The Curse of Tyvem: The Voiceless

Hellfire Canyon

    They rode in comfortable silence for a time. They watched as the rolling, lush hill turned to flat, dry plains. It was past noon and Lavender's mouth felt dry. She reached down to grab her water skin and took a conservative sip.  It was getting hot where they were heading and the river was no longer easy to access.  Just after the town of Ebongrasp, the river and road separated. Their next stop to get water wouldn't be until they got to the lake tonight just after they passed through Hellfire Canyon. They will be cutting is close on daylight, and camping in the canyon is highly ill advised. She peeked a look at Tyran, for some reason he looked worse than her and he wasn't even hung over. His face looked tight, like he was deep in thought. His hands gently held on the to reins and the horse just kept a straight path. 

    The plains seemed like they stretched on forever until you ran into Hellfire Canyon, there would be a steep decline and then they'd have to pass through.  It was dangerous to stay in the canyon for too long. A river used to cut through it and fed into the lake on the other side but it dried up years ago.  Now, its only source of fresh water is the river meeting it on the other side after winding its way back over. The canyon is dangerously hot.  Some say the canyon was cursed decades ago and that's what caused it to dry up and overheat.  No one has an actual answer for what happened, the only thing Tyran and Lavender knew was that they could not camp out in the canyon. Camping would be mean certain death.    

    "We can make it through the canyon and set up camp at the lake.  We need to pass through Hellfire quickly, but not without caution.  Many people take advantage of the weary travelers trying to pass through, or they are outright ambushed for supplies.  It is an unforgiving area." Tyran frowned as they began their descent to the passage. Each step bringing them closer to certain danger.

    As they approached, their horses became uneasy with the sudden shift in temperature. It really did feel like they were descending into Hell. The heat was radiating off the ground, casting everything in a hazy glow. Lavender could feel the sweat beading up on her forehead and her back was getting damp. Tyran looked more or less okay though. No sweat spots were peaking though on him. It annoyed Lavender that he could look so perfect during this time. There was no turning back though.  They faced dangerous travels no matter the path they took, and this was the shortest route to their end goal. 

    The entrance to Hellfire Canyon came into view and they were both on high alert, looking for anything that would suggest an ambush. They paused for a moment and did one final visual sweep before proceeding.  The canyon looked like it was on fire.  It was carved out of the tallest red rock and with the sun setting, everything looked ablaze. The ground was covered with a fine layer of dust, but underneath was hard, unforgiving rock.  The area was littered with large and small boulders from numerous rock slides over the years.  The sun was beginning its descent so they would have to work fast to get through the canyon. Luckily, the passage does not take very long to come out the other side.

    "So what's your deal, Lavender." They trotted forward at leisurely pace, still making progress but not overexerting the horses in this heat.  Tyran wiped the sweat off his forward and looked at Lavender.  Trying to look through her almost.

    "I don't know what you mean?"

    "You act all cold and cruel, but your actions contradict that at every turn. Before you were even considered to be my partner, I tailed you for a time just to make sure I could actually stomach working with you, and I was pleasantly surprised. You act aloof and cold.  You can be down right rude and mean to people. But upon further investigation, they were often nasty people who have done other's wrong and sought to take advantage of you or those who were vulnerable. I saw you give half of your earning from previous bounties to families in need and children without a moment's hesitation. Why the act?"

    "It's not an act. Just because I'm not warm, doesn't mean I don't care. I will put people in their place that deserve it and help those that need it. I know what it's like to desperately thrust your hand forward and hope that someone, anyone, would grab it and pull you up from the grime and help you stand. Do not act as if you know me or understand me," with her eyes trained forward she urge her horse onward and left Tyran just behind her, effectively ending the conversation.

    "Lavender!"

    She ignored his call and continued forward. They needed to get through the pass before nightfall,

    "Lavender! Stop!"

    She urged the horse forward to get further from Tyran. Trying to stop any confrontation before it even begins.  Unfortunately, she was so focused on getting away from him, she didn't see the trip wire set up just in front of her. Her horse hit the wire and the suddenly reared and turned away from the trip wire.  Everything happened in a split second. Lavender was thrown from the horse and hit the hard ground. The momentum from the horse rolled her forward through effectively tripping the wire and before she could so much as blink, she was caught.  She was in a net, hoisted 15 feet in the air, hanging there. The most vulnerable she has ever been in a long time.  As she was catching her bearings, she looked down and noticed a group of people gathering beneath her. They were armed with spears and had a hungry look in their eyes. Her horse was long gone and Tyran was also no where to be seen. What was she going to do?