.Advance. [Travel]

[.Protean.]

-- enter.

Finally, some sense of normalcy had returned to him.

Obelisk's large stature moved through the mist like a silent sentinel, having found his equipment at the edge of his captivity and adjusting it to give him his familiar look of shadowed being. All items were placed neatly upon his person, mask concealing his countenance to the outside world. Cool breaths escaped his parted lips as he looked about; he was more confident in his abilities. Those he'd slaughtered had known the savagery of the former Shirai Ryu. But he had grown too comfortable here. His instincts had dulled, and his purpose had become nothing but blurred lines against his need to survive. A nearby boat in the distance allowed him to stow away on it, the high collar along either of his cheeks doing well to conceal the identity of mystery.

He stood at the back of the vessel as it moved from the port, losing himself in the reflection that stared back at him below. His hands gently placed themselves against the railing. Obelisk paid little attention as his hands squeezed the metal, leaving imprints as the thought of his past few days played over in his mind. They had come to kill him. They had come to imprison him. And for whatever reason, someone had plans for the Protean. Perhaps it was the curse of the blood that ran through him, his biomass shifting from beneath his obsidian suit. Regardless, he had little choice but to distance himself from his latest hunt.

-- Move to Hi no Kuni

[KoKoKo]

on it

[.Protean.]

"Is something the matter, sonny?"

The words were almost ignored as the Protean turned his gaze toward one of the patrons of the boat. An elderly woman, old in age and observing him quietly, offered a small smile. To have stood out to this degree and to have been seen regardless, Obelisk could only wonder how long she'd been truly aware of his presence. Out of respect for his elders, he stood to full height and turned toward the woman. "No." A simple answer, one that she would have to accept. As he turned away and waited for the shore to come closer, she slowly shuffled to his side and placed a hand on his elbow. It took restraint not to pull away - or worse.

"My husband was a man of stature like yourself, ya know? And while I don't know the story behind your mask, I know a troubled soul when I see one. You look like you can handle yourself with a sword. That's good. But not everyone is the enemy. There are those who will help you. Trust these weary bones.." she muttered to him. Statuesque, Ryu said nothing in response. The oddest of encounters, to be sure. Was she privy to the shadows that surrounded him? Was he so captive to his past that the present was putting it on display? He had little time to say anything as the grinding of the boat signified their stop. Hi No Kuni was upon him. Straightening his attire and beginning to disembark, the woman merely left him with a "Goodbye. Good luck." Obelisk immediately broke out into a dash.

Far from the watchful eye did he run, the speed of a Taijutsu Master granting him the ability to vanish into the shade. Arms outstretched, Obelisk raced for minutes until the boat and its inhabitants were a distant memory. The shade cooled him just enough to allow his stride for a great distance. Weariness and hunger were beneath his mind's command. The chains at his sides rattled violently as he jumped forward and flipped through various branches and shrubberies. Eventually, he gathered, he would also create the distance between Mizu and himself with an almost endless forest for any of his assailants to look through. The paranoia refused to leave his side. He had to keep moving. He had to keep adapting.

-- Move to Land of The River

[KoKoKo]

moved

[KoKoKo]

moved

[.Protean.]

The rivers were abundant, giving the land its apt name. Obelisk pulled his cloak tighter around his frame as his chest rose and fell. The cold was beginning to settle in, an element that he had not been exposed to since the nights within the encampments of the Shirai Ryu. A hard gaze stared out and into the world before him, having lost track of time and of any other sense save the predatory instinct of a hunter. He continued his journey forward, hard footsteps pounding against the ground as the soles of his boots created large splashes within the puddles of the rivers. He was calculating, methodical, precise. He had heard talk of being close to Kaze No Kuni. With every minute that passed, there was little to stop him from crossing the border once again.

A few pieces of bread served to keep his stomach from slowing him. Ryu had little to no money, and every restaurant seemed more crowded than what he would allow. Instead, he'd picked from the scraps of the trash and opted to live by what means would allow him to persevere. The water from the rivers served as his sustenance. By the time he had reached Hi No Kuni, he was still strong enough to break out into his full on dash. The years of physical conditioning had done him well. His instincts kicked in yet again, Obelisk's form sticking to the shade and leaving behind any scene where ninja were abundant. He had seen all, but belonged to none. Even as a boy, the sight of a headband was slavery in some form.

Nightfall came hours as he journeyed through Kaze No Kuni. He'd seek refuge at a nearby inn. Hopefully, he could exchange labor for room and board.

-- Move to Kaze No Kuni

[Nekomata Minh]

Moved to Kaze no Kuni

[.Protean.]

-- exit.