"Nothing ever is, everything is becoming."
― Plato
Ven led the way to the lowest deck as the woman scrambled to keep up. He followed the woman's points and gestures, until the two finally reached the deepest section of the lowest hold.
Here, a group of slaves pounded on a large metal gate. A doorway that required a much larger key than any Ven had found.
Sounds like someone is trapped inside as well, but that door looks pretty thick.
The cat-woman addressed the group of slaves, who gave Vendak a mixed bag of looks as they rushed away from the door. Ven ignored them as the Cat woman called out to the people on the other side. Once the sounds stopped, they exchanged a good number of shouted words.
Finally, the Cat woman approached Ven once more. She gestured back and forth between him and the door, then balled up one fist and smashed it into her palm. She gave one more gesture, then stepped out of the way, and watched Ven expectantly. Vendak paid no attention to the beast-kin who watched, and walked casually to the metal door.
This reminds me of the door I opened on my first real night of freedom.
It was smaller and weaker, as the first one had remained untouched by time for who knows how long. Yet this door made him think of the moment he had started his new life. For a moment, Ven imagined himself imprisoned beyond, unable to escape. A sense of suffocation pressed against him, and the walls pulsed closer for a few seconds.
Vendak pushed back against his brain's rebellion and stretched out his clawed hand. His fingertips dug, deep into the metal surface. Braced against the frame, Ven twisted.
The metal protested, a shriek that echoed throughout the ship. Beastfolk who stood close enough fell to the ground, hands on their ears.
Ven ignored the noise and pealed the door away from the wall like foil. Under the horrified gazes of the ex-slaves, he continued to fold the thick gate in on itself. Within a few seconds, Ven reduced it to a crumpled mass. A compressed ball that hung weakly from a single hinge.
Ven turned his attention to what lay beyond the doorway, his head tilted to the side. This place looks like a fancy hotel, or some kind of mock palatial estate. A crystal chandelier hung from the deck above, and the floor had thick fur carpets. Several privacy screens divided the spacious room, with at least three oversized beds sectioned off like separate quarters.
Crouched together, not far from the ruined doorway, a small group of beast people gazed in horror at Vendak's shadowy form. Three men and one woman stood between two young beast people and Ven. They arrayed themselves in some defensive formation. Their hands trembled around the makeshift weapons they gripped. Ven dismissed them as a threat.
Hmmm, this group all have horns, not animal ears., and they're dressed a bit... posh.
They wore clothes that made Ven think of Royalty, or perhaps the members of a religious order. Robes that flowed around well-polished armor, and belts made of soft fabrics. However, at the moment, their behavior matched poorly with their rather pompous outfits.
The two teens, who seemed to be the most important of the group, remained crouched partially out of view. They looked alike enough that Ven assumed they were related, maybe a brother and sister? Their tear-stained faces looked toward him in fear. The others were likely their guardians, or perhaps elders of lesser status that held the two youths in high regard.
Ven gave them one last look, for curiosities sake, before he turned and walked away. They were best left for the cat woman to deal with. It was best he kept out of the way.
At this point, my communication skills amount to grunts and hand gestures.
Ven made his way, back up through the many decks of the now ownerless ship, and rooted about in the various rooms. He'd focused on eliminating the crew as swiftly as possible. Nothing else had registered as he murdered his way through on his first trip.
Most of what he found wasn't very useful, but he did store anything that looked like currency within his pouch. He also found several sets of clothes. After he donned a simple grey tunic and pants, he added a weather-worn fur cloak and his muscles relaxed. A tension Ven hadn't known existed flowed away.
Finally, I'm more at home in my skin now that it's covered.
Once dressed, Ven continued his purposeful journey. Eventually, he entered the Captian's chamber. He was about to smash apart a door he'd discovered, hidden behind the Captain's desk, when a light flashed in the corner of his eye. To one side of the large oak desk, slightly hidden in the shadows of the poorly lit room, was a full-sized mirror.
Ven hesitated for several seconds. He set aside the assault on the hidden space and walked up to the silver-backed glass. As he looked into the reflective surface, an unfamiliar face stared back at him. The image caused him to lean back slightly, and Vendak raised his hand to poke himself in the cheek.
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"Hmmmm..."
A soft hum spread through the air, a discordant note. It disrupted the peace, the stillness of the tranquil lake before him. Circle by a ring of smooth black rock, the water held a reflection of the moon. Light and shadow, locked in an endless game.
"Fate is shifting... destiny has been rerouted..."
A huge turtle stomped free of the lakebed, one eye black, the other white. His heart pounded as he gazed into the sky.
"Nothing is certain anymore, but the way has opened!"
The ceaseless march toward a predictable end was no more. In its place stood everything he'd dreamed of. A narrow path that led to a beautiful conclusion.
"AANGOR!"
The turtle's holler echoed across the water, a herald for a bright flash of light. A great ape, armored in thick plate, bowed low.
"Yes, my master, how may I serve?"
A glint passed through the turtle's hollow eyes. He smiled at his most trusted friend.
"We have much to discuss, and much to do!"