i know what you are

One minute, he’s lighting a cigarette and looking out over the rooftops of a city he’s passing through. The next, the view gets faded – a flicker for a heartbeat, and the next it’s hot and there once beautiful view is obscured by trees upon trees. His steel-hued eyes widen, and he pauses to regard the situation before rubbing his eyes, thinking perhaps he’s dreaming. But when he opens them again, the trees remain and the world seems different. “[say]Wake up, wake up, wake up.[/say]” He hisses to himself, eyes shutting tight once again as he tries to tell himself to wake from the dream he’s certain he’s having.

But nothing works, and instead he finds himself wandering – the cigarette dying out before it is discarded among curse words and other obscenities Sunjata has to say. He doesn’t know how he got here, he doesn’t know where the fuck he is, and he’s quickly losing his patience with it all. He wonders if it’s a joke, if he’s somehow died, if perhaps someone had laced his previous drink with something. He was an exiled man, after all. Yet when nothing seems to work, he realizes he had only been a small amount within the Labyrinth before he stumbles across the entrance.

For a moment, he wants to try and run into town to find out where he is and what happened. But he quickly realizes that he might actually be on his own. He grits his teeth, and turns to look back at the Labyrinth as though it was its fault he had randomly appeared here. Then, as if for an added measure, he flips it off and huffs to himself – prepared entirely to brood about the complete inopportune timing of it all.

[say]"A surprisingly appropriate reaction to that place, I must say."[/say] Lucas's words were a purr in the night. He enjoyed walking once the sun had dipped below the horizon, and lately his travels were taking him further and further afield. He hadn't actually been inside the labyrinth, of course - he wasn't stupid - but he was close enough this time for sharp ears to hear the footfalls of another.

An apparent stranger, it seemed, and from the attire and the bewildered expression... a newbie? [say]"You look a bit lost, friend. And not just in the 'walking through a maze' kind of way."[/say]

The man whirls at the sound of a voice, stumbling slightly as he catches himself and sets eyes on the other man. The light has faded now, and he squints his steel hued eyes toward him with a furrowed brow. “[say]Lost?[/say]” He snorts, shaking his head sending his wind tossed hair in all directions. “[say]Something fucking like that.[/say]” He hisses, unimpressed with the view of this place in comparison to the place he literally just was. Where originally there were city lights and beautiful women, now there’s stupid trees and this guy. What does he want anyway?

He finally gets his bearings and approaches Lucas with a curious glint to his eye. “[say]Do you just suck people out of one place and put them here?[/say]” He accuses, certain that it was Lucas’ fault on why he was here. “[say]One minute I’m looking over a huge and wonderful city, the next I’m here in this shithole.[/say]” He grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest.

A slow smile spread across Lucas's face as he heard the stranger out, and he folded his arms casually across his chest. [say]"Thank you,"[/say] he said emphatically. [say]"I think you are the first person I've met in this hellhole who I can relate to. Granted, I was walking home in a wonderful city before I was dragged here."[/say]

Wrinkling his nose, he glanced back at the labyrinth. [say]"You sure chose a bad place to fall in, though,"[/say] he admitted. [say]"You're in a place called the Hollowed Grounds, in a land called Caido. Unfortunately, there's no way back. So I hope you weren't as attached to your old life as I was."[/say]

He held out a hand to shake. [say]"Lucas."[/say]

His brow lifts slightly as a smile grows on Lucas’ face, his head tilting slightly as he inspects the man before him. A city dweller too, it seemed. He hopes perhaps the man hasn’t been where he has, it might make things a bit awkward. Still, he finds it in himself to chuckle slightly as Lucas mentions the place he’d fallen into. “[say]Wasn't much of a choice to be honest.[/say]” He huffs, but it seems entirely like his luck to do that exact same thing. And as he explains the name of the land and the works they’re in, his head tilts again.

“[say]That sounds hardly exciting.[/say]” He remarks, a bit of a chuckle lacing his words as he regards Lucas. “[say]Eh, I was mostly on the run anyhow.[/say]” He says with a roguish grin toward Lucas as he reaches out to shake his hand firmly. “[say]Sunjata, or Jata for short. Don’t particularly care which as long as you don’t call me Sunny.[/say]” Finally he grins wide, releasing Lucas’ hand and glances back toward the Labyrinth with a huff of annoyance.

[say]"I can believe that,"[/say] Lucas drawled, tearing his gaze from the labyrinth and whatever horrors that might be lurking inside it. The newcomer was lucky to get out with his head still on his shoulders, if the rumours were true. [say]"It is hardly exciting - this is the kind of place where you need to make your own fun, I assure you."[/say]

He nodded politely as the other man introduced himself, a wolfish smile flickering across his face as they shook hands. [say]"Jata, I wouldn't dream of it. Come on - I know a place where you might at least be able to get a drink. In the meantime you can tell me all about how you were on the run."[/say] My, wasn't this one an interesting soul?