The Last Terra Scroll: Baptism of Fire

[Lion]

This was her time, her chance to prove herself that she was of pure soul and worthy of her title, the epitome of all the Templars stood for, especially in these trying times.  It had been days of loss and triumph in the past years for the Order, the loss of the three Terra Scrolls in the Ten Years War and the sudden recovery of the Earth Scroll just seven months posterior to Cassa's aggrandizement.  The Masters were in a flurry of both excitement and incredulity as they had believed the Scrolls be lost from the Order forever after the brutal war or feared worse, that their secrets had reached into the wretched and undeserving hands of the Ronin, who would undoubtedly use the Scrolls' powers to bring darkness about the world.

Cassa had heard of such artifacts, read about them in certain archives that united as one with the Mana, would unlock hidden power to those only deserving.  Yet, their true meaning eluded even one as deft as her for she had learned only the basis of what was recorded: That they were handed down from the true and original practitioners of the Mana, the energies of the universe, to the Templars for them to protect and had successfully protected them until the emergence of the traitorous Ronin.  Little did she know that such relics, hidden and separated, had called upon climactic forces about the Earth like tendrils of mist arising from the soils of a silent graveyard.

She knew, however, that such a discovery as the Earth Scroll must be significant enough to cause the High Guardians to act in such ways.  And indeed, her convictions were correct.  To the Masters, the finding of the Earth Scroll, stability as it meant to them in their teachings, meant that the whole of the Scrolls were not lost to the world and that finding this one meant that the others were still out there upon the Earth, awaiting for their proper owners.  They were in a hurry to gain them back for fear another would in their stead and attempt to hold them ransom or worse, attempt to unlock their secrets for personal gain.  The Order of Templar Guardians was above such earthly satisfaction and sought to satisfy neither greed nor selfishness.  Yet it was obvious to them that there was evil still existent within the world, to deny it would be the utmost ignorance and there was no ignorance within the understanding of the Mana, only the attaining of knowledge through experience.

Within that mysterious span of seven months, Cassa had grown curious to understand what these Scrolls were and what they meant to the Order.  Even her own master, Master Kralo, did not divulge her interest when she asked him of them.  She was on edge, anticipating what they might be and was distracted as she practiced her fighting techniques.  Then the day came when the secrets of the Masters were no longer.  They held a council, all of them, discussing with the most prominent of Guardians what to do until finally the plan to retrieve them was laid out.  Then had come the question of who should be the one to journey across the earth to gather such sacred relics.  Upon Kralo's insistence and input, which was valued due to the reverence of his wisdom, the newly promoted was to venture out to retrieve them as a test of will, fortitude, strength, constitution, and perception.  Thus the role had landed onto Kralo's very own apprentice: the newly aggrandized Cassa Rine, the last of the Rine bloodline.

She was honored, accepted the quest humbly and sent upon the journey in search of the Scrolls, particularly the Scroll of Fire, one of the three Natural Forces: the power of destruction.  As ever the optimist, she saw this as an opportunity to live up to her family legacy, to bring the name out the darkness and be with hope, gain enough renown and prove her loyalty to the Order through his task.

Yet only a week into her journey, armed and armored as the proper Templar was with her self-made armor and sword (all disciples were required to perform their own smithing incase of as sudden need for a repair), and she was suddenly lost.  True, her perception of the world around her was not astray as she was openly able to sense the energies of the trees in her path, their pulses beating pleasantly with life.  However, having been living and training in the Templar Hieron in the Zantaric for most of her life and had seen little of the outside world, it would not be uncommon for her to no know where she was going by sight and sound.

Her senses told her she was going in the right direction as she stopped her path to listen to the world outside her.  "I don't understand," she said to herself as she looked about, hearing the sounds of animals and wind about her.  "Everything looks the same...  How am I suppose to recognize east from west from north and south!"  She felt anxiety filling her body mixed with streams of ambition and pebbles of fear.  No, she scolded herself, You mustn't allow yourself to be vulnerable to such emotions.  Stop thinking a moment, wherever you are, sit and meditate.  You must center yourself before you can move on.

"Yes," she spoke again to no one in particular, "I must center myself."  And so there she sat atop the underbrush, legs crossed and back straight as she was taught, and concentrated on her breathing and the world around her.  It may have been difficult to breath in her armor with evergreen colored travel cloak attached, but Templar armor was made by its forger to be both durable and flexible using unique and rare metals from all over the planet.  So there she sat, envisioning her inner fire and performing her breath techniques with her eyes closed and concentrating on the energies of the Mana she felt flowing through her.  Colors passed before he closed eyelids, shades of different reds, blues, greens, and yellows and she felt her own ascension increase to greater heights.

Yet, surely it was must have been a strange sight to see: an armor clad woman sitting in the midst of a wild and dangerous woodland sitting with closed eyes and meditating.  Yet those that would see her would not know that she was a Templar and that a warrior of her breed always had their eyes open, even when they were closed.

[Anonymous]

Natajia scratched at her lens.  She had known better than to just lay them on the ground, but she seldom thought of those things til it was too late.  The damp dirt was smeared on the glass and in the cracks of the frames.  Scraping the dirt off, her fingernail scrapped tiny marks onto the lens, but she wouldn't notice til she put them on again.  The rarely seen glasses helped make things look larger, although they did little to help her eyesight.  She kept them in her pocket usually, pulling them out mostly when she needed to examine a leaf or something of that nature. She slid them back in her pocket where they belonged, and turned her attention to what she was doing.

She sat propped against a tree, careful not to put her weight on the ground itself, but rather on a large root.  Her knees up in the air, a small book rested against her thighs.  She dipped her pen in the ink sitting at her side.  The ink was such a black that it appeared made of darkness itself.  Her pen gently slid across the paper, carefully brushing out a pattern. The tree she drew lay a good 10 large steps directly ahead of her, but she still had to crane her neck to see the upper branches.  On the open pages of her book, lied her written account of the unfamiliar tree, a skillfully drawn duplicate of a bright green leaf, and she worked to finish up her sketch of the tree itself.

The tree itself was most unremarkable, other than its large size and obvious rarity (as she had never seen one), she was bored with it, and wanted to move on.  With the last strokes put down, she sat her book down carefully, allowing the ink time to dry.  She collected a sample of the trees bark and a leaf (which would look completely different by the time she returned home with it).  She stuffed these things into the large bag hanging over her shoulder.  Heading back to her book, her head spun slowly, looking for a good direction to move next.   Undecided, she closed her book gently and placed it in her bag.    From this point, she really had no direction to go, she just liked to wander.  And when in doubt, her favorite direction was always 'downhill.'  

Natajia loved the sounds of the forest, and they served well to put her at ease alone in the forest, which had proven dangerous on many occasions.  She had never let a little thing like fear keep her from her needed research.  A nearby creek gave the sound of activity and life, while an occasional distant wolf cried whispers of danger and warning.  The trees gave off a scent that she loved, a mixture of musks and saps.  This was why she was an herbalist.  Many assumed she just wanted to follow her fathers footsteps, but honestly, she just loved being among the forest.  

She moved carefully and did well not to fall over while trudging down the brushy decline.  It was a miracle when she made it to the bottom, cause Nat had always been a clutz.  She looked over her shoulder, proud of her maneuvering.  Her face held a grin of simple accomplishment as she turned to look for her next new discovery.  

She wandered mostly aimlessly among the forest for a good twenty to thirty minutes before discovering an odd vine growing up an unremarkable tree.   She looked closely at it, fishing her glasses out of her pocket and worked them onto her face.

She let out a soft sigh as she realized the damage her fingernails had done to her lenses.  Looking closely at the vine, It took her a few moments to notice the still figure sitting rather curiously beyond the tree.  It was quite a distance away, but it seemed to be a warrior, and apparently a female one.  Rather she had noticed Natajia yet or not she wasn't sure.   She slid behind the vine covered tree and hoped to get a better look.  Catching her foot across a traveling vine, she fell to her knees.   The bag over her shoulder falling underneath her, she let out a cry of worry rather than pain.  Preserving her work had to be more important than keeping from a twisted wrist.  Luckily neither her or her research was hurt.

(I believe it'll be like sunday before Lyyn can post, so I dont think she'll mind if we take a couple posts between now and then.  But Lyyn, jump in whenever you're ready.   :D )

[Lion]

[Alright, good enough for me.]

Imagine floating aimlessly through the galaxy, the only lights to guide you are the stars that burned with effervescent light and the planets twirling on their axes.  Colors surround you, flow through you, colors that represent the cosmic energies of the universe and with them take you away from the world as is presented to you through the gift of sight.  There is no air, no heat, only a cool omniscient force that caresses your skin that carries you through space, weightless and unburdened.  It would seem that while in this state of ethereality, you are asleep and that all your senses are shut out to the world about you.  But in fact it's quite the opposite; in this state you haven't felt more alive or perceptive to the universe about you, all your senses are open at once.  You feel peculiar quantum vigor filling your veins and you can hear a strange pulse.  It is distant, seeming to come across from a vast extent and therefore faint but it is familiar and welcoming; as if you have known it all your life but only meeting for the first time, fully and without fear.  There is no room for fear in this place of silent harmony and filled with balance; it is here in this extent of space that you awake from a long slumber and hear the heartbeat of the galaxy for the first time.

And it was in this state that Cassa induced herself into as she meditated at the center of the forest clearing.  Light parted down to her as she breathed in slowly through her nose for seven seconds and extended her perceptions to the world around her, feeling everything, from life forms to distant words and the flowing of souls through it all.  This was the Mana, the transcendental energy that connected all life, from the smallest insect to the greatest behemoth.  Some civilizations would claim that such a concept was madness and that it was merely a form of magic, but in truth these claims would indeed be incorrect.  The Mana was in fact the source of magic, as magic was merely one manifestation of this energy, as it was that the Templars believed down to the core of their being that this energy was also the source of all life.  It was only those blind to it that could not understand such energy.

Her breath traveled through her being, feeling cool warmth around her that came of such long meditation, taking with it all the cosmic vitality of the galaxy, of the earth, of all its creatures for a period of seven seconds and exited her out through her mouth in seven seconds as well.  She did not see a person approaching from her side as she sat and continued in her timely breathing.  Cassa's mind was deeply absorbed in her journey through mental space, observing all life about her.  She shaved off unnecessary points of focus one by one until she came across the continent.  She then peeled off the east coast for a roaring of ocean waves did not enter her focus, removed the west and north for the need to seal off mages or adopt a child was not with her until she centered herself in her current location.  The trees about her too were ignored as her mind journeyed through the Zantaric, west, and then north and found herself in an area called the Draconi Forest.  Cassa searched for a specific energy, a warm one that would lead her to her destination but found none.  But young ambition did not abandon her and she kept up her search.

The figure that had caught sight of her apparently sought to observe her more and it wasn't until the voice of young girl crying out did Cassa's attention snap into place.  Still deep in meditation, she reached out with her perceptions and sensed the girl's energies.  Apparently there was nothing to bring the young Guardian springing to her feet and readying her sword as she detected the person to be quite harmless...

"Approach," Cassa called out in invitation with her green eyes still closed.  "Come and sit with me.  Meditation will heal you."

[Anonymous]

Natajia, no longer able to simply sneak away unnoticed, began moving slowly towards the still figure.  She fumbled among the brush and branches, her eyes fixed on the stranger, and not where she was going.  Her eyes, which were never good at a distance, were finally making sense of what she saw.  

A soldier sat cross-legged on the ground.  She was right also about it being a female.  Now getting a better look, there was no mistaking the womans figure-fitting armor and feminine features.  Natajia got the impression that while she was in fact a woman, this was a person who need the protection of no one.  Her cape covered most of the woman from this direction, but what she could see spoke of a warrior and nothing less.   From behind her cape peaked a womans curve covered in armor, Leather it appeared to Natajia, but she wasn't sure.   A sword rested across her lap, but Nat could only see the hilt.  But most obvious was the shoulder guards that rested atop her shoulder.  Natajia bit her lip as she made the last few feet up to the sitting lady, a nervous habit.

Walking past, she turned and got her first good look at the woman.  She was immediately stricken by two things.  First the armor and weapon that she carried.  Intimidated at the sight, she knew that her safety may rest on who this woman was and what she wanted with her.  The other thing that came to her was her sheer beauty.  Her face seemed carved of porcelain, and her body seemed shaped by the gods themselves.  Her hands pulled at her own clothes, suddenly feeling rather ashamed of her own simple figure.  At 19, she still had the body of a young teen.  Her words parted to speak to the woman, only to realize that her eyes were closed.  

She had heard the woman speak of meditation, but she didn't expect she meant it literally.  Her few attempts at the method had only made her sleepy.   A confused smirk came to her face as she was suddenly unaware how to deal with the woman.  She looked around, finding downed tree nearby to sit on.  She sat quietly as she could, her legs pointed directly towards the cross-legged warrior.  After a few minutes she became bored with waiting on her to respond.  She closed her eyes tight, both pretending to meditate and actually hoping something cool would happen.  A few moments later, her right eye peaked open just a hair, checking if the other lady was still meditating.

[Lion]

Templars were not the type to give up easily nor were they wont to ignore futility when they saw it in front of their faces.  Cassa recognized this time that she would not find the trail of the fire scroll from this location; and particularly with the presence of another to stir her senses.  She kept her seated position, her left hand rested in her right and thumb tips touching lightly, as she followed the girl's aura with her mind, not turning her head.  This was a curious specimen indeed and sparked Cassa's interest as to why she approached.  But only after a few more moments of relaxation did she decide to open up her eye and spot the girl popping one eyes open to peer at the Templar.

Cassa took one final deep breath before returning completely to this world.  Observing the girl who sat on a log across from her she straightened her shoulders and tossed her head up in perfect posture, taking note of the large blue headgear that rested upon her child-sized head and even more at the blue that almost made it seem like she was a walking sea creature.  Had Cassa been less knowledgeable, she might have asked the girl if she was a fish or something pertinent to marine life in any way, shape, or form.  However, that notion was soon swiped from her mind when she remembered what she had learned in her meditation, that they were right in the middle of the Draconi Forest, hundreds of miles away from either sea for that question to be valid.  Of course there was a lake nearby and were surrounded by rivers but Cassa no longer considered anything about the fish question.

Quite spontaneously the Guardian began to laugh out loud and wrinkled her brow, before stating, "You don't know how to meditate do you?"

[Whoa this was really short.  Whoops!  I'll try to make it longer next time when my brain is working right.]

[Anonymous]

Caught. It was obvious that the woman before her was observing her odd position and the girl opened her eyes fully when an unexpected laugh was released into the air. Puzzled at first as to why she was laughing the reasons were revealed in the question she asked of her. Looking down she realized the differences in posture between herself and the lady and thought of how ridiculous she must look to her with her legs board straight. Adjusting her glasses she stared at her while she considered the question asked, contemplating whether it was said in derision or just as a general comment.

Still wary of the stranger she'd found sitting in the forest, Natajia decided to take a defensive stance in the conversation. "No, I don't understand it so I never learned. What's it to you?" she asked, eyes glimmering with challenge as she relaxed her legs to allow her heels rest against the ground. Consumed in silent contemplation for a moment as she continued the unwavering stare directed across from herself to the warrior woman, Natajia gave thought to the circumstances in which she'd found her. It wasn't normal for people to be sitting in the middle of the brush, was it? Was it normal for those same people to be armored and bearing a sword as well? This sparked her interest and soon she gave voice to it. "Why are you out here anyway?"

ooc: Oh my goodness...excuse the shortness and the time it took me to get this up. @_@ *headdesk* Though...*pulls out wild card and slaps down on table* I can blame this on my new exploration of Natajia for now but you'll get longer posts as I use her more. :] Juno just takes a while to take to her new charries. >_< Again, my apologies Lion.

[Lion]

Cassa laughed slightly at the comment.  She didn't respond other than peering at the other person with scarcely concealed curiosity.  There was little reason for the young warrior to hide it for they both had as much reason as the other to question the reason for being in this very spot.  Yet the seeming glare she caught in the other's eyes was a curious one indeed.  Furrowing her brow, Cassa let her smile fade and instead reward the girl with a look of sheer puzzlement, hidden in a drooping mask of contemplation and misunderstanding.  Perhaps she would come off as a nutcase but in reality the expression itself couldn't be helped.  During her stay at the Temple Hieron, Cassa had had little contact with the outside world, and while trained in the arts of diplomacy and how to stop conflicts without the need for her blade, she was not completely skilled in many social activities.

After pondering the supposed reasons behind the other girl's odd expression, she spread a grin back on her face as her acquaintance took it upon herself to break the silence.  In answering, "That same could be said of you, young one."   Her eyebrows went up in an obvious show of face.  "But I'll indulge you seeing as there is no harm in your question.  I'm looking for something.  Meditation helps me clear my head and I'll need to think clearly if I'm to find what I'm looking for.  What about you, child?  Why are you here?"

[No problem.  I've got a bit of writer's block with this thread so my posts will probably be shorter than I'd like them.  Well, I do what I can]

[Anonymous]

Observing the woman that sat across from her, Nat allowed her eyes to trail around the scene. Indeed, she was correct. How odd they must look sitting in the middle of some unknown patch of land in the forest. The warrior spoke of searching for something, which caught her intrigue. What could she possibly be looking for? Have I seen it? Would I know what it is? What if it's something new?! She was dragged back to awareness, though, when she heard a question floating in the air.

Why was she here? Wasn't it obvious? She eyed the woman curiously, wondering why it even mattered to her why she was here. "I was taking notes on a new tree I found, but then I got lost, I suppose, when I started walking again. Turned around and there you were, just sitting here like it's the most natural thing in the world. So I came over. That is why I am here." She paused for a moment, fidgeting with her bag as she pondered whether to continue speaking or not. Her curiosity of what exactly the woman was searching for in these woods got the better of Nat and she promptly opened her mouth to speak again, eyes growing wide with eager hopes that her question might be answered.

"So, what are you looking for? Perhaps I could...help you."

[Anonymous]

Crysha sat glumly, pulling her cloak more tightly about her. Her normally gentle features were now set in a deep look of spite as surely as if they were stone, her narrowed eyes sending all the disapproval they could muster toward the small body of tinder and wood that was supposed to have been her breakfast fire.

Her stomach growled a complaint at the delay, while the breeze -which had an cold edge to it that morning- picked up suddenly to grace any exposed skin with a chilling attempt at consolation.

All around her the trees swayed gently with the gusting breeze, their presence peaceful as always, while the small stream before her chimed in its own soothing trickle of water to the symphony. A few birds playfully jumped from tree to tree not far away in a moment of joyful carelessness. Slowly the forest calmed her spite, the loneliness that had intruded upon her quiet moments over the last few days crept in to replace it.

It occurred to her then that of for all her travels, this was a new experience. She had seen many places, but always with someone else. Now all the little things that she had always let others worry about fell on her shoulders alone. Scolding herself for allowing such moments of self-pity, she stared once more at the stubborn wood before her and thought.

"Poor tinder," she decided, staring at the sorry pile of half-brown grass and small twigs. The trees and shrubbery in the area had proven to be quite difficult to light, and there didn't seem to be an abundance of dead material on the forest floor. On any other occasion such a healthy vital forest would probably have awed her, but her growling stomach denied her the pleasure. Her eyes turned once more to the birds flitting through the trees. "How I wish I could be as care-free as..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes caught on a small object resting on some nearby branches. It was a bird's nest.

In trying to reach it however, she would quickly discover why the birds had picked that particular location. Her frame was small and agile, but even so she soon found herself hanging awkwardly by one leg and one hand, straining to reach the nest while resisting the urge to turn her head and gauge the distance to the ground beneath her. "I'm... sorry... birds..." she ground out as she grappled with the branches. "I... want... breakfast..." Her happy grunt as she grabbed the birds' nest quickly turned to a startled cry as she lost her grip on the tree. Rotating in midair, she managed to get her feet underneath her just in time to make a reasonably controlled landing. Her legs complained under the stress, but the distance had not been as bad as she had feared and she was none the worse for it. Her eyes glowed in victory as she looked over the hard-won birds nest she held. It was an admirable construction, and would not be easy to pry apart, but it would make an excellent supply of tinder.

Determination and hunger gave an urgency to her pace as she tore apart the nest and gathered her wood sticks. Her arms soon ached from the constant motion of scraping the pointed wood against its grooved companion, but she was at last rewarded as the friction spawned a small red glow in the tinder. For a moment she froze, afraid even a breath would extinguish her hard-won hope of a hot meal. Then a flash of memory reminded her to nurse the flame and she gently blew on the warm glow. A smaller piece of tinder poofed into flame before her eyes the fire started to grow.

She shot to her feet, letting out a small victory cry, then slowly turned and surveyed the forest around her. "Not so bad at this after all am I?" she asked the still unhappy bird eying her from the tree overhead. No- she corrected herself- unhappy birds. A few friends had joined the first bird in its vigil over the nest-raiding invader below them. As she watched yet another bird flew in to join the crowd.

For the newcomer however, angry stares were apparently not sufficient punishment for her crime. It leapt from the tree and dove right at her, pulling up only at the last moment. The other birds soon joined the fray, dive-bombing their hapless victim mercilessly.

She ducked reflexively, then turned from the onslaught just in time to see another bird diving right into her face. Again it pulled up at the last second, but the act still startled Crysha and she stumbled backward, losing her balance, and landing squarely on top of her campfire.

She rolled off as quickly as she could with an indignant grunt, but the damage was done. While the flame was not yet large enough to burn her or permanently damage her clothing it had none the less been thoroughly smothered by her landing. A sense of deja-vue came over her as she sat, staring with narrowed eyes at an unlit wreck of tinder and grass. The birds chirped happily in the tree above her, apparently quite happy with the outcome, and paid absolutely no heed to the fearsome scowl she sent in their direction.

     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

The sun had moved only a small distance in the sky by the time she finished her breakfast of cold porridge. She had purchased it at an inn in the last town she had passed through and saved what was left over. The exposure to the elements had turned the once delicious meal of grains and vegetables in broth into a sludge of cold and wilted remains. She silently cursed the bitter birds once more as she repacked her things and set off. The meal had not tasted good but it would provide sustenance. Dinner, she vowed, would be heated if she had to scavenge the entire woods for tinder.

Fortunately, she would not have to. The deep green woods began gradually to turn to a more open, deciduous forest. Beneath her feet an ever growing layer of dead leaves and branches formed, and she stopped frequently to pick up choice pieces and stuff them in her pack.

The calm of the woods remained undisturbed through her journey, as she had somehow lost track of the trail used by the Adelan population to get from place to place. She did her best to keep her course, using the position of the sun as well as the distant mountains and other landmarks to guide her. Yet none of it did much to lessen the fact that she did not know where she was or where exactly she was going. Finally she stopped to sit and listen for a time to the tranquility around her.

"Why did I do this?" she asked of the trees. "Why have I come to this place, so far from my home and all that is familiar? Is my journey to end how I began it? Lost in a world in which I find no purpose?"

The breeze picked up and the trees gently swayed with its motion. She sighed. "You're right, I'll try that," she said as she closed her eyes and cleared her mind, letting the air drift gently across her face. As the burdens of the present drifted like clouds from her mind the wind continued to whisper in her ear. She could almost make out its voice... Her eyes snapped open and she leapt to her feet. She *could* hear something, it sounded like footsteps.

Curious but wary, she debated her next action. With her enhanced Ulric hearing, she was fairly sure she had heard the approaching party before they could have heard her. For a moment she considered fleeing, after all she was in a strange land she didn't know, alone. Then she considered approaching them, perhaps they could lend directions she so badly needed? Finally she decided on a middle course. The nearby tree was not too difficult to climb, and had enough branches and leaves to conceal her presence. She positioned herself as low in the tree as she dared and waited.

The party turned out to consist of only one. A warrior, she decided as she glanced over the person's armor. It looked quite intricate and valuable, and was in good condition. Perhaps someone wealthy? she thought. Certainly no common thief or criminal. She considered dropping out of cover but stopped herself upon noticing the woman was armed. She was not sure what to make of a lone woman wandering through the wilderness, clearly a warrior, nicely equipped, yet apart from any obvious group or military presence.

As luck would have it the woman apparently decided to stop quite close to the very tree where Crysha waited. Upon taking a cross-legged position the woman next began to meditate. Crysha recognized the practice from her own experience, taught to her by her mentor: a monk who lived in the mountains surrounding the city where she grew up. There were as many variations of meditation as there were practitioners, but this strange woman seemed more adept than most. She slipped into what appeared to be a deep state of meditation with ease.

She reminded Crysha of her own teacher. He had taken her in, shown her patience and kindness, and in the end she had failed him. None of that now, she scolded herself, keep your mind on the present.

Nervousness began to creep up Crysha's spine. This was not quite the situation she had in mind when she fled to the tree. Desperate not to make any noise she slowed her own breathing as much as she could and waited. If she was going to introduce herself to the woman, she didn't want it to be by dropping out of a tree like some common thief or eavesdropper.

Time seemed to pass with painful slowness as she waited for the situation to change. She may have been accustomed to climbing trees but not hugging their branches for long periods of time, and her muscles soon started to complain. She did not have long to remain in that state however before another sound drew her attention. A new set of footsteps could be heard approaching. These were quieter, whoever approached did not want to be noticed. I had to pick this tree didn't I? she mused.

She craned her neck to get a look at the newcomer, but the same leaves of the tree which concealed her also blocked much of her vision. A snapping of twigs shattered the silence, and the sound of someone stumbling.

The two parties exchanged words, but there seemed an audible tension between them. They didn't know each other then, she decided.

She listened intently to their exchanges, determined to get as much benefit from her present undesirable situation as she could. An artifact of some value, the warrior had mentioned. She started to enjoy her status as eavesdropper in spite of her better half.

As the two continued talking a bird flew purposefully into her tree and landed on a branch just above her. It stayed there and stared at her, and the thought struck her that it had a striking resemblance to the bird which had started the dive-bomb attack on her that morning. There was something about the way it stared. It was as if she was the unwitting star in a performance the bird had come to amuse itself with.

Now you're justing being paranoid, she scoffed. After all, concealed in a tree in a forest-green cloak and making not a sound, there was nothing to alert the others to her presence. All she had to do was wait until she was sure it was safe. What could go wrong?

She banished the paranoid thoughts from her mind with a swipe of her arm, hoping to shoo away the bird in the process. The bird was not discouraged. It hopped a few paces back on the branch, keeping out of range of her arm. The shift in her weight had another, less desired effect instead. With a resounding crack the branch beneath her snapped in two. Her face became a portrait of shock and surprise as gravity tore the wood from the tree and sent it flying toward the ground. The last thing she saw as she fell was an amused twitch of the birds head as it watched her less than cordial meeting with the earth below.

She noted gratefully, as she lifted her face from its newfound dirt pillow, that anyone who might have been underneath the falling branch had moved in time. Her body however was not feeling any measure of gratefulness. As she spit a twig from her mouth the bird flew from the tree to land in front of her once more. It stared for only a brief moment, as if puzzled by her performance but deciding it had been a nice diversion, then flew away. I either need to kill that bird, she decided, or stay away from trees.

[OOC: *wiping forehead* Whew, sorry about the length there, I guess I got a little carried away. Normally I'm not so long winded, I promise! *sheepish smile* Oh - by the way, great to be a part of your game, thanks for the invite! OK sorry no more disruptions on my part, back to the story...]

[EDIT: Thanks for the constructive criticism and feedback, it meant a lot! After reading your response I went back and read the previous posts more closely. You were correct I had described events/dialog which did not in fact happen. I have edited the post slightly to try and fix the most glaring errors. Let me know if it needs further work. Anyhow, thanks for your patience as I learn and I'm glad you liked the post!]

[Lion]

It was a certain aspect of the Draconi Forest about them that lived and breathed the wild; without question, without contest.  And while placid from without, to the bare, naked eye, within the forest, itself, bore the heartbeat of an animal that was tribal and tolerant yet fierce and indocile.  It would take a great deal of understanding for one to truly appreciate the woodland for what it truly was: a place of primal danger, untouched by civilization.  No, the true heart of the land had little to do with the veins of travel concocted by the Adelan Kingdom, not even the slight underbrush with which hid the lowliest vagabond and highwayman.  The true pulse was in the very land itself; it was in the trees, the soil, the plants, the blossoms, the berries, the branches, the grass, the deadwood, the rivers, the streams, the springs, and, furthermore, the beasts that prowled the area.  This was the heartbeat that was most easy to hear and understand to those that stopped to listen.  And yet even the most open-minded passerby might never notice the beauty of the wonders and dangers that were present in this forest.

But Cassa was not this passerby.  She had opened her mind to her surroundings and her taken in the unique beauty that was the land and listened, hearing all and feeling her sense fill with the life and light of it, drinking it in as if it were the purest, healthiest water in the entire world.  She felt the pulsations of the animals and the trees and the ground.  For the study of the Mana, was, if put simply, the study of this heartbeat.  This heartbeat was life, raw and bare.

With her senses reached out, she had successfully calmed herself from her plight and was willing to indulge the other affront her in conversation.  It seemed her day would be filled with endless curiosities, new discoveries as she embarked on this journey to find that final addition that could determine the very fate of the world, depending on whose hands it had fallen into.  She was careful not to speak too much in detail of the Scroll, for it was imperative to her mission that no spies within the area might eavesdrop and then move to steal the artifact before she'd even attempt to retrieve it.  So Cassa grinned at the girl and answered simply, "An artifact.  Something most likely found in a tomb of a sort, or perhaps hidden somewhere isolated.  I know that it might be somewhere north, but I don't travel much and finding a religious artifact as valuable as this is quite necessary that I do it as soon as possible."

Yet, suddenly, there was a disturbance in the placidity that was this pond of peace.  The tree directly behind the girl she'd spoken too gave a heaving groan as if too a great a burden were placed upon it.  The groan gave way to a screeching snap and a massive branch came crashing down to the earth, ready to crush the human who presided beneath it.  But Cassa was faster than the branch, and before the blink of a naked eye, she'd perceived the branch, dashed forward and yanked her from her impending doom.  A cloud of dust picked up upon the impact of the destroyed branch but that did little to ease her offensive stance as she had already pulled out her sword and was ready to battle what it was that the branch took with it.

Slowly the clouds parted and the Guardian immediately stepped low, the hilt clasped readily with a single hand with the other in front of the innocent girl.  She was careful, however, not to rapidly strike at the being that stood before her.  Templars were nothing like their Ronin counterparts who wouldn't hesitate to call another an enemy.  Her features remained as ever peaceful as she carefully demanded, "Name yourself."

[That was bloody well excellent!  You've successfully put up your starter post and I have to say I'm impressed; it's very well put together.  The only thing I have to say about it, aside from "WOW!", would be that you should be careful with narrating what other people's characters do and don't do (known as power play).  Nonetheless, you did a damn good job.  I loved it.]

[Anonymous]

What bugged Natajia more than anything was not knowing something. It was her life's purpose to learn everything she could and now this strange woman wouldn't tell her the name of the artifact she was looking for. Just hearing that she was looking for something old, however, sparked the girl's further interest. She liked old things, especially those that she'd never seen or heard of before. Curiosity itched at her, wanting to further question the warrior, but just as she was about to open her mouth she heard the sharp snaps and crunches that sounded nigh unpleasant.

Faster than she could have ever imagined moving on her own, Nat was snatched from the scene of certain death, soon finding herself scrambling to right herself as she saw the flash of the woman's sword. Quickly getting to her feet, she opened her bag to check that nothing was broken before she breathed a sigh a relief. Looking over the warrior's shoulder, she saw the pile of branches and leaves that rested where she had previous been sitting, shuddering at the thought that she could have been under all of it. Now seemed like a bad time to express her thanks to her rescuer but she made a mental note to mention it later when things were less tense.

Bringing her attention back to the mess of twisted wood and upturned soil, the girl looked for what had caused the fall. Her eyes rested on the figure of a woman, surely older than herself, but she didn't quite look human. She has a tail...and furry ears... she noted, her staring now at the dust-covered being out of curiosity rather than confusion. Nat wanted to move closer, to properly identify what other blood the new stranger contained, but she stopped all motion to do such when the warrior woman spoke. Relaxing a bit, seeing as there was an armored and sword-bearing singular force before her that looked all too ready to battle should the need arise, Nat kept her eyes on the newcomer and her mouth shut as she awaited whatever should happen next.

ooc: I guess it might seem a bit...strange for me to say anything after Lion's fantastical fanfare (xP), but I really loved your post too. :] Feel free to write as much as you want, if you can find the means, you have some amazing talent! =D Can't wait to RP with you more. *does little dance* *cheers* *hangs "I <3 Ici" banner off of roof* Okay I guess not the last one...but welcome welcome welcome!! =D

[Anonymous]

Crysha took an inventory of hurts as she tentatively moved her various limbs. With relief she decided she had not broken anything, little as that did to quiet her complaining extremities. Her wolfish ears were especially sensitive, and she had the misfortune of having scraped one on the way down. Not for the first time in her life, she silently wished she had been born with the normal human variety.

A voice from her left brought her out of her reverie. Turning, she was greeted by the sight of a drawn blade. Her eyes grew wide as the reality of her situation set in. Her eyes flicked briefly to the small axe she carried in her pack to chop firewood, but she immediately dismissed the foolish idea. Even if she could have used the tool as a weapon, she would never have made it to her pack in one piece.

Taking the next space of a breath, she examined the blade's owner. Seeing without interference from tree branches she could now fully take in her surroundings. The woman before her looked perhaps six feet in height, with average or perhaps slender build. There was no questioning the warrior in the woman however, from her quick reaction but moments ago to her solid stance. Crysha tried to glean some insight by looking into the other's eyes, but they betrayed nothing.

Crysha had been in battles before, but had never so helplessly stared into the business end of a sword. Long ago she had stayed for a time with a band of raiders, but they had only attacked targets who were outnumbered or unarmed, and even then she had stayed toward the back. She had thought often of her foolishness in joining them, but right then she could hardly think of anything. Her mind had gone blank, her face clearly enacting the battle between fear and reason which consumed her.

"I was in the tree... then you came and I didn't want to... that is I wasn't sure who you were and..." she stammered for a moment longer before closing her eyes and visibly regrouping. "My name is Crysha," she continued more calmly. She considered lying to the woman but quickly scolded herself for further foolishness. She had nothing to hide, nor anything to gain by lying. "I set out from my home to the South and East of here some weeks back and have been traveling ever since. I hid in the tree out of fear that you might have ill intentions."

While she said this her eyes noted the presence of another. She seemed young, and less the warrior type, but it was hard to tell such things accurately at a glance. Her eyes seemed to have a curious quality to them as she stared at Crysha.

This made her feel suddenly self-conscious as she realized how she must look to these strangers. Extended time on the road, as well as some recent experiences with trees, had left her shoulder-length dark hair unkept and tangled. Her normally soft features were partially covered with a layer of dirt from her fall, and her body-length cloak was a gallery of leaves and small twigs. Her tail lay half-uncovered by her disheveled cloak, until, in a subconscious habit well embedded into her during her youth, it quickly swished back under the clothing.

As she finished responding her need for dignity finally overcame her fear and she cautiously started to lift herself off the ground, ready to freeze once more upon any warning movement from the other woman.

[Lion]

Templar Guardians always had to keep an eye on their surroundings, maintain vigilance even if it meant taking away from one's self-advancement.  But then again Templar doctrines defined self-advancement as a vice that lead down the dark path and averted from true enlightenment.  A Templar could achieve their proclaimed enlightenment a number of ways; some branched out among all areas of expertise, others focused solely on a single area.  It might not have come as a surprise to state that, as a Guardian fresh from the stock, Cassa was a generalist in certain areas of expertise.  She considered herself well-balanced in her capabilities, but a Templar always had room for improvement.

She sized-up her opponent accordingly, reading her aura and felt that this particular being did not bear any hostile intentions.  Still, she kept her guard up until the other, notably a female from what she read further into her Mana.  Cassa took the initiative to stand on the defense should the other attack for even training in mock battles had led her senses to understand that an opponent should never be underestimated; just because someone looked like they weren't going to attack you, didn't mean in the slightest that they would hesitate to take you by surprise.  She relaxed her grip upon her hilt and loosened her stance a bit, tensing and reposing her muscles to act upon an instance notice.  Yet still not a single sign that the other would strike.

Cassa was not distraught in the least that the person avant her had wolfish ears and a tail that swooped beneath the cloak of hers as if in fright.  She had spent an extensive amount of time studying the races of the land and, considering her own lineage, she was fascinated what she had learned.  She knew of the Ulricians of the nearby mountain range, however, she never truly expected to encounter one.  There was no telling what she might learn of the customs of this new person before her!  The expansion of a Templar's mind was a primary key in achieving enlightenment.

She eyed the Ulric curiously as she spoke and merely nodded when she finished.  Cassa's expression calmed and she removed herself from her hostile stance.  Placing her sword slightly to the side of her, she nodded once more as a sign that she would agree to congenial terms, "Thy name is Crysha?  I sense no lies from you.  You've nothing to fear from me, I will not harm you—without proper reason.  I'm merely taking precautions with whoever I encounter.  Please accept my apologies, it wasn't my intention to instill fright in you."  As ever, her lack of outside contact for a considerable amount of years left Cassa bereft of proper socializing; nonetheless the formalities were enough to suit her needs as of now.

The one who called herself Crysha seemed traveled enough in this area as the young Guardian looked her over once more.  Her mission was ever prevalent and it was a stabbing sensation in her mind that notified her that time was of the essence.  She gazed at her surroundings for a moment again before returning her attention to Crysha.  "You mentioned you had come from the east as well.  Do you know those lands well?  Bear with my inquiries, if you will, but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind providing me aid."

[Anonymous]

Observing the scene that unfolded before her, Natajia slowly backed a few paces to rest her shoulders against a nearby tree. As the newcomer announced herself at the warrior's request, she eyed both with a glint of curiosity still remaining. The wolf-eared girl, of a race she could not readily identify, seemed to give information to the woman between them as if she held no fear in a complete stranger knowing her whereabouts. Of course there was the threat of the sword in sight, but the bearer soon relaxed her hold on the weapon.

Seeing this as a sign of a threat being dismissed, the girl relaxed herself, taking her time in noting the words exchanged between the two with one phrase in particular catching her attention. Could it be in the East? She wondered, knowing that this was not something that had been revealed to her before and, in fact, sparked her interest, wondering just how much she might learn of what the woman sought if she stuck around. With this thought decided, she kept herself quiet, motionless, and intent on the exchange at hand for she wished to make herself forgotten with this new presence among them.

ooc: So short and crappy. :/ Sorry guys.

[Anonymous]

Crysha relaxed further as the sword was lowered, listening with relief to the other's words. She rose to her feet, fending off a few arms of the fallen branch as she did so. Spending a few moments in a futile attempt to brush the leaves, twigs, and dirt from her cloak she considered the woman's request.

This strange warrior who stood before her seemed something of a contradiction. Something about her social interactions seemed... Crysha tried to put her finger on it. It was as if the other woman did not routinely communicate with strangers, yet clearly she was able to defend herself and get around in the world. She felt a sudden surge of curiosity toward her for she could tell so little from perception alone.

Her curious expression drifted also to the third member of the gathering, now leaning casually against a tree in notable silence.

Soon the events of the last few days began to flow also through her mind. The Draconi forest was not known because it was in any way small or free of dangers to the unwary visitor. Yet here she was, wondering through the middle of it with no particular destination. It was perhaps not the wisest thing she could be doing. There was clear advantage in accepting the offer before her, yet even as she pondered some part of her already knew she would say yes, and not out of practical concerns.

Being alone in the wild for so long changed a person in subtle ways. Away from the hustle and bustle of town life, time seemingly slowed down. Only the day before she had sat in silence with towering green trees all around her, sharing her thoughts with them. All those whom she had left her behind now seemed like ghosts to her, unreal. All that was real was that which blew in the wind, that which concealed itself but was always in plain sight in the green of the leaves and the brown earth beneath her, or the endless sky above her.  A part of her did not care that those behind her were but ghosts to her, but another part wondered: if I stay alone long enough, will I become but a ghost myself?

She had asked the woods for guidance, and it had led her to these strangers. If she could not immediately find purpose in her own life, perhaps this woman's quest could provide her with one, at least for a time.

A fragment of a twig scratched against her sore ear and she dislodged it with a quick swipe through her hair. A brief shake of her head loosened a few of the tangles. The motions brought her back to the present.

"Yes," she said finally, "I will do my best. But if I may first ask your names?" Her eyes stopped on each of them in turn before returning to the warrior woman before her. She decided to test the waters still further. "Also, I will confess to overhearing you are searching for some kind of artifact? Can you tell me any more about the destination or purpose of your journey?"

[OOC: No need to be so critical Juno, I've enjoyed all of your posts so far, including the last one! *Raises cup in the motion of a toast.* By the way, I hope I am doing better in regards to that power play thing you mentioned Lion? If I slip again please let me know.]

[Lion]

An ordinary person had the most predictable forms of expression.  Such expressions included blushing in embarrassing situations.  Whether or not it was fortunate that Cassa was raised without much socialization outside of her Hieron, it stood that she had forgotten to introduce herself to either of her new acquaintances.  This certainly would do if they were going to aid her in finding the Fire Scroll.  As Crysha pointed this out, her head cocked to the side and then a light laugh escaped her throat.

"I see that I've left out my own name.  My apologies." She turned to address them both at the same time.  "My name is Cassa Rine, the last able member of the Rine bloodline.  But that is not all I must share with you both if you are you aid me in my mission.  I am not embarrassed to make known that even as one trained as I, I don't know these lands very well.  This is why I've asked for your help.  It has been years since I've ventured from the Templar Hieron to the south and now that I am free to travel on my own, I've suddenly become...lost."

Cassa shrugged a bit and took a pause in the midst of her speech.  Yet she should have been more perceptive to take note that perhaps neither one of her new companions understood that which she intended to convey.  Frowning a bit at the thought of this, she quickly groveled down to her reserves of articulation and attempted to better explain her purpose for wandering these dangerous woods alone.  Immediately a reassuring expression crept across her visage and her eyes gleamed with a certain inexplicable zeal.  Taking a glance at both in front of her, she began, "I am more than the warrior you see before you.  This meticulously crafted armor of mine and blade are not simply for show and are an insignia themselves that I follow the path of a Templar Guardian.  You see, I am a warrior of light, a Templar Guardian and practitioner in the ways of the Mana.  I've been sent on a quest to retrieve the Fire Scroll, one of a set of three known as the Terra Scrolls.

"It is imperative that I find the Fire Scroll as quickly as time allows for I know within myself that I am not the only one who is in search of it.  I know little of these lands enough to successfully make my way alone.  If I did, there would be no need to drag anyone else into such a perilous journey along with me.  But if you help me, you shall be performing a deed most valiant and taking a risk by doing so.  I think I'll only need directions," she finished in time to take a few seconds to breath, never had she spoken so much in her life to those who possibly had no connection with Templars or had even heard of the Order.  This wouldn't have been surprising as it wasn't the duty of Guardians to make them known; however, it could be implied that they made no move to conceal their workings through the world.  The name, no doubt, would spread amongst others here and there until there was a vague idea of what the image of a Templar truly was.  Rumors and imagination, no more no less.

After the persistence of a painful silence, she motioned to the smaller girl whom she recalled hadn't introduced herself.  "And what be your name?  Would you be willing to aid me as well?"

[You're doing fine; pretty well, in fact all I can say is to keep up the good work.  And sorry for the delay in posting; right now my life's getting kinda hectic as it tends to do every time the end of the year comes about.  Regardless, if you do slip, I'll put a trampoline beneath you so that you'll bounce back. =D]

[Anonymous]

Natajia cursed Crysha. She looked past the warrior at her, and becoming noticed almost immediately after she'd fallen into silence crushed all hope of eavesdropping innocently. Sighing, she stood up straight and listened as the armored woman, who had named herself as Cassa, moved to speak to the both of them. She was explaining her quest, that she felt she would need help. Then she directed her questions to Nat, putting her on the spot to state her name and tell whether she would help or not.

Lowering her gaze to the soft earth for a moment, the girl pondered the latter of the questions. Just the very thought of traveling farther away from her home excited her; she felt she could learn much from such an expedition. Going with strangers, though, was a bit unnerving. The women seemed to have good intentions, but they both were obviously older than her. Still, she felt that trusting two people she had just met for the chance to learn new things was more than a fair trade.

"I will come with you," she said, raising her head proudly, an eager smile creeping across her features. "My name is Natajia Bol'e...and your quest sounds quite intriguing." The girl could not help the glint of excitement that lit her eyes as she slipped into a daydream, imagining what sort of things she might see in person for the first time. She sighed again, leaning back again against the tree as she lazily closed her eyelids for a moment and set her thoughts on how perfect it was that she'd stumbled upon a stranger and been asked to aid in a quest that, potentially, could lead her to new sights.

[Anonymous]

Just for a moment, Crysha thought she might have caught a bitter look coming from the one called Natajia when the attention had turned that direction, but she dismissed it as most likely imagination. She listened to the information, nodded, and quickly began one last endeavor to remove the leaves and twigs from her clothing. Finally she resigned herself to defeat and left them alone. "I'm glad to meet you both," she replied with a smile.

What strange crossroads at which I find myself, she though. Embarking with complete strangers to find a scroll I know almost nothing about. A slight smile took form at the thought. Well, I wanted to have an adventure...

Her mind flitted from one topic to the next. Would it be dangerous? Did they have enough food for the journey? Was that a storm coming in? She pushed all thoughts from her mind in frustration.

A gust of wind picked up at that moment and blew her hair into her face. It had a cold edge to it she noted, as it had all morning. Turning her attention to the sky, she saw what the wind was bringing towards them. A carpet of dark clouds could be barely seen on the Western horizon. At least that answers the last question. The smile lost hold on her face, replaced by a slight furrow above arched brows.

She knew at that distance the storm could easily change direction before it ever reached them. However, it could just as easily stay on course. A storm wasn't a problem in and of itself, travelers of all kinds had put up with a little foul weather for as long as there had been travelers. Yet that didn't make it any less unpleasant, and there was no telling how severe the storm would turn out to be. "East it is then, when would you like to get underway? For my part I have no destination or incomplete affairs that keep me, I can leave whenever you're ready."

"As far as the directions you requested, two choices stand out to me. While I don't know exactly where we are, we should be roughly West of Ketra by several days. My home is actually South-East of here. If we veer South to the lower Terrin Mts before turning East I am more familiar with the land. We could follow the edge of the mountains almost all the way to the coast, depending on how far East you need to go.

"But if we go that way, it will add quite a few days onto our journey. I suppose the most direct route would be to cut directly East through the heart of the forest. A short distance past Ketra and we would find the great river that separates Adela and Serendipity, at which point river travel would make the remainder of the journey go faster still. However that route is... less known to me." In reality she had never gone that way before, never even been to Ketra, but she decided there was no need to mention that detail at this point. The directions she knew were sound, even if she hadn't actually traveled them.

[OOC: Sooooo sorry, normally I check the board at least once a day, I don't know how I let it go so long between posts. Anyhow - I need to ask a little direction at this point as I'm increasingly unfamiliar with the etiquette of play-by-post. My directions were based on a map of Le'Raana I found on the site. The map is lacking in any kind of detail however. How much liberty do you want me to take as we go along as far as creating places/people and generally filling in the setting? This is your thread so I don't want to step on any toes here. Also, I'm lacking some of the generalities of the setting. For example: what season is it? Does the storm I mentioned fit the setting, or are we in the middle of summer and I goofed? Oh, and does anyone know the name of that river that separates Adela and Serendipity? Last but not least, I'm assuming you have an idea of what general sorts of danger you want/expect us to be encountering on this journey. Do you wish for Juno or myself to introduce any obstacles along the way, or are you going to introduce all elements related to plot? *Whew* OK, I'm done now, I promise.]

[Anonymous]

ooc: I know it's not my turn to post, but I just thought I might put in a word or two if I may. Just with what I've observed I think it would be safe to say that SotE prides itself on creative freedom. People, places, events, whatever the players want can happen, I don't think there are many restrictions. As far as the weather... Just knowing how things are (I live near a dense forest myself), rain is kind of year-round but we get the most during summer, even in the middle, so it really could be any time of year, but I guess it all just depends. The river I have no idea about, you'd probably have to ask Rhi, but I was kind of wondering myself about the twists in the plot...but it's fine if nobody has an idea right now, I'm sure we can come up with something. xD

[Lion]

[I suppose now's as good a time as any to discuss the type of plot I have in mind.  Okay, like I said before, this is an adventure which safely implies that there will be many hardships for our adventurers.  The main villain I created for this story was a man called Jinma Trayu, a psychopathic Ronin who's mission is to find the Fire Scroll as well.  Along the way he will challenge her and her companions, trick her, and basically just be a pain in the butt.  Of course, he's gonna have his own little troupe of fellow Ronins following him (his team basically) and are going to want to challenge Cassa's own friends in battle as well (maybe she can train them to fight?).  There's definitely going to be a lot of conflict between Jinma and Cassa.

And as for the geography thing you can make up as many towns/NPCs as you see fit.  It's only fitting that we do that since this is not a very restricting site.  The season right now could be about summer or fall if you'd like (depending on how you'd like to describe the scene).  The river can be called whatever you'd like, just for thread's sake I suppose.  For the location thing, I'd say say about right here.]