[Hm... I noticed I gave it the same topic as Dannae on PSDE. Anyway... this is the product of a day with the server down
I based it on the log of my first day when I played Jilata. Her background and personality was at that point still not fixed. I changed a bit of what I originally planned when I started. It was easier for me that way. Well... I am glad I did. I like Jilata how she is...
I hope you enjoy it.]
A city. It didn't look like this one would be different than the other ones she had visited during her travels. It had walls, towers and gates like every other city. The gate was open, as if it wanted to welcome possible visitors. That was nothing new either; most cities had their gate open during the times they weren't attacked.
The Akkaio fenki stopped to examine it, tilting her head. Maybe this city was different. It was somehow more charming than the others she had visited... Even though the cold, worked stone never had a big attraction for her.
She tried to ignore her growling stomach as she brushed some of the dust from her worn clothes. Life hadn't been easy for her lately. She wasn't able to find work. In fact... it had been a while since she last had some.
So she tried hunting. It didn't last long: she was never successful at it. She couldn't get a single prey. It's not like she didn't have any skill in it... She did hunt before... Just never outside of a city.
She had seen traces of animals too. The woods she just passed through had more than enough of those... But it didn't matter how hard she tried, she never caught a forest arangma.
She sighed and continued to walk towards the city. As the walls grew bigger, she began to feel smaller than she already was. She raised her head and stared at them, challenging. The city wouldn't defeat her. It didn't matter how intimidating it was.
She passed through the shadow of a big tower and trough the gate into the city. She had already seen it from the outside, that huge tower. It was made of iron and really high, as if it wanted to reach the clouds.
Maybe the person who had it built wanted to be free, like she wanted to. Free of all those things that bind one to the ground. Free of the heavy reality.
“Don't forget to... obey the... something. What was it again?”
She flinched and turned to the guard who spoke. He examined her worn appearance warily. “Oh yes, the law. In Hydlaa! Well, and I suppose anywhere else.”
She smiled friendly. “Do you know where I could get something to work?”
The guard waved with his hand in her direction. “Leave this place! I don't have a work for the likes you.”
She hesitated, hoping he would make an exception. “I just wanted..." But he placed his hand on his sword hilt. “Don't stop me from doing my work!”
She ran away into the city. As she passed the tower, she stopped a moment, to admire its height again. When you stand next to it, it looks even higher than it did from far away. How much would she prefer to be free up there! She shook her head and continued to follow the street.
There was no sense in wishing something she couldn't reach yet. Not yet. But she was sure that she would find a way to get up there. A way to be free.
When you take one step after another on a ladder, you will reach the top. Her mother used to say that.
So first she needed work. She followed the stairs into the city. As she walked down the path, she saw the citizens, busy with talking to each other. She shook her head wondering about them. Didn't they have work to do? She kept on her way without stopping, following the stairs down.
As she finished coming down the last stairs, she could see a plaza with a hooded statue. On her right side were some more stairs leading upstairs. She stopped, a bit irritated.
Usually chances aren't bad when you try to find some work at a plaza. The people who need it and the people who offer it tend to hang around such places. Crowded places.
She glanced at the stairs. Her instinct told her to climb those stairs, even though the plaza was right in front of her. She stood for a moment there, silently deciding what she should do. Would she follow her instinct or her reasonable thoughts? After a while she just shrugged and followed her instinct.
It didn't matter if she went there first. After all, she knew where she would find the plaza now.
She smiled to herself as she noticed what she found: a tavern! It seemed like her instinct was still right.
She hurried towards the building. Just before she entered a guard to her left shouted something about keeping weapons sheathed while in Hydlaa.
She grimaced. If she had a weapon, she would have been able to find some work or another by this time. But as it was, her only weapons were her claws.
She entered the tavern and looked around. The only person in the room was a female Dermorian. She moved gracefully and on light feet through the room, as she cleaned a few tables. While doing so she sang a strange melody to herself. Jilata's ears twitched at the sound of it. Weirdly it wasn't unpleasant. She stood in the door and watched the woman as she reached for a few empty mugs and carried them to the bar. Jilata stepped towards the woman, calmly smiling.
The Dermorian turned around to get some more mugs and flinched slightly at the sight of her. Her surprised look changed to a warm smile. “Excuse me. I hadn't noticed you.” She cleaned her hands on a towel. “Welcome to Kada-El's. What can I get you?”
Jilata tilted her head a bit, surprised by that reaction. “Nothing. I...” She smiled slightly amused and pointed to her worn clothes. “I am looking for work. Can I get some here?”
The woman shook her head. “Maybe later, right now I don't need anything.”
The fenki sighed and glanced around the bar. Everywhere it was the same. People judged her on her appearance, on the worn down clothes. They would never give her a chance to prove herself.
She would have gotten better looking clothes... But for that she needed tria, which she didn't own. She could try to steal some, but she hadn't gotten that low yet. She still wasn't desperate enough for something like thievery.
She grimaced. It seemed that her instinct had fooled her this time. The only person in the room didn't have work for her.
“I love free booze.” Jilata abruptly turned around and stared at the Diaboli. Slightly amused, she examined his outer appearance. It was totally different than hers. He was like every one of his race: good looking. That was supported by his tasteful clothes: Clean and fitting, showing his well built body.
He smiled kindly. Too kindly. “Hello, Miss.” Jilata ended her examination. “Hello.” She leaned against the bar, waiting to see what would happen next. The Dermorian had already continued to clean up, without caring about both of them at all.
“Are you new around Hydlaa?” His voice was pleasant to listen to. Telena had a similar pleasant voice as well... To be exact every Diaboli she had met on her travels had that trait. Some sounded, to her, more pleasant than others, but all of them were a pleasure to listen to. She blinked to get back to the present and nodded. “I am.”
“Found a way to bring tria to your pocket yet?” What was he up to? Was it possible that he had some work for her? Doubtful, when she looked like that... and he like the exact opposite. She fixed her green and yellow eyes on him and shook her head. “No. Unfortunately not.”
“Unfortunately?” He smiled. “Maybe not. Say, what are you good at?”
She watched him, interested. Maybe he did have work for her.
“I happen to speak for an enterprise, looking for fresh blood.” He chuckled and added: “Indeed”
The Diaboli somehow made her wary, though the possibility of work made her stay. Her stomach had a fierce wish. And it was time to get some new clothes too. She wasn't in a position to be picky with work, without a single tria in her pocket.
“Maybe nothing?” She said, grinning, after some thought. “Somehow staying alive is what I am good at. But I can't do much more.”
He seemed to be slightly surprised and thought a bit about what he heard. “There is not much to do. You can be a merchant, a laborer or a hunter.”
A smile showed on her face. “I would prefer to be a hunter. But it is quite difficult without equipment.” She pointed slightly amused to her clothes, showing she didn't own anything besides what she was wearing.
“Indeed. Well... I could help you.” The diaboli said.
Jilata examined him again. “Really? How?”
He smiled. “My masters keep my purse filled. Maybe they could keep yours...” He stopped a moment before he continued to speak. “You have to work for the enterprises though.”
So there was a condition for it. She had expected nothing else. You can't get anything in this world without earning it. “What kind of enterprises are you working for?”
“We call it the Bronze Enterprise. It's about trading... yes.” He nodded as if he wanted to confirm his words. He continued. “We need hunters to get us some skins. Actually we need all sorts of members right now.”
She raised an eyebrow. “So you are a trader?” It would fit. Some traders do like to be eye catching. Telena had been one of those. It always felt like it took forever till she was ready to enter a city.
He grinned and shook his head. “I am the business preacher. I advertise, recruit and inform.” She folded her arms. So he was no one important in that company he mentioned. “Is it a problem I have to learn from the beginning?”
“No problem at all”, he reassured her. “I'll even teach you.”
She grinned. “That would be great. 'Cause I am a bit lost here.”
“Oh, no problem. So, you want to get started with some hunting right?” She nodded. “Yeah.” He smiled. “You'll need a weapon... And maybe some armor... If it's cheap. Our investment in new members is limited.” He walked to the door and turned around grinning at her. “Coming?”
The Diaboli lead her down the stairs back to the plaza she had seen earlier. He didn't cross it. He only walked along one side to a place that looked like a smithy.
“Harnquist will sell the arms.” He pointed to a Ylian. “Check out his blades and tell me which one is your favorite. He can also train you. He knows a thing or two about weapons and armor and whatever.”
She examined the weapons. He had maces, knives, short and long swords, bows and sabers.
“So?” he prompted. She didn't raise her gaze from the weapons. “I need a few more moments”, she replied.
He smiled kindly at her. “Oh, take your time then.” He looked around while she continued to examine the weapons, carefully testing the blades and how they felt in her paws.
The diaboli raised an eyebrow. “Look. It's the stray cat.”
“What?” A voice asked.
Jilata looked up to see who he was talking to. It was a Clamod fenki. He waved his hand dismissively towards the fenki. “Just move along, don't have time to play around now.” Jilata watched interested. It seemed like those two knew each other.
“As if I had time...” The other fenki left. Were they on good terms or bad ones? She couldn't tell. And she didn't really care. For her the fenki was even more of a stranger than the diaboli was.
Jilata turned back to the weapon assortment. “Too bad that he doesn't have axes. I know how to use those a bit.” She shook her head disappointed and tested the next type of weapons. Then she pointed to the maces. “Those are the best from what he has.”
The diaboli payed for the maces. “These weapons should be enough for now.” He reached them to her. “Come on, take them.” She took them and tried them again. Axes still would have been better. “Good. Now, a good place for you to start hunting. Follow me.”
The diaboli lead her back to the tavern and then around it to the back side. There were stairs and ladders leading into the darkness of a hole. “This is where you hunt for now. There are only rats there...” She listened closely and actually heard the faint sound of rats from within. “But their skins can also be used. I'll pay you 100 tria for each batch of 7 skins. That'll be your job for the time being.” She nodded and tried to see something in the darkness.
“Also...” She turned back to the diaboli and received two coins from him. “Two circles to help with training, once you are done.” He narrowed his eyes. “Don't let me down Miss.” She shook her head and hid the coins in her clothes. “I'll try not to.”
He smiled. “You are officially an investment of the Dark...” He cleared his throat. “I mean Bronze Enterprises.” She raised an eyebrow slightly. He had made a mistake just then. A small one, but now she was sure that he was hiding something. “When will I meet you again?”
“Of course you will. You're my responsibility within the enterprises now.” He blinked. “Oh, when? Soon, pretty soon.” She nodded slightly. He didn't give her an exact time. So he didn't tell her if he had some habits concerning the time and the places he usually occupied.
“Will you be able to find me?” she asked. The diaboli smiled. “You should go to the tavern from time to time. I'm always there. Or training in the sewers... But always on one of those places.” He paused for a moment. “I must go now. Be well.” He bowed.
“Take care.” She watched him as he walked the way back they came from.
That Diaboli had been a bit suspicious. He hadn't told the whole truth. At least not about his masters. There was more behind the Bronze Enterprises, or how he had called it. That name was certainly an alias. The real name started with Dark.
She shook her head thoughtfully. Whatever it was, it didn't matter; as long as she was payed. And they looked like they would do that. Otherwise they wouldn't equip her with weapons.
Jilata turned to the entrance to the sewers and slowly walked down the stairs. She wrinkled her nose as the smell surrounded her. What a smelly place to hunt. Smelly and dirty. But there is always a place where you have to start. She could only hope that she didn't have to stay in there for long. But only time would show that.
She climbed down the ladders and drew her maces. She stood for a moment silently to concentrate, then attacked the first rat she found.
Her instinct had been right again. She had found some work.
