tab█ Shea Fal'nevan xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx What is this [ someday? ]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx tabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabAnd frozen in the footstebs untaken. we stand side bh side. What is it really, but a tomorrow or today? tabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabAnd frozen in the footsteps untaken, we stand side by side. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
[x] Jean's tongue was sharp but I knew he didn't necessarily mean any harm in his words. My ears stood a little straighter and I turned my attention back to him when he called. He was going to get the rod thing he'd used to stop the demon dog and find something to eat. I gave him a quick nod, though it didn't occur to me until later that he didn't just ask the mole man for some food. "We'll be here." He didn't want us to vanish on him, and I could understand that. Even if he didn't like me or my antlers.
The older male that had arrived with the sylph spoke up as well, offering to go with Jean, who refused in the nicest way Jean was apparently capable of declining. It was rude to call him a burden, but, again, he meant as well as someone like him could mean with his words. Regardless, the black-haired young man seemed intent on retreating to some houses a little ways up the slope. He had 'cleared them out', whatever that meant, though I could guess it had something to do with those swords at his hip. The merchant likewise confirmed that we were safe for the time being, thanks to him and something else he decided to be cryptic about. Though, come to think of it, I had seen a couple other figures in the distance. Allies, I hoped. If they were, I hoped they hadn't gotten into trouble. My guess was not, given what the mole man had said.
Moving on though, Roathbert offered us a food in exchange for everything we'd experienced until that point. Which was a little vague. "Do you mean since we woke up here? Cause I don't think there's a whole lot Jean and I have experienced that you don't already know..." I glanced at the other boy. "I dunno about him though. It sounds like his journey has been more exciting." Likewise, the offer didn't seem to interest Jean, because he left anyway. But he then focused his attention specifically on the swordsman, offering him, once more, wares in exchange for memories. I took my chance to pipe up again once the merchant had finished his spiel. "My name's Shea, by the way. If you have a better idea than wandering in a random direction like we've been, lead the way."
tab█.CHAKRA :100 / 100█.STAMINA :100 / 100█.STATUS :None tab█.EXP :500█.RYO :両000█.HEALTH :Fine█.INJURIES :None█.THOUGHTS :I think we got away... ▀▀▀Suddenly I'm running slowly. Suddenly it all goes dark. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
HeadlessKoko
Lanfaer
Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 6:49 am
【 S I X T E E N ⦁ C O U R A G E O U S ⦁ W A R R I O R 】 ◢ K a i l e e r C e i n ' l y s ◣ ⦉ All I'm seeing is grey, and all I know is I've been dragged down again.⦊ 【 D - R A N K ⦁O A T H K E E P E R - B L O O D L I N E⦁ H A K E M O T O 】
❝ I won't linger no more, I've been too long in my storm. I'll rise up and embrace the silence, and let peace find me again. ❞
[x] The pale boy--Jean, as the deer told me a moment later--declined my offer to accompany him rather rudely. A slight twinge of anger was quickly snuffed when the younger boy responded with some amount of enthusiasm. Thanks to that, I got the impression Jean was always this way, and not to take it to heart. He meant well enough. After all, at some point I was the same way. But years had passed since, and I'd more or less learned how to control my temper. Although... that didn't necessarily mean the fuse had gotten any longer. It was just less likely to burn. It seemed like at least some of my temperament had followed me into the younger body, along with the annoying injuries. But hey, at this body didn't carry only disadvantages, I guess.
A shiver passed through me, and I pulled the sheet I was given tighter. Speaking of, I guess this body also wasn't accustomed to the cold yet. I'd built some tolerance living with the Stragari, but at this age I hadn't even gone through almost dying during the ice beast attack in Kumo. I still recognized the signs of hypothermia, however, from personally experiencing it. Ah... s**t. I needed to get somewhere warm. I gave Shea, as he introduced himself, a nod of acknowledgement and faced the merchant again. "I don't suppose..." Damn it, my head was pounding, and thinking was starting to get hard. I cleared my throat, closing my eyes briefly, and tried again. "Ah...Can we do this after camp is set up?"
Even as I asked, I made my way back to Fiorzia to check on her and, carefully, pick her up again. She still hadn't woken, and that was more than a little concerning. Not to mention maneuvering back up the slope was going to be an adventure in itself. But, assuming no one objected, I started back up the way I'd come. What the hell was I getting into? At this rate I was going to make myself sick for the sake of everyone else because I hadn't gotten the chance to even catch my breath let alone try to rest. Again, though, I supposed that was nothing new. I needed to rely on others more, or I'd get myself killed.
But could I trust them?
I let out a long and angry, although quiet, sigh. What was with the unbidden thoughts? Of course I could. Or I'd have to at least. Clenching my jaw, I kept my eyes facing forward so the other two couldn't catch my concerns. Shea, you said, right? My name is Kaileer Cein'lys." I offered. I threw a quick glance over my shoulder to see if the tanned boy was following. He was. "I need you to collect some firewood and start a fire, if you know how. I'll figure out which building is least damaged that we can hole up in." I doubted he would refuse. He seemed like the follower type, not a leader. He'd mentioned they were wandering aimlessly, so maybe they would stick with me, even if just long enough to get my bearings of the area so I could figure out what my next step was. So long as they didn't mind, I could give orders and do most of the heavy lifting. The merchant was the only mysterious factor in this. He wasn't human; that much was certain. And I got the impression he wouldn't stay longer than to 'sell' us supplies. "Sound good?"
❝ I've stopped running, I'm not hurting. I have my mind made up. ❞
Counter | 31 / 200
Active Effects: • 'Old' Injuries [ 11/20 ] Physical speed is reduced by a half [.5] rank due to pain in left shoulder and hip from injuries carried over before age reversal. • Agility [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical speed. • Power [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical strength. • Mild Hypothermia: Physical speed reduced by [.5]
Current Stats: • Physical| Strength: + 0.5 x Speed: - 0.5 • Spiritual| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Power [5] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [3] || Chakra [1]
Techniques Used: •
Current Objectives: • Rest • Find somewhere safe • Set up camp
Jean would glance every now and then up at group on the landing above, just to keep track of whether or not he was out of their sight. It was only after he'd walked for several glances up without seeing them that he felt safe to feed.
Feed, not eat. What an accurate and, unfortunately, inelegant way of describing what Jean was about to do. Choosing a pine tree that appeared healthy, there were several that looked treacherous to touch judging by the strange white film that covered their surface, Jean hovered his hand above the bark. There was just enough space between palm and tree for his tendrils to slither out of his wrist and lay themselves against the surface of the tree. Jean shivered when his threads hit the freezing cold air, teeth gritting at the pain of the intense cold, magnified by the sensitivity of his thin appendages. However, he endured. He needed to endure to feed.
Jean held out for as long as possible as he quickly fed off of the tree's energy. Then his tendrils pulled back, unable to hold out any longer, and sought shelter in the warmth beneath his skin already. Still shivering, Jean rubbed his hands to get rid of the cold.
He took the chance to look around for other trees. He wasn't into killing trees just for the sake of it, after all. Luckily, the eternal winter here meant that evergreens were plentiful, not just pine trees but also nearly any species Jean could recall: firs, cedars, hollies, cypresses, you name it. Jean walked from one to the other, each time taking as much energy as he could endure taking in this blistering cold.
At about the third tree, he remembered that he could actually absorb energy through materials. It had just been something he never had to think about in his previously safe and structured life. Much more comfortably this time, as his threads could remain within the warmth of his gloves, Jean continued to absorb energy as he slowly made his way back to the clearing, feeling comfortable with being seen now that his threads could remain hidden under his clothes while he fed. Those who looked at him from above would just see him strangely stopping at the occasional tree and putting a hand on it for a while, and he continued this until he felt full, after which point he just walked normally to the clearing.
(OOC: Still need to figure out training posts for sealing shenans.)
Royal Taorito
Lanfaer
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 10:42 am
tab█ Shea Fal'nevan xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx What is this [ someday? ]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx tabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabAnd frozen in the footstebs untaken. we stand side bh side. What is it really, but a tomorrow or today? tabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabAnd frozen in the footsteps untaken, we stand side by side. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
[x] My new swordsman companion was starting to look a bit pale, making me curious what all he'd been through, despite the Kokoro being the one with the interest in memories. Aside from the scary dog thing, Jean and I had it pretty well since we woke up. We'd found someone who offered supplies, and outside of finding out I was in a different world and nothing made sense, we were healthy. I didn't want to think about the problems I faced, so I chose not to, focusing my concerns instead on the newcomer, who wasn't doing so great. He asked to hold off on the trading, and without waiting for an answer picked up the sylph again and started back the way he'd just come from. If I wasn't almost half his size, I would have offered to help carry her. Still, though, I followed close behind.
For a moment I thought I'd angered him, but he'd been tense since showing up. The sigh he released was subtle but my ears picked up the frustration behind it. He spoke again before I could ask, confirming my name and offering his own. I stopped in my tracks for a heartbeat when he mentioned his name, in particular the last name. Cein'lys. That was... I placed a hand against my head as it began throbbing again, but hurried after him.
Ciaran Cein'lys was the name of my closest childhood friend. He'd left originally due to being the son of a warlord and he was old enough to participate in the war. After all, it's what he was raised to do, like most male Beastlings. I was the outcast there, too frail, really, to be of much use in combat. Not that I wanted to anyway. Anyway, I knew I had seen him later in my life. I could see him, but not the memories associated with him, outside of knowing he'd managed to escape Fate more than a handful of times. But that's not what the name triggered. Kaileer Cein'lys sounded so familiar it sent a chill through my veins. And yet, I couldn't remember why for the life of me. Not to mention I got the feeling prying into it would be bad.
It had to be a coincidence anyway. Maybe it wasn't such an uncommon surname?
I almost missed what Kaileer asked of me. Collect firewood. Right. And he would find some shelter. "Um... Yeah, that sounds good." I rubbed my arms trying to brush off the weird feeling I had, and picked up my pace through the crunching snow to keep up with him. "Maybe you can put her on Roathbert's cart, so you don't have to carry her? I-if he's okay with that anyway."
tab█.CHAKRA :100 / 100█.STAMINA :100 / 100█.STATUS :None tab█.EXP :500█.RYO :両000█.HEALTH :Fine█.INJURIES :None█.THOUGHTS :I think we got away... ▀▀▀Suddenly I'm running slowly. Suddenly it all goes dark. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
【 S I X T E E N ⦁ C O U R A G E O U S ⦁ W A R R I O R 】 ◢ K a i l e e r C e i n ' l y s ◣ ⦉ All I'm seeing is grey, and all I know is I've been dragged down again.⦊ 【 D - R A N K ⦁O A T H K E E P E R - B L O O D L I N E⦁ H A K E M O T O 】
❝ I won't linger no more, I've been too long in my storm. I'll rise up and embrace the silence, and let peace find me again. ❞
[x] Shea had fallen behind a touch when I gave my orders, so I paused to let him catch up before moving on once more. He sounded distracted, but the instructions came across well enough. His demeanor was quick to change, though, and he suggested I rest Fiorzia in the merchant's cart. The thought had crossed my mind, but thanks to my unease, I found myself resisting. My hold on the unconscious sylph tightened slightly, almost instinctively, as if I were trying to protect her. The flash of doubt sprung up again, and I cursed myself. He was just a kid. Although I knew not to judge a book by the cover, nothing about him said he was a threat. The opposite, really. He seemed lost, and here I was being paranoid about him.
Still, I decided against giving up my charge. "It's fine. The walk's not that far." Besides, Fiorzia provided at least a little bit of warmth. I'd been lucky, honestly, that I'd bumped into them not far down the slope. Otherwise I'd probably be in a lot worse shape. Because I wasn't sure I could make it much further. I needed to get warm and get some food and sleep, or I wasn't going to survive long.
I fell silent the rest of the journey up, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other and not slipping on the icy stairs. Because a fall was not something I needed when breathing without pain was already hard enough. Thinking back, my attack against that Fade had been reckless. I should have been able to push through it without getting hit. There much better things I could have done in the situation. But the combination of Fiorzia basically losing her mind, and the attempt to save the other sylphs caused me to act without a plan. Not to mention that area of darkness had caused me to start acting strange as well. I'd won, but it cost me a pretty bad injury that would take weeks to recover from.
Reaching the the plateau with the small village I'd cleared maybe an hour or so earlier was a relief in itself. No more stairs, and I could find a place to set down the unconscious girl. Hopefully, rest for myself would come soon after, but not until I was absolutely certain the place was secure. Ah... maybe I should have one of the others do it, though. I needed to warm up, or I was going to start getting delusional.
I made my way into one of the buildings that looked like the roof was still intact--it was in decent enough shape for the time being, and out of the wind. Setting down Fiorzia in the driest spot I could find, I spoke to Shea. "Go find some firewood and bring it back here. I need to warm up a bit and then I'll search the other houses." Without waiting for his response, I turned my gaze to the merchant, who'd followed along. "I need something warm for her." I glanced at the sylph. As long as I got my coat back, I should be pretty okay with the temperature for the time being, although still needed a fire to warm up properly. "What kind of memory do you want? I've got about forty years worth of them."
❝ I've stopped running, I'm not hurting. I have my mind made up. ❞
Counter | 32 / 200
Active Effects: • 'Old' Injuries [ 12/20 ] Physical speed is reduced by a half [.5] rank due to pain in left shoulder and hip from injuries carried over before age reversal. • Agility [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical speed. • Power [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical strength. • Mild Hypothermia: Physical speed reduced by [.5]
Current Stats: • Physical| Strength: + 0.5 x Speed: - 0.5 • Spiritual| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Power [5] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [3] || Chakra [1]
Techniques Used: •
Current Objectives: • Rest • Find somewhere safe • Set up camp
tab The Kokoro stroked his beard with one hand, considering the best answer to the offered trade. Memories of so many years, of places yet traveled... "It's a gamble on my part," he began, flicking the mole hard enough that a swirl of confusion and dizziness formed comically above its head. Thinking for a moment he stared towards where the Sylph had been placed before nodding slowly. "But yes, I will make the trade. A memory of the greatest warmth you've ever felt. Not warmth of fire, but of heart. Show me that and I will grant you a set of warm clothes for her, and a set of wrapping for your ribs." Gesturing at the boy's ribs he placed a finger to his bulbous nose conspiratorially before holding out a hand. "One touch is all I need, and remember the memory for me to witness." tab
tab█ Shea Fal'nevan xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx What is this [ someday? ]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx tabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabAnd frozen in the footstebs untaken. we stand side bh side. What is it really, but a tomorrow or today? tabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabAnd frozen in the footsteps untaken, we stand side by side. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
[x] After Kaileer gave instructions we traveled in silence the rest of the way. I probably would have spoken but I honestly wasn't sure what there was to say. I couldn't shake the feeling I got from his name, like there was something more to what I could remember. But I knew if I pressed it, it would only result in the intense pain I'd experienced before. I still needed to wrap my head around the fact I was in a different world before I could worry about anything else that had happened in my life. Besides, it was probably for the best that I didn't remember, otherwise what was the point of suppressing it?
Eventually we made it to a plateau with a village on it, slightly larger that the one we'd come from. It was in about the same condition as well, although the snow was marred by traces of battle and some sort of thick black substance. Given that Kaileer had told us he cleared out the area, and the swords at his sides, I could guess what the liquid was, even if I didn't want to think about it. The only weird part was that the bodies were gone, and there didn't seem to be any sign of them leaving, or being dragged away. What exactly did he fight, anyway?
He led the way into one of the buildings, one that was still mostly intact and free of snow, and repeated his earlier orders as he set the unconscious sylph down. "Right, you can count on me," I confirmed with a smile, trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit before heading back outside so he and the Kokoro could do their business.
Outside, I glanced back the way I'd come in hopes of seeing Jean. He'd been gone a while. Though I supposed it would probably take a while to find food in a forest in the middle of what I assumed was winter. I still couldn't help wondering why he was out looking for food instead of asking Roathbert for supplies, but I was sure he had his reasons, and would be back eventually. After all, he'd asked us not to leave him behind in his own way.
Finding wood in this place was going to be interesting. There was probably plenty of debris that could be burned inside the ruins of the houses, but that was only going to last so long. However, thanks to the snow, everything else was wet. Though, if I collected some of the wet stuff then it would likely be dry by the time we needed it, so it wouldn't hurt to get some as well. First though, I started with the next closest building.
The inside of this house was a little worse for wear. The roof in the back half had collapsed, flooding light into the room in which I stood. That also meant a snow had drifted in as well. There was still plenty of debris, though, worth gathering, as well as, it looked a couple other items of note. Namely a sword, in decent condition. It was curved slightly, and a bit longer than the one I had, but plain otherwise. I could give it to one of the others, or maybe we could save it until we found someone else. Besides that was a weird looking tool that were kind of like pliers but not. They were rusted, but at one point looked to have been painted red. Maybe the others would know what they were. I took these items along with as much wood I could carry and headed back to the gathering point. "Here's some stuff to start a fire, and I'll go get more," I offered before heading out again.
I returned to the house three more times before deciding to take a break, taking the wood either inside and stacking it, or, if it was wet, piling it on the narrow porch that lined the front of the building. My arms were small, and I couldn't carry a whole lot, but it was enough to last us at least a little while, and maybe Jean would be back soon to help out. [+10 exp for Gathering Supplies]
tab█.CHAKRA :100 / 100█.STAMINA :100 / 100█.STATUS :None tab█.EXP :510 [+10]█.RYO :両000█.HEALTH :Fine█.INJURIES :None█.THOUGHTS :There's a lot of work to be done. ▀▀▀Suddenly I'm running slowly. Suddenly it all goes dark. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
HeadlessKoko
Lanfaer
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 11:20 am
【 S I X T E E N ⦁ C O U R A G E O U S ⦁ W A R R I O R 】 ◢ K a i l e e r C e i n ' l y s ◣ ⦉ All I'm seeing is grey, and all I know is I've been dragged down again.⦊ 【 D - R A N K ⦁O A T H K E E P E R - B L O O D L I N E⦁ H A K E M O T O 】
❝ I won't linger no more, I've been too long in my storm. I'll rise up and embrace the silence, and let peace find me again. ❞
[x] Shea left to gather firewood as soon as I gave the order, leaving just myself, the merchant, and Fiorzia, who still showed no sign of waking. I was starting to get concerned, like I was missing the reason she was still unconscious. I assumed she was still alive--well, as alive as a sprite was. I didn't know much about them after all. That aside, it may have had something to do with her suddenly gaining a corporeal form. Though that was hard to describe, too, because I'd been able to physically touch her. At the very least, she was no longer transparent, and I couldn't help wondering what that meant. Maybe Roathbert could provide a little insight.
But first, I needed to get warm, which meant a trade with the man. He wanted a memory of warmth, spiritual or emotional, not physical. There weren't a whole lot of those if I was being honest with myself. Despite being in the presence of so many others, being a leader was strangely...lonely, when I thought about it. There wasn't the time to create good memories when the few friends I'd actually made I was always too busy to spend time with. I was an outcast at home, so I ran away. Somehow I became Raikage in Kumogakure, which separated me from everyone I knew, even Wan in a way. And then the battle, and... I didn't go back to Kumo for a long time after. Part of me couldn't face it alone. So after the Stragari's demon of a tyrant was killed, I stayed, becoming their shuhan and helped them learn to live a life that wasn't completely focused on world domination. It led to tests of courage, many a scar, and the respect of a people twice my size, but eventually I had to leave.
There was one person, though, in my memory that stood out above the rest.
I tore my gaze away from Fiorzia and turned back to Roathbert. "Deal, though I'd appreciate if you could throw in a pair of proper gloves, too." I flashed a half-hearted grin, but I was being serious. The fingerless gloves I normally wore as protection against blisters were doing almost nothing for me in this cold. And I kind of needed all of my fingers if I was going to protect anyone. I held out a hand, figuring a handshake was a good way to both seal the trade and transfer the memory. I closed my eyes briefly, so I could better envision what I intended on giving him.
-----
After discovering that an old friend of mine, who had become Raikage himself some time after I left the village behind, was taken by his father, an attempt at rescue ended in failure, despite the help of some of the strongest Stragari. He had chosen to surrender to keep Kumogakure safe, and didn't want anyone coming after him. We tried regardless, but maybe I'd made the former elite warriors too soft during my reign or something. Because of that failure I decided to send them home, but I was too ashamed to follow them. I couldn't face my former village either, so I chose to stay in Kirigakure, since they had always been kind to me--kinder, possibly, than my own village.
Anyone there I recognized, however, had long left or passed away. It was probably the lowest point of my life, and I fell hard.
Until I met her.
There was many a time where I became almost belligerent, falling back on the culture I was used to after spending a decade there, and the strange paranoia that had steadily built up throughout my life. I found myself storming out of yet another shop--probably half drunk--convinced the owner was trying to rip me off for a poor quality weapon. Nothing was ever satisfactory. At the same time, I had no idea what I even needed it for. It wasn't like I was fighting anymore. I slammed the door shut behind me shouting some obscenity over my shoulder, but as I turned to continue down the street, more than a few eyes on me, I ran into someone, knocking them to the ground.
"Watch where you're f--" I trailed off as my gaze settled on the figure before me.
A woman picked herself up off the ground, chocolate colored locks scattered haphazardly around her shoulders from the fall. She sat back on her haunches and glanced up at me with topaz eyes that reflected the smile that lit her face. "Clumsy me. Sorry about that."
"Ah--" I stuttered, suddenly sober whether I was intoxicated or not. "N-no, that was my fault."
Her smile grew slightly, a mischievous spark lighting in the depths of her gaze. But then it faded slightly as she looked at her groceries strewn across the street. People were staring but none made a move to help. Jaw clenching, I swallowed back my shame and knelt down to pick up an apple that had rolled to my feet. Holding it out to her, I grinned half-heartedly, her sunshine demeanor surprisingly infectious. "Thanks..." she replied softly, taking the fruit from my hand.
I helped her pick up the rest of the supplies, and gave her a hand back to her feet, providing me with the chance to see her fully. She was slender, almost to the point of being sickly, and pale, but she had an air of confidence that made her seem incredibly strong at heart. Much more than I was anyway. A high-cheeked face was spattered with freckles, and full lips were still stretched into that cheerful grin. I felt a touch of heat rush to my face, and diverted my gaze elsewhere, purposefully scanning the ground to make sure we hadn't missed anything. "I think we got everything." I glanced back at her, and the bruise steadily growing on her arm. "Sorry, again. Will... you be alright?"
She blinked in slight confusion. "What, this?" She jerked her arm toward me. "It happens a lot. Don't worry about it."
Except that made me worry more.
She scoffed, and rolled her eyes. "You're as easy to read as a book, you know." Puffing out her cheeks in thought, she looked around us. "Look, if you want to make it up to me, buy me a drink later."
"I... Alright, fine."
She gestured with the bag in her hands. "I've got to get these home, but I'll see you later, I hope. And try not to get into any trouble in the meanwhile." She gave me a wink, and turned away.
I reached after her, still somewhat dazed. "Wait, what's your name?"
She looked over her shoulder at me, her smile gentle this time. "Himari. Yours?"
"K--Kaileer."
And like that, she was gone, for a while at least. But soon after she became the love of my life. The light that pulled me from a very dark place.
-----
I pulled my hand back quickly, not having expected how vivid the memory was--everything had been somewhat hazy until that point--, and I didn't want the merchant to see more. Because even though she was the best thing that happened to me, she brought some of my saddest memories as well. My heart was pounding, making my side throb painfully, but the emotions were almost overwhelming. I hid them the best I could. "There," I said, shakily. "As promised." My gaze drifted to Fiorzia again, and I took a deep breath to calm myself, waiting for Roathbert's response.
After a moment, though, I spoke up again. "I'd like to make another trade, too, if possible, for a different memory. My head turned back toward him but my eyes remained on the sylph. "I'd like information on Fades and Sprites, as well as anything you can tell me about what's going on in Tetsu no Kuni."
❝ I've stopped running, I'm not hurting. I have my mind made up. ❞
Counter | 33 / 200
Active Effects: • 'Old' Injuries [ 13/20 ] Physical speed is reduced by a half [.5] rank due to pain in left shoulder and hip from injuries carried over before age reversal. • Agility [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical speed. • Power [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical strength. • Mild Hypothermia: Physical speed reduced by [.5]
Current Stats: • Physical| Strength: + 0.5 x Speed: - 0.5 • Spiritual| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Power [5] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [3] || Chakra [1]
Techniques Used: •
Current Objectives: • Rest • Find somewhere safe • Set up camp
tab While not understanding the young man the jolly man was moved to tears. Large gallop of fresh tears stream down his face in soak into his beard. Even the mole twitch from the emotion behind the memory. Ah, so beautiful. So tragic. He held the handkerchief to his mole and it made a loud snot fill. “Such a warm memory, yes it was! A set of warm clothes and bandages!” Pondering for only a second, the man smile. “Ah, we will make a trade but for another time. Something for fade and something for the slyph! Oh ho why not both? Yes this will do~” The man pulled from his cart a Tome that seem to never run out of pages. “This should help you with the first part of the trade.” Dabbing his eyes with the used handkerchief the man tuck the item back into his sleeves. Holding out three fingers he wiggle them as he spoke. “As for the last part, There are three clans waring here in iron. All are fade in kind.” he explain. “Hiraite, Narikata and Kuraishi.” tab
Returning to the clearing at the foot of the stairs that would lead him to where he parted with Shea and Kaileer, Jean took one look up and noticed that he was still alone. For a short moment, he panicked, before remembering that Kaileer had mentioned that he had cleared out buildings farther in. He calmed down then. Though, that did nothing to heal his hurt pride.
Geh, was he really hurt just now because some deer boy and a dirty looking ruffian may have left without him. This world was a terrible place. Though, when he thought about the beauty he had seen earlier, the sylph protected by the ruffian, Jean had to give him credit for his good taste in doing so at least, he felt a little more hopeful.
Grateful as he was for his luck, for he did recognize that despite everything, he was incredibly lucky, he still missed his old life. He missed his home. His workshop. His mother. Consequently, he couldn't just so easily stop comparing his present to his past, grossly unfair as the comparison was.
Ahhh. That reminded him. He couldn't just laze around and stare into the sky like this. He needed to pull his weight... and get moving lest the cold settle into his bones and off him. Pulling his clothes tighter around him, Jean climbed up the stairs to reunite with Kaileer and Shea.
He would, while following the tracks left in the snow to find the house Kaileer rested in, keep his eyes peeled for the snow berry bushes. Finding a few on his way to the house (tell me if I'm wrong and I'll correct this), he carefully plucks a branch's worth of berries off each bush so that he could at least come back with some kind of meager harvest. Entering the house Kaileer had chosen, it really was a meager harvest that he held in his arms. An armful of branches, sure, but berries weren't crowded on their lengths or anything.
He said nothing as he put these branches down and prepared the berries to be eaten safely, using what he had learned from Shea and moving almost painstakingly slowly to make sure he didn't injure his precious hands. Kaileer and the moleman both appeared to be busy with their business, of which he politely chose not to interrupt.
【 S I X T E E N ⦁ C O U R A G E O U S ⦁ W A R R I O R 】 ◢ K a i l e e r C e i n ' l y s ◣ ⦉ All I'm seeing is grey, and all I know is I've been dragged down again.⦊ 【 D - R A N K ⦁O A T H K E E P E R - B L O O D L I N E⦁ H A K E M O T O 】
❝ I won't linger no more, I've been too long in my storm. I'll rise up and embrace the silence, and let peace find me again. ❞
[x] I took an inconspicuous deep, and somewhat shuttering, breath to calm myself as the Kokoro spoke again. The memory was acceptable and I could stop thinking about it for a while, although I knew it was going to linger as long as it could, which caused a small spark of annoyance. I really didn't need the stress and anguish of my past while I was trying to survive. Maybe later, when I was sure we weren't in any danger, but for the moment I needed to focus on rest and recovery, not was happened and what could have been because to be quite honest I was a fool in my previous life, about a lot of things. And she was one of those.
I took the offered set of clothes, as well as the wraps for my side. The bandaging wasn't going to do a whole lot for pain, but I supposed it was better than nothing. However, Roathbert continued past the supplies, responding to my request for information without more than a second thought. He handed me a large tome, mentioning he would make the trade for it at another time, and I assumed by his words that this book would provide me with the knowledge I was looking for. I frowned slightly though when all he mentioned about the 'going-ons' of the country were the names of three clans. That wasn't particularly helpful, and to some extent a bit alarming due to one of those names. Hiraite. So they'd sunken into becoming fades, then?
"Ah... thanks," I responded after a moment to hide my displeasure. Besides, the book was massive. It was bound to have something useful in it, right?
Movement behind me drew my attention away. Jean had returned, carrying some branches with him. At first I thought more firewood, but then I noticed the small white berries attached to them. Were they edible? It wasn't really my primary concern though. I needed sleep and to get warm before I worried about food. I nodded my thanks to the Kokoro again and headed in after the white-haired male. Shea was out still for the moment, leaving just the two of us and the unconscious sylph. I said nothing to him at first, focusing on Fiorzia for the moment. A nearby shelf was still mostly intact, so I unloaded my bag and swords there, pausing briefly on the new blade I'd acquired briefly before moving on. It was a beautiful weapon, perfectly balanced and surprisingly light. An unexpected gift from grateful sprites. Something good had come out of this chaos, so that eased my frustration a bit. Blocking Fiorzia from sight as much as I could--which wasn't all that difficult given her slender form--I removed my coat from her and carefully dressed her in the clothes I'd been given. Once she was clothed, I checked her forehead to see if perhaps a fever was keeping her from waking, or for any injuries. I was no medic but I still knew a little first aid from my past. [Field Triage 1/1 Rank 3 complete] [+25 exp for Skill Use]
Sitting back on my haunches, I sighed. I was worried, but knew next to nothing about the physiology of the sylph. For all I knew she just needed the rest, given everything she had gone through to get to this point. With a grunt I pushed myself back to my feet and finally properly faced Jean. "Jean, right? Shea mentioned your name." I glanced back at the doorway to see if the antlered boy would make his appearance, but there was still no sign of him for the moment. "Kaileer Cein'lys," I offered, gesturing to myself, and then slid my coat back on thankful for the bit of warmth it provided. "This is the main road that's not an exposed highway leading to and from Tsukihara, so I intend on setting up a base here for travelers trying to get away from the Fades in the city, as well as stopping more Fades from getting in. Or at least I hope." Turning away again, I grabbed a hold of a sheet of old fabric I'd seen in the room earlier, and laid it out on the floor. Then, breaking a pen I'd found in my bag earlier, I smudged the ink into a rough crest on the sheet with my fingers. Soraru's standard. This was his country after all; eventually I would move on to find Kumo, so I could reclaim the land in his name. An oroboros inside of a lotus. That was the Hiraite family crest. If they were one of the clans in the region, maybe it would even help ward off Fades. "You guys are welcome to stay and help me establish this place, or continue on your way if you prefer. I won't force your aid in my ambition."
Finished with the temporary standard, I took it with me as I headed back outside. An arch stood at the top of the stairs we'd taken to get here, and it was this that I tossed the sheet over. The quality was poor, but it was a place to start.
[Claimed Ikeinasu: Hallowed Path as Outpost]
❝ I've stopped running, I'm not hurting. I have my mind made up. ❞
Counter | 34 / 200
Active Effects: • 'Old' Injuries [ 14/20 ] Physical speed is reduced by a half [.5] rank due to pain in left shoulder and hip from injuries carried over before age reversal. • Agility [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical speed. • Power [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical strength. • Mild Hypothermia: Physical speed reduced by [.5]
Current Stats: • Physical| Strength: + 0.5 x Speed: - 0.5 • Spiritual| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Power [5] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [3] || Chakra [1]
Techniques Used: •
Current Objectives: • Rest • Find somewhere safe • Set up camp
Jean lowered the branch when he heard his name, and listened to what Kaileer had to say impassively. A settlement had been exactly what he was looking for. Though, he had been hoping for one with more than four people, one of which he would no doubt have nightmares of tonight.
Still, beggars couldn't be choosers, and after choosing to travel with a deer for an unknown length of time, settling with only four people was a much easier pill to swallow. They weren't bad people either. Kaileer was pretty average, the sylph was exquisite, and Shea was a walking nightmare but he was a nice walking nightmare. Nice people were to be treasured... even if they did have hideous, frightening weapons of mass destruction growing out of their heads.
While Jean took his sweet time weighing his options, Kaileer had taken advantage of his silence to start and finish a banner. Being an artist, Jean felt compelled to look at his handiwork and, of course, judge it.
Jean cringed. A crude finger painting on grungy, faded fabric. It wouldn't even last! Pen ink? On that fabric? In this weather? Might as well just hang a sheet of paper with the emblem drawn on it at that point. Was this what his standard of living had come down to? Having to tolerate a subpar work on subpar materials as some sort of identifying crest of the settlement?
Not if he had any say in it, at least. he could accept that subpar materials would be unavoidable. He had cloths and fabrics now, but he understood that they would need to be used sparingly. Subpar work, on the other hand, he would not tolerate. He was here, after all.
By this point, Kaileer had already gone out to hang the banner of shame. Unfortunately, Jean could do nothing about it. He would need time to create one, so he supposed that the offensive sheet would have to do for now. Furthermore, once his initial internal rant calmed down, he did recognize that there were priorities. Workstations to build and then tools to create. It was quite unfortunate, but rationally thinking, he would not be able to pursue his interests for a while.
When Kaileer returned, as he would presumably not stay out in the cold for too long, Jean gave his answer, and rather haughtily at that. "I will stay. As an artisan, the faster I settle, the better, and the rotting buildings here can at least serve as a foundation for new buildings. Though... I will ask that we replace that shameful settlement flag for something of better quality as soon as possible, after the necessities of life are settled that is. Lack of materials aside, the drawing is..." realizing, belatedly, that what he was saying would be rather rude, Jean tried to hold back, "... quite crude."
【 S I X T E E N ⦁ C O U R A G E O U S ⦁ W A R R I O R 】 ◢ K a i l e e r C e i n ' l y s ◣ ⦉ All I'm seeing is grey, and all I know is I've been dragged down again.⦊ 【 D - R A N K ⦁O A T H K E E P E R - B L O O D L I N E⦁ H A K E M O T O 】
❝ I won't linger no more, I've been too long in my storm. I'll rise up and embrace the silence, and let peace find me again. ❞
[x] A thin, forced, and clearly displeased smile decorated my face at Jean's answer. Anger bubbled up, the already short fuse I was known for burning down all the more. I blamed my exhaustion, but I knew a good portion of it had to do with being back in a younger body that experienced mood swings at the flip of a coin. Not that my anger was something I'd ever really grown out of, just learned to control. And that was what I had to remind myself then; Jean was all bark and probably no bite. His demeanor was a defensive and naïve, and he was probably pampered in his old life. For all I knew, the age he was now was the age he was crystallized at and he'd never gotten the chance to be an adult. That or as an adult he was a narcissistic b*****d.
Ah, my mind was getting out of my control. I tore my gaze away from the pale-haired boy to better observe the space we were actually in. It was the same house I'd freed the sylphs from, but the cages were no longer there. It was a decent place to build a living space, and while it wouldn't do to fit more than a couple of people long term, there was no sense in trying to set up four different fires yet. Unless of course the others wanted to; I had no intention of moving to a different house. I needed sleep almost desperately at this point.
I didn't bother responding to Jean, not at first. Besides, it was hard not to be bitter, but I didn't want to sink to the level of trash talking someone just yet. I needed to keep some semblance of calm if I wanted to get this place up and running, and I wasn't with the Stragari who would just laugh anytime I got brash and insult me right back. Instead, I focused my attention on Shea as the younger male returned with another armload of wood. Sending someone as small as him wasn't exactly the most efficient method of gathering firewood, but at least he was enthusiastic about helping, and a bit more willing than the other party. "Shea," I called after he'd set down the load, and waited until he glanced up at me. "If you're up to it, can you set up a bonfire in the clearing outside?" I paused then and added, "You... do know how to set up a fire, right?" It was an honest question, but I realized it might have come off as insulting.
I sighed inwardly, rubbing my temples. When I spoke again, it was to both of them. "Anyway, I need to get some sleep. I'll set up a fire in here if the two of you will start one outside. The smoke will hopefully draw people this way--and hopefully not draw Fades. If anything happens, wake me up." I gathered up a bit of the debris scattered around the room, and then some of the wood that had been placed against the wall. There was a fireplace in the house, offering a safe spot to actually build the fire. Stacking it into a cabin style--to keep it burning longer, I fetched a flint and steel from my bag, and started sparking a dry piece of cloth.
Once it caught, the dry tinder around it didn't take long to light either, and I sat back, enjoying the warmth even the small amount of flame provided. With a glance behind me to see if either of the others were still around, I moved Fiorzia closer to the fireplace and took a brief opportunity to make use of the bandages I'd been given. Which first required carefully--and painfully--removing the leather brigandine I wore, and lifting the shirt below it. With the fire still small, it didn't provide a whole lot of light to see by, but enough that I could see most of my right side was bruised. Damn. I didn't think I'd been hit all that hard, but apparently I thought wrong. My should was likewise bruised and tender, but I hadn't even noticed it in comparison to the pain in my rib cage. It was hard to believe nothing was broken. I was off to a great start with this whole surviving thing. I pulled the wrapping tight around my torso, supportive but not so constricting that breathing was any harder, and redressed in all my layers to warm up again. With nothing else that needed done, and too tired really to care either way, I settled down to sleep and was out probably within a minute following. [Field Triage 1/1 Rank 4 complete] [+25 exp for Skill Use]
❝ I've stopped running, I'm not hurting. I have my mind made up. ❞
Counter | 35 / 200
Active Effects: • 'Old' Injuries [ 15/20 ] Physical speed is reduced by a half [.5] rank due to pain in left shoulder and hip from injuries carried over before age reversal. • Agility [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical speed. • Power [5]: [.5] rank increase to physical strength. • Mild Hypothermia: Physical speed reduced by [.5]
Current Stats: • Physical| Strength: + 0.5 x Speed: - 0.5 • Spiritual| Strength: 0.0 x Speed: 0.0 • Power [5] || Agility [5] || Intelligence [3] || Chakra [1]
tab█ Shea Fal'nevan xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx What is this [ someday? ]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx tabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabAnd frozen in the footstebs untaken. we stand side bh side. What is it really, but a tomorrow or today? tabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabtabAnd frozen in the footsteps untaken, we stand side by side. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
[x] I gathered maybe five or six more armloads of wood from the neighboring houses and returned them to the house we seemed to have chosen, for now, as shelter. While I was gone, Jean returned and Kaileer set up what I guessed was meant to be a temporary banner. It wasn't half bad, given the supplies available, and I was sure he had the intention of putting up a better one once materials were readily available. For now, though, it made a good marker that this area belonged to us, I guessed. Though I wasn't so sure how good it would be at repelling any enemies. If anything, it might provoke attack. I just hoped we would find more friendly people first.
I dropped off my latest load only to hear my name called. Ears standing straighter, I turned my gaze to Kaileer and stepped inside the building. He wanted me to set up a bonfire outside, explaining it was to help draw people to this place. Fair enough, although he expressed the same concern I'd had about attracting enemies. Anyway he seemed confident enough, past the utter exhaustion in his tone, which helped with my confidence as well. It was a sense of reassurance that he was willing to help and protect us as much as he could. Though I wished I had any sort of knowledge that was useful to the situation we found ourselves in. Whatever I knew back at home, I couldn't use here, leaving me little to defend myself with.
I nodded, giving a small smile. "Yeah, I can do that!" I replied, my grin growing. I glanced at Jean to see if the white-haired male would be willing to help out before picking up my last armload of firewood again and hobbling away to the center of the ring of houses.
The snow was already tossed about, but it was going to be hard to build any sort of fire on what was there. Clearing the snow off a low wall not far off, I used gloved hands and boots to push snow away from the center. Beneath was mostly gravel, which was helpful, and the damp, frozen ground would help prevent anything from catching fire. Once I had a solid sized area in which to build the campfire, I started setting up the gathered wood, stacking it leaning against each other in a tepee style.
Within a few minutes, I had a decent sized fire going and sat back, watching the smoke rise for a moment. This was the moment of Fate, and we would soon find out whether this bonfire would provide allies or enemies. We could only hope for the former. Standing up again, I glanced around once more to see what Jean was up to--Kaileer never came back out of the building, so I assumed he'd gone to sleep like he said he would--then moved away to search for stones to surround the fire pit with.
tab█.CHAKRA :100 / 100█.STAMINA :100 / 100█.STATUS :None tab█.EXP :510█.RYO :両000█.HEALTH :Fine█.INJURIES :None█.THOUGHTS :There's a lot of work to be done. ▀▀▀Suddenly I'm running slowly. Suddenly it all goes dark. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
Kaileer was right on that last count about Jean, he was a narcissistic b*****d. Hopefully, though, he'd be useful enough to keep around despite being a b*****d, and at the very least, he knew when it was his turn to leave, taking about half of the berries he had harvested as well as Shea's bag and walking out leisurely behind the deer.
Outside, as usual, he kept away from Shea, staying a safe distance from the terrifying antlers. Though, unlike before, it wasn't like Jean didn't consider helping Shea. He actually did, for a short moment, wonder if he should help with building the fire. The idea was summarily disposed of, though, upon realizing that the rough barks and irregular surfaces could possibly damage his hands. Until Jean got some gloves, he wasn't touching those dangerous splinter traps. What a priss.
Instead, while Shea cleverly stacked the wood, Jean cleared out a spot on the steps to sit on. He tossed the berries to one side, his bag to the other, and rummaged through Shea's bag in his lap. What a careless fool of a deer. Jean almost felt ashamed of being so scared of someone so airheaded. Who would just leave behind what was practically all of their possessions in a room they wouldn't go back into for a few hours? Looking at the untouched scrolls, Jean audibly sighed. Jean would never admit that his pride actually felt a bit hurt to see that the items he had gone through such trouble to get for Shea--look, building up the courage to actually think about helping the deer was plenty tormenting--had gone unused. Well, whatever, if Shea didn't want to take advantage of his kindness, then that was fine with him.
For his own use, Jean retrieved whatever it was that held directions on doton manipulation and perused the scroll. How little he remembered of his past technical knowledge was simply plain, old embarrassing. However, lamenting about it would get him nowhere. Being careful about not giving himself a paper cut, Jean read through the instructions for this basic technique as he tried to remember the feel of molding earth and elements into his desired creation. [1/5 + 4 free posts learn Tsuchi Soujuu [Earth Manipulation]]
By the time Jean finished, Shea had already finished building the fire and had left it unattended to go crouch somewhere. He spotted Shea just in time to see Shea stand up from his crouch, bringing up a rock in his hands. "Hm," Jean understood as he brought a hand up and waved it in a graceful arc. His fingers traced delicately up and then down into a pleasing spiral. With the motions, a few the stones Jean could see from where he was seated floated up and then converged into a circle around the fire.
The stones Shea had managed to collect were left untouched. Jean had considered it to make sure he had the deer's attention, but when he considered how it might make the deer angry at him, he firmly decided against it. [Tsuchi Soujuu C-rank] [Setting up Camp post???]
70/100 chakra Tsuchi Soujuu [Earth Manipulation] Description: This control allows the user to bend stone and soil. Not only can it take any form the user desires, but it can also be shifted around as if it were a part of their own body. It should be noted that one can only manipulate earth that is naturally occurring, as it is present almost everywhere. Additionally, any earth that is being freely manipulated is not very strong, and can be broken or blown away as if it were completely natural. It should be noted that techniques can be made smaller while retaining their rank. Rank E: Very small amount of earth [a pebble]. Rank D: Small amount of earth [a rock]. Rank C: Medium amount of earth [a boulder]. Rank B: Large amount of earth [a stone slab]. Rank A: Very large amount of earth [a small hill]. Rank S: Massive amount of earth [a large hill]. • Requires [5] posts to learn, but is not required to learn other Doton techniques. Receives no reductions. • The amount of earth that can be manipulated is limited to the user's experience rank limit [at E-rank can make up to C-rank, D-rank up to B-rank, etc.] • Manipulated earth loses any modifiers, and is beaten by techniques of the same rank, or one rank lower against lightning.
