xxxxxxTeleporting through the Helpoint was instant. As soon as she finished blinking, she found herself immersed in the familiar cool toned world that made up the majority of Amourn's scenery. The dark reds that made up Hel's landscape could never compare to the bizarre beauty that was featured in Amourn; while the purple shades of the foliage and sky was striking to newcomers, it held a sense of home for Sariq. There were parts that were more reminiscent of Silda in terms of scenery especially when one traveled to Enlightened Peak, but she did not care much for it. Northern Amourn was like this too; it was an odd mix of Silda and a forbidden realm. She hadn't been here much when she was still alive, as she never had plans to travel to the ceremony for herself, but it still was able to soothe her soul. It became a frequent spot for her to travel ever since she became a Songstress, as Amourn's Helpoint was located on its easy to access coast.
xxxxxxSariq always enjoyed arriving here regardless of what it looked like, and today was no different. The subtle winds that often blew in Northern Amourn brought her relief as it enveloped her. The scents of homemade meals being made on campfires drifted along with the gusts. It stood as a firm reminder that those that lived here against their own terms after being brought down by ill fate were just like any other mortal; even though she was no longer alive, she always found herself still sympathizing with them.
xxxxxxShe made her way through the tree lined pathways, following a specific road that would lead her to the nearest town with a tavern. The locals there were friends of hers, which she befriended after her passing; they knew her by face. They would never charge her, for they were forbidden from doing so to a Helspirit, but even then Sariq made sure that they were compensated somehow. She had no money to her name, at least not a kind of currency one could use in Amourn, so she would give them a special treat by performing for them. Before she played a song for them to enjoy, the tavern's owner would give her their largest room and allowed her to settle down. After dropping off her belongings, washing up, and changing into a new set of clothes, she grabbed her mandolin once more.
xxxxxxEven though she was no longer planning on traveling through the Helpoint, she figured she could keep up this ritual; the tavern was close enough to her destination in Enlightened Peak, even if she would have to take a small detour to get here. She did not want to bring sour news to an event that brought happiness in the lives of others, as joy was such a rarity in Amourn.
xxxxxxShe left to exit in the back of the tavern. A small makeshift stage the tavern's owner set up for Sariq sat behind a large playing field. On either side of the field sat two large unlit pyres; in the middle, a glossy orb made of glass was placed in a small pedestal. Sariq climbed onto the stage, standing upright with her mandolin held in her arms. She rhythmically tapped her side four times with her hand before beginning.
xxxxxxA single, sharp strum already sent electrifying chills through the air as it caused the mandolin to glow once again; it was a signal that a game would begin. The pyres were wrapped with a golden magic before sparking into a white fire. While it was not a traditional ceremonious game in which the winner would be able to leave Amourn, for the time that was kept by the moons was not just right, it would give the town's residents something to view. While practice matches were never uncommon, being able to watch a fully fledge game was near impossible for most. No one but skilled groups and Helspirits were invited to official games, and so Sariq was able to give them a taste of what occurs on Ceremony Point.
xxxxxxWithin minutes of her playing, two traveling wagons came to cross one another, beckoned by the Songstresses' call. Rival teams were more than prepared to duke it out in front of others, as it would give them a higher chance of being recognized to play at Ceremony Point. The leaders of the teams met face to face in front of the stage where Sariq continued to play her music. They issued challenges to one another, allowing for her to catch the names of the playing teams. Each leader called upon two other teammates who would join them on the field, surrounding their pyre in a protective fashion.
xxxxxxAnd then Sariq opened her mouth, emitting a harmonic tune as she sung, creating lyrics on the spot. As she mentioned the team's names, the fires began to change colors to the respective teams' colors; one shifted into a sickly combination of purple and green swirls while the other turned into a vivid gold and yellow. Cheers erupted as another chord was struck by Sariq, and off the two teams moved. The purple and green team relied on their strength while the gold team was superior in speed; only time would tell which team would ultimately succeed. She could feel the presence of other Helspirits being summoned by her mandolin to watch the game unfold before her to determine which team would be invited to Ceremony Point.
xxxxxxIt wasn't unusual for these games to go on for hours, but Sariq never minded the length. She felt invigorated by the games themselves. The energy she felt through the players and crowds could keep her playing for days even; she would never tire of her job as a Songstress, at least not anytime soon. She did not care which team would win, instead solely keeping her focus on her music. She would often close her eyes when she sang, even when she nimbly danced upon the stage. Just like crossing Hel's red seas, she never had fear, just as long as she kept on playing her music.
xxxxxxAfter a long night, the game had finally concluded. With barely a small flame on the purple and green team's still keeping their pyre ignited, they came out victorious against the golden team. Sariq felt little desire to stay after to watch the celebration unfold for she hated to see the disappointed looks on the losing team's faces, and instead went back to her room. Admittedly, she did feel exhausted, but her performances were always worth it in the end. She needed to get as much rest as she possibly could anyways.
xxxxxxThe next morning had Sariq waking up to the sun's orange rays; she planned to leave immediately, as the ceremony's date was approaching steadfast. After showering and changing back into her traveling clothes, she gathered her luggage and left, being sure to wave goodbye to her friends.
xxxxxxThe path to Enlightened Peak was easy and safe, but it demanded for a lengthy journey. It would take her about three total days, should she not get too distracted along the way. She would surely make it to the point on the ceremony's date though; she would always make sure of it, being that she left a few days earlier than needed. The only downside to traveling through Northern Amourn was that there wasn't much to see or do; the only entertainment Sariq could ever find is either through her mandolin's music or through stumbling upon wandering players practicing for their games. The latter was luck based, and Sariq was often unlucky during these treks, especially seeing that there were plenty of individuals waiting for last minute games to determine their standings.
xxxxxxMany of these groups were desperate for her to play and sing again, but Sariq would not play until she made it to Ceremony Point. It's not because she didn't want to, in fact it was quite the opposite; she could not host a smaller game without a designated playing field. And nowhere that she would travel in these three days would host one, as after a certain location in Northern Amourn they are forbidden to prevent players from staying there to raise their score without feeling the pressure to arrive at Ceremony Point on time. Helspirits felt like it wouldn't be fair to teams who were more focused on traveling after securing a spot at the point.
xxxxxxRegardless, she continued. On the second day of her travels during the evening just before she was going to retire at a nearby tavern, she was able to find a small group practicing with each other. Two men, one young and one old, and one woman was found by Sariq as they practiced in a meadow. To their surprise, they didn't think they would have been lucky enough to run into a Songstress. They allowed Sariq to watch them practice, as well as to stay the night with them.
xxxxxxIt had been a long while since she had stumbled upon practicing players so close to Enlightened Peak; most players would be too focused on traveling through the perilous mountains. She played a melodic tune to thank them, but held her tongue and kept herself from humming; she did not want to give them an unfair advantage, should the magic from her tune stick with them long enough. Through hums and songs, she could affect people in such a way that it would allow them to perform better, but only if she plays the mandolin along with it. Still, she kept her music short; she was more interested in watching them practice anyways. Viewing a practice felt better than an actual game; through practice, she could watch them improve their skills and actually enjoy playing, but games always meant that there would be a losing side.
xxxxxxThe time she spent with them had to be cut short though; before the group woke up, Sariq had already slipped out of the wagon.
(1,678 words)
