A Sample of Something New

The Avenue of Heroes. The widest road in Kyurei stood lined with the great heroes of the past. It was natural to feel a little awe entering this area of the city, though Zarya suspected her awe came from a different source than most. There wasn’t a single Lhika here, but they had built this tribute to a history not their own. Splitting the Districts into two halves, the Avenue led both towards and away from the Arena.

East, towards the brighter, red sun, laid the ‘dry’ Districts of the Tase, Nuba and Pofe Tribes. West lay the ‘wet’ Gake, Lebo and Kode Tribes’ Districts. This so-called neutral place was the only area in the city her people could claim, even if it was because their ancestors were buried beneath it.

She was snapped from her usual melancholy as she felt Jacut’s hand on her shoulder. “I need to make sure my kualpi is cared for, if we’re going to be away for a while.”

Blinking to cover the immediate disappointment she felt, she asked, “Can’t you do that after I show you the skimmers?” Her workshop wasn’t far from here. Workers couldn’t afford a property on the Avenue, but she had used every scrap of influence she had as a Warrior to secure a small plot.

“We need to leave as soon as possible,” He replied. Did he know that he wiggled his head when he talked, she wondered. The feathers he wore only made him look more like an overgrown bird. “We do anything we need to do, then leave from the skimmer stable.” Raising his voice, he asked the rest of the team, “Anyone else have business to sort before we go?”

The Tase, Kiyan, was the first to answer. “I’d like to catch the kechyo game before we head out.” Zarya rolled her eyes. Like most Tase, he wore the bare minimum of armour; an elaborate breastplate, greaves, boots, and bracers, but left the skin on his shoulders and neck bare. His mask was similarly sparse, its triangular shape covering only just enough cheek to avoid scandal.

“Things that need doing, lava-drinker,” Jacut replied. Movement caught Zarya’s eye, and she turned to see Iolathe’s hands moving quickly through the Kode’s gesture-speech. She tapped Jacut and nodded towards her. He looked for a moment, then shrugged. “Did you want to say something, Kode?”

“She is saying something,” Ksana replied. Studying the movements, she held up a hand in one of the few Kode gestures to make it to the other Tribes. Stop. “I couldn’t catch all of that, dear. Slower, please?” She was attractive. That much alone made Zarya jealous of this Water Tribe woman and her streamlined armour wrapped around her curves. As Iolathe signed Sorry, she realised she might envy the Gake’s personal skills as well.

Watching carefully, Zarya caught most of what Iolathe said, but Ksana translated for Jacut’s benefit. “‘I’d like to make sure I’ve got enough arrowheads as well. Could I come with you to Lebo District?’”

“Sure.” Jacut shrugged. “Anything you need, Nuba?”

The warrior in question was even shorter than Iolanthe, but his pitch-black armour was layered enough to make him twice as wide as Jacut across the shoulders. The jagged lines continued into his apparently eyeless mask, making it hard to distinguish his shape until he turned his head. “Where is Ranam exactly?”

“To the West, I guess?” Jacut shrugged.

Kiyan snorted. “That could be anything from the Spike Mountains to the God-Robot’s crumbling head.”

Wind began to circle around Jacut, but before anything more could come of it, Ultan spoke again as if nothing had happened. “Then we need a map. I’ll get that. Kiyan, Zarya, I may need help.” Her name sounded strange when he said it. Ultan drew out every sound he said, until a word took up a sentence.  

“Then I’ll take the girls to get arrows-,” he paused as Iolathe corrected him with “Arrowheads.”  and Ksana translated. “Sorry, arrowheads. We’ll meet back here, under…” He looked up to the statue’s name, “Zaria Ironhands…” his voice trailed off and he looked at Zarya.