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Post by ѕρσттεdѕнιммεя on Jul 19, 2017 1:55:47 GMT -5
Ryuujin "Don't take my kindness as my weakness. The beast in me is sleeping, not dead."
⇀↠ 〤 ↞↼
It was quite a ways to walk, but it was not something that Ryuu minded at all. Over the past four years, he had gotten used to the quiet serenity of the life around him while walking the roads by himself between areas. He had traveled to every hold, he had been to every capital city, he had climbed every mountain just in hopes of finding the one person that he missed most. However, it had all been in vain and all the effort put into the searches were left with no clues, no leads and no answers.
There was so much that he wanted to say, so much that he had to show, so much that he had wanted to do, and yet... in just one day, all of that was left untouched. The words unspoken, the tricks unused, the ideas left in the dark. Plans had faded and been placed in the back of his mind, hopes and dreams for a exciting life as an adult turned sour with worry and loneliness.
Making his way along the path, his hearing picked something up. He was not alone in this area at all. Ryuu's hand moved up to his scarf over his nose, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head to shadow his eyes and hide what he looked like, truly. It wasn't like everyone was unsafe to be around. There were plenty of travelers, caravans, farmers and hunters that traveled the roads. However, it wasn't uncommon to have a group of bandits or a thief come up after you. The less recognizable he was, the better for him and his family.
Proceeding to ignore the other footsteps that were somewhat near, the twenty-four year old focused on the stone road and nothing else. He was not the type to really ride horses anywhere, not really having a stable to put them in nor having any desire to be on a horse. He knew how to ride and fight while in the saddle, but he liked his feet being on the ground. When traveling from hold to hold, however, was when he gave in and got a horse for his travels.
A deep breath was taken in and the male shook off any uneasy feeling. There was this pull for him to go to Saoirse, this voice telling him to go there. Ryuu had no idea why he wanted to go there. Perhaps it was his heart telling him that maybe his beloved was there the entire time. Just working random jobs, running errands and just too busy to tell anyone.
In Saoirse, you will find what you seek. Go there, Ryūjin Shimada.
Stopping dead in his tracks, the mixed blooded traveler looked rapidly around him, his hand instinctively going to the small curved short sword at his side. That voice was not his own and it was loud and clear within his mind. Sorcery? Another person playing tricks on him?
"I do not have time for games. Mind your own business, stranger," Ryuu stated standing up a bit straighter, his brown eyes gazing around him. There was no one within his sights, strangely. And there was no indication that anyone was close enough to speak that voice. He stayed still, looking around him fora minute or two before moving forward again, his hand ready to unsheathe one of his weapons at a moment's notice.
They will meet you on the path. You will know the moment you see them, just as you had with Amoux McCree. Lead them to Saoirse, Spirit of the Wolf.
Once again, Ryuu stopped in his tracks very suddenly, pulling out his sword with a hardened look in his eyes. There was still no one in sight, none at all. His hands began to tingle and he felt his jaw clench a bit more. He felt threatened and he felt toyed with. Who was this stranger, who did they think they were? A glimpse of something caught his eye, however, and he spun around to see just... a peek at something.
Along the trail, staring at him with a beckoning gaze, was a huge wolf. See-through and silvery in color with a blue hue to it and a necklace around his neck. The very same one that Ryuu had bought when he was about the age of twelve years old. It was the one that he had sometimes seen in his dreams, that he thought were just tired images from over-working himself or the imagination of a child's mind when he was younger.
Here, in front of him, stood the Great Wolf himself, with a patient look within his silvery eyes. Ryuu had a special connection with all canines, but this one was... different. He could feel it, he could feel the fur around him, he could feel each breath that this spirit wolf took in and out.
It is time that everyone woke up. Come now, Ryūjin. The time is only just beginning.
The voice had not been to any human stranger, but indeed, it was this creature, this... beautiful design of a living being. Turning on his paws, the Wolf trotted down the road and around a corner. Stunned, it took a little bit for the swordsman to follow with quick, quiet foot-falls. When he glanced around the bend, however, the Wolf was no longer there, disappearing. Ryuu took in a deep breath and then looked at the river that was by the road, deciding perhaps he should take a moment. Something in him told him to wait here. A nagging feeling, almost.
Deep in his chest, in the back of his mind, he felt something stir. Something that had been asleep this entire time of his life, waking for brief periods but otherwise barely being noticeable at all. Ryuu could feel it beginning to stir, beginning to wake up from a deep slumber.
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Post by carmine. on Jul 19, 2017 3:40:00 GMT -5
Ingrith ▼ ▼ ▼ "Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.”
When she turned her head a little to the side with her bruised hand slowly falling back onto the grass, away from the old book, she let her head rest against the wood behind herself and closed her eyes. If she ignored the orchestra of life buzzing all around her she could imagine herself back where she’d once belonged. She felt the corners of her lips curl a little nostalgically at a particular memory.
That day hadn’t been any different from the rest: the merchants were busy trying to lure curious customers into the palm of their manipulative hands, the scathing sun shimmered above the bustling market, and worn-down buildings casted shadows over all of their shifting forms. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a few women encircling two well-dressed men with golden beads draping around their thin necks and wrists. She didn’t miss the way how they seemed to sneer in the direction of the soot-ridden faced workers, and they didn’t seem to miss it, either. Their shoulders deflated with what could only be described as shame, and their heads hung low. For a moment, she could feel herself bristling on their behalf, though she took in a small breath and managed to (with some difficulty) turn away from the common sight. It wasn’t an uncommon thing to see in this area of the whole country. Then again, she supposed she couldn’t say anything regarding something so high and mighty as justice — something that was far out of her league. She was a thief, after all, and she was no robin hood.
“How much were we able to snatch today?” One of the boys of the alleyway asked her. He was sitting with a stocky individual with bright green eyes. Malin and Mitchell. There were other boys and girls in the room as well, such as Paige, who was sitting cross-legged on the couch with her puckered lips, and Thomas, who was sitting on a lone chair with an anxious look falling over his face, his russet hair messily brushing over his lashes. Ingrith eyed him for a little while longer before reaching in her pocket to pull out the sum they’d all managed to scrape together, calculating the number in her head. She understood that it wasn’t the guilt of snatching a few bills off of the plump merchants — many who wore silver rings around their stumpy fingers — that worried Thomas, but rather the condition of his younger sibling who’d fallen ill. Sickness wasn’t uncommon in these streets, and many fell victim to the cold and the harsh change of weather. His sister was most likely drifting in and out of restless sleep even as they sat here, around Aristide’s home, eagerly awaiting their share.
“Here,” Ingrith had said with a hand resting on her waist and a small tug of her lips as she handed the two boys — Malin and Mitchell— their share, causing their faces to drastically brighten with childish delight. When she handed over Thomas’ share, he was in the middle of mumbling “thank you” when his eyes widened at the sight of the extra roll of money hidden in her hand, behind the straightened bills that she was passing him. “Don’t go using it all at once, the both of you,” she called when the boys started towards the door. “It’ll raise suspicion, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am,” they called over their shoulder as they merrily bounded back out into the street, whooping at their success. Cheeky things, calling her ‘ma’am.’ They were only one year younger than her. The others filed out, relieved to know that their bellies would be full for a couple of days, including Thomas, who did not turn around to regard her or Aristide.
Aristide was a lanky man. He had the demeanour of someone who never took things too seriously — which was very true, Ingrith could not disagree — and his thick, golden locks fell over his leafy green eyes that were flecked with specks of gold. Thin yet lean with a constantly slouched posture, he took a seat on the now-empty couch with his elbows resting on its edge and his usual mischievous grin lingering upon his lips. Most individuals never seemed to be able to understand his sheer affection for trivial matters. What they didn’t notice was that their lack of understanding regarding his personality was what worked in his favour, as it made it easier for him to conceal his serious, sometimes cunning, and oftentimes sly nature. The man was clever. Almost too clever for his own good with a sharp eye, though those who followed or worked for him knew that he usually had good intentions when it came to their wellbeing. It was why they all stuck with him. That included her, as well.
He ran his hand over his stubbled chin with his head slightly tilted to the side. “It seems that someone’s been generously given more than the rest,” he said with his usual light-hearted voice. “Care to enlighten me, Ingrith?”
When the sound of footsteps hauled Ingrith back to reality, snapping her out of the moving recordings in her head, she found herself looking at a man. It was impossible to scrutinise his features, for it was concealed with a cloak, only permitting her a small glimpse of his eyes. For a brief moment, she felt a streak of alarm course through herself. Had he seen her? It was difficult to tell because of that cursed hood over his face, though, when she saw him turn around with his hand inching towards the curved sword at his side, a small sense of relief flickered past her head. It didn’t seem like he had. Carefully, tentatively, she slowly shifted herself so that she could allow herself to take a peek at him, again, from where she remained hidden. Was he a bandit? No, that wasn’t right. Most bandits moved together in an unruly pack, and something set him apart from them that she could not quite place her finger on. There was an air of dignity and honour about him, encircling him, even going so far as reaching her location. He was alone, yet it seemed that something about him commanded respect — even the birds that had been ebulliently chirping just a moment ago seemed to quiet down, and she realised that everything was, for a moment, silent. Was he a noble? Everything about the way how he carried himself seemed to imply that much, though, his stance set him apart from those who adorned themselves with flamboyant silk and gold. Something about him was deadly, modest, and yet, serene.
Then the red alarm was back, blaring in her head, because he’d abruptly drawn out a sword. Ingrith held her breath. The deft movement had been swift. Clean. Agile. It didn’t take her experience and knowledge of living on the streets that told her that if someone had been there, challenging him with a blade of their own, they would not be alive, but gone without even realising it themselves. He seemed to move after a little while, though the angle she was at did not forgive her eyes to land on whatever he had been seeing. What had alarmed him? What had he seen?
You’re quite the curious one, aren’t you, my dear.
She almost jolted up at the sound. With a small crease forming between her eyebrows as a small frown took ahold of her features, she scanned her surroundings, expecting to find someone nearby. But no one was there, and she only saw the trees rustle from the breeze and the grass sway to an invisible rhythm. Her first instinct was to reach for her dagger hidden within her sleeve to reassure herself that she was armed, though, instead, she found herself lightly touching the stone fastened around her neck. If this individual meant harm, they would have done so already, and she wouldn’t have been spared.
Who are you?
Follow him, Ingrith Héloise Magnolia, and you may find that the answers you seek are nearby.
The mention of her name made her freeze. It was impossible for this being — whoever they were — to know her name. After all, that name was only known by… Before she could speak or let the idea register in her whirling head, where the numbness had faded from the events that had just happened, she didn’t see this being — this individual or whoever they were — go, but instead, felt their absence. And Ingrith was, once more, alone till she caught the sound of another pair of feet moving against the earth, though she could not see who this other individual could possibly be. From the sound, they seemed to be alone as well. And whoever this was, they seemed to be heading straight in her direction.
She wasn't inclined to sit still, remaining where she was long enough to see who this other being was.
So, gingerly, with a soft grunt, she pulled herself on her feet with her hand leaning against the tree’s cool and rough surface to support herself. The transparent tether that she had felt before being chased by those thugs had returned, stronger than before, and so had her obligation. To what or whom she owed the obligation, she did not know — but her instincts seemed to churn, urging her feet to move, and so Ingrith found herself moving, taking a step, and another, towards the direction of where the man had disappeared, where she soon picked up the sound of rushing water and felt a rush of new air brush past her cheeks.
She was getting somewhere — she could feel something waiting, like a beast trying to tear apart from its chains. If only her legs hadn't given in at that moment, causing a few twigs to snap and her knees to hit the ground with a thud.
She cursed —nastily and very loudly — in her head, because she knew that she was not at a distance that would be left unheard. She'd thought that she was fine to some degree because she had been able to move, albeit a little gingerly, and her balance hadn't felt so off, and her head had felt much clearer. Had it been that line that had been keeping her up and moving? Had it been that gut feeling that had kept her muscles intact and the affects of her wounds at bay? Had it been that voice in her head? She could only assume that her capability to move was related with the voice in her mind and that tightening sense of duty and obligation, because the moment her knees had hit the ground, she felt all the strength that had been supporting her sap away as if it had never existed in the first place. Jaded fatigue surged through her, causing the muscles in her shoulders to loosen, and she grit her teeth in what could be said to border frustration. Was that voice also the reason all the strength in her body had suddenly left her, like it had been vacuumed in the blink of an eye?
Her memories suddenly flickered back to this man's clean movement with the sword, the way how he'd drawn it out with precise speed. I could die right now.
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Post by lozi on Jul 19, 2017 7:42:44 GMT -5
Nichol Eyre
"No act of kindness is ever wasted, no matter how small." ♆ ♆ ♆ ♆
Nichol shifted his pack on his shoulders as he continued making his way through the woods. Every crunch of a stick, or startling call of a bird made him jump. Wearily watching the woods for some sort of creature to emerge, he fiddled with his gold earrings. They had been his fourteenth birthday present, given to him by his father. No matter how many times he offered to sell them for money for the farm, his mother had scolded him and declined his offer. It comforted him now, to have them, the only thing that could truly remind him of his father that he had in his possession.
The sound of coming through the woods made Nichol halt in his tracks. A deer flew past him, nearly knocking him over as it fled from an unseen predator. His mind raced back to the outskirts of the woods many years ago, to the angry wolf that had stood over him poised to kill. The movement in the woods drew closer, slowing down as it approached. Nichol felt fear grip his heart, and he started to back away from the sound.
For every step the Nichol took backwards, the creature took a step forwards, almost as if stalking him. It moved with a sort of calmness, as if it had all the time in the world, as if Nichol was slow on the uptake of a joke everyone else had figured out. It was almost a patterned movement, but when the footsteps did not stop, Nichol turned to run. He was defenseless out in these woods, so easy to be picked off by a predator.
I know what you seek.
The words sent a chill down Nichol's spine. Had he been followed this whole time?
"Who's there?" He demanded, sounding brave than he felt at the moment. He clenched his hands into fists, but knew that he would be done for if whoever was following planned on attacking him. Never having a reason to fight on the farm, Nichol didn't know much about fighting. He cursed himself for not bringing anything more dangerous than a knife for cutting fruit. Some weapon a kitchen knife was.
It was then that a figure emerged from the woods, tall and intimidating. He was clad in silken robes, and the mere presence cowed Nichol. He stopped, watching as the man raised a single finger, pointing him in a new direction.
Your journey begins this way.
Nichol was pretty sure that he was just dehydrated and imagined things, as he took out his leather canteen and took a long drink. By the time he had put away his canteen, the figure was already walking in the direction he had pointed. Nichol finally noticed the feathered braces, and he felt as if he had just been smacked. Could this be one of the divines? He had only ever heard stories of them, never knowing if they truly existed.
Nichol picked up a steady trot after the robed man, pulling out his compass and map. The man was right, he'd been going in the wrong direction in the time that he had been walking. Something must have taken him off course.
When he looked up from his map, the divine was already gone, disappearing into thin air. Nichol blinked and rubbed his eyes, not trusting himself on what he had just seen. He had always believed himself to be practical and down to earth, not imagining things. He sighed, not quite sure what he wanted to believe right now.
As Nichol continued on, he pulled out one of the loafs of bread he had brought with him, pulling off the end to chew on as he walked. The sound of rushing water greeted him, and he calmed some. Surely, if he just followed this river, it would lead him to a civilization that depended on it.
Traveling upstream, he was more than happy to see a road. Feeling less and less endangered as he stepped onto the road, he let out a cheerful laugh at nothing in particular. The pull in his chest stopped, and he wondered if this is where he was supposed to go. It didn't look like much.
The pull in his chest was replaced with something much stronger, he could feel it. Something was waking up, something he didn't think he'd ever felt before. He glanced around at the road, trying to figure out what of importance could possibly be here.
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Post by ѕρσттεdѕнιммεя on Jul 19, 2017 20:03:51 GMT -5
Ryuujin "Don't take my kindness as my weakness. The beast in me is sleeping, not dead."
⇀↠ 〤 ↞↼
The sword at his side had been a gift from Hikaru McCree, someone that he had always looked up to and enjoyed being around. Being that both his otosan, Kurai, and Hikaru were from Nihon, and both had brought weapons from their home when traveling upon Northwind. Kurai had his bow, a beautiful piece of work, giving his second bow to Amoux, as he seemed to enjoy the bow far more than Ryuu. Hikaru, however, had given him two gifts as he was trained to use two weapons. One was for quick easy fights, deflecting when he felt endangered. The other was a sword that had to be held in both hands, one that he did not use unless is was in a full on dangerous battle. Never unsheathed, never really used, but well kept. The katana and wakizashi were two swords with the Nihon culture, and these two weapons were his best area of expertise. What had taken Hikaru a life-time to master had taken the twenty-four year old merely five years.
Put back in the sheathe as normal, the male kept his hand over the hilt of the sword just as a precaution. There was a secondary feeling, a secondary voice with its own thoughts that began to stir in his mind. It made him listen, it made him feel anxious and lonely. There was a feeling that someone was close, someone that would travel with him that would be a friend. This secondary voice did not like to be alone when it knew someone of familiar presence was near. But... Ryuu did not socialize as much as others. He knew two families very well and then a few people here and there.
A sound of someone tripping brought the voice within and the mixed blooded male to be fully alert, his head snapping up from the water and turning on a dime to see whom was there. While no one was in his sight, he heard someone. There was another person here. Had they been watching him? Any normal person would be on the road but... there was someone in that forest.
Investigate it, the new voice within his mind told him, feeling a bit of curiosity and wariness coming from that voice, feeling those emotions himself. His hand clenched onto the hilt of the foreign sword at his side and he moved forward slowly. Ryuu was a bit unsure why he was to investigate, as he normally did not.
"Who is there? If you are a bandit or thief, I would suggest to be on your way. I have no quarrel with such business right now," the words streamed confidently, but cautiously from his voice, loud and clear with a slight Nihon accent to it due to his lessons with Kurai and having his father teach him not only the native language of Northwind, but of his homeland as well. His muscles were tensed slightly, wary and unsure of whom this person was. "You have no business being in the forest if you are friendly, therefore I suggest you find yourself upon the stone road at once. I do not wish for fighting, but if you try anything you will be hurt." There was a shift of his weight a bit as he took a few steps forward, his dark eyes being hidden by the wolfish cloak upon his person.
And yet, the sound of another person's crunching foot-falls made him look over, straightening and turning his attention to that area. Something in him could feel it, that there were two allies close by. It almost felt like the voice within him knew these two others. It felt strange, as this voice was not his own. Is this what his father and otosan meant by him being gifted? He knew he had elemental magic and how he used it or summoned it, he had no idea. He knew that he had a connection with canine animals, one that with to the point of being suspiciously good.
This other person appeared to be on the road, unlike the one in the forestry. Deciding to back up by where he was at the water's edge, Ryuu stood there with his back straightened, waiting. He looked almost... formal, doing so. His chin was raised, his hand on the hilt of the sword at his side, but other than that, he looked merely like he was waiting for someone. Waiting for the two to appear. He felt it, that... energy.
When he was ten years old, he had been running around Saoirse, in the market area looking at all the different things and marveling at them. But then, he had ran into another little boy and there was this... energy. Like a wolf pup within his mind had suddenly woken up and found another playmate. There was this energy that he felt and there was a rush of it when the two had put their hands together, which had startled them both. For a while, it was strange feeling that energy, being able to feel when Amoux was there before seeing him. However, he grew used to it and no longer really felt it as energy, but rather, companionship.
Being devoid of that energy for four years, it felt strange to feel it again. Something in him put two pieces together and his hand immediately went away from the hilt of his sword and pushed back the hood of the cloak, a finger pulling down the scarf. "Amoux? Is that you?" he called out, his brown eyes beginning to light up slightly. Maybe it was a bit much to hope for, but there was that energy... how could he deny that? Then again, the Wolf that had appeared before him said "like you had with Amoux", hinting that there were others like them.
"Two people. I can sense you. You are here for a reason too, yes?" There was that energy. That connection. That feeling. Ryuu felt it, he could sense it. Two people were near that were like him. A hopeful glimmer inside of him was hoping that one of these people were to be the missing person whom he adored so much. Perhaps he got that from Jack, the optimistic side of things, but it was better than giving up hope.
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Post by carmine. on Jul 19, 2017 22:44:56 GMT -5
Ingrith ▼ ▼ ▼ "Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.”
“You have no business being in the forest if you are friendly, therefore I suggest you info yourself upon the stone road at once. I do not wish for fighting, but if you try anything you will be hurt.”
The confident voice was composed, and yet hinted with a sliver of caution and an accent Ingrith recognized. Yes, of course, he must be of Nihon blood, she thought as she remembered his weapons, the specific hilt of the blade that he’d wrapped his hand around earlier. Why hadn’t she realised that before? Her sense truly were dulling, and she felt puzzled by the lingering suspicion that she had — that couldn’t be, could it? — known this person, inspiring some tension to take ahold of her shoulders. What would she do? Should I stay quiet and hope he loses interest? He did say “if you are a bandit of thief, I would suggest to be on your way.” And he wasn’t really wrong about the whole bandit-and-thief thing. Her pounding brain was wracking for answers to each of her questions, though she soon found herself remembering the woman’s odd words in her head. Or rather, it almost seemed like the nosy voice of that woman at the time had pushed itself in her mind once again.
Go on, love. Talk to him. The answers you seek are right before your eyes.
The tips of her fingers lightly touched the plain hilt of her dagger, its patterns worn due to the long, long years of yielding it over and over, gripped in the smooth arc of her swings and precise throws. Aristide had been the one who had instructed her of how to use it properly, when she’d made the fortunate mistake of pickpocketing the man. She’d never been caught until him. His clever green eyes had shone a little, and he’d only laughed — the sound of stone against stone and yet quite merry in its own way — when she’d snapped at him as he’d picked her up by the back of her shirt, watching her feet flail in the air. “I don’t wish to fight, little boy. Just listen to what I have to say.” The fact that he’d mistaken her young self as a boy had made her flail even more, yelling all sorts of curses at him, though he’d just laughed even more, clearly more amused than before. He’d allocated different objects to all of them that night, when she’d first been hauled into that small gang, and hers had been a new dagger — the one she carried this very moment. Now that she thought about it, had he ‘purposefully’ mistaken her as a boy? That sly racoon. They’d been the second closest thing she’d gotten to a family, she thought as she brushed her bruised cheek with the back of her hand to wipe a droplet of rolling sweat away.
Why am I thinking of that stupidly smug face of his now of all times?
A quiet sigh escaped Ingrith’s lips — a small sign of defeat as she lowered her hand, resting it around her other arm, letting locks of her black hair fall over her weary eyes. It was then she heard the sound of those same footsteps. She could tell it was the same person as she’d heard before because of the way they seemed to walk, and recognising footsteps had been a part of learning how to become an efficient thief. Besides, this other individual’s footsteps were loud and indiscreet, probably coming from an individual who was unfamiliar with this part of the land. Had he come from that parts of the city she’d lived in, he would’ve most likely lost all of his belongings in a second.
“Amoux? Is that you?”
Amoux? Who was Amoux? The unfamiliar name made Ingrith’s eyes flicker back to the road where the voice was coming from — to where that man stood, though she could not see him behind all the leaves and bushes, as she was still crouched. She thought she heard a note of something that bordered hope in his voice and felt a twinge of something in her chest. All she could think of at last was that whoever this was had a pretty name she wished she had herself (what kind of name was Ingrith, anyway? It sounded so close to Ingrate in her opinion), and that they had someone who gravely cared about them. She could tell because she’d lost someone, too, and her voice had been no different — laced with hope that would soon deflate upon disappointment — when she hadn’t known of their permanent departure. Then again, she could’ve have been imagining the hope in his voice, selfishly pushing on her own memories of loss and conjuring things that did not make sense. Yes, that was most likely it.
“Two people. I can sense you. You are here for a reason too, yes?”
Two people. The man was most likely referring to the other individual, as she could faintly sense an attachment with this being growing with each and every step they took, too. Like she knew this individual, as well, and had met them before and had spoken with them and had laughed with them. They felt like an old companion she had not been able to see for a very, very long time. It was a strange feeling, indeed, that stirred in her chest and made her feel like she could trust them, even if she did not know what they even looked like, nor know their names.
Should I wait for this other individual to respond, first? She thought before lowering her eyes to the ground, watching the grass ripple from the wind. No, he knows that we’re here. Might as well speak up before he changes his mind.
“I was being chased, if that counts as a reason for being here.” Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. That had not come out the way she’d been thinking, though it wasn’t false, either, and her voice — clear, youthful, and firm — hadn’t been too hostile. Just a little wary. If this were a different situation, she would’ve remained hidden. She didn't want other individuals knowing her condition, especially when she was at a vulnerable state out in an area she had not ventured before, though the whispers at the back of her mind seemed to grow stronger, urging her to trust them. So she had.
If I do die here, it’ll be pretty laughable, huh.
Aristide and her past companions would certainly laugh. They were kind of morbid like that. But the thought of them swinging their arms over one another’s shoulders, toasting to a successful victory, chattering excitedly of what they’d do next, and lightly brushing off each others’ sardonic jokes, made her bite the bottom of her lip to keep the smallest hint of a smile from appearing. Not now.
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Post by ѕρσттεdѕнιммεя on Jul 20, 2017 14:39:50 GMT -5
[ bump! ]
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Post by carmine. on Jul 20, 2017 16:23:43 GMT -5
( im here for a bit :-) )
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Post by lozi on Jul 20, 2017 16:54:31 GMT -5
[ Hey guys. I've been traveling all day. I'll put up a starter when I'm all settled in. ]
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Post by ѕρσттεdѕнιммεя on Jul 20, 2017 17:54:38 GMT -5
[ heyo~ sorry for not responding sooner as i had only one hour of sleep prior to that and kind of fell asleep for a small bit. ]
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Post by carmine. on Jul 20, 2017 20:08:06 GMT -5
( that sounds incredible. take your time, astro! having fun in the trip is important <:
no worries, nerf. i fell asleep for a little and just woke up too. one hour of sleep doesnt sound good.. please get some rest when you can :c )
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Post by lozi on Jul 20, 2017 20:17:38 GMT -5
Nichol Eyre
"No act of kindness is ever wasted, no matter how small." ♆ ♆ ♆ ♆
Not long after Nichol had started following the road, he became aware that he wasn't alone. Continuing to move forward, he swung his pack around to the front of his body, digging his hand into it. Feeling the knife wrapped in one of his tunics, he pulled it out, up from the bottom of the bag. He was certainly a sight to see, a clumsy, poor farmer stumbling down the road, wielding a large fruit knife as if it would save his life in a fight. At best, it would severely wound an assailant if he chose his target correctly.
If Nichol knew of what was to come for him, he would never have guessed it could be true. He didn't look the part of a warrior, and he didn't know the first thing about fighting. On first glance, people would see a tired, weary traveller in rumpled clothes soiled with dirt. His hair was a mess, and his eyes were darting all over the place, having had his fill of the creatures of the wood and divines appearing in his head. At this moment, to put it plainly, Nichol was pathetic.
A crashing sound in the wood made him wonder if there was another in the wood, perhaps as clumsy as he. Letting his armed hand drop to his side, and the grip on his knife loosen, he turned towards the sound. Perhaps he could try to befriend this traveller, making the both of them less alone.
"Who is there? If you are a bandit or thief, I would suggest to be on your way. I have no quarrel with such business right now."
A bandit? In all honesty, Nichol hadn't thought to think about that. Realizing he was hopelessly underprepared for his expedition into the world, he winced inwardly. The voice had come from a different direction than the sound of the fallen traveller. Nichol assumed it belonged to a male, based on the pitch of it. He tightened his grip on the knife, it was more as a comfort to him, than an intended weapon. He didn't know this person, but if they needed help, he would be more than happy to deliver.
For now, he assumed it was best to stay quiet. Suddenly conscious of the naive mistakes he was making, leaving without a weapon, his clumsy movements, and lack to remember bandits and thieves, he hardened his gaze and puffed out his chest. He stepped lighter, focusing on not cracking any twigs under his large feet.
At the sound of violence from the male, Nichol hissed a silent breath through his teeth. He would be more than happy to avoid that, but even more happy to avoid this person all together. He seemed to be much more confident in whatever skills he had than Nichol was. If there was a chance, despite its unlikeliness, that he didn't know of his presence, then maybe Nichol could get on with his journey.
"Amoux? Is that you?"
The amount of hope in his voice set a pang in Nichol's heart. He'd always been pretty good at reading people, and without even seeing this man's face, he knew he'd was waiting for something, or someone. Not wanting to leave him hoping, he called out a response.
"Ah, no, sir. I'm just Nichol Eyre. I'm only passing through." Turning towards where he had heard the other traveler, he began to worry a little. He hadn't heard them get to their feet yet, and he feared they might have broken something. "Are you ok?"
Deciding it might be best to keep a low profile for his safety, he chose to not yet reveal himself to either. Slipping the knife into the folds of his tunic, he was surprised when he was asked about the reason for his travel. Could it be possible that the man had felt the pull, as well?
He had said that he had come for a reason, and if he was referring to this exact location, it could be for the same reason as Nichol. Trying to figure out how to respond without sounding crazy, he laughed nervously, one of the habits of his.
"I uh- this might sound strange but it just felt like I was obligated to come here, wherever here is." His words were audibly sheepish, one could almost hear his bashful smile. He rubbed the back of his neck, figuring he had nothing to lose by taking the road.
Stepping onto the path, he raised his hand in a little wave to the man, eyes widening at the sword tucked into his belt. "I'm just Nichol." He said again, sizing up the traveller.
[ Ugh these posts just feel kind of poor quality to me and I'm not sure what to do about it. I tried my best, so I'm sorry if it feels elementary. ]
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Post by lozi on Jul 20, 2017 20:34:55 GMT -5
[ Thanks Alastair! Will do. :3 ]
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Post by ѕρσттεdѕнιммεя on Jul 20, 2017 21:03:08 GMT -5
Ryuujin "Don't take my kindness as my weakness. The beast in me is sleeping, not dead."
⇀↠ 〤 ↞↼
At the sound of a female's voice, Ryuu's hopes sank a little and his regular demeanor started to come back. Cautious, laid-back, watchful, careful. Amoux was not female nor did he sound like one. That was not his lost lover. His hand went back to the hilt of his curved sword and his body language stiffened up and changed from relaxed to on guard once more. He did not know these people and even if there was the same energy that he felt with Amoux between them, he did not know if they were friend nor foe.
The second voice, the male's voice, it... was not the voice of Amoux either. Taking in a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to collect himself and push away the disappointment for another time. He had no idea whom these people were and plenty of those on the less pleasant side of things were cunning. There was a time and place to use his emotions and right now was not one of those times. Brown eyes snapped open and focused as one of the travelers spoke again.
"I uh- this might sound strange but it just felt like I was obligated to come here, wherever here is."
Raising his chin a little and staring the other male down, flicking over him in a calculating way, he watched the other closely. There seemed to be no weapon on him, but then again, it was easy to hide throwing knives or a dagger in your sleeve or boot. This was something not only Hikaru had made sure Ryuu knew, but both his fathers as well. He was silent for a moment, taking in the words of this other male. Nichol, his name appeared to be.
Something in him turned from cautious to playful in a matter of seconds after sizing up the other. Relaxing quite a bit, for some unknown reason, he gave a small polite bow, dipping his head down at the man whom was supposed to be a stranger. "My name is Ryūjin Shimada, son of Jackson and Kurai Shimada. I am a master of the sword and a traveler of Northwind," he stated in the most formal manner possible, almost wanting to be playful enough to use the secondary language of Nihon. There was a playful glimmer in his eyes, having this... playful feeling that he could not shake off. It was like meeting an old childhood friend that he had never seen before. Friends he just hadn't met yet. "Pleased to meet you, Nichol Eyre. You are not alone with this pull. You wish to go to Saoirse, as do I. This is a correct assumption, is it not?"
Turning his gaze to the forestry once again, he unsheathed his sword and stood up taller once more. He looked a lot more relaxed, a voice within him stating that these were friends, not enemies. Still, he was unsure of this voice and no matter what mood it was forcing him to feel, he was still well trained and listened to the cautious side of his mind.
"Miss, I would highly recommend that you come out. If you are running from something or someone, then you are in no more need to run. I can feel the pull with you, just as I had with someone I have lost and this man over here. I will not harm you if you do not bring harm to me," Ryuu was very formal and almost matter of fact with his words, yet, they held a laid-back kind of joking tone like he was mockingly being formal. As if it was a way to relax the tense a little, though unsheathing his wakizashi was probably not the way to go with that route. "I am of the Wolf and my lost one is of the Dragon. That leaves four more, if the stories Pa and Otosan told me are true. The Pegasus, the Eagle, the Stag and the Sabertooth."
Where were these words coming from? Four more? The stories? He hadn't thought about those things since he was about ten years old when he first had met Amoux. No, this was something else that was putting his words to use. He almost looked a little confused at himself, a small bit of hesitation upon him and he blinked rapidly a few times with a small frown. Nevertheless, he remained his composure and cleared his throat.
"Forgive me, I am... getting used to something new. I would wish for us to get along, and it appears the that Divines wish for us to meet, so let us do so," he stated with a small smile twitching the corners of his lips upwards at a slight angle. There was a small glimmer in his eyes once more, that playful feeling coming back as strongly as ever. "Don't believe me in what I say? I can more than show you. Speaking of Divines, however, I think I lost mine. Anyone seen a large silver see-through wolf that is about as tall as I am at the shoulder?"
There was a joking manner to his voice, fully well knowing how strange he sounded. It was done on purpose. If he was to travel with these others then he might as well relax a little with him. It was funny how he went from so formal and serious to joking and playful once Nichol had introduced himself.
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Post by ѕρσттεdѕнιммεя on Jul 20, 2017 21:03:57 GMT -5
[ that was not nearly as long as it should have been and i apologize greatly.
your posts are more than fine, i promise, astro! ]
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Post by carmine. on Jul 20, 2017 21:18:20 GMT -5
( guys there's nothing to apologize for. both of your posts are absolutely wonderful
im typing up a reply right now! i'll try to post it as soon as possible <: )
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Post by lozi on Jul 20, 2017 22:37:55 GMT -5
Nichol Eyre
"No act of kindness is ever wasted, no matter how small." ♆ ♆ ♆ ♆
Nichol was, in fact, quite intimidated by the other male. Everything about him screamed authority, from his confident posture, to his commanding and formal tone. Nichol noted the sword at his side, adding to his sort of cowed respect. This was definitely not a sort of person that Nichol would want to anger, intentionally or not.
It was almost as if Nichol had reached out and flicked a switch in the man, who had identified himself as Ryuujin. He seemed to relax, and in turn, muscles that Nichol hadn't know had been tensed relaxed. His shoulders, which he had subconsciously drawn in, slumped to a less formal, more friendly position. As of now, Nichol didn't think he was in any particular trouble.
"It's not a bad sword you have there. Not that I've seen too many swords in my life." Nichol didn't know any of the people the Ryuujin had listed, but it could be because of his small life on the farm. All Nichol had known was simple and set straight, and in just a day, it felt like someone had grabbed him by the hand and shaken his whole world up. Maybe, that was exactly what Nichol needed to reach his potential.
"I am of the Wolf and my lost one is of the Dragon. That leaves four more, if the stories Pa and Otosan told me are true. The Pegasus, the Eagle, the Stag and the Sabertooth."
Ryuujin began speaking of the divines, and Nichol could feel confusion setting in again. He was familiar with the legends of the divines, he had spent many a night listening to them when he was little, from his own father. Many more were spent retelling them to the littles.
At the thought of them, it felt as if someone had taken Ryuujin's sword and pierced his heart. They probably didn't miss a beat upon his departure. Whoever was there now would be filling every chore he had known since he was fifteen. He bit his lip, the tips of his pointed ears turning pink and hot, the result of his turbulent emotions. A pained, burdened expression crossed his face for just half a second, the only betrayal of the emotional distress he was in.
Nichol was never one to discuss his problems with others, always leaving his bonds at his surface. Those who tried might as well have been attempting to break down a brick wall with a hand held chisel. He had a way with his words that would make anyone think that he had no reason to have a negative feeling. He didn't have a reason, right?
Shoving his negative thoughts into the corners of his mind, with the piles upon piles of other worries he suppressed, he returned to trying to understand what Ryuujin was saying. He didn't understand what he meant by his lost one, maybe someone close to him that had disappeared? Nonetheless, whatever he was saying felt familiar to Nichol, as if he knew and understood this already. It was as if he was hearing old news, something he'd heard time and time again. And it was, sort of.
This new man's attitude was the perfect thing to distract Nichol from his lonely thoughts. It was almost as if he had known him for a long time, all that was happening held a sort of shocking new feel, yet familiar aura. Looking expectantly at the woods for a brief second, not wanting to be snuck up upon by whoever had fallen there. He didn't want to shame himself with his automatic jumpiness when traveling. One couldn't blame him, however, it was only his first time really leaving the nest.
"Oh, I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw mine. I thought I was going crazy!" He let out a relieved laugh that he wasn't the only one seeing divines. "He was tall, even for a guy my height!" For the first time in a long time, Nichol realized he was around people his own age. For now, Nichol could be content with just going with the flow of things and figuring out what this was all about, as he usually did.
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Post by carmine. on Jul 20, 2017 23:29:06 GMT -5
Ingrith ▼ ▼ ▼ "Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.”
“Ah, no sir. I’m just Nichol Eyre. I’m only passing through.”
She listened to the other voice speak with her eyes still trained on where the other traveller was, through the leaves and the dappled shadows they casted. So, his — the pitch of his voice allowed her to presume that he was male — name was Nichol Eyre. She hadn’t seen his features yet, but from his choice of words and the tone of his voice, she pictured him as someone with rather gentle features and a sunny gaze, and it seemed like his name, pleasing and strong and elegent when rolled off the tongue, suited him. Well, if she didn't think about how just a moment ago, he’d almost been stomping around the woods like a newborn giant. But that was besides the case. When she heard him speak again, this time, seemingly directed at her, and she felt a twinge of surprise at it.
“Are you okay?”
Did he know what state she was in? More likely, he was he worried? Slowly, curiously, she tilted her head, just a little to the side with a quirked eyebrow. What an odd individual. Could he see her somehow through these thick layers of vibrant green? Or was it a different observation that had made him notice? Perhaps he wasn’t as clumsy as she’d thought he’d be. If he had picked up something that lead him to assume that she was in an unfavourable state with nothing but intuition, then she could only assume that he was perceptive and acutely aware of his surroundings and what was happening to those around himself. “I’m fine,” she answered before falling silent, then adding a small, sheepish: “Thanks for asking, I guess," because she was both somewhat grateful, embarrassed and surprised at his question. Why was she speaking to him like she would’ve to her old companions? No, more likely, why couldn’t she shake off the feeling that these two travellers — strangers, might she add — felt like long, lost companions? The tone of her voice when she’d regarded this individual, Nicholas, said it all.
I felt obligated.
He said the same thing (and she didn’t miss the note of sheepishness in his voice when he did so, because to some degree, she also felt the same). An obligation. So it wasn’t only her who’d been feeling the strong urge to head towards Saoirse? Then she heard a few leaves rustle and heard him state his name again, and she knew that he’d stepped up to reveal himself from wherever he’d been before to the armed traveller.
Ryuujin Shimada. So the other traveller’s name was Ryuujin. If she really wanted to be sarcastic, his name was Ryuujin-Shimada-son-of-Jackson-and-Kurai-Shimada, but she was too weary to say anything (not that she would have in this situation), and she let that small humorous thought (well, at least, she’d like to think it was) slide. Master of the sword, huh? No wonder he was so efficient with the blade. On a normal circumstance, she would’ve laughed. There were too many self-proclaimed bigots on the streets she’d roamed on, after all. But this poised man, Ryuujin Shimada — she didn’t doubt him when he said that he was, indeed, a master of the sword.
Then she heard him directly refer to her. “I will not harm you if you do not bring harm to me,” he’d said. She almost raised both of her eyebrows. If only he could see her right now. In all honesty, even if she could stand on her two feet just fine, she didn’t think she would’ve necessarily harmed this individual, either. He didn’t seem like a person with malice, and his intentions didn’t seem corrupt, whatever they were. Her memory flickered back to his form, when his face had been concealed by a scarf and he’d stood with his weapon, his stance poised and the air around him commanding all the respect that the forest could give. Not an enemy, her head told her, as it had been again and again, and she finally felt a good amount of wariness relax. Especially at his following words.
My lost one is the Dragon. Had this Amoux individual been that? The Pegasus, the Eagle, the Stag, and the Sabertooth, he continued. She felt her mouth open a little, now slightly ajar. Seconds ago she’d been really ready to raise both of her eyebrows, but at the sound of the word Sabertooth, she paused, and the wonder in her mind had disappeared, leaving her muscles to still. Long ago, it hadn’t been uncommon or her to see the silhouette of something prowling in the streets, watching her from the shadows. Sometimes, when she'd been utterly alone, the shadows around her had moved, rippling, and eventually forming the shape of a large feline with glowing white eyes. Long, jagged teeth had curved down from its drawn-back lips, and she’d watched it with fearful, yet awed eyes. Later on, when she’d gotten familiar with its silent yet empowering presence, she’d started to think of it as a small comfort.
"Forgive me, I am... getting used to something new. I would wish for us to get along, and it appears the that Divines wish for us to meet, so let us do so.” Divines… goodness, was this all really true? Was this actually reality? If what this man said was true, if there really was some story involving six different entities, and what the woman in her head had said was inevitable…
"Don't believe me in what I say? I can more than show you.”
No, that’s all fine. In fact, I’m…
She couldn't believe it herself when she thought to herself that she was starting to believe that this was really happening, and that this was real. If this man, no, Ryuujin’s objective had been to loosen the tension in the air with his next jocose words surrounding the loss of his large silver wolf, it seemed to work. Ingrith felt herself relax a little. By the Divines themselves, who thought that she’d actually relax at the sound of someone saying that they’d lost a large silver see-through wolf that was as tall as he was at the shoulder?
"Oh, I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw mine. I thought I was going crazy!” She heard Nichol say.
Me too, buddy. Me too.
All right, Ingrith. Get up on your feet, she told herself sternly as she bit the bottom of her lip. Gingerly hauling herself to her feet (thank goodness there were trees to catch her from stumbling) once more, she forced her feet to take a shaky step forwards, then another, until she was using one arm to keep her balance intact against the surface of a tree and the other to shield her eyes from the sun above.
Ryuujin Shimada and Nichol Eyre. She was finally able to see them, what these people — who felt so familiar — looked like. Nichol’s appearance didn’t go too far off from what she’d imagined from his voice. His ears and height told her that he was of Elven descent, and he was quite muscular, which gave her the impression that he’d worked somewhere regularly. Oh, Legna, she’d never seen someone of Elven descent before, so she was truly caught off guard by his height. She’d only heard that they were tall. She hadn’t imagined that their height difference could be this apart. She’d have to literally hold her head up to look at his eyes, which she noticed were a cheerful hue of gold and green. They reminded her of spring, when ice thawed from the bare, naked branches of December and brought forth new life, indicating the start of a new year. As for Ryuujin, the air around him seemed to have drastically shifted upon Nichol’s introduction, though the composure, modesty, and dignity that hung around his form didn’t seem to change from earlier. His brown eyes seemed to hold leadership, despite the playfulness that glimmered in them. Without the scarf, she could see that he had sharp cheek-bones and a sharp jawline. In her opinion, he looked like the reincarnation of the wolf, himself.
Holding up her chin with her steady eyes, a warm hue of honey underneath the light, resting on Ryuujin and Nichol, she spoke. “My name is Ingrith. I believe I am of the Sabertooth that you speak of.” At least, she thought. Maybe she was wrong, though. Then, with a small pause, the corners of her lips tugged to form the smallest hint of what could have been a sheepish smile: “And I think I may need a bit of help." Even so, with that said, 'help' in Ingrith's standards didn't mean very much. Medicine, whether they had it on them or not, was extremely valuable and something she could not imaigne getting her hands on. They owed her nothing, and she was well aware of it. All she wanted to do was sit down, get some rest, and understand this situation better. Specifically speaking, the story that Ryuujin spoke of, the list of differnt entities, the peculiar sense of obligation that seemed to tether them all somewhere, the lingering voice in her head, and what this odd encounter meant for all of them.
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Post by ѕρσттεdѕнιммεя on Jul 21, 2017 6:15:32 GMT -5
Ryuujin "Don't take my kindness as my weakness. The beast in me is sleeping, not dead."
⇀↠ 〤 ↞↼
At the mention that Nichol had seen a Divine as well, he couldn't help but have a small twinge of a smile play on the corners of his lips. What animal was this other male of? The Stag? The Sabertooth? The Eagle? The Pegasus? Looking the other over, he was not fully sure of which one he was. He was not one that really just... stood out for an animal. Fit, tall and had this sort of... hard-working look to him. Like he had been outside most of his life, almost. While the legend his father often read to him as a kid were not fully clear in his mind, he did know a bit of the legend. The voice in his head made so much more sense and the whole group up thing did as well.
However, with this, came a cost. Since they were able to use magic, it meant that they could be wanted and killed very fast. Something in him growled, a low canine growl echoing in his mind at the thought. He could almost feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Just to spite this his free hand moved to mess with his ponytail, brushing any tickling strands by his neck away. Was he really that tired or was that the Wolf speaking to him again to not think of such things?
Movement in the forest caught his eye when the girl finally became visible to him. Just as Ryuu had with Nichol, he looked the female up and down for any signs of danger, to get a size of her and to judge if she was an immediate threat or not. Deciding overall that she did not appear to be that threatening, and the voice in the back of his mind was telling him that she was alright to be around, he sheathed his wakizashi back into the casing that was to his side, slightly behind him almost.
One way to make his pride swell up, compliment him or his weapons. Nichol had said something about his sword and there was this smile, barely a smile, but it was a smile, that appeared on his lips. "My wakizashi? Or do you refer the katana? Both of which are foreign weapons not from this country. Given to me by my master himself, the one whom taught me my swordsmanship," he stated with this air of confidence and pride. He reached up behind him and grabbed the hilt of the larger one across his back, the katana, with both hands and unsheathed it with a fluid movement, doing a small stunt as to let it fall and use the momentum to swirl it around his hands and then poise it in a regular stance, holding the hilt with one hand and balance the flat side of the blade against his other hand, almost holding it out a bit. Was Ryuu showing off? Most definitely.
"Given to me by Hikaru McCree, as well as my wakizashi, this is a katana, a two-handed blade of destruction. It is not similar to that of a regular two-handed sword of this country nor is it like a short-sword. It is one sided but the fluid build of it lets one slice and move around with much more ease, if trained correctly," Ryuu was definitely speaking a mouthful and he was enjoying every little bit of it. His brown eyes scanned over the blade and you could see the pride and enjoyment in them, you could see that he loved this sword and he loved showing it off. With a few more twirls around he put it back in his sheathe with the same fluid movement. The sword did not act as a weapon, but rather a deadly extension of his limbs. "While swords are easy for me to use, I dislike using plain ones of Northwind, liking to use weapons that of at least half my heritage and bloodline."
For some reason, some strange unknown reason, the twenty-four year old was completely open and relaxed with both of the two before him. He had told them that he was basically someone whom could control canine animals, had an elemental power and... whatever else came with being... whatever he was. He didn't even know what he was, but it was not something "normal". He found that out when he was a young teen, hearing his fathers talk late at night, when they thought he was asleep.
His attention was snapped back to the female, Ingrith, when she spoke up on whom she was and his interest was ever so curiously peeked when she stated about being the Sabertooth. They had the dog, lizard and cat. All that remained were the horse, bird and deer. Ryuu tilted his head ever so slightly when she also stated soon after that she needed help. She looked fine to him, for the most part, so he was a little confused.
"What do you need help with, Ingrith?" The name rolled off his tongue like he had said it a thousand times and yet, he never had spoken the name prior to this. It felt natural, it felt... like he should know her name very well, like she was a good friend that he had known all his life. "Are you hurt? Hungry? I have food and I can go hunt or fish if you need. Are you in trouble? My otosan was ..." Hesitation made him pause for a moment as he thought of the word carefully to say. " ... a mercenary. My pa was a guard for Saoirse. To say that I know how to handle my own in an understatement." He barely knew he, he literally just got her name and yet he felt obligated to protect her. Not just her, but Nichol too. There was something about this that just... made him want to protect them, make sure that they were cared for, safe.
Setting his pack down by a larger rock near the shore of the river, he leaned down and dug through the pack for a bit of food; he was given a few apples, carrots and leeks as well as some dried meat and a loaf of bread or two. The first thing his hand got on was an apple and he stood back up straight and held it out to the female.
"You can have it, if you would wish. Nichol," once again, that name rolled off his tongue like it was a cherished best friend's name that he knew all his life, for a very long time. "I have some more things, if you are hungry." Ryuu's family was, by no means, poor or even that moderate. They were not nobles, but they had plenty of money due to the jobs that both of his parents had in their fighting days. Perhaps the location of their home was more planned than simply that of which they both had liked the area. Now was not the time to dwell on such things, anyways.
"If you are injured, I know the basics of the medical treatments. Travelling around a lot and practicing with weapons has made me an expert at treating wounds," there was a light humorous tone to his voice. He had cut himself and hurt himself more times than he could count. Not to mention, he once stabbed a great sword through his left foot before. There was more than one reason why he didn't like the regular common swords of Northwind. "Something tells me we will be sitting here for a bit. So let us get comfortable, yes?"
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Post by carmine. on Jul 21, 2017 11:23:17 GMT -5
Ingrith ▼ ▼ ▼ "Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.”
At the somewhat flamboyant yet fluid display of the two weapons by Ryuujin, Ingrith finally let both of her eyebrows rise in what appeared to be mild curiosity and amusement. This was the first time she’d seen this man, and yet she already felt compelled to retort to his actions light-heartedly, though she didn’t let any jocose words leave the tip of her tongue quite yet. After all, while he did seem good-natured and fairly easygoing, she reminded herself that this was still someone she’d just met. You can trust them, the voice in her head seemed to whisper again, urging her to relax a little more, which she — with a little bit of reluctance — complied to. They aren't your enemies. It was true; they didn’t give off an aura that inspired tension in her shoulders, and they certainly didn’t make chills run down her spine unlike those with malice had on the streets. It was easy to catch those who had the worst of intentions and those who didn’t once you lived as a thief for most of your life, in the midst of the shoddy apartment buildings with their grimy windows from the rapidly fluctuating weather and scandals outside.
In fact, a part of her felt fiercely driven to keep them safe and out of harm’s way. It was the same feeling she'd felt when she’d been a part of Aristide’s little crew, and the rest of the gang had almost been her extended family, or her extremely close companions. She eyed Ryuujin — who was still speaking enthusiastically and showing off — and Nichol for a bit before letting her lips tug just the slightest bit into a small smile. Not that these two really seemed like they needed protecting, in all honesty. One gauge at them, and she could tell that they were both capable individuals.
She then glanced over in the direction of Nichol, only to notice that the tips of his ears had taken a pink shade, and a pained look crossed his face. It’d been brief, but there was no mistaking that something had distressed him, and for a moment, Ingrith felt herself still. A small crease formed between her eyebrows as she frowned a little. Should I ask him if he’s all right? She was just about to when his expression changed in what seemed like the blink of an eye, and that burdened look on his face had vanished. She didn't think she’d forget the expression that had momentarily flickered past his face, though.
“What do you need help with, Ingrith?”
The question snapped her out of her reverie, drawing her back to reality. Strange. It was peculiar hearing her name coming from someone she’d just met, though at the same time, it didn’t feel too odd, either. Familiarity. That was what she felt. “Right,” she uttered underneath her breath, blinking a little as if a thought had just registered in her mind. The dull throb at the back of her head lingered like the heavy scent of dizzying perfume, and her ankle felt hot — most likely swollen as a result of her desperate escape after she’d jumped from a rather high surface onto the uneven ground when they’d climbed after her. The image of the faded poster came back to her mind, and she lightly touched her bruised cheek in thought. The whole reason they’d come after her had been because someone back there had leaked information. And that once-discreetly kept information had been the only anchor that had tied her to the last sliver of safety that had been offered to her. Whoever it was, she’d known them long enough to trust them with her “abnormality.” Her jaws tightened at the thought.
“I… see. That’s very reliable,” she then said, the tension in her jaws loosening and her eyes genuine when she listened to Ryuujin explain the occupations his family held, before a small smile appeared upon her lips once more when he continued. “I don’t doubt you when you say that.”
She felt a small twinge of surprise (today was just a never-ending day of bemusement, wasn’t it?) when he rummaged through his pack and handed her an apple. “Thank you,” she said with her eyes just a little widened at the fact that he’d offered her food so willingly, but grateful nonetheless. She made sure to receive it with both hands instead of using one. Right, I’m not on those streets anymore. Of course there’d be people like this. She glanced back over at Nichol while still holding the apple with both of her hands, as if she were cradling an injured bird rather than food, remaining static from where Ryuujin had given the edible. “I… Nichol, would you like to split this?” She asked, wondering if Nichol would want some of the sweet fruit. It was such a rare thing to see, and something that was classified as a high-classed treat. For her, anyway. Maybe it was for him, too..? And saints, Ryuujin had more food than this? She could already feel her stomach twisting and hear it rumbling, though she pushed the thought of food out of her mind as best as she could without getting too starry-eyed.
The apple had steered her off her thoughts. She was reminded that this wasn’t the time to be too lax. “I’d imagine so,” she said with a nod of her head when he spoke of knowing the basics of medical treatments, noting the light humour to his voice when he mentioned that he’d practiced with weapons often. She found herself quirking an eyebrow again at the notion. “You didn’t stab yourself before, did you?”
At the mention of sitting around for a while, Ingrith drew in a small breath as she looked over in the direction she’d come from, way long before she’d even met these two travellers. “That would be ideal, but I’m worried that the people who were chasing me are around this area. I did lose track of them a while back, though I’m still afraid that both of you may be dragged into it if they do, for some reason, find us here. I do realize I may be over-worrying.... Even so, I can’t deny the fact that they’re much more persistent than I’d anticipated.” She looked down at her calloused hands, her fingers caked with dirt and mud and blood from the wild flee. “It’s.. kind of hard to explain — I get the sense that you aren’t bad people. Actually, call me crazy, but I feel like… I feel like I’ve known the two of you before. Close or not, though, I wouldn’t want anyone being dragged into something like that.” After a momentary pause, she continued, this time much more carefully: “Hey, what… what do you two think we should do?”
She wondered if it was all right for her to say ‘we,’ and if it was all right for her to include herself, even if it was temporary, with these people as a group.
( oh goodness, forgive me for this awful post ; i'm really sorry for its blandness/low-quality ;; )
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Post by lozi on Jul 21, 2017 13:20:53 GMT -5
[ Don't worry Alastair. I'll get a reply up when I can. ]
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Post by lozi on Jul 21, 2017 18:39:08 GMT -5
Nichol Eyre
"No act of kindness is ever wasted, no matter how small." ♆ ♆ ♆ ♆
Everyone seemed to know what divine they were of, which left Nichol to wonder which one he could possibly be. What if he wasn't a chosen one, just in the right place at the right time? Could this all be a big mistake? He honestly didn't believe that he could be associated with one of the six divines from the legends. A small seed of self-doubt grew in the back of his mind, and he bit his lip.
He had said that he knew of the dragon, and Ryuujin was the wolf. Ingrith was the sabretooth, which left the eagle, the stag, and the horse. The only animal that he was familiar with, out of those animals, was the horse. He'd grown up with them all his life, and spent much of his free time riding a horse. His father had said that he possessed an inexplicable way with horses. They always listened, never rearing and throwing him off.
"I might possibly be the pegasus.. I grew up with horses. They used to call me the horse whisperer." He wanted to sound more sure, like Ryuujin, but he wasn't that confident that he was right. "Maybe I'm just a coincidence. I don't know anything about fighting like you, Ryuujin. I'm just a poor farmer." Nichol always seemed to be able to understand and pick up on the slightest changes in people's moods, but it felt like he was always in disharmony with his own. In his voice was the faintest tone of resentment? doubt? Either way, it was no where near confident.
Snapped from his thoughts- a lot of thought snapping had been happening today- by the other traveler, he turned to face her. Dark haired and bronze-skinned, she was much shorter than him, to the point that it surprised him. His family and friends were mostly of Elven race, so he had never felt particularly taller than any person before. She had weary, darting honey-brown eyes that glinted into the sun light.
As he scanned her over his eyes caught sight of the bruise on her cheek. He frowned slightly, wondering what could have happened to her. He didn't want to pry, seeing as it wasn't his place to dig into her business.
Ryuujin's sword flashed as it caught the light of the sun, and Nichol was heartened to see the curve in Ryuujin's lips. This was something familiar to him, making others around him laugh and smile. Slowly getting to know Ryuujin was less like jumping into cold water, and more like easing in. It felt as if this was just information that he had already known, just stored in the back of his mind.
He watched in awe as Ryuujin wielded the sword with perfect grace, totally buying into his showing off. The concept of weapons was foreign to him, and this was most certainly something he had never seen before. "I can see why they call you the master of the sword."
"Given to me by Hikaru McCree, as well as my wakizashi, this is a katana, a two-handed blade of destruction. It is not similar to that of a regular two-handed sword of this country nor is it like a short-sword. It is one sided but the fluid build of it lets one slice and move around with much more ease, if trained correctly,"
Nichol wasn't familiar with some of the terms Ryuujin used, but he was still starstruck by the display. "Wow..."
When Ingrith suggested sharing the apple, he couldn't help but smile and nod. He hadn't had an apple, not that he could remember anyways. They were too rare, and not something his family had grown on their farm. Pulling the fruit knife from the folds of his tunic, he offered to cut the fruit.
Ryuujin didn't seem to cease to amaze Nichol. First, he had come speaking of the same things that Nichol had been following. Then he had displayed his skills as a master of the sword, and now he had apples. He certainly hadn't planned to have such an eventful first day away from the farm.
When it was time to determine what to do next, Nichol set his pack down on the ground, propping it up so it wouldn't fall and damage what was inside. He ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it away from his face as he thought.
"Well, if we all are feeling the same pull to Saiorse, maybe there's a reason to that. We could try traveling together to Saiorse. If our paths split then, that might be where we say goodbye."
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Post by carmine. on Jul 22, 2017 0:18:08 GMT -5
Ingrith ▼ ▼ ▼ "Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.”
The apple, which had been cut by Nichol’s fruit knife — she’d been a little surprised when he’d pulled it out from the folds of his tunic — was simply charming. It was sweet and golden, just how she remembered it the first and last time she’d been able to take a bite out of one, so she savoured the half that belonged to her. Food was valuable, hence the reason for why she’d been carefully holding the fruit with both of her hands as if to cradle an injured bird when she’d received it. Every last bite of something edible wasn’t to be wasted, especially if it was as rare as this. Just the taste of it seemed to alleviate the throb in her had and the pain in her ankle.
“Hey, are these things rare for you, too?” She’d asked Nichol as she’d watching him cut the fruit, her eyes trained onto its glowing red surface like a cat looking at a fish. With some difficulty, she’d pried her gaze away from it and glanced over at the much, much taller traveller with mild curiosity. “These are like the desserts those nobles eat in the place I come from.”
“I might possibly be the pegasus.. I grey up with horses. They used to call me the horse whisperer.”
If Nichol was the pegasus, that meant they had the wolf, the dragon, the pegasus, and the sabertooth. So he was a farmer. It made sense, given his build and his appearance. Her warm, fire-like gaze turned to linger on the forest, where layers and layers of green continued to rustle from the breeze and stretched out vastly into the distance. She’d only heard of the legend once from Aristide, who’d ended the story with a small tilt of his head and an inquisitive glimmer in his sharp, green eyes. “Why’d you want to know something so childish, Ingrith? It’s just a legend. Nothing else. It won’t help you, unless you want to be a storyteller. And I doubt that you’ve suddenly changed your mind about your occupation.”
“I was just curious,” she remembered telling him with her hands resting on her waist and a light shrug of her shoulder. “I heard a few people talking about it today, and… well… I guess I just didn’t want to be left in the dark about what they were speaking of.” Which was true. If there was one thing Ingrith didn’t like, it was being kept in the dark. Of course, there were times when she wouldn’t complain even if she was, but that required a lot of trust, especially in a frantic situation where order was nowhere to be found and everything became chaotic. Knowing the fact that, someone — most likely someone close — had let word of her ‘abnormality’ slip, though she supposed that opportunity wouldn’t come around for a while. Or perhaps it would. The obligation that seemed to compel her to keep Ryuujin and Nichol safe and sound was hindering any of her usual wariness, and so was the airy presence of that woman who seemed to be urging her constantly to trust the other travellers.
“Well, if we all are feeling the same pull to Saiorse, maybe there’s a reason to that. We could try traveling together to Saiorse. If our paths split then, that might be where we say good-bye.”
Listening to Nichol’s words, Ingrith nodded her head in agreement. She didn't have anything against that, and it did sound like a start. She did, however, wait for Ryuujin’s answer, as they still had yet to hear from him, and his opinion counted a great deal. It seemed that all of theirs did. The thought made her lower her eyes, just a little. It’d been a while since she’d been a part of a group of people, even if this one could be temporary. Roaming about alone was fine, but in all honesty, it didn’t feel that bad to be included somewhere — to feel like a part of something. But there was a small voice in the back of her mind that told her how she’d even be able to bring up what she had been and what she still was: a liar, the daughter of a pauper, and a thief. Saints, she hoped that day when she had to spill everything wouldn’t come too soon.
Briefly, before he gave his answer, she then wondered if they’d all be fine. After all, they were individuals who possessed the ability to bend magic to their will, whichever element they harnessed, and that meant that there’d be more people who’d be after them in the hopes of catching them. More like killing us, really. And it wouldn’t just be thugs, like the ones who’d been chasing her, that would be after them. They’d have so many more enemies, some who’d even have authority.
And yet, here they were, the three of them gathered together as an easy target. One overwhelming avid and covetous crowd of bloodthirsty people wouldn’t be the only obstacle they’d run into if they were somehow found out. She was sure of it. The crowds would continue to alternate, on and on, until one by one, they were all finally hunted down, and there would be nothing left to look for. The thought made her bristle and her eyes narrow.
Raking a hand through her dark locks, Ingrith only closed her eyes and exhaled a quiet sigh. Thinking about it wouldn't do them any good, and besides, there was always the chance that their paths would, indeed split. Everything was still new, and it didn't seem like they were all entirely certain of why they were being drawn to Saiorse. For now, they'd just have to wait and see.
“By the way,” she said, while glancing over in Nichol’s direction with a hand still resting on her waist. It could ne awfully naive of her to say this, but, well, she found herself speaking before she'd realized it herself. “It.. might not matter all that much coming from me, but I don’t think you’re ‘just a coincidence.’” Her lips tugged to form the smallest hint of a smile. “We’re all seeing divines and hearing voices in our heads, so we're all either hallucinating something coincidentally similar, or something’s really going on, and we’re most likely going to need each others’ strengths here to figure it out, fighting or no fighting. Aristi-.... someone I used to know told me something that I still remember when I had my own doubts, too. If nobody else will, then place your trust in yourself. You'll be surprised to find that you are braver than you believe yourself to be and smater than you think.”
I wonder if the way I phrased that was okay. Ingrith definitely wasn’t the best when it came to putting her thoughts or feelings into words, so she wasn’t sure if that would make Nichol feel better or worse — hopefully it wouldn’t make him feel the latter, though. She wasn't lying when she said that she believe that it wasn’t just efficient fighting that would get them somewhere, and that she believed that everyone had their own assets that would guide those around themselves.
( ty, astro. by the way, feel free to call me al or ria or whatever you'd like :-) again, sorry for the rushed post. i had to finish this before i left the house for class )
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Post by lozi on Jul 22, 2017 7:54:45 GMT -5
[ Sorry for my inactivity guys. I'll be back from vacation on Monday so I promise I'll be better. ]
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Post by carmine. on Jul 22, 2017 8:05:11 GMT -5
( that's totally a-ok. take all the time you need, astro relax and enjoy your trip! )
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2017 23:18:54 GMT -5
Hey guys! Once I get my form completed ( Im aiming for tomorrow but no promises) I'll post my starter. Looking foward to rping with y'all!)
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Post by carmine. on Jul 22, 2017 23:30:38 GMT -5
( hey star :-) i'm excited looking forward to rping with you, too! )
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Post by ѕρσттεdѕнιммεя on Jul 23, 2017 8:22:57 GMT -5
[ everyone's replies are looking good, i promise. as for you, star, i am looking forward to rping with you too.
my apologies for not being here, as i have been working hard in overwatch to rank up. thankfully, i have done so. that and two of my closest friends are often on there and i enjoy spending time with them both. ]
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Post by carmine. on Jul 23, 2017 8:37:45 GMT -5
( ty, nerf :-) that's super relieving to know
and there's definitely no need to apologize! i think all of us understand that it's important to have fun/enjoy time with other people/catch up with work outside of the forums so really ik i say this a lot but take your time. work/friends/family/all of that comes first c: )
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Post by ѕρσттεdѕнιммεя on Jul 24, 2017 9:59:55 GMT -5
[ ahhh i am finally able to do something now! i am typing up a reply for you guys at this very moment. my apologies for this taking so long! ]
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Post by lozi on Jul 24, 2017 10:43:05 GMT -5
[ Hey guys, I'll be traveling today so I won't be able to post for a while. Just a heads up! ]
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