The Ashes of Allmau: The Orfolk of Allmau

Chapter 4

Long tailed raptors flew in a halo high above, hiding in the glare of the midday sun. They often brought with them a sense of dread but kept their distance from the pyronaut.

Kydd and Dyll were joined on the gantries of Apia by Dyll's little cousin, Spytt. Similarly patterned to Dyll, she was more comfortable with the aether and offered her skills as an interpreter to Kydd, helping him understand his place in the community. Today was a day those skills proved invaluable. The three watched the body of the kilopede slowly pass through. The orfolk of Apia dismantled the monster piece by piece, making the most of every morsel they could cleave free. The legs, antennae, and even the poison was useful. Only the big back plating was thrown out, left in the wake of the pyronaut as it crawled along, attracting the attention of the raptors.

"Well, we're not going to starve!" cried Dyll.

Kydd didn't need a connection to the aether to know that the orfolk of Apia were tense. When he had been brought back onboard, he could see in the eyes of others that his name was being batted about every which way.

Kydd nodded, and with a nervous smile Dyll continued, "And kilopede legs are pretty valuable, we can trade them at the tablelands later!"

"Yep." Kydd said, rolling Rune around in his hands.

"Are you alright?" Spytt asked.

He nodded. A naturally heightened sense of empathy made it hard for anyone to hide anything to the orfolk.

"What happened exactly?" she probed.

"Well," Dyll began, "We were in Red Bed scavenging, and this crowd of aetherforms came up from the sand and chased Kydd."

"I dropped Rune, and she fell into the burrow. Then the kilopede came out."

"You went after her?" Spytt asked, "into the burrow?"

He nodded, "Yep."

Spytt sighed. Everyone knew, but no one knew why, he was obsessed with Rune. They didn't see what he felt about this little grain.

Nervously he looked to Spytt, "What're others thinking?"

"Everyone's a bit shaken up. It's not the first time we've come across a kilopede though, so no one's really surprised. They think it lunged out of the shadows. But you went in after Rune, right?"

He nodded, "Yep. I guess no one else really knew that bit. I probably shouldn't have told you."

"Ah, don't worry." She shrugged, although in fair, her now knowing this would percolate through the populous and inform all others, "Right now, we're mostly worried about Lyndd."

Unlike Spytt, Lyndd's opinion meant a lot to the orfolk of Apia. She had a lot of sway over the temperament of the community. Her sympathy for Kydd had so far protected him, but this incident might have caused doubt in Lyndd's mind, which would only amplify throughout Apia.

Kydd nodded, "I should go see her. I need to apologise." He stood over the two.

"Now?" Dyll asked, then turned to Spytt.

Spytt narrowed her eyes, her whiskers flickered and ears twitched, "I think she's alone. It might help. If nothing else, it couldn't hurt, right?"

"Isn't it better to leave her rest?" Dyll objected.

"I just want to check in. If she's asleep we'll leave. And if she wants me to go-" he looked to Spytt.

"I'll let you know." She nodded, climbing to her feet to join them.

The hive was built by the embers and sculpted by the orfolk. It was made up mostly of homes where they retreated to rest. Honey, created by the embers from the few flowers scattered about the deadlands, acted as a powerful healing agent. It was also brewed into a sweet and sour mead. Both were often applied in situations like this, one to help heal and the other forget. The infirmary was lit by the amber mist of aetherforms, twinkling and sparkling in tiny stars as those beyond the room thought of those within it. It was a cosey and warm place to escape to, regardless of what was happening outside.