Reverie of the Fallen Deity

Chapter 3 - An Early Arrival

The sound of the overhead intercom startled her awake, waking her from horrible dreams of failure. For once, she was thankful to be awake at such an early hour. Her restless sleep knocked the sinew hair band out, and her raven locks had pooled around her head like a shroud. "Good morning, sleeping beauty." A far too familiar voice rang from nearby.

"Are you sure that you value your vital organs? Because I'm sure I can find someone who would value them more." She hissed at him, pushing herself up and into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. "Back, foul fiend. I cast you into the Crypts." He made a religious symbol with his hands, the symbol of the god of death Asuan. "Since when do you have any connection to him?" She murmured, yawning and brushing her hair from her face.

"I know a gal, met her on one of my jobs. She was the Death Priest. Taught me a few little tidbits about Asuan. Nasty business, I'll tell ya." He replied, naming the most prestigious role in the worship of that god. "Anyhow, we gotta go. That intercom? That was for all of us to get going. I don't suspect he's going to want to wait for us on the deck." Azzaran stood, the clank of metal plates reinforcing the fact that he was ready to go and she wasn't.

Alistaria didn't even remember taking off her gear, but for some reason it was laid neatly beside the bed. On the bed side table, a glass of water sat where none had been before. Had she been sleep walking again? She used to pretty frequently, especially when she was stressed. The motion typically helped her racing thoughts. It was a bad habit that she hadn't revisited in many years.

It wasn't long before the worn leather and fur padding brushed against her face as it slid into place. Alistaria fell in with the rest of the Legion, their impressive feathered wings pinned to their backs. She took a moment to marvel at their tall stature, watching the sun glint off their polished blades.

The morning light was dazzling on the polished aerogen, nearly blinding. It shined through the reinforced glass, creating small refractions. It resulted in rainbows of color across the surface of the deck. The lightweight material warped the air around it, forming a small layer of energy around the ship as it moved. It allowed The Avenging Star to move at speeds that would typically be impossible by logical standards.

"Now that my Legion has collected, we can continue. You all already have your orders, but I must reiterate the gravity of our journey. The Ascendant has received word that there is an insurrection raising up in Akava. Under normal circumstances, this would be the directive of the Kyosei and the Umbra Company. The complications involve the monolith in the Desolate Wastes. His suspicion was that this involves what is buried in that region, which I shall not indulge in. That subject is not my information to provide."

Zefros stood tall at the very front of the deck, his hands clasped at his back. His wide chest was adorned with what looked like 50 awards and medals. His uniform was so crisp and perfect that Alistaria swore it was unnatural, even by magical standards. Her mind began to wander when he spoke of the thing buried in Akava. She wasn't even aware anything was entombed there, let alone something so dangerous even Zefros wouldn't speak of it.

"Do not involve yourself with the affairs of Akava. This is not a hunting mission. If you must, adorn your apparel and blend in. Beyond my directives, you may mingle with the locals and indulge yourself. We will be in Akava for the foreseeable future. This insurrection is a threat to the stability of our society. Do not take this lightly." He finished, allowing the Legion to salute. "We will arrive shortly. Retrieve any belongings you may have here and prepare to depart."

His words rang true. The ship slowed considerably, allowing the Legion, Azzaran and Alistaria to see the desert outpost. Akava was nothing impressive by the standards of Ashh Dorei, but it was certainly a sizeable outpost. Sandstone buildings rose from the sand and barren grounds, their worn surface supporting faded windows and awnings hewn from stretched leather. Nearly everything in the outpost was a hodgepodge of materials, cobbled together hastily. Sections could even be called derelict.