1x1 Beneath the Sands

Urbosa looked around and wrinkled her nose. "Yes, I am sure that we will. Follow me." The two made their way towards the next flight of stairs. Getting down on the second level they'd find it to be pretty much the same as the first one. People of different species and races and most of the former cells were occupied as mostly residential housing.

There was a sign that said 'shop' over one of them, but you couldn't imagine what it could have in a place like this. Again, the third floor was also much the same except for a man that looked like a cat was trying to get a few guards attention. Their response was to push him to the floor laughing as they walked away. None of the others didn't even look at him as they passed by.

@Minerva
 
Approaching the third floor, Shao Jun kept her hood up. She watched the crowd, looking for any potential crimes being committed. All she saw was despair and poverty. Much like the shanty towns in China built around the ports and manipulated by Templar soldiers enforcing their rule. The cruelty was evident. Passing by the shop, her eyes turned to it. She hoped she could, at the very least, get a new blade to hide in her cloak. She would stop by the shop later, she just wanted to get a good view of everything that was going on. She followed to the third floor.

Upon witnessing the act of cruelty by the so called "guards," who were little more than thugs given payment and uniforms, if that, She approached the man who had been pushed to the ground. She crouched to the ground and offered her hand out to help him stand, similar to the Good Samaritan she had been told about by Ezio.
 
The cat person looked up to the hand being offered to him. "Fa'ari thanks you, stranger." The man got up to his feet before replying in a hushed tone. "The 'guards' are eager to harass anyone they can. Fa'ari only wishes to try and get some rations. Food has been...scarce as of late and they do not care to do anything about."

@Minerva
 
Shao Jun nodded. "Understandable... It's the same where I come from. The guards think they can just push those less fortunate than them around for payment. Little more than hired thugs." She said, in a calm voice. She was reminded of Macau and the slavers there, where guards just looked the other way or were in on the scheme. She shuddered at the thought.

Pushing that thought out of her mind, she helped the cat man up. "I am Shao Jun. I come here seeking information." she said, giving a nod from under her hood.
 
"Fa'ari might have information if..." He hesitated for a moment. "If you could help?"

"Speak," Urbosa remarked crossing her arms. "And we'll see if we can provide assistance."

Fa'ari nodded slowly before continuing. "Food come from air and land. Air rations not come for awhile. Rumors about sky pirates. Land rations come more frequently but now stopped as well. Fa'ari try and get information but evidently monsters have invaded route. In theory remove monsters, we get food. Guards don't care, they have on storage to get fat and..."

He looked around with a solemn look in his eyes. "Rest are too weak to do anything."

Urbosa nodded and looked over to Shao Jun. "What do you think?"

@Minerva
 
Shao Jun crossed her arms and listened. It sounded like the guards were in cahoots to starve the people out, and the city itself was under a siege from monsters that roamed the desert outside. She bit the inside of her lip, and absorbed the information.

"Where might these monsters dwell?" She asked, looking out from under her hood, her eyes scanning for threats. She had her hand on her sword, just in case.
 
Shao didn't notice anyone looking at them with interest. If anything the citizens seemed keen to not lock eyes with trio talking. "Fa'ari has heard," The cat man started. "That they make their home under a large rock where the sand makes way for a cool spot beneath. Location right in the middle of the transportation. All of convoy disappear except last time when man arrived dying in front of Sanctuary. Had large bite on the side of body. Or so they say."

"So if we wish to investigate then we have to leave Sanctuary and venture into the desert, correct?" Urbosa replied to which Fa'ari nodded.

"You may leave and return until sundown...but it's rare for any other than guards to go out."

Urbosa pondered for a moment. "This does seem like a good opportunity to perhaps gain some of that fame to get the attention of the leaders of this place," She gave Fa'ari a gentle smile. "As well as help those that can't help themselves."

Fa'ari bowed his head slightly at the two. "Fa'ari can't force you to anything, but the citizens of Sanctuary would be grateful for your help...and Fa'ari can share anything you want to know."

@Minerva
 
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Shao Jun removed her hand from her sword. "I see... I'm willing to help. It is not right for you to suffer so..." She said, looking towards a group of guards on an upper floor. She said a proverb in Chinese. "Mín yǐ shí wéi tiān." (Subjects Think Food is Heaven) because they were to get food to help the people. She looked towards Urbosa and gave a nod.

"Thank you, Fa'Ari for your help. Could you tell us which direction we should go to find these monsters?"
 
Fa'ari nodded. "From entrance follow road before moving eastwards. Find the stone structure over the hill. Understand that there's not much place for hiding but...Fa'ari and the rest would be ever grateful."

Urbosa nods. "Alright. Shall we?" The duo made their way back to the top and outside of Sanctuary through the ladder. The guards at the top gave both of them some weird looks when they requested to get down back into the desert but they obliged. The ones bellow also gave them a few looks.

"Well, make sure you're back in two hours. Otherwise you're sleeping in the desert tonight!" The same guard from earlier shouted after them.

Following Fa'ari's instructions it didn't take long for them to spot the rock formation he had mentioned...as well as a bunch of ruined carts and corpses of both animals and people left glistening in the sun. Urbosa wrinkled her nose at the scene. "What manner of beasts has such voracious appetites? How do you wish to do this? I'm not sure if we can get surprise on our side."

@Minerva
 
The trek across the desert was long and hot. Shao Jun was tired by the time they reached the destination, sweat beading down her usually clear face. When she saw where the carnage was laid out, she regained her motivation and energy. It was brutal, worse than a raid by Templar soldiers. They were mere beasts, but they would still pay for causing suffering and death.

The assassin crouched behind a ruined cart and put her hand on the hilt of her sword once again. She held up a finger on her free hand to her lips and pantomimed silence. She gestured towards a nearby cart, out of view of the beasts.

From inside her cloak, she produced a set of firecrackers. The red tool contrasted against her black cloak.

"If I can distract them, perhaps we can flank." She said quietly. "We can at least gain an edge if we can't take them out through stealth."​
 
Urbosa in comparison seemed to be doing surprisingly well in the glistening sun, she didn't even seem to be catching her breath. "A sound plan." She points to the top of the rock. "I will circle around and leap down on them." With a nod the duo went into their positions. Lighting one of the firecrackers and tossing it into the open area it went off.

It was quiet for a moment before they heard a rumbling from inside.

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From inside of the hiding hole five bloated purple beings came out running and slobbering. They hadn't spotted the duo yet as they stalked through the area to try and see what caused the sound.​

@Minerva
 
"E-Gui..." She muttered when she saw the manner of beasts. "The Hungry Ogres... Explains why the food didn't get there..." She placed her hand on the sword's hilt, and began scrambling into some of the rubble, peeking out from under her hood to block the sunlight, and scrambling into one of the lesser ruined carts.

Perched on the cart, Shao Jun watched as the demons approached the spot where she had placed fireworks. When the second one of them had passed, she drew her jian, and leapt off the top of the cart, hoping to plunge the blade into the back of the demon.

 
The monster only managed to utter a surprising yelp as Shao's blade sunk fully through it and pinning it to the sand. The four others stopped dead in their tracks and before they could react further one of them was clocked in the face by Urbosa's shield sending a second one crashing into the ground.

Urbosa pulled her blade and hovered menacingly at two of the other creatures that seemed to now have their full attention.

The other one still standing however instead turned towards Shao and its still struggling compatriot trying to get its blade out from its back. With a hiss it charged at Shao trying to swipe at her with its claws.

@Minerva
 
Shao immediately pulled her blade out, and twirled, kicking her shoe-blade upwards into the beast she had stabbed. She shouted something in Chinese, intent on rallying her strength as she kicked upwards.

The other creature grabbed her cloak from the back, leaving claw marks in it.​
 
Despite their menacing features the monsters on closer look seemed closer to death then Shao or Urbosa had realized. The one she had stabbed had multiple wounds on it and looked even more gaunt than it probably should’ve been. She heard Urbosa utter a warrior cry as she felled her two opponents before flinging her shield into the back of the of the one that grabbed unto Shao’s cloak and planting it head first into the sand.

@Minerva
 
"I've only heard legends of these creatures." Shao Jun said, kicking off the body of the one on her cloak. She then used it to wipe off the blade before resheathing it.

"Hungry Ghosts, we called them." She paused. "I thank you for your help. I allowed overconfidence to get the best of me."

She looked around, hoping that had been the last of them.

@Jeremi
 
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