Precarious Position

Hers was a precarious position to be in, being very obviously a foreigner. Voah wasn't expecting to find herself in the den of an organization this large, she assumed the derelict building housed few more than she had followed.

This post into which they were carving notches and the resulting hurrah was indication that something special had been accomplished.

Who were they? A secret society? Criminals? Brigands? Whoever they were, they were outcast. Feared and rejected by the people. Not unlike herself, but Voah sensed something sinister in these "dark robes". For now, there was harldy any wisdom to glean from them until she gained a better grasp on the language or actively caught them in some nefarious deed.

When see spotted the older man with white eyes, it brought her back to the memory of Omen and her companions on the Odsier Plains. He seemed to be smelling for her. Immediately, Voah slid her Holy Sword from its sheath and back up into the shadows of the hallway.

What plausible explanation could she provide if she was discovered? It was unlikely they would understand anything she said other than a plea for mercy, nor would they care, she assumed. All of the possible consequences of being caught ran through her mind, none of them seemed to have favorable outcomes. It was best to retreat for now and perhaps continue investigating further later. She knew their prime location now.

As she turned, she heard the rushed footsteps of another dark robe quickly approaching the entrance, his shadow already in view of the doorway. As he rounded the door, Voah gasped and ducked into a side door containing a desk, storage containers and a stairwell. This latest addition made fourteen dark robes.

There was some commotion as the elder man spoke to the new arrival. In Voah's nervous imagination it sounded as if the elder was questioning the man about a scent that carried along the wind. The man answered as if reporting something and there was laughter as he called a late cheer to his brothers and sisters.

Before Voah could make an escape out into the hallway, several steps came from the second floor as a small group of dark robes casually moved down to join the others. She had no choice but to make like a rat, small and silent, hiding herself behind some storage containers in a small nook beneath the old stair. Dust, sand, and debris hit her from above as the men and women descended. She winced as it fell past her hooded scarf and onto her face.

There she remained, sweating in silence, for what seemed like a quarter of a bell at least, as the dark robes milled about in nearby rooms, halls, and the garden, sharing a sense of comradery and encouragement between them as they conversed. She breathed slowly, trying to steady her pounding heart. The sun was setting and she knew Gonyaul would already be home and expecting her. Thanks to the late arriving dark robe, it seemed the elder man was contented to shrug off the possible presence of an intruder.