Private Tales Captured or Running Away

[Nasir]

The village was ash and cinders.

By the time Keyleth and Nasir stepped out of the dwarven hold The Bandits had done their work. Blood and slaughter, fire and ash, that was what the two elves found as they moved back down the cliffside. A few of the corpses had been wrought by Nasir's hands, though most had cuts from swords or were littered with arrows.

"They are not a subtle bunch." Nasir commented dryly as they stepped down into the village.

Most of the buildings had been burned, though a few structures remained standing. The village itself was a ghost of itself, and Nasir could only guess that his men had gone utterly overboard. It was expected of them in truth, they had not seen...release in some time. Lips thinned for a moment, and in the distance he heard voices.

"String em up!"

"Bastards tried to kill the boss!"​

Nasir glanced towards Keyleth, wondering what her reaction would be.

As the two elves turned the corner they would find his gathered men spread out in a half circle. In the middle of them were a dozen or so prisoners, some of them men, some women. All were tied in the same way, tossed into the courtyard where three poles had been erected. Nasir frowned for a moment, watching as Silver stood over a woman with a knife.

He made no move at all, instead just watching Keyleth and seeing what she would do.

 

[Keyleth]

Keyleth stared at the scene in horror.

But what else could she have expected from this brutish monsters? These men were the most violent and cruel she'd ever encountered. They were looking for a reason to inflict pain, in whatever form that came in.

Her gaze flicked to Nasir, noting his impassive reaction. He was utterly indifferent to massacre before them.

The poor woman on the ground was sobbing hysterically, begging for Silver to let her go. Bile rose into Keyleth's throat. She could at least prevent someone from suffering as she had.

There was a shovel leaning against one of the poles that had been erected. It was the closest object that Keyleth could reach. She snatched the improvised weapon off the ground and silently stalked over to Silver and his victim. A furious fire glinted in her eyes, a storm brewing on her features. These men had taken so much from the world around them -- stolen a life from her that she'd only just found.

Blinding rage drove her actions. Keyleth was a protector to her very core, it was etched into her soul. When it was her own suffering she endured, but she would not stand by and let another person be made into a victim.

Gripping the handle of the spade tightly in both hands, she swung down and up, driving the flat of the shovel into Silver's face, knocking him clean off the woman. Before the man could recover and find his foot, Keyleth planted a boot firmly on his chest, the sharp end of the spade pressed to his throat. She glared down at him, as if daring him to move.

 

[Nasir]

"WHAT THE FU-" ​

Those were the words that rang from Silver's throat as the shovel impacted on his face. There was a loud thunk and then the man was thrown from his feet and tossed onto the ground like a ragdoll. There was some sound of shock, murmurs as the men tried to grasp what had just happened.

One of them stepped forward.

Barrill was his name, or at least that was what he had told the Band when he had joined up. He was one of the men Keyleth was acquainted with. Nasir stepped in front of him silently, and then struck out an arm to stop him from moving.

His head shook slowly.

The man stared for a second, and then took a step back.

"You stuck up little bitch I knew I should have cut your throat. You know who I am in this crew? What I mean to the Captain? You're gonna burn like the rest of these cunts."​

Silver looked up at Keyleth, not a hint of remorse, not even a glint of his usual tone. Rage broke through the fine visage he normally wore for the world. None of the charm was there, only anger at what she had dared to do to him.

 

[Keyleth]

"I'm disappointed in you." The Aegis muttered low enough for only Silver to hear. Everyone in the burning village had stopped to watch the display, the bandits and victims alike.

"You put on a pretty face, but you're exactly like the rest of them." She scoffed, pressing down on the spade ever so lightly. "Pathetic scum."

Were they in Minaris, Keyleth would have been responsible for executing such villainy. She thought it was fitting the burden fell to her even here.

"Get up." She said curtly over her shoulder, speaking to the woman was still in shock on the ground behind her.

The young woman frantically scrambled to her feet, fleeing away from the bandits as quickly as her legs could carry her.

Keyleth never took her eyes off Silver's.

"Do you have a God to pray to?" She hissed.

 

[Nasir]

Silver seemed to bite his tongue for a second, looking at some of the other bandits with a wild eye as he sought some kind of support from any of them. None was offered of course, they had seen the way Nasir had reacted to the other man.

None would test their Captain.

"Fuck you."​

The man said as he stared up at Keyleth. There was defiance in his eyes even now. He was not a man used to getting his way torn from him, certainly not one who would think himself in a position like this. That much was very clear.

"In fact I think I will."​

The words came, and he suddenly reached up to grab the shovel that Keyleth was holding and tear it away from her.

 

[Keyleth]

She'd known that Silver would turn his aggression onto her once he'd gathered her senses. What she had not expected was the brute strength with which he retaliated. True to form, Silver was as brutal as the rest of Nasir's men, and he had the training to properly defend himself against someone like Keyleth.

In the fight that ended with her separated from the Mainlander, it had been Silver that overpowered her. He'd been caught unaware by Keyleth's initial attack, his focus having been on the other woman, but now his rage was directed solely on the elf.

Keyleth was pulled off center when he snatched the shovel from her grasp, leaving her open. Silver swung his boot into the side of her knee, causing Keyleth's leg to buckle. She heard a disgusting pop and felt something snap in her knee.

The ensuing fight and struggle for control was a bloody mess. Silver's face was cut, making it difficult for him to see out of one eye, but Keyleth's leg made it impossible for her to regain her footing. She had to keep the fighting on the ground.

Behind Nasir, some of the men grew impatient, anxiously stepping towards the brawling pair.

Silver's elbow caught the side of Keyleth's head, sending her sprawling onto her back. In a matter of seconds he was seated on her belly with her arms pinned over her head, a victorious and salacious grin on his handsome features.

 

[Nasir]

Silver's eagerness was plain on his face, the way that he looked down at Keyleth, the grin on his face as he peered at her. His intent was clear, his eyes fixed on her as he let out a dry chuckle. The men seemed to echo that for a moment, some laughing, others looking to Nasir for their queue.

The man who'd just bested Keyleth did not look to his Captain though, he simply looked down and reached towards Keyleth's throat. His fingers wrapped in place as he opened his mouth.

"You'll learn another lesson you little bi-"

He could not finish his last few words, was never given the chance to. Something happened to his face, his eyes. It was a burst of something, purple wisping smoke that rose first from his eyes and then consumed his skull.

A scream echoed throughout the entire square as Silver suddenly reached up and began to claw at his face. Desperately tearing away at the flesh that seemed to smoke and burn.

His voice broke, cracked, echoed, and then suddenly he fell to the side and went silent as the life was torn away from him. Nasir stepped forward. "My my."

He said with a tsk.

"Someone took too many liberties." His voice was stern as he slowly turned towards the rest of his men, not even looking at Keyleth.

 

[Keyleth]

Disgusted, Keyleth pushed the rest of Silver's remains off her and dragged herself back from him. Her knee was screaming in protest from every movement, but she couldn't take her eyes off the charred, mangled corpse in front of her.

He'd died as gruesome a death as the life he'd led. It was fitting.

What she hadn't expected, however, was for Nasir to be the one to give it to him. She furrowed her brow, perplexed and unsure of what to make of the development.

The shovel had landed not far from her and she reached over to collect it, now using the spade as a prop to get herself to her feet and find her balance.

Every last one of the bandits were stunned into silence. It was clear they hadn't expected Nasir to kill one of their own over some pet.

 

[Nasir]

Nasir stared at the bandits in disgust, looking at them, watching them.

When they had left the cavern he had once again put the mask back into place, hiding his true self from the men and women who had called him captain. For a brief moment he had thought them worthy, for a brief second he'd thought they were something.

He had been wrong of course. "Little worm."

Nasir said as he kicked the charred corpse, pushing it further away from Keyleth and slowly stepping around her as he watched the Band. They looked at him, most confused about what was going on. Nasir's fingers tightened.

"Like the rest of you." That odd purple flame seemed to spark. "Will you all overstep?"

There was a flicker over his illusion, a flash of grey skin. "Or do you know your place?"

He questioned them in anger.

 

[Keyleth]

Keyleth was breathing hard, leaning against the shovel as she watched the bandits from over Nasir's shoulder. The entire situation had turned on its head, the villagers sitting in terrified silence as they watched the standoff.

None of the men spoke out against Nasir, cowed by the clear threat of incineration.

Though more than a few turned hateful glares towards Keyleth. Silver had been a charismatic member of the Band and he had many friends among them. These men would not outwardly defy the Captain, but their rage for Silver's death still lingered.

Favoring her leg, Keyleth averted the gaze from the glowering men and limped over to the bound captives. Without a word, she cut their bindings and nodded for them all to go.

 

[Nasir]

The bandits stilled for a second, clearly displeased with what had just happened. A great many of them had liked Silver, but a lesson had to be taught.

"Stop." Nasir said, still looking a the bandits around them for a moment, though he was not speaking to them now. Those that Keyleth had freed slowed, startled that someone else would speak even as the Elf freed them.

Slowly he turned to face Keyleth.

"These people tried to kill us." Nasir reminded Keyleth, his sapphire eyes glancing towards some of the villagers on the ground. "Do you really think they deserve mercy?"

There was an edge to his tone, no command, but his intent clear.

 

[Keyleth]

The edge to Nasir's voice gave Keyleth pause and she turned back around to face him. She didn't want to anger him, not after their ordeal... And he'd just killed one of his best men, protecting her in the process.

She bit her bottom lip and glanced over her shoulder to the villagers. Her resolve wavered after just a few words uttered from Nasir's lips. What was wrong with her?

Keyleth tapped her fingers against the shovel's handle in thought. "They don't deserve mercy, but they certainly don't deserve to be tortured and raped to death." She finally answered.

 

[Nasir]

Nasir considered for a moment, glancing at some of the other bandits. It was clear that some actually agreed, while others did not. Lips thinned for just a brief moment, and he realized just how...tired he was of all of these games.

A decision snapped in his head. "You're right."

There was a sudden shift in his demeanor, his tone. A hand came up, odd purple wisps raising from his palm. The image around him flickered, the human that the Bandits knew as their Captain suddenly disappeared, and the Drow stood before them.

Audible gasps rang out in the clearing, but no one could speak before he did.

"Animals should just be put down." His fingers came together, snapping, and then suddenly the odd purple flames that had consumed Silver bit and burnt into those in the clearing. It thrashed and gripped them, screams erupting as both villagers and bandits were caught within the magics.

Only Keyleth and Nasir stood untouched.

 

[Keyleth]

The acrid scent of burning flesh and ash filled the air around her, forcing Keyleth to raise her arm to cover her nose and mouth with her elbow. The smoke stung her eyes, making her hard to see. Mortified by what she'd just witnessed and by the fact that she wasn't sure if she disagreed with it or not, Keyleth hurriedly limped her way out of the razed village.

She kept going until her leg gave out at the edge of a farmer's field, upwind from the village so that she didn't have to smell the smoke anymore. Her mind was racing and she suddenly felt like she was going to throw up or pass out. She couldn't tell which.

Gasping for breath, she sank down to the ground, leaning her back against a tree for support.

"Fuck.." She sighed, bowing her head and entangling her fingers in her white hair.

 

[Nasir]

Nasir didn't follow her immediately.

The fire was not normal of course, a work of his magics. As the corpses began to fall the wisps of smoke returned to him, flowing back to their source and rejoining him until nothing but crisp ash was left of the corpses he had set aflame.

It was only when the last wisp returned that Nasir walked the same path that Keyleth had. Eventually he found her within the field. "A fitting end for some of them."

He mused.

"Too good for others." His voice was low, emotionless as it had always been. His eyes squinted slightly in the light of day, the illusion no longer protecting his gaze from the sun. Lips thinned to a frown as he peered around them.

The field was empty, and in time it would be reclaimed by nature. Just as it should have been.

 

[Keyleth]

Keyleth inhaled slowly through her nose, collecting herself as Nasir approached. She had no intention of running away from him, she realized, she just needed to get away from so much death -- it reminded her of Minaris.

A frown settled over her features as he spoke and she tilted her head back to look up at him.

"You killed all your men, but kept me alive... Why?" She asked quietly, unable to find a reason why he would have bothered to spare her.

 

[Nasir]

He considered for a moment. "You're not one of them."

Nasir doubted that the answer would be enough for her. Few times were people content with the simple bits of knowledge like that, but the reason was true. He didn't kill her because she hadn't been one of them, because she hadn't been human.

"They deserved death." As did he by some arguments. "You did not."

His lips thinned. "Where I am from...such decisions are not...uncommon."

Nasir peered down at her.

"I take it the same can not be said of you?" His people were...harsh at the best of times. He had not killed her because she was still useful, because she stood above them. Her blood placed her there, if not what had happened within the Holds.

 

[Keyleth]

She pursed her lips slightly, but gave a small nod of her head in understanding. From a strictly pragmatic outlook, what he said made sense. With both groups, Keyleth had only been their victim.

"Not to such an... Extent. If I ever return though... A purge will be necessary." She murmured, shaking her head.

There was a long pause of silence as Keyleth reflected on her situation and the massacre she'd just instigated.

"I uh... Thank, by the way, for stopping Silver." She said a few minutes later, her voice soft.

 

[Nasir]

"He overstepped." Nasir said, as though that were enough explanation.

Death was the way of his people. His society was a harsh one. The Underdark did not allow for weakness, and even its strongest had to fight almost constantly to stay alive. That was what it had been like before his exile, and he was sure it was the same now.

Slowly the Drow stepped forward, reaching down and gently cupping Keyleth's chin. Sapphire eyes slowly gazed over her, as if searching for something. Lips thinned for a brief moment, and then his eyes met hers as he finished looking.

"I suspect he would have gone further." He mused. "Given the chance."

Better to have put an end to it all now.

 

[Keyleth]

Before, Keyleth would have jerked her face away from Nasir's touch... But the events of the day had left her changed.

Her eyes held his own, their matching eyes peering into the souls that lay beneath the vibrant blue depths. Instead of pulling away from him, Keyleth tilted her cheek into his palm, as though seeking out the comfort of his touch.

It was a small gesture, but one that would speak volumes to the drow that held her chin.

"... Thank you." She whispered softly once more, still holding Nasir's searching gaze.

 

[Nasir]

His fingers drew over her skin for a brief moment. "You're welcome."

The words were said in the same near emotionless tone, fingers tightened fora brief second before he released her entirely and half turned away. Some of the smoke was still rising from the village, and he frowned briefly.

Nasir was sure of his decision, the bandit had needed to die, but it would make things slightly more difficult.

One couldn't go razing and pillaging across the surface world with only themselves and one other. Yet their company had grown...tiresome. Lips thinned for a few moments, and then he shook his head.

"We'll be going towards the spine." He said calmly. "The gates of Throk'arrun."

A Duergar stronghold, or it had once been.

 

[Keyleth]

Keyleth glanced towards the burning village nearby, frowning slightly. What was her role in all this? Did she have any real power left to her anymore? Her heart ached and she dropped her head back against the tree behind her with a soft sigh.

She'd probably never see Minaris again, let alone find her daughter.

The mainlander was lost to her.

Absently, her fingers brushed over the tattoo that was etched into her flesh just below her navel. She missed the Mainlander. The sound of his voice, his touch, that determined glint in his eye...

But he was gone.

After what happened, she knew that he would never want to see her again. As much as it pained her, she needed to keep moving forward. With her leg injured and no money to her name, she didn't have a choice but to stay by Nasir's side.

Reluctantly, she dragged her thoughts to the present, realizing that Nasir had spoken again. He was sounded so... disinterested, emotionless. She wondered if he was even physically capable of laughter. Warmth was certainly not something he could muster.

But he's not so wretched... an insidious thought crept into her mind as she looked up at the drow's profile. A strange longing slithered into her belly, something she couldn't explain, gripped her. It made her uncomfortable.

"What's at Throk'arrun?" She asked, distracting herself.

 

[Nasir]

For a few seconds he remained quiet, and then he finally answered. "A way home, perhaps."

It was time to start looking again.

Nasir had been gone from home for near two hundred years. The curse that kept him from the Underdark was still in place, but several decades ago he had stopped looking for a way to break it. Perhaps it was time to search once more.

The bandits had been a distraction, it was time to be done with that.

"I am an exile." He told her simply. "Banished with no way home."

Yet.

 

[Keyleth]

Keyleth's brow perked with curiosity and she turned her gaze back to Nasir.

"An outcast? What were you exiled for?" She asked him in a soft voice, trying to indicate that he was under no obligation to answer her if he didn't feel the need.

In truth, she could understand his plight and his desire to find his way home. She carried the same burden herself. What would happen once he found a way back?

 

[Nasir]

Nasir frowned for a moment. What did he tell her? The truth? All of it or just a part? Lips thinned for a brief second, and then he shook his head.

"My people are ruled by religion. Worship of Elder Gods." He scowled. "Their word is brought to us by a class of priests and nobles."

Nasir simplified the story of course, there was much more to it than what he said, so much more, but he neither wanted to nor really knew how to explain it all. At least not right now. He had not told anyone of this in two centuries.

It was remarkable he even spoke on it now. "I tried to slaughter them."

He said softly.

"All of them." Nobles, Priests, and even the Gods.