When the time the time for sleep came, it was simply because his mind was exhausted from running through everything. So many problems kept popping up that his brain waved the white flag and simply shut down as a precautionary measure, lest the body it controlled and the spirit within suffer from a complete breakdown.
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Dawn brought about more issues. The first of which was the lack of Esgona. “He'll be back or he won't. I'm not going looking for him while I can help it.” Johan had needed to be awoken by Aryu, whose internal clock had done a perfect job of rousing him as the sun came up in the east.
The second more immediate issue was how Aryu could get out of the town without being seen. He had no idea if the place was full of people searching for him or if they had forgotten all about him, but it seemed the first was the slightly more likely of the two, and he attempted to hatch a plan to escape. Thankfully, the thing that made him a target also made for some decent getaway strategies. After an exploratory look around the floor they found a doorway to the staircase leading to the roof. If he left now before most people were up, the fuss would be at a minimum.
The last and most draining of the issues was the mental state of the two. Johan, physically, was a beaten piece of meat. The booze and encounter from the previous night were taking their toll on him heavily as the day grew older. He'd already been off to retrieve food and water, the latter of which he drank almost by himself before doling out some to his sober friend.
Aryu had gotten his few hours of rest, thinking about his questionable mission east. As he understood it, he had to accompany Nixon to find someone named Crystal Kokuou, an immortal Embracer that had been the bearer of the sword he now possessed. She was obviously a good person, or at least was for a long time. She was never hunted by Nixon during her time in possession of Shi Kaze, so it stood to reason. The time since then had seen her change greatly, Nixon had told him. She was more cautious about people and the world she was stuck living in. Apparently the false god, her ex-lover of untold millennia, had done a number on her ability to trust anyone fully.
Short on detail (as always), Nixon had told Aryu of the many meetings the two had over the years. He couldn't even say for certain that she was a completely changed person. He’d not seen her since he had awakened to clean up the mess left by the false god, but her dead ex-lover had clearly shaken her to the bone. Nixon was the first to admit that she may have long ago turned to dust. With so much time having passed, he couldn't be sure anymore.
All thoughts, stories, and fears he did not burden Johan with. Johan had his hands full as it was. Johan was tasked with leading a crippled, bitter enemy of his youth through the mountains to the Thunder Run, a perilous journey in the best of conditions, then up the valley along the Paieleh River to the Blood Sea, a place so far and distant from these men and where they'd come from it may as well be the moon for all the hope he had of getting there safely.
They never talked about these thoughts. They were brothers. There was no need. They ate and drank in silence, until the moment Aryu announced it was time for him to go.
Esgona still had not returned to their room yet, but Aryu had seen him hobbling to the water pump behind the building as he prepared to leave. Since he was still around, it was a safe bet he'd return to Johan and accompany him on the trip.
The two made it to the door to the stairs and went to the roof. The door was bolted shut, but a quick poke and flick of Johan’s knife and the locks flew off with ease.
Aryu marveled. Johan smiled. “I haven't found the thing it can't cut through yet. Not a bad little tool to have.” They both thought of the ease with which it had severed a limb.
Then, the weight of the moment hit in earnest. “Don't take long, Aryu. I can’t stand to be around that hobbling weakling alone.” Johan was clearly choking back his emotions, Aryu trying to do the same.
“You are my brother, Johan. Nothing can keep me from finding you when I'm done. Just keep to the plan: north, Huan, Thunder Run, Paieleh River, Blood Sea, closest town or city. Stick to that and I'll find you.”
Johan and Aryu gave each other a long, sad look, both saying with their eyes that this could be the last time they saw each other, but neither willing to say it. “We are the last of Tan Torna Qu-ay, Johan. Let's be sure we do them all proud, despite how each of us had been treated by them. They were still our loved ones, and they deserved better.”
The statement steeled Johan, emotions forced back in an instant. “You're right.” He nodded. “We do what we do for them, and one day we'll get our vengeance.”
A handshake and hug later, Aryu turned to go. “Tell Esgona, too. Honor or no, we're in this together now.”
Johan clearly didn't agree. “I'd rather it was just us, to be honest, but it is what it is.”
“I know how you feel, but trust me when I say he's been through a lot.”
His wings extended, careful not to be seen from street level three stories below. A quick test flap showed they were as ready as
