"So, Violet... Yallarie?" Jordan- as was his eternal inquisitive want- was aching to know more about this strange word. Its meaning, its relevance, all of it.
Violet paused mid-step, tumbling a bit as Jordan nudged them along. "Oh, yes- I had intended to mention that, didn’t I?" Despite everything, she shook her head amused.
"That you did. So what’s it mean? Is it a term of endearment? A slur? What language is it from? How do you use it in a sentence?" Peppering the hin with questions, Violet shook their head- waving off Sera, board at the ready to strike. Jordan's curiosity was endearing.
"Alright, alright, calm down… ‘Yallarie’ is a term from Hin society. One of the only words surviving from the language… I believe you too-talls would translate it as ‘walkabout’, I think." Violet had to ponder for a second.
"'Too-Talls?' Really- that’s what you call us?" Sera held the board up, unamused.
Raising an eyebrow, Violet strained her neck to meet Sera’s stare. "Yes. Especially the case of you four; Thorin doesn’t nearly break my neck to look in the eyes of." Jordan cracked up laughing, nearly doubling over. Sera seemed so unamused. The others- listening- shared some glances with each other, shaking their heads. Thorin smirked a bit, because he had a similar line of thought.
"Though I digress. From my understanding, Hin society is… not rigid, but there’s established order and routine. At some point in their lives, all Hin go into the world and explore. Trying out all manner of lifestyles, questioning the way of the world- this is how outside ideas are brought in. Some Hin go off for a few months; others never return. At any rate… Yallaren is the event; it can also be used to describe the person. Though children use Yallarie- either is fine."
"And I guess that was used to explain your disappearance?"
Violet’s blood ran icy. She’d never thought of that; but supposed it would be true. Giving a little nod, they closed their eyes… Memories came flooding in. Opening them again, a sadness washed over the Hin- so many thing she wanted to forget. Jordan went to inquire more, but Sera- looking out for Violet- whacked him over the head with their board again. This had become a regular occurrence- but in this particular case, the hin was appreciative.
~
Silence was something now comfortable to the group of six adventurers, the rustling of leaves in the breeze the only noticeable sound around. Calm before the inevitable storm... Sera opened the door for them all once more, everyone slipping inside. Jordan lit a torch- and by the time everyone else got in, Violet's purple hair swung as fading light caught on it. She didn't want to wait- there were more pressing matters on her mind. Though she did pause at the edge of the light.
"Mind waiting for the rest of us? Or at least someone who can watch your back?" Sera tipped their head to a side- corners of their mouth twitching slightly upward. It was the Storm Genasi’s version of a smile.
"Yeah, yeah- why do you think I waited?" Despite herself, a smile twitched over Violet's face as the rest of the group caught up. The six of them began travelling down the tunnel once more, careful to turn at the point they were told to- Sera made a chalk mark when they left, so they would be able to find their way back. Eventually the group resurfaced in the trees as promised, a good hour away from Highdell. Here the trees were thin, but sufficient for hiding. Nearby, however, stood something much more... curious. A circle of Standing Stones- twelve in all, with a much taller stone in the middle. Etched onto each face of the circle, a different creature- a beastman, a dragon, a werewolf, just to name a few. Everyone marvelled at them, Jordan studying it intently.
"Fascinating... It's some kind of magical sundial- perhaps portals to these different creatures? Or a method of magical control, dependent on what the dial is set to? I don't know... I've never seen anything like this; it's well beyond my magical knowledge..." Into his book went some notes.
"I hear something. We should hide." Just as Zenric said, the caravan holding the tithe. Eight guarded it- while the leader drove. Understandably, the eight were on high alert- looking around for anything unusual. Thorin, Asriel and Silver hid behind the stones beside the road; Jordan and Sera took cover behind the stones farther back. Violet perched above Asriel, hanging just out of sight, until the timing was right…
Sunshine faded away behind the clouds- perking a couple slavers up mildly for a second or two, but soon it was dismissed. But it was all the distraction needed… All the slavers heard seconds later, were swift whips of wind- before blood gushed forth. The two closest to the leader collapsed; one in serious injury, the other in death. The one farther from the stones had his torso pierced twice, while the closer felt an explosion of pain, rib cage audibly cracking under sudden and unexpected assault. Eight pairs of eyes turned to the stones, and the extra shadow falling from such; standing atop one of them, illuminated by silvery sunlight, stood a haunting figure. Purple hair and black fabric fluttered in the wind- a maniacal grinning Hin woman staring them down. It was her- the Violet Assassin their fellow slaver from the failed river assault warned them of, before being taken away for his punishment. And here she stood now, eyes of death locked onto them- sling already in action, the Hin at the ready once more. They knew their time had come.
Frantic, the slavers moved to grab bows and arrows- but re-thought their plans on the fly. Three heavily-clad figures came forth, weapons swinging on the closest slavers- the man with the broken ribs cleaved by a golden-painted axe, while a broadsword and mordenkrad took another down. From the other side of the stones, exploding acid and two arrows of hardened water finished the man with the bleeding torso. They weren’t warned in the slightest, and it showed. All five grabbed swords, loosely surrounding the three heavily-armoured men. Blades gleamed, some slick with fresh blood as they found their marks. In turn, Silver's broadsword and Thorin's mordenkrad darkened with more blood- neither side really gaining ground over the other. While that conflict drug on, the leader pulled throwing knives out- taking careful aim and letting them fly through the air toward the stone Violet stood atop of...
"Kill the rest; that violet-haired bitch is mine." The knives found their mark- crumbling the stone beneath Violet's feet, knocking her off. Moving in, a dagger appeared- etching itself deep between her ribs, pinning to the Stone. Blood splattered the ground, the leader twisting the blade out.
For a heartbeat, there was a pause, and then... Violet's laughter cut through- freezing his blood momentarily. "Fine... If that's what you want... Let's dance." Getting to her feet, she pulled her own dagger. "Jordan, Sera- back the shield wall. I've got this one."
Two battles took place simultaneously. Five on five dominated the main battlefield- the clash of swords, axe and mordenkrad. Blood soaking the ground from all parties, healing magic washing over the shield wall as necessary. Rains of acid and fire soaked the field and rendered it even more dangerous on all sides, while arrows of water pierced through the slavers’ flesh. Arduous as this was, the five adventurers eventually gained ground- whittling the slavers down one by one. Meanwhile, Violet and the leader entered a deadly dance- dagger blades and splattered blood drenching a much smaller area within the Standing Stones. Blow for blow, each of them whittled the other down- Violet was taking a serious risk, but she knew the score. She was their target- and without the leader's tight control over the others, it was much easier for the other five to whittle their forces down. In addition, even if he killed her, she would have ensured their lives. And paid part of an ever-lasting penance on her soul.
Near the end- when only one or two defenders were left- Violet felt herself thrown against the central standing Stone, the sickening snap of bone breaking echoing in the clearing. Immediately the leader followed up on this assault, kicking her to the ground. Gasping, feeling her ribs caved in, she could barely hold on. Grinning, dark and twisted, he jumped for her throat- only to be thrown violently aside, colliding with the beastman stone. Thorin stood beside her, chest heaving- despite his own grievous injuries, he couldn't leave her to die. "Violet... Please tell me you're-"
"Don't you dare!" Everything screamed in agony as the hin got to her feet. Violet back-swung as hard as she could- slamming her knife through the leader's heart. Twisting as hard as possible, a chunk came out on her dagger- his corpse crumpled, blood splattering all over the warlord. But in return, the leader’s last action was to shove a blade into the hin’s side- nicking the bottom of her heart. His final thoughts were of vindication.
Just after Silver cut the last slaver in half beside them, Thorin dropped to a knee, bracing against his mordenkrad. A beat passed, everyone trying to catch their collective breath… Dangerously swaying on her feet, Violet felt the world darkening- the blade falling out of her chest and clattering on the ground. As she lost consciousness, she barely felt Silver's scaly hands catching her body.