Epsilon Twilight
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3. Haste
🕑 Added 2024-09-07 11:40:56 +0000 UTCGrowing used to the neck-breaking speeds brought by the haste internal infusion was hard. The beginning had been the worst part of them all. Aloe had trained with the stoic Naila Asina on how to make her mind used to the acceleration of the speed stance, but the practice was a whole other world compared to the real deal.
If it weren't because she could switch to toughness by reflex alone, there would have been another person she had killed.
The best method that had worked out was to take long strides instead of small steps as if she were normally walking because she wasn't. Her knowledge in physiology paled in comparison to what the young sultanzade might possess, but if she trusted someone in the speed stance, it was that maelstrom of blades and violence.
Imitating Naila, whilst far from recommended, was what guided her this far. The princess had never taught her these movements, Aloe just recreated them from the many training sessions she had observed.
Putting a foot first, waiting for it to touch the sand, and leaping with it to the next step allowed her to reach impressive speeds. Aloe flew across the sands; the speed of six people wasn't anything to scoff at.
It did help that she was fearless with her steps, she honestly didn't believe that any fall at any speed would kill her because she could switch to toughness in time, but every fall was a mandated rest she lost time with as she still needed a few minutes to switch back to her haste infusion. Besides charm, speed was the stance that brought her more difficulties to activate.
Running across the never-ending and ever-repeating dunes was a tedious endeavor of both mind and body. She had too much time to think as she was freed from everything, herself included.
She tried to do everything automatically. Walking, running, resting… If she felt thirsty, she would drink. If she was hungry, she would eat. If she was tired… she always was, the only moment she rested was when her body gave up and begged for the sweet release of death.
Aloe didn't give to that cowardness. Tried not to.
Not only had she pondered about that for months, but doing so now would be a disservice and an insult to Jafar. If she allowed herself to die, then his death – and Fikali's – would have been for nothing.
For better or worse – especially for worse – Aloe had to live for those who were behind her.
Only one person in the world had the right to kill her, and she was barely ten.
As for her destination, the murderer had none in mind. For the time being, she headed to the east, the exact opposite direction of Sadina and Asina. Though after multiple hours of restless running, she had come up with the resemblance of a solid idea.
She would try to cross the frontier, yes, but not the close northern one. Instead, she opted for the eastern-most frontier with Loyata. Not only the frontier was outside of the emirate of Sadina and was instead on the poor emirate of Felcun, but right after the border with Loyata, there should be one of the biggest northern ports. Catching a ship in Ydaz would be impossible and a death wish, but doing so in Loyata should be manageable.
And with enough luck, there should be enough traders that did speak Ydazi for her to communicate with, though she didn't bid on that.
Being unable to communicate did infuriate her, but she had never once thought of leaving the country, let alone escape from it, so it wasn't as if she had bothered to study any foreign languages.
Ah, but where should I go? South is the only way forward, but which country? A bordering one like Pincerare or one further away like the frosted peaks of Seviren? They say that in Infume molten rocks flow on the ground like water. There were many wonders in the world, and being trapped in its nightmares for long had made Aloe ache for those faraway places.
A small feeling of wanderlust warmed her, only for her tired body to remember her that it was no time for tourism or dreams as she was a wanted woman.
As much haste as she had, Aloe knew that she couldn't run all day. She had tried though. At noon, when the sun was at its most oppressive state, she found a big rocky formation that provided enough shadow to take cover underneath and shifted to the regeneration stance.
Whilst it was far from a long rest, the recovery internal infusion did allow her to rest sice as fast as she normally could. Virtually getting an hour of rest in just ten minutes. She was, nauseatingly, untirable.
Fatigue did accumulate, but short rests like those were invaluable. If Aaliyah had sent any of her children after her, she wouldn't have had any chance, for if she was doing such feats of strength and endurance with this pitiable vitality, who knows what an experienced sultanzade may be able to?
Soon enough, the glaring problem of the night became obvious. The danger was threefold.
First, it was cold at night. Very cold. And while her clothes were meant for traveling the desert – day and night – she lacked any semblance of litter. No sleeping sack, no tent, not even a pillow. Though the last one could be improvised.
Second, it was dark. She tried using the sense stance, and sure enough, the enhanced senses of acuity did allow her eyes to pierce through the night. But donning such a stance meant she was no longer running at her utmost capacity. It was almost laughable because one hour of haste-boosted striding was almost half a day of walking.
Third, and most worrying, monsters. They weren't called the creatures of the night for no reason. Staying unprotected at night meant risking an attack from a monster, and not the cute kind like the dwellers.
Traveling at night was far too dangerous for far too many reasons. She still didn't know if she was being followed, that was paranoia speaking. The only thing she could guess with precision was that Aaliyah had made her a wanted woman just out of spite. It would cost the woman nothing to do so, just a word.
In a way, it was better to move slowly.
In a very farfetched one.
There would be people looking for her these days, especially near Sadina and its border with Loyata. But if she took her sweet time… perhaps the sense of alertness would dwindle.
But that didn't sit well with her. She wanted to be outside the emirate of Sadina if possible. While Rani hadn't expressed much disdain for the assassins, the same couldn't be said for Naila who she had heard badmouth them more than once.
Perhaps the muscled princess had taken offense in training an 'assassin' like Aloe and would personally hunt her down.
Honestly speaking, that was the worst-case scenario.
Aaliyah would never personally hunt her, Aloe was too insignificant to get that attention, but if a master of the speed stance like Naila – even if Aloe currently had more vitality than her – decided to hunt her down, it would be problematic.
Maybe Fatima would join too if only to steal Aloe for herself instead of hunting her down.
Those were her destinies if she failed. Killed, captured by the assassins for heavens knew what, or a slave to Fatima Asina in more than one sense.
She almost wanted to puke again just thinking about it. Fortunately, this time was easier holding it in for the sole sake of not having anything in her stomach.
For the time being, as the moon shone dimly on the night sky and the rest of the stars didn't provide much light either, Aloe resigned to search for the best rocky formation she could find under the guidance of acuity.
Rocks in the frigid night of the Qiraji couldn't compare to even her shack in the oasis – even the ashen remains that were now – but at least she was covered from the wind. It may not seem as much but considering she didn't know where she was beyond the vague direction of east thanks to the sun, she couldn't tell if this was a sandstorm-prone area.
Aloe curled herself around her backpack, sandwiched between two massive rocks, and thought of nothing as she tried to sleep. For she had nothing else in her life now.
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