Oni tries to rebuild the team 05SEP20
8
SEP/20
Half-Ogre Camp:
After the third night Leo stopped the group. He closed his eyes and pointed his face into the air. He started to move his head back and forth. He raised his hand trying to call for silence among the group. They had seen this a few times at this point and everyone crouched down and became silent. Leo mouthed back to the group, “there is something up ahead. Hyenas I think.” He quietly gathered the group together and whispered, “there are a couple, maybe three hyenas up ahead. I think they are guarding a camp. We could just bypass them.” Sora looked at him, “who would be out here with hyenas?” Leo looked at her with his finger over his lips. He wanted her to whisper. For Sora, that was a whisper. Leo started to answer still in a whisper, “typically, Scaggers.” Leo started to chant of sing a child’s song.
“Ringa ringa Dunes,
Pocket full of Cunes
Husha busha!
They all fall deatha!”
Oni’s face turned hard as he looked at Mar’iya. Both men agreed without a word. Oni spoke mostly to Leo, but everyone was there to hear him, “these Scaggers, cannot be left to pray on desert travelers.” No one questioned the next step as they leaped over the dune to attack the hyenas. It was time to heal the very sand they walked on.
The camp was well defended. They unleashed the heynas as guards. Half-ogres came out to engage the group, as archers shot at them from the safety of some rocks. Once the archers were taken out the rest fell quickly. The group moved in to search the camp and stay the day.
They harvested the heyna furs. They found some ceramic pieces, a couple of bows and arrows. Oni grabbed the broken longbow. he moved to the edge of the camp to act as lookout. He never liked the robbing of the dead even as he knew it was required. He was not interested in what they had gathered but was interested enough to move forward. Oni could hear something different in the search behind him. He could hear the movement of a coin in Mar’iya’s fingers. Oni looked back and saw a glint like no other. Real metal had a shine. It was a gold shine of metal. Oni walked over to see a gold metal coin. It was a rare treasure indeed.
Each person in turn examined the coin. Oni could see as he took his turn, that it once had the marking of some mint. Those marking were so worn, no one could know its origin. David was last to take a turn. He examined it more intently then anyone else. He spoke is soft tones, “is it okay if I keep this. I might be able to use this to find information within the spheres of magic. Tiamat cannot always hide the truth of things.” Oni looked up at the sky and moon. He now feared the moons presents. “sure, but do not do anything in view of the moon,” was his warning to David.
They made camp.
The Dusk of Rejoice:
Oni woke and started to walk about the camp. Mar’iya was off to one side working the hyena skins. Leo was guiding him, but he was learning how to survive in the desert waste. It must have been difficult for him, but he was now our best desert survivor. Oni knew he himself was not skilled. He looked over to Sora, and David. They had likely lived in Raam their whole lives. They were not very helpful here. Oni wondered if he should try and get Leo to join them. He was a skilled desert traveler and the only thing keeping them alive. He walked by Naga. He was skittish and on the edge of the camp. He was from the wilderness but was not skilled in it. He was similar to Oni in that regard. Oni patted him on his shoulder with a smile.
Oni made it over to his backpack. It looked more like a bag of parts then storage of finished good. It had a giant bulette shoulder plate tied to the back. Oni pulled his Eskima sticks and tapped it in a couple of places. He liked the tone. He tapped it in several places. He could pound it out and make different sounds from different parts. He smiled to himself. He reached in and grabbed a new finished project; the pan flute. Oni ran his fingers across the claws. He pulled it up to his mouth and blew test breaths into each claw pipe. He made sure to be quite enough, so no one heard, but he wanted to test the tones. He was no expert, but it sounded good to him. Oni smiled and his heart felt warm.
Oni reached in and pulled out a small cloth from house Gariward. This cloth had some of his homemade dry fruit skins and nuts in it. He held the cloth like a bag. This was the first napkin Arnia had handed him. He had risked keeping it. He wanted to have one thing from her. This was as close as he could do. It held one of the packages of food Oni had gathered while in the city. Compared to the salty meat they were eating it was a taste of heaven. Tiamat only left this greatness for the brutal city enslavers. Oni thought this was the moment to bring their group to together. In his books he had read many times of groups coming together over food. The act of fairing a meal is how separate people become a family. The first act of rebirth was to become a group.
Oni grabbed the Bone Claw Bone Pan Flute in one hand and the food in the other. He walked over to where Leo and Mar’iya were preparing meat for breakfast and travel. His stance and demeanor was taller than it had been in many days and maybe weeks. Mar’iya looked up from his work and smiled at Oni. Oni thought this might have been the first real smile he had ever seen on Mar’iya’s face. Out here in the terror of the desert, joy was reaching Mar’iya. Oni nodded his head back to Mar’iya, who nodded back in an almost confused look.
Oni was in the center of the camp. He did not know it, but he was being watched by most of the camp. The sun was setting behind him. Raises from the sun streaked out from every gap his body left. He cleared his throat, “can I have everyone join me over here.” Oni paused for a moment and then continued, “I want us to share a meal.” The group started to meander over to where Oni was located. The entire group was startled by Oni but still moved closer. Oni waved his hand down to group them near him, “please. I want to say a few things and then share a meal.” The group still hesitant sat near Oni. Mar’iya rolled his eye a little privately as he had seen Oni behave like this a few times. He knew joy and good tidings was about to come again.
Oni was the only one standing. As he started to speak, he had a tone of preaching to his flock. It was not his goal at all, and never viewed them as his flock. He heard it as it came out but could not adjust to stop it. He wanted to lift them up for the difficult travel ahead. He wanted them to be a family. He could think of them as a tribe. He would never be a tribe again. They could be a family. He spoke.
“Hi all. I am so glad all of you are here. I feel blessed by your presence. The sun’s rays have brought us together. Destiny has placed all of you here today. As I started this quest so many weeks ago, there is no way I should have been able to meet most of you. But, as the sun stretches out across the sand, it reaches all of us and fills the shadows we all have within us.”
Oni reached behind himself and hid the Pan Flute in his hands. He turned to look at Naga. He continued but spoke as if He and Naga were the only ones here. He focused on Naga.”
“Naga, I am so glad you have joined us. I made something for you. It is the not the flute you asked for, but it is pan flute. I hope you can use and play this until I can make you a flute.”
Oni revealed the Bulette Claw Bone Pan Flute and handed it to Naga. He took it from Oni and did a few test tones into the setting sun. The tones were calling the shadows of night as it rang out. He smiled and set the pan flute to the side. Oni hoped this was the moment he truly joined the group. The entire group including Mar’iya looked at Oni as if the sand had finally made him insane. David looked like he was calculating if he needed to kill Oni before he got them all killed.
Oni reached behind himself again. This time he grabbed the bag made from the Arnia’s cloth. Its mere touch send a tingle through Oni’s body. He was glad to be here, but a whole life of living in Raam with her flashed through his head and mind. He moved the bag so that the entire group could see it. He started to speak again.
“I have a gift for all of us. I gathered some nuts and dried fruit skins while I was in Raam. We have been eating this salted meat for days and it keeps us alive, but this is the tastes of heaven. This is why we travel south. Our goal is to bring this to everyone, every day. Please eat this fruit and nuts with me and enjoy the meal.”
Oni took a little and passed the food around. They all started to eat the fruit and nuts. The entire group had a worried look on their collective faces. From Oni’s perspective he had started to enlightenment for all of them. The first steps are frightening and can take time to sink in. Mar’iya in what Oni thought was a worried voice, spoke within Oni’s head, “are you okay?” Oni heard undertones of “are you about to die?” or “are we all about to die?” Oni smiled and felt almost angelic. He reached back to Mar’iya, “I am fantastic. Better than I have been in weeks. Can you grab some of the salted meat for us to eat as well?”
Mar’iya reached over and grabbed some of the meat for the group to share as well. The group was confused but started to joke. They spent an extra long time eating that dusk. It was actually a little dark before they started to head south again. Most viewed Oni in a new strange way. When they were finished Oni took the cloth, folded into and tied it around his own head. He wanted her close to him.
He looked at the Bulette plate as his future drum. He repacked his backpack. He pulled out one of the fire sticks. It was a small stick with some cloth attached to the end. An idea flashed through his head. He tapped it on the shoulder plate. It made a wonderful tone. He had to make new sticks for his drum. His past drums were all played by hand, but this one needed padded sticks. He dug out two short pieces of bone and some cloth. He moved these pieces into an out pouch with his tools. He would work on the sticks first. He would create the drumsticks.
He threw the pack on and caught up to the group, now starting to head out.
The Half-Ogre hunters find us in the day:
The sun was starting to rise. It was time to make camp for the day. Leo placed his fist in the air and made a small set of circles with it. Even Oni all the way in the back could see the signal. He had found a place for the daily camp. Up ahead was an outcropping of rock. The wind had not been able to wear it away yet. It had several levels. On terrace was blocked by the sun and would stay cool most of the day. They moved up to the second level to set up their tarps.
They had camp all set up and they were starting to setup to rest. Oni had finished his drumsticks and was starting to work on the drum itself. He was worked it for a little while when he decided to lay down for the day. He was just starting to sleep when David woke everyone, “desert lions coming our way.” Oni opened his eyes and saw two lions coming towards their camp. Oni stood. He looked out to see Half-Ogres and giant spiders coming over the dunes. Leo’s childhood song ran through his head again.
The Lions and Spiders moved up first. Oni was most afraid of the spiders, “kill the spiders first.” Naga was able to make one of them run off. The battle started to go south. Oni and Sora were holding one end of the camp. Mar’iya, David and Naga, were all seriously wounded on the other end of camp. David was trapped within some webbing and seemed paralyzed. Naga started to heal David and Mar’iya at the same time. Oni could feel the life being taken from the area just like the defiler did so long ago. This was the turning point in the battle.
All the spiders and lions were dead around them. The half-ogres were down to two. One critically wounded. They were both afraid of Naga, the defiler. They ran off in two direction. Oni went after the critically wounded one and killed him just as he made it to the top of a dune. The other one ran hard and managed to dive for cover and escape into the sand.
David and Mar’iya ran down to the Half-ogre. They were looking to find one that might still be alive. Oni moved over to Naga. He bent down to help him up. He looked at him as he spoke, “thanks for saving us Naga. Be careful with that spell use. If that half-ogre gets back to the city and tells them about you and your spell use.” He paused for a minute, “with the defiling, you will become hunted.” He paused for a longer moment, “we will all become hunted.”
Oni slowly headed down just as David was talking to Mar’iya, “no worries, I can talk to the dead ones.” The group through David questioned the dead half-ogres. They now know someone is specifically looking for them. This group lead by the Raag, met with some white robed elf just outside of Raam near the Crying Stone of Badna. David knew about this location but had not been there. It was an area where defiling did not work. Oni and Mar’iya both had a flashback to the salt battle were Rain was lost. Water pours out of the rock there and makes its way into the Raam. These Scaggers were given the gold coin to hunt and kill them. David used his magics and figured out that this robed elf is dead. This did not make Oni feel better. The elf was likely some pawn, trying to get them, and if they have gold coins, they have resources.
They skinned the lions, rested and continued south towards the Pyramid of Ra.
They arrive at the Pyramid of Ra:
Leo stopped. He looked back to the group. He spoke is soft tones, “The pyramid is right over this dune.” He moved his hand to point over the rise. “I will be here a week. Come here and I will find you.” Oni being the last one barely heard him, but he knew where they were. He could feel the pyramid. He knew he was close. He looked over the Mar’iya. Mar’iya saw Oni’s look and moved over to Leo. He pulled out the coin and paid Leo the other half of his payment and bowed slightly. Oni walked up to him. He reached into the treasure bag and handed Leo another twenty ceramic pieces. He looked at him as he spoke, “here is your portion of the coin we gained in travel.” Leo nodded his head no. Oni forced the coin into his hand, “no, you earned this as well.” Oni pulled out another ten coins, and placed that in his hand as well, “here is half my share as well. Thank you so much for helping us.” Leo looked at him a little confused, “I will wait a week.”
Oni still hoping to convince Leo to join them, “you could come with us.” Leo slowly nodded no again. He was stalled enough. Oni believed that part of Leo wanted to go with them. Leo spoke gently, “every treasure hunter that goes into the pyramid dies.” Oni pointed with his noise to the coin in Leo hand. He never stopped looking into Leo eyes as he spoke, “we only seek one treasure, and it is the greatest treasure. We seek hope, for the world.” Leo lowered his gaze and walked back to the camels. Oni knew he had failed.
Oni scanned the group until he made eye contact with Mar’iya. David, Sora and Naga all had a similar confused look on their faces. Oni passed twenty coins out to each of them as well. As he did, he said, “Here is your share as well.” He looked real quick at the dune and then back to the group, “I will not force anyone to go with us. We must go and I think all of you feel you should, but you are free to choose as you will.” Oni walked up to Mar’iya padded him on the shoulder and the two crawled to the top of the dune.
There it was; the pyramid out in front of them. Oni could see the temple entrance. The two men stared at it with great disdain as they searched for the Ra cult guards. Never of them could see if they were still there. Time stopped for the two of them as they tried to see every movement. None showed true. It must have been a long time as by the time Oni turned back to the group, Leo was gone. Oni crawled back down and with a smile joined the group. Mar’iya was right behind him.
Mar’iya opened a mental link with Oni, “what do we do if we meet any cultists?” Mar’iya could almost feel Oni smile in his mind as he responded, “we kill them, all of them, Lord Vashir.” This was Oni’s way of telling Mar’iya there would be no mercy. They would kill them all. They had lost the privilege of parley when they took Rain. They would only have death and destruction now.
Oni now back to the group that had decided to stay. He spoke in his now preacher like voice. “If we find cultists within the temple, we will kill them. If we can avoid contact, we might choice that, but their lives are forfeit. I know I have been kind and tried to talk to most we have come into contact with, but these cultists will no longer receive that. This may be the start of a long hard set of battles, so please concern energy if you can.” Oni had not spoken so directly, and everyone was staring at him. Naga looked up and smiled, “revenge!” Mar’iya responded for Oni but is was in Lord Vashir’s scary calm voice, “no. Reciprocity.”
Oni tone shifted as he started to draw what they knew about the temple into the sand below. He drew the first couple of rooms. He drew out the barracks. He drew the section on the other side from the barracks and described the fight at the end of the tunnel.