Among the Ruins (Closed for Amchentai)

[siobhancan99]

"you ever try to leave on a boat?" She still felt this was a trap of some sort. If they could leave by boat, that was one thing. If they couldn't, that was another. It was worth experimenting at some point. The magic involved in such a trap would be immense though. She was curious, either this was some pocket world or a trap or a world within a trap. This was god-level magic. This was something modern magic workers couldn't dream of putting together. If she could do 1 percent of this she could write her own path. "So what have you been doing with yourself? Reading a good bit I see. What do you do for fun?"

 

[amchentai]

"There have been times I have thought about it. But I was always told you would appear here, and so I waited. That and honestly unsure of what to make of the fact that no one who has left has ever returned." Iczer told Sigrid. As she sipped her drink, she would find that the bottle she poured it from was already full again.

"The first 10 years or so, I tried to figure out what this place was. How or why would food appear out of thin air? If the people were real or some illusion. But the people here seem real. All that I have talked with seem to fall into one of two stories, either this place has been their home their whole life, or they were teleported here... Mostly from some old ruins like us. There was one woman who passed away some years ago who woke up here after fucking a group of orcs for enough gold to make her rich. She was more disappointed that she woke up here without the bag of gold than anything else. Though she lived seemingly a full and happy life before she passed... Though she was still rather bitter about losing all that gold." Iczer told Sigrid. How he tried to find a way out, but only leaving by boat seemed to be an option, and seemingly unable to return one you left by boat.

"After the first 10 or so years, I gave up trying to find anything else out my way. I settled down and started looking into books on magic for you. That way, when you arrived, you could look into it from a different angle than I. Perhaps I could find something I simply could not, since I have no aptitude for magic. It hasn't been a hard life as you can tell... The old man, Gra'gre... He left me his house, and it's nicer than anything I've seen in our time. World? Where we came from. This pile on my desk are the ones I think might hold the most useful info... Time and teleportation magic, or so I am told. If not, have a look around the rest of the bookshelves. All of the books that I thought might be useful are here in the main hall. Sigrid would find books about every type of magic from elemental to sexual, to even books on forbidden magic. Some were written in languages she knew and others in unknown languages.

 

[siobhancan99]

The whole of it was a puzzle. She looked out the window, then back at Iczer. "I'll read everything over the next few days." She stretched a bit and yawned, feeling a strange lassitude. She was equal parts excited by the strange magic and troubled by it. "I think I'm going to walk around and see this city for myself. See what strikes true and what doesn't, for whatever that is worth." She got dressed, then headed out into the town. With everyone's needs provided for, and her innate magic, she didn't feel the need to carry a weapon.She was unlikely to be robbed. raped, perhaps, but likely not. These were the crimes of the desperate and nobody seemed that desperate. She travelled the well paved streets. Everything in the city looked well constructed, well cared for. The markets were bustling, all teh goods were plentiful. All the fruits looked to be in season even when those fruits shouldn't be in season together. All the meat seemed fresh, and the fish doubly so.

The people seemed fit. Perhaps overly fit. There were a few women and men she wouldn't mind dragging her into an alley for a bit of rough stuff. Everyone seemed to glide through the city on their way to something, but there seemed to be a lack of urgency or purpose. Sitting in a cafe she watched people go by, and thought about finding someone to fuck the thoughts out of her head. Maybe she should go back to Iczer. He'd been waiting 30 years, after all.

 

[amchentai]

The city seemed like any other busy city she had been to before. However, the mix of Races was a bit shocking. Orcs, Minotaurs, Elves, Dwarves, and Humans, among a few races she had never seen before. One of the rare but standout races was a human-like race with white or black feathered wings. They always seemed naked and almost always female, she had seen one male though in passing. They glowed with what seemed to be a divine, magical aura. Their iris colors though, were magical. Some had swirling blues and purples, others whites and golds, or even gold and platinum. The weirdest part was that just by looking at their eyes, she knew the very colors swirling around inside.

And just like before, the ghostly figures she had seen before, seemed to mirror the living. She would spot many instances of open sexual displays. Yet it was rare for her to see any woman with large bellies signifying pregnancy. And all while she saw the magic crystals lighting the streets, leaving no dark allies or shadowy places for people to hide. It was a perfect city, almost too perfect in many ways. Though it was not without its dark side. Like Iczer had told her. Crime was dealt with swiftly and with out mercy. She had seen the tail end of something. That left two people dead at the hands of the construcks Iczer had told her about. But the bodies and construcks were teleported away by magic once it was all said and done. And no one wanted to talk about what just happened and moved on.

The port was like Iczer has said too. Seemed like any other port, but upon leaving the faces and names of the merchants from the boats seemed to cloud and fog. She had known she talked with one or two people from the boats but had a hard time remembering names or faces. And in the harbor itself many boats were coming and going. Though she would make note that no one from the city boarded the boats. Only the crews and people who got off the boats would return to them. And she was lucky that when she left the rain had let up some so she didn't get soaked walking through the city.

 

[siobhancan99]

The town was a puzzle wrapped in an enigma or whatever the saying was. Her dedication to the classics was poor at best. She was convinced more and more this was an elaborate trap. The question was, did she want to escape? She made her way into a local tavern and ordered a wine. She saw a number of indolent day drinkers lounging about, discussing some local play. She leaned against the bar, sipping at her wine without really tasting it. She let her eyes scan the bar, looking for anyone that seemed out of place, that seemed like they hadn't been born here and hadn't let the place sink into them fully. She found nobody, which was to be expected. What would that even look like at the end of the day?

She sighed and closed her eyes, then moved to a more prominent part of the bar. She felt out of place, but she knew she was tall, toned, and attractive. She let herself be the attraction. Maybe someone would approach for a diversion, whether it was conversation or just a rut to take her mind off the situation. She sipped at her drink again, crossing her long legs and trying to look approachable.

 

[amchentai]

The first group to approach her was not something she was interested in. A group of Minotaurs, their height forced her to look up at them. But she was looking for something a bit more human in nature. But this was the first time she had seen one up close. Thick muscle that explained why they were considered so deadly. They could swing a two-handed battle axe as if it were a toy. They could pick her up as if she were a doll, yet she learned they were not all the madened beasts the stories were told of them. In fact, if not for the fact that they were half animal, they might have been almost charming. But it was while she was talking to them that she caught what she was looking for. A hooded figure just outside, moving unlike any she had seen up to this point. Their movements were uneasy and almost panicked. A shadow trying to hide without the cloak of darkness. But as she refused the Minotaurs invitation to get her insides rearranged, she spotted an Orc eyeing her up from the back of the Bar.


If Sigrid chose to go outside and follow the hooded figure, she would find them moving from stall to stall using the larger patrons as cover. Most likely pocketing items or picking pockets as they moved through the street. Or she could leave the hooded figure to their own and wait to see if the Orc in the back would make a move on her next.

 

[siobhancan99]

Sigrid was torn. Orcs weren't her thing, but having one of them rail her would take her mind off the mystery. The mystery figure though... someone who seemed out of place. Skulking about, stealing in a town where stealing wasn't even necessary. Someone breaking the rules of the place. She thought to herself it might be a creation of the trap, but then thought the trap couldn't be that omniscient to know it would catch her interest. She got up, slipping out into the street. She managed to weave through the crowd, keeping the hooded figure at a distance, just watching it, slowly catching up, trying to not draw too much attention to her pursuit.

The mystery of the other denizen of the city outweighed her unslaked lust by a country mile. At the end of the day, she thought, even if there wasn't much to the mystery she could always go back to the bar. Or fuck Iczer, who had waited around for her for 30 subjective years. Poor bastard.

 

[amchentai]

The hooded figure was smaller than Sigrid, but not by much. But the way they worked through the crowd showed skill and light fingers. A pouch of coins here, an item off a stand there. Light on their feet, the figure moved swiftly through the busy market. Sigrid thought she lost track of the figure more than a few times as they made their way from one end of the market to the other. Having taken their fill, the figure ducked into an alleyway at the far end of the market. Unlike a normal city though, the alley was well-lit. The crystal housed in their clear cages on the wall made it easier to track the figure as they moved through, darting behind crates and barrels. But following the figure around a corner, Sigrid entered a dead end.

"And why are you following me?" A female voice asks from somewhere in and around the area. Sigrid could not see the voice, but it was probably the person she was following.

 

[siobhancan99]

Sigrid was tempted to make a light, but didn't want to scare the woman off. "Because you don't fit." She paused a moment, then decided to explain before the woman thought she was a lawperson. She inhaled "Everything here. People don't have to work and since they don't have to work they don't have to steal. there'a always money in your pocket. There's always fresh food in the market. There's always a dress that fits you at the store. At least that's how it's been told to me. I've been here... a few hours. Perhaps." She shifted "Everyone just buys in, everyone goes about using their fake gold to buy things that appear from nowhere, as if it is all so normal. There you go, moving from person to person, stealing, doing something other than indolence. You don't fit. I was hoping you were like me. From outside. that you might know things."

 

[amchentai]

"Its real gold though... once I find a way out... out of this... Place as you say..." The voice says, their skills as a thief and even keeping their voice hidden in the well-lit alleyway are impressive. A coin seems to fall out of the sky, and it seems to be bitten, with teeth marks in the bottom left edge. "If I can find a way out I will be set for life..." The voice says.

"But you are looking for a way out, too huh? I wouldn't trust those boats though... They seem off even for merchants... And the gates just bring you back into town as if you walked in from the cold... There has to be a way out, though..." The last bit was muttered just above a whisper. A moment of silence passed before the figure dropped down in front of Sigrid. She removed her hood, her short dirty blonde hair stood slightly out from the static of her cloak. She was slightly dirty-looking, looking as one would guess from a thief. She had a tight leather top, covering B-cup sized breasts, a slender overall build, but was sexy in her own way.

"And you are not like the others either... You want out as much as I do, it seems..." Her bright, almost glowing purple eyes showed signs of magic swirling behind them. She was human, that much was clear. But the energy in her eyes told her that she held some type of power over magic that was not just the normal elemental or divine type stuff.

 

[siobhancan99]

The girl was cute, and perhaps worth a tumble if things didn't work out. She planned, for the moment, to keep things professional. Together they might have a way out of this place. If Iczer could join them so much the better "You assume, of course, that anything can be taken out of here." She gestured around "My thought is that this is a prison of the mind. That it is all an illusion, elaborate, designed to trap us and keep us pacified." She was curious as to what magics the girl possessed, what secrets she might have that weren't of a carnal variety. The purple swirling eyes were intriguing. "Perhaps we should compare notes?" She extended a hand "Sigrid of Ingeberg. Elementalist." Her eyes held the other's gaze "I've been here about a day. The date where I come from is 467 by the Erosian calendar and 525 by the Timorgian." The girl's answer might help establish whether this trap was temporal, or perhaps even if they were at a nexus of worlds. Perhaps the girl was not from her plane of existence at all. "I've a friend here, who would be interested in escaping as well. He has a house, it's comfortable. We can go there if you like."

 

[amchentai]

Like a dog looking up at its owner in confusion, the woman tilted her head slightly to one side and looked at Sigrid like she had two heads for a moment. "I've been here about a week... Can't say I know much about magic, though. I was just trying to scrape by when some weird green snake bit me... Woke up here." She looked around now and then, checking to see if anyone had followed Sigrid or if anyone was poking their nose into their little talk here.

"Name's Lilly... But don't get all buddy-buddy just yet... Best I can tell you is the things I take, I keep... Got a stash hidden away for when I figure out how to get out of this place. But beyond that only way I've seen people leave is by boat... But those boats don't sit right with me... Something is off about them. So I'm not taking my chances with them just yet." Lilly says.

 

[siobhancan99]

Sigrid had the very uncomfortable feeling that the girl had no idea what she was talking about, and wasn't from Sigrid's plane of existence. Or at least her moment in history. That led to the rather unpleasant thought that it was entirely possible that they were dead. Being dead would explain a lot. The sort of vague purposelessness. The boats that went places. Maybe to hell, since the girl didn't have a good feeling about it. Or maybe through some sort of cycle of reincarnation. Either way some sort of ego-death. It would track, if she and Iczer had died in that square. Fuck. She blew out a breath "Ok. well. I'm just saying." She didn't know what she was saying. The girl seemed like she had some kind of eldritch might, but disclaimed knowing anything about magic. "sure. I guess. Anyway, if you want a place to stay..." She gave directions to the girl "we should like I said, maybe try to figure things out together." First, though, she wanted to talk to the monk. He might know a thing or two about being dead in case it was that.

 

[amchentai]

The girl nodded but declined to go with Sigrid. She simply said, "Well, if you find anything out, you know where to find me." And with the skill of an expert thief leaped up onto the different crates and barrels and was on the rooftops before Sigrid knew it. With a flirty blowing of a kiss, the girl disappeared from sight. Giving Sigrid a nice look at the view of her ass under the cloak before she was totally out of sight.

Iczer had organized the piles of books and scrolls for Sigrid while she had gone out to explore the town. Setting out a warm meal and a cool drink for her upon her return. He might not understand how to use magic. But the many magical devices meant he did not have to. The plate would keep their food warm, and the slightly cool metal goblet would keep the drink cool (or hot, if need be). Both the plate and goblet had many fine runes carved onto them that glowed with a faint magic. As he waited and sat in the long entrance hall looking out the same large window at the end behind his desk, he sighed. He saw the same drive he remembered in Sigrid and shook his head. If anyone could figure out a way out of this place, it was her.

 

[siobhancan99]

Sigrid say and ate, quiet "I am strongly considering the possibility, Iczer, that we are dead. I met a girl today. She gave me the impression she's either not from our world or not from our time. She's been here a week. So what do we know. This place is multi-planar or perhaps removed from time. People congregate here, with no real sort of purpose or explanation. Anyone who leaves by the gate is returned. Any who leave by the boat do not return. It is possible, that this is some sort of Limbo. That we are the damned. Or not quite damned. What are your thoughts?"

 

[amchentai]

"The thought had crossed my mind as well." He said. The dining room was again more impressive than that of the Kings, from where he and Sigrid had come. "But then why would people here age? Why would we still need to eat? Why would some then die here? Gra'gre, the man who owned this place before he gifted it to me upon his death, is a good example. Did you not see children running among the people out in the city? People live and die here." He paused in his meal and thought about it all. About things he had not thought about in a good long while now.

"If this is some type of Limbo, why have people been born and die here? Even for a Monk like myself, that does not make much sense." He slowly turned and looked at Sigrid. He could almost see the gears turning in her head.

"As for your new friend, It is not an uncommon tale. Many of the people I met and those who just appeared here in the city have no idea where we hail from. And I have not heard of any of the places they come from, either. But our world was vast. I have no idea of the cities or cultures across the seas from Valbard, where we took our quest from. I have only heard rumors and whispers of the cold mountains to the far north as well. So there are many places I would not know..." He thought though and something seemed to click in his head.

"Though maybe you are onto something. I have talked to many people over the years... No two that I know who just appeared here have come from the same place." He then slumped in his seat a little. "However... The number of people who just appear is less than 30 per year. If our world is vast enough, then through both time and location, it could be accounted for. And if you are right, and this is some type of Nexus. Then some of the people mightn ot be from our world at all." The idea seemingly not as good as he first thought moments ago.

 

[siobhancan99]

Sigrid nodded "and if from our world, not from our time. Which means, my friend, that if we leave we might not get home, and if we do get home we might not return to the point in time we originated in." She leaned back "I suppose people could die and be reincarnated here as babies but no, I think you're right that we're not in hell or anything. I think maybe it is a nexus. I think we have to proceed under the theory that the nexus itself is perhaps a natural occurrence, and what sent us here was a trap that simply ties into the already existing dimension. maybe this was some sort of pleasure center for a great magical empire or something. That would explain why everything is available in abundance and work here seems more to be something you do to keep from going crazy than out of any need." she thought to herself. "So let's assume it IS some sort of alien culture's pleasure palace. There might be some sort of control Some sort of nexus within the nexus. I will focus on trying to ferret that out."

 

[amchentai]

"So you think this is all some type of Zoo?" Iczer Asked Sigrid. Not one of the thoughts that often popped up. But one that has crossed his path once or twice over his 30 year stay. He continued to eat his meal, kept perfectly hot, but not too hot to burn his mouth while he ate it. He listened to Sigrid go over everything she had seen so far.

"There are also the constructs. They appear and disappear to settle problems. Normally, with deadly force. Over the years, a small group of people have tried to fight them. But I'd put that towards the bottom of the list, along with leaving by boat. I've seen firsthand what those constructs can do. And I can assure you that you want your insides on the inside." He told her. It felt good to talk with her again after so long. He smiled at her, forgetting just how focused she could be on things at times. Still she had not been here for the last 30 years. Not that he did not want to go back home, but this in part, was his home now. Still, he would help Sigrid in any way he could as he listened to her go over things, some seemingly to herself, then to him. Between the mouthfuls of food and drink, anyway. The food was far better than anything Sigrid had eaten before. Only the rare times she had spent over a gold on a single meal back home anyway. The meat was tender and cooked perfectly. The drink always seemed fresh and bright to her taste. Yet the food wasn't laced with magic like she would have thought if the food had been the product of magic. No, this was finely cooked food done by a craftmen of reknowned skill or at least it tasted as such.

 

[siobhancan99]

"Ha, no I was thinking more a ... retreat? than a zoo. You know. A place where you come and everything is served to you and you don't have to really do anything. A place for the rich and powerful. OR maybe, if the civilization were magical enough, for the hoi polloi to feel rich and powerful." She looked down at her lamb, perfectly red. The rosemary on it was just right. Fragrant, adding just the right touch to the garlic and the meat. She sipped at her wine, finding it a perfect pairing "I mean, other than going crazy from indolence, who wouldn't want to live here huh? Though I'm guessing a lot of people turn to the arts or whatever to strive for some meaning in the lack of struggle. Maybe it is a prison yeah? A place where we are punished subtly, eventually coming to realize we live lives without purpose... except for those of us that propose to escape." She chuckled and ate a little more. If she was to live in hell she'd live fully. It was the best meal she'd had in weeks.

"This is delicious. I won't lie. Maybe the mystery of the place can wait a week or two. I can spend the time fucking and eating and drinking and dancing the night away." She winked at Iczer, a glint in her eye. Now that she was fed and had a glass of wine in her, the place didn't seem so sinister. "Maybe a year" She grinned and leaned forward "So. Did you marry? did you have children? 30 years is a long time."

 

[amchentai]

"You don't feel rich or powerful, here. That is the weird part. It feels like any other day, other than the fact that you have just enough coin for what you are looking for." Iczer said. Remembering how it was. How it felt even now. But maybe she was right. Still, he listened. He smiled at her last few questions.

"Marry, no. But I won't lie, the carnal pleasure of this place and those that live here are nice. No kids either, at least none that have come forth anyway. You would think if I did sire one, they would at the very least let me know..." He smiled at Sigrid.

"I spent the first 10 or so years looking for a way back. To warn you or to stop that magic spell from pulling you into this place. But as you can see I failed at that. And for that I am sorry. The next 15 years, I spent drifting. Didn't move into this house till only about 5 years ago, even though I've owned it. Or at least was given this place by the man I worked for the first few years I was here, till his passing anyway. The last 5 or so years, I started to collecting books on magic. Since I knew you would end up here and I hoped I could help you find a way for us to get out of here..." He told her.