KORBIN
And round about his home the glory
That blushed and bloomed,
That blushed and bloomed,
Though he straightened after a while, Korbin didn't let go of her. He kept his arms draped about her shoulders, feeling acutely the need to keep his sister close. It's something he hadn't done in years, not like this... and he was too tall to hide away against her shoulder like he had back then. But it was still nice. Still comforting.
For a while, he just stared blankly off into the void. Thinking, weighing the options. It would be easier not to speak... but he did not doubt the story would reach her sooner or later anyway. Better it came from him first.
"I was just flying," he began, keeping his voice quiet. Distant. "Taking a break. Found some tracks and followed them out of curiosity. Then that healer from the Palace showed up... Loren. I've run into him more than once and wasn't really thrilled, but... didn't have a reason to tell him to piss off either."
And he preferred to have one, before he let his temper take over.
"We caught up to the people who made the tracks... It was a massacre. Three cannibals had caught up with a fourth person... dunno who got who, but two lay dead. And the other two... they were chopping them up. Like so much dead meat."
The disgust in his voice was a physical thing. The story too vile for his usual musical cadence, too raw and personal to weave into a tale. It wasn't one he ever wanted to tell in the tavern.
"I told Loren we should leave... But it seems one of the exiles was Attuned. He heard us talking, or maybe saw us... he shifted and came after us. The other shot arrows in the air... so I went down for him, while Loren dealt with the first." If 'dealt with' was the right word... The eagle had gotten away in the end.
"We fought. I got in some trouble. Got my arm broken... Might have gotten worse, but.. I don't know how, but Loren got a dragon to come down. A fucking dragon. We got the man cornered, and I thought that might be it. But then he got that look, Wee. Like a cornered animal. He charged Loren, and I... just stopped thinking. Jumped him, got him down, and... and... I... choked the life outta him.."
It had been fine talking up to that last bit, but Korbin felt his throat seize up on him. Choking the words out, leaving him numb. Unable to continue.
For a while, he just stared blankly off into the void. Thinking, weighing the options. It would be easier not to speak... but he did not doubt the story would reach her sooner or later anyway. Better it came from him first.
"I was just flying," he began, keeping his voice quiet. Distant. "Taking a break. Found some tracks and followed them out of curiosity. Then that healer from the Palace showed up... Loren. I've run into him more than once and wasn't really thrilled, but... didn't have a reason to tell him to piss off either."
And he preferred to have one, before he let his temper take over.
"We caught up to the people who made the tracks... It was a massacre. Three cannibals had caught up with a fourth person... dunno who got who, but two lay dead. And the other two... they were chopping them up. Like so much dead meat."
The disgust in his voice was a physical thing. The story too vile for his usual musical cadence, too raw and personal to weave into a tale. It wasn't one he ever wanted to tell in the tavern.
"I told Loren we should leave... But it seems one of the exiles was Attuned. He heard us talking, or maybe saw us... he shifted and came after us. The other shot arrows in the air... so I went down for him, while Loren dealt with the first." If 'dealt with' was the right word... The eagle had gotten away in the end.
"We fought. I got in some trouble. Got my arm broken... Might have gotten worse, but.. I don't know how, but Loren got a dragon to come down. A fucking dragon. We got the man cornered, and I thought that might be it. But then he got that look, Wee. Like a cornered animal. He charged Loren, and I... just stopped thinking. Jumped him, got him down, and... and... I... choked the life outta him.."
It had been fine talking up to that last bit, but Korbin felt his throat seize up on him. Choking the words out, leaving him numb. Unable to continue.
Is but a dim-remembered story
Of the old time entombed.
Of the old time entombed.
