RP:Abandoned by Aramoth
Frostmaw Tavern
Satoshi will be your entertainment tonight, Frostmaw Tavern-goers. Whether you like it or not. See, the little foxkin's decided the giant-friendly building is just the right size to provide good acoustics for her music practice. Seated on one of the behemoth armchairs, with a lyrebird perched beside her, Satoshi strums carefully upon the plain lyre in her lap. With each note her brow furrows further in concentration, her memory tested as the stuttering song progresses--much to the chagrin of the few giants currently present. Ko'tar is doing its best to be encouraging, trilling merrily along with Satoshi's tune even while cringing when the occasional mis-pluck happens. Now, the song isn't the most horrid thing in the world, in fact, there is a certain haunting allure to the dark lullaby, beneath the smattering of wrong chords and unsteady timing. The minstrel's been practicing hard, at least.
Cuki had found his way to the chilled north lands and then to this tavern. The wooden walls kept the snow out and at least some heat inside, but it was obviously not enough for the Monk with his tattered clothing. The only warmth that kept him from shaking like a leaf in the wind came from the bottom of a mug of rum. The dark alcohol clouded his mind to the original purpose in these mountains. Worse still it twisted the notes of the song within his head. Dark in tone they turned sinister with each mistake, sounds of terrible fright that echoed his despair and hopelessness. Who was this malicious bard weaving such a terrible song? Cuki turned to stare, but drunken eyes swim as Satoshi and her pet merged in his head. A huge bird playing an instrument. Absurd.
Satoshi is oblivious to her inebriated audience, carrying on with her practice until the song reaches its end in due time. And, being the creature that she is, Satoshi interprets the stifled sighs of relief that follows from those present as a wistful sound for the music's end, leaving her grinning in a self-assured manner as she slips off her chair. With a chirp, the lyrebird hops to her shoulder and the pair make their way to the bar. A nod is exchanged between barkeep and queen as the kit claims a stool, settling in before glancing at the ragged fellow a seat to her right. Amber-flecked eyes blink twice, narrow, and promptly widen in recognition. "Cuki..~?" there's a decidedly wary note in her musical voice then, as if hoping she's mistaken identities and can simply apologize and continue on with her night.
Cuki became glad as the song came to a stop. However he could not stop staring trying to decode who (or what) is the bard. Even as some comes to sit next to him and speaks. It knows his name. That is never a good sign. From his mouth come a slur of words, as they often come from those that aren't usually on speaking terms with alcohol, that can eventually be translated into something akin to: "Do I know you?" His tone is aggressive. Perhaps even paranoid as he brings up his arms in a very poor defensive manner.
Satoshi recoils at the slurred question as if she's been physically slapped. For a long moment the kit simply stares at the monk, dumbstruck and wide-eyed, and at an utter loss for words. Any doubt she might have had that the ragged stranger was Cuki vanished with the sound of his voice, making his reply all the more harsh. Ko'tar, picking up on his bound-one's state of mind, offers a questioning whistle and a light touch of his beak to her cheek before fixing the human with piercing black eyes. Satoshi places a hand over the bird's head then to quell the glare as she slowly turns and murmurs, "Guess not. My mistake." Drargon, watchin the short exchange and seeing the distant set to his queen's eyes while the drunk puts on a defensive air, gives a low, grunted, "Lady Azakhaer?" to which no response comes, Satoshi buried in her thoughts. The giant grunts again, shoots Cuki a look, and retreats back to his bartending, keeping an eye on the pair.
Cuki sorta oozed out of his seat trying to get into a better position to defend himself. He was only lucky enough to prop himself against the bar. Why would this strange...Woman? It sure looked like a woman be talking to him and looking at him with such disdain. Was she out to kill him too? Another agent of Ahyr? A divine assassin to put him out of misery? Then comes the giant looming over high. No-no-no. This is not happening again. He has not died yet and refuses to give into such a fate. The drunken monk stumbles backwards and trips on the stools getting tangled in them. Eyes full of pathetic fear look upon the giant, "Stay back!"
Satoshi looks at Drargon with alarm, half-expecting the giant to have a club raised over his head in preparation to strike Cuki. But the battle-worn barkeep holds only a worn rag and over-polished mug, along with a blank stare meant for the monk. 'How much has he had?' is the silent question in Satoshi's eyes, answered by a rough grimace from Drargon as both turn to look at Cuki. It goes against her every instinct, including the ones he's taught her over the years, but Satoshi can't help slipping off her stool and approaching the human, getting within that notoriously dangerous range of his simply so that she can whisper melodically, "Cuki. Pet. Focus. It's me~." Of course, being Satoshi, she doesn't come entirely unprepared, for those half-sung words birth a spell, one that coaxes the chilly cleaning water out from behind the bar, up, over, and released back down in a small wave aimed to land upon the monk's head. Drargon looks slightly approving at the attempt to sober up the strange human.
Cuki sluggishly makes a grab at her for some purpose, but misses horribly. The thread of magic summoned by her voice manifest unmolested, easily allowing her wave of water to soak him. The Human shivers violently against the cold and the sobering effects of the ice cold water. He did not want any part of his mind to return, but at least some of it had anyways. With it came a scorching pain and a shameful acknowledgment of the woman before him. Cuki had not wanted her to see him in such a state. All he could afford her in clearer words is her name spoken in a dreary fashion, "Satoshi."
Satoshi brightens considerably by this point and moves nearer the sodden monk, almost as if to embrace him. "You -didn't- forget me~," the magus trills, for a moment lost in the simple joy of being remembered before Cuki's tone of voice registers and her face darkens anxiously. "What..? Why? How? -Cuki-." For one so fond of words, the kit's at a fair loss for them right now, stumbling out the start of too many questions and ending with a half-whined plead, wide eyes staring at the monk. And taking in the water she's soaked him with. Oh, right. Mortals don't survive long in the cold when soaked through. Hastily, Satoshi fumbles to remedy this, slipping out of her heavy coat and moving to drape it around Cuki's shoulders--Ko'tar's charitable influence is rubbing off. And its clear-thinking state of mind as well, as Satoshi blinks in sudden surprise. "Wait... my magic... it -worked-... on -you-...."
Cuki gets a better look at the magic-user as her words stumble out. It was the cat after all. She was far different though. Not quite something he could pin down, but it was there. She was even kind enough to cover him. That is enough of a major alteration. "It seems I am not the only one that has changed," He says slowly and thoughtfully as he stands up clutching the coat tightly. "At least I am happy to see the times being kinder to you." The subject of supernatural powers makes him visually cringe under the fine coat that hides the stained and torn rags underneath. "Far kinder."
Satoshi replies somewhat enigmatically, "With the right trials, and errors, the times eventually play a kinder song. But~," with the word, the three-tailed kit's distant, almost sagely look is replaced by a more jovial one as she moves to tug lightly on Cuki's arm in a child-like gesture, urging him toward the door, "there's a story or two that needs telling~. I can smell it. But not here. This place is for exaggerated tales of hunting." Peering closely at the human then, the foxkin quietly murmurs half to herself, "And it seems there may be a few important chapters that need voicing, soon." Given the chance, Satoshi fully intends to guide Cuki out of the tavern and off to Frostmaw's mines--blatantly disregarding the city's curfew, much to Drargon's frustration.
Faux Twilight Cavern
Cuki can't help but think of her words as overly optimistic. It has not been a pleasant couple of months. True he had come here to hopefully change that fact. He did not have many allies left, but at least his instinct to trust in Satoshi have not betrayed him. He felt shame though, crawling back to his friends in such a pathetic manner. What else could he do though? So he passively he allows her to drag him out of the tavern.
Satoshi's oblivious to Cuki's feelings of discontent--or if she is aware of them, she keeps it entirely to herself and assumes the role of tour guide, leading the monk along roads and through pathways until she comes to a stop within the cavern. Standing upon the underground shoreline, Satoshi's greeted by a hovering wisp of blue flame that bobs once before settling into a spot just above her shoulder. The kit glances at Cuki then, as if in response to something said about him, nods, and simply plops down on the ground, settling comfortably into across-legged position and peering up at him expectantly. "Now then. Do you need a nudge to start you talking? I know you're not wandering about in rags, reeking of rum, just for the fun of it."
Cuki does not understand this place. A cold beach underground with a fake sky. It calmed him, but the eeriness of the coast was not lost to him. It was, afterall, still better than the freezing cold. "We live in such a strange world. We can sit under a sky of stones as gods and those with endless lives play with us as children's dolls." He does take a seat on the ground across from her as he speaks, "My dishonor is simple. I failed. I failed my god, my students, the temple, and worse myself. The Orc woman you met before? I raised and trained her before she became an undead monster of disease. I could not end her life even after so many chances, so the task was given to another. The Gnoll who hates me with a passion. She achieved victory where I failed constantly. So the Divine Warlord took away what he granted. The very purpose and achievements of my life."
Satoshi listens with her eyes closed and remains silent a long moment after Cuki pauses. Murmuring a thoughtful sound, the kit speaks, still with eyes closed, "Y'know, I knew this person once. Didn't have a magical bone in his body, but he could still hold his own against the best spellweavers. He guarded what he held dear with his life, day in and day out, without a flicker of doubt, even when others around him doubted. If his god had taken away his gift, know what he would have done?" Satoshi opens one eye, the amber flecks gleaming with impish delight, "He'd have taken it back. And created an even greater gift out of it for himself, that no being could take away. He wasn't the type to mope, wallowing in drink while his robes fell to tatters. He knew gods couldn't take honor, even through failure." Nodding in a sagely manner--that seems so at odds with her youthful features and childish nature--Satoshi closes her eyes fully again, blissfully unaware of the contrasting images she portrays. "He was an interesting monk, that one. Taught me a fair lot of things. One day, I'll even repay the favor."
Cuki took some time to finally get her metaphor and his initial reaction was one of spite. The former Monk felt mocked and alienated. How dare she hold the shadows of his life before him to just remind him of what one once was not so long ago. However before she even finishes the childish nature of his actions hit him. With a sigh he speaks, "Perhaps you are right. I was not ever one to give up so easily. I am not the same man, but that does not mean I should act in such a way. I have lost even more face wallowing around like a lovesick teenager." He turns his head to stare at his own harden hands. Tightly they ball into knuckle whitening fist. "Honor is something that is earned. It was hard to have spent all my life to earn what little I did, only to have it taken away. But worse was my inability to see that I could achieve much more. Thank you for reminding me." He pauses for a moment to consider something before speaking again, "But things like this are not easily earned for one of my talents. I may still have my martial prowess, but without Aramoth's blessing I am still very vulnerable to those who still wish me dead. I do still need your help."
Satoshi's brief moment of sageliness passes and, with an amused laugh, she simply flops back onto the black sand of the cavern. The azure wisp hovering above her gives a peevish bob that goes on heeded as the kit responds to Cuki, "You've got my help, Cuki. Always have, y'know." Pushing herself up to recline against her arms, Satoshi offers the monk a lopsided grin. "Just say the word. And, so long as you're in this place, no one's going to try and kill you. Me and Slush-For-Brains will see to that." Just who Satoshi is referring to becomes obvious as the wisp of flame brightens in anger before, with a brilliant blue flash, takes on the form of a large white fox, nine tails blazing indignantly. ::I do -not- have slush for brains,:: the spirit states sharply, only to be waved off by Satoshi as she does quick introductions. "Fox Spirit, Cuki. Cuki, the guardian spirit of this cavern. And my stuffy teacher." The fox nods once at the monk, refusing to cease glaring slit-eyed at the audacious kit.
Cuki looks between them with a tad bit of confusion. "You come into contact with some very odd creatures, Little Kitten." The Human still thinks of her as a cat and lacks the proper sort of perception or understand to make the difference between what she was and what Satoshi has become. He adjust himself to more proper sitting position and offers the spirit a formal bow. "However I am grateful for the protection, Great Spirit. You will have to forgive my inability to understand creatures such as yourself." With that the ex-monk turns back to Satoshi, "I am grateful for the shelter, but I will need much more. I don't quite know what I must do or what knowledge and skill I have to obtain. I can't very well hid here for the rest of my life."
Satoshi falls quiet for a thoughtful moment, allowing the spirit time to return Cuki's nod. ::If a soul is in this cavern and allied to the Snow Maiden, then I shall guard them with my existence. When I'm not occupied attempting to teach her,:: the fox adds with a glance to Satoshi as she looks up to give the being a flat look. "Ahaha. You're so funny." Back and forth from fox to kit aside, Satoshi gives Cuki her full attention once more. "If you think he's odd, you haven't seen the half of it. But anyway~, I think I know some place that can help. Frostmaw's people follow Aramoth, and there's a temple out in the ancient battlefields that houses three libraries. They're supposed to have belonged to him. One of darkness, one of light, and a frozen one between them. If you're seeking something, chances are you can find an answer there."
Cuki knew of the monsterous races and their closeness to the God of War. Part of his learning was to known many of theses creatures and even speak some of their langages. Giant was not a hard one to learn. With that in mind he doubt the text in those libraries would be much of a challenge to read. Getting them could be a very different story."I have heard of them before. Teaching long lost only to be claimed by a disgraced master? A great choice between light, darkness, and the unknown? I might turn out into a real hero yet, but not this day. I need some time to recover." He puts his hand through a rather large hole in his shirt, under the provided coat. "Along with a new wardrobe. Would you be so kind as to guide me to where I might begin my respite. I haven't seen a bed in weeks."
Satoshi said to Cuki, "Oh, yeah, that's easy~." The minstrel pushes herself to her feet with a faint groan and gestures for the monk to follow before making her way toward the lakeshore. "Caverns are nice enough, but I prefer something a little moreso," she explains as she steps into the waters, stooping to retrieve one of many blue pebbles from the waves. Quick as a thought, a bridge springs up from the shore, leaping off into the distance where it likely ends on solid ground again. Nodding once more to Cuki, Satoshi begins her trek acorss the smooth surface, "Just take one of the pebbles and follow me. Watch your step, hero~."