Sands of Time

[MacabreFox]

Standing in the midday heat, Robeline stood alongside her scouts, clothed in nothing more than a hide skirt, that was frayed at the edges and revealed her legs on the sides. Her bosoms were covered only by a bone breastplate, through which one could see through the bits of bone to her skin. Their warpaint leering outward like a mirage. She had spotted some strange white skinned travelers making their way through her territory.
"Miu, how far away are they?" Robeline asked, turning her heterochromatic eyes to her lead scoutess. One of Robeline's eyes was a pale lavender, the other was a rich gold.

Miu, a tall, willow like girl looked to Robeline and gave her a toothy grin, though her teeth were very crooked and stained green around the gumlines. "About two or so clicks away." Robeline weighed her hyena bone axe in one hand and glanced back at Miu who continued, "We could easily surround them, and capture them. The one at the back looks weak. We could kill him off." Miu spoke, her voice thick and scratchy. She closed one eye and shifted her weight to her other foot, lifting the foot she previously stood on. Miu looked like a crooked flamingo. Robeline nodded, capturing the white travelers would bring in fair cash. They could sell them to the Zenobaian marketplace. Or even carry them off to Al Jerba. That would fetch more of a price.

Robeline sighed and ran a hand through her thick, lush brown hair, like the colour of wet henna. She looked to her scout warriors and nodded to them. Kherpi, a darkly tanned human, lifted up his obsidian javeline and made a high pitched yelp, which sounded like that of a hyena's, three of their scouts broke away with him, leaving the other three to Robeline. She grinned, looking to Miu, they would surround the group and capture them. Robeline split down the side of the sand dune, disappearing from view. Her elven ears were adorned with several jewels and trinkets, and tinkled as she went bounding away.

(Below is Robeline's bone breastplate, and the desert landscape to give you an idea :3)

[CaptainQ]

In the previous days before, Hugh and his other acolyte companions were excited to go on their pilgrimage through the incredible water scarce desert. But no amount of fore warnings from the higher priests, who had successfully made the journey could truly prepare them for the immense hardship they were headed for.
The idea of the Pilgrimage was to starve the man's soul of all of his worldly needs in order to reach a higher understanding which would bring him closer to god.
The two High priests lead a small team of about a dozen acolytes, all of their bodies being shadowy silhouettes against a sun scorched horizon. None of the naive acolytes really understood what it was like to have their blood boil until now, to have their mouths open agape in desperate attempt to suck any water out from the air was a double edged sword. It was like breathing sand that congested and mummified their lungs, yet they knew that they had to have oxygen to keep going. To simply collapse on the hot sand in some effort to rest was to simply lay in a frying pan filled with simmering, hot oil..
--
However, during the first week the two high priests found that one of their watering holes had been completely spent, which would mean that they would have to take a different route this time and that also meant possible confrontations with the natives...
They knew about the surrounding inhabitants of the desert and on some occasion tried to make contact with them, but cultural stubbornness got the best of both sides and tension between the civilized faith and the more 'barbaric' faiths have increased dramatically.
Unfortunately, in sneaking into one of their territories meant that they would also be at their mercy. If the lord wishes it, then it will be so.
--

Hugh had torn the sleeves from his robe so that his arms could basically bake in the sun and turn red, thinking that some how it would help with ventilation and sweat...
Not a chance...
Many of his acolytes had to make the compromise of discarding clothing in order to escape from their own perspiration or keep cloths on to block the sun rays..
As he continued on in a linear line, single file across the sand, he could have sworn he can hear his brain frying.
But this is what it was for.. to nearly kill you in every aspect so that one could just touch the realm of god and come back down again. So with that logic in mind it helped him not to hold any sort of resentment towards his superiors.
However he was a little worried to be going off course in a bit of state of emergency, but he was too hot to really have anxiety over it.

[MacabreFox]

They moved quickly, Robeline padded silently along the sand dunes and steppes, making her way to the group below. Kherpi would stop the group up front, and she would come around the back. Her hair was threaded with beads and feathers, a skull of a baby crow hung from one of her ears. Robeline almost looked feral, in her wildly tattooed manner, and unkempt hair.

Kherpi and his group came up the front. They truly did look barbaric, even devilish, some might say. He had his hair braided in rows and piled high upon his head. Small bones were woven throughout and shining beads dangled on his chest. He gave a loud whoop, and his three companions came up beside, their vicious looking javelines aimed at the two acolytes that led the group. "Stop. You are in our land." Kherpi growled, advancing forward. He glanced to the back and saw Robeline approaching from behind with her trio.

Robeline grabbed the nearest acolyte, the strange white haired man, and pulled him close to her. Placing the sharpened, filed points of her hyena jaw bone against his throat. "If you do not surrender, I will kill him." Robeline said with a menacing tone. Miu gimped forward, flapping like her strange crane self and grabbed the closest acolyte near to her. She drove her falchion against his throat as well, gripping one of his wrists in her free hand.

[CaptainQ]

"waaugh!" Hugh gave a noise when suddenly they're party was ambushed. The two priests at the front were abruptly stopped by a surprisingly wild and intimidating native tribe who immediately put spears to their faces.
And then Hugh was suddenly grabbed from behind as he brought up the rear of the line of acolytes. Before he knew it, he had a weapon to his neck being man handled. He tried turning his head slightly to see who had him by the throat but her grip was firm on him.
Hugh stood still, the sun's rays having sweat him out of all thought by now. He was a panting, tired dog.

Some acolytes transformed into their elevated forms in response, golden holy disc's appearing on the backs of their heads and their eyes washed out shining bright with white light.
But the Two high priests turned their heads sharply at them and commanded them, "No! Stay down" They wouldn't stand a chance against seasoned warriors. The defensive Acolytes reluctantly with drew back to their normal forms, looking around at their captors.
"I-im sorry if we've gone a little too far but" one of the high priests looked back at the daunting tribes men in front of them, blocking their way. " The watering hole just south of us has been depleted.. We have no water. If you help us, perhaps we can settle this in a trade..? or- some sort of bargain? we hail from the northern cities, we bring small dagger weapons,shoes or maybe.. even heal some of the sick?"

[MacabreFox]

Robeline snapped, "You trespassed on our land. No deal. No bargain. We will take you to market, and sell you." Her voice was sharp and very cruel. She would share no pity to these acolytes. She had to maintain her status as lead warrioress. Miu had braided rope tied about her waist. She untied it and spoke to them, "We're going to tie you up now. Don't fuss and we will not hurt you." Miu siezed Hugh's wrist and tied his wrists together. She moved quickly, weaving in and out amongst the acolytes, before long, they were all bound with the braided rope. Kherpi looked to the two high priests and barked, "Move forward."

Robelin remained by Hugh, taking note of his strange white hair. She reached up and touched a tuft of it. "You are not old...your hair is strange." Robeline said as she nudged her foot against his calf. "Walk or I will cut your throat." She ordered.

Their camp was not far off from where they were, and they would reach it soon once they began to walk.

[CaptainQ]

Hugh gulped as not only he was captured by some feral, wild woman which would probably be any other man's secret fantasy; but it had appeared that she was the one running this whole operation.
'Really? A woman?' he rose an' eyebrow which no doubt was a shared gesture amongst the two high priests, who had to turn around to look at her. The high priests' were a little taken aback and for a moment even with their multitude of years of study, tradition, and education, they were at a profound loss of words.
And so, the high priests let themselves be tied and bound on the same grounds of their Acolytes. In a second, they were dethroned and seen as indiscriminate among their students as another outside foreign power had taken over for the time being.

Hugh did what he was told and made no attempt to escape as a girl took what little freedom he had left. He was scared but the girl did say if he didn't move, they wouldn't hurt him and so far she had yet to give him a reason to doubt her. He had to believe her for his own sanity.

So, student and teacher were forced to walk together as equals in a way.. but some acolytes simply could not accept the fact that they had just been foiled by a foreign, primitive and savage society who knew nothing better.
Three students who were condensed in the middle suddenly yelled in frustration and anger, transforming into their elevated forms and tried to turn on the tribespeople that were corralling them. Unfortunately in their efforts to over throw the natives, they also dragged the more submissive and passive students with them into the fray.

[MacabreFox]

Kherpi stopped the procession of the group upon hearing the yelling. He whirled about and drew out his javelin. He launched it, aiming for the head of the rebel acolytes. His three warriors moved in on them, and saw their elevated form. They stopped and began to murmur to themselves quietly.

"Silence!" Robeline shouted at them. "Miu, restrain them now!" She ordered her. Miu dipped her head at her leader and moved in towards the trio. At her hip, she carried a pouch, reaching into this pouch Miu pulled out a strange red powder.
"If you want to die now, then so be it! This powder will turn you to dust." With that, Miu flung the strange and mysterious powder onto the elevated acolytes whom were glowing. Their shamaness Kalona had managed to make a concoction that turned things to dust. She had mixed together, blood of their enemies, rust from their arrows, bone from the hyena, and prayed to their Goddess and Consort to give her an almighty potion that would turn anyone, anything to dust if it were thrown upon, or ingested.
Miu, being an apprentice to Kalona was allowed to use her potions, thus granting her the reason as to why she had it in the first place; not to mention that Miu had first witnessed the effects of the rust-red powder.

When ingested or thrown upon, the skin would begin to dissolve rapidly, revealing the muscle and tissue that lay beneath, the powder worked quickly, eating away the entire being until nothing remained, not even bones.

Miu stepped back and watched, curious to see if the acolytes would be effected by such a deadly potion.

[CaptainQ]

The three rebellious Acolytes suddenly were taken by surprise from a puff of powder. They stopped in their tracks and rubbed their faces and eyes to try and rid of the mysterious concoction but their cries of surprise had gradually become screams of pain and complete panic as their skin was being eaten away.
The pilgrimage of students and priests alike watched as the three eventually fell to their knees, desperate for any source of relief some of them had even begun to try and rub some sand on their now exposed muscle and flesh. But nothing could save them as their faces had suddenly melted into mere skulls, their voices quickly dissolved and so their skeletal remains had finally dissipated into the sand.
--

Hugh was only able to watch for a few minutes before having to turn his head away from the gruesome scene. He shut his eyes tightly and grit his teeth as he was unable to put his hands to cover his ears. "..M- make it stop!" he yelled over their painful screams as everyone else was basically forced to witness the monstrosity.

[MacabreFox]

Robeline, out of a kind gesture, placed her palms over Hugh's ears. She shouted at the group, "Do you see what will befall you, if you do not move forward and cooperate? Now move!" She growled. With that she removed her hands from Hugh and nudged him forward gently. Miu replaced the pouch at her hip and smiled gaily. Now that the group of acolytes knew what would happen if they resisted, she doubted that they would give them much trouble afterwards.

That left Kherpi to lead the group. He pulled on the braided rope, yanking them forward. He made sure that they walked for his warriors had surrounded the group, along with Robeline's. He moved up the sand dune, and sure enough their village was in sight. It was a small encampment. With poorly constructed tents. They were thatched together with hay, brambles, pieces of cloth and the like. In the center of the village there was a large fire pit, still smouldering from the previous night. Several children were out and about, playing a form of soccer, by kicking around a turtle shell. Many of the village elders were seated beneath the only tree within 100 miles, they just so happened to build their camp around it. The other villagers, particularly the women, wore simple dresses made from what looked to be burlap. They were elaborately tattooed. Having several around their wrists to signify what clan they belonged to, how many children they had, and who their husband was.

As Robeline pushed the group of strange, white acolytes into her village to the smouldering fire pit, she was suddenly swarmed by the children, many of them were nude, or half-nude at that. They leapt up and down shouting at her in their native tongue.
"Sen beyaz garip insanlar! Biz, onları? Nereden?" You brought strange white people! Can we eat them? Where did you find them?

Robeline laughed heartily and placed a hand upon a boys head, "Hayır oğlum, yiyecek. Onlar bizim misafir, ancak köle olması için satılan market. Bunları Al biraz su, lütfen." No my son, you cannot eat them. They are our guests, but slaves to be sold at the market. Fetch them some water, please.
The boy gave her a toothy grin before running off. Robeline looked to the group and pulled roughly on Hugh's arm. "Sit down all of you." She ordered them. Her group and Kherpi's group began to sit down, javelines lying between their legs, their tanned skin glistening with sweat.

(The photo below is that of the village's tents. Just to give you an idea as to how they are constructed and what they look like.)

[CaptainQ]

Usually this didnt happen, but hugh had a sneaking suspicion that the leader woman was favoring him because of his unusual hair, maybe it had some sort of ritual meaning. He was thankful for her gesture of kindness and for a moment he thought that maybe things would be alright, even when she gently nudged him forward at least she didn't yank on him something fierce.
Effectively she commanded out to his fellow acolytles as to what would happen to them if they did not coopperate, which painted another forboding and frightning picture of what mysterious voodoo they could possess.
-------------------------

Hugh pressed forwards trying to ignore the suns evil rays just a few moments longer until coming to a village of.. shacks..
The most beautiful and wonderful looking shady shacks and tents he haas ever seen in his entire life. But then the woman instructed him to sit infront of a fire pit. They already were practically beef jerky and before hugh could realize, a bunch of little impy kids with a gargoly's smile was jumping up and down around the commanding woman. Hugh stared In awe with his mouth open slightly agape, his mind hardly was able to process what demon language they were speaking. Where these kids really all of hers or something? Naw.. that can't possibly be so..
Hugh and the last of the acolytes reluctantly sat down next to the pit fire and of course, hugh was the first one to break the awkward ice. He turned to the commander woman, clearing his throat with his large adams apple and licking his lips to try and get the cotton mouth out. "So..ah.. uh....how..did you learn ..to speak our language? I mean... how can you understand us?"