em. She didn’t want inside, or even to touch the carriage—just wanted to make sure her voice got heard. “My name’s Destiny, this here’s also Cain and Seigi and Ashiore. We’re gonna be with you the whole time, so don’t get scared in there, arright?” Her tone was easy, reassuring. Part of her didn’t expect to get an answer back.

Remembering the pale girl’s question earlier, Des turned back to @Ashiore. “Aw, so here’s the thing—no map. But—hear me out—the ox knows the way. So their holy man said, anyway. Reckon we better keep an eye on ‘ol boy as much as the carriage, hm?” She winced. Hell, it’d sure be trouble if something happened to the animal leading them, especially if things were as dire as the elder had claimed. Sure makes a pretty picture, though. Des stalked around the front of the ‘vehicle’ to inspect the bead-strewn beast as well, making sure it seemed in good health before they trusted it to lead them up a damn mountainside.

 

“Hey now,” Cain replied, grinning at Seigi, “Putting the shield on top would make it only visible to birds. With these bells though? Anyone with functioning ears would be able to hear the bling van coming! Let them all come, I say! Time for this party van to get started~”

The Sunset Sage (apparently also a hard party-er) did raise a good point though. A carriage with no windows to hide the identity of the maiden. Combine that with rather suspicious point about how Destiny didn’t even receive any directions on where they were headed, only that the great, strapping bull that pushed the carriage ‘knew the way’, and the possibility that they were playing as decoys did make a fair amount of sense.

On the other hand though…it didn’t matter all that much. His preference was ‘protection and escort’, but the Flagbearer wasn’t wholly opposed to being paid to be a loud and raucous attracter of mountain bandits. Perhaps it was a little too early to be seeking some form of redemption. Perhaps it was a little too self-serving to be doing something like this. He mulled it over, before shrugging to himself. It didn’t matter all that much. It’s already done, after all. As the flagbearer watched on, Destiny approached the carriage first, her anointed body apparently clean enough that the enrobed individuals safeguarding the sacred vehicle had no issue with her appearance. The first words that came out of the ranger’s mouth, however, caused some degree of confusion between them. The small entourage looked at each other, somewhat befuddled at why the crazed outsider was speaking to an empty carriage, before the rattling of beads shifted everyone’s attention back to the sanctified yurt that Destiny had just exited.

Ah. It did make sense that there was no way the shrine maiden could have been in the carriage if she hadn’t even left the yurt yet, hm?

Cain suppressed a bit of a giggle, dark eyes dancing with amusement. Unimpressed by that display, the bull rolled his eyes and snorted when Destiny arrived to inspect it. Broad and muscled, it was definitely in better condition than any of the other beasts of burden within Liega, a shiny coat of fur and chocolate brown eyes that spoke of a confident indifference. Beautifully rugged, it was clear that this ox was more than just a pampered holy animal, but one fit for a pilgrimage despite its gaudy appearance. Indeed, the contrast between the holy animal and the shrine maiden was of night and day as she strode by. Outside of that incense-shrouded yurt, the floral scents that clung to her skin was less pronounced, but Cain’s nose still wrinkled as she walked past silently. Robed in white silk, the maiden’s entire body was covered, the budding womanliness of her form shaped only by how scarlet thread tautened at certain sections of her vestments. As in the yurt, her face was obscured completely by a veil, while the sandals she wore had soles think enough to ensure that her robes did not graze the ground with each step.

In her presence, the lesser monks gave way, bowing their heads in reverence towards the nubile saintess. Silent steps brought her towards the small door, and with a small nod towards Destiny, the only ‘clean’ individual amongst her guards, she opened the door and slipped in.

It was but a glimpse, but the interior of the carriage was just as austere as the hazy yurt.

The distinct ‘click’ of a lock being slid in place sounded, before the monks dispersed. A few moments later, the ox began to leave without regards to the adventurers nearby, the rattling of bells signalling the beginning of the journey.

…

Cain blinked.

“Well, not the talkative type, huh? Guess you were on the money there, Seigi.”
@Seigi @Ashiore Evretto @Destiny Divebird

 

After a start to this mission that was less than welcoming, hearing from @Destiny Divebird that there was no map didn't make her feel any better. So aside from having to keep the shrine maiden safe, they'd also have to keep a careful eye on the ox throughout the journey. The loud clanking bells would hopefully be enough to scare away most predators... but it'd be the perfect lure for any unscrupulous bandits who would love to get their hands on whatever was inside such an ostentatious carriage. Wonderful.

The crowd was willing enough to let Destiny through to access the box and the ox, but Ashiore got the feeling that she wouldn't so easily be allowed to pass. Well, that was fine.

Ah, but it looked like the shrine maiden wasn't in the carriage in the first place. As people in the crowd began bowing their heads, Ashiore's eyebrows rose as she watched the maiden silently drift into the carriage with only a single nod to acknowledge Destiny.

The reverence with which the townspeople regarded the woman wrapped in cloth was unnerving. As was this apparent obsession with ;purity', or whatever it was that caused most of the village to shun three quarters of the escorts. If she was lucky, she'd have no further interaction with the maiden throughout the rest of this journey, as she wasn't keen on any further judgement for something that wasn't under her control.

"Time to set off," she muttered with an instinctive tilt of her head. The emptiness by her shoulder caught her off-guard. Hah. No Prometheus, right. This was what she'd wished for when the vulture first swooped in, pecking at her fingers as she was mourning Naixi's loss. If she could go back in time to tell her past self that she'd be missing that headstrong bird now...

Well, hopefully nobody saw that embarrassing little aside. The ox was already beginning to trudge ahead, heedless of the fact that it was leaving behind its protectors.

"I guess we should start going," she said, this time louder so that the rest could hear. "Wouldn't want to lose the ox and let it blunder straight off a cliff, or something like that."

She started moving up, extending a hand to brush against the ox's side as she caught up, to let the beast know that it was accompanied and protected (and... if she was pretending that the ox's coarse fur was slightly smoother, that the flexing of muscles as it walked just the slightest bit different... well, she'd keep that to herself.)

@Seigi @Cain Darlite

 

"Bless you!" Was a phrase Seigi used more often than once as @Destiny Divebird made everybody aware of her sneezing-fit? She was, despite her happy-go-lucky behavior, properly raised to show manners and all!

Nonetheless, as the supposed Shrine Maiden came out, Seigi felt like she was played for a fool. Though, at the very least, it also meant they knew where she was now! Yeah, okay, she wasn't talkative, or simply had to keep up face? One way or another, by the end of this, they'd make sure to turn her into an actual living being!

"I'm calling it now, the Ox is something like the holy spirit animal and the Shrine Maiden just the decoy!" Half-serious, Seigi shrugged as everything seemed to be in place.

"Are you telling me animals are so stupid to literally walk off a cliff?" The red-hair added in disbelief as @Ashiore Evretto talked about taking care of the ox.

Nonetheless, one way or another, as the group managed to get out of the village and out of sight, it was time to put her non-existent plan into motion! "Hehehe...." Getting closer and closer to the carriage, yet keeping a safe distance from the animal fearing it'd react strangely to her hidden arms, Seigi started to climb up!

On top, she simply made it herself comfortable. Though before anyone could complain, especially @Cain Darlite, she reasoned. "I'm keeping a lookout for potential baddies to punch! And... food! Yeah..."

Actually, right. Food. The crimson-hair only had a bunch of beverages with her. Though the Ox had supplies? If they ran out thou..."If I see some huntable animals or something! I'm sure, urm, someone of us can hunt it!... Or just hit it really hard!" After all, Seigi wasn't aware that Des was indeed, the hunting sort of gal, not with virtual inventory being a thing and all.

 

“Mm, so she's still... Right, that does add up, come to think about it.” Destiny scratched the back of her head ruefully as the beaded curtain parted and the priestess emerged as if birthed into the world for the first time, eyeless and faceless behind her veil. Well, she probably still heard me, even if she wasn’t inside the box. Aw but she didn’t know, the shrine maiden coulda snuck out behind her while she had her back turned! Nobody said there was only one entrance to the holy man’s hut, right? It’d just seemed like all the pomp and ceremony was for a person, not just the person’s damn limo.

“Ol’ boy looks great, no worries on his end,” Des announced after inspecting their noble navigator. She liked the look of the animal—he had spirit. More of a character than that shrine maiden, who might as well have been a store mannequin but for that little nod she’d thrown Destiny’s way to prove there was someone inside all that fabric.

Still, she had somethin’. Grace, maybe? The people here respected her, even Des could see that. Her for herself, or for what she represents? And what was that, exactly? Guess those are questions for the road, the ranger thought as the ox set off, the clamor of bells dancing behind the carriage as it began up the path. ...If she talks.

Now that they were finally on their way, leaving the incense-filled village behind, Destiny felt like she could finally breathe again (in more ways than one.) She let the mountain air fill her lungs and exhaled, her good mood rising with every step into the wilds. “Aw, don’t call ‘er a decoy right in front of the gal,” she called back to @Seigi , craning her neck to see the girl where she’d climbed atop the carriage. “You punch animals to hunt ‘em too?”

The woman cocked her head, a wry grin flitting across her face as she imagined boxing out a squirrel or rabbit for dinner. “It don’t hurt to keep up supplies, lemme know if you spot anything and you can send me out like a retriever-dog to fetch it back.” Hell, wasn’t like she was good for much else right now except stinking like every kinda tobacco and flower in the book. Long as the coast for the maiden looked clear, she'd dive into the bushes to rustle up some food whenever they told her to. No sweat.

Feeling energetic, Destiny jogged up to take up post in the front corner of the procession opposite @Ashiore Evretto . “Pretty, ain’t he?” the Yladian called over the snorting animal’s back. “Got some magic about him, don’t you reckon?” She seemed perfectly at ease with their surroundings even in the presence of strangers, or acquaintances at best. Looks like she’s got a real bond with ol’ boy. Must be nice! Cheerful, Destiny whistled a few notes as they moved along, wondering if Cain was planning to drag out the karaoke soon.

 

He caught it, that flicker of sorrow in those light filled eyes. But he’d give her distance until she wanted to speak about it.

As Ashiore patted the stalwart bull, it responded with an indifferent snort, but otherwise didn’t respond to her caress. No rejection, but no clear acceptance at all. It was clearly accustomed to human kindness, and perhaps was even sick of it at this point. The pilgrimage and the path. Bred specifically for that splendorous path, it held the pride of a beast who was both loved and who had ‘earned’ that love. Those skeletal humans and their scant chattering were of no concern to the bull, and even as one of them climbed up, adding extra weight to the carriage that it pulled, the burden was naught but another drop of water in the bucket. Powerful muscles propelled it forwards onwards, its wildness clearly on display despite the ostentatious decorations.

The path they traverse so far was still rather flat, the final mountain a few days travel away. Though they were still very much on the windswept plateau on which Liega was built upon, trees began to burst out of the ground as they approached the foot of the first mountain. Short, the bare trees clawed desperately at the blue sky above, forms gnarled and misshapen. Some sported scorch marks from lightning bolts, while others seemed to simply have dried up from the lack of nutrition within the soil. And though Seigi and Destiny’s eyes were equally sharp, the mountainside birds, herbs, and critters that would have been common sights elsewhere hardly had a presence. There was the occasional chipmunk that dashed past, too small for a meal worth the effort, but outside of that, wildlife itself appeared to be nigh non-existent on the path towards the snow-capped mountain.

A desolate beauty, perhaps.

But one that could only captivate travelers for so long.

Hitching up his pack higher, Cain ran his fingers through his hair, before tying the unruly locks into a manageable ponytail. Ashiore and Destiny were definitely going to hit it off, but with no monsters in sight and nothing to make the path upwards easy at all, well, they had to start the road trip songs somehow, eh? The Flagbearer of Miracles and Orchestrator of Group Songs grinned at Seigi, before his steps took a more rhythmic pattern, tip tapping in a way that reverberated through the air like a set of drums. Mix in the constant pealing of the bells, and he had enough of a beat to start singing a certain, peppy song.

One that started slow but got faster and faster, his own steps picking up the pace as well. As if responding to the muse’s challenge, the ox picked up the pace as well, the carriage ride becoming rougher and rougher by increments.

The smile on Cain’s faced turned feral at that. Just a little bit.

Then, even as Harmonics Magic created more of a beat to follow, he motioned the others to sing along. After all, there were only a few lines at the very best!
@Ashiore Evretto @Seigi @Destiny Divebird

 

Catching the tail end of the conversation about food and hunting, Ashiore offered, "It's not really something we can rely on all the time since it takes a decent amount of energy, but if we found edible plants along the way I could help to grow them quickly. And I'm pretty good at cooking too, so I can handle that when we have to stop to make camp."

And she'd been making good, good use of that skill recently, given... circumstances. Having pre-made rations to carry with her probably would have been a smart decision, but as long as this trip wouldn't take excessively long, she'd probably be able to manage to keep the five of them fed enough if they were really in a pinch.

Which, seemed somewhat likely to happen. A quick glance around them as they walked made it rather clear that this area wasn't the most lush of places. Add food supplies to the growing list of things that Ashiore would have to keep in mind.

"Ah, well, maybe?" @Seigi's question about animals caught her attention. "People think that lemmings do that, but it's not really true. But there are news stories sometimes, of some parts of the world where cows or goats just start falling from cliffs. It probably won't happen to him," she said, giving the ox another pat, "but just in case, you know?"

"He is," she said in reply to @Destiny Divebird, giving the Yladian woman a smile. Strong, proud, and as per the stereotype, he seemed the stubborn sort. "Maybe it's not an actual tangible sort of magic, but you're probably smarter than the average ox, aren't you? And, I guess there has to be something special about him for him to be chosen to go on this important of a journey."

She gave him one more pat for good measure. "I guess I never really got the story, so how did the three of you get to know each other? I heard something about a bandit?" she asked the rest.

Oh, and of course, the pace started to pick up once they were well out of sight of Liega, and @Cain Darlite and the ox began to get competitive. And, with music too? Well, this was rather absurd. She began walking faster to keep up.

...And... was that song Japanese? It sounded it. The cheery little tune was peppy enough to keep them stepping to the beat, at least. But when Cain motioned like he was expecting the rest of them to sing along, Ashiore just stared, baffled. But... she didn't know the words? And, more to the point, she couldn't sing?

Self-conscious, she looked back to Seigi and Destiny to see what they were doing.

 

"Of course I punch them!" Seigi responded to @Destiny Divebird as if that would be the most normal thing in the world. After circumstances happened the red-hair, too, had to provide for food and everything!

While she did win the Lottery and was essentially super rich, meaning she could just buy whatever, Seigi cared about not wasting too much money, or rather —"Besides, wrestling with a bear can be fun! The ones that run are way too much trouble though! That said, I wonder if we find any Bearsharks or Flying Alligators?!" Neither of that seemed to come true however as the red-hair noticed, by now, that she couldn't even hear much of the birds singing! Kinda creepy, even?

"We were in a carriage just like this one, on our way to deliver Justice!" Seigi now spoke up as @Ashiore Evretto asked how they got acquainted. "But fancier!" It was a snow-fortress on wheels, after all! Just that... urgh.

Yeah, not-such-a-comfortable memory. She still had to do some more saving and punch this stupid Käse's monster face though! Sweet revenge and Justice. Regardless, the hero-in-training would let the others go into more detail about that.

It was then that @Cain Darlite suddenly started... singing? Another one of these Japanese things! Just like in her anime and all! Yeah, her other hobbies apart from playing Terrasphere. How long has it been-

"DAN DAN!" The girl suddenly screamed out, kinda out of synch, as she jumped off the accelerating wagon. There was no place for being gloomy and all right now! Much like the zombiegirl, Seigi didn't know the lyrics either. Instead, she hummed the tune while sporadically inserting the words she DID know, like the 'Dan Dan' and so on! The song did seem to have just a few lines, after all.

Running up to the green mess, who was surprisingly about the same size, Seigi laid her arm around Ashiore as she continued humming and singing their happy little tune! "Dan Dan Hayaku Naru~ Join in!" A quick glance towards Des followed, too, in case she suddenly felt too shy despite the happy memories they shared!

Maybe, just maybe though, the Shrine Maiden should get offered a chance to sing along, too?