The Road To Rauru [Hexzerro/Onyx Leo/LuckyEights]

Levia gave a relaxed sigh after the other woman's response. Though it wasn't a complete lie, her story did well enough to earn their trust enough to approach her. She waits patiently for them as commanded, squinting her one visible eye to get a better look at just who had spotted her. Levia was not surprised upon learning that one of the figures was indeed a Gerudo warrior of some description, but with her was a Rito. A decently armed one by the looks of it. Moreover, both seemed much older than she was, and likely much more experienced in combat. A second swallow came involuntarily as they came closer, with the Gerudo pressing for questions almost immediately.

The genuine concern overflowing from these two was unexpected, albeit a little insulting, especially on the Gerudo's part. Though instinctively she wanted to be angry, Levia knew better than to act snide to someone who probably could kill her before she could even turn to flee. Before she could even think to answer the questions, however, the Rito woman behind the Gerudo and bombarded her with more questions. Levia's eyes - or the one visible eye - lit up with delight with how much she was being offered. Food, water...money! She could not believe her luck, but she would not dare pass up an opportunity to take advantage of it. For now, she'd play up the vulnerable traveler act.

"Wow...you're so generous to offer so much!" Levia gasps, feigning flattery and appreciation. "I'd hate to be a burden, but I am running low on supplies. I've been wandering for days..." She offered a smile to the two, trying to seem as innocent as possible. She purposefully had not answered any of the Gerudo's questions yet. She still needed to come up with a believable tale to feed her.

Nazirah put her face in her palm at Ciska's words, Rupees meant nothing in the desert, and food was easy enough to come by, but how readily the Ruto girl was willing to give out water was a bit worrysome.

"You may have noticed, but water is a bit scarce here. -she looked at Ciska as she said this next part- water is something we cannot safely offer ourselves, not in the middle of the desert. What we can do is take you somewhere you may be able to find water... provided you don't mind going to Rauru. -She paused for a moment to gauge the Hylian's reaction- now I know Rauru isn't the safest place to be, but if you come with m- us you'll at least have some protection, if only in numbers.

Nazirah paused for a moment, would Rauru's water even still be safe to drink? would the monsters poison the water or was the simply a myth. She spent far too long thinking this over before it occurred to her that Ciska was, supposedly, a monster expert, she turned to Ciska and asked somewhat embarrassed with a shushed tone

"Um, would the water in Rauru be safe to drink? Monsters wouldn't... poison it or anything right? I... hadn't considered the possibility until now...."

Despite herself Nazirah blushed slightly, though it may be difficult to tell in the night, she was equal parts embarrassed and worried.

Ciska was already elbow deep in her satchel bag before the Gerudo reprimanded her. Pouting slightly, she mouthed the words “Sorry!” to the stranger behind Nazirah’s back before sealing the pack back up. Though she disagreed with how safe it would be taking a feeble and, seemingly wounded traveler, into a veritable monster’s den, she waited to see the other girl’s response before crossing Nazirah and voicing her own objections. After all, this was basically the Gerudo’s backyard. For decisions regarding their survival, Nazirah should have the first and last say.

“Poison the... Water…?” Ciska echoed, blankly staring at the Gerudo for a moment before bursting out into a deep chortle. “HAAAAAAAAAAH HAHA HAAA! YEAH, yeah! Then they’ll just THROW ALL the edible food off a CLIFF, right? HAAAAHA, That’s a good one! That’s a real keeper! That’s, That’s…” Her laughter quickly began to fade as her eyes darted between the two other girls, neither of them so much as cracking a grin. “...That’s a completely legitimate question, isn’t it?... Yes it is. Glad you asked.” She added, clearing her throat to avoid the awkward silence.

“W-well…” She started, adjusting her glasses as she re-entered ‘serious-mode’. “If Rauru was in the middle of the Lost Woods, maybe, but… Most monsters need as much water as we do. Especially the intelligent beast-men. The water here should still be totally safe to drink. Just, y’know, with a possible added ‘Moblin-ey’ aftertaste.” She paused for a moment. “...Oh, but don’t worry though, you’ll get used to it! It has an interesting… Tangy flavor!” She assured!

Ciska nodded at the conclusion of her speech, happily satisfied that she could share her knowledge with the group. But suddenly, she snapped her fingers. “Oh!” She exclaimed, another thought entering her head. “Unless in these absent years, Rauru suddenly became a minor habitat for Cursed Spumes. Then we would all be, and pardon my Sheikah, ’Royally screwed.’ ”

It was difficult to maintain an understanding smile when Levia wanted to scowl as she was denied free riches. Rupees may not have meant anything out here in the desert, but their value is much more significant back home. Though disappointed, Levia could not stay mad for very long as she learns something about these two adventurers before her: all three of them shared the same destination of Rauru. What luck! With these two believing this deceptively feeble-looking Hylian to be in need of protection, the dangers that await seem to be completely a non issue. Provided that they were as formidable as they looked, at least.

It didn't take long for Levia to notice that the Gerudo and Rito made a very...peculiar pair. The way the Gerudo seemed so flustered at uncertainty and the Rito's lighthearted mannerisms threw her off. Her first impression of them were serious hardened warriors; the second they began to converse they almost seemed like a comedy duo. Either way, Levia agreed that it would be foolish for monsters to poison a water supply they had access in an area it was so scarce, but there are plenty of things she doesn't understand about monsters. She doesn't even know what "Cursed Spumes" are. She could only hope otherwise and decided not to worry about the details. Water was water, and she was running dangerously low. With these two at her side, however, she was certain she could make it through just fine. She might even be able to snag some pocket cash from under their nose if her fortune continues progressing forward.

"Actually," Levia begins to speak up, "It's funny that you've mentioned Rauru. Believe it or not, I'm looking to head there myself. I know it sounds crazy, but..." She chuckles awkwardly as she realizes that she has no good explanation as to why someone like her would be looking to head somewhere so dangerous. "...Well, point is, I'd be really grateful if you guys took me along with you. I know I don't look like much, but I'm no slouch in a fight."

"I guessed as much from your gear - Nazirah began as she regained her composure and addressed Levia - But you still haven't answered my question, what is a Hylian doing this far out in the desert? and traveling to Rauru no less."

With this she was about to cross her arms and give the Hylian as intimidating a look as she could muster, but a noise that Ciska may recognize from the previous day in the valley by the Gerudo fortress rang out in the desert; the noise of a moldorm separated from it's pack. Nazirah instinctively drew her sword and turned her back to her companions, trying to locate the direction of the sound.

The sound repeated, this time closer and followed up by another similar call. Nazirah bolted to the top of a nearby dune, and upon seeing what they were in for immediately turned tail and ran; fully expecting the two to simply follow her.

As the low gurgle of the noise reverberated throughout the area, Ciska’s hands quickly shot up to cover the nostrils on her beak. “Gosh, Nazirah! excuse yourself!” She voiced with a nasally tone as her gloved fingers covered the passage. “W-WAIT, I DIDN’T MEAN LITERALLY!” she added as the Gerudo suddenly darted past the duo and clambered up a nearby sand dune. As Ciska watched, she began shaking her head and clicking her tongue before finally turning her attentions back to the newcomer. “Poor thing, she must be so embarrassed!” she commented. “I’m going to go talk to her. Oh, and you should cover your eyes!” The Rito instructed before flicking her massive wings open once again. Moments later, she heavily flapped her feathered appendages against the ground, kicking up the dust and sand around her as she ascended into the sky.

“Naziraaaah, don’t worry! It’s a completely natru- Oh wow!” Ciska gasped as she approached the Gerudo warrior through the air. Her eyes widening as they beheld the large monsters that were rapidly closing in on the group. “We are so… LUCKY!” She gleefully exclaimed with a wide grin suddenly crossing her lips. “I can’t believe that we’re RIGHT IN THE PATH of stampeding Moldorms! Do you have any idea how RARE that is Nazirah!?! ...Nazirah?” As she turned to face her travel companion, she saw that the woman was already sprinting halfway down the dune.

“Nazirah! Where are you going!? How can I research Moldorm migration patterns if you’re running AWAY from them!?” She shouted as she swooped down in pursuit.

"Well, y'see..." Levia began before her train of thought was derailed by a sound she had not heard before. Something akin to a distorted growl that seemed to shake the entire desert right underneath her. Eyes widening, the young bandit slowly started to retreat her arms back into her cape, reaching for weapons in case something dangerous was coming. "That don't sound like a bowel movement to me..."

The Gerudo rushed back to the dune, sword drawn as the Rito follows suit, convinced that Nazriah was embarrassed. She was asked to avert her gaze, but she would do no such thing! Curiosity held her interest captive and she wished to know what had gotten the desert woman so riled up. She hears the words "lucky" and "right in the path" and becomes somewhat relaxed at the idea that whatever this was had to be harmless, if not also beneficial. Suddenly, there's shouting and Nazriah races past her with her winged companion flying after moments later, crying out in protest of her fleeing. As Levia watched, one word struck her attention. "Moldorms...?"

The sound of exploding sand causes the Rupee-eyed Hylian to whip her head back, spotting with a frightened eye the image of massive elongated figures looming over her. As quickly as they appeared, Levia turns and flees after the others, fear empowering her fleeting legs to carry her as swiftly across the sand as she possibly could.

"Why would you wanna study the thing trying to kill ya?!" Levia shrieks, rapidly catching up with the others to evade the giant worm creatures swimming through the sands behind them.

Nazirah couldn't help but laugh at Ciska's interpretation of her hearing the moldorms, though in retrospect she could see how one might come to that conclusion. Still, the image of a Gerudo running at full tilt through the sands couldn't have been very comforting.

"I don't think they are stampeding PERSE Ciska, they are hunting. They are almost certainly hunting US. I know I told you to to try and avoid flying, but since you're in the air, go find some solid ground. or at least solid enough, Moldorms aren't as tough when they can't swim this fast." all of this was said rushed and out of breath. She would slow her speed down to get more in line with the Hylian

"I don't know how well you can fight, but there is a very likely chance we are going to have to. My arrows aren't all that useful in the sand, but how attached are you to your bombs?" she asked the Hylian filled with adrenaline and (despite herself) smiling like a madwoman.

“Well where’s the fun in studying something PASSIVE?” she cheerily shouted back at the Hylian girl before gliding closer to Nazirah to hear her orders.

“Aye aye!” She beamed before flinging her right arm ahead of herself for a feathery salute. The sudden change in wing position then proceeded to spin the girl into a quick barrel roll, twisting her body away from the group while simultaneously granting her enough distance to fully spread her wings. It was no doubt a needlessly show-offy display, but when you have powerful wings like a Rito, it’s difficult not to be proud of your abilities. Plus, like her Gerudo companion, she was visibly having far too much fun, given the situation they're in.

Flapping her large wings again, the girl quickly ascended through the air. Easily rising above even the tallest visible dunes before finally settling at an altitude nearing one hundred feet. “Alright vision, I know sometimes we don’t see eye-to-eye, but don’t fail me this time!” She mused to herself as she scanned the horizon through her thick-rimmed glasses. Ahead? Sand. Behind? Rapidly advancing Moldorms. To the left? More sand. To the right? “Bingo!” She cheered in glee before diving back down to rejoin her companions below.

“There are some weird lookin’ rock formations due-west, behind those dunes!“ she said, swooping down and slowing her speed to fly alongside the slower leg-runners. “That’s probably our best bet, unless you guys came up with any better ideas?”

A strange surge of adrenaline rushed through Levia as she dashes across the desert sand. This was not the same experience of fleeing from soldiers or other such enforcers. Even though the threat of death was real, she was always confident she could outrun them. She has never encountered such a massive entity, let alone pursued by one. The uncertainty of whether or not she could make it out alive was as real as the possibility that she would never leave this desert. But that alone was not disturbing. No, what disturbed the terrified young thief most was the maddened grin Nazriah held when she found herself running alongside her.

"W-what's with the smile? Don't tell me you're enjoying this!" Levia exclaimed. It was then she started to realize that this was probably routine for the Gerudo archer, especially when the possibility of fighting Moldorms was presented to her. Now, Levia has fought monsters before; many smaller beasts that dared disrupt her met their fate at the end of the Raider's crossbow bolts, or more uncommonly her heel. This was greater than what she was used to. In her fear, Levia leaped at the chance to trust Nazriah's words; worst case scenario she would continue to flee if things make a turn for the worse. The fleeting strength of her legs had never failed her once. A part of her hoped it would not come to that; having escorts to the ruins of Rauru that were good fighters was invaluable.

"My bombs? What about 'em? I've got plenty," Levia responded as swiftly as she fled, "Though I can't say I know how much use they'll be on those things!" The sound of Ciska's voice catches her attention as she looks up above at the Rito. Rock formations to the west? Solid ground sounded good right about now. Being trapped in sand was starting to feel like wading in a sea filled with hungry Gyorgs. Her attention turned back to Nazriah, her terrified eye leering in expectation.

"You got a plan? 'Cause I'd love to hear it right now!" Levia demands, fear causing her natural snide tone to slip from her voice, effectively shattering the effort she made to appear passive in their previous interaction.

Despite herself, the adreniline continued to flow through her system and Nazirah maintained her smile

"We follow the bird to the harder ground, The moldorms have a harder time tunneling through the harder ground. We probably can't outrun them, so we need any advantage we can in the fi- FUCK!" as she was speaking the moldorms had caught up with the party, a juvenile leaping between the two, grazing Nazirah's arm. While Ciska was probably fine, the two grounded members where now effectively surrounded by the moldorms as they ran for the solid ground

"Throw your bombs as deep into the sand as you can! At this point you can't miss, and try not to get separated!" with this Nazirah began to try and get closer to Levia, though this was effectively impossible, even with her sword. The moldorms weren't going to be cut through easily.

"Nazirah!!" Ciska shouted out in panic as her companion was slashed across the arm by one of the smaller worms, a worrying sign of what's to come. As the rest of the pack began to overtake the girls, they would quickly find themselves surrounded by the slithering beasts. Ciska had read enough books on the subject to know exactly where this was going, as it was a fairly typical tactic for herding predators such as these. Cut off, and surround their prey from any junction, then circle in and devour them whole where they stand. Fascinating to watch in the wild, but not so much when it's about to happen to people you like.

Seeing all of this happening around her, Ciska shook her head and flew onwards. She violently flapped her wings as she rapidly ascended into the sky, soaring higher and higher at her toppest speed. She had a plan - dangerous, but better than any alternative. Like many predatory creatures that hunt from beneath the sands, Moldorms too track their prey by pressure and vibration. This was key, as she had a good idea for making some really big vibrations.

Finally content with her altitude, she flicked her wrists once more, dispelling her feathered wings in favor for lanky arms, as she began to drop into a free-fall.

Angling her body downward and facing the earth below, she unclasped the silver spear off her back as her body began to pick up speed. Pointing the tip directly at the ground, her legs then curled up to her chest before violently slamming back down against the air! "PLUMMETING BLADE!!!" She screeched as she suddenly rocketted down into a spiraling dive, as if she had just kicked off a solid object that launched her towards the earth at a startling 50mph!

Aiming herself a short distance away from the party, the incredible impact of a fall from that height should hopefully draw most of the beasts towards her. Hopefully between Ciska's efforts, and Levia's bombs, the resulting shockwaves would cause enough confusion to scatter the simple creatures, for at least long enough so the trio could reach solid ground.

With a gasp, the young raider braces herself as one of the monstrous sand-dwellers leaped between them. Had she not veered away, she may have been grazed too, yet instead her cape earns another tear. With an ally no longer visible and fear-spawned adrenaline overtaking her, Levia looks ahead of her, forcing her tiring legs with frightened will to keep pushing forward as she listens to Nazriah's words. As far as she were concerned, the advice of a Gerudo was her only chance of survival. and the way she shrieked a moment ago...the Raider needed to work fast before these moldorms overwhelmed them, and immediately reached into her cloak for her supply of mini bombs. Thankfully, she wasn't the only one to come to that conclusion.

In a deft motion, Levia throws open her cloak, throwing forth tiny objects just a few feet in front of her that become lost in the sand during the pursuit. She accelerates moving to push past where she had last seen them disappear. Only moments of her passing, the scattered explosions of sand and smoke erupts behind her...and one more, one louder impact arose not too far away from her after the cry of the familiar voice of the Rito. Levi's dared not to look to see, as though she hoped by hers and Ciska's efforts would deter the moldorms, she simply couldn't bring herself risk slowing down. She kept running for that rock formation, internally assuring herself that her warrior benefactors were savvy and resilient enough to reach safety themselves.

Being digging creatures, the shockwaves of both the bombs and the plummeting blade had temporarily deafened and confused a large number of the moldorms, giving Nazirah and Levia precious time to run unimpeded towards the rock formation, the plummeting blade had taken Nazirah by quite a shock, and even briefly knocked her to her knees before getting up as fast as she could.

Due to her short stop it was likely Nazirah would make it to the rock formation last, well after the moldorms had regained their senses and resumed their attack on the party, when she reached the rock formation Nazirah would first make sure to check on her companions, reminding them to climb the rocks if needed be, then worrying about getting higher herself, preferably looking for somewhere she could easily leap up between two rock formations.

She did spot one eventually, but she didn't have time to reach it, it seemed she would have to climb like any normal person, and so she made here way up the formation as fast as she could.

With the speed of the fleeting legs the raider had relied on for so long, it did not take her very long to reach the formation. Her cloak is thrown open upon the approach and the click of a defunct mechanism rings through the air. The three-pronged chained claw of Levia's trusty Clawshot stretches towards the height of the rocks, finding surface to latch onto, and immediately after whips the bandit up from the sea of sand below. She's forced to cling to the edge of a rocky surface when her tool retracts completely, looking behind her only briefly to check if those monstrous Moldorms were still pursuing. They were, of course, but with her safety no longer in jeopardy her concern fell elsewhere.

Now dangling with a tight grip of one hand on a stone edge, Levia withdraws her Clawshot in favor of climbing up safely upon that surface. She stations herself by the edge, drawing her crossbow and a few bolts as she sets her sights upon the climbing Gerudo below. Anyone watching could easily mistake this as betrayal, as the Rupee-eyed Hylian loads a bolt and sends it flying. The cry of a Moldorn erupts from the tension as a satisfied smirk finds its way across the sharpshooter's lips.

"Alright, freaks," Levia muses, her narrowing eye leering at the targets below, launching bolt after bolt at the sand monsters that dare try to impede Nazriah's climb to safety, "Now lets see you run for the hills...!"