العالم القديم ماجيك

[Tacita_Virtus]

A Role Play for Tacita_Virtus and Yukio Takamiya

 

It was hot. Blazing. The sun, relentlessly beating down upon the white sand dunes, punishing all living things for a crime that they didn't commit. It was like hell had raised itself from the depths of where it originated, and made its new home among the desert lands. The sweltering temperature was so intense that you could see waves of heat rising up from the ground. But almost every day was like this around here, and everything was accustomed to it. The people of the lands may not have liked it, but they dealt with it anyways, living in half-way decent content.

 

In a huge city, filled with buildings and homes, markets and people, as well as other animals like goats, sheep, cows, and chickens, one could find shelter from this unrelenting scorching torture. Near the center was a palace, but of course only those invited to enter could go there, as well as other nobles and individuals of high rank. It was not as if any really wished to be able to enter those walls, as nobility was not to be envied. They had it just as hard as any citizen, perhaps with a few easier whims here and there. But still, life was life, and they all had to live it just the same.

 

In a certain section of the city, in the middle north east section, up a large set of stairs, one could find a small pool of water. That place was all but empty except for a couple of children running around, playing a game, and in the corner, hiding in the shade, sat a figure. That person wore a white hood over their head, hiding their face, but one could tell that this person was a male, just by his size and the clothing he wore. Right at that moment he looked as if he was resting, his head leaning back against the light brick wall.

 

From the position of the sun in the sky, one might guess that it was about mid afternoon, the hottest part of the day. And even though the man sitting down did not look like he was complaining or anything, he sure was not enjoying this torrid heat. Which was why he was sitting in the shade, trying to get at least a little cool. If those children hadn't been there, he would have...He looks over at them, sighing in relief when they left, disappearing down the steps. Getting to his feet, he glances around, quite glad that this area was so out of place. It was hard to reach and get to, one had to take a lot of turns here and there to arrive at this destination.

 

Going over to the water pool, he dips his fingers in the water, a faint smile forming on his lips. Without further ado, he lowers his hood, revealing raven black hair that was slightly wavy, and done in a braid at that moment. The oddest thing about him were his pierced pointed ears. Removing that, he folds it and sets it to the side, then slips off the outer cloak to the outfit he was wearing, repeating what he'd done with the hood. Slipping off his shoes, he then takes off the shirt he was wearing, a snake unwinding itself from his waist where it had been hiding, sliding down from his body and onto the ground; following his shirt was his pants, so he was wearing nothing but a loin cloth. He flexes his body, stretching, making the green dragon that colored his skin seem as if it too were moving, before slipping into the water, and sitting down, sighing softly in content. He was up to his mouth in the water, keeping his nose above so he could still breathe.

 

"That...is much better..."

 

He murmurs this to himself, and hoped now that no one would walk up those steps, to see him lazing in the water, pretty much completely naked. That would not be a good thing at all. The snake had joined him in the water, ripples crossing the surface of the pool as the green serpent moved along, attempting to cool itself as well. Even though snakes needed the heat, sometimes too much was just uncomfortable. Sinking lower, he breathes out of his nose, so bubbles form in the water, bursting when they get to the top. Closing his eyes, he was finally content, and comfortable, no longer suffering from the heat that this city could not protect him from.

 

 

General Information

Name: تنين

Name Translation and Meaning: Tanin / Dragon

Nickname: ثعبان (Thueban/Snake)

Age: 24

Date of Birth: April 5th

Zodiac: ♈

Gender: Male

Ethnicity: Arabic

Home Country: Egypt

Race: ???

Blood Type: N/A

Sexuality: Unrevealed

Position: Seke to Seme

Other Medical Information:

 

Appearance:

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 145 lbs

Eye Color: Has a bright emerald green color of eyes, with a black outlining the iris. His pupils have slits similar to a snake's

Hair Style and Color: Has long wavy ebony black hair, that is either left undone or in a braid. His bangs reach to just beneath his eyes

Skin: A light tanned color

Scars/Markings/Tattoos/Etc: Has what appears to be a large green dragon tattoo winding around his body

 

 

Clothing: Anything really, as long as it is light green, emerald green, blue, or white in color. Is always seen with a hood over his head.

Other: Has his ears pierced. If one sees beneath the hood he wears, they will see that his ears are pointed, and not rounded like a normal human

 

Personality/Traits: A rather adventurous soul, he is quite energetic, and is never seen in one place for too long. He is courageous and confident, and rarely does he back down from a challenge, knowing his strengths. An enthusiastic person, this does not show unless he gets to know someone. At first when he meets someone he is quiet, mysterious, and rather shady in personality. Dynamic and quick witted, he knows exactly what to do when anything happens, for the most part. Because good comes with light, he also has his flaws. He can be quite selfish, and those who know him say he has quite the quick temper. Being on the move, he is impatient, and sometimes impulsive, leading him into situations less than wanted. Gladly he can easily get out of those situations. He can be rather foolhardy, and is definitely a daredevil, pushing the limits in everything that he does.

 

Brief History: REVEALED IC

 

Extras:

☥ Where he comes from is a mystery, despite him saying he is from Egypt.

☥ Doesn't live anywhere in particular

☥ Has a pet snake. It doesn't have a name.

☥ Has a rather interesting secret

☥ Tries to keep his history to himself, not wanting to tell others

 

Likes:

☾ Night time

☾ Being on the move

☾ Adventure

☾ Thrill

☾ Being a mystery to people

☾ Confidence in others

 

Dislikes:

☽ The heat

☽ Sand getting in his eyes and hair

☽ Idiots, a.k.a. stupid people

☽ People who can not stand up for themselves, or take care of themself

☽ People who doubt him and his abilities

☽ People nosing in to his past

 

Theme Songs:

 

 

Meaning of title: Old World Magic (alealam alqadim majik)

[Yukio Takamiya]

The sweltering heat and blinding light of the sun urged the lone traveller and his four-legged companion to move faster. However, the traveller made no move to do so. He knew that no matter how fast he moved, he still wouldn't be out of this desert any sooner. He ran a pale and slightly heat-reddened hand through his long blonde hair and looked across the vast plain of sand, the traveller let out a large sigh. How many more days would this continue on, facing the sun in the day and the freezing cold at night. The traveller had not many rations left, he had to hurry and find a way out of this god forsaken place. Rummaging inside his sack, the traveller produced a skin bag. Pulling open the cork, he drank his last mouth of water and the rest, he fed to the large panther beside him. He would have to rely on sheer will power to move from here on. The panther, like its master was greatly disturbed by the scorching heat. It drank greedily from the skinbag and whined when no more water came out.

 

"There isn't any more Yacob," the traveller lightly reprimanded his pet when it refused to let go of the skinbag. He stood up once again and continued his venture through the never-ending desert. After hours of wandering aimlessly, the traveller spotted a large city with a gigantic castle erected right smack in the middle of it. But he was having doubts about whether it was a hallucination, people were said to have hallucinations if they stayed too long in a desert's heat. Giving it a benefit of doubt, the traveller pulled his green hood further over his head, covering his white feline ears and moved towards the city.

 

The city was significantly less sweltering than the desert despite being in the middle of it. The traveller gave praise to the buildings that provided shade. However, despite being less hot than the desert, steam still emanated from the ground. The man chuckled when he realised the horrible conditions he had been in before arriving at this city. He remembered a few days ago when he had first stepped foot into the desert, he had cursed the heat and even considered slicing off his glorious blonde hair, his greatest pride. He greatly disliked the heat, all snow leopards did, but as time passed, it bothered him a little less than the start. The heat from this city shouldn't bother him much.

 

 

The traveller moved up a set of winding stairs, head bent to keep the sun out of his face, masking it in layers of shadows. The traveller cheered inwardly when he saw a small pool of water and headed straight towards it. However, he stopped abruptly when he saw what was in it. The contents in the pool, however, did not stop the panther in its tracks unlike its owner. The black feline stalked forward and casually lapped at the water. There was a man soaking naked in the pool. Maybe not completely naked, at least his...uhm was covered. Don't ask him what 'uhm' means, it was obvious to everyone. The stranger had long black hair bound in a plait, smooth olive-tanned skin and a clean face with delicate features. Various tatoos and a particularly large dragon covered his body. He was outrageously handsome but what drew the traveller's interest was the pointed ears on both sides of the stranger's head. The stranger, just like himself, was not human.

[Tacita_Virtus]

The ebony haired individual had all but almost dozed off by that point, as time slowly crawled by, the sun moving little by little across the cloudless azure sky above the city, and the desert that lay around it. His face had a relaxed, content appearance, and it almost seemed as if he were close to falling asleep, but that was not the case. Completely relaxed he was indeed, but at the same time undividedly alert to everything that was going on around him in that area of seclusion, despite not having his eyes open to observe his surroundings.

 

Which was why, when he sensed someone approaching, he tenses just slightly, though keeps calm, not moving, nor opening his eyes to see who was coming closer, up the steps. Only when he felt the vibrations of the water rippling from something other than the snake that was floating with him, does he slowly open his eyes, just barely so that one could only slightly make out bright emerald green. He was not surprised to see a panther there, lapping at the water within the pool, or rather, if he was surprised he doesn't let it show on his face. Raising his gaze from the great cat, they wander over to rest upon another, a male, with hair the color of the golden dunes outside the city walls.

 

For just a moment, he was silent, then he realized that the other could see his pointed ears, which he could sense that the stranger was looking at. Biting his bottom lip, he was torn between covering his ears, and staying in the water to somewhat conceal his nakedness. His gaze lifted upwards, and he knew what needed to be done. It was starting to get quite late as it was, and the day was nearing early evening. So, he sits up a bit, still not exiting the cover of the water, and looks straight at the newcomer. He speaks up, his voice rather intriguing, entrancing like a spell, drawing at those who hear it. The particular accent could not be pegged to just one, it was as if he had his own accent altogether. And with that accent, as he spoke, one could see that he had rather sharp teeth, not natural for what a human might have.

 

"Excuse me, but would you mind turning the other way? I'd rather not have a complete stranger seeing me like...this..."

 

It was quite obvious what he was talking about, and he hoped the other would catch on and do as he had asked. If, or if not, the other obliged, truly didn't matter to him either way, but that was just him. Maybe this stranger had something against seeing another male's body. Naked. But who knew? Perhaps this guy was not just a stranger, but was also a 'strange one' who liked that sort of thing... Indecent? No, that was just a mind set in everyone who wanted to be considered normal.

 

He didn't think about it any longer, and stood up, climbing out of the pool, walking over to where he had left his clothes, not caring that he was still dripping wet, and pulls each item on, and little by little he was covered, so he was no longer indecent. Last thing he picked up and put on was his hood, covering his ears. Now that he was dressed, he turns to look at the stranger, raising an eyebrow; for the first time actually paying attention to what they looked liked. Despite not being around everywhere, he could tell that this guy was not from around here. Main reason was the large panther that was drinking out of the pool which he'd just gotten out of.

 

Walking over to where the other was standing, he was walking slightly crouched, as if coming closer to something interesting, and inspecting it. Getting up close, fingers to his chine, the black haired male squints his eyes, narrowing his eyebrows, and gets a quizzical expression on his face. From where the stranger was, they were in rather close proximity of each other, as if the green eyed individual did not care about getting too close, or knew nothing about 'personal space'.

 

"Might I ask who you are? I don't think I've seen you around here before..."

[Yukio Takamiya]

The traveller continued to stare at the seemingly sleeping form until emerald eyes opened. Guess he wasn't asleep afterall. He jerked in shock and almost hid behind the brick wall beside him. But at the last moment he realised that there was no need to hide if he did nothing wrong. When the emerald eyes of the latter darted to look at him, silver eyes stared right back, looking straight into those hypnotising green orbs. The man finally looked away and sat up and spoke. Sharp white teeth glimmered when his lips moved but the traveller did not flinch for he too had the sharp teeth of a feline. However, the deep alluring voice that came from those lips shook him out of his trance.

 

He turned around slowly, complying with the other's request and waited unmovingly. Having his back faced to a stranger was extremely dangerous but the traveller knew when to respect someone's privacy. He heightened his senses during that period as the other put on his garments. He was also careful not to make any unnecessary movements to alarm the man behind him. As said earlier, having a stranger behind you is extremely disadvantageous if he decides to take you by surprise for one reason or another.

 

When the rustling of clothes stopped, the traveller slowly turned back to see the latter stalking cautiously towards himself. He had a scrutinising look on his face, thumb and forefinger pinching his chin. The traveller tried his best not to smile at the unique expression. When the man finally stopped walking, they were now face to face. The man obviously did not know the meaning of personal space, if he did then perhaps he didn't care. However, the traveller noticed with particular distaste that the tanned individual was significantly taller than him. And he himself knew for sure that he wasn't short. Feeling rather bitter, he attempted to slowly raise his heels off the ground, hoping that the other wouldn't notice.

 

The traveller finally adverted his eyes from the man's scrutinising gaze and replied. "I arrived in this city only an hour ago from now. I apologise for interupting your.......bath. Though I'm not sure why you would he bathing in public. Is that normal in this city, considering the heat and all?" The traveller looked back at the pool and sighed. A man had bathed in it, he couldn't drink it now, but he wondered if he too could have a soak in the pool. Having not bathed for a few days, the traveller was just dying to clean himself, he hated being dirty. "If you're done with it, may I?

 

The traveller walked towards the pool in which Yacob had already entered. But the black panther was fighting with.....a snake? Still, the snake was a tough one, being able to hold out against a large panther. He could get rid of the snake but that would be for later. He stood by the pool waiting for the stranger to leave, after which he could remove the reptile and have his long awaited bath.

[Tacita_Virtus]

 

So, the stranger had arrived only and hour ago, did he? The inquiry that this new comer made about the fact that this was a public area, if the fact that he had bathed in it. Asking if that sort of thing was normal. A half smile forms upon his lips, and his emerald green eyes with their slit, snake like pupils, light up in amusement. Of course that was not normal, even if it was extremely hot out. In fact the only reason he had done what he had was because how isolated this area was, and how hard it was to even get here. A soft laugh escapes from between his lips before he speaks again.

 

"Well then, new comer, welcome to Miah Almadina. I hope you enjoy your stay. As for your question, no. It is not normal. In fact, I'm glad that the city guards haven't arrived. That sort of thing isn't considered...shall we say...appropriate?"

 

He winks slyly at the other male, the smile on his face growing into a smirk. Looking away, his eyes turn once more to the sky, checking the position of the sun, where it was. If he wished to return to the place he was staying before nightfall, he knew that he had to get going soon. That was the only problem with living around here, if you were caught outside after the moon rises, and the guards catch you...you had better be a citizen, registered, or you're in trouble. Coming up with a good excuse as to why one is not a citizen and in the city after dark could be quite the task. It was a rule of the city, to keep things safe and in order.

 

He turns away, and waves a hand of dismissal to the question that the other had made about using it now that he was finished with it. It wasn't as if he cared or not, since it was indeed public, what right did he have to tell the other no? The only thing he could think of saying was make sure you don't get caught. But those words only made their way through his mind, and not escaping his mouth. The snake that was fighting the panther took notice that the raven haired male was leaving, and the gesture of the hand from the latter. With that, it quickly unwraps itself, and slithers away, wrapping and climbing it's way up the male's leg, then beneath the tunic, once more wrapping itself around his waist, hidden beneath the shirt. He pauses, and looks back, deciding to say some last minutes words.

 

"Maybe you do not care, but I shall tell you anyways. You may call me Tanin. And, once you are finished with whatever you plan on doing, and have no place to stay for the night, you are more than welcome to come to mine. It's best you don't get caught once the moon and stars start shining, or you're in for some trouble..."

 

Tanin, as it were, points out in the distance, a quite distinguishable building, almost like a very tall rounded tower with lots of windows dotting the side, which was where he was currently staying, and calling home. The tall male didn't have a permanent home, and to be honest, he liked it that way. He'd rather have temporary homes, as it would be a pain trying to upkeep just one, since most of the time he was on the road and traveling, never staying in one place for too long. One of his most frequented places to relax after these 'adventures' was Miah Almadina, there was just something about it's charms that got to him, and made him want to keep visiting it.

 

With all that said and done, he begins to walk a way, raising a hand in farewell, waving casually to the stranger behind him, before going down the stairs, and disappearing from view. Once he was sure there was no one around, he rolls back the sleeves to the tunic he was wearing, revealing hands that had claws, but not feline ones. More like something might see on a reptile. Once more glancing here and there, he goes over to a wall, and digs his nails into the clay, and begins to climb, as easily as a lizard. Once to the top, he begins to run, nimble and fast, jumping from wall edge to roof, even across clothes lines, moving as if it were nothing at all. He moved well, not to mention he could jump really high.

 

Every now and then he would glance to the sky, measuring the sun's movements, keeping an eye on wear it was positioned, and calculating where it would be by the time he arrived. From his position in the city, he guessed that it would be about early evening, the sun just about to set in the horizon. Quickening his pace, he continues on the path he was running, focused entirely on getting back in time.

 

Once he had, it was indeed the time that he had calculated it to be. Climbing through the window of the top part of the building, he sighs as the sight of the familiarity in the rounded reached his eyes. A large decorated and tasseled rug covered the floor, and different types of curtains of varying styles covered the windows. In one area was a large pile of pillows and silken sheets, some with tassels, others with designs sewn right on the fabric. Another part had a few shelves, that were filled with scrolls. Vases could be seen here and there, also filled with scrolls. One small table held a variety of knickknacks, and a larger low table was covered with plain parchment, one piece was stretched out and held down with paperweights, and there was writing at the top, a brush laying to the side, and bottle of ink next to it.

 

Pulling off the hood and outer part of the tunic, he tosses it aside. Walking across the room, kicking off his shoes, he goes over to a clay jar with a lid, opens it, and pulls out an odd looking fruit, and begins to eat it, sitting down on one of the cushions near the window which he climbed through, eyes gazing out over the city. His mind began to churn, and he wondered if that guy from before had taken his advice. Tanin also wondered if the other would accept the invitation and would come there.

[Yukio Takamiya]

When Tanin, as the stranger had called himself had left, the traveller turned back to look at the small pool and a wet Yacob. The snake that had been fighting with him had belonged to Tanin, how interesting. And this beautiful city was called Miah Almadina, a fitting name. The sun was about to set, the traveller remembered Tanin's warning about guards appearing at night. He had better hurry and clean himself then. Even so, the traveller smiled, he practically lived and breathed the night, no guard would be able to detect him. What was he to fear?

 

The traveller removed his hood and his white ears popped out and twitched. Next he untied the cloak and let it fall to the ground. He wasn't so bold as to bath completely naked in public, thus, he left his white silk robe on and entered the pool. Dunking his head into the pool, the traveller resurfaced again and shook his head much like a cat to clear the water from his ears. His wet skin reflected the sun and shone like glitter. If anyone had seen him then, they would have been absolutely entranced by his beauty, mistaking him for a lady with an elegant looking panther. The traveller let out a small breath and smiled, pleased to be clean again. He played with Yacob till the sun was almost down before getting out of the pool.

 

Dripping wet, the traveller squeezed the water out of his blonde locks before picking up his green cloak and leaving the area. He thought about Tanin's offer to stay the night at his domain and wondered if he should go there? Spending another freezing night in the desert was not an option. The image of a nice rug tempted him. He looked towards the building that Tanin had pointed out. It was rather difficult for Yacob to get there if they were to go together. The panther had less speed than himself and would no doubt attract guards. They would have to separate, Yacob had to find a different route up there. The traveller looked at his panther and pointed at the rounded tower dotted with windows. Yacob whined and slunk away, finding a less obvious route for himself.

 

The traveller looked down at his soaked clothes, it was going to be a little disadvantageous. He leaped and landed on one of the buildings. Using his superb hearing, the traveller gauged the location of guards in the area and calculated the speed needed to avoid them. Then he jumped to the next building and the next at high speed. Over the guards he went, his clothes spraying droplets of water on them. But by the time they looked up, the traveller was metres away to the next building. He put on his cloak and blended into the shadows. The night was his universe and he was its god, no one could ever hope to outsmart him in the dark.

 

The traveller continued to jump and land from building to building. Such heights were of no issue to him and he finally landed on the very top of the tower. He had arrived at his destination. From his point of view, he could see almost every thing with height lower than the building he now stood on. His black pupils within silver irises narrowed to slits as he tried to locate his pet. Where was he.....there! The panther was slinking past two guards and he succeeded, no surprise there, panthers were animals with the greatest stealth. The traveller smiled and jumped off the tower. However, his right hand caught a window ledge and he hoisted himself up and into the room in one swift movement.

 

The traveller surveyed the dark room cautiously. It was lighted up with a single flame on a low table where he could see a large rug underneath. Cushions occupied most of the space and curtains of various designs blocked the traveller from seeing the interior of the room. The traveller looked around for any signs of the black haired individual. Where was Tanin, had he been tricked? A low growl resounded throughout the room and Yacob rolled out from under a curtain, wrestling with the snake from before. They just couldn't get along could they?

[Tacita_Virtus]

It was starting to get later, the sun slowly beginning to sink beneath the city walls. Almost immediately the air around began to cool down, a relief from the blaze that was making the people suffer during the day. Tanin watched the sky, taking in the color of the sunset that was displayed before him, it was beautiful, making him smile. As he finished the fruit that was in his hand, he tosses the core out of the window, grinning to himself as it seemed to have hit someone upon the head, causing them to shout out, asking who had done that. Of course, he does not answer, instead ignores them, and soon enough they leave, quiet once more enveloping him.

 

By the time the room around him had darkened considerably, and the stars were just beginning to twinkle in the dusk lain sky, did something catch his attention outside. A faint movement, a mere shadow, but with his keen eyesight, it was easy for him to notice that something, or someone, was there; that which the guards patrolling the streets could not perceive, Tanin picked up on in an instant. He began to wonder just who it was, thinking that just maybe it was the stranger from earlier, deciding to take Tanin up on his offer. And sure enough, his ears pick up on the soft sounds that only a stealthy individual could make, confirming his thoughts when the curtain in the far part of the room, in the window that he had pointed out, moved, a shadowed figure landing on the floor.

 

However, he does not move, watching from his hidden spot on another windowsill, another set of silken curtains hiding him from view. Tanin wanted to see what the other would do, calculate the stranger's actions, before showing himself. However, things didn't always turn out the way that they are planned, and before he knew it, the panther that had accompanied the stranger attacked the large serpent that had curled up on a rug, causing it to hiss in anger and strike back. What was it with that beast? The snake had been doing nothing wrong, not antagonizing nor provoking, and it still attacked. Not to mention in the serpent's own territory, which was quite bold of the cat, one would say. From the shadows, Tanin speaks up, his voice laced with slight annoyance.

 

"You know, you should teach your cat some manners. It's rather rude for the guest to attack that of whom was so kind to offer their place to stay. If you're not careful, that panther is in for a rather painful surprise. Because you see, that serpent is not all which is seems to appear."

 

Only when he had finished speaking does Tanin show himself, causally brushing the curtain aside, and standing from where he'd been perched in the window. He was rather cautious as he crosses the room, going over to the table with the papers, kneeling down to light a rather ornately decorated clay lamp. Where the fire had come from to produce the flame that lit the wick inside the oil one could only guess, but that did not matter. At least, to Tanin it didn't. With the light produced from the lamp, the room was lit up, allowing things to be seen around more clearly. Lifting his eyes from the lamp, he looks over to the man who was standing there, and out of the corner of his eye he sees as the serpent unwinds itself, quickly slithering over to one of the long curtains, and making it's way up, out of reach of the large cat.

 

Standing once again, he places a hand on his hip as he looked the stranger over. Just what was a pretty boy like him doing out on his own?Was he unaware how dangerous this world was? But who was he to judge, as he loved adventure too, not caring about the risks that went along with it. Hell, if he was able, he wouldn't ever come back to the city, he'd stay away as much as he would like. There was just the problem on restocking items that he need, and some he couldn't get out in the big wild world. But even with thoughts like this, it didn't stop Tanin from wondering what this guy was doing, where he was going, and where heh had come from. Going over to the large pile of cushions, he plops down on one of them, not once having taken his eyes off the stranger.

 

"So, I see you decided to come after all. I was wondering if you would. Since you did, I have a question. One simple one, as I'm not the type of man to pry in to another man's business. Here is my question. What is your name? I told you mine, now you should do the same...After all, you ARE in my...home...persay...the least you could do is tell me what you're called."

 

He grins then, eyes twinkling with mischief, as he rests his arms behind his head, leaning back on the cushions. Gesturing after a moment for the other to sit down on the cushions as well, Tanin was quite eager to figure this person out. It, in itself, was an adventure all by itself. Just like with everything else, the raven haired male wanted to discover everything there was to be discovered about this new stranger who had made their way in to his life. Just what was going to happen? He wanted to know, and he was most definitely going to find out, one way or another.

[Yukio Takamiya]

Moments after the Yacob had appear from the cluster of curtains, Tanin's voice resounded throughout the room. the curtains were brushed aside and said man emerged. he walked to the low table and lit a lamp which made the room significantly brighter.

 

"i appreciate your concern for my pet, if you are talking about venom, there is nothing to worry. Before i picked him up, Yacob spent his days eating various herbs and poisons and still lived to this day. his immunity to poisons is not to be underestimated. But still, i apologise for Yacob's behaviour. he has been...rather playful...as of late." The traveller apologised at the same time finding an excuse for his beast. "Yacob, that is enough...come here," Yacob flattened his ears at the sound of his master's displeasure. Giving the serpent one last growl, he stalked back to the traveller and stood beside him. The traveller had found Yacob only a while after he had fled his home country. Yacob then had been injured and wary. However, after being nursed back to health, he wouldn't leave.

 

Tanin had once again taken a seat and gestured for him to do the same. He chose a cushion opposite the raven haired individual and puled his hood further over his head before replying to Tanin's question. "Ah..it is rather rude of me to have not introduced myself before hand. You may address me as Kiran." Kiran somehow felt a bit embarrassed at forgetting to introduce himself. Tanin was after all his host that had graciously offered him a place to stay the night. As suspicious as it seemed seeing as he was a complete stranger, but Kiran wasn't about to reject his offer, he could protect himself just fine. Even so, Kiran felt bad for giving his host a fake name. He had to change his name due to unfortunate circumstances. If he had told Tanin his real name, who knows what might have happened had Tanin recognise his name. And he had no doubt Tanin had heard of him. His name was known throughout the continent for a crime he did not commit, no one knew that of course.

 

"How long have you stayed here," Kiran asked trying to ease the awkwardness and starting a conversation. But even if Tanin chose not to answer the question, it would be fine, Kiran wouldn't be bothered. He was leaving early the next morning anyways. He could never stay long in one location, not even in a city located in the middle of a desert. If word of his whereabouts got around, they would no doubt start chasing him again. Kiran had a large bounty on his head, every bounty hunter in the continent was after him. No where was safe. Sensing his master's distress, Yacob placed his head onto Kiran's lap and purred softly. Kiran stroked the feline's head and smlied.

 

"I thank you again for your gracious offer to let me stay here for the night. Rest assure that Yacob will not be causing you any more inconveniences. I shall leave early tomorrow morning, staying in this desert in not an option for me. I would like to inquire if there is a faster route out of the desert." Kiran realised that if Tanin had a home in this city, he should surely know a faster way out of the golden landscape. He jumped at the chance to ask the way.

 

it was just a few hours away from midnight. Kiran felt the effects of his exhaustion, result of the day's travel and heat of the sun. he felt his eyes closing as his head nodded forward a few times. Realising that it was rather rude to be falling asleep in front of his host, Kiran excused himself and asked where he would be able to rest. When he finally laid down on the warm rug, Kiran let out a tired sigh. His head rested on the cushion and he blacked out immediately as his hood fell back.

[Tacita_Virtus]

A smile forms upon Tanin's face when the other answers about his big cat companion. The fact had nothing to do with venom at all, in fact, that would have to be the least of the duo's troubles. No, there was something rather special about the snake that was now curled tightly up high on the curtains, looking much like a tie for the satin coverings where it was. But that conversation was for another time no doubt, he was not about to reveal any big secrets just yet to a man whom he just met. So, instead, he smiles, and shakes his head softly back and forth. He was a little impressed by the fact of the cat's, Yacob so it seemed to be called, immunity to poison and venom.

 

Next came the name, but for some reason Tanin was a bit suspicious of this, but says nothing of it. What was it to be his business and pry into another person's life? It was none, and he was not about to break his own rules by doing so by questioning if that was Kiran's real name or not. If this man had a reason to hide his true name, then so be it. Speaking of secrets, he had his own, so it was only fair that Kiran kept a few of his own to himself. However, in his own troubles, no one ever found out his real name, because even himself did not know it. For any of his casual chats and talks, he used the name Tanin, but for anything else he used something different.

 

"Well, Kiran, it is nice to meet you. Once again I hope your visit here is fruitful. As for how long I've stayed here, well, I don't actually live here. I come and go as I please. I pay for this space so when I do come I have a place to stay, and put anything I come across in my travels here so I do not have to carry them any longer."

 

He then rests his head back again, closing his eyes as silence enveloped them once again. However, that quiet did not last long as Kiran spoke up once again, thanking Tanin for letting him stay there, and then going on to mention that he was to leave early tomorrow in the morning. At that Tanin opens his eyes, and sits up, looking directly at Kiran when the other asked if there was a faster route out of the desert, and a grin forms upon the tanned individuals face, a light of a certain mischievous attitude brightens his eyes. He had been planning to stay just a bit longer in the city, but here was an opportunity to leave a little sooner, and there was no way he was going to pass this up.

 

"Well yes, in fact I do. I know the deserts and cities around here like the back of my hand. I was going to be heading out soon anyways, so maybe if you would like a guide, I can come along and assist you? There is something about you that intrigues me...So, for your price of staying here...you have to let me come with you. And I'm not taking no for an answer..."

 

He grins, mainly to himself, at this genius plan of his, and does not even expect an answer back from Kiran. Soon after, the other excuses himself, asking where he could sleep. Taning points out a huge pile of rugs, some rolled up, others spread out. He let Kiran choose one of them, and a few pillows from the pile which he was on, and not before long the new comer had fallen asleep. What surprised Tanin was when the hood fell back from the others' face, revealing ears that weren't human, but act like. The grin that had been on his face forms once more, he was right in thinking this guy was interesting. But for now, he had to act like he did not know, and so quietly crosses the room, his footsteps non-existing, and kneels down next to Kiran, adjusting the hood so that it once more covered his head.

 

That done and over with, he backs away, and goes over to one of the windows, pulling back the curtain and looking outside, gazing up at the stars that now twinkled in the sky. It was beautiful, just like the new adventure he could feel beginning to unfold. After a while he dozed off, the giant serpent descending from his position up high to curl up around Tanin loosely. The snake was like a nest of sorts for Tanin, keeping him safe as he slumbered. However, even though it appeared that Tanin was completely asleep, he was not. He was still aware of what was going on around him. The hours passed by, and before he knew it, the stars began to fade, and the sun slowly began to rise up from the horizon. A new day.

[Yukio Takamiya]

Kiran awoke that morning to the uncomfortable heat of the day. Sitting up abruptly, he surveyed his surroundings and the events of the previous day came back to him. Feeling for his hood, he sighed in relieve when he found that it was still in place not falling off during his rest. Yacob was still curled up by his side but amber eyes was already open and staring at him. The large panther opened his jaws and let out a big yawn revealing large canines and a long pink tongue. Kiran stroked Yacob's head and stood up.

 

Tanin was already awake it seems. "Did you not rest last night? Your eye bags are huge." He asked the tanned individual, smiling at the serpent who was staring at him cautiously. In truth, Tanin's eye bags weren't that huge but it was evident that the taller man had not slept well. Kiran suddenly recalled that Tanin had demanded to go with him the previous night in exchange for directions. Personally, he wasn't all too keen on the idea, but he was desperate to get out of the desert. Tanin had said something about him being interesting. Did he do something to rouse the guy's unnecessary interest? Whatever Tanin was interested in, Kiran hoped that he got bored quickly enough.

 

Breakfast consisted of hard crusted dough and weird looking fruits. Kiran eyed the fruits suspiciously, wondering if they were even edible. But Yacob seemed to be enjoying them, finishing his share in a few gulps. Well if Yacob was eating it, it should be edible, otherwise the panther would stop him from consuming it. Taking a delicate bite, Kiran found it to be not bad. The fruit was sweet and fresh which Kiran thought to be impossible in this heat. Perhaps they grew well in tropical climates. The bread was tough and bland to Kiran's tongue, he personally preferred meat but this was still heaven compared to starving in the desert.

 

Speaking of the desert, Kiran dreaded going back into the sweltering heat. The heat coming in through the windows was bad enough. His unbound hair within the confines of his cloak made it worst. Kiran contemplated removing his hood to bind his long hair but Tanin would then be able to see his ears. However, if they were to travel together, his ears would eventually be discovered there would be no difference. Hesitantly, Kiran lifted his hands and removed his hood. Keeping his gaze away from Tanin's, he bound up his hair and replaced his hood.

[Tacita_Virtus]

Morning seemed to come quite quickly, and for Tanin it felt that he had just fallen asleep, only to wake up a second later. His eyes were fixated on the rising sun by he time his house guest had woken from his slumber. Not looking away from the scene, he raised an eyebrow at the comment that Kiran had made about his 'eye bags' saying they were huge. Reaching up, without replying a single word, he runs his forefinger and middle finger along the skin beneath his eyes, as if he was wiping something on his skin, and as he did so the dark circles faded away and vanished. The serpent had not moved from it's spot around him, though it had raised it's head when Kiran smiled at it, it's large tongue flicking in and out of it's mouth. Only when the dark circles were gone did he speak up.

 

"I don't really need much sleep. I can function perfectly on less than a couple of hours."

 

Standing up from his spot, he moves to take a bit of bread for himself, along with a couple pieces of fruit. Biting in to one, he picks up an empty satchel, and inside he places a few things, from a small pouch, some furled up scrolls and a bottle of jet black ink, a writing utensil, other odd objects, bandages, and of course food. Bread, fruit, and a handful of dried meats that he'd pulled down from the wall. A container meant for water was put inside as well, but he'd fill that up later.

 

His back had turned the moment that Kiran had pulled off the hood he was wearing, and when he turned back it was already replaced. Placing the bag on his shoulder, he picks up his own hood, putting it on. All was set, and what was left was Kiran. Looking to the individual, his eyes glancing for a moment at the large feline, he grins a bit, white teeth glinting in the early morning light. It was already starting to heat up, and even though they were out of the sun in the shade, it was still quite miserable. The snake, seemingly too large to travel with, seems to grow smaller in size, before wrapping around Tanin's waist underneath his clothing.

 

"You ready to go? If so, follow me..."

 

Without even waiting, he heads to the window, and jumps out of it, disappearing from view. Only to be seen on a ledge about ten feet away from the window. His emerald green eyes stare up at the window, waiting for Kiran to follow, and only then does he moves on. From roof top to ledge, it was like he was a natural at this, like he'd been doing it his whole life. No one down below even noticed that two figures were darting across buildings above them. And quickly too. Tanin had the speed of a viper, quick and precise. He knew that his way would be quicker to getting to the edge of the large city.

 

And, he was right. It wasn't too long before they reached the huge walls of the northern part of the city, in the direction of the watering city port, which was their destination. It would take about two and a half days to get there, maybe three since he was with someone else. Coming to a halt, he jumps down to the ground, so that they were hidden in the shadows of the wall. Waiting, watching the guard that were by gate, for that moment when they were moved a bit. And that moment comes within a few seconds. They turn a corner, and Tanin winks at the other male, before darting past the open gates, out of the city, a blur to the naked eye. Only when they were at a safe distance from the walls does he slow down, and come to a walk.

 

"Well, we're out of the city now. From here it will take about three days or so to reach the port city Kuzcoux. Hope you're ready for this."

[Yukio Takamiya]

Kiran stayed seated watching the taller pack up supplies for the journey ahead. He was still a little worried about the guy following him but he would have to deal with it. One look at Tanin told him that he wouldn't be easy to dissuade and Kiran didn't waste any effort on that. Trying to change Tanin's mind would only make the tanned individual more curious and suspicious of his actions. And Kiran didn't want to create anymore trouble for himself. When the raven was done, he stood up and looked at Kiran. He didn't fail to notice that Tanin's emerald orbs had lingered for a while on Yacob, what had he been thinking about? Somehow, the blonde couldn't help but think that the other was cooking up some mischieve when he grinned. Tanin had that air about him, whether he smirked, smiled or grinned, Kiran would get the vibe that he was up to no good.

 

Kiran stared curiously at the serpent which seemed to have mysteriously reduced in size, only adverting his eyes once it disappeared beneath Tanin's clothes. He nodded his response and before he knew it, Tanin had disappeared. Blinking, Kiran moved towards the window and saw the guy waiting for him on a ledge ten feet away. He sighed and readjusted his hood before turning to look at Yacob. Somehow, he wished that the panther could reduced his size too, then Kiran could hold him and travel. But Yacob had his own gifts, Kiran couldn't change that.

 

"I'll be waiting for you outside the city, don't take too long," he said and jumped out of the window landing beside Tanin.

 

He followed the other closely when he started moving again. Kiran had no difficulty keeping up with Tanin despite his speed. Jumping over the roofs, Kiran took his time to have another look at the city from above. It was truly beautiful, he would be sure to return again if he could. He didn't spare any thoughts for the guards below them knowing that they wouldn't be spotted. Several buildings later, large walls entered his vision and Kiran almost stopped to marvel at the sight. Shaking his head, he was just in time to see Tanin jump off the building. He quickly followed, in fear that he might lose sight of the raven. But the raven had stopped below the building. Dark shadows of the walls covered them, shielding them away from human eyes. Kiran stayed close to the other, waiting patiently for the right moment when the other would move again. Kiran didn't understand what the wink was for but for some reason, it peeved him a little. He wasted no time in following Tanin, knowing that the 'right moment' wouldn't come in a while. Darting past the gates and running after the other until he stopped.

 

Kiran lifted his gaze to the other's emerald eyes and replied,"I am ready. One should think that I'd definitely be ready for something like this seeing as I have travelled much myself." Kiran shifted his eyes and looked back in the direction they came from. "But we might have to wait for Yacob. My guess is that he should be reaching us soon,"he said. Speaking of the devil, Kiran spotted the panther's silhouette running towards them. When Yacob arrived at his side, Kiran stroked his head then looked at the raven. "We can move now I suppose, just lead the way."