<strong>Name:</strong>Kyrie<br/><strong>Players Nearby:</strong>None<br/><strong>Location:</strong>The wilds northeast of Hiameth<br/><hr/><br/>The woods are thinner here, and this road is often stalked by Centos patrols. Kyrie keeps her eyes ahead as she rides. Her ears, hidden under a wide hat, are perked, catching every rustling leaf and distant birdsong. A fork lies ahead. One road goes east towards Dras'Loth, the other south to Jend.<br/><br/><strong>"I don't envy you that curse, child,"</strong>a haggard voice calls out from her left. Kyrie halts her horse, and turns to the speaker. Her hand rests on the hilt of her sword. A dark shape leans upon a staff at the base of a tree, shadowed by the canopy above. Kyrie opens her mouth, but her tongue fails her. The shadowy figure shakes with laughter.<br/><br/><strong>"Can't even speak of it, can you?"</strong>The ancient thing's voice seems almost wistful. Kyrie's fist clenches on her sword.<br/><br/><strong>"Save that for the bandits, love,"</strong>it chuckles. A lone, gnarled finger beckons from the bundle of robes,<strong>"Come, we must barter."</strong><br/><br/>With that, the hunched creature disappears behind the tree. Kyrie stares up into the canopy, seeking an answer. The birds continue their distant singing. Her horse huffs as it begins chewing a nearby fern. She dismounts, and ties it to a nearby branch before setting off into the woods.<br/><br/>On the other side of the tree is a denser thicket, with a few clearings showing through the dark foliage. Kyrie glances around for the tiny stranger to no avail.<br/><br/><strong>"Hurry child, the daylight is fleeting,"</strong>Kyrie hears from far to her left. The stranger  (http://cghub.com/files/Image/242001-243000/242870/700_max.jpg)is hobbling away, trailing a long red robe behind her. Kyrie hurries after her, falling silently into step behind her. She has to stoop to follow the mysterious hermit through a small opening in the thicket ahead, pausing for a moment to stare at the hut (http://cghub.com/files/Image/243001-244000/243480/379_max.jpg) on the other side. The woman, for now Kyrie is almost certain the little hermit is a woman, pauses at the door to beckon once more. Kyrie follows her into the darkness of the hut.<br/><br/>Inside the bundled woman is sitting in the far back, smoking an ornate pipe. She gestures to a cushion, and Kyrie sits. The shadowy figure tokes on her pipe and leans back, exhaling a cloud of thick black smoke that smells of sweet spices and autumn leaves. As Kyrie breathes it in, a heady feeling rises over her, and as she watches the strange whorling motion of the unfurling smoke, she has the strange notion that she is home.<br/><br/><strong>"Who are you?"</strong>Kyrie asks, peering into the shadows. Despite the dim glow of the pipe bowl, she can make out no more than the hunched woman's cowl. A cloud of laughter rattles back at her.<br/><br/><strong>"She speaks,"</strong>the woman rasps,<strong>"but such foolish questions she asks, all the wit and tact of a lost babe."</strong><br/><br/><strong>"Enough."</strong>Kyrie stands and walks away.<br/><br/><strong>"Will you not hear my bargain, child of the lost city?"</strong>The woman's voice stops Kyrie dead in her tracks,<strong>"Or are you content to wander in misery the rest of your days? I am prepared to show you the way, but if your wounded pride is too much to bear, I bid you go to the bridge crossing and cast yourself into the river. It is easier than the path before you."</strong><br/><br/>Kyrie takes her seat on the cushion, and touches her forehead to the floor,<strong>"Forgive my impatience, I have faced much hardship since..."</strong>Again her voice fails her.<br/><br/><strong>"Your hardships are to mine like raindrops in an ocean,"</strong>the hermit's rough hand touches her cheek, lifts her face. Kyrie stares up into a darkened cowl,<strong>"You will sacrifice far more on the road ahead."</strong><br/><br/><strong>"I will sacrifice anything,"</strong>The cowl nods at Kyrie's words. The ornate pipe is pressed into her hand.<br/><br/><strong>"Then breathe deeply, child, and our pact is sealed."</strong><br/><br/>Kyrie presses the pipe to her lips, and closes her eyes as the richly perfumed smoke fills her lungs. There is no burning, nor urge to cough or wheeze. Instead she feels a heaviness on her chest, like breathing in the bath. Her head begins to swim, and as she exhales, the room grows around her. The crone's cowl expands to encompass the room before her, and the smoke whorls and eddies, revealing visions of distant lands. The old woman's voice echoes from all directions as the vision unfurls.<br/><br/><strong>"You must go south, to the Centos (http://cghub.com/files/Image/000001-001000/817/714_max.jpg) city. You will be hunted by their kind (http://cghub.com/files/Image/053001-054000/53022/335_max.jpg), and by the dark ones (http://cghub.com/files/Image/310001-311000/310270/147_max.jpg). Seek passage with your kin from the sea (http://cghub.com/files/Image/001001-002000/1172/933_max.jpg). You will find godly beasts (http://cghub.com/files/Image/110001-111000/110619/583_max.jpg) and perilous kin (http://cghub.com/files/Image/406001-407000/406116/330_max.jpg) in the savage lands to the west. The dark ones (http://cghub.com/files/Image/403001-404000/403202/585_max.jpg) seek you there as well. Seek my brother in the Sacred Grove (http://cghub.com/files/Image/006001-007000/6775/53_max.jpg). His guidance will see you to the frozen peaks  (http://cghub.com/files/Image/241001-242000/241573/236_max.jpg)and burning deserts (http://cghub.com/files/Image/128001-129000/128192/210_max.jpg), to the raging seas (http://cghub.com/files/Image/117001-118000/117840/368_max.jpg) and silent swamps (http://cghub.com/files/Image/046001-047000/46548/290_max.jpg). It will see you home (http://cghub.com/files/Image/179001-180000/179724/763_max.jpg). Manifold are the tests (http://cghub.com/files/Image/307001-308000/307500/080_max.jpg), trials (http://cghub.com/files/Image/405001-406000/405398/901_max.jpg), terrors (http://cghub.com/files/Image/002001-003000/2931/254_max.jpg), and torments  (http://cghub.com/files/Image/383001-384000/383062/453_max.jpg)that await you, but forgive me child, most are beyond my weakened sight. "</strong><br/><br/>The visions fade as the smoke begins to clear, and Kyrie feels the weight of the pipe lifted from her numbed fingers. Her vision warbles as she watches the crone's arms extend from the darkness. Her arms are beyond leathery; they almost appear to be coated in gnarled bark. She takes a charm necklace in one of her hands and pierces her arm. Kyrie watched through smoke addled eyes as the blood soaks into the stones  (http://cghub.com/files/Image/321001-322000/321389/122_max.jpg)which begin to glow. She presses the necklace into Kyrie's palm and closes her hand around it.<br/><br/><strong>"This will guide you to my brother, child. I pray you do not show him the same impatience. Go."</strong><br/><br/>Kyrie staggers to her feet at the command, the room spins as she stumbles to the door. She clumsily pries it open, blinking at the bright light that pours in.<br/><br/><strong>"And child?"</strong>Kyrie turns back to the voice and freezes. The light from the doorway washes over the crone, and she has her first glimpse of the crone's face (http://cghub.com/files/Image/278001-279000/278676/297_max.jpg).<br/><br/><strong>"Do not forget our pact. Sacrifices will be made."</strong><br/><br/><hr/><br/>The horse recoils from Kyrie's face when she starts awake. She sits up panting and covered in cold sweat. She is laying at the side of the road, not more than a few feet from where she tied her horse, the forest still alive with the rustling of the wind and distant birdsong. She rises, feeling no dizziness or drug induced clumsiness. The horse leans back in to nuzzle her, and she strokes his jaw.<br/><br/><strong>"Sorry, Ajax. Just a bad dream."</strong>Ajax huffs, and Kyrie unties him and mounts, feeling a slight pain in her hand as she does. She steers the horse Dras'Loth, and spurs it into an easy walk. As the hoofbeats fall into a soothing rhythm, Kyrie become aware of a sharp pain in her hand. It's clenched shut with whitened knuckles. She unfolds her fingers and her heart skips a beat. She was holding charm necklace tight enough to break skin. The gems glow brighter as blood pools around them in her palm.<br/><br/>Kyrie reigns Ajax around and spurs him into a gallop, his hooves kicking up a storm of leaves and dirt as they turn south towards Jend.