Chapter 2 - To the portal and beyond
Submitted August 20, 2007 Updated December 19, 2007 Status Complete | This is the story of how Marinia and Koji really met...the first paragraph is the first of another story, {The tale of Marinia} which isnt posted yet, i place it here to explain something that happens later in this story.
Category:
Fantasy » Characters |
Chapter 2 - To the portal and beyond
Chapter 2 - To the portal and beyond
The next morning, Marinia lead a group of guides to help the former slaves return to where they had come from. Koji, though he didn’t really have anywhere to go at the time, had already decided to come with the group to the portal where Marinia would send everyone back to where they belonged.
Each member of the escort group was one of the tribes warriors, armed with the tall, narrow, lance-like spears, the choice weapon of the tribe. Each was dressed in the simple, bright robes and smocks that were traditional in the tribe.
Marinia, who had never really taken to the tribe’s manner of dress, looked little like them in her plain, belted, long, green shirt, knee length boots, and matching green leggings. A purple cape was draped about her shoulders and simple, round, deep red-purple gemstones adorned her belt, clasped her cape, and rested in the small tiara dipping over her forehead. Her healers pouch hanging over her left shoulder, as always, and sword each rested at either hip. Her long, red-brown hair was tied back with a leather string and her wings, calmly and slowly, rose and fell ever so slightly as she stood surveying her group. The dusky tan points of her ears stood erect, matching the shade of her wings as perfectly as her hair did that of her tail.
Koji, standing off to the side, was clad in his newly mended grey vest and long, brown pants. His short, white hair shifted slightly as his grey, wolfish ears slid up, revealing the twin yellow stripes on his left cheek. His grey wolf tail swished gently in the breeze as his dark eyes watched Marinia’s tail, slightly longer than his own and like that of a fox, as it nearly touched the ground.
Marinia had been reluctant to go, but as she was the only one in the entire tribe and group of prisoners combined who knew how to work the portal, she had to go. She knew that Urodi was glad of her leaving and would take full advantage of her absence, so without his knowing she had had a tunnel dug from under the slave shack to a place in the forest under the cover of trees and left three of her most loyal friends to help any new prisoners to escape. Only with these precautions in place had she been willing to leave.
Several hours out from the village on foot and it was clear that Vincent had recovered; he was the source of ceaseless, pointless jabber and naggings.
“I’m hungry. I want a cookie. My grandma used to make good cookies….”
Marinia turned and grumbled in Koji’s ear, “Won’t someone please shut that nut-case up?”
Koji sighed.
“He’s usually at least this annoying. The best thing we can do is ignore him.”
He snuck a glare at Vincent.
“Shut up, will you?” He hissed.
Suddenly, Vincent emitted a screech much like that of a girl. “Now what is it?” Marinia groaned as she, Koji, and several other travelers turned to look at the petrified Vincent.
“What the….”
Koji stared at the strange eight legged creature which had attached itself about Vincent’s neck and waist. Marinia’s features turned from an expression of disgust to pure mirth. The escort team burst out in laughter as she explained to Koji and the startled, panicking Vincent.
“Heh, heh, heh….it…it seems you’ve found a jirotian spider monkey…hehehe… oh, I say….hahaha! It seems to like you!”
At this point, she burst out in helpless, hearty laughter. Soon Koji was joining in.
Vincent blushed as he gingerly detached the spider monkey’s front two paws from around his neck- an action which resulted in the dark brown furry creature scurrying over his shoulder and attaching itself even more firmly to his back.
At first, Vincent wasn’t too happy, but soon he was engaged in ceaseless chitter-chatter; this time talking to the monkey, who seemed to hang on his every word, eyes huge and face locked in a comical expression of mock seriousness.
It was well mid-afternoon by the time the procession reached the portal. Marinia got to work right away. The first group to be set off included two men and a boy who were from the planet around which the forest moon revolved. As they lived near one of the portals on the planet below, they would require no escort, therefore they were the easiest to send. The next group was a mother and her child along with several strong men and an old grandfather. With them went two warriors, who would be sent back to the moon by people on the other end. The next few groups were children from various planets who were sent with escorts and a note instructing the escorts return.
Then were three groups of men varying in age from 13 to 55.
By the time the last five groups were sent, it was early evening and Marinia and Koji were alone, Vincent and his monkey having left for earth with the second to last group.
The mirage view of the last planet accessed faded then vanished with a liquid-like static sound. Marinia turned around and walked into the clearing customary in front of all portals. Koji was sitting on a large rock and Marinia joined him.
The sun was setting over the treetops casting an orange glow on everything it could reach.
Marinia leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
“So, do you want to head back now or camp here until morning?”
Each member of the escort group was one of the tribes warriors, armed with the tall, narrow, lance-like spears, the choice weapon of the tribe. Each was dressed in the simple, bright robes and smocks that were traditional in the tribe.
Marinia, who had never really taken to the tribe’s manner of dress, looked little like them in her plain, belted, long, green shirt, knee length boots, and matching green leggings. A purple cape was draped about her shoulders and simple, round, deep red-purple gemstones adorned her belt, clasped her cape, and rested in the small tiara dipping over her forehead. Her healers pouch hanging over her left shoulder, as always, and sword each rested at either hip. Her long, red-brown hair was tied back with a leather string and her wings, calmly and slowly, rose and fell ever so slightly as she stood surveying her group. The dusky tan points of her ears stood erect, matching the shade of her wings as perfectly as her hair did that of her tail.
Koji, standing off to the side, was clad in his newly mended grey vest and long, brown pants. His short, white hair shifted slightly as his grey, wolfish ears slid up, revealing the twin yellow stripes on his left cheek. His grey wolf tail swished gently in the breeze as his dark eyes watched Marinia’s tail, slightly longer than his own and like that of a fox, as it nearly touched the ground.
Marinia had been reluctant to go, but as she was the only one in the entire tribe and group of prisoners combined who knew how to work the portal, she had to go. She knew that Urodi was glad of her leaving and would take full advantage of her absence, so without his knowing she had had a tunnel dug from under the slave shack to a place in the forest under the cover of trees and left three of her most loyal friends to help any new prisoners to escape. Only with these precautions in place had she been willing to leave.
Several hours out from the village on foot and it was clear that Vincent had recovered; he was the source of ceaseless, pointless jabber and naggings.
“I’m hungry. I want a cookie. My grandma used to make good cookies….”
Marinia turned and grumbled in Koji’s ear, “Won’t someone please shut that nut-case up?”
Koji sighed.
“He’s usually at least this annoying. The best thing we can do is ignore him.”
He snuck a glare at Vincent.
“Shut up, will you?” He hissed.
Suddenly, Vincent emitted a screech much like that of a girl. “Now what is it?” Marinia groaned as she, Koji, and several other travelers turned to look at the petrified Vincent.
“What the….”
Koji stared at the strange eight legged creature which had attached itself about Vincent’s neck and waist. Marinia’s features turned from an expression of disgust to pure mirth. The escort team burst out in laughter as she explained to Koji and the startled, panicking Vincent.
“Heh, heh, heh….it…it seems you’ve found a jirotian spider monkey…hehehe… oh, I say….hahaha! It seems to like you!”
At this point, she burst out in helpless, hearty laughter. Soon Koji was joining in.
Vincent blushed as he gingerly detached the spider monkey’s front two paws from around his neck- an action which resulted in the dark brown furry creature scurrying over his shoulder and attaching itself even more firmly to his back.
At first, Vincent wasn’t too happy, but soon he was engaged in ceaseless chitter-chatter; this time talking to the monkey, who seemed to hang on his every word, eyes huge and face locked in a comical expression of mock seriousness.
It was well mid-afternoon by the time the procession reached the portal. Marinia got to work right away. The first group to be set off included two men and a boy who were from the planet around which the forest moon revolved. As they lived near one of the portals on the planet below, they would require no escort, therefore they were the easiest to send. The next group was a mother and her child along with several strong men and an old grandfather. With them went two warriors, who would be sent back to the moon by people on the other end. The next few groups were children from various planets who were sent with escorts and a note instructing the escorts return.
Then were three groups of men varying in age from 13 to 55.
By the time the last five groups were sent, it was early evening and Marinia and Koji were alone, Vincent and his monkey having left for earth with the second to last group.
The mirage view of the last planet accessed faded then vanished with a liquid-like static sound. Marinia turned around and walked into the clearing customary in front of all portals. Koji was sitting on a large rock and Marinia joined him.
The sun was setting over the treetops casting an orange glow on everything it could reach.
Marinia leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
“So, do you want to head back now or camp here until morning?”
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