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Go Forth and Learn

Started by DragonSong, August 01, 2016, 12:25:17 PM

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DragonSong

@Lion

The first three days were a breeze. Actually, it was quite nice to be out in the fresh air without doing endless drills and spellwork. He was familiar with the flora and fauna of Ruka, but he never really got the chance to appreciate it, always busy training.

By the fourth day the idea of this particular exercise his mentor had sent him out on was starting to wear a bit thin. Emrys was a scholar, not a woodsman, and he was quickly growing bored with camping out in the open- it certainly wasn't terrible, but a real bed was seeming more and more like some ridiculously comfortable fantasy.

Day five and he was rather fed up with the whole thing.

"Running out of food," he muttered to himself, dropping his pack at the bank of a small stream and kicking off his shoes before rolling up his trousers and wading in. "Camping when it's sweltering during the day and freezing at night- and what's with the damn humidity? Gods, I love drinking my air. Don't know why he couldn't just tell me what he wanted. Oh no, he can't every give me a straight answer- Go forth and learn, pup. Damn insufferable git..."

He continued to grumble complaints to himself as he stripped off his shirt and tossed it onto the bank before wading out into the middle of the stream, not paying any attention to his surroundings in his rather juvenile fit of pique.

Lion

It was a rare occasion when he had relief from his duty at the Temple.  As ever being a guard forced him to be vigilant, and when he was told to relieve himself from that duty, it didn't come easy.  Akash had no voice to refute that however, and instead could only nod and instead was instructed to venture into the wilds to find a foreigner in need of protection.

Or so, Hsin Galin told him to do.  His direct superior at the temple had not favored foreigners, especially those coming from Serendipity and further north.  However, it was not his duty as to say who could enter and who could be denied.  It just meant more people to protect and watch over.  And at this time, the only guard that was useless enough to do so was Akash.

He found his way easily enough through the trees, and as much as he disliked the wilderness, there was a solace here that he felt one with.  Perhaps it was the spirit of the island.  Thanatos was nothing like the other lands.  Akash couldn't imagine being anywhere else than here.

He heard a strange voice the moment he was near the river, and he followed the water to find a griping foreigner.

He scowled a bit before taking a seat by the rocks and began to dutifully watching over him.  Legs crossed over one to the other, he set his staff on his lap and was still as a statue.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

DragonSong

Still grumbling to himself, Emrys turned toward the bank, one hand raised and mouth moving to form the words of a simple chant- and he suddenly yelped and jumped back.

His bare foot caught on a rock and he tumbled backwards into the water. Sputtering my, he surfaced again, waving his arms wildly as he blinked to clear his eyes and shouted, "Who the hell are you?!"

Lion

Akash blinked at him, eyes widening when he saw the strange pale man fall backwards into the water.  Thankfully it wasn't very shallow, or he might have hurt his delicate head.  The guardsman stood and approached, although he kept his staff firmly across his shoulder.

He pointed to his own heart and crossed it. Then to his throat and gestured as if his throat had been severed.  He could only hope his intent came across clearly.  And not that he meant to slash the young pale man's throat or anything.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

DragonSong

Now thoroughly soaked and even more irritated than he'd been before, Emrys splashed his way toward the bank- and his clothes- giving the stranger a wide berth and a wary look.

His eyes flicked over the man, sharp and interested. A uniform. A staff. Rather taciturn. "You a guardsman?" he asked abruptly. "I know there's a temple nearby- that where you're from?"

Lion

[Just making sure you're aware that Akash cannot speak. But I'll try my best to ensure he communicates as clearly as possible.  This is also my first time writing a character that can't speak words. D:]

He nodded quickly and straightened, keeping his posture proud.  He pointed to the pool as if to ask if he was trying to kill himself, or was he always that stupid.  He bowed his head respectfully however and pointed to him.  He gestured to his own head, and then back to Emrys as to ask his name.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

DragonSong

[oh, I know! Emrys doesn't though, so this'll be fun :3]


Oh great. Maybe he was one of those religious types that had taken a vow of silence. Did they do that on Thanatos?

Huffing out a sigh, Emrys bent to gather his clothes, toweling off his body with his shirt before hanging it over a low branch to dry. "Okay, you aren't deaf, so you just don't speak. Can you write?" His eyes flicked to his pack, where he kept paper and a quill at all times.

Arms folded over his chest, he leaned back against the tree and arched an eyebrow at the man. "And while I'm asking questions, why the hell were you watching me?"

He didn't necessarily feel threatened by the man, but his magic was buzzing just beneath the surface of his skin, wary.

Lion

Akash nodded again.  He made a scribble motion with his hand as if he could translate what he meant, but made no further motion to pursue such a notion.

Akash just moved when he did, intent to follow him and watch over as instructed.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

DragonSong

"Alright then." He bent to pull a notebook and a stick of charcoal out of his pack, then held them out to the man.

"Why don't you tell me why you're here."

Lion

Akash looked at the paper and charcoal stupidly, as if wondering if he didn't make himself clear enough.

He smiffed and begam drawing on the pad, artfully scribbling the young man floundering in the water and showing it to him with a smile.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

DragonSong

"Er...yes, that's me." Emrys frowned, blushing a bit in embarrassment. "And that's, um- wow, that's actually a really good sketch. And you did that so fast..."

Realizing he was going on a tangent, he cleared his throat and shook his head. "But that doesn't really answer my question." Maybe the man was simple? "Okay, let's start with the basics. Can you write your name?"

Lion

He turned the paper over and scribbled the words, in a beautiful elegant hand, "Can you?" and offered the notepad to him instead.  He could do this all day.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

DragonSong

Great. Not simple, just a smartass.

"Alright, I get it." With a roll of his eyes he scratched his signature onto the paper before handing the book back. "Now. Your turn. And while you're at it, tell me why you were watching me. Please."

Magic crackled at his fingertips, ready to jump to life if things went south.

Lion

He took the paper with his name on it.  Akash was tempted to write his own name on it.
"You are foreigner.  I am a guard.  You need guarding.  I am here to guard you," Akash scrawled on the paper, turning it over and sensing the younger man getting tense.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

DragonSong

"Ah."

Emrys frowned as he read the message, still eyeing the man a little warily. "Did- did Fang send you?" That didn't seem like him.

Lion

"No," he wrote instead.  "My superior did.  Hsin Galin.  I am Akash."  And at that introduction he bowed his head and handed the notepad back to him, although he kept the charcoal for himself.  You never know when you'll need something like that.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

DragonSong

"Well." He blinked at the paper for a few moments, confused. "It's, um...nice to meet you?" he offered.

Clearing his throat, he handed the notebook back and asked, "Why does your superior care about some random foreigner?" His magic wasn't that out of hand- surely he hadn't drawn so much attention?

Lion

Well, what more could there possibly be to tell?  Akash had never been much of the talkative type, even when he could speak.  Even now, it seemed this man wanted to nothing but flap his lips.  He supposed, even hot air needed a way to escape once in a while.

"It is simple.  A foreigner in a strange land would need as much guidance as possible.  Whether it is you or I," he wrote.  "Shall we continue this exchange, or be on our way?" And handed the notebook back once again.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

DragonSong

Emrys rolled his eyes. "Gods, you are a military type," he grumbled. "Where exactly are we going?" Fang hadn't given him any direction- he supposed there could be worse ideas than following the silent guard.

Lion

As if there was really any more that needed to be said.  Really, Akash couldn't anything more that could make him any clearer.  He was pretty sure follow him was as self-explanatory as it could be.

So he shrugged, waiting patiently, and gestured him an 'after you' swing of his arm.  Although it probably could have been followed by a rude gesture with Emrys' back turned.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

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