Fable - Ask The sand, it too ebbs and flows

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White Swallow

The White Swallow of Narra
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No creature has ever been as insidious and resilient as the sand wyrm that made the dunes it's home. With its scales glistening like gold and its many frills neatly arranged along its body, it was by no means a brutish looking beast.
If only it were not such a pest. Al Mirabet had trouble enough with it.

This time the very nest had to be exterminated. No other solution will do.


As Nineban was a brief stop before the two would have ridden to Mirabet. The White Swallow and his companion, as brief as they may be.
The land proved to tell much of the culture of this place, and the great Anaphite found more commonly here, told of many forgotten places that may still hide beneath the gentle sands.
Of course, such secrets were not told to just anyone.
 
Amailia nervously followed along, she remained far out of her element, unused to the sands, as well as any rocky peaks. Just as far as her uncertainty about the setting went, so did her uncertainty towards what she could actually do in regards to the hunt for the creature known as the sand wyrm. It was not hard to guess this experience would be extremely different to the still dummies, and flying plates she had trained on back in Elbion. The very thought of having to fight something that might fight back still sent shivers down her spine, as she trembled despite the heat.

"Can you tell me anymore about the sand wyrm?"

Amailia hoped that her courage could be found by removing the mystery from the great beast. Or at least receive the comfort of hearing another's voice.
 
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The White Swallow dreaded meeting the elder of the village once more. He likely grew evermore tired from every reoccurrence of the wyrms, and likely had much to bark at the seasoned soldier.
» You could look there, « he raised his hand, pointing at an inconspicuous looking dune.
A single strand of grass waved in it.
 
Amailia looked at the dune where he pointed not really seeing anything,

"T-The grass???"

She asked incredulously. Was this supposed to be some type of poetic lesson? Was he trying to say that the sand wyrm was a type of being that clung to its life even in the most inhospitable places? Or that it on the surface went any which way with wind, but below had a firm foundation rooting it? Or maybe...

Many different thoughts ran through her head as she squinted trying to figure out what he meant.
 
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The White Swallow gave her a peek before returning his haze to the strand of grass.

Pulling out a bow and arrow, he pointed his aim towards the anomaly.
He pulled and pulled, aimed and let loose.

The arrow travelled and buried itself in the sand near the grass. A mere moment later, a beast the size of a bear uncovered itself, it's fins flaring wide and it's scales glistening in the sun like gold.
 
Amailia's eyes opened wide as saucers as she let out a little yelp.

"O-OH, MY!!!"

Still in her panic, she still did not remove her eyes from the great beast. Those wide panicked eyes scanned it moving with the speed of fear, but the precision of a scholar. Taking in every little movement.
 
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»Beware! It can outrun a horse, « The white swallow hollered as he darted off to the side.
While a sand wyrm was a glider, it would not be able to change course sharply in mid flight, some evasive maneuvers were better than others.

the beast gracefully took into the air with a leap once more, it's prey was them.
 
Amailia stuck close, better to follow the lead of those more experienced in such matters. When the white swallow darted to the side she was mere moments behind him.

She lowered her head next to the horse's, and whispered an incantation to grant the horse a boost in speed. It would not last long, but hopefully would help make up for some of her lack of experience compared to her partner.
 
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The wyrm will either tire and give up, or somebody here will die.
And like all lesser dragons, they get greedy, with food even more so.

The white swallow released another arrow at the wyrm, missing it by a meter.
The next arrow lodged itself in its hunch, yet the beast glid as if nothing had happened at all.
 
Not wanting to have to face the wyrm at any type of close range Amailia began channeling her magic to form a wall of force between them and the beast. The wall may have only been three meters every way, but she felt confident it would hold if the beast simply rammed it.

Amailia took a moment to catch her breath, casting and then concentrating on spells while on horse back was quite the new experience. Her inexperience showed as her horse slowed to its normal pace once more.
 
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The invisible barrier was what might have just saved Amalia worse troubles for today.
The wyrm banged against the magic density as if it had just splashed into a wall of viscous honey.
It trashed violently, roaring and clawing before going still to assess its situation.

In that moment though. One could see the life leave the body, the eyes go dim a moment before the body collapsed on the sand.

Mayaddah, the white swallow's horse stood still, and the white swallow lowered his bow before dismounting and stepping over to the limp wyrm. The spell gave a chance for the white swallow to swiftly strike.

On a closer inspection, right behind the wyrm's eye was an arrow. Deeply embedded into the skull.
The white swallow then proceeded to stab that area with the dagger to make sure the wyrm would stay dead.

With a brief wave with his hand, he beckoned for Amalia to come closer and look at this creature up close.
Perhaps elbion would have use for some live drawings or descriptions of these beasts on a first account?
Or at least so he thought.
 
It had taken Amailia a moment to realize what had happened behind her. When she had she noticed the White Swallow beckoning her closer. Amailia was very hesitant to get closer to something that had just moments ago been chasing after her trying to kill her. Still her hands were quicker to respond having a parchment, and charcoal ready before she had even consciously decided to cooperate.

Eventually she nudged the horse onward towards the beast corpse. Still hesitating a bit, looking the beast over for any sign of movement before actually finally hoping off. Once of the horse her hands went straight to work, having the start of a rough outline of the beast by the time she crossed the gap. After finishing the sketch to an adequate degree she prodded the man for more information to fill the page.
 
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As she came in to take a closer look, the white swallow pointed behind the eye socket with his dagger. There where the wound was.
»Here, the skull is the thinnest. A man could try empty an entire quiver into them, and they would not die at this size. But as today was fated and Kalik guided my arrow as you kept him at bay with your magic. It wouldn't have otherwise been possible. «

His hand though moved elsewhere across the body, before cutting off a whisker and handing it off to Amailia.
 
Amailia felt a sense of pride at the compliment to her usefulness. She noted the information, before drawing a line to the location pointed out to her.

She almost didn't realize the whisker until it was already in her hand. She looked a it quizzically, before directing the look to the Swallow.
 
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»When you are done, saddle up, -there's still much to work. Al-Mirabet no doubt awaits and will be pleased about the death of this one.«

And so he left to tend to Mayaddah and later saddle up.

The sand wyrm was no doubt a gorgeous beast, whatever bloodlust and fury were present in it, they were long gone now.
Only the dead, limp body of a 'child' of the shifting sand remained.
Likely to be swallowed back into its embrace and recycled into new life.
 
Amailia studied the whisker herself when no answer was given trying to divine its purpose and usefulness. Into her notes were added sketches of the whisker inside, and outside of it.

Finally when all the immediate knowledge had been collected she placed the whisker in a small vial, before mounting her horse as well.

As soon as they began traveling she would begin piping up about all sorts of questions as they came to her: about its running, its gliding, the stories about them, where does it fit in the food chain, what was its social behaviour, and mating like?
 
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The village of Al Miraber was soon on the horizon, and a few paces later, they were well within the centre of this dilapidated village.
The most notable being within it, a disturbed herd of camels. One appeared injured near its legs.
While one would assume they would move more freely in their home turf, these were locked firmly within the village.
No doubt from predation.
»I shall talk to the elder to gather information, you may come if you wish.«
 
"Please."

Amailia followed to learn more about the village, such as what was similar and different to what she had seen so far. She wished she could help the camel, but she was not proficient in any type of healing with her magic. So Amailia noted what she could and followed behind.
 
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Following his way, they ended up under the shade of a hovel. An elder sat before them, and one couldn't quite pinpoint if he was rather disgruntled or desperate.
Skin dark and tanned, his beard was scarce, wiry and grey.
»You people, the menace of the sand wyrms has only grown greater, You people are a-«

The White swallow stepped in, offering his words. »One beast has been dealt with, the young maiden can show you proof. The wyrm should still be a tenth of the way towards Castle As Nineban where the copse meets the sand .«

The village elder let out a sigh before looking at Amailia, then back at the man with some envigorated hope that the camels can be saved.
»Well then, « he pointed towards the crags. »We sighted a sand wyrm last there. «
 
Amailia pulled out the vial to show the whisker, hoping she wouldn't have to give it up. Luckily the elder seemed more concerned with dealing with the sand wyrms, and hadn't asked for it, at least not yet. So she tucked the vial back into her pouch.

As the elder told them where another was spotted she made as if to go, but still waited for the White swallow's lead to follow. When they got a chance she should ask how he had spotted the first.
 
The elder relayed the information to some of the younger lads of the village. Somebody had to check the carcass indeed.

Leading towards the rising rocky outcrops, which caressed the horizon, the white swallow hoisted himself back on Mayaddah. Looking back at Amailia, he stated: »I hope bravery overcomes you. A nest of sand wyrm is as ravenous as a pack of hyaena.«
 
"Bravery is what got me to agree to comein the first place, my desire to survive is what will motivate me to fight."

She followed his lead hoping onto her own horse, gently patting its face.

"I am no stranger to fear. There is a saying from my land: 'If you have faced a bear a thousand times then you are ready to face a bear...' now it is followed by, 'But doomed if you meet a wolf,' but as I said, I am no stranger to fear."
 
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»Quite an eloquent saying, « he looked behind his shoulder at her before pointing ahead at the rocky crag.
Many orange cliffs grew here so tall they cast a shadow so sharp and dark, one could confuse it for the night were they to enter.
»There's a camel amid the dune.« And indeed it was.
Black as ink, partially devoured, likely scavenged by many wyrms much smaller than the offending one from before.
 
Amailia cared not for the shadows cast, who knew what hid within the dark, or where it might pounce from. She had not spotted the first even after having it pointed at. She did not wish to try and spot danger from an even more disadvantageous position.

When the White Swallow pointed to the camel she squinted her eyes to see. After spotting it she just felt amazed at his skills in perception. She would just have to do her best to make up for what she lacked by being useful in other ways!
 
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Well then, the corpse is not so old... but it was not quite yet finished on closer inspection.
More will return later surely. »How do you feel, like a little bit of waiting? «