Another cog in the murder machine

The lion isn't sacred when not sleeping near the lamb The stranger's voice was cool. Pleasant — a pool of dark water. But she regarded Korri with veiled skepticism. He did not necessarily take offense. It was the wise thing to do here in this place. Fortunately, she did not seem prepared to attack, though he noticed the slight — so very slight — change in her expression as he mentioned Halyven. Here curiosity glinted an answer in his own eyes. Hadn't he felt something so very similar when he first learned about the kingdom of Halyven? Where had she come from? It could not have been a place like Osslen. Her build was all wrong — but.... But. Korri nodded as she repeated the name back to him, but he laughed lightly in answer to her second question. "To be perfectly honest, I haven't been here very long. This place is called the Rift. It.... takes things. Like you! And like myself. I was here in this very forest not long ago. The natives call in the Portal." He wondered if this was a lot to take in. But she had keen eyes, this mare. He suspected she would understand it all. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to try asking, Korri also added, "Actually, I returned here in search of my friend. She's a raven with one eye. Maybe you've seen her?" He tilted his head, feigning mild interest though the strings of his heart sang with hope. Please. Though he doubted any positive answer. No one had seen Auga. Auga was good at not being seen when she wished. So what was she doing? He fell silent, meditative, before the stranger spoke her own name. Baal Raum. A strange twist of syllables to Korri's ears. He blinked, shoving away his frustration with his own situation yet again. He needed to gain some emotional traction, stop thinking about Auga (though how to stop?). "A pleasure to meet you, he responded pleasantly. "My Kingdom...is far away from this place." Korri nodded as she said that. He thought, though he wasn't sure, he detected a hint of sorrow in her voice. A hint of fury as her tongue rolled over this place. Understandable. She must have come from somewhere she loved. Somewhere good. And what must that be like? "You remind me of wheat." Her next statement took him entirely by surprise. Korri started, his eyes going wide. Wheat? He blinked at her a moment before he laughed — sincere laughter. "Is that so?" Thoughtfully, Korri shuffled the wing tipped with dark feathers. "They say our mother goddess' blood ran strongest in my father's line. That is why we shine this way...." Something veiled in his eyes as his voice lowered. There had been nothing holy about his father, Korri was sure. And nothing holy about himself. He snorted. "To be honest, my own birth home is also far from this place." He left out the bit about it being underwater now. "I don't know of any way to leave the Rift once entering, unfortunately. You're welcome to return to Halyven with me, if you like. Some there have been here much longer than I have. They may be able to help you. And there's safety in numbers, if nothing else." He realized he wasn't selling Halyven very well, but he felt a strange compulsion to be at least partially honest with Baal. He didn't know how trustworthy they were. How good. He wore their name alongside his for now, but he had worn other names in the past. He couldn't.... in truth, he couldn't tell her anything other than what he just had. It is evil when it eats unless it's feeding from the damned.

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