it flows through old hushed Egypt and its sands
like some grave might thought threading a dream,
and times and things, as in that vision, seem
keeping along it their eternal strands
Faex. He does not recognise the language; nor does Ariel. The two of them strain toward the sound, hoping for other senses to take the place of sight. The darkness about them is heavy, heavy in the way many blankets are heavy, something slightly oppressive. If one lets it, it might be comforting—but Orestes was in no mind to let the darkness comfort him he, a man so accustomed to burning light.
I am sorry… I did not mean to startle, only… it is rather dark.
Orestes nearly laughs. Ariel is not so wooed by the plaintive voice.
Ariel, Orestes half-pleads and half-demands. Just light the darkness again. Down here, far from Solterra’s burning sun, Orestes magic will not light. His tattoos, which normally emit such a calm and consistent glow, have gone silver with a lack of magic. Ariel obeys and the entire cavern is lit by brilliant, almost blinding light.
Orestes blinks it from his eyes and looks off after the voice. He does not recognise her, which means she is not one of his citizens. But that in and of itself does not mean anything bad. In fact, some of the kindest citizens he had met were outside of Solterra. “Nothing to be sorry about. My Bonded just prefers to be cautious.”
Yes, certainly. Because you never are. Ariel accuses through their link.
The lion slinks away, displeased by the new company. He continues to examine the strange crystal sarcophagus. Ariel is trying to remember something the world forgot, and is not having much success.
Orestes watches him, a little embarrassed, before turning his attention back to the woman. “I apologise for the rather rude greeting, but… these are strange times. I am Orestes. I don’t believe we’ve met?” Around them, Ariel's light glances off in every direction, and dies down some long, black corridors leading further into the catacombs.
caves, pillars, pyramids, the shepherd bands
that roamed through the young world, the glory extreme
of high Sesostris, and that southern beam
the laughing queen that caught the world's great hands.
"Orestes" || "Ariel"
