Fantasy Travelers and Lanterns [ moonshadow and phoenix ]

[PhoenixMire]

The sun disappeared long ago, leaving the world immersed in eternal night.
Without light, people are driven mad.
Beasts roam in the darkness.
Only Lanterns can stave off the madness and the darkness - but not just anyone can create these Lanterns. Only a select few can fashion them or repair them.
And so Travelers journey across the land, delivering light and hope by fixing broken Lanterns.
Yet even through their efforts, still some fall victim to monsters and madness...

image credit - 1 ; 2 .​

Moonshadow

 

[Moonshadow]

​

Merci didn’t know what to do with herself. It felt like a long way coming getting to this point, but she felt no joy or contentment. She only sat here, her elbow resting on her leg and her head resting on her arm in a bored position. They told her to report back tomorrow as she had finished the exam, in what she felt like, were flying colors. There was no way they would ask her to come all this way only to deny her. She got the job.

Of course there’s a possibility they will. And what would she do then? Probably cry. Most definitely try to strangle someone.

She flinched as the castle doors opened up behind her, making her quickly stand on the steps and looked up as a flourish of light basked her. She turned her head away for a moment before looking up to a robed figure and a woman besides him wearing a green uniform with the Traveller’s emblem on it. A fire caged by a diamond. Merci hesitated before bowing awkwardly and rushing over to them, a smile on her face. “Hi, I’m back like you said! So, did I get it?” She asked the two, her nervousness probably radiating off of her at the moment.

“You did.” The robed figure spoke in a hoarse voice, he looked dissatisfied with her already, his old man eyes demanding posture from her, which she did when looking at him. “Congratulations Merci Goldeen. We are here to get you prepared for your travels and assign you your partner.”

The two of them turned around and Merci quickly followed along, but she still trailed behind the two as they spoke. “I decided to partner you up with someone who’s has more experience. Normally newbies such as yourself would be paired with other newbies.” The woman said.

“However, the Fire-Maker’s partner had died recently.” He seemed bitter about that fact, scoffing as if this person had offended him instead of died.

The woman nodded. “Yes, we didn’t want to wait for another partner to open up as we are in need of more Traveller’s on the roads. We don’t have the luxury to wait.”

Merci frowned, opening her mouth to ask before stopping herself as the woman opened the door to a much smaller room. “These will be your quarters when you return for a inventory count. Stay here and wait as we get your new partner.” The woman motioned Merci in and she looked around the room, immediately walking to the bookshelves to take a peek.

The woman and robed figured closed the door, walking across to the other wing of the castle. “Julianne, why must I do this with you? I have a scripture to read off soon.”

“I’m sorry for having to bring you along, but my colleague had been attacked while heading back.” She shot him an angry glance. “It’s your people who are rushing the Traveller’s Society to get all our people out there with the increase of monsters. Yet, you are complaining. It’s petty.”

“How dare you speak to me like that!” The priest spat.

Julianne rolled her eyes. “You’re in the Traveller’s Sanctum. I’ll speak to you as I please.” She opened a door and poked her head in.

“Luka Rowe, it’s Julianne Bishop. I need you to gather your things and follow me. We are giving you a new partner today. Be quick.” She said before waiting outside of the door for him and would walk straight to Merci’s room once he’s finished.

 

[PhoenixMire]

Luka sat in an old wooden chair, his orange eyes sweeping across the worn pages of a book. He could hardly focus on the words. His mind kept drifting to his late partner. She had never been very friendly or close with him - she liked drinking, and partying whenever possible, which were all things Luka avoided like the plague. For all his quiet shyness, she was loud and boisterous. They had not gotten along very well.

But she was still a good person at heart. She hadn't deserved to die. He recalled with a shudder the way that horrible beast had raked its claws down her chest, and she had died before he could do anything about it.

There had been mentions of finding him a new partner. Luka frowned, unsure how to feel about that. It seemed wrong to replace his last partner so soon, and he admitted to himself that he wanted a small break from traveling around so much. But life had to go on. Lanterns had to be created and repaired.

The door to his room creaked open, and Luka glanced up from his book. A new partner? Already? He shut his book and quickly placed it back where he'd found it on the bookshelf. He scurried around the room, packing necessary items into a large bag that he slung over his shoulder once it was full. Then he followed Julianne to another room, where a young woman waited. Luka immediately took notice of her bright red hair and striking green eyes.

Never sure of how social interactions were supposed to work, he simply looked at her and nodded in greeting, not speaking.

 

[Moonshadow]

Merci didn’t get to inspect for long before she heard the door open. She slipped the book back in as her supposed partner came in. He indeed looked like a Fire-Maker perhaps he was very talented in his craft like she is. But, she didn’t want to ask too much at once. She followed him by nodding in greeting too.

“Now I’m gonna have to stop you two chatting birds for a moment.” Julianne said sarcastically to the two, however it irked Merci most of all. “We got new uniforms. Once you are settled and get to know each other better you’ll head over there to get the uniforms. After you’ll choose a carriage then it’s all up to you after that. You’ll get your assigned towns and head over. No much too it as Luka knows.” Julianne nodded to the two before leaving with the priest to attend to other business.

Merci watched as the door closed, stiffening as she looked over to Luka. “Well, hi. I’m Merci Goldeen!” She said with a smile and moved to put her things down. “I never thought I would somewhat live a castle. It’s crazy. But I guess we won’t be living here for long. Right, what about you? How would you describe yourself?” She asked.

 

[PhoenixMire]

Luka gave a quick glance in Julianne’s direction when she mentioned new uniforms. He returned his gaze to Merci with something a smile, his own way of confirming that it wasn’t complicated - but that didn’t mean it wasn’t hard.

Once Julianne left, Luka looked to his new partner. He didn’t quite know how to introduce himself. She was cute and seemed outgoing - the exact type of person he had no idea how to talk to.

Then again, he didn’t know how to talk to anyone very well.

“I’m Luka Rowe.” Pausing for a minute, he wondered what to say. He was more of a listener than a talker... “What is there to say about myself? I’ve been doing this for a little bit now - three years or so, I think.”

 

[Moonshadow]

Merci looked at him surprised. “Three years huh? Man, that’s so cool how many villages did you safe, what cool stuff did you see traveling around? I heard there’s ruins, have you gone to those?” She asked moving her arms around before situating herself on her bed. “And it’s okay to have nothing much to say about yourself now. I totally get it.” She made wide gesture with her hand. “But this world is gonna be our oyster now partner. I’m so excited!” She turned around and started to dig through her back, looking at what to keep and leave behind.

 

[PhoenixMire]

Luka tried not to grimace. His gaze dropped to the ground. “I’ve seen many beasts.” For some reason they had gotten braver recently - he felt they were attacking Travelers more easily. But should he tell her that? He didn’t want to scare her needlessly.

He lifted his head, watching his new partner. “I’m glad you’re excited,” he said with a faint smile. Hopefully her excitement would last.

 

[Moonshadow]

“Yeah I’ve been hearing that a lot.” She said in a matter-of-fact tone, not noticing his expression. She turned a notebook around and opened up the pages. “It makes me wonder if something is going on. A catalyst or they’re getting more desperate.” She slammed the notebook closed and put it back into a smaller bag before zipping it up. “Well, I think that’s what the uniforms might be used for.”

She tucked everything away before standing up. “Of course I’m excited. It’s an adventure if you think of it like that. Helping people and such. Stories of heroic portion.” She smiled and walked over patting his shoulder. “You ready? I can’t wait to try on the uniforms!”

 

[PhoenixMire]

"As long as you're cautious, you should be fine," he told her. "The beasts seem to be getting less and less afraid of the light of our Lanterns. We'll need to be on guard." Of course, monsters still stayed away from large populations with lots of light - which was why towns needed to be supplied with plenty of Lanterns. But Travelers needed to exercise more caution.

An adventure? That was certainly the way he'd thought of things at first - but now he felt a little more afraid of the world and everything in it. Sometimes he just wanted a break. But what else could he possibly do? This job gave him purpose. He was sure he'd feel lost without it.

Luka offered her a small smile when she patted his shoulder. He wasn't very comfortable with physical contact, but tried not to mind it too much. "Ready when you are," he said, opening the door and holding it for her.

 

[Moonshadow]

Merci smiled at him. Okay, he didn’t seem too bad. He knew his stuff and was more wary than she. Still, she wasn’t gonna let him hold her back. She wanted to accomplish something, she just needed to be a Traveller to do it. She walked out the door and adjusted her bag as they walked down the hall. She couldn’t help, but sneak glances wherever she could, which got her lost sometimes.

“I’m so used to seeing the Traveller’s Sanctum from the outside.” She touched the marble and then saw a room ajar. “Uh, you can go first I guess. Unless the clothing is the same for all.” She said shyly, stepping back.

 

[PhoenixMire]

Luka led her down the halls, since he was sure he knew the place a little better than she did - after all, she was a newbie. “The sanctum is beautiful both in and out,” he said, eyes sweeping the marble walls and columns lined along them, holding up the high ceiling.

When they reached the other room, Luka motioned for her to go ahead of him. “Why don’t you go first?”

 

[Moonshadow]

“Oh alright.” She said, thanking him as she entered and saw all the clothes laid out. The uniforms were the same for both the man and women, but this allowed more agility and protection. A faint odor coming from them as she got closer. “It smells like a replant.” She mumbled. There were different colors and the cape held the Traveller’s emblem while whatever collared shirt she grabbed would have her Glass-Maker emblem on the sleeve. It didn’t take her long to choose a color, green was her favorite color after all. “Okay, uh, where do I change?”

 

[PhoenixMire]

Luka went in after her, suverying the new uniforms. They seemed nice. He wandered towards a blue one, fingering the fabric for a moment before he picked it up. “I guess back in our rooms? As soon as you’re ready, I think they have a carriage waiting for us both.”

 

[Moonshadow]

She hopped a bit in excitement. “It’ll be so cool! I can’t wait to ride in a carriage.” She said holding her uniform against her chest. It didn’t take her long to change, she adjusted her boots as she stood up from the bed and smiled at herself. She was really doing this. She was finally leaving and setting out on her own. It’ll be amazing. She turned to Luka. “Are you scared? Scared to head back out again?”

 

[PhoenixMire]

Once Luka had changed, he went to meet his new partner again. When she asked him if he was scared to head out again, a small frown formed on his lips. Yes - he was, a little bit. He was used to this job by now, but the growing boldness of the monsters made him nervous. He couldn’t tell her that, though, could he? It wasn’t good to express all the emotions he felt.

He tried a smile. It looked forced on his face. “I’m not afraid; I’m accustomed to this. Be wary and you’ll be okay too.”

 

[Moonshadow]

She nodded slowly. “Right. And you be careful too. I don’t want anything to happen to you too.” She said with a more genuine smile than him. She could tell something was bothering him, but she didn’t know what exactly. Although she knew his partner died, so it must be tough to go out once again.

She walked until they were in the back of the castle. Some carriages were here and some people were just coming in. Merci whisked along until she found their carriage with their names on it. It was pulled by two horses and the carriage carried supplies in the back, but seats where they can sit if need be. It had a purple tarp to top it off. She smiled as she patted the horse then looked at the back. “Wow! Everything is so nice!” She got in the back and started to inspect their supply, opening and closing crates excitedly.

 

[PhoenixMire]

Luka appreciated how kind she seemed. Maybe he’d be able to get along with her. He found his way through the castle and to the carriages, heading straight toward the one that was his.

Merci was so excited. He sent a quick, sidelong glance to her as she investigated the carriage and the supplies. Had he ever been that excited about this job? He recalled his first day - he’d looked forward to the adventure ahead, but also felt jittery and nervous. Merci didn’t seem that nervous.

He wanted to say something to her, but didn’t know what. So instead he climbed onto the carriage and settled into a comfortable position. “Let me know when you’re ready,” he said, in his usual soft tone.

 

[Moonshadow]

Merci closed the lid tightly before poking her head out of the curtain between the reigns and the back. “I’m ready. I’ll sit in the back and practice. Tell me when you want to trade and I’ll head right up.” She pulled her head back in and gave a single thumbs up before pulling her arm away. She sat down on the seat and looked out the back.

Hopefully the village wouldn’t take that long.

 

[PhoenixMire]

He merely nodded in reply, offering her a faint smile but nothing more. With a flick of his wrist, he snapped the reins, and the horses started forward and eased into a trot.

..:: || * || ::..

Luka's eyelids felt like heavy weights. He could barely keep them open. He and Merci been traveling for a while, the light of a Lantern doing its best to illuminate the eternal darkness. The carriage followed a path that cut through a forest of tall, scraggly trees - ominous things that somehow managed to thrive in the darkness. They looked very different from the plants grown with the help of Lanterns inside of towns.

It probably wasn't the best spot to stop and switch. But if he kept going, Luka feared he'd fall asleep at the reins. So he urged the horses to a stop and got down from his seat, parting the curtains into the carriage. "Merci. We're almost to the village. Would you like to take the reins?"

He cast a cautious glance over his shoulder into the trees. "Be cautious of beasts, please. There could be many of them hiding in this forest."

 

[Moonshadow]

Merci found the ride to the village less exciting than she anticipated. She laid on the bench and stared at the carriages ceiling, wishing it had some color on it. How nice would it be to sit here and do anything, but wait. She turned her head and stared out the back until she felt the carriage stop. She sat up quickly and then calmed down as she saw Luka just saying how he wanted to switch.

“Oh yes, of course.” She stood up, dusting off her cape before hopping out of it. She paused for a moment at the mention of beasts. “Hiding huh? Yeah I’ll be careful, you can get some shut eye if you want.” She said and patted his head before grinning. She moved to sit in front and grabbed the reigns. She frowned a bit when she saw the horses seemed anxious. “It’s okay fellas. Let’s keep moving.” She moved the reigns and the carriage continued forward.

 

[PhoenixMire]

When she patted his head, Luka stared at her for a moment with an arched brow. "I'll... get some sleep, yeah," he mumbled, climbing into the carriage, but sending her a confused glance over his shoulder. She was an odd one.

He kept his head poked out the curtains and his orange eyes trained on the path ahead of them. Of course he was still tired, but the restlessness of the horses made him nervous. After a moment, though, he decided nothing was going to happen, and it would be okay to sleep. So he leaned back and began to drift off.

Suddenly a twig snapped loudly in the forest. Luka's eyes shot open again. He thought he heard a faint growl, but that part could have been his tired imagination. He peered out the curtains again with his brows knitted together in worry. "Did you hear that?" he whispered.