Elise Seaver's Story

Elise was stunned by the sight of the airship, yet she couldn't deny the excitement it made her feel. She wondered what it must be like to fly above the desert. She shook her head, focusing on what the man had said about the Change. "So," She started before noticing the man was gone. "Wha...?" The other's around her grew restless. The gold offered by the Wetlanders meant nothing to her, but for those she stood near, it seemed to be tempting. Suddenly she felt the rush of wind as something flew overhead, "A sand ray?" She watched as the man jumped onto the beast's back and took off in search of Skullivan.

She then approached the woman who had told Skullivan that the Change wasn't real, "So, you're a follower of the Creed? Didn't think I'd run into anyone from home this far out." She kept walking, not looking the young woman in the eye, "I think we should go and find this man, hear what he has to say about the Change," she shrugged, "After all, he's not from here so why would he put any faith in our legends, Change or Creed?" She smirked, giving Aisha a wink before taking off down the alley in the direction Skullivan had run. "I just hope I can find him before that money hungry man with the Sand Ray does..."

The sky grew dark, and Aisha did precisely what came naturally. That is, she fell to her knees and began to pray. For the moment, she thought the shadow was the impending wrath of some spirit Aisha had angered, or it was the visit of one of the 'rainclouds' of legend. However, it became apparent that that wasn't quite what it was. Aisha knew what technology was when she saw it, and undoubtedly, this was an enormous ship of some kind, the kind thought to have been wiped out with the Old World. Of course, it was always thought that the Wetlanders possessed some sort of superior technology that allowed them to keep their reserves of water to themselves, but nobody could have possibly imagined something of this scale, not to mention condition. Aisha realized if that was the case, then this was the threat the Wetlander was referring to.

Yet, said Wetlander had fled. Aisha looked to the cage to find it had been broken out of, both prisoners having escaped it. Aisha's eyes darted around as those around her were seemingly just as mesmerized as she was by the godlike machine. She didn't see him however. Where he could have hoped to run, Aisha didn't know, but if there was one thing she did know, it was that all souls could be saved, and it was her duty to save as many as she could.

"So, you're a follower of the Creed? Didn't think I'd run into anyone from home this far out." Aisha was a bit startled when the woman, whom of which Aisha hadn't seen before, spoke to her. Aisha asked, "So you're familiar with the Samariamus Creed?" The other girl continued to speak; "I think we should go and find this man, hear what he has to say about the Change," she shrugged, "After all, he's not from here so why would he put any faith in our legends, Change or Creed?"

"He is a poor, lost soul, in need of desperate help... quite clearly more desperate than I could have imagined. If being so convinced about the false Change has gotten him into this madness, then the only salvation for him is following the righteous path, and our Creed will bring him to that. After all, if these people are looking for him, then the only option for him would be to... abandon..." Aisha didn't finish her sentence before the girl she was speaking to ran off.

Aisha jogged after her and called out, "Wait! You need to help me find him! It's important!"

Elise looked over her shoulder to see the young woman was following her, "Wait! You need to help me find him! It's important!"

"Of course, it's important! He's talking about the Change!" She slowed down to let the woman catch up and then rolled her eyes. "Well, I mean, I know you're trying to save his soul, but, but..." She shook her head, "Look, this morning I decided to leave this town and start a new adventure. I left home and have been on an adventure ever since. This man coming from nowhere and talking about the Change, and me happening to run across him? To me, it's a sign, it's destiny." She smiled, hoping the girl would understand. After all, they hailed from the same clan; and the Sumariamus clan ultimately sought to uncover the secrets of the world and the White Ruin. Elise had grown up on the legends of the Change and heard the rhetoric of those who followed the Creed and while she understood what those who followed the Creed said, she just couldn't ever shake the feeling that the Change was out there somewhere.

"I mean, you speak of the change coming from inside us, and that because of that, we are all the change..." She stammered, looking down at her boots, suddenly wishing she'd bought new ones that morning, "If what you say is true, and the Change is in fact inside me, why then couldn't that piece of the Change want me to find the Change from the legends?" She knew she wasn't making any sense, and that they were losing ground, but she felt an uncontrollable desire to spill all these thoughts she'd been feeling for so long. The Change was within her grasp, her greatest dream could finally come true, "Anyway, let's just go find him!"

The two Samariam women ran down the side-street, in pursuit of the Wetlander Legend: the Traitor. But after running through the maze of side-streets they found themselves many streets away from the grand bazaar, though the darkness of the Leviathan still blocked out the sun. Stone walls stood like mountains on all sides, no windows to be seen, and down the alley-way the darkness seemed to grow thicker.

The two continued down the alley-way, continuing their search for the Wetland Traitor, as the darkness grew thicker. Small creatures scurried across the streets and in the shadows ahead a dim light glittered. It was a tent, red with gold hanging off it, and a light-sourced flickering from within. A small breeze caused the gold to jingle like chimes. The tent seemed to call to them. The one piece of light in the darkness...

"Young miss..." Aisha panted, looking around her unfamiliar surroundings with a feeling of unease, "I really don't mean to insult your sense of reasoning, but... Are you positive that man went this way?" A feeling of disappointment and dread was starting to form as a rock sitting in the bottom of her stomach. She would sigh, trailing behind her kinswoman with her arms crossed.

"Miss, I may not recognize you, but, if you are truly one of my kin, you must understand the... the futility in searching for the change. Many good men and women have felt, as if divine inspiration had inspired them, that they were destined to find the Change, as if it were something they were fated to find, something that would give them honor or magically solve their problems... I'm sure I don't need to tell you how many souls have been lost in that endeavor... Take the Naima clan for instance. See how 'close' they thought they were to achieving it, and see how far they've fallen from grace because of it. They may be pitied, but, that doesn't mean they don't hold fault in... in misleading us all."

Aisha continued to lecture, as if she were reciting things she were told before. "Our society has become so addicted to this fable, this promise, this dream, a dream that's far too good to wake up from, one that distracts us from reality... And we will never be able to move forward if we keep letting our escape into fantasy hold us back. Young miss, I don't think you truly understand the principles of our Creed, the principles of which Utopia may be built upon. It is only through strict adherance to the principles that we may accomplish the true inner Change. The principles are not open for interpretation, they are the ultimate directions toward true living. To doubt them is denial, and denial leads to self-decay."

Aisha declared, "When we find this man—this man who although is a foreigner, has become a victim of our own sins—I will save him. He will become cleansed of the lies, be taught the righteous path and completely abandon his former self. He will be Changed. Those that hunt him will no longer find the man known as the 'Traitor' to the Wetlands. Only then, will I have finally and truly performed my duty toward our Creed." Aisha seemed rather satisfied with herself, having been able to say all that.

Bohdana was looking behind her hurriedly, watching as Wetlanders approached the alleyway, "Damn, damnit I need to find Andle I--"

Suddenly she rammed into two figures. Bohdana screamed at them, thinking they were the invading Wetlander soldiers, but at a proper glance she saw a dark haired woman and a blue haired woman staring down at her in a sort of stupefied way. She realized she had accidentally pushed all three of them into the tent.

"Sorry, I'm...I'm sorry I thought you were..." Boh swallowed, gazing nervously at them both as if she were late for something, "Were you guys around for the salamand thing? Did you see my Uncle Andle? Don't s'pose you've seen him around?? Please..."

The three woman landed into the tent only to find themselves in front of a flickering lantern, holes in brass letting light escape - a burning crystal visible beneath it. It glimmered off the thin red-tent walls gently, in the light revealing a golden glint woven into the fabrics. Incense burned around them, artifacts placed in bowls at the edges - some strange machines of gears and wires, completely alien in nature - some complex mechanism of civilizations long passed, elegant clockwork devices... and artifacts that looked mystical. Uneasy stone faces from adventures passed. Look around the tent it was clear this wasn't just another stand - this was a museum of adventure, with more hidden in each shadow.

There was something in the air, something in the incense, something sweet as sugar and strawberry in the scents. Something delicious. Something magical. Where were they?

"Something to trade...?" A whisp-like, eloquent voice spoke - it was breathy - low, but had a charm hidden away beneath it. The three young women turned as from the shadow's before them a figure seemed to emerge, as if from nothing. She had rich, grey hairs - woven back elaborately into a golden head-dress. A rich red-robe hung off her shoulders and bosom, her skin white as the sun with soft redness spread across it. And up from her eyes, they glinted a golden red - a sort of ethereal stare coming out from them as she looked over the three intruders. "If you want to the Nomad's word..." She raised a long finger to a donation bowl in front of the lantern, her nail's the colour of stars. The bowl was filled with valuables - gold, jewels. "...You must make a donation." The woman finished.

***

Outside the north-wall a man crawled into the sand, tattered black robes hanging off his body. "Oh god," Skullivan breathed, glancing back at the Leviathan airship that hung over the Dol-Duna. "They're all dead." Skullivan swallowed, before turning back and beginning to crawl up the dune...

***

Back in the Iron Bar the Wetlander officer looked at Whisper and sighed. "Fine... but we'll have to bring you to the ship."

The soldiers moved behind the foursome, magnetic handcuffs ready to go onto their wrists. "You tell us what you know, in honesty, and we'll leave you be."

"I...oh god..." Bohdana stared at the extravagant woman in horror, "Did you say nomad? This isn't the...the Naima's tent?!?!"

The woman flashed her a smile in the lantern-light - there was something predatory in it. "Yes, this is the Nomad Clan..." The woman raised a finger to Bohdana's pockets, were a glint of golden idol hung out of her pocket. "...I'm sure that would do for the three of you."

***

The Wetland commander glanced at Davikal, leaning in to his description. "I see..." The Commander rose up, giving Davikal a disturbed face. "Well, that's not good for them, is it?" He smiled, staring out at the fearful crowd of the bazaar again....

"Uh..." Bohdana stared down in confusion at what the woman pointed to in her pocket, she slowly lifted it out and her eyes widened in continued horror, "Oh GOD I...I still have this?! My uncle is going to MURDER me!"

In her hands was the Wetlanders idol, reflecting mystically in the colours that surrounded the tent. Bohdana was lost for words, trying to figure out how she had ended up in this predicament, "Here--god, take it," she shoved the golden idol in the strange woman's hands. It was better if she got rid of it, "I need to leave..."

"Is there something I can help you, skippy? Can I help you or are you here to harass me?"

Thessir didn't really seemed bothered by his intentional antagonism. He was difficult to purposefully anger without the correct circumstances.

"The Naima Clan. The Naima Nomad Clan. I need to find them, trust me. You'll want me to find them too."

"Explain."

He asked. It was a simple enough question, surely one most wouldn't find unreasonable. With the wetlander however it was impossible to tell just what was going to offend.

Before the wetlander could acquiesce the woman in blue flew into a rant regarding the Change and it's history along with her believes about the whole issue. To be frank he sort of tuned her out when she spoke of strife and other such emotional frivolities but the details surrounding the Change itself was of clear interest to him. The more he could decipher the closer he could come to realizing just what was going on.


And then it arrived. A massive dark metal ship floating high above, men descending upon ladders from ports along it's sides. A platform from the center of the ship descended, it's representatives standing before the crowd. Thessir's eyes were glued to the ship for that moment, a simple thought floating inside his head. Wow... That vessel is almost half as wide as a wirm.

And he was right. It was a little under half the width of a wirm and nowhere near as long. A wirm could encircle all the mountains in Bola Brisk from head to tail. It was a strange thought for a time such as this but alas the mind wanders.


He was quite curious as to what tech they possessed. It seemed to operate off of electricity from what he could deduce. He'd get quite a thrill out of having the opportunity to scour the insides of the ship and examine what he'd find.

However he was not so enthralled to not spot the wetlander having broken from his cage to flee into a nearby alley. Thessir gave an annoyed sigh, sweat rolling down a brow from the heat, and turned to give chase. The spontaneity of his reaction was so sudden he was well gone before he could catch what the woman with him earlier were speaking of. Rather than lose himself in the narrow winding alleyways he opted for a different route. Running straight at the wall next to the alley he ran up the side, getting enough height to grab onto the roof's ledge. Perplexingly to most observers though most were likely not looking at him he seemed to pull himself up onto the roof almost like he weighed nearly nothing and that was despite the backpack on his back which looked like it weighed as much as he did.


Up atop the roofs he could better see where the soldiers from the ship were located. Sparing little time he ran across the roof tops, jumping from roof to roof as he followed the wetlander just close enough to catch fleeting glimpses with every turn of the young man. This winding chase of uncharacteristically good parkour from Thessir continued until he came upon the final destination of his quarry, the north wall and the dunes that laid beyond. With a grin at his success he ran, getting a sprinting start atop the roof nearest to the wall.

With a running start he leapt from the roof, clear over the street and onto the northernmost wall. Well, not completely onto the wall. He was a Downder, not a cricket after all. While his feat was beyond most's capabilities he found himself hanging by his finger tips off the very ledge of the wall. At this point most would say this is where he falls.

But Thessir didn't survive the Downder mountain by having a loose grip.

With much effort, a significant strain without a doubt, he pulled himself up with little more than the tips of his fingers. Teeth grit he hauled himself up, throwing one elbow over and then the next. With his arms clear he hauled the rest of his body over, rolling over the top of the wall and falling into the sand just outside. He would of laid there if just to catch his breath if the sand weren't so hot and the sun so bright. He sat up and urged himself forward, marching up the hill after the wetland traitor these men sought.


"Wetlander!" He shouted, attempting to close the gap between them. "Do not assume hostility of me, I only wish to speak. Do allow me to follow." He asked, coming up the dune to the beleaguered young man. "You still seek the nomads, yes?"

"Well, so do I."

As Bohdana turned to crawl out the tent she was stopped by a sudden: "Wait," The Nomad's voice came. Bohdana turned to find her gripping the idol tightly, her eyes moving from it to her. "...Where did you get this?" She questioned. "This is Yemar script."

***

Skullivan stared at the man, his arms raised as if ready for action - untrusting as Thessir approached. "They're still in town, aren't they?" He called, glancing down. "My idol is too. Without that we're both in trouble."

"I...I found it, the uh, the Wetlander dropped it," Bohdana frowned, "I should've just left it..."

"It depends how thoroughly they searched the area," Skullivan called back to Uluru, squinting beneath the sun. "And if they have it it's too late."

***

"These markings are of a long dead language, the clan once had tribes to the south..." The woman whispered, glancing up to Bohdana in the tent - the other two still unsure what was happening. "...You are a child of the sands. I see it... in your face."

"That's right," Bohdana nodded slowly, still extremely wary despite feeling like she were conversing with one of her own, "Look, the Naima aren't exactly our friends so--so take that...whatever it is and I'll be on my merry way. There, you can have it for free even, I don't want any trouble."

Aisha spoke up, "The Naima Clan?" She appeared very late in the conversation, apparently having been mesmerized by her surroundings. "I, I hadn't realized your clan... was around. I..." Aisha had a lot of strong words to say about the Naima clan, but, she couldn't bring herself to say any of them.

"... I, we, the two of us, we were looking for a man... The man that the people outside are looking for. The Wetland 'traitor'. I guess it's in both of our interests to find him. I am Aisha Abdul'la, an acolyte of the Samariamus Clan, and devotee to... to the Creed. Miss, would you possibly have seen this man pass by?"

Elise studied her surroundings, the tent had an air of safety she couldn't describe. Something inside her grew excited by all she saw. The youngest girl and the woman spoke, exchanging an idol that seemed to hold value to the woman. "Wait, you said the Wetlander had that?" She thought for a moment, "He said he found the change, could this...could this be it?" Her eyes grew wide as she dug into her pockets for the remaining coins she had, dumping them into the donation plate. She couldn't help but flash a smile at the Acolyte, "Nothing happens by coincidence, I think we aren't meant to find the Wetlander anymore, we were meant to find her." She nodded to the Nomad woman. "My name is Elise Seaver, I'm from the Samariamus clan's home city of Samria."

Skullivan swallowed, maneuvering through the alleys of Dol-Duna, ducking down with Thessir at Uluru's signals from above. Wetland Soldiers were down every corner, but worse - mercenaries. People hunting him. Still, using Uluru's careful direction they avoided every time a soldier came close. Skullivan and Thessir ducked into doorways, down streets, behind barrel - each time Uluru gave them a signal from the rooftops above.

As a few soldier's passed down their side street Skullivan and Thessir moved out of their cover, maneuvering down the street at Uluru's signal. Skullivan suddenly paused, causing Thessir to ram into his back. "Wait," The large man hissed in a deep voice. Down the street, leading straight to the main-bazaar, a dark-skinned woman with golden eyes and a body-suit sat on a bench and stared at Skullivan and Thessir.

Skullivan wanted to say something, but instead he quickly ducked into another alley at Uluru's command, breaking the woman's line of sight. "We're getting real close to the main street!" Skullivan called up to Uluru hovering on his flying beast in the sky above...

***

The Wetland Commander stood, his soldiers still watching over the bazaar, when suddenly he could smell smoke. He turned to the bar behind him as black smoke began to funnel out. "What the hell is this?" The Commander yelled, signalling for his soldiers to surround the bar. A few dove into the doorway, emerging a moment later with their hands over their mouths. "Dead soldiers here! Bartender's been killed!"

A woman in the bazaar began to cry in shock at the news, her children running to comfort her at the news their father was dead.

"Dead soldiers?" The Commander spat. "I'm sorry, what exactly are you waiting for?"

"Sir, we have their descriptions - the patrons saw them," A soldier said, stepping up to the man. The Commander glared. "Find them."

***

On the street Whisper, Sören, Dustin & Rusten had escaped down they could hear yelling from the main-street. Suddenly a group of Wetland soldiers ran up. "There!" One yelled, pointing down at the four. "That's them," Another began, reloading his rifle. The soldiers began to run after the four, signalling more to join them...

***

"Followers of the Creed?" The Nomad whispered, a glow emanating from her. "In a Nomads tent, that is interesting... my name is Mirova, Mir of the Naima Clan."

The woman, Mirova, then picked up the golden idle once more. "...This leads to the Change? According to a Wetlander?" Mirova frowned, examining it more intensely. "My clan... was the closest to finding it. To piecing the riddles that hid in the sands... we followed the stars but even the stars have limits... if the Wetlanders have proof... hidden in here." Mirova rose an eyebrow, her finger-nail tapping on the idol. "...It would be your duty to go after it... if you can change the world you should."

"How close," Aisha began to question, "did you believe you were to achieving it? Was it something that was undeniably palpable? Practical? Do you even know what the Change is, beyond a vague supposition? Great Mir, I wish not to offend, for I would imagine your intentions are good at heart, but... Do you not see Clan how much your Clan has suffered? How far you and your kin have fallen from grace? Is all this sacrifice truly worth it? Do you not know when to give up? And here your Clan is again... making us all sick with hope, inciting us all to continue to destroy ourselves... Do you have any idea what sort of consequences your encouragement have wrought upon us all?"

"If you are aware of our Creed, then surely, you realize that our goal is just. Indeed, the duty of all of us is to change the world, but, that can only be accomplished by changing ourselves. We must stop the dreams and turn to reality, and that reality is that... There's no such thing as miracles and easy solutions in real life..." Aisha glanced toward the entrance of the tent, a grim expression on her face. "... The Wetlander whom of which that belongs to... He is the one that is being hunted by his own kin right now. Step outside, and gaze upon another consequence caused by following the false path."

"You despicable dune-heads," Skullivan said, wanting to add something to the performance as Uluru defended him under the guise of turning him in. Skullivan stared at the Cowboy Ninja before them.

Suddenly at the entrance of the alley a figure slid up, a staff drawn. Skullivan's eyes locked with hers - the woman he'd seen before. "Bounty hunter," He hissed to Uluru & Thessir before stepping forward. "Don't come down here, girl! You look very soft and these men are threatening to cut my face off! They're KILLERS. These two have already got me, you don't stand a chance!"

***

Mirova stared at Aisha. "The Change is real... and it is out there. The only reason the clans have not found it is because they think the world is hard and full of rock... they think their neighbours are their enemies, but when you look down from the sky... from the stars..." Mirova's hand pointed to the top of the tent. "You see the desert is united. We are one people, the clans... and the Change... is the only thing hopeful enough to make people see that. It is the only thing that will make our people... one Nomad clan."

Mirova paused at Aisha's next words.

"The Wetlanders?" Mirova's face twisted in a frown, her having listened in slight bemusement to Aisha up until that comment. Taking the idol and wrapping it in a shawl Mirova crawled forward between the three women and opened the tent entrance up. Stretching down at the entrance of the street Wetland soldiers were marching toward. Mirova swallowed. "You three have to leave," She hissed, crawling out into the sunlight and moving to the side her tent.

As the other three excited the Nomad hit one of the metal support polls of the tent, causing the entire thing to begin to collapse in on itself - the jingle of the instruments inside loud as it wrapped itself into a tight backpack of a ball. From her robes Mirova flung a grey hood over her head, grabbing hold of the large ball of tent - the artifacts poking out of the fabric, and swinging it onto her back and under the grey robe. The alluring Nomad of moments ago now appeared as any other filthy desert dweller, the only hint of more being the massive hunch on her back.

"Go," Mirova said, beginning to leave before pausing and turning back to Aisha. "...There's nothing easy about the Change. Simple, yes.... but not easy."

"You four!" The Wetland Soldiers called as they marched down. With a swallow Mirova began to sprint down the alley, the idol in hand, leaving the other three women behind.

***

Suddenly the Wagon stopped. The threesome inside and their guide would notice a young woman being attacked by her boss blocking their path out the village, Wetland soldiers rushing past to break up the fight. "What is this?" One soldier demanded, ripping Davikal off Ka'Wa as they fought in the street.

"Stop fighting. Street's off limits." Another soldier added, before marching up to the Sören, who was escorted the wagon down the street. "That goes to you too." The soldier paused, glancing behind at the Wagon - from ground-level it was hard to get a clear view of what was inside. "What you got back there anyway?"