The Defect

Before you begin, it should be noted how various names/words be pronounced. The digraph SH no longer represents that sound, SJ does. Shas, S-has. an J preceeded by an E at the end of a name or word changes to EV. Dalnej, Dal-nev.

More chapters will become available as they are unearthed.

The Defect
Chapter 1: Dankenil

The boy with his charge deftly weaved his way through the crowded bazaar. There was no room to think, actions dictated everything. The cacophony of bartering, conversation, and sales pitches filled the air without recourse. Luckily, his employer employed the best in his little business.

He held the cloth wrapped package tight and close. His directions were to take a right immediately, proceed until the second left, third right, first left, and down at the very end of the avenue to Änzes' shop. The boy bounded his way through the crowd, narrowly whiffing the garb and feathers of the residents.

"Watch it boy!" yelled a perturbed shopper.

"Gotta run!" he responded, disappearing into the chaos.

At the third right, he entered a street covered by tattered sheets providing welcome relief from the Suns. It seemed noticeably more congested in this area, but he pressed on regardless.

"Watch, top left..." rang a wispy voice in his head.

He swivelled his head in time to see a rather precariously positioned rack of bladed instruments free itself from its makeshift roost of crates, coming tumbling down to the sandy ground in the middle of the street. The warning succeeded in letting him avoid potential injury, or worse: a delay. The courier boy skidded to a halt with unnatural reaction times to onlookers, kicking up a small dust cloud as he did so. As fast as he stopped, he started up once again and left before any questions could be asked.

"Thanks..." He muttered under his breath.

Following his final left, the avenue opened up to a large square, one that was holding a slave auction in the centre. This was not unusual, but what caught this attention -- and that of many others, was the presence of venerable Vi Tal Koli Vanguards. Those men stood stoically as the auctioneer introduced the many slaves to the crowd. Most were the standard: military deserters, orphaned girls, treacherous boys, and women. It was slightly surprising to see a jungle Asjee present among the slaves. Not taking into account the circumstances, his appearance looked rather amusing to the natives. Any moisture giving his feathers a sleek and shiny sheen having long since forsaken him, his feathers' barbs frayed, and the feathers themselves stuck outward more in general. Making him look like a fuzz ball compared to desert dwellers.

Though it was difficult to tell because the grey masks, he could for sure feel the unnerving gaze of one of the Holy Soldiers set upon him with. Meeting his stare with his own, the boy meekly slunk back into the crowd and continued along his way; mentally shaken.

The boy reached his destination (thankfully) without anymore setbacks. Änzes' shop was past rush hour, having only a few patrons browsing the curious goods she stocks. Änzes wasn't present out front, but her daughter, Dorens tended to the shop floor. She lowered her expresser feathers and squinted her eyes (an Asjin smile) upon noticing him.

"Hello Korisj! Good to see you." The girl greeted.

"Hey Dorens, sorry I was a little slow this time... Weapon rack almost fell on me and almost bowled over a another kid... Big crowd in the plaza..." He solemnly explained. Dorens placed a taloned hand on his head as reassurance.

"Don't worry yourself kid! The buyer hasn't even shown up yet, and I'm sure my mother will be more than pleased with you." She smiled once again to Korisj, whose features lit up. "She's just in the back, go bring that to her."

Korisj traversed the store of oddities that was Änzes Drol Anaakel, Änzes' Wonders. Makeshift shelves housed odd works of metal, stone, bone or anything really. Some of the more extravagant pieces were old doodads from the jungle and beneath the sands. The most notable being an ancient Froe Dalk crest helm with an image describing dance and performances. A piece that would surely be burned by the Froe Dalk today, but it provides an interesting or humorous take on the brutal clan to the north. Or perhaps the title belongs to a tablet sporting an arrangement of odd millipede-like insects swarming a curved sword.

Behind a curtain of cloth and talons sat Äznes with her beak buried in a scroll. Her middle aged eyes trailed upward and acknowledged him.

"Good, you've arrived." She got up from the old rickety nether cap stool and promptly took the package from Korisj.

She wasted no time unfastening the bindings and removing the cloth covering. Beholding the broken top half of a hook blade made of glistening silver with intricate engravings depicting a great march over the desert. Flags the group had planted could be seen along the way, and the picture abruptly ending where the blade had been broken.

"Ah... this is the one. Good work boy," she produced a small sack of jingling coins and gave it to him. "And that was surprisingly fast too, the buyer hasn't even shown up yet." She remarked as her daughter did.

"I was just trying my best, I don't think I was that fast though. What's so special about that one anyways? I've delivered lots of things like that before."

"This one depicts the Vi Tal Koli journeying over the desert after they were exiled from Tyonah. This is half of a hook blade from that expedition. Effeminate men and women were given silver weapons, and many chronicled the journey on them. And I have a buyer who is willing to pay a hefty sum to obtain objects such as these." She explained and meticulously wrapped the blade in its cloth once again. "Are you done for this waking?"

"Yeah yours was the last delivery I had to do. Can I hang around here for a while? I don't think it’s busy anymore." He asked as he tucked the pouch securely into his waist belt.

"Don't break anything, and you'll be fine." Äznes plainly replied.

"Thank you mistress!" Korisj bounded off out of the back room.

Dorens rapped her talons rhythmically on the small petrified nether stalk counter as she watched the crowd outside dwindle. A small breeze flowing in from the windows ruffled her flowing head plumage.

"Sell anything neat today?" Korisj asked and plopped his arms onto the counter, which was only recently made possible because of him growing taller.

"Oh by the Parents!" Dorens jumped, startled by the sudden appearance of the pubescent boy. "How do you move so fast and quietly?" She asked as she clutched her chest with one hand.

Korisj broke out into a small fit of laughter. "I didn't mean to!" He pleaded, followed by multiple giggles from both. "I just wanted to know if you bought or sold anything cool."

"Well, it's not much, but I did sell an old bone carving of a cezengaux. Sold it to a fellow who had a few other tokens hanging onto his armour, it looked like he was from Kyil from the colour of his feathers; said it reminded him of home." She explained, having found her relaxed position leaning on the counter once again.

"Oh!" Korisj piped up, "I saw a jungle dweller in the slave auction today, he looked much frazzled."

"Really, I wonder how he ended up way out here?" Dorens pondered.

Her thought was interrupted by the sound of clanking armour enter the store. Enter a man of military stature much akin to a Vi Tal Koli Vanguard. His feathers were considerably more beige than Korisj or Dorens' own, and he wore his head plumage much shorter than the public norm in Dankenil. A number of fractures and blemishes were present on his beak and eye sockets, including one of the three male ridges broken off and a chip taken out of the top lip of his beak resounding into a lengthy scar streaking across it. His disolk and khasdnol were decorated with many accolades and various trophies. A set of rugged Jiktan Shas blades hung loosely onto his hip, the short sword lying atop the hook blade. And of course, the sigil he bore was the Sigil of Victory; the iconic split circle with its halves plumb to each other.

"Hello sir! And welcome!" Dorens enthusiastically greeted.

He nodded from a distance and approached the counter; Korisj could just barely see over the counter to witness the imposing figure.

"Yes, greetings. I am Vi Tal Koli Derhursj, I believe this is the establishment which I had ordered from?"

"Ah, yes, venerable Derhursj. I will inform my mother that you've arrived." Dorens said and left for the back room, leaving Korisj with the patron.

Derhursj made a cursory appraisal of what he could see of the boy. "You seem young and promising;" he began and leant one arm on the counter, "are you in the military yet?"

"I, uh, I'm actually not a member of any clan. I rove around the area with a caravan, and I'm a courier when we stay in Dankenil for a little while."

"Watch your words..." the ethereal voice warned.

"You must've been from one of the outlying villages."

"Watch your words..." the voice range once again.

"I was, my home had nothing for warriors, and my plan was to get some experience in the world and grow up before trying to be accepted into a clan." Korisj told his half truth with moderate sincerity.

"Hmm... seems reasonable enough. But if you're strong of arm and heart, clan Vi Tal Koli would revel a chance to have you." He remarked and rose from his relaxed posture and stood attention upon noticing Änzes approaching.

"Greetings Commander Derhursj," she greeted with a bow of her head. "Your order has arrived and is ready for purchase." She placed the clothbound parcel on the counter.

Derhursj unwrapped it delicately and examined the ornery pearly shine laced with engravings. His features betrayed a smile, something that evidently doesn't grace his face often.

"This is exactly what I've been looking for," he said gleefully and produced a coin purse easily ten times that of what Korisj was paid for delivering the piece. "180 Kal and 20 Ent, as per our arrangement."

Änzes unfastened the sack and emptied the contents onto the counter and counted them with amazing speed, grouping them together with lightning fast hands. 180 silver pieces, and 20 platinum.

"Looks all good to me, pleasure doing with you business." Änzes thanked with a curt nod.

"Yes, yes thank you very much maternal Änzes. Enjoy the rest of your waking hours." He crossed one arm over his chest plate in a clan salute before turning on his heel to leave. He stopped just before the exit curtain and looked over his shoulder back at the group. "And boy, remember: the clan is always eager for strong men, and I have no doubt you'll leave most in the dust."

Korisj wasn't sure how to feel about his coaxing to join the Vi Tal Koli, or any clan for that matter. Änzes paid the last remark no heed and proceeded to stash away the payment in the back room. Dorens came up from behind and placed her hands on Korisj's shoulders.

"Buying his sales pitch?" She asked.

"Huh?"

"I mean, boys your age are usually drafted into the military to train until they fully mature. But you're not of a clan, being a roving type and all." Dorens lightheartedly explained.

"I don't know. I'm not sure if I even want to join a clan."

"Why not?" She spun him around to face her and kneeled down slightly to get on head level with him. "I don't know about strength, but I DO know that you're the fastest and most agile person I know. There are plenty of fighting stances that benefit from speed more than strength, like Jiktan Shas, or Ūes Nan. At the very least you'll be able to protect the caravans better if you know how to fight."

"But I would have to join a clan to get training?" He scrunched his facial features in thought.

She sighed and deflated her shoulders somewhat, her face taking on a frank expression. "As far as I know that's the only way. I know it must be hard, but you're at that age now. People might look at you funny if you're not in uniform or have a weapon at your side. You have so much potential, and I don't think it can be fully realized loading cargo and running packages to and from places." Dorens avidly expressed her opinion to the boy.

She patted him on the shoulders and rose from her kneeling position and smiled at him. "You should probably run along back to the warehouse, maybe think on your way there."

Korisj returned the smile and nodded with some visible conviction. "Okay, I will! See you next time I come around!" He called out as he rushed for the exit of the sandstone building.