The two boys found themselves being awoken by their mentor at the very early morning of dawn. The sun only showed hints of rising, and thr crisp cold winter bite of the air could be felt on the two. Trabia's winters were always brutal, and Kalen could only be grateful that he could have a taste of the summer weather before fall settled in. He would need to be ready for the coming winter. The most brutal of time here in Trabia.
The two were given a nice early morning breakfast, a big meal surprisingly in comparison to the dinner they had last night. Both had two large cuts of Behemoth Steak, four large chocobo eggs and separated between a plate of potatoes, fried. This was necessary, and he prefaced that they eat their large meal, for they would be not stopping their travel for a majority of the day. It was going to be a long treck through the forest, and they couldn't be allowed to stop for any reason. The Lunar cry had wrought the most dangerous of beasts into the heart of the forests, and getting stuck in the forest at night was a proven death sentence that Makoto was expressively warned, never to do until he tamed his own monster.
After their meal, their travels began, Varitas leading the boys across miles and miles worth of travel. Almost immediately, Kalen could see the dangers present in this place. Right at the borders of the forest, he could see hundreds and hundreds of tombstones. They coated the valley, almost eerily fencing off the borders of the forest, only leaving an opening to one entrance into it. A clear warning and message stated right here. Death was only around the corner.
"No matter how strong you are, no matter how brave you are, this forest will take your life without mercy. Do not ever enter this forest by yourself, and most of all, do not leave the trail. Because of the Lunar cry, it's practially mandatory for A ranked SeeDs to traverse with students on training missions. Every monster we encounter has the capacity of transforming into a Boss monster. In which case, only a full squad of Elite ranked SeeDs can beat them. More often than not, this is the reason why graves are filled here. So, when I tell you to run, flee, abandon me, or each other, I don't want you to question it. I don't want you to be brave, or to fight to save me or each other. It is my responsibility to keep you two alive, so, if such a monster comes our way, I will deal with it, and you two must return to camp. Follow the trail. And then, Makoto, you will take Kalen to the Garden, and inform our headmaster of what occurred."
He looked to the boys, waiting for their responses, as well as their assurance that they would do as he said without question. He had to really put it in Kalen's head that rushing head first into combat, taking unecessary damage, would result in his death. Makoto had already had this information beaten into him at the Garden, and by Varitas himself. There were multiple times where they had to abandon missions just because of monsters evolving mid fight. This often lead to many regions being forced into quarantine zones to avoid tragedies. This is why the prospect of monster taming was necessary. To combat the lunar cry, one needed to find a means to coexist with these ever evolving creatures, now more than ever.
Status: IT. IS. COLD. Location: Trabian Wasteland Company: Varitas, Makoto Thoughts: No Place Like Home Weapons: Hrunting ll Thunder Rose Magic: Scan (1) Crystal Stock: Earth (x10)
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Kiss me good-bye, love's memory Follow your heart and find your destiny Won't shed a tear, for love's mortality For you put the dream in my reality
All Kalen could do was shiver, his breathing illustrated with the mist conjuring itself in front of his face and past with each and every step. The momentary fire and warm meals that they had enjoyed seemed like a far and distant memory, the change of atmosphere and environment causing those recent moments to be looked upon with a high sense of nostalgia. There would be no use complaining, even if for a moment Kalen wished he was back in UNITA, for he was here and knew there was no turning back. His prayers were the only thing that would reach out of this frozen hellscape, errant thoughts towards his sisters, mother, and father. I won’t die out here.. That was the only sentence that he repeated to himself ad nauseum. All that the Rieko youth could do was shiver and trudge on, holding onto that sentiment to drive him successfully through whatever would be coming towards them.
Varitas’ words were heeded in their importance. There could be no experimenting in combat here. There was no room for error. It was kill or be killed and the whole point of this venture was to be the kill and not le killed. Smart and scientific fighting, do what you know. Rely on the basics. Rely on yourself. Cold blue eyes looked upward towards Varitas’ back as he led the way and nodded in agreement, having been silent the whole trip before allowing a glance towards Makoto. The advise to speak less had been heard and Kalen would more or less resemble a mute at this point, a sight that would baffle Nyale and Rem if they had the chance to witness it.
Keep moving forward. Stick to the path. Run when told.
It would be easier said than done, Kalen feared.
Guardian Force: G...Gilgamesh? Status: O'HO, I HAVE SOMETHING Spells 0
Status: Prepared. Location: The Great Valley of Monsters Spells:
Water (x3), Blizzard (x3), Blind (x3), Cure (x3), Esuna (x1)
____________________________________________________ Makoto's breakfast preparations were somewhat different than Kalen's. While he ate the majority of the meal, he cut one of the behemoth steaks into cubes and doused it into some of the potatoes and slapped a bit of sake on top to hide the smell. Then he wrapped it up tight in packaging to take with him. A good morning preparation was absolutely fine, but with little stopping refueling along the way wouldn't hurt too much. And if his preparation went properly, it wouldn't have enough scent to attract creatures above their own native scents.
"Perhaps for you youngin's, but for the Lord of the Revelry, this would be little more than a walk in the park! Perhaps you should chide young Kalen to release Gilgamesh. The boy could use a good lesson." The young samurai wanted to roll his eyes at the supernatural samurai, however he instead would focus on the dangers of the travel. Catching Kalen's glance, he gave the blonde a reassuring nod.
"It is not so bad. Serenity and patience. Guides unerringly." ____________________________________________________
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:51 am
With their acknowledgement, Varitas began their journey through the forest, guiding them through trails and passes that were barely noticeable if not for the trained eye. The winter tundra had easily hid a majority of the path features, and it was mostly due to memory alone that Varitas knew the path ahead of them. Makoto, having previously traversed the pass with his mentor, knew of the real danger that lied ahead of them. The cursed forest. This place was notoriously haunted with the spirits of monsters lingering. Those among the spirits, were the tonberry, very much like ushers into the afterlife, leading karma to all. Unlike the tonberry that inhabited the ruins of Centra, these tonberry dawned black coats, and their usual green skin, was replaced with a charcoal black and glowing eyes. Their habitat often revolved around the mass burial gravesites of ancient Trabian natives, only recently showing up after Trabia Garden managed to bury all of their dead in various regions, unaware that th result of that would be what Makoto would come to know as Cursed Gravesites.
One such site was nearby, and a passage that required them to go through. Although the cursed gravesites were dangerous, the gravekeeper tonberries often remained dosile during the day when spirits slept. It was only during the nights where things got bad. Spirits would surface, and both tonberries and spirits alike would wage combat, and any unfortunate passerby would be caught up in the midst of their battle. In a way, the tonberry here were guardians, but that did not mean they appreciated human presence. Quite the contrary in fact. They showed no hesitation in the treatment of humans as they would a spirit at night, and the spirits that surfaced were wretched, and hostile towards all life. It was only during the full moons that hell was brought to earth in these gravesights. That was when all monsters were active the most in Trabia, as if the moon itself was their battle flag gesturing them to go to war upon all life in Trabia.
This was the daily life of a Trabian. A place where even the islands closes to heaven and hell, could not hold a candle to when it came to unpredictability in the types of monsters that would surface here. With rapid evolution, this environment allowed monsters to develop in ways that they hadn't seen before. New measures needed to put them down. New weaknesses, and immunities; on top of the possibility of boss monsters spawning in at a moment's notice.
"When the trees start to rot, and the ground no longer holds life, you have reached a burial ground. Under no circumstances are you to visit these sites during the night, less you wish to die a horrible death. The tonberry here will leave you be during the day. That is why daylight is important to travel. It is your only time where movement is allowed. Hunting at night is a death sentence. Better to bunker up, protect our shelter, and worse case scenario, flee back to the Garden." He spoke out, mainly to Kalen as they were arriving at the burial grounds. Immediately the group could see rotted trees, desolate land, and in the distance, cloaked figures meandering their way around old tombstones carrying ethereal flame lanterns. Unlike the normal orange flames of the centra tonberry, the gravekeeper tonberry dawn a white flame, with the gasping expression of an eyeless person's face in the flame.
"There they are. Do not engage with them. Just walk past them, and they won't bother us... if we're lucky." Of course, to expect a tonberry to act in a certain manner was pointless. The Tonberry were sentient beings, capable of their own heirarchy. Whatever curiosities or desires they had were their own, and each one was different from the other in such things. One could only hope that they weren't too curious about them.
Status: IT. IS. COLD. Location: Trabian Wasteland Company: Varitas, Makoto Thoughts: No Place Like Home Weapons: Hrunting ll Thunder Rose Magic: Scan (1) Crystal Stock: Earth (x10)
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Kiss me good-bye, love's memory Follow your heart and find your destiny Won't shed a tear, for love's mortality For you put the dream in my reality
Kalen would not budge in his move towards silence, embracing what Makoto said with a slow nod and apprehensive smile whilst he listened to Varitas. The silence was forcing Kalen to think, and reflect, on his actions of the past and what he wanted in the future. Too many thoughts, and not enough time or people to sit and truly discuss it with. Makoto was not the kind of person you sat and chatted with, and Varitas was the cool, cold uncle that you only would ask the most important things. All that Kalen thought of was his home, and it brought an ache to his heart as he thought about his parents, all of them, and his siblings. All that could be done was a private prayer to whatever God would answer that they were okay, but he had to focus on the now.
Or Die.
Gilgamesh had been slightly more quiet since the meeting with Makoto's guardian force, perhaps facing his own brand of introspection, but he would always throw a verse or thought toward Kalen's internal monologue to try and support or bolster here and there. Perhaps he too was surprised and felt admonished by the other presences that spoke to them like baby deer, apt and painful the description may be. The only thing that kept those thoughts from loitering in the constant of Kalen's brain was the fact they were in a cold wasteland with, as Varitas proclaimed, tonberries. The description of the environment were facts that he would remember, and honestly things that he had implemented already in his travels noticing the attitude of monsters in the day and night. The only times that he had traveled at night had been when there was crossing through Galbadian territories, having been told numerous times to not be seen by Galbadian forces. Being the kid of three major political figures and godson to another was, well, precarious at its worst.
The notes that Varitas provided were not disregarded, Kalen only nodding to illustrate that it was understood. Even as they came to the burial grounds, Kalen slowly kept his nerves at bay, refusing to let the fear of the tonberries take over his actions and breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Do not look at them, look forward. Hopefully, like Varitas said, they would be ignored, Kalen followed closely in Varitas' footsteps while keeping his wits about him.
"We are in the belly of the beast, boy. Don't let the emotions get the best of you. They're monsters, just be on your guard." Gilgamesh's voice kept Kalen focused, his jaw tightening at the gentle and non boisterous words that surprisingly came from the Guardian Force. "Their blades are dangerous but they have short reach, kid. Just stay on your guard."
Guardian Force: G...Gilgamesh? Status: O'HO, I HAVE SOMETHING Spells 0
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Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2025 10:58 am
Makoto Akihiro Ishikawa
Status: In the Cold. Location: Trailing Sensei. Spells:
Water (x3), Blizzard (x3), Blind (x3), Cure (x3), Esuna (x1)
____________________________________________________ "They can be Swordsmen. Blades alight at night whirling. Maybe Samurai."
A kindly word of warning for Kalen. A moment of disinformation or surprise can be the difference of life out here in the wilds, and he would at least try to teach his compatriot enough to lessen those odds. It may not have meant to be his role, but sometimes you can stray out of your lane.
Makoto let his hand grip the hilt of his blade just in case. While his mentor was correct in that the best methodology for this was essentially live and let live, monsters weren't something you could trust. Hunger, bloodlust, boredom, though on average it should be a peaceful passing, he felt it in the back of his mind to be prepared. Just in case.
His gaze was burning a hole in the back of Varitas. These reminders and descriptions seemed a bit too painfully obvious for him now, but he wondered if this was what made a good mentor. To remember to explain what is to the advanced as agonizingly dull and basic. Breaking the boring effect on Varitas, his eyes flickered over to the downcast Kalen. He hoped the guy would keep his nerves, that his confidence would grow quickly enough to keep up with the nature of Trabia. ____________________________________________________
Traversing through the cursed grounds appeared to go off without a hitch. The Tonberry appeared to be more focused on checking the tombstones than they did the group that passed on by. Varitas noticeably took different paths around the Tonberries that walked in their direction, avoiding getting within their pathway less they wanted to gain its attention. Most of them looked to be staring at the ground, not bothering to look up as they walked, only focusing on their objects of obsession. As long as the other two did not step in their way, they would be fine.
Once the ordeal had passed, their venture deeper into the mountainous valley finally brought them to their target of focus. Crouching down low, the boys would see their mentor examining tracks, some branches torn off, claw slash marks across bark on the trees, showing it was a large monster. Looking back to the two, he gave them a serious expression. "Ready your weapons. Our target is close by." He warned as he readied his blade, crouching down. "Pay attention to the trees above you, it could be hiding around here."
