He actually takes some time to say hello to Mehrak and waits for the toolbox to give him a beep boop in greeting back. He hands over the food containers and nods in appreciation and gratitude. "Just my usual, since we had leftover Sabz Meat Stew," he knows it's easier to eat on the go than the actual stew and it's pretty filling. He only did not have the time to ensure the frying pan really seared the word 'contemplation' on it the perfect way he painstakingly takes time to, but the dish was there nonetheless.
Alhaitham checks everything quietly. Provisions, equipment, weapons. A willingness to clear some things. "I sent word to the rangers with our route and probable whereabouts. Just in case anything happens," Alhaitham is already playing mental chess in the possible outcomes and how to avoid this. "They'll come looking for us if they don't hear back."
Luckily Mehrak is able to take on all the heavier equipment with ease. None of them have to lift a finger and it makes extensive traveling less stressful on the body. Perhaps that's another reason Kaveh tends to forget certain things behind at times. With how much Mehrak carries, it's only natural that he sometimes forgets to keep items on his own person. Like his keys.
He remembers this time, and he's the one who locks the house on their way out.
Evening birds are seen gliding back into the heights of the canopies just over the sunset. "Are you sure it was a good idea going out this late?" Kaveh says once they reach the city gates. It's natural that there are eyes turning anywhere they go together. Whether it's curiosity on people's part, of the fact they're both vision carriers, or just easy on the eyes. With their positions among scholars, it wouldn't be a surprise that Alhaitham is more well known now than ever.
"Good. After all, you almost didn't make it home. I don't care where you go off to most of the time," he does, "I thought something was seriously wrong." It's the issue when he knows Alhaitham's habits and schedule inside and out. "Well, that's over now. Forget it," he glances up at the clouds and the strokes of color tearing day into night. "I look forward to eating some of those leftovers," a weak smile is thrown his way, "this almost feels like some camping trip instead, honestly. Haha."
Kaveh moves out of his own admission of concern so fast that Alhaitham barely has time to even mention how that makes him sound like he keeled over when he arrived home. "It was just a cut," his eyebrows slant in some soft disbelief.
A gentle smile graces Kaveh's lips, a flicker of remembrance illuminating his eyes. The weight of their past, the shared moments, and intimate secrets feel weighty on Alhaitham's tongue, making his ribs increase resistance when he breathes in the sunset air. "You look excited."
The sun's graceful descent casts a golden veil upon the threshold of the city gates, the symphony of colors across the sky. The evening breeze brushed across Alhaitham's cheeks. Kaveh looks sculpted in gold and rich jewels against the light, aurian, belonging to the artists' favorite time of the day and the Scribe decides to focus on someone he catches staring instead, their head lowering and scurrying past them as though wanting to be unperceived. Alhaitham wonders if there will be informants in the city warning their targets about their movements, but they keep going to and fro across Sumeru at times, it wouldn't be unheard of that they'd leave so late.
Still, he needs to think about that possibility, as well.
Soon enough, the natural beauty unfolds around them, foliage rustling and whispering tales of ancient lore. They both hold an affinity to Dendro, and he knows that the scent of moss intertwined with the earth means secrets, the interplay of light and shadow that dance upon the canopy above, and the mesmerizing mosaic of emerald hues means language. Foliage and petals brushing across their fingertips feel unknown and unraveled messages that Alhaitham can't help but feel curious about, a slight trace of the peace his grandmother wished for him as nature kissed upon their skin.
"Have you ever been there, in your own travels?" The place they're headed, anyway.
Sounds of the city eventually dissolve into sounds of the forest. There is some bioluminescence feeding light into what would be impossible terrain. Although surely, over the years Forest Watchers have made it easier for travelers to make out the trail in the density of darkness. Oranges fade to darker blues. Kaveh knows that the forest is always watching in one way or another, whether it's the mysterious creatures that poke around, or every leaf itself absorbing the memories into Irminsul. Every breath counts.
Kaveh glances at Alhaitham, "I'll take a break from bratty clients any chance I can get," but he enjoys spending time with him, mainly. It's something different to do than to grab dinner in the same places, eating the same things and walking home drunk. "You don't look like you're hating this entirely either, what a shock," he says, followed by a soft, airy laugh. Kaveh is not always intending on jabbing him in malicious ways. When he looks at Alhaitham, he sees someone he deeply cares about. The only person he truly cares about.
"I've come through this area before, yes. It's a lot different during the day, I must say. I'm not exactly sure where you had your," he eyes him up and down, "cut, as you lightly put it. I wouldn't be surprised if I was familiar with it. You just never know where some clients end up wanting to build. It makes me wonder, where would I want to build if I did come up with the funds to make my own place. Definitely not the desert."
The air is thick with humidity, wrapping around their skin like a warm embrace, layering Alhaitham’s arms with a subtle sheen. The occasional cool mist descends from the canopy above, droplets of rain cling to leaves, creating a glistening liquid mosaic, and the gentle patter of the spray intermingles with the ever-present symphony of the rainforest.
His steps are measured, careful not to disturb the delicate equilibrium of the rainforest. Alhaitham studies the behavior of the fauna; his headphones turned off to listen intently for any telltale signs of disruption. He observes the patterns of sunlight filtering through the foliage, seeking irregularities that may indicate the presence of a concealed structure.
Turning to Kaveh, Alhaitham's voice sounds neutral, though he lowers it. Who can say if it’s because he doesn’t want to disrupt their surroundings or because he can’t help but match the airy laugh that follows Kaveh’s comment? “I was never opposed to a change of scenery every now and then.”
Though he knows he needs to focus more on what lies ahead, Alhaitham does wonder about Kaveh’s own place. The idea of him moving out seems sometimes closer to the realm of possibility more often than not, and he doesn’t really understand the coiling feeling in his gut whenever that seems the case. He doesn’t understand because, he knows, if you love something or someone, you set it free.
…right? “You’d need a nice road for the wine crates to get to your place every week,” is what he says instead.
He scans the surroundings, his gaze flickering between the towering trees and the dense undergrowth, searching for any sign of the elusive base hidden amidst the verdant expanse.
Eventually, they find the place. The sign of a fight, etched in the tree bark, the remnants of the dendro of his blades still resonating with their own. Splintered wood, spread out and cut leaves, a small crater on the ground from when he flickered to higher heights to send a plunging attack after being surrounded. Sand scattered everywhere. Something dark tainting the floor.
He takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts and marshaling the information he needs to convey. “This was the place,” he tilts his head in one direction. “There’s a house that a scholar is renting nearby, which is where I was coming from. We should look for clues.”
Alhaitham's hands gesture subtly, outlining an imaginary map of the rainforest's pathways and potential avenues of approach. When did he have time to do that homework? Maybe on his way. "We must be mindful of their traps and surveillance mechanisms. We cannot afford to give away our presence prematurely."
He still glances at the architect. “Do you want to continue?”
"Tch. You act as if I'm the only one who enjoys wine," the prospect of finally spreading his own wings in a place he can truly refer to as home keeps his mood stable, even chipper. The only reason he wasn't able to keep his old house had many factors, but that one belonged to his mother. It was never truly his own.
The moisture in the air begins to fall over their shoulders steadily, scattered. As if the clouds themselves are in rush to truly tear away into a frenzy and bringing calamity to the forest. Still, they are very much surrounded in petrichor.
Kaveh admires everything, even the way Alhaitham's skin shines underneath the dimming daylight. The peace never lasts when it's about them, especially as they enter foot in the remnants of Alhaitham's fight. Kaveh can't deny his strength or intelligence, but witnessing how deep the cuts on trees had been, he can only imagine the men must have left in worse condition than him.
Mehrak goes on to scan the area.
"What? Of course I want to continue, what other point would there have been in me coming with you? . . Mehrak!" Equipped with his claymore and ready to help, the toolbox gears and grinds it's core, swinging a fallen piece of cloth out of the way for Kaveh. The ground is damp under his shoes. "So what are you trying to look for here? We should go inside before it really rains hard on us. Ah," he deadpans, "a map, really? Do you think whatever it is you're investigating is underground?"
Alhaitham's gaze shifts from the remnants of the fight to Kaveh's face, and then Mehrak. "We're looking for any clues that could lead us to their base. It's possible they might have retreated there after the encounter," he taps his headphones, as though reminding the architect that he's not the only one with technology aiding him.
Eventually, he kneels down to gently trace the tracks left behind by the assailants who managed to escape. The imprints in the damp soil reveal a mix of hurried footfalls and deeper gouges, indicating some carrying others. The rainforest's embrace seems to have preserved these traces of their presence, preserving a trail to follow. Alhaitham's mind races as he analyzes the patterns. "There are signs of a hasty retreat, but they weren't able to cover their tracks completely," he murmurs. "It is possible that they ventured underground, the Scholar did say that he tended to meditate in nearby caves." He points toward a dense thicket, the vegetation seemingly unyielding to their intrusion, "they went in that direction."
As they approach the underbrush, the rainforest's symphony grows louder, the chorus of insects and the rustling of leaves enveloping them in a cloak. Alhaitham is quiet, attuned to every sound, every subtle movement that could reveal hidden dangers. He reaches for Kaveh when he notices a trap in the way, gently nudging him so they can walk around it without triggering it, and around the safeguard trap as well.
A pit with spikes underneath. "Crass," he mutters. The rain intensifies, which is good, in a way, as it covers their footsteps. The awning of a cave just behind a tall and thick tree makes him stop in his tracks. "It's here, I believe."
Mehrak agrees with Alhaitham and his input, though Kaveh will never actually realize that's what Mehrak is doing. There are only so many symbols that display that might suggest things such as mood, or clarity. Mehrak scans the path Alhaitham follows, gauging the depth of the prints and providing Kaveh with a 3D visual of their projected tracks and how much further they go.
"Huh!" He flinches the second Alhaitham nudges him out of the way from the mechanism. "Well, that was close," it had been dangerously camouflaged. He wonders how often Alhaitham deals with these things, how else would he be so good in being attuned to where enemies place their traps? The questions are left in a tab for later, though the expression he carries reflects every single one of them as he follows behind him. His gaze bores into the back of his head.
"Hey, wait a minute, Alhaitham," he whispers harshly, but it's too late. Kaveh curses under his breath and follows him inside. He's already partially soaked from the rain that pelted through the canopies and inside the cave, it's a lot colder. "We need to stick together. Are you sure they're in here? What if there's more than five?"
The Scribe does look behind him after a moment, ensuring the acoustics of the place don't carry their voices deeper into the cave. He points at the ground as he stops, eyebrows knotted as he gets close enough to whisper in Kaveh's ear. "The tracks are leading in but no tracks lead out. Which means...?"
Though he shakes his head at the Architect's concerns. He doesn't mean to dismiss them, though. This little plan of theirs does involve risk that Alhaitham keeps calculating and reformulating at the back of his mind, an intricate tapestry of factors and vectors. "We're aiming at the leader, not the people they hired. It is likely that whoever attacked me went and reported back, and it would make sense that they would cut their losses." Alhaitham tilts his head, though. "I thought you could carry yourself into a fight."
Mehrak continues along with Kaveh, sticking to his side. The rocky walls are damp with moss and slippery. Though nothing can bring him down from a spike of his flight to the anxiety of fighting than Alhaitham's voice resonating around his eardrum, he can feel the heat of his breath on the shell of his ear. "Uhm, what? Of course, I can. You, ugh, would you focus on the matter at hand? You're the one who's wounded, not me."
"As I said, it's just a cut," he snorts. Why is he getting so flustered about something so simple as talking low? Though he doesn't spend that much time dwelling on the whys and the hows, as he starts to hear the whispers of voices reverberating in the walls of the cave.
He thinks he hears some odd song, too.
With a finger to his lips to both Kaveh and Mehrak, he bends lower and walks slowly to find a nook where they can hide and listen in.
Except, he realizes that the voice and the song come from the same source.
He leans back against the damp rock he found cover with, tilting his head towards Kaveh, his voice suddenly becoming as urgent as a measured cadence can be. "Spincrystal. Isn't it?"
Kaveh understands every wavelength Alhaitham offers, sure, sometimes his sarcasm might be difficult to pick up on when he's trying to have a serious conversation. However, when it comes to the tense vocal chords conveying any dangers, Kaveh puts aside the rest of their previous conversation. He glances at him and nods, shifting closer towards him, but trying to peek through the curvature of rock formations towards the center of where the echoes and melodies come from. That's when Kaveh sees a familiar face. He ducks back in with Alhaitham, "we shouldn't be here. This isn't a good idea, Alhaitham. We still have time to turn back." His money depends on it. "Right? There's still time."
"I thought you wanted to get this over with," comes the whispered reply. There's a moment of silence where Alhaitham's eyes just scan through Kaveh's face, the green much like Mehrak's own tech as it scans terrain.
Two plus two, equals...
He considers reaching to grab the architect by the collar and maneuver them both further away so they're not heard as he asks if Kaveh has anything to tell him. He wants to be as direct as possible, but he knows that there's no time for anything, much less fall into the lovely pastime they share which is arguing.
Kaveh tries to insist via means of holding back Alhaitham's cloak. He still wears his concern as loud as body language goes because he still believes they shouldn't have made it into the cave without any matra. His shoe accidentally bumps a stone that falls down with loose gravel directly towards the voices. As a result, a few of them immediately grow silent. "Alhaitham," Kaveh whispers harshly, all too knowing that Alhaitham isn't stubborn for the sake of messing with him at this point. They're far past that. Kaveh knows that Alhaitham knows. "We should at least talk to them first."
The pebble dropping down doesn't escape him, neither does the silence that follows. Alhaitham was always very good at pinpointing silence. Sought it like a beacon.
Still, he's honed in on Kaveh.
"Go right ahead, then, Senior. Are you going to say how you are frowning upon the injuries that they inflicted on me?" he snaps back.
Though before Kaveh can reply, Alhaitham quickly manhandles them both (and Mehrak, miraculously (Merakhulously, I guess?)) into the opposite nook where they were settled, as one of the voices' owners comes to check where the stone had dropped from. Thankfully they won't check the temperature of the floor they were sitting on, nor turn further than 22 degrees than they should—
Right, good. He removes the hand from Kaveh's mouth. Looks at him pointedly. "Well?"
It takes every fiber in him not to let out a sound the moment Alhaitham takes him and his toolbox against a crevasse to save them from view. Still, the shuffling itself must have garnered attention in their particular direction. Kaveh's frantic gaze holds Alhaitham's in the spot, breathing hot through his nose while his mouth is rendered useless. If had known they would run into them specifically, he would have never agreed that Alhaitham makes this trip at all. Surely, Alhaitham knows Kaveh would never purposely put them in danger. And just the other day, these men passed as nice before their contract. Then again, this is Kaveh, after all. He avoids his gaze and wipes his mouth once Alhaitham lets him go. "They're...Clients."
The look Alhaitham gives Kaveh is one that speaks volumes in its lack of shock. All these years, all this observing that Alhaitham tends to do with his roommate as the subject of it, he somehow knows that whatever future written in the stars for the architect is never simple, never from star A to star B. Astrologers would have a field day about the aspects, tensions, and detrimental placements, for sure.
'Challenges,' he had heard Layla say about them, her voice growing steadily and eerily different in the cadence. 'They're not heralds of doom, but obstacles that you choose whether to face or circumvent. The stars, after all, are but the writing of Guides. And even those Guides are wrong.' So it's not unusual for Kaveh's life, in which things never seem to go according to plan, that there is always an unexpected twist or turn that demands his problem-solving skills.
Their, if Alhaitham is somewhat involved. He knows all too well the unpredictable nature of their encounters, the way fate seems to weave them together sometimes in a stubborn and unnecessary tangle. And yet, despite his reputation as an egoist, Alhaitham does not want to leave him to his own devices like that.
"Inevitably, they always are," he muses internally, refraining from voicing his skepticism, aware that neither the moment nor Kaveh need this. Choosing his words carefully, he whispers sternly.
"I guess the ambush was just one branch of their attack," clever. He'll give them that.
As much as they might argue, if there is anything Kaveh wouldn't want out of a situation it would be Alhaitham hurting himself because of his decisions. He shouldn't have signed anybody so far away from the city unless he could verify their identities. It feels hot against the stone encompassing their safety, like he could melt into it and cease to exist. He feels gutted, guilty, knowing that Alhaitham is caught up in all this, too. "You should stay here, I'll talk to them. I doubt they will expect me to bring company and besides, we're on friendly terms. I can have Mehrak signal to you in case I run into trouble." There is enough moisture and puddles further inside that would make use of his blooms, too. He wouldn't want Alhaitham anywhere near those, either.
Kaveh hopes that his expression is sufficient enough to convince him to go as he plans, "I'm saying all this as your senior, too. I will use my vision if I have to, I needn't say more," he glances at his patched arm and shifts around him, exchanging positions in the crevasse.
A hand snatches and seizes Kaveh's wrist, quick as the way Alhaitham summons blades.
And yet—
Highlighting that the reason they decided to ambush both Kaveh and Alhaitham has more implications towards the architect's concept of who he is and who he hangs out with than he should approach now of all places.
He lets his jaw loosen, not realizing it had been set on gritting his teeth. "I'll be watching."
His fist tenses within the grasp, and his gaze burns just as strong. He only wishes he could convey the gravity of their situation. He pulls back trying to escape from his hold, muttering, "let go," under his breath.
He'll be damned if anyone but himself has to deal with them. So he steps out of their hideout and further down into the cave, where everyone falls silent the instance Kaveh appears. "The architect?" A voice calls out to him, and while Kaveh is a friendly face, the metal of his sword still shines as its held in preparedness. "Y-Yes, that's me. It's nice seeing you all again. I was wondering," he pauses, inching closer while he looks around for the materials Alhaitham was originally after. "I was wondering, uhm. When I'll be paid," he knows Alhaitham can hear him, he feels the jagged disappointment and judgement on the back of his head. He still feels his wrist throb from his lasting grasp.
The men laugh at him. One of them circles around him, more inquisitive and suspicious, "how did you know to find us here? Boss will be unhappy if he learns that you came here asking for payment without a proper plan on what to do with the land development." "And I do have a plan ready, who do you think you're speaking to? There are other details that require I talk to him in person, that's all."
"Right, right. What do you think guys? Is he telling the truth?" It's not whether or not Kaveh is convincing, it's more like all of them had already made up their minds the moment he showed his face. When Kaveh realizes that, his vision glows.
Alhaitham's eyes narrow, mind racing with possibilities as he watches Kaveh engage in the tense conversation with Azar's cronies. Kaveh teeters on the livewire of stubbornness and persistence once again, though brandishing a weapon into a negotiation of budget feels like less of the subtlety of creative liberties that the architect tends to defend.
Still, his primary focus remains on unraveling the intricacies of Azar's machinations and finding a resolution to this precarious situation.
As he observes the crooks' reactions and analyzes their body language, Alhaitham considers multiple outcomes, connecting them into an intricate network as he strategizes each move. His keen eyes scan the surroundings of the mossy cave, noting the number of adversaries they face and the limited avenues of escape.
One possibility emerges in his mind: negotiation. He considers the potential leverage they both possess, he is here to bear witness, after all, and two of the brightest minds in Sumeru hold weight in how the Matra would settle this. Alhaitham contemplates exploiting these factors to broker a deal, one that ensures their safety.
He understands that despite his best efforts to manipulate the situation, combat may ultimately become inevitable. The crooks, loyal to Azar and armed with their own motivations, are begging for a fight.
A measured exhale; he knows the time for deliberation and strategizing is no more. Alhaitham's gaze shifts to his surroundings once more, taking note of the rugged terrain, the shadows that dance across the cave walls, and the faint glimmer of concealed weapons in the hands of the cronies. He mentally calculates their numbers, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and weighs the odds of a successful engagement.
Another option flickers like a flame: diversion. Alhaitham assesses the acoustics of the cave, the faint echo of music permeating the air. He had noted that the crooks had been playing music, but none of them seems to be there to enjoy it, even through working... whatever they had been working on. None of them seems to have been there to appreciate it, which means...
He spots several scratches and divots in the muddy ground by a wall, a large rugged rock resting on it. Movement, dragging tracks, the rock itself clean of moss, too. They had been using the music to cover the sound of a dragging rock that conceals… something. Could be another cave, or an alternate exit. That would explain why they found no footsteps coming out when they were entering this place.
Alhaitham doesn't even need to think. He summons a dendro blade and throws it, flying past everyone and into the rock, shattering it.
"Mehrak!" He calls out frantically as the others move in towards him. There is instability in his mind, knowing Alhaitham is witnessing him become a failure in his eyes. Unable to solve their standoff in a diplomatic way, or claim his independence as their architect. The water puddles below them steams with his elemental prowess.
One of the men still manage to get a hold of Kaveh from behind, and he feels a cold blade by his neck. Miserable as it may look, Kaveh doesn't entirely lose composure. Besides, he knows they need him alive. He glances over at the direction where Alhaitham hides.
The bursting dendro cores leave the skin with a painful rash that is more similar to a chemical burn. Elemental power in its rawest form is quite dangerous for people without visions. The man pushes Kaveh away while he withers from the effects. "Alhaitham!" The blade that comes takes everyone's attention, even Kaveh, by surprise. "What are you doing?!"
Dust and rubble fill the space they're in once the other hole is exposed. More dendro manifests over the mossy rock walls, all credit to Alhaitham's superiority in strength. "He's a traitor! I knew we shouldn't have trusted someone from Sumeru City! He brought back up!"
"The Scribe is here again, this is our chance," another voice calls. In the heat of the altercations, a body slams against Kaveh. She's bleeding and suffering from his cores, but she's strong enough to push herself and Kaveh away from the resonating dendro, and they both disappear through the hole Alhaitham has exposed in the rock wall.
At least for now, the mess is necessary. It's organized chaos: sellswords and zealots suddenly rile themselves up for different reasons. Those in the know aim their aggression at different people than those who have only gotten the bare minimum to get them to work.
He'll deal with the perceptions of others later. The fight is yet, unavoidable and necessary, but this time Alhaitham makes it quick. At least quick enough to leave most people wounded.
As he follows after Kaveh and whoever that was, a few dendro cores burst behind him as his cape brushes past them. They make something sing and sizzle, but Alhaitham has no time for that now; grits his teeth as he pushes himself forward to dash through the tunnel.
Where exactly is this heading? Who was that and what was her goal? There are a myriad of questions, hypotheses and connections running through Alhaitham's mind, but he knows only one thing for certain, and it's that he can't let Kaveh out of his sight.
Edited (pressed enter too soon! ) 2023-06-18 21:47 (UTC)
"T-Traitor," she utters once the two collapse into the depths of the cavern. There is only so much the lasting effect of his cores can salvage. He's still scratched, the fabric on his forearms and elbows ripped. A vision can grant mortals more sturdiness, which is why he's still capable of standing up while she's in worse shape. Despite all the unknowns working against him, Kaveh offers his hand to help her up.
"What do you mean? Were your friends up there not the ones who attacked first? I didn't know I would run into you all," he coughs and glances up towards the sounds of blades and bodies impacting one another. "You're one of us now, you swore your loyalty to us by signing the contract with our boss. If you still think of turning against us and helping the Scribe, then I'll have to kill you." "Wait what-- What if you just tell me how that would benefit any of us? You'd be breaking your own contract with the boss if you suddenly got rid of me based on empty accusations."
The rain outside is also getting stronger, putting their site at a high risk of a flash flood. Water is already trickling from the space above Kaveh had fallen through and inside his cavity, the earth around them rumbles. Dangerous as it might be to stay directly near the steepness of the rock, Kaveh knows Alhaitham would soon follow his same fate. The fighting from above seems to have ceased, but he also has to keep his eyes on the woman.
Thankfully, Alhaitham can teleport through short distances. With a dash of flared dendro, he arrives at where the drop begins and instantly lets out of sigh of relief upon hearing Kaveh's voice. He presses his fingers to his headphones, the tech inside scanning around him and picking up on the sound outside instead.
A contract. With the eremites, no less? No wonder they called him a traitor. He'll give credit where it is due: whoever webbed this intricate network made it with care. How unlikely, considering zealots tended to lose themselves in the details of things due to the feverish grandiosity of their beliefs.
The water runs from the mossy cave they had all been in and over the cliff. The land and rocks are somewhat porous, which means that they're either near or at a phreatic level.
Hopefully the water needs to go down further before it hits bedrock. Alhaitham just stays there, crouched, listening in.
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Alhaitham checks everything quietly. Provisions, equipment, weapons. A willingness to clear some things. "I sent word to the rangers with our route and probable whereabouts. Just in case anything happens," Alhaitham is already playing mental chess in the possible outcomes and how to avoid this. "They'll come looking for us if they don't hear back."
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He remembers this time, and he's the one who locks the house on their way out.
Evening birds are seen gliding back into the heights of the canopies just over the sunset. "Are you sure it was a good idea going out this late?" Kaveh says once they reach the city gates. It's natural that there are eyes turning anywhere they go together. Whether it's curiosity on people's part, of the fact they're both vision carriers, or just easy on the eyes. With their positions among scholars, it wouldn't be a surprise that Alhaitham is more well known now than ever.
"Good. After all, you almost didn't make it home. I don't care where you go off to most of the time," he does, "I thought something was seriously wrong." It's the issue when he knows Alhaitham's habits and schedule inside and out. "Well, that's over now. Forget it," he glances up at the clouds and the strokes of color tearing day into night. "I look forward to eating some of those leftovers," a weak smile is thrown his way, "this almost feels like some camping trip instead, honestly. Haha."
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A gentle smile graces Kaveh's lips, a flicker of remembrance illuminating his eyes. The weight of their past, the shared moments, and intimate secrets feel weighty on Alhaitham's tongue, making his ribs increase resistance when he breathes in the sunset air. "You look excited."
The sun's graceful descent casts a golden veil upon the threshold of the city gates, the symphony of colors across the sky. The evening breeze brushed across Alhaitham's cheeks. Kaveh looks sculpted in gold and rich jewels against the light, aurian, belonging to the artists' favorite time of the day and the Scribe decides to focus on someone he catches staring instead, their head lowering and scurrying past them as though wanting to be unperceived. Alhaitham wonders if there will be informants in the city warning their targets about their movements, but they keep going to and fro across Sumeru at times, it wouldn't be unheard of that they'd leave so late.
Still, he needs to think about that possibility, as well.
Soon enough, the natural beauty unfolds around them, foliage rustling and whispering tales of ancient lore. They both hold an affinity to Dendro, and he knows that the scent of moss intertwined with the earth means secrets, the interplay of light and shadow that dance upon the canopy above, and the mesmerizing mosaic of emerald hues means language. Foliage and petals brushing across their fingertips feel unknown and unraveled messages that Alhaitham can't help but feel curious about, a slight trace of the peace his grandmother wished for him as nature kissed upon their skin.
"Have you ever been there, in your own travels?" The place they're headed, anyway.
no subject
Sounds of the city eventually dissolve into sounds of the forest. There is some bioluminescence feeding light into what would be impossible terrain. Although surely, over the years Forest Watchers have made it easier for travelers to make out the trail in the density of darkness. Oranges fade to darker blues. Kaveh knows that the forest is always watching in one way or another, whether it's the mysterious creatures that poke around, or every leaf itself absorbing the memories into Irminsul. Every breath counts.
Kaveh glances at Alhaitham, "I'll take a break from bratty clients any chance I can get," but he enjoys spending time with him, mainly. It's something different to do than to grab dinner in the same places, eating the same things and walking home drunk. "You don't look like you're hating this entirely either, what a shock," he says, followed by a soft, airy laugh. Kaveh is not always intending on jabbing him in malicious ways. When he looks at Alhaitham, he sees someone he deeply cares about. The only person he truly cares about.
"I've come through this area before, yes. It's a lot different during the day, I must say. I'm not exactly sure where you had your," he eyes him up and down, "cut, as you lightly put it. I wouldn't be surprised if I was familiar with it. You just never know where some clients end up wanting to build. It makes me wonder, where would I want to build if I did come up with the funds to make my own place. Definitely not the desert."
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His steps are measured, careful not to disturb the delicate equilibrium of the rainforest. Alhaitham studies the behavior of the fauna; his headphones turned off to listen intently for any telltale signs of disruption. He observes the patterns of sunlight filtering through the foliage, seeking irregularities that may indicate the presence of a concealed structure.
Turning to Kaveh, Alhaitham's voice sounds neutral, though he lowers it. Who can say if it’s because he doesn’t want to disrupt their surroundings or because he can’t help but match the airy laugh that follows Kaveh’s comment? “I was never opposed to a change of scenery every now and then.”
Though he knows he needs to focus more on what lies ahead, Alhaitham does wonder about Kaveh’s own place. The idea of him moving out seems sometimes closer to the realm of possibility more often than not, and he doesn’t really understand the coiling feeling in his gut whenever that seems the case. He doesn’t understand because, he knows, if you love something or someone, you set it free.
…right? “You’d need a nice road for the wine crates to get to your place every week,” is what he says instead.
He scans the surroundings, his gaze flickering between the towering trees and the dense undergrowth, searching for any sign of the elusive base hidden amidst the verdant expanse.
Eventually, they find the place. The sign of a fight, etched in the tree bark, the remnants of the dendro of his blades still resonating with their own. Splintered wood, spread out and cut leaves, a small crater on the ground from when he flickered to higher heights to send a plunging attack after being surrounded. Sand scattered everywhere. Something dark tainting the floor.
He takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts and marshaling the information he needs to convey. “This was the place,” he tilts his head in one direction. “There’s a house that a scholar is renting nearby, which is where I was coming from. We should look for clues.”
Alhaitham's hands gesture subtly, outlining an imaginary map of the rainforest's pathways and potential avenues of approach. When did he have time to do that homework? Maybe on his way. "We must be mindful of their traps and surveillance mechanisms. We cannot afford to give away our presence prematurely."
He still glances at the architect. “Do you want to continue?”
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The moisture in the air begins to fall over their shoulders steadily, scattered. As if the clouds themselves are in rush to truly tear away into a frenzy and bringing calamity to the forest. Still, they are very much surrounded in petrichor.
Kaveh admires everything, even the way Alhaitham's skin shines underneath the dimming daylight.
The peace never lasts when it's about them, especially as they enter foot in the remnants of Alhaitham's fight. Kaveh can't deny his strength or intelligence, but witnessing how deep the cuts on trees had been, he can only imagine the men must have left in worse condition than him.
Mehrak goes on to scan the area.
"What? Of course I want to continue, what other point would there have been in me coming with you? . . Mehrak!" Equipped with his claymore and ready to help, the toolbox gears and grinds it's core, swinging a fallen piece of cloth out of the way for Kaveh. The ground is damp under his shoes. "So what are you trying to look for here? We should go inside before it really rains hard on us. Ah," he deadpans, "a map, really? Do you think whatever it is you're investigating is underground?"
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Eventually, he kneels down to gently trace the tracks left behind by the assailants who managed to escape. The imprints in the damp soil reveal a mix of hurried footfalls and deeper gouges, indicating some carrying others. The rainforest's embrace seems to have preserved these traces of their presence, preserving a trail to follow. Alhaitham's mind races as he analyzes the patterns. "There are signs of a hasty retreat, but they weren't able to cover their tracks completely," he murmurs. "It is possible that they ventured underground, the Scholar did say that he tended to meditate in nearby caves." He points toward a dense thicket, the vegetation seemingly unyielding to their intrusion, "they went in that direction."
As they approach the underbrush, the rainforest's symphony grows louder, the chorus of insects and the rustling of leaves enveloping them in a cloak. Alhaitham is quiet, attuned to every sound, every subtle movement that could reveal hidden dangers. He reaches for Kaveh when he notices a trap in the way, gently nudging him so they can walk around it without triggering it, and around the safeguard trap as well.
A pit with spikes underneath. "Crass," he mutters. The rain intensifies, which is good, in a way, as it covers their footsteps. The awning of a cave just behind a tall and thick tree makes him stop in his tracks. "It's here, I believe."
He walks in without waiting.
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"Huh!" He flinches the second Alhaitham nudges him out of the way from the mechanism. "Well, that was close," it had been dangerously camouflaged. He wonders how often Alhaitham deals with these things, how else would he be so good in being attuned to where enemies place their traps? The questions are left in a tab for later, though the expression he carries reflects every single one of them as he follows behind him. His gaze bores into the back of his head.
"Hey, wait a minute, Alhaitham," he whispers harshly, but it's too late. Kaveh curses under his breath and follows him inside. He's already partially soaked from the rain that pelted through the canopies and inside the cave, it's a lot colder. "We need to stick together. Are you sure they're in here? What if there's more than five?"
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Though he shakes his head at the Architect's concerns. He doesn't mean to dismiss them, though. This little plan of theirs does involve risk that Alhaitham keeps calculating and reformulating at the back of his mind, an intricate tapestry of factors and vectors. "We're aiming at the leader, not the people they hired. It is likely that whoever attacked me went and reported back, and it would make sense that they would cut their losses." Alhaitham tilts his head, though. "I thought you could carry yourself into a fight."
Oh, now he's just taunting.
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He thinks he hears some odd song, too.
With a finger to his lips to both Kaveh and Mehrak, he bends lower and walks slowly to find a nook where they can hide and listen in.
Except, he realizes that the voice and the song come from the same source.
He leans back against the damp rock he found cover with, tilting his head towards Kaveh, his voice suddenly becoming as urgent as a measured cadence can be. "Spincrystal. Isn't it?"
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Two plus two, equals...
He considers reaching to grab the architect by the collar and maneuver them both further away so they're not heard as he asks if Kaveh has anything to tell him. He wants to be as direct as possible, but he knows that there's no time for anything, much less fall into the lovely pastime they share which is arguing.
He shakes his head, silently, a firm 'no'.
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Still, he's honed in on Kaveh.
"Go right ahead, then, Senior. Are you going to say how you are frowning upon the injuries that they inflicted on me?" he snaps back.
Though before Kaveh can reply, Alhaitham quickly manhandles them both (and Mehrak, miraculously (Merakhulously, I guess?)) into the opposite nook where they were settled, as one of the voices' owners comes to check where the stone had dropped from. Thankfully they won't check the temperature of the floor they were sitting on, nor turn further than 22 degrees than they should—
Right, good. He removes the hand from Kaveh's mouth. Looks at him pointedly. "Well?"
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'Challenges,' he had heard Layla say about them, her voice growing steadily and eerily different in the cadence. 'They're not heralds of doom, but obstacles that you choose whether to face or circumvent. The stars, after all, are but the writing of Guides. And even those Guides are wrong.'
So it's not unusual for Kaveh's life, in which things never seem to go according to plan, that there is always an unexpected twist or turn that demands his problem-solving skills.
Their, if Alhaitham is somewhat involved. He knows all too well the unpredictable nature of their encounters, the way fate seems to weave them together sometimes in a stubborn and unnecessary tangle. And yet, despite his reputation as an egoist, Alhaitham does not want to leave him to his own devices like that.
"Inevitably, they always are," he muses internally, refraining from voicing his skepticism, aware that neither the moment nor Kaveh need this. Choosing his words carefully, he whispers sternly.
"I guess the ambush was just one branch of their attack," clever. He'll give them that.
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Kaveh hopes that his expression is sufficient enough to convince him to go as he plans, "I'm saying all this as your senior, too. I will use my vision if I have to, I needn't say more," he glances at his patched arm and shifts around him, exchanging positions in the crevasse.
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And yet—
Highlighting that the reason they decided to ambush both Kaveh and Alhaitham has more implications towards the architect's concept of who he is and who he hangs out with than he should approach now of all places.
He lets his jaw loosen, not realizing it had been set on gritting his teeth. "I'll be watching."
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He'll be damned if anyone but himself has to deal with them. So he steps out of their hideout and further down into the cave, where everyone falls silent the instance Kaveh appears.
"The architect?" A voice calls out to him, and while Kaveh is a friendly face, the metal of his sword still shines as its held in preparedness.
"Y-Yes, that's me. It's nice seeing you all again. I was wondering," he pauses, inching closer while he looks around for the materials Alhaitham was originally after. "I was wondering, uhm. When I'll be paid," he knows Alhaitham can hear him, he feels the jagged disappointment and judgement on the back of his head. He still feels his wrist throb from his lasting grasp.
The men laugh at him. One of them circles around him, more inquisitive and suspicious, "how did you know to find us here? Boss will be unhappy if he learns that you came here asking for payment without a proper plan on what to do with the land development."
"And I do have a plan ready, who do you think you're speaking to? There are other details that require I talk to him in person, that's all."
"Right, right. What do you think guys? Is he telling the truth?"
It's not whether or not Kaveh is convincing, it's more like all of them had already made up their minds the moment he showed his face. When Kaveh realizes that, his vision glows.
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Still, his primary focus remains on unraveling the intricacies of Azar's machinations and finding a resolution to this precarious situation.
As he observes the crooks' reactions and analyzes their body language, Alhaitham considers multiple outcomes, connecting them into an intricate network as he strategizes each move. His keen eyes scan the surroundings of the mossy cave, noting the number of adversaries they face and the limited avenues of escape.
One possibility emerges in his mind: negotiation. He considers the potential leverage they both possess, he is here to bear witness, after all, and two of the brightest minds in Sumeru hold weight in how the Matra would settle this. Alhaitham contemplates exploiting these factors to broker a deal, one that ensures their safety.
He understands that despite his best efforts to manipulate the situation, combat may ultimately become inevitable. The crooks, loyal to Azar and armed with their own motivations, are begging for a fight.
A measured exhale; he knows the time for deliberation and strategizing is no more.
Alhaitham's gaze shifts to his surroundings once more, taking note of the rugged terrain, the shadows that dance across the cave walls, and the faint glimmer of concealed weapons in the hands of the cronies. He mentally calculates their numbers, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and weighs the odds of a successful engagement.
Another option flickers like a flame: diversion. Alhaitham assesses the acoustics of the cave, the faint echo of music permeating the air. He had noted that the crooks had been playing music, but none of them seems to be there to enjoy it, even through working... whatever they had been working on. None of them seems to have been there to appreciate it, which means...
He spots several scratches and divots in the muddy ground by a wall, a large rugged rock resting on it. Movement, dragging tracks, the rock itself clean of moss, too. They had been using the music to cover the sound of a dragging rock that conceals… something. Could be another cave, or an alternate exit. That would explain why they found no footsteps coming out when they were entering this place.
Alhaitham doesn't even need to think. He summons a dendro blade and throws it, flying past everyone and into the rock, shattering it.
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One of the men still manage to get a hold of Kaveh from behind, and he feels a cold blade by his neck. Miserable as it may look, Kaveh doesn't entirely lose composure. Besides, he knows they need him alive. He glances over at the direction where Alhaitham hides.
The bursting dendro cores leave the skin with a painful rash that is more similar to a chemical burn. Elemental power in its rawest form is quite dangerous for people without visions. The man pushes Kaveh away while he withers from the effects.
"Alhaitham!" The blade that comes takes everyone's attention, even Kaveh, by surprise. "What are you doing?!"
Dust and rubble fill the space they're in once the other hole is exposed. More dendro manifests over the mossy rock walls, all credit to Alhaitham's superiority in strength.
"He's a traitor! I knew we shouldn't have trusted someone from Sumeru City! He brought back up!"
"The Scribe is here again, this is our chance," another voice calls. In the heat of the altercations, a body slams against Kaveh. She's bleeding and suffering from his cores, but she's strong enough to push herself and Kaveh away from the resonating dendro, and they both disappear through the hole Alhaitham has exposed in the rock wall.
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He'll deal with the perceptions of others later. The fight is yet, unavoidable and necessary, but this time Alhaitham makes it quick. At least quick enough to leave most people wounded.
As he follows after Kaveh and whoever that was, a few dendro cores burst behind him as his cape brushes past them. They make something sing and sizzle, but Alhaitham has no time for that now; grits his teeth as he pushes himself forward to dash through the tunnel.
Where exactly is this heading? Who was that and what was her goal? There are a myriad of questions, hypotheses and connections running through Alhaitham's mind, but he knows only one thing for certain, and it's that he can't let Kaveh out of his sight.
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"What do you mean? Were your friends up there not the ones who attacked first? I didn't know I would run into you all," he coughs and glances up towards the sounds of blades and bodies impacting one another.
"You're one of us now, you swore your loyalty to us by signing the contract with our boss. If you still think of turning against us and helping the Scribe, then I'll have to kill you."
"Wait what-- What if you just tell me how that would benefit any of us? You'd be breaking your own contract with the boss if you suddenly got rid of me based on empty accusations."
The rain outside is also getting stronger, putting their site at a high risk of a flash flood. Water is already trickling from the space above Kaveh had fallen through and inside his cavity, the earth around them rumbles. Dangerous as it might be to stay directly near the steepness of the rock, Kaveh knows Alhaitham would soon follow his same fate. The fighting from above seems to have ceased, but he also has to keep his eyes on the woman.
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A contract. With the eremites, no less? No wonder they called him a traitor. He'll give credit where it is due: whoever webbed this intricate network made it with care. How unlikely, considering zealots tended to lose themselves in the details of things due to the feverish grandiosity of their beliefs.
The water runs from the mossy cave they had all been in and over the cliff. The land and rocks are somewhat porous, which means that they're either near or at a phreatic level.
Hopefully the water needs to go down further before it hits bedrock. Alhaitham just stays there, crouched, listening in.
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beautiful
LMAOOO i'm so sorry
"is this a flirt? sorry, i have to go" LMAOO
JEEZ
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