Ketzubelle Deepwalker
Ket’s face showed concern as the boy seemed to be in pain. A gimace swept over his features, and he visibly paled. It was apparent even in the small bubble of light that surrounded them. It probably had to do with whatever had happened when he had fallen unconscious. After a moment, he seemed to compose himself and was able to tell her his name. ‘Salem… Doesn’t sound terribly foreign. If it weren’t for his odd clothing and the whole fire thing, he may even be able to blend in,’ Ket thought to herself, still eyeing him curiously. He suddenly looked as though he was going to be sick, and Ket realized his stomach was probably upset.
Salem was finally able to tell her that he didn’t know how he got there. Perhaps he was suffering from some kind of amnesia or very disoriented? Still, he was definitely not from Keppel, even from the rich side of Keppel. She had never seen anyone dressed like him. She stooped to pick up the fire rune, which illuminated his pale hair even more. Another oddity, at least around here, but it was not unheard of. His teeth seemed to be chattering together with cold, which Ket found rather odd. It was not all that bad down here, but she did notice there was a slight draft. It probably came from that crack she had noticed before. “Are you going to be alright?” she asked, her tone holding as much curiosity as concern. He almost immediately responded that he was, but Ket hardly believed that. It was not hard to see that he was still suffering the effects of some illness. Ket could now see a few lights approaching, so she quickly raised her own in signal.
Immediately, she pulled her bag toward her, and began digging through it. Several dull clanks could be heard as she moved things around to get to a small side pocket. She grabbed what she wanted and pulled it out in triumph. By the light, a small sprig of mint was revealed. Ket held it out to Salem with a reassuring smile. “Here, eat the leaves. They will help to sooth your stomach.” As soon as he took them, she withdrew her hand fast enough that they did not touch. She arranged a couple things so she could pull the drawstring of her pack closed. He would have had just enough time to eat it before she swung her pack onto her back. The boy soon asked her name.
She held out her hand for a handshake as she stated, “Ketzubelle Deepwalker, if you please. Just call me Ket, it’s easier.” As soon as their right hands touched for the first time, Ket felt a sharply stinging, burning sensation on her palm. Ket immediately drew her hand back, sure Salem had somehow scorched her with that mysterious fire of his. However, she was able to catch a glimpse of an odd, black mark on the middle of his palm that had not been there before. When she looked at her own palm, an almost identical, mark had appeared in the same spot. If she had seen right, it was just the opposite color of his, an outlining in black where his was the black middle of the design. It almost looked like an abstact portrayal of a sun.
Only seconds after their hands had touched, Ket felt a slight tremor run through the ground. She looked up from her palm in alarm before her startled eyes rested on Salem’s. A moment later, a larger tremor started, and Ket’s feet were jerked out from under her. She fell hard on her side as the ground continued to rock. She looked up, concerned that part of the ceiling would break off. As she watched carefully, she felt more than saw a section coming down. She sprung at Salem, barely managing to drag the both of them out of the way as a rock the size of a man hit where they had just been.
As the earthquake grew in intensity, Ket grabbed Salem’s hand and forcefully pulled him after her. She staggered worse than a drunk over to a small overhang in the design on the wall and sat against it. Several more large hunks of rock fell to the ground, illuminated by the runelight she had left behind. Thankfully, the shaking began to calm, and soon, all was still again. A fine coating of dust covered everything, and Ket gave a couple small coughs to clear her throat. Her attention turned to Salem, and she spoke hoarsely, “Are you alright? I’ve never been in a quake that bad.”