Open Chronicles Shallow Grave

[Nasir]

"It is my name." He said as they walked through the darkness, his eyes catching on the smaller things within the tunnels.

There was a part of him that wondered what had changed, what new things he would be able to see. Time moved slowly for his people, but the other residents of the Underdark were not the same. Three centuries was a long time for more than just humans.

"Part of it at least." He continued. "The Name Nasir was given to me upon my exile."

He was never truly sure why he had accepted it, perhaps as the mark of a martyr. The people who had given him the name were not his rulers, but the name was one that still rung out. This he knew.

Slowly they meandered through the tunnel, and then it began to open up.

A massive cavern appeared before them, a lake sitting in its center with hundreds upon hundreds of odd glowing fish swimming just beneath it's surface. Their light illuminated what could only be buildings three miles ahead, across the entirety of the massive lake.

 

[Kassa Lia]

“Your true name, then,” Kassa said. “Hmm,” she added, “I like ‘Saros’ a great deal better.”

They walked on, settling into a smooth, efficient pace across the rough floor of the cavern. There was nothing to be seen yet, only granite and stone, the occasional stalactite and stalagmite, or a lone cave spider skittering blindly over the shadowed walls. Soon enough though, Kassa spied light at what could only be the exit – an odd vibrating glow with no discernible pattern.

The cave opened, and she gasped in delight.

The lake, a translucent blue smooth as silk, shimmered calm in the center. Fish swam near the surface, their graceful scaled forms elegant and alien at once. It was they which produced the strange light she had seen. There were so many of them, and each one lovely in their underwater dance.

Farther ahead, she saw the silhouettes of buildings, great stone constructs of shapes and amazing architecture she had never seen. For the first time Kassa felt exposed to something truly new and utterly brilliant.

“How beautiful,” she whispered. She glanced at Myrra, curious as to what the orphaned girl might feel, to see the wonders of her culture for the first time. What did Nasir, especially, feel? To see the magnificence of a culture that had cast him out for so long? For a moment, Kassa felt a stab of envy. If only she had such wonders among her bland upper world.

 

[Myrra]

Myrra maintained her silence for a bit longer as the trio walked into the chamber with the glowing lake. The source of the glow were the hundreds, possibly thousands, of multi-colored fish. Their lights reflected off the cave ceiling creating an odd show of intermixing shades akin to a kaleidoscope on a grand scale.

The orphaned drow looked at Nasir before questioning, "which name would you prefer?" She did not wait for a reply, instead peering back out at the beauty of what lied before them. "It's been centuries since you last saw this?"

Water had always been comforting to Myrra, even before her hydromancy manifested itself. It was water that connected nations, provided an avenue for commerce, and it was water that soothed the thirst of nearly every living creature on Arethil. She could feel the lake just ahead, the various species swimming in hectic patterns through their own separate trajectories within the lake.

She lifted her head up from the ripples of the body of water and towards the buildings plateauing out of the caveside. They were far but likely only an hour or two of a walk if she had to venture a guess. "Is that the Undercity?" she inquired with a finger pointing at the rising shapes in the distance.

 

[Nasir]

"Nasir." He confirmed to them. "Until I take back what is mine."

Tradition was tradition, he would not balk against it.

His fingers tightened for a moment in resolve, and then he glanced towards the village. A brief smile flickered across his features, and he shook his head as he wandered towards a carved walkway that lead around the lake. "That is the village of Brellik."

"The Undercity is much larger." He offered Myrra a brief glance as he lead the way. "This is the first stopping point for many who are entering or leaving the Underdark."

Thus making it one of the most diverse towns beneath the continent. "We'll rest here for the night and pick up some supplies."

Plus it was a good place for them to begin to learn about society here.

 

[Kassa Lia]

If this magnificent city was only a village, what must the capital be like? Kassa wondered as she followed Nasir and Myrra around the lake. She looked again at the water, the fish swimming idly past in their great, glowing numbers. She smiled as she recalled better days of her past. Then she walked on.

The lake was rather large, and it took a few minutes to pass by as they grew nearer to Brellik. As they did and the buildings grew larger, their ornate design growing ever more apparent, Kassa felt the undesired prickle of nervousness, of uncertainty. What sort of races would they find here? Doubtless, some of them would be dangerous. Would they really leave her, a human, alone? She frowned to herself. Her very appearance marked her as someone who most certainly did not live in the Underdark.

Was prejudice as alive here as in the upper world?

It was useless to ask Nasir. He might have not been here for many years, and she sensed he was likely much older than he looked. Perhaps it was the harshness in his eyes, or the way he walked, but everything about him spoke of great age. Many things could have changed since he had last seen this place. So Kassa kept her silence, mulling over the possibilities of what awaited them.

 

[Myrra]

It was a good thing that he wished to remain Nasir, at least for now. She'd never met Saros but she had grown rather fond of Nasir during their travels. Saros had led a rebellion due to political differences she was ignorant of and had found himself an outcast. The younger drow was worried that Saros may be someone less friendly than even Nasir.

"Brellik? It looks wondrous," she commented in muted excitement.

Already the glowing lake, vibrant colors, and other worldly architecture of the Underdark was proving to be the refreshing culture shock she had hoped for. At no point in her life had she ever fit into human society and though it was unknown if she'd fit in here the oddity of it all somehow made her feel at home. Like some adventurer finding a treasure that wasn't what they had expected it to be.

If they were lucky there'd be more dark elves within the settlement. Possibly strange creatures with their own unique stories and histories as well. Several of the building ahead had pointed arches that seemed to reach towards the stalactites of the cavern in every direction. Perhaps bats used these arches for nesting. She imagined that these people ate some kind of exotic meats, cave fungus, or maybe the glowing fish from the lake.

Either way, she could tell that she was hungy. And her grumbling stomach signaled as such to her companions.

 

[Nasir]

Nasir remained quiet as they walked the rim of the lake, only speaking up once they approached the outskirts of Brellik. "Myrra, if you are asked, say you have been traveling outside the Underdark with Cemni Idre, a merchant."

He briefly looked to Kassa, then frowned.

"You may tell the same story, but it is not as critical." Then he paused, looked at both of them. "Do not mention my name, either of them."

Both would set off alarms in any Drow that were present in Brellik. He did not want to cause a war, not when he had no time to prepare for such. "Other than that, treat this as any place upon the surface."

With those warnings issued, Nasir ushered the party forward.

There was no fanfare for the three travelers as they moved through a flimsy archway into the town, but they were immediately greeted with the sight of a bustling market square. Dozens of Goblins and pale skinned gnomes roamed around, some carrying baskets, others heavy matted rolls.

Among them were several tall oddly scaled human like beings, and a few Ogres as well, tall enough to stand even over him.

The smell of food began to float through the air, roasted creatures of the underdark, mushrooms, and scents that were hard for even him to identify.

 

[Kassa Lia]

“Of course not,” Kassa murmured as Nasir warned them against mentioning his name. Apparently Nasir thought his exploits would be remembered even this far into the future, and not too fondly at that. Though, if he had tried to start a revolution, why not? Villains of the past tended to become just as famous, if not more so, than heroes.

And grudges died hard.

Kassa had expected to see different races of all sorts in Brellik. Even so she blinked, eyes widening slightly as she took in the sight of the market square. Goblins, Ogres, even pale skinned gnomes and more were all here, interacting with each other. Races she thought would rather be at war with each other were paying for and trading wares here. The civility between all of them surprised her… and then she was displeased with herself. If humans, elves, and dwarves could accept each other, why should it be different in the Underdark? If anything, the civilization down here was even more sophisticated than the surface world.

She caught the smell of roasting meat, vegetation and fruits. There was a familiar scent of pepper and garlic, but there were other smells too, smells not entirely unpleasant but wholly strange. She looked around and saw a hulking Ogre grilling something over a closely contained fire pit, adding condiments and sauces in turn.

Myrra’s stomach growled, and Kassa laughed. “Are you hungry, my dear? Na… sorry, ummm… Karev,” she supplied brightly, “what do they accept as payment here? I think we all could use a bite.”

She hoped he didn’t mind the name, but she had to have something to call him by.

 

[Myrra]

“Right, Cemni Idre, traveling wares,” she repeated back. In Myrra’s old line of work having a cover story wasn’t unusual. Many of her activities were of the less-than-legal nature so lying cake rather simply. Though she had the impression that such activity would no longer be needed in the Underdark. She could likely make an honest life here.

Not to mention she was terrified that stealing here could be met with executions rather than a night in lockup.

What really stopped Myrra in her tracks though was the sudden appearance of the various species that inhabited the Underdark. Particularly the gnomes and their bleached skin. There was something about them that just appeared so nonthreatening. Charming even. They whisked around with their little baskets holding flat breads or mushrooms and chatted amongst themselves in a strange tongue.

It was the scaley beasts and ogres that gave her a real fright however. She was so concerned at studying the tiny gnomes that she nearly bumped squarely into one of the ogres. The brute grunted and the elven girl issued him a sorrowful nod before getting back in line behind Nasir and Kassa.

"I could go for some food," she admitted to Kassa and Karev though she was certain they already knew that. "Those roasted mushrooms smell lovely."

 

[Nasir]

"Gold and silver will work fine here." He told the two of them, glancing around them to see if he spotted anyone or anything familiar.

There seemed to be no Drow within the Crowd, a mark perhaps of how insular the Undercity had become. Lips thinned for a brief moment, and then he turned back towards his two companions.

"Be prepared to haggle." He smiled briefly. "Especially if someone realizes this is your first time here."

The goblins especially liked to fleece newcomers. Mischievous bunch.

"I will secure us lodging for the night. I'm sure we could all use a bed for once." It had been months since they'd been able to feel soft feathers instead of cold earth.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Relieved to hear that gold and silver were valued here as well, Kassa rummaged through the small leather pouch that carried her personal funds. She was not wealthy, but had practiced frugality throughout her life, and so drew forth a fair amount of silver and a few gold pieces. She looked around then at the options of food and drink.

There was the large Ogre grilling the aromatic pieces of meat, which looked like no beast or bird Kassa had ever seen. There was a pallid gnome hawking kabobs of what looked like strange red fruit, so dark they may have been scorched. There were other stalls, too, selling all sorts of edibles, even what looked like odd crystalline candies that glittered with what Kassa assumed was sugar. It was all managed by the strange, fierce-looking races of the Underdark.

Kassa hesitated, and then gestured to Myrra. With a pointed look she handed the younger drow the money. “I may be experienced at haggling,” she explained, “but I think you may have a better time dealing with the, ah, people of your own land. Get us some food that doesn’t look or smell too strange and give me any change, please.”

She looked then at “Karev”, who didn’t seem either delighted nor displeased at the generic name. “I don’t see any other Drow here,” she said. She smiled then, not unkindly. “Did your presence chase them away already? Hmm, poor joke, I apologize. Well, it would be good to sleep in a bed. My back has been irate lately. But, Karev, might they sell clothes anywhere? I fear I might stand out in this,” she gestured to her very obvious surface garb. It was by design very different from the clothes the Ogres, gnomes, and other ilk here wore.

 

[Myrra]

Myrra accepted the funds from Kassa and gave the woman a smile. “I’ll find us a decent mix,” she offered, still jingling the coins. Before turning to leave she overheard the request for new clothes and offered, “if they have anything you think would fit me, by all means.”

After the weeks of travel her clothes had felt rather gross. Her joints were stiff. And her muscles felt sore in every way imaginable. A nice bed, change of clothes, and an evening to not keep a look out for brigands sounded like heaven.

Myrra stalked up and down the various aisles of food stalls. Taking in the smells and eyeing up every offering, as well as whoever was manning each station. She wanted to ensure that Kassa had something to eat and she was clueless as to what sorts of foods Nasir preferred.

Her first stop was the ogre whose stalll had several seared cuts of meat. It appeared to be some sort of red meat though the elven girl was certain it wasn’t beef. Next she went to a stall manned by a gnome, he had an array of cooked mushrooms on display. A few well placed compliments and a piece or two of silver and she was leaving with a sack filled with a dozen mushrooms.

Her last stop was a food cart run by one of the big scaley creatures. He had some kind of exotic looking fruits, a deep purple color with black seeds dotting the outside. Through brief questioning Myrra learned that this was holkris fruit and she was certain the vendor overcharged her.

Myrra went back towards her companions, arms and a knapsack filled with food. She still had a bit of leftover coin to return to Kassa, and enough of a feast for three days, but as this was her first exposure to Underdark cuisine she would rather have too much than too little.

 

[Nasir]

Clothes?

"That might prove more difficult." He admitted. Most of the clothing sold here would not be for people of Kassa's size. Though there was diversity, this was primarily a gnome and goblin village.

There were tailors here of course, but they did not have the time for such things. A frown briefly flickered over his face, a searching look over the market as Myrra gathered food.

"We'll find an Innkeeper." Nasir suggested. "Then ask them for guidance. It is likely they could procure you more appropriate garb."

In truth, he hadn't even really considered such things.

His own clothing was still very much in line with that of his peoples, something that had never changed over the years. "Come."

Nasir told the both of them as Myrra returned.

"What did you gather?" He asked the younger Drow as he headed towards a nearby Inn.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Nodding at Nasir’s words, Kassa watched Myrra’s search for food. The stall keepers looked at her curiously, but without too much suspicion. They treated her well enough as they traded their dishes for gold, though the scaly creature merely grunted and appeared to demand a sum that was likely too much for what he gave. Still, Kassa felt sure she herself would have been as successful in the forage as the young Drow was.

She took the leftover coin from the dark elf when she returned with a full knapsack. Together with the vegetables and spices Kassa had on hand, they could expect to eat well tonight. The food, strange though it likely was, would be a welcome change from the rations and stir fry Kassa had prepared every night for their long journey. The smell of fresh food wafting through the sack was very foreign to Kassa, but not altogether unpleasant.

Nasir led them towards what Kassa guessed was an inn. The stone building was squat, barely two stories, but wide. The door, a heavy oak entrance, was firm and well-kept and the sign above it was impeccably polished. It depicted what looked like a dragon being slain by troupe of goblins. There was some sort of script beneath it, but Kassa failed in reading it, for it was of some language she did not know.

“Nobles first,” she said to Myrra as they came to stand before the door.

 

[Myrra]

A wicked smile of satisfaction broke out across Myrra's darkened face. "Some sort of cooked uh, lizard thing? The ogre called it a who-waz-something or other. Looks tasty, smells kinda like deer." She rummaged through the rut sack which held the mushrooms and said, "also a few dozen mushrooms from some gnome farm and then the big scaled creature sold me a fruit he called holkris. I hope it's tasty."

All of it looked interesting if nothing else. Hopefully it wasn't too exotic for their human companion. And, most importantly, hopefully it was safe for both drow and human consumption.

Once they reached the door of the inn it was Kassa who quipped about nobles. "We don't even kno-," Myrra began to respond but realized that she was, in fact, apart of the dark elven nobility. Just as Nasir had predicted. She must've been or otherwise the older drow would be a pile of ash. The revelation had been forgotten in the excitement of Nasir not dying a horrible death and the fascination of the various sights within the Underdark.

Awkwardness rushed across the dark elf's body as she scurried ahead of the other two into the building. What were nobles even supposed to do? In human society they seemed to just hold feasts and live in high towers. According to Nasir their dark elven equivalents worshipped some gods that probably didn't really exist and conduct ritualistic sacrifices. None of that sounded especially fun to Myrra.

 

[Nasir]

Familiar sights greeted Nasir as they stepped into the Inn.

As it turned out, some things did not change much over three hundred years, and this was one of them. Some of the tables were new, others he recognized even from before his exile. A smile touched his face, and slowly he wandered over towards the bar.

Behind it stood an ancient looking gnome, a long beard decorating his face as he cleaned his cup. The man looked up for a second, and then did a slight double take when he saw Myrra.

"Haven't seen your kind for some time, now two of you in one day? Odd. How can I help you."​

The words were spoken in common, though there was a distinct brokenness to the way that the gnome spoke. "We need three rooms, just for the night. I have been away for a long time, and I'm looking to meet an old friend in the morning."

Shattering glass rang throughout the inn as the old Gnome dropped his cup. Recognition and utter shock colored his features, but they were quickly replaced with an apologetic gaze.

"It can't be."​

Nasir smiled.

"Do not speak of my arrival until after I leave here." He'd known this place would be the right choice. "I cannot stop people from seeing me, but I can stem the tide of rumors. I must speak with her first."

The Gnome nodded quickly, and then motioned for the trio to follow.

"This way, this way please."​

 

[Kassa Lia]

Though the inn was not particularly lavish, it was a fine enough place. The tables and chairs were polished wood, and the counters were a smooth marble, all impeccably cared for. Some had a slightly gnarled look, as if they had been here for ages and used countless times; others looked almost new. It was a familiar and therefore comforting sight to Kassa, for the inn was not overly different from those on the surface.

Kassa frowned as Nasir made comments that to her were far too informative, but this was soon explained. She winced as glass erupted against the floor, sending pieces sliding across the sanded stone. The aged gnome was, apparently, not an enemy of Nasir. If anything, he was a friend. Pondering this, Kassa followed behind the other two to the rooms.

They were led down a hallway, past a few doors that doubtless led to other rooms. The gnome eventually introduced them to three rooms, each one next to the other. They were simple but comfortable, with a table and chair, a wardrobe, a tiny washroom with small bronze tubs, and, best of all, a featherbed.

Kassa sighed in relief. She was used to sleeping on the ground, especially by now, but she truly did miss the feel of a soft mattress. She was not lying when she said her back was protesting the rough earth. She was even more grateful when the gnome said he would prepare baths for them.

She stopped the gnome for a moment before he left. “Is there a place or any way I could obtain new clothes, so as not to be… conspicuous?”

 

[Myrra]

Myrra looked at Nasir instantly when the gnome seemed to recognize him. It was alarming and for a brief instance her heart stopped as she anticipated Undercity guards to come stampeding into the building any second now.

Nasir’s reaction calmed her though. He wasn’t panicking and based upon his speech it seemed as if he knew the innkeeper.

Footsteps pounded on the wooden flooring as the trio walked down the hallway towards their rooms. Kassa inquired about clothing, Nasir seemed elated to be home, and Myrra’s stomach rang out once more.

No longer caring about the norms of the civilized world the drow took one of the fruits she procured out from her sack and took a delicate nibble from the thinner end of the object. It was unusual, she had expected sweet or sour flavors but was instead greeted with a savory taste. The immediate shift shocked her initially and her face made a look of disgust.

She continued to chew though and found it much to her liking. It was a similar taste of well seasoned roasted salmon. A bit more smokey though.

 

[Nasir]

"If you give me your dimensions, I can ensure some new clothes are delivered to your door before morning."

The Gnome spoke with a smile, clearly trying to be as helpful as possible. He waited patiently for Kassa's reply, clearly not wanting to be pushy about what she wanted to do.

Nasir himself motioned for Myrra to follow along. She would be in the middle room, though there was not any differences between the three. Before opening the door however Nasir turned, watching Myrra's face for a moment as she chewed her food before clearing this throat.

"Tomorrow we'll venture into the Webs to visit my friend." He told her plainly.

If one could call her that.

"She will be able to tell you much of what you want to know about yourself, your parents. Things that I may not be privy to." Three hundred years of absence meant that he was not exactly the most well informed. "She will have a keen interest in you."

 

[Kassa Lia]

If there was anything Kassa liked, it was others being useful. So she returned the gnome’s smile and gave an estimated measurement of her size, slipping in that she very much preferred loose dresses, elegant but easy to move in. The gnome repeated the information flawlessly, smiled again, and departed with his last words being that their baths would be prepared shortly.

Kassa moved to rummage through Myrra’s stockpile of food, removing a few of the mushrooms, some of the queer fruit, and a bit of the odd meat. She smiled at the noble elf in thanks as she slipped into her room, the last one closest to the end of the hall, leaving the other two to finish their business. She really had no part in this fragment of their lives, of parentage and private friends.

She ate as she waited for the bath, finding the food strange but still pleasing, made better with a whetted appetite. The fruit surprised her, tasting more like fish than anything, but as it happened, she still enjoyed the flavor of smoked salmon and cod. The meat was chewy but sweet with spices, tasting a bit like lamb with a gamey undertone. The mushrooms, an odd species she was unfamiliar with, were surprisingly delicious, soft and flavorful. By the time an ogre came and filled the bathtub, Kassa felt herself in quite a good mood.

Undressing and preparing a bar of soap, some hair wash, a comb and the provide towel, she slipped into the fresh, hot water with a sigh. She closed her eyes and considered the future.

“Perhaps it’s time for a spell,” she murmured.

 

[Myrra]

Kassa came to retrieve a bit of the food, she was probably just as hungry as the other two but she did an admirable job at hiding those cravings. Myrra freely shared whatever she was after and was pleased that Kassa proved just as adventurous at tasting the exotic food as the elven girl had been.

At the prospect of a hot bath the human companion departed for her room and, truth be told, Myrra herself was ecstatic about the prospect of some relaxation. No matter how brief it may prove to be. In fact, the very thought of warm water against her skin was enough to form goosebumps in anticipation.

When the words that Nasir spoke registered she found herself distracted from the fantasy of a luxurious bath. Who was this mystery friend that would be intrigued by her presence?

"The webs? A keen interest in me?" she sounded like a mocking jay. However, she still craved to know more of her people and their arrival into the Underdark only served to swell her appetite for more information.

After a very slight pause the dark elf added, "I'm just an orphan, why would she care?" It didn't make a lot of sense to her for someone she had never met to care about the identity or fate of some girl cast out as a babe. Though, if she had learned anything from this adventure it was that the Underdark was very different from the upper world. That, and, never doubt what Nasir was stating as fact.

 

[Nasir]

"It is because you are an orphan that she will care." Nasir said cryptically before quickly going on. "Not many of our kind are abandoned, and there are even fewer who escape her eye."

Unless something had changed over the years.

"She is not dangerous, not as long as you travel with me." She was an ally, had been since the very beginning of his journey.

She had been the one to tell him of the ritual that had allowed him to set everything into motion. The power that still welled within him was partially her doing, though of course there had been a price for that knowledge.

"But." He began. "Be careful of what questions you ask her."

A frown touched his face. "There are some things you may not wish to know the answer to."

 

[Kassa Lia]

Soaking in the water, Kassa allowed her mind to relax along with her body. Slowly the tension that had been building within her ebbed away, and at last she felt free of the worries and anxiety that had followed her so far, for so long. She knew it would return, but for this moment in time it was a welcome, albeit brief, reprieve.

Up and down she ran the bar of soap over her immaculate skin, rinsing away the dust and grime of hard travel. She did the same with her auburn-red hair, breathing in the fruity scent of the hair wash she had bought some time ago at a specialty store. She took her time bathing, for she was alone and she had all night. When she was satisfied and perfectly clean, she wrapped herself in the slate blue towel and returned to the main room, and knelt before her knapsack.

She removed the wooden bowl, a small canteen of water, and the pouch of herbs, setting all on the ground and seating herself with legs crossed. Taking up a handful of the herbs she crushed the dried plants into a scrambled dust and scattered it into the bowl.

She brought a hand to her lips, and with her teeth bit hard into a finger. A drop of blood welled and splashed into the bowl.

She waved the other hand over the bowl, and fire bloomed, red as the blood, red as the dawn.

Quickly she splashed the water into the fire, drowning it. Steam and mist and smoke rolled up, sweet-smelling, ands he saw the figures and visions dancing in the smog. She whispered the incantation in the ancient, forbidden tongues of fearsome gods, summoning their power, begging for their favor, praising them for their aid and for all they had given her, all they had taken from her.

“Botis! Nybbas! Vedelet!”

Say their names, and give them power.
Give them power, and see what they see.

She closed her eyes, and breathed in the smoke.

 

[Myrra]

All of what Nasir was saying proved intriguing to the younger drow. If not many were abandoned then something must've occurred to cause Myrra's parents to abandon her. Perhaps they truly were forced to give the girl up.

The elven woman nibbled on one of the mushrooms but did not turn for her room. Eventually, with her scarlet eyes still zeroed in on Nasir, she spoke up, "what sorts of things would I not want answered?"

For Nasir that may have been a stupid question but for her it felt like the most pertinent given this situation. Myrra was still an outsider even if her skin, eyes, and hair all suggested otherwise. It wasn't clear, at least not to her, what an inappropriate question would be much less an appropriate one.

"Na-, I mean, Karev," that was a close one, "thank you for helping me get back here but I'm afraid that I feel more lost now than I was before." There was no sorrow in her voice, just simple honesty.

 

[Nasir]

Nasir shook his head. "That I do not know."

He was a warrior, a general, a mage, but...not a mystic. That was why he himself had ventured into the webs, why he had searched for something that could provide him answers as well. Wisdom did not come easily, not even with age.

As Myrra confessed her worries, a slight hint of concern crossed his features. For a moment he stood still, then he put a gentle hand on Myrra's shoulder.

"Purpose is difficult to find." He said quietly. "It took me nearly three hundred years to find mine."

Three hundred years and more battles than he could count. "You are not alone in this."

It was just about the kindest thing Nasir had ever said.