The Shattered Binding - Search

“I don’t get it. Why should we help her at all?”

Ga’Morkt had found the whole ‘adventure’ a waste of his time, and was more than eager to head on out after meeting the beastly broad. And now they’re planning to dig her out?

“She’s likely to bite all our heads off as soon as she can wiggle her ancient neck!”

"See? I told you the same thing!"

Snarls Higatami, pointing at Oremizume, who is looking at both of them with a deadpan expression. The blind Empyrian had joined the two after the Matriarch decided to allow the outsiders and her own Haedians to dig her out, convinced by an Haedian in the Forgotten Clan... Who conveniently forgot to mention how big their "mother" was.

Unfortunately, it seems that the two Empyrian shared the same thoughts: after all, the crystal-covered Haedian doesn't look too healthy of mind.

Oremizume wants to say that he knows it isn't going to happen, but... He isn''t so sure, seeing the state of the mind of that one.

The Haedians though, deserve to explore the world without feeling trapped here, to care for an elderly... Boulder, at that point.

"She will not, and even if she is going to... Let's just start digging from the back, that way she can't really reach."

He says, but his words do not really bring peace in Higatami's heart. She huffs, turning toward the enormous being. 

"If something happens, I WILL throw 'Zume in that old lady's mouth. Do you agree, Morkt?"

Ga’Morkt lets out a snort, his version of agreement with Higatami’s threat. 

As he stands there, staring upon the overgrown mass of creature and crystal, he ponders the lore of her predicament and why anyone would want to dig her out. She chose this, after all. And what would her freedom cost her people?

Somewhere deep within him, the voice of chaos whispers.. Unleashing her *could* cost a great deal, indeed. Perhaps it’s worth hanging around, at least. 

He looks back over his wing shoulder at the others, his twisted grin curling the trail of spots on his cheek. “I say this is the perfect opportunity to recruit some outside help. While we’ve all slaved down here, proving ourselves to these haedians, the surface dwellers have been ignorant of their ‘plight.’ It’s time they got their hands dirty!”

"Heh! I like how you think, Morkt!" 

Higatami laughed, and Oremizume nodded: while he doesn't really agree with Morkt on how the surface Reoseans were lazy as they didn't work down there, more hands mean less fatigue for everyone.

"Very well... How should we proceed? Do you want to go out and find some poor guys laying around and drag them back here?"

Oremizume questions, regretting it when he sees the light shining in Higatami white pupils.

"That's sounds great! We could even tell them that if they do not work, we will make the Matriarch eat them!"

"Higatami no-"

"Higatami yes!"

Oremizume sighs: those two are criminals, and might really try to kidnap people for work.

"Please, can we just... Write letters?"

“Letters?” Ga’Morkt repeats in a mocking tone, wrinkling his nose, but then he pauses, a thought tipping an ear up. 

“Letters~! Yes, that would work quite nicely. My wings have sorely missed the open air, and I can spread word much faster this way.”

Oremizume raises an eyebrow, but in the end he shakes his head and gestured the two to follow him, to a little camp they had set near the Matriarch lair.

"Alright... I'll write the letters, you can deliver- Well, Higatami can't read, so only Morkt can bring them to other people I guess."

Higatami scoffs, but doesn't argue as usual. She well knows that she wouldn't be able to deliver those pieces of paper without sight.

Oremizume grabs a feather, then looks at the blank pages on the little wooden table. He stands there for a bit, then he turns.

"...What do we even write? If we put that we need to save someone, maybe a few 'heroes' will show up, but once they see that? They will RUN."

He says, thinking at the appearance of the Matriarch. Even if the crystals are beautiful, the empty eye sockets and the size of that lady will send anyone unprepared running.

Higatami opens her mouth, but Oremizume shots down whatever she is going to say.

"NO. We do not deceive others saying that there will be a nice payment."

"Awww, you are no fun."

“You’re the bleeding heart out of the three of us, Zuzu,” Ga’Morkt sneers, “Why don’t you think of something?”

"Fine, FINE. I will figure something out... You two, get ready."

Grumbles the Runner, while he paws at a feather half dipped in ink. He isn't really that great at writing, his words always look messy and jumbled together by splotches of ink... But if they really have no one else to do that, he will... Not willingly, of course.

As he huffs, he writes letter after letter, all the same as if they were a single piece of paper multiplied with magic.

An endless 'Hi, we were hoping to-' and 'The Matriarch agreed to us helping her' copy and pasted with the ink on the white sheet of paper.

Once he is done, he folds the paper after it dried, throwing a bunch of letters sealed with bright red wax to the two Empyrians.

"Now go flap your wings."

He growls, annoyed and a bit embarassed by his own poor writing. He really hopes that the ink stains will not deter any possible helpers.

Ga'Morkt secures his share of the letters in a satchel across his chest and gives his traveling companion his version of a farewell, before heading to the surface for the first time in what felt like years. 

He could hardly stand to crawl the distance up the caves, but it would not do to damage his wings so close to seeing the sun again. 

His plan is clear, and he knows of some choice places to drop these letters. He would head there straight away.

Oremizume sighs, and turns to leave the stack of leftover paper, only to run face first in Higatami's wing.

"...Why are you still here? Ga'Morkt already left."

"Uh..."

Oremizume feels his round ears flop on his skull. Of course, she has no idea on how to get back to the surface. The Vayron grabs a pouch, ties it around Higatami's neck and then he start pushing her out of the cave.

"Wait- Whoa! I have no idea on how to get back up there!"

"Then, you'll deliver the letters nearby down here."

"Down here?!"

Oremizume tries to not roll his eyes too hard, as he is starting to have a very strong headache.

"YES. Down here, deliver the stuff to the Haedians. Now, GO."

He growls, not with real hate behind it, but it lights a fire under the tail of the Empyrian, who crawls out of the little tunnel as if she is pursued by a hundred wasps. The Vayron can only hope that the two will find some help for all the digging they will need to do.