Fantasy Sorcery!!! (Completed)

[ArcticFox]

"Safest!." The old man gave a shrill laugh that lasted a bit longer than needed. When he finally calm down and took a breath, he looked up at Aquila, teary eyed. Then his eyes widened. "You are serious?" He peered up at her. "There are no safe paths west from Analand." He dismissed her question with a slight wave of one bony hand.

Then he stepped close to Aquila, inspecting her thoroughly. He even took a full circle around her and when he returned to his starting point, his hands were on his hips and a grin was on his face.

"If I know anything, and dare I say I do, quite a lot of things in fact... you are hailing from Analand indeed, stranger!" He squinted his eyes as if he was straining to see something. "And you are going to Mampang." He shook his head. "Well, you better be smarter than I was. Watch out for the Elvins, they have a camp there." His knobby finger pointed by the river, past the bridge. He did not look like he would be of any more help, as he simply squatted on the ground next to Aquila, absentmindedly murmuring something she did not understand.

From her point, Aquilan could go toward the mines, or toward the bridge over Simsosa River. She had spent half a day on her journey so far.

- Go toward the bridge.
- Go toward the mines.

 

[Yokai]

>> Go toward the bridge <<​

Aquila's left eyebrow twitched in mild agitation at the man's, rather unnecessary, laughter. His declaration that there were no safe paths outside of Analand was met with a pouting expression. Aquila grumbled, unable to sink the feeling of disappointment that rose in her chest. Almost being mugged had been an adventure enough, she just wanted some peace and quiet for a couple hours.

How he'd deduced who she was and where she was going, was a little concerning -- but ultimately it fell short in comparison to his advice. Which Aquila instantly latched onto. Following his finger to the river she squinted, as if expecting the same imagined rabble of gleeful Evins from before. No such luck. When the old man hunkered down to the ground and started to mumble incoherently Aquila decided she'd better move on.

But which path to take?

Crinkling up her nose Aquila glanced to the path that'd take her towards the mines -- not a place she'd ever be likely to willingly go -- and then to the bridge -- a place with an obvious obstacle, Elvins. Though they'd more likely try to mug her than kill her, that at least held them above the Cantopani muggers in her regard. Aquila glanced over her map once more and noted the small settlement along the road leading past the bridge. Was that the Elvin camp the old man had mentioned? And if so could she journey around it? On the other hand the road to the mines actually led straight past the mine itself, with a long and empty stroll of road all the way to Kristatanti. That was a long stretch of road for things to go wrong. Aquila grimaced and made her decision, pocketing the map once more.

"Thank you for your help, old man," Aquila smiled and bowed to the squatting creature before turning back to the paths. As she headed off down the path that'd take her over the river Aquila called back over her shoulder, "Safe travels on the road and be wary of Cantopani's muggers!"

 

[ArcticFox]

The man waved a hand at her, staring off to the direction opposite of the one she took. He did not look in the least bit perturbed by the lack of any equipment. Perhaps he had some funds stashed in his clothes, or some spells in his sleeve.

Either way, Aquila's path took her along the shore of the river Simsosa. It had gotten slightly more noisy when she approached it, with the water splattering over the rocks and small fish leaping out of it at odd intervals. She even spotted a couple more cheerful birds flying overhead. Perhaps, the Shamutanti weren't so bad after all. When she looked backwards, the old man was nowhere to be seen.

The road she took seemed to be a safe option, with the path winding down into the valley and next to the river, it provided no visible opportunities for an ambush. It was, however, much longer than she expected. The day was nearing its end. As she walked without rest, following the bubbling river, the valley was starting to grow narrower. It looked a bit more ambush-prone on that spot, but with most of the day spent walking, Aquila was starting to get hungry. She needed to eat at least once a day to keep her strength.

- Go on.
- Stop and rest.

 

[Yokai]

>> Stop and rest <<​

Despite her minor spike of anxiety when reviewing the depth of the river, Aquila was pleasantly surprised by the peaceful atmosphere. The wind brushed through the trees, the river bubbled cheerfully, and the sun warmed her skin. Above birds flew through endless blue skies and below the wildlife hurried through emerald woods. Overall she was enjoying herself, and at the niggle of hunger Aquila paused in her walk -- looking ahead at the narrowing path. It was several hours since she'd started her journey, and though Aquila had fallen behind she suspected the village couldn't be too far ahead. For now she'd take a break and eat some rations, refuel her strength, before pushing on. Once she'd reached the next village Aquila decided she would stop at an Inn to rest and restock on rations.

Humming in approval at her own thoughts Aquila found a comfortable patch of shade under a tree, one that was also tucked a little off the path as she recalled the old man's warning of Elvins. She removed her pack and began to rummage through for something to eat.

 

[ArcticFox]

Nothing but trees around her, Aquila sat down in a shade of one and started eating. She had two more ration packs left for the rest of her journey, but she also knew that there were many more villages on the road to Khare and that she will have a chance to restock. Khare was known as notoriously expensive though, so she would have to take great care to be well provisioned before she entered the city. Not that she knew if she would be able to enter the city at all, it was a lair of liars and thieves, it's gates were not opened to the public scrutiny, but those ambitious enough could always find a way in.

She did not realise how tired she was prior to actually getting up and ready to leave. The sun would set soon and the night would be upon her. She walked through the valley, beside the river, trekking along the road as the shadows stretched. She would need to think about finding a place to rest. The air next to the river was pleasantly cool and the grass was soft. It would be a comfortable place to catch some shut eye and continue the journey in the morning. Continuing to walk during the night with only the moonlight to see by would be very treacherous, but it would result in better progress.

- Sleep there.
- Continue travelling through the night.

 

[Yokai]

>> Sleep there <<​

It would be reckless to push on, Aquila noted as she glanced skyward. The sun had begun to melt into the horizon, casting a soft gray-pink glow over the once cloudless blue skies. Aquila saw the opportunity to rest but deigned to ignore it -- resting here would be a bad idea in itself. She remembered the old man's warning about Elvins in these parts, wouldn't this just be tempting fate to rest here? ...And yet, she was tired and pushing on through the night while exhausted wasn't exactly a clever idea.

But, the alternative was risk sleeping on the road in a dangerous environment whilst simulatenously losing time on her journey. Aquila felt the heaviness in her limbs, sensed the distance to the village still to cover, and the belly full of food she'd eaten previously. Reason and her body's natural urges began to win out over her sense of duty and desire to keep trekking onward. Sighing she gave in and stepped off from the path once more to settle down.

The grass she had spied before, admiring it's soft appeal, was just as comfortable to the touch. Aquila let out a low, contented sigh as she relieved the pressure from her weary legs. She cast her gaze skyward to the sunset and watched with wide cerulean eyes as the sun sunk below a dark and jagged horizon.

 

[ArcticFox]

It took her a very long time of three minutes to fall asleep. Despite not covering much ground or making any great discoveries, the day had taken a toll on her. The river bubbled next to her and the warm summer wind started blowing. The stars twinkled with magic as her eyes closed.

--

Something poked at her side, stirring her from her sleep.

"What are you, careless creature?" Spoken in the Common Tongue, though with an odd accent. The moon was shining much brighter than possible on the small ledge at the river's side where she made her camp. There was a patter of feet on the ground further into the valley and then a very loud splash that made her sit up. There was also a person where close to her, looking down at her, his features clearly visible in bright moonlight.

More sounds came from further up the river, and more splashing.

As she followed the direction of the sound, underneath the unusually bright light of the moon, she saw a couple of figures splashing in the shallows. They laughed and sang something in a language that Aquila did not speak, but she knew it for what it was - Elvin tongue. She could not see the figures clearly as they jumped about and splashed each other, giggling like children, even though they were as tall as she was. Their faces were hidden by the shadows. But the face of the one near her was clear. He did not look particularly threatening, but his expression was not very friendly either. In addition to that, Aquila was not able to get enough sleep for the night and she was still woozy and lethargic.

- Talk to the Elvin.
- Attack him.
- Try to run away.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Talk to the Elvin <<​

Muddled and lethargic from sleep it took Aquila a few long moments of gazing up at the stranger before she realised the situation. Blue eyes flickered to pointed, non-human ears and then to the company behind him. She repeated this process a few times as she appeared to drink in her reality. You absolute moron, Aquila mentally cursed and berated herself for being so careless, she had reasoned with herself that this would happen! That this exact situation would occur!

Frustration painted itself clear as day across her scarred features; frustration that was clearly self-directed.

"I'm just that," Aquila replied in a voice that dripped with sleep, "A very careless creature." If anything she looked more annoyed at the admission as she carefully stood up from her previously comfortable position. Warily she watched him, recalling the old man's words about Elvins and the tales she'd heard in the past. And yet, so far he hadn't harmed her despite her... incapacitated state. Had he mugged her? Aquila thought it might be a bit rude to check over her supplies so obviously and instead settled for just trying to discern whether he was going to hurt her, and if so how to get herself out of this compromised situation (with all her limbs and supplies intact).

"I, uh, should probably move on," Aquila eyes are drawn skyward to the bright illuminated skies, stars speckled like jewels in a velvet cloak. The moonlight is surprisingly bright, enough so that she can probably continue onto the next village without much stumbling in the dark.

"I apologise for whatever this was." Aquila makes a circular gesture with her finger as if to incorporate 'whatever this is' into a motion. Hopefully pleasantries will get her out of this unscathed.. then again Aquila had the social prowess of an angry toddler.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Off so soon?" The Elvin moved closer to her, intercepting her path. There was a mischievous smile on his face, and one swift hand slipped down to the pommel of his sword. That was a clear warning. The other Elvin behind him did not seem to pay them any attention, they continued their fun in the shallows.

"Our chief would love to meet you." The Elvin spoke again, the corners of his lips curling further. "This valley belongs to the Elvin. Careless creatures such as yourself are not welcome here. You would expose us all to danger." His look was turning sour. The glint in his eyes was dangerous. "Surrender your weapons." He commanded suddenly.

- Obey.
- Try to run.
- Attack him.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Obey <<​

Instinctively Aquila's fingers twitched for her bow, curling around the familiar wood as she attempts to take a step backwards. But it's already too late for space or actions. His hand is on his sword and Aquila doesn't have enough space to draw her bow, let alone enough time to actually shoot him down. Mentally she recalls her arsenal of spells.. but honestly she is fairly useless at magic -- good enough to get by on a basic level but with her sleep addled brain Aquila can take one guess at how that will work out for her right now.

"Am I trespassing?" Aquila asks quietly, though regardless of his answer she is already willingly removing her bow and quiver of arrows slowly. Making a show of taking them off in an attempt to express that she isn't getting any smart ideas. The dangerous glint to his eye and the sudden command to disarm makes Aquila visibly nervous. The anxiety of about losing an arm is becoming a viable option at this rate and honestly she really likes her arms, she's pretty attached to them.

"I, uh, understand your caution and I didn't mean to endanger your people. I am willing to comply." She says instead, attempting to show good faith but also to soothe the Elvin into letting her keep her arms and life. Though Aquila's face says otherwise as it twists into a complicated expression of something between regret and pain. Handing over her bow and arrow is one thing -- she loves that damned thing -- but the ornate daggers in her pack are another. Hopefully they don't take those as they're the one item that holds sentimental value to her.

 

[ArcticFox]

"You are." The Elvin responded, but as she kept on talking his expression softened and he lost the dangerous glint. His hand reached out to take her bow and quiver, slinging it over his shoulder, while he waved her on with his free hand. "I'm glad you are reasonable, at least." He said, nodding in approval. "Follow me." He did not make an attempt to search through her pack and he allowed her to take it and bring it by herself.

They passed the playing Elvin, who stopped only to wave at them as they walked by. The Elvin that led Aquila called out something to them in their native tongue, and the group of Elvins laughed merrily. One of them pointed to Aquila, saying something more, once again followed by laughter of the others. Aquila could not know what they were talking about, but she sensed that it was not anything flattering.

--

After about an hour of walking in silence behind the Elvin, they reached a settlement. It was a small camp of straw huts and tents. It was probably the one camp that the old man had warned her about. Well, it was too late to think about it now. The Elvin did not look at her, nor did he speak, but she knew by the way his muscles were tensed, that she followed her movements. She would not be able to outrun him even if she tried to escape.

He brought her through the fences of the camp and toward a campfire at the center. There were all sorts of Elvins gathered, armed guards and small children, women with long ponytails and wide eyes, all looking at her curiously, all wanting to poke at her, though none made a move. An older Elvin at the front of the crowd with a couple of grey strands in his hair made a step toward her.

"Ruven, you have brought us a guest?" He addressed the Elvin that led her, surprisingly speaking in Common.
"I have, Elder." The Elvin called Ruven answered. "She was sleeping in our valley."
The Elder squinted his eyes, looking her over. "You are an Analander I see. Tell me, where did you King send you?"

- Say you are just travelling.
- Reveal your quest.
- Stay silent.

 

[Yokai]

>> Reveal your quest <<​

Silently her gaze raked over the faces of the gathered Elvin, quietly pleased that they didn't actively poke or laugh at her like the particularly useless animal she felt akin to. Though from their faces it looked like they were sorely tempted to. In front of the gathering crowd stood an elderly Elvin with aged features and strikingly grey hair. Aquila's eyebrows jumped up in surprise when he began speaking in the common tongue, though she assumed that was for her benefit rather than the primarily Elvin crowd. Nonetheless she felt grateful for it.

Ruven -- for she assumed that was his name -- mentioned the sleeping incident, as she was likely to refer to it, and Aquila tried hard not to flush the same shade of crimson as her hair. It was embarrassing enough having lived it once, the constant reminder of her failure was making Aquila really regret falling asleep in those woods. The silence spent trailing Ruven only added to her inner turmoil of doubts. However, this embarrassment was short lived as the Elder's question of her quest arose, and for a second Aquila was grasped by the inexplicable urge to tell him the truth. She had a feeling that this particular Elvin already knew what she was doing, regardless of what she replied.

"You probably already suspect my reasons for why I am here," Aquila says quietly, lowering her gaze to her own boots. "My King has sent me to reclaim the Crown." It is bluntly said, not sugar coated or gently led into, she simply lays out her intentions before him. Subconsiously she braces herself for whatever is to come next: tension rising in her shoulders and eyebrows furrowing together. Aquila raises her chin anyway. Speaking of her quest, of her suicide mission, isn't exactly her brightest idea but Aquila gets the feeling he already knows all of her secrets. It appears to be a repeating occurrence for today.

 

[ArcticFox]

The Elder watched her for a long moment, before speaking. "Your King never sends his people outside the borders. He did not send them when our lands were overrun by Goblins. He did not send them when we were forced to turn our homes into death traps to catch marauders. He did not send them when the last of our kind begged to be saved outside his gates." His voice was chilling, years old anger stirring somewhere behind those words. "We are creatures of sunlight, now forced into the shade. And we were not the only ones to suffer. All because of your King, Analander. The King who lost the Crown. Tell me, why send you for it now?"

There was a tale she heard from the Sergeantmaster. About how the Crown disappeared. The allied Kingdoms used the Crown in turn, each holding it for Four years and not longer. When the Crown was supposed to be given to Analand, the Archmage intercepted the messengers and took it for himself. Analand never got the Crown and the Archmage laid the eastern lands to waste. She knew of it, but she had never before met any people outside of their borders. Clearly many of them felt the consequences.

- Answer.
- Stay silent.

 

[Yokai]

>> Answer <<​

Shame coils inside Aquila's chest and squeezes painfully, making itself known. Instantly she understands that there is nothing that she can say to remedy or soothe such an old, festering wound. Aquila is no healer, nor is she a wordsmith, but she is genuine and sincere and when she answers she looks into the Elder's face with a grim but determined expression. There is nothing she can say but she has to try, right?

"I cannot know why my King has waited until now to reclaim the Crown," Aquila admits quietly, because she doesn't know the exact details of why he refused aid to these people. She doesn't believe she can ever truly comprehend the reasoning for allowing such a thing. "And I cannot apologise enough, or even begin to fathom the suffering that those outside of Analand have endured since that day and every day that followed." Here she swallows the lump in her throat and struggles to find the right wording to continue, unsure of the welcome of what she is saying.

"But... if you would allow me to continue on my quest, to take back the Crown, then I would do everything in my power to restore that injustice." Aquila doesn't quite manage to keep the emotion from her voice and it shakes with it. Her face remains relatively grim and stoic but her eyes are intense and sad. Because this is sad. That the suffering of thousands has gone on for so long is nothing short of a crime. Aquila willingly gave her life to this quest expecting it'd be taken, but knowing that it deserved no less.

 

[ArcticFox]

The elder Elvin's eyes stared at Aquila as she spoke. His face was a mask of calmness when he let out a small sigh. "Don't think us violent, Analander. We are creatures of joy, though we were forced to forsake our ways."

Then he turned around to the gathered Elvins and started talking in their native language. The faces of the Elvins lightened up and soon enough there were nods and encouraging murmurs. After a couple of seconds the Elder turned back to Aquila to offer an explanation.

"We will let you be on your way." He said with a gentle smile. Then he added. "But first, entertain us!" Hands raised, he gestured at her. "Show us what you can do. You are a brave Analander hero now. Show us what you are capable of!"

- Cast a spell.
- Demonstrate your skill with the bow.
- Don't do anything.

 

[Yokai]

>> Demonstrate your skill with the bow <<​

A quiet sigh of relief passes her lips as the Elder accepts her words, appearing to be pacified for the moment. The building wave of emotion from earlier has already crashed against the rocks and has begun to withdraw, leaving her feeling drained. Aquila only relaxes marginally at the confirmation of her leave, happy to be continuing on her quest but tired to the bone. His request for her to show some skill is met with hesitancy. It feels odd to show off a talent she has harnessed over years of training until her fingers bleed. And yet... Aquila glances swiftly over the eager faces of the Elvin people and finds herself unable to deny them this.

"Alright, if it pleases you," Aquila replies, a shy smile curling at her lips as her gaze flickers over the crowd. Instinctively she grasps for her bow, before remembering that she was disarmed. Flushing at her forgetfulness she grimaces and turns to Ruven. "May I have my bow please?"

 

[ArcticFox]

Ruven looked to the Elder with hesitation. Is was clear that he was not willing to trust her as much as the other Elvins did. It took him a moment to unsling the blow and hand it over to her. Then he took the quiver and carefully picked out one arrow, giving it over. "You get only one." He said, a warning in his tone. "Better not let it fly anywhere close to our people." He kept the rest of arrows in his arms still.

There were a couple of targets that Aquila could pick from where she was. She could aim for the top of a tent, close enough not to miss and high enough not to hit anyone. There was also a tree at the edge of the camp that she could aim for. Hitting the trunk of the tree would not be very difficult for her. If she felt more confident, though she was still half asleep, she could aim for a bird's nest in the tree top. And if she was daring enough, she could aim at something close to an Elvin, a piece of cloth, or a strand of hair. Though, that may not be met with a very good response.

- Pick your target.
- Don't shoot.

 

[Yokai]

>> Pick your target: bird's nest <<​

"I understand," Aquila murmurs in regards to his warning. After all, giving her a weapon that she was supposedly quite skilled with -- and in front of such a large group of vulnerable people -- was a huge gesture of trust. She gratefully takes the bow in hand and visibly relaxes at the familiar feeling of the wooden contours beneath calloused fingers.

Blue eyes scan the available targets for use with a calculated gaze. Immediately she excludes anything too close to the crowd, understanding that was basically asking for trouble and scaring children wasn't a hobby she actively pursued. Running her fingers along the feathers of her arrow Aquila finally settles on the bird's nest high in the tree. Go big or go home, correct? Accuracy was her strongest point, sleep addled brain or no, she just needed to take it slow and line up the shot like she had a thousand times.

Aquila takes a deep, steadying breath and lines up the shot in one fluid motion. For a second she pauses as everything shifts into perspective and the bird's nest sits right in the sweet spot of her vision. Aquila pulls back the arrow and then let's it fly.

 

[ArcticFox]

And the arrow hits the target. Not a bull's eye, but the point did go through the mere edge of the nest, enough to bring it down to the ground. The Elvis watch in awe and when she lowered her bow they turned toward her and clapped. Some of them cheered and some even took a careful step toward her. One child tugged at her cloak and grinned up at her. The Elder gave a hearty laugh, contrasting the atmosphere from before.

"Well, we have a real hero here." He spoke, though Aquila was not sure if he was serious, or if he was just messing with her. "Thank you, Analander." He nodded. "You can be on your way."

He turned his attention to Ruven, talking in their native tongue. By the way Ruven spoke and by his angry gestures, it was plain that he did not agree with the Elder. Though eventually their argument subsided and Ruven threw a furious look at Aquila. The group of Elvins left the campfire, each to their own business, leaving the two of them alone in the middle of the camp. Ruven took a step closer to Aquila.

"I don't want to do this, but I have to." He spoke, handing her the rest of her arrows. "Apparently I'm your guide now. Until you reach Khare at least."

- Thank Ruven.
- Refuse him.
- Ask him something.
- Run away.

 

[Yokai]

>> Thank Ruven <<​

The arrow finds its mark in the side of the bird's nest, clipping the edge where she'd been aiming for the center. Aquila lowers her bow as the crowd bursts into applause, a pale blush rises over her cheekbones though this time it is a pleased blush. Ducking her head, she glances down at the grinning child who pulls at her cloak and feels her face softening. Aquila offers the child a warm smile -- children were great, they were basically drunk adults -- and winks subtly as she turns to the Elder once more. It was debatable whether she was a 'real hero' but Aquila would take the compliment where she could get it. Better to take him at face value for the moment than to question his motivations.

"Thank you," Aquila says to the Elder, though her gratitude falls on deaf ears as he begins speaking to Ruven in the Elvin tongue. She tries not to shift uncomfortably and to remain attentive to the verdict of their conversation; instead she ends up watching their features shift with anger. Ruven sends her a particularly scathing look at one point that has her averting her gaze. Glancing away Aquila takes a moment to watch the crowd disperse, specifically the little child who'd been so brave as to grasp at her cloak. 'What kind of lives do these people lead?' Aquila wondered, 'And how can I make them better?'

Ruven's honest words cut through that thought before she had time to deliberate. Aquila takes the quiver of arrows as he speaks, almost fumbling as she repositioned it onto her back -- did he say that he was coming with her? She blinks at him rapidly, gaze shifting past him to the Elder; obviously the mastermind behind this scheme. Aquila frowns and shakes her head to clear her thoughts, finding her muddled brain was slowly beginning to clear.

"I don't understand," She admits albeit hesitantly, "You don't need to accompany me, there is no debt between us... well, that you owe me at least." Aquila murmurs the last part quietly because yes, she definitely owes him for not stabbing her on sight and she owes the Elder for being such a gracious host to a trespasser. "Thank you, by the way, for not cutting off my arm," Aquila adds on before she forgets to thank him, "And for trusting me enough to not hurt your people."

 

[ArcticFox]

Ruven stared at her for a couple of moments, before raising one eyebrow, his look rather baffled. "You are a strange creature." Was all the said prior to turning toward the fence and motioning her to follow.

--

The two walked in silence for almost an hour. Ruven was always two steps in front of her, not looking back, but she knew that he was listening for her footsteps, because every time she slowed down, he would stop to wait for her. For a guide he was not the most talkative and it was clear that he was going against his will. But, he did not speak another word of protest, accepting his newfound duty.

They crossed over a rickety wooden bridge on the Simsosa river, following the path slightly uphill. Dawn caught them on the road, shedding light on their path, making the way safe to thread again. Aquila could then see that the grassy verge was thick with colour and some of the most beautiful flowers that she had ever seen. Threading carefully as to not crush them, they went down the slope, following the grassy road. A flock of gulls flew into the air from a patch of grass nearby as Ruven strode purposefully, slightly startling her. She could not see anything up ahead or around, just more grass and brightly coloured flowers. Her stomach growled.

- Stop and eat.
- Look around.
- Continue forward.

 

[Yokai]

>> Continue forward <<​

Silence was a welcome companion as the two journeyed on and Aquila found herself enjoying the moonlit drenched woods that they weaved through. It was nice to be led for once; not having to worry about whether she was heading in the right direction or not, though she did keep her wits about her. A couple times she would tip her head back and stare up at the cavern of stars above, recounting the constellations and wondering whether Panther could see the progress she was making. The further they traveled from Analand the less likely Aquila was to get moments like this -- peace and meditation were hard to come by in a land ravaged by evil.

Dawn rose after an hour or so of traveling; it bathed the world in a soft, amber glow and Aquila found herself quietly awed by the sheer beauty of the verge. Walking carefully down the bank she admired the range of flowers there, in all their colours and shapes, as she attempted to leave them undisturbed. Aquila leaned forward slightly, stretching out her hands in order to brush her fingertips along the pollen dusted petals. The fleeing birds startled her from her admiration and Aquila glanced up to companion's back, only to witness him striding forward with renewed vigor.

Was something ahead them or behind?

It seemed they'd be moving quickly on. Her stomach grumbled at the lost opportunity to rest and eat, but Aquila hurried after him in an attempt to match his pace. Mentally she convinced herself that they'd stop to eat at mid-day, spacing out her rations. She didn't notice if Ruven brought rations, though she had enough for both of them. And she didn't want to ask or risk irritating him further, Ruven looked like he was in a bad mood... she'd be too if she were placed on babysitting duty. Still, as she walked Aquila found herself drawn to her surroundings which she attempted to burn into her memory. Who knows when she'll need to recount this level of peace and beauty.

 

[ArcticFox]

They walked through the entire morning. Ruven did not show any signs of discomfort nor was he inclined to stop. Midday came and went and they passed through a forest, heading to the east. Aquila's stomach was now giving her even more trouble, she felt occasional pangs of pain and it was getting very loud.

Her guardian spirit had stayed silent for most of the day yesterday, but this morning it was stirring. She could feel a warm presence around her, and she knew that it wasn't just the heat of the day. The Panther purred inside her mind, giving her more strength to continue than she would have had on her own. From her lessons she knew that the spirits were called upon for help. they would provide guidance and even heal wounds and lift spells. The spirit was not warning her against following the Elvin, so it must have meant that she was doing something good for now.

They walked out of the forest after some time to rejoin the road just down the ridge. It led north toward some steep cliffs. Ruven finally broke the long silence.

"That's the Tauser Ridge. This road leads toward Kristanti from Schanker Mines." He turned around to face Aquila.

As they walked down the ridge, they stepped through bushes that snagged on their clothing, tampering with their progress. However it did not take them long to reach the road. Kristanti was a small town in the middle of the Shamutanti Hills and, providing it was more welcoming than Cantopani, Aquila would be able to get a room there and rest for the night.

"It's gonna take the whole day to reach Kristanti." Ruven spoke again. Then he raised a hand to stop her in her tracks, body tense like he was listening for something. In a low whisper he murmured. "Something smells bad here." And soon enough Aquila caught a whiff of it. A terrible stench, like something had died in the bushes on the side of the road.

- Continue ahead.
- Look around.

 

[Yokai]

>> Look around <<​

Panther's return was a warm and welcome feeling, like slipping into a hot bath after a long and tiresome day. Aquila hummed softly in greeting, already feeling physically stronger for the company, as she continued pushing aside her growing hunger in order to focus on keeping pace with Ruven. Distantly she wondered whether he felt hunger like she did or whether he was just better at hiding it. As they drew to a stop Aquila followed his gaze to the ridge, it being the first time he'd given her any indication as to where they were.

"The whole day..." Aquila repeated weakly, thinking back on how much time she'd already lost on this journey. Suddenly she was a bit more thankful for Ruven being so pushy with his ruthless pace. Ruven's mention of the smell made her pause, lift her nose to the air and delicately inhale. Immediately she grimaced, raising the sleeve of her cloak to cover her expression and nose, watery blue eyes peered at their surroundings.

"That can't be a good thing," Aquila said, though her words were muffled by the thick material of her cloak. It was never a good thing. Her other hand twitched for her bow, finding comfort there, as she ventured slightly forward in search of the smell.

 

[ArcticFox]

"I don't like it either." Ruven agreed. The path climbed up a low hill, the dirt road surrounded by thick bushes and shrubs. A couple of moments later there was a snap, like a twig breaking. Ruven froze in his footsteps ears perked up as he was listening intently. For a brief moment he stood in one place, and then he motioned for Aquila to follow as he edged around some shrubbery on the side of the road.

As they walked around the shrubs they spotted the source of smell. A large creature the size of a bear was directly in front of them, in the bushes, digging through the ground in search of something.. Its fur was black and yellow and it had a long bushy tail that trailed behind it. It did not spot them still.

"A skunk-bear." Ruven whispered.

- Attack it.
- Cast a spell.
- Try to edge around it (roll d20, Bonus 6.5, Difficulty 8).