Nyxeria's eyes fluttered open slowly it had been a rough landing; in her many years of life she hadn't felt body ache, but if this was what it was like it was certainly not pleasant. The noise of two older men talking slowly entered her consciousness.
"I know about the reward, but how are we going to convince the King, or anyone for that matter that this girl is what landed here? They will think we have gone off the deep end!"
"Vern we can't leave her either though…if we show them where we found her maybe they will be convinced!"
The two seemed to be bickering about a reward, but Nyxeria didn't bother to listen further and sat up. The two men stopped arguing and looked shocked as Nyxeria stood up her short frame barely made it up to their chests in terms of height.
"You two" she pointed at the two men "tell me where I am." Nyxeria looked at them with her piercing crimson eyes.
"Brother what's wrong with her eyes, they have an odd color and are shaped oddly."
"Shut up you idiot!"
"I'm sorry milady, but maybe you didn't notice, b-but you are naked…"
Nyxeria looked down at her body and shrugged it wasn't something she an immortal who had lived for nearly fifteen hundred years at this point was concerned about, snapping her fingers and the inky substance that surrounded her flowed up her body forming a dress from the substance giving it an almost organic liquid look and feel to it.
"Now don't make me repeat myself."
"Of course. Of course! My name is Vern and this oaf is my brother. We are from the local village. We found you laying here in the middle of the forest and thought we could help you."
"Brother..what about the re—" the other man was cut off as Vern jabbed his brother in the gut to be quiet.
Nyxeria nodded as she thought about what to do first. These two locals didn't matter much to her, but they would at least be useful to point her in the right direction. "I need clothes and to find the nearest city, please. You will be rewarded for doing so." Nyxeria said no fluctuation in her voice.
"Leave it to us! If I may milady!" Vern held out his hand to help her up the steep incline.
As Nyxeria ascended the incline of the crater, she couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that washed over her. The vibrant greens of the forest clashed sharply with the dreary, shadowed realm she called home. A pang of longing tugged at her heart for the familiar gray curtain that constantly blanketed her home, shielding her from the harshness of vibrant colors she found here.
The man known as Vern who apparently was his brother followed her up the incline "You find yourself in the Kingdom of Oriaet we are on the outer edges of it now. The capital is at least a three-day ride from there, but the local Lord could possibly help us if we introduce you!"
The men trailing her, Vern and his brother, seemed eager to assist, their words tumbling out in a bid to be of service. Vern's attempts at politeness were overshadowed by his own nervousness, emanating a palpable scent that nearly made Nyxeria wrinkled her nose in distaste. Mortal odors were something she hadn't experienced firsthand, and the reek made her acutely aware of the foreignness of this realm.
The woods were much different from her home. The trees were filled to the brim with life and she could feel the untamed wild energies from many different deities filling the very air. It was both intoxicating and nauseating at the same time. Nyxeria figured her first goal would be to subjugate the local kingdom and enforce some form of worship to her father. The bright and shiny nature of this land would have to go first that was certain.
Her crimson eyes scanned the horizon as she emerged from the woods, the dying light of the sun casting elongated shadows across the landscape. A small village with wooden walls sprawled before her, a quaint settlement attached to a weathered keep with slightly sturdier defenses.
"Hemsted is the nearest town. Lord Garet is who oversees this land." Vern said, leaning closer to her ear than she cared for.
"Don't get too comfortable with me once you show me to the leader you will be rewarded and go on your way" Nyxeria responded not bothering to look back.
Nyxeria wasn't particularly interested in mortals she never had been. Unfortunately, she was like her father in that way.
Based on her arrival she was certain it had alerted many people to her presence and therefore she needed to get a solid lay of the land as soon as possible.