Fantasy On Thunders Wings

[Purize]

Bea nodded, accepting his resolve to diverge from his typical sleeping situation. As he scooped two servings of soup into bowls, Bea shed one of her blanket layers to grab her portion and took a seat at the table. As with most of the furniture in the boat house, the table too was well-worn with makeshift fixes. Bea didn't mind, however. All she cared about was the lovely, piping-hot meal in front of her. She took a spoonful and blew on it before plopping it eagerly into her mouth, her eyes rolling in delight at the flavor. A soft sound of appreciation left her body as she began to scarf down the rest.

At Sylas's question, Bea paused her assault on the bowl's contents and contemplated. Nothing about the town she'd walked through nor its people had seemed familiar. All she'd been able to glean so far about her sense of self was her name and her apparent fear of heights... and perhaps now that she was a glutton as well.

"I don't think so... but it was dark when we came into the town. Maybe when the day breaks, something will jog my memory..." Bea trailed off, a deep frown forming on her small, freckled face. Her amber eyes cast to the side nervously. "What if I don't remember anything though...? What am I going to do?"

 

[BugDozer73]

Sylas took comfort in her getting good food. She was going to be ok. In a way, him taking care of people made him feel at ease, and in control. It was relaxing. As she ate ravenously, he pushed his own bowl over to her, and stood to retrieve another for himself.

When she began to show her worry, Sylas sat back down at the table and waved a hand dismissively. "Tomorrow, after we get you some clothing, we are going to take you to a local healer. They will clean you up and clear whatever is in your mind. I promise you, I won't leave you anywhere until we get this memory thing fixed. Then, once you are all good to go, we can get you to where you need to be. Sound fair?" He tried to sound as reassuring as possible.

And while he was happy to be helping someone in need, he felt a twinge of sadness at the idea of sending this woman on her way. She was silly in her own way, but she was kind and pretty and good company as well: Sylas couldn't even remember the last time he had spent the evening with anyone. Adventuring for him had been lonely, something he never would have imagined. He had always hoped to make many friends in this line of work, but it hadn't really been going his way lately.

 

[Purize]

The fairy nodded again, taking a deep breath to calm herself and her worries. "Sounds like a plan," she agreed softly and pulled his extra bowl towards herself to begin digging into it, giving another thankful, albeit sheepish, smile of gratitude. Hopefully, in some form or another, once she got her bearings, she would not have to be so reliant on his kindness. Something tugged at her heart, longing for action and to not burden others, but in this situation, she felt next to powerless. That wasn't going to stop her, though.

She finished the second bowl easily, a mystery known to none how her slim frame managed to pack in so much food so quickly. After the second helping, she felt satisfied and rewrapped herself in her second layer of blankets once more. It then dawned on her that she did not know much about this man who was being quite generous for no clear ulterior motive. He had his memories, so she began to probe to learn more about him. "So... this town is Samu-Keeeeev, and somewhere out there is a place called 'Market' that doesn't like Orcs. Have you traveled a lot? You mentioned earlier that you were an adventurer."

 

[BugDozer73]

"Actually I am, or I sorta am. And its pronounced Markeev." Sylas thought about it, and after a moment decided it was worth the time to explain a few things. Even if she got her memories back tomorrow, tonight he could fill conversation like she was a tourist.

"There are three countries in the Ix-Etal continent: Celeste, which is where we are right now; Markeev, the republic to the east, and the northern lands of Fett. Like I said, you and I are in Samu Keev, which is one of the main cities in the Celeste coast. Samu Keev is also called the City of Swords, because our main export is mercenary labor, or adventurers. I was originally a sailor, but I took to adventuring this past year, so I do get to travel a fair bit." As he spoke, he grew slightly wistful thinking of all the places he had seen and been, and he wondered about new places he had yet to go, and things he could still yet discover.

 

[Purize]

Bea's eyes went wide with curiosity and wonder as Sylas dove into the makeup of the world around them. She didn't have the faintest clue where these places might be in relation to one another, other than the cardinal directions, or even what their borders and governance were like... but it was something. Suddenly this surreal situation began to feel more solid to Bea. The weight of realizing this was all a real place with real countries and people, somehow made everything have more gravity. It also made her feel a little smaller under those blankets.

"Wow," She replied, vaguely, feeling a little dazed before snapping back to attention. "That's really cool that you get to travel and see everything though! I bet you experience all sorts of weird things.... erm... well maybe not as weird as this." Bea wiggled in her blanket burrito for emphasis of their situation.

 

[BugDozer73]

"Actually, no: I see some pretty weird things sometimes. Finding a pretty woman on the beach is like a dream come true for me." He chuckled as he spoke. "No, typically I find old bandit camps full of caged beasts, or sometimes weird traps. I fought a one eyes cat man before named Hairy. I think they're called Tabaxi. I've fallen into an old crypt before once, and had to cut down some undead... OH, there was this one time that I had to catch and wrangle an owl-bear. That was weird." He looked over at her, snuggled up in her blankets.


"Who knows, maybe you could be an adventurer since you like the unknown so much? You might be one already!" Sylas wondered what the odds of that being true are, and began to wonder who this woman really was. "I don't suppose maybe you know any magic, or have some blade skill?" He said out loud as he began to look around to see where he had last left an old short sword: hopefully he still had it laying around so that maybe she could give it a few swings. Maybe it would jog her memory.

 

[Purize]

At being called 'pretty,' Bea burrowed further into her cocoon until just her eyes were uncovered as her cheeks burned with color. Hearing all of Sylas's adventures though slowly brought her back out with full glittery-eyed enamor. "Wow!" She said again, this time more enthusiastically. "I wouldn't mind being an adventurer, I think. I don't know if I have any skills or not though," she thought wistfully, suddenly imagining herself slashing monsters and exploring ruins.

Sylas began looking around the room, peering for something. Bea watched him as she continued, "You know magic though, don't you? That's how you healed me on the beach. Does everyone have magic? Or just adventurers and healers?"

 

[BugDozer73]

Sylas stood up and began to rummage through his things, the small amount of them that he had. "Actually, most people don't know magic. There are a few wizards out there who devote themselves to the study of it, but most adventurers don't know any. Im actually a bit rare in that regard. The thing is, my magics... not like theirs? It's hard to explain cause I don't really know myself. My old man used to tell me that there is power in will, and when those with the strongest will take an oath, and up hold it: well then, they are granted extraordinary powers."

Sylas continued to rummage as he spoke to her over his shoulder. He moved from a nearby chest to some crates in the corner. After not finding it, he crossed the room into the bed room and looked around for a moment. (Perception 13) There, leaning against the wall, he saw his short sword. He stepped over and picked up the small sword: his hand covered up the hilt completely, as well as a bit of the spiked pommel. He nodded as he drew the dusty blade from its sheath, accepting its weight and state: it wasn't perfect and certainly wasn't Sylas's style, but maybe it would fit her smaller form.

Sylas emerged from the room carrying the now sheathed blade with him, and he placed it on the table in front of her. "This is a short sword" He said matter-o-factly. "Simple sword for quicker fighters. Wanna give it a swing?"

 

[Purize]

"Oh, interesting," Bea replied, still following him with her eyes as he rummaged around. "Since your magic is different, can you do different things than wizards and healers?" She was a bit puzzled by the whole, 'Oaths give you power' thing, but soon she was distracted from the thought entirely. Sylas handed her the long, sharp metal object. "Short sword," she echoed after him. The word reverberated through her mind like a drip in a pool. She stood up, shedding all of her blankets, and left them in the dining chair.

Bea picked the sword off of the table and it was almost as if her hand began to hum with energy, not from the sword itself, but her own excitement. It looked too small in Sylas's hands, but in hers, it seemed mighty. She moved to get more space around her and held it, still thrumming. The muscles in her body coiled and moved like they knew exactly what to do as if this sort of thing was ingrained in her soul. Her left foot slid back almost instinctively to shift her weight and brace against being pushed or falling. Her elbows bent as she brought the sword in front of her and her eyes zeroed in on an imaginary target. Kicking off her back leg, she used the momentum to spring forward, turning slightly in the air to deliver a deep and steady slash to the air before touching the ground again. The open water of the boat repair area stirred slightly, which Bea took as a compliment and a huge grin broke out across her face.

She turned to Sylas beaming. "That was awesome! Did you see that? I bet I could beat up a bandit or two." Bea broke into a laugh that sounded like the chime of bells.

 

[BugDozer73]

Sylas watched as she rose and took the blade. He was satisfied with how it looked in her hand. Maybe they could make an adventurer out of he-

As he watched, her demeanor changed, and she took a well trained battle pose. With surprising amounts of skill, she lunged forward in a direction, giving a practiced blow that shook the air itself, and Sylas's eyes widened. She had done this before. Though she might not know anything about who she was or what she was, she was clearly a swordswoman. It could be seen in her lithe muscular frame, the way she was built, but the demonstration was concrete. In fact, she wasn't just a swordswoman: she was a damn good one.

The more Sylas's mind raced, he realized that he had been standing there for a few moments of silence simply staring at her. "Wow.. That was good form! great job Bea, you're a natural!" He smiled brightly and nodded at the blade. "Why don't you keep that?" He offered genuinely. It wasn't like he would be using it, and now she could more aptly defend herself, should the need arise.

 

[Purize]

Bea's continued to smile, happy with her performance. "You think so?" She gave another couple of smaller swings and then set it down on the table once more. At the offer to keep it, she nodded enthusiastically. "Really? I can? Thank you!"

She was now buzzing with excitement. Holding a blade clearly felt familiar to her. Everything about it seemed right and comfortable. It made her really wonder who she was... what she was. The sword was a weapon, and she was sure she wanted to use it for good and to protect others, but who knew what kind of person she really was before. At this, a thought popped into her head, and she turned to Sylas once more. "Sylas, how does someone just 'become an adventurer'? I know you said a lot of people here in this city do it, but how does someone go from being a sailor to a sword-for-hire?" Her question was genuine and curious, but also two-sided. She wanted to know what sort of mettle it took Sylas to get to where he was... and how he got there.

 

[BugDozer73]

Sylas smiled nervously as he thought back on everything he had done to get where he was. He chuckled and sat back down at the table. "Well there are a few ways people become adventurers here. The first is just by picking up contracts at the Bill Board. Anyone at all can pick up low level assignments there, thought its a small fee to take them on if you don't have an adventuring license. The easiest way to get a license is simply by doing a few low levels jobs successfully, and once you have it, the contract fee goes away." Sylas pulls out his own license, a small metal badge with a sword and ax crossed in the shape of an X over a diamond shape with a skull in the center of it all. "You can always buy one of these off an active adventurer as well, but most people don't like parting with it to easily, since those contract fee's do add up." He leaves his license on the table for Bea to fiddle with while he continues.

"The other way is to be sponsored by one of the benefactors of the city. If you're sponsored, you can take on any job without hassle, and you are considered a bit of a cut above. Most of the higher tier adventurers are contracted into an agreement with these business folk, either individually, or as part of a party. Once you get to that level, most individual adventures join a larger group of adventurers to help them take on more perilous tasks, like clearing a troll den or unseating a bandit coalition."

The candles burned lower as they talked, and the low roll of thunder began to purr from outside the building. After a little, gentle rain started an easy fall onto the roof and road beyond, filling the room with the white noise. Sylas crossed the room and closed the open windows and checked the door he has knocked off. After feeling satisfied that he could do all he could to keep them dry and safe, he turned back towards the table.

"As for me" Sylas continued as he returned to his seat "I was a sailor, but maybe not as you might think of one. We didn't ship cargo so much.. as we kinda.. took it." Sylas looked away, not meeting Bea's eyes as he thought back to his past as a pirate.

 

[Purize]

Bea listened intently to Sylas, happily fiddling with the license when it was handed to her. As the soft rumble of a storm and the patter of rain came from outside she cozied back up into the blankets. She wondered how she would go about adventuring herself. If she never got her memories and sense of the past back, perhaps it was a way forward into the future. The way Sylas described the process certainly didn't make it seem easy, but still do-able all the same.

At Sylas's last remark, Bea stared at him blankly for a moment, not understanding what kind of sailor takes cargo and missing the innuendo until it finally dawned on her. "OOOH, you were a PIRATE!" She wasn't sure how she knew the word or concept, but it hit her like a strike of lightning roiling in the storm outside. "Hm. Is that how you learned to fight?" Bea probed further, seemingly unperturbed by the revelation.

She certainly didn't think it was a good thing to steal, but she also understood that a lot could happen in the span of someone's lifetime and Sylas hadn't done anything yet to cause alarm and fear in Bea's eyes.

 

[BugDozer73]

Sylas sighed audibly. "It's not that simple. We weren't pirates so much as we were... privateers. We took a lot of wealth being stolen from local people by unethical merchants, and we redistributed it. Most of the coin we obtained was given away to people who needed it. A lot of small towns not protected by the large cities. After the empire fell and the legion dispersed, there were a lot of people left to fend for themselves, and the monsters were no longer being held back." Sylas looked out at the rain, as if he were looking back in time.

"It wasn't the best thing I know, but Alfonzo was a good man, truly. He had spirit and a hear of gold, and he took care of the people around him to an amazing degree. He was a leader and a beacon of hope in a way most people won't be these days. He taught me a lot of my swordsmanship, yeah. I had some training before hand, but he was the one that really kicked my ass into shape. I don't know if I could be doing anything of value with my life now without him and his guidance. He gave me a purpose, you know?" Talking about his old friend brought a wistful smile to Sylas's face.

 

[Purize]

Bea nodded, understanding. As she suspected, life might not always be morally black and white and she guessed that Sylas might have toed that line more than most people (Insight: 23). "I don't know, but I can imagine," she replied quietly, following his gaze out the window and the water drizzling down. His visible nostalgia and fondness for the people in his life sent a pang of sadness through Bea.

"I don't judge you. I can't, really, without knowing my own past," she quipped thoughtfully. Suddenly, a yawn rose up and she realized she had finally crashed from the small rush of sword-wielding. It was only now that she recognized how tired and sore her body truly felt.

 

[BugDozer73]

Sylas felt his own pang of guilt as he remembered her plight: it had been so easy to talk to her, like some old friend, that he had almost forgotten that she was still a stranger in a way, and was missing her entire past. It was chilling, the thought of waking up in a place you didn't know, with no memory of where you came from. Sylas could only imagine how she could be feeling right about now.

"Alright, well its late, and I'm tired. Why don't you go get settled in bed and I'll see you in the morning, ok?" He headed over to the couch and set down on the old thing. It wasn't the greatest, but it would work, and it was dry, and so he was satisfied.

 

[Purize]

Bea nodded in agreement and yawned once more as she headed towards the mattress. She settled into it, making a cozy nest out of blankets and pillows. It was springy but comfortable. As she settled, the looked over towards the couch where Sylas's large form was trying to fit into it. "Thank you, again, Sylas. I mean it," she spoke softly, but loud enough to reach him.

She turned her eyes upward to stare at the ceiling, feeling her eyelids grow heavy despite the swirl of thoughts circling her mind. Slowly, she drifted off into sleep. Dreaming of the feeling of falling endlessly through darkness.

 

[BugDozer73]

Sylas laid his head back on the couch, and shifted until he was comfortable enough. This truly had been a strange day. But for some reason, Sylas felt some hope for the future. It was a strange feeling that sort of floated in a sea it didn't belong in. It was almost awkward, but it wouldn't fade, and so he took the warmth of it over the cold of worry, and slept deeply.

Sylas rose early that morning, and made sure the woman was still asleep, which she was. He left quickly, and after about half an hour returned with a set of smaller clothes. As he went to leave them at the beds end, he slipped over a stray garment and fell forward, smashing into several items of assorted junk, causing a loud clamor that broke the morning silence. (Stealth: 7) Shit. he thought to himself. So much for letting her sleep in.

 

[Purize]

The feeling of falling never left. Bea wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not, the only thing she could cling to was the feeling of her stomach flipping as she plummeted further and further. Then, there was a cool breeze, the sound of thunder, and then the sensation of being plunged into icy water that was so shocking that it took her breath away. She awoke with a start, sitting up gasping and clawing at the crashing wave of.... blankets? Where was she? She whipped around and saw the boat house and her memories of yesterday slowly trickled back to her. Then, she saw Sylas, desperately trying to keep things from clattering and falling over, but failing miserably.

Her heart was still pounding and she gripped at the bed like she'd begin falling again at any second. "Oh, it's just you," she managed haggardly, wiping off a thin film of sweat from her forehead.

 

[BugDozer73]

"I'm sorry, I really tried to be quiet" He said miserably. "I got these for you" He said with some disappointment that he couldn't complete his mission how he had hoped, but was happy to offer her some clothes. It wasn't much: a set of small leather pants, a white cloth shirt with a leather harness, some boots and socks: Basic things. It had been nice of Brianna to offer some of Susannas clothes up to him, though she had harassed him about the prospect of finally bringing a lady home, and how could he possibly take anyone to the dump he was staying in.

"Are you hungry?"

 

[Purize]

Bea smiled as rose from the bed. This guy was kind of a clumsy goofball, but she didn't mind. "Oh, thank you! This thing was really starting to get itchy," she remarked, tugging at her crinkly linen tunic. At the prospect of eating more food, her stomach chirped its opinion and she nodded to him eagerly. "I think I'm perpetually hungry."

With that, she began pulling off the sad garment that was her only known possession and dressing into the clothes Sylas brought, completely unabashed by the fact that he was still standing there. The fit was a little loose and baggy on her small form, they were likely made for fuller and taller statured people in mind. Together though, everything was comfy and dry and worlds better than the rag she had been wearing. Lastly, she tied the shortsword that had rested on the table overnight to the harness on her hip and was ready to go.

Bea was practically jumping up and down in excitement to see the town during daylight hours.

 

[BugDozer73]

As she took her tunic off, Sylas's face turned deep green, and he turned away. "I'm sorry, I should have closed the door" He said not thinking straight, and rushed over to the kitchen, and rifled around, trying to focus on something else than what he had just seen. The only thing left was eggs and some mushrooms, and so he grabbed the last remaining things he had and quickly whipped up an omelette (Cooking tools: Natural 20 total 23) It was simple, but cooked perfectly. Fluffy, with some flavor. He even found some left over rosemary and added it on at the end. Now, he was officially out of food.

"Breakfast is served" Sylas said, his face still a shade of green that resurfaced a little as he saw Bea once more. Though he was reminded of what lay beneath the clothing, he shook it out of his mind and admired the clothing. They didn't fit her perfect, but she looked great in adventuring gear. "You look great" He said with a smile, and sat down to take a bite of the omelette. It was actually really good, and Sylas looked at his own handy work with surprise. In no time at all, it was gone.

 

[Purize]

At the announcement of breakfast, Bea skipped out into the kitchen, smelling the aroma of cooked eggs and herbs. She struck a pose as Sylas checked to see if everything fit well enough. "Thank you, they're very comfy. I didn't even hear you leave this morning to get them," she commented, plopping down at the table and admiring the plate of eggs in front of her. "Oh wow, this looks amazing." She dug in and devoured it quickly. Graceful as the little fairy may look at first glance, there wasn't much daintiness in the way she consumed food.

After breakfast was finished, she excitedly stood back up from the table. "So, are we going straight to the healer's?"

 

[BugDozer73]

He finished his own plate and stood up as well, grabbing his longsword and strapping it to his back. "Yes ma'am" He said with a grin. "Lets go get those memories back." He walked out the door, heading out into the streets. The hustle of the day had already begun, though the sun was still somewhat low in the sky. The bright light washed over the markets and buildings, and reflected in the dew drops on the plants, left over from last nights thunderstorm. It was still a little chilly in the morning air, but the sunlight was warm and expanding quickly. The sounds and smells of the sea washed into the day as well, which Sylas took in a deep breath of. He loved it here in this city, and he was reminded of all the things that made it great every morning he stepped outside.

"Alright, this way" he spoke as he began to walk through the streets. He pointed out things as he went, helping Bea to get more acquainted with the town. There was the proving grounds (Also known as the shatter sword), which was a large fighting arena towards the eastern end of the city where adventurers would come to test there metal and show off for the benefactors in hopes of signing contracts with them. The Bandits Banquet, also know as the pick up zone, was the largest adventurers shop in town, selling everything and anything you could think of. It was also a great place to sell anything you found on your quests or no longer needed. You could pick up anything from weapons, to rations, to rope to cursed trinkets: All of it as fair pricing, probably. There was the town hall, home to Mayor Isip: the Keev Storehouse (another local shop) the Cracked Vial (an alchemy store) The Smokey Boat (The largest bar in town), and even the Leviath-Inn, which was a 4 story building covered in fishers nets and floaters, and parts of old boats, as well as the hard to miss giant bone jaw of some gargantuan sea monster affixed to the front. Any person walking through the main entrance would be stepping right through the teeth. There was the upper market district that had numerous shops in well kept buildings, as well as the lower district that was almost entirely a large open square filled with market stalls.

In time, they stood before a holy building, carved in stone and layered in white carvings and religious iconography. Inside was a long church style hall filled with the sounds of running water and small harps playing during a small service to the side. There were several robed clerics that milled about, and one stepped forward to the two as they entered. A young woman, no older than 24, with brown hair tied back in three braids, a round face and two hazel eyes. She smiled at them both and bowed her head.

"Welcome to the temple of Sariah, travelers. How can we ease your woe?"

Sylas turned to Bea and gestured at her. "I found this woman Injured on the beach the previous day. I did what I could to heal her, but shes got some problems with her memories. Is that something you can fix?"

 

[Purize]

Bea skipped along through the town, absolutely floored to see the striking liveliness that it had during the day, even for it still being somewhat early in the morning. Even better, she no longer looked like some deranged sea creature in a soggy dress. Goodness knows what her hair and face looked like since Sylas didn't seem to keep a mirror in his house, but at the very least, from what she could tell her attire fit in with the people in the city around her.

She ooed and ahhed at the various buildings as her newfound companion pointed them out to her. She felt particularly thrilled by the Shatter Sword and the Levath-Inn, even stopping to dance and weave around the teeth before running to catch up to Sylas. The smells of freshly baked bread and colorful carts of fruits and vegetables in the open market also caught the attention of her stomach. She didn't know what she expected, but everything exceeded what she thought it would be like.

As they ascended the steps of the stone building and entered Bea looked around mesmerized by the tall arching ceilings and the various impressive feats of architecture. The style was certainly different than the other buildings in the city other than some of the fancier houses she had seen.

Sylas introduced Bea's plight to the young woman who approached them and Bea waved sheepishly at her. She didn't know how this sort of thing worked but figured she'd let Sylas do the talking.