Jan. 1st, 2020 01:25 am
travel [dabble #34]
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eliayaseThe Shroud always swelled with palpable energy, he had determined long ago.
Not just the whims of the elementals. It was something else in the trees, in the stones. Like every little detail had been meticulously placed to guide, soon birthing a second realm and giving the dirt new purpose.
+++
The embers of a small campfire in the North Shroud were beginning to sigh and smoke, preparing for a long rest after a chilly evening. The sky had been overcast for what felt like moons, draping the woodlands in a similarly sleepy haze. The small encampment sat on one of the North's landmark cliffs, giving a clear view o'er the realm toward Coerthas. Two cloaked forms, one shining ember.
One of the dark figures stood from their tree-stoop seat with the quiet grunt of a man whose body had carried many a battle and many a body. He gently began to prod the remains of the fire with a piece of their wood stock, giving up when no warmth came forth. He turned to his companion, brow stern but voice surprisingly tender.
"You needn't wait up for me. You've done work enough for the day and I won't stand for you to give up any wink of rest." His words commanded, but a twinkle could be caught in his eye.
"Like hell! You're in no position to say anything. You've done the most of us!" A voice across the fire argued, waving a gloved hand before their hooded face to escape the smoke and ash.
"Twitch, I appreciate your sympathy, but I have faced much worse than a couple of efts and you will need to face worse soon enough. You take me for elder than I am. Completely unrelated," The man paused before a sly grin took to his face and his hand went to his pack, whipping a small hunk of bread across the fire in the other's direction, "think fast."
His opposite reacted with a slight delay, caught off-guard and fumbling to catch the food projectile. Their hood fell back in the process, revealing a young but formidable-looking Viera girl. She clutched her prize in her hands, shooting a glare at her older-looking companion.
"Ivan, you make me glad there are no men in my homeland." She grumbled, tentatively looking up to check that the Hyur wasn't looking before turning away to scoff down the bread. Ivan opened his mouth to make a quick remark, but instead chose to hold his tongue with a soft smile.
A loud rustling from the distant trees caused both figures to swiftly stand, hands hovering over their respective weaponry. The Viera's ears twitched, as if tuning in to the forest itself's movements. The rustling continued, growing louder until infrequent footsteps could be heard. At last, a hand pushed through the thick brush, followed by loud panting and the rest of a very tired-looking Elezen man.
He collapsed on the ground by the dying fire, continuing to pant heavily.
"Aengus, are you--" The Viera began, quickly cut off by the Elezen's slightly cracked voice.
"Fine? Yes. Yes, I am--" He paused to flip over on the dirt, now face-up to stare at the overcast sky with a deep breath. "fine. I'll have you know that foraging is much harder in the dark, and that, per se, grabbing a kedtrap instead of an edible root is really quite possible." Despite being obviously tuckered out from his endeavors, the young man still made an (almost laughable) attempt to sound proper.
"But that is beside the point." He craned his head to look at the fire. "I see that... not much progress was made on the heat?"
Ivan laughed, obviously bemused by the Elezen's dramatics. "It can be done without. Besides, is it really camping if one is not forced to huddle with his companions for warmth in the unyielding Coerthan night?"
"Do not get me wrong, I... like you both very much, but that will be unnecessary." Aengus laughed as well, but far more nervously.
Twitch, in turn, prodded a finger in Ivan's direction. "And don't say that as if you've done it before!"
Ivan only continued to laugh.
With a small sigh, Twitch lowered herself to the ground next to Aengus. She turned her head to look at him, hair a (purposeful) mess and brow slightly furrowed with concern, whispering, "I appreciate your efforts, you damned fussy Gussy, but try to be more careful." Her worried look soon was replaced with comedic disgust. "Also, you left me stuck with this coot for an hour and didn't even come back with a snack. You owe me!"
Aengus only smiled, crossing his legs and watching the sky. A peephole in the murk had formed, gifting a glance at the stars beyond. He'd always had a fondness for the stars. Constellations were one of the few things he could ever pay attention to during lessons. The stories were what ensnared his imagination, as well as the hope of a realm beyond. Ivan sat down on his other side, patting his upper arm with a knowing expression. He, too, looked up.
And from the clifftop overlooking valleys yet unclimbed, the battles yet to be won, the friends yet unburied, and the bridge uncrossed, the trio looked heavensward.
Not just the whims of the elementals. It was something else in the trees, in the stones. Like every little detail had been meticulously placed to guide, soon birthing a second realm and giving the dirt new purpose.
+++
The embers of a small campfire in the North Shroud were beginning to sigh and smoke, preparing for a long rest after a chilly evening. The sky had been overcast for what felt like moons, draping the woodlands in a similarly sleepy haze. The small encampment sat on one of the North's landmark cliffs, giving a clear view o'er the realm toward Coerthas. Two cloaked forms, one shining ember.
One of the dark figures stood from their tree-stoop seat with the quiet grunt of a man whose body had carried many a battle and many a body. He gently began to prod the remains of the fire with a piece of their wood stock, giving up when no warmth came forth. He turned to his companion, brow stern but voice surprisingly tender.
"You needn't wait up for me. You've done work enough for the day and I won't stand for you to give up any wink of rest." His words commanded, but a twinkle could be caught in his eye.
"Like hell! You're in no position to say anything. You've done the most of us!" A voice across the fire argued, waving a gloved hand before their hooded face to escape the smoke and ash.
"Twitch, I appreciate your sympathy, but I have faced much worse than a couple of efts and you will need to face worse soon enough. You take me for elder than I am. Completely unrelated," The man paused before a sly grin took to his face and his hand went to his pack, whipping a small hunk of bread across the fire in the other's direction, "think fast."
His opposite reacted with a slight delay, caught off-guard and fumbling to catch the food projectile. Their hood fell back in the process, revealing a young but formidable-looking Viera girl. She clutched her prize in her hands, shooting a glare at her older-looking companion.
"Ivan, you make me glad there are no men in my homeland." She grumbled, tentatively looking up to check that the Hyur wasn't looking before turning away to scoff down the bread. Ivan opened his mouth to make a quick remark, but instead chose to hold his tongue with a soft smile.
A loud rustling from the distant trees caused both figures to swiftly stand, hands hovering over their respective weaponry. The Viera's ears twitched, as if tuning in to the forest itself's movements. The rustling continued, growing louder until infrequent footsteps could be heard. At last, a hand pushed through the thick brush, followed by loud panting and the rest of a very tired-looking Elezen man.
He collapsed on the ground by the dying fire, continuing to pant heavily.
"Aengus, are you--" The Viera began, quickly cut off by the Elezen's slightly cracked voice.
"Fine? Yes. Yes, I am--" He paused to flip over on the dirt, now face-up to stare at the overcast sky with a deep breath. "fine. I'll have you know that foraging is much harder in the dark, and that, per se, grabbing a kedtrap instead of an edible root is really quite possible." Despite being obviously tuckered out from his endeavors, the young man still made an (almost laughable) attempt to sound proper.
"But that is beside the point." He craned his head to look at the fire. "I see that... not much progress was made on the heat?"
Ivan laughed, obviously bemused by the Elezen's dramatics. "It can be done without. Besides, is it really camping if one is not forced to huddle with his companions for warmth in the unyielding Coerthan night?"
"Do not get me wrong, I... like you both very much, but that will be unnecessary." Aengus laughed as well, but far more nervously.
Twitch, in turn, prodded a finger in Ivan's direction. "And don't say that as if you've done it before!"
Ivan only continued to laugh.
With a small sigh, Twitch lowered herself to the ground next to Aengus. She turned her head to look at him, hair a (purposeful) mess and brow slightly furrowed with concern, whispering, "I appreciate your efforts, you damned fussy Gussy, but try to be more careful." Her worried look soon was replaced with comedic disgust. "Also, you left me stuck with this coot for an hour and didn't even come back with a snack. You owe me!"
Aengus only smiled, crossing his legs and watching the sky. A peephole in the murk had formed, gifting a glance at the stars beyond. He'd always had a fondness for the stars. Constellations were one of the few things he could ever pay attention to during lessons. The stories were what ensnared his imagination, as well as the hope of a realm beyond. Ivan sat down on his other side, patting his upper arm with a knowing expression. He, too, looked up.
And from the clifftop overlooking valleys yet unclimbed, the battles yet to be won, the friends yet unburied, and the bridge uncrossed, the trio looked heavensward.
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