_________________________________________
Time is running out.
I can tell it is because of the way those eyes look at me when we talk. The tone of his voice. Coldly, like I’m just his prey. Where there was understanding, friendly camaraderie or warmth there is little affection left; All three of us know, after all, that distancing yourself from a kill makes everything hurt less.
But not yet.
I’m still useful, I’ll bet he's been told. They'll use me until I bite the hand that feeds- Yeah, sure. Like we ever needed their garbage to begin with.
Vaalynth’s laziness and greediness are his detriment. You promise him food, beer and people to spend time with, and he's pleased. He's a good worker when you can get him out, though, I’ve grown up seeing him work and talk up merchants and do all sorts of odd jobs.
Legal ones. Not whatever this shit is.
These ones have you killing yourself along with your victims.
Myself, I could've done so much more. Worked with people, studied and wrote encyclopedias, or done whatever else. Hell, if I had to go back to farming for a living, it beats all of this shit. Maybe I wasn't lazy like my brother, but I was also blinded by opportunity. It felt like I needed to get out of a small town and see more of the world.
So we were never wanting for anything. Just something more. Entertainment. An opportunity.
Vulture grew up an orphan and a scavenger and took whatever work he had to do no matter how it damaged him. Got preyed on by beasts bigger than him. He's barely a hunter in his own right, only does what he's told so he has food and security. Don't forget what the family’s done for you; That kinda thing.
If the Vulture needs to kill me, its for his boss’ own goals and not his own.
I beat myself up for my brother’s bullshit. I wished I could've been more capable of changing his mind. As a little sibling, the dynamic you have in your head is that you can't stand up to your older brother. Hell, I thought he was so cool. That he knew something everyone else didn't.
Wish I realized that none of that was true. Wishing doesn't do shit. After years of lying down and letting Vaalynth and the others just drag me around…
I look into Vulture’s eyes in the same way. He can tell.
“Egret…. You ever think of changing stations? Maybe ye’ll be something more like a Tiger elsewhere.”
“... No. Doubt you have, either.” I avoid breaking eye-contact or fiddling with the book in my hand. Vaalynth is in the front, driving our cart. He'd have to be stupid to not understand what was going on by now. “Why a Tiger?”
Vulture taps his foot slowly- He was always the more anxious one, having to stay idle in some way or another. “Heard they're noble. They bring good luck.”
I snort, “So, y’think I bring good luck.”
“Yeah, well,” He fiddles with his pocket, “You know. Powerful, graceful.”
“Solitary. Stern. Maybe untameable? I catch yer drift.” I eye him. Whatever he was getting at, I think he was getting the wrong idea. Maybe he wanted a clean cut, but it wasn't like him to worry about a mess. Hell, maybe he liked me. I open my book, leaning back, “I’m not leavin’ Vaal behind. Y’should know that better’n anyone.”
Out of the top of my eye, I see Vulture lean back with a deep sigh. I grip my book tighter. Time is running out.
___________
I've already trained myself not to sleep deeply. Still, I will myself awake most nights, napping where I can. I trust my brother, but I feel unsafe around Vulture.
One night when I’m given a proper room to sleep in, I procure the supplies I need. Some I've been hiding away for some time- Sheets of paper kept carefully and fine ink. We burn most of our orders, but I've scoured enough of them to know how to forge it pretty close.
Hopefully close enough.
A document that implores us to meet a named contact at the Temple City in the Free Lands. Instructions are detailed, requiring us not to cause disruptions or leave evidence of our passage. I mail the letter back to ourselves at another town.
It takes some days, and then some weeks, and we finally smuggle ourselves onto the boat.
“Never been on anythin’ like this before!”
Vaal looked rejuvenated at the thought of traveling someplace completely new. Still deserts, but more steppelands, and the forests nearby- I watched his eyes light up like a kid’s. He now stood with me at the harbour, hands on his hips, staring up at the huge boats. We were waiting for Vulture’s prep and watching people haul crates onto ships.
“Ain’t it a bit scary?” He glanced down at me.
“What, yer afraid of a boat?”
“Yeah, well!” Vaal raises his head again. Tilts it this way and that. Taking too long to think of some explanation or a comeback.
“I’ll hug you if yer scared.”
He huffs with indignation. “Y’know, like, what if it flips over, is all I meant. Or if y’fall overboard, y’won’t be seein’ daylight again.”
“Won’t be seein’ much of anythin’, I bet.”
“ ‘cept maybe some fish.”
___________
We smuggle ourselves onto the ship.
I’ve taken it that my challenge has been accepted.
Ever the predator, I wait.
And wait.
We both know it. One of us will be dying here. The timing just needs to be right.
Vulture is always expecting me, and I’m always expecting him.
We wait.
___________
“Not like you t’want to talk ‘bout family.” I mumble around my cigar, leaning against the mast.
“Never been this far from home before, either. Feels weird.” Vaalynth seems to be looking into the darkness or something. When he was younger, he hated thinking about home. I could even remember a time when it made him angry- I think it just makes him anxious. “Y’think Elluin’s gonna wonder where we’ve gone?”
“Hey, well, we’ll send more letters. You wanna scrap some now? Bet yer handwriting’ll look great on a creakin’ boat.”
Vaal scoffs. “As if. Yeah, tho, maybe I’ll write home more.”
___________
“... You excited fer Temple City?” It's just a place in the world. A place I can take him away to that we won't be bothered. “Wonder what kinda people we'll meet there.”
“Yeah.” I can hear him fiddling with his gloves, “I wanna know whose there, too.”
___________
We sit in silence for a while.
___________
Time’s run out.
I swear I could feel Vulture’s eyes on me in the darkness. After sitting for a long time, I sigh and shakily get up, helping my brother up with my free hand.
He’s been struggling with his cigar for a while, I notice. I take it from his hands, and after tossing the wet thing aside I pull him into a hug.
He's not given much of a chance for any confusion.
I don't look at Naravath’s face as I turn him around, gripping him by the back of his collar. I pull the trigger.
I shouldn't be surprised at how quickly he goes limp.
Even though Nara’s such a heavy man, I should be able to carry him easily.
I watch Ekoln- A short man, lean and underweight and with a single arm- Manage to take my kill and toss him overboard in no time at all.
I’m left alone with a polite, pitiable look from a goddamn scavenger who couldn't even leave me a few minutes with my brother’s body.
Even though Nara disappeared instantly, I was left alone to stare at the black water for a long time.
_____
A few days later, Vulture asks Condor if he's excited for Temple City. Condor asks, with all the good in his heart, what Vulture is so excited for.
Vulture has to think for a while, but shrugs and looks pleased enough with the bullshit answer he comes up with,
“Bet we'll find some new opportunities there.”
_________________________________________
You're not a snake, and I'm not an ocelot! We're men, with names!
I wanted to finally practice some proper writing! Here's a key for character names for context:
Vaalynth (Vaal) = Condor. He's my PC on CI, and Naravath's older brother. He left home originally to meet new people and have new experiences. On CI, he's now about 10-15 years older than he was here.
Naravath (Nara) = Egret. Condor's younger brother. He started traveling with Condor at a younger age, also interested in people but from a more anthropological standpoint. He took it upon himself to start protecting Condor's hide and do his dirty work for him as they got older. Egret is the speaker for the majority of this story.
Ekoln = Vulture. Condor's recruiter and business partner to him and Egret. Condor also sees him as a romantic partner. A lot of context of his motivations can be gleamed from his namesake, really.
Business? = Bounty hunting and smuggling ring. The naming scheme comes from their station; In the region that these three operate, they're given bird-related codenames. Fun fact, egrets are patient hunters while vultures are timid and, you know, scavenge. They'll wait to clean up whatever scraps are left from the hunters.
Further context, I bought my first tarot deck and wanted to test it out for story-writing here! I always had this part of Condor's backstory go this way in my mind, but having the cards solidify what I wanted to write about really helped, haha. I might've gotten readings wrong or omitted some parts that ultimately didn't work out, but here was the spread:
Introduction: Four of Cups (Reversed)
Inciting incident: Five of Cups
Challenges: The Chariot
Darkest hour: Three of Pentacles (Reversed)
Triumph: Seven of Swords (Reversed)
Ending: Page of Wands (The ending changed from the drafted concept. Oops!)
